Fallen Utopia/Disequilibrium/Cursed Records/2017 CD Review

  Fallen  Utopia  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  plays  a  modern  form  of  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  thrash  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Disequilibrium"  which  was  released  by  Cursed  Records.

  Death  metal  growls  along  with  some  heavy  guitar  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  high  pitched  screams  are  also  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  A  lot  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  guitar  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  some  of t he  songs  also  bringing  in    decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  piano's  and  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Fallen  Utopia  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  modern  style  of  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  elements  of  melodic  black  metal  and  thrash  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  scientific  and  philosophical  themes. 

  In  my opinion  Fallen  Utopia  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  death  metal  band  with  elements  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dr.  Muller's  Asylum"  "Omnivore" "Macrocosm"  "Blood  Cult"  and  "From  Void  TO  Chaos".  8  out  of  10.

Suicidal Causticity/The Human Touch/Amputated Vein Records/2017 CD Review

 

  Suicidal  Causticity  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  brutal  and  guttural  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Human  Touch"  which  was  released  by  Amputated  Vein  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  a  technical  style  when  they  are  utilized  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  melodies  at  times.

  Screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  getting  very  guttural  at  times,  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  clean  playing  is  also  added  onto  the  closing  track  which  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Suicidal  Causticity  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  brutal  and  guttural  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  encounter  between  the  chaste  lust  for  flesh  and  the  vile  edges  of  the  mind.

  In  my  opinion  Suicidal  Causticity  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  and  guttural  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diamond  Grinder  Sprin  "The  Choral  Brooke"  and  "Lynn".  8  out  of  10.    

Xenosis Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

We just shot our first music video for the opening track "Night Hag." It should be out some time late January or February. We also have a Death tribute band called Cross-Turned Dagger. We are constantly learning more Death tunes to perform live, but first and foremost, refining our own original material.


2.You have a new album coming out in 2018, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

One of our main goals is to always outdo ourselves. We are a "progressive" death metal band, but songwriting and heaviness are the key factors. We try to make sure every track is unique, heavy, and catchy. We do not settle for anything less.



3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

We cover sci-fi/horror themes. Some examples; sleep paralysis, ancient deep sea reptilian aliens, a widow/drifter who achieves astral projection to escape the torture and experimentation of her alien captors, and a tribute to the evil dead series.



4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Xenosis'?

Xenosis is the introduction of something alien. We decided on the name at a rehearsal when we first formed the band. As a matter of fact, our co-founding guitarist, Alex Perez, came up with that name. Even though he lives on the opposite coast from us now, he still writes a song with us for every album. On 'Sowing the Seeds' he wrote the music for Rebuild, Renew. On 'Devour and Birth' he co-wrote the first single, Army of Darkness.



5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We are big fans of playing DIY shows at small venues. We are done with the pay to play venues that plague the metal scene. We have a blast on stage. We give it our all. You don't come to a Xenosis show to be bored.



6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

The official release date is January 19th. We have a performance lined up for the same date at Pacific Standard Tavern in New Haven, CT. We are also hoping to do some touring.



7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We have not been actively looking for a label. Nor have we been approached by any labels. However, we would certainly be interested in the right offer.



8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic, technical and progressive death metal?

Our 2015 release, 'Sowing the Seeds of Destruction' was very well received. We got a ton of press for it. The reviews for 'Devour and Birth' are already rolling in, and the record isn't even released yet.



9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

As long as Xenosis exists, we will be heavy. We will be death metal. A lot of prog death bands go mellow after a while. We will not do that. We work hard to constantly become better at our instruments and better at crafting songs.



10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

We are all metalheads who come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds. When making this record, we were listening to a lot of Behemoth, Voivod, Death, Morbid Angel, Gojira, Meshuggah, Textures, King Diamond, etc.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Beer.



12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you for taking the time to review 'Devour and Birth' and interview us. Stay tuned for the music video, along with play through videos, and more.

Scaphism Interview

Answered by Evan Woolley (Guitar)


1.Can you hive us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

We're currently busy getting ready for the shows we've booked to support the release and rehearsing more new material! Even though the album isn't released yet, I'm already thinking about the next one. Its already mostly written.

2.You have a new album coming out in early 2018, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

I think we've finally captured our true live sound with this one. Its a hard thing to try and replicate in the studio but I think we nailed it this time around. It's also a much darker album than Festering Human Remains. We ditched the samples and most of the silliness. Lyrically its less "gore" and more macabre. I think thats largely because Tony wrote all the lyrics on this record so there aren't any simplistic "offensive just for the sake of being offensive" contributions from yours truly.

3.This is your first album since 2012, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

We've gone through some pretty serious changes since 2012, both as a band and in our personal lives. This album took WAY longer to get completed than we ever anticipated, but there were a number of things that slowed the process down. Through all of it however, we never stopped practicing or playing live. We've just been keeping it low key until we had some new material to present. Now the process is complete and we're excited for everyone to hear the fruits of our labor.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

Well as I said before, Tony wrote all the lyrics on this record, and while each song is different, I think they all fit into a common theme (which inspired the album title) of "Unutterable Horrors". Each song tells it's own grisly tale of terror with a clear beginning, middle and end to the story, and they usually end badly for those involved.

5.I know that the band name came from a  Persian  method  of  execution, how does this name fit in with the musical style you play?

