Review: After Forever | After Forever

Conceived during 1995, Netherland's After Forever's ranks witnessed the addition of vocalist Floor Jansen two years later. Two demos followed, namely Wings of Illusion and Ephemeral (both released during 1999). Debut full length Prison of Desire saw distribution in 2000, and sophomore effort Desire came in 2001...

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Review: Anterior | This Age of Silence

Teen Welsh act Anterior debut with the full length effort This Age of Silence, issued via Metal Blade Records. Anterior started life in late 2003, comprising individuals whose mere age was seventeen at the time. In their brief yet colourful live career, the group have shared the stage with such illustrious outfits as Dragonforce, Himsa, The Black Dahlia Murder, 3 Inches of Blood and Mendeed amongst a host of others. Their work ethic made a positive impression on 3 Inches of Blood bassist (at the time) Brian Redman, causing him to comment in November 2005; “Anterior rocked everyone's balls off! They were amazing, these kids could fucking play!”. June 2007 finally spawned their inaugural album, much to the anticipation of awaiting fans...

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Review: The Arcane Order | In the Wake of Collisions

In the realms of Metal, The Arcane Order ranks amongst the greatest kept secrets. To adequately trace the group's initial beginnings, one's research needs to delve into the history of guitarist Flemming C. Lund...

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Review: Axel Rudi Pell | Diamonds Unlocked

One of Germany's outstanding axemen, namely Axel Rudi Pell (ex-Steeler), issues Diamonds Unlocked after notching up over a dozen studio albums under its belt. Consisting of no more then eleven covers, it includes tracks by The Who, U2, Kiss, Free and Phil Collins amongst other artists. Joining Pell are; Johnny Gioeli (ex-Hardline) donates vocals, Ferdy Doernberg (Rough Silk, Uli Jon Roth) supplies keyboards, Volker Krawczak (Ex-Steeler) handles bass and Mike Terrana (Rage) steps behind the drumkit. Pell self-produced the album, while Charlie Bauerfiend (boasting credits mixing Helloween and Blind Guardian) mixed the effort...

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Review: Brainstorm | Downburst

Assembled almost two decades ago during 1989, Brainstorm's inaugural lineup consisted of guitarists Torsten Ihlenfeld and Milan Loncaric, whereas Dieter Bernert stepped behind the drumkit. Initial demo Hand of Doom emerged a year later in 1990, a foundation built upon with further demo material (1992's Heart of Hate and 1994's The Fifth Season respectively). Brainstorm didn't actually ink a record deal until 1997, unmistakable proof of their devotion towards the Heavy Metal genre...

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Review: Candlemass | King of the Grey Islands

King of the Grey Islands sees Swedish Doom masters Candlemass march onwards with a ninth studio effort, a commendable feat in itself when the circumstances surrounding its initial pregnancy and ultimate birth are taken into consideration. Before vocal parts on behalf of singer Messiah Marcolin could even be committed to tape, yet again he parted ways with the group. Left to salvage the pieces once more, Leif Edling and company didn't waste a breath in hiring a new vocalist for their 2007 opus; step forward Robert Lowe of Texan act Solitude Aeturnus...

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Review: Chimaira | Resurrection

Resurrection marks Chimaira's debut effort for Nuclear Blast, Records (Europe) / Ferret Records (US), the group having turned down a contract extension by Roadrunner Records. Also noteworthy is the return of drummer Andols Herrick, helming the drumkit for proper studio recordings for the first time since 2003's The Impossibility of Reason. An apt title? Only Chimaira could answer that question, though rest assured the Cleveland outfit will wish to prove their commercial success can continue well after their terminated relationship with Roadrunner...

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Review: Chrome Division | Doomsday Rock 'N' Roll

Chrome Division can trace their history as far back as 1999, when Dimmu Borgir vocalist Stian “Shagrath” Tomt Thoresen (on rhythm guitar) and Stian “Lex Icon” Arnesen (on drums) jammed following group rehearsals...

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Review: Clawfinger | Life Will Kill You

Life Will Kill You arrives a mere two years after 2005's Hate Yourself With Style, another full length effort from the Swedish Crossover act Clawfinger. Way back in 1988 the band grouped together, the result of fellow music fanatics Zak Tell and Jocke Skog working within the same hospital. 1993 debut Deaf Dumb Blind shifted more than 600, 000 copies worldwide, while other albums which intended to build on this followed. Life Will Kill You was self-produced inside Fear and Loathing Studios in Spanda, Sweden, a studio Clawfinger co-run with fellow friends Meshuggah...

