Nominon/Sabbat (Jap)/Blaspherian - Trident of the Macabre split album

Artist: Nominon/Sabbat (Jap)/Blaspherian
Release Title: Trident of the Macabre split album
Year: 2016
Label: Fallen-Angel Productions
Genre: Swedish Death Metal; Black/Thrash Metal; Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Nominon - Release in Death
2. Nominon - Mountain of Hate
3. Nominon - Son of Doom
4. Nominon - Rigor Mortis
5. Sabbat - The Egg of Dapple
6. Sabbat - Mion's Hill (20th Epic Gezol Version)
7. Sabbat - Splatter
8. Sabbat - Harmageddon
9. Blaspherian - Praising Impurity
10. Blaspherian - In the Shadow
11. Blaspherian - Lies of the Cross
12. Blaspherian - The Blessings of Sanctity Rescinded (Live)

The new split release bringing together Swedish deathsters Nominon, Japanese black/thrash maniacs Sabbat and Texas death metal revivalists Blaspherion on one platter is a wholly enjoyable sampling for each of the bands presented. Released March 5, 2016 on Fallen-Angel Productions, this is one of the more impressive and enjoyable splits in existence.

For Nominon, the name of game is straightforward Swedish death metal and they’re not fooling anyone with the opening notes signaling their intention of paying homage to those greats from the start. Deep, churning chainsaw-flavored grooves and that rattling old-school production are in full-effect and not for a second are dropped throughout here as the up-tempo rhythms are at the forefront of their attack and it’s just simple, straightforward efforts. This straightforward attitude might wear on some, but the competence of their attack more than makes up for it.

The Japanese entity Sabbat, known for their productivity and ardent work-ethic, offers a simplistic and slightly rawer take on the old-school black/thrash style as the central riffing is built around simplistic plodding thrash arrangements with plenty of weirdly-accented vocals that adds a wholly appealing dynamic to their sound. They’re ultra-simplistic and even somewhat sloppy in their arrangements, but those weird vocals over the raw rhythms make it a slightly more appealing take with these creating such a different stylistic take compared to the more death metal-oriented groups surrounding them on the split. The rawness and simplicity might be too much for some to take, but they’ve been around this long for a reason.

Lastly, Blaspherian is a rather curious case with their old-school Incantation-worshipping style that comes straight from their playbook. From the tight, swirling riffing and rather brutal attack, there’s a simplistic approach to their attack that’s given all the more life here based on their production style that effectively matches that dirty, droning style so prominent in that approach. It’s all quite obvious and apparent of this influence as the choppy swirling rhythms and propensity for including sprawling sections of extended laid-back tempos, yet this works for their favor by allowing for plenty of easy-access to their sound by being this familiar to their chosen approach.

The fact that all of the bands have some impressive and stylish work representing them is an impressive enough feat here that on the whole this effort serves as an easy introduction to every one of the bands featured and makes for a highly enjoyable and recommended split anyways.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://fallangels.cafe24.com/product/detail.html?product_no=2809&cate_no=1&display_group=2

Pit of Carnage - The Rise of the Fallen King

Artist: Pit of Carnage
Release Title: The Rise of the Fallen King
Year: 2016
Label: CDN Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Feed the Machine
2. The Rise of the Fallen King
3. Obsession of a God
4. Pile of Corpses
5. Bring It On
6. Leviathan I
7. Leviathan II
8. Reflections of Desire
9. Voids of the Abyss
10. Walking the Shadows

Founded in 2013, Danish brutal death metallers Pit of Carnage came together because of a need to go heavier and more brutal than their previous bands and settled on a two-person line-up of GoreDrummer and Kasper Hansen. When that fizzled following the debut release, GoreDrummer took over all other instruments while bringing Peter Juelsgaard for bass-duties and unleashed this second opus August 3rd, 2016 on CDN Records.