Haha, the band name often becomes a topic of discussion when people ask me the name of my band, I tell them, they look confused, and then I go into a lengthy and gory description of the whole process. I don't know how it fits in. I just picked it because at the time it was the grossest thing I had ever heard of, and it wasn't already taken. It doesn't go much further than that. I just wanted to be as offensive as possible in those days.

6.Originally the band was a solo project what was the decision behind hiring a full time line up?

I think it was inevitable. I had done the Butchered and Devoured demo and was working on a solo full-length with programmed drums but it just wasn't clicking. There was so much more I wanted to do, plus I was getting really bored not playing live so it just had to happen. It took a while to get it together though. I jammed with a ton of drummers before I met Alex and nobody seemed to be on the same page as me. Once we got together though, it seemed like we hit the nail on the fucking head so it wasn't long before Tom showed up to try out on bass and he knew a vocalist, Tony. The rest is history.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

One of my all time favorite performances was at the 5 year anniversary for Metal Thursday, a long-running local metal night out in Worcester, MA. Some of it ended up on Youtube. The crowd was rowdy and it was just a great fucking time. Other standouts that come to mind are an illegal practice space show with Defeated Sanity that was just nuts, and Philthadelphia Infest 2. Our stage performance isn't anything fancy. There's no spectacle, no gimmicks. We just get up there and try and play the songs as best as we can and put on the best show possible for those who come out to see us.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Yes! We've got a CD release show booked at Ralph's Diner in Worcester, MA for January 26th, and we have a few other regional shows in the works to promote the album. Beyond that we'll just have to wait and see what the future brings!

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?

Most of the feedback we've received over the years has been positive. We've been involved in trading since the first demo and its helped us connect with so many different metal fanatics across the globe. Its always cool when you find out that someone in Brazil, India or Jordan is jamming your shit and wants to write about it or reach out to you.

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Oh yes. Alex is always involved in the most projects. I think right now he's in three bands: Scaphism, Black Mass and Fuming Mouth; but he's done a shitload of projects over the years. Erik plays in two other bands that share members, Kontra and Perpetual Slaughter. Tony and myself are currently working on a black metal project that we hope to get off the ground soon.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Well judging by the new material I've been writing, I only see it getting faster and more complicated musically, but also darker and more abstract. I'm taking more chances as a songwriter. More odd time, more riffs from out in left field, but still catchy enough to bang your head to.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Old school death metal and thrash are the obvious influences for our music, but I pull influences from all over the place. Black metal, punk, grindcore, hardcore, even jazz, prog and fusion. All sorts of things leak into the riffs, they just get translated into a death metal context. These days for metal I'm listening to Throneum, Necros Christos, Horna & Deaden to name a few. For non-metal, I'm really into Goblin, Frank Zappa and Jean Luc Ponty.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

My other passion beyond music is collecting, watching and obsessing over horror and exploitation movies of the 60s, 70s and 80s. A very niche interest I know, but the more I uncover the more into it I get. Sometimes horror inspires me to write death metal so I guess the interests tie in on some level. I guess I'm just obsessed with death and violence. Maybe I need some help...,

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for the interview and for supporting the band! Our new CD comes out January 12th on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions so make sure you grab a copy and support the underground! Thank you

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/unutterable-horrors
http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/store/hpgd163.html

Wretched Spawn/Self Titled/Atomic Zombie Records/2017 EP Review

  Wretched  Spawn  are  a  solo  project  from  Lawrence,  Kansas  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  gore/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2017  ep  which  was  released  by  Atomic  Zombie  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  all  of t he  musical instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  screams  while  the  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  25  years  ago  along  with  the  solos  and leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Wretched  Spawn  plays  a  style  of  gore/death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  gore,  horror  and  violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Wretched  Spawn  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  gore/death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  Shed"  and  "Undead  Wasteland".  8  out  of  10.

Scaphism/Unutterable Horrors/Horror Pain Gore Death Productions/2018 CD Review

  Scaphism  are  a  band  from  Boston,  Massachusetts  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  gore/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Unutterable  Horrors"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Horror  Pain  Gore  Death  Productions.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  the  vocals  are mostly  death  metal  growls  and  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in a   great  amount  of  morbid  sounding  melodies.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  sounding  like  thew  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  more  than  20  years  ago  and  the  music  always  remains  very  heavy  and  brutal.

  Scaphism  plays  a  style  of  gore/death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  pain,  gore  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Scaphism  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  gore/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gruesome  Unmentionables  and  Unutt"  "Trepanate  The  Undesired"  and  "Hypovolemic  Purification".  8  out  of  10.  

Eye Of The Destroyer/Starved And Hanging/2018 EP Review

  Eye  Of  The  Destroyer  are  a  band  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  mixture  of  slam  death  metal  and  deathcore and  this  is  a  review of  their  self  released  2018  ep  "Starving  And  Hanging"  which  will  be  released  in  2018.

  Horror  movie  samples  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  slamming  and  brutal  direction which  also  introduces  death  metal  growls  and  screams  onto  the  recording  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  east  coast  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in a   great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Elements  of  death  and  metalcore  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  music  always  remains  very  heavy  and  brutal  sounding.

  Eye  Of  The  Destroyer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  slam  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  mixes  them  together t o  create  a  sound  of t heir  own, t he  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  murder,  gore  and  cannibalism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eye  Of  The  Destroyer  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  slam  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Obsessed  With  Death"  and  "Mandatory  Bludgeoning".  8  out  of  10.