CD

I have had this CD for a while, but failed to write an immediate review on it because the band is so hard to put your finger on.

Anaal Natrakh, Burzum, Darkthrone, Satyricon, and some other Norwegian black metal come into my mind when I listen to the songs of Unravel, at times very hymnic and melodic, then icy cold and fast, combined with the bone-dry production sounding basic as Gehenna does without any detours. Yet this album has one big flaw for my ears, yes, again, the vocals which destroys much of any upcoming atmosphere.

As 2013 is coming to an end I realized that I have left some of the better albums of the year un- reviewed. The Argentinean Dragonauta is perhaps the most notable. Dragonauta have been roaming the scene for 15 years now and ever since their beginnings I have been a big fan and for just as many years they are one of those bands that never even remotely received the recognition that they more than would deserve for their releases. There’s something to be said about a band that have been around for so long and are still kicking.

I think it’s time fans of sludge and noise core discover the Beringen, Belgian outfit 30 000 Monkies. Their second EP contains four pieces, each one containing its fair share of noise, disoriented and frightened passages. However, the songs “Czarring”, “Imperial Staches”, “Amazones” and the longest 13-min “Battering” don’t go through a variety of tempo and style changes, 30 000 Monkies does an excellent job of building and maintaining a suffocating atmosphere ending on the darkest possible note.

Dutch band Vengeance have been around since 1983 already, but if you don’t count the album that was only released in Japan, and the live album, this is only their eleventh album.  Line-up changes have been countless over the years, but with one or two constants always returning, that being singer Leon Goewie –  he’s been replaced one some occasions, and guitarist Jan Somers.  Sadly enough Jan Somers died in 2011 from a heart attack, but his son Timo who had already played in the band together with his fathe

Silent Voices is a Finnish band that I’d never heard of before.  Yet so far they have already released 3 albums since 2002, but since their 2006 album ‘Building Up the Apathy’ it had become quite silent, as if they went in wintersleep.  On top of that they lost their vocalist Michael Henneken (Sentiment, Adamantia).

This actually is the third album already for Signum Regis, a band that was only formed in 2007 by bass player Ronnie König.  But while on the former two albums the vocals were handled by Göran Edman (ex Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum) on this album the vocals were done by a score of singers, including Mr.

Line up:

Jens Carlsson - Vocals

Emil Norberg - Guitar

Daniel Sundbom - Guitar

Fredrik Hedström - Bass

Efraim Juntunen - Drums

Persuaders’ fourth album is coming out in January 2014 and it’s a great new year’s present for the Powermetal fans.

Edward Box is a UK guitarist, whom you probably know from his work with Vendetta, who have so far released 3 albums on Lion Music.  It’s clear that he’s a prolific guitar player, because you get to hear some parts which could as well have been played by Joe Satriani, whilst other parts remind you of George Lynch but the list goes on.

The Flower Kings is a Swedish band formed in 1995 around guitarist Roine Stolt and keyboard player Tomas Bodin. Their music is progressive rock on some other albums “Unfold the Futur” can hear some jazz influence.