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REVIEWS OF OUR RELEASES
  • LELAHEL METAL VOL.1 REVIEWS:

1-WEBZINES AND WEBSITES REVIEWS (click on each link to read the review)

2-PAPER ZINES REVIEWS

Abysmal Sculptures 'Zine #4 : (Singapore)

Litham (Algeria) ; plays great Arabian musical combinations of their extreme Death Metal music, very original & brutal + also melodic! Kaoteon (Lebanon); Black Metal with purest worshipping tones. Demolition (Austria); Death Metal ballad is great stuff reminds me of Carcass "Heartwork" & "Symphonies of sickness" or Sodom stuff!! Mangled (The Netherlands); brutal Death Metal with influences like Cannibal Corpse & Morbid Angel. Hell-Born (Poland); Another ballad type Death Metal band not really my type but it's simply heavy. Cirith Gorgor (The Netherlands); great fast Black Metal band with nice riffs. Dead Emotions (Germany); technical moderate Death/Thrash Metal with heavy sound. Rain (Italy); Great Power Metal band ala Helloween & vocals like Helstar! Moonstone (France); sounds a but like Iron Maiden & Iced Earth but more dark & mystical sound. Agabus (Italy); it's those type of Metal Core music like Soulfly, Limp Bizkit etc! Horresco Referens (France); influences like Therion & Slayer can be heard through their wicked Heavy/Death Metal music. Wanhoop (Belgium); Black Metal but also I think a classic Death Metal band Disharmonic Orchestra, this band has its personal special sound. Patologicum (Poland); brutal low sounding Death Metal. Sudden Death (Italy); another Deicide type of Death Metal. Trepan' Dead (France); again an extreme & brutal Death Metal band. Darth (Germany); it's like Vader & Morbid Angel type of Death Metal. Coverage (France); like Vader "Kingdom" era & the usual Metal Core style in the period Sepultura "Chaos A.D". Supreme Lord (Poland); also have that Vader style crashing against Nile. So as a whole, I would say it's a great worthwhile compilation CD to grab! 18 songs, over 10mins. 5/5

Metalize-it: (Belgium)

Voici une très belle initiative de la part du webzine algérien " Lelahel metal " qui nous propose une compile 18 titres avec une panoplie de bons groupes. On retiendra entre autres " Demolition ", " Cirith Gorgor ", " Rain ", " Moonstone ", " Horresco Referens ", " Sudden Death ", " Trepan'Dead " ou encore " Supreme Lord ". Une compile qui blaste non stop, du pure metal extreme comme on aime s'en foutre plein les oreilles. Une compile tantôt black tantôt brutal death mais aussi heavy et thrash. Une galette de très bonne qualité aussi bien au niveau du son qu'au niveau des morceaux choisis par les groupes. Cette compile ne se contente pas de nous proposer des formations d'un seul pays en effet, à bien y regarder on constate que des pays comme l'Allemagne, Hollande, Autriche, Algérie, Italie Pologne, France et… Belgique sont représentés !! Ce qui nous change de certaines compiles émanant du commerce où la plupart des groupes ne viennent que de France, d'Angleterre ou que sais-je encore !!! A écouter sans interdit !!! -Necros-

Rock Bottom Zine#23 : (Usa)

18 songs of pure death and pleasure … A great collection of metal from all over Europe and from Lebanon. Beautiful. I just wish I had no neighbours so that I could really crank this baby up! After listening to it I almost felt like I needed a rest. This is Lelahel's first compilation and they've done a great job. From what I'm hearing, another one is in the works. KEEP'EM COMING!!!
O.M NILSEN

Shrunken & Mummified #7 : (Hungary)

A compilation from Algeria compiled by Redouane, member of Dark Metal band Litham, editor of Lelahel fanzine and creator of lelahelmetal.com website. This man seems not to be only a busy underground supporter but he is also a thorough man. This is proved by this compilation that looks professionally: not a CD-R, and with 8-page-long printed booklet including information about all the participants of this nice selection. But who are thet? Here is the list: Litham, Kaoteon, Demolition, Mangled, Hell-born, Cirith Gorgor, Dead Emotions, Rain, Moonstone, Agabus, Horresco Referens, Wanhoop, Patologicum, Sudden Death, Trepan'Dead, Darth, Coverage, Supreme Lord. Apart from the two first ones the bands are from Europe (Kaoteon is from Lebanon). It is great that many styles are presented here, but I would have been happier if there had been more groups from Africa for example. Maybe on the next one of this series, because I am sure there will be a continuation. I am looking forward to it eagerly.

