Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Lord Almighty-Paths (2016)

One thing that stand out on this album is the rock-like style. Now this isn’t a bad thing , but it's a different sounding.The music could be described as having the characteristics of black metal, though the sound is very rock-like. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It is still black metal, and it’s sound unique, though it has elements of rock in the music.The guitars are fine. They have a unique sound and while nothing special, they suit this album. The vocals are done incredibly well – they have a cold feeling to them and it fits this album fantastically. Drums are good, although a little simplistic at times. There isn’t a constant blast of drums on this album, though considering the sound and tempo of the album, that’s a good thing, enjoy this album; just take it for what it is: an individual album.Overall, Paths is a fantastic album ,  vocals are harsh yet suiting, it has a fair play-time, mind-blowing.A highly recommended purchase.!
www.facebook.com/lordalmightymetal
www.facebook.com/clawhammerpr
lordalmighty.bandcamp.com/album/paths
Review by Paul Caravasi

Crator-The ones who create:The ones who Destroy (2016)

Progressive death metal music. Well, Necrophagist were considered the band that was unique in this genre ( i don't know why) and after the release of this record I believe Crator is not bad at all. This album takes enormous influences from both technical/progressive as well as neoclassical music and the result is complex,to any listeners - you must give this album several chances. Multi-layered guitar parts, odd-time signatures as well as searing shred guitar, this record is full of tricks. The drumming is absolutely perfect and not just mindless blast beats. This is admirable, extremely versatile and doesn't hesitate to slow things down to give the band some breathing space. The bass is very expressive and unlike 90% of death metal records, it's pretty persistent throughout the entire album. This is difficult to absorb. There are so many parts to each song - overlapping guitar pieces and bass interludes - which I can imagine are extremely difficult to play live. Secondly, there is a real emphasis on being as musical (not melodic!) as possible, and focused on being very fast or unpredictable. This is technical music whilst remaining elegant, symphonic, and actually listenable. expect that they continue to release highly musical and dexterous material. Well done!
www.facebook.com/cratorUS
Review by Paul Caravasi

Cropsy Maniac-Further Than Fear (2016)

This record is stunning. It is pure, unbridled cruelty channeled into metal. The production is grimy and haunting; the guitars roar like rusty chainsaws, the bass is vile and well chosen and the vocals are..... we will need a new paragraph to talk about the vocals. Upon listening to this debut album, there is no denying that the sheer subhuman brutality these vocals posses is staggering, and provides an invaluable aesthetic template for extreme metal. It is the riffing that stands out for me. Forget all the fretboard wankery you often hear in modern death metal: what we get here is pure, primitive savagery. There is absolutely no chugging, which is a great thing these days, when every other band seems to prefer to bore us senseless with endless breakdowns, rather than thrashing out like a real metal band should. The riffs, in-fact, have a real flavour of crust punk, as well as the more primitive of death metal bands. The fact that these influences can be so easily discerned is part of what I love about this band. I mean, a lot of new death metal bands can send me to sleep pretty quickly, but this album is barbaric and disgusting. These fkn maniacs create a terrifying symphony of unease and gore. Criminally overlooked and underrated, This album is a must hear for fans of Impetigo, Frightmare, Macabre and death metal and extreme music in general. No wimps allowed!!
www.facebook.com/cropsymaniacgrind
www.facebook.com/deadbeatmedia
Review by Paul Caravasi

Nefarious-Demo Cassette (2016)

I discovered this band a month ago thanks to my friend Franco demoniaco who sent me this demo tape. I don’t know, maybe it’s something about the primordial sound or the guitar, but I love it. Listening it on cassette is pure orgasm for a person like me who worships anything in this genre. They take influences mostly from mighty Venom, Possessed with that Slayer component, essential in giving the thrash metal impact and songwriting. The production is really underground, with that “basement attitude and style” that is great to give this demo a more rare and characteristic touch. The main work is done by the restless guitar, that along the whole demo tape. The riffage is fast, compact and the drums are constantly on raw up tempo. I can only imagine these songs in a live gig…what a massacre! The solos are fast with high pitched whistles and sudden tremolo picking. The vocals are Venom style with a rough tonality that sometimes goes through heavier tones and passages. The traditional metal influences in the guitars and the Venom patterns are so evident. On the other hand, we can find totally worshipping Hellhammer influences as well. All in all, a great debut made of raw but catchy songs with lots influences; showing levels of malevolence that the band will be able to reach again in the future. Brutal as fuck !!
www.facebook.com/NEFARIOUSDEATH
Review by Paul Caravasi