The Brood - The Truth Behind - 15 Track Album - Give Praise Records - Release Date: 3rd February 2017

The Brood

The Truth Behind

 15 Track Album

Give Praise Records

Release Date: 3rd February 2017

Written for RAMzine

The Brood – London, UK

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/TheBroodUK/

Genre: Grinding Hard Core / Brood Core

Biography:

“Born from the steaming entrails of a defiantly multicultural London, The Brood assembles the worst depraved souls from Spain, England and France.

Grinding hard-core tainted with hints of dirty punk, filthy death and evil black metal, The Brood will burn your ears, mash your brain and turn you into a rabid, head-banging monkey!

No colour, no gender, no fads. Embrace The Brood. Grind is love!”

~~~~~~~~~~

I think I have my work cut out here picking an album with 15 tracks of hardcore grind – another genre that is close to my blackened heart – but love the feeling it gives off as it strides into view and smashes your ears to pieces!!

It’s really dark and brooding as it swipes heartily and aggressively although it has surprised me as Incubation really doesn’t sound like anything I have heard before so I am beginning to see where the No colour, no gender, no fads comes in.

However, the second track Barbie Voorhees is one metal can of worms and allows us to sample the grinding fury at its best! Guts and Fire pulverise along the same lines although some dirty punk can be witnessed with a lot of dirty death metal too! Lobotomized is how you feel after being torn in so many different directions, it is quite thrilling, to be honest! One by One is quite a metal saturated track with thunderous gruff vocal onslaught! Latent Dementia just comes and goes along with a bit of ambience. GIL has a superb presence and really kicks the pace up a notch or two!

Descending into Madness reveals a sample saying ‘every species can smell its own extinction, the last ones left, won’t have a pretty time of it. In ten years, maybe less the human race will just be a bedtime story for the children – a myth!’ Isn’t that what it is already? Reign of the Leeches is a good chugger with grizzly vocals and stupendous beats! Love it! Seeds of Demise although sounds good, sounds a little bit like the previous track, but no complaints from me. Free Range Meat begins with a terrifying scream and lots of shouting – I don’t want to hear anymore it is torturous! Mud Doll Factory really gives the bass a run for its money with large slabs of killer hooks and brutal riffs, not forgetting the great lyrics. Mindfuck is what it says on the label no need to describe this it is self-explanatory! Swallowed by the Earth just loving the samples they are really thought provoking with great punkish smacks of rhythm! Repeated Slaughter of the Undead Cunt is a title and a half! And kind of conjures up rather shocking images but the track itself is a real potent encounter that will definitely leave you more than exhilarated!

9/10

Track List:

Incubation

Barbie Voorhees

Guts and Fire

Lobotomized

One by One

Latent Dementia

GIL

Descending into Madness

Reign of the Leeches

Seeds of Demise

Free Range Meat

Mud Doll Factory

Mindfuck

Swallowed by the Earth

Repeated Slaughter of the Undead Cunt

Members:

Aitor Gazzoline - Clock of the musical Armageddon.

Donnie Burgess - Unhealthy low frequency.

Senen Garcia - String mincing.

Nando Thommessen - Distorted annihilation.

Grunt - Vocal aggression.

Sertraline - Guilty - 5 Track Self-Released E.P - Release Date: 3rd march 2017

Sertraline

Guilty

 5 Track Self-released EP

Release Date: 3rd March 2017

Written for RAMzine

Sertraline – Stoke on Trent

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/WeAreSertraline

Genre: Rock-Metal

Biography:

“They may have only been a band for two years, but Sertraline has wasted no time in carving out a dedicated fan base. Having quickly made an impression on the UK rock and metal world with their debut EP, they've racked up plenty of stage time. With shows alongside the likes of Funeral For A Friend, Butcher Babies, Toseland, Kobra & The Lotus and Normandie, as well as two headline tours, Sertraline know how to entertain an audience!”

