I don’t know anymore how many Extreme Metal acts there are with the moniker Lycanthropy. But this review deals with the extremely productive one from Orel, Russia, close to the borders with Ukraine and Belarus. The city of Orel, by the way, isn’t that far away from the city of Voronezh, known for a very vivid Metal-scene, and house of another act called Lycanthropy (though defunct in mean time) – FYI.
Light are a Berlin-based trio (Ray-v/g/k, C-d, and Sky-b), formed in 2010. They released a (very limited) demo-CD in 2012, called Ignition, from which all tracks appear on their debut full length as well, though with another title. This debut studio full album gets released via Germany’s Black Warcult Productions, a label that was active during the era 2003-2006 especially.
The Venezuelan band Khristenn Corpse was formed a decade ago, and they released two demos and one full length in mean time, respectively the independently released EP’s The Khristenn Corpse and Bloodmiracle (2005 and 2010), and the LP/CD Grotesque (2011, via Argentinian Misanthropic Spirit Records). The American label Temptations Of Resonance Records will now re-issue the second demo, Bloodmiracle, though in a very limited edition.
Horn Of The Rhino return with their fourth album, and once again it gets released by Czech label Doomentia Records; why changing a winning team must be their motto. The label even re-issued material from this band when they were acting under the old moniker Rhino.
Following The Beast is the second full album from the Swedish warriors united under the banner of Gormathon, after 2010’s Lens Of Guardian (Supernova Records). There was also an EP in 2012, Celestial Warrior, by the way, and the songs from that mini-album are part of this full length too.
It’s been long, way too long, but Belgian outfit Emeth finally return with their newest (fourth) full length, after 2008’s Telesis (released via Minnesota’s Brutal Bands; are they still active – to my knowledge they didn’t release anything anymore in more than a year?). Undersigned was quite enthusiastic with that former Emeth-album (surely the band’s strongest release to date).
Sven ‘Unhold’ Zimper’s World Terror Committee aka W.T.C. Productions is about to become one of the strongest labels from German soil, with tens of great releases this year. As a teaser for Dysangelium’s upcoming debut full length, W.T.C. release this German band’s second demo, Leviaxxis, which consists of three tracks, all of them clocking around four minutes.
Czech combo Destructive Explosion Of Anal Garland does kindly rape our eardrums the most un-softly way for quite some time now. Albums with divine titles like Cutterclit and Sealing Off The Vagina By Sewer Lid are straight to the point, avoiding confusion or surprise. Indeed, gore stuff it has always been. And it didn’t change with this album either.
Crone, and I’m not talking about the Australian band with Mandy Andresen and Yonn McLaughlin, nor the Californian Pagan / Black outfit, are a project with two experienced musicians, i.e. sG of Secrets Of The Moon-fame and Embedded’s Markus Renzenbrink. The duo wrote and recorded four tracks, which are now compiled as Gehenna, and which features guest vocals of ex-Swans / Skin member Jarboe (on Dead Man).
Southern Oregon-based Attic recorded the self-released album Seasons at 23 Below Studios (Wilderville, Oregon) with producer Scotty Gissel. With Seasons, the quintet (guitar players Christopher Pilcher and Nathaniel Tracey, drummer Otis Blankenship IV, bass player Joey Souza, and vocalist Jeremy DeGonia) bring thirty five minutes of groovy and technically executed Black / Death Metal.
