Soft Ffog – Soft Ffog

#PER CHI AMA: Prog Rock/Jazz Strumentale

Questo album è una scatola magica, piena di rimandi e allusioni sonore pescate in giro per il mondo del progressive, del rock, del jazz e della gfusion. Uno scrigno che renderà felici gli estimatori di questo genere musicale, sempre ricercato, mai banale e cosa ancor più importante, carico di un virtuosismo che in nessun caso risulta fine a se stesso o mai eccessivo. Registrato allo studio Paradiso con alla consolle il noto produttore Christian Engfelt, l'opera prima omonima di questa band norvegese s'inserisce a forza in quella lunga lista di splendide band che popolano questa magnifica terra del nord e, come troviamo scritto nelle note biografiche della loro pagina bandcamp, fin dal primo ascolto ci rendiamo conto che unire certe idee di King Crimson con Terje Rypdal, e Deep Purple con Pat Metheny, è sicuramente stata una trovata pazzesca. Valutando poi la bravura dei musicisti nel rendere il tutto musicalmente attuale, senza dover ricorrere per forza a teorie sonore vintage, anzi rendendo il tutto così moderno, fruibile e a volte persino altamente hard, nelle sue aperture al mondo più rock, ci si arrende al fatto di essere di fronte ad un vero gioiello sonoro. La band nata per suonare esclusivamente live, dal 2016 è diventato un side project di ottimi musicisti provenienti da altre formazioni, Tom Hasslan e Axel Skalstad dai Krokofant, Vegard Lien Bjerkan dai WIZRD e Trond Frones dai Red Kite e Grand General, che rispondono nel migliore dei modi, suonando alla perfezione le composizioni visionarie e variegate del geniale Tom Hasslan, che nel 2020 ha deciso di voler mettere per inciso queste lunghe suite strumentali cariche di magia progressiva. Non vi è infatti una traccia meno importante dell'altra, tutte sono attraenti ed interessanti, l'intero disco va ascoltato più volte, per assaporare quante sfaccettature esso contenga, che siano avantgarde o di ambient celestiale. E quante delizie tecniche esecutive e compositive si nascondono dietro ogni singola nota, compreso il suo spiazzante carattere impulsivo che a tratti fa esplodere letteralmente la musica in un'orgia sonora di gran gusto. Inoltre, l'ottima produzione lo rende piacevolissimo all'ascolto, mettendo in risalto anche una certa vena psichedelica che gli dà quel tocco in più, con un ottimo basso ed una ritmica veramente ben calibrati in profondità di frequenze, calore del suono e percussione, che sostengono a dovere una pioggia di suoni ed effetti tutti da scoprire. Se amate il prog jazz rock quindi, questo è il disco che fa per voi, un album che fa della qualità stilistica il suo cavallo di battaglia, in bilico tra suoni d'un tempo e modernità, per continuare a sognare nel nome di Nucleus, Soft Machine, Mushroom, Return to Forever. L'ascolto è quanto meno un obbligo non solo un mero consiglio! (Bob Stoner)

(Is it Jazz? Records - 2022)
Voto: 80

https://softffog.bandcamp.com/album/soft-ffog

Esoctrilihum - Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh

#PER CHI AMA: Experimental Black

France’s Esoctrilihum doesn´t seem to have any intention of slowing down its pace of releases. Since the project’s inception in 2016, its mastermind Asthâghul has been releasing albums every year since 2017. That fact would be something to praise when the quality is good, even if the stuff would be an easy one to digest. But every listener who has ever checked out this project’s music knows the level of complexity, experimentation, and uniqueness that Esoctrilihum always delivers. The bar was even higher with its two last masterpieces, that successfully mixed its most experimental side with some memorable melodies and a strong atmospheric touch. But Asthâghul is by no means a conformist artist, as he has tried to push the project’s boundaries once more with the new release.

'Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh' is the name of the new beast, and by far the shortest of all albums that Esoctrilihum has released so far. This may give you an idea of one of the most essential characteristics of the new album. Yes, this album is undoubtedly its most brutal album to date. It’s a furious monster that crushes every bone from the beginning to end and makes me remember the most brutal songs of the previous album 'Dy'th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath'. The final part of that album showed some quite extreme tunes that have been an anticipation of the new opus. What It happens is that 'Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh' goes even further in terms of ferociousness. Initially, I thought that this could be a problem as I am an absolutely fan of Esoctrilihum’s most atmospheric and hypnotic side. Fortunately, this album is not a unidimensional depiction of brutality, as it still has some room for atmosphere and the band’s trademark unique melodies. In any case, the traditional occult atmosphere remains in the background as this is essentially a suffocating and chaotic collection of songs that captures the listener and throws him into a dark abyss. The album opener "Spiritüs Flesh" is a perfect portrait of how the album sounds, with its super intense and crushing pace, full of incredibly fast drums, ferocious riffs, and grim vocals. The song, as the rest of the album, pushes you to the limit, but never beyond as there is always a little room for the beloved captivating melodies, which remind us Esoctrilihum’s core sound. The subsequent track, the amazing "Therth", continues on a similar path with another fine example of chaotic brutality enriched by some interesting arrangements which are a welcome addition to the track. The addition of an always inspired moment of melody in the middle of a devastating sonic storm is what makes this album still special. The vocals are as brutal as the rest of the musical elements contained in this album. From the generally used high-pitched agonic vocals to the not so prominent death metal influenced growls, or the slightly more melodic, yet ghostly, vocals, Asthâghul’s vocal performance is on par with the level of brutality and inspiration that this album requires. All the mentioned range of voices are contained in several tracks, being one of the most recommendable ones the song "Shohih", which perfectly sums up how this album sounds. "Tharseîdhon" is the shortest track and one of the most crushing ones, which is difficult to highlight in such a heavy album. This is probably the composition that mixes more clearly the death and black metal influences in an unsurprisingly chaotic, yet inspired, way. It must be mentioned how devastating the drums are in this song, and being sincere, in the whole album. Still, as a trademark of this album, this short song has some hypnotic and atmospheric arrangements and melodies that make it special. The album ends with that was probably my favourite track, "Aath". This long piece of music is maybe the most atmospheric one and also the one that reminds me more the previous albums. Still, the brutality is again a key element, and logically it won’t be seen as a outsider in this album.

In conclusion, Esoctrilihum has once again made it. 'Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh' is another great release and yet another reason to pay some attention to this project. Honestly, I clearly prefer the two previous albums as they have a much stronger atmospheric and hypnotic touch, which is the perfect sound to represent Esoctrilihum’s musical concept. In any case, this album, although it shows a more virulent face of this project, still maintains the essential experimental and mesmerizing spirit and ambience of Esoctrilihum, which is obviously great. This loyalty gives sense to the new album and stablishes a bridge between this new opus and the previous ones. (Alain González Artola)

(I, Voidhanger Records - 2022)
Score: 82

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/consecration-of-the-spiritu-s-flesh