~~~~~~~~~~

The name Sertraline for anyone like myself that have had to take the drug will know it lightens the mood and literally pulls you out of depression, and so Sertraline has been good for me, so it is quite an honour to be able to review a band with such a positive name for starters.

The band now have a new EP ready for release on the 3^rd March and believe me it really does lighten the mood with striking effect of duel vocals, clean and not so clean vocals which are always a good start.

Musically it is powered on highly charged chunks of metal and levelled by the wonderful voice of Lizzie. Its standards hold top notch melody as well as catchy rhythms and fluctuating guitar riffs that one can only describe as monumental!

Most of the time I prefer male vocals, however, there are some great female vocalists out there and Lizzie being one of them.

The music is embracing, and warming and most definitely very easy to engage in. Holding tender moments as well as harsh abrasive tones it moulds together perfectly and shows true character in its tracks that all have something interesting to portray.

There is no mistaking the rapturous affair that Sertraline have and no wonder their fan base is ever growing. It’s hard to imagine anyone not liking them, and the good thing is they are just down the road in Stoke on Trent, so no doubt will appear at a venue near you shortly, so go and see for yourself how engaging they are! I can safely say even without seeing the band perform ‘live’ that they have a lot to offer and will no doubt make the gig a memorable one.

They really pull all the instruments together and together they perform really anthemic tracks, so if you are feeling a little down this band will no doubt act the same as the drug Sertraline and lift your spirits and the only side effects you will get are compelling and infectious memories of a night well spent in the company of a superb band.

Spiced with emotion and attention grabbing tracks that will rock your world, you cannot fail to be impressed with them on any level.

The hooks have that magnetic pull, and the riffs blend into copious amounts of attitude that can’t be ignored – just turn it up now!

9.5/10

Track List:

Guilty

Snakes

Change of Heart

Nyveevise

I admit the blame

Members:

Lizzie - Vocals

Mike - Guitar

Wilson - Guitar

Hendo - Bass

Si - Drums (Live)

Keiter - Ascension - 12 Track Album - Give Praise Records - Release date: 31st March 2017

Keitzer

Ascension

12 Track Album

Give Praise Records

Release Date: 31st March 2017

Written for RAMzine

Keitz - Münster/Essen/Osnabrück/Stadtlohn - Germany

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/keitzer

Genre: Metal Grind Hard Core

Well, there is nothing that feeds the blood more than good old metal grind and hardcore. It’s punishing and brutal and you can feel your whole body shake when it begins. It’s rife with toxic savagery and really brutalises with superb riffs and heavy thunderous blast beats that eat you alive! And Keitzer are no exception to the rule!

They breed impure and fuel-charged aggression that is soaked up and absorbed eagerly through the ears. That seething vocal scourge is lush as it sweeps through its strenuous paces and magically the music that accompanies it allows it to glide along and smash you full on in the face, so to speak!

It’s the tumultuous turmoil the music gives that makes it exciting and loved by so many serious metal heads, which probably makes them do strange things like form large mosh pits and have their bodies crushed in the melee because it is I suppose like self-harming one cut and the ecstasy is released, although probably just as painful – but the first is not endorsed by myself, not that I could withstand a mosh pit either!

For me just hearing grind and hardcore seem to supply my energy levels like a good vitamin – it lifts the spirit and allows it to run freely and I am not talking alcohol here either. I don’t need drugs or alcohol to appreciate metal of this calibre, never have done, in fact, to take such things would only remove the natural substances allowing you to fully enjoy the feeling the music gives.

I adore that feeling, that rumble in the belly as the music is churned out at such ferocity I can actually feel the music raging around my blood stream and invading the brain as well as the senses. It is so powerful and rids you of any building tension, replacing it with musical tension which is far less harmful than the stress you feel before pressing play.

I know a lot of people will not get this feeling and that is sad that they can’t partake in the sheer glory the music produces and ‘live’ it is something completely different! ‘Ritual’ possesses a very eastern feel and very different to what you would expect from grind and hardcore, however, it is great to see the band exploring various other forms of music.

