CDs/LPs - DEMOS - OLD STUFFS - FANZINES - GIGS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

CDs/LPs/Eps reviews:

# / A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / J / K / L / M
N / O / P / Q / R / S / T / U / V / W / XYZ / Compilations

TALES OF DARKNORD (Rus) "Endless sunfall" Tape Lp'97. REST IN PEACE.
TALES OF DARKNORD was a tightly played Death metal meets Brutal Death band offering a nice music. One dead corpse could feel strong crepitating reminiscences of early DEICIDE, EXHUMATOR (R.I.P), with some early MALEVOLENT CREATION, few touches of techno death, and some old school "Metal de la mort" 's heaviness.
Their style wasn't situated in the atmosphere, mood, so some pipeules might say it lack of feeling and pudding, but they probably wouldn't understand the brutality, nice call to bang your skull, quite shredding aspect of some riffs and well rounded songs structures.
When I listen to this tape in 2006, it appears as obvious there was nutting catchy or really emorguetional, and the production, even if it was neat, might decrepit with too much parasites and high-pitched frequencies (It could created a feeling of impurity, as if something was hiding the sickness... Well, a kinda fukked up sound enhances the running an rotting of sickness in my rotopinion) for the current brewtal death heads... But after few minutes of reptilizing adaptation, this miouzik remains enjoyable, since as previewsly said it was well done and balanced enough.
From several öundergrähound sewercies, I could hear the fact T.O.D. was one of the most famous Russian Heuwnderrghrund Dödsmetawl band... Cool to hear their music later, even if too late, coz I kinda always avoided them thanx to the black metawwwl taste ov their mhöwnikker. Kewl izeun't it? "Endless sunfall" is nutting essential, but if you're a big underground fan of Death metal in general and bands like DEICIDE (old), MALEVOLENT CREATION (Early) or EXHUMATION, that might not be a bad idea to order this for cheap from a buried underground distro . (Who said I have some copies for sale? Uh, not me, but you can watch anyway héhé)

TENEBROSUS (Pol) The fall of worthless morals CD'03 METAL MIND.
Fast Black metal. Raw. Fast. Screamy. It doesn't differ from the old DARK FUNERAL, old EMPEROR (little bit), old MARDUK releases and few others that seems to have said everything for this style! Most of this CD is fast and screamy, but I hear no new crap emerging from hell! It sounds Ok, but Satan isn’t behind them! Reinvert the inverted cross, and cut your flesh, and worship Satan, and hailz the kult if it's not too late! Saaaaaatan!

TERMINAL DESCENT (Usa) Archetype/ manifest CD'03 GENERICELITE.
I read somewhere TERMINAL DESCENT is a cult band, and I can't believe it when I listen to this CD. This is average Death/ Grind with some very average drum machine patterns that could have been done better! The style has got some similarities to old MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, old SLAYER. The main problem is a tightness problem (due to the drum machine mostly) and their riffs are common in the style for most of it! Some guitars are too tight! It lacks of aggression, rage and anger! It's a very average album that sounds like an average Demo! These tracks shouldn't see the shadow of a pro CD to remain decent!
http://www.terminaldescent.tripod.com

TESTAMENT (USA) Low CD'94.
Waou!! This is the best TESTAMENT album I've had the chance to listen to! (I knew only their previous ones) It's really heavy with pounding heavy drums and some really remindable at the first listening catchy riffs, the vocals also sounds better than on their previous releases, with some more heaviness and more powerfull and coherent melodies! If ya want to check out some good heavy heavy stuff, try to copy it from a friend's collection, it can please ya! Nice cover!

THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINERS (Usa) Forensic fugues and medicolegal medleys CD'02 RAZORBACK.
Everythings from their cover to the music sounds 100% CARCASS influenced (not to say anything else...). It seems to me they cut all the photos from their old "Reek of putrefaction" LP and paste it on a piece of skin to buil a "new" cover.
The music sounds 100% into old CARCASS ("Symphonies of sickness") as if the guys were listening to it everydays since it was released. They also have some SANITYS DAWN and EXHUMED touches. Also a bit of GENERAL SUGERY and a few EXIT 13 like high pitched vocals ("Ethos music").
It lacks of grinding, gore and cynical energy for my CARCASS filled guts. No riff sound bad, and the whole is correctly constructed, but some personal or good gut splashing riffs are fucking needed!! It's a shame I got no surprise listening to this LP, and they sound too much like Bill Steer's formation, they sound like a clone by moments. Old days' CARCASS fans may find it cool, but some albums such as REGURGITATE's 1st Fulllength LP were far more expressive in the strongly influenced CARCASS' style. I unfortunately found nothing great here...
http://www.thecountymedicalexaminers.com

THE DEAD (Australia) The dead CD'07. OBSIDIAN Recs.
I imagined the aussies of THE DEAD would plunge a bit deeper in the matters of entrailstertainment with this first album, since the two demos were cool and promising... Even if the whole was subject to some murderous improvements, I expected the undead bowel zigzagment to reach quite higher scales of internal klok deliria.
Musically speaking, it still sounds like a big portion of brutal death metal that would avoid the too technical or mentally abrupt clichés of the current brewbrew scene to prefer something a bit more disjoncted like (let's say) mid old EXHUMED; Don't misunderleech my words, the cuntent is still brewtal and blasting, but the aussies (ozzies?) are not too fucking serious in their will of blasting collapse: There are touches of putrid humor, groovy moments that makes the whole a bit more caveman-sexy, kinda "slappy" touches of bass guitars (Green bile remembrances of early PRIMUS?).
Since I tried to become a Google map of 1994-99 brutal death and grindcore, I will give you some necro-cities' names so that you can easily make your way to the town of "The dead": SKINNED (1998 era... For some brewbrew and not too serious goryfying schizofun), SPLATTERED CADAVER (Old/ For some brutal blast), DISFIGURED (Grewvy brewtah), INTENSE HAMMER RAGE (For some sickness), BLOOD DUSTER (For grooves that sometimes (dis)tends to stoner), SOILENT GREEN (For the grooves), EMBALMER (For some heaviness of the brutal)... Well to scum it up, Let's say some SKINNED'98 with more blast, influences of mid old EXHUMED and the groovy of BLOOD DUSTER/ SOILENT GREEN...
The production is okey, maybe a little deaf concerning the guitars that could have a little more "clarity", power, or I don't know what it could be...
I like the low pitched vocals, it's quite gore and deep but not too much, it flows quite conveniently on my burnt cadaver with ease and sometimes reaches higher pitches of screamy grrrrr... The last track is the slower, it begins like some early CATHEDRAL, to then mixturize your big tits like some EYEHATEGOD meets PRO PAIN and old AUTOPSY...
Now conclude my fellatio, juicy bitch: As far as I'm concerned this is a cool album, it's quite well put together, once you're in the mood the vagina shows quite a lot of nice dentatas that could please fans of extreme music who don't shake their heads too much (With the current waves/ fashions/ trends/ prides/ greed motos)... But I expected a bit more craziness or punching qualities, so I'll say you shouldn't buy this album with two eyes closed, just keep one opened before your insert coins and that should be cool... This isn't a testicle trap, so click on their myspace link and make your mind (If you don’t already have one)
http://www.myspace.com/lordofthelivingdead

THE DEAD (Australia) "Armoured assassin" Ep'06. OBSIDIAN Recs.
For those who already know the first CDr demo of THE DEAD, there won't be bloody new things, expect for a cool looking new artwork cover and a blood splashing red piece of vynil.
This Ep was recomposed from two demo songs that were exhumed and remastered for the putrid occasion. It offers you cool stuff, in a fast Death metal kind. The whole is quite varied, but remains gut pukking enough for the laceration-enthusiasts.
It could sound like some very old EXHUMED (When they were able to open the abscess) meets old SANITYS DAWN ("Cryptic menu" of love), some old BLOOD DUSTER (When they mixed the grinding and the groovy) plus some craziness and crusty Death metal à la AUTOPSY/ ABSCESS.
Nothing really killer or blewwwdy crispy until now, but this is a well packaged explosive bomb that shows the band is able to do much better, both on matters of efficiency and personality. THE DEAD is quite promising!
http://myspace.com/lordofthelivingdead