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Review: Desaster | 666 - Satan's Soldiers Syndicate

Named after the Destruction track “Total Desaster”, Desaster's beginnings can be traced as far back as 1988. Though issuing demos in 1993 and 1994, it wasn't until 1996 that first album A Touch of Medieval Darkness hit the shelves. 1998's Hellfire’s Dominion and 2000's Tyrants of the Netherworld followed in succession, though vocalist Okkulto left the band in the summer of 2001 after several appearances at festivals such as Fuck the Commerce and the Wacken Open Air. Sataniac filled the vocal position, boasting credentials as the former mainman of German Black / Thrash Metal group Divine Genocide. Divine Blasphemies came in 2002, while Metal Blade debut Angelwhore saw release three years later. Harrow Studios in Holland provided a venue where sixth album 666 - Satan's Soldiers Syndicate could be recorded, the band entering the location in May 2007...

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Review: Destruction | Thrash Anthems

An album with such a confident, ill conceived title as Thrash Anthems would usually meet a lukewarm reception, though this effort is certainly an exception to the rule. Like Ronseal, it does what it says on the tin. Perfect, simple and modest - in short, the name says it all. With fellow countrymen Sodom and Kreator, Destruction were part of the main three of Teutonic Thrash Metal. Fast forward two decades, and what you virtually have is a best of compilation in some respects...

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Review: Echoes of Eternity | The Forgotten Goddess

The Forgotten Goddess proves to be another album from a group Nuclear Blast wish to groom for future success, this time Californian act Echoes of Eternity. In 2005 the collective of longtime friends Brandon Patton (guitars) and Kirk Carrison (drums), not to mention the additions of Francine Boucher (vocals) and Duane Cowan (bass), opted to form a group. By 2006 a deal with Nuclear Blast was inked, thus spawning this February 2006 debut...

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Review: Enemy of the Sun | Shadows

A mastermind largely responsible for the mighty Grip, Inc., Waldemar Sorychta's other 2007 project materialises as Enemy of the Sun (Eyes of Eden's Faith having been released during August 2007). When it comes to affirmed acts such as The Gathering, Moonspell, Lacuna Coil, and Tiamat, Sorychta played a key role in establishing their growing reputations...

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Review: Epica | The Divine Conspiracy

In collaboration with axeman Sander Gommans, Mark Jansen gave birth to Dutch Gothic Metal act After Forever. After cutting two full lengths in the form of Prison of Desire and Decipher during a seven year period, Jansen developed an irrepressible urge to spread his creative wings. Thus, Jansen founded Sahara Dust (later renamed Epica)...

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Review: Eyes of Eden | Faith

Straight from the brainchild of underground metal mainstay Waldemar Sorychta, Eyes of Eden comprises one of the German musician's two new projects (the other being Enemy of the Sun). Unless you are an obsessive reader of liner notes or listen exclusively to heavy music, then Sorychta's name may not be instantly recognizable. However, as soon as the names of such revered groups as Grip, Inc. and Despair enter the conversation, the memory lapse gradually fades...

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Review: Freedom Call | Dimensions

German Melodic Power Metal act Freedom Call returns to the fore with fifth album Dimensions, largely recorded at FC Studios in Nuremberg, Germany. Drum parts were cut at Area 51 in Celle under the direction of Tommy Newton. Freedom Call co-founder and drummer Daniel Zimmerman has claimed the album combines the “most successful” elements from the record's two predecessors, namely 2002's Eternity and 2005's The Circle of Life respectively; “we included our penchant for fast and very melodic numbers from Eternity with a more contemporary, bombastic components of The Circle Of Life.” True? Let's find out...

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Review: Gorefest | Rise to Ruin

Three years following their decision to reform in the summer of 2004, Dutch Death Metal act Gorefest continue their renewed musical passion with 2007's Rise to Ruins. Nine years into their history, Gorefest had elected to throw in the towel during 1998 after a brace of releases. Nuclear Blast's reissue campaign introduced the group's catalogue to a new audience, pairing such efforts as 1993's False and 1995's Erase together in double disc compilation formats. Those Metal fanatics with warm pleasures invested in 2005's comeback album La Muerte had a batch of other material to familiarise themselves with, and festival appearances such as that at Wacken improved their profile. Gorefest Danish producer Tue Madsen lent both production and mixing duties to Rise to Ruin, all done at the producer's Antfarm Studios in Aarhus, Denmark...

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Review: Heaven Shall Burn | Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance)

Originally formed under the title Consense in 1996's autumn, Saalfeld, Germany's Heaven Shall Burn adopted their current moniker (after the 1996 Marduk album Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered) in 1997. Marcus Bischoff supplies vocals, Eric Bischoff occupies bass, Maik Weichert strums guitar, and Matthias Voigt is behind the drumkit...

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Review: Helloween | Gambling With the Devil

Nowadays, German Power Metal legends Helloween maintain a busy schedule. In August 2004, it was rumoured that the two decade old group had inked a deal with SPV Records...

