FLOOD THE EARTH RECORDS
http://www.floodtheearth.com/

DREAM SYSTEM – Traveling After Midnight
http://www.dreamsystem.foreshadow.info/
This is the freshman release on Foreshadow Productions. This 2 piece has put out two other releases, but on their own dime. They have a very different sound to them, very Ministry sounding in parts. Reminds me of Bile as well. Lots of guitar sounds, lots of keyboard oriented sounds. Lots of spoken words as well. A metal sound to them mixed in with the electronica sound.

EXCESSUM – Death Redemption
Music starts off sounding all doomy and melodic, then this black metal yell kicks in and scares me half to death! Very scaring sounding, but if it was all nice and sweet, it wouldn’t be called black metal, it would be called country or hair metal, right? So now that I have established they are a scary black metal band, what else can I say? Musically, they have the typical heavy and speed/fast sound, but they also have a softer side to them, something out of a progressive doom metal band. Excessum has put out two demo’s previously and this is their first full length.

VINTERRIKET – Der Letzte Winter
http://www.vinterriket.com/
Black metal with a doom progressive melodic feel. They have the keyboards going as well. The songs have a long intro and then the black metal vocals kick in. They have the double bass kicking, and the grinding guitar sounds, and the screeching vocal sounds. They have more of the later Cradle of Filth sound, when they took it down a notch and started having more keyboards and more of a melodic sound. These guys are showing that you don’t have to have the blast beats and the high pitch screaming every 30 seconds.

VINTERRIKET/ NORTHAUNT – SPLIT
http://www.vinterriket.com/; http://folk.uio.no/anfridh/northaunt.php; http://www.myspace.com/northaunt
This split CD is made up of progressive, melodic and atmospheric music. For the most part very soothing to listen to. The songs are a little on the long side, with a few of them being over 10 minutes long. There is some spoken word, some samples. Not a bad split.

VOCIFERIAN – Universal Hate Decades Ultimatum
http://conspirator666wrkult.free.fr/
Here is a one man black metal band coming hailing from France. The one guy does everything himself, including drums. No drum machines here, which is good because I can’t stand the sound of them. Takes away from the CD, but you don’t have to worry about them on this CD. All instruments sound well played, nothing is sloppy sounding. Black metal fans will enjoy this CD and should give it a listen to.