GAEREA (POR) - Unsettling Whispers [2018] - CD review by NPH - Rate 9,5/10

GAEREA
COUNTRY: PORTUGAL
GENRE: BLACK METAL


Cover design and artwork by Stefan “Khaos Diktator Design”

GAEREA . "UNSETTLING WHISPERS" - CD - 2018

Tracklist:
1. Svn
2. Absent
3. Whispers
4. Lifeless Immortality
5. Extension to Nothingness
6. Cycle of Decay
7. Catharsis

RECORDING LINEUP:
(Unkown)

PRODUCTION/RECORDING:
"Unsettling Whispers" album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Miguel Tereso (Demigod Recordings)



GAEREA - Unsettling Whispers - 2018 - Transcending Obscurity Records
Genre: Black Metal

THE BAND:
Darker than the blackest nights, GAEREA mysterious dark entities emerge as one of the most enigmatic and creative black metal bands ever to come from Portuguese lands. The band is now releasing their most expected debut full length album by the title of "Unsettling Whispers" which most probably shall be one of the most sickening and twisted black metal experiences you might have heard in years.... well, at least if you missed the critically acclaimed debut and self-titled EP by this mysterious quintet!
GAEREA have been founded in 2016 and ever since have impressed both media and extreme metal adepts in general, allowing them to share stages with bands such as Gnaw Their Tongues, Lvthn, Ominous Circle, Turia, etc.
GAEREA are the finest result of black metal constant evolution, for me, they are one of the best and strongest references within experimental/modern black metal scene this days, something that will please adepts of bands such as Schammasch, Mgła, Uada, Triptykon, Deathspell Omega among others.
 
THE NEW ALBUM:
"Unsettling Whispers" follows the bands previous work and takes you even deeper into their obscure creations. GAEREA disturbing new experience is an authentic and organic metamorphose of genres exploring all corners of metal extremity from black metal to doom/death metal and not only, you can even notice some slight post rock/metal influence at most on this albums starting track "Svn". It's in fact hard to categorize and label GAEREA sound, known to be complex, experimental and always mutating into something ardently new.
"Unsettling Whispers" dark enigmatic and sinister creations recreate and enhance black metal most traditional and usual elements! Here, GAEREA extreme musical dynamism among the decadent strong melodies and the dramatic vocals assume a very special part of this album. The vociferations, the guttural backing vocals, the screams of agony and disturbing whispers give to the whole album a very special darkly tense atmosphere!
On "Unsettling Whispers" the blend of genres is about perfect and as the album develops, you shall get the feeling of an ever-growing tension within each obscure song, one after the other, it gets stronger and stronger.
The impressively strong album production by Miguel Tereso from Demigod Recordings is some of the best of its genre to emerge from Portuguese lands. Paving with it GAEREA path into their black metal ascension!

TRACK BY TRACK:
The album starts with the enigmatic introduction track "Svn" which is probably the most post metal/rock influenced track of the whole piece, slower and melancholic it grows in a dramatic way until it merges with the band traditional disturbing black metal sound... powerful, strong and as disturbing as it sure can be!
"Absent" is a quite melancholic track that keeps the band strong and obscure identity within its melodic structure, this is somehow the base to GAEREA main sound.
"Whispers" and "Lifeless Immortality" are two of my favourite tracks that carry within them some of the bands most powerful musical structures of the of the new opus, some of the most twisted and sick black metal right in your face! These songs have all the best elements to please the most demanding black metal addicts... cold, dark and sinister as much as they can be!
"Extension to Nothingness" is another of my own favourite tracks, here the razor sharp melancholy grows into a strong and suffered agony, ending with a harsh painful melody!
"Cycle of Decay" is another strongly bombastic track with such a aching melody at its end, an authentic dirge of agony!
"Catharsis" ends this piece of unsettling black metal art in such a delightful comforting torment!
Once you listen to the suffocating final screams at the end of "Unsettling Whispers" album you get the feeling that you have just finished listening to a whole new and refreshed black metal experience build up by one of the most innovative and new black metal bands out there!

