Heavy Metal – Page 36 – Wonderbox Metal

No Trust – Unfound (Review)

US band No Trust play aggressive Metal with plenty of bite and solidity.

Although the band are a duo they sound a lot fuller and more complete than many five-pieces. They have a huge, strong sound that makes the guitars feel like they’re right next to you, and the singer’s throaty roar is intense and immediate. I really like the vocals actually; very well done and extreme-but-emphatic at the same time.

There is no bass on this album, just guitar, drums and vocals. You almost wouldn’t know though, as the guitars have the kind of tone that seems to imply bass where there actually is none. While they may be limited with their range of instrumentation they make the most of it and are avid worshippers of The Riff; there is an abundance of Sludge-esque riffs in these songs, all wrapped up in a clean sound and plenty of Metal.

When the band lock into a powerful groove they are nigh unstoppable, such as the main riff to Bottom Feeder. Sounding almost like a cross between Dopethrone and Chimaira, this album takes elements of Sludge and gives it a hard Metallic sheen.

48 minutes of music to destroy speakers with. Check them out.

Unscarred – Fake Democracy (Review)

French group Unscarred play Thrash Metal the way it was meant to be – catchy and crunchy.

Apparently this is a demo, but it sounds good enough to be their first ‘proper’ release if you ask me. Everything is recorded clearly and all of the instruments shine through, (yes, even the bass).

The band play Thrash Metal with a nod to both Old and New-Schools. To me they come across as a mixture of Annihilator, Anthrax, Lamb of God and Megadeth; all about the songs and riffs.

The singer has an exceptional set of lungs, I could listen to her all day. She has a varied approach using the full spectrum from rougher shouts all the way to much higher cleans. The shouts are okay, but her cleans are exceptional as she has a really powerful voice full of character and strength. Lay this over some razor-sharp Thrash music and throw in some good catchy hooks and you have a very memorable set of songs.

When it’s done well Thrash Metal is one of my favourite genres as you can just get caught up in it and before you know what you’re doing you’re bouncing around throwing obscene shapes and playing the invisible guitar. At least that’s what I hear. I’ve never done anything as unseemly as that of course. Honest. Moving on…

A really enjoyable release, especially for a demo. If the band can build on this for a whole album, and just clean up some of the small niggles in their sound then their next release should be fantastic. Here’s hoping for a bright 2014 for them.

Favourite Track: 100 Lashes. Ludicrously catchy, and sticks in your head for days.

Tried For Treason – Weight of Words (Review)

Tried For Treason are from the US and play modern Metal with a bit of grit thrown in to keep things interesting.

The songs show much promise. For a first release they demonstrate a good grasp of song structure and melody, something that they can surely build on for the future.

Vocals are clean and distinctly American, although the band they most remind me of is actually Breed 77 from Gibraltar , sans the more tribal influences. The singer of Tried For Treason shows greater variety though as he also uses rougher vocals and shouts.

Musically, apart from the usual Metal influences you would expect, you can also detect elements of a band like Tool in some of the songs, which can only be a good thing. A lot of modern Metal bands can be high on surface and low on depth, but I think if Tried For Treason can keep this aspect of their sound they could avoid this trap.

They also have guitar solos in every song, which always endears me towards a band.

There is only 11 minutes of music here but if Tried For Treason can continue to develop their style for the next release then they could and should have a bright future ahead of them.

Albatross/Vestal Claret – The Kissing Flies/Black Priest (Review)

A very interesting split between Indian band Albatross and US group Vestal Claret.

Albatross have a good, clear, organic sound and play Heavy Metal with some quirks of character. There’s a freshness to these tracks that is a welcome change; they lack a sense of tiredness and “heard-it-all-before-ness” that can plague some bands.

The vocalist can certainly sing and he puts his voice to good use, occasionally reaching stratospheric heights. Combined with the odd shriek and more raspy and growly vocals there’s plenty of variety on offer.

The songs are long and theatrical without being pompous or overblown. Four tracks in 26 minutes and very enjoyable they are too. Let’s see what they’re capable of on their next release.

Vestal Claret finish off the split with the 17 minute Black Priest. This song is more of a Traditional Doom Metal track than anything by Albatross, and by crikey it’s as good as anything the likes of Black Sabbath or Candlemass have done. Flawless.

This is a worthwhile split with Albatross contributing some very enjoyable songs, and Vestal Claret stealing the show with their Doom hymn.

Nigromante – Black Magic Night (Review)

From Spain, Nigromante explode from the speakers with some classic NWOBHM-style Heavy Metal and a big two-fingered salute to all around them. This is from the same record label that gave us the brilliant Funeral Circle album, and I have not been disappointed with this release either.

Nigromante have a great sound and that’s energetic and organic. The songs are concise and full of classic Metal shapes and solos the likes of which are seldom heard these days. That the first track is called Heavy Metal Age should tell you everything you need to know.

These tracks are rocking, galloping specimens of prime-time Heavy Metal which may be from the present but is rooted firmly in the past.

The vocals will probably be an acquired taste for some, but for me it’s a nice change from what I was expecting. They have personality and character; not a million miles away from Lee Dorian of Cathedral in fact in places. This singer has a rougher set of lungs than the more Power Metal norm and this gels with the tunes the band bang out – think more Jon Oliva than anything more Euro/Power Metal-centric. It works well.

