Auld are hailing from Australia and this is their new e.p. with Eschatonic Records. There are three songs on this opus. Music of Auld is black metal, in its melodic and atmospheric form, cleverly balancing between harshness and melancholy, reminding me why this is best music to express your inner self. Vocals are more into growling and almost death doom vein in some song parts, but fit just right. Am Fear Liath Mor is a slower atmospheric song, almost blackened doom vibe with lots of beautiful melancholic guitar melodies topped with growled vocals and impressive drum work. Hollow Mews continues in the wake of last song, but adds more aggression and blast beats to the overall atmosphere of anguish. The title song is for me the best one on this e.p. Good one, can´t wait for the full length.
Nightshadow are hailing from San Diego and this is their first full length album following the e.p. which came out in 2017. What can I say except that I am just stoked having listened to this album. This one contains 10 songs and it is one of the best epic power metal releases that I have listened in a long time. Fast, melodic, with great musicianship and superb vocal lines. I literally had goosebumps while listening to this one. Songs like Legend and Ripper melted my face off and warmed my metal heart and fed the flame which never dies. Songs just made for pumping your fists in the air, sing along and ride to battle with. Other songs that are my personal highlights are Children of the Night and the title song. Superb.
Long time no great horror punk on the pages of this zine. Dead United are hailing from Wurzburg in Germany and this is their new opus. As you probably guessed it, they play horror punk and there are 12 songs on this record. Germany has superb horror punk scene with The Other, The Crimson Ghosts, Mutant Reavers, Jamey Rottencorpse immediately come to mind and Dead United can proudly be named along with all other great bands of that scene. What I love about their music is that there is enough melody, yet also harshness and sharp guitar riffs to satisfy melodic and brutal fiend in me. Clever use of samples between the songs is something that I encourage and love and that is another plus for them. Guitar work is superb, delivering melodic hooks and punk aggression and vocal melodies and backing vocal harmonies are something that is so great that makes my fist pump in the air and sing along from the top of my blackened horror fiend heart. Songs like Green Glowing Skulls made me smile with grim satisfaction, Unusual is a cover of Tom Jones in horror punk version and it is so sweet and eerie that I listened to it couple of times in a row. Of course with music of this band we can not compare comparisons with some of the scene greats like Blitzkid for example, but this band is no mere clone of original scene purveyors, quite the contrary they deliver punches and make their own path of horror. My other personal favorites on this one are Scream! Oh Baby, Scream! and It Came From Above. But, if you love horror punk, this is mandatory, have a listen and discover your own favorites.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 