Angst Skvadron "Sweet Poison" Agonia Records This is definitely starting to take shape as a very good band. I thought their debut had a lot of potential, but it wasn´t turned into perfection, and only portions of their potential came off as good. This, their second one, is one step further in the right direction. Angst Skvadron have something unique brewing, something that not only sounds good but also have it´s very own aura of sorts. The psychedelic elements are very effective and nice, the guitars at times marvellous and the overall variation that come along this album strike me as great. One of the calmer songs on this album, Dolcontine Blues, is one of the moodiest songs I´ve heard on ages, and followed up by Fucking Karma, well, this ought to be the decade for Angst Skvadron! J. Loon

Ad Noctum Project "The Last March" Terror Records Basing a full length CD on simplistic synth and additional classical guitar music is a task not many will turn into magic. This, Ad Noctum Project, does not come up with something original nor magical. Not even close. The melodies are really basic and almost improvised, the compositional aspect of the music is not bad, but with material that doesn´t lift an eyebrow, the synth may as well die out and the purpose of this CD is beyond my comprehension though. It´s all so down to the ground, so human and so in harmony with the World. That has been done many times before. Andre P.

Affliction Gate "Aeon of Nox (from darkness comes liberation)" Metal Inquisition Records Some good old school Death Metal from France. This three piece have delivered a debut album that place then back to the really early parts of the 90s both in sound and style. They have some really small aspects in their music, especially the guitars, that bring Bolt Thrower to mind. I believe that if this one had been released in, let´s say, 1990, it would not have been considered a classic today, but I am sure it would still have been picked up by a die hard Death Metal fan from time to time. And that is also the situation today; they perform their music with a good dose of conviction, but the last details or the extra killer material isn´t present. But it´s still a good album, though. Worthless

Bazöoka "Toxic Warriors" Metal Inquisition Records It´s obvious that these guys put some humour into what they are doing, though the music does not at all suffer from it. The musical style is old-school Death/Thrash with a good deal of variation and a good deal of monotony. Both feet are planted firmly on the ground but the movement they are able to achieve is good and convincing. If you like it stripped down and with no Black Metal perfume added, this band from Taiwan could rub you the right way. Lilly

Be Persecuted "End Leaving" No Colours Records The multi national suicide Black Metal style does this time come with a strong message from the Chinese depressed musical outlet that is named Be Persecuted. Their second album merge together hopelessness and sadness, stir it together and out comes another album that urge you to cut your veins, or at least communicate to people who have reached that mental state. It´s strangely balanced, a balance also Swedish Shining express through their music, like the ugliness of the music is withdrawn for the good sake of fulfilment. Perhaps that´s the purpose, to look into the future a razor blade might hold for you, but in the meantime, if you´re into this style, China has come up with a good source of music. J. Loon

Bestia "Ronkade Parved" Hexenreich Bestia from Estonia fuse together a mixture of Black Metal with Folk melodies and a little touch of some Thrash elements, and without inventing a new genre or being too original, the music is composed well and with variation. The Folk parts seem a bit out of place when they hammer away on their Black Metal paths, but these days are open for all kinds of fusing, and with a decent amount of ok riffs and parts, Bestia have come up with an album this is nice, if you´re openminded when it comes to Black Metal. Unholy

Bloodthirst "VeSanctity Denied" Pagan Records Combining old school Heavy Metal with both Thrash and Death Metal influences is what Bloodthirst are doing on this album. The album opens up with a cool thrashy riff, and the expectations start to take shape; could they surprise with a really cool album? Unfortunately, they allow their at times good material to drown in mediocre material that is not doing them a favour. The style they are playing calls for some excellent riffs and cool breaks, but it´s all rather neutral unfortunately. The harsh vocals aren´t that good at spicing up the music they play, as if the contrast between them and the music is too big, in a way. The riffs calls for a less direct and harsh vocalist, and this album lands somewhere near the shelf that is covered in dust. Worthless

