Wonderbox Metal

Obscure Infinity – Perpetual Descending Into Nothingness (Review)

Obscure Infinity are from Germany and play Old-School Death Metal. This is their third album.

I was excited to hear this after the excellent but oh-so-small taster that was their split with Funeral Whore.

After an epic-sounding intro we’re into the thick of the action with Obscure Infinity’s blend of Swedish-style Death Metal, atmospheric leads, and Death/Iron Maiden-guitar influences.

The band have tight control over their songwriting with all of the hallmarks of a band who are able to craft classic songs.

Whether sped up or slowed down, the band pace themselves well and the dynamic guitarwork is impressive. This is a band who are confident enough to simplify things when necessary but also talented enough to throw in some technicality on occasion.

The leads and solos are all blinders and the riffs in general are hugely impressive. The guitars make the songs and give them a vitality that’s rare in Old-School Death Metal. There are plenty of atmospheric moments and even the odd feeling of Old-School Black Metal in places; it’s not a huge influence but it’s noticeable.

The bass and drums underpin everything, providing a firm base for the songs to launch their attacks from. Blast beats are an important staple of the band but they also excel in the more rhythmic moments.

The vocalist is very accomplished, with a lovely deep growl and occasional screams to keep things interesting. Some unexpected cleans even appear on A Forlorn Wanderer, and it’s a testament to the band that they don’t seem out of place at all. It comes across as a mix of Emperor and Celtic Frost and is a great thing to hear.

The recording is first-rate, with plenty of heaviness. The songs sound alive and ready to crush!

Perpetual Descending Into Nothingness is just as strong an album as I was hoping it would be. Occult-sounding, malevolent Death Metal with plenty of texture and colour; Obscure Infinity are making sure that 2015 is starting off with a bang.

Amniac – Infinite (Review)

Amniac are from Greece and this is their début album. They play Post-Metal.

This is Post-Metal that’s largely moulded after the trinity of Isis/Neurosis/Cult of Luna, although they also have a more Metal quality to their sound akin to Gojira; both bands share a love of emotive, winding leads as well.

The singer has a clear and powerful voice. It’s legible and deep at the same time. It’s a very strong focal point for the band to have and he puts in a commanding performance.

The music is equally strong and commanding though and ultimately this is the real star on Infinite. The build/release nature of Post-Metal is present and correct, although Amniac are probably a bit heavier than some who play this style, with chuggy Metal riffs and Sludge influences thrown into the melting pot.

Amniac seem to have a firm grasp of good songwriting skills and of what makes a good riff. The guitars are very emotive and manage to carry the emotional content well whilst retaining that strong and forceful side.

This is a very accomplished album, especially for a début; lots of thought and skill has clearly gone into its composition.

Give Amniac a listen. Highly recommended.

Einherjer – Av Oss, For Oss (Review)

Einherjer are from Norway and this is their sixth album. They play Viking-influenced Black Metal.

This is an album that has a lot of variety in it. We get melodic, almost martial Pagan-influenced interludes, scorching fury, rhythmic sections, colourful leads, mid-paced workouts, subtle keyboards, lots of interesting instrumentation and experimentation, blistering guitar solos and a cold Black Metal core.

Black Metal screams, shouted group vocals/chants and other vocalisations are included across these 44 minutes.

The band have a quirky, almost jaunty feel to them in places. Some of the rhythmic riffing may have that Black Metal sheen but they also have a more upbeat feel to them as well, recalling bands such as Countess and Sigh being played by Darkthrone or Satyricon, perhaps.

They also have a bit of a driving Rock influence to some of the guitar leads and solos; sometimes it’s just so damn Rocking you can feel the wind in your hair.

I like that each song has its own identity and the band keep things interesting by incorporating a whole plethora of different ideas and sub-styles into their central Black Metal vision.

The album whirls by in a blur and is over before you know it. Av Oss, For Oss is a very strong album and a big achievement for Einherjer.

Give it a try and see what you think.

Hybrid Sheep – Free From the Clutches of Gods (Review)

Hybrid Sheep are from France and this is their début album. They play Deathcore.

