Funeral Rain Press Corps

Wisconsin’s given birth to a potent and proud young metal beast which answers to the name ORWELL. Escaping current “for the moment” musical trends, this five-piece attack squad execute massive hooks with extremely professional precision and prowess on their self-released debut full-length Endeavors.

While somewhat reshaping melodic Swedish death metal as mastered by In Flames and Soilwork into a more American style in the vein of Black Dahlia Murder or All That Remains, moments of Endeavors also bleed with a bit of stoner metal one might attribute to Corrosion of Conformity or Down. Scorching solos and lead guitar tracks flow into epic buildups while going head-to-head with destructive death metal and mosh-driven thrash elements, all developing the energetic and empowering flow for the ten tracks of the band’s impressive debut. The entire Endeavors album is available for free streaming here.

Orwell are also one of the 20 contenders in the Metal Insider “No Labels Needed” Contest, where bands are competing for a chance to record an EP with Machine (Lamb of God, Every Time I Die, etc).

After regionally touring throughout the Midwest and sharing the stage with Dead To Fall, Misery Index, Obituary, Intronaut, Napalm Death and countless other nationally touring acts along the way, Orwell are taking to the road heavily in 2010, with regional shows constantly going down, and several months of nationwide touring in the planning stages now.

ORWELL’s upcoming shows:
3/12/2010 The House of Rock – Eau Claire, WI
3/13/2010 The Reptile Palace – Oshkosh, WI w/ Wing Attack
3/26/2010 Lancaster Youth and Ag Building – Lancaster, WI w/Alice 13th, Men Among Giants
3/27/2010 The AfterDark – Steven’s Point, WI W/ No Wings, Heartseeker
4/09/2010 The Red Raven – Fargo, ND w/ The Suit
4/10/2010 World War Scene @ The Eagles Club – Mandan, ND

With this massive album, plenty of tour action, a professionally sculpted video and an overall hard-working band ethos, Orwell are well on their way to becoming a well-known act in the metal world.

Genres: Melodic Death, Thrash
Label: Regain Records

My first experience with Arise is proving to be a nice one.
Melodic death done the Swedish way, The Reckoning starts off with a short intro and a fast riff that’s headbangalicious. Breakdowns are heavy as hell, and not cheesy whatsoever. It’s like a good cross of Swedish melodeath and American thrash. But ultimately, it’s not the most memorable album I’ve ever heard. These guys are super talented, but they remind me too much of all the other great Swedes, mostly In Flames and Hipocrisy, that The Reckoning just makes me want to go and listen to their albums instead.
It’s good, but it’s not the best there is.
6.5 out of 10.

Arise on MySpace.

Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Label: Salute Records

Malaysia’s Deona Cart Deluna have recorded a short disc full of awesome.
It’s a really easy review, too
Take a bit of Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, Behemoth, Kataklysm, and In Flames, put them together, and you’ve got Deona Cart Deluna.
It’s a perfect example of blackened death metal, really. The vocals, the riffs, the drumming, it’s all fucking awesome.
9 out of 10.