THE CONCLUSION:
"Unsettling Whispers" is one of the best pieces of disturbing black metal for 2018, an impressive debut full-length done by extremely talented musicians! GAEREA mysterious dark entities have created some of the most addicting, sick and twisted black metal music that I laid my ears upon in a couple of years, a strong and emotional experience to ones senses!
In Portugal we have a saying that goes like this... "first you find it strange but then it gets into your entrails", GAEREA music is a bit like this saying, first you need to listen to the full piece in detail, let it grow on your unsettling mind until you become possessed by such sick and twisted dark splendor! Disturbing black metal can't get much better than this
"Unsettling Whispers" is one of the most addictive creations on its genre over the last years, leaving no one indifferent to it's disturbing black metal art! An album set to leave a mark on black metal adepts who want allot more than just cold monotony! GAEREA music is among many other things an emotional journey across the darkest sides of human nature and its own self inflicted decadence!

"As the ashes of mankind cover daylight you step upon a void of massive darkness, a world where the only remaining light is the one that has shined since primordial life creation itself... the omnipresent godless Nature!"

RüPä - NeKronos Promotion HELL

RATE: 9,5/10

"Catharsis" : Video Clip : https://youtu.be/JkObUc-HSRE



"Absent" : Audio Clip : https://youtu.be/CKqGyzzUSBc



"Whispers" : Audio Clip : https://youtu.be/Wfl0w1bfYo4



"Unsettling Whispers" : Video Teaser :  https://www.facebook.com/gaerea/videos/597793313887502/




MORE INFORMATION ON GAEREA AT:
BANDCAMP Site: HTTP://WWW.GAEREA.BANDCAMP.COM/
Facebook Page: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GAEREA/
Youtbe Channel: [ LINK ]

Contact: AGENT.GAEREA@GMAIL.COM

DEMONICAL (SWE) - Chaos Manifesto [2018] - CD review by NPH - Rate 9,5/10

DEMONICAL
COUNTRY: SWEDEN
GENRE: DEATH METAL


ARTWORK: Karmazid (Urfaust, Wolfbrigade, Blaze of Perdition)

DEMONICAL "CHAOS MANIFESTO" - CD - 2018

Tracklist:
1. A Void Most Obscure
2. Towards Greater Gods
3. Sung To Possess
4. Välkommen Undergång
5. Torture Parade
6. From Nothing
7. Unfold Thy Darkness
8. Death Unfaithful
9. Nightbringer (*Digipack CD exclusive)

DEMONICAL RECORDING LINEUP:
Alexander Högbom: Vocals
Martin Schulman: Bass
Johan Haglund: Guitars
Eki Kumpulainen: Guitars
Kennet Englund: Drums

GUEST VOCALS:
Pehr Skjoldhammer (Alfahanne)

PRODUCTION/RECORDING:
"Chaos Manifesto" was recorded in 2017 and both mixed and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén (Terra Tenebrosa, Cult of Luna, Katatonia).



DEMONICAL - Chaos Manifesto - 2018 - AGONIA RECORDS
Genre: Death Metal

"Bow down kneel, under the eternal sky
The land lays open, follow the bound of blood
Sons of the Northern stars, stares on the ocean wide
Prepared for battle, with hopes of victory and pride

Fire - Raise flames higher - One by One
Northbound - Towards Greater Gods" DEMONICAL - Towards Greater Gods (Chaos Manifesto)

