Clandestine Cuts #14 - Hot demos and EPs for a cold autumn night...
| Written by: | Susan, Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod, BloodTears |
| Published: | November 27, 2011 |
Clandestine Cuts #14
The Metal Storm Demo/EP Spotlight
Your favorite part of the month has finally arrived and we bring you a delicious variety of up-and-coming bands. Support the heart and soul of the metal scene and give these guys a listen NOW before they hit the big time. Then you can say you knew them when. Don't forget to vote at the end of the issue: the top bands from this year's Clandestine Cuts will be competing in the Metal Storm Awards for Clandestine Cut of the Year 2011.
Voting Closed on January 10, 2012
In case you're new at this, you still have time to go back and give our last few issues a listen:
Clandestine Cuts #10
Clandestine Cuts #11
Clandestine Cuts #12
Clandestine Cuts #13
Think your band has what it takes to be featured in the Cuts? Contact Susan via PM or email Susan @ metalstorm . net to find out.
| Humanity's Last Breath - Structures Collapse EP http://www.facebook.com/humanityslastbreath Swedish deathcore. I know what you're thinking: "But Troy, you hate deathcore. You're part of the trve krvsade!" True. Ish. But Humanity's Last Breath found an amazing formula - not a new formula, but one they definitely know how to manipulate. And it's pretty awesome. Structures Collapse is an extremely technical, extremely well-produced, extremely tight, extremely extreme album of extremity. With a ton of extreme atmosphere to boot. Breakdowns are sparse (but obviously not absent), drums are constantly blasted, melodies are given an appropriate amount of attention, and the growls? Ya, they're of the throat-shredding variety. It's almost not deathcore, that's how good these Swedes are. They use their time well too, which is a major positive. Songs seem direct, focused - purposeful. You can mosh, headbang, or just plain hardcore dance. What more could you ask from an EP? by Troy Killjoy |  |
 | Sjuk - Time Has Come? http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sjuk/291048094214?sk=app_2405167945 From the first confidently epic moments of this pagan/folk EP I knew something sweet was about to happen. Sjuk alternates between an intense, more extreme folk metal vibe and a really beautiful, mellow, flute-laden landscape. They combine these two atmospheres like pros, though, and it never feels jarring to move along the spectrum. Skillfully growled vocals (almost black metal-ish at times) appear on three songs and let me just say this: there are NO cheap drinking songs. Everyone knows this folk/viking scene is bursting at the seems with bandwagon-jumpers. Sjuk just doesn't fall into that category. They sound like skillful enough songwriters and professional enough players to stand side by side with your favourite classic acts of this genre. Hope to hear more from them. by Susan |
| Dead Existence - Born Into The Planet's Scars Download the EP from their bandcamp site. Yo dawg, I heard you like aggression and sickness. So I put some death in your sludge so you can get fucked up while you get fucked up. Okay, maybe not THAT crazy but this is definitely a toxic and relentless EP. Two tracks clocking around 26 minutes of crushing, filthy groovy music. The death influences make everything more suffocating together with intense riffs, fast sections making your blood pumping and some of the most pissed-off vocals I've heard in this disgusting genre. Some calm sections appear every now and then but only as a reminder that danger is around the next corner, waiting to punch you in the throat. The crazy squad that is the British Dead Existence knows for sure how to play sludge the way it should be: Filthy and violent. Both tracks are featured on their bandcamp so there's no excuse for not blasting their music, drinking some cheap vodka and getting the party started. by Mr. Doctor |  |
 | Last Eternal Breath - From A Tormented Soul demo https://www.facebook.com/lasteternalbreath Allow me to point out the obvious: Italy's death metal roster is stacked. Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance, Sadist, Corpsefucking Art, Septycal Gorge, Vomit The Soul, Gory Blister (among others), make for a pretty commendable team. Last Eternal Breath are here to compete for a spot in that line-up, and their demo debut is worthy of a starting position. From A Tormented Soul contains insanely catchy melodic riffing even Malmsteen would praise, Inferno-like drumming, and best of all, the songs actually flow incredibly well together. This is 20 minutes of pure tech-death momentum, produced masterfully, and waiting patiently for you to bask in its glory. by Troy Killjoy |
