Hatred - "Fractured"

(Germany, Self released, Thrash Metal, 2002)

A very good piece of Thrash Metal! If you like old school Thrash filled with lots of moshing riffs, high speed guitar solos and good refrains, this one is recommended for you. The songs are all good examples of how a Thrash Metal band should play, and I've almost forgotten here, all the songs are at high speed. The only negative point is the production which is not so clear, but for a debut demo this is more than good. You're not allowed to miss it. Best songs: "Overlord" and "Metal Massacre".

Havok - "Burn"

(U.S.A., Candlelight Records, Thrash Metal, 2009)

Hailing from Denver/Colorado, Havok tries to gain its place in the modern Thrash Metal area with a very good combination between classical Thrash Metal, some Power Metal lines and a vocal score that could be the most important difference between this combo and its predecessors, bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Pantera, Testament, Overkill, Exodus, Suicidal Tendencies or Motorhead to mention but a few!
The only thing we could reproach is a similarity extremely evident with Metallica in its early days, a thing that could be profitable but it also could destroy the essence in the end! I'd like to say that the similarities are so evident that makes me wonder if this band plays Metallica covers or what? Almost all the guitar solos, rhythm changes and guitar and bass guitar attacks and riffs seems to be taken from Metallica's repertory; the only difference being somehow the vocal score, even this one being too closer to this band I mentioned above!
Now, you must understand that we can find very good things here; this band putting their own stamp on this musical way of playing, by employing a more technical side of music, while maintaining the feel at a very high level! Consisting in fast guitar riffs, machine-like drumming, groovy bass lines, searing leads, and hard-hitting vocals, Havok seems to be able to maintain that "punch-you-in-the-throat" style of music. Without all these similarities that approach evidently Havok to Metallica the musical content is a very good one, being improved by extremely interesting guitar solos and some lines taken from Power/Heavy Metal that left me speechless along the whole content of this material! All in all "Burn" is a very good product, being in the same time technical, aggressive & slow; probably the way that the Thrash Metal gods should sound today!

Hazydecay - "Jewelz Of Concrete"

(Czech Republic, HeiaBros. Productions, Nu Metal, 2004)

"Unfortunately" this band is from the Czech Republic, if they were from the United States (for example), Hazydecay could be a "big thing"! They are playing since 1996 with some line-up changes, but for the last 6 years the band has been Adam on vocals, Lee (7string guitar), Minno on drums and DeeAce on bass. After a promo single (2003/2004) "Jewelz of Concrete" was released in June 2004.
I've heard the album a couple of times with pleasure, not only for the review! It rocks!!! I really can't find a bigger problem in this one, except for the artwork, maybe ;) The 9 tracks are pretty perfect, emotional voice (Jonathan Davis meets Serj Tankian) without an accent, great riffs and original structures. Adam's screams, growls, raps, uptempo-speech vox and the great clean singings are causing deep feelings! He is definitely a frontman! Though I can see influences by Korn and other bands that are/were the leaders in Nu Metal, Hazydecay are very individual. I'm impressed! The first three tracks are my favourites, the last three are fantastic, the middle of the album is ...great, hehe... The quality is constantly high!
Track 4 is a little too cool, maybe forced, maybe not... Hardcore style, not bad but I think it doesn't fit in the album, maybe the next one will leave this behind. But it's not that important... at least they've made a funny video with this image :P
According to the news on their website, they are preparing a new album at the moment, I hope it will be a well deserved 10 year anniversary... and it should be longer than 34 minutes... Until then you can enjoy the clips and buy this album, or a shirt for your girlfriend ;)

Heiden - "Tinne"

Czech Republic, Naga Productions, Pagan Black Metal, 2005)

