Godcrucifier - Jerusalem (1994)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Italy
Year: 1994

1. In the Mist
2. Useless Tears
3. Genesis
4. Jerusalem

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Godcrucifier’s breakthrough release, Jerusalem! The perfect blend of doom, death, and sorrowful melody, all contained in a rough, scratchy atmosphere, ready to blow you away. The first band I thought of when listening to this was Cauteror, which probably doesn’t mean much to you all, since it’s about as obscure as this band. Oh well! Herein you’ll find alternating switches between rocking Doom/Death and bizarre, melodic interlude passages. On the first song “In the Mist” there is even some tape manipulation and it sounds as if the tape is rewinding; obviously included to help further the atmosphere and strangeness found within! Overall a great song, look out for parts like at 4:20, which just sound like the atmosphere itself is collapsing all over the place! Neat stuff, to say the least.

The rest of the demo follows suit, the two promo songs have been cleaned up and appear sharper here, with the riffs clearer and more hard-hitting. The vocal performance on all of these songs consists of a heavy male vocalist, growling menacingly in tune with the music—the kind of “creeping” vocals, where it sounds like the guy is gonna getcha! Also mixed in are some clean vocals, if not just serving the purpose to shake things up a bit.

“Jerusalem” is one hell of a track to finish it all off, and features one of the best introduction minutes I’ve ever heard in a song, slowing creeping into a withering whisper and infectious acoustic guitar..ing. The transition into the metal part of the song is seamless, and keeps the whispers, while layering the acoustic on top of the electric guitars. Really cool effect, and the subpar production actually helps with the throbbing, depressive doom of some of the main riffing parts. A liberating song, and you’ll sure as hell feel it when listening!

Overall a fantastic demo, and a great effort from these heathen bastards. It’s amazing how a band with such a blunt name can make such beautiful music. Recommended!

Godcrucifier - Promo 1993 (1993)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Italy
Year: 1993

1. Useless Tears
2. Genesis

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What we have here is very riff-centric Doom/Death Metal. It has a certain grooving beat to it, often repetitive in nature, with sprouts of melody flowing throughout in the forms of guitar solos, energetic riffs, or soothing keyboard interludes. It can get rather hypnotic at times, plodding slowly into the depths of doom… doing so in style!

This is just a promo, mind you, so the production isn’t so hot, the instrumentation and vocals are often a bit muffled, but this is some quality stuff in the end. These two tracks were later rerecorded on their much better Jerusalem demo in 1994! Look out for it!

Hardware - Souls Vortex (1992)

Genre: Experimental Death Metal
Country: Mexico
Year: 1992

1. Chants of Evil
2. Further the Hills of Dreams
3. Cybernetical Illusion
4. Souls Vortex

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Ah... perfection! On the back cover is written "YOU CAN'T STOP PROGRESS". Holy shit were these guys right on the ball. This is progress in every sense of the word (only one to my knowledge, but if there were more, I'm sure it'd be embodied here).

Anyway, this single is chock full of their very own brand of "Cyber Death Metal" and it's a shame that more bands couldn't understand and comprehend the brilliance that was Hardware, or we'd have much better Death Metal nowadays. The keys and synths are back, along with what I always thought a pretty neat production quirk, reminiscent of Cemetery's An Evil Shade of Grey guitar squeaking on the tremolo picks. Definitely adds to the already quirky atmosphere to make for something truly unique.

Thrust through the veils of cyberspace, sit back and bask in the Mexican glory of Hardware! Obviously recommended.

Hardware - Hardware (Cyber Death Demo) (1990)

Genre: Experimental Death Metal
Country: Mexico
Year: 1990

1. The Unknown
2. Skatological Encounter
3. The Ultimate Solution
4. Start to Think
5. Seasons of Belief
6. Unorthodox Sight
7. Cyber Death
8. Even Death Can Die

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This is it. Some of Mexico's finest right here, and at such an early stage in Death Metal's history! Not exactly a demo, more of an album in appearances, and actually kind of a mistake in its release. Is it a rehearsal? Who cares! This is some of the most bizarre and innovative Death Metal you will ever absorb into your ears.

