Sunday, June 9, 2013 : 0 CommentsRUSSKAJA… never heard of these guys. It appears to be a band consisting of Russians, Ukrainians and Austrians. And they don’t play regular Metal, rather focus on other styles and add a touch of Metal to it. It is said that they mix Polka, Thrash Metal, World Jazz and Zappa-Rock (whatever that may be) and call the end result “Russian Turbo Polka Metal”.
The band was formed in 2005 (by Georgij A. Makazaria, then vocalist in the Thrash Metal band STAHLHAMMER) and it took them three years to put out their debut full-length “Kasatchok Superstar” (2008). Another three years later, in 2008, the follow-up came out, titled “Russian Voodoo”. Anno 2013, in April, album number three is available for the masses: “Energia!”. And judging by its title, you can be sure it’s not a Doom Metal album. 
With regards to live performances, the band has already played in Germany with 4 concerts at the world’s greatest Metal festival “Wacken Open Air”. These appearances were swiftly followed by shows at Chiemsee Reggae Festival, Nova Rock, World music and Jazz festivals and more than 30 festivals across the continent only last year (2012). (more…)
More info at http://www.russkaja.com/ Saturday, June 8, 2013 : 0 CommentsVISIGOTH is a US Heavy Metal band, formed in 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are said to be influenced by DIO, TWISTED TOWER DIRE and ATLANTEAN KODEX. In that same year the band released the “Vengeance” demo. Anno 2012 the EP “Final Spell” came out, though only in digital format and on cassette. So the Italian label Cruz Del Sur Music decided it would be good to bring it out on CD, which happened in May 2013. There’s even a vinyl edition of it, the first 150 copies of the 500 being coloured.
“Final Spell” contains four songs, but despite the shortness of the tracklist, this EP is very promising. It begins with “Seven Golden Ships”. A heavy, Doomy guitar intro leads into the midtempo fullness of the song. The tempo is not high, yet the music is catchy and easy to listen to. The vocals are clean, a bit hymnic even and this goes well with the music. during the solo, the guys do opt for a faster approach, making the whole sound a bit more epic. (more…)
More info at https://www.facebook.com/visigothofficial Sunday, June 2, 2013 : 0 CommentsKROSSBREED is a Belgian band, formed in 2003. In 2007 the band came into sight with their second demo, “Enjoy The Rage” (2006). You can read my review here. This demo followed “Down To The Core” (2005). As you can imagine, the band played Groove Metal / Metalcore then. Two years later the EP “Carved In Stone” (2008) came out. See my review here. On this release, the band moved into a more Thrashy direction. But here as well, there were good ideas, but on a whole the band didn’t manage to convince me. In 2010 their debut full-length came out and was re-released by Casket Music in 2011: “3 Cheers For The Misery”. I have no knowledge about those songs, though.
Now, since February 2013, KROSSBREED has released their second full-length and titled it “The Art Of Suffering”. And it has been a rough period prior to this release, as, for example, the band’s gear was stolen during a tour in the UK. Practically a year (February 2012) before the release of “The Art Of Suffering”. This new album contains twelve songs and a total playtime of more than 60 minutes. So be ready for an hour of ferocious and devastating Metal. (more…)
More info at http://www.krossbreed.be/ Sunday, May 19, 2013 : 0 CommentsI’ve never heard of F.K.Ü. (short for Freddy Krueger’s Underwear). It seems this Swedish Thrash Metal band was formed back in 1987. Somewhat later the band went on hiatus to regroup ten years later in 1997. This resulted in the 20-song demo “Beware of the Evil Underwear” in 1998. In 1999 the band’s debut full-length came out: “Metal Moshing Mad”. Like before, many tracks. And this is a typical for F.K.Ü., putting many tracks on their releases. After gigs with a.o. THE HAUNTED, ENTOMBED and MESHUGGAH, the band took a while to put out album no. 2, “Sometimes They Come Back… To Mosh” (2005), said to be inspired by 80′s Thrash and horror movies.
Another four years, after the touring with ENGORGED, HYADES and others, album no. 3 came out: “Where Moshers Dwell”. And with this new release the Swedes extensively toured their country to play at festivals like Sweden Rock Festival, Metaltown, Getaway Rock Festival & House of Metal, and so on. Fast-forward then to 2013, the year of album no. 4, aptly titled “4: Rise Of The Mosh Mongers”. This one was released by Napalm Records on the 26th of April. It contains 17 tracks. 18 if you count the digital bonus track “We’re Evil”. (more…)
More info at http://www.moshoholics.com/ Saturday, May 18, 2013 : 0 CommentsSaid to be formed after a split within DEPRAVITY, an obscure West-Flemish Death/Black Metal band, IMMANENT DISTANCE is young female-fronted Melodic Metal band, formed in 2005 according to Metal-Archives.com. The band released a demo (“Transcend”) in 2009, which quickly sold out. Several gigs and lots of practice and writing later, the band put out its debut full-length: “649: Diary Of A Murderer Pt 1″.
The story is about a man who’s accused of murder and therefore is trialed. In nine tracks, divided over 4 scenes, we follow the suspect, the murderer, in this part of his life. A part he can’t quite place as he can’t remember having killed anyone, yet all elements tell a different story… and it’s not in his favour. Little by little, it becomes clear that things aren’t what they seem. A scheme has been set up, set up by the government in a new kind of project. To find out all about it, you will have to buy the album, of course.
