Metal Bulletin Zine # 52 www.metalbulletin.blogspot.com Drawn and Quartered (Seattle, U.S.)

Divahar (Armenia)

Stargazery (Finland), Ecthyma (Peru), Posthum (Norway), Ensiferum (Finland), Renegade (Italy), Theories (Seattle), Melechesh [a contribution by Matt Spall, Man of Much Metal] www.facebook.com/pages/The-Metal-Bulletin-paper-zine www.twitter.com/MetalBulletinZn Washington state, U.S.

www.fuglymaniacs.com (issues online, concert videos, interviews, ) history of Metal Bulletin Zine #1-20: (2006-2009): Wisconsin #21-26: (2009-2010): Texas #27(2010)-- now; Washington state

- metal on the radio/internet (Pacific Time) Metal Shop (Seattle, WA): Saturday 11pm-3am KISW 99.9fm www.kisw.com Sweet Nightmares (Houston, TX): Thursday night 9pm-12am KPFT 90.1 fm www.kpft.org Excuse All the Blood (Olympia, WA): Friday night 11pm-1am www.kaosradio.org [melodic heavy metal] Stargazery (Finland): Stars Aligned (Pure Legend Records) In the world of adult contemporary melodic metal things do not get much better than Stargazery because the band is so masterful at traditional, melodic heavy metal that the album will hit the mark after exactly this many listens: one. Huge choruses, gigantic classic-style metal riffs, and every song is meant to be a greatest hit. The album sounds like a greatest hits compilation, but this is a normal Stargazery album. The bands second one, actually; the debut Eye on the Sky is from 2011. If you form a traditional metal band it helps if you find a person that sings really well, and Stargazerys Mr. Jari Tiura has that singing voice that propels the songs. Its a pleasant, smooth voice that the traditional metal listener can immediately recognize and welcome. Then, of course, the question depends on the songs themselves in order to find out if Stargazery has what it takes. Fortunately, the songs represent a great study in the history of metal. Power metal, heavy metal, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and classic rock join together in Stargazery for a major conglomeration of melody and memorability in the style of classic Stratovarius and Edguy/Avantasia. More specifically, Stargazery is melodic metal with a keys/symphonic background, some shredding/virtuoso soloing, and a fundamental, polished AOR sensibility in the songwriting. At times, the listener might get

the impression that Stargazery is a melodic metal version of classic, 80s, big-hit-era Journey. Stargazery seems hell bent on making the type of album that once you hear it, you might get stuck listening to this album over and over. Great success. High five!

www.facebook.com/stargazery www.stargazery.com www.purelegend-records.com [traditional black thrash] Ecthyma (Peru) Ecthyma has been active since 2012, and they have a necro demo called Necromancia.

This demo is recommended for those that are dedicated to underground obscurantist black metal. The band is made up of Alessandra Battle Hymns on vocals and guitar, Lotus Yorke on bass and Bruja (Witch) on drums. As much black metal as thrash, the band is for those devoted to the sounds of necro metal in general. Personally, I think the five-song recording (about 27 minutes) sounds good in

3

the style, and I look forward to hearing a full album. www.soundcloud.com/mario-velatorio www.facebook.com/pages/ECTHYMA/497235776988285?sk=timeline [current traditional black metal] Posthum (Norway): The Black Northern Ritual (Indie Recordings) The 2012 album Lights Out showed that Posthum can play black metal, but it also demonstrated that the band wanted to move away from black metal, as if Posthum was somewhat uncomfortable with the category of black metal. Perhaps they were hesitant about certain things: How to play black metal if you are a Norwegian band and not be accused of copying the older generations? How to play black metal and find your own way within the genre? How to sound like Posthum; what exactly is the musical direction of Posthum? Whereas Lights Out sounded ambivalent about the bands identity, there is one thing that you can take to the bank about Posthum and this new album The Black Northern Ritual: The band has found its black metal mojo and sounds positively rejuvenated. In the process, Posthum, as it turns out, does have something to offer to black metal listeners.

The band sounds a lot more confident playing modern, part grip/part melodic uptempo black metal. From a metal perspective, these songs connect a lot faster with the listener. One no longer gets the feeling that Posthum is trying to get away from its heritage of metal.