THE BAND:
Northbound to the Greater Gods Demonical Swedish death metal militia has unleashed their new demolishing piece by the title of "Chaos Manifesto", an authentic old-school slap in the face!
Demonical have been unleashing their old fashioned death metal since 2006, founded from the ashes of the formerly disbanded Centinex. Ever since they have been unleashing their uncompromised and fierce traditional Swedish death metal sound with all the right dose of melody and impetus aggressive heavy metal artillery!
The band has played in the past over several hundred shows all over Europe, North America and Russia. Demonical have done many tours, both as headline and support, they also played over tons of festivals... in all, the band has always delivered top-quality and vicious old-school brutality of the finest kind to their listeners!
With the incursion of new blood lead by the acclaimed death growler Alexander Högbom (October Tide, Centinex) and the new permanent members Eki Kumpulainen on guitars and Kennet Englund on drums the band has enhanced and recreated their already impressive sound, exploring this time elements never attempted before in the previous works!
Demonical emerge nearly 5 years after the release of the last full-length album "Darkness Unbound" (2013), again as a five-piece, the band arises at their full force and are ready to invade your ears with one of their best pieces to the date! This album will surely please adepts of bands such as Unleashed, Amon Amarth, Grave, Dismember and Entombed!

THE NEW ALBUM:
"Chaos Manifesto" is a new chapter in Demonical already outstanding career. By exploring new elements the band managed to reshape their already impressive sound! The violent and traditional pure brutal Swedish death metal tracks combine in perfection with the slower mid-tempo ones, delivering with it a top quality extreme metal music of the finest kind.
Demonical are without a doubt a natural born force deserving all the best reckoning on today's already repetitive extreme metal scene!
"Chaos Manifesto" was mixed and mastered by the award-winning producer Karl Daniel Lidén (Terra Tenebrosa, Cult of Luna, Katatonia) who delivered the most loyal sound we could expect from such Demonical creation, conserving the quintessence of the bands old-school vibe with the aid of up-to-date top quality sound!

TRACK BY TRACK:
"Chaos Manifesto" has collected some of the most memorable death metal anthems created by the band until now! So listen...
The Demonical gates of Hell open with "A Void Most Obscure" which is a pure violent death metal track, no better way to be introduced to this album! Next we prepare for battle "Towards Greater Gods". This is in my opinion one of the best tracks ever created by the band until now, a mid-tempo addictively melodic epic track that will get stuck on your ears since the very first listening!
Another lesson in violence is "Sung To Possess", an old-school death metal hymn and another of my own favourite tracks that may become the bands very own trademark song like "Raining Blood" is for Slayer, so brutally intense and yet so damn direct and addictive! "Välkommen Undergång" follows, this is the band's first Swedish sung track ever, slower and disturbing this is a damn well balanced mid-tempo track!
Death metal was meant to be fast, you say, then "Torture Parade" will be another track for your delight. Fast, melodic and yet aggressive as f*ck, a delight for the tortured ears.
"From Nothing" is another slower track with a great epic melancholic feeling into it, this is a powerful track full of feelings, another melodic death metal anthem if you ask me! "Unfold Thy Darkness" unleash Demonical good old-fashioned heavy artillery right in your ears, hell... this is so damn good :) ! "Death Unfaithful" is another damn well balanced victorious anthem with a very own epic vibe into it, the melody is as damn addictive as the whole album to say the least!

THE CONCLUSION:
"Chaos Manifesto" is within all its length a proof of Swedish old-school death metal dominance! Brutal, melodic and old-fashioned, Demonical new album has all to triumph on today's saturated extreme metal universe! A sound so viciously addictive and direct, all in the way that death metal was meant to be, right?!
Enhanced by the bands new members this five-piece death metal force arise victorious from another battle in their ascending path to glory! With "Chaos Manifesto" the band has been crowned as the greater Gods of Swedish death metal!

Bow down and kneel under the eternal sky! Prepare yourselves for battle and raise those flames higher! Northbound we march towards the greater Gods!

