Exorcism-Word In Sin

Dream Records

2015

Following in the footsteps of 2014's well-received "I Am God", the limited-edition EP, "Word In Sin", is the latest release from modern doom metal project Exorcism. It is available through the band's official website and for Exorcism this EP continues down the same path that was started on their 2014 debut. In other words this is heavy metal/doom metal of the highest quality as inspired by Dio-era Black Sabbath! Active since 2006, Exorcism is more or less just a vehicle for Csaba Zvekan to show off his impressive skills as a front-man, but when you have someone this skilled manning the mic it's not as if you can really complain! Especially seeing as how Csaba Zvekan (Metal Machine, Raven Lord, ex-Emergency, ex-Sardonyx, ex-Killing Machine, ex-Calling Toy, ex-Rough Angel, ex-Warpdrive) approaches the whole affair with absolute class and a insurmountable amount of respect for both the man and the actual band that helped shape this modern day take on classic doom! Serving as a tribute to the late great Ronnie James Dio, "Word In Sin" is a inspired release and one that should appease both fans of Exorcism and newcomers alike. As it is a strictly-limited EP fans of Exorcism may want to jump on "World In Sin" if they want a actual CD copy of this gem. Otherwise you can (digitally) snag this one from the usual sources (Amazon & iTunes).

Psyyke-1983 - 1985

Svart Records
2014

Don't fret if the name doesn't ring any bells. Finland's Psyyke are an obscure bunch. Or at least outside of their home country. And seeing as this vinyl only release is limited to only 500 copies that bit isn't likely to change anytime soon. This 16-track compilation follows the band from 1983 until 1985 while they were set doing the whole post-punk thing (apparently they took a turn towards pop around 1986 or so) and (other then maybe the language barrier) is likely to hit quite a few of the right notes for those folks into raw/primitive punk rock and roll. Starting off in 1983 with the group's first privately pressed 7 inch single, "Temppeli / Neondertal" this collection gathers together a bunch of demo material (14 tracks in all with this whole release having been restored and mastered for what it's worth) in order to make the point that there was some substance to Psyyke's early post punk years. Despite being a bit of a hit on the underground sound-scape the band remained unsigned until 1986 when they were finally picked up by Finnlevy for an EP release. Unfortunately by that point (in a case of changing trends and styles) Psyyke's sound was less post-punk and more pop. It does pose the question as to whether Psyyke quite on the scene or if the scene quite on Psyyke? Whichever way you choose to look at it this compilation does a solid job of showcasing an underground punk band who just happened to hail from Finland. But the keyword should always be punk as that is what Psyyke was between a small time frame in the early eighties.

The Infernal Sea/Old Corpse Road - Insidious Art And Serpentine Rites (Split 7")

Three Sword Records
2014

Limited to a mere 250 copies on orange vinyl, "Insidious Art And Serpentine Rites" is a spilt 7" featuring East England's The Infernal Sea (who are no strangers to splits having just released one back in 2013 with Belgium's Disinterred) and Darlington, Co Durham, N.E. England-based Old Corpse Road (same thing back in 2012 only with U.K. act The Meads of Asphodel). While I have previous experience with the first (having covered both their 2012 full-length output, "Call of the Augur" and their 2013 EP, "The Crypt Sessions") it sure seems as if this is/was my first taste of Old Corpse Road....and it was a good taste. More on that later though as let's start with The Infernal Sea. For those of you that don't know the name then let me be the first to introduce you to what is undoubtedly one of the more vile and evil black metal acts out there! The Infernal Sea, whose contribution "Tannis Root" takes it's sweet time building up the tension before finally kicking things off around the 2:04 mark(!), play (old-school, somewhat crusty) black metal with overtly satanic/demonic lyrics and an ear fine-tuned towards crushing riffs and grizzly vocals! At more then six minutes in length it's fairly unrelenting and most certainly unrepentant! Meanwhile Old Corpse Road, who come with the promise of  "folk metal leanings with epic tunes focusing on British folklore" waste no time at all with their number "The Sockburn Worm". Right from the start they end up bum-rushing the listener with UTTER-BRUTALITY disguised as music and while (as promised) there are moments of (somewhat) clarity in which folk metal comes into play, overall this is one NASTY piece of black metal violence! Of the two cuts it's most definitely the stand out number as it brings something different to the picture with it's inclusion of folk metal while simultaneously keeping the listener on edge thanks to the unnerving aspect of the song's construction! Kudos to Three Swords Records for having the initiative to stack (back-to-back) two very distinct black metal acts onto what will most certainly be a collectors item! Due to be released in April, and (as previously mentioned) on orange vinyl to boot, "Insidious Art And Serpentine Rites" is one split 7" that I will be looking to add to my own collection and one that I most certainly recommend to black metal enthusiasts!

