new issue of Metal Bulletin Zine, number 56

four bands from Washington state, U.S.:

Black Breath

Addaura

Tygerrs Lair

Ghostblood

Warkvlt

Melted Space

Horrendous

Insanity

Satan

Hibria

Amorphis

Dark Delirium

Blood

free metal music

Sanhedrin, Winter Blood, Fornicus, Eternal Forest, Psyclopus, Dispellmen

(continuation of the interview with) AXEMASTER

www.fuglymaniacs.com

SAILING TO NOWHERE

SAILING TO NOWHERE

To The Unknown

Bakerteam Records

Release: 16 October 2015

TRACKLIST

1.No Dreams In My Night

2.Fallen Angel

3.Big Fire

4.Lovers On Planet Earth

5.You Won’t Dare

6.Strange Dimension

7.Sailing To Nowhere

8.Sweet Rain

9.Left Outside Alone (Anastasia Cover)

The band (from Facebook):

MARCO PALAZZI: VOCALS

VERONICA BULTRINI: VOCALS

ANDREA LANZILLO: GUITAR

VALENTINA DE IULIIS: KEYBOARDS

CARLO CRUCIANI: BASS

GIOVANNI NOE': DRUMS

Melodic metal group Sailing to Nowhere (Italy) began in 2013 with a focus on the major points of the genre: catchy songs, variety (power metal to ballads), professional recording and overall quality sharpened to carve out a space for itself in a very competitive field. The band combines male and female singing, very melodic guitar work and catchy choruses.

The quality of the album is reflected by the fact that it flows very well, going through a variety of tempos, without needing to make one worry about individual tracks lowering the overall quality of the album. The moods and tempos change throughout the album, but the identity of the band stays intact throughout the changes.

Some people say that musicians have their whole life to make a great debut album. I don’t know if that is true or not, or whether it’s another meaningless cliché. It’s not meaningless in this case. The melodic metal bands from Italy work hard at bringing their best game, and Sailing to Nowhere is a fine, fine example of this tradition. The album is a very good representation of the different facets of the band.

The last song is a cover of a pop song, and it does sound a bit different from the rest of the album. At the same time, a lot of melodic metal is not too far from pop because the melodies often sound like pop music backed by guitar instead of dance beats. Sailing to Nowhere clearly has its sights set on reaching a mass market, and the combination of catchy melodies should in the long run be welcomed, especially in Europe, by the melodic and power metal public.

www.facebook.com/pages/Sailing-To-Nowhere/654911297865936

www.twitter.com/Sailing1Nowhere

www.sailingtonowhere.bandcamp.com/releases

www.reverbnation.com/sailingtonowhere

email: sailingtonowhereband@gmail.com

Manowar v. Grave Digger, part 10 (conclusion)

Which band has catchier songs: Grave Digger or Manowar?

Metal Bulletin Zine is submitting its top ten Manowar catchiest songs and Excuse All the Blood is submitting its top ten Grave Digger catchiest songs.

Excuse All the Blood is a metal music show every Friday night at 11pm Pacific Time [Seattle time], United States. To find out more about the show, go to www.twitter.com/EATBRadio)

Below is the Manowar top song no. 1 and the Grave Digger top song no.1

Grave Digger - Round Table Forever

Manowar: Kings Of Metal

Below is the Manowar top 2 song and the Grave Digger top 2 song.

Grave Digger - Ride On

Manowar: Hail And Kill

Below is the Manowar top 3 song and the Grave Digger top 3 song. Grave Digger: Back To The Roots

Mantra: Fighting The World

Below is the Manowar top 4 song and the Grave Digger top 4 song.

Wheels Of Fire

Grave Digger: House of Horror

Below is the Manowar top 5 song and the Grave Digger top 5 song.

Grave Digger top song no. 5

Grave Digger - The Reaper

Manowar Blow Your Speakers

Below is the Manowar top 6 song and the Grave Digger top 6 song.

Manowar: Power of thy sword

Grave Digger

The Battle Of Bannockburn

Below is the Manowar top 7 song and the Grave Digger top 7 song.

Grave Digger

Grave Digger - Excalibur

Manowar: Blood Of The Kings

Below is the Manowar top 8 song and the Grave Digger top 8 song.

Manowar (Call To Arms)

Grave Digger - We Wanna Rock You

Below is the Manowar top 9 song and the Grave Digger top 9 song.

Manowar number 9

Manowar - Kill With Power

Grave Digger - Lionheart

Metal Bulletin Zine submitted Manowar's top 10 song below: "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" and Excuse All the Blood has responded with Grave Digger's "Giants."

This is Grave Digger.

Grave Digger - Giants

Now, listen to this one. This is Manowar.

Black Wind, Fire And Steel

Manowar versus Grave Digger, part 9

Which band has catchier songs: Grave Digger or Manowar?

Metal Bulletin Zine is submitting its top ten Manowar catchiest songs and Excuse All the Blood is submitting its top ten Grave Digger catchiest songs.

Excuse All the Blood is a metal music show every Friday night at 11pm Pacific Time [Seattle time], United States. To find out more about the show, go to www.twitter.com/EATBRadio)

Below is the Manowar top 2 song and the Grave Digger top 2 song.

Grave Digger - Ride On

Manowar: Hail And Kill

Below is the Manowar top 3 song and the Grave Digger top 3 song. Grave Digger: Back To The Roots

Mantra: Fighting The World

Below is the Manowar top 4 song and the Grave Digger top 4 song.

Wheels Of Fire

Grave Digger: House of Horror

Below is the Manowar top 5 song and the Grave Digger top 5 song.

Grave Digger top song no. 5

Grave Digger - The Reaper

Manowar Blow Your Speakers

Below is the Manowar top 6 song and the Grave Digger top 6 song.

Manowar: Power of thy sword

Grave Digger

The Battle Of Bannockburn

Below is the Manowar top 7 song and the Grave Digger top 7 song.

