Metal Legions Radio Show

New Metal Legions Radio Show

Thanks to Matt over at Funereal Drone, I've now got my own radio show, which will be on air at 10pm until 11pm every Friday night, starting this week

As someone who was brought up on Tommy Vance's classic Friday Night Rock Show, it'll be a homage to that era, mixed in with more Extreme Metal

so the type of bands you are likely to hear will be:

Sabbath, Maiden, Accept, Saxon, Scorpions, AC/DC, Dio, W.A.S.P. etc...
and
Amon Amarth, Amorphis, Satyricon, Grand Magus, King Diamond, Paradise Lost, Slayer etc...

plus new bands, unsigned bands, anything goes, as long as it's Metal

I start planning for that show tonight, but from next week, I'll also feature one unsigned band as a demo band of the week

More news throughout the week as the show takes shape

http://livefuneral.caster.fm/


Sixsixsix Music
E-mail: steve@sixsixsixmusic.com

www.sixsixsixmusic.com
http://sixsixsixmusic.bandcamp.com
http://sixsixsixmusic.bigcartel.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sixsixsixmusic/1405099836423721

Lunarsapien - Summoning The Aether

Lunarsapien – Summoning The Aether

I had the pleasure of listening to this album for the 1^st time on a special show on Funereal Drone radio. The whole show was just this album, a huge 74 minute track of menacing ambience.

Reviewing one massive track isn’t easy as there are no breaks or cut off points, the track seems to go on forever, as can I in some of my reviews. But the overall feel of this album is, for me, a sewer dwelling creature, who isn’t attacking you, but is threatening to do so. The threat leaves you backed up into a corner with little, or no chance of escape. Something tells me I’ve spent a lot of my time playing Resident Evil.

But that’s what this album feels like to me. It’s feral, yet at the same time, restrained, because the vocals – or animal noises, as I interpret them, are full of menace, whilst the musical backdrop is soothing ambience. And with another video game reference, this could be the soundtrack to Silent Hill. Again, it’s my interpretation of the music, but the music makes me feel like I’m lost in a sea of fog.

This is a beautiful creation and one that creates vivid images within your mind. And for me, that’s the power of music and why I constantly seek out gems, such as this.

At the time of me writing this review, the album is available as a free download, so you’ve no excuse for not checking this out.

http://funerealdrone.weebly.com/lunarsapian.html

Nemesis - Invasion EP

Nemesis - Invasion EP

The biography I received with this promo is in Italian and my Italian is limited to types of pasta and a few swear words. Even the Latin I learnt at school, 35 years ago, is no use, so this one’s all about the music.

Nemesis are a young band, having only formed last year and that kind of shows in many aspects of this release.

It’s being marketed as Thrash/Death and while both of these elements are prominent, there’s quite a bit going on.

The vocals are split between high pitched yelps, which with the right music, could be used in Grindcore or more modern forms of Metal, and deep guttural growls, which is where the Death Metal connection is made.

Behind the dual vocal style, it’s mainly a Thrash backdrop, mixed in with a few slower moments. Oddly there’s an off kilter intro to The Face Beyond, which reminds me of the Dead Kennedys (circa Chicken Farm), but the song quickly explodes and the quirky little intro is quickly forgotten… until it returns again a minute or so later.

Maybe it’s an age thing, or maybe it’s because they have a huge melting pot of influences, but this EP is littered with a ton of styles. Admittedly they all actually work very well, but I think over time, things may get a little more focussed as Nemesis hone their style.

As it stands, it’s a very solid debut. Although personally, I think they need to up the Thrash content and makes things just a touch heavier.  

https://www.facebook.com/Nemesians

Best of 2014

Thanks to Sandy over the splendid The Killchain Blog for doing a best demo's of 2014 feature as I wasn't really aware we were getting to that time of year already

In terms of major label releases, I think it's been a shocking year, with very few new albums actually interesting me at all. And most of the bands I do like that have released albums that have been well below par.

As we head towards the ass-end of 2014, there are a few goodies at last seeing the light of day, including the new Primordial, Dani Filth's Devilment is an excellent listen, as is The German Panzer debut.

But album of the year for me is, by a mile, is Grand Magus - Triumph And Power

So heading back to the underground, here are by favourite listens of the year

Song of the Year:
Nefarious Dusk - God Is Dead





Releases of the year, in alphabetical order

Arcane North - Enter the Arcane North


Carnivorous Forest - Genital Mutilation in the Name of God


Chiral - Abisso


Hypertension - Distant Thunders Call


Korrigans - Ferocior Ad Rebellandum


Ophidian Coil - Promo 2014


Satariel - White Ink Chapter One


Tyrant’s Kall - Dagon



Unfolded - Demo 2014



Wreodan Healh - Læcig


I've deliberately not chosen any of my own releases, as that may be a bit biased
so I'd like to given special mention to two of the compilations I've released this year

I still think Helvete: Confederacy of Hatred, in terms of overall quality, is the best compilation I've done
https://sixsixsixmusic.bandcamp.com/album/helvete-confederacy-of-hatred

