Metal in the Box #1: Mythrone Promotion/Defense Records

Hey brutalbangers,
"Metal in the Box" is a new column dedicated to the stuff that the promotion agencies/labels/bands send me in physical format via postal. So, this is its first episode, entirely focused on the new CDs that, sent me by Mythrone Promotion, have arrived me just yesterday.

Ragehammer - "War Hawks" (Mythrone Promotion, 2012; same label, 2018)

Band: Ragehammer
Title: War Hawks
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
Time: 18.54 min
Release Date: 21st December 2012 (Mythrone Promotion)
                      23rd July 2018 (same label)
Rating: 73/100












"Ragehammer would like to emphasize that no matter of your political or religious beliefs, skin color or nationality we do fucking hate you all. FUCK YOU ALL!"

Aggressive Mutilator - "Det djävlanästet" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2018)

Band: Aggressive Mutilator
Title: Det djävlanästet
Genre: Punkish Black Metal
Time: 17.48 min
Release date: 2018
Rating: 83/100













After Stolen Lives, today there is another album that Mythrone Promotion sent me in physical format. And we'll talk about one of those bands that I like (almost) regardless of the quality of their music. This because Aggressive Mutilator brings totally you to the rawest '80s, when bands like Venom and Hellhammer dominated the black metal underground scene. And, for someone like me that recently published a book about the so-called "first wave of black metal" (it is titled "Nel Segno del Marchio Nero" and, for the moment, is completely in Italian), this band is really perfect to satisfy my hunger of ultra-ancient extreme metal. But who are these Aggressive Mutilator? And why are we talking about them? Well, they are a Swedish duo consisting of veterans of the extreme underground scene (especially the bassist/drummer Micael Zetterberg, that plays also in many other acts such as Terrorama). And today we are talking about them because, in 2018, they released a second album through Defense Records and the same Mythrone Promotion. That album, released after many demos and also some compilations (yes, this band is really prolific in terms of releases!) is entitled "Det djävlanästet". Fortunately, behind this unpronunceable title, there is a simple and direct sound through 8 tracks composed between 2016 and 2018.

R.O.D. - "#Societykill" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2018)

Band: R.O.D.
Title: #SocietyKill
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal with Hardcore Punk influences
Time: 22.16 min
Year: 4th May 2018
Rating: 90/100












What a tremendous slaughter! This second album by R.O.D. (acronym that stands for Razor of Death) is essentially a total slaughter from start to finish that leaves no fukken prisoners such is its violence! And we're talking about a violence not only musical but also lyrical since these 4 Polish maniacs love to face socio-political themes by taking them from positions able to be controversial, as you'll see soon. In addition, all this was released, in cooperation with Mythrone Promotion (that sent to me the physical version of this album), by a Polish label that now you might know very well considering it is a regular presence on these pages (as the same Mythrone): Defense Records.

Black Rock - "Arcane Remorseless" (Unpure Records, 2018; Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2019)

Band: Black Rock
Title: Arcane Remorseless
Genre: First Wave of Black Metal
Time: 33.29 min
Release Date: 15th August 2018 (Unpure Rec)
30th March 2019 (Defense Rec/Mythrone Prom)
Rating: 70/100












In these days you must expect only the rawest stuff by Defense Records and Mythrone Promotion! If some days ago you realized the blasphemous existence of those black metal punkers known as Aggressive Mutilator, today your life will be infected by another primitive band such as Black Rock. As just Aggressive Mutilator, also Black Rock are a duo coming from Scandinavia. Precisely, they comes from Finland, a country where the '80s black metal is quite widespread thanks to acts of the calibre of Bonehunter or Wömit Angel (that last year played in my city, Rome, in a gig unfortunately attended by only...5 people!). But we are talking about Black Rock because of their third album "Arcane Remorseless", that was originally released in 2018 on tape by the Polish label Unpure Records and, then, edited on CD just by Defense Rec along with Mythrone Prom.

