Aealo - Rotting Christ is back to stay!

Greetings Legions,

Since I still have not been able to keep up with Daylight Savings Time this year, here I am at 4:00am trying to use my time on more interesting business like listening to the new Rotting Christ album,  Aealo, released about a month ago through Season of Mist.

  I was actually quite excited to listen to this album once it came out, given that the band had remained relatively inactive since 2007. I had the chance to see them in concert at the Annex Wreckroom back in 2009, where they put on a tremendous show. I got to hear some great tunes, such as King of Stellar War and In Domine Sathana, among others. Very secretly, I was hoping that they would play You My Flesh but, of course, that didn't happen. Nevertheless, they made up for it and I had a great time (except for the major bruise I got on my leg as a result of some stupid groupie's impulse to start a moshpit where some 200lb man was pushed onto me, and caused me to hit my leg against the stage. No hard feelings Mofo...).

Back to Aealo. I have only listened to the album twice and, so far, I am quite pleased with the end result. Aealo brings forward a new and improved Rotting Christ, without overshadowing their past work but not re-doing Theogonia. It pleases me to say that the wait was worth while. This album makes a great addition to their musical career and what I like the most about it is that signature Sakis' Touch, which incorporates some interesting elements, such as female voices,  just at the right time. That is one of the reasons why I can't never get tired of listening to this band. Sakis Tolis knows what he is doing and does it right and for that he will always have my deepest admiration. One can tell that some serious thought process was put into the production of each and every one of the songs. 

I am really digging the transition between songs; it almost feels like a musical journey! The riffs are aggressive enough to preserve that unmistakable Black Metal sound and yet the band does a great job at preserving that Melodic aspect that characterizes them.  Hats off to this Greek Legend and their outstanding work. On that note, I highly recommend this album.

For all Toronto fans (and Metal lovers), Rotting Christ will be playing at the Mod Club alongside with some great bands, such as Polish Metal legend Hate, Phoenix's Black Metal band Abigail Williams,  Israeli's Black Metal sensation Melechesh, and American Technical Death Metal band Lecherous Nocturne. Hope to see y'all there!




-Stay Metal-
MM Dre dnklschwrz MMXI

Medecophobic - A Taste of Extreme Brutal Death Metal

Greetings  Legions,

On such an awful day like today (freezing rain + unpleasant visceral sensations that have lasted for over two days) I thought it would be a wicked idea to set my ears fee into the violent realm of Brutal Death Metal.  This time (like many other times), the universe was on my side, and I came across an interview that made me curious about the recent album released by Medecophobic; a German sensation that is starting to make a tremendous presence in the world of BDM. 


Sometime in September 2009, I had the pleasure to meet Erinc, the guitarist and front man of the band, while he was visiting the city of Toronto. I even had the honor to have him as my show's co-host a few times, where he blew the audience away with the RAWEST-most-visceral-sounds emanating from various places around the globe. He introduced me to some great bands, such as Putridity,  Angelcorpse, Avulsed,  Copremesis, Defeated Sanity, Devourment, and Vomitory,   among others. As a token of appreciation, I introduced him to Poutine and that made the world a better place ^.^


He mentioned how his band was planning on releasing an album sometime soon, but had come across various technical difficulties (one word: Oceano. He knows what I am talking about...) so the process was slightly delayed. Then, after a year and some months past. La voilà: Pandemic of Existence came to life for the enjoyment of the public and to delight a very selective audience.
My expression that describes this album: RAW-AS-FUCK! I am certain that Erinc will be pleased with this description. 


When it comes to Brutal Death Metal, I am probably not the most appropriate person to give you an accurate opinion about whether or not an album is really great or is simply noise. Its audience is very selective and a good connoisseur of BDM will be able to tell you in depth the difference between a band an another, their strengths/weaknesses, their lack of experience, how talented they are, or whatever other question you may have. I am definitely not an expert in the area, as my perspective on this genre is more along the lines of: I find something, I listen to it and then I either hate it or like it, period. When the band's material is incredibly unique, then I can get in depth about why I think they are better/worse etc. When it comes to Pandemic of Existence, I feel like the most appropriate thing to do would be to make an incision in my forehead, take out my brains and cook them with scrambled eggs. It is BRUTAL, I will tell you that much, but for the sake of impartiality I will let you draw your own conclusions.
   




To Erinc and all the guys in Medecophobic, Brutal greetings from the other side of the pond and my most sincere wishes  on the success of your band. I look forward to hearing tons more from you.


-Stay Metal-
MM - Dre dnklschwrz MMXI

Indigenous rhythms meet the epicness of Metal - Guahaihoque

Greetings legions,

After going M.I.A for about two months, I feel it is absolutely necessary to make a short entrance with a huge BAM! On that note, here is a rather different pick. Enjoy :)

It had been my intention, for a while already, to highlight the work of this band, given that their musical accomplishments are larger than life! They bring a unique and fresh contribution into the Metal scene and I would even dare to say that no other band has quite managed to fuse indigenous rhythms and Death Metal the way this band has. Their name is Guahahioque and they are from Cali, Colombia.

The first time I came across this band was sometime in 2007, after the release of their album The Return of the Ancient Gods, which completely blew me away just after listening to the first track of the album, Revelations.  My first reaction to this track was probably along the lines of: "Zampoña (pan flute, that is) and Metal, Major WTF!". Nevertheless, I was truly hooked onto their fusion. There are no words to describe what I felt; I found it so authentic, so unique, so perfect, that I could not stop listening to this track. I don't think it would be possible to recall how many time since then I have listened to this album; all I can say is that I am grateful to have come across it!
For a while now, I have been hoping that they are secretly working on something new and awesome, but ever since their last album they have been awfully quiet. Maybe they will be coming out with something sometime soon, or maybe be that's it for them... Either way, what they have done up to this day has been great, and I sincerely applaud their efforts not to sound like every other band out there.

  Now, the time has come for you to get hooked onto something new.

-Stay Metal-

MM Dre dnklschwz MMXI