MotherSloth-Moribund Star (2014)

‘Moribund Star’ contains within its smelly and mildewed tomb one of the most beautifully strange songs in the world of metal, the emotion in their instrumental cd is acrobatic as well. As metal’s eternal underachiever you can sense that the storm clouds are never far from this band. Perhaps one reason I find MotherSloth interesting is their heavy/stoner sound, this is an unfailing album, it doesn’t assume that it can simply earn its keep by being doom or stoner for the sake of it. Songs like ‘Dry Tears’ and the only one with lyrics use strange brisk melodic guitars and 70s style middle eights that you wouldn’t normally associate with doom metal. Another issue of importance is the variation in these five songs and it is very enjoyable. The music probably sounds dated to those used to the extremities of modern metal, but for fans of doom metal, Black Sabbath, stoner rock or just that old 'vintage' crunch, MotherSloth from Madrid -Spain is one band to check out.
www.facebook.com/MotherSloth
Review by Paul Caravasi

Steel Prophet-Omniscient (2014)

Steel Prophet continued their heavy metal crusade started a while ago to save the heavy metal music in United states and wipe away the plague which affected it in 90's. Posers were shocked because of the attention this band got, and they started hating on them. But did they stop Steel Prophet? No fucking way. This studio album is a killer classic heavy/power metal machine made of cool songs with ground-shaking drum work, raw, classic and heavy riffs and some well-placed power chords, orgasmic melodic lead guitars, fast, tasty, unique and technical demanding guitar solos, soaring vocals, catchy refrains and well-written lyrics. 911 belongs to this group of fast songs, it's  excellent like the others, it has memorable riffs, leads, guitar solo, it's really enjoyable very good song, bad-ass. The album artwork perfectly represents this new progressive heavy metal album called "Omniscient". Of course they were not the only band formed a few years ago which actually played heavy metal music, but not many other bands did it the way Steel Prophet did. Some 80's bands started to bend, and tried to adjust the mallcore trends like groove, industrial, -core, nu etc. I like to see and hear bands representing the way to keep heavy metal alive, Stronger Than All is the path we need to follow - you can say whatever you want, we don't give a fuck etc. Just pure fucking heavy metal, that's all you can get from Steel Prophet. This release is highly recommended for every metalhead, and metalhead only. Cool stuff!
www.facebook.com/SteelProphetOmniscient
www.cruzdelsurmusic.com
www.facebook.com/clawhammerpr
Review by Paul Caravasi

Aqueronte-Aquerontiis Pabulum (2012)

This album marks a highlight in the career of this band: a devastating benchmark for other black metal bands to try to live up to. In fact, I think they have perfected their BM attack.This album is all about war and destruction. In the meantime, Aqueronte relentlessly attacks again and again, with burning, lacerating, squealing guitars, the overwhelming crush of deep bass fuzz rumblings, and the drummer's machine-like snare precision. The drums on this album are one of the highlights: blast mania, insane hyperspeed blur tempos that will make your eyes roll back in your head,vocals are rabid Satanic screams and bloodthirsty. The secret to listening to Black metal bands is the use of headphones. I can't stress enough the importance of paying close attention to the riffs and breaks in the songs. They have always been given production standards that remove the harsh distorted edge off the guitar. This is what makes people claim all BM songs are the same - but they aren't, listen closer and you'll see. So what makes this Aqueronte album special? The sheer epic brutality of it all, and the mind numbing speed. This is a new kind of black metal - I don't see this style really claiming any antecedents, especially from the Norwegian camps, and This is a documentation of a band at the height of their devastating powers. This is Black metal from Brazil!
www.facebook.com/pages/AQUERONTE/244737548921498
www.facebook.com/KadaxAzuhos
Review by Paul Caravasi

Aggressive-Predator's Arrival (2011)

Right, simply said we have got the Colombian version of M.O.D here. A bad thing? No, of course not. Nothing wrong with having more bands influenced by that yummy crossover. This band is from Southamerica and i like it even more. And you get my meaning I assume. It is a pretty complete album, incorporating everything you expected and hoped for. So all you could complain about was predictability, but not about the quality. This album will kick your ass, if you like SOD,MOD, DRI, Suicidal Tendencies, find this cd right now, it's Pretty cool!!
www.aggressive.com.co
www.facebook.com/aggressivethrash
www.brutalized.co
Review by Paul Caravasi

Barrabas-The Arrival Of Yog-Sothoth (2013)

Barrabas from Brazil brings this brutal cd with insane drumming and raw vocals in the vein of the savage Sarcofago, the metal riffs permeate the fabric of this album, this is a fast album and it focuses purely on brutal riffs.This album would certainly destroy you. The production on this album is very good, as mentioned it feels like a Southamerican black/death metal record. The album should ship with sticker emblazoned on the front cover "This is so fuckin' southamerican mean metal". Nyarlathotep Records did an excellent job with the production on this album. Also to add to the peculiarity of this release it actually has a much superior production than the trinity of black metal bands from Norway released in the early 90's. Barrabas is for extreme people and underground headbangers, for fans of Sarcofago, Vulcano, Mayhem, Immortal, Hellhammer, among others of that ilk. It's just a perfect cd. If you're a black and death metal fan; then "The Arrival Of Yog-Sothoth" is for you.
www.facebook.com/KadaxAzuhos
http://nyarlathoteprecords.yolasite.com
Review by Paul Caravasi

Bloodsoaked-Religious Apocalypse (2014)

