Nachtmystium - Silencing Machine [2012]

Here is a release that comes, as no surprise to most of their long time fans, as simply incredible! No one should expect any less from these experienced black metallers. Silencing Machine was released recently on July 31st on Century Media Records. This is an album that has tons of replay value, and takes you through a series of vast emotions, most of them very dark, if you didn't already know! They accomplish this through their very accomplished musicianship, and with the way the whole songs come together. They are also able to mix influences without mixing genres. It is all these things that make this album stand out!

The cover art of this beastly bastard describes the feeling of the album perfectly. It is dark but not in a way that makes you want to kill yourself. It is more of "I can feel the power of evil making me stronger" thing. The album starts out with fast paced black metal excellence, that transitions into an upbeat version of the riff that ties into the evil power for-mentioned. The songs also seem to move between one another very well, not jumping from one thing to another too often. Track number 4 is a very stand out track that keeps the dark feeling but at the same time making you want to conquer. Truly amazing stuff in every track that makes it come together as a whole.

Aside from the genius guitar work presented one of the stand out qualities that shows influence (without changing the genre). Take the title track for example, at 4:38 there is a stellar guitar break that busts into an upbeat riff that really makes you want to head bang and get up and mosh! But at the same time they never loose the black metal character. About midway through that gnarly riffing there is a guitar lead that will just make you want to pull your face off.

This is a solid release and there isn't really anything that takes away from being a flawless release. That is very opinionated, but when looking for an excellent black metal release this has everything to offer. Please don't pass up on this! They will be announcing tour dates soon! Check them out anyway you can!

95/100

Favorite Tracks: Dawn Over the Ruins in Jerusalem, Silencing Machine, I Wait in Hell, These Rooms In Which We Weep

Asphyx - Deathhammer [2012]

Asphyx shakes the Earth with this colossal album!

They could build monuments to how brutal this band is. This album is, in short, "Death...the Brutal Way" on steroids; well... more steroids per say. If you are not immediately familiar with these guys, they are from the Netherlands, and play doom death heavy enough to cause tidal waves in Asia and upset lunar activity.

The album kicks off with the best kind of Asphyx riff right from the first second. Those crushing almost crusty power chord riffs match up perfectly with the old school death metal vocals! Another thing is that the first track also comes in with vocals right away, which is usually a dangerous tactic, but matches up perfectly. That really gives the album a strong start from the get go. And right when your neck starts to get sore its is time to mosh it up! A little after the one minute mark there is a bass break that goes into some down beat moshing death. "Into the Timewaste" is such a good song to start the album with. 

The other the option would be to start with the title track "Deathhammer". They really keep up the speed in this song and keep it up although it is a short track. This song is obviously written to be the crowd pleaser. If that thought doesn't cross your mind when the chorus hits with the single vocal line; the thirty second mark in this song will. There is a guitar break and the vocalist says something that is completely not part of any verse and sounds like something that should only be done live, it sounds he is saying "This is true death metal ya bastards!". And by the third track is when the mighty DOOOOOM kicks in.

From this point in the album it goes back an forth between fast and doom; or reg OSDM an doom death. The way things go back and forth here is actually pretty key because it would have been pretty awkward if one half of the album was doomy and the other faster. That would lead people to skip part of the album depending on what kind of mood they are in. And on the subject of doom, there is a song entitled "We Doom You To Death" on here that seems a little comical for a song title, but could not be more appropriate. When you listen to it; it goes from doom to upbeat mid tempo doom thrash, then back to doom. That is just such incredible song writing on their part. 

There is a very good reason these guys have made it as far as they have. This album is a new release of amazing old school doom death. It is hard to believe that it is just February and every release this year has been just magnificent. Deathhammer has really been the icing on the cake so far this year!

90%

Favorite Tracks: Deathhammer, Into the Timewaste, The Flood, We Doom You To Death

Napalm Death - Utilitarian [2012]

Napalm Death never disappoints! They still got it!

This album is no recycled crap a lot of bands seem to be okay with releasing. This one really takes you back to the "good ole days". This is one of those moments where if Napalm Death were to release this with poor studio quality and just SAY they were unreleased tracks from back in the eighties; people would believe them. That is what makes Napalm so great; their consistency. The late eighties ND to a bit more specific.

The easiest way to describe this album is to compare it to an older one, and with the 80's being mentioned, it would seem to be most similar to ND's second work, "From Enslavement To Obliteration". The one thing that the earlier album had (besides the svper kvlt recording) that this one does not, is the short thirty second songs. Those would have made this album a landmark in history. To be fair though, the second to last track "Opposite Repellent" is a brief minute and five seconds long, with the actual music kicking in at the 10 second mark. It also has the classic feedback in the beginning. For anyone who is partial to saying ND doesn't have it anymore just needs to hear that track to have their faith in them restored.

The intro track in the very beginning of the CD has a very eerie vibe to it. That has been consistent compared to their other recent releases. If they were to actually perform that intro live it would be just devastating! Then the next track kicks you right in the teeth with the speed! The first thing that comes to everyone's mind when the name Napalm Death comes up is how stupid fucking fast they are! And then in the next track, they bring in the "noise" here in the chorus with a sound that is very hard to describe. Almost as if they were letting the air squeak out of a balloon! Most of all however, what really will hook you into this album is track 5, "The Wolf I Feed". It has the upbeat skanking riff that has almost a crossover sound for a second. Mitch Harris has such an incredible voice. When you have him and Barney trading vocals in a track it. But the guitar riff in the beginning of that track is what makes it!

How many lifetimes would you have to live to come up with as many riffs as these dudes do? The thought alone is just baffling. Every track on this record has a riff that will either make you want to mosh or throw your arms up in the air at the sound of sheer terror! Besides the fore mentioned track 5 there is some very choice riffage in "Nom de Guerre" (the whole song!) and in "Opposite Repellent" at around :42. Also in the preview track "Leper Colony" there is some monster riffage (http://youtu.be/I0NqN6mGO2g?t=1m34s). Those riffs alone will convince you to pic this gnarly bastard up!

These guys haven't turned their backs to the music they set out to create, and by now it is pretty obvious that these legends never will. Their previous recent releases were amazing, and this album is most definitely a step above them!

94%

Favorite Track: The Wolf I Feed, Nom de Guerre, Opposite Repellent

They also put on one of the best live shows! Their energy is unstoppable!

For those of you that don't have a clue what Napalm Death is all about this tell you.

And this may seem a little unorthodox but IF ANYONE IN NAPALM OR THE LABELS READ THIS. This would be my dream tour!! And the crust and grind world can back me up on this! And if they came to the D.I.Y. venues they would sell out every show.

Napalm Death
DropDead
Nails

Think about it!