Images of Eden - Count to Zero (official music video)

Today the U.S. traditional prog heavy metal band Images of Eden (1998-present) have their new recording out. Weathered and Torn is a five-song 23-minute EP that follows five previous full-lengths. Below is the video for the first cut from the new EP.

On Facebook the band has posted the following statement. If you like what you hear, visit their Facebook for all the relevant information on obtaining the new recording.

9/16/2022 (Phoenix, AZ)- We are excited to announce our 6th studio release, “Weathered And Torn" (5 song EP) along with our video single, "COUNT TO ZERO". WEATHERED AND TORN is available through Amazon (CD/ Digital) along with all digital download and streaming platforms (Spotify/ Apple Music).

Official statement from the band... "Weathered And Torn” is by far the heaviest, most aggressive Images of Eden release to date. It is our own personal ‘reaction’ to the events that took place over the last few years, specifically with regards to COVID and how it affected our world. We did our best during this time to remain positive and to look for silver linings, but that was not always possible, especially after seeing how many lives have been negatively impacted, leaving wounds and scars that will need to be dealt with for years to come. Many of us were pushed beyond our breaking points, forcing us to “react” adversely, lashing out at each other. Even with a more aggressive delivery, “Weathered And Torn” still retains the signature IOE sound and message. Elements of strength, perseverance and hope for better days are all still at the forefront, but this time there is also an added urgency that we must stay vigilant, bond together and lift each other through darker times. Now go and be somebody’s hero! Change a life! Begin today!

Images of Eden

Weathered and Torn

Pavement Music

September 16th, 2022

1. Count to Zero

2. Survivor’s Guilt

3. Weathered and Torn

4. Coexistence

5. The Dead Me

Images of Eden - Count to Zero

https://www.facebook.com/imagesofeden

Here are some previous videos from the band's earlier recordings, just in case that you may like to hear a bit more from the band before you purchase.

Images of Eden- "Autumn Is Burning" (Official HD Music Video from the album, "Angel Born")

Images of Eden - Fight the Good Fight (Triumph Remake)

Below is the legendary band Triumph (Canada) performing the original song live at the US Festival on Sunday, May 29 Heavy Metal Day with: Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Triumph, Scorpions, and Van Halen.

Triumph Fight The Good Fight US Festival LIVE 1983

Cataphract - traditional black metal in Kansas, U.S.

Cataphract

Coercion and Clairvoyance

Sordid Curse Productions

June 4th, 2021

This Kansas, U.S. traditional black metal band (2017-present) is Hagged (Nick VanWalleghem) on guitars and vocals [ex-Stonehaven]; Jotanar (Dan Johnson) on bass (2018-present) [Varlok, Verräter (live), ex-Stonehaven, ex-Typhon, ex-Mürderhead]; Nolan Weber on drums (2018-present) [Emerald Eye, Garoted, Varlok, Verräter, Vänlade, ex-Typhon, Chafed Taint, Relic]; and Drew Frerking on guitars (2018-present) [Garoted, Varlok, Verräter, ex-Typhon, Chafed Taint, Dr. Fvck, ex-Ritual Combat].

They did a demo in 2017. This here is the full-length; eight full songs in 45 and a half minutes. The songwriting is direct, no-nonsense raging black metal with lunatic, unhinged shrieking vocals, blasting drumming and frenzied tremolo guitar spiraling upwards and downwards, with a sense of hypnosis-inducing maniacal execution. It is not melodic per se, but it results in melodicism through the spiraling guitar. The album starts and next thing you know, it’s over and it’s time to begin again. Bang your head or be in a trance-like state in which the speed is so fast that it is seems to stand still. Awesome.

Coercion and Clairvoyance by Cataphract

Epoch of Unlight - At War with the Multiverse

The U.S. traditional extreme metal act Epoch of Unlight began a long time ago, decades ago, actually, in 1990, under a different name. With this band you never know when the next album will be out because they like to take their sweet time doing things, which is expected, especially as metal musicians get older and get jobs and start families. Anyway, their new album is here this weekend, and it's sounding good. It's ten songs in 43 minutes. They have three songs going on Bandcamp now and it's a good sign of what to expect. I have been listening to the entire album and it's entertaining. They work with the parameters of thrash, death and black metal, and do use melody. Their experience shows in the songwriting because it has the extreme elements but it's not difficult to understand where the songs are going.

