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Genre: Heavy, Power Metal
Label: Killer Metal Records

It has been quite a while since I’ve received something even remotely close to heavy metal or power metal. Iowa’s metal maestros Unity manage to cram the two aforementioned genres together with a wee bit of a progressive sound thrown in for a taste of fucking awesome!

Within the first two tracks you can tell that these guys really like their Iron Maiden. The third track erases any doubt of that completely and then raises the flag for fans of Gamma Ray! I’m tingly all over! Especially when a wicked solo erupts out of nowhere and melts your face clean of the bone (a la Raiders Of The Lost Ark). Following your facial reconstruction, vocalist Alonso “Zo” Donoso finishes off what’s left with a voice so perfect for what Unity is doing here. Power vocals that may as well be the voice of God since when Zo sings, everyone listens. Not necessarily because they want to, but because they are compelled to.

Even the obligatory power metal ballad doesn’t suck! Do you have any idea how fucking rare it is to come across a band that decides to write and record a ballad that isn’t cheesy, oversimplified or just plain horrible? Blue Moon rare! Honestly, I don’t know if I can make this any clearer to everyone. Unity is amazing, plain and simple. Check them out if you’re new school, old school or anything between or beyond.

Overall: Seriously, if you’re a fan of European heavy/power metal and wish that there was an American band could sound just as good, look no further. You’ve found them! True American Metal is REBORN!!!

10/10

Unity Official
Unity On ReverbNation
Unity On Facebook  

Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Label: Comatose Music

I’ve always tried desperately to steer away from over using the ever popular descriptor “Brutal” but I believe it will prove to be quite difficult since I’m fairly certain that metal Spaniard Carlos Mejias may have helped write the book on it! I guess it’s no surprise since this one man wrecking project that goes by the name of Thirst Of Revenge resides in the ranks of Comatose Music.

Right off the bat, one this is made abundantly clear: Carlos knows how to work the set. His drumming is impeccable and is easily the best anything on this album. Past that, we have those throat decimating growls. Sure, they’re brutal as fuck and if I ran into this guy in a dark alley and he demanded that I give him my wallet in that growl, I’d give it to him without a second thought, but he may as well just be speaking in monotone since there is close to zero variation in his style aside from the occasion pig squeal. His guitar work consists of wrist fracturing speed riffs that while cogent, manage to get lost in the mix during some tracks.

But let’s hold up for a second and discuss something similar to my introduction for a moment: is there such a thing as “too much brutality”? I didn’t really think so… until I listened to Annihilation Of Races. You read that right folks! This album is TOO BRUTAL!!! Too brutal to be taken seriously. Too brutal to be admired by the snobbish metal elite (I can say whatever I want about them since I know they’d NEVER read anything from this site. Fuckers) and just a bit too brutal to be excellent. For now, I hope that Mister Mejias will be okay with a meager ”great” from this lowly journalist.

The spirit of death metal is clearly present throughout the length of Annihilation Of Races and for that, you can’t really fault this guy. I know I don’t. He poured his being into this project and you need only to listen to a few seconds of this album to know this.

Overall: This album is a practice in understanding moderation. Carlos Mejias either doesn’t quite understand how to or just doesn’t care to cut back on the heavy and low in exchange for some finesse or maybe even some technique. It’s really not a bad album, it just doesn’t take itself seriously, so why should any of you? But if brutality is your thing (you know who you are) then Annihilation Of Races is what you need to scratch that itch.

8/10

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Genre: Dark Ambient 
Label: Malignant Records/Black Plagve

Geez. It’s been about six months since I’ve gotten my hands on some dark ambient goodness. I mean, I don’t have a shortage of this stuff (thanks to Jason Mantis), but it’s always nice to have more. Or maybe I’m just greedy, I don’t know…

Anyhow, today I get to sink my teeth into Black Plagve’s (a division of Malignant Records) most demented and psyche scorching bastard sons: Hypsiphrone. And guess what? Like just about everything else have I received from Black Plavge’ s mothership, I LOVE this album.

Unfortunately, I can’t really compare And The Void Shall Pierce Their Eyes to any of the other brilliant dark ambient releases I have received. (Being unique is definitely something to get excited over, but it can be a bitch to describe in this medium/genre.) The closest anything that I can even begin to describe what this album puts you through would have to be Stalaggh. Now, in the past, that would be an insult coming from me. But the years have been good to me so now I can appreciate the intricate goings on in such albums/bands. But yes, Stalaggh. The comparison is probably more true than even I think: a dense, oppressive gloom fills the room you’re in with dread, regardless of where you are (seriously, go to your happy place and listen to this album. By the time it’s over, you’ll need a new happy place). Screaming and crying mental patients (and throughout the track entitled Resurgence Of Mors Sexualis, it seems like you can hear the staff too) can be heard running through the halls of this absolutely malevolent (and fictitious) place of healing.

