qip - On Ephemeral Substrates (2015)

   Qip was a one man industrial project that intended to mix metal with electronic music. It always have been an unthankful task, especially if the metal part was pushed forward to death metal elements like in this case. Death metal audiences will hate it, while for the fans of electronic music and industrial it will be too noisy, too metal. It's enough to think about the not so many experiments of the '90s, to less successful tryings like Meathook Seed or Soulstorm, or to unique and awesome ones like Dead World, or Skin Chamber. The common thing about all of them is that these names are nearly completely forgotten and even back then they have been barely known.
   However, qip gave another alternative for similar experiments by involving the modern sound and diversity of electronic music of the '10s. In comparison, while most similar projects of the '90s (and even later, like in case of the worthily forgotten The Berzerker from Australia) seemed to have kinda limited knowledge and skills for electronic music. Back then the musical minimalism as a trending direction by industrial could have been a good reason for that, but it's not always convincing by looking at the less metal related industrial projects of the '90s. Meanwhile qip successfully crossed that barrier with ease by a wide range of atmospheric and electronic sound effects. Basically the album is way more diverse than most electronic music projects. The analogy of death metal features becoming strongly restricted for the favour of electronic elements still exists in this form too, and for this even less electronic involvement was enough too back then in the '90s. So as an industrial death metal album "On Ephemeral Substrates" falls into the same trap like its predecessors, though as melodic death it could still work at some point. But as an industrial metal album it's able to give a new, unique perspective, that could be easily distinguished from other similar bands and projects. 

Of Spire & Throne - Sanctum in the Light (2015)

   Of Spire & Throne was formed in 2009, and before their first full-length album "Sanctum in the Light" they had 3 EP releases "The Trial of Failure", "Vagary" and "Toll of the Wound" (the first and the third ones having nearly full-length duration - not really surprising in this style).
   Their first two EPs were both excellent, and by being pretty grim and obscure, describing them as death/doom or funeral doom would be probably more accurate. The band's sludgy doom style first appeared on their third EP "Toll of the Wound", where on the side of less rough sound, truly sludgy themes showed up as well. On "Sanctum in the Light" stronger atmosphere was added and the album sounds like an extensive trial of capabilities by the band. Like if they were trying to expose their very depths of self-expression in the most various way possible. Mainly the contrast between the soft, simple melancholic melodies and the noisy, down-pulling heaviness creates these depths by leaving enough time for the listener to merge into both. Expressing such things effectively by the toolbar of musical minimalism is definitely the evidence of skillfulness in this style. At one hand the more sophisticated sound was an advantageous step to let the sludgy sound to prevail, but for the denser atmosphere and the melancholic melodies it was essential. However, it still wouldn't be incorrect to call their music as death/doom or funeral doom, since the features of both styles are still actively responsible for turning the music extremely obscure. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to state that by Of Spire & Throne only masterpieces came out so far, and "Sanctum in the Light" is no exception. Long term potential favorite for the fans of sludge/doom, funeral doom and death/doom. 

Shrine of the Serpent - Shrine of the Serpent (2015)

   Shrine of the Serpent debuted with a stunning EP (the basically could be a full-length album by its nearly 30 mins of duration if it wasn't death/doom), that served as an accurate introduction for the band's (unfortunately) short career. 
   While the music definitely reflects the traditional aspect of the style, that focuses on absolute hopelessness, strongly demoralizing tone, and completely lacks aesthetic or romantic features; the crystal clear sound that was picked is usual at the more popular form of death/doom. At one hand it's advantageous, cause it's also a way to highlight the music's rumbling heaviness, and to show the endless depths of desperation, but a noisier, dirtier sound could have been more effective if that was the goal. Anyways, the EP includes everything why death/doom could be preferred. It's ominous, down-pulling and includes such a dark atmosphere, that would be difficult to compete with in any other styles. During the 3 extended songs the band did a great job by keep building up the songs slowly step by step and avoiding monotony meanwhile. The compositions are simple, nothing unexpected happens, it's high quality death/doom in its raw simplicity. Could be a potential favorite for the fans of the genre.

