Dario Lorina-Death Grip Tribulations

Shrapnel Records
2017

Fans of top-tier instrumental heavy rock, shred, and hard & heavy metal be sure to drop what you are doing and listen up. This one is for you. Primarily known for his solid work with Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society, highly-skilled hard rock/heavy metal guitarist Dario Lorina (ex-Cyrus Zain, ex-Lizzy Borden, ex-Eric Martin Band, ex-Jani Lane Band, ex-Karneval) with issue the twelve-track recording, "Death Grip Tribulations", on February 24th. Engineered and mixed by well-known producer Fred Archambault, Dario's forthcoming release is a clinical lesson in the fine art of guitar playing that is not only bound to be a sure fire hit for fans of the genre, but is (hands down!) one of the best instrumental albums that I have ever had the pleasure of covering! Staring off with a bang by way of the righteous "Rituals" (a great rock/metal number that sets the pace for the amazing album that is to follow!), "Death Grip Tribulations" is Dario Lorina's second instrumental album since 2013 and (hopefully) it will be the one to finally put this talented musician on the map!! In addition to special guest guitarist Phil Campbell (Motörhead/Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons) this simply-stellar recording features contributions from not only drummer Dan DC Conway (Dario's longtime friend and musical partner) and bassist Marten Andersson (Legacy, Lizzy Borden, ex-Lynch Mob, ex-Starwood), but Dario's Black Label Society band mates John JD DeServio (bass) and Jeff Fabb (drums). Highlights include (but are not limited to) the aforementioned "Rituals" as well as "Echos of A Stone Heart", "Two Fifty", "Heart of Night", "Same Dice", "Hollowing", "Perigee", and the title track. While the album could be considered a mixture of heavy rock, hard rock, traditional heavy metal, and shred there is a lot of versatility going on between numbers. On the heavier end of the spectrum we have "Two Fifty" (the heavy rock/hard rock gem with guest guitarist Phil Campbell) where we are treated to a tasty mash-up of modern day rock and roll and the old school magic of Black Sabbath and Motörhead! Then there are lighter moments such as "Same Dice". This classy numbers instantly wins you over with it's killer saxophone intro and before you know what has happened you are left standing in awe of Dario's vast skills. Here is an artist (and yes, Dario is a artist when it comes to his skills with the guitar!) that can easily switch between the smooth sounds of fusion and the riff heavy, furious leads that are associated with heavy metal. What's more, Dario Lorina plays with heart. With a lot of instrumental albums you get the feeling that the guitarist is simply trying to show of (no names mentioned but we know who you are!), but with this young musician you can actual feel the emotional love that he has for his instrument! The fittingly-titled "Echos of A Stone Heart" is proof of this. In-between wonderfully complex lines and guitar solos that are second to none, Dario finds a way to inject his passion for the six string instrument he holds. Along with the almost sorrowful (yet brilliantly beautiful) "Heart of Night", "Echos of A Stone Heart" is one of those rare instrumental cuts where you get the sensation that Dario is also thankful for his skills. This to is seldom experienced on a release such as this and it goes a very  ways towards making you appreciate the hard work and effort involved with the creation of  "Death Grip Tribulations". Ultimately I simply cannot say enough good things about this record and the man responsible for it. Though it is obviously geared towards instrumental rock and metal enthusiasts, Dario Lorina's second solo disc is an adventure that everyone should experience. It's brilliantly played and passionate to the core. Really, "Death Grip Tribulations" answers the age old question as to whether or not you can have instrumental rock albums that speak to you as clearly as lyrically rich records do. That being said, Shrapnel Records' latest goldmine of a release does leave me with one important question. And that is
why is Dario Lorina wasting away in Zakk Wylde's shadow?

