Dig Me No Grave - Cosmic Cult (2014)

   Similar to Grond, Dig Me No Grave's lyrical concept also reflects their Lovecraft enthusiasm, and musically they also prefer mainly simple and basic themes, but they're more on the old school death metal field. And by implementation they also prefer great production and good sound quality.
   Compared to groove death metal, their songs are more complex and diverse of course, but on the side of the style or subgenre differences, some moderate experimental ambitions also making this complexity more evident. The band seemingly preferred various and unexpected switches not only by themes and tempo, but in forms of small surprises, like short, sometimes catchy, sometimes noisy solos. The song structures aren't unified either, cause they seemingly tried to come up with something slightly different each time. It did have an advantageous result, since their experimental endeavours getting clear pretty soon, and they never crossing through the imaginary border to turn too technical. The interesting factor comes mainly from their seemingly unusual solutions. Their main influences might have been rooted in bands whose music sounded more developed since the beginning than their fellow old school death metal coetaneous bands, like for instance Morbid Angel, Tiamat, or Paradise Lost. Even if Dig Me No Grave's musical toolbar could be still limited compared to capabilities of  the mentioned bands, their full-length debut might be quite enjoyable for the fans of old school death metal. 

Grond - Howling from the Deep (2013)

   Grond's debut EP "Steel Coffins" left behind a few questions by its main characteristics, because it was like some oddly oversimplified death metal with groovy and punk influences, embedded into a Lovecraft inspired main concept. First of all: why this style pick? At one hand there was a possibility that the EP became like this because of the limited skills of the band members, while there other explanation could have been, that the whole thing was intentional, cause the band members are big fans of Obituary and Six Feet Under. And similar to Coffins, they also tried to reinterpret the bare core "prototype" form of death metal by their own way. 

   By the release of their full length album "Howling from the Deep", the second possibility seemed more probable, cause the band applied a whole arsenal of groovy death themes. The preference of such basic themes also could count as a naturally came decision, since musical minimalism based simplicity and the increased focus on sound was definitely a trend in the underground from the late '00s. The cover songs on both the EP and the full-length also could prove this point (Celtic Frost and Obituary). Despite "Howling from the Deep" is pretty enjoyable by its basic approach, and counts as a determined style pick, still it sounded like if something was missing. The inspiration was there, the needed push as well, and the production was also excellent from the sound quality to the album artwork. But the music somehow sounded too chilling for the lovecraftian concept. However, it became clear after two records, that the band was in the state of evolving step by step, and "Howling from the Deep" was just the second stage of their progression. 
A potential favorite for the fans of groovy death metal!

Cancroid - Peace/Death (2012)

   Cancroid debuted with a kinda chilling, party compatible groovy death metal album. It could be described as a mix of simple, but wide influenced themes, occasional old school speed ups, and a quite negative but realistic lyrical approach as social criticism.

   On the side of the suspected strong Six Feet Under influence, there could be another reason for the style selection, and that might come from the lyrical preferences. Bands that are intending to have social and political messages, used to pick a style that is easier to go into. And groovy, southern rock influenced death metal is definitely easier to go into than old school, progressive, or brutal death. The other advantage is that it has lower skill preferences, which means: it's way easier to play. Middle speed is dominant, but short occasional speed ups also appearing, leaving behind some old school touch. This makes Cancroid's music more compatible with mainstream audiences, and probably they've also intended to reach wider popularity. On the side of the easy-going themes, the frequent assistance of various themes that could be easy to imagine to fit well into southern, stoner or hard rock too, creating an enjoyable contrast, but because of the groovy basics they're not breaking the unity of the album. Strongly recommended for the fans of groovy death metal. 

Stereoshval' - Split (2024)

   Previously it was mentioned, that stoner rock isn't the most difficult genre to work with, however, there are plenty of situations (especially in the modern scene), when this rule gets broken. Like when styles getting mixed up. This happened exactly at the debut of Stereoshval' - a young Russian band from Moscow area. 

