The Barren Utopia

Rise And Fall - Our Circle is Vicious (2009)

2011-04-01T15:32:00.001+00:00

Wow, I can't believe that i'm writing here again. It's been so long (the last post in late January). But here I am , and after a long time struggling to find the energy to write I have finally started. The thing is... I used to post here so frequently that I sort of lost interest. But not all is lost and this time I give you Belgium's Rise And Fall.

Rise And Fall are an intense Hardcore band and are signed to one of my favorite labels, Deathwish. They incorporate a lot of bleak melodies that build the songs in chordal context. This album makes for a really good listen and is best enjoyed in it's entirety. I always find it great when the faster, more intense bands have a really good sense of melody and the more original the melodies get, the more I seem to like their style. It really gives them "their sound".

The album sounds really good, and every member seems to cut through. This and the really good songwriting makes this album one of my favorite more recent Hardcore albums.

I thoroughly recommend this album and I hope you, the readers can help me build this site up. We are always looking for good writers and you can contact me through this site if you want to write on this blog.

Mediafire

Planetary Duality - The Faceless

2011-01-26T21:49:00.005+00:00

The Faceless cemented themselves into the global metal scene with their debut album Akeldama in 2006, which was a mix of melodic death metal and deathcore with copious of amounts of technicality to top it off. In 2008 they released Planetary Duality, which saw the Faceless move away from the deathcore influences and embrace a purely melodic style of technical death metal. It recieved 'nearly' universal critical acclaim.

Personally I feel Planetary Duality is vastly superior to Akeldama, mainly due to the album as a whole being less chaotic than Akeldama, with a more smooth quality about it, with their grinding riffs, searing melodies and crushing breakdowns flowing seamlessly. Abandoning the synths prevalent on Akeldama was also a very good decision if you ask me. Planetary Duality presents itself with a very robotic and alien atmosphere, with lyrical themes mostly concerning.. Well, alien forces and whatnot. Clocking at about half an hour, and is an engaging and powerful album which manages to balance a wide variety of influences almost perfectly.

Download it on Mediafire

Ascension - With Burning Tongues Demo (2009)

2011-01-24T20:48:00.003+00:00

As putredines said so brilliantly "Let the process of revival begin!"

I have been pretty lazy recently and I haven't had the will to post since last year. It occurred to me that I just had to get up off my ass and listen to some fresh music. I was stuck in a daily routine that made me dull and I had lost the will to listen to unfamiliar music. I just restored that will today and therefore I bring you Ascension...

Ascension is a German Black Metal band, their take on Black Metal is atmospheric, scary and a bit theatrical. This is probably the longest demo I have heard, it's 45 minutes long, though it contains only 5 songs. This is because the songs are long and somewhat repetitive but in a good way (I don't always like repetitive stuff). I feel like the reaction I get from this demo is the way they intended it to be. It even startled me a few times in the calm, atmospheric parts. That and the overall feeling of the album shows that they poured a lot of emotion into this.

There is one thing I don't like about this album, it's the drums. They are not very spot on and some of the fills and such are forced in a way that makes it groove less. However this does not ruin anything because the album is intended to be heard as an overall feel rather than being focused on each and every hit or groove.

They have a full length coming out this year, I haven't checked out when it will be released. It's called 'Consolamentum', be sure to check that out too.

Check it out on MediaFire

Wormed - Quasineutrality

2011-01-21T19:10:00.000+00:00

If some one would ask me what was the best release in 2010? I would most definitely say Quasineutrality or the Chapters of Repugnance by Defeated Sanity.

This is a 2 track single which hopefully will lead to another LP by Wormed.

A fantastic single, give it a try!

Download

Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters

2011-01-18T03:34:00.000+00:00

Let the process of revival begin!

Wolves in the Throne Room is a Black Metal band living in the forests of Olympia (not where the greek gods sleep, but in Washington). They have released 3 albums and some minor releases.

These guys are playing superb Atmospheric Black Metal that is surely able to put you in a forest immediately when you close your eyes or just make your brain download a cheesy collection of Darkthrone videos. Their lyrical concepts are about nature and shaman rituals, one of the many things that caught my eye when I decided to check them out back in '07 (their band name was the first thing I noticed, how can you skip such an awesome name?).

These guys are one of my favorite bands and I picked this album because it was the first I heard with them. I recommend that you should check their other albums if you are fond of this one.

