Sadiztik Impaler - "Bestial Christ Fornication"

(Singapore, Terranis Productions, Black/Thrash Metal, 2005)

Bestial Christ Fornication is the re-release on 7" format of Sadiztik Impaler's promo CD-R from 2004 and it features two songs: "Warrior Ov Satan" and "Black Fucking Metal" of pure old school Black/Thrash Metal. Probably not suiting the general like in the scene today it will surely appeal to the old bangers who are still craving for good quality Black Metal. The songs are both at high speed and not at all progressive but nonetheless of high quality. "Warrior Ov Satan" starts with a movie sample which sets the right atmosphere for the blast that there is to come, even tough the sound is a little bit low, everything can be heard perfectly, even the bass guitar which lots of new school Black Metal bands like to ignore. "Black Fucking Metal" starts with a good thrashing riff which is repeated in the first part of the song giving it a hypnotic touch, growing further into a good melody, not in the common sense but the connoisseurs will understand, also the bass lines here add a lot to the intense atmosphere.
All in all if you like your Black Metal underproduced, filthy and filled with anger then try to find this release, unfortunately it is sold out from the label.

Sakara – "Beauty And Bravery"

(U.K., Ravenheart Music, Symphonic Metal, 2014)

British songstress Sakara has been a feature on the femme-metal scene for a few years now, fronting several bands including a stint with Apparition in 2013. However she has more recently sought to establish herself as a solo artist, and "Beauty And Bravery" is her second solo release on the Ravenheart label.
The most striking thing you take away from this work, which weighs in at a very healthy hour and three minutes, is Sakara's enormous vocal versatility. From mezzo-soprano operatics to fierce Punk Rock sneers to full on Glossow-esque growling, Sakara can provide the album with all its needed dynamic changes all on her own. She is also careful, however, to keep the song styles as far apart as possible, in a genre prone to sameishness. Rockers like the opening track "Fearless", "Serenity" and "Orca" are probably the album's highlights, and sound like what Leaves Eyes would sound like if they stopped messing about and turned everything up to 11. The quieter material varies a bit more in quality, with the enjoyable Celtic balladry of songs like "Mystery" countered somewhat by more esoteric tracks like "Shield Maiden" that don't work as well and can cross the line into cheesiness.
It's an odd word to use, but the production quality of "Beauty And Bravery" can really only be described as "frustrating". The arrangements are brilliantly thought out and very intricate, much better than we have any real right to expect from a small-label release such as this one. Producer Stephen Clarke has created a superb balance of roaring guitar, subtle symphonics and some very impressive synth work that rivals anything released by the big names in the genre. However these arrangements are sometimes not done justice by some of the mixing and mastering work, that has a tendency to bury the more interesting parts of the songs in questionable EQ and over-compressed high end that sucks the energy out of the heavier songs in particular. There's some great things going on here, I'd just like to be able to hear them more clearly.
The big question is, of course, does this album make a significant contribution to this overcrowded genre? The good news is that it does. Whilst the lyrical themes of nature and Celtic Paganism have been covered before, notably by Within Temptation and Epica, this being a solo album has a consistency of voice and a growling fierceness that those bands have never really captured. Think of "Beauty And Bravery" as Symphonic Metal with Riot Grrrl attitude, and that really is something new and welcome.

Sart - "Sart"

(Romania, Self released, Crossover/Nu Metal, 2006)

This is a young band from Timișoara/Romania that was formed in August 2005, with their first EP. It's only an EP because they needed something for the promoion of the band, they are preparing the debut at the moment. This could last a while, they've written about 14 songs already, but they're not satisfied with all of them and don't want to have fillers on the album... Though they have an average age of 22 years, they've already played in local bands like Scrum, My Shadow, Coroziv and Confuz, and you realise this after the first time you hear this one!
This is the first CD that I've heard, which was recorded in Negură Bunget's studio. The sound is pretty good, though Negură's last album "OM" has a much more powerfull one. But because of this sound, which is not too brutal, they could reach a larger audience...
This is a double CD-R which looks very nice with a well done cover. The audio CD contains four songs: "Forgotten", a mix of Crossover with some Metalcore influences, "Lost", a modern Rock/Metal piece which reminds me of Stone Fixion's "Stagnant" (they know each other very well, by the way) - my favourite one here together with "Out Of Control" which begins Hardcore-like, continues calmer and gets very brutal at the end. "DCP" is not a bad song, but the lyrics are in Romanian and I don't really like them, a little childish... actually most of the Romanian lyrics sound a little kitschy to me... especially the "You can't bring me down" stuff. I prefer them in a more poetic way, but this is my personal problem...
The media CD contains a lot of pics (live, studio and personal ones) as well as a 10 minutes film showing the band at the rehearsals and recordings of this EP. Nice idea! I've never saw them live but I was told that they are very powerfull. They're playing dressed in uniforms, some sort of dungarees like Slipknot or Insane Clown Posse use to wear on stage... looks good on the pictures.
In conclusion, this is a good start, the only obstacle for a bigger success is beeing from Romania... I hope to hear the album soon!

