Dark Funeral "Where Shadow Forever Reign" Century Media (2016)

Dark Funeral are back after a very short break. It took only seven years. No doubt, Lord Ahriman hates to be passive. However, the band has returned to blue artworks after a red period. The stereotypical yet great painting provides clues about the musical offering. In accordance with the generic cover scenario, the nine compositions show their force without unveiling any kind of experiments. Guess the hiatus of seven years was too short for having a new idea...? Maybe this sounds negative, but this lack of innovations has positive aspects as well. It ensures that Dark Funeral stay away from symphonic bombast, ambient accidents and progressive bulkiness. No doubt, that's a good thing. "Where Shadows Forever Reign" are awesome Black Metal. 

The track list are: 

1.     Unchain My Soul

2. As One We Shall Conquer

3. Beast Above Man

4. As I Ascend

5. Temple of Ahriman

6. The Eternal Eclipse

7. To Carve Another Wound

8. Nail Them to the Cross

9. Where Shadows Forever Reign

The line up are:

Lord Ahriman Guitars, Bass, Lyrics (tracks 4, 5), Songwriting

Chaq Mol Guitars

Dominator Drums, Songwriting (tracks 1, 2, 8)

Heljarmadr Vocals

Anyway, surprisingly calm tones open the album. But rest assured, it does not take long until the combative institution calls for battle. "Unchain My Soul", the initial explosion, is a fine combination of catchy elements and furious leads. The black lava starts to flow and covers all areas. In addition, the subliminal riffing creates an aura of desperation and a short break emphasises the brutality of the fast parts, while the dense and powerful production has a homicidal touch. There can be no question that Dark Funeral wanted to have exactly this sound. By the way, they introduce a new lead vocalist successfully. His contribution is on a par with that of the vigorous instrumental section. He does not revolutionize the overall appearance of the band, but he delivers the appropriate amount of hate, nastiness and violence. Mission fulfilled, I would say.

Dark Funeral still love velocity and tracks like "Beast Above Man" or "As One We Shall Conquer" (fantastic verses!) leave no doubt that the dudes are still able to compose and perform gripping high speed eruptions. Yet the band also likes to take a bath in slowly flowing rivers. The fairly cautious "Temple of Ahriman" (the boss seems to be a little bit vain - why didn't they call it "Temple of Felix 1666"?) is driven by flattening double bass, but its most conspicuous feature is constituted by the extremely mature melody that forms the chorus. Placed on position five, this temple stands in the centre of the album and I do not think that this is a coincidence. A very strong piece - its only blemish is that it has been previously released. The same applies for the solid "Nail Them to the Cross". I hate this kind of recycling, but that's another story.

The shady creatures have penned a compact, more or less monolithic full-length. No inadequate elements disturb the eternal reign of shadows and the only number that cannot keep the quality level (the almost doomy "As I Ascend") does not spoil the joy about the comeback of the legend from Sweden. Too bad that Ahriman is not tortured by the restlessness that haunts Morgan, the mastermind of Marduk. Otherwise, this would probably be the tenth or eleventh blazing full-length of his army. However, the final highlight of "Where Shadows Forever Reign" is marked by the smoothly running "To Carve Another Wound". Its demoniac profoundness lends the mid-paced track an intense aura. Inter alia due to songs of this black grandeur, I am curious to see what Dark Funeral will deliver on their next full-length. I am sure, we will be smarter in seven years.

Recorded at the Dugout Studios in Uppsala, Sweden during February 1st - 26th, 2016.

HAIL DARK FUNERAL!!!!

Infestation "The Mystic Sorrow" Independiente (1994)

Entre el injustamente Death Metal mexicano "Old School" olvidado se encuntra una banda originaría de Torreón, Coahuila llamada INFESTATION formada a finales de los años '80s más exactamente en 1989 quienes actualmente siguen activos desde esos años con un poco tiempo de ausencia. 

En el año de 1994 sacaron su segundo demo con el cual alcanzaron la categoría de culto luego de que el año anterior habían lanzado su demo "The Parody Of Desolation" así que luego publicarían el demo "The Mystic Sorrow" de manera independiente en el mes de febrero , el cual fue grabado por la siguiente alineación: Roberto Reed en el bajo, Iván Alcala en la batería, Martín Medina y Alfonso Rodríguez en las guitarras y el gran Antonio Zarate en las vocales. 

