Without trying to come across as that meme of Morpheus from The Matrix, what if I told you…that you could have a black metal band without the corpse paint, church burning and, let’s not be forgetting the murder of fellow band members?  Well funnily enough that’s exactly what Minnesota quintet ASHBRINGER would like you to believe!

Founded in 2015 by vocalist / guitarist Nick Stanger (Later completed by drummer Ian Sutherland, bassist Nathan Wallestad, guitarist Jackson Catton and keyboardist Cormac Piper) it didn’t take the atmospheric black metal outfit long to get the ball rolling AT ALL, as literally within days of forming, they found themselves working with Avantgarde Music and on their first US tour supporting AMIENSUS. Talk about going in at the deep end! Now, in 2019, we find Ashbringer releasing album number three; “Absolution”, their debut for the very respectable Prosthetic Records. The question is, are they truly free from all guilt and punishment?

At over an hour long, yet only consisting of eight tracks, we’re given an early indication of how this album is going to pan out, but the opening title-track provides an early surprise. With some quaintly plucked acoustic guitar, we’re off to a far mellower start than anticipated! This is eventually countered however by some seriously jarring vocals and though an interesting combination, it isn’t necessarily a pleasant one, however instrumentally it’s incredibly soothing and harmonious. The solo works really well too, and it’s a fine start. “Wilderness Walk” virtually continues in the same vain structurally, before the album begins to dissipate through its own indulgence. “Eternal Separation” Parts one and two indeed last an eternity with their prog-infused presentation, while “Dreamscape” at over ten minutes, with its reverberation  and vacant tones is enough to put even Freddy Krueger to sleep.

​Ultimately while both ambitious and clearly talented musicians, there’s something that doesn’t quite gel with the merger of such harsh vocals and melodious instrumentation. As a progressive / shoegaze record this works really well, especially instrumentally, however vocally it would be interesting to see what the likes of say, Chino Moreno of DEFTONES or Aaron Weiss of MEWITHOUTYOU could do with these tracks, but this doesn’t quite click. “Absolution” isn’t an absolute failure per se, but it isn’t absolutely fabulous either darling. [5]

Black metal; arguably the most perceived to be evil of all the extreme metal sub-genres, and a genre that’s been the subject of A LOT of controversy over the years…while its origins may lie in England thanks to VENOM and the album that practically named the entire movement; “Black Metal”, the bulk of it can be found in (You guessed it) Scandinavia etc. It’s here that the genre picked up its notoriety with cases of band mates murdering each other as well as convictions for hate crime, bands using ACTUAL images of suicide victims on album covers (See MAYHEM’s “Dawn Of The Black Hearts”) and if that wasn’t enough, several churches have legitimately been burned down!

But, let’s not dwell on those crazy Scandinavian bastards for now, as black metal reaches further afield than that, and one of the genre’s most prominent bands can actually be found in Greece. Yes, today we’re going to be focusing on ROTTING CHRIST. Formed in the late 80’s, they were one of the first black metal bands to form out of the Mediterranean region and have been an iconic and influential force for many an underground band ever since, and 2019 sees them release their brand new studio album “The Heretics”, Their first in three years. Let’s all skip church together and find out what the Greek’s have got in store on album number thirteen…no I said SKIP church not set fire to….never mind…

The album opens up with “In The Name Of God” and its spoken word intro is incredibly damning and profound, pointing out the overall hypocrisy of mankind. While many of us today denounce the idea of any religion, the very concept seems archaic while we create our own miracles; yet we still are able to pick and choose our own deities as they suit us…war and death in the name of God not out of true belief, but out of convenience. Musically the track has a rigid, militant tone which suits the aura of the track completely and it’s an intense start. The album then to its credit just keeps getting better and better…”Vetry Zlye” manages to balance pummeling percussion and Sakis scorching metal vocals with some beautifully melodic guitar, along with the sweet, cleaner vocal notes of Russian singer Irena Zybina. The two complement each other brilliantly and it’s an infectious piece of metal! Speaking of infectious, “Heaven And Hell And Fire”, despite it’s obvious metal aesthetics carries a great guitar hook layered within another up-tempo melodic metal offering, this is all very good stuff!

