Disclaimer: Most of the following is based on one listen of each.
Slumber - Fallout
What Rapture do, Slumber do it too -- think Katatonia. Doesn't keep my attention for more than 5 tracks, however, "Conflict" is a pretty fucken cool song. (And I have to admit, it gets better with each listen).
7.5/10
YOB - Unreal never Lived
Sludgy doom, detuned to hell, vox range from clean to coarse to absolute guttural. Standout song: "Mental Tyrant", where it's almost Pink Floyd meets Esoteric. Overall though, I preferred the last Yob release.
6.5/10
Asguard - Dreamslave
Melodic polished BM with synths galore. Even the vocals sound like they've been channeled through a synth. Think modern day 'Dimmu Borgir meets Therion'.
5/10
Sheavy - Republic
Sabbath tribute, less bottom end, Ozzy vocals. Got the Iommi and Ozzy nailed, now they just need to find a Butler and Ward.
7/10
V28 - Soul Savior
Mechanical resonance, tremelo picking galore, and epic a la Void of Silence. No Grutle vox this time round, but lots of ambient proggy passages. Overall quite directionless.
6.5/10
Scar Symmetry - Symmetric in Design
Melodeath Soilwork wannabes. Blech. Nuclear Blast fails it YET again.
4/10
Emancer - The Menace Within
I liked their previous a lot but that was when avantegarde prog BM was still relatively original. Now it's a dead horse. This is drum machine blastbeating. Less prog here and more riffage, but ultimately the band is now stagnant.
5/10
Mistweaver - Age of Darkness
Spanish true heavy metal meets death metal. Lots of pounding riffs, and solos are songs in themselves...but the vocals are lacklustre. They're not clean, not death, more like 'whispered grunts'. Drumming is as boring as can be. Guitars = good, rest of band = suck.
5/10
Darkblack - The Barbarian's Hammer
True US power metal (from Philly) singing about wizards and battle axes. Quite possibly the worst clean vocals I have ever heard. They're on Hot Dog city records if you're interested.
3/10
Dew Scented - Issue VI
Obviously named after some vaginal discharge cleansing lotion, this is balls to the wall speed metal with death grunts. If you like bands like Carnal Forge, you'll love these guys. Drums pound away with zero credibility (Lomabardo would be spinning in his grave if he were dead).
4/10
Centinex - World Decension
Blackened death metal, typical Candlelight records fodder. Non stop hammering, zero atmosphere, and sounds like a studio warm up session. Very clean, technical, and polished so it probably works well live. As with Dew Scented, almost each song is identical.
5/10
Mindgrinder - Riot Detonator
"WAAARGGHHH!". More like "Blah" am I right
2/10
Dead Soul Tribe - The Dead Word
Tool meets Zeppelin. It's "Kashmir" with a dash of Jethro Tull. Earthy, gritty, middle eastern desert dust. Not bad, but not consistent. And of course, not as good as Murder of Crows.
7/10
Slumber - Fallout
What Rapture do, Slumber do it too -- think Katatonia. Doesn't keep my attention for more than 5 tracks, however, "Conflict" is a pretty fucken cool song. (And I have to admit, it gets better with each listen).
7.5/10
YOB - Unreal never Lived
Sludgy doom, detuned to hell, vox range from clean to coarse to absolute guttural. Standout song: "Mental Tyrant", where it's almost Pink Floyd meets Esoteric. Overall though, I preferred the last Yob release.
6.5/10
Asguard - Dreamslave
Melodic polished BM with synths galore. Even the vocals sound like they've been channeled through a synth. Think modern day 'Dimmu Borgir meets Therion'.
5/10
Sheavy - Republic
Sabbath tribute, less bottom end, Ozzy vocals. Got the Iommi and Ozzy nailed, now they just need to find a Butler and Ward.
7/10
V28 - Soul Savior
Mechanical resonance, tremelo picking galore, and epic a la Void of Silence. No Grutle vox this time round, but lots of ambient proggy passages. Overall quite directionless.
6.5/10
Scar Symmetry - Symmetric in Design
Melodeath Soilwork wannabes. Blech. Nuclear Blast fails it YET again.
4/10
Emancer - The Menace Within
I liked their previous a lot but that was when avantegarde prog BM was still relatively original. Now it's a dead horse. This is drum machine blastbeating. Less prog here and more riffage, but ultimately the band is now stagnant.
5/10
Mistweaver - Age of Darkness
Spanish true heavy metal meets death metal. Lots of pounding riffs, and solos are songs in themselves...but the vocals are lacklustre. They're not clean, not death, more like 'whispered grunts'. Drumming is as boring as can be. Guitars = good, rest of band = suck.
5/10
Darkblack - The Barbarian's Hammer
True US power metal (from Philly) singing about wizards and battle axes. Quite possibly the worst clean vocals I have ever heard. They're on Hot Dog city records if you're interested.
3/10
Dew Scented - Issue VI
Obviously named after some vaginal discharge cleansing lotion, this is balls to the wall speed metal with death grunts. If you like bands like Carnal Forge, you'll love these guys. Drums pound away with zero credibility (Lomabardo would be spinning in his grave if he were dead).
4/10
Centinex - World Decension
Blackened death metal, typical Candlelight records fodder. Non stop hammering, zero atmosphere, and sounds like a studio warm up session. Very clean, technical, and polished so it probably works well live. As with Dew Scented, almost each song is identical.
5/10
Mindgrinder - Riot Detonator
"WAAARGGHHH!". More like "Blah" am I right
2/10
Dead Soul Tribe - The Dead Word
Tool meets Zeppelin. It's "Kashmir" with a dash of Jethro Tull. Earthy, gritty, middle eastern desert dust. Not bad, but not consistent. And of course, not as good as Murder of Crows.
7/10
