English Underground Act, recently signed to Shadowflame Productions;
Album Reviews:
KERRANG
CREATURES OF FEAR (SHADOWFLAME)
KKKK
Stunning debut from UK black metal's new heroes
IT'S ALWAYS a pleasure to hear new British metal bands that dare to be different, and this lot have devised a sound that seems genuinely free of the usual, hackneyed influences. A cobweb-clearing blast of fetid air, Cruel Humanity's blackened thrash shreds and slashes like a rusty, serrated blade thrust in to your face, but they are also capable of pissing confidently on the rulebook with slabs of mid-paced Rotting Christ-style gothic crunch ('Creatures Of Fear') and plenty of sweeping, trad metal grandiloquence ('Blood Omen'). This is more than impressive for now, but with a bigger budget these artful extremists could have a glittering future.
DOWNLOAD: 'Blood Omen'
FOR FANS OF: Thus Defiled, Gehenna
DOM LAWSON (Kerrang)
Total-Metal
CREATURES OF FEAR (Bloodstock Preview) (not full album)
Hailing from Derby, Cruel Humanity play some of the most unique, individual atmospheric black / death metal I have heard for years. With their upcoming debut album 'Creatures Of Fear' Cruel Humanity look set to take the underground metal scene by storm.
The album itself consists of 6 [8 remixed on full album] tracks ranging in length from six to eight minutes, from the slower atmospheric 'So This Is Life' to the blasting of 'Blood Omen'. The tracks on the album are quite heavily keyboard influenced, but don’t let that put you off as the keys perfectly accompany the tracks providing an even darker edge to their music. The track of choice on the album has to be all 8 and a half minute of 'So This Is Life'. This track starts off with a slowly building up instrumental, gradually building until it raptures into the main song and continuing to build until the final dying seconds of the track. This isn’t as fast as the rest of the tracks but what it lacks in speed it surely makes up in depth and details in the lyrics and composition. The only phrase to describe 'So This Is Life ' is Epic Metal.
Cruel Humanity are a highly technical, committed band who are not afraid to embrace technology in the course of making and producing their music. In my opinion Cruel Humanity are one of the most exciting prospects in the British underground scene. If your a fan of all things Dark, Black and deathly, 'Creatures Of Fear' has to be in your music collection.
10 / 10
ANDY BARKER
CREATURES OF FEAR (SHADOWFLAME)
Well I have to say that I have not been this impressed by a debut album from a British band in quite some time. Let me say that word again, “British”! The reason I am emphasising this with a prideful passion is that for once I am sitting here listening to an album that draws no comparisons from other nations. I am not going to once mention Swedish Gothenburg rendered guitar pickings, or Norwegian post 3rd wave grim ambient structures or even German hairpiece thrash tendencies in this review. Cruel Humanity do have a few citations coming in their direction as reference points but they are all 100% British and unlike our National football team, this one's a winner all the way.
This Derbyshire band have been making their name on the UK underground gig scene and have released various demos before being snapped up by Shadowflame Productions, a new label helmed by Thus Defiled singer Paul Carter. Musically they display a good crossover appeal by blending together elements of black and death metal. Having said that though, if they sat on the fence I consider they would fall off into the decaying black garden primarily due to singer Tom’s vocal rasp and the tendency to flair into some nice symphonic instrumentals. The music is far from one-dimensional and this is another reason that I think it is such an attention grabber.
Opening title track Creatures Of Fear starts with a completely unexpected cyber bounce before dismissing any such notions and romping headlong into a stomping beat that simply goes like the clappers. All of a sudden we get a guitar solo that is pure Huw Lloyd Langton and as the album progresses I find myself noticing many other Hawkwind space outs, which as far as I’m concerned is a major recommendation. Blood Omen has a gnarly feudal feel to it but lurking in the shadows are sparkling keyboard shimmers and eclectic, lengthy guitar passages. “The sunwheel rise again”, is the belligerent vocal cry and on its back flies a moment of 80s synth that strangely reminded me of The Stranglers. Into The Hall Of Fallen Heroes leads with a Bal Sagothian flavoured keyboard passage and flows nicely into the sort of battle rally that really contains elements of The Enchanted, Sabbat and again the mighty 'Wind. We even get a breathing space in the form of a mid song acoustic hey nonny nonny guitar interlude. It’s a hard choice but Mortal Journey is my favourite track due to the sheer exuberance and unrelenting pace of the melody. Peeling away like the final gallop of a warrior at the edge of time this one literally takes you on astral voyage of insane proportions and is impossible to sit still to.
