Tzaak - Gjemt ondskap

Artist: Tzaak
Release Title: Gjemt ondskap
Year: 2016
Label: Sepulchral Silence
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. My Masterpiece
2. Gjemt ondskap
3. Cultural Heritage
4. Future Descendants

A mysterious one-man band, Norwegian atmospheric black metal project Tzaak has quietly arrived and spread it’s brand of pleasing ambient themes and atmospheric black metal together into a solid whole. Coming together for it’s debut effort, the moving and dynamic release was initially independently offered June 28, 2016 before a re-issue July 10, 2016 on Sepulchral Silence.

At the onset of this one, it’s pretty apparent that there’s a lot of epicly-arranged rhythms here with this one tending to utilize the rather straightforward and one-shot riffing style here. Offering a simplistic, buzzing-style of tremolo-picked riffing swirling along at a majestic, mid-tempo pace here there’s plenty of warm, naturalistic melodies at play within these rhythms as the straightforward mid-tempo plod that the majority of the album is played at manages to generate a fine sense of the overt atmosphere present here. With plenty of epic, majesty-laden melodic accents from the riff-work added alongside the album’s tendency to navigate excessively overlong and majestic atmospheric accents that are able to make this feel far more epic with it managing to travel alongside these overlong arrangements with plenty of tight-if-overly-simplistic arrangements generated throughout the tracks and some nicely-placed keyboard melodies that aren’t overworked here. Even when the album does kick it up in terms of the arrangements and tempo here, there’s still that overly warm and majestic feeling here that comes off so well in regards to settling the epic atmosphere, and there’s overall a lot to like here. There’s a minor issue here in that the tracks, due to their epic length, tend to feature monotonous arrangements that aren’t all that pleasing, as many of the outros are stretched out over a minute or more with endless acoustic riffing or just plain dull elements that aren’t in the slightest enjoyable as they make it obvious the album’s being stretched out to that epic length. The brevity of the tracks is a minor issue, but overall not nearly as much as the other issue.

While it does wear it’s length quite heavily and features some rather bland moments that come from that, it’s still got enough enjoyable elements that show it’s got something enjoyable going on with it that this ends up being quite an appealing effort for fans of atmospheric black metal of all kinds or those that appreciate epic metal of this variety.

Score: 80/100

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

Votan - At One with the Serpent

Artist: Votan
Release Title: At One with the Serpent
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent (Sepulchral Silence re-issue)
Genre: Epic Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Lords ov War
2. Scorn Through Malice
3. The Serpent of Na'Chan
4. Destruction of the Purest Form
5. Fallen Empire
6. Plague Storm
7. Death March in the Nile
8. Withered

Initially formed in 2011, Texan epic black metal horde Votan has struggled to keep its lineup consistent over the years, offering a rotating list of musicians before finally settling on their current quartet configuration. Going straight into the fray, the group now offers it’s debut full-length independently July 1, 2016 with a re-issue July 15, 2016 on Sepulchral Silence.

There’s a lot to like here as the album manages to work out a rather nice, raw sound here to go along with the frenzied epic work present for the most part, which is a nice part of the appeal overall here. With the rather tight riff-work elsewhere on display, it’s quite an impressive racket to leave the rattling, raw production for the main riffing and the drum-work on display here which is what really drives this one. Featuring the rather typical swirling tremolo patterns in conjunction with that raw style makes the music a lot grander and more majestic than would typically be the case. This riffing style ends up making it into a slightly more progressive area than expected here due to the album’s mostly overlong arrangements that further the epic mindscape where it’s built upon the varied tempo changes and dynamic patterns in the arrangements to make an epic-sounding track.  Offering plenty of backing keyboards that really further this large, grand style of work by going into the overloaded-into-the-background format here where it’s all based on the constant blaring in the background which is then furthered with the raging, blaring tempos to make this seem a lot bigger and grander than it really should be. While this is certainly a nice overall main attack that’s utilized here, the fact that the album is so raw does strike this one down somewhat with the rattling, weak-sounding drum-work not unleashing it’s full-power or the way in which the buzzing keyboard work dominates and overshadows the light guitar-work in the background of it all. It's also not really helped with the fact that there's several songs that are a bit too long that aren't really needed to be that way, tending to make this seem like an epic somewhat more on virtue of the length of it's compositions rather than the overall effect of it's music. This isn’t a truly detrimental or damaging flaw, but it is noticeable to a large degree here.

