ALBUM REVIEW: Eulogy - Memento Mori

EULOGY (Wales)
"Memento Mori"
(One Eyed Toad Records)
Release date: February 21st 2020
Genre: Hard rock, heavy rock

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Heavy rock is probably not the first thing that comes to mind whenever Wales is mentioned, unless you're a die hard Budgie fan, of course. Cardiff based EULOGY is a power trio formed in early 2017, and released their three track debut EP "Back to Life" already in December the same year. After their debut, EULOGY have been streamed no less than 200.000 times on Spotify, which itself should be an indication of success, and they spent 2018 on stages within and beyond the Welsh borders. A new track, "Blood Red Skies" was released in November 2019 as a teaser from their then upcoming sophomore EP "Memento Mori", which has now been out for almost a month on One Eyed Toad Records.

After their success with "Back to Life", the lads in EULOGY wanted to explore a darker and heavier sound on their next release. Whereas the debut had a melodic, energetic and feelgood vibe, the four tracks on "Memento Mori" sure are darker around the edges. Mike Williams' guitars are heavier and more fierce, have quite an amount of low-end, and with Neil Thomas providing the even deeper frequencies with his bass he creates an almost impenetrable wall of powerchord oriented riffs.

The opening track "Cross to Bare" introduces the darker side of EULOGY. In terms of composition it is a fairly straight forward tune, but the genre in which this Welsh power trio operates there has never been focus on anything else but energy and power, something this track suffers no shortage from. Thomas' vocals have a raw Blackie Lawness-ish feel that to this listener fits really well.

"You'll Die Alone" is another track that was released as a single, and with its emphasis on melody and vast quantities of catchy hooks it is what many would probably call a perfect choice for a single. The lyrical theme on "Corvid" is based around the final moments before death, just before the soul's departure of the soul. Tempowise it is faster and balances on the edge between heavy rock and metal.

"Blood Red Skies" was mentioned further up in the article, and also contains the ingredients that make up a natural choice for a single. The riffs are once again more melodic than on the non-single tracks, and the song sounds overall a bit 80's inspired.

EULOGY have been set for touring throughout 2020 to support their most recent release, so if you get the chance to catch them somewhere along their trek across Great Britain, be sure to pay them a visit.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Cross To Bare*
2. You'll Die Alone
3. Corvid
4. Blood Red Skies*

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2020 playlist on Spotify.

LINE UP:
Neil Thomas - bass and vocals
Mike Williams - guitars
Darran Goodwin - drums

ALBUM REVIEW: Silent Agreement - From the Amusement Park

SILENT AGREEMENT (Germany)
"From the Amusement Park"
(Independent)
Release date: February 16th 2020
Genre: Hard rock, stoner rock, grunge rock

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SILENT AGREEMENT are a foursome of musicians that since their live debut in 2018 have made quite an impact on their local hard rock scene in Germany. Their performances have given the band a reputation of being a very energetic live act, and after having achieved this highly valued merit the band entered the studio to record the EP that we're having a closer look at today.

Very little information was given to me about the band themselves, apart from links and production info, but we'll focus on the main feature itself; the music.

SILENT AGREEMENT's first addition to their discography is an EP that sounds like the band has found a lot of inspiration from their genre's 70's era. Albeit their expression is a dirty and unpolished one, "From the Amusement Park" has received a modern and powerful production treatment.

The three tracks on the band's first studio effort are loaded with riffs that often prove that less is more. For instance, the riff that is the basis of the opening track "Solid" is far from the most innovative of riffs, but serves in all its simplicity as a powerful momentum that gives the track a heavy, almost stoner-like drive. Simple, but effective.

"Dream World" and "Judas" are more upbeat than the opening track, and the introductory riff on the former is a treat you don't want to miss. The chorus is one that stays in the back of your head long after you played it, and the instrumental middle section is a curious little anti climax in a song like this. "Judas" has a bit of a funky approach that comes as a bit of a surprise, but nevertheless an interesting feature on a track that concludes the nearly twelve minutes of music on SILENT AGREEMENT's debut EP.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Solid*
2. Dream World*
3. Judas

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2020 playlist on Spotify.