Epoch of Unlight

At War With The Multiverse

Dark Horizon Records

16 September 2022

EPOCH OF UNLIGHT "Night Hunt"

At War With the Multiverse by Epoch of Unlight

https://www.facebook.com/EpochOfUnlight/

Confessions of a Traitor - "Punishing Myself Before God Does" (official music video)

This morning I would like to share some videos of new albums. First up is Confessions of a Traitor, a band from the United Kingdom. As you will see from the videos below, which come from the album Punishing Myself Before God Does, it is a melodic groove sound of contemporary metalcore, although perhaps not metalcore as U.S. fans imagine it. This is a midtempo, heavy sound with melody going on the top, and with scream-growl intelligible vocals. It's pretty memorable and also enjoyable. These videos are accurate representations of the entire album as a sound.

Confessions of a Traitor

Punishing Myself Before God Does

Facedown Records

16 September 2022

01 - Punishing Myself Before God Does 4:10

02 - Hearts Of Stone 3:33

03 - Lovecraft 3:44

04 - Forever Hollow ft. Brian Wille 4:03

05 - Peacekeeper 3:22

06 - To Care For Those Who Cared For Us 3:42

07 - The New Holland Haunting 3:12

08 - A Place Where Your Hope Dies 3:24

09 - Death's Door 4:31

10 - TVA 3:59

Confessions Of A Traitor "Lovecraft" Official Music Video

Confessions Of A Traitor "Forever Hollow" (Ft. Brian Wille of Currents) Official Music Video

Confessions of a Traitor "Punishing Myself Before God Does" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

https://www.facebook.com/confessionsofatraitor

Deformatory - brutal blasting death metal in Canada

This is more like it!

This recording hits the ground running. The Canadian duo seems to have begun all the way back in 2008 as Tual-Masok and in 2010 they changed to their current name. They did an EP in 2011 and in 2013 the first full-length, a second album in 2016 and third album in 2021. This brings us to this four-song 16-minute cacophony of blasting brutal death metal. The duo is Charlie Leduc on guitars and growls and Neil Grandy on drums.

Perhaps the main reason it’s good to the ear that it feels like headbanging metal. This band manages to sound like a maniacally possessed total frenzy, but it is also intelligible. That’s probably due to the fact that the guitar work comes from metal music, as opposed to being inspired by free-form jazz, prog or groove/core. The most basic way to explain it is to say that even though this is totally blasting insanity, the listener that pays attention will notice that there is a thrash heritage that is sped up but still tangible.

The band would also like the listeners to know the following about their perspective on making music: “All instruments are real f****** instruments and each can be discerned without the overproduced wall of plugins & tone packs we have unfortunately grown accustomed to hearing today. There is an eerie atmosphere that lurks through-out this album and it can be heard clearly through every string, growl, and cymbal.” To put it plainly, they must be really tired of the big lie in metal music: Metal bands do not use the real work of their drummer. They do not let the people hear what their drummer truly sounds like (and the rest of their music). It is edited and sampled drumming, which essentially is a fancy way of saying programmed drumming. In other words, no human drummer actually played the stuff. Now, how much of this recording is real, live drums? I don’t know if this band is themselves lying. However, I am relaying a message that the band wants metal audiences to know. Personally, I did immediately notice that the drums sounded different on this recording, and not mechanical or plastic.

The vocals are a deep growl, the riffs rush by, and it all may sound like one big loud blur the first time, especially if a person’s ears are not used to these dazzling speeds. However, given that the recording is only four songs and the songwriting is headbanging metal, after a couple of listens, all the pieces fit like a puzzle and you can have yourself a good time with this chaotic hoedown.

Deformatory

Harbinger

13 September 2022

HARBINGER by DEFORMATORY

https://www.facebook.com/Deformatory

Re-Buried - death metal in Washington

Re-Buried (Washington) so far has two recordings: "Demo" (2020) [four songs in 11 minutes] and Deconsecration/Re-Buried (split) (2021) [five songs in some 14 minutes]. Fans of the more cavernous styles of death metal may get a kick out of Re-Buried's two recordings available on Bandcamp. Both of these recordings have a good energy and a solid handle on traditional or classic-style death metal, especially the more primal forms. Of course, the more recent recording has a more experienced sound quality. Either way, the vocals are low, like a monster growling somewhere deep in a cave. The songs tend to gallop forward, with some breaks in the action for some grooving, and then it's back to the headbanging rhythms. Check into this music for some quick death metal satisfaction. Good stuff.

Reburied​/​Deconsecration Split by Re-Buried

Demo 2020 by Re-Buried

Live Burial - traditional death metal in the U.K.

