Reviews
\r\n These youngsters from Romania come forth with a good mood but also some spare talent to add their part in the thrash metal kingdom. With only one demo release three years ago they release their first full work through SG Records. Why pick this out of the bunch? Let’s see what they came up with..
\r\n
\r\nHell, is this a surprise or what? I had seen the Texans’ promo video some months ago on youtube and died laughing. What my eyes and ears witnessed was hilarious! And after that, watching their cd being delivered to me for a review seemed like a joke, an easy task to pull through and a good chance for some bitching. You see, a good haircut and extreme music simply don’t match. But after putting the cd in the player I realised things are not as easy as I thought at first.
\r\n
Mastodon is one of those bands that attracted my attention from the first time and made me gradually get stuck on them. So, some months ago, I found myself looking forward to listening to their new album right after the announcement of its upcoming release. What I felt after listening to "The Hunter"? Hmmm... hard to explain!
\r\n
\r\nNEW ALBUM FROM -NIGHTRAGE-\r\n
\r\n
\r\nThe fifth album of –Nightrage- is now on stores and I can feel the fans of Melodic/Death/Thrash already playing the album in their stereos and headbanging on it. The new album has the itle, -Insidious- and this time –Nighrage- are back with a great album that has it all. Great riffs and nice melodic guitars, beautifull drumming and bass and the voice of Antony Hamalainen in a great angry mood. The production is pretty cool and the whole album sounds amazing.\r\n
Before I start this review I’d like to make one thing clear. THIS IS HEAVY METAL! I felt the need to do this because the term Heavy Metal has become a bit blurry with all the various genres and crappy releases going on. Let’s focus on the fact that the Legendary RIOT have just returned with an album that will definitely blow your goddamn brains out of your skull. I am not exaggerating, not a bit, when I declare this one their best release after 88’s monumental “Thundersteel”.
\r\nSometimes my mind cannot describe the kind of bullshit some labels try to thow unto the audiences just to attract some genre fans. So, you put a guy screaming like a lamb to the slaughter, guitarists that wish they had been born in Gothenborg(though they just WISH) and the worst is yet to come: a horrific girl with a "modern approach" to metal. What comes out is simply unacceptable. It’s frustrating. It’s TERRIBLE.
\r\n
\r\nDeath metal, violence, relentless beating, oldschool. This review could end right here and still be complete, believe me! Fleshred show absolutely no mercy but show all respect towards the old school gods. Vomitory, Requiem, Dismember. I bet they’ve built shrines to these old monsters, you can tell even by looking at the cover art.
\r\n
\r\n Imagine yourself tied on a rock a few meters away from the shore, into the sea. It’s pouring rain and there’s a punishing storm reigning the place. The black cloud covered sky makes it difficult for you to see the enormous, Titanic sized drakkar heading your way. Uncontrolled and threatening. The horns howl, the berzerker screams make your fear grow until its great mass pulverises you in the end. The rest of your journey is not in physical form anymore.
\r\n
\r\nThe press sheet couldn’t have described it better. "Modern and sinister sonic warfare". This album is a war on the senses! Terrorism and raping of your mental well being! Violence can come from more bands than just Marduk dear mr "knowitall". And finally we have a cover art piece that fits the music perfectly.
\r\n
\r\nOne of the strangest names for a band(soundwise, I have no idea what the name means!), Mastiphal kept me busy the past few days. For some reason I wanted to bury this into the deepest abyss prior to listening to it but the polish guys served me my sorry ass back at me. Black metal, the polish way, is not something you’ve been brainwashed about me the metal media. But these guys are 100% worth the trouble and a larger audience is bound to follow them eventually. But second album in 20 years time?
\r\n