Five I gave you Five this time woo hoo
Front (Finland) -Antichrist Militia - DIGITAL/MLP/MCD- (Iron Bonehead)
So what we have in essence is the Finnish version of Marduk and Panzerchrist mixed with Thrash (Slayer, Kreator, Destruction) and some very heavy love of Punk and Motorhead. Front let's just be honestly you fucking shred hard and these songs on this six song E.P. make we want to knock down shit and circle pit. Can you really ask for more. Look at this album cover what the hell did you think you were getting. Shit this album is catchy as all can be too. Blackened Thrash meets War metal. Is there really more that needs to be said .... THE ANSWER IS NO !!!!!!!
Black Funeral -Scourge of Lamashtu-DIGITAL/LP/CD (Iron Bonehead)
This band has been a staple in the USBM since since the 1990's and if you don't know who Michael Ford is then you need to do some research folks. Black Funeral has been mixing Dark Ambient, Occult, Luciferian elements into their Black metal all along and it never gets less inspiring and creative. Bands like Black Funeral are on the fringes of two styles and makes it something all their own always. It's always ugly and beautiful. Unsettling and intriguing. Raw and coldly melodic and hypnotic. Black Funeral is everything that makes Black metal something that will never be mainstream but for those in its ranks will be drawn to in an instant. The vocals are not hateful the are enlightened with left hand path and knowing there is more to the realms then just darkness and light there are so many layers of grey and with Black Funeral we continue that journey to see how far we can get to on this mortal coil.
ICE WAR- Defender, Destroyer- Digital/LP/CD ( Fighter Records)
So someone lives 80's underground retro metal, hardcore and punk. This is if Noise Records came back to it's classic days and say ICE WAR welcome. This is a thrashing punk metal ride. All I hear is Celtic frost, Helloween, Early Voivod, Early Metallica, Tankard, Mercyful Fate, Gang Green, Excel, Ludichrist, D.R.I and Early Cro-mags. Yes Ice War loves the Crossover sound and uses it to make it sound like it came form 1986-1989. The bass and drums are a clear listen to that and those throaty and raspy vocals but never so gruff that turn into anything that would be thought of Death metal. Bands like ICE WAR make me really miss Demo and tape trading as this is when I would get the best metal from all over the world. Fighter records you keep finding bands like this and my old ass will keep listening.
Lantern -Dimensions-Digital/LP/CD ( Dark Descent Records)
I want to call this Majesty Black/Death but again I feel that is cutting this album so short as there are some amazing Doom and Classic Metal elements going on esp in the guitar and drum work happening here. It's the dark melodies and the almost Thrash meets Death Vocals its if Incantation, Testament and Cianide all came together to forge one band and made it the more Occult Doomy Black/Death record anyone could and then said hey Bathory and Venom elements were missing and now were fucking complete. I feel like this was recorded in a huge banquet hall or cavern and they just let the natural reverb and effects add to the massive sound of this record. I don't know how you can make it sound murky and so full at the same time hats off to Lantern and recording crew on this one. I'm hooked it's that easy to say . This is a stunning piece of Metallic history that should be one of the stronger new releases of 2020.
Torrefy-Life is Bad- Digital (Self-Release )
So we are just going to get to it OK???? This is the Canadian answer to Kreator, Sodom and Hellhammer. They took those three bands and just ran with it. I'm not going to say much about Torrefy other then this is blackened Thrash metal good time and yes there are many other Thrash bands and elements going on but those three bands are be all and end of what Torrefy want to be and I could not be happy as this band works of so many levels. The Black metal comes from a very primitive place and that is why I say it's fast, raw, fun and has enough interesting elements that I just want to keep with them to the very end of this release. The soaring solos and razor sharp vocals and that manic meets controlled drumming and anytime you can really hear the bass on a Thrash record you know something special is going on here. Torrefy mix nightmares, fury and catchy elements into something many fail to achieve. Nice work gentlemen time for everyone to hear it now.
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