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Five hymns on
here (“Shrine Of Souls”, “Dormant Impurities”, “Eden Burns”, “Reign
Of Ill-Supremacy” and the title track). Brutal death metal steeped
with early ‘90s Floridian influence. I like this tape quite a lot
and the drumming in particular is of note. With a little more work
this band will be an unstoppable force for years to come. Send $4 US
to:
Encabulos, P.O.
Box 1648, Geelong City 3220, AUSTRALIA
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Very much in the
Swedish melodic, death style with maybe a bit more, vicious edge.
Mostly mid-paced with some fast breaks and short brooding moments.
E.M.S. are talented and professional so if the scene is not tired of
another melodic death band then you should send $7 US to:
Magenta Nails
Distro., c/o Teemu Lampinen, Lehdokkipolku 6, 42100 Jamsa, FINLAND |
Eight tracks and
40 + minutes of christian death metal. I get a bit ill trying to
stomach their lyrics but they are not as preachy as most xtian
bands. In fact 99% of all christian bands hold their propaganda in
much higher priority then the music! Feast Eternal is an exception
to that. They play heavy and at times crushing traditional American
death metal. No grinding, just straight ahead death with caustic
growls. Send $12 US / $14 World (payable to Matt Skrzypczak) at:
F.E., P.O. Box
88, Grawn, MI. 49637, USA |
I love it when a
demo just jumps up and kicks you in the teeth! First off this is the
best demo soundwise I have heard in a long time courtesy of these
Portuguese metallers. Quality black/death metal with distinctively
fresh and memorable emotive riffs. The structuring and musical
‘feel’ is quite impressive. Shouldn’t take these guya too long to
secure a record contract. If you want to make your ears bleed get
this totally pro packaged demo for $6 US to:
Golden Pyre, c/o
Ricardo Veiga, Rua Frei Custodio 259, 4905 Barroselas, PORTUGAL
Email = goldenpyre@hotmail.com |
This 3 track
cassette is just a taste of what is to be offered by Gutchugger on
their upcoming full-length LP “Amputee”. Two of three songs are
originals and one is a cover of Slayer classic “Anitchrist”. The
cover is true to the original so of course it rules! The 2 originals
didn’t blow me, away or anything as they were just run-of-the-mill
death metal with a touch of the ever-so-popular groove thrown in.
Not total shite in my book and I am sure that fans of groove
oriented metal will pick up on this. – Jeffrey Kusbel |
Horfixion are
young but good. They remind me a tad of a more simplistic straight
ahead Death or something Similar. I dug some of the riffs but
overall the song structures need a bit of work. As far as putting
their best foot forward on packaging. They surely have done that on
this disc. It is a multimedia disc with pics, bio, video of a live
show (!) & more. Nice! A band to keep an eye on in future.
c/o Samuel
Landry, 871 Trudel Ouest, ST.-Boniface, Quebec, G0X 2LO CANADA Web
= http://metalmusic.net/horfixion/ |
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This is an
impressive one man band. Very European sound musically and in
general song structure. Icefall’s brand of metal is a flowing
mid-tempo concoction with an extremely epic feel. Normally I would
not care for that but this just works for me. This pro-packaged demo
costs $3 US & Canada / $4 Western Europe / Eastern Europeans get it
for free!!
ICEFALL, Box
441, Rochdale, MA. 01542, USA
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Oh man! Fucking
amazing pure ‘80s power/heavy metal. That will have you punching
the air with your fingers out in goat horns and headbanging in
unison. The guitar riffs sound so classic as they backdrop some
unforgettable choruses. Ironsword bring to mind bands like Manowar,
Warlock, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Grim Reaper and more. It is hard not to
list a lot of influences as almost every song on these promo tapes
sounds different but always representing pure heavy metal. Did I
mention this is a one man band and that one man is Tann (Who was in
Moonspell for their MCD and debut album). He is one talented
individual and his vocals pull off high piercing screams (something
almost no retro bands are even attempting!) and smoking smooth
solos. I bow to the might and magic of Ironsword. Metal brothers
unite!! * Check the interviews section for an interview
I did with Ironsword...
Ironsword, P.O.
Box 4, 2780-Oreiras, PORTUGAL |
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If you are
looking for a serious project then totally ignore this piece of
shit. Sure this guy is full of hatred but who the fuck isn't these
days? One of the only actual riffs to show up on here sounds like it
was recorded on a shitty little 12" amplifier through a boom box or
something. This sucks! Who gives a fuck if you hate women and want
to kill yourself Jeremy? Do it already and quit wasting my time!
– Jeffrey Kusbel
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Aaarrrggghhhh!!!!
Total old style brutal death metal in the vein of early Grave! Only
with Kaamos’ own sick dark twists. Fucking sickened vocals and
diabolical choruses you will chant in your head for days with your
fist pumping the air! I also hear a touch of “Altars Of Madness” –
This CRUSHES!!!!
