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July 2007 Reviews
March 2007 Reviews - VIEW REVIEWS ARCHIVE
A COMA:
NEW WORLD ORDER-SELF RELEASED CD
No.
I racked my brain looking for a better way to start my thoughts on
Acoma’s
‘New World Order,’ but when quite literally every aspect of a
band is awful, I find little recourse but to make like a Christian
School prom date and just say “no.” Firstly, the least endearing
aspect of this band is easily the vocalist. He spends the entire
album doing a half-cocked Phil Anselmo (Down era) impression, and
manages to not even get that, a seemingly common copycat, completely
down. The rest of the band sounds like a group of guys who have been
playing their given instrument long enough to not be embarrassing,
but not nearly long enough to even be ok. The entire band seems like
they picked up the Metallica 1990-98 discography and put it through a
mid-era Pantera and Godsmack filter. Yeah, that bad. This is the
stuff that eternal local opening bands are made of. Not anywhere near
good, and doomed to the local circuit. It seems that a trip back to
the drawing board is in order. www.myspace.com/acoma1
Eric Bryan
A KERCOCKE:
ANTICHRIST-EARACHE
RECORDS
I
hate to begin any review on a negative note, but it can’t be
avoided I’m afraid.
Akercocke
really seemed to try its hand at death-metal-meeting-Satan music on
its fifth and newest release, “Antichrist”, but, sadly, it missed
the mark for me. The guttural vocals were an instant turn-off to me
because they are in the same vein as Cannibal Corpse, and Six Feet
Under, which I personally can’t stand on any level! If you’re
going to use the “growl” effectively, it might be best to
actually make the lyrics decipherable. Metal music is the thinker’s
melody and as such should let the listener be a part of the
intelligent art of said artists. When it’s a puddle of mud that
leaves more questions than answers the point is lost. While I don’t
lump this in the “silly” category with Beherit’s “Oath of the
Black Blood” which, to me, was the equivalent of a grown man
issuing barking noises into a microphone, it’s simply not holding
my attention. Let’s face it, what passed for indecipherable vocals
“back in the day” are long over and have been replaced by vocals
that are enjoyable to listen to and understandable. To my trained
ears these vocals do little more than distract me from an otherwise
solid musical effort.
While
some vocals are clean ala Mikael Akerfeldt there is absolutely no
similarity other than that lone fact. Opeth, quite honestly, caught
lightning in a bottle meshing 70s Prog classic sounds with Swedish
death metal. While I’m sure Akercocke wasn’t trying to be
another Opeth the clean vocals appear to be lesser than an Akerfeldt
offering and the guttural “noise” severely lacks sincerity and
flow. In short, it seems a lot of bands are trying that formula to
much lesser degrees and success.
Musically
the band is pretty damn good. The music moves along like an early
Kreator Pleasure to Kill-era style with some modern styling tossed in
for good measure. Had this been all instrumental I’d have enjoyed
it so much more. This certainly isn’t for me vocally, and as a
singer for 20-years the vocals are important to me, but to some fans
the appeal may well be there and that’s cool. I wish I could say
more on a positive note about “Antichrist”, but it just doesn’t
do much for me to get past those damn vocals. However, I don’t
hate it or even dislike it! Some tracks actually make up for what it
lacks as in “The Promise” which wields a haunting, frightening
whispering tone that would make Vincent Price a happy guy (if he were
alive today, that is!). After that comes “My Apterous Angel”
which has some solid vocals until that noise kicks in again and takes
the life out of it for me. However, as I’ve said, what doesn’t
work for me shouldn’t deter you from trying them out on your own if
that vibe is what you’re into. After all, this CD has many solid
moments throughout!
Akercocke
hails from London, England and is comprised of Jason Mendonca -
Guitar/Vocals, Matt Wilcock – Guitar, Peter Benjamin – Bass and
David Gray – Drums. Give these guys a listen for yourself by
checking out their MySpace or official sites. Then you can agree or
think I suck – either way I win!
Seven
Hammers out of ten hammers for the music alone! www.akercocke.com
www.myspace.com/akercocke
Chris Pratl
A
LIFE ONCE LOST: IRON
GAG-FERRET
MUSIC
You
know that band, that opening band on every tour you want to see,
that’s full of young guys who desperately, desperately, want to be
Lamb of God? Yeah, that’s these guys.
