THE EVIL INQUISITION ISSUE 21

ETHEREAL FAUN - 'The Nightlitany'
[Unsigned]


Two folk bands in one week, that's rare, but after the Hungarian folk troop of Dalriada I am now confronted with the far easier to get into female fronted Italian folkists of 'Ethereal faun' and their brand spanking new album for 2009, 'The Nightlitany'. 'Ethereal Faun' possess everything that a conventional folk band should have, the mysterious and overly green artwork, the elven like image and the fantastic riffs intermingled with some soft acoustic melodies and harmonies all laid out beautifully and topped by some gorgeous Italian ladies amazing vocals, and some harsher backing vocals to give the album some grunt. Here is an album that while doesn't slam out at you as the greatest of the greatest, but steadily builds into a an album that is simply divine to listen too and seriously has no flaws. It won't be for everyone but for those who like their metal to be at one with nature, to have more harmony than hellish intentions and also likes it to flow and dance in to your ears, then 'Ethereal Faun' are prancing their way to you. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/etherealfaun

LURID TRACE - 'We Are The Hollow'
[Unsigned]


Lurid Trace are a the proverbial diamond in the rough. They have the production qualities of a young band making a start in life although this isn't quite the case as they do have a 2004 full length album in the bag as well as three other demo's before this one, and the vocal quality is slightly suspect, yet it all seems to come together superbly for this German thrash metal band who sound really rather good. Instead of following in the footsteps, or hanging to the coat tails of the normal German Thrash mould 'Lurid Trace' and their new demo 'We Are The Hollow' demonstrates a sound of their own, it's fast and catchy but has more than that, a quality i cannot really explain but believe me when I say its fantastic to listen too despite some amateurish qualities. It sticks to an old school heavy metal value and i like that but I get the impression that this band cal and will evolve, and I for one am looking forward to the next full length. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/luridtrace

STRUNG OUT - 'Prototypes And Painkillers'
[Fat Wreck Chords]


For those of you who are already a fan of Californian metallers 'Strung Out' then this is probably what you have waited for, for the last eighteen years. Twenty five tracks recorded throughout the bands career and includes previously unreleased demo's, compilation songs, covers and leftovers according to the rhetoric that accompanies the music, along with a description of each song inside this impressively packages release, so sit back, relax and enjoy. For those of you who are not familiar with the band and their long standing work, they are a punk rock fused metal band who play loud and fast. It is a lot more commercially viable than most of the bands that will feature on the pages of The Evil Inquisition but 'Prototypes And Painkillers' has some cool vocals, big riffs and a style that flows happily from song to song and will always make a decent listen! Some won't like this but more will and for the true fans of the band this will be a very welcome release. [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/strungout

EchO - 'Omnivoid'
[Unsigned]


'EchO' have evolved from a previous incarnation by the name of 'Echoes Of Perdition' and they like to play Doom! Now Italy isn't known for it's Doom Metal and here is a reason why. First off when the double kick drumming kicks in, which luckily isn't often it sounds detached and frankly awful. The next problem is that most of the time the music low and quiet, so quiet that you can't hear a damn thing that is going on. This though really is a shame because when the chorus kicks in on a song, 'EchO' sound magnificent! The volume increases, the melodies are superb and the overall Doom feeling is at its very best. the production really needs some work but this is the new bands first try and i think that if the technical glitches are worked out this is a band that could sound immense! [5]
http://www.myspace.com/echodoom

HISS OF ATROCITIES - 'Rituals Of The Lost'
[Unsigned]


If the short yet bleak intro track of 'Somnium' doesn't spell out to you that this band is intent on darkness then 'Ritual Of Aggression' that follows most certainly will. Yet somewhere deep within this 'Los Angeles' based melodic death metal bands repertoire comes a pronounced 'Fear Factory' like sound only minus the industrial interludes and undercurrents. In their places comes the gripping riffs and a great deal of intricacy as well as some genuine and soulful softer vocals that set the bands debut full length album 'Rituals Of The Lost' alive. There are times where the flow is lost as the Californian four piece try to re-invent their own stop start style, most noticeably so during 'Red' but this small down turn is lost as you marvel at this as yet unsigned bands professional sound and mind blowing artwork. At times 'Hiss Of Atrocities' are down right catchy yet at others they are aloof and distant as they plunder the depths of their collective minds for the most meaningful muses to set their work alight. One thing is clear though, it will not be long before these sun drenched metallers are snapped up on to a decent label. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/hissofatrocities

SUSPICIONA - 'An Inner War'
[Unsigned]


