Enemy Logic: Breakdown Of The Bicameral Mind

Year released: 2010
Website: http://www.myspace.com/enemylogic
Label: Unsigned


Tracks:

1. The Iron Law [3:21]

2. Final Movement [3:06]

3. Heart of Stone [3:54]

4. The Savage Mind [3:35]

5. Distorted Process [3:49]

6. Dual Diagnosis [3:26]

7. Fall of the Sun [3:49]

8. Hostile Hallucination [4:01]

9. Vengeance Served Cold [4:57]

10. Endless Life [4:49]
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8-year old Irish metal quartet Enemy Logic is back with a brutal cause to share with the upcoming release of their second album, "Breakdown Of The Bicameral Mind"! The melo-death/metalcore act certainly doesn't sound amateurish, and their sound has a traditional European taste to it.

Staying true to their influences, Enemy Logic's guitars riff and shred like any good European melo-death band should, reminding me strongly of the British band Sylosis in particular. Come on, the technical guitar solos, riffs, and breakdowns all just scream of professionalism!

"Firing" off the album to a great start, Enemy Logic begins this album with a cool sound effect in the form of a gun loading a bullet and launching a tirade of growls by vocalist James, instead of a bullet. Now that's cool, and I wonder if it is a coincidence but I was recently listening to Heaven Shall Burn's latest album "Invictus", and there was also a cool gunshot sound effect utilized at 1:44 in the song "Combat". Anyway, back to Enemy Logic.

While the instrumentals are superb, Enemy Logic needs to consider widening its arsenal of harsh vocal types and better group vocals. While James' growls are definitely up to melo-death standards and sound great, it gets rather dull after some time to keep hearing growls at nearly the same pitch throughout all songs on the entire album. Utilization of more low growls, screams, or maybe even shrieks (if the particular song's structure allows for them) are welcome on future albums. Additionally, the group vocals need some polishing up as well, for they sound like chants rather than the band singing as a whole. Taking a leaf from As I Lay Dying...'s book might be a good idea, because their group vocals are excellent. A very good example of AILD's proficiency in group vocals can be heard during the chorus of their latest single "Parallels" (off of "The Powerless Rise"), whereby the bassist sings in a catchy and melancholic voice while the vocalist growls alongside him to great effect. Vocals-wise, this will be a great direction for Enemy Logic to move in.

Ah, on to the guitars. Good guitars are a must for making good melo-death metal, and Enemy Logic certainly doesn't suck at this part. Apart from the technicality mentioned earlier, the guitarists are also good at making catchy tunes without resorting to inhumanly fast riffing or shredding (like Children Of Bodom's insane Alexi Laiho), that is why almost all songs on the album have such good openings. My personal favourites (for the good guitar openings) are the 3rd and 6th tracks, "Heart Of Stone" and "Dual Diagnosis" respectively, so go check them out guys.

Irish Metallers: From left to right - Des (Guitar), Dan (Drums, Backing Vocals), Seán (Guitar, Keyboard), James (Bass Guitar, Vocals)
*Note: Des has left the band as of 2010

The keyboards on this album add a hauntingly beautiful touch to any song they appeared in, and these songs are the 4th, 6th and 9th tracks, "The Savage Mind", "Dual Diagnosis" and "Vengeance Served Cold" respectively. The 6th track "Dual Diagnosis" has one of the best introductions of them all, with the keyboards and guitars opening the song together to great melancholic effect. The appearance level of the keyboards throughout the album is just nice, and it should stay this way unless Enemy Logic wants to venture into Symphonic Death in the future. Otherwise, they should stay sufficiently melodic and relevant to the European melo-death scene.


Enemy Logic - Heart Of Stone


Enemy Logic - The Savage Mind

Overall, Enemy Logic displays outstanding instrumental proficiency and sufficient diversity, but lacks variety in the type of harsh vocals utilized and needs to work on their group vocals. Looking for energetic riffing, technical solos, standard bass, drums and the occasional inclusion of keyboards? But not from a band that is mainstream? Here you go, you are looking at a decent album by Enemy Logic!


Verdict: 8.2 / 10

Wormrot: Abuse

Year released: 2009
Website: www.myspace.com/wormrotgrind
Label: Earache Records


Tracks:

1. Lost Swines [1:20]
2. Exterminate [1:07]
3. Double-Feeding [0:29]
4. Born Stupid [1:20]
5. Sledgehammer [0:15]
6. So Fierce For Fuck!? [0:08]
7. Dis-Appointing [1:34]
8. Good Times [0:57]
9. Freedom To Act [1:25]
10. Indonesia [0:53]
11. Shitlack [1:04]
12. Condemnation [0:25]
13. One Round Away [1:07]
14. Fuck... I'm Drunk [0:53]
15. Operation Grindcore [0:26]
16. Rich (Yeah Yeah Yeah's cover) [0:43]
17. Overgrown Asshole [0:35]
18. Blasphemy My Ass [1:08]
19. Fix Your Broken Mind [1:08]
20. Newkiller Nuclear [0:39]
21. Uncovered And Proud As Fuck [0:38]
22. Murder [1:29]
23. Scum Infestation and Last Song [2:17]
__________________________________________________________________________

Don’t be fooled by the seemingly lengthy track listing. Although this album has 23 tracks, it is far from long. Its total length is only slightly over 20 minutes, but this is to be expected from any grindcore album.

If the line separating extreme music from being a mockery exists, grindcore as a genre would be pushing that fragile line’s very limits. Including noise, drone metal, and thrash punk, grindcore completes the list of some of the most extreme genres of music today that often crossover into what people politely call experimental or crudely call being a joke.

