ALBUM REVIEW – KEYGEN CHURCH

Keygen Church – Nel Nome Del Codice

Reviewed By: Denis Bridger

Review Score: 9.5

Keygen Church is the gothic metal love child of Vittorio D’amore (Victor Love), who hails from Italy and whose roots are not strictly musical, but also from a different but interesting source point than usual. Interestingly, he has created a unique piece of work, which, by any other standards, is worth checking out. Ater all, it is rather splendid. Gotta be honest, when I read the bio of Keygen Church, I had to read it more than a couple of times, just to get my head around what kind of artist I was dealing with. I am not a tech head but I shall duly give it a go and try to translate some of what I read.

Victor Love, who is also the 8-bit phenom Master Boot Record (MBR) – which seems to be the precursor to Keygen Church – writes and composes his music whilst streaming live on the internet (as it happens from undisclosed events around his Rome sound laboratory). This being said, the polishing and finishing touches are done back in the studio, as that is the “boring” part, says Victor. Most musicians will agree that the mastering and getting the music to a place you like, is very time consuming.

Mr. Love, probably like many of the early dance music producers, found his love of music through technology, working with his father and then as a Systems Administrator at a university. After this, Vittorio discovered the pirated software Cracktos, and music was an integral part of the Key Generator culture. I guess if you know about the demo scene, then you probably already know his name.

A key factor in Vittorio’s life has been The Demo Scene or The Scene as it’s also referred to. A friend tried to explain the demon scene some years ago, as he was involved in the Polish scene. As a late bloomer to the tech world, it was hard for me to understand, but from what I could make it was about coding or, for the layman, writing code for computers to be able to do such things as make pictures or logos. This became a sort of cult amongst the early computer enthusiasts. The logo you see above is ASCII art and is a 1 bit pixel graphic language created by 1st generation Demosceners‘ Bulletin board system (BBS) and was created by German based illustrator Valenberg (VirtuaVersa).

Now to the music…

If you have ever been in a cathedral and heard music being played on the pipe organ, especially with a choir, then you will know the sound and immense power that can be transmitted by the gothic architecture and the religious atmosphere that is present in a cathedral. I was fortunate to hear both David Bowie and Motörhead played on pipe organs in cathedrals (in memory of their respective passings) and it was something to behold. Hearing contemporary music in such a setting really makes you stop, listen and take heed. Anyway, I digress….

The first track ‘Se Hai Timor Del Vero‘ opens with beautiful chorals. The pipe organ comes in, creating a devilish, sinister vibe. The digital heavy metal riffs enter with some very excellent piano playing by Love. The overall feel is religious, slightly threatening, and reminiscent of the music you might have heard in a Bela Lugosi film. The sound is massive enough to fill a cathedral, virtually, digitally and, I imagine, in reality. The sound that is created by Victor is incredible and as heavy as music can be without an instrument in sight.

What we need to remember is that all the music by Keygen Church is 100% digital and is made in Cubase (DAW) and a selection of high end VSTs. On ‘La Chiave Del Mio Amor’ Love makes good use of the VST Hauptwerk (for organ) and the EastWest Hollywood Choirs for the choir (obviously). Love explains that…

“The choir part [of the songwriting process] has been the most challenging, inparticular, some of the syllables sound weird in Italian, the language of chorals. The software is, of course, developed by English-speaking people.“

It must be hard to simulate such an authentic and epic sound with only VSTs, recreating the openness and space that would naturally be in a cathedral, and very time consuming. I would like to have a play with the choir VST, as its sound is very convincing as are the drums (Superior Drummer 3 VST). It’s not easy to find digital drums that sound realistic, but this VST sounds really impressive. The guitars aren’t really guitar sounding, but give that guitar feel and deep bass to add a really great depth. Additionally, the organ has a nice John Lord (Deep Purple) feel. Maybe we need more organ in music? This track is really moving, heavy, and is quite metal in parts. All in all, really impressive programming, design and composition. Lord is a master of his art and will leave you short of breathe by the end.

