Album Review: Morbid Angel - 'Illud Divinum Insanus'

Morbid Angel - 'Illud Divinum Insanus'

What’s in a name? Well, a lot apparently!  A name, or brand, can give a person confidence in the craftsmanship, the quality and the knowledge that the product is made out of the finest material. A bit like Andrex toilet paper, you see the cute dog on the front and you know you’re getting good quality loo roll. However, sometimes a name that SHOULD promote quality produces a stinker (stay with me on the loo roll analogy here). Why am i using a loo roll analogy to get my point across? Well, because it is the perfect way to describe the new Morbid Angel offering ‘Illud Divium Insanas’.

Morbid Angel are the heroes of death metal; producing classic brutality such as ‘Alters of Madness’ and ‘Blessed are the Sick’. So, when news came out about Trey Azagthoth and Co producing an industrial album there was collective tutting and shaking of the devil horns. However, many gave Morbid Angel the benefit of the doubt; maybe they’d surprise us all and produce a brilliant crossover between death/industrial. Have they achieved this? Err, no...

Opening track ‘Too Extreme!’ tries desperately to be a mix of death metal and industrial, but it fails dramatically to be either. The shoddy and frankly boring guitars are played half heartedly, and most of the time sounds like the CD is scratched. ‘Existo Vulgoré’ is once again without a  backbone or personality, and is more bland that watching women’s tennis. Perhaps the most listenable track on the album is ‘I Am Morbid’ which gives fans a teasing glimpse of what the album would have sounded like if they’d done it properly. The slower hooking rifts show that Morbid Angel still have death metal in their veins (even if it is only for five minutes). Other tracks like ’10 More Dead’ and ‘Destructors vs the Earth’ are only a shadow of what Morbid Angel are capable of, and are devoid of passion and aggression. But, perhaps the worst track on the entire album is ‘RADIKULT’. The drums sound like something a five year old could produce on Pro Tools, the vocals once again sound as though they’re merely bored by the whole experience. The vaguely jazz inspired tone falls flat on its face without a backbone to hold it up.

So, to sum up. It fails as a death metal album, it fails as an industrial album, and it fails to be a mixture of the two. Do not get me wrong, I’m not saying bands shouldn’t experiment but if a band does they should do it properly. And what’s even more astonishing is that the band have been heard saying that this is ‘the album is their career’. Yeah right, just keep telling yourselves that and it may come true. Or not...

Rating: 1/10

You can catch Morbid Angel at Bloodstock Open Air on the 12^th-14^th August: http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/

Unsigned Review: Andragonia (Brazil)

Andragonia

Vitals:

Members:

Ricardo DeStefano - Vocals
Thiago Larenttes - Guitars
Cauê Leitão - Guitars
Yuri Boyadjian - Bass
Daniel de Sá - Drums

Location:

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Style:

Progressive Metal

You'll like this if you like:

Dream Theater

Symphony X

Pain of Salvation

Current Release:

‘Secrets in the Mirror’

Dream Theater is the behemoth of the progressive metal world, influencing countless bands with their flawless combination of progressive rock and heavy metal. It is this influence which is heavily apparent in the sound of Brazilian progsters Andragonia. Their debut album ‘Secrets in the Mirror’ is a homage to the grandiose rifts and the frankly beautiful ballads of the prog masters themselves.

For a band only on their debut release, they already have an impressive CV; supporting Symphony X on their Sao Paulo show in early June, their video for ‘Undead’ being shown on MTV plus their album being named ‘Best National Record of Progressive Metal’ in 2010 by Metal Militia radio. These accolades are thoroughly deserved, as these boys from Brazil have pulled off something spectacular. ‘Secrets in the Mirror’ would be a triumph for any progressive metal band, let alone an unsigned band with their only other release being an EP.

