Devilment is mainly known for its charismatic infamous lead singer Dani Filth who introduced the once underground band to the glorious metal scene.  Dani must take Devilment seriously as confirmed by his commitment in the creation of the band’s second album “Devilment II: The Mephisto Waltzes” which is not an extreme metal music piece but definitely shines for its dark music roots.

“Judas Stein” kicks off with a proper horror flick atmosphere that allows Dani’s ominous growls to take the center stage. There is a persistent gothic influence in the crushing guitar riffs and the keyboards’ sound which come together to keep a particular dark mood.

“Hitchcock Blonde” is an immediate favorite with its rich versatile rock texture emphasized by dissonant keyboards and a dreadful catchy chorus. Dani adds the perfect dose of devilish vehemence soothed by inspiring atmospheric keyboard arrangements.

“Under The Thunder” has a modern metallic edge embedded in the guitar riffs that build a catchy rhythm while sinister keyboards provide a generous dose of dark melodies. Lauren Francis adds soft harmonious vocals while Dani’s signature growls deliver an endless darkness.

Soothing ballad style piano melodies create a sense of nostalgia on “Full Dark, No Stars”. Lauren’s vocals again deliver delicate harmonies that are destined to be eventually tainted by a dark shroud of raw guitar riffs and horrific growls.

“Dea Della Morte” features an alluring vocal duet that evokes a feverish love tragedy. Classical piano and ethereal keyboards provide a highly melodic musical core while the guitar riffs acquire nightmarish metal accents.

With “Devilment II: The Mephisto Waltzes” Dani Filth & co have successfully concocted a deliciously spectral collection of songs that always keep an edgy gothic/horror rock attitude that would certainly entertain a wide audience, especially those who like to believe that everyday it’s Halloween.

New Jersey metalcore band Ashes Of My Regrets has released a new EP entitled “Caricatures” which features a trendy metalcore style spiced up with creative electronic accents.

“Incorruptible” blends a strong metalcore rhythm with interesting modern electro moments and sincere clean vocals that break down the noisy guitar riffing.

“Fooled Me Twice, Now Pay The Price” again relies on a guitar driven metalcore theme but the most appealing elements reside in the somber atmospheric arrangements that keep an easy melodic flow.

“Daydreams” features a quite aggressive approach with chaotic heavy guitar riffing and unrestrained screams but it also delivers some pleasant melodic passages with atmospheric electro elements that make the whole song more entertaining.

Overall, with “Caricatures” Ashes Of My Regrets showcases a genuine passion for music and scattered bright ideas that one day could evolve into a solid work of music.

Dope’s “Blood Money, Part 1” is the first album released in seven years so it carries an enormous burden of expectations and promises. Certainly Dope manages to resurrect the old signature style and puts together a sweet collection of catchy songs.

“Blood Money” delivers a raw industrial mood with metallic guitar riffs and groovy drumming. The synths provide a dark noisy atmosphere amplified by dirty rock style vocals.

“Hold On” is a strange hybrid with smooth guitar leads in classic metal style with remarkable 90s accents and crushing guitar riffs that surround the recurring catchy chorus.

“1999” has a darker mood with heavy industrial influence and spooky synths. This track is particularly entertaining with an energetic moshpit friendly groove further embellished by borderline cacophonic synths.

“Razorblade Butterfly” has a playful vibe mixed with an understated sadness. The rough guitar riffs and the atmospheric synths build a sort of electro/industrial groove with dance floor vibes while the chorus will easily hook any listeners.

“A New Low” relies mainly on a trendy metalcore style with a heavy but catchy guitar riffing and the expected combo of clean melodic vocals and angrier screams.

“Selfish” has a horror style atmospheric theme but it’s also full of distorted guitar licks that successfully provide an immediate groove that feels like a crossover of nu metal and industrial.

Dope delivers a lovely cover of Hole’s hit song “Violet” adding loads of modern synths that provide darker layers over a heavier rhythmic core.

In the end, Blood Money, Part 1” demonstrates to be an entertaining album that would please party animals or a restricted alternative crowd but after seven years of silence some would have expected a more challenging/interesting work of music.