Chaotic Remains - We Are Legion

#FOR FANS OF: Symph Black/Death Metal

Chaotic Remains is a Maltese symphonic death/black metal band who has been in the extreme music scene for almost ten years. The band had been active since 2008 but they were not able to record an album until last December 1st. Their debut album, 'We Are Legion', is what I am going to describe in this review.

There is really nothing special in this album. Like the contemporary symphonic extreme metal groups, Chaotic Remains built a more symphonic proposal but weaker in aggressiveness and lacking in catchiness album. I love the idea of extreme bands trying to go experimental with keyboards and orchestral sound on their music. There are bands who had been successful doing that method in the past, and a few in the present. However, even with a thought-provoking vision of Chaotic Remains to make a good release with their brand of music, the band failed to deliver a notable album that will give the listeners a reason to keep it in the rack along with their collection.

The big flaw in this record is the played out and prevailing use of the keyboards. Keys are good when a band knows how to use and utilize them with other instruments in their offering. I am not against bands that are bringing in keyboards in their music, but they have to be crafty in using it. Chaotic Remains had failed to do that in 'We Are Legion'. The keys here smothered all the other instruments. It hauled the guitars to the back and at the same time, it competes with a loud tone against the drum sound.

The guitar sound is near inaudible here because the orchestration is all over the place. Both guitars do not have much to show for themselves and are both somewhere in the line of playing some half-decent riffs. Perhaps, if the band had put them at the front of the mix, it would have served to make this offering less unrelieved than it is. Drum section is sometimes indistinguishable from the guitar chugging because of the keyboard symphonics that had buried everything. Bass section is also a disappointment as they blend in too well with the already indistinct rhythm guitar.

There are many brief periods of time in the album where it will be possible to notice that the band is attempting to assault the audiences with their music but they were unsuccessful in doing that due to the overdone symphony and absence of crudeness and bleakness in the record. The outcome of the tracks is also a cliché. Every song sounds exactly the same and it does not progress at all. Right from the beginning of each track, the feeling will stay the same until the end and there is no feistiness to be found.

To summarize this review shortly, 'We Are Legion' is a dreadful album that could have been entertaining if Chaotic Remains had look to build on other elements rather than focusing solely on the symphonic side of the music. I really find it boring and I can’t find any reason why I should ever listen to the songs of this record again. (Felix Sale)

(Mighty Music - 2017)
Score: 40

https://www.facebook.com/chaotic.remains

One Horse Band - Let's Gallop!

#PER CHI AMA: Southern Blues Rock

Nello scalciante esordio discografico della one man band milanese, il punkabilly infervorato proposto dalla programmatica "Declaration of Intent" disarciona immediatamente l'ascoltatore con l'unico scopo di scaraventarlo al centro esatto di un polveroso rodeo sonoro, in cui fervono accelerazioni cowpunk ("Mama I Think I'm Drunk"), energia, galoppanti heavy blues ("Wild Lovin' Woman"), alcool sovente ingerito in eccesso, irraggiungibili figure femminili, echi early-70-stoniani ("Howlin' at Your Door"), a tratti marcatamente southern/folk ("Uh hu hu Yeah!" agguanta al lazo gaglioffi del calibro di Zz Top e Bob Seger; "Venus", un'indovinata cover della hit che portò tanta gloria e pochi soldi agli olandesi Shocking Blue nel lontanissimo sessantanove), ammiccamenti glam ("Bad Love Blues"), Jon Spencer (la summenzionata "Declaration..."), incornate e tantissimo slide (per es. nella vol-3-zeppeliniana "Altare", in chiusura). Un album che potreste ascoltarvi con leggerezza in esclusiva compagnia di cinque litri di Bud e di una T-bone di bisonte da un chilo e mezzo. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Self - 2017)
Voto: 65

https://www.facebook.com/onehorseband/

Crafteon - Cosmic Reawakening

#FOR FANS OF: Black Metal

Crafteon is a relatively new band which was born in Denver a few years ago. The band plays black metal with a clear melodic touch, which is notorious departure from what two thirds of the band members used to do in some of their previous projects. Those bands were more closely related to power metal, so Crafteon marks a new and much darker step in their careers. The band´s music, the concept and even the monicker itself are based on H.P. Lovecraft´s works. Curiously, the word Crafteon comes from a play-on-words between the words “Lovecraftian" and "Aeon."

