Insanity
Century Media
Darkane is extreme metal at it's finest. The CD kicks off with a great intro-track called "Calamitas" (not your average, brainless metal intro) which leads into "Third," a truly amazing tune with features Godly drumming from Peter Wildoer. This mutha has some serious chops sounding like Dave Lombardo on amphetamines! What's even more surprising is the fact that vocalist Andreas Sydow can actually sing. Like Soilwork and Meshuggah, Darkane hail from Sweden and play a similar, uniquely technical, overwhelmingly brutal, brand of extreme death-metal. Musical comparisons have also been made to Texan prog-metal masters Watchtower, although Darkane's music is much more brutal. Insanity is Darkane's follow-up to their '98 release Rusted Angel, and (both) excellently produced by Daniel Bergstrand (Strapping Young Lad, Meshuggah, Stuck Mojo.) This band is truly over the top and will surely be admired by both fans of death-metal and progressive power metal.
ANDROMEDA
Extension Of The Wish
Century Media
Like Darkane, Andromeda also hail from Sweden, were originally released on the Swedish indie label War Music, recorded at Studio Dug Out with famed producer Daneil Bergstrand, and both play progressive power-metal [although, it's safe to say, Andromeda's music is not nearly as brutal as Darkane!] Highlighted by the guitar wizardry of Johan Reinholdz and the outstanding drumming of Thomas Lejon, Andromeda's music displays complex progressive power-metal with superlative musicianship. The third track in particular, "In The Deepest Of Waters," is truly a highlight, with an incredible opening riff with a classic middle-eastern flair. Other highlights include; "Chameleon Carneval" [with its cool carnevalesque break] and "Star Shooter Supreme."
Shockwaves CD Reviews Issue 5 Page 13