THE EVIL INQUISITION ISSUE 28

L'ESPRIT DU CLAN - 'Chapter IV: L'Enfer C'est Le Notre'
[Enrage]


As you can probably tell from the album name 'Chapter IV: L'Enfer C'est le Notre' this is French Metalcore band L'Esprit Du Clan's fourth full length album release. So what you may ask do you get from this band other than unreadable un pronouncable names? Well first and fore most you get trigger happy riff-age, deep melodies and a heaviness tinged with modern sounding styles that flows effortlessly but to utterly devastating effects. L'Esprit Du Clan are excellent in every way, from the sheer intensity they execute their music with, to the machine gun guitar style, through the powerful venomous vocals and the awesome drumming. The puritans and elitists out there will hate this French band with a passion, or at least pretend to, then sneak off to their rooms to listen on their headphones, but the rest of us are free to enjoy this. 'Chpater IV' is breathe taking and makes me hunger for number V. [8.5]
http://www.myspace.com/lespritduclan

DISEASE WITHIN - 'Disease Within'
[Unsigned]


From the heart of Maryland in the US comes hardcore fused Metal in the shape of Disease Within and their self titled release. The intro track is a spoken word demolition, a slam at our society and all that is wrong with the way we live. Killing people who are not like us, slipping back in to our animal state. I think they have summed things up very succinctly. Disease Within is a much needed social commentary on everything on this planet that should be eradicated, as Bill Hicks said, this is why I pray every day for NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST!! Sadly though guys to have a message as worthwhile as yours you need the music to back it up. the production makes the music barely audible and what you can hear is bloody awful, from the sub standard riffs to the dire vocals. So much potential here, but no talent to back it up. [2]
http://www.myspace.com/diseasewithin

MASS OBLITERATION - 'Fratricide'
[Unsigned]


With talk of religion, politics and the world that spawned us, Death Metal band from the Italian capital of Rome, Mass Obliteration are here with their new release 'Fraticide' [How i hope that means to kill fraternity people] Well with this sporadic intensified style they may kill the Frat assholes and more. Mass Obliteration are not just a funky name intent on sounding bad ass, their musical style is to deceive, dominate and then rip your soul and body to shreds. The Italians are really upping their game these days when it comes to the extreme metal spectrum, and just like the 80's zombie films with the badly dubbed production and the intense gore, they seem to be getting more and more brutal and vicious as time goes on. Mass Obliteration are no exception and whats even better is that unlike some, they have the undoubtable quality to back up their style. 'Fratricide' is a chunk of bestial apocalypse that should be invading your ears right now [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/massobliteration

SYMBOLYC - 'Engraved Flesh'
[Unsigned]


Carrying on the Italian Death Metal theme we have Symbolyc and their warped human insanity orientated release 'Engraved Flesh'. Like what i have already featured, Symbolyc come armed with a fast brutal pace that carries with it a great deal of churning intensity, malice and in places out right evil. Rather than thrashing out track after track on none stop fast and furious riff-age, this band have sat back and created a much more slowed down and grinding sound which increases the oppressiveness of their music and gives them a constantly ominous appeal. Thrown in some old school intricate solos on top of the harsh gravel like vocals, intense unrelenting double kick drumming and the sturdy beefed up riff-age and what you have is a Death Metal band with a hint of melody and a smash and grab amount of sledge hammer Death Metal prowess. 'Engraved Flesh' is not for the weak of heart, but for the lover of meaty grime covered metal. [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/symbolyc

PREACH - 'Melt To Sand'
[Unsigned]


This Swedish Melodic Death Metal five piece have returned with 'Melt To Sand' which to date is the bands second demo. The first thing you will note is that this band has an VERY Scandinavian sound. Enter In Flames, Soilwork or The Haunted quip here!! Actually if we are going to be overly specific, welcome the new Children Of Bodom. They sound decent, musicianship is of a good standard, great melodies and some hard vocals, but all the way through you cannot shake that thought inside your head that says, have these guys just found a rare and unreleased Children Of Bodom release and sent it out as their own? 'Melt To Sand' is a weird name too, but it has it's charms and the music does flow well and sounds good but there is sounding like your influences and then ripping off their sound entirely, and the latter is what Preach have chosen and sadly it loses them a lot of credibility. [5]
http://www.myspace.com/preachswe