A Life
Once Lost
is a band that is already dated. A modern massacre of southern rock,
Pantera, and Lamb of God. If hair metal had to be paralleled,
another musical movement forever dated to when it was created, these
guys would be Firehouse. It doesn’t stick out, it doesn’t offend
when compared to some other alike offenders, but it sure as hell
sucks. It
is the same speech with all of these bands, isn’t it? The
musicianship is good, but there’s no execution. “Firewater
Joyride” sounds like Down, “Worship” sounds like Lamb of God,
and the rest sounds like an uncomfortable middle ground between the
two. A Life Once Lost should remain lost, in the potter’s field
that will be the early 2000’s.
Maybe
someone talented can play the funeral. www.alifeoncelost.com
Eric Bryan
A NGELCORPSE:
OF
LUCIFER AND LIGHTNING-OSMOSE
Talk
about bands that should’ve stayed away. The Re-united Angel
Corpse
should be one of those bands that you couldn’t say a bad thing
about. Sure they were never the most original band in the world,
biting from Morbid Angel was not only good enough for them but for me
as well. I loved albums like ‘Exterminate’ and ‘The
Inexorable’ and was really bummed when they split in 2000. So
several years on the news of their getting back together traveled
fast and I think any fan of theirs had high hopes for their comeback.
We were treated to a US tour which showed the band was a bit rusty
at the start, I’m sure that was straightened out as the tour
progressed and at the show I picked up a copy of the new album. ‘Of
Lucifer and Lightning’ is such a let down! I mean it’s boring,
it sounds like shit and vocally it’s nothing like their original
trilogy of releases. No I’m not saying it’s a different style of
vocals, they’re just lacking the intensity of the early works.
I’ve tried several times to get into this album and time after time
I come away disappointed. The once mighty, war machine like band of
the past have tarnished their legacy. Once in league with masters of
the craft Angel Corpse drop down to mere mortals. This was supposed
to be one of the highlights of my year, it’s not.
www.osmoseproductions.com
=Tom=
 ANNIHILATOR:
METAL-SPV
RECORDS
Jeff
Waters has been kicking around in Annihilator
for years. I remember buying Alice in Hell when it hit the shelf of
my local indie store back when and I liked them then and I still like
them! Annihilator is like fine wine, if you’ll pardon the terrible
pun, but they do get better with age.
The
latest release is called “Metal”. It’s aptly titled in that
Waters has once again added another fine recording to the arsenal
that is Annihilator. He pulled out all of the stops on this CD too,
gathering some of the best names in metal to guest on it. The
opening track called “Clown Paradise” screams with a Nevermore
touch – mainly because Jeff Loomis is shredding on it. The next
track, “Couple Suicide” features Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy) and
Danko Jones (Danko Jones) vocalizing. The next track, “Army of
One”, has good ol’ Steven “Lips” Kudlow from Anvil who sings
his heart out about keeping the 80s alive and surviving the trends –
Slayer, Metallica, Sabbath, Priest, Maiden and Megadeth are hailed
throughout, and though it sounds cliché it’s great to hear
someone yelling the praises of yesterday toady! The next track is
“Downright Dominate” with Alexi Laiho from Children of Bodom, and
while I’m not a Bodom fan at all this song is really good because,
unlike Bodom, it contains no boring keyboards. “Smothered”
follows and features Anders Bjorler from the Haunted. Again, not a
fan of the Haunted, but the track is under the guide of Waters and
Annihilator so it flows much like the rest of the CD, which is
straight-forward metal assault. “Operation Annihilation” has
another member of Arch Enemy lending his talents in Michael Amott and
it shows, as his signature is all over the track. “Haunted” has
Jesper Stromblad from In Flames. It’s very cool to see bands I’m
not much of a fan of appearing here and impressing me, and the
bat-to-the-head track is this one: fast, heavy and awesome! “Kicked”
has Corey Beaulieu from Trivium on it and it’s another fine track
on a strong album. As I said, it’s cool to hear bands I’m not
into showing me something I can get into and dig. “Detonation”
is next and features Jacob Lynam from Lynam – not bad. It’s
slower-paced and a cool trip back to the late 80s, early 90s
hard-n-heavy period. The CD ends with “Chasing the High” and has
Willie Adler from Lamb of God. This track sounds like mallcore stuff
I’m not into, but it has elements of old Annihilator fused within
so I can’t say I dislike it and actually, geez help me, the guy’s
vocals are tolerable. I’d also like to mention that Annihilator
also consists of Dave Padden as vocalist and Mike Mangini drumming –
they did a superb job and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Well,
overall the CD gets a 9/10 – I enjoyed it throughout and didn’t
feel let down by the Annihilator legacy one bit. It’s a nice
addition to the catalog and your collection if you’re feeling
nostalgic and like a modern twist for measure.
