Saturday Singles: Astray Valley-"Northlights"

WormHoleDeath Records
2018

Astray Valley is a female-fronted modern metal band from Spain that has been active since 2014. Fronted by lead singer Clau Violette (a fearsome front-woman with incredible range!), Astray Valley's latest single, "Northlights", is taken from the group's (as yet untitled?) forthcoming album. It is a brutal (and yet balanced) take on modern metal from this skilled and well-rounded band. Formed by Clau Violette, guitarist Joan Aneris, bassist Jorge Romero and drummer Erny Roca, Astray Valley seems to be headed in the right direction based on the dynamics of their new song. Fans of not only modern metal, but extreme metal would be well-advised to check this Spanish group out. In the meantime you can check out the official video for "Northlights" right below this piece.

Iron Hunter-Killing Machine

Underground Power Records
2017

Iron Hunter is a (vintage speed metal-infused) heavy metal/power metal band from Spain that is fronted by Emi Ramirez (Midnight Rites, Unhuman Nature, Witchfyre, ex-Atreides, ex-Ardegan, ex-Trial). Formed in 2015 (and originally known as Starlight), "Killing Machine" serves as Iron Hunter's debut offering and it finds Portrait's Per Lengstedt providing guest vocals on the old school banger that is the title track. This 7" single also includes "From the Ashes".  These two numbers (which are both home run hits!) go a long way in showcasing Iron Hunter's slick ability to combine vintage heavy metal, N.W.O.B.H.M., European power metal, and classic speed metal. Some of the group's influences include Riot, Iron Maiden, Running Wild, and (old) Helloween, but overall this Spanish metal band has their own thing going on and it is a real blast! As I type this Iron Hunter is (reportedly) working on their first full-length. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that. In the meantime you can find out more about this young metal band on Facebook.

Free Metal Monday: Last Breed-Demo

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Last Breed's two-song demo came out in May of 2015. I have no idea if the group even exists anymore, but this free release is worth a listen for fans of (alternative-leaning) hard rock/heavy metal. The female-fronted group, which lists Alter Bridge, A Day to Remember, Halestorm, and Five Finger Death Punch as some of it's influences, has a somewhat dark vibe going for it and other than the terrible drumming on "Beast Inside" (It stinks!) there is a lot to like about this demo. If anyone has any information on the current whereabouts of  this Spanish band then please leave a note in the comments. 

Agresiva-Eternal Foe

Minotauro Records
2016

Based in Spain, influenced by the Bay Area scene of old, and sporting a lead vocalist* who went to the Joey Belladonna School For (Power) Metal Vocalists(!), speed/thrash metal band Agresiva gets a updated take on their 2012 debut courtesy of Minotauro Records. This new & improved version adds two demo cuts ("The End Of The Game" and "Sent To War") to the previously-released (limited edition) digpak**. With a booklet full of song lyrics and colorful photos, 2016's version of "Eternal Foe" was certainly called for, politically-charged/socially-conscious thrash metal a sure-fire hit no matter the year of it's (original) release! Outside of the (ever so brief) intro piece, "Nocturnia", "Pale Horse (Red D'eath)" and everything that follows gets high marks in my book. It is possible that some of this album rides extremely close to our good friends in Anthrax, but given how damn cool the whole lot is I find it really hard to complain about a thing like that. Especially when you stop to consider how much shit the New York band in question has given us over the years! And no, I'm not just talking about some of the group's more money grabbing moments!! When it comes to this five-piece band and their inspired debut, Agresiva's song lyrics have depth behind them. There's legitimate concern in a number like "Hell Town" and (nine times out of ten) that kind of raw emotion turns good thrash into something special. All of which leads me down the path towards my ultimate verdict. With a second spin turning my stereo speakers into a powerful rally of sorts and with the understanding that I am talking about this near-perfect re-release from Minotauro Records, "Eternal Foe" makes for a great addition to both my (recommended) thrash metal list of 2017 and personal collection!



*It's no knock against him, but Samuel Gª San José sounds like he's in the wrong band. Like Belladonna before him, Samuel is a good thrash metal vocalist who is hopelessly trapped in the body of a great heavy/power metal singer. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't...

*The limited edition digipak came with a bonus version of the track "Hell Town". It features guest vocals from Óscar Sancho (lead singer of the long-running hard rock/heavy metal band Lujuria). Even though the bonus version is a Spanish take, "Hell Town" never loses it's message...or it's edge.

