Disma - Towards The Megalith (Profound Lore, 2011)

Track Listing:

1. Chaos Apparition (4.36)
2. Chasm Of Oceanus (7.13)
3. Spectral Domination (4.38)
4. Vault Of Membros (6.28)
5. Purulent Quest (4.35)
6. Lost In The Burial Fog (6.06)
7. Of A Past Forlorn (6.05)
8. Towards The Megalith (6.22)

Synopsis: I'm afraid it is going to be very difficult for another death metal album to top Disma's "Towards The Megalith" this year such is it's omnipotence. For starters, you just need to look at that artwork, which sets the stage perfectly, and then there's the music; dark, foreboding death metal of the highest quality. Disma are relentless and oppressive, no light, only darkness. They take a classic sound and make it their own whilst retaining a sense of familiarity and it is this that makes "Towards The Megalith" thoroughly compelling listening.

Testament - The New Order (Atlantic, 1988)

Track Listing:

1. Eerie Inhabitants (5.06)
2. The New Order (4.25)
3. Trial By Fire (4.14)
4. Into The Pit (2.46)
5. Hypnosis (2.04)
6. Disciples Of The Watch (5.05)
7. The Preacher (3.37)
8. Nobody's Fault (3.57)
9. A Day Of Reckoning (4.00)
10. Musical Death (A Dirge) (4.05)

Synopsis: Together with Overkill I have always preferred Testament to any of the "big four" and one of the key reasons is "The New Order". Here, on their second album, the band refined a melodic flair to their thrash that was in it's infancy on "The Legacy" and it is, for me, their most consistent and powerful release containing such classics as "Trial By Fire", "Into The Pit" and "Disciples Of The Watch". As far as I am concerned Testament haven't released a bad album over their lengthy career, maybe inconsistent but never bad, and "The New Order" is where the balance was perfected allowing it to more than hold its own with the great albums released by the "big four" the same year.

http://www.testamentlegions.com/



Genetic Wisdom - The Fear Dimension (Mascot, 1993)



Track Listing:

1. Perserverance Kills The Game (5.42)
2. Why Don't You? (8.37)
3. Unfortunate Childhood (6.03)
4. Psycho Love (9.18)
5. Afraid Of Life (8.00)
6. Inside The Triangle (Of Death) (5.44)
7. The Fear Dimension (2.15)
8. Visual Fastfood (5.53)
9. Radical Hatred (7.48)

Synopsis: Genetic Wisdom were a young band trying their hand at progressive thrash metal with mixed results. The talent was clearly there but, unfortunately, some of the execution wasn't. This is compounded by the lengthy songs that sometimes run out of steam and a dated production lacking in power. You could argue that they were over ambitious on their first attempt, we'll put it down to youthful enthusiasm, but "The Fear Dimension" is not without merit and remains worth a listen, particularly to thrash completists.

The Living Fields - Running Out Of Daylight (Candlelight, 2011)

Track Listing:

1. Remnant (6.27)
2. Perseverance (8.44)
3. From Misery To Blood-Drenched Fields (9.18)
4. When The Walls Go Up (3.04)
5. Bitterness (9.00)
6. Glacial Movements (6.52)
7. Intermissione (1.00)
8. Running Out Of Daylight (16.40)

Synopsis: Despite purchasing their self-released "The Miseries Never Cease" from the band a few years ago, I had lost track of The Living Fields until I read that they had signed to Candlelight Records and were about to release "Running Out Of Daylight". It is a challenging work that covers many styles from doom, which seems to underpin everything, to death, to black and even more progressive territory. Most of the time the eclectic nature of the music works in their favour but one thing is certain, The Living Fields have developed a sound all of their own. Their music does take a few listens to fully appreciate but is well worth the effort.

http://www.thelivingfields.com/



Kozeljnik - Deeper The Fall (Paragon, 2010)

Track Listing:

1. The Truth Is Death (7.26)
2. The All-Consuming (6.33)
3. Void To Final Consumption (7.25)
4. Deeper The Fall (9.10)
5. Breeding The Apocalypse (4.07)
6. A.O.T.U (7.03)

Synopsis: "Deeper The Fall" is the second album of this bleak, almost depressive, black metal duo from Serbia. Like most of the releases from Paragon Records this is of high quality, the songs are memorable and based around strong themes while still retaining that dark edge that you'd expect from this style. Sure, there are clear influences from Mayhem, Immortal, later Satyricon etc. but that's not such a bad thing when the music is as well executed as it is here.

http://www.kozeljnik.com/