The time for the official release of the new Live Burial (U.K.) album is getting close. In the meantime while waiting for the 23rd of September to arrive, four of the seven songs on the album Curse of the Forlorn are already available for verdict. This is the third album by Live Burial (2012-present). The band has established a reputation for old-school death metal, the type that continues to be relatively popular with U.S. fans of the genre.

Curse of the Forlorn by LIVE BURIAL

https://www.facebook.com/LiveBurial

Defiled Embrace - death doom based in Israel

I missed the boat on this one. The album came out yesterday, but I had not heard it. Anyway, I am listening to it now and I figured that maybe other people might be interested.

It is a solo project by one Matan Kedar, who is associated with other entities in Israel: Achsan, Edellom, Psithurisia, Srefa, Neveloth, ex-Salvation. Apparently, this particular project just begun in 2021, if the information on Metal Archives is to be believed.

Defiled Embrace features deep growling and direct-impact chugging heaviness, and would appeal to audiences that enjoy slow, simple doom-and-gloom heaviness. At the same time, it would be not be accurate to leave the description at that, given the use of some uptempo segments in which the moods change, and the variety works well with the death doom. Lastly, the melodies and melancholy also add a strong attraction for the listener. Thus, it is not monolithic boring doom. There are contrasts that make for an enjoyable listen, and the melody-melancholy on top of the heaviness would be the fundamental reason for sticking around for the entire album, as I have done.

I would not recommend the album as an introduction to death doom to people not familiar with the genre, as it may seem as a tedious genre. However, a listener that is not familiar with death doom but that might want to hear something really slow and heavy, as a listening experience for something different, then perhaps this recording could be interesting. It is a pretty good album, for sure, but it is definitely death doom as its main component.

Whispers of the forest (full album) by Defiled Embrace

https://www.facebook.com/DefiledEmbrace/

Kôr - outstanding black metal in Germany

Kôr

The Horns of Ylmir

November 10th, 2021

Immediately impressive, this album wastes no time in grabbing the black metal listener’s attention. Musically, it is rather traditional: shrieking, howling vocals; tremolo, spiraling guitar work and melodies; and a generally grim-style delivery of the material. Having said, though, there is another side of the coin. A certain sensibility for the epic yet raw execution reaches out for an intellectual or literary feel to the music, given that they say that their lyrics are based on Tolkien. A simple way to describe it is quality melodic-melacholic uptempo/fast black metal. Highly recommended.

This project is Bavragor on drums (2021-present) [Balnasar, Grail, Shores of Ladon, Shroud of Satan, ex-Aigilas, ex-Vindorn (live)] and St. on vocals, guitars, bass (2021-present) [Cold Earth, Fullmoon Lunacy, Grail, Shores of Ladon, Shroud of Satan, Thorybos, ex-Skady (live)]. While some of these other projects are a bit more frenzied than this one, Kôr is more elegant but still intense black metal, just not full 100% raging black metal all the time.

The Horns of Ylmir by Kôr

Vordossa - necro black metal in Sweden

Traditional black metal Vordossa has a single called “Life Begins at the Other Side of Despair” in 2021 and an EP called Death Eternal in 2021. Bandcamp and Metal Archives provide no more information for the personnel, except that this project is supposedly based in Stockholm, Sweden. The single is about four minutes and the EP is two songs in about nine minutes. The single is a midtempo, necro cavernous shrieking composition, with some melodies appearing during the guitar solo. The EP itself presents a contrast in tempo: blasting necro raging black metal. The recording sound quality is that of a demo, in a good way. It’s not fancy, just fierce, enjoyable grim black metal. Recommended for the die-hards.

Life Begins At The Other Side of Despair by VORDOSSA

DEATH ETERNAL​.​.​. by VORDOSSA

Thy Fallen Kingdom - thrash in Singapore

In 2022 the thrash returns in the form of No Remains, an EP by Thy Fallen Kingdom (Singapore). It looks like things were not good for them for some years, given that there was studio silence since 2014's album Fear the Hunter. Could this EP be the sign of a new album on the way in 2023?

According to Metal Archives, the band began in 2002. In the past they have done a couple of EPs and a demo.

Anyway, the new music, which includes a Testament cover, is recommended for thrash fanatics that want to bang their heads. The recording is only three songs, but things are sounding pretty good and on track with their professed devotion to the genre.

