Aura Noir - Deep Tracts of Hell
I’ve got two words for you! Fast! Fast! This CD is nonstop from the beginning. Guitar riffs cutting into you, the snare drum beating you down; this is intense. The CD is ugly sounding, but that fits with the in your face attitude this band confronts you with. Pure Thrash attack with Black lyrics. Definitely a release to piss off the neighbors.
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Ataraxia - Historiae
I guess this is what they mean when they say “getting medieval.” Ataraxia is indeed talented and is fully able to capture the spirit of those times long ago. Most of the time, you don’t even realize that they are using a synthesizer to produce the sounds of the instruments. I don’t know how many of you are into the feeling of the Middle Ages (though I could probably name about two dozen Black Metal bands who are heavily influenced by it), but I truly love this sort of thing. As an added bonus, they have also included several live tracks recorded in a medieval court, of all places. For all of those with a Pagan heart and a longing for the past.
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Astarte - Doomed Dark Years
The first all-female Black Metal band ever. Pretty cool.
[Metal Curse #11 had an additional loose page (“Last Second Additions”) inserted into the centerfold of the zine, featuring a bunch of even-shorter-than-usual “bonus” reviews of stuff that arrived after the deadline for that issue. This is one of those “Last Second Additions” reviews.]
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Assisting Sorrow - Demo ‘98
Well, this might be the best three bucks you’ll spend all year. AS have put together three very well written, catchy songs, that they refer to as Melodic Death Metal. Well, I’m not sure that I’d call this Death Metal exactly, but I suppose it’s as heavy as the new Death album, so maybe… Except for when they break out the cleanly sung vocals, which I don’t mind, but some of you might. At any rate, it’s all very well done, with generally excellent production, and for only $3, you’d be crazy to not check this out.
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Ashes - Death Has Made Its Call
If not for the raw, screeched vocals, I’d be tempted to not include the term “Black Metal” in this review, but the lyrics also require it (no lyric sheet with the review copy, but I can make some out). At any rate, musically what we have here is alternately Thrashy and more mid paced Metal, with simple riffs and a suitably dirty production.
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Evereve - Stormbirds
This sorrowful band sort of reminds me of a more Black Metal influenced My Dying Bride, but with some Cemetary thrown in, too. I kept waiting for the heavier, raspy, vocals to kick in, but they didn’t, which seems weird since a few places seemed to call for it, but there are vocal styles aplenty on here, anyway. Stormbirds is somewhat more refined than Seasons was, but Evereve still have yet to really bring it all together and deliver the perfect album that I think they can.
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Esperanza - Esperanza
Leave it to Voices of Wonder to select yet another unique, stylistically undefinable act to release. This is the ultimate background/makeout/sleepytime/techno/tribal music to fall asleep to. While Esperanza is the dumbest band name I’ve heard, I hope the band fares better than the language did.
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Divination - Obsessed
Pretty basic Death Metal, but very nicely done, and well recorded. It’s hard to tell, since the band photos are not exactly clear, but it looks almost as if the bassist is wearing a Morgue shirt. Now that would be cool. And the cover is a porno collage. I think there is real promise here, although not yet fully realized.
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Atanatos - The Oath of Revenge
Thrashy Black Metal, with occasional keyboards. That’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, but Atanatos write very catchy songs, and have just the right kind of production to make this sound great.
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