HOUR OF PENANCE - "CAST THE FIRST STONE" (2017)

HOUR OF PENANCE - "CAST THE FIRST STONE"
(Running time: 34:05 minutes; 9 songs)
("Prosthetic Records"; 2017; CD):

Oh man, only why... I mean why the hell bloody hell did I never heard of HOUR OF PENANCE before... why?!? I think for all what I've read "CAST THE FIRST STONE", released via the mighty "PROSTHETIC RECORDS" label, is already the 7th full legth album of/by this truly outstanding Death Metal four piece thundering out of the dephts of Italy over here in good old mother Europe... and it is one larger than life manifest of damn-very strongest Death Metal, period. If my informations respectively if what I've read online is correct then the band FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE (years ago back then in 2011 I did a review up here on their then current full-length-album "AGONY" and you can still find and read it up here, of course) consists of earlier members of HOUR OF PENANCE; just in case that namedropping of this kind 'does something' for you. So, yes, here we get everything and anything demolishing sheer full-force and pure'n'brutal Death Metal with huge doses of highly rich'n'varying and highest skilled technical skills and this all delivered on a level of the highest quality grade. This is crushing and devastating and 'mercylessly' no prisoners taking harsh, ultra-heavy, and truly extreme Death Metal of the most brutal style sort of somewhere drifting between a hard as nails modern approach with still breathing a really fresh 'true and old schoolish' spirit, yes, so that fans of acts like for example MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, VITAL REMAINS and KRISIUN will definitely also love HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" as well as fans of Modern Death Metal like for example the above mentioned FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, yes, and also fans of Brutal Death Metal like BROKEN HOPE so as fans of really forceful Deathcore like for example WHITECHAPEL, ALL SHALL PERISH, and ABHORRENT DECIMATION will surely if not definitely also love this glorious harsh slasher. This is purest 'savagery' set to musick. This is by any means through and through real Death Metal; and Death Metal that despise its sheer brutality, violence, aggression, and force offers all the time an incredible amount of playful and soulful surprises and twists'n'turns all along the ride so that HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" turns out to be one hell of an exciting and grapping journey with a truly larger than life intensity and a very tight, dense, and battle-scarred atmosphere that's interwoven into the whole album from start to finish and it all shines bright in a through'n'through militant and gladiatorial spirit. HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" is definitely and massively strongest and 'highliest' marked by the absolutely outstanding and brilliant songwriting that really gives the whole album that special unique flavour to it all and it is also damn high skilled and despise the fact that the pace of 'nearly' all the songs and so mostly of the whole album is in general a damn fast one, with in its whole majority mainly focussing on harsh'n'fast raging up tempo killer tunes as well as sheer blast speeding savagery with slightly 'more silent moments' that hide on very, very well-chosen strategic positions here and there in the center of this surely and truly atomizing grim and harsh slashing storm, the album is filled to the exploding max with great exciting arrangements, fresh compositorial ideas, grapping song architectures, and highly energetic and rousing, overwhelming and demolishing riffs and rhythm structures, oh hell yeahr, so that you really need to take some intense listening sessions to get HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" in its whole harsh, grim, and yet incredible beautiful glory and that you discover all of the greatness that it offers and holds in store for all of us, yes, a glorious one it is and a demanding one and this not (only) so much because it is a very, very extreme one but also because it is a challenging and multi-layered, a pretty complex one, yes, and so make sure you really give it some time to grow (on you) and so make sure that you not only enjoy its devastating extremity but also its overwhelming complexity that holds so much for all of us in store, oh yes. It's all drastically (and this for all the right, good and justified reasons) marked by the intense, incredible harsh'n'heavy, and also highest skilled and diverse'n'multilayered, sheer fantastic and outstanding guitar work with ist special own tone and that offers so much excitment and class that it will nothing but take you by storm and it will decapitate your head and then chop you in half, hell yeahr, because above all it is first'n'foremost pure and sheer savage intensity. Amazing!!! The harsh grunted'n'shouted very powerful vocals deliver the very thoughtful and thoughtprovoking and outspoken and by all means just incredible damn great lyrics with huge doses of passion and overwhelming force and I would just wish that the vocal delivery or the arrangement of the vocal lines would only here and there vary a bit more (but I honestly think it is more a 'thing' of the delivery, and not of the arrangements), then it would be perfect. The grim raging bass work and the sheer thunder'n'lightning drumming then add sheer tons of massive muscles and beefy'n'bulky meat to the loadable backbone of HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE", oh bloody hell yeahr, and with doing so they make it all just even more devastating and convincing. Again: Amazing; absolutely!!! To name you my personal favorites is a damn hard thing to do, yes, because this whole album is a damn masterpiece and platinum Death Metal and so you won't find only one only slightly anyhow weak(er) song on "CAST THE FIRST STONE" of/by HOUR OF PENANCE, but I think personally for me "XXI CENTURY IMPERIAL CRUSADE", "CAST THE FIRST STONE", "IRON FIST", "THE CHAINS OF MISDEED", "HORN OF FLIES", and "WALL OF COHORTS" probably stick out the (very) most. Fantastic lyrics, an absolutely awesome and top notch artwork, and a heavily bombig production sound then finally round it all up, yes, and this in all the right way and manner. So, okay, I think I've said it all what I've had to say so far right here, right now at this point, yes, and so I think I can calmly close this review with letting my final sayings here and now be my clearest recommendation for you to get this larger than life masterpiece that is the almighty "CAST THE FIRST STONE" of/by HOUR OF PENANCE and best get it instantly, yes, this is a damn amazing album, point and fact.
(9,5 of 10 points)
http://www.hourofpenance.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

