Things are changing, finally, it seems the U.S. is making it’s way back to normality and I’ve finally got full time work so these will probably be limited to around 10 reviews or so from now on. Hopefully all of you all are doing better as this year progresses! Here are my reviews of recently released albums that I think you should know about. Forget about these in-depth reviews, I’m bringing you quick reviews on multiple releases to help you guide your way through the METAL world today!
BASICALLY THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, LIKE IT OR NOT…
Ratings: [0(sucks) to 5(awesome)]
{Format: Band – album title = rating |label |style of metal. review}
GOJIRA – Fortitude = 3.25/5 |Roadrunner |Groove Metal
I am a fan of GOJIRA and loved them up to L’enfant Sauvage which I thought was a so-so album. Then their next album Magma was boring to me. When I hit play I was like ‘Oh man, this gonna be the comeback album of the year’ but nope. Fortitude starts off incredible then just falls flat and boring in the middle and barely recovers by the end. It’s definitely a ‘grows on you’ type album but not enough head-banging aggression for my standards even though there are good tracks here. I could’ve been harsher with Fortitude, because I thought I’d get something better within this five year span. It is their best album since The Way of All Flesh but if there was more aggression throughout the album it could’ve been a top album of the year. I think most fans will eat this up and give it a higher rating than me. Definitely worth getting if you’re a fan! 11 tracks, 1 instrumental, 3 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: MASTODON, MESHUGGAH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, METALLICA, LAMB OF GOD
SOLSTICE – Casting The Die = 4/5 |Emanzipation |Death/Thrash Metal
Wow! This came out of nowhere, SOLSTICE has returned! 12 years since their last album, To Dust, SOLSTICE delivers Casting The Die. Original members Dennis Munoz (guitar) and Alex Marquez (drums)
are back to bring the next chapter of SOLSTICE and it’s damn good! Casting the Die is a perfectly aggressive mix of thrash and DM that offers a ruthless endeavor and feels like a natural continuation of old material into the next step of their evolution. SOLSTICE sounds energized delivering a violent album with a hardcore influence to get you head-banging. This might be the comeback album of the year! This is a must for fans and even the cover screams killer death thrash! Casting The Die is SOLSTICE showing us they’re back to take the reigns of ‘kings of the death thrash’ genre! 11 tracks, 5 are killer and 5 are good.
ffo: DEMOLITION HAMMER, MALEVOLENT CREATION, SADUS, EXHORDER, DEVASTATION
NORDJEVEL – Fenriir = 3.5/5 |Indie |Black Metal
One of my favorite newer BM bands is NORDJEVEL! This band is fast, intense, no-nonsense, straight blasting attack type BM! After 2 incredible albums, they deliver their 2nd EP, Fenriir! Also the band has 2 members of MYRKSKOG so I’m sold just on that! The new EP stays within the defined parameters of BM by mixing tradition Norwegian BM and the faster, blast-fest style, as the first track hits you with a more recognizable tradition style and the 2nd track just demolishes you at a 1000 mph intensity! Plus, there’s a fantastic POSSESSED cover on here! Fenriir is just a prime example of why NORDJEVEL should be in your BM listening rotation! A must for BM fans! 5 tracks, 1 cover, 1 live, 2 are killer and 1 is good!
ffo: DARK FUNERAL, 1349, IMMORTAL, MARDUK, TAAKE, RAGNAROK
TRAUMA – Acrimony = 3/5 |Selfmadegod |Death Metal
TRAUMA from Poland is another solid DM band that’s been around for decades and really doesn’t get the respect their due (definitely here in the states). Just a year later after their 8th album, they’re back with a new EP that offers a little bit of expansion to their sound by adding some melody to the brutal onslaught they bring. As usual another solid effort here, TRAUMA seems to never disappoint with their ‘meat & potatoes’ style of traditional DM. A good slab of memorable headbanging riffs that shows you they are still producing top quality material! Fans of DM and definitely Polish DM needs to check this band if unknown to you! Also a solid cover of GOREFEST track. 4 tracks, 1 cover, 2 are killer and 1 is good!
ffo: VADER, LOST SOUL, DIES IRAE, MASACHIST, DECAPITATED, KRABATHOR
VREID – Wild North West = 2/5 |Season of Mist |Melodic Black Metal
So, if you didn’t know VREID arose from the ashes of the band WINDIR after the death of frontman Valfar in 2004. I really liked WINDIR so VREID was the next logical choice but personally I thought VREID finally got good with their 4th album Milorg. Their last album Lifehunger was my favorite so I wasn’t expecting much from this new album and it’s a concept album which usually I don’t like those. Jarle Hváll Kvåle explains that “Wild North West is a concept story about life itself and its eternal shadow: death. It is built around the world of our fictional character E, but it is surely inspired by my own life, my band’s life, historical events and many tales that have inspired me over the years. Is it a true story or fictional? I would have to say both, and sometimes is hard tell the difference.” VREID definitely rides the fine line balance between Black’n’Roll and melodic BM on this album. VREID took a chance with Wild North West and released a limited viewing movie to back the album but honestly it didn’t pay off for me. I think fans will enjoy it but if your new to the back check out albums Lifehunger or V. 8 tracks, 2 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: WINDIR, TAAKE, GALAR, BORKNAGAR, BATHORY
PULVERISED CRANIAL MATTER – Brutality Begets Brutality = 3.75/5 |Coyote |Brutal/Grind Death Metal
Wow, was not expecting this! Total late 90s death grind that will give ya all the back in the day feels! Now, Brutality Begets Brutality is not recreating the wheel but just offering a solid top quality head-banging deathgrind album! From the mind of Ricey from INTENSE HAMMER RAGE, this onslaught just crushes along with those wacky intros you’d expect from a ‘down under’ band! With elements of groovy goregrind, blasting death metal, insane grind patterns and good song writing, this album is worthy of your attention! This might be in my top albums for the year! 9 tracks, 5 are killer and 2 are good!
