London Metal Monthly Issue 003, June 2014 (Nile, Arch Enemy, Sigiriya) | Page 9

Reviews
Arch Enemy
War Eternal

Seprevation

(Century Media)

Melodic death metal pioneers Arch
Enemy return with a new album,
as well as new singer Alissa WhiteGluz: hand-picked by Angela Gossow
(former lead-vocalist) to continue
their reign as the most brutal female
fronted band in metal. ‘War Eternal’
earns its name with shredding riffs,
melodic solos and, of course; the
screams, and growls of a psychotic
upset girlfriend (We’ve all been
there!). The album is full of catchy
death-metal anthems as you would
expect and Alissa brings a darker,

grittier style into the mix.
‘Time Is Black’ begins and ends with
an eerie instrumental containing
quite possibly the best song they’ve
written, an epitome of what the
band does right: a well written,
yet catchy chorus; awesome riffs,
a phenomenal solo; and a great
orchestral
arrangement.
Alissa
completely takes centre stage, as
her vocal range is outstanding
throughout the album. It seems there
is a new Metal Queen, and her name
is Alissa White-Gluz.
J.A. Smith

down

DOWN IV: PART II

(Down Records)

NOLA’s sludge heavyweights release
their second EP and although
nothing new, it’s refreshing to hear
parts of the old school seeping
in through the chords, riffs and
Anselmo’s vocals, which get stronger
with every release, It’s obvious from
‘Steeple’: with its long drawn out
intro and classic guitar riffs that
you’re listening to an extremely
talented group of musicians whose
song writing is spot on.
The variation on this EP: from
sludge to heavy rock is fused
together as well as any of their
previous albums. If you are a fan of
the band you won’t be disappointed
by this album, but if you are
unfamiliar – you would be better off
buying their first album, ‘NOLA’.

J.A. Smith

Consumed

Eyehategod ‘Self-Titled’
NOLA (New Oleans, Lousiana, USA)
sludge titans Eyehategod’s latest
release has been riddled with hype:
their first album in 14 years (the
last one being 2000’s ‘Confederacy
of Ruined Lives’), and the final
recordings of the late drummer, and
founding member, Joey LaCaze’s prior
to his passing last August. Pre-release
anticipation for this new album
may have been greater than for any
previous release from the group.
Fortunately, the band’s latest release
fires on all cylinders!

(independent)

Bristol 80s style Thrash/Death metal.
The band’s debut album kicks off
with ‘Divine Devastation’, an acoustic
introduction to a time warp of 80s/90s
extreme metal at its best. The album
continues to impress with every song
packed with awesome solos, punishing
riffs, diaphragm breaking vocals, and a
barrage of drum fills and solid grooves.
‘In Torment They Burn’ is another
example why Seprevation are such a
refreshing act to hear in the UK scene
today: their songs are heavy, well
thought out and grueling to the core
– and the lead guitar work is inspired.
‘Between Two Worlds’ is the final
track of this barbarous album. It
reminds of ‘Desperate Cry’ (Sepultura
– Arise) with an eerie brutal and
relentless feel to it. It also features
some amazing guitar solos, fading out
as it began with the acoustic guitar:
another old school touch that doesn’t
go unnoticed, Hail the resurrection of
classic death/thrash ideals in modern
metal! This reviewer’s ‘Album of the
Month’.
J.A. Smith

(Century Media)

The band confidently sound like
themselves in their best moments –
and surprisingly more adventurous
at times. While still inhabiting the
misanthropic body of the beast, with
all the stylistic dissonance that has
defined the band in the past.
You can hear the ideas on this album
bursting from the seams: only masters
such as Eyehategod could manage to
reign them all in and arrange them
into an opus. Those 14 years did not
go to waste!
D.J.G. Mitchell