Orion - On The Banks Of Rubicon EP - Album Review

Year: 2013

The one aspect that everyone universally expects from music is memorability. Be it any genre, the listeners always want to hear something that will stay with them for a while after they've listened to the album. When dealing with a genre like death metal, catchy song writing is a particularly hard feat to achieve. So death metal bands instead, focus on technicality and brutality as opposed to catchiness. So when I stumbled upon a death metal band that was both progressive and immensely memorable, it came as a surprise indeed.

Coshish - Firdous - Album Review

Year: 2013

It was truly a delight to review this album ‘Firdous’ by the band Coshish. Truly the word to signify this album is pure and utmost elegance. The drumming in particular was very well done and the other elements in the songs such as the melodic progressions and the high range singing which went well together brought out a beautiful sense of music you’d just get yourself immersed in.

Grossty - Grossty - Album Review

Year: 2013

These days, metal bands try too hard to stand out in an already overcrowded genre. They try to be more brutal, more technical and more dark, that in the process their albums become a type of a serious affair. In such a time, perhaps the only way to stand out is to let go of the usual conventions and just have fun with the music. That is a concept well understood by Bangalore based grind band, Grossty, as illustrated in the band's self titled debut. By being random, the band has crafted for itself, a sound that can be instantly associated with them.

Hiss From The Moat - Misanthropy - Album Review

Year: 2014

Bands that usually do a mix of black and death metal often tend to stick to the old school roots of both the genres. It is quite rare to see a band mix both the styles in their modern version. It is not to say such bands do not exist. However, they are very few and far in between. The few bands that do exist are unjustly grouped under the tag of blackened deathcore and are often overlooked, as the mix of styles does not come off very effectively. That is not the case for Hiss from the Moat, which is the side project of Hour of Penance drummer James Payne.

Bookakee - Whorrific - Album Review

Year: 2013

A band’s name and how they look, is as important as how their music sounds. All first impressions are made from the name and the appearance of the band. So when I googled Bookakee, I got pictures of men in black paint, covered in what could only be described as Hulk semen. Plus, the name of the band itself is a tongue in cheek reference to a pornographic act. Usually, when bands go for such daring names and looks, their music usually is a joke. That is not the case of Bookakee fortunately.

Harlott - Origin - Album Review

Year: 2013

Something happened when I listened to this record. It was a cold evening in the north eastern Arizona in winter, and the only sounds were that of the traffic on the highway. Under the sound of the distant cars I sat outside somewhat loathing what I was about to hear. Although I had made up my mind to explore the current underground thrash movement, I was convinced that there wasn’t going to be anything to smile about. The judgment was made on prior experience with current thrash bands. One thing was for sure, and that was, I wasn’t ready for what I was about to hear.

Kimi Kärki - The Bone Of My Bones - Album Review

Year: 2013

Kimi Kärki is not a person very well known in metal industry, maybe because his bands are underground and very few people know about them. Even those who know the bands he is in, don't really know how great he is. For those who don't know anything about Kimi Kärki, let me tell you about him. He started as a guitarist for progressive rock band Orne and later joined the doom metal band Lord Vicar.

Solstice - Death's Crown is Victory - Album Review

Year: 2013

Time after time, music becomes more demanding in daily life. With all the stress and life keeps you dragging into the depressive part of life too. All the responsibilities and the ever crumbling wall of positive energy just makes you want to break the face of every person you come across. Fear not! Metal is here! Metal is there to make it go away or maybe it's upto you to decided to let go of everything and listen something awesome as the genre of metal.

Iron Dogs - Free and Wild - Album Review

Year: 2013

While the band brands itself as 'speed metal' they take a mild but different approach compared to the new bands coming out with catchy and explosive music out of Finland or the USA. This album 'Free And Wild' felt as if a caged animal had been let loose and it's rampage was felt evident afterwards.

Woslom - Evolustruction - Album Review

Year: 2013

Brazil has remained one of the favourite place for all the thrash fans across the globe for the quality and the number of thrash bands that have emerged from this football crazy country. Woslom is another one of those bands which keeps the thrash flag high in the continent and has managed to create its own identity in the midst of the emergence of the dozens of thrash bands with each passing day. Over the years after listening to dozens of the thrash bands, I realize that thrash metal has more flavour and variety to it than most people recognise. Woslom gives you that different flavour of thrash not commonly heard these days, and its not a bad one by any means!

