Category: Album Reviews 2018

Legend Of The Seagullmen – Legend Of The Seagullmen

The new super-group Legend Of The Seagullmen will demand your full attention with the debut self-titled album. Featuring Danny Carey of Tool, Brent Hinds of Mastodon, director Jimmy Hayward (Jonah Hex, Horton Hears A Who) on guitar, and Pete Griffin of Zappa Plays Zappa and Dethklok on bass, Legend Of The Seagullmen aims to push music boundaries with a quite unique heavy nautical rock jam and massive epic vibes.

“We Are The Seagullmen” presents the album’s main oceanic & adventurous themes with mysterious atmospheres followed by a subtle melodic crescendo built by acidic tonalities and hazy instrumental passages that will lead to big choruses and sludge rock guitar work.

“Shipswreck” feels particularly entertaining with dominant darkened grooves that gain spooky intensity with a winning mix of harsh heavy guitar riffing and cinematic atmospheres that will ultimately lead to a charismatic guitar solo featuring raw rock energy & fancy shredding.

“Curse Of The red Tide” is a semi ballad where a sense of absolute melancholy permeates the easy acoustic melodies, solemn atmospheric arrangements and theatrical storytelling inspired by the mysterious beauty of the ocean but this track also offers a powerful series of heavy rock guitar driven grooves filled with gloom and sludge distorted dynamics followed by a wild rocking solo.

“The Orca” is filled with surreal nostalgia as slow lavish guitar melodies bearing a remarkable psychedelic aura introduce a profoundly somber scenario that continues to influence the entire instrumentation & vocals even when guitars occasionally acquire a stronger riffing punch.

“Ballad Of The Deep Sea Diver” feels like a spaghetti western soundtrack but it still deals with nautical storytelling. While the cinematic nature of this track is particularly palpable with slow burning melodies and background synth magic, lead guitars hold a crucial role delivering creative sparks with flamboyant solos followed by a majestic orchestral finale.

If you are looking for a maritime music adventure and a bit out of the ordinary metal release then you will have to check out Legend Of The Seagullmen as the band braves storms and encounters with mythological marine creatures to deliver this first cinematic creation.

Insolvency – Antagonism Of The Soul

French metal band Insolvency put a lot of effort in the creation of the intensely energetic sonic assault on the debut release “Antagonism Of The Soul”.

“Tears Of The World” gets the listeners moving with a cohesive enraged rhythm as tight guitar riffs confidently march throughout the song and offer a solid support for more extravagant polished lead guitars and brighter melodies.

The title track still follows similar dynamics as lead guitars take the center stage offering diverse harmonies with pleasant technical accents particularly compelling in the flamboyant solos while the whole thunderous rhythmic ensemble eventually leads to soulful choruses and the atmospheric clarity of melancholic piano melodies.

In the beginning “Black Moon” focuses on somber atmospheric layers that introduce a darker instrumental ensemble where guitars naturally craft intricate catchy melodic textures and an absolutely compelling solo while screams diligently channel the raw energy of traditional metalcore surrounded by some heavy rhythmic dynamics.

“Your Lost Soul” consistently balances ferocious heavy rhythmic patterns and a luminous melodic essence as guitars once again create sophisticated melodic patterns & wild solos dwelling in a rather darkened sonic realm but at the same time contribute to build moshpit friendly heavier frenetic grooves.

The vibrant melodic guitar work on “Death wish” will certainly stand out through a series of steady crushing grooves and even if the song’s structure maintains a typical metalcore attitude interesting lead guitars and modern atmospheric layers continue to spice up this music formula.

“Antagonism Of The Soul” aims to please a select audience emphasizing a familiar metalcore pathway but Insolvency doesn’t refrain from deviating from the expected music style to showcase talented musicianship especially evident in the creative guitar work that undoubtedly renders the whole album more intriguing.

Mhela-ES

The Italian surreal metal band Mhela has released its first EP “ES” last month.
It presents 7 tracks which introduce the band’s style.

The melancholic “All around me” is the first track of the album,
I really enjoy the intro with the piano and the guitar solo.
The surprise is “Eden and Hell” sung in spanish, this song is pretty slow but
the sound is addictive.

“Night with spirits” is the first single released from this album and it’s a good track with a catchy refrain.
The guitar arpeggio introduces “She isn’t here”, the sound in this song is soft and all works well.

More heavy are “Nightmare before the war”, “Bastard snake” and “Vampires don’t sleep” but somehow didn’t get my attention
that much.

It’s a good EP, even if the sound is still unripe, I like the change of vocals in between clean and growl and musically the band is compact.
If you listen to bands like Bullet for my Valentine you will enjoy Mhela’s music.

Letters From The Colony – Vignette

Swedish progressive extreme metal architects Letters From The Colony proudly presents to the world their opus “Vignette” which, far from being an average debut album, showcases songwriting complexity and virtuosic performance.

