Coffinborn - Beneath the Cemetery (2014)

   Coffinborn debuted with a pretty stunning EP. Considering that it's a Hungarian band playing high quality death metal and seemingly showed up from nothing by an Xtreem Music release, it doesn't seem like an everydays event. The imagination that a tiny, normally forgettable metal scene like this is about to go through a very promising metamorphosis, might serve as a reason for enthusiasm for the local fans of the genre, but the reality is a bit simpler. 
    The band is bonded to two musicians who are originally from the city of Szeged, Hungary (Lambert Lédeczy - drums, and Tibor Hanyi - guitars, vocals) and who also played in Tyrant Goatgaldrakona. One of them or both of them also played in a few other impressive death metal bands located in the same area, such as Gravecrusher, Rothadás, Cryptworm, not to mention some black metal bands (Fagyhamu, Ahriman) or bands that no information could be found about, but the analogy seems clear (Tomb Portal). Some of them will be mentioned in details in the future. Unlike in the case of side projects, Coffinborn isn't the same like the member's previous death metal band. It could be easily distinguished from Tyrant Goatgaldrakona by its more old school, thrash influenced touch. The song structures are simpler, the basic essence of the old school aspect of the genre is in focus. Thrashing intensity, short, fast solos, putrid sound and down pulling filth. Nothing extraordinarily new, but quite a novelty in its local scene, and enjoyably refreshing compared to the actual trends in the main metal scene. The only evident analogy with Tyrant Goatgaldrakona is the great quality and production that also rarely could be heard in this region.
   Old school death metal at its best, a potential favorite for the fans of the genre!

Krampüs - Graveyard Blowjob (2014)

   Grindcore or death/grind isn't the most usual style to encounter in the small Hungarian extreme metal scene, therefore Krampüs was able to gain attention instantly by their first full-length album, "Mental Holocaust". Decent, primitive and enjoyable death/grind, that's easy to go into.
    By their return with "Graveyard Blowjob" they continued the same grossness and violence based path spiced with some sexual aberrations and perversions, but this time with way better sound quality than before. It's not the most usual sound if it's about grindcore, more like modern brutal death metal related, but it turned out to be an advantageous step, cause the noisier, lower toned sound instantly highlighted the heaviness of their music. Therefore "Graveyard Blowjob" hits way harder than the first album did by its dull sound, that kinda took from the impression of the music's intensity. Krampüs had a strong old school touch since the beginning, and they preferred to rely on the contrast of thrashing tempo and frequent slow downs. Actual grinding is way less common than how it should be expected. The brutal death tone can compense that, and by the primitive approach during the short songs lengths it works just fine. But this way grinding became like some very special gift that a death/grind band is willing to offer only occasionally. 

Lepra - Tongue of Devil Prayers (2014)

   Since the late '90s/early '00s black metal became evidently the most popular extreme subgenre in Hungary. This might not be surprising, since the style earned pretty wide attention internationally too meanwhile, but in Hungary compared to other extreme styles, the number of black metal bands also giving the absolute majority since then. But unfortunately, the impressive number of bands didn't have stimulating effect on the quality of the music in its local scene, therefore black metal earned an overrated status in Hungary. 
    Lepra's debut could be sorted to the rare gems in this small scene, despite quite evident rip-offs could be discovered on the album. That's also very typical about nearly the whole metal scene in Hungary, but Lepra did manage to give some less usual, genuine features and perspective to their strongly Burzum influenced themes. At one hand deep under the blackened mass, the album has a quite old school, thrash influenced tone, that fortunately didn't come from the limited capabilities of the musicians as usual. And this time-to time revealing ancient feeling ended up as some redefining effect, that turned the album pretty enjoyable. By the vocal style they also refused to follow the ordinary path, cause it's like half way between whispering and suffocating. In total what could be heard on "Tongue of Devil Prayers" is enough old school and tradition following, but includes elements that could be weird for those, who aren't into any kind of experimenting in the style; and very exciting for those who are able to embrace a little bit of weirdness, that isn't exactly the same old weird stuff. The album could easily catch and lead the listener by its simple and very familiar themes. The role of the atmosphere and the themes are balanced, and sound quality is also great. Unlike many fellow black metal bands, Lepra did create something easily distinguishable and outstanding, that made it worth to pay attention to this small scene.

Cripper - Hyëna (2014)

   Similar to most German bands in general, Cripper also tried to do things a bit different if it's about concept and lyrical topics. At one hand this always turns out to be a good idea, cause this way many bands could have the chance to form their own (and many times odd) character. But the forced struggles to avoid clichés led to the development of hipsterization, that of course in Germany became the strongest trend, and ended up as the biggest cliché ever.
   However, Cripper's endeavours more reflected the "want to be different" ambitions of the '90s German scene, that was pretty much consolidated compared to the followings, and therefore despite Cripper had a pretty modern sound of thrash and their music was far from any '80s or '90s nostalgia, still sounded quite old school in their own time. Their energetic, intense thrashing always had a rougher, slightly death metal influenced tone, and excellent production. If it's about themes and quality, they were never joking. Social criticism was always an essential part of thrash metal, but Cripper always offered a slightly different down-to-earth perspective, that also had certain portions of truly rebellious language, on a not too insulting level. This golden middle way approach was always very typical to the scene, and this was also the reason why similar bands never gained the attention that they have been theoretically worthy of by avoiding clichés. Rigidness isn't a supporting feature in this genre, and even though the band always had potential, this frequently returning (typically German) issue served as a factor that raked out the fire.
   Anyways, "Hyëna" is still a highly enjoyable album for the fans of thrash metal.