The End - You Made The Rain Disappear (Demo) - Album Review

Year: 2013

While most people may disagree the inclusion of shoegaze / post black metal as a sub genre of metal, it is undeniable that it is one of the most beautiful forms of music in existence today. Here, in India though, not many bands opt to play this beautiful form of music, as bands prefer the extreme genres instead. One of the few bands that do play post black metal in India is The End, a one man project from Mumbai. Last year, this band released its first demo, which gives an insight into what the band has to offer in the near future.

Lachrymanopsia - Released EP - Album Review

Year: 2013

Death metal has always fascinated me and more so melodic death metal. Over the last few years the genre has seen an incredible number of quality bands from accross the globe. Now Lachrymanopsia is an alternative metal band with lots of melodic death influences. I had never heard of this band before and even pronouncing the name felt quite difficult for me. This a classic alternative metal and frankly I have not able to understand why they named this EP as 'Released' (Sounds too generic). The album is full of great death metal vocals which include both growling and screaming and also has lots of guitar solos.

Inner Temple - Inner Temple EP - Album Review

Year: 2013

Grunge is something we don’t hear much of these days. Even harder to find is a new grunge band. Inner Temple hail out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is strange to see a grunge band coming out of Philly and naturally I expected something different out of one the toughest cities in America. Nonetheless it was a welcome listen.

Systemhouse 33 - Depths Of Despair - Album Review

Year: 2013

Though I enjoy almost every incarnation of metal in existence, bands that move away from the norm and experiment within their genres, hold a special place in my heart. The thrill of hitting the play button on an experimental album and not knowing what to expect, is something that is indescribable by mere words. Unfortunately, there are but a few handful of band here, in India, that are willing to think outside the box and experiment a little. But the few ones that do take the risk, end up doing a fine job at it. The very same can be said for Mumbai based band, Systemhouse33.

Chaos - Violent Redemption - Album Review

Year: 2013

The state of Kerala in India has always been a hub for talented musicians. This southern state has given birth to so many talented bands, but only a few of those bands have gotten the recognition and praise that they deserve. Most of these bands are underrated and overlooked. One such talented and yet so underrated band is Chaos, from Trivandrum.

Halahkuh - Desecration EP - Album Review

Year: 2013

Let's take some old school thrash metal, chop it and mix it with some brutal, in your face type death metal and throw in some Melodies in the middle. The result is a death / thrash metal band from Pune named Halahkuh. Their debut EP 'Desecration' is as good as it gets, especially considering the fact that its a debut release. 

Trainwreck Architect - Traits Of The Sick - Album Review

Year: 2013

There was I, 7-8 years back when I first heard metal music. The first sub genre that I got into was thrash metal. Oh what a time it was, listening to The Big 4, Overkill, Kreator and what not - with head smashing riffs, those air guitars I played, that brutal voice I sang in (which I still do). Thrash metal became my favorite sub-genre of metal. Also what attracted me was that thrash metal wasn't sub-divided into more sub genres. From 30 years ago, when thrash had its initiation, till now, thrash still has kept its brutality that no other sub-genre has. Though, in all genres there is atleast one band that looks brutal and bad ass in details and introduction but equally disappointing when heard. Same goes for Trainwreck Architect.

Disfigured Dead - Relentless - Album Review

Year: 2013

Though metal is a worldwide culture, over time certain geographic locations have become famous for specific sub genres. For examples, when Norway is mentioned, the thought immediately goes towards black metal and as far as Finland is concerned, grand and melodic metal is the speciality. Inspite of this, there are some bands that take their style beyond what is norm at their place. Death metal from New York would typically refer to NYDM styles made famous by bands like Suffocation and Immolation. Yet, Disfigured Dead is a band from New York, who have managed to carve out a new sound for themselves.

Cvinger - Monastery Of Fallen - Album Review

Year: 2013

Just imagine having pizza at your favorite joint. You are hungry as hell, and then you see your favorite pizza is on the specials today. You are handed one slice of it, and then completely relish the whole slice of pizza in anticipation of rest of the pizza..........and then that's it. No more pizza. Shop closes down. Slovenian three piece act Cvinger's first EP, 'Monastery of Fallen' can be summed up as that piece of pizza. It is tasty, raw and appealing to the senses but not enough of it is there to satiate one's hunger.

Sceptre - Age Of Calamity - Album Review

Year: 2013

Every once in a while, there comes a metal band that reminds me of the reasons why I got into this genre, in the first place. For me, metal was a way to rebel and say a big “F*ck you!” to everything that is wrong in today’s mainstream society. It is a way to vent out all the anger and rage I have for all the terrible events that shape the life of a common man today. Recently I came across a band from my own country that embodied all this in their music. That band is none other than the mighty Sceptre from Mumbai.