EP Review: Out Of Darkness - Seize The Day (Modern Metal, 2020)

Brent Smedley is widely known as the longtime drummer of Iced Earth. I was surprised to learn that he has a side-project with vocalist/guitarist Eric Barrios called Out Of Darkness. The seven songs that he has put out via Bandcamp are heavy music no question. But they are far more.

Can the release shed some light into your day?

They offer a look outside of the box. The opener "OH MY" already spreads this open mindness. Other tracks like "I surrender" are heavier material with a very modern metal take to the sound. I disliked the high-toned sound. It's way to harsh in my ears. 

Happily it's not the common sound of the release. The title-track "Seize the day" features rough vocals but riffs lighter through the speakers. It's going more into the groove metal style. It's also modern but not stressing my nerves like so many modern releases only going for brutality. 

"KNTRL" varies between direct and straight metal notes and more vocal heavyness. I like the moments when it's lighter with melodies flying around. My favorite of the EP since it has a slightly calming effect on me.

A ballad is also present of this first attempt. It's called "Freedom to be free" and shines with spoken elements at the proper moments. But the refrain is big and massive as you would expect of such a track with multiple vocal layers as a special in here.

Finally a midtemp song closes the package. It's riffs keep it compact and and the duration short so it may have been the last ideas the guys had at the rehearsals. Anyway it shows that this is a release of the moment - a authentic one.

All in all a solid release that opened my ears. The former duo surely has ambitions and I'm curious to see where this project may go to in the future. The album is available as download or CD on Bandcamp.

Video Preview: Inoculum - Dissimulate (Alternative Groove Metal, 2018)

These days so many bad comments and hate floots the internet in my eyes.
The world badly needs some antidote. This band based from the Baltimore, MD (USA) area provides ripping out all these dark stuff and leaves behind some light with their upcoming new videosingle "Dissimulate".

The logo of the Alternative Groove Metal band Inoculum, (c) by Inoculum, used with kind permission

Heavy Metal Underdogs has been given the honour to check out the brand new Inoculum video in advance as a private screening. I was blown away by the sheer power and the will to create something that lasts as a piece of unique sound. That's why I would like to say that the guys play Dedicated Metal. It's comin' deeper from the heart than anything else out there.

The new track "Dissimulate" in detail
What got me so much about their sound is the combination of brutality and softer undernotes mixed  in. The song builds up softer, adds up with extra power and finally blows out the energy in one blast. It's not often coming along my way that the drummer takes over vocal duties. Here you can spot this rare ocassion and it's a fine contrast to the brutal assault of the main vocals. On other parts of the song both harmonize which adds a extra to the already excellent track.

The guitar riffs vary but give a more underlining note to the sound while the drums groove straight away something that's heavily supported through the use of a dark and deep toned bass sound. Inoculum doesn't just play the notes but lives them out with heartblood. The song feels nearly endlessly. I think a show of these guys must be a very intensive experience.

Video preview snippets
So far you can spot some scenes of the video on the start page of the band's world wide web presence.I think it will come with a deeper meaning. So far you can see some TV's that are destroyed and books burned by masked people taking people away from their places.

Well I think we need to wait until April 1st 2018 to know what the band exactly wants to express with this moving picture. The band has announced to premiere the video on their homepage.  

Social Contacts and Future plans
Make sure to have a eye on their socials on Facebook or Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date in the meantime on how things move on. The band also has plans to tour with their material so promoters out there looking for a good band to book in the upcoming months would make a good pick with booking Inoculum.

Brutai announce extensive batch of fresh UK tourdates

Sometimes there's hope out there that even in today's complex context new bands can move on forward and get the chances they need to evolve further.

This came to my mind recently when I heard that Brutai have been able to be added to two tours packages.

The first run of dates in August 2016 will see the band playing shows alongside Voices From The Fuselage (featuring Ashe O'Hara ex-TesseracT vocalist) in addition to their already confirmed list of impressive shows one of them being as opening act for Soilwork.
If you're attending this years Bloodstock Metal Festival you're in luck. Just make sure to be at the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Friday the 12th August so you won't miss them.

The second half of the show series will be a support slot for The Devil You Know (featuring Howard Jones, formerly of Killswitch Engage and Blood Has Been Shed) in January 2017. Tickets are on sale since Friday 15th July.

Check out the flyer below for a full list of dates and make sure to see them if you can make it to one of their performances. For the latest updates check Brutai's Facebook page.

Overlook on the coming Brutai shows, (c) by Brutai, used with kind permission

Finally if you've not heard them befor tune in to their first single "Deep". You can purchase the track via the band's Bandcamp page.