Satanochio - "I Am Satanochio"

(Romania, Axa Valaha Productions, Grind/Black Metal, 2006)

The band was founded in December 2004 in the capital city of Romania by Satanochio (screams/guitars) and Satan Împărat (drums) with the intention to create a new kind of extreme Metal. "New" is referring especially to the Romanian underground. After the mini-CD "The First Strike Of The Possessed" in 2005 and two singles, including "The Naughty Nightfall Massacre" (which was limited to one (!!!) copy and released only for a devoted fan), this debut LP was released on 06.06.06 (with the new member Grui Sanger on drums and bass, after Satan Împărat was forced to end the collaboration with Satanochio because of an accident).
Sick howling sirens are leading into the first hyper speed bastard "Every Crime You Did" (at first I thought it's a drum machine) which is one of my favourites on this album. The style Satanochio play is a sort of Grind/Black Metal (the self description is Evil Metal) with unpredictable breaks, deep growls and unusual but original screams, most of the time in (extreme) up-tempo, though there are some variations of course, like the atmospheric parts in "Revelation" or the almost progressive title track.
"I Am Satanochio" is a high quality release. The professional artwork was made by Twilight13Media and for the promotion of this album seven (!) video clips were made, which can all be found on their first DVD "Dark Visions From The Fog", released this year. The production is pretty perfect too, though I suppose it wasn't that expensive recording this one. This band reminds me a lot of The Berzerker, not only because of the masks they wear (like in Slipknot's case, they wanted the listeners to concentrate on the music, not on the individuals in the band). It's a pretty original concept though not really brand-new, but you can't sound out that bands like Dark Funeral, Mayhem, Cannibal Corpse, Emperor, Deicide or even Strapping Young Lad are their favourites... like they've said in an interview: We wanted to play the music we couldn't listen to and to have the image we couldn't see anywhere else. Well, partially they're right. Let's see what the next album will sound like. Maybe this winter...

Satanochio - "Dark Visions From The Fog" DVD

(Romania, Axa Valaha Productions, Grind/Black Metal, 2007)

Is it unusual having a DVD with 9 "official" video clips after releasing only an album (besides a couple of singles and EP's)? Not in this case! The weirdos from Bucharest, Satanochio himself, Grui Sanger and Nimenea, who joined the band some months ago, have used all the options a DVD offers, to compile all their sick works to date on this release.
Together with Costin from twillight13media they've created a very convincing piece of underground. Almost an hour of material has been packed on the disc, which introduces you to the strange world of this band. The videos are very well done, all of them with a B-movie touch, amusing and a little scary at the same time. From the first one ever, "Dracu-Dreaku", an animated "adult" splatter clip to the pretty professional "Heihaiheihei Câini" (my favourite one, a stop motion clip where only skulls and bones were used) there are all kinds of images in these short stories. You can find "old school" scenarios like castles or grim mountains and forests as well as rather professional scenes like in "Revelation" or "Burn" for example, or Blair Witch Project-like pictures like in "You Deserve To Die" - which also has a "Making of" under the button "Uncut Scenes" on the DVD (really fun to watch, especially if you understand Romanian, though there are English subtitles but there are some phrases that just can't be translated the right way).
There's also a quite long interview here in which you can find out... absolutely nothing about the band! Hahaha! The interview takes place in a dark cot which is illuminated by some small candles. Satanochio and Grui Sanger as well as the mysterious third person in the back (Nimenea?) and the female interviewer are smoking, drinking vine and talking only bullshit. Nonsense black humor which fit perfectly in the concept of Satanochio. This is the most original and interesting interview I've seen in my life. In 23 minutes they aren't able to give a single real answer to the few questions they get. Sarcastic answers like "...I don't have anything to say against something that I don't have what to answer..." or "Satanochio is a parody to everything that is a parody. We are the joke that kills the joke that is everywhere around us..." don't even make you think about pushing the fast-forward button. Of course it's intended and the questions are not to take seriously, but who cares about their influences or the instruments they play, in a case like this one? There are a lot of funny anecdotes I could write about but you have to see it for yourselves!
The final feature on this disc is a 3 minutes long slideshow of some very good live (in the studio only, Satanochio doesn't play on stage) and promo pics.
All in all it's "just" a home video, with some image interferences here and there, and various sound intensities and it's only released on DVD-R (though with a color cover and even a 4 page inlay card) but it's done with passion, and that's what counts! And it's very cheap, so go order it, you won't regret it! If you doubt that, check out some clips on YouTube or MySpace. Enjoy this mix of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Berserker and Notre Dame... Great stuff! Pula mea!

Satanochio - "Vagrant Matter Heritage"

(Romania, Twilight13Media/Krudd, Black Grind'n'Roll, 2007)

Only four months after I've praised the debut album and predicted a greater future for this strange band from Bucharest, they've released this EP. These are the first songs Satanochio have recorded with a "real" drummer (named Nimenea) who joined the band in April this year. "Vagrant Matter Heritage" contains three tracks. It's a little short but I know the feeling one has when something has changed in the workflow - you just have to make it public... Well, why not?
I don't know if this EP stands on its own or if it's a forerunner for a forthcoming full length album but in any case it's an essential release for the band. It's more mature and on a higher technical level than all they've done before though I like the previous releases a lot but somehow they were much more underground. We're not talking about Metallica's "Black Album" here, it's still brutal and without compromises, but there's a touch of Rock'n'Roll, a much cleaner production and (the most important thing) finer structures which make the songs catchier and gives them a high distinctive design.
"Everything Dies" is a hit! A very original mix of Grind'n'Roll with some Black Metal influences and an ingenious dark instrumental part in the middle of the composition which reminds me of some early Cradle Of Filth songs. I hope they don't hate this comparison, for some kids C.O.F. is "Pussy Metal" but you got to listen carefully to them, I don't give a fuck if it's commercial or not! If a catchy, well produced song is commercial, then so is "Everything Dies"! But who cares? Track two, "The National John Doe", is a mix of the first one and the old recordings, also a great song with a perfect refrain but a little more brutal, nevertheless very diverse. The third one ("Inward The Fairy") is rather an (one and a half minute long) outro in the vein of their older stuff, raw and brutal, almost Black Metal. It's OK but not that spectacular...
I also like the lyrics, it's not about the same boring stuff hundreds of bands had before but a rather new concept about individualism, personal freedom and things like that, written in a pretty original style. What bothers me a little are the small grammatical mistakes which make them seem a little unprofessional though also likeable at the same time. The design was made again by Costin of Twilight13Media, great traditional drawings which give the packaging a stylish note.
Now back to the most important improvement here, the drums: They are great, no doubt about it, but (unfortunately?) they sound almost the same as always. For "true" die-hard Metal fans it might be a salvation, I don't really care, I like drum machines a lot as well. But there's one positive fact about it: Satanochio could play live on stage now! ;)
In conclusion, this is a big step forward in the right direction! With these new songs the band will hopefully achieve a bigger status! I'm really looking forward to the new album!
You can buy this EP for 6,66 Euros (shipping included) from their website - and don't forget to ask about the older releases! Noroc!