RüPä - NeKronos Promotion HELL

RATE: 9,5/10

"Towards Greater Gods" : Audio Clip : https://youtu.be/K6sNSADX_Fo



"A Void Most Obscure" : Audio Clip : https://youtu.be/Cj0ENrgDh_o




MORE ABOUT DEMONICAL AT THIS LINKS:
OFFICIAL SITE: HTTP://WWW.DEMONICAL.NET
FACEBOOK PROFILE: HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DEMONICALOFFICIAL
OFFICIAL MERCH: HTTP://WWW.DEMONICALMERCH.NET
LIVE BLOG: HTTP://DEMONICALOFFICIAL.BLOGSPOT.COM
STUDIO PAGE: HTTP://WWW.WINGSTUDIOS.SE

MANAGEMENT AND BOOKING AGENCY:
DREAMTIDE MUSIC MANAGEMENT & BOOKING AGENCY
DREAMTIDEMUSIC@HOTMAIL.COM
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DREAMTIDEMUSIC

BLACK ALTAR - Winds ov Decay - [2017] - Split Review by NPH - Rate 8,5/10

BLACK ALTAR
COUNTRY: POLAND
GENRE: BLACK METAL


[ Cover Art by Nestor Avalos ]

BLACK ALTAR - "WINDS OV DECAY" - SPLIT - 2017

Tracklist:
BLACK ALTAR: "Winds ov Decay"
1. INTRO
2. TOPHET
3. WINDS OV DECAY
4. PENTAGRAM SACRIFICE (Beastcraft cover)
5. OUTRO
6. TOPHET – PreEmptive Strike 0.1 – electro version – bonus track

BEASTCRAFT: "Occult Ceremonial Rites"
7. IN THE HOUR OF THE THORNS (unreleased intro track from 2016)
8. DEATHCRAFT AND NECROMANCY (unreleased track recorded in 2007/2016)
9. BLACKWINGED MESSIAH (previously only released on 7” vinyl, recorded in 2007)
10. BURNT AT HIS ALTAR (unreleased live recording from 2016, taken from the Death is Complete tribute concert)
11. RESURRECTION THROUGH DESECRATION AND CHURCHFIRES (previously only released on 7” vinyl, recorded in 2006)
12. …IN THY GLORY (7”, 2017)

BLACK ALTAR RECORDING LINEUP:
Shadow – vocals
James Steward (Vader) – drums
Michał – guitars, bass
V. Priest (Acherontas) – guest vocals
Acerbus (Ondskapt) – guest vocals
Sorath Northgrove (Beastcraft) – guest vocals
Nihil (Furia) – sound engineering, sample fx, mix and mastering

Tophet has been recorded in 2016 at Hertz Studio, Bat Studio and Czysciec Studio.
Mix and mastering by Nihil.



BLACK ALTAR - Winds ov Decay - 2017 - Odium Records
Genre: Black Metal

Out from the darkest crypts emerges the new black metal piece by Black Altar a band that has over 21 years of existence and devotion to the black metal arts. To celebrate more than two decades in blasphemy the band has released this new split with the Norwegian black metal heretics Beastcraft! 
Black Altar has been founded by Shadow on his homeland Poland back in 1996. Since then his unholy crusade has set a mark in black metal underground, Black Altar has ascended to become one of the best Polish references on its genre. "Winds ov Decay" is a proof of that, unholy dark ritualistic music crafted by experienced black metal war-masters!
Shadow rebellious march has raised 2 tenebrous full-length albums, 2 EPs and loads of split cd's with bands such as Vesania, Nebular Mystic,Varathron, Thornspawn and now Beastcraft, a rough black metal band that adds among other elements a very own depressive and melancholic atmosphere to their darkest metal crafts.

"Winds ov Decay" / "Occult Ceremonial Rites" is a split album that will please adepts of traditional black metal without any delightful adornments or "over-melodic" touches. This is straight fu**ing black metal right upon your tortured ears, bitter and old fashioned, harsh and with a pitch black atmosphere.
While Black Altar ritualistic sound is quite more aggressive and with some slight death metal touch into, Beastcraft sound in the other hand goes deeper into the obscure and sounds allot more old-fashioned and rawer. Their dark depressive/melancholic touch is surely giving them an own blackened essence!