Wesenwille - I: Wesenwille & Live at Roadburn

#PER CHI AMA: Post Black

Ho recensito 'II: A Material God' poco più di un anno fa, ma non avevo avuto modo di ascoltare il debut album degli olandesi Wesenwille. La Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions ci dà l'opportunità di riscoprire l'esordio 'I: Wesenwille', uscito originariamente nel 2018 per la Redefining Darkness Records e abbinarlo con un set live registrato al Roadburn Redux a Tilburg (Olanda) nel Marzo 2021. E come si suol dire in questi casi, piatto ricco mi ci ficco. Quello che avevo descritto in occasione del secondo album, ossia un black sperimentale malato e sghembo di scuola Deathspell Omega, si conferma anche nei cinque brutali pezzi del primo atto del duo di Utrecht, con un concentrato malsano di suoni che si muovono dalle furenti ritmiche e dallo screaming infernale dell'iniziale "The Churning Masses" a tratteggi ben più cadenzati all'interno della stessa, con melodie che sgorgano fresche e vocalizzi successivamente strozzati in gola. Una partenza di tutt'altra pasta ci aspetta in "Prosopopoeia", un brano che s'introduce dapprima soffice per poi degradare in ritmiche post black evocanti i folli Dodecahedron, sebbene a livello batteristico i nostri finiscano ad ammiccare anche agli Altar of Plagues. Diciamo che i pezzi proseguono sulla stessa falsariga anche con la distruttiva e obliqua "Golden Rays of the Sun", altri dieci minuti di dissonanze black che trovano modo di mostrare tutta la propria imprevedibilità in rallentamenti doom, ripartenze ancor più feroci e ancora parti atmosferiche nel finale (che ritroveremo anche nell'incipit di "Rising Tides", un brano complesso e ostico da digerire ancor più degli altri). In chiusura della prima parte di disco, ecco "From One, We Are Many", un pezzo più breve degli altri (cinque minuti vs dieci) e dai tempi più compassati, anche se le accelerazioni impetuose della seconda metà sono assimilabili a quelle di una valanga che si stacca da una montagna. Il Live al Roadburn include cinque pezzi, tre dal primo lavoro e due dal secondo, che fondamentalmente ripropongono, in modo alquanto fedele alla versione in studio, la musica dei nostri, arricchendola di quella componente live che enfatizza non poco la potenza del combo tulipano. Sinceramente, non sono un fan degli album dal vivo, ma se siete curiosi di sentire come questi sinistri musicisti se la cavano in sede live, beh devo ammettere che questo potrebbe essere un valido modo per testarne la performance. (Francesco Scarci)

(LADLO Productions - 2022)
Voto: 75

https://ladlo.bandcamp.com/album/i-live-at-roadburn

Graveyard - Hisingen Blues

#PER CHI AMA: Hard Rock

Sostenere che i Graveyard imitano i Led Zeppelin significa ostentare il medesimo grado di superficialità di chi ritiene noiosa la serie di Fibonacci dopo aver letto i primi tre numeri, o di chi chiosa che 'Fuga da Los Angeles' sarebbe uguale a '1997: Fuga da New York'. Guardando meglio troverete sparsi in giro elementi proto-doom (l'intro di "No Good, Mr. Holden"), amplificazioni lento-southern ("Uncomfortably Numb"), stratificazioni hammond-psych ("Ungrateful are the Dead", dove sennò?), fischietti epic-western morriconiani ("Longing"). Ma il punto è un altro. Il punto è che quando parte "Ain't Fit to Live Here" vi dimenticherete di Fibonacci, di Carpenter e di tutte queste sottodefinizioni ipersceme e penserete a una cosa sola. Penserete "Oh, là". Punto. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Nuclear Blast - 2011)
Voto: 78

https://www.facebook.com/graveyardofficial

Jazz-iz-Christ - S/t

#PER CHI AMA: Experimental

Una delle emanazioni più interessanti della tumultuosa creatività di Tankian prende forma in un eterogeneo collettivo di musicisti selezionato mediante asciugazione idrolitica. Scopo: la crocifissione del jazz ortodosso, se ne esiste uno, attraverso un consistente assortimento di sconfinamenti. Etnici (il sitar di "Honeycharmed", l'etno-polleggio-club alla Deep Forest di "Balcony Chats" o il soft-porn-club alla Claude Challe di "Scoth in China", funk (il crescendo funkettoso di "Yerevan to Paris", insolito per il genere, la truzzeria di "Waitomo Caves"), prog (le suggestioni flautistiche static-progressive nella eccellente "Arpeggio Bust" o ancora il tastieronismo di aroma canterburese nel finale di "Honeyharmed"), dub (quello sonnolento anni-novanta, ottimamente stigmatizzato da come la vocalist pronuncia il "comm'ouwn" iniziale), la destrutturazione post-metal (la S-O-A-D-esca "Jinn", oppure la onnicomprensiva "Fish Don't Scream", sorta di "Peaches en Regalia" anni zerodieci). Quanto al Tankian vocalist potete concentrarvi su "Garuna", traditional armeno composto nel 1915 da Komitas Vardapet, musicista e musicologo, testimone e martire del genocidio armeno (E’ primavera e ha nevicato / Vaay le le, vaay le le, vaay le le le le / La mia innamorata è diventata fredda / Akh, vorrei che la lingua del mio nemico si prosciugasse). Ora ascoltate questo disco riflettendo sul fatto che forse questa stupida nebbia non è poi così male. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Serjical Strike Records - 2013)
Voto: 78

