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Hate and Vader live in Tampere

Posted in Gig, Live with tags , , , , , , , , , on 6th September 2022 by izaforestspirit

Thy Disease, Hate, Vader
YO-Talo, Tampere, Finland
5th September 2022

I may have said this before, but it feels awesome to be able to attend a live show without having to worry about any of the pandemic restrictions. There’s something special about a physical concert that you just can’t recreate with a live-stream, no matter how good the production quality might be. This time I opted for a night of Polish death metal. I’ve been a fan of Vader ever since I was a teenager. The blackened death metal band Hate was one of the last bands I went to see in early 2020 just before the coronavirus pandemic began. So needless to say I was looking forward to seeing them live again.

I arrived at the venue just as the opening act Takalaiton were playing their final song. I can’t comment much on their performance other than that sounded like fairly decent Finnish thrash metal. So not a bad start to the night.

Next up was an American melodic black metal band called The Noctambulant. They may not have had the biggest crowd, but their music was definitely my kind of atmospheric black metal. I enjoyed their show, particularly their cover of Sisters of Mercy’s ‘Lucretia My Reflection’.

Industrial death metal isn’t my favorite genre, but I have to admit that Thy Disease were good at what they do. They managed to attract a sizable crowd and keep everyone entertained. It was an energetic show, which was fun to watch even if the music isn’t exactly my style.

The first time that I saw Hate live two years ago, they were one of the support bands and their performance lasted only half an hour. This time they were one of the main acts, so I really got my money’s worth. This was a terrific show filled with bleak blackened death metal tunes both old and new ones from their latest album ‘Rugia’. They really know how to agitate the crowd too. It didn’t take long before I was head-banging along with the others.

Then it was time for the main act, my favorites Vader. They managed to get a mosh-pit going at the start of the second song, and it was full steam ahead from that point onward. It’s great to see how much energy their front-man Peter still has, even after thirty years in the death metal scene. Their guitarist Spider did a fantastic job too. They played many of the hits including: my personal favorite ‘Carnal’, ‘Black To The Blind’, ‘Chaos’, ‘Silent Empire’ and many others.

In summary, it was a very entertaining way to spend a Monday night, head-banging to my favorite death metal bands. I’m glad that I finally got to see a full performance by Hate. I made a new discovery with The Noctumblant. Let’s hope that there will be more memorable live shows this year.

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Hypocrisy – Worship

Posted in Review with tags , , , on 21st November 2021 by Pieni

Hypocrisy
“Worship”
Death metal
Release: 26th November 2021
Via Nuclear Blast Records
worship

I was sure “End Of Disclosure” had been released in 2013 but when doing the math… I had to double-check on Google, as it seemed surreal that it took eight years for Hypocrisy to come up with something new. So the inevitable question is: was it worth the wait?

Peter Tägtgren’s growls have always had a screeching pitch underlining them, but this time he generally goes for a graver, thicker tone, and that alone gives the whole thing a more somber vibe. I understand you may think it compromises his trademark vocals, but in the end you’ll agree it simply suits with those songs. And mind that I’ve said “generally” – if you’ve checked the three videos that were released in the past couple of months, you’ll understand what I’m talking about when I say “graver and thicker” by listening to “Chemical Whore” or “Dead World”; but then in the brilliant “Children Of The Gray” (oh, how intense this one is! Made me feel exactly how I’ve felt as a teenager, when listening to “Roswell 47” for the first time!), this tone comes on only in the chorus, while Tägtgren hits the rest of the song with his dear ol’ voice. The title-track, which opens the record with a beautiful acoustic intro before merging into an electric version of it and then exploding into the fastest and most shredding song here, has also glimpses of that higher pitch – not to mention straightforward terrorizing screams in the beginning. And still regarding the singing parts, being a sucker for choirs and gang vocals, backing up a handful of choruses with these gave the album a richer and more mature sound.

Musically, well, it’s Hypocrisy. They don’t write exactly the most top-notch riffs or the most elaborate solos and beat patterns, but the way they combine them has always been the key to their creativity and popularity – and it still is. Along with “Worship” and “Dead World”, “Another Day” brings you the most aggressive side of death metal, just as “Brotherhood Of The Serpent”, “Greedy Bastards” or “Gods Of The Underground” remind you that toning down the tempo can be just as fierce. And while “They Will Arrive” bears a triumphant stride, “We’re The Walking Dead” will make you feel like you’re walking on a death row…

So I guess by now you already know my answer: oh yes, it was worth it!

8,5

by Renata “Pieni” Lino

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Spirit of Rebellion – Time for Global Refusal

Posted in Review with tags on 14th October 2021 by izaforestspirit 
Spirit of Rebellion 
Time For Global Refusal
Released 28th July 2020
Death Metal
Released via PRC Music

‘Time For Global Refusal’ is the new album from the Quebec-based Canadian death metal outfit Spirit of Rebellion. They have been active since 2001.

