Thursday, September 7, 2017

Planet Eater - Blackness From the Stars

"


On the metal band database, Metal Archives, Canadian band Planet Eater are described as death/thrash metal. "Blackness From The Stars is their second album and the album's first track "Boats" has me scratching my head at the death/thrash metal description. Not because it's horrible in a bad way, but there's a groove to the music that recalls Anselmo period Pantera. The vocalist's shouting falls somewhere between Anselmo and Matt Pike. There's no metal fan in the world that would class either Pantera or High on Fire as either thrash or death metal.

Second tune on the album, "Pile of Bones" edges a little closer to being death metal complete with raw rasping vocals. Third track, "Cold Confines", contains more than inkling of Swedish death metal however Donovan Turner's vocals are closer to hardcore shouting, which brings modern Psycroptic to mind however Planet Eater are nowhere as near as technical and this works in their favour as they rip a path of destruction without an excessive amount of noodling. There's an industrial clang to "Lies Evolution" whilst Planet Eater are too much of a ripping metallic beast so only incorporate repetitive factory sounds within their ferocity. In "Suffer What They Must" do actually incorporate thrash metal with speedy drumming and fast guitar playing but the base of this song is closer to sludge. Check it out below:



"Kill on Sight" is basically how I'd imagine Pantera would sound doing death metal so it's really deathcore stripped back to the bone.

The bottom line is that this definitely isn't death metal unless the genre has radically changed when we weren't listening. This is groove sludge with some thrash parts and a hardcore vocalist who often touches on deathly growls. Despite the negativity attached to this review, this is actually a really solid outing from this genre defying metal band and those into the heavier side of metal should enjoy Planet Eater.



3.5/5

Planet Eater on Facebook




Planet Eater on bandcamp

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Moonlight Desires - Just the Hits 1981-1985






Record Label: Infamous Butcher Records




Canadian Moonlight Desires have transformed a number of 80's pop hits into hard rock covers. This is a fun album and the band do a good job of beefing up 80's tunes. 80's Gary Moore rather than Me First and the Gimmees sprang to mind as these aren't punked up covers but slightly metallic versions.

The question that a reviewer with personal bias favouring the eighties needs to ask is: do they always work? Most of them do but there are moments that don't quite gel. Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf" falls towards the end of the song when the band slow down but the rest of the song actually works surprising well. Rod Stewart's "Young Turks"is sped up with guitar solos and absolutely rocks. The original version of Simply Red's "Holding Back The Years" is an absolutely ghastly song which the band make listenable with guitar solos however it's still a cringe-worthy song. Thankfully, the follow-up track, Stevie Winwood's "Valerie"is as upbeat and fun as the original and rids the mouth and ears of the horrid taste of Simply Red. The Naked Eyes track "Promises Promises" works well as a beefed-up chunky hard rock tune and is a great tribute to the original version. If you've wondered what Level 42 would have sounded like if they'd started playing hair metal around the time New Order wore those hair metal wigs then you need to give Moonlight Desires version of "Something About You" a listen. Frankie Goes to Hollywood get the Moonlight Desires through "The Power of Love" conveys the idea of a North American Suede.

While the songs on "Just the Hits 1981-1985" are fun re-workings, it's difficult to see this album as anything other than a novelty album. The album full of covers doesn't have long-term replay value unlike a number of the originals.


Release Date: 15 September 2017


2.5/5


Moonlight Desires on Facebook



Tuesday, September 5, 2017

War Cloud - War Cloud




Record Label : Ripple Music

Bay Area band War Cloud are a new band having only formed in 2014. The band are made up of Alex Wein on guitar and vocal duties, Joaquin Ridgell,on drums,Sean Nishi on bass and Tony Campos also handling guitar. War Cloud took their name from a song from the UK band Wicked Lady, which will inform some readers that the band are influenced by hard rock from the late 60's and 70's.


There's a definite 70's influence coming through the fuzzed up guitar that leaves little doubt that Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy and UFO feature prominently in the collective listening diet of War Cloud. There's a hard rock boogie feel to "Chopper Wired"that forces a listener to not just listen but to also move their buttocks. With the band based in the Bay Area and lyrics about four horsemen in "Divide and Conquer", it's impossible not to think that within their musical stew, War Cloud are not only taking in and spitting out early hard rock and traditional metal but also early speed metal. The suspicion of an early speed metal influence is confirmed in "Hurricane" as it harks back to the first couple of Metallica albums but the vocals are more in the hard rock singing style than than the near punkish shouting style of early James Hetfeild. Wein can really sing but doesn't venture outside his range, which helps give the band their sound.

