**************************************** * * * ##### #### ### #### ##### * * # # # # # # # * * ### #### # # ### # * * # # # # # # # * * # # # ### #### # * * * * # # ##### #### ##### ### # # * * # # # # # # # ## # * * # # # ### # # # # # # * * # # # # # # # # ## * * # ##### #### ##### ### # # * * * **************************************** Issue #2, October 2024 ---------------------------------------- I would like to thank everyone who read the first issue of Frost Vision. You are the reason why I keep going. That, and my devotion to metal. Like the metal zines of old, issues will be published on a monthly basis. I am doing this so I can build up a larger number of short reviews. I don't want to be like one of those blogs that spams tiny posts. I also have no intention of putting my zine behind a paywall. I want people to share it far and wide, so please do so. I even encourage readers to print it off so they can have hard copies. I have also decided to organize the zine into different sections. Recent Releases focuses on albums that came out in the past 12 months, and Old and Obscure should be self-explanatory. Recent Releases Alvar - Reminiscence One of the newest bands from the Quebec scene, Alvar play a combination of death metal, doom metal, and black metal. The production is professional and polished. The blast beats are black metal in construction but are delivered with technical death metal precision. The drums also play mid-paced rhythms packed full of double bass, contemplative slow patterns, and strong fills. The guitar work includes cold tremolo riffs, somber chord progressions, and dark groove sections that sometimes include pinch harmonics. They also play a few melodic solos. The band performs growls and rasps, but it's the clean vocals that dominate the show. Their slightly high-pitched tone and passionate delivery make for a captivating experience. Alvar is definitely one of the most promising extreme metal bands to emerge in recent years. Cerebral Carnage - Violent Suffering Cerebral Carnage (not to be confused with Cephalic Carnage) is a new Australian brutal death metal band formed by the fresh-faced Ryan Sporer. They take the Suffocation formula and add touches of the strange and otherworldly. The drums frequently switch between blast beats, straightforward upbeat rhythms, extravagant mid-paced sections, and elaborate fills. The deep growls have a dry-throated delivery that make them sound like they're coming from the mouth of a mysterious undead entity. The guitars offer up heavy chugging riffs, sinister tremolo riffs and palm-muted riffs, and unsettling arpeggios. They also throw in a few pinch harmonics, and they even play some great solos on songs like "Violent Suffering." This was a really strong first offering overall. Apogean - Cyberstrictive Cyberstrictive is the first full-length album from Apogean, one of the latest bands from the technical death metal hotbed known as Canada. They're not as flashy or extravagant as other similar bands, but they have more thoughtful songwriting. Vocalist Mac Smith performs a deep yet hoarse growl that is quite pleasing to the ear. Drummer Jacob Wagner plays amazing blast beats and great mid-paced rhythms. In between these he plays many complex arrangements as well as elaborate fills. Robert Tam's bass work isn't that prominent, but it sounds nice when it does show up, most notably on "An(t)imus." The best part is the dual guitar work of Dexter Forbes and Gabriel Silva Castro. Their palm-muted riffs and tremolo riffs are energetic, and their mid-paced chord progressions are finely crafted. Sometimes they throw in arpeggios and other technical displays to make things more interesting. They also include some chugging riffs and pinch harmonics on songs like "Thousand-Yard Glare." All of this is topped off by intricate melodic solos. This was a fantastic album. I can't wait to hear more from them. Cosmophage - Sidereal Malignancy Cosmophage is a new death metal band from Brazil, and their first EP, Sidereal Malignancy, offers up some nice old school death metal. Drummer Manoel Bento plays hard-hitting mid-paced rhythms full of thumping double bass as well as simple yet crushing blast beats. Diogo Dantas belts out deep, bellowing growls, but they're a bit hard to hear at times. Vinicius Azevedo's bass work mostly follows the guitars, but he helps make the rest of the music darker and heavier. On rhythm guitar is Matheus Alpino and on lead guitar is Roberto Borges. The palm-muted riffs, tremolo riffs, and mid-paced chord progressions are inspired by Florida's finest. Making things even more interesting are the many melodic leads and haunting solos, the best demonstration of which can be found on "Precognition Into the Iris." This was a great EP, and I'm eager to see what they'll do next. Eta Carinae - Eta Carinae Eta Carinae is a new technical death metal band from Colombia. They formed in 2020 and released their first EP earlier this year. The music is just as cool as the cover art. Vocalist and former Astral