Legions of War - Forced to the Ground - 9 Track Album - Inferno Records - Released 20th December 2013

Legions of War

Forced to the Ground

9 Track Album

Inferno Records

Released 20^th December 2013

 Simply Stunning!

Legions of War – Sweden

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Legions-of-war

Genre: Black Thrash

The cover depicts an image of three German soldiers with some menacing looking dogs, whilst their enemy hides and is very apt for this band, if you imagine the band as the soldiers and you the enemy hiding from view – but beware they will seek you out!  The bands lyrics are contained within a glossy array of pages making it altogether a good CD with which to enhance your collection.

Through the Barricades – Behind Enemy Lines Part 1

The muffled steps of marching men can be heard whilst the guitar oozes shrill riffs. It suddenly explodes into fighting frenzy mode, and briefly a lone low bass growl can be heard before the scornful vocal carries on its onslaught.

Forced to the Ground – Behind Enemy Lines Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhN7NNWypYc

Tenacious and corrupting this licks the ears with brutal and spiteful control. The rhythm is mesmeric bringing further menace to its already bristling energy. Savage and raw it literally feeds on strong emotion.

Pile of Corpses

Potent and energetic its flights of fancy turn malignant in one fell swoop! The vocal urgency is extreme and passionate amid scorching riffs and compelling drum beats. The rhythms are delicious too! So much so you can nearly taste them on the tongue.

Remains of War

The tide is ebbing to beautiful acoustic guitar and then a rhythmic swathe of energy surges into the light turning it black in an instant as the vocals burn caustically.  The ears literally absorb this track as it throws out blackened tendrils of hate towards its victims.

At the Eastern Shores

In a frenzied attack on the senses this plays through its uncompromising melee of intrigue that is not only mesmerising but delivered with utter gusto, firing madly with a blaze of riffs and then turning into a more sombre thought provoking moment.

Grandiose Visions

Grisly and gnarly, this is one that deserves 11 on the dial. The rhythms alone give it lasting confrontation and it is ridiculously addictive. Bristling with a potent energy – if this doesn’t have you head banging nothing will. It has the black metal vocal but the music is more than ‘just’ metal and more than just black and therefore a great combination that shows off the bands diversity, incorporating some amazing rhythmic glory! I am feeling every passionate note on this stupendous track till its final glorious close!

Death Brigade

This is another track that will turn the blood from free flowing into a bubbling festering clot that stagnates under the skin. The passion that exudes here is phenomenal. The guitars twist and turn and with it, takes great pride in overwhelming the listener into musical submission.

In the Warfield Storms

A wash with metal soaring and ravenous grooves that will melt the senses. If this was an explosion it would be felt in all parts of the globe! The thundering riffs and beats are colossal.  The band certainly lives up to their name. It’s not only precise and technical it also brings superb rewards to the listener. Win!

Nights of Revenge

Another rampage of metal delights and is yet another incendiary device that ignites, exploding with passion.  The vocals rasp and burn which demand your attention and gets it too! It will more than violate the senses but it is worth it for the rewards it brings.

To Sum up:

One superb listen from start to finish.  These nine tracks will literally explode from your speakers and bring with it some magical magnetic moments of sheer passion.  The energetic riffs do more than overwhelm and will leave you breathless.

It possesses a rich intensity that if these guys were at war - not firing guns – but playing their instruments and singing these tracks live, then their enemy would surrender within seconds of listening.

You certainly don’t mess with Swedish metal bands and ‘Legions of War’ are not going to go down without a fight, at least this is the impression I get when listening to this album.

The blackened malice and sheer savagery they have produced on this album is outstanding! Drenched with high octane riffs and predatory rhythms it is one towering inferno that will knock you into next week with an almighty bang!

Simply stunning!

10/10

Track List:

Through the Barricades – Behind Enemy Lines Part 1

Forced to the Ground – Behind Enemy Lines Part 2

Pile of Corpses

Remains of War

At the Eastern Shores

Grandiose Visions

Death Brigade

In the Warfield Storms

Nights of Revenge

Members:

Cyclone - Vocals/Guitar

Light Wind – Vocals/Bass

Widowreaper - Guitar

C.Stalinorgel - Drums

Demona - Speaking with the Devil - 11 Track Album - Inferno Records - Released 28th December 2013

Demona

Speaking with the Devil

11 Track Album

Inferno Records

Released 28^th December 2013

Demona – Chile/Canada

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/DemonaSpeed

Discography:

Promo EP                       2008   

Metal Is Me  Demo          2009   

Metal Still Is Me              Compilation  2009   

Single Demo                    2009   

Die in Violence EP           2010   

Speed Metal Kills   Split   2011   

Acid Demons         Split   2011   

Nightmare Demo             2011   

MIM / The Assassin EP   2012   

Metal through the Time    Full-length   2012 

Speaking with the Devil    Full-length   2013   

Recorded in Jan, Feb and March of 2013 in Studio Sismique Canada.

