Review by Carl on December 15, 2023.

Back to the early 90's underground with this one. Featuring a band from Japan and another one from Singapore, both dealing in extreme metal mayhem, so you just know that this is not going to be for the faint of heart in any way.

Abhorer signal the start of the charge on the A side with a windswept spoken word intro that gives way into a barrage of black/death/thrash metal, infuenced by acts like Beherit, Sarcofago and Blasphemy, as well as the early works of Bathory, Sepultura and Kreator. The guitars and bass keep it simple and straight forward, just chainsawing through the abrasive compositions that rely for most part on battering, no frills velocity and barbaric execution. These parts are interspersed with slower midtempo parts, that give way to another bout of chaotic jackhammer rage soon enough, keeping proceedings volatile and aggressive throughout. Guitar leads are performed in the best dive bomb tradition of Slayer, and come roaring through the music with all the subtlety of a tank driving over a poodle, tearing through the compositions like psycho. The production is pretty rough, with the roaring vocals and pneumatic hammering percussion getting precedence over the guitars humming in the background. It must be said that even if this production is unbalanced and certainly unrefined and gruff, the psychotic energy it still exudes can't be beat. I have a hug, HUGE soft spot for old school underground stuff like this, so I am totally on board with what Abhorer do here, but if your tastes lean more toward the cleaner and polished side of extreme metal, you'll probably like this a lot less.

And the rough production continues on the B side, where the delightfully monikered Necrophile pulls open their collective briefcases. Dealing in a more traditional sort of death metal that has me thinking of the debut albums of acts such as Deicide, Pungent Stench, Morgoth, Grave and Disharmonic Orchestra, with a touch of Napalm Death added, Necrophile unleashes their assault. These songs also rely on high velocity and a gruff growling vocal approach, but sound more controlled than what Abhorer put on display previously. A big factor in this is not only the more refined execution of the music, that is focused more on riffs than on blunt power, but also the more fist-pumping slower midtempo parts that are built into the compositions, adding heaps of variation into the deal. However, do not be mistaken, when they pull open all registers, Necrophile still plow forth with seething rage and menace, with as only intent to batter and bruise. Apart from the first track, that sounds rough but still has somewhat of a semblance to a production, I suspect that those following it come from a rehearsal tape. These tracks have that 'a bunch of guys in a really hot stinky room' vibe and sound to it, and it is raw and unpolished, even more than what Abhorer had in store. With the guitars pushing the vocals and drums into the background, this is one of the crudest recordings I have ever heard on a vinyl record. But even sounding as if it were recorded on sandpaper, these tracks still deliver the goods, giving a more than adequate idea of the abrasive death metal style that Necrophile had on offer. Except that instrumental track "Gruesome Cruelty". That one's just as boring as it is redundant.

So, two doses of high octane death metal mayhem, sounding raw and unpolished in true underground fashion. If you are willing to listen through the unrefined production (if any, in Necrophile's case), there is a heady dose of bulging aggression, brought with psychotic energy, waiting to be uncovered. It's one of those releases that is strictly for underground consumption only, but if you're into this sort of stuff, you have a total banger on your hands, despite its flaws.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Mandeep Arora on August 4, 2024.

Hard Times Hangin' At The End Of The World is the most amazing thrash metal album you'll never probably listen to. You see, Children is such an obscure band, there's barely anything known about their current whereabouts or if they'll ever make a return to music. Even if they do, I doubt it's going to be a triumphant one because barely anyone knows about or listens to this band. There's scarce information even on this album, their only release, which is a shame considering how stellar and fresh it comes across in its execution. Progressive thrash metal? Haven't heard of many bands playing this style of thrash except for Vektor, who I absolutely adore, and Voivod, who I haven't explored much of but definitely intrigued to do so.