Highly original and atmospheric, this is full of squeaky, chaotic guitar riffing and soloing, a variety of atmospheres, neat keyboard use... this demo has it all. A few doomy songs here and there, it sounds like these guys had a blast recording this piece of art (yes, this is some goddamn art if you ask me). There are no boundaries that this band didn't cross in the recording of the Cyber Death Demo. Look out for the next post, which will contain Souls Vortex, their EP/Single with a perfected sound!

Highly recommended.

Different Seasons - Bleeding Summer (1996)

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1996

1. Steele Machine
2. Darkside
3. Behind You Sadness
4. Wind Of The Spite
5. Bleeding Summer
6. Red Evening Moon

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Ever since discovering these guys long ago, I haven't been able to go more than a few days without giving this one a listen! I am very impressed, and the only criticism I have is the short length of this "album", clocking in at just under 19 minutes in 6 songs. Goddamnit I want more!

Starting off with an eerie, yet still somehow cheery synthesized intro, the stage is set for some melodic/symphonic doomy Death Metal, but not in the frilly, "frolic through the flowers" pansy metal. This is some dark, but wholly engaging stuff. Excellent use of female vocals is made, along with synthesized instruments like organs! The good part of the album (understatement, since it's all good) starts when the female vocals burst out of the doom and gloom with "Behind You Sadness", providing fantastic contrast, and melding exceptionally well with the atmospheric/symphonic air.

This album has it all, despite such short length. We've got a straight-up Doom/Death song in "Darkside", eerie ambient intro/outro, powerful tunes incorporating all the elements that Different Seasons employs in tracks 3 & 4, and to top it all off, a gorgeous ballad, the title track of this hidden gem.

GET IT

Gorguts, Portal, Krallice, and Bloody Panda Live at Great Scott (2010)

Thought I'd sidetrack a bit with the music posting for a little posting about music!

Last night, I went with a few friends to go see the above-mentioned bands live at the Great Scott bar in Boston, Massachusetts, and found it memorable and exhilarating enough to write about here. About 75 people were cramped into the bar, and I was really excited from the get-go, since this was one of the first times that I was interested in ALL of the bands playing a show. It was one hell of a night, and seeing Gorguts play their first show in 10 years was a real treat. I'll now go through the bands in the order they played, and maybe include a few shitty pictures I took with my phone.

BLOODY PANDA
These sludge/doomers from New York played the loudest of the four and were monumentally crushing. I was standing right up there in the front row and had to check my ears a few times for blood. ;D It was definitely an eye-opening experience to see a band who played this style of music. The guitar and bass were heavily in front of the mix, and every strum left my head throbbing and echoing. What I found to be most interesting were the two vocalists, both Asian, screaming their hearts out. Yoshiko Ohara did the main vocals and her shrieks were absolutely blood-curdling. Hell, when the show began, I thought I was hearing guitar feedback, when it was really just her. Gerry Mak, the other guy who does some of the growling and chanting really got into it as well and overall, the band presented a doom-and-gloom atmosphere; all the band members had their heads down, hair covering their faces, as they played their world-collapsing music.

KRALLICE
Known for their over-the-top technicality and avant-garde style of black metal, the aforementioned really does not do well in a live setting. The band barely had time to acknowledge the crowd or even so much as look up, since they were furiously moving their fingers as fast as they would go. However, they did play some ridiculously fast songs that got the crowd going. I was actually really pumped to see these guys play, since they sounded so pristine and fun to listen to on their studio albums, but in the end, Krallice is a band that's better left to playing in the studio, off the stage. Not much else to say, except that they were the disappointment of the night. Still good, I mean, this entire show was fantastic, but not as good as the other acts.

PORTAL
By far my favorite of the night! The atmosphere these guys invoked was unlike anything else I've ever heard, and as if it wasn't dark enough in the venue as it was, Portal sucked all hope and strength from the room and channeled it into their music. Incredibly heavy and plodding, they sound even more brutal than in the studio. I tried to record a few clips on my phone, but the sound was so loud that it blew my microphone out and all I got was silence!

Okay, I know what you all are waiting for. Was the vocalist wearing that crazy fucking clock on his head? Sadly, no, but instead he was dressed in this sort of anti-pope black garb. His face was covered by a black burlap sack sort of thing, and he had what appeared to be a black, homemade pope headdress on, with gold and red lining the edges. His robe draped all around his body, and he wore these serial-killer gloves. This guy totally stole the show. He was so slow and deliberate in his movements, that it really felt like he was pure evil and I was being thrown into darkness.
The way he tilted his head to one side, held it there for a few seconds, then turned back was spine-tingling. Since he played no instrument, he could throw his hands up and do other ominous things like touching his fingertips together and staring at the ground. The guy was creepy as fuck and it was awesome. The rest of the band had their signature black sacks over their heads with black jackets and pants, and one guy has a freaking noose wrapped around his neck. Awesome.