Ravens Creed - Ravens Krieg (2015)

   Ravens Creed had an interesting journey since its formation in the late '00s. The band started to play crossover/thrash, and according to the that time actual tendencies in the main metal scene, their full-length debut "Albion Thunder" sounded pretty vintage and refreshing the same time. 
   By their second album the band took a confident step into a more aggressive thrash/death direction, and the third record "Ravens Krieg" was like a fulfillment of this style switch. The great sound quality had advantageous role by highlighting the pure wild aggressiveness, that still relied on intense thrashing. The band also had a new frontman since 2011 (Al Osta), and his death metal fitting vocal style also increased the more savage main impression. In fact, "Ravens Krieg" isn't far from becoming a death metal album, only the strongly old school oriented thrash metal basics keeping the music on the border of the two styles. The compromise-less spirit and limitless anger based approach makes the album comparable to "Pray" by Solstice, that's probably one of the wildest and most aggressive thrash/death albums until this day. And to reach or earn a similar status is no small thing after decades of extreme metal history. By the final song of the album the band also made clear, that even in case of extended song length (over 13 mins long), they're able to thrash till death and to do it without turning monotonous or unifacial. It's probably the most challenging and most enjoyable song on the album, and it's pretty sure that not many fellow thrash metal bands could do this after them. In total, "Ravens Krieg" is an excellent record, strongly recommended for both the fans of thrash and death metal.

Invocation Spells - Descendent the Black Throne (2015)

   When it's about thrash/black metal, Invocation Spells should be definitely among the first names that comes to mind. Not because they would be an old or classic name for the genre. But because simply they're among the few top bands who are able to catch the feeling of the style in the rawest, dirtiest and most vile way.
   The band of course didn't figure out the whole thing by themselves, their music relies on the traditional basics of South American extreme metal, and when it comes to thrash/black, there are simply no better basics for that. What Invocation Spells did the best is mastering their influences and focusing on the core essence of the style. This of course also means a strongly vintage/old school approach, with the inevitable touch of '80s-like sound and spirit. But since lots of bands (mainly from Sweden) have shown up since the late '00s to restore the feeling of the '80s by a very familiar sounding, but in truth never existed direct transition from pioneer bands like Celtic Frost and Venom to black metal, this counts as an alternative (probably a better alternative) for the same endeavours. But while Northern and other European bands involving speed and heavy metal influences, mainly inspired by the British heavy metal scene (and meanwhile others, mainly in Eastern Europe desire to play black metal, but they're simply not enough skilled for that, therefore they ending up as thrash/black), in South America the rawest, more aggressive form persevered and rules still. In total Invocation Spells is strongly recommended for thrash/black fans. 

Blasfemia - Ancient Occult Wisdom (2015)

   "Ancient Occult Wisdom" is the second full-length album by Blasfemia, a one man band formed in 2010.  The productiveness of señor Mr. Nicolás Fariña (the man behind the project) is quite spectacular according his past presence of various other bands as drummer, and more importantly, because Blasfemia's music is far from  being unifacial.
   The album offers quite decent thrashing black metal that recalls the spirit of the '80s in the well known dirty, ancient South American way. This approach is definitely more related to the traditional local scene, therefore it might sound pretty nostalgic. This means, musically thrash metal influences are dominant, and the atmosphere has very reduced role by being subordinated to dirty, echoing sound. This sound (on the side of the main concept of course) therefore also follows the already vintage basics on the line of Sarcófago, Pentacrostic or old Sepultura. From the thrash metal side, except the quite evident influence of Slayer, German thrash metal bands like Sodom, Kreator and Necronomicon could be mentioned as possible inspirational factors. "Ancient Occult Wisdom" is a quite diverse album by themes despite being thrash/black, even some old heavy metal (in this raw and aggressive context melodic death) are involved, extending the '80s touch. For the fans of old school sound it's definitely a potential favorite. 

Sadistic Murder - Butcher of Rostov (2015)

   By seeing a reference album title and a stylized drawing of serial killer Andrei Chikatilo on a cover of a band called Sadistic Murder, there are no doubts that it's not going to be some new waved stuff.
   And indeed, Sadistic Murder was the same way self-dedicated to traditional death metal than to gory concept. Which is at least partly based on real life events, and partly on classic random brutality/gore lyrics, cause even though the album seems like dedicated to Chikatilo, not all songs are about his reign of terror. However, the reality factor gives a more serious background for the whole thing. The music is also partly old school death metal rooted, and partly brutal death influenced. The sound, the strict insensible song compositions and the main impression are responsible for the latest, but the music isn't too technical and intense for ordinary brutal death. The band kept trying to play slightly melodic riffs and to combine them with short, catchy solo themes, and this counts as old school endeavours. This catchy but brutal approach might remind to old Cannibal Corpse. The concept is clear, the album is smoothly unified and enjoyable, new wave of old school death metal at its best so to say. Strongly recommended for the fans of the genre.