Epica - The Holographic Principle

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

#FOR FANS OF: Symph Metal

I was a fan after I heard 'The Quantum Enigma' some years ago when it was newly released. I felt that since I liked that one, 'The Holographic Principle' was good in the next. I was right. I like Simone's vocals and the music, which is whole symphonic featuring some killer guitars. I also liked their EP 'The Solace System' which featured six tracks that didn't make it on this full-length. 'The Holographic Principle' features some moderate sounding tempos with illustrious vocals (clean) as well as mixed with some male voice that's hoarse (featured on "Universal Death Squad", etc.). It's mostly Simone on here.

The music is all-encompassing pretty orchestra tic and the guitar riffs are blatantly heavy. But they (despite the keys) sound like an underground band with seriously intriguing musicians. Both styles of the vocals (brief) seem to mesh well with the operatic vox. Simone is easily likeable though they are many people that I've heard that despise her voice and personality. But on here to me, she's absolutely amazing. Her voice soothes the brutal tunes of the music. An illustrious taste.

My favorite song of all time from the band "Universal Death Squad" is featured on a YouTube video for the song. I don't much like the video but hearing the song on this LP has what really got me into this release. Though I like all tracks on here. But this one in particular hit-home with me. Absolutely. The whole album seems to tell a story and seems to be a sort of concept release. Mark seems to have infected Simone with certain types of physics (which appears on an interview with Simone). She barely made it through High School when it was the second time around that she was asked to be on vocals for the band.

I think that Simone's voice on here seems to fit that moving sound that the band has eradiated over the years which I don't want to go any further down their discography. I think that 'The Quantum Enigma' is or was a good start to the band. I feel that this one and that one are my favorites. Though I did enjoy 'The Solace System' EP quite immensly. I can't wait to hear their latest 'Omega'. Mark does the bulk of the songwriting which is where Simone has to latch onto (the concepts) in order to successfully belt forth her immaculate clean Dutch vocal duties. It's no wonder she's friends with Christina Scabbia. Women in metal, hell yes! Check this out! (Death8699)

(Nuclear Blast - 2016)
Score: 80

https://www.epica.nl/band

Graveyard - Lights Out

#PER CHI AMA: Hard Rock

La consueta raffica di pallettoni zep-sab ("An Industry of Murder", "Goliath", "Seven Seven", il riff killer di "Endless Night" e, in misura solo leggermente minore, tutto il resto dell'album) dovrebbe riuscire nell'intento di impallinare a morte i vostri padiglioni coriacei. Viceversa, gli schivapallottole potrebbero rilevare maggior fascino nelle ballad mid-tempo, bluesy ("Hard Time Lovin'") e sbilenche ("20/20"), a metà tra la magniloquenza southern del suono e quello spleen sornione cali-pop jim-morrisoniano nella modulazione vocale che negli anni sessanta attirava reggiseni con la stessa magnitudo con cui il monolite di '2001 Odissea nello Spazio' attirava la conoscenza. Se avete in mente di sbarazzarvi della famiglia e rifare con la stessa gente quella stessa vacanza ad Amsterdam di venticinque anni fa che nelle conversazioni riuscite a qualificare esclusivamente con l'aggettivo "epica", ecco, questo è il disco giusto da prender su. (Alberto Calorosi)