This is further backed up by album highlights “Fire God And Fear” and “The Sons Of Hell”…the former starts with another spoken word piece amidst the quaint chirping of birds, like it’s the introduction to one of the levels on “Dungeon Keeper”, but swiftly descends into a wall of blackened metal riffage, and THAT solo? It’s superbly executed and slicker than a bowl of extra virgin olive oil! The latter embraces a more traditional heavy metal style, evident in the wailing guitar notes and more methodical approach instrumentally, before “The Raven” utilises more soaring guitar harmonies while Sakis recites the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

There are some minor hiccups mid-album…such as “I Believe”, which combines a spoken-word Greek monologue with an unrelenting wall of noise as the frantic guitars are played on loop in the background, and it gives you a little bit of a headache before it fades out, while “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, although commanding and ominous in tone, does suffer from a case of repetition. Although to be fair, these flaws are minor in the grand scheme of things. “The Heretics” has showcased Rotting Christ’s ability to incorporate melody and an accessibility into their otherwise crushing sound, something which was lacking on “Rituals”, resulting in a wonderfully smooth listen. Putting aside the gimmicked elements of early Catholicism with the ritualistic or ceremonial chanting emitting from the backing vocal samples, this is a really strong blackened metal concept album and if you’re unsure of making the jump from traditional metal into something more dramatic and intense, then this is actually a brilliant segue record. It’s as easy-listening as extreme metal can get but it loses none of its credibility. Forget rotting, Christ sounds fresher than ever. [8]

As you all SHOULD know by now, Scandinavia is renowned for its mind-blowing plethora of heavy metal bands. Seriously now, collectively, the Nordic block shit’s out such a vast variety of metal it could be mistaken for another industrial revolution! When it comes to exports though, no one can match Finland…them Finns LOVE them some metal and it’s here we find ourselves again for today’s band; let me introduce you to KAAMOS WARRIORS. Formed in 2018 in the town of Kempele, their name roughly translates as ‘Warriors Of The Polar Night’…and hailing from just outside the arctic circle, it’s safe to see where the duo (Consisting of Mikko Ojala and Jani Moilanen), like many other Finns, get their inspiration.

Living in such an often unforgiving environment, with extremely cold temperatures and often fragmentary nocturnal cycles, it’s no wonder a lot of the music produced in Finland is soaked in despair, melancholy and delirium. It should come as no surprise then, that their debut album; “Ikuisen Talven Sarastus” essentially means ‘At The Dawn Of Winter Eternal’…but are they resigning themselves to an existence in icy isolation? Let’s find out…

The eight-track mini-album opens up with “Kaamos Warriors” itself and I guess it’s like a declaration of intent if you will…the foreboding intro of the sinister guitar tone leads into an eruption of blast-beats and unrelenting percussion, accompanying the evil snarls of vocalist Mikko. There’s an uncomfortable, unholy aura to the track, reinforced by the chilling monastic vocal chanting, almost ritualistic over the cold, blackened metal; a decent start this. We follow this up with “Talventuoja” which I’m honestly struggling to translate…it’s message roughly means (And I mean this as an interpretation) the reaper is the bringer of Winter; for the cold solitude of endless nights is comparable to death itself; dark and void, and musically the slower tempo, owing much to the sound of say, SATYRICON for example, allows the song to impose a sense of dread and seriousness upon the listener, though the guitar solo and abrupt ending spoil the vibe of the track ever so slightly.

Thankfully there are a handful of English titles here too, making life a little bit easier for me truthfully, with the first of which being “Winter Eternal”. Another gradual build here, blending their brand of blackened death with subtle battle metal aesthetics, coming across as more of a march than a full track if you will; it’s quite regimented and linear and honestly it’s about as flat as you’ll find this type of metal. The other English tracks comprise of “Immortals” and “Secrets Of Stars”…the former delivering an interesting blend of acoustic guitar and harmonious, choir-esque vocals underlying the sonic intensity, while the latter offers a more up-tempo, pacier slab of melodic metal, providing a late album highlight. It’s full of groove and rhythm and it’s, dare I say it, catchy…? Before we then round things off with the title track itself; returning to their cold, brooding visceral misery.

Let’s not beat around the snow covered bush here…the Nordic / Baltic region for blackened death metal bands is like a cave in the Kanto region for the mighty Zubat, walk just a couple of steps in any direction and you’ll have one screeching in your face. This doesn’t necessarily mean the genre is completely over-saturated however…for a band practically just a year old, this is a really promising debut. At just over twenty minutes it’s a short album, but that makes this an easy, accessible listen for such a niche underground genre. Warriors…raise your pork swords, winter is coming. [7]

DEWAR PR is a PR company based out of Ontario, Canada, run by CEO Curtis Dewar. Specialising in all that is hard and heavy within the music industry, Dewar champions all of the underground genres such as sludge, stoner rock and other sub-divisions of heavy metal, allowing them the platform and opportunity to reach out to new set of ears worldwide. You may already be familiar with a couple of their clients through my recent 'My Wreckord Collection feature', but if you really want a taste of what Dewar has to offer, then look no further.

