Sexto Sonar- Enfrentando La Realidad (2009)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Sexto Sonar is a progressive metal band from Maracay in Venezuela that mixes elements of heavy and power metal with symphonic ingredients into their distinguished sound. The band has released one full length effort with Spanish lyrics to date, entitled Enfrentando La Realidad. This record from 2009 features cinematic opening and closing numbers, along with five pretty strong tracks in between. Some limited editions include four bonus tracks from which three are live versions of tracks from the album, as well as one more song in English.

The music itself reminds me of progressive metal acts like Dream Theater and Symphony X, but also recalls some epic Iron Maiden classics at some points. Powerful guitar riffs and a versatile rhythm section meet atmospheric keyboard layers. All five songs have a great balance between grace and power. The imaginative bridges and solo sections include piano driven breaks, wild guitar solos, and keyboard solos that make my heart beat a little faster.

The vocals on the record are quite versatile and vary from more aggressive and powerful passages to more high pitched parts that are not far removed from Primal Fear, for example. Many progressive bands convince instrumentally but have less impressive singers. This is definitely not the case for Sexto Sonar.

Let’s go quickly through each of the five main tracks. The extended middle and closing parts of the opener “Visiones” sound like a mixture of Dream Theater’s “Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper“, Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam”, and maybe Iron Maiden’s “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”, but the band also adds some unique folk passages to the sound that remind me of Alma Eterna. The faster parts in “Soledad Occulta” have a strong Symphony X touch, while the organ sounds almost recall Deep Purple.

The atmospheric keyboards in the opening of the more laid back “Olvidando El Ayer” make me think of Falkenbach, but also Dio, while the emotional guitar play is an absolute stand-out moment of the record. This song has a few very epic vocals, and is probably the record’s catchiest track from that point of view.

“Luces Y Espadas” starts with some sound effects and dark bass guitar play reminding me of Helloween’s “Occasion Avenue”. This track is indeed the darkest and heaviest on the album. In contrast, the track includes flamenco elements (handclapping and Spanish guitar). To my surprise, this rather soft element fits quite well in this rather straightforward track.

The title track “Enfrentando La Realidad” starts with some wind and wuthering sounds, as well as a few radio samples that announce the concept of the eleven-minute long track. What follows is indeed a diverse progressive power metal song with epic chants and extended solos where the phenomenal keyboard work really stands out.

I’m trying to think of any negative elements on this album, and I simply can’t find any. The record has catchy parts, it has laid back and vivid moments, the vocals are gripping, and the instrumental work is absolutely convincing. Even the production is surprisingly good here. Progressive metal fans should definitely try out this band. Sexto Sonar is working on a follow-up, due this year, and I already can’t wait to listen to their new material. Even with as good as this first strike is, I can’t help but hope that they can accomplish something even greater.

4.75 // 5

The Maintenance - Under Construction (2013)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Since the famous Japanese power/speed metal band Sex Machineguns is on hold since the departure of drummer Ken’ichi, the two remaining members Achang and Shingo decided to go on hold and form a new band called Maintenance (which is the most accurate translation I could think of for “ザ☆メンテナンス”). The band released its debut record in 2013, entitled Under Construction (or more precisely “工事中”). The cover artwork features a work sign and the likeness of a construction worker as well, making the imagery complete.

Actually, this record could have come from the original band (Sex Machineguns) and features ten fast-paced and joyous anthems somewhere between power, speed, and thrash metal. Clocking in at forty minutes, the band even comes around with a few strangely humorous topics in their unique lyrics. It’s easy to hear that the energizing quartet has a great chemistry and also a lot of fun.

This kind of approach has its obvious flaws and strengths. A clear negative aspect is that many of the ten tracks sound quite alike, and a truly experimental or outstanding song is missing here. This doesn’t mean that the musicianship isn’t great or that there are fillers, but the record is missing an obvious live anthem or hit single. The band missed the chance to create something fresh with its new band members. This release pretty much sounds like a Sex Machineguns record released under a different banner.

On the other hand, the album is quite straightforward, and doesn’t waste any time with overambitious introductions, instrumental transitions, or hidden cover tracks as some colleagues tend to do these days. Forget about half-hearted ballads, intellectually inspired lyrics, or progressive experiments. Even from the shortest to the longest track here, there aren’t too many differences.

The shortest song on the album clocks just below three minutes and is called “Blue Whale”. This track has a heavy/thrash metal approach with a few simple sing-along parts reminding me of American big four thrash metal band Anthrax, Japanese legends Loudness, the British icons from Motörhead, or the Canadian speed metal institution Razor.

