Despite different iterations of the band & line up changes throughout the years Northern Ireland's Crushing Death Metal force Indominus still continue to deliver quality material ,they've become a constant within the Northern Ireland metal scene and are known for their ferocious live performances.it has been a good while since the released new music,that's due to change soon with the imminent release of their crushing new single Burn.
Going straight for the jugglar this absolutely crushing offering leaves no cross unturned and despite it been a short track it ticks all the right boxes even the introduction of some elements of Hardcore which inject a nice level of virtriol combiined with that trademark heaviness.
Prepare yourself for this monstrous track dropping this Friday 16th May as it will crush like a wrecking ball and is a great way to introduce their new drummer, hopeully we'll be yet again treated to more of the same going forward.
For everything that's come before and what has yet to pass one thing can be said about the incomparable War Jazz juggernaut Acid Age there will always be some sort of insane wackiness within the music they unleash,although their roots are stepped in Thrash Metal they've evolved that thrash foundation into a fusion of all the best parts of Jazz,Death Metal,Black Metal and Progressive Metal with psychedelic elements and plenty more twist and turns along the way, if you thought their previous masterpiece Semper Pessimus was full of wacky surprises well nothing will prepare for the absolute lunacy that is Perilous Compulsion.
The incoming madness is commenced with the crushing riff fest that is Bikini Island that countdown intro creates a really combustible and frenzied atmosphere, the relentlessness throughout this has elements of crushing Death Metal combined with jazz infused basslines and face melting shredding while the phenomenal drumming really pushes the boundaries to extreme levels of heaviness,an added bit of trivia behind this track is reference to Bikini Atoll/Marshall Island ,which was used as by the US as a nuclear testing site after WW2 up until 1958, onto the sublime dynamics of the brilliant State Your Business which shows a few new elements to the bands overall sound including backing vocals courtesy of Jake and the use of clean vocals to give a killer progressive element to proceedings,once again there's another "easter egg" with the concept of the song & lyrical content which has taken inspiration from an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Button Button" , the mind bending Third Eye Locksmith at times the vocal delivery has subtle homages to Sadus, the musicianship is on another level and switches seamlessly from Thrash,Death To Black Metal while having an ultra heavy rhytmn section,the leads are tinged with insanely sublime psychedelic elements which makes for yet more unpredictability on this opus.
Time to get into some relentless thrashing with the overload of speed and heaviness that is Revenge For Sale this is an absolute ripper of a song which combines all the best elements of Thrash & Death Metal, those subtle vocal variations add yet another dimension to the overall sound, once again the rhytmn section destroys like a wrecking ball, the further you get into this album that trademeark Acid Age wackiness keeps going to levels beyond comprehension ,this is really noticable with Every Cliche were we're treated to an absolute cacophony of riff designed to melt your face and make your ears bleed,the volume of riffs along with that sublime bassline is disorientating and dizzying at times and the drumming is insanely sublime.
Just when you thought there were no more twist and turns to come we get likely one of the most insane songs i've ever heard in my life in the form of Rotten Tooth , if you've ever wondered why the band have the "War Jazz" moniker well you get it in spades with this terrific song, blues tinged psychedelic intro before launching into yet another cacophony of riffs and blast beats,crazy leads coupled with those deliciouly sublime basslines make for some insane listening, a little after the 5 minute mark just when you thought you heard everything this band can do,next thing you know you hear a Harmonica,suffice to say if you think this doesn't work ,you're wrong it's blends in seamlessly with the bands trademark wackiness, epicness is the name of the game with the ridculously excellent Hamster Wheel ,this goes through plenty of twist & turns and has plenty of progressive elements,the harmonies created between all the different vocals variations goes to absolutely insane levels of quality,it's like they've hit a pinnacle of creativity and musicianship and renedered everything that came before obsolete,the clean vocal parts on this song are beautifully executed and at times make the song sound like some sort of ballad,yet another element the band can add to their repetoire.