As far as the genre goes, Spirit of Rebellion falls into the brutal and mid-paced variety with the occasional thrash metal riff thrown in. Most of the time it sounds like old school death metal and at times it reminded me of Cannibal Corpse. Having listened to the album a few times, I had some serious trouble telling the songs apart. A lot of them sound very similar. There are no real moments which would allow the listener to have a breather and relax for a while. It’s pretty much a full barrage of relentless drumming, ferocious guitar shredding and guttural growls from the moment that you hit the play button.

Collateral Damages caught my attention due to the thrash metal -style guitar work. The song itself is still very much in the old school death metal category with more brutal growls and more merciless drumming. Apart that none of the other songs really stood out.

Overall, ‘Time For Global Refusal’ is a decent old school death metal album. Sadly for me it doesn’t really offer anything dramatically new or exciting. If I wanted to listen to something similar I would probably listen to some Cannibal Corpse instead.

6/10

Iza Raittila

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Vader – De Profundis

Posted in Review with tags , , , on 30th July 2021 by izaforestspirit

Vader
De Profundis
Released 30th July 2021
Death Metal
Released via Nuclear Blast

Vader - De Profundis

As a long time Vader fan I’ve been really looking forward to this for some time. For those who are less familiar with the band, I would like to explain that this is not a new album but a newly remastered version of Vader’s second record which was originally released by Croon Records back in 1995. The record label is no longer active and the album has been out of print for decades. This year the remastered version was finally released by Nuclear Blast Records in limited edition CD, vinyl and digital versions.

This is the record that defined Vader’s signature death-thrash metal sound. It features some of the classic songs including Sothis, Silent Empire and Reborn In Flames, all of which are crowd favorites at Vader shows. There’s not a single moment on here where the listener gets a chance to relax and unwind with a slow ballad. Each track is packed with ferocious guitar riffs, Peter’s brutal guttural growls and Doc’s relentless drumming. Ready or not you better buckle up and prepare yourself for a rough ride as this is full steam ahead right until the end!

Sothis and Reborn In Flames are my personal favorites. Both are great examples of classic Vader with their impeccable thrash-tinged death metal guitar work. It’s so good to finally be able to enjoy them on this record.

In summary, ‘De Profundis’ is an absolute joy to listen to. It’s classic Vader doing what they do best. It has taken decades to finally get a remastered version of this album out but for Vader fans like me it has been well worth the wait. If you’re a new listener, this album is a great introduction to the band. If fast-paced death metal with thrash metal guitar riffs is your thing, then don’t hesitate to grab a copy.

10/10

Iza Raittila

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Bloody News Online Fest: Insane Summer Gathering 2021 live stream next month

Posted in Festival, Misc., News with tags , , , , , , , , , , on 28th July 2021 by izaforestspirit

Bloody News Metal and Globmetal Promotions are happy to announce the third edition of their live stream festival will take place next month. Bloody News Online Fest: Insane Summer Gathering 2021 will be streamed from their website on 27-28th August 2021. You can watch the event for free.

Check out the line-up here:

27th August

Soulbound
Anna KiaRa
Six Foot Six
PitchBlack
High $tatus
AquileA
Psycho Visions
Passengers in Panic

28th August

Obsolete Theory
STORTREGN
Vessel
X-Method
Mysterizer
King Baal
EAGON
Everlust

For more information visit:

https://bloodynews.ro/en/
https://www.facebook.com/events/513687719867942/





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Sadistic Demise – Your Chosen Way of Sadistic

Posted in Review with tags , on 17th April 2021 by izaforestspirit

Sadistic Demise
Your Chosen Way of Sadistic
Released 21st February 2021
Death Metal
Self-Released

Sadistic Demise - Your Chosen Way of Sadistic

‘ Your Chosen Way of Sadistic’ is the first EP from the Russian death metal band Sadistic Demise. The group was formed last year. Three of the band members are also in the thrash metal crossover band Impress.

After a couple of listens I can safely say that this sounds pretty much exactly like I expected it to. Brutal, mid-paced death metal packed with gore themes. The growling style is fairly typical of the genre as is the guitar style. The main issue I have with this is that with the notable exception of the intro, all the songs sound very similar to each other. There is some decent riff work on songs such as Violent Autopsy but other than that, unless you have the track-listing in front of you, it’s difficult to tell when one song ends and another begins.

Overall, there is not much else that I can say about this EP. It is very much your standard brutal death metal. While this in itself is not a bad thing, if you like the genre, that doesn’t change the fact that bands like this are a dime in a dozen. In all honesty if I want death metal, I would rather listen to Cannibal Corpse or old Morbid Angel.

