Reviews
\r\nThink of a band which praises Metallica’s riffing and at the same time it embraces System of A Dawn and their composing madness. Maplerun are somewhere in between and this is their debut album, “House of Fire”. An alternative proposal which combines many styles, as one can find a lot of Pocupine Tree-like psychedelic moments in their songs, as well as Tool-like atmospheric spots and an attitude which refers to bands like Godsmack, Deftones, Radiohead. In other words, what is generally called as Nu Metal/Modern Alternative Rock.
\r\nAnd while I was pretty sure that the glorious Thrash Metal is reviving in its former glory taking its lifeforce mainly from Brazil ….these Americans proved me wrong by blowing my fucking head off!!
\r\nThe answer to the Brazilian dominion is here and its name is Mantic Ritual! The fact is that after listening to “Executioner” I’m still trying to figure out what hit me! I never thought that a bunch of kids could ever wreak such havoc!!
\r\nA very strong debut for Conctancia, the brainchild of Mikael Rosengren, former Scudiero/Token keyboardist. It all begun when he got in contact with guitarist Janne Stark (Overdrive, Locomotive Breath) and he asked him to play the guitars for the material he had already composed. They immediately begun working together and some months later “Lost and Gone” was ready. David Fremberg (Andromeda) took the place behind the mic and judging from the result, he was exceptional as a choice.
If you are a German lad and you decide to play some Thrash metal , I believe that you are destined no to play something in the Vain of the masters Destruction, Kreator, Sodom… This is exactly the way Minotaur acted. Minotaur that with their second album “God May Show You Mercy...We Will Not”, spread all around the place classic, full of great riffs and abysmal Thrash Metal in the German way of course!
Coronatus is a German outfit and they sound close to the music we call “gothic metal”, with female vocals and very impressive keyboards. Of course these are the common characteristics for a band that moves into gothic metal, but these guys from Germany owns also some other good features as well. I ve been impressed by some great riffing and small leads, as well as the great atmosphere that their second album “Porta Obsura” put me through!
Although the album reached me a little bit late, the new Minsk album at last is in my hands. The Album is entitled “With Echoes In The Movement Of Stone” and is a “classic” Minsk album… down tempo with many post rock strokes that end in quite long psychedelic delirium. As usually the sound of congas and the Pink Floyd-ish keyboards are once again present, as well as the more doom-ish parts with heavy and low tunes riffs.
I strongly believe that Mr Erik Norlander is a well known artist amongst the fans of rock sound plus the friends of progressive rock / metal sound since depart from his solo works his back catalogue features many appearances on bands, or projects such as Joshua, Expedition Delta, Aina, Lana Lane etc. It’s about a great composer and even greater keyboard player that joined forces with the science fiction author Kevin J.