The music! All of the above combined with their style of music made for an incredible experience. The audience was going absolutely nuts, and I thought the kid next to me was going to have a seizure from grabbing his head and throwing his hands up, in a claw-shape, shaking violently with the music. The breakdowns were fucking intense, and watching pope man move with each pulsating beat threw everybody into a frenzy. You had to be there.

GORGUTS
The best band in terms of crowd interaction and overall enjoyability, and it was their first show in 10 years! I feel so privileged to be a part of Gorguts's reformation, and it was comforting to find that they hadn't lost their touch after all these years! This was actually Gorguts's first show in the Boston area in 20 years!

Frontman Luc Lemay, the only original Gorguts member was great to the crowd and expressed his happiness to be back at it after all these years. An incredibly nice guy; he gave away his guitar pick and even played a few more songs after their set was over due to popular demand. They played a lot of stuff from Obscura, but also touched upon their other three albums as well, so we got to hear a little of everything. They played for something like an hour and a half, and not once did I feel bored or antsy, and the crowd was pretty much the same way. Hell, this was when the moshing and crazy shit started happening! Portal was mind-blowing, but the audience had remained relatively tame compared to Gorguts. I'm pretty sure Gorguts purposely did breakdowns within breakdowns to encourage the mosh-pit, but I've no problem with that! The band was really into the music they were playing, head-banging along with the rest of us. At the end, this one completely smashed guy even went for a crowd surf! Twice!

As an added bonus, Gorguts played two NEW songs that they had been writing! It was a real treat to be some of the first to hear these songs played in full. The first was an instrumental, jokingly entitled "Number 3", since it was obviously unfinished, and had a very Obscura-esque feel to it! The second untitled song was more complete and had vocals as well as a long, interlude/breakdown sort of part in the middle. Mesmerizing, and even more like Obscura! So, for all of you out there who loved the direction Gorguts took before they broke up, you're in for a real treat!

And that was my night. I bought a Portal shirt with a scary spider climbing out the front, shook hands with Luc Lemay, and braved the 90 minute drive back home at 2 in the morning.

Cheers from this guy!

Demented Rampage - Noise Gate on Above (1994)

Note: Artwork Unavailable

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1994

1. Intro
2. Evolved Mutations

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Some of these guys would later go on to form the great Different Seasons (see next post), and play a style somewhat similar to them in the slightly symphonic way, using synths. However, the contrast is a bit ugly in this demo, because we're hit with a 2+ minute beautiful atmospheric, almost church-like intro, assuredly to be followed by majesty in grace in music form, but instead, we're hit hard with chunky, almost brutal DM with pounding blast beats and simplistic riffing with a dark, crunchy growl.

Then out of nowhere... the synths! Bizarre. Still very interesting to listen to, even if the main song is almost exceeded in length by its intro. Worth a look to see how Different Seasons developed their style.

NOTE: The entire demo is 11 tracks, but eludes me for now...

Insomnia - The End of the Beginning (1994)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Experimental Doom/Death Metal
Country: Poland
Year: 1994

1. In the Beginning
2. In my Craft or Sullen Art
3. 24 Years
4. All, All and All the Dry Worlds Lever

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Continuing our trend of bizarre Death Metal, today's feature is Poland's Insomnia! I've found that Poland makes some of the best Doom/Death Metal and this is no exception. As an added bonus, let's throw in some keyboards and inventive guitar solos, as well as some fancy bass-work, and you've got yourself awesomeness in music form.

The first song starts off as purely Death Metal, pretty raw and speedy, not to experimental, but as the demo progresses and ends with the fourth track, you're starting to wonder where the hell these guys get off playing such an obscure brand of music. Good thing they took the plunge, and a shame they only recorded a couple more demos. Half of the bands that only make it to the demo stage are better than all those big name bigshot asshole bands out there. Goddamn.