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN (Usa) Calculating infinity CD'99 RELAPSE.
Under the pressure of Grinding friends of mine who read my review of the Ep'02 of D.E.P, and who insisted for me to download a full CD of the band, I did it and here I'm with this review.
The whole is still complex and dicording with a bunch of Hardcore influences melted in a mix of Brutal Nu metal and Death/ Grind. Breaks à la jazzy EXIT 13/ ATHEIST that opens itself for a few seconds as little drawers or gates to another world. Quite original heavy riffs à la MESSHUGGAH with breaks...Masturbating guitars and sickness à la HUMAN REMAINS in bizarrely wicked technical parts. Some wanna sound complex and original parts still waste a part of my pleasure!
Quite bestial parts à la FAITH NO MORE meets MISTER BUNGLE.
There are some good emotional parts full of distress, fuse blower's delirias and sociopathic despair. I've been hooked by a few really catchy heavy riffs. I've got a better opinion of D.E.P now.
They may sound or be considered as the techno Thrash/ Death bands that reigned on the microcosm of open minded metallers (CYNIC, MEKONG DELTA, old ATHEIST...) some years ago, even if their style hasn't got the same roots at all.
It's innovative and fresh sounding, while remaining quite extreme.
Well, I'm still not fond of their music that remains too wicked, bizarre and sometimes too uselessly complex for some usual listenings! It's not the kind of the stuffs I'll listen to very often! But there are some good parts and it's worth the listening for open-minded bastards who want some new elements in their Brutal CD collection.  
http://www.dillingerescapeplan.com

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN (Usa) Irony is a dead scene Ep'02 EPITAPH.
T.D.E.P is a part of this new Grind/Hardcore scene that includes a lot of complex, discordant and bizarre stuffs everywhere...
And I must say I've got problems to enjoy it! There are too many bizarre breaks, riffs and stuffs that sound discording, but no deep impact that blasts out my head! Their music is quite original since it includes varied influences as some very soft parts à la FAITH NO MORE. Some more metallic parts also remind me of this band! (Especially the vocals).
By moments, it sounds as if VOIVOD were turning to Grindcore!!
Some Hardcore, Nu metal like plans. Some wicked moments would sound like FANTOMAS! The more I listen to this MCD, the more it sounds like a cauldron of very varied metal styles!
There seems to be some HUMAN REMAINS, FAITH NO MORE, new NOSTROMO, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD (a bit), MASTODON (drums and heavy riffs). There are very complex and jazzy drumbeats. It sounds like masturbation in the most technical parts of the guitar playing. Nice quiet parts. The MCD ends itself with a cover of "Come to daddy" of a band I don't remember (wasn't it APHEX TWIN?)
But... Uh! This isn't for me since the most extreme parts lack of real emotions and are based on complexity and cerebral originality. The big fans of the latest FAITH NO MORE releases who want something more extreme or feel quite close to Grindcore may dig it. It didn't especially please me, but at least they're original.
http://www.dillingerescapeplan.com 

