Following the great success of the new album “Queen Of Time”, available via Nuclear Blast, the mighty Amorphis are back on tour across North America. The show at The Forge in Joliet proved once again that Amorphis have garnered a truly loyal fanbase in North America and everybody appreciates that they are playing live here more often. The stellar setlist covered a lot of Amorphis extensive discography including “Into Hiding” and “Black Winter Day” from the breakthrough album “Tales From The Thousand Lakes” and the iconic “My Kantele”. Amorphis also played many songs from “Queen Of Time” including the popular “The Bee” and “Wrong Direction” while one of the memorable highlights was certainly “Amongst Stars” featuring a lovely duet with beloved guest vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen who joined them as special opening act on this tour.
California-based metal outfit Carnifex worked hard for three years to create the 7th studio album “World War X” which aims to raise the bar in terms of sonic diversity experimenting with multiple extreme metal elements besides classic deathcore.
The title track is a blistering album opener where vicious screams and hostile rhythmic patterns drag the listeners into an apocalyptic scenario and while the relentless guitar riffs easily lead to sheer brutality there are also interesting symphonic arrangements.
“This Infernal Darkness” can truly channel unrestrained rage through the precise thunderous rhythmic ensemble yet a moment of ethereal peace takes over the song’s finale with a pleasantly soft piano melody.
Featuring guest vocalist Alissa White Gluz of Arch Enemy “No Light Shall Save Us” will eventually put the spotlight on the contrast between tormented growls and introspective cleans flourishing through a modern mixture of abrasive guitar riffs and satisfying melodic phrases particularly enhanced by the somber tonalities of the guitar solo.
“All Roads Lead To Hell” features the talented guitarist Angel Vivaldi so it makes sense to focus on the shredding overdose of the extraordinary guitar solo marching through the extremely wrathful rhythmic segments.
On “By Shadows Thine Held” the merciless fast drumming dictates a rather savage momentum that is also clearly expressed by the borderline dissonant rhythmic variations while lead guitars have the task to brighten the mood with the elaborate soloing.
With “World War X” Carnifex often choose to step out from the comfort zone of deathcore certainly without sacrificing the main massive angered themes but showing their ability and desire to push genre boundaries.
Original Rhapsody members Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione reunited to finally release their debut album “Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution)” which marks the triumphant beginning of a new band and the development of an exciting musical vision.
“Phoenix Rising” is a bombastic album opener creating a suspenseful mood with a combo of electro layers and nostalgic piano melodies that will evolve into an inflamed symphonic metal ensemble with massive operative choirs and flawless theatrical vocals surrounded by the sophisticated guitar work that shines for the luminous tonalities as well as the cohesive heavier riffs.
“D.N.A. (Demon And Angel)” features guest vocalist Elize Ryd of Amaranthe leading to an intense duet with Fabio Lione while the instrumental passages tend to favor catchy bright guitar melodies, magnificent multilayered symphonic arrangements and solemn choirs.
The title track is characterized by a major theatrical momentum emphasized by the complex vocal harmonies & choirs and the dazzling details of the sumptuous symphonic tapestries flourishing through the main guitar driven rhythmic core.
“Decoding The Multiverse” offers another elaborate mixture of lavish operatic elements and elegant symphonic arrangements that constantly embellish the crunchy rhythmic sections plus the lead guitar work showcases an irresistible neoclassical flair .
With lyrics in Italian and poignant vocals “Amata Immortale” feels like a classical opera that reaches an incredibly dramatic pathos through the elegant piano melodies and the tragic melancholia expressed by the lavish vocals.
“Arcanum (Da Vinci’s Enigma)” surprises with the initial futuristic quasi dystopian atmosphere but later the grand symphonic themes return with the radiant orchestrations and the flawless guitar leads while at times vocals and piano manage to convey calmer nostalgic vibes.
With “Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution)” this new incarnation of Rhapsody clearly aims to represent a modern symphonic metal opus that certainly benefits from the excellent musicianship and impeccable production.
We all know The 69 Eyes as the Helsinki Vampires that conquered our cold hearts with their unforgettable goth ‘n’ roll and the new album “West End” sounds like the best way to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary.
