THE EVIL INQUISITION ISSUE 24

AIMA - 'Zeta Landscape'
[Unsigned]


To start off this issue I have the pleasure of reviewing female fronted Italian experimental metal band 'Aima' and their brand new release 'Zeta Landscape'. Everything fits really well with these sun soaked metallers. Vocally beautiful but with a raw savage passion running through it when needed, the riff-age is catchy and unpredictable, sporadic for the most part but then able to conform for some neck killing head banging moments. Bass and drum play is stocky and solid and backs up the rest of the band well to give off a feeling of total cohesion and unity between all parties. If 'textures' lightened up their sound and got a rather attractive lady on their vocals this very well could be the end result. At times there are melodic undertones that would be at home in the original 'Dawn Of The Dead' and it is that bizarre nature that gives 'Zeta Landscape' such an appeal, a fresh variety of play that keeps things constantly interesting. 'Aima' strike me as a band who are methodical in approach and style and it works superbly. 'Zeta Landscape' is a fine piece of music good enough to adorn many a collection. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/aimaband

ORIGIN HELL - Still More Suffering'
[Grave New World]


Starting out in 2002 as a covers band, 'Origin Hell' have since moved on to become a genuine band in their own right and have now released this, 'Still More Suffering' from way back in 2006. As the album title suggests 'Origin Hell' don't hold back when it comes to subject matter and once the tap starts to pour this French Death and Thrash band will never stop, especially when on the subjects of why religion should be banned, violence, death and war. Having said that if religion was outlawed what would all these bands have to hit out at? 'Still More Suffering' has a great rolling riff catchy motif going on and strikes a great balance between the Death Metal and the Thrash. Indeed 'Origin Hell' keep just to the right side of mainstream so as to be heavy and keep their integrity but also remain close enough to the line so that they can appeal to a bigger audience and stay intriguing to all. 'Still More Suffering' is a Death Thrash arrow to the heart straight from the depths of 'France' but soon they will be being heard worldwide. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/originhell

1 INCH BULLET - 'Epidemic'
[Unsigned]


A German band with a gas masked covered figure, is that such a good idea? It certainly adds a strange comedy value if your as sick as I am. Still putting all the war puns aside this German hardcore fused Death Metal band by the name of '1 Inch Bullet' have unleashed into the populous 'Epidemic' their brand new full length album. Packing enough dark and sinister vocals to keep ten metal bands content, '1 Inch Bullet' proceed with their slightly catchy groove laden riff-age but really fail to make real in roads when it comes to being particularly brutal or severe. Indeed the guitar play is rather basic as is the drumming and whilst not a bad band they really do fail to inject a certain spark in to their play. As the album rolls onwards on its almost lethargic pace there are some pretty decent machine gun fire drum intervals with riffs to match but overall I'd say '1 Inch Bullet' and 'Epidemic' are no more and no worse than ordinary. [6]
http://www.myspace.com/1inchbullet

SOURCES - '1000 Nails'
[Unsigned]


From the hills of 'Bavaria' comes one man sludge doom project 'Sources' and a four track demo entitled '1000 Nails' 'Sources' has a very basic feel to it's appearance, the artwork plain but relevant to the music and style, and the music itself has a very one man band recorded at home feel but do not take this as a bad thing. Vocally very strange but fitting well with the sounds around it, '1000 Nails' grind along quickly with music that takes deliberation and thought in order to be convinced by. Indeed friendly and welcoming this is not and the just short of blistering wall of sound sent forth is very appealing in a morbid kind of way. In the end whilst not the most professional sounding demo in the world this does hold a lot of promise and 'Sources' I'm sure will be back with more of a music feast, but in the mean time spend twenty minutes with this release and i think you'll enjoy. [6.5]
http://www.myspace.com/sourcesproject

FLAGELLATION - 'Incinerate Disintegrate'
[Last]


It has been publicised a lot recently that the Swedish Death Metal scene is making a long awaited come back and on that note I introduce 'Flagellation' and their 2007 EP 'Incinerate Disintegrate'. Featuring 'Marcus Jonsson' on drums from increasingly popular 'Bloodshed' as well as three members of 'In Grey', 'Flagellation' have a long and distinguished Metal career behind them and they use this to good effect for this release. The drumming is trigger happy tight, the riff-age is machine gun like in its constant dominating approach and the vocals are in your face and gravel packed. There are elements of this band and their sound that just scream out Scandinavian extreme Metal at you but I sense it is quite deliberate from this 'Stockholm' sextet. 'incinerate Disintegrate' is a molten hot slab of thunderous Death Metal served with added malice and hatred and topped off with cruel adrenaline fueled animosity. To be any other way would surely just be foolish. [7]
http://www.myspace.com/flagellationswe

IN MALICE'S WAKE - 'Eternal Nightfall'
[Unsigned]


