FALLEN JOY: Inner Supremacy: CD

This is the debut long player from the French melodic death metal band that I previously reviewed on this blog and I can hear the growth from them. The five piece really upped the ante and played harder and with more feeling than on their debut EP.

Starting off with a very mellow instrumental called “Back to Life,” they don’t give you any clue as to the intensity that is coming on the next track. “Destroying Fate” grabs you and slams you down with the power that they put forth on this track and you just take it from them and you want more of it. Thankfully the next song “Hymn to Silent Soldiers” gives you even more to be thankful for with the incredible guitar work that will get your head banging and make you want to play the track over again. I loved that you could understand the vocals, although they are deep and guttural, they are easy to understand and enjoy, something that always improves my listening pleasure. The dual vocals really work well together, the drumming is crisp, and thundering, the bass is nice and thick and the guitar playing is simply outstanding, some of the best playing that I’ve heard in any metal, not just death metal, and the songs have a terrific amount of melody that makes them stand out from the crowd.

One of, if not my favorite melodic death metal bands ever and it’s such a treat to be able to hear them grow and expand their abilities as their career goes forward. If you are a fan of this genre or just want to hear a great metal album, you need a copy of this…get one right now!

https://www.facebook.com/fallenjoy  http://fallenjoymetal.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/spreadthemetalrecords  http://spreadthemetalrecords.bandcamp.com/

http://www.spreadthemetal.com/

FALLEN JOY: Order to Die EP: CD

FALLEN JOY is a French metal band founded in 2008 and this is their debut release, a five song EP. They play melodic death metal and they self produced this album and are going to be releasing a new album sometime this year.

With a bell tolling and an instrumental symphonic opener, “Morituri Te Salutant” starts things off on a quiet note, but that changes once “Order To Die” kicks in. With thundering drums, technical melodic leads, growling vocals, rumbling bass and a punch in the throat of power, they really get the album moving. “Hosting the Black Flag” has dual vocals, machine gun drumming, a great solo, and a slower pace that really made for a great song. “Seeds of Tyranny” is another great song with a heavy groove and fantastic guitar playing. Last song “Voyage Au Bout De La Nuit” is a slower song that has elements of doom and black metal mixed into their melodic death metal, and is a very cool track with the various styles mixed together.

The band draws from a few different genres and creates their own mix of heaviness and melody that will make you come back for more. Since this is only a five song EP, I can’t wait to hear what the full length is going to sound like.

https://www.facebook.com/fallenjoy  http://fallenjoymetal.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/spreadthemetalrecords  http://spreadthemetalrecords.bandcamp.com/

http://www.spreadthemetal.com/

SANKTUARY: Something Fierce: CD

After releasing two previous EPs, and a move from Whitehorse, Yukon to Halifax, Nova Scotia, we finally get their debut album. Eight songs of epic, old school thrash that has a hint of MEGADETH, but still retains its own sound, power metal and NWOBHM.

Starting off with “Deadly Prey” an instrumental track, it has a NWOBHM feel to it and then jumping into “Heat Lightning” with some high-pitched vocals and a galloping beat giving the song a power metal feel. The songs are a head banger’s dream, lots of riffing, solos that kick ass, varied vocals, from growling to mid range to high-pitched, thundering drums and thick bass, plus choruses you can shout along with and melody. “Beyond The Wall” comes in near the end of the album to give us a nice mellow, instrumental track with showcases their ability to play more than straight ahead metal, it has a trippy, ’70s feel to it, then right back for the kick ass last song “Midnite Mass”. My favorite tracks were “Heat Lightning”, “Thrill of the Kill”, “Screeching for Vengeance” (nice nod towards JUDAS PRIEST in the title), and “Fire in the Sky”.

With the quality of the songs on here, the musical ability and the range of styles, there is something for almost every metal head out there. A great debut full length and a band that really stands out from the crowd. If this was released in metal’s glory days back in the early ’80s, this would be huge and all over the radio.

https://www.facebook.com/sanktuarymetal  https://www.facebook.com/spreadthemetalrecords

http://spreadthemetalrecords.bandcamp.com/  http://www.spreadthemetal.com/

BLASPHEMY REBORN: Cast Out Of Heaven: CD

Spewing anti-Christianity lyrics like sunflower seed shells, this black metal band from Melfort, Saskatchewan goes for the jugular. This band really throws down on this one and lets it all hang out, from the lyrics to the tight playing.