Blake's Vengeance - "7747-7744" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2016)

Band: Blake's Vengeance
Title: 7747-7744
Genre: Techno-Thrash metal with Heavy Metal elements
Year: 2016
Time: 20 min circa
Rating: 72/100












The story of the first and only demo of the Italians Blake's Vengeance (from Milan, Lombardy) is very troubled. In fact, "7747-7744" was originally released on digital format in 2014 but it had a very simple artwork but no title, hence it was known, simply put, as "Demo 2014". Fortunately, the band re-released the demo on CD as "7747-7744" in March 2015 with an artwork, simple but with a sci-fi fashion. Finally, the Polish label Defense Records (in collaboration with its compatriot Mythrone Promotion) reissued it with a very beautiful artwork close, in a certain sense, to the ones of the "oriental" NWOBHM bands like Tokyo Blade and Samurai. But, instead, this band offers another kind of metal, a bit more sophisticated than the music of the aforementioned NWOBHM-dinosaurs.

Fetor - "No Poems Just Slam" (Mythrone Promotion/Infernum Media, 2018)

Band: Fetor
Title: No Poems Just Slam
Genre: Slamming Brutal Death Metal
Time: 26.39
Release Date: 19th May 2018
Rating: 60/100













Slamming brutal death metal...I confess: I never liked so much this sub-genre. Why? Because, for my broken ears, it has too slow parts and also too generic riffs, so, as a fan of the pure pure speed aggression, I think I'll always prefer the most violent and hysterical forms of brutal death metal. Unfortunately, this Polish band called Fetor, that recently released a live album which shows pure slam starting from its title, isn't an exception for me.

Infatuation of Death - "Code of Impiety" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2016)

Band: Infatuation of Death
Title: Code of Impiety
Genre: Death metal
Time: 34 min
Year: 2016
Rating: 79/100










Infatuation of Death are…dead! In fact, “Code of Impiety”, released on CD by Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion on 21st October 2016, is the posthumous debut album (or so I understood!) of the Infatuation of Death, a Polish band founded in 2001 before releasing mostly demos from 2003 to 2005, though it seems that this band was alive until 2013, when these guys played in a festival headlined by the Belgian black metal band Enthroned in Krakow, Poland. Hence, “Code of Impiety”, comprised of some old demos, represents the musical testament of a very good band that deserved a better future.

O.D.R.A/Parh - "O.D.R.A/Parh" (Mythrone Promotion/Defense Records, 2019)

Bands: O.D.R.A/Parh
Title: O.D.R.A/Parh
Genre: Sludge Metal
Time: 35.12 min
Release Date: 30th March 2019
Rating: 72













You know, generally I don't like so much the slow metal but, as always, there are some exceptions also in this case. This case is about sludge metal, a doom metal variation that I like more because it's influenced a lot by hardcore punk, so it's more aggressive and violent if compared with the classic doom metal. Obviously, there are sludge metal bands that are more aggressive and hardcore punk-oriented than others, as greatly exemplified just by this split between two Polish sludgy acts that I'm going to review today. Released by Mythrone Promotion along with Defense Records (both are usually used to produce more violent stuff), this split see as main characters the prolific O.D.R.A and the younger Parh, and each of them plays the same genre in two very different ways. So let's discover their own ways now!

Nuclear Holocaust - "The Book of Doom" (Mythrone Promotion/Defense Records, 2020)

Band: Nuclear Holocaust

Title: The Book of Doom

Genre: Punkish Death/Grindcore

Time: 23.17 min

Release date: 21st March 2020

Vote: 78/100

In March of 2020, when the entire world was in full lockdown due to this stupid pandemic, Mythrone sent me three albums in a digital format and, among them, there was "The Book of Doom" by Nuclear Holocaust, that it co-produced with the usual partner Defense Records. But, when the lockdown was finally ended, Mythrone thought well to sent me those album physically. So, after many months (maybe too many!), here you are the review of "The Book of Doom".

Honorable Mentions from the Abyss #42: Gasoline Guns/Sandbreaker/Ulcer/Faeces/The Black Thunder

Hey motordoomdeathmetallers,

this is the very last episode of "Honorable Mentions from the Abyss" dedicated to the releases I received from Mythrone Promotion. In fact, the albums contained in this episode all belong to the last pack that Mythrone sent to me one month ago circa.

