Adestria – Gilded Hearts


Today’s review is very special to me since, almost to the day, two years ago I wrote my first review for El Gore and it was about the US band Adestria‘s debut album Chapters. Exactly one hundred reviews later, they just released their second full length album Gilded Hearts!

Where should I start? Not much has changed in the quintet’s sound, but that’s just as well, because they were one of the, if not the, strongest newcomers of 2012. Their powerful take on metalcore has kept up well over the times and still sounds as fresh as ever. I have the feeling that they have become slightly more technical in their riffing but, as I mentioned before, they were already at a high level to begin with.

The ten songs all have these diverse arrangements to them, where they change from balls to the wall mosh parts to super melodic passages with a very epic feel. The major improvement on this record is definitely the production, everything sounds a lot more crisp and especially the bass guitar is so massive and can be distinguished quite easily among the barrage of instruments. While it does have a very modern sound, it’s not overdone to the point where you’re wondering what you’re listening to.

The vocal front also remains largely the same: the screams are still as massive as before, the screeches, even though less prominent this time around, are still bone-shattering and the clean parts are still as melodious as ever. As opposed to the predecessor, there are no guest vocals this time around, which I don’t mind at all…since it leaves more time for the vocalist to shine on these thirty-five minutes.

To round things off, I can only say that Adestria have managed to put out yet another brilliant record and I’m really glad that, just like me, they didn’t lose any of their drive over the past two years! Be sure to visit the band’s Facebook page for more info and to check out the song below! Here’s to the next celebration in two years!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBuEp3JjB5k]

Dreadnought – Vanitas


I usually don’t write reviews of singles, but I’ll make an exception in the case of the local melodic death metal powerhouse Dreadnought. Part of the incestuous trio of bands from the Bricherhaff, they recently released the two-track single Vanitas.

As is tradition for these three bands, everything on here is self-recorded, self-produced and self-released. The eponymous opening track is easily my favorite track by the band so far, since it is so beautifully melodic and yet heavy enough to rock your socks off. The second track, Old City, is a bit more straight-forward but just as gripping.

The song structures in general have improved a lot since Demon, and the instrumentation is a lot clearer and poignant. And, as you might guess if you’ve read the last review that featured the same singer, the purely evil vocals of local growl virtuoso Boerdi are just the icing on the cake of these eleven minutes.

I know this is a very short review, but it’s easier for you to listen to it below and/or download it for free. I, for one, am very much looking forward to the next EP or full length by Dreadnought, and so should you! As usual, more information can be found on the band’s Facebook page!

Teitanblood – Death

Greetings, El Gore readers! Last time I wrote for these guys I reviewed Eyehategod’s In the Name of Suffering. Well, perhaps it’s the aficionado of awful in me, but now I bring you yet another taste of a truly dark, evil, raw pool of vermin and filth. Namely, the latest piece of work from what I consider to be one of the best, if not the best contribution that Spain has to offer when it comes to extreme music: Teitanblood. And the album? Death.

I’m most likely showing my colours by reviewing and promoting a band that’s so near home, but I honestly think that this band touches and creates in a very unique manner the most morbid and down tuned Black/Death Metal primitivism with brush-strokes of Doom that I’ve had the chance of running into in the past years.

The first time I heard of them was with their previous album, Seven Chalices. Just when I listened to the beginning, with Whore Mass and how it prepared the ground for Domains of Darkness and Ancient Evil, I knew I’d be coming back to this dense, raw, sinister, eerie, chaotic cloud of filthy, distorted, infectiously catchy riffs somewhat regularly. Hence, I discovered Death.

One could say that after looking at Teitanblood’s works, the most prominent influences on display are those derived from the bands that established the foundations for Death and Black Metal, whilst still developing their own character in this border between the two genres. There are some parts whose influences are incredibly evident, but then, if you try to strictly compare Teitanblood with that influence, or compare those influences among themselves, you can make out Teitanblood’s own sound and structures. Regardless of that, I think that the filthy aura of sheer aggression and cruel darkness that this album irradiates, with its guitars, drums and the most evil vocals I’ve heard, is unquestionable.