https://serjtankian.com/pages/jazz-iz-christ

Pain of Salvation - Road Salt Two

#PER CHI AMA: Progressive Rock

…da quel medesimo genere che per decenni ha rappresentato un consolatorio iperuranio musicale per chiunque sentisse necessario darsela a gambe dalle classificazioni musicali correnti, i Pain of Salvation producono un duplice e pirotecnico contenitore di amenità, invero sorprendentemente coeso per ciò che concerne il primo episodio. In questo senso non è così strano che sia proprio il sequel, l'episodio più sparpagliato, a risultare più progressibile proprio per la presenza di roba come la circense "Break Darling Break" (con chiusura di flautino asmatico), la morriconiana "To the Shoreline", o ancora il deliquio acustico in "Healing Now" o la onni/porcupine/fluida "The Physics of Gridlock", episodi senz'altro più consoni per gli sclerotizzati percorsi neurali di un vecchio progghettone. E non certo il patton/funk di "Eleven" o, centottanta gradi più in là, i due heavy blues road-salt-primeggianti collocati in apertura, la beneducata "Conditioned" e la già citata e comunque maleducata "Healing Now". Una (doppia) concettualità altrimenti blanda, cucita insieme dalla furbesca ripresa del tema di "Road Salt Theme", dalla duplice "Of Dust" (la brontolosa) / "Of Salt" (la biliosa) e, fateci caso, dal layout delle copertine, ritraenti la band racchiusa in un cardioide stilizzato in 'R-S-1' e nella sagoma reale di un cuore umano in 'R-S-2'. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Inside Out Music - 2011)
Voto: 74

https://www.facebook.com/Painofsalvation

Shed The Skin - The Forbidden Arts

http://www.secret-face.com/

#FOR FANS OF: Death Metal

Definitely dark and brutal death metal this is my first venturing to immerse myself into Shed The Skin and their vibe. The music and vocals are very dismal and desolate. I thought that they deserve a "72" rating since the rhythms and vocals do well on here, reminds me a little of later Deicide recordings. In that respect, they sound good. It's one of those albums that you don't want to turn off especially if you're in a chronic death metal type of mood! It's been going in streaks as to when I'm listening to this whole release, I'd have to say it's not very fast tempos it's mainly mild tempos and just balls out HEAVY.

I like the originality in the songwriting and the riffs are good the whole way though. Every song has its own unique structure and the music doesn't really repeat itself. The consistency of fresh licks shine on this one! They are like I said: HEAVY! I told mind that especially since they've yes have got their influences but they've created some pretty unique and powerful compositions. It's something that's lacking in originality within the vein of death metal wholeheartedly. Things are just repetitive in the vein of death metal nowadays. Recycled riffs I mean and sounds. On here, there's just is this unique vibe!

The sound quality was superb. These guys just tear it up, they are more in key with slower tempos, but they do all sorts really. Mostly slower or medium-paced outputs. The quality again suffice to say here did the album justice. They put some good music here. A bit of melodic songs too. So in essence, they've been consistent but they do have their ways into choruses and main riffs that are thick and the vocals go right alongside the music rather well! They didn't lag in any aspect. Wish they had a higher rating in the other review. Obviously didn't think high enough of this recording to give it a 72%.

