The Best Of 2008

The year of 2008 is coming close to an end, so it is only fitting that we take a moment to look back at the new releases that the sick and twisted world of metal music has brought us this year. 2008 was a good year for many established bands to prove they've still got what it takes to rock. Some of our favorite bands reinvented themselves, while others kept true to their own particular style. A lot of the newer bands pushed the limits of speed and brutality, setting the bar just a little higher for 2009. I'd say 2008 was good year for us metal fans, and the future of the genre is in good hands. So without further ado, here's my Top 10 albums of 2008.

Top 10 of 2008:

10. MOTORHEAD - Motorizer

www.myspace.com/motorheadofficial

British rockers MOTORHEAD made their mark in 2008 with their 19th studio release entitled "Motorizer". Keeping true to their roots, Lemmy and the boys deliver exactly what you'd expect from a MOTORHEAD CD, a hard rocking new album.

9. JUDAS PRIEST - Nostradamus

http://www.myspace.com/judaspriest

Kicking ass since 1969, JUDAS PRIEST has taken the metal world by the balls with their new release entitled "Nostrodamus". Mixing their trademark speed metal sound with synth-guitars and orchestral movements, JUDAS PREIST has not only reinvented their style, but proven that an old dog can still learn new tricks. Their double CD concept album about the legendary 16th century French prophet Nostradamus has earned them 2 Grammie award nominations.

8. VERSAILLES-PHILHARMONIC QUINTET - Noble

http://www.myspace.com/versaillesjp

In 2008, the Japanese visual-kei band VERSAILLES-PHILHARMONIC QUINTET released their first full length album entitled "Noble". Showcasing their impressive guitar wizardry, melodic metal sound, and their androgenous appearance, "Noble" has gained VERSAILLES-PHILHARMONIC QUINTET a legion of fans both in Japan and in America.

7. BRAIN DRILL - Apocalyptic Feasting

http://www.myspace.com/braindrill

Pushing the limits of speed and ferocity, BRAIN DRILL's "Apocalyptic Feasting" has taken the genre of metal to an extreme level intensity. Not intended for the meek or the uninitiated, BRAIN DRILL's latest release will leave even the most hardcore death metal in awe.

6. WHITECHAPEL - This Is Exile

http://www.myspace.com/whitechapel

Tennessee’s death metal maniacs WHITECHAPEL made their mark in 2008 with their new CD entitled "This Is Exile". While this is only their sophomore release, this band demonstrates an experienced ability to assault your ears like an old pro, using their crushing three guitar sound, brutal vocals, relentless blast beats and killer cut-times. This band is a force to be reckoned with.

5. CYNIC - Traced In Air

www.myspace.com/cyniconline

2008 brought us the second full-length album by the progressive/technical death metal fusion band CYNIC. Having made their debut fifteen years ago, "Traced In Air" is an otherworldly monument to artistry, inspiration and to metal music itself.

4. SLIPKNOT - All Hope Is Gone

www.myspace.com/slipknot1

In 2008, SLIPKNOT returned to release their fourth studio album "All Hope Is Gone", which debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200 charts thanks to their legions of Maggots all over the world. Dishing out their best schizophrenic style of metal, "All Hope Is Gone" features a further evolution in the band's style and sound.

3. TESTAMENT - Formation of Damnation

www.myspace.com/testamentlegions

Veteran thrashers TESTAMENT released their first release in nine years in 2008. "Formation of Damnation" places TESTAMENT at the forefront of the Thrash Metal scene once again with their superior musicianship and kick ass aggressive style.

2. CRADLE OF FILTH - Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder

www.myspace.com/cradleoffilth

England's Black Metal Monsters have returned to torment the feeble with their 2008 release "Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder". Thier concept album about the legendary 15th Century murderer Gilles De Rais (whom was among other things a sexual deviant and serial killer), features their trademark dark riffing accompanied by haunting orchestrations, and narrations by horror heavyweight Doug Bradley.