Canis Dirus "A Somber Wind From a Distant Shore" Moribund Records In the 1880's thousands of Norwegian settlers moved to the state of Minnesota leaving after them names like Norway Lake and others. And now the Norwegian spirit rise again. Minnesotan Black Metal band Canis Dirus have made a debut which stands out as having an identity and feeling of its own. "A Somber Wind…" contains metallic and mournful songs. The music is slow, monotonous and repetitive, creating a haunted sound. The songs are both mechanic and mournful. A machinery of guillotines, gallows and gaschambers -"We stand above and against the sick animal, man - the HERD animal… our art is an expression of contempt and hatred…" It sure is, but there is a melancholia intertwined in the destruction too. The whole sound have a dreamlike quality quite different from what is commonly known and defined as Black Metal. Norwegian readers with interest in Canis Dirus homestate might find interest in "The War Against the Sioux" by Karl Jacob Skarstein. A book about the savage Indian uprising against Norwegian and German settlers in 1862 and the merciless war which followed with Norwegian volunteers taking an active part in the warfare. Canis Dirus could have been a fitting soundtrack to these events: Farms burning, whole families dead, endless burials, rage and revenge, bayonets and drums, marching soldiers, gallows raised and ropes twitching in "a somber wind". ThomasF

Destruktor "Nailed" Hells Headbangers Not a bad debut album, this Australian band position themselves in the well known Australian sound and style. Destroyer 666 comes to mind, and that´s not a bad comparison. The album as a whole doesn´t have a lot of staying power. It´s not unique or able to make you forget about other great albums, but as it spins it contains enough bits and details to make it a good album, for the time being. Andre P.

Detritivore "Pakt" Lyderhorn Records How many records do you own that you can only listen to when you´re in a very weird mood? I think this could be one of those albums, if you find interest in checking it out. Detritivore is nothing short of weird, experimental and improvisational. An unusual musical experiment, handcrafted and shaped into a unique form by two Norwegians. There´s some sort of resignation that is covering this dense album. Forget about orthodox Metal or Black Metal, this has occational fuzz, but apart from that it could be a futuristic contemporary sound collage that is used by a small gallery you didn´t knew existed. Andre P.

Diamanthian "Arcana Doctrina" Ossuary Industries Diamanthian´s second album hammer away on what they started on with their debut, now this second album produce more of that fine Death Metal that comes with brutality and intensity. This UK band deliver a good album that contain variety within the traditional way they perform and write their Death Metal. The sound is excellent, the music floats well and it´s all balanced, but some more contrasts in the balance could have secure this album some more curiosity from the listeners side. They are competing with a lot of excellent Death Metal bands, and while I am sure a lot of you will enjoy this album a great deal, they still have got a distance to go before the formula is completed. The songs are nice and well worth a listen, but with some more identity, some ultra genius riffs and a twist or two out of the ordinary, then it would be something to remember. Worthless

Drephjard "Maktdominans" Frostscald Records There´s something really primal and grim about this mini-CD; the up-tempo savagery and stripped down harsh sound. We´re in for some devastating Black Metal that carry the sign of the past and early parts of the 90s with a strong aura of madness surrounding the music like a shadow. It´s all been done before, that can´t be overlooked, but still, Drephjard manifest their Black Metal in a way that remind me about how it all should be. Or rather, how it was. How fucked up Black Metal used to be, how ugly and grim this style of music is when it´s not covered in a production that make it calm and controlled. Drephjard will please those of you who can cope with the primitiveness of Black Metal, and they succeed well as the material is good and with just enough good riffs and small details to surface over the herd. Unholy

Fatalist "The Depths of Inhumanity" Ibex Moon Records Copying something that was done two decades ago, is that a good idea? Perhaps it could have been interesting if a band took the basics and added something new to their musical mixture. This, however, is lame and without the great energy Entombed had when they released their groundbreaking Left Hand Path album. They came from Sweden, Fatalist comes from the US, and back in those days, Sweden had something really special going on in the Death Metal genre. Not unlike the Norwegian bands in the 90´s when it came to excellent Black Metal. But copying the past, like Fatalist are doing, is not interesting. The guitars sound like the old Swedish Death Metal heydays, but the riffs aren´t that good. The band picture is just the way Entombed portrayed themselves back then, but while back then ruled, Fatalist doesn´t. Duplication sucks! Worthless

the Frost "...of the Forests unknown" BlackMetal.com Records Black Metal from Croatia this time, but of the impotent nature. The music is without much energy and it´s almost as if the grim nature of Black Metal has been reduced to something grey. The infernal will and musical power that is rather important within a Black Metal band is not something the Frost possess, and it´s almost as if they do not belong, or do not want to unleash any kind of evil with their music. It´s a thin and uninspiring album they have put together. Scum

