Artist: Aeuphoria
Release Title: Æternal Velum
Year: 2016
Label: Magik Art Entertainment
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Ostium ad Inferos
2.Neuron Infectio
3.El origen de la agonía
4.NostrÆpidemia
5.El Upanishad I: Immortal
6.El Upanishad II: El velo de los dioses
7.Manifestum
8.PrÆcipitium
9.En llantos del inframundo
10.Eternamente en las penumbras
Formed just one year ago, Argentine tech-death metallers Aeuphoria have sought to create an impressive blend of atmospheric elements within the realms of dizzying technical riff-work. Now ready for their full-on debut release, this was originally an independent release April 4th, 2016 before getting reissued May 20 by Magik Art Entertainment and starts them off on a note.
Due to their approach of mixing the atmospherics within their music, the group manages to combine some rather nice elements to their music with a lot of rather spacey ambient sections serving as intros to the tracks as a whole or accenting the rest of the music with the keyboards wallowing away in the background as sprawling background accents to the pummeling attack dished out. That attack itself centers on choppy, swirling riff-work that occasionally descends into wanking rhythms but manages to mostly remain tight and blistering with the challenging and complex arrangements being dished out signalling its connection to the technical realm. Those are a fine mix of jangly wankery and strong, composed accents that make for a wholly appropriate and dynamic approach that’s given quite a wide berth here while the accented rhythms are occupying a mere back-up role, and the variety of this approach where it works both as the driving force within the music as well as the fine backing musical accents creates a much richer, more mature approach than initially expected and stands out even more here given the band’s infancy within the scene as well as the fact that there’s nothing else released beforehand to show the band’s progression. There’s a minor issue here where the band does descend into full-on wankery with it’s technical riffing which just comes off as wholly cliched and completely unoriginal as they go through their paces throughout here without really accomplishing anything of any real deviation within the music, and with the tracks being this short and brief that can be an issue for some getting into the band.
Despite some minor amount of issues that serve themselves mostly as a result of their youthfulness and inexperience that should get ironed out and refined more as time goes on, there’s enough at work here that this one will mostly appeal to those who can’t get enough of that wanking style of tech-death or those who appreciate the more technical bent towards death metal as a whole.
Artist: Necroabortion
Release Title: The Mutation Process
Year: 2016
Label: Disembodied Records
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1.The Mutation Process
2.The Scavengers' Feast
3.War Puppet
4.Dreams Spectator
5.Veiled Strings
6.Horrid Crossbreed
7.We Are the Plague
8.Forced Involution
9.Will To Power
10.Eviscerated from Life
11.Oscura Encomienda
Certainly having their share of lineup issues, Argentine death metallers Necroabortion have really been felled from capitalizing on their debut with these issues and has held them up for nearly a decade. Finally dropping their second guitarist for this release to settle on a devastating three-piece assault and featuring the same ferocious attitude, their new album comes out August 4, 2016 independently.
Despite their South American heritage, it could easily be forgiven for thinking the band hails from Florida circa-1995 such is their chosen attack structure. With tight, technical rhythms running along in frantic patterns that takes a full-on grinding approach to the steady tempos here, and it’s all straight from that particular playbook. Hammering out the technicality in their riff-work yet keeping it all within the realms of what’s needed within the arrangements rather than to showcase how rapidly they can change their riffing patterns keeps this diving along through frenzied patterns and dynamic up-tempo chugging rhythms which offers a nicely varied approach that’s wholly appreciative here with the approach giving this some dynamic crunchy rhythms alongside the frantic blistering blasts that are also offered up with a conviction and energy that’s appealing. It is certainly possible to tell where it’s going in terms of the arrangements, though, as the one main downfall of the band is the fact that they take those rhythms so explicitly that it really doesn’t offer forth a really original vision or approach regardless of the competency of their attack. This is really carried over as well into the album’s rather curious ability to really just end their tracks so suddenly that it’s almost jarring rather than ending naturally and it’s somewhat disarming when being blasting by a ferocious lead or a dynamic blast section only for a sudden end to the music to occur which really places emphasis on that last-played note and it really causes them to stick out even further. Still, to be this good after the layoff and struggle is quite commendable.
