Metal Minis - Vilifier - Okkulta

Vilifier - Rehearsal MMXI [Demo]

Vilifier are a rather intriguing black/death act to appear from Australia. Their material is does not defy the Australian traditional of gore soaked raw bestiality, but their three track rehearsal demo provides a little more than standard, compulsory black/thrashing onslaughts or fluent, dissecting raw black metal inclinations that seem to be getting popular every day, simply by exposing the music with almost sophisticated touches. Think of a slower Teitanblood or a more chug laden Antediluvian, fuse it with glimpses of unbridled ruptures, and you have Vilifier. The band excels at constructed well-maintained bridges to fluctuate between monotonous death/doom trudges and voluptuous moments of festering precision, blasting out rancid, piercing tremolos here and there. While it is short, the fifteen minute demo introduces and introspective channel that finds its way through darkness and chaos, and therefore there’s plenty of variation here, with the cherry on top of the cake being the abrasive, ear-shattering growls of the vocalist, a cavernous experience. Even amongst the more seasoned and professional acts to emerge from Aussie, Vilifier somehow stands out, and any resident war metal fan should have no problem welcoming this demo.

Okkulta - Witch [Demo]

Okkulta hail from Sweden and they’re yet another traditional heavy metal act to embrace the old school fervour they possess. However, their inclinations lean towards a somewhat eviler brand of traditional heavy, as stated on the title of the demo. The occult, evil, blasphemy and sorcery all seem to be themes that interest the young outfit, but queerly, they don’t fail at projecting that fervour onto their music, and all of a sudden you have two concise tracks, darker than any usual aspect to emerge from Sweden, and the slight deviation serves as the fulcrum of the demo. ‘’Devil’s Truth’’ leads the listener viscously with a visceral guitar tone and a couple of catchy tremolo passages, ultimately finalizing too quick for the listener to properly appease /himself/herself. Almost black metal-esque chords disseminate as they melt into a hooking verse and the vocals sing along truculently, a little immature but still decent. The following piece ‘’Witch’’ keeps a slightly more intricate persona, and scatters the demo into a more ritualistic hymn. Perhaps not all the aspects of the demo were well done, but I still enjoyed it. This may augment into something more promising in the future.

Vilifier: 8.50/10

Okkulta: 8/10

Wishdoom - Helepolis

Epic war has always been a favored theme in metal, though with recent bands focusing on blasphemy or gore and death, it has been undoubtedly thrown to the background, and although I see little or no bands pushing it towards its once mighty glory, Greece's Wishdoom appear to actually enjoy this epic, most glorious brand of traditional heavy metal more than others, and they've even turned their musical direction towards the lyrical themes. Wishdoom are entitled as heavy/doom, and I can't really agree on that when subtle, heavy riffs are played in a viscous, energetic manner, but it's blatant that their formula is much more than just a combination of doom and heavy metal. It's quite normal if you feel as if you're being towered by the almighty siege tower Helepolis as the music flows, and you feel as if you're encircled by Greek soldiers, spears and arrows flying everywhere while catapults fling rocks and rams batter against the wooden gates of Rhodes.

That being said, I fear most of Wishdoom's concept and adoration for fantasy and ancient warcraft in another product to keep listeners engaged and baffled, but as the album progresses this distraction loses its efficiency and listener is left face to face with the not-so-intricate riffing. The riffs are not necessarily boring, but besides w few tracks that truly stand out, they can't seem to catch a good amount of attention for the entire momentum of the album, but thankfully, they do tend to bear sublime heft and a crystal clear cloak containing them, and with the additional boast of the thumping drum beats, the simple textures emblazon themselves with a somewhat rich, compact sound. There are myriads of riffs, each similar to the one before, but I can't seem to dislike their robust execution. Glimmering melodies crawl surreptitiously while chunky mid paced stomps smash in the background, and Wishdoom keen on embracing the triumphant and epic edge of metal, pushing it towards the limits, thus, they've proved that with the substantial usage of atmospheric choris and synthesizers. All of these riffs don an armor of glory and glorious victory, shining, gleaming on the golden shields of the warriors.

The vocalist has a strong voice perhaps not exceedingly high-pitched but strong and forceful all the same, and he does play huge role whilst churning elements of doom and epic heavy metal together. The drums have acquired a plentiful amount of space in the mix as their presence is always felt, and their battering effect is persistent just like the momentous riffs; and with the war drums place, the siege is guaranteed to be a victory. Even though their features are poorly distinguished the tracks often vary among themselves; the title track is favorite of mine, its gloriously crafted structure adorned with additional elements with a chorus that reeks of victory, while ''Zeus The Thunderer'' is is a much more moving affair, giving out a classy combo of melodic riffs and jumpy solos, and ''Up The Hammers'' is the ultimate sound track of an army pushing against the walls of a besieged city. ''Helepolis'' is an original release even though it's not wholly innovative, and it's enjoyable, and the whole album is the sound track to victory. Next time you're besieging a city, be sure to take a copy of ''Helepolis'' to boast the morale of your men.