Line up:
Roman Erken - vocals
Michael Enders - guitar
Lukas Krenzer - bass
Ben Mathe - drums

DEMO REVIEW: BS Bone - Inside Insanity

BS BONE (Italy)
"Inside Insanity"
(Independent)
Release date: October 31st 2019
Genre: Hard rock, stoner rock, punk rock, grunge rock

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From the Molise region in southern Italy comes a three piece ensemble that has played together since 2017. The nucleus of what was to later become BS BONE took shape after Vyper (bass/vocals) and Steve Grind (guitar) decided they wanted to blast the dust from their amps, and started working on riffs with the intention of creating new, original material.

Eventually, BS BONE became a reality after the addition of drummer Leo, and the band recorded a four track demo during the summer of 2019. This very demo is today's subject for review here on the Subterranean Noise blog, so let's have a look, shall we?

"I Don't Give a Fuck" is the welcoming title of the opening track, and it starts off nicely with a riff that has a raw, dirty and catchy Motörheadish drive. The rhythm section joins the game with an almost funky, midtempo groove that immediately sends this listener's thoughts back to Rage Against the Machine in their early days. A good, consistent choice for an opening track, and it holds nothing back on showing the attitude that these three Italian dudes have.

"99 Lions in a Cage" takes the band in a slightly different direction. The guitars seem very inspired by Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters and even Iron Maiden. More melodic than the opener, but an interesting track that proves that BS BONE in terms of style certainly appear quite versatile.

This writer's personal favorite is "Dysfunctional Souls", a furious little bastard of a track that brings the band back into their punky raw mode, making "99 Lions in a Cage" seem like a ballad in comparison. A suitable reference could be Suicidal Tendencies, and their "Join the Army" album from 1987.

The demo concludes with the slightly heavier "Rant", filled to the brink with powerful riffs and pounding drums. A wah-wah seasoned chorus riff gives this closing track a Black Sabbath/Kyuss type of vibe, thus making it a worthy ending of BS BONE's first introduction.

The only thing I am struggling with are the vocals. They very quickly get rather tiresome, and (for this writer's personal taste) put quite a damper on the material overall. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to hearing how these songs, and hopefully many more, will sound in a cleaner production. That being said, "Inside Insanity" sounds fairly decent for a demo. It was recorded and produced by the band themselves, and I would say they did a good job shaping it into the product it became.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Tracklist:
1. I Don't Give a Fuck
2. 99 Lions in a Cage*
3. Dysfunctional Souls*
4. Rant

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2019 playlist on Spotify.

LINE UP:
Vyper - bass and lead vocals
Steve Grind - guitars
Leo - drums and backing vocals

ALBUM REVIEW: Battering Ram - Battering Ram

BATTERING RAM (Sweden)
"Battering Ram"
(Independent)
Release date: January 24th 2020
Genre: Hard rock, modern heavy rock

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BATTERING RAM is a Swedish four piece constellation that wholeheartedly fulfill the promise that their band name makes. That being said, I am sure it's already apparent what we're having to do with here, but let's have a closer look anyway, shall we?

Formed in late 2017, the band consists of Johan, Jonas, Jocke and Tony, who have made it their collective mission to create rock music that makes you feel good. As the name clearly indicates their art is of the hard hitting kind, and the nine tracks that make up their self titled debut are all melodic and powerful hard rock anthems with a punch that makes a fist to the face feel like a goddamn cottonball.

BATTERING RAM at times sound like a hybrid of Mustasch, Anvil, Anthrax and Volbeat with a dash of Mötley Crue and Poison. In other words, it has all the ingredients that make you want to move. It's difficult to pick favorites, but "Taking My Time", the groovy "Stronger Forever" and "Chase the Fire" are just a few selections from this 41 minute bulldozer of a hard rock album.

"Battering Ram" is far from being a complex record, and very often that's exactly what the doctor ordered. The production on the album is fairly loud, but then again, that's the only way to play it!

Now, do yourself a favor and check out BATTERING RAM while I go and crack a beer.

★★★★★★★★★★

Tracklist:
1. Taking the Time*
2. The Sign
3. Stronger Forever
4. I Will Come Alone
5. Chase the Fire*
6. Scared For My Life
7. Coming My Way
8. Wanted Man
9. Cut In Two

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2020 playlist on Spotify.

