This is the thirteenth album from Canadian death metal veterans Kataklysm.
I hugely enjoyed 2015’s Of Ghosts and Gods, and loved being able to catch the band live on that tour, so this new album is warmly anticipated. Continue reading
Dawn of Disease are a death metal band and this is their fourth album.
I wasn’t expecting a new Dawn of Disease album so soon after last year’s enjoyable Worship the Grave, but I’m certainly not complaining about it. Continue reading
Invasion are a death metal band from the US. This is their fourth album.
War metal. What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing. (Say it again).
WAR!
BOOM!
Yes, that’s the level of my humour today I’m afraid… Continue reading
This is Thunderwar’s debut album. They are a death metal band from Poland.
After their very enjoyable and promising EP The Birth of Thunder in 2013, we now have some fresh material from Thunderwar.
Thunderwar play their death metal with a melodic edge, a slight blackened feel and a sense of grandeur that’s aided and abetted by some sterling riffs. Continue reading
This is the third album from Dawn of Disease, a German death metal band.
Dawn of Disease seem to have honed their songwriting skills and are now channelling the spirit of 90s song-based death metal. It’s catchy, memorable and there’s more than a few twisting melodies and riffs that will stick in your head long after it’s stopped playing. Continue reading
When I first saw this tour advertised I couldn’t quite believe it, such a ridiculously strong lineup featuring three high-profile acts, any of which could probably headline here in their own right, at least to my mind. This is the very definition of an unmissable tour to me.
So here I am. It couldn’t be any other way. Continue reading
This is the début album by US Death Metallers Casket Robbery.
Casket Robbery play rhythmic Death Metal with a modern/groove Metal influence. They successfully incorporate into their assault elements of Lamb of God and Pantera along with those of Aborted and Kataklysm , as well as mixing in some European Metal influences that allow the band to inject some extra melodic streaks into the tracks that actually remind me of Septic Flesh in places.
Although there’s a lot of mid-paced grooving there’s also enough speed used to keep things varied. The melodic aspect, although not a huge part of their sound, furnishes the songs with enough leads and solos to add another tasty flavour to the tracks.
This is a release that’s heavy and full of riffs. It’s so easy to get carried along with the beat that before you know it your body starts with the twitching and spasming and there’s nowt to be done about it. Hmm, not the best way to describe toe-tappingly-good is it, but you get the idea…
Vocally the singer has an unfriendly snarl that pitches him between a growl and a scream. It matches the rhythmic muscularity of the music and cuts nicely deep into the meat of the matter.
After 37 minutes, some catchy songwriting and some memorable brutality later, Evolution of Evil has left a good impression. The band have produced a very enjoyable album that stands up to repeated listens well and positively encourages them.
Recommended.
Kataklysm are from Canada and this is their twelfth album. They play Death Metal.
Veteran band Kataklysm have returned with another 46 minutes of music that continues with their trademark vision of Death Metal as a balancing act between brutality, melody and groove.
After decades of practising and perfecting their art Kataklysm have their formula nailed down. Their Death Metal combines blasting brutality with a melodic sensibility that means these are actual songs first and foremost. Kataklysm were never going to put out a dud album, and Of Gods and Ghosts once again shows why they’re at the top of the Death Metal pile.
As with all of their work it’s very riff-heavy, with colossal grooves a way of life for the band. Their songwriting has been perfected to the point now where these riffs merge seamlessly into their more melodic counterparts and Of Gods and Ghosts is so incredibly catchy and full of hooks it’s just a surefire winner for anyone how likes Melodic Death Metal.
With all of this being said, I like the fact that there’s still extremity here; this is Death Metal after all. Kataklysm can still blast with the best of them and there’s plenty of Northern Hyperblast alongside the slamming riffs and melodic refrains.
The vocals are shouted growls that are a little higher on occasion than some of their past releases, but still do their job well in providing a focus point other than the frenetic riffs or pummelling drums.
For Death Metal that’s straightforward, instant, heavy, melodic and very, very catchy you can’t get better than this.
Pyrexia are from the US and play Death Metal. This is their fourth album.
The band play Brutal Death Metal which has a Slam/Hardcore/Groove side to it; Suffocation-style USDM gone the way of Kataklysm.
An acid-etched sound with pounding drums and guitars like stone; the band kick up a maelstrom of dust and leave devastation in their wake.
As the album progresses it reminds me strongly of the aforementioned Katakylsm and their combination of blasting and groovier rffing. Pyrexia employ pretty much the same formula and even the vocalist is similar in style; raw growls that are obviously Death Metal but not quite deep enough to be truly extreme.
The short songs and relatively short nature of the album mean it’s over quickly and overall leaves a positive impression.
If you like a bit of heavy groove with your Death Metal then look up Pyrexia and give them a try.
This is the second EP from Australian Death Metal band Inhuman Remnants.
The band play their Death Metal incredibly tight with the drumming sounding particularly inhuman. But just when you think it will be a one dimensional blastfest they slow down into modern USDM-style mid paced riffs or change to a more atmospheric section. They certainly have their songwriting heads on right.
As well as the thick rhythm guitars there are a lot of leads winding their way through the songs adding extra levels to the very brutal music. This enhances the sense of dynamics that the band already have from the rest of the instruments and the song structures.
The recording is muscular and lean, with all instruments very clear.
The vocals are done exceedingly well, ranging from the ultra low to the ultra high with no drop in quality at all.
Inattentional Blindness is that rarest of beasts; a release that combines brutality with songwriting skills and parts that gel together to create a greater musical whole rather than simply being a collection of riffs stuck together.
I can hear elements of a fair few bands in their sound, including Cannibal Corpse, Immolation, Dying Fetus, Kataklysm and Aborted. Such a wide variety of Death Metal should demonstrate that Inhuman Remnants are their own masters and are faithfully treading their own path.
I think we’re more than ready for a full album now, as this is just great.
