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Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Label: United Gutteral

Volturyon, when seen just as a band name, to me does not strike me as death metal. I’d say something more like power metal or even industrial metal. But wow. These guys are as brutal as a club to the nuts and a knife to the face.
They don’t bring too much new to the table, but rather take what’s been done and give it their own flavor and flare. And fuck is it a great ride.
Something is definitely here for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Bloodduster, and Cryptopsy, as well as any other gory death metal band.
Interesting trivia: the singer, Olle, has the same last name as me. I wonder if we’re related somehow?
Favorite tracks are “Savage Gluttony”, “Ravaged”, “Coordinated Mutilation”, and “Sadistic Molestation”.
8 out of 10.

Volturyon on Facebook.
Volturyon on MySpace.

Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Casket Music

Melodic death metal from England, but originally from New Zealand, Monsterworks steps up to fill an interesting void that I didn’t know existed. Inspired by Deicide and Queen, full of melodeath riffage (think early In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, and Cynic) and mixed death and classic metal vocals (Cryptopsy, AC/DC), The God Album is a really good listen.
It’s definitely not for everyone (hipsters beware!), as it’s a little bit of a tough-to-digest listen if you’re not fluent in metal. True fans of multiple genres will find this to their tastes I’m sure.
Favorite tracks are “Everything You Believe is a Lie”, “The Enemy of My Enemy”, and the album closer “(Hymn of) Fire”.
7 out of 10.

Monsterworks on Facebook.
Monsterworks on MySpace.

Italian Metal Powerhouse Scarlet Records has announced their second set of releases in the North American Market. They are Bloodshot‘s Murder the World” and The Georgian Skull‘s Mother Armageddon, Healing Apocalypse. Both releases are scheduled for release on March 8, 2011. This is the first time that both albums have been available in North America.

Following the critically acclaimed album Ultimate Hatred, released by Scarlet Records in 2006, and having already shared the stage with renowned acts such as Six Feet Under, Born From Pain, Gojira, Stamping Ground, Heaven Shall Burn, Caliban, Sworn Enemy, Cataract and many more, Belgian hardcore-metal masters Bloodshot are finally ready to release their third full length effort, Murder The World.

Bloodshot‘s new effort, which will once again be released by Scarlet Records, is more vicious and aggressive than ever before, redefining brutality and combining the best elements of metal and hardcore to a perfect war machine crushing everything on its path. Bands like Full Blown Chaos, Sworn Enemy, Hatebreed, Cataract and HateSphere come to mind but yet Bloodshot experiences no difficulties in creating their own well distinctive sound, giving them an original touch in the metalcore scene nowadays. Murder The World will be once again dealing with the acts of another serial killer, Richard Ramirez! Recording sessions took place at Jonathas studio and DeStudio, with Dirk Miers (Do Or Die, Born From Pain) handling the mixing duties. Mastering took place at West West Side Music in New York City.

Bloodshot are ready to take their ambitions to the next level, playing and touring as much as possible, promoting the new CD’s in the most professional way, spreading the Bloodshot madness on the crowds all over the world!!

Inspired by 1970′s Heavy Metal such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy, Georgian Skull have fused the past with even heavier metal bands like Clutch, Pantera and Entombed. Georgian Skull continues to redefine their sound and presence as one of the most important bands to have come out of Canada. The death of the stoner band Mister Bones brought out the most significant chapter of the band’s life: its afterlife. Which is simply known as Georgian Skull. A revolution is on its way, a great tale is about to be told, and the power of the Doom and Groove that possess this band will set out to unleash a masterful work in their new album, set to be released on Scarlet Records. Georgian Skull is absolutely one of the most crushing live bands around, a real must for any fan of Black Sabbath. Georgian Skull is a four-piece out of Windsor, London and Hamilton, Canada, fronted by vocalist/lead guitarist Al “The Yeti” Bones (also frontman for U.S.A ‘s sludge king’s The Mighty Nimbus). Mother Armageddon, Healing Apocalypse is the confirmed title of the band’s debut full length album: Apocalyptic lyrics meshed with life’s struggle for sanity, crossed with the biggest, baddest riffs around. Georgian Skull command the attention of every audience they’ve played for. Bands they have shared the stage with have been Anvil, Cryptopsy, Today Is The Day, Goatwhore, Trouble, Sons Of Otis, and many, many more. Artwork duties were handled by Vince Locke (well known for his work with death metal legends Cannibal Corpse).

Genres: Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal
Label: Season of Mist

Metalgasm! Straight up, pure, unadulterated, and unfuckwithable eargasmic metal right here. I can’t stop listening to Traced in Air, an album I bought because I heard Cynic were pretty damn good and the tag on the album was Technical Death Metal. I thought I was buying an Origin- or Cryptopsy-like CD, but what came out was definitely not like either of those bands.
Instead, it reminded me right off the bat as Tool, but then the second listen brought in Deftones and Coheed and Cambria. And once I heard the Coheed-like elements, the Rush comparison was instant. And King Crimson. This is a wonderful, perfect album, a little on the short side (all of the best CDs are too damn short, aren’t they?) but still perfect.
It takes you on a mood swing ride, but unlike most death metal, it’s not all minor keys. Happy sounding major keys and beautiful melodies take you away on a cloud and drop you into a headbang session, then pick you back up again, just to smash your mind against the rocks of what you thought proggy tech-death could be.
If you don’t own this album, you are missing out on something so wonderful. Please, go to a store and pick this CD up.
10 out of 10.

Cynic on MySpace.

Genres: Brutal Death, Doom, Progressive Death
Label: Independent

These guys asked me if I’d do a review of their demo like a million years ago. I said sure, downloaded the .rar and kind of forgot about it in the clutter of my computer.
But alas, in burning myself a promo-filled disc, I saw Corpsex waiting patiently in the To Review folder. And so today these sick bastards are blasting my ears.
Now, naturally, in today’s metal world if you play brutal death with occasional technical flourishes, you’re going to be compared to Cannibal Corpse. But at the same time with these guys I can hear some Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation, and Cryptopsy influences, as well as tons of doom and stoner influences too, like Candlemass, Pentagram, and of course the big daddy of metal, Black Sabbath. The second song, “My Dear Killer”, especially shows these doom influences, and it’s my favorite track on the demo.
Overall, these guys are playing a very wicked blend of various metallic influences, turning it into a great listen. If you haven’t had any Corpsex today, I recommend you give it a try.
8 out of 10.

Corpsex on MySpace.