From the opener After Dead Vision all the way to closer Hate Transfusion, you know where this is going, you get a precise driven rhythm section and laser focused guitar work, the good production work also makes sure that the vocals aren’t lost in the mix which is always a bonus with this style of music!
What is presented here is a decent mix of melodic death metal and black metal that gives you the right amount of heaviness mixed up with the mid-tempo sections and classic solos you would expect and throws in the few blasty sections that are essential to mix it up just enough to make you pay attention and wonder what’s coming next.
Album standout tracks that highlight the above would be The Quest and Solitude, they mix everything mentioned and are real head nodders! If you’re looking for something that can make you just sit and pay attention and get immersed into the sounds of the music but, then at a drop of a hat make you want to bang your head, you won’t be disappointed with this album. Overall, a very decent effort! 7/10
Evil Conspiracy - The Demons Mark (Sleaszy Rider Records) [Finn O'Dell]
Here we have the third full length album by a Swedish traditional/power metal act chock full of talent that they share with flair. They have been around for 20 years now and boast the notable talent on guitar/keyboard by Ante Mäkelä of Memory Garden. Sadly, this is the first I have heard of them. This album is so great on so many levels.
The opener and title track gives you that traditional/power metal beat with incredible guitar work. The vocals, handled by Fredrik "Frippe" Eriksson, are so perfect here as well. The Angelmaker slows things down a little while still delivering the heavy, almost doom-like quality to it. Satan's Wolves is a great song with a chanted chorus that is sure to get stuck in your head. The bonus track on here, Blow Your Mind, is a folk type tune simply letting the listener now that their music will blow your mind.
In summary, fabulous metal on par with any other band with typical fantasy type lyrics. Highly recommend. 9/10
Inanimate Existence - The Masquerade (The Artisan Era) [GC]
This album should come with a waring as the brief 10 seconds of serenity at the beginning of this album does not prepare you for what is next! You are met with a wall of blasting drums and vicious riffing that grab hold of you and don’t let go, then out of nowhere they lull you into a false sense of security with sections of serene beauty and calm before the guitars rise again and pin you down and kick your teeth in again!
The musicianship on show here really is of the highest order! The guitar work is crisp, sharp and never misses, the drums blast, grind and drive all the songs on at a breakneck pace that is sure to make any fan of this genre happy, my only small issue is the vocals! There is nothing wrong with them really and the vocals are as brutal as you would want, I would just like a bit of variety to add some more layers to the songs, I think some high end screaming mixed with the low-end death growls would really make some of the faster sections seem even heavier!
Overall, I enjoyed this and think it really is a great record to add to the tech-death genre, its heavy, solid, well played and doesn’t get boring like some other tech-death artists seem to do. If they keep on with this sort of quality output in the future then Inanimate Existence could go far! 7/10
Voodoo Angel - First Spell (Sleaszy Rider Records) [Finn O'Dell]
This is the debut album by this French sleaze/glam rock outfit. Wake Me When It's Done is the opener that gives a good sample of things to come. Production is spot on. Honestly, the groove is present and the vocals fit perfectly, but cumulatively it lacks the "bite" of a Mötley Crüe. It reminds me more of early Hanoi Rocks or Kix.
This is the debut album by this French sleaze/glam rock outfit. Wake Me When It's Done is the opener that gives a good sample of things to come. Production is spot on. Honestly, the groove is present and the vocals fit perfectly, but cumulatively it lacks the "bite" of a Mötley Crüe. It reminds me more of early Hanoi Rocks or Kix.
Opening song, Wake Me When It's Done, is a solid rocker right out the gate. The second song, Break It Out, employs a campy organ sound that takes this back to early 80's or earlier, whereas Crazy sees a harmonica being used. Next up is their first ballad, Your Reflexion, and it has a jazzy feeling with the guitar solo especially. Licensed To Kill has a heavy blues sound to it and Sadomasochrist has a real Get The Funk Out by Extreme vibe to it.
Home Sweet Home is (thankfully) not a cover of the Crüe classic, but an original song that holds it own as a decent ballad. The last song meanwhile Somebody To Thrill Me, delivers that 80's sleaze rock in spades. Overall, fairly solid debut. 8/10
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