1. METALLICA - Death Magnetic

www.myspace.com/metallica

METALLICA's 2008 release "Death Magnetic" marked the return of their favored thrash metal style, winning them praise of many fans of their earlier releases. "Death Magnetic" remained at number one on Billboard's Hard Rock, Modern Rock/Alternative and Rock album charts for five consecutive weeks, proving that METALLICA's fans are both young and old, newbies and oldschoolers alike.

Get in gear with GEARS OF WAR 2

Greetings Gorehounds and Gamers,

It is time once again for me to share with you the lovely listenables which make their way into my clutches. On the slab, I have Gears of War 2 The Soundtrack, the new original music score composed by famed Hollywood composer Steve Jablonsky (“Transformers”, “The Island”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) and recorded with the world famous Skywalker Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus. An intense sonic journey through humanity's last stand, Gears Of War 2 The Soundtrack delivers a big cinematic sound with an even bigger emotional range.

Gears of War, the third-person shooter game, has won over 30 Game of the Year awards and has sold 5 million copies worldwide, making this Xbox 360 exclusive release one of the most highly anticipated follow-ups in video game history. Epic Games wanted the new score to be bigger, darker, and crunchier than their pervious release, so they gave composer Steve Joblonsky a blank canvas to create what he felt would best suit the new game’s atmosphere. “I experimented with a lot of hybrid organic/electronic elements, and combined them with the power of a large orchestra and choir”, says Joblonsky about his emotionally charged score. The result is a hard-hitting soundtrack filled with hauntingly seductive strings, deep horns, chanting chorals arrangements, and percussive rhythms that successfully immerse the player into the nightmarish world of Gears Of War 2, and prepares them for battle against the evil Locust Horde.

But not everything heard on the Gears Of War 2 soundtrack is all thundering percussions, and militant themes. There are also several tracks on this CD that summon the darker, atmospheric elements of a full symphony orchestra, while making excellent use of digital sounds and stereo effects (see “Hollow” MP3 teaser below). The soundtrack also includes a impressive vocal solo by soprano Mitzie Kay on the track entitled “With Sympathy” (see MP3 teaser below), and a somber variation of the main theme delicately played on the piano on the track called “Autumn Of Mankind”, which dramatically ends the entire listening experience. The 27 track CD runs an hour in length and features several game inspired landscape images on the inlay. Presented by Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., Gears Of War 2 The Soundtrack is now available at your local game/music store, Amazon.com, or as a digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com.

Track Listing:
   1. Return Of The Omen

   2. Hope Runs Deep

   3. Green As Grass

   4. Expectations

   5. Finally, A Lead

   6. Armored Prayer

   7. Hold Them Off

   8. Derrick Chase

   9. Building Thunder

  10. Hell Breaks Loose

  11. Bedlam

  12. Breakneck

  13. Landown

  14. Racing To Extinction

  15. If They Can Ride Em

  16. Hollow

  17. Unexpected Changes

  18. March Of The Horde

  19. Highway

  20. Denizens Of The Deep

  21. With Sympathy

  22. Insurmountable Odds

  23. Bump In The Night

  24. Frenzy

  25. Outpost

  26. Finale

  27. Autumn Of Mankind

sources:

http://gearsofwar.com

www.epicgames.com

www.sumthing.com

www.sumthingdigital.com

An interview with Dead Space composer Jason Graves

The bloody sci-fi survival horror game Dead Space from Electronic Arts has been terrifying  gamers for several weeks now, and even more frightening than it’s ghoulish graphics is it’s original symphonic soundtrack. Composed by the renown composer Jason Graves with the help of The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra, Graves creates an intense, eerie soundscape for this first person shooter game that adds the perfect atmosphere to this nightmarish game. The Dead Space CD features 15 tracks of booming orchestrations offering a wide dynamic range from eerie, screeching strings to thunderous, frenetic percussions. A must have for lovers of dark and dissonant music, or for fans of the EA game itself.
 
