Heavy Metal – Page 40 – Wonderbox Metal

Anciients – Heart of Oak (Review)

Ever wondered what it would sound like if Mastodon and Enslaved got together and released an album? Well wonder no longer, as it would probably sound like Heart of Oak. Imagine a 50/50 collaboration between both of those bands – the melodies, both vocally and musically displayed here are reminiscent of both groups and are hugely enjoyable.

This is not to say that Anciients are a rip-of band of course – far from it – the Mastodon/Enslaved comparison simply serves as a useful starting point when describing Anciients and they certainly have their own individuality and flair – more so than most bands. Amazingly this is only a debut album – a release of this calibre is usually not heard of on a first full-length and is as refreshing as it is enjoyable.

The songs on display here are arguably simpler/less complex than a lot of Mastodon/Enslaved songs, (to use these bands as a reference point again), but this is not to their detriment, as this album is all about the melodies and the song structures. This is probably one of the catchiest metal albums you’ll hear all year, and yet it still manages to retain its edge that will allow it to age well and not become tired as some melody-driven albums can become after time.

An album that is as long as it is good. Worth it.

Insain – Spiritual Rebirth (Review)

Insain are a brutal Death Metal band from France. The album starts with a nice, slow, ease-in before entering full-on brutality mode proceeding to pummel the listener into submission, in a thoroughly enjoyable way that only this style of music can do.

This album has a very nice sound – the best way I can describe it is satisfying. As the songs play and the brutality unveils, it feels like a very satisfying listen. This is the kind of album that reminds you why you first got into Death Metal in the first place, and makes you hungry for more.

This is an album that grabs you immediately but it’s also clear that it will stand the test of time and still remain an enjoyable listen down the line. Riffs, beats and (brutal) melodies are in abundance with both simplicity and technicality being displayed.

Special note should go to the vocalist, who I feel has done a particularly good job and whose vocals are very satisfying (there’s that word again) indeed.

Apparently there’s a new album in the works for the near future – after hearing Spiritual Rebirth I can safely say that this is something every Death Metal fan should be looking forward to.

To The Pain – To The Pain (Review)

Now this is the stuff! Here we have a Thrash/Power Metal band from the US who really know their stuff.

Here we have some classic, 80s/90s-style thrash with a power-feel to some of the vocals. There are seven songs on offer here and each one of them is as enjoyable as the next. No trends, no compromise, just old-school metal played by people with an obvious passion and talent for this style of music.

There are plenty of great riffs, melodies, solos, vocals, etc. being shown off here. Each song is an actual song and stands strongly by itself, with plenty of feeling and quality poured into it and covered liberally in pure molten metal.

As I sit here listening to this album I am transported back to the formative years of my metal youth; listening to the giants of the thrash and heavy metal genres – this album has a similar feel to those, all wrapped up in a modern sound that lends it a freshness that a lot of bands lack these days.

I really, really like this release – I suggest you check them out as soon as you can.

https://www.facebook.com/ToThePainNY

http://www.reverbnation.com/playlist/view_playlist/-4?page_object=artist_2481832

Nephren-Ka – The Fall of Omnius (Review)

There seems to be an upswell of talent in the extreme metal world in France of late. Nephren-Ka are one such band.

Easily boasting enough talent, ideas and skill to propel them to the upper echelons of the Death Metal world; given the chance this band could, (and should), go far.

Although this is, in essence, brutal Death Metal; there is so much more going on here. Elements of most styles of extreme metal are included in the mix at some point or another, (all within a Death Metal framework), with plenty of small touches, flourishes and individuality to make this release stand out head and shoulders above the pack.

The band know how to blast, but crucially also when not to. “Mastering the Voice” for example contains some lovely slow, crawling bits that rival the best similar parts that Cryptopsy have ever done. Some nice solos are scattered around, as well as enough atmosphere to give the album enough variety and interest but never allows it to go off-track and become something it shouldn’t.

The songwriting is top-notch, with plenty of dynamics and riffs to hold the attention and differentiate the individual songs from each other. The vocals also show a pleasing amount of variety, spanning the spectrum from deep to high, as necessary for the requirements of the song.

This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best Death Metal albums I have listened to in a while, and I unreservedly recommend it for any and all fans of extreme metal. Top stuff.

Entropia – Vesper (Review)

Entropia play Blackened Dark Progressive Post-Metal, which is a bit of a mouthful really but gives a general idea of what they sound like. Each of the (fairly long) songs are well composed and obviously a lot of thought has gone into them.

