PAGANFIRE
Tasteless Revenge
(Hard Music Products)
20:17min

Raw and aggressive old style Thrash Metal from the true Mosquito Coast, the Muslim infested wastelands of the Philippines. Recorded live so there is no excuse for studio effects by any grime fingered producer or some such other gremlin finding a way to fuck up PAGANFIRE's recorded works. "Tasteless Revenge" is easily some of the most pure grade adrenaline you can find, untamed and unrestrained. For fans of the old South American scene mixed with German antagonists, put into your mind a hellish meeting of SARCOFAGO, PENTAGRAM, PROTECTOR and VIOLENT FORCE. Yes PAGANFIRE is this good! On this four song cassette side "Thrash Fucking" features 'Pagkakamaling Panahon' (Instrumental) and 'Metal Thrashing Militants'. The flip side - side "Metal Attack" has 'Glorious Arson' and 'Hate Vanishing Point'. You like it fast, you like it loud and you like it fucking Metal!?! PAGANFIRE is tough to beat! Check out this EP and the following recordings also out now as this review goes to print: "Duburog! Lilipol! Demo 2006", Split w/ EVIL ATTACK (Chile), Split w/ BEAST PETRIFY (Singapore), Thrash Metal Blitzkrieg Vol. 1 (Deathstrike Records) and the original Mabagis Demo (U.S. version) through Eternal Darkness Creations. I can't wait to hear an actual album's worth of material. Definitely a band to watch for! Contact: www.geocities.com/paganfire13/ or paganfire13@yahoo.com or Nonoy Padrejuan, 60 Narig St., Veteran's Village, Project 7, Quezon City, 1105 The Philippines or Mohd Khairee, P.O. BOX 7937, 40 732 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

Wes Rhodes

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PAGANIZER
Murder Death Kill
(Xtreem Music)
36:36min

Well I think that the "back to the oldschool Death Metal thing" has meanwhile grown somewhat trendy, because almost every month another mediocre so called oldschool Death Metal CD is released and besides highlights like BLOODBATH, KAAMOS there is also disappointing 08/15 stuff like BLOOD RED THRONE, the lame new GRAVE or FLESHCRAWL. Now PAGANIZER are up to the game and they are fortunately one of the positive examples. Songs like ‘Bleed Unto Me’, ‘Dead Souls’ or ‘Obsessed By Flesh’ resurrect the spirit of old GRAVE, EDGE OF SANITY in perfection and are certainly not a little bit original, but as long as a band offers great entertaining music I don’t give a fuck about its individuality and PAGANIZER are damn entertaining. "Murder Death Kill" is also blessed by a fantastic production (recorded by Mieszko Talarzcyk and mastered by Dan Swanö), which has even more Sunlight-feeling as the new BLOODBATH and in addition to that much more drive and punch - excellent! The only point of criticism I’d like to mention here is the rather weak artwork: oldschool Death needs oldschool art! Remember those great hand-painted covers of the early 90’s and compare them with the computerized shit of today, it does not look bad, but it does not fit to the attitude and mood of the music. Ok, to sum it up, if you like the bands I mentioned above get this CD as fast as you can and you won’t be disappointed, that’s a fucking promise!!! For more information about PAGANIZER and some "appetizer-mp3’s" check out www.paganizer.com and taste the true spirit of death. Also their label’s website www.xtreemmusic.org is worth a surf, because it offers a huge portal to all kinds of brutal music not only their own shit, check it out!

Stefan Franke

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PAGANIZER
No Divine Rapture
(Xtreem Music)
36:43min

Sometimes it's really a cool thing to receive new releases for free, especially if it's of records that you otherwise certainly would never have checked out... In my case Swedish PAGANIZER is a perfect example for that. Even though the band already calls quite an impressive back-catalogue their own ("No Divine Rapture" being their 5th CD already!) I would never have felt the urge to listen to them. The stupid bandname, stupid logo and even more stupid cover-artwork (of the new album) not really made me curious... And the fact that their vocalist Rogga Johansson also can be heard on EDGE OF SANITY's "Crimson II" album and the RIPSPREADER debut was another point of criticism from my side (c'mon, project work sucks big time, especially in times of such an overcrowded scene everyone should concentrate on one band only!). But it's not always as bad as it seems and "No Divine Rapture" actually is a pretty cool record for all worshippers of oldschool SweDeath in the tradition of bands that were active in the early 90s (no need to mention any names here again...). Unoriginal as fuck, but very well performed and just like its predecessor professionally recorded at Soundlab Studio with NASUM producer Mizesko Talarzcyk and mastered by Dan Swanö. The band blasts and grooves through nine own compositions that are without a doubt of equal quality as those of most likeminded, more popular Death Metal heroes. The label's slogan "Here you'll find nothing but the most heavy and brutal old school Swedish Death Metal that fans of bands like GRAVE, VOMITORY, CREMATORY, ABRAMELIN, GOD MACABRE and the likes will devour without mercy!"  summarizes the release in a very precise manner for a change. Cool one! More info at www.paganizer.com or www.xtreemmusic.com

