REVIEW CHAOS INCEPTION "VENGEANCE EVANGEL"

Chaos Inception is a death metal quartet from Alabama, USA, formed in 2008 and has released three albums to date - with a slightly different line-up in some cases. To my shame, I have to admit that I have not yet consciously taken notice of the band, which also has (former) members of such illustrious bands as Monstrosity and Diabolic in its ranks. Fortunately, this has now changed with “Vengeance Evangel”, which was released in mid-February via the Czech label Lavadome Productions almost 13 years after its predecessor. As much as the label praises the band, these words are justified, at least if you are a fan of brutal, but at the same time technically demanding and sometimes tricky arrangements. The band naturally draws from the pool of American death metal and, in addition to the aforementioned Monstrosity and Diabolic, the usual suspects such as Immolation, Hate Eternal, or, in certain, particularly rhythmic parts, Deicide can also be cited. In contrast to many of their American colleagues, however, Chaos Inception seem more chaotic, impetuous and wild, despite their sophistication and technical demands.

REVIEW DEINONYCHUS "FATALIST"

Seven years after their last album “Ode to Acts of Murder, Dystopia and Suicide”, Deinonychus released their new album at the end of last year on Ván Records. Good things take time-so “Fatalist” is another great work that combines all the typical Deinonychus trademarks and should not disappoint any fan of the band. It should be clear that this style-ultra heavy, often tough, slow compositions in the intersection between doom and black metal-won't win any popularity prizes. Consequently, despite nine albums to date and a history stretching back over thirty years, the band is still - at least in comparison to other bands from the black and doom metal genres - an insider's tip and deeply rooted in the underground. But as is so often the case, the most demanding and intense works are to be found there, their depth disqualifies them as offerings for the masses, this applies to metal as well as to popular music, literature or film - as always, exceptions prove the rule.

REVIEW MACERATION "SERPENT DEVOURMENT"

The Danes from Maceration released a very strong comeback album at the end of 2022 with “It never ends...”, after the band had been on ice for years following their 1992 debut album and a 95 promo release. Now, a little more than two years later, the next album by the men around Jakob Schultz, who was also active in the legendary thrash metal outfit Invocator, is already available. “It never ends...” convinced both fans and the press with its great, convincing and catchy old-school tracks (read an interview with Jakob Schultz from last year here ). Appearing once again on the great Danish label Emanzipation Productions, the extraordinary cover artwork once again shows the octopus-like underworld creature typical of Maceration. Like the artwork of the previous album, this cover was also drawn by Ola Larsson, who has once again created a wonderfully atmospheric artwork with a great light pale blue color scheme. 

INTERVIEW MERCYLESS

 

"For me, people are almost more important than the music .... Before you make music and give concerts, you need people who understand each other and get along."

Mercyless from Mulhouse, close to the German border, are probably one of the big three of French death metal, which also includes Massacra, who we have long since opposed, and Loudblast, who are still active. These bands made the underground happy with their first demos back in the mid or late 80s, soon followed by their respective debut albums, in the case of Mercyless the still great “Abject Offerings” with its iconic cover artwork by the famous Salvador Dali. After two not-so-great albums in the mid/late 90s and a ten-year hiatus, Mercyless have been back in full force since 2011 to present their ominous death metal. Last year, the band debuted on the legendary Osmose label with their outstanding work “Those who reign below”, which I can only warmly recommend to anyone who likes dark and sophisticated death metal. A good reason to talk to founding member, guitarist and vocalist Max Otero about the latest album, the band's history, French death metal, the value of friendship and the band's home town. But enough preamble, now read for yourself.

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Hello Max, greetings from the Rhineland to Mulhouse! How are you and the band? How do you rate your latest album “Those who reign below” and the reactions from fans and the press now that a few months have passed?

Hi, I'm fine thanks...we were honestly surprised by all the good feedback from fans and the media in general...which is no longer obvious these days with the multitude of releases and bands that occupy the world stage.