THE HELLACOPTERS (Sca) High visibility Double Lp'00.
While some musicians lamely enclose themselves in an old style and repeat again and again a music that vaguely reminds (with full sterility) their gold years of Brutality (UNLEASHED not to quote them), some guys try to be honest with themselves and try to evolve when they feel Death metal isn't what they need to play anymore! Nicke Andresson, the ex Drummer/ composer of ENTOMBED (old) is one of these guys who successfully adapted its music to his own needs, despite of the "What will they say?" or "What will the scene and fans think?".
Since a few years, Nicke has founded a new band and he's now guitarist and vocalist... and what a surprise! I didn't pay attention to this band before (not my style that much...) but this double LP quote my attention for a subconscious reason; I'm fucking hooked! The style of the band is Hard rock in the 70's vein! It could remind of CACTUS, THE WHO, old ALICE COOPER, WEST BRUCE AND LAING, and other 70's Hard rock bands I listened to when I was young, but it doesn't sound old or boring! This is full of feeling, it's well composed; it's done with their actual feeling of the 70's music, that's why it sounds fresher than a revival. The vocals sound good also, it's sung with a little touch of biting! Good drummer who beats the kit with energy and a cool varied style. There are some good tracks in here, and some cool choruses! Smoke another cigarette... there's even some piano touches... Ok, this review isn't at the very right place here, but it's cool to let know some ENTOMBED fans who weren’t aware that Nicke didn't form a boring non- Death metal project (contrary to many old bands' musicians!). And isn't it from this style every kinds of metal came (in part) from?
If you like 70's Hard rock, have a listening to this! THE HELLACOPTERS are a good band!
http://www.hellacopters.com

THE SATAN'S SCOURGE (Col) ...Of Kaos and Karnage EP, 2006. LEGION OF DEATH Recs.
This time the one speaking in the name of the old chaotic metal cult will be THE SATAN'S SCOURGE.
Hailing from Colombia, what they play is war metal full of blasts, scorching and quite chaotic guitars, screams from hell and insane urges of blasphemy.
They happen to remind me of BLASPHEMY and BESTIAL WARLUST, which isn't a surprise, but one could also find some similarities with early BEHERIT (For some chaos in the playing, and some of the screamed vocals... Yes all vocals are screamed, no deeper death metal growls are present).
In my opinion the band still needs some hard work in the rehearsal torture chamber, because the drumming isn't always crushing your skull the best way, and they could play these songs a bit faster to incinerated a bigger amount of imploring victims.
Most of the South American bands definitely have another taste for metal than all these overpolished, overplayed and under-metallic European week end warriors... Most of the time, they sounds more authentic and revengeful, even if the music isn't often played so technically, sooo tight or so well produced with an abundance of honey... But what does matter: The feeling and hateful revenge or the perfect production?
This Ep isn't bad, I feel some hellish intensity of chaos in the songs...but it could be more intense, so it's average and only for big maniacs of the style.
http://www.legionofdeath.cjb.net

THE SEVENTH GATE (USA) None so Bloody as the Kingdom of Christ CD'02 SATAN ROCKS.
Here's common sounding Brutal Death metal in the american vein.
With some slower DxMx moments tending to some small HxCx touches in a few cases. I could quote a few bands like SPLATTERED CADAVER, SANGUINARY, SKINNED and maybe DRAWN AND QUARTERED... But I found no real punch or energy, or at least nothing impressed me in this "None so Bloody as the Kingdom of Christ" CD. All is common from the drumbeats to the riffs I won't remember (even after a few listenings). In my ears, that music doesn't deserve to be pressed on a CD but should remain on a demo. Good luck guys.
http://www.satanrock2.com

THE SKELETAL (Usa) The Plague Rituals CD. 2011. METAL INQUISITION Recs.
"Rotten carcass defibrillation (Insist again, again and again)" could have been a song title for this band if they had played right-ball torture goregrind, but it's not the case: Their music is located between Death metal and thrash metal.
This new project of Kam "Mookie Conkster" Lee is decent, and could even sound quite cool in very particular moments of heavy couch relaxation, but doesn't we need a bit more than convenient metal?
The songs remind me of early DEATH, old SLAYER, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, RITUAL CARNAGE's first album, and few others to be closer to old school Death metal. This is decently played and structured music, but it also sounds common. The decent riffs comes one after another, but defibrillation doesn't occur. This record doesn't sound particularly bad, but despite of a little atmosphere I more or less feel like an empty carcass in front of it.
This is only for big fans of old retro stuffs, peoples who would see Kam Lee as an "idol" (If that only exists out of the media world), or listeners who didn't get too much of hearing the same riffs in aeternum...
(Fuck, I realize my rating was closer to a demo than an album)

