Metallian Heavy

Winnipeg-based thrash metal band DARK MESSIAH is touring Western Canada this month.

Denver, USA’ CRAFTEON has a video for What The Moon Brings in support of its demo Cosmic Reawakening, which is out on August 25th. The band is influenced by H.P. Lovecraft and compared to DISSECTION.

Tokyo-based death/thrash metal band SUPERBEAST has released a demo called A New Future.

Regina, Canada-based PLANET EATER has a demo called Blackness From The Stars.

Russia-based SAMADHISITARAM’s KaliYuga BABALON album is out through Sliptrick Records. The band’s style is djent.

Wormholedeath has issued Greece-based THE SHADELESS EMPEROR’s Ashbled Shores album.

Death/grind band BLURRING has a demo called Cloud Burner. The Rochester, New York-based group features bassist Dan Lilker from BRUTAL TRUTH, former BRUTAL TRUTH and KALIBAS multi-instrumentalist Erik Burke on drums. Guitarists Matt Colbert and Scott D’Agostino from KALIBAS also appear on Cloud Burner.

FORGED IN BLACK will be launching its new demo with a show at the Camden Underworld, in London, on September 2nd appearing as special guests to Canadian hard rockers, DIEMONDS.

SHADOWFLAG will be performing at the Carpathian Alliance festival in Ukraine. They will join the likes of SHINING, AURA NOIR, HORNA and HATE.

USA-based black metal band VALLE CRUCIS has a self-titled demo.

Yet another so-called style: the debut demo of The Netherlands-based band INFERUM is called Modern Massacre and will be released on August 18th. The band will have a release show at Patronaat Haarlem and will open for CRYPTOPSY. The band calls its music ‘mechanical death metal.’

Finland-based DEVIL CREATIONS has a demo called Hell’s Exit.

Russia-based doom/death metal band ABYSSPHERE has an album called Na Puti K Zabveniyu through Endless Desperation Productions.

EXODUS was rejoined by former guitarist Rick Hunolt and former singer Rob Dukes on stage for its July 8th concert in San Francisco, California. The band also played a show on the 7th albeit with its current line-up.

Denmark-based NECROSIS has a demo called Mythogenesis.

Black Tears has issued a covers’ CD of NECRODEATH songs. Bands like E-FORCE, SCHIZO and HORNHAMMER are participating. NECRODEATH has signed with Scarlet Records (for CDs) and Terror From Hell Records (for vinyl and tapes) for a new album of “unreleased songs”, which is due in 2018.

Thrash metal act TRALLERY’s Spirit On Stage will be released through Art Gates Records on July 21st.

Russia-based SamadhiSitaram’s album KaliYuga BABALON is out through Sliptrick Records. The band’s style is described as djent, math-metal and progressive.

The debut demo from Edmonton, Canada-based TIDES OF KHARON, Coins Upon Our Eyes, is out now.

The Netherlands-based JESUS CRÖST has an album called Die Tonmeisterei Sessions through Give Praise Records. The album features 71 tracks.

SATYRICON will release an album, called Deep Calleth Upon Deep, on September 22nd through Napalm Records. It was recorded in Canada and Norway.

BEHEMOTH has recruited former JOB FOR A COWBOY and SCORPION CHILD drummer Jon Rice for its current North American tour with SLAYER and LAMB OF GOD. Rice fills in for Inferno who is staying home as he becomes a father.

The Netherlands-based version of INFERNUM has a demo called Modern Massacre. The band is playing a show opening for CRYPTOPSY in August.

ROAD TO JERUSALEM is a new Denmark-based project featuring singer Josh Tyree, guitarist Michael Skovbakke (KONKHRA), bassist Andreas Holma (HYPOCRISY and SOILWORK) and drummer Per Møller Jensen (THE HAUNTED, INVOCATOR, KONKHRA, etc.). The band is recording a demo and as a song called behold in Now ready.

MORBID ANGEL has cancelled its European tour claiming a member has not a passport.

Former MAYHEM singer Sven Erik Kristiansen (a.k.a. Maniac) has brought back his old 1980s fanzine Damage Inc.

