Skadefro- Minna fra Nordland

NORWEGIANS KNOW HOW TO CRAFT METAL!

Skadefro is a black metal band hailing from Norway with some definite influence from the doom side of the spectrum. This is their first full length following up and EP released in 2017. Skadefro dishes out a slow to mid paced brand of black metal that has an almost garage rock style attitude coursing through a good majority of the tracks here. Very much so no frills and straight to the point riffing. Minna fra Nordland clocks in at just under 30 minutes and manages to leave a lasting impression in that short period of time.

The album kicks off with "Ditt farvel". This track is a good indicator of what to expect moving forward through the tracklist. The first notes have a nice effect on the guitar that set a nice abstract, almost haunting tone. "Min siste ferd" follows and it does a great job creating a real triumphant/epic atmosphere. Simple riffing aplenty makes for a good steady groove that the band consistently creates with ease throughout the entire runtime of this album. After this the band really hits their sweet spot and from this point forward the remainder of the album absolutely flies by. From the first note of "Dødsdåp" to the final note of the title track the band squeezes in a number of different types of tracks in such a short span of time. "Dødsdåp" probably ties with the closer as the highlight of the album. It's without a doubt an energy filled anthem with such an infectious riff driving it into yet another track with an infectious riff and this cycle doesn't end until the album does.

The vocalist dishes out a nasty shriek throughout the album and while there is very little variation it fits pretty well with the instrumentation and given the simplistic nature of the music a more flashy approach probably would have been more distracting than anything else. There is a cool little manic, whispery spoken word section tossed in on the epic closing track however. Speaking of the closing track man this one is an absolute monster! It clocks in at just under 10 minutes and not a second of it is disposable. It pops in with a crushing man riff and creates a dreadful atmosphere that is oh so sweet. For a band that had only been in existence for a year at the time of recording this it is almost shocking how well fleshed out they had gotten their sound already. There sure as hell know how to close an album and I highly doubt anyone who's given this one a shot would even considering arguing that point.

Overall Skadefro have offered up a really solid slab of rocking black metal with this album. Anyone craving some riff based nastiness should be pleasantly surprised with this thing. Don't let the mention of doom influence have you thinking this is some lethargic bore-fest either. There's plenty of drive pushing most of these tracks along and the speedier sections of this thing are done with skill. The band really seems to hit it's stride towards the middle of this album with highly replayable jams like "Under stjerneklar Himmel" and "Dødsdåp" . The slight increase in pace truly ramps up the feeling of these tracks and then when those slower moments hit it happens with much greater effect. There's no complaints to be had here. If I were to get pretty nitpicky the only suggestion would have been to throw on a couple more tracks. I'm all for a short album but when this really gets going it feels like it comes to a close fairly quickly afterwards. Another 10 to 20 minutes being added would have been more than welcome. Another thing I wouldn't mind hearing more of is a little more of those tasty leads featured on the title track previously mentioned. That was only a brief section of this album but it's obvious that guitarist Gundersen truly shines here. This one comes highly recommended for anyone into riff based black metal and anyone into doom that can handle the harsh vocal approach. Really if you like riffs in general there's no reason you shouldn't have a good time jamming this. 

Check it out here!

The Gardnerz- It All Fades

The Gardnerz are back for their follow-up to The System of Nature. An album I reviewed with much praise. This time around the release is in EP format. Fortunately for all of you fans it still clocks in at a healthy 35 minutes. It is clear when listening to It All Fades that The Gardnerz are no "one trick pony". These guys all have chops with both their instruments and writing abilities.

As mentioned in my previous review for the band's full-length, for a melodic death metal band these guys sure know how to churn out some kick-ass riffs. It All Fades is no different. If anything this aspect of the band has grown. Every single riff on this release sticks with you immediately after hearing it. I also see some influence of Death possibly leaking through in some of the playing here. One of the best moments on this thing would have to be when the opening track "Don't Look Back" slows down and goes into some clean vocals. This moment just builds and builds until eventually we break back into the fast paced riffing featured at the beginning of the track.

Each track on this release is really like a journey. The EP is almost impossible to not listen to as a whole. It all comes together very nicely and flows with a vast amount of perfection. Not one track here is skippable. It seems as though the clean moments heard on The System of Nature have been added a bit more often on this EP. That being said the heavy moments have gotten much more intense and I really believe the band has found the perfect balance of all of their elements on this release.

