The Dutch band Winter Of Sin (hailing from the city of Groningen) was formed at the end of last century by Ricardo ‘Schmerz’ Gelok (also active in Gheestenland and previously in bands like Krematorium IV, Finsternis, Windsmear or Hagel; Ricardo also owns the small yet highly interesting Dutch Death / Black-label Non Serviam Records) and Dirk ‘Schrat’ Barelds (ex-Katafalk / Cantara
What you cannot say is that in its existence Winger has been a prolific band. Between 1988 and now they’ve released only six studio albums. Nevertheless they had their fair share of fans, which might not sound as a wonder, since musically these guys have always stood their ground. OK, not all albums were that good, but they do have a few memorable songs.
How the guys at Frontiers Records are able to start of projects or bands with members from different bands, and get them to bring us fantastic music most of the time is a riddle to me.
This new band/project Three Lions consists of Vinny Burns (Dare, Ten, Asia), on guitar, Greg Morgan (Dare, Ten) on drums and introduces Nigel Bailey on vocals and bass.
With the 2012’s debut The Dragon Lineage Of Satan, this band’s first official studio recording on Moribund (KULT!), this American trio did surprise me enormously, if only because of the richness of their inherent poverty (richness and poverty in one shell…). Check out the review on this album, still available on the Archive-section, update July 6th 2012, sardonically done by undersigned.
LOST SOCIETY, one of the most promising Finnish newcomers of our times, are back with a vengeance in 2014. Founded in early 2010 in Jyväskylä by Thrash/Speed Metal enthusiast Samy Elbanna, the frontman gathered an ensemble of passionate allies to establish a band that would soon be known as Scandinavia’s most energetic start-up export. Members are: Samy Elbanna (vocals, guitar), Arttu Lesonen (guitar), Mirko Lehtinen (bass) and Ossi Paananen (drums).
Note: Fuoco Fatuo was the moniker for Eversin until 2008; this is a Prog / Thrash / Heavy / Power / Epic Metal act from Sicily. This review, however, deals with the young act from Lombardy with the very same name, and it has nothing to do with the Sicilian band (and I praise my personal gods and goddesses for that – salve and slava and stuff…!).
Despite an enormous discography (a handful of EP’s, even more full lengths, and a couple of splits) built up in less than a decade of existence, I hadn’t heard any of Frozen Ocean’s stuff before, I think. This Russian solo-project by a guy called Vaarwel (which actually is Dutch (!) for ‘goodbye’ or ‘farewell’) recently signed to Kristallblut Records (one of those underestimated yet superior labels, hailing from Germania).
Snuff // Hiroshima is the third full length album (the band recorded some EP’s and released a DVD as well in mean time) by German act Fäulnis, a project by Ben ‘Seuche’ (the one from BlackShore and Sakramortem, not the guy involved with e.g. Pestkult or Northern Hate). It lasts for fifty minutes and appears as regular CD and as double 12” vinyl long player.
Whitechapel is a death metal outfit from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band formed somewhere in 2006, and have released 4 albums and been on the road touring non-stop delivering their pummeling brand of metal across the globe. The group comprises vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade, Zach Householder, bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Ben Harclerode.
Since releasing their debut album, early last year (review by yours truly posted 07/04/2013), this Dutch Retro Rock trio played at January 2013's Noorderslag festival, and went out to the US in March to do a tour over there (including performances at the renowned SXSW festival in Austin, Texas). While in California, they released the cassette album Down In The City through the local Burger Records imprint (who kept the distribution of the tape to their area only).
