Black Terror, City Of Lights, Epic, Professional Murder Music, Veonity, Vigil Of War, We Are The Black Things

ALBUM REVIEWS

Chaos Demons EP Black Terror Self-released

Review by Tony F. Corpse

Black Terror is Doom laden, horror infused scare metal from Los Angeles. When one indulges in the fanciful morbidity of Black Terror, one is peering headlong into a hellish abyss. Among the blackened gems on display here is the interestingly entitled “Xycosis” starting off affairs jarringly, and as subtle as an earthquake at dawn. This down tuned sludge metal bastard is unrelenting in pace. A sundry and ever malicious hymn that calls for innumerable repetition. “Dresden Horror” paints a crimson splashed portrait, rife with the sacrificial blood of 30,000 women, children and elderly, all victims of said fatal air attacks from so long ago.

Another morbidly intriguing aspect of Black Terror is their deviantly kitsch, retro art aesthetic. Arcane and mortifying, like the scrawling and crawling, creepy carnival funhouse paintings from the late 60s. Vokillist/ Bass Raper “Lord Kaimearus” leads this infernal choir of misfits and carrion feasters. His horde of mongrels is rounded out by the spastic Snake on Concussion Riff Guitar Mastery and Chess on Dastardly Devastating Drums.

A warning to the weary, fearful and overtly religious. This isn’t the band for you. This is music composed for the lunatic fringe. And so, your one way ticket to eternal darkness awaits...

https://www.facebook.com/gunstar6/

Before The Sun Sets City Of Lights Frontiers Music Srl

Review by Ken Morton

Frontiers Music Srl continues to release the very best in melodic rock and heavy metal, presenting brand new recordings from both legacy artists and brand-new bands to the world at large. One of the most exciting novices on the label is City Of Lights, an exhilarating collaboration between British newcomer songwriter/guitarist Neil Austin and Greek vocal sensation Manos Fatsis (Odyssey Desperado/ Hideaway). Mix in a kickass rhythm section of brothers Robin Eriksson on bass and Mats Eriksson on drums from the mighty degreed, and you posess a winning combination. Before The Sun Sets is an epic breakthrough for this absolutely amazing band on the rise, jam packed to the rafters with hard rocking entreaties that are thrilling to behold.

The auditory adventure takes flight with the powerhouse reverberations of Racing On The Redline, a dazzling track that uplifts the spirit and sets the imagination in flight. Heart’s On Fire continues on with its towering melodies reigning supreme. Emily is a love song for the ages with a chorus that will remain in your head long after the disc spins to its conclusion. Heat Of The Night is vibrantly scorching, filled with lyrical and melodic intrigue. Dying Light is presented with passions seething followed by the pulsating hard rock sensations of Give Me Back My Heart. And the stunning tracks keep on spinning through, with the arrival of the sweet and wonderful Joanna, a visit into the wilds of the Midnight Club, and the rapturous refrains of How To Love. And be sure to make your way to the glorious grand finale of the title cut Before The Sun Sets, presenting City Of Lights at the height of their creative energies.

With the unveiling of Before The Sun Sets, the next generation of AOR melodic rock has arrived, presenting a timeless album that will captivate all types of music fans. In addition to the amazing work of the main core City Of Lights membership, guest guitar soloists Nathan Doyle, Daniel Johansson (degreed), Christoffer Borg (Taste/ex-Art Nation), and Mike Kyriakou join in on the proceedings. The album also features appearances from Creye’s Joel Selfors on piano and degreed/ Paralydium’s Mikael Blanc on keyboards. Tech credits are outstanding, featuring artwork by design maestro Nello Dell’Omo and mixing/mastering duties courtesy of AOR producer extraordinaire Erik Gavfelin Wiss (Creye, Cruzh, Cap Outrun). Here’s hoping we see a live show from City Of Lights in future days – in the meantime, give Before The Sun Sets a listen and prepare to be swept away into a grand state of sonic euphoria!

Before The Sun Sets by City Of Lights will be available February 11th via Frontiers Music Srl. And the Eriksson brothers have a new degreed album coming out on the same day entitled Are You Ready, also on the one and only Frontiers!

https://www.facebook.com/cityoflightsbanduk

Starlight Epic Escape Music

Review by Ken Morton

It is always exciting to receive new music from the folks at Escape Music, and the esteemed label has kicked of 2022 tenfold with the unveiling of Starlight by the female fronted Epic! Featuring the massive talents of lead vocalist Tanya Rizkala and the special participation of Chris Childs from Thunder and Tyketto on bass, Starlight is a striking and ambitious work of sonic artistry that reaches absolutely stratospheric heights. A rock-solid follow-up to their previous Like A Phoenix endeavor, Starlight by the very well named Epic is destined to rock your world with an entire galaxy of impassioned tunes!

