Distant – Aeons Of Oblivion (Unique Leader) [Liam True]
Part Dutch, part Slovakian and full force slamming deathcore brutes Distant are back with Aeons Of Oblivion the final part of a trilogy of releases that started with 2020’s Dawn Of Corruption before continuing with Dusk Of Anguish, a six-track effort released earlier this year.This offering, consisting of five new tracks plus the rest of the story, wraps up the tale of Tyrannotophia in one brutal, punishing package. The sound of the world’s damnation, Aeons Of Oblivion is a truly stamina-sapping display performed by the six-piece deathcore outfit. Clocking in at just over an hour in length it’s definitely an album for the true deathcore diehards. As the suitably epic intro track Pandemonium lurches into the opening salvo of Hellmouth, a horrifying mix of guttural vocals, and slow, juddering guitars, the scene is very much set for the rest of this punishing effort.
Primarily built around slow, sludgy deathcore, Aeons Of Oblivion takes you on a journey into the hellish world they have created. Should you decide early on that you will join the deathcore mob on this journey of revenge and damnation you will be joined along the way by a slew of extreme metal guests including Adam Warren of deathcore brutes Oceano on the title track and Jason Evans of UK filth mongers Ingested on the suitably disgusting Dawn Of Corruption.
Elsewhere on this dark, nightmarish trip, the soundtrack is peppered with foul guest vocals from Mendel bij de Leij formerly of Aborted, Lochie Keogh of Alpha Wolf and Kyle Anderson of Brand Of Sacrifice, the latter providing guest vocals on The Tyrant’s Covenant, one of the five new tracks that make up this brutal tale. Aside from the dramatic interludes used sparingly to break up the onslaught, Aeons Of Oblivion is, for the most part, an uncompromising, barbaric listen. Relentless from the outset, if you’re willing to join Distant on this merciless journey, make sure you come well prepared for this is one hour that will push you to the very limit.
Aeons Of Oblivion wraps up the story of Tyrannotophia, the realm of the doomed and the sound of the world’s damnation. This is the story’s conclusion and the final part to the band’s previous releases Dawn Of Corruption and Dusk Of Anguish. This full-length album totals over one hour of tormenting hymns that deal with Tyrant’s conquest and hunger for revenge. And it wraps up in a heavy cinder block crushing your balls that leaves you thirsting for more. 9/10
Alustrium– A Monument To Silence (Unique Leader) [Liam True]
Alustrium, with their return with their brand new album A Monument To Silence, is a blistering assault of technical death metal that recalls Between the Buried and Me, along with the band’s fierce brutality. Four tracks in, and the dynamics of this album are very strong. The aggressive riffs are mixed with beautiful melodies, especially on the eight-minute epic The Accuser. This song has some savage chugs and an almost metalcore structure. This works because it makes their sound more diverse. It helps broaden the album out because there’s something for everyone. Sometimes, death metal albums can feel predictable. I was expecting the album to accelerate at breakneck speed. For example, on Deliverance For The Damned the drumming is faster than 20 machine guns firing in unison. However, the album is focused on melody and that’s really great to hear.
The title track is the closer and it’s an epic at 10 minutes long. I think that this song brings together all the best bits of the album: guttural screams, powerful chugs, and a massive climax at the end which rounds things off nicely. As good as the album is, however, I feel it does drag on in some parts. I mean, Death Metal, even the technical variant, is always straight to the point, if your face and snarling. Where as Alustrium feel like they’re holding something back and are reeling in their actual skills. With that it’s made an incredible album just downgraded to a great one. By no means am I telling you to skip this record because it’s beautiful from start to finish. A Monument To Silence combines the best bits of death metal and turns it into a melodic listen. It will gain Alustrium a wider fan base because each track has something that most metal fans should enjoy. If you’re a fan of progressive death metal with thrilling intense elements, you’re sure to love this. 8/10
The Day Of The Beast - Indisputably Carnivorous (Prosthetic Records) [Richard Oliver]
Indisputably Carnivorous is the fourth album from Virginia Beach blackened metallers The Day Of The Beast and their first album for Prosthetic Records. The Day Of The Beast have a sound that sounds like a cross between thrash metal, death metal and black metal with lyrical themes being inspired by horror literature of the ilk of Clive Barker, Bram Stoker and Lovecraft. With a mix of thrash, death and black metal this is of course a heavy and frenzied sound with savage thrash riffing, death metal brutality and black metal evilness. There is quite a lot of melody prevalent as well especially in the guitar parts whilst the vocals from Steve Harris (no not that one) remain on the harsh side veering between black metal screams and a Jeff Walker style snarl.
The most effective songs are the ones where the speed and aggression are kicked up a notch with Disturbing Roars At Twilight, Black Forms Materialise and the absolute rager that is Annihilation Prayer (Shallow Be Thy Graves) being the highlights for me. Where this album suffers a bit is through a lack of variation and a lot of the songs having way too much similarity to each other. By the time you reach the end of the album there isn’t much that sticks in the memory. That being said variation isn’t everything and if you want some savage blackened death/thrash which is impeccably performed then The Day Of The Beast have very much got that covered. 7/10
Reinforcer - Prince Of The Tribes (Scarlet Records) [Richard Oliver]
Reinforcer - Prince Of The Tribes (Scarlet Records) [Richard Oliver]
Prince Of The Tribes is the debut album from German heavy metallers Reinforcer. The band are a five piece from Paderborn and are made up of Logan Lexi (vocals), Marvin Fretter (bass), Niclas Stappert (guitars), Tobias Schwarzer (guitars) and Lasse Schmiedel (drums). The band have a previously independently released EP The Wanderer from 2018 but Prince Of The Tribes is their debut full length album being released by Scarlet Records.
Reinforcer have a sound that mixes German heavy metal and epic power metal over a collection of songs lyrically based on different historical eras and events. The songs generally retain a middling pace backed by powerful melodies, classic metal riffs and powerhouse drumming. Songs such as Black Sails (which is very reminiscent of Running Wild complete with the pirate themes) and Shieldmaiden combine these traditional metal and power metal elements well whilst Thou Shall Burn and Hand On Heart both kick the pace up a bit at times. Logan Lexi has a voice that is a bit gruffer and lower in register than your typical trad/power metal wailer but it sounds in keeping with the music and Logan remains within his boundaries as a vocalist and gives these songs a dramatic gravitas.
This is a solid piece of trad/power metal. It is something that has been done by countless other bands but the skill and enthusiasm is very apparent throughout this album and Reinforcer have a great bunch of fun, enjoyable and heroic sounding songs. 7/10