HELLS HEADBANGERS DOUBLE DOSE FROM DOWN UNDER

HUNTERS MOON - THE SERPENT'S LUST
A very straightforward killer mix of black metal and traditional heavy metal from Down Under, this duo has one carnivorous riff after another smashing you face-on. Think of it as if Hobbs Angel of Death and Iron Maiden must have had wicked anal sex and given birth to this bastard child and then it came and clawed your eyes out. No "epic" songs to bore your to death either, these guys have everything better to do and they damn well know it. Now get it and suffer! (FA)
HELLS HEADBANGERS
www.hellsheadbangers.com, throneoffire@hellsheadbangers.com, http://www.huntersmoon.cjb.net/, inconspiracywithsatan@hotmail.com, www.myspace.com/thehuntersmoon

DESTRUKTOR - NAILED
Seething deaththrash from Australia too, reeking of kerosone and arsenic and The Devil's evil blessings. Growling angers spews from the bowels of hell without a sliver of mercy. It had been a few years since their previous release and this proves that it was definitely worth the weight, the have only taken the extreme several steps further. Heck, it's practically an inspiration. Collaborate with Satan and put your soul on the auction block NOW! (FA)
HELLS HEADBANGERS
www.hellsheadbangers.com, throneoffire@hellsheadbangers.com, www.destruktor.com, www.myspace.com/666destruktor

IN NOMINE SATHANAS. YET AGAIN.

SATHANAS are writing their new album to be released through PAGAN RECORDS early to mid-2010 followed by a European tour. Artwork is being handled by SICKNESS 666 of Thailand. For info visit www.sathanas.net.

www.myspace.com/sathanasmetal

MIKE S.O.S IS GOD!

OLDE YORK
EMPIRE STATE
COUNTDOWN
Maintaining the classic NYHC sound and a no frills DIY mindset from the days of yore, Olde York comes barreling down the lane with an authentic 12-track tour de force entitled EMPIRE STATE. Embodying the spirit of hardcore’s CBGB Sunday matinee glory days while skillfully blending the styles of acts such as Cro Mags, Warzone, Sick of It All and Leeway (whose singer Eddie Sutton makes a cameo here) into one big gang chorus pile-on, this Big Apple quartet makes no bones about their roots or their allegiance to the underground by pumping out anthemic pit pleasers like “Five Year Plan” and “Still Believe”. Think hardcore died after CB’s shut its doors? Olde York will make you think twice. www.countdownrecords.com -Mike SOS

CANDLEMASS
DEATH MAGIC DOOM
NUCLEAR BLAST
Swedish doom metal pioneers Candlemass return with a refined sense of confidence with their latest offering, the eight-track DEATH MAGIC DOOM. Comfortably settling into yet another round of changes (most notably on the vocals), Leif Edling and company showcase that they are still able to conjure feelings of dread and despair straight from the Black Sabbath playbook (“Hammer of Doom”) with grace and respect but not without interspersing their own bells and whistles (as well as some kick ass solos) into the mix. This veteran unit maintains mid-paced mauling tempos for the most part, yet at times opt for the upbeat with success (“Dead Angel”) while the powerful tandem of killer vocals and memorable riffs propel tracks like “House of 1000 Voices” into the upper echelon of the slow, deep, and hard. Candlemass snaps back into fine form on their latest affair, exhibiting an unforeseen energy that boldly pushes their brand of doom metal into exhilarating new worlds. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

EMPIRE OF DUST
PROMO 2008
SELF-RELEASED
Modern metal mayhem comes courtesy of NYC’s Empire of Dust, whose four-song sampler displays a unit who sharpened its teeth on a steady stream of Slayer riffs and Swedish thrash with a discernible New York death metal influence. Logistically laying down a genuine sense of brutality in between setting off an array of pummeling grooves a la Lamb of God at their most seething (“2”), this band, which boasts ex-members of NYHC fixture Indecision as well as Entorturement, steamrolls over the opposition with a healthy dosage of metallic melody for the heavier-minded. www.myspace.com/empireofdust -Mike SOS

THE HUMAN QUENA ORCHESTRA
THE POLITICS OF THE IRREDEEMABLE
CRUCIAL BLAST
Patience is required to properly experience the latest offering from The Human Quena Orchestra, as this Bay Area drone duo upkeep a sordid and suspenseful atmosphere throughout the duration of THE POLITICS OF THE IRREDEEMABLE. Immersed in dark waves and dissonant swirls of industrial feedback, this six-track excursion’s calculated slow-crawl accentuates an overall foreboding tone, intensified when scattershot screams of terror and dread rise from the abyss. Yielding a vacuous apocalyptic din, this tandem successfully serve up a sluggish soundtrack to the final days of mankind. www.crucialblast.net -Mike SOS

EAST FOREST
THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL
AQUILO
East Forest is NYC by way of Pacific Northwest entity that provides a unique musical endeavor that melds field-recorded nature sounds, pulsating New Age beats, and meditative piano into its framework of THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL. Bolstered with a picturesque soundscape whose airy ivory tinklings and puffy bass lines radiate relaxing hues of transcendental light, this one-man project concocts an ambitious journey into the fragile human psyche, thwarting modern life’s static with a translucent barrage of calming music exposing the duality of the human existence. www.eastforest.org -Mike SOS

IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION
OF WINTER BORN
EARACHE
UK death metal mavens Ignominious Incarceration’s truncated technical torrents of dastardly death metal is bound to garner the quintet the well-deserved attention and accolades from those who appreciate bands who exercise the difficult task of balancing ferocity and brevity. Manning a full-on ambush with all of the expected death metal tactics and weaponry in tow, the path this neophytic unit follows seems a bit too well tread on the surface, but upon closer inspection this squad manages to expertly compose elements of old school devastation and beatdown deathcore together to coexist in utter disharmony (“In The Face of Absolution”), working in symbiosis in fighting the same battle to destroy at all costs. Explosive yet refined for such a young act, if you've ever pined for a cross between the brain-rattling dynamics of Suffocation and the warmongering malice of Amon Amarth (“Of Winter Born”, “Elusion of Mortality”), this band delivers. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

BLINDING EYE DOG
PROLOGUE
SELF-RELEASED
Maryland quintet Blinding Eye Dog exhibit a boisterous brand of punk on the troupe’s 18-track offering PROLOGUE. Fueled with an irreverent sense of humor (“Super Action Monster Man”, “Duck Duck Goose (In A)”) that matches the lo-fi high energy vibes (“Assassin”) and pervasive beer-swilling devil may care street punk attitude on cuts such as “Barbara” and “The Line”, this freewheeling act makes it pretty apparent that it doesn't take itself too seriously yet still pumps out a raucous strain of reckless rock (“Shame”). Definitely sounding best after a couple of pints while some of your more mischievous friends plot the ensuing evening’s shenanigans, Blinding Eye Dog reinforce the simple yet effective piss and vinegar punk rock straight from the back alley. www.myspace.com/blindingeyedog -Mike SOS

THINNING THE HERD
DEVIL MASK
SELF-RELEASED
Scraping the seedy underbelly of the Big Apple with enormous rock riffs,NYC trio Thinning the Herd return with another batch of stonerriffic hard rock chock full of grit and substance on the five-track DEVIL MASK. Bridging the gap between the heavier side of grunge and the groovier side of metal, tracks like “Kitchen Sink” summon a ‘90s power rock vibe kind of like Monster Magnet meeting up with Soundgarden while “Uninformed” strikes with the subtlety of a punch square in the gut and “Simple Job” rocks like the best song your favorite Swedish stoner rock band never wrote. If you enjoy in your face music with an exhilarating rock ‘n roll aura, Thinning the Herd is a bonafide choice for a hellacious good time. www.myspace.com/castrosbeard -Mike SOS

VANMAKT
AD LUCIFERI REGNUM
PULVERISED
Far from reinventing the wheel yet capable to drum up some scare with their competent yet common strand of evil blackened metal, nefarious Swedish troupe Vanmakt blast their way through nine-tracks of misanthropic misery on AD LUCIFERI REGNUM. Dispersing a maelstrom of tremolo-picked madness (“Reincarnation Hatred”, “The Ascension”), this band employs a large sum of tried and troo genre tactics and nuances to hammer its menacing message through unsuspecting skulls, yet it should be noted that if you already pledge allegiance to the most sadistic from the Nordic states, there’s nothing here you haven't experienced before. Nonetheless, Vanmakt does an acceptable job of conjuring the spirits of the underworld and should appeal to those who like a mix of symphonic death metal with a bit more bite. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
DOOM (TRANSITIVE VERB)
SELF-RELEASED
A triple slab o’ doom oozes from your speakers courtesy of a three-way split disc from a caustic mix of bands rising up from the recesses of the deep sure to give little children nightmares and keep neighborhoods on lockdown. Up first is Evoken, a veteran New Jersey funeral doom troupe whose chilling offering “In Solitary Ruin” masterfully sets the bleak tone for this collection with a firm handle on down tempo despair. Oak take the reigns next with an understated touch of death metal sprouting up in between the detached devastating riffs heard on “Gates Are Open”. Rounding out the triad of tragic triad, Black Roller Crop Rotation takes the affair to a whole new level of grim thanks to “Prayers From the Rotten Soil”, featuring a bevy of experimental leanings forming a cacophony of undistinguishable vocal squeals, jet-propeller-esque swirls of dissonance, and hypnotic industrial noise. You've been warned. www.myspace.com/oakdoom -Mike SOS

CELAN
HALO
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM
Celan is a noise rock supergroup of sorts, featuring musicians from flu.ID, Unsane, Oxbow, and Einsturzende Neubauten collaborating to form a massive musical force which defies convention yet keeps an hand on the aggression throttle. This collective’s debut offering HALO melds acerbic abrasive noise rock, atmospheric ambience, bluesy melancholy, and clobbering hardcore into 11 engaging tracks custom made for those who demand post-hardcore explorations to plow deeper. With Chris Spencer’s trademark belligerent bark leading the charge, tracks like “All This and Everything” pack a familiar yet ferocious wallop while a judicial keyboard presence float in and out, allowing for an unpredictable array of shapeshifting moods to proliferate (“One Minute”, “Sinking”, “Washing Machine”). Ambitious without alienating its built-in audience, Celan boldly goes into new lands with all of the member’s strengths on full blast. www.mainstreamrecords.de -Mike SOS

IMPIETY
TERROREIGN
AGONIA
As brutal as a Singapore cane shot to the skull, Impiety does their homeland proud once again with another blistering blackened thrash release entitled TERROREIGN. Laden with a diabolical attitude which assists the impending decent into hell (“As Judea Burns”), this 10-track sojourn into the chasm of evil melds crass old school death metal ideologies a la Hellhammer and Morbid Angel with a genuine sense of hatred fueling the apocalyptic one-two vocal assault and divebomb friendly guitar combination (“Bestial to the Bone”). Maintaining a frantic pace throughout while summoning the minions of the underworld to rise and fight the light to the death (“Goatfather”), Impiety’s caustic delivery and over the top metal wares catapult this veteran unit back to the head of extreme metal’s most sadistic acts. www.agoniarecords.com -Mike SOS

