INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
Label : Brennus Music
Review by Tony Cannella
France’s Symphonic Power Metal maestros Wildpath return with their 3rd round of inspired, classical tinged symphony laced metal with “Underneath”. While “Nyx Secrets” and “Non Omnis Moriar” were both solid in their own right, “Underneath” has the potential to land Wildpath in the upper echelon of symphonic metal. The orchestral intro “Seeds of a Dream” segues into the powerful, up-tempo, melodicism of “Unearthed”. This song has a great big chorus featuring a choir that really adds a lot to the song. Right away it is apparent that Wildpath has something cool to offer. Next up is “Dive” which starts off orchestral before breaking into some serious speed riffing and the strong operatic vocals of Marjolaine Bernard come in. The next song “Reviver” is a bit of a change of pace from the other material and has a bit of a jazzy vibe, showing that Wildpath are not bound by restrictions. Other highlights include: “The Craft”, “Anchored”, “Buried Moon”, “Frozen” and the 7-minute instrumental “Underneath”. The whole “Underneath” album takes the listener on a surreal journey whilst playing with different nuances, tempos and styles, yet also managing to produce a coherent metal masterpiece. Disc 2 features orchestral versions of “Underneath”, similar to what Nightwish did on “Dark Passion Play”. These are interesting, alternate versions of some already great music. Wildpath has continued to grow and progress from album-to-album and “Underneath” is no exception. Far be it for me to say that this is their best album, since everyone will have their own opinions on the matter, but this just may be. Of course comparisons are sure to be made to Nightwish (particularly the “Century Child” and “Once” eras), and there are some similarities, but Wildpath continues to break out of the mold and walk their own… um, path.
Rating - 90/100
Tracklist
CD 1
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Independent Release
Review by Si Smith
“Fables of the Sleepless Empire” is the latest release from Canada’s Unexpect since 2006’s “In a Flesh Aquarium”, and this release is a bit more tuneful than the last offering, if not being just as confusing to the casual listener. Unexpect always live up to their name, as the music takes unexpected turns at unexpected intervals and they manage to combine almost every genre imaginable into a magical mixture of music and voice. To the uninitiated it can appear confusion; to the fan it is genius. First track “Unsolved Ideas of a Distorted Guest” begins with tales of hopping bunnies and calls to mind Alice in her twisted Wonderland, such are the warped yet delicate twistings of the band’s lyrics. We are to be taken on a journey through bizarre soundscapes and wordscapes, sometimes frightening but always exciting. Above it all Leïlindel’s vocals soar and are echoed by complimentary growls which usher in this unique experience. Intricate violins mix with keyboard parts in the centre of the song to lead into more growls from Syriak and Artagoth, and eventually all comes together for a unified ending. “Words” starts with some haunting violin lines over a wandering bass, then the vocals come in with a slightly more traditional sound. However being Unexpect the “traditional” quickly turns into black metal riffery and some space age wierdness - yes, this is another typical Unexpect song. “Orange Vigilantes” continues with dissonant chord-bursts and frantic piano melodies. Despite the chaos somehow there is still a sense of order and melody. “Mechanical Phoenix” slows things down briefly before returning to the riffage; there is enough black metal growling here to satisfy the black metal fan, before Leïlindel takes her turn with some jazzy vocal gymnastics that are at once sexy yet surreal. The second half of the CD continues much in the same vein as the first. “Unfed Pendulum” introduces some more sound effects and electronic musings, and seems to tell the tale of a strange machine gone haywire; but as always the lyrics are poetic and ponderous, never quite saying in clear plain English what is going on, but leaving the listener to make up their own mind (although we are given hints on the lyrics sheet). After a brief interlude about whales, “Silence This Parasite” concerns “the reign of an Anomaly that should not be” and is one of the more dramatic orchestral tracks on the CD, with less of the unexpected and slightly more of the straightforward. The final three tracks make up a “Wedding Trilogy for the Faints of Heart” concerning tales of Oz, magic carpets and zombie lovers - so if you like your music and your lyrics fantastical there is no better place to look than here! In all, this is an almost exhausting album to listen to as it takes you to so many different places along the journey. Yet for the more travelled musically it will be a masterpiece beyond compare. Unexpect have definitely produced a far more rounded and involved piece than the last album. A CD that will merit many returns to replay through the drama, noticing an elusive gasp here, a hidden orchestral blast there, a subtle nuance that maybe was not glanced on the last walkthrough. A remarkable achievement!!
