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SACRIFICE (Can) Put her on the altar Bootleg CD 2003.
This is an unofficial rerelease of the SACRIFICE demos. This canadian thrash metal act is surely well known by you, but the demos are quite difficult to find nowadays. So on this cd you'll find the band's first demo from 1985 called "The exorcism"! Argh! What a fucking piece of ultimate harsh and frenetic thrashing madness! The song "Turn in your grave" is an absolute hymn, and one can already feel that SACRIFICE, as well as their mates from SLAUGHTER were putting some basis to the development of Death Metal! On this demo the sound of the bass is quite loud and the musicians are'nt always that tight, but hell, what a kick in your face! This demo is a must for an historical interest as well as for a headbanging interest! The second demo appearing on this cd is dating from 1987 and feature songs which appeared on the "Forward to termination". For those who thin that on this album SACRIFICE began to become a bit softer than on "Torment in fire", well, I think that the harshness of this demo's sound might please them! And to finish, you'll find a demo from 1989, which has quite an aggressive feeling and some riffs even remind me a bit of KREATOR, like in the song "Pawn of prophecy". I heard from Frank Stöver (the VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE editor) that he was a bit disappointed by the sound, because it seems that the original demos sound much better. Anyway, I don't have any idea, but I think that for fans of SACRIFICE and thrashing death metal madness, it might be cool to check out this bootleg cd.Cuntact: Well, to find it, I advise you to check some real ug distro lists. The cover represent a painting of a dead woman lying in the dark.              Nathaniel

SACRIVERSUM (Pol) Mozartia CD'03 METAL MIND.
With an album title such as "Mozartia", I could only expect cock metal! Do not understand goregrind, but sterile guitar masturbation that leads to nothing and a "wanna do it so soft and soooo perfect" spirit (with keyboards of corpse) that doesn't fit too much with extreme metal. Disco-dancing on this kind of stuffs if fucking great! Yeah! Some melodic riffs are always perfect to move your ass right in the rythm! One, two, one, two, three, one, two...
This band sounds like mid old DIMMU BORGIR (For unceasing keyboards), some old MOONSPELL and some other bands I don't want to remember! Sometimes it sounds kinda progressive, but don't be afraid: I won't start my "objective" brain. Fuck it, there are too many female vocals, and even if I appreciate the physical qualities of a girl band member (Oh yeah!), it sounds kinda happy by moments (like the kind songs one sing to little children before they sleep).
Some riffs are Ok and quite sad à la old PARADISE LOST, female vocals are ok, some stuffs sound a bit like mid old THERION ("Theli"). But at best it lacks the final kick! And most of the time I was bored! Musical masturbation doesn't help much to compose!

SADISTIC BLOOD MASSACRE (Ger) Anal Intruder MCD'03.
Who the fuck did forget his jellybean in the cunt of this cute as hell babe? Hurrrrrrgh!! I'll have to go and take it back with my teeth :))
Under the influence of the bouncing green jelly, SADISTIK BLOOD MASSACRE was mysteriously uploaded on my hard drive! That jellified crap is even worse than kangaroos since it jumps everywhere and splashes its jelly semen everywhere! Ha, reading the name of S.B.M one could expect some kind of Grindgore or music with goresplashing themes... but it's not really. I'd say it's a quite common death grind with some Crust: understand many blasts with tremolo riffs! Even if some vocals are quite raw, it's not gore or bizarre enough to have a lucid gelignite taste of Total goregrind. But some parts really made me think about old MUCUPURULENT: some Crustygore punches and some pitch shifted vocals. Or quite 'funny' sounding riffs à la old IMMURED. Or eventually some old DEAD INFECTION meets a petroleum zest of old HAEMMORHAGE. To enhance your cock: strictly fuck horny jellyfishes! I think some riffs are quite weak, or too simple. I found it quite common, and well I'd rather see this as a cool demo than as a real CD! I don't think the band is ready to offer a real good CD! But I guess the jelly bear maniacs of old MUCUPURULENT and the likes may find something nice for their jelly bear collection!
http://www.sadisticbloodmassacre.de

SADISTIK EXEKUTION (australia) We're Death Fukk you! CD'96 OSMOSE.
As a whole this album is quite shitty, with badly produced tracks and lots of averageness. BUT the tracks "Internal klok" and "Mathematikus" are perfect in the disjoncted style of Death metal compositions! With 3,5 mesures beats, insanely nonsense riffs and fuse blowing screams! And there are nice bizarrely conceived riffs here and there plus old school thrashing moments in the vein of their CD "The magus"... It's not a CD I listen to for more than once a year and it's not a good album as I said in the beginning... but some of its  elements introduced the more extreme and intense way in which they'd blast during their next releases!
If you feel a bestial urge when reading their name and watching their artworks, if you feel the Bestial Warlust of metal coming through your lacerated torso and need to hear these Australian sickheads' perversions, then Check "K.A.O.S" or "F.U.K.K" instead of this CD!
http://fade.to/sadx

SADISTIK EXEKUTION (Australia) F.U.K.K CD'02 OSMOSE.
Ah Ah Ah! These guys are fucking insane! Ah Ah! Total hellish asylum fuse blowing mother fuckers! Blasts don't stop for most of the CD, and the fucking bastard who doesn't stop screaming and spreading his insane mind and guts! Ah Ah! It sounds fun as your third head can't avoid viciously laughing! Prepare to drown in the abscess of the most disjoncted inhuman agony! And fucking agonize the dead! AAARRGH! Some vocals sounds like if the guy is suffocating on the edge of his existence and is going to fucking die! Okkult Death metal evokations! There's no catchiness, no choruses, no beautiful melodies, only blast as fuck total metal insanity or old school as hell metal riffs! With insane screams that comes from the 66th dimension!
I'm not a fan of SADISTIK EXEKUTION, but it must be one of their most intense and wicked CD! If you like it Bestial, Metal to the ass-bone and fucking fast, you've found one of the pretenders to the throne!
http://fade.to/sadx

SADISTIK EXEKUTION (Australia) FUKK II CD'04. OSMOSE.
Infernal klok sodomy! Rape of the anal putrefied abscess! AAARRRGGGHHH!!
Even though I always felt close to SADISTIK EXEKUTION's delirias, "FUKK II" isn't my fave piece of deliria they citrically procreated! All the elements are here to make of it a cool Sadistik CD, but I found more punishing dementia and maniacal uzi vomitings on "FUKK" for example! The whole isn't as fast as fuck as usual. More slow patterns of doomed hell are there. And some boring riffs as well. But some tracks such as "Mental derailment" (The inner thrill of dementia!), "Arkhon the grave robber" (Spit the fucking vomit! Cunt overdose regurgitation and technical possession!), "Shit" (Chaotic nonsense riffs the way I like it and real screams of the demented internal vomit worshipper!).
This isn't a bad album of fucking corpse! The band is still has a bunch loads of dementia and chaos that grows in you as a perverse voracious gangrene, but it's not their best one. A perverse enough CD for fans of the band who need more possessed  hemorrhages! The other ones can deeply fuck off and low degree masturbate on their so "perfect" respectuous popcrap! Head fucked in half! Fucking shit!!
Mark: Probatory freedom/ High security detention room!
http://fade.to/sadx

SALTHUS (Pol) Slavonic Pride CD'2001 MERCILESS/ BREATH OF NIGHT.
It begins as a Fast Black metal CD. Reminding me of MARDUK and a bit of SACRALENTUM (but with less complex symphonies). But the whole is more varied with some folk/ acoustik touch and some melodic mid placed parts. Their melodic black metal parts reminds me of DESASTER (Ger). There are some keyboard intros. It's a quite varied CD in the Black metal style that didn't turn me on for several reasons. First I don't enjoy varied Black metal with many melodies and stuffs everywhere, second the music doesn't seem exceptional nor very inspired; this second reason amplifying the power of the first one... An average CD I will never play again..

SANITYS DAWN(Ger)/ FUCK... I'M DEAD(Australia) Split Ep'99.
This split Ep was recorded when SANITYS DAWN was turning into some quite conventional Grindcore. Understand most of the psychoschizophrenic delirias and chokes on gore were going out. It remains quite gore and energetic in two nice Grinding and quite bizarre tracks, but it's less extreme than on the "Mangled in the meatgrinder" CD, and it's also less catchy and disjoncted!
The first track had lost almost all the gory pukes on anal intruder microphone, and that shows the less inspired and personal style they followed on "Chop copper". This is 2 cool tracks, nothing exceptional, and I prefer it to the whole 'Chop copper" CD.
I've ever crossed the path of some FUCK... I'M DEAD Mp3s on the web, but I wasn't especially impressed. And here, it's the same style, fast Grind death with gore/ raw vocals and quite "original" or more noisy Death metallish parts. But it remains quite flat and lacks of bestial crushing warfare! Nothing catchy. The FUCK... I'M DEAD guys play surface Grindcore Death and would need to open their 4 abscesses to be more efficient! and really insane!!

SANITYS DAWN (GER) Cryptic menu CD’99
I immediately heard the difference between this new release and the previous one « cryptic menu »: they’ve put the intensity one level up an this album is very good!  If you’re into totally gore and disjoncted grindcore in the vein of old CARCASS, if you like to « eat my shit » and all the bizarre gory lyrics with cool vocals from yer distorted anal guts ; ya certainly will enjoy this gory sadistic menu; cut my bowels and eat my purulent flesh, the juice will only splash but there’ll be no pain!.
But there are also a few « hardcore » like influences as their bizarre gut pucking stuff isn’t always bound into a severely grinding dementia, one trickled head also can find here some quasi funny mid tempo parts with fun vocals doing the apology of the rusty gore meatgrinder. The old pathologistic CARCASS’s medical lyrics complexity is more than one time exhumed here and it’s quite refreshing to read again some tracks in the vein of « Delicious burst ulcer by maximum microwave-power » (it would have been even better if they translated this complex face scums’ doctor examination in the rue morgue in fucking brutal german language).. No way bastardizer of thy great hearings purity, if you like goregrind and grindcore check it out your third eye won’t be disappointed!

SANITYS DAWN (Ger)/ EXHUMED (Usa) Split Ep'00 DEADLY ART.
Here's an Ep that materializes some of the wetest dreams of the biggest grinders! It includes SANITYS DAWN at the time of their second CD "Mangled in the meat grinder" and EXHUMED (the year 2000) on the same Split Ep! This sounds bloody cool! SANITYS DAWN's side is very goregrind like, à la old CARCASS, in the same lines than their two first CDs "Cryptic menu" and "Mangled in the meatgrinder", but there were some better tracks on these two CDs. I expected something better. Anyway it's quite aggressive and intense, better than "Chop copper".
Surprisingly enough, the 2 EXHUMED tracks here entitled "Emeticide" and "Pus grinder" are more along the Goregrind lines! There's not much old school Death here! But there's still some old school Grind Crust, it's obvious! It's not one of their best releases, but it's the kind of cool stuffs you play in a long extreme Grind sickness session to maintain the energy!
A cool Ep to own if you're a lot into one of the two bands!

SANITYS DAWN (GER) Chop copper CD'2002.
I wouldn't have recognized the band if I didn't know it was Sanitys Dawn; their style has evolved a lot since their "Mangled in the meatgrinder" CD! Incredible! But also deceiving... They're now playing a kind of Grind/Crust with hardcore touches that is nearer of Nasum and Phobia's CD 99 than their previous stuffs that were more in the gory delirious vein of old CARCASS grind death masters!
I was disappointed as it's not so much disjoncted anymore, it doesn't sound like S.D. for me, and to be honnest their compositions are really less personnal, disjoncted and crushing! What happened? This remains correctly executed and constructed Grindcore/ Crust, this is a bit better than the average, but S.D is one more of these bands who regress and doesn't crush as more as they used to!. If you like grind/death/crust bands like Nasum, old Napalm or Phobia, maybe you'll like it...

SANITYS DAWN (Ger)/ FETUS EATER (Uk) Split CD’03.
It happens that some bands you really enjoyed released a boring album, then you try one of their next releases to judge if it was only a momentary lack of inspiration or if they really turned into an uninteresting formation. This is exactly my case with SANITYS DAWN since I was into the gore and disjoncted compositions of "Cryptic menu" and "Mangled in the meatgrinder" while I was disappointed by "Chop copper" that did almost nothing for me!
Notice the style of the band has changed from the time of "Chop copper" as all the gore and disjoncted elements disappeared to let us hear a more classical Grindcore band.
On this split CD, SANITYS DAWN still plays that kind of Grindcore that's quite new school and includes some Hardcore/ Punk/ Crust stuffs and screamy vocals. Of course there are many blasts. It could sound like some NASUM and NYCTOPHOBIC. But why listening to an average release in a given style while the band was really better in its original way of composing and while some bands does it really better in this new style? It doesn't suck and it's quite aggressive, but nothing special and nothing especially catchy. I've lost almost all the interest I could get for the new SANITYS DAWN's stuffs.
On their part of this false vinyl, FETUS EATER tries to play bizarre Death/ Grind with Grindcore touches... but it's a fun band that wants to be jokey and sounds fucking stupid! Their high pitched vocals sucks! (Ass-fuck a chick and you get it!) Some low screams sound like dogs. Some parts are more serious and discording, but it's not more convincing. I can say they sound weak à la very old INHUMATE or ORGAN HARVEST. It seems they want to be cliché and voluntary destroy some riffs! Totally stupid attitude! I have to shorten this review before darkness engulfs me! FETUS EATER isn't worth a pro CD release! Very average Death Grind that wants to be funny and joky but that cruelly fails! Avoid it at all costs!