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Review: I | Between Two Worlds

I has been tagged in the Metal press as a Norwegian supergroup, boasting members of none other than Immortal, Gorgoroth and Enslaved amongst their ranks. Immortal lyricist Demonaz handles the words to all the songs, although doesn't undertake any instrumental duties. Only a single live appearance they've committed, and that was in August 2006 at the Hole in the Sky festival in Bergen, Norway...

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Review: Lion's Share | Emotional Coma

The last time the Metal listening population heard new material from Swedish act Lion's Share was way back in 2001, namely their lone release for Massacre Records entitled Entrance. Since that time, the group's mainman Lars Chriss went on a break to recharge the collective batteries, and revamped the group lineup. Patrik Johansson joined the ranks in 2003, and since that time has carved a career with bands like Astral Doors and Wuthering Heights. With Sampo Axelsson recruited for bass duties a year later, the lineup was complete. Several years work has evolved into Emotional Coma, the long awaited follow up. Featuring Richard Evensand (ex-Chimaira, Therion, Soilwork) on session drums, an appearance at Sweden Rocks 2007 aims to crown Lion's Share's return...

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Review: Napalm Death | Punishment in Capitals

Forming in 1981, Napalm Death are hailed as the originators of Grindcore music. The style came to life when the band set their signature “grinding” guitar sounds atop a recognizably energetic Hardcore sound. The result is a fury of sound which has thus far lasted thirteen studio albums, nine EPs, four live albums and a vast array of split CDs, 7”, demos, singles, and compilations. For the modern Grindcore fan, it can be hard to associate Napalm Death’s sound with the trends of 2007. These trends prominently features bands like The Red Chord, Cattle Decapitation, and Birdflesh. The style has certainly evolved, abandoning the Punk / DIY ethic that carried Napalm Death all the way to the top...

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Review: Obituary | Xecutioner's Return

When the name Slowly We Rot is spoken in Death Metal circles, astute admirers immediately know the full length being conversed over. Cut at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida with now legendary producer Scott Burns, the tapes were laid down via an eight-track machine. Initially pencilled for release by Borivoj Krgin's Godly Records, Krgin exposed the group in question to none other than Monte Conner, A&R of Roadrunner Records. That chronicles the tale of how Death Metal pioneers Obituary inked a record deal way back in 1989...

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Review: Paths of Possession | The End of the Hour

Metal Blade Records mainman Brian Slagel approached (George “Corpsegrinder”) Fisher (Cannibal Corpse vocalist) to sign Paths of Possession, and so the band inked the deal in writing during 2005. St. Petersburg, Florida's Mana Recording Studios provided the location to cut a full length, while Hate Eternal mainman Erik Rutan joined the project in a production capacity. Promises In Blood surfaced in October 2005. The End of the Hour marks the October 2007 follow up to Promises In Blood, delivered two years previous...

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Review: Six Feet Under | Commandment

Florida goremeisters Six Feet Under follow 2005's 13 two years later with seventh studio release Commandment, another slab of pain, suffering and human catastrophy. Basic tracks were committed to tape at Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida while vocalist Chris Barnes went to the Hit Factory in Miami, Florida to cut his vocal tracks. As ever, engineer / friend Chris Carroll helped Barnes give his best possible performance, and with some veteran Death Metal pedigree amongst their lineup anticipation is rather high...

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Review: Sodom | In the Final Sign of Evil

In 1984, a German group from Gelsenkirchen inked their first record deal. That band was Sodom, and that year they cut their inaugural EP In the Sign of Evil. Over the years, it went on to notch up global sales of over 150, 000 copies and became a milestone in the Thrash Metal genre. Devil's Game, the issuing label, didn't have much faith in the act following rough mixes of the first five recorded tracks. The production team concurred, and those fives songs comprised together made that initial EP. In 2007, SPV asked the original members if they had any unreleased tracks from that time...

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Review: Sonic Syndicate | Only Inhuman

For those of you blissfully unaware of Sonic Syndicate and their musical pedigree, let's take you on a crash course in their rudimentary background. Hailing from Falkenberg, Sweden, the young sextet feature the 3 Sjunnesson brothers - Richard supplying vocals, with Roger and Robin both handling guitars. In a quest to discover fresh talent, in 2005's summer German label Nuclear Blast launched a competition simply dubbed "Band contest" which garnered over 1, 500 entrants. As you've likely surmised, Sonic Syndicate garnered the lucrative prize, and to cut a long story short now offer fresh material to stand against 2005's Eden Fire...

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Review: Virgin Black | Requiem - Fortissimo

Their fourth full length, Adelaide, Australia's Virgin Black meticulously plot a triumphant return to the world of extreme in writing the third (and second to be issued) installment of the Requiem trilogy, namely Fortissimo...

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