www.annihilatormetal.com
Chris Pratl
A RISE
AND RUIN: THE
FINAL DAWN-VICTORY
RECORDS
I’ll
be honest, I thought Arise
and Ruin
was going to be another Lamb of God or Trivium mallcore band playing
that “nu-metal” that has, surprisingly, lasted a bit longer than
I’d originally predicted. Yes, I hate that sound (and it all
sounds the same) and that conception of forming a band aimed at a
certain demographic and target audience and not for anything
musically-related or relevant. It’s like New Kids n the Block for
metal, and that’s a fact! I don’t think Arise and Ruin fall into
that category, I’m happy to say.
Yes,
the music is aggressive and skull-crushing at even a minimal volume,
but it’s quite enjoyable and interesting. The band is from Canada
and has already been riding the waves of a successful EP that’s
making the rounds in the metal world. Some of the tunes on here
remind me a bit of current-day Sepultura instrumentally with a bit of
Pantera thrown in for good measure, while the vocals are “typical”
growling and gruffness that are legible and not annoying. That’s
not exactly easy to attain in today’s metal music market, but a few
can pull it off and do so nicely.
Tracks
on the CD are “Bound by Blood”, “The Final Dawn”, “End of
the Road”, “To the Grind”, “Amidst Devils”, “Unbound”,
“Always the Same”, “Pale Horse”, “In Life”, “Fear
Itself”. Let me tell you, if “Working Man” was Rush’s answer
for the 70s to the daily grind of employment, Arise and Ruin have
created the newest one for the 21st
century in “To the Grind”. Every one of us that have been beaten
down at work by an employer, fellow workers, or just some asshat who
meanders in and just screws up your freakin’ day – this song is
for all of us! It seems that the band has created a CD filled with
tunes for the everyman; the guys among us who “do the do” every
day with no real light at the end except for a beer or a football
game on the weekends. I can’t very well say it’s feel-good
music because some of it makes me want to absolutely annihilate the
next prick person that dares to look down his or her nose at me, but
it’s feel-better music!
Nine
out of ten for this – feel good on Friday night and pop this
bastard in at 11! www.ariseandruin.com
Chris Pratl
A SSKICKER:
S/T-SELF
RELEASED CD
Those
following the scene will no doubt know there’s a Thrash Revival
currently sweeping its way through the underground. From major
releases from Municipal Waste and EvilE to the swelling underbelly of
Merciless Death and Fueled By Fire, Thrash Metal is back and who
knows, maybe it’ll continue and end up being bigger than ever?
Regardless, the second I hit play on the self released, self-titled
disc from Asskicker
I got that feeling again. Mixing high octane thrash assaults and
direct Billy Milano meets (Black Flag era) Henry Rollins vocals,
Asskicker walk the walk with five tracks of serious Metal. Slamming
it’s way home on tracks like “Bleeder” and “Knuckledropper”
Asskicker deliver the goods in an old-school way without sounding
retro or dated. A classic Anthrax type of feel is what I think of
when I hear the rhythm guitars and that’s not a bad thing at all,
it’s a hell of a lot better than the Dark Angel rehash I keep
hearing. I have to point out the absolute brilliance in the disc’s
final two tracks, “Asskicker” and “My Fist” which are hands
down even more effective than most full length releases in the same
vein. Recording is cool, performances are solid as fuck and I cannot
endorse this enough. Really looking forward to hearing more.
www.myspace.com/asskickermusic
=Tom=
T HE
AUTUMN OFFERING: FEAR
WILL CAST NO SHADOW-VICTORY
RECORDS
It’s
a sad and frightening state of affairs when you can not only judge a
book by its cover, but all but fully evaluate it based on it. The
Autumn Offering
are, to put things delicately, a grain of sand in a desert of the
substandard. Metal core, as a genre, has run its course like the
bronze medalist in the Special Olympics. A cancer since its
inception, it now seems that the bit of innovation that the genre had
to offer in bands like Arsis, Light This City, and even Lamb of God,
is being abandoned in favor of this drivel. It’s been done before.