I'm glad for Spotify getting this streaming and I later bought the CD. I'm totally satisfied with it otherwise I'd care less about this album. It struck me the more I listened to this and heard the value of it. I like the fact that they were straightforward in this LP they tackled many aspects of death metal in this whole composition. It has varying spurts energy-wise. It's charged with slow, medium, and fast riffing. I did definitely liked the sound quality as well. It was good mixing and am awesome recording. I encourage fans of death metal or melodic death metal to check out 'The Forbidden Arts'! (Death8699)

(Hells Headbangers Records - 2020)
Score: 72

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/album/the-forbidden-arts

The Pit Tips

Francesco Scarci

Déhà - Decadanse
Vaina - ✥ FUTUE TE IPSUM ✥ Angel With Many Faces
Tómarúm – Ash in Realms of Stone Icons

---
Death8699

Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Panzer - Send Them All to Hell
Shed The Skin - The Forbidden Arts

 

Nechochwen - Kanawha Black

#FOR FANS OF: Black/Dark/Death

West Virginia-based duo Nechochwen returns with the long-awaited album as its predecessor saw the light of the day seven years ago. It’s a lot of time, though the band remained active, releasing a couple of splits and some other stuff. But as you know, a long length is always the best indicator of how a project is evolving and I was curious to see what Nechochwen could offer with this new opus, titled 'Kanawha Black'. The new work has been released again by Bindrune Recording and Nordvis, which is always a sign of confidence in what a project has composed. Founded back in 2005 Nechochwen has fused black metal with some folk and neofolk influences, and lyrically they have been strongly influenced by the Appalachian lands. Their interest in the Native American traditions is always a plus for me, so it is undeniable that this project is trying to create something personal.

'Kanawha Black' is a quite different album, particularly in terms of pace and general tone that the band tried to give to each song, aiming at creating pieces with a distinctive touch. The album is opened by the vigorous and powerful song "Kanawha Black". It’s a straightforward song with an excellent work in the guitars and a fast pace, that in any case has its ups and downs that make it very entertaining. The main aggressive vocals are combined with some clean ones, which makes a strong contrast with the first ones, I personally prefer the aggressive ones in this case, but I guess it’s a matter of feeling as they clean vocals are well executed and have nothing particularly negative to mention. The aforementioned neofolk and folk influences appear more clearly in the next songs, for example "The Murky Deep" and "I Can Die but Once", with these characteristic acoustic guitars. As it is typical in this genre, its influence gives a much more melancholic touch to the songs. The pace is also slower, and the songs have in general a sombre tone. This dark touch and slower pace reach its momentum with the song "A Cure for the Winter Plagues". This is for sure, the most different song as it is particularly slow and dark. I even describe it as a doom/death song, especially due to the main vocals with their deeper tone and the trademark growls of the death metal genre. The background vocals and arrangements give a quite ethereal touch to this composition, even though it remains to be a quite dark song. From this point the album clearly speeds up with faster songs more similar to the album opener. "Visions, Dreams, and Sings" is maybe my favourite track of this second half and one of the highlights of the whole album. It is a punch in your face thanks to its aggressive vocals and faster pace. The guitar work is again excellent, and the riffing remains in your mind after the end of the track. Being a faster song doesn’t mean that it’s a monotonous one, none of that, mid-temp and slower sections can be found too, and the acoustic guitars make its appearance to enrich the track. The last two songs have similar patterns as they intelligently combine some of the heaviest sections with the acoustic and darker ones, making them a merry-go-round of intensity with their changes of pace and tone. Vocally, the effort to include some variety is also there. Not only with the combination of aggressive and clean vocals, but also mixing black metal and death metal influenced voices, which are appropriately placed in the different songs.

In general terms, 'Kanawha Black' is a quite good album. It seems clear to me that there is a decent amount of work behind these compositions. The duo really tries to make songs with a particular tone and sound, mixing different influences and introducing arrangements to enrich them. (Alain González Artola)

(Bindrune Recordings - 2022)
Score: 78

https://bindrunerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/kanawha-black

Watain - Lawless Darkness

BACK IN TIME:
http://www.secret-face.com/

#FOR FANS OF: Black Metal

What an original, differently paced tempos, fast/medium/slow black metal, it's all inclusive work! Screaming in pain, songs are lengthy, dark and depressing. You can hear everything in this production/mixing. Some songs are groove laden and catchy. One long album, but interesting nevertheless. Tremolo picking galore, and riff-tastic. The vocals mix well with the music. Atmospheric. Some lead guitar here, but not really that much. Mostly rhythm guitars, which is fine by me. Their lyrical concepts aren't very interesting just the music hits home with me. That and their vocals. It's hard to like certain black metal bands because of crappy vocalists.