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Lausan Records
Review by Tony Cannella
Spain’s OffTopic has existed since 2006. Following up their impressive “Backstage” EP, OffTopic releases their fourth full-length album titled “Impacto”. Unlike their previous EP however, OffTopic has returned to singing in their native Spanish language and the result is very good as the album cruises along on the strength of some truly powerful classic metal style guitar riffs and the ever more assured vocals of Rosa Ibáñez. With the powerhouse opening riffs of “Cuarto Sello”, “Impacto” simply explodes with an intense, ferocious brand of heavy metal. The bombastic headbanging riffs keep coming with the thrashy “Fuara de Si”. The next track – and my favorite – “Siempre” is more of a mid-tempo song that has a great, melodic vibe to it. I simply love the vocals of Rosa Ibáñez as she continues to grow in confidence and ability and does just an amazing job throughout “Impacto”. The next track “El Elagido” has sort of an AC/DC style vibe at the start – in fact the opening kind of reminded me of “Whole Lotta Rosie”. “El Elagido” is a bit of a departure from the rest of the material but it is no less effective. The beautiful power ballad “Albrázame” is another one that grabbed my attention. Other highlights include: “Pierde el Control”, “Iberia” and “Sigo Viva”. With “Impacto”, OffTopic continues to grow and emerge into one of Spain’s best metal bands.
Rating - 87/100
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Label : Listenable Records
Review by Si Smith
Dutch death metal warriors Izegrim changed their name from “Isegrim” because it wasn’t metal enough. This is their third full-length since formation in 1996 as well as a number of EPs, so they’ve had the time to hone their act to perfection. In opener “Victim of Honour”, Izegrim hit you immediately with a string of raw guitar riffs and solos that threaten to garrote your spleen and send it spinning out of your left ear! When the voice kicks in it is raucous and heavy, like Angela Gossow after she’s gargled a few razor blades. And I mean that in a good way. This is music that takes you by the throat, vocals that rasp into your brain. “My Secret Society” introduces some slightly more sedate riffage before launching into full assault once again, with just a tinge of thrash added in. Yep, definitely some 80s thrash riffs in there from somewhere, along with some melodic flourishes. “Incommunicado” thrashes by happily, despite some hollow corner of my brain lurching into an 80s Marillion number. These guys are tight, maybe because they’ve managed to have the same line up now as at the beginning. Marloes’ vocals perfectly compliment the sound of the double guitar attack and Ivo’s crashing drums. “Center of Momentum” has one of the heaviest choruses I’ve heard for a while, and the verse introduces some death metal fury. There is no let up for “Deathstrip”, a pummeling barrage of guitars and vocals that draw you in like a siren. A demonic siren with a throat problem. “Final Farewell” brings back the slow chugging riffs, the decrease in speed not subtracting from the intensity one iota. “Fade into Obscurity” does anything but that, possessing a hopelessly addictive rhythm that will stay in your head long after the song finishes. “Psychopathic Mind” effectively conjures up its subject matter and “Population Zero” brings back the melodic death metal sound again, like some demented At the Gates influence dipping its oar in. The finale to all this metallic soundscape is the title track, “Code of Consequences”, the spoken word parts adding to the dramatic effect of this already dramatic-sounding piece. No sung vocals here, just solid riffing and measured solos to accompany the wordplay. All in all a concrete death metal offering with tinges of thrash and melodic death thrown into the mix. Vocals are strong and consistent, the guitar playing is tight and accomplished. A deathly pleasure.
