HERUKA - LEGGENDA
Heruka would normally be easy to dismiss. The band uses keyboards and a drum machine and would naturally belong to the famed ' poser' category. In actuality, the Italian band has a couple of distinct factors working for it. Past the dark cover artwork and peculiar logo, the band has created a fantasy story which runs through the Italian lyrics. The shrieking and raging vocals spew fantastic stories at high speed like Dissection on a song like Monrgh: Le Due Spade. The band has gone one step further and added a number of interesting diagrams, sketches and maps inside which add to the atmosphere and narration. These might be worth investigating for fans whose mother tongue is Italian. There is some merit in the band's raging evil; alas they have chosen to copy Cradle Of Filth and gone overboard. For more information email heruka@email.ir and visit www.heruka.it. - Anna Tergel

EVE'S DOWNFALL - same
Known for reigning terror upon the Los Angeles area, California’s own trio Eve’s Downfall strikes aggressive song material mixed with melodic death metal touches and bestows pure rage with its current self-titled demo release. Consisting of three hard driven songs one might say Eve’s Downfall has a refreshed life musically bringing a new style of musical compositions per say. Lead vocalist/guitarist Myssi Sauder shrills to new extremities in variation of growls, screams and guitar work mastery. She compiles innovated ideals which pushes the levels of a group of this caliber. Following in the creative process the rest of the band adds gusto and energy giving Myssi a backbone of concentrated metal music support with hard hitting bass lines to pounding thrash style drumming. Not bad if you ask me! Highlight of the demo is the clean vocal usage in connection with Myssi’s doom metal screams on track You Will Never Win showing a unique counterpart sound next to the music adding substance to a well-formatted piece. Along with the rest of the CD Sewer Rat and Broken Arm are well-structured songs giving the listener a taste of what this band is made of. Overall this group engulfs an impressively new kind of metal music that cannot be described. Downfall would have to be the quality of recording, but asides that the music wages a new frontier all its own. (www.evesdownfall.com) - Jussi

MINDBLIZZ - PROMO 2005
Boy, this might be a case of a band begging for a name change, but the Swedish four-piece of Björn Rådström, Peter Nilsson, Anders Ström and Peppo (the last guy is Swedish for sure) probably don't give a fig. The music screams early '70s and sounds as if it comes from the Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath school of demo tapes. The vocalist hits those Ozzy-esque notes and, while occasionally straining, adds atmosphere to the songs. The other instrumentalist worth mentioning is Björn and his cracking bass guitar. Song number five, entitled Flowers, brings quite a bit of early Rush influences to the fore which coupled with the occasional early Scorpions styling firmly anchors the band in its chosen decade. This type of thing does not come around too often so if you like the sounds of it email mindblizz6@hotmail.com or visit www.mindblizz.com. - Anna Tergel

FOGCRAWLER - WELCOME TO YOUR SUFFERING
I enjoyed moshing to Fogcrawler despite the cliche demo title and a sound that strongly suggests overt influences from Suffocation and Dying Fetus. It is true, Fogcrawler begins with a backward sample a la Morbid Angel and plays real and pure death metal with an emphasis on the mid-pace and heavy riffs. The vocals are both growly (mostly) and screamy and the guitar sound sharp as the edge of a brand new machete. The four guys do speed up which is good, for they sound really good at high speeds. They should do it more often and while at it incorporate more guitar solos. That is probably something that will come as the band improves its technical ability. They also need some sort of an image. The same old four guys standing there looking like nobodies is just not good enough. Come on, guys. Make an effort!
Excluding the occasional dreamy instrumental, this is slamming, grinding, crushing death metal with no hint of the more trendy influences. Get hold of the band by writing to fogcrawler@fogcrawler.com or visit www.fogcrawler.com! - Anna Tergel

HELLWRATH - ANGER WORDS
The band that Italy's Hellwrath is most comparable to is the old Nuclear Blast death/thrash entity, Revenant. The mix of gruff vocals, subdued compositions and tight angling for something extreme is reminiscent of that band, plus elements from Death. The guitars aim for technicality and variation, the drummer does not follow the other members and the singer feigns a weak growl of sorts, but the sound is rather unsound. There are only three songs here, Hellwrath, Peaceless and Anger Words, but the CD has a total running time of over 18 minutes. The band is promoted through the Necrotorture Agency and can be contacted itself through doppia_k_2000@yahoo.it. - Ali "The Metallian"

APOSTHATE - FIRST BORN EVIL
Firstly, those are two hot hunks on the cover of the demo. Secondly, despite the quintet's looks and poseur T-shirts of Danzig (the has-been rock star) and Mayhem (wimped out jokers) the band is a serious death metal act. Thirdly, the band might claim to be signed to a TAF Production, but knowing that the members' other band is called Thy Anthem Fades really explains it all.
The band delivers eight tracks of grim and dark death metal with gruff vocals, daring guitar moves and a drummer who speeds up and slows down but not on purpose. The emphasis is on speed and a dark attitude as song titles like Christfall [Putrefaction Of Life], Shade Of Noir and Freezing Womb Of Pain indicate.
This is a real underground demonpiece with a sound to match from, fourth, a new band with a clever monicker. necroagency@libero.it can help you with this band. - Anna Tergel

HATEFORM - same
Hateform is a young Finnish band - but don't stop reading - formed by former Morbid Dream members that veritably plays real death metal. Not only is the band for real in a sea of Finnish poseurs, but the well-crafted songs are amazing for a band that was just born a year ago! Influences from Amon Amarth, Slayer and early Death mix and match with a rhythmic base and a favourable snare sound. The Slayer riffs are a little too obvious at this point, yet Hateform has what it takes to become a serious deathrashing force on the metal scene if this is what they could come up with only a year after forming. Moreover, the band needs to increase its solos. What they have here shows they know how to go about it. Write to jontte@wchmetal.net or visit www.hateform.net for information. - Anna Tergel

G.L.A.S. - 18
Boy, oh boy where to start and what to say? Guys, I am really sorry, but there is no way one can recommend this. Between the weak music and sub-standard sound, a singer who according to a friend who was with me listening to this "makes the music sound good!" and does a really really bad impression of Poison's Bret Michaels and an unceremoniously unannounced and uncredited Iron Maiden rip off on the song The Sweet Sound Of The Hard Falling Rain this band has a seriously long way to go to before respectability. The band's next demo might be a one-hundred percent improvement and still be rubbish. Even the band's image seriously lacks some beautiful long hair. Come on guys, throw me a bone. You have been at it for 20 years! www.glasweb.it. - Sheila Wes Det