Crafteon´s unsigned debut, entitled 'Cosmic Reawakening', has a truly eye-catching artwork, which fits perfectly well with the concept and the history behind the album´s music. The picture depicts a monstrous creature emerging from the oceanic depths, very appropriate in my opinion, for a “Lovecraft-esque” album. The booklet contains some paintings with a similar style and concept, which makes it look as a quite impressive artwork. Not a few extreme metal bands are inspired by H.P. Lovecraft´s tenebrous and mysterious works, and though Crafteon doesn´t reach The Great Old Ones wicked, complex and suffocating interpretation of this dark universe, it’s a different yet interesting offering. In contrast to the French band, 'Cosmic Reawakening' is a much more melodic work with an excellent guitars' work. The album has generally a mid-paced tone, with sporadic fast sections, like at the beginning of the opening track “The Outsider”. Another interesting detail is the bass lines, unlike in many other black metal albums, it can be listen to reasonably well through the album, which I personally appreciate a lot, because the bass lines are buried during the mixing too many times. With regards the production, the album has a slightly filthy production which doesn’t ruin the final result, mainly because the guitar lines, which reign in this album, are easily recognizable and distinctive. The combination of melodic sections and ultra catchy guitars work perfectly well in tracks like “The Colour Out of Space” and specially “The White Ship”, which is highly addictive. Crafteon surely knows how to compose riffs which remain in the head of the fan. This is usually the great difference between the just “ok” albums and the truly good ones like this debut. The vocals sound pretty strong and varied, ranging for slightly high-pitched to a more common hoarse and rotten tone, which for some reason reminds me Mayhem.

In conclusion, this is a fine debut by Crafteon and a pretty enjoyable work for those who want to make an immersion into Lovecraft´s tenebrous universe, without leaving aside a healthy dose of melodic and catchy riffs. For future releases, I would recommend a step forward in terms of production and perhaps the introduction of some atmospheric keys. In my opinion it could work pretty well. (Alain González Artola)

(Self - 2017)
Score: 80

https://crafteon.bandcamp.com/releases

Wrathprayer/Force of Darkness - Wrath of Darkness

#FOR FANS OF: Black/Death/Thrash

A cooperation of two Chilean underground bands on Nuclear War Now! Productions - this is definitely not the stuff fans of Bon Jovi and further idiots are looking for. South America is, in terms of metal, equipped with an extra dose of bestiality and therefore it is only logical that Wrathprayer play a violent form of death/black metal. They open the split with heavyweight guitars and vocals that originate from the zombie mausoleum next door. In a matter of seconds, it becomes obvious that this band does not intend to entertain a costumed crowd with some easy listening black thrash. Totally aligned with the name of the label, their songs spread some extremely martial and destructive vibes. Too bad that they offer only two relevant tracks, because the intro can be skipped.

Apart from this minor blemish, the band shows full dedication and their relatively unorthodox patterns avoid successfully any form of fatigue. There are more than enough (well integrated) breaks that ensure the necessary degree of diversity without tearing the songs apart. In view of the carefully constructed song patterns, one cannot blame them for having released somehow half-baked pieces. The songs do not lack coherence, despite their hostile and unapproachable configuration. Not to mention their outstanding parts, for example the dragging section in the centre of "Tria Serpentis" which relies on a creeping monster riff. A rate of 75 could be appropriate for Wrathprayer.

The question is whether their compatriots from Chile's capital Santiago are able to surpass this result. Unlike Wrathprayer, Force of Darkness do not dive into the deadly genre. Their mix consists of thrash and black metal. A touch of chaos accompanies their sound. For example, concentrate on the insane drumming. Nevertheless, this does not mean that they do not know what they are doing. It is just a little bit more difficult to internalize the songs of Force of Darkness. Sometimes extremely fast drums liaise with rabid lines while the lead vocalist delivers a kind of malignant nagging with a lot of reverb on it. Catchiness is of minor relevance and so the listener follows the formation on its wild ride through the wasteland of terror.

