Category Archives: Reviews

Reviews, Various

(review) Dawn of Ashes – Scars of the Broken

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I am so happy when I discover new bands that I like and learn to love their music, the same as I was back in the days of tape trading and waiting for weeks for your new music to arrive via snail mail and sometimes discovering your new favorites through such tapes. Now, it is easier, especially when you run a webzine for seventh year now, but the principle is still the same, scratch beneath the surface of underground and find what you like yourself and learn everyday new stuff in our beloved extreme music scene. So, I am so happy that I discovered LA´s Dawn of Ashes. But I am at the same time a little bit ashamed. Why? Because I found out late about them and they have been in the scene for more than twenty years now, delivering their punches and this is their ninth full length opus. This one contains 12 songs, some being intro and intermezzos between the maelstorm of Hellish sadomasochistic rites, darkened atmosphere, Satanic rituals, sex, death, life all of three being interlinked in one undividable whole of us as puny humans on this planet.

Dawn of Ashes play a mixture of industrial ebm metal, with symphonic black metal parts here and there, some gothic metal songwriting thrown in and whole lot of atmospheric darkness. I always respect and love the use of samples and Dawn of Ashes use samples so clever and so fantastic that it made goosebumps on my skin while listening to this opus. Electronic is great in adaptation with guitar parts, thundering drums, keyboards and superb vocals. The latter are special and it is so amazing to hear singer Kristof Bathory changing his voice from black metal croaking to screaming, back to gothic spoken word, some singing and altering back to industrial almost robotic voice. If I must compare this band to some it would be Kovenant from Norway in Animatronic period, but Dawn of Ashes sound richer and superb, also it would be a more upgraded black metal version of Combichrist. My personal favorites are Bane of Your Existence, Heart Beats Cold and Scars of the Broken. My recommendation for you, check this one out!

9/10

Reviews, Various

(review) Nite – Voices of the Kronian Moon (Season of Mist)

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San Francisco has always been fertile ground for metal and many great bands come from the Bay Area and around this glorious city. Nite are relatively new band in the scene, formed in 2018 but the members of this entity are in no way new or fresh in the scene having played in many bands and projects. This is Nite´s second full length opus and it contains eight songs. The music of Nite is melodic heavy metal but done with blackened style. That means many melodic hooks and solos, anthemic guitar riffs and catchy songs, but vocals are way different giving the whole darkened atmosphere. Guitarist/vocalist Van Labrakis sings, well it is not really singing but a mixture of growling, whispering and almost spoken voice in some parts, giving special, almost Lovecraftian atmosphere to this opus, although it is a nod to all old school NWOBHM masters through metal´s vast history. My personal favorites are Acheron, Kronian Moon and Heliopolis. Lyrics deal with more sinister and fantasy themes this creating a mixture of beauty with melodies and unrest and dread with horror atmosphere. I am glad I discovered this band.

8/10

Reviews, Various

(review) Countin´ Cards – Escape from the ZOO (Fat Wreck Chords)

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Countin´ Cards is the new project by Jesse Sendejas, known for his Days n Daze band that is also on Fat if I am not mistaken, and I think I am not. Well, let us talk about this great album. It offers 9 songs. What I love is diversity of this album and the songs, from ferocious angry hardcore punk of Heads Up 7 Up, across almost nineties pop punk/reggae influenced Shit Show with beautiful dual vocals and mandolin parts, courtesy of Veronica Sendejas, to Learning Curve reminding a bit of Less Than Jake and Nofx, but not as a copy, but in a good way. What is the strength of this record, besides good songwriting are vocals with such an easy transformation from screaming crust anger to great melodies and harmonies fitting perfectly in each part of the song. I would love to see how this band sounds live, I am sure it is fantastic show, energy and this record just brings smile to my face and songs like Wasted Years or 12 Rounds remind me why I love this kind of punk rock so much. Great album!