One-man Scotland-based death/grind band IN SNAKES I BATHE has a demo called In Snakes I Bathe this month.

France-based thrash metal band RIGHT TO THE VOID’s new EP Lūnātĭo will be released through Wormholedeath/The Orchard later this year. Lūnātĭo was mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson at The Grid in Montreal, Canada.

AGGRESSION, TOUCH THE SUN, GLADIUS SKY and TERRIFIER are among the bands playing at Metallion Festival at the Brookside Resort in Vanderhoof in Western Canada on August 11th and 12th. TERRIFIER had an album called Weapons Of Mass Destruction through Test your Metal Records in January. The festival’s website is at http://www.metallionfestival.com.

Jazzy and progressive thrash metal band EXPAIN is back this September with a demo called Pinching Nerves on September 15th. The band is playing shows in Alberta, Canada.

Canada-based metal band DEVOLIVER and newer singer Chris Brown have a new song called A Life lost. The band claims to have touring plans for 2017 and 2018.

The song Indoctrination has a video that is filmed at China’s Midi Fest last year when Canada-based THE ORDER OF CHAOS played there. The band’s latest album is called Apocalypse Moon and released through Killer Metal Records.

Jumping on the sales bandwagon Spain-based NOCTEM has put its name on a beer called A Cruce Salus. The band is touring Russia.

SACROSCUM’s full-length debut album Drugs & Death is out through Unholy Prophecies this autumn. The band is compared to CELTIC FROST.

USA-based death and black metal band WINDS OF LENG has a demo called Horrid Dominion.

Following its debut full-length Blessed He With Boils, XANTHOCHROID has a double-demo called Of Erthe And Axen. Released in two acts – Act I August 22nd, 2017 and Act II October 17th, 2017 through Erthe and Axen Records – Of Erthe and Axen is a prequel to the tales woven throughout the band’s earlier releases.

The death metal band SIEGE has a video for the song Mr. Skortikon off its Spirit Of Agony Pt.1: Nailed Torment demo.

Germany-based NECROTTED has a new album, Worldwide Warfare. It shall be released through Rising Nemesis Records in October.

Death and black metal band SATANIC has an album called Architecture Of Chaos. The band is based in Canada.

NORTHERN PLAGUE has a demo called Scorn the Idle.


Metallian Hard

Toronto-based CENTURIES OF DECAY has a self-titled demo out now. The band is compared to ENSLAVED, OPETH, GOJIRA and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD.

Heavy rock band BUTTERED BACON BISCUITS has an album called From The Solitary Woods on Jolly Rogers Records.

USA-based BLUDY GYRES has an album called Echoes Of A Distant Scream. The doom metal band’s record is out through Soman Records of France.

Brazil-based DORSAL ATLÂNTICA is mixing and mastering its new album Canudos, which is described as “a political and humanist work, a cry for help.” The band has moved away from metal and crossover and incorporated ethnic Brazilian and folk music.

THRESHOLD will release a new album, called Legends Of The Shires, on September 8th through Nuclear Blast.

FALLUJAH has lost founding member and singer Alex Hofmann. A replacement is being sought.

Former WASP drummer Stet Howland has joined METAL CHURCH.

ADRENALINE MOB was involved in an accident on Friday July 14th in Florida. ADRENALINE MOB bassist David Zablidowsk died and half a dozen others were injured. The band was in the midst of its We The People tour.

KHEMMIS has been licensed to Nuclear Blast Entertainment by 20 Buck Spin. The band is working on an album.

LYNCH MOB's new album, The Brotherhood, will be released on September 8th through Rat Pak Records. It is produced by Chris Collier who has worked with FLOTSAM & JETSAM in the past.

HEAVY PETTIN’, THE QUIREBOYS, SYTERIA and ROCK GODDESS have been added to 2017 line-up of WinterStorm in Troon, Scotland happening in November. The bands join the likes of DARE, PRAYING MANTIS and TYGERS OF PAN TANG.

Sweden-based COLDSPELL is back with a new demo called A New World Arise. Tommy Hansen mixed it. Chris Goldsmith is now on bass.

DEEP PURPLE, which is touring North America with ALICE COOPER, has three anthologies called A Fire In The Sky available through Rhino this November. The discs will also be available as one package.

