Demo CD Review: Zubzero - Lost Sun (Thrash, 2022)

The flame has started to burn. As the cover already tells you this trash-filled silver disc spreads a lot of raw heat and melting metal.

The CD comes housed in a cardboard sleeve. The appeareance spreads warmth but also danger from all the splitter and flames spreading all around.

I love cardboard CDs like this one by zubzero.

I've carefully put the disc into my player and the display told me two tracks waited for me. What came out of the speakers? Track one "Lost" starts straight away wasting no time. The vocals and music present itself on midtempo pattern and with classic riffing.

The fine thing is that also it's a DIY demo the sound is professionell polished and great to enjoy. Vocals are rough and speaking of a traditional tone with song structures kept clear. But at times the riff is changed for variations yet this happens not too often. But when it does the ride becomes hefty and wild so the song shows a different face. 

"Liquid Sun" is different straight from the start. It comes with more push and drive. The sound changes into a faster tone and keeps morphing the longer the song lasts. Few elements of progressive thrash shine through on this track. A solo fast and hard ends the music as quickly as it came.

Order a physical copy through the webshop of Big Bad Wolf Records and support the further development of a brand new band. I think it's a good pick for tradtional likers of the thrash genre.

You can follow "Zub Zero" on Facebook to see the next steps - for instance the upcoming gig with stoners Pander and Grinner (Alternative Hard R&R) on 3rd of December 2022 in Leeuwarden (Netherlands). 

Demo Single Review: A Light Within - Terraform (Post Rock, 2022)

I think the new A Light Within demo single is going to surprise people who followed the band this far. The new material the band is currently working on will be released piece by piece as singles marked as "demos".

A Light Within open a new chapter with a demo single release.

Don't let this fool you. The quality is top notch there is nothing sounding bad or not outworked in this.

As I listened to the first installment called "Terraform" things overwhelmed me. A Light Within were well known to me for sticking to subtle and fine-tuned Post Rock sounds. 

This new material comes around with brighter sound. It slightly blasts the ears with full sound tonality from the very start. I like the way the drums are presented this time. They are coming more to the point and sound thicker than before without destroying the structures.

But don't worry, the new noise isn't all just about change. It's also keeping tradition. It still has these vibe that incites your imagination. Sometimes it's a bit ghostly, other times it's a bit spacy. Other moments I had to think of space travel and maybe this is how things sound when you explore outer space.

Make sure to close your eyes once in a while and let your mind drift away. A Light Within have created sounds that help you to go to places unknown. 

The vocals come further to the front and take more space and volume than ever before. Same goes for the melodies. They prefer to travel through the whole track duration. At the same time things morph and change so in the end there's change. 

All in all it has become a more direct and content filled soundscape. Make sure to take a listen.

As a alternative you can also listen to "Terraform" on Spotify and maybe recommend it to your friends.

Follow the band's journey on socials such as Instagram or Twitter so you won't miss the next single releases.

Manach Seherath take us back to first rehearsals with free EP

I love demos! They sound much rougher and direct than polished studio recordings. It's also for me as if I can feel the joy and power a band can have when performing their songs at the rehearsal space.
 
Gladly italian Symphonic Metallers Manach Seherath have decided to let us be the fly on the wall at their rehearsal room.  But they give us even something more special. It's a free EP that holds the recordings of the first rehearsals the band did at all. 

Sneak into the rehearsal room of Manach Seherath, cover (c) by Manach Seherath

 

So if you listen closely now you can re-feel the evolution of tracks like Arti Manthano, Timeless and All in All. Make sure not to miss out this possibility and pick up your free download from the band's homepage.
 

The first post on the Facebook page of the band holds a fast access to all the free downloads the band has on offer. You can also download the first demo of the band as well as the latest full length studio album that came out in 2018.

So if you decide to take the full path of listening you can follow all the steps some of the tracks took over the years.
 
Make sure to follow the band on Facebook or the videoportal YouTube so you won't miss out how the story (hopefully) moves on. 

Another option is using the Manach Seherath app. All the instructions on how to get it are located on the band's homepage.

CD Review: Reternity - Demo 2018 (Metal, 2018)

Big refrains that invite to scream along to at the first listen already. Direct riffs and extended solos - all this can be found on Reternity's first two track offer.

The coverartwork was created by T. Bernhardt

It's not so often that demos come to knock on my door. In fact this one was created by people that readers of this blog may have heard of already. The vocals were done by Stefan Zoerner who left SpiteFuel earlier this year. On his side his longtime companion bass guitar player Finn Janetzky who was also active in Strangelet and SpiteFuel. Plus the addition of Carsten Sauter on guitars and Carmine Jaucci on the drums round out the new band.

So what's on the disc? "Down.Not.Broken" comes out straight as a compact riffrocker with it's bold opening section and the bass going all on it. I can already see the hands going up in the concerts to this. The refrain is formed as a fighting outcall pushing through a longer set of text lines saying that rumors may see you all at the end while in fact you're just a bit tired and going through a time of rebuilding. That's at least how it feels for me without having read the lyrics.

The second tune "Suicide Butterflies" goes in a similar way with a short intro. Afterwards it explodes into a even more direct and uptempo song. It feels like a rush of feelings was in need of finding redemption. This time the refrain is bigger and sung of a huge chorus. It sticks in my mind. I'm sure readers of this blog will love this number, too. The guitars take a bigger and rougher place in here with it's extended solo sections. The overall structure is slightly complexer and outworked compared to Down.Not.Broken.

