When you think of death metal musicians you probably think of big dudes in camo shorts and no shirts. Machismo incarnate, it's usually always about flaying people, blood gore and violence, its women who are invariably the scapegoat for this violence, Entrails Ripped Etc.
Maatkare look to change this, the all female, and damn proud of it, death metal crew have taken the name from Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s official title another woman in a man's world she was one of only six female Pharaoh's and the most successful ruling for 20 years. Embodying the power and persistence of their namesake with blistering death metal, inspired by Ancient Egypt (obviously) they embrace the female power of that era that too is often overlooked by historians and bands such as Nile and Scarab. Defined totally by the powerful blast that is Long Live The Queen.
Musically this is an album that has blistering metal that blends death and black metal, of course you can compare it to Arch Enemy, because of the intense delivery of Janneke de Rooy, she has rabid tenacity, ferocious growls and screams set over the technical playing of guitarist Georgia Bell and bassist Amie Chatterley (who also produces the record). All from varying musical backgrounds this trio have combined to channel the force of powerful women of history through their music, the Eastern feels created with the intro to melodeath battery of War Before Peace, then into the title track which is a Bolt Thrower-like bludgeoning, driven by lots of low end and background synths.
Preceded by singles to give you a taste of the smorgasbord of death Maatkare present their fusion of extreme metal styles. The blackened aggression of May The Gods Bear Witness giving way to the acoustically laced melodic grunt of Maatkare. This trio are taking back death metal (and history) from it's male domination, Maatkare are a pioneering and vital metal band in their scene. 9/10
Escuela Grind - Dreams On Algorithms (MNRK Heavy) [Mark Young]
Earlier this year, I reviewed their EP, DDEEAATTHHMMEETTAALL and came away from it with a positive reaction in that they served up some brutal noise and would be one of the best things you would hear this year. Admittedly, there has been a ton of top-notch metal released this year so it is possible that comment may have been a trifle early. No matter, it’s still a belter. Since then, it’s been quite the year for them, members leaving, allegations made and refuted and some absolutely wild online discourse, amounting to conspiracy theories about the band which I am happy to stay away from.
So, is it any good?
I compared that EP to the equivalent of a ‘sonic smash and grab’ its length making it a repeated blow to the face with a blunt object as they just blew through those four songs in rapid succession. In that situation it worked a treat, but here that same approach lessens the impact. It sounds immense, absolutely huge with these crushing riffs and an all-out vocal performance from Katerina Economou that sees the vocal chords stretching and shredding in equal measure.
So, is it any good?
I compared that EP to the equivalent of a ‘sonic smash and grab’ its length making it a repeated blow to the face with a blunt object as they just blew through those four songs in rapid succession. In that situation it worked a treat, but here that same approach lessens the impact. It sounds immense, absolutely huge with these crushing riffs and an all-out vocal performance from Katerina Economou that sees the vocal chords stretching and shredding in equal measure.
They kick in straight away with DOA, and from there its just an exercise in pummelling brutality. This is a prime example of a clenched fist; each member knows what they need to do and acquit themselves accordingly. It’s also a template for the remaining 9 songs and they fly in with nary a pause for breath. What I found is that although it’s heavy and is likely to cause maximum carnage when played live, there isn’t anything else going on. I’m not looking for subtle interludes or instrumentals or even technical wizardry, but I am looking for something that gives this a difference from other bands, and I can’t find that. I can appreciate it for what it is, but it hasn’t grabbed me in the same way the EP did.
What I don’t get is the online hate for them. They are a focused and aggressive act that can do it live. On record, they know what they want to write, and they know that it isn’t for everyone (me, this time around). It is a difficult thing to say, because there is nothing wrong with this at all. In terms of being heavy, aggressive and cathartic it ticks those boxes. But, despite that it feels that there is something missing from it, and I don’t know how they could change that. I think that if they tried to widen their sound, maybe pull back a little they would lose that potent attack. I know that fans of Escuela Grind will devour this and should give those online types something to complain about, but I feel that they need to do something to make that next step a successful one. 7/10
Obnoxious Youth – Burning Savage (Svart Records) [Paul Hutchings]
First impressions of Burning Savage were not good. A cacophony of noise, a band unsure of direction and how to play their instruments, it was all a burning ball of chaos wrapped up in a thankfully short 36-minutes. That first play suggested a band who were cutting their teeth, who were fresh from the garage stage, raw and chaotic but with underlying traits that provided shoots of optimism about their progress. Yet further spins have broadened the view.