SARCOLYTIC (Usa) Sarcolytic MCD'05. LACERATED ENEMY Records.
I'm not a big fan of US Brutal death, especially when it's too abusively technical or too focused on brainless unimaginative brutality... But for some reasons quite obscure, I felt some kind of attraction and intrigue for SARCOLYTIC.
Few months ago, I downloaded some Mp3s, and it seemed cool. Even though I wasn't that catched by the hooks, I felt some touch of burning brutality.
Now, I have the MCD and am able to plunge my hands deeper in the bloody flesh of the corpse, it's possible to have a more valid opinion of the whole:
SARCOLYTIC plays quite good US Brutal death that do not tries to overdrive on technicality or anything, as their goal seems to be the writing of songs.
The whole is quite well balanced between some blasting or heavy USBD and some old Florida Death metal. While you have the typically "Rhythmic" riffs fucked on blasts, brutal illogicism, you can also find moments with more "melodies" (That occur to have an epic side).
It happens to remind me of old SUFFOCATION/ PYREXIA, DISGORGE (US), with touches of old DEEDS OF FLESH, some mid old MONSTROSITY, a touch of BRUTALITY and a bit of old US Brutal death bands (Like the old US band DATURA for example (RIP)).
The production is cool; it's not too abrasive or overproduced, but remains powerful and has a dark/ deaf/ heavy aspect (In the vein of what we could hear 8 years ago).
So, there's nothing that catchy or over the top of the current brutality or craziness standards, but SARCOLITYC might please the needs of Brutal death metal fans who like their CDs to develop an obscure atmosphere, yet with this cool sense of bizarre illogicism Brutal death used to develop an embalming way.
http://www.myspace.com/sarcolytic

SAYYADINA (Swe) Solace denied Ep'02 PUTRID FILTH CONSPIRACY.
Eat shit for your whole life and you're so used to this you finally enjoy the taste of shit! Without even thinking about it! And the same goes for music! Follow my eyes, what do you see? Yes, you're right! You see all these so big "corporate" webzines who receive so much promo CDs they finally like the mighty taste of shit and lick the big labels' asses with delicacy to receive even more! Ah! It's so hard to find a really cool release it gets annoying!
SAYYADINA is a nice Grindcore band that includes two actual GENERAL SURGERY member! In fact their drummer plays in G.S and BIRDLFESH! Very fast stuff! Fast screaming Grindcore à la new BIRDFLESH, MASTIC SCUM, OPEN WOUND (a bit), with touches of PIG DESTROYER ("Prowler in the yard" CD), some Crustcore and some heavy hardcore touches. The blasting style of the drummer is cool, and the tracks are varied enough. Nothing exceptional, but it's compressed and energetic enough to please some fast stuffs maniacs! Fast! Fast! Fast!
http://www.sayyadina.com

SCALPLOCK (Uk)/ SHORT HATE TEMPER (Usa) Split Ep’99. RETRIBUTION Recs.
Ready for an explosive fist-fucking full of spikes and rancid matter? Coz the SCALPLOCK side of this Ep has a bunch of fast blasts and other Crustcore beer jumping considerations.
All in all, the music of SCALPLOCK could sound like old school grind meets noisecore à la PIG DESTROYER mixed with sludgy HxCx influenced riffs that could both evoke despair or a big smoke, depending on the mental state you're in! Did you notice the guitarist of UNSEEN TERROR (R.I.P but without regrets) is now a part of this band? The SCALPLOCK side of this Ep is cool, it has no boring shit, but I'd like them to be a bit faster! The screamed vocals would gain power if it was a bit deeper! It sounds to thin and the guy doesn't scream his guts... Not a bad side anyway. Worth a few beers!

SHORT HATE TEMPER plays Grind Hardcore Crust, with apparently influences taken from the semi old school and newer waves of the style. It's almost what some call "Math core" by moments. Some riffs sound okey, some sound strange. This isn't the kind of stuff I'd play regularly coz too much core wastes the taste of beer, and S.H.T's music doesn't seem mind-blowing in the kind... But fans of grinding mathcore, crusty noisecore whatever might get into that! Only beer knows!

SCALPLOCK (Uk) Spread the germs CD’03 CACOPHONOUS.
I initially read about SCALPLOCK in a NAPALM DEATH interview, Mick or Barney adviced them as they said it was one of the best new bands from Uk. So I searched for some of their releases, but it wasn't easy to find! I finally put a click on some stuffs from here and there and reassembled this CD.
This is quite aggressive Grindcore with screamy scorching high pitched vocals, and it has its share of Crustcore or Heavy riffs that sometimes turn to somekind of Sludge. It reminds me of old NAPALM DEATH, but also of the CATHETER self titled Ep, or a bit of THE KILL for the grinding parts. old EYEHATEGOD meets some CROWBAR can be named for the heavy urban guitars. The Grinding parts sound aggressive and raw! The heavier moments doesn't sound too common, it was thought in a quite different way with not too common power chords. May remind of SOILENT GREEN ("String of lies") for the mix of Grind and heavier (almost stoner by moments) riffs. Nothing is really great at the level of the riffs, and there are some strangely articulated songs, but some parts are aggressive enough while some tracks are compressed enough to sound efficient.
I've just learnt the guitarist of UNSEEN TERROR is a part of this band!
This SCALPLOCK CD can be some quite good food for Grind/ Crust/ Hardcore maniacs who need it both aggressive, screamed and quite heavy.
http://www.cacophonous.com/cacoph/b_scalplock.html

SCARVE (Fra) Translucence CD'99 FURTIVE.
Change of musical direction for SCARVE, because this first album, even if it includes the same elements than their previous releases, is ways more Brutal and difficult to get into. It's quite near of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD (if it's possible to make a comparison between a so original band and another one). Because despite the fact Daniel Bergstrand (productor of S.L.Y or MESSHUGAH) is behind the mixing console, the Townsend influence can be strongly felt in the vocals, and especially when the blast beats are mixed with the vocals. Of course, the melodies haven't disappeared, but it's now more present in the leads or in the clear vocals than in the riffs in itself (that are harder than before). Speaking for myself, I would have prefered SCARVE to continue in the more melodic vein they drawn on "Six tears of sorrow", because it's not enough melodic to be really beautifull, neither violent enough to really turn me on. All the more, the vocals are ways less worked than on the MCD. This said, an album that figures a so great degree of artistical accomplihement and of a so strong will to be different and experiment can't be uninteresting. But "Translucense" is more one of these CDs that inspires you rather than the CDs you listen for pure pleasure. Intriguing for the musician, but in my opinion it's without any interest for the one some specialists' considerations leaves indifferent. in any way this is an album that can't be consensual.
http://www.scarve.net                  Pierre

SCARVE (Fra) Six tears of sorrow MCD'96.
The SCARVE metamorphosis is an excellent surprise! The not very matrue and quite boring band of the demo has became a 5 piece formation practicizing a melodic Death metal that's ultra demanding but very accessible. And it's hard to believe it on how much the result, between DEATH and VOIVOD is convincing. The vocals are really more convincing, the drum playing is original, the riffs are good, and from the beginning to the end it really shredds. It's more Death metal than the first demo, but it's more melodic also. "Six tears of sorrow" still remains a little pearl of French Death metal nowadays. Don't hesitate to get a copy if you have the opportunity to lay your hands on it.
http://www.scarve.net                 Pierre

SCARVE (FRA) luminiferous CD'02 LISTENABLE.
Here's an album that's as a whole quite interesting, because it's quite rich musically speaking and we can feel the musicians know how to use their instruments. We can notice some quite varied influences. It goes from Devin Townsend (Strapping young lad, Ocean machine) who remains the dominating influence, mainly at the level of the vocals and of the general atmosphere the music can make you feel, Godflesh for their dissonant side (mainly the 6th tracks called "The path to apoptosis"), Cynic for a few leads (mostly on their 4th song called "Capszized"). But we also feel Shuldiner and Azagtoth from time to time in the lead guitarist's style. Messhuggah can also be quoted for their "The resonanting thing" track. To conclude, as a whole it's obvious they're listening to a lot of varied things, and that can be only a positive plus for their compositions.
We can notice there are a few blast beats to "spice" the thing (and this isn't here to displease us). An ENTOMBED ("Serpent speech") cover taken from the "Hollowman" MCD conforts the musical eclecticism of the band.
The only negative point: the drum sound isn't powerfull and dominating enough, and it's really a shame because the drummer has got a quite rich and creative playing. You'll need some listenings to understand the subtleties of their paying and the essence of their music.
We can add SCARVE is a band that has nothing to envy the international scene at all. We must advice this album to all those for whom the musical sectarianism is a real plague.

SCAVENGER (Irl) Madness to our method CD'04. SENTINEL Recs.
I even don't know why I was sent this CD! This isn't extreme, and this isn't really metal in the burning old school meaning of the word! What you hear is average melodic "metal" that seems to take as much from Modern H.M, NWOBHM, melodic hard rock than from the Swedish melodic thrash/ heavy... without something really metal or intense! Definitely not something I review there... unless it's killer or underground as fuck! The music in itself sounds quite decent, some riffs have a little Megadeth taste... but too much melodic shits are there and this is too common/ predictable to be real metal with balls! The musicians are skilled enough... but the sung vocals waste all the band's effort. (Quite too melodic and often quite wrong sounding). I won't go any further. Average and weak "Heavy metal". Why bothering listening and describing a quite boring CD when the promo manager didn't even bother watching the kinds of music you review? Ah!
http://www.scavenger.ie

SCEPTER (Usa) Fucking metal motherfuckers CD'02 MERCILESS Recs.
I remember I've ever crossed the path of a SCEPTER release in 1998. This one is still in the same lines: old school metal. It especially reminds me of old CELTIC FROST at every levels: the same kind of simple riffs with the same kind of beats 'n breaks is used while the same kind of vocals are sung. (Many elements and details seem to come from "Morbid tales" or "The emperor's return"... Too much? Possibly since I've the feeling some parts are too common.)
But where's the morbid energy of old CELTIC FROST? What I hear on this CD is only Ok tracks with correct riffs and structures, but the energy and morbid enthusiasm of the frost are fucking lacking! Uh!!
They might sound similar to some bands like HELLHAMMER (less rough), WARHAMMER, SODOM (very old: demo days), SLAYER (very old) and eventually USURPER. So this CD might be Ok or quite cool for the big nostalgics of the old school who live in the beginning of the 90's, but more blood and tears are needed to crush a poser!

SCORN (UK) Imaginaria award MCD’00 HYMEN.
This is one of the new projects of Mick Harris ( Ex. NAPALM DEATH drummer) and I wouldn’t advise it to guys who are totally into Metal as it’s electronic music. As well as the «  Overload Lady » project, SCORN is a kind of bizarre and obscure jungle with dark samples ( floating reflexive underpolarised bass sounds and enigmatic earings). It’s more or less unrepeating and cold synthetic/ artificial drum beats. With it’s hypnotic samples, the track «  Lock » is a vicious call to get out of touch with reality and to enter the mighty vortex void of depression and mental illness. Worth the listening for dark electronic music fans.

SEASICK (Ger) Bestie mensch CD'04 PWP.
This label goddamn sucks! This is a real conspiracy of the acid beer that works for the extinction of anything metal!
SEASICK has a stupid logo, and a stupid band's name. They play some kind of Grind crust thrashcore death that does nothing for me! At their putrid best! Sounds like old MACABRE, DROGHEDA, TERRORIZER, SOB and others. With some thrash. The production lacks of power. The tracks are more or less correctly done, but SEASICK sounds uninspired and uninspiring! Forget it or vomit your beer!

SEAR BLISS (Hungary) Forsaken symphony CD'02 RED STREAM.
It must be the 3rd or 4th release I get from RED STREAM and I'm now almost certain we don 't share the same musical tastes. So, if you guys from Red Stream stop to send me promos to get average reviews at best, it won't be a problem!
Let's talk about the S.B. release now. This band plays fast Black metal reminding me the style obscure bands played around 91-94, mixing quite fast and raw parts with slow or mid temp moments. They add synths reminding me of old EMPEROR. SATYRICON (3 first CDs epoch) could also be named here while the naming of old ENSLAVEC wouldn't be misplaced. You understand it's norvegian influenced Black metal with an atmospheric touch and a small sorrowfull/ nostalgic full of fog touch EMPEROR had in parts on their 2 first CDs.
Nothing sounds new or mind bloing for me. Didn't attract my attention more than that... but they added some cool fog horns sounds... Sounds outdated for me... can be cool for nostalgic Black metal fans only!
http://www.searbliss.hu

SEPSISM (USA) To prevail in disgust CD’03 FROM BEYOND PROD.
I heard some tracks of SEPSISM a few years ago and it wasn't bad. Here's a new CD that sounds a bit more intense! These 9 pieces of Brutal disgust are composed of Death/Grind with a strong emphasis on crushed brutality! Heavy brutalizing riffs and blasting parts that reminds me of ROTTING on "Crushed"! Some doomed brutality in here has got something to do with old GRAVE. These bastards are also morbidly inspired in abject purulence by CANNIBAL CORPSE (old), SUFFOCATION (more primal, less technical), BRODEQUIN.
Brutal enough torture machine kit crusher! Low grunts from the eroded pustulent carcass and scorched screamer who suffers the agony of a thousand deads. Aggressive raw sound that makes it more tremendous! There's nothing original nor very special here, but these 9 tracks are well packaged, compressed and morbidly alive enough to be cool for doomed Death metal fans! Excellent for fans of ROTTING! SEPSISM is a cool crushing band I'd brutally support if they were from my area!
http://www.sepsism.net

SEPULCRAL (Ita) Anthropophagy Of Doom LP. 2012. UNHOLY DOMAIN Recs.
Breath is a compromise. Heart beat is a compromise... So what? Let yourself die and let your body rot. Putrefaction is real cadaveric integrity!
A few metallers might remember of a French band called SEPULCHRAL that released two demos and was a part of the "Obscurum per obscurum" split CD in 1992, but there's no link with this SEPULCRAL. This Italian band plays a kind of Death metal being very close to doom: A lot of the beats are slow or mid-paced, but this is not the only aspect from the spectrum of the curse... Their style is rather based on the will to create an atmosphere, and there's an old black metal mood in the "fog" to appear here and there...
The guitars sound dark due to the fact it's mostly based on low frequencies, the vocals are also low pitched, but hopefully the drums are quite clear and make the whole a bit more balanced.
The vocals are average, a bit like ASPHYX on "Embrace the death", but less convincing.
I'm not too thrilled by their faster Death metal parts, this sounds weaker compared to their doomier riffs.
All in all you could imagine the whole sounds influenced by the doomy or mid-paced parts from these records (With probably less epicness): ASPHYX ("Embrace the death"), VIOGRESSION (First and perhaps 2nd album), MORGOTH ("Cursed"), a bit of WINTER ("Into darkness"), touches of slow ooold DEATH ("Leprosy") or HELLHAMMER (For the easy riffs), with fast death metal parts that could remind of early "morbid thrash" bands.
With this record SEPULCRAL is not a revelation, and to me they still sound like demo stuff, but their music contains quite good atmospheres and quite good doomy riffs. So those who need something from the lands of doom might find some nice moments to rest in their coffin.
http://www.myspace.com/sepulcral666

SERENADE (Uk) Plague of Time MCD. 2000. Golden Lake Productions.
This MCD approaches your eyes and hears in a quite nice manner: The band name, the logo and musical description set off your imagination to explore nice worlds of a dark death doom planting austere crosses in the sour ground...
But we are talking about a different kind of "death doom": A style that was more mid-paced, and also sometimes melodic.
Since the three songs convey quite different influences, I will describe the content track by track.
The first song is generally closer to PARADISE LOST "Shades of god" (With a bit of "Gothic" for guitars) and the very first album of THE GATHERING also came to my mind.
The second track contains a mix of common mid-paced death (For this time) and something close to the mid-paced moments of old BATHORY (Pre-Viking era).
The third one keeps this Bathory influence and injects an equal quantity of stoner/ doom riffs à la BLACK SABBATH.
I would have expected to hear seriously hitting death doom influences in the vein of the very first MY DYING BRIDE recordings, but expect maybe for a death metal riff (Or even two), this is not the case.
The rhythms aren't doomy at all, and would even sound a bit too "enthusiastic". On the first song two third of the vocals are clear, and well, this is not the best ones I heard.
I understand where the band wanted to go with a part of the riffs and ideas, but their music sounded a bit too "enthusiastic" and "amateurish" (In the sense the content wasn't probably brewed enough) to drape my soul in doom. Only for big fans of the influences quoted in this review.