All of it. The breakdowns, At the Gates melodies, “Southern-fried”
riffs, and forced vocals are all present, and all in prime, awful
form. There is nothing new, much less enjoyable about the whole
endeavor, and once bands like this stop being profitable hopefully
they’ll make like Communism, and fall, fall, fall. But hey, it
sells, right? www.victoryrecords.com
Eric Bryan
A VICHI:
THE
DIVINE TRAGEDY-NMB
RECORDS
Black
metal once more rears its evil head in the form of Avichi’s
“The
Divine Tragedy”.
In direct opposition to Blut
Aus Nord,
Avichi approaches the musical dark arts with the usual feel and
typical speed that has become the norm in the 21st
Century black metal offerings. Further, talk about a needle in a
haystack in terms of information about the band – I found one
little blurb about the one-man outfit: apparently we have another
Quorthon (RIP) on our hands in that one guy named Aamonael handles
all vocals and instruments for this release, leaving all pertinent
personal info better left to the imagination. Hey, I’m a firm
believer (especially nowadays) that if you want something done right
in terms of music you do it yourself! Obviously Aamonael feels the
same way. The only other information about him I’ve found is that
he’s from the U.S., but other than that the music will have to
speak for itself.
Now,
we move on to the tunes. How is this CD, you ask? Well, it’s not
terrible and it’s not great, how’s that? I like what I’m
hearing, but honestly I’ve heard it a hundred times already, some
better, most crap. For one guy handling all of this himself he’s
done a damn fine job in creating an American black metal CD that can
be appreciated, but the speed-picking, Burzum-sounding songs just
fall a little on the “been-there-done-that” side for my personal
tastes. I’ll follow this train of thought by adding that if you’re
not at all familiar with the black metal sound from a U.S.
perspective (I’m still not sure if we’re even allowed a
perspective here), then I’d say pick this up and trip on the guitar
work and gruff vocals that are seemingly “straight-from-Hell”.
However, if you’ve been around the block as some of us older fans
then you may want to seek out something else, or similar as the case
may be.
Tracks
include “Entrance to God”, “Purification within the Eighth
Sphere”, “Messianic Deliverance”, “Phallic Insinuation”,
“Prayer for Release”, “Taedium Vitae”, “Aeonic
Disintegration” and “Separation from the Life Principle”.
Overall it’s not bad listen if it’s something you’re really,
truly, deeply into, but if you seek something a little different and
not so run-of-the-mill then look elsewhere.
Six-and-a-half
out of 10 Hammers – not bad, but not new either. www.nmbrecords.com
B ARBARA:
PEGER-HCB
RECORDS
Israel’s
Barbara
has issued a CD titled ’Peger’ and I have to be perfectly honest
when I say I have no idea what it is the band is hoping to accomplish
here. After a bit of searching I have come to find that the band is
deemed Grindcore, black metal, doom, hardcore (???) and “noise
rock” which is, to my humble ears, rather silly in and of itself.
What exactly is noise rock? What is its purpose? Further, why go
into a studio and waste time and money making music that makes little
sense and even less money in return? I understand the two members,
drums and bass set David Opp and Re-em H, have been kicking around
since the late 80s, and to be even more honest it doesn’t show.
The
CD, for me, relies on bombastic noise that often sounds as if the
band’s younger siblings or kids have broken into the studio and
just began smashing away. It’s akin to imitating a wayward Bobby
Brady from that lovely episode of the Brady Bunch in which he bangs
away incessantly at the poor drum kit in front of him making nothing
but…sound. For me, as a musician myself, there is little in the
way of structure and feel which makes Varg Vikernes look like Chopin
in every sense of imagination. I don’t know…if you’re into
noise then this is for you, but for me it’s noise and serves no
purpose whatsoever except to make noise and assault my ears with
nonsense!