For instance, Demon Black Skies sounds close to necro, classic black metal, but there is a smidge of melancholic melodies at work, even with this headbanging tune. Then, on To the Pits the band expands its wings and we begin to hear in a more full way how Posthum utilizes the spiraling tremolo guitar work for the creation of melancholy, wrapped in black metal. Then, on a song like Vinter the tempo is slowed down to melancholy, depression black metal, which adds to the variety of moods that the band works with.

Overall, this album sounds like Posthum has found its way of being black metal and still have the space to be Posthum. It is very pleasing to hear a Norwegian band making this type of album. The band is saying with this album, Yes, Posthum is black metal. I had the feeling that we might lose Posthum to post-rock or post-metal, and that years down the road we would find them making weird music of the abstract/absurdist kind. Its nice to see Posthum stay metal and get more comfortable within its own skin and its own metal heritage. www.posthum.no www.indierecordings.no www.facebook.com/posthumofficial [melodic folk metal] Ensiferum (Finland): One Man Army (Metal Blade Records) Ensiferum is fun metal in a way that other bands are not because the Finns seem unafraid to sound like they are having fun. Some bands want to seem angry or depressed, but Ensiferum want none of that negative energy/posturing.

Really, Ensiferum is rather intelligent in the way that they lead the listener to perceive the album. One of the smartest things about One Man Army is the sequence of the songs. Even though the band writes all sorts of songs, and stylistically, the band is all over the place, the band front loads the first half of the

4

album with the faster, heavier, more direct songs, which makes the first half of the album something like epic battle metal along the lines of modern melodic death metal. That is not the whole story, though. Theres a lot more going on. The second half of the album brings out a veritable spectrum of metal. Power metal melodies, symphonic metal, Viking metal, ballads, covers, folk metal, Manowar-ish hymns, epic metal, melodic singing, country music and a bunch of other things come out the woodwork. Its like Ensiferum has done two albums in one, or its like they are the ice cream man, all the flavors are guaranteed to satisfy, stop them when theyre passing by.

Essentially, once the band has established the metal in the first half of the album, they feel free to explore, to have more fun, and do other things, and it does not sound as crazy as it looks on paper, like when I am explaining it.

All of this goes to show how skilled these

musicians really are, and how open-minded they are, and how much they like to have fun with their metal. Basically, Ensiferum is not for uptight snobs. Yes, go ahead and reach for the six-pack of ODouls, fire up the grill for the soy sausages and party it up right! www.facebook.com/Ensiferum www.ensiferum.com www.metalblade.com

[black metal] Divahar (Armenia)

Heres one for those into black metal with a symphonic/gothic feel. Divahar is a black metal band from Armenia. Listening to the album, its clear that Divahar is a very promising band with a bright future, as long as there is an audience that supports this black metal band. Unfortunately, there is not much information that Metal Bulletin Zine can give you about metal from Armenia, aside from naming some bands and albums. Be that as it may, this is Divahar, this is metal from Armenia today and if you are the type that is always seeking to hear new bands, listen to the album. Very good news: the complete album is available on YouTube, so theres no excuse for not checking the music out. www.soundcloud.com/divaharofficial www.facebook.com/divaharband https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpsYo_ovb3Y [traditional heavy metal] Renegade (Italy): Thunder Knows No Mercy (Pure Steel Records) Bands like Judas Priest, Primal Fear and HammerFall are the personification of heavy metal. That is, if someone wants a definition of heavy metal, it is not difficult to provide one. Listen to Stained Class or Defenders of the Faith or Nuclear Fire or Glory to the Brave. That is what traditional heavy metal is.

