Anguish - Through the Archdemon's Head

Much like thrash, death metal and every other subgenre really, there are a lot of young'uns out today playing music like it's the '80s and '90s all over again and I would definitely take that over most of the modern garbage that floods today's metal scene. Anguish are a group that plays some fantastic doom metal in the vein of the old masters and the sound is one that isn't anything new, but at the same time it doesn't sound like a Black Sabbath clone and "Through the Archdemon's Head" wouldn't sound out of place if it had come out decades earlier, but probably would have been held in high regard much like albums such as "Nightfall" or "Born Too Late."

If Anguish was being compared to the masters from the past, the name most commonly brought up would probably be the doom legends, Candlemass. A lot of the melodies on "Through the Archdemon's Head" evoke the same kind of gloomy darkness that songs like "Darkness In Paradise" and "Bearer of Pain" had, while at the same time retaining a very heavy feel. Take a listen to the melodies on "Book of Fox" and "Illusive Damnation" because they're absolutely brilliant, especially when accompanied by the very doomy powerchords that weigh the listener down like an anvil crushing your limbs, making for the perfect mix of undeniable heaviness and eerie, yet beautiful melodic passages. Every now and then, Anguish decides to break into a midpaced section and the riffs are terrific, especially on the song "Lair of the Gods." Once that very headbang-friendly riff disappears, and the doomy riff after clears the listener is treated with a stellar solo that is phenomenal and shows the band's ability to deliver a song with a little bit of everything as opposed to just plodding along with only one riff. 

Since I've been proclaiming that these Swedish doom-masters sound much like their fellow countrymen in Candlemass, you're probably assuming that the vocals on "Through the Archdemon's Head" sound like a Marcolin clone, right? Wrong. The vocals here are what really separate Anguish from a lot of doom bands that emulate the old masters nearly riff for riff and melody for melody, because they could honestly front a black metal band. They sound like a much more coherent and less throaty version of Attila Chisar, yet they sound perfectly fine fronting the doomy material. They also add a darker feel to the band, as opposed to a more epic aura which is always welcome. 

This is definitely something that any fan of Candlemass, Saint Vitus or Solitude Aeternus should own, as this release will creep along and smother the listener with gloomy greatness while retaining a minor epic atmosphere that is perfect for sitting back and vegetating to. 

Be sure to check out and like Anguish on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anguish/175400599142558

Highlights

"Book of Fox"

"Lair of the Gods"

"Illusive Damnation"

Final Rating

4.3/5 or 86%. 

Nekromantheon - Rise, Vulcan Spectre

It turns out that Norway isn't only the home of a bunch of bands that bastardized the black metal genre (sans a few bands of course), but also some great new thrash acts. Bands like Tantara, Conflagration and this group of crazy bastards in Nekromantheon, are all delivering some top notch music. In addition to having an awesome name, Nekromantheon's take on thrash in 2012 is just as impressive, as shown by their work on "Rise, Vulcan Spectre," the band's sophomore album. 

I wouldn't call this band a full on black/thrash act, but there are definitely some glimpses of a black metal influence, especially in the whole sounding evil department. The music on "Rise, Vulcan Spectre" does indeed sound evil. Songs like "Cast Down to the Void" and "Embrace the Oracle" both have their fair share of spine chilling moments, due to the amazing guitar tone and the howling vocals that sound a lot like a much younger Tom Angelripper. Not only do these guys have an evil ambiance to them that isn't often heard in thrash bands, but they also conjure up some wicked riffs meant to snap your neck. The break in "Coven of the Minotaur" is absolutely devastating and if your head isn't banging, then you should probably see a doctor because something clearly isn't right. 

To reiterate how great this album is, the band just succeeds in every department. The midpaced brilliance is untouchable and the dark feel to the music is also fantastic, but Nekromantheon can also write some stellar riffs. Seriously, there's at least one riff in every song where my jaw nearly hit the floor. The riff that kicks off the title track is one of the best I've heard from any new thrash act and the riffs in "The Usurper Command" and "Blood Wisdom" are equally tremendous. Another piece of praise that must be given to this album has to do with the lead guitar work. The solos throughout "Rise, Vulcan Spectre" are all awesome. Nothing too technical, but they all fit the music perfectly and aren't outshined by the superb riffs behind them. 

I'm going to cut the review off here, because I might not stop praising this album. If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to Nekromantheon yet, then they should be a top priority for your new music list. They don't exactly bring anything new to the table or show any intent on being original, but they play their music with such conviction and energy that I find it impossible to fault them for it and instead I find myself wanting to put "Rise, Vulcan Spectre" on repeat. 

Be sure to check out and like Nekromantheon on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/nekromantheonofficial

Highlights

"Cast Down to the Void"

"Embrace the Oracle"

"Rise, Vulcan Spectre"

Final Rating

4.5/5 or 90%. 

Crimson Shadows - Glory On The Battlefield

Having followed Crimson Shadows since 2008, you can bet that I was waiting for this one. They are a unique power/death hybrid, and are one easily one of the most interesting bands in the metal scene today. On paper, combining power and death metal sounds like a great idea, but in practice, it hasn’t worked out too well. Melodic death metal can be great, but it doesn’t quite recognize the potential that this band explores.