Grave Digger

Grave Digger - Excalibur

Manowar: Blood Of The Kings

Below is the Manowar top 8 song and the Grave Digger top 8 song.

Manowar (Call To Arms)

Grave Digger - We Wanna Rock You

Below is the Manowar top 9 song and the Grave Digger top 9 song.

Manowar number 9

Manowar - Kill With Power

Grave Digger - Lionheart

Metal Bulletin Zine submitted Manowar's top 10 song below: "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" and Excuse All the Blood has responded with Grave Digger's "Giants."

This is Grave Digger.

Grave Digger - Giants

Now, listen to this one. This is Manowar.

Black Wind, Fire And Steel

Manowar v. Grave Digger, part 8

Which band has catchier songs: Grave Digger or Manowar?

Metal Bulletin Zine is submitting its top ten Manowar catchiest songs and Excuse All the Blood is submitting its top ten Grave Digger catchiest songs.

Excuse All the Blood is a metal music show every Friday night at 11pm Pacific Time [Seattle time], United States. To find out more about the show, go to www.twitter.com/EATBRadio)

Below is the Manowar top 3 song and the Grave Digger top 3 song. Grave Digger: Back To The Roots

Mantra: Fighting The World

Below is the Manowar top 4 song and the Grave Digger top 4 song.

Wheels Of Fire

Grave Digger: House of Horror

Below is the Manowar top 5 song and the Grave Digger top 5 song.

Grave Digger top song no. 5

Grave Digger - The Reaper

Manowar Blow Your Speakers

Below is the Manowar top 6 song and the Grave Digger top 6 song.

Manowar: Power of thy sword

Grave Digger

The Battle Of Bannockburn

Below is the Manowar top 7 song and the Grave Digger top 7 song.

Grave Digger

Grave Digger - Excalibur

Manowar: Blood Of The Kings

Below is the Manowar top 8 song and the Grave Digger top 8 song.

Manowar (Call To Arms)

Grave Digger - We Wanna Rock You

Below is the Manowar top 9 song and the Grave Digger top 9 song.

Manowar number 9

Manowar - Kill With Power

Grave Digger - Lionheart

Metal Bulletin Zine submitted Manowar's top 10 song below: "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" and Excuse All the Blood has responded with Grave Digger's "Giants."

This is Grave Digger.

Grave Digger - Giants

Now, listen to this one. This is Manowar.

Black Wind, Fire And Steel

Grave Digger v. Manowar, part 7

Which band has catchier songs: Grave Digger or Manowar?

Metal Bulletin Zine is submitting its top ten Manowar catchiest songs and Excuse All the Blood is submitting its top ten Grave Digger catchiest songs.

Excuse All the Blood is a metal music show every Friday night at 11pm Pacific Time [Seattle time], United States. To find out more about the show, go to www.twitter.com/EATBRadio)

Below is the Manowar top 4 song and the Grave Digger top 4 song.

Wheels Of Fire

Grave Digger: House of Horror

Below is the Manowar top 5 song and the Grave Digger top 5 song.

Grave Digger top song no. 5

Grave Digger - The Reaper

Manowar Blow Your Speakers

Below is the Manowar top 6 song and the Grave Digger top 6 song.

Manowar: Power of thy sword

Grave Digger

The Battle Of Bannockburn

Below is the Manowar top 7 song and the Grave Digger top 7 song.

Grave Digger

Grave Digger - Excalibur

Manowar: Blood Of The Kings

Below is the Manowar top 8 song and the Grave Digger top 8 song.

Manowar (Call To Arms)

Grave Digger - We Wanna Rock You

Below is the Manowar top 9 song and the Grave Digger top 9 song.

Manowar number 9

Manowar - Kill With Power

Grave Digger - Lionheart

Metal Bulletin Zine submitted Manowar's top 10 song below: "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" and Excuse All the Blood has responded with Grave Digger's "Giants."

This is Grave Digger.

Grave Digger - Giants

Now, listen to this one. This is Manowar.

Black Wind, Fire And Steel

Satan

Satan (U.K.): Atom by Atom (Listenable Records)

Satan is a cult legendary name amongst the fanatics of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Unfortunately, Satan has had a bunch of name changes: from Satan to Blind Fury, then back to Satan, then changed it to Pariah. After Pariah ended, Satan’s Graeme English (bass) and Steve Ramsey (guitars) formed folk metal founding fathers Skyclad with vocalist Martin Walkyier (from U.K. thrashers Sabbat). Despite all these details, the discography of Satan-related bands is out of this world. To show you that this is not an exaggeration, look at this discography.

SATAN

The First Demo Demo 1981

Into the Fire Demo 1982

Kiss of Death Single 1982

Court in the Act Full-length 1983

Dirt Demo '86 Demo 1986

Into the Future EP 1986

Suspended Sentence Full-length 1987

Live in the Act Live album 2004

Into the Fire / Kiss of Death Compilation 2011

The Early Demos Compilation 2011

Life Sentence Full-length 2013

Trail of Fire: Live in North America 2014

Atom by Atom Full-length 2015

BLIND FURY

Demo '84 Demo 1984

Out of Reach Full-length 1985

PARIAH

The Kindred Full-length 1988

Blaze of Obscurity Full-length 1989

Unity Full-length 1997

SKYCLAD

Lemming Project / Skyclad Split 1991

The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth 1991

Tracks from the Wilderness EP 1992

A Burnt Offering for the Bone Idol 1992

Thinking Allowed? Single 1993

Jonah's Ark Full-length 1993

Melodic Metal Strikes Back Split 1993

Prince of the Poverty Line Full-length 1994

The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea 1995

Irrational Anthems Full-length 1996 5

Oui Avant-garde á Chance Full-length 1996

Old Rope Compilation 1997

The Answer Machine? Full-length 1997

Outrageous Fourtunes EP 1998

Vintage Whine Full-length 1999

Massacre's Classix Shape Edition 1999

Folkémon Full-length 2000

Poetic Wisdom Compilation 2001

Another Fine Mess Live album 2001

Swords of a Thousand Men Single 2001

History Lessens: An Introduction to the Artist 2002

No Daylights nor Heeltaps Full-length 2002

Live at the Dynamo Live album 2002

A Semblance of Normality Full-length 2004

Platinum Edition Boxed set 2004

Jig-a-Jig EP 2006

In the... All Together Full-length 2009

Let me put it to you this way. According to Metal Archives, Graeme English (bass) and Steve Ramsey (guitars) have worked on all of the above recordings.