CD Review: Ravenous - We are become death

Short Introduction

Ravenous was formed in Southampton in early 2008 when (bassist) Leon Maidment Millar joined an old school friend (lead guitar/vocals) Dave Game and band mates (drummer) Rich Giles,(rhythm) Dave Foster in performing covers of the Thrash/Groove metal genre with only one original song named Ravenous!

After much indecision it was decided that Ravenous would be the most fitting name for the new direction of the band and the craving need to break the fashionable trends in metal and return to its rawer roots with more lyrical structure and 'lyrical' lyrics.

Ravenous perform live in and around the south of england with original sets and are always well received, supporting the likes of Kobra And The Lotus among others. Ravenous continues on the same path with more and more original material and an ever increasing appetite for anthemic and  meaningful composition. "We are become death" is the debut album of the band.

(c) by Ravenous, used with kind permission

Summary / Player / Purchase-Link

This album is a blast! When other bands have completed their songs and are about to unplug their instruments this is the time when Ravenous are about start over. Their songs scream out the attitude to really play heavy music. That's what you'll remember once you've listened to one of their songs. I would describe the band's sound as a mixture between Metallica in their early days and a good potion of Machine Head.

So if you'd like to hear music that gives you some extended time and heavyness after the "normal" formula of the song with intro, chorus, refrain and solo has come to the end Ravenous "We are become death" is for you. It's this plus that gives you more joy while listening to it. A extra potion of heavyness gives this band it's special sound and makes it a good time you'll like to repeat again and again.

I highly recommend buying this record. It has a classic appeal to me. You can hear the rawness of the beginning of a thrash band but are also quickly aware that they've spent quite some time composing and practicing the tracks since they come very tight and ass kicking. The sound is a pleasure since it is well arranged and produced and fits to the albums songwriting, very compact and crushing.

The band has put inside some meaningfull elements to the sound that will make you remember. It's just some few modern elements so no need to worry if you dislike the all too modern attempts on songwriting. All in all it's a good mixture of the traditionell way of playing this music along with a modern production and slightly updated songwriting. Just hit the play button and you'll quickly know what I mean. Enjoy this fine album.


The album can be pre-ordered digitally through plattforms such as itunes, Amazon or Bandcamp. For all who'd like to have a physical copy in their hands there is the possibility to order one through the webstore of the record company Coffee Jingle Records that the band is signed to. The official release date is 27th November 2015.

You can get in touch with the band via Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

Album-Overview (Track-by-track review)

"We are become death" has a good mixture of various tracks on it. It's a brutal thrash ride that knows various tempos and moods. If you wanna quickly get a idea of the band just check in directly with the first number called "Abhor". It's a perfect presentation of the band's heavyness in all of it's variations.

The track with the cool title "Reverse (sympathy)" represents the groove metal abilities of the band with it's rough back and forth ride on the riff through heavy drums and fitting vocals. The second part has some modern solo's inside while the ending leaves you with some slow grooving. Well done!

The first single and video "Easter Island (We are become death)" has quickly become my favorite with it's changing parts in melody and heavyness which seems to flow into one each other. Finally the brutal side wins showing the great riffs the band is able to write. The guitar playing is very impressive and the vocals tell a lot of the bandwith the vocalist Dave Game is able to sing. A ballad also found it's way on the record. Properly entitled "Alone" it shows some of the melancholic side of the band, but again they didn't forget to ripp it up their own way so it's not one of these ballads that you may want to skip on a thrash record.

The band's first original track "Ravenous" also found it's way on the record. Starting out with a slow introduction the song that gave the band it's name fastly changes into a riff-hacker going in hard and direct. In the verse sections you'll recognize a lot of double-bass attacks going on. This one surely would make a good closing song for a live set giving the audience one more and leaving them behind with a smile and a good feeling.

The band logo (c) Ravenous, used with kind permission

This one is followed by the midtempo banger "Deathstiny". This track stand out and will make you remember it's hookline and sharp-upripping riff for a long time."Suffocate" starts out slow with clear guitars and quickly leading over to some classic distorted riffs. Finally it throws you in a wild and powerfull storm of rhythm oriented thrashing. The track clears up with a mixture of slower and midtempo solo sections showing various forms of modern and traditionell string treatment before returning to the main theme.

"The Architect" sounds very classic again with a traditionell riff and it's midtempo formula. It's agressive but at the same time gives you a positive punch on energy. I can imagine this going down well on a live set, just think of all the people banging to it and having a good time. The solo section has a going-all-on-it feeling to it. We are going to get all out of the guitar there is. :-) Great tune!

"The Strawman" closes the first album with a mixture of a lot of riffing. The most complex track but it's worth it. Just give it some more spins to unravel each and every section there is. I think you'll love most of the parts. After all this album turns out to be a cure for me. I feel better after listening to it so I hope we'll hear more of this band giving the thrash and groove metal genre a fresh kick of air.