“Dewar PR Presents” is a brand new, FREE TO DOWNLOAD sampler compilation album, consisting of seventeen tracks by seventeen different artists, showcasing the variety of metal you can find within their catalogue of bands. Whether you like the groove-heavy hypnotic drones of sludge lords FALSE GODS….the traditional sound of old school thrashers TOMMY CONCRETE, the classic, sensual darkness of Gothic rockers HER DESPAIR, or even the sweet vocal harmonies of DUST PROPHET, there is sure to be something for you over the course of this record. Curtis himself says;

“I’m pleased to release the latest in our series of compilations! This is the fifth year of Dewar PR being in operation and I’m excited to have the chance to work with great new bands.  Download the compilation and support (with money) any of the bands that you enjoy! If you’d like more information on promoting your next release with Dewar PR, please email me at dewarpr@gmail.com!”

Follow the link below to download the sampler…did I mention it’s fucking FREE?!?! Get on it!

Track List:
1] FALSE GODS – “They Who Speak To The Lost”
2] OWL MAKER – “Witches”
3] TOMMY CONCRETE –“Leith Punk Flat”
4] HER DESPAIR – “Blaspheme With Me”
5] GORM – “Beyond Black Rainbow”
6] CHAOS SYNOPSIS – “Sixteen Scourges”
7] ALICEISSLEEPING – “Scary Mary”
8] RITUAL EARTH – “Solar Ecstasy”
9] DEATH ON FIRE – “Witch Hunter (Remix)”
10] VESSEL – “The Dreaming”
11] BLESSED BLACK – “Stormbringer”
12] STUMP TAIL DOLLY – “Regret”
13] ALLFATHER – “By Sword By Famine By Plague”
14] DUST PROPHET – “The Big Lie”
15] ARCHARUS – “Erebor”
16] RIFT – “Lift To Ash”
17] DESERT KINGDOM – “Unleash All Hell”

Back in 1992, back when I was still only 3 years old and barely singing ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’, death metal was arguably at its mainstream peak, sacrificing those very lambs I sang of, ready to branch out like THAT rape scene from ‘Evil Dead’, into a myriad of other malevolent  genres…violating all whose ears fell upon it. During that time, today’s band underwent their formation and for a long time they went by the name of OCCULT, following in the footsteps of Norway’s earliest death metal bands…but in 2006, they transformed into the band we know them as today; LEGION OF THE DAMNED.

Not to be confused with former WWF/WWE tag team Legion Of Doom (Though noticeably not as intimidating) The current line-up consists of long-time members Maurice Swinkels and Erik Fleuren on vocals and guitars respectively, accompanied by bassist Harold Gielen and drummer Twan Van Geel, but while their name may have changed, their core principles remain, as they unleashed their 13th studio album; “Slaves Of The Shadow Realm” very early in January 2019. Let’s see if a cold, dark winter night is the perfect environment for such an album to exist…

The album opens up with “The Widow’s Breed” and it pretty much sets the tone and feel of the album from the word go…with the intense blend of frantic, technical death; the viciously spat blackened vocals of Maurice and a classic, thrash metal inspired core sound…it really is in your face and unrelenting. Whatever the hell they are, if this is how they breed no wonder they’re widows! I DARE you to try and fuck to this song; you won’t have a dick left! “Charnel Confession” then with its opening cracklings gives a feeling of an old-school approach…fast-paced and up-tempo, yet with a strong groove, not to mention the sporadic, wild guitar solo, it channels with it the likes of fellow countrymen IMMORTAL and MAYHEM.

The thrash-elements shine through again on tracks like “Palace Of Sin” and you can see where earlier artists like SLAYER and EXODUS have rubbed off on them stylistically, with both the riff-work and percussion going full throttle from the get go. It’s not all hard and heavy however, not quite anyway, as “Shadow Realm Of The Demonic Mind” initially gets underway with a gentle, melancholic piano-led intro, really breaking up the bombardment at the halfway point, though it sadly doesn’t last very long. The rest of the album is predominantly by-numbers classic blackened death metal…though interestingly, they’ve thrown in two bonus tracks (“Priest Hunt” and “Azazel’s Crown”) BEFORE the end of the album, which is different. The latter housing more of those screeching guitar wails, and another solo, but not really diversifying all that much…

Truth be told, Legion Of The Damned they are, and have been for a while now, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t just another standard thrash/death crossover album. I’m not knocking them musically as a unit, they deliver technically very well, they sound crisp, tight and the production here is sound for the genre, but it’s really nothing you haven’t already heard before. Never mind the shadow realm; they’re more like slaves to their own heritage. [5]
​