I have many of those recordings, but, I do not actually own all of the above titles, not even close. Having said all that, the important news is that Satan has a new album. The current lineup is:

Steve Ramsey guitars (1979-1984, 1985-1988, 2004, 2011-present) (Skyclad, ex-Blind Fury, ex-Pariah)

Russ Tippins guitars (1979-1984, 1985-1988, 2004, 2011-present) (ex-Blind Fury, ex-Pariah, The Russ Tippins Electric Band, ex-Tysondog)

Graeme English bass (1980-1984, 1985-1988, 2004, 2011-present) (Skyclad, ex-Blind Fury, ex-Pariah)

Sean Taylor drums (1983-1984, 1985-1988, 2011-present) (ex-Blind Fury, ex-Blitzkrieg, ex-Raven, ex-Warrior, ex-Pariah)

Brian Ross vocals (1983-1984, 2004, 2011-present) (Blitzkrieg, ex-Lone Wolf, ex-Avenger, ex-Anvil, ex-Kashmir)

Satan is known for a particular sound. Essentially, before thrash/speed metal became a thing, a genre, there were bands playing fast heavy metal. Satan is one of those bands. The band is also known for a tendency to write songs that sound like classic metal. Thus, it is no surprise that at this point in the history of this band and these musicians, it’s all killer, no filler, quality heavy metal. Highly recommended for those into classic heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

www.satanmusic.com

www.facebook.com/officialsatanpage

www.listenable.net

www.twitter.com/SatanUK

www.facebook.com/listenablerecs

Blood

Blood (Germany): Christbait (Vic Records)

In 2015 Vic Records is re-releasing Blood’s 1992 album. Blood formed in 1986 and released a bunch of demos from 1986-1989. The early material is sloppy punk chaos. After the 1989 debut album “Impulse to Destroy,” the band continued releasing EPs in 1990 and 1991, all the while becoming better, so that by this 1992 album, the band sounds like a death metal/grind band, much tighter and skilled at extreme sounds.

Nowadays the band is active and on their Facebook page they have some shows planned from now and until the end of the year. Blood has a storied discography, so don’t mistake them for a one-hit wonder grind band. This 1992 album has 20 songs and the music is as heavy as Incantation or Deicide, but it’s more direct, more grind that gets to the point quickly. If anything, Blood on this album has a sound in the general neighborhood of Napalm Death’s “Utopia Banished”: the guitar tone, vocals and vibe shares some similarities. According to Metal Archives, both albums came out the same year, actually.

www.bloood.de

www.vicrecords.com

www.facebook.com/blood.de

Dark Delirium

Dark Delirium (Morocco)

Instrumental, one–person project of “prog metal with Oriental influences.” Given that I know nothing about the music of Morocco, I am not qualified to say anything about the origins or influences of the melodies found on this recording.

“Mediaeval Blood” 2015 recording

1.Mediaeval Blood 03:24

2.The Caliphate 03:07

3.Odium 04:03

4.The Individual Reaction 03:01

5.During the Inevitable Battle 02:41

6.From Ashes We Rise 03:28

7.Feral Burial 03:08

total time 22:52

However, if you are interested in hearing prog metal from Morocco, this could be something for you. It has those “Middle Eastern” melodies, as far as I can tell, which is not very far. Of course, this is not a full band, but a solo project. Don’t you just appreciate the stubbornness of this musician to keep making this music? It’s prog, it’s instrumental, it’s got to be a person with lots of willpower, right? Persevere.

www.darkdelirium.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/Jamal.Coral

free album of black metal: Dispellment

Dispellment (U.S.)

This three-person black metal band is from Virginia, U.S. As of September 22, 2015, their album is available for free/name-your-price. I highly recommend this exciting album to true black metal maniacs. The vibe of the album is awesome and it is wonderful to hear a band that pledged allegiance to traditional black metal. Don’t assume that this is a garage demo. I have been listening to it on headphones and you can hear the instrumentation well. Expect a band that sounds experienced and aware of how to write a song that will make you bang your head. The band is:

Ikonoklast - strings, voice, and scripture

Æþelwulf - death rattles

Sulfur - assault and battery

Facebook says that they started in 2010 and this is their debut, according to Metal Archives. Well, it looks like they have been practicing because this album rocks. The album is called “Atone.”

"Atone" by Dispellment

1.Old Man Winter 03:27

2.Werwolfnacht 05:20

3.Long Ago... 04:20

4.Black Knights of the Snowbound Keep 04:03

5.Bone Dust Ritual 03:38

6.Ancient Ikonoklasts 05:45

7.Hearing the Master's Call 04:39

total time 31:12

I downloaded this sucker and gave the band a few bucks because I liked it so much! Do you want true black metal? Dispellment is exactly that, and they are really good at it, in my opinion.

www.dispellment.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/dispellment Email dispellment@gmail.com

free recording of melodic folk metal: Psyclopus

Psyclopus (China)

The band’s 2015 free recording is called “Instrumental Demo.” I have no information about the band, besides that Bandcamp says that they are from China. There some photos on Bandcamp and it appears that they might have a vocalist, but it’s not totally clear from the photos. It is possible that this demo is just an introduction to the band for now.