Heiden was founded in 2003 as a project by members of Svardenvyrd, Demogorgon and Cemetery Gate and became a regular band in 2005. "Tinne" is the second release, which was recorded in less than a week in 2005. It's supposed to be a full length album, though it has only seven tracks - including an intro. Acoustic guitar melodies to the sounds of a plashing river are leading into the first song. It's a little hard to describe the sound because it's not the typical Black Metal case and it can't be compared to other bands (I know) - fortunately! Dark Metal with Czech lyrics played with style and produced better than a lot of bands that are signed to "big" labels!
The melodies between the verses often remind me of medieval sounds like Cruachan have for example... The recurring acoustic guitars fit great in the detailed perfected compositions. The voice is a little untypical, not really the kind Black Metal bands use to have, but still full of hate and disgust. The constantly high quality of this recording makes it hard to choose favourites, but "Hněv Nebes Nesmrtelných" is the one you should check out first! An epic composition full of original passages, a little in the vein of the old Cradle Of Filth releases, but definitely with better (male only) vocals. A great one which let's you forget many of the so called stars of the Black Metal scene! The beautiful design makes this release almost perfect, the only negative point is the duration, but for the price Naga sells them it's more than worth checking it out!
I think it's always the same; good music can only come from open minded people. Some favourite bands that are listed on their website are Enslaved, Korn, Slipknot, Arcturus, Katatonia, Ulver, Satyricon... and hobbies like disused railway tracks, nature and graphics also prove that the Heiden members aren't like many of those beer infected bullheaded kids that play evil Metal to impress the girls!
The new album "Era 2" was released by Blood Fire Death Productions (Germany) this year, so you know what to do! Thumbs up!!!

Hellbox - "Infernothing"

(Finland, Deviance Records, Black/Thrash Metal, 2006)

Despite of not a big population, Finland has bringed to the world whole pleiades of talented musicians and we may get such an opinion that there are something like a conveyor, which makes Finns with guitars into hands. Hellbox is another newborn band, a creative potential of them allow take an attention on it. Lads has decided to dig into old school Thrash Metal and even earlier – since we can found some Rock'n'Roll moments, squeezed by skull-crushing riffs. But I can not say here is too much Motorhead roots, after all here is a cruel sound and we can find more similarities to Pungent Stench (brutal voice in combination with guitar themes). Hellbox's riffs are intensive and pushy, keeping severe mid tempo like Celtic Frost. During listening to this CD, I'm as if dipping into fucking old good times, where Thrash was popular and kicked asses. (By the way, several songs of this shooting here band were kept good positions in Finnish musical charts!) And surely, band's image confirmed it: torn jeans, tattoos, beer, a will, impressing aggressive protest. A spirit of riot is still alive! And have to add: Finnish guys, leaning to classical roots, could find own way in music. The old times just coming back and will kick your mainstream asses up!

Hoath - "Codex II Kether"

(Finland, Hammer Of Hate Records, Death/Black Metal, 2005)

Coming from Finland, Hoath offers us its first full length album called "Codex II Kether"! Compound in a Death/Black Metal way of playing, like Sarcofago or Blasphemy, "Codex II Kether" incites interest through its combination between the two musical genres. This material fits perfectly with this musical "stream" through: sound, instruments and an anti-Christian attitude. Frontman's voice is an usual one, so he doesn't impressed me at all, although he sings more into guttural vocal register. Like some other albums, this product have bad or good ideas. I want to mention I very much liked the guitar who uses an unusual distort, but who creates a perfect balance between the Stoner and the heavier moments. Also I'll mention that I liked a lot the extreme Metal phases, also some slow Core lines, but I feel something is missing; the whole material becoming frequently boring.
All in all, I consider "Codex II Kether" a decent album for a beginning; but the Finnish must work hardly to became a caliber band. Black Metal fans won't be disappointed by this product, because there are just a few bands who play Raw Black/Death Metal in its purest form.

Hoarfrost - "Ground Zero"

(Poland, Zoharum Records, Dark Ambient, 2009)

"Ground Zero" is a landscape developing from an unknown cataclysm presenting ruins and debris of steel, dust flying in the air, rust and slivers, tumbling down construction, where steel structures bend and fold like a pack of cards. A 37-minute story about the destruction of the concrete world is presented in 6 pieces in a Dark Ambient/Industrial climate.