SLOUGH FEG
APE UPRISING!
CRUZ DEL SUR
Veteran underground traditional metal outfit Slough Feg have been known to walk a bit on the wild side throughout the course of their twenty plus year proto-metal existence and this unit’s latest release bares no exception. Interspersing the squad’s patented eccentricities with a confident swagger straight out of 1978 for all to see, the triumphant and tumultuous eight-track endeavor APE UPRISING takes it back to a time when metal was still in its gestation stage, slugging it out with punk rock rebellion and glam rock excess. Customarily springing from an impenetrable foundation of Sabbath, Maiden, and Thin Lizzy, Slough Feg have comprised a sci-fi concept album based around a simian overtaking of the world to a pulsating old school metal soundtrack laden with the sort of killer vintage tones and stellar musicianship that marvelously melds the dazzling twin guitar and pounding rhythmic wares of UFO, Judas Priest, and other luminaries from the seminal NWOBHM days. Slough Feg’s most recent disc renders a durable and dependable lesson in metal with a smorgasbord of exhilarating twists and turns along the way. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

BURIAL HORDES
DEVOTION TO UNHOLY CREED
PULVERISED
Greek black metal merchants Burial Hordes employ the primitive approach on their evil eight track sojourn into the abyss titled DEVOTION TO UNHOLY CREED. Armed with raw production values for an authentic black metal in the basement feel (“Hellborn”), a slew of skewered guitar riffs that range from jarring to muddy, and an unearthly vocal presence that sounds as if it crawled out of the catacombs, tracks like “Infernal Necromancers” beguiles diabolical urges to come to fruition while “God’s Cutthroat” and “Abysmal Goatfeast” carry an impact to stand on their own, yet are forebodingly sandwiched in between a disturbing chant whose ominous tone solidifies each track’s morbid sense of dread and despair. Sinister and sinewy with a vicious bark and venomous bite, Burial Hordes have unleashed a vitriolic album that gives praise to its predecessors while unrepentantly damning the rest of society. www.pulverised.net Mike SOS

OCEANO
DEPTHS
EARACHE
Chicago-bred quintet Oceano stake a claim of being the most pissed-off band on the planet, and if you could decipher the cavernous musings of vocalist Adam Warren and what he was screaming and growling about, they may be right, as the viscous racket adorning cuts like the slow-churned "Disgust for Your Kind" and the frantic fury of "District of Misery" do work as evidence for a lively debate. Make no mistake, the vocals (despite hard to comprehend) are a strongpoint, solidifying this outfit's abrasive viciousness with a twist to rival peers like Emmure, Misery Signals, and All Shall Perish for the new heavy crown. The 13-track debut DEPTHS firmly stands its ground with a batch of rote yet bombastic low-end grooves, keeping things both excruciatingly bottom-heavy and brutal, yet resonate with an all too standard delivery within the deathcore paradigm. Luckily, Oceano picks up momentum as the album rolls along, managing to venture a bit off the threadbare path of palm-muted breakdown bliss in key spots to implement nuances such as symphonic black metal texture and crisp solos, yet ultimately fall flat in relying on prototypical old hat genre maneuvers that undoubtedly score big in a moshpit of dayglow shirts and bad haircuts yet yield overwrought results on disc. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

DEVILS WHOREHOUSE
BLOOD & ASHES
REGAIN
Devils Whorehouse unashamedly mimic virtually every significant nuance from the Danzig playbook, starting with the rebel punk of The Misfits, bridging into the experimental discord of Samhain before culminating with a hybrid of the multitude of sounds from Glenn's eponymous offerings through the years, so if you're looking for something original, you've been warned. If you want to hear worship and tribute done to perfection (by a band who were once a Misfits/Samahain cover band no less) however, this Swedish squad's admirable affection of the works of the Evil Elvis is spot-on, covering all eras faithfully while producing an uncanny vocal likeness that this lot (featuring members of Marduk) nail down with howling furies intact. In fairness, this crew conveys a bit more than blind Danzig homages, as their admirable death 'n roll packs a wallop here as well, but BLOOD & ASHES' most glaring point of reference precariously sits as its biggest strength and crippling weakness. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

MOTHRA
DYES
SELFMADEGOD
Polish metalcore quartet Mothra present a succinct seven-track excursion on DYES. This offering blends a potpourri of extreme styles together to form a math-y, sludgy monster that channels death metal aggression and hardcore abrasiveness with hints of grindcore madness ("Squant") and dastardly dissonance for an extra bite ("Hooloovoo"). Creating a sonic atmosphere where brevity and brutality go hand in hand, this unit fuses a slew of off-kilter elements from all corners of the extreme metal paradigm forming a brash offshoot of band reminiscent of the likes of Poison the Well, Entombed, Gojira, and Botch, making this act essential for those who champion a heavy hybrid spirit. www.selfmadegod.com -Mike SOS

DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY
BATTLE SLUTS
BLACKMARKET ACTIVITIES
Destroy Destroy Destroy's sophomore effort showcases a multi-faceted metal attack that blends Viking metal might and symphonic black metal grandiosity with a perpetual classic metal vibe running throughout this unit's 12-track affair entitled BATTLE SLUTS. Meshing the styles of 3 Inches of Blood, Manowar, and Children of Bodom within the confines of a war-torn battlefield, this battle-hungry sextet bash out a histrionic blast of fantasy metal that goes perfect with a pair of 12-sided dice and a stack of Conan the Barbarian novels ("Agents of Hypocrisy"). Borrowing a chunk of their style from the epic and power metal fields (especially referenced via the atmospheric keyboard presence permeated throughout) while slaying with a convincing twin guitar battering ("Born of Thunder", "The Wretched Forrest"), those who enjoy metal with a medieval twist will have little problem tuning into this band of warrior's theatrical offering. www.blackmarketactivities.com -Mike SOS

ENSOPH
REX MUNDI X-IIE
CRUZ DEL SUR
Industrial Italian act Ensoph create a chaotic cybermetal experience on the 12-track REX MUNDI X-IIE, setting their apocalyptic visions to a frenetic soundtrack that chillingly juxtaposes harsh electronic noises, Gothic overtones and metallic aggression ("Shame on You!"). Tracks like "Dance High and Shine, Shiva!" shares as much in common with the eeriness of Marilyn Manson as it does the synthetic throb of KMFDM, while "Thir(s)ty Pieces of Silver" sounds like a Dream Theater track defiantly trapped in a Tron-like maze. Championing a futuristic tone chock full of Front Line Assembly-esque mechanical madness leading the charge, this sinister shapeshifting unit's presentation is far from fresh yet it yields enough intriguing moments (their cover of "Would" by Alice in Chains in particular) to keep the middling PVC-donned EBM and darkwave contingent content. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

ORCUSTUS
ORCUSTUS
SOUTHERN LORD
An authentic blast of malefic black metal arrives from the depths of depravity courtesy of Norwegian troupe Orcustus, whose eponymous full-length debut comes some seven years after this troupe's initial introduction. Serving a barrage of vintage buzzsaw riffs ("Jesus Christ Patricide") and hellacious vocal rasps that wouldn't sound out of place from lauded black metal affairs of yesteryear ("Of Sophistry, Obsession, and Paranoia"), this unit (who can't seem to keep a lineup intact) project grim ideals direct from the bowels of the abyss. Featuring ex-members of groundbreaking outfits Gorgoroth and Enslaved, this squad's display of volatility and viciousness renders a bleak and raw old school assault ("Conversion"), conjuring an ominous sense of hatred and dread with every drum blast and bombastic bass reverberation ("Death and Dissolution"). Perfect for those who flock to the darkness, Orcustus has made a simple yet effective album cloaked in chaos and evil to the bone. www.southernlord.com -Mike SOS

ARISE
THE RECKONING
REGAIN
Swedish death thrash outfit Arise provide 10-tracks of straight from the textbook Gothenburg-style metal on THE RECKONING. Despite this nimble quintet far from groundbreaking delivery, the spot-on fury ("No Memory of Light") and enormous arsenal of breakneck riffs and melodic breaks they employ are cleverly composed with a well-proportioned mix of familiar twists and meat and potatoes mashings which effortlessly fuses The Haunted and In Flames ("End of Days"). Exhibiting metalcore sensibilities with a reverence for the genre's pioneers in mind, the latest from Arise is a solid and satisfying affair whose unwavering by the numbers approach rings out with sinister sincerity. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

DECEIVER
THRASHING HEAVY METAL
PULVERISED
There's nothing deceptive regarding the 10-track lean and mean high-grade meets lo fi old school assault Sweden's Deceiver lays on the ears, as this trio's tumultuous din captures the darker nuances of the golden age of thrash without sounding rehashed or forced. Whether it be the tortured vocals and primitive skin bashing tandem heard on "Dead to the World" and "Machinery of God" or the grimly grandiose feel emanating from "Graveyard Lover" and the instrumental "Legacy", even though THRASHING HEAVY METAL yields a strange sensation that you've heard this all before if you own a Priest, Entombed, or Mercyful Fate album or two, this squad's inspired interpretations rise above usual reference points to provide an enjoyable travel back through time. Tacking on a vicious streak laden in vitriolic vehemence, this unit's display of vintage metal will get the job done for fans of the rawer side of extreme metal's first wave. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

LANDING PROJECT
HERE GOES EVERYTHING
SELF-RELEASED
NYC poppy punk rock troupe Landing Project return with HERE GOES EVERYTHING, a solid seven-track excursion that exhibits the unit's versatile array of angsty anthems bursting with melody ("Yea, Exactly"). Taking cues from acts like Against Me, this quartet writes hook-laden tunes sizzling with barbed lyrical bite, opting to sing about more personal topics instead of social messages ("Turn Up Your Stereo"). Tapping into the sound of punk rock's bare essentials with a flair for dramatics ("Butterscotch"), Landing Project inject their simple yet effective approach with an honest heaping of soul, giving the slightly undercooked production with punchy delivery a raw emotional rush that copiously spills from the speakers. www.myspace.com/landingproject -Mike SOS

ENDSTILLE
VERFUHRER
REGAIN
Warmongering German black metal squad Endstille attack once again with VERFUHRER, a scathing and abrasive nine-track affair. Incessantly blasting your skull with pounding percussion and decaying your ears with blood-curdling vocal rasps, this maliciously militant outfit doles out diabolical doses of mid-paced malevolence ("Symptoms") whose razor sharp buzzsaw guitars cut to the bone ("Depressive/ Abstract/ Banished/ Despised"). Assuredly exhibiting a keen sense of dynamics by implementing slower waves of intensity to its arsenal ("Endstille") while maintaining the band's trademark penchant for administering skull-crushing barrages of monolithic crust-laden fury ("Hate Me...God?"), Endstille 's blackhearted single-minded approach conveys intense waves of blast beated and tremolo picked madness with just the right touches of innovation to shape this release's belligerent battlefield aura. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

CAULDRON
CHAINED TO THE NITE
EARACHE
Canadian metal trio Cauldron provide a traditional slab of metal that conjures up a slew of intertwined influences on the nine-track CHAINED TO THE NITE. From the album's Spinal Tap-esque artwork depicting a naked woman bound in chains to the unit's darkened blend of 80's melodic metal and NWOBHM, Cauldron's points of reference are prickly and don't always gel well together, resulting in quite a few instances of clunky cheekiness whose waning flashes of power quickly fizzle out before they can attain any sense of momentum. While displaying moments of promise ("Midnite Hour"), this release takes a while to warm up to, ultimately rendering a confusing listening experience that radiates with an oddball sense of familiarity that keeps only the most ardent of metal purists intrigued. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