Track Listing:
1- Welcome Aboard The U.S.G. Ishimura
2- The Necromorphs
3- The Leviathan
4- I Left My Heart In Med Lab 3
5- Severed Limbs Are Hazardous Waste
6- I’ve Got You Devolving Under My Skin
7- Plasma Cutters Are Your Friend
8- Manual Survival Mode Seven
9- The Cost Of Living Is On The Rise
10- Do Not Vomit – Do Not Shout
11- The Hive Mind
12- Fly Me To The Aegis Seven Moon
13- Cyanide Systems Offline
14- Habeas Corpses
15- Must… Go… Faster!

I recently had the pleasure of asking the award winning composer a few questions about his work with The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra. Below are Jason’s responses to my inquiries regarding his work on Dead Space.

ZOTH: You have quite an impressive list of credits under your belt, Jason. How does writing for a Horror Video Game like DEAD SPACE differ from writing for something like a TV promo? Is there a special thought process that goes on when you undertake a project of this magnitude?

JASON: Video games in general have a lot more freedom involved, especially considering a TV show may have fifteen minutes of music and a game can require ten times that.  The sheer number of minutes needed for today’s games provide a much larger canvas for composers.  Add the horror genre on top of that and you’ve got almost unlimited possibilities from a music standpoint.  I think that’s one of the reasons Dead Space ended up with an original sounding score.

It’s always hard for me to step away from a situation and think, “Wow, this is a really big project.”  I’m usually so deep into the music that I don’t come up for air until I’m finished composing.  I worked on Dead Space for about two years, but when it comes down to it I was focusing on each individual cue a day at a time, which is probably a good thing.  I tried not to stop and think about how much music there was left to compose - probably a good thing for both the final score and my personal sanity!

Z: DEAD SPACE features The Skywalker Symphonic Orchestra. Did you have any limits to your arrangements, since you’re writing for an Orchestra? 

J: The only request from EA was “make it really scary,” which was both very liberating and also very intimidating.  The kinds of sounds and textures I wanted for the Dead Space score were limited only by my imagination - as cheesy as that sounds, it was really true.  The whole process was an incredible test of concentration and focus to plan the sessions, especially given that there were no “rules” as far as composing for the orchestra.

 Z: I noticed quite a lot of percussive attacks throughout the featured tracks. Where there any sounds that were created that utilized an unorthodox approach to playing the instruments (ex: Pizzicato vs. bowed, clicking mallets together, Garbage Cans vs. Anvils, etc.)? 

J: “Unorthodox” would be a great way to describe both of the Dead Space recording sessions.  The entire approach behind the score was to make the music as unfamiliar and “non-musical” as possible.  The general idea being the unknown has more potential to put you on the edge of your seat, musically speaking.  So I researched, compiled and dreamt up hours of different, crazy, spooky effects for the musicians to perform. I even had thin dowels for the string players to hit things with (instead of using the backs of their very expensive bows).  They were tapping their instruments, the music stands, the chairs - anything we could find.  I even got a great sample of all the strings dropping their dowels at the same time (I dropped my baton to show them exactly when to do it).

A lot of the percussive attacks in the score are combinations of those wonderfully crazy string hits and custom percussion hits I performed and recorded myself (I’m a classically-trained percussionist).  There are many different kinds of anvils, metal plates, steel rods, and yes, garbage cans!  I also got some great snap pizzicatos from the string section, which is a great percussive sound that layers well with other hits.

  

Z: The entire CD is breathtaking, Jason. My favorite is “The Leviathan”. Is there one particular track that you’re most proud of, and why? 

J: Thanks! It’s funny you mention that track - it’s one of my favorite as well.  There was some specific direction from EA for a hint of a melodic theme in “The Leviathan,” since it was a big boss track.  There isn’t a lot of melody in Dead Space - most of the score intentionally leans towards atmospheric sound design.  So when I have the chance to be a little more “musical,” even within the dissonant world of Dead Space, I really enjoy it.

It was also a lot of fun composing the music for the opening cinematic, which is called “Welcome To The U.S.G. Ishimura” on the soundtrack.  I was able to incorporate the few melodies in the game into one singular statement, while also underscoring the introduction and action for the beginning of the game.  It was a lot of fun to position the epic, grandiose opening music in contrast to the darker, more dissonant music at the end.  It’s also a really great emotional journey, which is what I think music is all about anyway.