It's a modern take on good ol' thrash metal and eschews the raw aggression synonymous with the genre in favor of a more joyous and exuberant sound. If we disregard the little instrumental title track, which is a spacey Spanish guitar number that reminds me a bit of Opeth towards its end, the songs are actually pretty long; the shortest one being well over five minutes while the longest ones inhabit the ten-minute mark. Not that old-school thrash has not had long compositions before but that would usually be one track in an album of eight to ten. This time, we have just six tracks to play around with, spread over not-exactly-measly 42 minutes, so there's less filler and much more room for every individual song to flow and breathe supply. The longer a section goes, the better it develops and the more rewarding it gets to wait for the next.

More or less, the tempo remains constant across the album but the songs are pretty distinguishable in their own right. It's progressive all right, not in the wake of, let's say, an Opeth or a Porcupine Tree but the songs are dynamic enough to not sound humdrum or repetitive. The way that the ten-minute opener Advanced Mind Control keeps changing direction, especially its elongated intro with its varying melodies one-upping the other, is definitely a lot of fun. It's a very guitar-driven sound, lead, and rhythm, and you constantly hear one riff after another, grander in scale than the previous; there's not much in the way of acoustic passages or keyboards to amplify or add any distinct effect but it does not matter. They stretch the instrumental sections to show off their skills and you bear witness to a bevy of super-solid and spectacular riffs taking charge while a strong torrent of melodies simmers underneath, waiting to erupt and mingle with the riffs, then everything surging together to impart an explosive and seemingly unstoppable effect. This feeling is best captured in the final four minutes of Time Is the Living, a truly fantastic progressive thrash metal song that barely slows down and emanates a lot of energy as a result. You keep guessing what's coming next and every turn leaves you awestruck and ecstatic. Even if there's a lot to process and unpack, everything seamlessly falls in place like the flush-fitting pieces of a good quality puzzle and in spite of a structure that's ever-changing, the music's not very difficult to get into. You can establish this as a pretty good record within the first few listens - I was personally floored the first time itself considering this was a new and totally unknown band to me at the time.

Chunky thrash metal riffs abound and modern production values make it a very interesting and unique album to behold - the guitars roar, the vocals scream, the drums pound... There's a tinge of old-school thrash like Overkill and Exodus in some of the riffs but that's balanced by modern and fresher stuff. Nuclear Bummer’s intro has some uncanny resemblances to Metallica’s Spit Out the Bone, though the latter came out much later so was it the mighty Metallica that took to Children for inspiration? Would surely be interesting if they did. The vocals are unrefined and rather perfunctory, not really my favorite aspect, but they recall Tom Araya’s forbidding screams at times and add an odd charm to the album's character as deliberately not being too polished or uptight. That's also the vibe this album emanates - of some really close friends, metalheads to the core, not taking themselves too seriously and going all out to make fantastic music they are passionate about. At least that's the impression I got after, surprisingly, finding they have a rather wacky and hilarious music video for Power Spirit on YouTube. After some careful searching later on I was able to locate both Adam Bennati and Skyler Spohn on Instagram, seemingly content with their current lives and having left these Children days long behind. It honestly kind of makes me sad to learn there may never be a follow-up album but good for them both to be doing good in their lives.

Hard Times Hangin' At The End Of The World does not and apparently never will get the recognition it deserves, sadly, but it's one of the best one-off albums you will ever listen to. A truly fantastic debut from a fairly new band with barely any back catalog to fall back on. They took the best elements from old-school thrash and blended it with their own style to create a sound that can appease both old-school fans and bring in new ones like myself. In fact, it's on par with some thrash metal classics that, in my opinion, are kind of overrated. I'll not go around naming those bands or albums though. I doubt it's available in a physical format anymore but surprisingly, remains ubiquitous on all the major streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music. That it exists there in all its glory is very heartening to witness and I'd urge everyone reading this to give it a chance while you still can. You'll not be disappointed I swear.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 28, 2023.