‘Sulla Via Della Gloria’ opens with a VST Steinway Grand piano and has some really heavy, dirty, non-guitar leads and more of that impressive choir and heavy drums. The whole experience of this record is other-worldly. The sounds are so big, open, and pretty realistic. You can’t help but be impressed by what you hear.

The title track ‘Nel Nom Del Codice’ (In The Name Of The Code) hails back to the cult-like, sub-cultural world of the Demoscene and is another beautiful piece of music. Victor’s piano playing is second to none. The intonation of Love’s playing is very emotional, yet we can’t forget that some really heavy metal is always lurking around the corner to remind that you are not listening to Chopin or some other ancient rock star of the day.

For this scribe, the standout track is ‘Il Paradiso Dell’Anima’ where Love takes it down a notch with the tempo and a beautifully sad, lost love piano. Love’s excellent piano playing is captivating throughout the record. Surprisingly, there is a disco, four to the floor beat on this track (imagine ABBA doing metal) with crazy piano playing, hammering baselines and drums (again, Superior Drummer 3 VST). It is short-lived, going into a full techno metal opus maximus that feels like it was written 300 years ago in a castle somewhere in Prussia. The awesome baroque piano is just incredible with more going on than I can even describe. Mr. Love must have a special brain to come up with these concepts. It blows me away.

‘La Voce Del Destino’ comes back with the big cathedral chorals, again with the utmost atmosphere, giving that air of doom and finalization of something important but daunting, but with a little light shining off in the distance. Love gives his (Massive VST) a blowout for guitar and bass. It’s slow, very heavy, very beautiful and takes one back to a different time and place. I can only suggest listening as there are not enough adjectives in my brain to describe the vastness of sound.

‘Che Sia Vita O Morte’ is sad, morose, thoughtful, and emotional. This choir VST is mind-blowing, and in the hands of such a person as Love, has been used to take things up a level. Halfway through the track, madness presents itself in blackness! Organs that terrify and piano playing that would make Mozart cringe with a lack of ability.

And, finally, ‘Sempre Nel Mio Pensiero‘ adds the finishing touch to an outstanding work. A more traditional death metal kinda rhythm with heavy guitars and bass. If you are a young fan of metal and you take this and play it to your mum, she is gonna have some questions. It’s not for the feint-hearted. An explosive ending to a very enjoyable and new musical experience.

Keygen Church has two previous album, which are ░ ▒ ▓ ▊ and ░ ▋░▋░░▋ ░▋░ (both released in 2022), which are classified as alt code/text art-titled albums (hopefully I have written the album titles correctly).

Vittorio d’amore describes his music as synth metal. From my perspective, it is more of a classical record with over and undertones of black/death metal. It has the feel of a futuristic classical composition, which makes me wonder if people might take an interest in classical music after hearing this, as lots of classical music is very dark, evil, and scary sounding. We could ponder that if Mozart (et al) were composing today, would they be making music like Keygen Church? If you have seen Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure, then, probably, yes… look what Mozart did in that music shop!

In conclusion, this album will not be for everyone. There will be those who will question if this is even metal, as is always the case when an artist does something different. Love has his core followers from the 8-bit demoscene side and is sure to gain a lot more followers of the Keygen cult now that he is moving to a wider audience with Metal Blade Records.

In the modern age, we need to break down the ancient barriers of being hesistant to mix genres and styles. As the saying goes, “there are no straight lines in nature”, and such is the case with music. I can already hear, and visualize, how this music would sound with a live band in a cathedral. In fact, Love has said that he wants the first show to be in a church, and he already has some ideas about how to make that happen. It would surely blow anyone away and be an eternal memory.

So, put on some ear cans, turn it up to 11 and enjoy this piece of innovative art and truly unique musical journey through the ages of music… really FECKIN’ loud!

Nel Nome Del Codice releases on March 22nd via Metal Blade Records.

