Wastelander-Wardrive
(Planet Metal, 2008)

Evil, pissed off and fast would be the ideal way to describe Wastelander. While the album art might have you thinking that the band plays retro thrash, that isn't quite true of the music. The music is indeed old school in nature but more of a cross between Venom and Dark Throne with some punk overtones thrown in. With basically translates into a sound that can be summed up in two words, kick ass.

The album is surprisingly three dimensional with the band never really falling into similar waters with each song. There are songs that are more punk oriented while other songs up the war metal aspect of the sound and bring in a Blasphemy feel to the guitar riffing. Early Celtic Frost also seems to be an influence as well with numerous riffs throughout out having a slippery and heavy feel similar to the Morbid Tales album. The album is certainly black metal in nature, but if you are expecting blast beats, bumble bee guitar riffs and manic shrieking you won't find it here.

If you are a fan of a time when metal was simpler and black metal wasn't quite as ridiculous as it is today, this is definitely an album you will want to check out. The band manages to throw Venom, Dark Throne, Celtic Frost, and Amebix into a sound that is energetic, diverse and incredibly memorable. Forget about sub-genres, if you are a metal fan you'll like this.

Kommandant-Stormlegion
(Planet Metal, 2008)

Any fan of true underground metal will now that Chicago has always had a number of amazing bands in the metal genre. Kommandant is made up of members of Cianide, Usurper and CorpseVomit and if that doesn't get you interest peaked your taste in metal might come under close scrutiny.

Kommandant may be closely related to the black metal genre, but there are definitely a number of outside influences that make their way into the music. The riffing style is dark and layered but a number of death metal influences manage to come through as well as a few slight grindcore leanings from time to time. The drumming definitely has a strong grindcore feel to it allowing the drumming to stand out as being much more energetic than a typical black metal album. While the band is definitely speed based, the songwriting is always right on the money and the band never becomes sloppy always staying as tight as a war march.

I'll be the first to admit that there are time when I despise the current crop of metal bands around right now. Few bands seem to relight that spark that made metal so viral and for lack of a better word, fun, in the first place. Kommandant is a band that will kick your ass musically but if you are a fan of real metal you'll love every second of it.

Bible of the Devil-Freedom Metal
(Cruz Del Sur, 2008)

The argument could be made that Bible of the Devil isn't bringing anything new to metal yet at the same time it's hard not to think that there amalgamation of classic metal sounds stands out right now. Taking cues from classic Iron Maiden, Motorhead, and AC/DC with hints of Kiss and Black Sabbath, the band has an instantly accessible sound that shows how timeless metal can be.

The vocals for me really hit the mark with this band. They truly sound like a cross between Paul Di'Anno and Bon Scott. It matches the band perfectly and the combination of melody with a bit of grit really works for the band. The lead guitar work is also of note due to it being tasteful in a time when excess is quite common in metal. The simple nature of the lead work only adds to the memorable side of the band and honestly anything flashier just wouldn't have fit. The riffing definitely doesn't set the groundwork for shredding guitar leads.

The bands influences definitely read like the patches you'd see on a metalheads jacket during the 80's. If you think modern metal is missing the mark this is a band that you may want to give a shot. They play vintage metal and leave the modern influences out completely. If you are a fan of early Iron Maiden this comes highly recommended.

Burning the Masses-Mind Control
(Mediaskare Records, 2008)

The fact that the members of Burning the Masses aren't even 18 yet is enough to make this album worth a listen. But when you add in the fact that the band has written an intense album that is much better than the bigger names in the genre this is a hard album to pass up on. It may not be incredibly original but the band certainly makes up for it with the gusto they play with.

Combining technical guitar work, death metal speed and metalcore rhythms, the band has a sound that is familiar yet still exciting. There really isn't anything here you haven't heard before but the band manages to write memorable riffs that work the technicality in without sounding forced. The band keeps to the sweep picking to a minimum and when they do throw it in the sections never fail to impress. Breakdowns are also absent and thank god for that. The rhythmic side of the band is definitely there but the riffs are much more death metal in nature and rarely falls into the trap of just chugging a single note.

There is no denying that this young band has a lot of talent and Mind Control is an album that I can recommend with little hesitation. Like I did mention however the band isn't really making any waves in their genre of choice. This is fairly by the books and if you are familiar with other bands on Mediskare you'll undoubtedly enjoy this. Despite the lack of originality the album still packs a lot of punch.

As Eden Burns-The Great Celestial Delusions
(Willowtip Records, 2008)

The first thought that occurred to me while listening to this album was just how damn close the band came to nailing the blackened death metal sound of the mid 90's. I was a huge fan of No Fashion Records and the stuff Black Mark was releasing during this time period and As Eden Burns is one of the first bands in a long time to truly match the quality present in that time period. Pre-Slaughter of the Soul At The Gates and Dissection clash in a bloody battle that is incredibly melodic yet no less caustic.

