Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genres: Doom, Melodic Death Metal
Label: Candlelight Records

What would happen if My Dying Bride fathered a bastard son with Dark Tranquillity? What if this bastard son was later adopted by Paradise Lost? Insomnium would be his name.
Gorgeous singing is coupled with sorrow inducing death vocals on Across the Dark, tied with wonderful leads held together with a rock solid rhythm section. It really is perfect for the fans of the above mentioned bands, and I think some fans of gothic metal like Edenbridge and Elis may find something inside of Insomnium.
My favorite track is “The Harrowing Years”, with “Down With The Sun” right behind it and the fast as hell In Flames/Dark Tranquillity sounding “Against the Stream” rounding my top 3.
7 out of 10.

Insomnium on MySpace.

Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Independent

German melodeath? Sweet! I was totally stoked when I got this CD in my mailbox, and now I’ve finally gotten the chance to actually LISTEN to it. And I’m really liking it.
Creeping Maid aren’t 100% original in their delivery, but when it comes to the odd keyboard work, they’re at least 80% original. The keys really stand out for me because they are somewhat symphonic while the guitars, bass, drums, and vocals are death. Really cool mix.
I’m also really happy with the definite lack of anything that ends in ‘core with this album. It’s pretty much just straight up melodic death reminiscent of Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, and maybe a bit of Opeth’s old material, all with a much gruffer voice courtesy of Christian Hardies, who also plays guitar. They cite Obituary, Dismember, and Bold Thrower as influences.
In all, Creeping Maid have put out a great listen that I’d recommend to fans of Swedish and German melodeath. You can get it through the band, just message them on MySpace.
6.5 out of 10.

Creeping Maid on MySpace.

Genres: Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal
Label: AFM Records

Leave it up to AFM to find one of the only bands in the world, if not THE only band in the world to mix melodeath and power into a new genre of music. Mind you, the power is not overt in its presentation, the album is primarily melodic death, but there are undertones of it.
Anyway, genre definitions aside, Solution.45 have crafted an awesome album, taking the listener through different emotional territories. Heavy ass riffs, melancholy-filled guitars, hooks that grab your face, and solos that craft air guitars at a moment’s notice fill the ten songs on the album. And all this is brought by ex members of Scar Symmetry, Sonata Arctica, Mors Principium Est, and a shitload more awesome bands, with guest vocals by Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity’s frontman for those that don’t know).
Fans of really cool keys, heavy guitars, fast solos, and solid fucking metal should check this album out.
8 out of 10.

Solution.45 on MySpace. (street team)

Genre: Death Metal
Label: Paragon Records

I was ready to write this promo off the second I saw that the first of it’s four tracks was a minute and a half intro (pet peeve number two for me!). But this midget of a promo bent me over and had it’s way with my back side until it was satisfied. It was like listening to the first three tracks of Scream Bloody Gore for the first time again! Do I really have to write more after that last line? The majority of you should be scrambling to find out where you can obtain Elme right fucking now! But for those of you that stuck around to finish this review, Sectioned is a side project of the fellas in Dimentianon (a band you hopefully read a review of earlier) that plays savage, pummeling death metal! I realize that this review was written backwards but hey, the point was (hopefully) clear.

Overall: Elme is a little short, but brutal enough to leave a lasting impact on your metal loving psyche!

8/10

Sectioned on MySpace.

Originally posted at E-MetalSpace

Genre: Death Metal
Label: Paragon Records

Sounding like they ate some Barnes flavor Cannibal Corpse Flakes with Dark Tranquillity brand milk, Sectioned seem to have the right sound to be a big contender in the metal world.
Fast, hard and heavy, this four track promo shows an albums worth of ideas, and all of them are good. The longer song lengths help this out, but I think good technique is the main reason.
Favorite tracks are “My Love of Decay” and “Mirrors”. If you’re a fan of the aforementioned bands, as well as other progressive thinking death metal bands, you should check out Sectioned. 
7 out of 10.

Sectioned on MySpace.