The Black Dahlia Murder - 11 Jan 2012 (The Underworld)

First gig of 2012, for the majority of the metal community in London, with a very interesting line-up. Headlining the show and 21 dates UK tour, the American death-metalers: The Black Dahlia Murder supported by Skeletonwitch and Fleshgod Apocalypse. The now familiar to the UK scene Fleshgod Apocalypse were first on stage and delivered a very entertaining show which definitely gave out a very spooky and horror-like atmosphere, which was very enjoyable. The band was very, very tight and it’s not surprising considering the genre they play. On the other hand however, I’ve constantly moaned about the sound of the Underworld and I will do so again! Fleshgod Apocalypse had a sound which was equally “terrifying” as was their show. I never blame the bands who play the at the Underworld for their sound and I will not do so this time, but the fact that the band uses many backing tracks with strings and other orchestral instruments definitely didn’t help to make things better. On a positive note though, the tuxedo touch was really, really good and it definitely added to the whole image that the band wants to create. Up next were Skeletonwitch, who came on stage with a better sound than Fleshgod Apocalypse and with a very good energy which warmed up the crowd really nicely. Combining the aggressiveness and  bulkiness of their sound, Skeletonwitch are really a great band to watch live and their songs have the exact amount of heaviness which is needed to bring down a venue. But the real heaviness was just about to start with The Black Dahlia Murder. The Americans had an impressive sound, for the Underworld, and really blasted the roof off from song number one. They managed to create an awesome atmosphere and the stage-divers started to flow real quick while “decapitating” more than a few in the front rows. Trevor Strnad (Vocals) gave out a really good show and has proven that he knows how to be a frontman, which is a breed of people that we are starting to miss in the metal scene.  Overall an interesting gig which will hopefully mean that there are many more of those to come in 2012. Happy new year!

The Black Dahlia Murder: 19/20

Sound: 4/5

Ambience: 5/5

Presentation: 5/5

Performance: 5/5

Skeletonwitch: 18/20

Sound: 4/5

Ambience: 5/5

Presentation: 4/5

Performance: 5/5

Fleshgod Apocalypse: 16/20

Sound: 2/5

Ambience: 4/5

Presentation: 5/5

Performance: 5/5

Posted by Nick 

Textures - 25 Nov 2011 (The Garage)

It was a highly anticipated gig for us, since witnessing Textures, with their new members, for the first time at the Euroblast festival in Cologne, Germany back in October. This time they were accompanied by the Swiss-German quintet The Ocean and Manchester’s Aliases. Aliases were up on stage first, but due to our interview with Robin Staps(Guitar) from The Ocean we didn’t catch their set. We got in the venue just in time for The Ocean for which we were very looking forward to. The post-metal band delivered a stunning set which really grasped the predominant Textures crowd. It was actually amazing to see how the energy was flowing from the band to the crowd. The Ocean is a band which can be enigmatic and aggressive at the same time, creating a very mysterious atmosphere which travels the listener. An almost perfect set from them. And right after that, it was time for Textures to headline their show. The band seems to be at its best shape, with their catchy melodies and heavy riffs, which makes them an instant crowd pleaser. They just have this ability to create an immense sound which makes every single song to be heavy as fuck! Of course the highlights were songs such as Awake and Laments of an Icarus which defined the sound of Textures and sent the crowd into some intensive moshing. On the overall, an amazing gig which deserved a bigger audience, so next time Textures or The Ocean are in town, make sure you are there too.

Textures: 20/20 
Sound: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Presentation: 5/5
Performance: 5/5

The Ocean: 19/20

Sound: 5/5

Ambience: 5/5

Presentation: 5/5

Performance: 4/5

Aliases: N/A

Sound: N/A

Ambience: N/A

Presentation: N/A

Performance: N/A

Posted by Nick

Dimmu Borgir - 23 Nov 2011 (Islington Academy)

