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
MEMORY GARDEN
"Doomain"
Metal Blade Records, 2013.
After
5 years of absence, Memory Garden came back with this new album called
"Doomain" in April of 2013 and making their debut with the great Metal Blade Records too. I didn't have the chance to pay attention to
the album until now when i watched their promotional video "The
Evangelist" which is the opening track of the new album too.
Heavy
(and sometimes Power) Doom Metal on its best form, Memory Garden
without a doubt are the masters of this style, they have been loyal to
it from the very beginning of their musical journey and there is no
doubt that bands like Candlemass and Mercyful Fate are still part of the
musical influence. However, they have established their own sound since many
years ago.
Its
amazing to hear how Stefan Berglund has still this amazing voice 20
years later after their first releases like "Forever" and "Tides" (which
is a masterpiece), still sounding like those years, just fantastic!!!
Drummer Tom Björn sounds better than ever delivering and showing his
high skills, tight and straight. Simon Johansson has been essential part
of Memory Garden's sound since he joined the band in 1997 and his song
writing and guitar solos are just awesome. Is not something new that
Mike Wead (King Diamond) has been friend of the band since years ago and
that he has collaborated with them on past records, this time is not
the exception and he plays a couple of guest guitar solos on the album
along with the one and only Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity) which has some
guest vocals on the track "Barren Lands" which sounds killer, one of the
best songs of "Doomain" for sure. Excellent artwork and production
under the hand of Dan Swanö too. I really like how the guitar distortion sounds on this album, not extremely heavy and not light at the same time.
Extremely
underrated band in my opinion, Memory Garden should be touring the
world to spread their fantastic music!! I hope they don't delay so many
years in release a new album and really look forward to see them live in
the near future.
I want to thank Stefan Berglund for sending me "Doomain" to be reviewed on the pages of Brain Damage Reviews, tack så mycket!
Points: 5 of 5.
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mw8T9bXKTE
VALKYRJA
"The Antagonist's Fire"
World Terror Committee, 2013.
Swedish Black metal act Valkyrja continues with their path of Destruction, Mayhem and Chaos they gave the world with "Contamination" the Massacre continues with "The Antagonist's Fire"
I really enjoyed so much "Contamination" so i was actually prepared for this and definitely i am very pleased with this release. More mature song writing and brutal as ever!!! I remember reading many years ago a note regarding the similarities in between Entombed and Dismember and Fred (Dismember) said "We have the same influences and we record our albums at the same studio, that is why we sound similar". This is the same case of the multiple comparisons between Valkyrja and Watain but in fact i can't tell if Valkyrja might be influenced by Watain in that case we should ask them. What i think Valkyrja is trying to do in this new album "The Antagonist's Fire" is just that, to find their own sound and to stop this pull and push regarding the similarities and if by any chance they are inspired by Watain its clearly they are a more brutal and extreme version of them and ten times improved. What the singer A.L. should consider its to change his vocal stlye, otherwise he will be called the copycat of Erik from Watain forever.
The sound of the new album i could say its just a bit more raw compared to "Contamination" but i guess this must be like that, its Black Metal. Necromorbus studio is a studio which has a very clean and polished sound all the time so i am happy that they managed to make it sound a bit different than the usual Necromorbus recordings. Nice and melodic guitar solos a la Dissection pretty much all over the record, sometimes songs like "Season of Rot" reminded me the rage of Marduk. The drumming of J. Wallgren just amazing!! (hands bow)
This time they changed label from Metal Blade Records to a more underground label W-T-C from Germany, this makes me wonder if something happened? because Metal Blade Records has a bigger distribution and money of course.
Awesome album!!! if you are into great Swedish Black Metal come and get it!
Points: 4.5 of 5
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhNO6XGTyE
MORDBRAND
"Imago"
Deathgasm Records, 2014.
After some EP's and split albums at last the album debut of Swedish Death Metal band Mordbrand is out and is nothing but old-school Swedish Death Metal and i was thinking "one more Death Metal release from a Swedish Death Metal band" but as a matter of fact while listening i realized that it is not just another copycat of the old Stockholm sound or similar, "Imago" shows 90% of that style but here are some differences that makes this band different from others. They have a more raw sound on the production of guitars and drums, sometimes you can hear even some Black Metal riffs and they do it very good.
Songs like "Imago" shows this creepy atmosphere like coming out of a terror movie, other tracks like "Revelate" and "Sever the Limbs That Grace" shows this classic "hardcore" beat on the drums which is very common on the old school style and of course at the same time sounds like God Macabre here and there. But this is no surprise since Per and Björn plays in that band too.
