Exclusive Premiere Of Essence Of Datum New Song/Video For Y DOMINATION From Their Upcoming New Album RADIKAL RATS

Melodic Death/Tech Metallers Essence Of Datum have been playing their sublime blend of Experimental Death Metal sounds for well over a decade now. The band will be releasing their excellent new album Radikal Rats on October 6th 2023 which sees the band expand upon their acclaimed style of Instrumental based Death/Tech/Melodic Metal to greater heights than ever before.

We/re pleased to be premiering the new song/video for Y Domination from the upcoming new album.

You can pre-order the album now from on DD via BandCamp ahead of it's 06th October 2023 release.

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotions for all of the details.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Iron Altar - Pillars Of Blood (Album Review)

Release date: September 22nd 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Pillars Of Blood – Tracklisting

1.Deincarnation

2.Amaranthine

3.Burning Fields

4.Sanguine Petrichor

5.Shepherds

6.Manifestation

7.Small Gods

8.Lost Insignificance

9.Echo Chamber

Members

Andrew Callis - Vocals

Daniel Drever - Guitar

Neil Mathers - Guitar

Jamie Scougal - Bass

Lindsay Alan Conway - Drums

Review

Iron Altar debut album Pillars Of Blood is a downright bleak, heavy and nasty experience. The band has progressed from their debut EP released a couple years go to a more desolate progressive sound. Taking elements of Groove, Thrash, Tech Metal, Death Metal and merging it with an epic Doom/Sludge Metal sound.

Their debut EP had traces of Stoner Metal running through out its short running time. However this album is fast-paced assault with the band taking influence from Mastodon, Lamb Of God and GOJIRA to name but a few.

Opening song - Deincarnation - offers the most perfect glimpse into Iron Altar's dark world. As a wave of Tech-Death riffs are played at a furious pace. The sludgy grooves are there on different parts of the song though it's very hard to hear on your very first listen. The vocals from Andrew are very demonic as they move from death based growls to hardcore clean vocals with relevant ease. The album is quite unforgiving with its bleak lyrical content and use of different heavy metal styles. The album never lets up in switching the many different musical atmospheres Iron Altar have included here.

There are some parts of this album I really love like the heavy fast-paced progressive technical guitar solos and some parts I struggled with. The vocals are top-notch from the start. Songs such as Amaranthine, Burning Fields and Sanguine Petrichor are future "Mosh-Pit" classics as they have a fearless drive and ferocious quality to them.

I haven't listened to this style of music fully and almost religiously since my late twenties. I'm now in my early forties but it's was good to listen to Iron Altar's more modern style of Groove/Death/Tech/Thrash/Sludge hybrid sound. Whatever you want to call it, Iron Altar has delivered a highly exciting album that's not afraid to pull any punches with the different styles of music they have to offer. The production is impressive for the most part. There are a few rough parts on the second half of the album. Though that shouldn’t stop your enjoyment of the album.

Other good songs to check out are: Manifestation, Small Gods and Echo Chamber. As this is where Iron Altar impresses the most with their bombastic style of extreme metal sounds. This album is perhaps best suited for the more Extreme Metal fan than the Doom/Sludge Metal kind. Even though Pillars Of Blood does have plenty of Doom/Sludge Metal riffs, it's outweighed and out-manoeuvred by the more Progressive and Extreme Metal sounds that Iron Altar have created here.

Overall, Pillars Of Blood will definitely see Iron Altar gain some recognition within the UK Heavy Metal Underground scene. This is a harsh and superbly entertaining album from start to finish.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Iron Altar for the promo. Pillars Of Blood will be available to buy on CD/DD from September 22nd 2018.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Tiberius - The Beautiful Ones (EP Review)

Release date: May 20th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

The Beautiful Ones – Tracklisting

1.Without Hesitation 04:56

2.Cult of Adonis 04:45

3.Sderot Cinema 04:08

4.The Beautiful Ones 05:53

Band Members:

Grant Barclay - Vocals;

Chris Foster - Guitar;

Jahan Tabrizi - Guitar;

Ryan Anderson - Bass;

Edersson Joffre - Drums

Review

I don't know why I'm reviewing Tiberius new EP – The Beautiful Ones. They're not exactly Outlaws Of The Sun Material. As Tiberius play proggy-tech-hardcore-heavy metal kind of sound. Whilst we feature more Doom/Sludge/Stoner kind of stuff.

Though I have to admit The Beautiful Ones is super damn catchy at times. I used to listen to this kind of music in my younger years quite religiously. Now, not so much. Though this was a pleasant surprise to hear Tiberius doing a bang-up job in creating superb progressive tech metal riffs with some hints of absolute madness thrown in.

Opening track – Without Hesitation – has a cool Iron Maiden NWOBHM influence wrapped up in progressive tech metal riffs. The vocals feel they were influenced by Bruce Dickinson with lead singer Grant on impressive form from the start. The riffs are played with deadly precision and they leave you gasping for breath at times. These guys can play and I mean really PLAY!!!!

Second track – Cult Of Adonis – has elements of djent noises spliced with their familiar hard rock/heavy metal sounds. It's another fast paced track that will go down a storm with the metalcore/NWOBHM crew.

The final two tracks – Sderot Cinema and The Beautiful Ones – carry on the crazed madness as Tiberius can't decide if they want to be primarily a progressive rock/metal band or something more brutal and heavier. The keyboards did make me feel I was listening to an 80s/80s computer game at times. Maybe I'm too old now (40 years old currently) but I felt old listening to this EP at times. So maybe this is for the younger generation who like their rock/metal more modern sounding to my advancing years.

Still, Tiberius have released a hugely enjoyable EP and it's one that I can see the Extreme Metal crowd worshipping from afar.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp