Under the mystic working title Beyond Bloodied Banners Far And Haunted Winters Graven, Frostwork and Cruelty’s Heart release their first split via upcoming and intensively growing label Ukem Records. Oh yes, great cover artwork too…
Crowbar is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana. The band dates back to 1988, when Kirk Windstein joined the a punk band called Shell Shock. He quickly became friends with Jimmy Bower, but he band collapsed when Mike Hatch, their guitarist, committed suicide in late 1988.
When I saw the name Bailey I immediately thought of Blaze Bailey, but this is an album by Nigel Bailey, frontmen of Three Lions. As a matter of fact the release of this album is only six months after the release of the Three Lions album.
Before i express my opinion, I have to admit that black/trash metal is not usually my kind of music... But I did like Persecution Mania. Long time ago though.... Even listened to Epitome of Torture again, to catch up.
Praise the Horned One! Pandemonium are back… At least, that was my first erotic thought when I received this album. Yet then again, Devilri… Wasn’t that something old…? So, I checked it out, and there are two observations: 1 this indeed deals with very old stuff (my mind, after decades of [self-censorship] and 2 WTF, but I seem to have missed this band’s last album?!
Pain Of Salvation has always been a band that pushed the boundaries in the progressive metal genre. They never really released an album that was not up to par. David Gildenlöw is the only band member left of the outfit that released the debut album in 1997. He is, and always was of course the artistic brain behind the band In 2012 he wanted to give the fans something extra by recording an acoustic gig they were playing in Germany for a DVD.
Kaipa released their first album in 1975. Almost 40 years later they release their twelfth album. It’s the first time I hear music of these seasoned Swedes and I’m positively surprised.
Germany’s Ichor did surprise me a lot with their Benthic Horizon-album (in 2010), which made me search for their debut The Siege (which wasn’t as strong and convincing as its higher-mentioned successor). Since then, however, the audience couldn’t enjoy any new material anymore (though they did play live a lot, including appearances on some notorious festivals).
Established in 2005 by Jens Faber, Dawn Of Destiny have focused on powerful and fast Power Metal including various elements of Thrash, Gothic and Death Metal into their music.
Earth Ground is my first meeting with Polish act Thaw, but there seems to be a first album, called Decay, released in 2010, and a second one, simply called Thaw, in 2013. Apparently the band was able to perform live on stage with notorious acts like Altar Of Plagues, Behemoth or Jarboe, so they are about to become quite a noticeable name within the Extreme Metal scene.