With tracks hitting the epic 8-minute mark at times, this captivates and completely demands your attention. For once we actually have a deserving best newcomer act to vote for in those glossy magazine end of year polls.
review by PETE
Live Reviews
live4metal
Dark Funeral, Thus Defiled, Abgott & Cruel Humanity
The Underworld London 20/11/4 review by Pete.
Well I had been looking forward to catching Cruel Humanity for the first time after being blown away by their debut album Creatures Of Fear. Looking at other reviews of this, it is obvious that it is a love it or hate it album with little room for sitting on the fence. Those that had not been caught out by the slightly earlier than expected opening time tonight, all clearly seemed to be in the loving it camp and on first impression it was evident to me that these boys really can play like the proverbial clappers. With the keyboards whirring away like a mad hurdy-gurdy machine, tracks such as Blood Omen volleyed forth with an unrelenting fury. Front of stage had singer/guitarist Tom and bassist Alex headbanging away with hair flying all over the place. The guitar solos were particularly impressive and the express train pace of the drumming coupled with moments of electro beats and jagged guitar riffing kept me transfixed at the front of the stage for the short set. As I said before, Cruel Humanity have a very British feel running through their veins but tonight I was also slightly reminded of the likes of Ensiferum and Turisas. By last number Mortal Journey they had certainly stormed the castle and taken the keep and delivered a blistering set.
2 Free MP3s (unmastered) www.cruelhumanity.com
we are currently taking bookings for all dayers, festival etc for summer/winter 2005 please contact info@cruelhumanity.com
Album Reviews:
KERRANG
CREATURES OF FEAR (SHADOWFLAME)
KKKK
Stunning debut from UK black metal's new heroes
IT'S ALWAYS a pleasure to hear new British metal bands that dare to be different, and this lot have devised a sound that seems genuinely free of the usual, hackneyed influences. A cobweb-clearing blast of fetid air, Cruel Humanity's blackened thrash shreds and slashes like a rusty, serrated blade thrust in to your face, but they are also capable of pissing confidently on the rulebook with slabs of mid-paced Rotting Christ-style gothic crunch ('Creatures Of Fear') and plenty of sweeping, trad metal grandiloquence ('Blood Omen'). This is more than impressive for now, but with a bigger budget these artful extremists could have a glittering future.
DOWNLOAD: 'Blood Omen'
FOR FANS OF: Thus Defiled, Gehenna
DOM LAWSON (Kerrang)
Total-Metal
CREATURES OF FEAR (Bloodstock Preview) (not full album)
Hailing from Derby, Cruel Humanity play some of the most unique, individual atmospheric black / death metal I have heard for years. With their upcoming debut album 'Creatures Of Fear' Cruel Humanity look set to take the underground metal scene by storm.
The album itself consists of 6 [8 remixed on full album] tracks ranging in length from six to eight minutes, from the slower atmospheric 'So This Is Life' to the blasting of 'Blood Omen'. The tracks on the album are quite heavily keyboard influenced, but don’t let that put you off as the keys perfectly accompany the tracks providing an even darker edge to their music. The track of choice on the album has to be all 8 and a half minute of 'So This Is Life'. This track starts off with a slowly building up instrumental, gradually building until it raptures into the main song and continuing to build until the final dying seconds of the track. This isn’t as fast as the rest of the tracks but what it lacks in speed it surely makes up in depth and details in the lyrics and composition. The only phrase to describe 'So This Is Life ' is Epic Metal.