The text above is the official description of this very strange release, taken from Zoharum's website. Well, it might sound exciting, but unfortunately it's not! The average length of each "song" is about six minutes which is pretty long. I think if you've listened to 30 seconds of each one, you can press the next button. One could argue that this length is needed to allow the listener to develop some images in his head, but there's almost nothing happening here. Sometimes it seems like the sounds are repeated over and over again, until the next song begins. In the main each track has a sound which is pretty much distorted and played in slow motion, plus some keys that have no remarkable development, no ups and no downs. For example, in the opener "Requiem" (5.46 minutes long) all you can hear is a noisy rain-like sound and a subtle Ambient keyboard. The next songs are filled with sounds of distorted waves, construction machines, insects, barking dogs and some movie samples, combined with the afore mentioned keys. The most annoying track is, "From Here To Ruins" which is 6.56 minutes long! Imagine a distorted cymbal hit with a two-second echo, then a little silence and suddenly the next hit banging in your ears... over and over again! This is too wannabe intellectual!
To be fair, I have to admit that this album has some interesting effects! I've listened to it alone in the dark at about 11 p.m. and I had some strange feelings because of this eerie atmosphere. I think this would fit in an artistic horror movie or something like that, but even in this case it could be more diverse! Even if I'm not really into this kind of music, I know a lot of bands who can compose songs like these which are much more exciting.
I'm pretty sure an album like this one can be made in about a week, including the artwork and the video clip (shaky shots of concrete ruins, overlaid with green color) found on this CD. So, I wouldn't really recommend this release, no matter what music you prefer! If you're into Dark Ambient, then you know for sure where to find your stuff...

Hortus Animae - "Waltzing Mephisto"

(Italy, Black Lotus Records, Black/Gothic Metal, 2003)

The Satanic orchestra Hortus Animae (English: the garden of the soul) started in 1997, their first release being a demo tape called "An Abode For Spirit And Flesh", a later release from 2000 was called "The Melting Idols" which was released by the band itself and it was a step further when it came to the music composed. Their latest release is "Waltzing Mephisto" released in 2003 and featuring Diego Meraviglia known as Grom from the notorious Black Metal band Ancient. The music which can be found on this CD is a mixture between Black Metal and Progressive Metal (not Heavy like). The tempo is alert and some passages here must be envied by the "true" Black Metal bands. There are lots of tempo changes to be found here and very well done. Imagine a passing from a very fast Black Metal tempo to a Waltz like one, all being done with high class. A very good song which exemplifies what I've said above: "A Lifetime Of Obscurity", other remarkable songs are: "Spring Time Death's", "Welcome The Godless" but the surprise of the album is the cover Medley of three well known songs "Freezing Moon" (Mayhem), "Terzo Incontro" (Il Balleto Di bronzo) and "Tubular Bells"(Mike Oldfield). This is a must have CD from a very talented band.

Hrossharsgrani - "Lieder Aus Mittelerde"

(Austria, Irrlichter Distro, Ambient, 1999)

An over 70 minutes rehearsal demo tape by the one and only Alex Wieser. I think this is his main project, other are Uruk-Hai, Ravenclaw, Hrefnesholt, Elisabetha, Bonemachine etc. It was recorded during 4.9.1999 and 21.9.1999. This is a limited edition of the demo so if you want to have a copy you better act fast. I also think that it's very hard to find it but if you contact Alex he will for sure grant you a copy. This music is some kind of Summoning influenced Black Metal. The organ is omnipresent in the structure of the songs and the strange martial drumming makes the music unique and hard to understand. I've listened to this demo for a couple of times 'til I've got the point. Some of the best songs are "Über Die Nebelwerge Weit" and "Feuersturm". If you've discovered Hrossharsgrani music through their CCP releases and you've liked what you've heard is not a bad thing if you'll get this demo too. Not many bands are playing such music. If you're into mainstream Black Metal or better if you like the usual kind of Black Metal you will have some problems in understanding this kind of music. If you like Summoning this is one band to check out!

