EXPLORING THE WORLD - BEST OF

Hello everybody! During the last few months we crossed the borders of metal music and traveled around every corner of the planet to explore some of the coolest and most underrated metal scenes on Earth. It was really fun and we got in touch with a lot of amazing people in the process. Now it's time for us to take a small break and stop traveling for a while. But don't worry. We'll come back to you very soon with plenty more explorations. We just need some time to go deep into each international scene in order to bring you quality articles.

But for now we have one last present for you. This is a  recap of the best bands found in our explorations so far. So without further adieu, here is Exploring The World's cream of the crop \m/
 
Our first ever exploration took place in Switzerland, observing the Geneva tech-metal sound with acts like Sybreed, Breach The Void, and Mycelia. But one band in particular caught my attention - NEOSIS (New Evolution Of Society Influenced by Scientism). This band is a perfect example of what this Geneva sound actually sounds like! They deliver innovative and futuristic music featuring some really technical and funk-influenced rhythm sections and a sick guitar tone. Their 2012 self-titled debut was truly impressive and took them far beyond Swiss borders. They got to play last year's Euroblast 8, while this year we will meet them at UK Tech-Metal Fest! Here's "Cerebral Helix", enjoy!

Links: Facebook // Youtube // iTunes

The following stop was Sweden, home to some of the greatest metal bands of all time! We especially focused on the new Swedish ambidjent movement, following the thall revolution started by Vildhjarta. We met Humanity's Last Breath, Means End, Jonnah, Libo, Behindert and Maybe That's Why Humans Drink The Darkness That Is Coffee (aka MTWHDTDTIC). I'd like to focus on the first one Humanity's Last Breath. They just finished recording their new album which promises to bring the mayhem down on you very soon. This band looks like a more aggressive, straight-forward, deathcore version of Vildhjarta. But they've also shown they're able to produce original material with their own talent and will. To give you an idea of what's coming, give a listen to their latest single "Animal" below! THALL!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Soundcloud // Bandcamp

After that we headed to Greece to find a varied and original progressive metal scene, especially around the city of Athens. Amazing bands like Tardive Dyskinesia were featured along with more incredible acts like Mencea, Dakrya and the solo project It Dwells Within. But probably the most stunning, original and experimental one was Dol Ammad, from Thessaloniki. They provide a fast and powerful metal sound with power, progressive, and electronic elements. The music also features the vocal support of a fourteen member four-part choir! Give a listen to "Supernova" below, from their 2012 album "Cosmic Gods: Episode I - Hyperspeed".

Links: Facebook // MySpace // Bandcamp

Then we crossed the ocean and reached down to Australia! We dove deep into Australia's eclectic metal scene which presented itself as one of the greatest growing metal communities in the world. There's so much amazing stuff coming out of this country that it's really hard to choose just one band. We've worked with the biggest Australian metalcore label WeAreUnified and their various amazing talents. We also went beyond, sifting through the fringes of the Austalian underground. Almost too much impressive material here. But to choose just one act destroying everything world-wide at the moment, the answer ends being easy. Thy Art Is Murder - this band is changing the face of deathcore, bringing some of the heaviest and most extreme stuff ever heard. Check em out \m/ This is "Reign Of Darkness", off their latest album "Hate".

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Another country where we spent a lot of time was France. It took three explorations to go deep into this country's scene, and there's still more material waiting to be found there. We analyzed it's dark progressive sounds, some amazing solo projects and the impressive Paris metalcore scene. We focused on acts like Betraying The Martyrs, Gojira, As They Burn, Eryn Non Dae, Khaorah, The Algorithm, Atlantis Chronicles, Hypno5e, Uneven Structure, This Deafening Whisper, Cartoon Theory, A.I.(d), Dorthal, and Blut Aus Nord. Just amazing! But there's one band that deserves a highlight here. I'm talking about Uneven Structure. They just released an amazing new EP called "8" and you should all listen to it! A lot of people are claiming this to be their best work so far. Stream it entirely below!

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // iTunes // Basick Records

The exploration of Ukraine's promising djent and math scene was a trip to remember. We met Joconfy, TSAARS, Noja and Return To Base. I'd like to give shout especially to the young guys in Joconfy. This talented djent band won the Euroblast jingle contest and will also be performing at this Summer's UK Tech-Metal Fest too! Check out that explosive tune down below.

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Youtube

After that, we discovered an incredible industrial metal scene in Denmark with Mnemic, Raunchy and The Interbeing. The Interbeing is especially looking to have a bright future. Their 2011 debut "Edge Of The Obscure" was a brilliant album with some heavy groove, supported by a modern metal sound and industrial elements. Their music is surrounded by a dark sci-fi, futuristic atmosphere as a catalyst for the heaviness. Here's the latest music video from that album, the song is called "Shadow Shift". Give it a listen!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp 

Our last European stop was Spain! Here we found that an incredible melodic death metal scene emerged in the Basque country, with incredible bands like NoDrama, The Descent, Darkness by Oath and Jotnar, giving to this are of Spain a swedish flavour. But there's one band that emerged from all the others, and it's Rise To Fall. This melodeath band was able to release two amazing albums with Coroner Records: "Restore The Balance" and "Defying The Gods". Both amazing and intense as you can hear from the song below, "Redrum", taken from their 2010 debut album.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Myspace

After that, we spent two weeks in Africa supporting a Botswana metal band called Wrust and exploring South Africa's metal scene. In South Africa, we covered four very interesting bands: Crown Black Sky, Truth And Its Burden, Balyios and Megalodon. Let's give one more shout to the only black metal act of all our explorations! Crown Black Sky is a melodic / progressive black metal band influenced by acts like Behemoth, Emperor, Enslaved, and Opeth. Get heavy jamming their song “Stars Of God” below!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

The last country we visited was Mexico. With our first time in the new continent we covered some Taco Djent... wait a minute, I hate stereotypes...Well, if you check out artists like Arcadia Libre, N3WMEN and One Of Us you'll throw those stereotypes away! Blast some drum n bass/math/djent music by One Of Us featuring some French madness delivered by The Algorithm.