Vocalist Ricardo DeStefano could easily be mistaken for James LaBrie, with every word of his vocal work dripping with emotion. His vocals are most impressive in ‘Undead’, where he can reach notes only dogs can hear and still carry the tune. The frantic drumming in ‘Draining My Heart’ hooks you in almost immediately and the flawless guitar riffs could get even the geekiest prog fan headbanging. The bass heavy anthem ‘The Choice’ would remind us of old school Iron Maiden if it wasn’t for the delicate and beautiful slow, almost ballad-like intervals which break up the song. Title track ‘Secrets in the Mirror’ is so epic that even Dio would be proud, and easily the strongest song on the album (for me anyway) is the sublime ‘Prison Without Walls’; a 10-minute opus which changes time signatures more than i change my socks. This is impressive not only for the way it sounds, but for the love, effort and tears it took to make this album a reality. Hopefully it won’t be too long until Andragonia make their debut on our shores!

Rating: 5/5

Websites:

http://www.andragonia.com
http://www.myspace.com/andragonia
http://www.twitter.com/andragonia
http://www.youtube.com/andragoniaofficial
http://www.formspring.me/andragonia   

Unsigned Review: The Ciem Show (US)

The Ciem Show

Vitals:

Members:

Ciem – Guitar/Vocals

Christopher Marti – Bass/Guitar/Baritone Guitar

Gregg Rossetti – Guitar/Saxophone/Keyboards

(Currently seeking a drummer)

Location:

New Jersey, USA

Style:

Experimental/Progressive Metal

You'll like this if you like:

Ulver

King Crimson

Devin Townsend

Current Release:

‘Lifelike Scenes’ (Deaf Locust Productions)

Progressive metal is a genre that has exploded onto the scene, and not only has it produced some of the most iconic bands in metal (Dream Theater, Opeth and Symphony X to name but a few) it has also made progressive music ‘cool’. No more dancing goblins or keyboardists in shiny cloaks, just unique, experimental music which has bridged the gap between two very different styles of music.

The Ciem Show hail from the mighty shores of New Jersey in the US, and have managed to produce a sound reminiscent of 70’s prog but with a modern, metal twist. Vocalist Ciem has a Scott Walker-ish aura about him, and the guitar work in ‘Scene III: Derealisation’ provides an eerie, sometimes unnerving atmosphere reminding our ears of early Burzum. Probably the strongest track on the album is ‘Scene IV: Anamorphic Sleep’, with a main rift that Meshuggah would be proud of, yet still having the atmosphere of ambient bands such as Ulver. ‘Scene V: Effects of Somnambulism’ has one of the creepiest tracks I have heard, sounding like a deranged fairground ride it immediately makes the listener feel uneasy. Then, after the solemn ‘Scene VI: Theme for Lost Children’ comes the Ziltoid-era ‘Devin Townsend’ style ‘Scene VII: Shattered Self-Reflection’. This is an incredibly professional and grand sounding release, and The Ciem Show have so much potential. I, and all of you, should be very excited about where this band will go next!

Rating: 5/5

Websites:

http://www.theciemshow.com
http://theciemshow.bandcamp.com
http://www.myspace.com/theciemshow
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Ciem+Show

http://www.facebook.com/theciemshow?sk=wall

Unsigned Review: The Obscene (UK)

The Obscene

Vitals:

Members:

Tom - Vocals

Chris – Drums

Garry – Bass/Vocals

Jonny –Guitars

Location:

Durham, UK

Style:

Old school death metal

You'll like this if you like:

Morbid Angel

Deicide

Cannibal Corpse

Current Release:

‘The Torment of Sinners’ EP

Black metal and death metal; two genre’s which, since their inception, have been polar opposites, even enemies at times. It is unusual for a band to incorporate elements from both these styles and pull it off. However, Durham based deathsters ‘The Obscene’ have done just that. The aesthetics resemble that of the first wave of black metal (e.g. Bathory). However, when the sound hits your ears, it is reminiscent of the old school death metal bands such as Death and Morbid Angel, with a hint of Cannibal Corpse brutality.

