Death Metal – Page 184 – Wonderbox Metal

Insision – Terminal Reckoning (Review)

Insision are a Swedish Death Metal band and this is their fourth album.

You know what they say – a day listening to Insision is a good day. Well, I say that, at least. Ever since I got their début album way back in 2002 Insision have been one of my favourite exports from Sweden. This is their first album in 9 years and it’s good to have them back.

So here we have 36 minutes of new material and I’m pleased to say that it’s as muscular, brutal and relentlessly satisfying as we’ve come to expect from the band.

Insision specialise in Death Metal that’s heavy, direct and has a good ratio of brutality to technicality. The songs pound and groove their way through the playing time and feature good songwriting and memorable ugliness. The band’s riffs are still a grade above a lot of similar bands and this is at least partly down to their sense of confidence and having an ear for good pacing.

Even though I love their speedy stuff, I also love how they know the virtue of not going fast all of the time. There’s more than enough mid-paced and slower parts here to give the album enough variety, all the time crushing you with their merciless assault.

Showing that they also have a more refined side, the band insert a few nice touches here and there, showing there’s more to them than just mindless violence. One of the latter sections in Infected is a good example, but there are numerous others, (such as the start of Old Ways).

The guttural growls of the singer are so deep that it seems you might fall into them. He barks with authority and his presence acts cohesively to add a focal point to the already focused music.

Insision’s first album in almost a decade is definitely a success in my eyes. They’ve done themselves and their legacy proud. Here’s to many years of Swedish brutality yet to come!

Seven Sisters of Sleep – Ezekiel’s Hags (Review)

This is the third album from the USA’s Seven Sisters of Sleep. They play Sludge Metal.

On this album Seven Sisters of Sleep combine a lot of influences from a wide array of nasty, extreme sub-genres into their potent brew of Sludge Metal. Doom, Hardcore, Death Metal, Black Metal, Grindcore…it pretty much all gets a look in at some point in these 50 minutes.

This is nasty music that seems to revel in the filth and dirt, with no stone of depravity left unturned or unsoiled.

This is a wild and dangerous ride through all things heavy, taking pit stops in the aforementioned styles and mashing them together with all of the subtlety of a maniac with a very big hammer. Having said that though, there’s a fierce guiding intelligence at play behind the scenes here, and the band obviously know what they’re doing with the material they have bloodily birthed.

There are a lot of giant riffs on this release and whether the band are playing fast, slow or anywhere in between, they steer this ship of gloom with unerring accuracy through the fog of Sludge. Or something. I think my metaphors got a bit out of control there. Regardless, think of Ezekiel’s Hags as the nastiest form of Doom, shot through with streaks of blast beats and a predilection for terror.

The vocals are every bit as nasty as the music, even more so as they have a real splenetic fury to them.

This is an exceptional release full of horrorful energy and a testament to what you can do with the variety and interest that can be had with Sludge Metal.

I can easily imagine fans of Ilsa, Serpent Eater, Secret Cutter, Colombian Necktie, Cult of Occult, Behold! The Monolith, Nightslug and Eyehategod taking a real shine to this. I know I have.

Mano Humana – Sombras (Review)

Mano Humana are a Metal band from Chile and this is their début album.

Mano Humana play modern Metal that fuses aggressive Thrash Metal with the cold machinery of Meshuggah and the groovy heaviness of Soulfly.

The harsh shouted vocals are barked out in quite an abrasive, anti-social way. Mano Humana are not really on the commercial end of the Metal spectrum at the best of times, but these vocals really tip them over the edge into harsher territories. In my mind, of course, this is only a good thing.

Occasionally the brutality shifts up a gear too, and the vocals descend into deep growls and the entire thing is one hair’s breadth away from Death Metal at these points, recalling some of Brujeria’s work.

There’s some interesting parts in the music, with the band trying out all manner of different ideas to keep things from becoming formulaic as they tear through the 45 minute length. They take the time to add plenty of experimentation with the bass and guitars to their songs, resulting in relatively long tracks, (for the style), that keep their core Thrash Metal from becoming dull or one-dimensional.

This willingness to go that little bit further for some added depth ensures that Sombras is a more enjoyable listen than I was expecting, based on what most bands who can be described as Groove Metal offer.

Sombras is a very good listen and much more of a grower than you might think for the style. It’s brutal, heavy and full of good ideas and riffs.

Highly recommended.

Cult of Lilith – Arkanum (Review)

Cult of Lilith are a Death Metal band from Iceland. This is their début EP.