No Remains by Thy Fallen Kingdom

Fear The Hunter by Thy Fallen Kingdom

https://www.facebook.com/thyfallenkingdom

Dystopica - Narcissist (official music video)

The contemporary melodic band Dystopica began in 2019 in the state of Connecticut, in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. Metal Archives shows a handful of singles in 2020 and in 2021 and then an EP in 2021. Now in 2022 they have a new EP called Deception. The band is Erich Bender on drums (2019-present), Becky Brideau on vocals (2019-present) and Rob Muller on guitars (2020-present). Check out a couple of videos from said EP. If you enjoy these songs, check their Facebook page for more information on the EP, which is already out, and the multiple ways to get the EP and support this young band.

Dystopica - Narcissist (Official Music Video)

Dystopica - For You (Official Music Video)

https://www.facebook.com/dystopica/

Trial (swe) - Sulphery (official video)

The traditional heavy metal of Trial (Sweden) returned in 2022 with the album Feed the Fire. Below are two videos already published on YouTube. This is their fourth album. The band began in 2007 and they prefer to write their name as Trial (Swe) because, as Metal Archives shows, Trial is the name of a bunch of other bands, not just this one.

These two videos are rather accurate representations of the sound of the album. The band has a style characterized by good guitar playing, in that regard follow the tradition of Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate. The singing is high, although it does not sound exceedingly high in the sense of showing off. The singing and the guitar playing are probably the two elements that will catch people's attention.

The two other Swedish bands that are similar in tradition are Ram and Portrait. Both of those bands make entertaining albums worth of keeping, and both of those bands also radiate a Judas Priest/Mercyful Fate way of making heavy metal. Having said, Trial (Swe) have made an album that is worth exploring in depth, if listeners are interested in that type of guitar-focused, ominous heavy metal with high singing. However, unlike Mercyful Fate, which features some singing that turns people off because it is too weird for them, Trial (Swe) is good singing without any peculiar, horror or strange traits in the singing. On the other hand, the lyrics and imagery have an obscurantist vibe, and some readers that are picky about lyrics may not be impressed with the band's use of the typical metal lyrics that seem to say nothing but do it in a grandiose way that is considered cheesy by some audiences.

Trial (swe) - Sulphery (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Trial - In the Highest (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Feed the Fire by Trial (swe)

https://www.facebook.com/TrialHeavyMetal

Mehul Kanani - traditional/shred in Uganda

Below is some music from the solo work of Mehul Kanani. The last song listed below is from his work with the band Threatening. This is what Metal Archives shows for the solo work:

The Ghosts of Khaosan Single 2020

Firefly Single 2021

Starfall Single 2021

Legacy EP 2021

Metal Archives the following music for the band Threatening:

Inspiration Single 2010

The Traveler Single 2010

On Bandcamp this is the description for Mehul Kanani: "A guitarist with styles ranging from Michael Schenker, Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Weikath, Kai Hanson and Jonas Hanson. Heavily influenced by european metal and japanese guitarists Syu (Galneryus) and Miki Igarashi (Show ya) Mehul is the lead guitarist of Threatening a metal band based in Uganda. The material featured here is his solo work."

TITAN by Mehul Kanani

Still I'm Sad (Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow cover ) by Mehul Kanani

The Ghosts of Khaosan

The Traveller (Remastered) - Threatening (Official Audio)

https://www.facebook.com/mehulkananiguitarist

Raven (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) comes to Everett, WA in October

RAVEN US tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of Wiped Out! We are really looking forward to playing “Wiped Out” in its entirety on this upcoming U.S tour... there’s a few songs on the album we never got to ever play live so that’s gonna be a blast!!!! Support from @riotactband

MON, OCT 3 AT 7 PM

Raven with Riot Act at Tony V's

1716 Hewitt Avenue, Everett, 98201, US

Raven- Wiped Out (FULL ALBUM) 1982

https://raventhrash.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/ravenbandofficial

https://www.facebook.com/events/1090054025269889/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D

Throne of the Black Moon - traditional black in Washington state, U.S.

Both Bandcamp and Metal Archives show that Washington state, U.S. black metal Throne of the Black Moon has published the following works.

Throne of the Black Moon (EP 2019)

The Lunar Plague (EP 2019)

Upon the Altar of Wrath (full-length 2021)

The album is seven songs in about 53 minutes. The sound is traditional, headbanging black metal with grim vocals and fast, uptempo riffing, a type of guitar work that at times shows a certain thrash heritage, plenty of tremolo, a bit of subtle melody and some more melody during the guitar solos. The bass is very audible, and it works well with the drumming. The rhythm section goes fast and then can launch into blasting, frenzied segments. At some spots they allow some breathing room with some valleys, but overall the speed of choice is headbanging metal. Throne of the Black Moon provides traditional black metal in a way that avoids time-wasting or meandering elements. Audiences that would be interested in focused, on-point songwriting in this genre may see this album to be to their liking. In addition, the good quality of the recording makes the songs come across well and it makes the album in general be comprehensible. The listener will have a clear idea as to the objective or direction of Throne of the Black Moon.