Free Metal Monday: Skell-Skell

Self-Release/Independent
2017

Skell is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Spain. The group's influences include Metallica, Alter Bridge, Megadeth, ZebraHead, Godsmack, Nickelback, and Angelus Apatrida (to name just a few). This self-titled release looks as if it is the band's first recording since forming in 2013 and it is a name your price affair. That's kind of surprising given the quality of it, but seeing as it is in Spanish there may be some naysayers. "Whatever" is my response to that noise, metal being a universal language to these ears. Or should that be (guitar-driven and somewhat commercial) hard rock as a universal language? Truth be told, Skell is a little of both and they are (mostly) at their best when they lean one way or the other (half and half doesn't always cut it folks). Either way, Skell suites me just fine and I have a strong suspicion that others will feel the same. That's of course if they give them half a chance.     

Evil Killer-Lethal Assault

Eventhink Metal Records
2015

Does anyone else remember the Spanish metal band Evil Killer? They self-released a demo in 2013 which had me thinking a lot about San Fran's Death Angel. Or rather about how much this particular quartet sounded like a poor man's Death Angel. It wasn't a bad thing. It was more or less just an observation. Well, here it is 2016 and I just discovered that this quartet released a full-length album back in March of last year. I suppose that means happy birthday wishes are in order. With that said, Happy 1st Birthday "Lethal Assault"! My how you've grown!! OK, it's time to get back to being a little bit more serious as this album is hardly a laughing matter. Limited to a mere 500 CD copies, "Lethal Assault", which was preceded a month earlier by the hard-hitting single "Midnight Assassin", greatly improves upon that 2013 recording and finds these speed metal-tinged thrashers stepping out into their own. The aptly-titled "Lethal Assault" finds Evil Killer unleashing a nice brand of metal that is equal parts mid-eighties/early nineties speed/thrash (which is great!) and modern day thrash (which is good). Lead by vocalist/guitarist Mikel Aznarez (ex-Rising Sun), Evil Killer already has the all the necessary tools in their possession to make a serious go at things so let's all hope that this mosh-worthy LP is just the first of many!

Free Metal Monday: Lions Way-Memorias del capitán

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Today's Free Metal Monday comes from the León, Spain-based band Lions Way. Released on the 12th of this month and available as a name-your-price download, "Memorias del capitán" is a six-song EP that combines elements of street rock, heavy rock, hard rock, radio-friendly punk rock and roll, and garage metal. Even though it's not in English, "Memorias del capitán" speaks the universal language that is "Have guitar, play loud rock and roll!". What more do you need?

Mutilated Veterans-Necro Crust Warhead (12" MLP)

Hells Headbangers
2014

Released this past June, "Necro Crust Warhead" is the debut offering from Spanish two-man death metal/D-beat/crust band Mutilated Veterans. With a run-time of just over 13 minutes, "Necro Crust Warhead" opens with 1 minute plus instrumental "March of the Mutilated" and wastes little time with pleasantries. Made up of vocalist/guitarist/drummer JM Dopico (Deadmask, Ruinebell, ex-Dishammer, ex-Frustradicción, ex-Machetazo, ex-Worship the Sun, Generic Death, The Bastards / Bastärdos, ex-Abismo, ex-Grub, ex-Mol, ex-Mundo Inferno, ex-The Deadfucks, ex-Wicked) and bass player Ramón Rodríguez (Looking for an Answer, Unsane Crisis, ex-Denak (live), ex-Expiration) this two-piece band sounds like the reanimated bodies of Brutal Truth, O.L.D. and Napalm Death getting freaky with the disfigured corpse of Discharge while the world burns away violently in the background! EP closer "Carnage Warfare" is the longest track of the bunch at 3 minutes and 19 seconds, but seeing as most of the "music" of Mutilated Veterans simply blurs together I'm not sure that is actually much of a distinction!