Este 'line up' fue el que grabó el siguiente track list:

Intro 

Between The Dying Shadows

Uncertain In The Dark

From The Land Of Dreams

Forever

Intro / The Parody Of Desolation

Internal

Eternal Cry

Es un material insertado en la vena del "Old School" Death Metal del estilo norteamericano un tanto alejado del sonido de las bandas de Inglaterra y Suecia, así como lo promocionaba su antiguo flyer de su demo. El estilo es de lo mejor que le tenga escuchado a una banda mexicano con mucho sentido en los cambios de ritmo así como a la hora de los momentos más brutales de la grabación con lo cual su estilo agresivo queda a la perfección. 

Desde el inicio de la primera canción de la banda nos damos cuenta de que nos adentramos en el mundo del Death Metal de la 'vieja escuela' nos referimos a la pieza "Between The Dying Shadows" con esas guitarras brutales y a la vez ralentizadas que nos muestran sus mejores "armas" de la banda en cuanto a su estilo. Te quedas impactado y con ganas de escuchar más debido a la buena ecualización de la grabación.

Que decir de esa pieza letal y asesina que es "Uncertain In The Dark" con lo mejor del estilo del subgénero no cabe duda que mientras te adentras al álbum escuchamos a una banda joven pero con mucha experiencia en el ejercicio de la composición de piezas tan brutales. No se escucha exagerada la brutalidad como otras bandas sino con mucho sentido. No hay tiempo para la melodía.

"From The Land Of Dreams" y "Forever" nos encontramos con lo que debe ser una composición de una banda de Death Metal, contiene buenos momentos de brutalidad rozando el 'grind' pero se enfocan en darle la adecuada dosis de guitarras dobles en los pasajes y cambios de ritmo, la batería tiene una buena aportación de cada cambio que nos muestra la banda. En ese sentido las dos canciones nos proporcionan eso que nosotros conocemos como el sonido de la vieja escuela. Gran trabajo vocal de Antonio Zarate.  

Luego de una intro tenebrosa viene una pieza de su anterior demo la cual se titula "Parody Of Desolation" que es un portentosa pieza de Death Metal con todas sus características de principio a fin la cual no deja a nadie descontento con esa estructura de guitarras infectadas de distorsión y una buena potencia ecualizada por los miembros del grupo para captar la esencia de su agresividad en su poderoso estilo. Ni mas de menos que una marca patente de INFESTATION. 

"Internal" y "Eternal Cry" nos dejan totalmente devastados ante tanto poderío y bombardeo constante de las líneas de bajo y la batería a doble bombo. Éste viejo cassette despierta y conserva mucho odio en las canciones que lleva por demás a ser unas piezas clásicas de las bandas mexicanas del "Old School", tanto es así que al escucharla rememoramos esos años cuando la escena en México igual pasaba por una transición de las bandas que defendían la "vieja escuela" con aquellas que adoptaban el sonido de "Goteborg" inspiradas en bandas como In Flames y Dark Tranquillity. 

Es por ello que los norteños de INFESTATION tienen un lugar en la historia del metal extremo mexicano al conservar aún hoy en día su estilo, ese mítico demo actualmente ésta desatalogado pero para fortuna de muchos se encuentra reeditado con buena ecualización aún más que en su tiempo, por lo que el disfrute es doble. Además trae piezas extra de su anterior demo lo cual lo hace perfecto para aquellos metalheads que no los conozcan. La label mexicana Embrace My Funeral Records la reeditó con un nuevo arte en la portada en formato CD. 

Les dejo algunas canciones del demo para que se den una idea del estilo de INFESTATION.

Nargaroth "Black Metal Ist Kreig (A Dedication monument") No Colours Records 2001

Nargaroth’s "Black Metal Ist Krieg" release in January/ February 2001 is an awesome album that every Black Metal fan should check out, it’s definitely worth owning. Each song on this release is full of emotions, sadness, hatred and misanthropy. The guitar riffs and the vocals are depressive but beautiful at the same time and Kanwulf really expresses his thoughts through his music, that’s what makes this album so great. In the booklet, Kanwulf tells us a few things about his past and comments on every song. That’s pretty interesting to read (if you understand German :p). But now let’s come to the music. I’ll go through the songs one by one.

