New Reviews @ Absolute Zero Media 11/7/2009
RAISE THE RED LANTERN S/T CD (At a loss records)
At a loss is a label that just kick ass to me they have all the great Post Hardcore, Sludge and Noise Rock bands before the goto the major indie leagues Raise the red lantern is no different. Kylesa, Black Cobra, Dead Bird and Baroness have all made this label home before the move to bigger and more poweful. Raise the red latern remind me a mix of the best sludge and most under rated of all bands Crowbar mix with a heavy dose of Prog Metal mix with Experimental elements from bands like Mastodon , Zombi and Giant Squid. I think you get the idea I'm going with here there a strong Voivod style in the guitar and drumming arrangements too. The point being that this band kicks ass and it won't be long till the sign to Relapse, Hydrahead or Century Media and take over the world.
http://www.atalossrecordings.com/
AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS- Black Medicine / Fekete Orvossag CD (Paragon Records)
Experimental Black Death is what we have from AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS . There is a strong love of Khold, Satyricon and Taake for my ears. There is a raw yet Progessive BM vibe going on here all in the same track . I really enjoy the clean melodic moments then they go to a raw blasting riff with the deep guttural Black Death vocal and back to the torn throat style. Then at the next turn I swear there is something you would hear out of a Edge of Sanity track. AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS are a band from hungry they only other kick ass band from Hungry I know are Negura Bunget and both are in the black metal realm but very different. I do hear a strong Immortal love going on here as well. Paragon is a US label that very rarely dissapoints and that is very rare these days. Hell they even do a great cover of the Marduk song "Black Demon"
Defiance- The Prophecy-CD (Candlelight Records)
Remember this band they were a good solid bay area thrash band bay in the 80/90's. Well with the trash revival at its peak again this unit with members that went on to Skinlab, Violence and Forbidden to name a few are back. The Prophecy CD reminds me a mix of old days Testament and Dark Angel. Steev the vocals is in love with Chuck Billy's vocals as at times I swear he sounds like Practice what you preach period vox. There is nothing ground breaking here but for fans of good thrash metal is is actually a more powerful statement then anything they have done before this. I would say if he has a choice stick with Defiance as Skinlab really ran it course a few albums ago. I'm really a sucker for melodic thrash guitar with a technical rhythm section and this has all that and more..
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/
Månegarm - Nattväsen-CD (Regain Records)
Swedish Viking metal with a strong touch of Black metal hell ya get the ale horns raised high and sign the praises to Wodan and all the Asguardians above.. If you have a love for good viking metal Older Thrfying, Mithotyn, Falkenbach and Einherjer then you have the very essence of what Manegarm is going for the seem to have found a strong home with Regain and they have a strong love for the sounds of the heathen and viking as well. This Manegarm as a bit more of a power metal vibe in the Blind Guardian/ Angra feeling but that just adds to the magic of the release as well. There is great acoustic and sing along viking moments going on through out this majestic title. This is a title not to miss out on I will be adding this to my digital audio player tonight for repeat listening.
Ideamen -May You Live In Interesting Times-CD (Rotten Records)
Rotten Records has beens all over the place Punk, Indie, Metal and just down right avant. I fucking love Ideamen!!! If you can mix 4 of my fave bands into one band you have this in Ideamen. You have Faith No More, Tub Ring, Polka Dot Cadaver and Kings X . There are so many more styles then this too ( Ben folds five comes to mind ) but Ideamen mix Pop, Metal, Jazz, shoegazer, electro, blues and post rock elements all into one band that just blows my mind. This band should be huge they should rule the world but as we all know band this fantastic all just get cult following and get pick apart by a watered down verison of the similar idea and they sell 10,000,000 cds. My case and post is Dog Disco Fashion a band that was so amazing and never broke through. Rotten Records you need to get this to commerical radio and videos on M2 and get them to play on shows like Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.... Mark my words this band could be the saviors of the indie music scene they are just that god damn good..... I'm floored by this band a must own or your missing out on our generation of the Beatles or Beach boys....
Insomnium- Across the dark-CD (Candlelight Records)
This is the perfect mix of gothic, doom metal and melodic death metal to mix your very soul weep. The mix the elements of a few very well know projects to my ears, Amorphis, Dark Tranquility and Katatonia into a mix of sounds that are almost hypnotic at times . The guitars are massive and subdued all at the same time. There is the warm mid tempo that all good gothenburg death metal has and the delicate piano and string movement work so well with the raspy almost haunting death vocals. There are moments I swear this band is little brothers of many of Swedish bands in the metal scene. Insomnium also have a large love of Dan Swano and Opeth don't fool yourself for a moment. I can see why Candlelight is hyping this band so much they can fit so many metallic side of many many scene and bring them all together. Winner Winner here.
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/
Comments