Metalheads Union: January 2015

Thursday, 29 January 2015

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM VIOLENT PROCREATION BY ENTRENCH

Entrench is a thrash metal band formed in 2005 in Sweden, releasing numerous demos before signing with War Anthem Records, bringing to light their debut album Inevitable Decay in 2010, succeeding with positive reaction from the media. After a split with Insane, the band finally released their second work last December 2014 under the name of Violent Procreation, being promoted also by FullBlast.

Entrench style comprises the old school thrash metal pulses but with blackened powerful instrumentals and harsh and sharp violent vocal patterns, drums are remarkably exceptional, changing rhythms from ultra fast black and death double pedalled influences to mid to fast paced genuine thrash, combined with palm muted guitar riffs really well composed; basically following this strategy over all tracks in the album, starting with One with agony where the speed blackened thrash explodes from the beginning with forceful vocal sections and excellent chorus.

Those who exceed follows the same path creating an addictive riff of pure thrash and drippings of death metal, also good progression going in crescendo to a mid fast tempo thrash attack, exploding without a break with Adjust to summit, another thrash anthem with death metal melodies and added epic slow parts trespassing the doom territory and ascending amazingly to mid fast technical death thrash combo.

Chemical holocaust keep the technical pace on the riff and drums, alternating mid and fast pulses, this time on the death metal pattern, leading to an excellent chorus to scream fist in the air, nonstop headbanging moshpit continued by Devoid of life, fast death thrash all the way with remarkable palm muted guitar riffs and wrathful vocals that will blow your mind.

Calm the urge explodes literally with an exceptional performance on the drums, pure speed and mid tempo thrash metal rhythms lead the act with interesting vocal sections, as the process of Annihilation continues the thrash strategy changing rhythms amazingly well,with predominant mid tempo parts, with a good harmony between great theatrical vocals and instrumentals.

The guitars of senseless slaughter well give you an idea of the patterns of this track, one of the best speed thrash metal songs of the band, finding drippings of Exumer meeting Exodus on those riffs backed by thunderous drumbeats, excellent headbanging job continued by the last song, apathetic existence, another great ascending evolution from mid to high speed thrash, with bits of death metal here and there making this another highlight of the band style.

Entrench created a really enjoyable album, excellent compositions completed with changes of rhythms, not extremely technical but headbanging from the first riff, taking you to a nonstop moshpit of genuine thrash metal that will equally delight death metal maniacs.

8 / 10

Links

Youtube

Facebook

Bandcamp

Line Up

Victor Holmström (R.I.P.) (Drums)

Fredrik Pellbrink (Vocals, Guitars)

Joel E. Sundin (Bass)

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

Wednesday, 21 January 2015

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM STARS ALIGNED BY STARGAZERY (23/01/15)

Stargazery is a power metal band from Finland formed in 2005 and releasing their first album in 2011 (Eyes on the sky) and due to release their new album Stars aligned the next 23rd of January 2015.

Stargazery style comes from the melodic 90s power metal with drippings of hard rockish elements, creating anthems with very catchy choruses generally, the voice acts very effective theatrically speaking, with melodic and clean style, backed by sharp guitars, strong drumbeats and keyboards, being the essential sound of the band.

The album starts with Voodoo, being straight away one of the highlights of the band style, as a mid tempo epic shot, it got interesting elements, like the bridge before the solo, where vocals and keyboards make an excellent job; following with Angel of the dawn, slower pace but more powerful in terms of melodic structure with remarkable teamwork between guitars an vocals.

Missed the train to paradise is another great example of pure power metal, with an in crescendo structure to one of the best and most epic choruses of the band, the guitar performance brings memories of Queensrÿche style and the general composition is awesome, one of the best of the album, continued by Invisible, mid and slow shot of low pitched vocal and rhythms changes to get an ascending pattern leading to a good chorus, nothing special apart from the vocal evolution and the keyboard play.

Absolution continues the power metal path, taking some Edguy style on the melodies, comprising awesome guitar riffs and another top chorus to be singed along, the vocal high pitched play is excellent, creating a perfect harmony with the rest of the band, also perfect in the next track Academy of love, ballad of the album being transformed beautifully in another mid tempo powerful chorus, great the progression here and the play of guitar solo and piano.

Painted into a corner starts with a really impressive vocal clean shot in a mid tempo melodic heavy metal in crescendo track, outstanding the keyboard performance and the composition, like Dim the halo, with another catchy chorus.

Bring me the night heralds another good combination between leading melodic vocals and guitar, backed by symphonic keyboards elements, as we continue to the end of the album, the performance of the band improves in every track, being the time of Hiding, with one of the best increscendo mid tempo ballad, including the best vocal interpretation, demonstrating the good qualities of the vocalist, as the Warrior's Inn kicks in with an awesome guitar riff and catchy combination of voice and keyboards melodies, forging an epic chorus that leads to the last and best track of the album.