Of course, Force of Darkness also stand for aggression and devastation, but their songs are slightly less apocalyptic than the two steamrollers of Wrathprayer. Some thrashing guitar lines show a minimally more technical approach. This is at the expense of vehemence, but it does not affect the general impression significantly. In particular the pretty monumental "The Order" is more or less on an equal footing with Wrathprayer's songs. Overall, Force of Darkness do not win the competition (65), but their integrity and passion cannot be doubted. Anyway, the split album delivers what it promises: a very harsh outbreak of musical violence. Seems as if Chile is always worth a journey. (Felix 1666)

(Nuclear War Now! Productions - 2017)
Score: 70

https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/wrath-of-darkness

Tchornobog - S/t

#FOR FANS OF: Experimental Black/Death/Doom

Tchornobog is the one man project by Markov Soroka. If this name sounds familiar to you then you might have heard of his funeral doom metal band Slow and the atmospheric/ambient black metal project Aureole, both of them are a one-man band. I heard a lot about Tchornobog’s s/t album so I decided to check it out and see for myself what the fuss is all about. Unfortunately, after listening to the whole material, I wasn't impressed as what others had felt about this studio debut.

Released via Fallen Empire Records in Bandcamp for its digital format last July of 2017, Tchornobog's self-titled debut had impressed quite some audiences in the realm of black/death/doom metal. But after I examined the proposal, I found it non-distinctive and nothing special as what everyone was uttering about. While others praise the album because of its death-metal style guitars and blast beats, super flat and obscured thick production; I find the Tchornobog's music failing to achieve its ideal sound and failing to deliver memorable tunes.

Though I am not impressed about this self-titled release, there are a few elements here that I find satisfactory in some ways. The doomy section and desolate ambiance of the record are decent and it momentarily helps me to ignore the awfully monotonous riff structure. Perhaps if Markov had done more effort on the songwriting segment, the effects would have been more haunting and impossible to forget. The series of looping guitar patterns in this offering, is really weak in its character. It does not have that certain punch that will stick and catch you to get hook on the band's tunes.

There are a few bands in the extreme music genre that can convince their listeners even with a simple repetitive guitar pattern, given that the band had fabricated the guitar riffs to fit well with the style that they are playing. However, Tchornobog's experimental exploitation of multiple sub-genres of extreme music, does not go well with his insufficient effort to write noteworthy guitar riffs. Some listeners are convinced and satisfied with Markov's repetitive guitars because it is reinforced with a bleak and dingy atmosphere. I, on the other hand, do not find that compelling.

Another thing that some people dig about this release, but I find not that impressing, is the pummeling death metal style blasting of the drumming department. There is really nothing exceptional about that part, as it is pretty much just a barrage of machine-like hammering followed by a few pats of toms and cymbals which at times is deceitful enough to win over some audiences’ attention. Even the dark and cryptic overall mood of the record could not save the album from its conspicuous drawbacks.

I know that some fans believed that Tchornobog's otherworldly and deranged atmosphere had rescued this album from falling into the depths of mediocrity, but it most certainly did not. Yes, the mood of the material could have totally made this offering more entertaining if only Soroka had prioritized his songwriting when he was still working on the songs in this debut. I am not saying that I will totally turn my back on this band after this awful release. Tchornobog has that potential that only needs developing. For all we know, Markov had already learned through the drawbacks of this album right at this moment and is ready to put up a more decent piece in the coming future. (Felix Sale)