http://threeswordsrecords.bigcartel.com/product/the-infernal-sea-old-corpse-road-split

Electric Age-Electric Age

Divebomb Records
2013

Last October Divebomb Records, which is a division of Tribunal Records, announced the arrival of a new series called "Divebomb Bootcamp". Initially the Bootcamp series was set-up so that it could "pay homage to seminal record label, Combat Records, and the vinyl 12" releases they originally issued back in the late 80's bearing the same moniker". Translated that means that the series would be used to highlight long thought lost gems of the hard rock and heavy metal underground. We're talking about unreleased albums, lost-sessions and demo recordings from misc. bands. These releases would be strictly-limited to a mere 500 copies and they would include a smorgasbord of cool extras like brand new artwork, full-color booklets with previously unavailable pictures and even new interviews with the bands! All of which is fine by me. Especially seeing as there are more then enough (extremely worthy) "lost" recordings floating around out there to keep a series like this going strong for years and years to come! But, here's the thing. While Divebomb Records might have started off with the notion that they would just unearth lost gems, which again is a damn fine idea all around, somewhere along the way a new idea popped into their heads. Why not use this series as a way to (also) highlight new and exciting, up-and-coming bands that might not otherwise get a chance to step up and shine in the spotlight? Solid idea right? All of which brings us to the aptly-titled Electric Age and this recently released six-track EP. Despite calling Brazil home, and (overall) being from the wrong-time period, this young outfit sounds remarkable British in their approach to seventies rock. Yes, I said seventies rock. Probably the only thing that would give this one away (in regards to it being from the here and now and not the late seventies) would be the more modern production. Otherwise this limited edition CD (we're talking about only 500 copies boys and girls with this sweet EP so you might not want to drag your feet on snagging this one up!) sounds as if it was ripped straight out time and dropped right into the laps of those of us who long for a time when rock and roll was still real and not so "artificial". Lead by the rustic vocals of (rock star in the making) Junior Rodrigues, whose soulful and heartfelt voice sets the stage for what is to come early on with Rainbow meets Uriah Heap rocker "Rise", Electric Age rolls through their Divebomb Records' debut-release with the cruise control set firmly on ROCK! And rock this band does! Cuts like the Rainbow-flavored "Dreamer" and the UFO-inspired "All Night Long" offer up hope real rock and roll is still more then ready and willing to kick down the doors of the establishment and give modern radio rock the old heave-ho that it rightly deserves! Sure, "All Night Long" might also have a bit of (early) G 'N R going for it, but at the end of the day this is a band that is more rooted in the likes of  Rainbow, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Blue Öyster Cult (bits and pieces of "Echoes Of Insanity" show a clear love for the more straight-ahead rock style of late eighties B.Ö.C and, yes, it is awesome!) and even Sweet (see "Good Times Are Coming") then late eighties/early nineties hard rock! In fact when you hear a track like "Snake Eater" it's not too surprising to find out that the band began life as a Deep Purple tribute act. Besides being custom-crafted arena rockers, meaning AOR lovers should stand up and take notice, both "Snake Eater" and it's follow-up number, "Echoes Of Insanity", sound as if they could be long-lost Deep Purple numbers! A lot of that goes back to the skillful playing of guitarist Luiz Felipe Cardim whose rock riffs make a release like "Electric Age" sizzle! Together with Junior Rodrigues (and let's not forget the lethal rhythm section of bassist Otavio Cintra and drummer Nico "The Boss") guitarist Luiz Felipe Cardim cuts a clear a clear path through the mess that passes for rock and roll these days. The fact is if numbers like "Snake Eater", "Echoes Of Insanity", "All Night Long" and "Dreamer" don't make you believe in the healing powers of rock and roll again then you might want to check your pulse as you're probably dead! This EP, with it's full-color, 12 page booklet(!) serving as nothing short of a spicy addition, is a must for those who love real rock and roll especially the classics!


http://tribunalrecords.bigcartel.com/product/electric-age-electric-age