Blasting out with fervent vigor and intense rhythms, the effort really showcases the tight and frantic rhythms that are given plenty of space to drag out the deep, crunchy riff-work. Utilizing thunderous drumming into tight, blasting rhythms along a sea of swirling, somewhat-technical riffing brings along the brutality here through the rather dynamic series of tempos throughout here, going for either the slow, ominous crawl or offering up faster, rabid rhythms that take full advantage of the thunderous pounding and deep-set bass-lines all the while letting the swirling technicality in the riff-work take over here. Charging alongside this fine work is a slower section of plodding atmospheric sprawling chug that’s somewhat at odds with the remaining part of their sound but is still a highly enjoyable aspect here that features some rather tight, crunchy work on display here that helps in the brutality regard even with the stagnant tempos off-setting the much more ferocious work elsewhere here. In essence that itself seems to be the only real downfall of the album is this rather stilted pacing when it drops the faster blasting for the sprawling chug, and once this gets back into those more favorable tempos there’s a lot of great material here that’s quite enjoyable. The decision to split up the two-piece instrumental tracks when it could’ve worked solidly as one is a slightly questionable one, but as for the music it’s not that big of an issue.

Overall this here is quite an enjoyable blast of brutal death metal that definitely gets plenty of its better moments once it really goes for the kill instead of standing back and trying to crush the listener with slower tempos, leaving this one to really appeal mostly to ardent fanatics of European brutal death metal or less discernable death metal fans.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://pitofcarnage.bandcamp.com/

Reanimator (Ca)/Soul Collector (Pol) - In Union We Thrash split

Artist: Reanimator (Ca)/Soul Collector (Pol)
Release Title: In Union We Thrash split
Year: 2016
Label: Defense Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Soul Collector - It Is Time (Intro)
2. Soul Collector - The Pledge
3. Soul Collector - Never Enough
4. Soul Collector - 1968
5. Reanimator - Peaceful Eradication
6. Reanimator - Beyond That Burning Mask
7. Reanimator - The Abominautor
8. Reanimator - The Mosh Master
9. Reanimator - Rush for the Mosh
10. Reanimator - Tempted by Deviance

Two of the better revivalist thrash-scene efforts, the Canadian Reanimator and the Polish Soul Collector are among the more impressive and engaging acts in this crowded market that keeps growing by the day. This new split release, released April 16th, 2016 on Defense, gathers ten tracks, four new compositions from Soul Collector and six from Reanimator, with four of their better tracks from their last release alongside two new efforts, brings together a lot to like from both bands.

First up is Soul Collector, and they immediately bring out their best work here with a rabid, snarling attack centered on their vicious riff-work and dynamic rhythms for a truly old-school workout. Based on tight, swirling thrash riffing and plenty of crunchy patterns at dizzying full-throttle tempos augmented with plenty of furious drumming propelling the material along incredibly well, there’s so much sonically to enjoy here that this quickly gets infectious and highly enjoyable as this provides epic arrangements and solid tempo changes like a truer old-school thrash act. This shows off the fact that they’re able to offer a tight plodding epic that builds into a ripping full-throttle thrasher, a more mid-tempo crunch style attack or the straightforward thrasher, and it’s quite enjoyable. They’re not the most unique or original act in the genre, which isn’t a big deal since so many bands are content to really play off the same playbook as it each other, but here the infectious energy and tight performances are more than enough to counter that. It’s really a shame there’s only the three true tracks here with them getting the instrumental intro, but it’s not a major gripe against them and they’re easily the best band here.

Next, Reanimator bursts forth with their more chaotic bent on retro thrashing as this one really lets their ripping Bay-Area riffing take center-stage. Tight, vicious and crunchy with just the right blend of chaos-driven anarchy in the arrangements that provides solid framework here to really showcase their intensity, on the whole this here is rather enjoyable and dynamic while really bringing out a more looser sense of reckless energy in their rhythms that’s quite enjoyable for the most part. The main thing here is the fact that there’s only two original  tracks by the group and then slapped on four of their best tracks from the last release which seems a little lazy here. The other group took the time to compose some original material and while they came up with three plus the original, the epic arrangements provided there don’t quite match up to the work here since their shortest track is still longer than anything on this half of the split, and that really tends to make their side feel like it’s going through the motions more than anything. The music is good, but it’s so familiar because of the repeat performances that it lowers the release slightly.

