Skyforger « The RingMaster Review

Though are not exactly knowledgeable on the state of the Latvian metal scene bands like Skyforger, Trendkill Method, Relicseed, and Ygodehwh, those we have come across, all suggest it is rather healthy and it looks like the thrash side of its fury is in good shape too going by the new album from Saintorment. A ferocious roar of old school thrash with a penchant for speed and heavy metal, the band makes a very sizeable impression with Defective Mind, the release a thoroughly enjoyable fusion of the familiar and fresh.

Formed in Daugavpils in the spring of 2013, Saintorment took little time moving from a cover band playing Metallica, Kreator, Pantera, Exodus etc. songs to writing and performing their own propositions. A quartet since 2014 unveiling their debut album, Well of Sins, the following year, there is little more we can tell you about Saintorment. Worry not though as Defective Mind has all the reasons why they deserve plenty of your metal searching time.

The album opens with Physical Force, its destructive warning a portent of the ravenous riffs and senses plundering rhythms to follow. Unashamedly wearing the band’s inspirations, the track surges through ears, the contagious horde of insatiable grooves and riffs easily devoured. Unruly impassioned vocals only add to the persuasion, their controlled rabidity riding the fury of the sounds with zeal. Skilled breakdowns and keen twists bring new identity to the recognisable but greedily welcomed traits of the track, many sourced to those bands the band embraced in their first days.

It is a great start to Defective Mind continued by its hellacious title track. As its predecessor, the song goes for the jugular, riffs and rhythms a forcibly badgering invitation led by ferocious vocals and an enterprise which entangles and twists unsurprising thrash traits with the band’s own creative character and invention. There is drama in every breath of the song, even more so than the first, which adds to its compelling trespass.

There is also a great rawness to the Saintorment sound, one which is in its prime within next up We Are, an ears savaging predator with enmity in every swing and enticement in every resourcefully crafted groove and melody. Keenly revealing the appealing variety in the band’s sound which is sometimes understated but always teasing, the track left an already forming appetite for the album greedier and ready to seize the bodies of songs like Strong Enough and Never. The first has a punkiness to its animus, a cantankerousness which fuels its magnetic scourge while its successor has a great nagging quality to its riffs and grooves, a predation brought with darker intent by the vocals; both songs also rich in sonic and melodic dexterity.

Through belligerence soaked Zerofy and heavy metal nurtured …Dies at the Black Night, the album only accentuates its tenacious nature in sound and imagination where again familiar essences collude enjoyably with the individual ideation of Saintorment; Mood Pyrexia subsequently matching them in endeavour and success while building on the theatre of the song before with its tapestry of metal diversity over thrash instincts. An instrumental for ears and imagination, it masterfully highlights the skills and energy of all band members while casting its suggestive adventure.

The album finishes with Final Hour, a track as vicious as it is alluring as the band again casts a web of multi-faceted thrash bred metal, and finally bonus track Ai, kā man patīk. A raucous punk metal version of presumably a Latvian folk song with lecherous grooves and vociferous passion to the fore, it is quite superb and the perfect end to an increasingly addictive release.

Saintorment is a band all thrash fans should take time out to explore, their album a stomp which thickly satisfies each and every time, and their open potential something to keep a close ear upon. In reference to the final song, Oh how I like it!

Defective Mind is available now via More Hate Productions @ https://saintorment.bandcamp.com/album/defective-mind

https://www.facebook.com/SaintormentSNT/

Pete RingMaster 18/01/2018

Celtachor is a band whose name we had come across plenty of times without making a concentrated effort to seriously check out their sounds. The release of their debut album Nine Waves From The Shore has given us the opportunity to amend that slackness and with ease the Irish blackened folk metallers impress. Their album is a refreshing and potent blend of Celtic folk and black metal with a passion and heart for its inspiration and a sound which shares those same intensive traits; an aggressive and melodic enchantment which leaves one smitten.

