Metal – Page 92 – Wonderbox Metal

Almøst Human – Ø (Review)

Almøst Human are from Switzerland and play Metal with a modern, Electronic twist.

This is well-recorded and has a solid sound. The band have a late 90’s/early 00’s vibe to them that recalls bands like Spineshank, Mudvayne, Downthesun and Mnemic, only updated for 2014 and with keyboard/electronic effects added in.

This is not a style that I hear too much any more but Almøst Human are convincing and this is an enjoyable little release. The songs are longer than you’d expect for this style, which allows the band to develop the themes and feel of the songs without rushing them or purely focusing on mosh-friendly sections or what not.

These are good songs and I like the focus on developing a completed feeling rather than just stringing several riffs together with a chorus. Almøst Human appear to be attempting to pick from the rotten corpse of Nu-Metal; they aim to take what so many liked from the style and leave what made it so disposable. I’m pleased to say they have largely been successful in this regard and Ø is a comprehensive and enjoyable release.

This means that we have ended up with a heavy, modern Metal release with added effects/electronics that has a lot of enjoyable melodies. This vocalist shows himself to be a very capable singer as well as being able to scream when he needs to.

Check it out.

Unisonic – Light of Dawn (Review)

Unisonic are from Germany and this is their second album. They play Power Metal.

Confident and mature Power Metal floods the speakers when you play this album. It’s the product of absolute veterans who know their genre and know their roles. Even more importantly, however, they also know how to write good songs.

This is the kind of Power Metal that’s distinctly European in flavour and is powered by upbeat drums and high vocals provided by Michael Kiske of Helloween/etc. fame, no less. Also featuring other past members of bands such as Helloween, Gamma Ray, Pink Cream 69 and Krokus; you can see the calibre of the people involved in this project.

The vocals, as would be expected, are typically professional and flawlessly delivered. The choruses soar. The musicianship, also as would be expected, is tight and proficient. The sound is professional and slick, and nothing is left to chance.

For the most part the songs are in the 5 minute mark, with each track feeling like an epic-in-miniature. These are rocking, catchy tunes with highly memorable sections and hooks aplenty. In their competent hands, even the dreaded “power ballads”, (Blood, You and I), are handled well.

This is an album of greater depth than some might credit it with; on first listen it’s obviously highly accomplished and very good, but the more you listen the more the melodies seep into your consciousness and the more you want to listen to it. It’s downright addictive! The vocals in particular are deceptive. Michael Kiske is known for his exceptional voice of course, and Light of Dawn is no different, but the impressive thing is that there’s no showboating or ostentation with his voice; his talent is born from simply being a great singer and having a voice that flows smoothly like the finest wine.

Light of Dawn is an exemplar of the European Power Metal style. There are no surprises here but if you’re a fan of European Power Metal then there’s a wealth of treasure contained in this album.

This is a band destined to do well.

Nothgard – Age of Pandora (Review)

Nothgard are from Germany and this is their second album of Melodic Metal.

Nothgard specialise in epic and stirring Melodic Metal. They have a Melodic Death/Black Metal base with a Power/European Metal covering. Think of a Power Metal band who have Symphonic leanings. Then, make them heavier and give them a vocalist who uses serrated screams as his main form of attack. This is Nothgard.

It’s technically proficient and rabble rousing at the same time; a rare combination of clinical application and emotional drive. As I listen to them I can’t help but just get swept away with their enthusiasm and passion of delivery.

The songs are typically catchy and high energy. It’s immediately apparent that this is a quality album with lots of hooks and memorable melodies; the more you listen to it the more this reinforces itself.

The vocalist mainly screams his way through the songs, although he also has a versatile enough voice to deliver deeper grunting and some semi-cleans for added effect.

The guitar playing is flawless and the amount of solos and leads is like the most sugary of treats.

Symphonic and keyboard ostentation is constant and seems to sometimes even merge with the guitars at a cellular level. It’s exciting stuff!

Of course not everyone enjoys this very European-styled Melodic Metal, but if you’ve a taste for this kind of thing then Nothgard do it better than most. As for me, I haven’t heard an album in this style that I’ve enjoyed this much for quite some time.

Check out Nothgard and play them loud.

https://www.facebook.com/Nothgard

The Order of the Solar Temple – The Order of the Solar Temple (Review)

The Order of the Solar Temple are from Canada and play Heavy Metal/Rock.

This is Old-School with elements of Classic Rock, Doom Metal and Psychedelic Rock.