This is melodic folk metal and the band sounds very skilled at it. Surprisingly so, actually. This is very melodic and catchy. You’ll be surprised, too, I think.

This recording is:

1.The Tavern of Stormstad 02:05

2.Beowulf's Sword 03:42

3.Glory of the Dead 05:56

4.Sky of the Northern Light 04:26

5.The Drunk's Song 03:29

6.Marching to Moscow (Dschinghis Khan Cover) 04:10

7.Dragon Slaughter 03:40

total time 27:28

On September 21, 2015 I last checked and the recording is still free/name-your-price. People into melodic folk metal would be the target audience for this band. It remains to be seen whether there is more information coming, but at least there’s a recording to go by.

www.psyclopus.bandcamp.com/releases

free recording of black metal: Eternal Forest

Eternal Forest

This free recording is traditional necro black metal from Poland. The band is:

Terrorwielder: guitars, bass, drum programming (2014-present)

Nemus: vocals (2014-present)

The 2015 recording is called “Sickness Of Soul” and it is:

1. Eternal Death 03:33

2. Depths of Darkness 06:22

3. Sickness of Soul 03:24

4. Hate the Rotten Flesh of Christ 03:22

5. Screams of Night 04:30

6. Medieval Torture Art 04:09

7. Surrouded by Candles 04:21

total time 29:41

Not much information about Eternal Forest, but you can obtain the music for free/name-your-price on Bandcamp. The music goes at frenzied speeds, but also at slow tempos for atmosphere.

At the end of the day, it is the songs that matter, and Eternal Forest, which Metal Archives says formed in 2014, sounds knowledgeable and with a keen sense for traditional black metal. The guitar work is easily identifiable, creative and song-centered, and that makes all the difference. Is this just the beginning of Eternal Forest? Traditional black metal aficionados looking for a new band, this is Eternal Forest, stubbornly delivering black metal to the heart. The last time I checked on this recording, on September 21, 2015, it is available for free.

www.eternalforestofficial.bandcamp.com/releases

free EP of black metal: Fornicus

Fornicus

Kentucky, U.S. black metal band Fornicus has a new free/name-your-price EP, called “Feast for Rats.”

1.Feast for Rats 02:22

2.Ancient Queen 03:29

3.Freezing Moon 06:35

Feast For Rats and Ancient Queen:

recorded spring MMXV

SB-guitar, voice

CC-bass

DS-drums

Freezing Moon:

recorded summer MMXV

SB-guitar, drums, voice

CC-bass

guest solo by Tim Ball of Abominant

Ancient Queen originally by Emperor

Freezing Moon originally by Mayhem

The band’s bio says: “Birthed in the heart of America's bible belt in late 2012, Fornicus was conceived to cast darkness over the ignorant masses and their foolish dogmas. Blending qualities of black, thrash, and even a taste of death the band creates a vicious aural assault that will quench the listener’s thirst for all things metal. Throughout the first year of the band's existence the songs that would become their debut album were meticulously crafted by members Scott, Chris, and David and eventually were completed with the addition of Kelly at the beginning of 2014. The tracking began shortly thereafter in Scott's own Velocity Studios for the album that is now known as "Storming Heaven," a bold statement chastising Christ and his blind sheep for their "righteous" ways with the ultimate goal of destroying God's Kingdom. With live rituals now beginning and the album's release, the force that is Fornicus will strengthen to take its place as one of Kentucky's premier practitioners of metal.”

The influences that the band lists are: Watain, Angelcorpse, Carpathian Forest, early Dimmu Borgir, Absu, Akercocke, 1349, Mayhem, Emperor, Dark Funeral, Goatwhore, Taake, Zyklon, etc.

This EP is a good reminder that the band is still active. If you like traditional black metal, how can you reject this EP?! You can’t! The fact that they have Tim from the mighty death metal squadron Abominant (also from Kentucky, U.S.) is a very cool element. Abominant rules. Fornicus rules. This EP is still available for free, as of September 21, 2015.

www.fornicus.bandcamp.com/album/feast-for-rats-ep

email: fornicus666@gmail.com

www.twitter.com/Fornicus666

www.facebook.com/fornicus666

Insanity

Insanity (U.S.): Visions of Apocalypse (Unspeakable Axe / Dark Descent)

Release date: 13 November 2015

Death metal band Insanity (California, U.S.), has a new album, but before talking about the album, it is good to see a bit of the history of the band.

Long-championed by none other than Napalm Death, death metal band Insanity began in 1985. The band’s bio states about the early days:

“INSANITY was formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area and unleashed some of the most fast & brutal death metal of that time.

After being friends for years and going to see bands like Motorhead, Metallica & Slayer, Joe DeZuniga and Dave Gorsuch decided to form a death metal band in 1985. The vocalist/guitarist Joe DeZuniga roared out some of the most brutal death metal vocals of that time. He was also one of the main songwriters and the artist that created the logo with the decapitated heads. The other guitarist/songwriter Dave Gorsuch seemed to push the style of guitar riffs to a more technical edge while mixing in stomping heavy parts. With Joe's style progressing in that direction as well, it proved to be a great partnership and the two would go on to collaborate on most of the early material. They tried to write songs that mixed in riffs that were technically intense and acheive a style that went beyond what was considered heavy and brutal. Dave's high school friend Keith Ellison played bass like a death metal version of Steve Harris and had been tring to start a band with Dave since 1984. When drummer Bud Mills joined the band in September of 1985 and played faster than the normal thrash beat most bands used, Insanity was pioneering new levels of speed and intensity in early death metal.

The first show was played on Oct. 19th 1985 with Death and Sacrilege and the crowd maintained a frenzied pit which was admittedly short because the band only had five songs at the time. INSANITY then went on to play with many of the other great bands that played Ruthies Inn including the likes of Possessed.”