The mood the whole way through is very dark, but then again the title of this album is 'Lawless Darkness'. If I had to pick one Watain album out of their entire discography, this one would be it. Not because of anyone else's opinion or scores on here, but because this one really hits home with me. Everything about this album is amazing and it all fits into place. Black metal isn't even close to being my favorite genre because most of it is quite depressing. However, this I do appreciate. The guitars here are really thrashy. That's another reason why I like the album. And the fact that there are no keyboards or synthesizers. Those (to me) damage my ratings.

The vocals sound a bit like Legion (ex-Marduk, ex-Devian). A lot of black metal vocalists are grim sounding to go along with the dark music. Most of the concepts too are Satanism or the Occult. But the focus here is mainly the music. The riffs are original and not entirely fast and furious. They're mostly dark riffs. Dark but amazing. I haven't heard a good black metal album this good lately except the new Mayhem and Darkthrone, Dark Fortress as well. But this has its own unique sound. I beg to say that this is the only Watain album I'll own unless they produce something that's groundbreaking over the next few years.

I would vouch to say that this sat on my CD shelves for quite some time before I decided to re-listen to it as of recently. I was appalled by the music. Of course, not the lyrics but solely the music. Just simply invigorating and awe-inspiring. I'm not sure why it just sat there, this is one black metal album that's worthy of praise. And dynamite in the whole more than an hour of playtime. I would say support the band, but I would caution you this if you're sensitive to black metal in its' entirety, download it on Spotify or listen to it on YouTube because it might not be suitable for everyone that likes metal. It is a MONUMENT to me and I say support the band by buying the CD. Just a warning. Enjoy! (Death8699)

(Season of Mist - 2010)
Score: 85

https://www.facebook.com/watainofficial

Moluchtas - Telos Terminus

#PER CHI AMA: Black/Death

Presentarsi con delle registrazioni prossime alla cantina di casa non è mai buona cosa, proporre una compilation dopo soli due EP rilasciati, o ti chiami Metallica o meglio lasciar perdere. Se poi l'intento dei Moluchtas è quello di includere in questo 'Telos Terminus' tutte le tracce di 'Into Nothingness' e di 'The Inexorable Imprecation of Being', EP usciti in cassetta pochi mesi prima e forse passati totalmente inosservati ai più, deve esserci per forza un problema di fondo. Partiti con queste caustiche assunzioni, andiamo a dare un ascolto a queste otto tracce che propugnano per un black death senza troppi fronzoli. Questo è il minaccioso progetto di un musicista belga che ci spara in faccia un sound sprorco e convulso sin dall'iniziale "Surrender to the Void", fatto di riff ultra veloci e vocals raspanti, il tutto come dicevo, con la medesima qualità di un aratro che incide delicatamente sul manto vellutato di un vinile, quanto mi girano le palle, non avete idea. Il risultato è quindi un suono che si perde nelle basse frequenze e anche quando sembra aver qualcosa da dire, tipo nella seconda "The One That Defiles the Earth", in realtà non offre tutto quel range sonoro che potrebbe portare a ben altre valutazioni. Pur essendo cresciuto a pane e cassette registrate, faccio fatica ad accettare qualità cosi basse nel 2022. E non serve che il mastermind belga provi a raddrizzare il tiro con un incipit tastieristico in "The Awakening", la valutazione sembra già sufficientemente compromessa, anche perchè quello che segue è comunque un marcissimo esempio di death/black, almeno fino ad un certo punto. A metà brano infatti compaiono partiture sghembe di chitarra che evocano parossismi di scuola Deathspell Omega e successivi rallentamenti e parti atmosferiche che finalmente non mi spingono a saltare al pezzo successivo. Di "A Carnal Illumination", delle sue chitarrecon trame a tratti spettrali, ma per lo più dotate del medesimo riff dei precedenti e delle grim vocals del cantante, non ricordo molto altro. Da "Damnation's Drawning" alla conclusiva e stralunata "The Sun of Malediction" si passa alle tracce contenute nel più recente 'The Inexorable Imprecation of Being', EP uscito fondamentalmente un mese e mezzo prima del qui presente. La proposta non mostra grandi differenze dal passato, propinando sempre un concentrato insano di black caotico, a tratti atmosferico (menzione per il finale melodico di "The Sanguinary Provenance" e per "The Quintessence of Emptiness", forse il pezzo migliore di questo infausto album) e luciferino, che necessita però di ben altro per rendersi memorabile ad un pubblico più vasto. (Francesco Scarci)