Rating - 85/100
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Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
Formed in 2005 in Denver, Colorado, Born in Winter first came onto the radar with their debut album in 2007. After releasing another full-length the band returns with their third album “Dreaming in Seasons”. The bands style is an interesting mixture of Gothic/Alternative/Mainstream metal, all rolled up into one. The main focal point in Born in Winter and what really got my attention initially was lead vocalist Nicole Benton. Her voice is just huge, dramatic and highly expressive. She’s got star quality written all over her, oh yeah, and the rest of the band is pretty good too. The opening track “Wasted Life” is actually kind of disarming, as it features some grunt male vocals, before Nicole joins in with her magical voice. Musically, this is about a mid-tempo song, which is the style that Born in Winter plays for the most part. The next track is my favorite. “Martyr” starts off slow, before the pounding riffs comes crashing in, the song is also uplifted by an undeniably catchy chorus, but the main thing that stands out is that riff, and Nicole’s voice. “More Than I Deserve” has a slower tempo, while still being heavy; this song has got some serious mainstream potential. Other highlights include: “Watching Walls Fall”, “Like You”, “Buried in Ashes” and “Nowhere to Hide”. The male grunt vocals return sporadically throughout the CD, but they don’t overwhelm anything and don’t take away from the excellent performance of Nicole. After 8-songs and only about 35-minutes worth of music, it is easy to come away impressed with Born in Winter. There is a ton of depth, character and potential to be had on “Dreaming In Seasons”.
Rating - 80/100
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Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
Italian purveyors of Rock Noir, Belladonna returns with their 3rd album of ‘emotionally charged rock-n-roll melodrama’ titled “And There Was Light”. Belladonna are a pretty unique band and their music, I am sure will not appeal to everyone, but should still find its niche amongst rock and metal fans who like their music to be somewhat adventurous. The 1 hour’s worth of eclectic music begins with the intro “Last Night I Died” which segues nicely into “Morning Star Blues”, which gets things off to a solid start. “Stiletto” is next and has an almost heavy pop vibe to it. This song is helped out by a great chorus and melody. This is definitely one of my favorites. The 7-minute heavy ballad “I Feel Life” is next and is definitely one of the biggest highlights for me and features lead vocalist Luana Caraffa turning in an absolutely stunning vocal performance. Other highlights include: “My Sweet Nepenthe”, “Ballerina”, “You and I Are One”, “Be My Star” and “Spirit Dancer”. Personally, after listening to this album a few times, I found myself liking it more and more. Make no mistake about it, Belladonna is an acquired taste and some may find their brand of avant-garde, eclectic music tiresome to listen to in one sitting. Others will surely come to love and admire the chances that this band is willing to take in their music. One thing you can never accuse Belladonna of being is ‘run-of-the-mill’ and that holds true on “And There Was Light”.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Pervade Productions/Thundering Records
Review by Tony Cannella
France’s Syrens Call has a long history that began in the late 90s. They play melodic Progressive Metal filled with rich harmonies and melodies, all of which can be heard on their just released third mega-opus, “Raging Waters”. “Raging Waters” kicks off with the pounding, up-beat “Hang On to Life”. Syrens Call manages to write great songs that should please the progressive crowd while still managing to incorporate a classy commercial appeal to the songs. Highlights include: “I’m Your Only One”, “Ashes of Destiny”, “Perfidious Paradise”, the haunting “Never Come Back Home” and “Desecrated Past” which starts of as a ballad and quickly picks up the tempo as the song progresses. The Coup de grace is the final track, the epic musically bombastic over 13-minute “The Dance of Light”. This is just a wonderfully, huge way to end things that really left me wanting more. I love progressive music as much as the next guy but Syrens Call manages to avoid the traps that many prog bands fall into, writing songs with endless arrangements and performing musical gymnastics. There is some of that on “Raging Waters”, but the band also proves that they are well adept in writing good songs, whether they are 4-minutes or 13-minutes long. In the end, it is all about the songs. “Raging Waters” by Syrens Call is as good as any female fronted prog-metal that I have heard in years. The band does a masterful job at mixing the intricacies that progressive bands are known for, while still maintaining a solid melodic base that could please fans that are not necessarily into Progressive Metal.