Scariot - "Pushing For Perfection"

(Norway, OS Music, Heavy/Power Metal, 2002)

If the previous album called "Tongueless God" was more into melodic Heavy/Death Metal (Heavy Metal with Death Metal vocals) this is more into Heavy/Power Metal like Nevermore or Sanctuary, the vocals reminding a lot of Sanctuary! The music is tight, heavy and mostly mid tempo with some escapes into faster parts, but as on Nevermore releases the accent is put on the dark/atmospheric part of Heavy Metal. The song "Instrument Of Policy", the first one on this demo/EP, has a powerful part in it, almost the end of the song, when the counter shows one minute left, a mosh-friendly riff, with a very powerfull headbang moment, "Inside The Frame" will remind you again of Sanctuary, the phrasing is almost the same as Wane Darell used on the "Refuge Denied" album, that refreshing (and not gay loving as used nowadays) high vocal tone. Also, on this song are featured some Hardcore riffs, and some very good guitar solos. The third and last song "Pushing For Perfection" starts with a very dark guitar sound accompanied by good drumming followed by Power Metal riffs, also some harsh vocals are to be heard on this song. All in all this MCD is a pure piece of Heavy Metal that you should own! Not a fault in production or interpretation!

Scent Of Death - "Entangled In Hate"

(Spain, Self released, Death Metal, 2002)

Spain's Scent Of Death show up well on this first release; it's very professionally done, well played and contains sufficient speed and fractured riffing to keep most Death Metal fans happy. The band adds depth to the sound by adding some quieter, unexpected moments. A lot of potential shown on this self-released MCD, I believe the band have their debut album out by now, so check that out if you like clinical, Brutal Death Metal with a little bit of depth.

Scratching Soil - "Separatism"

(Russia, Stygian Crypt Productions, Black Metal, 2007)

Scratching Soil is one of the most old bands who started to play Black Metal first within Russia. And I have to say that they are not in hurry to unleash the pest so frequently – "Separatism" is the second album, when 1st was recorded almost 12 years ago. For why to hurry if the abyss just before? "Separatism" has more better quality of recorded material which brings us rouugh, but well composed old school Black Metal. The conception took a place on martial themes, a warfare doubling victims and human insignificance during all periods of time. Thus, misanthropic statement of authors Kain and Alastor were incarnated within almost 38 minutes of ruthless aggression with minimum melodic ways. No keyboards, no suicidal snoops, only storm of sizzling hatred. Riffs gives us nothing new, since here is traditional Black Metal sawing with a bit Thrash touches. I think the band could achieve really high level of performance and present us awesome material that just kicks asses! Finally, the booklet gave me a good impression due to its impious design: how do you imagine St. Maria with ram head and keeping up tin with a jesus-child preserved in alchohol or saints with animal heads? Haha, those painter has a good taste of humor! Scratching Soil art will be highly recommended for all maniacs since this is a very worthy volley of black f..king Metal in the name of human extermination.

Screaming Afterbirth - "Drunk On Feces"

(U.S.A., Bizarre Leprous Production, Brutal Goregrind, 2005)

Just a few years after the recording of an excellent album called "Putrid Pile", released under United Guttural Records banner, Screaming Afterbirth is finally back with the long awaited "Drunk On Faces". Screaming Afterbirth's new album is for sure a better one than the previous CD; the main attraction point being the usage of a much known singer that played in much known combos such as: Broken Hope, Putrid Pile or Evil Incarnate! Although the band's music can easily be labelled as Goregrind, on the whole it seems to be slower; something in Cock And Ball Torture way of playing. I'd like to remark 2 covers played in original by Mortician and Blood. I'd like to add that Screaming Afterbirth is a band that we can have trust on it in the future, and I hope that you'll like "Drunk On Feces" as much as I do!

Sea Of Desperation - "Spiritual Lonely Pattern"

(Russia, Stygian Crypt Productions, Doom Metal, 2006)

Sea of Desperation is not usual Doom Metal project as we get accustomed to, this is much old school, not so brutal, with a strange and deceitful lightness and ultramundane presence, which, probably, is a proper way according album's conception. Yes, this CD is not usual composition of different lyrics, when authors getting caused by depressiveness, it's a conceptual work about a reincarnation - soul's resettlement and it is explain why songs has so weird passages between each other, decorated by additional settings in, as an old gramophone's old song, mighty roar and other things... Well, despite of all, I can't say I got satisfied of such a work, moreover, album disappointed a bit of musical decisions which for my taste are so tiresome and not innovative. According the genre's manner, songs are in slowly tempo and full of sorrowful, but... I can't get rid of a sense that something is needed here. One of the best songs at my opinion is a second track, fulfilled of energy and interesting compositional decisions. Others, as I said, are good, but not the best one.
I hope that author shall demonstrate his increased potential on next opus in musical side, since conception on a high level yet.

