Mindwarp - A Cold Black Day - 9 Track Album - Great Dane Records - Release Date: 22nd April 2016

Mindwarp

A Cold Black Day

9 Track Album

Great Dane Records

Release Date: 22^nd April 2016

Mindwarp – Geneva, Switzerland

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Mindwarp

https://mindwarpofficial.bandcamp.com/track/descent-to-hell-2

Music by Pascal Lanquetin and Mindwarp

Lyrics by Fred Buschenrieder

All artwork by Bones – www.bonesartwork.fr

Live photo by Philippe Deleage

Genre: Death Metal

As the intensity of this opening track ‘Cold Analysis’ begins you can feel the adrenalin pumping as a vocal barrage suddenly rips from the speakers. It has emerged fighting and aggressive in nature with a vocal that sounds eerily familiar – is that Till Lindemann? No it’s Fred Buschenrieder! The musical content of this one track alone has reached phenomenal proportions in such a short space of time it’s incredible! The battering ram comes with force at the ears and cloaks them in steel savagery! ‘Black Day’ offers no respite from the brutally malignant grooves that have infected with highly charged dramatic temptation! ‘Descent to Hell’ rewards with fierce metal chugs and red hot grooves that bite hard. The blast beats are strong and evenly tempered so much so your body must obey the insane rhythms they produce! ‘A Current World’ feel that power in the gut as hard strikes of metal hit with unyielding results! No wonder the band are called ‘Mindwarp?’ Extreme pulverisation coming your way and no remorse! ‘Insomnia of Misfortune’ embracing and forthright, this track recalls the battering ram once again as its fierce and unending power overwhelms with immense propagation!

‘Anxiety’ forges ahead with the ramifications of an express train! Causing inner turmoil with superb vocal range that gives the tonsils a good work-out! Contrasting vocally are the rhythmically empowered kick beats and gnawing riffs that make this track magnificent! ‘Hatred and Freedom’ is bold and offers throbbing riffs that ignite purposefully for dramatic effect! The instant grip it has on the senses is one of satisfying gratitude - I simply can’t get enough as it takes me on this sensational journey! ‘Dark Light’ is another dramatic rumble of attitude and paralyzing riffs that peak with incredible and compelling ferocity. ‘Artemis’ overwhelms with its uplifting crescendo of magical riffs that soar with bewitching magnitude to greater heights! The blasting kick beats are tumultuous and unending like a barrage of hail stones that rain down in a turbulent storm.

Summary:

This is one ‘kick ass’ album that the French are pouring out of every orifice, or so it would seem. There’s no romance any more as death metal killed it stone dead! Not a bad thing really as the world needs more death metal!

Mindwarp are just simply phenomenal in every sense of the word! From the harshness of Fred’s vocal prowess to Pascal’s creative guitar riffs!

It eats you from the inside out and gives rise to creating imagination, possessing copious amounts of extreme emotions that reflect on highly charged blast beats and seductive bass hooks!

It’s certainly an album that gives generously and will never be tiresome!

10/10

Track List:

Cold Analysis

Black Day

Descent to Hell

A Current World

Insomnia of Misfortune

Anxiety

Hatred and Freedom

Dark Light

Artemis

Members:

Fred Buschenrieder - Vocals

Pascal Lanquetin - Guitar - from Carcariass

Romuald Hermanowski - Bass - from Without Face

Bertrand Simonin - Drums - from Carcariass

Lords of the Cemetery - Citipati - 6 Track Debut Album - Great Dane Records - Release Date: 17th June 2016

Lords of the Cemetery

Citipati

6 Track Debut Album

Great Dane Records

Release Date: 17^th June 2016

Lords of the Cemetery – France

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/lordsofthecemetery

Recorded, mixed and mastered by LCF at Noir Carrousel Studio

All music and Lyrics by LCF

Cover artwork by Headsplit Design

Band Logo by Gragoth

Layout and artwork by LCF

Produced by LCF

Genre: Blackened Death Metal

Citipati (Sanskrit: चितिपति) is a protector deity or supernatural being in Tibetan Buddhism ... The Citipati is a protector of graveyards and is known as Lord of the Cemetery or Lord of the Crematorium.