And the UK scene is looking very healthy, and you can judge for yourself with Deep Underground: United Kingdom
https://sixsixsixmusic.bandcamp.com/album/deep-underground-united-kingdom


Sixsixsix Music
E-mail: steve@sixsixsixmusic.com

www.sixsixsixmusic.com
http://sixsixsixmusic.bandcamp.com
http://sixsixsixmusic.bigcartel.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sixsixsixmusic/1405099836423721

Death Sigh Ritual EP

Death Sigh Ritual EP

One of the band members (This might just be a solo project with a few small contributions from others) posted on a forum that all the blogs they read, weren’t interested in reviewing this release. That was about 15 rejections in one hit. I offered to review the EP after having a quick listen on Bandcamp, and I’m glad I found this gem.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a miserable fucking listen, but it’s also a beautiful one. The downbeat melodies are utterly captivating, especially when there’s a bit of male / female vocal interaction, as on the opener, Principals. And overall, I’m not sure where to place this. The music conjures up images of a Goth version of The Doors, playing a bit of Ministry (because of the vocals on Bones Ignite and My Friend Lucifer, which remind me of Al Jourgensen), and all manner of other styles, including Depressive Black Metal, maybe a bit of 80s Goth (again), but this time like a more caustic version of Bauhaus’ more angular moment.

Wherever you decide to place this, it’s a very dark mishmash of desperation and aggression, but one I’m drawn to the more I hear it. So this will appeal to those that like the slower, twisted forms of Black Metal, and those that like the darker side of music in general.

This is available from Bandcamp, as is the physical version, which is a very sexy looking digipack, which just might have to be purchased.

https://deathsighritual.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Death-Sigh-Ritual/549327525169122

Vihaan - Invicta

Vihaan - Invicta

Vihaan are from Detroit in the US and their music is described as a mix of Death Metal, Prog and Jazz. Alarm bells are going off in my head already, as I’m not a fan of anything of the technical variety, nor Jazz and almost immediately, that’s what I’m confronted with.

Now, I can tell you already, this isn’t my thing. When something fires off on different tangents, 9 times out of 10, it doesn’t feel natural to my lone brain cell. The flow of the music generally doesn’t work for me. But just because I don’t like, it doesn’t make it a bad album.

The playing here is faultless. I like the vocals, but not the music. To be fair, some of the music takes me back to the likes of Genesis and earlier Rush, and I’m ok with both bands. But the arrangements…. I’m just not a fan and it leaves me cold.

So for those that like a bit of noodling, a flurry of time changes, supreme/precise musicianship, and everything else that goes with the territory,  you’ll like this. For me though, it’s like trying to chop down a tree with a plastic axe, fucking hard going.

https://www.facebook.com/vihaanmusic

Metal Lucky Dip

As we head towards the end of the year, here's a round-up of the first 10 Sixsixsix Music cd releases and a chance to purchase some quality Metal at stupidly low prices

Here's the deal: You can buy 2 cds for £5 or 3 for just £7.
Titles will be selected at random - all cdr singles will be sent in plastic sleeves rather than slim jewel cases for this deal. If you buy the singles separately (@£2 each), you get the cd case

Skiddaw - Skiddaw EP (Helvete 001 CD)
UK Black Metal - 4 track EP

Baalberith - Apparition Of Skulls (Helvete 002 CD)

UK Black Metal - 7 track Album

Haate - .​.​.​. As The Moon Painted Her Grief (Helvete 003 CD)
Italian Dark Ambient - 3 track MCD

Eyes Of The Martyr (Helvete 004 CD)

Indian Groove Metal - 2 track CDR single

Nefarious Dusk (Helvete 005 CD)

UK Black Metal - 2 track CDR single

Necrocosm (Helvete 006 CD)

USA - Melodic Death 3 track CDR demo

Slaughter Throne (Helvete 007 CD)

UK Black Metal - 2 track CDR single

Born Undead - Violator Of Humanity (Helvete 008 CD)

UK/ France - Death Metal - 4 track demo in dvd case

HaatE / Chiral - Where Mountains Pierce The Nightsky (Helvete 009 CD)

Italy - Split album in dvd case - Dark Ambient/Black Metal 

Astrum Malum - Nether Knot (Helvete 010 CD)

Neo Classical / Ambient Black Metal from Finland 3 track demo in dvd case

You can buy the cds individually from my Big Cartel store http://sixsixsixmusic.bigcartel.com/

Or take pot luck and go a lucky dip

http://sixsixsixmusic.bigcartel.com/category/albums

Lucky dip prices include free postage to the UK 
Haate/Chiral split is not included in the deal as there are only 10 copies available

Digital Releases
As well as the 10 cd releases, there are also some digital only releases available in the Sixsixsix Music Bandcamp store - including some free compilations and the new Deep Underground : United Kingdom compilation, which is just £2
https://sixsixsixmusic.bandcamp.com/

HaatE / Chiral split is also available via iTunes and Amazon etc... and here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/haatechiral

Wolves of Avalon - Boudicca's Last Stand is also available via  iTunes and Amazon etc... and here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thewolvesofavalon

So it's been a busy 7 1/2 months at Sixsixsix HQ. Expect a lot more to come in the coming months. So please support Underground Metal