Death Metal – Page 228 – Wonderbox Metal

Insain – Enlightening the Unknown (Review)

French band Insain play Brutal Death Metal.

Sadly they are no longer with us, but even with only a small number of releases they have left a powerful legacy and an enduring mark on the face of French Death Metal.

Their first album Spiritual Rebirth was a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying listen in the way that only the best Death Metal can be. Now with this final EP we’ll never know the heights they might have ascended to, but we are left with a new release that meets and even exceeds the standards set with their début.

The sound is huge and immense, like heightened gravity crushing down on you. The songs blast and bruise with the best of them, making full use of the sonic clarity to batter and beat you into submission.

The drums sound especially meaty. Double bass sections twist and turn with the guitars while blast beats overpower everything in sight by sheer force of inertia.

The deep grunting vocals are highlighted by the occasional scream and are utterly relentless and unforgiving in their delivery.

Although this is Brutal Death Metal the band are not adverse to injecting a bit of lonesome melody into the mix; a lead here, a solo there. It all adds a splash of colour to the brutality and demonstrates why Insain are so good at what they do. Or were, at least.

At 25 minutes in length there is no chance for it to get old, and every chance for savage aural pleasure. If only there was more where this came from! A must have.

Craving – At Dawn (Review)

Craving are from Germany and play lengthy Death Metal with Folk and Black Metal influences.

This is their second album and Craving are really coming into their own. Combining brutality, melody and Folk harmonies the band have produced 66 minutes of music that transport the listener back in time and away from the hum drum pace of normal life.

There is a medieval vibe permeating the songs, although this is juxtaposed against the heavier more brutal Death Metal parts. Sort of like a more aggressive Amon Amarth mixed with Korpiklaani or Finntroll.

Each of the long songs is a combination of the aforementioned styles, and across the album we get a bit of everything; Melodic Death Metal, Folk Metal, some Black Metal riffs…it creates an enticing package and manages to stay interesting for the entire running length.

The songs are memorable and the band effortlessly play both brutal and melodic parts with abandon. The ease in which they can transition from heavy, blasting sections into melodic, atmospheric moods is a pleasure to behold.

The vocals are mainly guttural Death Metal vocals, although on occasion Black Metal screams punctuate the blasting. On top of this there are also Folky cleans, some of which are rousing, heroic and quite epic in nature.

This is a Melodic Death Metal album that manages to embrace its Folk side without sacrificing its teeth, and for that reason alone is worthy of being listened to. Add to that the fact that it’s a very enjoyable album that stirs the Metal heart…well we have a keeper here.

Mass Infection – For I Am Genocide (Review)

This is Greek band Mass Infection’s third album full of Brutal Death Metal treats.

Soundwise we’re immediately treated to a prime recording with everything sounding as it should and with all instruments ready to pulverise on command. The band play their Death Metal fast and rhythmical; a blend of Malevolent Creation and Hate Eternal let’s say.

The drums fly by at escape velocity while the guitars shred anything in sight. The songs are not overtly technical but neither are they simply constructed; the musicians know how to play that much is certain, but they never put showing off above a good riff. There are even some almost, dare I say it, hooks here; Hierarchy of the Highest Abomination contains bits that easily stick in the mind, for example.

The songs are written well and at 36 minutes it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

The vocals are nice and deep just as we like it, and the singer growls his way through the tracks like his life depends on it. Who knows, maybe it does?

For I Am Genocide is an album that’s hard to fault played by a band at the height of their powers. Mandatory listening for every Death Metalhead out there.

Enthrallment – The Voice of Human Perversity (Review)

Enthrallment are from Bulgaria and play Brutal Death Metal. This is the fourth album from these veterans.

The riffs roll over the drums like a sinuous reptilian in search of a fresh kill. The sense of flowing, lean musculature and predatory instinct is strong with this one.

Speed and technicality are not the be all and end all of Death Metal, (although they certainly have their place in The Voice of Human Perversity), and Enthrallment seem well aware of this fact. More important to them are the songs themselves and a heavy, catchy riff. Of the former we get 8 hymns to brutality in just under 35 minutes, and of the latter we get absolutely bucketfuls.

Interesting and darkly passionate; the riffs slide out of the speakers and into the wound. The solos are equally penetrating and the bass is vibrant, clear and utilised fully; the benefits of a quality recording.

The singer treats us to a nice deep grunt that works with the music to bring the songs to life. He has vocals that fully engage; rhythmic and brutal without sacrificing delivery.

This is a compelling offering that has a timeless quality; the kind of album you could imagine listening to when Death Metal was fresh and new to you, but conversely still sounds fresh now even though you’re a jaded Death Metal warrior.

This is why Metal will never die and inspires such passion in its adherents. Is there any better form of music? The answer is no. No there isn’t. Enthrallment embody this indomitable spirit.

Verdict – The Meaning of Isolation (Review)

Verdict are a veteran German band who play Thrash Metal with some added Death Metal. The Meaning of Isolation is their fourth full-length release.

They have a crisp, professional sound that allows the Thrashy riffs to glitter and shine. The nine tracks are steeped in Germanic Thrash and are savage and immediate. Imagine Kreator given a Death Metal makeover then add in a few elements of New-School Thrash and you’ll have an idea of Verdict’s mode of attack.