Upon The Altar Of Wrath by Throne Of The Black Moon

Eaten by Sharks - Dead Weight (official music video) [deathcore from Canada]

The Canadian sailors first announced their shipwreck in 2013 when they had to throw overboard some heavy cargo that was endangering their trip. They left the flotsam called We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat, but were still lost at sea for five years until 2022 when they made it to shores of Ontario once again. This time they brought back something called Eradication, which contains stories of their adventures at sea.

When will they do a cover of "Baby Shark"?

EATEN BY SHARKS - DEAD WEIGHT [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO] (2022)

Eradication by Eaten by Sharks

https://www.facebook.com/eatenbysharksband

Upon Shadows - new music in 2022 [gothic extreme in Finland]

Finland-based gothic extreme duo Upon Shadows is hinting at a possible new album in the near future with a couple of singles in 2022. "Virtus Dormitiva" (see below) is a 2022 song. Below is their 2020 recording called Encuentro. For an additional and longer expression of their gothic extreme check out their 2019 album Modern Obscurantism. The duo began in Uruguay in South America and since 2013 they have been based in Finland.

Might a new full-length be on the way in 2022 or 2023?

Virtus Dormitiva by Upon Shadows

Encuentro by Upon Shadows

Modern Obscurantism by Upon Shadows

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063636974177

Death Scythe - Killer Faith (official music video) [Mexican melodeath]

"Killer Faith" is a song from the 2022 album Killing For Pleasure Forever by Mexican melodeath Death Scythe. The album is a re-recording of their 2009 debut album Killing For Pleasure. They had been active from 2003 to 2009 and then ended. They returned in 2018 and in 2020 recorded their sophomore work Descending into Xibalba (10 songs in 42 minutes). The new version is meant to be a clearer, beter recording, which is safe to say that it is, as one would expect, with all the experience that has been accumulated in two decades.

The album might be the most enjoyable for the die-hard audiences that think fondly of 1990s Swedish melodeath, as this Mexican group is devoted to capturing the sound of that style as it was conceived in the earlier period of its rise in Europe.

DEATH SCYTHE - Killer Faith

Killing for Pleasure Forever by Death Scythe

https://www.facebook.com/DeathScytheMetal

Anthea - melodic prog power from California, U.S.

Anthea

Tales Untold

August 26th, 2022

Rockshots Records

Anthea (2015-present) has an EP in 2017, the debut album in 2020, and this new one (10 songs in 45 minutes). The California, U.S. band features, broadly speaking, a type of melodic songwriting that relies on the groove and keyboards for the skeleton of the tunes, while pushing to the forefront the guitar solos and especially the singing to make it memorable for the listener. The melodic singing is in the male midrange/upper midrange; melodic, strong, pleasant, without annoying traits. There are some higher passages, but they are brief, not abundant and with the voice controlled. The music is a balance between melodic, prog and rocking. It is not headbanging, but it’s not super proggy. Al the songs stay within 3-5 minutes. Most importantly, the songs have hooks and should not need more than a couple of listens to reveal themselves. On the other hand, they use some growling as a secondary vocal element, and here and there, the band launches into some headbanging moments, melodeath moments.

As is, the album is a strong statement and audiences into bands like Evergrey, Kamelot or Symphony X would enjoy it, one would think. The differences might be two: Anthea certainly sounds more youthful than those bands; and the second issue is the growling, which those other bands do not use as a part of their overall sound. Trivia: The last song is called “In Time,” a very nice Robbi Rob cover, the song from 1989’s Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

The album can go from mellow or melancholic songs like “Memoriam” and “In Time” to uptempo material like “Empyrean.” That’s a wide spectrum, especially for people not used bands with such a range of songs. Picky listeners opposed to metal with a pop music production will probably not like the synth/keyboards-happy neosymphonics. The drum sounds will not impress those strict listeners, either, given the soft, flaccid, plastic feel of the drum sampling/programming. The last potential problem is the growling. It is melodeath growling, and audiences against all growling will most likely not approve. In truth, the band would sound just fine without the growling, including for the fast, headbanging segments, which can be carried by the strength of the melodic voice (Can the singer carry these tunes for real in a concert or is it auto-tune/effects?). If the band were to eliminate the growling (which is competent), their appeal, with the right marketing, would open up considerably, as demonstrated by their cover of “In Time,” which is better than the original if the listener prefers a more ro-bust voice with more horsepower, as it were, and also with more energy.

