Devil Lee Rot/Doom Devilution/Iron, Blood, & Death Corporation/2014 CD Review

  Devil  Lee  Rot  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  heavy/doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Doom  Devilution"  which  was  released  by  Iron,  Blood  &  Death  Corporation.

  Melodic  and  evil  chants  and  singing  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  slow,  dark  and  heavy  guitar  riffs  which  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  the  first  track  you  can  hear  more  traditional  and  thrash  metal  influences  being  added  into  the  music  along  with  a  mixture  of  clean  singing  and  grim  black  metal  screams.

  Clean  guitars  along  with  bell's  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  spoken  words  parts  which  also  make  the  music  heavy  a  more  ritualistic  feeling  and  th e music  sticks  to  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction  throughout  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  that  never  go  into  solos  and  the  melodic  vocals  also  bring  a  gothic  rock  feeling  to  the  album  at  times.

  Devil  Lee  Rot  sticks  to  mostly  an  80's  mixture  of  doom  and  heavy  metal  throughout  the  recording  while  also  adding  in  black  metal  style  vocals  with  their  melodic  singing  to  give  the  music  a  more  modern  day  feeling,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Black  Magick  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Devil  Lee  Rot  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Devils  Reign"  "Mourners  Bell"  "Son  Of  The  Dawn"  and  "Rofocale's  Vemodspolska".  8  out  of  10.

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Premateria/Thresholds Into Isolation/2014 EP Review

  Premateria  are  a  1  man  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  plays  a  very  brutal and  technical  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2014  ep  "Thresholds  Into  Isolation".

  An  ambient  drone  style  intro  starts  off  the  ep  and  after  the  ep  the  music  starts  to  get  a  lot  heavier  with  technical  death  metal  style  playing,  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  brutal  blast  beats  and  th e music  also  uses  of  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  mixing  the  ambient  and  space  sounds  with  the  more  brutal  side  of  the  music.

  You  can  hear  a  lot  of  modern  metal  elements  being  utilized  on  the  ep  at  times  and  after  awhile  deep  death  metal  growls  are  added  into  the  music  and  as  the  ep  progresses  brutal  grind  and  noisecore  influences  are  added into  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  music  also  gets  more  experimental  on  some  of  the  later  songs  and  also  adds  in  a  small  dose  of  harsh  noises  and  on  the  last  song  a  brief  guitar  lead  is  added  into t he  music.

  Premateria  create  a  very  original  style  of  blackened  death  metal  which  can  also  be  very  technical  and  experimental  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  heavy  for  being  a  self  released  recording,  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Premateria  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental,  brutal  and  technical  blackened  death  metal project  and  if  you  are   a fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fluctuant  Gravity"  and  "Cold  Void".  8  out  of  10.

https://premateria.bandcamp.com/album/thresholds-into-isolation   

Lanza Manza/Blackened Hardcore Death Metal/2014 EP Review

  Lanza  Manza  is  a  solo  artist  from  Florida  and  on  this  ep  he  mixes  black,  death  and  hardcore  together  with  only  vocals  and  a  banjo  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2014  ep  "Blackened  Hardcore  Death  Metal".

  A  banjo  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  humorous  attempts  at  evil  sounding  vocals  and  growls  and  this  is  the  musical  direction  that  is  taken  on  all  of  the  songs  on  the  ep  along  with  the  banjo  actually  having  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  at  times  with  the  lyrics  covering  Satanism,  Occultism,  Heavy  Metal,  Gore  and  Violent  themes  but  all  done  in  a  joking  manner  with  none  of  the  lyrics  being  able  to  be  taken  seriously  and  the  production  has  a  very  lo-fi  sound.

  In  my  opinion  :Lanza  Manza  does  play  a  decent  mixture  of  black  and  death metal  on  his  banjo  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  humorous,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  artist.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aborting  Fetuses  And  Other  Things  We  Satanists  Do"  and  "Killing  Innocent  Baby  Animals  For  The  Sake  Of  Being  Hardcore".  7  out  of  10.

https://manza.bandcamp.com/album/blackened-hardcore-death-metal-ep-2

La Bicicleta del Diablo/Entranas Negras/2013 EP Review

  La  Bicicleta  del  Diablo  are  a  band  from Ecuador  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackened  death  metal,  groove  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  ep  "Entranas  Negras".