Though it does have some minor issues here and there when it comes to really carving out their own niche, sometimes just a competent and enthusiastic approach is enough to lift it up enough to listenability which gives this effort a wide berth of appeal to fervent fanatics of the Floridian approach to death metal or most of the revivalist bands in this style.
Artist: Cavador
Release Title: Prohibido Nacer EP
Year: 2015
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Prohibido Nacer
2.Campo Desolado
3.Ausgebombt (Sodom cover)
4.Prohibited Be Born
The new EP from Argentine thrashers Cavador features enough intriguing moments of old-school thrash which fits nicely into the South American variants in the genre. For the most part this here is mostly a crunchy, Bay-Area styled riff-work that rattles along with a series of sloppy arrangements which feature the type of frantic up-tempo paces that typify the kind of energetic and frantic off-the-rails thrash that’s utilized here. It’s one of the few kinds of efforts that manages to weave out far longer and winding arrangements than it really should because of that riffing style where it swirls around building up into the kind of overlong efforts here as this one really does work along quite nicely despite that rather disjointed feel. Even with that facet, the short running time here with the three original tracks and the cover simply makes that kind of riff-work all the more apparent because that’s all that appears here where the three long, winding tracks are buffered around the simple, one-note cover which sticks out here.
Overall here this one wasn’t all that bad. The opening title track works through the series of swirling rhythms into a mid-tempo series of thumping riffing alongside blasting drumming throughout the series of winding rhythms and scalding leads thrashing alongside the blasting drumming through a strong series of thumping rhythms leading to the acoustic-driven final half for a strong opening impression. ‘Campo Desolado’ takes tight, mid-tempo riffing and simplistic drumming into a steady, straightforward mid-tempo pace as the swirling rhythms carry along through plodding mid-tempo sprawling for a melodic buffer against the raging, surging solo section and carrying into the stuttering finale for an enjoyable if slightly weaker effort. Their cover of Sodom’s classic ‘Ausgebombt’ offers an incredibly faithful and enjoyable homage to the original with plenty of fiery rhythms and the same punk-ish attitude as the original yet still feels a little out-of-place as their original material is a lot more complex and involved compared to the stripped-down and simple nature of this one though it’s still remains a faithful and endearing version. Finally, ‘Prohibited Be Born’ features a tight, crunchy series of explosive riff-work and simple drumming working into a rather frenetic pace with plenty of tight, furious leads driving the raging rhythms into the surging solo section as the melodic riff-work leads into the charging finale for a strong and enjoyable lasting impression.
Despite a minor problem with it that gets a bit more pronounced over time, that isn’t a big enough factor to really overwhelm the raging energy featured here which makes for quite an appealing time here for fans of the bands’ past work or devout followers of retro-fueled South American thrash.
Artist: Hate Fusion
Release Title: Filth
Year: 2015
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Torture Techniques
2.Under
3.Catharsis
4.The Hunter
5.Conquer Your Fears
6.Rolling Dick
7.Death Bringer
8.Fields of Blood
9.The Darkest Angel
10.Centuries of Aggression
The debut effort from Argentine melodic death metallers Hate Fusion isn’t really out to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the genre but still manages quite a decent showing in the style regardless. This here is pretty straightforward and simplistic melodically-styled death metal which is anchored rather nicely by the heavy chugging riff-work that takes the form of most modern melodic death metal which features that style. For the most part, this keeps the material firmly in the mid-tempo charge with the occasional burst into faster tempos with the influx of cleaner riff-work that is further augmented rather well with the addition of clean crooning in select passages while the harsher rasp takes on the majority of the work that doesn’t overdo a tactic to keep it’s impact solidly in place while still holding true to the tenets of the style and genre. As expected, the faster tempos kick the energy up even with some solid tempos and pacing on display elsewhere here with the mid-tempo charges, and on the whole this one comes off with a sense of professionalism that’s very enticing and rewarding. Still, there’s one main running problem throughout this one in that it’s rather fundamental and unoriginal, tending to play by the rules and convictions of the genre without really doing anything all that dynamic or unique with it. It’s all competence without originality, and that can tend to wear thin at times when this one starts going along at the second half when it’s simply doing the same thing without much difference in style or attack.