   In reverse situation the rules turning upside down as well, and the difficulty will lie in creating something extraordinary, that's able to catch the attention (mainly) of the mainstream audiences. Stereoshval' definitely have the potential for that for 2 main reasons. First: their style mix of stoner, alternative and hard rock turned out pretty unified. The songs are well composed, and even though they are complex and showing a wide range of diversity and productiveness, they're kind of easy to go into. That's one of the essential features of great songwriting abilities. The results are enough unified to not even suspect at first the complexity that lies behind. And second: it's a great quality production. Similar sound and performance quality used to be expected to come from the US, and even after several listening, nobody would expect, that this music was recorded in Eastern Europe or in Russia. However, if someone paying attention on the current tendencies in the main scene, will not expect anything similar from the US, and nowadays the possibility turned reverse too. It makes a funny contrast how shortly the band expressing themselves in title giving, but the same time flooding the listener with the greatest pile of musical diversity and wealthiness. Even in similar style the material that was used to made this album, would be enough to create 2 different albums. Or would be divided into 2 releases, even if the total length wouldn't  make it necessary. Also complexity might be the only aspect how this record could be harder to go into for some (especially for ordinary storer rock fans), but for the fans of hard rock and progressive rock, it's definitely a potential long term favorite. 

Further information abut Stereoshval':

https://stereoshval.bandcamp.com/album/split

https://band.link/StereoSplit

Who Dies in Siberian Slush - Bitterness of the Years That Are Lost (2010)

   Death/doom metal looks back to a kind of long past, and even though it was never in the focus of the metal scene, similar to other styles, nearly all possibilites have been depleted in it's old times. Still, as the style was kind of reanimated by the formation of numerous new bands who didn't disappear after one or two album releases, and thanks to them new aspects of death/doom are getting introduduced.
   Who Dies in Siberian Slush debuted with a stunning album, that sympathized with both of the melancholic, emotional direction, and the heavy-noisy, endlessly extended version of death/doom. In similar cases usually the first is the more influental, but this mix is still way heavier than what is usual from the romantic death/doom bands of the middle and late '90s. In classic death/doom there is no chance to hear keyboards, since the instrument supports a more emotional and atmospheric approach, but in this case, with funeral doom-like background, it's not able to go too far with that. Heavily depressing and painful impression gets carried through the album, and the soft melodies are completing the main view, otherwise it would be more down pulling. Also the use of keyboards in doom and gothic metal is usually one sided, but Who Dies in Siberian Slush creatively introduced other ways how it could fit to a heavy sounded album. The obscure image that gets painted by the slow, extended themes and the deep growling vocals is also not turning monotonous, because the themes aren't too repetitive, and always somehow changing before that point could be reached. There is an expected endeavor to keep a certain balance in the music, to not go too deep onto a desperate level, to not sound too noisy and ravaged, and also to avoid the romantic, gothic style. "Bitterness of The Years that Are Lost" might be enjoyable for the fans of  death/doom in general.

The Sullen Route - Madness of My Own Design (2010)

    The Sullen Route's debut was such a death/doom masterpiece that's rare to find. And it's also a quite underrated album, but that didn't come only from the ignorance of the main scene, but the band was also responsible for that by their drastic and disappointing style change in the followings. 
   However, "Madness of My Own Design" shows the most effective aspect of the style by it's mix of incredible heaviness and melancholic approach. Very catchy and melodic leads are embedded into extended songs and into clean sound that's preferably ending up in noisy themes. The main impression is definitely emotional, but the great guitar leads are opening further depths for the listener, and the very deep animalistic growling vocal style has an extremely powerful touch. The music used to have a tragic and gothic related tone, but being assisted by heavy riffs and deep growls it cannot merge completely into the swamp of everlasting sadness, and becomes to a more ongoing thing. Even though none of these could count as new in death/doom metal, but still the album gave a new aspect to the style, that's the same time very catchy, emototionally effective and devastating. It's kind of the mix of the 2 most common directions of the style, the audience-friendlier melodic and melancholy based or romantic death/doom (that's evidently more dominant here) and the less popular, exaggerated, heavier and noisier sound based death/doom. 

