INNER AXIS - Into The Storm

INNER AXIS - Into The Storm

Written by Branimir Lokner

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

INNER AXIS

" Into The Storm "

( Coast Rock Records ) 2011.

CD

Heavy/power metal - GERMANY

Inner Axis are newer German act, formed back in 2008 year by five " ready for action " members. They are deeply into heavy/power tendencies, mainly faithful to so call older school and older variants. Their actuelle debut from January this 2011 year - " Into The Storm " defines and proves, that band through 8 songs manniristically successful combine a strong riffs, distant and convinceble, but also agressive playings with melodic vocal includings as well. They knows to remind on well-known groups from 80's and 90's period, but also as a band shows some original authors views. A production is maybe not modern, but relevantly follows up a group's musical wantings. All of 8 present songs were done with precise and expandier arrangments includings, and in every place of album a Germans has introduced themselves as a serious act.

Quite enough for fine discographical start, and recomandable for mainly old school followers of heavy/power variants...

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.inneraxis.de

www.myspace.com/inneraxis

WADE LASHLEY - Come On Sundown

WADE LASHLEY - Come On Sundown

Written by Branimir Lokner

Monday, 23 May 2011

WADE LASHLEY

" Come On Sundown "

( Self - released ) 2010.

CD - USA

Country/roots music/americana

Wade Lashley is a musician with respectable experience behind , and he is a longest period in the saddle. He is a songwriter, but also he use to sing a Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams materials... During the years he has released with actuelle one a 3 albums : firstly acoustically orientired " In From The Wilderness " ( 2005 ), followed by " Someone Take The Wheel " ( 2008 ), and " Come On Sundown " from previous 2010 year. Wade is certain singer, and his musical orientation mainly cover a classic country and roots music idions, fullfield with americana traces as well. A songs are done in mid, rarely in mid-up tempo, where present atmosphere reminds on past periods and better life too." Come On Sundown" are consists of mainly equalizing materials, with certain realizations and relevant production.

" Come On Sundown" is a recomandable product firstly for all old school country and roots music followers....

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.wadelashley.com

www.myspace.com/wadelashley

MR. HUNTER - The Awekening

MR. HUNTER - The Awekening

Written by Branimir Lokner

Friday, 20 May 2011

MR. HUNTER

" The Awekening "

( Self - released ) 2010.

EP CD - USA

70's music/progressive/soft rock

Mr. Hunter are five piece act with female fronted singer in its line-up, coming out of Hoboken, New Jersey. " The Awekening" is their debut EP with 5 tracks in. A band has offered maybe unusual stylish variants, where we can find some 70's music traces combining with soulful vocalizations as well. 70's rock and progressive are leading performing options, but present arrangments a group has threathed in " softier" way. A lyrics are based on life experiences, and most of the songs posses a pleasent and enjouable approach. A production is also done in 70's mood, but that was a final band's choice..In my opinion, an opening track " Corner" is a favourable one...

Rating : 7 / 10

C / o : www.MrHunterBand.com

CASTLE - In Which Order

CASTLE - In Which Order

Written by Branimir Lokner

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

CASTLE

" In Which Order"

( Van Records ) 2011.

CD - USA

Doom/heavy metal

I have received a couple of CD's from German label " Van Records", and one of pretty interesting item is album of USA act Castle.

A San Francisco based band work as a trio, with female fronted singer and bass player Elizabeth Blackwell in its line-up. Castle are fresh and convinceble doom metal act, and their approach also accepts classic heavy idioms. " In Which Order" ,actuelle debut full-length are consists of 11 tracks, well-performed, and produced.Castle aren' t a boring or repeatable manniristically recognizeble act, their approach under a mentined form is modern and colourfull. Other technical details also satisfies as well, and I would specially mentioned a cover CD artwork and following booklet. Fine album and promising band....

Rating : 8, 5 / 10

C / o : www.van-records.de

www.heavycastle.com

OF WRATH AND RUIN - Conquering Oblivion

OF WRATH AND RUIN - Conquering Oblivion

Written by Branimir Lokner

Sunday, 08 May 2011

OF WRATH AND RUIN

" Conquering Oblivion "

( Apollyon Records ) 2011.

CD - USA

Power/progressive metal

USA act Of Wrath And Ruin started out in 2004 year. A group had some personal turbulations during the years, but key members Pat Brose and Joe Brannigan, finally have found the right members. " Conquering Oblivion" is a group's debut album from January this 2011 year, released for " Apollyon Records". A quartet from Gloucester, New Jersey has introduced themselves as a well-experienced and also well-trained cohesive and coherent team, whose musical orientation belongs to power and progressive matal tendencies. I would add that group equally accept power and progressive elements, and some 90's traces are also present in its music as well. We can find a 9 tracks on album, where technical performing elements dominates through songs arrangments. " Normal" and guttural vocalization changing places on present songs, and many interesting passages as same as performing tricks, USA fellows has offered here and there. Unfortunatelly, a production didn' t follow other well-done details, and mentioned element was a weacker part of complete final album's impression.

On the other hand, Of Wrath And Ruin could be interesting act for older and newer followers of power/progressive metal tendencies, cos' they have offered enough satisfying moments...

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.ofwrathandruin.com

www.apollyonrecords.com

TOUCH THE SPIDER - Dead @ Last

TOUCH THE SPIDER - Dead @ Last

Written by Branimir Lokner

Sunday, 08 May 2011

TOUCH THE SPIDER

" Dead @ Last "

( Whereareyoufrom Records ) 2011.