Though this one does seem to come off a little lower than it really should’ve because of the repeated tracks against the original compositions on display, the fact remains that there’s still so much to really like here that this is a no-doubt inquiry for fans of either band as well as revival thrash fanatics of any kind.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.defense.8merch.com/soul_collector_reanimator_in_union_we_thrash-id9115

Omnicide (Swiss) - Constants and Variables

Artist: Omnicide (Swiss)
Release Title: Constants and Variables
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Failure to Die
2. Municipal Holocaust
3. Welcome to Misery
4. Knowledge Is Ignorance
5. In Burial Clouds
6. Molotov Cocktail Party
7. Leviathan
8. Tod u Hass
9. Convinced by Superior Firepower
10. Dalai BlaBla

Formed in 2010, the Swiss death/thrashers using the name Omnicide immediately unleashed a demo that sets the stage for a debut that arrived two years later. Now four years after this release, the group unleashes their self-released second collection of tight, crunchy death-laced thrash metal on April 1, 2016.

Overall the album manages to generate the kind of mostly mid-tempo style work that mixes these two particular genres together, offering a rather vicious crunchy throughout here. Taking tight, technical thrash leanings and the swirling rhythms here that give the music an overall strong thrash identity, it gets balanced out rather nicely with the a blasting death metal vibe offering plenty of short, blasting breakdowns which evoke far more modern brutal death metal work than true thrash bands. By opting for a slightly more groove-based chug in these sections, it changes away from the thrash sections into more of a Deathcore-styled attack with the emphasis on swirling -core riffing featured alongside these tight thrashy patterns. This is quite a fun overall attack with a lot of overall effective moments, but does tend to feature a somewhat troubling element here. By adding a strong Deathcore style series of riff-work into these thrash-laced patterns, it causes this come off with a seriously stilted series of tempos and paces here that’s quite discordant and rather puzzling. Rather than go in for the more cohesive collection of material that’s normally expected of such inclusions it seems to stutter and trip over itself by slowing the tempos down unnecessarily which results in tracks which usually have great elements to them but hardly remain consistently enjoyable all throughout in order to really maximize their potential.

Though it somewhat stumbles at times with the different paces and rather clunky rhythm changes that appear throughout here, the basic attack is still a vicious, hard-hitting effort that manages to work overall well\-enough to make this an appealing-if-unessential listen for fans of the hard-hitting death/thrash mixtures usually found in the genre.

Score: 77/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://omnicide.bandcamp.com/

Skjult - Within the Flesh

Artist: Skjult
Release Title: Within the Flesh
Year: 2016
Label: Cvlminis
Genre: Raw Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Within the Flesh
2. Death Has Reached the Skies
3. 7th Vision
4. I Serve...
5. As I Walk Among the Flames
6. In a World ov Gall and Blood
7. Last Requiem

From the city of La Habana, Cuban black metallers Skjult operate as a one-man band of one named Conspirator who founded the project in 2015 and has since quickly ushered this debut offering. Initially an independent release February 11, 2016 before a Cvlminis re-issue April 6th digitally and then a CD-pressing on April 25, 2016, this blistering assault features a nicely defined raw, undeveloped style of black metal.

