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- ALBUM REVIEWS -
- B -
- Bone Gnawer [2009] Feast of Flesh -
Label: Pulverised Records
Review by Drew DiPietro
RATING: 9 \m/
Bone Gnawer's 2009 release, Feast of Flesh instantly gives off a cannibalism vibe. From the Hannibal Lecter type pig’s squealing, leading off with the intro for the title song “Feast of Flesh”. It sets the tone for the album very well. There is a very familiar sound to the band, so if you’re a death metal veteran you should feel right at home. They blend old school death metal with a doomy thrash sound among Swedish death metal elements.
A perfect example would be “Sliced and Diced” very consistent death metal riffing and your average death metal vocals. The majority of songs I’d have to liken the vocals to something akin to Kataklysm, but the lyrics are more towards the gore metal side of things. Then there’s songs like “Hammer to the Skull”, which instantly brought me back to Corpse, with “Hammer Smashed Face”. Normally, I would have just shrugged and probably skipped to the next song just because of the name. But the band had gotten me interested by this point. This song happened to be one of the more drumming intensive songs on the album, where as far as I could tell didn’t drop below 200bpm’s unless it was during one of the many awesome headbaning moments of the song.
With this album however, they really did save the best for last. The final 3 songs off this album are absolutely fantastic. Great slamming riffs and great vocals. The drumming on “Defleshed and Skinned” is wicked. Just the drumming makes that song my favourite off the album. “Anthropaphagus Beast” is more of an old school death metal track, with those same gore lyrics from the better part of the album. However, probably the most intense song off the album which to me would definitely be their finale live, is “The Lucky Ones Die First”. Great death metal, and at 2:30 the song just slows right down, leaving you with nothing but the urge to bang your head right the fuck out. Leading directly into circle pit worthy material. Couldn’t be happier with the end of this album.
Also it's worth noting that Bone Gnawer consists of a rather impressive line-up which currently includes; Kam Lee (Massacre/ex-Denial Fiend, Cynic, ex Death) Rogga Johansson (Paganizer) Ronnie Bjornstorm (Ribspreader, Hate Ammo) and Morgan Lie (Naglfar). Hornz Up!
- BLUT AUS NORD [2009] Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars -
Label: Candlelight Records
Review by Marty DePietro
RATING: 10 \m/
With their seventh full-length release, “Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars”, Blut Aus Nord has really added to the ambience of their music. A sequel of sorts to the bands 1996 sophomore release “Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age", they have really improved their sound over all. Backed more by flowing melodies, a cleaner sound, and far more technical drumming this album is extremely enjoyable.
Focusing more on the music and less on the vocals I think is something that worked very well for them. Don’t get me wrong, the vocals are amazing and suit the music well, but having them less pronounced I find makes the album that much better to listen to.
Songs like, “The Cosmic Echoes Of Non-Matter (Immaterial Voices Of The Fathers)” and “The Alcove Of Angels (Vipassana)” are enthralling with their story-like atmospheres and legato interludes. The semi-acoustic instrumental “Translucent Body Of Air (Sutta Anapanasati)” really helps add to the mood of the album, giving a relaxing and almost meditative break to the album before exploding into “Antithesis Of The Flesh (And Then Arises A New Essence)” , which the last two or three minutes of the song have a really cool Egyptian-like feel to them. I can’t forget the 10 minute epic, “The Meditant (Dialogue With The Stars)” with it’s long, swooping solo-like melody and bridge in the middle that builds up with intensity and breaks right back in that brings the song into a complete different feel.
With the shortest songs being only 1:30 and 2:24 being the intro and the instrumental, this album is such an awesome and epic journey from start to finish.Highly enjoyable, excellently written and metal as fuck. This release off Candlelight is definitely ten horns!
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