While I hate to dedicate an entire paragraph to a cover song I really think the cover on here deserves it. The Gardnerz rendition of the Darkthrone classic Transilvanian Hunger is simply astounding. The track features beautiful female vocals throughout, not a single harsh vocal is used. The instrumental has a very clean, full sound going for it. It is amazing how The Gardnerz completely changed the overall sound of the song, but even with that fact, this very clean, beautiful version of the song still manages to hold the same atmosphere of the Darkthrone track. It's an amazing feat and a very mind-blowing listen. When I first saw the tracklist I was worried about how this would come out. Upon listening that worry is completely gone and this has become my favorite track on the album, and possibly my favorite cover song of all time.

Overall It All Fades is an amazing effort from The Gardnerz. I thought The System of Nature would be an extremely hard release to follow-up, but they really outdid themselves with this one. Needless to say if you are a fan of the previous album pick this up. Also highly recommended to fans of death/doom metal. This release is truly the definition of what I want out of a release of this nature and it is very good to see The Gardnerz always taking steps in the right direction.

Interview with Wilhelm Lindh (The Gardnerz)

The Gardnerz just recently had their debut full-length The System of Nature released via Abyss Records. The album definitely makes The Gardnerz a standout act in a style that is all too often filled with dull, uninspired music. Here we talk to guitarist Wilhem Lindh about the album, the history of the band, and what the future holds.

 Foul Feast: Tell us a little about how The Gardnerz came about.

Wilhelm Lindh: It all started in the summer of 2008 when I came home from a stint in Florida where I had been studying for a semester. Since I had not played guitar seriously for six months, I had to get the poison out. I got in contact with and old girlfriend about starting a band playing something similar to old katatonia but with a more death metal touch. The idea was to have female vocals but that didn't pan out. And after searching for about a year for another female vocalist I gave up that idea and went with a dude. And since then I have had some different members. But since I joined forces with Francisco Martín on bass and Niclas Ankarbranth on vocals I have had a solid foundation. The drummer situation has been the tricky part, on the system of nature Joan Pablo Donoso played session drums and now we are working with Vedran Bencic as our new drummer.

FF: I'm sure you get this often, but what is the meaning behind the band name?

Wilhelm Lindh: You are correct, that question arises often, but that is sort of the point. The main idea came from pre Socratic philosopher Epicurus, who talked about how all you need to be happy in life is a garden, some good friends and simple food. He also talked about how it is virtue to live a simple life. He was a very interesting guy. So from him I got "The Gardeners", but I thought that sounded a bit prententious and also there were many bands with that name. And also if you googled it you got something like 9 million hits. So I dropped on e and changed the s for a z for good measure. We have gotten a lot of shit for the z but I like it, it is a reminder that you shouldn't take everything to seriously. I guess I should point out that the z is taken from Swedish dance music, think mellow country music with really cheesy lyrics. In those bands it is commonplace to replace the s with a z.  Take a listen to this kick ass band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGGum5OP_zo&feature=related!

FF: The album was mixed by Dan Swanö, how did you guys get into contact with him?

Wilhelm Lindh: Actually the album was mastered by Mr. Swanö. our bass player Francisco had been in contact with him for some reason that I don't remember but he had asked if it would be possible for him to master the album, and he said yes. So I emailed him and set it up. I must say that it was a real pleasure to work with him, he did it really fast and the result was killer.  

FF: When did writing for The System of Nature begin?

Wilhelm Lindh: It started in the summer of 2008, that was how I started the band, just writing songs. My idea was to do a demo in the fall of 2008, but since I didn't have the members I just kept writing. When Francisco joined the band he insisted that we should do a full length album instead of a demo. So that is what we did.  

FF: Did the writing process seem to flow naturally?

Wilhelm Lindh: Yeah I think so, with this band my idea was to do whatever came to my mind. Since I have always felt a bit limited in my previous bands, having had members who not wanted to do the same thing as I or had the ability to play some of my riffs. So just having myself in the band while I wrote most of these songs, I could do precisely what I wanted. And I wrote a few riffs to as exercises, writing stuff I couldn't play so I had to practice and get better. And now with the guys I have in the band I can continue doing it since I know that they can handle whatever I throw at them.

FF: How did your deal with Abyss Records come about?

Wilhelm Lindh: Dan from Abyss records wrote me after finding us on myspace. We were talking with him and another label and we decided to go with Abyss since they had better distros and such. Dan is a really great guy as well so I'm glad we went with Abyss.