1. Tales Untold 04:09

2. Ascendence 03:21

3. Song for Winter 04:03

4. The Deceiver 05:11

5. Sapiens 05:29

6. Memoriam 04:13

7. Looking Glass 04:15

8. Empyrean 04:02

9. Sunder Heart 04:53

10. In Time (Robbi Rob cover) 05:33

45:09

Anthea - In Time

ANTHEA - Tales Untold (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

ANTHEA - Empyrean (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

https://www.facebook.com/antheametal/

Varlok - raging, traditional black metal from Kansas, U.S.

Varlok

Nefarious Arts of the Necromage

October 1st, 2021

Even though this is a debut full-length (eight songs in 35 minutes) (and Metal Archives and Bandcamp show no previous recordings), the music proves to be the work of an experienced squad. The sound quality and execution of the headbanging, traditional black metal leave no doubt. This Kansas, U.S. band is the sound of what traditional black metal is all about. True and fast, grim and necro, Varlok should be on the agenda of audiences looking for no-nonsense, classic-style black metal built for banging your head. The harsh, shrieking vocals; the frenetic drumming; and spiraling style of the guitar work all contribute to the traditional sound, which the band carries out in a skilled manner. Readers might like to know that this is not a one-person project nor a demo-level recording. Rather, the band consists of musicians with at least 10 years of experience in bands in their region of the country: Jotanar on bass and vocals [Cataphract, Verräter (live), ex-Stonehaven, ex-Typhon, ex-Mürderhead]; Ghargoyle on drums [Cataphract, Emerald Eye, Garoted, Verräter, Vänlade, ex-Typhon, Chafed Taint, Relic]; Beithir on guitars; and Strigoi on guitars [Cataphract, Garoted, Verräter, ex-Typhon, Chafed Taint, Dr. Fvck, ex-Ritual Combat]. A satisfying listen.

Nefarious Arts of the Necromage by Varlok

https://m.facebook.com/varlokblackmetal/

Deconsecration - cavernous death in Washington state, U.S.

Behold the Washington state cavernous death of unmelodic, simplistic low-growling barbarity. The first demo is from 2020 and a live recording in 2020 (six songs in 26 minutes), and in 2021 a split with fellow Washington reptiles Re-Buried. They have a new song in 2022 called “Buried under the House.” Along with song titles like “Dissected to Death,” this band won’t be writing lyrics telling you to “make sure you vote,” “rescue our democracy,” read the news or reduce the amount of water that you use in your 37-minute shower of growling along to Autopsy and Mortician. The best representation of their sound so far is the previously mentioned split (four songs by Deconsecration). Looking forward to more from these knuckle-dragging zombies. Trivia: Check out their best impression tribute to Obituary’s art of the cave voice. Deconsecration begins “Priestess of the Void” in the same way that Obituary ends “Infected” going into “Body Bag.” Good job, Deconsecration. Good effort on the art of the voice of the cave of death.

Crypt Lurker by deconsecration

Deconsecration​/​Re​-​Buried split by Deconsecration/Re-buried

https://www.facebook.com/deconsecrationseattle/

Rave in Fire - melodic, classic-style heavy metal from Spain

Rave in Fire

Sons of a Lie

April 8th, 2022

On Bandcamp there is a 2018 EP before this 2022 full-length (eight songs in 36 minutes). Metal Archives shows that the band is Jaime "Jimi" Susanna on drums, Jonjo Negrete on guitars, Sara Carretero on bass, and Selene Perdiguero on vocals. This melodic, uptempo heavy metal from Madrid, Spain may be a very good discovery for listeners looking for some catchy, rocking songwriting. Direct, uptempo and with good singing, the songs don’t need much to be remembered because they are written to hit the ground running with galloping rhythms, some shredding and plenty of rocking, melodic soloing. The band itself names Judas Priest, Dokken, Dio and Warlock as reference points. Their Dio-Dokken assessment is right on. The music is bass, drums, guitar and vocals. Therefore, it is easy to hear everything, including the guitar work and the good singing. One advantage for the band is that the songs remain uptempo and efficient. Here and there, there are some slower segments, but they are brief, and do not bog down the songs. The last song is more of a power ballad, but not a cheesy love song. Unfortunately, this drum sampling/programming sounds artificial and soft. Anyway, this is music for audiences looking for melodic songs with wide appeal, from the grandparents to the children, including as gateway metal for children. The lyrics are available on Bandcamp. I have not found the lyrical stupidity (cursing, horror, glorification of violence and other low-IQ buffoonery) that might make this inappropriate for kids and general audiences. In that respect, credit to the band for not shooting themselves in the foot.