Holy Moses - Redefined Mayhem (2014)

   Despite being one of the earliest thrash metal bands in a scene that gained wide international attention, Holy Moses was never one of the best known or most popular names in the genre. This is partly because their music was also not the easiest to go into, and partly because their performances were far from being stable, like switching from impressive albums to completely forgettable ones. For this the main reason could be that their songs always sounded like they were edited on some design table. Theoretically great compositions, but what looks good on paper, not always sounds so cool in practice. 
   Fortunately "Redefined Mayhem" counts as a wave crest in their discography - unlike for instance their following and farewell album "Invisible Queen", that could serve as a guide for how to end a band's career the most inglorious and disappointing way as possible. In fact, "Redefined Mayhem" could have been a way more worthy final album, not only because it's simply better, but also cause it sounds like a summarizing life review of the band's past. Catchy themes with the same "not too revealing" character that have been typical to their early period could be found the same way like songs with the more aggressive tone like on "Strength Power Will Passion" for instance. The returning reference to dogs also showed up in the lyrics  like in the old times (probably a strongly dog lover band), and also male vocal (not only in secondary supporting role as usual) could be heard in the last short song. And after getting used to Frau Classen's legendary voice an album length, it does effect the same way surprising as back then. For those who missed Holy Moses' early period, this record is definitely a potential favorite, cause it really shows the old school energy of the late '80s / early '90s. In fact, by the nearly complete absence of speed/thrash metal in the past 3 decades, Holy Moses was the few remaining bands who kept going (with a longer break) since the golden age of the genre and barely changed in the meantime. A nostalgic and entertaining album indeed, just the way how it was 3 decades ago. 

Maat - As We Create the Hope from Above (2014)

   It seems like Egyptian mythology could be considered as an alternative topic in death metal, since after Nile, Apophis, Coffin Texts; Maat also felt inspired by the whole thing. Usually this is represented only in the lyrics and the visuals, but Maat also embedded a few soft melodies with antic touch into their music. 
   "As We Create the Hope from Above" could serve as a definition for the modern sound of death metal. Old school basics, strong brutal death influence, dominant blast beats, crystal clear sound and high quality production. The main themes and the intensity are comparable to late Obscenity. For the fans of the modern aspect of the genre it definitely could be a potential favorite. No circumlocution, no attitudinizing, and the complete avoidance of death metal clichés by the seemingly unusual concept. However, the concept pick combined with the actual trend keeping ambition also puts the band into a neutral status. Nothing grotesque, gross, too insane or obscure, and of course this could be said only by compared to the past of the style. This so called "neutral" trend is originated from the mid '00s, when many technical and progressive brutal death bands started to experiment with something new (mostly unsuccessfully) and the main inspiration of Maat could be also rooted in those times. In their case it's a moderated, more tradition keeping (meant about the traditional sound of death metal), and therefore more successful form of pathfinding. Eventually this trend led to the hipsterization in extreme metal, another less fortunate phenomenon, that fortunately Maat avoided. If it's about skills, composition or quality, "As We Create the Hope from Above" is the work of professionals, intense, diverse, highly enjoyable, and by its "rule-breaking" features it might be also compatible for wider metal audiences, but by long term listening the album's sterile neutrality might leave some empty feeling behind for the old school fans of the genre. 

VIII - Drakon (2014)

   VIII had an interesting debut with "Drakon", an album that at one hand showed mixed influences, and also had a pretty unusual and exciting approach by sound.
    Their music mainly included black and doom metal influences, but the more intense songs had black/death impression. Extended and monotonous slow downs have determining role, and they creating refreshing contrast with the mostly mid speed themes that are basically giving the major part of the album. The atmosphere have secondary role and comes in one pack with a strong echo effect. Its presence supporting the noisy drone influenced sound that's more common to find at drone/doom or sludge/doom bands. This combination works pretty well with black metal themes by giving unexpected depths to the whole thing. The impression of some sort of desperate rage is joining to the down-pulling melancholy, that increases the heaviness of the music. The unusual tone of the sound having strange and attracting effect the same time. This might count as a hint for the yet unexploited possibilities of black/doom metal. Small and occasional supporting features like organ-like keyboards, obscure sound effects, barely hearable suffocating-like narrative vocal style and an embedded funeral march detail are blurring the border between the themes and the atmosphere, but these having role only during the extended slow downs. Probably these getting too high focus on the album. Less of them, or the involvement of a catchy lead or a bit more diverse riff would still lead the required contrast, especially cause there are very catchy themes to hear on the album. Whether if "Drakon" was just an experimental album or the determined imagination of the band members, it's an underground gem (a dark one of course), that stands out from the long line of black metal related bands by its unique sound and ambition.