Young quartet Hirsipuu hails from Finland and self-releases the eight-tracker Ihmisestä, which lasts for eighteen minutes. This means: short tracks, all of them in between two and three minutes, so expect a fist-in-the-face product that will take no prisoners. And indeed it does not.
It is not because I am chauvinistic, but normally we consider the U.S., Sweden and Germany as the most important countries when it comes to Death Metal. I think the Lowlands, i.e. Belgium and (especially) the Netherlands, are at least as influential for the worldwide scene. It was the case in the earliest years, and it has not changed.
Norway’s Den Saakaldte, named after a Ved Buens Ende-song (taken from their sole album, Written In Waters), were formed in 2006 by Michael ‘Sykelig’ Siouzios, who originates from Greece. He used to be member of one of my favourite Greek combos, Naer Mataron, before he moved over to Norway (back then he acted under the name of Morfeas), and in Norway he used to be part of Paradigma for a couple of years.
Curimus from Finland call themselves a thrash band, but honest… what I hear is sort of a deathmetal/metalcore album, of which the last dozen of so years we’ve had plenty and more.. Hailing from Nordic territory of course means, that overall we have a well-crafted / produced album which is always a good thing.
Austria’s Brewed & Canned were formed at the end of last century by two young (at least back then) brothers, Michael (g) and Max (d) Fingernagel. However, they didn’t release anything but some demonstrational stuff; three to be exactly, if I am not mistaken. Very recently, however, and finally, they were able to sign to a professional label, i.e. Germany’s young and small but impressive Death / Black label Blacksmith Records.
Although San Diego (California) based Metalcore/ Post-Hardcore hybrid act Being As An Ocean (named after a quote from Mahatma Gandhi) only came in existence in late 2011, the vast majority of its members have a musical past in DeathCore act Vanguard which, having been formed in 2005, left us two EPs (2006 Dragonslayers and 2009's Bring Hope – both 5-trackers) and one full-length (2008's Erek And Ivor).
Florence based Italian Speed/ Thrash/ Black Metal act Barbarian [do not confuse with the 2003 founded Heavy/ Thrash Metal act from the Girona area in Spain (which already left us a 3003 demo, a 2006 live album and full-lengths in 2007 and 2009), the 2001 formed Black Metal act from California (which released two 2001 demos - current status uncertain), or the Power/ Thrash Metal American outfit (which only left us a 1987 demo, and definitely no longer active)] was founded in 2009 by the trio of Borys Crossburn on guitar and vocals (also active with C
Just to put the dots on the “i”'s from the get-go, let's make tings clear that this review is nót about either of the following still active bands : 1) The Manilla based Philippines Thrash Metal band which to date only delivered a 2003 EP; 2) The now Montreal, Canada based Melodic Black/Death Metal act of Novis Sad, Serbian origins (where they were founded in 2006) which released a 2007 demo, a 2010 EP, 3 split-releases, 2010 and 2012 full-lengths, and their latest, a 2013 single; 3) The California based American Brutal Death Metal outfit formed in 1994, which so far only gave us a 1997 dem
Kaotoxin Records are one of those labels that comes with an enormous variety in releases, though mainly Death Metal and Grindcore-based. One of the genres they are known for is the Grindcore-scene.
Whitechapel is an American deathcore band named after the Whitechapel district in East London, England. Founded in 2006, in Knoxville, Tennessee playing some powerfull Deatcore. Current members are: Phil Bozeman – vocals, Ben Savage – lead guitar, Alex Wade – rhythm guitar, Gabe Crisp – bass, Zach Householder – rhythm guitar and Ben Harclerode – drums.