This is a really enjoyable album as it takes you on a journey through a blackened landscape full of surprises and unexpected turns. At its heart is a fiery Black Metal album, but one that has mutated out of the original genre confines into a space of its own to become lord of its post-metal landscape.

All the more impressive is the fact that this is Entropia’s first full album – maturity and intelligence of songwriting such as is on display here is rarely displayed so early in the existence of a band.

This is an album that has both heavy and light; the soft and the hard; atmosphere and bite. If you are looking for interesting and adventurous Black Metal then I highly recommend this album .

Night Heir – A Maze of Evenings (Review)

Atmospheric metal from the US. There is plenty of variety and individuality on display here, with varying styles from Black Metal to Doom, and everything in between. The band are not afraid to experiment, so you’ll find plenty to hold the interest on this album if you like your metal with a touch of the Avant Garde/experimental.

I also notice what seems to be an In The Woods… influence, so if you imagine a band like In The Woods… with extra Black Metal, Doom, Folk, etc. parts thrown in you’ll be on the right lines.

This will not be to everyone’s tastes of course, but if you are in the right mood then stick this album on and relax, zone out and just get swallowed up in the atmosphere and the journey.

If you’re looking from something a bit different then give them a listen – you won’t regret it!

Coffins – Buried Death (Review)

Doomy Death Metal from Japan is the order of the day here. Imagine the doom-death of a band like Incantation, and combine this with the swagger of a band like Orange Goblin – you get the idea. This formula may sound a little unusual at first but trust me it works and makes for a very enjoyable album to boot.

Here we have slow, (mostly), sludgy Death Metal with plenty of atmosphere and attitude. The production fits the sound perfectly – strong without being clean, murky without being sloppy. Each song has a definite old-school vibe that is missing from a lot of Death Metal these days and contributes to the enjoyment factor. Even on the first listen it sounds like an old friend, but not in a bad, heard-it-all-before way; rather the familiarity is welcome and adds to the overall feeling of a high-quality release with enjoyable songs.

I highly advise you have a listen as soon as you can!

Suffocation – Suffocation (Review)

Suffocation have been around for some time now and are relatively well known, so this band needs no real introduction I feel. Suffice to say that technical and brutal Death Metal is the order of the day here; and Suffocation do what they do very well in deed.

This album is well-written and composed, and has a very good production with all of the instruments clear and well-recorded. The vocals are nice and deep, as you’d expected from a band of this style, but still remain legible in cases as they are not of the bowel-loosening-low variety.

Probably their slowest release, (but still with more than enough speed and blast); this is an album of riffs. Riffs galore, riffs aplenty, riff-driven. The riffs alone are enough to justify getting this album, let alone everything else.

A strong album; this should be a comfortable fit as part of any Death Metal fan’s collection.

https://www.facebook.com/suffocation

Stellar Descent/Aylwin – Farallon (Review)

This is a split between Stellar Descent an Aylwin, and long, epic, Cascadian-style Black Metal is the order of the day here.

The songs by both bands are well constructed examples of this particular sub-genre and are positively brimming with atmosphere and feelings that evoke the harsh reality of a beautiful yet potentially deadly landscape.

I think this style of music has a lot to offer, especially when done well and with obvious passion such as is displayed here. Both bands also benefit from strong recordings and sound, whilst still within a recognisably Black Metal style.

Highly recommended this; for anyone who likes their Black Metal bleak and unforgiving, yet naturalistic and wild.

https://www.facebook.com/aylwinblackmetal

https://www.facebook.com/StellarDescent

Forgotten Woods – The Curse of Mankind

Forgotten Woods

This exceptional Black Metal album was released in 1996; if you like your depressive/suicidal Black metal then I recommend you track it down and get it immediately.

Considered by many the forefathers of this particular sub-genre, (alongside Burzum of course), their sound is archetypal and much-copied.

The album is typically raw and unpolished, yet still well-recorded enough, (relatively speaking), so that the songs shine, albeit in a murky, dank, grim kind of way!

This is the kind of album where you can easy drift off and become one with the repetitive guitars and the feeling they convey. For this reason I find this album very satisfying and worthy of inclusion in anyone’s collection.

A must.

https://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Forgotten-Woods/90469455587

http://www.youtube.com/artist/forgotten-woods