SAMAEL
ABOVE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Decisively leaning towards the black metal roots of their early endeavors, Swiss metal veterans Samael return with a pummeling 11-track offering entitled ABOVE. Toning down the industrial elements commandeering the band's more recent discs (although a protruding electronic drum trigger is seamlessly inescapable) while amping up the vitriolic black metal velocity to previously unheard levels ("God Snake", "Virtual War"), Samael's brazen assault is adorned with layers of symphonic keyboards and bludgeoning tremolo guitars ("Illumination") fortifying a listening experience laden in scorn. Realizing their sojourn back to the glories of their early days while carrying over a handful of the strongest nuances from their latter-day releases for a modern twist on old themes ("On the Top of it All"), by manipulating metal's darker side and embracing their past, Samael snaps back to a furious form that leads the quartet back into the depths of the abyss. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

EPHEL DUATH
THROUGH MY DOG'S EYES
EARACHE
Experimental Italian outfit Ephel Duath are renowned for developing collections of distinct metallic left turns, but this time this now-reduced down to a trio readily take on a different yet equally daunting task of conveying a canine's perspective of the world to music on their latest disc THROUGH MY DOG'S EYES. This ambitious nine-track excursion is chock full of dizzying riffs that part the seas between noisy jazz and avant garde metal ("Guardian") woven into a barrage of non-linear compositions stockpiled with heady interludes and juggernaut vocals ("Bella Morte") set to a warped array of odd-time signatures ("Bark Loud") . Despite the album's preposterous premise, Ephel Duath manage to keep the subject matter blunt and concise. turning out an provocative batch of progressive metal in the process. Challenging to novices, Ephel Duath continue to carve their own unique marks into the metal tree of life. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

PRONG
POWER OF THE DAMN MIXXXER
13TH PLANET
Tommy Victor turned the original mixes from Prong's latest disc POWER OF THE DAMAGER over to some of his technically-advanced musician friends to remix and POWER OF THE DAMN MIXXXER is the end result. This 13-track endeavor showcases the behind the boards prowess of metal peeps such as Jon Clayton (Pitchshifter) and Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan) whose cosmetic cleansings and synthesized twiddlings give tracks like "The Banishment" (a song covered by two different mixes here) a throbbing makeover that pulsates with a bastardized concoction of industrial metal heft and electronic bounce ("Changing Ending Troublng Times"). Providing a ton of opportunities to take the rage to the dance floor ("Looking for Them") while laying a virtual perfect soundtrack down to a dark and futuristic action-adventure flick, Prong's latest is not only is a show of respect from the artists who contributed their own spin to Prong's genuine rawness but supplies a great deal of industrial strength metal to take the party into the morning light. www.prongmusic.com -Mike SOS

I SEE STARS
3-D
SUMERIAN
Young Michigan troupe I See Stars have melded elements of modern hardcore and screamo with electronica on their debut 3-D to create a catchy but disheveled 11-track affair. Haphazardly cut and pasting modern dance synths into power punk rock songs, this quintet's ready for Warped Tour juxtaposition of styles comes off forced and even clumsy at times (especially during the heavier moments) yet renders momentary flashes of triumph when the vocoder-enhanced vocals meeting chugging choruses that alt rock radio crave come a knockin' ("3D", "The Big Bad Wolf"). Throw in a cameo from one of the rappers from Bones Thugs N Harmony and instant street cred gets applied, yet this troupe's tepid attempt to get to the top of the Hot Topic list falls flat, especially when redundant breakdown parts from screechy melodies rears its worn head. www.sumerianrecords.com -Mike SOS

CRESCENT SHIELD
THE STARS OF NEVER SEEN
CRUZ DEL SUR
California power metal unit Crescent Shield display a gallant galloping metal assault on their latest nine-track disc THE STARS OF NEVER SEEN. Championing a traditional metal style bursting with steel-plated melodies, this quartet's histrionic choruses are contagious ("Temple of the Empty"), rivaling those at the top of the power metal mountain ("The Bellman", "10,00 Midnights Ago") while the rampant guitar and soaring vocal combination elicits a much-warranted delight for headbangers of all ages to embrace ("The Grand Horizon"). This troupe exhibit the versatility to both shred and alter mood, shifting focus between rousing metal and pensive moments of reflection for a well-rounded all killer no filler feel. Seamlessly meshing the best of Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, and Queensryche while contorting elements from metal's pioneers such as Dio and Maiden, Crescent Shield's formidable flurry of aggression is fortified with an articulate attention to detail which ties their thunderous heavy metal roar with a supple dash of passion. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

EBENEZER
A TRIUMPH OF COLOSSAL ACHIEVEMENTS
SELF-RELEASED
Taking the DIY hands-on approach with their music to the extreme, Pennsylvania instrumental duo Ebenezer provide a well-measured blend of style and substance on their six-track offering A TRIUMPH OF COLOSSAL ACHIEVEMENTS. Besides teaming jaw-dropping flashes of virtuoso percussion and fretwork with a wise beyond their years sense of composition that channels everyone from Maiden to The Fucking Champs ("Warlock Owl"), this tandem's release comes inside of a hand-sewn fabric case, rendering an exquisite hearftfelt vibe that most run of the mill locals just can't match up to. If you have a hankering for vocal-less music with an eye opening showcase of balls and bite, look no further than Ebenezer's latest affair. www.myspace.com/epicebenezer -Mike SOS

THE BAKERTON GROUP
EL ROJO
WEATHERMAKER
Bonafide 21st Century bluesmen The Bakerton Group unleash their second experimental musical adventure the 10-track offering EL ROJO. Yielding a galactic listening experience chock full of heady jams and wicked instrumental breaks, this alter ego outfit of alt metal kingpins Clutch (with vocalist Neil Fallon trading in cunning lyrics and clever vocal deliveries for rhythm guitar) perfectly displays the sound of world class musicians collectively digging deeper, unearthing a smorgasbord of styles that implementing dub rock ("Work 'Em"), funk ("Chancellor"), and freewheeling jazz rock laden with '70s keyboard explosions (thanks to Opeth's Per Wiberg ), and alto sax flourishes. Taking their main band's patented left of center approach off to uncharted territory, The Bakerton Group's odyssey is undeniably constructed from Clutch's impenetrable foundation, yet EL ROJO independently stands as a next level triptastic delight for fans of groovy improvisational rock to imbibe and enjoy. www.weathermakerrecords.com -Mike SOS

MIGHTY IMPIETY!

IMPIETY End All Life With Latest Album

Singapore's almighty maelstrom returns, possibly with their most furious release to date. IMPIETY are one of the world's most notoriously destructive bands, gaining that reputation over the course of their near 20-year existence. The band's incalculably destructive nature amalgamates insanely high-speed blasting, brutally-fast riff structures and relentless guttural torment, resulting in some of the most destructive blackened death metal on the planet.

IMPIETY's 6th studio album - appropriately entitled Terroreign: Apocalyptic Armageddon Command - is arguably the band's most hellish bloodstorm of relentless rage to date. Dedicated to and based upon the pitiful scum that humans are, the album presents a grim look at man's final days on Earth. The album presents ten tracks in total, including an Intro and Outro exclusively provided by Holocausto Vengeance of Beherit!

Terroreign: Apocalyptic Armageddon Command tracklisting
1. Intro
2. Vientos de Holocausto
3. Atomic Angel Assault
4. Terroreign
5. As Judea Burns
6. Goatfather
7. Bestial to the Bone
8. The Black Fuck
9. My Dark Subconscious
10. Outro

http://www.mightyimpiety.com
http://www.agoniarecords.com

REVIEW-O-RAMA

MANTIC RITUAL
EXECUTIONER
NUCLEAR BLAST
If the story of Pittsburgh, PA thrash metal neophytes Mantic Ritual's heading out west, scoring a record deal and recording their debut in Germany (but not before touring the world with the likes of heroes Destruction and Exodus) sounds too good to be true, then you need to get a little less jaded, as this tale is completely accurate. EXECUTIONER is the end result of this quartet's ultimate sojourn into the realm where velocity reigns supreme, an 11-track ode to the heyday of the legendary Bay Area uprising that mightily summons the power of KILL 'EM ALL, BONDED BY BLOOD, and SO FAR, SO GOOD, SO WHAT with a lackluster sense of self seeping through. While this squad is undeniably tight and well-disciplined in the art of shred ("Black Tar Sin", "Panic", "Murdered By Death"), the prevalently placed ripping retro vibes on everything here from the early Hetfield growls to the Holt/Hunolt fancy fretwork leave little room for this unit to break from the 1987 mold, opting to worship at the altars of Kreator and Slayer exclusively. Almost at times portraying to be too vintage for their own good, within the recent resurgence of bullet belt wearing, gratuitous solo playing headbanging music, Mantic Ritual unquestionably stand a cut above the rest thanks to their jaw-dropping tightness, yet need to develop past the glory days of the genre if they want to go toe to toe and pump the kind of essential entities thrash metal music's top dogs continue to lay down. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

MAEGASHIRA
THE STARK ARCTIC
SPARE CHANGE
New Jersey doom merchants Maegashira clobber your cranium with a sludgy six-track sixty minute deluge into the depths of this quartet's off-centered musical soul, drudging up shards of boogie-laden stoner metal and heinous hardcore metal heft from their collective musical wreckage along the way to comprise THE STARK ARCTIC. Not afraid to allow their inner Eyehategod to usurp the moment nor dive headlong into an icicle-inducing crushing metal jam, this fearless foursome's boisterous proclamation of pure power renders an unorthodox yet punishing listening experience whose few and far between bellicose vocals keep the menacing tones creeping inside your head ("Back to Muro") long after the song is over. If you've got the patience to let the psychedelic elements soak through these diabolical jams layered in lava, Maegashira's new album projects a convincing slab of slow-churned vitriol embracing the darker side of the spectrum. www.sparechangerecords.com -Mike SOS

SSS
THE DIVIDING LINE
EARACHE
Liverpool, UK quartet SSS (Short Sharp Shock) provide an expedient excursion to relentlessly bang your head to in the form of the 20-track THE DIVIDING LINE. This crossover crew's dead-on thrash metal acumen and authentic skate punk methods would make both Suicidal Tendencies and Destruction proud ("Toxic Bee”,” Purple Reign"). Displaying a unit at the top of their game, SSS gleefully barrels through track after track of lean and mean take no prisoners brutality with a self-induced panic-stricken mania and seething anger leading the charge ("Invertbrate", "Sk8 + Destroy"). Fortifying the frontlines of the recent thrash resurgence with an endless barrage of infectious choruses played at breakneck speed, this brazen affair masterfully combines the devastating brevity of SOD, DRI, and Municipal Waste and is essential for those who love to live in the fast lane. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