Cult of Lilith play their Death Metal with muscularity, power and no little technical flair. Their style combines influences from both classic Death Metal and the more modern variants; this has equal respect for Death as it does The Faceless.

Melodic influences raise their heads in places, done in a thoroughly modern style, (not a million miles away from that of The Faceless). There’s even a touch of a Black Metal influence here and there, as well as a decent amount of technicality that both Gorguts and Death fans would be pleased with.

Deep growling shouts are the singer’s weapon of choice, although these are backed up with some quite savage screams where necessary.

These are quite involved songs that have a fair bit going on, but the band still know when to ease off the complexity and just go straight for the throat with a blasting assault when they need to. There’s a lot of good ideas and interesting added extras on these tracks and it’s clear that Cult of Lilith have high ambition for themselves.

A very promising start for this new band. I look forward to what they do next.

Necrosavant – Aniara MMXIV (Review)

Necrosavant is a one-man project from Sweden. This is his début album.

In an unusual move for a début album, this is one single track that lasts 45 minutes. Also unusually, this is Blackened Death Metal with a style that kind of falls between that of Behemoth and (old) Opeth.

Not content with doing vocals and playing everything on this release, the brains behind Necrosavant has also drafted in some other guests to add to the mix.

The music has the muscularity and occult auras of Behemoth and the progressive and melodic know-how of Opeth. The track ebbs and flows, picking up themes previously discarded, only to breathe new life into them again as the listener becomes re-familiarised with different parts of this immense song.

The guitars are nice and thick and there are a lot of tasty riffs on here. Plenty of solos and leads add colour, but it’s frequently the well-written rhythm guitars themselves that elevate this to a top-notch position.

The music has the feel of a dark epic in more than just length and the brutal atmospheres that are created reverberate with meaningful impact and emotive delivery.

If you think that a 45 minute Blackened Death Metal song would get old very quickly, you’re dead wrong. There’s so much on offer here and so much talented Metal being delivered that it’s hard to imagine that this is essentially the product of just one guy.

This is hugely impressive and enjoyable. This one is a must.

Illusions Dead – Celestial Decadence (Review)

Illusions Dead are from Finland and play Blackened Death Metal. This is their début album.

The style here is based on Death Metal with a Black Metal influence to the guitars, allowing the band access to a wider array of melodics and auras than a pure Death Metal band.

High screams form the bulk of the vocals, although deep growling vocals do appear as the main form of attack on some tracks. The singer’s growls are very well performed and he has the kind of voice that’s easy to enjoy. The high screams are equally competent though, and very enjoyable to listen to, although it would probably be even better if a few more of the growls were used here and there, but that’s just me.

The songs are well-written and there’s a lot to enjoy across these 42 minutes. The band seem to understand pacing and texture, with the songs having a lot more depth than is the norm for the style. I especially like songs such as Revolution (Celestial Spheres) where the band extend the music into almost progressive spheres to add further substance and meat to the music.

Leads and melodies are used well and not overly relied upon at the expense of brutality; there’s a nice balance of the two. When combined with the emotive qualities of the rhythm guitars it makes for a compelling collection of tracks.

The album has a good sound that’s rough around the edges in the right ways. Combined with the strength of the music it makes for a very satisfying package, all-in-all.

This is a really strong release. It offers something more than just straight-ahead Death Metal and is an extremely meaty feast of Metal delights.

Very impressive.

Primitiv – Immortal & Vile (Review)

Primitiv are an Indian Death Metal band. This is their début album.

As the name might suggest, Primitiv play old-school Death Metal that’s on the, (ahem), primitive side.

It’s also on the riffy side, and who doesn’t love a good riff? Actually, the word primitive is misleading, because although it’s true in a way, this is also not your typical old-school Death Metal release either, sounding fresher and more modern than a lot of similar bands. Modern old-school Death Metal? Now there’s a thing…

So what’s different about Primitiv? Well, for one thing, the songs have an energy to them as they stomp all over the place. There’s also a fair amount of variety on these tracks, with different sub-styles and types of riff being showcased.

Some of the riffs have a Sludge/Stoner Metal feel in places, which is quite unexpected, although it should be noted this is not a huge part of their sound. At other times we get a more Bolt Thrower-type delivery, cementing the old-school feel even more. Sometimes a hint of the Swedish style appears…it’s a compelling mix across these 31 minutes and Primitiv show that they can turn their hands to many an influence with the aim of creating their crushing Death Metal out of the most effective weapons available.