What ever happened to the days of straight up Thrash? Nowadays bands seem to have to cross breed Thrash with hardcore, Death Metal, anything just to try and make it their own. The problem is it isn't their own as thousands of other bands all over the world are doing the exact same thing. This is why i like 'Melbourne' based 'In Malice's Wake'. These Aussie metallers play straight up Thrash with no twists, just brutal riff-age, harsh vocals and speed metal ethic of play it loud, live it up and play quickly. It's dangerous, it's old school and it's how it should be. In fact my only small minute criticism is the name, slightly slanty haired if you ask me but the music is genuinely kick ass so I'm going to let it slide. Only kidding around, this band are seriously talented and they have the right philosophy about them too. Thrash never died, but young bands of today over look just how good it is to swirl your hair at break neck speeds like bands like 'Evile' do their thing, and 'In Malice's Wake' are from the same crop. 'Eternal Nightfall' is a cliched name for a cliched genre and I love it all! [8]
http://www.myspace.com/inmaliceswake

FUTILITY - 'Futility'
[Unsigned]


Canberra based Death Doom Metal crew 'Futility' have harnessed all the negative energy around them, all the bleak thoughts, wrong doings and malicious intent and channeled it into this, their self titled debut full length album of black Doom goodness. No word of a lie this band has everything you would ever want from a death orientated Doom outfit, the slow oppressive riffs that cast darkness all around you as you listen, the vocals deep and lumbering, booming in all the right places and hostile to the very core. The drumming is simplistic as it needs to be but ever so effective in creating just the right atmosphere for such a heavy band shrouded as they are in a deep bowels of misery like veil. At times it is all very early 'Anathema' and I love this. Ambient undertones give the band that brilliant level of frosty vitriol needed to make this in to a superb Doom album. I can think of nothing at all wrong with this release and the excellently named 'Futility' can only get better from here. The mood is black, the point is futile. [9]
http://www.myspace.com/futilitycanberra

**GRINDCORE - INSOMNIA ISTERICA SPECIAL**
+ Fleischwald [Ita] Behind The Mirror [Swi] Vomitous Discharge [Ger] Eternal Mystery [USA]



So to kick off this extraordinary grindcore massacre extravaganza comes Italian Grind bastards FLEISCHWALD with twenty four short but deadly grind anthems. Holy fuck I looked at the tennis I have on mute on the other screen looked back and I was four tracks in, rapid fire grind at it's catchiest and hook filled best then. Indeed what this band brings to the table is songs long enough to be entertaining but short enough not to drag and become dull. Their style is fast furious aggression meets bulldozer to the face, this is skull crushing intensity played by a band who know what the fuck they are doing. Swiss band INSOMNIA ISTERICA are the main band of this review and they kick in at track twenty five with an intro that sounds distinctly Italian but what do I know? Actually second thoughts I think it's French. On to the music then and what these Swiss grind fanatics bring is an even more pig squealing intense sound and a more fast and frantic attitude that dominates from the get go and destroys all it comes into contact with. Although they only have seven songs on this release they make up for it by being so utterly brutal and not once do they let off the pace. This band represents one hundred per cent unrelenting Grind madness. BEHIND THE MIRROR take up the last four tracks and are a fellow Swiss grind band. Here the pace is turned down a few notches but the intensity and heaviness is cranked right up as you would expect. It has to be said that this band is no where near as good and often the flow is lost as they try to cram too much in to their short slot, but all in all this is fury for the simple sake of fury and you can't argue with that. [7]

So on to part two of this feature and it is once again INSOMNIA ISTERICA that are featured, this time opening the release with another new seven tracks. It does have a far more cluttered feel to it than the last one but the same intensity and direct in your face hatred still stands. There is something about the vocals for this band that screams of an inner vile nature that just loves it's existence and will stop at nothing from churning out vitriol to anyone close enough to listen, and that's an element I love, but musically this band not as flowing or pronounced as the previous release. VOMITOUS DISCHARGE from Germany join them on this release with the last ten songs and bring to this putrid grind party a style similar to bashing your head into a wall over and over again. The drumming just bombards your mind and the vocals sound like a zombie trying to fuck, its brilliant, its Gorey and totally rotten. Overall it is thunderous booming grind of a carnal devouring nature and it does out play our Swiss friends on this particular release. [6.5]

I finish this grindcore special with a US grind act by the name of ETERNAL MYSTERY and of course our Swiss friends INSOMNIA ISTERICA. ETERNAL MYSTERY play loud, fast and sporadically with the vocals very pronounced on top of the actual music due to poor production. Speaking of the vocals they sound strained and painful, coming straight from the very depths of the stomach and packing enough gore and blood to convert a whole Romero convention to the ways and means of the Grind ethic. It's not great and it's certainly not pretty but this is horrific grind and it sets out to destroy and that's what it does. So for the final time we move on to INSOMNIA ISTERICA and a whole new seven songs to treat you too. This time around they don't sound as cluttered and rushed but the have risen in the brutality stakes. It still doesn't come across as good as the initial release but damn these guys make sick violent grind!! [6]

http://www.myspace.com/xinsomniaxistericax
http://www.myspace.com/fleischwaldgrindcore
http://www.myspace.com/behindthemirrorhc
http://www.myspace.com/vomitousdischarge
http://www.myspace.com/eternalmystery777