Z: Finally, what are some of your favorite Horror Movie scores? Are there any film scores that have served as an inspiration to you?

J: For Dead Space specifically, there really weren’t any film scores that had the kind of sound I was looking for.  I found some 20th century concert works that were a lot more experimental in nature - those ended up being a big influence on the final score.  Some of those pieces can be heard in films like “The Shining” and “The Exorcist,” but there are classical pieces of music that were later incorporated into films.

As far as horror scores in general, I really love Jerry Goldsmith’s work for films like “Poltergeist” and “Alien.”  Also, I think Marco Beltrami really made a name for himself scoring the “Scream” franchise, and for good reason.  Like myself, he studied with Goldsmith - his music has such an immediate influence on the films he scores.  Some others he’s done include “Hellboy” and “The Faculty.”  I think Steve Jablonsky’s take on horror music is very modern - I especially like his “Texas Chainsaw” scores.  And I would hate to forget Christopher Young, whom I also had the pleasure of studying with.  He cut his teeth in horror twenty years ago and did everything from “Hellraiser” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to “The Grudge” and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.”  My entire experience with Chris has been a huge inspiration to me.

I have a fairly voracious appetite when it comes to music, whether it’s classical, film scores, jazz or pop.  I listen to as much music as I can, given all the time I spend composing.  The more I listen, the more I’m compelled to improve my own craft - my musical inspirations are the driving force that make me strive to be a better composer.

sources:
www.jasongraves.com

http://deadspace.ea.com/

TERMINATRYX breathes life to NOSFERATU

TERMINATRYX, the South African industrial duo of Paul Blom and Sonja Ruppersberg, have released their live performance at the 2006 HORRORFEST International Film Festival on DVD. Their dark vampiric lyrics and bio-mechanical sound were accompanied by the wonderfully wicked imagery of the 1922 silent film NOSFERATU. Blending industrial soundscapes with ominous vocal moods, TERMINATRYX also includes instrumentation from upright bass, woodwinds, to live percussion samples, sound FX, electric violin and metal guitars.

The entire 2-hour DVD package contains music videos, live clips, biogs, photo galleries and the short film imPERFECTION (made by the band and featuring their music).  For more info on the band go to www.TERMINATRYX.com or www.MySpace.com/terminatryxxx, and check out the TERMINATRYX / NOSFERATU DVD here.

TERMINATRYX / NOSFERATU DVD includes:

• “Nosferatu” – the feature film with its new Terminatryx soundtrack (plus special guest musicians), recorded live - Halloween 2006
• “Nosferatu Live” – a compilation of live performance moment below the big screen at the 2006 S.A. HorrorFest, with details on the history of the film festival and the live soundtracks performed at this annual event
• “Midnight” – music video
• “CONsume” – live clip from the very first Terminatryx live shows in 2003 with the first 5-piece live configuration
• “Up To You” – live clip of the rare 3-piece twin-bas guitar performance taken at Popkomm in Berlin, Germany, and stills from their European visit (2006) – with special guest Diccon Harper (V.O.D) on 8-string bass guitar
• Photo gallery from 2003-2008 featuring the song “SleepWalkers”
• Photo gallery of the special make-up FX video shoot for the song “Siek+Sat” (featuring the track)
• HorrorFest photo gallery (with the song “Virus”)
• The Terminatryx affiliated short film “imPERFECTION” (2004), directed by Paul Blom and starring Sonja Ruppersberg (with music by Terminatryx and F8)
• Band biography
• The DVD also includes the Terminatryx songs “Venus Rising”, “Absinthium”, “Symbionik”.
• Double-sided interchangeable DVD sleeve can be flipped to exhibit either Nosferatu or Terminatryx
• Specifications: 120 minutes / PAL / All Regions / 4:3 / Colour and Black & White / Stereo / FPB Rating: PG

OHGR to release “Devils In My Details” on November 18!

For more than 25 years, Ogre has pioneered electronic music, pushed the boundaries and has been a direct influence on some of the most cutting-edge rock (NINE INCH NAILS, TOOL, etc.) the world has seen in that time span as the legendary frontman for SKINNY PUPPY. On November 18 he unleashes his most personal and conceptual work to date under the guise of OHGR with “Devils In My Details”.

