Reviews
\r\nSoulskinner are veterans in the Greek scene. They were created in 1997 under the name Terra Tenebrae and with this name they released the Demo Masks Of Deathly Joy and album Subconscious. In 2000 the band changed its name in Soulskinner that as they say, this represents them more both in lyrics and music. In 2003 the group releases its second completed album, named Breeding The Grotesque and today, after certain changes in their Line up they release Non Stop Killing, an album that will be discussed as for the Greek situation it is something unusual.
\r\nWell, this band has always evoked a sympathetic feeling in me not only because they are so similar with my favorite Dark Throne (of their early days) but because their music is truly engaging, not so much technically as emotionally, forcefully and above all aggressively making once again a loud statement to the black metal community that great black metal has nothing to do with overdosed keyboard melodies or female vocals. It’s only infernal, blasphemous and primitive. So, when their new release dropped into my hands I was more than thrilled as you can imagine.
\r\nThe album is in the stores for one year already, and, even though I tried to, I can’t say that I might be interested in it for some reason. The style is Rock N’ Roll, Guns N’ Roses like, yet the result is totally different, and uninspired. Music paths that we have already seen over and over again, poser-like vocals, “light” songs, that do not add a thing to what we already know from this music scene. This style is not new, and it seems that the number of the really good album releases keeps decreasing as time goes by. \r\n
\r\nSilverdollar from Sweden formed before some years as tribute band. Thus therefore they released an album with covers, which in reality is their first completed album. The recipe is simple (and usual). The band occupies with melodic Heavy Metal sound while they also exist certain reports in Hard Rock but also Power Metal (something that is particularly obvious that Hammerfall and Dream Evil have their honour). Evil Never Sleeps is not a bad album, but in my opinion is does not have something original and different to offer us.
\r\nBelgian black metallers Armentar are releasing their debut album "Baptism By Hate" via Absorb Records. Their sound is raw black metal churning out a continuous barrage of fast, melodic, riffs. The entire album is sustained by an evil spirit, a flowing, unstoppable pace, and a great deal of aggressive virtues. The guitars even if somehow simple nevertheless remain pure and shredding creating a dynamic sharp-edged riffage.
\r\nNarthex is a new Belgian metal band and "Flatness of Life" is their debut album, churning out 11 solid tracks of straightforward death/thrash metal at its best. Excellent thrash riffs, solid from mid-paced to furious drumming, an old-school vibe throughout the album without denying a more modern approach either and a great growled vocal work with a few surprising bloody, evil screams.
Neobliviscaris from Australia with this demo cd provide us with something unique and very inspiring. The band consists of six members (Violin, Guitars, Bass Guitar, Drums, Brutal and Clean vocals) and in this Demo cd someone can hear influences from Black metal to progressive rock / metal and Jazz.
Another Italian band released their debut during 2007, their name is Ancestral and the title of the Album “The Ancient Curse” and thankfully for them, they do not follow the Power Symphonic Metal scene that the last years, many Italian bands follow.
\r\nCombat is what we say unneeded and unacceptable. They come from America and what they try to make is to resemble with…Slayer, which by no means is no feasible at all. Their music is boring and the mediocre production makes the things more difficult for them. What we hear continuously is uninspired riffs, that in many times refer to Hardcore bands and other to Thrash influences. They try to create a garage and dry atmosphere and the only that they achieve is to be heard monotonous, without not even a good moment.
\r\nUnholy Ritual have enough time to present themselves in Greek Metal scene. It seems however that in 2008 the band will make its comeback, with its new album, that will be released in 2 months from now on behalf of Jordan River Entertainment. I will be brief as what we have in our hands is not the entire album, but a Promo which contains 4 tracks of the forthcoming release. As we know, the band deals with melodic Majestic/Symphonic Black Metal and in this album it does not present to us something different.