Tracklist are: 

"Introduction" – 2:13

"Black Metal ist Krieg" – 5:01

"Far Beyond the Stars" (cover de Azhubham Haani) – 4:48

"Seven Tears are Flowing to the River" – 14:47

"I Burn for You" (cover Lord Foul) – 2:56

"The Day Burzum Killed Mayhem" – 9:20

"Píseň pro Satana" (cover de Root) – 2:40

"Amarok - Zorn des Lammes III" – 9:30

"Erik, May you Rape the Angels" – 6:58

"The Gates of Eternity" (cover de Moonblood) – 5:04

"Possessed by Black Fucking Metal" – 6:33

Introduction - This has no real melody, the instruments are just randomly played. The most IMPORTANT element of this song are the vocals. Kanwulf uses very high shrieks that sound like he’s being tortured. Sometimes you can hear him yell “Blaaaaaack Metaaaal Ist Kriiiieeeg!”. This song is nothing special, but a decent introduction to the rest of the album.

Black Metal Ist Krieg - This is a very powerful song. It will just crush you. It’s like a big wall that suddenly hits your face. The song immediately starts with a killer riff, very aggressive and fast played drums and Kanwulf screaming “Black Metal Ist Krieg”. The vocals and the riff remain always the same until about 2:50, where a different riff kicks in and the drums get a bit less aggressive. The lyrics will remain the same though. This second part is maybe a bit more melodic than the first part. Overall, this is a very good song, even though it is repetitive.

Far Beyond The Stars - This is an Azhubham Haani cover. It’s nicely done and has some very good riffs. There are slow parts as well as fast parts in this song. I have not much to say here. Good song, but not one of the best.

Seven Tears Are Flowing To The River - This is the fourth song on the album and probably the most emotional and saddest one. It’s a love song. It’s also the longest song on the album, with almost 15 minutes length. It starts with a beautiful ACOUSTIC GUITAR part. At 1:10 a quite depressing riff and the drums kick in. Kanwulf only starts singing at 3:20. The guitar work remains the same until the end of the song and never changes. I really like the melody of this song. Awesome song there, either my second favourite song or even my favourite song on the album, I can’t really decide.

I Burn For You - Another cover song, the original is by Lord Foul this time. During the first 15 seconds, you can hear a teenager yelling something, then the music starts. I like this song too, the GUITAR work is well-done. There is not so much to say here either, because the song isn’t even 3 minutes long.

The Day Burzum Killed Mayhem - As the title suggests, this song is about the murder of Euronymous by Varg Vikernes. According to Kanwulf, Euronymous’ death was the destruction of the Black Metal scene and it has only decreased since then (he also talks about it in the booklet). The song starts with two real news reports in Norwegian from when it happened. At 41 seconds, an aggressive riff suddenly kicks in, aswell as the drums with a blast beat. Then Kanwulf starts singing, this time his voice is a bit lower than on the other songs. The song remains the same until 4:38, where there is a breakdown for a few seconds and then a different more relaxing riff starts and the drums get slower. The song gets aggressive at 6:25 again and remains so until the end. This song is a very good song too with an interesting lyrical theme.

Pisen Pro Satana - This is a Root cover. It’s a decent song but nothing extraordinary. It’s one of the songs that are not outstanding, but there’s nothing bad to say about either (in my opinion). There’s quite some nice riffing though.