Candle Serenade - Nosferatu's Passion (1995)

Genre: Melodic Black/Doom/Death Metal
Country: Portugal
Year: 1995

1. Overture
2. Balakian Rider
3. Chama Iberica
4. Celtic Lir's Sons (Sad Erin's Legend)
5. Interlude For Gothic Kings
6. Spell Of Carpathian Winter
7. Transylvanic Mistress
8. Last Vampire Dance (Finale)

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Nosferatu's Passion is one of those albums that grows on you. But here's the thing, it's not like after the first listen, you won't recognize the beauty and talent behind it. I was awestruck after first listening, and even more so with each subsequent listen.

The main vocalist is female, and does her death growls in a damn fine manner, indistinguishable from a male! And here's the kicker--she's got a gorgeous operatic voice, which she employs whenever she gets the chance! A true treat for the ears and just a privilege to listen to.

Gothic undertones permeate this release, and we're often subject to melodic instruments like piano and flute, as well as creative guitar riffing, building off of and perfecting the style they founded in their demo. The production is much cleaner and sharper, highlighting every riff and vocal trick.

Very doom-oriented, with some ridiculously catchy and engaging song structures, this is one that should be remembered for ages.

Candle Serenade - Tales From Walpurgis (1994)

Genre: Melodic Black/Doom/Death Metal
Country: Portugal
Year: 1994

1. Tales From Walpurgis

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Formed in 1993, Candle Serenade released their first demo, Tales from Walpurgis a year later. This should be called a single or whatever, considering there's only one song, but hey! Who gives a shit! It's music, and I know that's all that matters.

This is basically a mini preview of what's to come in their masterpiece album, Nosferatu's Passion. The production is a bit lacking, but it has all the fundamental elements present, in a raw, stripped-down form. There are female vocals, and a standard death rasp, bordering on Black Metal monotony. There is slight melody (you'll see more in the full-length). Consider this a sampler!

Beyond Dawn - Heaven's Dark Reflection (1991)

Genre: Old School Doom/Death Metal
Country: Norway
Year: 1991

1. The Underworld (Intro)
2. The Mourner
3. Baphomet's Refuge
4. Epitaph
5. God
6. Second Nature
7. The Sound of Wings
8. The Tempest

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Beyond Dawn's second effort, and it does sound like they're settling into a sound, and picking a direction to go. Much more cleaned up from their last demo, they chose the melodic, faster-paced Death Metal route, with traces of technicality. Heavy use of bass is incorporated, along with the guitarists showing off their skill.

The vocals range from the dark rasp we heard on the first demo, to a squealing, hissing growl, upping the evil-magnitude a few notches. The vocals even have melody to them, and seem to rock with the music, which doesn't happen much in Death Metal! This is especially noticeable on "Epitaph".

As previously mentioned, the demo is sped up as a whole, although the occasional doom element is still tastefully employed. It seems that the band is moving towards a more groove-oriented, jamming sound (the beginnings of their electronic career). However, this makes the demo a very enjoyable listen, and easy to get into!

Recommended because this is unique!

Beyond Dawn - Tales From an Extinguished World (1990)

Genre: Old School Doom/Death Metal
Country: Norway
Year: 1990

1. Beyond Dawn
2. Blind In Ritual
3. Nemosis Symphosis

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Beyond Dawn were (are) a Norwegian band whose earlier works comprised of a doomy, plodding death metal sound, and later evolved into electronic (?). Not sure where and how that change was inspired, but hey, let's ignore the Beyond Dawn of today, and instead highlight the Beyond Dawn of yesterday.

Straight up Doom/Death, often with a melodic tinge, like in the first song. Powerful guitar leads erupt out of nowhere, loud and contrasting with the muffled doooooom. These guys obviously haven't settled on their sound, and you can tell just by listening to the music speed up to grindcore status, then slow down to painfully slow chugging, which the occasional guitar solo and creative riffing thrown in here and there.

Beware, this tape rip sucks, but it's the best I could find... probably a generation 3 or 4 rip by the sound of it. Still, production has never bothered me, and if you're reading this blog, there's a good chance you're into old school DM, so it shouldn't bother you, either!

Cerekloth - Pandemonium Prayers (2008)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Denmark
Year: 2008

1. Pandemonium Prayers
2. Lunatic of God's Creation (Deicide cover)
3. Touch of the Scythe

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"What is it? What's going on?" ... "It's death." Right from the start, I knew this EP was going to slay. With an intro like that, you've got to prepare yourself for some hard-hitting, insane death metal, and that's exactly what you get with Cerekloth's debut EP.

