ARCHAIC REVIVAL - Pagan Evolution

ARCHAIC REVIVAL - Pagan Evolution

Written by Branimir Lokner
Monday, 25 May 2009

ARCHAIC REVIVAL " Pagan Evolution "
( Self - released ) 2007.
CD
Metal/goth/classical - USA

Out of Detroit, MI, comes a band Archaic Revival, started as a project in 2005 year by key person Derek Cvengros, author/guitarist and multi instrumentalist.
His main intention was to create something unique and outside standard mainstream clishe, recognized in actuelle USA metal production.
So, he create one sort of metal soundtrack of well -known epic saga "The Lord Of The Rings", and his idea was traced in album entitled, "Pagan Evolution". With fantastic soprano singer Alexandria Clark, he has recorded a 9 equalizing tracks, duration of 49 minutes and 38 seconds.
"Pagan Evolition" comphrises metal/goth elements with strong classical/medieval includings, also added with vivid progressive parts. Thematically, but also productionaly, album materials has showed nowadays standardizations. A songs maniristically didn' t suffer of unimportant technical supremations, and also is clear that present atmospheres in songs, could be a better part of album in general. Cvengros has offered his interesting authors views, and "Pagan Evolution" could be a favourable album for the followers of mentioned genre's form.

Rating : 8/10
C / o : www.ArchaicRevivalBand.com
www.myspace.com/archaicrevivalband

THE SNAKE CHARMERS - Been Down Too Long

THE SNAKE CHARMERS - Been Down Too Long

Written by Branimir Lokner
Monday, 18 May 2009

THE SNAKE CHARMERS " Been Down Too Long "
( Skunk Eye Records ) 2008.
CD
Blues/blues rock/swing - USA

The Snake Charmers are Houston, Texas based band formed in 2002, by wife/husband Marie Angell singer/author and Will Blumentritt, who is responsible for bass lines. Marie and Will also added eldest son Eric in formation ( drums ) and guitarist Larry Meeker. A mentioned pair had a previous experience in different music ventures, but blues was and still is their first love.
"Been Down Too Long" features 10 bluesy inspired tracks penned by mentioned Marie Angell. Her soulful, pleasent voice create songs atmospheres, which oriantations/realizations also accepts some elements of swing and 50's music. "Been Down Too Long"album comphrises a few ballads and some so call half-ballads, and most of materias are done in mid to mid -up tempo. A musicians from band has offered a fine performings, and generally its album are consists of very listenable materials. The Snake Charmers aren' t a pretentious act, but their album cover a listenable and pleasent songs, with some really nice tunes.

Rating : 7,5/10
C / o : www.thesnakecharmers.net
www.myspace.com/thesnakecharmersmusic

CROW' S FLIGHT - Crow' s Flight

CROW' S FLIGHT - Crow' s Flight

Written by Branimir Lokner
Monday, 18 May 2009

CROW' S FLIGHT " Crow' s Flight "
( Self - released ) 2009.
EP CD - FINLAND/SWITZERLAND/HOLLAND
Different metal/rock genres

Crow's Flight started its life as a colaboration of musicians from three different nations, and as a some sort of project, but later on, a real band was formed. A 6 musicians with respectable experience and performing status, has released a debut Demo EP with 5 tracks in, and little less than 20 minutes of music. Fronted by Swiss singer Crow ( Medusa's Child ), a band has offered own vision of metal/rock options, where excellent performings and modern production dominates through its sound. Crow's Flight are on therithory of modern metal fulfield with classic rock/metal elements. Its songs also has a doomy and even gothic atmosphere, and mentioned atmosphere belongs to representative part of its general realization. A Crow's Flight debut is certainly a promising issue, and generally satisfies in many aspects.

Rating : 8/10
C / o : www.crows-flight.com
www.myspace.com/crowsflight

AQUAPLANAGE - Aquaplanage

AQUAPLANAGE - Aquaplanage

Written by Branimir Lokner
Saturday, 16 May 2009

AQUAPLANAGE " Aquaplanage "
( Cheeky Features ) 2008.
CD
Progressive - UK

Out of London, UK comes a band Aquaplanage. Some of the members participated in Yes cover group FRAGILE, and that's also clear that complete line-up had a previous experience. It's also interesting, that material from Aquaplanage S/t album was written in 2001, but recorded in 2008 year.
A group from UK is another recomandable and convinceble progressive act. They have followed one evident psychology of 70's period and also its musical realizations rooted in mentioned era. "Aquaplanage" album comphrises 70's classic progressive offerings with strong arrangments
includings, fine performings, and modern productional views. A group is conceptually influental by the Yes and Genesis legacy, even that its album materials are consists of many refine parts and instrumental dialogues. "Aquaplanage" CD has also an interesting cover artwork, and 8 pages ilustrated booklet.

