Sepultura: Quadra (Nuclear Blast) [Rich Oliver]
It’s safe to say that Sepultura are a metal institution. Famed for their classic thrash albums from the late 80’s and early 90’s they are also known for having one of the biggest bust ups in metal history. A bust up that the band have very much moved on from unlike a chunk of the Sepultura fanbase. If you ignore this album simply because of who isn’t on it shame on you as Quadra is one of the finest Sepultura albums the band have released. When it comes to their fifteenth album most bands are playing it safe and sticking to what they know but Sepultura seem to have been on a creative spree since the addition of drummer Eloy Casagrande to their ranks in 2011. The addition of his superb drumming skills to the band has definitely lit a spark resulting in fine albums in the form of The Mediator Between The Head And The Hands Must Be The Heart and Machine Messiah but with Quadra the band truly reach a peak with it being easily the best album by the band since Chaos A.D.
Based on the concept of the Latin Quadrivium this album is split into four different segments each showcasing a different side to the Sepultura sound. The first quarter showcases the bands thrash and death metal roots with some truly ferocious material. Opener Isolation (which was the first single from the album) sees the band unleash a thrash monster and is easily the most aggressive song they have done since the Arise days whilst Last Time showcases the skills of guitarist Andreas Kisser. The second quarter focuses more on the tribal side of the band with material that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Chaos A.D. with Captive Enslavement and Raging Void containing groove heavy riffs with a tribal percussive edge. The third quarter shows the bands more progressive and experimental side. This was a side of the band that truly came to the fore on Machine Messiah and is expanded upon here with the Spanish style guitars and choirs of Guardians Of Earth and the rhythmic complexity of thrashy instrumental The Pentagram. The final quarter sees the melodic side of the band starting with a throwaway acoustic instrumental title track before moving on to the frankly astonishing Agony Of Defeat which is the most epic song the band has ever done.
It is stirring and atmospheric with choirs, orchestration and clean vocals from Derrick Green. The album ends with the slightly underwhelming Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering which features guest vocals from Brazilian singer Emmily Barreto. In my opinion Agony Of Defeat would have been a far better way to close off the album. Quadra is a fantastic Sepultura album and sees the band all on absolutely blistering form. It is an album that pays homage to the bands long and rich heritage whilst also taking the band into brand new and previously uncharted territories. Sepultura fans should all give this album a whirl. Even those who can’t get past 1996. 8/10
Nightfear: Apocalypse (Fighter Records) [Matt Bladen]
I'd never heard of Spanish classical metal band Nightfear before this album but Apocalypse is their third record and it's a epic slice of traditional heavy metal that veers into rampaging power metal territory on The Evil In You. In fact Nightfear remind this writer of German metal maniacs Helloween, though the Andi Deris fronted version as Lorenzo Mutiozabal are gruffer than the normal falsetto of classic metal screamers like Kiske. This is their first album for Fighter Records and as I said before listening to this I went back to check out their material and Apocalypse is definitely a much more focussed, developed sound adding depth to the classic metal template as they almost cinematic at times.
On final song Angels Of Apocalypse especially they have written a song that could be featured in a movie, with the stripped back opening that evolves into a anthemic finale for this album, it sits in the mid pace but it's a prime target for some head nodding as it morphs into another stormer closing out this album strongly. Throughout though Ismael Retana and Ángel Fernández trade off with some nifty guitar work as Osckar Bravo (drums) and Manuel Moreno (bass) haul up the bottom end on songs like The Stranger and the rumbling Through The Stars. Power/traditional metal of the best kind Apocalypse really impressed me, if Priest, Helloween, Gamma Ray etc are your bag then I suggest you seek out Nightfear's third release as a starting point with this excellent Spanish band. 8/10
All Against: Feed The Machine (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]
Released in September 2018 but only just coming across our field of vision, All Against are a five-piece thrash outfit from Lisbon, Portugal. Formed in 2015, this is the band’s second EP, following 2017’s Medusa. If you like your thrash this should be right up your street with it’s frantic barely controlled delivery mixing Slayer with Machine Head and a bit of Hatebreed for good measure. A mere three tracks but they all pack a punch, with the title track offering a solid middle section. The fastest beast here is Weapons of Mass Distraction, a routine but pleasing rager that allows guitarist Sergio Correia to shine whilst the rest of the band are no slouches. Rui Miguel’s growling vocals fit neatly in the maelstrom the band whip up. Overall this is a feisty EP which showcases the band’s quality. Not bad at all. 6/10
Six Sins Till Sunday: Unmasked (Self Released) [Alex Swift]
At only five tracks, on Unmasked Six Sins ‘Till Sunday are focussed on conveying their sense of ethereal mystery and darkness across a short period of time, then making a slow burn impression. There are hints of traditional metal and gothic in the ghostly instrumentation, the sludgy drawn-out notes and the searing exhibition. There are also more than a few nods to hardcore punk in the tones of the distortion, the stylistically rugged production, and the harsh vocals. The opener road to redemption begins promisingly with eerily grave instrumentation textures, complemented by wraithlike vocal harmonies and a macerating riff that fully begins the anthem. Alas however, the vocals start and kill the tension. I don’t dispute the fact that their half dirty, half clean style is apt, yet the execution is all wrong – the harsher moments sound strangled and choked while the lack of echo or effect on them, forces them into the foreground, not at all complimenting the psychedelic, trippy tones of the track.
Book Of Lies is made a little more tolerable by the emphasis on the stomping, Sabbath esque riff and the huge percussion that accompanies – and here our frontman’s graceless vocal tones seem to match the unwieldy, erratic idea at play, despite carrying those issues close. Sold Your Soul is the worst display we get of Six Sins’ abilities with the guitars and bass performing a monotone, tuneless chug for most of the piece, while the vocalist grunts and lumbers – there is one hell of a promising moment halfway through when the drumming and guitars unite in progressive harmony like caught in an inspired jam session which crescendo’s into an epic solo; The only problem is that these disparate elements feel totally disconnected from one another. A massive issue that pervades throughout the entirety of Unmasked is that the great ideas these musicians conceive, fall short of realization when they are clumsily tied into work that does not respect or honor their influence or individuality.
The finest moments come when there is an effort to create a single cohesive rager that will be memorable to fans, as on the rollicking Me, Myself and Me. We finish on the seven-minute Bring Out Your Dead, which also feels powerful, no thanks to the unmercifully unnecessary running length, which I wouldn’t mind if the closer cared to differentiate itself in any meaningful way, that doesn’t involve changeable distortion levels. Overall, while there is certainly talent on display here, the skills are not employed in a way which effectively lends to creating that frightening, otherworldly feel that they are making an effort to pursue. 4/10
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