REVIEW GURKKHAS "A LIFE OF SUFFERING"

Gurkkhas are a French death metal band, named after units of Nepalese soldiers in the service of the British Army and the Indian armed forces, who released two albums around the turn of the millennium (more about the current and earlier band history in the interview with the band, read here). The debut album “Engraved in Blood, Flesh and Souls” was released in 2000 by Massacre Records, and just one year later “A life of suffering” was published by the legendary German label Morbid Records, which has long since ceased to exist. Now, out of nowhere, a compilation of the two albums is being released on the French label Great Dane Records, or rather, the complete “A life of suffering” album plus four further selected tracks from the debut album.

INTERVIEW GURKKHAS

"For me, French death metal is made up of three bands: Massacra, Loudblast and Crusher."

Speaking of bands that have been inactive for decades, a few weeks ago I suddenly had the announcement of the reunion of a band in my mailbox that I, like so many others, had long since irrevocably consigned to the eternal hunting grounds of death metal. We're talking about the French Gurkkhas (with one more “k”, named after the Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers in the service of the British Army and the Indian armed forces, in which they form their own units). They have now released a compilation via Great Dane Records (read the review here), which includes the complete second album as well as parts of the debut, and which I can only warmly recommend to all fans of US-American death metal in particular. I spoke to vocalist Jeff about the two albums released back then at the turn of the millennium as well as about the current and future situation of the band and death metal in France.

INTERVIEW NOVEMBER GRIEF

"Our sound was finally developed in a way that pleased us, and we all have very fond memories of it. I can’t believe that at the end of this year it will be 30 years since it’s release…"

November Grief from Montreal, Canada, were founded back in 1993 and have been dormant for more than 20 years. Now that the band has been active again since 2020 with a few new members, it made sense to talk to bassist and singer Stéphanie Masson, who was in Wallonia, Belgium, at the time of the interview.

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Hello Stéphanie, how are you?  I saw you had a gig recently. Did it go to your satisfaction?

Hello Gerald, I am doing very well thank you. Just arrived from Belgium a few days ago and still a bit jet lagged. Yes, we did  show here in Montreal last December 14 and it went very well. It was also our first show at home with our new lead guitarist Rachel, and boy did she deliver the goods that night ! Kudos also go to Simonne and Zack. We had a good flow onstage that evening and the maniacs in the crowd had a good time. 

INTERVIEW DEVISER

"I believe and feel that we have made a second debut with “Evil Summons Evil” and I responsibly declare that the best is yet to come."

The Greek Deviser who have been spreading their musical mischief from the famous Greek scene all over the world since the distant year 1989, have delivered their opus magnum after more than three decades of band history with their 2023 album “Evil summons evil”, released on Hammerheart Records. Anyone who loves aggressive black metal as well as symphonic and melodic-mystical sounds, which are particularly characteristic of the Greek scene, will find a perfect symbiosis of both worlds here. A good reason to talk to founding member Matt Chnaras, singer, guitarist and bassist, about the current album as well as the band's entire history and to take a look into the future. Let's hope we can see the band in Germany in the not too distant future!

REVIEW "INTO EVERLASTING FIRE -THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF IMMOLATION"

With “Into everlasting fire”, Kevin Stewart-Panko presents the official 450 pages long band biography of Immolation, one of the longest-serving and for many probably one of the best death metal bands on the planet. First of all, it should be mentioned that this work is one of the best, if not the best and most interesting band biography I have read, and I have read quite a few, such as those of Obituary, Paradise Lost, Necromantia, Rotting Christ, Hellhammer / Celtic Frost, Behemoth, Kreator or Tankard to name but a few.

First of all, let me mention my personal connection to the band; the first album I bought was the “Here in After” album (which I remember scoring just 6 out of 10 in the German Rock Hard magazine, but more on that topic later), which I bought during my civilian service in the former German capital Bonn as an adolescenct. A year later, in 1999, I went to Wacken for the first (and last) time and as the author describes, Immolation were supposed to play in Wacken in 1999, but due to visa issues this didn't happen until 2016, 17 years later; the band was also in muddy Wacken in 2023. So unfortunately I've never seen the band live, more on the band's live presence later.