MINDSHIFT: Evilution: Download

This band from Stockholm, Sweden has released a new four song E.P. with new singer Marcus “Mao” Uggla. They’ve been around since 2003 and have only a handful of releases available, so we had better enjoy what they have put out on this one.

Their mix of thrash and progressive metal is on full display on these songs. Gruff, shouted vocals mixed with clean vocals are mixed together, pummeling drums, thick bass, and chunky leads and tight solos are the name of the game, along with a ton of melody and technical playing. Three of the songs are raging behemoths that tower above the mediocrity of other bands and the last, “This Burning Hate” is an acoustic track that is soothing and gentle after the devastation that the previous songs have wrought. The song perfectly ends off this E.P.

Four songs, a new vocalist and a terrific new beginning for the band, now we need to get them to put out a full length album. This band is rocking on all cylinders and you need to get this release today.

https://www.facebook.com/mindshiftmusic  http://www.mindshift.se/

DOG COMPANY: A Bullet For Every Lie: 12″

DOG COMPANY were formed in early 2004 and put their first album out in 2008 and now have their sophomore release out. They play streetpunk / Oi! with short, punchy songs that get their message out to the listener as quickly as possible.

The band gets right down to business with their biting lyrics and fast-paced songs that include quick solos, lots of cool riffs, thick bass, hammering drums, gang vocals aplenty, and slightly gruff at times lead vocals. The band really gives us a ton of catchy choruses and melody galore on this release. The high energy songs are perfect for raising a beer or three to and grabbing your buddies and having a slam dance . The only problem is that the songs go by so fast that you really need to put this on repeat and listen to it a few times in a row, I just want more music from them damn it!

A very cool release on colored vinyl that will get your ass moving and get you shouting along with. It was also really cool to get a CD copy included with the vinyl.

https://www.facebook.com/dogcompany  https://www.facebook.com/contrapunkrecords

http://www.contra-net.com/record/index.html

BEYOND PINK: Pride and Prejudice: 12″

BEYOND PINK from Malmö, Sweden has been playing together since 2001 and have had a few previous releases before this, but this really shows how far they’ve come through all the others to this tight and powerful release. On this second album from this all female band, you get ten blazing punk / hardcore songs in both English and Swedish.

This album is full of sing-along choruses, slightly metallic breaks, pissed-off vocals, pounding drums, great leads and solos, and thick bass. Infectious songs from start to finish with energy, anger and intensity that a lot of other bands can’t pull of nearly as well as BEYOND PINK does. The production is fantastic with everything nice and clear in the mix, nothing to get in the way of the devastation that is on display here. There is not one weak track on this album, matter of fact, it’s too damn short in my opinion, I want more from this band and I hope that they get more music recorded soon.

This is one of the best punk albums that I’ve heard in a long time, I can’t stop playing this and singing along…well, at least to the songs I can understand that is. I wish that more bands put this much effort into their releases and took the time to make it as good as possible and not just put out whatever.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beyond-Pink/173271882726488

http://beyondpink.bandcamp.com/album/pride-and-prejudice

https://www.facebook.com/givepraiserecords  http://www.givepraiserecords.com/fastshop

http://givepraiserecords.bandcamp.com/album/pride-and-prejudice

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emancypunx-Records/246141832188788

http://emancypunxrecords.bandcamp.com/  http://www.emancypunx.com/

POWERCUP / PIZZA HI FIVE: Split: 10″

 

A split 10″ with two grindcore bands, POWERCUP from Montreal, Quebec and PIZZA HI FIVE from Ohio. Both bands play intensely and have a great sense of humor on these tracks.

POWERCUP starts things off with thirteen crazed tracks that are played fast, loose and with abandon, but with a ton of power that sounds great cranked up loud. PIZZA HI FIVE give us twelve tracks of very similar sounding grind, but they have a little bit better production, and a touch more of punk mixed in at times.

