Axe Crazy-Ride The Night

No Remorse Records
2016


Named after the classic 1982 single from N.W.O.B.H.M. band Jaguar, Axe Crazy is a up-and-coming traditional heavy metal band that hails from Lędziny, Poland and is currently fronted by lead singer Michael Skotnicki. Bass player Daniel Czupryn (ex-Snake's Head) and original founding members Adrian Bigos (guitar, vocals), Robson Bigos (guitar, vocals), and Andrzej Heczko (drums) round things out this five-piece band which lists the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Helloween, Running Wild, and Dio as it's primary sources of inspiration. Founded on January 1st, 2010, Axe Crazy made it's studio debut in 2014 with the release of the 4-track EP, "Angry Machines", and then went on to appear on two different compilations, "Trveheim Vol. 1." and "True Metal Lives III - The Hard Road To Hell". The ten-song "Ride The Night" is Axe Crazy's first full-length recording and it is reportedly due out on December 16th. Starting with the all-too- brief "March of the Survivors", Axe Crazy's full-length debut might just draw from some familiar sources, but thanks to the band's youthful enthusiasm and keen ability to craft extremely catchy material it ends up being a moot point! Chock full of classic heavy metal riffs, over-the-top leads, and flat-out blessed by a vocalist that could have been time-snatched out of the eighties' metal scene(!), Axe Crazy is a hell of a band that has proved more than worthy of it's cool moniker!  The full-length album, "Ride The Night", is everything you could hope for out of a debut: great material, epic performances, and a subtle production job that perfectly captures the time period that it is trying to emulate! Honestly, it is because of bands like Axe Crazy that I keep this blog up and running. This kind of sincere and honest heavy metal is too good to keep to myself!! Axe Crazy is a adventure in heavy metal history and we are it's welcomed students!    

Free Metal Monday: Dogzilla-Demo

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Observant readers will no doubt recall how I previously covered Dogzilla's song "Winnetou" as part of another Free Metal Monday feature. Now this hard & heavy/sludge trio from Tarnów, Poland returns with a full-fledged demo that tacks on "#3" and "Massive Impact of Lethal Force". While the buzz-saw aggression of gritty opening number "Winnetou" is nearly-impossible to top these two additional cuts further showcase Dogzilla's ability to craft fuzzy hard rock with plenty of heavy riff rock appeal. For band-members Karol Wałaszek (guitar, vocals), Jakub Sroka (bass) and Nikodem Zawirski (drums) these three songs are more than enough to get fan's drooling in anticipation of a full-fledged album! I sure as hell count myself in that category!! To my fellow promoters and PR friends I have to say the following. Someone needs to scoop in and sign this trio up while there's still time! These guys are too good to be toiling away at cutting demos no matter how good these particular demos just might be! Speaking of which, this demo is free for the taking and you will want to add it to your collection especially if you are a fan of fuzzed-over, hard & heavy metal that is guitar-driven and drenched in sludge for your listening pleasure!

Free Metal monday: Dogzilla-"Winnetou" Single

Self-Release/Independent
2015   

Dogzilla is new hard & heavy/sludge metal band from Tarnów, Poland. The group is comprised of guitarist/vocalist Karol Wałaszek, bassist Jakub Sroka and drummer Nikodem Zawirski and on their six minute plus (!) single, "Winnetou", you get to experience the sights and sounds of the seventies hard rock scene without leaving the comfort of your own home! Fuzzed over for your listening pleasure, "Winnetou" is a name-your-own-price download, but why not toss man's best friend a bone or two while you're at it just to show just how much you care! As the band's YouTube channel points Dogzilla are anything but a one hit wonder. But whereas that particular demo track is post-Black Sabbath love from and to seventies hard rock lovers, "Winnetou" is nothing short of highly-righteous rough rock with stone cold killer leads! From the look of things Dogzilla certainly has more to offer so why not jump of this trio's bandwagon while there's still plenty of room?
 

