TSAARS "FOREWORD" EP REVIEW

Formerly known as "The Kannon's Mind Dissection", Tsaars are a Djenty Mathcore / Chaotic Hardcore band from Ukraine. More importantly, they're a collection of musicians that aren't afraid to think outside the box when they write. The results are generally excellent.

Their brand new, debut EP "Foreword" serves as a worthy introduction to what this band is capable of. It's a mix of technical sharpness and intelligently constructed chaos which melodic flair to boot. I'd compare them with groups such as The Arusha Accord, SikTh, and Aliases but they certainly have an approach of their own.

"Raised By Wolves" bites hard as the EP opens with some tech heavy goodness. This is most definitely a band with a tight focus on the rhythmic front, bringing crazy off time delivery from track to track. The opener serves well to demonstrate this. "Nightmares" was released a bit back as the band's first single. It's a rad, chaotic track that slams and winds from start to finish. It also features an incredible cameo from the one and only Sam Gitiban from Novallo. Definitely one the EP's best offerings. Next up is the intermission track "Entr'acte". It's reminiscent of something Periphery / Animals As Leaders would do for a break between tracks with clean guitar lines weaving through electronic glitches. The Arusha Accord vibes are strongest on the final track "Buried Secret", but this a good thing cause the song is awesome. It's also the second track with a cameo as Jordan Ibarra of Aristeia makes an appearance. The secret is ultimately buried into a world of melody as "Foreword" comes to close.

Instrumental versions of all the songs are also included on the EP's tail end when you purchase it on Bandcamp. Definitely a good thing because these musicians are worth hearing full force \m/ The six-piece metal unit is driven by an insane guitar corps and a beast of a drummer.

Essentially, this a great EP so my criticisms are light. The production could be a bit tighter and the vocals aren't always my cup of tea, especially the clean ones (with the exception of Sam Gitiban's cameo). I guess another downside it the relatively short length. But other than a few minor blemishes, "Foreword" is a solid offering, especially for a debut.

That pretty much sums up the first strike from Tsaars. Check out the full EP teaser along the single "Nightmares" above. If you dig, be sure to grab the full release from the official Tsaars Bandcamp! Support independent metal! These dudes deserve it \m/

Links: Facebook // Merch // Bandcamp

EXPLORING THE WORLD - UKRAINE'S PROMISING MATH / DJENT UNDERGROUND

Ukraine doesn't really have a glorious metal tradition. Actually, it has always been quite an isolated place for this kind of music. But in the past few years a small but bright metal scene bloomed into existence and a couple of very talented young bands are trying to spread their name around the world.

In the past few weeks you may have heard of the band Joncofy. From Kiev, these guys won the competition for the jingle of the Euroblast 9 trailer with a huge tune (listen below), defeating a lot of talented acts in the process. It has also been announced that they'll be playing at this summer's UK Tech-Metal Fest in Peterborough. In 2012, they did a small tour through Germany supporting Scar Symmetry and Akeldama. They also played at Euroblast 8. So through trying to spread their sound all over Europe they've getting some good results. So far they've released a single EP called "Rorschach Inkblots". It's available for FREE download right here!

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Youtube

Another upcoming Ukrainian band is TSAARS. This group is going to release their second EP "Foreword" on April 12th. They recently uploaded a lyric video for the first song "Nightmares" via Beheading The Traitor. The song features a guest appearance from Sam Gitiban, vocalist of Novallo, singing a perfect clean part over the crazy mathcore assault delivered by the band. Keep an eye on these guys and be sure to scope out their forthcoming release!

Links: Facebook // Soundcloud // Bandcamp // Merch

But Ukraine's heaviest shit is coming from Donetsk. Noja is probably the most known name of the local djent/math underground. Their long awaited debut EP "The Great Purpose" came out in January 2013 and it served as a smashing display of brutality. Five powerful tracks available for streaming on their Soundcloud page. Believe me, you wanna listen to this.

Links: Facebook // Soundcloud // Youtube

To wrap things up, we have a very peculiar band called Return To Base. This trio delivers a mighty mix of tech metal and fast drum & bass. It might remind you of the Canadian artist Tyrant of Death, who is known for his industrial djent music with heavy electronic influences. Speak of the devil, Alex Rise of Tyrant Of Death and Aleks Jaćek of Return To Base just started a new project called SD4. They released their self-titled EP in October 2012. Return To Base themselves have been making music since 2010, collecting 8 releases (3 splits, 2 eps, 2 full-lengths, and 1 single) and they're all available for FREE download. This includes the two full-length albums, "Behind The Sun" (2011) and "Legism" (2012). Check out their full discography at GotDjent.com for all the download links right here.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Soundcloud // Youtube

As always, check back next week for more exploration and keep supporting your local scene!!

- MATTIA

TSAARS "NIGHTMARES" LYRIC VIDEO / SINGLE!

Big shout out to Arthur Kiulian, manager of the awesome It Djents page and guitarist of the upcoming Ukrainian band Tsaars! Formerly known as "The Kannon's Mind Dissection", Tsaars are a Djenty Mathcore / Chaotic Hardcore band that thinks outside the box when they write. The results are excellent. This is evinced by the brand new Tsaars single / lyric video "Nightmares" which features strong technicality and intensity. There is also a welcome vocal collaboration with the incredibly talented Sam Gitiban of Novallo.

They released "Nightmares" in support of their upcoming debut EP "Foreword" which will be released April 2nd. It will boast four tracks worth of originality, talent, and heaviness. If this sounds good to you, grab your pre-order and download the new single on the official Tsaars Bandcamp. Stay tuned for more!

Links: Facebook // Merch // Bandcamp