Wormrot, a superbly new grindcore band from Singapore, was only formed just a mere 3 years back. They are also the first Southeast Asian band in the world to be signed onto a renowned underground extreme music label overseas, namely Earache Records. The band recently had a successful European tour in 2009, and will be soon embarking on a US tour. There is no doubt about it, this probably marks the rise of Southeast Asian metal beyond its own borders. \m/,

Man, I feel increasingly proud of being Singaporean these days.

Anyway, being part of the grindcore horde, I automatically assumed at first that Wormrot would sound like a bunch of amateur wretches plowing away on their instruments mindlessly. Well, mindlessness is actually a fairly large part of making grindcore music, but I was really surprised to find my previously horrid image of grindcore slowly fading away from the skeptical depths of my mind as my ears got assaulted by the blissfully gratifying death-metal-influenced aural snacks.

There is grindcore… … and then there IS GRINDCORE! As I mentioned earlier, being extreme or a joke are two vastly different things, and trying to stay extremely extreme without turning into a joke is a very subtle art to master. I can safely say that Wormrot has mastered this subtle art, for although they do have senseless track names and lyrics and constantly recycled guitar riffs, their songs have a vibrant energy to them that just makes one feel like moshing out to them on the spot.

Grindcore is all about speed, speed, and more speed. If you are looking for intelligent track names and lyrics, or long and epic songs, you are looking at the wrong genre. Grindcore is all about instant gratification, it is the MacDonalds of extreme music, offering any speed-deprived metalhead a quick shot of adrenaline to get them to a speedy ‘high’. “Abuse” is an album that really excels at doing this, while injecting some comedy along the way in the form of senselessly explicit track names and lyrics. In fact, they actually fit rather well into the album structure of “Abuse” thanks to the joking manner in which the band carries themselves (e.g. the photographs of themselves with their eyes striked out on the album sleeve, and the DIY artwork and wacky layout of the lyrics pages).

Singapore's very own grind masters: From left to right - Arif (Vocals), Fitri (Drums), and Rasyid (Guitar)

Needless to say, the drums are inhumanly fast, and the vocals consists of standard growls and screams. It would be an improvement if Arif could start utilizing pig squeals more often (if any in the first place, at least I don't think I heard any on "Abuse"), for they would add more variety to his vocal range and a whole new dimension of vocal brutality. The artwork displaying the rotting human face with the word “Abuse” in the left eye socket really complements the overall theme of this album too, being viscerally reviling enough to give one an overview of how this album might sound like just by looking at it.


Wormrot - Live at Obscene Extreme Fest 2009 in the Czech Republic


Wormrot - "In Grind We Rot" Indonesia Tour

I guess the only thing I would hope to see an improvement in is Wormrot making slightly lengthier tracks on their next album for an enhanced duration of speedy aural fun on each song. Not so long as to sound like repetitive noise for 3 minutes or so, but maybe just around an average of 2 minutes to utilize the short attention span of speed-crazed metalheads to its fullest!

In parting words… IN GRIND WE ROT!


Verdict: 8.1 / 10

As I Lay Dying: The Powerless Rise

Year released: 2010
Websites: www.myspace.com/asilaydying, www.asilaydying.com
Label: Metal Blade Records

Tracks:

1. Beyond Our Suffering [2:50]

2. Anodyne Sea [4:35]

3. Without Conclusion [3:15]

4. Parallels [4:57]

5. The Plague [3:42]

6. Anger And Apathy [4:26]

7. Condemned [2:50]

8. Upside Down Kingdom [4:00]

9. Vacancy [4:27]

10. The Only Constant Is Change [4:08]

11. The Blinding Of False Light [5:05]
__________________________________________________________________________

American metalcore veteran AILD is back to slaughter eardrums by the masses, yet again, with their ferocious 5th studio album, "The Powerless Rise"!

Alright guys, turn up the volume of those speakers, and tune up the bass settings for that bass booster. This is one helluva album to blast! With overpowering bass lines and pounding drum beats that is sure to gratify any metalcore fan's appetite for aural destruction, wailing guitar melodies so intense that they not only shake up one's soul from the inside out, but blaze by so fast that you find your finger subconsciously hitting the song on repeat, and anthem-like choruses that would make any decent post-hardcore band proud, AILD proves that metalcore can be a genre that is not all about overly-generic distorted guitar riffs and sub-standard harsh/clean vocals.

This is a good album, not excellent definitely, but just good. There are two issues stopping me from giving this album a 9+/10 rating, and here they are.

Firstly, AILD might want to consider better planning of their vocals on future albums. Their combination of harsh vocals and clean singing on the more popular songs of this album, especially my personal favourites "Anodyne Sea" and "Parallels", proves itself to be a successful formula for creating metalcore hits that aren't too sappy yet overly-aggressive such that it borders on sounding generic. However, the five songs "Beyond Our Suffering", "Without Conclusion", "The Plague", "Condemned" and "The Only Constant Is Change" comprises of entirely growls and screams, which is nearly half of the album. The utilization of both types of vocals is not evenly spread out. If not for the relentless assault of belligerent guitar passages and brutal breakdowns on those tracks with zero clean singing, they would end up sounding like overly-generic metalcore music. If AILD wants to stick closely with the decent formula mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, it would be better if they tried utilizing both types of vocals simultaneously on a more frequent basis from now on (not to the extent of sounding too much like pop metal of course).

