Wallachia is the brainchild of Norwegian Lars Stavdal, started in 1992 This is their first LP in a decade! Stavdal must have been under quite a number of influences. The music starts with super speedy drumming and guitars with guttural vocal embellishments to give place to gentle keyboard melody. This the template of the whole, as each song grad...

05/10/2009

Sludge Phonomenon crawled to the scene in 2006 and this is their longest release. Stop start sludge grooves rule the waves and some occasional progressive bit syncopates the rhythm. The vocals are sliced from a bubbling mess of anger. “Eyes on the back” has a killer drum groove and the last song is an epic. Go on, guys! Helldozer has a bit more...

05/10/2009

Finnish metal band that started in 1994, this their sixth album. The music is heavily orchestrated gothic metal with a more than usual prominence on gruff vocals. Most of the songs have nice neoclassical-tinged guitar solos. The formula varies a bit with female backing and clear singing, a combination that makes standout track “Sea of Whispers”...

05/10/2009

Letargy Dream is Russian trio, built around leader Letarg, who started the project as a one-man band. Their music is a heavy slab of atmospheric post rock that is seems to be spreading now days. The first song is 19+ minutes monster that takes you from bone crushing and guttural to surprisingly lyrical passages. It has an obligatory and much wel...

05/10/2009

<div> <div>Dr Slaggleberry is an English three piece that is in business since 2008. This is their third mini album.</div> <div></div> <div>This trio works without a bass guitarist but you do not miss the instrument. Their music comes across to my ears as a cross between Ron Jarzombek – Bumblefoot type of math/progressive rock soaked in fuzz gui...

17/09/2009

Inntrace is a Spanish progressive metal band that formed in 2006 by Dani Fernandez of Dark Moor. This is their debut LP. Their music is in the midst of today’s popular progressive metal stream and can be compared to Trivium, Scar Symmetry etc. The contrast of growls and shrieks with melody creates an epic style full of tension. All the more impress...

17/09/2009

<div>Calibre Zero is a Spanish rock group formed in 2005. This is their first album.</div> <div>Their style is uptempo sludgy rock, not that far indeed from one of their confessed influences, Motörhead. If I picture a Spanish band in my head than my key word is relentless which this fourpiece is match to perfection. Perfect for breezing through du...

17/09/2009

Invictus is a French metal band formed in 1996 as Quark. This is their second full-length album. The brainchild of punchy guitarist Mikael Fitrzyk, they perform powerful Eurometal with guts. The songs are larger than life with their flowing grandeur. Glo Frederick has a ballsy, to my ears classicist rock voice that is just made to pound you to the...

17/09/2009

These Canadian guys do not rush (pun not intended) on their third release, Blood Red Tape. This deep meditative progressive rock LP has three 10 minutes epics that just lets the band flow with their midpaced, Eastern flavoured groove.  The vocals are crystal clear and the tapestry of sounds draws you into a slow moving, melancholic world. Quite mat...

17/09/2009