The band have a very warm, laid back sound that instantly makes you feel at ease like a welcome old friend.

The singer has an excellent voice; he’s soft and exquisite, or ultra-high and maniacal, or deep and melodramatic…He has character and personality that’s for sure and puts in a stellar performance.

Coming across as a mix of Blue Öyster Cult, (who they also cover), Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Merciful Fate, this is an enjoyable way to spend 45 minutes when you’re in that retro mood.

There really is some great material here! The singer has a forceful presence and some of these riffs are just epic in scope and feeling.

I thoroughly recommend you listen to this and experience the band first-hand. May you be drawn into their world…

Favourite Track: Aeon of Horus. Everything from the vocal delivery to the tense guitars to the understated bass…a stunner of a song.

Secret Cutter – Self-Titled (Review)

Secret Cutter are from the US and this is their début album. They play Sludge Metal with an added side of Hardcore/Punk.

The Secret Cutter sound is one of pure unbridled filth, fury and fucking heaviness. This is aggressive and nasty in only the way that Sludge and really pissed off Hardcore can be, and when combined like this it just sounds gloriously horrible!

Think of bands like Eyehategod, Serpent Eater, Ilsa, Corrupt Moral Altar, Wolvhammer, Enabler and the like; distil what makes these bands so interesting, nasty and individual and you’ll have a good idea of the murky swamp of urban decay that Secret Cutter dwell in.

I love albums like this – no messing around, just undiluted heaviness and aggression, whether that’s done at speed or slowly. It’s rough, raw and genuine.

The Sludge is strong and works well with the added Hardcore/Punk influence that the band have.

The songs have a good degree of variety in them for a short album, (only 26 minutes), and within the style they play. Each song is readily identifiable also, (no mean feat for any band), and show a creative force at the top of their game.

They have some great riffs on this release and the songs are surprisingly catchy for this type of band. Although catchy probably isn’t the right term. Infectious, maybe?

Special mention should go to the singer, who absolutely rages and tears his way through the songs as if it’s the last thing he’s ever going to do. His high pitched screams are the very incarnation of savagery.

This really is a top quality release that has so many plus points it’s silly. In many ways this is the best of heavy, nasty music, and this is one I’ll be listening to over and over again.

Play it loud and get it now.

Order of Chaos – Deadweight Undertow (Review)

Order of Chaos are from Australia and play a combination of Underground Metal/Hardcore.

This is a hard one to pin down in some ways. It has elements of the more modern Metal/Metalcore sound, but also more of an unhinged, underground vibe and some definite Death Metal/violent Hardcore leanings.

This is more of the kind of thing I would have expected to come out of the UK rather than Australia; I’m thinking of bands like Corrupt Moral Altar, Charger, Raging Speedhorn, Labrat, Mindjuice, Mistress, The Rotted, etc.

Nonetheless, Australia it is, and it’s a good listen. The songs are typically about the 3 minute mark and are focused into little balls of heavy rage. They’re well written and have a good amount of energy. Although the emphasis is on heaviness, small amounts of melody get a look in here and there.

This is a good synthesis of modern-styled Metal with a violent Hardcore element keeping it grounded. It’s underground, nasty and rumbles along with a good chug and a healthy groove.

The singer sounds quite demented on occasion; the higher pitched he gets the more he appears to lose it.

It’s easy to like these songs as the emphasis is on ripping the listener’s face off before they even know what’s happened.

Songs for the moshpit.

Amaze Knight – The Key (Review)

Amaze Knight are from Italy and this is their début album. They play Progressive Metal.

The band waste no time showing that they can play. Widdly, Jazz-influenced Progressive Metal with keyboards comes at you hard and heavy upon pressing play.

Each of the 5 tracks are around the 9/10 minute mark and each track is full of orchestrated Prog with exploratory and experimental playfulness.

There’s a slight Power Metal vibe to some of this as well, especially form the vocals, but the main feeling is definitely Prog.

The songs have a good mixture of the experimental and Progressive combined with an actual song structure that keeps the band from veering too far off course.

It’s an enjoyable listen as the musicians are talented and the music is allowed to be self-indulgent in a way that I’m quite happy to listen to. The keyboards and effects add an extra layer to the band’s wanderings whilst the bass is allowed free range to travel far and wide.

The singer has a good voice, although he definitely plays second fiddle to the music in many ways. When he does appear it’s with a confidence of delivery that many Power Metal bands would envy and he fulfils his role with ease.

At 47 minutes in length this is a meaty début album with lots of things going on.

Enjoy!