It was something of a surprise to read that the band’s roots sit almost two decades ago in Uppsala, Sweden. Brought to a cohesive collective in 2009 by John ‘Zeke’ Finne, Affe ‘Phantasma’ Piran and Frans ‘Cult’ Utterström and now joined by live members Edde ‘Shit’ Aftonfalk and Lukas ‘Spine’ Häger, Burning Savage is the first album for seven years, following 2017’s Disturbing The Graves.
It's a fiery hybrid of speed, death, black and traditional metal with the odd doom element thrown in for good measure. Fast, snarling, furious, it’s evident from the start of the album that this is one nasty, aggressive, razor-sharp record. The songs are phenomenally fast, with several ripping along at under two-minutes. Screaming lead guitar breaks wail, the dual guitar aspects are as welcoming as a rusty scalpel in the operating theatre, and the vocals are as raw and crude as it is possible to experience.
Opener Alpha Diabolos, Imminent Evil and the title track race by, and the opening torrent of searing riffs and clunky interchanges concludes with instability of Black Magic Whore. It’s only at this point and the track Torrents Of Black Blood that things change, with a Sabbath-esque riff straight from that 1969 masterpiece, and a direction change which favours the traditional route. It’s visceral, soaked in evil and darkness but with some welcome tempo adjustments that allow the breath to be caught. Thick Hammond organ reigns for a moment before crushing doom riffs cascade with unstoppable force. There are huge Candlemass influences here.
It's evident that Obnoxious Youth aren’t influenced by any fashions though, as they blend up punk, thrash, death and black metal into a whirling vortex of carnage. Ultra Death and Bitchkrieg are both explosively fast, a combined total of just over four-minutes for the pair making them in keeping with most of the album. This is music that they want to play, and live, I imagine it is pretty volatile.
Ethereal Termination is one of the more routine tracks on the album, and by that, I mean it’s more a combination of NWOBHM and punk-edged aggression than the more vicious rapid fire of other tracks. At least for the first couple of minutes before all hell breaks loose in a blisteringly fast second half to the song. By this point though, you’ll either be warming to the Swedes or turned off long ago. One can only allow you to make your choice.
If you are still with the band by here, then you’ll be rewarded with two of the longer tracks on the album. Tornado Of Blades drenched in blackened thrash whilst the closing song, Omega Therion surprises with a space rock introduction which leads into an almost cinematic theme tune – totally unexpected and another curve ball which suggests that underneath the at times raggedness, this is a band who can really play.
First impressions of Burning Savage were not good. A cacophony of noise, a band unsure of direction and how to play their instruments, it was all a burning ball of chaos wrapped up in a thankfully short 36-minutes. That first play suggested a band who were cutting their teeth, who were fresh from the garage stage, raw and chaotic but with underlying traits that provided shoots of optimism about their progress. Yet further spins have broadened the view.
It was something of a surprise to read that the band’s roots sit almost two decades ago in Uppsala, Sweden. Brought to a cohesive collective in 2009 by John ‘Zeke’ Finne, Affe ‘Phantasma’ Piran and Frans ‘Cult’ Utterström and now joined by live members Edde ‘Shit’ Aftonfalk and Lukas ‘Spine’ Häger, Burning Savage is the first album for seven years, following 2017’s Disturbing The Graves.
It's a fiery hybrid of speed, death, black and traditional metal with the odd doom element thrown in for good measure. Fast, snarling, furious, it’s evident from the start of the album that this is one nasty, aggressive, razor-sharp record. The songs are phenomenally fast, with several ripping along at under two-minutes. Screaming lead guitar breaks wail, the dual guitar aspects are as welcoming as a rusty scalpel in the operating theatre, and the vocals are as raw and crude as it is possible to experience.
