Borknagar - Fall

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

#FOR FANS OF: Epic Black/Viking

What a transitory epic platter that's filled with the utmost soul-driven heart. I'm not a big fan of bands like Amon Amarth or other Viking metal bands, but Borknagar is one of the ones that I'm totally into their vibe. They're totally chill and hold an illicit like vibe. These guys over the years have kept it mild. Not their first releases, but some that I've come across have been mellow. The more releases they put out, the more they mellow out. It doesn't make them totally like eunuchs, it just means they're getting older and more musical. They have made a turn for their best in precepts with their latest sound, which is the greatest they've put out.

The guitars go mainly in a slow pace with some variation and melodic as all heck, do they swarm. The music is the best part of the release, alongside the vocals. They're in unison of the music wholeheartedly. What melodies and an overall beautiful all be that will never 'Fall.'

Every song on here is full of passion in the music! The vocals sway from hoarse to clean and back again. It's killer if there's an exact moment to highlight the whole release is a highlight! The guitars seem to go well with the songs/album/riff by riff. I've been a fan since I got 'Winter Thrice.' I just like their overall sound to their songs. This stuff isn't appeasing the brutal metal people, just those of whom are more into bands like Katatonia, et al. They're way mild and intricate in that sense. Just getting milder and milder they seem with each passing bar. To that realm, they appease the masses of listeners to Viking mild sense of direction that they have become.

These guys have been around for some time now, belting out their melodic metal till way back in the 1990's. I think they've moved on with careful progression and sticking to their Viking metal roots! This is one you don't want to pass up on! So many great songs! (Death8699)

(Century Media - 2024)
Score: 80

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/fall-24-bit-hd-audio

Poroniec - W Po​ł​ogu

#PER CHI AMA: Black/Death

Della serie picchiare come fabbri, questa sera vi presentiamo 'W Po​ł​ogu', atto primo dei polacchi Poroniec. Una tempesta sonora che potrebbe essere assimilabile al moniker dei nostri che si rifà a un demone maligno della mitologia slavonica, dotato di una faccia deforme, nato dall'anima di un feto morto intenzionalmente, e direi ben rappresentato nella cover del disco. Non lasciatevi pertanto tranquillizzare da quell'intro melliflua che apre il disco, perchè ben presto verrete investiti dalla furia disumana del duo di Kraków, che in "Nieprzystępni" vi travolgerà brutalmente con un black death senza troppi fronzoli, comunque tecnicamente valido e interessante. Produrre musica originale al giorno d'oggi è diventato qualcosa di più unico che raro, quindi sarà meglio non riporre troppe aspettative in fatto di originalità della proposto, e semmai sarà meglio gustarsi questo treno impazzito che vi si scaraventerà addosso, traccia dopo traccia, il suo enorme carico di odio. I brani scorrono veloci che è una meraviglia, tra parti cazzutissime e altre più rallentate ("Niedorzeczności"), dove la band arriva a proporre addirittura cori puliti (e anche una voce femminile in sottofondo, che dovrebbe appartenere a Hekte Zaren degli Adaestuo) che fanno da contraltare a un growl possente e convincente, oltre che a ritmiche dapprima oblique e poi sparate a velocità impressionanti, ma sempre permeate di una sottile epicità di fondo che renderà l'ascolto di 'W Po​ł​ogu', un'interessante esperienza conoscitiva. "Moralności" continua sulla falsariga delle precedenti, affidandosi a una disarmonica e compassata linea di chitarra su cui poi imbastire le varie accelerazioni, distorsioni, rallentamenti e incursioni di altre ospiti (la già citata Hekte e tal Justyna Walczyk) che vanno ad arricchire un brano che altrimenti rischierebbe di finire nell'anonimato. Il disco è comunque solido, e lo testimoniano anche altre song, dalla malinconica "Przypadłości", passando per la glacialità post black affidata agli splendidi tremolo picking di "Mądrości", fino ad arrivare ai 13 minuti conclusivi di "Wątpliwości", che condensano tutte le peculiarità esibite dal combo polacco. Si passa infatti con somma disinvoltura dal black mid-tempo iniziale al debordante sound innescato attorno al terzo minuto, per poi rallentare pericolosamente un minuto più tardi. I nostri ci offrono poi un demoniaco e salmodiante intermezzo ambient tra il settimo e il nono minuto, per finire di scardinare ogni barriera sonora nella coda del brano e sancire definitivamente la loro pericolosità strumentale. (Francesco Scarci)