THE KILL (Australia)/ RETALIATION (Swe) Split Ep'02.
Here's a cool Grinding split!
THE KILL pays bitch fucking "tits enlargement" raw Grind from Australia. There sound is raw as fuck- difficult to hear the riffs. Makes me think about good old S.O.B for vocals and EXIT 13 for raw Underground sound.Old school Grind à la NAPALM/ S.O.B Not bad and quite energetic but I still prefer their previous band OPENWOUND.

The swedish bastards of RETALIATION (including the REGURGITATE drummer) play cool Grind/ Crust. I noticed some blackened tremolos Death metal riffs. (The last track's sound was voluntary crushed)
 This is cool and could please a cool amount of Crust grinders but these tracks didn't reach the wanted level of memorability! AAARGH!!
http://www.geocities.com/blastasfuk

THORAZINE (CAN) Thorazine CDr’97 Selfrelease.
This canadian band plays Death metal with some more melodic, a bit dark, sounding arpeggios. Average stuff. I don't like the high flying vocals reminding me too much of CRADLE OF FILTH. This is the common heavy Death metal, the kind of stuffs lots of bands were playing in France around 95/ 96. Nothing new, with common songs. The raw obscure sound reminds me a bit of REGURGITATION (USA)'s demo, in a way I could compare them to JUDECCA. I'm fastly bored with this kind of things...

THORAZINE (CAN) Seed the black sky CD'99 Selfreleased.
The band was playing a kind of very common Death metal on their previous CD. Now there music gets a bit more dynamics and there are more fast parts and blasting moments... but it remains in the average spectrum of music... :( They seem to have improved as musicians and there are more little ideas thrown here and there. I'd say they now play some kind of Death metal with more varied stuffs here and there. The black metal vocals doesn't sound as stupid as on their previous release. I'm still not an enjoyer of their music but at least they keep on improving! http://www.thorazine.ca 

THORAZINE (CAN) Geneticide CD'02 DEATHGASM.
The improvement between this CD and their previous one is maybe not as obvious as the one between their 1st and 2nd CD. This time, their Brutal death that's quite varied is more brutal and the melodic moments sounds a little better. A few more a bit original ideas are included and some of this ideas aren't too common for the style. So they have improved, and the stuff is more technical but I still am not an enjoyer! All is nearly here to make it a pro band (despite the snare drum sound) but I don't find the memorable side of the stuffs here!! Where is the fucking deep feeling? I'm not talking about the surface mood, but the deep explosions of sickness that comes from the guts and tores the whole world apart!!? AAARGHH!, It's true that it's hard to write a memorable riff, you have to deeply and strongly want it! This band can be pleasant for the Brutallers who think it's cool to be concentrated to listen to their dose of extremity... But more is needed anyway!

THOR'S HAMMER (POL) The fate worse than death CD'02 NO COLOURS.
Their album seems to have been recorded with a microphone at the other extremity of an old garage, because the sound is very poor!
This band plays a poor version of simple Black metal à la old BURZUM ("Aske") meets DARKTHRONE. Fans of old BURZUM may check it out as Varg Vikernes is in jail and doesn't seem to compose this kind of stuffs anymore.
I'll only ask the label to stop sending this kind of Black metal releases as it sounds totally uninspiring and uninspired to my ears!
http://www.paganfront.net/thorshammer/index.html

