EP REVIEW: Beltfed Weapon – Darkened Demise


 

Beltfed Weapon has often felt like a fun but sort of long-running vanity (but nonetheless valid) project for Seattle’s talented Frank Hetzel, many years between quite short releases featuring a who’s who of underground metal players guesting in support of a slightly odd discography. It is strange to me that there aren’t a series of full-lengths after so much time spent between releases, but every shorter thing Frank has released still has moments to enjoy for the casual thrash, death, and (at times) power metal fan.

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Control Denied and Pharaoh Vocalist Tim Aymar Has Died


 

Sad news as Control Denied and Pharaoh vocalist Tim Aymar has died. He was just 59. No cause of death was shared, as the news was released via Pharoh’s social media. A tribute from the Death Facebook account was also shared. Aymar is perhaps best remembered as the vocalist for Chuck Schuldiner’s Control Denied project, which released one album, 1999s The Fragile Art Of Existence. Tim was the vocalist for 313, Triple X, Psycho Scream, and Pharaoh. RIP.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Pharaoh – The Powers That Be


With nine years spent waiting since the release of their last album, 2012’s Bury The Light, Pharaoh returns in forceful fashion with their fifth full-length. The Powers That Be (Cruz Del Sur Music) could very well be the Power Metal veterans’ most aggressive outing since 2006’s The Longest Night, bringing in a borderline thrash undercurrent with the guitar’s blazing technical runs along with the vocals’ established grit. This is established right off the bat with the title track’s assertive crunch and ‘Will We Rise’ follows up the intensity with some added Classic Metal flavor.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Angband – IV


Formed in 2004 and based in Tehran, Angband plays a style of Power Metal in the vein of American groups like Iced Earth and Jag Panzer rounded out with elements of Prog and Persian traditional music. Their fourth full-length album, aptly titled IV (Pure Steel Records), is their first to come out since 2012’s Saved From The Truth as well as the first to feature Tim Aymar of Control Denied/Pharaoh fame on lead vocals. The prospects are exciting, but the actual execution ends up being a rather mixed bag.

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