Frank Stöver

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PAGANIZER
Carnage Junkie
(Vic Records)
50:23min

Swedish Death Metal musicians are in general nice and friendly people but if the management of Vic Records is again distributing promotion CDs with a wrong band name on the cover and furthermore an incomplete playlist they should avoid dark streets during their next Swedish holidays. The limited first edition of PAGANIZER‘s sixth release is offering 17 pure Swedish Death Metal missiles with a fantastic sound (especially the guitars) which would be a reason for half the Swedish scene to slaughter Baby Jesus (if NECROPHOBIC still haven’t fullfilled their promise). The “Carnage Junkie” sound is like the second coming of HYPOCRISY’s “Osculum Obscenum” and for all real maniacs this should be at least one reason to buy this album. The release is on one hand value for money for sure but the long playing time is increasing the similarity of the presented songs. The real ear catchers are missing and it’s quite hard to differ between the songs due to the fact that the band is avoiding any counterpoints for example by inserting a solo or some kind of effects. PAGANIZER are following the old DISMEMBER steps and on this release you can find no bad song for sure, but if I compare it with other current Death Metal releases (especially from their local competition, meaning Sweden) “Carnage Junkie” is nothing more than a solid / average release. www.vicrecords.com, www.paganizer.com

Matthias Auch

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PAGAN RITES
Rites Of The Pagan Warriors
(Iron Pegasus Records)
61:52min

Thanx to Costa at Iron Pegasus Records all those of you who prefer the CD over vinyl (or who are too lazy to do tapetrading) will also get a chance now to check out the rather legendary Swedish act PAGAN RITES. This CD ain't a real album of the Swedes, but a compilation of various different releases of Devil Lee Rot and the gang. Starting off with four (out of originally seven) tracks from their "Bloodlust And Devastation" mini LP, two tracks from the self-titled 7" EP, six demo tracks from their 1992 and 1993 tapes "Pagan Rites" and "Frost", three songs that are of unknown origin (according to the CD's liner notes) and a previously unreleased track, entitled 'Moonfog'. So, what you get here is a very cool overview about the band's career so far (including some of the original vinyl noises in some of the tracks, as it was obviously directly copied from an old vinyl version rather than a mastertape). PAGAN RITES is a very raw, totally oldschool Black / Thrash act, obviously heavily influenced by old VENOM and MAYHEM, musically always straight forward, very basic and simple, completely uncompromising, dirty and ugly as hell. So, it's no real surprise to see the NIFELHEIM twins Tyrant and Hellbutcher resurface in the line-up these days. Now my only remaining wish for the near future is that PAGAN RITES finally gets the chance to record some of their material with a proper studio budget. But as that will probably never happen anyway, you should at least make sure to go for this here instead. www.iron-pegasus.com

Frank Stöver

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PAGAN RITES
Mark Of The Devil
(Primitive Art Records)
35:29min

Devil Lee Rot and his bunch of oldschool Black / Heavy Metal are back with a new album and it is definitely the band’s best produced release ever, although it does not bring any new elements into PAGAN RITES approved mixture of early MAYHEM, VENOM and catchy Heavy Metal parts. With the unique sounding vocals of the hellish Grandmaster of Evil - Devil Lee Rot, the NIFELHEIM bros and sadistic Sado Harri’s musical assistance one can expect nothing but an entertaining, straight album containing re-done demo tracks like ‘Pagan Rites’, ‘Return To The Lake Of Fire’ as well as more than a handful of new material that is even better than the old shit. Like Devil Lee Rot’s other band AUTOPSY TORMENT, PAGAN RITES create easily accessible, bang-compatible music that is at his best, when you are either drunk or driving on the motorway or both, hahaha! This album does not change the Metal world, but it is good, powerful, rocking entertainment from the netherealms of hell!!! Get this album, some friends, some beer and have the devil’s definition of fun... For additional info, MP3 etc visit the Primitive Art Records website www.primitiveartrecords.com and if you are interested in a good overview on PAGAN RITES previous unholy doings surf to www.iron-pegasus.com, because the German label just recently released an excellent 70+ minutes PAGAN RITES comp on CD called “Rites Of The Pagan Warriors”, so check this out!