I am glad to see these kind of bands that are worried to offer something different, looking to have their own sound and not only to remain in that channel and play this old-school Swedish style over and over which i really like it so much but at some point you have to make a difference like Mordbrand its doing on "Imago".
Probably with a better production and even having this HM-Boss pedal on could sound fantastic this album without a doubt.
Points: 4.5 of 5
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWcKfqV6Ts
EVOCATION
"Illusions of Grandeur"
Century Media, 2012.
"Illusions of Grandeur" is the latest album of the Swedish band Evocation, it was released sometime ago but i decided to review it anyway.
They were called like and i quote "A unique mix of the Gothenburg and Stockholm Death Metal sound" and yes, they did that but in this album they decided to quit to that Boss HM-2 Pedal now and to move on to make their sound more clean and jump into the Melodic Death Metal/Gothenburg sound of the glorious days entirely. If you know Evocation's music you probably know that the biggest inspiration comes from At the Gates (if not, that is what it looks like for me) and at the same time i have this feeling like their sound its like if At the gates meets Amon Amarth and Dark Tranquillity sometimes.
Great production and musically very skilled but not original at all, great drumming from mr. Janne Kenttäkumpu but this is not a surprise since almost all the Swedish bands have talented drummers. This is Evocation's debut with the great label Century Media which it seems they believe in Evocation's talent without a doubt. The cover art its awesome and reminded me the art of Pestilence's "Testimony of the Ancients" and i think the plus (could be) that Johan from Amon Amarth has a special guest in the track "Into Submission".
No more words to say about it, If you are into Melodic Death Metal, "Illusions of Grandeur" its for you.
Points: 4 of 5
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaVzhqrtA6g
DIABOLICAL
"Neogenesis"
ViciSolum Productions, 2013.
Diabolical from Stockholm, Sweden... Damn it! The first word i have to say for this "Neogenesis" release... FANTASTIC!!!
My first encounter with them was when they release their debut album "Synergy" and later on their 2nd album "A Thousand Deaths" which was pretty much like a Melodic Death Thrash Metal with some progressive stuff sometimes, strong, straight and well played. I lost the track of them until i decided to take a deep listen to "Neogenesis", my first impression was that they changed completely their style into a more extreme and violent Death Metal going far away from the Swedish sound they played in the past.
After several listening i came into the conclusion that "Neogenesis" its one of the most impressive and best albums i have listened in a long time! Their sound remains into the realms of Death Metal but extremely original and majestic song writing while at the same time the keep this progressive influence they had before and they don't overload their music at all of it. The drummer its a monster!! Mr. Sverker Widgren and company have created a MASTERPIECE which is very hard to do when you are into Death Metal. They decided to add orchestral vocal choirs and female vocals in some parts along the album too and they do it just amazing!!!
A quote to the album's description says: "'Neogenesis' is also a novel (11 chapters) telling the story of the end of the world and what lies beyond. The book is written by guitarist Carl Stjärnlöv and each chapter of the book is represented by a song on the album."
Some names comes to my mind when listening to "Neogenesis" but i think if i mention these names probably will numb your judgment so i extremely encourage you to get this album but i have to warn you people that "Neogenesis" its dangerous!!!
Fave tracks: "Reincarnation of the Damned", "Oracle" and "Wolves' Choir" (and more...)
Points: 5 of 5
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcT8TcB410U
ILLDISPOSED
"With the Lost Souls on Our Side"
Massacre Records, 2014.
A new ILLDISPOSED album has been released a couple of days ago and it was a surprise for me because i didn't know anything about it!!. What can i say, my first impression was that it sounds just like a completely follow-up of their previous release "Sense the Darkness" and it follows the same path regarding the sound, i don't hear anything new here but perhaps just a couple of new ideas here and there and a bit more melodic. Excellent drumming and tight as fuck and great guitar solos all over the album.
ILLDISPOSED have been a very underrated band since they started their musical career i must say, they are extremely talented and they know how to create High quality Death Metal and to not sound like anybody else, there are sometimes that the vocals reminded me Gorefest but without a doubt they are one of the best (if not the best) Death Metal band from Denmark. One more time produced by the one and only Tue Madsen (Dark Tranquillity, The Haunted), i hope they can get the credit they deserve in the near future because believe it or not they have been playing since 1991 and that is something.
My fave tracks: "A Dreaded Pursuer", "The Way We Choose" and "On a Clouded Morning"
Points: 4 of 5
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-JuNfVVeEM