Sons of a Lie by Rave In Fire

https://www.facebook.com/raveinfire/

Intent - Victims of Conquest (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Intent

Exile

26 August 2022

Arizona, U.S. thrashers Intent (2016-present) lay out frenetic, shredding guitar work, with a bit melody in some places. Generally, it is the type of wrist-breaking intensity that starts movement and action amongst the listeners. Vocally, it is an intelligible semi-growl scream, similar to classic Sepultura from 1987 to 1993. The recording is rowdy, headbanging and sounds like gritty thrash. The band has its feet firmly planted in the riffing of aimed at the moshing, headbanging lunatics, the same as the band.

What is thrash in 2022? Intent answers that question with this, their second album. Here and there, the speed decelerates a smidge for some midtempo-uptempo segments. Lastly, some people have observed that the drum work sounds different from weak drum sound prevalent in sampled/programmed drumming in metal music. Listen for yourself and see what you think of Intent’s toxic waltz of an album.

Intent - Victims of Conquest (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Exile by Intent

Vox Populi by Intent

Intent Full Set - Live At Come And Take It Live Austin TX 12/9/21

https://www.facebook.com/Intentbandaz/

Tyrants of Chaos - OFFICIAL VIDEO - Slay the Hostages

Below is the video for "Slay the Hostages" by traditional heavy metal band Tyrants of Chaos (Canada). The track comes from their third album Relentless Thirst for Power released on 19 August 2022. As you can hear, bands like Judas Priest are influences in their direct, headbanging style of songwriting, certainly in the vocals. The music is a type of chunky, heavy grooving combined with traditional riffs, for sound that is more contemporary, as opposed to straighforward retro or vintage. If you like the song, perhaps you may really enjoy checking out the entire album that is up on Bandcamp.

Tyrants of Chaos - OFFICIAL VIDEO - Slay the Hostages

Relentless Thirst for Power by Tyrants of Chaos

https://www.facebook.com/tyrantsofchaos/

Splintered Throne - classic-style heavy metal from Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Splintered Throne

The Greater Good of Man

19 August 2022

The Portland, Oregon, U.S. classic-style band has been rolling out the albums since 2014: two studio works (2014, 2017) and a live one (2019). They are a veteran act and members have been doing music for decades in this and other entities. On this third studio album they have a new singer, Lisa Mann, replacing the original singer Brian Garrison. The new music provides rockers and anthems as the foundation, and some slower segments, everything that traditional, melodic heavy metal is supposed to deliver. The guitar playing is perfect for this style, with a solid, audible rhythm section; the soloing is very good, as is the singing. The recording sounds professional (not like a demo recording). The drum sound is not flaccid nor mechanical, which should please audiences tired of the pop rock drum sound in metal (I hope the band is actually using their human drummer’s real drum work!). The singing is a bit of a strange story, you see. Lisa Mann, a blues musician whose work I do not know enough to comment on intelligently, first came to my attention with White Crone, a cool project with which she manifested her love of metal in 2020, including a Venom cover. White Crone has also done a cover of Rainbow’s “Stargazer”. I mention these covers for a reason: Lisa Mann, according to Wikipedia, is a blues musician who has won a bunch of awards and has at least five studio albums. It turns out that her voice fits heavy metal splendidly. The singing voice has no annoying qualities. It is not nasal, not thin, and not showing off with irritating unnecessary high screams. It is strong but also melodic, a naturally pleasant, ear-friendly mature traditional heavy metal voice. When the voice goes higher, it does not peter out. Rather, it remains strong throughout. What a difference it makes when heavy metal is executed properly with strong singing.

Splintered Throne is professional-minded, serious heavy metal with melody, and good singing worth remembering.

The Greater Good of Man by Splintered Throne

https://www.facebook.com/splintered.throne

Hatemonger - death grind from Chicago, U.S.