So get listening and absorb every morsel!

10/10

Track List:

We will drown all of you in Blood

Ascension

Peace was never an Option

Ubermensch

Ritual

Vengeance

Salvation

Conquistador

Black Silent Tides

Origins of Madness

Enemies of Existence

Wolves among us

Members:

Christian Silva Chaco - Vocals

Nicolai Hinse - Guitar

Michael Dölle - Guitar

Simon Venig - Bass

Tim Terhechte - Drums

Furia - Ksiezyc Milczy Luty - 6 Track Album -- Pagan Records - Release Date: 29th December 2016

Furia

Ksiezyc Milczy Luty

(The Moon is silent in February)

6 Track Album

Pagan Records

Release Date: 29th December 2016

Written for RAMzine

Furia - Katowice, Poland

Links:

http://www.let-the-world-burn.org/main.html

DISCOGRAPHY:

2004 - I spokój (demo)

2005 - I krzyk (demo)

2007 - Martwa Polska Jesień (Full-length)

2009 - Płoń! (EP)

2009 - Grudzień za grudniem (Full-length)

2010 - Huta Laura / Katowice / Królewska Huta (EP)

2010 - Halny (EP)

2012 - Marzannie, królowej Polski (Full-length)

2013 - W melancholii (EP)

2014 - Nocel (Full-length) 

2016 – Guido (EP)

2016 - Księżyc milczy luty (Full-length)

Genre: Black Metal “Nekrofolk”

Biography:

“Established in Katowice, Poland in 2003, FURIA are the godfathers of “Nekrofolk”. They are the most popular and prolific creation of the Let the World Burn collective (Furia, Massemord, FDS & Duszę Wypuścił / Wędrowcy~Tułacze~Zbiegi).  Furia took Polish black metal to entirely new regions with unique elements of folk and abstract poetic themes. Influenced by the dark beauty of their home province of Silesia, their music is spiced up with lyrics written by Nihil, who is one of the most gifted Polish artists of the decade.  Furia’s latest release, Księżyc milczy luty, reached Stereogum’s Top 40 albums of 2016 and best of 2016 list of Poland’s mainstream newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. Additional praise: Invisible Oranges, Soundscape Magazine, Metal Talk, Ave Noctum as well as much more worldwide.  Furia took a part of such prestigious festivals like Off Festival, Primavera Sound, Castle Party and

Motocultor to name a few!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Listening to many new albums as I do from RAMzine, I always find myself reviewing more foreign bands, maybe that’s because I love hearing various languages sung to some of my favourite genres, not the fact I have to give Google Translate a visit, as half the time it doesn’t give a good translation but at least it points you in some sort of direction!  I have always found learning a few words in a different language interesting, despite them being incoherent once they start to sing, but that’s just part of what makes foreign metal fun! To me anyway! But I do not take responsibility for the translations… if anyone wants to correct me and who is Polish please feel free to say your bit!

This doesn’t sound like your usual black metal at all, but I hadn’t heard of Nekrofolk until starting this review, so it is very difficult to define or pigeonhole. It is quite unique in its own right.  The vocals are deep and are spoken at the start rather than sung on Zac ma w dym although then they do take on more of a dark melodic encounter half way through. Cialo has a carefree kind of ambience attached to it, or should that read hovering around it? The slow pace is gruelling and arduous but melodic until suddenly it cannot contain its rhythms and just explodes with a screeching guitar that sounds like it is in extreme pain. Tam jest tu although showing signs of some melodic waves is quite a depressing track that just ambles through its paces, aloof and lacking that certain spark. Grzej is a lot more upbeat and you could say hot! Displaying fuzzy guitar riffs, and strong bass licks which make the track more engaging! Vocally profound and moreish this track is superb holding great melodies. Zabieraj lapska reverts to a marching beat and levelled riffs with a good strong hint of melodic rhythms and vocally intriguing. Zwykle czary wieja again a pleasant but harsh rhythm is expelled from the speakers with a thunderous vocal entourage and closely ensuing are some powerful riffs.