5

Renegade is heavy metal. Renegade is a bunch of stubborn fanatics that has studied the sounds, songs, structures, tempos, traditions, solos, guitar work and vocals of heavy metal. Renegade says, If you feel at home with heavy metal, give us a chance to show you what we can do for you. In metal, if a band shows that they are serious students of the music and they can demonstrate that they have the whole package (talent, skill, desire), too, then that is when a band is worth your time and money. Renegade is not fooling around at all, and immediately comes across as seriously dedicated heavy metal played by a talented group. The first song, Nobody Lives Forever makes clear that the band means to capture the devoted listener of the style. This midtempo/uptempo song has everything you want in the style. Then, The World Is Dying follows up with a faster energy that establishes the muscle of Renegade. Now, comes the crucial question, Ok, so the first few songs rock, but what about the rest of the album? The album has eight songs, and at no time do I get the impression that there is one single filler track. All the songs sound like the band has worked on them a lot. In reality, the complete album sounds like they labored on every song. For me, this matter is very important because I dont want to listen to some band that has two or three good songs, and then the rest of the album is a bunch of inferior songs.

Isnt that really what the listener wants? An album that shows dedication to the craft throughout, instead of half-hearted songs or a collection of half-done, hastily written songs; or, just as bad, a band with little talent and skill; attitude alone is not enough in heavy metal; you must have the skills. Renegade has been active since 2005 and with this album now has five albums in total. This is the first time that I hear this bands music, and Renegade leaves a very good impression

after listening to the album a few times. This is Renegade. This is heavy metal.

www.facebook.com/ThunderKnowsNoMercy www.puresteel-shop.com/RENEGADE-Thunder-Knows-No-Mercy [grind] Theories (U.S.): Regression (Metal Blade Rec.) Seattes own grind band Theories have been getting some positive feedback on this recording. I have read all sorts of typical metal reviews that compare this album to nuclear weapons, the apocalypse or the end of the universe or whatever. I wonder if the band just busts out laughing when they read the ridiculous reviews. This album will give you a giant heart attack; This album makes nuclear weapons seem like kindergarten toys; and that type of hyperbole. Nevertheless, if grind tickles your fancy, you should at least give Theories a listen and find out for yourself what all the fuss is about. I have been listening to quite a bit of it and certainly seems like the superfast sound is impossible to understand with just one listen.

6

Anyway, Napalm Death has a new album and that one sounds pretty great, as usual, but theres more grind out there, like Theories. In Seattle, the kids are already running wild in the streets chanting Theories! Theories! www.theories.us www.facebook.com/theoriesgrind www.metalblade.com INTERVIEW with Drawn and Quartered In the state of Washington, death metal band Drawn and Quartered has been making music for a long time, going back to the early 1990s. The band is an important piece of the puzzle of underground metal in Washington. This interview with the band has a tremendous amount of history and information about the band and metal in this region. www.facebook.com/drawnandquartered Drawn and Quartered was formed in 1993 after bands like Butchery, Infester and Disbelief disbanded. Do you remember when those bands were formed, what was it that inspired you all to join bands in the first place, was it the late 80s? Were those three bands death metal? (guitarist) Kelly Shane Kuciemba answered. DRAWN AND QUARTERED was one of several names the band was considering along with a few others such as MASOLEUM, ABORTUARY

and SUFFOCATED CORPSE in 1995. The consensus within the band was our current bass player Jeff Smith needed to go, and we weren't going to be called PLAGUE BEARER going forward. Jeff was my friend. He was a skilled musician. But his personality rubbed some people the wrong way. PLAGUE BEARER was my vision. Jeff and I had been working on some projects in 1991-1992. On of them we stepped into became SEPTICEMIA. Although he wasn't asked back, I ended up helping shape some song ideas into what is kind of a legendary 7-song 4-track demo we called 'Eternal Suffering'. Legendary, in that it is so hilariously bad. The music is a bit under rehearsed, and the vocal performance/style has been subject to some scrutiny. I managed to creatively mix it and with a few effects, it is a good representation of our set. The band dissolved, mixes probably got tape-traded a little, but the demo was never released.

In late summer of 1992 I began developing music and lyrics for a new band I named PLAGUE BEARER. I had a background in music, choir, theory, guitar, bass, piano, recording. I had grown up in the late 70s and early 80s. I loved rock music from the BEATLES, HENDRIX and CREAM. Later DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH. The NWoBHM inspired speed metal and thrash from the East Coast, Bay Area. MOTORHEAD must be mentioned. VENOM spawned from that, BATHORY took things to a new level with 'Under the Sign of the Black Mark'. What inspired me was what early POSSESSED, SLAYER and DEATH were doing.