(Nuclear Blast - 2012)
Voto: 77

https://www.facebook.com/graveyardofficial

Panopticon - The End is Growing Near

#PER CHI AMA: Black/Folk

Dopo il 'Live in Belgium' ed in attesa di ascoltare qualcosa di nuovo, il buon Austin Lunn ha riesumato un paio di pezzi che aveva scritto nel biennio 2008-2010, all'epoca dell'uscita di 'Collapse'. Proprio in linea con la furia di quel disco, i due nuovi vecchi brani dei Panopticon si muovono tra ritmiche sparatissime, urla feroci e melodie votate sempre ad un caotico ma efficace black dalle vaghe tinte folkloriche. Si parte con la lunga e tortuosa "Haunted America II", song incentrata sul tema della persecuzione degli indigeni d'America da parte dei coloni inglesi e che si muove su frenetiche ritmiche black contrappuntate dalle grim vocals del factotum statunitense, e tra disarmoniche porzioni di chitarra che raramente ho trovato nella discografia del musicista originario del Kentucky. Il primo pezzo sembra un lungo racconto che avrà modo di toccare apici compositivi davvero interessanti per poi chiudersi con delle spoken words che ci introdurranno all'altrettanto suggestiva title track, il cui tema è legato alla crisi climatica e alla degradazione dell'ambiente, e che nasconde nella sua ritmica una spettrale melodia che ne stempera la brutalità palesata nel martellante incedere di batteria e chitarre. Saranno anche due brani di oltre 12 anni fa, ma la qualità dei Panopticon non si discute minimamente, anzi trovo questi due pezzi molto migliori di alcune delle ultime release del polistrumentista americano. Bella trovata. (Francesco Scarci)

(Bindrune Recordings - 2022)
Voto: 75

https://thetruepanopticon.bandcamp.com/album/the-end-is-growing-near 

Bergthron - Jagdheim

BACK IN TIME: recensione gentilmente concessa da Nihil Zine

#PER CHI AMA: Epic Black

Mini cd (tre canzoni) di black metal dal respiro epico. I testi sono in lingua tedesca. Nulla da eccepire in merito a questa scelta: è giusto che le nazioni difendano le proprie peculiarità linguistiche dalla marea montante dell'omologazione culturale. Nel libretto appare, in calce, un breve scritto intitolato "Il culto di Wotan". Venendo alla musica, cominciamo col dire che le canzoni dei Bergthron sono piuttosto lunghe, com'è consuetudine per molti gruppi black epici (pensate solo a Falkenbach e Graveland). Chi nutre predilezione e simpatia per il genere apprezzerà senz'altro le prime due canzoni, "Aus Edlem Blut" e "Im Weien Wald". La title track, invece, parte svantaggiata da un riff di chitarra alquanto discutibile (degno tutt’al più della musica rock radiofonica) e dalla malaugurata presenza di una voce gracchiante e sgraziata. Un semplice incidente di percorso?

(Perverted Taste – 2001)
Voto: 63

https://www.bergthron.de/index.php?route=common/home

Emperor - IX Equilibrium

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

#FOR FANS OF: Symph Black

What a kick ass release! So much intensity and variety. I valued this album greatly. The music is what's the most captivating! I enjoyed the whole thing. I don't know why this got some poor ratings because it's so catchy and noteworthy. These guys know how to tear it up musically. I realize the symphonic black metal genre it falls under and me disliking synthesizers doesn't make me like this album any less than it is. I think the keys went well alongside the guitars. The guitars are where the intensity lies. And the variation in the vocals make the album even more likable. It totally kicks ass the whole way through.

Songs are in variation with tempos, but most of them has that sort of variety in themselves. These guys never seem to disappoint. I like the guitars on pretty much all of the songs. I think the songwriting is way good. That's what makes the music most likable to me. The vocals are good as well. Everything seems to fit in just right. I like the atmosphere here, too. It makes the music sound more eerie and dark. But always the guitars, they kick ass the most. A long sought after release that I didn't take notice of until somewhat recently. The release was from long ago but still deserves praise.

I like the production quality and mixing. It seems as though everything was woven together rightly. It's everything to like in a black metal album. These guys have been kicking ass for years, I hope that they have a new album on it's way since they're still active! I'd love to hear some good new material. The only thing that is in a sour note is the lead guitar. I couldn't really stomach it I thought the main rhythms were fantastic though. If they cut out the lead I would've rated this higher. But since this is an older album, the guitars should've been just rhythm. They kind of make the sound to the rhythms more muddled.

