Album Reviews

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Chaossworn – Chalice of Black Flames (2010)

    cover

    Formed under the moniker of Creeping Death, the band changed names to Chaossworn in 2009. As a promising but underachieving band they released 3 demos and 1 EP before changing names, now with “Chalice of Black Flames” the band is unleashing three powerful songs of pure chaotic Swedish Death/Black Metal.

    If you love bands like Dissection, Einherjer and Naglfar, then you will love what Chaossworn brings to the table in this short but sweet EP. While some people might argue that ‘there is nothing new’ presented in “Chalice of Black Flames”, but there is nothing wrong about ‘similar but good’. Because of the lack of releases that feature this Swedish Death/Black sound, we think that Chaossworn deserves a chance in the spotlight since their music is spot on in every single level.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Armagedda – I Am (2010)

    cover

    For fans of the now defunct cult Black Metal band Armagedda, Eisenwald/Nordvis is releasing a lost recording of 2001-2002. The band dissolved after their epic “Ond Spiritism: Djæfvulens Skalder” and with this EP we get another little glimpse into the band’s hate fueled Black Metal rawness.

    During the 24 minutes of music in “I Am”, the listener is transported to Armagedda’s cold and grim parallel world that sparks hatred and destruction. Fueled with grim ‘traditional’ riffing, and mournful rasps of pain, you will be brought to your knees by these powerful songs. And after the CD is over, you will find yourself playing it over and over again, just to relive the whole experience once more.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Mouga – The God and Devils Schanpps (2009)

    cover

    We have received very solid releases from Mystic Productions from Poland until now, Mouga’s attempt at mixing Emo with Nu-Metal and some Metalcore elements fails terribly and the band just comes up with a garbled release that will make you want you puncture your ear-drums after listening to it for more than 10 minutes. Imagine we listened to it for at least 3 full spins before going on to write this review.

    We usually don’t like to put bands down unless they really deserve it, and for Mouga we feel that is our obligation to warn you about this steaming pile of shit of an album. The band’s attempt at mixing ‘commercially’ safe genres might be justified, but when there is no substance, and more importantly no music behind such an attempt, it just makes it crash and burn miserably.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Corruption – Bourbon River Bank (2010)

    cover

    How would you explain listening to Southern/Stoner Rock from Poland?, we are at loss for words with this very solid release from Poland’s Corruption. The band has been around for quite a while (1991) and we have never heard of them until now, and let us tell you that similarly to Black River, they come rocking, kicking-ass and taking names.

    Five years have passed since the band’s latest effort “Virgin's Milk” and they are now back with “Bourbon River Bank”, an album that we would have expected from an American band, but never (ever) from a Polish band. For over 50 minutes, Corruption takes us on a hard rocking journey through 13 powerful and catchy songs.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Arcadia – Roy Philip Nohl (2010)

    cover

    Hailing from Italy, today we get a very interesting release that manages to blend several genres of metal into a very original sound. Arcadia does a great job in combining Hardcore, Melodic Death Metal, and some hints of Progressive Metal/Rock, allowing the band sounding like none other in the scene.

    Before you can even think about it, the answer is: yes, there are some Metalcore-ish elements in “Roy Philip Nohl”. However, these little hints of Metalcore are greatly utilized to the band’s advantage; they use the breakdowns to weave new sounds and elements into their already well crafted songs. We really like how the band uses some breakdowns to create epic chorus sections that never sound faggy (i.e. “I Sold Drugs to Little Red Riding Hood”).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Rootwater – Visionism (2010)

    cover

    Featuring the characteristic vocals of Maciej Taff (of Black River fame), we get a very solid hard-rocking album that will surely bring back your memories of when System of a Down didn’t suck. Following a similar approach than SoD, the band evolved around a charismatic singer and some folk influences, however Rootwater never overdoes the folk stuff and moves into a Melodic Metal territory with songs like “Visionism”.

    “Visionism” marks the band’s third full-length album and probably the best one to date. Recently Rootwater has stopped ‘operations’ since Maciej has to undergo therapy for illness and this sucks since “Visionism” is a very solid album that would have taken them further than their previous albums.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Mekong Delta – Wanderer on the Edge of Time (2010)

    cover

    With a newly revamped lineup (since the last album), Mekong Delta is finally back with their Thrash infused Progressive Metal. Ralph Hubert as the only remaining original member, Mekong Delta comes out of the shadows to release a very solid album with “Wanderer on the Edge of Time”. For somebody that has been doing music since the 80’s we could only expect nothing but the best and Mekong Delta delivers on this promise.

    Recruiting Martin LeMar of Tomorrow’s Eve on vocals and Alex Landenburg of At Vance on drums, the band sounds like nothing has been really lost since their last album “Lurking Fear”. With fifteen tracks and around 50 minutes of music, “Wanderer on the Edge of Time” is arranged in a manner that allows the listener to get fully immersed on the musical experience provided on this album. All the “Zwischenspiel” or interludes (5 in total) in this album allow the transitions between tracks to be simple and elegant.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Neurosis – Enemy of the Sun (2010)  Reissue

    cover

    With the upcoming 25th anniversary of Neurosis, the band has decided to reissue one of their most influential masterpieces: “Enemy of the Sun”. If you remember going back to 1993, or at any point when you first listening to this crushing release, you will know how epic this album was, and how it changed the way a lot of people listened/viewed “Metal” music.

    This 2010, Neurot recordings has put out another reissue of this epic masterpiece. The first reissue was back in 1999, and the current ‘2010 edition’ features a redesigned package made by Josh Graham. And it also includes two added tracks: “Takeahnse (demo version)” and “Cleanse II” (Live in Oberhausen). As one of the first experimental masterpieces of Metal, “Enemy of the Sun” is one of those releases that every Metal connoisseur must have in their collection.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Trigger the Bloodshed – Degenerate (2010) 

    cover

    As a snake shedding its skin, today we have Trigger the Bloodshed shedding its Deathcore skin and showing us their new Technical/Brutal Death Metal side. Album after album, this band has been making small progress into crafting a powerful and brutal sound that does not sound weak or cloned.

    With “Degenerate”, Trigger the Bloodshed provides us 36 minutes of catchy-yet-brutal Death Metal that will make you want to headbang since minute 1 of this album. The band has paid more attention to the songwriting aspect of “Degenerate” and has crafted songs that are cohesive and well designed to exploit the heavy riffing and inhuman vocals.

Pages

Recent Image Galleries