Tehran, Iran-based band HETEROCHROME has a demo called Melancholia. The band’s music is described as “progressive metal.”

Vinnie Moore, who is currently in UFO, and Gus G. will tour the USA together in November and December.

Russia-based DESCENERY has a demo called Stillborn Monolith. The release features multiple guests like Dan Swano.

JACKYL is commemorating its anniversary with a compilation called 25 through Mighty Loud Records.

British hard rock band WRAITH shall release its Revelation album on August 4th through Ice Rain Records. The album is produced and mixed by Neil Kernon and mastered by Andy Sneap.

CHILDREN OF BODOM will tour North America with CARACH ANGREN, LOST SOCIETY, UNCURED this autumn.

Solo act DEADCASE has its debut demo For The Violent out now.

Inspired by KEEL? MENTORS has released a new demo entitled The Illuminaughty. With former singer and drummer El Duce dead since 1997 the band now features El Chapo on drums.

Canada-based hard rock band KOBRA AND THE LOTUS has issued an album called Prevail through Napalm Records.

PRONG bassist Mike Longworth has left the band’s European tour due to, what the band claims is, a family emergency. Not missing a beat the band has hired former bassist Jason Christopher back. The band’s new album is called Zero Days and out now through SPV.

Yet another project. Singer Tim Owens, guitarist Chris Caffery, bassist Steve DiGiorgio and drummer Mark Zonder have a new project called SPIRITS OF FIRE. The band has signed with Frontiers Music. Roy Z is producing an album.

Y&T guitarist John Nymann was not with the band at the Ramblin' Man Fair and Rock & Blues Custom Show in the UK after being declared very ill. The band proceeded with the shows nonetheless and expressed confidence that the members will be back in Europe in the autumn.

Iranian-American thrash metal band TARANTIST is back with a demo called Not A Crime, this time incorporating Iranian instruments and singing in Persian.


Metallian Demos

THE APEX – UNDERBELLY
The three tracks on the Underbelly EP are one hell of a threat. The band is loud, crushing and has guitars that sound like the audiofication of cutting with a chainsaw. The singer Darren Marchand sounds like the old Kataklysm singer Sylvain at times. That is a huge compliment although Marchand does not hold sway and keeps his bellowing to short phrases. According to the group’s biography, the singer suffers from Neurogenic Stammering, which means he cannot control his mouth and speak as most do! Both Scabs And Sheep and the title track sound huge when they get going. Paid In Exposure hints at Man Must Die – another great reference. The Apex gives us only three tracks here, but what great three tracks. It is too bad that the group is compared to Candiria and The Dillinger Escape Plan only because it has a lot more to offer. – Ali “The Metallian”

DOWNCAST COLLISION – RISE UP
Downcast Collision reminds one of X-Tinxion even before I became aware that the two bands are connected. The two bands’ music arrived at Metallian Towers courtesy of the same publicity service, but it was the group’s nod to Arch Enemy and the melodic extreme metal, presence of female vocals that are doubled up – and veer into clean vocals - that tips one off. With all of that said, the two bands really do share quite a few qualities. Angela Gossow and singer Monica “Demonica” Janssen may sound of the same kin, but Downcast Collision is less dynamic and lead guitar oriented than the Swedish gang. Monica has also picked up the bass here, which was not the case with X-Tinxion. Traces of Bay Area thrash metal, traditional heavy metal are everywhere amidst the odd very effective riff like the one that kicks off Spin Doctor. The drumming follows the pattern of a follower, but then again is quite effective as heard on The Seventh Day. Photonic steals a Rush riff, thrashes it up and does not even realize it. Bombs Away’s intro is off The New Order. However, there is no outright cloning on Rise Up.
The band is quite tight and well-rehearsed, but, as mentioned, needs a couple of more memorable moments and leads. Just get more and longer leads onto your album. The one on Bombs Away is a prime example that the band can do it and should do it longer. One last thing: look at the band’s inner jacket photo. Is it I or is everyone trying to stop the photographer from taking the picture? Find the band at http://www.downcastcollision.nl. - Ali “The Metallian”