Cognitive/Self Titled/2014 CD Review

  Cognitive  are  a  band  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  very  technical  and  brutal  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  and  self  titled  2014  album.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  growling  vocals  and  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the music  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  at  times  as  well  as  adding high  pitched  screams  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  use  of  breakdowns.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  progressive  music  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  solos  and  leads  the  band  uses  can  be  very  technical  and  melodic  at  times  and  they  also  bring  in  a  breath  acoustic  guitar  instrumental  before  making  a  return  back  to  a  brutal  direction  and  on  the  last  track  spoken  word  samples  are  added  into  the  music.

  Cognitive  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  brutal  and  also  mixes  in  technical  parts  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  hateful  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cognitive  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal,  technical  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cut  The  Fuck  Up"  "Worlds  Beneath"  "Willingness  Of  The  Week"  and  "Fire  From  The  Sky".  8  out  of  10.

  

Krueger/Return To Death/2014 CD Review

  Krueger  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2014  album  "Return  To  Death".

  A  very  fast,  heavy  and  old  school  death/thrash  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  Brazilian  extreme  metal  influences  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  growls,  screams,  and  blast  beats  start  to  become  a  huge  part  of  the  recording.

  While  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  the  production  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling  and  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while t he  solos  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  death/thrash  metal  sound.

  As  the  album  progresses  porno  samples  can  be  heard  on  one  of  the  tracks  and  the  band  also  adds  in  German  thrash  and  American  death  metal  influences  ear  88-91  in  there  Brazilian  style  of  death/thrash  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  mixes  acoustic  guitars  in  with  the  heavier  parts  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  the  song  is  also  long  an d epic  in  length.

  Krueger  plays  a  very  old  school  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  the  way  you  would  expect  from  veterans  but  they  also  show  that  they  can  still  compete  with  the  more  modern  and  younger  bands  playing  this  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  destruction  and  hate  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Krueger  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Return  To  Death"  "Technology  Chaos"  "Abstract  process"  and  "Inferno".  8  out  of  10.

Corpse Garden Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

Basically since we recorded the album we have been rehearsing a lot and organizing the upcoming promotion for the album. We feel very good with the final product and we really look forward for what may come with its release.

2.You have a new album coming out in May, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Dark, strong, atmospheric. The sound of the album is very brutal, however, it is clear enough for you to hear all the instruments and everything that is happening at the same time, it was not easy though, our producer, Juan Pablo Calvo, did a very good job. The guitars have a heavier and thicker tone than our previous album, drums are louder, our bass player is using a fretless bass so the sound is completely different in that area, and it gives a different and better feeling to the music. The vocals are heavier, darker and you can listen a lot of different vocal styles in every song. Songs are faster, longer, it is more experimental than the previous album.

3.Your lyrics deal with a great amount of Alchemical and Jungian concepts,  can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Our interest basically is focused in an introspected way, it comes from the works of Carl Jung and the relationship he did between old occult Alchemical concepts with the “modern” psychology, and how to apply it to one self. We have been reading a lot about this topic since a couple of years ago until the point where it became part of ourselves. It is a very long and deep concept, but in a few words, the album deals with the seek for perfection or the “Philosopher’s stone”, achieved through out the process of “Solve et Coagula”. It influenced our music a lot, since the album is conceptual, you can feel as you listen to the album, every part of the process, however, we want to leave it to the listener’s own interpretation. It is meant to be listened from top to end, hopefully reading the lyrics, so that the concept or experience can be perceived in a better way.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Corpse Garden'?

The inspiration came about 7 years ago from 2 of the co-founding members of the band. It basically relates to the idea that we are all corpses in this garden we call earth.





5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

If I have to chose I would say the show at Wacken Open Air in 2012 was a very important show, probably the biggest one for the band. As well back in 2013 our show in San Jose, Costa Rica called “El farolito” which is kind of a small open air festival where a lot of people goes every year. However we try to make every show an excellent experience for the public and for ourselves, every show is special for us.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Yes, we have been planning lately different tour dates around Central America to promote the new album, at least for 2015 we want to focus on this side. Probably next year we will be hitting Europe, but nothing confirmed yet.

7.The new album is going to be released through R.T.M and Satanath Records, do you feel having 2 labels backing the band up will be very helpful when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

Of course! The fact of having 2 record labels from different countries in Europe is very good. They will be able to cover up more countries. As well the USA distribution will be handled by Sevared Records so that covers a lot more territory, it is the first time we have a distribution deal so we are really looking forward to it and we hope it can open doors to the music our country has to offer. Central American distribution will be handled directly by the band.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?

Well so far we have only 1 album out and 1 new single from the Entheogen album. About the previous record thankfully it was very good, people seem to like that old school feel it has. For the new song, for what we have seen it has been positive. However I can’t really tell you a concrete answer about the new music since it hasn’t been released yet, the band though is very happy with it. We pay attention and really appreciate feedback however it doesn’t determine the bands direction, musically speaking.