5/10

Iza Raittila

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Leprosys – Obnoxious Futuristic Vision

Posted in Review with tags , , , on 11th March 2021 by izaforestspirit

Leprosys
Obnoxious Futuristic Vision
Released 1st February 2021
Death Metal with thrash metal influences
Self-Released

Leprosys - Obnoxious Futuristic Vision
‘Obnoxious Futuristic Vision’ is the debut album from the Canadian death metal band Leprosys. The band has been active since 2015 and they cite bands such as Obituary, Death and Pestilence as influences. All their releases are available for purchase via their Bandcamp page.

So, after a couple of listens I can safely state that this pretty much what I expected it to be. Leprosys play guitar-driven old-school death metal with a thrash metal tinge. So if ferocious guitar riffs are your thing, then you are in for a treat here. The tracks are fast-paced and fairly simple in structure.

Virtual Life caught my attention due to the cello part at the end. Similar things can be said about Transplanting The Brain which features a mouth harp noise towards the end. Other than that this is fairly standard death metal similar to the likes of Obituary and Death as could be expected.

Overall, as far death metal goes Leprosys have done a good job. It was difficult to come up with something unique to say about this album though that doesn’t mean it’s in any way bad. So if you are a fan of Obituary and Death then you should give Leprosys a go.

6/10

Iza Raittila

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Smerdead – Во Тьме Лесов

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , on 22nd January 2021 by Paul Macmillan

Smerdead
Во Тьме Лесов
Released 12th December 2020
Melodic death metal
Released via Sound Age Productions

Maybe something is lost in translation from the Russian, but I was not 100% sure what to expect from “zombie metal”. The nomenclature alone, however, was enough to pique curiosity. As it turns out, I doubt could have successfully predicted the sound.

What Smerdead offer is surprisingly melodic, given the brutal sounding, self-applied genre tag. Yes, it is heavy. However, it is most definitely not the knuckle-dragging, caveman variety of metal I imagined would greet me. Given my Russian language skills are absolute zero, I have no idea what frontman, Kozlodyor, is on about. One might assume the undead..? He is, though, a superb death metal vocalist, and his timbre is very easy on the heavy music ear.

The rest of the crew counter this with a highly accessible extreme metal backdrop. As a relatively new band, formed only in 2018, they are a completely fresh discovery for me. Во тьме лесов is, though, the second album of their short career, and it seems they have hit on a trademark “gallop and grunt” from day one. It’s well written, nicely produced, and deserves some widespread attention.

There is something of their sound which is particular to colder regions of the world. As much as they draw on traditional British metal, one can also feel a tundra-esque sway, and, at times, it can be a little like the music of the Steppes. It is, though, always metal, never drifting too far into the twee.

This is maybe what Skámöld would sound like, if their folk elements were to be extracted. Or if Týr ditched their clean singing in favour of a deadite snarl. Their slightly alien aspect allows for a little more escapism than the norm in metal, but doesn’t get too outlandish. This is a band who already know exactly who they are, and show great potential at a very early stage. Keep an eye on them.

7/10

Paul Macmillan

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Vader – Solitude in Madness

Posted in Review, Uncategorized with tags , , on 2nd May 2020 by izaforestspirit

Vader
Solitude In Madness
Released 1st May 2020
Death Metal/Death-Thrash Metal
Released via Nuclear Blast Records

Vader - Solitude in Madness

My favorite death metal quartet, Vader are back with a new album. It’s been four years since their last full length ’The Empire’. Last year they released a teaser EP called ’Thy Messenger’ and now the wait is finally over. ’Solitude in Madness’ has been unleashed onto the world. What a fitting title given the present circumstances which many of us find ourselves in during this turbulent time…

Right from the moment you press the play button, you are greeted by a ferocious barrage of guitar riffs, relentless drum work along with Peter’s brutal growling. The opener Shock And Awe sets the tone for the rest of the album. What we have here are eleven tight-knit tracks of brutal death-thrash metal. The songs are short, fairly simple in structure and lacking the intricate atmospheric parts and intros featured on ‘Tibi et Igni’. They were already heading this direction with ‘The Empire’. However this change of style is not a new thing for Vader. In many ways this bears a lot of similarity to their earlier works, particularly their third release ‘Black To The Blind’, a personal favorite of mine.

For those who are not familiar with the band’s history, Vader started out as a thrash metal outfit and so this is a return to their roots. The thrash metal guitar riffs have always played a key role in what makes Vader stand out and this album is not an exception. Into Oblivion is a vicious beast packed with crushing guitar work and savage drumming. Ready or not, here it comes. You have just two options: either stand and fight it or run for your life! Emptiness and Despair were featured on the ‘Thy Messenger’ EP which I reviewed last year so I will not be discussing those songs. Then there is their cover of Acid Drinkers’ Dancing In The Slaughterhouse. No death metal here, this song is essentially speed-thrash. Full speed ahead, lots of shouting and vicious riffs.

