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 "..each and every one would die by my hand; choking in warm pools of blood..." (Opeth - 'Serenity Painted Death') |
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Sol Axis Demo |
This is definitley one of the best demos we have received here at Slay The Masses. It sounds very professional and sophisticated. This could easily be a signed artist recorded in a decent studio.
Hailing from the emerald isle, or Ireland to those less informed, the land of Guiness and nice landscapes you would think there is nothing over there to inspire such evil music, but listening to this will change your mind. Cold, brutal black metal is on the menu, and it is served on a silver platter. Very high quality musicmanship, infectious riffs that many b.m. outfits would kill for and an excellent drummer. Vocals sound like a hybrid of Ishan and Abbath and are very grim, suiting the abrasive riffs sublimely. My personal fave on this cd is 'Dirge For All Nations'. It is just so compelling and listenable. A fantastic riff opens and eventually disintegrates into a Mayhemic drone kept alive by dark melodies. Later in the track there is a beat that inevitably results in headbanging. A style Aborym would not be unknown to use, despite Sol Axis being too dynamic and structured to sound like Aborym. I just can't bring myself to take this cd out of my stereo. If you want pacy, listenable but still dripping in dark atmosphere then look no further than Sol Axis. If I ran a label these guys would be signed - immediately.
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Pantheon I - Pantheon I E.P. |
I was excited to receive the second offering from these Norwegian gentlemen, or now i have to say ladies and gentlemen due to the arrival of some female assistance in the form of Sareeta and Silje.
Instantly you realise Pantheon I have taken a different approach this time, the first track 'Is This A Prophecy?' is more death influenced and has a bit more bite than the songs their last demo. It is cold, twisted and harsh. Andre's vocals still have that sinister edge, sounding like a demon with a mangled larynx. During this track the band enter a slow, soft break from the violence of the song wth clean vocals and a haunting violin backed by distorted light guitar fuzz in the background. A very good progressive section that fits the song well. The other track, 'Transparent' is much better, starting with a sorrowful violin and ripping out our souls with a gut-wrenching scream. What ensues is a fantastic doomy mournful black metal song. Tortured, ghastly vocals and symphonics riddle a well carved song that makes involving listening. Of the two tracks this is much more promising and I hope Pantheon I continue this vibe. I'd also like to point out the brilliant artwork on the cover, which I am told is by Kjell Age Meland. It is just as cold and lonely as the music and emphasizes the atmosphere. I'm going to say what I said last time when I reviewed Pantheon I, they have a lot of promise. Now they have proved they can do something with their talent. Judgin by this the album should be a treat. I await it with baited breath!! Slay the Masses Score... 8.5/10 More Information: Pantheon I Official Website and view the Slay the Masses Interview
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Christ Thorn - The Great War Is Waging |
Another slice of apocalypse inducing, soul descecrating disgusting raw black metal, that shows some industrial influences here and there.
Musically this demo is good. Great riffs, pummeling drums with some impressive tricks and fucking scary vocals. Everything a black metal record should need right? The thing that hits you instantly about 'The Great War Is Waging' is the appaling production. It does sound quite bad. The vocals change volume sometimes, and in songs such as 'The End Is Nigh' the vox drown out everything else. The only benefit of such production is that it suits the atmosphere that Chirst Thorn have created. Not to worry, this is excusable due to the fact that this is a demo and released to promote the music of the artist and not their producing skills. Luckily the music is in place, and the production doesn't make it impossible to hear. The songwriting talent is there, excellent song structures and great transitions. The closest band i can think of that sound like Christ Thorn is Anaal Nathrakh, except Christ Thorn have slightly deeper vocals, not so much the intense screaming of A.N. This is a promising start and there is definite potential, but there is room for improvement, starting with the production.
Slay the Masses Score... 7/10 More Information: Chirst Thorn Website Contact - monolithic_grind_ethic@hotmail.com |
Ashes - Forest Funeral |
This one-man aural assault is majestic, powerful, haunting and viscious old-school nasty black metal. A lot of heart has gone into this recording, and you can feel the emotions - sadness, despair, pure hatred and misanthropy.