The Swingkid Fanzine#2 : (Germany)

It's not so easy to write a review about this CD than it seems at the first, also away from the fact that I don't know anything about Metal etc.
In the last year I red a lot about metal in the middle east and I know that since the mid 80ies there must be a lot of bands we never noticed here. There were/do scenes exist in countries like Iraq, Iran, Egypt or Saudi Arabia long before anybody used something like internet and all the time there were nearly no metal records available there. I don't know of much releases/ recordings of all these bands and so it's good to know of a compilation like this and it's also good that it's released in a country like Algeria. Metal (or any other rock' roll genre) is still hard to find here. On the other hand I'm not sure why the sampler was made, because there are millions of metal-compilations existing, because most bands featured here are known or unknown European bands. I simply want to know more about metal in the middle east, about political and social backgrounds, I want to listen to more bands from there and I want to support them. And there is nothing really different to a "normal" metal comp. I could buy here. I mean, I could write about the music, but there are good and bad tracks on it (I like more the tracks that goes into HC) but I don't to say anyone to what he should listen or not.
I really, really respect this work - it's a cool and professional D.I.Y. -release- and if I had a wish free I hope on the next issue there will be more songs and historical/ actual facts featured from an area I do not know much about. And a lyric sheet would be also great.

Trendcrusher Zine#1 : (Philippines)

International Compilation CD released by Lelahel Metal of Algeria! This has 18 tracks from 18 bands namely Litahm (Alg), Kaoteon (Leb), Demolition (Aust), Mangled (neth), Hell-Born (pol), Cirith Gorgor (Neth), Dead Emotions (Ger), Rain (ita), Moonstone (Fra), Agabus (ita), Horresco Referens (Fra), Wanhoop (bel), Patologicum (Pol), Sudden Death (Ita), Trepan Dead (Fra), Drath (ger), Coverage (Fra) & Supreme Lord (pol). I have probably mentioned in every compilation I review how I love compilation as you can check out more bands & the whirlwind of different styles. These comp disk have death, black, grind & nu(?) metal, but I'm glad it is mostly brutal death! Of course it is hard to judge each band for 1 song but you can always be sure that bands will give their most original & signatured music to compilations to make them effective & for you to know what direction this band is into. So generaly this is great! But again you can't like everything! I don't like Agabus & Coverage as they have the hoop & biz of nu metal! The skip buttons always helps!

3-MAGAZINES REVIEWS

BUTCHERIAN VIBE#6: (Serbia)
Lelahel metal is web site dedicated mostly to the presenting of Arab bands and to that scene as a whole. However, here we can find presentations of more famous bands and underground scene. At this particular sampler there are mostly European bands, except the first one, which is from Algeria, and the second is from Lebanon – Kaoteon. Litham (Algerians) is the most important band at the compilation and their member Redouane Aouameur has started Lelahel web community. And they are the first at this compilation (!).Considering that his favourite band is Death, there’s no need to comment their music in details. Well, it sounds like Death, but not too much. There are a couple of bands which are worth mentioning. The third band, Demolition from Austria, plays tougher and melodic death metal. Band changes vocals, and by putting slower solo part in the second part of the song, they manage to make song sound relaxed, but not soft. After them, we have Mangled from Holland, with song “Hate”. The title is proper, considering that song is the example of tough ,intense death metal song, made by the book. Only objection goes to the vocals, which are little slower than they should be. Nevertheless, we should pay attention at this band. Not all music is death metal, we also have Dutch Cirith Gorgor (Talkin is everlasting inspiration),they play black metal, and if you like it, than you will like them, but I haven’t found any particular feature in their music which is worth mentioning. This band hasn’t got anything that would make them special or distinctive. There is even one power metal band – Rain (from Italy, of course). Than there is French power band Moonstone. Italy is also represented with Nu Metal band – Agabus, with song “ The Hive of Damage”. There is nothing interesting about these bands, so there is no detailed description of their music. Rest of the compilation contains bands which are not worth mentioning. At the end we have Polish brutal band Supreme Lord with the song properly entitled Death Metal Beast. Compilation is rational, but don’t grow high hopes, because from 18 bands, there are few which are good or average.