  A  very  heavy  groove  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  after  awhile  aggressive  vocals  and  growls  are  added  into  the  music  which  also  leads  to  more  brutal  elements  being  added  into  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  traces  of   progressive  metal.

  On  the  other  tracks  the  band  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  elements  of  post  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  some  melodies  and  guitar  solos  being  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  black  metal  influence  has  a  very  powerful  presence  on  the  later  songs.

  La  Bicicleta  del  Diablo  combine s a  variety  of  many  different  metal  genres  into  their  musical  sound  and  you  can  hear  everything  from  black  metal,  death  metal,  deathcore,  groove  thrash  and  progressive  throughout  all  5  of  the  tracks,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  everyday  themes.

  In  my  opinion  La  Bicicleta del  Diaboli  are  a  very  decent  sounding   mixture  of  black  metal,  death  metal,  deathcore,  groove  thrash  and  progressive  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Monomania"  and  "Pesadilla".  7/5  out  of  10.

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Skan Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band so far in 2014?

Joseph Merino:  (Guitar, vocals) We have been booking shows, and working on new material for our live set.  We have some considerable performances coming up this year near fall, but we cannot discuss the details until it has officially been announced by the entities putting this event together.  It is a possibility that we may have a video some point this year as well. 

2.In 2013 you had released and EP, can you tell us a little bit more about your musical sound?

JM:  It is more interesting how others perceive our sound.  I believe that it would offer a better description than I can contribute at this moment. 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

JM:  The work of this band is dedicated to the destruction of illusions, and boundaries.  Be it physical, spiritual, and or mental.  Whatever form it may take, we oppose.  We strive for union with truth, and true divinity.  Not that of which societies have sculpted to enslave consciousness.

We pay tribute to those who walk obscure paths, be they outlaws, outcast of society, accusers, rebels, liberators, those who walk with the unseen flame of illumination.  They are our brothers, and sisters.  Our work is dedicated to such things, and more.  

4.3/4 of the band members were in Skrew, what was the decision behind leaving that band and forming your own?

JM:  Actually 2/4 of were in Skrew,  as one of our members opt’ed out this past March.  I was working in Skrew for a little over a year and a half, David Baxter (drums, percussions) was in for much longer, and William Ables (ex-Skrew / Ex- Škan) was in for even longer than that.   

     I cannot speak completely on behalf of the rest of the members, but it is safe to say that we had certain commitments in the band that were fulfilled.  When those commitments were completed we felt it was time to move on.  Personally, Skrew was heading in a different direction than I was being pulled, and I have to follow my instinct, and spirit.  I wish Skrew the best in it’s endeavors.

5.I have read that the band has yet to play live, has that changed yet and also are there any plans for a live show in the future?

JM:  Yes, that has changed.  We have performed, and we have future dates confirmed.  All is moving forward according to our will. 

6.On the EP you had Jason Frankhouser of, “Course of Ruin” do a couple of guitar leads, where you satisfied with what he contributed to the recording?

JM:  Absolutely.  Jason is a phenomenal guitarist, composer, and engineer.  His lead work on “The Old King” EP is beyond satisfactory.  It is an honor to receive his generous contribution to our offering for the masses.  

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or are open to working with one in the future?

JM:  Honestly we have not considered a label.  We are open to working with one, but on our own terms.  If there is a label that will make us an honest offering, as well as supporting our vision, we would definitely consider forging an alliance. 

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?

JM:  The feedback has been very positive.  We have received support from individuals all over the world.  People understand what we are doing, and coming out to assist us.  It is good, as we are moving as our vision drive us to do. We are looking forward to performing abroad.  

9.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

JM:   It is difficult to say in this moment.  We have another EP that we are going to produce in the not distant future.  Anything is possible, but it would take a considerable amount of down time to produce a full length.  There is enough material to do it, be we are more focused on live aspects at this time.  As far as where we are heading in the future musically, we all have to wait to see. 

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have influenced the music of Škan, and also what are you listening to nowadays.

JM:  All of the members of Škan listen to a large array of music.  That which influences the writing process comes from direct experiences in life.  This is the true inspiration to what is being worked with in our space.  

     As far as what bands we are listening to these days, we respect, and admire bands that have conviction and essence within their work.  So far and few between does one observe bands within the metal scene that posses such characteristics.  Music is a very old, and spiritual thing.  It can be powerful when there is intention driving it.  Music is a magical thing.

11.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

JM:  Thank you for your interest us.  It is much appreciated.  We invite all to join us. Let us raise hell as one, and make the enslavers tremble in our wake.  Come walk among us.