7

The doom of SABBATH. BOLT THROWER 'War Master' was big for me. The un-holy trinity for me was and still is; MORBID ANGEL 'Altars of madness', INCANTATION 'Onward to Golgotha', and IMMOLATION 'Dawn of Posession. The evolution of metal. I lived it. I saw it. For 10 years I lived for going to every show I could. Now, in 1992 I finally had the vision for my band. Inspired by all that came before, armed with years of music education, experience and devotion PLAGUE BEARER was born! Dave Procoppio and I became pretty good friends for a couple of years in the early 90s. Dave was dabbling with playing drums in various bands and I first met him at the Jam Box where we had rehearsed for a few months and recorded as SEPTICEMIA. We were hanging out listening to some PLAGUE BEARER rehearsals when his phone rang. Dave asks me if he should book PLAGUE BEARER for a show he was playing with his band DISBELIEF. INFESTER was also on the bill. I said yes. PLAGUE BEARER had been rehearsing for about two months before our first show. It's January 31st 1993. Superbowl Sunday. The show is at the Lake Union Pub tonight. The band decided to rehearse and then load out before the show. I also decided to swing by my friends Superbowl party. Free beer and food! Our rehearsal went pretty well. But after loading out of our rehearsal shed, loading in at the Pub, the day was starting to take a toll on me. By the time we went on I was a nervous wreck. This was my first full gig as a guitar player! I'd been in singer in high school in 1984 singing Priest, Zeppelin, Maiden and Sabbath. But I was shaking like leaf as Jeff is setting up a video camera on a tri-pod to record our performance. January 31st 1993. Superbowl Sunday. The very first performance of my new band, my vision. PLAGUE BEARER!

We were abysmal. My knees were knocking together I was so nervous. I lost 5 gallons of sweat. My mom is there and can be heard cheering us on in the crowd, she has yet to see another of my performances live. Our drummer, Eric Brewer seems to have completely forgotten how the songs go. Of course, there is no stage, let alone monitors. The P.A. system was probably meant for community center bingo. Shalom is the vocalist. I'm not sure he ever had grasp of how the lyrics were intended to be phrased. Jeff seemed to be having fun. I remember DISBELIEF and INFESTER being really good. Odin from Moribund offered to distribute our demo tape. We recorded a demo, played 1 show, but my line-up dissolved a couple weeks later. I went and saw BUTCHERY at the Lake Union Pub. It's spring 1993. Herb Burke is the vocalist, he's got the perfect sound and presence for my new PLAGUE BEARER demo. Danny Hodge is the bass player and...WTF! Eric Brewer on drums! After PLAGUE BEARER fell apart he'd joined BUTCHERY! And they were pretty good. It was their first and only show. After writing some new songs I ask Herb and Danny to help with my new demo 'Bubonic Death'. I wrote the music and lyrics, except 'Winds of Pestilence', that was still just a title. Dave Procoppio had been rehearsing the songs with me for a few weeks. Herb and and Danny rehearsed a few times and we recorded in the summer of 1993. That demo was distributed by Moribund Records. We did few more shows, but ultimately didn't do much until 1994 and Matt Cason was referred to us by Beau Galloway from DISBELIEF. During this time I'd also met Greg Reeves who played bass with us from 1997-2008 and Dario Derna (INFESTER) who played drums with us from 2002-2012.

8

Can you give us a bit of a landscape view of the metal scene in the early 90s in Seattle, as you experienced in the metal underground with your band? How was it different or the same as the late 80s? The early 90s are considered the golden age of death metal. Yet, I have never heard anyone explain the situation for death metal in Seattle in the early 90s, but you would be highly qualified to speak about it, correct? What was that like for you? The metal scene for me went from huge shows at the Domes and Arenas in Washington, as a teenager to smaller more underground shows gradually, to the current level of pretty packed clubs is the best most bands in the underground are doing. As thrash and speed metal pushed aside power metal in the mid to late 80s local bands began to get a bit grittier, like METAL CHURCH. I lived south of Seattle, and was having to work by this time. And try to catch shows. I didn't have a band, really. I jammed a lot, and recorded, went to school, but I never saw grunge or death metal coming. In fact, grunge never REALLY existed. I guess a few crappy bands played in some scuzzy bars who were turned off by hearing power ballads by POISON and WHITESNAKE. Eventually a few them could cobble enough songs, and work long enough and hard enough to get something acceptable

