Wonderbox Metal

Secrets of the Sky – To Sail Black Waters (Review)

This is US band Secrets of the Sky’s début album.

Secrets of the Sky play interesting Progressive Doom/Post-Metal that has a good dollup of Post-Black Metal/Blackened Doom mixed in as well. So many sub-genre labels! As you’ve probably gathered they have a fair bit going on.

The band have a firm grasp of dynamics and of the heavy/light aspects of their sound, and although the songs are of a good length, they also raise the tempo when they need to.

A very sturdy production allows the instruments to sound very solid. Everything is played proficiently and the songwriting makes the most of this.

The music is a pleasing blend of the above, already diverse, sub-genres. Doom riffs, Post-Metal meanderings, Blackened melodics and sound-walls all contribute to the feel of a very colossal album. Extra instrumentation/effects enhance the tracks on occasion adding to an already rich palette.

Largely, the band are are both heavy and dark. Wisely, however, they juxtapose this against lighter, acoustic sections, more hopeful refrains and moments of brighter atmosphere amidst the murk.

Vocally the singer grunts and screams his way over the towering guitars and iron-cast drumming. It’s not until the second song Decline that clean vocals are used for the first time; these are expertly delivered and raise the bar extremely high.

This is a highly accomplished album, all the more impressive for being their first. Highly recommended; whatever secrets the sky holds is obviously serving them well. Seek this out and learn from them.

Favourite Track: Decline. A masterwork in emotive expression and dynamic melodics.

Grue – Rake (Review)

Grue are from the US and play Black Metal.

This is their latest EP – two tracks, 12 minutes of music.

The first song All Mortal Greatness Is But Disease starts with an immediate and gritty sound. This is fuzzy, underground Black Metal with a good sense of dark melodics and some fiery riffs. The production may be decidedly Necro but the passion displayed is evident.

When the vocals start they’re somewhat surprising on two counts; the first is that they sound much clearer than everything else, recording-wise; the second is they’re not the standard Black Metal shrieks I was expecting, instead they’re a little deeper and have more character.

Overall an enjoyable song that trades between speedy melodics, a riffy swagger and slower, darker moments. Almost 4 minutes in they even inject a lighter, almost-Medieval section. A good song.

The second track Rake is a Townes Van Zandt cover, only all Black Metallified, (yes it’s a word…). The track works very well as Black Metal and I am left with the definite desire to hear more from Grue.

As a taster for whatever they’re going to do next this is a great little release. I know you’ve got room in your collection for this EP, so pick it up and put it on.

Omnihility – Deathscapes of the Subconscious (Review)

Omnihility are from the US and this is their second album of Technical Death Metal.

A top quality album cover is backed up by an album capable of living up to its promise.

Winding, cavernous Death Metal unfolds at speed to create a tangled network of technical riffs, deep growls and intense drumming.

The brutality is firmly in attendance but the technical side of the band makes for sprawling, exploratory songs that expand the potential of the band and draw the listener in.

The riffs are plentiful and abundant, with many flavours to taste. The songs seem to be fashioned from complex weaving of the guitar, threaded through with highly competent drumming and seasoned with a vocalist who has just the right amount of guttural brutality in his voice.

I really enjoyed this album; the Technical meanderings and guitar wanderings combined with the fact that the band simultaneously keep an eye on the overall song structure of each track means that they capably merge impressive playing with actual songs.

This is the kind of album it takes a while to fully absorb and appreciate. So sit back, play loud, and brace yourself for the journey.

Hate Division – Order of the Enslaved (Review)

Hate Division are from Canada and this is their second album of Death Metal.

No crappy intro and no messing around; the band launch straight into a blastbeat. This is Brutal Death Metal that is played fast and loud with plenty of double bass and twisting, crunching guitars.

Slower, more melodic sections and solos make appearances also and add spice to the flavour of the album.

There are elements of bands like Origin and Misery Index mixed with bits of bands like Cannibal Corpse and Severe Torture. It’s loud, substantial and uncompromising.

Hate Division are a funny band in a way, as this is a surprisingly subtle album. It’s all relative of course as we’re still talking about Brutal Death Metal here, but what I mean is this; the album grows on you over time and the band may be heavy, angry and in your face but they’re not flashy or gimmicky; they’re content to let the music do its stuff.

This is the kind of album that upon first listen it’s like, “yeah it’s good”, but then without even realising it you’re playing it again. And again. And again. Before you know it you have a much more intimate relationship with it than you were expecting. The band don’t take no for an answer.

So give this a listen and let the blastbeats and the riffs explode over you. It’s time to join the Hate Division.

The Grasshopper Lies Heavy – Every Man for Himself and God Against All (Review)

The Grasshopper Lies Heavy are an Instrumental Post-Metal band from the US, and this is their début album.

Originally released in 2010, the album has now been re-released, remixed and remastered.

This is a compelling display of Post-Metal with bits of Doom, Sludge and even Stoner dotted around the landscape like victims of some horrendous accident.

The band have a heavy, brooding sound that allows them to explore this scene of devastation and heartache with inured passion and an eye for detail.

The album explores various themes and moods throughout its near 33 minute playing time.

They take aspects of bands such as Isis, Russian Circles and Pelican and mould them into their own vision of what Post-Metal should sound like. It’s an interesting journey – sometimes harrowing; sometimes relaxing; sometimes ephemeral; sometimes crushing; always enjoyable.