Not only in terms of heavy metal, Eastern Europe stood in the shadow of the western half of the continent for a long time. But after the fall of the Iron Curtain, it became more and more evident that the metal scenes of the eastern countries also have a lot of interesting bands to discover. Death Karma joins the ranks of original groups from the east. Inter alia because of personnel overlaps, their musical preference lies in close proximity to that of Cult of Fire. The full-length also demonstrates once again that Master´s Hammer had a big influence on the Czech and Slovak scene. In particular the aura of “The History…” equals that of their masterpieces “Ritual” and “The Jilemnice Occultist”. For example, listen to the short straightforward parts of the opener. They sound like a forgotten recording of the Czech forefathers.

The production unites keyboards and guitars in order to shine with a very dense and intensive sound. It is based on the mighty instrumentation which leads to a powerful and thrilling experience of horror. With these requirements, the burial rituals develop their full effect in an irresistible manner. One has hardly any chance to escape the funeral atmosphere, because the musical implementation reeks of the smell of death without interruption. It is not that kind of rottenness that (Swedish) death metal bands evoke. Nevertheless, the songs seem to be the soundtrack of a funeral which takes place on a grey day in November. This does not mean that the music itself is dreary or monotonous. The group does not suffer from a lack of ideas. Do not be confused by the fact that the band has recorded only six songs. The musicians have integrated a lot of fantastic breaks so that the album does not show any deficiencies. The surprising effervescent keyboard line of the fifth track, which occurs after 58 seconds, illustrates the unexpected twists of the compositions perfectly. By the way, this piece is a very well designed instrumental.

Death Karma takes us on a trip around the world. They want to make us familiar with the special characteristics of different cultures in dealing with death. Countries like India or Mexico are represented. But I have to admit that the compositional approach of the single tracks stays more or less the same during the entire album. I am fine with this, because the constant emanation of transience matches very well with the concept of this full-length. And I do not want to hide that the band has involved rarely surfacing oriental or Indian sound sequences. All in all, the quality of the songwriting is admirably high. Only the third track needs three minutes in order to reach the amazing level of the remaining songs. This is just a minor flaw in view of the highlights such as “China – Hanging Coffins”. It leaves no questions unanswered while offering powerful and captivating guitar lines, unleashed drumming and atmospheric keyboard sounds. The majestic overall impression is the result of the stylish arrangements of harsh sections and mystic interludes. The latter ones are characterised by spheric keyboards which reveal a surreal aura. They stress the mysterious feeling of entering a new dimension.

Of course, you are free to dislike the outcome that the band presents. You can reject its lyrical content as well as the music itself. But you will not have the right to call this album insubstantial, half-baked or uninspired. It is an outstanding work in its own way. The only question is whether you like the combination of keyboards with extreme metal. I guess that no supporter of the black / death genre will deny that the sinister flair of “The History…” hits the mark. Hopefully, its second part will be published before I die. I am curious to see what comes next; Australia? Luxembourg? The Fiji Islands? However, I want to be buried in Germany. But from my side, this project definitely has no priority.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Alex on May 10, 2020.

Gaze in wonder, fright and awe as the necromancer practices his charm of ethereal mysticism under the incense lit full moon with startling precision and wisdom. The caller of crepuscular things jots down 6 cursed canticles of his dark undertaking on Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels. Appearing to be another one of those solo raw black metal projects, however vast and oversaturated the sub-genre may be Dodenbezweerder stands clear of the mediocre and instead strikes with a necromantic diligence and funereal beatitude. In totality, the record is an experience that once committed to excites, entrances, entertains and arouses many deep sentiments.

