Death Metal – Page 205 – Wonderbox Metal

Unsaint – Watch Them Bleed (Review)

Unsaint are from Poland and play Death/Thrash Metal. This is their second EP.

I enjoyed Unsaint’s début EP so this latest one is a welcome listen.

Unsaint’s chosen style of Metal is a combination of Death and Thrash Metal. Some of it has a modern sheen to it that recalls bands like Lamb of God, whilst other parts harken back to bands like Kreator with their aggressive brand of Thrash.

The singer has a personable growling shout that works well with their particular style. It’s gruff and aggressive but not totally indecipherable.

The instruments are well-played and there are some nice solos and leads on the songs. Sharp riffs and tight drumming make for songs that are focused and directed.

Watch Them Bleed has a good sound that allows the band to make the most of their energetic Metal anthems.

This is a nice collection of songs that showcase the band’s aggressive Thrash style.

Have a listen and see what you think.

Whore of Bethlehem – Upon Judas’ Throne (Review)

Whore of Bethlehem are from the US and play Blackened Death Metal. This is their début album.

Whore of Bethlehem play Death Metal that’s saturated with Black Metal down to its very core. There is an aura of darkness that pervades everything on this album and it seeps out from every Blackened riff or thunderous vocal.

Said vocals alternate between deep growls and higher screams. It’s a very satisfying performance and both styles do the job admirably.

It’s a pleasure to hear such twisted, Blackened guitars on this release. Straddling the two genres sometimes means choosing between a Death Metal part here or a Black Metal part there; Whore of Bethlehem however have merged the two styles down at the cellular level and their riffs combine the brutality of Death Metal with the evil reek of Black Metal perfectly.

The riffs are evocative and punishing, yet not without nuance. The band work their dynamics well and the guitars have the right balance between feeling and aggression.

Even the production manages to capture the essence of both styles as it’s both heavy and sharp. Everything is perfectly matched against each other, with no one instrument gaining ascendancy to the detriment of any other.

These are very enjoyable songs; I’m quite partial to Blackened Death Metal when it’s done well and I always compare bands like this to Arkhon Infaustus who created in their 2003 album Filth Catalyst what is, for me, an exemplar of the style. Whore of Bethlehem could easily be spiritual successors to Arkhon Infaustus and Upon Judas’ Throne is a very meaty slab of dark Metal if ever there was one.

What a great album! More like this please.

Annihilation – The Undivided (Review)

Annihilation are from Portugal and this is their latest EP. They play Death Metal.

Their début album Against the Storm was a very enjoyable slab of Death Metal with plenty of brutality and top vocals to enjoy.

So what does The Undivided give us? More of the same?

Not at all.

In the years between releases it seems Annihilation have been busy refining and updating their sound. It’s still Death Metal, of course, but now they’ve added in more technicality and dissonant riffing that takes them away from the Deicide influence on their début and moves them closer to a more interesting, Progressive Death Metal style in line with bands like Gorguts and Execration.

This time the songs are more involved and intricate. Dark, expansive melodies dominate rather than the fully brutal riffing of the first album. They still do have a brutal aspect to their sound but it’s now clothed in grimier materials and surrounded by lurking menace and sinister complexity.

The songs on this EP are real growers and have genuine depth and longevity. Seeing a band spread their wings like this and embrace their potential is a very rewarding sight and bands such as this should be supported at every possible step in their journey.

I must say I heartily approve of this change of direction. Although I really enjoyed Against the Storm ultimately it was nothing different, just an enjoyable Brutal Death Metal album. The Undivided, however, sees the band reaching for something different, something more individual. The results speak for themselves.

I genuinely can’t wait to hear what they do next.

Well done Annihilation.

Arroganz – Tod & Teufel (Review)

Arroganz are a German Death Metal band and this is their third album.

Arroganz play the kind of Death Metal that’s heavy and crunchy whilst also retaining a large amount of atmosphere and emotional appeal. This is due in no small part to the emotive guitar riffs that fall somewhere between the kind of melodic misery that bands like My Dying Bride unleash and a distinct Black Metal malevolence that haunts the songs like a deathly aura.

These two competing sources of darkness are brought together under the rotting umbrella of Death Metal and thus Arroganz is given shape, form and sound. It’s a great combination and the tracks on this release are engaging because of it.

These songs have a real depth to them much more than if the band peddled straight brutality. They know how to play hard and heavy but do so with an emotional connection to the core of their sound and allow the songs the space and time to develop into real entities in their own right, rather than just being collections of riffs strung together.

The singer has an accomplished bark that’s both deep and clear. He uses his voice like a hammer to crush the unbelievers wherever they lie. This rages over the top of a clear, precise sound where all of the instruments shine and even the bass gets to contribute in meaningful ways.

This is for fans of interesting, individualistic Death Metal like Gorguts, Immolation, Morbid Angel and the like. Tod & Teufel is a great collection of songs and the band have done themselves proud.

Have a listen.

Diskord – Oscillations (Review)

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.

Deserted Fear – Kingdom of Worms (Review)

This is the second album from German Death Metallers Deserted Fear.

Deserted Fear sound absolutely huge. Their sound is crisp, punchy and as solid as a slab of granite. They play a blend of Classic and Modern Death Metal which sees them taking the best from the old and new to create songs that are brutal but not just for the sake of it.

Here we have a band who remember the importance of actual songs. Remember those? The tracks on this album are full of hooks, catchy melodies and memorable riffs.

The musicianship is first class and the band know how to translate good songwriting into results.

The riffs rumble along like a steamroller. The band combine aspects of Swedish Death Metal, Bolt Thrower, Vader and more modern influences to create their trademark sound.