Canyon of the Skull-Canyon of the Skull

Self-Release/Independent
2015

 

Blackened and doomed to walk a scorched earth in misery for all eternity, Canyon of the Skull is a two-piece instrumental act that is based in Austin, Texas and comprised of Erik Ogershok (guitars, bass) and Adrian Voorhies (drums, percussion). In addition to this spectacular two track recording (which is due to drop on October 30th) the band has the "Demo 2013" to it's name. Meanwhile the Metal Archives lists this demo from 2007, but that's neither here nor there as far as I'm concerned. Right now the name of the game is "Canyon of the Skull" and it's a damn fun game at that! Or at least it is if you love creepy crawly blackened doom! On "Canyon of the Skull" we find this Texas two-piece (which incidentally was formed in 2006 by Erik Ogershok and is otherwise known as COTS) engaging in the fine art of sonic destruction that is otherwise known black metal. Over the course of two deathly cold tracks these doom warriors make the long trek across a tortured wasteland where no signs of life exist. In the process COTS creates a sinister soundtrack that is not that far removed from what you might experience on a stoner rock and/or sludge metal recording. Now, even though there are only two tracks on this forthcoming release there is a lot of material for your mind to chew on. For one "The Path (Of Bear And Wolf)" is a little over 17 minutes in length! Then there's "Canyon Of The Skull" which clocks in at over 18 minutes!! Between these two tracks you end up with well over 30 minutes of bruising metal(!) and (needless to say) COTS packs a lot of ideas into that time frame! Instrumental blackened doom has seldom been so epic so kudos to founder Erik Ogershok and his bandmate Adrian Voorhies! With the excellent "Canyon Of The Skull" serving as the group's official debut album it's hard to imagine this Austin act doing anything other than moving there way up the ranks of the blackened doom metal scene. Overall the instrumental "Canyon of the Skull" is a great first effort and one that should be appreciated by fans of this niche market.

 

 

 

 

BANDCAMP: https://canyonoftheskull.bandcamp.com/ 

 

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/canyonoftheskull

 

TWITTER: twitter.com/canyondoom

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/anyonofthekull
 

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/canyonoftheskull2
 

BANDSINTOWN: http://www.bandsintown.com/CanyonOfTheSkull

MYSPACE: https://myspace.com/canyonoftheskull

 

Clouds Taste Satanic-Your Doom Has Come

Kinda Like Music Inc.
2015

Last year Brooklyn, New York's Clouds Taste Satanic treated us to the excellent "To Sleep Beyond The Earth". A devilishly delicious combination of doom metal and post-rock, "To Sleep Beyond The Earth" proved to be a fantastic debut outing for this skilled instrumental act and it was justifiably meet with high-praise from critics and fans. Now Clouds Taste Satanic (Because...you know...why not?) are back for round two with the forthcoming "Your Doom Has Come". It drops in September and this wicked slab of heavy (and once more quite versatile!) post-rock/doom metal builds on the foundation of album number two while adding in a few more twists and turns! Formed in 2013, Clouds Taste Satanic has steadily improved with each passing year, but this new album really finds the four-piece making the leap from the side-show to the evening's main event! Once likened to Sleep and other similar-themed stoner rock/doom metal bands, Clouds Taste Satanic has developed a key sound and it's one that should be experienced by stoners and doomsters alike. You can find out more about this quartet by heading here.

Antonello Giliberto-Journey Through My Memory

Minotauro Records
2015

Recorded over the span of two years, "Journey Through My Memory" is the second full-length album from Sicilian guitarist Antonello Giliberto. It follows in the footsteps of 2013's "The Mansion Of Lost Souls" and finds this amazing guitarist/keyboardist teaming up with bassist Dino Fiorenza (Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Slash, Zack Wilde, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.) and John Macaluso (Yngwie Malmsteen, Symphony X, ARK, TNT, James LaBrie, Riot, Jennifer Batten, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Union Radio, Joe Lynn Turner, Uli Jon Roth, George Lynch, etc.). Together this powerhouse trio works it's way through ten instrumentals including the stellar opening track (and first track written for this album!), "Demeter". Inspired by a viewing of Frances Ford Coppola’s Dracula (with "Demeter" being the name of the ship on which Dracula arrives in England in the film.), guitarist Antonello Giliberto easily captures the listener's attention with this number before working his way through top-tier instrumental metal. Musically-speaking there is a little of everything on "Journey Through My Memory" with each track serving as a reflection of Giliberto's own personal experiences (hence the title). There's neo-classical material along with symphonic metal and music that seems as if it could have been cut right out of some music soundtrack.  As Antonello Giliberto goes about putting his own distinct stamp on these ten instrumental tracks the pairing of Fiorenza and Macaluso seems inspired. The rhythm section on "Journey Through My Memory" is simply fantastic and at the end of the day Gililberto's second instrumental album flows nearly seamlessly from the aforementioned opener, "Demeter", to the aptly titled closing cut, "The Art Of Ending". Primarily geared toward instrumental rock and metal fans, "Journey Through My Memory" nonetheless offers more than enough action for traditional metal fans so this one is certainly worth checking out!