An ambiance intro creates suspense on “Galax” which seems to rely on a rather lethal sonic assault with recognizable death metal hints as punishing drums and guitar riffs lead the way until a series of eclectic variations mutate tempo & style welcoming cathartic polished melodies and jazz oriented instrumental passages where the stellar guitar work gains a rightfully deserved crucial role.

While the main structure of “Erasing Contrast” continues to showcase aggressive & fast rhythmic patterns this track is rendered more interesting by the continuous tempo variations that will ultimately lead to a radical change of scenario when guitars begin to focus on luminous melodies surrounded by surreal atmospheric layers.

The rhythmic backbone of “Terminus” features massive raw guitar riffing surrounded by cold atmospheric tones channeling once again the darkest depths of extreme metal spiced up by highly technical guitar work that will slow down dramatically towards the end of the song to deliver ethereal shoegaze vibes.

“Glass Palaces” hits you in the face with a wall of heavy guitar riffs and enraged growls supported by impeccable bass & drums dynamics but this burst of untamed fury is further enriched by meticulous technical guitar progressions that will later acquire a sense of serenity as guitars focus on the creation of crispy melodic tapestries.

The title track is definitely the most complex offering on this album as the band continuously combines multiple music styles, starting with super heavy rhythmic patterns interrupted by fancy prog style guitar leads and bright melodies that will often craft peaceful yet intensely technical hypnotizing breakdowns accompanied by ambience accents before returning to more straightforward extreme metal moments.

Math metal acolytes will rejoice listening to the insane instrumental intricacy of “Vignette” but Letters From The Colony doesn’t focus solely on this style as these talented musicians demonstrate the ability to deliver a multifaceted work of music confidently blending also prog and shoegaze elements.

Knife The Glitter – Knife The Glitter

Featuring Kevin Antreassian of The Dillinger Escape Plan, New Jersey based instrumental progressive metal band Knife The Glitter spent eight years working on the debut self-titled album which sadly also marks the final chapter of this extravagant music endeavor.

“Idiot City” begins with mysterious atmospheres that soon evolve into pure sonic experimentation that will showcase certain familiar characteristics of prog metal such as sound clarity and a flamboyant instrumental maze with occasional luminous melodic passages emerging through syncopated rhythms and technical guitar work.

With a deliberate complex composition “Gargle Clamp” mixes bold rhythmic patterns with thrilling guitar progressions that shift from surreal bright melodic concoctions to steady rock riffing heavily influenced by prog metal and jazz.

“Highly Electric Squirrel” might be one of the most creative song titles and definitely matched by the intense creative force that generates what appears to be a whirlwind of chaotic segments but truly is an example of exciting musicianship leading to eclectic grooves, frenetic heavy riffing and absolutely entertaining  guitar leads carrying pleasant jazzy vibes.

“Permanent Baby Snowpants” relies on a slick syncopated structure with synths channeling ‘80s rock flavors but still maintains a proper prog metal essence with virtuoso guitar work and interesting rhythmic variations.

Things get simply hyper chaotic on “The Snake Charmer’s Anthem” as the whole instrumentation spontaneously experiments with diverse, at times ethereal, tonalities and styles following borderline dissonant dynamics while keeping a more aggressive heavy metal approach.

Undoubtedly Knife The Glitter aims to compose a visceral intricate album pushing genre boundaries as a hobby and in the chaotic sonic webs you can certainly perceive the lucidity and the talented musicianship of this charismatic band.

Arkona – Khram

Hailing from Russia Arkona has conquered a prominent status in the metal scene gaining attention for the unique blackened pagan metal style that on the latest effort “Khram” becomes even more epic and intriguing due to the addition of multiple traditional folk instruments and a profoundly mystical aura.

While “Shtorm” offers plenty of aggressive rhythmic patterns built by bold guitar riffing, the melodic elements of this song tend to demand more attention as they move sinuously through a pitch black sonic assault to deliver darkly magical nuances enhanced by a strong folk momentum featuring flute & bagpipe and Masha’s poetic clean vocal delivery.

Far from being an average metal song “Tseluya zhizn’” is a majestic opus that starts with a calmer melodic approach evoking intense spiritual vibes but offers a multifaceted style & songwriting structure effortlessly shifting from blasts of guitar driven blackened grooves to contemplative cathartic moments crafted by darkened atmospheric layers and folk instrumental passages. Matching this fascinating duality, Masha delivers genuinely fiery growls as well as soulful chants that further amplify the dramatic nature of the guitar and strings melodies while towards the end the song enters a highly esoteric sonic realm.