ALBUM REVIEW – ABORTED

Aborted – Vault Of Horrors

Reviewed by: Kenneth Gallant

Review Score: 9

Let’s address the elephant in the room right from the get go. The gloriously explicit cover art really hit me hard and I knew instantly why it did. As some already know, I am a voracious horror fanatic and I tend to be drawn to music that is horror inspired. This album cover directly rips off Sergio Stivaletti’s horrific menagerie (centrepiece) from The Church made in ‘89 by Italian film maker Michele Soavi. Obviously, this is also a homage to gorier days as seen in the 80’s VHS horror movie craze, so all good in my books.

There are some neat visual cues placed in the art with references to VHS tapes like Hellraiser, Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Evil Dead and The Church; plus a Dawn Of The Dead movie poster on the wall. I simply love it, but I will stop there because you didn’t come to this review to get my thoughts on album art. You came here to find out if Aborted’s latest release is any good.

The answer is quite simple. The latest opus from these Belgium-based death masters is an absolute “hell yeah” in my opinion. There’s tons of maniacal riffs and razor-spitting vocals on every track and put through a blender of brutalized grindcore to boot. The end result is an album appropriately entitled Vault of Horrors. So, let’s take a deep-dive into this sucker and find out what makes it so putrid sounding and infectious all at the same time.

Aborted started out in ‘99 playing a rabid induced brutal death/grind style and came charging out of the gate with a strong debut entitled The Purity of Perversion. The album was fast, vicious and complete with gore-obsessed lyrics; also featuring a cover utilizing a scene sourced from the horror film Split Second. I think this album surprised many and it helped launch a successful career in the death/grind scene. The only thing I will add is the slight change (leaning heavily) into grind on later releases, but it hasn’t affected my enjoyment at all.

Case in point here on Vault Of Horrors which takes the best of death and grind and comes up with a blenderized diet of gory goodness. This new release follows the same formula as heard previously on 2021’s Maniacult, so if you liked that album, then you will love this new effort. The big notable difference here is the band switching labels, leaving Century Media and joining the Nuclear Blast family. A move that will serve them well moving forward just based on the diverse roster of bands found on Nuclear Blast. Also, they have a new guitarist in Daniel Konradsson who contributes a great deal of music and lyrics on this new release.

The opening number ‘Dreadbringer’ rips straight into the proceedings and chugs along with much voracity. I love the energy here, along with the razor-like guitar tone that fuels it. ‘Condemned To Rot’ provides a ton of metallic flourishes and a mellifluous riff, but never forgets its rabid nature. ‘Brotherhood Of Sleep’ will bludgeon you hard and will not spare you a breather at all. I really loved the opening moments of ‘Deathcult’ and must give props to Sven’s vocal delivery right from the start. The song makes reference to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and those lyrics wax poetically the true nature of devotion to the saw!

‘Hellbound’ turns up the heat and delivers an intense, brutal listening experience with lightning-fast guitar riffs and pummelling drums to bring up the rear. ‘Golgothan’ pulls from the same formula, so do not expect any respite at all. Right after these two songs, ‘The Shape Of Hate’ erupts and it becomes an instant toe-tapper. I love how the song is a love letter to the Halloween films; appealing largely to horror fans who love Michael Myers. The last few tracks are both vicious affairs. ‘Naturom Demonto’ is about demon possession and the final track ‘Malevolent Haze’ is a song referencing Stephen King’s short story The Mist. I liked this track quite a bit and found the bombastic pacing a real treat to these ears. The vocals are monstrous, the guitars soaring in parts, and heaping amounts of voracity are the pure highlights here. What a way to close out this album.

Overall, this was a pleasurable listening experience. I started out talking about all the explicit and horrific details found in the cover art, and it certainly transcended into the music. The modern approach to Aborted’s sound might turn off older fans who loved Purity Of Perversion, but this is still good twenty years later. Sure, the evolution is slicker and less raw, but the gore-obsession remains and the rabid attitude fuels every song.

Sven is the only original member. His vocals are gnarly and very distinct, but he continues to steer the ship and keep it lively and fast on every outing. The addition of Dan Konradsson also helps to refine the guitars and expand the histrionic sounds found here. Tracks like ‘Deathcult’, ‘The Shape Of Hate’ and ‘Malevolent Haze’ homage and reference horror films I really adore, so that’s a big plus for me. If you are new to Aborted, give this a go and enjoy the mayhem.