Crystal Viper-Possession

AFM Records
2014

Poland's Crystal Viper, as always lead by vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist/composer Marta Gabriel (Börn Again, Jack Starr's Burning Starr (live as guitarist), Vader (live as singer), Manilla Road (live as singer), Tytan (live as singer) as well as guest spots/session-work on album's by Sabaton, Witch Cross and Majesty), will soon be releasing their fifth full-length album in "Possession". As was the case with 2012's "Crimen Excepta", which was highly-received by fans and critics alike, production duties fell upon Bart Gabriel (Sacred Steel, Sabaton, Burning Starr) and, from that stand-point at least, "Possession" sounds inspired. With guest appearances by the likes of Harry Conklin (Jag Panzer, Titan's Force and Satan's Host) and Sataniac (Desaster) and the additional "screams" of fifty fans (in much the same way as A Sound Of Thunder includes the "Thunder Choir" Crystal Viper invited fans to send in their screams to be used on the album as a thank you for their support) this traditional heavy metal band (lyrically) has (another?) concept album on their hands with "Possession". Theme-wise this one is about a young girl named Julia (hence titles like "Julia Is Possessed") and the release is said to include a "movie-like story" that "gets an unexpected twist, and surprise the listener with every single song". With no lyric-sheet to go by I'll just take Marta and her metal comrades (guitarist Andy Wave, bassist Michał Badocha and drummer Golem) at their word. Music-wise though this one follows fairly closely in the same footsteps as previous Crystal Viper releases. Traces of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio-era Black Sabbath/Dio, Warlock (see: "Why Can't You Listen") and Merciful Fate (see: "We Are Many") can still be found here as well as the likes of Grave Digger, Jag Panzer, Witch Cross (see: "Voices In My Head" and "Julia Is Possessed") Fates Warning (see: "Prophet of the End") and Riot. Speaking of Riot, "Thundersteel" is covered here on the CD version. This isn't the first time that Crystal Viper has covered one of it's influences as past releases have seen covers of the likes of Manilla Road, Warlock, Agent Steel, Running Wild, Accept, Demon and more. On "Possession" the Riot cover fits in rather nicely with the original cuts. But, what about those original cuts? Well, Marta (as usual) sounds great and her bandmates, including new bassist Michał Badocha (At the Lake, Unsaint), form a supportive circle around her which results in a more then capable and quite strong metal unit. That said, "Possession" almost sounds like a step back for Crystal Viper instead of a step forward. That's not to say that this is a bad release or anything. Crystal Viper are still at the top of their game as evident by cuts like "Fight Evil With Evil" (featuring guest vocals by Harry Conklin), "Mark of the Horned One" and "Julia Is Possessed" (featuring guest growls from Sataniac). And, given the album's (somewhat) darker edge (Marta reportedly wanted more Candlemass and King Diamond/Merciful Fate influences added to the mix and the promo also makes mention of Bathory believe it or not!), the album does come across as (almost) more experimental in a way. As if Crystal Viper were looking to add in new elements and show that they were not afraid to try their hands at something new. All of which is fine, but that doesn't mean that it's an improvement over 2012's "Crimen Excepta". Instead it just is what it is-a fine album that fans will likely enjoy, but one that shows that (for a band that has been around since 2003) not every new album is going to be a groundbreaking achievement!