Also part of the major multi-media impact Ogre is making this Fall is the upcoming horror epic REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA in which he stars alongside Paris Hilton, Paul Sorvino (GOODFELLAS), Alexa Vega (SPY KIDS), opera megastar Sarah Brightman, and Bill Moseley (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, ARMY OF DARKNESS) who is also featured on DEVILS IN MY DETAILS, adding spoken-word tracks “Psychoreal” and “Timebomb”.

Sources:

http://www.ohgr.org

http://www.devilsinmydetails.com

http://www.repo-opera.com

http://www.skinnypuppy.com

http://processmediainc.com/press/mini_sites/go_ask_ogre/index.html

MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE - The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates

Greetings fellow fans of frightening film scores,

Are you looking for some new music to play during your haunted Halloween party? Then look no further than MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE'S upcoming release, The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates. Using their signature style of dark orchestration and soundscape, the new CD draws listeners into the world of vampires, Egyptian relics, and the living dead - the same themes explored in MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE FILM'S upcoming motion picture, THE DEAD MATTER(coming early 2009). Although this is not the official score to the movie, many of the tracks on this CD will be featured in the film. This CD is out now, so look for it in your local Hot Topic or Halloween shop, or order it here!

Happy hauntings!

Track listing:

1.  Cathedral Ruins

2. Shadowed Grove

3. Meeting of the Acolytes

4. The Revenants

5. Called From Beyond

6. Nightfall

7. The Hunt

8. Across the Chasm

9. Cemetery Gates

10. Entering the Crypt

11. Alchemists's Chamber (MP3 teaser)

12. Tear of Osiris (MP3 teaser)

13. Forging the Scarab

14. Shadows Descend

15. Inside the Scarab

16. Exodus

17. Dark Legacy

18. Lullaby 

BONUS TRACKS

19. Lost

20. Not Your Saviour

21. Theme to "The Dead Matter" (A.B.T. Remix)

sources: 

http://www.myspace.com/midnightsyndicate

http://www.midnightsyndicate.com/

http://www.thedeadmatter.com/

http://www.t3nth1rtyone.com/

The Lament Configuration

The Lament Configuration

Artist: SickTanick Tha Souless

Genre: Horrorcore

“The Lament Configuration” is the new release by the horrorcore rapper SickTanick, incorporating Clive Barker’s HELLRAISER mythology as a basis for this dark conceptual CD. Lyrically, every track paints a bloody, perverse picture of a nightmarish world of depravity, darkness, and triumphant bloodshed. The music is composed of laid back/mid-tempo beats, keyboard tracks, and samples of the melodic passages from the HELLRAISER franchise, often dubbing key phrases from Pinhead as intros to each song. “The Lament Configuration” CD is 10 tracks long with 5 Bonus Tracks with plenty of guests spots by SKR artists. The CD packaging resembles The Lament Configuration puzzle box, and the effect of spinning this CD is like opening the Gates of Hell and calling forth Cenobites to unleash their Satanic fury. A must have for fans of the horrorcore genre, or GoreHounds just looking for new music to satisfy their bloodthirst.

Tracklisting:
1.Seduction & Pursuit
2.Signs Of The Diabolic
3.The Lament Configuration
4.Hallowed Be Thy Name
5.The Engineer
6.Bloodlines (Spoken Word Interlude)
7.Solve Coagula
8.Hells Offerings
9.Suffering Devine
10.Endgame

Bonus Tracks:
11.Team Death - Terrible Lies
12.Apocolypse 2012
13.Never Hold Us Back feat Two Clipz, Razakel, & Bloodshot
14.God Hates Me, I Hate Him Too feat Stitch Mouth & KGP
15.For The Beast feat Cap One, Stitchez, Razakel & C-Poppin

Source:
http://www.myspace.com/sicktanickskr

http://www.skrwillrise.com/sicktanick.php

WHITECHAPEL - This Is Exile

HELL-O Headbangers,

It looks like our friends at METAL BLADE records have done it again! Their recent acquisition, WHITECHAPEL, has just released a brutal new CD entitled This Is Exile. Combining the best elements of death metal, grind, and hardcore, this 6 piece from Tennessee (yeah, they have 3 guitarists!) writes some of the most neck-snapping songs that are guaranteed to give you whiplash.