Download

P.S. If you like this album and have listened to their other LPs you should check out Krallice, Altars of Plague (seriously you gotta' love the Khanate part!), Weakling, Drudkh (some consider them nazi, looking past that they create mind blowing black metal) and Burzum's Filosofem.

Mogwai Young Team

2010-12-28T15:21:00.001+00:00

Woah, finally got myself into waking up and doing some reviewing but not death metal though.

Mogwai is a post rock band from Scotland, they have released quite the amount of LP's through time and sadly I have put little effort in exploring anything else from these guys, except this album and man it's the shit.

This album is kinda instrumental with a few spoken words there and there. The atmosphere in this album has a sad or angry feeling in it, can't really explain.

This is one of my favorite albums, in fact I listened to this album almost daily, until it got boring. But recently I been starting to listening to it again. I have been in a nostalgic mood lately listening to old favorites and haven't been following the newer releases.

Download

Anaal Nathrakh - Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here (2007)

2010-12-24T17:50:00.000+00:00

Merry Christmas everybody!!

I have not been posting lately because I have been busy, also I have thinking whether I should continue with this blog as I seem to be the only contributor.

Well anyways, this is Anaal Nathrakh. Anaal Nathrakh means "The Serpent's Breath" in some other language. I actually lol'd at the Anaal part a few years back as I guess so many of you did. But Anaal Nathrakh is a really solid two man band and this is my favorite album from them.

The album is unbelievably heavy, fast like hell and has really unusual vocal arrangements. It sounds great!

All in all it makes for a great album. Just check it out, this album is pretty unique.

Check it out on MediaFire

Haemophagia - From Sickness To Cult (2007)

2010-12-20T16:46:00.000+00:00

Can a band be so brutal? Apparently Haemophagia from Spain can. They play Brutal Slam Death Metal and don't hold back in the brutal or the slam. This is their debut full length album.

This album is really intense. It's really brutal with heavy guttural vocals and lo-fi production. Also, the album is surprisingly good, in the first minute or so you can hear how incredibly cool the first song is.

I'm tired, judge for yourselves with MediaFire

Aeon - Path of Fire (2010)

2010-12-19T19:45:00.000+00:00

Aeon is a really underrated Swedish Death Metal band. They play Technical Death Metal in a really intense manner. This is their third full length album.

The album has a lot of good runs. It has really interesting riff structures, by that I mean unoriginal Death Metal done in an original way. It's also very brutal, especially the monotonous vocals and the uncompromising attack of the drums.

Check it out on MediaFire or I will stab you.

Cephalic Impurity - Unique Brute Revival (2010)

2010-12-19T05:18:00.001+00:00

Cephalic Impurity is a band from Russia. They just released this album through SoulFlesh Collector Records which is run by Mirus of Katalepsy. This is their second album and it kicks ass!

This album is not the most original thing to come out this year but it is by far one of the better Brutal Death/Slam Death releases I've heard this year, at least I was very surprised. It's got good production, an awesome cover, some heavy guttural vocals, blastbeats, and a lot more. I mean what doesn't it have?

Be sure to check it out on MediaFire

All Shall Perish - Hate, Malice, Revenge

2010-12-17T13:40:00.000+00:00

Hate, Malice, Revenge is a good example of how to do deathcore right. All Shall Perish didn't do pretty much anything new with the genre when they released this back in 2003 but the result was an extremely solid metal album.

This album brings standard yet very well executed death metal riffing balanced very well with the gratuitous breakdowns the genre is known for. They manage to avoid the pitfall most deathcore bands seem to dive face first into, which is throwing out breakdowns however they can, whenever they can, with aggressive and powerful riffs blending smoothly into crushing breakdowns.

To help to keep things flowing All Shall Perish make use of catchy melodies most evident on songs like Laid to Rest and Our Own Grave, with Craig Betits highly varied and powerful vocal style suiting it perfectly.

This album was followed by The Price of Existence ( 2006 ) which took things in an even more melodic direction, and Awaken the Dreamers ( 2008 ) which is one of the worst and more pretentious albums I've ever heard.

Anyhow, check it out on mediafire

Abominable Putridity - In The End Of Human Existance (2007)

2010-12-16T18:10:00.000+00:00

Abominable Putridity is a band from Moscow, Russia. They play incredibly catchy Slam Death Metal. Their vocalist is Big Chocolate who many of you have probably seen on YouTube.

This album has become one of the most well known Slam Death albums in the past few years. That is because this album is incredibly good. It's focused, well written and very brutal. I have listened to it countless times since it came out.

The album sounds very well for this kind of Death Metal. It's got a lot of bass and it's very clear.