Hrossharsgrani - "From The Dark Ages"

(Austria, Ered Gorgoroth Productions, Ambient/Black Metal, 1999)

"From The Dark Ages" is more Ambient like and the production is clearer. The demo has even some Neoclassical parts and there are some movie samples that create a proper atmosphere for a war Black Metal release. The Summoning influences are again there, especially in the drumming. There is even a cover version of Absurd's "Mourning Soul". If you haven't listened to this band until now, this can be a good release to start with, but you'll better check the CCP releases first! This demo is available under the contact address from Alex Wieser directly.


Hrossharsgrani - "Of Battles, Ravens And Fire"

(CCP Records, Ambient/Viking Metal, Austria, 2000)

The soundtrack of a long forgotten battle, this are I think the best words to describe this opus from Hugin's Hrossharsgrani. Compared to the earlier demos this MCD presents a different approach to the styles Ambient and Viking Metal. If in the past this project created long epic songs about Tolkien's world now the theme is changed and they are focusing upon the Norse mythology and ancient battles when Einherjers fought under the command of Odin. There are two songs here which can be labeled as Metal: "March Of The Einherjer" and "The Ravenfight", the rest being an heroic type of Ambient filled with lots of battle sounds (nothing new for this band which used lots of samples in the past too). The graphic concept is based on battle symbols, the front cover showing a ride of the Valkyries. This album is recommended to all of you who have a fascination for battle epics. I've read a review where this album was compared to Manowar, well that is not true at all.

Hrosshargrani - "Schattenkrieger"

(Austria, CCP Records, Orchestral Epic Ambient/Rock, 2002)

This is a new opus of this Austrian band and is a very big surprise. In the beginning they've played Black Metal influenced by Summoning, after that they've switched to a Viking Ambient letting all Black Metal influences behind and now on their "third era" they are playing an orchestrated type of Gothic Rock with all the elements that this genre must have. When I've heard the first song of this CD "Einleitung (Erster Schattenzyklus)" I haven't noticed any difference in their style but when the second one emerged from my stereo "Das Flammende Auge" I've noticed the difference. Heavy guitars were there and a pseudo-orchestration interrupted by spoken parts. The peaks of this CD are the songs: "Im Feuer Der Rache", "...Krieg Entbrannte (Nacht Der Helden)" and "Wenn Winters Sang Und Klang Verstummt". The first two have very good vocal melodies, the best that I've heard from this band and the last is an instrumental piece with a nice atmosphere reminding a bit of Empyrium. Well, this is enough for me to think that their future releases may be even better. One thing I didn't like is the fact that in some songs there are too many spoken passages, which I think are lowering the level of the album. Recommended to Tolkien fans.

Human Ground - "Human Ground"

(Estonia, Nailboard Records, Neo-Thrash Metal, 2005)

I heard some mp3's of Human Ground's demo at the end of 2004, which were showing a band with a lot of potential. Well half a year later and this debut CD shows a band that have matured and progressed very quickly in such a short time. The basics of the music is detuned Death/Thrash Metal with a very modern (and distinctly Scandinavian) sound. There's also a strong influence from Metallica, especially in Tarvo's clean vocals (he can sound uncannily like James Hetfield at times). But, if we are to continue the parallel, I think that Human Ground's album is much better than the slightly lame "St. Anger", for several reasons; firstly there's the production, which reveals every nuance in the sound, yet is still solid, raw and engaging; secondly (and most importantly) there are the songs. I think the two of the best tracks on the album are "Waiting" and "Wrath Of Ages" which show the band in a slower, darker light as opposed to the more frenetic material from their demo, which can sound a little generic by comparison. However, it is still of a high quality, and obviously it is quite difficult to be original nowadays. I guess this album will appeal to a range of fans, from Metallica to Arch Enemy to Carcass. Truth is, most Metal fans will quite at home playing this CD, yet there's enough depth and personality to make Human Ground stand out from the crowds of modern Metal bands.