IMPIETY
DOMINATOR
PULVERISED
Singapore black metal troupe Impiety maintain a dastardly level of speed throughout the course of their latest five-song, 15-minute endeavor DOMINATOR, as this black-death hybrid troupe bludgeon the ears with a speed-driven assault exploding with bad intent. Tracks like "At War with Temujin" demonstrate this veteran squad's penchant for whipping up a maelstrom of malevolent riffs, hyperspeed percussion, and diabolical vocal all in the name of evil while the title cut showcases a blackened outlook with a particularly menacing vocal performance full of grunts and laughs guiding the hellacious affair. Dripping with demonic overtones and wrought with a vicious display of velocity, Impiety's brief yet potent strike yields a listening experience tailor made for those unafraid of the darker side of the spectrum. www.pulverisedrecords.com -Mike SOS

ORDER OF ENNDEAD
ORDER OF ENNDEAD
EARACHE
Order of Ennead is a bold blackened death metal troupe whose latest eponymous offering showcases a band with a serious multifaceted extreme metal strike. Featuring Deicide skin basher Steve Asheim, this quartet's scope explores the vastness of both the forests in the Netherlands and the catacombs in Stockholm with a diabolical rasp and an adventurous sense of composition leading the caravan ("The Culling"). Tracks like "Conferring With Demons" tackles glacial Nordic nuances with honor and finesse while "As Long As I Have Myself I Am Not Alone" demonstrates the squad's crushing technical prowess and ability to balance out a lengthier track with intriguing twists. Add in an excellent usage of piano throughout the disc, most notably on the closer "Dismantling an Empire" and this colossal concoction of forward-thinking metal combines a solid amalgamation of styles and an unquestionable vitriolic virtue to create an enjoyable listening experience for those who dwell in the dark. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

GHOULS
GHOULS
DESPISE THE SUN
After putting out numerous demos, Italian gore metal troupe Ghouls have finally released a full-length record, an eight-track self-titled affair that champions a hearty old school death metal appeal with a barrage of depraved lyrical content that borders the redundancy line. Radiating the retro brutality of Obituary and Cannibal Corpse on "The Messiah of Torture and Perversion" while harkening back to the heyday of shock with song titles like "Menstrual Vaginal Cry", Ghouls may be a bit too late to the party, but they do manage to find a niche by scraping through the entrails and keeping the aura bloodsoaked on tracks like appropriately slice and dice sachet of "Snuff Movie". www.myspace.com/despisethesunrecords -Mike SOS

BANG CAMARO
BANG CAMARO II
BLACK SWORD
Metal's favorite glee club return with II, Bang Camaro's sophomore effort chock full of tongue in cheek stadium anthems for the modern age. This act's unique choral lead singer situation and shredding pop metal riffs clear the path for a raucous 10-track joyride through the heavy metal parking lot. Tracks like "Miss Illusion" and "Night Lies" blast you back to the era of excess, using virtually every groan-inducing metal cliché from country fried ("Life is Hard on the Road") to campfire balladry ("The Hit") to its advantage with an unwaveringly tasteful yet bombastic sense of grace. Sounding gargantuan yet retaining a feel as if they were unearthed from the recesses of the Sunset Strip, this infectious spectacle's latest offering displays Bang Camaro's transcending from novelty act to full-fledged arena metal masters, able to set fists in the air and Bics overhead with their contagious and crisp delivery. www.bangcamaro.com -Mike SOS

AVANTASIA
LOST IN SPACE PART 1 & 2
NUCLEAR BLAST
Edguy frontman Tobias Sammet's side project Avantasia has garnished massive success, so much so that his earlier records LOST IN SPACE PART 1 &2 can get a deluxe consolidated reintroduction to the masses. This collection combines the two previously released entities with a slew of operatically-tinged guest appearance metal bonus goodness for an essential purchase for the definitive fan of Sammet and his powerful and melodic metal musings. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

BLACKOUT SHOPPERS
PASS OUT
SELF-RELEASED
Long overdue, prolific NYC punk troupe Blackout Shoppers have unleashed a proper album in the form of PASS OUT. Overflowing with the sprit of the NYC underground prior to the gentrification of the LES, this tenacious 20 track assault embraces hardcore punk's roots and NYHC mayhem to kick up a sterling showcase of sneering anarchic anthems ("One Way System", "Used Cars") and breakneck blasts of volatility ("Gashuffer", "Double Breakdown") guaranteed to get the party spinning completely out of control. If you miss the good old days when punk was a battle cry and not a fashion statement, you will love Blackout Shoppers. www.blackoutshoppers.com -Mike SOS

LETHARGY
PURIFICATION
CANDLELIGHT
Welsh troupe Lethargy bundle hard rock heft of the 90'swith progressive rock compositions and classic rock durability into their 11-track sophomore sojourn PURIFICATION. Sounding at times like a cross between Porcupine Tree, Staind, Alice in Chains and Warrior Soul, tracks like "Bleechin' Bones" and "14:9" pack a wallop with its mid-tempo mix of melodic metal while the title cut could have come from the latest Alter Bridge disc by way of Fates Warning and "I See Man's End in His Construction" find the unit channeling both an inner Zeppelin and Dream Theater. Ambitious enough to go the extra mile with a tasty solo or a left of center interlude yet not too far removed to slip back into familiar hard rock paradigms, this group's ability to concoct solid slabs of rock laden with a sly in-between sound bursts with a broad appeal that fans of all things rock can easily sink their teeth into. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com -Mike SOS

DARKESTRAH
THE GREAT SILK ROAD
PARAGON
Exploring the epic evilness of the black and pagan metal scenes, German by way of Central Asian (Kyrgyzstan to be exact) unit Darkestah have plotted out a dastardly five-track, 54-minute excursion laden with a folksy degree of traditional instrumentation and a general sense of damnation seeping through this squad's infernal pores ("Inner Voice"). Fortified by an incessant stomp that moves with a menacing yet cinematic-like grace ("Cult of aTengri") all tied together with a fittingly demonic female lead vocal rasp providing the netherworldly narrative, THE GREAT SILK ROAD deserves to be exalted as a sweepingly exotic affair that followers of atmospheric dark metal will find no problem gravitating towards. www.paragonrecords.net -Mike SOS

FLU.ID
IOTS
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM
German experimental hardcore troupe flu.ID have made an album proper by repackaging two previous 10-inch releases with a few bonus tracks and a strange assortment of electronic interludes to create a 15-track collection of schizophrenic heaviness and offbeat weirdness titled IOTS. Imagine Refused jamming out with Dillinger Escape Plan while a techno party looms in the background for an idea of what this eclectic trio brings to the table. Channeling hardcore's dissonant aggression while releasing an unsettling helping of tech metal warfare and savage noise rock on unprepared ears ("Estonia Flutet Die Titanic", this unit isn't content until you've been disturbed ("New Imperial Sadism"), destroyed ("Ordinary Different") and devastated ("b"). Wryly unorthodox yet totally crushing, this offering yields an ominous listening experience and requires a slew more comprehension than most, but is well worth the brain contortions if you enjoy music laced with chaos ("Strategy First"). www.southern.com -Mike SOS

THOSE WHO BRING THE TORTURE
TANK GASMASK AMMO
PULVERISED
Swedish death metal merchants Those Who Bring the Torture reinforce their band's moniker by carrying out a sublime shot of what their name suggests on TANK GASMASK AMMO. While this quartet won't be scoring any awards for most unique metal crew, their '90s death metal meets groovy grindcore redux ("All Hail The Goat") fits snugly between your Entombed and Dismember albums as songs like the blunt "You Should Be Brutally Slaughtered" and the D-beat madness of "Expecting a Search- Visibly Hiding the Flesh" lead this unit's riff-heavy low-growled bludgeoning. And hey, what metalhead worth their salt can resist thrashing about to a song entitled "Mutant Slut"? Providing a dash of old school good friendly violent fun, Those Who Bring the Torture have developed an admirable yet familiar blend of extreme metal goodness deserving of a few spins. www.pulverisedrecords.com -Mike SOS

SAXON
INTO THE LABYRINTH
SPV
Veritable New Wave of British Heavy Metal veterans Saxon continue to slug it out in the metal scene with their latest release INTO THE LABYRINTH. This 13-track disc is carried by bombast and bravado with Biff Byford guiding through both familiar and treacherous waters with a slew of convincing lead singer clichés at hand. Even though controversial career decisions this squad chose through the years put them in precarious positions both musically and with the audience, songs like "Live to Rock" and "Hellcat" exude the come-uppance spirit of their early years and show that there's still some gas left in the tank. Striking a balance between their biker rock days and a slick metallic gloss aimed for a mass appeal, the latest Saxon disc does an adequate job of highlighting many different sides of a group still fighting for respect after all these years. www.spv.de -Mike SOS

RAGING IN THE DARK
THE PASSION + THE TREACHERY
SELF-RELEASED
Raging in the Dark is a Queens, NY female duo whose six-track offering showcases a shadowy mix of dark-edged alternative rock. From grunge-laden dynamics found on "Window" to forlorn vocals heard on "Ophelia" to eerie atmospherics of "Human Now", this tandem sets an ominous mood with a Hole meets Nirvana by way of Sonic Youth influence creating their haunting yet inviting aura. Bolstered by a boisterous percussive clamor and a slew of sinewy riffs, THE PASSSION + THE TREACHERY have carefully constructed a living monument to a time gone by with reverence and fury intact. www.myspace.com/nepenthenyc -Mike SOS

SHIROCK
EVERYTHING BURNS
SELF-RELEASED
Nashville, TN outfit Shirock comprise their 12-track offering EVERYTHING BURNS with a plethora of stadium-filling choruses and big rock mystique, developing a huge sound likening the band to U2 or Oasis ("Drag You Down"). Slick production screaming for adult alternative airplay, flawless male-female vocal tradeoffs, and the familiarity tracks like grandiose "Time Goes By" radiates assist in this quintet's quest to not only rock the world but spread their message to help the planet via their non-profit organization (named EVERYTHING BURNS). Brimming over with soaring melodies and just the right touch of emotion, Shirock's album has the right elements to pull those enamored by Coldplay or Muse along for an uplifting journey. www.shirock.net -Mike SOS

VOETSEK
INFERNAL COMMAND
SELFMADEGOD
Blistering speed and sheer volatility fused together best describes the aural assault San Francisco quintet Voetsek are responsible for on their 17-track, 21-minute punk meets power violence excursion. Fronted by a female vocalist who sounds like she's undergoing an exorcism, this squad's blend of throttling thrash metal guitars ("Frozen Heart", "Bully With a Badge") and on the edge of falling off the road grindcore tendencies ("Screwdriver Smile") enable INFERNAL COMMAND to bridge a gap between scenes so old schoolers and neophytes alike can appreciate this barrage of charming speedcore maulings dripping with attitude and unpredictability. www.selfmadegod.com -Mike SOS

HARPOON
DOUBLE GNARLY/TRIPLE SUICIDE
INTERLOPER
Harpoon is a Chicago-based duo (now beefed up to a trio) whose grindcore meets metal batterings are backed by programmed drums, an element that sets a definitive tone for DOUBLE GNARLY/TRIPLE SUICIDE. Coming off as sterile and clinical when artificial beats become inhumanly overbearing ("Throngs") despite maintaining a crushing concoction of blasting guitars and glass-gargled vocals throughout ("The Cacographer", "Lefty", "Frogs, Boils, Locusts..."). Even though shards of Slayer, Napalm Death, and Pig Destroyer rear their heads in sporadic spurts on this 12-track affair, overall these morsels of metallic goodness are detracted by synthetically sounding skin bashing that plagues the entire production. Re-record drums with a powerhouse behind the kit (Dave Witte? Danny Herrera?) and the results would be radically different, but for now this disc is a few steps away from being something to marvel. www.interloperrecords.net -Mike SOS