Helevorn-Compassion Forlorn

Solitude Productions/BadMoodMan Music
2014

Due to be released on September 22nd, "Compassion Forlorn" is Helevorn's third full-length album since forming way back in 1991. As the (long-overdue) follow-up to "Forthcoming Displeasures" this eight-track album also holds the distinction of being the first sign of new material from this Spanish band in four years! Last time around (or if you will when the group unearthed "Forthcoming Displeasures" for the good of the doom metal community!) Helevorn had the distinction of coming in second place in the Metal Storm Awards category "The Best Doom Metal Album of 2010". Along the way the group also appeared on "December Songs", a Katatonia tribute compilation, with the song "12" and performed at festivals like Wave Gotik Treffen XX in Germany (with October Tide, Katatonia, The Foreshadowing...), Devilstone Open Air in Lithuania (with Grave, Tankard, Mayhem...) and the Dutch Doom Days in the Netherlands (with Shattered Hope, The 11th Hour, A Dream of Poe...)! All of which begs one question. How exactly do you go about one-upping your last (highly adored!) work? How do you build upon what you had (in this case a near-perfect blend of doom metal, melodic death metal goth metal) while simultaneously pushing your band in a new direction? On "Compassion Forlorn" it helps to look at the whole picture. First Helevorn (in what proved to be an inspired move on the part six-piece band!) went and signed up a male choir for several numbers. Next thing you know the band went about securing the services of Irish female singer/songwriter Lisa Cuthbert and the guitar player Pedro Zubiri (ex-Golgotha and ex-Blind Panic) for the song "Els dies tranquills". In both situations it paid for the band to seek some outside out as these small additions only add to the powerful presence of album number three. And speaking of powerful presences, Josep Brunet (the group's all encompassing front-man since day one!) is a master on the mic! Brunet's voice, which has equally been described as majestic and menacing, does much more then just compliment the often-times atmospheric nature of Helevorn's sound. As the captain of the ship this superb lead singer navigates the group through tranquil and treacherous water. Granted it does help when you find yourself in the company of -a fabulous crew that includes lead guitarist/long-time member Samuel Morales (Desmodus), guitarist Sandro Vizcaíno (ex-Movement, ex-Elemento.6, ex-Hedshock, ex-ShockWave, ex-Toxic Waste, ex-Virus), bass guitarist Guillem Calderón (Ancient Realm, ex-Desmodus, ex-Decomposed Torso, ex-Thrownaway), keyboardist Enrique Sierra and drummer/additional long-time member Xavier Gil! Still, front-man Josep Brunet breaths life into "Compassion Forlorn" as much as he gives these eight tracks a gothic undertone! As good as the band sounds here musically it must be noted how fantastic the album sounds as a whole! Recorded and mixed at Psychosomatic Studios in Mallorca (Spain) by Miguel Ángel Riutort "Mega" and mastered once again by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Paradise Lost, Arch Enemy, Kreator...) at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden, "Compassion Forlorn" sounds great on every front! From the actual performances of the band members and guest to the the overall direction that Miguel Ángel Riutort "Mega" and Jens Bogren took the album in everything just has that perfect feeling....likes puzzle pieces fitting smoothly together to create a beautiful portrait! Fans of gothic metal/doom metal couldn't ask for a better album to sink their teeth into as "Compassion Forlorn" is dark, foreboding and ghastly (the use of keys helps see to that!). Then again it's also one album where melodic moments, tremendous lead solos and sweeping passages all tie together nicely with slowed down death metal so there's a little bit of everything for everyone! For Helevorn an album like "Compassion Forlorn" is the perfect addition to their body of work as a whole while it also brilliantly showcases the growth and maturity of this long-standing Spanish doom act. "Compassion Forlorn" might just be long-overdue, but it is one album that is well-worth the wait for fans!

The Mcooleys-Empty Blue Skies

Self-Release/Independent
2014

The Mcooleys are a British born but Mallorca based indie rock/alternative rock trio featuring brothers Adam (vocals, lead guitar) and Matthew (drums) Booley. Along with their best friend Jake McCann (bass) the Booley brothers (who are inspired by the bands of the 60s and 70s as well as the early punk scene) have built up a (loyal) local the island of Mallorca thanks to a heavy dose of live shows. Now The Mcooleys have taken the next logical step in their development with the release of "Empty Blue Skies". With their 60's/70's guitar-driven rock and the interesting post-punk/new-wave voice of Adam Booley working hard at setting the band apart from indie rock/alternative rock crowd this EP has a way of getting to the very heart of the matter. Obviously passionate about their music, with the early single "What Happened Tonight"* having all the tell-tale signs of a band unwilling to conform to traditional (hard) pop standards, The Mcooleys write intelligent, reflective and colorful rock with strummed guitars and perfectly-time percussion! Between the somewhat somber notes of "Blackbox" (Material Issue meets The Smiths?) and the pop-punk punch of the quirky "Blonde Hair" this highly appealing Mallorca-based trio has plenty of room to roam and the proper space needed to fine-tune their innovative take on indie rock. With the right push and a proper label to support them one could easily see The Mcooleys taking that next step. All the tools that are needed are right within arm's reach. The Mcooleys need to build on the success of this EP and continue to highlight their energetic presence up to and including the distinctive vocals of lead singer Adam Booley! Between the voice of Adam and the 3-2-1 Go! pop-attack of their sincere and satisfying music it is quite possible that The Mcooleys ARE the next big thing waiting to happen when it comes to alternative rock radio! Hopefully some label (one with the proper vision to see that all this trio needs is a proper full-length and the right kind of press) will come along and see that...

https://www.facebook.com/EmptyBlueSkies


 

*Oddly I got a UB40 vibe from this one!

Obliterator-For Those About To Die...