Secondly, although the album blasts off with a good and explosive start and ends off on a nice, mellow and melodic note, it is rather boring in the middle. I mentioned in the earlier paragraph that "If not for the relentless assault of belligerent guitar passages... end up sounding like overly-generic metalcore music." Yes, those tracks mentioned do not sound overly-generic, but that still doesn't mean they do not sound generic. Chugging guitar riffs together with seamless drum beats and simple bass lines are such a common staple in metalcore music that even veterans like AILD cannot do without them, and that is precisely what makes a boring metalcore song these days on the modern metal scene. This is certainly something for AILD (as a matter of fact, all aspiring metalcore bands as well)to watch out for on future albums if they want their songs to be memorable for their musical value and not how they sound like so-and-so metalcore band's so-and-so song.

They will steal your last breath: From left to right - Josh Gilbert (Bass Guitar, Vocals), Phil Sgrosso (Guitar), Tim Lambesis (Vocals), Jordan Mancino (Drums), Nick Hipa (Guitar)

Production-wise, AILD had roped in Adam Dutkiewicz as their producer (guitarist for Killswitch Engage) yet again for the second time, with the last time being when they were recording their second-most recent album "An Ocean Between Us". They did so because they believed Adam understood their sound better than anyone else, and I do not find fault with this claim because Adam certainly continues to do a good job ("An Ocean Between Us" was also a well-received album).



Another minor thing to bring up would be the lyrics, and as usual, it is all about mankind's ignorance, shallowness, and hollowness. Ah, the typical lyrical theme adopted by most metal sub-genres, listening to metal sure makes one feel ashamed of your own species. Oh well, I guess this is a part of metal music that is so deeply ingrained in the culture created by many metal musicians such that one can never really expect it to have much variation.

Being yet another milestone in AILD's scintillating career thus far, "The Powerless Rise" is definitely for fans of the old Bullet For My Valentine, Caliban, Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God, and Shadows Fall.


Verdict: 8.7 / 10

Draconis Infernum: Death In My Veins

Year released: 2008
Website: www.myspace.com/draconisinfernum
Label: None

Tracks:

1. Funeral March (For Those Entombed) [4:44]

2. Belial Rising [5:20]

3. Death In My Veins [5:45]

4. Cursed Are The Vanquished [6:12]

5. Worship Me [5:49]

__________________________________________________________________________


When I first learnt of Draconis Infernum, the first thought that shot through my mind was: "Wow, cool name." And this is not your everyday black metal band, it is a Singaporean black metal band. Local music has never sounded so good to me until I heard this! Singapore's underground metal scene is not very huge, its commercial existence thus far is only slightly more than 10 years. But young as it is, it has seen success with many young bands growing increasingly prominent overseas recently, such as Wormrot, Xanadoo and the title band just to name a few.

Anyone who picks up instruments, learn to play well, and has the intent to make music their career can form a band. But how many GOOD bands actually come out of this plethora of budding musicians? Only time has the answer to this question, and so far, Draconis Infernum is doing well. With the barrage of malicious guitar riffs at lightning speed, a lean mean drumming machine, and harsh vocals that sound as seasoned as any prominent old school Western black metal harsh vocalist, Draconis Infernum is set to desecrate and demolish stages both locally and internationally for years to come in their unholy quest to revitalise old school black metal!

Of the five tracks in this short album, I personally like "Belial Rising" best. It is fast and catchy, a song that would probably get black metal enthusiasts headbanging already on their first listen. The 4th track, "Cursed Are The Vanquished", is also another notable track to listen out for because of the same reason, and it is also the longest track in the album (clocking in just over 6 minutes).

Staying true to the style of old school black metal, the lyrics are 100% satanic. Zealots subscribing to any of the Abrahamic religions would find the blasphemous material some use as a stepping stone to further their cause, but other than that, the lyrics sure make some fine dark poetry chocked full of morbid lexicon.

*Dragons Of Hell (lineup for this album): Starting from the top-left in a clockwise direction - Xeper/Sonic Depravation (Guitar), Kount Cider/Aural Misanthropy (Vocals), Serberuz Hammerfrost/Diabolical Nuklear Skin Torture - Pulse ov Decay (Bass Guitar, Drums), Niloc/Blade ov Inhumanity (Guitar)

*Note: Before 2010, Draconis Infernum's bassists were 'sessionists' (for the live shows). Kount Cider is no longer in their ranks as of 2010, and Serberuz Hammerfrost/Diabolical Nuklear Skin Torture - Pulse ov Decay plays the duo role of bass guitarist and lead vocalist for live shows as of 2010 (as well as drums studio-wise). Additionally, Syroth from Warsaw has recently joined the unholy ranks of the band as session drummer for live shows.

Production-wise, Draconis Infernum also put in a lot of effort. Although this is their debut album, it does not sound "raw" at all. Most new metal bands usually have a very unpolished, dirty sound on their debut album, and that is with good reason. They usually are tight on finances and simply cannot afford to risk throwing in everything they have got into a record that might or might not give them a breakthrough. Draconis Infernum however, spent quite a fortune on making a quality record of this album in a good recording studio, which would explain why any unsuspecting listener would most probably think the band is part of the mainstream underground scene in Europe or America on their first listen. Reckless or great foresight? Only the band themselves would know (Edit: The band has informed me that actually, having a raw record can be the intent of the black metal band in question, as black metal is supposed to sound 'raw, disgusting, and ugly'), but nonetheless, what they made was a professional-sounding record that not only officially kickstarted their promising career, but makes for a valuable collector's item as well. Did I mention that there are only 500 copies of this album? I am so glad I got myself one, and I should try to get it autographed should I ever go to any future local gig of theirs, heh heh.



Draconis Infernum - Belial Rising

Overall, Draconis Infernum is one local band that any black metal enthusiast should not miss. In the meantime, wallow in the fiery pits of black aural dissonance! And sit tight for the upcoming 2nd full-length album, "Rites Of Desecration & Demise" as well.