SUIDAKRA
CROGACHT
WACKEN
German Pagan metal veterans Suidakra are back with a rousing nine-track presentation titled CROGACHT. Authentic Celtic instrumentation (bagpipes and tin whistles) and epic death metal collide to bring the revered Irish myth of Cuchulainn to life with a flurry of orchestral metal providing the dramatic soundtrack. Fortified via a well-balanced mix of crushing Viking metal ("Baile's Strand") and intense traditional compositions ("Feats of War"), Suidakra finds themselves at full-strength during the glorious fury of "Scathach", a piece where both of the band's unique styles juxtapose to create a colossal listening experience. CROGACHT is an album laden with sweeping melodies and displays a captivating vigor that whisks you away into Suidakra's epic brand of metallic folklore. www.wackenrecords.com -Mike SOS

ENSLAVED
VERTEBRAE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Norwegian metal merchants Enslaved have put out their most progressive album to date with their latest (and tenth!) offering, the eight-track VERTEBRAE. Far removed from their primitive origins, this squad's psychedelic rock meets black metal approach takes Pink Floyd into the catacombs for a swirling sojourn into lands discovered by the likes of Opeth ("Ground"). Using a mesmerizing black metal foundation ("New Dawn") to launch haunting riffs and atmospheric sections, Enslaved have realized the unimaginable possibility of making a black metal album boundless. Lurking with rich subtleties and a devastating sonic crush, VERTEBRAE showcases a stunning collection of music that requires multiple listens to fully appreciate the grandiose vision and creative splendor of Enslaved, yet stands strong as another top-notch release in the band's impressive catalog. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

FUELBLOODED
OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH
SELF-RELEASED
Hailing from the Netherlands, hybrid metal quintet Fuelblooded showcase a bevy of styles on their latest nine-track endeavor OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. Drawing initially from a prime selection of melodic Euro metal, this unit places an amalgamation of influences into its framework, whipping up its own hard hitting sonic brew along the way. Technically proficient ("The Cult of Ego") and harmonic fretwork ("The Wrath of A'ath") help Fuelblooded get their inner In Flames on while the title cut brings a deliberately darker tone and "The End Starts Here" takes a turn into progressive territories reserved for the likes of Nevermore or Scar Symmetry. Depositing a solid array of metal Fuelblooded fits somewhere between Trivium, Megadeth, and Darkane when it comes down to doling out a multifaceted metal attack. www.fuelblooded.com -Mike SOS

HELLVETO
NEOHERESY
PULVERISED
Featuring six tracks connecting a pulled-back brand of black metal with massive pagan and symphonic overtones, Polish one-man band Hellveto lays down a multi-layered metallic strike with NEOHERESY. Able to switch from tremolo-picked rage to serenity-laden subdued with relative ease (and more importantly with the audience following along), this disc possesses both a savage grace and a warmongering spirit, showcasing an orchestral belligerence somewhere between Emperor and Faith No More on "Milczace Sumienie" while "Taran" slithers with a sense of foreboding atmospherics. Strengthened by an omnipresent use of keyboards setting mood swings and overall aura, Hellveto has crafted a bellicose affair whose broad scope and non-traditional leanings will keep you guessing. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

BENEATH THE MASSACRE
DYSTOPIA
PROSTHETIC
Crippling Canadian quartet Beneath the Massacre is a dizzying deathcore troupe whose latest 10-track enterprise DYSTOPIA jackhammers sweeping guitar runs, feral blast beat drums, and vicious vocals into your cranium for over 30 minutes. And when it's over, what does the listener retain besides one hell of a headache? Not a whole lot, actually, although this band's jaw-dropping velocity and unbridled brutality found on cuts such as the relentless "Bitter" and "Procreating the Infection" is something to marvel at while the surprisingly slow and more painful delivery audible on the properly named "Lithium Overdose" salvages this squad from being caught in the middle between being totally breakdown-reliant and spastic riff friendly into a somewhat more palatable direction. Otherwise, this blistering offering does its damndest, sacrificing musicality for sheer sonic bludgeoning for fans of dastardly technicality to get wrapped inside of. www.prostheticrecords.com -Mike SOS

NAER MATARON
PRAETORIANS
SEASON OF MIST
Sticking to their roots, Greek black metal troupe Naer Mataron unfurl an expected mix of blast beat mayhem, evil vocal croaks and shrieks, and wrath-inducing tremolo-picked guitars on their most recent album PRAETORIANS. This 11-track release maintains the authentic black metal template to a fault, retaining the genre's trademark rawness sans any progressive tendencies. Making up for the album's lack of surprises by stirring a hearty cauldron brimming over with pure demonic fury ("Incarcerating Gallantes"), despite the incessant drum blastings and primitive compositions detrimental to some, those hankering for a shot of troo black metal will have nary a problem championing this resilient troupe's latest endeavor. www.season-of-mist.com -Mike SOS

DEAD BY WEDNESDAY
PAWNS
ECLIPSE
Connecticut crushers Dead By Wednesday unleash an explosive onslaught of politically charged rap metal on their 13-track venture PAWNS. Armed with a bevy of brawny hardcore riffs ("Pawns", "Break the Walls", "Restitution") and a solid twin vocal attack that works against one another nicely while running metal's stylistic gauntlet from guttural death ("Araroba") to frenzied punk ("Violent Tradition"), this disc offers a durable yet retread sound marred at points by sticking too close to the formula, rendering tracks like "Chosen" and the Hatebreed-esque "Society's Blood" a bit past shelf life. But if you can get past the Suicidal Tendencies and Downset worship, tracks like the So Cal punk meets Hed PE-infused "Liberty" and the Sworn Enemy by way of E-Town Concrete vibe on "Fractured" contain the surefire elements that keeps a steady stream of flailing limbs moving on the dancefloor. www.eclipserecords.com -Mike SOS

KHORS
MYSTICISM
PARAGON
Ukrainian septet Khors rely way too much on keyboards to be considered a full-on black metal troupe, as their gloomy metal inclinations and moody morosity indicates on their latest eight-track endeavor MYSTICISM. The intro on "Red Mirrors" sounds so 1987 it hurts while "In The Cold Embrace of Mist" boasts a key solo that sounds more in step with Deep Purple than anything in corpsepaint. Yet this unit's somber vibe remains strong between the flowery tinklings, pouring on the pity like a hybrid of Moonsorrow and Katatonia during the disc's darkest hours of need ("Winterfall"). www.paragonrecords.net -Mike SOS

ARKAN
HILAL
SEASON OF MIST
Intertwining a hearty helping of genuine Moroccan and Algerian music into a mixture of mediocre melodeath, Arkan's sophomore effort HILAL offers a perplexing listening experience. Teeming with a glossy production (thanks Fredrik Nortstrom) that produces an enormous sound ("Chaos Cypher") which can't obscure the awkwardness of obligatory ethnic music breaks clashing with a Gojira meets Daath style of metal, this disc is tough to endure when a plethora of different acts in Arkan's general direction do a more exciting job at what this squad intends to achieve. www.season-of-mist.com -Mike SOS

TRIBULATION
THE HORROR
PULVERISED
Retro Swedish death metal clan Tribulation pound out a loving tribute to the genre's salad days on their righteous nine-track affair THE HORROR. Killer guitar riffs and brazen solos lead this savagely savvy quartet's descent into the abyss ("Curse of Resurrection", "Beyond the Horror"), backed with just the right touch of slow-churned doom ("Seduced by the Smell of Rotten Flesh") before raring back with a resoundingly crust-infused blackened battering ("Crypt of Thanathophilia"). This quartet nails the spirit of the good old days with a speed-laden, Stockholm-influenced downtuned assault armed with its fair share of death 'n roll nuances for a groove-loaded crushing good time that will take fans of Dismember, Dissection, and Entombed back. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

PISTOLA
THE BLEEDER
DESEO
Pistola's latest 12-track venture THE BLEEDER maintains this NYC unit's pensive post-hardcore attack revealed on previous offering HOLD FOR BLISS. This band's biggest strength remains the delicate balance of brooding power and somber restraint they exert throughout the course of their 12-track offering, as "Tragedy is a Beauty Queen" walks a tightrope with mesmerizing percussion and Patricia Gradin's fearlessly cascading vocals complementing deftly jagged fretwork while staccato rhythms meld with soaring vocal performances on the engaging "Be Patient" and the biting "Music Snobs". Glistening with melody (the Sabbath-esque swing of "Out and About with Danny Rowe" stands out here) while attentively displaying the gritty underbelly of the Big Apple thanks to a cavalcade of raw Unsane meets Quicksand guitars and PJ Harvey meets Robert Plant vocal histrionics ("We're Alright Pt. 2", "The Battle of 4 Vs. 5"), Pistola entrances, engulfs, and intrigues listeners with their brand of potent post hardcore. www.pistola.us -Mike SOS

DANCE CLUB MASSACRE
CIRCLE OF DEATH
BLACK MARKET ACTIVITIES
Symphonic black metal plus deathcore equals Chicago's Dance Club Massacre's latest 10-track excursion CIRCLE OF DEATH. If you could imagine what a cross between Dimmu Borgir and Horse the Band would sound like, songs like "Hoosh Hoosh" and the WWE-inspired "Have You Ever Chopped a Wolf?" will give you an indication of what the amalgamation of these clashing styles sounds like. Disjointed, misguided, and overwrought with cliché, this disc's lighthearted lyrical stance and pseudo-ominous feel (thanks to an annoying presence of keyboards as well as a redundancy of deathcore themes) renders this presentation as something you can skip over and not feel too badly about. www.blackmarketactivities.com -Mike SOS

PULLING TEETH
PARANOID DELUSIONS/ PARADISE ILLUSIONS
DEATHWISH
Baltimore, MD's Pulling Teeth's bastardized combination of adept songwriting and vitriolic velocity retains a hardcore heft while firing a multi-dimensional assault chock full of intrigue and aggression. Sludgier and darker than your garden variety hardcore unit, tinkering with atmospheres and dynamics yields the monstrous results heard PARANOID DELUSIONS/ PARADISE ILLUSIONS, this quintet's latest five-track, 24-minute sojourn. Still displaying a set of chops that shred like Slayer and the ferocity to clobber like Converge, by adding in foreboding ambience via Moog and keyboards ("Bloodwolves") and a boldness that permits spacey rock jams a la Cave In to morph from the mayhem ("Ritual"), this quartet takes their assault past hardcore's normal limits.vwww.deathwishinc.com -Mike SOS

