Wonderbox Metal

Mahogany Head Grenade – Return to the Point of Departure (Review)

Progressive Metal from the US; Mahogany Head Grenade offer us 31 minutes of virtuoso Instrumental Metal.

This is a very guitar-driven release played by people who obviously know how to play; and play they do.

The guitar sound is crisp and precise, which goes for the rest of the instruments also. The songs mainly hover about the 6-7 minute mark and are well thought-out compositions. There are some good flourishes in the songs and interesting parts aplenty.

The melodies used are easy to listen to and the band, (a trio), gel together nicely so that everything seems to be moving as one, even when there is a lot going on.

There are a multitude of samples used on the tracks, which in some way are used in place of a vocalist. They do the job well enough and fit the style of the music.

The songs hold attention and are full of enjoyable Progressive Metal that is written well enough to not need a singer to be the anchor point. Here’s to more of this in the future.

Gigan – Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery And Super Science (Review)

So you fancy some futuristic Progressive Technical Death Metal do you? Well look no further than US band Gigan as they have what you’re looking for!

This is no easy listening though; it requires repeated spins to truly absorb what is going on here. And even then there is still more to discover.

This may be touted as Technical Death Metal, and it is as far as descriptors go; but it’s not your average Tech Death that’s for sure.

Riffs wash over you like a sea of cosmic rays and thousands of quantum fluctuations assault your senses in forbidden mathematical equations. In a way the cover is all you need to know about this release as it captures the essence of the album very well, if not the raw visceral chaos of the songs themselves.

The tracks are lengthy and involved, and the production is dense and gritty; the nuances are plentiful and easy to overlook on first listen. There is simply so much content in every minute that it can be hard to know which part to focus on. Never let it be said that Gigan aren’t giving enough.

This is interesting and innovative in the way that only ground-breakers and rule-smashers can be. On a bumpy, mind-numbing journey through outer space, I can’t think of any better guide than Gigan.

Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery And Super Science can be befuddling and unapproachable; but those who persevere will be rewarded. Great stuff.

Mord’A’Stigmata – Ansia (Review)

This is Polish Black Metal from Mord’A’Stigmata; their third full-length.

This album features long exploratory tracks that are based in Black Metal but have spread out like a ravenous plague to devour tasty chunks of Post-Metal and Doom.

The riffs and melodies are involving and well-considered, drawing the listener into a maze of blackened misanthropy and trapping them there forever to stare at a twisted reflection of a real world they will never inhabit again.

When the band are playing furious Black Metal they do it perfectly well, but when they are playing parts that are rooted around slower and more emotive riffs this is where they truly shine.

The more Post-Metal moments are studied examples of atmosphere and mood done right, and the blackened riffs are hypnotic and enticing.

The vocals are either Black Metal shrieks of the usual variety, or a more haunting, droning clean vocal that ramps up the atmospheric quotient when crooned over the expressive music.

The vocals and music combined make this a hugely impressive album with lots to like and lots of replay value.

This is an excellent release from a band that deserves a higher status than they currently have. If you like well-crafted and intelligent music with a cold, dark core then I defy you to not like this.

Agrimonia – Rites of Separation (Review)

Agrimonia play a magnificent and fairly unique mix of Sludge, Post-Metal and Crust all crushed up in a darkened Metal palette ready for the artist to use in the creation of something astounding.

The band are adept at channelling this proverbial artist and therefore know how to expertly build up a song into a complete soundscape full of sights and wonders. At the end of the album each of the sprawling tracks has left an impression like a different country visited. Experience and sense are everything in Agrimonia’s world of visceral sound.

This is intelligent Metal crafted with a loving hand and filled with emotive passages and feeling aplenty. Many of the riffs are alive with pulsating energy and the album almost has its own heartbeat.

The singer has a blood-curdling voice and her vocals add a level of harshness and intensity to the blackened beauty of the music. She puts in a performance to be commended and is the icing on the musical cake.

Rites of Separation is ambitious and bold, and succeeds in creating a masterpiece of shading and involvement. This is an album that everyone should have.

Omnizide – Death Metal Holocaust (Review)

Omnizide are from Sweden and play Black Metal with a hint of Old-School Death Metal.

The band favour the type of Black Metal riffery of older Dark Funeral or Marduk, (but without the all-out speed of some of their assaults), combined with a Carpathian Forest feel to some of their work. Mix this with some rotten Old-School Death Metal and you’ll have a general idea of where Omnizide are coming from.

Even though the band call themselves Death Metal, and the album title has it in its name; this is still predominantly a Black Metal release for me. A lot of the riffs, the production and sound, the raspy vocals, the general feel of the songs – it all has Black Metal stamped over it in large indecipherable letters as far as I’m concerned. Not that it really matters of course; all that matters is that as soon as you play this you’re instantly transported to times past and you can really feel the darkness and hate flowing into your system.

The songs rage and chew their way through the running time. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, always reeking of antagonism and contempt. This is very authentic music. There is nothing fake or staged going on here. You can almost taste the blood on the singer’s lips as he shreds his vocal chords in the name of his art.

Overall a very good album that anyone who likes this kind of music should be able to get something from, and it just gets better with repeat listens.

Iron Tongue – The Dogs Have Barked, The Birds Have Flown (Review)

Iron Tongue

Iron Tongue play Stoner/Blues Rock and this album is all about the depth and feeling.