You should definitely check it out on MediaFire

Iron Monkey - Our Problem

2010-12-15T10:45:00.000+00:00

Iron Monkey was a sludge metal band from the U.K. that released two albums, one s/t and Our Problem.
They formed in 1994 and in 2002 their vocalist Johnny Morrow died of an heart failure.

Our Problem is fantastic, with alot of catchy and great riffs assembled within one album. The vocals sound like a chain smoking, drug abusing alcoholic and it's awesome.

I got into these guys in 2007, by downloading some earache complication and their track Supagorgonizer was in one of the folder, fucking loved it since I first heard it.

DRUQKS
This download includes We've Learned Nothing EP

Cerberus - Dispute The Truth (2007)

2010-12-15T00:50:00.000+00:00

Cerberus is a band from Los Angeles, California. They play a blend of Thrash Metal and Melodic Death Metal. This is their second full length album. They broke after releasing this album but just got back together a short while ago.

Their music doesn't sound very interesting on paper, I mean Thrash/Melodeath aren't very new genres but these guys pull it off well. A very nice release from these guys.

The album sounds great. It was recorded with Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Studios where every metal band in California seems to be recording.

Check it out on MediaFire

Vehemence - God Was Created (2002)

2010-12-14T16:47:00.000+00:00

Vehemence is a band from Phoenix, Arizona. They play Death Metal with a much emphasis on epic melodies. I guess they could be labeled as Melodic Death Metal as they are heavily melodic but the Melodic Death Metal I have listened to doesn't sound quite like this.

This is the bands second full length album. They released three full lengths before calling it quits in 2005. Then later in 2007 they decided to reform and although they haven't released anything since then I hear they have been playing live all over. When they were not playing three of their members went on to play with then newly formed band Abigail Williams. They stopped playing with them when they decided to reform Vehemence.

This album has a very old school production. The production sounds like early NYC Death Metal, especially the drums. The guitars have a tight rhythm sound and have some epic melodies with the typical lead guitar sound.

You should check it out on MediaFire

Self Collapse - The Affliction EP (2009)

2010-12-13T18:39:00.000+00:00

Self Collapse is a band from Montreal, Canada. They play what is in essence Deathcore but I like to think of it more like tech death with Hardcore influences. I know that is basically Deathcore but give it a listen and you will see that this is way more than your average Deathcore.

This their first release and this is some great first release. I think people should definitely check out this band. I really liked it and it this band has some great musicians. It sounds good, though not great but what can you expect from a small band releasing their first EP.

Check it out on MediaFire

Arkaik - Reflections Within Dissonance (2010)

2010-12-12T10:13:00.000+00:00

Shit, I haven't posted since Thursday because I have been very busy. Now I am on Christmas break from school and I plan on posting a lot.

Arkaik is a band from California. This is their second full length album.

They play Technical Death Metal, reminds me of Decrepit Birth but not quite as much focus on melodies. They also remind me of Odious Mortem which is not surprising given that all of these bands are from California. I really like how the California tech death scene is evolving. Lots of original tech death coming from there.

The sound on this album is very good, it's clean but also very organic. I really liked this album, it displays great musicianship and since these guys are really trying to find an original sound this is at least a step in the right direction.

Get it on MediaFire

Deprecated - Deriding His Creation (1998)

2010-12-09T20:06:00.000+00:00

Deprecated is a band from California. They formed in 1995, released one EP and are apparently still active. Now 15 years later they have new material prepared. I found this EP after I was accidentally lurking Metal Archives and I found this band which has Matt Sotelo (Decrepit Birth), A.J. Magana (Defeated Sanity, Disgorge) and Derek Boyer (Suffocation, ex-Decrepit Birth) and some other guy.

I was surprised at how well produced this EP was. I don't care very much for badly produced Brutal Death Metal. It's very thick Brutal Death with pummeling bass and raw power. A.J. Magana delivers the guttural vocals as always. It's actually a very good release in my opinion and I think you should definitely check out this EP.

Check it out on MediaFire

Son of Aurelius - The Farthest Reaches (2010)

2010-12-09T05:42:00.002+00:00

I admit that I seem to have been defeated by the internet. I set out to find some info on this album and I could not find out if their name was Son of Aurelius or Sons of Aurelius or if their album is called The Farthest Reaches, Son of Aurelius or Myocardial Infection. I have now made a semi-educated guess and I hope it's close to the right thing.

Son of Aurelius is a band from Santa Cruz, California. They play Technical Progressive Death Metal. This is their first album (I think).

