Screaming Eagle-Wake Up the Dawn
(Independent, 2007)

Its an awesome feeling to get a disc in the mail from a band you have never heard before and it just literally blows you away. The fact that the band is without a label to release the album as of yet is quite mind boggling as the bands brand of stoner rock is quite potent and surprisingly original at yet.

The core of the bands sound could be traced to a cross between Kyuss and Black Sabbath with small doses of The Stooges for good measure. The guitars bend and pound with a style that is both heavy and emotional. I think that calling the band stoner rock is somewhat misleading. Yes there are elements of the genre here, but this also takes from the doom genre as well with flashes of progressive rock shining through from time to time as well.

I find that the vocals really give this band an original edge. They have a bluesy edge and for the life of me I cant shake the feeling that they remind me of the vocals from Alkaline Trio albeit with an English accent and a much different lyrical approach. Its almost like a somewhat common style of stoner rock singing but with an almost 50s rock vibe added. I guess sort of like the style of vocals youd except from maybe a psychobilly band.

This is a band that would have little trouble fitting onto the Rise Above Records roster. It has that stoner rock meets doom vibe and has a lot more to offer then the average stoner rock band. The drums are energetic, the riffs are memorable, and the solos would make Iommi proud. Add in a kick ass vocal performance and you have an album that is hard to pass up on.

Hearse-In These Veins
(Candlelight Records, 2007)

Hearse is a band that you really dont hear enough about. Seriously this band is one of Swedens best kept secrets and features one of the best vocalists death metal has ever seen. This latest album shows the band taking their razor sharp attack and bringing in even more diversity. Calling it the thinking mans version of early Entombed might not be that much of a stretch.

Its seldom seen these days that a band takes something old and makes it new again. Hearse basically uses old school death metal as a foundation but adds in so many unique ideas that calling the album old school is really cutting it short. The use of melody and the effects on the vocals gives the album a depth that you rarely see with an album of this genre. The album is incredibly heavy and very fast at times, yet the creativity is always there. Basically if you took old school death metal, thrash, punk, and even a bit of Ac/Dc styled rock in a blender youd have Hearse.

What really makes this album hit with ferocity is the simple fact that the riffing is incredibly memorable and never overly complicated. There is a raw, stripped down feel to the riffs that make the album seem very organic. This is a style that the band has been bringing closer to perfection with each album, and they come pretty damn close with this album. There really arent any aspects of this album that I would change in any way, shape or form.

If youve been fortunate enough to have heard Hearse before, then youll be glad to know that this is the best album yet from the band. If you havent had the chance to check out this band yet, what the hell are you waiting for? If you enjoy thrash, old school death metal, or hardcore punk this is definitely a band you should already be listening to.

Tulus-Biography Obscene
(Candlelight Records, 2007)

I definitely was not prepared for this one. This is one of the most interesting and diverse black metal albums I have ever heard. In a genre that really is not known for creativity an album like this manages to separate itself from the pack quite easily. There is no denying that this is an album that is easily associated with the black metal genre, but it manages to take common elements of the genre and twist them into something new. The riffs are surprisingly melodic with a lot of diversity and a warmth to the guitar tone rarely seen in black metal. The band stretches their sound even more with the use of keyboards and wind and string instruments occasionally. It gives the music a slight folk sound but not to the same extent as say a band like Fintroll.

This is a band that the genre really needs. They push the envelope while remaining true to the origins of the genre. The catchy riffing and straight forward drumming really help the album get the point across and also helps the other aspects of the album shine through. If you really pay attention youll hear a lot of nuances you rarely hear in black metal, the bass guitar tends to play really unique lines which dont follow the guitars always for instance.

If you are a fan of black metal but are becoming tired of the same old formula, then this is an album you should definitely check out.

In Battle-Kingdom of Fear
(Candlelight Records, 2007)

I was a big fan of the last album from In Battle, and while I do like this album it seems like the band has moved in a slightly different direction. The album is a combination of solid blast beats, slightly melodic riffs and powerful vocals. Which really isnt anything new for the band, but what is new is a somewhat modern metal influence that has crept its way into the bands sound. If you took the sound of the last In Battle album and added a hint of Lamb of God youd have the sound the band is going for with Kingdom of Fear.

The album really covers a lot of ground. Insanely fast blast beats are common, but the band is much more rhythmic with this album and when they slow down they explore a lot of different ideas. Thats not to say that the riffing isnt interesting when the band is playing fast though. They throw in small hints of black metal and just enough Swedish melody to make the riffing much more interesting then standard death metal riffing.

Im a bit on the fence in regards to the sound of the album. The guitars have a bit too much bite in my opinion and a smoother tone would have been nice. The drum sound is a bit typical of metal these days and while the drum performance is damn near perfect the sound is a bit mechanical and cold. This isnt a bad sounding album, far from it, but to my ears this isnt the ideal production for this band.

As far as blackened death metal goes In Battle is one of the best bands around right now. Throw in some thrash influences and rhythmic Lamb of God like heaviness and you have an album moves the band forward while remaining true to their last album.