Stefan Franke

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PAGAN RITES
Pagan Metal
(Atolinga Records)
33:20min

What we’ve got here is a collection of tracks that is going to be released in different formats later this year, as split-singles or 7”es by labels as Hell’s Headbangers and Iron Pegasus, as well as a complete collection on CD by Atolinga Records. If you’re familiar with this act around the infamous Devil Lee Rot (dear kids: don’t use pseudonyms such as this at home if you should ever feel the need to be taken seriously) you probably know that their definition of Pagan Metal is quite different from what this term stands for nowadays. So don’t expect acoustic interludes or the excessive use of mouthharps, flutes ‘n fiddles, but primitive and simple blackened Thrash that is the very definition of oldschool. To me this kind of retro-music has always been a kind of a double-edged sword, since the legendary acts that all these bands relate to, were trying to create the most violent and dark music they could imagine back in their days. That’s what makes all these classic albums the monoliths they truly are and for me it’s simply not possible to recreate that special feeling nowadays by using the same methods and song-writing-formulas. Instead the result to me always has an unpleasant taste of staleness and false nostalgia, since this ‘Those were the days’-attitude takes away too much of the original intention of this music which was to praise the morbid and occult and not delivering the soundtrack to happy teenage-memories. Well, after all that’s just me and if you understood or even shared the euphoria around the last DARKTHRONE-record you might just as well check this one out. At least these guys seem to be really dedicated, in contrary to all the GEHENNAH’s, INFERNÖ’s or NOCTURNAL BREED’s back in the nineties who were straight out parody. Up the irons!?!

Torsten Gründig

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PAIN CONFESSOR
Turmoil
(Megamania)
40:20min

PAIN CONFESSOR from Finland started out as a side project to a modern aggressive band in the vein of MESHUGGAH. Then they added an oldschool thrasher on second guitar and a keyboard player. The outcome sounds a bit like old SOILWORK on Thrash: aggressive, catchy and kinda happy. But unlike some other bands of that genre, they don’t start to annoy me – probably because the melodies simply sound good to my ears. Maybe it’s the (subliminal) Finnish melancholy or maybe the guys are simply talented. I’m not completely happy with the aggressive screams by singer Make, though, but I guess that’s just a matter of personal taste. All the rest simply rocks. The fact that there are no real big “hits” also means to me that I don’t get bored with the CD too soon, so give these guys a chance in case you’re into that particular style. www.painconfessor.com

Ramon Claassen

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PANCHRYSIA / ICONOCLASM
The Ultimate Crescendo Of Hell (Split-CD)
(Shiver Records)
48:20min

Both bands are from Belgium and both bands play Black Metal, so this output may give you a small survey of the Belgian Black Metal scene. First up is PANCHRYSIA, a band which is active for several years by now and the three studio and one live song really surprised me. One main influence is very present on those songs and that is SATYRICON's 1999 masterpiece “Rebel Extravaganza”. The same kind of “modern” Black Metal, characterized by this diversified song-writing, unusual (compared to the “traditional” Black Metal) breaks and rhythm changes, a voice oscillating between grunts and shrieks and riffs, that can clearly identified as Black Metal, but due to the song-writing are put in a different context. The four songs are a nice appetizer for the next full-length release of PANCHRYSIA. ICONOCLASM, operating since 1994, are taking the listener back to the typical Scandinavian, more “traditional” Black Metal. Fast paced, high energetic, reminding the listener above all of MARDUK. In fact they sound very similar, so do not expect anything that you have not heard on a MARDUK release before. But judging from the four songs ICONOCLASM are definitely on the same level like MARDUK, so I wonder if they have the stamina to keep that on a full-length release. Overall “The Ultimate Crescendo Of Hell” is an interesting release, presenting two bands that are worth to take a listen. http://iconoclasm.blackmetal.be and www.panchrysia.be. On sale here.