Links: Facebook // Soundcloud

That's all explorers. It's time to go back home and relax for a while. We hope you enjoy this best of segment along with all of our explorations. We'll come back to you very soon, stronger than ever. Stay tuned \m/

- MATTIA

EXPLORING THE WORLD - SWITZERLAND AND THE GENEVA TECH-METAL SOUND

If we talk about Swiss metal bands, the first names that will come to your mind would probably be Eluveitie, Samael, Triptykon, Celtic Frost, or Coroner. But only a few people know that Switzerland has an amazing underground tech-metal movement with a really peculiar sound and distinguishing style. It's made of sharp and hard-hitting syncopated riffage, continuously crossed by digital synth, and surrounded by industrial and sci-fi atmospheres. This especially developed in the city of Geneva.

The most known and representative band of this sound is definitely Sybreed. They provide a groovy and modern industrial metal. After their 2004 debut album "Slave Design", they released three more albums with Listenable Records: "Antares" (2007), "The Pulse Of Awakening" (2009), and the latest one "God Is An Automaton" (2012). Those albums helped Sybreed gain exposure on a worldwide scale, getting to tour with bands like In Flames, Deathstars, Samael, Threat Signal, and they've also headlined a two week tour in Australia. Sybreed was also the first Swiss band to play at the UK's Download Festival. On top of that, they've performed at Hellfest in France, Brutal Assault Festival in Czech Republic, MetalFest in Slovenia, and Euroblast 7 In Germany.

As you might have heard, they just released an amazing new music video for the song "The Line Of Least Resistance" and you better check it below! Also, if you don't know them you should check out some of their classics like "Enema-0", "Re-evolution", "Bioactive", "Challenger" and "Doomsday Party", which can all be easily found YouTube.

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // Youtube

NEOSIS (New Evolution Of Society Influenced by Scientism) is another band you can definitely recognize from this scene. Their innovative and futuristic sound features some really technical and funk-influenced rhythm sections. They write fast and groovy music with incisive riffage and amazing melodies. Their 2012 debut, self-titled release brought them a good following, allowing them to play at Euroblast 8 and to support bands like Periphery, Mnemic, and Raunchy. They also just finished touring the UK supporting Pain, which we're sure will further bolster the reputation of NEOSIS.

Despite these good results, I don't think this band gets the recognition they deserve, especially from the rising djent scene, so you absolutely should check out their music below and consider purchasing their album on iTunes. It's tough to choose a song to suggest from their album since they're all amazing! Maybe the best ones are "Cerebral Helix", "Supremacy Design" (amazing bass solo here!), "Chronic Absolutism" (amazing guitar solo and chorus here!), "The New Paradigm", the opening track "Everlasting Mind Collapse (amazing guitar solo and chorus again!), or the single "Unwilling Fate", but this is just a matter of personal preference... They're all incredible.

Links: Facebook // Youtube // iTunes

Breach The Void is another great band of the movement. Formerly known as Etna, this project was started in 2007 by Alex Anxionna (former Sybreed) and ended up releasing an album in 2010 called "The Monochromatic Era" via Coroner Records which featured the singles "Propagate" and "Subversive Mind" along with some other beautiful tracks like "Customized Genotype" (my personal favourite), "Falling", and "Spiral". The Sybreed influence is strong in this band, which means they deliver incredible rhythmic sessions, groovy riffage, and some hi-tech synth. In January they claimed to be looking for a new guitarist to start writing new material with. So yes, they're currently going through some difficulties and line up changes. But we should expect some new stuff from them, hopefully sooner than later.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Last but not least, we have also a younger, forthcoming band called Mycelia. Unlike the bands mentioned above, which are all coming from Geneva, this band is based in Zurich. Their music is more oriented through a technical death metal style, featuring influences from progressive, symphonic, and electronic music as well (especially dubstep, check out their song "Paradoxical Axiom"). After some demos, their first official EP "Isolator" was released in September 2012. It features six tracks and some really heavy material, especially in songs like "The Arcadiac" or "Of Evil". And to make it even better, you can download it for free on their Bandcamp!

Keep an eye on these guys because they recently uploaded a teaser for their debut full-length "Nova" which should drop later this year. And a few days ago, they released a new track called "Shmashmortion", which is available for a "name-your-price" download on Bandcamp!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp

It is very interesting to notice how, despite their common characteristics, each one of these bands has it's own unique guitar tone and use different kinds of synths so their music ends up having its own flavour.

But there's more where that came from... Switzerland is also the homeland of some more amazing metal bands. Ever hear about Bern's Breakdown Of Sanity and their mighty metalcore sound? Severely moshable, crushing shit! Also the amazing melodic death metal provided by Dreamshade from Lugano. They just released their album via Spinefarm Records. Read our review here (ehm, did you notice? Dreamshade's drummer wears a Breach The Void t-shirt in the videoclip for "Consumed Future"). These are just a few examples of what Switzerland has to offer.

So this was our introduction to the Swiss metal underground and that music we could call "The Geneva Sound". Did you know about this scene? Do you like its sound? Do you know any other bands coming from Switzerland? Let us know and always support underground music!

- MATTIA