Though it’s got some minor flaws on display here that aren’t really all that detrimental to it’s overall enjoyment and which is mostly a case of debut jitters that should get ironed out as they continue on their career, in the end those are only enough to make this really appealing to fans of raw symphonic black metal or epic metal of this sort.

Score: 80/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://sepulchralsilencerecords.bandcamp.com/album/at-one-with-the-serpent

Master - An Epiphany of Hate

Artist: Master
Release Title: An Epiphany of Hate
Year: 2016
Label: F.D.A. Rekotz
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Subdue the Politician
2. Fiction Soon Becomes Reality
3. Face Your Fear
4. Just Be Yourself
5. Just Take My Right Arm
6. An Epiphany of Hate
7. It's Clearly Eden
8. The People of the Damned
9. Senses All Will Be Controlled
10. Red Alert

One of the genre’s founding figures, Czech Republic-based death/thrashers Master has literally been at the forefront of the style from the very beginning being one of the first bands to ever adopt to the style back in the genre’s infancy. Now, nearly thirty years on from their start and reaching album number twelve, the titans offer forth this crushing release January 29, 2016 on F.D.A. Rekotz.

Much like the majority of their work in the past, this here is a rather blistering and mostly primitive brand of death-infused thrash metal that charges along at a pretty generous pace here. The main basis for the swarming, mid-tempo attack here is given the main charge throughout here which keeps the tracks steady, simplistic and really straightforward as the rhythms buzz along through the tight patterns featured here as the bands’ thrashing energies are what really tend to drive this one forward rather than the riff-work. Since the tracks are generally given a much more explosive pacing that brings out the album’s rather simplistic nature quite well here as the album seems to pick one simplistic pace and then just holds it for the majority of the time here which makes the tracks bounce along when they’re given an up-tempo rhythm to play with yet when it comes to the more sluggish and plodding tempos it doesn’t really generate the same sense of energy with it never really deviating much in it’s patterns and arrangements. There’s some great work to be had when it really lets itself go since those tend to dominate the album, yet the rare occasions where it does drop these slightly is what causes this one to lose it’s steam as the disjointed pacing and tempos is slightly jarring overall here. Thankfully, it’s rare enough to not be that detrimental against the enjoyable remainder of the album as their craftsmanship and consistency allows them to do this better than most other acts in the genre by featuring enough to make it noticeably yet going for the jugular enough times to really make that impact.

As this is clearly a competent and highly professional act that knows what they’re doing, this is nicely displayed here with an album that has a lot to like about it and only a few real downer spots that leaves this a wholehearted recommendation not only for fans of the band as well as those who enjoy this ravenous style of old-school death/thrash metal.

Score: 90/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:

Dissector (Rus) - Planetary Cancer

Artist: Dissector (Rus)
Release Title: Planetary Cancer
Year: 2016
Label: Mazzar Records
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Mercy
2. Fallen One
3. Planetary Cancer
4. Rebuild on Better Days
5. Perfect Smile
6. The Hate Inside
7. First to Burn
8. The Shape of Things to Come
9. The Deep
10. Currency of Life
11. Exit Humanity
12. Invisible Lives

Still continuing their assault, Russian melodic death metal band Dissector further manages to build their legacy as one of the country’s finest genre acts as they further their recent success. Joined by a litany of popular guest musicians as they display their signature sound, the group prepares to release only their second full-length release June 6, 2016 on Mazzar Records.