Though the album might be quite raw and of the undercooked style, on the whole there’s still a lot to really like here. The fact that the guitar riffing is based around a deep, churning series of rhythms is where the band absolutely shines with this one producing a rather simplistic yet highly infectious monotonous tone in their work with both the mid-tempo paces and the faster more chaotic gallops working nicely with together here with that riff-work to generate some rather atmospheric passages. The low, droning buzz accompanying these riffs is suitably appropriate and grim, managing a fine feat in creating such a perfectly-honed and crafted setting that it’s nearly impossible to create that kind of dark atmosphere elsewhere as the raw, gravely production on the album actually accentuates the work to perfect heights and gets the most mileage out of the rhythms by drowning all the repetition and simple riffing in a blanket haze that’s imminently enjoyable and immersive. While this works nicely for the guitars, the production here does hamper other instruments here with the bass being nearly non-existent and the drumming carrying a messy tone that sounds akin to pounding away on cardboard boxes regardless of it roaring out of the gates at full-throttle or marching along to the droning mid-paced efforts. Now, some leeway is given here in that regard not only for this being a debut effort but also considering the country of origin which isn’t exactly a hotbed that would allow access to top-notch recording areas anyway so that is forgiven somewhat, yet still the blink-and-it’s-over mentality isn’t as much due to the album’s quick running time really just ending once it gets going. This here is a case where another track or two to help lengthen the record would’ve done wonders as it just seems a little short, but still there’s a lot to like here.

Though this one does have some problems, some of it out of the bands’ hands and some of it they’re fully capable of fixing, the fact that this one does have so much to really like about it makes this a fine choice for those aficionados of the raw, undercooked style of black metal or those looking at the band’s homeland as a curiosity feature.

Score: 82/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://cvlminis.bandcamp.com/album/within-the-flesh

Selvans - Lupercalia

Artist: Selvans
Release Title: Lupercalia
Year: 2015
Label: Avantgarde Music
Genre: Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Matavitatau
2. Versipellis
3. O Clitumne!
4. Hirpi Sorani
5. Scurtchìn
6. N.A.F.H.

The debut full-length from Italian atmospheric black/folk metallers Selvans continues on the band’s recent string of utterly impressive and dynamic work in that particular genre. Released October 19, 2015 from Avantgarde Music, this follows up quickly from their EP earlier in the year with over an hour of finely-crafted and vicious keyboard-led symphonic black metal with many elements of traditional Italian folk.

This here is a wholly impressive and dynamic offering of atmospheric black metal that retains a lot of those particular trappings quite well. Centered around furious, swirling tremolo riffing and a truly relentless and violent drumming style, the main mix here is the dynamic and truly charging traditional black metal at play here which is all nicely overlaid with the absolutely vicious folk work on display. Ranging from traditional Italian folk instruments in flutes and pipes as well as nicely accented keyboard lines that can at times produce a more symphonic approach only through the grandiosity of the compositions despite still clearly playing folk patterns and arrangements, the whole approach of vicious, intense black metal is a considerable achievement that flows throughout the tracks here. This naturalistic approach, coupled with the majestic tremolo riff-work swirling around the material into extravagant epics of both melodic splendour and raging fury that is actually wholly impressive considering not only is this a debut offering but it manages to make this particular shifts in style sound organic as well as a natural part of the band’s sound which scores so well here. If the album could be faulted for anything it’s the utterly unnecessary and overlong epics that keep popping up in this one which really goes on for way too long at parts with it repeating sections or riffing wholesale simply to create the epic feel rather than just do it naturally the way the rest of the music does here and these can feel like it’s dragging in spots. Overall, though, this here is a very enjoyable release.

While it does get a little down at times here with the vastly overlong approach and could probably do with some tightening here and there, this is on the whole a very impressive debut effort that should be immediately looked into for anyone with any passing interest in symphonic or folk-inspired black metal, though those looking for more traditional share might also find something of interest here.

Score: 93/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/lupercalia

Valtikan - Exordium

Artist: Valtikan
Release Title: Exordium
Year: 2015
Label: Sepulchral Silence Records
Genre: Folk Power Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Exordium
2. A Warrior's Path
3. Eternal Flame of the Dragon
4. Moonrise
5. Skogmetsä pt. I
6. Skogmetsä pt. II
7. Alter Ego
8. War Cry
9. Victory
10. A New Dawn

Appearing first as DemonHeart in 2011, Mexican power metallers Valtikan soon adopted this new moniker in 2012 and have since appeared to hone their nice blend of folky rhythms and ripping power metal. Initially a July 10, 2015 release before getting a digital re-release June 24, 2016 on Sepulchral Silence, this fine debut starts the group off on a really impressive note and sets them up in the scene to carry on.