(Putrid Cult - 2024)
Voto: 74

https://poroniecband.bandcamp.com/album/w-po-ogu

Deathlike Dawn - Among the Graves of the Archetypes

#PER CHI AMA: Black Old School

Melodie sinistre, oscure e malefiche per un black metal avvolto da profondo mistero. Stiamo parlando dei polacchi Deathlike Dawn e del loro secondo album, 'Among the Graves of the Archetypes', uscito a distanza di quattro anni dal precedente 'Deliria and Dreams'. Un disco che affonda sicuramente le proprie radici nel black old school anni '90, con tanto di scricchiolanti riff, ridondanti ritmiche (come il buon Burzum era solito infarcire i propri lavori) e gracchianti grim vocals, il tutto impastato da un suono sporco e cattivo, in cui gli strumenti non sono peraltro cosi facilmente identificabili. Eppure, nonostante quello che sembra essere un bel pastrocchio, il disco dei nostri riesce a cogliere la mia attenzione e generare comunque emozioni piacevoli. I primi due pezzi, "A Monument I Shall Raise in Flame" e "Plutonic Ether" li trovo davvero buoni, per quanto non propongano nulla di innovativo nel loro ipnotico incedere di chitarre e azzeccatissime melodie che non tolgono comunque quell'impatto old school alla release. Sembra infatti di essere catapultati indietro nel tempo di 30 anni quando (i futuri) mostri sacri norvegesi, si stavano affacciando sulla sena. E penso ai primissimi Enslaved, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Burzum e Gehenna, e le loro proposte di black minimalista ma comunque contraddistinto da un piglio atmosferico, che alla fine convergeranno tutte insieme nelle note di questo disco marcescente ma indovinatissimo. Nella proposta dei Deathlike Dawn ci sento poi anche un che del cosmic black dei Darkspace, soprattutto nel secondo brano, che inizia all'insegna di un black doom, per poi evolvere con i suoi synth e tastiere, verso un black atmosferico, in grado di creare una sorte di sospensione del tempo. Con "Forked Tongues of Eternal Fire", il duo di Wrocław esibisce un black più tirato, che ammicca anche ai Windir nella linea delle chitarre in super tremolo picking. Che dire, se non che tutti gli amanti di simili sonorità, dovrebbero approcciare questa nuova realtà polacca, per lo meno per dargli un'occasione. Io mi sento di dargliela, anche laddove i nostri non offrono palesemente nulla di originale. Ascoltare però "Darkly Treads the Twilight" è un po' come riscoprire 'Vikingligr Veldi' degli Enslaved, mentre con la rutilante "In Tenebrous Depths, a Transfiguration" mi lascio piacevolmente investire dalla martellante contraerea dei nostri. In chiusura la caustica "Dew and Blood", pezzo rabbioso ma che forse non concede grosse emozioni, se non nel comparto solistico, dove la band si diletta con ottimi assoli e una furibonda cavalcata conclusiva. Nostalgici. (Francesco Scarci)

(Putrid Cult - 2024)
Voto: 72

https://deathlikedawn.bandcamp.com/album/among-the-graves-of-the-archetypes

Nunslaughter - Angelic Dread

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

#FOR FANS OF: Death/Thrash

Killer death metal, though the songs are short. I didn't mind that, they reined with fury! Catchy riffs and tolerable vocals, there's no going wrong with this band! The vocals go well with the music! Best Nunslaughter I've heard from them. Excruciatingly immense death metal galore! Check out one of their lengthier songs called "Looking Into The Abyss."