Marko Randjelovic

  • DHAL ENNAR REVIEWS:

1-WEBZINES AND WEBSITES REVIEWS (click on each link to read the review)

ACTS OF BRUTALITY: (USA)
ASAPROD:(France)
BLACKSTAB: (France)
BRUTALISM: (Netherlands)
CANNIBAL GORE: (Spain)
DECIBELS : (France)
DECIBELS STORM: (France)
Directory of Dirge: (England)
Doom-metal.com: (Belgium)
EYE OF SHIVA : (Brazil)
HARDSOUNDS.IT: (Italy)
LES ACTEURS DE L'OMBRE: (France)
METAL HORDES
METAL IMPACT: (France)
MUSIC EXTREME - ISSUE NUMBER 20: (Argentina)
NERO OPACO: (Italy)
NIHILISTIC HOLOCAUST: (France)
POSSESSED: (Germany)
PULL THE CHAIN: (Belgium)
RAW NERVE: (England)
Rocka Rolla Web Zine: (Argentina)
SATANAHIA: (Poland)
TARTAREAN DESIRE: (Sweden)
THE METAL OBSERVER: (Germany)
TRAGENDA: (Italy)
UNDERGROUND EMPIRE: (Germany)
VSOLUTIONS: (France)
XTREEM MUSIC: (Spain)

2-PAPER ZINES REVIEWS

ALUZINE #5 : (Mexico) 9.3/10
LITHAM "Dal Ennar" (Lelahel Metal) Interesting in all the aspects, their origin, their music, etc. This CD is compound for 8 tracks of something that I can classify as "Dark Metal" will be the correct term? Since they are a mixture of Heavy/Death/Domm/Black/Folck, during their duration you found some tracks heavy with voices Death and Black, and near rhythms to the Doom and some instruments and sounds of Arab music very to the wave Orphared Land, doesn't add a lot of folck, but where they put it is very well, the sound is not perfect but it is very acceptable, some songs are sung in Arabic others in English, really if you have interest in listen a fresh proposal, with the feeling Under and far from all European tendency this is for you, support them, they need of you,labels what wait, a band with future!!!. Praised is the God of the Metal that has offered me the opportunity to have this in my hands!!!.

BLOODY ZINE#12 : (Spain)
LITHAM

"Dhal Ennar" Lelahel Metal

Pese a haber editado éste trabajo en 1999, no ha sido hasta hace un par de semanas que esta banda algeriana (que claman ser la primera banda de Metal de su país que ha editado un álbum de éste género),me ha hecho llegar una promo CDr de su, hasta la fecha, único álbum. Está claro que no debe ser demasiado sencillo grabar este tipo de música en Algeria, y ello se nota en algunas deficiencias en el sonido y en la producción de un álbum que en momentos puntuales me ha recordado a los primeros Orphaned Land (aunque sin la grandiosidad del primer trabajo de los mismos). Pero los Litham se autodefinen como Heavy/Dark Metal, y supongo que se referirán a esa combinación ocasional de riffs "heavies", con pasajes a medio tiempo, con mucha melodía, algunas voces agresivas y desgarradas (frente a otras limpias y recitadas) y ese "toque" folk de su país, que les da algo de originalidad. En resumen, que demuestran ser
una banda con buena ejecución de sus instrumentos (especialmente la guitarra solista), pero a los temas les falta garra, enganche,... y a veces se hacen algo simples y repetitivos. Imagino que tres años más tarde la banda habrá mejorado mucho, aunque a día de hoy no lo sé...