FF: The sound displayed on your debut manages to maintain an aggressive feel that is typically lost when blending death metal with doom. Was this something you set out to do or did it just come naturally?

Wilhelm Lindh: Well as I wrote earlier the idea was to mix our style with female vocals, since in my mind most metal bands that have a female as a vocalist have a tendency to be really polished and kind of lame (as for most music these days). I felt that I wanted to do something dirtier, and when I had to give up that idea and go with a male vocalist (not that I'm disappointed about it, Nicke is a amazing singer and a great dude) I just kept it the same way. So Answer your question I would say it was a natural thing.

FF: What influences you most musically?

Wilhelm Lindh: As for bands the top bands are Katatonia, Bolt Thrower, Acheron, Broken Hope, Death, old Nile. I wanted to do slow and heavy stuff but to try to not do it the same as most people do it, you know a few slow power chords and the just riding those chords. I like allot of brutal bands but I have always prefer when the drumming is more down tempo. So I wanted to have some fast riffs but with a more groove oriented and doomy tempo on the drums.

FF: re there any reoccuring lyrical themes on the album?

Wilhelm Lindh: There are a few songs that are antireligious, and the rest are me venting various things that annoy me or that I think should be more talked about. We have songs about: our consumption crazed society, Sweden's sordid part in the field of racial biology, tabloid journalism.

FF: Do all of the members of The Gardnerz have previous experience in metal bands?

Wilhelm Lindh: Yes we have all played in a few metal bands, we are in or have been in Toxodeth, Tristitia, Kanatran, Vandöd, Pandemonium, Insomnis, Savage Harmony. There are more to mention, but my memory lets me down.

FF: Are there any tracks on The System of Nature that stick out to you the most?

Wilhelm Lindh: The first one I wrote was The art of suffering, so that one for sure, I also really like how that one came together, I think everyone added some killer stuff to it. Maybe it's time also turned out really good, good mix of harmony and brutality. Confusion as well, I really like the vocals on that one, and my clean guitar solo is one of my highlights.

FF: How has the album been recieved thus far?

Wilhelm Lindh: It has mainly gotten good responses, allot of people has given it really good feedback. And since we have got it officially released is a big pat on the back for me.  

FF: Do you guys gig often?

Wilhelm Lindh: We have never played live with this band. Since we didn't have a drummer for a long time we couldn't play live. But now when we have Vedran we are trying to set up some shows, but that is not the easiest thing to do. But hopefully we will do some shows next year.

FF: Has there been any thought put into the next release yet?

Wilhelm Lindh: Yes we are planning to put out a ep next year, we have ten songs written but we thought it would be better to do an ep. And the new songs are keeping with the same style as for the system, some might be bit slower and longer but, if you liked the system you will like the new songs as well.

FF: Any final thoughts?

Wilhelm Lindh: Thanks for this interview! And for those of you who haven't heard us head over to www.thegardnerz.com were you can listen to the entire album.
Cheers
Wilhelm

The Gardnerz- The System of Nature

The Gardnerz is a four piece death/doom band from Sweden. All four members have pretty solid backgrounds in the extreme metal scene. The group formed back in 2008 but this marks their first release together. The first thing about The Gardnerz that will grab your attention is their ability to incorporate doom elements but still pack a mean death metal bite. Many bands playing death/doom these days lose that impact and most of the time it makes for a dull, uninspired sounding record. Luckily that isn't the case on The System of Nature. This clocks in at one hour and has you on the edge of your seat for every second of it. Not a dull moment is in attendance, even with the lengthy playtime it still manages to leave you wanting more.

The sheer amount of amazing riffs on this release is astounding to say the least. Enchanting melodies are abundant and hard hitting riffs run rampant on every track. Tracks change direction out of the blue in a very cohesive manner making for an absolutely enthralling listen. The writing is very strong throughout and the structures vary a great deal, rather than just switching things up the same way every track in a desperate attempt to sound "edgy". Occasional "softer" moments like the intro to "Incident" really do an excellent job at spicing up the flow of the album. Said clean moments mesh with the distortion quite nicely, and during the few moments where the two clash amazing things occur (see "Confusion").

