The legendary Czech act Root, with Jiri ‘Big Boss’ Valter (also a founder of the Czech-Slovakian Church Of Satan), must be one of East Europe’s oldest and most influential bands. Together with, let’s say, Vader, Tormentor, Master’s Hammer, Behemoth and a couple of others, Root sort of metalized the musical expressions behind the Iron Curtain.
Mortal Throne Of Nazarene is / was Incantation’s second full album, after Onward To Golgotha, originally released via Relapse Records in 1994. I have no idea why, but Hells Headbangers are about to re-release this stuff with nothing additional at all, so I’m kind of disappointed (no bonus songs whatsoever???). Haven’t we all this stuff in our possession?
For more than fifteen years in meantime, the German label Iron Bonehead brings highly qualitative releases that dwell within the sleaziest spheres of underground-oriented Thrash / Black / Speed / Death Metal (the European answer on Hells Headbangers???). But as from a couple of years ago on, they did sort of conquer the hard-metallic worlds with an increasing number of releases that aren’t here but to please undersigned ear drums. Respect!
Swedish outlet Facebreaker was formed at the very end of last millennium. A demonstrational and a promotional recording during the early 2000’s made the band draw attention of Rage Of Achilles, whom the band signed to shortly after. The band recorded a first full length, Bloodred Hell, but because of financial problems at the Rage Of Achilles headquarters, the promotion on that album unfortunately was far beneath acceptance (‘unfortunately’ because of the exceptional high quality).
Norwegian act Extol return after a long period of relative silence. The band was formed during the first half of the nineties, and throughout the years, they recorded a couple of EP’s (1999’s Mesmerized and 2001’s Paralysis) and four full lengths: Burial (1998), Undeceived (2000), Synergy (2003) and The Blueprint Dives (2005). The latter, by the way, was nominated in Norway for a Grammy Award.
The Hundredth Name is the full length debut by Las Vegas-based band Demon Lung. This act was formed in 2011 and recorded an EP before, called Pareidolia.
Since I am a divine appreciator of these two bands’ earlier efforts, I was extremely pleased to find out they did joined forces, more or less, with resulting in a split-collaboration. All together: hurray! Actually it was released in 2012 for the American market especially via Red Stream, and the vinyl freaks will appreciate the re-release on EP for sure.
This band with the name Brutus is a Scandinavian act with members from Norway and Sweden in its ranks. The guys collaborate in order to pay tribute to the witchcraftian Seventies scene, trying to put a psychedelic soul and bluesy retro-Rock into the whole concept. The recording process took quite a while, but the guys wanted to create a faultless concept and the recording sessions took place in both Norway (Subsonic Society Oslo) and Sweden (Music-a-Matic Studio in Gothenburg for final mix and mastering).
Two years after the acceptable debut full length The Third Aeon (review posted in Summer 2011), which was also released through I Hate, Italian (Milan-based, actually) trio Black Oath return with Ov Qliphoth And Darkness, going on in the very same vein of that debut (and the few mini-releases done in mean time).
Our dearest Concreteweb’s headquarters did recently receive a cd-r / mp3 with seven Folk-oriented albums. As a matter of fact, Strawberry Oracle Promotions will give some renewed attention to seven bands / projects within the Folk scene by having this material put on the foreground again. It deals with both recent as well as pretty old recordings, and in order to give this stuff a boost, I will be so kind to have it reviewed.