Opener Alpha Diabolos, Imminent Evil and the title track race by, and the opening torrent of searing riffs and clunky interchanges concludes with instability of Black Magic Whore. It’s only at this point and the track Torrents Of Black Blood that things change, with a Sabbath-esque riff straight from that 1969 masterpiece, and a direction change which favours the traditional route. It’s visceral, soaked in evil and darkness but with some welcome tempo adjustments that allow the breath to be caught. Thick Hammond organ reigns for a moment before crushing doom riffs cascade with unstoppable force. There are huge Candlemass influences here.
It's evident that Obnoxious Youth aren’t influenced by any fashions though, as they blend up punk, thrash, death and black metal into a whirling vortex of carnage. Ultra Death and Bitchkrieg are both explosively fast, a combined total of just over four-minutes for the pair making them in keeping with most of the album. This is music that they want to play, and live, I imagine it is pretty volatile.
Ethereal Termination is one of the more routine tracks on the album, and by that, I mean it’s more a combination of NWOBHM and punk-edged aggression than the more vicious rapid fire of other tracks. At least for the first couple of minutes before all hell breaks loose in a blisteringly fast second half to the song. By this point though, you’ll either be warming to the Swedes or turned off long ago. One can only allow you to make your choice.
If you are still with the band by here, then you’ll be rewarded with two of the longer tracks on the album. Tornado Of Blades drenched in blackened thrash whilst the closing song, Omega Therion surprises with a space rock introduction which leads into an almost cinematic theme tune – totally unexpected and another curve ball which suggests that underneath the at times raggedness, this is a band who can really play.
Of course, there are a whole host of bands that also feature members of Obnoxious Youth, so it’s probably not as surprising as I suggest. Perhaps one of the more confusing, surprising and ultimately challenging albums of 2024 to review, I have a sneaking respect for Obnoxious Youth and their in-your-face attitude. 7/10
Hell Valley High - Welcome To Hell Valley (Argonauta Records) [Rich Piva]
Dutch rockers Hell Valley High are back and following up their debut EP with their debut full length, aptly titled Welcome To Hell Valley (that title sounds very familiar…). I really enjoyed their short and sweet EP from earlier this year and was pleased to see more coming at us so quickly. The band’s stoner grunge with some punk vibes resonated with me on the EP so I would assume I would feel similarly to their new stuff, and that certainly is the case.
Hell Valley High is only here to rock, and that is exactly what they do on the eight tracks on Welcome To Hell Valley. The opener, Clean Slate, is solid stoner grunge with some cool guitar work and great vocals. Musically in parts there is a late era Soundgarden vibe until the pace picks up and they embrace more of the stoner side of the equation. I like the tempo changes on Clean Slate and this may be the most complex song they have released so far.
To Each His Own has a groove with the riff that sounds like the band they borrowed the title for the record from, but is more straight-ahead catchy stoner rock, more like Sasquatch or a similar heavy stoner band who understands melody too. Future Nomads is a straight-ahead rocker that is not going to win prizes for originality but isn’t here to do that, just to kick your ass in a bar fight. Easy Rider may be my favourite track on the record, as it has the heaviest groove and actually gives me late 80s vibes in the best sort of way. Maybe I am nuts but I hear some Kik Tracee in this one and that is a damn good thing, combined with their stoner rock leanings, creating a super cool track good enough for any year end playlist, even at eight-plus minutes. Their most ambitious song till date, and it is excellent.
Blameless continues the late 80s hard rock/metal combined with stoner vibe I dig so much from some of the tracks on this record. This one will be killer live I bet. HVH busts out a cover of fellow Dutch band Shocking Blue with Send Me A Postcard from 1968. A very cool choice for multiple reasons and it works here (check out the version done by indie band The New Pornographers too). The vocals, originally female, are delivered flawlessly for a song I assume is not that easy to belt out. One O One is the most straight-ahead stoner rock track on Welcome, reminding me musically of Valley Of The Sun while the closer, The Grind, brings more of the same goodness you get from the other seven songs on Welcome To Hell Valley.
Hell Valley High is not going to win any awards for originality, but what they do get lots of points for is rocking your socks off. The eight tracks on Welcome To Hell Valley does just that, leveraging their combination of stoner and grunge, some punk attitude, and some late 80s vibes to give us a fun little debut full length. 8/10
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