Mastered and Mixed by Jack Moose.

Cover Art by Arsenio ‘Arseniko’ Spinoza

Logo by Eduard Johnson.

Genre: Speed Metal

Exordium Intro

This track starts with deep resonating ambiance and sharper than an axe.

Malvenidos

What strikes you most with this track is the sonic speed that emanates from the speakers. Fronted by Tanza whose vocals are accentuated by a foreign accent which may appeal to a lot of male metal heads out there although it is quite difficult to understand the lyrics it has to be said.

Dirty Speed Metal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LNiEEBAKgE

This lives up to its title and hounds the listener with death defying speed and shrieking vocals that are very distinctive and intense and no doubt shatter glass. The guitars are just as explosive as the drumming is wild.

Speaking with the Devil

Along the same vein as the previous track this is the title track and it speeds into metal oblivion, blink and you could miss something. It possesses rhythms that intensify with a good strong melodic core attached.

Traitors

Is a little slower in pace that gives you time to catch your breath, however not for long it soon gains momentum once more and is spiked with rapacious groove. The vocals are not as ‘crisp’ as they could be but none the less still hold the shrieking banshee type screams.

Bad Boy

This is a thick and heavy little chugger that is steadfast and surges to the extreme. The screams on this, sounds a little better although there is a slightly muffled haze clouding it that never quite clears thoroughly enough to enjoy the thrill of the chase.

Demona

This track does however sound crystal clear and sonically sweeps the horizon leaving a trail of dust in its wake. It more than scales the heights to its extremes and is turbo charged with ferocious guitars, add in a melodic gait to the bold screams and you have one superb track indeed!

Stronger than the Hardest Stone

Hard edged with shrill guitar and thick melodic embrace it again gathers a steely momentum although not as rapacious as some of the previous tracks, however, it does give you breathing space to fully enjoy the track in all its glory.

Mercenario

A predatory track that stalks and then grabs its prey by the aural. Again the track holds ripe rhythm and venomous soaring of a shredding guitar that seems to know no limits.

The Sorcerer’s Escapade

Bursting into a sonic vengeance, it scrapes the aural with its fast – not ‘slowing for a second’ embrace.  The vocals run the scales with a spiked vehement onslaught and all the top notes are hit with a bold audacity. The ghostly whispers at the end of this track play out superbly giving it a unique vibe.

Cease to Exist Outro

With a low rumble of bass and sinister sharp guitar – this is how Demona bows out.

To Sum up:

Demona formed in 2007 and have a string of releases attached to their name. Although, not having heard anything previous from the band it made me investigate further ‘The Assassin’ on YouTube is just as rapacious but also ran along the same lines of speed metal, so the band are not moving away from their comfort zone any time soon, so not a lot of diversity to be had.

The album cover has more of a black metal feel to it as does the title and nothing like their genre suggests. But there has been no expense spared putting this package together as all the lyrics are contained on each of the glossy pages and the layout is produced by one of the bands own members - Tanza.

The vocals although very distinctive do at times sound a little out of place to such a cavalcade of madness presented by the ferocious onslaught of guitars and tend to represent themselves along the same lines, so it can get slightly monotonous at times, so losing some concentration as distraction sets in.

But on the whole it is the guitars that redeem this album with their speeding and captivating presence.

7/10

Track List:

Exordium Intro

Malvenidos

Dirty Speed Metal

Speaking with the Devil

Traitors

Bad Boy

Demona

Stronger than the Hardest Stone

Mercenario

The Sorcerer’s Escapade

Cease to Exist Outro

Members:

Jeff - Bass

Antoine - Drums

Tanza - Guitars/Vocals

Gabrihell - Guitars

Aura - Rain - 6 Track E.P - Released 2013

Aura

Rain

6 Track E.P

Released 2013

Immensely intriguing!