Dark Lady is the last in line, and despite the fact that is a cover, this is one of the best shots and a gem of the genre, developed in English and another version in Finnish as a bonus track, develops a truly addictive pace and riffs, under the violin melodies ascending to a marvellous chorus, of those to be played again and again, definitely better than the original where every member nail it.

Overall, this album is in general an excellent job by Stargazery, taking the best elements of the old school melodic power of the 90s, creating memorable songs like the highlights Voodoo, Dim the Halo, Dark Lady or Missed the train to paradise; being able to create addictive choruses in almost all the tracks is a really good point, also most of the tracks have mid tempo rhythms being the only thing that could be improved in terms of composition variety, but the general impression is that we are listening to an awesome album that demonstrate that Stargazery worked hard and succeeded with Stars aligned.

8 / 10

Line up
Jukka Jokikokko Bass, Vocals (backing)
Pete Ahonen Guitars, Vocals (backing)
Marco Sneck Keyboards
Jari Tiura Vocals
Jussi Ontero Drums

Links
Facebook
Lastfm
Myspace
Reverbnation
Website

Release by Pure Steel Records

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

Monday, 12 January 2015

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM THEY RISE BY RUTHLESS (30/1/15)

Ruthless finally are releasing their first studio album after their Discipline of steel in 1986, the album under the name "They rise" will come to light the next 30th January via Pure steel records.

The US power metal developed by Ruthless is well considered authentic and true heavy metal, giving gems likeMetal Without Mercy or Discipline of steel to the world, generally enjoyed by true metalheads with a good knowledge of genuine metal bands on the line of Omen, Liege lord or Jag Panzer.

This new album brings lots of reminiscences from their previous albums, true straightforward US metal, this time the band developed some slightly more modern melodies here and there, also introducing that strong Teutonic drippings seen on Accept or Grave Digger, also remark the vocal qualities after so long time, now are cleaner but still aggressive, and about of the drums, now they sound cleaner and better produced than before, but not as thunderous and powerful as their 80s albums.

The album start with one of the best shots, Defender, very much on the line of Steeler by Judas Priest on the riffs, the clean vocals are really good performed, Introducing mid to high pitched parts leading to a really catchy chorus, headbanging entry linked with Laceration, mid tempo bomb of true metal, the addictive main riff is leaded by a good vocal composition, ascending intensity with the pure sign of the band, combining clean and sharp vocal techniques with added excellent drum shots.

The tittle track They rise, comes as a slow paced shot with epic doom metal essence, vocals offer a great theatrical interpretation full of power, the structure could remind the listener to Kiss of the death by Metal Church, equally intense and well composed as the riffs of Circle of trust arises, on the line of Jag Panzer, interesting track with a good progression and excellent harmony between vocals and riffs, not in their best of though, as the aggressive speed metal of Hang man take you to the mosh pit, the intensity here is outstanding, vocal performance is from the best of the album, sharp forceful mid high pitched style like the old times; the rhythms are also breathtaking as It changes between verses and chorus, really well structured.

After this powerful demonstration its time for a slow one, the ballad Time waits, the vocal parts are really well played under the slow paced galloping bass background, linked with another headbanging mid fast bomb, Out of the ashes, very straight shot with the same strategy of fast verses and mid paced and intense chorus and remarkable guitar solo.

One of the highlights of the album is the track Frustration, heralds the power of the band in a fast thunderous drumbeats, the progression is overwhelming as the intensity ascends to a very catchy chorus, linking the action to the last song, Systematic terror, mid tempo track with a really strong pattern, leading to a powerful chorus to be screamed on the gigs, in crescendo to the end with nice high pitched details.

Ruthless open the gates of hell almost 30 years after their last album, with renovated energy creating an excellent album full of power and genuine US metal, obviously got some modern influences after all these years, and its not quite the same as the old times, but the truth is that They rise is riveting from start to finish, and tracks like Defender, Hang man or Frustration will delight their old fans and also will catch new metalheads that didn't know them yet, in fact I can say Ruthless forged another true metal masterpiece.

8,5 / 10

Line up

Jason VanSlyke Drums

Dave Watson Guitars

Ken McGee Guitars

Sammy DeJohn Vocals

Marc McGee Bass

Links

Release by Pure Steel Records

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

Friday, 2 January 2015

TOP 20 METAL ALBUMS OF 2014 BY METALHEADS UNION

Remembering this 2014 we can see a year of great albums, from traditional heavy metal bands that have released albums to be influence for new generation to new bands releasing EP's and demos, or debut albums that will be the key for the true path of heavy metal, from the classic and early styles of heavy metal to thrash and death metal, this is the list of the best 20 albums of the year by Metalheads Union, you can click on the links to read the reviews.

Also now you can vote for the best album of 2014 by Metalheads Union readers! Poll closes the next 2nd of February so make your choice!

20 - Repulsor - Trapped in a nightmare