ffo: INTENSE HAMMER RAGE, BLOODDUSTER, ETERNAL SUFFERING, MALICIOUS HATE
HELSLAVE – From the Sulphur Depths = 3.25/5 |Pulverised |Death Metal
HELSLAVE started off as melodic DM with their debut album At Endless Path and was really nothing special at all. Then on the EP Divination they shifted their sound to an OSDM, HM2 Swedish DM sound but with a modern DM attack. Even though the OSDM seems to be one the trends in past the decade, HELSLAVE has presented something familiar but something worth listening too. With enough aggression, melody, punching riffs and some punk inspired grit this album keeps you locked in from start to finish. From the Sulphur Depths was mixed and mastered by the one and only Dan Swano so you know this sounds top notch! HELSLAVE offered up a great album that all DM fans should check out! 10 tracks, 3 are killer and 4 are good!
ffo: BLOODBATH, ENTOMBED, EVOCATION, GRAVE, DESERTED FEAR, DESULTORY
BECERUS – Homo Homini Brutus = 2.25/5 |Everlasting Spew |Death Metal
New band from Italy bringing their take on DM with a strong influence of the mid to late 90s style. Homo Homini Brutus is no thrills, plain and simple but effective death metal. Clocking in at under 25 minutes, the riffs are catchy, not repetitive and songs don’t linger on for too long BECERUS brings straight to the point DM that makes this entertaining enough to be in your listening rotation! On a side not BECERUS has no lyrics, all the vocals on the album are growls & bellowing screams. Basically this is another one of those nothing new, not recreating the wheel type albums but offers enough to make it a solid album if your a fan of this style of DM! I personally enjoy it and I think most DM fans will to. 10 tracks, 4 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: BROKEN HOPE, MORTICIAN, OBITUARY, GUTTED, SANGUISUGABOGG
MARASMUS – Necrotic Overlord = 3/5 |Trendscending Obscurity |Death Metal
If MARASMUS is new to you, this is exactly what you call frantic DM! Playing a style very similar to ORIGIN and UNMERCIFUL but also offering a smidge of melody to keep thing interesting. With their 3rd album Necrotic Overlord, it’s a melting pot of high velocity riffs, pummeling blast beats, with waves of aggression and hatred all packed into about 40 minutes! MARASMUS has a dedication to throttling speed and blasting aggression when it comes to their DM style and if that’s your cup ‘o tea then this band is for you! Overall Necrotic Overlord is an example of nailing the style of DM they play with precision but also the lack of variation is something that could really harm them and put them into the middle of the pack situation. Fast paced DM fans take heed! 10 tracks, 4 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: ORIGIN, UNMERCIFUL, DESECRAVITY, DEICIDE, HOUR OF PENANCE
ULO – Three Two = 2.5/5 |Brutal Mind |Brutal Death Metal
So I listened to the debut track from this band and was very intrigued but cautious. If there was ever a region or area that was oversaturated with Brutal DM it’ll definitely be the Indonesia/Philippines. It seems every month there’s 5 to 10 new albums out of that region and most of them sound the same. I continuedly check out but barely review any bands out of this region because it’s very cookie cutter/copy and paste style DM. Luckily ULO is one of the better ones and worthy of your attention! Now, it might not be nothing ground breaking but just a solid brutal DM album with some slams here and there. This one man band who has been involved in multiple bands in the past decade brings us a solid effort with Three Two! I love JASAD out of this region and this might be my second favorite! 8 tracks, 3 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: JASAD, DEVOUR THE UNBORN, PYREXIA, REPUDILATION, FETAL BLEEDING
INTONATE – Severed Within = 1.75/5 |Willowtip |Progressive Death Metal
Another band playing that dissonant style of DM. This is definitely not one of my favorite subgenres. Severed Within has a huge GORGUTS/ULCERATE feeling to the riffs but also an atmosphere of melodic doom influence. INTONATE changes up their formula from the first release by adding some unique elements to the technical musicianship but overall, I’ve heard all this before and done a lot better. I was not impressed by this and could mention a good handful of other bands over this. If that dissonant DM is your fav style then give this band a listen. 5 tracks, 1 is good and 3 are OK.
ffo: ULCERATE, GORGUTS, SUTRAH, BEYOND CREATION, PORTAL