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Eternal Helcaraxe Reveal Cover Art And Tracklisting For "Against All Odds"
Irish black metallers Eternal Helcaraxe have revealed the cover artwork and tracklisting for their Abyss Records debut, Against All Odds. The album, which is due out later this year, is the follow up to the band's 2010 EP To Whatever End.
Tracklisting:
Claim Your Place With The Gods
One Stands Still Here
Invictus
We Assist Death
Shadow Of The Wolf
As The Snow Gathers
Echoes Through Our Blood
Against All Odds (All The Battles To Come - Part II)
Eternal Helcaraxe came to be in May 2003. Between then and February 2004 the band began writing for a black metal project based on raw emotion and atmosphere. After several line-up changes both founding members decided to continue as a two piece and in March 2008 released
the first MCD entitled Palest Kingdom. Shortly after this release in April of 2008 we were joined by Kozel (ex-Mincing Fury) on bass, and the lineup was completed in July 2008 when were re-joined by our first drummer Tyrith who both added a new level of atmosphere and intensity to our sound. Eternal Helcaraxe have performed full live assaults with such bands as Impiety, Shining,
Spearhead, Abgott and Keep of Kalessin. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, Kozel parted ways with EH and in August 2009 we were joined by Thule, which set in stone the new path. We have completed and released our second and latest MCD which is entitled To Whatever End. Musically and lyrically, it was exactly what we wanted to achieve and it is available now. Recently Eternal Helcaraxe have Joined with Abyss Records (USA) to release the upcoming full length album entitled Against All Odds, which was recorded at Jam Studios in Kells, Ireland in August 2011.
Palest Kingdom and To Whatever End are both currently available via
Abyss Records at: www.officialabyssrecords.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=eternal+helcaraxe
These Irishmen have a knack for the songwriting craft and what they've produced is all killer, no filler. - No Clean Singing
INTERMENT - INTO THE CRYPTS OF BLASPHEMY CD - 14.00 + S/H
The album was recorded at Erebos Studios with Peter Bjärgo (Tyrant, Crypt of Kerberos).
The cover artwork was created by Polish artist Rafal Kruszyk.
1. Eternal Darkness
2. Torn from the Grave
3. Dreaming in Dead
4. Stench of Flesh
5. Where Death Will Increase
6. Sacrificial Torment
7. Night of the Undead
8. Morbid Death
9. The Pestilence
Epic. Heavy. Dark. These are all acceptable adjectives when describing Thousand Year War on their debut album "Tyrants and Men." These Alaskan metallers are most often compared to one of the biggest metal acts today: Amon Amarth, and that is not completely accurate. Thousand Year War definitely shares similar traits (melodic tremolos, lyrical content, etc) but for the most part, they retain their own identity, and most importantly, their own sound.
What is this sound? Well for starters, the riffs range from fast, melodic tremolo madness to heavy, crushing riffs, all the way to thrashing riffs and some nice melodic headbangers. Accompanying the guitars, is a savage black metal influenced vocal assault. The vocals do a stellar job of commanding the music and changing the music's direction at times. Even at Thousand Year War's most melodic moments, the vocals can make the music seem heavy. The drums also manage to stand out with some nice fills and they add to the overall heaviness quite well.
The best part about this record, though, would have to be the epic atmosphere and the way that it adds a whole other layer to the music. Normally this isn't something that serves as a selling point (personally), but the ambiance almost appears as another instrument. Songs like "Spartacus" and "The Sea" tend to reflect this the most. The listener can practically visualize the lyrical content perfectly, while headbanging at the same time. But how is this sound achieved? It's basically from the combination of the extreme vocals and the melodic riffs. The heaviness of the vocals with the guitar melodies mix for the ideal sound needed to make "Tyrants and Men" as good as it is.
As for what didn't click so well with the album. Sometimes the sons just seemed bland and lacked inspiration, like the band needed a filler or generic riff to fill a void, or sometimes a whole song was used as a filler track ("The Storm I Ride"). Another thing that could have been improved is the overall song structuring. Almost all of the tracks followed the same pattern or were just plain predictable. There weren't many moments where the listener could say "What's going to happen next?" They already knew what was coming.
Overall, Thousand Year War delivered a solid debut album, but there is definitely room for improvement. If you're in the mood for some cool melodic death metal, then this band should rank highly on your list of bands to check out.