THOSE WHO BRING TORTURE (Swe) Those who bring torture CD'07. NO COLOURS Records.
Give the dog a bone? Noooo.
Give the bear a beer? And beer à gogo to bear à gogo... To dance with the beers to find yourself dancing with bears! I want a little bear in my beer! I want a little bear in my beer!
No colours keeps on sending me their black metal promos for no reason... But this time there was something sounding like Death in their grimbomb...
This project formed by musicians of RIBSPREADER, KNIFE IN CHRIST and TAEDEAT is only a sub-project. Read the flyer: "After just a week of writing, recording and mixing the debut album was done". That's no very promising, huh?
What you hear is between death and grind, with usual death grind moments (HAEMORRHAGE, HATEPLOW), heaviness à la early MUCUPURULENT or some cool sounding but common old Death metal. The powerful production makes it good sounding, there are cool moments from here and there (I wonder if it's not remains of better ideas from their main projects). But all in all this is just another CD recorded by another project like many... I imagine the guys' rehearsing habits helped to make this album quite easily. There have been worse but also better parallel distractions, it's pro and ok.
http://www.myspace.com/twbtt

THRONE OF NAILS (Uk) Acts of war CD’02 CRASH MUSIC.
Despite the not very impressive logo and artwork cover, the extreme music of THRONE OF NAILS stands on decent war lines of quality.
This is obscure Brutal death metal with a strong old school Heavy touch! Many are the occurrences and discordances reminding me of old IMMOLATION and INCANTATION; this is ancient, obscure, with many morbid discordant melodies à la old IMMOLATION.
Trey Azagoth's Brutal style can also be evoked here for several reasons, on one hand you get the screamed notes, chaotic leads and few tremolo Death metal riffings along the lines of "Altars of madness", on another hand some heavier riffs summon the obscure heaviness of "Gateways to annihilation". There's here this feeling of being somewhere else and nowhere, in some leads à la MORBID ANGEL ("Covenant") or IMMOLATION induced guitars. Breath the sulfurously carbonized air, in emptiness! The tracks are quite well constructed in this Heavy Brutal style, the drummer doesn't blast endlessly even if he shows he's able to do so. Quite powerful sound that keeps a rough side.
This isn't too much my kind of Brutal death, but the big fans of IMMOLATION and INCANTATION who need it obscure, heavy and raw in the ancient way should put an hear on THRONE OF NAILS as this respectable band has got several hellspawned attributes to please the dwellers of the never-ending old school! Obscure infinity!
http://www.throneofnails.com

THRONEUM (POL) Old death's lair CD'01 WEIRD TRUTH.
This album begins with an introduction of agonizing screams à la SADISTIK EXEKUTION at the time of their very first LP "The magus".
This is a very old school influenced death metal band that will please the die hard fans of the style only!
Their stuff is composed of tremolo riffs à la old MORBID ANGEL ("Abominations of desolations") and SADISTIC INTENT, the old school raw side can take form here of old IMPIETY and old ABHORER, some few black metal influences as well as dark morbid leads à la old MAYHEM can be added. Add some old school Death/ Thrash influences, a zest of BOLT THROWER's demo days and a few old Death metal influences à la old SINISTER and a little touch of very old BRUTALITY and you get an overview of their style. Some of their vocals remind me of old SADISTIK EXEKUTION "The magus" + 2nd CD, this isn't  Brutal or gory vocals but rather screams, harsh and quite clear thrash metal voices, with a lot of reverb. There was some clear screams à la NILE ("Catacombs of Nephren-Ka").
They play some cool catchy morbid melodies with a few nice variating bass lines here and there, for these melodies I may speak about old DEMILICH meets some old ADRAMELECH. Even if they have some cool morbid melodies that may haunt your mind for a little while, I think all their tracks aren't so great as some can seem long, and I wouldn't have used some of the riffs if it was my band! Some shorter tracks in the style would be welcome! It can please only the big fans of the old school style!
http://www.geocities.com/throneum