Aura – Malaga, Spain

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Auraabm

Genre: Ambient, Depressive Black Metal

Trying to find out anything about Aura begs the old ‘needle in the proverbial haystack’ syndrome, so do forgive the lack of information, although it all adds to Aura’s intrigue and mystique.

Darkmoon

This is without a doubt drenched in ambiance – the low rumbles distort sending chills down the spine and goose bumps will closely follow. The keyboard notes resonate powerfully, so powerfully in fact that they can be felt in your gut, spawning a sinister presence of dark devilish mystique. Although there are no vocals this does not need any words to portray what Aura have done with this track, the proof is in the listening – it is haunting and dark, giving way to corruptive frequencies that make their presence well and truly heartfelt. An out and out favorite track that has clocked up several listens already! Superb!

Into that Darkness

The fingers touch the keys with a simple run of sparse notes but behind it is a dark malevolent force that licks the ears, sparking a certain intrigue as the track climbs – eerily menacing it will creep you out make no mistake. There is no roaring or surging to be had here but it just breeds atmospheric plaguing and bewilderment that in turn holds a lot of passion deep inside its core.

Rain

Inventive and seductive this is one track that uses strange noises to accentuate its triumph. It is an emotional track that possesses quite a cordial atmosphere despite being labelled depressive, although I believe it is what the listener hears in each note that can turn this from depressive into something more comforting, or maybe I am depressed and not realize it?

Stardust

This track again holds a haunting ambiance.  The notes prey literally on the aural with enveloping and caressing tendencies. It is dramatic without anything voracious being attached to it. I find this absolutely ingenious, no words no raucous rhythms it just provokes a certain feeling that lures you with a beckoning finger.

Tears

This is emotionally pressuring the title alone, may just in some cases in still a melancholy and the keyboards play out like tears, but I can imagine so much more to this than just tears of sadness – maybe tears of joy! Who knows? – Aura will keep you guessing, which is what makes this track such a personal journey. It is stunningly impressive as I have found all of Aura’s tracks – simple and yet so revealing, it speaks volumes.

Through the Unknown

Startling and intense another track that allows the listener breathing space to blossom and grow with it. It richly aspires and again provokes the thoughts and emotions that go with such a timepiece.  The detail is so finely intricate it is like breathing in something fresh and new.

To Sum up:

This E.P is just as superb as Aura’s full length album Lake of Despair. Thought provoking, most definitely ambient and so much more besides. It is well-crafted and produced. Let’s say you could think up new colours then this E.P would be at the heart of them. There is heaps of promise with this band, steeped with constant mesmeric keyboard embrace, the rewards one gets from listening to this is endless.

It isn't just the notes of passion that come into play here, but the way in which they are portrayed like when the music slightly fades or gets slightly louder, it simply removes the breath from ones lungs in a second.

Make no mistake it conjours up moods you never thought you could possess. It does at times pose darker moods and atmospherics, but it is written in such a way that you can fill in the gaps and make it what you will, which as I mentioned before is rather ingenious. One thing is for sure, you will feel the hair stand up on the back of your neck when listening – embrace it and make the most of it – this is music for the black metal connoisseur!

10/10

Track List:

Darkmoon

Into that Darkness

Rain

Stardust

Tears

Through the Unknown

Members:

Trollkopf, - Aura ABM, - Maximiliano Serratosa Obladen

N. Werewolf/ Tenebris Terra - Salvador Gómez

Fog/Necropolis – David Marcos

But still shrouded in mystery as to who really plays on this too!

Aura - Lake of Despair - 7 Track Album - Released May 2012

Aura

Lake of Despair

7 Track Album

Released May 2012

Written for Blackened Horde Zine

Aura – Malaga, Spain

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Auraabm

Genre: Ambient Depressive Black Metal

If you search the web looking for ‘Aura’ you come across bands from all over the world who play anything from Danish Indie/Folk to Indonesian Jazz but nothing at all about Aura depressive black metal from from Spain.

Intro

As you would expect slow and riddled with ambiance. The vocals rasping and demonic merge into one with a haunting and melodic compromise.

Lake of Despair

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150775996527700

Some watery goings on surrounded by a Spanish guitar is quite poignant and quite literally sets a bleak backdrop especially when the demonic grouchiness comes into play.