The nine tracks on this album are divided into 4 groups or scenes, from “Confrontation” over “Accusation” and “Manipulation “to “Desperation”, where things really begin to unfold and not all hope is lost. (more…)
More info at http://www.immanentdistance.com/ : 0 CommentsAlex Beyrodt, guitarist of SILENT FORCE and PRIMAL FEAR, decided five years ago to have another project on the rails with which he would demonstrate his love for Hard Rock (yes, he also plays/ed in SINNER), whereas with the other two bands he dwells in the realms of (Melodic) Power Metal. And as it goes with fellow musicians, you play in each other’s band(s). Hence Matt Sinner (SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR) playing bass in VOODOO CIRCLE.
A first release was “Voodoo Circle”, the self-titled debut album. You can read my review here. This album clearly showed what quality Alex and co. had to offer. Three years later the follow-up was available: “Broken Heart Syndrome” (see my review here). This was not only a confirmation of what was presented on the debut album, but the bar was raised a bit as well. Several gigs with PRIMAL FEAR and spending time writing the new material later, album no. 3 is ready: “More Than One Way Home”, out since the 22nd of February 2013. It contains 12 tracks – with a good 50 minutes of playtime – with bonus material on the digipack version: “Shape Of Things To Come”, “Castles Burn” and “Cry For Love” (video clip). (more…)
More info at http://www.voodoocircle.de/ Friday, May 10, 2013 : 0 CommentsMUNRUTHEL is the solo project of THUNDERKRAFT (see my review of their latest album here) drummer… Munruthel. Everything started around 1995, when the debut album of SILENTIUM was released. It was a CDemo titled “The Ancients’ Wisdom”, containing 18 electronic compositions, all by the hand of Vladislav ‘Munruthel’ Redkin, who at the time drummed in the Death Metal band SUPPURATION, which later changed its name into NOKTURNAL MORTUM. The follow-up, “Yav, Nav i Prav” came out in 1997. This was released, after much consideration, under his own nickname, MUNRUTHEL. And so history goes on, as Munruthel himself seems to be a very active and versatile musician.
The album in question, “Epoch Of Aquarius”, was originally released in 2006, having been written in 2004 and 2005. To give it more international attention, Svarga Music decided to re-release it in the summer of 2012 and this for the European territory. In the meantime, a new MUNRUTHEL album has seen the light of day under the title “CREEDamage” (November 2012). Still need to review that one as well. But anyway, “Epoch Of Aquarius”… (more…)
More info at https://www.facebook.com/MunruthelBand Saturday, April 20, 2013 : 0 CommentsDYSCORDIA needs no introduction anymore, at least not for its Belgian fans. Otherwise, I’m going to repeat what I wrote in the “Reveries” review (see here). “Reveries” is the band’s first release, a 6-track EP (2010). Flanders (in Belgium, yes) has spawned many great bands, though not all of them managed to acquire the deserved recognition and fame. Some of the last jewels in the region of Kortrijk are ARTRACH and GWYLLION. The first put out three demo CDs, one better than the other. The potential was clearly there to go for it big time. Sadly, ARTRACH had to quit its activities in 2009. GWYLLION put out a diamond of an album, “The Edge Of All I Know” (see my review here). But as the search for a new female vocalist has been suspended, the band sort of split (not really, but GWYLLION is not doing anything, so each is free to pursue other activities) and three other bands were linked: DYSCORDIA (with members of a.o. ARTRACH and GWYLLION), FIREFORCE and IMMANENT DISTANCE. The idea for DYSCORDIA was born in 2009, if my knowledge is right and the band was formed then in 2010. (more…)
More info at http://www.dyscordia.com/ Thursday, April 18, 2013 : 0 CommentsKYZYL KUM is a French duo that goes through the world of Metal playing Stoner Metal. Featuring François Deschamp on guitar and bass, and Jérôme Bouquet on drums, these guys decided in 2010 to join forces. The bio of the band is written in a funny way, with references to dark times and what not. In short, it’s not your typical biography. Neither is the way these guys handled their first release: “Sable Rouge” (“Red Sand”). The designed the artwork themselves, they even made the “digipack” themselves. The CD was pressed professionally, though.
On this album you’ll find eight tracks of pure instrumental Stoner Metal with a good slab of Doom. And since the band’s bio is weird, so are the song titles.Their meanings are most likely only known to the band members (and friends, relatives, …).
It begins with “Kosmiska Superskunk”, an atmospheric, distorted intro with a spacey feel. This connects with the slow, distorted Doom of “Cause Des Smicards Sur Du Punk”. Think of e.g. BLACK SABBATH, KARMA TO BURN and similar. Before halfway the speed increases, the music rocks more now, but that only lasts for a short while. All in all, not bad, but you can hear there’s a need for vocals here or guitar leads or something. The distortion is throughout the album, by the way. (more…)
More info at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kyzyl-Kum/130790573659910 Wednesday, March 27, 2013 : 0 CommentsAnd after the EP “Slash & Burn” (see my review here), the full album is out and the first full-length as PSYCHOTHERMIA. For this album, the band set up a sort of contribution page where people could donate to help pay for the studio time and get rewarded in turn with a digital download of the album, a physical copy, both, a t-shirt, etc… all depending on the amount they donated. And like before, even as CANOBLISS, these Americans remain unsigned, but that only seems to further encourage and strengthen them to continue to make great music and enliven people’s lives.
“Fall To The Rising Sun” came out on the 8th of February 2013. The meaning behind this title is, according to vocalist Johan Maldonado: “Stay one step ahead of yourself; stay one step ahead of the competition; always strive to better yourself… and if you don’t, you fall to the rising sun. Fate will catch up with you.” The album was recorded and self-produced in the band’s own studio (Control Volume Studios). Guitarist Jon Russo handled the mixing, except for “Anarchy”, done by Fred Archambault (AVENGED SEVENFOLD). (more…)
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