This Gift Is A Curse: A Throne Of Ash (Season Of Mist)
This is an album of pure destruction. Right from the off the record is a perfect blend of Full Of Hell, Anaal Nathrakh & Behemoth, spitting pure anger at you from all directions to make sure you're not sitting comfortably for some 'easy listening'. The album starts with slow build up Haema which takes it's time, but as soon as album opener Blood Is My Harvest it's a 45-minute assault on your ears, but it's mind-blowingly amazing. Until the closer Wormwood Star you're in for a swirling vortex of putrid vocals, distorted guitars and pounding drums with enough force to give you whiplash without even moving your neck. The Swedish death/black Metal outfit prove that even though they're on their third full length, they show no sign of slowing down. Just more destruction. 9/10
Combichrist: One Fire (Out Of Line)
I've never listened to Combichrist before so I didn't know what to expect. But I did not expect Industrial Metal, so that took me by surprise. From first track Hate Like Me I'm hooked with the distorted guitars, catchy chorus and electronic elements. From then on out the record only gets better showcasing that you don't need riffs to make a great Industrial record. The raspy vocals of Andy LaPlegua make the record come together in a harmony like no other. The record does fall short on some areas, as there are a few times where the band builds up a drop, but falls flat. Whether or not that's something the band was going toward, I'm not sure. But from my point of view a drop would have made the record. Standing out in the same genre where Ministry are on top on the game right now is a hard genre to get right and make yourself noticeable, but Combichrist do it effortlessly. The Industrial group just smash the roof and extend their reach further toward the top. 8/10
Warrior Soul: Rock n' Roll Disease (Livewire)
With a band name like Warrior Soul, you're either expecting power metal or just straight up hard rock. With this album it seems to be the latter. And it's executed flawlessly. From opener Up The Dose to closer After The Show, the record is full of hard hitting riffs and sing-a-long chorus'. With the raspy vocals of band leader Kory Clarke reminiscing of Lemmy, the band plough through the album that sounds like it's ripped straight from the late 80's, fitting in with the Sunset Strip vibe. Title track Rock N' Roll Disease and Melt Down are both riff rides through hell and are bound to make you bang your head. Through the record the band are on too form. And even though it's been 2 years since their last record, it still sounds as fresh as their first back in 1990. With the right direction, the band will stay on track and continue to release some bangers. That is if the line-up stays this way for more than 2 years. 7/10
Kavara: Weathered & Lost (Self Released)
I love everything about this album. The sound, the vile gutturals, the instrumentals. Everything. The record makes you think it's another metalcore record. But god no. It's a sublime melodic death metal assault. On par with Children Of Bodom's Hexed, it's one of the best Melo-Death records released so far this year. From start to finish it's a wild ride full of face shredding riffs, scorching vocals and heart pounding drums. From the moment A Mind Betwixt kicks in, you're in for a treat. A non-stop rollercoaster led by vocalist Serene Dorton the Canadian Metal crew launch into a fury in their first full-length record. Not many bands get it right on their first full-length, but Kavara get it spot on laying waste to the current Metal scene, and forging their own path and crushing anyone in their way in the process. If these guys don't make the rounds of the scene and blow some minds, I'll eat my own shoes. 8/10
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