Pantheon from Arkansas are relatively new band in the US extreme metal underground scene, this being their second full length opus. But members of Pantheon are in no way new to the scene playing or having played in Empyrean, Genocide Winter, Epoch of Unlight and many more. This one contains 9 songs. The music is that American school of death metal with lots of black metal and thrash metal influences, I can hear Slayer influence in awesome ‘Man-Infestation’. There are blast beats, blistering thrash death solos and brutal growled death metal vocals. But, there are also some epic melodies on this one like in my favorite Absence of Light with that great main guitar melody and this time vocals are black metal screeching not growling. With songs like heavy hitters ‘Death Is In The Air’ or ‘Eviscerate Desecrate Cremate’ there is no mercy, no holds barred blackened death thrash metal and I am really happy having discovered this band. Right on good record.
Wormquizitor are hailing from Minsk, Belarus and this is their first full length opus. This one contains ten songs of blackened death metal mayhem. This band owes more to nineties Euro death metal scene than its American Florida counterparts. That means fast, almost d beat influenced drumming, melodic and sometimes epic guitar hooks, growling vocals and death metal riffing with blast beats here and there. Vocals are deep and brutal, but able to understand what is being sung most of the time, so it is another plus in my eyes. There are also couple of thrash and black metal influenced, even groove influenced song parts here and there. In all, this is a good album. My personal favorites are: Decided Destiny, Self-Confident Cattle and Bonecrusher. This is a great album for all fans of this kind of metal. Go check it out!
Poland is one of the Europe´s most vital and prolific scenes regarding extreme music meaning death and black metal with so many names coming to mind right away, both more and less known in the genre. Baalzagoth are new band in the scene and this is their debut full length opus. This is, how they say it, intergenerational band with singer being 46 years old and drummer being only 13. No matter, music has no boundaries and Baalzagoth deliver on this opus, with intro plus eight songs of death metal with some black metal influences thrown here and there. Songs range from thrashy and blast beats speed to more slower rythmic approach, like panzer rolling over helpless infantry in some frozen field. Underneath aggression and brutality, you can find some melody and melancholy influenced by black metal touches. Vocals are superb, death metal growl, brutal yet understandable. Songs like Unholy War, Suffering, Pagan´s Hell are sure to be your favorite if you check out this record, but you will hear it for yourself. Good and strong debut.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 