The Estonian band Tharaphita, named after a Baltic god of Thunder and Fire, finally return with a new album. The band was formed two decades ago (initially acting under the moniker of Ancestral Damnation), and after a couple of demos, Tharaphita released their debut full length in 1998 (Raev). Three more albums followed, but after the last one, 2007’s Iidsetel Sünkjatel Radadel, things seemed to fade away.
Melancholy… But beware! This intro is not meant to have some philosophical expression of modernism versus old fashionism. When I just came into the scene during the second half of the eighties, all recordings were released on vinyl or tape. You had lots of rehearsal tapes, demos were released on cassette only, and full lengths were done on vinyl (LP); and you had EP’s (7”) on vinyl too. Then, during the nineties, the CD made its entrance, and since a couple of year, technology introduced digital possibilities. It has both its advantages as well as disadvantages.
I can understand why Belgian top-label Consouling Sounds signed Swedish act Snailking, for this trio’s efforts are very much in the vein of what Consouling Sounds stand for: performing extremely heavy and sludgy Doom-stuff with a gloomy basement. The band proved their worthiness in mean time through means of Samsara, their critically acclaimed debut EP.
Brussels-based act Skeptical Minds was formed in 2002, and in 2005 they released a first album, Rent To Kill, via FYB Records, the label that took, and still takes care of all (European) releases by this band. In 2010 there was a second album (Skepticalized), and throughout the past decade, there were some EP’s and some live stuff too.
It was rather evident that a label like Hells Headbangers (always having a great taste for indigestible rotten flesh…) would sign Sacrocurse. Their demo Sulphur Blessing showed the strength of this project, somewhat perfectly, quasi-shamelessly fitting to Hells Headbangers’ roster (I reviewed that stuff last year, and it had been posted on this site on September 22nd 2013; check it out if you dare, er, I mean, if you want to).
Swedish combo Hyperborean was formed in 2000, but after the recording of some independently released demonstrational material (three demos, for your correct information), they were put to rest. In 2009 Hyperborean resurrected, and via Abyss Records they released the debut full length called The Spirit Of Warfare (on CD-format, in 2011).
The young Italian label Drown Within Records (young, because they were formed in Spring 2013) did send our headquarters the four releases they have on their roster (up till now - I think, and hope, their roster will grow proportionally), i.e. (in chronological order) Dementia Senex, Under The Ocean, Emrevoid and Sedna. All of them will be reviewed by undersigned, evidently, and I’ll start with the third one (don’t ask me why; it’s just an ad random decision), i.e.
One of the many bands called Drakkar is the one this review deals with (evidently; otherwise it would be way too stupid to have such intro and not to deal with the matter…). This Belgian act started more than three decades ago, and in 1988 they came up with a first full length, X-Rated, released via France’s New Musidisc. Shortly after, the band underwent a first break, followed by a short resurrection at the end of last century.
Despite the enormous population, India might not house so much internationally acclaimed Metal-acts. Lately, we can hear more and more stuff from out there (Zero Gravity, Dhwesha, Halahkuh, Exhumation, Dying Embrace etc.), thanks to the promotional boost offered via Transcending Obscurity, and the motivation and passion of Kunal Choksi, amongst others. But there is one Indian band that did conquer Mater Terra years ago: Demonic Resurrection.
Skullflower are one of the outfits created by Matthew Bower, whom you might know from the likes of Pure, Total, Sunroof!, Voltigeurs etc. With the latter, he joins co-operation with Samantha Davies, who’s part of Skullflower’s line-up nowadays.