Hunters Moon - "The Serpents Lust"

(Australia, Hells Headbangers Records, Black Metal, 2009)

Hunters Moon is a band I never heard before, I must recognize, but a good one, although its constituents decided to play something in the old fashion "primitive" epic Black Metal mainly influenced by the gods: Bathory, Primordial or Morrigan to mention but a few. This mini album follows to their demo recorded 3 years ago; and this is for real a step forward in Hunters Moon career, probably band's chance to gain much more popularity in the international extreme Metal scene.
Musically speaking this opus called "The Serpents Lust" is a very good sample that the Australian extreme Metal scene has some good bands; something I was listening many years ago and was looking for since a while. The guitar riffs I was listening here brings in front of us a combination between old and new elements taken from Thrash/Black Metal, very well emphasized by an epic content frequently met on some Viking Metal bands. The rhythm changes are very well inserted in the whole musical content and their breaks and mid-tempos shows us that we deal with a very skilled combo; and if we take into consideration that the constituents are playing in bands such as Denouncement Pyre and Nocturnal Graves we have all the ingredients we need!
I very much liked the vocal score, really into that old fashion à la Bathory in its early days; on the whole a very interesting material played by a "young", "The Serpents Lust" being for sure something that you should take into consideration as die-hard fans!

Hyperborean Desire - "... V Kruhu Veškerenstva ..."

(Czech Republic, Naga Productions, Dark Metal, 2006)

I got this album as a CD-R with a black-and-white xeroxed info sheet, no CD case, nothing... very ugly! Also, I can't listen to two of the tracks, because of some scratches... I didn't expect anything positive from this band, though I knew the superbe cover from the pretty good looking website, but I was wrong!
In the main the music could be categorized as Dark/Black Metal, but there is much more to discover in the ten tracks of the debut. There's a lot of dirty Rock'n'Roll here (comparable to Satyricon's "Now, Diabolical" just not that well produced - or should I say overproduced?) mixed with some Negură Bunget ingredients. Sometimes they remind me of Abysmal (they had an album in 1994 called "The Pillorian Age") and somehow of a Morbid Records release too... sounds raw and live to me, which is a positive fact... Here and there you can hear some typical Black Metal structures (the vocals, the drumming...) or some "Blashyrk" interludes but these are placed rather in the background. The compositions are of constantly high quality, diverse and melodic, but still very dark and heavy and even progressive (like the instrumental "U Pećini" for example... I'd like to hear this one live). Some soberly keyboards are placed well in the songs, a fact which is very important for the atmosphere. The vocalist is able to do all kinds of screaming, growling, sick (Maniac-like) vocals and even singing!
The lyrics are completly in Czech, and I suppose it's intended (and not because they aren't able to write them in English), and it's very cool. To be honest I have no clue what they are about, but this language sounds very strange to me, and it fits perfectly with the sound... I hope they'll continue that way, but maybe put some translations on the web...
The best songs here are "Sága O Neuchopitelné Ryzosti" (the opener) and "V Obraně Državy Prastarého" with a strange chorus... Manifest Vědomí" starts with Nu Metal riffs and continues as a hybrid of a ballad mixed with grind elements! Actually every song has something special... Great! But beware! Listening to the whole album at once is very hard! ;)
Check out this band!

Edit: Something nice happend after I've written this (in January this year): Radalf (vocals, guitars) apologized for the CD-R (which was sent by the label) and sent me the original one... two times!!! I never got it... Now I finally got it from Naga Productions for free and I can tell you, it looks really great (sick and disturbing though very subtle and artistic - it doesn't have to be a forest, winter landscapes, corpsepaint and things like that to be eerie or evil!) and it's the 8 Euros worth! I hate CD-Rs and mp3's - there's a big difference to me, since I've listened the first time to "The Number Of The Beast" while holding the (original) MC case for hours in my hands... 16 years ago! Anyway, this review took me 4 months, sorry guys! Na zdraví!!!