Snarling vocals take the centre-stage and sound as if a caged, rabid dog has been given the microphone. These are backed up on occasion with deeper growls that reinforce the hostile nature of the band.

The drummer keeps up a good pace, but the band also know when to lock into a good groove. Killing Fantasies is a good example of this; the band has a good groovy bounce for the first minute or so before going into full-on Thrash mode for the next section.

This is a well-written Metal album that manages to capture the essence of what Thrash is about while bringing it up to date with some more modern, aggressive influences; all the time retaining authenticity and never coming across as commercial or sanitised.

A recommended listen.

Gravehill – Death Curse (Review)

This is US band Gravehill’s third full length album, and they play Old-School Death Metal with a nice bit of Thrash and Black Metal added into the mix as well.

After the usual perfunctory intro we get blasted into the action with the album title track.

The band play their Death Metal morbid, primitive and ancient. The vocalist sounds like a long-dead corpse who has risen up to assault the living with tales of what they have to look forward to when they die. Both high screams and deeper growls are used, with the higher vocals sounding particularly deranged.

Gravehill combine fast and slow riffs with their twin-pronged vocal assault to create unexpectedly catchy songs, a consequence of their Thrash influence creeping into the mouldy Death Metal. The guitars are solid and heavy with momentum and aggression but also a good bit of crusty Thrash melody, while the solos are whipped out at hyper-speed and get the job done.

A thoroughly enjoyable album full of catchy hooks and memorable riffs. Let Gravehill’s festering carcass enter your life and take a good long whiff.

Isacaarum – Whorecraft (Review)

This is veteran Czech band Isacaarum’s seventh album of filthy Blackened Deathgrind.

Inhabiting the same degraded, run-down pay-by-the-hour hotel as The Meatfückers; Isacaarum are more at the Grind/Death end of the spectrum than the aforementioned band, but no less seedy and porn-obsessed for it.

The 9 songs that span this 30 minutes of depraved Metal never get stuck in a rut. In fact, for the genre this is a surprisingly varied release with even some melodic moments raising their rubber-clad heads at appropriate intervals.

The vocals alternate between higher and lower shrieks/grunts, (in a similar vein to, say, Exhumed), with the deep growls in particular being very well done.

A strong production with a heavy sound accentuates all of the questionable fluids that the band excrete and allows their songs to breathe and enjoy themselves while being mindful of the safety word at all times.

I have enjoyed this album immensely; the band have an ear for a good song and the album doesn’t get stale. This is the first time I’ve encountered Isacaarum and I’m very glad I have. I’ll be visiting them at their seedy hotel more often in the future.

Cleric – Gratum Inferno (Review)

Cleric are from the US and play a distinctly Swedish brand of Old-School Death Metal.

From the start it’s obvious that the band worship at the altar of the Swedish Gods of Death Metal. This is no bad thing.

Over time it’s dawned on me that I really am quite partial to this style of Death Metal. Something about the generally slow, lumbering heaviness of the riffs combined with that chainsaw-guitar sound seems to do it for me quite nicely.

Cleric have this sound in spades, and embody it whether they are crushingly slow, moderately demolishing or speedily blasting. This is 29 minutes of hero worship that I’m quite happy to listen to.

The vocalist doesn’t let the side down either, with a voice like gravel that belches out blasphemy and death.

If you know your Swedish Death Metal, (even if it’s not Swedish), then you’ll know what to expect here, and you’ll either like it or not. I like it.

Cognizance – Inquisition (Review)

This the début EP by UK Modern Technical Death Metallers Cognizance, featuring names and guests from other bands aplenty.

This release contains 13 minutes of Grade-A Death Metal which is brutal enough to get the attention but has enough melodic embellishments and leads to keep it.

The songs have a modern feel and style, but not overly so, and each track is full of technical flourishes and tasty moments that make you go “ooooo”.

Oh and the vocalist is great. That’s all I need to say about that really.

Each of the tracks on this EP is a streamlined killing machine and if you’re interested in a short EP full to the brim of expertly played and executed Death Metal then look no further than Cognizance. Let’s hope they do a full album at some point as this has firmly grabbed my attention.

Have a listen. Then listen again.

“ooooo”.

Necrovile – Engorging the Devourmental Void (Review)

Necrovile play Brutal Death Metal.

The songs barely poke out over the 3 minute mark, but when they contain this much carnage and slaughter it doesn’t really matter.

The production is brutal and punishing and everything sounds great; it means you can hear everything that’s going on so there’s no escape from the slaying. Necrovile exist for the destruction of beauty through the beauty of destruction.

This really is ultra-brutal, with the drums, guitars and vocals all locking into a single-minded intent to achieve this outcome. There’s even a bit of bass; I especially enjoy the parts where it takes on a life of its own such as during Bloodstained Surgeons; these are the touches that elevate songs to greatness.

There is a lot of heavy-duty blasting throughout the songs, yet the band also knock it down a gear for some good old USDM-style crunch ‘n’ squeal parts too.

The vocals are super-deep and only one step removed from pure pignoise, which it does descend into on occasion. It perfectly fits with the inhuman nature of the music and leaves you with a very satisfied feeling deep in your bowels.

Necrovile have the complete Brutal Death Metal luxury package going on, and it’s well worth upgrading to. Highly recommended.