9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Carlos, our bass player, is in another Black Metal Band called Alastor Sanguinary Embryo. They are about to release their new album as well through Satanath Records. We recommend them strongly, as well he plays in an excellent technical death metal band called Inhuman, they are about to release their second studio album. That is like the biggest thing so far about our other projects. Our drummer is working on a Black/Thrash/Speed metal project called “Culto Negro”, very, very promising. Federico is working in another very good project as a guest musician with our producer Juan Pablo called Will of The Mountain and I (Esteban) am working on a black metal project with Felipe, however nothing of the last 3 projects mentioned have yet been released. We are not closed only to death metal.



10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

As you will see in the new album, Entheogen, we are experimenting a lot with new sounds, at least in death metal. We want that, we really like it and as musicians we keep growing and learning every day and I think the band is heading to a more experimental, dark and heavier sound, with more samples, frequencies, atmospheric elements in it, without losing that “brutal” death metal.


11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Musical styles we like a lot, from jazz, blues, progressive music, to the most brutal and extreme metal. We have had influence from a lot of bands: King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Godspeed you! Black Emperor have been very big influences. As well, Deathspell Omega, Deicide, Incantation, Neurosis, Decapitated, Morbid Angel, Dissection, Emperor, Death, Suffocation, Immolation, and always Black Sabbath. These are only a few examples of bands that we respect a lot and that have had a very strong influence on us musically and personally speaking.

12.What are some of your non-musical interests?

Well, you know, we all have our jobs and personal studies. But mostly our lives circle around music because we express everything that we have inside in the music we make.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you very much for the interview and support, we hope you enjoy our new music. Remember you can get our album through Satanath Records and RTM Productions on May 15.
Cheers.

Grotesque Deity/Bloodream/Infernal Devastation Records/2015 EP Review

  Grotesque  Deity  are  a  band  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Bloodream"  which  was  released  by  Infernal  Devastation  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  growling  vocals  a  few  seconds  alter  that  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  fast  Swedish  style  of  death  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  remain  true  to  a  melodic  and  old  school  death  metal  style.

  All  of t he  songs  sound  like  they  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  in  the  90's  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  thrash  at  times  and  the  whole  ep  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  sound  from  beginning  to  end  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams.

  Grotesque  Deity  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  old  school  sounding  and  pays  a  heavy  tribute  to  the  Swedish  bands  of  the  early  90's,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  gore  and  Lovecraft  themes.

  In  my  Grotesque  Deity  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lord  of  Torment"  "In  Dim  Abyss"  and  "You  Were  Flesh".  8  out  of  10.

Sotajumala/Raunioissa/Sotajumala-Yhtiöt Oy/2015 CD Review

  Sotajumala  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  brutal  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Raunisissa"  which  was  released  by  Sotajumala-Yhtiot  Oy.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  later  growls  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  dark  sounding  melodies  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  at  times  they  music  adds  in  a  touch  of  thrash.

  There  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  present  throughout  the  recording  and  when  blast  beats  are  utilized  they  make  the  music  sound  more  brutal  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  chaotic  and  aggressive  sounding  while  they  can  be  very  melodic  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  songs  remain  true  to  a  heavy  direction.

 Sotajumala  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  traditional  and  brutal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  their  native  tongue  and  cover  Finnish  warfare  and  death.

  In  my  opinion  Sotajumala  are  a  very  great  sounding  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Saattajat"  "Veljin  Viha"  and  "Paiva  Jollion  Aurinko  Sammui".  8  out  of  10.    

Corpse Garden/Entheogen/Satanah/RTM Productions/2015 CD Review

  Corpse  Garden  are  a  band  from  Costa  Rica  that  plays  a  very  brutal  and  atmospheric  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Entheogen"  which  will  be  released  in  May  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanah  and  RTM  Productions.

  A  very  dark,  fast  and  brutal  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  growling  vocals  and  blast  beats  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  progressive  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  high  pitched  screams  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Atmospheric  and  symphonic  elements  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  and  the  solos  bring  more  of  a  technical  and  old  school  death  metal  vibe  to  the  songs  they  are  utilized  on  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Dark  and  ritualistic  sound  effects  can  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  melodic  riffs  being  utilized  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  some  of  the  later  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  psychedelic  elements  and  spoken  word  parts.  

  Corpse  Garden  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  original  taking  the  brutal  side  and  mixing  in  some  technical  and  avant  garde  structures  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Jungian  themes  and  Alchemy.

  In  my  opinion  Corpse  Garden  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  and  atmospheric  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album>  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  Womb  of  Chaos"  "Suspended  Over  The  Abyss"  "The  First  Incarnation"  and  "Red  Pulvis  Solaris".  8/5  out  of  10.

 

  

Sinatras/Six Sexy Songs/2014 EP Review

  Sinatras  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  musical  style  that  they  call  death'n'roll  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  ep  "Six  Sexy  Songs".

  Crowd  noises  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  heavy  musical  direction  that  combines  death  metal  and  hardcore  together  along  with  some  growling  vocals  and  you  can  also  hear  clean  singing  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  along  with  touches  of  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  can  be  hear  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  nu  metal  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  after  awhile  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Sinatras  take  a  death  metal  sound  and  add  in  influences  of  hardcore,  thrash,  groove  and  nu  metal  to  create  their  own   style  of  death'n'roll,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  humorous  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sinatras  are  a  very  great  sounding  death'n'roll  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Frank Is  Back"  and  "The  Game".  8  out  of  10.