Eden is a new band to me even though they have existed for a long time. This cd was originally released in 1994 but due to the big grunge/alternative scene that unfortunately was so popular at that time this cd didn't got the distribution it should. But now things are different and Metal is coming back again (finally!) and so do this album that recently has been rereleased. What makes this band/album special is that guitar hero Rex Carrol from Whitecross is handling the guitars! Yes, finally a new album with this talented guitarist to enjoy. You can also hear an evident early Whitecross influence in the guitarplaying with plenty of biting guitars, which makes the cd very enjoyable. Joe Dokken is handling the vocals and he has a really good voice that fits both the rockers and the ballads. Lyrics are loud'n'clear about the hope we have in Christ. Favourite tracks are Tomorrow's Yesterday, Love Rolls On, Fan The Flame, Forgotten Child and Need Somebody.

On the downside a few tunes don't really make it all the way but overall it's a very good solid release with REAL guitarshredding Metal. Welcome back Rex, you have been greatly missed!


References: Whitecross fans will love this band as well as anyone into classic metal with plenty of guitar solos. It's also a must have for those of you that have been looking for a quality christian alternative to Kiss.


Website: http://www.dokkenseden.com


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

This is Eternal Decision 2nd album and the sound has changed quite a bit from the Metallica-inspirated sound on their first to a sound that is reminding of Alice in Chains. They have also thrown in some industrial influences that just sounds like noise in my ears. A few tunes are still enjoyable but unfortunately they are few. There's too much repetitiveness and too less crunch and melody. And what has happened to the lyrics?? From the very bold Christcentered lyrics on their debut they have now become more vague. One of the few tunes that I totally enjoy on this cd is Thru This Pain. More tunes like this and they will shred. All in all this cd is a big dissapointment to me. :-(


References: Sounds like a mix between Metallica and Alice In Chains


Website: http://www.angelfire.com/ok2/eternaldecision


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

Here is another debutalbum, this time from an american band. The singer have a cool voice that reminds of Metallica. The music is also similar to this band. Sometimes it's very crunchy and enjoying but sometimes it's repetitive and monotonous. The problem with this album is that it's a bit up and down. Lyricallwise though this is some of the best I have seen, ever! They have very Christ - centered lyrics that are filled with Biblical truths. The lyrics shows that these dudes really know Who they are living for.

The band shows that they have the talent and vision to succeed. If just the music becomes more solid and varied this band can go far.


References: Crunchy Metal in the veins of old Megadeth and Metallica.


Website: http://www.angelfire.com/ok2/eternaldecision


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

From Ucraine comes Evroklidon. Like Holy Blood they seem to like to mix folk music with black metal. Evroklidon variate their music well and has incorporated quite some harmonies and crunchy rhythmes into their lightningfast music. If this had just been an instrumental album it would have been an excellent album. But now it isn't and the shrilling vocals disturbs me, I have heard much much better black metal vocals than this. But on the track Funeral of Dead Soul the vocalist sings clean and then it sounds really good. This track is also the best in my ears. More tracks of this caliber is what this band needs! Spiritual Battle reminds somewhat of Deuteronomiums classic Spell of Hell and here the vocalist Artaaroth shows that he indeed can sing black really good. I just wished he had showed it more on the other tracks. Evroklidon's lyrics are focusing on Jesus victory over Satan and that we through this can have our sins forgiven. To sum it up, the band has a very promising sound and a good focus but the vocals really needs to be improved on coming releases.


References: Fans of Holy Blood and other Viking Metal bands will love this album.


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

Just realised that I haven't reviewed anything by Extol, so I thought it was about time to do something about it, so here we go... Extol hails from Norway and gives us some tasty & progressive death metal on this their first release. Musical genious Ole Borud that wrote and played the music on Schaliach is also one of the members of Extol. The cool thing with this band is that they do have a sound of their own. They are also extremely tight and technical. So it's really a quality band. Typical for Extol is also that they love to variate their music and experiment with their sound. Music is full of timechanges and complex rhythms. Favourite tracks are Superior, Reflections of a Broken Soul and Jesus Kom Till Jorden For Å Dö (Jesus Came To Earth To Die) that are totally outstanding! Really like their mix of melodic harmonies and the extreme. It's also enjoyable with the mix of clean and brutal vocals. The problem however is that Extol gets so experimental and progressive that they sometimes lose the melody and it just gets complicated and boring in my ears. I know however many that totally love Extol's progressiveness, so this is more a matter of taste. In conclusion Burial is a solid release and definately one of their best albums in my opinion. I give it a 3+ rating.