Describing themselves as ‘raw, ugly and uncompromising’, The Obscene do exactly what they say on the tin. ‘Beyond the Hold of God’ is a perfect combination of those black and death metal elements, with vocals ranging from the deepest dirtiest rumblings to creepy Death-era Mayhem shrieks. ‘The Final Silence’ is pure uncompromising death metal at its best, its brutality and rawness is evocative of ‘Butchered at Birth’ era Cannibal Corpse. The production whilst professional still has that dirty, unpolished edge that is characteristic of old school death metal. This EP has the spirit, rawness and dirt of death metal and is the soundtrack to war.


The Obscene are currently signed to Pest Records http://www.pestrecords.ucoz.com

Rating: 4/5

Websites:

http://theobscene.ucoz.com
http://www.myspace.com/theobsceneuk
http://twitter.com/#!/theobscene
http://www.reverbnation.com/theobscene

Unsigned Review: Rash Decision (UK)

Rash Decision

Vitals:

Members:

Dave Decision – Lead Vocals/Guitar

James ‘Perky’ Perkins – Bass/Backing Vocals

Simon J Sky – Guitar/Backing Vocals

Tom Candy- Drums

Location:

Cornwall, UK

Style:

Punk/Thrash/Hardcore

You'll like this if you like:

Municipal Waste

Evile

Black Flag

Current Release:

‘Temporary Worker (Clause 4.1)’

Despite taking over the 80’s, thrash as a genre died out with the rise of grunge and when Metallica released ‘The Black Album’. Of course, hardcore bands such as Slayer and the like still soldiered on, but would thrash ever regain its 80’s glory?  This question was answered when bands like Evile and Municipal Waste blasted onto the scene. These two bands, and many others like them, proved that thrash was not dead – far from it! The unique thing about the second wave is that thrash no longer took itself seriously. Bands were starting to have fun with their music, and at thrash gigs there was a real party atmosphere and a sense of fun.

A sense of fun and a party atmosphere is exactly what you get with Cornwall-based thrashers ‘Rash Decision’. Formed in 2006, and after performing an impressive 230 gigs, taking part in 10 UK tours and three European tours, ‘Rash Decision’ have been making a hell of a lot of noise on the underground scene. With a punk ‘fuck you’ attitude and the energy of thrash, their debut release ‘Temporary Worker (Clause 4.1)’ makes you want to jump up, swing your t-shirt over your head and jump into the nearest circle pit. Vocalist Dave Decision provides raw, punky vocals reminiscent of ‘Extreme Noise Terror’ and gives their debut that punk-like aggressiveness. The guitar work is spot on, and from opener ‘Railings’ to closing track ‘Giving and Taking (Fuck You)’ punch you in the face with a fist full of thrash. The production on this record is spot on, and really emphasises the potential of these West Country thrashers. Catch these guys live now! You’ll be in for a real treat!

Rating: 4/5

Websites:

http://www.myspace.com/rashdecision
http://www.rashdecision.bigcartel.com 

Album Review: Gallhammer - 'The End'

Gallhammer - 'The End'

Gallhammer have gone through many changes in the past year, both professional and personal. With the departure of guitarist Mika Penetrator in 2010, and front woman Vivian Slaughter moving from Japan to Norway to live with Maniac (Skitliv), many of us are wondering whether the title of this album is more than a hint.  Maniac’s influence can be heard on almost every track, but rather than losing their identity it has gained them a new one. Rather than fill Mika Penetrator’s shoes, the remaining members made a bold decision not to include guitars at all on this album. The result is the feeling of slowly suffocating in a tar pit, very, very slowly. The creepy, almost childlike vocals in ‘Aberration’ and the screeching Saxophone in ‘108=7/T-NA’ add another element to this album. The combination of fast thrash in ‘Entropy G35’, to the dirge like the 12-minute anthem ‘Wander’, Gallhammer prove their critics wrong; they are not just a novelty act. Whether this is ‘the end’ for Gallhammer, they have definitely gone out on a high.