FROM WHAT HELL HAVE YOU CRAWLED #8: (USA)
LITHAM -Dhal Ennar c.d.
This is a c.d. that deserves a proper re release on some Heavy Metal label. A reissue with lyrics, band photos, bonus tracks and a cd rom with a live show on it! Yeah that would be cool. But until a label recognizes the talent of LITHAM this cd-r release will have to do. LITHAM use a variety of metal influences. From classic heavy metal to death and black. Add in the influences of their country musical culture and LITHAM have created their own original form of heavy metal. They do get down and dirty with the brutality but also use memorable passages and genuinely heavy riffs. The only problem is the lack of production. It's not as heavy as it could be but it's not LITHAMS fault in this case. Wait till they get in a proper studio! I admit their style might be acquired taste of your average cemetery robbing grind death fans, but there's a fan base for bands like CYNIC and ALCHEMIST, and for bands from obscure scenes like Czech republic and Japan, and South Africa. And all those bands have made relevant music. LITHAM deserve a chance.


METAL REVOLUTION #5: (Denmark)
What a great surprise, a band from Algeria playing a heavy/dark metal full of bloody riffs and solos. The band name comes from an Arab word that means the veil with which Saharan nomads cover their faces against desert storms. Dhal Ennar contains 8 fucking excellent songs written in both Arab and English language. Played music but they don't surprise me at all, you know. They are very proud of their Arab and Moslem background and they pay attention in their lyrics on everyday problems that the youth of Algeria living with each day. Excellent mixture of traditional Arab sounds and western metal music, fantastic there's no much words left to describe their music, you just have to hear this
Bato(6/6)


O3 # 6: (France)
Autant le dire, c'est avec un immense plaisir qu'ici, à O3, on a acueilli cette démo en provenance d'Algérie. Parce que l'histoire de nos deux pays est étroitement liée, et qu'il est toujours bon de voir que la musique, expression de la liberté par excellence, n'a définitivement pas de frontières et se fiche bien de l'origine raciale. LITHAM donc, s'engage dans la voie qu'avait ouverte ORPHANED LAND, à savoir un Dark/Death Metal teinté de culture orientale. Et méme si la production reste un peu faible, le groupe s'en sort admirablement. Les ambiances qui se dégagent de ce groupe nous revoient à des années lumières de la traditionnelle séquence Death, et nous fait dire que LITHAM pourrait bien succéder aux silencieux ORPHANED LAND. L'ensemble des compositions est recherché, avec des titres qui lorgnent parfois du coté de la longueur du progressif tout en restant attractifs. Que le groupe aille plus directement à l'essentiel et il pourra prétendre sans peine à un avenir radieux. -Keufran-

O3#7 : (France)
LITHAM - Dhal ennar - CD 8 titres.
Sans tenter de refaire le pertinent laïus de Keufran, le grand (slipkan) Gourou de O3, sur les origines de Litham (cf O3 #6), il est agréable de constater que la musique ne connaît pas de frontières, quelles qu'elles puissent être. Litham, groupe algérien, évolue dans un dark-death mâtiné de prog à la lisière d'un Orphaned Land, quoique beaucoup moins oriental dans ses sonorités. En fait, le groupe pourrait même venir de la banlieue rurale de Colmar, on n'y verrait presque que du feu. Certes il n'a pas la finesse de la référence évoquée (tout du moins pas encore), mais Litham joue une musique riche, construite et jamais chiante. La production reste il est vrai assez faiblarde, mais ne parvient cependant pas à nuire à l'ensemble de cette démo redoutable d'efficacité. Le maure me mord! Xav.

