Lions of the South-Chronicles of Aggression

Self-Release/Independent
2014

U.S. metal act Lions of the South, which formed in 2008 and happens to hail from Florida (Miami), released this, their full-length debut album and only piece of recording to date, back on January 1st. Now Rock 'N' Growl Promotion has steeped in to handle the PR for this heavy metal/thrash metal trio and, having now streamed this LP two times over, it's not too hard to fathom why they've caught the attention of said promotion! This power trio, who might technically hail from Miami even if it's fairly clear to all involved that their roots can be traced all the way back to South America, features Cristobal Perez on lead vocals and guitars, Felipe Vilches on bass and Andres Nayar on drums and, thanks in no small part to the surprisingly clean, crisp and clear production job that has taken place on this self-released slab of metal, this up-and-coming three-piece is packed with promise! The likes of Sepultura, Megadeth, Pantera (and maybe even some Slayer?) has been soaked up by this trio from South Florida and then it's been chewed up and spit out in the most venomous of ways making "Chronicles of Aggression" a blistering collection of chunky HEAVINESS! Not short on talent, Lions of the South could easily make headway in today's scene if they can build on the success of this early 2014 thrash attack!

Orbweaver-Strange Transmissions from the Neuralnomicon

Primitive Violence
2013

 
Words escape me when it comes to this Miami-based 4-piece. Formed in 2010 by guitarist/vocalist Randy Piro (ex-Hate Eternal, ex-Gigan, ex-Kult ov Azazel)) and drummer Mike Pena (Nuclear Infantry) the pair recorded a self-titled, three-song demo sometime thereafter. At that point it was just the two of them before lead guitarist Sally Gates (ex-Gigan) and bassist Jason Ledgard joined the party for some merry fun. As of 2013, and the mouthful of a title, "Strange Transmissions from the Neuralnomicon", the band is still the same group of metallic misfits with the sole exception of  Scott Spasiano (drummer/percussionist). Scott took over Mike Pena, who left sometime this past year. Taking a look at this five-track album, and having listened to it in a dimly lit basement, this is the sound of one band hell set on doing it their own way. Avant-garde metal is certainly not new to these ears of my and yet, when it came right down to it, this listening experience left me locked in a mild state of confusion. Weirdly mixing death metal with psychedelia rock the band's album spends a lot of time on the go as it boldly moves about between noble heavy metal and noise. Frantic is a good word to use when it comes to this 5-track experiment in mood-altering death metal even though Randy Piro (vocals/guitars/effects) and company do keep everything in check...for the most part. Recorded at Pinecrust Studios in Miami, with Jonathan Nunez of Torche at the helm, the album sounds good even if it comes off as a bit of a mad-cap adventure in all things space and time. As well it was Brian Elliot who mixed and mastered the oddly named "Strange Transmissions from the Neuralnomicon" at Mana Recording Studios (Hate Eternal, Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, Exhumed) so between Brian Elliot and Johnathan Nunez this recording does do a good job at portraying this Miami band in just the right light. In the end this was an album that intrigued me as much as it left me reason to pause and scratch my head. I give credit to Orbweaver for doing their own thing though so while this might just be a strange band and a stranger reason it at least stands out from the rest of the pact of death metal albums that flood my inbox.