Hatemonger

The Vile Maxim

April 16th, 2021

1.Perpetual War 03:31

2.Death Age 05:44

3.Famine Driven Thirst 04:01

4.Plague for Days 04:41

5.Disinformation Campaign 04:24

total time 22:21

The Illinois, U.S. death squad Hatemonger enters Metal Archives with this five-song 22-minute recording. Bouncing between uptempo brutality and blazing speeds, the contrast keeps the highs high, with a few well-placed high valleys to remind the listener to appreciate the differences. The Chicagoland band does a good job of keeping a heavy but uptempo, downtuned guitar buzzsaw speed, including blasting. Certainly, fans of no-nonsense, headbanging extremity should consider finding out what this recording has to offer. It is not melodic, but it is also not technical nor prog, which means that the energy and the solid songwriting keeps the moshing listener entertained. The vocals are rather low, a bit more like a cavernous style, as is the whole recording. However, it does not sound like a no-experience-no-money bedroom death grind demo, and there is a level of seriousness and professionalism that is easy to notice. Fans of downtuned buzzsaw guitar and blasting may want to turn their steering wheels towards Hatemonger.

The Vile Maxim

by Hatemonger

https://www.facebook.com/hatemonger.band

Exaltation - cavernous death from New Zealand

Exaltation

Under Blind Reasoning

July 29th, 2022

Sentient Ruin Laboratories

New Zealand knuckle dragger brutes Exaltation decided to show up in 2022 with their debut full-length, with eight tracks in 31 minutes. Metal Archives shows nothing else besides a 2017 demo. They generally prefer shorter songs for the low-tuned, low-growling minimalistic cavernous concoction of doom, death and blast barbarity. It is not a complex cacophony of multiple layers that require repeated attempts at exegesis. I listen to this because apparently the thick dumb sound of blasting death doom goes perfectly with my simple-minded way of appreciating a racket. I’m not sure that my neighbors are enjoying the Exaltation hullaballoo blasting out of my apartment window as much as I am, but what am I supposed to do on a hot summer day with no air conditioning?! I have to have the window open, sit around drinking ice-cold tea and listen to Exaltation so that I do not drop dead in a hot smelly Lynnwood apartment.

This band is unmelodic, uncatchy fugly savagery, and only people like you could ever enjoy this “music.” You know how society has this stereotype that metal music is just loud noise? Yeah, well, it’s a stereotype for a reason. The name of the reason is Exaltation.

Gosh, this is awful stuff. I want more of it.

Under Blind Reasoning by EXALTATION

https://www.facebook.com/exaltationnz/

Amon Amarth - new album, new tour, Seattle included

Amon Amarth

The Great Heathen Army

Metal Blade Records

5 August 2022

Studio album number 12 from the hard-working Swedish band (1988-1992 as Scum; 1992-present as Amon Amarth) surely means that they are about to head out on road again. Their sound was more along the lines of death metal until their third album The Crusher in 2001, but with 2002’s Vs the World they went for galloping rhythms, while keeping the vocals growled and the guitar heaviness but with less speed. Their resulting blend worked very well as they became devoted to touring as much as possible in their quest to be successful. They achieved their goal.

Priding themselves on being consistent, making small changes for every album, these Swedes have their own way of doing things. If you are new to the band, expect quality and carefully crafted catchy songs, almost like heavy metal with good, deep, gentle growling, with strains of both melodic death and black metal, in a subtle way. On the other hand, if you already are familiar with their albums, grab something to drink or snack, and let the music play. It’s more like an extension, a continuation of the sound in the form of nine songs in 43 minutes.

They get criticized for not being true death metal and for not changing enough from album to album. Well, the band’s response could be the same as AC/DC’s Angus Young, “I’m sick to death of people saying we’ve made 11 albums that sound exactly the same. In fact, we’ve made 12 albums that sound exactly the same.” (Plus, if you want true death metal, there are tons of maggot zombie-themed brutal bands in your own town playing on Tuesday night at the local bar and each year at your local American “Brutality Zombie Deathfest” with pig squeals, cupped microphone vocals and breakdowns.) However, the drum sound on this recording is typical of the contemporary sampled/programmed drum sound: flat, mechanical, sanitized and soft. The listener cannot hear the cool noisy craftmanship that you hear while listening to an actual drummer playing the drum set, whether in rehearsal or at a show.

To conclude, it’s been an awesome career and the story continues. It’s not easy to last 30 years playing metal; and yes, they are going out on tour and will be coming to Washington state again (12/12 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo). Trivia: There is here a song called “Saxons and Vikings” and guess who they invited to do the melodic singing? Biff Byford from Saxon, of course.

The Great Heathen Army by Amon Amarth

https://www.facebook.com/amonamarth/

Versus the World by Amon Amarth

The Crusher by Amon Amarth