SERPENTIA (Pol) Dark fileds of mind CD'03 METAL MIND.
Since '98, the melodic Death wave plagued my life with some really bad craps! I'm more open minded now, but it doesn't please me much! SERPENTIA plays melodic Death thrash, but some breaks and riffs sound forced! It's too nice stuff to be extreme (and use an evilish intro for example!) some melodic riffs are too much melowly melodic! Uh. May sound like some bad IN FLAMES, w/ AT THE GATES (last one) and others... It's cool to release a pro CD, but it's better when some real feeling is here! I found no real feeling here: these bastards stictly calculate their notes. Next one.

SEVERE TORTURE (HOL) "FEASTING ON BLOOD" CD’00-01 THE PLAGUE
This is some good, severe brutal shit straight from holland. Extremely influenced by Cannibal Corpse these guys offer here an album you cant live without if you worship 'tomb of the mutilated'. From the deep vocals to the twisted tappings and super fast blast beats, everything is very reminiscent of the Gore metal legend. Nothing ground breaking here, yet catchy and brutal enough to appeal to many people out there!                                        Nicolas

SEVERE TORTURE (HOL) "FEASTING ON BLOOD" CD’00-01 THE PLAGUE
Voilà un nouveau groupe (hollandais) venu intégrer la scène extrême metal.
Je met le cd dans ma platine laser et dès le début le premier morceau me cartonne la tronche, riffs bien puissants, vocale dans la veine du vocaliste de Suffocation (surtout période "Effigy of the forgotten", mais en plus grave). J'écoute le 2ème morceau...  correct, mais déjà un tout petit peu moins bien. Sur le 3ème morceau, je commence a m'intérroger; sur le 4ème c'est un début de titre limite pompé sur la deuxième plage d'Effigy de Suffocation. Le 2ème riff est vraiment limite pompé sur les trémolos rapide aigus de "None so vile" de Cryptopsy, et le riff qui suit est complètement dans la veine d'"Eaten back to life" de Cannibal.  En plein milieu du morceau un plan lourd est quasiment repiqué sur Suffocation! La suite des morceau coule et on se lasse assez rapidement de leur jeu qui devient vite répetitif, beaucoup de riffs sont dans la veine des grands groupes de brutal death genre Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, Cryptopsy(surtout "None so vile").  Alors on peut etre influencé (qui ne l'est pas en tant que musicien?) mais il y a un différence entre être influencé et pomper!
Pourtant quand on écoute leur premier morceau, c'est plein de bon riffs, influencés mais digérés et retranscrits à leur sauce, et cela donne un titre qui cartonne! Malheureusement à partir du 4ème morceau les riffs manquent totalement de personnalité, malgré cela les musiciens savent se servir de leurs instruments (il y a quelques petits passage techniques interessants à la batterie) et le son global du cd est correct.
Je ne donnerai qu'un petit 6/10 a ce cd car malgré 2, 3 morceaux corrects et quelques riffs par ci par là qui sont pas trop dégueux,
ce groupe (qui a du potentiel) peu faire beaucoup mieux sur la recherche de ses riffs.  Les métaleux qui sont depuis peu dans le brutal et qui n'on pas une grande culture du métal extrême trouveront surement cette album puissant, mais tous ceux qui sont dans ce genre de musique depuis un bon moment et qui connaissent les classiques ne seront pas dupes, attendons leur prochain album......
Note 6/10
http://www.severetorture.com       Seb.

SEVERE TORTURE (Hol) Misanthropic carnage CD'02 HAMMERHEART.
I was one more time going to think negative on the quality of the whole extreme metal scene when I had the idea to download this CD!
Some tracks here are simply unrelentless and not far from the very killer threshold! Their music includes some intense tremolo riffs reminding me of CRYPTOPSY ("None so vile"), some unrelentless breaks and subtle variations à la CANNIBAL CORPSE ("Tomb of the mutilated" and "The bleeding") and some technical or heavier riffs à la DEICIDE amongst other Brutal Death influences! If you don't know their music, you under it's very much into the Brutal death style with a strong American side! This is technical but fully understandable (not like DISGORGE (Mex) that makes me vomit my entrails!). I had the feeling I ever heard some parts and riffs before, some moments are a lot in the American Brutal death style... but there are enough surprises and breaks to keep your nauseabond attention!  There are enough good moments here to kick the arse of an extreme metaller! I don't know that much their previous and first CD, but it seems to me it was better and more expressive! I've reached a certain level of overdose on this Brutal death style, but I have rather a nice opinion about this CD. So this CD is quite worth the advice for a Brutal death fan!
http://www.hvlaar.nl/severe.htm

SEVERED SAVIOR (USA) Forced to bleed EP'02 DISFIGURED RECORDS.
These brutallers play very fast, they seem to play the fastest possible during all the tracks... but it unfortunately seems to be their only goal! You'll understand it's technical brutal death. The sound is good, all is pro done but it sounds ridiculous to me! How is it possible to get any feeling or some efficiency if you play always 200 miles/hour a song??
Even some heavy riffs that could have been powerfull if played right could have been good, but all the power is lost as they only want to be dumbly FAST!
Yes, it sounds brutal, and some technical riffs are impressive for the technical apsect, the way it's constructed can also be considered as being impressive, and yes it can be a challenge to listen to and to perform this kind of music...
But what did I feel when I listened to this CD? Will I remember something from the brutality of this CD after the listening... Hugh!! The answer is no!
Deaf and dumb brutallers: check it out!

SIKFUK (Usa) Teabagged at birth CD'06. GOREGIASTIC
I had the first SIFUK album that followed the ways of the blablablast and gore à gogo. After some (apparently) internal struggles, they're back with this second album and some musical changes. Their gory Brutal Death remains, and they welcomed the influences of CEPHALIC CARNAGE or stoned modern stuffs. I couldn't really compare "T.A.B." with the first release on matters of technicality and brewtality (Not enough remembrances) but this time it's quite technical enough. Nothing is triggered so it doesn't sound surgically tight, and even a bit chaotic by moments. This tastes like an okey album in the style, with cool moments of brutality and nice stoned technical riffs, but there's nothing really emotional to grab you by the nuts on an emotive basis. Some parts sound a bit hesitating or useless considering the impact of other better ideas (It seems they smoked a bit too much, coz some "funny" parts radically turn me off). There's a cool cover artwork that tastes like guts and abstract dementia.
It's a decent/ cool album in the style that might please fans of smoked brutality, but SIKFUK remains a 2nd/ 3rd grade band...And in a quite close approach I still prefer to break my skull with the mighty SKELETON OF GOD MCD!
http://www.myspace.com/sikfukband

SIKFUK (Usa) Gore delicious CD'02 UNITED GUTTURAL.
According to their cover and wuite unreadble logo, I didn't expect something great. And their Brutal death goregrind didn't leave me a very good impression.
It's blasting all along with some strong Brutal death influences for heavier groovy riffs. Gore guttural vocals. They remind me of UNCREATION or DAMNABLE (for the raw side) by moments while their fastest parts could sound like DISGORGE (Mex- Where are the riffs?) even if it's more understandable.
They have Morbid riffs à la Cannibal C with variating bass lines. They try to sound crazy by adding some clear guitar breaks.
Nothing sounds new or interesting to me (I even find a lack of tightness for a CD release! Let's say it's hesitating sounding by moments).
It'll be something Ok for the big maniacs or raw UxG supporters, but I can't find any deep brutal feeling here. In french words: "J'en ai rien à blaster".
http://sikfuk.topcities.com

SIKSAKUBUR (Indo) Back to vengeance CD’01.
This kind of releases let me think the Indonesian scene isn't in so bad conditions. Contrary to most the recordings from these I heard, SIKSAKUBUR is professional. Their style is total American Brutal Death with many breaks and tempo changes here, and there. Ok, the whole isn't original at all since it always reminds me of SUFFOCATION, PYREXIA (old) and a bit of old CANNIBAL CORPSE, but I've heard worse bands in the style. They also have got some more "melodic" touches from here and there...  Heavily produced Brutal death with many blasts, death metal beats, double kicks, raw grunts, etc.
The problem is there are no really killer parts in here, and some riffs aren't so good. This is the kind of stuffs you can play with an Ok or quite cool state of guts, but nothing stands out. The last track is the one that sounds the most efficient (strange isn't it!) coz it's less complex and sounds more naturally cock amputating. It remains average in my opinion.
Well, this can be a quite cool release for big fans of technical and complex Brutal Death, but not much more.
http://way.to/siksakubur

SILMARILS (Fra) 4 Life CD'03 WARNER.
Fuck you label manager fool! And don't send me this crap again!! (3rd and last time)

SIMPULMATI (Indonesia) Opera merah CD. 2022 Self-released.
Indonesia is quite famous in the underground world for its brutal death metal, influenced by the bru-bru-bru American genre, and perhaps also the noisier/ gorier Mexican variation... But in the case of this new band, the style is different: I would describe the whole as blasting death metal with a technical side and some epic moments.
All in all, this can sound as a mixture of old NILE, mid old PYREXIA (For the most brutal moments), mid old SUFFOCATION (Think about the early 00's releases), with something of old GOD DETHRONED (Second album for some "epic" riffs), and some early 90's MALEVOLENT CREATION (First albums) for more old school patterns.
The production is quite powerful, perhaps the guitars are a little too "compressed" in the heavy/ middle frequencies (Not sure about the word), but it sounds quite heavy and tastes better than your cold/ plastic/ sterile/ robot/ modern productions! So, I don't complain.
This is a quite good album in the style, I believe those who enjoy semi brutal and semi technical death with an epic side might enjoy the travel to Surabaya (Their hometown).
Open the underground gates, and keep it wide opened like the legs of the elder Asian goddess!
https://simpulmati.bandcamp.com

SINISTER (Hol) Aggressive measures CD'98 NUCLEAR BLAST.
SINISTER: a band's name that'd be synonymous with deception? I can say so! I personally enjoyed their two first Lps "Cross the styx" and "Diabolical summoning" that were in a well-done technical and blasting Death/ Thrash at the time! They had some specific elements such as the blasts or their technical riffs' melodies that made up their personality!
But well, since their "Hate" CD I'm ways less impressed by their music!
I didn't especially appreciate this "Aggressive measures" CD when it was released and I didn't pay any particular attention to it... But I listened to it recently, in a careful way, to pay attention to every riff. And well, there are some well-done and well-felt parts on the first two tracks "Aggressive measures" and "Beyond the superstition". It remains under the quality of their two first CDs, but it's two Ok tracks with some good moments! There's also a track that doesn't sound bad around the end of the CD, as well as an heavier/ slower one.
But the problem with the last SINISTER releases is in my opinion they favour too much the technicality and complexity while they loose some real efficiency they once had! Could we say they haven't got as much inspiration and energy? Have everything been said for them? Well, in my opinion it remains a very possible thing, but there are still some good riffs here. The lack of inspiration is maybe due to several reasons (including too many side projects: Houwitser...)
I haven't heard their new stuffs, but the presence of their female vocalist didn't especially turn me on to brutalize my local CD seller!
So, this isn't a bad album, a few riffs are good. If you don't know SINISTER check out "Diabolical summoning". And in any case the first two tracks of the CD would be enough. Downloads are still hellcome this time...
http://sinister.wingsofdeath.nu

SKINLESS (USA) Progression towards evil CD'99
Brutal heavy American death with a raw sound. It includes all what you'd expect from this kind of band and it's rather well constructed and articulated, but only the vocals had a special presence to me! Only the vocals are deeply gore, brutal and expressive! Even if the music is a bit better than the average Demos... I can't avoid thinking it's average riffs with no soul meted all-together... All tracks sound the same and I found nothing REALLY Brutal here! Ok it's correctly constructed with correct riffs... but so many bands can do that! By moments it reminds me a bit about LIVIDITY(USA)'s 1st MCD "Fetish for the sick" but most of the time it's very much mid old CANNIBAL CORPSE influenced with some heavy brutal death parts. They may be a cool band for "fans" of American Brutal death, but their new CD'2003 Crushes everythings they have released before from far!! Fortunately they have now awaken and are ready to REALLY CRUSH everythings as the motive doesn't only seem to be a part of a Brutal scene, but to compose extreme music they can be deeply and sincerely proud of! Checl "From sacrifice to survival" and prepare to die!