Black Altar/Beastcraft split contains 12 tracks of the most christ-raping black metal out there! Black Altar present two new tracks which express the bands true essence, "Tophet" and the title track "Winds ov Decay" unleash true terrorizing black metal, fast, vicious and as deadly as it can be, to enhance this brutal sound none better than James (Vader) drums to give all the right dose brutality! "Tophet" includes the vocals of some distinguished guests like V. Priest (Acherontas), Acerbus (Ondskapt) and Sorath Northgrove (Beastcraft)!
Black Altar have also covered Beastcraft "Pentagram Sacrifice" as tribute and added as bonus an interesting electronic version of the track "Tophet"!
Beascraft "Occult Ceremonial Rites" follows... "In the Hour of the Thorns" introduces the listener to "Deathcraft and Necromancy" and "Black Winged Messiah" tracks that shall take you into a dark melancholic journey across pure demonical black metal grimness, a diabolical trip into the depths of the obscure! In the same vein you have the live version of "Burnt at his Altar" from the bands debut full length "Into the Burning Pit of Hell". To end the split we have "Resurrection Through Desecration and Churchfires" recorded in 2006 and "In Thy Glory" from 2017, two ugly and old fashioned pure fu**ing black metal tracks...both damn vicious and addictive! True black metal cult!

"Winds ov Decay" / "Occult Ceremonial Rites" is a quite well balanced black metal creation, pleasing the adepts of scorching and fierce as well as raw and melancholic extremes of black metal. This unholy offspring is a "must have piece" to every die hard black metal worshiper, a sinister piece of true unholy necromancy! With this new release, both Black Altar and Beastcraft enrich their underground black metal legacy with another ritualistic cult creation, proving with it that black metal is alive and kicking hard!

RüPä - Nekronos Promotion Hell

RATE: 8,5/10



"Tophet" : Videoclip : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYmAwIcA9c



FULL SPLIT STREAM : https://youtu.be/YCeEO3dIIe0




MORE ABOUT THE BAND AT:
OFFICIAL SITE: HTTP://WWW.BLACK-ALTAR-HORDE.COM 
FACEBOOK PROFILE: http://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BLACKALTAR
MYSPACE: HTTP://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/BLACKALTARHORDE

BOOKING / CONTACT: SHADOW666@INTERIA.PL 

HATE (POL) - Tremendum [2017] - CD review by NPH - Rate 9,5/10

HATE
COUNTRY: POLAND
GENRE: DEATH BLACK METAL



"The drawing on the cover depicts a nighthawk (Polish: lelek), a nocturnal bird that was treated with great respect by Slavic tribes in pre-Christian times. Nighthawks were believed to bring souls to this world and take them away from dying people. In that case they gathered in big numbers screeching for long hours. So they were called „messengers of death”. As this album has different Slavic references, we chose Nighthawk as a symbol that best conveys its meaning." HATE

HATE - "TREMENDUM" - CD - 2017

1 - Asuric Being
2 - Indestructible Pillar
3 - Svarog's Mountain
4 - Numinosum
5 - Fidelis Ad Mortem
6 - Into Burning Gehenna
7 - Sea of Rubble
8 - Ghostforce
9 - Walk Through Fire
10 - Hearts of Steel (Bonus Track)

RECORDING LINEUP:
ATF Sinner - vocal & guitar
Pavulon - drums
Apeiron - bass (session)
Domin - guitar (session)

HATE - Tremendum* - 2017 - Napalm Records
Genre: Death Black Metal

* eeriness and the fear of the holy

"Undeniable acceptance of programmed fate
Non sanctuary! It won't be redeemed
You feed the flames of Tremendum
And be buried with your doubts in graves
Revelation emerges in death
Welcome endless day
Saviours of mankind eaten by schorching abyss
Again and again" - Fidelis Ad Mortem - Tremendum

HATE death black metal leviathans and one of the biggest influence over forming Polish metal scene in the nineties are back with a new piece of darkest art! "Tremendum" is the new ritual and presents the bands extreme metal sound from ashes reborn! The band went deep into their Slavic roots for inspiration on recreating their own sound. Harsh and yet solid as a rock, the powerful new sound arises triumphant with a slight touch of patriotic folk combined with scorching death black metal that will set your ears ablaze!