TIPHERET (Ita) Solve Et Eiacula MCD'01.
Even if TIPHERET uses a Black metal band's name and logo, their extreme music has got much to with Death metal and some core stuffs.
Taking several extreme musical styles, Tipheret mixes all of this in a burning carnal cauldron: Death metal, Black metal, Thrash metal, Hardcore and Thrashcore are nicely transplanted on the corpse of the rotten cadaver, making the undead almost elegant looking! I must say this mix of styles sounds quite cool, some freshness is here! The whole is mid placed for a good part of the length, with some blasts or Death metal beats, etc. They've got some quite melodic touches. TIPHERET may sound as a mix of old DEATH, ANANDA (a bit), old NOSTROMO (less technical and complex), old SUPPURATION ("The cube" and demo days) and a bit of old HECATE ENTHRONED (without keyboards). The band seems open minded. Nice drummer, cool riffs, nice vocalist...Cool tracks! This MCD has got its chances to be cool for those who seemed interested by the description. A cool band that deserves at least a bit more support.
http://www.tipheret.com 

TOMBTHROAT (Ger) Out of the tomb CD'04. Self released.
This CD is damn cool! Old school Death metal played with a cool feeling and a good dose of Death grind. Welcome back to the 90's!
What pleases me in TOMBTHROAT is they remind me all the good Death metal I listened when I was a teenage: PESTILENCE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE, ASPHYX, UNLEASHED, MORGOTH, as well as a bit of early HYPOCRISY, GRAVE and others. Some riffs remind me a bit of IMMOLATION. The band also has fewer modern brutal death influences to diversify the thing. The vocalist uses screams that aren't far from the ones of Martin V. Drunen by moments, AAARRRGGGHHH!!
Nothing ground breaking nor really killer, nothing new (It's old school death worship the right way), but this album has it more charm than the so perfectly produced and performed sterile and too cerebral countless albums released nowadays. There are cool riffs to be understood at first hear.
Maybe this album sounds cool in my hears because I've the feeling it's a very cool band being ran by a bunch of friends, or coz I’m nostalgic fart, but anyway that remains a cool album to drink few beers and decontract in a good atmosphere of ancient death grind!
I you enjoy bands such as UNFRAGMENT, for their cool old school Death and Death grind worship, you might was well dig this 44 minutes long 16 tracks album, and I drink another beer!
http://www.tombthroat.de

TON (Usa) Plague CD '00 UNITED GUTTURAL.
Here's finally the first CD of TON! Their music is still quite technical Brutal death mixing groovy Death metal riffings with nice self evolving bass lines. Some blast parts sound a bit flat, I've got better remembrances of their blasting moments on "Blind follower". Too much complex tracks? This is well arranged Brutal death with some cool riffs thrown here and there, a few discordant riffs are included, there are a few good tracks, but while their "Blind follower" Demo had some really good moments, I think this one is only cool! Some nice original parts are here, as well as cool heavy riffs, but I get the feeling and the idea something is definitely lacking! So this is a cool CD to burn, but the only TON release that's worth having in your collection is the "Blind follower" Demo'97. Unless you're a big American styled Brutal death fan, you may not be very fond of this CD!
http://www.unitedguttural.com

TORMENTED (Swe) Rotten death CD'09. IRON FIST Recs.
The old school Swedish Death metal TORMENTED practices is a bit different from the one I'm used to.
It's clearly old fashioned, inspired by the early 90's and devoid of modern influences, but while it takes quite a lot from the usual chords of the genre (Lots of tremolo riffs, some quite mysterious guitars) it's also a bit more garage and made in a simpler manner that works more or less well depending on the song.
All in all, I would say it sounds like a mix between old DISMEMBER (The less melodic), NIHILIST (For the fast and quite raw patterns), AXIS POWER (Global feeling for the "raw" rehearsal aspect), some ENTOMBED (For some "mysterious" riffs), some VOMITORY (Only the first album's most death metallic parts) and sometimes REPUGNANT (For the vocals).
Some songs work quite well as it has a simple and immediate appeal (It's familiar and known, so you easily get into), some chorus aren't bad and could become some kind of "hymn", but a part of the compositions are too simple and taste like it would need quite a bit more of work (I think about the way Entombed or Grave used to make variations on the same riff... It's something TORMENTED could nicely gain power from), or the drum-playing lacks of power and tight punch, and the vocals could be a bit more low pitched to please my needs (Even if it sometimes have a nice REPUGNANT alike vibe). So it has it's cool moments, but also could be better...
The guitar production is quite Swedish sounding, not the most spectacular but it's nice how it is, on the other hand the drums are just garage sounding and could have been more powerfully produced.
As far as I'm concerned, it's an ok album with both its ups and downs... I know some peoples in the retro/ necro/ garage spectrum will dig "Rotten death" into their drunk fukk, but I'm a little more demanding with my albums... I feel like the band could have rehearsed more and released a couple of demos, before offering the listener something with more strength and power... But apparently it's how it is nowadays, peoples want their old school necro Death metal records as fast as possible, and occur to stress bands to record fast, while the jewels of Death metal reveal in patient maceration, strong kneading and intense putrefaction.
http://www.myspace.com/fuckingtormented

