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Ahma 98

Picture Of Ahma

WWW: http://www.iki.fi/santeri/ahma
email: santeri@iki.fi
snailmail: Ahma, Vilhonkatu 4 b, 00100 Helsinki, Finland

The opening bars of 'Fanagoreia' are quite frankly great, definitely worthy of any metal giant. Powerful, meaty guitars back up what is actually a very good singing voice and adequate drumming. The use of keyboards however doesn't quite work; the sound is too sharp, but that's a minor niggle. The only problem is that the song gets a little monotonous; a shame really as it has great potential, I think just a little needs to be changed for it to be great. It's hard to pick out any bands they sound like because they don't really fit in with other bands I've heard. Perhaps new Moonspell has a similar sort of 'dark' mood.

'Idle' is very much a continuation, again with great riffs, and again slightly let down by the keyboards. Maybe they should be a bit lower in the mix? They make me feel like I'm in church singing (albeit the Devils Church singing Cradle Of Filth). You know the guitar 'widdle' you get at the end of a riff sometimes? Well anyway, there's lots of that.

There's a Venom feel to 'Revalations Aside' I think. Maybe that's who the vocals are closest to. The guitar follows a slowed down typical Slayer riff, and the vocals are also reminiscent of Slayer, trying to use minors a lot.

'This Man' is more of the same again I'm afraid, though the keyboard level is a bit better. I think the main problem with the whole demo is a lack of tempo changes, causing it to seem a bit monotonous. It's a shame really as there's definitely a lot of potential. Still, a good effort.

Kevin

Skin Flowers

email: skinflowers@bigfoot.com
snailmail: 6 Hurcombe Way, Brockworth, Glos, GL3 4QP
phone no: +44 (0)1452 862793

Pop-Rock ballads galore, 'Dear Sir' shows that Skin Flowers could keep Bon Jovi supplied with material for years. It's full of the sort of cheezy drum (machine) beats found on my demo version of Guns n' Roses' Yesterdays (actually not a bad thing, it sounds better than the album version). The middle has some rather out of tune sounding guitars, and some actually quite good sounding vocal harmonies.

'Come Back Hungry' unfortunately was dire.

The lead work on 'Melt' sounds slightly wrong and perhaps could do with a little work. Apart from that a perfectly respectable rock ballad (again). At last 'Clutch Your Arm' comes on with a slightly more upbeat feel (at least for some of it). I could almost like this one. I think the main problem with the whole thing is that there's something lacking. An extra guitar would do wonders, and (particularly in 'Come Back Hungry') the kick drum needs to be quieter, I'm sure my neighbours are cursing me at the moment.

Kevin

System Of A Down

Picture 1 Picture 2

WWW: http://www.systemofadown.com
snailmail: Velvet Hammer Management, David Benveniste, 9877 Carmelita Avenue, Beverly Hills, California 90210, USA

This is weird, what starts off as Sepultura drums quickly moves along into something which I find quite hard to describe. The vocals are definitely the most destinctive thing on offer, having a very East Mediterranean feel. After you've finished playing this tape, it's definitely the vocals you will remember. The guitar is however also very strong, sounding at times a little bit like Soulfly / Coal Chamber, though not such a downtuned mess. I am not exactly a fan of the aforementioned bands, but I really like the guitar here: it's really heavy, really smooth, really clear. There's a hell of a mix of influences here, from your standard American metal fare to Eastern European and Asian, making for one of the most original sounds you'll have ever heard.

As I said, the first song 'Know' could easily be Sepultura (mainly due to the drumming) or Soufly until the weird vocals come in. Is this the missing like between the Seps and Soulfly? I didn't think they were overly similar, but this song has made me think otherwise. Heavy, slick, unique, cool. 'War' continues the atmosphere already set up, though with less of the weirdness. Most definitely a most excellent and strong song, I want to get an album from them!

(excuse me, Wayne's World II has just come on. Field Of Dreams 'If you book them, they will come', Married With Children, Jurrasic Park, Village People, Thelma and Louise, so there I am in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, trying to find 1000 brown m&m's fill a brandy glass or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage: But the shopkeeper and his son were a different story, I had to beat them to death with their own shoes : You were at woodstock? What was it like? Well it rained in the morning, then it cleared up by the afternoon. I almost remembered something else, but then I forgot. : Why would we be looking at your eye, is there something wrong with that weird eye? : Very well, but I think if we're going to fight we should be dubbed, not subtitled) [ V: what a great series! ] [ 2 for 1 Holsten Pils: that hits the spot! ]

The final song 'Peep-hole', well, what can I say? It's weird. Full stop.

Kevin