Metal Archives gives the following discography, which I think in the case it is instructive to list it:

Live Rehearsal Demo Demo 1985

85 Reh. Demo Demo 1986

Demo Demo 1989

Rehearsal Demo 1989 Demo 1989

Pre-Production Demo '94 Demo 1994

Death After Death Full-length 1994

Sacrefixion EP 2001

Ultimate Death - Rare Bits & Pieces of Unreleased Insanity Compilation 2004

From the Grave Compilation 2005

Demo 1985 Single 2006

Visions of Apocalypse Demo 2008

Chronicles of the Cursed Compilation 2009

Anyway, the band has not been lucky in life, and they obviously have not been “at the right place, at the right time” because they have had many problems, too numerous to explain. Suffice to say that the band has had many set backs, such as prison time, illness, death, long periods of inactivity and the like that have not helped them.

That’s the bad news. Here’s the good news.

The new album is the result of work that the band did years ago and now they have new album. All you have to do is listen to the first song to hear how this band knows how to write death metal. Given that there is such a long history and experience involved, the band does not mess around with tomfoolery. The growling has to be powerful, not just microphone cupping. The guitars have to have more than chugging, it has to be real riffs and the songs have to be the kind that you can remember. That’s the death metal that they have in mind. Speed, brutality, heaviness, yup, it’s all there, but that’s not the whole story. The real story is the songs.

www.unspeakableaxerecords.com

www.facebook.com/unspeakableaxerecords

www.facebook.com/pages/INSANITY/57208433713

Hibria

Hibria (Brazil): Hibria

(Test Your Metal Records)

review by Jojo from Fuglymaniacs

Hibria is back with a new release. It's a self- titled album even though it’s their fifth. The band feels they have reached a new level with the current line up, musically they all know each other's strengths making the creative process a lot stronger. Some will argue that this release is more "mature". Fuglymaniacs hates the word more "mature". It's usually "code" for slow and change of trajectory of the band's sound. Followed by an over produced and layered with high tech nonsense. Shit the band can't play live so it's pre-recorded.

This release certainly contains those elements and arrangements. Keyboard and programming, Orchestral parts, sax, trumpets, hell even a choir. More success and bigger budgets bands usually do this and get carried away with this crap.

It's called "evolution" we get it. Hibria has sprinkle some new elements on previous albums but this time is obvious. A couple of songs, Pain and Ashamed, both include horns, saxophone and trumpet. Go figure…

Fuglymaniacs does likes the new the sound and different elements. It's not overly done and they keep in check for the most part.

The one constant is the level of skill involved on this release. The solos rage, the vocals deliver and all the tempo changes are fluid.

The foundation of Hibria's metal, is still present front and center. You'll still find the speed & a lil bit of thrashiness, melodies, lots of riffage and technical solos. More of this straight up power metal comes “Within Abyss,” “Tightrope,” and “Fame.”

Bottom line....Hibria manages to pull this off and Fuglymaniacs approves.

Where others have tried and failed Hibria stands tall and makes metalheads proud.

Buy, support, ENJOY!

www.facebook.com/HIBRIAOFFICIAL

www.twitter.com/HIBRIA

www.hibria.com.br/site

Amorphis

review by Matt Spall, Man of Much Metal

Artist: Amorphis

Album Title: Under The Red Cloud

Label: Nuclear Blast

Year Of Release: 2015

Throughout their career, Amorphis have been one of those bands that have achieved something rather special. Theirs is an approach and a sound that has evolved over the years from more of a dark/death metal blueprint, to the self-titled ‘melancholic rock’ that dominates their more current output. And yet, the evolution of the sextet has been entirely natural, extremely smooth and, in spite of a few surprises here and there along the way, the Finns have always created instantly recognisable music; there’s never any doubt when you listen to an Amorphis record, be it ‘Tales From A Thousand Lakes’ or ‘Am Universam’, that you’re listening to Amorphis.

Personally-speaking, I’ve been a fan ever since I discovered their 1999 release, ‘Tuonela’. It wasn’t love at first listen but it has become a firm favourite within my collection. From the simple and effective artwork, right through to the dark, brooding and immensely powerful, folk-tinged musical output, it ticks almost all of the boxes for me. If truth be told, ‘Tuonela’ remains my favourite within the entire 11-disc back catalogue despite some real gems of songs found littered throughout their extensive discography.

As an aside, I had the pleasure of meeting the band during my first ever press trip to the Nuclear Blast headquarters around the release of ‘Silent Waters’ in 2007. It was a weekend I’ll never forget, largely because the guys were so damn nice and also, in direct opposition to their generally dark musical output, very funny and light-hearted. But I digress…

I’m now presented with album number 12, the ominously-titled ‘Under The Red Cloud’ with its striking stylised front-cover artwork. And, in a year that has been dominated by bands releasing the strongest material of their careers, the trend arguably continues here. I mean, if this record isn’t their best, it’s very very close.

As is the Amorphis way, the record is a little deceiving. Listen superficially and you’re confronted with ten tracks of well-crafted heavy rock/metal with big choruses, the gruff-meets-clean vocal approach of Tomi Joutsen and those archetypal folk-inspired embellishments. It’s a powerful set of melodic and instantly engaging heavy songs that delivers plenty of head-nodding fodder to get the blood really pumping. And, frankly, what’s not to like about that?

However, if you’re prepared to listen more carefully, ‘Under The Red Cloud’ can be even more rewarding. Do so, and that initial simplicity and apparent economy of song writing within the compositions give way to something entirely different. Amorphis, comprised of vocalist Tomi Joutsen, guitarists Tomi Koivusaari and Esa Holopainen, keyboardist Santeri Kallio, bassist Niclas Etalövuori and drummer Jan Rechberger are a more complex band than many give them credit for and this record demonstrates this comprehensively.

