THE EVIL INQUISITION ISSUE 17

ANCESTRAL LEGACY - 'Trapped Within The Words'
[Femme Metal]


Formed a full fourteen years ago amongst the bitter cold winterscapes of 'Froland' in 'Norway', symphonic black metallers 'Ancestral Legacy' have lived what some might call an underrated and underachieving career to date with a string of demos behind them but only one full length album in the bag thus far! 'Trapped Within The Words' is the follow up EP to that album and displays the genuine grace of female vocalist 'Isadora Cortina' [Not the car] and the down right brutish growling of fellow vocalist 'Eddie Risdal' in a duet of classic metal fury wrapped in a frost bitten embrace around the softer tones of the afore-mentioned lady singer. Musically the band have a journey to travel upon and over the years have perfected their now impressive sound of winding melodies and not so stereotypical black metal riffs and drumming that stands the band apart from the usual black metal crowd and begs for them to be heard. Why the band have not done more in their understated career I am really not sure but if 'Trapped Within The Woods' is a sign of the future then maybe they can cast themselves in a far more illustrious light. Until then I suggest picking up a copy of this EP so you can embrace the fruitful harmonies that lay embedded within. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/ancestrallegacy

ANTICIPATE - 'Killing For A Living'
[Spectraphillia]


From a band doing what Polish bands seem to do best, brutal Death Metal laced with numerous intervals of blistering Grindcore and of course the mandatory film audio clip sequence to each of the twenty seven tracks, indeed this is a hark back to the olden days of Grind where song lengths are excessively short yet the albums still ridiculously long. 'warsaw' based 'Anticipate' have unleashed an album that should really be anticipated. A monster release and the bands debut full length album, 'Killing For A Living' is a hook riddled gore fountain of an album, an explosion of violence and uncontainable anger against, well anything that happens to be near your stereo at the time. You may think that twenty seven songs is a little bit much but where many bands of the same ilk go off track or being complacent, 'Anticipate' keep everything fresh and so the album never gets tired and as a result the bloodied feast continues right the way through to the finale! Who knows why they make them so damned menacing out by the 'Poland' way, but there is definetely something in the air! [8]
http://www.myspace.com/anticipateultragrind

ASTRAL LUMINOUS - 'Lunaric Tide'
[Hypnotic Dirge]


Hailing from the most Texan of 'Texas' names, 'Texicana' comes a one man ambient black metal project entitled 'Astral Luminous', the brainchild of 'Scott Johnson'. No ordinary Black Metal band this, rather than all that hailing of Satan and the likes, as well as frost bitten occult worship, this project focuses on a much more spiritual plain of existence and attributes a lot of it's inspirations to psychology, astral projections and the works of 'Tolkien' to name but a few. Signed to 'Hypnotic Dirge Records', the afore mentioned name is pretty much what you get here with looping and soaring melodic keyboard effects, but it isn't all plain sailing and the darkened Black Metal riff-age and grating evil like vocals soon kick in once the intro track is out of the way! It has to be mentioned that the production values on this are sufficiently poor and shoddy that they could be labeled true Black Metal, but overall it's a decent release without tearing up trees with it's ferocity! [6]
http://www.myspace.com/astralluminous

DEPTHS OF DEPRAVITY - 'Insensible Extinct Mechanical World'
[Terranis]


So few bands in this day and age offer serious value for money, but not so in the case of Hungarian Technical Brutal Death and Grind outfit 'Depths Of Depravity' who at the end of their latest album, the blistering bleak sounding 'Insensible Extinct Mechanical World' offer not a bonus track, but an entire bonus album, that being the bands 2002 release 'Into The decay'. Superb!! Featuring three members of a previous re-incarnation, 'Brutal Masturbation', 'Depths Of Depravity' perform with an outright sickness that spreads like a rotting infected killings off the cells and life in all organisms it encounters until all that is left is a blackened puddle of feces and vileness. In places the death metal bludgeons its way through the grime with rolling riffs that would make 'Cannibal Corpse' shit their collective pants! Featuring enough hooks to remain somewhat catchy but at all times keeping up their break neck menacing pace, 'Depths Of Depravity' bring you two gore drenched brutal album for the price of one and they rip off your head and shit down your neck too, all part of the service!! [7]
http://www.myspace.com/depthsofdepravity

DIE IN FIRE - 'Inside'
[Unsigned]


'Inside' is the debut EP from Hungarian Black and Thrash metal act 'Die In Fire'. As it is a debut release I am inclined to be lenient and there is some grim shaded light at the end of this bands rather bleakened tunnel, but if they are to get anywhere the production levels on their music will have to be drastically altered as they give the vocals a stand alone quality that detaches it from the music. So poor is the sound on 'Inside' that the drums sound weak and the riffage, although at times quite catchy sound tinny and not very well executed. I'm sure as a band they have many things to offer but on the basis of what I have heard it is hard to hear! My only hope is that the band move out of their bedroom and basement and take things a little more seriously in future. [2]
http://www.myspace.com/dieinfireburns