But that’s where all of those comparisons ends. The technique is completely different with Hypsiphrone’s brand of slow mental torture. It all feels genuine and it’s all from an honest place. It’s not just slapped on a platter and presented as something “shocking” or purposely “sick”.  Every track is water marked with blood, sweat and tears and that my friends is refreshing.

The only thing I can manage to critique would be the overall length of this album. I wish it was only a few minutes shorter since I always seem to burn out in the last bit of the closing track. Over than that though, if you’re a fan of this kind of thing, I can’t seem to recommend this album and label enough.

Overall: Yet another solid dark ambient release has found a happy home on my shelf and in my computer. But be forewarned;  And The Void Shall Pierce Their Eyes is not for everyone. Unless you get some kind of kinky satisfaction from having your wits tested and your psyche kicked repeatedly by a raving lunatic, then maybe, only maybe you’ll do ok against an album of this magnitude.

9.5/10

Hypsiphrone On Facebook

Genre: Folk Metal, Power Metal
Label: Independent

Hailing from Minnesota, the Minos have their work cut out for them with their debut album, MMXI. Why does their state of origin extra pressure from the metal community at large? Easy: Minnesota is a state that really loves what it loves. Football? That’s uber serious shit there. Food? The more German or Scandinavian, the better. I can only imagine that Minnesotan metalheads take their music pretty damned seriously too. Also, with the ever growing popularity of Alestorm, Swashbuckled and even a resurgence of attention being paid to Running Wild, I’ve already had people tell me that, “that shit is gay” after I played a track or two from them off of MMXI. How bothersome, right?

Listen, I love Alestorm though, not as much as I love Running Wild mind you. The point is, Minos stand on their own without being a carbon copy of other bands that may or may not be trying to cash in on the (hopefully dying soon) pirate fad.

Vocalist Jason Hickman has the perfect voice for this kinda of thing. His clean vocals are more gruff than melodic and even manages to belt out a healthy/bluesy yell or roar every few songs. A perfect example of using something in moderation that EVERYONE else overuses. Another example to show you how hard these guys rock: guitarist Joe Waller (of Dawn Of Valor) cuts loose in a completely different fashion that I was used to being the Dawn Of Valor fan that I am. Excellent hooks, memorable riffs and the like are to be heard all over this gem of an album.

Moving away from the instrumentation for a minute, I’d like to draw attention to the lyrics. Minos essentially drops you into a high fantasy world with vengeful forest spirits, treason and of course, pirates. These are easily some of the best lyrics I’ve ever heard in metal.

Yes, there are a few songs on MMXI that are completely about being a pirate. But only a couple and the fucking kill! Case in point: Pirate Soul. I caught myself getting too into this song when I shouted, “become on of them, OR DIE AT THE MAST!!!” in what I thought to be an empty parking lot. Turns out a few homeless dudes heard me make an ass outta myself since I sound nothing like Hickman.

Overall: Minos is a band to watch out for in the coming years. They may seem like a bunch of scene hoppers at first glace, but I assure you that if you slow down, take a deep breath and pull that stick out of your ass, I can say that you’ll love this album as much as I do.

9.5/10

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Genre: Metalcore, Rock
Label: The End Records

This album came out of nowhere, almost literally. I got it from the post office after it was sent to the old E-MetalSpace address. My guess is they (or the PR person from The End Records) saw my old blog on MySpace and thought that the attached address was still good. But whatever, right? It worked out for everyone.

Anyhow, Amoral is a five piece band from Helsinki, Finland that has put out four full-length albums that have been met with moderate success. Well, their earlier stuff anyway. According to Metal-Archives.com, Amoral’s earlier work was technical death metal… shit. I wish I received one of those album instead of this thirteen track hiccup in common sense. How can a band go from technical death metal to watered down metalcore-ish-ness? Mind you, this is all assuming that the information I received is accurate since M-A.com refers to these guys currently as power metal. Waaaay off whoever slapped that label on.

Amoral’s style is definitely more in the realm of rock than that of metalcore though. Think of a far less progy Psyke Project with a weaker vocalist. It’s a bit difficult to critique this album any further since Beneath is just so mediocre or just plain simple. However, the one thing that really stands out do to it’s lack of mediocrity and simplicity: about twenty percent of the guitar structure. Occasionally you’ll hear a masterfully placed and as nifty as you can get flourish. No good solos. No memorable riffs. Just an occasional guitar squeal that can make you smile.

And no, this album isn’t terrible. I’ve heard FAR worse than this by bands once thought to be infallible. But I can’t help but feel that I missed out on something awesome if I would of discovered these guys a few years earlier in their TDM days.

Overall: I’d advise anyone who likes their metalcore more laid back and ethereal to pick up this album. If that doesn’t sound even remotely appealing, then you’ll do well pretending that his album doesn’t exist.

5/10

Amoral Official 

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