5. Indus Creed: Thief
Okay. This is a single. And it's not really metal. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that the song is, quite simply, kick ass. This is Indus Creed at their most hard hitting and is a clear sign that, so many year later, the band is still evolving. Their last album, incidentally named 'Evolve', was an impressive prog rock album. 'Thief' sees Indus Creed cranking it up a little further and hitting another bullseye. Heavy riffs, odd times, double bass... They need to do this more often.
4. Demonic Resurrection: The Demon King
I think, over the years, Sahil Makhija's best output has been through Demonic Resurrection. So when last year's Reptilian Death album left me slightly underwhelmed, I set all my hopes on the next DR album. And boy does it deliver. The Demon King has all the diabolical riffs it needs. It has the right atmosphere, and just the right amount of clean vocals adding pathos to the menacing growl. But what it has that was probably lacking from some of their earlier releases is- character. This is a band that knows exactly what it sounds like, and is proud of it.
3. Bhayanak Maut: Man
Bhayanak Maut claim that Man is the result of them destroying 10 years of their life. The biggest compliment I can probably give them is that it was totally worth it. Because the effort shows. This album is huge. 17 songs and over an hour of run time. And everything is thought out. Everything fits. If you buy the album (sadly digital only right now) from their site you also get a journal in both PDF and cbr format with all the stories on which the songs are based. These are some of the most disgusting stories I have ever read and while not entirely essential to enjoying the album, they do help understand the dark recesses the music comes from. Overall, this is Bhayanak Maut at their Bhayanak best.
2. Skyharbor: Guiding Lights
This is Skyharbor delivering on the promise they'd shown on their first album. This album is much more cohesive, clearly the outcome of the band working together on it from the outset unlike the first album which grew from Keshav Dhar's demos. Guiding Lights, as a whole, is a lot more mellow with a lot more emphasis on ambience and atmosphere. Dan Tompkins all clean vocal delivery is mesmerising. The mix by Forrester Savell adds to the beauty of the album. We all know Keshav Dhar can go all bazookas on a fretboard. Here he actually restrains himself for the sake of their collective vision for the album. And what a vision it turns out to be.
1. Scribe: Hail Mogambo
Okay. This is a single. And it's not really metal. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that the song is, quite simply, kick ass. This is Indus Creed at their most hard hitting and is a clear sign that, so many year later, the band is still evolving. Their last album, incidentally named 'Evolve', was an impressive prog rock album. 'Thief' sees Indus Creed cranking it up a little further and hitting another bullseye. Heavy riffs, odd times, double bass... They need to do this more often.
4. Demonic Resurrection: The Demon King
I think, over the years, Sahil Makhija's best output has been through Demonic Resurrection. So when last year's Reptilian Death album left me slightly underwhelmed, I set all my hopes on the next DR album. And boy does it deliver. The Demon King has all the diabolical riffs it needs. It has the right atmosphere, and just the right amount of clean vocals adding pathos to the menacing growl. But what it has that was probably lacking from some of their earlier releases is- character. This is a band that knows exactly what it sounds like, and is proud of it.
3. Bhayanak Maut: Man
Bhayanak Maut claim that Man is the result of them destroying 10 years of their life. The biggest compliment I can probably give them is that it was totally worth it. Because the effort shows. This album is huge. 17 songs and over an hour of run time. And everything is thought out. Everything fits. If you buy the album (sadly digital only right now) from their site you also get a journal in both PDF and cbr format with all the stories on which the songs are based. These are some of the most disgusting stories I have ever read and while not entirely essential to enjoying the album, they do help understand the dark recesses the music comes from. Overall, this is Bhayanak Maut at their Bhayanak best.
2. Skyharbor: Guiding Lights
This is Skyharbor delivering on the promise they'd shown on their first album. This album is much more cohesive, clearly the outcome of the band working together on it from the outset unlike the first album which grew from Keshav Dhar's demos. Guiding Lights, as a whole, is a lot more mellow with a lot more emphasis on ambience and atmosphere. Dan Tompkins all clean vocal delivery is mesmerising. The mix by Forrester Savell adds to the beauty of the album. We all know Keshav Dhar can go all bazookas on a fretboard. Here he actually restrains himself for the sake of their collective vision for the album. And what a vision it turns out to be.
1. Scribe: Hail Mogambo
This was easily my most anticipated album for the year.
Scribe has never disappointed me. Their refusal to be bound by the shackles of
'being metal' allows them to actually have fun with it. How many other metal
bands would dare to embrace bollywood and run with it unabashed and
uninhibited. This is a band that does't take itself too seriously as far as
themes and images go. Music though is something they take very seriously. This album
is one awesome roller coaster ride and you'll get down from it with a wide
smile on your face. Vishvesh Krishnamoorthy's
vocal delivery is just out of the world encapsulating everything from grows to
melodic cleans to stretches of machine gun rapping and all the other
idiosyncrasies that make scribe what they are. The riffs are delicious. And there are a little bit of synth in there as
well elevating everything a small step further. If you haven't heard this album
yet... Do it. Now.
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