Exist are a progressive/technical death metal band from the US and this is their second album.
Exist have taken the torch from forerunners such as Atheist, Death, and Cynic, and are truly running with it. This means we get an old-school influenced version of the progressive/technical death metal style, as laid down by the aforementioned masters, despite the modern veneer and sparkling production. Continue reading “Exist – So True, So Bound (Review)”
Kuujeojabenojujanomiashikushija is a one-man, (I think), experimental death metal band from the US, (I think). This is the project’s second release, (I think).
Yep, I don’t really know much about this, other than the fact that this is 20 minutes of experimental death metal that does more right than it does wrong. Continue reading “Kuujeojabenojujanomiashikushija – HHEOALLE (Review)”
This is the debut album from Australian instrumental metal band Vipassi.
Śūnyatā is 30 minutes of instrumental music that combines elements of progressive, technical and death metal together to form an engaging and thoughtful listening experience.
Atheist, Cynic and Death are the Continue reading “Vipassi – Śūnyatā (Review)”
Brain Tentacles are an experimental/avant-garde/jazz/grind/doom metal band from the US. This is their debut album.
Experimental/avant-garde/jazz/grind/doom metal is a bit of a mouthful, and in all honesty doesn’t even properly do justice to the sounds that this album contains at any rate.
In addition to the usual drums and bass you’ll also find synth, piano and horns on this release. But no guitars. Continue reading “Brain Tentacles – Brain Tentacles (Review)”
Stench Price are a grindcore supergroup and this is their debut release.
There’s a bewildering array of talent and people involved in this, so I’m simply going to copy and paste the lineup from the press blurb to make things easier for myself –
France – Romain Goulon – Drums (Necrophagist, Disavowed, etc.)
Siberia – Peter Shallmin – Bass (Escapethecult, Kamlath)
Siberia – Max Konstantinov – Guitars (Kamlath, Nebesniesnami)
USA – Danny Lilker (Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault, SOD, etc.)
Sweden – Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Demiurg, etc.)
USA – Max Phelps (Cynic, Death DTA Tours, Exist)
UK – Dave Ingram (Hail of Bullets, Benediction, Bolt Thrower, etc.)
Australia – Karina Utomo (High Tension)
USA – Shawn Knight (Child Bite) Continue reading “Stench Price – Self Titled (Review)”
Contrarian are a Progressive Death Metal band from the US. This is their début album.
Just take a look at the album cover – there’s a lot going on and this translates to the music on Polemic too. Contrarian play distinctly atypical Progressive/Technical Death Metal. It’s not your standard fare. which we are eternally grateful for. As a soundtrack to space battles, it works.
Elements of Death, Atheist and Cynic can be heard, as well as more modern influences. All of this is held together by a first-rate vocalist whose growls can only be described as monstrous.
The music twists and turns, taking the listener down all manner of interesting avenues before seemingly changing direction on a whim, returning to where it left off only to find that it’s not the same place after all.
So the band can play, that much is clear; you would expect no less considering the pedigree of some of the members, (Nile being the most notable). Interestingly though, even through all of the technicality and forensic playing they still somehow manage to fashion this chaotic landscape into a collection of songs.
There’s a good helping of otherworldly melodies and distorted atmospherics included in the mix too. These are a welcome addition to the band’s music, helping to create an additional sense of depth and longevity to the tracks. There are frequent calmer sections peppered throughout, as if the band are allowing themselves small moments of respite and self-reflection to replenish themselves for what’s to come.
In the final analysis, it all results in a highly-textured release that is a very enjoyable listen.
Highly recommended.
Ataxia are a Canadian Death Metal band and this is their début album.
This is sharp Death Metal with a technical twist.
The band have a well-produced sound that’s tight and focused. Good musicianship means that the band know how to widdle and lots of technical muscles are flexed.
The singer has a decent growl that seems to come straight from the depths of somewhere dark and evil.
Ataxia are a band who are trying to do something slightly different with the Death Metal template. Yes, to the untrained eye this is essentially Death Metal, but to the connoisseur of such things Ataxia have enough of their own personality and ideas that are manifested in Calignious to cause you to sit up and take notice.
The band seem to prefer to embed their technicality into the very brutal essence of the songs as a general rule, as there are surprisingly few solos or leads on this release. Most of the time the complicated fretwork makes up the bulwark of the rhythms and snakes around the blasting drums.
This is brutal, Technical Death Metal which takes its cues from the experimental sides of Atheist and Death as much as Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation.
I think it’s time to support the Metal underground once more and lay your hands on this.
Diskord are from Norway and this is their latest EP. They play Death Metal.
Diskord play Death Metal that’s fused together with technicality, atypical guitar workouts and strange musical shifts. The result is a band who definitely have their own identity.
Oscillations is 26 minutes of Progressive Technical Death Metal that never takes the easy or simple route.
Diskord may have a dense and forbidding sound but it’s surprisingly accessible, considering. Amongst the violence and tempo changes lurk Doom-influenced passages and a subtle Black Metal influence that work alongside the more brutal and frenzied parts to bring harmony and a sense of vicious gloom to their work.
The sound is warm and apoplectic with seemingly random bouts of violence juxtaposed with a more lurking malevolence. All of the instruments are audible and the bass has a good role to play.
The songs are well-written and constructed with the crazy instrument-heroics never getting in the way of the song itself. Not an easy thing to avoid happening.
The vocals are quite varied, ranging from the Death-esque to the Blackened that are entirely appropriate to the music being played.
Diskord sound like Old-School Death Metal, (think Cynic, Death, Atheist), mixed with a more modern ultra-technical and eccentric influence. It’s a very meaty and enjoyable release that has a lot of nooks and crannies to explore and learn from.
A quality EP from a talented band.
Check them out.
This is the third album from Norwegian Death Metallers Execration.
So what do we have here then? This is a bit different to what I was expecting. The name certainly implies straightforward Death Metal, but the album cover looks more Black Metal to me. And when you press play…you get a straight up Doom Metal Black Sabbath riff. So far so interesting…
Execration are not your typical Death Metal band. Theirs is the sound of a band experimenting with their chosen medium and pushing the envelope.
They have included elements of Doom, Black Metal and even a bit of Post-Metal into their repertoire. This is Progressive Death Metal that spiritually leaves off where Death ended and builds on the firm foundation left by the masters.
The music on this album is carefully crafted and considered Metal that makes it clear that the band are no longer interested in the old genre restrictions and are more than willing to incorporate whatever Metal influences they feel like to get the sound they want. And more power to them for this.
These songs are very impressive and finely realised. This is atmospheric Death Metal that still has the power of the style but has a firm Progressive edge to it that allows them to ably tread new territory with ease. Blackened riffs, technical solos, blasting drums, slow and building Doom, Post-Metal atmospherics, Progressive meanderings; it’s all here and it’s all done remarkably well.
The mixing of styles never sounds forced and each track sees the band develop their sound into a force to be reckoned with.
Mixing bits of bands like Death, Cynic, Atheist, Enslaved, Morbid Angel, Gorguts; this album is a firm winner.
I highly recommend this album. Seek it out now and prepare to be impressed.
Wonderbox Metal 