The vocal approach used on this album is much more menacing than what you'd normally hear from the average death/doom band. Ranging from gutturals to sinister screams there is a decent enough variety to keep things interesting. The production is very polished and even. On most occasions squeaky clean production bugs me but on The System of Nature it fits the sound like a glove. Having a big name like Dan Swanö handling the mastering on the album certainly isn't a con either.

Overall The Gardnerz are playing a brand of death/doom that will even appeal to those who aren't typically fans of the genre. The System of Nature is an extremely successful debut. In fact, it is possibly the best debut of the year. There is an endless amount of memorable moments to be found here and the replay value is beyond through the roof. Sure to be found somewhere on most top 20 of 2011 lists this is certainly an album you're not going to want to miss. The Gardnerz has definitely set the bar high, it will be interesting to see what their next move will be. Get.

Black Chalice- Years of Flame

One man death metal band Black Chalice is back for their second release filled with all things ugly and rotten. While Years of Flame does still maintain the very raw tone that sets them apart, there have been quite a few major shifts in sound since the previous release. There are four tracks here (one of which was also used on Prayers For Our Lord And Savior) and the total playtime comes in at a hefty thirty minutes.

The main thing people will notice is how much things have slowed down since the first release. We got to hear this side of the band previously on the track "Infallibility of Semen" (which is also featured on this album) but Years of Flame takes that aspect of the band to new heights. There is a massive amount of melody featured here which is something that Prayers was almost completely devoid of. This is a change that is sure to split audiences that enjoyed Prayers. Fans of the track "Infallibility of Semen" will most likely be fine with the direction Black Chalice has went in, if not, you might want to look elsewhere.

The atmosphere on Years of Flame is thick as can be. An extremely haunting, depressing vibe is given off throughout the course of the album. This is the perfect soundtrack to the life of someone who always feels like they have a dark storm cloud lingering above them wherever they go. Even in the midst of all the distortion the riffs all remain lucid and fully intact. Nothing is lost is translation and all the notes float around in the head of the listener for them to savor even after the music has ceased.

The vocal style used here is very simple. They can be heard a bit more than before and aren't drenched in as much distortion. There is a major echo that makes it sound as though the vocals were recorded in some big open space, this adds to the lingering atmosphere that this album is overflowing with. A drum machine is still used but it has very little effect on the overall sound of the album. The lurking pace tends to help-out in terms of making the drums seem more realistic though.

Overall Black Chalice has taken a major risk with the release of Years of Flame. Luckily it has paid off. I can't exactly say which style I prefer them to play, mainly because Prayers was a bludgeoning effort that isn't quite so easy to come by. I wouldn't be mad if they keep putting out slow, doomy, melodic melodic music like this though, because to be honest, this is about as close as you can get to perfection playing this style. Sure, there may be plenty of bands out there churning out music like this but very few, if any, do it this well.

Kon Hex- Magnetic Sun

Kon Hex is drone/doom band from Canada. The project consists of one sole member and is completely instrumental. Since the creation of Kon Hex in 2010 there has been an EP and a full-length released. Magnetic Sun makes up the second full-length, it contains four tracks and clocks in at well over an hour. The intro even goes longer than seven minutes, so for those of you seeking a short listen, look elsewhere. Those in search of an album filled with downtrodden drone will get exactly what they expect.

Magnetic Sun has a very solid flow throughout it's playtime. All four tracks almost have to be listened to together to be fully appreciated. For the most part the music is very gloomy and dismal. The sound is huge and when the guitar comes into play it rings on for long periods of time with power. The album really doesn't tend to focus too much on riffs or a solid song structure but rather on creating a strong atmosphere. While the atmosphere is achieved throughout, at times things drag on too long to hold the listeners interest. This doesn't occur often enough to prevent Magnetic Sun from being an enjoyable listen but it does prove to be detrimental in some ways to the overall replay value.

Magnetic Sun's greatest moment is the intro. It is a great way to start off this album. It is almost reminiscent of a Jorg Buttergereit soundtrack (Schramm, Nekromantik, etc). It sets the perfect attitude for this release and is one of those pieces that is the perfect soundtrack for sitting in a dark room in complete solitude. Sadly, the intro sets the bar high and Kon Hex struggles a bit to recreate the atmosphere quite like they did with it. The second track "The Uncharted Notice" comes close with its booming, monumental guitar sound, which truly gives off an almost cataclysmic vibe. While these two tracks work relatively well the other songs don't do quite as well. "In the Seas of Darkness" has its moments but "MSun" is far too drawn out to be very effective. The tracks length could have easily been cut in half and then some, the forty minute length just doesn't seem justified.

