FORMICIDE (USA-Ma): “Formicide” compilation Cd 2006 Due Process

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Despite I have been into Thrash Metal for a long while when it was vibrating and alive and not a resurrected corpse (I want to stretch this becouse I am really sorry but today there is so much hype about Thrash in Italy that I really cannot stand it much anymore) I admit I never heard of Formicide before. Thanks to Andrew of Aversionline for rediscovering the band for us ignorant worms. I read that the tracks have been ripped straight from the tapes, if that’s the case I am sorely impressed, all the instruments have a punch that I can barely find in professional recordings. I do not mean it is elegantly encased in a super production, I mean it has the real Metal crunch of the ’80s – hell I can even hear the bass lines clearly, I really wonder why some people had a problem with the production of this collection of demos.

Talking abot the music, Formicide is playing pure American Thrash/Power Metal (Power Metal as in Metallica or Jag Panzer, not Blind Guardian – dick) and later evolved into the mildly interesting HC band Only Living Witness (I have seen the band with Cro Mags years ago and they were hopelessly annihilated). The number of power riffs on this album is uncountable, there is really a load of pure Thrash energy loading these tracks. And the vocals too are not just a moan, but aggressive and raucous without sounding indistinct. That said, I realize now that I am really not much more into this kind of music. I like the single songs, but I cannot really listen to the whole thing in a row, two subsequent spins have really exhausted my reserves of energy. I cannot really tell why becouse this thing is technically perfect, with a perfect share of solos and a spectacular drumwork. Must be I am more into really primitive Metal from exotic countries these days, and after hearing Mortuorio a few hours ago my ears were calibrated on a different frequency. Whatever. I am sure this thing is going to please anyone looking for neat Thrash with all the right proportion of screams and palm muted riffs. In my case I am not sure I will be putting this on again soon…

NECROS CHRISTOS (Ger): “Grave Damnation” compilation Cd 2005 Worship Him

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Necros Christos from Berlin. A phenomenon that has exploded like a burst of flames straight from Hell taking everyone by surprise, cabonizing churches and immolation priests praying for salvation. The whole underground is buzzing and murmuring on how fucking great this band is. And, well, I could not but agree with the mainstream this time. Necros Christos is really the best Death Metal band coming out of the underground in the last few years – it incarnates perfectly every parameter that makes Death Metal the sickest and darkest form of Art of all times. I cannot tell exactly HOW they do it but the band is able to recreate a kind of dark, hypnotic, demonic atmosphere which moves something inside me that was slumbering inside me since the early nineties. Influences of Hellhammer (a LOT of Hellhammer), Incantation, Imprecation, Symphony of Grief, early Samael, old Paradise Lost and some old school Finnish doom/death (and damn I can even say Disincarnate) are abundant but perfectly balanced in a strictly personal interpretation Metal of fucking Death which is equally obscure and spiritually powerful. This is a band which is 280 times more Black than your average Norwegian penguin. Everything is stripped to the bone, leaving only no nonsense quality music. The vocals are deep and demonical, reverberating as if they were coming from beyond the grave, the guitars deep and grating, slowly evocative of images of gothic damnation. There is really something infernal going on here, haven’t heard this kind of feeling since Immolation‘s “Dawn of Possession”.

Worship Him records re-released this third Necros Christos demo “Grave Damnation” in Cd format – which is a bit disappointing for me since this is the only one I already had in tape, but whatever, anything from this band seems to be sold out nowadays so it is a great buy for people looking for anything by the band. The packaging is superb and everything again just falls in its place in this grand design of blasphemic necromanic Death Metal . A great Goatlord cover ends the Cd.

I am sure I have already heard something similar in style in the past but really cannot remember when… what matters anyway is that Necros Christos has a full-length album out now, so go for it as well.

Temporary closure

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My dear old laptop computer failed me last week for the last time. Too much stress for its old frame. I am currently without a computer so I will not be able to answer mail, update the website, follow the label, do reviews etc. I am currently selecting the component for the new PC but I doubt I will be able to assemble everything before next weekend (I bought the case in Germany). This time, after so many HD failures, I decided to grant myself a professional system with a solid structure and steady backups. Hopefully this is the last time I lose so much data at once.

DOWN THE LINE (Ita): “Apotheosis is Decline… Decline is Apotheosis” Cd Ep 2004 DTL-Ickno-Grind-Corporation

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It is fun to read how prolific and compact the scene from Sardinia is. I was first introduced to Sardinian grind with my long time friend Wally ‘s band Ass Ache still in the 80’s (!!) and then with a bunch of other bands which appeared in the “Ugo Story” compilation tapes. Let’s tell it straight: this Cd is just made up of 5 minutes of real music plus a bulk of intros and a very long (and a bit sleepy) concatenation of electronic loops. But those 5 minutes of real shit are intense enough to raise a brow. Very few, extremely basic crusty riffs with a bit of Agathocles feeling, coupled with unintelligible liquid vocals in pure gore-grind style. I especially like the metallic sound of the bass distortion. In short this is genuine dirty to the point goregrind with some courageous experimentations in the electronic field. I just wonder why they’re still promoting 5 scarce minutes of material which were recorded 5 years ago (!!) and released only 2 years later. Songs like these are generally mass produced by the dozens – one riff, one song. The cover art is okay too, even if it spots a photo which was already used on Meat Shits‘ “Sniper at the Fag Parade”. Not a mandatory “demo” but fun.

Apocalypse Command to be released in September

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The vinyl factory initially told me that it would take just 3 weeks to prepare the records once they got the layout material. However I got a message from them right yesterday (one month after they got it ALL – material and money) that it will take one more moth before the records are delivered that makes 2 months in my world. Whatever. Prepare to see the Ep out in mid September (hoping they are doing it all straight – I had two specific requests for the layout).

Just got back from Hamburg and the Sadistic Intent show. Needless to say it was one of the best shows I have ever seen in my life. The air was charged with the vibrations of DEATH. I also managed to meet ad drink along with Jeff Becerra of Possessed, an hero of my childhood. It was great to see a Death Metal warrior still 100% into extreme metal after all these years. Long live the king.

I am discussing with Will Rahmer the possibility to start an Italian chapter of the NYDM brotherhood. Italian guys interested please get in touch for more details.

A new issue of Necromaniac ‘zine has finally been released – I stock a few copies in my own shop for those interested – real good zine with interview with killer bands.

Hacker (ex-Unholy Terror) started a label called OBSCURE DOMAIN – its new release Headhunter DC “Spreading God’s Cancer” is out now. Get it damn!!!

No updates but…

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Several things going in the background.

Apocalypse Command is at the pressing plant and will be released in August. Cannot wait to see how it’s turning out. I also have another release soon to be completed… but I won’t reveal anything yet.

I renewed and cleaned up the Buio Omega website. The distro is now active 100% and some new material is coming in a few days. Once the label is rolling again, prepare for a flood of really nasty records… only selected shit, no sell out fillers. I am also doing a lot of work in the background to prepare a decent shopping cart and registration system, although I have still no idea when it will be accessible to public.

As for gigs, I am preparing to go HERE. ‘Nuff said?