Dissonance member Diego Guerrero performs deep yet hoarse growls that radiate otherworldly aggression. The bass work of Marck Lopez is not only extremely prominent in the mix, but also very complex. Drummer Norman Baquero plays calculated blast beats, nice skank beats, and swirling mid-paced rhythms, all of which are punctuated by complex fills. Guitarist Juan David Cruz fills every song with chord progressions, palm-muted riffs, and tremolo riffs that are equal parts intricate and ominous. He also includes a few chugging riffs for good measure. If you listen closely, you'll notice that the last song has rougher production than the first three. That's because that song was recorded long before the others. It also features a different bassist (Yoa Valencia) and a different drummer (David Gomez). The band also used to have a different guitarist named Giovany Castiblanco who played on the last two tracks. This is evidence that the recording process was tumultuous. Despite this, the music turned out great. Old and Obscure Necropolis (US, CA) - Death Metal Despite the demo's name, the music on here is more death/thrash than full-blown death metal. It's still enjoyable, though. The guitars play rapid palm-muted riffs and dark chord progressions, both of which are heavily influenced by Slayer. They also play some sweet solos. The drums play skank beats and primitive blast beats as well as mid-paced rhythms full of double bass. There are also a few moments when they become quite intricate. The vocals consist of a raspy shout that borders on sounding like a hoarse growl. The best part is actually the bass. It's very high in the mix and plays some great riffs, the best of which can be found on the song "Necropolis." If you're always on the lookout for old and obscure metal, then you'll get a kick out of this. Necropolis (US, CA) - Demo #2 Not long after the release of Death Metal, Necropolis released a second demo. The music has gone from death/thrash to crossover thrash. The raspy shouts have been replaced by a more standard punkish shout. The drumming consists almost entirely of skank beats, only occasionally playing mid-paced rhythms. The guitars now mainly play simple punkish riffs with a few palm-muted riffs, heavy chord progressions, and solos thrown in between. It's okay, but it's a disappointment compared to the band's first demo. At least the bass can still be heard well. Necropolis (US, CA) - Unreleased Demo This demo was never officially released. It only showed up long after the band dissolved. It's less than 5 minutes long, so there's not much to say about it. The music now sounds more akin to Show No Mercy-era Slayer. The drums play a lot of energetic rhythms that sometimes include double bass. The aggressive raspy vocals have returned. The guitars play simple chord progressions and palm-muted riffs. They also play a nice solo on the last track. Overall, it's good, but it's still not as good as their first demo. Necropolis (US, GA) - Contemplating Slaughter There were many American metal bands named Necropolis. This one in particular was a thrash metal band from Stockbridge, Georgia. They formed in 1986, released a full-length named Contemplating Slaughter in 1988, and then broke up at some point thereafter. The music is inspired by the likes of Slayer and Dark Angel. It's fast and aggressive, but they also include some heavy mid-paced sections. Drummer David Randolph plays a lot of furious skank beats that border on sounding like blast beats. He also plays tight rhythms punctuated by elaborate fills. Bassist Keith Eppinette mostly follows the guitars, but there are moments like on the title track when his skills are given a spotlight. Vocalist Keith Charron performs a hoarse shout that is clearly inspired by Tom Araya. It can sound a bit grating at times, but it's still a good performance overall. Guitarist Mel Ballard does a great job here. His many palm-muted riffs are energetic and his chord progressions have a great deal of nuance to them. He also throws in some fiery leads and screeching solos. If you're a fan of Slayer and Dark Angel, then you might get a kick out of this. Necropolis (US, PA) - Welcome to the Masquerade Here's another Necropolis. This one in particular came from Pittsburgh. They formed in 1984 and released three demos over the course of five years. Their lineup was quite unstable. By the time they dissolved in 1989, frontman Spahr Schmitt was the only remaining original member. If you wish to learn more about the band's history, Spahr took the time to chronicle it. Their first demo, Welcome to the Masquerade, was released in 1986 and featured music that sounded like a more punkish version of Kill 'em All-era Metallica. The production is rough and unpolished, making it hard to hear the finer details. Spahr explained that this was because the demo was printed on low quality cassettes. The music is still great, though. Drummer Chris Emerson plays a lot of energetic galloping rhythms and strong mid-paced rhythms, all of which are