I liked this album the whole way through. I enjoyed the bulk of the compositions. I think I'm right in saying that the leads put a damper on the music. If it were solely the rhythms, the music would sound more intense and killer. The tempo changes were there making it more diverse and well thought after. I really think this is an underrated album. But I can't change that. My opinion is to check out this album on digital first then make your choice as if you would want a physical copy of the LP. Get to hearing it! (Death8699)

(Candlelight Records - 1999)
Score: 80

https://www.facebook.com/emperorofficial

Grave - Out of Respect For the Dead

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

#FOR FANS OF: Swedish Death, Dismember

This is a quality album, I'm not sure why people think it's "generic." I thought it anything but that. This is a MONUMENTAL release from the band. Hope that they come out with a new album soon, too. But this one is a good one that they left off with. I think that the rhythms are awesome and the vocals go along well with the music. Every song on here was worth its wait at the time. They put in some phenomenal music to this one. I like the sound to it. The vocals are tolerable and vicious! There is an unrelenting vibe to strike here. A great follow-up album I thought that they did an outstanding job.

The songs are furious and INTENSE. The riffs are victorious in sound. They all seem to flow together. And some demon-struck sort of vibe to the music. I thought that this was a good release from 2015. And a boon to the death metal community. Nothing generic about this. The music just reigns supreme. They really show maturity being in the death metal community for a long time. And yes, they conquer! Not every song is fast and furious, they change it up here and there. And the leads are pretty good, too. But mostly the riffs are MONUMENTAL. I don't think this band has an album where they don't play their heart out.

The quality of the production was great and they sound great! Everything on here I liked. It took some time to get used to this one, but when I laid it all out, everything went together. And the more I hear the album, the more I like it. I think that they really dominate the scene and are able to show the metal community that they're still kicking ass after many years being active. I hope that they come out with a new one sometime soon. I'd be curious to hear what it'd sound like. They really are killer through and through again. More people need to find out about this one since nobody is really writing much about them.

I bought the CD since I'm a CD collector but you can probably hear this on YouTube. I'm pretty sure that's the best avenue to hear it. It's been some years since it was released so yeah, check it out on there. You'll hear sounds that never before have been heard. It's HEAVY and straightforward death metal. They have a certain groove to them as well so you won't get bored with it. Just the leads aren't the greatest that they could be but still the rhythms make up for that. I gave the album a "77" because I think that even though it was solid on the forefront, there were still some things that needed better working. Own it! (Death8699)

(Century Media Records - 2015)
Score: 77

https://www.facebook.com/GraveOfficial

Blood Red Throne - Brutalitarian Regime

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

#FOR FANS OF: Death Metal, Cannibal Corpse

Definitely a solid release by this 5-piece act. I enjoyed the whole album. I thought that the vocals and the riffs were the best things about the album. They really know HEAVY guitar and hoarse voice. The sound quality here was outstanding as well. They remind me a bit of Cannibal Corpse, that's what I initially thought when I first heard this. Just the vocals aren't as fast. But still the music is awesome and the musicianship/songwriting was awesome. I didn't think any less than this album than a "75" rating. I felt that they really deserved it. All 40+ minutes here.

The music goes along well with the vocals. And the drums pack a sure punch to them! I didn't see any flaws here. They really are an interesting band. They know how to do the songwriting to a point to where it's a MONUMENT. I thought their most recent was better, but this one packs a punch to it as well. I hope that they continue to stay a 5-piece band. Usually bands with 4+ members makes a more well rounded band. And this is a great example of that. I felt that they really didn't have any weak points to them. The music is awesome in every respect. I feel that the only thing that they could step up are a little bit more original sound.

The production quality was top notch here. I didn't take any points off in that respect. You can hear everything mixed well on this one and they just do away with you from every respect. There were no gaps where they didn't deliver. This whole thing delivers. Just the leads could've been left out. I think that the rhythms were the best part of the album. The vocals were low-bellowing sort of voice. And everything just seemed to fit here from every aspect. There were no songs on here that lagged in any respect. I liked this from start to finish! But yeah, way a lot like Cannibal Corpse in their compositions.