Perilous Compulsion has been 4 years in the making and that wait has been more then worth it, that proverbial glass ceiling has really been shattered now and Acid Age have hit a level worthy of their truly sublime War Jazz wackiness, despite being a long term fan of the band not in my wildest drrams did i think they could unleash the insane levels of skilled musicianship that you'll hear on Perilous Compulsion, dare i say it about Semper Pessimus but they really have surpassed that on a magnitude unimaginable to myself, everything about this from the production,musicianship,song arrangement all the concepts behind the songs are miles beyond what their previous album offered, like any album i've listened to before there was always that element were something would make me laugh or put a smile on my face due to that wackiness,that's all still there added with some crushing brutality, tinged with psychedelic elements that will leave you disorientated and as mentioned previously a rhytmn section that renders everything before it obsolete. this one will possibly be top of my end of year list,a bonafide masterpiece that will be extremely hard to top.
Armagh heftmongers Gozer The Traveller are a seriously overlooked/underrated band who've being churning out some quality material for almost a decade,their excellent mix of Stoner Rock laced with heavy sludgy grooves,Southern rock all layered over subtle hints of Blues based rock n roll, although it's being almost 9 years since they released their self titled EP it's like they've returned even better then they were before and have delivered an excellent album in the guise of The Space Between.
As soon as that first chords hits on opening track Todash one thing that's noticable staright away is the quality in musicianship and overall production, in that every instrument sounds massive,the slow groove laden riffs have a slightly creepy atmosphere,while the vocal delivery has a rawness that is both filthy and fueled with passion, moving onto to the brilliant salvo that is The Great Betrayal, this is stock full of groove laden heavy riffs and bombastic pace which are driven by those excellent soaring vocals.
Things get a bit chilled and atmospheric with that beautiful intro on Gunslinger backed by those raw vocals ,this really ticks all the right boxes for an absolute banger of a track,the guitar work on this is nothing short of phenomenal,this has anthem written all over it and may well be a popular one for live shows,the crushing heaviness of Hinterlands adds another element to the bands overall sound, once again the lead guitar delivers brilliantly executed passages that will get inbedded in your mind, the pace is upped a bit with the excellent Succubus you really get to hear those subtle blues elements with the vocal delivery on this while that excellent rhytnm section pushes those beautiful lead guitars to the fore making for a truly brilliant track.
The absolutely riff fest that is Fungus Emotis hits hard and sounds like a homage to Down, although some of the guitar harmonies sound a bit like Thin Lizzy,yet again those raw vocals really reach soaring heights,this is possibly the most catchiest track on the album and has a really bombastic element to it, the dark atmopshere throughout 10 Minutes From Hell is really errie and that bassline hits like a sledgehammer, this shows another side to the band in that they can switch between upbeat passages and a more dark and foreboding elements, closing track Quiet Rain is a proper blues tinged rocker full of fat basslines, rhytnmic drumming, Riffs for days and those trademark soaring vocals, this is the best way to close out this brilliant album and is a huge step up from a superb band.
This a must listen if you're into groove laden stoner rock tinged with plenty of elements of rock n roll,blues,southern rock and metal,the passion shown on this is through the roof and the musicianship is absolutely stellar, although i previously didn't mention the lyrical content has a really killer storytelling element to it that's full of temptations,realistic scenarios that are both surreal and at times drowned in liquor and alcohol giving off that southern vibe so brilliantly,do not overlook this brilliant album.
One band causing waves in the Northern Ireland Hardcore & Metal scene is the excellent If It Bleeds combining groove laden crushing riffs with an extremely visceral vocal attack, a seamless blend of old school and modern fusion of Hardcore and metal make these a force to be reckoned with which can be heard on their phenomenal debut EP We Can Kill It.
Going staright for the jugular with the ferocious opening track If It Bleeds relentless short and to the point best describe this crushing track, Vs 1 hits like a ten tonne sledgehammer and wastes no time in delivering crushing drums and razor sharp riffing,the vocals are full of vitriol and an unrelenting aggression.