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Athena's Wake/The Contemplation/Twin Peaks Records/2014 EP Review

  Athena's  Wake  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  technical  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "The  Comtemplation"  which  will  be  released  by  Twin  Peak  Records.

  A  very  heavy,  brutal  and  technical  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls,  hardcore  style  shouts  and  black  metal  screams    which  leads  up  to  some  blast  beats  and  a  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  that  also  utilize  some  melody  in  certain  parts  of  the  recording.

  As  the  recording  progresses  the  band  adds  in  more  black  metal  elements  into  the  guitar  riffing  while  still  having  a  brutal  death  metal  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  gets  more  melodic  as  time  goes  on  by  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  shows  a  more  atmospheric  and  experimental  side  of  the  band  and  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  are  to  be  found  on  any  of  the  album  tracks  until  the  last  song  and  they  are  in  a  more  melodic  musical  direction.

  Athena's  Wake  combine  the  modern  day  style  of  black  metal,  brutal  and  technical  death  metal,  deathcore  and  hardcore  to  create  the  sound  they  bring  to  these  4  tracks,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover

  In  my  opinion  Athena's  Wake  are  a  very  decent  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  technical  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diagnosis"  and  "Remission".  7/5  out  of  10.

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Litany Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1.) Litany is an up an coming band located in the legendary California Bay Area. Sean Lucido an I (Josh Watkins) have been working on this project for several years now and have finally decided to release our first demo in an attempt to find more members .

2.So far you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about your musical sound?
2.) As far as our sound goes we keep our writing process as open as possible. We always stay true to our selves and one way we do that is by not limiting our selves to specific genres, if we are in a pissed off brutal mood then we are going to write a brutal track, or if we have a very cool influence for a song that screams for a blackened style riff then that is how we are going to approach it. We always stay true to our selves which is what metal is really all about isn't it ?

3.On the demo all of the songs are instrumental, but your fb page said you where looking for a vocalist, have you had any luck with that?
3.) Yes we are still looking for a potential singer at the moment. We do have a lead on one guy but have yet to hear him on a recording so until everything is set in stone we do have to keep our options open at the moment.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Litany'?
4.) Originally I had this long lengthy answer for this question but another facebook messaged popped up and erased everything. Litany in layman's terms is a public performance or recital which is in essence what every concert is. Looking at it from an occult or religious viewpoint a litany is still a performance or recital but one that includes spellcraft, charms, and prayer or "communion" which is great due to the taboo and heretical nature of heavy metal in general which is claimed by many in the main stream society to include witchcraft and satanism.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
5.) well ... that's a great question actually. To be brutally honest we have only played one show prior to this interview so as far as our stage performance goes I have no idea lol. However I can tell you this, Litany has been gathering gear and building up an impressive arsenal of equipment so that way when we do a show it will be one of the best damn sounding shows you've heard in a small local venue.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
6.) Oh ya we are currently booked to open the first ever Bay Area Death fest followed by an after show the week after. Currently right now we are more focused on finding the rest of the members so that we can record and release the full album, but we do have other shows in the works at the moment just later this year.

7.Currently the band is unsigned, are you open to signing with a record label in the future?
7.) Would we love to be singed to a label, to an extent yes but that is mainly due to necessity. While on one hand we could be ultra independent and self promoting collecting that full $0.99 per song but the nature of the beast involves massive promotions, legalities, and the reliance on outside support. Sean and I have already gone all in and will continue to do so due to that fact that the 9 to 5 job positions just are not in our nature, we love music, its in our blood and its the very core of our lives so if we need to reach out to an outside source of help to ensure our livelihoods then so be it. Admittedly though I would like to aim for a distribution deal only so that way we are not force into some bull shit contract claiming that we have to produce an album with in certain confines. lets face it no real band wants a "Bob Rock" situation.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?
8.) World wide level ... no clue are goal right now is to build a firm local footing first before we even think about going that far out with distribution and promotion.

9.Are any of the band members involved with any other musical projects?
9.) Yes but at this time we can not comment on this due to confirmation issues but we will be sure to let everyone know when the timing is right.

10.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
10.) For the album I would like to say asap once we find the rest of the members or at least get a good foundation with vocals going. As far as the future holds I couldn't tell you much but if anything I'm thinking a bit heavier but in a good way !

