Review by JD on March 21, 2017.

I have heard many bands over the years and many genres as well being a reviewer and a fan and I challenge myself to let that be a guide to different things.  Enter into the ring, Sweden based Plutonium.  This industrial/extreme black metal one man outfit has many releases to its name.... will it live up to its hype.

J. Carlsson is the band and drive behind this project, one he has done for many years now. It seems to be a project of passion and dedication on his part, one since 2003. Chaotic with a very unpleasant wall of noise that simply sits there like an elephant in a Volvo – it is a vast multitude of horrid flaws. Simple lack of ideas completely derail what could have been such an interesting album and it falls face first into a vortex of nothingness.

One main thought was always present though out the full fifty three minutes, the entire album had no direction to it.  Some of the riffs were interesting, yet those little pieces of gold were the exception rather than the rule of the whole CD. The album as a whole had no direction- meandering with almost Schizophrenia meets ADD with the added bonus of Tourette syndrome… and makes the listener to bail out of the CD almost two songs non.  The musicianship, while seemingly good- is still a jumbled collection of half-thought out ideas that should have been left on some forgotten idea recording on your computer rather than on an album.

Oh what could have been… was not… what was, was simply unfocused noise seemingly spat out.  It was a disappointing as hell, and made me long to put one batter music than this.  This CD would be better used as a dog’s toy rather than a record.  Too bad… I have a sense that this gentleman could do many times better- if he actually cultivated an idea with a direction to go along with it.  As it stands, not worth the listen. 

Rating: 2.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 9, 2019.

A few days ago, I read the following statement: "true greatness of the split recording lies not in the simple addition of two bands of mutual respect and admiration, but much more so in the ability to merge those qualities into something that truly stands on its own merits". Well, I am no expert for "true greatness", but sometimes I can identify true nonsense very quickly and this quote falls exactly in this category. So, it makes more sense to speak about the content of the here selected album than to lose many words about its format.

Behexen's songs profit from a better sound than those of Horna and so I begin with the contribution of the spiritual fathers of immortal classics such as "Fist of the Satanist". Too bad that their three songs with a remarkable duration of nearly 22 minutes cannot compete with giants like the aforementioned song from "By the Blessing of Satan". The dudes present the typical approach and the results are convincing, no more, no less. The tempo changes ensure an acceptable degree of dynamic, some icy guitar lines show up and the rumbling overall approach explains the general view of the band on black metal in a matter of minutes. "Beyond the Shadow of My Lord" is a little bit too long, but it houses some very dark instrumental parts, full of power, strength and hellish flair. Not to mention the opening riff of "A Distant Call from Darkness". It carries the group through the entire song and shows that Behexen are probably the most competent black metal force from Suomi. (77%).

The contribution of Horna seems to be recorded underwater, in a stinking bin or in a sound studio without functioning microphones. Everything sounds dull, flat and blurred. This affects the impact of the compositions inevitably. Their sinister scenarios remain vapid and, to be honest, the riffing also does not reveal overwhelming skills. Albums like "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" or "Under a Funeral Moon" have already been written and therefore I have to question the motivation of Horna to publish similar tunes in a similar sound. However, if one can't get enough of raw black metal in a low budget frame, feel free to enjoy Horna's four pieces on this split. Yet in my humble opinion, they have much better tunes (55%). 

In a nutshell, it's a partially strong split, but "true greatness" is missing here. Both formations show their solidarity with the real underground, to express it in a positive way. That indicates a laudable mentality, but it does not make the songs themselves more valuable. So, check out whether or not it makes sense for you to become familiar with this work.

Rating: 6.6 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 9, 2019.

A few days ago, I read the following statement: "true greatness of the split recording lies not in the simple addition of two bands of mutual respect and admiration, but much more so in the ability to merge those qualities into something that truly stands on its own merits". Well, I am no expert for "true greatness", but sometimes I can identify true nonsense very quickly and this quote falls exactly in this category. So, it makes more sense to speak about the content of the here selected album than to lose many words about its format.

Behexen's songs profit from a better sound than those of Horna and so I begin with the contribution of the spiritual fathers of immortal classics such as "Fist of the Satanist". Too bad that their three songs with a remarkable duration of nearly 22 minutes cannot compete with giants like the aforementioned song from "By the Blessing of Satan". The dudes present the typical approach and the results are convincing, no more, no less. The tempo changes ensure an acceptable degree of dynamic, some icy guitar lines show up and the rumbling overall approach explains the general view of the band on black metal in a matter of minutes. "Beyond the Shadow of My Lord" is a little bit too long, but it houses some very dark instrumental parts, full of power, strength and hellish flair. Not to mention the opening riff of "A Distant Call from Darkness". It carries the group through the entire song and shows that Behexen are probably the most competent black metal force from Suomi. (77%).