And the evolution that these guys have had over the years is also worth mentioning: each release is a more evolved version of the previous one in all aspects, while still keeping the essence that makes Teitanblood its own band. Exuding an old ancient evil feeling that comes across in everything they’ve done.

“It’s the point where Death Metal and Black Metal are not differenced” – Nsk (Guitars, Bass & Vocals.)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYQwdn5E73s]

This review was written by our freelancer Victor!

Not Scientists – Leave Stickers On Our Graves


Not Scientists is one of those bands that confirms my belief of going to smaller shows, even if you don’t know all, or even any at all, of the bands that are playing that night. I got the chance to see them perform a little intimate gig here in Luxembourg and I was so impressed that I just had to chat up their singer after the show and ask whether they had any material to review. Turns out they do and that’s why I give you: Leave Stickers On Our Graves!

But first, a quick history lesson about the quartet: it features members of Uncommonmenfrommars as well as No Guts No Glory and, if you know those two bands, it won’t be hard to guess that they play punk rock. But it isn’t exactly a copy-paste of those afore-mentioned bands, but rather a more pop punk orientated sound, while still maintaining the punk rock attitude.

The six tracks are generally speaking composed of straight-forward power chords and basic drum patterns, nothing to write home about but enough to bring and keep the mood up. However, there are quite a few intricate drum fills as well as whole parts of songs that just wander into a mix of indie and almost post-rock-like tunes. It adds so much depth to the songs that it’s super easy to listen to this EP on repeat without really getting fed up.

The vocals range from cleans to half-screams and are all in all quite well performed, especially the back up vocals, which are mostly screamed, provide a really nice contrast. The only nitpick here is that I wouldn’t have minded for them to be more prominent during these eighteen minutes…but that’s probably just a personal preference. I must also say that the vocals in general were by far more energetic when they performed live, so I strongly urge you to check the guys out if they ever come near you!

To sum things up, Not Scientists are a really cool (side)project that managed to record a fun little EP that is perfect to put on a, short, road trip and I’m definitely looking forward to a full length! For more information, be sure to check out the band’s Facebook page and give the whole EP a listen below or download it for free!

Heaven’s Scum – It All Ends In Pain


The national music scene has been quite active these past few months, and yet another band from our country is about to release a record: It All Ends In Pain. That’s the title of Heaven’s Scum‘s debut album, which is a diverse mix of many different elements from the different metal genres. Combining several musical directions is always a risky business, so let’s see how it holds up, shall we?

The opener, Never Wanted, gets you really pumped with its crushing guitar riffs and fast-paced drumming, combined with growled vocals and occasional screams. This feeling lasts for another two songs, where headbanging potential waits at every corner, until it is interrupted by the first power ballad, Love, with partially clean vocals and a generally more melodic instrumental approach. A pattern that is mostly repeated throughout the fifteen songs.

The production of the album is rather old-school, with a genuine authenticity to it, but also in some parts a bit weak on the guitar sound, making it occasionally hard to distinguish the different riffs. It doesn’t take away too much of the listening pleasure though, so no points deducted there.

The vocals are the thing that impressed me the most, since the singer has a rather interesting range and is not afraid to take a chance on some unconventional singing methods. While some of those techniques are not exactly perfect, they add a nice flavor to these fifty-eight minutes which prevents repetition. There are two excellent examples of his vocal prowess: Inferno and I Don’t Know, which funnily enough come one after the other on the record.

All in all, It All Ends In Pain is not what I would consider a perfect record, to be honest, but one can clearly notice that the band has potential and is not lacking the skill to compose great songs. My advice would have been to maybe shorten the record a bit, and focus on one more specific style; because the few slow songs, that are inter-thrown, interrupt the listening experience quite a bit. I, for one, am looking forward to the band’s evolution from here on out, and I’m confident that with time they will find their ideal sound. For more information, be sure to visit their Facebook page and listen to the song below. If you like what you hear, be sure to head to Soul Kitchen on April 19th, where Heaven’s Scum will be playing their release show!