The music is thrash/death metal, more thrash in the guitars and a tinge of death metal with the vocals. But I know they're considered to be solely a death metal band. The vocals reflect Jeff Walker via Carcass. Same screaming sound if you didn't notice, but it seems to be true to that!

Riffs sound crunchy and catchy. There isn't a Nunslaughter album I've heard that tops this one. And it's good they're re-establishing a great fan base. They need it and their music is unique.

The production quality on here is superb! I enjoyed how they weaved everything into place in terms of instruments/voice. The aggression is totally there, and wouldn't want to change anything on this release. They diversify, they're not aggression totally, but the guitars are HEAVY! I think that they down-tune the guitars to reach that thickness sound. What a great band, they're wholly underrated! I ordered their CD from Hells Headbangers because I thought it one album that I couldn't pass up! The music took over and I loved the vocal department. This band is way unique and uncompromising! Be sure to take a listen to the song I mentioned and see if it's up to your death metal pallet! (Death8699)

(Hells Headbangers Records/Fatalism Musickness - 2014/2021)
Score: 74

https://nunslaughter.bandcamp.com/album/angelic-dread

Endorphine - Godmind

BACK IN TIME: recensione gentilmente concessa da Nihil Zine

#PER CHI AMA: Thrash Metal

Si trattava di una nuova scoperta per la prolifica agenzia italiana Kick Agency. Gli Endorphine, con questa loro fatica intitolata 'Godmind', aggiungevano un nuovo tassello alla scena thrash melodica italiana anche se vi erano presenti “tocchi” ispirati al crossover (soprattutto per quanto riguarda la voce), che secondo me suonavano fuori luogo rispetto alle buone trovate che poi costituivano il fulcro dell’album. Ottime le chitarre, sia quella solista che la chitarra ritmica di Maddalena. Entrambe erano arrangiate molto bene e con la tecnica dei nostri non perdevano di potenza. La sezione ritmica reggeva bene questa potenza, sostenuta da una batteria che variava tra giochi più tecnici e velocità abbastanza sostenute, in pieno stile thrash metal. A completare il tutto, la voce: capace nell'essere cattiva, sebbene spesso si perdesse nelle melodie pulite, che come accennato prima, a mio avviso, rappresentavano l’unico punto debole di questo secondo MCD composto da tre tracce. Un discreto lavoro che vide un seguito, 'The Future Seed', prima dello scioglimento della band nel 2008.

(Self - 2002)
Voto: 65

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Endorphine

Naglfar - Cerecloth

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

#FOR FANS OF: Swedish Black, Dissection

This release is a re-visitation of the "old" Naglfar via the 'Vittra' release with a little fine-tuning. The guitars are similar like in the past tremolo picking and a slight reverb upon the production the vocals are similar as well just darker I'd say. They're screaming vox but darker and dreary. It sets the tone on how the album is going to be like, especially on the production quality.

 

I don't agree that this album averages a moderate "65" rating I believe that it's top-notch. It stole me right away, and I liked it immediately. Especially the doom if there entails. There really aren't an overabundance of lead guitar work, just some. It weaved into the tremolo picking of the rhythm guitar.

They really did well on here, I mean so eerie and desolate are the guitar riffs with vocals accompanying the riffs making it so depressing. They really upped their game in the melancholic department, as most of their work has done. I'd say it's more morbid than 'Harvest.' The melodies flow in the depths of hell.

 

If you key into the production/mixing/sound departments, you'll hear that they wanted this to sound ultimately grueling.

 

I'm not much into the lyrical conceptions, I just care about the vocals and the music. I feel they're at a really strong point and that they are at the pinnacle of their melodic black metal. They are pretty much experts on how to make such good recordings in this genre, and I feel that they were undercut on the ratings. They really are sending home a message that they're not letting up in their intensity. And the tremolo picking is superb. There's a lot of it on here, not too many bouts of slower tempos, most of it is fast, I'm a huge fan of this band and rightfully so because they keep putting out songs/albums that grasp the listener with their immense intensity. Don't pass this one up!