A worthwhile addition to the Post-Metal pantheon.

Villainy – I (Review)

This is the début album of Thrash Metal band Villainy who are from the Netherlands.

Villainy have a raw and savage sound that’s rough around the edges but not lacking in ability. They can play, and there are plenty of solos streaking out of the sharpened Thrash like lightning.

The band have a slight Blackened twinge to their sound akin to bands like Audiopain, as well as a bit of a Crust influence as well. These attributes raise the band up above the general throng of Thrash bands that saturate the scene at the moment and make them a more enjoyable prospect.

They’re also not completely predictable, which is a welcome change. For example; after two tracks in the aforementioned style, both under 3 minutes in length, track 3 is 7 minutes long and is more of a Doom-laden Celtic Frost-esque song. It’s a good change of pace and a good song overall.

This is another reason why this album is better than the average – the band don’t rest on their laurels and they also inject variety into proceedings. It keeps things interesting and makes the whole album come together.

This is a quality Metal album that doesn’t suffer from boredom after repeated spins. Check out Villainy and join their underground world.

Cardinals Folly – Our Cult Continues! (Review)

Cardinals Folly are from Finland and this is their second album of Traditional Doom Metal.

Trading in the type of Traditional Doom from the likes of Reverend Bizarre and 40 Watt Sun, they mix this blueprint with a bit of character and personality, Cathedral-style.

Cardinals Folly start the album off with a nice slow burner of a song Chant of Shadows before moving into Morbid Glory which introduces us proper to the band’s fuzzy, Old-School style.

Laid back vocals soar over the top of groovy drums and melodic guitar before settling into a nice riff; the theme may be familiar to Traditional Doom fans but the important thing is that Cardinals Folly know their stuff and the songs are enjoyable.

Sometimes the band hit upon a particularly hypnotic piece of dirge and I find myself staring into nothingness, just losing myself in the song and forgetting what I was doing.

Wait, what was I saying?

There is also somewhat of a Black Metal tinge to some of this. It’s probably not intentional, but the slightly scuzzy sound combined with some particular riffs…it’s just a shade of Black but it adds a nice feeling to the tracks when it shows.

This is an album to absorb as a whole; to let it seep and wash over you in waves of Doom.

P.T.O.M.A. – Shit Into Existence (Review)

This is the début album from Greek Thrash Metallers P.T.O.M.A.

This is riff-based Thrash with sharp, spiky guitars and a proper Old-School feel.

The vocals are loose and authentic with gang vocals backing the singer up. The entire thing sounds like it could be some long lost recording by an obscure Thrash band that has just been unearthed.

The recording itself is good and the band have a satisfying sound. The drums are nice and heavy, the guitars sound solid and the bass is surprisingly audible and runs through all of the tracks like a centre line.

The majority of the subject matter is distinctly non-serious, but that doesn’t stop the music from being composed better than I was expecting. There are some good solos too.

If you’re in the mood for some non-serious Thrashing around then you can do a lot worse than this album. Give P.T.O.M.A. a listen and see what you think.

Shards of Humanity – Fractured Frequencies (Review)

Shards of Humanity are a US Death Metal band. This is their début album.

The band play their Death Metal with a nod to Death and a Thrash Metal edge.

The songs are capable of following a good riff to see where it goes and giving it the time to develop and breathe. This sometimes lends the band a pseudo-Progressive edge, (again, akin to Death), and makes their songs all the more enjoyable for it.

For the most part Shards of Humanity’s songs are fast, precise and technically proficient, although they have an ear for a slower riff when the song calls for it.

They give me the impression that these songs have undergone a lot of changes in their history; not due to poor songwriting but due to natural development as there is an exploratory feeling to them.

The tracks feel like they would have been lovingly followed through to their logical conclusions by the band who would have wanted to see where they went to and what would become of them.

Solos are played well and the performance levels all around are good.

The recording is raw and sharp, recalling the Old-School but with more bite.

The vocals are savage, rough barks that are more than capable of competing with the music.

Overall, an enjoyable release. You could do a lot worse than look up this band.

Haemophagus – Atrocious (Review)

Haemophagus are from Italy and play Death Metal with lashings of Grind. This is their second album.

The first track is an intro, and rather than the usual pointless nonsense most bands have as an intro, this is a lovely piece of relaxi-prog that doesn’t really prepare you for what comes next, but sounds great regardless.

The primitive thrashings and grindings of Partying at the Grave exposes the band’s true intentions and the brutally simple heaviness of Death Metal is unleashed.

This reminds me of bands like Atrocity and Abscess; Old-School, brutal, evil and fun!

Groove and chug or blast and burn, Haemophagus rip the house down around you and stomp on the fiery devastation. And then throw turds around. Or something. It’s all gloriously, horrifically messy fun regardless.

With a sound that means this could have been recorded decades ago the band plough head-first into the material and make their dirty mark all over the walls.

Don’t be deceived by the apparent simplicity though as the band know their instruments and are more than capable of shredding out a good solo. The bass also has a good presence, adding an eerie dimension to songs like Dismal Apparition.

A strong album that’s a very enjoyable listen. This may be thoroughly Old-School in many ways but it deserves a place in every modern playlist.