Wound - Inhale The Void

FDA Rekotz release July 26 2013. Wound hails from Wiesbaden, Germany and is comprised of four members Schulz, Appel, Schettler, Last. "Odium" is the opening song and sets the mood perfectly for "Codex Arcanum", it comes in true DM style, raw guitar sound, high low mix vocals. I am transported back to the early nineties style of DM like Entombed or Grave, great sound. "Echoes", got to love the way this starts, I hear some triplet ride cymbal action and then it whips us into the pit. "The Unsolved Obscurity", a mosh stomper of a track, instant circle pit envision. The feeling of thrash metal influence is evident on this song. "Forever Denial", some cool open chord progressions with a fast solo to tie it all together."Confess to Filth", walking the fine line between DM and thrash, a great combo in my opinion. Drums are solid and relentless through out."Corroded From Withing", damn, shocked to hear a great bass line kick this one of, reminiscent of old D.R.I., I have to say this is my favorite track, assaulting the senses and playing it over several times, an awesome tune."Among You", I really enjoy the lyrics to this song, the bass player is solid and holds a tight rhythm."The Prince of Tyranny", liking the title, catchy and involved riffs, almost like old Celtic Frost or early Sepultura. "Inhale The Void" is the final song on this album, eerie mood setting clean guitar is a nice touch, slight contrast from all the brutality experienced. Its the type of clean guitar that will stick in your memory for a time to come, well executed and paints a dark dismal path. The band also has a demo Confess to Filth -"Demo of the Month" in Rock Hard Magazine-. A great album with true underground DM roots. A must for all true fans of the DM genre.
~Artemortifica

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Serocs - The Next

To be released in October 2013 on one of the most heavy labels around Comatose Records. Serocs describes themselves as "Technical Death-Grind from all over the world", featuring Antti Boman (DEMILICH), Chris Lollis (LECHEROUS NOCTURNE) and more. The project began in 2009 as a one man band (Antonio Freyre) guitar. "The Next" is an eight track album filled with speed, technicality and brutality. Some crazy time signatures churned up in a mad-mans lab in hell. The drums are blazing and never let up, a solid and precise yet chaotic and frenzied style. The bass is doing some superior fills that defy explanation at times. Most casual listeners might not understand what to make of it, more advance listener will absolutely love it. Some bands that come to mind are Gorod, Illogist, Necrophagist, Psycroptic and Braindrill. For death/grind that spans world wide it delivers many thrills and surprises. "Alienus Gignesthai" is the last track and is the only track the has a somewhat mid pace clean guitar in the beginning but ends quickly back into the brutality. Overall enjoyable to listen to and for fans of Tech/Death grind.
~Artemortifica

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Skeletal Spectre - Voodoo Dawn

Released on Pulverized Records recently, Voodoo Dawn is an album by Skeletal Spectre consisting of Vanessa Nocera - All Vocals, Behold The Pentagram - Guitar & Bass, Haunting The Beyond: Drums. The first track "Voodoo Dawn", comes in strong, instantly reminds me me of early Benediction or Bolt Thrower. "Altar of Damballah", catchy riffs, strong vocals and killer bass tones drive this beast, very epic sound. A distinct voice in the BM genre although rooted in BM she maintains a unique signature, achieving low to high pitch effortlessly. "Serpent Moon", interesting title, raw production add to the feeling on the composition. "Bone Dust", surely to become a fan favorite amongst the underground culture if it hasn't already. This track just screams brutality in all aspects. "Shallow Grave", like the most memorable styles of the early nineties BM/DM this one bring it forth from start to finish."Black Augury Hollow", must speak on the drums, solid performance, the recording has thunder feeling when the double kicks begin to roll. Great song. "She Wolf of Devil's River", with a title like that you can't go wrong, we get to hear some really good solo work towards the end of this song, its cool to spin it several times to get an overall dismal feeling, excellent writing. "Haunted Gallows", this track had me headbanging from the opening, lyrical content is awesome, the clarity of the vocals lends itself to be recognizable. It is yet another track that is bound to be a fan favorite as it has become one of mine. "Flip-Side of Satan", a brutal assault to the senses, a surprise on here, we hear some clean vocals mix with the BM style, really impressive and destructive. Anyone who is interested they also have these releases,  "Tomb Coven" (2009 Razorback Recordings), "Occult Spawned Premonitions (2011 Razorback Recordings / Selfmadegod Records), split 7" EP w/Druid Lord (2011 HGPD Productions)
I highly recommend this album for fans of old school DM/BM genres, I believe both old and new metalheads will find something to enjoy from this journey.
~Artemortifica