Highlights:
Crystal World
Helepolis
Up The Hammers


Rating: 84,5%

Sanguis Imperem - In Glory We March Towards Our Doom

Sanguis Imperem have been donning their armor and sharpening their blades for a good six years now, and this is their album ''In Glory We March Towards Our Doom'',their debut which came out last year on the fantastic old school metal label Hells Headbangers. It's actually been some time since I was last exposed to death metal like this; strong, filthy, dark and militant, taking influences from acts like early Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Immolation, and maybe even some Deicide and Incantation, flowing through the veins of the bestial death metal assault. It's an assault, though in many a way it differs from other bands who fashion the typical Swedeath or Incantation trends these days, making something relatively different, though still not achieving discombobulating complexity. Even so, this is dark, serious music and it's not a merry frolic around the park. Despite being so bestial and stubborn, Sanguis Imperem manage to keep things memorable and constant and all times.

Almost the entire of the anatomy of the album features bludgeoning, dense tremolo picking sections with some power chord hostility thrown here and there. The song writing here is more impressive than I would have thought, because they're definitely not scrawling here, and although the riffs come from the same root, they're somehow highlighted in their own unique way, giving simplicity and harsh shove along the way. The riffs are all spiraled, frantic, twisting chops and brutal chugs, and they all follow each other, like a train with all its wagons at the back, loaded with heavy material. I wouldn't really call it ''a train of brutality'' because there's more to the riffs than just blatant brutality, but the sublime heft is an important factor for making the riffs work precisely, plus, since the album seldom tends to give a break the riffs carry a sort of monotonous tone, numbing yet enjoyable. As I stated above, the traditional art of contemplating cadavers and pulling out graveyard fiends is missing, only to be replaced by a furious mid paced bestiality.

Although this can be classified as death metal directly, there seems to be a few small elements in the combination that reek of bestial black metal or black/death. These scents are scarce, but as you go over the album a few times you'll find the the vague black metal influence to be a little more clear and the drudging riffs will become more of a treat. I love how dual guitars create abysmal harmonies just before the appearance of ponderous chord slam, throwing itself into the music as if drunk and drowsy. The vocals are another garnish fro the album; they're generally hostile and take on lower tones, but sometimes a second voice joins in the choir or horrors and a much more eerie sound is obtained, seething with evil. All of its elements sum up to a top notch old school death metal album, filthy, cruel and belligerent, and if you findfrom the rotting flesh many exploit today too rotten, than take something fresher, something a little more arduous, then the glorious Roman incursion that is Sanguis Imperem is for you.

Highlights:
The Crucifilth
Praeternatural Order
The Scourge Of Men
Inherit Decay


Rating: 86%

Cruciamentum-Engulfed In Desolation EP

Lately, there's been a constantly infecting assault of 90's death metal, and one band band to emerge from the the rotting sewers of old school stench is Cruciamentum, one of the most grotesque. Crawling from bottomless pits of old school DM, Cruciamentum hail from the UK, a country which once gave birth to immense death metal monstrosities Bolt Thrower and Benediction. Cruciamentum strike with absolute energy and the constant companion of OSDM rot, following the energy like a shadow. This is not the prelude of something that was not witnessed before, but it's one thing to be definetely be excited about, because amongst tens and thousands of new 90's worshipping bands that flow like rivers of decay, Cruciamentum stand out with their elaborate song architecture, cryptic dynamicism and unending current of turbulent death metal that no doubt evokes ghastly nostalgia in the mind of an OSDM fanboy.

The music, when explored with deep precaution, will display all of its colours that come vast variety and contrast to the opposition of simplistic OSDM brutes who emphasize on a single direction in the perplexing inventory of the yet to be perfected art of OSDM. Cruciamentum no doubt borrow more than a few influences from their archaic forefathers. In fact, the band has actually taken aspects from slightly differing bands, thus they have churned all these different styles all togerther to produce a rancid OSDM ep. There is definetely some Bolt Thrower and Benediction worshipping here, and I'm quite content to see that the band has followed a similar path to their fellow countrymen and forefathers, in contrast to bands who show no influences of their national sound and simply worship the already pervasive styles which have been repeatedly done before. Besides the British masters, there is an indulgent sound of Swedeath, taken to add groove and purvey the dark, somber atmosphere. The tremolo pickings are granted a rich and fat tone, which evokes an Incantation sound. Simultaneously streaming guitars sometimes change paths and harmonize in order to attain the same bludgeoningly evil Incantation sound. I have enjoyed how the band's tendency of mixing all these grotesque stylings all together and churning them with  some additional features, but the EP offers even more.

