CD

Originally released as a four song seven inch by Lightning Records in March of 2014, Gehennah's Metal Police saw a bulked up reissue by Metal Blade Records in Feb of 2015, which is the band's first release for the label. In addition to the original four tracks on the seven inch, the newly issued Metal Police features eight bonus tracks, which mostly consist of re-recorded tracks from the band's earlier full length albums, King of the sidewalk and Decibel Rebel, along with two unreleased songs.

The stylistic direction of their music is unmistakable, but their great autonomy and compositional intelligence are amazing for a band this young : their second album "Battery" proves impressively that the Southern German thrashmetal act Fateful Finality has rightly come to enjoy a reputation as one of Germany's most hopeful new metal proponents. The winner of the Wacken Metal Battle Germany 2012 have made the most of that window of opportunity and, three years after their debut King Of Torture, present themselves as an even more mature fourpiece.

Swedish Thrash band Entrench was formed somewhere in late 2005 by Fredrik Pellbrink(Guitar, Vocals), Hannes Lindkvist(Guitar) and Victor Holmström(Drums). After two unreleased demos in 2006 the line up was only to be complete after Joel Sundin joined as the bass player.

One of the best acts I know from New Zealand are Apnea, which were formed about four years ago by Drew Reid. Initially Apnea was supposed to be a solo-outfit by this multi-instrumentalist, but after a (short) while he joined forces with guitar player Ben Mikkelsen, and together they created a first EP in 2012, called Silent Cities.

Sacred Sin were / are one of the most ‘popular’ bands from Portugal, though their popularity has never reached the level of, let’s say, a band like Moonspell. That’s undeserved and a pity. They were formed in 1991 and debuted in 1992 with the EP The Shades Behind. One year later, Sacred Sin released their full length debut Darkside via Portuguese label Musica Alternativa, followed by several other albums and some compilations.

‘Mekigah is an effusion of sounds emanating from a dark turbulent vortex… A beautiful blackened bastard child of diverse dark genres’... Does this introduction make you happy? Horny? Anxious? Scared? Or maybe all of them? In that case, I recommend you to read on!

Dargonomel are currently a two-piece from Russia (original members Shaks on guitars, and bass player / vocalist Var), formed in 2006 under the moniker of Subterra de Mort. After the release of the Ultimatum-album, the band ceased its activities in 2010, but they reformed in 2011, first as Sakkath, and very soon after under the name of Dargonomel.

I have always liked what Irish act Wreck Of The Hesperus did in the past. But somehow, I sort of ‘lost’ them after their split with fellow countrymen Mourning Beloveth. But the Aesthetic Death office did offer us the Light Rotting Out album, so there is no reason not to review this master piece, despite being ‘old’, i.e. released almost four years ago. It’s not because I am such a sweet human entity only; I just think that good stuff deserves what it deserves (if you know what I mean).

The history of Finnish outfit Uhriristi goes back to 2011, when Rutto and Samael decided to write some blackish stuff in their mother tongue. With Synti and Räyhähenki joining their ranks, Uhriristi recorded the demo Petetty (self-release on CD-r). Then they (were) contacted (by) Mortis Humanae Productions, and this label re-released that demonstrational effort on tape in 2012.

This band was formed the year I was born in.  But it took them seven years before releasing their first album, and it took them some years to become famous worldwide, although in the rock scene they already had made some reputation.  They acquired international success with their 1984 singe ‘Still Loving You’, taken from the ‘Love At First Sting’ album.