Verdict: 8.8 / 10

Bullet For My Valentine: Fever

Year released: 2010
Website: www.bulletformyvalentine.com, www.myspace.com/bulletformyvalentine
Label: Jive Records (a unit of Sony Music Entertainment)

Tracks:

1. Your Betrayal [4:52]

2. Fever [3:57]

3. The Last Fight [4:19]

4. A Place Where You Belong [5:07]

5. Pleasure And Pain [3:53]

6. Alone [5:56]

7. Breaking Out, Breaking Down [4:04]

8. Bittersweet Memories [5:09]

9. Dignity [4:29]

10. Begging For Mercy [3:56]

11. Pretty On The Outside [3:56]
__________________________________________________________________________

“Fever” is the third studio album released by the Welsh metal band, Bullet For My Valentine. It was released on 27th April 2010 in the US. Since then it has risen to debut at #3 on The Billboard 200 and #1 on the Rock and Alternative Charts, making it the most successful BFMV record out of the three, the others being “The Poison” and “Scream Aim Fire”.

Listening to the record, it is easy to see why; Fever is comprised of 11 songs, with a mix of infectious and catchy riffs, anthem-ish rhythms, both upbeat and slower songs with tinges of Matt’s screaming giving the whole album that edgy feel, there’s something for everyone. The sound on this album is definitely more calculated than that of The Poison with “a crisp, clean production where every note is experienced.” (Noisecreep). Looking in terms of the band’s individual skill, the more complex riffing progressions, guitar solos, and unusual breakdowns and layers makes it obvious that each band member’s skill is improving. As usual BFMV pulls out another record of high quality, and depending on how well they continue to do, they could be en route to being a future classic of the metal arena. Although they have improved, I can’t help noticing that the band has however toned down the screaming compared to their debut album, “The Poison”. The screaming on the title album now serves mostly to accentuate and not as the main medium of singing, a slight downside for me.

The first song and also their single, “Your Betrayal” is possibly one of the best openers I’ve heard in a long time with the first 1:20 of the song serving both as a superb build-up as well as showing off the skills of the drummer (Michael Thomas) and the guitarists (Matt Tuck; Michael Paget).The progressive layering together with the first line of the song when Matt whispers ‘Am I going insane’ runs chills up my spine and the other whispered parts also serve to a great effect a contrast to Matt’s screaming. All in all, it’s the little details (like the bass slide at 2:33) that make this song outstanding, and it really sets the tone of the rest of the album. A noteworthy song (hah, noteworthy) is ‘Dignity’, because this is a song that I reckon more screaming would really suit it, especially at the part where the lyrics go – “Don’t push me because I won’t go quietly”. But then again this is still a good song, with a well-placed guitar solo that shows BFMV is still a band that doesn’t hide its skill and pugnaciously shreds for the world to hear.

Morbid Sweethearts: From left to right - Matthew 'Matt' Tuck (Vocals, Guitar), Michael 'Moose' Thomas (Drums), Michael 'Padge' Paget (Guitar), Jason 'Jay' James (Bass Guitar)

Another song that caught my attention is “Begging For Mercy”. This song was available to the public as a free download prior to the album’s release, and it features much more screaming than the other tracks. This is one of the few songs on “Fever” that shows Matt has not lost his edge since “The Poison”, which is probably his way of gratifying the scream-starved metalcore fans awaiting for BFMV’s return to harder songs. Since this album features a lot more singing than “The Poison”, it is worthy to note that Matt’s accent becomes apparent here and it might sound strange to listeners of mostly American metalcore. An example would be his accent giving the ballad “Bittersweet Memories” a ‘flat’ tonality. The closing song “Pretty On The Outside” is a really good song with very good energy, rapid-fire screamo parts, and sorrow-filled chugging guitar riffs that ensure most listeners would remember what this album was all about.


BFMV is back on track: Heavy, fast, infectious

Fans of “The Poison” will be glad with the reversion to a similar style after the departure from the forgettable sound heard on “Scream Aim Fire”. Matt explains that this album was intended to return to the formula that created “The Poison”, but with greater experimentation with sounds and techniques he never tried before. This album finds an interesting mid-ground between “The Poison” and “Scream Aim Fire”, highlighting the aggressiveness of the record with greater technical detail and embellishments, leaving listeners to look forward to the next BFMV album. Personally, I feel that this album does succeed where “The Poison” never did, and that is its dynamical sound. It seems to me that with their accumulation of better techniques gained through musical experimentation, BFMV will definitely be capable of throwing out a truly epic album sometime in the future.

Verdict: 9.3/10

Written by guest writer, Low Yi Ming (edited by Shadori).

Insomnium: Across the Dark

Year released: 2009
Website: www.insomnium.net
Label: Candlelight Records

Tracks:

1. Equivalence [03:18]

2. Down with the Sun [04:22]

3. Where the Last Wave Broke [05:03]

4. The Harrowing Years [06:39]

5. Against the Stream [06:11]

6. Lay of the Autumn [09:08]

7. Into the Woods [05:08]

8. Weighed Down with Sorrow [05:51]
_______________________________________________________________

Melodic death metal with influences from doom metal sounds almost like the band's contradicting themselves in terms of musical style really. After all, doom metal is typically slower and heavier while melodeath is well... melodic. But Insomnium aren't contradicting themselves. They're playing some great metal, stuff that aren't commercially accessible, but doesn't take a lot to appreciate.