​Courtesy of the lovely folk over at DEWAR PR, we’re kicking off 2019 with a brand new blog feature. In something I’d like to call “My Wreckord Collection”, here we’ll be delving deep into the personal record collections of bands and artists from all walks of life; getting a glimpse into their own individual tastes…what inspires them to write, record and play music, and possibly discovering some hidden gems along the way. Today in this opening segment, we’ll be turning our attention to a ‘twisted’ death metal band by the name of BASILYSK…and more specifically their drummer Mike Churry. Hailing from Philadelphia, the 4-piece, who have described themselves as a serpentine assault on the senses; have their brand new album “EmergencE” scheduled for release on February 22nd…let’s see what’s potentially inspired Mike to make noise, as he runs us through some of his favourites in his own words…

​CONVULSE - "World Without God"

"One of Finland's first and finest death metal bands. If you are truly one who savors rare, underground death metal, then this is the album to feed your soulless ears. With four tracks off their 1990 demo included, and two bonus live tracks, I highly recommend World Without God for your morning drive to work!"

VIOGRESSION - "Expound and Exhort"

"From the underground Wisconsin death metal scene, behold Viogression!  This record boasts of John Tardy-style vocals, viciously evil sounding riffs and pummeling drums. Sure to send you right to the chiropractor for severe whiplash. The ever changing guitar revolutions never leave a dull moment for the listener!"

DEPRAVITY - "Silence of the Centuries"

"Well known in the Scandinavian metal regions, Finnish band Depravity stands strong in their rank.  Spooky, ghoulish, heavy, and memorizing most of all.  Let the beautifully composed solos coat the melancholic chord progressions, while you gaze at this masterpiece artwork done by one of my favorite artists, Turkka Rantanen.  Sure to give you chills.  This album will not let you down."

DEMILICH - "Nespithe"

"Technical, brutal, otherworldly, artistic overall.  No words seem to fully describe this dark Finnish diamond.  I could only explain how I felt upon listening for the first time in the Fall of 2007.  Brutal death metal from Mars?  Low tuned alien brilliance?  Whatever it was, it took me for one hell of a ride.  Artwork by none other than Turkka Rantanen, this album is dressed to impress in many ways.  Guitarist and stomach-churning vocalist Antti Boman (who also designed their logo) practically raised the bar for extreme death metal.  I got to see these gods crush Millcreek Tavern last May, and  I'm proud to say that I shared many conversations with their drummer Mikko and Antti himself.  27 years later, and the value of this album is the same, if not maybe even more. To me, it's priceless."

DEFORM - "Nefarious Impulses" (Unholy Domain Records Cassette Release)

"Formed under the name Desiccation in Fall 2007. Tim Ninerell (R.I.P.) and myself were practically the only death metal heads in our small town of Hainesport, New Jersey.  We were inspired to write good ol' fashioned death metal in the vein of bands like Suffocation, Morgue, Accidental Suicide, Convulse, and of course, DEATH!  We recorded a 2 song demo in 2007 titled Flesh Eating Disease.  A year later we wrote Morbidity, a five song demo.  During a four year hiatus, we finally got around to record Nefarious Impulses, and employed artist Derek Waugh draw up this sick design.  If I could turn back time to ask for a click track and punch in a faster tempo from the engineer, then this release probably would have taken us even further. But even at this slower tempo, the music is flawless in my eyes. Nefarious Impulses WILL punch a hole through whatever you play it on. 

The next planned Deform album "What Lives In Shadows" would have been 10 times better then the last, with art work by Turkka Rantenan. Sadly, this album never made it to recording, as Tim disbanded Deform in 2015 and passed away later that year.  I've been practicing guitar for a while now, so I am going "What Lives In Shadows" happen some day."

So a bear and a bull walk into a bar and after they take a seat, the bull says “I’ll get the first round, what you having?”…the bear, licking his lips replies “I’ll have………a beer”. The bull, impatient asks “Why the big pause?” The bear simply retorts “I dunno, I was born with them!” …As shitty as that joke is, I intend to make up for it in sheer Segway value; so if you’ll let me explain, allow me to introduce to you PAGANS. Formed somewhere oop north, the internet-based duo consists of Vocalist Luther Williams (Who you may also find in the band THE ANTIQUITY) and multi-instrumentalist Adam Bulpitt, and the pair got together strictly as part of a studio-only project after meeting at university. Inspired by a love of artists such as SYLOSIS and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER they’ve created an EP under the name of “The Bear And The Bull” (See it made sense in the end!)…will they pull no punches? Or are they too the punch-line to a shitty joke? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with the track “Fathoms” and initially we just have the soft, creepily plucked guitar providing an almost hypnotic introduction; there’s no ascension, no gradual build…it simply lulls and lingers there for just short of a minute, where we then quickly erupt with a visceral dose of tormented, sludge-heavy death metal. The drone of the guitar and the duel-tone vocals of Williams; half demonic growls, half savage snarling giving the track a true sense of viciousness and foreboding…one can only fathom at the depths off hell this came from…”Cranium Tomb” then follows up and wastes absolutely no time whatsoever. After a brief drum flurry we’re right back at it with a lot more emphasis on those guttural growls, which accompanied by their blend of technical death and retro thrash influences, combining a mixture of chord progressions, off-kilter riffs and key-changes; it’s enough to make your skull collapse under the sheer force of uncontrollable head-banging.