HOUR OF PENANCE - "XXI CENTURY IMPERIAL CRUSADE" (2017, "CAST THE FIRST STONE")

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - "NIGHTBRINGERS" (2017)

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - "NIGHTBRINGERS"
(Running time: 49:18 minutes; 14 songs)
("Metal Blade Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, okay, time to give you some new stuff to read up here again and so here now comes the next dose for you which means the next record-review by me for you and this time it will be all about the (brand)new THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER full-length-album "NIGHTBRINGERS" released at the 6th of october of this very year of 2017 via the mighty "METAL BLADE RECORDS" label. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER were always pretty to very much under my radar-screen because somehow they never really (sort of...) 'spoke to me' so far and so their newest release "NIGHTBRINGERS", which is their 'all-in-all' already 8th studio-full-length-album, is my real first 'meeting' with them. I have the limited edition that comes in an absoultely amazing artwork and that features five bonus tracks of which two are live recordings of (I would guess...) older songs of/by/from them ("ABYSMAL" and "WHEN THE LAST GRAVE HAS EMPTIED") and two cover versions, one of AT THE GATES' "THE SWARM" and one of CARCASS' "THIS MORTAL COIL" and these two cover-tunes point pretty much in the right direction of what THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER give us music-wise: Melodic Death Metal, hyper-aggressive and 'technically' truly high-skilled, and with a modern touch to it all that will surely make them more than only a little bit like-able for all you Metalcore and Deathcore fans outta there. (Btw, the 'normal' version crosses the finishing line in about 33 minutes or so.) This never was and still isn't that much 'my thing' and so... hm... so where or how to start... maybe here and so: Like already said this is truly and through and through hyper-aggressive and filled on and on with a forceful guitar work that delivers so damn sharp cutting, precise slaying, and mercylessly slashing, damn heavy guitar riffing and such headcracking rhythm work that you mostly instantly start to bang your head, yes, and where the guitars really shine is when it comes to the delivered highly melodic leads and the absoultely amazing solos, oh hell yeahr, and there's no need of any further mentioning of how strong and also of how heavily marking the guitars are for the songs and the music of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER. Pretty much the same (when it comes to being heavily marking for the songs of the music of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) is to say when we talk about the high pitched, hysterical, diabolical, and just also hyper-aggressive screamed lead vocals that sometimes change to deep and dark guttural grunts but mostly settle in the mentioned territory of the very harsh delivered screams and that are by any means also pure aggression set to music and that deliver an nearly if not sheer incredible amount of lyrics in/with/through the all-in-all anyhow anyway not that long songs; and that also mark the songs heavily. All is then backed up by a very tight and precise and stunningly heavy rhythm section. The songwriting is also pretty to very strong and definitely far above average and delivers truckloads of energetic rhythm work, dynamic pace changings, and a pretty intense atmosphere pretty much all the time; and that the guys in/of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER are really high skilled musicians should need no further explanation here and now anyhow anyway. All in all THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's "NIGHTBRINGERS" I would locate on a pretty self-contained position somewhere between AT THE GATES (think of their larger than life masterpiece "SLAUGHTER OF THE SOUL"), CARCASS (think of their groundbreaking "HEARTWORK" masterpiece), some modern Metalcore and Deathcore somewhere between acts like HEAVEN SHALL BURN and ABHORRENT DECIMATION, as well as some up-to-date pseudo Death Metal like ARCH ENEMY, yes, I think somewhere between this bands and styles and influences you should find THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and their "NIGHTBRINGERS" and you should find them pretty quick (and also surely pretty strong). The only problem that I have with this album or maybe sort of with this band and album and that certain style of music, hm, I miss a special flavour and really exciting moments because at the end it is all pretty equal to one another (song- and also band-wise in general) and that's also here the case; but maybe that's just me and it's anyhow surely a matter of personal preferences but just that you know mine and don't wonder why my final rating on it is or will be how it is/will be. But this a more general problem I have with this Modern Melodic Death Metal'n'Metalcore'n'Deathcore stuff and this out of the way a particular problem with "NIGHTBRINGERS" is definitely that the songs are too short and offer in that short space'n'time simply (but definitely) far too much lyrics so that the songs are far too damn often simply too 'overloaded' and the music itself is put too often in the background and sort of 'sinks down under/beneath the words' and also so-this-way it turns out to be that the songs simply  again'n'again are a overly hectic and stressful affair (and not the good way of being 'hectic'n'stressy' which means demanding and challenging... but instead of this from time to time quite annoying)... damn it, I mean: longer songs or less words - one of it would have been the golden way, definitely. Also I would wish, like already mentioned a few passages above, that the songs as single songs would have a stronger own identity because (also, at least if you ask me, due to being 'overflooded by the lyrics') for my personal taste the songs sound too often too equal... but maybe that's just and nothing but a matter of my personal taste, who knows. But anyhow, more or less, despite all this THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's "NIGHTBRINGERS" definitely is still a good to damn good album and if you are into the named style(s) of music and/or the named bands then you should definitely risk an ear and give it a fair try. A big bunch of sick, sinister, and pretty 'evil' lyrics, a (like already mentioned) absoultely beautiful artwork, and a heavy bombing (but maybe a little bit too 'trigger-happy') production sound finally round it all up. So, yes, I think now you know all what there's from my point of view to know about the "NIGHTBRINGERS" of/by THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, yes, and so why not give it a good round and a fair try and this best right now.