Once the opening track I Want is unleashed, the listener is instantly hooked in with Tanya’s superbly passionate vocals and the fiery performances from all involved musicians. Up next is the magnificent Carry On, a track that should be heard on radio waves all over the universe. Can’t Get Over is sweeping in scope, with Tanya’s voice filled with blistering emotion. And the hits just keep on arriving, from the swirling reverberations of My Way Or The Highway, the scorching refrains of Stars, the expansive intensity of Face The Storm and beyond. And be sure to stay for the exotic grand finale of Mais Lui, concluding the Starlight experience on a vibrantly rapturous note.

Tanya Rizkala is certainly one of the most underrated rock singers on the planet, and within the vast tapestries of Starlight, her powerhouse vocals and glorious presence reign supreme. Mario Agostine presents a ton of imagination and conviction on guitars and keyboards, while Souheil “Sous” Moukaddem brings a driving sense of urgency with his drum magic. And then there’s the aforementioned Chris Childs, lending his experience and expertise into the realm of the almighty Epic. With a dynamic love for music, Epic present a triumphant masterwork that aims straight into the heart of the matter. Be sure to check into the brilliant reprieves of Starlight, available now via Escape Music. Murder Music, who have been trasversing the ill fated trenches of the music “industry” since the 1990s. They were at one point a mainstay at Ozzfest and even appeared on the Arnold Schwarzenegger schlockfest soundtrack for End Of Days (from which they earned a gold record award)

Refusing to obey the systematic rank and file of a music conglomeration they once pandered to, now PMM creates at their own leisure and their newest single “Everending” is the end result. A super transgressive and ethereal offering. Not a far cry from what The Cure would produce sans Robert Smith’s somber timbre and predelection for overtly depressing topics.

Yet, PMM is somber and enchantingly dreamy in the void of soundscape. The composition is nocturnal but still able to covort in the rays of a hopeful sunrise, as Vocalist/Guitarist/ Programming genius Roman Marisak indulges your senses with velvet smooth vocal innuendos. Rounding out this stellar lineup is Tom Hatziemanouei (Guitar, Programming) and Chris Olivas (Drums) who both do honorable jobs at setting the task in motion. Overall “Everending” is palpable. A formidable single surging with passion and nuance. Unequivocally recommended.

https://www.facebook.com/ProMrdrMusic

Elements Of Power Veonity Scarlet Records

Review by Ken Morton

For nearly a decade, the almighty Veonity of Sweden has been flying under the radar, presenting superb ultra-power metal albums to the world. And nothing spells breakthrough quite like Elements Of Power, their fifth exhilarating magnum opus destined to inspire the metal masses above and beyond these dark pandemic days. Fans of acts such as Hammerfall, Sabaton, and Sonata Arctica will surely discover a lifelong favorite when encountering the glorious tapestries of Veonity. And Elements Of Power is a terrific way to commence upon the epic Veonity auditory experience.

https://www.facebook.com/epicmusicband

Everending Professional Murder Music Self Released single

Review by Tony F. Corpse

Reentering the fray of musical emissions after an indeterminate amount of time can be a gamble. Reassess, recalculate, reavaluate...three terms undoubtedly unforeign to Melodic/Industrial/Rock titans Professional Opening with the mesmerizing Beyond The Realm Of Reality, Veonity capture the imagination of the listener in an instant! The Surge continues on with the rapturous true metal dynamics, followed by the grand and magnificent call to arms found within Altar Of Power. The thrilling title track Elements Of Power is up next, featuring an appearance by Dragony’s front man Siegfried Samer! Then it’s on to encounter the ferocious Gargoyles Of Black Steel leading up to the triumphant reverberations of Dive Into The Light. And the sweeping passages of metal anthems rage on, presenting a show of strength and passion that is stunning to behold. Concluding with the dazzling Return To The Land Of Light, it is clear that Veonity has presented an album for the ages that true metal fans will want to revisit time and again.

The musicianship found within the realm of Veonity is first rate, featuring the participation of Anders Sköld on vocals and guitar, Samuel Lundström on lead guitar, Kristoffer Lidle on bass, and Joel Kollberg on drums. Elements Of Power was expertly mixed and mastered at the legendary Studio Freidman in the metal mecca of Gothenburg!