In their hometown of Silesia, Poland I can see why the band have hit the grade, but unsure if they would be as successful in the UK, although their music is forthright and engaging it’s also quirky enough for people to get interested and listen

8/10

Track List:

Zac ma w dym - Zac is in smoke

Cialo - Body

Tam jest tu – There is here

Grzej - Radiator

Zabieraj lapska – Take your hands off

Zwykle czary wieja – Usually spells slight North

Members:

Nihil – Guitars, Vocals, Lyrics

Sars – Bass, Backing Vocals

Namtar – Drums

A – Guitars   

Fueled Hate - March of the Pigs - 9 Track Album - Attic Records - Release Date: 25th February 2017

Fueled Hate

March of the Pigs

9 Track Album

Attic Records

Release Date: 25th February 2017

Written for RAMzine

Fueled Hate – Corby, Northants

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/fueledhateuk

Genre: Dirty Metal

Biography:

“Fueled Hate is Corby based five piece metal band who started a journey in January 2012. With a plethora of musical tastes and backgrounds ranging from rock to groove to hip hop to metal and hardcore, the band "FUELED HATE" shows no limitations with their writing ability and style. After few line-up changes, we can say we are now complete. Fueled Hate have played with bands such as Krysthla, TRC, Nervosa, Whorion, “The Darkhorse, Stormbringer, Vendetta, and Our World Below?  The band say they don’t really fit into a genre of metal because they have so many influences. So they call it “Dirty” because that’s how it sounds.

In 2016 they were chosen by Simon Hall to play at Bloodstock Festival with great response from crowd smashing the barriers, which was later changed and they received an encore which is usually unheard of in that kind of venue!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Not only do they have a great name, they also have an amazing eye-catching cover for their new album “March of the Pigs” Dirty metal most definitely describes Fueled Hate to a T. I love the rapping vocals that are mean and harsh, punchy riffs and solid rhythms backing them up! It’s definitely easy to love Fueled Hate and the chaos they produce! It is almost impossible to sing rap with a metal context being so unpredictable and ‘lively’ shall we say! Casting their impeccable magnetic grooves over the audial there’s so much to wallow in and no track is over embellished either, it is just WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) or should that be hear, for all those people unfortunate not to see them at Bloodstock creating their havoc? Still, I have never been one for large festivals and much prefer to be able to listen to a band and savour every moment without fear of someone chatting and dissing a band as happens at so many gigs, but I am happy to listen in the comfort of my own home and concentrate on what festers before my ears. One track that stands out for me is ‘Hide and Seek’ which holds a really startling rhythm and great lyrics with thunderous charges of metal, it is a fantastic track indeed! This Life also kicks ass and would take a long time to learn the lyrics as I said before rap isn’t easy but to a metal beat… well try it and see. Bomb really does explode with the fastest rap lyrics I have ever heard. The aggression oozes with each word and with every damning beat! Dogs is a little less brittle at the start, however, it does have a sneaky riff running through its veins. Plagued has really rough edges to navigate with that guitar riff – make sure it doesn’t hook you in – but it will anyway!  Calling Savagely rips into the ears like a pneumatic drill – no wonder barriers were smashed – I can well believe it! Begging Me is a thrilling anthemic track that throws tenacious punches like a hardened professional boxer!

I know a few people who probably hate rap metal, but put an obnoxious beat and aggressive rhythm behind it and it works. I am struggling really hard to keep up with the lyrics because I so desperately need to join in!  