Once this gets going, there’s a rather obvious display to be found here where the band is clearly more comfortable on the mid-tempo setting in their sound where it really manages to thump along at a simplistic tempo overall. Baring a light, sprawling tone with a focus on offering a crunchy chug-filled pattern that takes simplistic rhythms and plodding drumming along throughout here for the most part, this basic attack keeps things rolling along at a pretty steady clip without generating a lot in the way of offering a lot to showcase any special variety or special impact here as it’s rather formulaic how their approach is worked over on this. It’s all tight, simplistic sprawling chugging that generates the melodic framework with the light leads swirling around the main rhythms here and that makes this quite predictable as it goes along with the inability to really change up the rhythms or arrangements to a large degree. There’s a few occasions where it generates a much more lively rhythm pattern with some frantic, somewhat frenzied riff-work that makes this one a little more engaging, but it’s only in select places within the album and not every track utilizes this anyway which just makes it stick out even more. Likewise, there’s way too many songs here for that kind of material and really makes the second half quite a chore to sit through with so many repetitious patterns holding this one back.

Through it does have some problems here that tends to crop up from time-to-time as the songs are merely decent-enough at best and don’t really offer much to stand out beyond the professionalism of their performances, it’s really only down to the bands’ hardcore fans or the most devout melodeath fan who’ll enjoy this one.

Score: 76/100

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

Survival Instinct - Survival Instinct

Artist: Survival Instinct
Release Title: Survival Instinct
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Antichrist Vatican
2. Ascension of the Beast
3. I Will Never Die
4. Eternal Brutality
5. Emptiness
6. Hellocaust
7. Faking Life
8. Rotten
9. Tell 'em

Coming together in 2013, Canadian thrashers Survival Instinct quickly managed to produce an EP release about a year later and have spent the remaining time forging their live reputation with scores of gigs and tours of their homeland. Now, two years have past and the band is ready to unleash their full-length debut, independently self-released August 20, 2016.

Taking plenty of cues from the Bay-Area style of attack,the main riffing attack here is taken along through the usually tight, crunchy patterns offered in that mode of attack which greatly benefits this one with the ability to offer up a nice amount of differing rhythms as the loud, biting guitar riffing is a dominant aspect to this one. Offering that explosively crunchy, fast-paced rhythm attack in conjunction with some rather nice mid-tempo work it creates a thumping, fiery atmosphere that really echoes the sound and vibe from that particular breed of the genre where it mainly offers up that mid-tempo crunch patterns with the occasional burst into a light chug style of riffing which comes from keeping this one steady, straightforward and unwavering in their attack. That does bring up the main strike against this one in the fact that there’s just nothing all that original on display here, running through the exact same general rhythms and patterns that were part of the Bay Area scene so much so that it doesn’t really offer up any kind of deviation from these arrangements which just seem to carry on throughout here. That really keeps this one down, as well as the fact that the rather simplistic riff-work is kept pretty cluttered where it doesn’t really generate the kind of infectious energy or enthusiasm that it really needs with the continuous mid-tempo paces and leaving the bands’ spurts into up-tempo fare to come in brief spurts overall. There’s not as much energy it develops here that overall it could’ve, and it basically sounds way too complacent on running through the past while not often enough generating the kind of energy it should’ve.

While there’s some flaws to be found here, some of that is inherently made out to be nothing more than just debut jitters and is somewhat forgivable while others aren’t as much and really do leave this one solely for the most undemanding of revivalist thrash aficionados or those that prefer a more mid-tempo pace to their typical thrash crunch.