together and persevere long enough to become appreciated for getting better at what they were doing, and a lot of people were sick of power ballads, and spandex, and unattainable champagne and sports car rock MTV video era. People watched Friends, Frasier and Seinfeld, and sipped Lattes, pretty soon grunge is being referenced on Friends, and sold at the Bon! One video created an industry, and the rest got lumped in as grunge. Metal was non-existent in Seattle. Everyone was aware of it, influenced by it. But real metal was in the bars and finally small clubs, most with no stage or proper sound reinforcement. By the time I figured out what kind of music I wanted to play, I'd missed the boat. The thrash movement was fading. It was pretty small, anyway. Forced Entry. Nothing was happening. The situation was bleak. We'd go to the few shows that were starting to come through, but it was quite a few years until any of the original death metal bands got to Seattle. We were aware of it, we were writing, recording and performing it. No one really wanted to hear it. Odin [from Moribund Records] did his best, and made a lot of great releases, and some sold good. For me, the early 90s was a Golden Age of Death Metal. It is the time when I combined what I loved about underground music into my own vision, and have been inspired to create and continue for over 20 years. Of course, 20 years later, it is a reference point for underground music. But it is up to someone to preserve, improve upon and continue to evolve a pure version of this art form.

At the time it didn't seem like there were way too many bands doing this already. There seemed to be so many distinct ways of going about it. Nobody sounded the same, for long. Death metal was cool for about 3 years, but if you were cool around here in the mid to late nineties, you were into Black Metal. There were a few good Death Metal bands by 1996 when DRAWN AND QUARTERED began

9

performing regularly. We were never quite with the trend of

the moment. We just worked really hard for a long time on what were trying to do. I have some amazing rehearsal tapes. We made the DRAWN AND QUARTERED demo, that we put out from 1996-1997. We had a buddy record it, and only ended up with two rough mixes. The sound is horrible, but we never got to mix it properly before the guy disappeared. We started doing shows at every little dive bar in town. On our 3rd show ever we weaseled our way onto the bill featuring NAPALM DEATH and AT THE GATES in Seattle in 1996! We played an amazing set! The sound was great, we played brilliantly! Soon after we got the Obituary gig. And we opened for lots of shows that came to town in the mid to late 90s. Going back even further in time. What kind of metal did you grow up with, as youth? Were you at all interested in the Seattle bands, like Metal Church and Queensryche? Were your parents into metal music? What kind of music were your friends into? I listened to the BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, JIMI HENDRIX, CLAPTON, LED ZEPPELIN, THE WHO, BLACK SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE. So That would have been my parents era, my dad had many of those records, also THE ROLLING STONES and many others, but they both had other musical tastes for the music of the times. A few years later when I'm into PRIEST and MAIDEN, and heavier stuff I did listen to and have seen METAL CHURCH. I love the first two records, for sure. I also like the first EP from QUEENSRYCHE. I was a singer in cover bands around then. My friends and listened to the SCORPIONS, DIO, JUDAS PRIEST, KROKUS, BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, early DEF LEPPARD, ACCEPT, SAXON, DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE, ACDC, LED ZEPPELIN and RUSH. Later in high school came MOTORHEAD, METALLICA, RAVEN, ANTHRAX,

