CD Reviews

Terra Tenebrosa, are a relatively new band featuring members of legendary, but now disbanded, hardcore/post metal band Breach. Terra Tenebrosa’s previous album, The Tunnels, released in 2011 was such a surprise not only for how dynamic and layered it was, but for how it seemed to have taken parts of Breach’s unique sound and dropped them into the black pits of hell.

The first track, “The Redeeming Teratoma”, serves as an introduction to the gloomy world of the masked Cuckoo and his two accomplices, Hibernal and Hisperdal. This sets the atmosphere with delay, tremolo riffs and nightmarish tone.

“The Compression Chamber”, kicks in with a repeating creeping riff until the...

Leeds based Humanfly have been going 12 years, and have gradually evolved their sound over time from their original punk sound through to post-metal. Although anyone familiar with 2010’s excellent ‘Darker Later’ will be aware that their brand of post-metal did have healthy chunk of punk attitude and some absolutely monster riffs too: the atmospherics were often kept separate.

I’ll be honest when hearing that their new album was a prog beast I wasn’t sure what to expect. ‘Awesome Science’ however is a great album, its prog Jim but not as we know it. There’s immediacy here, and a complexity and inventiveness which is exciting to hear, and if anything the monster riffs are even better.

It harks back to the solid song construction of bands that weren’t following...

‘Vertikal’ is the sixth album from Swedish post-metal, atmospheric sludge giants Cult of Luna, and their first since 2008’s ‘Eternal Kingdom’.

Heavy metal and machinery have always gone hand in hand since Black Sabbath were originally inspired by the constant mechanical pounding noise of industrial Birmingham. The album is based upon Fritz Lang’s timeless Metropolis and this album really does manage to convey that very well.

Although not intended to be considered a companion piece to Metropolis, when listening to this album and watching metropolis at the same time (I need no better excuse). It really does add to the atmosphere of the film and capture the essence of the film far better than the original score. There’s a calculated and...

Swedish 3 piece Kongh are back for their third outing of 4 slabs of crushing sludge. This is their first album on Agonia Records, a label known for some great death and black metal releases.

The 10 minute title track, ‘Sole Creation’, starts with pounding tribal drumming with David Johansson’s twisting riffs erupting into sweet sludgy groove. David’s blackened tinged screams lead into soaring clear vocals somewhere between Mastodon, Alice in Chains and Callisto. The track winds down into haunting riff that builds back to that great opening assault and those soaring vocals.

Second track is entitled ‘Tamed Brute’, but there's nothing tame about this track as it stomps its way forth like...

Old school death metal (OSDM) has become something of a catchphrase in recent years, a term descriptive of a relatively consistent onslaught of contemporary bands employing a sound and approach to the genre of death metal reminiscent of it's late 80's and early 90's pioneers in a more often than not genuine and authentic manner. As with any sub-genre experiencing a flood of popularity there comes a surge in the output of current bands alongside the formation of new blood and, with this, a hell of a lot of mediocre and forgettable material. Of course wherever there is shit, gems will shine. 2011 saw the releases of bands such as Mitochondrion, Sonne Adam, Necros Christos & Disma deservedly making plenty of well-respected end-of-year lists and forging through into 2012 the trend continued. Germany's Chapel of Disease released at the beginning of 2012 their debut recording, a demo under the title "Death Evoked" which was soon followed up by a split with fellow countrymen Lifeless and lastly, in the winter of the year, their debut full-length "Summoning Black Gods"; a thrashy, energetic and captivating affair...

This was the debut album by these Swedish black metal stalwarts. Now 20 years old, yes it has been that long! Listening to it over again brings back all of the feelings of the early 90’s style of music. This reissue has the original album plus some live tracks from 1991 and some early rehearsal recordings.

This album has a solid foundation. Ripping fast, thrash tinged black metal broken down with almost death metal style slower sections. This all tied together with mid range hoarse screamed vocals that have that faint echo effect which is a great touch. Take ‘The Sun Turns Black As Night’ with it’s chaotic fast ripping opening that breaks into a more death metal sinister plod. A section of guitar melody builds to machine gun drumming and a trad black metal guitar lead. Then you have ‘Within The Abyss’ that starts slow and brooding, menacing in feel only to break into a more traditional black metal pace. This once again turns down a few notches with a sinister...

Finland is no stranger to either black or death metal with the country's burgeoning 80's and 90's scene having produced genre titans in regards to both, baring the weight of bands such as Beherit, Barathrum, Demilich, Convulse & Demigod who later left the black metal torch (at least) to be carried by the mighty Horna, Baptism & Behexen among others. Indeed the onslaught continues into 21st century and the last few years in particular has borne witness to the reformation of Purtenance, the announcement of Convulse's first release in just short of 20 years being put out at the beginning of 2013 along with reissues from Abhorrence and Depravity. Not only this but we see a consistent introduction of new blood and formulation of upcoming contenders to the throne. One of these upcomers is Maveth. Releasing their 2012 debut full-length through Dark Descent Records, "Coils of the Black Earth" is a near hour long onslaught of filthy blackened death metal, worshipping at the altar of Incantation...

This is the Norwegians second full length album. Described in the read up as black metal, I had high hopes as coming from Norway with the country's previous calibre would this be another cracker? Now what they failed to say was this is more like progressive or what they call in the trade post black metal and being a disciple of the 90’s era I don’t usually have much time for this style but I will give it a fair crack of the whip.

The undercurrent of the whole album bases itself on melodic atmospheric guitars with same chord repeat riffing to create the breaks and form that broken and twisted structure that this genre seems to emulate. Some of the riff structures remind me a bit of Osculum Infame in feel in the parts when the music really gels together. The vocals throughout are a consistent mid range scream in style which to be fair tie...

This 18 tracker comes straight from UKEM Records who are an underground label supporting UK bands and this CD is a showcase of what the UK underground has to offer. Each band offers up a track to try and lure you into their world and to get their music out there to the willing audience.

LACERATION hit you with some hefty variable pace brutal death metal from machine gun battery to chugging menace. Top that off with gurgling grunt like vocals and they deliver what you would might expect from the likes of acts such as Skinless.

THE OBSCENE hand out death metal, that is not over produced, with a fast almost punk like flavour that bleeds into slower more old school 90’s style sections add into the mix the varied vocals of harsh grunt and tortured scream it serves up a well rounded track.

Masochist are a Death/Grind band hailing from the U.K. This is the debut release E.P from this 4 piece from West Yorkshire. It has always seemed that the U.S and Sweden get all the credit for producing the best in Death Metal, but the U.K has a fine tradition of producing quality bands down the years, and this is the next generation. 

Whether by accident, or as I expect by intention, they have been very clever with this 4 track release. You see Masochist have been able to cover most styles of Death Metal, here with a liberal coating of Grind. A film clip intro opens ‘Born Fucked’ which then pummels you with brutal Death Metal of the rapid variety. This morphs on to give that 90’s guitar & bass Floridian sound so typical, particularly to our American cousins. Guttural growls sway into tortured pig squeals mid way as the speed becomes a more hefty chug. The drummer’s, at times, octopod style making use of what sounds like the whole kit to full effect. The speed then returns for the finale and suddenly