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Graveyard of Souls - Shadows of Life

FDA Rekotz released on June 21 2013. Graveyard of Souls - Shadows of Life album. Melodic/Death Doom consisting of two members, Raúl Puente and Angel. "Genesis", intro track develops the atmosphere and leads us into "Shadows of Life", instantly think of many different doom bands but I will refrain from mentioning any and try to listen for its own aesthetics. Open chord progressions as well as keyboards create a smooth layer of epic feeling. "Dreaming of Some Day to Awake" this song grabs my attention, something about the opening riffs linger in my head way after the song is finished. "Memories of The Future" (We Are), vocals are in the range between brutal low and mid but yet understandable. Composition not super complicated, just simple and good rhythms. "Follow Me", in doing my research for this band, I found them to be obscure. not much info on their FB site, this lends to really playing close attention to their music and explore the landscapes they create. This particular song almost sounds other worldly, it creates infinite travel, like a journey through stars. One of my favorites from this album. "Mad World", almost reminiscent of early Neurosis except only two members holding all the instruments in this case. "Solitude's My Paradise", a rock style of riffing starts this one, keyboards layer chant like melodies, vocals remind me of Novembers Doom at moments. "Dead Earth" much different than the other tracks, a tad more upbeat. "There Will Come Soft Rains", captivating from the beginning, I found myself listening to this song multiple times, doom overtones with certain melodic feel, catchy and entrancing composition by far my favorite. This track seals the epic adventure that is Shadows of Life. I highly recommend it for fans of doom, melodic, hard rock and ambient listeners.
~Artemortifica

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metal-archives Graveyard of Souls

 

Infected Society/F is for Fuck You/Miserable Failure - Miserable Fucking Society

This is a three way split to be released through Kaotoxin in August 2013. Infected Society, F is for Fuck You. Miserable Failure are the bands on this true grind masterpiece. Nineteen tracks of some of the most raw intense grind punk crust noise ever. "Old School Traditional Butchery", I am transported back to the days of Brutal Truth and Phobia, certain mayhem manifesting in its true colors. "Definitely Dead" edge of your seat, ear splitting madness. "Ultimate Slavery" hints of punk are evident and its really good. "Mentally Deranged", heavy Napalm Death influence for this track. "Crack Whores" you have to love the title, skanky type of rhythm, slamming bass fills make this one to turn the volume up. "Life Eraser", if your are not in the pit by now you might be getting your ass kicked, great song. "Raw Quad Orgy', been wanting to hear this style for a while and not many musicians do it this well. "Zero", bringing out aggressive drum assault like the good days of grind/punk era. "Sound of Nothing", almost speed metal thrash influence followed by a skank beat to give it the extra punch. "Fit", grind menace on this track, includes fast double kick work to tie it all together for a mosh pit inducer. "Fuck Off" the title says it all, every part of rebellion can be experience from riff to riff on this song, fast, stomp, slow thrashy and then grind, very good track indeed. "Firesky". punk furiosity, I can imaging many injuries deriving from this song in a live environment, a true stomper. "Summoning Chaos", want insane, out of control vocals and frenzied playing? then this next few track will surely feed your appetite."All Women must Die", does not get much more to the point than that. Like a possessed madman screaming in an asylum, maybe projecting several demons, this track is a lunatics dream come true. "None shall Be Saved", if you do happen to see a live performance more likely you will not survive. "Inside Me" is the last track on this compilation, a grind manifestation in its true form. Overall I like this entire comp. It lives up to the grind/punk/speed elements right from the roots.
~Artemortifica