SKINLESS (Usa) From sacrifice to survival CD'03 RELAPSE.
I have never been a fan of SKINLESS, their Brutal Death was somewhat too common and lacked of deepness to really please me, just the kind of stuffs you can listen to and say "cool". (There were some good vocals on their first CD though).
The style of the band has changed a lot on this new album! It's still in the Death/ Grind and Brutal Death fields but it welcomes many new ideas and new influences. There are a bunch of melodies or technical touches in here, and their tracks sound less repetitive than before... Just more efficient! The drummer has improved also as he does some pretty Brutal stuffs around the double bass drums or the toms of the kit! Varied and brutal style. Good drummer! Some tracks are very well done! Varied shit with many good surprises!
This evolution reminds me of the change that occurred between the 2 INFERNAL TORMENT CDs, but in this case SKINLESS remains more extreme! Listening to this CD, I think I can say their own style that was incubating under the American Brutal death "trend" have ecloded! So, on this new recording SKINLESS could sound as a mix of FLESHLESS, EDGE OF SANITY, SCARVE, NATRON and other extreme bands. It isn't as gay as some guys claim it is! Extreme music done with sincerity! A good CD that may grow on me. To conclude: This is a change of style I gladly welcome, those who enjoyed their previous CDs should put an hear on some tracks before investing any $. This is a good CD for those who like it extreme and fast but with some melody and diversity!
http://www.4skinless.com

SKITSYSTEM (Swe) Stigmata CD'06. IRON FIST Recs.
Fucking promos...
Some crustcore is welcome in there, as long as it's severely energetic and ass-kicking...
First, SKITSYSTEM do not really plays the kind of crust I prefer, since this release isn't that energetically controlled and explosive, but rather "raw" sounding and convenient, not unlike some DISFEAR.
This release lacks the maximum uzi-shots and triple-fists in the face some bands such as DISRUPT, E.N.T. or DOOM had in their best days! You know, these killer riffs or drum breaks that strongly punch your face, kick the ass and strongly tears something in the guts...
But it's not the case of SKITSYSTEM. The band doesn't sound bad, but it sound a bit too convenient and I often have the feeling they're taking advantage of the "Crustcore autoplay" possibility. Not the best way to be soarprizing and triple-ass-kicking!
This isn't a bad release = quite good corrosive sound, nothing really bad sounding and the whole remains varied enough... But it lacks what it would beed to enter the 7-8 criminals elite of executing crustcore albums in my collection: entire sincerity and almost life-long memorable riffs...
So, average shot with nothing really outstanding.
http://www.skitsystem.net

SKITZO (Usa) Heavy shit Promo for forthcoming album. 2005.
Sometimes it's good to get your ass out of the EXTREME DEEP LAZINESS and try to review more promo stuffs.
SKITZO is a thrash/ heavy band that formed in 1981 and released 5 albums, they are currently searching for a new label.
The music lies between some fast thrashing and mid-placed semi-heaviness, you could think about some last SODOM releases, S.O.D (First album), old MEGADETH, some heavy metal guitars (NWOBHM, KING DIAMOND/ MERCYFUL FATE...), some DECEIVER (Swe), or even some stuffs à la old BLACK SABBATH, with some other minor influences like old Motorhead. There's a touch of sarcasm/ strange fun in the vocals and some riffs...
But here stops the description! The problem lies in the fact I didn't find much surprizing, above the average or really gut-tripping. While some riffs sound cool, and the sarcastic aspect isn't unpleasant, some riffs just sound very usual and too fucking simple, some tracks could be better articulated, the drum playing is a bit too common, and some lengths are present. In my hears, it's only Ok/average with enough attitude to be distinguished from the common thrash band.
Notice a musician has facilities to vomit his intestinal fauna and flora whenever he wants... Fear the GREEN BILE VOMITORIUM? héhé
It's just an average album, it might suit the tastes of those who adhere to the humor of SKITZO, but apart from them I don't see many bangers becoming addicted schizos to "Heavy shit"... Maybe it might better suit the tastes of maniacs warming their unwerwears for the folklore of GWAR or the deep smoke injuries of THE MELVINS? Who knows...

SLAUGHTER'S IN DISCO'S OUT Split CD'99 NOVUM VOX MORTIS.
Here's a split CD with the demos of 3 bands in the Death metal style.
LOST SOUL: Some brutal death that isn't so bad, there are some good riffs (that remind me of KRISIUN), but some riffs are boring or ever heard. The sound is good and clean. This band is cool without being excellent.
REINLESS are playing Death metal with few Black metal stuffs, but to be honest there's nothing special at all in here! It's not very good and even boring. The sound is correct, but is it enough?
DISINTER are playing tight Brutal death, but it's boring! The sound isn't so bad, but it isn't so good. We hear them playing, it's not so bad...
NIGHT GALLERY: Nothing else to say than: it sucks!                                         Mat  

SLAYER (Usa) Christ illusion CD'06. AMERICAN Recs.
Most of the comebacks of older thrash and death metal bands have been cruel deceptions, most of their new releases were often too convenient, and very often only ok or cool for the best! It really seems like most of these once thrashers weren't able to match, or even decently emulate, half of their once talent and energy...
So, as well as probably every metalheads, I was very suspicious when I read SLAYER would come back to their older thrashing style... Was it anything else than just another of these countless promotional slogans? And how could SLAYER compose decent thrash metal again, while they're 50 years old (and the history shew most of not so "'old" metallers have problems to thrash it hard again) and play metalcore since years? Everything were at the right place to make the doubts and suspicions reach very high pitched peaks!
But, fucking hell, this album isn't bad at all! SLAYER surprisingly achieved to record a more than decent new release!
Most of the songs follow the style of "Reign in blood", "Hell awaits", with some "Seasons in the abyss"; so you understand most of it is thrashing, fast for a good 2/3, with few obscure heaviness. While almost no traces of weakness or doubts can be found for the style, there are also few metalcore influences (!)
Of course, there are almost no surprises (This is thrash metal à la SLAYER... Even though few stuffs almost sound like death metal: The "Supremist" song has a little blast beat à la Cannibal corpse and takes an early DEATH approach), and there's maybe no thrashing hit, but the whole sounds quite efficient, and after few listenings I detected some really good stuffs (Some epic or quite technical riffs for example!).
SLAYER shows us that the cruel metallic damnation torturing the metal scene with weak comebacks since fucking years wasn't totally true and unbeatable, and opens new gates to metallic hopes!
I won't say much more, since every metallers with two balls will probably put an hear on this album. My will was mostly to convince more thrashers to listen to "Christ illusion". It might be the album we secretly would have liked SLAYER to record since more than 10 years! So put an hear on this motherfuckers!!
Future will show us the way it will grow on our tortured skulls.
http://www.slayer.net

SLUGATHOR (Fin) Unleashing the slugathron Tape Lp'03. NORTHERN SOUND.
Unleashing the slugathron and defragmenting the multiverse, SLUGATHOR plays Death metal in an unexpected 90's Brutal way! Grinding brutal death metal à la early HYPOCRISY (Without the melodies), with touches of impious old DEICIDE!
The early HYPOCRISY side can be found in the typical blasts (Snare and bass-drum at the same time) and for the raw brutality. Some blood-raping old VOMITORY can be found as well as touches of martial early VIBRION! Motherfuck! It also reminds me some blasting parts of CRUCIFIRE/ ENCABULOS and the raw aspect of DERANGED ("III"). Absolutely no melancholic goth weakness was injected! Ah! Death metal the brutal yet brutal way: no crappy gothobitch or boreiginality compromise!  
After few tracks, the slugathron turns into a quite repetitive torture machinery, but if Brutal death metal in the vein of early HYPOCRISY is what you need, you'll be quite satisfied! Quite too long, but a recadaverizing one for fans of the style!
http://www.slugathor.cjb.net

SMOTHERED (Swe) The inevitable end CD. SOULSELLER Recs.
I'm generally quite bored with the new ENTOMBED/ DISMEMBER alike records, at first hear it seems to be kicking, but then the compositions turn out to be not so interesting (Or not interesting at all...).
But I was pleasantly crucified and burnt by this first album of SMOTHERED.
This is typically Swedish influenced Death metal, with many of the elements you could expect from the first recordings of ENTOMBED and DISMEMBER (The riffings, the drumming, the vocals)... But with something more than the usual... Maybe something like the addition of a "burning passion" (Something warmer than the current standard)... Maybe the injection of influences from mid-old EDGE OF SANITY's most Death metal songs (An atmosphere, some melodic touches and some vocals)... Or perhaps simply a bit of freedom, for real this time.
This is not the most morbid or necro kind of swedeath, but at this point of time this doesn't matter anymore. All we need to know is: "The inevitable end" is a quite well rounded album and contains enough passion for the dethroning of the king! Fans of the style could have the good idea to check it out.
http://www.smotheredband.com

SOILENT GREEN (Usa) Pussy soul CD’95.
I own the "A string of lies" MCD of SOILENT GREEN and that was a good piece of Aggressive Grind with groovy stoner injected soils, and quite original overall! I didn't really enjoy their tracks from their later releases I heard on comps, and the friends of mine who heard these CDs weren't so enthusiastic ("It's less good and quite repetitive"). I may check it one day... But he! I recently discovered they had a full-length CD release in 95. Downloads' facilities. Here's the review!
The style was ever quite weird Grindcore, but with ways and ways more heavy stoner like riffs! Not much real stoner crack grooves, but rather heavy hardcore parts, heavy stoner or slow discording riffs. Some parts were more Death/ Grind with classical tremolo riffs. That wasn't a so original mix as "A string of lies", but this melting pot included varied extreme metal elements such as the Grindcore parts of BLOOD DUSTER ("Yeeest"), NAPALM DEATH's mechanical mid-placedness, a bit of KHANATE (heavy discordant riffs), some CRO MAGS/ EYEHATEGOD (heavy stuffs) and a zest of old UNLEASHED on Death metal touches. Good blasting drums. The problem is the tracks are long! There are some good parts from here and there, but the bunch of heavier stoner CROMAGS like stuffs sounds too long and too much for me! It’s a smoked waste of intensity in my hears! (I would have gone for a lifting on the heavy side of it! More than 50% of the CD is too smoked...)
So I think it's an average CD that can please ya only if you like it heavy and smoked to the core with few weird grinding blasts to refresh the fumes.
The best stuffs they've released I heard is their "A string of lies" MCD, and it had the advantages of being short to the point, intense on its whole length, and cheap!
http://www.soilentgreen.net 

SOILS OF FATE (Swe) Highest in the hierarchy of blasting sickness CD'05. FORENSICK Recs.
This isn't a new album, but a compilation containing the first two demos of the band, plus a live track, re-recorded old song and a video.
The two demos remain the same. The first being very influenced by CANNIBAL CORPSE (In a not so brutally penetrating manner), while the second was more blasting along the lines of, let's say, SUFFOCATION ("Despise the sun") yet with the Cannibalized Brootool approach.
Other things inside are the re-recording of an early track ("Tapping the vein") a more brutal and energetic way, or a live song ("Epoch of barbarity) that was taken with an ok and quite raw underground production.
The title of this compilation is quite misleading, because SOILS OF FATE isn't a part of the most extreme current Brutal Death bands, and these older demos do not sound extreme in 2007. This might be a cool release for big fans and nostalgics of their demo days, but it seems not many peoples will be interested... And was it a really needed release? After all, demos could eternally remain engraved in the good old tape format, and those who really need some obscure recordings could find it through tapes or Mp3s trading if they really want it (When you really want something, you're ready to make more than a single effort, and write snail mails!). Strictly for big fans and close friends.
http://www.myspace.com/sofslam

SOILS OF FATE (Swe) Sandstrom CD'01 RETRIBUTE.
I own the "Pain... has a face" first demo'97 of the band that was very very near of CANNIBAL CORPSE's "Tomb of the mutilated". Well, since it wasn't so bad for a so Cannibal Corpse inspired band, it can't be so bad to have an hear on some of their newer stuffs. The first thing that quote my attention is they've transformed into a very much old DYING FETUS/ old PYREXIA inspired band. There are still some riffs à la CANNIBAL CORPSE's "Tomb" and now "Butchered at birth", but this band isn't anymore the dominating influence.
There's some old and fast DEEDS OF FLESH, some groove and high pitched notes à la DYING FETUS, some heavy and fast PYREXIA (old), a bit of SUFFOCATION's technical riffs.  It could remind bands such as CINERARY as well, total American Brutal death, with quite technical musicians, lots of breaks passing through heavy, groovy or faster riffs. Raw heavy Death metal vocals. Good powerful sound.
Unfortunately I've found nothing especially thrilling, nor catchy, nor exciting. This can be quite cool for fans of US Brutality. This is an Ok pro Brutal Death band, but some bands do it with more conviction, Brutal enthusiasm and creativity!
Next one...
http://www.soilsoffate.com

SOLEKHAN (FRA) Suffering winds MCD'02 IMPERIAL MAZE.
The first thing I noticed is their nice CD cover that procures somekind of a sorrow induced Heroic fantasy mood. This French band playing a style cast in the Black death metal realm recorded this MCD in 5 months (between july and november 2001). One could notice some fast ripping Black metal like riffs in the vein of EMPEROR 's 2nd full length album (for the fast riffs). Some Blasting Death Grind moments, some tremolo riffs and their vocals sounds like VADER at the time of their 2nd album. Notice the drummer has got good skills and includes some nice beating ideas here and there. Some other Black metal influences can make think about some stormy IMMORTAL touches (that are cast into Death metal riffs) while some leads or slow breaks (with long played notes) are a bit in the vein of the latest EMPEROR's releases. There are some strong obvious MAYHEM influences for a pure and tormented raw black metal touch. Some epic like ideas, some more heavy metal/ Black metal riffs and fast Black metal riffs reminds me a lot of  IMMORTAL on their "At the heart of winter" CD.
To conclude: This band has got some really interesting ideas, big fans of the last IMMORTAL/ MAYHEM releases who don't dislike Death/ Grind bands like VADER may find SOLEKHAN cool.
http://www.solekahn.maxximum.org

SOLEKAHN (Fra) The great divider CD'04 SACRAL.
This new SOLEKAHN release and first album is different from their previous Demo MCD that was evolving between a fresh Black metal and a Death metal with VADER touches. This full-length CD is full of Dark Death metal, in a style that doesn't sound much brutal but obscure, kinda depressive and anywhere else, far from here where constant sufferings prevail.
Some IMMOLATION and few INCANTATION, MORBID ANGEL ("Gateways to annihilation") touches can be found for the obscure riffing, as well as some old SUPPURATION for a darkened death that owns few strange melodies.
This will of SOLEKAHN on this new release is to develop obscure atmospheres, not to crush your putrid brain, so even the most brutal and blasting parts doesn't sound much brutal, but rather disconnected and flying in a dense isolationist fog. It might please death dreams and those who like to plunge and drown in several kinds of darkness. In a way, SOLEKAHN has something to do with the early Doom death spirit bands such as PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE (and maybe WINTER) once had, I also happen to think this album has common lines with the doomed death of DETERIOROT; but the obscure old school brutal death metal side keeps a quite important place. SOLEKAHN's compositions sounds like the music of Death metal and obscure music fans who are yet open minded to other styles and try to do something personal. This interesting album is different from most of nowadays' Death metal and Brutal death releases, one has to be quite open minded to get in to it, but I also assume you won't enjoy "The great divider" if darkness, sorrow and solitude aren't your daily muses. I wouldn't advice you to buy this album, but if you are searching for something different with strong dark death metal roots, why not trying few tracks from here and there?
http://www.solekahn.com

SOLGRAV (Fin)/ F (Fin) Kaksi Perkelettä Split CD'06. VARGOT Recs.
The first part of this split CD won't be the easiest for me to review; since it touches various black metal influences I don't know very well... Anyway, SOLGRAV plays a kind of black metal that doesn't sound too modern and leads my mind back to the time of the first "Black metal" double CD compilation (Around 1994).
The tempos are quite varied, from mid placed to fast; the whole is also quite varied, as there's both some raw, half melodic, few atmospheric keyboards, few folk touches...I happen to think about early ENSLAVED, some old ABSU, a little bit of early EMPEROR but that's the only few quite decent comparisons I could draw... There's also something that could sound like the first DIMMU BORGIR CDs (Before a cold taste of plastic invaded their church).
SOLGRAV seems to be okey, even if too melodic for my own use.

