My first acquaintance with Al-Namrood was when I bought Kitab Al Awthan in 2012 (yes, I do still buy lots of stuff myself instead of downloading it; Metalzone’s logo, or at least one of their logos, is: ‘real metalheads buy hard copies’; if you do not want to f*ck up the scene completely, you need to get rid of your pathetic avarice and miserliness and [self-censorship…]).
Greek band W.E.B. (it seems to be the abbreviation for where everything begun) were formed about twelve years ago. They recorded some material that was pretty popular in their home country, but outside Greece they never really broke through. And despite the acceptable quality of this third full length studio album, I am not sure they will now.
Velnias are a project from Colorado, given birth to in 2006 and especially known as live act (recently they toured around Europe in support of Kampfar). They initially released Sovereign Nocturnal in 2008 via God Is Myth Records, and in mean time there were a couple of re-issues (Vendetta Records, for example, did the vinyl-edition, Eternal Warfare the cassette-one).
Unearthly are a Rio de Janeiro-based band, formed at the end of last century. They are extremely popular in South America, having toured with internationally high-acclaimed bands like Obituary, Behemoth, Suffocation, Marduk, Hate Eternal and probably the most popular band from Brazil, Sepultura. The band visited Europe too, and especially in the eastern countries they became a welcome live-act.
I am so pleased with the current evolution concerning our beloved site. Is it because I am such an excellent reviewer (probably it is, hehe), but we do really receive so many great material lately (and faeces of a male cow, aka bull shit, as well, unfortunately). So, to keep it short: Russian act Toluca, with Memoria, a forty-minute seven-tracker, stuff I am getting pretty crazy about.
Spectral Lore are a Greek one-man project, formed in 2005 by Ayloss, whom you might recognise as well from Divine Element or his assistance for Warbled Arma. He created and released several recordings under this moniker, including I and II (how original), as well as some splits (amongst which one with Locust Leaves, and via the current label, the mighty I, Voidhanger Records, one with Mare Cognitum).
…another Metal of Death-release; is it a blessing, is it a curse? To be honest about this current trend, it can be both ways, but I think there is a positive supremacy. And an overload on same-minded releases may not influence one’s opinion, as long as the result is worth being listened at with appreciation and wonder.
Despite a ‘career’ of (apparently) more than seven years, Greek act Septuagint (in the beginning known as Declaration: Holocaust) now, finally, debut with the five-tracker Negative Void Trinity, having duration of twenty three minutes. The stuff deals, lyrically, with biblical themes (once again; Greece is, amongst so many other countries, submissive, even subservient to the naïve semi-Christian ‘truth’, but that is another discussion I do not want to launch right now, right here; another time, another opportunity would be fine, please!
Ormgard are a Swedish one-man project, created by Orm (aka Lord Thurisaz; also known from e.g. Myling, Wod, Tyrant etc.). Orm is also the guy behind Scythe Of Death Productions, the label that released Ormblot on tape in 2011.
Neige Et Noirceur are a fabulous one-man project by Spiritus, with three fabulous albums on its fabulous roster (amongst two fabulous ones done via the über-fabulous Canadian label Sepulchral Productions!), a couple of fabulous splits (with e.g. Monarque, Garden Of Grief a.o.), and a couple of fabulous EP’s / singles; sounds fabulous, not?!