Score: 74/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://survivalinstinct.bandcamp.com/album/hells-angels

Hellbringer - Awakened from the Abyss

Artist: Hellbringer
Release Title: Awakened from the Abyss
Year: 2016
Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Fall of the Cross
2. Coven of Darkness
3. Realm of the Heretic
4. Iron Gates
5. Spectre of Rebirth
6. Awakened from the Abyss
7. Dark Overseer

Formed in 2007 as Forgery, Australian thrashers Hellbringer quickly eschewed that for their more familiar moniker and have quickly risen in the ranks since as one of the better Aussie thrash acts. After a four-year wait between releases, the power trio is finally ready to unleash their thrashing best on this second full-length released August 19, 2016 on Iron Pegasus Records.

As was the case from their previous work, this here is a truly rousing and thrilling thrash effort that contains a ravenous and truly enjoyable old-school vibe throughout here. The tight, ravenous riff-work and straightforward tempos are at the forefront of the bands’ attack, ripping along through a series of interweaving rhythms with the occasional burst of tight speed-metal blasts that add a nice intensity to the more traditional thrash rhythms. With these offering the type of varied, traditional material as there’s numerous occasions of the massive mid-tempo marches with sprawling tempos and a more relaxed pace with the majestic marching alongside the more dominant and explosive full-throttle tempos that take on a more striking tone being placed within these slower tracks. They generate a much more dynamic old-school attack with the frenzied riff-work and varied patterns that are on display throughout here, which is where this one does stumble about slightly. The fact that this one does seem somewhat schizophrenic and quite scattershot in regards to it’s more frantic rhythms as they tend to get thrown around into the arrangements quite haphazardly and the segways into these arrangements are very awkward as it just transcends into these intense thrashing sections without any build-up or set-up which makes them seem a little sloppier than expected. The old-school shouting vocal approach might be somewhat hard to take for some, but it works well enough to be a fine enough addition to the overall sound as the album’s awkward transitions are the real weak point.

Though it does come off well enough with a string of high-energy, up-tempo thrashers that are effectively old-school enough the way it goes about them is a little off which doesn’t make this a terrible effort at all but instead makes this one mostly for those old-school fanatics or revivalist fans who really appreciate that kind of approach the most.

Score: 86/100

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

Bewitcher - Bewitcher

Artist: Bewitcher
Release Title: Bewitcher
Year: 2016
Label: Diabolic Might Records
Genre: Black/Thrash (Speed) Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Bewitcher
2. Speed 'til You Bleed
3. Sin Is in Her Blood
4. Wild Blasphemy
5. Midnight Hunters
6. Harlots of Hell
7. Hot Nights, Red Lights
8. Black Speed Delirium
9. In the Night (The Cult Will Rise)

Initially forming in 2013, Oregon black/speed metallers Bewitcher have quickly set about to hone their darkened, old-school approach to black and speed metal over the years. Now that they’ve become a lethal, vicious force, the trio prepares it’s debut effort originally issued as a vinyl release August 18, 2016 on Diabolic Might Records with a CD version on Divebomb Records to come September 9, 2016.

Immediately from the start, this one impresses upon us the old-school feel to be discharged throughout here which fully encompases the rowdy, up-tempo riffing. Utilizing the fiery, frantic riff-work of speed metal in conjunction with the tremolo-based patterns of black metal it creates a truly ripping and explosive mixture here where it manages to incorporate the raucous and energetic style of speed metal thrashing along throughout the tracks with plenty of high-speed precision and tight patterns that generate the reckless out-of-control nature of the style. The wild, raw energy that brings here is married nicely with the ferocious black metal aesthetic where the tremolo patterns and steady, swirling tempos creates a highly enjoyable and rousing style of evil old-school sounding speed metal. Though it’s quite competent and proficiently played, the tight riff-work here doesn’t really generate much variety in the rhythm section here as the deep, raging rhythms displayed aren’t all that different from the type of material featured elsewhere on here where it just tends to run through the same thing over and over again which doesn’t really give this much of an identity here within the music with it really just tending to come off as the type of rousing-but-formulaic approach that really lets the second half sink into a mire of familiar-sounding rhythms and tempos that don’t really differentiate themselves all that much. Likewise, the gravelly hard-rock inspired vocals aren’t exactly that appealing and tend to come off in a whiny pitch compared to the rest of the music and takes some getting used to even if it does eventually come off fine. Beyond these issues, there’s not a whole lot really to dislike about this one.