(Fallen Empire Records/I, Voidhanger - 2017)
Score: 45

https://markovsoroka.bandcamp.com/album/tchornobog

Tuna de Tierra - S/t

#PER CHI AMA: Psych/Stoner, Kyuss

I Tuna de Tierra nascono a Napoli all'inizio del 2013 dall'incontro tra Alessio (chitarra e voce) e Luciano (basso) che, grazie alla collaborazione di Jonathan Maurano (alla batteria), portano alla registrazione del primo EP autoprodotto nel 2015, 'EPisode I: Pilot', con un buon riscontro da parte del pubblico che ha permesso al terzetto partenopeo di solcare i palchi italiani e continuare con la loro produzione artistica. Questo self-title è prodotto da Argonauta Records che ha intuito il potenziale dei tre scugnizzi napoletani che non hanno deluso le aspettative. L'album è disponibile in digitale e nel classico digisleeve a due ante, con un artwork desertico disegnato dalla Ver Eversum, già protagonista di poster e illustrazione per band e festival. Le sette tracce sono un mix di sonorità stoner/psych rock che affondano le radici nella scuola Kyuss & Sky Valley Co., grazie a lunghe sessioni di jam lisergiche che trascendono tempo e spazio. Il trio infatti non adotta la scuola del wall-of-sound e si concentra su melodie orecchiabili, come nella prima track "Slow Burn", brano strumentale dai suoni potenti e con un assolo evanescente che guida il breve svolgimento del brano. Passiamo oltre e approdiamo a "Morning Demon", una lunga ballata rock che convince per gli arrangiamenti e la ritmica, mentre la linea vocale è sottotono e non riesce a dare la giusta identità al brano. Il trio convince sempre più sulla parte strumentale, proponendo riff che richiamano la scena stoner californiana, ma riescono a dare un apporto personale grazie a melodie non scontate. L'utilizzo delle progressioni crea una struttura di facile assimilazione che entra calda e lenta nelle nostre vene per poi esplodere nel finale dove ritorna il cantato che questa volta ha la grinta che il brano merita. Il trio ci delizia con "Long Sabbath's Day ", una sorta di desert-gospel-blues fatto di chitarra, voce e percussioni, ideali per una notte fredda e stellata tra rocce e sabbia, stesi su un polveroso tappeto davanti ad un fuoco mentre la tequila scorre incessantemente. I fumi dell'alcool si mescolano alle sterpaglie bruciate, gli occhi lacrimano per l'emozione legata alla catarsi tra uomo ed universo. "Laguna" invece abbraccia il post rock nella sua parte introduttiva con le chitarre che riecheggiano lontanissime, per poi mutare in una lunga ballata psichedelica fatta di fraseggi liquidi e di una ritmica vellutata. Pura lussuria per le nostre orecchie che trasmutano la melodia in serotonina e sfama i nostri neuroni appisolati, mentre il break annuncia l'entrata della classica cavalcata, assolo e rallentamento a chiudere. Mandando in rotazione l'album per giorni si viene rapiti dal sound caldo e avvolgente, dalle melodie oniriche che diventano aggressive quando serve e dalla passione vera per un genere che non accusa affatto l'età. Non definirei quest'album omonimo il seguito del primo EP dei Tuna de Tierra, piuttosto un'evoluzione artistica alla ricerca del proprio io su una strada che si perde all'orizzonte. Speriamo di rincontrarli presto. (Michele Montanari)

(Argonauta Records - 2017)
Voto: 75

https://tunadetierra.bandcamp.com/album/tuna-de-tierra

My Monthly Date - Chaos Theory

#PER CHI AMA: Indie/Alternative

Nella solleticante interpretazione suggerita dal concept, il modello matematico della teoria del caos sulle interazioni meccanicistiche tra particelle si applicherebbe alle interazioni umane e sociali. Come il battito di una farfalla potrebbe generare un uragano ("Butterfly"), così un singolo errore potrebbe condurre al termine della vita ("Shame"), o una risposta sbagliata alla perdita di un affetto ("Miles Away"). Come i suoni dilatati e Lanois/iani dell'introduttiva "Chaos Theory" prefigurano nel prosieguo scenari più visionari e distopici ("One Day More", "Lost in the Shadows", "21st"), così il pop solo immaginificamente space delle prime canzoni acquisisce mano a mano una profondità siderale (sentite "Butterfly" vs. "21st"). Gli autori citano Sum 41 e Linkin' park (sentite "One Day More" e "My Horizon"), ma voi avete passato i quaranta e quella roba lì mica la conoscete, così vi accontentate di rilevare i Red Hot Chili pop di 'I'm With You' ("Miles away") e, qua e là, i Porcupine Tree crepuscolari di 'The Incident' ("Shame" e "The Last"). Sperando di cavarvela. (Alberto Calorosi)

(4inaroom Records - 2017)
Voto: 75

https://www.facebook.com/MyMonthlyDate/

Billy Boy in Poison - Invoker

#FOR FANS OF: Death Metal

“Well, well, well, well. If it isn't fat, stinking billygoat Billy-Boy in poison.”