I'm noticing some grindcore influences in this whiplashing style of death metal, notably the ferocity and unrelenting speed, coupled with several vocal types, ranging from the low guttural all the way up to the gurgling spitting of inaudible sacrilege. Everything is fast to the max on Pandemonium Prayers, and the only downside is that it ends too quickly! Only two original songs and a Deicide cover, but I'll take quality over quantity any day, and this appears to be something Cerekloth are good at.

The last song, "Touch of the Scythe" is probably my favorite and this EP's highlight. The intensity from the first song is present, except now with the addition of soloing, providing great contrast in that they're somewhat melodic and slowed down, considering the pace of the rest of the music. About halfway through, we're hit with a slower, doomy part and more melody; very powerful as it gives the EP an identity beyond your typical grind/death album. It even closes with a soft piano outro!

Bastard Priest - Merciless Insane Death (2008)

Genre: Punky Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 2008

1. Under the Hammer of Destruction
2. From Beyond
3. Merciless Insane Death
4. Graveyard Sacrifice
5. En Hälsning Från Helvetet (Bombanfall cover)

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Bold name, I know, but Bastard Priest serves to assert the boldness behind their 2008 demo entitled Merciless Insane Death. Hailing from Sweden, "primitive" is probably the most appropriate descriptor for this style of music. These guys don't give two shits about technicality or making their music unique through experimentation; no, Bastard Priest has set out to record some of the most raw and filthy death metal of this decade!

There is nothing about this demo that won't kick your ass. Everything from the production to the soloing is wildly chaotic and out of control, pushing the envelope, and tearing a warpath through everything standing in its way. Pure aggression is king, especially in the crusty punkish vocals. Not so much growled, but more yelled, bumping up the overall intensity a few notches. Nicely complementing the vocals are the drums and guitars, both lightning fast--even the riffing seems unnaturally sped up at points like toward the end of the title track. Still, there's the occasional slowed-down part, most likely to give the listener a chance to catch his breath, but those never last long, and we're back up to full speed, maniac solos throwing jabs and hooks left and right, not letting up until you're lying bruised and bloodied on the ground.

Emotion. You just don't get death metal these days with this sort of heart and desire to make such mutilating music. I see a bright future for Bastard Priest; let us raise our glasses to them!

FUN FACT: Blog post #200!

Lie in Ruins - Swallowed by the Void (2009)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Finland
Year: 2009

1. Descent (instrumental intro)
2. I'll Cast My Wrath
3. Crush the Holy
4. Abyss of Demons
5. The Serpent Coils
6. Art of Desecration
7. Damnation
8. Raging Fire
9. Swallowed by the Void
10. Bringer of Desolation

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I remember the hype surrounding this album when it was first announced and the artwork released. Lie in Ruins was promising something huge, and to spare you the anticipation, they sure as hell delivered. Swallowed By The Void is in every bit deserving of all the praise they've received with this massive success.

Opening with an eerie, atmospheric intro track, the groundwork is being laid for the rest of this crushing album with slow, steady build-up, leading to the dirty, gritty death metal to follow. A throwback to ways of old, yet with a slightly modern touch, the classic Finnish sound is present, with underlying Swedish influences in the chainsaw riffing style. Quick-paced, Swallowed by the Void is morose and sinister; the listener thrown deep into the thralls of darkness, left to fend for himself, the dark quickly closing in.

With a downright demonic sound, and throaty, raspy vocals, accompanied by a mix of fast and slow riffs, Lie in Ruins recreate that lost sound newer bands can't seem to replicate. Ferocious solos are thrown into many of the songs, further dragging the listener into a state of morbid chaos, weakening any hope to escape.

Ars Onirica - Utopia: A Winternight's Traveller (2004)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Italy
Year: 2004

1. Grey
2. Married in Death
3. Dellamorte Dellamore
4. Wounds

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Dunno where I stumbled across Ars Onirica; perhaps it was because I noticed one of their songs, "Dellamorte Dellamore" shared the same title as one of my favorite movies, but regardless, this really isn't a bad bit of modern metal!