The shortest of the five offerings then, is “Pig Iron” and make no mistake, vocally here Williams sounds like tomorrow’s bacon being roughly fucked with a hot iron…and musically it couldn’t be more fitting to soundtrack such a scene. Blunt, full of aggression and assertive, until it just dissipates...blacks out, unable to take anymore. “I, The Marked One” continues with the pummelling though instrumentally there are more subtle hooks coming through the guitar which do stand out, before closing track “Into The Dawn” ends proceedings like we started; with some softly plucked guitar leading into another scorching death metal assault, although again the guitar does provide a touch more melody this time around. So, the question remains, are the bear and the bull simply part of the set up to a punch-line? Not really no, as they are as every bit as ferocious and intimidating as the animals they represent from a musical standpoint, and if you prefer to be mauled by your metal then be sure to check these out. Not a fan of the vocals? They’ve even got you covered there as the EP has 5 additional purely instrumental cuts for you to get whiplash to, but you don’t get the full level of intensity as was intended. Don’t get too attached though, odds on you’ll not be seeing them live…and that’s a load of bull! [5]

Africa as a whole is an incredible place…whether you’re in awe of its vast array of wildlife seen on various nature documentaries, or in dismay at some of the struggles of poverty and hopelessness outside its main cities, it truly is a fascinating and diverse continent from coast to coast. One thing that isn’t often discussed however is Africa’s alternative music culture; we can all recognise and associate traditional instrumentation, rhythmic and expressive with a lot of woodwind and percussion as seen in film and TV footage, but that’s all a cliché, there’s plenty of stuff you’re not going to hear or see on National Geographic, and that’s where today’s band comes in; let me introduce you to LELAHELL.

Formed in Algeria by vocalist Reduoane Aouameur in 2010, they quickly took to the Algerian extreme metal scene until finally releasing their debut album in 2013, “Al Insane…The (Re) Birth Of Abderrahmane”; conceptually based on the divine Muslim name closest to Allah. 2018 sees them return with the 2nd part of the concept via the album “ALIF”; the first letter of the Arabian alphabet, symbolic of beginnings, as Abderrahmane takes his first steps in a new life, akin to a child learning to walk and speak…let’s check it out.

The album kicks off with “Paramnesia” in a very literal sense as immediately we’re met with a flurry of double-kick drums, leading into rumbling bass riffs and intense, chugging guitar. The build while gradual still manages to sound heavy without yet truly letting rip, until Reduoane’s vocals kick in and his guttural grumbling’s allow the track to become a barrage of death metal which is impressively sustained throughout. The occasional guitar lick incorporates subtle African tones which break up the technical brutality quite well, providing a decent if not slightly regimented start. “Ignis Fatuus” follows up and right away we’re subject to more up-tempo, thrash-inspired speed metal and for the most part the vocals take on more of a rasping snarl; full of piss and vinegar highlighting an anger and bitterness fueled by false hope.

The rest of the album really speaking then, delivers mostly more of the same over its ten-track run time…bar a couple of select notable points. “Insiraf / Martyr” utilises an off-kilter poly-rhythmic approach that takes influence from the realms of prog-metal…”Adam The First” while sounding incredibly sludgy does have an wonderfully frenetic guitar solo that breaks things up nicely…”Thou Shalt Not Kill” is a great orchestral-led piece full of rich strings sounding almost cinematic, but sadly it’s no more than a 30 second intro / interlude track which is a real shame, as its sense of drama and suspense is honestly intriguing, before closing track “Impunity Of The Mutants” rounds things off embracing some semi-Nordic darkness courtesy of blast-beats and sinister guitar tones, something fans of say, IMMORTAL or early SATYRICON would appreciate. Overall from a technical standpoint Lelahell have to be applauded as for the most part they sound crisp, there’s some solid production here and it’s all aided by the fact renowned death metal sticks-man Hannes Grossmann (HATE ETERNAL / NECROPHAGIST) has recorded drums for them, though they aren’t a one-man team. If you prefer your metal as harsh and unforgiving as the Sahara desert at midday with nothing but your own piss to drink, you’ll likely appreciate this and it’s extreme metal nuances…if you’re looking for more melody in your metal then this isn’t likely going to do much for you. [6]