Melodies, leads and solos all appear where they’re needed and the songs pound along at a decent pace. It’s all added to by a strong, clear and clean production that allows them to sound absolutely immense. As the focus is very much on the guitar riffs, these have a heavy, precise tone that devastates all around them. It must be noted that the drums and bass sound equally impressive though.

The singer has a formidable roar that still manages to sound legible on occasion and carries character deep within its depths.

The combination of the older style with a newer production and a Sludge/Stoner tinge to some of the riffs allows Immortal & Vile to avoid the accusations of staleness and rehashing of past glories that inevitably accompany most old-school Death Metal releases. This album sounds fresh and infectious, even if the core style is as old as it gets.

Unless your tastes run strictly to the ultra-technical, fast or modern, Immortal & Vile is a must listen.

Atrocious Abnormality – Formed in Disgust (Review)

This is the second album from US Brutal Death Metallers Atrocious Abnormality.

If you like the classic sound of Death Metal à la Cannibal Corpse, Defeated Sanity, Severe Torture and the like, then you’ll love this latest release from Atrocious Abnormality. This is ripping Death Metal with lashings of brutality and bloodshed, all delivered in 31 minutes of riff-hungry carnage.

Atrocious Abnormality really have got their songwriting abilities dialled in. As paragons of brutality these songs also have a whole slew of memorable riffs and just enough melody to cause the guitars to stick out without sacrificing any of the ugliness. Top work.

Each of these tracks do exactly what you’d want this type of Death Metal song to do. Here we have complexity and technicality without going too far down the rabbit hole; simple, heavy riffs without becoming too basic; catchiness without over-familiarity; speed and groove intertwined…Formed in Disgust really has a lot to offer the discerning Metal fan.

I’m very happy with this release. I love a good slab of timeless Death Metal, and Atrocious Abnormality have delivered. It’s especially pleasing as it’s quite easy for a release of this nature to come across as stale and boring – just a repeat of what’s come before. What’s nice about Formed in Disgust though is that the band somehow manage to breathe fresh life into the style they play through sheer force of will and decent songwriting skills.

I heartily recommend this one – get your fill and do it now.

The Black Dahlia Murder/Benighted/Ingested – Sound Control, Manchester – 21/01/16 (Live Review)

I like Sound Control as a venue, and tonight, even though I’ve definitely seen it busier, there’s still a decent amount of people here and the place has a good atmosphere.

I think I’ve seen Ingested before. Maybe. If I have, it was a long time ago and neither the band or the details left too much of an impression. Tonight changed all that. It seems they’ve either come a long way or I just wasn’t paying close enough attention. Probably both.

So, as you’ve probably gathered I arrived in time to catch Ingested, and I’m eternally grateful I did. They positively explode out of the stage, full of high energy, revelling in their status as show-openers and doing a damn good job at it.

Ingested’s slamming Death Metal deals in plenty of blasting and groove. They’re essentially slam machines with colossal breakdowns that somehow fail to sound one dimensional. The singer has a voice like a demon and bellows, roars and screams himself into fits of slamcore delirium.

Tonight they benefit from a huge clear sound, which is downright shocking for an opening band and allows them to display what they do best at full power. They got me moving which is more than most support bands do.

Mixing parts of Despised Icon, The Red Chord and Dying Fetus, Ingested just destroy the stage. Their music is clearly designed with mosh pits in mind, and the crowd give a suitably good account of themselves throughout.

The set ends and most people seem happy. Me? I’m very happy.

After Ingested’s impressive performance, Benighted had their work cut out for them, or so I thought.

Being unfamiliar with Benighted, I was not sure what to expect, (except in general terms), but they rose to the challenge nicely.

Like Ingested’s set, we are treated to another strong sound; the venue should be proud of itself and tonight it appears to be support band heaven in this regard.

Benighted are aggressive and sharp, with a more focused, refined assault than that of Ingested’s raw muscularity, although that’s not to say they lack direct brutality or strength; far from it.

Their polished and professional style takes modern Death Metal and dips it in an impassioned performance. The band’s twisted melodics and grooving blasts come from the same school of nastiness as Cattle Decapitation and Aborted, combining quality musicianship with streamlined brutality. Elements of their sound have a tribal, rhythmic quality, frequently interrupted by a tirade of blast beats for maximum effect.

They make quite the impression and it’s clear that they have more than a few fans in the crowd, and there’s plenty of movement too. The groovy parts get the bodies moving hard and the fast, blasting sections just demolish. In fact, I particularly like it when they play fast. The evening’s first stage diver even makes an appearance mid-way though the set. He looks like he’s enjoying himself.