Emphasis on the melody, the first song "Grey" opens with an acoustic intro, setting up the majestic atmosphere that's to follow. Calm and calculated metal with a few great vocal melodies, both harsh and clean, Ars Onirica delivers a breath of fresh air into Italy's metal scene with this release. It's a pity they split up, since this listener feels that they were well on their way.

Not entirely chill, this demo has its angry moments, but for the most part, Utopia keeps up a serene atmosphere. Those clean vocals might catch you off guard, but as long as you come into this demo not expecting anything like what's already on this blog, you'll find it very much enjoyable.

Graveless - Eternal Lies (1999)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: Norway
Year: 1999

1. Eternal Lies
2. Nothing's Sacred
3. Morbid Visions
4. Tears From the Blind

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Wow! This is one hell of a lively and energetic recording, without intending to be! Some of the most emotional vocals saturate the music displayed here, and most likely, the first thing that stands out to the listener is the downright infectious and catchy vocal lines. The way they mesh perfectly with the music and induce foot-tapping is something otherworldly. I haven't had this much fun rocking out to a doomy Death Metal release in a long time. In addition to the harsh vocals are nonchalant, laidback clean vocals first displayed in "Nothing's Sacred" (one of this EP's highlights). They come out of nowhere, but fit so well, I often find myself throwing that short bit toward the latter half on repeat.

The very same melodic tinge is brought pack from the 1994 demo Portrait of Pain, mostly found in the short, but simple riffing style and occasional atmospheric guitar solo. For the most part, relatively upbeat and exciting, just a blast to listen to!

Graveless - Portrait of Pain (1994)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: Norway
Year: 1994

1. Portrait of Pain
2. Sorrow
3. Demoniacal Possession
4. Evil Shades
5. Mind in Despair
6. Dying Thoughts

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A very unique band, I really can't say I've heard much of anything else like this. The recording's from 1994, but the style and energy displayed is from an entirely different time period... another reality somewhere out there.

Often quite melodic (even more so on the EP) without meaning to be, and a lot of this stuff is just straight up catchy; the kind of stuff that grabs your attention on the first listen, and never looks back, yet also never gets old or stagnant. Intoxicating riffs find their place spattered throughout, often a bit repetitive, but they're so good that it makes no difference! The vocals consist of a low rasp, which is changed on the EP. Great stuff!

Monasterial Crypt - Stárí (1999)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Czech Republic
Year: 1999

1. Odevzdávání (Intro)
2. Strach
3. Andìl
4. Sklenìné Vìže
5. Sen
6. Podzim a Stárí
7. Hloubka Skrytých Smyslù
8. Holotropie (Bonus)
9. Zapomenuté Bytí (Bonus)
10. Spálená Já (Bonus)
11. Zahrada Radosti a Smutku (Outro)

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How should I put this... this is a very, er, persistent release. Not that it's particularly fast-paced (hell, it's doom, yeah?), but the riffing style is sort of Hellenic in that it's very quick and up and down like a roller coaster. Difficult to explain.

The guitars seem to take a back seat in the mix, and as a whole, this album feels a bit thin. Still, that actually works for Monasterial Crypt, as it gives Stárí that detached feel that allows for the listener to "choose their own adventure", marveling over the guitars or vocals. Me? I prefer to find the best in both; I'm just saying it's possible to listen to this album a variety of ways (adding to replay value!).

Two types of vocals are employed: harsh, gurgling male and billowy, female sing-song vocals, both sung gorgeously in Czech, making this album hard to ignore. It continues to grow on me with every listen!

Funeral Vision - It... (1993)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: Poland
Year: 1993

1. Slave
2. Immortal
3. Cain
4. Monster
5. Dark Muse

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More Poland! Top-notch guitar-oriented doomy Death Metal, with riffs out the ass, often melodic, sometimes depressive, while others upbeat and happy! A unique demo to say the least. Not much in the way of song structure, and often somewhat repetitive, but still an enjoyable listen.

Sinistrous Diabolus - Promo 2008 (2008)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2008

1. Hollow Eyed
2. Necromantic
3. The Essence of Divinity Given to Abstractions of the Human Mind

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Risen from the ashes, Sinistrous Diabolus are back at it again, an entire 15 years after their release of Opus One. This is merely a promo and the tracks are considered "rough recordings" by the band, so hopefully this means we'll see something even better in the future!