Though there’s plenty of enjoyable elements to be found here, the fact that this one really does manage to feature some minor, and in some cases barely detrimental issues does make this a solid and really recommended variation for those that enjoy this rocking brand of black/speed metal or those that enjoy the faster, thrashier end of black metal.

Score: 88/100

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

Blood Incantation - Starspawn

Artist: Blood Incantation
Release Title: Starspawn
Year: 2016
Label: Dark Descent Records
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Vitrification of Blood (Part 1)
2. Chaoplasm
3. Hidden Species (Vitrification of Blood Part 2)
4. Meticulous Soul Devourment
5. Starspawn

One of the genre’s up-and-coming heroes, Colorado death metallers Blood Incantation has built a steady stream of impressive releases that showcases their astounding blend of atmospheric and technically-challenging material. Rounding themselves into a four-piece now with the addition of Jeff Barrett as their full-time bassist, the group’s full-length debut is released August 18, 2016 on Dark Descent Records.

This here comes off as a ferocious, highly engaging effort mostly due to the propensity for dynamic, outrageous rhythms on display that give this such a varied, complex structure. Essentially at it’s core a death metal act, that allows for a series of dragging, churning riff-work with all the hallmarks of the old-school scene as it utilizes the sprawling, cavernous-style structure with it’s deep rhythms at slow, plodding tempos while battering away with plenty of tight, vicious drumming that gives this such a stylistic old-school approach and then throwing out a series of tightly-wound, technically-extravagant patterns on top to round out the experience.. That basic framework is then balanced out with the addition of ultra-slow, plodding sections filled with sprawling, atmospheric notes that wrangle out hints of psychedelic soloing alongside the churning, rumbling rhythms and the contrast between these elements is not only wholly apparent but also delivers a varied approach that’s hardly ever seen in the genre. The quiet, reflective atmospheric sections bumping up against the vile, blasting death metal is a rather ingenious and impressive mixture that gives this a variance not typically seen yet still manages to come off with enough of a semblance to either genre that there’s plenty to enjoy for fans of either style. In the end, that really leaves only the listener’s tolerance for such material as the main defining factor against this one, with it being based mostly on whether or not there’s any interest in one aspect of the band as the biggest selling point for it. The length might be an issue as well, with the band not really giving this one much of a chance to really showcase it’s chops with a thirteen minute epic to open this and an instrumental cluttering up the running time here, but these are all trife problems that aren’t all that worrisome.

Despite a few minor, barely worthwhile issues that crop up throughout this one it still has enough quality efforts on display to remain one of the more impressive and dynamic acts in the style and makes for a wholly appealing act for anyone looking to expand beyond what is normally considered death metal or other adventurous extreme metal fans.

Score: 93/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/starspawn

Enthean - Priests of Annihilation

Artist: Enthean
Release Title: Priests of Annihilation
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Technical Death/Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. 1054
2. Tones of Desecration
3. Before You, I Am
4. Dysthanasia
5. Ekpyrosis
6. Behold the Primordial
7. Bring Forth the Raven
8. Invalesc de Profundis

Formed in 2012, South Carolina technical death/black metallers Enthean have quickly spread throughout the underground gaining in experience as they’ve already released a demo tape shortly after forming. As a minor line-up shuffle sees new bassist Adam Rush joining the band after the recording as he didn’t partake in the sessions, the groups’ self-released full-length debut effort arrives May 20, 2016 and sees them leave a rather strong first impression.

