Review by JD on May 19, 2009.

In reading this bands bio online, they tout themselves as being 'free thinkers', and I found myself to be both intrigued and more than a little sceptical at the same time. Hearing that term could make them a band that literally blows your mind, or it could end up making you want to set them in quick drying cement then shoving them off a boat over the deepest ocean trench where it can sink then never see the light of day again.

I was surprised to hear the first track thunder its way into my ears, and it really did make me look at the speaker when it did. It sounds strangely like Gwar to me, but in a slightly different tilt... the heaviness was more brutal. As I went further through the tracks, it became apparent that it also reminded me of the very first Grave Digger album mixing into it all. How this band was using simplicity to such deadly effect, I was more than impressed.

The lyrics are quite comical at the best of times, yet each word seems to ring with a ironic sort of intelligence to them. Songs like 'Swing Like Judas' is blasphemously funny to any religious zealot that accidentally has started to listen to the band... while the lyrics of 'A Beautiful Start Of The End Of The World' seems to be intelligence delivered with their collective tongues in their cheeks here... beautiful, yet when you get it ... it is awesome.

I was expecting some new sort of progressive band that would push the boundaries of the music while delivering smart lyrics. What I got was a melting pot of different thoughts and expressions that are done with music that is actually fun (but not at all complex).

When you can deliver such ideas, and do it so simply... you gotta think there is much more going on between the members of The Clan Destined ears beside getting high and trying to have a big debate about which are better: Smarties or M&Ms. You get a amazing band, that knows how to balance things out.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 7.5
Originality: 9
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Felix on December 29, 2019.

Let me take you on a journey to the Nordkarpatenland, the land that we call Slovakia today. One of the most unorthodox groups of today, Malokarpatan, is back with its second album. Some call their style black metal, but due to many unusual ingredients (cow bells and more) and unpredictable twists and turns of their compositions, I think we have to be careful with any kind of category. Folkloric elements are only logical in view of the album's title, but strange choirs, for example at the beginning of the fourth track - I feel free to avoid the overlong song names - add an eerie touch as well. High speed outbursts are rare and icy leads do not occur. The band prefers to walk its own, pretty tortuous paths through the haunted forests of their home country. A dark guitar sound and the imperious, sinister lead vocals lay the foundations for a metallic work, although the band does not shy away from extraordinary intros or hard rock riffing. Big parts of the guitar work of the fifth track could work in a totally different context. But on Nordkarpatenland, they rather provide a puzzle. However, there are many other songs which announce the song-writing skills of the talented formation. Just let me introduce you to the sixth track. If we decode the formula of this exemplary number, you will better understand the special magic of Malopkarpatan's art. By the way, it is a brilliant track.

First of all, one has to be aware of the fact that Malokarpatan love abrupt breaks which give them the chance to convey very different moods in just one song. Already the first track after the short intro reflects this passion of the band. Naturally, the sixth track also consists of very different sections. Its beginning could be the soundtrack of a fairy tale, before the guitars set in and form surprisingly straight and pretty fast verses. Tempo changes are well embedded, and everything seems to go forward as usual. But all of a sudden, an extremely weird, very melodic intermezzo comes through. Male and female voices accompany a soft yet horrific, Kind Diamond-like keyboard line. The metallic instrumentation returns, and a somewhat nested guitar line brings the excellent highlight to an end. Indeed, Malokarpatan know how to connect a meticulous concept with a touch of insanity and they are able to do so without killing the spontaneity of their tunes. (Incidentally, I recommend watching a live video of this song on YouTube from 2016 - the lead singer seems to be totally drunken and plays the metal jester in a very majestic manner. His band mates look like East European musicians who think that the Iron Curtain is still existing. Impressive!)