Things slow down a sliught bit with the crushingly heavy and anthemic Revenge ,we're treated to some sick Death Metal type gutturals which adds an unnervingly crushing slab of heaviness,there's also a killer groove running throughout, that crushing groove is also prevelent on the sublime Detachment which keeps the overall output flowing nicely,the dual guitars give this a bludgeoning assualt on the senses that at times is like a wall of sound designed to make eardrums bleed and shattering that proverbial glass ceiling, closing things out is the fantastic title track We Can Kill It , upon numerous listen to this track(and EP) i always get the feeling that if you set foot into the pit prepare for absolute fucking mayhem,this one has plenty of groove with that trademark crushing heaviness, this is possibly yhte best way to conclude this absolutely crushing opus and leave no cross unturned. Needless to say for a debut release this ticks all the right boxes,production is stellar,music hits so fucking hard with a crushing heaviness, an unstoppable relentlessness that will leave you begging for more, a lethal injection of adrenalin fueled vitriol,a band hell bent on delivering possibly the most devastating metallic hardcore with a real take no prisoners attitude,this is a no nonsense tour de force of a release that will most likely will be making my end of year shortlist.
Back around 2010 in the North East City of Derry would see the inception of the brilliant Gothic/Horror Inspired Black/Dark Metal outfit Mourning Of The Heretic two highly regarded EP's would follow in 2013 & 2016 after the band would go on extended hiatus until just over a year ago with the release of the excellent single Within The Night,fast forward to now and the band are on the cusp of releasing their highly anticipated debut album To The Shadows Bethrothed ,let's delve into the horrors and tales of terror within this phenomenal offering.
The haunting and chilling atmosphere on the opening track The Ghost Who Loved Me combine melodic passages with a dark romanticism while the vocals have the effect of sending spine tingling fear through your thought passages likes some kind of nightmarish tale, the spooky atmosphere on A Heart so Black is both eerie and tense while the lo-fi melodic riffing push all these elements to the fore brilliantly, the piano intro on In My Arms creates a really melancholic and almost tragic atmopshere before launching into extrtmely dark and harrowing passages full of raw and heavy riffs while there's a sinister element running through the vocal delivery,this track offers something different from the previous tracks including at times some sort of burning embers is present in the background, Meridian has plenty of Gothic inspired tragicness running thoughout with a killer fast paced fully sounding melodic riffs that give the track a really majestic vibe.
When you think you're settling into some sort of familarity we're treated to the absolutely phenomenal My Last Sunrise with has a supremely brilliant atmopshere and relentless riffing that at times reminds me of early Xasthur combined with subtle hints of Cradle Of Filth,this for me is possibly one of the standout offerings on this album,this is like some sort of tragic vampiric tale which adds to the whole horror inspired aura of proceedings, sticking to more atmospheric balck metal passages with the brilliant Possessed once again the guitar playing on this is absolutely sublime which is further aided by the presence of the key arrangements which add a beautiful symphonic ochestration full of magnificence and bravado, that sort of symphonic majesticness is really prevelent on She Is Death ,the vocals are really pushed to the fore on this while we get even more sublime guitar wizardry,the further you go into this album the darker and more foreboding it becomes, the brilliant closing track Within The Night really implements the Gothic Rock influences within the band,once again that bravado sounding element is implemented to the full extent making this a really memorable and brilliant offering while also having that vampiric theme driving the atmopshere to another level,the lead near the end of the track is brilliantly executed ,possibly the best way to end this magnificent opus.
Despite the seven year hiatus and numerous line up changes not only have Mourning Of The Heretic captured the essence present on the previous releases they've unleashed a really brilliant opus,this is a must listen if you enjoy Tales of tragedy,horror,vampires and a dark and gothic romanticism with subtle odes to Nosferatu, while combining elements of atmopsheric black metal,gothic rock and theatrical pasaages full of pomp and bravado that grabs your undivided attention.
At the onset of 2023 the devastating hardcore infused death metal duo Urban Death would release two very overlooked ep's in Desolate and Devastate ever since then the band have been working dilligently behind the scenes to deliver an even more devastating and fuller sound,this has come to fruition with their third ep Abstention ,also the addition of a lead vocalist and bass player is a huge contributing factor to the quality on offer with this excellent output.
Commencing proceedings is the haunting intro of the title track Abstention ,combining a very gloomy atmosphere and a spoken word dialogue that talks about societal probelms that create a subtle dystopian aura, Dead in the Water delivers crushing blows like a sledgehammer while combining death metal vocals with lacerating riffs ,the backing vocals are vile and give a nasty element to the track, the broad range of multiple vocals on Concrete Vial create an obliterating and crushing wall of souind that has plenty of hardcore style breakdowns ,the brief spoken word interlude just after the halfway point implements that dystopian atmopshere that was present on the intro.