The title track opens the record in relatively quiet fashion with a piano melody that’s overlaid with some subtle and expressive guitar work. However, the track builds and it’s not long before it blasts into life and blossoms into a bona fide anthem. The chorus is huge and there’s a smattering of Joutsen’s gruff vocals in and amongst an otherwise clean, vibrant and soulful delivery which is full of dynamism fitting the sonic landscapes perfectly.

The follow-up ‘The Four Wise Ones’, on the other hand, is a full-on metal behemoth. The vocals are exclusively gruff and the chunky riffing and dark overtones are a joy to listen to. In fact, the intensity of it sends shivers down my spine frequently, particularly the opening staccato riff and deep, almost inaudible growls that gives way to a chugging, stomping tempo. It’s during this track that the first big hints at Amorphis’ folk influences emerge too, acting as a lovely counterpoint to the metal onslaught elsewhere in the song.

With an album as strong as this, it’s impossible to mention every composition individually. Suffice to say that every song has something within it to delight the listener.

‘Bad Blood’ features another immense chorus and some of Joutsen’s most passionate and expansive vocals on the record as well as some interesting guitar and keyboard effects that provide something a little different. ‘The Skull’ benefits from a simple but effective melody influenced by the Middle East, a chorus that has a waltz-like tempo and a quiet mid-section where the guitars sing and a beautifully-played piano adds further depth and sophistication.

The aforementioned Middle Eastern inspired melodies are taken up a level on one of the most prominent tracks, namely ‘Death Of A King’. A sitar adds authenticity and is a striking addition to the more standard metal instrumentation that accompanies it. This track also has more of a progressive feel to it by virtue of the way in which it flows from one idea to another, culminating in a sprawling chorus that is currently my favourite on the record, stopping me dead every time I hear it. Elsewhere, ‘Sacrifice’ is an up-tempo blood-pumping, catchy anthem that’s ubiquitous latter-day Amorphis. The moody ‘Dark Path’ displays more of an old-school Amorphis feel to it, toying as it does with hints of black metal in the verses. And ‘Enemy At The Gates’ pulls together the progressive elements, the folk influences and the hook-laden choruses, wrapping it up in a track that feels epic despite it’s relatively short five-minute length.

‘Tree Of Ages’ really goes to town with the folk melodies and authentic instrumentation and, in something of a twist, the album is closed by ‘White Night’ which features soft and breathy female vocals to great effect alongside another catchy uplifting chorus to send us on our way.

Well, what do you know? As it turns out, mentioning every track wasn’t impossible! In fact, I found it more impossible to miss any out in this review, thereby further underlining the strength and consistency of the record.

A review of an Amorphis record wouldn’t be complete without touching on the lyrics. I’m not in possession of them so I can’t comment with certainty, but it’s a safe bet that, in keeping with every record up until now, the lyrical content focuses upon the traditional Finnish epic story of Kalevala. If that’s indeed the case, then the folk embellishments fit the subject matter perfectly.

So, in summary, what is there left to say that hasn’t been said about ‘Under The Red Cloud’ already? It’s a near flawless record that does what great music should do – it transports me to another place away from the humdrum and the mundane, it envelops me in its warm embrace and it makes me smile, enriching my life every time I immerse myself in it.

The Score Of Much Metal: 9.5

Read more of Matt Spall’s reviews and interviews at:

www.manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com

Horrendous

Horrendous (U.S.): Anareta (Dark Descent Records)

Horrendous is a very restless form of death metal. I documented this trait on their previous album “Ecdysis” (2014), about which I pointed out: “Horrendous seems to get a kick out of tripping people’s expectations. Horrendous was known for playing ‘old school Swedish death metal’ when they formed in 2009, with their demo and with the 2012 album.”

Then the 2014 album hit and some people found the combination of death metal and melody different from the usual sounds. I also wrote that: “This band might turn out to be as unpredictable as Sentenced was from 1990 to 1996, when they finally started to settle down into a predictable style. The next Horrendous album is going to have some people running down street all confused.”

Well, here it is now. This is the new Horrendous in 2015. On the surface, this album walks and talks like death metal, but it is not as simple as that type of duck. The vocals are definitely death metal, a bit more Schuldinerian than ever before, to my ears. More expressive, more enunciated, more extended. After that, though, all bets are off. The old Opethian heavy prog riffing reveals, that, yes, this band is not happy unless they feel that they are moving and making changes to their sound. The shiny guitar solos bring home the point that they have been thinking about the ever-changing sounds of the band. Melody is a big part of the Horrendous guitar aesthetics. The drumming changes from uptempo, to midtempo and to proggy all over the place. My impression is that the band is just very unhappy with the idea that the previous album should dictate where the new album goes.

I have previously stated that the band is unhappy to be trapped in a box and this is another step in the ongoing saga that is Horrendous. One day this band will totally shock its listeners. This album is a step in that direction, but the growled vocals serve to avoid giving people a heart attack. Just you wait. The big shocker is coming. Nobody knows where this band is going, not even the band. They are beginning to show their confidence to change a lot. That confidence will only grow with time and at some point in the future, Horrendous will manage to surprise themselves big time and its audience won’t even see it coming.

For now, forget the melancholic death metal from previous albums. Forget the classic Entombed/Dismember-like guitar tone, also.

This new album is a different chapter. Join Horrendous for a brand new trip into the world of metal music, from their imagination to your mind. I hope that this band has a bright future. I hope that they don’t break up soon. I want to hear what will happen next. As for this album? Well, the sky’s the limit. Buckle up and put your helmet on. The new Horrendous is scheduled for October 30th, 2015.

www.darkdescentrecords.com

www.facebook.com/HorrendousDeathMetal

Horrendous - Sum of All Failures

Melted Space

Melted Space: The Great Lie (Sensory Records)

Melted Space is a metal opera, with traditional and extreme metal vocals. The music is, overall, more on the side of traditional prog and heavy metal, with some extreme metal influences. If in your music collection you already own metal operas and you treasure them, then Melted Space is for you. On the other hand, if you have not heard a metal opera and you are wondering what it is, Melted Space features a great amount of work for the self-respecting, open-minded all-metal public that appreciates music that is a bit more intellectual and elegant.