It has been a while since the lords of symphonic black metal had visited the UK for a full tour. And what a better way to come back than performing, in its entirety, an album which has been a milestone for a whole genre: Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. EDT is the 3^rd album of black metal legends Dimmu Borgir, which was released in 1997 via Nuclear Blast Records, and it was finally time for the London crowd to witness this historic album at a virtually sold out Islington Academy. Dimmu Borgir performed two sets on the night with the first one being the album. With an exquisite sound, which is rarely heard in the Islington Academy, Dimmu Borgir performed the album with an amazing precision which was definitely impressive. Black metal classics such as Mourning Palace and Spellbound were welcomed very warmly by the fans which moved the academy from left to right. The second set was introduced with a drum solo by Daray (Drums), who proved once again why he is behind the kit for Dimmu Borgir, before presenting some of Dimmu’s hits such as Kings of the Carnival Creation, Puritania, as well as some tracks from their latest album: Abrahadabra. However, there was a slight disappointment, on my part, by the atmosphere which reigned over the academy. I was expecting a bit more of atmospheric "darkness" from Dimmu Borgir, especially with the vast arsenal of atmospheric sounds that they use in their songs. Anyhow, on a general note the gig was the absolute gig for any Dimmu Borgir fan and even if Dimmu is not your cup of tea, when it comes down to black or symphonic black metal, it was still a gig which you shouldn’t had missed. On the other hand, if you don’t like black metal, then I really don’t know why you are reading this review, but I guess that's the magic of the Dark Castle (Dimmu Borgir)!

Dimmu Borgir: 19/20

Sound: 5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Presentation: 5/5
Performance: 5/5

Posted by Nick

Necropolis Transparent - Lock Up (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

Grind/death metalers Lock Up are back with their third album Necropolis Transparent, released on the 1^st of July in Europe and on the 12^th in the USA via Nuclear Blast Records. The project is back with an album filled with machine-gun blasts and double kicks by the one and only Nick Barker. The drums are phenomenal, as expected, while along with the guitars of Anton Reisenegger they really keep the album interesting with the vast variations between riffs and grooves. The album has some musical moments of true black metal but still Lock Up managed to incorporate a variety of grooves and riffs which keep the album from becoming just another album of non-stopping blast beats and double kicks. As for when it comes down to the vocals, there is nothing more to say: Pure madness! Tomas Lindberg is just great at what he does and I think nobody can really deny this. Special guests on this album are none others that the very talented, and apparently very busy, Pain and Hypocrisy frontman Peter Tagtgren who returns to Lock Up to complete the trilogy of Lock Up albums. Also appearing as a guest is Jeff Walker from Carcass who embellished some songs with his screams and vocals. Necropolis Transparent is composed of 16 tracks which blend between them greatly and, like every true grind metal song, each of them lasts less than 3 minutes! The album was mixed by none other that the producing legend that is Andy Sneap and the sound on the album is just so clean, for a grind metal album, that it really sounds amazing. So, many congratulations to Mr Sneap for this great work! In general Necropolis Transparent is definitely a grind metal “must-have” album for all the fans of the genre and to be honest, with a line up like the one Lock Up has, it's only natural.
Favourite track out of the album is kind of hard to define but Necropolis Transparent is definitely a track worth checking out. With a nice groove and feel this track is definitely a spine breaker so, you know what to do when you hear it! 

Necropolis Transparent: 8/10

Posted by Nick

Carnival is Forever - Decapitated (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW
After the tragic events of November 2007 and the death of the original drummer Witold “Vitek” Kieltyka, Decapitated are back with a stunning album filled with knife-stabbing riffs and intense drumming. Carnival is Forever is due to come out on the 12th of July in the US and on the 15th of July in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records. Vitek's replacement Kerim “Krimh” Lechner(Drums) did an amazing job with the drums providing some fast and accurate double kicks and blast beats while using only the live sound from the drums, meaning no triggers. Musically it is exactly what you would expect from a technical death metal band. It's technical! The riffs are majestically huge and will cause severe neck damage live, while the vocals of Rafal Piotrowksi(Vocals) really bring the aggressiveness out. However, despite all the technical stuff there is also a nice combination between airy atmospheres and brutal riffs which creates a nice spooky effect, while the last track, entitled Silence, is a guitar monologue from Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka(Guitars) with a very dark and gloomy feeling which fits nicely as the album epitaph. The album on its own is not big, with 8 tracks and a total of 43 minutes but, unless you are used to the whole technical death metal sound, it can get a bit tiring. Vogg really did a great job with the composition and the production of the album along with Arkadiusz "Malta" Malczewski and gave the album a very nice and natural sound. Guitar wise, Vogg once again showcases an amazing technical ability and a very nice usage of effects and sounds.
Favourite track out of the album is A View from a Hole which has a very nice tribal-like intro which then explodes into a mayhem of brutality and technicality.