Amarok (Zorn Des Lammes III) - Remember when I said that I couldn’t decide if “Seven Tears Are Flowing To The River” was my favourite or second favourite song before? Well, this song is the reason for it. It’s hard to say which one is better, for me they’re about equally good. I really love this song too. It’s quite depressive and kind of sad, but also very beautiful. At the beginning of this song, you can hear waves and thunder. Then there’s something that sounds like a poem. It’s not really singing. It sounds monotonous, but still emotional. At 1:33 a wonderful riff kicks in. This is my favourite riff on the whole album, it’s sad but beautiful at the same time. 30 seconds later the drums start. The “poem” continues until 3:53 where you can suddenly hear Kanwulf screaming, as well as a double-bass. I love that part. Everything is calm and the clean voice is slowly saying the poem and then, out of nothing, BANG! Double-bass and Black Metal shrieks. The riff is still the same as in the beginning, but the song gets more interesting because of the harsh vocals and the more intense drumming. At 5:50, a slightly faster riff starts and remains until the end. Overall, this is an awesome song, and like I said, either my favourite or my second favourite song on this album.

Erik, May You Rape The Angels - This song is dedicated to Erik Brodreskift, the former drummer of Immortal, Gorgoroth and Borknagar, who suicided in 1999. The drumming is very fast on this song and the guitar work is aggressive too. I don’t like this song so much. It’s not too bad, but worse than the other ones in my opinion.

The Gates Of Eternity - This is the fourth and last cover song on the album. The original song is by Moonblood. The riffs on this song are slow, but nice. Good song, although not one of the best.

Possessed By Black Fucking Metal - In this song, Kanwulf says once again that Black Metal has died, but that he is still possessed by it. I like the main riff very much. It’s a well-done song and I think it’s a good ending song for the album. It’s one of the better songs of the album, and you always keep a good memory of an album if the last song is good.

That’s it. We have a fantastic album there. Black Metal Ist Krieg is an awesome Black Metal release. It’s not too raw, most of the riffs are still quite medodic. It’s not too boring either, compared to other Black Metal albums where every song sounds the same. Kanwulf truly expresses all his emotions through the different songs.

Some link about this album... 

HAIL NARGAROTH!!!!

Children Of Bodom "I Worship Chaos" 2015

When release album´s 2013  "Halo of Blood" was a return to forms and a proper follow-up to sophomore Hatebreeder and third Follow the Reaper albums, it seemed the band was trying too hard. This can't be said of 2015's I Worship Chaos, where the band sounds both fresh and hard and pursues the same sound they were heading to at the beginning of the 2000s.

For the first time ever, Children of Bodom recorded as a 4-member band, meaning every single riff, lick and guitar solo is executed by Alexi Laiho. And, let me tell you, this seems to have changed the finish of the compositions, which sound sharper and contains multiple layers that fit once again, especially the solos.

I Worship Chaos is probably the best album the band recorded since 2000's Follow the Reaper. Of course, Hate Crew Deathroll (2003) was a great album, but changed a lot the style of a band who made work the combination of styles such as melodic death, thrash and power. Now we find a little bit more of black metal (especially in the drumming and blast beats) and even glam / 80's hard rock added to the formula, especially in riffs from "My Bodom (The Only One)" or "Widdershins" tracks.

Keyboard solos sounds crazier and maybe reminiscent of 2003's "You're Better Off Dead", winning back focus and covering once again the album as a whole in an atmosphere previously heard only in Follow the Reaper. Guitars have a lot more feeling while still showing Laiho's virtuosism. About the tracks, we get tour-de-force songs such "My Bodom (The Only One)" or the darker and neoclassic "Horns", catchy ones such as "Morrigan" or "Hold Your Tongue" and never before heard ones such as "All for Nothing," Which is Bodom's most melancholic and different sounding song they've ever recorded. We finally get to hear guitar and keyboard talking to each other in a final part that fits more solos than any other Bodom song in the band's history. The other slow one, "Prayer for the Afflicted" is perhaps too reminiscent of the Bodom classic "Angel's Don't Kill", and yet works as, again, the solos sound inspired. "Hold Your Tongue" kicks with a modern In Flames influenced riff just to lead into a rock song catchy as hell. The Children of Bodom are back with a vengeance.