Rating : 8/10
C / o : www.aquaplanage.com

TWINS CREW - Twin Demon

TWINS CREW - Twin Demon

Written by Branimir Lokner
Saturday, 16 May 2009

TWINS CREW " Twin Demon "
( Self - released ) 2009.
EP CD - SWEDEN
Heavy/power/melodic metal

A Swedish band Twins Crew was formed in 2005 year. They work in quintet formation, where key rola in band has a two brothers, both guitarists David and Dennis Janglov. Firstly, a group has released in 2008 year an EP "Twins Crew", and in January 2009, a second offering, also an EP, entitled "Twin Demon". A Swedish youngsters follows up one variant of heavy/power metal with strong melodic includings, locate nearer in 80's era. They knows to remind on British and German acts, even that its authors views cover a elements of originality too.They have a manirtistically capable vocalist Andreas Larsson in formation, and band equally a same energy has given in technical and authors realizations. "Twin Demon" has introduced them as a promising act, with a quite enough existing qualities, worth listeners attention.

Rating : 7,5/10
C / o : www.twinscrewband.com

THE RUSTY WRIGHT BAND - Playin With Fire

THE RUSTY WRIGHT BAND - Playin' With Fire

Written by Branimir Lokner
Saturday, 16 May 2009

THE RUSTY WRIGHT BAND " Playin' With Fire "
( Sadson Music ) 2009.
CD - USA
Blues/rhythm and blues/southern rock

Rusty Wright is a well-experienced musician and guitarist with respectable carrear behind. He is active a longest period on national circuit, and his blues and general musical offerings certainly deserves atention and recomandations. "Playin' With Fire" is his actuelle album, recording with band, where we can find 10 seriously released and performed tracks. Rusty and his collaborators has recorded a fine portions of bluesy inspired songs, also with southern rock additionals, and fulfield with other rock/roots elements.
Generally, we can find listening a present materials, one 70's positive feel and same atmosphere. Even that Rusty and his band has offered an equalizing materials, without so call " weaker " places, I would recomand a 2 really fine tunes from album as a favourable examplars - " Messin Round" and " Make A Liar Out a Me". There's no doubt that "Playin' With Fire" finds its important place on nowadays blues/roots scene ..

Rating : 8,5/10
C / o : www.rustywrightband.com
e-mail : sadsonmusic@gmail.com

ISTHAR - Chaos Death Reincarnation

ISTHAR - Chaos Death Reincarnation

Written by Branimir Lokner
Wednesday, 13 May 2009

ISTHAR " Chaos Death Reincarnation "
( Self - released ) 2009.
EP CD - HOLLAND/GERMANY
Death/black/doom metal

A German/Dutch Isthar is a band with respectable history behind. Their 3 issues : "Isthar" ( 1998 ), "The Weak Will Perish" ( 2000 ), and "Among The Ruins" ( 2006 ) has received some recognitions, where especially latest one "Among The Ruins" reaches to wider recomandations.
After some period of discographical silence, they are active with newer edition, this time with an EP issue, entitled "Chaos Death Reincarnation". This is a conceptual product with 5 tracks in, duration a little longer than 22 minutes. Isthar has delivered a hypnotic portion of slower to mid up tempo black/death atmospheric themes with also strong doom additionals. A weird and monotonous atmosphere dominates through offering materials, where we can also find some clear influences taken from the 90's black metal movement. A mentioned atmosphere, as same as cleverly threathed productional work, are better part of EP in general, then offering performing realizations. A few interesting authors ideas also can be found on EP, even that mentioned final realizations didn' t satisfies at all.

Rating : 7/10
C / o : www.myspace.com/istharmetal

TURRIGENOUS - A Slight Amplification

TURRIGENOUS - A Slight Amplification

Written by Branimir Lokner
Tuesday, 12 May 2009

TURRIGENOUS " A Slight Amplification "
( Self - released ) 2008.
EP CD - USA
Progressive/heavy metal

Turrigenous is New York based band , fronted by key person Greg Giordano. Started as a his solo project, during the forthcoming period with a band behind him, and a different newer musical offering, Turrigenous tries to find own place on metal circuit. "A Slight Amplification" is a actuelle EP with 3 tracks in, released during the November, previous 2008 year. With clear technical and performing supremation, a band has offered own variant of progressive heavy metal, with some thrash includings too. A precise and convinceble performings, often tempo changes, modern, but maybe too polished production to my taste, characterize all of three offering songs from EP. Even of that, all of members from band has showed evident performings valuabilities, and mentioned technical supremations in general, minimize other present releasing details, and also "eliminates" exsistence of melodicity. On the other hand, Turrigenous has introduced themselves as a band with clear intentions, and respectable "technical" qualities.