The short sharp shock of the relentless Liar is an absolute audio assualt on the senses,something that becomes apparent(if you've listened to the previous ep's) is the addition of a lead vocalist gives the guitarist and drummer freddom to implement extremely visceral backing vocals which adds a whole new atmopshere to the bands overall sound, this becomes even more noticable on possibly my favourite track on this release Glad there's a killer groove and breakdown that hints at a modern hardcore element ,maybe this is a thing the band will explore more in the future, closing track Blind combines black metal and shouting hardcore vocals all layered behind those devastating gutturals ,once again this shows no let up in pace and shows the band exploring a broad range of elements that most likely be better on future releases.
Abstention shows a massive step up in quality from the band ,the addition of a lead vocalist and bassist has really helped with this and added a whole new dimension to the bands overall sound,although previous releases were excellent for that era of the band this really blows it out of the park,prepare for a new level of devastation from this really interesting band,i for one am looking forward to see what sort of output Urban Death show us in the not too distant future.
What started out as a merger, the two minds behind the bands Scald and qip set about forming the entity that is Pincer Consortium to create a black worded tapestry so complex and mind bending beyond human comprehension,the two minds would start laying the foundations in 2022 to create this Odyssean tome now almost 2 years later the monumental Geminus Schism is about to unleashed on the world,prepare to have your mind blown by this absolutely phenomenal offering.
This conceptual tale of duality is commenced with beautifully crafted Alpha Omega Decay which contains alot of symphonic elements to give an atmopshere both harrowing and beautiful,the numerous vocal patterns really emphasis the concept brilliantly,musically this sets out to create some sort of storyboard in an attempt not to repeat each part this sets the tone perfectly to unleash the absolute cacophony of riffs that is Twin Galatic Tides the vocals deliver a crushing Death Metal style with plenty of industrial undertones to add plenty of dynamics to the track, there is little to no slowing down on this track just a relentless audio assualt of the senses, things start going into epic territories with the absolutely mind blowing Schizoid Rivalry/Double Occultation this gradually builds to a monumental crescendo were you get an even better understanding of the duality concept, it feels like there two conflicting entities like a darkness and a light or dual personalities comparing each other but almost sounding identical with the way they think,while the track is split in two to create an even more complex story with the concept.
Continuing with the earth shattering Dual Shock Termination this is the shortest track on the album but makes for a really interesting listen the melodics combined with the relentless riffing give this an extremely varied soundscape ,we're treated to a more progessive and technical output throughout this also, the further you get into this album the more mind bending it becomes with the progressive elements getting pushed to another spectrum with Tandemic Dispersal,this is another one that keeps building and introducing different elements the further the song elapses,the lead guitar work throughout this shows how far into the stratosphere this coincept can go leaving nothing left untouched,a little after the half way mark of the track the speed of guitars,vocals get's progressively faster taking everything to an unfathomable plateau of consciousness.
Getting to the penultimate atges of this opus with the absolute mindfuck that is Spectral Dyad it becomes apartment that this dual entitiy/presence has gone beyond the pale of sanity/existence and into some other alternate afterworld/universe asking the question has the entity become one being created through the dual entities,the relentelessness throughout this at time feels suffocatingly heavy while also going even further into progressive passages,especially the part with the orchestral keys, now to the concluding part of this phenomenal opus with the brilliant Bi-Fold Conclusion again this starts out pretty slow with an extemely haunting foreboding bass line pushing a really dark atmopshere to the fore until it gradually builds to a complete explosion of auditory assualt on the senses, the progressiveness goes into levels of mind boggling proportions epicness making you feel that this storied concept may or may not have some sort of conclusion and is left open to what the mind can comprehend.
Pincer Consortium set out to create a really ambitious and mind bending concept with Geminus Schism that will leave you speechless and constantly questioning is this real or just some surreal dream taking place in some alternate reality, the whole idea of the duality behind this is to try to put some sort of balance between dark and light,good or evil etc while creating a soundscape that is full of beauty,darkness,light,hope and despair,at times this album may be hard to take in for some but you will come back for even more and embrace the absolute madness that lies within.
