For two decades, in mean time, Deeds Of Flesh are standard for massive, brain-splattering Death madness, and this through eight full lengths that all of them have been received with open arms (and banging heads!): Gradually Melted (re-released in 1998 via Repulse Records, the very same label that released both next albums too), Trading Pieces, Inbreeding The Anthropophagi (with guest vocals by Disgorge’s Matti Way), (and from now on via the band’s own record label Unique Leade
In a series of anthologic compilations (there’s also the one from Sweden’s pre-Tiamat-formation Treblinka, for example; review to come up soon), Century Media come with Transgressing The Afterlife - The Complete Recordings 1988-2002. As the title of the compilation suggests, this release deals with the whole sonic history of any material ever (officially) done by Abramelin, one of Australia’s greatest, and oldest, Death Metal bands.
Twitching Tongues are a quintet with several Disgrace-members (the one from Los Angeles, California) (guitar players Taylor Young (also vocals) and Leo Orozco, vocalist Colin Young, drummer Mike Cesario, and bassist Kyle Thomas), that I knew from their 2011-long player Sleep Therapy (I Scream Records) only. Apparently there were a split and an EP in 2012 as well.
Spanish act Onirophagus (currently with members of Decapitated Christ, Entropia and Empanadilla De Pus) was formed about two years ago (September 2011) in order to pay tribute to the early-nineties Death and Doom-Death scene. Last year there was an EP (Defiler Of Hope; I’m still searching for this material), and just like that material, the new stuff on Prehuman was done at the famous Moontower Studio with Javi Félez behind the knob-panel.
Finally, after five years, Carneia return with their second full length, after 2008’s White Coma Light (Offerandum Records). In mean time, the band toured with acts like AmenRa, Black Heart Rebellion, Maudlin or Bulls On Parade.
At the end of the eighties / early nineties, I was quite ‘active’ within the underground scene. Not as musician for sure, but I did some promotion for bands that back then were still young and unexperienced (now some of them are ‘huge’, like Arcturus, The Gathering, God Dethroned, Ancient Rites, Samael, Mantas (pre-Death), Demigod, Morbid Death (sort of pre-Enthroned), etc.).
The Wild Hunt is Watain’s fifth full length (their first album on major Century Media, by the way), lasting for sixty three minutes.
Earlier this year, I reviewed the excellent third full length by Swedish act Kongh (Sole Creation, also released via Agonia), but this review does not deal with a new album but with the band’s 2007-debut. The material was originally recorded for vinyl release via Sound Devastation at Teknikkompaniet with Peter Lundin, who worked with the band afterwards as well.
Obliteration’s debut album Perpetual Decay, Tyrant Syndicate 2007, was probably my favourite Norwegian non-Black Metal album that very same year. Their second full length, Nekropsalms (label: Fysisk Format), was even awarded (in different mags, like Natt Og Dag), and voted as best album of the year (Osloprisen). It leaded to a tour in both Europe and North America, and the band could perform live on stage at different huge festivals.
Finally we have a new Zemial-album. The last one, In Monumentum, dates from 2006, so it means that Mister Jim ‘Archon Vorskaath Necroslaughter’ (also: ex-Varathron, Agatus, Alpha Centauri etc.) and his horde had made us waiting impatiently for too long. Not anymore now…