GEISHA
DIE VERBRECHEN DER LIEBE
CRUCIAL BLAST
Britol, UK troupe Geisha champion a smorgasbord of sound on their six-track sophomore affair DIE VERBRECHEN DER LIEBE. From jumpy noise rock riffs to sludge rock rhythmic slanderings to thunderous stoner rock percussion to trip-laden extended psychedelic space rock jams, this exploratory troupe provides a dissonant post hardcore offering boldly veering into parts unknown with a dizzying swagger and hyperkinetic sense of danger in tow. Equally at home in the spaceship or the swamp, this swirling excursion ends off on a high note with "Theme From Diana", a colossal 30-minute plus endeavor that intertwines shards of random dialogues with a shape-shifting yet raw drone metal feel and scrawls of white noise feedback to close out this intense and boundless squad's sojourn. www.crucialblast.net -Mike SOS

MORE MORIBUND

DODSFERD - SUICIDE AND THE REST OF YOUR KIND WILL FOLLOW
I cannot lie, I was beginning to get a little concerned here that these guys (well "guy", really) were going to flood us with album after album and lose all specialness they once had. Lo, was I wrong. This latest slayer has only two tracks, one over 20 minutes and one more than 16 minutes and interject plenty of mood and atmosphere to quickly quell any doubts about them, er, him. Hey, to me less is more, but it's okay if more is the good kind of more. This is really moody. I hate overusing words, but I mean it here. It doesn't get too fast, but it does pierece the skin slowly and painfully. Dodsferd can curse us with as many alubms as they damn well please, and use me as a sacrifical lamb if they'd so like! (FA)
MORIBUND RECORDS
www.moribundcult.com, orders@moribundcult.com

HORDE OF HEL - BLODSKAM
Well isn't this cute, these guys want to remain all anonymous and stuff as to who they are. Sounds like a "Blodskam" to me! Oh I'm so kidding, relax already! Just when you started to think that Scandanavian metal may be lacking due to overexposure and selling-out and other such foolishness, here cometh a new, refreshing, and kickass dose of black metal mania and industrial-laced lunacy to reassure you. Crushing, doomy in parts, like a hammer striking the perpetual anvil that is you, Horde of Hel unleash Hel and leave no surviviors accounted for. Don't take my words for it, take this 14 song nihilistic plunge your damn self! (FA)
MORIBUND RECORDS
www.moribundcult.com, orders@moribundcult.com, www.myspace.com/heldivine, www.youtube.com/hordeofhel

RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT

PAPSMEAR
MUSIC TO KILL BY
METAL WAR
Just by perusing the booklet defunct Las Vegas thrash band Papsmear accompanies their retrospective MUSIC TO KILL BY with, you can tell these guys were at the forefront of their scene, as homemade flyers touting shared bills with the likes of COC, Pestilence, and Hirax can attest to. Armed with a feral thrash metal attack that always appeared to be on the brink of falling apart, this band who really never made it out of Vegas combines blistering speed, sneering vocals, whammy bar antics, and lyrical discourse taken straight from the playbook to comprise their style. This multi-faceted collection boasts live recordings, demos, and a DVD of the good old days when beer was cheap, girls were easy, and posers were soundly disposed of or at the very least according to the live shows heard here, resoundly heckled and harassed from the lead singer's microphone. Diehard thrash maniacs will need this, but there's way better stuff, both reissued and current, out there to check out before you have to dig into this one. www.metalwarprod.com -Mike SOS

BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE
DICHOTOMY
SOLID STATE
Christian metal troupe Becoming the Archetype and producer Devin Townsend have made a monstrous modern metal album called DICHOTOMY. This 10-track affair packs gargantuan riffage, pummeling bass lines, grandiose keyboards, and gruff vocals into every track, but isn't afraid to wield an acoustic for some sweet classic metal interludes ("St. Anne's Lullaby", "How Great Thou Art") or go Pink Floyd with a female singer/piano combo ("Deep Heaven"). Teetering between the progressive and melodeath end of the spectrum, fans of In Flames and Strapping Young Lad will definitely want to get their hands on this one. www.solidstate.com -Mike SOS

IRONWEED
INDIAN LADDER
SMALL STONE
Albany, NY quintet Ironweed take matters into their own hands on debut disc INDIAN LADDER. Boasting ex-members of Greatdayforup, this band displays sludgy stoner metal chops on cuts like "Thorn" and "Rid The Earth" yet make a fair share of intriguing detours within the metal spectrum on tracks like "Lifeless Coil" and "Penny for Your Prayers" to keep your smoked skull active. Brimming over with dirty grooves, thick riffs, and a solid vocal performance that cohesively ties it all together, Ironweed nicely fills the gap left by Alabama Thunderpussy while throwing in choice chunks of metallic goodness a la Down for that kick in the ass listening experience you've been craving. www.smallstone.com -Mike SOS

SCALE THE SUMMIT
CARVING DESERT CANYONS
PROSTHETIC
Scale the Summit's captivating alliance of guitar wizardry with adventurous musical compositions sounds like a cross between the forward-thinking The Fucking Champs and the cathartic charge of Pelican on their second effort CARVING DESERT CANYONS. This invigorating unit's jostling eight-track excursion is an instrumental metal fan's dream come true, as this technically proficient quartet put on a veritable musician's clinic to disc ("Glacial Planet") while skillfully investing the listener emotionally without assistance from any vocals ("City in the Sky"). Rousing and rocking, Scale the Summit lack of stuffiness is what helps them excel so well in getting their point across, as this band doesn't just blow your face off with flurries of flawless runs and fills but writes heartfelt and hearty progressive rock jams bursting with the aforementioned for a multi-faceted assault not just restricted to the progressive sect. www.prostheticrecords.com -Mike SOS

NOISM
+-
CRUCIAL BLAST
Noism consists of guitar and drum machine unleashing sonic batterings of cybergrind at dangerous BPM's. Armed with a disturbingly cold and robotic rampage, this 12-track affair reaps 20+ minutes of aural menacing complete with electronically manipulated drum poundings incessantly jackhammering into your cerebrum while blistering guitars fade in and out of the barrage of percussive insanity. This album will drive you mad if you allow its chaotic cadence to envelope your ears long enough, as Noism's representation of mechanized madness is truly devoid of any sense of stability. www.crucialblast.com -Mike SOS

BIONIC
BLACK BLOOD
SIGNED BY FORCE
Canadian rock outfit Bionic deliver a galactic group of good times rock tonnage on their bombastic 10-track attack BLACK BLOOD. Bad to the bone rhythms ("Learn to Love the Government") and fuzzed-out jams ("Theme for a Young Lion") collide with a marching band ("Freedom Now, Baby") for the supercharged cruise through the desert in a muscle car vibe. Honkytonk piano, rowdy horns and badass guitar bends are tatooed all over this disc, subtlety exposing hard rock's gritty underbelly without a hint of restraint ("Econo Tusk", "Soft as Magarine"). Dripping with attitude reinforced with a smattering of soulful rock 'n roll, this disc melds the freewheeling natures of Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu and Clutch together for a raucous ride rocks fans will clamor for. www.signedbyforce.com -Mike SOS

GOJIRA
THE WAY OF ALL FLESH
PROSTHETIC
The latest album from Gojira solidifies this French quartet's place amongst metal's elite, as this avant-garde unit's extraordinary juxtaposition of crushing and progressive elements is stretched past the point of reproach on the 12-track THE WAY OF ALL FLESH. Fueled by an ecological mindset which sets the lyrical tone of take care of Mother Earth or else, this squad doles out a harbinging mix of epic death metal complete with dizzying time signature switches and waves of doom metal monotony ("The Art of Dying") and industrial strength grooves that simply brutalize ("Toxic Garbage Island", "Yama's Messengers"), while challenging your ears with superlative blasts of sonic excess ("Vacuity"). Providing a bevy of dazzling dynamic shifts and a haunting black metal intensity throughout ("Wolf Down the Earth"), Gojira has created a unique strand of metal music that gets better after every listen. www.prostheticrecords.com -Mike SOS

BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
SELF-RELEASED
Texas metal quartet By Any Means Necessary lay down a furious thrash meets modern metal clobbering on their three-track eponymous endeavor. Imagine Chimaira going toe to toe with Exodus ("Discord of War") for an idea of what kind of beatdown to be prepare for. Throw in some some tasty Pantera-esque guitar runs and a powerful rhythm section's exuding brute force and allow the headbanging to begin. This disc delivers sharpened blows of metallic might with flashes of Bay Area glory and a nasty attitude hammering it home. www.myspace.com/byanymeansnecessary -Mike SOS

GUILLOTINE
BLOOD MONEY
PULVERIZED
Sweden's Guillotine slay the world with their authentic brand of hostile thrash metal on the reunited unit's latest 12-track affair BLOOD MONEY. Melding blistering speed, groovy riffs, and disciplined rhythms, there's a whole lot of Kreator and Exodus in these guy's bag of tricks as tracks like "Insane Oppression" and "War" denote, yet there's also a Sacred Reich-esque vibe permeating from cuts like "Die/Live?" and some sweet apocalyptic lyrical content in "Our Darkest Day". And of course, being from Sweden, how can you play thrash and not borrow a bit from The Haunted ("Welcome to Dying")? A rousing slab of headbanging and tasty riffs abound, Guillotine bind a strong cross-section of elements that make great thrash metal together, developing a stirring offering for those who enjoy an insatiable need for speed wrought in wrath. www.pulverized.net -Mike SOS

PRO-PAIN
NO END IN SIGHT
REGAIN
16 years on the job and still going strong chugging out memorable heavy tuneage, Pro-Pain follows up their recent string of solid offerings with NO END IN SIGHT. This 11-track endeavor finds Gary Meskil and crew pumping the usual meat and potatoes hardcore metal might with the blue collar work ethic that warrants this band's hard nosed reputation ("Halo", "Let The Blood Run Through the Streets"), yet there's some discernible switches happening throughout NO END IN SIGHT that really stand out given their tried and true formula. The increased implementation of melody, especially vocally (and clean-sung at that), is a pretty stark diversion for this veteran act, as it gives off a modern hardcore approach to cuts like "All Rise" and "Hour of the Time" while allowing this troupe to include another choice layer to its already menacing arsenal. Add in a sterling guest guitar spot by Cannibal Corpse's Rob Barrett ("Pheonix Rising") and bagpipes for a stomping pub rock feel ("Go It Alone") to the band's stalwart hardcore metal delivery for more hints of deviation to the steamroller sound championed since Pro-Pain's inception and you can mark this disc as yet another durable release from an always reliable unit with some unexpected aural surprises making perfect fits into their punishing paradigm. www.ragainrecords.com -Mike SOS

TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION
PEACE LOVE AND TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION
ENUCLEATION
Total Fucking Destruction provide an unusual socio-apocalyptic musical experience meshing offbeat bursts of grindcore mired in jackhammered repetition with an unabashed thumb at the nose punk attitude kicking down the door on the irreverent 23-track assault titled PEACE LOVE AND TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION. Menacing at times ("Anyone But Me") yet consistently maintaining an upbeat and bright feel not unlike SOD ("Grindcore Salesman", "Doublespeaker"), Brutal Truth grind guru Rich Hoak pulls double duty on drums and vocals here, conducting the ensuing madness while flailing away on the kit like an escaped convict on the lam. Hurling heaps of biting commentary about the state of the world into the mantra-like lyrics of this frenetic centrifuge only makes the room spin faster and the urge to hang on for dear life that much more tangible, as TFD have furnished a vociferous rollercoaster ride through society's gritty underbelly on this acerbically expedient expedition. www.enucleationrecords.com -Mike SOS