Vault Of Horrors is out March 15th via Nuclear Blast.

ALBUM REVIEW – COFFIN STORM

Coffin Storm – Arcana Rising

Reviewed By: Jason Deaville

Review Score: 8

When one thinks of Norway and metal, the first thing that comes to mind is likely black metal and all the associated drama and such that took place in the land of fjords and frost back in the 90s. Now, keeping in mind the theme of Norway, if I were to throw the following descriptors at you, what is the first thing to pop into that headbangin noggin of yours?

…classic heavy metal, slow thrash, and doom

If you immediately thought of Fenriz of the legendary Darkthrone, you’d be correct! If there is one guy in the whole of the Norwegian black metal contingent that espouses the virtues of old-school, classic metal-ness, it’s the hiking metal punk himself. Predictably, the man teamed up with some like-minded metalheads, forming the project titled Coffin Storm. It wasn’t long before they had a slew of vintage-inspired material, which took the shape of their debut album, Arcana Rising.

Overlooking the ancient lands of sensational heavy metal, Coffin Storm features a trio of Kolbotn, Norway metal veterans, which includes Apollyon (Aura Noir/Lamented Souls), Bestial Tormentor (Infernö/Lamented Souls), and is completed by the aforementioned Fenriz on vocal duties. The result is a torrent of rousing, accomplished titanic riffing from both Apollyon and Bestial Tormentor, commandeered by Fenriz’s unmistakable vocal prowess (as witnessed with his own Isengard project as well as multiple Darkthrone releases).

Now, let’s break this beast down track by headbanging track…

OVER FROZEN MOORS
The song immediately kicks in with a chugging down-picked riff of epic proportions that summons an early Celtic Frost vibe. Man, this riff is infectious. Seriously one of the catchiest grooves on the album. With the headbanging and fists pounding, Fenriz rips in on the mic with one of his finest performances yet of this old-school vocal approach. It’s clear that he has honed his technique to near-perfection on this track, coming across as a slightly-less falsetto-y John Cyrlis of Agent Steel (circa 85’s Skeptics Apocalypse and 87’s Unstoppable Force). From here, the song takes on an early Exodus-like verse riff that works incredibly well. The song ends as strongly as it started, with an infectious half-time riff that chugs its way out like a sledgehammer to the skull.

ARCANA RISING
Where the first track was a crushing headbanger of a ride, the title track, ‘Arcana Rising’, takes the listener on a morose, melancholic trip à la mid-eighties Candlemass. This is particularly evident in the vocals, where Fenriz summons his best Messiah Marcolin, while the rest of the band conjures the sleek, powerful doom of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.

OPEN THE GALLOWS
The song opens with a riff not far removed from the reverb-soaked riffing found Metallica‘s classic Ride The Lightning album. This is followed by a full minute of back-and-forth licks that remind me of UK NWOBHM band Holocaust and the song ‘Heavy Metal Maniac’ from their cult classic album, The Nightcomers (a more relatable comparison would be Killers-era Iron Maiden). The similarities to Holocaust don’t end here, as the chug found later in the song is eerily reminiscent of the horn-raising main riff found on their song ‘Death Or Glory’. I can’t imagine this was intentional, as the riffs of this time were quite interchangable. Either way, a fantastic song that transports the listener to the mid-80s without even trying.

EIGHTY-FIVE AND SEVEN MILES
Would love to know the significance of this title. I can only imagine ‘eighty-five’ relates to the year, and perhaps ‘seven miles’ is how far Fenriz and his Kolbotn crew drove to see Pentagram at the local rec center. Whatever its meaning, the song starts with what can be best described as a heavier version of the intro riff found on the Pentagram song ’20 Buck Spin’ (from their self-titled debut released in ’85). At just over seven minutes, the song is a bit long for its sparse choice of riffing, with things becoming a bit same-y by the halfway point. On a positive note, there is some stellar lead work peppered throughout that showcases the antiquated talents of Bestial Tormentor.