Veterans of the Irish scene Astralnaut took an extended hiatus aorund the later stages of 2014 and alot of folk have been wondering since what had become of the band,well a few line up alterations and dilligently working behind the scenes has resulted in an absolutely stellar release with their self titled debut album Astralnaut,an absolute tour de force of groove heaviness and grit is what we've been treated to,the old saying good things come to those who wait rings true with this offering,let's dissect the finer points of this brilliant album.
The album kicks off in fine style with the launch single Tipping Point with it's slow paced groove that instantly pulls you in and doesn't let go,the gritty vocal delivery almost has a subtle blues element to it hinting at a southern rock vibe, Adrift flows with soaring vocals and a crushing groove that seamlessly blends with the intrciate rhytmns and the background female vocals which adds a fantastic atmosphere to the track, the dark and foreboding sludginess of Plebicide wraps a cloak of melancholy until launching into some some soaring lead guitar work, the building atmosphere on Humanity shows a real pomp and confidence from a band that knows how to deliver some thought provoking lyrics with tasty goroves of heaviness, the spoken word section creates a somewhat dytopian feel to the song yet another element the band explore with brilliant aplomb.
Things get a bit more thought provoking with the brilliant The Veil there's something mysterious about the way the lyrics are delivered and then you add the excellent riffage which have a really fantastic way of grabbing your undivided attention,the sole vocal sections in this is another element that shows the full repotoire of what this band are capable of, White Feather introduces a really epic structure to the overall product,those gritty vocals really go into overdrive creating some truly crushing passages until about half way through the track the pace begins to speed up creating a wall of crushing heaviness that has an almost Sabbath-esque feel to it, did i mention epicness,yes there's plenty of that afoot on the ultra heavy Husk which weaves those trademark vocals with sludgy grooves, another thing not mentioned is the drumming is exemeplary throughout and has some subtle homages to Bill Ward with it's wholt rhytmic and tribal feel,the leads add to the epic output and create a really awe-inspiring feeling to the track.
The darkness becomes even more prevelent on the instrumental The Confederate Pt1 which opens up with some brilliant lead guitar layered on top of some intricate harmonies, returning to the crushing grooves with The Confederate Pt2 once again this delivers a consistent flow of keeping things interesting while maintaining all those trademarks elements we've come accustomed to hearing,closing track Blood Sacrifice flows with a mid paced groove that will leave you wanting even more,this track really shows every element the band have delivered throughout this release and as previously said this band know how to deliver memorable tunes while keeping your attention focused on all their qualities.
Although we waited the better part of a decade for this album Astralnaut have delivered a really quality album and it was like they were never away,hopefully we get more of the same in the not too distant future, as previously said good things come to those who wait,this is very much the case with this album.
The beginning of 2023 brought about a few significent events that would change the landscape for the incomparable war jazz merchants Acid Age, around the start of February would see them have their 10th anniversary and was that an experience in itself,what would happen after is the band entered Metal 2 The Masses a few short weeks after and a few months later what still seems surreal they would be announced as the winners which resulted in them performing at Bloodstock, their live shows are something to behold,if you haven't witnessed that madness you reallt are missing out, eventually by the tail end of the year they would record their first ever live album aptly titled Live In Belfast during a live set in The Limelight 2 on 29th December,this release contains select favourites from their phenomenal Semper Pessimus album and some cracking unreleased tracks that will be on next years Perilous Compulsion album.lets delve into this absolutely superlative offering.
Kicking things off with the Nero-Claudius inspired The Burning Of Rome, this tracks seems to be a template in their live sets and is an absolutely monstrous song full of twist and turns and always goes down a treat, the first taste of what they have in store in the future comes in the guise of the asbsolute rifftastic Revenge For Sale this combines relentless speed with a technicality that is fitting to their wacky sound and time signatures,those familar with the band know full well there's always some sort of hilarity or comedic value,this is a common theme at any of their live shows and as always Jude comes up with some anecdote to get the crowd more invloved and part of the whole experience.
