has confirmed that Finnish death-thrashers Deathchain will release their new album "Death gods" on September 29. Said album will be available on CD and mp3, as well as in a 2LP edition with a bonus track. Full details: http://cobrarecords.fi/?n=21
Hear a new sample tune at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deathchainofficial
Finnish metal acts Sotajumala and Deathchain have a new split CD out now via and the label was kind enough to send a copy my way. Conceptually speaking, it's a fun idea: two bands, one original song plus one Iron Maiden cover each. In execution however, all is not well. Things start off poorly with Sotajumala's "Sinun virtesi", a typical modern death metal track with clicky drums (heavy on the blasts, 'natch), burpy vocals and your usual swarm-of-bees guitar tone. Totally pointless, totally boring. Their Maiden cover on the other hand ("Prowler"), is excellent, no doubt helped along a fair extent by the appearance of one Paul Di'anno on lead vocals. Stop and ponder how sad it is that the dude is now reduced to doing karaoke covers of his old band's songs and the luster starts to dim, but he does actually sound remarkably good still, near 30-some years down the road. Deathchain doesn't fair nearly as well with their take on "Purgatory" -- they're way too stiff to approximate Maiden's trademark gallop and guest vocalist Tommi "Tuple" Salmela (Tarot) pretty much sucks. All is not lost though, Deathchain's one original cut ("The crawling chaos") is a total black-thrash rager in the vein of Grotesque or The Crown. All razor sharp riffs and harsh vocals -- definitely bodes well for the band's forthcoming album. I love Maiden and all, but this one song is the winner by a longshot.
Deathchain - The crawling chaos
has confirmed two new releases on the horizon -- first up is The Man-Eating Tree, the new band from ex-Sentenced drummer Vesa Ranta, who will be releasing their debut full-length "Vine" in September. Samples here. Second is a split between Finnish extreme metal acts Sotajumala and Deathchain which will feature one new song plus one Iron Maiden cover each, with Deathchain taking on "Purgatory" and Sotajumala covering "The prowler" with guest vocals from OG singer Paul Di'anno. That release will be available on April 28.
will be releasing the new album "Lifelines" from Finnish punk/hardcore act Presley Bastards (ex-Endstand) either late this month or in early May. Read all about it: http://cobrarecords.fi/?n=15
Opium WarlordsIt's difficult to write a general review this debut from Finn, Sami Albert Hynninen, as each epic song almost deserves a review in its own right. That doesn't necessarily mean they're all brilliant, although "Live at Colonia Dignidad" does offer a selection of decent tunes that range from crushing, doom metal to ponderous, stoner ambience. The predominant musical outlook from the offset is one of funeral doom although the vocals offer a more ritualistic uneasiness rather than the deathly growl characteristic of the genre. While a lot of this is enjoyable and well thought out, some tracks, such as "Suck my spear, servant of satan" overstay their welcome by a fair stretch and ruin any impact they may have initially made. "Feel the strength" seems like a pointless exercise in riff-testing, as if he just rattled out a couple of ideas and fired them onto the CD, while closing track "Support the satanic youth" reeks of an attempt to surprise listeners by blasting out a mere five seconds of blistering mayhem that, if done in the spirit of Nuclear Assault, is obviously meant to be funny. However, given that the album discharges a serious tone, it's probably the case that Hynninen is attempting to mimic the sporadic sonic outbursts of early Napalm Death or Brutal Truth. Neither works and it's a sad, transparent end to an album that's brimming with authentic, grim undertones.
- John Norby