Gorefest-Rise to Ruin
(Candlelight Records, 2007)

While my taste in music slightly changes each year, one thing always remains constant and that is my love for old school Swedish death metal. I just cant get enough of the stuff and to hear an album from Gorefest that stays true to their early albums really makes me smile.

The fast buzzsaw riffs and burly vocals the band are known for are on prominent display here. The riffs are fast but extremely memorable and played with intensity that you really only can get from barbaric death metal of this sort. This isnt all about speed though. The band does a great job of throwing in slower passages and even some surprising melodic moments which are well written and extremely effective.

Guitar solos are also quite common and usually the bend filled wah drenched solos really add to the songs. The solos have a from the gut feel and while they arent extremely flashy they suit the band perfectly. Not to kick a dead horse, but the solos have a perfect old school feel to them. I think I preferred the days when guitar solos in death metal were more about feeling then technical ability. So youll hear more pentatonic soloing then you will sweep picking and that is fine by me.

Simply put, this sounds like Gorefest. That said this is the faster and most vicious the band has been in a long time. This album could have easily been released in the early 90s and if you are a death metal fan you should know that that basically means you need to buy this album right away.

Knights of the Abyss-Juggernaut
(Siege of Amida, 2007)

Im not sure where Siege of Amida keeps finding these bands, but Knights of the Abyss along with Whitechapel are two of the best bands I have heard to come along from the US in a very long time.

To really cut Knights of the Abyss short you could say that the band sounds like a cross between Morbid Angel and The Black Dahlia Murder with hints of The Red Chord thrown in. The Morbid Angel influence is quite prevalent. The opening instrumental uses extremely heavy and slow riffs that absolutely reek of Morbid Angel. When you get right down to it though the Morbid Angel influence is only a small part of the bands sound, along with the more typical death metal riffs they also explore more melodic guitar lines and more technical ideas as well. So yea they do draw influence from the Swedish school of death metal, but this isnt exactly what I would call a melodic death metal band. For as many melodic moments there are there are many more harsh and extreme moments.

Sound wise I would say this is one of the best albums that Siege of Amida has released. The guitar tone is extremely heavy and clear allowing the slow heavy moments to have as much impact as they need as well as allowing the technical aspects to ring through clearly. The drums are a bit low in the mix during some of the blast beats, but the sound of the drums themselves is quite solid. The vocals are mixed perfectly and allow each style of the vocal approach ring through whether its the growling or the harsher scream approach that is used at times.

Like most bands on the label this isnt exactly what you would call a pure death metal album. It does draw from Swedish death metal and from metalcore as well. To my ears that just helps the band keep things interesting. If this was just constant tremolo picking and blast beats I would become bored quite easily. If you are into Morbid Angel, The Red Chord, or any of the other bands on Siege of Amida then this will be right up your alley.

For Ruin-December
(Sentinel Records, 2007)

There was a time when blackened melodic death metal was quite common. Remember the days when No Fashion Records where still releasing albums? You had extremely melodic bands with harsh vocals that rode the line in between black metal and death metal. For Ruin is a band that definitely would have fit on the No Fashion roster with their melodic yet harsh approach to metal.

When I call this band melodic Im not kidding around, each riff is built on melodic guitar lines. The riffs may be fast but there is always underlying melody. This is the type of band that breaks into twin guitar leads at any given point within a song and it just works. You can tell that the band took the time to craft the songs instead of just writing 10 riffs and calling it a song. There are layers of guitars each one playing something just a bit different. But what really makes the album work is that the band doesnt try to make the riffs complicated. They are extremely catchy and to the point without being overly simplified.

The production is a big letdown in my opinion. Granted this isnt released by a big label, but with a sharper production and a bit more clarity in the guitars the album could have had a bit more oomph. There is no denying that these are good songs, but put someone like Dan Swano behind the boards for the band and youd have a fucking masterpiece on your hands.

For a debut album this is an album that reeks of class and professionalism. The production doesnt really do the band justice, but if this album doesnt get a bigger label interested in the band then there is definitely something wrong. If you enjoy Rotting Christ, Naglfar, or even Dark Tranquility, For Ruins brand of melodic metal should be well worth your time.

Ringworm-The Venomous Grand Design
(Victory Records, 2007)

With each new album Ringworm has further refined their hardcore meets thrash metal sound. Is this the best album yet from the band? Its really tough to say. What I can say is that this is the most metallic the band has ever sounded with some extremely thrash influenced riffs and even some surprising use of almost Swedish like melody. Rest assured though, it still sounds like Ringworm.

Like all good hardcore albums this album hardly gives you a chance to catch your breath. Each song is filled to the brim with speed usually pausing only briefly for slower yet just as heavy sections. Ill be honest I do enjoy the slower parts but for me Ringworm is all about the speed. They have a distinct style when they play fast. Not to sound corny, but you could almost call it evil hardcore. It just has that sinister vibe that you really dont hear in hardcore very often.

Its rare to see a band of this genre to be able to progress like this and not change enough that they arent recognizable. This is indeed a Ringworm album through and through but there is no denying that this does sound quite different from Justice Replace By Vengeance. If you are new to Ringworm and you like your hardcore fast and metallic then it doesnt get much better then this.