E mail : fcp4@alu.um.es

Label : afera@kki.net.pl - http://afera.rock.art.pl

Created in 1993, Overlife is a band composed of 6 members & it was at first a heavy metal project that evolve with the departure & arrival of new members. Formerly known under the name of Deathless, the band recorded « ideales muertos », a demo in which they put a lot of illusions. But, the band had to wait 1997 to get a solid line up. So, they decided to enter a studio again but not to record a demo. The aim was to make the most professional recording possible. It ends with «Between Pssion & madness», their first album .But meanwhile, Deathless changed its name into Overlife. Overlife's album can probably remain the same interest than Angra created with its first album « Angels Cry ». I'd even say that Overlife can easily be compared to first Angra's appearance. At first, Overlife's sound is pretty good & clear. Then, musically speaking, there's a fantastic work made by guitars like on one of their best track « the last martyr ». Blending involving chorus, speed guitars parts as well as emotionnal acoustic ones, the work of the 2 guitarist is fully complete. Facing most progressive bands, Overlife's song never sounds like a collection of riffs or parts even if all musicians in the band are really up to the average. It's certainly because they were at first a heavy metal band. The singer use a large range of his voice , trying to diversify his vocals appearance. Backing vocals are really good too & they bring a lot to this richness music Overlife has to be classified between Rhapsody & Angra & it's sure that the band have all means to convince all fans of melodic & progressive metal. In 7 songs (including one intro & an outro), Overlife appears like a very promising band & maybe among the rare one in the underground able to compete with the most famous acts worldwide. It'd be really a pity to ignore them so far !

sekla@post.omnitel.net

Label : afera@kki.net.pl - http://afera.rock.art.pl

Created in 1992 in Lithuania, Ruination evolved at first in a doom death metal before finding its unique style of music. In 1995, « Rest of Beauty » their first demo received a great underground success , the band was invited to several important shows in their countries. But in 1997, Ruination wanted to reach a new level. That's why they went to the famous Abyss Studio with the famous producer Peter Tätgren to record their first album. It's after this recording that the band completed their line up with a permanent keyboards. Ruination is now composed of 6 members. Also signed on Goldtrack records, Ruination's album is a real achievement. It's impossible to say Ruination is a heavy metal band, a doom band, a power metal band or whatever else. The band takes elements coming from the whle metal scene & then they created their sound & style which is really unique. The most evident in Ruination 's music seems to be their membership to the heavy metal scene. The main riffs are strongly coming from this scene & it's really enriched by excellent solis & guitar melodies. Vocals are sometimes loud like in gothic music (« back of dreams ») but the singer uses differently his voice, depending to the effects he wants to create. That's why to this loud voice is often blended a more aggressive voice that could come from Paradise Lost . So, with such various elements described, maybe it's easier to have an ipression about Ruination. & with their excellent & totally professional recording, Ruination appears like one of the most awesome bands from Lithuania. With such an excellent debut album, Ruination will certainly assert itself rapidly into the metal scene & convince a lot of people ( audience & some « biggest » record companies).

Contact : http://www.pandora.se/timescape/ - bsinbreed@aol.com - jscarybreed@webtv.net

After 2 explosive metal albums, ther was a long time before The Inbreed came back. Now, the band is about to release its third album ( you can still read the first interview we've made to know more about the 2 first albums). The band send me an advance tape which is the entire copy of the album to come. This one will be called "Bastards forest". It shows a more mature face of teh band. The sound will certainly be excellent (I think thetre's a problem with my tape because it sounds very low & with no high tune). The band have combinated the 2 face of their music : it's a blend of pure heavy metal with some furious thrash metal parts. A lot of work has been made on guitars parts which are sometimes among the craziest ever done. Bryan Smith is slowly but surely becoming a fantastic guitar player; Some of his riffs are amazing. The band has for sure make its technical level better. Jason Dickinson found the good melodies that fitted to songs & his bass work is very heavy. The arrival of a new drummer seems to have boosted the band to its best. "Bastards Forest" is probably my most awaited album for this pure underground band. Hope to see it in CD soon. It'll be akiller album.

Contact : disaster@warwick.net

CReated in 92, Andy Reisert & Natural Disaster waited 1994/95 to record 5 songs on a demo tape. But the official release has been planned in 98. 2 of these tracks"Fighting for you rlifeé & "Go to hell" were already released in 94. Musically speaking, the bnd plays a classic hard rock with sometimes ehavy metal touches. But it's sure that it's high level rock. Talented musicans, especially on guitars ( some riffs really kicks), great singer sometimes close to Ozzy Osbourne Influences are fro mthe end of the 70''s to the 80's. This demo will be followed by a first album "Time of Aggression". It's obvious that this band has a real ability to find the good melodies for its songs. This debut is realy refreshing & the album to come will certainly confirm that Andy Reisert & Natural Disaster is one of the best new melodic band.

