Axolotl – Voices Of Luna

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With a band name that translates in English as ‘waterdemon’, Germany’s AXOLOTL are a five-piece Melodic Death Metal act that incorporate a number of additional sub-genre nuances to create their own style. Active since 2007, these musicians are in their early 20’s, releasing two demos and a debut album a couple of years back called “Teutonic Invaders”. “Voices Of Luna” is the second studio album which if their career arc is on the right track will start to see the band shed a lot of their early influences and set a course for their own niche in this field.

Immediately noticeable is AXOLOTL’s penchant for crushing the listener in an AT THE GATES
manner through their stacked twin guitar rhythms and drop on a dime transitions – check out “The Essence Of Freedom” plus the 2 minute blitzkrieg that is “The Day When 
The Sun Decided To Wake Up Too Early” – but there’s also a Black Metal oriented angle through the acidic roar of Matthias Frankenhoff or guitar trills that can bring up the much missed DISSECTION. Double bass rolls permeate other songs, giving “Wielder Of Tranquility” and “Warriors Of A 1000 Fires” that forcefulness that made the early 90’s Death Metal movement so inspirational and equally devastating for the underground to cherish.

A lot of the lead breaks from Michael Frankenhoff contain an abundance of energy, always channeled through a melodic context and framing notes in such a way to build anticipation for the next riff or section that comes at you. “Passion Possession” for instance opens in a sparse manner a la 80’s-era METALLICA before the frantic blast beats and Morse Code type high end guitar work roars against the marching tempo and shifting chord progressions. Viciously evil yet musically enticing, the quintet throw down quite a potent sound and mix up longer 6 minute plus compositions with more streamlined 2-4 minute arrangements.

Those who want a wider Thrash and Epic/Black nuance to their Melodic Death Metal would be well advised to invest in “Voices Of Luna” – as the band can clearly advance up the ranks as this is not Swedish oriented Melo-Death worship music.