The various listens I had over the previous week, first staying up-to-date on current releases before going through the ages to listen to an older release.
First up is the newer releases:
Ectoplasma (Greece)-Infernal Kabbalah (93/100)
The fourth album from the Greek Death Metallers. Tight, churning riffing, frantic thrashing rhythms, and relentless drumming manage to feature scores of furious arrangements throughout. The razorwire patterns focused on thrashing speed alongside pummeling drum-work and deep, rumbling bass-lines keep this hurtling at fine tempos which are broken up slightly by solid old-school chugging. This slows the beating to a lethargic crawl of crushing breakdowns and sprawling grooves made all the more sickening by the thick and gloomy production which offers that traditional old-school style effectively. Nothing is too original here but the competence and effectiveness of the delivery here is the more important factor that is accomplished in spades throughout.
Instigates-Victims of Deception (84/100)
The first release from the Indonesian Death Metal group. Churning, vicious riffing, pummeling drumming and steady galloping tempos bolster a controlled mix-tempo attack featuring plenty of thrashing speed within the arrangements. That becomes the main pattern of attack with the frantic rhythms letting out tight old-school thrashing riffing in simple arrangements which coincide nicely with tight chugging patterns to slow the speed down somewhat. The mid-range paces on display focus on choppy chugging or spacious sprawling with bursts of ethereal melodic harmonious injected throughout that effectively evoke the spirit of the original genre veterans offers up some intriguing aspects to this one while also signaling the fact that it's not entirely original or unique itself. It's not a true detriment but keeps this one generally enjoyable overall.
Apocalyptic Remnants-Eaten Alive (95/100)
The first offering from the Australian Death/Thrash Metal unit. Utterly frantic, pummeling old-school churning riff-work, deep rumbling basslines, and propulsive drumming that offers frantic, lacerating tempos and full-throttle aggression. The old-school rhythms here provide plenty of ravenous rhythms that work well with the thick production which helps to amplify the darkened atmosphere present and is broken up only by the slower mid-tempo chugging on display. Still, the furious and frantic arrangements are given priority and preference here which displays the scores of furious riff-work, blazing solos, and pummeling drumming that forges on with relentless abandon with those few slower sections spaced out here which are enough to keep this one among the genre’ better offerings in the style.
Demoted-Away from the Living (70/200)
The second full-length from the one-man Romanian Death Metal project. Simplistic, one-note chugging patterns offering thick swirling patterns, sludgy bass-work, and plodding drumming keep this one moving along at a steady pace. Rather than fire off variations or complex riff-work, the same general buzzy arrangements are utilized over and over throughout which makes this decidedly simplistic and rudimentary while still effectively evoking the spit of the genre’s origins in the arrangements featured. With the simplicity ratcheted up slightly with more involved patterns and longer structures that allow for some slightly more dynamic rhythms to get featured, the overall one-note approach here is where this one falls somewhat short due to the unoriginal material and stripped-down approach.
Bloodthrone-Phoenix of Destruction (85/100)
The fourth album, and first as a solo project, from the Illinois-based Black/Death Metal effort. Immediate, swirling tremolo riff-work, blasting drumming and furious rhythms keep this one blazing along at chaotic tempos through. Brimming with tight chugging patterns and straightforward paces, the frantic sections take the priority here as the group's mixture of elongated running times and shorter bursts offers the kind of change-up needed to offer some variety. The longer sections offer up a mix of old-school melodic tremolo sections and slightly slower sprawling paces amidst the churning chaos while the intense blasting and straightforward rhythms carry on throughout the shorter features almost exclusively. This offers up a rather noteworthy if slightly predictable attack since the trick becomes obvious rather easily where the intensity is straightforward and obvious on the shorter tracks versus being more dexterous and adventurous when given room to stretch out but it's hardly a detriment overall.
Bullet Ride-At the Gates of Madness (70/100)
The debut release from the French Thrash/Power Metal unit. Steady, right riffing that lots more for Thrash structures and arrangements that places sprinkled of Power Metal melodic accents on top to keep the aggression down and the harmonies more focused here. Keeping the material to controlled gallops with the occasional burst into slightly more frenetic paces that kick into more energetic rhythms and riff-work makes for a general solid if unremarkable approach for the most part. When it gets the energy going, this features more engaging arrangements compared to the straightforward rhythms that dominate this one which is fine in spurts but wears thin after a while which can make this somewhat of a slough despite the generally professional approach. However, what drops this significantly is the scattershot vocals, either being off-key for the triumphant melodies in the lyrics to the point of an irritating nasally whine or bursting-throat harsh growls that are at complete odds with the material. It's what really holds this back.