With Glory On The Battlefield, Crimson Shadows delivers just over 45 minutes of relentless aggression and melody. The growls of vocalist Jimi Maltais range from the highest of shrieks, to the lows that you would expect in more brutal death metal. This is countered by the vocals of guitarist Greg Rounding, who uses a clean voice for some of the choruses, as well for a great sing-along part in “Lost In A Dark Forest”. Speaking of guitarists, this album features two of the best: the aforementioned Rounding, as well as Ryan Hofing. It’s almost as if Dragonforce became a death metal band. You’ll notice several minutes of non-stop shredding and epic melodies throughout every song. Having seen the band 5 times now, I can account for the fact that these guys are about as tight as any band can get, despite having tons of technicality. Like many metal bands, the bass seems non-existent on this album (it might be…nobody was credited in the liner notes), but the drums do enough to hold down the rhythm section. Cory Hofing uses plenty of double bass and even quite a bit of blasting to increase the intensity.

The songs themselves are unique, even though they share a similar set of characteristics: catchy melodies, interplay between clean and harsh vocals, and plenty of guitar solos. “Quest For The Sword”, for example, features the heaviest moment of the album, where both guitarists chug and mute underneath brutally low growls. This album is full of highlights, but the best songs are those with the catchiest choruses: “Lost In A Dark Forest”, “Journey’s End”, and the crowd-favourite “Kingdom of Ale”. I don’t even drink, but I love screaming along to that last one!

Be sure to check out and like Crimson Shadows on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/CrimsonShadowsBand 

Highlights:

“Kingdom of Ale”

“Lost In A Dark Forest”

“Journey’s End”

Final Rating:

4.6/5 or 92%

Written by Scott

Bludvera - Terrorform [EP]

Not very long ago I came across a thrash band from the UK by the name of Bludvera. After I seduced their frontman Scott Clayton he gave me their demo to check out and I was impressed and have been a proud supporter of this English fivesome since. The demo definitely showed a lot of potential for these guys, but god damn did they destroy with this seven song EP "Terrorform." Everything on here is better than the band's previous effort, the vocals, riffs, solos, drumming and everything in between. 

Clayton's vocal performance on this EP is fantastic and a real highlight. The vocals sound like a very awesome cross between Schmier, Petrozza and Zetro. Definitely a weird kind of combo, but when you hear the vocals you will understand and for maximum pleasure take a listen to the beginning of the break in the song "Citizen Monopoly." Not only have Clayton's vocals improved, but the addition of gang vocal sections has given Bludvera and their music another element that only adds to the memorability and catchiness of each song.

The two Bludvera axemen also deserve some love for their excellent work on this EP. The riffs for the most part are fast, but there are some great midpaced riffs to be found throughout "Terrorform." The intro to "Powerhouse" is a definite headbanger and the song "Conjure the Dead" has plenty of moments that are meant to deal out a case of some good ol' fashioned whiplash. Along with the top notch rhythm work, the lead work is just as good. The solos aren't your typical Kirk Hammett worshiping or some random Slayer-like notes, but they all possess some technical proficiency that any guitarist could appreciate, as well as some nice melodic passages that fit the music perfectly. 

Bludvera really has taken their sound to a whole new level with "Terrorform" and if they aren't signed by an awesome label by the time their full-length comes out, there will be vengeance. 

Be sure to check out and like Bludvera on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/Bludvera

Highlights

"Powerhouse"

"Terrorform"

"Conjure the Dead"

Final Rating

4.4/5 or 88%.

Magnetron - A Measured Timeframe

No, Dead Head isn't the only thrash act from the Netherlands that's still releasing some quality music and "A Measured Timeframe" is proof. Magnetron originally started out as a grindcore band before they decided to start playing thrash and since their inception in 1996 they've sporadically released a few demos with some of those tracks appearing here on "A Measured Timeframe," their debut album. While Magnetron may not be as praised as much as the criminally underrated Dead Head, they still manage to deliver an album that stands out in a world where the retro-thrash acts all begin to sound the same and fail to stray away from the pack.

As mentioned earlier, Magnetron was once a grindcore band and that influence definitely shines through on this release. The weird, yet humorous vocal stylings on the track "Flashing of the Brain" are completely reminiscent of old school crossover and grind acts, while the song "Rob a Bank, Buy a Tank" clocks in at less than a minute long and is riddled with blast beats (I mean that in a good way). 

Don't be afraid though (those of you don't enjoy the awesomeness of grind), because "A Measured Timeframe" is very much so a thrash album. The riffs are really catchy and remind the listener of bands like Anthrax and Nuclear Assault. The midpaced riff near the beginning of "The Human Race Has Been Cancelled" almost sounds like it could have been in a track off of "Among the Living" and the song "A Bit Inconsiderate" wouldn't sound really out of place on "Game Over." 

A lot of the songs on this album are similar in the way that they're short, fast and to the point for the most part. "Right to Dislike" and "Born Witless" are both relatively short tracks, but they hit you like a brick one after the other. There is one outlier though, the title track. On this song, Magnetron whipped out the acoustic before going into a thrashing blitzkrieg, only the riffs here aren't like the ones from earlier. They're still catchy and aggressive, but the use of different powerchords adds a different feel to the overall track before it turns into the relentless assault that we got on the other tracks, including the blast beats and the vocals that sound damn near identical to Mille Petrozza.

That pretty much covers the sound of "A Measured Timeframe." Ten hard hitting tracks that should have no problem whatsoever in waking your inner '80s thrash demon that's just waiting to destroy a venue whilst incredibly intoxicated. 

Be sure to check out and like Magnetron on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Magnetron/148704431839721

Highlights

"The Human Race Has Been Cancelled"

"A Measured Timeframe"

"Flashing of the Brain"

Final Rating

4.3/5 or 86%.