LINE UP:
Johan Hallström - vocals
Jonas Edmark - guitar
Jocke Ståhl - bass
Tony Trust - drums

ALBUM REVIEW: Ibridoma - City of Ruins

IBRIDOMA (Italy)
"City of Ruins"
(Punishment 18 Records)
Release date: October 27th 2018
Genre: Power metal, melodic metal, hard rock

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Italy is frequently featured on these blog pages. The majority of the bands that have appeared so far are mainly based in the power/melodic metal genre, and IBRIDOMA is no exception.

Initially formed in March 2001 by drummer Alessandro Morroni and singer Christian Bartolacci, the band participated in a number of music competitions and festivals during their early years. Their debut EP was released in 2005, for which the band harvested favorable reviews in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Brazil, Germany, as well as in their own "Bella Italia". After "Page 26", their second EP, IBRIDOMA went on tour to support Uli Jon Roth, Richie Kotzen and Blaze Bayley's Italian tour in 2009.

2012 saw the release of "Night Club", their second full length album, which led the band to play live with Rhapsody of Fire, Secret Sphere and Almah, and the following year played a headlining tour in several major cities in Greece. After 2014's release of "Goodbye Nation" the band supported Sabaton on their Russian tour, and even Queensrÿche during their visit in Rome in 2015.

2016 presented IBRIDOMA's fourth full length, "December", which featured guest appearances by Paul DiAnno and Blaze Bayley, two gentlemen who I doubt would need further introduction to this blog's readers.

This is not the first time singer Christian Bartolacci appears on these pages. In addition to IBRIDOMA, he is the lead singer in Scala Mercalli, who presented the conceptual "Independence" earlier this year. You can read about the album here.

Apart from the lead voice that fronts them, these two bands have very little in common. Whereas Scala Mercalli's music is faster and incorporates symphonic elements, IBRIDOMA is more based around power and melody. Slightly Anthrax-like thrashy moments do occur, especially on the opening track "Sadness Comes", and "T.F.U." and the title track are examples of pure hard rock delight.

"Angels of War" and "My Nightmares" have a more powerful drive to them, and Primal Fear and Saxon are references that are tempting to mention. Bartolacci's voice often reminds me of Ralf Scheepers when it reaches certain notes, and the rest of the band never misses a punch throughout the ten tracks on "City of Ruins", which in total turns out to be a very strong seventh effort by IBRIDOMA.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Sadness Comes
2. Evil Wind
3. T.F.U.
4. Di Nuovo Inverno
5. City of Ruins
6. Angels of War
7. My Nightmares
8. Fragile
9. Terminator
10. I'm Broken

LINE UP:
Chriastian Bartolacci - vocals
Marco Vitali - guitar
Sebastiano Ciccale' - guitar
Leonardo Ciccarelli - bass
Alessandro Morroni - drums

ALBUM REVIEW: Scarecrow - Scarecrow

SCARECROW (Russia)
"Scarecrow"
(Independent)
Release date: September 13th 2019
Genre: Heavy blues, blues rock, heavy rock
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SCARECROW is a group from Perm, a city in the western part of Russia, close to the foot of the Ural Mountains. According to the band themselves it is a dark and hostile place to exist, with a lot of swamps and forests around the city, and consequently a perfect place to find inspiration for their dark, heavy blues rock.

The band has existed since 2013, and is of a quartet format. Their main musical influences are late 60's/early 70's heavy rock, and Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath are probably the most obvious mentions in this case. SCARECROW's music can be described as heavy blues rock with symphonic elements and hints of swing/jazz. The songs and the production on their self titled debut have captured the same dark vibe that Black Sabbath did on their debut, but SCARECROW have taken it one step further and added their own flavors to it.

An orchestral overture is the first of the eight tracks on "Scarecrow" or "Volume I", as the band tends to call it, and when it ends I find myself waiting for a brutal death metal assault. Overtures are not the most common features on a heavy rock album, so it is indeed an interesting combination.