Self-Released/Independent
2014

Clocking in at just under twenty minutes in length, "For Those About To Die..." is the five-track debut-release from Spain's Obliterator.  Active since 2011, this four-piece is fronted by bass player Sergio and should not be confused with the Portugal act of the same name (or for that matter the two similarly-named bands from here in the U.S.!). What this Spanish band might lack in experience they more then make up for with their charisma and sincere enthusiasm as they thrash the living daylights out of all things "peace and quiet" with some tasty, (raw) Slayer-inspired metal! On "For Those About To Die..." it's all about the fury as these guys prove that they can more than hold their own while they hold you down by the neck and pummel with you with kind of aggressive thrash that was all the rage back in the day! You can (and should!) listen to each one of this EP's tracks on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuxwfneieyTj2kM8F2JEGeg) and you can also check out the band's official video of "Steel Rain" here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzR_dFNX4h0). Recommended for old-school thrashers and metal maniacs everywhere!

Eate-Eate

Self-Release/Independent
2103

This is the second demo to be recently posted on the blog site Blood And Honor. Or rather it's the second demo I'm tackling that these guys posted in the past week or so. Right up front I'll say that this is a free download and worth checking out if your into bands like Helloween or Edguy. Their ReverbNation page lists Metallica as well, but I don't hear that as much from this Spanish power metal 5-piece. Of the 5-tracks on this self-titled demo (5 tracks from a 5 piece band? Coincidence?)  it's "Warriors Of Freedom" that really got my blood flowing and, in the words of my friend Jeremy, made me want to "rage". Hear it for yourself my fellow metalheads here:


http://eate.bandcamp.com/album/eate

Wasteland-Wasteland (Demo)

Self-Release
2013

Does anyone out there remember the old computer game "Wasteland". That was the first thing I thought of when I came across this Spanish act. Not that this Wasteland has much in common with the original post-apocalyptic game. Instead this band play's very raw and sloppy speed/thrash. This demo was self-released on tape and limited to just 33 copies. There is a digital download available and, even better, it's free! Not that this is much of a gem or anything (or that you'd even want to pay for it!). This raw speed/thrash act is a one man project. Lolowar Necrovomitor handles everything (Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drum Programming) and, in addition to some original material, there are two covers. One of the covers is "Hell on Earth" by Toxic Holocaust. Or it attempts to be. You've just got to trust me here folks. It needs to be heard to be believed. Listen for yourself if you dare:


http://atomikwasteland.bandcamp.com/

Beast-Thrash Metal Propaganda

Self-Release
2012

Mad apologies to Spain's Beast who sent us a link to this EP back in November of 2012. How I managed to listen to this one and then forget to do a proper follow-up review I'll never know. There were a few "crazy" weeks there in November, but that's no excuse as this is some insanely talented thrash metal. These guys play thrash born out of a love of bands like Slayer, Overkill, Pestilence, Obituary and Exodus. It's that Exodus love though that shines through the brightest on "Thrash Metal Propaganda". Beast, who hail from Madrid (Spain), were formed during the spring of 2010 and (these days at least) is made up of vocalist Matheus, guitarists Casado & Ivan, bassist Dani and drummer Jean. This 5-track EP was recorded and mixed very effectively by Ángel Muñoz during June of 2012 in Traste Cero Studios (Torrejón de Ardoz - Spain). The production is spot on for this kind of metal. It's not overly slick, but everything comes rolling out in just the right levels. Now, just when you think you've got Beast all figured out (as your knee deep in killer thrash metal) the band throws you a curve ball and you get the beautiful instrumental track "Blood Upon The Snow". The EP's last track was composed, recorded and interpreted by Fabien Claes and adds that little extra something to the mix. It's a shame it took me this long to get around to covering these guys.

http://beast-thrash.bandcamp.com/

Zarpa-Las Puertas Del Tiempo

Karthago Records
2012



Traditional heavy metal act Zarpa have a long standing cult status in their home country of Spain. Formed as Wolframio back in 1977 (when I was just a four year old!) the group has been active on and off ever since. They played from 1977 to 1988 before stepping down as Spain's top metal act only to briefly reform in 1992. Since 1999 the band has once more been active and as their latest LP proves they have no interest in suddenly changing their sound or singing in anything but their native language. It is most likely due to the fact that the band only sings in Spanish that they are not more well known here in the States. My first taste of the band came by way of the excellent 1982 album "¿Ángeles o Demonios?" which is a cult record for many collectors. A superb full-length debut it was only the beginning as the band went on to bigger and better things. As stated they are huge in Spain and it is no wonder why given their superb take on hard and heavy metal. Like soldiers marching onward to the battle this Spanish act puts on a full suit of heavy metal armour. The band's sound is firmly rooted in 70's/early 80's heavy metal. Think along the lines of Accept/Scorpions/Judas Priest/Saxon style metal and you'll get an idea. The band has killer riffs and even if the lyrics are foreign to me the music speaks volumes. Pure heavy metal is a beautiful thing in any language!