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    [STÖMB] – The Grey (2015)

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    While constantly looking for interesting and unique bands, today we have [STÖMB] and their very interesting mixture of Post-Metal, Post-Rock, groove Metal, and some trip-hop influences. Featuring ten tracks of mostly instrumental music, “The Grey” is a very ambitious release that showcases the band’s originality and solid musicianship.

    Opening with the trippy “The Complex”, the release weaves back and forth between Post-Metal and Groove Metal, with some atmospheric elements thrown into the mix. This is the band’s modus operandi as tracks like “Rise from Nothing”, “Corrosion Juncture”, and “Terminal City” standout with a similar approach. The band’s creativity is also their weakness as the album feels a bit random and just a collection of tracks with no real aim.

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    A.C.O.D – II The Maelstrom (2015)

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    Hailing from France, today we have A.C.O.D and their Melodic-ish Death Metal release “II The Maelstrom”. Delivering thirteen tracks of a very health mix of traditional Death Metal with some more modern and Melodic elements, this band sounds like a bastard child of Grave and Kalmah. We are constantly amazed at the quality of bands that are coming out of France, and this is another one of the good ones.

    The band opens with the groovy “Another Path” before settling for a more Thrash-infused Death Metal sound in “Way of Death”, and then jumping into Melo-Death land with “Abuse Me”. This is the narrative in this release as the band slowly weaves back and forth from Melodic, to Thrashy, to old-school Death Metal, actually pulling it off gracefully and very cohesively.

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    Nerv – Vergentis In Senium (2015)

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    Hailing from France, today we have a very unique band that pushes the limits of Post-Metal, Post-Hardcore and Math Metal, creating a very unique and devastating mixture. Nerv delivers seven relentless tracks in “Vergentis In Senium”. Perfectly crafted for fans of bands like Neurosis and Dysrhythmia, this is one very powerful release that will rattle your senses.

    Opening with the punishing wall of riffs in “Cathars” we brace ourselves for a brutal and nihilistic release. The vocals are very similar to Neurosis and the overall sense of urge in songs like “Tortures” has a Dysrhythmia edge to it. The band does a great job in crafting complex song structures, leaving the listener puzzled and always expecting something different.

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    Embersland – Dark Ages (2015)

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    Hailing from Spain, today we have Embersland and their very catchy and well-crafted Symphonic/Gothic Metal with some Power Metal elements thrown into the mix. Featuring nine tracks and around 48 minutes of music, this release is an emotional rollercoaster filled with powerful guitars, tight drumming, and masterfully led by the vocals of Will, May and Xavi. Appealing to a wide spectrum of listeners, “Dark Ages” is one memorable release.

    Opening with the 9 minute playful piece “Sunrise (Part II)”, the band instantly showcases their evolution since their 2013 release. With more focused songwriting and more mature skills, this track features majestic vocal melodies and emotional keyboards. The band nicely keeps up the initial track’s momentum with solid songs like “Closer”, “Hope”, and the superbly catchy “WTF…Fuck Off!”, which has a killer chorus section. It is quite evident that the band is nicely maturing as their sound is very cohesive with all their elements coming together quite nicely.

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    Mora - Hmlisté obdobie (2015)

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    Arriving all the way from Slovakia, today we have Mora, an Atmospheric Black Metal outfit with a very raw and visceral sound. In their demo “Hmlisté obdobie”, the band presents six songs of sickening raw Black Metal with creepy atmospheric elements that will haunt your dreams for weeks to come.

    Immediately after the piano intro, the band sets a very bleak and sinister mood with mid-tempo traditional BM riffs and ‘swishy’ drums. “Neviditelne zlo” is the perfect momentum builder for the band’s savage vocals that nicely appear after a few minutes of creepy music. The vocal style is quite deranged and dissonant, mixing growls with shrieks, this will leave an impression on you for the foreseeable future thanks to songs like “Mrtvolny chlad” and “Jesenna depresia”.