'Forest Funeral' sounds like Emperor in their early days, but with more melodic, atmospheric and depressing interludes. Davidian's 'vokills' are remeniscent of Ishan himslef. Don't get me wrong this isn't just another Emperor sound-alike band, new innovative techniches and passages are intertwined everywhere. The raw sound of this demo suits the music perfectly and perpetuates the evil, apocalyptic nature of the music. It is not too dodgy, it is clear enough to appreciate the music. Adjective laden descriptions aside, this is a fucking good collection of songs, and Davidian is one talented individual. The perfect listen to accompany those cold lonely nights. Enough to warrant a deserved 9 out of 10.
Slay the Masses Score... 9/10 More Information: Official Ashes Website You can purchase 'Forest Funeral' at Supernal Music |
Infectus demo |
A very promising death metal act indeed are these guys from Devon. I am always in fear when I am about to listen to a death metal band that what I am going to hear is a confused mess of noise that will just piss me off. Listening to infectus was a relief. I didn't have to face my fear as these lads have crafted a very memorable coherent collection of songs. Very intricate in nature but very brutal in deliverance. There is a Nile vibe going on here which doesn't surprise me as the band are fans of thiers. Where Nile chose a constant barrage of meaty metal, Infectus have taken a more technical route. The scaling guitars playing almost solo like pieces that are bewildering in their trance like ways. Very 'Infectus' riffs indeed. The precussion is clinical and very tidy despite being spasm inducingly insnane, and the vocals sound very inhuman and menacing. This is some good shit.
Slay the Masses Score... 8/10 More Information: Official Infectus Website
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Vanguard - Valour E.P. |
A nice raw selection of Darkthrone 'Transylvanian Hunger' era style black metal. The production is not brilliant but again this is a demo. Everything else is there. The passion, the brutality, the songwriting, the time changes and these boys can generate a very misanthropic atmosphere with their bleak scratchy black metal. Each epic track, ('Valour' weighs in at 14:57 and 'Fires Of Ork' is a lengthy 9:15) takes you on a journey through a barren landscape of hatred and depression. 'Valour' reminds me of 'Black Rose Immortal' by Opeth in a way, because it picks you up with raw, evil riffs and puts you back down again with wonderful melodic passages. This is powerful music.
The closing track 'Han Some Reiste' a Burzum cover fits very well, and finishes the demo off by drifting away into a void, a nothingness which comliments Vanguard's harsh black metal visions perfectly. Slay the Masses Score... 7.5/10 More Information: Official Vanguard Website and view the Slay the Masses Interview
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Asphalt - Aim for the Weak |
This record will definitley get your head banging. You can sense that these Swedes are some very angry people, you can tell they have come to blow you away, and 'Aim For The Weak' is a fair effort. Downtuned raw-sounding guitars rip it up on this album, which for an independent release is very audible. '2 Minutes Of Pain' is a good track, heavy, rock 'n' roll. The opening of the track sounds a lot like a Cataract riff but it feels as if it should be faster. I think Cataract would have gone somewhere better with this intro. It just feels like it is missing something.
Musically influenced by such acts as Slayer, and vocally quite raw. This is listenable and i feel if some changes were made, this band could have potential to do some damage. Slay the Masses Score... 7/10 More Information: Official Asphalt Website and view the Slay the Masses Interview
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Pantheon I - Demo MMIII |
Official Website Read the Slay The Masses interview with the band!!!!
Pantheon I, hailing from Oslo, Norway are a very promising act. Inevitably, there are Empirial influences at work here, but what do you expect from a Norwegian black metal band?
Slay the Masses Score... 8/10
More Information
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Summer Dying - One Last Temptation |
Kerry Cripe, the vocalist from this band from Michigan, USA is a huge At The Gates fan and you can definitley sense the A.t.g. vibe on this self-released album. It is more death style than A.T.G. but equally melodic. The twin vocal attack, one more a thrashy scream and backing it up a deathly growl, works very well over the pacy yet melodic riffage. This tactic is beautifully executed on 'Trials Of Life'. The time-changes and breakdowns are excellent. The only problems with this record are the fact that the production is a little weak, but this is expected of any independent release, and the solos. They just seem out of place. They are technically sufficient, but just don't fit in. The lead solo in 'As We Rust' is the prime suspect. Despite this, this is a very satisfying mix of pummeling thrash/death and emotive melodic peices. They have all the talent, the songwriting ability and all the peices are poised for attack. If they stick to the right path Summer Dying will be blasting out of many metal-head's stereos very soon. Slay the Masses Score... 8/10 More Information: Summer Dying Official Website and view the Slay the Masses Interview
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