This is state-of-the-art Deathcore with a massive sound and a crisp method of attack.

Hybrid Sheep play their style in the vein of bands like All Shall Perish and Acrania. A few Metalcore influences from the likes of Lamb of God and As I Lay Dying are thrown in also, as well as some Modern Death Metal similar to bands like Revocation and The Black Dahlia Murder.

If you’re not a fan of this modern style of Extreme Metal then Hybrid Sheep are unlikely to convince you, but if you are then Free From the Clutches of Gods has enough meat to satisfy that’s for sure.

This is a well played and produced album with lots of heaviness, melodies, aggressive riffs, blasting and breakdowns. I find this style very easy listening in the sense that if you’re in the mood you can just stick a band like this on and start bouncing around like a maniac. As you do.

Just listening to this now I can’t help but have a little wobble around in my seat. Always the sign of a good listen.

The songs are enjoyable and satisfyingly aggressive. The standard alternation between deep growls and high screams is done well and there’s plenty of guitar widdling included with the heavy riffs.

Hybrid Sheep have produced an enjoyable album of Deathcore. Check them out.

Eternal Storm – Elemental Nightmares V – Split with Kaos Vortex, Will of the Ancients and Stortregn (Review)

Eternal Storm are from Spain and this is their latest release. They play Melodic Death Metal.

I enjoyed their début EP, so was looking forward to hearing this new track.

The song starts out fast with a slight Blackened feel to the riffs. Melodic leads soon break out before the track has a mellow moment. I’m reminded of bands like Dark Tranquillity, Insomnium, In Flames, At the Gates, Opeth, etc.

The song is well recorded and the band can clearly play well. The main solo is played like liquid and the musicianship in general is of a high standard.

Vocally we get a mix of deep growls and higher screams, sometimes at the same time. There’s also a guest spot from the singer of Valtari to spice things up.

The song has a good feel to it and does pretty much everything you would want a Melodic Death Metal song to do. The band mix aggression and lighter parts well, and I particularly enjoy the slower end section after the guitar solo, where it initially relaxes before building up in intensity with a mournful lead just under the surface.

This bodes well for a future début album. Bring it on!

White Arms of Athena – White Arms of Athena (Review)

White Arms of Athena are from the US and play Technical/Progressive Metal. This is their second album.

The album starts with harmonies upon harmonies. From here, the band launch their brand of Metal and the album as a whole shows that White Arms of Athena are nothing if not interesting and varied.

This is technically-minded, expressive Progressive Metal that has a distinct personality all of its own and a will to deliver the goods. The band clearly know how to play but they also know how to write; these are songs first, and ones that are distinctly above-average at that.

There’s a lot going on here. The songs are complex and engaging with depth, creativity and longevity stamped into them.

If you take the less extreme/chaotic parts of The Dillinger Escape Plan/Between the Buried and Me and add a plethora of Progressive Metal and Post-Metal influences then you might start to have an idea of the treasure trove of delights that this album holds.

Plenty of ideas and interesting enhancements are included in these songs. Ambient/Drone sections, Psychedelia, heavy riffs, technical wizardry, atmospheric build-ups; White Arms of Athena use all of these tools and more to create impressive soundscapes filled with moving music.

The singer has a charismatic voice that’s somewhat stony in flavour and very emotive. The vocals are very assured and confident and do a great job of providing colour and nuance to music that’s already very coloured and nuanced in its own right. The term rich tapestry could have been coined for White Arms of Athena.

Shockingly good and dangerously individual, this is an album to threaten the average band’s mediocrity. White Arms of Athena have raised the bar with this album. You’d better pick this up immediately.

Nojia – Gheist (Review)

This is the début album of Nojia who are from France. They play Post-Rock.

Nojia feature the talents of the bassist from Eryn Non Dae, which is notable simply because of just how damn good Eryn Non Dae are.

Nojia however, are calmer and more restrained. This is instrumental Post-Rock with long songs and a deep Progressive Rock edge.

For musical reference points, think Red Sparowes, Pelican and Russian Circles.