Carnival is Forever: 7/10

Posted by Nick 

Kairos - Sepultura (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

It's always exciting when a band with a 26 years long career releases a new album, and when that band is Sepultura it can actually become very exciting. Kairos is the brand new album from Brazilian metalers due to be released on the 24^th of June via Nuclear Blast. This is definitely an album which returns to the roots of the band with knife stabbing riffs and heavy beats while in general the album generates a dark feeling combined with anger and power. Andreas Kisser, as always, did an amazing job on the guitar parts and guitar solos. The guitar and drum riffs often have a very monotonous flow which creates a hypnotic feeling and puts the listener into a headbanging state of mind quite quickly! Production wise the album is great. This is the first Sepultura album under the Nuclear Blast label and it is obvious that more have been invested in the making of the album than with SPV, the previous Sepultura label. The production of the album was handled by world famous producer Roy Z. There are 15 tracks on the album including a cover of Ministry's Just One Fix re-arranged with a Brazilian twist. The whole album concept is based around time and the long career of the band and is quite nicely represented on the album cover which is definitely interesting. There are also 4 tracks entitled with numbers which represent time in the different calendars around the world. First track is 2011 based on the Gregorian calendar year that we are living in, second track is 1433 which is the year in which the Islamics are living in, thirdly 5772 which is the year that the Hebrews are living in and lastly 4648 which is the year in which the Chineses are living in at the moment. In a recent interview Kisser said that those tracks represent time (Kairos in Greek) and how we all live in the same time in a different time! 4648 is also a cover of Prodigy's Firestarter!

Favourite track out of the album is Structure Violence which is a track with a traditional Brazilian beat in the background combined with what Sepultura does best. A great track, with a lot of clave patterns, which takes you deep down inside the Brazilian favelas.

Kairos: 8/10

Posted by Nick

Iconoclast - Symphony X (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

It's been four years since Paradise Lost and the fans were craving for more! It is finally here! I can't tell you how excited I got when I got to hear the album for the first time. Iconoclast is the title of the new Symphony X album due to be released on the 17 of June via Nuclear Blast. This album is great! Classic Symphony X at its best. The songs are really good, filled with all the magic that only Symphony X can produce along with some majestic vocals from Russell Allen and blistering guitar solos/riffs from the great Michael Romeo. The album includes everything you love about Symphony X while at the same time introduces some new features that could shape the future sound of the band. Lyrically the album concentrates on machines and robots taking over the earth and destroying us all. Pretty nice isn't it? This of course, led in to having some musically dark passages as seen on Paradise Lost and I'm sure that if you loved Paradise Lost you will love Iconoclast. If by any chance you've never heard of Symphony X, well let me tell you this: If you don't like long instrumental parts then this album is not for you...Now that I come to think about it, if you didn't like long instrumental parts then you probably wouldn't be reading a Symphony X album review! Anyhow, this is a great album which will kick ass live since some of the songs are really aggressive and powerful!

It is very hard to chose a favourite track out of this album since there are three songs that really caught my attention. First of all the single, already released on the band's Facebook page, Dehumanized. This is a track which really kicks ass with Russell really going at it and dragging you from the ears to listen to it and headbang. The next song is Children of a Faceless God which is a track which, from the first note, has attitude. From the intro riff, through the chorus, to the last note, this song is just pure power(I don't mean power metal) and prog! It is worth noticing the amazing solos of Michael Romeo on this track and in general, on the entire album, Michael is just amazing! Lastly, but not least the concluding track of the ablum: When All is Lost which, as you can see from the title, is a song about the end of life as we know it. This song starts with a nice piano intro and then just goes through the Symphony X machine and becomes a fantastic example of prog metal! I think you know what I mean.

Iconoclast: 8/10

Posted by Nick

Infected - Hammerfall (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

Infected is the new album from Swedish metal legends Hammerfall, due to come out on the 20^th of May via Nuclear Blast. Infected is a good effort from Hammerfall which includes some nice heavy riffs and great vocals from Joacim Cans(Vocals). The first time I listened to the album it really felt that until the 6^th track it wasn't a good album at all. However with more and more listens, it started to get under my skin and I've caught myself singing melodies from the album which is always a good sign. In general the album is not extremely impressive or different since it stays true to the sound that Hammerfall has presented us in their past works. There are some catchy melodies but sometimes it feels as if they were imposed to the songs to make them that way, which is something I don't particularly like. The interchanges between calm and heavy parts are nicely done and the heavy metal ballad Send me a Sign is quite delightful. The guitars of Oscar Dronjak(Guitar) and Pontus Norgren(Guitar) sound really good and there are some nice solos throughout the whole album.