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
11.) Oh man this is tricky, I suppose this goes back to the question about our sound. Musically we listen to what ever we are in the mood for. I know that Sean has been really getting into Myrkskog recently especially with Nils Fjellström on drums. For me I'm currently getting back into Vital Remains and A Band of Orcs. I know that both of us would agree 110% on Aeon, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Belphegor, etc ... Seriously I could go on for days about this stuff, I could jump right from Dying Fetus straight into Immortal, Decrepit Birth right into Amon Amarth and I know Sean has done the same thing with constant sub genre changes lol.

12.What are some of your non musical interests/
12.) For me I always look at stuff from an artistic view point and if it fascinates me enough I always attempt to musically interpret how I feel about it. I won't go to far into what outside factors influence my writing either due to the possibility of it killing some of the mystique of the songs, unless its blatantly obvious its up to the fans to seek out their own interpretations. I cant speak for Sean though at the moment because hes not here but I can tell you that guy is so damn musically obsessed and involved it reminds me of a small bit of a Frank Zappa quote "If you're absorbed by something, whats to miss ?".

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13.) Closing words ... Thanks for the interview, we have a lot of work ahead of us so we got to get back to it an don't forget to find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/litanyofficial for show dates / announcements (a lot coming up by the way) and for all the other details and info. Keep it Metal

Fallujah/The Flesh Prevails/Unique Leader Records/2014 CD Review

  Fallujah  are  a  band  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  started  out  as  a  blackened  deathcore  band  but  have  evolved  into  a  more  technical,  progressive  and  atmospheric  death  metal  sound  over  the  years  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "The  Flesh  Prevails"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Unique  Leader  Records.

  An  atmospheric  ambient  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  and  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  before  going  into  a  more  heavy,  brutal  and  melodic  musical  direction  which  leads  to  the  music  getting  more  faster  and  adding  in  blast  beats,  deep  growls  and  elements  of  blackened  death metal.

  After  awhile  the  music  gets  more  technical  and  you  can  hear  some  deathcore  breakdowns  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  heavy  influence  of  progressive  metal  as  well  as  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  solos  are  added  into t he  music  they  are  very  melodic  sounding  and  are  closer  to  a  more  progressive  style  of  playing  while  the  rhythm's  remain  brutal  sounding.

  A  small  amount  of  clean  male  and  female  singing,  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  gets  more  diverse  and  progressive  as  the  album  progresses  without  ever  losing  its  brutal  edge  and  there  is  also  a  perfect  balance  between  soft  and  clean  parts  to  all  out  heavy  and  brutal  parts.

  Fallujah  create  a  very  original  and  diverse  sound  with  their  musical  style  with  soft  ambient  parts  being  mixed  with  a  progressive  and  technical  death  metal  sound  that  is  also  very  brutal  at  times  and  also  brings  in  elements  of  black  metal  and  deathcore,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  religion,  philosophy,  nature  and  social  failure.

  In  my  opinion  Fallujah  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive,  atmospheric  and  technical  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Starlit  Path"  "The  Flesh  Prevails"  "Alone  With  You"  and  "Chemical  Cafe".  8  out  of  10.

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Litany/2014 Demo Review

  Litany  are  a  band  from  California  that  plays  a  very  instrumental  brutal  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2014  demo.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  powerful  bass  lines  as  well  as  a  mixture  of   mid  paced  and  fast  parts  which  also  bring  in  influences  from  old  school  death  metal  and  the  music  is  all  instrumental  with  no  vocals  being  utilized  on  any  of  the  3  tracks.

  In  certain  sections  of  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  decent  amount  of  thrash  metal  influences  being  added  into  the  bands  musical  sound  and  when  slower  riffs  are  added into  the  music   they h ave  an  early  90's  Florida  death  metal  feeling  to  them  but  mixed  in  with  a  more  black  metal  influenced  atmosphere  and  they  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  on  the  last  track.

  Litany  play  an  instrumental  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  probably  would  sound  a  lot  more  if  there  where  growls  or  vocals  being  utilized  but  they  still  demonstrate  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  with  their  music  and  the  production  has  a  very  powerful  and  heavy  sound  to  it.  

  In  my  opinion  Litany  are  a  very  great  sounding instrumental  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Infernal  Diabolicus".  8  out  of  10

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Skan/The Old King/2013 EP Review

  Skan  are  a  band  from  Texas  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  ep  "The  Old  King".

