LADY BEAST – II review

 LADY BEAST – II

Inferno Records

http://ladybeast.bandcamp.com/

Inferno Records I think does pretty much a good job at finding female fronted metal bands and when I use this term I don’t mean in the modern way, but in the  80’s way. You know, when bands like ZED YAGO, CHASTAIN and WARLOCK ruled. LADY BEAST who are hailing from the U.S. and whose debut I have already presented here is such a band; A band that sounds like coming straight from the 80’s with Deborah Levine reminding us of the good old days, but also telling us that classic heavy metal will never die.

PROWLER – From the Shadows review

 PROWLER – From the Shadows

Slaney Records

http://prowlerhorror.bandcamp.com/

It seems that this is the debut album of the band PROWLER from the U.S. (they are so many with this name, but these guys are the horror thrashers) since their previous full length release under the title “After You” was actually a compilation of all the EPs that the band had released. So let me tell you my impressions regarding their new full length album.

CRADLE OF FILTH - Hammer of the Witches review

 CRADLE OF FILTH - Hammer of the Witches

Nuclear Blast Records

https://www.facebook.com/cradleoffilth

Annihilating!  A great reminder of “Midian” replayed with a similar "kick" to it. Not as well-flowing as that one, just great to hear that they've stepped up once again from their previous “Manticore”. The energy is good, still gothic/dark and heavy, another thing is that they've really acquired good lead guitar-work when executed. I tell you, I was apprehensive in purchasing this one because of one of the YouTube videos I saw then a friend giving it an average summation which would equate to me thinking that it's garbage. Way wrong! Really good music! It's all fresh, though the constant line-up changes in this band has them changing concepts in songwriting though this reflects the past as mentioned.

DADDY FT. TORPEDO – Addio review

 DADDY FT. TORPEDO – Addio

Quarock Records

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rapper-Daddy/254636481215867

https://www.facebook.com/Torpedo77

Oh well this is a release that has nothing to do with the concept of this webzine and I find it really hard to believe that there will be people here that will check out this review. The most important thing though is that I don’t have any experience in the music genre that DADDY plays. I will try to do my best and try to be as objective as I can. So let me tell you my thoughts about this release.

BLIZZARD HUNTER - Heavy Metal to the Vein review

 BLIZZARD HUNTER - Heavy Metal to the Vein

Pure Underground Records

https://www.facebook.com/BlizzardHunter

South America is a place where heavy metal music grows strong. Actually heavy metal there was strong even before the latest huge come back of our music. BLIZZARD HUNTER are from Lima, Peru and they started back in 2006 under the name BLIZZARD as a heavy metal cover band. In 2014 they released their first EP with their own original compositions under the title “Conqueror of Destiny” which is now considered a collector’s item. All this fuss made Pure Underground Records notice the band and help them release their debut album which I will present to you here…

SIX FEET UNDER - Crypts of the Devil review

SIX FEET UNDER - Crypts of the Devil

Metal Blade Records

https://www.facebook.com/sixfeetunder

To me, this album is above average, not the "same old, same old" from the band, they diversify. Most of the songs are moderately paced, thick heavy guitars, guttural throat, gruesome lyrics, leads that are ferocious and a production that's solid. I immediately got into this one big time because it's different, but in a good way. They maintain their death 'n roll sort of genre-type with more of an emphasis on a death metal approach, not really too much of an entire groove. Their riffs are quite creative. I've never really been a Chris Barnes' fan, though I have respect for his band as well as his days with CANNIBAL CORPSE. He's different on here, now less burly throat and some higher pitched is up there too.

LACHRYMOSE – Carpe Noctum review

 LACHRYMOSE – Carpe Noctum

Pure Steel Publishing

https://www.facebook.com/Lachrymose.band.official?fref=ts

LACHRYMOSE is a new band rising from my hometown Thessaloniki, Greece, but  its member are not new to those who are into the extreme metal scene. You see LACHRYMOSE is the brainchild of the leader and main man of ROTTING FLESH, who, by the way, released an amazing album this year.

KANSEIL - Doin Earde review

 KANSEIL - Doin Earde

Nemeton Records

https://www.facebook.com/Kanseil

Have you ever made a thought starting with the preposition “what if?” If you haven’t I think it is something that you should try. A lot of beautiful and creative thoughts can come from this. So imagine if in the medieval times electricity existed and heavy metal music was invented. How would the songs from that era sound? This is pretty much how KANSEIL from Italy thought and were formed back in 2010 and this album which means “your land” is their answer to their own “what if”.

DANZIG - Danzig review

 DANZIG - Danzig

Def American Recordings

(1988)

http://www.danzig-verotik.com/

Classic heavy metal with a distinguished blues feel to it, if you're a fan of the 70's era of THE MISFITS, you'll know what to expect out of the vocals put to metal music. This album and the follow-up “Lucifuge” are by far my favorite DANZIG releases. What's so grasping is the originality in songwriting basically the music and vocals just kill! It has a slight raw production quality, but not over-the-top raw. Distorted guitars spewing out slow riffs that are catchy, unique and heavy muted conglomerations, but these riffs are groove laden mostly, nothing too fast.

ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ "Hall Of Mirrors"

 

BURNING POINT: Re-issues of "Empyre" & "Burned Down The Enemy" out now

 

After releasing their self-titled album in June (which also marked the debut of former Battle Beast vocalist Nitte Valo in BURNING POINT), the band's first four albums will be re-released soon, with each of them including bonus tracks.

STORMHAMMER – Echoes of a Lost Paradise review

 STORMHAMMER – Echoes of a Lost Paradise

Massacre Records

http://www.stormhammer.de/

STORMHAMMER from Germany is a band that I had the chance to follow through the years. Actually I have bought their first 3 releases and the only album that I haven’t checked out from them is their previous release entitled “Signs of Revolution” which was released back in 2009. Six years have passed since then and STORMHAMMER have finally decided to break the silence and release their 5^th studio album from their new label (I really don’t know why this band has changed so many labels through the years). Without being sure I think that the gap between the previous release and this one had something to do with the line – up changes that happened in the band through the years. In the new album STORMHAMMER have a new singer (Jürgen Dachl), guitarist (Bernd Intveen) and drummer (Chris Widmann). The line – up changes usually bring some changes to the sound of the band too, but let us hit the play button and reach our own conclusions…

VINTAGE WARLORDS - The Invisible Foe EP review

VINTAGE WARLORDS - The Invisible Foe EP

Redefining Darkness Records

https://www.facebook.com/vintagewarlords?fref=ts

In this 20+ minute 3 song EP, we have here 2 genres meshed together, death metal and doom metal. Rightfully so and this thick, heavy, atmospheric aura of evil depicts nothing that falls short of its display of talent. Yes, talent alongside riffs that are revealing a bludgeoning darkness. Low end tuning guitars, these guys avow no compromise. You get underground of the underground. Their sound reflects that of a dying essence because of the eerie and chilling tempo based dread . The musicianship is remarkable. It's set to just a lurking sound of a blackened night. The vocals are deep resembling that of old AMORPHIS, maybe reflective of ASPHYX as well, not to mention old OPETH (the low-end portions featured on “My Arms, Your Hearse”).