Death Metal act ISOLATED signs with Drakkar Productions

Death Metal act ISOLATED from Mexico signs with Drakkar Productions.

The band recently finished the recording of their new album still untitled. The new record will be released on physical formats Digipak cd, LP vinyl and MC Tape cassette.

The band has mentioned the incorporation of the legendary HM-2 pedal to their sound, so expect nothing but a real carnage on the next record. The new album has a especial guest Antimo (Hacavitz) on one of the songs doing vocals.  More news about the release coming soon... 

ISOLATED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isolateddm 

"Decay and Putridity" its a compilation tape cassette limited edition that is available now on Worm Productions. 

AVSLUT "Vanskapt"

AVSLUT
"Vanskapt" EP
Independent, 2016.

They say that everyday a Metal band is formed... AVSLUT is a new Black Metal band from Stockholm, Sweden formed sometime this year. They released a 4 tracks "digital" EP a few months ago entitled "Vanskapt". 

The style of AVSLUT is more like a Blackish Death Metal with downtunned guitars in the vein of the new Swedish bands like Valkyria, Watain, Trident, etc... and the eternal worship to Dissection in moments can not be absent.

The musicians are skilled (as normally is among the Swedish bands), great drumming, good guitar riffs and even though the song writting is good and detailed there is nothing new brought to the table.

Great work in general to be their first delivery into the realms of this i could call "New wave of Swedish Blackish Death Metal". Let's see if these guys can find their own sound in the future.

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/avslut

Points:  3 of 5

SVARTELDER "Pyres"

SVARTELDER
"Pyres"
Dusktone, 2016

SVARTELDER is a band from Norway formed in 2005. It took 11 years to this "band" to release their album debut called "Pyres".

I strongly believe that everything with the term Black Metal (2nd wave) is already written and composed. Black Metal is very square and is enough to listen to Darkthrone's "Under a Funeral Moon", Burzum's "Det som en gång Var" and Mayhem's "De Mysteriis..." All other influences you may add to the style will end up in a combination and will alter its natural sound.

Svartelder plays apparently Black Metal (as stated in Metal-Archives) but is mostly like a combination a many influences of Thrash, Progressive, and even Depressive Metal. Altogether with a Black Metal sound.

I have to say that i have not been impressed in a long time by an album coming from Norway, at least at the first listening. "Pyres" is extremely well (musicaly) produced and arranged. It is not strange since some members of the band have been active in the Metal scene for many years.

"Pyres" made me remember bands like Tulus, Ved Buens Ende and perhaps Fleurety. The vocals are well done and fits perfect with the atmosphere along the album. The cover art is amazing and match with the musical concept the band is showing here.

If you are looking for something with high quality in songwritting, "Pyres" is for you.

Listen: https://dusktone.bandcamp.com/album/svartelder-pyres-dusk031cd 

Points: 4.5 of 5

NIDHÖGGR "Ragnarök"

NIDHÖGGR
"Ragnarök"
Lake of Fire Productions, 2016.

NIDHÖGGR is a new band/project from Falkenberg, Sweden formed in 2013. These guys decided to jump in the train of the old school Black Metal (the second wave!!! according to a guy in Norway).

It is not common to listen or find a Swedish Black Metal band sounding like Norwegian nowdays anymore. Unfortunately is like that with NIDHÖGG. The last time i heard a Swedish band with Norwegian sound was in the 90's with Thornum and their "Dominions of the Eclipse" and The Black with "The priest of Satan".

"Ragnarök" is a mix of all those old records of your favourite Norwegian bands such as Darkthrone, Satyricon, Carpathian Forest, Gehenna, and the list goes on....It seems like these guys are probably not in their 20's which could explain why of the total worship to the 90's sound on this album debut.

Not everything is negative here i have to say. The guys are skilled on their instruments, very solid drumming and guitar riffing. I can not say the same about the vocals since they sound monotonous in some moments, that is a matter of taste of course. The lyrical content seems to not be focused in Satan and is more like Viking tales and stuff.

It is great to find Swedish bands into the old school stuff like NIDHÖGGR because personally i like this sound a lot but If you are looking for something that can offer more originality, creativity, etc... avoid this and keep looking, if is the opposite i suggest you to listen to these solid debut "Ragnarök" (I wonder how many albums and songs are named like that...)

Listen: https://nidhoggr.bandcamp.com/

Points:  3 of 5.

HUMAN COLLAPSE "Darkness to Fall"

HUMAN COLLAPSE 
"Darkness to Fall"
Independent, 2014.

Human Collapse is a new band from Russia, they play pretty much Melodic Doom Death Metal for the likes of Katatonia, October Tide, etc...

I have to say that I find this album Amazing in many ways, the song writing is just great. It is full of atmospheres, melodic passages full of melancholy and rage at the same time. I would like to say that their main inspiration is Katatonia but since I am not very familiar with Katatonia's work I can't tell but I do know "Dance of December Souls" which I think its the guilty one for these Melodic Doom bands to exist and sometimes reminds me that type of style.

Great production with good musical skills, great vocals, melodic solos, piano passages and acoustic guitars full of feeling, no more words just listen.

They released this album only in Digital which really sucks If they are planning to make a musical career for real, anyway you can listen to the entire album at Bandcamp here: http://humancollapse.bandcamp.com/

You better pay attention to Russian Doom Death Metal bands if you are the kind of looking for underground bands with musical quality.

Listen: http://humancollapse.bandcamp.com/


Points: 4.5/5

RESTLESS OBLIVION "Sands of Time"

RESTLESS OBLIVION
"Sands of Time"
Solitude Productions, 2014.

"Sands of Time" is the debut album of Restless Oblivion, a band from Russia and after many listening i have to say that they have impressed me, why? Because is a strong and solid album of Doom Death Metal with high quality on the song writing. the music is very diverse and melancholic but at the same time with the aggressive feeling that only you can find on Doom Death Metal music.

It looks like these guys guys knows exactly what they are doing, good drumming, great melodic passages on guitar and piano. The vocals are good but sometimes are too guttural and think a bit of a change would sound much better so you can follow what the lyrics  on the tracks.

Restless Oblivion has a lot of talent and well I have to say that I have been away of this kind of releases/style for while so it is a great surprise to find this kind of new bands doing excellent music. I kind of guess they have the classic influence from My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Officium Triste and similar bands. I am really looking forward for their next release so I extremely recommend this album if you are looking for something Doomy for real.

Listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ewKMs37T_c

Points: 5 of 5

ENDING QUEST "The Summoning"

ENDING QUEST
"The Summoning"
F.D.A. Rekotz, 2014.

Here we have the album debut of a new Swedish Death Metal band from Stockholm playing nothing but old-school Death Metal for the likes of Interment, Puteraeon, Entrails, Demonical, God Macabre and an endless list of bands I could post here but well....just another worship to the great ones Entombed and Dismember.

Nothing much to say about this release because is nothing new or original here, just pure love to Death Metal. "The Summoning" i could say its very powerful like albums such as "Clandestine", "Like an Ever Flowing Stream" and "You'll Never See". I really enjoyed listening to this album from the very first time, just straight in your face. Some points to mention are: The vocals needs a bit of more development, very good drumming and guitar riffs without a doubt.

Great debut from Ending Quest, looking forward for the next summoning.

Points: 4.5 of 5

Listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugIzq0lit60