This here is an incredibly strong debut, which scores a lot of points here with the professionalism of their work given a rather wide berth here by the way the album goes for such a vast array of influences and soundscapes. There’s not a single dominant factor present in these tracks, which are given a wide berth with the inclusion of swirling tremolo riffing and scathing keyboard work that mixes together with light sprawling melodic sections to recall a vibrant and furious black metal release, yet the main driving rhythm sections playing underneath these elements is a charging, complex series of arrangements that are more in-line with technical death metal acts. This in the process leaves the group as a rather strange dichotomy, with a melodic section up-front yet a driving and aggressive one utilizing the rhythms underneath it all, and they truly do manage to mix these works together in such a way as to never let one element become the main focus for too long with plenty of dynamic tempo and mood change-overs into either section that is also quite nice with it being another chance at a display of their songwriting prowess and technicality that marks the group off on a high-note overall. To this impressive and adept at that level of maturity and showmanship at this stage of their career is an impressive feat as these influences are made to work together surprisingly well with plenty to like about it, and in the end really leaves the bands’ attempts at epic showpieces to be the lone Achilles heel to this one. There’s plenty of times where the band does get a little too fancy for its’ own good and tries to shoehorn elaborate, extended arrangements here simply to elongate the running time and comes off as far too showy when the band is much more adept simply letting their attack work for themselves.

Though stuck with a minor bit of youthful exuberance and inexperience that pops up from time-to-time, overall this one is still quite an immensely enjoyable experience at them being able to drag these influences together so well that it really does appeal to numerous different fans of extreme metal and those looking for a little more adventurous work than what’s normally found in the genre.

Score: 91/100

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

Amon Amarth - Jomsviking

Artist: Amon Amarth
Release Title: Jomsviking
Year: 2016
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. First Kill
2. Wanderer
3. On a Sea of Blood
4. One Against All
5. Raise Your Horns
6. The Way of Vikings
7. At Dawn's First Light
8. One Thousand Burning Arrows
9. Vengeance Is My Name
10. A Dream That Cannot Be
11. Back on Northern Shores

One of the first bands in the style, Swedish melodic death metal mainstays Amon Amarth have been steadily employing their blend of black and melodic death metal into being one of the best bands in this style. With long-time drummer Fredrik Andersson stepping down and the studio parts recorded by Tobias Gustafsson, the bands’ tenth full-length effort was released March 25, 2016 on Metal Blade Records.

As has been the case from the start, the group here certainly knows their way around melodic death metal riffing, and that continues here with this one generating the kind of fiery melodic rhythms that has long been apart of the group’ core sound. Blazing with hummable, dynamic riffing that’s filled with swirling melodic leads alongside the deep, driving charge that propels the songs forward, the melodic tendencies of the band are at the forefront of the album overall. With the main rhythms adopting their signature swirling tremolo-picked patterns while alternating between the glorious, triumphant marches, full-speed thrash-paced frenzies or a more relaxed mid-tempo pace with a deeper, churning crunch pattern to the main rhythm-work, there’s quite an impressive mix of their usual work featured here that creates a driving blend of black, death and minor elements of thrash into the overall package that’s found here. This usual amount of variance creates a wholly appealing ebb and flow within the album as the different pieces take prominence on select tracks which is always wrapped up with melodic lead-work that’s all tight, frantic and off-sets the vicious work on display here as the album does continually shift gears to a fault. There’s way too many sections within this one that could’ve been handled with a slightly more upbeat vibe as the attempts to showcase the metalcore-leaning riffs don’t gel well with their sound at all. It’s just obviously attempted to interject a variety into the tracks but the mechanical, chugging rhythms are out-of-place and stick out quite obviously against the more natural-sounding riffing elsewhere here. As well, it’s all too familiar and does the same thing too many times over, but as it’s been there since the beginning it’s not that bad of a detriment and doesn’t hurt it that much.

Still sticking with their formula through thick-and-thin, the group’s obviously patented sound that hasn’t bit them before continues to serve them well as it generates a strong overall effort that while not as important or dynamic as what came before it still has plenty of appeal for fans of the band so far as well as those looking for genuine melodic death metal acts.

Score: 90/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/item/38633