In summary, ‘Solitude In Madness’ doesn’t offer too many surprises. For better or worse it is very straightforward, “textbook” Vader. More of the same death-thrash metal blend, the formula which they have stuck with for decades. For Vader fans like myself, it ticks all the right boxes. It sounds exactly like I was hoping that it would. It is a little short, clocking in at just under thirty minutes but there is not a single weak track on here.

8/10

Iza Raittila

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Vader reveal new album details

Posted in Misc., News, Studio Report with tags , , on 6th March 2020 by izaforestspirit

The Polish death metal group Vader have a long tradition of releasing an EP as a teaser to an upcoming album. So when ‘Thy Messanger’ came out last year I suspected that there was a new Vader album in works. Well, there is… Now the new opus has a name, cover art and a release date. Peter and the gang recently revealed that the follow-up to ‘The Empire’ will be entitled ‘Solitude in Madness’.

You can check out the cover art and track-listing below:

Vader - Solitude in Madness

1. Shock and Awe
2. Into Oblivion
3. Despair
4. Incineration of the Gods
5. Sanctification Denied
6. And Satan Wept
7. Emptiness
8. Final Declaration
9. Dancing in the Slaughterhouse
10. Stigma of Divinity
11. Bones

‘Solitude in Madness’ will hit the shops both in physical and digital format on 1st May 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records.

For further details visit:
https://vader-band.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/vader

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Hate, Belphegor and Suffocation live in Tampere

Posted in Gig, Live with tags , , , , , , on 24th February 2020 by izaforestspirit

Hate, Belphegor, Suffocation
Klubi, Tampere, Finland
23rd February 2020

I usually tend to avoid attending gigs on a Sunday as it makes the next day difficult. This time however, I was lucky enough to have the next day free which made it possible for me to go. My husband decided to tag along to see Belphegor hoping that they would play some of the old material. I was mainly interested in the Polish blackened death metal act Hate. I like their old stuff and I recently managed to check out the newest release prior to going to the show.

The event started rather early and sadly we missed the first band, a Swedish death-thrash metal group called Carnosus. We arrived just in time to see the German death metal band Betrayal. They played a good, albeit somewhat short set of solid death metal with a thrash metal tinge. One of their songs featured a short melodic part guitar instrumental which was somewhat unexpected but it worked surprisingly well. So not a bad start to the night.

Next up was the main band that I came to see. The Polish blackened death metal outfit Hate put on a hell of a show. These guys hail from the same country as Behemoth and they often get compared to their Gdansk-based brethren due to the similarities in the music style. This show proved though they have developed their own style and they have earned their place in the extreme metal scene on their own merit. This is definitely my kind of metal and I am looking forward to hearing more from these guys. The only issue I had with the performance was that it was too short. They were only on for half an hour. I would have wanted to hear more from Adam the First Sinner and the gang.

The Austrian blackened death metal act Belphegor sure do like their props. The stage was decorated with animal skull motifs and burning incense. They seem to have quite the following too, they actually attracted a bigger crowd than the night’s headliners. Sadly they mostly played newer material which neither me nor my husband were familiar with. The only song I recognized was ‘Lucifer Incestus’. Some of the new tracks sounded decent such as ‘Baphomet’ but a lot of them seemed a little slow and not super memorable.

Suffocation were pretty much what I expected them to be. They played some very solid brutal death metal. That is the main problem that I have with American death metal in general, most of the bands sound the same. There is only a handful of American death metal bands that I like. Most of them do their best to make their music sound as brutal, fast and ferocious. Ultimately though, after minutes of head-banging along to a few of the tracks, you realize that they all sound very similar to each other. It was like listening to one very long song throughout the show. I have to admit that they did a good job of agitating the crowd and getting the mosh-pit going.

Overall, it was a fun way to spend Sunday night. Betrayal were pretty good. Hate were my favorite performance of the night and it’s shame that their set was so short. Belphegor have changed their style quite considerably over the years and I do not like their new stuff as much as the older albums. As for Suffocation, they were decent live but I do not think that I will be checking out their music anytime soon.

Iza Raittila

 

 

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Darkthrone – Old Star

Posted in Review with tags , , , , on 5th July 2019 by izaforestspirit

Darkthrone
Old Star
Released 31st May 2019
Black Metal/Blackened Heavy Metal/Doom Metal
Released via Peaceville Records
Darkthrone - Old Star

My favorite Norwegian black metal duo are back with a new album. It is hard to keep track of all their releases. The one thing that I have always admired about them is that they do not follow any specific trend unlike many other bands in the extreme metal scene. Like where other black metal bands aim to shock, pile on more corpse-paint and act all grim and satanic; Darkthrone just do what they have always done. They play the style that suits them and they do not do live shows. If they release a music video, it might be a cartoon or just clips of Nocturno Culto or Fenriz hanging around in the woods or jamming the studio. Oh and they haven’t worn corpse-paint since the mid-1990s.