Our favourite track from the album is Dia de Los Muertos which is a powerful and fast song with some great vocals and good drumming. The chorus is really nice with some heavy guitar riffs and a great solo following the 2^nd chorus.

Infected: 7/10

Posted by Nick

You Only Live Twice - Pain (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW
When I heard the single out of the new Pain album Dirty Woman I thought: “Cool! A nice rock n' roll feel”. However, when I listened to the whole album I understood that it was just this song that went down the rock n' roll road. The new Pain album You Only Live Twice composed and executed (apart from the drums) by Hypocrisy front man Peter Tägtgren is an album that stays loyal to the Swedish metal sound and fans of the bands that emerged from that scene will definitely feel comfortable while listening to it. In general the album presents an interesting choice of sounds and styles. The tracks alternate themselves throughout many different styles of metal which can remind of AC/DC with Dirty Woman while some riffs can remind of Slipknot, notably the verse riff on Monster which has a Corey Taylor kind of vibe. If you've never heard of Pain, or Hypocrisy as a matter of fact, then think of this album as a mix of the major Gothenburg scene bands, such as In Flames, Soilwork etc. but with a very dark and evil twist in it. In general however there is nothing that creates major excitement about this album. It all falls against the whole sound that Tägtgren has created over the years and it feels as if there are no real surprises which is a bit of a disappointment. Of course there are many electronic sounds incorporated within the album and some of them are quite interesting to hear but apart from that nothing else managed to grasp my attention.

There are a few songs which stand out from this album and in general almost every song has a part which we thought was cool, but as complete works our favourite will have to be either Dirty Woman with the whole feel and vibe that it releases or Season of the Ripper which is a heavy dark piece with a very nice outro and interesting sounds.

The album is out on the 3^rd of June via Nuclear Blast.

You Only Live Twice: 6.5/10

Posted by Nick

Lux Mundi - Samael (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

When you talk to an average person about Switzerland, in general, he might think of clocks, chocolate, cheese and loads of mountains. However, when you talk about Switzerland to a metalhead he is probably thinking: Samael! Lux Mundi is the new album from the “Swiss metal experimentalists” released on the 29^th of April through Nuclear Blast records. This album is quite different from previous Samael albums with the vocals having a very different feel and in general the sound being completely different than the very early albums from Samael and in comparison with Above, which was released in 2009, we have a very different, more symphonic and melodic album. Sometimes it has some hints of Rotting Christ in the melodies and the the way they approached some of the songs, notably Let My People Be which feels a lot like Athanati Este (Sanctus Diavolos – Rotting Christ, 2004). This could very possibly be related to the Latin album title and perhaps Samael wanted to give a different, more like “Roman catacomb” feel to their new work. Lux Mundi, which translates into Light of the World, is definitely an album filled with epic sounds and riffs which will definitely attract fans of symphonic death and black metal, but it's again a very drastic turn into a different kind of metal from Samael. Personally, I think that this is great but it might drive some fans who preferred the raw, black metal sound of Samael, which was somehow revived with Above, away. In general the album flows really nicely and you don't get bored of it easily which is definitely a good thing, however the power of attraction is not big on this album and some people might have a hard time to attach themselves to it.

Our favourite track is probably The Shadow of the Sword which has a very nice melodic and powerful feel with great vocals from Vorphalack.

