Gollum-The Core
(Rotten Records, 2009)

It's really hard to put a label on what Gollum plays. While it certainly easily falls into the metal catagory, the band throws everything from vintage thrash riffs, sludge filled doom riffs, and vicious vocal snarls at the listener and they make it work perfectly. Think early Megadeth meets Eyehategod to have an idea of what exactly the band sounds like in motion.

There is almost something progressive or artistic about the band. Granted the music is ugly and quite heavy for the most part, but the structuring is very different and this isn't a band that likes to repeat themselves. If you are expecting big hooks and choruses, you won't find them here. The approach is layered and noise driven but each new listen brings new elements to the surface. The snarling vocals further reinforce the bands chaotic yet familiar approach.

As odd as it sounds I would call this original even though the band really isn't doing anything you haven't heard before. They do however manage to take sounds and riff styles that you have heard before and put a new spin on them. The noise driven and sludge riffs work well in contrast to some of the more thrash inspired moments and really contrast with the mellow moments. If you like your metal incredibly heavy yet still quite inventive, check out this one for sure.

Soulgate's Dawn-Messiah
(Bastardized Recordings, 2009)

Sometimes having what could be a familiar sound can work in your favor. In the case of Soulgate's Dawn, the European metalcore band really has a sound that could be called typical of the genre. The album is very similar in nature to Heaven Shall Burn and Caliban but without much of the melodic side of the latter. So in essence you can expect melodic riffing, burly chugging and aggressive vocals. It's nothing new but it works.

The band definitely has chops in the songwriting department but there are still many moments on the album that just seem a bit too familiar. The times when the band really connects with a riff, there is no denying the band has a lot to offer. That said, at the end of the day the band really is rather typical of the metalcore genre. For me I can get into what the band is doing regardless of that fact, but if this isn't a genre that you normally listen to the album really doesn't have much universal appeal. There aren't really any outside elements to hook fans of any of the other subgenres of metal in.

If you are a fan of Heaven Shall Burn, Caliban or many of the artists of Lifeforce Records, I could definitely see you enjoying this album. It is definitely a bit on the safe side, but the songwriting is solid enough to warrant multiple listens. Just don't expect any surpises and you won't be let down.

The Funeral Pyre-December
(Creator-Destructor Records, 2009)

I wasn't alone in my feelings that Wounds was a slightly lacking album from this band. December is the follow up EP and it seems like the band has definitely taken a step in the right direction. While stylistically there really wasn't anything wrong with Wounds, the songwriting just wasn't all that exciting and the band just seemed to be capable of more. This shows much more promise.

The band is very much a black metal band but it is filtered through melodic death metal and for some strange reason they remind me of Darkest Hour from time to time. The songwriting with this EP seems much more focused. The blasting sections are handled incredibly well and each song really breathes and never lacks in the dynamics department. One aspect of the songwriting that still seems a bit lacking is that the band sometimes seems unsure of how to lead into or out of the very fast sections. The transitions sometimes are a bit sharp but this is something that has improved since the last album. The band seems to be becoming much more comfortable with their sound the it shows throughout the EP.

If you are a fan of the band but felt a bit letdown by Wounds, this is an EP that will restore your faith in the band. It isn't perfect and the band still has a tendency to use riffs that sound very similar at times but this definitely continues the potential on display with the past two albums. When the third full length is released I am definitely looking forward to seeing what the band puts together.