Misantropus-The Gnomes

O

Minotauro Records
2015

Formed by brothers Alessio (guitar) and Vincenzo (bass) Sanniti in Latina (Lazio, Italy) in early 1998, Misantropus is an environmentally-conscious doom metal band whose latest release, "The Gnomes" is dedicated to the four natural elements and to the entities that represent them. As this veteran green metal band all but specializes in classic Italian-style doom (with the legendary Paul Chain a longstanding source of inspiration) they are suitably enough now signed to Minotauro Records. And in standing with much of the group's back catalog, "The Gnomes" is a instrumental release. A HEAVY and DARK instrumental release, but a instrumental release all the same. Just so you know what you're getting into. On "The Gnomes" drum duties fell to Alessio Sanniti with guest Mario "The Black" Di Donato helping out as a second guitarist. Otherwise what you see is what you get. As for my favorite moment? That would be the last of the four numbers here, Elfs ( Raphael). It falls somewhere between Paul Chain, a stream-lined Saint Vitus and one of my all-time favorite soundtrack bands, Goblin. Without a doubt it's super effective and it had me hitting the replay button a few times over! Recommend for fans of Paul Chain, Saint Vitus and Manilla Road, "The Gnomes" is another great addition to any doom collection and another reason why I look forward to each new Minotauro Records' release! 

Clouds Taste Satanic-To Sleep Beyond The Earth

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Well, I feel like a dick. I realize that's not much of a way to open a review, but seeing as this was released back in July and I just stumbled upon it in my email this past weekend its a reasonable enough response on my part. Better late than never I suppose. Although it's got to be said that when it comes to this New York instrumental band the cooler months of October, November and December do seem to offer up more suitable environments when listening to a modern day doom metal band with a "post rock" past like Clouds Taste Satanic. And while I can't be entirely sure about the name of this Brooklyn band (seeing as I've never had the experience of tasting clouds for myself!) I will say that the title of this band's first full-length LP is all the more fitting given the fact that Clouds Taste Satanic wears it's influences on it's sleeves! "To Sleep Beyond The Earth" is a debut album where the love of Earth and Sleep is but the first step taken in this band's personal journey towards self-discovery with some Sunn O))) and those "post rock" roots acting as stimulants for these passionate performers! Said performers include Steve Scavuzzo and David Weintraub on guitars with Sean Bay (bass) & Christy Davis (drums) rounding out this party. Music-wise you can expect to find yourself  transfixed by the cold stare of Clouds Taste Satanic with the album "To Sleep Beyond The Earth" methodically creeping and crawling towards the listener with outstretched skeletal hands of doom. All told it's 45 minutes of stretched-out soul crushing material, but as they often say slow and steady wins the race. Made up of "To Sleep Beyond the Earth (Parts I & II)" and "To Sleep Beyond The Earth (Parts III & IV)" this is one of the ultra rare instrumental albums that actually seems to work better without vocals muddying up the mix. Available as a digital download at the link below, with Kinda Like Music handling the  vinyl and CD versions of the excellent "To Sleep Beyond The Earth", the debut full-length from Clouds Taste Satanic is sinister sexy and should be viewed as a must-have for fans of Earth and Sleep!