Sin of Loneliness

The uplifting piano ensemble is euphoric as it glides into a swaying rhythm and takes you by surprise, as you don’t expect something so beautiful to be associated with depressive black metal, however the gargling, raspy vocal brings you down to earth with a bump. Definitely one intriguing track!

Nightfall

The shrill icy shards of synth notes and the haunting noises really cast a shadow over the intensity of this track. For me, it conjors up a moonlit forest that casts an eerie glow all around it – although I am listening in total darkness, which helps a lot!

Cry of the Shadow

This track breeds from within a low rumbling resonance and what is born sounds vaguely half human. The malevolent vocals are the pestilence that haunts the track with a dark solemn edge of sinister!

The Dark Forest

This is a full on powerful delivery that is soaked in dark venomous growls with disorientating energy. It isn’t rampaging or voracious at all which makes it one interesting track.

Outro – Crossed the Despair

The haunting piano keys and a stark drum beat work solidly together to dispel a constant seductiveness that simply grips the listener.

To Sum up:

In my humble opinion I did not find this album depressive at least not all the way through, granted it does possess solemn moments of despair but on the whole it attracts a lot of light that is woven deeply into its intricate fabric.

I do like gnarly vocals though, the gnarlier the better for me, but they work with the uplifting tempos and ambient rhythms.  The haunting melodies were like plumes of smoke that all drifted well into the tracks and I really enjoyed listening to them surrounded in total blackness, although if it was meant to make me depressed it didn’t – it just threw me into a more thought provoking mood and made me focus in on it, maybe more thoroughly than I thought possible.

This however won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I feel it is an acquired one and one you really have to concentrate on rather than just shove in the CD player and press play whilst doing some mundane chores. So if you haven’t got the time to focus on it, then I suggest you don’t. If however you have got plenty of time to meander through its haunting embrace then do, as you will find it quite an unusual creation that constantly thrives on dark imagery and deep imagination.

9/10

Track List:

Intro

Lake of Despair

Sin of Loneliness

Nightfall

Cry of the Shadow

The Dark Forest

Outro – Crossed the Despair

Members:

Adding to the mystique – I truly have no idea who sings and plays on this album although the names:-

Trollkopf, - Aura ABM, - Maximiliano Serratosa Obladen

N. Werewolf/ Tenebris Terra - Salvador Gómez

Fog/Necropolis – David Marcos

Have all been mentioned however what they play still remains a mystery

Frithland - Nano - 9 Track Album - Solar Quantum - Released 15th June 2013

Frithland

Nano

9 Track Album

Solar Quantum

Released 15th June 2013

Frithland – Liverpool

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frithland-Official

Discography:

Driven Dreams Album – Released 22nd February 2013

Ascending Album – is inspired by sci-fi movies and games. The Sounds of "Ascending" recall atmospheres of apocalyptic science fiction. Released 20^th March 2013

Nano Album – Released 15th June 2013

Encounters E.P – Soon to be released.

This is the final album from Frithland who constantly inspires to bring the power of his engaging mind out in broad daylight, through the power of his ambient music.

Genre: Electronic/Ambient/Trance

Entropic Slip

This track just glides into oblivion sending shivers down your spine as it takes hold. Concentrating on notable running scales of powerful rapture this is an irresistible confrontation.

Ionise

Holding a sharper edge than previous but still manages to run with the intriguing hues of blatant intrigue that sits on the soft waves of rhythms.

Synchronicity

Again very different to the last two tracks and is a lot more vivacious with its endless stream of pulsating rhythmic provocation. Superb track!

Nano

A very haunting track mixed with spacey sounds that once again produce that element of tingling down the spine, as it twists and turns into a conglomerate of spikey notes and bubbling undertones.

Tidal

A slower and mesmerising feed of singular notes played out amid a deep bass line. Openly impressive as it ebbs and flows into a striking and skilled composition.

Read Only

You can almost see the outstretched fingers gliding sensually over the keys on this track seeing it interlock with a liquid gold sprinkling of unhurried magic.

The Way

Sparse singular notes sound quite haunting and sombre as they play out. It is almost like hearing a shrill voice as the music plays further in its conquest to connect to the aural senses. Although, not one of my favourite pieces, but saying that put it as the opening to a scary movie and it is a whole new ball game.

Netfire

Solid drum beats and a squally keyboard rhythms jump to life here and produce some spikey contagious teases – highly gripping and sensuous and worthy of repeat plays because of its catchy rhythmic sways.