The Album:

Urfaust "Empty Space Meditation" Ván Records (2016)

URFAUST are:

VRDRBR Drums

IX Guitars, Vocals

The band announced on social media that there would be no ‘new age ambient tunes’ on their new full-length record Empty Space Meditations, presumably in response to fans who prefer their metal tracks to the atmospheric drones that accompany them on most albums. Despite loving drone, I used to be part of that camp too, but revisiting some of the older records, I’ve come to acknowledge them as masters of the subtle art of dark foreboding drones, as well as for their spectacular and original stately riff and operatic incantation style of black metal. Despite their disclaimer, however, the opening track, is an atmospheric soundscape after all, starting the album off with a groaning, droning piece of textured sound. Spacious and dark but with glimmers of light amongst the shadows, it’s really well balanced, the sleeping cave beast growls gradually giving way to an empty-cathedral-at-dusk feel. Tinkling chimes are tuned just exactly on the edge between melodic and sound-effect creepy, and the long, shifting keyed notes add sombre stained-glass colour to the nebulous clouds of dark noise.

The Track List are: 

1. Meditatum I  

2. Meditatum II  

3. Meditatum III  

4. Meditatum IV  

5. Meditatum V  

6. Meditatum VI

Those who prefer their Urfaust on the raging weirdness side, however, shouldn’t worry… the intro track soon builds with a distorted foreboding into the next track, and from here we already know it will be monstrous. ‘Meditatum II’ now detonates as if it’s the band’s version of the big bang, where all aspects and facets of the Urfaust universe explode all at once out of a single point of infinite density: the hymnal organ sounds, the guttural shrieking, the juddering riffing and the percussion that’s both agile and boneheadedly thumping.

‘Meditatum III’ and ‘IV’ (yes, that’s all we get for track titles) are slow enough that it’s almost a doomy kind of heaviness, where the gravity of the music’s flow has time to solidify around the beats. Later on, the keyboard/organ trumpets along as if trying to step out of the sticky tar of that guitar-drum basis. And of course, the vocals are pure operatic evil genius, halfway between Doctor Faustus and Mephistopheles: part human railing at the limitations of mortality and wishing to glimpse beyond, but also part demon, wild-eyed and gleefully revelling in occult knowledge that necessarily pushes you past the balance of sanity. In ‘Meditatum IV’ the screeches and howls are even more demented, giving way finally to a last period of entranced-zombie low mumbles.

The final track adds a metallic sitarlike sound, and this plays a great role in amassing the atmospheric tension during the quieter bits where the tense drumming keeps the air thick with octarine sparks. The strumming guitars and sitars kindles a flickering ritual strangeness, which actually manages to sustain a greater and more focused weirdness through never quite exploding into noisy thrashing. Instead, the track wanders unsteadily along the borderline between controlled magic and the chaos of insanity. Urfaust at their best, this is the sound of a drunken devil trying to keep its balance while staggering along a steep and wintry rooftop.

It’s as you’d hope from a new Urfaust record, more of their bizarrely powerful riffing, perhaps even more dramatic than some of their previous classic work, and with a few touches of something new. The Indian instrument timbres on the final track, the powerful dragging slowness on the middle two tracks, and some odd resonating drone sounds that appear here and there: new elements added to flavour the existing trusted alchemical formula of Urfaust’s peculiarly intoxicating brew.

Some few tracks: 

"1 Kapitel"

"4 Kapitel"

"6 Kapitel"

Hail URFAUST

In the darkness we trust.

Sadistik Exekution "The Magus" Vampire records (1991)

In my mind, Possessed’s “Seven Churches” is, and always will be the first death metal album. Unfortunately, some misguided fools think that this is disputable, and that the first “real” death metal albums didn’t show up until 1987 with bands such as Death.

Get fukked! If “Seven Churches” is one the first death metal album, “The Magus” fucking is too! Sure it wasn’t actually released until november 1991, but if that’s an issue you can just kill yourself now. It’s the same thing as Repulsion really, recorded in ’86 yet released in ’89. “The Magus” is a forgotten classic. “The Magus” is the album that proves that Australia is fucking better than you. Chaotic? Sort of. Brutal? Sort of. Hell raising black infused death metal? Oh yeah. This is “Altars of Madness” before “Altars of Madness,” “I.N.R.I” before “I.N.R.I.”. Unholy 25th Anniversary. 