| Ivy Garden Of The Desert - Docile http://www.myspace.com/ivygardenofthedesert With a heavily acoustic and thoughtful vibe, Ivy Garden of the Desert plays what could only be described as 60s & 70s influenced stoner rock, which teeters on the edge between rock and metal. The classic aspect of their sound is predominant, though you can hear the intensity and visceral nature of the modern stoner metal bands they cite as influences. And can I just say this band has really mastered the art of the build-up. The 4-song EP seems to come in pairs, with "Enchanting Odyssey" and "I" (each clocking in around 11 minutes) containing the crest of the waves we've happily waited so long to relish in. Listen, be lured in, hooked in the gut and slowly pulled through their Docile landscape. by Susan |  |
 | Black Oak - Black Oak Download the EP from their website. If it would be possible to peel Black Oak's music into layers, each new layer you discover would bring a new pleasant surprise. Black Oak play progressive metal, but this is not the kind of progressive metal where the technicality show-off superimposes itself over the songs themselves. The production is reasonable and it makes the music seem like it is coming out in its purest state. You'll find calm beautiful sections and laid back moments that move between more harsh vocals (both female and male), crunchy build ups, and even sporadic weird robotic voices. All of this gives the songs a heavy dimension. But the biggest highlight is really the vocals and boy, does the lead singer have a good set of pipes. She steals the show. But more importantly, the music is heartfelt, stimulating and vibrant. And sometimes you don't have to search for good music, it comes to you spontaneously. All you have to do in this case is take it all in. by BloodTears |
| Human Sculpture - Our World / Torn Down EP https://www.facebook.com/HumanSculpture Human Sculpture play that kind of modern melodic death metal a lot of people used to simply refer to as "Gothenburg metal", but they're from Finland and the modern metal of today is a lot different from the modern metal of 2001. Our World / Torn Down is an extremely catchy version of what Arch Enemy and Insomnium would likely produce if they were to mate, focusing on whimsical melodic leads countered by some heavy chugging riffs. The atmosphere is rather typical of a metal band from Finland, in that you're left with a sense of sorrow in spite of the high-octane assault - which can be attributed to the rather simplistic drum patters and higher pitched growls. Normally you expect to hear clean singing in the mix with this style of metal but Human Sculpture have opted to stand by their harsh vocals and their overall sound is in no way diminished by that choice. Don't be surprised if these guys are eventually picked up by Lifeforce Records. by Troy Killjoy |  |
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62012  |
Written by Sjuk on 02.12.2011 at 13:23 are you band member  Well somehow Ivy fits better when I try to listen who knows if we would have snow and -10¤C how it shood be not +5¤C and fing wind , storm maybe then I would vote other way but those 2 bands stand much higher how others others shood not ´get any votes
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Sjuk Lord Of Jörg Posts: 71  |
Written by Bad English on 02.12.2011 at 14:31 Yes, Sjuk is my project  I'm sad that you finally choosed Ivy Garden Of The Desert 
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62012 |
Written by Sjuk on 02.12.2011 at 14:42 nothing personaly mate my music taste is weird insteed of watching Premier Leuage I will watch Deutche 3. Bundesliga 
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774  |
Very solid issue... still have yet to check out Black Oak (can't be bothered to download yet) and Ivy Garden Of The Desert (myspace is not working for me D:)
---- loves 小巫
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
Vote for Dead Existence then, it will save you time and you will do the right thing
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 03.12.2011 at 12:24 Shut up. He should vote for Black Oak which is clearly the best, only everybody is overlooking them. Pff
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by BloodTears on 03.12.2011 at 14:07 You should both shut up because once again, a Killjoy review leads the way.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Susan Smeghead Elite Posts: 6941  |
Written by BloodTears on 03.12.2011 at 14:07 That is disconcerting. Their music is quite excellent. I had such a hard time choosing what to vote for this time around. Probably everyone did as well. (And I'm keeping the final answer to myself  )
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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| NocturnalStalker Metal Addict Posts: 889  |
Out of the only two bands here that made me bang my head I chose Ivy Garden Of The Desert (the other one was Dead Existence, by the way).
---- "And we are not who we think we are We are who we're afraid to be" - Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
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| Whoblehwah Posts: 95 |
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