Burning Skies - Desolation

BACK IN TIME:

#PER CHI AMA: Death/Hardcore

Sempre più spesso mi capita che pochi minuti d’ascolto di un disco sanciscano la sua stroncatura o la sua elevazione a grande album: 'Desolation' ahimé rientra nella prima categoria. Analizziamo il terzo lavoro deigli inglesi Burning Skies, un concentrato dinamitardo, ma assai scontato di death/hardcore che oramai ha fin troppo saturato le mie orecchie. Il sound che viene fuori dai solchi di 'Desolation' è in realtà un brutal death con i soliti riffoni iper mega veloci, funambolici blast beat alla batteria, estreme growling vocals. Il tutto è poi corredato da influenze che vanno dall’hardcore di stampo americano (Hatebreed per intenderci e tutta quella corrente musicale), al black metal, fino ad arrivare allo swedish death melodico. La mia recensione potrebbe anche terminare qui, ma cerchiamo di completare fino in fondo questo lavoro. Cosa potrei dire che già non è stato scritto milioni di volte per questo genere di musica? Mah, potrei aggiungere che il quintetto di Bristol in una cosa è preparata, ossia a spaccare il culo a un sacco di altre bands clone. Sono feroci, incazzati, brutali, la loro musica sfocia spesso nel grind, ma purtroppo non mi trasmettono alcuna emozione, se non quella di prendere in mano una sedia e scaraventarla contro la finestra oppure giocare al tiro al piattello con il loro stesso cd. Indubbiamente, i ragazzi sono preparati tecnicamente, ma chi non lo è di questi tempi? Per me 'Desolation' è fondamentalmente noia pura. (Francesco Scarci)

(Lifeforce Records - 2006)
Voto: 50

https://www.facebook.com/Burning-Skies-111931722172359/?fref=nf

Theomachia - The Theosophist

#PER CHI AMA: Esoteric Black, Batushka

Dalla capitale ecco arrivare il debut album dei Theomachia, misterioso duo italico dedito ad un black esoterico alquanto intrigante. Apre infatti le porte di questo 'The Theosophist' una voce salmodiante sorretta da una vertiginosa forma di black metal che mi prende sin dal principio. Complice le buone melodie, una certa aggressività di fondo che non trascende mai oltre al dovuto, un dualismo vocale tra screaming e ritalistico, una durata contenuta che non fa stancare e "Gnothi Seauton" mi conquista subito. La successiva "The Suicide of the Demiurge", sebbene un breve attacco parossistico nel suo incipit, prosegue dopo pochi istanti, su di una ritmica controllata che divampa come fuoco sulla benzina solamente nel finale. Il breve EP si chiude con la litanica title track che vede il cerimonialistico vocalist posizionarsi su di un riffing inizialmente cauto pronto a scatenarsi in pochi secondi su di un rifferama dal sapore post-black. Un inprovviso break centrale porta i nostri a modificare l'impronta vocale che comunque continuerà ad alternarsi da qui al finale nelle sue due forme, mentre musicalmente la band avrà modo di palesare influenze che andranno ben oltre al black, abbracciando infatti darkwave e sonorità orrorifiche. Promettenti questi Theomachia, da saggiare ora sulla lunga distanza. (Francesco Scarci)

(Xenoglossy Productions/Onism Productions - 2022)

Voto: 70

https://theomachia.bandcamp.com/releases

Dark Funeral - We Are The Apocalypse

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

#FOR FANS OF: Black Metal

This is a good follow-up album still staying way underground and fast. Satanic, too just listen to some of the words...but the music is what I concentrate on since metal isn't as well know for the lyrical concepts as it is the music itself. The whole underground image is clear to keep the darkness high especially here which I don't focus on. On here, the vocals are good like previous releases. They sound a little like Naglfar and Shagrath from Dimmu Borgir. In any case, they are their own despite this. The music is way on high tremolo picking and chord progressions. There's quite a lot of tempo changes which makes it more diverse.

You definitely get a mix of fast-medium-slow paced music here it's not just entirely brutal like say on Markuk's 'Panzer Division', that one smokes. I think it's close to 'Where Shadows Forever Reign'. I liked the whole album because it's quite diverse. The recording quality is quite good. They just have it all together here. I like the vocals and music the most, ENTIRELY! These guys know how to design some pretty wicked music especially keeping things underground, too. They've yet to compromise their style, they are way to the extreme music scene. I'm not sure if they're entirely convincing of their Satanic lyrics, but it sure seems to be.

The people in the black metal scene like to stay dark into the concepts whereas I just listen to the music and appreciate that the most. And like I said, the recording quality is damn good on here. Well mixed too! All of the songs are good and the vocals are tops with me. The guitars still very good, probably their best in a while. If you don't like the lyrics like me, you can still appreciate the music. These guys I don't think will ever shy away from the concepts and if they do they'll probably change their name. There's just so much to talk about with the darkness and Satanism until it just gets blah. Main influences are teenagers into the lyrics taken literally.