Formed in 1997, Insomnium are still experimenting within this chosen style of theirs. Across the Dark deviates quite a bit from their previous works, particularly its direct predecessor, Above the Weeping World, which was released in 2006. The melodic death aspect have been emphasized more, thus the more prevalent heavy doom acoustics from their previous album have been sacrificed for a generally faster pace, and more melodic riffs, leads and melodies. This makes Across the Dark one of the most catchy albums the band has ever released, but miraculously not at all losing its doom metal edge that projects melancholy, dread and despair. The song "Down with the Sun" definitely stands out among all the tracks, as the most balanced one that provides a comfortable tempo for riffs that can repeat themselves without becoming boring but with enough variety for the song to be melodic and still not lose its emotional power. Being currently more into doom metal, I personally found faster tracks like "Into the Woods" less tasteful, while "The Harrowing Years", considered more boring and dreary, appealed to me more. Its up to you really, but no song here veers off to either extremes of death or doom, but stays relatively near the middle in varying degrees.

The inclusion of clean vocals in some of the tracks off this album have been a topic of quite some discussion. I decided that I would prefer them to be absent, because Jules Näveri has a decidedly more mainstream voice that adds more to the melodic element, instead of conveying more emotion to fuel the band's general themes of sorrow, loss and mourning. They weren't bad, but as much as they helped to make the songs nicer to headbang to, they seemed out of place. This might explain why "When the Last Wave Broke" is one of the weaker tracks. I would also have preferred it if Insomnium have stuck to their previous influences for lyrics. The poetic lines from their previous works have appealed to me greatly, especially when they helped so much more to connect with their emotional music. While the lyrics in Across the Dark still convey sorrow and nostalgia, they have become more vague and have essentially lost that creative clarity that could turn their songs into truly top-notch masterpieces.

That's not to say that Across the Dark isn't awesome though, because it is. Insomnium's strength lies in their ability to create so much from rudimentary melodies. The double bass is simple, there is no need for technically straining beats from the drums, Ville Friman and Ville Vänni aren't threatening to severe their fingers by moving them rapidly all over their guitars. Everything is just right though, down to Niilo Sevänen's low growls, which complements the songs and brings out the atmosphere very well. When the last track "Weighed Down with Sorrow" comes to an innuendo, its title will reflect exactly how you feel. And if that's not masterful work from a melodeath band with doom tendencies, then maybe you just want to listen to some thrash metal and get angry coz sorrow's not for you.

Below is the official music video for "Down with the Sun". Go get emo my friends, but let your emotions flow through and fuel some energy. You'll feel high in a different manner.

Verdict: 9.3/10

Cain's Offering: Gather the Faithful

Year released: 2009
Website: www.cainsoffering.com
Label: Avalon (Japan), Frontier Records

Tracks:

1. My Queen of Winter [4:15]

2. More Than Friends [5:38]

3. Oceans of Regret [6:31]

4. Gather the Faithful [3:50]

5. Into the Blue [4:25]

6. Dawn of Solace [4:18]

7. Thorn in My Side [4:07]

8. Morpheus in a Masquerade [6:51]

9. Stolen Waters [4:35]

10 Elegantly Broken [2:46]

_________________________________________________________________

A Finnish power metal supergroup. Wow, does that sound impressive or what. Ironically though, for a band featuring musicians who are already accomplished in their own rights within the metal scene, Cain's Offering sounds more radio-friendly and pop-ish than really metal. At least, that's what their debut album, Gather the Faithful, gives the impression of. Their label, Frontier Records, is notable for working with bands that play melodic music, and that's a sure indication of what's to come for anyone who just got their hands on this album.

To their credit, Cain's Offering sound graceful and classy. That is mainly because of their vocalist. Fans of Stratovarius will agree with me that Timo Kotipelto has an amazing voice. Its soft but powerful, with a type of soulful flair that makes the relationship themes of the lyrics suit him very well. Mind you, not that the lyrics are well written. I reckoned former Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen was a romantic when I learned "My Selene" from SA's 2004 album Reckoning Night was written by him but this is bordering on the ridiculous. His attempts at poetry are not succeeding and luckily Timo is such a good singer coz it takes one to not make the lyrics sound crass really.

Other than that, there isn't a lot to find fault with in the music. Its heavy on the keyboards though, so its generally more accessible to the mainstream audience but it depends on how you like your metal really. Despite that, the guitars also do their part to form very enchanting melodies, such as in "Morpheus in a Masquerade", which just changes and shifts into different beautiful melodies. And to represent the speed that is indicative of power metal songs are tracks like "Dawn of Solace" and the opening track, "My Queen of Winter", where the drums are not loud or heavy, but definitely rocket off at a relatively comfortable tone. Keyboardist Mikko Härkin, another former Sonata Arctica member, really stands out though, in the ballad "Elegantly Broken" where only the piano complements Timo Kotipelto's emotion-filled voice. Add to the fact that its the only song where the lyrics are slightly well-written, and there we go, its positively one of my favourite ballads ever.

Left to right: Jukka Koskinen (bass), Jani Liimatainen (guitars), Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Mikko Härkin (keyboards), Jani "Hurtsi" Hurula (drums)

Ultimately, Cain's Offering sounds very good, which isn't something common for power metal bands these days. But we shouldn't expect less from the likes of Timo Koltipelto, Jukka Koskinen and the rest. I also appreciate the lyrical theme better than the fantasy stuff that most of their peers are doing, its a personal preference. But aside from the theme, the lyrics are really not up to par. Someone else should do the writing, I think its absolutely crucial. Gather the Faithful is still highly recommended though.

There doesn't seem to be an official music video, so below is just the youtube vid I found for "Oceans of Regret" and just for a treat (which means I feel like it XD), the ballad, "Elegantly Broken".