The album opener “Two Horns Up” might surprise some fans with the signature growls of guest vocalist Dani Filth of Cradle Of Filth that actually fit perfectly the ghastly mood of the song which also offers plenty of classic goth dynamics embodied by Jyrki’s baritone delivery and decadent atmospheric layers through the dense rock rhythmic sections filled with extra catchy guitar riffs & sultry melodies.
“27 & Done” was released as the first single probably due to the darkly addictive chorus and it’s certainly a track that incarnates the band’s rock soul with the highly entertaining guitar work flourishing under a shroud of authentic nostalgia enhanced by the somber keyboards arrangements.
The glorious spirit of goth ‘n’ roll is glowing on “Black Orchid” through an exciting blend of melancholic atmospheric nuances, cool guitar driven grooves and glamorous melodic licks always enriched by Jyrki’s irresistible vocals.
“Burn Witch Burn” is a gloomy fairytale that relies on a shimmering melodic core and a memorable chorus surrounded by the enjoyable guitar riffs that ensure a constant fun groove in proper classic rock fashion.
Featuring guest vocalists Wednesday 13 and Calico Cooper from Beastö Blancö “The Last House On The Left” pays homage to a cult horror movie in fact this would be the perfect soundtrack for a Halloween party as everything gets rather spooky with a groovy mix of horrorpunk rhythmic bursts, bouncy guitar riffs and creepy atmospheric accents.
“Death & Desire” has a ravishing darkly romantic mood so the rhythm slows down allowing the bittersweet guitar tonalities to create intensely nostalgic waves emphasized by the poignant emotions expressed by the poetic vocal delivery.
Conveying an immense melancholic depth “Hell Has No Mercy” will impress the listeners for the alluring bluesy tonalities as once again guitars successfully craft absolutely catchy & heartfelt melodies around Jyrki’s haunting vocal performance.
Once again The 69 Eyes prove to be one of the most passionate bands out there, staying true to their unconditional love for goth ‘n’ roll that has nothing to do with any given trendy subgenres and right now in the chaotic music scene “West End” symbolizes a deliciously darkened work of music that easily defies time and space.
Since their inception back in 2016 Memoriam have been quite prolific in fact they are already releasing the third album “Requiem For Mankind” which once again showcases their songwriting skills revolving around lyrical themes of war, death and destruction.
“Shell Shock” has the ability to channel old school death metal without sounding dated so there are some extremely somber atmospheric nuances and darkened melodic moments but the center stage really belongs to the savage sonic onslaught led by the galloping guitar riffs.
The enraged spirit of “Undefeated” is fueled by chunky guitar riffs and belligerent drums but it’s not just a straightforward death metal tune as there are plenty of harrowing melodies flourishing through the energetic rhythmic blasts.
The tormented mood of “In The Midst Of Desolation” leads to slower contemplative moments enhancing the cathartic melodic essence that comes to life through the skillful guitar work that will occasionally shift to utterly aggressive rhythmic patterns.
“Refuse To Be Led” features evocative melodic guitars that gracefully express feelings of grief and loss while the acerbic riffs and the desperate growls stay true to familiar brutal death metal dynamics.
The title track perfectly incarnates the uncompromising nature of the album as relentless guitar riffs effortlessly build massive infectious grooves always amplified by the spiteful vocal delivery and supported by the precise ruthless rhythmic section.
The instrumental “Interment” marks a sorrowful finale showcasing the bleak melodic soul of the album and you can perceive that besides being death metal veterans Memoriam also have the skills to create alluring darkened soundscapes.
“Requiem For Mankind” can certainly sound merciless due to the massive anthemic death metal dynamics yet Memoriam always manage to add intriguing melodic textures and doom laden atmospheres to render everything more interesting.
The music journey of the supergroup The Damned Things begins nine years ago when Scott Ian of legendary Anthrax started writing songs with Joe Trohman of Fall Out Boy and now they are back to impress the audience with the sophomore album “High Crimes”.