Listing themselves as a melodic Black & Death metal band does not really prepare you for the blistering assault that is to come from this 'Montpellier' based band. indeed whilst French raw Black metal is on the rise, I'll bet nobody saw this one coming. Melodic for example gives off the impression that this may be intertwined with some beautiful under currents and that the melody will some how weave its way ceremoniously through your speakers, and it does this rather well. That is when it isn't being battered into submission by the cruel vocals and the massive aggressive riffs and drumming. In all honesty and seriousness though 'Suspiciona' do get the mix just right and completed with superb artwork, 'An Inner War' is just that! A feud inside a CD case where warring factions of sound and style collide together in an apocalyptic fury to create this dark and ballistic Black Metal extravaganza. A great effort then from a band not content to follow the normal Black Metal route. Very commendable. [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/suspiciona

TRAUMA FIELD - 'Mercy'
[Unsigned]


All the way from Laapeenranta, Finland comes three tracks of death orientated Finnish Doom Metal. 'Trauma Field' are a very basic band, basic Myspace, basic page on Metal Archives and a band who information to bolster a decent review is very hard to come by. In the same vein the artwork is dark yet simplistic for 'Mercy' and it all adds an air of mystery to the proceedings. What you get musically is a rather poorly produced sound with clean soft interludes slotted in stop start around harsher growling doom like intervals. It is a poor mesh and vocally the softer parts are to put it modestly not very good. Indeed 'Trauma Field' take their simplistic leanings into their music and as an end result there is very little on offer. Whilst this approach works for many a Black Metal band, what 'Trauma Field' need to realise is that some effort does need to be put in. [3]
http://www.myspace.com/traumafield

WITCHES BREW - 'Pentagonicspeedfreaks'
[Bigmud]


I'm unacustomed to reviewing live material from a CD as you tend to lose a lot in the way of atmosphere by not actually being their first hand. However if 'Witches Brew' are anything to go by they probably put on quite a live performance. From the bands moniker and also the almost psychedelic album title of 'Pentagonicspeedfreaks' you know this is going to be loose living induced alcohol fueled guitar mania and 'Witches Brew' do not disappoint. With some wonderful individual drumming solos thrown in to the groove drenched stoner rock melee, it all works out to be quite a feast for those who like their rock just that little bit more laid back. Whilst there is nothing ground breaking or original on offer the overall ambiance and willingness to play to the crowd makes up for it ten fold. 'Witches Brew' are a good times rolling band and definitely know how to put on a good night. [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/theemirko

KRATERFACE - 'Rock 'n' Roll or Die'
[Transphonic]


Sun drenched Californian rock from the oddly named 'Kraterface' and their brand new full length release 'Rock 'n' Roll or Die'. Tapping into the old school ethic and format laid down by bands such as 'Kiss' and 'Guns 'n' Roses', 'Kraterface' have tried to create a good time feel whilst bringing nothing original to the table. With other noticeable influences such as 'AC/DC' it is pretty obvious that there is some hero worship at play here but if the tunes sound right you can dance all night, and luckily enough for these guys they do sound pretty funky. Indeed listen to 'It's A Hard Way Up' whilst not paying full attention and you'll be convinced the band are singing 'Highway To Hell'. There is no denying though this catchy band sing songs that are instantly in your head and on your lips and within seconds you'll be singing 'Its such a hard way up, but baby it's a long way down'. Right here then is an album for long nights where the beer is flowing, for long trips on the road, or for 'Supernatural' to use for Deans next compilation tape. Either way this one hell of a way to rock out!! [8]
http://www.myspace.com/kraterface

DOWNTIME - 'To Perish The Pantomime'
[Unsigned]


For those of you who follow the goings on here at the 'Evil Inquisition' you may already be familiar with this bands vocalist 'Dennis Hirth'. That's because last month I have the privilege of reviewing his other band 'My Cold Embrace'. This is one German though that just cannot get enough and so he's back with his deathcore outfit 'Downtime' and their debut full length album 'To Perish The Pantomime'. Straight away i have to say that this appeals directly to my current tastes. Like many a folk out there I go through phases and this release has caught me bang in the middle of a deathcore era. The rolling riffs, the almost satanic growling vocals and the sheer bruising quality of the general ambiance that could crush your soul after just a few chords. Yes 'Downtime' will be frowned on by the purists but if music is ever to evolve then styles and genres need to blend and mesh and the end result should always sound as good as this. 'Downtime' have taken a modern sound and turned it upside down with it's brutality and passionate aggression. 'To Perish The Pantomime' is a sledge hammer blow to conformity and a genuine slab of twenty first century heavy metal darkened chug goodness. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/downtimemetal