Mirco Szymyslik

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PANDEMIA
Riven
(Metal Age Prod.)
33:13min

After ten years in business the Czech Death Metal horde PANDEMIA unleash their third full-length album. Sadly their previous releases are unknown to me, but after listening to this output I really think I missed something! The nine songs (including two instrumentals) on “Riven” are truly great, if you call yourself a Death Metal fanatic. Mainly based on mid-tempo, they change from slow to fast and back again, PANDEMIA create an atmosphere that at times comes near to IMMOLATION. Some people may give the word “chaotic” a negative touch, but in this case it sounds just great. Hammering riff after riff in the void, just like an immense wall, then a break and again riff after riff, combined with rhythm changing. The second trademark of “Riven” is the sometimes quite melodious touch of the songs, which obviously remind of HATE ETERNAL or MORBID ANGEL on their last three releases. Above all reign the brutal vocals, which contribute to the brutal, yet evil mood. Due to the good production and the skills of the musicians the sound is a blast itself... so I see no reason why not going to www.pandemia-deathmetal.com and take a listen for yourself. Label contact www.metalage.sk

Mirco Szymyslik

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PANDEMONIC
The Art Of Hunting (CD-R)
(self financed)
13:41min

PARAGON BELIAL
Nosferathu Sathanis
(Bloodred Horizon Records)
38:38min

If a band is covering HELLHAMMER’s ‘Horus / Aggressor’ and the song fits into the release like a naked women on a satanic altar the musical direction should be more than clear. PARAGON BELIAL is playing traditional Black Metal and their debut “Hordes Of The Darklands” had been released over a decade ago. But they are celebrating their return with their second release “Nosferathu Sathanis” and - even if I'm disappointed for years about the ongoing copy kill - the nine tracks are a small flicker of hope. The German band knows how to keep true to the core but still extend the borders to some new territory without even risk the critism of stabbing the rusty true Black Metal monument. Especially the song ‘Goatspawn’ with an accoustic interludium within the song plus a supporting movie sample (very likely "The Exorcist") must be mentioned .What makes this album really enjoyable is the great guitar sound which gives this album a touch of real credibility, plus the perfect interaction of guitars and drums. If all bands that are following the snowy path of Mr.Nagel & Co. would present such a tormenting release the bloody sun in hell would shine once more. For more info check out www.bloodred-horizon-records.com, www.myspace.com/666paragonbelial

Matthias Auch

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PARRICIDE
Illtreat
(Surgical Diathesis / Empire Records)
39:15min

It is sometimes unbelievable to witness how much some bands become trendy thanks to a good promotional campaign. Add to this loud and controversial statements and the success is assured for otherwise run of the mill artists. Meanwhile, not so fortunate musicians reach the border of excellence without being noticed at all. I bet the name PARRICIDE means nothing to you and yet, this band could be considered as one of the best Death Metal outfits in the whole world. OK, they come from Poland and not from Florida, that can explain their anonymity and they are plagued by a fucked up distribution; mind you, their first full length (“Crude”) was issued on the Japanese label Jackhammer in 2000 and contains material dating back as far as 1996-1997, while “Illtreat” was issued first on a microscopic Polish label before getting a more decent exposure through the ambitious Empire Records organization. The paradox is that after a long quest I finally found the first version which is discussed about here. “Illtreat” is nothing else than a lethal dose of devilish and extremely brutal technical Death Metal, the way Death Metal should ever be. The song structures are twisted to the point of ultimate craziness but at any moment the sound remains clear and pure without getting muddy. PARRICIDE combines the technical mastery of  CANNIBAL CORSPE and the ferocious attack of DIABOLIC for example, but they transcend the style of their American counterparts to reach their own creative way of killing. You can’t feel but enthusiasm just letting you engulfed by this violent and unrelenting assault on your mind. The guitar work on display here is phenomenal, without talking about the insane drumming and the raw vocal delivery (guttural growls intertwined  with  shrieks), the final result coming out as a fantastic work. “Crude” was already excellent (except for the weaker production but hey, only the compositions are important in my opinion) but “Illtreat” comes out even better. PARRICIDE belongs to the legion of incredible Polish bands nobody seems to care about (DAMNATION, LOST SOUL, DAMNABLE, NOMAD, BETRAYER, DARK LEGION etc.) and  believe me, they crush the established and trendy acts with ease. Don’t say “Erik this” or “Trey that” because it is time for you to wake up and dig out class acts who try to offer the best music they can if you consider yourselves a Death Metal worshipper. Don’t get intoxicated by glossy paper magazine written for pubescent people by mercenary “journalists”, and make the effort to look out for something else, to begin with this PARRICIDE album. Oh, did I say they butcher the CANNIBAL CORPSE classic ‘Hammer Smashed Face' with a touch of genius? You see, another reason to buy this, or die. Contact: parricide@poczta.onet.pl and check also the Empire Records web site for further info.