(Godz ov War Productions - 2022)
Voto: 62

https://moluchtas.bandcamp.com/album/telos-terminus

Soulcarrion - Infernal Agony

#PER CHI AMA: Death Metal, Morbid Angel

Da Varsavia ecco arrivare il debut album dei Soulcarrion intitolato 'Infernal Agony', album targato Godz Ov War Productions. Detto che il titolo prefigura nome e programma del duo polacco, l'album consta di nove putride tracce di death metal vecchia scuola, dotato tuttavia di una grande dose di tecnica e un pizzico di melodia. Questo almeno quanto testimoniato dall'iniziale "Piles of Ashes", un brano che mi ha evocato i fantasmi degli Entombed di 'Left Hand Path' e proprio alla stregua di quel memorabile disco di oltre 30 anni fa, aspettatevi un feroce assalto ritmico contrappuntato da spettacolari e vorticosi assoli (di scuola Morbid Angel) e dall'immancabile growling da orco cattivo. Per il resto, 'Infernal Agony' è un disco che non fa troppi prigionieri, una cavalcata inarrestabile (giocata ahimè su un unico riff monocorde dall'inizio alla fine e da una triturante batteria), insomma il classico treno impazzito pronto al deragliamento. Non mancano ovviamente anche i frangenti mid-tempo (alcuni secondi nella caustica "Realm of Pain", nell'incipit della più compassata "Revenge is Mine" o nelle seconde metà sia  della title track che di "Night Ceremony"). Ubriacante la tagliente chitarra in apertura di "Depth of Fear", cosi come nella sua parte centrale più ritmata e pure in un infernale assolo conclusivo, che la porteranno ad identificarla anche come il mio pezzo preferito del disco. Per il resto, non aspettatevi troppa originalità dai Soulcarrion, tant'è che mi sentirei di consigliare questo lavoro ai soli amanti di putride sonorità death old school. Astenersi gli altri. (Francesco Scarci)

(Godz Ov War Productions - 2022)
Voto: 65

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/infernal-agony

Lacuna Coil - Broken Crown Halo

#PER CHI AMA: Gothic Alternative

Se pensate che la più originale e anticonformista goth band italiana, da sempre eccentricamente vestita di nero e capace di compiere la coraggiosa e inaudita scelta di cantare in inglese, percorrendo sonorità desuete come il gothic-pop alla Evanescence e il nu-metal adolescenziale, potesse addirittura arrivare a confezionare un originalissimo concept dall'inconsueta copertina su tematiche praticamente inedite quali l'occultismo e l'horror vintage tardosessanta, beh, se siete riusciti a formulare un pensiero tanto assurdo, allora siete sicuramente quel genere di persona che non riesce a perdonarsi di pensare che Cristina Scabbia abbia le gambe corte e le tette piccole. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Century Media - 2014)
Voto: 50

https://www.lacunacoil.com/

Asphyx - Incoming Death

http://www.secret-face.com/

#FOR FANS OF: Death Metal

The album here is better than a "65" rating to me. It's different, but cool. Good death metal and if you're into the vocals of this band, you'll like this. Their new one is excellent too. This one is somewhat slow, but not entirely. The guitar riffs are pretty exquisite. I like the quality of the sound on here, it's just that mixture of death/doom metal. Hence the slow riffs. But this album as a whole is pretty well rounded. I liked the whole thing and if you're a fan I'm sure you'll like it as well. It's slower tempos than there are fast ones. But still the quality of the guitar riffs are superb. They'll just stick with you!