The other part of the split is what made it more intriguing to me, as the band mysteriously called "F" plays quite obscure brutal death metal... Their style isn't exactly easy to describe, as there's some aura of abstraction to it, but I would go for some ultra brutal Us Death metal mixed with darkened black metal vibes of impurity, and some inhuman death throats. Imagine some mixture of ENMITY, BRODEQUIN, CANNIBAL CORPSE ("Vile") with the most downtuned guitars and vocals of DARKLORD plus some INCANTATION/ IMMOLATION for some darkness, and you have a decent bleeding vision of the quite heavy and chaotic waY "F" sounds.
The production is quite abrasive and massive, so every riffs aren't so easy to distinguish from the infested carnal corpse (In a way, this production and 'extreme' approach reminds me a bit of IMMORTAL's "Battles in the north"), and the drum playing could be more alive and varied to make it more extreme!
I couldn't say if it's good or not, but at least it's quite intriguing and sounds quite massive, a raw and obscure way.

SOLGRAV: http://www.solgrav.tk
F: http://www.fdm0001.tk
VARJOT Recs: http://www.varjot.tk

SOULFLY (Bra) Dark ages CD'05. ROADRUNNER.
10 years of nu metal (or crapcore, nucore, hardcore, call it as you wish).
This is what Mr. Cavalera played these last 10 years, NU METAL!
And he lost respect from many thrashers and Death metal heads since the disappointing "Roots" (and even "Chaos A.D." for some "Integrists".... But let's get deeper in the facts: Maniacs of Morbidity left before "Schizophrenia", maniacs of thrashing power and aggressive urge left before "Arise"... Ah Ah!... But come back to this album).
So what could we expect from someone who betrayed his roots to adapt to the new trend of once, and suddenly, now the thrashing aspect of metal is quite welcome again in the scene (and many bands/ comrades are back with new albums), decides to play it "old school" again?
Could it be sincere, and devoid of any commercial aspect? Was it possible to neglect 10 years of musical evolution, and play it exactly as it was 10 years ago? Especially when the individual has changed quite a lot?
I must say I had real doubts about it, especially since "Roots" was a big disappointment (What a feeling of betrayal it was when SEPULTURA appeared live on French TV with a crappy "Roots bloody roots"! It seemed they didn't know the fuck were they were going, what they were doing; and they weren't tight by the way...) and none of the 3 SOULFLY albums I could hear did anything "good" in my hears.

But hopefully, the album sounds better than what I expected.
The medias and many blind fans said it's a come back to the "old" style of SEPULTURA, but it's not the case, even if elements of thrash metal are, without a doubt, present: the hardcore, nucore, metalcore and "minimalist experimental" influences are present and quite important.
I feel like this album could be considered as a mix of "Arise", "Chaos A.D.", "Roots" and some older SOULFLY.

After an introduction, first song. It begins like the earlier SOULFLY releases: numetal/ metalcore that does few, with high-pitched guitars to give it an "exotic" touch. Even if the song has nice moments of heaviness or double bass drums, nothing really cool.

The second song (3rd one on the CD player) sounds better, as it begins mid tempo à la mid old NAPALM DEATH ("Diatribes"?) and accelerated in a "thrashing" way. Later, there's a quite Brazilian sounding riff, a calm interlude (?!)... all in all, this song is quite punchy.

4th song of the CD player: The beginning also reminds me of NAPALM DEATH ("Diatribes"/"Inside the torn apart") with the hardcorish edge, and then it turns into thrash metal à la "Arise"... Cool. This song is quite energetic, and the little mood of the Brazilian sounding arpeggios can be felt... nice. A nice punching song.

5th track: The metalcore/ numetal beginning turns into a mid placed kinda thrashing riff and some older SOULFLY (most hardcorish). Even if it doesn't suck, it lacks of Thrash and metal for me, too much core and flying soul things...

Number 6: A short song. Between hardcore, punk and thrash... It sounds a bit like some punk songs SEPULTURA covered in the past (Wasn't it "Drug me"? I don't remember). I don't really care.

7th guest: Doesn't this beginning riff sound like KRISIUN? What you have here is a thrashing song à la "Arise", with some "chaos A.D.D" stylized hardcore thrash that kinda wastes the intensity. There's a 1 minute long acoustic guitar outro. All in all, quite fast and efficient, but will I remind it? Not sure.

8th song: More nucore, more tribal...? Hopefully the double bass drums accelerate and let the music turn in some kind of "Chaos A.D." stylized heaviness... and there's some clean sung vocals right in the middle. Uh! It's not my cup of beer, and it sounds quite modern, but I'm not sure it sucks in its (varied) style.

The 9th song is one more piece of shit sounding quite strange. It begins with some kind of death thrash and hardcorish riff, like "Chaos A.D.", but with a nice background sample... and later, some very present keys that seem emotional... (Isn't it some kind of Church feeling? Sorry, I visited church less than 5 times in my life)... and then... Thrash and fast! A la "Arise" meets SODOM! Cool.

10th one: fuck the djumbees intros, there's no fan of "Ratamahatta" in there! Then it's some hip hop with old styled industrial samples and drum'n bass'n jungle interludes... Uh Uh! Sounds like NAILBOMB going disco! Ah Ah...

Song number 11: One more track beginning in the "core" way. I don't know if I'll last that long anymore! Hopefully it sounds less "minimalist and experimental" than earlier SOULFY, even if this song has some very simple stuffs à la early KORN (Bouh...) and doesn't include thrash. Next one!

12: "1:19" minutes of old styled "industrial" electro, with beat rumbles, gunshots, and vocals...

13: Nucore! Suck my cock!! So is the beginning. Hopefully it accelerates a bit, but the jumping rhythm wastes the thrash part that follows... Thrash? Thrash like old SLAYER that sounds Ok, Uh, a nice lead, Uh, Thrash like old SLAYER again. Another lead... and more enCOREified stuffs. Nucore! suck my cock!!
An average song that was saved from cock-sucking thanx to the thrash à la old SLAYER.

14. A nice chaotic opening riff à la "Chaos A.D." that turns into some jumping core... While the first riff sounds cool, the jumping following annoys me, even if it doesn't seem bad in the style. Later one, you have some core, calm and relaxed clear interlude, heavycore, more relaxed interlude... No thrash? It's time for me to skip it!

15. 10 minutes of calm relaxed atmosphere music, silence, and acoustic guitars...

Notice this track by track description isn't really exhaustive, because there are quite varied elements in each songs, I can't quote it all because this review needs to be readable, and my musical knowledge isn't that vast. 
All in all, I could also say some more or less melodic leads are there (I'm not sure it was the case with earlier SOULFLY excrements) and some riffs aren't worked enough and lack of surprise! (It could more efficient with a less 'repetitive' riffing).

Conclusion: As said in the beginning, it's not a real come back to the old days of SEPULTURA, but rather a melting pot of various epochs. The whole sounds quite varied and quite fresh. The nucore/metal core is present, but in a nice part of the songs the quantity isn't too abusive, so it remains bearable for a quite integrist thrasher. (Understand: It might be a decent Christmas gift for your girlfriend... You could easily bear it than any nucore crap or Gothofagous gayness! Ah Ah).
I couldn't say if this album is "gooood" and would match the test of time (My opinion and feeling towards Cavalera went so fucking loooow in the end of his time with SEPULTURA and all his subprojects-alike of SOULFLY "albums", that this current musical "improvement" and "evolution" towards something more suitable for my own metallic tastes might influence my feelings and opinion quite strongly. I currently think this album was done with knowledge and enthusiasm, but no real talent or will to take over the earth could be found).
At least it's a quite pleasant surprise, and it might not displease the fans of mid old SEPULTURA... at the condition these fans do not have a massive feeling of repulsion for "Roots" and the previous SOULFLY releases.

SOULLESS (Pol)/ PANDEMIC GENOCIDE (Pol)/ ARMINIUS (Hol) Split CD'05. OLD TEMPLE Recs.
Here's a cool release from this obscure death metal label that often releases things with nice packagings.

First band: SOULLESS has changed quite a lot since their previous demos that were somekind of boring old styled blablablast brutal death... Hopefully for us, the style of the band is actually a bit more obscure, varied, and they have a real drummer. The style could remind of something like mid old IMMOLATION/ INCANTATION with a good dose of MORBID ANGEL (Both for some heavy kingdom dominator riffs, faster darknened patterns, and some guitar polyphonies (I'm thinking about the two guitars harmonies of "Heretic" for exemple).
The band sounds more intense than few years ago, even if they didn't reach the point of turning you into a crazy beast. Their songs are quite complex with a lot of riffs changes and guitar polyphonies, sometimes it's a bit too much, sometimes it developps a cool obscure mood. I might be totally wrong, but I feel like some of this complexity can be paralleled to some twins and moods of DEMILICH and ADRAMELECH... The drumming could be improved; maybe it doesn't sound that cool because it's a bit behind in the mix, but I think some patterns could sound tighter and more right to the point. To conclude, SOULLESS is currently a cool band that evolves in the right way, even if nothing is really memorable now, and their quite complexly developped style is a nice offering for those who like to conveniently rest in their jewel throne to dream about death and past death metal glories.

PANDEMIC GENOCIDE plays quite old styled death metal reminding me of old MORBID ANGEL, old MALEVOLENT CREATION/ RESURRECTION (For the controlled aspect) and maybe some DETERIORATE ("Rotting in hell"), old VADER with some old death metal influences inclining itself to the earliest US or Swedish styles (Understand some early DEATH and few riffing arrangements à la early ENTOMBED/ CEMETARY  can be found). Their songs are decently built and played, and it must sound cool during gigs, but I feel some riffs sound too ever heard and the controlled aspect quoted before could be a problem for some who like to drown in the old school. I think it's a decent band with okey musicians, but yet it lacks of personality and something really burning. It sounds more professional than many Death metal demos, but something special is lacking to please my tastes.

Third band: ARMINIUS is actually a death metal band that evolved into death from some black metal remains. The style is blasting satanic death metal with early death metal tchuka tchuka rythms and few thrash metal influences. You could think about a mix of old MORBID ANGEL, old DEICIDE, SADISTIC INTENT, CRUCIFIRE/ ENCABULOS with some EXHORDER, PESTILENCE (The song "Burning the legions" especially reminds me of 'Parricide') with some early ATROCITY (Ger- in some breaks that tries to sound strange or nice bass lines (sorry I didn't find better than Atrocity... Maybe some old Australian bands would fit better)). The vocals aren't very deep, it would rather sound like some old Master or Mortification, while a more extreme approach would be better in my hears. The production being a bit deaf gives the 6 tracks an end 80's touch.
All in all, it's Okey sounding stuff with decent playing and cool influences, but nothing especially efficient or branding the flesh.

This split CD comes in a nice digipack packaging, with a really cool painting of front cover that shows many deadly and devouring details, and each band has a little booklet for himself. I think it's a cool release, and it might be a cool item to own for Death metal supporters! Podziemny smierc metal atak!
http://www.oldtemple.com

SOULLESS (Usa) Agony's lament CD'02 CRASH Music.
SOULLESS is an American Deaththrash band and their style directly emerges from a time when the metalheads didn't wear some Mac Donalds or Burgershit Tshirts! (Wearing a band's shirt at least something for some guys back then...)
The first thing that quoted my attention is their cover that looks old school, and quite cool (Score: 1 beer). Then I listened to an Ok Mp3, and tried to find their CD but it was quite hard.
Their style is a Death thrash metal that reminds me of old DEATH, old DESTRUCTION, old IN FLAMES, some AT THE GATES (less technical), THE HAUNTED, KREATOR ("Coma of souls") between others (1 Beer).
The most death metallic parts being quite melodic. The vocals being screamy somewhere between CARCASS and KREATOR (1 beer). Their style ain't raw, hyper aggressive or bestial since it's more polished, and quite nicely constructed. For several alcoholic reasons, they remind me of DESTRUCTION's "Live without sense" CD (1 beer). I expected something more Death metallic, and also more Thrashy with a real raw face punching aspect! The whole remains quite clean and melodic.
There are some cool parts and it sounds quite pro...it doesn't sound bad but it seems to "nice" in parts! If you see what I mean... The final score of the band is 4 beers, which isn't bad. Nothing exceptional, but SOULLESS might be cool for those who found the description alright.
http://www.soullessdomain.com

SOULQUAKE SYSTEM (Swe) A firm Statement CD'98 BLACK MARK.
On this 2nd CD SOULQUAKE SYSTEM sounded quite Brutal and impressive! Their style was a face punching mix of various core-breaking styles: Crustcore, powerful Hardcore, Metalcore, Sludgecore. You see it sounds rotten to the (hard)core! Of corpse the vocals are shouted in a hardcorish vein, making the music sound quite powerful. The drummer hits the kit in an efficient way as there are enough punch and tempo changes! This is a nice item of rebellion vomited on all the bullshits if this rotten world! The good powerful sound makes it stronger.
I like some tracks and parts of this CD even though there's nothing really killer and it sounds quite repetitive after a while, but there's enough strength, aggression and rebellion here to make it worth the listening for Brutalcore freaks! As some would say, there was some potential here!