The album starts with the explosive rock vibes and the rebellious attitude of “Cells” revolving around groovy rhythmic progressions and catchy segments amplified by the raw energy of vocals and some cool guitar leads.
“Something Good” has a playful cheerleaders style chorus that lets you know that this is a fun track with some evident alt rock vibes which lead to a widely accessible mix of guitar driven grooves and melodies.
“Omen” is full of crunchy guitar riffs and catchy melodic phrases especially evident in the super catchy chorus but the warm bluesy guitar variations have the power to grab your attention more than anything else.
“Storm Charmer” feels more complex and a bit darker as the band here experiments with synths adding loads of atmospheric accents to embellish the thrilling classic heavy rock structure which is certainly enhanced by the slow burning guitar leads.
The strength of “Keep Crawling” is generated by the memorable chorus and the soothing guitar melodies that often follow a slower slightly pensive & nostalgic mood but plenty of groovy guitar riffage guarantees a heavy rock momentum.
“The Fire Is Cold” closes the album with a faster punkish impact that relies on the wilder screams and the frenetic rhythmic section yet there are calmer moments featuring a passionate vocal delivery and bittersweet guitar melodies.
The enjoyable heavy rock spirit of “High Crimes” is palpable in each song and as expected the stellar quality of both songwriting and musicianship reflects the experience of the renowned artists behind The Damned Things.
We all notice how strong the thrash metal legacy still feels today and one of the reasons can be found in the true dedication expressed by iconic bands like Death Angel that give all they got to the faithful fans once again with the evident explosive nature of the brand new album “Humanicide”.
The title track immediately stands out for the smoldering guitar melodies that channel a rather darkened mood introducing an authentic merciless thrash assault full of memorable guitar riffs and pummeling drums while Mark Osegueda delivers a charismatic vocal performance that simply cannot be ignored.
From beginning to end “Divine Defector” stands out for the stellar guitar work carefully crafted by Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar unleashing cohesive rounds of terrific guitar riffs and flamboyant leads that effortlessly complement the aggressive rhythmic patterns.
The contemplative vibes of “Aggressor” are fully expressed by moody melodic aesthetics as elegantly darkened guitar tonalities embellish the main classic thrash metal dynamics and the glorious guitar solo undoubtedly adds stylish variations to the bold rhythmic segments.
On “Immortal Behated” the captivating guitar melodies lead to sophisticated melancholic moments and surround a series of absolutely catchy grooves amplified by Mark’s outstanding vocals and enriched by the impressive guitar soloing until the song fades into a deeply nostalgic piano piece accompanied by delicate arpeggios.
There is an irresistible untamed anger running through “The Pack”, a song dedicated to the band’s loyal fans, as guitars fiercely deliver massive thrash grooves channeling the band’s renowned roots with an overdose of bold galloping riffs and intense shredding leads.
“Revelation Song” can slightly deviate from the Bay Area thrash trademark offering diverse and energetic rhythmic progressions confidently built by another series of inflamed guitar riffs that still allow the melodic core of the song to shine through Rob’s vibrant solos and the catchy chorus.
In all these years Death Angel have been showcasing high quality songwriting skills and an authentic passionate approach therefore it’s not surprising to see them in excellent shape on “Humanicide”, a strong record that will increase the band’s popularity in the current metal scene.
Austrian extreme metal veterans Belphegor continue to celebrate the successful latest release “Totenritual” this time embarking on the massive Devastation On The Nation tour as co-headliners with Dark Funeral. With the diabolical charisma of frontman & original founder Helmuth Lehner Belphegor conquered the crowd at Concord Music Hall in Chicago delivering a blistering performance enhanced by the ritualistic vibes and the obscure stage aesthetics. During the whole live ritual Helmuth always connected with the band’s acolytes and the ruthless setlist included “Baphomet”, “The Devil’s Son”, “Swinefever – Regent Of Pigs” and “Totenkult – Exegesis Of Deterioration” from the new album “Totenritual” as well as many older favorites such as “Lucifer Incestus” and “Gasmask Terror”. Don’t miss Belphegor live on the Devastation On The Nation tour across North America!
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