Possibly one of my favourite newer songs is the stonkingly heavy Third Eye Locksmith the groove throughout this is possibly one of the heaviest i've heard in a long time,as can be expected with their trademark wackiness the song goes in all sort of directions leaving a feeling of disorientation with each passing second, yet another new song and like the previous two Every Cliche will also be another one on the upcoming Perilous Compulsion,this track has the most insanely fast riffing that leads to all sort of mind bending time signatures,within it's base this is a definitive Thrash Metal anthem but you have a bit of Jazz Fusion incorporated into mix,the bassline in this is shockingly heavy and levels the senses like a wrecking ball, there's yet more getting the crowd invloved anecdotes before setting an unstoppable blaze with the rip roaring My Wretched Womb, the absolute madcap wackiness of this songs always puts a smile on my face,the combined elements of jazz fusion,black and death metal all layered on top of a technical thrash nuances is seriously mind blowing and is something that sets this band apart from your traditional Thrash or Death Metal acts.
Acid Age have really stepped up their game in the last few years with one of the best albums within the Irish scene in the last 5 years,their live shows have become the stuff of legend,people literally don't know how to think or react to the levels of technical ability that they're witnessing,also the fact that they're going to be gracing their presence at Bloodstock Festival for the second year in a row by opening up the whole festival on the Sophie Lancaster Stage is no fluke, the new songs on this live offering are a taste of the lethal dose of what to expect on their highly anticipated upcoming opus Perilous Compulsion, this release is an awful lot of fun to listen to from one of the most underrated bands out there today, do yourself a favour and go listen to this band.
A band shrouded in Mystery and somewhat an enigma within the Irish Metal Scene following on from their excellent debut album Darkness Grips Us All Enshroud have been working dilligently in the background on their absolutely mind blowing new album Mortal ,the wait for this has been more than worth it, this ticks all the right boxes for a modern classic, also there's a real life story behind this release ,a concept straight from the heart that will grip your attention from beginning to end,lets get into this epic offering.
We're treated to the relentless Dust To Dust ,the emotion throughout this will give you an idea of what's in store on the rest of the album setting the tone perfectly, the crushing grooves of Frailty are another indiciation of how this band can mix the heaviness with emotionally charged passages ,there's a little interlude half way through that builds the emotional atmosphere to another level,at times it almost feels like all the energy and will drains from the body.
When you think there's some respite from the emotionally charged elements it only serves to get progressively more so with the absolutely sublime A Fate For No One this really pulls at the heartstrings and leaves nothing left unturned, it's amazing how they can convey these sort of feelings through the music alone and then those soaring vocals just grip like a vice and don't let go, the relentlessness of Infestation potrays alot of anger combiined with the already emotional atmosphere within this release, War Within hints at some sort of inner struggle to accept the consequences of what's happening ,once again this really delivers some thought provoking feelings and drags you further along this emotional rollercoaster, things begin to get even more emotionally charged on the passionate and soaring Safe In Forever it almost feels like there's an acceptance that you're going to loss something and are resigned to the inevitable end but at the same time there's an anger that refuses to let go.
The inpending horrors become a little more obvious the further into this offering ,this is abundantly clear on Decay,although not as pacey as previous tracks this has a level of darkness that really hits like a tonne of bricks emotionally,like the going through all the pain and suffering you've had to endure from a terminal illness, that inevitable end comes in the form of the beautifully tragic Fallen Time this is were the emotions escalate to the a plateau so high you can't even comprehend the hurt and loss that's about to take hold of you,it's like you're going tthrough some sort of nothingness that leaves you feeling so numb and empty.
When i first heard that Enshroud were going to be releasing a second album to say i was excited was an understatement but nothing prepared me for the magnitude of feelings and emotions running throughout this release,at times i found it hard to get through the album without feeling some sort of emotion or attachment to the overall theme within this album, it's hard to fathom how magnificently the band conveyed the feelings and emotions throughout the writing process of this album and the whole album itself, this is definitely one of the best releases within the Irish scene this year,an absolute tour de force of an album.
Possibly one of the heaviest crushing Brutal Death Metal forces within the Irish scene is the brilliant Congenital Abnormalities,a concise and thought out process by founding member Jordy Thompson over a number of years has created an absolute beast of a band,the final piece of the Jigsaw was the addition of ex-Jenova Vocalist Brian Harrington,although already really good beforehand this has catapulated them to an even higher standard which can be heard on their absolutely crushing new EP A Resurgence Of The Grotesque, let's dissect the finer details of this sublime offering.