CEASELESS ABANDON
Now, I know the band didn’t drop Celtic Frost as a specific influence for this album, but, man, I am getting some real Cold Lake and Vanity/Nemesis-like vibes from the opening riff of ‘Ceaseless Abandon’. As a BIG fan of both these albums, this is certainly a good thing. It has that infectious shuffling rhythm with both the guitars and drums that borders on the darker side of glam. Enter Fenriz, who puts a stop to such nonsense with his epic wailing that is the furthest thing from Tom G. Warrior’s goofy snarl on Cold Lake. The chorus leaves something to be desired, belted out a bit sloppily, yet still somehow effective in the context of this song, which, I might add, feels a bit looser than the rest of the album. In fact, the entire thing has an almost improvised feel to it.

CLOCKWORK CULT
Probably the most second-wave black metal-like song of the bunch. Even the production is a bit more vicious on this track. I mean, not to confuse anyone into thinking this is a proper black metal song, as it definitely is not that, but it does have some chord progressions that can be found on very early Mayhem and Darkthrone releases. I’m even hearing some very early Satyricon-like chord progressions in the last third of the song. For the most part, though, this track rides a mid-paced groove reminiscent of early Celtic Frost.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Sure, one could accuse Fenriz of perhaps being a little whimsical and technically erractic as it relates to the vocals, but when one looks back at the vocalists of the era he is paying homage, they had yet to master their falsettos. Fenriz’s strength lies in his passion and dedication to the music of that time, and channels it with a convicition that is immediately relatable and enjoyable. The same could be said for the rest of the band, where things feel a bit loose and improvised, but not to the detriment of the whole.

Arcana Rising doesn’t do much to stand out from other bands doing the same, but maybe that is the point. It feels like a full-on love affair with the music they consume day and night, plain and simple. Does it need to be more than that? Where it differs from the last few Darkthrone albums that have traveled a similar route, is that albums like The Underground Resistance, Arctic Thunder, Old Star, Eternal Hails, and Astral Fortress are far more refined and thought out.

In the end, Arcana Rising is an album that one should go into without expectations. Just throw it on and let it consume you for what it is. If anything, it may spark a renewed love for those classic vinyls from the 80s that may be collecting dust. If you are a fan of Darkthrone, Aura Noir, Inferno, Isengard, Agent Steel, Candlemass, Pentagram, Kreator, Paradise Lost, Cathedral, and early Metallica, Exodus, Celtic Frost, then this is an album for you.

Arcana Rising drops on March 29th via Peaceville Records.

ALBUM REVIEW – JOB FOR A COWBOY

Job for a Cowboy – Moon Healer

Reviewed By: Jim Harrison

Review Score: 9

Job For A Cowboy has returned after a nine year hiatus between albums with the follow up to their last album Sun Eater. The creation of Moon Healer started in 2018 and gave the band much needed time to return on their terms musically, vocally and lyrically, building a multifaceted, brutal conceptual release. Band members, Jonny Davy (vocals), Al Glassman (guitar), Tony Sannicandro (lead guitar), Nick Schendzielos (bass), and Navene Koperweis (drums) have made this a labor of love and it shines through.

‘Beyond The Chemical Doorway’ begins with a slower haunting intro which explodes in a vocal assault by Davy that exudes nostalgic energy. The cool groove makes this track a great starting point for the listener. ‘Etched In Oblivion’ is one of my favourite tracks with an endless supply of memorable riffs and, again, a strong vocal presence. The pounding drum beat and thumping bass takes this track in so many directions.

‘Grinding Wheels Of Ophanim’ is a heavy track that keeps true to an older death metal vibe reminiscent of of early Obituary. This is another personal favourite of mine. ‘The Sun Gave Me Ashes So I Sought Out The Moon’ has a fantastic drum intro then blasts into a fast heavy track. This band is so musically talented and this song showcases that.

‘Into The Crystalline Crypts’ continues with heavy vocals and fast guitar riffs. This track would be an awesome live addition. ‘A Sorrow-Filled Moon’ has a much darker, almost doomish, vibe. Crunching guitar riffs highlight this track.