The first half here is a solid and enjoyable part of this one. Opener ‘Torture Techniques’ utilizes strong choppy rhythms and steady, straightforward drumming keeping the whirling melodic leads running alongside the chugging grooves and stylish up-tempo rhythms that bring the clean vocals into the urgent solo section and on through the final half for a solid opening impression. ‘Under’ offers a plodding melodic intro that settles into a steady, simplistic chug with swirling melodic leads alongside simplistic patterns before rattling along to a dramatically more urgent series of rhythms with the energetic riffing carrying the tight rhythms into the solo section and on through the finale for another highly enjoyable effort. ‘Catharsis’ uses simple melodic chugging and mid-tempo drumming carrying along a series of tight swirling leads driving along through the steady patterns with plenty of tight chugging patterns with the melodic leads over the buzzing mid-tempo solo section and keeping the tight rhythms throughout the urgent final half for a solid highlight effort. ‘The Hunter’ immediately blasts through intense drumming and urgent, up-tempo chugging riff-work keeping the steady mid-tempo rhythms along throughout the tight thrashing patterns alongside melodic leads with plenty of pounding, chaotic drumming leading into the solo section and chugging along into the finale for another solid track. ‘Conquer Your Fears’ takes simplistic drumming and tight charging rhythmic chugging alongside simplistic patterns with the choppy drumming holding the melodic leads into the intense drumming patterns and urgent rhythms leading along the solo section and keeping the up-tempo energy through the final half for a decent enough effort.
Though down a minor step, the second half still has a lot to like overall here. ‘Rolling Dick’ takes a simplistic and straightforward mid-tempo plodding riff with steady drumming before kicking into a higher gear with more urgent riff-work and kinetic pounding drumming that continues to hold the simplistic rhythms along throughout the finale for a decent if unspectacular offering. ‘Death Bringer’ offers a charging series of melodic chugging riff-work and tight pounding drumming letting the melodic leads hold the simple melodic rhythms into the plodding mid-section as the stylish chugging riff-work keeps the energetic patterns and pounding drumming on through the swirling final half for a stronger and more impressive highlight. ‘Fields of Blood’ uses a simple charging riff with plenty of tight melodic leads running alongside the pounding drumming with a strong series of chugging rhythms keeping the mid-tempo pace along at a steady pace with the furious drumming leading the urgent tempos through the melodic solo section and on into the finale for another impressive showing. ‘The Darkest Angel’ features straightforward and simplistic riffing with pounding drumming carrying along a charging up-tempo urgent pace with a stylish series of melodic leads keeping the intensity down throughout the mid-section as the choppy rhythms and up-tempo drumming carry on through the final half for another strong effort. Album-closer ‘Centuries of Aggression’ utilizes a swirling series of melodic leads with straightforward riffing and plenty of dynamic drumming keeping the up-tempo pace balanced with the tight chugging rhythms and pounding drumming running along to the series of strong patterns along throughout the pounding rhythms into the solo section and along throughout the finale for an enjoyable lasting impression here.
Though this here isn’t the most original of efforts into this particular field, it’s still competent enough and features enough points to like that the progress of the band in the future is going to be fun to watch especially for devout melodic death metal fanatics as well as those curious about other South American scenes not influenced by the extreme end of the spectrum.