The combination of chunky rhythm guitars and more melodic leads work well together and bring out the Swedish influence in their sound. A mid-paced assault shows their Bolt Thrower influence and the faster sections have more of a Vader edge to them. All of this is wrapped in a state-of-the-art production.

The vocalist knows his stuff and uses his voice to beat and batter the listener into submission before the crushing music deals the deathblow.

Kingdom of Worms is a solid album of destructive Death Metal that could happily sit in any Metal fan’s collection.

Try them out today.

Coprocephalic – The Oath of Relinquishment (Review)

This is the second album from Coprocephalic; a Death Metal band who have a Taiwanese/International origin.

Coprocephalic play Brutal Death Metal. This is ultra-brutal and not for the weak-hearted. The band manage to pull off something a bit different though than most as they combine an interesting perspective on brutality with dissonant melodics creating an unusual take on Brutal Death Metal that’s refreshing and addictive.

This is pure brutality and the riffs come thick and fast. When they’re not trying to beat you to death with blunt breakdowns and heavy chopping they’re trying to stab you to death with sharp melodics and atypical noises.

This is a band who play thoroughly Modern Death Metal with a twist of the most extreme Deathcore the likes of which is peddled by Infant Annihilator and Rings of Saturn. It’s frenzied, savage and not at all pleasant; just the way we like it.

Utter pig-noise vocals sound like someone’s trying to vomit up their own stomach and even though I’m not normally the biggest fan of this style of vocals here it works perfectly with the music. In this sense they’re not too far removed from fellow label mates Infecting the Swarm.

The Oath of Relinquishment is high energy and it’s hard not to feel excited when listening to this. It’s just pure fucking Metal and more brutal than most can handle.

I love it. Let’s all get behind this talented band now.

Divine Zero – The Cold Asylum (Review)

Divine Zero come from Germany and play Death Metal. This is their second album.

Divine Zero have a singer that alternates between deep growls and high shrieks, sometimes within the same sentence. It’s schizophrenic and harsh. The high screams have a bit of At The Gates about them and both styles sound top quality.

Ostensibly a Melodic Death Metal band, Divine Zero have enough brutality in them to satisfy fans of harder Metal also. It may be melodic but it’s also aggressive.

The songs have plenty of tasty riffs and the trade off between melody and brutality is handled well, with even a smidgen of Thrash being thrown into the mix. Everything’s played to a high standard and there are lots of things included to hook the listener and capture the attention.

The riffs are interesting and quite varied, with everything between modern Metal and Old-School Thrash having a look-in at various points. I also like that the solos are bountiful and emphatic.

A strong sound rounds off a strong package and Divine Zero have produced a very enjoyable album. It reminds me of turn-of-the-millenium Metal like Dew Scented and Withering Surface.

If you’re put off Melodic Death Metal as you think most bands who play the style sound watered down and/or too commercial then give Divine Zero a listen, you won’t be disappointed.

Lelahell – Al Insane… The (Re)birth of Abderrahmane (Review)

Lelahell are from Algeria and play Death Metal. This is their début album.

This is Brutal Death Metal played fast and played heavy.

After the usual pointless intro, (mercifully brief), the real fun starts and the band introduce us to their blasting mayhem.

The vocals are the first surprise. Usually with this style of Death Metal we get typical ultra-guttural growls, but the majority of the vocals on this album are higher screams, (although deeper growls are used as well). It sounds good and reminds of a band like Defleshed.

The guitars have a nice tone to them and sound quite thick. The riffs are a bit more inventive than the norm, with colourful melodies and unusual flavours to the tunes. The songs have an exotic flair to them; Lelahell are definitely not your typical Cannibal Corpse clone.

This album is crushingly brutal and has a sound to match that’s suitably huge and clear. Lelahell are a very satisfying proposition and this chunky, thick sound combined with the band’s songwriting skills, dynamics and interesting riffs means this is an album to really get into.

As début’s go, this is a winner. Lots of bands are content to tread water, but Lelahell are more interested in forging their own path, and more power to them for this.

Make sure you get a hold of Al Insane… The (Re)birth of Abderrahmane. It’s well worth the investment.

Obituary – Inked in Blood (Review)

This is the US Death Metal titan’s 9th album.

Obituary are a true Metal institution and one that’s rare in that they sound just as good now as when they first appeared.

That’s not to say that they sound the same though, as they have experimented with their core sound over the years, to a greater or lesser extent.

Inked in Blood is heavy and largely mid to slow-paced. This, for my money, is always when Obituary sound at their best so I’m more than happy with what they’ve produced on this album. Faster parts appear of course, but Obituary have never played blast beat-fast so it’s all relative really.

The riffs sound instantly familiar without being tired and the entire album is like a happy reunion with an old friend. You may not see them that often any more but when you do you have a whale of a time. A big fat heavy whale.

The singer’s vocals are slightly lower in the mix than sometimes they have been in the past and this just makes the music seem even heavier. His vocals appear to be improving with age as they sound slightly less fluid and more venomous these days. In essence it’s the same voice as always of course, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Inked in Blood boasts strong songs that manage to sit right in that sweet spot between heaviness, groove and catchiness where all three elements of the Obituary sound meet.

Each song is recognisably Obituary without becoming same-y. The groove-based riffs are heavy as Hell and the slower more moody sections have surprising subtlety to them on occasion.

The production is solid and the music sounds immense when played at loud volumes, which I highly recommend that you do.

These Death Metal veterans have once more returned to the killing grounds to show the new guard how it’s done.

Behold Obituary.