CD - GERMANY

Doom/goth/darkwave/psychedelic/post new wave

A two frantic Germans- Unholy Ghost and Cosmic Energy are in the saddle again. They have a new album, entitled " Dead @ Last", and this is a forth product, released for last 2 years. A mentioned Germans constantly analyze a darker side of life, and actuelle album stay on same lavel, like the case was with previous CD's. But, it seems that weird atmosphere, more monotonous and doomy passages, as same as more psychedelic soundscapes are strongerly has supported in performing and authors variants, and its evident practically from first to the last segment of the album. A songs are maybe more cohesive, but on the other hand, experimental elements are less presents in actullle album materials. But, that was a choice of mentioned tandem. Anyway, judging by band's decision, " Dead @ Last" is evidentallly different album than previous three, even that band didn' t change basic concept and similiar final message....

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.touchthespider.com

www.myspace.com/touchthespider

GUARDIANS OF TIME - A Beautiful Atrocity

GUARDIANS OF TIME - A Beautiful Atrocity

Written by Branimir Lokner

Saturday, 07 May 2011

GUARDIANS OF TIME

" A Beautiful Atrocity "

( Mayhem Music ) 2011.

CD - NORWAY

Heavy/power/progressive metal

A well-informed followers of power/progressive tendencies under the metal genre, knows about Norwegian band - Guardians Of Time.

They started out in 1997 year, and first discographical step was " Edge Of Tomorrow" album ( 2001 ), followed by " Machines Of Mental Design" from 2004 . After 7 years of discographical hibernation, a group promote actuelle product entitled " A Beautiful Atrocity".

GOT are on therithory of heavy/ power/ progressive metal, influental by the 80' s tendencies, especially by the Queensryche legacy, but Norway quintet also has introduced enough original tricks and performing views. There are 13 tracks on album, and practically complete materials posses evident melodicity, fullfield with convinceble playings, constant twin guitar dualities, and added with strong vocalizations as well.

A well-done production and brilliant arrangments works characterize album in general, and there's no doubt that band did a great job.

" A Beautiful Atrocity" is a very serious album, without uninteresting places or boring details....

Rating : 8 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.guardiansoftime.no

www.mayhem-music.com

www.metalrevelation.com

FRANTIC AMBER - Wrath Of Judgment

FRANTIC AMBER - Wrath Of Judgment

Written by Branimir Lokner

Tuesday, 03 May 2011

FRANTIC AMBER

" Wrath Of Judgment "

( Blue Freya media Group ) 2010.

EP CD

Death/thrash metal - SWEDEN

Frantic Amber are five piece all -female band, based in Stockholm, but in its line-up are also " ladies" from Norway, Denmark and Japan. Founded in 2008, and during the forthcming period, they attracted the attention of metal communities worlldwide.

" Wrath Of Judgment" is an actuelle 5 track EP. Frantic Amber delivers certain melodic death metal fullfield with thrashy includings as well.

A mixing elements of growl and " normal" vocalizations dominates through present materials. A songs are done in faster and loud mood, with rlelevant and modern production too. A girls are influental by the approaches of groups as a Gorefest or Voivod, but also its music posses many original details..The .3rd and 4th song from album " The Awekening" and " Unbreakable" deserves to my opinion again listenings...

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.franticamber.com

www.myspace.com/franticamber

HONEY FOR CHRIST - The Cruelty Of Great Expectations

HONEY FOR CHRIST - The Cruelty Of Great Expectations

Written by Branimir Lokner

Monday, 02 May 2011

HONEY FOR CHRIST

" The Cruelty Of Great Expectations "

( Rundown Records ) 2011.

CD - NORTHERN IRELAND

Heavy/dark metal

A Northern Ireland band Honey For Christ, isn' t a newer name on underground metal area. They were formed in 1998 year, and till forthcoming period a group has released a coulple of Demos, 1 EP and one 7' Inch issue. " The Cruelty Of Great Expectations" is their actuelle and first full-length, where we can find 8 tracks in. HFC are on therithory of classic heavy metal, also influental by the 80's movement.

But in its sound we can find a plenty of dark metal traces and doomy atmospheres as well. Also some other genre's variants are present here and there, as a specially thrashy includings. A group has offered a specific arrangments views of present songs, and it's evident that members from band did a lotta' efforts that all things get funkcionizes according to plan. " The Cruelty Of Great Expectations" are consists of mainly equalizing materials, without leading song, but also without a weacker place in general.

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.honeyforchrist.com

www.rundownrecords.co.uk

KINGSLEY - Digital Providence

KINGSLEY - Digital Providence

Written by Branimir Lokner

Monday, 02 May 2011

KINGSLEY

" Digital Providence "

( Self - released ) 2010.

CD - USA

Modern rock/melodic rock/power pop/pop

Kingsley are four piece band, founded back in 2007 year. They are hailing from L.A. and its actuelle full - length has received some positive reactions and recognitions. " Digital Providence" is a name of album, and Kingsley has introduced themselves as a pretty melodic act, with modern rock/pop includings in its approach. All of present songs posses refine melodicity, catchy choruses, distant playings, relatively modern arrangments, and good production too. On the other hand, we can not find here and there too much originalities, but a group provide enjouable three-four minutes songs, a general pleasent atmosphere and good vibes as well. L.A. fellows are influental by the British 80's and 90's pop movement, as same as USA 90's waves. Also some of post new wave traces we can hear in its materials.

But Kingsley aren' t a retro act, even that all of mentioned elements exists in its music. There's no doubt that they are a serious group, and we'll see what the near future brings...

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10

C / o : www.kingsleylive.com

www.myspace.com/kingsleyla