This Is Exile centers around a strong sense of hatred against those in control. Blasphemous misanthropic lyrics are dominant on most tracks, with a slight deviance on the last few instrumental tracks which lean toward a dark atmospheric and almost psychedelic realm. The vocals range from the extremely gutteral to psychotic screams, often layered together to create a demonic sound which compliments the heavy guitar riffs, and thundering drum beats.

 Track Listing:

1 - Father Of Lies

2 - This Is Exile

3 - Possession

4 - To All That Are Dead

5 - Exalt

6 - Somatically Incorrect

7 - Death Becomes Him

8 - Daemon (The Procreated  

9 - Eternal Refuge

10 - Of Legions          

11 - Messiahbolical

sources:

http://www.metalblade.com/english/artists/whitechapel/bio.php

http://www.myspace.com/whitechapel

DETHKLOK live at the Nokia Theatre, NYC

Greetings Gorehounds,

It was my pleasure to have witnessed one of the most anticipated tours to enter NYC this year, on Wednesday June 25th, 2008. The DETHTOUR, featuring Soilent Green, Chimaira, and headliners Dethklok, has been crushing clubs all over America and now it was New York City's turn to behold the madness brought about by these 3 powerful metal acts.

Since the premiere of the Metalocalypse cartoon on Adult Swim back in 2006, many fans of metal music and adult cartoons alike have been eagerly awaiting this tour. In February of 2007, The Dethalbum CD exploded onto the Billboard 200 chart at #21, proving that there was a not only a huge fan base for Dethklok, but a demand for this music to be heard live. 

1st up was Soilent Green getting the crowd pumped with their unique blend of Death, Doom, Hardcore, and Blues. With 20 years of rocking experience, Soilent Green tore through their set list, exciting the crowd into an early frenzy with their mosh pit geared music.

Next up was Chimaira, who rocked the crowd with their old school death metal style that's coupled with a new school electronic sound. Their keyboardist added to the band's already heavy sound, setting them apart from the from the show openers, and foreshadowing the sonic bombardment that was yet to come.

After a long intermission, and plenty of equipment checking, Dethklok hit the stage. The band was comprised of Metalocalypse creator and master musician Brendon Small on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Keneally on backing vocals and guitar, Bryan Beller on backing vocals and bass, and the mighty Gene Hoglan on drums.

Dethklok performed for over an hour, playing in sync with the huge projection screen which showed the Metalocalypse cartoon charatcers singing and playing the songs we were listening to. Their sound was massive, and their light show was impressive. They played almost all the songs off the DethAlbum, stringing together 2 to 3 songs together at a time, then taking a short break while the projection screen showed more raw Metalocalypse footage. The entire experience was like watching 2 bands perform at once. On the stage were the real musicians who make the Dethklok music, and on the screen overhead, were the cartoon versions of Dethklok, performing as they do on the Metalocalypse show. This tour is a multimedia event that should not be missed. If they come to your town, do yourself a favor and get a ticket before they sell out. You won't be disappointed.

Now go forth and die!

Le' rue Delashay - THE CYCLE OF FIFTHS

“The Cycle of Fifths” is the 5th CD from the modern horror composer Le’rue Delashay. His most powerful solo release to date, "The Cycle of Fifths" transports the listener into a majestic amphitheater filled the most colorful symphonic sounds and most emotionally evocative orchestrations. Delashay delivers 12 tracks of classical compositions that surpasses any of the recent works of the top names in the industry today. Having honed his skills doing commercial work for Haunted House attractions, multi-media applications, television, and of course horror films, He demonstrates an uncanny ability to create such menacing music that will surely send chills down your spine and terrify your imagination. 

