4 more New Reviews 7/22/14

Hour of Penance- Regicide-CD/Digital (Prosthetic Records)

Death in the way Hour if Penance presents it is Massive and Epic in almost an orchestral way. This reminds me of bands like Hypocrisy, Soilwork and Gojira. The chorused vocal interludes and the melodic and harmonies that come out of this are very Swedish or Danish Death metal traits. I would see a band like this on labels like Listenable or Willowtip as the hold that over the top tech and melody with a crushing death metal sound. Hour of Penance also have that Old school Earache style going on like Bolt Thrower and Entombed at times were it sounds like a war machine coming for you. These are some of the catchiest Death metal sounds I've heard in years. They add elements of bands like later Emperor and Marduk at well. Over all a great release for the band , label and all us extreme music fans out there...

http://prostheticrecords.com/

Black Anvil- Hail Death-CD/ Digital ( Relapse)

This an album I would have loved 15 yrs ago on relapse as its just the material that talks to me. Its a mix of  Black / Death and Thrash with an Northern European Metal over tone. I can see why a band like this is getting the praises they deserve. There is clearly a dark melody going on inside this beast of an album. The musicianship is there and the skill of song writing is fantastic. The vocals are spiteful and grim it has much working for it. I almost want to to say if Neurosis or Mastodon were more a black metal band it would be Black Anvil but that is taking away from all the other subtle elements that make Black Anvil so interesting.  Love the nod to 90's Extreme thrash and late 80's metal in the solos and bass tones. This is band that really needs more exposure and thats what I'm trying with this review. Hail Death is an album that will keep you guessing and never bore I can promise that my Metal legions...

http://relapse.com/

Torch Runner-Committed to the ground-CD/Digital (Southern Lord)

So you a fan of Crust, Sludge, Grind and Post Hardcore miss bands like  Noothgrush, Cavity, Buzzoven and Corrupted??? Well here you go my friends we now have Torch Runner and it's everything you want and more short, blistering, scornful , noise rock with a dirty slow bluesy overtone of this whole monster. Torch Runner is what the DIY show and lifestyle is all about and there is no more perfect home for this album then Southern Lord right now maybe 20 buck spin but you know what I mean folks. This band gives me the same feeling i got when I heard Eyehategod,  Oathbreaker and Today is the day  the 1st time just done right jaw dropping respect.. Get this and the new one coming on Southern Lord later as well. This bands vision and voice needs to be heard!!!

http://southernlord.com/

Mournful Congregation- Concrescence of the Sophia-CD/ Digital ( 20 Buck Spin) 

If you lived and loved Funeral and Doom/Death like I did for over 20 yrs then when this album starts (which is just 2 Track  totalling over 30 mins of music) You would just want to pull out your old Peaceville and Avantgarde/ Wounded Love releases as this band is just that . Think Thergothon, Unholy, My Dying Bride and Early Anathema.. The Soul of this band is  Sorrow, Torment, Fragile Dreams and Reflection on a world where no one helps and the only think promised is death... The band is from the land down under and do have a lot in common with two bands from OZ Disembowelment and Elegeion. Syrup sped music that flows through my headphones is just wonderful. They do have that gothic over tone of clean and death vocals as well and the very harmonic guitar with the low end bass and mid tempo drumming is just all I could ask for . Mournful Congregation is just the band that took the mantle from From Thergothon for keepers of the Doom Death flame... Every release of theirs is this great as well. Get them all..

http://20buckspin.com/