Morose and hallucinogenic without being maudlin or depressive; this album is rough around the edges in exactly the right way.

This is earthy, organic and honest music straight out of a Southern backroom bar. When first playing track one, (Ever After), it’s almost hard to imagine these songs will have or even need a Metallic content, as it really sounds like it doesn’t require it, reminding most of all of a band like Soulsavers.

When the distortion does appear though it gels perfectly with the rest of the song that all other thoughts are swept aside as you are presented with the full smoke-ridden package of musical depth and character.

Each song is veritably dripping with feeling and pain; the soulful vocals spinning out into the ether while the weighty guitars come crashing down in a tsunami of emotion. The highly talented backing female vocals adding further personality and Southern feelings to the passion-rich tracks.

A powerfully memorable release that will be sticking around the playlist for some time to come. If you have a passion for soulful Southern-tinged Rock then Iron Tongue are destined to become one of your favourites.

Demon Lung – The Hundredth Name (Review)

This is US Doom Metal band Demon Lung with their début album The Hundredth Name.

The band play Traditional Doom with good harmonies, inventive riffing and strong songs.

The first song Binding of the Witch eases us in slowly with gradually-building waves of towering guitars, while Hellish noises play in the background picking at your sanity with needle-like claws. Once the song starts to begin “properly” it’s with a monolithic winding, driving riff that instantly makes me like what’s happening. Indeed there are a plethora of quality Doom riffs on this album.

Showcasing good musicianship and recording; the backbone of the album is in place and then the emphasis is on the songs and the powerful vocals, both of which are no disappointment.

The singer has a generally deep, powerful voice that has both a dreamy and gritty quality, almost like she’s not quite here and instead exists in two worlds – the real and the unreal, where the monsters and witches roam. She shows good range across these songs though and doesn’t suffer from getting stuck in a vocal rut. Her vocals bring the songs to (un)life and add a flicker of unholy fire to the proceedings that elevate this album above a lot of their peers.

The album flows and caresses with its dark touches and is the Doom Metal equivalent of easy listening in some ways; tracks feel natural and unforced, all the while channelling that special black magic that lovers of this genre always want more of.

A very strong first release. If they can keep this up there is a bright future ahead of them. Purely looking at The Hundredth Name however, they have already put out a record to be proud of.

Morfin – Inoculation (Review)

Morfin are from the US and play straight-up classic Death Metal.

We get 10 tracks, including a Death cover; which should give you a good idea of where Morfin’s loyalties lie in the Death Metal hierarchy. In fact if you like Death, (and who doesn’t?), then you should like this also.

From the album cover to the album production this screams Old-School at the top of its diseased lungs and then falls to the floor to devour a fresh corpse once it has done so.

Somehow Morfin appear to have captured and bottled early Death Metal and are swigging liberally from it regularly. Rather than sounding derivative, tired and old though it somehow has a rejuvenating effect and this sounds as fresh as it did back in the day. Morfin may have a bit of Death hero-worship going on but when they have the formula this right who cares?

Importantly it’s not just the feel and style of the album that they have the secret ingredient for, but they also have the songs to back it all up. The tracks rumble away one after another and before you know it all 45 minutes have expired and you’re sitting there with a rictus grin on your face wondering where you got the blood on your hands from.

So join me now; shout it loud and proud – MORFIN!!!

Defeated Sanity – Passages Into Deformity (Review)

Germany’s Defeated Sanity serve up their fourth full-length platter of Brutal Technical Death Metal with Passages Into Deformity.

This is a case study in brutality from the get-go. First track Initiation – from the title and the fact it’s only 1:15 long I was led to assume it would be some typically disposable intro that so many bands have, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It is, essentially, a Deathgrind song and it’s a great way to start things off.

Defeated Sanity play the technical and brutal sides of Death Metal very well, and I especially enjoy the Cryptopsy-esque drum/bass moments, fancy breaks and general riff-chuggery. The Jazz-Death is strong with this one.

The vocalist does a great job gargling with broken glass, and I hope he’s recovered from the blood loss of creating such guttural sounds.

They have a good clear production that allows you to actually hear the bass, (which they make ample use of), and the drumming is an exercise in flawless precision. The two instruments work together to form an integral and essential part of the songs and are every bit as important as the thickened guitars and the bestial grunts.

A top-quality release from a band who have enough experience and know-how to excel at what they’re doing.

Embryonic Devourment – Reptilian Agenda (Review)

Brutal and Technical Death Metal from the US.

Oh but this is a quality blast. Reptilian Agenda is interesting and inventive Death Metal, with all kinds of rhythms and creative moments. The songs are alive with reptilian malice and slithering slime.

The band have plenty of technique and their delivery is flawless. It’s instantly apparent that this is not run-of-the-mill Death Metal and as the album progresses this is confirmed in every song. Like Origin and Cephalic Carnage trading blows; riffs chop and change, twist and turn, only to be devoured by some sudden flare up of technicality and then vomited back up in a hail of brutality. The songs just kill everything in sight.

The vocals are uncompromising growls that also have a wet, fleshy feel to them. The verbalisations of a warm, (reptilian), corpse?

The sound does the music justice and the drums in particular sound immense and provide the glue that holds everything together, even though they appear to be inhabiting a different world to the hugely impressive guitars sometimes, it all holds together.

31 minutes of interesting and spirited brutal music. What are you waiting for?