Contact : domsplace@cyberdude.com - www.angelfire.com/co/greedo

This is one of the best demo I heard since Gooseflesh's one ( just after it the band were signed on Goldtrack records & now on High Gain records !). I really regret to have so few infos about Greedo. Teh band seems to get some difficulties to get promotion & it's really unbelievable. Their music is definitly attractive, terribly powerful with jjust enough melodies. It's a kind of modern thrash metal with some amazing riffs & a real powerful rythm. Vocals are aggressive but it's a real chant with aggressive melodies & sometimes astonishing backing vocals. For a demo tape, the sound is really good & professional. It could have easily featured on CD. I'm sure that this band will soon be signed so don't await this moment & try to get this demo, it can soon become a collector !

Contact : www.ataboy.com - www.city-net.com/~ashes1 - ashes1@city-net.com

The story of Ashes to Ashes is quite complicated. It started with the reunion of one of the most prolific songwriter with other talented musicians from a town. AS no records companies gave them enough support, the guys founded theri own company : Ata Boy Productions. The evolution of the band with Ata Boy as support company seems to be very good as Ashes to Ashes already played in front of huge audience with bands like Filter, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Scorpions, …"Plaything" is their second album after "Re-incarbonated". For the band, it's their most consistent release. Ashes to Ashes is a good hard rock band. Sometimes it's really surprising with more commercial songs like the rock'n'roll "7 Days wing". But this is really something that belong to this band; Facing all Hard Rock bands, Ashes to Ashes is really different. More melodic, more commercial. But here, the word commercial is not negative. It's just that melodies are very god & very original like for "The Ride". It can be described as a combination of classic Hard rock with the originality of a band like Rush. That's why some songs are more aggressive than other ones. At elaset, the more you hear their album, the more you thing that Ashes to Ashes is a really good rock bands.

Contact : http://hometown.aol.com/crstklprdc/index.html - CRSTKLPRDC@AOL.COM - BRUTAL16@AOL.COM

This is a really young band, created in 98. Comnig from USA, the band knew like mostly young bands several line-up changes. But the writing process was so much advanced that just one year later, a miniCD is already released ! The band described itself as a true american Black metal band. I think the musical universe of this band is so far from this lonely style. Of course, vocals parts are awful. But Abysmall Fall can easily be distinguished fomr a lot of young black metal bands. Thier sound is better, their songs are well structured & it's not a speed race where every musicains wanted to arrive before the others. Theguitar parts are really various with fast parts, slow parts, loud parts, acoustic parts. It gives a real richness to songs. It's a good debut. I think this band can find rapidly a good deal in some underground labels.

Label : afera@kki.net.pl - http://afera.rock.art.pl

This advance tape is really impressive. The CD version will be a real surprise for the black emtal scene. Mortuum is really good in this style; The production is professionnal & outstanding. Mortuum can be compared to Dark Tranquillity because of the richness & melodies of its riffs. It sometimes remains a black metal version of technical death metal bands like Loudblast or still Dark Tranquillity. With sometimes some female vocals, Mortuum created dark surroundings that are splitted with fast aggressive music.

With a great guitar work, maybe one of the best for a black metal band, Mortuum proves that Black metal is not made by poor musicians. The excellent guitar licks, the melodies & the work on songs is so good that Mortuum will certainly convince more than black metal fans.

Contact : www.imfrecords.com - grandscape@worldnet.att.net

I get this promo copy of Mickael Harris' new album by IMF records. Now the album is out & there's no doubt that "Distorted views" is destined to be a real sucess & more than "Defense mechanisms" his previous instrumental release. Mickael has even enriched his infleucnes. His technical level is among the best one for guitar player & Mickael is appreciated by the best guitar player worldwide. He's one of the favorite of David T. Chastain ! This new album seems to be more jazz influenced. & it really kicks ass ! It's a real demonstration made by one of the most impressive guitar player from USA. It's inventive with great guitar sounds & arrangements. Drums parts & bass are played at the same level. It's so far the best instrumental release of 99 from USA.

Contact : Cflorido@hotmail.com - http://vlad.freeweb.org -www.romarock.com/band/vlad

Born in 95, Vlad was at first a heavy metal band; But rapidly they enlarged their influences with some gothic & romantic sonorities. It ends with a first demo tape in 97 which gets 4/8 on the famous Metal shock mag . Domine is their new demo; ti sounds good to me. It's a kind of melodic Death metal with strong gothic touches especially for melodies & the singer. This guy blends awful vocals parts with gothic ones; There's a good melodic research on songs. It can remeins for a few parts old Paradise Lost as oen gutar is played on chords & the other ones plays melodies. But Vlad also takes a fe musical influences from Black metal with this romantic touches that gives a real emphasis to the music. Theres some good riffs & solo & the guitar sound is quite good. If Vlad continues to work like that, their next release will certainly be a CD as it's a real outsider for the gothic death metal scene.