Serpentoria - "Withering Hopes"

(Poland, Via Nocturna, Dark Ambient, 2006)

A while ago when the autumn moon died and winters tongue started to lick the face of the Earth with her delicate and cold tongue a package arrived to me from Poland consisting on this piece of blasphemy.
Described in short this is Dark Ambient with a vampiric touch, mournful synthesizer, drone at time, melodic at time, but nonetheless dark. The album is divided in two equal parts of four songs with an intermezzo, starting with the song "Wallachia", you will hear pseudo-melodic piano like melodies, more or less showing a potential as an interpreter, but much more setting a dark mood. I believe that this was the purpose too since I doubt that Serpentor Ia tried to show potential as a pianist on this release.
The first part of the CD set on me a dark mood, "Intraluminal" the opener featuring a melody that is both nasty and playful, mostly like a grimace from the smile of a vampire, the image that came to my mind was the sequence from the 1931 version of Bram Stocker's Dracula with Lugosi when the brides awaken from their death like sleep, "Withering Hopes" being like a perfect score for that sequence of the movie. "Enochian Lamentations" crawls next, a piece that features an organ sample, also haunting and atmospheric.
With the coming of the "Intermezzo" I begun to doubt this release, because the piece is quiet simple and the piano melody is at best mediocre, but as said above I doubt that virtuosity was the thing that the composer wanted to show. The inevitable happened, the next songs feature more of the piano melodies, without great value, but moody, this part even tough reminded me of Karsten Hamre's attempt to make an album on Beethoven's music which did not succeeded, and at least for me was more like a curiosity. Probably the best song from the second part of the CD is "Innocence Fatigued", again dark, but dragged down by the piano melodies, I believe that it would have been better if organ melodies like in the first part of the CD were used.
All in all this is not bad, and I can say that the first part is more enjoyable than the second one, but thinking again that this is a first release, is strong enough and worthy for a few listens, especially on dark serene nights, so if you have the possibility give it a try, especially if you are into occult/vampire literature, this will add a bit to the atmosphere.
Mr. Serpentor Ia was working hard in his castle and created nine exquisite nightmares to haunt you mortals in your sleep. You should definitely wait until the night before listening to this album, unless you are too scared. "Withering Hopes" will quickly draw you into the dark and alien world of Serpentoria. The tentacles of unseen nightly creatures will slowly encompass you and if you're not strong enough, you might never be able to escape back to your safe reality again. The album starts with orchestral landscapes that will make the world that you know fade away. And when this vampire from Poland has your full attention, he will lay the weight of centuries upon you. Echoes of melancholy will crawl under your skin, showing you glimpses of something you knew very long ago but lost and forgot.
Slowly the main part is seized by the old piano hidden in the corner of one of the chambers in Serpentor Ia's castle. The whole album seems to have a tendency to rise and evolve, from fairly simply structured songs to more melodic compositions with multiple layers. Don't expect it to go too far though; the hypnotic power of this album is in its subjugating simplicity. The atmosfear is so convincing that you can almost feel the sensation of cold castle walls under your fingers.
If you make it alive till the end, you will find yourself in a different time and place. You may do your best to find your way back to this century (good luck with that) or you can linger a bit longer and taste that uncommon feeling some more. I prefer to stay and sink deeper.

Silent Kingdom - "Bloodless"

(Bosnia and Herzegovina, Walk Records, Black/Death Metal, 2004)

This is not Silent Kingdom's first album, yet it is the first time I have heard of this Metal trio from Sarajevo. Musically, this is not a million miles from the Agonize CD I've reviewed elsewhere, but since a member of that band was involved in the recording of "Bloodless", it's to be expected that the two bands have a similar style.
Silent Kingdom play somewhere between Black and Death Metal in style, and they definitely have that "Swedish sound" to them. There are a lot of eastern influences in the riffs and melodies, often these are very melodic and technical, although tracks like the "Standing At The End Of Their Fate" and "Of Illusions Made" alternate this style between an epic sound and more straight ahead guitar riffs. The production sounds like it's been recorded on a computer, especially the guitar sound, which sounds quite digital and unnatural. There are two bonus tracks on this CD, which are more atmospheric Black Metal sounding compared to the rest of the album.
I personally preferred the epic style Silent Kingdom have compared to the Melodic Death Metal elements, having said that this is quite an interesting album, so if you are interested in blackened Death Metal with a bit of variety and atmosphere you could do far worse than check out Silent Kingdom.

Silent Kingdom - "Reflections Of Fire (The Journey)"

(Bosnia & Herzegovina, Walk Records, Melodic Black Metal, 2006)

I liked Silent Kingdom's previous CD "Bloodless" and considered it to have much potential, so that when I saw the band had a new release called "Reflections Of Fire" I decided to check it out. Well, nothing could have really prepared me for brilliance of this new CD!
Silent Kingdom have kept the template of technical Black Metal with oriental melodies and fused it with Bosnian Folk music (called Sevdalinka) to create a unique masterpiece. Most of the songs are over the ten minute mark and often start off with this beautiful Sevdalinka music with male and female sung vox; the melodies featured here are often developed within a Metal framework, the real contrasts are the occasional Thrash riffs thrown in, which work to perfection in the title track. A special note is to the production, it is clear and perfectly balanced yet with the rawness and energy that underground Metal demands.
It's impossible to try and describe how these elements work with each other, on the CD it just sounds like the most natural thing. This music has everything you could want in a Metal album; raw aggression; a sense of dynamics and melody; killer, catchy riffs; a sombre and nostalgic atmosphere; creativity, innovation and uniqueness. You've just got to hear Silent Kingdom's music!
I believe that this is probably the best Metal of 2006, so special is the sound Silent Kingdom have created on this CD. You can buy it for 6 EUR from the label Walk Records (there is also a special edition 2 CD version for 8 EUR) at the address below. Buy or die!

