Grimlet (Portugal (Figueira Da Foz) )

Grimlet - Grim Perceptions [2010] (Progressive Death Metal)
Lable : Unsigned

Grimlet's genesis happens in 1999. In October 2003, the band starts recording their debut EP at EchoSystem Studios, with the producer Rui Santos (Oratory, Timeless).
The debut EP “Darkness Shrouds the Hidden” is self-released by the band, distributed by Adrenalina/Recital Records, and is presented live at Hard Club, in Porto, in September 2004.

Throughout 2006 and 2007, the reactions of the press both national and internationally exceed everyone’s expectations, as the band plays the “Domination Tour”.
Grimlet plays some of the most important stages, band battles and festivals in the country, sharing the stage with many powerful names in the Portuguese and international metal scene such as, Dagoba, Benediction, Dew-Scented and appearing in various metal compilations alongside national and international bands

In 2009, the band completes the anticipated debut album “Grim Perceptions”, mixed by Daniel Cardoso and mastered in Sweden by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth), an intense explosion of extreme Death/Thrash Metal, 50 minutes of dark and twisted visions coming out from the chaos that manipulates and consumes the human mind!


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Etched in Stone (United States of America (Modesto, California) )

Etched in Stone - Emulate the Defiler [2010] (Progressive Deathcore)
Lable : Unsigned

A fresh aroma of Hardcore and Metal in a perfect blend. Doest thou dare say it be "metalcore"?! We don't make decaf! it's good to the last drop...
We all influence the crap out of eachother to further the drive that fuels our music. and we all are invidually influnced by some other musicians as well...Bands we've shared the stage with: Decrepit Birth, Embryonic Devourment, Psycroptic, Suffocation,Veil of Maya, All Shall Perish...

brian lewis - vocals
eric wolford - first guitar
michael salet - bass guitar
brandon blewitt - drums & percussion
justin wolfe - second guitar

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Crystalic (Finland (Tampere) )

Crystalic - Persistence [2010] (Progressive Death Metal)
Lable : Unsign

The music industry is a funny old beast. While your Justin Biebers and Lady Gagas are getting multi-million dollar/pound/groat deals (depending on locality), there are talented metal bands literally giving their albums away because they can't get a label to back them. Crystalic are one such band. After three years of trying, and failing, to get a decent deal from record execs, they'd done the only thing left; released Persistence, their aptly titled new album, for free via their website.

The band's lyrics deal with such topics as philosophy, society and the human condition. Pretty standard death metal fare, and fitting to the hard, heavy chug and the fast-paced, intricate riffs. The staccato blasts of the drum behind the driving rhythm of the guitars has an urgency that is infectious. Even the guitar noodling during the solos carries the mood. It makes your heart skip and your stomach tie itself in knots as you feel the energy of the music.

The album seems split in half, the first being a series of hard hitting death metal tracks to showcase the band's musical talent, and the second being a more commercial selection. Between the two halves is the album's only instrumental track, Eulogy. It's dedicated to the memory of Chuck Schuldiner, the father of death metal and founder of Death.

Every track on this album is great, but the stand-out tracks for me are Wall Of Sanity, Voiceless Army and Blastbeat Of My Heart. Blastbeat is an ear-worm of a track, and gets itself inside your head and stays there. That track alone has prompted me to play the entire album numerous times after subconsciously singing it to myself while walking around Tesco.

For fans of melodic or progressive death metal, this album is about as pure as it gets. And those who are not might as well have a listen. It's free, after all. Put your headphones on, crank up the volume, and get ready to detonate the blastbeat of your heart.

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Red Sparowes (United States (Los Angeles, CA) )

Red Sparowes - The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer [2010] (Post-Rock/Metal)
Lable : Sargent House

Of all the "Post Rock/Math Rock" artists I've heard (and I try to listen to everyone I hear of cuz, for some reason, I really like this new subgenre of progressive music) Red Sparowes keeps me coming back. I not only enjoy their music, but I love the concepts they employ to inspire their songwriting. While not earth-shatteringly innovative, they are still testing the Math Rock structures--and all this while remaining an all-instrumental band. There are no bad songs; all songs make for good attentive listening as well as background music for work, etc. There are several slower, softer songs as well as the usual Post Rock power builders. The Oklahoma twang guitar is at time more prominent but also more enjoyable because it is such an unusual sound in the prog world. This album is good enough to be recommended as an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.

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Pineapple Thief (United Kingdom)

Pineapple Thief - Someone Here is Missing [2010] (Crossover Progressive)
Lable : K-Scope

Finally, a 2010 PA album that doesn't make me raise my arms in desperation about the apparent loss of songwriting qualities in current Prog acts. Anathema's We're here had its fair share of strong moments but only Motorpsycho's Heavy Metal Fruit managed to fully convince me with its quality and audacity. And now we can add Someone Here is Missing to the very short list of memorable 2010 prog-rock releases. It seems like the 90's-00's rebirth of Prog creativity is running dry. Let's hope I'm wrong and discover a few more 2010 gems!
Finally, and more to the point, we have a Pineapple Thief album that doesn't send me off to a comforting nap. The band added a good chunk of power and heaviness to their sound, something that makes them sound even more like a Radiohead meets Porcupine Tree clone, but it is exactly that bit of power they needed to make their emotive music come alive. And luckily this is one of those rare cases of cloning where the quality of the result compensates for the lack in originality.
Finally, I see a pattern in the few releases I mentioned in the intro. Just like Motorpsycho, Pineapple Thief combines the noisy 'cool' of indie-rock with progressive elements. In case of the Thief, the result is less psych-jazzy but more poppy (even slightly techno at times), but the combination proves to be very fertile as well. If more bands follow in these footsteps, our modern Prog might find some fresh air after all.
Because of its instant accessibility I'll hold the 5 star in the closet till the album proves to be one of those that I can't stop listening to. So I'll stick to a 4 till my natural skepticism against 'instant-satisfaction albums' is proven wrong. Anyway, great rock music here!


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