Necrodeath-Draculea
(Scarlet Records, 2007)

Necrodeath have been together for 25 years so it seems a bit ridiculous to me that they aren't a more well known band. Their dark and aggressive approach to thrash metal is almost unparalleled in a time when thrash is becoming a bit of a trend. What makes this band different is that they dont throw in modern influences to water down the sound. Sure the production has a modern sheen and the vocals are a bit harsher than classic thrash, but riff wise this is classic thrash through and through.

Another element that helps the album succeed is the fact that this is a concept album based on the life of Vlad Tepes. It allows the band to be a bit more epic at times as they experiment with different percussion throughout the album. They also slow things down at times and allow an excellent creepy atmosphere to work itself into the music. There is no shortage of fast riffs and scathing vocals, but the album is definitely a varied one.

The production is incredibly solid with an extremely clear yet powerful guitar sound. It's the type of guitar sound bands go their entire careers trying to get. The drums are clear and the additional percussion elements ring through nicely as well. The album is mixed perfectly keeping even the fastest moments together and clear. When I call this band fast Im not kidding as when the band kicks it into high gear this is some of the fastest thrash I have ever heard.

Thrown in for good measure is a cover of the Venom classic Countess Bathory. While it certainly is a song that has been covered before, the band does an excellent job with the cover and it fits the theme of the album perfectly.

While the majority of the album is made up of high octane thrash, there certainly is a lot of variation throughout. If the idea of a fast yet dynamic thrash album sounds appealing to you, this is the album to check out.

Fatally Yours-An Almost Sacred Triumph
(Casket Music, 2007)

Sometimes an album comes my way that s completely different than what the site usually covers, but as they say good tunes is good tunes. There are definitely good tunes.

With an approach that draws from both The Smiths and early U2, Fatally Yours is slightly melancholic but firmly rooted in a pop sound. The guitars are jangly and effects soaked while the bass and drums provide an upbeat foundation. The vocals are heartfelt and manage to convey emotions easily. It takes little effort to hear that the band is from the UK and thats certainly not a bad thing. Fatally Yours is another band to add to the long list of quality rock bands with pop sensibilities from the country.

This might not be what you would call an original band, but it certainly is an enjoyable listen none the less. I think the band was going for a slightly more accessible form of rock where the songs are what do the talking. This is a memorable albeit slightly familiar album that is easily enjoyed but not so easily forgotten.

Gorgoroth-Pentagram
(Regain Records, 2007)

Originally released in 1994, Pentagram was the debut album from Gorgoroth and to this day it stands up very well as one of the best albums ever in the black metal genre. With its stripped down approach, almost punk like attitude and extremely memorable riffs the album shows the band had a firm grasp on what a black metal band should embody. There certainly were a lot of classic albums from this time period, but this one doesn't quite seem to get its due.

With a scathing vocal approach and cold atmospheric riffs the band manages to have a sound that is easily associated with the black metal genre, yet it is tough to peg this as being a typical black metal album. Hellhammer-esque riffs are used quite often and there is even some slightly doom influenced passages throughout the album. Melody is also used throughout to great lengths. I've always thought Gorgoroth have written some of the best melodic yet blistering guitar lines the genre has ever seen and they were present even on the bands debut. Even if the band had broken up after this one album they would certainly still be considered among the black metal elite.

Combining vicious intensity with cold riffs, the Gorgoroth sound really took shape with this debut album. Each song is an extreme and well written black metal gem collectively making one of the best albums the genre has ever seen. If you are a fan of the band but havent checked out their debut album I highly recommended that you do.

Gorgoroth-Antichrist
(Regain Records, 2007)

Following Pentagram in 1996, Antichrist is a 25 minute slab of black metal intensity that shows the band pushing their sound forward becoming a slightly faster band in the process. The guitar sound is bit more trebly with this album and the blasting has become much more frequent. This is probably where the modern sound of the band first started to take shape.

The songs are much colder with this EP than the debut album. The debut had an almost punk like feel to a lot of the material, while this is much darker and more foreboding. The melodic aspect of the bands sound has been greatly increased and the Hellhammer styled riffs are pretty much gone entirely. While I do enjoy the debut album more than this album, there is no denying that the band did move forward with this album progressing into a more textured style of black metal. There is definitely more going on within the songs and the band even began to experiment with clean vocals.