The guitar leads on "No Man's Land" are attention grabbing as it's apparent that both Wein and Campos are highly accomplished musicians. "Red Witch" sounds like it would have been a hit on the radio if it had been released in the 70's. It's a really catchy number due to the chorus, tempo and distorted guitar all shining from the speakers. It's easy to imagine people hearing the song on the airwaves and then seeking out the 45 rpm vinyl. "Speed Demon" is so full of punk'n'roll grittiness, you'll need to wash your hands after hearing the track. The album closer, which you can listen to below, has a NWOBM but War Cloud manage to stamp their own identity on the track.









At first I didn't really think much of this album but after listening to it a number of times, there are many things to discover and like about War Cloud's debut. An obvious criticism could be that with their retro style War Cloud look too much to the past however it's clear that the band have a genuine passion for hard rock from the past and their passion boils over in their songwriting and musicianship. Standout songs are "Speed Demon", "Red Witch"and "No Man's Land" however no song on the album is weak.


Release Date: 8 September 2017

3.5/5





Warcloud on Facebook




Monday, September 4, 2017

The Minerva Conduct - The Minerva Conduct



Record Label: Transcending Obscurity


The Minerva Conduct are hailed as a supergoup in India but most of the members have been in bands those of us from outside that country have never heard of. However your ears might prick up if you're told that the drumming and synth is done by ex-Animals As Leaders member, Navine Koperweis. On their bandcamp page, the band describe their style as atmospheric progressive metal.

"Vile" opens the album with chugging riffing that is heavy as a herd of elephants and slows down for a moment before the train of chug riffs on.



"Dissertation" contains an industrial feel due to the speed and repetition of the drumming at the beginning of the song however as The Minerva Conduct are a progressive band, proceedings change as the band slow down and give way to a quieter more atmospheric sound. "Metanoia" opens with riff festival that would be the envy of many thrash metal bands but as The Minerva Conduct are not a thrash band they let shimmers of post-metal guitar breathe through the speed before completely changing pace whilst going through a musical metamorphosis. "Exultant" is worship music that praises the riff and like all the tracks on the album, The Minerva Conduct choose to show their reverence for metal without using any words although they are interrupted by distorted voices from beyond. There's a little Pink Floyd influence making itself heard in the form of "Unearth".

Some might feel The Minerva Conduct need a vocalist to further stamp their own identity on their sound but really the band have managed that feat without the aid of a vocalist. A weakness maybe that sometimes it is difficult to know when songs start and stop which may lead to confusion in a live situation but is often just part and parcel of progressive metal. A highly enjoyable album.

3.5/5

Release Date: 10 September 2017



The Minerva Conduct on bandcamp




The Minerva Conduct on Facebook




Small Takeover on Facebook


Sunday, September 3, 2017

Biesy - Noc Lekkich Obyczajów




Record Label: Third Eye Temple


Biesy are a Polish project. They are comprised of PR, who is in charge of the music and lyrics, Stawrogin on vocal duty and MP on drums. Biesy trnslates from Polish to English as fiends.

The opening track is atmospheric death metal in the vein of recent Ulcerate, in that if it weren't for the throaty gasping death metal vocals, it could easily pass for instrumental post-rock. The second track, "W Krew" opens with blast beats and death metal vocals and initially couldn't be msitaken for anything other than death metal. The track later slows down with slightly spoken, near chanting which lends the track a hypnotic edge. The slight whispers at the opening of "Powrotry" are equally hypnotic before shouting over metallic jangle begins. When the shouting stops the sound of the instruments really draw the listener in. Blastbeat fans will wet themselves when they hear the conclusion of "Czern Nas Prosi" whether they enjoy the slow build-up to the end point may be a different story. Lovers of more atmpspheric and ambient music however will love the journey Biesy guides the listener through. Biesy put a black metal twist on the ten minutes plus of "Rzucony W Przesteri" with blast beats and vocals that edge towards black metal rather than death metal at opening and closing points of the track.



Anybody looking for straight out brutal or crushing death metal won't find it in Biesy. However, if you're looking for more creative death metal that draws inspiration from outside the metal genre then Biesy and "Noc Lekkich Obyczajów" are a fantastic starting point.

4/5

Release date: 9 September 2017


Small Takeover on Facebook

Beastwars - IV

After over a year off for various reasons, we have returned solely because we wanted to review the new Beastwars album. I really w...