Squash Bowels-Grindcoholism

Selfmadegod Records
2013

Here's another release that slipped through my fingers as much as it slipped my mind. Sometime back, my guess would be late July or maybe early August, I managed to play this one when the house was empty save for the sounds of my own personal ghosts. The kids were gone and I enjoyed the none-to-subtle sounds of a hammer beating the shit out of someones brains (or as it's normally called or known as "grindcore") the likes of which I haven't heard since the heyday of Earache Records (man, those were the days). On the sixth full-length studio album from these Polish "grind butchers" we see a band, which incidentally was formed in April of 1994, that isn't afraid to crank out grindcore that is sometimes almost groovy while always being more then a little bit, strike that it's a hell of a lot, bloody and gory! Otherwise it's grind so what more is there to it then that? If I hadn't fallen asleep on the job I'd have posted about ti back then (whenever that was), but right now will have to do I suppose. The current line-up looks as if it features bassist/vocalist Artur "Paluch" Grassmann, guitarist Andrzej "Andy" Pakos and drummer Mariusz "Melon" Miernik. The three sure do cover a lot of ground (racket-wise) on the excellently-named/aptly-titled "Grindcoholism" as we're talking about 14 tracks covered in less then 32 minutes. The longest track is "Surrender" at 3:33 and, as I listened to the album once more for this review, the album moves along at a brisk pace (yes, even by grindcore standards). While it might not be groundbreaking release or anything like that it is a frantic and down-right filthy album that is sure to scare your neighbors and destroy everything around you save for the cockroaches and your personal demons/ghosts! In other words it a grind-ridden good time!  

Livin Fire-Under The Spell

Self-Release/Independent Recording
2013

It's been awhile since we last heard from Livin Fire here at Heavy Metal Time Machine. That was actually back in September of 2011 when Metal Mark covered their self-produced 3-track demo. Here it is 2013 and this Cracow, Poland-based 4-piece band has doubled our pleasure and doubled our fun with this just released/hot of the presses 6-track EP! Drawn together over a strong desire to recreate the magic of 80's classic hard rock and melodic heavy metal, which they managed to do quite well since the word go, Livin Fire was formed in early 2010 by vocalist/guitarist Alda Reï and guitarist J. K. Shredd. With bassist Alvaro and drummer Matt B. rounding out the rhythm section of Livin Fire, and if effect forming a smooth foundation of which this act can build their hard rock/metal sound brick by brick, this new 6-track EP picks up where the 2011 demo left off. Although here's the thing. After a brief instrumental opening "Under The Spell" slams open the doors of rock and roll with more urgency and energy then what you might normally expect from a band that's been going at it for 3-years!. Damn, if that isn't good to see then I don't know what is! What's even better is what it translates to once you get into the thick of what Livin Fire is all about! The spirits of 80's bands like Bitch, Lizzy Borden and Witch still reverberate in Livin Fire's sound, but then again there's traces of Axxis, Chinawite, Warrior, Phantom Blue and Alien Force in "Under The Spell" as well. With this band it's all jumbled together in such a different fashion that it's not like they're just wearing those influences on their sleeves for all to see and hear. Where the argument could be made for this young band catching a break and getting a signed record label contract is in this train of thought. Livin Fire has a great lead vocalist in Alda Reïthough and they've structured their songs in such a way that they could easily be radio rockers if this was turned down a notch or two. It's not that Livin Fire is a commercial entity though but rather that when it comes to the lead guitar work of J.K. Shredd it's all structured around rock and roll's humble influence. Bands from this walk of life now that classic hard rock and heavy metal can still be loud and proud if only with a pinch or two of basic, school of rock 101 layouts. Livin Fire was born out of a love of 80's  hard rock and heavy metal though so while the lead solos do rock out, which is/was fairly typical of the 80's scene anyway if you're old enough to remember, this one is still going to resonant more with the headbangers then the rock and rollers!  Find out more at the band's Facebook page below.