DIRTY PASSION - 'Demo'
[Unsigned]


Next year I'm going for a much needed European break [because I'm very busy and vastly important don't you know] to the Danish city of 'Copenhagen', and whilst their I'm planning to road trip underneath the 'Baltic Sea' into 'Sweden' and south to the town of 'Malmo'. Whilst there i was wondering what I could get up too and now i know. I have to hit up this local rock band and see them play! 'Malmo's' 'Dirty Passion' are simplistic, groovy and all about the big time tunes and the melodic rock goodness. By no means the greatest thing to come out of 'Sweden', nevertheless they acquit themselves superbly and although only a two track demo, those tracks being 'Self Destructive' and 'Angel', you do get a real sense of potential and expectation from this very young four piece. Their tunes are easy on the ear and they sing from the heart, what more can you ask for? Plus from a band so young I'm sure they have a lot more lined up for us!! [6]
http://www.myspace.com/dirtypassionswe

GROTESK - 'Demonstration Of Grotesque Decay'
[Unsigned]

Oh dear me where should I begin exactly? I always approach my reviews in a positive light and I always try to find positives with all bands but blow me if Norwegian thrash metal band 'Grotesk' don't make it indescribably hard! 'Demonstration Of Grotesque Decay' is the follow up to an earlier rehearsal tape demo but on the strength of this showing I feel that this demo should not be proceeded by anything further. Let us start with the drumming which is out of sync with guitars and the bass, then there is the vocals that are out of tune and out of sync with the rest of the music, as well as being weak and crass as they attempt to be overly dark. Then you have the bands poor production and their total lack of imagination or inspiration when it comes to writing music. Yes this is one project that should have been left on the drawing board, yet instead they have released five tracks of pure irritating talentless noise pollution. [1]
http://www.myspace.com/groteskthrash

KRAKE - 'Demo 2008'
[Unsigned]


Hailing from the little known Norwegian town of 'Kopervik' comes Symphonic Black Metal made for those of ill will, pirates and blaspemers as well as those at one with nature. An odd mix? You don't know the half of it. With bands member names such as 'Godhate' and 'Gravecold' you might be mistaken into thinking here comes another Satanic Black Metal outfit but you'd be mostly wrong as 'Krake' focus more on nature. [Presumable the frost bitten winters in Norway whilst surrounded by pine trees] Now personally I find Black Metal in all it's forms somewhat of an acquired taste and too much can leave me dissillusioned but 'Krake' play with a real fluidity about them and they have clearly thought through everything they wish to achieve and as a result the end product is simply marvelous. [In a blackened evil kind of way of course] Recently I have had to listen to some real shit whilst filling the Inquisition pages so 'Krake' come as a some what needed and much appreciated pleasant break from all that and are a band I can see myself enjoying on many an occasion. As far as I am aware this is their debut demo but on this showing I hope the debut full length is in the making. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/krakelegion


LEPER LUPUS - 'Dead'
[Machinery]


If you can cast your mind back for just a moment to last months edition of The Evil Inquisition you may remember a small feature on Swedish Industrial Doom duo 'Leper Lupus' and their latest release 'Industrial Crust'. Now though I take you back even further to year 2007 and the bands inaugural demo simply entitled 'Dead'. Those of you by now well familiar with the work of The Inquisition will know that I previously described 'Leper Lupus' as a slightly odd concoction, almost lame at first appearance but packing so many raw qualities and dark melodies that they had blistering underground appeal. Well these traits appear to have been with them from the very dawn, the genesis of the band. Whilst some will look at this and think of the astoundingly bad vocals and the simplistic down tunes riff-age, all encased within a bubble of samples and sounds created to be different and warped, others will see past the pre conceived musical conditions laid out that makes set music appealing in set ways and will really enjoy the stripped down bluntness of the band and of 'Dead'. No this will never be on the front cover of 'Terrorizer' but it has a certain style and a great deal of hook buried deep beneath the static that makes 'Leper Lupus' a real surprise act! [7]
http://www.myspace.com/leperlupuspunk

MALACHI - 'Malachi'
[Halo Of Flies]


To kick off part two of The Inquisition's 'Halo Of Flies Records' double header is another 'Milwaukee' based doom band by the name of 'Malachi' and let me tell you as far as down tuned dramatic and heavy suspense building introductions go, this band has one of the very best you will hear! Whilst some bands take the softly softly approach to doom, some wither and dither about with fancy melodies, 'Malachi' and the bands self titled EP do away with all that nonsense and produce a direct style of venomous and aggressive doom that is both blisteringly vitriolic and superbly groovy! Seemingly in no hurry to rush through their repertoire, 'Malachi' take their time to create their fearsome sound with devastating end results. 'Milwaukee' is not a place where doom metal naturally springs into your mind when you see the name but with 'Protestant' and now the mighty 'Malachi' it may be time to turn that pre-conception around and take note. 'Malachi' come packing at all times, ready to oppress, to batter and to beat their audience into submission, and they do a thorough job!! [8]
http://www.myspace.com/malachimilwaukee