Verdict: 9.2 / 10

ChthoniC 閃靈: Mirror of Retribution

Year Released: 2009
Website: www.chthonic.tw, www.myspace.com/chthonictw
Label: Spinefarm Records

Tracks:

1. Autoscopy [1:57]

2. Blooming Blades [4:41]

3. Hearts Condemned [4:31]

4. Venom In My Veins [3:02]

5. The Aroused [5:07]

6. Sing-Ling Temple [4:07]

7. 1947 [4:18]

8. Forty-Nine Theurgy Chains [3:37]

9. Rise Of The Shadows [4:09]

10. Bloody Waves Of Sorrow [4:49]

11. Spell of Setting Sun: Mirror of Retribution [5:56]

12. Unlimited Taiwan [4:43]
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ChthoniC, otherwise known by their more native name 閃靈, is a Taiwanese symphonic black death metal band from Taipei. They formed in 1995, and have 5 members whom all sport Chinese folklore-inspired goth makeup. Their music is very unique, as they combine both Western and Chinese instruments to weave a musical style that is dark, exotic, melodious and insane. Hypnotizing listeners into a false sense of tranquillity at the beginning, the album soon kicks off with a ravaging tide of guitar riffs that washes over you and drowns you in dark aural ambience. They are a melo-death/symphonic black metal hybrid, but what sets them apart from the crowd in that category is that they utilize the Chinese erhu (known as hena in Taiwan) as well, which is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument. It is the Chinese equivalent of the Western violin. In fact, on the single "Forty-Nine Theurgy Chains", a Chinese gong was even used! This is certainly one aspect of cross-cultural assimilation that the Western metal community would be happy to have.

Of all the black metal bands I have been listening to for 2009, ChthoniC easily won me over as a fan. Why? That would be because apart from their musical uniqueness, there are two other facts about them that are pretty interesting. Firstly, their frontman Freddy Lim feels very strongly about the strained political ties between Taiwan and China and is a political activist at home. Earlier this year, he even shook hands with then presidential hopeful Ma Ying Jeoue (now President of Taiwan), whom he had personally endorsed and hence managed to secure him many young voters. Secondly, they are the first Asian extreme metal band to be signed on to Spinefarm Records, a prestigious Finland based label, and that is a very big deal because they are now label mates with big time metal acts like Children Of Bodom, Nightwish, and Satyricon. Talk about finally getting a big break.

The lyrical theme of this album revolves around the spiritual world and the tyranny the Taiwanese had faced from the mainland Chinese government many decades ago. Basically, it is spawned from a combination of local folklore, supernatural myths, and a political agenda against the monolithic Chinese government. Hence, Western metalheads might find the lyrics a little weird and out-of-place because it is culturally different from what they are accustomed to seeing in Western black metal. For example, perhaps only those Western metalheads who learn East Asian history would recognize ChthoniC's reference to the notorious ‘228 Massacre’ in Taiwan throughout the album. You would have to read the lyrics to know that though, as usual, it is kind of impossible to make out the lyrics by ear alone. For those who just concentrate on the music as a whole anyway and do not really care what the lyrics are talking about (like me :P), well, just do your usual stuff and appreciate the aural assault from ChthoniC.

For those who do not like BMTH's music because of the screechy harsh vocals, you might not like ChthoniC's music. Freddy sounds just like Oliver, as he shrieks his way through for the large part of every song, utilizing low growls just once in a while. For those who are fine with BMTH's harsh vocals, you would definitely be fine with ChthoniC's harsh vocals too. Guitar-wise, they churn out melo-death worthy solos, and shred at blazing fast speeds. Not much to talk about the drums, because the drummer deliver beats that are as fast as what most other extreme metal bands usually offer as well. The most obviously striking instrument here would be the Chinese two-stringed violin that Freddy uses to great musical effect. Throughout the entire album, he is able to deliver hauntingly melancholic solos that traverse the border between Western and Eastern music, and which shatters the belief (if any) that Chinese instruments would be out of place in a Western music genre.

Black deities of the underworld: From left to right - Dani Wang/Azathothian Hands (Drums), Doris Yeh/Thunder Tears (Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals), Freddy Lim/Left Face Of Maradou (Vocals, Erhu/Hena), Jesse Liu/The Infernal (Guitar), CJ Kao/Dispersed Fingers (Piano, Synthesizer)

However, one disappointing aspect about the instrumentals would be the supposed presence of the piano. CJ, the finger guy (my own moniker for the dude in any band who deals with the piano or synthesizer), sure puts the synthesizer to good use on many tracks such as the all instrumental track "1947" and the single "Forty-Nine Theurgy Chains". The piano is neglected though, because although CJ apparently plays it on the band, for most of the album, it is like a ghost because it hardly sounds like it is there at all. In fact, the only few moments I hear it clearly on the album was on the tracks "Hearts Condemned" and "Unlimited Taiwan". On the track "Hearts Condemned", the piano could be heard clearly from 2:42 onwards, and on "Unlimited Taiwan", at 1:41 and 2:50, the piano can be heard playing a series of short ascending note sequences. I personally think the piano is a very good accompaniment for any melo-death or black metal band, because the melodies it can create can be so angelic yet intimidating at times, hence here's me hoping that it can be more prominent on future ChthoniC albums.


Take a listen!: This ferocious yet hauntingly melodic brand of black metal will keep you coming back for more.

Alright, this is it for 2009. "Mirror of Retribution" is a must-get black metal album for this year, and if you didn't get it for Christmas, get it for the New Year!