Chronicle

Deep bubbling plays alongside a high pitched synth that expels crisp notes to undulating rhythms surrounded by a myriad of haunting space sounds.

To Sum up:

This album holds the heart of Frithland in its outstretched hand and issues a warm feeling of ambient glow around it. Partaking in rich melodies and striking hues of trance like atmospheric lures.

The power of this music can be felt strongly as it surges to conclusion. Developing a strong electronic bond with space and time and has more than achieved its aim here.

My only gripe as such would be that as Frithland has worked extremely hard producing such amazingly in depth creations in one year, it is hard to imagine what the next album will sound like and whether any further steps can be attained, although with 25 years-worth of experience, no doubt Frithland will surprise us all – here’s hoping!

9½/10

Track List:

Entropic Slip

Ionise Synchronicity

Nano Tidal

Read Only

The Way

Net Fire

Chronicle

Member:

Martin Slade – Keyboards, Flute, Bass and Guitar

Frithland - Driven Dreams - 10 Track Album - Solar Quantum - Released 22nd February 2013

Frithland

Driven Dreams

10 Track Album

Solar Quantum

Released 22nd February 2013

Frithland – Liverpool

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frithland-Official

Discography:

Driven Dreams Album – Released 22nd February 2013

Ascending Album – is inspired by sci-fi movies and games. The Sounds of "Ascending" recall atmospheres of apocalyptic science fiction. Released 20^th March 2013

Nano Album – Released 15th June 2013

Encounters E.P – Soon to be released.

Genre: Electronic/Ambient/Trance

Driven Dreams is Frithland’s debut album.

Crystal

The sound of thunder can be heard and then a surly undulating rhythm comes to life. A stark reminder spelled out in shrill keyboard notes accompanies it along with a hollow drum beat, meandering into musical sunlight.

Off World

Futuristic encounter with a diverse and unruly chasm of sounds from stark drum beat to full on piano it emanates pulsing rhythms that allow you just enough time to breathe before its conquest has been reached.

Celeste

Spikey and mesmerising these little notes flourish and turn into an invigorating little furnace without being totally frenzied but just offering the right amount of atmospheric glow with quirky rhythm.

Orbit

The qualities are endless on this track.  The imagery brought to the forefront here is one of an ebbing and flowing tide that lightly washes over the senses and awakening an intensity of intrigue full of ambient atmospherics. A very pleasurable listen.

Nebulous

The gravitational pull this track holds is superbly powerful, engaging in haunting melodies that consist of the sprinklings of an un-worldly magic that is deeply inspired by an elegant gentle rhythm.

Artefact 2.0

Pulsing the light fantastic, the sonic flurries of keyboard synth is mesmerising. You can easily lose yourself in the essences it creates as it twists and turns and brings with it some unusual sounds.

Driven Dreams

Like the ticking of a clock this track strikes out on its own and gives wonder to an enlightening theme. It holds a certain hypnotic embrace and far from hides in its own glory but basks in it.

Legacy

Slightly similar to the last track apart from a ‘dull thudding' drum beat that guides it through the flurry of ubiquitous notes that storm around in a trance like state.

Watergate

This takes a little time to get going and is rather sluggish at the beginning, until a choppy keyboard rhythm intervenes and gives it a push in the right direction.

Sefton Park Abstract

The sweet and shrill sounds of birdsong to some very sparse notes doesn’t really get anywhere fast although it is a sweet little lullaby.

To sum up:

A glimpse into what is to come from Frithland with some rather unusual elements that play out to a more familiar sound of a keyboard along with samples that inaugurate the perfect blends of creativity captured within this album.

With a lot of albums there are highs and lows and this is no exception to the rule, the highs captivate a certain glow of wonder whilst the lows, more so on the track Watergate, do tend to grate a little, but for a debut album it’s well worth a listen because there are a lot more highs than lows on it.

From reviewing Frithland’s latest endeavours not in the usual order I can clearly see the progression made and do prefer the later material than the earlier due to the ‘less trance more dance’ strategy on the later albums, although the dream like transitions do take you into another realm if you are feeling in that certain mood.

8/10

Track List:

Crystal

Off World

Celeste

Orbit

Nebulous

Artefact 2.0

Driven Dreams

Legacy

Watergate

Sefton Park Abstract

Member:

Martin Slade – Keyboards, Flute, Bass and Guitar