As the first doomed riffs emerge from this deathly album, it haunts with a sinister edge that gnaws at your ears despite the beauty of the uplifting tempo, a deep demonical voice bellows “Welcome to my Cemetery!” Straight into ‘Smiling Skeleton’ which is a black metal death warrant when it comes soul searching. It’s a myriad of riffs that cut through the skin like a hot knife and more or less goads the listener with its inane grin – just taunting and teasing with barbarous rhythms and a gnarly black familiar vocal. ‘Citipati’ begins with some organ grinding in familiar black territory. Its epic structure paints a haunting tale as the riffs agitate ferociously with a tempered beat that keeps the track focused. ‘The Charnel Mask’ is but a curl of black smoke that makes its way through the agonizing riffs that protrude from its mighty structure and curses everything in its path. The fast paced rhythmic slurry is mischievous and sneaky. ‘Demonic Appearance’ features on a more metal approach with soaring riffs that make their presence felt. The throaty demonic whisper adds ambiance to the track as it then shows its gaudy black metal side. ‘We are them’ the final track on this short but entertaining album, hosts a plethora of dark resonating sounds before plunging into a very epic swell of imaginative creativity. The angular pulse of rhythms are heartfelt and cut to the bone.

A lot has gone into the making of this album as short as it is the tracks have been condensed and probably because of this the content is more defined. It isn’t ‘just’ black metal – far from it, although obviously there are black metal connotations contained within in it, but it isn’t hard to spot the added benefits of a death metal genre too! It’s packed with delicious riffs and haunting rhythms along with a grand gnarly vocal that compliments the music to the extreme.

9.5/10

Track List:

Eternal Dance of Death

Smiling Skeleton

Citipati

The Charnel Mask

Demonic Appearance

We are them

Members:

Christophe Florian aka LCF - Guitars, Vocals & Synth

Reno Cavadaski - Drums.

Hysteria - Flesh, Humiliation and Irreligious Deviance - 11 Track Album - Great Dane Records - Release Date: 28th March 2016

Hysteria

Flesh, Humiliation and Irreligious Deviance

11 Track Album

Great Dane Records

Release Date: 28th March 2016

Hysteria – Lyon, France

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/hysteria.deathmetal.lugdunum

Genre: Brutal Death Metal

Nothing fills me with more adrenalin than seeing the words “Brutal Death Metal” so being sent this CD made me smile somewhat! The opening track ‘In Belief, into nothingness’ offers an ambling ‘into nothingness’ but within its stride comes a fierce integral metal slither that pricks the skin. ‘Sadistic Deviance’ really gets down to business and hosts a tormenting range of rhythms that impale themselves on the ears. The guttural howl has slaughtering tendencies and rewards the listener with a fierce incitement, and the blast beats are literally engulfing! ‘Visceral Torment’ does exactly what it says on the label and the bottom line being nagging riffs and challenging dramatic vehemence! ‘Heiress of Disease’ boasts a very serious drum beat and imposing damnation that surrounds and swamps the audial cavities with a vengeful spirit that smoulders amid metal chaos. ‘O Father…’ its exploits are seriously intense as a voice booms out ‘O Father’ it seems as if he has been forsaken! The rather emotionally charged track is very powerful in offering a seething rhythm that is bold and inspiring. ‘Succubus Offering’ the captivation of this track reaches its peak very quickly by gnawing riffs and technical prowess. It strikes with devilish ferocity and oozes a raw intensity, by quickly starting its rampaging exploits! ‘The Unhealthy signature: Haunted by words of Gods Part II’ the grooves cut deep on this one as it goes out on a limb to inject with rabid infectiousness. Again it is a serious and immense track that is slow paced although the blast beats would say otherwise. ‘Heresie’ plunges the listener into a dark world of sinister imagination, with terrifying voices and strange sounds that emanate through a dull thud of sparse beats, offering haunting choir of voices - It is without a doubt the most intense and very diverse track indeed. ‘Demons from the Past’ kicks up the pace somewhat as it languishes in a torrential frenzy of riffs that cascade through bludgeoning, pounding beats at a rate of knots. One could even say it is recognisable bedlam and still hit the nail on the head. ‘Flesh Messiah’ gives out some really deep channelling grooves that bite with severe ferocity. The beats hit all time lunacy for rhythmic madness. Gruff vocal scourges are demonic and surpass with threatening imagination. ‘Blasphemous Writings (Final Part)’ the imposing rhythms are thick and wholesome, backed by an even tempered riff and hardy bass lick. Its emotion runs deep and even offers, (apart from technical dexterity) a melodic core and a clean vocal – so ‘Hysteria’ are going all out on this album with a bang!

Summary:

This is a very intense album that offers some serious rhythms and technical endeavour, spiced with melodic slices and gutturally immense vocals which will affect the emotions and senses as it embeds itself under the skin. You can feel your body tense as the tracks unfold and vents their anger.

It definitely gives you a work-out of sorts! Even the slower paced tracks offer so much reward, reinforcing their nagging riffs and immense beats – it is one hell of an album!!

For me Heresie and Blasphemous Writings are two of the best tracks for diversity and melodic encounters.  The rest of the album offers its own rewards and gives brutal a new and uncompromising meaning!