Best songs:
"Thousand Year War"
"Spartacus"
"The Sea"
CHAOSSWORN (Sweden) Chalice of Black Flames CD EP review by www.metalcrypt.com
By Michel Renaud
Some very cool fusion of Black and Death Metal here. The vocals are more Black Metal-ish rasps than they are growls, while the music is quite varied, going from slow paced, almost doomy moments to thrashy, crunchy moments all the way to speedy Death Metal parts, clickety drums included. Where Chalice of Black Flames shines is in the use of melody and atmosphere. It's dark and invigorating at the same time, with a gloomy atmosphere coupled with sometimes very lively, almost positive-sounding guitars melodies, two things that contrast yet feel like they belong together. Still, this is Death/Black we're talking about here – you still get your dose of darkness and even somewhat threatening atmosphere and assault-rifle style guitars. Lots of things going on in under 16 minutes, and that leaves me hoping for a full-length sooner rather than later.
When I mail-ordered the Horsecore LP from you guys in 1989 I thought of you as more of a joke band (together with Darth Vader Church) but time has proven otherwise. What were your intentions when you formed Dead Horse?
Allen – Like any real Musicians we wanted to “Make it”! When first formed, Brain Dead (pre deadhorse), wanted to be more of a skater punk alternative metal band like Suicidal Tendencies and DRI. In 1989 there was no Seattle wave of alternative music, hippies in Texas were wearing flannel shirts and goatee beards way before that scene.
I totally missed out on your “Boil(ing)” LP. How different was it from the Horsecore one?
Scott – The Boil(ing) e.p. was slower, more re-fined, less humor (even though there’s humor), recorded better, mixed better etc.
Allen – Boil(ing) took deadhorse back in the direction we wanted to go all along. If you ever hear the Feed Me EP you can see the change. A lot of people after Peaceful Death were thinking of us as a “Death Metal” band and that is not the direction we ever intended to go in.
Like I said I thought you were some take on bad westerns and cowboys when I bought that first album. Then years later I get to hear an Entombed cover of “Scottish Hell” and all the pieces fell into place. I wasn’t the only one that totally adored “Horsecore”. What kind of feelings do you get when a band like Entombed cover one of your songs?
Scott – I remember the first time I heard the Entombed version, I was pretty stoked, and of course we all dig Entombed.
Allen – We had a blast on tour with Entombed. They are good guys. BUT, they never paid us one dime for the rights or royalties. Still love them though.
What made you call the quits in 1996?
Scott – Bad management, bad business decisions, bad blood.
Allen – The stress of family life, Divorces, and a long distance member of the band took its toll.
And why are you back in 2011?
Allen – For 15 years there has been children whose parents have been talking about deadhorse. A new generation of fans. Man it’s all about the fan. Instead of drinking 40s we are all in our 40s
What the fuck were we thinking, Scott?
Scott – To re-release the Boil(ing) record. See if people missed us.
When you leave a mark such as the one you did, intentionally or not, how do you tackle peoples adoration years later? Is it even comprehensible that people remember what you did 20 years ago?
Allen – Honestly we never realized what we had done in the scene in Texas. After 15 years there are still people contacting us from San Francisco to Georgia wanting to set up shows.
If you ever saw us play you remember that we tried to be entertaining at best, even if we were out of tune, had not lights or were just trashed ourselves. But it was our fan base then and now that sustain the Horsecore.
What kind of scene were you part of back in the days. What you did in the late 80s/early 90s was kinda new?
-Houston and Texas in that era was a Boiling pot of amazing talent. The scene was active and the live show venues were doing great jobs promoting artists, CD sales were hot. Now instead of going out and getting a disk people sit at home and download. Ticket sales have become so high it is pure insanity. $15 ticket – $5 dollar sir charge and people have come to accept it or just not participate. We were always careful not to play too much. That way when it was time for a show people would turn out.
What are the best memories from that time capsule?
Scott – For me personally, my fondest memory was opening for Sepultura in 1996 in Dallas at Deep Ellum Live, sold out crowd. Sepultura had a night off opening for Ozzy supporting their “Roots” CD, and called us to play with them. Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul were at that show standing on my side of the stage, I completely forgot what song I was playing for about 5 seconds when I noticed them standing there… I Stole all of Life of Agony’s beer out of their dressing room, because they were complete douche-bags to us. Great times!
Allen – Roll’n and a Puck’n of coarse!
How far did Dead Horse reach the first time around? I’m in Sweden and I got to hear of you through a flyer/reading fanzines.
Allen – We toured California to New York and Canada about 5 times over. We had a chance to go to Europe but our management turned it down, even though we said “go for it”. Would have been low on money but we would have killed on merchandise. For a band with so much potential deadhorse has had the worst management you can buy. AHHH!
What can we expect from you now that youre back again?
Scott – Better, musicianship, better vocal, better attitudes!
Allen – God willing a new FULL length recording and some live mayhem!