PLEDGE OF SPIRIT ZINE : (France)
Lelahel Metal 4/7
Je vais tirer mon coup de chapeau à ce groupe venant tout droit d'Algérie. Celui-ci a eu beaucoup de courage pour sortir un tel album aux sonorités heavy/dark avec une voix death/black (qui vous étonnera), dans un pays où la libre expression n'est pas la priorité, mais où la religion tient une grande place. Cet album pourra peut-être permettre aux jeunes algériens de se bouger et d'affronter leurs peurs en démontrant leurs préférences musicales. Ne vous arrêtez pas sur la cover (comme j'ai pu le faire), car elle est illustrée avec un homme portant le voile des nomades sahariens, vous risqueriez vraiment de louper quelque chose de nouveau. L'originalité de " Dhal Ennar ", est qu'ils y ont incorporé de la musique andalouse mais aussi de la musique populaire algérienne. Allez, faites comme moi, laissez leur une chance, et je vous souhaite bonne écoute. [Laura]

UNDERGROUND INVESTIGATION #38 : (France)
On avait déjà vu des groupes qui viennent de pays qui ne sont pas réputés pour le metal, mais là, je pense que j'ai tiré l'un des plus beaux représentants. Et oui, vous avez bien lu, Litham nous vient d'Algérie, et je prends ça comme un honneur de faire une telle chronique, car on m'avait dit qu'il y avait des groupes là-bas, mais je n'en avais encore jamais écouté. Et bien le tort est réparé et j'en suis très content. Comment vous décrire la musique de ce groupe ? Et bien je pense que vous connaissez Orphaned Land (qui eux sont israéliens), le style est un peu similaire, avec des influences orientales. Il ne faut pas s'inquiéter c'est du death metal avec des riffs accrocheurs au possible et des mélodies caractéristiques au style. Le jeu des musiciens est bon et cela se ressent dans la musique où l'on trouve vraiment de bonnes touches d'originalité. Le son, lui, est un peu faiblard, mais je ne pense pas que ça ne gêne pas plus que ça. Le chant est principalement death, chanté en anglais et arabe, avec de temps à autre de petit passages en chant parlé clair, soutenu par une voix féminine du plus bel effet, mais aussi une voix black à en faire pâlir plus d'un. Je crois qu'il n'y a plus grand chose à dire si ce n'est que pour assouvir sa curiosité, il faut jeter un oreille sur ce Litham que personnellement, je trouve très bien fait. J'espère que d'autres suivront très vite cet exemple pour agrandir un peu plus la grande famille du metal.
-Tenebrius Rex-

3-MAGAZINES REVIEWS

METALLIAN MAGAZINE#25 : (France)
Le litham est le voile dont les nomades sahariens se servent pour couvrir leur visage face aux impitoyables tempêtes du désert.
Litham est aussi un jeune groupe de métal algérien (eh oui, ça existe ! ) et c'est parce que ces musiciens veulent entretenir le mystère qu'ils ont choisit ce nom.
La première écoute est surprenante et elle nous dévoile un groupe bien en place avec des compos de bonne qualité.
Litham pratique avec une déconcertante aisance, un heavy / dark metal truffé de solos très " pros " et de riffs saignants.
L'introduction discrète de quelques touches orientales crée des atmosphères mystérieuses qui donnent beaucoup de profondeur à cet excellent album.
Au pays où l'intégrisme religieux minoritaire règne en maître, Litham entame une démarche audacieuse et risquée qui mérite vraiment votre soutient, car elle démontre avec beaucoup de courage qu'à travers le metal, on peut aussi défendre la plus noble des causes, à savoir, la liberté d'expression…
-Philippe Novelli-

METAL EXPRESS#14 : (SERBIA)
LITHAM Dhal Ennar (Lelahel)
Dark metal - Algeria
(written in serbian laguage)