The singer has a commanding presence and a great voice. He also looks like a smaller version of powerlifter Jeremy “Couch” Hamilton, which keeps me amused the entire set. The bassist has an infectious grin and even indulges in a bit of Steve-Harris-from-Iron-Maiden-machine-gunning, which is always nice.

Their penultimate song starts with a sample of an alarm clock that sounds exactly the same as mine and freaks me the fuck out. What follows is much better than what usually follows though.

At the end of their set me and a large chunk of the crowd are left with smiles as large as the bassist’s. Nice.

And now for the band everyone’s been waiting for, the USA’s premier Melodic Death Metal masters.

I’ve seen The Black Dahlia Murder before, but they were playing in a support capacity and were marred by a weak, muddy sound. In keeping with the theme of the evening so far though, there are no such problems tonight, and the band absolutely slay. Boasting a crystal clear sound that demonstrates a band at the top of their game, the band’s performance tonight is exemplary.

When the bassists asks if we wanna hear a very fast new song, you know we do.

The major selling point of The Black Dahlia Murder for me is their peerless brand of fast, razor-sharp melodicism, and tonight it’s on such fine display that I’m amazed I don’t leave with lacerations.

Opening with Receipt off their latest album, they power through a veritable greatest hits package. Although, like any greatest hits collection, you can’t please everyone, (I was hoping for Climactic Degradation…). However, there are enough quality songs here to please, spanning the band’s entire discography. Vlad, Son of the Dragon makes a welcome appearance and Moonlight Equillibrium (about a werewolf that eats English breakfasts, apparently) is a particular favourite. Abysmal, the title track from their latest album, sounds even better and more savage live than it does on record, and then Funeral Thirst absolutely just melts faces. Raped in Hatred by Vines of Thorn, (about the Evil Dead, he tells us), is a real catchy crowd-pleaser, as is Statutory Ape. They end with the one-two punch of Deathmask Divine and the iconic I Will Remain, which features one of the best intros and outros to any song. And the bit in the middle isn’t bad either.

The band themselves are on fine form, and focus inevitably finds itself being directed towards their charismatic frontman; he attacks the songs with such enthusiasm it’s palpable, sometimes seeming to take the role of a mad conductor.

As befitting the band’s status, the crowd have a strong reaction to the songs and there is stage diving and moshing in abundance, including some relatively immense circle pits. One stagediver arrives on stage just after a song finishes and gets to be interviewed by the band, (his name is Lawrence, and he likes slam). At the behest of the band the audience give a good attempt to carry him to the back of the venue during the next song, but he doesn’t quite make it. It’s a valiant effort though.

When a crowd casualty seems to occur, the band take the time to make sure everything’s okay, and also lead a chant of “Live! Live! Live!” which is most amusing.

After this long in their career The Black Dahlia Murder are a well oiled machine live, but it’s good to see that they aren’t just going through the motions and there’s real passion here.

This was genuinely one of the best shows I’ve been to in a long time. All three bands did themselves proud and I am left with nothing but fond memories and a slightly tired neck, exactly as it should be.

Temisto – Temisto (Review)

Temisto are from Sweden and this is their début album. They play Death Metal.

This is unusual Death Metal that falls somewhere between the primitive, atavistic side of the spectrum and the more exploratory, mystical side.

The band have some interesting riffs, as they are not afraid to let a bit of complexity and technicality sneak into the guitars. They also allow a bit of melody to appear here and there, resulting in songs that have a lot of different facets to them. It’s a welcome change of pace for something of this ilk, and the songs have a kind of morbid sophistication to them because of it.

The tracks are a beguiling combination of speed, atmosphere and darkly occult feelings. The atypical melodies and dynamic leads and solos really add spice to the songs and the band have a real talent for taking the foundations of the genre and warping them with foul black magics.

The singer’s feral howlings further cement the feeling of listening to something a bit special, as they too are just that little bit different to the norm for Death Metal, enough to add another dimension to the band and to give the songs a rather old-school feel.

This album is all about the guitars for me though, although clearly everything else plays a major role in helping this album to ascend to the higher, more rarefied Death Metal peaks; the riffs, melodies and interesting ideas just don’t stop, and I’ve really, really enjoyed this release.

It’s also quite rare for a Death Metal band to have a more considered and reflective side, so this is a nice touch on the album too.

Top marks. Looking for something a little different with your Death Metal? Check out Temisto.