Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation - Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation (2008)

   For the Japanese grindcore is a genre that allows them limitless possibilites to express themselves on 2 fields the same time. The first is maximalism based on detailed studies of the exact musical style (it's correct nearly about everything they're starting), and the second is their exageratedly sick tendencies.
  The same happened in this case, and it's a plus interesting thing that Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation is a female grindcore band, that counts quite extraordinary. Even though their wider show up had good timing because of the new wave of grindcore, their music was closer to the old school style of genre, that also sympathized with death metal on the side of simple, punk influenced themes. Therefore their music doesn't lack heaviness, and even if the switchings from simpler, mid speed themes to grinding cannot create real contrast from this level, they're still taking an important role in making the main view diverse. Similar to newer bands, vocal switchings from deep growling to high toned screamings are common. The intensity of the album seems constant because all sides of their mentioned musical toolbar are represented in every song, it doesn't matter how short are they. Longer term listening might cause irretrievable brain damage. Excellent entertainment for grindcore fans!

Captain Cleanoff - Symphonies of Slackness (2008)

   Like many grind bands, Captain Cleanoff also seems like a fun made project that's not supposed to take too seriously, and they're reflecting their morbid humor and sick imaginations through the most exaggerated form of musical expression.
   Still, this band is kind of outstanding amongst the countless others that have been shown up by the Renaissanse wave of grindcore. Not only because Captain Cleanoff have been around since a bit longer time, but their skills and sound are representing a way higher quality. Even though their full-lenght debut includes an evident Carcass reference (that wasn't even really necessary), their music is definitely not only some Carcass copy goregrind. They're having their own style that's easy to distinguish from others. Musically they're balancing between the old school sound of grindcore that wasn't aware to operate with heavier sound and thrash/death influences between the grinding themes; and the modern direction that's not trying to seem too serious by political/societal or extremely sick/severe concepts. The advantage of the first case is because they're staying heavy all the time and therefore they can't build on attitudinizing solutions by switching suddenly from some 2 chords punk theme into insane grinding, musically they're keep staying on a serious level. The concept gives the contrast by it's more chilling, fun based parodic tendecies. The excellent sound quality is just icing on the cake. Strongly recommended for grind fans!

Pervertum Obscurum - Within the Maelsorm of Fire (2008)

   Pervertum Obscurum is a one man project that was made to recall the old school sound of death metal. That was committed by the suspected influences of the classics of the Swedish scene, and bands like Deicide, Morbid Angel and Malevolent Creation.
 The first was represented in the dirty, dull sound and in the simple, primitive themes, while the strongly blasphemous concept and the vocal performance are referring to the American bands. But the album is not only about a primitive hammering rampage, similar to Northern bands, some simple, but catchy leading melodies are completing the unfriendly composition. The vocal is often switching to a higher cawing style like if there was a second backing vocal. That serves as a more insane approach, and also has a diverse effect. Basically the music desperately needs these tiny features that are not supposed to have so high impoartance, but without them, the album would sound quite monotonous. That might be not a problem for the fans of the mentioned influences, and "Within the Maelstorm of Fire" is a great old school death metal nostalgia album, but without the small changes it would be too similar to some of those bands. Still, it was a promising debut and it's recommended for the fans of the genre.

Black Shadow - негасимое бездны пламя! (2008)

   Black Shadow was a quite productive band of 2 members, mainly inspired by the classical sound of Norwegian black metal, but the touch of raw black is also sensable in their music.
  By lacking a drummer, a drum machine they had to use, and the difference is barely statable, only the cymbals sounding sometimes artificial or a bit not fitting, but except that it was a good made combination. The band preferred the intense and aggressive expression and a cleaner sound than it was usual at ordinary black. Instead of the atmospheric sound, melodies the've brought into focus to compense the frequently returning wildly hammering intensity. Their music is somewhere between the Norwegian style and Marduk, and also balancing between the old school and a more modern sound of black metal. If the listener pays attention, occasionally there are also some themes to find that may doesn't completely fit into the style and could serve as old school references to ordinary heavy metal. But because of the unified sound and their short appearence they aren't so influental in the main view, only there as interesting surprises. The album could be quite enjoyable for most deviant fans of the genre.

Pentsign - Какофонический марш тьмы (2008)

 With the ordinary mixture of death and traditional black metal debuted Pentsign, but their performance also reflected modern tendencies.
   Their themes are evidently following the Northerm styled black, but often they breaking the line in a way how it was used to in old school death, to return soon into black more intensively. Except the simpler switchings and the clear sound, their music keeps staying on the black line. The temporary theme changes partly serving as an old school feature, and meanwhile pushing their ravaging hammerings into focus. The atmosphere also gains some role, but the main wiev is closer to raw black because of the pure aggressive tone and the insane vocal style. The modern direction is represented in the sound most of all, and in the vocal switchings into deep growls. It's literally like a balancing on more borderlines at the same time. Raw black metal spreaded fast from the early '00s, and if Pentsign's goal was to make a step forward in aggressiveness and insanity with their music, they've certainly succeeded. Even though their record probably got lost amongst the countless similar others that time, their sound is quite stunning and worhts for a listen for the fans of the genre.

Dead Congregation - Graves of the Archangels (2008)

   Dead Congregation's full-lenght debut gained wide attention fast and their name became well known and notorious in the extreme underground scene.
   The album starts with an ominious melodic instrumental intro that could sound misleading, since in the followings they are definitely not even trying to pick up the same line. Their blasphemous brutal music hits like a raw, unexpected punch that could easily be a knockout for the unsuspicios listener. On the side of the noisy, heavy impression, the deep growling vocal style and the main concept; the guitar themes often referring to Incantation, if the previous features didn't serve enough well as a hint. This is a quite characteristic way how nobody else played before but Incantation, and similar slow downs are also common. Still, Dead Congregation's music is easier to go into, because melodies having bigger role at them, and theme changes aren't so frequent. There is a leading melody that creates to a massive whole with the noisy themes like in ordinary black metal, except in this case the heaviness is having exclusive role. Incantation also showed similar tendencies, but in this case it became a main direction, therefore Dead Congregation might sound audience-friendlier. Basically it's an excellent record, recommended for the fans of blasphemous brutal death metal.