Johnny Touch – Inner City Wolves (Review)

This is the début album from Australian Heavy Metal band Johnny Touch.

Just look at the album cover. I mean really – just sit and look at it. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Well, the music had better be something pretty damn good to match up to that cover I tell you.

So what do we have here then? Heavy Metal that sounds straight from the 1980’s? Yes. This has a good streak of NWOBHM about it and when you think about it it’s kind of odd that a bunch of Australians in 2014 can so faithfully recreate this kind of music from this era.

But recreate it they do, and faithfully, and well.

The band all play their parts perfectly and the solos/leads are particularly enjoyable. The vocalist has a very good voice that probably would have seen him become a superstar decades ago. In fact if this album was actually released in the era it hero-worships then it’s likely Johnny Touch would be a famous name to all Metal fans the world over. Unfortunately however it’s now 2014 and the market for this style of Metal is much, much smaller. Which is a crying shame as this album kicks serious behind.

By today’s standards this is relatively relaxed and not very extreme, but that’s missing the point. This is Heavy Metal to the blisteringly molten core and I doubt there’s a Metal collection anywhere that wouldn’t be improved by including this in it.

This isn’t a perfect album by any means, but it’s a bloody good one. It has an honesty and passion about it that’s just plain infectious, and that’s before you consider the catchy riffs, memorable choruses and top tunes contained within.

If you’re allergic to anything older than a couple of decades then this is not for you. However, if you appreciate the style of Metal that helped start it all off then you should definitely check out Johnny Touch.

Ha! This album makes me happy.

The Wolves of Avalon – Boudicca’s Last Stand (Review)

The Wolves of Avalon are from the UK and this is their second album. The band play Pagan/Folk Metal.

The Wolves of Avalon are the latest incarnation of Metatron from The Meads of Asphodel, who will always hold a special place in my heart; one of the most unique and underrated UK Metal bands out there.

I was looking forward to hearing this album due to this and I haven’t been disappointed. This is as impressive and ambitious as anything he’s done before, (his work that I’ve heard, at least), more so in some respects. Sounding like early Meads only with a heavy Folk/Pagan slant, this is pure ear candy.

The album starts with a light, classical instrumental, at least that’s what I think it’s going to be until Metatron’s inimitable vocals kick in halfway through and then guitars and drums come in shortly after.

The album is heavily orchestrated and features wonderfully diverse instrumentation and female accompaniment. These are hugely impressive and extremely well-done. The band don’t neglect the Metal component of their sound, however.

The dynamics and sense of energy given off by the tracks is strong, and the whole album is a veritable treasure trove of gems and delights. The songwriting is impeccable and Metatron’s voice seems to be getting better with age. Some of the vocal harmonies used, especially when twinned with the female vocals, are just hair-raising.

Some of the best bits are extremely subtle but do wonders for the songs. The barely audible female sighs/noises on Bonded by Blood and Sword is just one example of many; you can only just hear them in the background but for such a small addition the song is enhanced so much.

There are pulse-raising sections, slower atmosphere-building parts, Black Metal rage, Progressive Metal explorations, huge choruses and sublime melodies – there is so much here to enjoy and be spellbound by.

This is an hour of interesting, captivating and unique Metal that everyone should ideally have the privilege of hearing. Do yourself a favour and go and listen to this.

Final thoughts? Fantastic album. This is a contender for the Album of the Year slot.

Favourite Track: Iceni Queen Unfurl’d In A Tempest Of Crows. Fucking Hell!

Untimely Demise – Systematic Eradication (Review)

Untimely Demise are a Canadian Thrash Metal band and this is their second album.

Straight from the go we’re into high octane Thrash territory with solos shredding and drums clanging. Technical riffing and rasped vocals lead the way while the rest of the music rips things up.

Musically this is Thrash Metal with a Megadeth/Testament/Death/Arch Enemy flavour. Extremely competent and played with feeling, Untimely Demise show from the off that they have talent.

The singer mainly uses a harsh rasp, but also uses some rougher semi-cleans that shows he’s capable of depth. It adds texture to the impressive playing of the rest of the band. A cross between Death and Arch Enemy, it fits the music well.

The band avoid the issues of the over-saturated Retro-Thrash scene by just being themselves and adding some harsher/technical/more European elements to their sound. It’s honest, direct and more worthwhile than 100 Retro bands trying to recapture old glories without any real feeling. Untimely Demise have come to show them how it should be done; a nod to the past, a spotlight on the present and a battle-plan for the future.