Sindustry - "Tomorrow Is Today"

(Austria, Self released, Melodic Metal/Hardcore, 2006)

Sindustry are active since 1999 but they've played another style of music until 2002 under the name Bad Excuse. This mini album is the first release besides a track ("The Price Of War") for a "Tribute To Rage" compilation in 2005.
The six tracks (including an instrumental) are a mix of different styles of Metal. In the main it's a sort of Metalcore/Hardcore but pretty original, spiced with a lot of details from other genres like the Static-X riffs at the beginning, the electronic sounds or even Meshuggah-like parts. The self description is Melodic Metal/Hardcore, but it's a little hard to describe the music, a fact which is intended and they can be proud of it. It's fun to listen to the complex compositions; it doesn't get boring at all. Mnemic, Dream Theater and The Butterfly Effect are listed in the same row as their favourite bands, so you know what to expect! My favourite song is "Shadows Of Survival" which brings all the trademarks together. A mix of In Flames and traditional Metal á la Iron Maiden (referring to some guitar lines) with clean vocals including some cool distorted ones, screams, some well placed electronic sounds and great solos.
I think it's a good start for these talented musicians from Graz. Diverse heavy songs, well produced and nicely packaged. Unfortunately there's not much info on the website, I'd like to know the lyrics for example, but at least you can listen to some songs on MySpace. Check it out!

Sorg Innkallelse - "Rise Of The Shadows"

(Iran, Hexenreich Records, Black Metal, 2006)

This is the second Iranian Black Metal band I've heard after Ekove Efrits and Sorg Innkallelse play a high standard of Black Metal too, though theirs is slightly more conventional in sound. I guess this has been recorded on a computer, which is not to my taste usually, however Sorg have done a good job with this; you can hear all the instruments clearly (including the bass, which is a rare treat on a Metal album nowadays) and the drum machine is well programmed. There is a distinctly Scandinavian feel to "Rise Of The Shadows", a lot of tremolo picked riffs with an ice cold, epic atmospheres. I suppose they remind me slightly of Frozen Shadows, but with fewer keyboards. If you'd ask me to guess, there is no way I'd say this band came from the Middle East! But these young Iranians make a great job of what is essentially True Norwegian Black Metal (can I call it that? Ah, why not!). Visit their site at www.sorginnkallelse.com and be sure to support these guys! "Rise of the Shadows" can be purchased from Hexenreich Records for 50 EEK / 5 USD / 4 EUR at the address below.

Sorg Innkallelse - "Into The Dark Tower"

(Iran, Hexenreich Records, Black Metal, 2007)

True Norwegian Black Metal is a style that's rarely played well these days, but it is well played indeed by Iranian duo Sorg Innkallelse (even the name is Norwegian!) who strike back with their sixth full length album and second for tiny Estonian label Hexenreich Records.
"The Arrival Of Tormentor" announces the bands' attack; a short sample bursts into light speed, hypnotic Black Metal that despite the digital sound pulsates with raw energy. Track two "With Ancient Torches In Our Hands" is mid-paced with absolutely killer riffs that creep and crawl out of the speakers; other highlights include "Departure", a slower, instrumental track with sinister synth sounds punctuating the music with a "Freezing Moon" style guitar solo thrown in for good measure; The title track belts away at 666 bpm with those trademark tremolo picked riffs that remind so much of early 90s Norway, it's almost uncanny at times. "Lethal Invasion" shows the bands ethnic roots a little more, the guitar riffs sound distinctly Persian and it really adds something exotic to the music, making this one of my favourite tracks on the album; the bonus track "Incessant Winds Of Despair" (the video for which can be viewed here) is in fact a collaboration between Sorg Innkallelse and fellow Iranian act Ekove Efrits. It's a great idea, starting out in typical Sorg Innkallelse style of fast drums and tremolo picked riffs, slowly metamorphosing into the mournful atmospherics of an Ekove Efrits track. This kind of "split song" is a great way to close off an excellent album!
It might seem obvious to say that if this band were from Oslo or Bergen they'd be much bigger than they are; however that doesn't change the fact that "Into The Dark Tower" has ten very high quality Black Metal tracks that would show up a lot of "household name" bands! Spare a few Euros and support this quality band. "Into The Dark Tower" comes on a pro-printed CD-R and is limited to 199 copies.

Spearhead - "Deathless Steel Command"

(U.K., Tour De Garde, Black/War Metal, 2006)

This is Spearhead's debut full length, the band previously released a demo under the name Yersinia Pestis. "Deathless Steel Command" is is a giant leap forward from that demo, the band sound much tighter and are rather accomplished musically, the drums are well played and there is even some guitar solos (fairly uncommon in today's Black Metal). Spearhead's music is fast, barbaric and definitely has a teutonic feel to it. A merciless assault from beginning to end.
This is much better quality than most U.K. underground stuff. Spearhead are well worth checking out if you like well played yet brutal Black/War Metal sounds.

Stickoxydal - "The Perverted Position Of Interiors"

(Belarus, Bizarre Leprous Production, Deathgrind, 2005)

Honestly I got no fuckin' idea that we can find some interesting bands in Belarus, and here we have the funny grinders Stickoxydal! Compared to Utopia, Cum or Gut, Stickoxydal is for sure a big surprise for the European grind scene. The 14 songs we have on "The Perverted Position Of Interiors" brings in front of us a kind of Grindcore music well combined with some Brutal Death Metal lines, very guttural vokills and an infernal melodic concept.
Recorded in February 2005 in Jerry Built Studio, being mixed by Cutlas and Snoopy, the guitar and the band's drummer. CD's lyrical content belongs to Carno, an unknown personage; but there's no problem for me, because, generally speaking, I'm more interest in the musical content than in its lyrical composer and things like that. I tried to find out who's the main important musical instrument used by Stickoxydal, but I've failed; mainly because band constituents skills are at a very high level. But what my ears have heared is something that can't be described in a few words.
And that's fuckin' unbelievable for such unknown country as Belarus, concerning its extreme Metal scene of course! Two of its 3 constituents are handling both instruments and vokills; but I have no ideea who's the main responsible for the guttural scores or for the screaming ones. We can hear a grunting voice, very well combined with some screaming lines, but this isn't a very good one compared to the other tonalities used on "The Perverted Position Of Interiors"! I was very impressed by the guitar and the bass that spreads tones of hard attacks and some heavy solos; the guitar being tuned very low. Band musical brutality is damn good, well combined with some Core Metal phases that makes Stickoxydal's music to be a very good one especially for headbanging. The rhythm changes or some other brakes are frequent and varied; Snoopy, the band drummer, being in a ceaseless search for the best rhythm. Although his drums are very brutal, the choosen rhythms are to simple contrasting with some technical guitar solos. As their well known predecessors Carcass, Stickoxydal use strange lyrical themes centred upon the liberal using of anatomical and pathological terms. Stickoxydal use a medical terminology, defecations, putrefactions or urinations being subordinate to an unitary whole that relates images of the human body decay.
All that things are in a tight connection with the outcome of CD's artwork. I hope that this overwhelming publication to continue with a new incredible full length, and I also hope that this product will be enough for Stickoxydal to become one of the most important European Grindcore bands. If you don't give a shit about all my words, get this CD and see yourself what is all about with "The Perverted Position Of Interiors"!

