Review of Various Artists - Metal Ostentation - Volume 5

Volume 5 of this lackluster compilation series makes me wonder are there really that many out of work European musicians forming bands? I mean, once again, a majority of the unsigned drivel on this disc is utterly worthless and the few signed bands aren’t much better. So here’s the run down of this latest expulsion from Portugal’s Sound Riot Records:

Agonizer: “Whatever” taken from World of Fools EP. Agonizer-South American death metal right? Wrong, Finnish Goth rock. So that means lush, chunky production and foot tapping riffs?- well yes but most Finnish Goth rock does not have Eric Cartman as a singer.

The Outburst: “Everlasting”, taken from Taken From Life EP. I can see this in the recording studio. Band member X: (with thick French accent)“Hey, lets hide our completely idiotic female fronted, Nu metal/death/ goth rock metal by overproducing the shit out of it so every single riff and beat is distorted beyond all reason, then hopefully no one will hear how bad our mish mosh of styles really is”. Rest of band: “OK!”.

Burst of Fire: “Perception of Normality”, demo. There’s some potential here with this Meshuggah meets Pantera meets Sepultura mix of tribal percussion, chugging girth and technicality, but the talent isn’t matched by the song writing. The slapping bass is way overdone and the clean vocals are terrible.

Vorgus “Hellfuck”, demo. This is so bad I can’t even describe it. It makes Bestial Mockery look like Chopin.

Deformed: “Power Spear”, demo. Well produced but bland death/black metal from Sweden. I’m surprised there are musicians this mediocre there. They must have immigrated. Hint-if you’re only going to submit a two minute song-make it better than this.

Bornholm: “On the Way of the Hunting Moon”, taken from the self released album of the same name. Fairly competent symphonic black metal from Hungary, but they need to tighten up their playing a little bit. The atmosphere and structures are here though. Fans of Castrum, Anorexia Nervosa and Arthemesia might track down the album.

Dryados: “L’amour N’enleve Pas Vraiment la Depression” taken from forthcoming album of the same name. I should rip these guys for making me type that fucking song title and crashing my spell check, but luckily these Russians salvage their spot on this album with a decently progressive, atmospheric black metal offering that actually deserves an album.

Fallen Sentinel: “Before, pt II”, taken from Eternity & Before album. Wow, three decent tracks in row and this one Spanish to boot. This lot apparently won a Spanish “Battle of the Bands”. More progressive and artistic black/death metal with some stellar guitar work, but the male vocals need to be remixed, as the uber gravelly growl isn’t fitting the more eloquent music and the female crooner just flat out cant sing. Get 2 new singers and there might be something worthwhile here.

Whispering Gallery: “Mistress Guardian”, taken from the self released album Lost as One. Doom metal from the Netherlands. Not to bad, but the singer should stick to his deep growl as his clean croon is terrible. The mid song shift is pretty impressive though, and I could see this lot getting signed.

Frequency: “The Wicked is Born”, demo. The run of good songs ends here with which is a surprise considering this band has members of the excellent but short lived Lothlorien in its ranks. Heavy power metal that wants to be heavier than it really is.

Mandylion: “Distance for the Glory”, demo. Japanese and averaging 19 years of age? That explains the song title that makes no sense. Imagine Nightwish with a heavy Japanese accent played at the pace of Sonata Arctica and with Bal-Sagoths’s keyboards- if that mix appeals to you, then you will dig this heavily symphonic and I’ll admit strangely enjoyable slab of orchestrated cheese. I will follow this lot out of sheer curiosity.

Definition of Chaos: “Malignant”, demo. Imagine Samael’s new age techno dance metal. Ok? Now imagine it being really badly done.

Plazma Zatzuma: “Stigmata” taken from Infinite Symmetry album. Even being a ‘joke’ band doesn’t mean you can suck this bad. Get a real job and stop wasting valuable instruments.

Dispersion: “Ungeteiltes Lied”, demo. Solid US styled brutal death metal from Germany with Six Feet Under vocals. Take that as you will.

Gathering Darkness: “The Cold of the Limbs”, demo. Wretchedly produced death/grind metal with really really good cookie monster vocals.

Amok: “Idle and Silent”, demo. More faceless sloppy death metal, but from Geneva. No wonder.

Heresy: “Savage Rapture”, demo. Decent death/black metal with some punch and a good production. The sort of band that gets a record deal on a no name second rate but regarded in the underground death metal label. Not too bad.

Exekrator: “Acherons Call/Back to Hell”, demo. Despite the cringeworthy moniker and a rough production, this Danish band has some good things going, including a decent Garm/ICS Vortex clone in vocalist Tue Brisson and some adventurous atypical black metal song writing.

P.R.I.D.E: “Pain” demo. K.O.R.N.S.U.C.K.S

Lantz: “2040”, demo. Im’not even going to waste my breath on this garbage.

So there you have, round 5 of Metal Masturbation, and overall a better compilation than Volume III, and was worth it to hear the wonderfully cheesy Mandylion, who can be checked out at http://www3.to/mandylion. Yes , I did just plug a band, sue me.

Release Details

Various Artists

Metal Ostentation - Volume 5

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