Bloodsoaked's atonal riffing style that emerged during their mid-period is still here in spades. The leads have a slicing, modern sheen to them, abrasive roars are quite potent, and the sporadic inclusion of the more raspy yowls add some variety to the vocalist approach. After a short burst of percussive riffs, the song "Abomination" opens up in earnest and delivers the goods. The drum programming is all over the place, throwing excessive fills and workmanlike blasting together in a boiler. The end result is one of the more accessible and potent tracks on this cd. That isn't to say the rest of the album lacks potency, but 4 live songs and it also features 2 covers , believe it or not Cinderella's "Shake Me" and Ratt's  "You're in Love", this is more like a compilation album . I must say that this new release is not bad at all, but i hope Bloodsoaked release a full lenght album next time instead of covers and live recordings.
www.bloodsoaked.net
www.facebook.com/bloodsoaked666
www.comatosemusic.com
Review by Paul Caravasi

Devangelic-Resurrection Denied (2014)

Now if that isn't a rally call to true, underground metal, I don't know what the fuck is. The album title alone could very well be evil as all hell. The first track kicking off with a rather grandiose riff, that builds into a heavy chug, before a furious barrage of double bass and flesh grinding riffs tear you apart, this song demonstrates Devangelic's ability to build a song. And indeed, it passes through all sorts of moods, all of them being very, very pissed off. Well, "Crown of entrails" is the fastest track on here, with pummelling riffs and nasty drumming coming in at you from all angles.The drums on here, especially, don't sound triggered. Hell, even the guitars have a ripping sound with a minimum of special effects. This gives the album a very badass sound. Very death metal, and very underground. Death metal from Italy!
www.facebook.com/devangelic.official
www.comatosemusic.com
Review by Paul Caravasi

Centralia-Grimoire (2014)

The cover art to  black metal albums say so much about the music within, the cover is obscure and esoteric. This album make you feel like you’re in the middle of a blizzard being lost deep in the woods late at night. This recording is fairly raw, with the guitars having a somewhat muddy tone; while they could use a little more edge, they still have sufficient clarity. The riffs express haunting inflections of anger. The bass is solid, clear and bouncy. The vocals are wild and uninhibited, "Grimoire" demonstrates that Centralia"s skills are more diverse and dynamic than many might expect. Believe it or not this is Black Metal from new jersey!
www.facebook.com/centralia666
www.bornofchaosrecords.com
Review by Paul Caravasi

Ominous-You Created Tragedy (2014)

Pure evilness and worship to the shadows, it’s the soundtrack of fucking hell. It condenses the sorrow and pain of a long lost soul and turns it into music just for humanity to hear and witness the real depths of horror. There isn’t a hint of hope or light on any note Ominous play. Technical and syncopated but somehow they managed to throw brutality in it, slowing the pace sometimes, which make things much more memorable too. This is not applied to the riffs though, that is still fast and frantic. Slow passages bedizen their rapid and brutal brand of death metal and they may come in suddenly, drastic tempo changes are present everywhere. The quality of the recording is ok, not as today’s bass flooded heavy productions, more dismal and mid range oriented. Their abrasive sound is very dynamic, heavy notes and harmonics sound brighter and nostalgic, their palm muted riffs: merciless and rougher, the growling, particularly evil and low pitched but still clear enough to understand the lyrics shows no pity for the credulous, Jay Meerholz beats the shit out of the drums… a fantastic death metal drummer, you can hear his exquisite technique on the bass drums, how fluid and even each strike goes after another. His arms are solid too, the amount and quality of drum fills in every song is insane. In other words Vic Gonzalez and Alex Rosati do a brutal job as well. This is Death metal from new jersey!
www.facebook.com/Ominousnation
www.bornofchaosrecords.com
Review by Paul Caravasi

Espiritu De Hierro-Ep 2014

In a more stoner direction than the previous album, this Ep still a great recording. The mood is definitely stoner rock and brighter for the most part, especially on the first track, from the second song is where the music gets more ponderous. This Ep features only 4 tracks and it's a remarkable sense of adventure and willingness towards creativity.
www.facebook.com/ironrecords
Review by Paul Caravasi

Gravehill-Death Curse

It doesn't matter what style of music you're talking about, nothing beats a good tune. Over the years I've heard many bands. However, they were pretty damn fast and would certainly be considered extreme in the underground world. Gravehill plays a style of brutal blackened death/thrash  metal very much their own. This band possesses one of the thickest sounds in thrash. And when it came to songwriting these guys are simply incredible. Stylistically, Gravehill has similarities to bands like Venom, Possessed, early Hallow's Eve, a bit of Nasty Savage, Sarcofago, Autopsy,etc... They play a style of thrash with little influences of hardcore punk as well, In reality though, they truly have a sound all their own. Much of this has to do with their tremendously well-written and catchy songwriting. These guys know how to use catchy choruses and hooks to their benefit without ever sounding remotely poppy. Vocalist Mike Abominator has one of the most badass vocal deliveries of all time and one which is very unique for this style . Very punked out and delivered with tons of attitude, his raspy, spitfire style growl is timeless and inimitable. The musicianship on "At hell's command" is also superb, awesome leads, and heavy duty riffage, kick ass bassist , yet killer and dynamic rhythm attack, and drumming is wicked and tight, all add up to make "Death curse" one of the most powerful and fun thrash cds of all-time and an album which will sound very fresh for a long time. It's just such a well thought-out cd and each song is highly memorable to the point where the tunes will get stuck in your head. I couldn't imagine anyone who is a Death/thrash fanatic not having "Death curse" in their collection. Simply put: it's fuckin' awesome!!
www.facebook.com/gravehill
www.darkdescent.com
Review by Paul caravasi