Stickoxydal - "Obstetrical Collection"

(Belarus, Bizarre Leprous Production, Grindcore, 2007)

Stickoxydal (= laughing gas) was founded in summer 2003 with the intention to play funny Crust/Punk/Grindcore (according to their biography). The first demo "Pro Narcosi" contained these styles (even with Belarusian lyrics) but the second one was already "pure" Grindcore. After these self produced demos they've signed with the Czech label Bizarre Leprous Production. "Obstetrical Collection" is the second full length album after "The Perverted Position Of Interiors" (2005).
I've expected a little more from this release because of the original artwork, which is not just a picture of a rotten corpse (or the like) but a very well designed playful composition of (handwritten) letters and drawings - somehow it reminds me of Radiohead's artworks. I've heard this kind of music too many times, mostly even better performed, Stickoxydal sound a little immature to me (in any case they seem to be teenagers).
The album starts pretty brutal and interesting but it gets a little boring after a couple of tracks because they sound the same. To the end it gets more diversified, there are some cool rhythms and structures and you can almost understand what Carno "sings" ;)
The short songs (the longest one is two and a half minutes long) are filled with screams, growls, pitch shifted vocals, pig squeal growls (Brain of Jig-Ai has mastered this album, and they actually sound a little like Jig-Ai here and there) and the typical blast beat attacks mixed with some subtle melodies and groovy riffs. I've noticed even some Hardcore and Death Metal influences. I think they are able to do a lot more than this but this is the style they've chosen to play and there are some boundaries... My favourite track is "Rectovaginal Fistula Or Perineal Rupture 3rd Degree" which reminds me rather of a Brutal Death Metal song, it even has a dirty Cannibal Corpse-like guitar solo at the end - I hope it's the right title, the tracklist shows 28 songs but the promo I've got contains only 24. Anyway, I suggest they should continue in this manner on the next album.
I recommend this CD to people who are into this kind of Grindcore, after all it's pretty OK but if you're a novice on this territory you should maybe try the established bands first. This is pure underground!

Stillborn - "Manifiesto De Blasfemia"

(Poland, Pagan Records, Thrash/Death Metal, 2007)

A course that Pagan Records was following can gladden, undeviatingly bands selection. Only really devoted hordes have a chance to be inked by this elder Polish label and according their taste, there are a bunch of bands performing old school Thrash Metal despite of any modern trends. For that we do love such devotion as bands so label either.
So, Stillborn is a typical one which lyrical manifestos concentrated on anti-Christian, better to say anti-Catholic themes (saint Catholicism was always looks as a Christian stronghold and pure belief in comparison with Orthodoxy or heretic ways so that's why inversion and perversion of Rome's dogmas and attributes is more glad for our eyes). Crucified bleeding maiden with holy cross on her pussy. I hope Pagan Records have already sent promo copies to curia for reviewing :) Musically, Stillborn follow mix old school Thrash and Death Metal in the best traditions of teutonic knights of Metal as well as Death Metal misanthropes in its primordial style. Crushing riffs and speed tempo will make you pleasured in any cause. Also I've noticed drum passions, drummer strikes vats without fatigue, just cool to listen to such rabid part. Deep growling changing on furious screams, that's definitely a kind of nailed cake with steel cherry.
The album has no slow "dark" moments; all performed in high speed tempo and "Manifiesto De Blasfemia" will attack your brain within all 35 minutes of playing. Good album to listen to and remember "old times". Metal without compromises!

Stíny Plamenů - "Odpadní Galerie"

(Czech Republic, Naga Productions, Black Metal, 2007)

This is a strange band! From the ingenious promo pics (dressed in grungy coats, washed-out jeans and rubber boots, posing on rusty water pipes in front of dried out fields and black skies) to the mix of Black Metal à la Marduk and Dark Metal with clean female vocals, it's all a little unusual on Stíny Plamenů.
The manhole cover is getting opened again and the first hyperspeed Black Metal song is blasting through the speakers like it should be, but the second one is already something completely different. Melodic dark music (here and there medieval-like) with male and female vocals, which are sometimes really great, for example the choir in "Dolů Na Zvradla", but most of the time they bother me. This kind of sound alternates with Raw Black Metal on "Odpadní Galerie", which is the fifth album already (besides two demos) in their eight years of existence. At first I thought it's a split because of these huge differences (I've listened to it without looking in the booklet). In "Po Půlnoci" these two styles are mixed together, which result in an interesting song with an almost happy melody. Sounds like a "hit single" to me, but it's not my kind of music. I don't know the albums they've released before, and I love female vocals, but not the kind Nightwish have for example... The male vocals are pretty good, the typical screams, full of hate, also here and there kind of eerie, accompanied by black lava. My favourite track is the grim Black Metal song "Dark Sewage Star", the only one with English lyrics here, the rest are in Czech which sound pretty strange and gives the music an "exotic" feeling.
I don't like the production that much, the drums are not loud enough and the guitars are rather in the background... it could be intended, to make it sound more "true" or underground (literally in this case) but it could be also because of a small budget... I recommend this to all the Black Metal fans who are willed to discover something new (more or less).