"Tremendum" is the 10th original full-length of this death black metal tyrants and one of those albums that grows on each listening! First you will notice the changes within the new sound and then it will become a true addiction! A breath of fresh air within the bands traditional sound, proving that this impressive band born in 1990 is constantly changing and refusing stagnation! The new blood within the band (Domin - guitars and Apeiron - bass) have contributed with their crafted natural talent and allowed the band to grow even more from the previous and highly acclaimed release "Crusade : Zero". The virtuous illuminated guitar solos by Domin and Dean Paul Arnold (guest guitar: Vital Remains, etc.) are beyond impressive, the brilliant and dynamic drum work with the incursion of progressive beats by Pavulon allow the band to reach the highest mountains of might! ATF Sinner powerful vocals and eloquent lyricism as well as HATE's tremendously solid musical structures and endless musical resources make this album become an authentic monolith of extreme metal!
For the new album the band decided to work with Polish extreme metal guru Arek "Malta" Malczewski (Behemoth, Decapitated, Devilish Impressions, etc.) at Sound Division Studios, the result is beyond impressive and extends HATE new sound into an absolute new level!

"Tremendum" is in its essence the blackest form of death metal, a result of decades of extreme metal craftsmanship and dominance! HATE have combined with their quintessential authentic sound some folk, darker and even slightly progressive elements that enrich the whole work, with it, HATE renews the already overwhelming extreme musical experience.
The new album works pretty much as a whole since the militant epic intro for the song "Asuric Being" to the Epic ending track "Walk Through Fire" which includes some lyrics in Polish! Tracks like "Asuric Being", "Indestructible Pillar", "Svarog's Mountain", "Numinosum", "Into Burning Gehenna" and "Walk Through Fire" are some of this albums finest expressions, an outstanding mix of death metal fearsomeness and enthroned black metal massive darkness.

"Tremendum" is a timeless work of unholy art and a proof of HATE perseverance though the years! Triumphant and luminous, the band new masterpiece is one of the bands best and most solid releases to the date, proving with it that HATE are an immortal force of nature reborn from the everlasting flames of creation! The band has once again conquered all with another mutation of their metamorphic extreme metal sound, this time darker and deeper into Slavic roots and myths!
HATE sound reborn takes you to times before the light where the notion of holiness was still undefined, both good and evil! A savage form of illumination of Nature's strongest source, a barbaric essence of thunderous glory!
"Tremendum" is without a doubt one of the best death black metal offers for 2017, an ambitious and fierce new album enriched with dark melodies and a strong rebellious message, unleashing authentic timeless hymns of might and hate!

RüPä - NeKronos Promotion HELL


RATE: 9,5/10

"Numinosum" - Videoclip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpOdLGtmDw4



"Asuric Being" [EDIT] - Lyric Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1BAmCz-nno




MORE INFORMATION ON HATE GO TO:
OFFICIAL SITE: HTTP://WWW.HATE-METAL.COM 
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/HATEPOLAND 
FACEBOOK PROFILE: HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HATEOFFICIAL 
OFFICIAL HATE STORE : HTTP://WWW.HATESTORE.PL

PRESS CONTACT:
CLAUDIA STEINLECHNER (NAPALM RECORDS):
CLAUDIA.STEINLECHNER@NAPALMRECORDS.COM

BOOKING / CONTACT:
THE FLAMING ARTS AGENCY
info@theflamingarts.eu