In retrospect I recall some few releases branched under raw black metal having quite a bassy or thick production that if thought about is opposite to the shrieking and sharp sound primitive black metal has been primarily associated with. However, with the bass now becoming a more prominent characteristic of the sub-genre one could say an evolution of sorts is indeed active. Also, the cavernous type of yell and growl has become perceivable more utilized in raw black metal and black metal this sort. Gasping voices heard in gothic metal and a form of obscure murmuring has also been added to the cosmetic palette of raw black metal. All of the mentioned attributes find themselves on Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels in-turn giving the music a multi-faceted feel that reciprocating-ly adds to the interest of the final product. Though it is not to be mistaken for a replacing of key or cornerstone elements, certain staple/traditional qualities of the medium are kept in place to ensure validity and sincerity, as the shrieking vocals, some degree of abrasive reverb, primitive drumming and atmosphere are held-fast to. On the thought of atmosphere, ambient currents run without restraint through Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels; largely undeniable and with conspicuous exhibition they appear ever glamorously attired in frightening, depressed, mystical and conquering garments ever adding to the profound nature of 'Als het vuur van mijn toorn is ontstoken zal het branden tot in het diepste dodenrijk','Glimmende zwaarden door de mist van het evangelie' and the harshly-unwelcoming 'Zalf de voeten van het hoofdeloze lichaam'.

With so much occurring on the record already, malefic keyboard synth and organ tones (at select times) are added as a glazing coat to the music on the record. At times loud in the mix such as on the title track and other instances as an atomic, yet still an identifiable feature on 'Glimmende zwaarden door de mist van het evangelie'. Yet a meditative state is still somehow instigated and kept active despite the many colliding factors on 'Vrees de toorn van de wezens verscholen achter majestueuze vleugels' that for a debut undertaking nails the climate of the music thus matching what the artwork evinces. You might even add that the cover art advertises with accuracy what's to be expected, a thing that can't be often said about other albums within the same genre. On Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels however, all aspects appear connected therefore resulting in a completionist charm.

Something this sort has that gatefold vinyl quality, and I would not be surprised to see it released as such but I don't think that will be the case, as to my knowledge it's only set to be offered digitally, on CD and as a single sleeve 12". A wax addict could only wish the former is the case because Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels is an honest and dignified attempt at resurrecting and respectably modifying the essence of raw black metal.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Alex on May 10, 2020.

Gaze in wonder, fright and awe as the necromancer practices his charm of ethereal mysticism under the incense lit full moon with startling precision and wisdom. The caller of crepuscular things jots down 6 cursed canticles of his dark undertaking on Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels. Appearing to be another one of those solo raw black metal projects, however vast and oversaturated the sub-genre may be Dodenbezweerder stands clear of the mediocre and instead strikes with a necromantic diligence and funereal beatitude. In totality, the record is an experience that once committed to excites, entrances, entertains and arouses many deep sentiments.

In retrospect I recall some few releases branched under raw black metal having quite a bassy or thick production that if thought about is opposite to the shrieking and sharp sound primitive black metal has been primarily associated with. However, with the bass now becoming a more prominent characteristic of the sub-genre one could say an evolution of sorts is indeed active. Also, the cavernous type of yell and growl has become perceivable more utilized in raw black metal and black metal this sort. Gasping voices heard in gothic metal and a form of obscure murmuring has also been added to the cosmetic palette of raw black metal. All of the mentioned attributes find themselves on Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels in-turn giving the music a multi-faceted feel that reciprocating-ly adds to the interest of the final product. Though it is not to be mistaken for a replacing of key or cornerstone elements, certain staple/traditional qualities of the medium are kept in place to ensure validity and sincerity, as the shrieking vocals, some degree of abrasive reverb, primitive drumming and atmosphere are held-fast to. On the thought of atmosphere, ambient currents run without restraint through Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels; largely undeniable and with conspicuous exhibition they appear ever glamorously attired in frightening, depressed, mystical and conquering garments ever adding to the profound nature of 'Als het vuur van mijn toorn is ontstoken zal het branden tot in het diepste dodenrijk','Glimmende zwaarden door de mist van het evangelie' and the harshly-unwelcoming 'Zalf de voeten van het hoofdeloze lichaam'.