Abstract Spirit - Tragedy and Weeds (2009)

   By "Liquid Dimension Change" Abstract Spirit created an album that leads through the borders of funeral doom, and shows such diversity, that's unusual to the style. Their returning record "Tragedy and Weeds" extended this tendency even further by merging into the depths of the musical wealthiness that came by their mixed influences.

   Their experimenting with themes unlocked catchier melodies and also involved well known ones like the funeral march, and interestingly a whole song was built upon it (Funeral Waltz). The atmosphere that was achieved on the previous album both by effects and keyboards, got assistance by brass instruments, most possibly by tubas, that gave the impression if a whole orchestra would cooperate with the band. It turned out that tubas surprisingly well fitting into funeral doom and with the keyboards together their influence on the music is quite genuine. The metal and classical elements are so well composed and unified, that it should be given to most symphonic metal bands as homework to listen to, like "see folks, this is how it should be done". The sound seemingly doesn't need to turn softer or less noisy to let the classical features to prevail. It's interesting cause most bands have to change their sound completely even if they want to go progressive or more technical than usual, not to mention the involvement of other, non-metal elements. But here's the best example how its could be done without, and on pro level, by classical features. The vocals occasionally also switching from deep growling to a higher, more cawing-like tone, mostly in backing vocals style. "Tragedy and Weeds" is the same time extremely heavy, tragic, down-pulling and endlessly exciting to listen to. The themes, the atmosphere, the sound and the deep growling vocals are all overwhelming one by one too, but together they created something that could be described only as musical excellence. Another masterpiece released to the world by Abstract Spirit.

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.

Abstract Spirit - Liquid Dimensions Change (2008)

   Abstract Spirit debuted with as a funeral doom band with an album that was way more intense than what could be expected from funeral doom bands. Intensity in this case isn't based on the tempo, but on a much wider musical spectrum than what's usual.

   This happened probably partly due to their timing, because after it's long forgotten state, death/doom was rediscovered by several bands in the main scene from the late '00s. And lately formed funeral doom projects involved more death/doom influences than their predecessors. This also had the advantage of wider possibilities that could better stimulate productiveness than death/doom or funeral doom separately could (it's enough to think about Evoken or Ataraxie). But Abstract Spirit went even deeper, their music included both aspects of death/doom, the classic, heavy and less audience friendly form and also the strongly atmospheric, melodic romantic aspect version that became popular from the mid '90s. However, the basic concept of funeral doom didn't change, here's no romance based self pity to find, only death, grief and tormenting depression. These mixed influences created some quite exciting duality. At one hand there's an aesthetic approach by the thick atmosphere both by effects and keyboards, but meanwhile the heaviness of the themes wasn't holding back, and they're also assisted by very deep growling vocal style. "Liquid Dimension Change" sounds like a missing link between the mentioned directions, because even though similar transitions have been heard in the '90s too, but none of them were so maximalist in expressing all aspects at their best. The result is something extraordinarily heavy, that's the same time catchy by of the melodies and the atmosphere, and down pulling by the consuming and merciless noisy coldness of the funeral doom themes. Even if they're slowly evolving, the eventfulness of the music having advantageous influence on the extended song lengths, and the songs hardly could be marked as boring, no matter how long they are. "Liquid Domansions Change" was a greatly composed debut, a masterpiece came from nothing, to fill the empty void with it's charmingly dark essence. 

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.

Barbarity - Hell is Here (2005)

   There was an endless line of brutal death bands and weird style mixing experiments from the early '00s, but fortunately there were some impressive productions too amongst them, such as Barbarity.
   The band became known of their horror and gore addiction. If the cover referring to the movie "Beyond the Limits" wouldn't be enough, there are other references on the album to find. The band didn't merge completely into brutal death slamming, they often switched to simple old school and groovy themes and mixed them well into the raw brutality. On "Hell is Here", their second album they've mastered their style completely, and even though the main impression is quite sick, it's very catchy the same time. This way how exaggerated features ending up more catchier than how it could be expected, reminds to the concept of "Butchered at Birth" by Cannibal Corpse. In fact there are some further musical similarities too, but Barbarity probably didn't plan that, they had different approach. The excellence of "Hell is Here" lies in it's perpetual intensity and on the various ways how the band introduced the thirst for gore. Enjoyable and diverse brutality in high quality for the lovers of musickness!