Here's the short bio taken from their website. I like the way it sounds and I didn't wanted to rewrite it:

It was in the year of 1998 that Lord Morbivod gained his name due to the blackest generosity of his own soul. The idea of starting a Black Metal project came to him in the time when journeys into the depths of Plzen's sewer system, back then the fulfilment of life for Lord Morbivod and Rabe Naj, were in full bloom. The name of the project, Stíny Plamenů (meaning "Shadows of Flames"), was born from the feelings and emotions experienced while watching the sewer expanses illuminated by a flickering fire, the fascinating places beneath the town of Plzen became the inspiration for the lyrical content of the project. Mythological characters of the world of sewer lore soon appeared: Pan Cistirensky ("The Sewage Disposal Lord"), Pani z Vodarny ("Lady of the Waterworks"), Syn Poklopu ("Son of the Manhole Lids"), Mistr Jimac ("The Cesspool Master") and some others. Stories about these figures are told in the guise of Black Metal pieces with a truly bestial sound. The term "Wastewater Black Metal" can be understood as a musical genre with a fair amount of elaborate mythology and Raw Black Metal. First two demo CDs and three following albums were recorded by Lord Morbivod himself, only with a small cooperation of visiting vocalists, who impart to some sewerage characters their voices. Several solo concerts took place in sewarages under Pilsner during years. In 2005 guitarist Lord Egon and drummer Lord Sheafraidh from Děčín enlarged Stíny Plamenů. Lord Morbivod took up the bassguitar and concerts on the ground take place with this full line-up.

STN-09 - "-Buio- (Transmission To Inferno)"

(Italy, Beverina Productions, Dark Ambient, 2007)

Here we have a limited CD-R release from the renewed Beverina Productions (limited to a mere 150 copies, and very high quality it is too. Pro-printed black CD-R, matt finish digipak... It's nice to see even smaller runs get a first rate treatment on this label, no photocopied covers and TDK branded tapes here!
The bands cryptic name and eerie, lunar cover art gave me a pretty good impression of how this band would sound, and I wasn't far wrong. Here we don't have "music", just sinister atmospheres with some samples in the background. The back cover describes STN-09 as "apoclalyptic non-music", which is a fair description I have to say. The first track, "Transmission From Unknown" sounds quite mild, but turn it up and the sounds acquire a kind of feverish intensity, creating atmospheres that blend the blackness between the stars with the sinister graininess of WWII footage (the of sounds of a NSDAP rally from this adds to this sense of unease). Track two, "Journey Through Inferno", has a choral type sound, sinister, mournful and distant, which gradually mixes with a fast Black Metal "injection" done by Pesten from Tundra. I have to say, the blending of what essentially sound like two different tracks sounds absolutely brilliant and is utterly hypnotic and intense. The Black Metal element gradually subsides, making way for more cavernous Dark Ambient for finish the CD.
I guess the only comparisons I could make are with Hate Forest's "The Gates" or some early Cold Meat Industry products, but STN-09 has its own sound and is one of the more interesting Dark Ambient acts I have heard of late. Make sure to get a copy whilst it's still around from www.evildist.com!

Stoma - "Scat Aficionados"

(The Netherlands, Bizarre Leprous Production, Goregrind, 2005)

I met Stoma's music a few years ago, when the band leader sent me a promo track with a cover version of "Receiver" signed Napalm Death destined for a tribute album never released unfortunately! And to tell you the truth, I was a little bit dissatisfied with the outcome. Concerning to "Scat Aficionados" I was more than glad to remark that Stoma developed into a very good band; "Scat Aficionados" being the testimony that all these words are the truth and nothing else.
This CD contains 16 songs into brutal Death/Grind, a "true" sound polution made by one of the most interesting Dutch extreme Metal bands. The musical orientation I've mentioned above is very well combined with some Core and groove elements. The vocal score use 2 singers into guttural and pig screamings tonalities; the guttural one being very low recorded, and it makes me wonder how it could be possible without a vocal PC effect?! But as I can see, there are no vocal effects and Stoma remind us that thing via its CD booklet. Ziggi Blunt's drums section sounds incredible, the rhythm changes being the main attraction point of this CD. The lyrical concept speaks about sexual maniacs, incestuous acts and pedophiles. The cover artwork fits perfectly with the musical and with the lyrical concept, that makes "Scat Aficionados" a very good album; the ultra brutal fans will be satisfied by its total content.

Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition - "Inventory Of Fixtures"

(France, Bizarre Leprous Production, Grindcore, 2006)

"Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition was founded at the end of 1996 with the idea to participate in the creation of the most brutal music" (taken from their bio).
After a self produced split tape with Infected Pussy in 1997, the first split CD (with Rot) was released in 1998, followed by the debut album "I" in 2001. The second album had the original title "II" and was released in 2003 by Osmose Productions, the French label which is very well known for high quality bands. The next release was a split 7" with Cripple Bastards under the banner of Relapse Records, one of my favourite labels, so it makes me wonder why "Inventory of Fixtures" (what a strange title!) was released by Bizarre Leprous Production. It's not a bad label, but it's rather small and it seems that Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition are stars in this genre. Honestly I've never heard of them but the current "world tour" and 445.241 profile views on MySpace are pretty formidable (unless there's a manipulation tool for the counter, haha)!
Anyway, I have to admit that I don't like this album that much, though it's better than most of the other releases on Bizarre Leprous Production. The 14 short songs (the average length is two and a half minutes) were recorded and mixed in only 20 days and I suppose they were written in half of that time.
The powerful production is pretty good though and the instrumentation leaves nothing to be desired, but this is just in case you don't mind listening to stuff you've heard a lot of times before... For my tastes there's too little originality in this album. It's a mix of Grindcore and Brutal Death Metal, sometimes kind of groovy but most of the time straight to the point(less). The vocals are somewhere between deep growls and hateful screams with a lot of distortion effects and some pitch shifting. But I appreciate the fact that you can sometimes understand what Seb is singing. The artwork is pretty professional, some "end of the world" scenarios painted the old school way, like Mortician uses them for example. There are not many details I could mention about this record, not even a song that stands out... The rating is rather from a novice's point of view and I suppose after you'll stumble over a band like Pigsty for example (Bizarre Leprous Production) you'll know what I mean...
Nevertheless you should check them out! It's up to you!

