Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Grenres: Heavy, Power, Thrash

Label: Slaney Records

Uh-oh! It’s looks like Stormspell Records has some competition in the “totally awesome thrash/power/heavy metal” compilation race! Let’s see what Slaney Records has too offer, shall we?

Vindicator - Taking two parts Artillery, one part Slayer and one part new wave of thrash, let it simmer for the length of this band’s allotment on this split and serve with a keg of the cheapest beer you can find and you’ve got a thrashtastic meal fit for the Kings Of Metal! I mean it guys, this shit is some of the best thrash I’ve heard in a while (and I was just listening to Sodom!)! Humanarchy reigns!

Metal Witch - Holy Hanna! Metal Witch is speed metal strapped to power metal with NWOBHM influences! I don’t know how much of what I’m hearing right now can be accurately conveyed! I do, however know The Count Has Risen From The Grave is a song that will kick your ass for months to come, guaranteed! Saxon can go suck a dick (respectively) after listening to Metal Witch!

Overall: Volume 1 is home fucking run! Here’s to a violent and prosperous legacy of Outbreak Of Metal compilations!

10/10

Vindicator On MySpace
Metal Witch On MySpace

Originally posted at E-MetalSpace

Genres: Thrash, Heavy

Label: Slaney Records

Well here we are again! Another night, another split from Slaney Records! Let’s see what the fine Irish company has sent our way this time…

Destroyer - Polish thrash dead set on ripping your brain to shreds! Pulling influences from the likes of a jam session Metallica, the juggernaut-like presence of Destruction and even some “Cowboys…” era Pantera crunch, Destroyer cement their place with fans of each of the previously mentioned bands with a gentle homage to each. Destroyer may not be original, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t still thrashin’!

Violated - First off, whoa! I didn’t know there was an Exodus font! Violated bring a ferocity and purity to the thrash table that gives it the vibe of something straight from 1986! Solid beats and finger shredding solos litter the devastated landscape of these six tracks that’ll keep your head banging long after the disc stops-a-spinnin’! So pick up a case of PBR and give these guys a listen!

Overall: My assessment it as simple of this: Thrash fan? Pick this split up!

9.5/10

Destroyer Official
Destroyer On MySpace
Violated On MySpace

Originally posted at E-MetalSpace

Genres: Doom, Heavy, Black

Label: Unsigned

If you thought I gushed and beamed about Seventh Gate’s last demo, “Under A Black Sun”, then just you wait! Their second demo entitled “Amnesty” ranges in style (like their previous demo) from everything from doom to black metal to thrash to good ol’ heavy metal. Content wise, “Amnesty” touches on vital subjects such as feelings of isolation, empathy (or lack there of), depression, rage and repression. The lads in Seventh Gate manage to convey all of these things very well lyrically as well as instrumentally (especially one Nick Holmes and his sinister riffing) and atmospherically (seriously. Play this demo during a joyous occasion such as a graduation and the Valedictorian will end up decapitating a portion of the student body with his mortarboard!) The song writing and structure have matured greatly as well, showcased especially in the title track as well as Infinite Majesty. Vocalist/Bassist Gabe shows that he can do more than just screech this time around. He can also belt out some evil verses and then growl them into the ground! Another improvement and probably the most beneficial, is the production. Everything sounds so much clearer and is deeply appreciated by this reviewer!

Overall: A powerful metallic trance is what you will fall into within one listen of “Amnesty”. Will somebody sign these guys already?

9.5/10

Seventh Gate On MySpace

Originally posted at E-MetalSpace

Genres: Melodic Death Metal, Progessive

Label: Unsigned

A year and an attitude adjustment later, Dusk’s Embrace comes back at you with a darker, more aggressive (and more In Flames-y) release; a four song EP entitled “Oblivion At Hand”.  The clean vocals have improved dramatically, as have the number of solos and the overall catchiness and memorability of the songs (think of At The Gates if they didn‘t get stale). Opener and title track Oblivion At Hand is a swirling firestorm of rapid melodic riffing, growling and double bass kicks (another improvement over “Paradigm Shift” being the conservative usage of blast beats). And if they’re own coolness and talent wasn’t enough to keep you interested, the lads in Dusk’s Embrace felt it necessary to do a Blue Oyster Cult cover. Let me tell you that it’s awesome! I am a moderate B.O.C. fan, but I was never really a fan of Burning For You. This cover kind of changed that! I’m still not really into the original, but their cover is excellent!

Overall: An improvement over there last release. “Oblivion At Hand” grabs your attention with it’s refreshing melodies and hooks into you with it’s… hooks… and refuses to let you go! Listen, enjoy and face the “Oblivion At Hand”.

9/10

Dusk’s Embrace On MySpace

Originally posted at E-MetalSpace

Genres: Power Metal, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal

Label: Unsigned

Having been a fan of Spellcaster since their inception (back when they were called Leatherwitch), some may find this review to seem biased. But I assure you that it’s not. Seconds into this three song demo, Spellcaster show that they do not fuck around with heavy metal. They fucking own it! Vocalist Tomas “Tommy Turbo” Adams channels the awesome powers of legendary front men such as Rob Halford, Jon Bush, Eric Adams and a to lesser extent Joey Belladonna. Lead guitarist Cory Boyd rips and shreds through all three tracks with the ferocity of an axeman possessed, backed by Tyler Loney, the speed riffing machine! Drummer Shad Covert beats and rolls with 100% efficiency (that’s a lot of awesome crammed onto one stool!), ensuring the wrecking of you neck! Some of you may remember our old friend Gabe Franco (from Seventh Gate) on bass, booming and bangin’ in the way only he can! This demo is crammed full of all sorts of old school heavy metal with elements of power, doom and speed metals all rolled into one first pumping, head banging, horn throwing good time!

Overall: Pound for pound, member for member, Spellcaster is one of the best bands that carries the old school heavy metal sound I’ve heard in a while! If you consider yourself a fan of true metal, then this demo is a must own!

9/10

Spellcaster On MySpace

Originally posted at E-MetalSpace