Reviews
I took a few weeks break from work and social media and this has increased the backlog of new albums reviews but I hope that I will be able to catch up in the coming weeks (or maybe months...). This month we have mostly releases from the extreme metal spectrum !
Hurakan - Via Aeterna
"Via Aeterna" starts a new era for Hurakan, and we couldn't be more excited to share it with all of you after two years of intensive work. We have pushed our boundaries in composition and performance, resulting in a more cohesive, organic and mature music taking the listener through different atmospheres and emotions on a blistering journey. We feel this is our biggest and most successful effort to date, "Via Aeterna" reflects Hurakan's new state of mind, inspired by the mental problems that everyone can unfortunately endure in their lives, but also about existential issues such as death, the aftermath and the anguish it can bring."
publishing your album with such a bold statement shows confidence, but I would that the Deathcore of Hurakan looks straightly into the eyes some of their contemporaries like Carnifex, Lorna Shore or Fit For An Autopsy. Melodic in certain parts and (something very important for me) bearing a relatively "natural" sound thus avoiding over-triggering Via Aeterna is a must for any subgenre fan...
Downfall Of Mankind - Vile Birth
Vile Birth is the second Deathcore album review for this month. Being slightly more technical than Hurakan, they maintain a high level of quality that will for sure gain them new audience. Approach without any caution...
Volus - Thrown To The Abyss
Vølus is an one man Blackened Death Metal band from South Carolina, USA formed by Justin Vølus in 2018. Their sound incorporates noise, ambient and industrial elements which successfully enhance the dissonant atmosphere of Thrown To The Abyss. Based on what I listened, the album achieves what its title claims...
Brutta - Brutta
Brutta come from Brazil and it comes as no surprise that their sound takes its influences from the Beneath The Remains/Arise era of Sepultura. Avoiding unnecessary complexities and focusing on groove and brutality, their self-titled album stands - in my opinion - higher than the efforts of cover bands like Troops of Doom...
IATT - Magnum Opus
Trying to play progressive Death/Black metal and introducing innovations such as incorporating instruments like saxophone has all the potential to become a flop. Thankfully IATT in their new album do not fail, however Magnum Opus could have benefitted from a smaller duration. Still a great album but I have the feeling that IATT have not created their "actual" Magnum Opus yet...
Katharos - Of Linages Long Forgotten
There is a very thin line that separates great Symphonic Black Metal bands from the cheesy ones and I think Katharos successfully managed not to cross it. The album was recorded in the legendary Necromorbus Studio (Mayhem, Watain et al.) making this one more factor for the great final outcome balancing perfectly epic majestic parts with aggression. If Symphonic Black Metal with an Epic twist is your thing, then you have just found your album of the year...
Nechochwen - Kanawha Black
After 7 years since the release of their last album Heart of Akamon, West Virginia's Nechochwen return with Kanawha Black ! Mixing Classic with Black metal they have reminded me of bands like Primordial and Rotting Christ (especially in the way that they incorporate traditional and folk elements in their music). Kanawha Black is a very well made record and I am sure that it will find its way in many lists at the end of the year as it is one of those metal albums that non-metal audience can listen and enjoy...
Stellar Death - Sentient (Chapter 1)
Two member Washington, DC-based band Stellar Death present their new instrumental EP titled Sentient (Chapter 1). This EP is the first part of a series of recordings which (according to the band) "will ultimately culminate into a collection of songs based on a thematic exploration of consciousness within the universe...".
Sentient (Chapter 1) is instrumental, mostly post metal oriented hence avoiding extreme outbursts but rather retaining an ambient, atmospheric even cinematic character. While the compositions are interesting and well structured where the overall result is compromised is by the production which is not so "lively" (especially in drums which sound profoundly programmed). Obviously a limitation of not having a full band in place and a thing to be considered for their next releases...
Herida Profunda - Power To The People
This is not the first time that Herida Profunda are presented in this blog, and bypassing the awkwardly unusual cover I would say that their version of Grindcore is quite enjoyable and that's mainly due to its diversity. Leaning more towards to punk (imagine something similar to Agathocles Mincecore), Power To The People is an album not insanely fast but with sufficient number of good music ideas.
#Hurakan #DownfallOfMankind #Volus #Brutta #IATT #Katharos #Nechowhen #StellarDeath #HeridaProfunda