"The Journey" is the point where this Russian quartet introduce themselves, and it is a song that immediately revives the dark, doomy spirit that was born on Black Sabbath's debut. The harmonica is present, the catchy guitar licks that are vital to bring life into any blues song, and even the vocal lines sound unmistakably inspired by Ozzy. Singer Artemis has a very high voice that bears comparison to Geddy Lee and Budgie's Burke Shelley, and they are double tracked and panned hard left and right for a fuller vocal sound - as was a commonly used technique on Black Sabbath's earlier records as well.

Things are slowed down a bit on "The Final Problem", and I'm tempted to call it occult blues. "When the Powers of Evil are Exalted" introduces the flute, and "Worm of Anger" is a pure gem of catchy heavy rock.

"Autumn Wood" is the calmest track on the album, and a fine little smooth jazzy blues ballad. It reaches heavier peaks at times, but all in all it showcases a rather different side of the band. A very good one too, might I add.

"Madman" brings the orchestra back in to join the band, and the combination of doomy hard rock and strings proves to be a successful one. To my personal taste the orchestra is a bit too loud in the mix, but let's not get too preoccupied with splitting hairs. The riffs sound very like those created by Tony Iommi himself, and they form a solid base upon which the orchestra can be allowed to shine.

"Scarecrow" introduces another new element during the opening seconds. There is an eerie mood all the way through the song, and the sounds of wind and crows are there to just make it more creepy. Eventually the guitar and orchestra join hands for an ominous riff passage, and it sounds like the soundtrack from an old Vincent Price movie. A perfect, slightly more dramatic conclusion to an already dark collection of songs, and I'm really looking forward to "Volume II".

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Scarecrow Overture
2. The Journey
3. The Final Problem
4. When the Powers of Evil Are Exalted
5. Worm of Anger
6. Autumn Wood
7. Madman
8. Scarecrow

LINE UP:
Artemis - vocals, harmonica, flute
Elijah - bass
Vadim - drums
Den - guitar

SINGLE REVIEW: Arshenic - Dear Remorse

ARSHENIC (Poland)
"Dear Remorse"
(Sliptrick Records)
Release date: May 15th 2019
Genre: Alternative metal, gothic rock, doom metal
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Poland is perhaps not the country in the world that is most recognized in the metal community, with the exception of Decapitated, Behemoth and Vader, just to name a few.

ARSHENIC is located in Gdańsk in northern Poland, and were formed by singer, lyricist and composer Ofilia in 2007. The band released their eponymous debut album in 2009, and during the next three years they continued playing live, including an appearance on Polish TV on the "Must Be The Music" show, where they did a metal cover version of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi". Five years into its existence the band went on hiatus between 2012-2014, and after a few personell changes they started working on a new music in 2015. The three track EP "Erased" came out the year after. The last addition to their discography was 2017's "Monster" single, which was their way of showing their support to animal welfare activities, and the music video was partially filmed at an animal shelter.

ARSHENIC is inpired by the darker side of the rock scene. Alternative rock/metal, art rock, gothic and melodic rock and metal. Quite the mixture if you start blending all these influences together, right?

Their first album was a bit more straight hard rock/metal oriented, at times with ever so slight hints of punk, as well as being entirely sung in the Polish language. At times there are the more melancholic passages that showed a different side of the band, and over the years the band seems to have developed quite a lot more towards their inspirational references.

ARSHENIC are due with their second full length album "Final Collision" on August 20th, with Sliptrick Records being the supporting label. The single "Dear Remorse" was released as single in mid-May this year, and the video has already reached over 28000 views on YouTube. The link to the video can be found in the details section on top of this review.

So, how does it sound? ARSHENIC anno 2019 has a more melancholic sound and expression than what was the case ten years ago. "Dear Remorse" is more doomy, and I'm hearing a lot of Candlemass during the opening bars. Singer Ofilia has a voice that is very typical to the more modern female fronted bands, and she brings the emotion that for example Amy Lee also does in Evanescence's music.