Rating - 92/100
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Label : Trance Jam Records
Review by Tony Cannella
The band Pandemonaeon hails from Oakland, California and plays what they describe as Tribal Folk Metal. Their new album is called “Dangerous Beauty” and it offers a dark and exciting vision from vocalist Sharon Knight, Winter and their band mates. “Dangerous Beauty” also incorporates many Middle-Eastern and Celtic influences to their sound. From the very outset with the opener, “Eater of Sorrow”, Pandemonaeon draws the listener in with a captivating sound. With the beautiful vocals of Sharon Knight at the helm, the opening track is a strong number; some male, demonic sounding vocals are supplied to enhance an already excellent track. The melodically charged “Lover’s Pardon” is then followed by the folk-ish “Fierce Black Soul of Night” keeping things on a steady course. “Hunter” is a moody, ballady kind of track featuring vocals, tribal drums and flute as the main instrumentation. The next track, “Heart Girl With a Serpent” changes tempo several times and became an instant favorite. Other highlights include: “Dangerous Beauty”, “The Tower” and “Queen of Shadows”. The band incorporates many exotic non-traditional metal instruments such as Oud, Saz, Violin and many others that I can’t even spell, much less pronounce. According to their bio, Pandemonaeon were formed way back in 1996, so they have obviously been grinding it out for a long time. Hopefully, with “Dangerous Beauty” their hard work will be rewarded. Whether it is or isn’t, you still have to give it up for Pandemoaeon for recording such a good album.
Rating – 90/100
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Label : Napalm Records
Review by Tony Cannella
Katra Solopuro is a very talented vocalist from Finland. Together, with her band they have previously released two full-length albums. Their third – and latest – is titled “Out of the Ashes” and the band continues to mature and progress in the field of symphonic, Gothic Metal.The explosive opener “Delirium” provides plenty of bombast and energy to get “Out of the Ashes” started on a positive note. The following tracks “One Wish Away”, “If There’s No Tomorrow” and “Vendetta” put Katra’s emotive vocal style on display. “Envy” is a beautifully crafted ballad that starts off slow, but builds in tempo. This is one of the stand-out tracks presented here. The majority of the songs falls in the mid-tempo range and is very melodic. The songs wonderfully written and features sterling performances by all of the members. Even though the band is named after Katra Solopuro the band is definitely a solid unit. Highlights include: “Out of the Ashes”, “Anthem” and the acoustically driven “The End of the Scene”. Katra’s previous album “Beast Within” was impressive but “Out of the Ashes” is a step beyond and Katra’s best work to date.
Rating – 88/100
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Label : Black Listed Records
Review By Tony Cannella
The third – and latest – album from the Japanese Metal Maestros AREA51 is titled “Goddess” and it continues using the same approach as their previous work while still progressing. Many of the same qualities are at work here that was featured on their previous release. AREA51 continues to provide great, emotive vocalizing from Kate Cain and the guitar virtuosity of Yoichiro Ishina but besides that the band seems to have grown as musicians and songwriters. The 45-minute CD opens with the movie soundtrack-like intro “Naissance” which lead us into the blood pumping Yngwie-esque track “Nightmare”. The next track is the heavy “Regret et Larme”, which quickly became among my favorites. “Begins of Dissolution” is a huge sounding track that mixes different tempos with huge effectiveness. “Marionnette” opens with a great guitar riff which really highlights the track, which is an up-tempo blazing number. Other highlights include: “Miss You”, “VANITAS” and “Sincerity”. Overall, “Goddess” is more stripped down and raw sounding than their previous work. AREA51 are a band that seems to be firing on all cylinders now and “Goddess” is this talented band from Japan at their very best.
Rating - 92/100
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