SLAYER, MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND. I saw all those bands. POSSESSED and DEATH as well. VENOM, EXCITER, then DESTRUCTION, BATHORY, SODOM, and KREATOR. My friends were from a different era, they weren't keeping up, so I found new friends. The band's first recording is the self-titled demo from 1996, and then the album "To Kill Is Human" from 1999. How frustrating was it for you personally to be in death metal bands for so long before putting out an album? You must have been frustrated seeing the high popularity of death metal in the underground in the 90s and you were probably thinking you all need to get it together and put out your first album. Our poor-sounding demo wasn't really helping get any record deals. Matt and Greg helped spearhead getting the first record done. It was on a 12-track tape deck. We had a set amount of time to record. Instead of focusing on just better versions of 3-5 songs, we decided we are going record all ten songs we had, the final one still be worked out. This is now 1998. We'd done a few dozen shows and rehearsed quite a bit to try to pull off this record in the equivalent of two full days to record and mix. Technically, it was a short session to set up and mike the drums, the next day we recorded everything. In one take, usually the first. Very few overdubs. I didn't really have many solos or many second guitar parts. I was already sick of playing the same songs for 4 years. I was very frustrated. I was ready to record an album back in 1994. I even had the money. But it took the band 2 years to get to the point of doing the 8-song demo. Part of the problem is that Matt and I never really clicked musically. It took forever to get a part or song completed. By 1998 I was ready to revive PLAGUE BEARER or do a side band so I could continue developing my writing, and

10

lead playing, as I was completely dissatisfied and stagnating in DRAWN AND QUARTERED. Honestly, the recorded versions of songs aren't as good as rehearsal and some 4-track demos I had of all the early songs. The versions recorded before Matt were even better, 'The Hills Run Red,' and 'Christian Extinction.' He would never learn the Bubonic Death' material. I think he was overcomplicating things for himself. But it is what it is. I love Matt like a brother. I am proud of the record, and the shows and tours we did. We had a lot of great times. We still do. But the best thing for DRAWN AND QUARTERED in the end is when he left. I was supposed to 'fire him.' Ultimately, we talked and it was decided that he would leave the band, and focus on SERPENS AEON. And they went on to make a great record! Matt did a lot for DRAWN AND QUARTERED for 8 years. He and Greg did a lot to get this band off the ground. It was a very frustrating time. But I never gave up. Because through it all I was finally getting better. It took that long for me to get better, as a performer, player, writer, soloist and recording artist. And with a lot more hard work, and multiple bands and projects, shows and tours we finally became what DRAWN AND QUARTERED became after 2002. As it turns out, your first album came out during the revival of death metal in the late 90s. Nile, Krisiun and Hate Eternal were finally awakening an interest in death metal at a higher level again. Bands like Krisiun had weathered the black metal popularity and now newer death metal bands (compared to Death, Morbid Angel, etc.) had some bands getting some international attention. How was your debut album received in the United States and the Pacific Northwest in general? All three of the bands mentioned were influential, and I got to open for or see. Around this time we were doing some U.S.

tours. Despite its flaws, no one beat us up too bad for our debut 'To Kill is Human.' Although we did finance the record, artwork and first pressing, it was originally intended to be a demo. We shopped a tape around a little, but didn't get a deal immediately, so we just put it out. It is a low-budget affair, considering the expense of recording back then. Although we'll probably have the same budget for our next record! It is a different era now, you can make great sounding records much easier now, you just need some good songs if you want to make a good record. Our songs suffered from bad production in the past. As far as how it was received, it was considered an instant classic. It's just that Black Metal was all the rage still. And the bands that did come out like NILE, KRISIUN, and HATE ETERNAL...they were REALLY good! There was a lot of ultra brutal stuff out there, and for a while even guitar solos went away on many records.

Our record was OK, but it could have been produced better. So by this time I had a couple of crappy sounding demos, and sort of underwhelming debut record. I was sick of the style we were doing, and Matt didn't see that interested in my ideas. He and Greg had been working together for a few years, but that working relations ship began to strain, and the band began to suffer. Matt and Greg had other bands going as well. The potential of DRAWN AND QUARTERED is present on the record, and in hindsight it is a telling piece of work, a solid foundation for what was to come. Unfortunately the production, and mix hold it back a bit. We sold and promoted many copies in the Pacific NorthWest and around the country. Most of the reviews were in small print fanzines, so not immortalized in the digital age that we were on the precipice of. [End of part 1. Next issue will have the concluding part. **