If you are a grindcore fan and you have a sense of humor, because a lot of these bands take shit way too seriously, then you will love this. A very cool release that comes on colored vinyl.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Powercup/126928017398053

http://powercup.bandcamp.com/  https://www.facebook.com/sitandspinrecords

http://sitandspinrecords.blogspot.com/  http://pizzahifive.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/riotousoutburst  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rad-Girlfriend-Records/200258046719162

http://radgirlfriendrecords.bigcartel.com/

TRIALS: In The Shadow Of Swords: CD

Starting back in 2008, this Chicago, IL metal band plays a mix of thrash and metalcore with a bit of groove thrown into the mix. This sophomore album contains ten tracks, one of them being a cover of JUDAS PRIEST’s “Jawbreaker”.

This album picks up where their last one left off, but in a much more polished and mature way. There is clean, melodic singing along with some growling, but it is all understandable and that’s always cool since I like to hear the lyrics. This album has catchy riffs, break-speed drums and bass guitar that brings on the heavy that drives the entire record into a high place and never lets up. They have come up with fat grooves that will get your head banging and make for a mighty sore neck after listening to this album. The power and passion that is all over this record is amazing, as soon as you think it can’t get better, it does and it just keeps kicking your ass. I don’t have a favorite track, I have a new favorite album, one great track after another.

All I can say is this is one hell of an album, one that should be bought by you and taken to your friend’s house to get them into the band and buy a copy too. For only being a sophomore album, it makes me scared what they are capable of putting out in the future…they’re that good!

 

MISERY SIGNALS: Absent Light: CD

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin metalcore band has put out their new album independently and includes a bit of progressive metal in their sound. These eleven new songs come at you hard and furious, with fists swinging, but with flourishes of finesse that grab you.

On their fourth studio album, and first since 2008, MISERY SIGNALS has put out an album that flows and blends together from track to track, from heavy to lighter sounding, sometimes even in the same song without it sounding forced or contrived. There are a lot of atmospheric parts on the album and very beautiful, gentle sounds, as well as brutal and heavy sounds that lay waste to the surroundings, and it really shows the talent that they have to give you the highs and lows with stunning playing. The growled and shouted vocals, the devastating drumming, the killer bass, and the guitar playing that lays down hard riffs, gentle strumming and powerful solos give you a crushing return to the scene after a lengthy hiatus. The highlights were “Luminary”, “Reborn (An Execution)”, “Carrier”, “Two Solitudes”, “The Shallows”, and “Ursa Minor”.

A fantastic return from a band many thought had disappeared into the ether, but came back better than ever. With the added progressive metal, there is a lot to explore on this album, something that yo can do while you listen to it again and again.

https://www.facebook.com/MiserySignals  http://miserysignals.bandcamp.com/

http://www.miserysignals.net/

FORTUNE HOWL: Earthbound: Digital Release

Orlando, FL’s FORTUNE HOWL has put together a new album of experimental electronic music. There have been some previous releases before this one, but this one shows a bit more maturity in the songs and moods.

The album has a lot of connections to the trip hop of MASSIVE ATTACK, and some hints of ambient all mixed together to create a masterful creation that gets stuck in your head and in your music player. It also has a world music feel to it that gives the album a bit more depth to it. Even though this is an electronic album, you get warmth and a sense of emotion coming through the sounds. With the album being such a cohesive piece, I really don’t have tracks that just jump out at me, instead I took the album as a whole and let the songs wash over me and take me on a trip.

This is a great album that would be perfect for listening on headphones or putting on after coming home from a night out. It’s not mellow enough to totally chill out to, but not energetic enough to dance to, it’s a perfect relax with yourself or share with friends album.

https://www.facebook.com/fortunehowl  http://fortunehowl.bandcamp.com/album/earthbound

https://www.facebook.com/reliefinabstract  http://music.reliefinabstract.com/

http://www.reliefinabstract.com/

TO THE PAIN: Self-titled: CD

 

Getting together back in 2010 while trying to record some songs they wrote back in 1989, they decided to write and record some new songs. After nine months of writing and recording, they wrote 6 new songs and re-recorded an old song “Silent Horror”, and put together a new band. The band consists of John Intagliata (Vocals) and Steve Shaver (Lead Guitar) and joining them is Jeremy Lustig(Bass Guitar), Mark Trojanoski (Rhythm Guitar), and Jimmy Klimatas (Drums).