This album utilizes a wide variety of singing and vocal styles that deserves to be mentioned: David Vincent (Morbid Angel), Attila Csihar (Sunn O))), Mayhem), Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), Ailyn Gimenéz (Sirenia), Kobi Fahri (Orphaned Land), Mariangela Demurtas (Tristania), Guillaume Bideau (Mnemic), Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), Sylvain Coudret (Soilwork), Adrien Grousset (Hacride), Christine Rhoades (Jeff Loomis), Manuel Munoz (The Old Dead Tree), Arnaud Strobl (Carnival In Coal), Clémentine Delauney (Visions Of Atlantis), Virginie Goncalves (Kells), in addition to the work of The City of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra.

The album is the brainchild of mastermind Pierre le Pape, who does piano, keyboards and orchestration. He works with guitarist Adrien Grousset, bassist Brice Guillon and drummer Michael Saccoman.

This album comes out on Sensory Records on October 16th, 2015. Due to the fact that the album has such an interesting cast, you might find it worthwhile to look into this album in more detail. The songs on the album are:

01 “Listen To The Song Of Despair” Featuring vocalists Ailyn Giménez, Arno Strobl, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier

02 “Called By The Queen” Featuring vocalists Guillaume Bideau, Christine Rhoades

03 “No Need To Fear” Featuring vocalists Mariangela Demurtas, Guillaume Bideau, Christine Rhoades, David Vincent, Attila Csihar, Mikael Stanne, Arno Strobl, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier

04 “Terrible Fight” Featuring vocalists David Vincent, Guillaume Bideau, Manuel Munoz, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier, and guitar solo by Adrian Martinot

05 “A God Is Dead” Featuring vocalist Manuel Munoz

06 “Trust And Betrayal” Featuring vocalists Mikael Stanne, Guillaume Bideau

07 “Glass Castle's Beast” Featuring vocalists Kobi Farhi, Niklas Kvarforth, Guillaume Bideau, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier

08 “Hopeless Crime” Featuring vocalists Christine Rhoades, Mikael Stanne, Niklas Kvarforth, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier, and guitar solo by Adrian Martinot

09 “The One Who Lost The Faith” Featuring vocalists Niklas Kvarforth, Arno Strobl and guitar, synth and dulcimer solos by Arjen A Lucassen

10 “Titania” Featuring vocalists Ailyn Giménez, Guillaume Bideau, Mikael Stanne and guitar solo by Sylvain Coudret

11 “Lost Souls From The Other Side” Featuring vocalists Attila Csihar, David Vincent, Mikael Stanne, Ailyn Giménez, Guillaume Bideau, Maria,tea Demurtas, Manuel Munoz, Christine Rhoades, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier

The excellent musicianship, the quality of the songwriting and the work that it has taken to put together this album speaks volumes about the high standards that Melted Space seeks.

Melted Space New Album Teaser

www.facebook.com/meltedspace

www.lasersedgegroup.com/labels/sensory-records

www.facebook.com/TheLasersEdge

www.twitter.com/thelasersedge

Winter Blood

Winter Blood

I cannot give you much information about black metal entity Winter Blood, besides this: a multigenre black metal band from Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S., as it says on Bandcamp. On Facebook it says, “folk melodic classical black metal.” I would say that “traditional black metal” pretty much describes the music.

The free recording (I checked last on September 21, 2015) is called "Frost from Ashes" and it is the following songs:

1.Forest of Ashes 03:32

2.Enthroned 06:43

3.Seputus 06:43

4.Solitary Reaper 07:13

5.Revenant Diabolic 06:17

6.Enslaved 09:20

7.Red Pagan Moon 04:22

total time 44:10

Facebook lists:

Manothanas - lead guitar & vocals

Mordaine - rhythm guitar & vocals

Mahimus - drums

Gnarloc (…) – bass

Regardless of the lack of information, I think that the recording has so many positive elements: the symphonic vibe, the songwriting, the riffs and the melodies. What a strong showing this is for Winter Blood. The musician(s) has a very strong sense for writing songs that make an impression. Especially, if you want to hear black metal that stays with you, in your mind. The guitar work is crafted well, and there’s a certain skill and maturity that you can hear. I don’t know anything about Winter Blood’s personnel, so I cannot comment or reveal much on that score. I’m going just by the music. Basically, this is black metal in the style of the 1990s. You might here some elements of Emperor or Dissection here and there, depending on your opinion. Winter Blood has that “it” factor that I am looking for: the songs. Of course, the recording is not a big budget production. If you want it louder, you just turn up the volume! Good job, Winter Blood, whoever or wherever “they” are. Recommended for those searching for new black metal in the traditional forms. Go here:

www.winterbloodmusic.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/Winter-Blood-1489180064729907

email: winterbloodmusic@gmail.com

Sanhedrin

Sanhedrin (U.S.): Sanhedrin

It is amazing how many New York bands that people call “metal” suck so bad! It’s all that worthless New York hardcore punk pollution that is to blame.

Wouldn’t be nice to hear a new New York band play traditional metal with talent and with no core?!

Oh, if only it were possible! If only!

Well, today is your lucky day, metalheads. Sanhedrin plays rocking heavy metal. They have actual guitar riffs, guitar solos (!), drums that sound very real (are they real live drums? I don’t know!) and they have a singer, yes, a singer, not some dumb dog hardcore screamo.

This is the heavy metal that I want. This is so good that it had me cleaning my ears and doing double takes. That’s not all, their recording is available for free/name-your-price (when last I checked on September 21, 2015).