I showed the band respect and bought the physical copy. I didn't know much about this band at first. Wasn't sure what to expect. They really blew me away. I enjoyed the entire CD. I think that you will too if you give it a fair shake. It may take time to get to liking this release, but I liked it right away. Definitely worth it's weight in gold. If you like death metal, you'll most likely like this one. Definitely a good release through and through. The music just blows you away. Get it! (Death8699)

(Sevared Records - 2011)
Score: 75

https://bloodredthrone.bandcamp.com/album/brutalitarian-regime

IWKC - Before We Disappear

#PER CHI AMA: Post Rock Orchestrale Strumentale

I IWKC (aka per I Will Kill Chita) sono un quartetto moscovita dedito ad un post rock strumentale. 'Before We Disappear' è il loro secondo album uscito nel 2013, che l'etichetta della band mi ha recentemente inviato. Non mi è chiaro se per farne pubblicità a distanza di quasi due lustri dalla sua uscita o se perchè c'è un nuovo lavoro della band pronto ad affacciarsi sul mercato. Fatto sta che faccio il mio dovere di recensore e vi parlo di un disco che vede una mezza orchestra a servizio dei quattro musicisti per offrire una proposta dai forti tratti sinfonici. E in effetti il disco presenta fin dalla sua traccia d'apertura, l'inequivocabile "USSR", uno splendido post rock affrescato da un collettivo strumentale che rende il sound della band davvero affascinante, per quanto non proponga nulla di realmente originale. Tuttavia, la componente orchestrale arricchisce e di molto, una proposta che verosimilmente si sarebbe persa nel marasma infinito di band che popolano la scena post rock. E invece le melodie malinconiche dell'opener, ingigantite dalle porzioni orchestrali fanno della proposta dei IWKC, una bella proposta. Non si può dire altrettanto della successiva "Hard Times" (altro titolo estremamente azzeccato per i giorni nostri): oltre undici minuti di melodie a tratti francamente noiose, che provano a ridestarsi grazie ad improvvise e sporadiche accelerazioni che vanno a contrastare una ritmica molle e con poca verve. Il finale però sarà davvero esplosivo e col suo bel carico sinfonico alle spalle. "Streets Going Under Water (Part I)" parte nuovamente in sordina e inizia a mostrare i propri contenuti dopo 90 secondi, anche se in realtà non farà mai il proprio dovere, ossia quello di ammaliare dovutamente l'ascoltatore. Ci prova allora la lunghissima suite (20 minuti) intitolata "Young Heroes" a cambiare le sorti di un classico disco "vorrei ma non posso": robusto attacco rock di chitarre con sezione di archi a supporto a cui farà seguito un segmento ambient prima di una breve pausa, quasi a segnare il confine tra una serie di parti incluse nel brano stesso. Poi nuovamente chitarre pizzicate e a corollario archi e fiati, e poi ancora frammenti atmosferici, in un saliscendi sonico che si riproporrà per l'intera durata del brano e che è peraltro dotato di una parte centrale davvero tosta. "We Had Only One Day" è un pezzo decisamente più fruibile, grazie ai suoi tre minuti e mezzo di musica robusta ritmicamente, la cui enfasi è però stemperata dalle parti orchestrali. "Memories" si lascia a tenui melodie malinconiche che trovano grande enfasi nel finale in una porzione che mi ha evocato gli *Shels. In chiusura ecco le soffuse chitarre di "Streets Going Under Water (Part II)" a chiudere mestamente un disco che vive di alti e bassi, ma che comunque sottopone alla vostra attenzione una band che potrebbe anche meritare la vostra attenzione. (Francesco Scarci)

(Addicted Label - 2013)
Voto: 67

https://iwkc.bandcamp.com/album/before-we-disappear