Band: 100 Demons
Album: 100 Demons (Deathwish Records)
Year: 2004
Website: http://www.100demons.com
Rating: 6.5/10
Straightforward hardcore with some good breakdowns and tight riffs (plus a little melody for good measure).
Nothing new but pretty badass. Singer is kind of cheesy. Fire him or force him to take screaming lessons and you’ll be 1000 demons more evil. Still, they are 800 times better than Hatebreed, Sworn Enemy and most of the generic pusscore bullshit the kids are jamming these days. I’d suggest the band check out some shit like Signs of Collapse, Today I Wait and Uphill Battle to get some fresh ideas.
Get some ingenuity in here and you’ll be lethal. Review by Ryan Bartek
Band: 1349
Album: Hellfire (Candlelight Records)
Year: 2005
Website: http://www.legion1349.com
Rating: 8/10
I've been into the 1349 stuff ever since I recieved their debut and have watched them come together over the past few years.
"Hellfire" is easily their best record. Frost (of Satyricon fame) helms the drum duties once again and everyone knows where that's going to lead. The guitar riffs are cooler, the vocals more diabolic, the drums faster, the entire product hinging on elite. I'd like to see some more progressive qualities factored in, but I'm pretty sure 1349 want to remain apocalyptic at all costs. It's black metal with old school flavor and the modern touch. The material sticks out far more than ever before, and the riffs really do get under your skin.
I would definitely recommend this disc to any die-hard black metal fanatic. Review by Ryan Bartek
Band: 1349
Album: Beyond The Apocalypse (Candlelight Records)
Year: 2004
Website: http://www.legion1349.com
Rating: 8/10
Want a scathing black metal assault that is raw yet distinguishable?
1349’s sophomore offering is a war machine out for eternal devastation. More of the same but faster, stronger, better thought out and maintaining an even higher degree of misanthropy. This is fire breathing, human sacrifice, grave defilement, cave dwelling, Satan conjuring all the way. Features Frost (Satyricon) on drums.
For fans of modern day Marduk, Dark Funeral, Nachtmystium and Mysticum. Review by Ryan Bartek
Band: 3 Inches of Blood
Album: Advance and Vanquish (Roadrunner Records)
Year: 2004
Website: http://www.3inchesofblood.com
Rating: 10/10
Now this wasn't what I was expecting at all!
I was honestly expecting some Nu-Metal/Modern Hardcore type thing, boy, was I wrong. Imagine a cross between Megadeth and Maiden fronted by Rob Halford. Another notable mention has to go to none other than Neil Kernon (Judas Priest, Queensryche, Cannibal Corpse) for the flawless production. 3IOB are flying the Metal flag high, make that banner the skull and crossbones, because the Vancouver-based metal band 3 Inches of Blood sing about pirates, swords, Orcs and, for good measure, warring cyborgs from the future.
There is no way you can sit still through this, amazing rhythms, melodies and harmonies that even Iron Maiden would be proud of. I'm desperately trying to find something I don't like about this album, but to no avail, their Roadrunner debut "Advance and Vanquish" is an amazing album, and fully deserves the 10/10 I'm going to give it. But hey, don't take my word for it, go and find out for yourselves.
Band: VII Arcano
Album: Inner Deathscapes (Warlord Records/The Art Records)
Year: 2002/2003
Website: http://www.VIIarcano.com
Rating: 8/10
While trying to label VII Arcano, I stumbled upon "Brutal thrash/death metal" ... maybe its just better if I label them as METAL
Hailing from Italy, VII Arcano combines brutal death metal with 80s styled thrash metal. The first track, "Introducing" (instrumental) tells you what to expect from the rest of the album, total insanity! You can also sense a big Slayer influence through-out the record, and some melodic death metal riffs. I honestly think VII Arcano is very unique. The vocalist hits his high vocals like a 1983s Tom Araya (maybe better), which brings me to my next point, the vocals are amazing, the vocalist mixes just about every type of vocals you can think of. The guitar-work isn't left behind, these riffs are to metal heads what donuts are to cops.
I truly recommend you check VII Arcano out, it is for your own metal-health! By Cesar Rosales
Band: 7th Nemesis
Album: Promo 2002
Year: 2002
Website: http://7thnemesis.fr.st
Rating: 8.5/10
Hailing from France, 7th Nemesis play highly competent Death/Black Metal and, surely its only a matter of time before they get signed up!
This three track promo is all I needed realize what this band is about. Ultra fast and brutal with tempo changes, good variation of blast-beats and melodies to stop it from getting too boring, which I find with death metal nowadays.
To sum it all up this sounds sort of like a bit of Carcass and Dark Funeral with a bit of Kataklysm thrown in for good measure.
Band: 8th Sin
Album: Sinners Inc. (Black Lodge)
Year: 2004
Website: http://www.8thsin.biz
Rating: 3/10
Wow! this project contains the man responsible for the horrendous screams and unruly music of such acts as Abruptum, Ophthalamia and Vondur, now this is going to be interesting.
Performing on this record is vocalist IT and Michael Bolin who handles all programming, instrumentation and production work, although I do believe they now have a full lineup which includes Y on Guitars, Drummer TG and Johan on Bass. What is it with many black metal stalwarts going on to form Industrial/Goth/Techno (you know what I mean!) projects, Nagash did it with The Kovenant and most recently members of Dissection and Swordmaster got together do form Deathstars.
Well, I can easily say 8th Sin is not my cup of tea at all, Industrial Goth that is hard to sit and listen to that has been done before, and so much better. The razor sounding guitars save the album a little, but for the most of it, there's not much that is going to make you want to press the repeat button. I was expecting so much better.
Band: 8th Sin
Album: Angelseed & Demonmilk (Black Lodge)
Year: 2005
Website: http://www.8thsin.biz
Rating: 4/10
Oh dear, I just don't know whether this is worse than last years "Sinners Inc."
This album does nothing at all to distance itself from predecessor, still the same Industrial/Gothic/Techo with plenty of "Dits" and "Doots", modern heavy guitar riffs and semi-clean vocals. Not sure whether fans of bands such as Ministry, White Zombie and Deathstars might find this interesting, but again, this is not for me.
If you actually liked their previous album, you'll love this as this is somewhat slightly better. I can actually sit and listen to this, but when I'm thinking that this part is actually decent, something will come along and just ruin it. Its fairly simple, somewhat catchy, but there was quite a number of Techno sounds and things in general that annoyed me on here.
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