(7,5 of 10 points)

http://www.tbdmofficial.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - "NIGHTBRINGERS" (2017, "NIGHTBRINGERS")

ABHORRENT DECIMATION - "THE PARDONER" (2017)

ABHORRENT DECIMATION - "THE PARDONER"
(Running time: 50:03 minutes; 10 songs)
("Prosthetic Records"; 2017; CD):

Back on track again... and when I look at the amount of 2017 releases that I still have to and especially that I still want to do reviews on up here for you then I have not a single clou how the bloody hell I should be doing this all still in 2017... god-damn-it... I think I'll really should or must try to find more time, where-ever, to do (finally again) more frequent reviews up here... at least I'll do try to do so, in all honesty. And so, yes, I'll be starting right now and so here now comes my review on the 2017 release of/by ABHORRENT DECIMATION titled "THE PARDONER" and released via "PROSTHETIC RECORDS" for you. ABHORRENT DECIMATION were before I first listened to "THE PARDONER" totally unknown to me but I think they are a U.K. based band; and what I definitely know and not just think is that they are a really fine Deathcore and/or (Modern) Death Metal band that comes to conquer, and so they do. ABHORRENT DECIMATION will definitely be hailed by fans of such first class acts like the almighty WHITECHAPEL, the mighty SUICIDE SILENCE as well as the larger than life ALL SHALL PERISH, hm, maybe some little bit HEAVEN SHALL BURN and they mix it all with really strong and brutal (also pretty 'slammy') Death Metal marks that make me think (for example) on the one hand of (newer to new) SUFFOCATION and on the other hand of roughnecked Death Metal a la ILLDISPOSED and they do it all on a, from my point of view, not only very strong but also very independently level and also they offer a pretty strong own flavour and character to enrich it all massively. In parts this is due to a very cold and sinister atmosphere and the very aggressive delivered guitar work that breathes an 'icy' and very dark Black Metal spirit into all the songs and that's just damn strong done and also just damn great. This is very sinister and dark, very cold and sort of sick, brutal and aggressive musick on a very high skilled level and with a strong own flavor to it all, delivered by guys that really know how to play and master their instruments and how to write damn grapping and exciting songs with a lot of surprises and great twists and turns along the whole ride. The biggest or strongest marking elements are surely the very, very brutal and over-the-top pissed off grunted and harsh vokillz that also showcase and offer a very strong own identity, yes, and the bonecracking and facesmashing guitar work that delivers one hell of a fantastic rhythm work full of great grooves and forward marching rhythmes as well as a lot of demanding and grapping changes in the rhythm architecture and the rhythmic structure of the songs and that also delivers us top notch changes of the pace and the mood of the single songs as well as the whole album, hell yeahr, and then the guitars especially shine in the leads'n'solos department full of rich and just breath-taking and atmospheric-tight as well as very, hm, yes, just pure dark'n'evil and though and through hellish leads and asskicking solos that all really, really shine, yes, dark'n'sinister but anyhow bright shining. Goddamn it, I simply just really love this stuff. All is backed up by a very verstaile and incredible precise and to the point played and done and delivered rhythm section that really just leaves my eyes and mouth wide open. Phenomenal!!! And then we also get piano parts that also convince with some other orchestral instrumentation, yes,and not just convince, but damn fucking bloody conquer. Finally all is made round by first class very interesting and surely story-tellin' lyrics, a beautiful artwork, yes, and a heavy and kicking production sound that's also very clear and clean so that you really get all what happens in a perfect way - and trust me it really happens a lot on ABHORRENT DECIMATION's "THE PARDONER"; a very demanding and intensive album, definitely, and also an album that's really worth your time and effort and interest. And an album that I can only highly, highly recommend to you, for sure, and so go out and get it as soon as possible if you still don't know or have it. This is one of my biggest discoveries of 2017 so far and one of my biggest (and very best) surprises so far, too. So, in short: Get it!!! And for now, oh yes, I'll close this review because so far I've said all what I had to say, yes, and so now : Cheers and good night.
(9 of 10 points)
https://abhorrentdecimation.bandcamp.com/ (-the link to the bandcamp site of the band)

ABHORRENT DECIMATION - "CONSPIRE" (2017, "THE PARDONER")