This album is really growing on me. They make me think of Arsis which was also a grower for me. It's tech death with melodic riffs. I guess it's Technical Swedish Metal.

I think this album is really good and this band could become very big. The musicianship is top-notch, especially the bass player who displays his Berklee skills throughout the album. The other guys also play very well. The guitarist is also a member of Animosity and a live member for Decrepit Birth. The album is really flawless in terms of playing. I think you should definitely give it a listen.

Check it out on MediaFire

Obscure bands from Czech Republic part II

2010-12-09T01:06:00.002+00:00

!T.O.O.H.! - Rad a Trest
Now it's time for the second post about this weird deathgrind movement coming from Czech Republic and this time it's !T.O.O.H.!'s(which is the acronym for The Obliteration of Humanity) Rad a Trest (order and punishment).!T.O.O.H.! is probably the weirdest band I have heard of so far from Czech Republic.

The first thing I noticed while listening to this album for the first time was probably the vocals, not the Average Joe in death metal neither grindcore. The song writing on this album is great, lots of catchy moments and a fair amount of technicality.
They disbanded shortly after releasing this album, they released 4 LP's in their career, so making Rad a Trest a swansong.

Though two of the guy's went off forming another band called Duobetic Homunkulus, which has a bit of !T.O.O.H.! feeling to it and I will definitely do a review on those dudes!

Highly recommended.
Download

!O.B.F.C.R.! part I
obscure bands from Czech republic

Trepalium - XIII

2010-12-08T20:54:00.001+00:00

Combine good old death metal with some of the fattest bass grooves around, bouncy and swing-ish rhythms and you've got Trepalium, a band that seems committed to making death metal that compels you to actually dance rather than the usual moshing. Hailing from France, Trepalium have been very active in recent years, touring with bands such as Gojira, Aborted and Behemoth to name a few.

XIII is definitely logical step in the bands stylistic evolution from their previous material, their usage of infectious beats, catchy riffing and monster grooves reaching a whole new level.

Since their debut album Through the Absurd in 2004, Trepalium have become a household name in French death metal, with their extensive touring and renowned live performances cementing them into the death metal scene. I recommend this album to any death metal fan, definitely a must-have.

Check it out on mediafire

The Carrier - No Love Can Save Me (2008)

2010-12-08T18:03:00.001+00:00

Short post for a short album.

The Carrier is a Hardcore band from Boston. They play Hardcore of the melodic kind with a really epic feel.

I really liked this three song album and so should you.

Also, very cool album cover.

Get it on MediaFire

Orchidectomy - A Prelate's Attrition (2008)

2010-12-08T16:51:00.001+00:00

Orchidectomy is a band from Toronto, Canada. They play excessively brutal Slam Death. The band formed in 2004 and released one demo and this full length before splitting up.

This album is so incredibly brutal. It's got lots of endless blastbeats, vocals that sound like bong water and lots of circle pit, slam moments. If you like Brutal Slam Death Metal in the vein of Devourment you should definitely check this out.

Hah, apparently Orchidectomy is the surgery which you undergo if they have to remove your testicles. I was trying to find the album cover on google and I got some disturbing images when I went to the pictures section.

Get it on MediaFire

Tyranny - Tides Of Awakening

2010-12-08T15:44:00.002+00:00

Tyranny is a funeral doom metal band hailing from Finland, where the genre seems to be dominant with band like Skepticism, Thergothon and Wormphlegm (which the members of Tyranny originated from).

These guys bring us 65 minutes of crushing funeral doom metal inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos, Misanthropy and Hatred. If you're experienced with the funeral doom genre you're going to love this. If you're not experienced with the funeral doom metal genre I recommend you start listening to it, NOW!

Download

Malak - Malak EP (2010)

2010-12-07T20:29:00.001+00:00

Malak is a band from Florida. Their music is very hard to classify but I think I'm going to call it.... Technical Progressive Death Metal because in fact it's very technical but also very progressive.

This album has one of the coolest intros I have ever heard. It really gets my attention when I listen to this. The album sounds very professional, like their a very experienced band. That is great given that this is their first release.

I guess Malak borders on Deathcore sometimes but I really don't want to think of them in those terms. They have breakdowns and a few other Deathcore symptoms but given that I like Deathcore a fair amount though the genre has really run it's course. People tend to forget that it's the really generic ones that seem to stand out while the good ones are forgotten, at least in Deathcore.

You should definitely check them out on MediaFire