‘The Agony Sleeping Storm’ is the fastest track and, again, has that massive death metal sound. The riffing is super heavy and the bass in this track really hits the mark. The last track ‘The Forever Rot’ is the longest track on the album (clocking in at 6:41) and finishes this album off in style. Midway through the track it slows and has a Voivod groove to it making this song very interesting.

This anticipated release is an example of the saying ‘good things come for those who wait’. Fans are in for a real treat with this album; it’s fresh and relevant pushing the boundaries of experimental death metal to new heights. I recommend this album for any metal fan looking for something original and hardcore. It’s an immersive project, not just for the listeners ears, but the mind as well. Pick this album up and play it at eleven!

Moon Healer dropped February 23rd via Metal Blade Records.

ALBUM REVIEW – MIDNIGHT

Midnight – Hellish Expectations

Reviewed By: Jim Harrison

Review Score: 9

Midnight is set to release onto humanity an album that is the perfect soundtrack for a fight. Hellish Expectations continues from their last highly acclaimed album, 2022’s Let There Be Witchery, with their unique brand of metal/punk/underground that is aggressive and full of testosterone.

Lone member, Althenar, who plays all instruments and vocals, has created a niche in metal that also includes speed metal plus a NWOBHM vibe that makes this so intriguing. According to Althenar, this album was written in one weekend after listening to raw tracks from the previous album which makes this even more impressive. Partnering with Metal Blade records for the first time, I predict this album will reach more perspective fans with a strong distribution helping to spread Midnight’s assault to the masses.

The album begins with a punch to the face with first track ‘Expect Total Hell’. With a killer Motörhead vibe, the track absolutely explodes as if you were detonating a bomb. Heavy, fast guitars and aggressive vocals gives a hint at how brutal this album is going to be. ‘Gash Scrape’ has a cool guitar fade-in and, again, this track just takes off. The song has a cool heavy punk sound that will smash any mosh pit. This will become a great live track.

‘Masked And Deadly’ begins with some fast guitar riffing while the performance behind the skins gives this track a killer groove. The wicked guitar solo is fantastic and another great vocal performance. ‘Slave To The Blade’ is the shortest song on the album, clocking in at 1:51. The song has an amazing beat and once again summons that Motörhead groove. This is one of my personal favourites on the album… it’s such a massive song.

‘Dungeon Lust’ keeps the assault on your senses going with its pounding drum beat. The track has a slower groove but is super heavy and has a darker direction and creates a cool whip sound. ‘Nuclear Savior’ was one of the early singles released and gave fans some insight on how brutal the album was shaping up to be. The beginning of this track has a fast early Metallica sound with a wicked guitar riff and killer solo.

‘Deliver Us To Devil’ has more of a thrash vibe mixed with punk crossover producing a heavy sound. ‘Mercyless Slaughtor’ has a cool heavy bass and guitar intro. This is another song with a heavy darker sound, aggressive vocals, and killer guitar solo. Another favourite of mine. ‘Doom Death Desire’ begins with a blood curdling scream that ignites this track in an epic fashion. Another fast, heavy song that will certainly be a cool track to catch live. The guitar solo is fantastic.

‘F.O.A.L’, the final song (the first single and video released for the album), and is an acronym that stands for ‘Fuck Off And Live’. It’s an anthem of a song that ends this album on a high. The lyrics focus on the angst that Midnight is famous for. The track covers punk, traditional metal, and thrash metal and leaves one feeling beaten and physically tired with its speed and aggression.

What I like most about Midnight is that they are always honest and do not cater to any trends or fads. Their music is created for fans of aggressive metal, which, to this scribe, is super important. With each release the band continues to put out ground-breaking material and this album certainly solidifies that.

Hellish Expectations will delight Midnight‘s existing fanbase while also serving as a perfect gateway album for new fans. One thing is for certain: once you get into Midnight you are a violator for life. Pick this up and crank it to eleven!

Hellish Expectations drops March 8th via Metal Blade Records.