9.5/10

Track List:

Random Thoughts

Over Again

Hide and Seek

This Life

Bomb

Dogs

Plagued

Calling

Begging Me

Members:

Raymond Lindsay

David Lindsay

Barry Phillips

Grem Darroch

Lukas "Kozi" Mozdzenski

Escape is not Freedom - Goldsmith - 10 Track Album - Century Media Records - Release date: 24th February 2017

Escape is not Freedom

Goldsmith

10 Track Album

Century Media Records Ltd

Release Date: 24th February 2017

Written for RAMzine

Escape is not Freedom – Chicago, Ilinois

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/EscapeisnotFreedom

Genre: Rock/Sludge/Noise

Biography:

“Escape Is Not Freedom combines elements of rock, noise, sludge and a little bit of doom while still maintaining a sense of melody with catchy riffs!”

~~~~~~~~~~

I had a feeling before this music began playing that this could be a little overwhelming and so far I haven’t been proven wrong. It takes a while before the vocals kick in and with nothing overly special to make them memorable, however, the music tends to take you away from any source of vocal infringement and delivers the hugest of metal rhythms that it matters little anyway.

Yes, it is sludgy, but not so much it gets messy, at least not yet, as it does have a backbone and by the second track it all gets a little too choral and loses a lot of strength, however, it does hold a bit of catchiness, which is something!

As the third track ‘Night Light’ begins it is pretty clear that the noise part of their chosen genre has taken precedence along with the sludgy concoction and turns it into a free for all! However, there are some fantastic chugs on show to savour.

As you read down the titles it reads more like a science project, and ‘Morphine’ seems to be having the desired effect of sleep!  Rubbing my bleary eyes from the previous track and trying to focus on ‘Sodium’ I am finding I am distracted a little bit too easy, as this sounds more like a jazz festival that has been injected with progressive genes, and sort of throws everything out of focus.

As the album furthers to ‘Dispossess’ I can now feel totally disjointed to it. It plods and ambles and drags itself around like a wet blanket I am really sorry to say. I was hoping it would perk up a bit but it seems to have taken a nosedive into the depths of obscurity. ‘Nervous Aggression’ does contain a lot more backbone but the noisy urgent vocal content is just too much and demands far too much attention. The melodic chug is definitely a redeeming feature but doesn’t hold your focus for long. ‘Locust’ is just a rampage of noise-ridden baptism in the fires of hell and doesn’t do anything for me at all. ‘Harbinger’ is back to its choral boredom! ‘Migraine’ couldn’t be more aptly titled – I think I am going to need Morphine after this as Anadin just won’t touch the surface!

It is a shame as they could have put a whole lot more into this album and made it memorable!

5/10

Track List:

Coriander

Annul

Night Light

Morphine

Sodium

Dispossess

Nervous Aggravation

Locust

Harbinger

Migraine

Members:

Michael

Darrin

Josh

Drude - Drude - Self-Released 5 Track E.P Release date: 10th February 2017

Drude

Drude

Self-released 5 Track EP

Release Date: 10th February 2017

Written for RAMzine

Drude – Indianapolis, Indiana.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Drudemusic

Genre: Progressive Sludge

I am loving the start of this it’s dream-like and classical, not that I say that often, going more for the large joint with the most meat on its bones, which surprisingly enough it has just magically transformed into, what a fantastic track! Plus I like the name Drude it’s simple and just sums up the band really well as on doing a bit of research it turns out Drude in German Folklore means a kind of malevolent nocturnal spirit and this band have more spirit than a well-stocked bar! Barbelo is a sneaky sludge track that holds so much ambience that it can be felt all around you. The chords are striking and give off a malevolent vibe that eats into your senses. It doesn’t matter that it is a slow tempo it just gives you that thrilling sensation down your spine and gives you goose bumps. ‘Oasu’ possesses a deep vibe that again splinters into a two-dimensional thread and whisks you off down the path of a strenuous vocal seething and huge slabs of profound metal ‘wantage’ the deepness of this track is like a black hole plus infinity! The melodic punch is engaging and moreish. Demure judders to its beginning and embroils the brain in fabulous twists and turns. The sampled voice rambles with unintelligible words but it all adds to the progressive slant the guys have perfected, with strong musical and harmonic endeavour. Eidolon scolds the ears with large thumping waves of sheer genius. That fuzz on the guitar and the gruff bawling vocals are infectious and reveal a great charisma.

I am quite disappointed that this isn’t a full-length album other than a mere 5 track EP but that is the only thing I can say negative about this, as it is superb!

There is just the right amount of progressive cuts to make it interesting and fed with a grizzly vocal and ample melodic groove it just goes on rewarding the ears with total pleasure. It is amazing how progressive and sludge mixed well and executed with precision can make for such good intense listening! I love the surprises along the way that are totally unexpected which really keep you on your toes and the fact you don’t know what’s around the corner with Drude lulling you into an utterly false sense of security!

Don’t judge until you hear this all unbelievers!

9.5/10

Track List:

Drude

Barbelo

Oasu

Demure

Eidolon

Members:

Jordan Smith

Corey Clark

Dylan Nance

Desert Kingdom - Desert Kingdom - 7 Track Album - Black Bow Records - Release Date: 3rd February 2017

Desert Kingdom

Desert Kingdom

7 Track EP

Black Bow Records

Release Date: 3rd February 2017

Written for RAMzine

Desert Kingdom – South East Suburbs Melbourne

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/heavyrockHQ

Genre: Heavy Stoner Rock

Biography:

“Listen up and listen up good, we've adopted a few things in the last few months. New drummer, new attitude, new shoes and a new name. So here it is. 'Desert Kingdom' Same great taste but with 99% less sugar. Also, we are in the process of re-recording the EP and some serious long awaited gigs too!”