All the bands in this article are Polish, except the Gasoline Guns, as you'll see soon. In addition, all the albums were released in 2021 in co-production by Defense Records and Mythrone Promotion, also in collaboration with other labels like Free Joy Stereo, as in the case of the Sandbreaker.

I advise that the next episode of "Honorable Mentions from the Abyss" will be the last one because, as I explained, Timpani allo Spiedo is going to end its activities.

And now, thanking Marcin of Mythrone Prom to sending me all these awesome albums throughout these years, let's go to discover the bands!

Immense Decay - "Combat Thrash" (Defense Records, 2018)

Band: Immense Decay
Title: Combat Thrash
Genre: Thrash Metal
Time: 29:01 min
Year: 9th May 2018
Rating: 75/100













The Polish thrash squad Immense Decay have managed many years to release their "Combat Thrash". In fact, you have to think that it was recorded between May 2012 and December 2015 mostly in the band's private studio, but it seen the light of the day only some months ago through Defense Records. I would like to know the reasons about this delay but, for the moment, you must know that, even though this album isn't absolutely a masterpiece, we are in presence of thrashers that knows what they are doing.

Honorable Mentions from the Abyss #25: Mastemey/Sandbreaker/Железный Поток

Hey brutal bangers,

welcome to a new episode of "Honorable Mentions from the Abyss", that is totally focused on some albums that I received many months ago by Mythrone Promotion. To say the entire truth, it sent me recently a new pack of albums that I initially received in digital format during the fuckin' quarantine. But, for the moment, discover the albums (and their bands) presented in this article. Ranging from death/doom metal to thrash metal, I am sure that they will not disappoint you!

Infector - "Let the Infection Begin" (Defense Records, 2019)

Band: Infector
Title: Let the Infection Begin
Genre: Thrash Metal
Time: 35.05 min
Release date: 2019
Vote: 78/100













It seems a totally another life when I published the first episode of "Metal in the Box", in which I announced the arrival of a mega-pack from Mythrone Promotion. The fuckin' Coronavirus seemed so far for us and no one thought that the quarantine would strike the entire world. So, bands with names such as these Infector, that I am finally going to review today after many months, are very fit for these uncertain times, especially when we are in presence of an album entitled "Let the Infection Begin". What a prophetic title, don't you think?

Extinction Remains - "Smog" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2019)

Band: Extinction Remains
Title: Smog
Genre: Crusty Death/Doom Metal
Time: 31.32 min
Release Date: 30th March 2019
Rating: 75/100













Human being dissasociate with rivers, animals, forests and land
Greed is accelerating environmental collapse
The so called progress is killing us and killing land
How tomorrow is going to be?

It will be worse

You can find these joyful words on the booklet of "Smog", a compilation incorporating, in a single CD, all of the releases edited so far by Extinction Remains, a promising Brazilian quartet with strong ecologist and anti-capitalist views. Exactly, in this compilation there are the "Ecologic Noise" debut demo (2013) and the two EPs "Genetics of Defeat" (2016) and "Human Disaster Never Ending" (2017), both self-released. After years with no labels interested in their work, Extinction Remains finally found even two labels to release some months ago this compilation. And I've must say already that Defense Rec and Mythrone Prom did very well to release it because they discovered a very interesting band!

Regressive - "Born in the Grave" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2019)

Band: Regressive

Title: Born in the Grave

Genre: Black/Speed'n'Roll

Time: 33.39 min

Release date: 19th October 2019

Vote: 85/100

As the Cuban thrash metal sensation Infector, also the Regressive is a band that I featured in the "Metal in the Box #1". Now that I have the occasion to talk about them in a more specific way, they are a trio from Lithuania founded in 2008 but, after two splits and a curious release shared with the brutal deathsters Infestation covering an Exhumed's track, they published their debut full-lenght album "Born in the Grave" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion) only last year. Fortunately, the wait was not in vain because we are in presence of three guys that perfectly know what they are doing and... but it's still too soon for the conclusions, so let's see because they deserve your consideration!