Furia "Grudzien Za Grudniem" Pagan Records Furia continue on their one of a kind journey into a musical world that are built up by layers, not a one dimensional way of writing music. Basics are Black Metal, with elements that floats in different directions. Both the up-tempo Black Metal and the slower parts contain something odd, something that you just can´t point a finger at and explain. And the contrasts might be reflected in the cover to this album, taken into consideration that this is a Black Metal band. Ultra minimalistic album cover, not at all painting a picture of the actual music it contains, but perhaps more of the complexity that lies within the music. A Black Metal album that grows and contain enough interesting aspects that you won´t be bored for a long while. Scum

Hat "The Demise of Mankind" Antichristian Front / Abyss Norwegian Black Metal, and this is the REAL thing. Playing "True Evil Black Metal" is no longer in fashion, so Hat is undoubtedly sincere. Regardless of the music, a dark star to the band for the intent, which is delivered "with malice aforethought" as it would have been said in a courtroom. This is dark and gloomy music where melodies are stripped away. Irritatingly the predictability is at times overwhelming. One song sound like the one after and the one before. Variation is zero, the structure of the songs a copy of one another. With such a worn out sound the album needs riffs of top quality to compensate, but the majority are average, mediocre. Occasionally there are some good bits and pieces like the military march-like drums which opens "Dyrets Fremmarsj". The intro is quite good too, but pretty soon one knows exactly how the rest will sound. Some more interludes would have helped, but Hat seems pleased to turn on the autopilot early on. If that's what they want then they have succeeded. The lyrics are as dark as they come. The hatred seems genuine and profound, but writer Undertrykker would do well to remove the clichés and getting his message through in a more indirect way. It's like the band thinks the readers are little children that needs to be spoon-fed the lyrics in the most basic way possible. William Faulkner once said that the secret to writing was to "show not tell", something more bands than Hat should take to heart. But again, the destruction, the anti-life feeling is for real and the band get points for that alone. ThomasF

Hellveto "Kry" Pagan Records A band with an impressive list of albums to date, the creativity is obviously flowing like never before. But taking a deep breath and raising the level of quality demanded might be good for this one man band from Poland. If this continues, Hellveto will never give you that good feeling you get when music absorbs everything around you. This Pagan style Metal with synth is not original, but it´s nice as background music. The melodies are quite okay, the music is composed well, but it´s way too neutral and without more magic this will not be remembered for long. Patronizer

Hunters Moon "The Serpents Lust" Hells Headbangers Records Hells Headbangers Records are teaming up a great line of old school inspired bands that know their craft well. This two-unit group from Down Under, both members of Nocturnal Graves, have put together a 21 minute, 6 songs, strong disc that have no collision of styles, but go along the path of history. The sound is clear and suit the music very well, the riffs are cool and the obvious touches of Bathory is put in there with ease. Mid-tempo Metal with an overwhelming aura of the 80´s, done with great precision. Patronizer

Infest "Onward to Destroy" Grom Records / Zero Budget Productions This piece of cool Death/Thrash album catches great energy with the obvious old school feeling. The vocals remind me about those of Vader, and they suit this style that Infest are doing excellently. This, being their second album, is fulfilled to the edge with great riffs and a up-tempo tracks that merge Thrash and Death Metal together like it was 1991 all over again. Andre P.

In-Quest "Made out of Negative Matter" In-Quest The clear and brutal sound they´ve managed to come up with on this album is like a dream come true. In-Quest have been around for many years now, this actually being their fifth album, and my unawareness to their existence must be blamed on my lack of curiosity, ´cos this is some cool shit. Blending together complexity with in-your-face musical violence, hooking up with a style closely reminiscent of Meshuggah´s riffing, then off to dreamlike guitars that lead into a solo. In-Quest are not predictable, they show off some song writing skills that are great and the material is put together excellently. The enthusiasm they show on this album is coming through effectively, and the technical variation and Melo-screaming-Death Metal is beyond definition. A surprise I am very fond of! J. Loon

Klabautamann "Merkur" Zeitgeister Music A German duo that have put together a very diverse and interesting album. This, being their third album, is a study of how an open musical mind may result in an album that has no boundaries, and in that lies the strenght of this one. It is as much a Black Metal album as it is progressive Metal, and nevertheless, the Black Metal term has no purpose any longer. The vocals are rough, ala Black Metal, but there´s not a one-sided answer to their music. The fusion between the hard Metal and progressive, floating parts are indeed favourable. It´s a source for great sounds and it´s really put together with a nice dose of perfection. J. Loon