I decided to buy the CD before listening to it on Spotify, it was well worth it. These guys use a lot of fast picking guitars with little to no lead guitar work. There literally isn't much in the lead department but they'll change things up on the rhythms and some clean tone but not too much. The music goes well with the vocals. And the drums are right on target! These guys will hopefully stay around for quite a while wreaking havoc to the scene. They have quite a few followers it's the darkness where people identify with. What a gigantic effort by these guys clocking in a little under 45 minutes in length. Check it! (Death8699)

(Century Media Records - 2022)
Score: 78

https://www.darkfuneral.se/index.php

The Pit Tips

Francesco Scarci

Novarupta - Marine Snow
Nevoa - Towards Belief
Assemble the Chariots - The Celestials

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Death8699

Agathodaimon - The Seven
Napalm Death - Inside the Torn Apart
Terrorizer - Hordes of Zombies

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Alain González Artola

Addicted to Anaesthesia - ATA
Aorlhac - Pierres Brûlées
Lunar Spells - Where Silence Whispers

Urgrund - The Graven Sign

BACK IN TIME: recensione gentilmente concessa da Nihil Zine

#PER CHI AMA: Black/Death

Diciamo che questa band si inserisce nel contesto black/death tracciato dai loro conterranei Destroyer 666, ma l’illustre paragone va preso cum grano salis. Questi australiani in effetti non sfoggiano l’ottimo bagaglio tecnico di Keith Warslut e compagni, ed invero le loro composizioni risultano meno aggressive ed efficaci. 'The Graven Sign' non è un cattivo album ma direi che siamo abbastanza lontani dall’aver trovato una band interessante. Molti riffs risultano un po’ stantii, decisamente sempliciotti, anche se nell’insieme il disco si lascia ascoltare; manca però qualcosa che sia al di sopra delle righe e che impedisca ai minuti di scorrere piattamente. I testi mi hanno lasciato un po’ perplesso, vi compaiono citazioni troppo eterogenee, a mio avviso, che abbracciano al contempo autori quali Hitler, Byron ed Aristotele: un minimo di coerenza intellettuale non credo potesse nuocere agli Urgrund. Segnalo “Black Death” che tratta l’argomento della peste, a quanto si desume dal ritornello (“Rattusrattus, Black Death”). Sorvolo invece sulla compresenza di titoli “nordici” e riferimenti alla classicità greca.

(Baphomet Records - 2002)
Voto: 60

https://www.facebook.com/Urgrund-147267925354932/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Corpsegrinder - S/t

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

#FOR FANS OF: Brutal Death, Cannibal Corpse

What a killer project George Fisher put out with some help from Eric Rutan, et al. Putting out something within the death metal realm it definitely slays. It sounds a bit like the new Cannibal Corpse 'Violence Unimagined'. But not whole heartedly, just some variation to it. Some more slower parts, but still pretty brutal. Not so much within the brutal death metal category though. This album is to me a "B-" average. It has the elements with a little grove laden death metal with catchy riffs but the album itself is only a little more than 30 minutes in length. I wish it were longer but maybe they ran out of material.

Corpsegrinder sounds the same as he does with Cannibal Corpse so it's quite good! The riffs really stand out and make it interesting to listen to. The production quality was top notch and the guitar sounds like vintage Cannibal Corpse with a kick to it. Being that there are different guitar players each track just about makes it interesting though some of it is a little uninteresting. I'm not saying for the whole album, just some of it I thought was a little humdrum. But sometimes this happens with death metal albums especially when it's a band that you'll know what it might sound like ahead of time.

As I said, I like the production quality it's tops with me just some of the songs I thought were just mediocre. If that weren't the case I'd give it a better score. However, I think it's above average just some of it was drawn out. Corpsegrinder's vocals are pretty much similar to what he does for Cannibal Corpse just a little difference. But not really that much. The intensity isn't as robust in here as on CC Records. But I think that the guitar tuning is about the same as it is on CC it's a little bit groove-laden than anything else. Some songs they're more intense than others but for the most part they're slower.

I definitely can't wait till the CD is available on Amazon. It's a CD I want because it's something that I consider to be way tops with me despite its caveats. The guitars are chunky and slower but the intensity is there. I really liked "Acid Vat" among others. That was the first song that I heart from this which I did research then eventually got the digital download. I'm definitely happy that I've had a chance to review this and experience Corpsegrinder with other people and how he was able to work with other guitarists to make it to what it is. I'd have to say that I told you what I disliked on this and it was more so that I liked it then not. Check it out! (Death8699)