SPAWN (GER) System full of victims CD’01 Selfrelease.
The drumming's blast beats really sucks here (with both snare drum and bass drums at the same time)! It wastes a part of the songs! It sounds common, like a common death metal/ brutal death metal band. The sound is Ok, all is quite clear and correctly articulated, but I haven't got the feeling of touching something new here, all the more the way of blasting mentionned before really wastes some things! The gory vocals are cool, but the music is too much unfresh for me, I didn't hear any surprise nor catchy riffs! I think it's their second CD, I wait for something more from a band that has released 2 CDs!
It can be cool for you if your hunger for Underground brutality is endless but more is needed to get a good review here! (And to get several post reviewing listenings in my Hi-Fi!) The curse of averageness is unfortunately also there!.
http://www.spawn666.de

SPAWN OF POSSESSION (Swe) Noctambulant CD'06. NEUROTIC Recs.
I was not very impressed by SPAWN OF POSSESSION's first album, because it sounded like just another technical as fuck brutal death band, without much catchy parts, and the production was too thin... But "Noctambulant" is much fucking better on many aspects! The whole is more intense, because it's structured in much more complex and crazy compressed as hell patterns! And surprises are more numerous! The whole remains brutal death metal alike, but it's more varied (More diverse themes are approached in each song, and there's even few other influences, slower stuffs and heavy metal touches). The band currently sounds more personal and efficient! That is good points to please our immured hears!
Sometimes, the guitars are too much in the high pitched patterns to kill the dead, it occurs to be too thin and sound like metallic flies that lack of power... And I'm not a big fan of the old SUFFO blasting style (Snare & kick simultaneously), there's too much of it... But that might be a matter of taste.
Some peepholes might complain about the fact there's no feeling, but the most clever answer would be: Fuck slow brains! SPAWN OF POSSESSION has crossed more than the next level in intense extremity, and shows much more control and skills to kill. "Noctambulant" will need more than few listenings to be decently appreciated... A great deal for fans of complex and brutal music.
http://www.spawnofpossession.com

SPAWN OF POSSESSION (Swe) Cabinet CD’03 UNIQUE LEADER.
The nice point with the American Brutal Death bands is they achieve to reach more technicality and they own a better production, the bad point is it's a big trend now and many bands sound the same and can only bore the listener. Some formations choose to be even more complex and technical, some include some non-Brutal Death elements and some totally wimp their arses as they change their style one more time. SPAWN OF POSSESSION could be in part placed in the first category since their Brutal Death is technical and quite complex. The lines of Brutality followed here are old CANNIBAL CORPSE, old DEICIDE, SUFFOCATION, old PYREXIA and some NATRON (1st CD).
SPAWN OF POSSESSION can sound equal to some actual bands such as INSISION, KABBAL (Fra) or even YATTERING ("Murder concept"). NECROPHAGIST can be easily quoted as the style of S.O.P includes technical and very complex parts, too much to be efficient in my opinion, there are many complex notes but a really outstanding gut choke lacks!
Some heavier parts are nice, Leads are very technical and doesn't sound bad. But some riffs that could have sounded good are in part wasted by a too big will of technicality and too numerous breaks. Nothing very personal. A few techno death like parts are thrown in few places, as well as few melodic Death touches à la DEATH. There are some quite catchy riffs from time to time (the tremolo riff à la DEICIDE/CANNIBAL C./INSISION on the first track) but after 3 tracks I'm under the will to press the "Next" button. They've got some cool ideas that'd need to be more developed. For example the beginning of the 9th track that sounds like some GOREFEST("Low") could have done a very nice track if it was included in a whole heaviest track developed around this doomy theme.  Here comes my conclusion designed for most of the actual Brutal Death bands: it has a good amount of riffs, it's technical, quite pro and it doesn't sound bad, but nothing really touched my inner container of hatred! Not much standed out in my putrid ears!
It can be a cool band for fans of Brutal Death who search for something technical and complex, but not much more!
http://www.spawnofpossession.com

SPLATTERHOUSE (Usa)/ GRUESOME STUFF RELISH (Spa) Split CD'03 NO ESCAPE.
Regurgitation of emaciated victims. MURDER!
Hammer molestation of ruptured burning flesh. MURDER!
Testicular dislocation in the mangling mekanism inferno. MURDER!
My brutal expectations weren't very high, but the goredeath grind of SPLATTERHOUSE was a fairly nice surprise! What some internal klok fukkers will ear during these tracks is a "Gore metal" being very much in the bloody vein of old EXHUMED and old CARCASS. Splatter death crust. Blasting goregrind. Punching vomit gore. With an underlying sausage of gore, screamed and guttural vomit.
Nothing new, but SPLATTERHOUSE does it with enough burning blood and cremated flesh to awake the perverted instinct!
They also remind me of old MUCUPURULENT and old SANITYS DAWN by moments.
Of corpse a bunch of riffs sound ever heard and not so perfect but these 4 tracks will offer a nice rejoice of war and vomit to quality goregrind fukkers!
Notice an okey cover of HAEMORRHAGE's "Decom-posers"!

On their side, GRUESOME STUFF RELISH also play some kind of GoredeathCrustGrind, but I don't see where the heck is! Goredeathgrind à la old HAEMORRHAGE/ old MUCUPURULENT/ very early CARCASS with BLOOD touches. But it cruelly lacks of disjoncted bloodspilling energy!
Seems like they have old school death touches here and there.
Unfortunately, to cut and paste gore ideas others had before doesn't work often... Sounds kinda like a "clenched auto-play" grindgore stuff, if you see what I mean.
G.S.R's tracks are more or less listenable in my putrid skinfrozen ears, but it lacks of real energy and brutal surprises! Almost boring by moments, unfortunately!
http://www.noescaperecords.com

SPLICE (Fra) Mythological Deviance CD. 2013. Self-release.
Cybersex. We used to read about cybersex quite often in the 90's, it seemed to be quite mysterious with new machines allowing lovers to practice sexual intercourses from a far: High technology tools or penetration such as full-face helmets, sensitive gloves and dildo belts were often described in magazines... I let you imagine...
Surprisingly enough, this subject disappeared from the press around the 2000's, and I still don't own a three-dimensional bitch transmitter at home... One could have imagined the massive expansion of the Internet and computers would have brought at least USB/ Wifi/ 3G dildos in every house... But it didn't happen. What a sad story...

SPLICE isn't a totally new band, since they recorded  a demo and an album under the SYPHILIS moniker, but this album is the first one under that new name.
Their music is something like quite technical brutal death metal, with a cool sense of epicness... Wait a morbid minute... Should I call their music old school brutal/ tech death? I might do, because the content might sound more edible than some current architectural-plastic-modeling outfits and doesn't provide yourself with an instant headache at first hear.
During the listening, if you aren't a tech-death expert you might occur to think about GOROD (When they were called GORGASM), NILE (For the epic moments and cool atmospheres), old NECROPHAGIST (Rather the first album), something like the 2nd PSYCROPTIC album, with touches of DEATH (Rather "Human") or AD-MORTEM (If you prefer to quote an old French band), and a bit of old ORIGIN's brutality.... With something like the dead French band BYATIS (Not totally certain about this quote, but Byatis also had this technical and quite melodic side, keeping the whole brutality, with an hot atmosphere...)
This is obviously not super old school music, but the content doesn't necessarily share the same defects than ultra-modern tech death: The production isn't abusively sterile and would rather sound quite brutal (I would even say the drums are a bit too "brutal" sounding for the style), this isn't technical to a point you can't follow every breaks and "senseless" rifs, and even if it won't please everyone reading this site I have to say there's a quite good hot atmosphere and some nervousness coming out from the speakers.
Unfortunately for my hears the blastbeats are often with the kick and snare at the same time, this is not my favorite kind of fast rhythm (These beats sometimes provide me with the feeling my hears are subjects to a brutal gangbang... One hear equaling to one hole, I let you imagine...)
The way they brutalize, sometimes called "bru bru" by the morbid reviewer, reminds me the kind of brutality you can quite regularly hear from French bands.
The album contains 10 songs, and I feel like listening to the whole at a time might be a bit too much... Maybe because the songs sound a bit similar, or because of the "bru bru" aspect quoted before?
The band succeeds in providing quite cool listenings in the fact they can create atmospheres not so far from NILE, and so even if the whole isn't the sweetest perfection and their riffs weren't never-heard-before, this can be good to listen if you're in the right mood.
This album might please the listeners who like their "quite brutal" Death metal with these ingredients: The fast, the brutal, the technical, with a sense of melody, but not too much of each...
You can download it for free on their bandcamp page, if you want:
http://splicemetal.bandcamp.com

SQUALBALKUS (Uk) fulllength CDr'02 CIDERSPILLER.
Even if the cover looks like a Social/Crust/ Punk/ Hardcore/power/violence whatever grinds your filthy mind of putrib bitch... some rockin' Grinding Death riffs à la MUCUPURULENT/ IMMURED (Ger) with a quite similar effect on vocals and some stuffs nearer of the Grind and Death scenes can be found here. There's a little bit of EXHUMED in the vocals and in some more Death metal like parts. Some of the Death metal like parts reminded me of old AUTOPSY (1st CD) and old UNLEASHED, but there's not the same feeling of Death that prevailed our scene in 89-91. A bit of old MASTER (1st CD) can be quoted for the raw side.
In parts, they remind me a lot of the french band SUFFICIDE that release the "Material thrown out" Demo in 96 (For those who don't know them... you don't loose much, ah ah!). This was recorded live with a sound engineer, the production ain't great but it's rather earable and not bad. As a whole, the stuff remains average as some stuffs and arrangements rather bored me.
they own some correctly constructed tracks, and even if it's fast it lacks in energy and deep expressiveness. I guess it can please some guys in the Xtreem scene but it remains simply quite flat for me.
http://ciderspiller.co.uk

SQUASH BOWELS (Pol) Something nice Ep'96.
To find the most extreme and savage releases of a band, you very often have to search for their very first releases! When rebellion and total destruction were the only words in their spiteful mouths!
And here you have Brutal Grind that was way more extreme, disjoncted and Brutal than their latest releases! It sounds more underground and unpolished! Total Grind with influences from the exploded guts of "Reek of putrefaction" and old face rust's detruncation Grind Crust punch bastards that destructed Uk from 86 to 89! Vocals regurgitator tends to pitch shift his pilled face while the use of Hardcore nasum delirias where included as fuck! And by the way, it sounded quite fresh as they didn't want to cluster their compositions in the Grindcore mould! Disjoncted, shredded, Crust and Fresh! No perfect sound for the "wanna be metal" bastards who can go back listening to their so perfectly produced and technical gutless last CANNIBAL CORPSE's CDs! Total shredd sound and with a shitload of overdriven parasites that makes the Gore psychotize the brain!
I didn't like that much the last releases of SQUASH BOWELS, their very best of is their split CD with MALIGNANT TUMOUR and the "Something nice" Ep I'm reviewing here! It was totally extreme from the sound to the riffs, vocals, drums, artwork!
Worth the listening for grinders who aren't afraid of a BRUTAL release!!
http://members.tripod.com/squashbowels

SQUASH BOWELS (Pol)/  MALIGNANT TUMOUR (Cze) Split CD'96 OBSCENE.
Your wettest dreams came true under the most repugnant form of bestial goregrind SQUASH BOWELS ever offered on any kind of release! Total badass fuckking devourment from the gutter of the crushed land of Vodka: fuckking doomed poland! TOTAL BESTIAL GOREGRIND that ANNIHILATES any kind of life! In OBSCURITY! FUKK OFF GOREGRIND CRUST CARNAGE! With a true old school Grinding feel in the FUKKING krushing aggression! Disjoncted piece of Repugnant bowels and BRUTAL CONVULSIVE EROSION! They didn't only open the abscess but shred your whole ventral organs and spread it all around the fuckking crap room!!
Total disjoncted carnage pitch shifted vocals that devour and vomit anything that isn't purulent! The production is raw and not very understandable, but who give a fuck! The BRUTALITY overtakes everything and you're GUTTURALY ABSORBED by this world of pure FUKKED UP abnormalities! AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!
This isn't the most professional SQUASH BOWELS release! Their last ones sounds more professional and 'conventional' in the Grindcore style, but the total grindcore deliria and explosive disjoncting gore was on their very first releases! AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!

I have never been a fan of MALIGNANT TUMOUR. Ok their Goregrind crust tracks are more or less well constructed... they have riffs and some parts are quite nice... but they sounds fucking weak compared to the FUKKING WEAK compares to the SQUASH BOWELS tracks!! Some riffs are ever heard, some parts aren't so tight... but the main problem is the lack of fucking brutal explosive aggression that destructs everything! Ok they have some gore vocals and some guys will enjoy these tracks... but I haven't listened to the Malignant tumour side of the split since years, and their gory Grindcore epoch remains between the average and very average!
http://members.tripod.com/squashbowels

SQUASH BOWELS (POL) The mass sickening CD’02 OBSCENE.
The sound is better and more understandable than on their split CD with MALIGNANT TUMOUR; this is an abrasive Grinding sound!.
Some touches aren’t so far from the MUCUPURULENT of the 1st album for the vein of the delirium and some gory bizarre fun vocals but also for some bizarre heavy crust moments. Grindgore with some obvious old CARCASS parts but there’s also some GENERAL SURGERY... But the great killer and insane Grinding to the core SQUASH BOWELS I knew from their split w/ M.T and the killer "Something nice" Ep has gone! Some heavier riffs made me think about PHOBIA (« means of existence »). DEAD INFECTION (« A chapter of accident ») could also be quoted for the relentless blasting parts. They use some various pitch shifter effects that give them some cool ecclectic guttural textures. I prefered they split CD with MALIGNANT TUMOUR on which they offered us some ununderstable raw energy that wasn’t speaking to your mind but to your guts! Now it’s only cool, classical and not as disjoncted nor special grindgore. I think they rather sound like DEAD INFECTION (« A chapter of accident ») with gory touches à la CARCASS/ MUCUPURULENT than the weird totally disjoncted SQUASH BOWELS we all knew before! A quite good one that remains better than the average grinding CDs, but they did ways more intense!