The longest track is the hyper-fast and extremely aggressive five-minute madness “Emergency Alert”, which comes around with tinny drum play, bumblebee guitar tones, a few fast and funky bass guitar licks, dirty and raw vocals, and a chaotic mixture of background shouts, vocal samples, and siren sounds. This track sounds like a mixture of Metallica’s “St. Anger”, Slayer’s “Reign In Blood”, Stormtroopers Of Death’s “Speak English Or Die”, and maybe System Of A Down’s “Toxicity”. To keep it short, this track is absolutely stunning and my personal highlight on the album.

If you like any of the aforementioned bands, and if you are familiar with the extreme and uncompromising sounds of Japanese music (where anything can peak the charts – from psychedelic piano ballads up to unchained metalcore headbashing), this release is for you. Under Construction is a powerful, fun ride for heavy, thrash, and speed metal fans. It’s nothing groundbreaking or original and has a few obvious flaws (such as the extremely edgy and raw production, which is absolutely authentic but hard to digest), but for what it is, this release is quite amazing. Sex Machineguns are dead, long live Sex Machineguns!

3.75 // 5

Ewigheim - Nachruf (2013)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Ewigheim is a German band composed of members from the atmospheric gothic metal outfit The Vision Bleak, the controversial, explicit, and grisly extreme metal band Eisregen, and the modern groove and industrial metal group Hämatom, among others. Ewigheim has been around since 1999 and released a convincing comeback release entitled Bereue Nichts last year. The album had a very morbid and nihilistic atmosphere centered on doomy riffs, a few danceable electronic elements, and sarcastic lyrics filled with tons of black humor. The band’s new release, Nachruf  seems at first to hit a very similar vein with its morbid title and the explicit cover artwork, but to my positive surprise the band changed its formula quite a bit.

Of course, some songs like “Himmelfahrt” still talk about the ephemeral nature of life and the longing for death, and are not for the more sensitive minds among us. The band still introduces us to characters that are fed up with the negative sides of their lives and dream about escapism and suicide, but the new record also shows us new perspectives. Many songs bear a rebellious soul, and tell us stories filled with hope and rebellion where the protagonists stand up to fight their desperate fate, or where they remember the brighter sides of life as in “Liebes Lied”, “Glück im Unglück”, or “Wenn Es Am Schönsten Ist”. The closing epic “Sanctum Imperium” features a grisly performance by guest vocalist Michael “Blutkehle” Roth that complements main vocalist Allen B. Konstanz’ melancholic and melodic clean vocals very well in a track somewhere between black, doom, and symphonic dark metal. Even this song seems to spread the hopeful message that there might be something more and glorious after the end of our lives. Some lyrics are also very poetic, reminding me of the Neue Deutsche Todeskunst genre, and have some sort of a double sense where the interpretation could be optimistic or pessimistic. That’s what I like about this record’s lyrics. Instead of presenting us only a negative or a positive solution as on their previous records, the band offers oracular, overthought, and philosophical lyrics that deliver some real and challenging food for thought.

Musically, this record is much easier to digest than the previous effort. The songs are all rather short, the riffs are simple but atmospheric and efficient at the same time, and the bass guitar and drum play are tighter and more dynamic than before. The electronic elements are more prominent than ever and create quite a few danceable patterns that should appeal to the gothic community. More effectively used symphonic passages can be heard as well. Atmosphere, catchiness, and diversity are the winning key elements, and the band still keeps in touch with its previous material in terms of lyrics and style. The choruses include intelligent lyrics but are nevertheless catchier than ever before. Ewigheim offers some very addicting melodies in the rebellious and almost romantic “Die Augen Zu” which is maybe the best song the band has ever written. The brilliant “Falsches Herz” has more of a Type O Negative vibe, and has some hit potential as well. Fans of bands such as The 69 Eyes should also dig this track. The epic atmosphere of the gothic metal anthem and title track “Ein Nachruf” is also quite addicting, and manages to mix a faster overall buildup with a dark and dragging atmosphere in only four minutes.

In the end, Ewigheim delivers its catchiest, most diverse, and intellectually appealing record that should please anybody who cares for the gothic scene and anything between danceable dark wave, doomy gothic rock, and symphonic extreme metal. In its genre, this release is easily the highlight of the year. It only depends on your willingness to join this bleak, hypnotizing, and intellectual dark ride.

4.5 // 5