The
CD has the tracks “Schnell”, “The Philosopher Under Pressure”,
“Akum”, “No Compromise”, “Satanah”, “Evil Doing”,
“Pray to Black”, “The Feedbacker”, “Never Mind the
Screaming”, “Peger”, and “Shmaa”. I can’t even describe
the vocalist except to point out my aforementioned comparison to Varg
Vikernes, only less enthusiastic or interesting. When my friend
pointed out that the voice slightly resembled Chuck Schuldiner I had
to literally stop what I was doing to chase, catch and assault him
relentlessly!
You
think I’m kidding…I’m slightly exaggerating and I’ll leave it
up to you to figure how much.
Just
for the fact that someone out there may dig this I’ll give it a
four out of ten Hammers, but it’s just a jumble of sound that goes
nowhere, says little and offers less than that.
www.myspace.com/barbara666
Chris Pratl
B LOOD
RED THRONE: COME
DEATH-EARACHE
RECORDS
For
those into the modern/tech-death scene, Blood
Red Throne
are probably not a new name. They’ve been stirring up press all
through the metal world for a few years now, and rightfully so. For a
young band, they’re very talented. The musicianship is solid, and
the production of said music is crisp. However, there is one problem.
The problem is, although the musicianship is great, and the
production good, the execution, the songwriting itself, is a bit too
sterile. It’s the same trap Decapitated fell into after the
departure of Sauron, where the music got very technical, but the
finesse got left behind. It impresses on first listen, but after
that, there’s little meat to be chewed. Its not to say that “Come
Death” is a bad album, as it shows a group of musicians on the top
of their musical game, but if you’re looking for songs, and not
recorded music lessons, check out old Decapitated, or even old Blood
Red Throne, because this is not for you. www.earacherecords.com
Eric Bryan
 BLOOD
TSUNAMI: THRASH
METAL-CANDLELIGHT
RECORDS
Bat.
To. The. Head.
The
80s thrash scene is alive and well in some minds and souls of our
current crop of bands emerging from the bowels of heavy metal. I
believe it was Shawshank Redemption
that
had the epic lines, “Hope is a good thing...maybe the best of
things.” So true is it for our metal…so true indeed!
Norway’s
Blood Tsunami has
taken every goddamned element of thrash metal and honed it to so
perfect a point that one has to think of Slayer,
Exodus, Testament,
Running
Wild, you
get the drift. Born in 2004 with the sole purpose of creating pure,
unabashed metal that crunches and devours the weak among us, Tsunami
is made up of Pete
on vocals and guitar, Dor
on guitar, Bosse
on bass and Faust
on drums.
I was one of the people sincerely hoping Bard
Eithun
would reclaim his throne as the BEST current metal drummer around,
right up there with Hellhammer
of Mayhem.
His years away from the metal scene have done nothing to slow or
stop him; he’s still amazing to hear! He also aligned himself with
a stellar band that can pound the (un)holy piss out of anything
within a five-mile radius.
Signed
by Nocturnal Art Productions (owned and operated by Samoth
of Emperor)
the band began to make noise, both literal and figurative, among the
underground and local masses in Norway, performing and getting the
word out to all that they were there to be heard! I am utterly
enthralled with this CD; it’s combination of all things old-school
and brutal touches of death that would make Chuck Schuldiner proud
convince me that this band is going to be around a while.
The
track listing is as follows: “Evil Unleashed”, “Let Blood
Rain”, “Rampage of Revenge”, “Infernal Final Carnage”,
“Devoured by Flames”, “Torn Apart”, “Godbeater”, “Killing
Spree”. I stress to you that this CD and band are to be given
consistent and constant rotation in all of your music systems –
they are amazing and should be heard by all metallers true to the
scene!
Ten
Hammers to Ten!! http://www.bloodtsunami.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bloodtsunami
Chris Pratl
 BLUT
AUS NORD: ODINIST;
THE DESTRUCTION OF REASON BY ILLUMINATION-CANDLELIGHT
Hey
now, black metal that sounds really good right from the get-go!