From the outset here it’s apparent the band is clearly influenced by the folkier end of power metal with the band clearly generating some rather impressive and enjoyable rhythms running throughout here with the main focus running throughout here being the ripping power metal riffing. Strong, energetic rhythms and relentless full-throttle drumming carrying the tightened speed-metal hallmarks of the genre to it’s normal running grounds, this part of the album is wholly enjoyable enough on it’s own before the band even attempts to introduce the folksier parts here with the nominal interjections of medieval rhythms and instrumentation throughout the tracks here. However, rather than dominating these tracks this one instead allows them to run through these elements in select spots in the music and then relying on their more traditional power metal arrangements to carry the rest of the load on the album, which is a wholly appreciative approach in that there’s still room for their medieval runs and rhythms while still packing a heavy-end blast, most notably on the band’s epic arrangements which allow for spirited sections of jaunty rhythms and localized patterns alongside the ripping sections to come through. For a debut this is quite nice and really manages quite a lot to like, making for even more to like here with only one minor element to creep in here which is the rather jumbled and crowded manner of their epics in that they cram in so much that it’s hard to breathe and really focus on anything as it’s quickly onto new sections and arrangements which gets a little overwhelming when they have a much easier time accomplishing this in their shorter tracks. Still, for a debut this is a highly impressive one.

Though it gets a little overlong for it’s own good at times, this is still a nicely enjoyable and impressive debut from this group which has enough elements at play to really appeal to those who prefer the heavier end of folk-influenced metal or appreciate the bands’ attempts to incorporate those elements together into enjoyable power metal.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://sepulchralsilencerecords.bandcamp.com/album/exordium

Deathstorm (Aus) - Blood Beneath the Crypts

Artist: Deathstorm (Aus)
Release Title: Blood Beneath the Crypts
Year: 2016
Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Deathblow
2. Splendid Mutilation
3. Murder of a Faceless Victim
4. Immortalized Sinner
5. I Conquer
6. Enter the Void/Dunwich
7. Verdunkeln
8. I Saw the Devil

Following a three-year stint as Damage, Austrian thrashers undertook a name-change to Deathstorm in 2010 and have so far released several EPs as well as what’s to become their second full-length under this banner. Hammering out truly vicious and pummeling Teutonic-flavored thrash with a vengeance, this effort was released May 27, 2016 on High Roller Records.

This here gets going right from the onset as there’s a rather enjoyable sense of dynamics present here with the work displayed, which is presented in two roughly similar-but-still-dramatic styles. The main work is tightly-wound, frenzied riffing with plenty of energetic rhythms to create frenzied blistering thrashers which manage to work along quite familiar strains of old-school German-tinged efforts from their prominent era back in the 80s. Likewise, the fact that there’s also a deep, churning mid-tempo charge with plenty of solid heavy rhythms and churning guitar-work gives a wholly darkened feel as those tracks manage to take those blinding patterns along a more focused and restrained sensibility quite nicely with the rabid intensity. It does have one absolutely obvious and rather detrimental flaw here in that it seems a little short with only eight tracks and barely a half-hour’s work of music due to that, but overall there’s still plenty to like here especially when the band runs through the more frenzied patterns. It really could’ve used a few extra tracks here to make the music seem a little more explosive and dynamic, even with it being this enjoyable from the onset.

Though this one does tend to fall into a minor trap with the overall brevity hurting its execution, there’s more than enough truly gripping and vicious old-school flavored thrash to appeal to just about any fan of this German-flavored take on the style as well as fans of their previous work or just thrash in general.