I enjoyed their previous studio effort ‘Arctic Thunder’, so I have high hopes for this one. These guys are no strangers when it comes to experimenting with other music genres. Even though Darkthrone are best known for the early black metal works, if you re-visit their discography you will find everything ranging from death metal, black metal to Motörhead-style heavy metal, speed metal to crust punk. Their latest piece of work bears some similarity to its predecessor ‘Arctic Thunder’, only this time there are some doom metal parts added to the mix.

Take the Alp Man for instance. It’s probably my least favorite track on here and one of the slower ones. It is a little too doom metal -inspired for my liking. While I have no problem with the odd droning guitar riff and slow drumming, this one just doesn’t seem to get going at all. It might have worked for bands like Tiamat or even Entombed in the past, it’s a little too slow for Darkthrone. Luckily the rest of the songs are much more to my liking. Overall, my favourite song is the opener I Muffle Your Inner Choir. I really like Nocturno Culto’s rocking guitar riffs on Duke of Gloat. The drum work on it is pretty good too. Then there is The Hardship of The Scots with its unique blend of doom metal, heavy metal and black-thrash metal to illustrate the other end of the spectrum. It took a while to get going, and I particularly enjoyed the rhythm guitar passage towards the latter half of the song.

In summary, ‘Old Star’ is another solid album from the Norwegian black metal duo. It has its flaws but overall I am pleased to say that it was worth the wait. I’m not sure what to call this style… “Blackened heavy, death metal with hints of doom metal…” To hell with genre categorization! It’s Darkthrone, doing what they do best. Rock on!

4/5

Iza Raittila

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Gravefields – Embrace The Void

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , on 23rd June 2019 by izaforestspirit

Gravefields
Embrace The Void
Released 7th June 2019
Death Metal/Blackened Death Metal
Released via Redefining Darkness Records

Gravefields - Embrace the Void

Embrace The Void’ is the debut album from death metal duo Gravefields. The band was originally known as Dirtyprotest and they have been around since 2006. They released one album under that name two years ago before re-emerging again as Gravefields. Throughout this time there hasn’t been any changes to the line-up. Gravefields comprises Irish multi-instrumentalist Alan Hurley and French vocalist known as DM.

It took me a few listens to fully get into this album and it turned out to be far more complex than I expected. I thought this was going to be your standard Death, Morbid Angel, Dismember (insert old-school death metal band name here)_____ -style death metal but that’s not the case. In addition to the pummeling drums, bulldozing blast-beat guitar riffs and growls, there is also some elements of black metal. The record is a mixture of the two styles. For example Sulphur Injection is a vicious piece of fast-paced death metal packed with aggressive blast-beats and ferocious growls. So far, so very typical death metal…

Then halfway through the album, things change. You get to Mind Leech and the black metal parts start to creep their way in. For a brief period, the growling becomes shouting and the guitars slow down a little, adapting a more medium pace with the occasional melodic guitar part. It actually reminded me of old Marduk at times. These guys never really slow down but songs like this one add some variety to their sound. Void also caught my attention due to the multi-faceted guitar structures and variation in pace, combining the best parts of both black and death metal.

In summary, ‘Embrace The Void’ is a well executed blackened death metal opus which ought to please fans of both genres. There is a lot more to this than just nine tracks of solid, fast blast-beats and growling, which is refreshing to hear.

3.5/5

Iza Raittila

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Cannibal Corpse’s European summer tour

Posted in Misc., News with tags , , on 10th June 2019 by izaforestspirit

The American death metal outfit Cannibal Corpse have started their summer onslaught on Europe. They will be playing in Budapest, Hungary tonight (10th June 2019). Here is the rest of the schedule:

10.06.2019 (HU) BUDAPEST / A38
11.06.2019 (RS) NOVI SAD / Novosadski Sajam
12.06.2019 (RO) CLUJ-NAPOCA / Form
13.06.2019 (RO) BUCHAREST / Quantic
14.06.2019 (BG) SOFIA / Mix Tape 5
15.06.2019 (GR) THESSALONIKI / Principal Club Theater
16.06.2019 (GR) ATHENS / Piraeus 117 Academy
18.06.2019 (MK) SKOPJE / MKC
20.06.2019 (HR) ZAGREB / Boogaloo
21.06.2019 (AT) SALZBURG / Rockhouse
22.06.2019 (CH) AARAU / KiFF
23.06.2019 (FR) CLISSON / Hellfest
24.06.2019 (FR) LYON / Ninkasi Kao
25.06.2019 (IT) PARMA / Villa Del Fulcino
27.06.2019 (DE) LINDAU / Club Vaudeville
28.06.2019 (DE) GRAEFENHAINICHEN / Full Force
29.06.2019 (NL) DOKKUM / Dokk’em Open Air
30.06.2019 (DE) ASCHAFFENBURG / Colos-Saal
02.07.2019 (DE) BREMEN / Tivoli
03.07.2019 (DE) KIEL / Pumpe
04.07.2019 (CZ) TRUTNOV / Obscene Extreme
05.07.2019 (DE) STUTTGART / LKA Longhorn
06.07.2019 (FR) LIMOGES / CCM John Lennon
07.07.2019 (ES) BARCELONA / Rock Fest Barcelona

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For more information visit:

http://cannibalcorpse.net

https://www.facebook.com/cannibalcorpse

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Vader – Thy Messenger

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , on 18th May 2019 by izaforestspirit

Vader
Thy Messenger
Released 31st May 2019
Death Metal
Released via Nuclear Blast Records

Vader - Thy Messenger

Polish death metal titans Vader are back with a new EP called ‘Thy Messenger’. For those who are not aware, Vader is a band that I have been following since my early teens. So needless to say as soon as I heard about this new release I simply couldn’t resist listening to it. These guys have a habit of releasing at least one EP before a new album. So just as the ‘Iron Times’ EP acted as a teaser for ‘The Empire’ I’m guessing that there will be a new Vader album coming in due course. ‘Thy Messenger’ clocks in at little over thirteen minutes and it includes one Judas Priest cover and a re-recorded version of ‘Litany’.

For those who are familiar with Vader, the band originally started out as a thrash metal act. Despite changing their style to death metal later on, they have always maintained a thrash metal tinge in the guitars. That is one of the main things that makes them unique. This EP is no exception. Kicking it off is Grand Deceiver, a short but ferocious beast of thrash guitar driven death metal. It’s full speed ahead from there until the very end. Emptiness is classic Vader doing what they do best; thrashing guitar riffs, powerful growling and relentless death metal drumming. I also enjoyed their cover of Judas Priest’s Steeler. That track is probably the closest they have come to returning to their old thrash metal style. It is also the catchiest song on here.

Overall, the only issue I have with this EP is the length. It’s way too short. I want more!! Come on Vader, when is the new album coming?

4/5

Iza Raittila

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Krisiun and Septicflesh live in Tampere

Posted in Gig, Live with tags , , , , on 15th April 2019 by izaforestspirit

Dead Shape Figure, Krisiun, Septicflesh
Klubi, Tampere, Finland
14th April 2019

I’ve been really busy lately. So busy that I wasn’t sure when I would have the time for any gigs. I had some stuff planned for the summer but apart from that my gig calendar was rather empty. Then something amazing happened– Septicflesh came to town and I just happened to have the next day free. Normally I try to avoid going to a gig on a Sunday due to the implications it has on the next day but this time it was no problem.

I arrived a little late so I missed the first band W.E.B., but I was there right on time for Dead Shape Figure. They’re a Finnish band playing what is best described as a mixture of melodic death metal and thrash metal. I enjoyed their set and it seemed to go down well with the crowd. 3/5

Next up was the Brazilian death metal trio Krisiun. They played some really good, solid death metal. Fast, Furious and brutal, perfect for headbanging. Just like all good death metal should be. I wasn’t expecting a Motörhead cover but it seemed to work well. 4/5

Then it was time for the night’s headliners. Septicflesh took to the stage in what was literally a cloud of smoke. I’m not normally a massive fan of elaborate stage decorations but their snake motif and other visual displays worked well. But enough about the decorations and on to the music. Symphonic death metal is not the easiest of genres to perform live but these guys really pulled it off. It was a very energetic and passionate performance. Their frontman Spiros did a great job of agitating the crowd. They played quite a few tracks from their latest album including: ‘Portrait of A Headless Man’, ‘Enemy of Truth’ and ‘Dark Art’ along with some older classics such as ‘Anubis’ and ‘Communion’. Great show! 5/5

Overall I had a great time. Krisiun were better than I expected. Up until recently my knowledge of Greek extreme metal has been limited to Astarte and Rotting Christ. Septicflesh are a fairly new discovery for me but after that performance I will definitely be listening to them a lot more.