  A  very  heavy  blackened  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  growls,  screams  and  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  brings in  a  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  having  mid  80's  to  early  90's  style  extreme  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  You  can  hear  a  decent  amount  of  melody  in  the  bands  musical  sound  and  at  times  there  are  also  elements  of  groove  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  ep  progresses  there  is  a  good  balance  between  both  old  school  and  modern  metal  elements  being  added  into  the  bands  musical  style  and  on  the  last  track  more  black  metal  influences  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  music.

  Skan  demonstrates  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  with  their  music  with  most  of  the  band  members  being  veterans  and  they  take  a  blackened  style  of  death metal  and  mix  it  in  with  both  modern  and  old  school  elements, t he  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Skan  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Eye".  8  out  of  10.

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Sonus Mortis/3 Track Demo/2013 Review

  Sonus  Mortis  are  a  1  man  band  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  and  blackened  form  of  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  3  track  2013  demo.

  Dark  sounding  synths  start  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  heavy  and  symphonic  doom/death  metal  direction  along  with  some  black  metal  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  later  growls  are  mixed  in  with  the  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  amount  of  melody  in  the  music  and  there  is  also  a  good  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  paced  parts.

  After  awhile  blast  beats  are  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  that  are  utilized  are  very  melodic  sounding,  the  second  track  is  around  11  minutes  in  length  and  also  utilizes  some  acoustic  guitars  along  with  a  great  amount  of  symphonic  elements  and  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  while  also  being  very  heavy  at  the  same  time  and  this  musical  direction  is  also  added  on  the  last  track  while  the  song  is  a  lot  more  shorter  in  length.

  Sonus  Mortis  creates  a  very  interesting  and  melodic  approach  to  doom/death  metal  while  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influences  and  symphonic  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  productions  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  demo  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  poetic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sonus  Mortis  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  blackened  doom/death  metal  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Pale  Reflection".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Catalyst Of Damnation/Into The Abyss/2013 EP Review

  This  is  another  review  of  a  recording  from  Catalyst  Of  Damnation  which  continues  his  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  with  the  ep  being  self  released  in  2013  and  called  "Into  The  Abyss".

  A  very  slow  riff  bordering  on  black  metal  along  with  programmed  drum  beats  starts  off  the  ep  as  well  as  having  a  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  in  the  background  which  leads  to  a  more  heavier  doom/death  metal  direction  along  with  some  deep  growls  and  after  awhile  the  music  speeds  up  a  bit  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  become  a  part  of  the  musical  sound.

  As  the  ep  progresses  dark  sounding  melodies  find  their  way  into  the  music  along  with  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  and  on  some  of  the  alter  tracks  the  music  goes  for  a  more  faster  blackened  death  metal  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  some  brutal  sounding  programmed  blast  beats  as  well  as  making  the  slower  doom  sections  sound  a  lot  more  darker  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of spoken  word  parts  being  utilized  on  one  of  the  tracks  and  after  awhile  the  drum  programming  also  brings  a  more  militant  feeling  to  the  recording.

  Catalyst  Of  Damnation  continues  his  blackened  doom/death  metal  sound  of  the  previous  recording  while  also  adding  in  more  black  metal  screams  and  brutal  death  metal  elements  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Catalyst  Of  Damnation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  doom  and  death metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Temptation"  and  "Castigation".  8  out  of  10.

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Catalyst Of Damnation/Into The Aether/2011 Demo Review

  Catalyst  Of  Damnation  are  a  1  man  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  with  elements  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2011  demo  "Into  The  Aether".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  with  a  slow  riff  that  borders  on  doom  metal  and  after  a  minute  death  metal  growls  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  melody  becoming  a  huge  part  of  the  musical  sound  and  on  the  following  tracks  you  can  hear  some  atmospheric  elements  in  the  background  at times.

  Most  of  the  music  on  this  demo  sticks  to  mostly  a  slow  to  mid  paced  direction  and  there  are  also  some  programmed  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times  that  sound  almost  as  powerful  as  a  real  drum  kit  and  when  the  guitars  speed  up  they  bring  in  s  great  amount  of  early  90's  Swedish  death  metal  influences  into  his  blackened  doom  metal  sound  and  every  song  sounds  different  from  each  other  with  the  4th  track  being  mostly  a  synth  instrumental  and  the  demo  closes  with  a  heavier  song.