STALAGGH (Hol) Nihilistic terror CD'06. AUTOPSY KITCHEN.
Today, it's the birthday of Little boy, and Mummy have prepared a very educating gift for him. He opens the package, and seems to be quite confused with the content... What is this dark looking CD doing there? Why did she offer him strange things like that, while he's very much a fan of mellow and cooool Carebears' music...
Little Boy: "Mummy!! I'm afraid! What is this CD with 3 ugly faces!! Was this gift really for me? It's so evil looking, I don't feel convenient keeping it in my bedroom! Mummy!! What about the bad vibrations?! Huuuuuuuuu..."
Mummy: "Don't be afraid little boy. You have to face the craziness of Harsh noise to become a little man. This STALAGH CD could be the first step in your future life of prostrate masochist."
Little Boy: "But Mummy!!! It's written "Nihilistik terror" on the CD! I'm afraid!!! I really don't want of this gift!! And it's written Re-mixes on the back cover... I'm afraid to be mashed in the meat grinder!!! Muuummyyy!!!"
Mummy "Don't be so afraid, and listen to these educating audio recordings. Don't you hear these metallic sounds? It seems we are slaves in a deserted factory, and some madmen are playing with iron pipes, disjoncting the electric elevators and crushing iron sheets with car-assembling machines... It is funny, don't you like it?"
Little Boy (Pissing his pants): "But Mummy!! Why are there so much noises and larsens??? And why are there peoples screaming so loud? I'm afraid!!! Mummy!!! What will happen to meeeeee???!!"
Mummy: "Stop crying little boy, the screaming peoples are strongly deranged patients coming straight from the asylum, and they scream so loud because they like the noises of torture. Keep that in mind, and you will understand and appreciate their messages and the vibrations of noises".
Little Boy (Almost fucked in the head and sleeping): "How often will I have to listen to that?? I want my Carebears!!! Mummmy!!!! My Carebears!!!! Please stop it!!! Mummy!!!! My hears!!! It bleeeeeds!! Muuuummyyyy!!"
Mummy: "Strop crying, it's a waste of good suffering! You will have to listen only once, for the purpose of experience and education... Unless you want more, or you have some strong psychological troubles. Then it should at least be heard one time per week."
Even if it's only the afternoon, Little Boy goes to bed and promises himself to never ever listen to any strange looking CDs... unless there's a pink Carebear on the cover. Mummy wasn't nice enough with him to put so harsh sounds inside his hears. He will cry for hours and grumble the desecration of his Carebears' world.
http://autopsykitchen.com

STATE OF FEAR (Usa) State of fear Ep’96.
I'm fucking late! While I discovered DISRUPT 4 years after they split up, I discover STATE OF FEAR about 5 years after the band dissolved! Ugh... Those of this webzine's readers who still think have understood STATE OF FEAR includes some ex-DISRUPT members! What can you expect from the revived ashes of a so great Crust band? Nothing else than Crustcore and fast old school punk! Obviously this crunching piece of Crusting'n punching vinyl reminds me a lot of old DISRUPT! The "Unrest" mark is deeply present, as many riffs and breaks would come from this album. The whole remains cool with some few very nice riffs, but it doesn't match the total catchiness and overwhelming frustrated rebellion DISRUPT had on some excellent tracks! A few more breaks and some killer riffs are lacking. A nice one for fans of Crustcore, a nice one for fans of DISRUPT, but unfortunately not much more.
http://members.tripod.com/~psykopaten/stateoffear.htm

STHYGHMA (Fra) Khalimaa MCD’02 KALY Prods.
The style of the band was always quite bizarre, some kind of Techno death metal with highly discordant riffs that could remind a bit of COMECON. I didn’t like that much their previous selftitled MCD released around 97. Well, now that I’m more open minded I may find more interest into this new recording!
At first sight, their new MCD cover doesn’t look metal nor extreme at all, it’s a very positive looking artwork that looks nice and original (for a metal release) but I don’t know if it fits well to a metal recording…
Their music is still bizarre and techno death influenced. In a way it could remind of old ATROCITY (1st Lp), old PESTILENCE, some MORGOTH ("Odium”) and maybe some S.U.P.
The vocals are still so creamy à la Martin Van Drunen.
Some parts are really chaotic and discordant à la old COMECON meets NUCLEAR DEATH. I think these new tracks are more complex with a lot (too much) breaks and changes, it’s more bizarre and I hardly get into it. I find nothing that stands out in my opinion, it sounds extreme and quite original but I find no feeling here.
I may be quite interesting for those who search something different, but I only like different or techno death influenced bands when they put of their heart into their music unless it’s only the sterile product of their brains.
C/O Dave, 5 rue de l’Eglise, 51140 Montigny sur Vesle, France.

STIGMA (Cze) Non furtum facies CD'06. GRODHAISN
The fact I don't want to receive and do not have the time to review albums is clearly written on my website, but some poofter decided to send me 5 promo CDs anyway!!? What's the fuck? Is it so painful to read and calm down the promoting instinct for a minute? Since the label don't give a fuck, I will also make the minimal effort: STIGMA comes from Czech republic and choose a funny drawing as cover... Funny in a not necessarily positive way, it would have been Ok for a 80's funny horror thrash metal Lp, but we're in 2007, brutalized as fuck! The band plays some kind of brutal death and death metal. This isn't so brutal, would rather sound like usual Cannibal corpse, Six feet under, and a bit of Brutality or Sinister... Most of the riffs are far from being passionating, I'd rather use the words flat, kinda goofy or AutoPlay. Nothing stands out, it's just another average band with boring parts... http://stigma.wz.cz

STILLBORN (Pol) Die in torment 666 CD’01.
Poland isn't infested only by VADER clones! Ah! STILLBORN extracts the death and crushing misery from ancient times anterior to the success years of VADER as there is absolutely no VADER Reminiscences here! It's total Brutal death grind in a quite ancient way, around the battle lines of old DEICIDE ("Deicide"!), old MORBID ANGEL, KRISIUN and HATE ETERNAL! Fast as fuck with a drummer who knows how to handle his drumkit.
The satanic touch and evil brutal death choruses (with brutal vokills and damned screams) brutally materializes under the influence of old DEICIDE, while some hyperfast blasting moments can remind of KRISIUN! By moments the vocals remind me a lot of KRISIUN! Few American Brutal death can be found in some riffs, but you may not notice that since it's not abusive. Some guitars remind me of GOD DETHRONED in the most death black metal parts. STILLBORN didn't touch me soul nor really brand my putrid brain with hellish riffs, and some tracks see a decrease of intensity, but their music is outstanding for its intensity and brutality!
STILLBORN is a brutal band worth the support for maniacs of old DEICIDE/ old MORBID ANGEL/ KRISIUN who need it more underground, but yet with a good production and professionalism! One of the most brutal nowadays polish bands in the extreme death metal spectrum!
http://www.stillborn.prv.pl

STN (Bra)/ CHOKE (Bra) Manifest Split CD'02.
Quite ugly cover for this manifestation of Brazilian extreme metal on a CD.
STN plays somekind of Heavy Hardcore with some slow Heavy metal touches and some more crusty punk riff. They own some screamy or rather hardcore vocals. They didn't impress me, I'm not a fan of Hardcore but I've heard some really better bands in this style, some bands that put some real energy and convictions in their music. Their stuff is well produced, but their riffs too much generic, cliché, whatever... They may have some knowledge of the thing, but they doesn't put some of their innerself into it. May be cool for brazilian HxCx/ Metal heads, but the others may not find anything relevant here.

CHOKE is rather somekind of Death Grind with some crusty and HxCx parts including a few chaotic like discordances. It's rather fast but their riffs doesn't bring something fresh or new. They just sound as an average band with ciché riffsfor me. Their vocals sound a bit à la old KRISIUN by moments. Notice a NAPALM DEATH "Instinct of survival" cover. I can say nothing else as the riffs they play for now sound too much ever heard, I found no real surprises in the tracks' structures, and I won't start to quote imaginary qualities and start spreading some blah blah about the future of the Brazilian extreme metal scene as some French magazines do it so well! Hope they'll find some real inspiration in the future, sorry to say so but I think these tracks' quality doesn't deserve to be pressed on a CD as it sounds like a Demo (for the music's quality). Adios amigos?
http://chokebrazil.tripod.com

STOMA (Hol) Scat Aficionados CD'04. BIZARRE LEPROUS.
Tired of being the sexual pet who never says no to bosomless rotten pussies and other flat tits' women?? It's time to grind and erase this scum and filth motherfuckers! Open the throat of hellish crass and enjoy STOMA who pays rancid mumy molesting Grindcore! Blasting à la raw destructive INHUME and early NAPALM DEATH, conveniently purulent ) à la old C.B.T/ GUT, this album is full of grindcore and grindgore reminiscences emanating from the wide open arse of the neverendingly farting ass of the Monthy Python's maxi diaorrhea business man.
Old DEAD INFECTION wouldn't be a misplaced comparison, while names like SUBLIME CADAVERIC DECOMPOSITION (old), ROT or ROTTING FLESH seldomly happens to emerge from the toyophiliac's cubic asshole.
I enjoy the blasting and old school Grind parts, for a bunch of it the energy and destruction of Grind is there! On the other hand, the crust-influenced riffs don't do much for my guts: too convenient and lacking of strong explosive distress! It kinda wastes some tracks. Some simple slow riffs sound like PURULENT SPERM CANAL; even though some crass slowly emerges from these slow riffs, it's not my cup of vaginal milk! (It lacks of fruits to be a real horny yogurt!lol). I like the noisy rrroooaaarrring crass bass guitar. Vocals are both screamed, grunted and pitch shifted (even if the pitch shifting could be sickest and deeper).
All in all, it's an above the low grind average album with both its qualities and defects, but it actually has much more power than most of low garbage grind stuffs I recently heard... So, it's a rather average album of Grind with some punching tracks and the right influences that's likely to please Grindmaniacs and other fuse-blowing motherfuckers! Give a change to STOMA if you like Grinding Grindcore from Grindland!
http://home.planet.nl/~smid0017/

STURM (Ger) Fragmente CD'03.
I sometimes wonder why I receive some promos! Some label's mailing lists are so mistargeted I happen to receive melodic punk, rock, commercial nu metal and trivial ska! This is another proof some labels have got so much money to throw through the windows! This STURM CD isn't really mistargeted since it's somekind of "Extreme metal", but the evil lutin didn't ring at the right door anyway!
This is somekind of mid placed/ slow metalcore meets hardcore, the whole sounds quite heavy with an Ok sound, but I hardly felt something relevant! The plane remained on the stand by! Next time inject some real fuel in the gear, not water! The vocals are sung in German. This could sound as a mix of DISBELIEF, SIX FEET UNDER, mid old FEAR FACTORY (depressive notes), GODFLESH ("Selfless"). At best, it was only ok. Despite the good sound, it remains average and monotonous music! Nothing I'd listen to one more time, that's for sure!
http://www.sturm-jdfb.de

SUBTERA (Bra) Nothing and Death CD'02 MORTE PACIFICA Recs.
Here's a Brazilian Grinding band that doesn't sound bad, so you have a little review!What you have here is some kind of Grindcore meets Death grind in a rather newschool (but not too much: no discarding emocore riffs). The music reminds me of NAPALM DEATH, MASTIC SCUM and the most Grindcore moments of OBLIGATORISK TORTYR. Possibly some UNSEEN TERROR in the way some riffs are played, but not for the old school mood.
The drummer doesn't stop blasting as the skullcrushing machine keeps turning!
This drummer reminds me a bit the drumkit crusher of VIBRION even if the two bands aren't so close on a musical point of spike. Some tremolo Death/Grind riffs could also remind of SICKENING GORE. SUBTERA is a nice outfit to listen to, even if their riffs are quite light (more deep aggressiveness would be welcome!) and it sounds repetitive after some tracks. Finally there's nothing really killer nor original, but it might be a nice band for those who like fast stuffs!
http://www.subtera.com.br

SUDDEN DEATH (Ger) Rethroned CD'07. SUPER SHOCK RESIST MUSIC.
I remember listening to the previous album of this German Death metal meets Brutal death band, around 2001 or maybe 2002, while they were supposed to be a part of a split with GERBE OF LIFE (RIP) to be released on the freshly formed extreme metal label SKULLFUCKED Productions... We appreciated their old Death metal influences riffing the aggression through fast guitars à la DISMEMBER... But things fall apart for various reasons and finally the cool French band REPUDIATE was a part of this split release.
I thought SUDDEN DEATH had split up for good: The drummer had hear problems and was forced to calm down (Otherwise metal might become an old remembrance), the website of the band had been dead for few years and I didn't see any news surface from the depth of our beloved putrid lakes of uncreation...
But, one day I fall on the knees of a myspace page, and all news were there: New drummer, new songs, new album! It seems the band hadn't really been dormant for the last few years! Some peoples need to keep things 'secrete' until something serious enough is accomplished, it's not for the worst!
I'm not sure if so many underground bastards know this German band, but I could play the little game of comparisons for you to have a brutal idea of the current sound: SUDDEN DEATH remains engraved between Death metal and brutal death, and they're still able to brutalize those who will agree to be fucking brutalized... At the first approach there's no real difference, since you could always feel the same ingredients of old school Death metal and quite old styled brutal death mixed with energetic death grind, but I noticed something that changed: The style is a bit more brutal, faster, I feel like the band is a bit more fucked up (They almost have a grind approach by moments) and it can be felt both in the music, production (More abrasive sound) and artwork.
Oh! You need more comparisons to fulfill your putrid skull with more atrocities: Fast riffs à la old DISMEMBER, old CANNIBAL CORPSE, Some heaviness à la GOREFEST(Old)/ SUHRIM, some old INHUME for the almost grindcore approach (It's not a perfect description, but S.D. almost reaches the same kind of bestial brutality in some grindbeats), German brutal death, some old Death metal influences that might not sound so old school to those who banished the blasts (Sleeping too much in the 80's doesn't always help)... I'm quite amazed by the way the band might sound during a gig, there are quite fucking efficient riffs and punching Death metal parts that might be a pure headbanging pleasure during a beer infested gig! AAARRRGGGHHH!
What we have here is solid, brutal, decently played and structured, there's a punch and an atmosphere I enjoy... But as the band didn't evolve as fast as the last trends of "hyper-sickness/ surprise-chaos-whatever-modernity-tries-to-
wash-your-head-and-petrify-your-guts", I happen to feel as I'm in front of something a bit 'out-dated': A part of riffs sound quite usual (These Cannibal corpse alike riffs...), the drummer not so surprising (Even if his playing fits). You'll say it's not a problem, since my webzine always had preferences for the old school and brutal vibes of Death metal, and the trends change so fast a musician would be a fool to follow each new wave like a turncoat, but I needed to underline that point for some (Posing?) readers. The future will tell if I find some "Hammer smashed hits" inside, but without bad joke I can say I find this album better than the previous one!
Some peoples will surely find it too disgusting and voluntary heavy (This doesn't mean slow!) for their high-flying tastes in music... But the most important is: You get efficient and brutal Death metal, with enough heavy crushing balls and blasting impact to please those who need the intensity of the guts! (Ah!).
This album is quite cool to listen for its atmosphere, but it's not so interesting on a purely cerebral or nostalgic point of view... I'd rather advice "Rethroned" to the bastards who need to be physically involved in their Death metal to fully enjoy the playing: Headbanging, wall beating, furnitures smashing, hair blasting, scream shouting... This really seems to be the goal of the band: To physically involve the listener and make him brutalize and smash it the way it was meant to be! RRRRÖÖÖÖAAAARRRR!!!
http://www.suddendeathmetal.de
http://www.myspace.com/suddendeathmetalos

SUDDEN DEATH (Ger) Unnatural human art CD'00.
AAARRGH! SUDDEN DEATH is a good old school Death metal band that unfortunately gets quite unnoticed! Satan isn't always very clever, that's clear!
That's good old school Death metal with quite melodic Death tremolo riffings along the lines of the first DISMEMBER released "Like an everflowing stream" with somekind of the same crushed aggressiveness! Intense punching Death metal beating you right in the arse with some Heavy "impact" breaks and some heavier riffs destined to crush the fester! There are also some Brutal Death touches along the lines of old CANNIBAL CORPSE that materializes under the form of some heavy riffs or quite morbid "melodies". Little touches of good old PESTILENCE ("Consuming impulse") or some BLOODBATH. I'd only reproach them the use of these Cannibal Corpse like tapping riffs and morbid "melodies" I've brutally overdoses on! They haven't got the slower sorrowful and very melodic influences of DISMEMBER as the mark of the Swedish old school bastards remain in some melodic induced tremolos. They have some blasts parts from here and there. Tight musicians. Powerful and clear sound. Quite good vocals. This is a good old school Death metal band that's totally professional! It's a worthy advice for fans of old school Death à la old DISMEMBER! I've just learnt the band has split up for several reasons, including the health problems of some former musicians! Fuck this shit!! One more time I'm cursed in pain an agony as a really good band has to stop! This dumb ass of Satan is far from being clever this time! reinverse the inverted cross!
http://www.suddendeathmetal.com

