Only the gods know how many one-man bands there are around the globe. Fortunately, we don't hear from all of them, because, trust me, I've listened to massive amounts of crap in my time from guys who're nestled in their parents' basement with a guitar and a computer. Luckily, some of these solo efforts turn out rather well. You can easily hear the difference from the guys in the basement to those who really have something to say and the talent to go with it.
Luka Miljica from Calgary in Canada may be sitting in his parents' basement, I don't know, but I do know that his demo CD, entitled 'Spellbook', is worth a listen for fans of extreme music.
Since I'm an old Bolt-thrower fan, Luka manages to capture my attention right away with Lich, a track which worms its way into to your ears, just like Bolt-thrower is able to. The same can be said of Maelstrom, which also has a Bolt-thrower kind of energy.
This is a very convincing demo CD with a bunch of well-crafted, brutal death metal tunes. Milojica's voice is wonderfully brutal. He sports a nice, deep growl.
The only weakness I can think of is the fact that programmed drums are used. And you can tell. Especially high-hat and ride sound odd at times. If I had Luca in front of me right now I'd say something along the lines of 'I really like your vision and sound, but get a really friggin' drummer!'
Recommenede listening: Tremor, Lich, Fire Wield, Maelstrom.