References: A must have for anyone into progressive death metal. Fans of Believer are gonna eat this up!


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

This time Martin Pleu has been joined by Thomas Wilson. As a result of this the production is fuller and the sound is heavier and darker. Stylewise, the band continues with their cool mix of black metal vocals and catchy melodies and thrash riffing to create a dark atmospheric sound.

I also really enjoy the Christcentered lyrics! The chorus in Reconciled goes like this "Through His grace we are saved. Through His wounds we are healed. Through His death we have life. We have peace, we are free. He was stricken for our faults. Bore our sins on the cross. Took them all in His love. So we could be reconciled."

Overall I enjoy this album, but some tracks are just too slow and gloomy to my taste and makes me hit the skip button. The vocals could also be more varied. Also hope the band will speed up and incorporate more Thrash influences in coming releases. But all in all a cool album and I give it 3 shredding guitars.

References: Cool release recommended to anyone that appreciate black metal vocals mixed with catchy melodic and heavy riffs and that enjoys a dark atmospheric sound.


Orderinfo: Available from the band's website.

Endless Funeral is a cool one man band from Canada that mix black metal vocals with catchy melodic 80s Metal! I also like that Martin Pleau uses plenty of variation in the tunes. Guitar solos also totally rule on this release and I really enjoy the Christcentered lyrics. On the negative side it sounds like he uses a drum machine and that's always a minus in my ears. All in all a pleasant surprise and an EP that really really gives good promise for the future.

References: Really cool release recommended to anyone that appreciate black metal vocals and 80s metal and what to hear something new and fresh.


Orderinfo: Available from the band's website.

This is the first album I heard from these Mexican metal band. Typical for their sound is their brutal vocals and melodic crunchy harmonies. Musically I would describe as crunchy thrash with influences from classic metal and on top of it growling death metal vocals. The cool thing with music is that it is varied, wellwritten and has plenty of hooks and variation. Cd also has heaps of great guitarsolos and it's a real metal feast! Guitarsolos totally rule on this release! Favourite tracks are Eternal Dimension, I Believe In God, Salvation, Covenant, You Can Trust and the beautiful and powerful track Extreme Love that also has some beautiful female vocals. I also like the last track Drink My Blood which has some very beautiful operatic female vocals.

Lyrics are very Biblical and Christcentered. One good example of this is the lyrics in Salvation: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord… If you confess that Jesus is the Lord and believe in your heart, you will be saved".

The drawback on this release is the production. With better production this album would totally rule. But the music is so good so despite the production I consider this a must have. Exousia has tons of potential and are really on fire for Jesus. With better production this band can be one of the very best metal bands in the world.


References: Highly recommended to all thrashers out there!


Website: http://www.geocities.com/exousia_site


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here

Exousia is back with a new release. Compared to Welcome To The Kingdom of Light cd this has a lighter sound and isn't as heavy. I prefered the heavy sound so to me this is a step in the wrong direction. The standout track on this album is Te Necesito (I Need You) which is extremely beautiful and very atmospheric. More tunes in this vein would be great. I also like Victory and Conquer.

A letdown for me ist that this albums isn't as fast and crunchy as the Welcome album were. My advice to the band is that they should go back to the sound of the Welcome album but add a track or two in the musical direction of I Need You. That would rule! The band still have have lots of potential but it doesn't shine through as much here as it did on the Welcome album. So please folks speed it up and make it heavier next time. Then it would also fit better with the brutal vocals.


References: Check it out if you can handle brutal vocals and want something melodic.


Website: http://www.geocities.com/exousia_site


Orderinfo: Check with the mailorder companys listed here