103rd part of the short reviews.
BLESTEMAT – Poisonous Metal
Year: 2024
Label: Silent Future Recordings
Rating: 6,66 / 10
The debut EP of a Black Metal band from Sweden, announced as a continuation of the work of orthodox bands like OFERMOD, MALIGN, WATAIN. There are general similarities indeed, but BLESTEMAT sounds very shallow against the background of the giants of the genre, somewhere on the level of the worst BEHEXEN records. It's hard to say anything about the lyrical component, because my promo is very basic, but there doesn't seem to be anything outstanding there either.
CRYPTIC SHIFT – Return to Realms
Year: 2024
Label: Blood Harvest
Rating: 6 / 10
Reissue of the 2016 EP with bonus tracks. The band originates from England and plays technical sci-fi thrash death metal in the vein of all the bands that immediately come to your mind: NOCTURNUS, BLOOD INCANTATION, VOIVOD, TIMEGHOUL etc. In this style of music, you can create real miracles when the band has very good taste, knows how to play outstanding songs and set the right atmosphere. CRYPTIC SHIFT, at least for 2016, were not there yet; they play technically, but there are problems with taste, atmosphere and even sound quality. After "Return to Realms", I didn't feel the desire to find out what these guys recorded on the full-length album.
SPEEDKILLER – Inferno
Year: 2024
Label: Helldprod Records
Rating: 7,5 / 10
The first album by a young Brazilian band. In the best traditions of Helldprod, it was released in an edition of 50 cassettes, as if it is some kind of shitty demo. Meanwhile, “Inferno" may not offer anything new, but it contains 37 minutes of well-played, thick Speed Thrash Black Metal with a powerful organic sound and mature leads. I recommend it to those who know names like VOMIT OF DOOM, GRAVE DESECRATOR, KRUSHHAMMER.
DEMONIZED – Abyss Vanguard
Year: 2023
Label: Osmose Productions
Rating: 7,5 / 10
The new mini-album of the Mexican project, which had been silent for 20 years before. A distinctive feature of DEMONIZED is the presence of legendary Gene Palubicki. Even if I hadn't mentioned it, you would have recognized his ANGELCORPSE and PERDITION TEMPLE style riffs right away. A powerful, militant release, a must-have for those who love Gene's creativity!
UNPURE – Prophecies Ablaze
Year: 2023
Label: Invictus Productions
Rating: 5,8 / 10
I listened to the first album of the cult Swedes UNPURE in 19 (!) years with pure thoughts and heart, since I had never heard any of their songs before. I have to tell you that if “Prophecies Ablaze” impressed me at all, it was an unpleasant impression. Undoubtedly, this is a very metallic metal, filled with testosterone, but somehow it is incredibly incoherent and meaningless, lacking the purpose and distinctive style. Everything rattles, pecks and growls, but what for? After listening” Prophecies Ablaze " a few times, I feel stupider than I was before, and that's the only conclusion I can draw here.
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