Iza Raittila

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God Dethroned announces European tour this spring

Posted in Misc., News with tags , , , , on 12th March 2019 by izaforestspirit

Dutch death metal outfit God Dethroned are coming to Europe this April in support of Suffocation. The ‘Europe Under Black Death Metal Fire’ tour also include Belphegor, Nordjevel and Dakrise and it starts on 4th April 2019 at Rockfabrik in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

You can see the full schedule below:

04.04 – “Rockfabrik”, Ludwigsburg (GER)
05.04 -“Turock”, Essen (GER)
06.04 – “Royale Metalfest” *, Aalborg (DEN)
07.04 – “Kulturpalast”, Hamburg (GER)
09.04 – “Bastard Club”, Osnabrück (GER)
10.04 – “Baroeg”, Rotterdam (NLD)
11.04 – “Victorie”, Alkmaar (NLD)
13.04 – “Metropool”,  Enschede (NLD)
16.04 – “Kulturfabrik” ***, Esch/Alzette (LUX)
17.04 – “l’Usine”, Geneve (SUI)
18.04 – “Schuur”, Luzern (SUI)
19.04 – “MS Connexion”, Mannheim (GER)
20.04 – “Seilerstrasse”, Zwickau (GER)
21.04 – “Melodka”, Brno (CZE)
23.04 – “Quantic Club”, Bucharest (ROM)
24.04 – “Form Space”, Cluj Napoca (ROM)
25.05 – “Barrack Club”, Ostrava (CZE)
26.04 – B”Durer Kert” **, Budapest (HUN)
28.04 – “Xplosiv”, Graz (AUT)

* – no Belphegor
** – no God Dethroned
*** – no Nordjevel

For more details visit:

https://www.facebook.com/goddethronedofficial

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Iza’s Highlights of 2018

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 31st December 2018 by izaforestspirit

It’s that time of the year again! Time for my annual best of list or “highlights” as I prefer to call them. This year I have decided to do just one list rather than two separate ones for metal and non-metal. The main reason for this is that there have not been too many industrial/EBM releases that caught my attention this year. So without further ado, here are my top ten albums of 2018:

1. Powerwolf – The Sacrament of Sin
Genre: Power Metal
Powerwolf - The Sacrament of Sin

The German power metal wolves are back with a new album. And what an album it is!! I honestly cannot get enough of it. It may not be very profound as far as the themes go but it is hell of a lot of fun. Stand-out tracks are ‘Fire & Forgive’, ‘Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend’ and ‘Nightside of Siberia’.

2. Lord of The Lost – Thornstar
Genre: Dark Rock/Gothic Industrial Metal
Image result for lord of the lost thornstar
I absolutely adore this band. They combine the best of dark rock with Gothic metal and Deathstars-like industrial metal. ‘Thornstar’ has to be their greatest and most complex album to date. In order to fully understand the concept, I would recommend that you download the 21 paged ‘Thornstar backstory’ from the band’s website. It’s a fascinating read that offers some insight into Pangaean history and culture. Alternatively you can simply enjoy music. Stand-out tracks are ‘On This Rock I Will Build My Church’, ‘Haythor’ and ‘Black Halo’.

3. Behemoth – I Loved You At Your Darkest
Genre: Blackened Death Metal

Behemoth are back with their long-awaited new album. As I mentioned in my review, this is not ‘The Satanist part 2’ but rather a mixture of both old and new Behemoth styles. It takes a few listens but once you get into it your patience will be rewarded. Stand-out tracks are ‘Wolves ov Siberia’ and ‘Bartzabel’.

4. Chthonic – Battlefields of Asura
Genre: Melodic Black Metal/Oriental Metal
閃靈 - 政治 / Battlefields of Asura
My favourite oriental metal band are back. Their latest album might not be a memorable as ‘Bú Tik’ but it has its moments. Music-wise it offers more of Chthonic’s unique blend of melodic black metal, death metal and oriental folk music with the addition of some choirs and guest vocals from the Cantopop singer Denise Ho. Stand-out tracks are ‘A Crimson Sky’s Command’ and ‘Millennia’s Faith Undone’.

5. MONO Inc. – Welcome to Hell
Genre: Gothic Rock/Dark Rock
Image result for MONO INC WELCOME TO HELL cover
More Gothic rock…’ Welcome to Hell’ is my favourite MONO Inc. album to date. Their music is essentially melodic hard rock but it also has this wonderful, eerie Gothic feel. Stand-out tracks are ‘Long Live Death’, A Vagabond’s Life’ and Reign of Rats’.

6. Grimner – Vanadrottning
Genre: Folk Metal/Viking Metal
Grimner - Vanadrottning

I had the pleasure of reviewing this album earlier this year. It’s been a long while since I’ve heard any folk metal that was this good. I would recommend this to fans of Finntroll, Ensiferum and Månegarm. Stand-out tracks are ‘Vanadrottning’ and ‘En Fallen Jätte’.

7. Monstrosity – The Passage Of Existence
Genre – Death Metal
Monstrosity - The Passage of Existence
My kind of death metal and my favourite death metal album of 2018. It is hard to pick out a stand-out track since in all honestly I like them all but ‘Kingdom of Fire’ and ‘Maelstrom’ are the ones that stuck in my head the most.

