Reviews
Eleven years have passed since the first album by the Athens based outfit Marauder, entitled “Sense Of Metal”. This years , one of the most important heavy / power groups of Greece, returned with their fourth effort, “Face The Mirror”. The first difference that someone realizes is the vocals, since Alexandros Kostarakos replace Marauder’s previous vocalist. Another line up change took place and Thodoris Paralis is now the new Bass player of the band.
\r\nΑnother release from Northern Silence Productions, this time a three-way split cd featuring three Finnish bands Wyrd, Haive and Kehrae. The album begins with the melancholic black metallers Wyrd who present here two new, exclusive tracks "Vieraalla Maala" and "Uupunut".
\r\nΑκÏŒμα μία black metal μπάντα απÏŒ το ÎŒσλο? Ή μία μπάντα απÏŒ το ÎŒσλο που Îρχεται να κάνει την διαφορά?
A couple of weeks ago another re release hit the stores, this time “Eyes LikeSnow/Northern Silence Productions” re released the first and only EP of the English DOOM METAL outfit, Lamp Of Thoth under the title “Cauldron Of Witchery”, originally released in 2007 via “The Miskatonic Foundation”.
“A Disease for the Ages” is the title of the newest, fourth album by the Irish outfit Mourning Beloveth. Mourning Beloveth is probably one of the few bands of this genre that really deserves the listener’s attention. Their style of music is deeply inspired by the old classic doom metal sounds with classic doom metal riffing. Despite the fact that the most of their vocals are brutal, there are many verses in the album sung with clear vocals, to be more accurate, very good clean vocals.
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\r\nAustralian Knightmare come with their first EP ’’Unholy ’’that even if it’s self-financed there is nothing that makes it inferior to other releases via companies. The production could be better but it can’t be estimated to the disadvantages. The EP is constituted by 5 pieces in Heavy/Power sounds with some Thrash elements. And the five pieces are constituted by very good compositions that twirl continuously in your head which afterwards the listening you will be forced to rest it from the headbanging.
\r\nThe Sweden-based Valkyrja, who should not be confused with their fellow Swedish of the Pagan Folk metal group of Valkyria, were formed in 2004. In 2005 they released their first demo ("Funeral to Voices") and a few months later this demo was re-released with five additional tracks under the title "Far Beyond". In 2007 the band presents their first full length album "The Invocation Of Demise" by Northern Silence Productions.
\r\nGerman Kerbenok was formed in 2000 and so far they have released two demos, "Kerbenok" in 2003 and "Auf Wilden Pfaden/Im Einklang der Gewalten" in 2005. "Der Erde entwachsen (Gewollte Wunden)" is their most recent EP which was initially released in May 4th, 2007 but after it has been fast sold out, it is now being re-released by Northern Silence Productions.
Since we talked about Viking Metal in the previous review, let’s talk about a band that I consider as worthy followers of Bathory’s music, Moonsorrow and their new EP entitled “Tulimyrky” Moonsorrow in this release remains “frozen” and absolutely epic, like their previous five efforts. I believe that Moonsorrow along with Falkenbach are the best students of Quarthon!!!
“Land” is the title of the fifth album by Denmark’s Tyr. A band that follows the fashion of the so called Viking Metal genre. If we take as a fact that Bathory found this scene with their epic release “Hammerheart”, the only thing that remains for us to do, after the hearing of the album is to raise our hands to the sky and cry out “When will this Village of singing Smurfs end?” This is the truth ufortunatelly. I’m starting to believe that all the followers of Tyr are little kids and guys under the age of 17.