WETNURSE
INVISIBLE CITY
SEVENTH RULE
Malleable NYC metal unit Wetnurse whip up another furious flurry of forward thinking metal on the quintet's latest effort INVISIBLE CITY. This extreme eight-track excursion eagerly runs up and down the aisles in the heavy metal supermarket, grabbing everything in sight, chucking it into a brooding battleship-like shopping cart for their diabolical devourment. Channeling the vocal gymnastics of Candiria, the efficient instrumental elegance of Baroness, the dynamic dissonance of Dillinger Escape Plan, and the disenchanted discourse of Today is the Day, this squad squarely bridges the gap between modern metal waters on cuts like the mesmerizing "Conversations With the Moon" and the demonically-charged "Show Your Spell Miss Hell". Best absorbed via uninterrupted listen, Wetnurse's sweeping stylistic shifts seamlessly meld into each other to form an elaborate tapestry of crushing avant garde metal whose vivacious musicianship raises the bar on what the amalgamation of adventurous and battering should sound like. www.seventhrule.com -Mike SOS

BIBLE OF THE DEVIL
FREEDOM METAL
CRUZ DEL SUR
Hey man, is that FREEDOM METAL, man? Well, turn it up, man! Yeah, that's the vibe the latest eight-track affair which Chicago's defenders of the faith Bible of the Devil emits, right down to the gruff yet glittery Paul Stanley meets Paul D'ianno vocal caterwaul of Matt Hoffman . Tracks like "Womanize" maintain a classic metal feel by keeping the genre's traditional sounds and structures intact with unfettered authenticity while the terrifically-reworked twin guitar mayhem and galloping rhythms featured throughout reek with familiarity yet rock so hard you don't care that you've heard it all before from a Priest or Scorpions album from the mid '70s. Not shy in paying homage to their influences in the most respectful of ways, this album is a slamming affair that will have any classic metalhead and gray beard worth their salt scrambling through their closet for the old school denim jacket with the Maiden patch on the back. And so what if "Ol' Girl" apes Thin Lizzy down to the tee, the band does an admirable job of dramatizing what a modern-day Lynott may come up with, so relax a bit, chug a brew and sit tight and enjoy this time machine joyride Bible of the Devil have stepped up and supplied. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

DIMENSION ZERO
HE WHO SHALL NOT BLEED
CANDLELIGHT
Boasting an impressive pedigree (featuring members of Soilwork and In Flames) and a penchant for punishment, Swedish melodic death metal troupe Dimension Zero return with its fourth installment of brutality with HE WHO SHALL NOT BLEED. This 11-track effort merges blistering thrash with diabolical death 'n roll, relying heavily on a ferocious flurry of relentless riffs, pummeling rhythms, and vicious vocals on tracks like "Going Deep" and the furious title track while tracks like "Red Dead Heat" and the slightly more melodic "Hell Is Within" hammer the group's metallic points into your skull with boisterous blunt force. Despite its noticeable lack of tempo variation, the continuously frantic pace set here plays up Dimension Zero's strengths, allowing the listener to throw caution to the wind and headbang to heart's content with reckless abandon. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com -Mike SOS

SUGAR RED DRIVE
SUGAR RED DRIVE
SELF-RELEASED
Poughkeepsie, NY modern rock mavens Sugar Red Drive have fused a wealth of familiar sounds together assuring a readiness for rock radio dominance on the quartet's eponymous 11-track debut. Huge hooks, driving guitars, and a solid vocal performance bolster hard rockers like "Comin' Down" and tender moments like "Millers Child", instantly cramming these guys in between Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman, and Hinder in the battle to knock Nickelback off the top of the mountain. Providing a durable batch of tunes that are easy to hum along to ("Grace") or rock out to ("One More Time"), Sugar Red Drive display an uncanny acumen for making rock music aimed for hockey arenas and sports highlight reels. www.myspace.com/sugrareddrive -Mike SOS

LECHEROUS NOCTURNE
THE AGE OF MIRACLES HAS PASSED
UNIQUE LEADER
South Carolina quintet Lecherous Nocturne bust out from the gates of the netherworld with a devastating eight-track excursion in tow titled THE AGE OF MIRACLES HAS PASSED. This blistering and brutal unit (featuring members of Nile and Monstrosity) rip and tear with a dastardly death meet black metal amalgamation on cuts like the pulverizing "We Are As Dust" and the exasperating slow crawl of the title track. Providing a compact (this disc only runs 28 minutes long) yet complete aural bludgeoning, this release brims over with an uncompromising array of surprisingly memorable moments bordering on catchy ("Requiem for the Insects") in between its chaotic abrasiveness, swiftly catapulting this act to the top of the extreme metal fold. www.uniqueleader.com -Mike SOS

XYSTUS
EQUILIBRIO
SENSORY
Dutch metal project Xystus surpasses typical rock opera expectations on the troupe's latest grandiose expose entitled EQUILIBRIO. This brazen theatrical affair boasts a cast and crew over 130 members strong, including a massive choir reserved for religious celebrations and a show-stealing full scale orchestra to properly carry mainman's Bas Dolmans' epic vision to life. Highlighted by the immense vocal talents of Simone Simons (Epica) and George Oosthock (Orphan) as major characters, this sweepingly majestic presentation's ace in the hole can be found via the symphonic might and bold pomp the orchestra doles out, cutting through the competent power metal backdrop at just the right times to stir up drama, create tension, and enrich the entire production with its captivating sparkle and shine. This is one not to miss if you enjoy progressive metal at its most bombastic as well as a piece of work which screams to be experienced with all accoutrements intact. www.lasersedgegroup.com -Mike SOS

CAPRICORNS
RIVER, BEAR YOUR BONES
RISE ABOVE
UK instrumental metal menaces Capricorns inject an undercurrent of visceral volatility into their latest sludgy sojourn RIVER, BEAR YOUR BONES. Setting off a dastardly stoner rock feel that trades genre-typical flashes of excess for barrages of skull pounding passages that could easily be mistaken for pit stomping hardcore if not for the spacy interludes in between , this eight-track affair contorts without compromise, showcasing its metallic malleability with every doom-laden riff ("5") and dramatic shapeshifted rhythm hammered out ("1", "3"). Boasting former members of Iron Monkey and Orange Goblin in its ranks explains and bolsters the sheer heaviness this squad exudes while intertwining the wares of usual suspects such as Pelican, Isis, Neurosis, Baroness, and Mastodon, an arduous task that Capricorns takes on with a triumphant arsenal of prolific yet pounding avant-garde atmospheric metal chops. www.riseaboverecords.com -Mike SOS

WE INSIST!
OH! THINGS ARE SO CORRUPTIBLE
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM
Freewheeling French troupe We Insist! throw convention to the wind on their latest release OH! THINGS ARE SO CORRUPTIBLE, weaving a durable alternative metal safety net channeling Faith No More, Primus, Clutch and System of A Down while embedded impressions of quirky rock and a predominant level of jazz (propelled by a call and response between the patented twin saxophone presence) assert importance. This 12-track offering sweeps through speakers with determined density, at times displaying the frantic power of a renegade juggernaut on the lam ("Time is Lazy", "The Sailor") while demonstrating a love for the dark and cinematic ("Early Recollections", "Half Awake") . Capturing an unorthodox amalgamation of rhythmic swerves, psychedelic grooves and whiskey-soaked jangle , this oddball sextet's bottomless bag of intriguing musical textures amped with an intoxicating intensity bestow tracks like "Imperial Catechism" a hearty stomp and "The Great Disorder" an icy chill. This disc's herky-jerky nature and off the grid train of thought is not for everyone, but for those who crave more creativity in their rock music, this one delivers. www.southern.com -Mike SOS

THYRFING
HELS VITE
REGAIN
Swedish Viking metal veterans Thyrfing have undergone some lineup changes (most notably vocally) since their last offering in 2005, yet this quintet seems to have gained strength from the shakeup and have decisively become darker in the process. HELS VITE is the troupe's icy seven-track statement, a releases which comes complete with a proper balance of menacing guitars, gargantuan drums, tortured growls, and keyboard flourishes driving cuts like "Griftefrid" straight down into the depths of Hell, while "Isolation" works under a deliberate pace while emitting dramatic blackened vibes accentuated with acoustic guitar interludes and battleground horns that you'd expect from any corpsepainted crew a cut above the median. If you're a fan of bombastic black metal with an evil streak a mile wide, HELS VITE provides all the nuances necessary to get your demonic kicks. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

NASHVILLE PUSSY
FROM HELL TO TEXAS
SPV
Sticking to the cowpunk attitude meets raw rock 'n roll formula they've been championing for over a decade, Nashville Pussy returns with another batch of road ready boogie friendly whiskey-soaked hellbound tunes on the 12-track FROM HELL TO TEXAS. Never ones to shy from subtleties, songs like the fiery "I'm So High" and "Drunk Driving Man" are self-explanatory accounts direct from the hard living rock lifestyle, while tracks like "Pray for the Devil" showcase Ruyter Suys' formidable Gibbons meets Perry guitar chops and "Why Why Why" and "Late Great USA" display this tandem's ability to pump out contagious hand-clapped and cowbell friendly hooks that get the whole crowd moving. Bursting at the seams with songs about drugs, drinking, drinking, and drugs, Nashville Pussy continues its chug on its raucous rock route, huffed up on whatever they can get their paws on, not afraid to share a taste of its non-stop country-fried rock attack. www.spvusa.com -Mike SOS

OMNIUM GATHERUM
THE REDSHIFT
CANDLELIGHT
Finnish sextet Omnium Gatherum, fresh off their last release STUCK HERE ON SNAKE'S WAY, return with another 11-track endeavor entitled THE REDSHIFT. This melodic death metal unit's latest batch of tunes demonstrates this act's versatile composition skills, as this album branches out from the usual melodeath malaise long enough to dabble in Goth metal, progressive, and doom for a more revealing glimpse at a band who,despite making headway, still seem to be searching for their niche. While tracks like "Shadowkey" sound a bit rote and par for the In Flames meets Dark Tranquility course, tracks like the mid-tempo mauling brought on by "Shapes and Shades" give off Machine Head-esque power, instrumental "Song for December" provides a welcomes somber break in the action and "No Breaking Point" and "Greeneyes" cleverly intertwine the wares of Moonspell and Katatonia for an intriguing dip into the gloom and doom realm. Ominum Gatherum's well-versed metal approach keeps listeners engrossed throughout yet a bit more fine-tuning may sharpen this squad's output for the next time around. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com -Mike SOS

RABID RABBIT
RABID RABBIT
INTERLOPER
Two bassists, minimal vocals, and swirls of dense psychedelic avant garde metal arrive via Chicago's Rabid Rabbit on the crew's latest jaunt, an elitist-friendly vinyl-only eponymous seven-track affair. Sounding like a cross between Sonic Youth, Melvins, and Giant Squid, this foursome fearlessly hammers out a cavalcade of over your head noise rock mired in sludge metal low-end rhythms ("First Blood") and free-form jazz structure while the atmospheric fretwork allows aerial acrobatics in tracks like "Ephederine" to shine. Thirsty ears looking for a challenge will warm up to the earthy tones and unorthodox style, but for those not seeking adventure, this may render a bit too sharp of a turn to get into. www.interloperrecords.net -Mike SOS

YE GO TO THE ABSU!