Local music scenes; you know, grassroots level…all bands start here as it’s where you hone your craft, you learn, you play to 5 people in a little bar, you make mistakes and you gain experience…it’s a long and difficult road for many. Some bands strike it lucky and get a break, some fizzle out…but the good thing about music at this level is that in a way it’s like Lego. Nothing is truly established at this level so often you’ll see mergers with bands, members swapping around like some sort of musical swingers club until the little pieces click together in the right place for whatever it is you’re trying to make…and this is what happened with today’s band. Let me introduce you to DEMOCRATUS. The Cwmbran based outfit (Consisting of vocalist Steve Jenkins, guitarists Kerrin Beckwith and Joey Watkins, bassist Stu Rake and drummer Zak Skane) comprise of former members of COUNTERHOLD, CANNIBAL GOD and ALIVE IN SALEM and together they’ve recently dropped their debut EP appropriately titled “Starting Again”…being a democrat myself it’s only fair I give them a chance…

The EP opens up with the title track and immediately we’re met with a classic metal vibe within the guitar licks, the riffs and overall vocal tone…structurally the track takes influence from several genres to create an honest, heavy onslaught of down to business metal…there are thrash elements, there are touches of black metal, subtle nods to power metal in the clean vocals but the bulk of the track has its roots in melodic death and it works really very well…truth be told the clean power vocals are probably the weakest part of this, they lack an assertiveness felt within the rest of the track but it’s a strong start nevertheless.  EP highlight “Life For A Life” follows up and it’s a politically charged battle cry about the gulf in living standards and social equality, aimed at our current wealthy Conservative clique...it’s got some decent riffs and chord progression and the solo is a lovely touch too, and it all combines to create a very powerful and more importantly relevant track.

“The Furious Horde” returns to a more thrash influenced sound, it’s raw, fast paced and hard with some shredding guitar and a slightly fuzzy overall tone, imagine a sound somewhere between SLAYER and GWAR musically, before “Endless Prophecy” again then takes it up a notch and implements more of their death metal influences in a short, sharp two-minute barrage a la DEATH and finally then, the closing track “Deity”. Probably the weakest track of the EP, it struggles to properly get going and despite some crunching riffs here and there the track itself is pretty sluggish overall, dragging itself across the finish line in the end and ending the EP pretty abruptly with a sense of “Oh?”…although to its credit it’s a nice little atheist anthem, there’s not enough of them if you ask me. Ultimately the EP is a decent one and by starting again per se they’ve allowed themselves the time as musicians to regroup. A change in direction from some of their past efforts elsewhere but the fresh start has done them good, there’s some solid metal on offer here and some heartfelt song-writing…if you like it heavy, then do the right thing…vote for Democratus; metal for the many, not the few. [6]

Sinister Visions Records are a new independent label with a fresh perspective. One that will support exceptional artists who have a lot of potential but aren’t necessarily seen as commercially viable.

They are currently raising funds to launch their new way of thinking, business-ethical artist-friendly Heavy Metal record label in Greater Manchester, UK. They will be focusing mainly on Thrash, Death, Extreme and Black Metal bands but are not limiting themselves to these genres. If a band can start a decent pit going at a gig then they are most welcome!

Here is what Sinister Visions Records told us:

"Put simply, the only people making money at the moment is Record Labels and this has to change because if bands don't make money then they cannot survive".

​"Our business model is this....the band pays for the studio time, recording costs, mixing and mastering costs. The label pays for the cost of putting the finished album onto CD, LP and/or Cassette (whatever is agreed with each band), it also pays for any necessary advertising and PR costs". 

"Any profits from the sale of music after production, advertising costs and monthly donations (oh, we forgot to mention that didn't we? A set percentage which is to be confirmed but likely around 10-15% will be donated to mental health chariites) is split 50/50 with the band".

​"We are by no stretch classed as "Tree Huggers" but we are mindful enough about the planet and switched on enough to know that we would prefer and insist on (where possible) to use recycled packaging and materials for all our releases. We have been pricing up the costings involved such as recycled card for all digipack releases and vinyl record sleeves etc and these are not much more (if at all) than the costings of non-recycled materials but as that big supermarket chain says - "Every little helps".

