I don’t know whether it is really meant to mean something like to purloin, but what I do know is that Verdonkermaan is the third part of a trilogy, once preceded by Krach and Grond. And there is no doubt about this continuation: Verdonkermaan is a logical, merciless successor!
The Fins of the northern death metal band Omnium Gatherum impressed us all back in 2011 with New World Shadows, there previous album. That album was more to be described as melodic metal, whereas their sound has now more evolved into a progressive unity.
Beyond is the band's sixth album and with some new band members, it sets another important mile stone in the evolution of Omnium Gatherum.
Coming forth from Germany, is Majesty. A band formed by vocalist Tarek “MS” Maghary. Quickly after the release of their debut album, ‘Keep It True’ (2000), the band started to build up a its reputation and soon after became more and more popular (but mostly underground). Their popularity kept growing and they toured with bands like U.D.O. and Mystic Prophecy.
The first thing I read when unpacking this cd was TANK. Alright a new record of the beloved British band is nice present. When taking a closer look to the artwork it appealed to be a bit strange for a band like them, so maybe a band with the same name? Nope, when taking a look to the side of the cd, there it stood: Think of A New Kind… ToANK… ok, mystery solved then, let’s hear what ToANK has to offer!
I was fortunate enough to see Hidira Spacefolk at the latest Burg Herzberg fest in Germany. So with great anticipation I waited for their newest full-length Astronautica.
I remember when way back in 1982 one of my friends bought a copy of the first Tank album ‘Filth Hounds Of Hades’, and how it created quite some kick. This was almost raw energy, poured into a musical equivalent. However this didn’t mean that I became a great fan of this band, but they had some good tunes.
This is the fourth album for French band Spheric Universe Experience. I have no idea what their previous albums sounded like, but apparently their sound was more situated in the progressive metal genre.
And although there are still some prog elements there, they seem to have been reduced to a strict minimum. No intricate keyboard parts are to be found, as a matter of fact keyboards are even spares and between. However the album is not bad, since the guitar parts are very good.
After five years of existence, German quartet Farewell To Arms finally debut with Perceptions (the first full length; there were a demo-MCD and an EP in 2010), which lasts for forty one minutes. The album (cf. the intro) starts rather melodic, modern and progressive, yet musically this act isn’t but modern and melodic Thrash-edged Metalcore / Thrash / Death Metal with a sound that is very closely related to the ‘trusted’ scenes of both Sweden and the U.S.Aha. Trusted, meaning overloaded, lacking of an own identity, pubic and infantile it is.
I own the first two albums of Cloudscape, ‘Cloudscape’ and ‘Crimson Skies’, but seem to have missed their third release ‘Global Drama’. Now I’m picking the trail back up with their fourth release ‘New Era’.