With so much occurring on the record already, malefic keyboard synth and organ tones (at select times) are added as a glazing coat to the music on the record. At times loud in the mix such as on the title track and other instances as an atomic, yet still an identifiable feature on 'Glimmende zwaarden door de mist van het evangelie'. Yet a meditative state is still somehow instigated and kept active despite the many colliding factors on 'Vrees de toorn van de wezens verscholen achter majestueuze vleugels' that for a debut undertaking nails the climate of the music thus matching what the artwork evinces. You might even add that the cover art advertises with accuracy what's to be expected, a thing that can't be often said about other albums within the same genre. On Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels however, all aspects appear connected therefore resulting in a completionist charm.

Something this sort has that gatefold vinyl quality, and I would not be surprised to see it released as such but I don't think that will be the case, as to my knowledge it's only set to be offered digitally, on CD and as a single sleeve 12". A wax addict could only wish the former is the case because Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels is an honest and dignified attempt at resurrecting and respectably modifying the essence of raw black metal.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Alex on May 10, 2020.

Gaze in wonder, fright and awe as the necromancer practices his charm of ethereal mysticism under the incense lit full moon with startling precision and wisdom. The caller of crepuscular things jots down 6 cursed canticles of his dark undertaking on Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels. Appearing to be another one of those solo raw black metal projects, however vast and oversaturated the sub-genre may be Dodenbezweerder stands clear of the mediocre and instead strikes with a necromantic diligence and funereal beatitude. In totality, the record is an experience that once committed to excites, entrances, entertains and arouses many deep sentiments.

In retrospect I recall some few releases branched under raw black metal having quite a bassy or thick production that if thought about is opposite to the shrieking and sharp sound primitive black metal has been primarily associated with. However, with the bass now becoming a more prominent characteristic of the sub-genre one could say an evolution of sorts is indeed active. Also, the cavernous type of yell and growl has become perceivable more utilized in raw black metal and black metal this sort. Gasping voices heard in gothic metal and a form of obscure murmuring has also been added to the cosmetic palette of raw black metal. All of the mentioned attributes find themselves on Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels in-turn giving the music a multi-faceted feel that reciprocating-ly adds to the interest of the final product. Though it is not to be mistaken for a replacing of key or cornerstone elements, certain staple/traditional qualities of the medium are kept in place to ensure validity and sincerity, as the shrieking vocals, some degree of abrasive reverb, primitive drumming and atmosphere are held-fast to. On the thought of atmosphere, ambient currents run without restraint through Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels; largely undeniable and with conspicuous exhibition they appear ever glamorously attired in frightening, depressed, mystical and conquering garments ever adding to the profound nature of 'Als het vuur van mijn toorn is ontstoken zal het branden tot in het diepste dodenrijk','Glimmende zwaarden door de mist van het evangelie' and the harshly-unwelcoming 'Zalf de voeten van het hoofdeloze lichaam'.

With so much occurring on the record already, malefic keyboard synth and organ tones (at select times) are added as a glazing coat to the music on the record. At times loud in the mix such as on the title track and other instances as an atomic, yet still an identifiable feature on 'Glimmende zwaarden door de mist van het evangelie'. Yet a meditative state is still somehow instigated and kept active despite the many colliding factors on 'Vrees de toorn van de wezens verscholen achter majestueuze vleugels' that for a debut undertaking nails the climate of the music thus matching what the artwork evinces. You might even add that the cover art advertises with accuracy what's to be expected, a thing that can't be often said about other albums within the same genre. On Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels however, all aspects appear connected therefore resulting in a completionist charm.

Something this sort has that gatefold vinyl quality, and I would not be surprised to see it released as such but I don't think that will be the case, as to my knowledge it's only set to be offered digitally, on CD and as a single sleeve 12". A wax addict could only wish the former is the case because Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels is an honest and dignified attempt at resurrecting and respectably modifying the essence of raw black metal.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10