Rating : 7/10
C / o : www.myspace.com/turrigenous
e-mail : greg@turrigenous.com

MOPLEN - Mondomoplen

MOPLEN - Mondomoplen

Written by Branimir Lokner
Tuesday, 12 May 2009

MOPLEN " Mondomoplen"
( Self - released ) 2008.
CD - ITALY
Jazz/groovy/bossa nova/funk

Out of Modena, Italy comes a quartet MOPLEN. During the previous 2008 year, they have released an album "Mondomoplen" with 7 instrumental tracks in. All of them are authors works, except one entitled "Police Story", written by Jerry Goldsmith. Moplen are another band who are deeply in so call groovy movement. Musically, its sound are full of elegant keybord dominate atmosphere, locate somewhere in late 60's, and the begining of 70's period. They have offered a mixture of groovy orientired bossa nova/funk/jazz options, with many "lirical" and pretty harmonic includings, and less presents of standard improvisations. Their album is pretty listenable product, with one evident intention, to "remind" a posible listeners population on golden 60's and 70's period.

Rating : 8/10
C /o : www.myspace.com/moplen69

HIBRIA - The Skull Collectors

HIBRIA - The Skull Collectors

Written by Branimir Lokner
Thursday, 07 May 2009

HIBRIA " The Skull Collectors "
( Remedy Records ) 2009.
CD - BRAZIL
Heavy/power metal

A Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sol, Brazil band Hibria is active on metal circuit from 1996 year. They have received some special recognitions and respectations, especially in Japan and from the press reviewers too. Hibria has released with actuelle one, a 2 full-lengths, 1 Single and couple of Demos. They are faithful to one strong variant of heavy/power metal of older school ( German mid 80's invasion ), and some musical influences also leads to the groups as a: Racer X, Helloween, Heaven's Gate...
" The Skull Collectors" album are consists of 8 relevant tracks, done in traditional, but at the same time fresh manner, with modern productional look and same realization. A melodic lines also characterize its powerful songs, and one element is also present, and that's a thrashy includings in practically complete releasing materials. A band performs with evident passion and energy, and its also clear that technically knows to impress too.
" The Skull Collectors" will certainly be recognized as a fine product, and band's followers could be quite satisfied with their actuelle album.

Rating : 8,5/10
C /o : www.hibria.com
www.myspace.com/hibria
www.remedyrecords.de
e-mail : contact@remedyrecords.de

SCORNAGE - Born To Murder The World

SCORNAGE - Born To Murder The World

Written by Branimir Lokner
Wednesday, 06 May 2009

SCORNAGE " Born To Murder The World "
( Remedy Records ) 2009.
CD
Thrash metal - GERMANY

German Scornage is well-known act on nowadays underground metal therithory. They were formed in 1998 , and its carrear was slowly growing through past years. They had also a 3 European tours, and supported more or less many well-known acts from Terror Squad to Crowbar.
"Born To Murder The Word" is its actuelle issue released in February this year for "Remedy Records". A band has introduced themselves with 10 mainly equalizing tracks done in faster to faster-up tempo. A production is also done in similiar manner, where one identical realizations
exsists from first to last track. On the other hand, Scornage has showed that its performing capabilities clearly defines them as a modern thrash act. A screamo vocalizations and technically not perfect, but coherent performings characterize also atmosphere on album in general. A second song from album "Prototype", in my opinion could be favourable one.

Rating : 7/10
C / o : www.remedyrecords.de
contact@remedyrecords.de
www.scornage.com

LIGHTNING JACK - Treasure Island Blues

LIGHTNING JACK - Treasure Island Blues

Written by Branimir Lokner
Friday, 01 May 2009

LIGHTNING JACK " Treasure Island Blues "
( Self - released ) 2009.
CD - USA
Blues/acoustic rock/calypso

Lightning Jack is a Saint Petersburg, Florida based musician, singer/songwriter, guitarist and pan steel performer, also a producer.
A some period ago, he has introduced himself with debut album, entitled " Treasure Island Blues". He has recorded mentioned CD with 3 asistents : bassist Steve Connelly, drummer Pug Baker and percussionist Manny Lopez. There are 9 authors songs on album, performed and done in basically blues style but with evident other additionals as a : acoustic rock, calypso, and some hints of country and hidden reggae too. One important thing is also present in Jack's offering, and that's a album realization, and also persistence of specific mood in each songs.
Some tunes posses so call "sad" or melancholic atmosphere, others were done quite different, with more optimistic and entertaining mood.
A melodicity is also strong element in Jack's works, and most of songs are also listenable. "Treasure Island Blues" is an interesting product, with unusual portions of blues, and other crossing elements.

Rating : 7/10
C / o : www.lightningjackmusic.com
www.myspace.com/lightningjackmusic