While the record label will be going ahead regardless, by clicking on the link above, you'll be taken directly to the SINISTER VISIONS KickStarter campaign page, where you can donate money towards helping the label hit the ground running and make it success not just for the team involved, but for all the bands who will work with them in the future, giving them the best possible start. All donations are welcome and appreciated but if you donate so much, you will be rewarded with items like physical CD's or T-Shirts from the label, or even digital downloads from the label's roster...or...if you really want to splash the cash and are feeling generous (Should you have the funds spare) you can even get a performance from one of the artists in your own home, or even have yourself named as an executive producer on a future release. If you want to do your bit to support up and coming metal...donate now!

If I were to utter the phrase, “Jesus Is A Cunt”…odds on I’d get one of two reactions. I’d either be greeted with a heap of hostility; morally sentenced to an afterlife-time in hell (For the record, Jesus simply could not have been a cunt, on account of his lack of existence, but, I’m sure, had he been real…he MIGHT have been a cunt)…or…you’d of course realise that I was about to make a reference to CRADLE OF FILTH. Yes the Suffolk based black metal mob formed back in the early 90’s and have courted their fair share of controversy over the years, that now infamous t-shirt included, but as time has gone by and the shock-tactics have worn thin, COF have steadily become one of the UK’s most prolific metal acts, rising from their underground status to one of the most recognised names in extreme metal, and despite numerous line-up changes throughout their colourful history, front-man Dani Filth still stands firm as they recently released their newest record “Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness Of Decay”…the question is, can their new music still seduce us or has quality decayed over time? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Exquisite Torments Await” and from a titular standpoint it’s wholly accurate, such is COF’s often grandiose yet macabre musical onslaught and it sets us up for the album really rather well; initially sounding more like the score from a horror movie with its chilling atmospherics, we soon descend into the depths of hell with a flurry of metal and some ominous Latin-esque verse, layered within like something out of THE OMEN, it’s typically foreboding as we lead directly into the albums lead single “Heartbreak And Séance”. It starts off rather melodically with some smooth guitar but it quickly escalates into COF’s trademark blend of fast-paced demonic thrash metal, Dani’s vocals piercing as ever with one of the most distinctive shrieks in all of metal, adding perfect character to their traditionally dark lyrics. The same can also be said of “Achingly Beautiful”…another trademark shriek from Dani, double kick-drums and even a subtle layering of church organ, add to that backing vocals by Lindsay Schoolcraft in her narrative delivery, we’re treated to a dose of old school Gothic COF.

The title track here; “The Seductiveness Of Decay” hammers home the main theme of the album as a whole…firmly planted in Victorian England, Dani states that the album has been inspired by the Victorian’s obsession with the macabre, the supernatural…all of their fascinations with ghosts and the ghoulish and it’s delivered within a prog-inspired Gothic metal onslaught, despite it’s obvious ferocity in places it goes though certain key changes, assisting in the story telling through the era, before we’re met with album highlight “Vengeful Spirit”. Featuring returning collaborator and former LEAVE’S EYES vocalist Liv Kristine, the dual-tone vocal approach softens the song ever so slightly (despite a simply shredding guitar solo) and it only amps up the Gothic feeling here, before eventually we finish up on a cover; “Alison Hell” by Canadian thrash veterans ANNIHILATOR. Naturally tweaked to accommodate COF’s own chilling, atmospheric styling’s, it’s appropriate by name and gives general fans of metal an extra little treat…and it’s better than their cover of “Temptation” so at least there’s that going for it already. Overall though, it’s a solid record and credit to COF for their consistency over the years…admittedly some tracks tend to blur with little distinction between them musically, and with an average track length of around 7 minutes it’s not a casual listen and to many it would appear to drag on, especially if you aren’t a fan of Dani’s high pitched vocals, but it’s a decent record with a strong theme, however I’m hardly seduced. [6] 

When it boils down to it, being in a band is essentially like being in a relationship…it’s people coming together, giving it a go, trying to find that spark, that chemistry and, sometimes it works right off the bat. There are still, believe it or not a select few bands that have been together, unchanged since day one; bands like GARBAGE who formed in the early nineties, or more impressively, U2 who have had a consistent line-up since 1978! (Seriously guys you could get less time for murder…) but as we know, a lot of relationships don’t last, people come and go, get dumped, get replaced, and it’s the same for bands…shuffle the ranks, new vocalist etc…and it’s not always amicable. Let’s take VENOM for example…originally formed in 1979, they went on to release one of the most important metal album’s in history; “Black Metal”…it practically kick-started an entire new genre, fusing together elements of thrash and heavy metal with satanic lyricism…but, it wasn’t enough to keep them all together and subsequently they had more line-up changes than the Power Rangers…however, despite vocalist Cronos now doing his own thing, three former members (Vocalist Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, guitarist Jeffery “Mantas” Dunn and drummer Anthony “Abaddon” Bray) have returned under the moniker of VENOM INC. and they have recently dropped their come-back album “Avé”…let’s ave’ a look shall we?