Lux Mundi: 7.5/10 

Posted by Nick 

Quarterpast - Mayan (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

It many times felt like Mark Jansen(Epica) needed to express more brutality in his music and like Ariën van Weesenbeek(Epica) told us a few months ago Mayan is too brutal for Epica. And brutal it is! Quarterpast is the new baby of Mark Jansen(Epica), Jack Driessen(ex-After Forever) and Frank Schiphorst(Symmetry). The album is a blend of brutal guitar riffs and vocals, combined with the amazing arrangement skills that Mark has introduced to all of us with Epica. A blend that creates a unique sound especially with the introduction of the operatic and clean vocals from a great team composed from Floor Jansen(ReVamp), Simone Simons(Epica), Henning Basse(Sons of Seasons) and soprano opera singer Laura Macri. The album showcases a great technical ability from all the musicians involved and the melodies are very nicely blended with the heaviness of the project and really gives the whole album a different dimension from the other albums of the genre. The most remarkable thing however is definitely the arrangements between your “banal” common instruments and the symphonic instruments. Everything blends so well and to be honest, I wasn't expecting any less from a team of musicians who have been involved in symphonic metal for so long. The small disappointment about this album is that it is not an album that sticks to your head, or at least it didn’t stick to my head. It seems as if it is missing a hook that will grab the listener and haunt him for days after listening to the whole thing.

Our favourite song is The Savage Massacre which really gives out a great energy in the chorus and has a very cool and haunting middle part which builds up greatly, in combination with the voices in the background, into a “heavy as fuck” part only to explode into the chorus once again! Absolutely skull crushing!

The album is out on the 20^th of May so keep an eye open for it!

Quarterpast: 8/10

Posted by Nick

The Beginning of Times - Amorphis (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

The Beginning of Times is the 10^th studio album from Finnish metalers Amorphis due to be released on the 27^th of May via Nuclear Blast. When we caught up with Tomi Joutsen (Vocals) in November last year (watch it here) he informed us that this would be an album very similar to the previous ones...and indeed it is! Some songs definitely remind us of Skyforger while influences from earlier Amorphis album are more present this time. Some nice melodic choruses appear throughout the album and it seems that there are more brutal vocals than on Skyforger. The arrangements help a lot to create some nice atmospheres which match really nicely with the vocals of Tomi. Production wise Amorphis have laid down some very nice and interesting sounds that blend really well between them. The lyrics for the album are based on the main character of the Kalevala: Väinämöinen and have been written once again by Pekka Kainulainen. However, this album is missing the spark to light the fire for a great album. In general it is a pleasant album to listen to but it is lacking the power of attraction that will keep the listener glued to it. The Beginning of Times is an album that really perplexed me and I would really like to see what is the result that is generated when this songs are played live. I have a feeling that these songs are the kind of songs that are not meant to be heard on an album but live!

Our favourite song from the album is probably Crack in a Stone. The changes between the verses and the choruses is just too interesting to us and the epicness of the chorus is too much to be overlooked! And to top it all there's a great middle part that comes and lifts the song into being our personal favourite out of the album!

Also you can now stream the first track to be released from this album "You I Need" here!

The Beginning of Times: 7/10

Posted by Nick 

Human Remains - Hell (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

When I first got the email about Hell I had no bloody idea of who the hell they were. I'm way to young to remember the 80s and where I grew up metal is generally considered to be music from hell! So the first contact I had with the music of Hell was through the video of On Earth as it is in Hell not even a month ago and being a big fan of King Diamond and Iron Maiden it wasn't hard for me to love this stuff! Human Remains is the new album from occult heavy metal band Hell due to come out on the 13^th of May via Nuclear Blast. This album is very well balanced with some great melodic lines throughout the whole album. The dark and hellish lyrics might seem a bit "passé" and sooo 80s to some but HEY! What the hell do you expect from a band called Hell? Right..glad we got that sorted out! The riffs are majestically heavy and really bring the best things about NWOBHM out. The band is really kicking ass and it will be a blast to watch these guys live. It is worthy to note that the whole album has some amazing intros for the majority of the songs and really gets you deep in the lyrical content of the album. Some may ask: was it worth the wait? Hell Yeah! I'll bet you anything that right now this album is on repeat down in hell and like Bart Gabriel from Hard Rocker said: “Hell's “Human Remains” is the devil's new favourite Heavy Metal album”. Quite an achievement don't you think?

Favourite track for us is probably the single out of the album On Earth as it is in Hell although we tend to like The Devils Deadly Weapon too. The 80s sounding main riff is just to good for us to stay indifferent and not headbang our eyes out of their sockets and although this song is 10 minutes long you really feel as if hell is upon you once its finished and you just have to listen to it again!

Human Remains: 9/10

Times the word hell is mentioned: 14 (yes hellish counts too!)

Posted by Nick