  Catalyst  of  Damnation  sticks  to  mostly  a  blackened  style  of  doom/death  metal  with  his  musical style  while  also  adding  a  great  amount  of  early  90's  influences  into  his  musical  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  and  heavy  for  being  a  demo  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Catalyst  Of  Damnation  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Newborn"  and  "Into  The  Aether".  8  out  of  10.

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H5N1/A Time Of No Tomorrows/2014 Album Review

  H5N1  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  industrial  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self released  2014  album  "A  Time  Of  No  Tomorrows".

  Spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  siren  sounds  which  leads  to  a  very  dark  blackened  death metal  direction  along  with  some  deep  growls  and  they  also  start  adding  more  industrial  elements  into  their  musical  sound  and  the  guitar  riffing  is  in  an  old  school  early  90's  death  metal  direction.

  As  the  album  progresses  the  band  starts  to  speed  up  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  adding  more  brutal  elements  into  their  musical  sound  and  at  times you  can  hear  some  really  dark  and  evil  sounding  melodies  being  invoked  in  the  music  and  as  the  album  progresses  symphonic  sounds can  be  heard  in  small  parts  of  the  music  and  they  also  use  some  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  on  some  of  the  later  songs  and  the  band  mostly  focuses  on  slow  and  mid  paced  parts  throughout  the  album  and  on  of  the  alter  tracks  shows  the  band  adding  in a  small  amount  of  thrash  influences.

  H5N1  play  a  style  that  is  closer  to  the  blackened  death  metal  of  the  early  90's  but  with  some  industrial  and  symphonic  elements  which  makes  the  music  sound  a  bit  more  updated,  the production  sound s very  raw,  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  apocalyptic,  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  H5N1  are  a  very  great  sounding  industrial  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Biochemical  Warfare  Kvlt"  "Embracing  The  Pandemic  Principle"  "Plague,  Famine,  And  Death"  and  "A Time Of No Tomorrow".  8  out  of  10.

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Persecutor/Poisoned/Raw Torments Of War/Under the Tyrant's Banner Productions/2014 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Poland's  Persecutor  and  Poisoned  which  is  called  "Raw  Torments  Of  War"  and  was  released  by  Under  the  Tyrant's  Banner  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Persecutor  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal.

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  their  side  of  the  split  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  goes  into  a  direction  that  is  close  to  first  wave  black  metal  music  wise  but  has  vocals  that  are  in  the  more  second  wave  style  along  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized.

  When  guitar  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  in  the  mid  80's  direction  of  early  death  metal  which  is  also  a  big  part  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  they  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  they  also  add  elements  of  groove  into  their  musical  style  and  as  their  music  progresses  deep  demonic  growls  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  small  amounts  of  melodic  riffing  at  times.

  Persecutor  create  a  very  interesting  sound  with  their  music  using  black  metal  vocals  and  combining  them  with  both  modern  and  old  school  thrash  metal  but  in  a  more  blackened  manner  as  well  as  adding  a  touch  of  death  metal  in  their  musical  style  which  results  in  4  metal  tunes  that  are  very  heavy  and  brutal,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  blasphemy,  war  and  darkness.

 In  my  opinion  Persecutor  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sadistic  Sacrifice"  and  "Armageddon  Warhead".

  Next  up  is  Poisoned  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death  metal  and  thrash.

  An  80's  style  thrash  sound  starts  off  their  side  of  the  split  and  then  the  music  gets  a  bit  more  faster  and  adds  in  early  death  metal  style  vocals  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  the  bands  music  style  is  very  raw  and  sounds  very  close  to  the  1986  style  of  death  metal  when  it  was  still  heavily  tainted  with  thrash  elements.

  On  the  second  track  lead  guitars  are  added  in  briefly  and  the  band  sticks  to  a  very  old  school  style  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  the  music  they  play  can  easily  be  mistaken  for  an  underground  demo  that  was  released  in  the  80's  and  they  stay  away  from  all  modern  day  trends  and  proudly  show  the  roots  of  the  genre  and  the  last  track  is  a  cover  of  Massacra's  Ultimate  Anti  Christ..

  Poisoned  bring  back  a  style  that  is  almost  30  years  old  and  shows  why  a  lot  of  old  school  death  metal  and  thrash  still  sound  heavy  even  today  and  this  is  not  music  meant  for  posers  or  trend  followers,  the  production   sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  war  and  devil  worship  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Poisoned  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Atomic  Discharge"  and  "Ultimate  Antichrist".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal,  8/5  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnhWZykT5TM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uc8WyhMLDs 

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