A Danish band clearly enamored with 'A Clockwork Orange' (a book written in just three weeks and forever immortalized on film by Stanley Kubrick), this group of droogs so seamlessly blends into the black-clad gauge-eared breakdown-beaten buffoonery of metal's most corporeal and corporate dystopia that it could be easily mistaken for insincerity. However, the talent that kicks off this quintet's sophomore album shows an artsy attempt at furthering a solid grip on making metalcore just before it drops the ball in this release's mundane midsection.

“Absolution” and “Iron Grip” have gigantic sounds to them. Building and toppling fortresses as they rise to atmospheric pinnacles through the hollow echoes of muddy guitars and crumbling from blasting volleys in mere seconds, a crashing cascade that brings “Iron Grip” to satisfying release. Billy Boy in Poison leads with strength summoning its best efforts but blows its load too early. Prominent and melodic leads endure a laborious pace to heighten the impact of the rhythms and grooves, like in the funerary march of “Morcar” where diminishing notes hang by a thread before being swallowed by the next measure. There is a noticeable proficiency in the songwriting through the first half of this album.

“Come to get one in the yarbles, if you have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou.”

“A Walk on Broken Bones” is where this album loses its grip on the ball it had so delicately handled. Noisy and energetic, this song is set to be the sort of aggressive Lamb of God foray into modest metalcore mimicry but the guitars paint a swath of muddy meandering measures over such a by-the-numbers template that it becomes a mess of aggression without any compelling sounds to make it memorable. “A Walk on Broken Bones” is just the first leg of an uninspired journey with few landmarks worthy of a momentary glance but only due to the dullness of the landscape before finally reaching the riches of “Black Gold”.

The mediocrity of these b-sides shows how boundless break beats bonded to the baseless belief that they're building br00tality bores this death metal regular, no matter how much it may make the average pit ninja dangle from a plastic coated orifice flapping off the side of a core clone's cranium. “Exodus” starts smoothly enough with pinches of harmony and humming bass before becoming an average and jerky stomper. Merely a single moment betrays a glimmer of hope as the guitars gloriously glide through their grain to meet a tearing blast beat before being yanked into yet another spastic time change. Eventually “Exodus” bleeds into “Glaciers” and “Glaciers” abruptly crashes into “Mara”. Though “Glaciers” brings a preferable aggression, muddy and repetitive rhythms boast few engaging moments despite slight artistic slivers accentuating the atmosphere of the album. Through a very vocal oriented mix with an abundance of break beating that attempts to sound gigantic and imposing, the grooving deathcore throughout 'Invoker' loses its way in this dangerous territory as the droogs receive a self-inflicted punishment for this tepid traipse into br00tality's badlands.

In typical deathcore fashion, “Black Gold” is Billy Boy in Poison's big finish with an anthemic melody that falls into aggressive verses before returning to its beginning in each chorus. The final return is especially complimented by a robust snare and kick combination. As can be heard in the end of All Shall Perish's “The Last Relapse” or Abigail Williams' “The Departure”, “Black Gold” formulaically fades with a simple sappy melody to further legitimize the artistry and power experienced throughout the endless breakdown centered meat of this album. It's difficult not to be a bit jaded when it comes to listening to a paint-by-numbers deathcore release like 'Invoker'. Like a plethora of bands of Billy Boy in Poison's ilk, this album had a couple of good ideas in it but in no way has enough material to justify a forty-five minute full-length. Unfortunately with Billy Boy in Poison, the band's sophomore album contains merely an EP's worth of ingredients that were stretched too far. (Five_Nails)

(Prime - 2017)
Score: 50

https://billyboyinpoison.bandcamp.com/album/invoker