Aldebaran - Buried Beneath Aeons

A little Drone, a little Death, and lots of Doom - that's what Aldebaran are offering on their new, sing-track, 28 minute EP, Buried Beneath Aeons.

No one could say that Funeral Doom metal is easy listening, but Alderbaran manage to captivate their listeners with dark, well-crafted melodies amid passages of swirling distortion. Getting lost in the blankets of fuzz is certainly no issue here, aided further by ethereal clean tones weaving in and out within the first half of the track before switching gears -only slightly- to a constant, crushing Doom sound. The sluggish growls showcased on the track are very complimentary. Though nothing particularly special, they manage to add much more than they detract, making for a very solid release overall, and a nice, fresh injection in the the repertoire of Funeral Doom music.

-Andrew Oliver

At The Gates - Gardens of Grief EP

Slaughter of the Soul.

If there's a single release that anyone knows if you ask them about At The Gates, the seminal Gothenburg melodeath band that helped pioneer its distinctive sound and inspire thousands of imitators, it's that one, which is rather unfortunate considering how overlooked their previous releases are, despite them being of equal quality. Gardens of Grief was their debut EP, and would lay the foundation for the sound they would develop for the rest of their career.

The first thing made apparent on this EP is the limited use of keyboards. They're far from layered or overdubbed as in most symphonic black metal, but they add more of a somber mood not heard in any of their other releases. The production is raw, with guitars and vocals taking the center of the mix. This leads to the drums often being drowned out, especially the snare drum during blastbeats. The songs themselves, production aside, are quite good and, stylistically, are more death metal oriented than their later releases. All Life Ends is the highlight of the EP, with its complex song structure and funerary atmosphere being executed to a T. That's not to discourage the quality found in the other tracks, however, with At The Gates employing some great riffs and City of Screaming Statues hinting at a darker melodic aspect. (City of Screaming Statues would be rerecorded for the debut At The Gates record, The Red In The Sky Is Ours).

Gardens of Grief, while not as polished or as noteworthy as their full-length albums, is certainly worth finding for the already-initiated ATG fans familiar with their older material. It's an interesting release that holds some oft-underappreciated material and an atmosphere all its own.

Abrasive - The Birth...Born In Sodom

Germany’s Abrasive has really accomplished something here. 'The Birth…Born In Sodom' is chocked full of that excessively violent, brutal death metal you can’t help but enjoy, filled with murderous chugging riffs with that drop-your-guts-to-the-floor brand of heaviness, and, as shown in tracks like 'Stimmulate' and 'Hungry', some of the most gruesome breakdowns you’ll ever hear.

After a few short seconds of listening, you'll discover that Abrasive is no fan of subtlety. Every song begins like a blunt weapon that bludgeons and beats you to the ground before slicing you open with razorblade riffs and hanging you from a lamp post by your entrails. This is the kind of devastatingly heavy and brutal death metal that just pummels you without mercy.

Every musician handles their instrument very well on this album. Drums are savage and wild, and the riffs are played like bone saws, slicing through you with passion and precision. Even the bassist shines on the album, thankfully, not displaying the William Murderface effect, as the bass throbs chaotically (And audibly!). The vocals, too, are just the vile, low-growling, hell-vomit you’d want in a brutal death metal band such as this. Everything is as it should be. There are even some solos to be enjoyed! Check out 'Porn Addicted' for an example.

My complaints with this album are small in number, but I’ll state them anyway. First off, the snare drum has that really annoying wood sound that’s becoming more and more popular, and it can be pretty distracting at times. Also, there really isn’t too much that distinguishes one track from another. But on that note, you shouldn’t listen to brutal death metal bands if you crave a lot of song variety. What Abrasive does on this album is brutal death metal done right. This is a great album that I had a lot of fun listening to and reviewing. Check it out!

Hellterror - Reality... review

      

      I'm going to keep this review short, sweet, and filled with more adjectives than there are words. Wait. What? Nevermind. Shall we begin?

      Uncomprehendable, uncompromising, unintelligible destruction. That’s what Malaysian grindcore band Hellterror brings to the table with their new 16-track EP, 'Reality…'. With wild bursts of destructive fury and relentless aggression, this EP promises to leave everything in ruin by the time it’s over. Buildings will be demolished, bridges will fall, society will be left in shambles. This is what Hellterror has unleashed on their EP, and with only 150 copies (all in cassette format) made, you might want to hurry and get your hands on this brutal masterwork before it’s all gone.

-Andrew Oliver

Kill With Hate - Evolution of the Beast review

      

      Hungarian death metal band Kill With Hate seem to have something to prove with their debut album, 'Evolution of the Beast',and while I’m sure most try to follow the thin line between proving their chops and over compensating, 'Evolution of the Beast' goes above and beyond any proof you’ll ever need.

The album kicks off with an intro of native Australian instruments sounding chaotically, creating an atmosphere of dissonance which foreshadows the aural assault to come later on the album.

      The second track, “Birth of the Impiety”, wastes no time kicking into high gear, bludgeoning you with relentless blastbeats and manical riffing before slowing down and getting real heavy, real fast. Throw in a dash of keyboard for atmosphere, and finish it off with a dizzying solo, and you've got one hell of a first impression, all in the course of one minute and forty two seconds.

      I could tell right from the beginning that this was going to be a fun album to listen to, and I was right. The title track, barely longer than three minutes, is the longest track on the album. It rages forward with crushing riffs, highly technical (though slightly generic) drumming, and brutal, disgusting growls. Again, there is an intense and heavy breakdown section with a very impressive solo, after which, the song picks up where it left off, and smashes your face in.

      Kill With Hate, while dabbling quite skillfully in 10 ton breakdowns and chilling atmospheres, really excel the most in the art of kicking your ass with sheer brutality, mostly by means of speed. The track “Family,” for example, is one of many two minute ass-kickings on this 19 minute album that absolutely destroy the listener with effortless and consistent speed and power.

'Evolution of the Beast' is not the greatest death metal album around, but the short, manageable length, coupled with its sheer force and hatred make it more enjoyable listen than most albums of its kind out today, and is able to be enjoyed again and again.

-Andrew Oliver