Category Cd Reviews

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Thormesis is a German Pagan Black Metal band from Bavaria that was formed in 2006. In 2008 they self-released their debut album ”Gehet Hin Und Kämpfet”. In early 2010 they released their second album, ”Vergangene Asche” after signing with German label Düsterwald Produktionen. Now they are ready to release their third album – ”Von Leere Und Tod”, after signing to AFM records. As a live band they have shared stages with bands including Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Fiddlers Green, J.B.O. and Black Messiah, and have also played Germany’s biggest pagan metal festival – Ragnarök.

The new albums title translates into English as ”Of Emptiness And Death”. The album only contains 8 songs, yet lasts for 54 minutes...

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Merrimack are a French black metal band who formed in 1994, and recorded three demos before releasing their debut album (Ashes Of Purification) in 2002. Since then they have released two further albums – “Of Entropy And Life Denial” (2006), and ”Grey rigorism” (2009). Now they are back with their fourth album – ”The acuasal mass”

Perhaps less well known than other French black metal bands Deathspell Omega or Blut Aus Nord, Merrimack have a different style to most of their compatriots, taking more influence from the Scandinavian black metal bands than the French ones, and as such this is a more straightforward black metal album than you’d expect from a French band.

This is a good solid Black Metal album but with little here that stands out as unique then ultimately it fails to be a gr...

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Akinesis is Italian duo Gabriele Caspiani and Nando Mambretti. They released their first album (Reflections) in 2005, and have now just released their second album – The Passage.

The music is quite diverse. It’s almost all pop with rock influences, but within that broad category there is plenty of variety, and that does make it hard to describe the album easily.

”Second life” is the heaviest track on the album – definitely a rock track, and for me by far the standout track on the album.

This is definitely a diffuclt album to describe. Most of the album is probably best classified as pop with a hint of rock...

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Napalm/Sound Pollution

We always save the best for last, don’t we? When CANDLEMASS announced their final studio album I was saddened, they´ve been around as long as I remember metal. Previous outings after MESSIAH´s stormy exit have been a tiny bit uneven, but with shining highlights. And now that Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS) has been ousted I can only regret it. But with Mats Levén on board, the promise of retirement from the studio might end up like JUDAS PRIESTS ditto?

CANDLEMASS 2011 consisted of stalwarts Lasse Johansson and Mats “Masse” Björkman on guitars, Leif Edling on Bass, Janne Lindh on drums and Robert Lowe on vocals. As the massive sound of “Prophet” hit my MP3 headphones I was amazed, so fresh, so true to their past and yet so fabulous...

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Rapid Fire Entertainment/Border Import

Julie Westlake and HYDROGYN returns with their sixth album since 2004. The band first album, “Best Served with Volume” appeared some eight years ago, and now they have seen the release of the ir fifth studio outing. One live and one DVD has also seen the light of day, and players like James Lomenzo and Jeff Young, both with a past including a.o. MEGADETH adds some star quality to the band. Sponsored by the likes of Budweiser and Harley Davidson the band has scored on the US charts, but over here in Scandinavia they are a more unknown entity. The info promises a return to their more melodic roots, let´s hope so…

Opener “Something to Say” delivers with a simple but effective riff and a rather strong refrain...

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Lion Music/Border

STATUS MINOR debuted in 2009 with “Dialog”, and now strikes while the iron is hot. The concept album hovers on the subject of the love-related cycle. The foundation of the band was laid by Sami Saarinen in 2002, and has stabilized to the stable line-up of Sami on guitars, vocalist Markku Kuikka, keyboardist Jukka Karinen, bassist Eero Pakkanen and drummer Rolf PIlve, many of whom are parts of more bands. This album is said to be more straightforward than the prima opus, has a bigger feel and is more heavy and cohesive. Not bad…

“The Wind” creates that effect, as promised. The riff immediately makes me think of classical music, and there is absolutely no lack of progressiveness. The beautiful and well-arranged “Hollow” is certainly more cohesive...

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Ulterium/Sound Pollution

END OF SEPTEMBER started out in 2009. Formed by guitarist/vocalist Erik Tordsson, who´s got a past in both heavy and extreme metal, a demo was made with former vocalist Victoria Sundberg. A deal with Ulterium was secured, but Victoria left, and a 2 year hiatus commenced. In 2011 Elin Redin was attached to the line-up, now consisting of Erik, Victoria, and bass player Johan Nöjd and drummer Johan Svensson. END OF SEPTEMBER recently played Jönköping´s Zaragon Rock Club as support to AMARANTHE, which I missed. How good are they in the studio?

As most female fronted bands they lean towards EVANESCENCE, and the sound has more than a modern touch. My player started with track four, “Exile”, for some reason, that wasn´t flattering for the band...

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Gray Music Entertainment/Warner

Finnish band CARMEN GREY has had minor hits and massive hits in their native Finland since their formation in 2006. The band boosts routine, with three members having played together for two decades. The info also talks about a wild, fresh and exciting band with influences ranging from THE BEATLES to DAVID BOWIE, and GUNS´N´ROSES to SKID ROW. I wonder how this will turn out…

The title track is oozing DAVID BOWIE like an over-cooked stew. The seventies tinged sound and the attempt at a slow moving sing-along refrain kills off my interest. But the pace rarely quickens. The two hit songs “”Heroes and Losers” and “Two Wannabes” are surprisingly meek...

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Lifeforce/Sound Pollution

Swedish fresh death metal merchants MISERATION release their third outing, spiced up with both eight string guitars and the Indian harp Esraj. Christian Älvestam, vocals, Jani Stefanovic and Marcus Bertilsson, guitars, and drummer Oscar Nilsson (not sure about bassist Christian Lundgren) are hellbent on going for the so called difficult third album. They don´t go in unarmed, the album is said to be filled with fresh ideas, folk instruments, special vocal styles etc. So, what came out of it?

Opener “Stepping Stone Agenda” is a fine piece of identity-creating Swedish death metal with razor-sharp drumming. The end it off with piano without losing credibility amongst the brutality loving hordes…I believe...

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French power metal band Nightmare was founded in 1979 and released their debut album ”Waiting For The Twilight” in 1984. ”Power Of The Universe” was released the next year and then shortly after the band split due to musical differences.

In 1999 the band reformed with drummer Jo Amore giving up the drums and becoming the vocalist and frontman The vacant position of drummer was filled by Jo’s brother David. Since then the bands have released five albums, with ”The burden of god” being the sixth since reforming (eighth overall). The band have played several major festivals and toured with bands such as Sabaton and Blind Guardian.

Brief comments on a couple of the songs..

The album opens with an orchestral number, ”Gateways to the void” which is purely instrumental apart from a short s...