Kaamos, P.O. Box
605, 13626 Haninge, SWEDEN Web = kaamos@kurir.net |
Kratornas return
once again to the pages of Canadian Assault. Served up we have
black/grind sickness with gurgling hellspawn vocals. There is
actually a nice mix here and everytime you think there is too much
chaos. You are hit with a clean chugging head bang metal riff
section. Super raw so if you are looking for candy-coated production
then look elsewhere. Song titles include: “Diabolical Mutilation
1999”, “Armaments Of Sadism”, “Satanic Macabre”, “Luciferian
Gladiators”, “Bloodbath For Satan” and “Demonic War Slaughter”. Send
$5 US to:
Kratornas, 21
Emerald St., San Eusebio Subdivision, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental,
6121 PHILIPPINES
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Unless I’m
mistaken this band features on guitar Eric Herseman who is also
publicist at Olympic records. Described as misanthropic deathrash,
this is a term I am in alignment with. 3 songs on here (“Contact
Dermatatis”, “Jungle Hell”, “Spiral Caverns Of The Occult”). They
bring to mind the rising deathrash scene of the late ’80s/early
‘90s. In fact some bands I could name are Ex-Mortis, Demise,
Immortal Fate, Phantasm and so on. It may be due in part to
nostalgia but I fucking love Lord Blasphemer! Send $4 US to:
Lord Blasphemer,
2658 W. Superior, Apt. 2, Chicago, IL. 60612, USA |
Fuck yes! The
purveyors of disgustingly morbid spirit-raping deathrash hell
return! Anyone who read issue # 2 knows how highly I think of this
band with their review and interview in that issue. I said in the
past I heard influences from (old) Sarcofago, (old)Beherit,
Aggression (i.e.-“Blaspheming At The Altar” ’86 demo). Also if you
like the sickening Canadian metal in the warring mode of Blasphemy
and Soothsayer then this tape will satiate your carnality! The songs
this time are a bit more technical then the last demo. But Diabolus
has not sacrificed the bludgeoning and bestial barbarity and Lust
will tear at you like a pack of starving berzerker wolves! Tired of
all the commercial bullshit? Then order this piece of underground
cult history while you can as I believe this is limited to 500
copies.
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Simplistic
deathrash with Italian lyrics. Some good riffs here and there but
mostly the material needs to be tighter and more quality. Apparently
Eik and Dario have been playing together since the end of the ‘80s –
it sure doesn’t show! Guys go practice a lot, work on better
material for a year or two. Then send in another a tape. Cost is $5
US to:
Materia Grave,
c/o Erick Ballota, 35020 Canadiana (PD), ITALY |
This is a decent
comp. with a little diversity between bands. Here's a quick rundown.
Silentium - "Lament" - A laid back, somewhat heavy take on a goth-rock
sound w/ female vocals. Uninteresting. Droys - "On the trial of Koan"
- A great technical death metal song sounding much like Death with
Steve Digiorgio. It rocks! Midnight Sun - "Nightembrace" - I
remember writing these guys about a year back after ordering their
2nd demo and I mentioned that I thought they were playing in more of
a power metal influenced style. No reply though. Hmm? Not bad.
Fahrenheit - "Blood and Tears" - Another boring goth sounding band
with female vocals. Next. Eternal Sadness - "Autumn" - Starts off
kind of slow with piano etc. but ends up being a halfway decent
melodic death song. Thalia - "Omniscient" - What the fuck is this
shit? 80's rock with a new wave sounding vocalist. Fuck off!!
Glacial Fear - "Numb" - Amore or less trendy sounding death metal
song with Max Cavalera sounding vocals and a lot of harmonics. Bland
and not as heavy as they think they are. Mechanix - "Pain in the
neck" - Pretty good thrash being executed here. Kind of riffing
along like old Overkill. Shadeworks - Exclusive track - An
interesting guitar track without vocals. What you'd expect to hear
on a James Murphy solo record or something but with better twists.
– Jeffrey Kusbel |
I was definitely
impressed upon hearing this six song demo. A good production helps
bring out the strength of these songs as I’m sure they would not
sound as cool with a shit production. Some tracks just grind and
thrash along paying no attention what is going on around them. I
actually hear a Human Remains and Ripping Corpse influenced weird
riff attack on a song or two and this is not a bad thing. This is
actually pretty diverse as most metal goes so give it a listen.
– Jeffrey Kusbel
Merde/Avitchi
Records, P.O. Box 8734, Portland, OR. 97207-8734, USA
|
This comp.
features 27 brutal death/grind songs from 22 different bands. All
are at least decent. The bands included are: Necrophagist, Skinned,
Mortal Flesh, Exhumator, Excavatim, Godzilla, Traumatism, Scarve,
Damn Nation, Admortem, Conqueror, Morphisem, Gods of Emptiness, Dead
End, Benighted, Blood Suckers, Uncreation, Lividity, Loggerhead,
Sacred Sin, Absonent Cadence, and The Darkening. The best bands on
this comp to these ears were: Excavation-Traumatism-Scarve-Admortem-Lividity.
Check these motherfuckers out! These bands are definitely worthy of
an album purchase. You will not be disappointed! – Jeffrey
Kusbel
Noise Solution
Recs.- c/o Velvet Music - BP 3072/69397- Lyon Cedex 03, FRANCE |
Not too bad are
this melodic black metal band from Finland. They come up with some
nice riffs and handle their instruments well enough. I like them but
they don’t stand out enough for me to give them too many repeated
listens if you know what I mean.
M.K.L., c/o
Lehtinen, Koroistentie 7a3, 00280 Hiki, FINLAND Email =
kari.kinnunen@phkk.fi |
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The bio states
the sound as a blend of “hardcore, punk, southern metal, and heavy
metal”. I don’t hear any punk influence but otherwise there are bits
of each in there. In fact I also hear a little Bay area thrash and
NYFB remind to The Accused a little. A real mish mash and not
something I enjoyed too much. But they do what they do pretty well.
Send $12 US/$13 World for this full-length to:
NYFB, c/o Chris
Espitia, 56 Jefferson St., Jackson, TN. 38301, USA |
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