Black Magic Night is a top album for anyone looking to relive the classic early Metal sound with a strong professional recording and catchy, enjoyable songs. The album creates the right mood right from the get-go and hopefully we’ll be hearing more from this band in the future. Give them a spin.

Joyless Jokers – Taste of Victory (Review)

Joyless Jokers play Melodic Death Metal with the odd atmospheric flourish and the right amount of aggression and bite.

These days the term Melodic Death Metal can sometimes evoke images of wannabe stadium-fillers all Hell-bent on copying In Flames, et al, but here it is played in its purest form – Death Metal that is full of melody! This is more aggressive and more Metal than most bands of the aforementioned ilk and there are no clean vocals busting out into anthemic choruses on this album.

What we get is well-written/recorded/played Metal with a strong vocalist who keeps the intensity up all the way through. He is backed by a very-able band who perform with gusto. Melodic leads; heavy riffs; keyboard and classical flourishes, (nicely understated); and a strong rhythm section that keeps everything together; these are the things that keep you returning for another listen.

I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting to, (cynic that I am!), and was pleasantly surprised by the content and quality this album shows. This is the perfect release for people looking for something more melodic, but aren’t interested in something overly-commercial. Victory tastes good.

Beckon – Beckon (Review)

Beckon are a Scottish Metal band and this is their first EP.

A sample starts things off and then we’re straight into the galloping Metal with the singer showing off a very decent bark that has character and flavour. He can also belt out some almost-Power Metal clean vocals when the urge takes him.

The band’s ability to produce speed and aggression are ably demonstrated, as is their willingness to inject some variety into the mix. And guitar solos too, which are always welcome.

This is well-recorded modern Metal played with passion and enthusiasm by a band that wants to impress.

Beckon wear their influences on their sleeve, and in a weaker band this may have held them back; with Beckon though they simply flaunt them as a badge of honour and build on them to produce three good Metal songs that show great things to come for this band in the future.

Relentless – Souls of Charon (Review)

Relentless are from the US and rather than playing Death Metal or Grind as one might imagine from their name, they actually play a very satisfying brand of Traditional Heavy/Doom Metal.

A well-rounded, organic sound greets you as you start the record. Theirs is the sound of a band playing naturally, rather than being overly sanitised and copy-and-pasted. To put it simply; it sounds good.

The vocals are a relaxed, laid-back female croon that does the job nicely and is a great match with the music. The singer has the kind of voice perfect for telling old Metal stories and sagas. The songs wrap their arms around the vocals and nurture them while nourishing them with hard language and harder liquor.

Sounding as if they would be perfectly at home in a smoky back-room in the back of some far-distant obscure speak-easy; this is a great antidote for the more modern, soulless, clinical music out there. This music has soul and wears it proudly on its leather jacket.

Xehanort – Awaken in a Different Dimension (Review)

I’m not a massive fan of djent. it’s too easy to be mediocre it seems. Xehanort however, belong to a small subset of bands, (such as Xerath and Carthage), who take their humble djenty beginnings and do something worthwhile with it.

So; imagine a heavy-as-hell Death Metal band with some djenty riffs; add a layer of electronics, keyboards and atmosphere; sprinkle in some ethereal clean vocals and cover it all in a complex concept and you’ll arrive at Xehanort’s debut album. And all this from just one person.

This is a top quality recording. The guitars are monolithic and very well played. There is plenty of guitar dexterity and technical wizardry occuring alongside the thick, immense tone of the core heaviness.

One of the failings of djent can be a tendency to stick to the same pace, but Xehanort know when to blast and when to slow down. Each song has levels of added interest as well from the various effects, keyboards, etc. These add to the spice and flavour of the songs rather than fouling it, and never detract from the crushing, moshing, guitar-based core of the band.

Apart from the odd clean vocal as mentioned previously, the main style is deep, brutal, Death Metal grunts, accentuated with high pitched screams that are used tactically throughout.

This may have its basis in djent territory but some serious thought has gone into the construction of this album. If it wasn’t for the modern djent influences this would be classified as atmospheric Death Metal, and probably really should be. All I know is that it’s good and it hits the spot. Give it a try.

Besegra – Infortunium (Review)

Canada’s Besegra appear to have found the perfect melding of Thrash Metal and Melodic Death Metal. There is a natural overlap between these genres anyway, but Besegra happily operate on the edge of both worlds and bring them together into one compact 29-minute release.

Lots of high-octane melodics and leads punctuate these tracks, and the band capitalise on this energy by throwing everything into their attack and delivery. A strong first release; the songs are well composed and played with talent and skill.

Besegra know how to pepper their sound with solos and lead work without it feeling overwhelming or like a contest. I’m quite partial to a good solo, and there is a woeful lack of it in a lot of bands, so it’s nice to hear.

The vocalist spits his lyrics out like they are too hot to voice, giving the tracks a feeling of, (almost), melodic Black Metal at points. His is a kind of raspy shriek that lashes out over the top of the guitar melodies and double-bass drumming. I feel it was the right choice for this band as more Death-y vocals could have sounded clumsy against the razor-sharp riffing, and a cleaner delivery may have diluted the sound somewhat.

Check out Besegra and see what you think.