Barbarity - The Wish to Bleed (2003)

   The early '00s definitely haven't been the most intense period in the extreme underground. If we don't count the slow but certain spreading of black metal that already have exhausted it's possiblilites several years ago, there was nothing meantionable except some progressive experiments.
   Barbarity showed up like just to fill the temporary emptiness that was left behind. The intense old school death metal they've debuted with by "The Wish to Bleed", was partly was not only a nostalgic act, but proved to be a sign of a new tendency in the undergound scene, that was the renaissance of brutal death metal. Inspired by bands like Cannibal Corpse, Deeds of Flesh, Suffocation and many others new bands were formed to experiment with raw brutality. Barbarity was one of the most traditional ones at their early period by frequently referring back to old school references. "The Wish to Bleed" was definitely the most similar to the style of the early '90s, but the clean modern sound signed evidently that it's something new. Gore and horror was in the focus of their concept, and it seemed like that with ease they've found the right way to express that. It was a quite strong debut, even if the band still had some experimenting period, the album is just perfect as it is. To hear something similar was not only refreshing that time, but also very promising. Even though it still took several years until it was reasonable to talk about the new wave of old school death metal, Barbarity showed a great example with their heavy, primitive hammering excellence.

Merlin - They Must Die (2000)

   The Russian death metal band Merlin formed in the early '90s, but it took for a while until they were able to record their debut album. The timing probably had a role why their music included both the old school and modern features of death metal the same timre.
   Their first album "Deathkoteque" sounded a bit chaotic and experimental, like if they were unsure how to mix the two styles. On "They Musy Die" things sounded more balanced. The measure of old school thrashing parts almost disappeared, the moden way of brutality had exclusive role, and the band returned with a very strong and heavy sound. The album has characteristic and catchy themes frequently interrupted by intense hammering. By the lyrics they approached gory and death related topics from a different and uncommon perspective, that is instead of listing or piling up the various events of horror, focused on their bare sickness. Very stunning and brutal female growls guiding the listener into the eastern depths freezing death. This was another reason why the band counted modern and extraordinary already at the beginning, and not only in Russia. Great quality and highly recommended material for the lovers of extreme aggression!

Stonehenge - Victims Gallery (1996)

   Stonehenge was an interesting and genuine band not only in their own scene, but in the main metal scene too. They formed as a death/doom band that counted as a modern style selection that time, when the melodic, more romantic direction of the genre started to rise, led by bands like Paradise Lost, Tiamat, or Katatonia. 
   Still, Stonehenge's approach wasn't ordinary, and for that probably the band members different music influences were responsible. This ended up advantageously, because it didn't make the album to fall apart, but made it more diverse. "Victims Gallery" sounds experimental and nostalgic the same time. Most of the themes are reminding to the classic sound of doom of the '80s. The sound is like a time travel one decade back, while the long and complex solo themes in the second part of the album are referring even way back to hard rock influences. The common theme switches, occasional speed ups and the deep growling vocal style are showing analogy with the more modern sound of death/doom. Even though it counts as an experimental album, the band still was able to find common ground and to make it unified. The experimenting tendency was usual at Stonehenge, and they've tried something else on every album, that sometimes turned out weird. About lyrical concept the band preferred mystical and mythical references. "Victims Gallery" might be very enjoyable for the old fans of doom.