SUFFOCATION (USA) Despise the sun MCD'98 VULTURE.
Suffocation.... Que dire de ce groupe qui n'est plus a présenter?
Un des anciens leaders (pour moi ce groupe restera toujours un leader dans le style!) car ils ont malheureusement splitté après nous avoir sorti un putain de 5 titres qui vous fracasse la geule dès la première écoute.
Des riffs de killer (une fois de plus Doug Cerrito n'aura pas failli à sa réputation, mais Hobbs n'est pas en reste non plus!), une vocale puissante de Mullen qui m'a l'air d'être bien remonté! , et un batteur bien puissant qui nous vient de chez Malevolent Creation (il faut dire que Suffocation n'ont eu que des bons batteurs, sur chaque album !), le son est plus que correct, et comme à son habitude leur style reste violent, bien suffocant sur leurs passage lourds, technique sans perdre éfficacité et fluidité. A noter qu'ils reprennent un de leur premier titres (« Catatonia »), apparu à l'époque sur "Human waste", qui est disons le survitaminé! Il est évident que si vous étes un fan de brutal, que si vous connaissez l'excellente discographie de Suffocation (mis a par le petit faux pas de "Breeding the spawn") et que vous ne connaissez pas ce maxi, il faut absolument vous le procurer envers et contre tout. Merci pour tout ces morceaux qui nous ont foutu des putain de claques, RIP...
Note: 9/10                                  Seb

SUFFOCATION (Usa) Souls to deny CD'04 RELAPSE.
It took me quite some time to have a clear opinion about this album, because I wasn't much enthusiastic and even disappointed at the first listenings, but few weeks and more attentive listenings introduced me to the qualities of this album. At the beginning, a disappointment could be felt because I expected something brutal as fuck and really killer, while the music of this album shows some well structured tracks and a good Brutal death knowledge, there's not as much real inspiration and anger as I expected!
Most of the compositions evolve in the style SUFFOCATION explored on "Effigy of the forgotten" and "Pierced from within" even though there are noticeable differences such as a tendency to use more melodic riffs, black metal influences reminding me the latest MAYHEM recordings, or few metalcore influences (in the track "Subconsciously enslaved" for example). Even if the feeling of a lack of energy remains in my putrid mouth, there are some really inspired moments, and particularly in the tracks number 4 and 7!
The Brutal and heavy "Surgery of impalement" has enough power to kick the ass of a Brutal death fan. The fast riff assorted with blast beats that appear at 0:40 has the typically punching hits that smash you in the face. Some of the following guitar parts are also well thought ( The heavier riff that appears at 1:24 and is melted with a lead guitar, the brutal riff of conclusion that punch you in the guts...) and fits well the whole theme of this song being a really good SUFFO track, eventhough it's not one of their best ones.
The grinding "Immortally condemned" that begins with a powerful crushing second riff typically in the SUFFO way has a bunch of cool riffs such as the death metallic part (that could remind of early HATEPLOW), the grinding and typically semi technical/ Suffo riff appearing at 1:11 and a nice heavier riff that wouldn't be misplaced in a DEATH influenced band... a very cool track with good riffs for sure... the problem would be it sounds quite long and it's not always structured the best way... an improved construction would have made of it a very good SUFFOCATION track.
Of course there are other interesting or brutal moments such as the ass kicking darkened first minute of "Deceit" (First track) or the nice sounding beginning of the last track, but I can't say I enjoy the other songs than n°4 and 7 in its entirety since some riffs are just your common SUFFOCATION guitars. Some stagnancy and a real decrease of intensity can be felt.
All in all it's a good album played by skilled and experienced musicians, but it doesn't bring much new or killer. This is just a professional album, with few really good tracks and some nice ideas from here and there, that will probably disappoint those who put highly ass kicking hopes in SUFFOCATION's come back!
Of course "Souls to deny" is better than the average, it would sound better if it had been recorded by another band who don't have this killer background, but in this case we are talking about SUFFOCATION! This album is far behind "Effigy" and "Despise", but it's way better than "Breeding the spawn". It might sound too 'melodic' or worked on for some Brutallers. Try it before you buy.
http://www.suffocation.us

SUHRIM (Bel) Unidentified flying bodyparts CD'02.
I heard one of their previous releases on which they used an hyperfast drum machine. Now that they use a real drummer they sound more "human" (If I could say so) with their Brutal death metal.
I can exhume the band's name "GOREFEST"for several influences on some doomy like melodies ("Erase") and for some classical Death metal beats assorted with tremolo riffs ("False"). Quite melodic leads à la CARCASS. Some ROTTREVORE could be named for the Brutal death and heavy side while bands like INCANTATION, DISGUST (Fra), and BRODEQUIN could be evoked for other Brutallizing death parts. Some heavier riffs reminds me of EXHUMED (on some of their split Eps) and maybe a bit of old PUNGENT STENCH mixed with BENEDICTION and old MORTICIAN. The BENEDECTION like riffs aren't my pleasure at all, and the band sounds quite blurry by moments for my pus filled ears.
Nothing specially interested me in this release, and I was bored after some tracks, but I guess some old aged mourning and nostalgic Death metallers may find them cool.
http://users.pandora.be/bulging/suhrim

SULACO (Usa) Sulaco MCD'03 RELAPSE.
Here's a nice new band recently signed on Relapse, it features ex members of KALIBAS and LETHARGY. The style is quite hard to define as it mixes several styles: Hardcore, Grindcore, discarding hatecore, complex new school Grind and some other extreme styles. They have some complex structures and quite jazzy parts, and their stuffs remind me of the last BRUTAL TRUTH CD (less complex anyway), HUMAN REMAINS, DAMAGED (Australia), SKELETON OF GOD, the stoner edge of SOILENT GREEN and some MASTODON for quite melodic yet heavy riffs. The vocals sound like the last Brutal truth singer, quite screamed vocals in the Hardcore grind fields. The music isn't bad, there are some cool stuffs such has some right in your face blast parts, some quite cool heavy or hypnotizing riffs, but I don't like all the stuffs... There might be too much core or stoner-like stuffs for me here. Some parts might sound toodemonstrative for some guys, the bands tries to be original and has a bunch of complex stuffs... It's a pro sounding band that might please those who enjoy this new wave of extreme bands who are influenced by HUMAN REMAINS! Nothing that really band my brain or exploded any necrosed arteries, but it sounds almost allright from A to Z!

SUPPOSITORY (Hol) Punching out reality CD'02 FORENSICK.
I don't know much about SUPPOSITORY. I only remind I saw some of their tracks on the Fuck the commerce video sampler in 98, but nothing that marked me! Some guys speak about them from here and there, so it might be a cool grind band to check out? One more downloaded CD that gets reviewed here.
The first thing that reaches me attention is the Grindcore of SUPPOSITORY isn't that aggressive. It could sound like a mix of old NYCTOPHOBIC, old AGATHOCLES and old SANITYS DAWN (without the fore and delirias). Simples riffs that doesn't krush from the deepnesses. The tracks seem correctly constructed and played, but it's too much convenient to be aggressive! The guys seem to have a quite cool moment playing their stuff, but it remains only ok grind as no riff is really crushing nor extremely aggressive. I'm disappointed. Nothing special nor catchy. It's only "cool" (better said Ok) Grindcore to conveniently listen to in your sofa, but where is the extremism? The thrills and total Grindcore insanity?
http://www.suppository.nl

SURVIVAL IS SUICIDE (Spa) Retrovolution CD. 2018. Self-released.
When I received this promo CD and browsed the promo sheet, I had some kind of frozen doubt: The style of the band is described as "experimental death metal"... How could I review this recording since I didn't follow the evolution of tech death and the more modern branches of death metal?
Hopefully a brief listening was enough to realize the content isn't very technical, nor abusively plastic injected... The music remains close to what you could have expected from an "experimental death metal band" at the end of the 90's/ early 00's, perhaps with a couple of more modern injections, but nothing abusive...
There are quite a lot of fast thrashing death metal beats, sometimes some blasts, you have some tremolo riffs, and also slower moments... The whole remains quite dark sounding, which is a plus.
What makes the band experimental is the approach that can sound strange and makes them quite different from pure death metal, then you have some keyboards that can take quite atmospheric, quite epic, or "weirder" approaches.
During the listening, I viewed the names of early MORBID ANGEL (For the fast parts and quite "epic" use of synths), VITAL REMAINS ("Forever underground" epoch, when the band was more elaborated & not so brutal), some EMPEROR ("IX Equilibrium"), some old CENTURIAN (For the brutality), a bit of mid old PESTILENCE (For strange riffings), or some CELTIC FROST (During the slower, almost 'doomy" moments). SURVIVAL IS SUICIDE quotes Limbonic arts, Arcturus or Akercocke as a part of their influences... I can't comment on that since I'm vaguely familiar with these 3.
The vocals are an interesting point: They are quite deep, and come with some kind of effects that adds some "darkness".
During this album, some tracks are fast while some are slower and more atmospheric. There are interesting moments, some quite kicking songs, nice atmospheres... But after a while I'm getting half bored with the atmospheric side and use of synths, it becomes too much.
Globally this is a quite interesting record, but the potential listener should be quite tolerant with the presence of keyboards (Even if it remains half discrete and not senselessly lost in total modernism).
https://survivalissuicide.bandcamp.com

SWARRRM (Jap) Against again CD’02 GOOD DOR Recs.
The Japanese bands are known for being weird and bizarre (C.S.SO, GORE BEYOND NECROPSY...).
SWAAARM is one of these bizarre Grind bands. Their style is somekind of new school Grindcore with many discarding riffs, Crustcore/ new school HxCx influences with bizarre breaks. Of corpse there are many blasts, screams and strange breaks in here, but it sounds too much new school Grind-discordance like to please me! Bizarre riffs that waste a part of my consciousness... I feel rather bored. Could be compared to BRUTAL TRUTH (last CDs), DAMAGE DIGITAL, EXIT-13, with a bit of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and few riffs à la SONIC YOUTH.
I found no real efficiency in here. Too much discarding and screamy in every way: this isn't my style at all. It might please those who like the bands mentioned before as it sounds quite pro. (production+packaging)     

SWALLOWED (Fin) Swallowed Ep. 2010. EMPTINESS Recs.
What a change of style. While SWALLOWED were playing some Death doom really close to AUTOPSY on their previous demo, they've now slowed down until the planet stopped to turn, and finally recorded these 3 songs of quite monolithic doom death.
I'm not an expert of the style, but sometimes they remind me of the first CATHEDRAL album, or the most doomy parts of AUTOPSY ("Several survival", "Acts of the unspeakable"), so it's not the most "rock'n roll" kind of doomy mood... It's much more along the lines of quite ultra slow, and some of your brain cells might fall into the void if you don't crucify your brain before use.
The vocals are often some kinds of black metal screams and remind me an album the band EMINENZ released around 1995; There are also few whispers.
Well, don't immediately run away if you're not into the ultra slow, all isn't too monolithic: Some guitars are quite epic, and there are few accelerations in the old Death metal way, but the whole remains slow of course (Well, the beginning of the B-side is too much of slowness for me... "Where's the acceleration button?").
Some riffs seem to be interesting; On the other hand I regret so few Death metal guitariffings remain, and I would have preferred some deeper vocals (But the ones they choose probably better fit the ideas of suffering and emptiness).
This vinyl was released on the new label created by a member of the band (He probably noticed it's currently not so hard to sell 200 copies of a demo if you spam many boards with "Old school death" and other adequate fashionable selling points... So why not leave a label with strange underground views to do it yourself?)
I won't give too much of a personal opinion or conclusion, since I'm not sooo much into doom... I'll say this release seems valid, decent, and might please fans of the style...
http://www.myspace.com/swalloweddeath

SWORN (Swe) Impious beast within MCD'07. NUCLEAR WINTER Recs.
SWORN has improved quite a lot since their first demo I got 1,666 years ago! While the band had some problems to really blast and it could be felt their demo contained the first songs; This time there are no more technical problems and the music sound more appealing.
We rot between old school death metal, blasting death and brutal death, with a nice atmosphere of decent obscurity. During the putrefaction, I occur to think about rotting masters such as early DEATH, early VOMITORY, FLESTHIZED, MASSACRE/ MASTER, NIHILIST/ ENTOMBED, CANNIBAL CORPSE (Barnes era), old VADER, with touches of old MORGOTH (For some atmospheres), BOLT THROWER (For some midplaced) and a zest of old MORTEM (For some evil guitars).
Sometimes the drumming sounds a bit too rigid or brutal death alike for my putrefactive decay (Not sure how to describe an exact beat... It's the inversed old school death beat with double bass drums).
On a riffing point of view, most is cool/ okey while few guitars are great (The ancient sounding one of the outro!!)
This is a cool release and the band has improved, but there's nothing really catchy or deadly yet. SWORN is in the right way and they can improve and intensify the feeling from their rotting wounds, so keep a decrepiting eye on them.
http://www.myspace.com/sworngbg

SYPHILIC (Usa) Erotishock therapy CD'07. CEPHALIC Recs.
SYPHILIC is a Brutal death sub-project of Brian from MUTILATED (Usa) that might rather entertain two categories of brutal mummies: Those who like it cool (For the "old" brutal death mood), and those who like it complex.
This is well played, well programmed (Drum machine), well produced, but not much stands out on a necro-erotic point of view. It might be due to the fact each song is composed of many riffs and breaks, so this isn't exactly greasy listening... It might be right, in part, because some riffs sound cool while there are also some not-so-cool guitars and elements that apparently do not reflect emotions (Are you still there?). So I will say it might have been more efficient with a brutal lifting.
In fact, this project isn't as modern as what you could expect. There are obviously a lot of typically rhythmic Us blasting brutality, but one could also find the more "melodic" of DEEDS OF FLESH, as well as older styled Us and European Death metal... But after all, the fact it's built around many riffs, and contains low pitched vocals (That happen to penetrate the gore) would categorize SYPHILIC in the "modern" fields of death anyway.
Some influences: SPAWN OF POSSESSION, MORTAL DECAY, INFESTDEAD, old CANNIBAL CORPSE, DISGORGE (Usa), BROKEN HOPE (For some technic), BRUTALITY...
Hopefully, this isn't always "Too much of too much" as there occur to be quite fresh ideas that improve the edibleness.
I'm not that impressed by SYPHILIC on an emotional/ spiritual point of view, but it's quite solid music that might please fans of complex Brutal Death.
http://www.myspace.com/syphilic

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