I have no idea what’s going on in Costa Rica, but lately we are almost (read: ‘almost’, with some relativation) overcrowded by bands and projects from out there – some of the better things I recently ‘met’, and which I did a review for recently / which I will do a review for very soon: Alastor Sanguinary Embryo, Insepulto, Paganus Doctrina, Ancient Spheres, Inhuman, …
Next year Finnish (top) act Sacrilegious Impalement will celebrate its tenth anniversary, but the celebration party already started by compiling their three oldest releases under the flag of First Three Nails. After those three items, the band recorded and released three excellent full length studio albums (within the Archives you will find two of them), but let’s focus on this compilation, which comes with a six-page booklet, and after being remastered at Digivision Records.
On June 7th 2015 we did upload a review for the newest Ralf Rabendorn-recording, the Among Black Hearts EP, and because I am such a lazy guy, I’d like to refer to that review for some additional information about this talented guy (who also owns the ContraMusikProduktion-label).
The meaning of ‘taiga’ has to do with the green forest lands at the Arctic and Subarctic areas of our dearest Mater Terra. It means coldness, it means nature, it means emptiness and desolation, extent and, at the same time, littleness, emptiness, integrity. I think it’s rather logical that this Russian (Siberian) band did go for that specific moniker.
On this album, Bulgarian act Serpentine Creation are a quartet, consisting of Vlad (guitars + vocals), Gormoth (guitars), Mephistophel (drums; he took care of the artwork too), and Jafar (bass). They self-produced The Fiery Winds Of Armageddon with mix and recording at the Sub Zero Studio, with Bebo taking care of engineering and mastering. Result: forty one minutes of modern Death / Black Metal.
I have to admit that I do not know that many interesting acts from Costa Rica, but despite the relative modesty of the scene, there are more than a couple of great acts out there: Alastor Sanguinary Embryo, Insepulto, Mortigor, Corpse Garden, From Oblivion or Morbid Funeral – and Deiphago, if you want to… And within that not-to-underestimate list of impressive acts, one needs to add Paganus Doctrina, a band that actually started half of the nineties.
This is a like-or-not thing, Massemord. I think they did some great things in the past, despite quite a turbulent history. Actually this project was formed as a solo-outfit of a Norwegian guy (Lord Hastur), then joined by some other members. Eventually Lord Hastur left and both other members continued, followed by other changes in line-up, trespassing the borders with Italy, and so on. I do not feel like going to deep into the subject right now; you might find some additional info on the net, of course.
I was totally blown away when I listened to the Khost debut album last year. Copper Lock Hell must have been one of the most impressive Industrial (and I know that’s quite a ‘large’ approach) releases in many years. Check out the review undersigned did for this high-quality recording, posted on November 17th 2014.
I was truly surprised by last year’s The Gradual Immersion In Nihilism, this Greek band’s debut on Nebular Winter Productions (see update September 22nd 2014), and now, one year later, this band returns with the sophomore full album, Inhumane Minimalism, once again via the very same (top) label. Nine tracks this time, having a total running time of thirty two minutes. Once again the whole was mixed, engineered and mastered by K. Filip at the F&A Studio.
Opposites do attract, and that goes for geographical issues too. Harlow MacFarlane from Australia and Cyclic Law from Canada did work together a couple of times before and… damn, what a stupid introduction…