TREPAN DEAD (Fra)/ HERESY(Fra) Split CD'03 3X8.
Ok, long introductions aren't always the most interesting things to read, so let's get straight to the. Here's a split CD with two bands from the North of France.
TREPAN DEAD plays somekind of Thrashcore meets Hardcore. They have some mid fast beats that could remind of RIGHTEOUS PIGS, AGATHOCLES as well as some heavier riffs that are more in the Hardcore style. There are few indus touches reminding me of NAPALM DEATH "Fear emptiness despair". Some hardcore incuded touches could remind of the BLOCKHEADS. The vocals are very Hardcore induced. There are correctly articulated tracks in here, but nothing standed out. No really Brutal riffs or killer gut shredding stuffs, only Ok riffs with some hesitations from here and there. So, it's average stuffs.
HERESY's music is also Hardcore influenced, they've got a bunch of slow riffs that could sound like old BIOHAZARD, OBITUARY (last recordings), and in my opinion it's too slow... It reminds me the kind of slow Hardcore/ Death metal I don't like. They have faster Death metal parts that could remind of SIX FEET UNDER, they have a few CANNIBAL CORPSE like riffs, while some slow riffs with mid placed melodies sound a bit like old BOLT THROWER (2nd LP). But hell, some riffs are very average! And there are a bunch of hesitations in structures! Even if HERESY is more Death metal influenced than TREPAN DEAD, their music sounds less efficient (that's the best I could say), it's very average and quite boring in my opinion!
http://www.soyunoloko.fr.st

TSJUDER (Nor) Demonic possession CD'03 DRAKKAR.
Wow, then it still exist black metal with bollocks and a real angry feeling in Norway nowadays!!!! Incredible! From the land of brainwashed protestant peasants, are coming a bunch of bastards, that still manage to use their intellect to spread  some hate towards the fucking christian filth, that castrated this country some 5 centuries ago. So here we go with absolute raw grim, hateful, norwegian black metal. I didn´t know that these guy could produce finally some intersting and not boring as fuck linear tunes. Since the band exists since 1993, and that there´s a RAGNAROK member playing in it, I guess that they had enough time to mature and play properly their instruments ( I mean that one can feel that these guys play with christian bowels exploded on chainsaws... And that´s fine!).
In fact this album is quite well produced, but still stays grim. This band proves that there´s no need of the bad sound argument to hide the musical unhabilities. This band reminds me a bit the spirit one can find in VULTURE LORD, CARPATHIAN FOREST or the polish GOETIA for instance. Of course, there are some DARKTHRONE touche here and there, but hey, don´t forget that we are talking about norwegian black metal here.Yes you will find the typical black and white picture taken in the snow, and the nice Szpajdelish logo, as well as spikes, leather and blood on inverted crosses. But that´s fine here, because this band is not proposing just an image. Yes, you get it right, they also give the auditor some quality and non boring black metal of the second wave. TSJUDER is the knife on the throat of "REMA 1000" Norwegian black sissy metal like SUSPERIA, DIMMU BURGER and the likes.
http://www.tsjuder.com
                                                      Nathaniel

>> NEXT PAGE