8. Hanzel und Gretyl – Satanik Germanik
Genre: Industrial Metal/Groove Metal/Extreme Metal
Hanzel und Gretyl - Satanik Germanik
‘Satanik Germanik’ is Hanzel und Gretyl’s heaviest and most metal album. As mentioned in my review it is darker and more serious than the material from the “Fukken Über’ era, much like its predecessor ‘Black Forest Metal’. Luckily that does not make it any less fun. Stand-out tracks are ‘I Am Bad Luck’ and the party song ‘Trinken Mit Der Kaizer (Die Bierz From Hell)’

9. Scandroid – The Darkness
Genre: Synthwave
Image result for scandroid the darkness
One of the few electronic releases that made it to my top 10. ‘The Darkness’ is the third album from Klayton (Celldweller/Circle of Dust)’s synthwave project Scandroid. Delightful retro synthesizer tunes, a little guitar and melodic vocals all with a futuristic feel. Stand-out tracks ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Red Planet’.

10. Auger – The Awakening
Genre: Darkwave
Image result for auger the awakening
A new discovery for me. I really enjoyed Auger’s show at Lumous Gothic Festival 2018. This British dark wave duo combine the best of darkwave and Gothic rock. I would recommend their debut album to fans of Blutengel, Gothminister and The Vision Bleak. Stand-out tracks are ‘Monster’ and ‘My Guardian’.

Honourable mentions:

Xentrifuge – Desensitized Parallels, Immortal – Northern Chaos Gods, Psyclon Nine – Icon of The Adversary. All good albums but with only a few outstanding tracks they missed out on a space in my top ten list.
IAMX’s latest album ‘Alive in The New Light’ also came out of the start of this year. While it didn’t make my top ten I did enjoy it, especially the track ‘Mile Deep Hollow’.
Check out the video here:

Best live show of 2018: Helloween live at South Park Festival in Tampere.
Biggest New Discovery: Auger
Most anticipated albums in 2019:
Blutengel – Un:Gott
Blue Stahli – Obsidian
Also hopefully new albums by Helloween and Rammstein.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Iza Raittila

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HATE enter the studio

Posted in Misc., News, Studio Report with tags , , on 4th December 2018 by izaforestspirit

The Polish death metal band HATE are about to enter the studio to start working on their new album, the follow up to ‘Tremendum’. Not all the details have been announced yet but for now the new album has been given the working title ‘Salve Ignis’. Production and other finishing touches will be done at Hertz Studio, Poland.

The official release date is yet to be determined but so far it is scheduled to come out in the summer 2019. This will be the band’s first work with Metal Blade Records.

In the meantime here are a few preview demos of the new songs:

 

For more updates:
https://www.facebook.com/HATEOFFICIAL

 

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Monstrosity – The Passage of Existence

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on 27th November 2018 by izaforestspirit

Monstrosity
The Passage of Existence
Released 7th September 2018
Death Metal
Released via Metal Blade Records

Monstrosity - The Passage of Existence

It’s been a while since I have reviewed a death metal album. The truth is there has not been too many death metal releases that have caught my attention this year. Monstrosity is a relatively new discovery for me, but their particular brand of death metal is fairly similar to some of the bands I like. For those who are unfamiliar with them, they are an American death metal act based in Florida and they have been a part of the death metal scene since 1990. Oh, and their original line-up included George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher on vocals before he joined Cannibal Corpse.

Death metal has a variety of different styles and sub-categories ranging in pace, technical guitar work and brutality levels. Personally my favourite variety is death metal with a slight thrash metal tinge with some technical but not overly complex guitar work, ideally medium to fast paced and brutal. Luckily for me that is exactly the type of death metal that Monstrosity play.

Kingdom of Fire caught my attention thanks to the unholy brew of the ferocious guitar riffs, trash metal undertones, ferocious growling and aggressive drums. The melodic guitar interlude offers the listener a chance to catch a breath before the next onslaught takes place. In general, this album is very guitar-driven, combining technical rhythm guitar riffs with blast beats for a more refined sound. Maelstrom is a good example of this style. There is just the right amount of variety and technical precision in the guitars to make it sound fresh but not too complex. Also, I have to emphasize the term “technical” as opposed to progressive. I can’t stand anything progressive in metal. Too much guitar masturbation is never a good thing. Luckily there is no danger of that on here.

In summary, ‘The Passage of Existence’ is exactly my kind of death metal. There is not a single song here that I dislike. This is without a doubt my favourite death metal release of the year. Last year I enjoyed the new Immolation and Cannibal Corpse. In 2018 it is all about Monstrosity.

4/5
Iza Raittila

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