Who Killed Captain Alex?

Who Killed Captain Alex: Uganda's First Action Movie Part 1 of 2 (English Subtitles & Video Joker) by DCLXVIPsalms
Who Killed Captain Alex Uganda's First Action Movie Part 2 of 2 (English Subtitles & Video Joker) by DCLXVIPsalms Ladies and Gentlemen, Boy and Girls, I bring you Who Killed Captain Alex.. This is perhaps the funniest film I have ever seen. I doubt the directors of the movie intended for it to cause such a raucous of laughter but that is certainly what happened to me.. I could give a long in depth review, but this movie isn't the type that warrants such a review. This, is something that can only be fully enjoyed through the viewing experience Enjoy ;-)

Hi

Howdy. It's been awhile. As you can see I've not been writing for quite some time now, and that's probably not going to change. I'll write from time-to-time but don't expect any major flurries of music reviews anytime soon. From now on, I'll be posting a mixture of random stuff, everything from download links to music ect.. Part of this comes from my lack of motivation *surprise surprise* and I believe that there's really no use churning out uninspired material. If I'm to do something, id like to fully commit to it. With that being said, thanks to everyone who's been reading over the last little while. If you want to keep up with me on a slightly more personal level, follow me on Twitter




Cheers.

Inner Sanctum

 

    


There comes a point in the growth of every music scene, where its artists are not only loved in their homelands, but in other countries as well. The Indian scene has well surpassed this point and this realization hit me when my fellow scribe Magne Karlsen  was talking to me about Inner Sanctum’s gig in Oslo. And now the band have released their full length titled ‘Legions Awake’ and this album totally explains why these guys are so loved. This is an album that have been awaited by fans ever since the band came out with their first EP and the wait of six years is well justified.

      The band’s thrash / death metal hybrid captures the exuberance that the band exhibits during their live shows, well in the form of music on this record. The riff writing skills of this band is one of the bests this country has to offer. The riffs are memorable, fresh, entertaining and well executed. The rhythms and riffs of tracks like ‘Wake of Destruction’, ‘March of the Wounded’ and  ‘Legions Awake’ have an almost earworm quality (in a very good way) to them. A mix of thrash metal riffs and death metal heaviness formulate the guitar work.

     The lead guitar work is tantamount to the riffs and rhythm work. Guitar solos are not exempt from this band’s skill set and they put it to good and measured use. The vocals which are weave of the tone death metal growls and the energy of thrash metal shouts. This concoction manages to raise the energy levels to a high degree and aiding to this is the drum work; it is quick and not drowned in monotonous blast beats. Some of the fills and rolls are timed and executed with technical perfection.

    Inner Sanctum have managed to rope not one, but three guitarists worthy of legendary status. How can one expect an album that features Christopher Amott (Ex- Arch Enemy), James Murphy (Ex- Death, Ex- Testament) and Dan Mongrain (Voivod) doing a solo trade-off, to not sound good? The production is flawless and the sound on the album promulgates the energy of the band. The crunchy guitar tone and the crystal clear drum tone are well suited for the band’s style of music.

‘Legions Awake’ is an album executed to perfection. It’s fresh, energetic and the writing is top notch. Inner Sanctum have nailed the perfect formula for a good metal record.

Rating: 88%

Courtesy of Metal Gallows 

New Review Site Launched!

As of this weekend, my longtime project Metal Trenches has finally launched.  A good friend of mine who works for The Onion was kind enough to develop it for me over the past year.  We are still working on bringing new aesthetic ideas and content, but for now, if you are looking for reviews, that's what you're going to get.  You can check it out here: METAL TRENCHES

Any groups who might be interested in having a review can email me at metal.trenches@gmail.com.

Happy Head-banging.

Winter's Wake

 

 Winter's Wake are an Independent Viking Metal band from Staten Island New York. Yes, I know what you might be thinking, what on earth is a band from New York of all places playing Viking Metal? While it may seem strange to some, don't let this be a deterrence

While Viking Metal may also get a rep for being cheesy and being lumped together with it's Folk Metal and Pagan compatriots, Winter's Wake does a fairly good job at distancing themselves from the "Cheese factor"and adding catchy, upbeat and well tunes with memorable solid riffs. As with any good Viking metal band, battle esque interludes and intros are aplenty and prepare you for the ensuing battle.

With their reissuing of their  Full Length, we are gifted with 3 bonus tracks and completely revamped and remastered sound.  This creates for a great  and enjoyable listening experience with the meshing together of the various folk and orchestral sections with that rawness and extreme metal edge. Plus lets not kid ourselves, who doesn't love bonuses?

Deuil - Shock/Deny

This morning, I took a bit of a tumble down the rabbit hole.  Except instead of finding opium-smoking insects and mentally ill hat proprietors, the charred landscape was filled with perverse creatures beyond comprehension.   Thus is the not-so-whimsical world of Deuil, a black metal act out Liege, Belgium.  With only two roughly 30 minute EP’s on bandcamp, Deuil follows the same less-is-more philosophy that has worked well for rising acts like Malthusian.  What Shock/Deny may lack in girth, it makes up for in palpable atmosphere.

But make no mistake, this is not the cheerful, indie-riff-infused “atmospheric black metal” that seems to become ever more popular these days.  No.  This is a lone walk through a dark, twisted forest.  A gaze into the abyss.  Deuil harken back to the early days of Burzum, where lengthy compositions were filled with equal parts malice and mystique.  Not post-rock and meditative catharsis.

To grossly oversimplify, Shock/Deny has two modes: groove-driven trudges and tremolo-blastbeat frenzies.  The former is highly focused on riff, with layered guitars and crunchy basslines.  The rhythm parts maintain a trance-inducing focus on time with which one can’t resist bobbing their head.  The lead guitar then takes this hypnosis to the deranged with simple, circular picking patterns that stick in the mind.  “Deny” is arguably quite doomy with its molasses pacing, sustained bass notes, and even some female spoken-word.  There are also some brief ambient sections at the open and close of “Shock” that would have been right at home on a Silent Hill game soundtrack.

When things pick up pace, and they will, transitions are quite smooth.  Almost Tool-ish delay effects give way to pounding drums and walls of distortion.  Jangly guitars a la early Gorgoroth or Taake threaten to wear the pick down to a nub with their speed and ferocity.  While these segments are extremely melodious, you can leave your fedora at home, because Sunbather this ain’t.  The emotions I find myself awash in are those of grief, sorrow, and regret.

I have to say that Shock/Deny is a marked step up from the previous Acceptance/Rebuild.  The polar-opposite album title is a pretty strong indicator of the shift.  Compositions have been tightened up greatly with memorable hooks, fetching drums, and above all, more powerful vocals.  Deuil have dropped the under-produced, distant howls for sickening wretches more comparable to Melechesh or even Indian.  Front and center, this added presence completes the increased focus on the evil and unhinged.

Final word: skip the McDonalds today and spend your 5 Euro on this album.  It’s rich with atmosphere, tightly constructed, and highly emotive.  I think those who enjoyed the Akhlys debut this year will also find much to revel in with Shock/Deny.  Also recommended for fans of Burzum, Leviathan, and perhaps even Lord Mantis.  Here’s hoping Deuil only continue to grow and mature in the years to come. You can stream and purchase the album HERE.

Enjoyability=9
Musicianship=8
Innovation=8
Overall=8.5