This is a new band formed in 2015. They are from Brookly, New York and they play traditional heavy metal. This is what Facebook says:

Erica Stoltz - vocals, bass

Jeremy Sosville - guitar, backing vocals

Nathan Honor - drums

“Following the dissolution of their previous band, drummer Nathan Honor (ex-Vermefug) and guitarist Jeremy Sosville (Black Anvil) began jamming together for several months, molding a new sound and vision for a band. This vision came to life with the addition of the siren-voiced singer and bassist Erica Stoltz (ex-Lost Goat), and Sanhedrin was born. This completion of the trio resulted in a band rooted in classic heavy metal and hard rock, but unafraid to cross genre boundaries.

Sanhedrin’s sound is familiar but not derivative. While their songwriting is clearly rooted in the classics, their take on rock and metal comes across as fresh and honest. Lyrically, Sanhedrin often forgoes the traditional fantasy-based themes found in much heavy metal in favor of more real-life themes of inner struggle and social commentary. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Sanhedrin’s sound is a combination of the toughness and beauty that their home borough embodies.”

The recording is great stuff, and as you can tell, I’m excited about it. I have never heard of this band and I had no expectations, but this EP shows that they have some good things ahead of them. This band surprised me with the good songs from the first moment I heard it. It’s so nice to hear a band that has decided to make music in this style.

The recording is simply titled “Sanhedrin.”

1.Riding on the Dawn 04:08

2.Saints and Sinners 04:57

3.A Funeral for the World 06:18

4.No Religion 07:00

total time 22:23

The first two songs are uptempo, traditional heavy metal bangers, while the last two are midtempo, and show that the band can do a variety of tempos, including a bit of the doomier sounds. If you support traditional heavy metal, you have no excuse now. Go here: www.thesanhedrin.bandcamp.com/releases

www.facebook.com/sanhedrinband

new album! Black Breath (Washington state)

Black Breath: Slaves Beyond Death (Southern Lord Recordings)

In my opinion, Black Breath has broken away from the overcrowded field of death metal in a major way and has delivered a top quality album that picky listeners should consider if said public is searching for bands that have something special to offer. I think it is good that they are pushing themselves to higher standards. They are demonstrating that they have the songs, the knowledge, the skills, the confidence and the quality to stand out amongst death metal bands.

Black Breath formed in 2006 and this 2015 album is their third. The music is a bit reminiscent of Stockholm-style old death metal of the late 80s/early 90s. The drumming is direct, steady and decidedly the opposite of tech-death drumming. The guitar tone, naturally, is similar to the classic/famous Sunlight Studio death metal sound, and the band utilizes a sense of well-timed melodies and catchy parts. The vocals are expressive, almost intelligible, not monotonous growling, not microphone cupping nor one-tone low growling.

To me, the most impressive aspect of the album is that the band has melody, catchy riffs and songs that connect with the listener that wants to remember the songs. If anything, the band is still a bit too shy to show off how good they really are because they save some of the best material for last. The last song “Chains of the Afterlife” is an instrumental piece and the band really shines on this number, unafraid to bring out the melodies.

The important thing is that they have asked themselves how to make memorable songs, how to make them interesting to themselves as musicians. The band is becoming braver and braver by adding melody, in the way that the classic, late 80s bands had melody, whether it was Sepultura, Death, Entombed, Dismember, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Pestilence, Carcass, so on and so forth.

Looking for classic-style death metal with songs that you can remember? Searching for death metal that is confident enough to play a variety of tempos and incorporate melody? This is it right here. Black Breath.

www.blackbreath.com

www.blackbreathsl.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/BLACKBREATH.MUSIC

www.southernlord.bandcamp.com

new EP from Addaura (Washington state, U.S.)

Addaura

Addaura is melodic/atmospheric/symphonic black metal. They have a new EP in 2015.

The band’s discography is as follows:

Demo 2010 Demo 2010

Burning for the Ancient full-length 2012

... and the Lamps Expire EP 2015

The band started in 2008 and Facebook gives this lineup:

Ryan – vocals, guitars, keys

Brandon - bass

Jesse - guitar

Brandon - drums

You can listen to the new music at the band’s Bandcamp page, which also has the 2012 album. In terms of the music itself, it is remarkable how well the band’s black metal has been received. There is no question that the 2012 album “Burning for the Ancient” carries an undeniable charm. Addaura’s music is structured to run smoothly through the tempo changes. It is interesting that people say that Addaura is “repetitive” and when they say that, they say it as a positive comment, as a compliment. Why? Because the songs flow so smoothly that some listeners view the album as one long composition. Just to clarify, the album is not one song. It is:

1.City Light (In Still Dark Forenoon Silence) 10:25

2.The Muses Thro' Their Bowers 14:24

3.The Baring Admission of Weakness 13:46

4.Solace Beneath a Greying Sky 13:36

total time 52:11

Yet, the songs appear connected in a such a way that it does sound like one big song, in the sense that people listen to the album, and just ride out the songs. Is it the simplicity of the music? Calling “simple” seems incorrect because this is not two-chord, monotonous music. Rather, it could be the fundamental principle of transitioning smoothly from one segment to the next in such a way that people do not even notice.

Now, the 2015 recording ”... and the Lamps Expire” continues the aesthetics upon which the band is building a reputation. The new music establishes that the band is well on its way in terms of identity. If anything, this 2015 EP leaves the listener wanting more. Perhaps the band had sensed that the time gap between the previous album and the new EP was getting too long. They may be working on a much bigger project. Regardless, the EP is a satisfying listen and it’s good to hear that the spirit is still there. The thing now is that listeners around this region have their sights set on the band delivering an epic album. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for that. Meanwhile, the EP is available at Bandcamp for the 1 dollar starting price, which is a good reason to check it out and to begin the process of communicating with the band and asking about that full-length album! That’s the hope that the EP has revived, that the follow-up to 2012’s “Burning for the Ancient” is indeed being planned.

If you have an interest in black metal, and atmospheric black metal in particular, spend some time with Addaura today. Get in contact with the band.

www.addaura.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Addaura/117676111578266