Overall fans of drone should find some enjoyment within Magnetic Sun but it is by no means groundbreaking. Some of the ideas on this release stick and some of them don't. The flow of the album and the dreary atmosphere definitely work on a grand scale but there are plenty of things that need to be tweaked in Kon Hex's sound before they can stand out from countless other drone releases. While Magnetic Sun is by no means bad it also doesn't have a great amount of content that will have people coming back for more. If you just can't get enough drone then Kon Hex may be worth a listen for you, but if you want something that demands your attention this might not be what you want.

Kaiju- The Gods Are Angry

Kaiju is a metal band that formed back in 2008. I say metal band because it is very difficult to pigeonhole these guys to one specific sub-genre. They play a style that is primarily death metal but there is also a fairly doomy aspect to their music as well. They have went on to release a full-length, an EP, and a split with Druid Lord since this release. If the band name wasn't a big enough hint I'll let it be known that these guys dig monsters, you'll hear all about it throughout this release and any other release you decide to pick up from the band.

The thing that stands out the most on this release is the atmosphere. The entire demo seems like the perfect soundtrack for walking around an old foggy graveyard at night. The keyboards also add to this aspect creating the feeling of an old school horror flick. In the end all of this works towards grabbing your full attention and prevents the demo from simply becoming "background music". That being said even with all this thick atmosphere completely pulling you into the listening experience, the tracks are too brief for their own good. The longest track just barely breaks three minutes, and the style Kaiju is playing here calls for long epic tracks. Most of the songs here just come across as solid appetizers even though they could amount to be huge main course meals.

This release opens with the very crushing track "Hellbender", which features an earthshattering rhythm heavy enough to wake even the most elusive creatures in the world. The guitar playing is killer from start to finish. For the most part the riffs are very heavy and catchy but on occasion they are interrupted by some crazy shredding. Upon first listening it appears that the shredding is just randomly thrown in but with further listens I couldn't imagine it being any other way. These sections are well crafted and will have you playing air guitar like a goddamn fool in no time, trust me, I can tell you this based off personal experience (in public).

Nev's vocals are just as brutal as I've come to expect. Having only heard his work with Loathsome before this I was slightly disappointed in the lack of highs. His shrieks on the Loathsome demo are possibly the most vile I've ever heard. With that being said, even without his signature shrieks being used he still has a pretty unique growl. He remains to be one of the few that really manages to standout from the legions of other death metal vocalists.

Overall Kaiju definitely wield an extremely unique sound. Aside from the song length issue this release is pretty much perfect. Fans of death and doom metal will find something to enjoy here without a doubt. Even fans of the more traditional realms of heavy metal might find themselves enjoying some of the riffs here quite a bit. Kaiju's sound actually should appeal to metal fans all across the board. They certainly have shaped their own style and defining it is nearly impossible. Give this a listen.

Mammon- Demiurge

Mammon is a sludgy metal band from Canberra, Australia. When thinking of Australia slow, sludged out metal isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Thankfully Mammon pull out all the stops in making this three track machine destroy as much as humanly possible. Prepare yourself for twenty minutes of home grown goodness.

The album opens with a clip of a man saying "I am a false prophet, God is a superstition" over and over again until the heavily distorted guitar creeps in and steals the show. The album consists of three tracks, simply titled I,II,III. These three tracks, when combined, come to a total of twenty minutes. During this twenty minutes Mammon made damn sure that they packed in some of the most harsh, angry, and epic music known to man. The riffs featured on the album are certainly a highlight. For the most part the guitar playing has a strong southern feel to it. In a few aspects it is reminiscent of Church Of Misery. Some people may be turned off by a sloppy note or two featured on the record but it really just adds to the natural feel in the end.

Though for a good portion of the record Mammon like to take it slow they still pack one hell of a punch. The intensity in some sections of these three tracks are off the charts. That being said there are some calm moments on the record but they don't stick around too long. The slow building section in "III" is surprisingly relaxing even with all the barbaric shrieks and shouts. That is what makes this release so excellent. Mammon never sacrifices one aspect of the music in order to fuel another. The album may be intense but they refuse to dumb down the writing just to sound heavy.

