Neuraxis-The Thin Line Between
(Prosthetic Records, 2008)

It has been exciting watching Neuraxis progress over the years. They started off with a bang with Imagery and each consecutive album has seen the band further perfecting their sound. The Thin Line Between shows the band reaching sonic perfection creating an album that truly sets the benchmark for technical death metal. If you think you've heard everything technical death metal has to offer, this Canadian band begs to differ.

What is mind boogling about Neuraxis is not only how fast the band plays but just how proficient the band is at high speeds. These riffs at slow speeds would have some guitar players struggling, never mind being played full throttle with a blast beat underneath. The band also does an amazing job interjecting melody into the sound. Melodic runs are quite common and the band does it in a way that is purely Neuraxis. In fact when you get right down to it, Neuraxis has one of the most original sounds in technical death metal right now.

With new label Prosthetic Records behind them, Neuraxis may no longer continue to be a criminally underrated band. If fans of technical death metal have not heard this band yet this is definitely the album to start with. While most bands considered technical death metal play fairly standard death metal and just add sweep picking, Neuraxis has chops to spare and aren't afraid to show them. One song on this album possibly has more riffs than some entire albums. That in itself is impressive but when you add in the fact that the band makes it memorable it is just mind blowing. This one comes highly recommended.

http://www.myspace.com/neuraxis

The Kill-Hate Sessions
(No Escape Records, 2008)

The Kill are easily one of the best grindcore bands to ever come from Australia. Armed with razor sharp riffs, volatile vocals and snappy drumming, The Kill took the classic grindcore sound and pushed it to the breaking point. Forget about death metal bands pretending to be grindcore. This is the real deal.

Hate Sessions collects all of the tracks from the Soundtrack to Your Violence MCD as well as the bands Self-titled demo for a total of 25 songs. Soundtrack to Your Violence pretty much tore the grindcore genre a new arsehole when it was originally released and is still decimating to this day. The songs are short bursts of chaotic energy that will leave you breathless. I would say the band sounds similar to Hellnation but a bit more sinister riff-wise. The demo is fairly similar although a few of the songs are a bit lengthier though no less lethal. A different vocalists was also used on the demo with a slightly harsher style.

If you are a fan of grindcore and you haven't heard The Kill Hate Sessions should be number one on your shopping list. This is an incredibly vicious collection from an underrated band that is not talked about nearly enough, If you are a grindcore fan you'll dig The Kill, end of story.

http://www.myspace.com/thekillgrind