7 new reviews 3/22/2014
Pale Divine- Cemetery Earth- CD/ Digital ( Shadow Kingdom)
Pale Divine remind me if Iced Earth and Trouble formed a metal supergroup. It's equal parts Power metal, Classic Doom and 70's Heavy rock all in one amazing ride for the power of the ultimate riff. Some times bands like this get to stoner or fuzzed out for me. Pale Divine has the vocal and musical chops to make it more creative and interesting then most. The vocals are very throaty and its one of the things that really makes this a winner of an album. There is a heavy prog over tone as well and that makes it more like a Savatage album at times where it much more epic then Pale Divine wants you to believe. Check them out you will not be disappointed.
shadowkingdomrecords.com
Dark Forest- The Awakening- CD/Digital ( Cruz del sur)
More amazing Classic/ Traditional metal music this time with a folk and viking element mix into a very progressive over tone. The vocals are powerful, clean, melodic and just down right fantastic for this. This reminds me of bands like Rhapsody, Angra and Gamma Ray. Dark Forest have that love of Iron Maiden but make it all their own in the same way so many other Power/Thrash metal bands have over the years. This very much fits with the rest of the Cruz del sur roster as the classic metal flag flies high this this force. They at times even remind me of Grim Reaper or Helloween. More then worth the admission is this release...
cruzdelsurmusic.com
Shroud of Despondency- Tied to A Dying Animal-CD/ Digital ( Self Released)
Yet again this band is all over the charts with styles going on SoD is one of those bands that loves to mix Black, Death, Thrash, Prog, Folk and the Avant into a blender and it the fastest of speeds just to see what happens. There is a chaos and beauty all at the same time on Tied to a Dying Animal. This band has alway been DIY through and through yet the production and skill level is nothing but at a mastery level. Shroud of Despondency just impresses me more and more with each release as they try to unwind the traditional thoughts of how music is and should be created. The Prog Rhythms with black/ death vocals and very much Black doom over tones are just amazing at time I'm waiting for them to go into Grind and Crust element and I'm sure they are there. Don't fool yourself for a moment your missing out if you do not own all of their releases..
Zoax-XIII-CD/Digital ( Siege of Amida Records)
So the term Post Metal is something that is spreading a lot these days but Zoax embodies this to a level many can not even begin to understand. Zoax is a mix of Post Hardcore, Prog Metal, Melodic Death metal, Jazz and Math rock with a heavy does of Heavy Indie rock. I would like to say that if you mixed bands like Old Dead Tree , East of the Wall, Isis and My Chemical Romance into one force this would be very close to something you would say hell ya too. The Band has the Mike Patton Syndrome all in one they love 14 genres of music but where Mr Patton does 10 bands they decided to put it all into Zoax and you know what it works beyond well. I will say this album has something for every heavy music fan out there. Take the risk and listen this album is addictive I warn you now.
http://www.siegeofamida.net/
Demoraliser- A Living Nightmare-CD/ Digital ( Siege of Amida Records)
This is what Inflames wants to be the ultimate mix of Hardcore and Swedish Melodic Death metal. Demoraliser is just that they remind me of bands like Throwdown and Crowbar mixed with Soilwork and Dark Tranquility. We are talking about Pit inspired anthems going on here and were talking the circle pit variety my friends with those infectious epic break downs that make you want to scream and sing along to over and over again. There nothing more to say here so check it out or let your world continue to be hollow and a little bit more empty then needed.
http://www.siegeofamida.net/
Fossils- FleshHammer-CD/Digital ( Indisciplinarian Records)
This Rhythm Section of wonderful and power proggish noise rock makes me smile on levels only the sickest of music came make me smile. What a bass guitar and a drum kick can do with layers and distortion pedal and effects are just down right awesome!!! This Danish Two makes me want to hear more and more and more and even more of them. Live they have to be a monster force . Fossils you won me over on the 1st listen and with the 2nd and 3rd I now have a full on love affair with the glorious noise you bastards create, Never stop what you do or that feeling I had before you came into my life will return and no one needs to see that again DO YOU UNDERSTAND!!!! mmmm ok sorry just keep me happy >>> end<<<<<
http://indisciplinarian.com/
Alterbeast- Immortal-CD/Digital ( Unique Leader)
Bludgoning Blistering Grind Tech Death metal with that amazing futurist element going on and you know its from on of the best extreme death metal labels around today Unique leader they have moved to kings of this genre where labels like Relapse, Nuke Blast, Listenable and Candlelight were holding the Keys.. There are clearly a dozen riffs packed into one song but the arrangements and complexity are just a perfect mix to the brutality and melodies that are through out this release as well. I can not say enough great things about how much Alterbeast are making me love death metal again. This could very well be on Willowtip label as well as that is the only other label that is close to Unique Leader's stable of kick ass Death metal. Immortal is just getting better as the album goes along. Horn up and massive hails to you Alterbeast..
http://uniqueleader.com/
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