Veonity will support Bloodbound, Arion and Metalite on the Tour Of The Dark Realm 2022 all over Europe – here’s hoping the band will make their way to the States at along long last to present their amazing heavy metal hymns! In the meantime, check into Elements Of Power and prepare to be swept away by its heroic reprieves!

https://www.facebook.com/veonity

Reap What You Sow Vigil Of War Self Released

Review by Ken Morton

Vigil Of War has returned, unveiling their second slab of hard rock and metal entitled Reap What You Sow – and it’s a raging gem that all types of music fanatics will want to check out. Founded by the super charismatic Alicia Vigil, Vigil Of War has made quite an impact above and beyond the local Los Angeles music scene. And although Reap What You Sow is less punky than their 2017 Bite The Bullet debut, there is a grand amount of ambition and passion to be found within each and every song presented.

After a wickedly blazing Intro, Vigil Of War blasts into the intriguing reveries of Spoon Fed, featuring absolutely mesmerizing vocals from Alicia, a towering chorus, and superb performances from all musicians involved. Vultures slams straight into the heart of the matter with it’s vibrancy and attitude, about “playing the part of the victim so well.” Legacy Remains is liberating and poignant, with Alicia and company delivering impassioned performances throughout this standout cut. Then it’s time for another haunting Interlude, followed by the powerhouse title track, which features the one and only Herman Li from Dragonforce making a mighty guest appearance! No Surrender presents “chaos set in motion,” exuding the rollercoaster sounds of perseverance that are wondrous to behold. And then after the final Outro, the Reap What You Sow experience has come to an end way to soon, definitely leaving the listener craving a whole lot more!

Alicia Vigil has grown tremendously as an artist since Bite The Bullet, and Reap What You Sow is destined to launch the band into the stratosphere at last! In addition to Ms. Vigil’s captivating vocals and pulsating bass work, the other members from Vigil Of War exude a ton of star appeal as well. Kiki Wongo is tremendous on guitar, a co-conspirator with Alicia in the She Demons days, and now a stunning addition to the Vigil Of War brigade. Shane Taylor also delivers ripping guitar licks and sizzling keys, while Kyle Abbott drives it all home with a vengeance on drums! The amazing front and back cover art is presented courtesy of Brian M. Viveros.

Reap What You Sow is an inspiration to be sure, a recording that fans will want to revisit time and again. All this, and Alicia is about to go on tour with her other band, which is of course the colossal entity known worldwide as Dragonforce! Be sure to catch Alicia with Dragonforce at The Belasco on April 22nd and do what is needed to experience the stunning reprieves of Reap What You Sow by Vigil Of War!

https://www.vigilofwar.com/

Down In Wuhan We Are The Black Things Tone Raven Music

Review by Ken Morton

During the time of the great Covid-19 pandemic, the reality of isolation would spawn the nuturing of creativity. We Are The Black Things from the wilds of Hollywood created their second magnum opus Down In Wuhan within the throes of a desolation landscape. And it’s a dark and brilliant mind trip where the Sunset Strip meets Jim Morrison at his most subversive to discuss the trials and tribulations of our present day. Founder Tone Raven and his crew has unleashed this auditory document of our time that should absolutely chill the senses and set the imagination into a stratospheric overdrive to be sure!

The disc of sonic intrigue opens with the ominous title track Down In Wuhan, followed by the avant-garde devastation of The Chinese Virus Song. Drop The Bomb and Darker Places continues the We Are The Black Things journey into modern day madness, with Tone Raven and his brigade tearing into the blackened heart of the matter. Put More Flame To It is a scorcher with its searing guitar atmospherics and Tone Raven’s fiery vocals from beyond. Then Night Of The Rats scampers through your speakers with it’s impassioned Bowie-esque magnetism. Dancing Before The Lord is a dazzling psychedelic highlight, showing a spiritual side to the We Are The Black Things road trip. And be sure to stay until the very end of the story, where Make Me Happy is delivered with a staggering amount of contemplation and conviction.

Down In Wuhan by We Are The Black Things is truly a bewitching occurrence, and it’s a recording well worth seeking out. Travelling on this vast highway through Hollywood with vocalist/guitarist/mastermind Tone Raven are Frank Garrett on bass, Luthario Mitcho on turntables, Rae Owl Starling on keyboards, and Scott Garrett on drums. Go into this one with a wide open mind and prepare for an exhilarating adventure far above and beyond these waning pandemic daze.

https://www.facebook.com/ravenscrymusic