Angrepp are a band from Sweden that mixes together black metal, thrash and punk and this is a review of their 2010 album "Warfare" which was released by Abyss Records.
Drums are mostly fast with alot of blast beats being thrown in, while the bass plaing follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars and it is all rhythm bass and at times it has a very powerful sound.
Rhythm guitars are mostly fast black/thrash riffs that mix in a punk as well as a rock 'n' roll attitude with some slower riffs being used at times that have some death metal influences, while the lead guitars are primal 80's sounding guitar solos.
Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls being thrown in on ocassion, while the lyrics murder, hate, death and melencholy, as for the production which was recorded at Unisound with Dan Swano producing, sounds very heavy and all of the instruments sound brutal.
In my opinion Angrepp are a very good black/thrash metal band that should appeal to all fans of that genre.RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Five Horded Formation" "Rape Kill Rock'n'Roll" "Firebrand" and "For Now I Have Risen". RECOMMENDED BUY.
DISSECTION - LIVE IN STOCKHOLM 2004 12" LP - 18.00 + S/H
1. At the Fathomless Depths
2. Night's Blood
3. Frozen
4. Soulreaper
5. Where Dead Angels Lie
6. Retribution - Storm of the Light's Bane
7. Unhallowed
8. Thorns of Crimson Death
9. Heaven's Damnation
10. In the Cold Winds of Nowhere
11. The Somberlain
12. A Land Forlorn
Thousand Year War are a band from Anchorage, Alaska that plays a mixture od melodic death and black metal and this is a review of their 2011 album "Tyrants And Men" which was released by Abyss Records.
Drums range from slow, midpaced to fast drumming with some blast beats being used on occasion, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful tone that dominates throughout the recording.
Rhythm guitars range from slow, midpaced to fast riffs that combine melodic death and black metal together along with some traditional and classic metal influences, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding death metal guitar solos and leads.
Vocals are a mixture of deep death metal growls and high pitched melodic black/death metal screams, while the lyrics cover Mythology, epic and wat themes, as for the production it has a very heavy, powerful and professional sound to it.
In my opinion Thousand Year War are a very good melodic death/black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECEMMONDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Defiance" "No Gods, No Masters" "The Storm I Ride" and "Spartacus". RECEMMONDED BUY.
Whilst listening to the new album from Indianapolis blackened thrashers Maax the image of a musical pentagram with them in the middle as a focal point drawing on five distinct flavours plays in the head. With Unholy Rock N Roll the band even more so than before suck the flavours from rock ‘n’ roll, black metal, thrash, punk and classic rock to forge their own relatively unique sound. As the tracks unveil the band acts as a link between classic rock and the likes of AC/DC, punk sounds like Wednesday 13, the trash energy of a Kvelertak, the rock power of a Motorhead or even Status Quo, and the blackness of Venom. The resulting sound is one that works in varying degrees but with constant frequency leaves a smile on the face and adds fun to the day’s energy.
Unholy Rock N Roll released via Abyss Records is the follow up to the band’s Six Pack Witchcraft EP and comes with a definite thrashier flavour especially when compared to their debut album of 2009; Dawnbringer which was a colder black metal toned release. It shows a strong and definite evolution in sound and direction from the bands formation in 2006 and one that is very welcome, the band firing with more energy and accuracy with this spread of influences and ideas. The album was written and recorded with new addition Jeremy Starkey (Necrophagous) on bass joining founder members guitarist Kyle Kreider and drummer Jeff Brown (since replaced by Dave Dalton (Legion, Ratzkrieg, SoSayeth)) plus vocalist Tim Green and guitarist Brett Schlagel. The album shows arguably an even steadier and more purposeful feel from this line-up than before, a power that is impossible not to be dragged along by even if the flavours at times do not always quite hit the mark.
The consistency across the release is strong but a few songs lift the album from a good listen into one that instigates a more regular attention. The title track has an infectious anthemic appeal that means it is hard not to punch they air as its gang shouted chorus calls out whilst ‘Maax’ with all the subtlety and insistency of a red hot poker laced with punk venom stands firmly in front of the face and unleashing some alcohol loaded intensity. Alongside the best track on show ‘Black Thrash ‘Em All’, the trio make Unholy Rock N Roll worth more than a glance. This track leaps into the ear with striking guitars and black edginess that border on lechery, with dirty growls and infectious rhythms.
To be honest there is not one song that lingers after running its course though this is not to say they are less than satisfying but though they admirably do not go for obvious hooks and tricks the songs are missing that spark and addictiveness to make one return often. Unholy Rock N Roll is a good solid release but there is the question of it being too varied and up against other more genre dedicated and sterner intense albums elsewhere it will get lost in the metal ethers, hopefully not as it does entertain and bring good sounds and attitude.