Sothoris-Wpiekłowstąpienie (94/100)
The second release from the Polish Black/Death Metallers. Dark, churning rhythms, blasting drumming, and frigid tremolo riff-work people this one along at a series of rabid, frantic tempos. The articulation between frantic blasting with feverish razorwire guitar-work alongside spacious, sprawling patterns with churning tremolo riffing and steady, forceful drumming keeps this one alternating nicely with several solid deviations throughout here. By staying firmly entrenched in these arrangements, sections allowing for plodding tremolo patterns or ethereal vocal choirs allow for a decidedly darker atmospheric touch to counterbalance the blasting fury on display and enhancing the melodic tendencies even further with their sporadic appearance. Featuring very few obvious issues and a thick, powerful production on top of everything else, this is a highly impressive and enjoyable effort.
Emerald Sun-Kingdom of Gods (93/100)
The sixth full-length from the Greek Power Metal heroes. Bright, triumphant melodies blaze throughout a steady, charging mid-tempo attack offering a fantastic melodic accent to the work throughout here. With plenty of old-school chugging patterns and straightforward melodies here both in the guitar-work to the grand backing choirs during the choruses, there's a majestic spirit here driven by the tight rhythms that focus quite nicely on the pounding patterns driving this along. This solid mid-tempo approach allows for the solid energetic outbursts with frantic double-bass drumming, soaring gallop-like riffing, and grand choirs that continue the uplifting, majestic spirit captured by the material here as the band's tradition of switching up between these two styles continues throughout. The fact that there are perhaps a few too many ballads could be a bit of a letdown here with these somewhat sucking up the momentum at the wrong points, but the general atmosphere surrounding this is more pressing.
Necro Antagonist-Realms of Obscenity (86/100)
The debut album from the Philippine Brutal Death Metal two-piece. Thick, furious buzzing riff-work combined with tight drumming and frenzied arrangements carry this one along intense and immediate structures designed to inflict violence continuously. Slowing down the tempo slightly for dynamic mid-tempo slams or engaging in whirlwind technical accents, the high-speed rhythms and shorter arrangements offer a dynamic showcase of the intense blasting and straightforward riff-work that's highly impressive throughout when it has time to breathe in the longer running times found in the second half. The shorter structures do highlight the lack of variety in that it's entirely too easy to lose yourself in the songs since there are only the instances of stopping the speed to slam before going back to the high-speed rhythms but the competent performances keep this one on the higher end of the scale.
Space Parasites-The Spellbound Witch (89/100)
The sophomore release from the German Thrashers. Tight, steady rhythms and controlled paces keep this one at a rather fine tone which allows for the band's inclusion of melodic accents to stand out rather nicely. Eschewing old-school crunch in favor of more modern arrangements, the steady mid-tempo gallops focus on allowing forceful drumming to propel this along with tight patterns at steady tempos. Accented with old-school flourishes with dynamic drum-blasts, frantic riffing, and ravenous speed metal patterns, the use of this arrangement style adds a dynamic and engaging style of attack with the steady modernized sections keeping this strong enough to support the old-school sections that appear as frantic and dynamic outbursts. About the only thing holding it back is the vocals which fit the music incredibly well but are mixed quite low, getting drowned out and overpowered at points.
Niohoggr-Heathen Arcana (74/100)
The fifth effort from the now Puerto Rico-based Black Metallers. Raw, ravenous riffing, wild drum-blasts, and melodic soundscapes converge into a loose assemblage of old-school chaos. Brimming with swirling tremolo riffing, frenzied arrangements, and barely-contained patterns in a raw style, the focus is clear on emulating the old-school approach which is quite faithful here. The overall approach is equally raw in the production which is several notches above a demo recording with a buzzing guitar sound, clanking drum-work and rumbling bass-lines that border on the undercooked style but never cross fully over into that realm and manage to match the intensity found in the loose structure of the tracks. Some might find more fault with this than others but it's still something that stands out here.
And for our classic release:
Rhapsody (of Fire)-Legendary Tales (94/100)
The debut from the Italian Symphonic Metal veterans. As this album represents the start of what could be called Operatic Symphonic Power Metal, there are a lot of fun elements at play with a large focus on the keyboards. Whether it’s producing melodic flurries of activity in the background, underscoring the moment, or generally acting as the source of the epic atmosphere, these melodic flurries are the most frequently-heard aspect as there are numerous moments within the songs where frantic, fast-paced keyboard notes follow the dexterous guitar riffing note-for-note offering a pleasing combination of heavier, more melodic harmonies. With the rest of the album dominated by buzzing speed-metal guitar-work led by dexterous soloing and neoclassical passages, thunderous drumming with booming bass-lines and glorious choirs shouting hymns of victory over the music, this mix of cinematic influences alongside traditional Power Metal setups for an impressive and enjoyable debut offering.
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