The song is quite downbeat, but it never lacks the strength, and it has a nice modern touch even though the band manages to deliver music that has a bit of a timeless and epic feel. It's never anywhere close to being technically challenging, but what they bring in terms of atmosphere and dark, melodic melancholy makes ARSHENIC a fine addition to Poland's rock and metal repertoire.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Ofilia - vocals
Włuczykij - drums
Marek - bass
Vlad - guitar

ALBUM REVIEW: Redwolves - Future Becomes Past

REDWOLVES (Denmark)

"Future Becomes Past"

(Argonauta Records)

Release date: March 15th 2019

Genre: Stoner rock, heavy rock

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OFFICIAL VIDEO: "Fenris"

                                  

                                 

From the lowlands of Denmark, where the highest natural point peaks merely 171 meters above ground level, comes an ensemble that has been around since 2012. REDWOLVES was formed in Copenhagen, where they became part of a community that shared their affection for classic heavy rock, as well as the multiple Scandinavian bands that appeared during the first decade in this milennium. Bands like The Hellacopters, Gluecifer and Turbonegro are mandatory mentions when we're looking back, and REDWOLVES leave us no doubt where their expression has its roots. 

Their debut arrived in 2016, in the shape of the independently released four track EP "Walking Roads", which had a slightly more direct sound than what they have on the full length that is under consideration in this review. The EP has a punklike rawness that for example Turbonegro is well known for, but it also showed strong indications that they were more than "just" a hard rock n' roll band. 

"Future Becomes Past" is the title of their brand new full length album, and it is a bit of a complex album. A lot of the thematics in the lyrics are based on frustration and anger after an episode where singer Rasmus Cundell was assaulted, not long after the band had begun writing material for the album. Arguably this must have affected not only the lyrical content, but in musical terms too. 

The album consists of eight tracks, where the first four are relatively up-tempo and have a more positive vibe. "Plutocracy" is the opening track that starts with a riff that wouldn't sound out of place on any The Who album. The first thing you notice is the dirty and slightly distorted sound, but if there is any genre that suits this kind of production, it is this one. The album has an analogue sound that gives the material that wonderful warm sound, and it suits the band perfectly. 

"Rigid Generation" is another fetching and catchy tune, and along with "The Abyss" it contributes to giving the album a highly energetic start. "Fenris" was released as a single in April, and I am starting to suspect that Pete Townsend is a huge inspiration to Pete Townsend. The song is another catchy track, and you can find the link to the music video in the album details further up in this review. 

We're halfway through the album, and at this point the band decides to slow things down a bit. "The Pioneer" is a seven minute track that starts off in a more quiet manner than the first four, and the band allow themselves to experiment a little more. They create great instrumental soundscapes with only their basic instruments, thus confirming that "less is more". Quite modest all the way through when it comes to tempo, and slightly darker than the previous tracks, but "The Pioneer" gives you the first taste of a different side of the band. And it most definitely is a sweet one. 

"Voyagers" is another epic piece, and if "The Pioneer" was an experience, this track takes you on a full sonic journey that won't stop until the clockworks reach 9:17. Everything fits here, from those tasty and gorgeous ambient guitars that are mixed down low in the center channel during the intro, through the slow and carefully structured build up to the climax towards the end of the track. "Voyagers" is a journey on its own, and in my ears the absolute strongest piece on the album. 

After the same clean intro that started off "Voyagers" also concludes it, REDWOLVES return to more familiar form with "Farthest from Heaven". More washy cymbals and chord based riffs, but with blast beats (!), just for variation. Not the first thing you'd expect, right? 

"Temple of Dreams" is more midtempo based, with heavy rhythms and a bit more stoner like feel throughout the track. The stoner element is never absent from the other tracks either, but it's never a strong enough part of the band's music to really turn them into a stoner band. 

In conclusion, REDWOLVES have accomplished to make an album that is both catchy and gripping, and yet it allows the listener to drift into different variations of moods along the way. "Future Becomes Past" is a fine addition to the Scandinavian rock n' roll scene, and while daring to experiment and evolve into being more than just a traditional hard rock act, REDWOLVES is a band that should not go on unnoticed. 

★★★★★★★★★★

Tracklist: 

1. Plutocracy

2. Rigid Generation

3. The Abyss

4. Fenris

5. The Pioneer

6. Voyagers

7. Farthest from Heaven

8. Temple of Dreams

REDWOLVES:

- Rasmus Cundell, vocals

- Simon Stenbæk, guitar

- Nicholas Tesla Jørgensen, bass

- Kasper Rebien, drums