Tag Archives: 2016 Top 10

Overtures – Artifacts (2016) – Review

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Looks like the Mediterranean is fertile ground when it comes to metal of all kinds. You got the island folks on Cyprus going strong, at least one very good one dwelling in Portugal. 

But then there is a very important community down South in Italy too. Overtures being one of them and they are rocking away from Gorizia, right on the border with Slovenia. The band is now ready to open the doors on their newest and third full-length studio album Artifacts. To me, this is – not quite surprisingly – about the most mature album they produced so … [...] Click to raid more!

Abbath – Abbath (2016) – Review

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Goodbye Immortal, welcome Abbath.

This was quite a departure from the realm of Blashyrkh that the master of the crabwalk and distinctive corpse paint put to the audience.

And with some real power to boot.

The new self-titled album of this newly formed and self-named band just continues to fire away and indeed fires stronger than before during the Immortal years and now under this new identity.

The announcement of the remainder of Immortal in 2015 to carry on with business as usual had me reduced to a mad cackle. The essence and soul – the divine creator so to say – … [...] Click to raid more!

Fleshgod Apocalypse – King (2016) – Review

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Fleshgod Apocalypse is a relatively young band. They formed in 2007 in Perugia/Italy. You know, the medieval city with the escalators that move you from the catacombs to the light. A place of epic murder trials, loads of chocolate, and pasta.

How very fitting a background for the Machiavellian theme employed in this album. And not yet quite 10 years into the game, they came a hell of a long way in a very short time. And I am saying this now because their style is really difficult to match in terms of complexity. Many a band certainly got some inspiration off … [...] Click to raid more!

Van Halst – World of Make Believe (2016) – Review

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I can tell you what they are not. Van Halst are not some sort of an Evanescence clone, as was suggested by some.

Their debut World of Make Believe features some pretty strong similarities for sure. But they don’t imitate the typical sound of the latter, nor should they. If there has been a typical style left, that is, after the unhappy departure of the old band around Ben Moody.

Van Halst deploy a much fresher and – I daresay – a more thoughtful brand. Too tough and more varied than their alleged idols. And this is a good thing. … [...] Click to raid more!