 

The eerie sense of this release is all there, and they definitely upped their underground vibe that you can feel totally throughout! Check it out and see! (Death8699)

 

(Century Media - 2020)

Score: 76

 

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/cerecloth-24-bit-hd-audio

Sathanas - Psalm Satani

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

#FOR FANS OF: Black/Death

Only 30 minutes in length, but I feel like these guys put on some pretty great blackened metal. I love the vocals and the guitars. Paul indicated that the recording quality wasn't the greatest, but you can as sure as hell make out the riffs. No blast beats just underground metal galore.

Production wise, this album could've done better, but the guitars and the vocals made up for that! I like the fact that Paul's vocals are screams that fit well with the essence of this album. I really like this album, especially the riffs. Too bad, it's only a little over 30 minutes. It deserves a lengthier LP. But, nevertheless, it's better than quality music for this rare genre. It's really made metal to sound better than just unique. It's made it more experimental and creative. Each song is good to my standards. They put an effort into everything, especially in making this album flourish, even though there's a claim that they got somewhat screwed over by the label. But the next LP will be at Morrisound. So that's pretty exciting!

The music on here was in the vein of 'Necrohymns' but it has its own kick to it. Definitely looking forward to the new album, but for now it's this blaring through my speakers. It's a raw recording, again reminiscent of the past. Paul is the main contributor of the band as he's the driving force.

This band has their own sound, especially the blackened metal that they play. They have sort of weaved it into their own. I like how they display their talent throughout this recording and past recordings as well! The music on here is filled with progressive riffing and a unique style.

I've yet to find a way to get a physical copy of this album, preferably on Amazon or Hells Headbangers. But they're not stocking it. Best to download off bandcamp. Check this album out! It shan't disappoint! (Death8699)

(Vidar Records - 2023)
Score: 73

https://sathanaspsalmsatani.bandcamp.com/album/psalm-satani

Disinter - Designed By The Devil, Powered By The Dead

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

#FOR FANS OF: Grind/Death

These guys formed quite a bit ago, Native Chicagoans! I'm quite surprised that no one took a shot and reviewed this. The vocals sound like Adam via Cardiac Arrest (US). And the music is quite unique and technical as well. They hit home with me, I've found this platter to rip musically and aggressively. It's too bad that they dealt with a death in the band (Preston) RIP 2017. I've found nothing but good things to say about this band/album. It's just a little hard to find online. It isn't readily available on Amazon.com and there are different bands with changed names (Disinter). I can't fathom that it's been 10 years since this album was released!

Keeping the metal faith there on Disinter's end, they rip quick musically, and they're (I believe) five members making this release happen. I just so don't like to listen digitally without giving the band money to buy a CD. I would love to have this album as a part of my collection!

These guys are not only death metal, but their talent goes to show that it does still exist, and we hear here that talent belting out fast riffs mixed with upbeat but still underground vocals alongside burgeoning music that utterly is in command. There's so much going on with the vocals, music, and rhythm guitar sounds that perpetrate along with its unfathomably dark intricate metal. You can hear how much they unleash their musical display. Very talented musicians!

They have intricate groove and tenacious licks that simply catch you off guard. But yeah, the vocalist sounds like Adam Scott from Cardiac Arrest (US). If you've heard any of their music, you'll hear what I'm talking about. The other side of the vocals deals with screaming. The music is their own. I'm glad to be aware that metal is alive and well in Chicago. These guys rip it to pieces on the guitars, the production sound, varying vocals and undying spirit. They've owned Chicago since their birth in 1991. This band is the embodiment of terror, destruction, and songwriting.

I only took a little bit off because there were some slow parts but wholeheartedly uncompromising and intricate abomination! (Death8699)

(Desecrated Productions - 2014)
Score: 76

https://disinter.bandcamp.com/album/designed-by-the-devil-powered-by-the-dead