The contribution of Horna seems to be recorded underwater, in a stinking bin or in a sound studio without functioning microphones. Everything sounds dull, flat and blurred. This affects the impact of the compositions inevitably. Their sinister scenarios remain vapid and, to be honest, the riffing also does not reveal overwhelming skills. Albums like "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" or "Under a Funeral Moon" have already been written and therefore I have to question the motivation of Horna to publish similar tunes in a similar sound. However, if one can't get enough of raw black metal in a low budget frame, feel free to enjoy Horna's four pieces on this split. Yet in my humble opinion, they have much better tunes (55%). 

In a nutshell, it's a partially strong split, but "true greatness" is missing here. Both formations show their solidarity with the real underground, to express it in a positive way. That indicates a laudable mentality, but it does not make the songs themselves more valuable. So, check out whether or not it makes sense for you to become familiar with this work.

Rating: 6.6 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 9, 2019.

A few days ago, I read the following statement: "true greatness of the split recording lies not in the simple addition of two bands of mutual respect and admiration, but much more so in the ability to merge those qualities into something that truly stands on its own merits". Well, I am no expert for "true greatness", but sometimes I can identify true nonsense very quickly and this quote falls exactly in this category. So, it makes more sense to speak about the content of the here selected album than to lose many words about its format.

Behexen's songs profit from a better sound than those of Horna and so I begin with the contribution of the spiritual fathers of immortal classics such as "Fist of the Satanist". Too bad that their three songs with a remarkable duration of nearly 22 minutes cannot compete with giants like the aforementioned song from "By the Blessing of Satan". The dudes present the typical approach and the results are convincing, no more, no less. The tempo changes ensure an acceptable degree of dynamic, some icy guitar lines show up and the rumbling overall approach explains the general view of the band on black metal in a matter of minutes. "Beyond the Shadow of My Lord" is a little bit too long, but it houses some very dark instrumental parts, full of power, strength and hellish flair. Not to mention the opening riff of "A Distant Call from Darkness". It carries the group through the entire song and shows that Behexen are probably the most competent black metal force from Suomi. (77%).

The contribution of Horna seems to be recorded underwater, in a stinking bin or in a sound studio without functioning microphones. Everything sounds dull, flat and blurred. This affects the impact of the compositions inevitably. Their sinister scenarios remain vapid and, to be honest, the riffing also does not reveal overwhelming skills. Albums like "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" or "Under a Funeral Moon" have already been written and therefore I have to question the motivation of Horna to publish similar tunes in a similar sound. However, if one can't get enough of raw black metal in a low budget frame, feel free to enjoy Horna's four pieces on this split. Yet in my humble opinion, they have much better tunes (55%). 

In a nutshell, it's a partially strong split, but "true greatness" is missing here. Both formations show their solidarity with the real underground, to express it in a positive way. That indicates a laudable mentality, but it does not make the songs themselves more valuable. So, check out whether or not it makes sense for you to become familiar with this work.

Rating: 6.6 out of 10

Review by JD on August 18, 2010.

Canada is getting known for it’s heavier metal with every passing day. Take it from this Canadian Rocker who has seen the rise of his country’s metal scene. They are coming into it’s own and showing the world, learning from others and then fashioning it into their own warped yet infection brand of Metal. They are taking over piece by piece. With that been said, please take note of Edmonton Alberta Canada’s Death Metal Masters - Death Toll Rising.

All through the forty three minutes of the album, it is clear what Death Toll Rising are doing. I hear shading of the likes of Death and Obituary mixing with a this injection of Thrash inspired melodies and bad to the core, gut-wrenching growling vocals and ground shaking drumming. The clear thread through it all is awe inspiring power that is hard to ignore for very long.

Songs like the commanding 'Blood Stained Ceilings' and the monumental paroxysm of 'The Bludgeoning' are prime examples of the band sheer potency they already have. The are working to be original, but for a young band like this... that is expected. It is not a bad thing to sound like the ones that are your contemporaries, but it is good that it is very clear that they are striving to make their own way under their own terms.

Death Toll Rising is a band on the verge of having the world seeing them. A little work on their music will poise them for metal supremacy. As they are right now, they are missing the pinnacle they are seeking by a hairbreadth from their goals. If their next album has that certain level of maturity and growth that I hear is needed (I feel that they will have without a doubt), they will finally have become a band that will have no boundaries that could hold them down.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

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

Rating: 8.1 out of 10