9.5/10

Track List:

In belief, into nothingness…

Sadistic Deviance

Visceral Torments

Heiress of Disease

O Father…

Succubus Offering

The Unhealthy signature: Haunted by words of Gods Part II

Heresie

Demons from the Past

Flesh Messiah

Blasphemous Writings (Final Part)

Members:

Sylvain Ostengo – Vocals and Rhythm Guitar

Jerome Christophe – Lead and Rhythm Guitar

Thibault Fontaine – Bass Guitar

Xavier Chautard - Drums

Carcariass - Killing Process - 12 Track Album - Great Dane Records - Release Date: 20th May 2016

Carcariass

Killing Process

12 Track Album

Great Dane Records

Release Date: 20^th May 2016

Carcariass – France

Links:

https://greatdanerecords.bandcamp.com/album/killing-process-2

Produced by Stephane BURIEZ at LB LAB

Engineered by Stephane BURIEZ & Francois JAMIN

Mixed by Stephane BURIEZ

Studio assistant Gregoire SAINT-MAXIN & ARNOFLAGO

Mastered by Jean Pierre BOUQUET at L AUTRE STUDIO

Music & lyrics by CARCARIASS

Cover by BONES (Olivier SALIN)

Concept digipack by Coraline & Raphael from GREAT DANE RECORDS

Revenger & Domination: vocals mixed by DROP at DOWNTONE STUDIO

Switzerland

Revenger & Domination songs on Ex-tinction album CARCARIASS

Genre: Technical Death Metal

The name Carcariass comes from Carcharodon Carcharias, the Latin name of the great white shark, which gives you some idea of what is contained on this CD.

The first track ‘Watery Grave’ takes the audial by storm with a run of magical notes that explode into a metal chug, gouging deeply and then burrowing feverishly, accompanied by a harsh throaty vocal edge that screams vengeance! Not a bad start, plus there is a certain amount of melody that keeps it focused and of course plenty of technical prowess which oozes from its very core.

The second track ‘Tragical End’ is but a blur as the frets are established and come into their own. The sonic beats and perpetual rhythms are engaging and bordering on absolute madness. ‘Killing Process’ the bands title track is a seething mass of riffs that swamp the senses with overwhelming ferocity, as it chugs away to its heart content – this instrumental is simply stunning! ‘Mortal Climb’ is a lot harder edge and bounces with vehement agitation. Its epidemic of riffs brood with outstanding and excitable qualities. ‘Earth in Sorrow’ stirs up emotions with one of their most heartfelt offerings yet, but sadly is only one minute and five seconds long, so not enough time to fully engage. ‘Winds of Death’ endeavours to create a potent, coaxing persuasion that licks the ears with pleasing sounds. Eagerly biting with intense lures that demand attention, and don’t forget that passionate vocal barrage, it’s all too addictive for words! ‘Burn in Peace’ is another brooding track that embellishes the senses with a forthright rhythm oozing in skilfully raw intensity, all be it a little repetitive, but under its layers is a superb track that feeds a hungry imagination. ‘Under Concrete’ smouldering tones burn fiercely and makes way for another superb encounter of tech metal with melody! Conjuring up an atmospheric saga. ‘Lost in Agony’ is inspired by a dream-like structure of riffs that compel, with subsequent steely imagination holding flirtatious rhythms and is a whole lot more than just an epic track. ‘Sideral Torment’ rewards the listener with some deep emotional riffs that bonds them to the music like superglue. Its chugs are ferocious and untamed. This remastered track takes no prisoners and is heartily virulent with its wind tunnel vocal supremacy. ‘Revender’ is a well-balanced track that goes in with its eyes open and all guns blazing! Its melodic heart is stunning as well as alluring with rumbustious rhythms that are catchy and holding plenty of addictive qualities that will make your head spin let alone bang! ‘Domination’ is a spindly track consisting of bass from the off and then runs into a climate of pure bristling riffs that again are excitable and flirtatious.

This is certainly one album to get excited about providing you love technical death metal – if not you lose! The whole album evolves before your ears, holding extreme catchiness, power and methodical riffs that gallantly engage – no reason not to buy this amazing album unless you are tone deaf!

“This album will rip you to shreds, guaranteed!”

9.5/10

Track List:

Watery Grave

Tragical End

Killing Process

Mortal Climb

Earth in Sorrow

Winds of Death

Burn in Peace

Under Concrete

Lost in Agony

Bonus Tracks:

Sideral Torment

Revender

Domination

Members:

Bertrand Simonin - Drums

Pascal Lanquetin - Lead Guitar

Raphaël Couturier - Vocals, Bass

Jérôme Lachenal – Rhythm Guitar