11

Melechesh: Enki (Nuclear Blast) by Matt Spall, the Man of Much Metal

www.manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com

A few years ago, youd be hard-pressed to name a single hard rock or heavy metal band from Israel. Today, its quite different. Alongside Orphaned Land and Distorted Harmony, I can now add Melechesh to the list. Admittedly theyve been based in Amsterdam since 1998, but the roots of Melechesh burrow back to Jerusalem where the band was created as long ago as 1993. Created in the early 90s by the band mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Ashmedi, Melechesh was created to explore a style of music which sought to blend extreme black metal with authentic Middle Eastern influences. The birth of Melechesh therefore led to the creation of self-proclaimed Mesopotamian Metal or Sumerian black thrashing metal, so named because of the Assyrian and occult-based themes explored within the extreme metal framework.

Fittingly then, the album title follows a similar theme. In Sumerian mythology, Enki is the God of crafts, namely mischief, water and creation. And its an apt title as well, given that this is such a striking creation. Mind you, Enki, the sixth album from Melechesh was a slow-burner but after a lot of effort on my part in the beginning, I have grown to really like this record.

Some people in the past have rather disingenuously dismissed Melechesh as a Nile clone, due to the blend of extreme metal and ethnic instrumentation. But, try as I might, I cant really hear the similarities; Nile are brutal death metal at their core whilst Melechesh offer more of a black metal approach with plenty of thrash embellishments to compliment their sound. Melechesh are therefore very much their own band with their own identity as far as Im concerned.

The album opens in typically savage and uncompromising style in the form of Tempest Temper Enlil Enraged. A six-plus minute track, it is one of the most black metal-centric compositions that Enki has to offer. It is chock full of lightning-fast drumming from returning member Lord Curse and the riffs are fast-picked staccato monsters. And yet, despite the snarling growled vocals and relentless brutality, it packs a certain groovy punch too, which helps to regulate the pace and keep things entertaining.

Following hard on the heels of the opener is The Pendulum Speaks, a shorter track that takes an Eastern melody and wraps it up in a really powerful foot-tapping tempo. The snarled vocals are still front and centre, as is the impressive rhythm section but its the mid-tempo stomp that gets my head nodding in appreciation, allowing the strength of the 12-string guitars to take full effect. At times Im even reminded of early Sepultura, its that damn huge.

And therein lies the strength of Melechesh and Enki'; the ability by the band to pen music that is authentic to its Middle Eastern roots without sacrificing any of the brutality or extremity in the process and, if anything, making those Middle-Eastern influences an integral part of the music without which, the essence of Melechesh would conceivably be lost.

Enki is an album best enjoyed as a whole but even so, there are a few highlights worthy of particular mention. Firstly, there are the guest appearances from Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Killer Be Killed, The Cavalera Conspiracy, ex-Sepultura), Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) and Rob Caggiano (Volbeat, ex-Anthrax).

And then theres the music itself. Enki Divine Nature Awoken is a gargantuan track thats groovy as hell but also epic in its scope. Ushered in by some quiet ethnic instrumentation it soon explodes into the

12

mother of all mid-tempo riffs, heavy enough to crush all within its path. Its also quite sinister in tone thanks to its sheer relentlessness and the dark chanting towards the end.

Metatron And Man is a frenetically paced number that thunders along and reminds me a little of Dissection in its execution. Then theres the somewhat cheeky, hard-rock stomp of The Palm The Eye and Lapis Lazuli that has to be one of the most catchy extreme metal songs I have heard in a long time. Authentic instrumentation comes to the fore courtesy of Doorways To Irkala, a composition thats darkly hypnotic and a welcome change of pace from the onslaught that has gone before it.

The album then closes with another epic track in terms of both length and ambition, in the shape of The Outsiders. The central riff is relatively simple but effective in its bludgeoning strength but even so it threatens to be dwarfed by everything going on around it, such is the breadth and depth of the music on offer.

There are one or two less than stellar moments within Enki and arguably, the end result is not wildly different from their past efforts. However, if what youre looking for is an album that will bludgeon you with power and brutality but that also has an intelligent underbelly, willing and capable of treading a slightly different path from its contemporaries, then I highly recommend Melechesh and Enki. The Score Of Much Metal: 8.0

May 24th, 2015.]