The vocals on the album consist of a wide variety of styles. Everything from growls, hardcore yells, and shrieks can be heard throughout the short runtime of Demiurge. The wide variety of vocals keep the listening experience fresh. Another thing that makes this aspect so enjoyable is the fact that these angry cries are convincing. So many bands just yell for the sake of being extreme but come out sounding uninspired, that is not the case here. I'm not going to act like I know the guy personally but based on this album I think it is safe to say that he was very pissed when recording this.

Overall Demiurge is definitely not a release that should be ignored. Mammon play a style of their own and can hold a listener's attention like no other. The band is versatile enough to appeal to a wide spectrum of metal and hardcore fans. So those of you in search of new music in the vein of Cower, Church Of Misery, or Bongzilla Mammon is without a doubt worth a look. If they ever decide to release a full-length big things could happen. The potential shown here is gigantic.

Email mammonband@hotmail.com with your address to get the demo delivered to you!

Stoic Dissention- Senium

Stoic Dissention is a sludged out black metal band from the United States. The band churns out some of the most dense yet enchanting music that has been put out in quite some time. Incorporating enough twists and turns to hold the listeners attention the entire playtime Senium definitely proves to be a high quality release. This EP consists of 4 (actual) songs and clocks in at just under 40 minutes, within that time not a dull moment is brought to the surface.

The atmosphere throughout this release is very thick. The band utilizes the use of a slow, brooding pace and lets every note fully sink into the listener before moving on to the next. The previously mentioned vibe the music gives of is what really makes this album so brilliant. Stoic Dissention's music contorts into a wide variety of emotions but be warned that none of them are the good kind. Senium is an endless void of gloomy soundscapes that tries it's best to pull the listener in at any and all cost.

The vocal style used here is very wretched. It consists mostly of high pitched shrieks that match the dreadful atmosphere that is set with the instruments quite well. The guitar playing is crushing when it needs to be but also smooth and beautiful when it is called for. Unlike many bands that fall into the category of black metal Stoic Dissention isn't afraid to broaden their horizons and take risks when it comes to their musical output. The album has a fairly diverse selection of sounds throughout and it stays extremely entertaining from start to finish.

The long track lengths may turn certain people off. With that being said even those who aren't fans of 5+ minute tracks should give this a shot. Even the songs that break 9 minutes seem to fly by in no time. All of these good qualities can be lead back the well written music that this release is filled with. It seems the band has everything down perfectly, the tone, riffs, atmosphere, and rhythms all work together in making this release the best it can be.

Overall Stoic Dissention have created an excellent, haunting EP. There is a wide enough variety of styles mixed into the band's sound that many fans of all types of metal should be able to embrace. Senium gets inside your head and turns all good thoughts into fear and doubt. Highly recommended to all fans of black metal, doom metal, or anything post. After the first listen you'll find yourself coming back for more and more.

Fester- Silence

Those of you that read the review for Winter of Sin already know my strong feelings toward that album. Their debut was without a doubt one of the most unique albums to come out in that period of time and due to the band's standout sound they didn't quite break into the scene. That being said those of you who have continued to put Fester on the backburner will be hating themselves the instant they put on either of their albums. This is good, real good.

One thing that made Winter of Sin was that it has a very distinctive sound. The band seamlessly blend a number of genres and in the process make something that can only be described as Fester. The music featured on Silence is far from menacing, they embrace a style that is dripping with mysticism and is surrounded with a very gloomy atmosphere. Many of the tracks on the album have a feel that can almost be described as laid back. "The Maze" is strangely very calming as well as a few others tracks featured on the album. Fester is one of those bands that make music that you can truly get lost in, the content here is simply mesmerizing.

With this album Fester takes a more traditional approach in terms of guitar playing. The riffs here wouldn't seem out of place on some of the classic metal albums that were brought to us in the late 70's/early 80's. In more ways than one Silence is less extreme in terms of sound than the debut is. Though the album is still heavy it is hard to describe it as aggressive. One of the biggest standout tracks on the album is "Voices From the Woods". The song features one of the most enchanting choruses in metal history and features melodies that are stunning. Much like on the first release the vocals consist of weak and distant black metal esque shrieks with the occasional clean thrown in. This style fits what Fester plays well and is extremely unusual. Those who are just getting into the band may have a hard time adjusting to the vocals but overall it is all a matter of taste.

