Between April 5th and June 28th, there were some very decent releases that didn't get a full review but deserved my attention anyway.
EXUMER Hostile Defiance (04/05)
No no-sense German thrash metal! That pretty much summarizes this very good album. The underrated peers of Destruction and Kreator. The album starts very well and the first half is a thrash metal delight. Full of fist pumping riffs and headbanging groove. It looses a bit momentum on the last 4 songs. But it still worth it.
ELUVEITIE Ategnatos (04/05)
This is a band that have been on my wait-list to give some serious consideration. I must say that the wait paid off, I really enjoyed this album. There are just a handful of bands with male/female duos that I like, and Eluveitie has joined this group. The female singer is powerful and emotional, it reminds me a lot of Nightwish. But also the male death metal vocals are top notch. To complete the formula we add the folk components and we have a great well balanced mix. This is a band with nine members! Therefore Celtic harp, Uilleann pipes, Hurdy-gurdy, violin, etc are not just supporting instruments, but integral part of Eluveitie's music. I have only two problems with Ategnatos, some songs are too "Nightwishy" and the albums overstays its welcome.
STEEL PROPHET The God Machine (04/26)
The American power metal veterans led by the founder and main writer Steve Kachinsky put out their debut back in 1990. The band has been through countless lineup changes. The latest being the addition of R.D. Liapakis (Mystic Prophecy) on vocals. And that's one of the album's positive. Also on the good side, for a power metal album it is very concise: ten songs in forty minutes. Only one song breaks the four minute barrier, so it's a very direct album. The bad news is that there's nothing really new here and the replay desire is low. But it's good quality USPM delivered with energy and good musicianship.
RINGWORM Death Becomes My Voice (05/03)
I'm not a big fan oh Hardcore, but Ringworm makes a very metallic hardcore for almost 30 years which I appreciate. In 2019 with Death Becomes My Voice, that's no different. After an instrumental section of one and a half minutes the title track drum fill and bass kick in and the madness starts. 37 minutes of a pissed off James "Human Furnace" Bulloch screaming at you. But there's enough melody and hooks to do so without getting exhausting. Most of the time the album is fast tempo, but not always which helps to keep it interesting.
POSSESSED Revelations of Oblivion (05/10)
Released in October 1985 Seven Churches created a whole new genre of music - death metal. Beyond the Gates, the second album took a different direction from their debut and became a sign of Possessed's decline before they officially disbanded. This became the band’s last full length album, up until now with the release of their third studio album Revelations of Oblivion, 33 years later. Before working on new material, Possessed only original member, vocalist Jeff Becerra revamped the band in 2007. Since then the band has made several live appearances. Certainly this built in chemistry was essential for the success of Revelations of Oblivion. The elements that made their debut such a classic are all present here fast thrashy riffs, Becerra's raspy trademark growl, pummeling drums and great song writing. While based on their original music, Revelations of Oblivion sounds modern and well produced. The comparison to Seven Churches is a very high bar to surpass, but still Becerra and crew were able to surprise everyone with another fantastic thrash/death metal album.
SAVAGE MESSIAH Demons (05/17)
Demons is already the fifth album from this British heavy/power/thrash metal band and second with Century Media. The band was formed by guitarist and lead vocalist Dave Silver and has changed two band members of the four this year. And that's not the only changes. While their first albums were influenced by power metal and AOR, Savage Messiah were trashier and even more progressive back then. The last album and now Demons see a transition to the increased influence of power metal and AOR. Shorter, simpler songs and not as heavy. Don't get me wrong, the musical quality is still there. It's just being used differently. The riffs are great, melodies are catchy and some songs are still quite thrashy and heavy. I do like this album, but I'd prefer the directions they had in 2014's The Fateful Dark.
DEATH ANGEL Humanicide (05/31)
Since their come back in 2004, Death Angel has been extremely productive, releasing consistently great albums since my favorite 2008's Killing Season. Humanicide is now the ninth album of pure bay area thrash metal. There are no frills, bells or whistles here, just crushing thrash riffs, the distinctive voice of Mark Osegueda (one of the best in thrash), memorable vocal lines and competent bass/drums foundation. If you like thrash, you can't go wrong with this band, they are one of the best in the genre. There's nothing really new here, but why change a winning formula?