The vocals are an acquired taste and if you like them, then you'll like this. Definitely! I like the guitar and vocals pretty equally so there's no discrepancy there. The production quality is top notch. I like the recording, ABSOLUTELY! The whole album is full of diversity. Not to mention originality and hostility. The music I think you'll like the most. And that distortion is absolutely amazing. These guitars are seriously amazing. The riffs are wholly original. Everything fits together perfectly. All the tracks on here I liked. But don't expect many fast tempos, you'll just be disappointed.

The production quality is top notch. Really good for a death/doom band. I like how they mix the two genres together. They seem to know how to structurally arrange everything so that it fits this double genre. It took me a while to get used to the vocals but eventually I started liking them. It just seemed to make sense. I think that this band keeps on improving after each succeeding release. I like the sound quality the whole way through. It definitely hits the mark on this album. I would say it's almost as good as their new album, but not as good. I think their new one is a slight bit better.

This is available on Spotify and YouTube as well. They really tear it up on here and I think any metal fan will enjoy this. Even the slow tempos are still to my liking. There really aren't many solos (if at all) but that's OK because the riffs are pretty phenomenal. They are balls out amazing on here. I think for any metalhead they'll like this one. It has a lot of variety and likability. All the elements of a good album has me rating this one a "70-". Check it out! (Death8699)

(Century Media - 2016)
Score: 68

https://www.facebook.com/officialasphyx

Napalm Death - Diatribes

BACK IN TIME:
http://www.secret-face.com/

#FOR FANS OF: Death/Grind

A more experimental Napalm Death though I still like it. It's kind of the same way I like 'Chaos AD' by Sepultura though they're in a whole different genre. But the same idea. I think that they had a lot of good ideas in the songwriting but they totally abandoned their grind roots on here. Surprised that Jesse (RIP) did go through and play on this alongside Mitch. I supposed "slowed down" doesn't even come close to this one. I like it, but it's way not Napalm. If they wanted to abolish their metal roots (as I say), then they've done that here. It's kind of like Napalm meets Lamb of God or Killswitch Engage. I'm surprised that I like this!

I can see an alternative metal approach on 'Diatribes' it's closest to that genre far away what Napalm fans are really into. But since I value just about all genres I can appreciate this and give it a "70" rating. They probably wanted to do something they've never done and well that's what they sure as hell did. I like the guitar riffs on a lot of their songs here but you would think it's not Mitch and Jesse doing this. And Barney sounds the same just not like on 'Harmony Corruption', 'Utopia Banished' or 'Fear, Emptiness, Despair'. This is the newer Barney not as low in pitch nor as likeable (to me) as on earlier releases the ones I just mentioned.

I think if this were a different band then grind, death/grind or straight death metal you'd probably be OK with it. I suppose that they did see the negative press so they changed their tune. I'm still in favor of people getting the album but just expect something different. Those blast beats are nonexistent and the intensity is a lot less. They probably don't really play much of the material on this live (they didn't when I saw them in 2012), so it's not well received. There are a lot of changes on here and the distortion on the heavy riffs are there but not on every song the whole way through.

It's hit or miss if you'll like this or not. Since I'm a big Napalm Death fan, I accepted that it was something different here so I thought it palatable for me. But if you're looking to the utmost intense Napalm, search into the earlier releases I mentioned or with the old lineup. Don't expect Napalm of the old this is the new generation. Though on here, it's pretty alternative metal sounding. They abdicated their roots but a lot of songs are still pretty strong! I ordered the CD because I didn't get it when it came out in '96. I've been a Napalm fan since the late 80's. I've heard a big change in sound and this is a product of the new. (Death8699)

(Earache - 1996)
Score: 70

https://napalmdeath.bandcamp.com/album/diatribes