Rating: 7/10

Unsigned Review: Gran Toucher (UK)

Gran Toucher

Vitals:

Members:

Sam – Guitar

Edd- Vocals

Morrish – Bass

Johnny - Drums

Location:

Exeter, UK

Style:

Grindcore

You'll like this if you like:

Amputated

Agoraphobic Nosebleed

Current Release:

‘Human Cull’ demo

Grindcore is one of the smallest genre’s within metal and, some would argue, the hardest to access. Fans like grindcore for the gory imagery (think Cannibal Corpse meets Hellraiser), blast beats and indistinguishable vocals. Exeter based Gran Toucher do exactly this, and boy do they do it well! ‘Human Cull’ is an album full of surprises, something that you do not necessarily expect from a grindcore band.

The first surprise is a big one: it sounds fricking awesome! The production on this album is first class, so most of the praise on this demo goes to sound maestro John Hurst. It sounds incredibly professional, with opener ‘Barely Hominid’ hitting you like a giant hammer. The bass on the oddly named ‘Colonic Asphyxiation’ blasts through your speaker.

The second surprise is the menacing element vocalist Edd provides. Rather than being your run-of-the-mill ‘pig squeals’, he has a deep, threatening voice which put ‘Gran Toucher’ a head above the other grindcore bands out there; however, the potential of this band has not yet been realised. It is very easy for bands to take the easy route, and play only within the confines of one particular genre. This could limit their direction and ultimately hamper their performance, and i hope Gran Toucher will exploit their obvious talents; pulling together elements from other genre’s to add more depth.

Having said that, this is a professional and exciting first release! 


Rating: 3.5/5


Website:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gran-Toucher/107525539283223

Band of the Week: Mors Principium Est

Band of the Week: Mors Principium Est 

Mors Principium Est were formed in Pori, Finland by Jori Haukio, Jarkko Kokko and Toni Nummelin; shortly joined by drummer Mikko Sipola. Losing the three founding members and going through more line up changes than Cradle of Filth could dampen any bands spriti, but MPE carried on to record their debut album 'Inhumanity' with Listenable Records which was released in 2003. Second album 'The Unborn' was released in 2005, follwed by 'Liberation=Termination' in 2007. An excellent example of symphonic metal done properly! Give them a listen...NOW!

Website:

http://www.myspace.com/morsprincipiumestmyspace

Unsigned Review: Meadows (UK)

Meadows

Vitals:

Members:

Charlie Kilshaw - Guitar, Vocals

Chris Moore- Guitar, Vocals

George Newnham- Bass, Vocals

Jack Newnham - Drums, Vocals

Location:

Sudbury, Suffolk

Style:

Crust, Stoner, Thrash

You'll like this if you like:

Mastodon

Kylesa

Municipal Waste

Current Release:

Four track EP currently available via the band's bandcamp profile.

I was first introduced to Meadows a couple of months ago when my band shared the bill with them at a tiny venue in Ipswich. To say I was impressed by them was an understatement; they provided an energetic and relentless set which had me hooked from the the moment they played the first note. With a nod towards the early stoner stylings of Mastodon and Kylesa, and the mad thrashers Municipal Waste, Meadows offer something different to the underground community. 

It is hard to compartmentalise this group; are they crust, stoner or thrash? Or are they an unrelenting combination of all three? I say it's the latter! Opener 'The Head Of Henry Grey' hits you like an enormous thrash train, with fierce rifts and even fiercer vocals. 'Earthhorn (10,000BC)' is distinctly leaning towards crust, and coupled with the vocals sounds like early Mastodon. Which is a hefty compliment to a band who have only just released their debut EP. 'Plough' is bass heavy monster, with thunderous rifts contrasting to slower doomy sounding tones. 'We Are The Last' completes the job, with doom laden guitars and those ever present fast paced sounds cutting through.

The overall mix of the EP is extremely professional, and makes Meadows sound more than a mere unsigned band, credit goes to Paul 'Hobopope' Rhodes for the recording, mixing and mastering. Meadows are a regular on the underground gig circuit, and I would strongly recommend you check them out...NOW!

Rating: 5/5

Paul 'Hobopope' Rhodes: 

www.hobopope.com

Meadows:

www.myspace.com/ruralmisery

www.meadows1.bandcamp.com (Where you can listen to the band's EP)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Meadows/131719773553007