“Rebionok bez imeni” feels immediately darkly poetic with mellow guitar phrases and enchanting atmospheric tones that will lead to a dense obscurity where occasional growls hold primordial blackened strength and guitars continue to maintain a steady melodic momentum enriched by elegantly emotive clean vocal delivery. While the poignant melodic elements of this song will continue to hold a prominent role also with the addition of few remarkable folk oriented passages there is still space for a satisfying dosage of untamed blackened rhythmic fury.

The dark depths of “V pogonie za beloj ten’yu” become palpable right at the beginning with classically lavish piano melodies that create expectations for what is yet to come and will return to throughout the song to provide moments of luminous melancholy. Arkona proceed to channel a relentless blackened essence with purely enraged growls and tight instrumental dynamics that will seamlessly evolve into soothing arpeggios or sorrowful melodies instead of sounding brutal at all costs.

“V ladonyah bogov” features cohesive rhythmic patterns skillfully built by groovy guitar riffs but the atmospheric & mystical essence of the slower mesmerizing ambient moments, minimalist somber melodies and arcane instrumental passages feels like the true highlight of this track evoking an otherworldly realm of mythical/celestial beings.

Overall “Khram” benefits greatly from a mature multifaceted songwriting approach that aims to intrigue the listeners with multiple, at times even unexpected, changes of scenario occurring through each lengthy track yet the essential aspects of Arkona’s renowned music style are easily recognizable.

All Souls – All Souls

Los Angeles based quartet All Souls will be a new name for many but this band actually features experienced musicians, Meg & Tony from Totimoshi, Tony from Fatso Jetson/The Desert Sessions and Erik from Black Elk, therefore the self-titled debut album will definitely trigger your curiosity.

“Party Night” is aptly filled with upbeat hooks and a constant groovy party mood spiced up by acidic guitar work and more melodic & emotive leads while vocals showcase an easy rebel edge or a slightly melancholic delivery.

“Never Know” will immediately stand out for the major rock hooks built by an exciting series of instrumental rhythmic patterns and memorable chorus but this song gradually gains complexity as stomping bass lines and lead guitars also display the psychedelic tinged aura of vintage desert rock resulting in a lovely daydreaming soundtrack.

With outpouring emotions “Silence” has a slower rhythm that favors bewitching guitar melodies and heartfelt vocal delivery but also a crunchy acidic guitar driven groove holds a relevant role ultimately leading to a wild guitar solo surrounded by surreal ambiance tones.

“Rename The Room” becomes even more emotional with contemplative breaks, a rich array of melancholia infused guitar melodies and soft vocals yet still holds a slightly raw rock essence with grunge influenced reverb that gains additional strength when eclectic guitar leads take the center stage.

“Reveille” relies on atmospheric vibes holding darkened feelings with a crescendo of moody guitars offering loads of somber melodic nuances and hypnotic resonance but there is also space for recurring catchy retro rock grooves.

With a rather gloomy background “Sadist/Servant” features a massive melodic catharsis where a particularly lavish and unique guitar work leads to an explosive rhythm built by an infectious borderline angered rhythmic ensemble that especially shines for the dazzling drumming style and ensures plenty of rebellious stomping grooves.

At the heart of All Souls classic desert rock certainly holds a primary role yet the band doesn’t refrain from offering diverse style variations and unexpected sonic crossovers as here these four artists are spontaneously writing & jamming to create a sincere music experience.

 

Terror Universal – Make Them Bleed

The new masked metal supergroup Terror Universal, featuring Ill Nino members Dave Chavarri and Ahrue Luster, is ready to hit you in the face with the modern blend of brutality and melody of the debut album “Make Them Bleed”.

The mix of modern crushing metal patterns and creepy atmospheres of “Passage Of Pain (Blood)” definitely represents the whole album’s music pathway which might not be crucially innovative nevertheless the explosive accessible guitar driven grooves and fairly radio friendly chorus will entertain the listeners.

Featuring guest bassist John Moyer, “Spines” feels particularly catchy with trendy industrial accents recurring around sharp guitar riffing while the widely accessible melodic & emotional nature of this track becomes particularly palpable in the easy chorus.

The title track leans towards darker tonalities with subtle atmospheric layers and borderline ambiance breakdown while the full blown enraged vocals and the tight riffing & drumming combo are meant to craft sonic aggression with evident nu-metal vibes.

“Through The Mirrors” holds a melancholic essence with some soulful guitar melodies and a rather trendy chorus even if there are plenty of heavier moments fueled by more aggressive rhythmic patterns filled of super crunchy guitar riffs.

“Dig You A Hole” aims to spread terror among the masses with a sweet nightmarish lullaby beginning swiftly followed by that mainstream, yet moshpit friendly, ensemble of groovy guitar riffs while the expected but absolutely catchy melodic chorus is ready to get stuck in your mind.

“Into Darkness” is all about a massive horror metal galore as the atmospheric creepiness continues to embrace all those fiery guitar riffs and the consequent grooves eventually lead to a polished melodic solo while vocalist Plague effortlessly shifts from devilish growls to actually heartfelt clean vocals.

