Metal – Page 88 – Wonderbox Metal

Involution – Evolution of Thoughts (Review)

This is the début album from German Heavy Metal band Involution.

This is galloping Heavy Metal with a good production and a singer who knows who to use his voice.

As I’ve opined about before, the singer can so easily make or break a band like this for me; a bad/sub-standard voice can easily let down what might otherwise be good music. No worries here though.

The singer of Involution has a clear, strong voice that fits well with the music. It’s largely more Heavy Metal than Power Metal, although the band do stray into Power Metal territory on occasion.

The songs are solid slabs of Metal with plenty of good riffs, leads, solos and energy. The band play like they really feel it and the overall songwriting is of a high standard. This is a band that seem to peel off hooks and catchy melodies with ease.

Involution seem to have an Old-School base for their brand of Metal but still manage to come off relatively fresh and exciting at the same time.

A focus on classic songwriting and song structures means that Involution have all of their bases covered; everything shines brightly on this album and Evolution of Thoughts is a bit of a stormer.

I love it when you find a really decent Heavy/Power Metal band like this. Involution have quality written through them in large, metallic letters.

Highly recommended.

Astrakhan – A Tapestry of Scabs and Skin (Review)

Astrakhan are from Canada and play Progressive Metal. This is their latest EP.

This is powerful music with plenty of dynamics and personality.

Think Progressive Metal with a modern edge; kind of in the vein of what Mastodon do but without really sounding like them too much. Couple this with elements of bands as diverse as Alice in Chains, High on Fire and Metallica…

Hard Rock mixes with a Sludge feel and strong clean vocals dominate everything. Stoner simplicity and technical complexity merge together. They are at once cohesive and divisive; multiple influences congeal into a coherent whole and result in four very impressive songs.

The sheer force of charisma generated by the singer is draw-dropping. To further muddy the waters of genre-definition, he sometimes sounds like he could easily front an Avant-Garde band like Arcturus or Manes with ease.

The distortion feels alive and the riffs have a vitality to them. Each of the songs flexes its musical muscles and exudes feelings that are both epic and emotive.

Their music is textured and rich with riffs that propel the songs onward with real passion and vigour.

Top quality. If they can translate their obvious talent into a full length album they’ll be on to a real winner.

Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen (Review)

Primordial are from Ireland and this is their eighth album.

A new Primordial release is always a bit of an event to be greeted with great anticipation. They’re a band who have carved out their own niche in the world of Metal and can rightfully say they’ve achieved what they have through their own hard work and individuality.

The first thing that always comes to mind when thinking of Primordial is the talented and dramatic vocals of their singer. This is not to belittle the musical content in any way, but this has always been the focal point of the band for me.

On Where Greater Men Have Fallen he’s on top form as always; power and passion are the cornerstones of his delivery. His performance is first-rate and he still has a great turn of expression and a strong theatrical presence.

The music, as always, is bold and striking whilst simultaneously having nuance and depth. The driving riffs will be instantly familiar to Primordial fans and the colourful, emotive world the band exist in is welcoming from the get-go.

The songs cover upbeat charges and more atmospheric, considered parts. Primordial do both very well and both get equal consideration on the album.

Primordial’s Black Metal background has allowed the band to retain a certain edge to their songwriting, even though these days there’s only a few Black Metal traces left in their sound. For the most part this is roaring, passionate Heavy Metal through and through, but without a cliché in sight.

Nobody really sounds like Primordial, and Primoridal don’t really sound like anyone else. A lot of this is down to the singer, but musically this is true as well. When you hear them you just know who the band is.

This album is a jewel in the crown of Primordial’s considerable back catalogue. Their previous album, (Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand), was good but not quite up to the usual Primordial standard for some reason. With Where Greater Men Have Fallen they’ve corrected this slight dip in quality with an album that sits alongside the best of their work.

If you already know Primordial then you’ll need little convincing to get this album. If you’re new to the band then this is a perfect introduction.

Have a listen.

Devil Sold His Soul – Belong ╪ Betray (Review)

Devil Sold His Soul are from the UK and this is their latest EP. They play Progressive/Post-Metal.