Overall Fester has impressed me once again even with my ridiculously high expectations. Fans of music in general need to get both this and Winter of Sin, if you have functioning ears you will not be disappointed. In a world where you often have trouble distinguishing one band from another Fester is one of the few exceptions that by the time the first note is played you immediately know the band, album, and track that is being played. Without a doubt this band was far ahead of it's time and they deserve a lot more respect than they currently get.

Apostate- Trapped In A Sleep

Apostate is a death/doom metal band from the Ukraine. The band formed in 1993, they released a demo in 1995 and an ep in 1997 and had since been inactive. Thirteen years later Trapped In A Sleep, the bands first full-length was released. "Filling the Void" features lyrics that state "hell will merge with heaven" and this line defines the sound Apostate creates quite well, at times beautiful synths merge with crushing riffs and melodies come and go and it all happens in a very cohesive manner.

All the tracks aside from the intro and the closer go well over seven minutes a piece in length, the album features seven tracks and clocks in at just over fifty minutes. The band manages to make these lengthy songs breeze by with very little dragging. With tracks of this length many bands would be digging themselves in a hole, but Apostate handles the responsibility of keeping the listener's attention and most of the feelings they want to come across the listener flourish.

The moments where Apostate let their doom side shine prove to be the most effective. When the band slows things down they obtain an atmosphere that makes this a very enjoyable listen, but unfortunately they don't create these moments often enough to make this album amazing. The band is most certainly pumping out music that is far above average but with this album they haven't reached their full potential. The solos on the album are few and far between but when they do pop up they sound great. The riffs featured are very memorable and catchy but at times the band does seem to repeat them a bit longer than necessary.

Kozub shows that he has chops in both harsh and clean vocals on Trapped In A Sleep. On the title track his clean vocals fit the music perfectly and it adds a great deal to the song. There is a good balance between the clean and harsh vocals throughout the album. The harsh bellow that Kozub delivers has a distinct sound. It isn't quite a growl but instead a very deep yell. Even though the vocalist doesn't leave his comfort zone often it doesn't effect the sound much because he is superb at his style of preference.

Overall Apostate haven't quite created their masterpiece with this release but they definitely show they may have the ability to in the future. They aren't lacking in any area in particular but they also aren't executing certain things as well as they could be. Maybe with the next release Apostate will create a classic but until then this album is far better than many other releases in this genre and is by no means bad or even average. Recommended for those who are into the style and Trapped In A Sleep could also be an excellent gateway album for individuals looking to get into the death/doom genre.

Fester- Winter Of Sin

Fester was a death metal band from Norway that formed in 1989. Winter of Sin was their first full-length after a demo of the same name, they later on released one more album and disappeared for over a decade to later reform. Winter of Sin was released in 1992, while most bands in the area were beginning to turn to black metal Fester were pumping out music that could be considered blackened death metal in it's early stages. This is one of those records that has a major crossover capability. Fans of death metal, doom metal, and black metal can all find something to enjoy within the contents of Winter of Sin.

Picture an old school death metal release with a pinch of doom and the raspy vocals that black metal has become known for and you have Winter of Sin. It is hard to compare this album to any others that were out at the time because it honestly has it's own sound. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that this album is far ahead of it's time. Winter of Sin also has one of the most epic sounds to ever grace a death metal record around this time.

The fretwork on Winter of Sin is reasonably simple. The album is jam-packed with crushing riffs. The heavier moments on the album hit like haymakers due to the punch the bass adds to the overall sound. There are a few odd moments on this album that definitely make it standout. The most notable would be the solo on "Victory!!!" which features a nice little solo that is backed by a clean melody, the melody slowly builds up as the solo winds down, it gives the track an exceptionally creepy atmosphere. Moments like this keep things exciting throughout the entire record. All the tracks range from very close to well over five minutes in length, the band manages to get through the lengthy tracks without dragging even a bit.

This release is also very bass dominant. This element adds a very chunky sound to Winter of Sin that adds to the already doom-laden sound the band displays. It is great to hear the bass throughout the entire release and it adds quite a bit of depth to the sound. Bass is something that many death metal records lack and it is quite a breath of fresh air to hear it so clearly here. Skjolden was a great bass player and sadly he passed back in 2000.

Overall Winter of Sin is one of the most interesting releases in death metal from this era. When listening it is truly hard to believe that this is such an unsung classic. This is highly recommended to fans of extreme metal in general. The reissue of this album also features a live track recorded in 1991 and damn they sure did rip live. Let's just hope if they release new material they tour to support it.