http://cloudstastesatanic.bandcamp.com/releases

Edoardo Napoli-Eternal Bleeding

Tunecore
2013

Edoardo Napoli's "Eternal Bleeding" is a huge undertaking. Let me just get that point out of the way first and foremost. At close to two hours in length(!) and with twenty-three total tracks this release, which is the debut solo album from this Italian muti-instrumentalist, is grand in it's undertaking if nothing else! Here on "Eternal Bleeding", with it's one (simply) sinister cover artwork, Edoardo Napoli (ex-Honourblast) handles everything and, style-wise, this a case where everything gets sampled into the mix. Other then a scant few numbers where there are lead vocals (which incidentally come across as a grittier Tom Araya)  the bulk material of this expansive collection is instrumental in nature. Either way though Edoardo Napoli shows that he's more then capable of taking charge of it all (vocals, guitar, bass, keys, drums, etc.) and then presenting it in such a manor as to offer a lot of bang for your buck! After two (highly effective) tracks that tackle the subject of thrash metal (or even progressive thrash metal) head on ("A.A.D. Cosa Nostra" and "Against the Cross") we find ourselves treated to a combination of classic Judas Priest and "Back In Black"-era AC/DC in the instrumental "Beyond the Shades of Fear". And yes, a number like that has quite a bit to offer in the appeal department! From there we move on to "Darkness Descends", which is progressive hard rock/heavy metal in all of it's (catchy) glory, and then such numbers as the Steve Vai-infused "Fly in the Space" and the heavy, Accept meets Dio cut "Fog". And that's only the first part of this album! Those couple of numbers put you at about 1/4 of way through and there is so much more to go! But, when you've got the album that's this good and (damn-right and damn-straight) interesting it's not as if you are going to complain! Whether it's piano-driven hard rock you're looking for ("I need to understand"), cool bluesy-hard rock ("Nexxus") or balls-out Metallica-like thrash ("Get the hell out of here") this album has you covered! There's more Dream Theater/Rush-like progressive material to be found (for sure) on "Eternal Bleeding" besides "Darkness Descends". Within cuts like "Let yourself fly away" and "Steal of your Dreams" Edoardo Napoli shows how he could easily step-right into a band like Dream Theater and contribute from day one if needed! The same could be said about any progressive/melodic power metal band that might need a helping hand on guitar as evident by "My Immortality". But then those Tom Araya vocals come into play on the Slayer-like "How did we come to this?" and the evil-incarnate, Deicide-influenced "Violence is my life"! The somewhat gothic thrasher (Metallica meets Type O Negative) "Living Nightmares" comes from out of left field, but again, so does a lot of the material on an album like this! The longest number here is the eight minute-plus "The Fight of the Unholy One" (epic instrumental heavy/power metal anyone?) while "When Spirits shook my Hands", which is technologically-advanced heavy & hard rock, falls in at just a hair over three minutes! Finding a favorite number would be nothing short of impossible as Edoardo Napoli is just so insanely talented at everything he does! Whether he's chilling out on a number like "I'll never let you flow away" or letting his hair down somewhat on a number like "Turbo!" all of the material here works in it's own way! It will be interesting (to say the least!) to see where Napoli goes from here as he has (apparently) assembled a full-fledged band and will (soon enough) be releasing a new album in the form of  "Roads to Nowhere". In the meantime though you can check out most of this album's (very cool and highly recommended!) 23 tracks at the bandcamp link below.  

http://edoardonapoli.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-bleeding

Kosta Vreto - Pictures Of A Broken Heart

Steel Gallery Records
2013

"Pictures Of A Broken Heart" is the second solo album from Kosta Vreto (Wardrum, Horizon's End, Vavel, Jade Star). Hailing from Thessaloniki, Greece (and well known for his nail-picking style of playing) this metal guitarists has also played for the likes of Paul DiAnno and Uli Jon Roth. Along with fellow Wardum and Horizon End's band-mate/drummer Stergios Kourou (also ex-Death From Above and ex-Escape) and a few guests (Just to name a few we have Uli Roth's Corvin Bahn, Muris Varajic, Horizon's End's Sakis Bandis, and Psycho Choke's George Motesnitsas) guitarist Kostra Vreto, who also handles bass and keyboard duties here, gives fans of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai someone new to idolize! Serving as the follow-up to 2008's "Skin on Strings", "Pictures Of A Broken Heart", which is much better then the owner of a broken heart (Sorry, but couldn't help myself with the Yes reference given the album's title and all!), finds this Greek guitar hero showing off his natural, "God of Rock"-given talent and doing it in such a way that I can't help but find myself being drawn deeper into the rabbit hole that is instrumental metal. For fans of said genre this is one release worth investing in as I'd like to think that this is one new name that we'll all be hearing more of in the near future!