Score: 86/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://deathstorm.bandcamp.com/

Temple of Evil - The 7th Awakening

Artist: Temple of Evil
Release Title: The 7th Awakening
Year: 2015
Label: Self-Released/Independent (Deathhammer Records reissue)
Genre: Old-School Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Initiation
2. Illvminatio Tenebrarvm
3. ...on Devil's Wings
4. Chalice of Impure Bood
5. The Book of Shadows
6. Necromancer's Mystical Conjuration
7. The 7th Awakening
8. One Last Breathless Sigh for Everlasting Rest

Summoned into existence in mid-2008, Cypriot black metallers Temple of Evil has toiled away expressing its philosophy and its main ideology as it is influenced by personal esoteric thoughts which has kept this debut release until now. Initially an independent release in December 2015, the effort is re-released on January 7th via Deathhammer Records and features eight tracks of pure unadulterated black metal which have been summoned as an expression of personal meditation in each individual's reanimated inner spirits.

For the most part this here is a rather dynamic and impressive assault of occult-laced black metal with a vicious, dynamic edge. Ragged, raw riffing and dexterous, dynamic drumming dominate this release as the simplistic tremolo patterns become the focal point here swirling along with a fine melodic edge that keeps this with a solid, buzzing tone which lets the imminently evil vocals produce that Occult flair throughout the tracks here where they shift from the raspy shrieks to a majestic grand choir and it completes the picture perfectly. Blasting away with abandon, as the drumming helps to catapult these along tremendously alongside the raw riff-work, though that there does start in with the album’s downfalls as the low-budget scope does rear itself in here quite early on. Despite featuring a series of dynamic and rather ferocious charge throughout the music whether it’s marching along at a mid-tempo gallop or going for the slower sprawling sections, regardless the tinny nature of the work as a whole does come off as slightly distracting with the cardboard-box-sounding blasts alongside the remaining rhythms displayed here. As well, the fact that the band does delve into the epic realms on several of their tracks does tend to showcase a small problem in the repetitious riff-work being exposed here with the band having to run through extended, overlong intros that go on longer than need-be or simply repeat the same patterns and arrangements in order to get the running time to their chosen length. It’s a more forgivable issue here given that this is a debut effort, but it does come up in here.

While offering up plenty of enjoyable and oftentimes quite vicious elements here, there’s a few small flaws here that do creep up enough here that knock it down enough that it’s reserved instead mainly for those curious acts from that region considering their scarcity or the most devout of occult-themed old-school black metal groups.

Score: 86/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://templeofevil.bandcamp.com/releases

Dust Bolt - Mass Confusion

Artist: Dust Bolt
Release Title: Mass Confusion
Year: 2015
Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. SickxBrain
2. Mass Confusion
3. Allergy
4. Turned to Grey
5. Blind to Art
6. Mind the Gap
7. Exit
8. Empty Faces
9. Taking Your Last Breath
10. Portraits of Decay
11. Masters of War

From the outset, German thrashers Dust Bolt have been all about worshipping the old-school Bay Area thrash scene, and have from the start utilized that form of attack to create their signature style. Released July 8, 2016 from Napalm Records, this is yet another in the band’s fast-growing brand of hyper-speed old-school thrash worship.

For the most part here that old-school thrash assault is the main basis for their music. The tight, choppy mid-tempo rhythms and utterly blistering full-throttle thrash sections fired by the sort of manic rhythms that were featured prominently in the Bay-Area school causes the vast majority of the album comes off with the sort of ripping attitude that was evocative of that movement. As well, those choppy mid-tempo sections balance out the aggression and intensity by acting as natural buffer-sections against the more raging, blistering sections featured throughout here, and the whole exercise is given a suitably competent old-school sheen. This is neither technical enough or varied enough to really stand-out and be all that original, though, which tends to be the main running theme with bands in that style which is again repeated here. This is the sort of band that really only takes a few tracks to make the impression of whether or not they’re worthwhile as they’re so blatantly and fervently old-school that it can reek of plagiarism at times rather than being part of their own identity, but on the whole it’s competence is what really holds it up.

Much like the majority of bands in their style, this isn’t the most original band in the genre but are certainly one of the more energetic and intense which certainly helps this one out tremendously in that it will undoubtedly appeal to ravenous revivalists looking for more or other thrash aficionados who can overlook their flaws and idolize their positives.

Score: 86/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.napalmrecordsamerica.com/store/dustbolt