Reviews

CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS 2012

Release:     27-02-2012
Origin:     The Netherlands
Length:     47:35

Here we have it. The DEATH METAL album of 2012!!!

Forget techniques, over the top insane drum patterns and stuffing songs with instrumental incredibility. Just pay attention to intensity, simplicity, sound and slow down your music once in a while and you’ll end up with what will be the best death metal album of Asphyx’ career and also in general for the last decade of the genre.

Every of the 10 songs is a highlight, I just took out a few to describe my emotions and feelings.

Περισσότερα: ASPHYX - DEATHHAMMER

ISVIND 2012

Release:     26-08-2011
Origin:     Norway
Length:     39:28

This review comes maybe half a year too late, but still is worth every single letter of its intention: to make sure that Isvind receives the attention needed and credits deserved. At first this piece of black metal art was only available through a download option and now for almost a month also unofficially released on CD by the band itself (Get your copy for a lousy 12 Euro including shipping, see the link below).

Περισσότερα: ISVIND - INTET LEVER

(Nail Records)

Release Date: 2010
Origin: Hungary

KerecsenSólyom is a Hungarian folk metal band that was formed in 2004, but according to them the roots of their music is dated back to the ancient past. In 2008 they released the demo “Aquileia Ostroma (Siege of Aquileia)” on their own and 2 years later they re-recorded and released it officially with the label Nail Records as their debut album. At the time of the release there were seven members in the band, something that explains their quite rich sound.

The album is something between a full album and an EP, since it contains only 5 songs plus one small intro, lasting for something more than 31 minutes. KerecsenSólyom belong in the general folk metal genre, with symphonic and extreme metal elements. There are many influences in their music and each song is quite different from the others. Some of them have a more folkish approach, while others a more classical symphonic mood. Keyboards and folk instruments (hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, flutes, kobza, zurna, trumpet, trombone) dominate their sound, putting sometimes the guitars in a more accompanying role. Of course there are also many parts, where guitars take the lead, with fast powerful riffing and solos... All of the songs are very interesting, well written and there is “something” in this album that never bores the listener. The band utilizes many different vocal styles, from black metal screams, to clean male and female ones, but their most characteristic are the choir vocals they use in their catchy refrains. Their production and overall sound implies this is an underground release and if the band wants a more mainstream audience, they need a lot of “technical” improvement. Their lyrics are in their native language and they deal with ancient Hun – Hungarian legends.

Overall “Aquileia Ostroma” is a promising debut and a very enjoyable album of underground folk extreme metal. KerecsenSólyom show good composing skills and they blend very well different styles in their songs. I can see influences from the symphonic Italian scene, from celtic folk metal bands and even from bombastic epic metal. I totally recommend them to fans of the genre and especially to those who prefer a more “joyful” approach in folk metal, rather than a darker pagan one. You can always visit their myspace page to get a taste of their music on your own: http://www.myspace.com/kerecsensolyom

dimiarch

(8/10)