The Track list are: 

Side A:

A1 Cautness Darling Blood

A2 Lupercalia

A3 Possessed Haemorrhage

Side B: 

B1 The Magus

B2 Sadistikly Exekuted

B3 Agonising The Dead

In fact, it’s almost disturbing just how developed this is for it’s time. Don’t think this is just some thrash/black/death album, this is fully fledged blackened death metal. “Altars of Madness” is really the best comparison, and the two albums are very, very similar. Rok sounds like an eviler Dave Vincent, which combined with some heavy vocal reverb makes for some very, very haunting stuff. Think “Altars,” and add “I.N.R.I” and “Deathcrush.” That’s what “The Magus” sounds like, and if you’re reading this review as a black or death metal fan and thinking, “this album sounds like it kicks arse!” then you’d be damn correct in your assumption. This is insane for 1986, and even by today’s standards it’s still damn heavy/brutal/evil.

Many of the stylistic quirks of Sadistik Exekution that would later take their complete form in the chaotic maelstrom of the “Fukk” albums are yet to manifest in “The Magus.” Perhaps this leaves this as the most “accessible” Sadistik Exekution album, as much as I hate to admit such a thing is actually possible. The ultra-fast bass solos are absent, the random stringing of the words “fuck,” “cunt” and “AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH” are not here and the faster than fast guitar and drum work is lacking. Again though, don’t think I’m saying this is some “weak” album, because it’s still harder than 99% of the stuff you’ll ever hear. If you were repulsed by Rok calling you a “fukkin’ fukkin’ fukkin’ poof” on “Organized Sadistik Abuse” (from “Fukk”) then you might just be able to enjoy the band through this album.

Production wise, this album is awesome. Everything is audible, with a particular emphasis placed on Rok’s vocals and Dave Slave’s bass lines. The guitars are still nice and loud, as are the drums, providing for a well-rounded, heavy sound. It’s slightly rawer than “Altars of Madness” and black metal fans will feel right at home with the sound here. The production once again provides another “Altars – I.N.R.I” link, and it sound suitably, as the band would put it, fucked up.

You know, everytime someone bags Sadistik Exekution for their musicianship, I feel like breaking something. Let’s just ignore Dave’s insane bass skills (there are videos on YouTube of him performing at an art exhibition, check them out if you like bass at all!) and Sloth’s incredibly fast drum work. No matter how it may appear, Sadistik Exekution is a technically proficient and tight band. While “The Magus” is the simplest of their works, it’s no “Transilvanian Hunger,” and the occasional flirtation with some slightly more interesting drum patterns or guitar riffs does wonders for the album. Check out track six, “Lupercalia,” at 4:11 into the song. It’s a riff that sounds incredibly weird and out of place, but at the same time fits perfectly. I’d also like to note here that Sloth’s drumming features a somewhat primitive blasting technique that sounds very good in context of the album. It’s only mid-fast paced, but the effect is prominent due to the somewhat high position in the mix the drums possess (again it must be stressed, nothing overpowers another in the mix). Everything the band does here fits like the potato bake in a potato bake and sausage sandwich (a particular delicacy that I’ve invented, next time you have a BBQ, try it! It’ll be the best moment of your life!).

SADISTIK EXEKUTION are:

Rok Vocals

Sandy Vahdanni Guitars

Dave Slave Bass

Sloth Drums

Sadistik Exekution occupies one of the largest positions in Australian metal history, and in reality should occupy a place in world metal history. Here is one of the earliest death metal bands, overlooked for reasons unfathomable to me. Unfortunately, Sadistik Exekution are too good for you for that. While you go listen to your pathetic “technical brutal death metal,” I’ll listen to this album (and the subsequent follow-ups) and know that whatever you listen to, it’ll never be as aggressive, brutal and plain FUKKING AWESOME as this band and their music. Perhaps that’s a good thing, if every person in the world listened to these guys it’d be one mightily fucked up world. I’ve really tried to keep the use of the word “fuck/fukk” in this review to a minimum, but even this, the least chaotic and mentally insane of Sadistik Exekution’s albums invokes such a strong feeling of absolute patriotism in me that I couldn’t help myself. Ultimately though, one thing is fact: This album is forgotten history and this band is fucking awesome.

Some album´s track... 

"The Magus"

"Cautness Darling Blood" 

"I´ll Kill Ya, You Bastard" 

Hail Sadistik Execution.