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    Torchia – Ending Beginning (2015)

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    Greatly improving since their 2013 demo, today we have Finland’s Torchia and their killer Melodic Death Metal with some Thrash elements. We love watching bands evolve over time and Torchia is the perfect example of a solid transition and evolution into a very promising new band. Featuring three songs filled with melodic passages and killer production, this is one of the best demos we have received in 2015.

    Opening with the demo title track, the band instantly sets a very upbeat tempo with catchy guitar riffs and a very melodic vibe. This song has that Finish Melodic Death Metal sound engraved into its core, and we love it. The guitar solos are amazing and pair perfectly with the massive drumming we can appreciate in this release.

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    Ommatidia – Let’s Face it! (2015)

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    Hailing from France, today we have the sophomore release of Gothic Metal outfit: Ommatidia. In “Let’s Face it!”, the band delivers ten songs of well-crafted Gothic Metal/Rock that moves away from their band’s more atmospheric and Doomier debut release back in 2011. Crafting a sound similar to bands like To/Die/For, HIM, and The Man Eating Tree, this band will satisfy your male-vocals Gothic Metal cravings.

    The album opens with the catchy “Immaculate” and its soaring vocals, courtesy of Guillaume Richard. This track gives us a certain The Man Eating Tree vibe, making it quite engaging and a very solid opener. As tracks like “Sunspot”, “Dark Swelling” and “Soiled” settle the listener into the band’s style; we nicely enjoy Ommatidia’s traditional emotional Gothic sound. With very organic songs like “Sleeping Black”, the band has the luxury of experimenting with additional elements to keep things heavier.

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    Illuminata – Where Stories Unfold (2015)

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    After blowing us away with their music in 2011, Austria’s Illuminata returns with yet another Gothic/Symphonic Metal masterpiece with their third full-length album “Where Stories Unfold”. Using a 60-piece orchestra and two different choirs, the band bets big on their music and delivers around 60 minutes of brilliant music that will impress any fan of the genre.

    Crafting a very dramatic opening with “A Story Unfolds”, the lush orchestrations and very cinematic music instantly catches our attention. With the real opener, “Eternity of Today” the band shows that their core sound has greatly evolved and delivers a magical Gothic Metal track filled with astonishing arrangements and the hypnotic vocals of Katarzyna Nieniewska.

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    Elyose – Ipso Facto (2015)

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    Hailing from Paris, France, today we have Industrial/Gothic Metal outfit Elyose and their sophomore release titled “Ipso Facto”. Featuring a very bombastic and crafty sound, this outfit delivers over 47 minutes of super catchy music. Led by the charismatic Justine Daaé, this is not just another clone band, as they nicely carve their own style and create very engaging music.

    The album makes a quick impact with the super catchy electronic elements of “Femme De Verre” which perfectly blend with the strong vocal leads. The same high energy continues with the lush “De Guerre Lasse” and its solid guitar riffs paired with cool electronic effects. The band at this stage reminds of a mixture of Theater of Tragedy in the “Musique” days with the more modern style of Nemesea.

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    Deathwhite – Solitary Martyr (2015)

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    Hailing from the USA today we have a very melancholic band named Deathwhite. Delivering their second EP, “Solitary Martyr”, the band perfectly captures the late 90’s Katatonia / Anathema vibe and presents us with five dark and atmospheric songs. With a heavy and yet very depressive sound, this is one of those short releases that you will be stuck listening to for weeks.

    Opening with the very dramatic “Pressure”, we are instantly transported to the year Katatonia’s “Discouraged ones” was released and that certain melancholic atmosphere that many albums had those days. The band’s music is quite well crafted greatly complementing a very heartfelt vocal performance. Not all songs are only mellow and the heavy opening of “Suffer Abandonment” is a great reminder of that. This track even features some excellent Doom Metal riffs thrown into the mix.

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