Black Jesus - Black Jesus Saves (The Coffins Slave, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Cycles Of Fear (1.26)

2. Black Jesus Saves (2.10)

3. The Devouring (3.39)

4. Dead In Their Tracks (1.20)

5. Doctrine Of Denial (2.39)

6. River Bleeds Black (1.51)

7. Age Of Advance (2.49)

8. Atrocity Generator (2.52)

Synopsis: Black Jesus, from Melbourne, play old school death metal that brings to mind bands such as Autopsy or Repulsion and it proves a simple yet effective formula that they execute to raw perfection. Originally released by the band themselves as a demo a couple of years ago it has now been pressed onto CD by The Coffin's Slave and, while it retains the production values of the demo, the songs still impress and that cover art looks magnificent.

www.facebook.com/TheTrueBlackJesus

Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol (Century Media, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Solitary One (4.08)

2. Crucify (4.07)

3. Fear Of Impending Hell (5.24)

4. Honesty In Death (4.07)

5. Theories From Another World (5.02)

6. In This We Dwell (3.54)

7. To The Darkness (5.09)

8. Tragic Idol (4.34)

9. Worth Fighting For (4.11)

10. The Glorious End (5.23)

Synopsis: Following Paradise Lost over the years has been an interesting ride yet "Tragic Idol" sees this venerable institution rediscovering their classic sound without regressing or plagiarising themselves. There is no doubt that "Tragic Idol" is regularly reminiscent of "Icon" or "Draconian Times", particularly in the trademark guitar harmonies and solos, but that isn't to say that there isn't anything new to offer. It's great to hear some of the morose doom that really made Paradise Lost so important to metal in the nineties and there is also a subtle injection of atmosphere as well. After such a long, and at times varied, career it is reassuring to hear that Paradise Lost are still capable of producing great heavy music.

http://www.paradiselost.co.uk/

Decomposed - Hope Finally Died... (Candlelight, 1994)

Track Listing:

1. Inscriptions (7.30)

2. Taste The Dying (4.36)

3. Falling Apart (6.24)

4. At Rest (6.43)

5. Instrumental (6.26)

6. Procession (6.04)

7. (Forever) Lying In State (3.42)

Synopsis: I'm not sure if many people remember this album which is a travesty as it is a fine example of doom/death, one that I still find myself listening to regularly. Decomposed provided a soundtrack to bereavement and loss based around a simple formula that is executed to perfection. Generally slow and crawling, with the odd burst of speed to liven things up, the outlook is funereal yet it is not without melody as was the case with other bands from the U.K during this period. There is no doubt the cover is a bit garish, from memory it wasn't actually meant to be that colour, but once you get past that initial impression "Hope Finally Died..." is an album of merit that, once heard, won't be forgotten.

Hour Of Penance - Sedition (Prosthetic, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Transubstantiatio (0.59)
2. Enlightened Submission (3.38)
3. Decimate The Ancestry Of The Only God (4.49)
4. Fall Of The Servants (3.20)
5. Ascension (4.04)
6. The Cannibal Gods (3.56)
7. Sedition Through Scorn (3.26)
8. Deprave To Redeem (4.02)
9. Blind Obedience (3.09)

Synopsis: Hour Of Penance remind me of their countrymen Fleshgod Apocalypse in the manner in which they unleash their intense, brutal death metal. Whilst they don't employ the orchestration or choirs employed by the latter Hour Of Penance are precise and unleash their vitriol in a maelstrom of fast riffing and even faster drumming that gives little respite for the half hour duration. As much as I love the renewed interest in old school death metal it is always great to hear the more modern style performed so well and Hour Of Penance certainly show their ample abilities on "Sedition".

http://www.hourofpenance.net/

Inverloch - Dusk Subside (Relapse, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Within Frozen Beauty (7.13)
2. The Menin Road (6.21)
3. Shadows Of The Flame (8.44)

Synopsis: Disembowelment were such a great band, and a major part of my initiation into doom, so it was a foregone conclusion that I would be purchasing the first release of Inverloch, a band with strong ties to that group. In light of this connection and pedigree I can gladly say that "Dusk Subside" is exactly what I hoped to hear. Whilst there are obviously clear links to Disembowelment in the slower, doomier moments it wouldn't be fair to only view them in this context as Inverloch are an entity in their own right. Dark, heavy and aggressive these three songs show so much promise and the only possible gripe is the duration, or lack thereof, so I can only hope that there will be more to come, sooner rather than later.

www.facebook.com/InverlochOfficial

Fester - A Celebration Of Death (Abyss Records, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Rites Of Ceres (7.11)
2. The Black Tower (6.33)
3. March Of Death (8.19)
4. I'll Hunt You Down (6.09)
5. Metalized (3.28)
6. Jeg Spytter Pa Deg (7.32)
7. Last Day Of Battle Pt.I (1.16)
8. Last Day Of Battle Pt.2 (6.14)
9. A Face For A Funeral (2.52)
10. Rites Of Mortiis (4.56)

Synopsis: I have owned Fester's two previous releases, "Winter Of Sin" (1992) and "Silence" (1994), for some time so I was interested to see what they would be able to come up with having reformed after a lengthy hiatus. Unfortunately, "A Celebration Of Death" doesn't make for the most exciting listening experience as it is one of those releases where the overall sound is, at times, difficult to get used to and this impedes the music, particularly the drums  which sound manufactured. It's not all bad, there are some good ideas here and the songs are quite well written, but I just feel like it could have been so much more.

http://www.myspace.festerwinterofsin/