kaotoxin.com/album/miserable-fucking-society 

Spheron - Ecstasy of God

Apostasy Records released on July 5th "Ecstasy of God" by German based technical DM band Spheron. The five masterminds are Daniel Spoor -Vocals, Tobias Alter -Lead Guitar, Mark Walther -Rhythm Guitar, Matthias Minor -Bass and Tobias Blach - Drums. "A Means To An End" is first. great opening piece, it builds a huge epic atmosphere then slows just enough to set you up for the next assault. "The Beheaded Coachman" at first my ears are drawn to the drums, there is a lot happening in terms of dynamics, its mesmerizing. Amidst all the complexity the song goes into clean guitar parts that catch me by surprise and its a good one. "Prestige of the Mortals", lightning fast kicks highlight this track plus some awesome descending guitar licks. "Saturnian Satellites" thinking Nile or Cryptopsy, vocals are intense. "Clasp The Thorns", I played this track numerous times, the beginning sticks in my head. We hear a wide variety of tempos within the song and are battered by some heavy floor tom work towards the middle, this is my favorite track on this album. "Prelude to Misery" enjoying the clean introduction, haunting yet inviting, a horror nightmare unfolding into "Five Degrees", the band most definitely has their own style and at every turn you find a surprise which is hard to hear these days. "Pulse of Instinct', open progression into some slam style riffing. "Tragedy of Clerics", 'pit' get in the pit, that's my first impression, this track gets the blood flowing as if the rest of this album did not blow you away, this track comes in kicking and mutilating everything in its path. "Chocking on Incense", an interesting title for a complex and very technical creation, there is so much going on, a controlled chaos of sorts, well executed. "Anthropogenic", amazing bass line, melodic, fast, captivating and memorable. "From Glint to Crackling", this is the last track from the album, its a bit more mid paced than the rest of the songs which is good, showing how diverse the compositions can be and still remaining technical. What I really enjoyed the most was the middle part, clean tones and great sounding guitar solos paint an amazing soundscape. The album is certainly one of the best I heard in this genre for 2013. It delivers on tech, melodic, death metal, grind and overall just good music for all audiences into metal. 
~Artemortifica

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I Killed Everyone - Necrospire

Another brutal release on Pavement Entertainment. Necrospire is the new album by the band I Killed Everyone, great name for a band by the way. Members are: Tim O'Brien- Vocals, Bill Williams-Guitar, Jason Cordero-Bass, A.J Kolar-guitar, Tom Salazar-Drums. The cover to the album is awesome. I am familiar with the art of Mark Cooper, he does wonderful work and I recognized it immediately. The first song is "A Sanguinary Mass", my first thoughts are brutal and destructive, intense low vocals. "Grimoire I- Evicerated" solid foot work by the drummer in true DM style, really enjoying this so far."The Devourer Beyond" tuned low and a guttural feeling leading into a mosh inducing frenzy. "Necropire" simple title yet musically effective battery of sound, open chord progression and sometimes Meshuggah elements to the riffs. "Born of the Abattoir", turning this track up loud on my speakers, good catchy memorable composition and some cool solo work towards the middle. "State of Filth", starting of in true DM aggression then building into a massive more modern metal lashing. "Crucified and Consumed", want to hear some progressive type guitar licks? you will find some at the beginning and through the rest of the track. I am impressed at how fitting and effortlessly the solo work is achieved. "Antipathy", dissonant intro, crushing and devastating track, all the death metal influence comes forth in true glory for this song and will have to say its my favorite track. "Grimoire II- One with the Void" title and lyrics are awesome, I get a sense of peril in a dismal abyss of chaos, killer progressions with battle like precise drum dynamics, specially the triplet hits on the ride cymbal, its a small detail but one that shows how talented this drummer is. "The Human Error" final song and its intense, dual vocals high and low compliment each other and I also here solid bass lines come forward on this composition. I recommend this album for both new and old school metal heads, it most certainly delivers brutal, sadistic, ear shattering, mosh stomping feelings from beginning to end.
~Artemortifica

facebook.com/Ikilledeveryone