Nojia’s songs are impassioned and emotive beasts. Featuring the trademark rise and fall, build and release nature of Post-Rock; their tracks are further imbued with vitality and life by the Progressive nature of the music.

Memorable riffs and melodies gel together to create music that has impact. These are stories written in sound and each track is like an act in a play. When all three are done you’re left spent; emotionally exhausted but very, very happy.

A great deal of musicianship has gone into Gheist and the investment has paid real dividends.

My favourite track is probably Sama, which creates a tense, expectant atmosphere before diffusing itself in glorious crescendos and Progressive Rock beauty.

Nojia are a success in my book and well worth a listen.

Mudbath – Corrado Zeller (Review)

This is the début album from France’s Sludge/Doom behemoths Mudbath.

The first song opens slow and heavy, just the way we like it. Then the vocals kick in and I’m floored by their harshness. These are screams that sound so ragged that they can’t be human, surely?

It’s like serrated liquid glass has been made into diamond-sharp nails and scraped down the world’s largest blackboard. Couple this with the lumbering, crawling music and I’m in Doom heaven.

The first track keeps up the slow assault for over 10 minutes before introducing a bit of melody at the end and then finally collapsing under the sheer weight of itself. Class.

The second song starts off more upbeat but no less harrowing. It soon descends into apocalyptic Doom territory though and all memories of warmth, light and happiness simply evaporate. It picks up the pace once more near the end and the throat-shredding nature of the vocals goes into overdrive.

The final song is almost 18 minutes of nihilistic venom and heavy Sludge evil.

This is a crushing début. If you love all things slow, Heavy and Doom then Mudbath are not to be missed.

Infested Entrails – Defiling a Piece of the Deceased (Review)

Infested Entrails are from Australia and this is their début album.

Ahh this is just the thing for a lazy, wet, Sunday morning. Brutal, heavy Death Metal with plenty of blasting, rhythm and aggression.

Taking their cues from Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Severe Torture, Suffocation and Deeds of Flesh; the band rip, tear and carve their way through 33 minutes of grade A Death Metal.

Defiling a Piece of the Deceased features a sound that’s strong enough to bruise. The band have a great production that does their crushing music justice.

Chunky rhythms and bouncing riffs explode out of the speakers as Infested Entrails do their best to flatten everything around them.

This is Death Metal with a lot of energy and boundless passion for the cause.

A thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying blend of brutality and murderous intent. Infested Entrails have created an album that is very good indeed.

A recommended listen. Play loud.

Chapel of Disease – The Mysterious Ways Of Repetitive Art (Review)

Chapel of Disease are from Germany and play Death Metal. This is their second album.

The album art alone made me expect something a bit special from this band; I just couldn’t imagine a “normal” Death Metal band having a cover like this.

As soon as I pressed play it seemed I was right. The Mysterious Ways starts out with a Doom-heavy riff that’s slow, tortured and enhanced with subtle keyboards. Top stuff. After this short intro of sorts the band ramps up the tempo but still manages to foster the air of occult mystery and ancient lore that the cover implies.

Overall I’m very impressed with this release. There are some Hellishly good riffs and melodies on here. The songs are exquisitely written and the moods and atmospheres that they cover are impressively realised.

This is clearly a band who are comfortable with their brand of horror and not afraid to be themselves. All credit to them for this, as The Mysterious Ways Of Repetitive Art is a Death Metal treasure of dark riffs and haunting melodics.

Imagine the best parts of bands like Hypocrisy, Usurper, Celtic Frost, Immolation, Incantation – essentially any band who have a penchant for atmospheric Metal that has a broad palette and creative soundscapes.

Chapel of Disease know how to be grimly brutal when they need to, but the main thing about a band like this is their recognition of the importance of dynamics and grand riffing. Their skilled songcrafting has resulted in Death Metal songs that perfectly capture the appeal of the underworld and the dark gifts and treasures that can be bestowed on those true believers that persevere in their art.

There’s a lot to absorb here. This is a compelling album of high Metal art. Get this.