https://www.facebook.com/livinfire

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Livin+Fire-Demo+2011+

Rusted Brain-High Voltage Thrash

Slaney Records*
2013

Warsaw-based Rusted Brain, who possess a killer name for a metal band, are a relatively new outfit having formed back in 2009. The group issued a 9-track demo, "Juggler", in 2011 with "High Voltage Thrash" being their full-length debut album. While the title gives away what Poland's Rusted Brain are all about (ie. fast and furious, high voltage thrash) theirs is a sound firmly rooted in the 80's scene. Metallica's "Kill Em' All" is the most obvious influence of this 4-piece act, but the band does toss in elements of Exodus, Razor, Overkill and Slayer to keep things churning in the right direction. Here and there you'll find some nwobhm moments (Iron Maiden and Satan come to mind), but all in all this is raw thrash and damn, is it every fine! Rumcayz (Damian Lodowski) handles vocals and bass on the album and his style can be traced back to underground death/thrash acts of the 80s. Rogal (Przemek Rogalski) takes care of lead and rhythm guitars and backing vocals while Kretu (Michal Czerniakowski) joins him as they shred through lead solos like Freddy Kruger slashing up his latest victim. Meanwhile drummer Beny (Benedykt Zwoliński)bashes the hell out of his set and as these four whip everything into a frenzied assault all you can do is stand back and enjoy the show! Again, my copy came from Tridoid Records and hearing "High Voltage Thrash" on headphones transported me back to high school and a time when these sort of bands were coming up the pipe-line faster then the speed of light! For old-school thrash fanatics this is a no-brainer!


*Cassette version released on Tridoid Records

Praesepe-Hybrid Creation

Self-Released/Independent*
2012

Poland's Praespe may trace their roots back to 1996, but "Hybrid Creation" is only their 3rd full-length release. For you see, from 1996 to 2002 they were known as Ars Moriendi and they were playing this  black/death form of metal. Well, they are actually still incorporating some black and death metal into their sound, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Their Facebook page mentions that early on (when they were still known as Ars Moriendi) they were influenced by all sorts of things from the usual (death/black/doom/thrash) to the not-so-usual (progressive rock/industrial/jazz-classical/movie soundtracks). In 2002 came the name change with a demo, "Pretentious Circle", following shortly thereafter. Why the name change? We can only guess. Anyway, following another set of demos, 2003's  "Dance Of Eternal Madness" and 2005's "B Dead - Bizzare", the band finally issued a debut album in 2006. The oddly named "NGC 2632 v M44" set the stage for this Polish act and now, finally I know, we wrap our way back around to "Hybrid Creation". When the band formed back in 1996 they were a black/death metal outfit and now, with a little stream-lining (and the added addition of progressive and dark metal elements), they've achieved a nice balance between gnarly death metal and melodic/technical thrash. "Hybrid Creation", which was recorded in London and mixed & mastered in Poland by Widek (http://widekrecords.com/), is highlighted by the unholy vocals of Przemysław Kajnat (Eternal Deformity) who, in addition to unearthing these raw and sinister demonic growls, handles bass**. The rest of the line-up is filled out by guitarist Andrzej Komarek, guitarist Dominik Gryzbon (Themgoroth), drummer Balcer and guitarist Konrad. Studio guest musicians were as follows:
Destroyer - solo guitar in "Weakness"
Marcin - midi drums arrangements & programming
Paweł Kucyper - special sound effects
Vraath - bass

With 8 tracks total, and a run-time of 48:02 (per the Metal Archives), "Hybrid Creation" proved to a great way to start up my morning. On cassette you get a slightly gritty vibe which makes this release sound like an underground recording from the long-gone (and sadly missed) days of tape-trading. Whether one chooses to call this band progressive death metal, dark metal or a hybrid of death/black and progressive metal the tag doesn't really matter. What matters most is that this "little of this and little of that" Polish band is carrying on the fine tradition already established by so many of their fellow countrymen. Poland is well-known for having some of the best black and death metal acts out there and now, thanks to this cool little LP, everyone is able to see that the talent level there won't be drying up anytime soon!

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Praesepe/124582040946181
 

 https://www.facebook.com/TridroidRecords?fref=ts




*Cassette version released on  Tridroid Records
** The Facebook page lists Przemysław Kajnat as Praesepe's vocalist/bassist while the tape I have just has him listed as vocals & arrangements. My best guess is that he handles both live while on this album Vraath actually did the bass work.