Cruel Humanity are a highly technical, committed band who are not afraid to embrace technology in the course of making and producing their music. In my opinion Cruel Humanity are one of the most exciting prospects in the British underground scene. If your a fan of all things Dark, Black and deathly, 'Creatures Of Fear' has to be in your music collection.
10 / 10
ANDY BARKER
CREATURES OF FEAR (SHADOWFLAME)
Well I have to say that I have not been this impressed by a debut album from a British band in quite some time. Let me say that word again, “British”! The reason I am emphasising this with a prideful passion is that for once I am sitting here listening to an album that draws no comparisons from other nations. I am not going to once mention Swedish Gothenburg rendered guitar pickings, or Norwegian post 3rd wave grim ambient structures or even German hairpiece thrash tendencies in this review. Cruel Humanity do have a few citations coming in their direction as reference points but they are all 100% British and unlike our National football team, this one's a winner all the way.
This Derbyshire band have been making their name on the UK underground gig scene and have released various demos before being snapped up by Shadowflame Productions, a new label helmed by Thus Defiled singer Paul Carter. Musically they display a good crossover appeal by blending together elements of black and death metal. Having said that though, if they sat on the fence I consider they would fall off into the decaying black garden primarily due to singer Tom’s vocal rasp and the tendency to flair into some nice symphonic instrumentals. The music is far from one-dimensional and this is another reason that I think it is such an attention grabber.
Opening title track Creatures Of Fear starts with a completely unexpected cyber bounce before dismissing any such notions and romping headlong into a stomping beat that simply goes like the clappers. All of a sudden we get a guitar solo that is pure Huw Lloyd Langton and as the album progresses I find myself noticing many other Hawkwind space outs, which as far as I’m concerned is a major recommendation. Blood Omen has a gnarly feudal feel to it but lurking in the shadows are sparkling keyboard shimmers and eclectic, lengthy guitar passages. “The sunwheel rise again”, is the belligerent vocal cry and on its back flies a moment of 80s synth that strangely reminded me of The Stranglers. Into The Hall Of Fallen Heroes leads with a Bal Sagothian flavoured keyboard passage and flows nicely into the sort of battle rally that really contains elements of The Enchanted, Sabbat and again the mighty 'Wind. We even get a breathing space in the form of a mid song acoustic hey nonny nonny guitar interlude. It’s a hard choice but Mortal Journey is my favourite track due to the sheer exuberance and unrelenting pace of the melody. Peeling away like the final gallop of a warrior at the edge of time this one literally takes you on astral voyage of insane proportions and is impossible to sit still to.
With tracks hitting the epic 8-minute mark at times, this captivates and completely demands your attention. For once we actually have a deserving best newcomer act to vote for in those glossy magazine end of year polls.
review by PETE
Live Reviews
live4metal
Dark Funeral, Thus Defiled, Abgott & Cruel Humanity
The Underworld London 20/11/4 review by Pete.
Well I had been looking forward to catching Cruel Humanity for the first time after being blown away by their debut album Creatures Of Fear. Looking at other reviews of this, it is obvious that it is a love it or hate it album with little room for sitting on the fence. Those that had not been caught out by the slightly earlier than expected opening time tonight, all clearly seemed to be in the loving it camp and on first impression it was evident to me that these boys really can play like the proverbial clappers. With the keyboards whirring away like a mad hurdy-gurdy machine, tracks such as Blood Omen volleyed forth with an unrelenting fury. Front of stage had singer/guitarist Tom and bassist Alex headbanging away with hair flying all over the place. The guitar solos were particularly impressive and the express train pace of the drumming coupled with moments of electro beats and jagged guitar riffing kept me transfixed at the front of the stage for the short set. As I said before, Cruel Humanity have a very British feel running through their veins but tonight I was also slightly reminded of the likes of Ensiferum and Turisas. By last number Mortal Journey they had certainly stormed the castle and taken the keep and delivered a blistering set.
2 Free MP3s (unmastered) www.cruelhumanity.com
we are currently taking bookings for all dayers, festival etc for summer/winter 2005 please contact info@cruelhumanity.com