Since I received both the single and the full album at the same moment, I found it a bit stupid to write two distinct reviews.
This is the second album by this Belgian/Dutch band, that I’d never heard of before. To say they play hard rock wouldn’t do justice to their music. This is much more than plain hard rock. It’s more something in the vein of poppy stoner rock, with also hints of other genres hidden in the songs.
This Melodic Rock/ Metal Czech quintet was founded in 2007, and as far as I know their line-up has always consisted of lead singer Ray, guitarists Jeff (also backing vocals) and Sasha, bassist/ backing singer Marian, and drummer Frankie.
I have been so lucky as to be able to follow this Canadian band since the release of its debut album Once Only Imagined (review posted 06/09/2007). Already a stylistic sensation on that record, the guys (and frontlady) improved on their style for the sophomore album Lullabies For The Dormant Mind (review, again by yours truly, posted 01/02/2009) and, frell me, if they did not go through yet another progression since! And that this progression is definitely a positive one, is something I want understood from the get-go...so we don't get any mistake in about that, okay!?
Within Darkened Disorder got recorded and produced by Andy Classen at the famous Stage One Studio (Varg, Suidakra, Graveworm, Prostitute Disfigurement, Belphegor, Obszön Geschöpf etc.) and was originally released and distributed in 2011 through Twilight.
One of the true underground prog metal bands in Italy, Helreidh (one L) is resurfacing after an almost fourteen-year hiatus with the release of their new Fragmenta album.
Hellwell reminds me of the unique metal constitution Manilla Road, which is the other band that main leader Mark Shelton sings and plays guitar for.
Polish Death-combo Hell United (Rzulty - g and lyrics, Void - v, g, Bartollo - b, and Dugy - d) did record Aura Damage at Roslyn Studio (engineering, mix and mastering) with Krzysztof Godycki.
What a surprise, this second opus of Helgian horde Evil Shepherd (named after the old novel by E. Ph. Oppenheim?)!
By all means, the guys from Austin, Texas based Prog Metal act Ethereal Architect deserve an apology, as their sophomore album has been due a review for a couple of months. Sorry dudes, but all kinds of things have happened to cause this delay. First of all, there was the usual Summer pile-up at Headquarters Office, which caused my editor-in-chief a delay a delivering everything that came out during those two months in one big package.
Italy and metal has never really been a truthful combination. It's only Lacuna Coil that has always grasped me by the throat. And hey, what do I find here? Cayne, an Italian rock metal band with former members of Lacuna Coil. I was really waiting for this to happen, for real! I'm super curious what this will sound like. Cayne already formed in 1999, but for some reason I never really got to know of their existence. It's just only now that they say to have a solid line-up and sound.