I’m a big fan of Devil Sold His Soul’s early work, but somehow I never kept up with them and this is my first exposure to them in a while. I was interested to hear this EP for this reason, especially as this is their first release with a new vocalist.

As always their music is impassioned, expansive and very heavy when it needs to be. Their songwriting has become even more developed than their older work, however.

It’s immediately apparent that their new vocalist fits the band like a glove. Scathing screams seem to spike painfully into your mind, but you like it anyway; soaring cleans rise gracefully from the emotive riffs whilst cascading leads swell up around them. Replacing a vocalist can be a very tricky thing to do successfully, but I’m immediately sold.

These tracks, (of which there are five), combine crushing guitars and soothing, sombre tones to create a collection of songs that pluck at the heartstrings as well as trying to pull them out.

The combined fiery melancholic nature of the guitars mix with vocals that veritably drip with emotion; these songs reveal a band that are at the height of their powers.

It’s like the power and passion of Year Of No Light, the dynamic energy of Deftones and the flawless delivery of Cult of Luna all rolled into one exciting package.

I love this. You will too.

Sarpedon – Anomic Nation (Review)

Sarpedon are from Norway and this is their début album. They play Progressive Metal.

This is sharp Progressive Metal with charismatic vocals that lead the way. Think a band like Nevermore for a quick and easy comparison; Progressive Metal with an emphasis on the Metal.

The music is solid and full of expressive leads and solos. Good rhythmic riffing and dependable drumming underscore everything, but the vocals are definitely the focal point.

Powerfully sung, they have a theatrical quality to them that imbues every song with character and personality.

The music is both technical and melodic as well as featuring a slight Blackened edge that colours some of the riffs now and again. The inclusion of blast beats and the styling of the band logo means that Sarpedon have a definite Black Metal feel to them; like a Black Metal band with clean vocals in places – akin to Vintersorg, for example

The songs are definite growers; repeated listens reveals hidden depths to the music whilst the vocal hooks and harmonies further borrow into your subconscious.

A recommended listen; give Sarpedon the time to get to know you and get inside your skull.

Alitor – Eternal Depression (Review)

This is the début album from Serbian Progressive Thrash Metal band Alitor.

Alitor play Thrash Metal with bite and a Death-esque Progressive edge. Straight out of the gate it’s high-octane stuff and has an immediate charisma to it.

The musicianship of the band is first-rate. There is some very skilled and technical playing going on here. This is true of all of the instruments, even the oft-neglected bass.

The songs combine snappy Thrash riffs with piercing Progressive melodies and hybrid Thrash/Death Metal vocals. The singer is quite varied in his approach and frequently veers into more Death Metal territory than that of classic Thrash.

These are involving and complex songs. The drums, bass and guitars are all played and executed at an advanced level and the strong recording makes the most of this. Imagine a classic Thrash band, mix this with Death at their Proggiest, add a splash of Death Metal and Alitor will be the result.

With every song, (bar the first), being longer than 5 minutes this is an album that has plenty of depth and a lot to offer. Eternal Depression is somewhat of a misleading title as there is nothing to get depressed about here.

Have a listen to Alitor and let them blow you away.

SSS – Limp.Gasp.Collapse. (Review)

SSS, (or Short Sharp Shock), are from the UK and play Thrash Metal/Crossover. This is their fourth album.

Featuring Metal that’s heavy, antagonistic and to-the-point, SSS’s latest album is a Thrash/Crossover onslaught that is as good an overview as any of where this particular style is at in 2014.

The songs are instantly catchy and memorable enough to stick around after a few spins. The chuggy guitars and stub-nosed riffs mean that subtlety is not a key part of their sound, but subtlety can be overrated; sometimes you just need to have some violent fun and SSS provide the soundtrack.

SSS manage to capture the intensity of Hardcore, the riffs of Thrash and the pure heaviness of Metal. This combination embodies the Crossover spirit and the songs rumble and chug along nicely, battering everything else aside with their enthusiasm and blunt delivery.

The vocals are gritty and belligerent shouts that perfectly straddle the Thrash/Hardcore divide. Added higher/lower screams/growls add emphasis and a bit of extremity when needed. There’s even a guest spot from the singer of Carcass.