Lux Divina "From the Tomb to Nature´s Blood" Ars Magna Recordings This one is kind of odd! Lux Divina play pretty up-to-date Black Metal with equally sounding vocals, but with the addition of clear male vocals too. This give the album two completely different aspects that, depending on your taste in music, and whether or not you appreciate normal vocals in an album that reeks of plain Black Metal, give the album an original twist. But originality isn´t always good. The Black Metal is balanced and quite normal. Nothing out of the ordinary, you´ve probably heard it before. The normal male vocals come across as weird in this setting, especially the all-vocals track that sounds more weird than good. But still, it gives the album a character that I´ve not come across earlier. Patronizer

Simulacra "There is a Fountain filled with Blood" ConSouling Sounds / No Angels Productions If you fanzy turning off the light one evening and allowing this monster of an album to penetrate your ears, it could very well become an evening to remember. Simulacra are one of those entities that hover above the ground, leaving absolutely no footprint, but a scar on your soul might be more appropriate. This is ambient, instrumental soundscapes that could paint pictures in your mind, or leading your thoughts off to some movie you´d wish you were part of. There´s a calm aura surrounding it all, a sadness or perhaps loneliness that attract some curiosity, yet there´s something scary behind the sounds. It´s minimalistic in form, but grand in scale, Simulacra have done an amazing work on this album. Lilly

Sinners Burn "Mortuary Rendezvous " Khaosmater Productions Swedish Death Metal with members and former members from bands like Genital Grinder, Bone Gnawer AND Edge of Sanity. Sinners Burn is a rather new band (2oo7), but they're grown out of Paganizer and are experienced musicians. This is the Swedish Metal of Death. A lot less brutal and a lot more melodic than usual. Intensity is preferred over brutality and this is more than listenable. Fast and driving songs, catchy riffs and melodies. The songs are well structured and highly accessible like it or not. Sinners Burn still have a way to go before they reach classic levels. ThomasF

Throneum "Deathcult Conspiracy" Pagan Records "Deathcult…" is the fifth full length album from these Polish Black-Deathmetallers which have also, among other things, released an impressive number of thirteen splits since 2oo2. Throneum is an experienced band and "Deathcult…" a pretty good album. At least it's clearly better than the average. Nothing new on this album either, not as much as a touch of anything unexpected, but the band compensate with a heavy sound and quite good riffs. The songs grinds on, driven forward with a good production and funeralriffs, especially the drums are handled with more than a touch of talent. The band haven't completely avoided the pitfalls of death metal and the vocals are not among the strongpoints. They could also strive still more to develop a sound of their own, but all in all this is another good album from a country that seems to produce metal almost in factories. ThomasF.

Vasaeleth "Crypt Born and Tethered to Ruin" Profound Lore Records I cannot recall ever having heard an album this heavy before. The sound is just astonishing, the overall Death Metal vibe incredible and the vocals are as guttural and intense as Mortem from Norway had on their Slow Death EP years ago. One word: intense! Vasaeleth from the US have with this album, their debut, manifested themselves among the darkest bands in the genre. The music will bring forth the real underground feeling, as it used to be, when Death Metal was obscure and raw. It´s an ugly monster, that thrive on some atmospheric parts that give the album that extra dimension. And this is not an album you play for the cool parts, it´s an album that when listened to as a whole, will totally drain you of all positiveness you might possess. Exhausting and ultimate; Death Metal like this is for the chosen ones. Worthless

Werewolf "The Order of Vril" No Colours Records It´s their second album, and Werewolf seem to enjoy going in circles, repeating their own music as much as possible. There´s really nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that it all end up sounding annoyingly similar at the end of the record. The synth add a fantasy feeling to the songs, and there´s a lot of synth going on here. Musically they are much harsher than the synth could give you an impression of, but the contrast work kind of nice. Had it not been for the lack of variation. Musically it´s all nice and well, but there´s nothing out of the ordinary to slap you in the face with, and you might end up half asleep after just the first half of this album. Scum

Wolfthrone "Unleash the Hate" Art of Propaganda a 4 song mini-CD in the pure Black Metal style, surprisingly well executed, considering them coming from Spain, and usually all things from Spain is covered in romance. Anyway, this is plain but well played harsh Black Metal. The riffs are Black Metal and they´ve done a really good job, despite the material being less interesting as it just repeats the past. But with a killer intro to the opening track, Wolfthrone should appeal to those who seek underground and grim Black Metal with some groovy riffs and an overall black aura. Patronizer

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