Melissa - In Mourning (1995)

   The middle '90s was the time of weird bands in the extreme scene. There were plenty of interesting ideas how to produce something new, and that was mostly about to mix various musical styles. Some worked, but unfortunately most tryings just didn't work.
   "In Mourning" by Melissa was one of the genuine albums of these weird tryings. It could happen that some albums leaving doubts in the listener about in which style or genre could be the music sorted, but with time things may become clear. Well, not in this case. Melissa formed as a death metal band (What kind of death metal band name is this anyway?), but their various other influences making difficult to figure out the exact subgenre. The different style references are changing song by song. Once they involved progressive influences, after that jazz, later they sound like a death'n'roll band, they turned into doom, and finally heavy metal themes appeared. The common changes and diversity itself could easily lead to define them as a progressive metal band, but except a few occasions their music isn't so complex or technical in general. It's also not so evident that all of this happened because they didn't find any common ground and that resulted a raw, experimenting album, or they played like that for purpose, to create something diverse and colorful. Probably the anwser may lie between these two guesses, but to decide if this interesting mix did succeed in showing something new or not, is the listener's job to do.

Necrocannibal - Somnambuliformic Possession (1994)

   As metal music and especially extreme metal was able to take roots only with phase delay in Eastern Europe compared to the West, it took even more time for it's show up in Russia.
   Necrocannibal was one of the first bands on the local extreme field, and such as most of the other few similar projects of those times, they shortly disappeared too after their one and only album. The other thing is why Necrocannibal is important on the side of sowing the seeds of death in Russian metal is, that their music was more original amongst the few others. That means they were not like an ordinary local copy band of any bigger names of the genre like for instance Graveside or Mortem was. They played typical thrash hammering-based old school death metal with intense themes, and short, catchy solos. The growling style is pretty sick and appreciably increases the level of enjoyment. Even though "Somnambuliformic Possession" came a bit late, it's typically one of those death metal classics that are hard to get tired of, and could be enjoyable for long term in their simple, catchy, headbanger-compatible form.

Death Vomit - Death Vomit (1993)

   Death Vomit was a short lived project at the birth of the Russian death metal scene (as the album cover also illustrates).
   Their one and only, and self-titled album was strongly thrash influenced, and included various references to the most reasonable names of the main death metal scene, such as Death, Brutality or Cannibal Corpse. Even though their style, name and visuals may suspect some very gore and splatter centered concept, in lyrics "Death Vomit" is more into illustrating the method of deceasing and it's most morbid and absurd methods, in a horroristic way of course. Various themes and common speed changes making the album musically diverse and enjoyable, while suffocating-whispering vocals giving a wretched impression and murmurring about the alternative and less preferable ways of passing away. Compared to the other albums in that region which were inspired in first line by the '90s death metal wave, "Death Vomit" was amongst the most original ones, and became a pioneer classic.

Mortem - Amputator (1993)

   If Graveside could be described as the Russian Deicide, Mortem definitely could be marked as the Russian Cannibal Corpse. This short debut was one of the earliest death metal albums of the slowly rising Russian extreme metal scene.
   And similar to Cannibal Corpse, probably they were also forced to explain themselves, that they are not part time serial killers and they do not support violence and sexual abuse. So the similarity of their music was not only about the very familiar themes and style, or cookie moster-like deep growling, but being all-round exaggerated. Cheerful lyrics based on gore, mutilation, necrophilia and of course cannibalism entertaining the listener, who may suffer from withdrawal symptoms of musickness. To play just like the same as their inspiring band wasn't the only reasonable result of their insane musical rampage, but to reach that level of sickness in music, which isn't easy to achive. Not only the enduring high speed was needed for that, it's only for the basic, inhuman impression. The weird melodies and catchy themes having the inviting role to this chamber of rotting flesh.

Graveside - Sinful Accession (1993)

   The early '90s death metal wave arrived to Eastern Europe with delay and it wasn't represented with the same push like in West, because of financial and technical difficulities. Still some bands were produced great quality and even if their rise up was short lived, they've left behind some exciting albums.
   Graveside was mainly inspired by Deicide both in music and lyrics. Even their name sounded similar. The intensity and aggressiveness of their music maybe even exceeded the limitless rampage of their idols, because of the more diverse themes. As Deicide based the strenght of their music on repetitive blast beat charges, Graveside operated with a bit more diversity and that created a contrast that showed the main view more overwhelming and less monotone. But in general the themes are almost the same, and with deeper growling vocals, "Sinful Accession" could be introduced even as secret or unknown Deicide album. Yet, it's an enjoyable classic of the Russian extreme metal scene.