P.S. It would be interesting to see if ChthoniC would eventually make use of other traditional Chinese musical instruments in future, I am all for a pipa or guzheng. ☺


Verdict: 8.9 / 10

KenoN: From The Void Came... Chaos

Year Released: 2009
Website: http://www.myspace.com/kenonepic
Label: Qualm Records

Tracks:

1. Attero Preteritus [2:48]

2. De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium [4:25]

3. From The Void Came... Chaos [2:38]

4. Sacrificial Chamber [4:43]

5. Hordes Of A Lost Empire [5:42]

6. Throne Of Thorns [5:13]

7. Porta ut a Novus Suscipio [1:39]
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The genre of black metal usually strikes a typical metalhead as being a very European kind of thing, but guess what? This week's album review is about the debut record of a very new American black metal band, Californian in fact, called KenoN.

Here's a piece of advice from yours Truly, when you get sick and tired of listening to those polished, professional recordings done by big time metal bands, listening to raw records from infant metal bands once in a while could serve to revitalize your interest in metal again. There is something in raw records that professional records cannot offer, and that is the very original essence of the band present in those unpolished tracks. KenoN is sounding good on this debut, as even though it is a raw record, they have a very good, dark essence indeed. After the initial appetizer acoustic track, the very first barrage of guitar riffs from "Attero Preteritus" emanates such sinister brutality that I cannot help but be reminded of senior black metal bands like Anaal Nathrakh and Belphegor.

These demons who arose from nothingness are: From left to right - Stygian (Backup Vocals, Bass Guitar, Keyboards), Sison (Synthesizers), Neon Sun (Guitar, Comic Relief), Prometheus (Vocals, Guitar)

The use of keyboards frequently throughout the 7 tracks is an added bonus too, and it really helps to score some points with potential new fans, because almost every metalhead knows that keyboards typically stir up a surreal atmosphere with the haunting yet beautiful melodies they are capable of dishing out.

Even if a raw record may be awful to listen to (I'm not saying I find this record awful to listen to though xD), there is still something rewarding about listening to it, and that is the fact that you have at least experienced what the band members' core musical intentions were when they first formed the band. As bands make more and more albums, their essence usually tend to fade away (usually due to volatile lineups), I mean look at Amorphis and Iron Maiden for example, they have both changed so much since their early days. So whether be it you are an old or new fan of the band, listening to the raw records from the band's early days certainly is a good chance for you to experience them for what they truly were in their infant days.


CanoN In Black: Check out the evilish guitar riffs, fast drum beats, and haunting keyboard melodies.

If I have to be really picky and find a flaw with the record for the heck of it, the vocals would be my scapegoat of course. The growls sound muffled and soaked in static, but of course, that would not be the band's fault for not doing them right, but probably because of either financial issues or their usage of synthesized harsh vocals. Every new band would definitely jump at the opportunity to record their music in a professional recording studio if they had the money to do so, but if the harsh vocals really were synthesized, I think it would be better if KenoN doesn't do this anymore on future records. Personally, I think unedited harsh vocals sound more genuine and would have greater impact on the listener.
Instrumentals-wise, they are solid and easily recognisable as black metal, and there are many melodic moments throughout the record which are represented by guitar and keyboard solos. Additionally, the last track is just as gentle on the ears as the first was, which is an appropriate way to end a black metal record if KenoN wants to follow through with the "Mystery-BAM!-Respite" kind of album structure.

Lyrics-wise, I have no comments. That would be because the band did not provide us the lyrics for this record, and it is nearly impossible to make out the lyrics by ear, so if you are interested to read the song lyrics, you would have to either wait for KenoN's debut album and buy it or e-mail the band yourselves to request for them.

Overall, I am looking forward to hear more quality material from KenoN in future. If you are a black metal fan, and am interested in hearing the rest of KenoN's songs on this record, download this record from the following link: http://tiny.cc/kenonepic

A belated Merry Christmas everyone, and may all of you have a good year ahead.

Verdict: 8.3 / 10

Ensiferum: From Afar

Year released: 2009
Official website: www.ensiferum.com
Label: Spinefarm Records

Tracks:

1. By the Dividing Stream [3:50]

2. From Afar [4:51]

3. Twilight Tavern [5:38]

4. Heathen Throne [11:09]

5. Elusive Reaches [3:26]

6. Stone Cold Metal [7:25]

7. Smoking Ruins [6:40]

8. Tumman Virran Taa [0:52]

9. The Longest Journey (Heathen Throne Part II) [12:49]

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Y'know, these Nordic languages really have some flair to them. Ensiferum sounds wayy cooler than "Sword-bearer" doesn't it? I bet they've got a much cooler name for "metal music reviewer" too. I really must go find out. But I digress. From afar, one could pretty much already see the awesomeness of this Finnish folk metal band (ok bad pun) and this latest album of theirs definitely shows that they are back on track again as a cohesive and creative group after former frontman Jari Mäenpää had left them to form Wintersun. Petri Lindroos reprises his role as Jari's replacement for a second album while From Afar marks a milestone for keyboardist Emmi Silvennoinen as she had only officially joined Ensiferum as a full member during the recording of this album.

Despite an ever-changing line-up during the course of their not-that-freaking-long history, Ensiferum's quality has mysteriously never quite wavered, and this album is no exception. A very delicate balance of epic-ness and catchy melodies sums up the core of this work and its very pleasant to listen to. There is heavy use of keyboards, which might not be to the liking of some people, but if you've been reading zetalambmary long enough, you'd know I have a thing for 'boards and the only lady of the group plays her part very well. Fast songs like "Twilight Tavern" and slower ones like "Smoking Ruins" are equally enjoyable as far as I'm concerned. I've never been fully appreciative of long-ish songs but "Heathen Throne" was actually quite excellent for its changing tempos and its atmospheric effect. The heroic viking feeling in me was quite amusing after the song ended but I cherish the fact that I wasn't bored at any point during the song, which is rare for such of its length. "The Longest Journey", on the other hand, was much less interesting, particularly for its dreary 4-minute plus end of soft instrumental playing, which made for a rather disappointing end to the whole album I think.