We open up very boldly on the 8-minute epic “Avé Satanas” and initially we’re greeted with the sweet, angelic tones of the Hail Mary…but the tranquility is soon shattered by the deep, demonic growl of the devil himself as he invites you to instead Hail Satan…it’s all incredibly gimmicky and a touch pantomime but there’s always been a level of theater to metal, thematically returning to their dark roots here. Musically it’s quite lethargic for the most part; it chugs along and feels every bit as long as it’s 8-minute run time which is sadly not a good thing…luckily, follow up tracks “Forged In Hell” and “Metal We Bleed” pick the pace right up as far more livelier offerings! The former utilising an up-tempo, thrash-inspired approach to classic metal, coupled with more of the rough, guttural vocals, and it has to be said the solo here is really quite captivating, this is much better, while the latter continues the onslaught with more pacey speed-metal…I can’t however get the image of GWAR and LORDI out of my head because of the vocals…

​Lead single “Dein Fleisch” uses a deep, bass-heavy riff to give-off a sense of darkness, sinister intentions, while in the back ground you can hear an almost sensual suffering courtesy of female moaning…it’s a very sultry track, focusing on suppressed urges and giving into your desires; the pleasures of the flesh, mental and physical corruption and musically it fits very well, before musically we pick up the pace again with “Time To Die”…very frenetic, it channels the likes of SLAYER in it’s unrelenting delivery, the gang vocals adding an intensity, before “War” kicks in and HOLY SHIT BRAUN STROWMAN! I jest…it opens up with a battle cry and continues to pummel the listener, another fine solo to boot, it’s very stylish this, until we then finish up on “Black N Roll”…very possibly a tongue in cheek reference to black metal and a bit of a dig but regardless, it ends the album on a strong note. They might not have the same impact now as they did in the early 80’s, but there is a respect and admiration for these veterans as has been proven on the live stage in recent years…it’s hardly ground-breaking stuff this but it’s nice to have them back, they are venom incorporated, but we are part of that too…let’s black n roll bitch! [6]

It has to be said, I like the simple things in life; you know like, irony…I have a thing for irony, I’m easily amused! The concept of being run over by an ambulance for example tickles me, or a vegan with aggressive hay fever (even the plants are fed up of you..) so when an intense, post-hardcore black metal band called HEXIS comes along, I had to chuckle…Hexis if you didn’t know derives from a Latin term meaning stable disposition…so the two naturally go hand in hand… (I’m calm…I’m calm…I’m calm…I’M GOING TO BURN DOWN THAT FUCKING CHURCH!) But all jokes aside, since their formation in Copenhagen in 2010, they’ve been pretty busy! They’ve already released 4 split singles, 2 full length albums and this; “XII” (featuring Filip Andersen on vocals, Victor on both bass and guitar, and Tommaso on drums) is their 4th EP…not bad for seven years! Let’s compose ourselves and check it out…

We open up with the brutally brief “Derelictus” and as its name suggests it lays waste to all before it with little to no remorse…leaving the listener a hollow, abandoned shell, empty of reason. A real bullet point of a track at just over a minute in length, it hits hard and fast with a flurry of furious riffs coupled with raspy, hellish vocals and pummelling percussion and, just like the onslaught of a winter storm, it’s over as soon as it starts, a ferocious introduction  this…we follow up with “Nefarius” and it utilises a slower introduction, allowing the listener to compose themselves if only momentarily…it’s brooding and really rather wicked in tone which again, befits its name, before we’re subject to yet more horrifyingly fast black-metal riffs and percussion…

The rest of the EP continues in a similar fashion pretty much…”Famelicus” slots directly in behind and plays with a morbid sense of desperation…equally unrelenting, and with the cries of “Nothing is sacred”…you feel there is a hunger for purpose…it hammers home a sense of suffering, while “Miseria” flows through with smooth continuation…another short one at two minutes, it soon bursts into life with pent up demonic rage, before closing track “Sacrificium” ends things on a very dramatic, almost cinematic note…the whole track comes across as grand, epic and climatic and rounds things off very well…inspired by the likes of CELESTE and THOU…you can hear where the influences of sludge and hardcore have combined with their Danish/Scandinavian black metal roots and it’s created a wall of noise that’s certainly not to be scoffed at…at just five tracks, it’s worth enduring the intensity to get through this beastly little EP…which gives you just over a quarter of an hour to go burn down that church. [5]