Starting off and ending with soft, almost romantic sounding songs, with “Conception” starting off lovely then the growled vocals kick in, making for a spooky song and “Armageddon” being totally instrumental. After the first quiet song, you jump right into the blistering black metal morass and the brutality just keeps on going. The band plays with a ferocity that makes it hard to believe that this is their debut album, clear production, machine gun drumming, thick bass, creepy keyboards, great guitar licks, and the evil, guttural vocals really hit you hard. The band just pulverizes the songs and takes you on an evil and twisted journey that somehow you can’t get out of and don’t want to. The only flaw is that the drumming is a little thin sounding, but it’s nothing that hurts the album, just a bit more thickness would have been cool.

If you are a fan of black metal, this is for you. There are better known bands out there, but none play with the kind of ambition and anger that these guys do. Put this on, turn it up and let the layers of evil take over. Get the devil horns out because this is Satan approved.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blasphemy-Reborn/114408095301152

http://blasphemyreborn.bandcamp.com/album/cast-out-of-heaven

https://www.facebook.com/spreadthemetalrecords  http://spreadthemetalrecords.bandcamp.com/

http://www.spreadthemetal.com/

ANSWER WITH METAL: Self-titled: CD

ANSWER WITH METAL is a heavy / thrash / power metal band based out of Stouffville, ON. whose debut, self titled album is out now. Formed in 2008, the band strengthened it’s sound over the course of three demos, and signed to Spread the Metal Records.

This is a very impressive self-titled debut from ANSWER WITH METAL, with melodies and leads abound, ear-catching solos and soulful and operatic vocals. Coming in at over seven minutes long, first track “Killing God” starts off with a moody orchestral piece that seems to have an ominous touch to it, then the band kicks in with some heavy guitar, powerful drumming, thick bass and soaring vocals. “Writing in Stone” is a standout song with the high vocals by Dan Nielsen grabbing you, the driving force of the song, and the super catchy chorus, and “Generations” has pummeling drums, quick and tasty leads, the bass is rocking in a devastating groove with the drums, Nielsen’s vocals are melodic and it all combines into an awesome track, with a nice gentle break halfway through that sounds more ’70s rock at that point, then they go into harder rock and you just close your eyes and move your head to the grooves until they’re back full speed ahead again. Great pair of songs. “A Chance to Live Again” is a slower song, filled with emotional playing and singing that’s not a wimpy power ballad, but has energy in it, and the band really shows their skill in the playing of that song and the quiet intro to “The Anchor” which then becomes a crushing song bringing back the classic metal sound and feel from the early ’80s, “Two Wrongs (Don’t Make a Right)” brings back the operatic vocals, great leads, and the song is a nice chuggy metal tune, one that you can bang your head to without the fear of it falling off, and finally, “Lest He Forgets” is the final song and it continues the chugging metal with an impossible to resist melody.

Seven songs that will make you break out the denim and leather that is in the back of your closet, if you’re old enough to have it, and make you buy some if you don’t, put on the studded wrist bands, sew on some patches and bang your head old school! A great debut album boys, keep the metal flowing.

https://www.facebook.com/answerwithmetal http://answerwithmetal.bandcamp.com/  http://www.spreadthemetal.com/

EDGE OF ATTACK: Self-titled: CD

Those crazy Canucks have got another killer metal band on their hands with this band out the province of Alberta. Some really powerful female vocals that are a real treat to hear instead of the operatic vocals from most female fronted metal bands.

There is a ton of melody on these ten catchy songs that are thrash, power metal and a touch of symphonic metal tinged. This band has a great sound and the production is really good, nice and clear, but not so polished that it takes away from the energy and power of this album. The song “Forever” features an upbeat group choir, and great guitar solo. The band is really tight, the  haunting vocals by Roxanne Gordey are powerful, rhythm guitarist Dallas Dyck and lead guitarist and vocalist Jurekk Whipple have great shredding guitar playing, driving and complex bass by Denver Whipple and some furious drumming by Trevor Swain made this a real pleasure to listen to. Produced by EDGE OF ATTACK guitarist/vocalist Jurekk Whipple, the debut features guests solo artist Ivan Gianinni, Ryan Boivard from HALLOWS DIE and Pellek from DAMNATION ANGELS.

This album was a total surprise to me, I really can’t think of a negative thing to say about it, this band really did an awesome job with this release and I really hope that they stick around for a long time.

http://spreadthemetalrecords.bandcamp.com/releases  http://www.spreadthemetal.com/  https://www.facebook.com/spreadthemetalrecords     http://www.edgeofattack.com/   https://www.facebook.com/edgeofattackofficial