New Reviews 5/2/2009 @ Absolute Zero Media

Glorior belli-Meet us at the southern sign-CD (Candlelight Records)

This has a lot in common with the current Post Black Metal movement. The band is very much in to dissident tones mixed with cleaner/ grim vocals. Melodic and blistering raw Black metal sounds. There is almost a bluesy/ southern feeling to the guitars and drumming at time. Then when you turn around Glorior belli becomes a full on Black/ Death force all there own. They remind me very must of Dawn and Dissections in music and structure at times . Without warning they switch modes and then have a Code, Saytricon and DHG vibe going on. The production even when at break neck speed is fantastic to say the least. I really like the avant tones and clean guitars that mix with dirty/ nasty crunch that in very upfront. Again if there was something called Think mans Black metal this would be it. Glorior belli need to exposed to the world so they can here how creative Black metal can be in 2009.

www.candlelightrecordsusa.com



MYRKR-Black Illumination-CD ( Debemur Morti Productions)

If you have heard any albums by the brilliant Avant Black Metal label Debemur Morti Productions. Then you know what you getting into V.E.G.A, Spektr, Old Wainds, Ruins etc. These bands put out some of the most twisted of the Avant/Post Black metal sounds. There is a creepy, spacial, distant sickness about the tones and vocals that are always used. This is the way all black metal should be un nerving and just fucking frightening. Myrkr has all this and more. Add the break neck speed and full on hatred towards mankind and I think this sums up a base element for this Irish unit. There is a very hypnotic over tone to all this as well. I don't want to use the words bomastic and nightmarish though I don't see another word that will add the love of chaos that comes from Black Illummation. Myrkr are full of cold, bleak and sould breaking sounds from the darkest regions of you mind. Enough Said....

http://www.debemur-morti.com/




The Legion- A bliss to suffer-CD ( Listenable Records)

So this is what you get with a former drummer from Marduk and other metal freaks from Sweden. A more melodic/ symphonic Black/ Death metal bands that has more intune with bands like Dimmu Borgir/ Emperor/ Hypocrisy and Old Mans Child to this listener. The Legion have a massive sound and the songs are structured and layers so much that it sounds like an army of metal musicians are performing it. Yet it still have the class and melody lines need to make it a stellar piece of metallic art. There is a strong Death metal element going on very much from the earache days of death metal for this listener esp Entombed or Carcass my friend. The Legion will not allow those amazing death metal guitar tones dissapear and for one I'm more then happy about that. Though at the heart of this beast they are an epic black metal force that should not be over looked and given the right platform will be a major force all there own!!!

http://listenable.net/



Hacride-Lazarus-CD (Listenable Records)

Where the hell did this band come from and why didn't I get there 1st CD or if I did i must not have been as fucking amazing as the 1st track alone on Lazarus called " To walk among them". Hacride is mixing some of my favorite elements into one power house of a Post everything band. Just sit back and emagine MESHUGGAH , SOLEFALD, ULVER, ISIS, DREAM THEATER and NEUROSIS all forming one mind numbing force of muscial enlightment. This is just the 1st track mind you. Listenable has a band that is genre defining here. Hacride could be the salavation to the taking metal, hardcore, indie and prog movements and unifying them together were all fans of underground music can agree. I was worried as we were getting to the 2nd track that is the one 15 minute track was there legend and if the rest of the CD would fall short but I can safely say Hacride keep the brilliance going on the following tracks as well. I not sure what else to say other then WOW!!!

http://listenable.net/



Dark Castle-Spirited Migration-CD (At a loss recordings)

Doom, Drone and Sludge have been melding, merging and growing in to its own Post Doom movement as well the 21st century seems to be about expanding genres and stretching them into new plateau's. Dark Castle is doing that as well. If you like bands like Isis, Earth, Crowbar, Eyehategod and Deadbird and through in some 70's dirge rock like Blue cheer, Deep Purple in for good measure you have what Dark Castle has achived as a duo yes this isnt a one man band or 5 piece its 2 members of the fanstatic in there own rights Samothrace. There are some trippy/ Space rock moments but nothing that takes away from the deep doomy drone/ sludge element of the music and vocals. There more just accent points on the full journey. Dark Castle synth elements are just those 70's rock elements that make the release all the more interesting. Check out Spirited Migration as it just plainly kicks ass...

http://www.atalossrecordings.com/