“The Cycle of Fifths” marks the next step in musical composition for Le 'rue Delashay as he  unleashes a new element to his music, a digital female voice whom he refers to as Donna. Delashay has masterfully manipulated Vocaloid's Prima program to create some of the most realistic vocal arrangements I’ve ever heard, adding yet another layer of realism to his orchestrations. His synthetic soprano can be heard soloing on the track entitled "Dreaming of You" (which you can listen to on his MySpace page). Also featured on this CD is the score for end credits to the horror film THE HOMECOMING, which is brilliantly arranged to move the listener through several tension building moods within a short time span, then finally resolving into a melancholic end.

I highly recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys Classical Music or Orchestral Soundtracks. It's a fantastic journey through the vast spectrum of symphonic sounds and emotions. 

Rating: 4 Skulls

Track Listing:

1 - Exordium Eram Sententa (MP3 teaser)

2 - The Exodus of Duality (MP3 teaser)

3 - Through the Valley of Death (MP3 teaser)

4 - Augustus (MP3 teaser)

5 - Her Ladies Roses

6 - She's Resting in Pieces

7 - The Homecoming

8 - Walpurgisnacht

9 - An Evening Eclipse

10- Death and Rebirth

11- Dreaming of You

12- The Age of Legends

sources:

http://www.leruedelashay.com/

http://www.myspace.com/leruedelashay

SPECTRUM X – Darkest Night Ever

What do you get when you mix the ferocity of BILE, the deadly delicacy of KMFDM, and the dark aura of MARILYN MANSON?  You get the Italian psycho industrial band SPECTRUM-X. Consisting of Nullifier X and Candy Bones, SPECTRUM-X has earned a cult like status since the release of their 2007 CD “Tea Party With Zombies” (released by the Japanese Record label DARKEST LABYRINTH). Their latest full length release entitled “Darkest Night Ever” features 14 tracks of hard hitting, industrial chaos that leaves the listener with a feeling of tension and fear. The new heavier guitar sound can be attributed to Kiwamu of the band BLOOD, who lends his musical talents on this CD, creating a distinctly heavier sound than their previous release.

 The CD starts off aggressively but looses some of it's punch half way through. The drum programs become a bit too repetitive for me, and the song structures are just too simplistic. All and all, "Darkest Night Ever" is a good follow up for this up-and-coming Italian Industrial band. I give them 3 out of 5 skulls.

Track listing:

1. Darkest Night Ever

2. Unsane

3. Trick Or Treat(We're Coming To Your Town)

4. Tragic Toll

5. Gnomes Bones

6. Aloisa(Slumber Of Death)

7. Passage Into The Future

8. ElectroZombie

9. Can't Return Home

10 .Holograms Of Sorrow

11. Plasmic Snow

12. Electrostatic Forms

13. Spacial Grave Town

14. Refuge To An Eternal World

Sources:

http://www.spectrum-x.it/

http://www.myspace.com/spectrumx

http://www.vampirefreaks.com/spectrumx

THE YOUNG WEREWOLVES – Cheat The Devil

Philadelphia’s horror rockers THE YOUNG WEREWOLVES, have returned with their second full length release entitled “Cheat The Devil”. The trio have written thirteen tracks of new music blending the styles of rockabilly, psychobilly, surf, punk, garage and pop into their unique style of serpentine swing.

“Cheat The Devil” covers such horrific topics as Lycanthropy, The Devil, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, the Hammer Movie Monsters, and Aliens. There's a special appearance by none other than horror icon Sid Haig, (who is also the executive producer) narrating on the track entitled “Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde”. Mr. Haig also sports horns and dons the role of The Devil for the CDs cover photo. Scheduled for an April 15th release date, this will be distributed by Cargo Music. Look for it in a music store near you soon.

Track Listing:

1 – Hollywood

2 – Mischief Night

3 – Devil Dancer Girl

4 – Cheatin’ The Devil

5 – Run Away

6 – Fire

7 – Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

8 – Gala Monster Rally

9 – Satan’s Daughter

10 – Touched By A Demon

11 – Guns, Guns, Guns

12 – Shapeshifter

13 – Tattooed Aliens

Sources:

http://www.myspace.com/youngwerewolves