Edouard Vergriete

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PATHS OF POSSESSION
Promises In Blood
(Metal Blade Records)
48:03min

PATHS OF POSSESSION as far as their bio depicts was the brainchild of Richard Brunelle (ex - MORBID ANGEL) and some other guys interested to put together a band with a style quite challenging and never heard before. The aim was and still is, blend elements of old styled Heavy Metal with Swedish melodic Death Metal. This surely sounds odd for some and I must confess that I used to be part of those disbelievers up to the very last moment, before laying my hands on the "Promises In Blood" album. Also knowing in advance that George "Corpsgrinder" Fischer of CANNIBAL CORPSE fame would be part of the fold was definitely a plus for me. They indeed have blended the heavy, melodic, thrashy and sometimes groovy moods of Metal in a one and only slab of pure headbanging!!! But please don't get me wrong, there is no breakneck speed or blastbeats, most of the material is hardly above mid-tempo (the title track has some serious beating though) but still is viciously heavy and extremely well performed by Mr Corpsegrinder & Co. The album was recorded at Mana Recording Studios, with Erik Rutan behind the desk so you can expect a massive, crystal clear and punching vibe. Picking fave songs from this release are a rather diffcult task since I love it in its entirety. It's a fact that Metal Blade has done one of their wisest moves ever signing this interesting band. The future looks bright for PATHS OF POSSESSION, I cannot stop hailing this cool album althogether with the newest BOLT THROWER but that is another story. Visit the band's website at: www.pathsofpossession.com or the label at: www.metalblade.com.

Mario Cubero

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PAVOR
Furioso
(self financed)
52:01min

Tired and bored by thousands of average and mediocre releases? Are you looking for something really superb and outstanding? Something you haven't heard yet? Okay, then put just one band on your shopping list: PAVOR. In 1993 PAVOR released one of the best German Death Metal demos of all times. In 1994 PAVOR released one of the best German Death Metal albums of all times. And now in 2003 PAVOR released THE fucking best Death Metal album produced by a German band ever!!! NINE years after their excellent debut "A Pale Debilitating Autumn" they finally put a new album out. I'm sure most bands would sound totally different after such an enormous long period of time, but PAVOR did not leave their path of brutal and technical Death Metal. "Furioso" is the new milestone when it comes to complexity and brutality. "Furioso" combines head splitting brutality, a virtuous Jazz inspired bass, thunderous drumming with the precision of a Swiss clockwork and furious over the top guitar riffs and leads. Not to forget the maiming vocals. Claudius definitely is one of the best Death Metal vocalists on this damned planet. His voice is so deep, slimy, barbaric and brutal but still predictable. Awesome. "Furioso" is a pool of fantastic twisted, brain slicing riffs, weird and strange bass lines, marvellous leads, fast and complex drumming and really mean vocals. "Furioso" is the perfect symbioses of technical, innovative virtuosity and brutality. It's amazing to listen to the guitar and bass duels. There are some guitar parts which really remind me now and then of WATCHTOWER and SPASTIC INK. I just name those bands to make clear the skill of the musicians. PAVOR is absolutely unique, period! Fortunately the production kicks ass, too. On "A Pale Debilitating Autumn" I did not like the drum sound that much. It was way to clinical for my taste. But this time everything sounds just perfect and powerful. Every instrument is clear and audible. I especially appreciate that you can hear the unique bass. If you want progressive Death Metal that doesn't lack heaviness, you'd be a fool not to get this. It is easily one of the best Death Metal CDs of 2003 and it's for sure, that "Furioso" will find its place in the Death Metal hall of fame. A masterpiece was what I expected, but "Furioso" is much more than I've ever dared to expect. believe it or not. Contact: www.pavor.com