The extremely sinister and dark approach to opener Pathological Execution has plenty of old school proclivities combined with modern slam to deliver maximum crushing power which have the aura of serial killer vibes, i'm led to believe that the excellent Forced Evolution is a reference to the Fallout game serious,this is were you start to notice the deranged and phenomenal vocal delivery,it's gut wrenching and sinister elements really create a sense of fear and dread, the technical prowess and groove shown on the brilliant Torn Hung Gutted adds another worthwhile element to the overall feel of the EP,even the lead guitar work on this sounds like something from the classic 90's Death Metal sound.
Can this release get any better ,you better believe it, we're treated to the brilliant title track A Resurgence Of The Grotesque the vocal delivery becomes more deranged and twisted and it ceases to amaze me how easy this bands creates such complex and structured passages with relative ease, closing track and what was the launch single in the lead up to this EP Upon The Cold Ground really shows the crushing power this band are capable of delivering,also certain sections throughout this may garner some "stank face" moments,a provides a fitting way to close out this absolutely quality offering.
This release has everything you could possibly dream for ,quality musicianship,songwriting a penchant for nasty serial killer and gore inpired lyrical content,the production courtesy of JSR Audio is absolutely top notch,the artwork and every other element within this seriously sublime release,this is a definite contender to make my end of year list.
Following on from their excellent debut EP Entropy the brilliant Blackened Death Metal Force Insidious Void have taken the time to make sure the standard of their music reaches new heights, i was expecting something of true quality when they announced they were working on new material but nothing prepeared me for the onslaught of the crushing heaviness of their phenomenal new EP Hellscape ,be prepeared for some absolutely annihilating earth shaking brutality.
Wasting no time straight from the off they delve into the relentlessly crushing Legacy combining crushing grooves with an atmosphere usually found in Black Metal ,this sounds akin to the Polish veterans Hate but still has that killer Insidious Void sound,this almost 8 minute track has a epicness that was hinted on their previous release but not explored to this extent, Ashen Earth has that dark atmosphere running throughout and although not overly Technical the rhytmn section crushes with an efficiency and power not far removed from 90's inspired Old school Death Metal.
The Doom Laden intro at the start of On Ruinous Winds is executed with unnerving aplomb before launching into a symphonic passage that gives the atmosphere something dreadful is about to happen,also enjoy the way they let the music flow for over 2 minutes before the vocals kick in ,the relentlessness throughout this track is absolutely mind blowing it really shows the standards this band have risen to, the closing track Hellscape hits like a tonne of bricks and that trademark groove adds a nice blend of heaviness with catchy hooks, something noticable is the pomp and confidence within the music where you know they mean business and it's something i enjoy to see bands doing.
The standard has been well and truly set now,not only have Insidious Void have shown a progression from their previous material they've blown that proverbial glass ceiling to smithereens with this absolutely phenomenal offering,although you can hear influences from luminaries such as Hate and Behemoth they have put their own stamp on this,the amount of hard work and a concise thought out process they've put into this can not be ignored,something not mentioned is the production on this is abolutely monstrous,the musicianship is on another level of quality making this a bonafide contender for EP of the year.
Hailing from the North West of The Emerald Isle the absolutely Mind Blowing Progressive Groove Metal act Kraik have been brewing something special for the past few months,late last year they released their debut single Effigy which for all intense purposes was a phenomenal offering,some may know a few of their members were previously in the excellent Pursuit Of Ruin many years ago,so it will come as no surprsie they've got the pedigree and chops to unleash mind blowing epic tunes,as much as i enjyoed their debut single it's nowhere near the level of their sublime new single The Neon Piper,lets explore the finer details of this excellent track.
Delving straight into a cacophony of mind bending riffmania backed with a crushing rhytmn section that pound like a sledgehammer,when the first vocal passgae enters the fray we treated to some almost Death Metal tinged powerfulness,one thing this bands implements really well is killer grooves full of hooks with severely crushing heaviness, an element that didn't exist on their debut single is some awe-inspiring clean vocal passages which add a really epic feeling to the overall structure of the song,then you throw some absolutely tasty lead guitar work the sequences are at times difficult to comprehend making this a song full of surprise which will leave you specchless.