Although I’m not a massive fan of this particular style SSS are clearly better than most.

Check out SSS and see what you think.

Cycle Beating – The Age of Depression (Review)

This is the début album from Germany’s Cycle Beating. They play a combination of Thrash/Groove Metal.

This is music with plenty of colour. The riffs are lively and energetic, giving the band an instant appeal.

The rhythm guitars lay a firm foundation for the band and although some of the rhythms are very much of the style, these are still enjoyable and the band are not short of good riffs. For me though it’s the leads that shine brightest as they lick and shred with style and verve.

The band employ catchy and interesting melodies with a distinct European flavour. This is not a band who play the overly-abused US-style of Groove/Metalcore, rather this is a real Metal band with proper Thrash roots and a modern slant to the music.

A good amount of variety and thought has clearly gone into this. They try, (and succeed), to add quite a few interesting and different things to the songs in order to stop them becoming repetitive or one dimensional. It works a treat and this is a very strong collection of Metal anthems.

Vocally we get blunt, ugly noises that are halfway between a shout and a growl. The singer reminds me more of a Hardcore vocalist in some ways, specifically fellow Germans Rykers. It’s a further way that they differentiate themselves from the average Metal band of this ilk.

Cycle Beating is a surprisingly good album. I know this sounds cynical, but usually when I see a band with the words Groove Metal in their description I can’t help but feel it’s going to sound quite generic. I’m very pleased to be proven wrong though and Cycle Beating have certainly done that. This is rip-roaring Metal that has enough style and individuality to earn itself a place in any Metal fan’s collection.

If you’re interested in Thrash Metal that has a modern slant but can’t stand the US/Metalcore/Commercial style of a lot of such groups then get your hands on The Age of Depression and get ready to rock out.

Highly recommended.

Black Sachbak – No Pay No Gain (Review)

Black Sachbak are a Thrash Metal band from Israel and this is their début album.

This is Crossover Thrash with an Old-School vibe and some furious riffing based on early Metallica.

The album boasts a good recording and the sound the band have is spot on for this kind of thing.

The band can obviously play, with the music being executed perfectly and the solos dispensed at lightning speed.

The singer has quite a versatile voice and is certainly full of character and personality.

Whether you enjoy this or not depends on your tolerance level for this particular sub-genre of Metal I suppose. Personally I’m not the hugest fan of the retro/crossover/humour/party/whatever Thrash as I appear to have had my fill of the style. Having said that though, Blach Sachbak do this at least as good as some and better than most.

Give them a listen and see what you think.

Funerals – Human Ruin (Review)

Funerals are from the US and play Hardcore. This is their début EP.

This is caustic, aggressive Hardcore which is heavy and full of contempt. Their sound is thick and syrupy and the guitars hit like hammers.

Fusing Crust Punk and Metallic Hardcore with even a hint of a Blackened influence here and there, these are three songs you wouldn’t want to mess with.

Veins of Black starts with a kick-ass Blackened Doom riff that slowly builds and builds until the vocals start and the chugging begins. The singer shows himself to have a charismatic snarl that fits well with the dark nature of the music. The riffs are catchy and there’s a good amount of 90’s Hardcore vibe lurking behind the contemporary sheen.

Human Ruin has an almost Dillinger Escape Plan feel to it before relaxing and sounding more like Gurd with just drums and bass with less angry vocals taking the stage. The guitars and shouting resumes once more though and the feeling of 90’s Metallic Hardcore asserts itself again.

The final song Sick of Sun continues in the same vein, with Sludge-tinged guitars laying a foundation of heavy riffs and catchy vocals. It’s the longest of the songs and twists and winds to its apotheosis.

Think elements of bands like Vision of Disorder, Earth Crisis, Sick Of It All, Sworn Enemy, etc. all mixed together; then give the resulting concoction a Crusty makeover and add a guitar tone that Crowbar would be proud of. Some Blackened Doom influences round off the package and Funerals have a heady list of weapons in their arsenal to utilise.

This is a decent EP that’s made me quite nostalgic for my younger days, whilst at the same time enjoying the fact that there are a raft of talented new Hardcore bands around these days like Funerals who are taking the template and running with it.

Support this up and coming band and check out their EP.