Beyond The Labyrinth EP's review

SATURATION POINT/ HYPERSENSITIVE
HIDDEN AGENDA/ STORIES WAITING TO BE TOLD

Somewhere end september, begin october classic melodic rock band Beyond The Labyrinth will release their third album "Chapter III: Stories".

Beyond The Labyrinth - "Chapter III - Stories" is based on an original "Work In Progress" concept: it is first released single by single as the songs are finished, only regrouping the tracks onto a CD once it is completed.

Four songs (two singles) have already been released this way:"Saturation Point" / "Hypersensitive" (September 2009) and "Hidden Agenda" /"Stories Waiting To Be Told" (December 2009). Three more singles are planned throughout the first half of 2010.

Kauan – Aava Tuulen Maa

Firebox Records

Score: ***1/2

Again no doom from Firebox, but a fine piece of Russian ambient post-rock.
The band started out in 2005 by two Siberian guys called Anton Belov and Alexander Borovich. At first they wrote some folk black metal songs, but in 2006 a violin player called Lubov joined the band.
With this man the music naturally evolved to what it is nowadays. After the release of Lumikuuro (2007) and Tietäjän Laulu (2008) this is their third record.
That isn't metal or anything related to it, but beautiful melancholic music with piano, violin, flutes, guitars and clean male vocals.
So, if your not into ambient styled melancholic rock or willing to discover something new, don't bother about this band.
For those who like to hear something different: check it out!

Plutonium Orange – Volume

Firebox Records

Score: ***

Damn, this time Firebox Records really surprised me! Normally the label releases the finest doom/death and other types of dark metal, but this time they send me a fine alternative rock cd. This makes Plutonium Orange the honour to be their most ‘easy listening’ band so far.

Strike Anywhere – Iron Front

Bridge Nine Records

Score: ***1/2

Great melodic punk/hardcore record from a band with a mission and a message. A must hear for fans of Anti - Flag and other sing a long driven punkbands.

Click read more for the whole review!

 

2009 Overview

It's been a while since our last update, but here we present you a short overview of 2009 releases. Here we just publish the name, title and label. Click on the covers to read the whole review.

Arkona - Goi, Rode, Goi

Napalm Records

Score: ***

Russian Folkmetal band, singing in their own native tongue.

 

Ram-Zet - Neutralized

Ascendance Records

Score: ****

Hard to descrive, but very energetic Norwegian metal. A really good mix between death, prog, black and gothic with industrial influences.

 

There's more to come!

Ram-Zet - Neutralized

Ascendance Records

Score: ****

Since the release of the bands predecessor “Intra” in 2005, this Norwegian band always kept my attention. Their unconventional mix of black, death and heavy industrial made this record a very good release. On this new one the band developed their sound in a more catchy way. It’s progressive, heavy and atmospheric, dark and extreme. The variations in the music are well thought about and show the great creative capability of the band. A good plus is the use of both male and female vocals without losing themselves in ordinary gothic or black metal patterns. Ram-Zet really knows how to avoid this kind of things.
But beware: This is not an easy listening record. Only when given enough time the bands real qualities will be reveiled. In fact, this is a must hear record that might be neglected by many, but never will be forgotten by those who understand.

Tracklist:
01. Infamia
02. I Am Dirt
03. 222
04. Addict
05. God Don't Forgive
06. Beautiful Pain
07. To Ashes
08. Requiem

http://www.ram-zet.com

http://www.myspace.com/ramzetofficial

Arkona – Goi, Rode, Goi

Napalm Records

Score: ***

Since the break through of bands like Finntrol, Korpiiklani, Moonsorrow and the raise of others such as Alestorm and Eluveitie (Pagan) Folk Metal is hot. Every label has their bands and in almost every country new stars rise. So it is with this Russian band Arkona. Musical wise they combine parts of their native music with the classic folk metal. Lyrical wise they sing about dark clouds, fairy tales and other mystical things. All in all nothing spectacular new, but Arkona has the capabilities to please the fans.

Tracklist:

01.  Goi, Rode, Goi!
02. Tropoiu Nevedannoi (On the Unknown Trail )
03. Nevidal (The Wonder)
04. Na Moey Zemle (In My Land)
05. Pritcha (The Parable)
06. V Tsepiakh Drevney Tainy (In Chains of Ancient Mystery)
07. Yarilo
08. Liki Bessmertnykh Bogov (Faces of Immortal Gods)
09. Kolo Navi  (Kolo of Nav)
10. Korochun
11. Pamiat  (The Memory)
12. Kupalets
13. Arkona
14. Nebo Hmuroe, Tuchi Mrachniye  (Sullen Sky Lurid Clouds)

http://www.arkona-russia.com

http://www.myspace.com/arkonarussia

While Heaven Wept – Vast Oceans Lachrymose

Cruz Del Sur 2009

2009 was a fine year for the doom loving audience. Besides great releases by bands such as Candlemass, My Dying Bride or, less know but still very good My Lament, The 11th Hour and Spiritus Mortis, also While Heaven Wept bore a new cd to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Their previous effort dates from the 2003 release Of Empires Forlorn. Before the release, mainman Tom Phillips gathered some kind of supergroup, including past and present members of bands such as Twisted Tower Dire, Solstice (UK) or October 31 amongst others.
This resulted in a very diverse, yet interesting album.

The Rocket - The Rocket

Funtime Records

The Rocket a pop-punk band formed with members of Gino's Eyeball and Skyrocket John. Their first "self titled" album is something that pops out of all the rest of the CD collection. A simple but effective cover design shows a lovely lady taking off to who knows where, let's see if it will do what it promises.

Ignitor - The Spider Queen

Cruz Del Sur

Opening with majestically sounding guitars and the look of an 80's killer record it seemed Ignitor was an undiscovered diamond, but unfortunately it turned out to be a huge disappointment. Instead of fulfilling the expectations they created with the first notes, it was really hard to listen two songs in a row. The main problem are the vocals, who has problems with all kinds of notes and tones. This combined with boring riffs and childish lyrics, you'll understand why this band only gets a score of...