Hacker

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PEK
Vomit Upon The Priest (Demo)
(Sadolust Records)
22:00min

The Polish have a distinguished history in the Metal world. PEK is but one of the latest additions to that history, and their much discussed debut, "Preaching Evil", released on Nuclear War Now! Productions is sure to help continue it. "Vomit Upon The Priest" is the band's third demo released initially in 2006, but pressed to cassette in 2007. As you may expect from the title, the band's music is a Black / Death hybrid, with a deeply held bias to the latter. Their songs are as brutal as they come, complete with burning guitar tones, and rapid-fire blastbeats. The one thing that works against the cassette is the tones are sometimes overdone, making it hard to hear what exactly is going on. But its a small grievance, and as the tape plays on, its almost forgotten. Be on the look out for PEK. http://users.telenet.be/noc/pek/pek.htm

Nat Shapiro

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PENTACLE
Ancient Death
(Damnation Records)
27:08min

Our buddies of PENTACLE are also still alive and well and released right before their mini-tour with DESASTER, this very entertaining piece of mayhem! The album kicks off with a furious new track ‘Prophet Of Perdition’ followed by a re-recording of their golden oldie ‘Descending Of The Soul’ (originally on their one and only demo "Winds Of The Fall", the new version doesn't sound very different compared to the original though). It continues with the very obscure DEATH cover ‘Legion Of Doom’ and a new (and to my opinion the best) track ‘Immolated In Flames’ (very fast and tight with a killer riff which returns quite often throughout the song). To finish, you get another DEATH cover ‘Witch Of Hell’ (you can easily hear the typical riffs in there already which later on would define the sound of MASSACRE) and the very extreme ‘Walking Upon Damnation’s Land’ (very brutal and fast) with some guest-vocals of K.K. Warslut of DESTROYER 666. PENTACLE still stick to their very original and own old-fashioned Death Metal sound (what else did you expect?), somehow they are one of the very few bands that really totally breath this kind of music and have a feeling for it. An extra compliment goes out to them for the choice of the DEATH covers which is really original as only the die-hards will be familiar with them (as none of the covered tracks ever ended up on a DEATH album) and totally shred (especially 'Witch Of Hell')! "Ancient Death" got recorded at the Harrow studio (same studio where the last ASPHYX album and most of the PENTACLE material got recorded) and still features original drummer Marc Nelissen who left the band about a year ago. "Ancient Death" is really an excellent release, worth your well-earned money. It's great to see that their own material is very good again as their last new song (which you can find on their split-10" with DESASTER) was about one of their first tracks which disappointed me somehow. Anyway, if there would be any justice in this world, PENTACLE would also get to the same level sales - and popularity-wise as for example DESASTER with this release. I mean, their "Rides The Moonstorm" album was just excellent and they haven't put out any really weak material so far throughout their career, what more can you do as a band?

Steven Willems

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PENTACLE
Ancient Death
(Dark Realm Records)
32:50min

In case you're wondering why there's another feature on this MCD after such a long time since its original release let me explain it to you in a few words. Hollands Damnation Records unfortunately ceased to exist a while ago and in order to give this brilliant PENTACLE material a proper US release (as well) Dark Realm Records picked up on it recently and re-issued it with some improvements. If you already read Steven's review above, I suppose I don't have to talk about the excellent material once more, as it speaks for itself and easily blows away most of the stuff that's out there these days! But this new version not only has a better quality back cover, it also comes up with the additional bonus track 'Soul's Blood', which previously was only available on the vinyl split 10" with Germany's DESASTER, "Desaster In League With Pentacle" back in 2000. This way all of you CD maniacs will finally also get a chance to hear that brilliant PENTACLE tune as well (and justice for all, hehe...)! So, if you - for one reason or another - missed out on the European version of "Ancient Death" make sure to finally get yourself a copy of this one here as it, without a doubt, features PENTACLE's best work yet! www.darkrealmrecords.net

Frank Stöver

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PENTACLE
Under The Black Cross
(Iron Pegasus Records)
41:27min