The seven songs on their debut album have great riffs and meaty solos, thick bass, pounding drums and clean vocals that get a little gruff at times and hit those highs too, plus some great gang vocals. The mix of power metal and thrash really works well and doesn’t get bogged down in either style, instead it takes from both and grows from it. You can hear the touches of the ’80s on the songs, but they manage to instill enough modernity in the songs to keep them sounding familiar, but fresh. The songs that stood out for me were “For the People, Buy the People”, “Silent Horror”, “Burn with Me”, “Fuel Injected Nightmare”, and “A Good Revolution”.

A very good debut that shows a lot of promise and talent from these guys. It’s very cool that they went and looked at their old songs and found something that still worked for them and integrate it into newer songs and have it fit perfectly. I wonder if they have more old songs to record soon for us?

https://www.facebook.com/ToThePainNY

GLORYFUL: The Warriors Code: CD

This heavy / power metal band from Gelsenkirchen, Germany was formed in 2010 and have released one E.P. before this debut album. These eleven songs are produced by legendary Swedish sound alchemist Dan Swanö.

You can hear the influences on this band as you listen to the album, IRON MAIDEN, ACCEPT, DIO, and MANOWAR, but they don’t just emulate those bands, they take those pieces and put them together in a familiar, but exciting way. This is an album with fast, solid riffs, great solos, catchy, melodic interludes and choruses that will have you raising the horns and shouting along with the band. The album has a real ’80s feel to it, but the great production keeps things from getting bogged down in the overproduced sound of that time. Johnny la Bomba‘s vocals aren’t super high-pitched or too low, instead they strike a nice balance that is a welcome change. The standouts for me were “Gloryful’s Tale”, my favorite song “Heavy Metal – More Than Meets The Eye”, “The Warrior’s Code”, “Breaking Destiny”, “Evil Oath”, and “Death of the First Earth”.

This is an album that keeps the classic heavy metal sound relevant in these days of “whatever metal” genres and makes me glad to hear bands doing this with power and skill. These guys should be proud of the excellent debut that they’ve put out and I can’t wait to hear what they will come out with next.

https://www.facebook.com/gloryful  http://www.gloryful.net/

https://www.facebook.com/massacrerecordseurope  http://www.massacre-records.com/

DESTROYERS OF ALL: Into The Fire: CD

From Coimbra, Portugal, and started in 2011, DESTROYERS OF ALL have released their debut E.P. independently. These six songs of intense death / thrash metal will kick your ass.

The songs incorporate a few other styles that mesh really well, groove metal, hard rock, progressive, and power metal all come together to create a powerful release. With the exception of the intro and outro tracks, the band have managed to create fairly long song with each of the four main songs  between almost four and seven minutes long which gives the band a chance to go through all sorts of different styles. Vocals are mostly death / thrash metal style screaming and growling along with some clean singing at times, the drumming ranges from slow / mid-paced to fast with blast beats being added at times, the bass playing is very strong and powerful, the guitar playing ranges from slow / mid-paced to fast playing that combines thrash, death metal, black metal, prog and hard rock influences together to create melody that you wouldn’t think would be there. Lots of great riffing as well as some great solos and rhythm guitar playing.

This band has gotten off to a great start with the power and intensity that they have managed to create on just four heavy tracks. The intro and outro are very cool, but it just made me want to hear more of the metal, not the instrumental tracks. If they keep on going like this, you will be hearing a lot more from DESTROYERS OF ALL.

https://www.facebook.com/DestroyersofAll  http://destroyersofall.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-fire

http://www.destroyersofall.com/