~~~~~~~~~~

This EP is bound to lift you out of your shoes and across the floor make no mistake it is so heavy, the floor is juddering in defeat! The rhythms are monumental and fuelled with balls of steel. Stoner rock is just superb listening – when you think of it, it sounds like a bunch of hippies have got together in a back room and could be mistaken for being perhaps slow in tempo, but take it from me these guys are anything but slow musically, hippies maybe but definitely have that insane streak which comes out in their music. Mafiasco Opera is rather doom-laden but not holding my breath and it’s a good job I didn’t as it suddenly whisks me off my feet yet again, now clinging desperately to the chair by my fingernails as the impact of an Opera turns into somewhat of a metal fiasco, but a good one!  Vocally absorbing and tremendous lungs on Ritchie – it has to be said! Doghouse Blues has more of a marching beat attached to it, and not quite as intense as the first two tracks but I still love its beat! 7 Years has an eerie, slower mesmerising rhythm incorporated into it. Perhaps the hippies are emerging, at least on this track! Abstainer is by far one of my favourite tracks for catchiness, freaky rhythms, riffs and vocals that come together and glue all the components together to make one superb track! Fuck You starts off rather disjointed but soon comes together in an array of unity and seething vocal ferocity. Again catchy with monumental riffage that takes your breath away. Whisky is a good rock n roll track with heavy elements of stoner that makes it kick ass!

7 tracks of pummelling inspiration are definitely the way forward for Desert Kingdom they know just when to turn the heat up and burn you will. The stoner edge they possess is just so engaging and steamy, enough to seduce with vehemence. You could say the new ‘Stoner Age’ is here and for good! Feel that magnificent thump as each track (bar 7 Years, which allows a slower rhythm to be executed) snarls to within an inch of its stone-age life – it is pure ecstasy in musical form and I can’t get enough, so do me a favour Desert Kingdom – release a full-length album next time, or else!!

9/10

Track List:

You’ll Burn

Mafiaso Opera

Doghouse Blues

7 Years

Abstainer

Fuck You

Whisky

Members:

Emmett young - Guitars

Brett Wright - Bass

Paul Coste - Drums and Percussion

Ritchie Harvey Garsp - Vocals