The two track disc will be up for purchase via MDD Records soon. Back in the day demos were also sold so I think it's allright to ask for a somthing in return. The sound is solid. Just listen to the snippets in the trailer.

Finally taking a look at Reternity's Facebook page and Instagram account work perfect to keep a eye on future updates and to be notified when the demo single is up for purchase.

Collectors Item: Antidote - The Truth (Re-Issue Announcement)

Sometimes it's surprising when information about a band surfaces that you've already thought to be lost in time. One of these moments just happened when I heard about the finish band Antidote again.

Having heard 'em first way back in 1998 on a sampler of the Rock Hard magazine I couldn't get the progressive thrashers out of my mind. Their song "The Mind Alive" was way to strong to leave behind so some time afterwards I found myselves happy enough to be able to purchase this album of the same name. It is the second one in the band's career and features the more melodic site of the band.

Back to present days I received a note saying that Minotauro Records is going to re-issue ANTIDOTE'S "The Truth" album along with a Bonus CD w/ Demos from 1990 to 1992 restored and remastered!

The front cover of Antidote's album "The Truth", (c) by Antidote, used with kind permission

"The Truth" is the band's first album, originally released in 1992. As far as I know this record features more of the heavier side of the band and Nino Laurenne was singing differently on this one, too. Anyway I thought this info to be of value for all of you collectors out there. More info is said to follow soon. I'll update this article once more stuff will come in, so please stay tuned.

ANTIDOTE line-up:
Mika Arnkil - Drums (later with Impaled Nazarene)
Nino Laurenne - Vocals (lead), Guitars (now with Thunderstone)
Pete Peltonen - Bass, Vocals (backing)
Tuomo Louhio - Guitars, Vocals (backing) (later with Impaled Nazarene)

Demo Review: Souldrown - Evil Of War (recorded 2000 / released 2016)

Sometimes things happen that seem to have been lost in time... A demo release in the style of early Helloween and Stratovarius but evolved further to a much more complex and diverse style.

Introduction

Souldrown has its origins back in 1993. They began as heavy-power band, mainly influenced by bands like Accept, Helloween, Stratovarius etc. As the years went on, they radically changed the style towars a darker, more complex and progressive direction, mainly influenced by Tool, Dream Theater etc.

Unfortunately, the band never gave themselves the chance to have an official release.

Souldrown recorded some stuff in the late 90's-early 00's, for a demo release, from which some rough mixes have survived. This is what can be heard on the "Evil Of War" demo right here which finally sees the light of day in 2016...

The cover of Souldrown's "Evil Of War" demo, (c) by Souldrown, used with kind permission

Summary

This is a demo with two sides of the story. The first two tracks are clear in the structure, high vocals and dominant bass guitars. Tracks 3-5 are a bit different. Those are much more complex in the structure and sound and it needs some time to get to the point of them. I see some potential in this band since they have not only sticked to the sound of their favorites but dared to evolve it further. I think this kind of music needs some fresh kick and this band could provide it. It would be great to know what this band has on their minds after all these years.

This goes especially for the vocals. The vocalist keep them in a high region but also makes sure to keep them a bit more in the middle peak which makes them enjoyable and keeps the voice authentic. This prevents the tracks from being destroyed by a too loud noise that would make the melodies not identifiable anymore.

In detail Evil of War is clear and round for me. A grooving rhythm pushes throughout the full track duration and makes it a lot of fun to listen to it. The vocals are high and the refrain comes with various layers something not many bands work with. The bass guitar sets apart in the sound straight from the start. Last Hours is my favorite on the tape. A double bass cracker with fine keyboard parts packed in a roundly sounded package. It's typical melodic power metal. It feels more as a story than a song but it's something I like.

Track 3 Talk Hard offers more variations in the rhythm section while the overall speed is set to midtempo. Melody is set on top again but it comes around differently when you look at the style of it. More keyboards to be found in this one. The fastest track on the digital tape is called Dragons Lair. It's the hardest to get by anyway. A complex song structure makes it hard to get a grip on the sound. The vocals form a guiding light through the whole song.

See The Signs closes the release. This one is more complex than the previous track and comes with a high-tempo format. We hear the typical high notes in the vocals that seem to be a trademark of Souldrown. Some vocal effects can be heard, too. Those give the vocal performance some more variation and will hark back. They sound unusual so you'll want to re-listen after a first round.

Player / Purchase Link

The whole tape can be streamed for free here in the player. You can download a digital copy for only one euro on Bandcamp so please give the artist a sign that they should continue.

Contact Data

You can keep in touch with Souldrown via Bandcamp.

A Light Within evolve beyond any frontier on new demos

A Light Within have been among my favorites for a long time. Both of their EPs "Preface" as well as "Body Matter" offer the listener a outstanding musical experience. They evole the genre of post rock in a way I've seldomely ever heard any other band did before. When you listen to their music it will take you to new insights and feelings and leave you behind wondering to what you've just been listening. Small wonder I've put a pin badge of their band logo on my jeans summer jacket.

The pin badge of A Light Within on my summer jacket

Currently the band is back recording brand new material. They kindly offer a early possibility to listen to what they're working on in a demo stadium already. The two new cuts entitled "Surrounded by Astronauts" as well as "An Educated Gentleman" show that A Light Within have evolved even further and beyond any frontier this time. Besides the music the two short videos have stunning visuals with them that I've not seen anywhere else yet.

Don't miss out this two snippets and head on over to Bandcamp or Facebook and join them there so you'll be notified on what they're going to do next.