THE NIHILISTIC FRONT - 'The Four Seasons In Misery'
[Unsigned]


I always have time for some crushing Death Doom, so from the sunny shores of the soon to be bleakened sands of Australia comes two piece The Nihilistic Front and their debut release 'The Four Seasons In Misery'. I have been looking forward to listening to this one, simply due tot he great name and black grim artwork, simplistic in it's style but very effective. Death Doom is a true art form and one of my favorites and The Nihilistic Front know just how to lay it down. Slow in their approach, they give off the most frightening deadly ominous vibes, killer in feel and brutal in nature. 'The Four Seasons In Misery' will take your mind and soul, rip it to shreds and change who you are. The darkness it creates can only be described as a black void of despair and angst. There are very few bands out there than can make a sound that equals to the intensity and horror of this, but The Nihilistic Front know good Doom and they know just how to make it. Long may this festering pit of death continue. [9]
http://www.myspace.com/nihilisticfront

CASTRUM - 'Phenominonsense'
[Bloodbucket]


With a career of darkness spanning over the last thirteen years, Castrum have now unleashed up on us their third full length album by the name of 'Phenominonsense'. They play with some old school Thrash values from start to finish, but underneath that there is a lot of melody and intricate solos to give their music more depth and variety. Most of the time though it is a straight up Thrash assault on your senses. I have to say I'm not massively feeling Castrum or their new album 'Phenominonsense' and i think it is because for all the good musicianship there is no originality and a lack of adrenaline fueled intensity that I like to see and hear from a band of this type. Always there is the notion that something is being held back or that something could have been included, plus the vocals are not a very strong element of Castrum's sound and the drumming is generic and boring. I've heard a lot worse though and Castrum do have their good points, check them out to see if you like. [5]
http://www.myspace.com/castrum

WARATTAH - 'Distorsion'
[Unsigned]


To date their only release, 'Distorsion' comes from Warattah, a French Power and Thrash Metal four piece. I got the Power Metal part from Metal Archives but frankly I do not see where the Power Metal side fits in with what I am hearing. Warattah are gravelly, aggressive and full throttle, no clean vocals in sight and no cheese factor to go with it. If I had to liken them to anyone it would be Meshuggah or Textures, with their stop start sound and their overly technical methodical approach and style. For me this release lacks a lot in the way of flow and for those used to my reviews you'll know I like that, but take nothing from this French brigade of Metal fanatics, they know their stuff and their music is punchy and riddled with hooks if you can persevere with them. 'Distorsion' is an apt title as they do have a distorted kind of sound and if you are up for getting to grips with some spontaneous unrelenting Metal, these guys are up your street. [7]
http://www.myspace.com/warattah

AGGRESSION - 'Thrashing Your Brain'
[Xtreem]


So on to another band who count this as their sole release, Spanish Thrash four piece Aggression have literally unleashed upon us the violence of 'Thrashing Your Brain'. sadly though a slightly less than adequate production quality and a lets all sound like Slayer hand book is not the best way to make an impression. Vocally this band are painful to listen too and overall the music is below average and excessively cliched. This is 80's Thrash Metal through a band who have no concept on how to make it properly and therefore have just tried to re-create everything that has already gone before, but for that they need to sharpen up their skills and dramatically improve their song writing, because while this does have a catchy moment or two, it fades from the memory as soon as you turn it off, never to be re-visited. [2]
http://www.myspace.com/aggressionband

MORGIRION - 'Morgirion'
[Unsigned]


Hailing from Connetticutt in the US comes this fantasy obsessed Black and Death Metal four piece and their self titled EP. What you will notice instantly is deep savagery with which this band conducts itself and produces it's music, and while the production values are way off Parr it doesn't stop you understanding the full viciousness that Morgirion can inflict upon you. Vocally they are pure Satan, malicious and wrought with ill intent. Musically although some what hampered by the production quality you do get a sense of utter carnage and unbridled hostility from the muffled sounding riff-age and fast sporadic drumming. I hope that one day this band gets together the currency to do a decent recording because this one seriously lets them down, but underneath it all is the potential to destroy all comers and in the future you may very well see or hear this band sounding sharp and crisp, and it will devastate you. [6.5]
http://www.myspace.com/morgirion