The quirky "Stone Cold Metal" is probably the song that sticks out a bit but I personally liked it if not for the sheer amount of stuff it contained, from whistles to epic sounding monologues and is that a banjo I hear playing? Overall, I feel the awesome thing about From Afar is that so many instruments were involved and most of them managed to shine, so bass wasn't very prominent (sorry Sami Hinkka..) but that's what makes the album so melodic.

From left to right: Markus Toivonen (guitar, backing vocals), Janne Parviainen (drums), Emmi Silvennoinen (keyboards, backing vocals), Sami Hinkka (bass, backing vocals) and Petri Lindroos (guitar, harsh vocals)

Overall, this is quite a strong effort from Ensiferum and the music is simply astounding. And that's the good thing about harsh vocals, you can't really make out what the dude is singing the first time round without reading the lyrics. So if you're feeling kinda weirded out by the whole folk influence, all about magic and war and what not, then hey, don't read the lyrics. I personally didn't really put too much concentration into what was being sung, I just like the fact that Pete's growls sound stronger than most of the times I've heard him in Norther.

In fact, here's 2 videos. The Lord of The Rings setting one (which I really think needs some work on. This sorta thing looks really crappy without that magic epic touch to it) and one taken with live footage from one of their performances.

Verdict: 9/10

Dead by April: Dead by April

Year released: 2009
Official website: http://www.deadbyapril.com/
Label: Universal Records

Tracks:

1. Trapped [3:08]

2. Angels of Clarity [3:41]

3. Losing You [3:57]

4. What Can I Say [3:08]

5. Erased [3:26]

6. Promise Me [3:34]

7. Falling Behind [3:26]

8. Sorry For Everything [4:44]

9. In My Arms [3:25]

10. Stronger [4:00]

11. Carry Me [3:48]

12. A Promise [3:37]

12. I Made It [3:49]
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Ah haven't been doing this for a while. A spate of bad karma tsunami-ed its way into my life these coupla months and pushed me down a path of desolation. This in turn brought my musical tastes to more mainstream areas of teenage emo-ness and angst. Life isn't exactly looking all that way up just yet but its definitely feeling good to be back in the business of talking metal. Still, with the influences of the recent past still fresh, we're looking at some angst-filled, pop sounding metal today.

Since the release of their first single, Losing You, this Swedish outfit have garnered enough popularity to release their self-titled debut album in May this year. Not a great deal of it is original, with 11 of the tracks being demo songs that were remastered, but they do sound more clean and professional now. But from one song to one album, I still stand by what I said earlier: they sure don't sound much like a metal band. Nor look like one, for that matter. The radio-friendly sound of their mixed post-hardcore/melodic death metal/pop style isn't quite as unique as the rising-to-fame quintet would make it out to be, but that doesn't mean they do it badly.

Lets face it though, metal critics would probably put this album down because it simply doesn't have much to offer in terms of technicality and complexity. Y'all are a freaking metal band after all, not some country singers armed with a single acoustic guitar. The guitar riffs are pretty simple, and the 'boards sound like they could be played with only one hand. And while the bass could be heavier and the drums are actually not bad, the whole thing just lacks energy and power. But if you're not specifically looking out for metal songs, they're pretty ok. Like country singers, they carry forth a kinda simple beauty in their music, which is really more accessible to the masses than say, deathcore. The popularity factor is further enhanced by the fact that despite lead guitarist Johan supporting Jimmie's growls and screams, the harsh vocals seem pretty tame and downplayed while the pleasant (albeit unconventionally high-pitched) clean singing gets a lot of the spotlight, with some songs like the opening track "Trapped" and "Sorry For Everything" featuring exclusively clean vocals. Perfect formula for pop chart-hitters I'd say.

Some of the half-heavy songs are really pretty cool, like "Erased" or "A Promise", and might be useful in trying to introduce new listeners to heavier metal works. I felt that the remastered version of "Losing You" really lost me though, which is a pity because the earlier version featured in the single had more raw energy that really contributed better to this song's atmosphere. As a whole though, there are certain serious limitations to the album. The lyrical theme plays up well to my sad ol' woe-is-me self but from an objective point of view, pure emotional angst is shallow and hardly introspective. Nobody's setting Kamelot-style philosophical musings as a benchmark but there really can be more intelligent stuff than normal teenage ails. More critically, there seems to be a need for Dead by April to do some study in poetry or something to learn about diction, rhythm and rhyming structures to their songwriting. The singing can sound awkward at times because the rhythm is erratic between differing number of words in each line and the fact that some of the lines don't even remotely rhyme makes for some rather weird results that can completely destroy even the most compelling vocal hooks. If the songs had better flow, the smooth singing could really carry off better.

Its October already, y'all ain't Dead by April!

Left to right, Pontus (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Marcus (bass), Jimmie (vocals), Alex (drums), Johan (lead guitar, backing vocals)

Ultimately, catchy and sheer pop-sounding melodies are what power this album's music and opinions of its style will surely revolve around the listener's take on Dead by April's concept of metal "that refuses to be locked in to standards and preconceptions". Make no mistake, it sounds agreeable. And with some work in songwriting, it can get even better. The bottomline is that they look punk, they sound a bit punkish and if you're ok with that for a metal band, then there's not much stopping you from liking this album.

Below is Dead by April's second music video for "Angles of Clarity". Their first one is "Losing You", which you can read about and watch here.

Verdict: 7/10