(Perseverance Media Group - 2022)
Score: 73

https://corpsegrind.bandcamp.com/album/corpsegrinder

Serj Tankian - Orca Symphony No. 1

#PER CHI AMA: Orchestral Symphonic Rock

Tankian sosteneva che l'orca, in quanto metà balena e metà delfino, rappresentasse meglio di qualunque altro animale la dicotomia insita nell'essere umano. In copertina vedrete due orche incastrate nel simbolo yin-yang cinese e tutt'intorno una cornice di note sul pentagramma: a questo punto vi rallegrerete che 'Orca' sia un lavoro interamente strumentale. E che lo spacciatore di Tankian non sia un minotauro. Sprovvista delle sofisticate architetture matematiche della sinfonia classica, la composizione evolve come una sorta di flusso di coscienza collettivo, scarsamente o affatto narrativo, ma comunque dotato di quella solenne forza descrittiva tipica di certe indovinate colonne sonore. C'è ancora (un po' dappertutto, ma specialmente in "Act I" e "Act III") quel piano irriverente e gigione che ricordate in 'Elect the Dead Symphony'. Mancano stavolta i tipici lallalla laralallà tankianeschi riempispazio, ma a occhio non mi sembrate così dispiaciuti. Peraltro, non vorrei dire, ma il tema di "Act III - Delphinus Capensis" è uguale sputato a Fra Martino Campanaro. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Serjical Strike Records - 2013)
Voto: 65

https://serjtankian.com/

La Fabbrica dell'Assoluto - 1984: l'Ultimo Uomo d'Europa

#PER CHI AMA: Prog Rock

Tralasciando un'intro recitata che ha l'impatto di un Pholas Dactylus appena assunto in banca e chiusa da una coda strumentale che suona grosso modo come tutti i vostri vinili progressive suonati contemporaneamente, '1984: l'Ultimo Uomo d'Europa' prosegue trainato da un tastierismo-colonia-di-slippermen ("O'Brien", "Chi Controlla il Passato Controlla il Futuro Chi Controlla il Presente Controlla il Passato") che conferisce tonalità vampire-horror alla maniera, per esempio, dei Goblin più cinematografici, dei Museo Rosenbach e possibilmente qualcuno dei nordici anninovanta (Par Lindh Project o forse certi Anglagard), chitarrismi hard gentle-primotullici (l'incipit di "Chi Controlla il Passato...", sempre lei o la chiusura di "Bipensiero") o garybaldi/biglietto-infernali ("L'Occhio del Teleschermo") alternati a rarefatti sperimentalismi kraut-psych (tutto il resto di "Bispensiero") appositamente retrodatati. Sopra le righe il power-singing di Claudio Cassio, collocabile tra il migliore Gianni Leone (Il Balletto di Bronzo) e la Giuni Russo meno nervosa, godibilissime certe esagerazioni ipertastierose alla E-L-P che popolano soprattutto "Processo di Omologazione", l'inevitabile (ma notevole) compendio dell'intero album. Del tutto fuori bersaglio, nell'opinabile opinione del sottoscritto, la scelta di mettere in scena un romanzo scostante e freddo come '1984', profondendo semplificazioni e sensazionalismi: “passo il tempo a pensare quanto vale una vita” et al.. Et molti al.. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Black Widow - 2015)
Voto: 60

https://www.facebook.com/lafabbricadellassoluto

Kreator - Extreme Aggression

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

#FOR FANS OF: Thrash Metal

The album that's previous to my favorite which undeniably is 'Coma Of Souls', this one packs a punch as well. The lyrical concepts are just starting to advance with the band and the aggression in the music has illuminated. The real talent comes out in this one. The guitars were quite technical and voracious. Mille's vocals is just getting their own sound that he hasn't really abdicated his whole musical career in thrash metal. Just if the lyrics were as good as the music this would get a higher rating. But that's not the case here. Subsequently they get a low "A." Fans this is no disappointment.

It's hard to believe this is about 33 years old. And the band is still going strong. It's say Mille's songwriting is what keeps me keyed into the band and their down-to-earth mentality in interviews. I've been a long-time Kreator fan. Some albums rotted though but not on here. My first listen to this album I was under the impression that it's tops with me. It was a good segue into 'Come Of Souls'. So yeah, the music leaves a scar in the memory never gets a healing since their aggression holds them true. I'm glad that they've stayed a band this whole almost 40 year career. They will always be a tops with me ABSOLUTELY.

The production quality was much better than their previous releases. The guitar riffs are what hit home with me and the vocals. And the fact that the sound quality is top notch. Mille could've done a better job on the lyrics, but they're still forming as a band or as Mick Harris would say "we're all chuffed in repulsion." Being from Germany and a lot of the philosophical influences they've not explored so much yet but I think with later releases they're more spiritual than anything else. As on 'Gods of Violence' the song "Satan is Real" is a good idea of Mille in that mindset that he's identified this and it's true the hell on Earth that there is!

This album is about 40 minutes too short, I wished it would've clocked in longer, but I'm glad to have enjoyed it nevertheless. The music, sound quality, guitars, vocals, drums and aura is all-encompassing. I think that this is one of their best releases in their entire discography. Of course over the years they've evolved but even early on they still showed groundbreaking talent. These guys know how to play quality thrash metal! I do wish Frank Blackfire would've stayed with the band throughout their career to date it's just Mille and Ventor being longtime members. Get a hold of this album! (Death8699)

(Noise Records - 1989)
Score: 85

https://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/