Despite their very individual approach, Malokarpatan also feel free to borrow some Maiden-esque lines (from "Only the Good Die Young" and roughly 10.000 more) in order to give the seventh song a pretty melodic touch. Yet they combine it with so many different further elements, for example a synth intermezzo which creates a sacral aura, that the Maiden quotation remains an almost incidental gag. Generally speaking, Malokarpatan's music has so many facets - it is really exciting. The bluesy / hard rocking guitars that show up every now remain the only component which spoils the enjoyment. Fortunately, the archaic, the odd, the harsh, the spooky, the demonic and the down-to-earth vibrations and melodies keep the upper hand. Apart from this, the formation seems to be a well harmonizing unit that is able to generate its own special charm. On the whole, it may be stated that the music deserves 75%, but the originality of the musical approach forces me to give a slightly higher rating. No doubt, the music is the adequate musical backdrop for a journey to the Nordkarpatenland, a region where witches, dangerous monarchs and black hens carry out their nefarious deeds.

Rating: 7.9 out of 10

Review by Michael on January 24, 2021.

Meanwhile black metallers Sarkrista from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany are about to release Sworn To Profound Heresy, their third album. Stylistically not much has changed, it is and remains the usual OSBM of Scandinavian kind (especially the Finnish scene seems to influence the band), sometimes some black-thrash borrowings in the style of Desaster and consorts sound through. The songs are consistently well thought out and oscillate between extremely fast and mid-tempo passages. The guitars create an icy atmosphere and the drums are played thunderously. The voice is full of aggression and hate and is performed very convincingly. The lyrics are about Satan and blasphemy, also here nothing has changed compared to the good predecessor Summoners of the Serpents Wrath. This is only logical, if according to Sarkrista they make "a great homage to our great master, and eternal leader SATAN!".

This time the band has brought some colleagues from the international black metal scene into the studio for vocal support. On the one hand Lord Lokhraed of Nocturnal Depression (France) may raise his voice on 'The Chosen Ones Of Satan', 'Destroyer Of The Sun' is refined by The Infidel of Curse upon a Prayer (Finland) and AntimateriA supports the band on 'A Whisper From Forgotten Coffins'.

The production is quite punchy, though I miss the bass a bit. But all in all it is worthy of a black metal album. Those who know the previous album should know how this album sounds, nothing has really changed in the sound.

The cover is also kept very blasphemous, it shows a burning church from which the smoke rises and manifests itself to the dark lord. In front of this four hooded figures pay homage. Here, too, the Scandinavian influence clearly comes to light.

Particularly noteworthy songs are 'Lair Of Cursed Remains', a pretty fast black metal cracker, which comes across incredibly hateful, 'Destroyer Of The Sun' is a pretty atmospheric song, which is almost dragging for Sarkrista standards and 'A Whisper From Forgotten Coffins' - a pretty catchy and almost rocking song.

If you like OSBM without big experiments and surprises, Sworn To Profound Heresy is the right choice for you. There is nothing new here, nothing innovative, but just cool black metal without frills.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by JD on May 14, 2012.

With a name like Charlie Shred for a band, I was expecting a few things. Wild guitars, over the top riffs and Dragonforce styled rip-off shred-o-rama. Let me tell you, how fucking wrong it was to assume this shit. This album surprised me, and then got my collective juices flowing. This is shredding 101... but musically.

After many name changes for the band, not to mention some frustrating line-up juggling and possibly more than a few prayers added in for good measure, Sweden’s Charlie Shred was born to burn up the six strings and the metal world give a collective smile. Reminding me sort of if Helloween and Theocracy mixing with some American Power Metal... you get what this band is all about.

I was in awe the instant I heard 'Panic', a song that was polished, yet retained a little roughness that made the track that much more bold. Other tracks that are as good are the mid tempo almost a heavy ballad like 'Welcome To Hell' (not the Venom classic) and the straight forward, intense and sweeping instrumental 'The Ancestors Guide'. Even the controlled riffing opus to video games 'Game Over' soars and takes flight showing maturity and yet youthful chaos. Perfect showcase for these amazing Swedes and their melodic take on shred.

Over production seems to be one of the few problems with the album as a whole, because it seems to let the power of the music get seriously handcuffed in favour of the overly controlled and almost stifling processed sound that ends up choking the feel of the music. Setting that glitch aside, Charlie Shred is musically so impressive, yet each track is memorable and enjoyable. I found myself replaying the album over and over again.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 8
Originality: 8
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.6 out of 10