punctuated by fills. George Grant's excellent bass work can still be heard well despite the lo-fi production quality. Spahr performs gruff vocals that sound like what would have happened if James Hetfield played hardcore punk instead of metal. Guitarist Jon Dawson does a fantastic job. He combines Metallica's structures with raw punkish energy. There are so many fantastic riffs on here, from the galloping passages of "War is Pain" to the somber melodies of "Masque of the Red Death" to the prowling palm-muted riffs of "Frost Eternal" to the belligerent displays on "Annihilus" to the blazing assaults of "Technology and War." He also plays a few sweet solos. The band members were mere teenagers when they recorded this, but it managed to be quite impressive, especially the guitar work. Necropolis (US, PA) - Future Kill Necropolis wrote several songs before putting out their first demo, but it was not until the release of Future Kill that they were recorded. Though less than a year had passed, the band developed their skills immensely in that short amount of time. The demo begins with an acoustic passage which then gives way to a melodic section. After a few seconds of this, they launch into a fast-paced thrashing assault. That build-up followed by the drastic change in tone is a fantastic songwriting display. The liner notes state that this was recorded in Eric Reese's grandparents' basement. Strangely enough, the production here sounds better than it was on their first demo. I can hear everything a bit more clearly. Chris Emerson continues to do excellent work behind the drum kit. His skank beats have become a lot more furious, his mid-paced rhythms have become more intricate, and he plays many more extravagant fills, most notably on the title track and "Necropolis." George Grant once again amazes with the bass. His riffs are really heavy and get quite complex at times. His best performance can be found on "The Seventh Seal." Spahr Schmitt has refined his gruff vocals. He now sounds like a cross between James Hetfield and Paul Baloff. It perfectly matches the more aggressive nature of the instrumental work. Joining Jon Dawson on guitars is Eric Reese. Together they give the music a greater sense of detail and depth. Their palm-muted riffs and chord progressions are more complex and their delivery is more refined. I especially loved the arpeggios on "The Seventh Seal." They also make sure to play some screeching solos that have some nice melodies. It's amazing just how much these guys improved in less than a year. Future Kill is a killer thrash metal demo, and "The Seventh Seal" is easily the best song on here. Necropolis (US, PA) - The Insanity Has Only Begun In 1988, the members of Necropolis scraped together enough money to record at JTM Studio in Knox, Pennsylvania. The final product was named The Insanity Has Only Begun and was released in May of that year. Unfortunately, this would be the last demo they would put out, for they broke up one year later. The production quality is the most obvious improvement. It no longer sounds muddy, and all the finer details come through clear as day. Funny thing is, I actually prefer the raw sound of their first two demos. Perhaps all those years of listening to obscure black metal have ruined my musical taste, but I think the lo-fi quality made the music hit harder. It makes the listener feels like he's fighting for his life in some filthy alley. To each his own, I guess. What can I say about Chris Emerson that I haven't said already? He once again plays excellent skank beats, mid-paced rhythms, and fills. They're energetic, nuanced, and arranged well. After the release of Future Kill, bassist George Grant left the band because he felt the other members weren't acting professionally enough. He was replaced by former X-Cape member Brian Stanwyck. He had big shoes to fill, but he proved to be just as skilled as his predecessor. The riffs he plays range in mood from frantic to upbeat to thought-provoking. His best performance can be found on the title track. Spahr Schmitt continues to set himself apart from other vocalists of his era. His hoarse shout combines the anger of hardcore with the volatile energy of thrash metal. It sounds similar to a few crossover bands, but it's also something completely unique. Jon Dawson and Eric Reese put on their best guitar performance here. Their palm-muted riffs are fiery, their simpler punkish riffs and mid-paced chord progressions are brimming with power, and their arpeggios give the music a technical flair. They also make things more interesting by throwing in a few melodic passages, like those on the title track. This demo also contains their best solos. Not only are they extremely intricate, but on tracks like "Drunk and Arrogant" and "Missing in Action," they screech and howl like some otherworldly beast. The Insanity Has Only Begun was a brilliant send-off from these guys. It's sad to know that they never got the chance to record a full-length, but the demos they left behind feature some