Chris Forbes’s Metal Reviews #7
Not a ton of reviews this time round as I was focusing on doing lots of interviews and stuff and hopefully the next round after this there will be more. I will say this, I have been getting more better promos from labels lately, which the bands making the rounds are better than say last year. One thing I will say with all this free downloading and shit, please go out and see bands when they are touring ok. Keep those horns up and I'll see ya next time
BONEHUNTER – Dark Blood Reincarnation System
(Hells Headbangers)
Nothing really special to get excited over on this. Average at best death/black metal with tired and recycled riffs and song structures that have been done to death and that pretty much bored me. If this had come out in 1987 or 1988 it would be a different story, but we are in 2021 and this style and playing has been done to death and then some. Someone young to the scene may find this of value, but to me, it’s been there and done that.
MORBID MESSIAH – Disgorged in the Coffin
(Chaos Records)
This isn’t bad, but I didn’t like the really low screams of generic death metal, but other than that his vocals are just fine. The music is low tuned straight forward no-frills death metal in the vein of Immolation and Incantation and the likes. The production has that old school style and not a modern feel which was cool. The chugging guitar crunch will have the death metal fan inside smiling. Check out their YouTube video for a sample song >>>>
HellAndBack – A Thousand Years
(Pure Steel Records)
This is heavy metal with a more emphasis on power metal at times and older power metal is not the style that passes for power metal haha these days. The singer has a fantastic set of pipes like Blitz from Overkill a bit and Mike Howe (RIP) from Metal Church. They have a bit of a progressive sound within the solos parts of the band, but that is no biggie to me. This is old school power thrash and it is played the right way too. Worth checking out.
Rotted Through – /The_Depths
(Self Released)
Super low squealed death metal with groove metal. You all know how I feel about groove slam death metal and I hate it with a passion and this band fits the bill of that kind of band. The drum sound is horrible with that trigger sounds and just that dancy death metal sound is just not for me that’s for sure.
ANOMALY – Planet Storm
(Self-Release)
The problem with this death metal band is they try to be too fancy in their solos and stuff and to me it took away from the music. The music is fast, pounding death metal, but when the solos kicked in I frowned. Guys quit trying to be so technical and just let the music flow and you weren’t bad and don’t sound like every other generic death metal band out there. Maybe they figure it will make them stand out, they do, but to me in a bad way. The music is bone-crushing and the singer is totally good as well.
SEEDS OF PERDITION – Suffering Of The Dead
(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions) This is simple, but well-formed death metal that just hits the spot. The riffs are big time catchy and the vocals totally rule as well. This is just a pure death metal delight to me. This band doesn’t try to be the fastest of the most down-tuned band they just play their death metal the way they see fit and I really enjoyed this as it was different than most of the other death metal bands making the rounds these days too.
VISERION – Natural Selection
(Self-Released)
Same ole black metal myself and anybody who hears this will attest too. Same ole pick riffing riffs and screaming vocals that mean nothing to me and the singer sings with no feeling I’m afraid. This band needs to go back to the drawing board and work on their songwriting ability and write something memorable guys not the same ole black metal stuff.
SACRIFIXION – Shower Me in Death (7″ EP)
(Hells Headbangers)
This will take you back to the good ole days of the underground. Disgusting riffing from hell, putrid vocals, raw production, but this band rips out these tunes with a ton of feeling. Think mid 80’s death/thrash with a sick punishing sound that does not let up These 3 guys will slice and dice you to pieces on this. This is like finding an ole long lost demo from 1987 and popping it and this comes blaring out. Fuck yeah this is what underground metal is.
NUNSLAUGHTER – Red is the Color of Ripping Death
(Hells Headbangers)
Nunslaughter has been around since 1987 and so many releases it’s not funny and they mostly do splits and 7″, but here we have a brand new full length from the band. They still deliver total old school graveyard sounding death metal with razor-sharp riffing and pounding speed. Vocals are from the pits of hell and the production is crushing and it is being locked away with Leatherface and you haha. These guys and a few others constantly deliver the goods and this is a must-have for ANY death metal fan new or old.
HATEMONGER – The Vile Maxim
(Redefining Darkness Records)
An EP from this Chicago, IL-based band. This is Swedish death metal Entombed style and it isn’t bad for what it is, but this isn’t anything much different from what Entombed (early haha only), Dismember, and all the other Entombed clone bands from years ago. I did enjoy this to a point and some of the newer fans of death metal would easily enjoy this more than old-timers I can tell ya that.
KNIFE – Knife
(Dying Victims)
Wow, this was a surprise. This is a mixture of old school metal, with a touch of thrash and then you have the screaming vocals of the singer, which took me about a song to get into, but by then I was loving him as he fit the music. Sort of like Dan from Exciter at times. Razor-sharp riffs and razor-sharp sounds and a garage-like production with the music worked fine with me. This will just pound into you and pound you some more and this is like a breath of fresh air music-wise as well. Check these guys out for something a bit cool and different.
EVILSPELL – Padre Vostro
(Blasphemous Records)
Damn this sound and voice take me back to Kreator’s Endless Pain era and also in the production as well. The singer sounds a ton like Mille and I also detect a little Destruction in the mix as well and Sodom. The feeling on this is just a pure blast of total old, old school German thrash metal that I fuckin loved. I was totally feeling it on this and they just totally just smash my brains in. Those riffs and speed and fury just won me over easily. A pure thrash attack.
(Self Released)
This to me is just average at best death metal. They play Swedish style death metal with low growls and the high pitch screams as well. The tunes just don’t have that killer or crushing hooks to get me hooked and to start nodding or staying “fuck yeah”, no in this case as with so many other bands, it’s a case of heard it all before can you bring something to my dinner table. I know some people get mad at me with my reviews, but this to me isn’t a bad band, but it is something I have heard so many times before unfortunately. Info:
DEAD SOUL ALLIANCE – Behind the Scenes
(Bitter Loss)
Now, these my friends are how death metal should be done and sound. Just bone crushing razor-sharp riffing with plenty of speed and intensity to match. Vocals that are growled (naturally) and are sung with feeling dammit. This will hit you like a ton of bricks and knock you over into oblivion. The songs are catchy too and the neck of your will be moving and any death metal fan will do jump through hoops of fire for this. A pure masterpiece of pure death.
VENEFIXION – A Sigh From Below
(Iron Bonehead)
Oh, do I love this big time. Just a whipping whirlwind of frantic and bone-crushing death metal with thrash mixed in as well. This is no-frills go for your throat death metal with bits and pieces of old school speed metal thrown in the blender. Vocals are growls of death and are sung with feeling and sound great on this. This will throw down on the ground and pound and pound more until you are beaten and battered and torn. Raise the flag of metal for these warriors as they keep the spirit alive.