As i previously mentioned i was expecting something special with this new offering but to be brutally honest i wasn;t really prepared for the sublime quality Kraik have to offer, if this is the sort of standard we can expect in the future all i can say is bring it fucking on and plenty more please,absolutely phenomenal stuff,on a side note before i finish Metal is alive and well in The North West of Ireland ignore at your peril.
The Finest Purveyors of Groove Laden Stoner/Doom/Punk Fusion Hallions Puresonic Outcasts have returned with killer new material for the first time in almost two years with their brilliant new single Sacrifice this is possibly their heaviest and most aggressive output to date, lets dissect the finer details of this brilliant offering.
Straight away it's noticable that the production is better than on previous material, you get some absolutely stellar drumming courtesy of Graham Murray who has settled into the role perfectly after joing the band for the brilliant Endless Contemplation,his presence behind the kit really drives and pushes the groove laden heaviness to the fore with razor sharp precision, the basslines have a really punchy groovy feel to them throughout this and gives this track an extra element of groove and rhytmn, the tandem between the Lead and Rhytmn guitars are absolutely fantastic mixing crushingly heavy passages with soaring riff heavy leads full of passion and fuzzed out psychedelica,the final ingredients of the vocals are really gritty and are even more aggressive then on previous material at times it sounds like they're verging on Death Metal,suffice to say this is possibly the best overall track from the band.
Everytime a band releases something new it's becomes common place to look for some sort of improvement or progreesion on their sound,Puresonic Outcats have not only done all this in spades they've not only hit that glass ceiling they've smashed through it ,everything from the production ,the musicianship has porgressed to another level,it's like the band have finally found their sound and are even more heaier and agressive then ever before, Sacrifice truly is a quality offering that shows the bands true capabilities.
Psychedelic tinged Stoner Rock/Doom outfit Gravity Well have something sort of mysterous and strangely captivating about them in that they're not your average type of fuzzed out stoner rock entity could it be the haunting and ethereal vocals of Fionnuala McGlinchey or the spaced out psychedelic Guitar and Basslines that at time feel if they're laced with some sort of hulucinogens that bring you on a never-ending trip through the stratosphere or the tribalistic drumming that hints at subtle homages to the legendary Black Sabbath, if you think their debut album Earthbound was were they nailed their sound you're in for a pleasant surprise with their new brilliant opus Negative Space.
Opening tack As Above is like some sort of introduction or start of a hallucingenic/lucid dream that's equally hypnotic as it is eery and serves as the perfect precursor of what is about to unfold, time to enter some quality riffage with The Abstract ,the fuzzed out Guitar combined with those ethereal vocals give a whole new meaning to the word trippy and it feels like you're being lured into some sort of trip/journey into the unknown, things get all the more psychedelic with the brilliant Delirium if the opening two tracks were an attempt to lure you into some sort of trip then this leaves you in a whirlwind feeling of "Will I Won't I" like some sort of apprenhensiveness before you're about to let go of yourself,
The dread and doom of Burning Gaze begins to grip you in a trance and it feels like you can't escape this lucid dreamscape,there's some subtle odes to the track Black Sabbath running though this, something that's pretty hard to avoid when playing heavy music,this is possibly my favourite track on the album, the atmosphere get's a bit more chilled out with the ultra dreamy The Forest the vocal delivery had an extremely lo-fi dreamy effect that feels like your drfting throught some place laced with hallucingens. closing track So Below drags you further into the dreamlike sequences and that reaccuring voice that was present in the opening track has surfaced again and makes the atmosphere feel that slight bit Eery before eventually some sort of release comes over you and your left drifting for eternity.
What Negative Space has to offer is worth your time,it's feels like you're going through some psychedleic rollercoaster that keeps bringing you up and down through some sort of dream-like sequence which makes you feel all sort of emotions,dread,euphoria,paranoia etc encapsulate your body and you're not really sure if this is a dream or is it reality, Gravity Well have really upped their game on this one and created a spectacular opus that will leave you wanting more.