10/10 branko rogosic


NECROMANCE MAGAZINE : (SPAIN)
LITHAM "Dhal Ennar"
LITHAM provienen de un país bastante escaso en cuanto a escena extrema, concretamente provienen de Argelia. "fhañ Ennar" es su primer trabajo, compuesto por 8 temas de lo que podríamos clasificar como una mezcla entre elementos del Heavy Metal, el Dark Metal y el Death técnico... los temas se caracterizan por tener numerosas melodías y algun ritmillo muy Heavy, junto a a un aatmósfera oscura y una voz que me recuerda bastante a la forma de cantar de Cadaveria (ex-OPERA IX), con esa voz tan oscura y desgarrada. Los temas se mueven normalmente dentro de los medios tiempos y están marcados por mogollón de cambios de ritmo... un grupo que creo atraerá bastante la atención de los seguidores del Met<l más enrevesado y retorcido.
INFORMACION GENERAL
ARGELIA
CD 1999
-
38:29 MINUTOS
DAVID DENIZ (6 DE 10)


SONIC SPLENDOUR#3 : (TURKEY)
LITHAM "Dhal Ennar"
Independence war against France, a military coup d'etat and a massive genocide campaign between army and Islamic fundamentalists...Algeria's history is without a doubt marked with painful facts which brought the country into the scope of our studies in university. Yet, sadly enough I am quite sure that most of the readers of this review would sweat a lot if they were asked to show the location of Algeria on the map. Personally, I am really pleased to have a copy of the the first Algerian metal album. Litham sends your ears a smooth form of dark/heavy metal which is musically really melodious but hardened with growling vocals. Besides it is fantastic how ambitious the band is on their way to originality. To speak specificly, Litham introduces some traditional rythms/beats such as bedoui, andalousian, chaabi into metal. Moreover, there is a fifty fifty proportion between English and Arabic when the lyrics are concerned. But after all, you can be sure that you are not going to hear rai-metal or a heresy like that. When it comes to production, it should be stated that they are not playing with the best tones for sure plus the arrangements are weak, not really managing to build bridges between diverse riffs. However, all these details are close to their solutions if the band is given the opportunity to enter the studio with a real producer. It would be a sensible choice for underground metal fans to support this kind of bands who can pay back in terms of quality music as soon as playing metal becomes safe at their homes.
Utku

VAE SOLIS MAGAZINE : (RUSSIA)
LITHAM "Dhal Ennar"
self-released
4,5 / 6

Wow.
Algeria's death metal. Whatta surprise. Black metal from Greenland and Kongo, doom / death from Pakistani, death metal from Algeria. What's next, huh? Antarctic viking metal? Why not afterall? It strikes as extreme kinds of metal music are kind of similar to a certain plague. New and still unnamed. But ok, back to "Dhal Ennar". When you get a package from a country like Algeria, what do you expect to hear? Something more or less authentic, or better said - exotic. Algeria's metal band should sound distinctively Algerian? I'm not that sure. However, I DO know that many people think this way. You know why most of my pals disliked Taiwan's SERAPHIM? Because SERAPHIM doesn't sound DISTINCTIVELY Taiwanian. Well, LITHAM do sound DISTINCTIVELY Algerian. That's good. And what is even better, "Dhal Ennar" offers MUSIC, not just some exotic-sounding crap. Just as I seemed to mention earlier, this is death metal. Sort of "authentic death metal", y'know. Unfortunately, rather poorly executed. Not horribly, you see. Just poorly. I can't say for sure whether LITHAM are outstanding musicians or worthless ones. They're _at least_ competent. And again, that's good. Is the music itself intriguing? Yes. Now, what else do you need? Contact these guys… and do it right away! ;-)


VILAJET magazine : (Serbia)
Litham
Dhal Ennar
(Avantgard Doom Metal)
Self-released
I was very surprised when I got this CD from Algeria to review. Never before I've heard or knew about Algerian Metal. However, there is always first time. The thing that Litham brought is avant-garde with lots of influences from their folk music. In their music, you can feel coming wind, sand from desert, peace of oasis and heights of Atlas Mountain. This CD is another proof that metal is universal music and in it can be incorporated influence of local ambience. Very interesting.

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