While it might not have the same immediacy as the debut, Antichrist showed the band moving forward and adding new elements to their already unique approach to black metal. If you consider yourself a black metal fan, you should consider this EP a mandatory purchase as it is an album that helped form the current black metal sound.

Gorgoroth-Under the Sign of Hell
(Regain Records, 2007)

Originally released in 1997, Under the Sign of Hell was Gorgoroth's second full length album and is what some consider being the bands best album. While I still consider the debut album to be my favorite album from the band, Under the Sign of Hell is definitely in second place. With new found extremity and added chaos, the band tears through the songs with reckless abandon. The production is raw adding even more intensity to the already violent nature of the album.

The album is feedback soaked and takes a stark turn from the previous EP which showed the band somewhat refining their sound and even adding clean vocals. This album goes the exact opposite direction with a much more extreme approach. Elements of the debut that were missing from the Antichrist EP are back with this album and the lo-fi approach to the album brings back the almost punk like feel of the debut. The melody is still present, but there is definitely viciousness on display here that the band has never had in the past.

Despite an extremely raw production, the album manages to have a tremendous impact. The raw sound almost adds to the overall fierceness of the album and gives the band a slightly more chaotic feel than they had with their first few releases. While Im sure the debate will continue as to what is the best album from Gorgoroth, what is certain is that Under the Sign of Hell is one hell of a black metal album that is deserving of all of the praise the black metal scene has given it.

Rob Rock-Garden of Chaos
(Candlelight Records, 2007)

After the impressive Holy Hell, Rob Rock is back with Garden of Chaos, an album filled with soaring vocals, extremely catchy riffs and a technical yet accessible overall approach. This is indeed a power metal album at the end of the day, but there are some monstrously heavy riffs to be found here and for some reason a lot of riffs bring to mind Arch Enemy. Of course this is much more melodic but it has a bite and viciousness that isnt common with melodic metal of this style normally.

With an outstanding backing band, Rob can focus on what he does best and that is belt out some of the best vocals the metal genre has ever seen. With a soaring yet ballsy approach to singing, Robs voice does fit nicely into the power metal genre but he isnt afraid to throw in a bit of grit and a bluesy edge from time to time. The soaring choruses are of course here and in large quantities, but these songs have much more to offer vocally than just a catchy chorus.

Musically the album is pretty much ridiculous. The riffs are incredibly infectious with a melodic yet technical approach. The opening title track is one of the heaviest songs on the disc and I think it will surprise quite a few people as it definitely isn't what you might expect from Rob Rock. The following song, Satans Playground, is just as heavy and hits like a ton of bricks. The two songs open the album with a solid combination and really suck you in to enjoy the rest of the album.

If you are a fan of guitar heroics there is definitely a lot here for you to consume. Not only are the riffs played ridiculously clean but the solos are just as well played and some of these are really scorchers. The guitar solos never reach the point of being excessive though as the songs always remain the main focus.

If you enjoyed Holy Hell, there is no reason why you won't enjoy Garden of Chaos just as much if not more. This is a solid album of heavy riffs, catchy choruses and guitar solos sure to inspire air guitar silliness.

Quasar-Tales of Arcana
(Plague Promotions, 2007)

This album is definitely one of the more creative underground albums to come my way in the past little while. Quasar are from Australia and have a sound that is certainly very hard to pigeonhole. On one hand the band plays a melodic form of black metal, yet they have doom elements and as a whole the band isnt afraid to experiment as the album is filled with surprise moments that will leave you scratching your head.

While on the surface this is extreme metal, there certainly are a lot of outside influences coming into play. Acoustic guitars are used throughout and certain parts have an almost psychedelic edge to them. If you basically took Absu and Pink Floyd combined them and added a layer of doom on top you would have Quasar. This is far from being typical extreme metal and that isnt something that is easy to say these days.

The production is a bit rough around the edges but the band keeps things together and manages to keep things moving forward. The guitar sound is a bit on the thin side at times, and the recording is possibly not quite as tight as it could be. It doesn't entirely take away from the music to be honest though, but I could see the band benefiting from a more powerful production.

Originality in extreme music is hard to come by these days and Quasar is certainly trying new things and bringing a unique approach to metal. If you enjoy your metal to be experimental yet still rooted in black metal, this one is definitely for you.