Good thrash metal is hard to come by these days. So many new bands jumped on the bandwagon of ugly ass Reebok high tops, tight pants, little vests with all the coolest patches fresh from ebay and even the poofy hair. Even quite a few of the older bands came back and tried another go at it. Most of the bands in both of these groups failed in my opinion. Then again, there are exceptions like the sets at Maryland Death Fest 2011 by old thrashers like Voivod and Nuclear Assault. They both kicked ass! Not sure about any new material that will be coming out, but both of those live sets RULED! Now Entrench have come to join the thrashing madness. They are from Sweden, but have a sound that is totally German. Think “Terrible Certainty”/”Extreme Aggression” era Kreator mixed with a little “Persecution Mania”/”Agent Orange” era Sodom. It has speed, power, aggression, ripping riffs, shrieking vocals and will make you head bang. The pace gets even a little faster at times, into the old Sadus speed, which is always welcomed! I know those will say “why waste time with a copy cat band when the originals are so much better.” This might be true at times, yet there are some bands that mix in their own stamp on the style so well, they can run with the greats. Entrench seems to be a band that has the potential to do just that. I wouldn’t call this album a “classic” but it is quite an impressive debut and all in all, a KILLER thrash album!
”As Dawn Breaks” starts everything off here, and you will swear that it’s 1987 all over again. It’s a total riff o’ ramma on this banger. Nice and fast at times and also has some killer head banging moments, like in the middle where it slows down a bit with some mid paced bangery, then gets fast again once the guitar solos kick in. “Debt of Sorrow” is second and has some punches at the start that then lead to some double bass mayhem. A break comes and then a ripper of a riff introduces the manic speed of the ripping fast part. Relentless thrash at its best. “Portrait of a Phobia” is a roller coaster ride of thrashing rage that is all over the place and full of awesome riffs. I love the punk riff during one of the fast parts. The speed is more controlled, but is still fucking killer! This is one of the longer songs on here, but it doesn’t get old. “Into Oblivion” starts off with total mid paced banging. Throw in some heavy double bass and the killer mid one/two combination. The slower/fast part that comes with the vocals also rules. It remains pretty mid paced, the faster parts don’t get all that fast. But it is still a crusher of a song. Most of the songs have that “roller coaster” feel to them actually. The pace changes up quite a bit, but it all fits very well together.
“Doubt What’s Left” brings back some fast ripping again. The changes on this album are dynamic and flow so well together. The fast stuff blends well with the mid paced “mosh” stuff. There are multiple tempos all over this album. That is what makes it so enjoyable. Entrench actually remind me of my good pals here from Southern California Witchaven. “Blind Illusion” is next up. The song starts off fast and manic. The riffs tear you to shreds. It then slows down with some prime Sepultura like rolls and open riffs. It then slows down to some mid paced banging. You will find yourself banging your head clean off with this one. This song would be their “video” that all of us maniacs would stay up for back in the day, on the third hour of MTV’s original Head Bangers Ball. The song takes off again with pure thrashing fury. There is an instrumental song “Crossing the River” that is next. This ain’t no pretty, classical inspired piece of artsy music, full of feelings. This thrashes and rages with the best of them. Reminds me a little of the old Metallica instrumentals, just with some more speed at times. Pretty fucking killer! Some effects at the end of the song lead into the album closer “Where Only Ruins Remain”. This banger starts off nice and slow. It still has the same killer and catchy riffs as the other songs though, especially when the fast part kicks in and the shrieks and screams from vocalist Fredrik slash through your ear drums. This song is a long one at over 7 minutes, but it never gets boring and always rages. Great work from these Swedes!
This is totally pounding and ripping thrash metal on display here. The guys can fucking jam, the riffs shred and the fingers are all over the fret boards at times. The drumming of Joel KILLS and he can get fast and attacking, as well as slower and nasty, with the best of them. The production and the sound of this are also old school, but you can hear everything, like those old Harris Johns recordings of the golden era. I HIGHLY recommend this to fans of blazing thrash, or just killer metal in general. Great work by Entrench and Abyss Records on this one!
Medley for FESTER's new album "A celebration of death" now online.
Norwegian FESTER will unleash "A celebration of death" early 2012 through Abyss Records.
A special tape edition will be released through Total Holocaust Records (Different art, alternative versions of several songs etc).
The art on the CD includes epic art of Eliran Kantor. The art on the tape edition (this video) is done by Artiom. This medley includes clips from - "Rites of Ceres"-"The black Tower"-"March of death"-"I'll hunt you down"-"Metalized"-"Jeg spytter på deg" and "Last day of battle pt I & II".
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