I bet there are quite some Voices-visitors out there who have waited anxiously for PENTACLE's newest attack and the various delays because of technical problems, if I remember correctly, made things only worse. Now I finally hold this newest strike of "ancient Death" in my hands and though it appears to be a more of a "grower" it is 100% PENTACLE and should not disappoint any fan of this band. Wannes vocals are still the same, this very Van Drunen / Tardy-like oldschool scream- / growling, the riffing quotes all kinds of oldschool Thrash & Death Metal from FROST / HELLHAMMER to NECROVORE and with the occasional relatively twisted song structures mounts in a fascinating piece of Death Metal, that does not wear off as soon as many other releases do nowadays. The lyrical side of "Under The Black Cross" is also quite interesting and rather untypical for PENTACLE, because for the first time they created a concept album dealing with a story from World War II (a topic untouched by this band so far, I think). The eight songs offered here (among which is one instrumental) are not as accessible as the ones on the "Ancient Death" release, but if you give the album a few spins the magnificent riffs (e.g. in 'March Of The Campbletown' from 2:45min on comes a hellish OBITUARY - like brainmelter-riff, killer!!!) and the "hits" (e.g. the duet with Chuck Keller / ex-ORDER FROM CHAOS, VULPECULA, ARES KINGDOM '(Storming Through A Hail Of Steel') will surface and reward you double-time in the end. "Under The Black Cross" is not just a dull oldschool blast, but a highly varied, intense and addictive album exposing more and more qualities with every listen. And, regarding the production-side of this release, the word "perfect" says everything! Buy or "await the blast of death"!!! www.iron-pegasus.com, www.pentacle.nl

Stefan Franke

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PENTACLE
Archaic Undead Fury (10" EP)
(From Beyond Productions)
8:59min

This material was originally supposed to come out as a 7" EP on Metal War Productions (after the original idea of doing a live split release with BLOOD STORM fell through), but due to financial problems at the label side, the whole idea had to be canceled. In the end Holland's From Beyond Productions took care of the whole project and even suggested to do a 10" instead of a 7", which the band of course quickly agreed on. So, after four long years (since the original idea) it is finally out now, nicely packged, with a gatefold sleeve, including an A3 - sized poster of the artwork. Two songs are featured, 'A Hellish Descend' (the first song that PENTACLE wrote after their “Ancient Death” MCD) and 'Blast Them From The Sky'. Both were recorded at Harrow Productions during the “Under the Black Cross” sessions back in September 2004 and both easily live up to the high standard of the album. So, don't expect any lame outtakes, that weren't good enough to make it on "Under The Black Cross", but crushing oldschool Death Metal in the best possible PENTACLE manner! I really hope to see them materialize on CD as well sometime in the near future. Until then, vinyl junkies are adviced to buy this extremely cool (soon to become) collectors item! (Hey Wannes – for some strange reason I didn't find the promised 100,-Euro note for the good review in the sleeve, but I think the fact that Mike is wearing a Voices shirt on the backcover makes up for it!). www.pentacle.nl

Frank Stöver

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PENTAGRAM (Chile)
Reborn 2001
(Picoroco Records)
52:57min

It seems to me, that after all these years Chile’s number one cult act PENTAGRAM is finally getting the treatment they would’ve deserved back in the 80’s already. Following the essential self-titled demo compilation CD from 2000, here’s another CD release of Anton & the boys. “Reborn 2001” is a live album which features the band’s 2001 reunion show in superb sound quality. It’s great to hear the original line-up (except original bass player Alfredo Pena, who unfortunately passed away a while ago) playing together again  in such a fine condition. They sound as convincing as always and still kick more ass than a lot of the newer bands (and that even includes Anton’s new outfit CRIMINAL, I’m afraid). Of course all of the classic PENTAGRAM demo tracks are included and they still sound incredible to me today. The entire material actually almost sounds better than ever before, due to the increased playing and recording abilities. Killer cover tunes by SLAYER (‘Raining Blood’) and VENOM (‘Countess Bathory’) complete the picture, as well as a kinda Punk / Hardcore like tune (‘Pigs’), which might be another cover – but as I’m not too familiar with that type of stuff I can’t exactly tell you. The CD comes in a nice digipack format and even includes a live-video (from the same show) for the song ‘Demented’. Essential! It would be great if this (one-off?!) reunion would last a little longer as a full length studio album is still on demand ;-) Contact: Picoroco Records: blabla@picoroco.cl

Frank Stöver

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