Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genre: Thrash
Label: Candlelight

Defiance are back! It’s been fifteen long years without them, but it sure doesn’t show. This is still the Defiance from 1988′s Product of Society, but it seems a nice tad bid meaner at the same time.
Maybe it’s because everyone is older, maybe it’s the product of having a couple different guys in the band, maybe it’s just because the world today is meaner than it was back in the formative days of Defiance.
Either way, in the end, who gives a shit why they’re meaner. They are, and if you’re not ready your head is coming off. This album is a thrashtastic attack of epic proportions, and it’s fucking great. Riff wise, it’s hard and heavy, and Steev’s voice is really great for Defiance, equal to or even better than his work with Skinlab.
If you’re a hardcore thrasher, you’ll love this disc. If you’re new to the genre and want to find some more underground, harder stuff, this would be a great place to start.
7.5 out of 10.

Defiance on MySpace.

Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: AFM Records

So Udo has been around forever, and for those that don’t know, he’s the original singer for Accept. And this album, U.D.O.’s 12th, shows that Udo has no intention of slowing down.
Dominator is ten tracks of pure German heavy metal in the finest, most true traditions, and it’s essential that you own it. If you’re a fan of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and yes, Accept, you need this album.
My favorite track on the album is hands down “Heavy Metal Heaven”, which has just the most METAL chorus ever, with a nice, slow groove. The title track is up there in the list, along with “Stillness of Time” and “Devil’s Rendezvous”, which sounds like Voltaire’s Boo-Hoo album turned metal. Naturally, though, what self-respecting old school metal album doesn’t have a ballad? Dominator does in the closing song “Whispers in the Dark”.
All in all, fucking amazing stuff.
9 out of 10.

U.D.O. on MySpace.

Genre: Metalcore
Label: Unsigned

Well, as far as metalcore goes, Die Among Heroes is pretty damn good. Blending later day Killswitch Engage with (you guessed it) At The Gates and a smidgen of Soilwork, Die Among Heroes do what they can to springboard themselves out of a faceless genre and into the spotlight. This debut album has a “Metalcore 101/paint-by-numbers” feel to it at times. But little accents in the breakdowns and melodic riffs make it stand out just enough to get my attention.

Vocalist Chase Hughes has a fairly ranged voice that attempts to build bridges between melodic clean vocals, death growls and core screams. He reaches for Bjorn “Speed” Strid but falls sort and ends up with Killswitch Engage II, Howard Jones. With time, I’m sure he’ll reach his peak and blow me away. As for the string section, yeah. Pretty straight forward stuff. But every once in a while, you’ll get a wild riff that just crushes your skull (like halfway thought Perish What Ignites The Flame).

Overall – A budding band that needs a little time and support. Check ‘em out if you dig the more melodic stuff out there.

7/10

Die Among Heroes at MySpace

Originally posted on E-MetalSpace

Genres: Thrash, Black
Label: Unsigned

Since I am admittedly a HUGE fan of the blackened thrash outfit known as Nuclear Wasteland, I had pretty fucking high expectations for Sacrifice Of The Blessed. And not surprisingly at all, these post-Apocalyptic thrashers from Thrashcouver, Moshington did not disappoint.

Sacrifice Of The Blessed is a four song demo that takes you on a turbulent ride through the harshest of the fallout saturated lands on the back of a berserk, irradiated timber wolf! Bands like Kreator and Toxic Holocaust immediately come to mind while listening to Here Come The Bombs or The Peacekeeper, but Nuclear Wasteland appear to keep some originality intact with Bastion Of Sin. The production value is a bit of a gripe. Sure it’s loads better than on their first demo, but it would sound soooo much better if they up it only slightly! Vocally, we are reminded of blackened thrash shrieks tied to the fin of a Fat Boy and backed up well with a six sting Riff-O-Matic of Mike Sifringer-like proportions!

Overall: The grim production of this demo makes Sacrifice Of The Blessed feel more black metal than thrash at times, but if you can see (or hear) past the viciously charred veil, you’re treated to a thrashing of a lifetime!

9/10

Nuclear Wasteland On MySpace

Originally posted on E-MetalSpace

Genres: Thrash
Label: Unsigned

Can you spell thrash? If not, it’s easy! Here, I’ll show you: V-I-C-I-O-U-S-A-T-T-A-C-K!

Chicago’s own beer swilling bastions of all things supersonic present Blade Of The Reaper. Exodus, Testament, Slayer, Destruction and many others would be proud to know that they’ve inspired such a forceful creation! Every song on this EP is an instant classic and is guaranteed to shred it’s way straight into your brain!

Vicious Attack easy, sleep and live thrash! And it shows with the blistering pace they play at and with songs that carry true thrashin’ appeal. Such as Infestation with it’s memorable chorus.
“Swarm of insects in your room! Their very presence spells your doom! Etc..”
There are wrist snapping riffs and finger melting solos dusting the entirety of this EP, so speed freaks need not worry. Blade Of The Reaper’s only hindrance is that it’s only four tracks long, so it may feel like a bit of a tease to some of you out there. But let me tell you, the blue balls are totally worth it!

Overall: I predict big fucking things for these thrashing maniacs! Namely: a big fat contract with Earache or maybe Slaney Records! *HINT*

9.5/10

Vicious Attack On MySpace

Originally posted on E-MetalSpace