DARKTHRONE Old Star (05/31)
Since 1992's A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal legend. The band has been a duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto ever since the guitarist Zephyrous left the band in 1993. After an impressive sixteen albums, Darkthrone pretty much do what they like. Their music is rooted in the black metal but with each of the latest albums, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto do what they feel like, the music they love. The previous record Arctic Thunder was a black n' roll album heavily influenced by traditional heavy metal. Old Star is a different beast, the new album is a sludge/doom metal album. Only six long songs with crushing riffs and mostly slow to mid tempo. It's well written and executed heavy metal for those who just appreciate great music regardless of genre boundaries. Join me if you like, if you don't, they won't care. There's other sixteen albums to choose from.
This is a band that have been on my wait-list to give some serious consideration. I must say that the wait paid off, I really enjoyed this album. There are just a handful of bands with male/female duos that I like, and Eluveitie has joined this group. The female singer is powerful and emotional, it reminds me a lot of Nightwish. But also the male death metal vocals are top notch. To complete the formula we add the folk components and we have a great well balanced mix. This is a band with nine members! Therefore Celtic harp, Uilleann pipes, Hurdy-gurdy, violin, etc are not just supporting instruments, but integral part of Eluveitie's music. I have only two problems with Ategnatos, some songs are too "Nightwishy" and the albums overstays its welcome.
The American power metal veterans led by the founder and main writer Steve Kachinsky put out their debut back in 1990. The band has been through countless lineup changes. The latest being the addition of R.D. Liapakis (Mystic Prophecy) on vocals. And that's one of the album's positive. Also on the good side, for a power metal album it is very concise: ten songs in forty minutes. Only one song breaks the four minute barrier, so it's a very direct album. The bad news is that there's nothing really new here and the replay desire is low. But it's good quality USPM delivered with energy and good musicianship.
I'm not a big fan oh Hardcore, but Ringworm makes a very metallic hardcore for almost 30 years which I appreciate. In 2019 with Death Becomes My Voice, that's no different. After an instrumental section of one and a half minutes the title track drum fill and bass kick in and the madness starts. 37 minutes of a pissed off James "Human Furnace" Bulloch screaming at you. But there's enough melody and hooks to do so without getting exhausting. Most of the time the album is fast tempo, but not always which helps to keep it interesting.
Released in October 1985 Seven Churches created a whole new genre of music - death metal. Beyond the Gates, the second album took a different direction from their debut and became a sign of Possessed's decline before they officially disbanded. This became the band’s last full length album, up until now with the release of their third studio album Revelations of Oblivion, 33 years later. Before working on new material, Possessed only original member, vocalist Jeff Becerra revamped the band in 2007. Since then the band has made several live appearances. Certainly this built in chemistry was essential for the success of Revelations of Oblivion. The elements that made their debut such a classic are all present here fast thrashy riffs, Becerra's raspy trademark growl, pummeling drums and great song writing. While based on their original music, Revelations of Oblivion sounds modern and well produced. The comparison to Seven Churches is a very high bar to surpass, but still Becerra and crew were able to surprise everyone with another fantastic thrash/death metal album.
Demons is already the fifth album from this British heavy/power/thrash metal band and second with Century Media. The band was formed by guitarist and lead vocalist Dave Silver and has changed two band members of the four this year. And that's not the only changes. While their first albums were influenced by power metal and AOR, Savage Messiah were trashier and even more progressive back then. The last album and now Demons see a transition to the increased influence of power metal and AOR. Shorter, simpler songs and not as heavy. Don't get me wrong, the musical quality is still there. It's just being used differently. The riffs are great, melodies are catchy and some songs are still quite thrashy and heavy. I do like this album, but I'd prefer the directions they had in 2014's The Fateful Dark.
Since their come back in 2004, Death Angel has been extremely productive, releasing consistently great albums since my favorite 2008's Killing Season. Humanicide is now the ninth album of pure bay area thrash metal. There are no frills, bells or whistles here, just crushing thrash riffs, the distinctive voice of Mark Osegueda (one of the best in thrash), memorable vocal lines and competent bass/drums foundation. If you like thrash, you can't go wrong with this band, they are one of the best in the genre. There's nothing really new here, but why change a winning formula?
Since 1992's A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal legend. The band has been a duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto ever since the guitarist Zephyrous left the band in 1993. After an impressive sixteen albums, Darkthrone pretty much do what they like. Their music is rooted in the black metal but with each of the latest albums, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto do what they feel like, the music they love. The previous record Arctic Thunder was a black n' roll album heavily influenced by traditional heavy metal. Old Star is a different beast, the new album is a sludge/doom metal album. Only six long songs with crushing riffs and mostly slow to mid tempo. It's well written and executed heavy metal for those who just appreciate great music regardless of genre boundaries. Join me if you like, if you don't, they won't care. There's other sixteen albums to choose from.
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