Kinestence - "Transmutation" (Self-released, 2019)

Band: Kinestence
Title: Transmutation
Genre: Industrial Death Metal
Time: 14.51 min
Release date: 19th March 2019
Rating: 64/100













Fuck, I could consider myself as an expert of the Polish extreme metal in a way better than a Polish metalhead such are the albums that I regularly receive from Poland haha! In fact, after Warfist, here you are another band coming from that country. Its name is Kinestence and is a trio whose singer Sebastian "Sirius" Syroczyński has already been known on these putrid pages thanks to his militancy in the brutal/grindsters Gnida. Well, he and his two comrades Wojtek Dmochovski and Jarek Myszkowski decided just year to give birth to this strange creature called Kinestence, self-releasing in March 2019, in a nice CD digipack format in my possession, a 3-track demo that, distributed by Mythrone Promotion, isn't absolutely perfect but presents an interesting mix of styles that will surely likes to everyone into experimental stuff.

Stolen Lives - "Luciferův efekt" (Defense Records/Maximed Records, 2019)

Band: Stolen Lives
Title: Luciferův efekt
Genre: Thrashcore with Grindcore influences
Time: 25.55 min
Release Date: 1st April 2019
Rating: 72/100













Defense Records and Maximed Records are back on these pages after some months of silence! Credit for this goes to Marcin of Mythrone Promotion, that some time ago sent me new interesting albums to review. Obviously, when he send me releases edited in co-operation between those two labels, I must expect only tons and tons of extreme aggression! In fact, this "Luciferův efekt", second album by Stolen Lives, isn't an exception to this right trend. But, before talking about the album, I should like to say a few words about Stolen Lives. This is a quartet from Czech Republic that lovely destroys the ears of the maniacs since 2005, releasing mostly a lot of splits along with other ugly bands like Time of My Life or D.F.C., and whose first album arrived only in 2015. 4 years later, this album had finally a follow-up in the shape, indeed, of  "Luciferův efekt". Were 4 years enough to Stolen Lives to calm them down a little bit? OF COURSE NOT!

Hellias - "Eight Cardinal Sins" (Thrashing Madness Productions, 2017)

Band: Hellias
Title: Eight Cardinal Sins
Genre: Thrash Metal with many Modern/Experimental Metal elements
Year: 10th February 2017
Time: 55 min circa
Rating: 77/100












I have to admit that I knew nothing about the Polish band Hellias but two months ago Marcin from Mythrone Promotion sent to me their last album "Eight Cardinal Sins", released through their compatriot label Thrashing Madness Productions. In fact, Hellias is a true veteran band born even in the now far 1987 realizing its very first album "Closed in the Fate Coffin" in 1991, when thrash metal, the genre of reference of Hellias, was practically dead because supplanted at time by the prevailing death metal. I think that this delay into the thrash metal scene influenced decisively the international recognition of Hellias. It's also true that many veteran Eastern Europe metal bands, also in the case of a rich discography, are very respectable into their national borders but often very unknown to the rest of the metal world. Despite this, you know that especially Poland has become, at least during these last 15 years, an excellent breeding ground for (extreme) metal, and, surely, Hellias continue this tradition through their 5th album "Eight Cardinal Sins".

Black Ceremonial Kult/Genocide Beast - "Demo XXIV/Demo XXV" (Old Temple, 2016)

Bands: Black Ceremonial Kult/Genocide Beast
Title: Demo XXIV/Demo XXV
Genre: Bestial Black/Death Metal
Year: 11th November 2016
Time: 35 min
Rating: 60/100













I remember when, 10 years ago (I was 18 years old!), the bestial black/death metal bands were relatively few and many of them had still do to release their debut album despite a discography yet full of demos and splits (in this sense, I think to Necroholocaust or Goat Semen). Instead, the bestial black/death metal genre is now enough popular in the underground, so new bands see the (black) light almost every day to clone Blasphemy or, maybe, to extremize, if possible, their incorruptible verb. In fact, this day it's the turn of two new bands devoted to Blasphemy since the Polish label Old Temple has wanted to gather the very first demo of Black Ceremonial Kult and Genocide Beast into a sole split CD released the previous year. For the record, it's Marcin of Mythrone Promotion that has sent to me, through that list of promo kits composed also of the yet reviewed "Eight Cardinal Sins" of Hellias, this split titled "Demo XXIV/Demo XXV".