ABSU - ABSU
Wow, I was in college 8 years ago when their last album was released! The wait was damn well worth it though, and like fine wine, Absu gets better with age, something only so few bands can remotely brag about. More of the same esoteric and occult worship that certainly only a handful of "with it" individuals would understand accompanies their usual killer brand of fast blackthrash with some keyboards-keyboards here and some acoustic-acoustic there. Most notable is that this is the first release with long-timers Equitant and Shaftiel contributing full-time yet they still did pitch in with songwriting and musical arrangements. And their replacements do a damn fine job of keeping the spirits of things. If you've gone down the Absu road before, all of your expectation will be both met and surpassed. Never fear and never doubt, for Absu shall never sellout! (FA)
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com, www.myspace.com/absu

NEW FROM CAPTAIN KYRCK

New Titles from Kyrck - March 2009

008: Manes – Solve Et Coagula cd 10 euros

009: Ulver – Vargnatt cd 13 euros comes with free poster

010: Order of the Ebon Hand – A Mystic… cd 10 euros

Past titles:

007: Ved Buens Ende “Those..” cd 13 euro comes with free poster

006:Strid s/t cd 13 euro comes with free poster

005: Thorns “Stigma Diabolicum”cd 13 euro comes with free poster

Limited edition leatherbooks :

Ulver 22 euros comes with free poster

Ved Buens Ende 22 euros comes with free poster

Manes 2 cd 25 euros

Strid 22 euros comes with free poster

Thorns 22 euros comes with free poster

Kawir 22 euros

Postage is not included in the price, contact us for a quote. Available as quantities last.
NOTE: we suggest registered for additional 3,5 euro per package for safety
K.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Present:
Ulver : Vargnatt CD + Leatherbook
Manes : Solve et Coagulla CD
Order of the Ebon Hand : Mystic Path to the Netherworld
Ved Buens Ende.. "Those who caress the Pale" Leatherbook CD

The Past:
Ved Buens Ende.. "Those who caress the Pale" Leatherbook CD
Strid "s/t" CD
Thorns "Stigma Diabolicum" CD

The future:
Limbonic Art: Rehearsal 95-96 Cd/LPs
Aptorian Demon: new full length cd
Strid/Raumr : split CD/LP
Manes/Manes split LP
+more...

Kyrck Prod. & Armour, P.O.BOX 3336, 102 10, Athens, HELLAS (GR)
www.kyrck-productions.cjb.net

SUSPERIA SINGER UPDATE

SUSPERIA: Singer's Operation A Success Despite Further Complications

Oslo, Norway -- Despite further complications SUSPERIA singer Athera (Pal Mathiesen) successfully underwent open heart surgery on Monday March 16th 2009 at Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Originally scheduled to have a triple bypass operation, surgeons discovered further problems which resulted in the vocalist also having a main artery - which previously ran to his lungs -connected directly to his heart. Athera will remain in hospital to recuperate and has been advised by doctors that full recovery will take between three and five months.

Still in some agony from his ordeal and in reflective mood, Athera said: "Wow - Well what happened there?! It looks like this time my name wasn't on the guest list at the pearly gates or the other place down below. I got through the surgery and I'm now back in the regional hospital after five days at the specialist heart clinic. Here in my hospital bed I'm contemplating the enormity of what happened - the what ifs and the what might have been. I'm in agony but the strong medication helps. It was a heavy operation having my body parts re-arranged - If a musician ever needed a "TUNE UP," I hope this was it. There are some tough times ahead but I will get there in the end."

Commenting further on the messages of support and with an eye on the future he added: "I'm truly amazed at people's humanity at times like this, with all the goodwill messages I've been getting from friends and strangers. Once again the metal community comes through with flying colors, putting their prejudices aside to come together as one. Respect to those who took the time to send messages of support. It's heart-warming to get messages from metalheads who don't have the time of day for my band yet still find the time to send a message.You all helped me get through this, and strengthened my metal heart! .I will be out of the game for a while till my chest bones completely heal and I can sing fully again. I wish my boys a good trip round the UK in May on the tour, and am confident they will bring along a singer that will make the show worth while for you. I wish I could be there, "

As previously reported, SUSPERIA have confirmed the postponement of Norwegian dates, which were set for April 09. Their UK tour in May with Breed 77 will go ahead at the insistence of Athera himself, having urged the band not to let their UK fans down and to look at finding a replacement vocalist.

The release of SUSPERIA's next studio album is set for early summer as planned, through Candlelight Records. Full details will be announced shortly.

http://www.susperia.net
http://www.myspace.com/susperiafans
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN THE THRONE ROOM

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM to headline North American tour

Acclaimed ethereal USBM unit WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have just announced their upcoming North American tour this May, which they will be headlining. Joined by a host of other acts such as Krallice, A Storm of Light, Thrones and more along the way, the band has also been added to this years Maryland Deathfest which lands in the middle of the tour, appearing alongside Destroyer 666, Absu, Bolt Thrower, Brutal Truth and more.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - headlining North American tour

5/13/2009 Marquis Theatre - Denver, CO w/Krallice

5/14/2009 The Picador - Iowa City, IA w/Krallice

5/15/2009 Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis, MN

5/16/2009 Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL w/Krallice, A Storm of Light

5/17/2009 Casbah - Hamilton, ON w/A Storm of Light, Krallice

5/18/2009 Wreck Room - Toronto, ON w/Thrones, Krallice, A Storm of Light

5/19/2009 La Sala Rosa - Montreal, QC w/Thrones, Krallice, A Storm of Light

5/21/2009 Great Scott - Allston, MA w/Krallice, A Storm of Light

5/22/2009 Europa - Brooklyn, NY w/Thrones, A Storm of Light

5/23/2009 Sonar - Baltimore, MD - as part of Maryland Deathfest

5/24/2009 Club Hell - Providence, RI w/A Storm of Light

5/25/2009 Wallingford American Legion - Wallingford, CT w/Krallice, A Storm of Light

5/26/2009 The Studio at Webster Hall - New York, NY w/Krallice, A Storm of Light

5/28/2009 Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA w/Krallice, A Storm of Light [6 PM show]

5/28/2009 Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA w/Krallice, A Storm of Light [10 PM show]

5/29/2009 Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA w/Krallice, A Storm of Light, Forensics

5/30/2009 The Hideaway - Johnson City, TN w/Krallice, A Storm of Light

6/01/2009 Caledonia - Athens, GA w/Krallice, A Storm of Light
6/02/2009 The Earl - Atlanta, GA w/Krallice, A Storm of Light

All of this action after the now ongoing tour WITTR is on alongside Tombs and label mates Pelican. The band are touring in support of their third full-length Black Cascade, which is reaping massive critical response from the media!


"...an undeniably powerful, epic slab of atmospheric black metal." - Decibel

The group’s music is swirlier and noisier and more cathartic than most black metal;
its long pieces reward your attention with real musical narrative." - The New York Times

"Wolves in the Throne Room have moved from talented upstarts to potential leaders
of the 'new wave of black metal' with Black Cascade." - Sea of Tranquility


An updated press gallery for Black Cascade is fully operational: http://www.southernlord.com/press/wolvesinthethroneroom

SELFMADE IN THE SHADE PART 2

New from SELFMADEGOD Records:

MOTHRA - Dyes
If you like blastbeats, sonic beat downs, hoarse vocals, choppy riffs and something like Unsane on speed, then you've got it here in MOTHRA. Songs take a left turn and then a right before circling back and threatening to turn the wheel violently while stepping on the gas, damn the consequences. Just when you think you're in for a high-octane ride, they throw a slow burner at you, and yet you're compelled by the power of MOTHRA to stay on board. And when you've about caught your breath, they throw even more tricks at you , if only to demonstrate that when you think you have this band figured out, you probably don't. Fans of Converge, Burnt By The Sun and older The Dillinger Escape Plan pay head!
http://www.myspace.com/mothra

EGOIST - Ultra-Selfish Revolution
Besides some solos from Patrick Mameli of Pestilence and C-187 fame, a maniac from Poland named Stanislaw Wolonciej recorded and produced the album Ultra-Selfish Revolution himself, under the name EGOIST, and that included writing and performing all of the music himself. And what does this music sound like? Well, take the off-time tempo, crunch and clean-tone moments of Meshuggah and add prog metal influences and sound effects from outer space, and clean and supremely confident vocals over top, and you have something approximating what EGOIST does on this, the second release. Fat, downtuned riffs pile up, ready to slap upside the head anyone who foolishly isn't paying attention. Melodies and harmonies with large helpings of reverb and texture weave an enveloping cloud that will give any prog rock enthusiast something to get excited about. And throughout it all EGOIST keeps moving, not content to ride any one set of ideas for too long before expanding, growing and tugging you along for the ride.
http://egoist.metal.pl/
http://www.myspace.com/egoistpoland

http://www.selfmadegod.com
http://www.myspace.com/selfmadegodrecords

WE'RE ALL HOPING FOR THE BEST...

SUSPERIA VOCALIST TO UNDERGO OPEN HEART SURGERY

OSLO, NORWAY: SUSPERIA vocalist Athera (Pal Mathieson) remains under close observation at Akershus Universitetssykehus Hospital in Lørenskog, Norway following his heart attack last week. The singer has been diagnosed with a previously undetected genetic disorder that will require the replacement of three narrowed arteries and three heart valves. He will undergo a triple heart by-pass operation through open heart surgery on Monday March 16th 2009. Meanwhile the singer is being kept on heavy doses of medication to keep his blood thin and his heart rate down.

Though in a serious, but stable condition, a highly spirited and medicated Athera speaking from his hospital bed sent the following message: "Hey everyone out there in the metal universe - friends and strangers. Thanks for all your messages of support. I'm lying here in the hospital reading them all and it's really nice to see that so many of you have taken the time to send them. It's overwhelming. I've had a big shock and it's not something I would want anyone to experience. You know, I always wanted to hit the headlines - but not in this way! Looks like the SUSPERIA curse has hit again, a new album and tour on the way and one of us complicates it all. But damn it, we will never let anything stop us - ever! Even if death itself comes knocking and believe me it did. I am undergoing open heart surgery this Monday to replace some broken valves and veins, and then this metal heart will beat once again. The Doc(tor) says I'll be back stronger than ever. I will have to spend a long time in the hospital, but it's not that bad. You should see the nurses taking care of me. Could be worse. Looking forward to getting back up and on the road again. Sorry for the shows that I'm not going to be able to do. I will make it up to you guys. You all make me stronger, I am truly grateful."

Future plans for SUSPERIA remain mixed. However the band have confirmed the postponement of Norwegian dates, which were set for April 09. Their UK tour in May with Breed 77 will go ahead at the insistence of Athera himself. He has urged the band not to let their UK fans down and to look at finding a replacement vocalist.

The release of SUSPERIA's next studio album is still set for early summer as planned, through the band's new label Candlelight Records. Full details will be announced shortly.

www.susperia.net
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www.candlelightrecordsusa.com