We don’t really need to know the identity of the musicians behind Terror Universal but certainly they all are seasoned artists with a passion for horror themes and those who like slasher flicks and catchy melodies will be delightfully entertained by the blood-splatter dynamics of “Make Them Bleed”.

Fu Manchu – Clone Of The Universe

Southern California’s desert/fuzz/stoner rock legends Fu Manchu are back with the exciting 12th full length “Clone Of The Universe” which promises to deliver a trippy collection of songs as the band is ready to jam in desert rock fashion but doesn’t refrain from offering heavier & highly psychedelic grooves.

“(I’ve been) Hexed” immediately channels the most groovy aspects of stoner rock pushing relentlessly on that fuzz pedal to create irresistible guitar riffs and utterly hypnotizing leads while the whole instrumentation & vocals become intensely catchy in the chorus.

“Slower Than Light” favors a spacey melodic instrumental ensemble as guitars acquire lavish spellbinding tonalities favored by a temporarily slower rhythm enhancing the delicious trippy vibes that will eventually gain a heavier attitude amplified by super thick bass lines to reach maximum groovy galore.

“Nowhere Left To Hide” feels heavier than usual with doom drenched guitar riffing and captivating rhythmic variations that always ensure a groovy intensity but also features a slower full blown spaced out momentum filled of shimmering psychedelic vibes and acidic tonalities as desert rock legacy dictates.

The title track is properly packed with highly entertaining guitar driven grooves as riffs and drums bear the mark of classic stoner rock with vintage tonalities and stomping thrill and the immense fuzz power of vibrant rhythmic guitars leads to consequent flamboyant leads that cannot be ignored.

If you haven’t spaced out enough yet, the massive fuzzy music journey embodied by “Il Mostro Atomico” will certainly get your psychedelic fix. Featuring guitar legend Alex Lifeson from Rush, this 18 minutes track could not sound more otherworldly trippy as the band is constantly engaged in a spontaneous stoner rock jam that flows just like a fuzzy warped dream showcasing enticing rhythmic variety and eclectic guitar work. As guitars craft all kinds of sensational riffs with familiar stoner/doom flavors the rhythm effortlessly transitions from bewitching melodic concoctions to familiar catchy rock textures resulting in a rather epic composition that, despite the exceptional length, always grabs the listeners’ attention also due to the addition of quite fancy guitar & drums solos and a loop of surreal psychedelic moments channeling a ‘middle of the desert jam’ experience.

While Fu Manchu doesn’t let down the expectations of their faithful acolytes keeping intact the glorious ‘fuzz & wah’ essence, “Clone Of The Universe” also expands the band’s renowned music style with an additional overdose of trippy & heavy dynamics resulting in a quite unique and absolutely entertaining album.

The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir

Hailing from Chicago The Atlas Moth always focused on experimenting with psychedelic & atmospheric facets of metal and on the latest effort “Coma Noir” the band embraces darkened nuances and bravely continues to defy standard music style categorization.

The title track offers plenty of aggressive rhythmic dynamics but never sacrifices an inner melodic finesse fueled by  post-metal dark tonalities embedded in the polished guitar work and a conscious desire to blend multiple music styles with recognizable doom/sludge accents and industrial oriented synths layers.

On “Last Transmission From The Late, Great Planet Earth” fiery distorted guitars contribute to the creation of super tight eclectic rhythmic patterns but also deliver a noteworthy series of rather catchy vibrant melodies which passionately match the shimmering atmospheric weaves.

“Galactic Brain” becomes particularly cinematic with modern electro/industrial atmospheres and experimental noise momentum surrounding slick sludgy grooves and the creative clarity of guitars often provide icy luminous melodic textures while clean vocals hold emotional quality in contrast with the more obscure piercing screams.

“The Streets Of Bombay” immediately features exquisite trippy moments where synths evoke contemplative soundscapes that will ultimately enter an intensely darkened realm made of super groovy riffing bearing heavy doom tonalities and widely accessible melancholia infused guitar melodies.

Massive guitar riffs gain a primary role on “Smiling Knife” which is consequently filled of untamed stomping grooves but also features several quite creative lead guitar concoctions surrounded by spacey & mysterious industrial elements lurking in the background.

“Chloroform” feels quite hypnotizing as the whole instrumentation acquires profoundly nostalgic tonalities especially palpable and lovable in the charismatic lead guitar moments scattered throughout the grim doom oriented rhythmic maze enriched by loads of cinematic creepy accents and deliciously flamboyant saxophone leads performed by Bruce Lamont of Yakuza & Corrections House.

What stands out on “Coma Noir” is certainly the fascinating darkness surrounding the multifaceted intricate instrumental passages as The Atlas Moth shows the necessary creative force and potential to conquer a solid status in the current underground metal scene.