The atmosphere, is a crucial factor in envoking the rancid OSDM nostalgia and frankly the riffage on ''Engulfed In Desolation'' have all blended well with the un-polished production quality to create a blood-curdling atmosphere, aided with heaps of ambiance, spawning from the blustering assault of the riffs. The drums also have a settled sound, dense but still very audiable and of course fitting the music well. The eight-minute diabolical finale, ''Unsanctified Temples'' is one song not to be messed with, While all the other tracks blast out vigorously and spray epidemic with turbulent incursions, this track is alden with disease. Indeed it is yet another exhibition of a common trait in OSDM-doom. Whith eight minutes packed with doom laden passages and sickeningly eerie dirges, ''Unsactified Temples'' is a riff medley, producing riffs which have been borrowed from typical suspects like Autopsy, Fleshcrawl or Incantation. Overwhelming atmoshere of enormous density and giving little space for a listener to breathe is what this song's all about.

Even though I have enjoyed the riffs on a healthy amount of OSDM bands, I feel Cruciamentum made a major difference alongside Horrendous, Morbus Chron, Miasmal or Ignivomous. How these guys put all the great attributes of 90's death metal amazed me, and an Ep is just the start. Every tracks has the rotting stench old school in its veins, and the atmosphere guarantees you that everything is perfectly unpolished and macabre. My final request from Cruciamentum would be to make a full-lenght, and quick because just four tracks at a mere twenty-five minutes will certainly not suffice. When it comes to OSDM, I'm like a vampire with voracious thirst, and if these Brits don't come up with a debut album soon, my thirst will be redeemed with their blood. Hurry up, time is short.

Highlights:
Fallen In Disease
Thrones Turned To Rust
Unsanctified Temples

Rating: 90,5%

Fill your nostrills with more old school stench: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cruciamentum/285239791946

Dead To This World-Sacrifice EP

The relentless maelstrom of black/thrash bands continue, this time leaving me with this gem from Norway. It seems Norway has started getting their thrash up, with bands like Deathhammer and Nekromatheon releasing ultimately powerful records and leaving a strong mark. Dead To This World combine the ancient sound of their fellow countrymen with plain. nonetheless vicious thrash. With thye songs haing such a strong base, it is impossible fro me to dislike the upcoming blackened thrash assault, spewing forth a healthy amount of black metal alongside old school thrash metal whicch is not the most distintive, but certainly devastating.

While stand out tracks such as ''Satan's Storm'' give the Ep a brilliant headstart, other tracks still remain powerful and have a sustainable amount of energy to both give the genereal feel of the album and to entertain the listener. The great thing about the riffs is that they are soaked in black metal so they are all equally epic or thrashy. The Ep also has a ton of atmosphere which is highly prevalent also. So all in all the riffs are generic with the similar tremolo picking patterns repeated perpetually but thanks to the crushing thrash influence, they are saved and evolve into something which will most definetely want you to band your head to. The album scarcely borders on death metal, and that sound is accustomed the most in the vocal delivery. The vocalist plays a harsh game, and sounds totally throaty. He lacks the typical extremely high-pitched and muffled sound of classic black metal vocalists but that was probably one thing that he wasn't planning to do. The vocal style has formulated a great brand, combining standard, pissed off thrash vocals with exceedingly guttural and throaty screams that rage monstrously over the concise riffage. So by sounding pretty incomplex, Dead To This World have managed to formulate their own type of blackened thrash that's most compherensible, straightforward and furious thus relentlessly bashes the listeners ears.

To label this as the most original Ep/Album would be totally wrong, but as far as the dynamics that are created go, ''Sacrifice'' blows away. All songs are straightforward and pervasive within their own walls. This isn't the most groundbraking black/thrash of the year, but with improvements, it could progress into a much more stand out album. But the main idea here is the sordid assault of blackened thrash that bursts in an absolute frenzy thus aided with a ton of ambience and aspect. So ultimately, ''Sacrifice'' is humble to both of its ancient predecessors and is a well-rounded experience for newcomers of this sub-genre, which enables the nerve cells to keep heads banging, even though the music isn't too flexible or acrobatic.

Highlights:
Satan's Storm
Altar Of Mahakali

Rating: 85,5%