From an established idea in 2007 to a realised and working band in 2010, Dubliners Celtachor have announced themselves as the ‘the narrators of Irish Mythology’ with the purpose of bringing to life their vision of the stories which live vibrantly within that history. Since forming the band has earned a strong reputation through their live shows which has found them alongside bands such as Skyforger, Primordial, Heidevolk, Suidakra, Cruachan, Wolfchant, Alestorm, Darkest Era, and many more, and their previous self recorded demo In The Halls Of Our Ancient Fathers of 2010. The newly self-released Nine Waves From The Shore was recorded across 2011 and 2012; the time and intense attention spent on its craft and realisation obvious in presence within the release and its perfect blend of two arguably opposing yet conducive genres. The seamless and instinctive merger of the venomous and uncompromising essences of black metal and the contagious and epic glory of folk metal is an impressively accomplished and sculpted weave, a balance which could be difficult and precarious for most achieved with skilled imagination here. Probably the release does not have the swagger of the best folk/pagan metal albums but the seriousness which comes from their obvious attention to detail and the potent shadows which line the vision inspiring tales, makes the release just as compelling.

As the building waves of intensity in opener The Landing: Amergin’s Conquest envelop the ear to make way for the fiery guitars and smouldering atmosphere thereafter there is an immediate immersion into the powerful presence of the song. The vocals of Stephen Roche are a rasping squall which storm from within the blanket of tempest sourced sounds whilst the glorious persuasions of the whistle and passion directing rhythms hold a firm and hypnotic grip. Epic, aggressive, and challenging in sound and within its tale, the track is a towering fortress of incendiary forces and primal instinct.

The following track, The Battle of Tailtin takes over from the ten minute colossus with a similarly driven assault, though only after igniting the senses with an excellent rhythmic intro which calls the body to arms ready for the bruising encounter. Again as the vocals spill their expressive spite the guitars of David Quinn and Fionn Staffort ignite the expanses of melodic enterprise and unrelenting brutality whilst the bass of Emile Quigley (who has since left the band to be replaced by Oliver Deegan) adds an irresistible darkness to the track which is as inviting as it is intimidating. Mid-way the riotous sounds recede to open up the vision of the battlefield framed by the continually impressive beats of Anaïs Chareyre and the fiery impassioned incitement of the whistle. Overall it is another full on expansive storm in intensity and length, the song a companion to its predecessor in more ways and one and leaves by its departing consumption of ravenous metal, an exhausted listener behind.

The acoustic beckoning of The Kingship Of Bodb Dearg with again stunning melodic caresses from the whistles instantly has one smouldering in pleasure and when the heavier yet enthused bassline and energising drums enter there is an immediate submission before its majesty. Soon though the song unveils its sinews and stomps across the ear with an energetic muscular infectious whilst again the vocals of Roche skilfully removes the protective layers between his caustic delivery and the senses. The track is a varied and adventurous episode in the theme of the album with again a superbly crafted meld of dark and light in all aspects whilst the following Sorrow Of The Dagda again teases and kisses the ear with a delicious acoustic entrance before crushing the air and ear with a tremendous onslaught of rhythms and intense hostility. The track is a rampaging furnace of invention and passion which travels the lengths of sonic extremes with real craft. As impressive though it is it does find itself overshadowed by its successor the gorgeous instrumental Tar éis an Sidhe. A heated breeze of golden warm melodic shards and enrapturing beauty the song is a sublime and emotive glory.

The album closes by returning to the ferocity of before with the tribal mayhem of the excellent Conn Of The Hundred Battles and the equally combative Anann: Ermne’s Daughter. Both are heart pounding encounters which ignite the passions and with the moment of reflective peace before ensures that the album ends on its greatest plateau. Nine Waves From The Shore is a fully absorbing and thrilling release though not without a niggle, the vocals needing more clarity within the rich expanse of sound and possible a little diversity too, but it only inspires one to feel the band is destined for greatness. Do not wait until then though Celtachor deserves your recognition now.

http://www.celtachor.com/

RingMaster 29/01/2013