really fun thrash. By the way, be sure to read Spahr Schmitt's autobiography. It's fascinating and informative. Giornesto - Virgin Eater Giornesto, the brainchild of Todd Giornesto, was a short-lived thrash metal band from Pennsylvania. They formed in 1986, released one demo called Virgin Eater the following year, and then dissolved a few years later due to their inability to keep a stable lineup. They apparently got back together in 2011, but there has been no activity from them in eight years. There are several different versions of this tape. The original pressing had just four songs, but later versions had three extra tracks: "The Cult," "Havoc," and "Phantasm into Fear." The one I have has those three tracks, but not "Terror." Keep that in mind when you try to look for it online. Here's hoping they one day put out a compilation. The music is an energetic and slightly catchy combination of power metal and thrash metal. The production is surprisingly good. I can't tell if this was recorded in a high quality studio or if I have a high quality rip. It's not exactly polished, but I can still hear everything well. The drums are played by Shawn Gioiosa. His mid-paced rhythms are delivered with strength and precision, his galloping rhythms are extremely lively, and he makes sure to include plenty of great fills. Like most other bassists, Kirk Robison mostly follows the guitars, but there are moments when he stands out more and shows off his skills, like on "Havoc" and the title track. Since the band is named after him, vocalist Todd Giornesto is the star of the show. He performs high-pitched clean vocals and screams inspired by the likes of Joey Belladonna. They're a bit grating at times, but enjoyable for the most part. Ray Moretti plays rhythm guitars and Tony Leone plays lead guitars. The mid-paced chord progressions and melodic leads have a strong NWOBHM influence. They sound nice and are composed well. In between these they play pulse-pounding palm-muted riffs. Then there are the solos, which are fast, wild, and pure fun. One more thing I want to point out is that the melodic riff at the halfway point of "Phantasm into Fear" sounds similar to riffs in "Tunnel of Pain" by Coroner, "Зов теней" by Коррозия Металла, and "Invocation of Naamah" by Therion. This band did not last long, but what little material they recorded is pretty high quality compared to most obscure thrash metal bands from the era. The songwriting was superb and the riffs were excellent. If they had stuck around a bit longer, they would have created something truly amazing. Doomwatch - A Symphony of Decadence Doomwatch was a rather prominent band from the Pittsburgh thrash metal scene. They were also friends with the guys from Necropolis. They formed in 1986 and quickly earned a following after releasing an EP called Final Hour later that same year. In the following year, they went to JTM Studio and recorded a full-length called A Symphony of Decadence. Due to various circumstances, it would not be released until 1989. The band then broke up two years after that. This album has extremely high production quality. The guitars have a crunchy tone and the bass can be heard very well. Handling drum work is Blair Powell. Since the band's thrash metal is of the crossover variety, he plays a lot of fast-paced skank beats, all of which are precise and hard-hitting. He also takes the time to slow down and play groovier rhythms, and there are moments like on "The Fourth Reich" when he plays militaristic patterns. He then keeps things engaging by throwing in plenty of fills. Garry Mintz handles the bass. He plays some sweet bass riffs that make the music sound bolder and richer. They are most prominent on "Tragic Flaw." Frontman Daniel Klasnick's vocals have an angry nasally delivery. They're not that much different from other crossover bands, but they're still performed well. He also does a few nice screams on occasion. Sometimes the band does gang vocals. The most notable of those are a scream near the end of "Rude Awakening." This element is far louder than the rest of the song, which, true to the song's title, startles the listener. It's rare for me to get jumpscared by a metal song, but this one succeeded. Daniel also handles rhythm guitars, and Jeff Cherep is the lead guitarist. They mainly play palm-muted riffs and simple chord progressions with a few tremolo riffs thrown in between. The mood frequently changes from groovy to fierce and back again. Not only are the riffs heavy, but they're also finely crafted and flow well. One of my favorite songs on here is "Final Hour" because the rapid palm-muted riffs remind me of Slayer. Speaking of which, Jeff Cherep plays some crazy solos that draw influence from Jeff Hanneman. This was an amazing crossover thrash album. I love the riffs and their crunchy tone. It's criminal how this thing has not yet gotten a proper re-release because it deserves it. Perhaps a label like Lost Realm or High Roller can make that happen. ----------------------------------------