Sudden Death - "Injection Of Hate"

(Italy, Dead Bang Records, Brutal Death Metal, 2005)

The most brutal Italian act is finally out, thanks to Gang Bang Records. Recorded during 2004 in Psychotic Reactions Studio, this awesome album saw the daylight after a new line-up change; Umberto being replaced by Dario, a very good bass guitar player, a personage who helped this Italian combo to find a better final result for their CD. The whole content of this material consist in 9 Brutal Death Metal songs in the vein of Deeds Of Flesh, Suffocation or Cannibal Corpse. "Injection Of Hate" is in my point of view one of the most technical Brutal Death Metal albums ever recorded; the main attraction point of this CD being its heavy guitar solos or bass guitar breaks, a very clever combination à la Cannibal Corpse on "Vile" album.
Sudden Death seem to be a band interested in very technical lines, and its constituents skills shows that their experience was accumulated in the course of many years; if I'm not wrong, this band was formed somewhere about 1997. Frontman vocal score combines two kind of high tonalities, a guttural one, in common with other Italian Brutal Death Metal vocals, the other one being in a screaming register barking one, very strange for my taste I could say. I like very much band drums section, handled by a nuclear drummer in a very good shape. Frequently we can meet some similarities between this Italian combo and Cryptopsy; of course that band final result isn't polluted by such remarks, Sudden Death showing us that its Brutal Death Metal music is a very original one. In comparison with other bands from its branch, Sudden Death uses a varied lyrical concept who speaks about murders, social themes and an anti-Christian attitude in the vein of Deicide or Acheron. CD booklet reflects itself, still from the beginning, what stands behind a shocking picture; a brutal, but still technical Metal music, composed by an Italian band who looks forward for worldwide recognition. As a crowning of band entire activity, Sudden Death was invited to join the roman dates of Brutal Death Metal band Suffocation (U.S.A.); their idols from career beginning.

Sunterra - "Lost Time"

(Austria, Wait And Bleed Records, Melodic Death/Gothic Metal, 2003)

On "Lost Time" Sunterra's sound is somewhere between old Theatre Of Tragedy and Macbeth on "Romantic Tragedy's Crescendo" being that kind of album that you're going to like from the very beginning. "Lost Time" consist of nine songs, including a cover version of "Out Of The Dark" from Falco, that will lead you in a journey through an incredible universe of eternal death and pain. With easiness in the rhythm changes, very good keyboard melodies, devastating breaks and solos and beautiful flute lines. The vocal style is complex, containing screams and grunt lines in the same time a soprano voice. I'd like to tell you that all my words are useless in describing the atmosphere of Sunterra's "Lost Time".

Supreme Lord - "X99.9 Kill Your Enemies"

(Poland, Conquer Records, Brutal Death Metal, 2004)

Straight ahead, no frills Brutal Death Metal is what features on this album from Supreme Lord. In typical Polish style, this is a very slick package; the production is first rate, the riffs are brutal and the thing generally rages as a Death Metal album should (none of this melodic bullshit!). Fans of Deicide, Vader and Suffocation will feel instantly at home with this release; although I find this clinical style of Death Metal sounds too mechanical for me. But Supreme Lord will no doubt have their niché and if you like your Death Metal fast, technical and guttural, you are pretty much guaranteed to like this.
Note that tracks 9 to 14 are old demo tracks, but there are two videos also included on this CD, for "Death Metal Beast" and "Terrorzone".

Susperia - "Atittude"

(Norway, Candlelight Records, Thrash Metal, 2009)

The Thrash Metal revelation of the year, Susperia brings in front of us one of the most impressive materials ever recorded in the scene; probably the best occasion to see that its constituents deals with some other kind of Metal not only with the extreme one, Black Metal to be exactly! Described as "extreme Metal with melodic twist", band musical content contains so many musical elements taken from different way of playing such as: Heavy/Power Metal, Hardcore, Death Metal and even Black Metal, that in the end makes me to call it straight in the face Metal with extreme attitude!
With such a great line-up consisting in: the leader Tjodalv, the drummer from Dimmu Borgir, Cyrus, guitar ex. Old Man's Child/Satyricon, Athera, vocals, Memnock, bassist, and Elvorn on guitar all from Athera's band Vanheim, I suppose that there is no problem in the compositional process of Susperia! This new album shows such a compositional maturity and such a musical progress in the writing process that makes me to believe that no one and nothing could stop this Metal gang to gain the world wide recognition; goes back to the bands early days with its melancholic riffing and dark emotional vocals, then moves all the way through to present day, with a perfect blend of everything that Susperia has been and become!
Ten years and still the same line-up, shows a strong friendship and the bands long term commitment to their music. Despite their ups and downs Susperia have always managed to pull through whatever has been thrown at them, musically speaking you know what I mean! Never more so has the bands inner strength been tested than following the recent heart attack suffered by vocalist Athera, which resulted in a successful quadruple by pass operation. If ever the phrase band of brothers was apt then Susperia fit the bill.
Nothing more to add in the end; get this album as soon as possible and you'll see the way that Susperia took since a while, and you won't be disappointed, not at all!