I'll be the first to admit that a lot of North American bands that attempt this style miss the mark by miles. As Eden Burns has the skill to truly coat the music with the finesse that it truly needs. There is more to this style than playing lame thrash riffs and throwing cliche twin guitar leads on top. Every riff is pieced together in a way that makes the songs feel very complete. Even the riffs that could be considered a bit more typical of the genre are still much better than average. The lead guitar work also really stands out. The solos are fast yet the band manages to keep things razor sharp and the leads never seem excessive or showy.

Although the bands are quite different in many ways I could definitely see fans of Arsis being able to get into As Eden Burns. The bands have similar styles with these guys being a bit less excessive in the lead guitar work. If you are a fan of melodic death metal and have been waiting for a band that can stand beside the masters of the genre, here you go.

Maruta-In Narcosis
(Willowtip Records, 2008)

Grindcore has definitely changed a lot over the years. The manic energy that was present during the formation of the genre is still there but the overall feel of the genre and the riffing has certainly changed. Case in point, Maruta definitely is a grindcore band but they could definitely be considered a modern grindcore band.

The riffing style is technical and covers a lot of ground with the drums never falling behind. Dissonance is used to awesome effect throughout the album. Demise of the Humanist is a perfect example of this and actual a shining example of the fact that the band really isn't just another grindcore band. Disassociate meets Assuck somewhat describes what the band is doing but each song brings new surprises. The fact that I can say a grindcore album is varied doesn't happen very often. I love grindcore but it certainly has a tendency to be one dimensional. That is definitely not the case with Maruta.

As a huge fan of grindcore I can comfortably say that if you like the genre, this album definitely hits the mark. This is an explosive and surprisingly diverse album that fans of everything from Nasum to Agoraphobic Nosebleed should have very little trouble getting into.

Hatred Surge-Collection 2005-2007
(Blastasfuck Grindcore, 2008)

Pardon my ignorance but I had never heard of Hatred Surge before this 32 song gem showed up in my mailbox. I know very little about the band although from one spin of the album I do know that they kick a lot of ass.

The band plays an absolutely blistering style of grindcore that for the most part keeps the songs extremely short but never to the point of just being noise. The band manages to keep things from becoming one dimensional by throwing in a number of mid-tempo parts in the songs. The combination of male and female vocalists also helps to keep things interesting. Overall the band sounds like a much more vicious Spazz. This is a band that definitely would have been perfect for Slap A Ham Records if it were still around today.

If you are like me and new to Hatred Surge this is the ideal place to start as it collects pretty much everything the band has released up until this point I believe. While I did have a hard time finding out much about the band online it does seem like they are indeed still together. That being the case I am definitely looking forward to hearing more from the band in the future. If the words power violence or grindcore make your ears happy, this is a collection well worth your time.

Hooded Menace-Fulfill the Curse
(Razorback Records, 2008)

The first demo from Hooded Menace was amazing, yet it didn't even begin to prepare me for the raw savagery shown on Fulfill the Curse. Think of it like a horror sequel. The first installment set the pace and showed you the groundwork, and the sequel takes everything and just makes it bigger and better. If you are a fan of doom metal, this is an essential album.

This really is an album that stands out as being a bit different from Razorback Records. Usually known for high octane bands, this Finnish band moves at a much slower pace hitting a perfect combination of doom metal sludge and early death metal atmosphere. Hints of Candlemass, Winter and possibly even hints of early Celtic Frost are stripped bare, down tuned and coated with grimy vocals that seem to come from the very pits of hell. The fact that the band can be slower and still maintain energy is quite commendable. It is largely due to the death metal feel of many of the riffs and the vocals also keep things interesting throughout as well.

One definite surprise comes in the form of a cover of the theme from Manhattan Baby. Obviously the band is influenced and themed around the Blind Dead series as well as Spanish horror in general, but the nod to Fulci is incredibly well done and sounds incredible with the heavy guitars employed by the band.

If you are a fan of doom metal and death metal when it wasn't only about speed and the atmosphere still mattered, this definitely comes highly recommended. This is an awesome sounding album, played impeccably and wrapped up in amazing black and white artwork. In essence this is a perfect underground metal album that deserves your attention.

Hybrid Viscery-Regression
(Kasamata Records, 2008)

Face peeling death metal infused grindcore is what Hybrid Viscery specializes in and the 19 songs that make up this album would be an adequate substitute for explosives if you needed to bring down a building. Something of a cross between Napalm Death and Regurgitate, the band plays an absolutely vicious style of grind barely ever breaking the one minute mark with their songs.

I like the fact that the band is somewhat taking a more classic approach to the style. This has more in common with the days when Last Days of Humanity, Utopie and Cripple Bastards were making noise within the underground. It has a vintage grind feel but borrows heavily from goregrind as well. The vocals are pummeling dual vocal style that actually never use the pitch shifting that is so common for a band of this style. It may have worked for Last Days of Humanity but it rarely ever worked aside from them. The band also manages to throw in a few more tempos than you might initially expect. Of course the majority of the album is blasting, but there are many midtempo parts thrown in for good measure.

Hybrid Viscery aren't bringing anything new to the table but to use a ridiculous saying, they fit like an old shoe. This reminds me of the days when I would scour any resource possible to discover new underground death metal. If the names Last Days of Humanity, Utopie, and Regurgitate are familar to you, this is definitely for you.