Metal Thrashing Mad reviews roundup – Kal-El vs. Obdurated vs.Androbb vs. Savn

Metal Thrashing Mad reviews roundup – Kal-El vs. Obdurated vs.Androbb vs. Savn

KAL-EL
Paka
independent

Norwegian stoners, eh?  Well, why not.  A debut album from a new band comprising former members of Theatre of Tragedy, Six Eyes Lost, Desspo and Gabbathor/Deviant, they certainly do enjoy the fuzz.

Ulven (Vocals), Roffe (Guitars), Liz (Bass) and  Bjudas (Drums) don’t mess about with the building blocks of the genre, instead they concentrate on good olf fashioned stoner rock.  Granted, they’re too young to have directly experienced the Blue Cheer / Black Sabbath axis of stoner, so there are a few second and third generation influences in there, but at least they avoid throwing any post grunge into the mix, something that so many do, and something that is wrong in so many ways.

It’s an album chock full of heavy grooves, the best of which are ‘Fire Machine’ and ‘Quasar’, before they end up with a “bonus” version of the Sabbath tune ‘Hole In The Sky’.  It’s an album that made me feel young and stoned all over again.  Result!

http://www.reverbnation.com/kalelproject

OBDURATED
I Feel Nothing
Might Music

Over to French France now for some modern thrash metal.  It’s album number three from Obdurated, although it seems to be the first to try and push out from their Gallic base.  And it’s quite impressive.

Their roots are firmly in thrash, although this is the 21st century, so there is some melodic death metal in there as well, resulting in a sound that will be familiar to folk who liked Soilwork and their ilk.  The guitar work of Dominique and Oliver is particularly impressive as an array of riffs and leads pummel their way through the songs.

They kick things off with their two best songs in the shape of ‘Nomophobia’ and ‘Strive’.  The former is something I will never understand, but then I am from a world where phones were a rarity, and something you put 2p pieces into.  Otherwise known as the past.  Their singer is called Cédric, and once you get past, he puts in a good performance as well.

They’re not doing anything new, but they do it very well, so if you’re looking for something new to try in the world of melodic death thrash, give them a go.

BUY AT AMAZON

ANDROBB
Still On The Run
Fontastix

Our European travels continue, and my coach and horses have pulled up in Liechtenstein, where much to my surprise, Androbb turn out be on their third album.

They’ve been at this for a decade or so now, with the current lineup of Andi Biedermann (vocals and guitar), Robbie Büchel (guitar), Marco Biedermann (bass) and Harry Müller (drums) present and correct since 2010.  They seem to be the support act of choice for bands coming to play in their part of the world and, bearing in mind that they’re surrounded by Switzerland, Austria and Germany, you won’t be surprised to learn that eighties melodic metal is their thing.

Now I’m not going to tell you that they’re the greatest thing since sliced bread, but they know their way around a tune, and when they hit their stride, as they do on ‘Ride the Rocket’ and ‘You Don’t Like Me’, then they are worth a listen.  Download those two tunes and you’ll do just fine, if you’re into bands like Bonfire and their ilk.

BUY AT AMAZON

SAVN
Savn
CDR

And now it’s back to Norway for some goth metal.  Ah, yes.  Comprising former members of Sins Of They Beloved (Stig Johansen and Anders Thue) and former Midnattsol vocalist Carmen Elise Espenæs (aka “the sister of Liv Kristine”), they’ve brought in Alexander Krull (Atrocity / Leaves’ Eyes) to produce.  Or Carmens brother-in-law, if you prefer.

And it sounds exactly like you would expect it to sound.  Which is fine by me, as I do enjoy a traditional goth metal album.  It has a fantastic sound, thanks to the experienced hand of Herr Krull, and when they bring in some folk influences as they do on a number of songs, it’s a real treat.  There is fiddling from Dag Bjørkedal and Lillian Hodne and on ‘Sorrowful’ and ‘Lengselens Hånd’, they even have some strings from the Lingua Mortis Orchestra, courtesy of Victor Smolksi (Rage).

It’s a grand gathering of cliches, but that’s what you want on this sort of album, and even sister Liv Kristine pops in for a sing song on ‘I Am Free’.  It’s a shame they finished with two “bonus” tracks in the shape of “growling” versions of ‘Hang On’ and ‘The Demons In Me’.  I can only assume they didn’t have enough material to pad out the album, and they ruin the flow.  But, they’re at the end, and you should have worked out how to use the stop button by now.

BUY AT AMAZON