NervoChaos - Nyctophilia

Artist: NervoChaos
Release Title: Nyctophilia
Year: 2017
Label: Greyhaze Records/Cogumelo Records (co-production)
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Moloch Rise
2. Ritualistic
3. Ad Majorem Satanae Gloriam
4. Season of the Witch
5. Waters of Chaos
6. The Midnight Hunter
7. Rites of 13 Cemeteries
8. Vampiric Cannibal Goddess
9. Stained With Blood
10. Lord Death
11. Dead End
12. World Aborted
13. Live Like Suicide

Still carrying strong to this day, Brazilian death metal maniacs NervoChaos have been around for just over two decades and have remained one of the most consistent if not prolific acts in the genre which is the result of several line-up changes over the years. With longtime member Eduardo Lane joined by new guitarist Cherry, Lauro on guitars and vocals as well as a returning Thiago Anduscias, the groups’ seventh full-length effort arrives April 7, 2017 on a coproduction with Greyhaze Records and the legendary Cogumelo Records.

Holding true to their legacy, the group pretty much offers the same explosive attack that served them well throughout their storied career. That means a sharp series of simple, churning riff-work and rapid-fire tempos, offering plenty of blistering rhythms that bring along the raw, primitive blackened style. Offering a small stepping between the charging riff-work and dripping simplistic work overall a part of their style, this offers up a truly dark and furious attack that really gives this a frantic effort. When this drops off into softer realms, there’s a difference in the intensity and driving riff-work featured throughout here as the straightforward churning style on display here works incredibly well with the faster sections yet not on these slower parts which just sounds sluggish and barely devoid of any energy or enthusiasm. It’s the single detrimental issue to be found here as the rest of the album, no matter how tight and confined the majority of the rhythms may seem, soak in that tight and brutal atmosphere which helps to overcome these issues.

Carrying on with a strong, familiar sense to their traditional sound, the group is certainly giving off another solid release that has plenty to like and only a few minor issues to be found here that makes this a fine choice for fans of their previous work or those into the Brazilian extreme metal scene in general.

Score: 82/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.target.com/p/nervochaos-nyctophilia-cd/-/A-52444885

Mutilator (Bra) - Immortal Force

Artist: Mutilator (Bra)
Release Title: Immortal Force
Year: 1987 (2016 reissue)
Label: Cogumelo Records (Greyhaze Records reissue)
Genre: Thrash/Death Metal
Tracklisting (original):
1. Memorial Stone Without a Name
2. Blood Storm
3. Butcher
4. War Dogs
5. Mutilator
6. Brigade of Hate
7. Immortal Force
8. Tormented Soul
9. Paranoic Command

Reissue Tracklisting:
1. Memorial Stone Without a Name
2. Blood Storm
3. Butcher
4. War Dogs
5. Mutilator
6. Brigade of Hate
7. Immortal Force
8. Tormented Soul
9. Paranoic Command
10. Evil Conspiracy (Demo)
11. Visions of Darkness (Demo)

Formed back in 1985, Brazilian death/thrash metallers under the name Mutilator were one of the handfull of acts at the forefront of the country’s extreme metal explosion that laid the foundation for the majority of acts to come in the later years to follow. One of the more important and influential albums in the original scene, the groups’ full-length debut was originally released in May 1987 on legendary Cogumelo Records before a variety of reissues including a vinyl version on June 10, 2016 on Greyhaze Records.

Given their time of activity and country of origin, there’s little surprise about what to be found in this release as it’s quite familiar in its approach. This offers up plenty of rabid thrashing rhythms in chaotic, frenetic patterns which offer barely-contained rhythms that explode in energetic outbursts after sections of quiet sprawling between these sections. This set-up, familiar to a large variety of bands from this scene, makes for quite a schizophrenic act with the rather ferocious, raw riff-work throughout here leaving the album full of fast-paced work with wild soloing and plenty of blistering drumming to accompany the frantic work within. Given all this frantic and wild material, there’s a lot of utterly vicious thrashing on display which is surely given a phenomenal boost by the atypical production work. This features that wild and raw sounding production which comes off making the material sound just that extra bit of sloppiness to appear unrehearsed and off-the-cuff like a typical jam session caught on tape, and yet for this album it works perfectly in letting the razor-wire riffing attain that style of speed and urgency which makes for a wholly defined sense of chaos within the music. This is one of the album’s strengths and helps to strengthen the connection between these acts and the more extreme works to come later on, giving this the feel of an important stepping stone in history while enhancing the enjoyment of the work isolated from its legacy. Some might not take that to mean much as it can come off sloppy and disorganized, but it makes for a great time here.

Being quite the impressive and truly vicious thrash release, this is one of the more important releases in the crowded scene from that time-period and works more often than not, making this one a rather influential release and this version of the album essential for all fans of raw, rabid early death/thrash metal.

Score: 95/100

Does it sound good? Order the reissue from here:
https://greyhazerecords.bandcamp.com/album/immortal-force