Chiodos – Devil


Four years after the release of the good, but not great, Illuminaudio, Chiodos came back for their fourth record on April 1st. Between the aforementioned record and the new one, Devil, the band saw quite a few changes but the most noticeable ones were definitely the return of the original vocalist, Craig Owens, and the addition of Thomas Erak, of The Fall Of Troy, as the lead guitarist…but more on that in a bit.

For those who don’t know, the sextet from Michigan plays post-hardcore with a penchant toward the theatrical and dramatic. A fact that is evidenced by the systematic, but not too obtrusive, use of keyboards which creates a slightly eerie atmosphere on some songs. The general instrumental side of their music is very melody-laden and displays perfect songwriting throughout the thirteen tracks.

The earlier mentioned arrival of Erak can clearly be felt at any given moment on any given track: the opening riff of Expensive Conversations In Cheap Motels still gives me the shivers every time I hear it, because of its purely driving energy. During these fifty two minutes there are numerous similar examples and even after my umpteenth listening I’m still blown away by it all. All the other instruments don’t have to hide either though, especially the clearly audible bass locks in perfectly with the drums’ groove.

However, the biggest wow-factor is without a doubt the return of Owens, who delivers his, in my opinion, best vocal performance to this day. While the majority is in his trademark falsetto style, his jaw-dropping screams, both low and high, are also present and in some passages he even tries a lower singing voice; and he pulls it off perfectly. The lyrics are as Chiodos-y as can be, dealing mostly with love, both gone well and bad, and similar topics but with such a catchiness to them that I can’t be anything but jealous. The only thing that I missed on this fourth record were the imaginative song titles like Is It Progression If A Cannibal Uses A Fork? on the second record…but no points lost for that.

I’ll be brief here: Devil is my favorite album of the year, so far, and I’m quite convinced that it will remain near the top. There is no filler song, no boring moment…only pure post-hardcore goodness. So be sure to give it a listen if you’re even remotely interested in the genre, or if you want to start discovering it with a strong record. More information can be found on the band’s Facebook page and an impression can be heard below.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65U07Uk1_-M]

Memphis May Fire – Unconditional


Despite only being around for five years, Memphis May Fire have just released their fourth full-length on March 25th which might evoke the question how such a tight schedule affects the quality…and the answer is simple: not at all. Some bands are simply full of inspiration and creativity. The Texan quintet is a prime example of this because, even though Unconditional was released less than two years after its celebrated predecessor, it knows how to impress.

While the sound itself is very close to Challenger, the third album, the whole eleven songs on this record sound as fresh and tight as never before. The riffs are way more intricate and much faster-paced, allowing almost no time to breathe safe for the occasional breakdowns. The drums are almost identical in terms of technicality, but that’s just as well because there was not much to improve on to begin with, in my opinion.

DAT BASS, however…holy fudge. The bass guitar, always a major element in the vibe of this metalcore formation, is even sicker than on any of the other records…delivering a face smashing performance all throughout the forty-four minutes. It’s literally impossible to not groove along to the excellent interplay between the percussion and the four-stringer…I love it.

Much similar to the drums, the vocals have not gone through a major change, but again: there was no necessity since both the screams and cleans were and are near perfect…the only minor change I noticed is that they have a slightly higher melodious vibe to them, especially during the chorusses. Contrary to the previous record, there are no guest vocals this time around, which I begrudge in no way at all because I can’t imagine a song where they would have fit in.

Another important point, to me, are the lyrics. They are heavily inspired by the singer’s experiences with panic attacks and the resulting (re)discovery of God. While some might now roll their eyes at “yet another Christian metalcore band”, I can assure you that they are not obtrusive at all. As a matter of fact, there is very little actual mention of the man in the clouds and most of the words can be applied to many other life situations…a fact that I welcome very much. So don’t shy away from that fact.

As a closing statement, I’ll say that if you liked Challenger, you will absolutely love Unconditional and in case you are completely new to the band, this is an ideal way to discover them. Be sure to give the band’s Facebook page a visit and listen to the song below!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKqG2EVzUrg]