Proclamation - Advent of the Black Omen (2006)

   By chosing the most exaggerated aspect of black metal, which path was created first of all by Blasphemy, Proclamation appeared with an inhuman debut.
   Like at most similar bands, already the album cover serves as a reference, but Proclamation also tried to summon the chaos that was an important feature in Blasphemy's music. The song compositions almost falling apart by the neurotic intensity. An extreme level of aggression was represented at this point, that might sound nothing extraordinary in this style. There are not many differences between the songs on a black/death album like that, and even the style of these bands is easy to identify. They play ultra fast and noisy, the sound quality is necessarily poor, and their music lacks melodies, and any forms of aesthetical features. Instead of these they're focusing on to create the purest forms of sacrilege and insanity. There is still something in Proclamation's music that makes it harder to go into,even if this style is not known about it's audience-friendliness. And that's the strong disharmony they've operated with. That made the album heavier and more animalistic than most others on this line, and strongly recommented for the fans of extreme blasphemies!

Anarkhon - Obesidade Mórbida (2006)

   Anarkhon was formed in 1999 and after a few demos they debuted in 2006 with "Obesidade Mórbida". Such as at other newer South American bands, they stayed between the borders of an exact style - at brutal death metal in this case.
   In their early period they preferred Portuguese, but later they wrote their lyrics in English. Anyway in this this genre it's completely secondary, since gore and splatter is the main lyrical concept, and deep growling vocal style doesn't support decent spelling. Their music reminds mainly to early Cannibal Corpse, especially to the insanely exaggerated style of the albums "Butchered at Birth" and "Tomb of the Mutilated". By this direction a very raw and insane outcome should be expected, and the album cannot dissapoint those who are hoping to reach the darkest depths of musickness by listening. Similarly to old Cannibal Corpse, catchy melodic themes repeditively assisting to the intense speed, heavy sound and deep grows. That results the same sick impression, and also could make the listener smile, especially at the screaming parts that are introducing how a mad Donald Duck scream should sound like. It's exactly the thing that made this style interesting: it could be enjoyable even for those who can't take it seriously, because this level of extremism could sound funny too. But except that Anarkhon did a really good job and their high quality debut refers to one of the biggest names of '90s death metal.

Disaster - Criaturas del mal (2006)

   Such as everywhere else, in the South American underground scene the old but less known names came into focus as most of the earliest extreme bands disappeared or changed style to gain wider popularity. And of course the new names like Disaster who dedicated themselves to stay at the old school roots by playing thrash metal.
   The scene went through some changes meanwhile. The mixed style that was one of the main characteristics of South American metal, was almost gone. The newer bands seemed more determined to use the toolbar of exact genres. One common thing stayed, their extremely aggressive style. It's also correct about Disaster, their intense thrashing counts as one of the most aggressive and rageful one of the '00s. Thrash metal was everything but popular, so this style selection already counts exceptional. The insane musical rampage they've committed reflectig authentically the higher temper of South American metal. Exaggerated music from exaggerated circumstances that's close to step through the furthest border of thrash metal, and reminds to style of the late '80s, when extreme styles were born. "Criaturas del mal" is strongly recommended for the fans of intense musickness.

Inquisition - Anxious Death / Forever Under (2006)

   Inquisition became known as a genuine black metal band, that was partly influenced by Mayhem, but preferred to go on it's own way. It was a long way, but apart from the main directions of the genre they earned a cultic status with time.
  They formed in the late '80s and debuted as a thrash metal band, and at the beginning their music showed some similarities with the main tendencies of South American metal. Most old bands in that region were like mix of the lately distinguished and defined extreme genres, and at Inquisition on the side of their intense thrashing some affinity to their late style also could be sensed. That was mostly represented in their exaggeratedly aggressive tone and in the vocal style. They also preferred to write way longer songs than it was usual. These songs were free from any frippery, they kept playing wild and intense. At the foot stones the birth of a notorious black metal band couldn't be expected yet, they just sounded like a promising Sepultura influenced band, who might like to show more than other tharsh formations that time. This compilation includes their debut EP "Anxious Death" and the demo "Forever Under" to commemorate condignly how everything was started.

Catacombs - In the Depths of R'lyeh (2006)

   Compared to the classics of funeral doom, the American direction of the style includes more death/doom influences, and therefore heaviness became it's important feature. This wasn't different in the case of Catacombs either, a one man project that gave a new dark shade to the style.
   But there are other differences too. While the gloom of nature, passing away and some cosmic anxiety were in the main focus at the creators of the genre, horror often replaced them in the followings. The one and only album of Catacombs was inspired by the novels of Lovecraft. Normally intense music fits more to topics like horror and gore, but this is a far different aspect. The slumbering terror gets introduced, the inevitable doom that one day will be released to the world to fulfill it's destiny. The seems like eternally idle status of the greatest threat is well illustrated by the extented song lenghts and minimal musical activities. There is something sinister in the simple soft melodies that are following the slow, heavily rolling darkness, that will consume everything one day. Excellent sound quality helps the listener to merge into the depths of R'lyeh to see what the future of this fictional world holds.

Spiritual Decay - Closer to the Grave (2006)

    During it's short existence, Spiritual Decay evoked the old school style of death metal of the early '90s.
   "Closer to the Grave" was almost nearly perfect, but the band also showed some genuine ambitions that didn't let to sort the album to the ordinary '90s nostalgia records. The common switchings between middle speed and fast hammering made their music quite intense, and the deep growling female vocals were also effective, as they sound aggressive and insane the same time. But the atmospheric effects (both musical and vocal) functioned as a strong braking force and took a lot from the effectiveness of their harsh sound. Like throwing a shovel of dirt on fire. The atmospheric and floating parts probably used to give some spiritual impression, but as their appearances getting more frequent, the album sounds more tired with time, and it's able to serve as a lullaby for the listener. That's a very strong contrast compared to how intense the album starts. No matter the heavy sound and lyrics of war and violence, it's like death metal after a peace pipe that was filled with some strong hallucinogenic material. This main view reminds to Fear of God somehow, inner struggles under the influence of self-destruction are easier to expect, than brutality in real life. But except these the themes are well composed and album could be interesting for old school death metal fans.

Dreams of Damnation - Epic Tales of Vengeance (2006)

   Dreams of Damnation was formed in 1992 as a speed metal band with strong heavy metal influences, but after a single record they turned silent for a long time. In 2000 they showed up again and after a 2 EP's they relesed their first full-lenght album.
   They've returned with a completely new line-up to play thrash/death. The whole line-up changed again before "Epic Tales of Vengeance" and they continued thrashing with a female vocalist. Even though their music definitely has old school influences, the album doesn't count as a nostalgic record. "Epic Tales of Vengeance" starts as intense thrash/death, but the following songs sound like if they were not sure how to mix their various influences. (The album isn't longer than their first EP by the way.) In the guitar themes some heavy metal references could be sensed (this stayed as the only common feature compared to their old style), but they also sympathized with modern song structures and sound. They played sometimes like if they were confused about how to compose the themes together. At the drumms it's the most markable. But the intense hammering and the combination of fast riffings and aggressive vocal style saves the day before things would turn chaotic. In general "Epic Tales of Vengeance" was a promising album, maybe the members just didn't have enough time to find some common ground to be able to work together more effectively.