Even if these tracks aren't completely mastered, you can tell right off the bat that nothing's changed in their hiatus. The first half of the first song "Hollow Eyed" morbidly depicts this with slow, droning funeral doom metal, then slowly erupts into a slightly faster-paced display of atmospheric, spacey death. Not much for vocals in this first song; we mostly get squeals, growls, and heavy, labored breathing, meshed with creepy keyboard overtones toward the end. This is the groundwork for awesomeness.

"Necromantic" is quickly becoming one of my favorite tunes, mainly for the sad, sorrowful, yet somehow lighthearted main riff/guitar lead. We first hear it at about 1:35, and I was instantly hooked. My only knock is that the song isn't long enough! This is a beautiful instrumental...

The final song is a great summation of the two previous songs, somewhat melodic, but also plodding and miserable. Still not much in terms of vocals, but for now, it's nearly perfect without 'em. I'm just amazed at how well this promo was structured, and I'm even more shocked at the potential for the next release by these New Zealanders. Holy shit. Wow. Recommended.

Sinistrous Diabolus - Opus One (1993)

Genre: Old School Doom/Death Metal
Country: New Zealand
Year: 1993

1. Sleep of the Damned
2. Wipe Out Christianity
3. Aeon Ended

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Seriously tortured, twisted stuff, Sinistrous Diabolus comes from New Zealand... not much metal comes out of there, but from the little I've listened to, it's been mostly positive! This is certainly no exception. Very slow, miserable-sounding, and painful. This demo is like pulling teeth. Except that you're the dentist from that cheesy movie The Dentist. You're some sort of sadist, hell-bent on revenge via infliction of pain in the absolute worst way possible, maniacally tearing teeth from a young child's mouth, forcibly removing the tongue from your helpless wife, all the while drilling viciously into the jaws of hapless patients, watching them writhe and squirm in unbearable pain... okay, that's enough of that! Must-see movie, btw.

But yeah, the music. Awesome. Sometimes gracing into Funeral Doom territory, but also lively (relatively speaking) at other times. The vocals absolutely slay, are completely inaudible, and sounds straight-up disgusting. Repulsive, even! Monumentally tortured music, very dark and foreboding, sure to satiate the morbid cravings in all of us. GET IT NOW!

Odium - Decay (2008)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 2008

1. Decay
2. The Last Spring
3. Storm

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A relatively recent release, Odium have sprung up out of nowhere (read: Russia) with this incredibly well-polished demo of impressive melodic proportions. They've since changed their name to Inner Missing, and perhaps I'll throw their other EP up here sometime, but for now, I'm really into this one! Only three songs, but all fairly long and in-depth, displaying an artistic talent, full of life and energy. They've got a knack for coming up with infectious guitar leads and lethal melodies to keep the listener hooked all throughout

Lethargy - The Dark Embrace of Silence (1999)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Greece
Year: 1999

1. Celestial Tears
2. Spleen In The Morning Mist
3. Where The Wind Whispers Your Name
4. Under A Broken Moon
5. As My Soul Bewails
6. Veils Of Sorrow
7. These Bitter Words

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Greece is my new favorite country for music. Such talent coming in such small, unrecognized bursts! This is very melodic in that gorgeous melodies are employed regularly, giving this a very sophisticated and sorrowful sound. Catchy riffing meshes beautifully with both male and female vocals to create an atmospheric and majestic air about it. Moody and depressing in some respects, both harsh and clean vocal styles are utilized, and the operatic singing blends fantastically with the female operatics, complementing each other quite nicely, before dipping into doomy Death Metal chugging with harsh vocals. Great contrast throughout this album, with myriad instruments used, including, but not limited to, synths and flutes! Unique, to say the least, and a very engaging listen! Recommended!

Hatred Embraced - Demo (2009)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: USA
Year: 2009

1. Descent into the Macabre
2. Interment of Divine Saviours

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Furious and pummeling, Hatred Embraced have risen from the boondocks of New Jersey (man, what's in NJ!? :b) with some deadly thrash-influenced Death Metal, ready to rip to shreds whoever's in their way.

Highly riff-oriented with a saturated production, this is very easy to listen to and fun to get into. The vocals are everywhere, and border a bit on the melodic side, but fitting very well with the guitar tone, giving these two tracks a balanced feel with a sense of direction! Great guitarwork with finetuned control. Unfortunately, this is only a short, albeit sweet sampler of what will surely be a promising future for these New Jersey metallers!