Building
upon my initial impressions this CD is hauntingly beautiful, a phrase
I do not toss around lightly in terms of landscape-imagery and
picturesque music, but it’s a perfect fit. Black metal music, to
me, should paint a picture within the music, period. The
Venom/Bathory/Hellhammer days of singing high praise to Astaroth
tuned to D are over and in its place has emerged a Scandinavian scene
that combines the darkest recesses of the soul with the gorgeous
Norse landscapes and the hills and fjords that surround them, not to
mention a rich history so deeply buried underneath the snow and
earth. To find such turmoil and dimness in such cold, ethereal beauty
is a task we Americans can’t fathom because we’re unblessed in
that regard. Imagine creating black metal music to the landscapes of
mini malls and Starbucks – makes you sick, yes? Well, thankfully,
some bands out there offer us a small glimpse into their lives and
homes.
France’s
answer to the Lower-Lord’s calling is Blut
Aus Nord,
and it’s really great to see our French comrades
nicely-represented. This is the fifth release by the band and it’s
called “Odinist:
The Destruction of Reason by Illumination” (Crowley,
anyone?). I’m not sure how to accurately describe this band upon my
first initial reaction, so suffice it to say that it sounds decidedly
melodic, underground-demo-like, yet totally void of the sub-par
production and wasteful disc space that usually always accompanies
those early releases by practically every black metal band. In short,
it’s a pretty amazing-sounding release with just the right amounts
of both talent and foreboding that are often lacking in some of the
more contemporary releases of the genre. The vocals, expertly handled
by main man/founder Vindsval, are so low and breathy in the
background that they are neither boring nor lackluster. Truth be
told, they are just perfect for the mood and feel of the CD!
Sometimes bleaker is better and this is as bleak as it can get! This
is the first time I’m hearing these guys and I am certainly going
to be digging up all of their old material after this.
Tracks
are: “An Element of Flesh”, “The Sounds of the Universe”,
“Odinist”, “A Few Shreds of Thoughts”, “Ellipsis”,
“Mystic Absolu”, “The Cycle of the Cycles”. The songs don’t
deviate from the intended course, yet they don’t remain stagnant
and uninteresting. The scenery contained herein is nothing short of
dark, depressing anecdotes we can only peek into if the hell inside
each of us allows it.
I
think a lot of people into black metal now realize just how insipid
and downright silly the whole “scene” became back some 15-years
ago; not much was accomplished in the way of musical advancement.
Sure, Emperor, Immortal, Dissection, Marduk, Enslaved and Mayhem all
made individual marks on the scene, but the losses in Vikernes,
Euronymous and Jon from Dissection are enough to make me wonder just
what the hell was going on out there that was so important that the
music became secondary. In any case, my belabored point is that the
days of black metal for shock are finally giving way to the sound I
have in front of me and it’s a natural progression some three
deaths and 10-years late. When black metal is at its darkest, most
solemn place it’s the Blut Aus Nord soundtrack playing in its
background.
Still,
it’s here and you need to get this in your CD collection yesterday.
Ten
10 hammers all the way! It’s a must-have for any connoisseur of
“true” blackness. http://www.e-c-h-o-e-s.com/ban/index.html
Chris Pratl
 CANDLEMASS:
KING
OF THE GREY ISLANDS-NUCLEAR
BLAST RECORDS
As
a person who bought a Last Chapter album to hear the vocals of Robert
Lowe, I will go on record to say he is the most underrated Metal
vocalists of all time. His voice is fucking superb. It’s one of
the most melodic, theatrical and all out powerful as they come. The
delivery can make or break a song and he’s taken some of the
oddest, incomplete ideas and made them sound epic. His work in
Solitude Aeternus is pure legend. To wake up one day to read he’s
lending his pipes of majesty to Sweden’s heaviest Candlemass,
cool. ‘King of the Grey Islands’ is even better than I expected.
While it’s got some hints of eiter rushed or in process to a part
or two it’s few and far between. Instead you get instant classics
like “Devil Seed”, “Of Stars and Smoke” which showcase Lowe’s
instant impact on Candlemass 2007 and beyond. The last song on the
album, “Embracing the Styx” tidies things up rather nicely. I’ve
heard the band is set to tour the US in the spring of 2008, March I
think. Get out there, it’s going to be fucking great. One of the
top albums released this year for sure. They don’t make Metal like
this anymore. www.myspace.com/candlemassdoom
=Tom=
C ARNAL
FORGE: TESTIFY
FOR MY VICTIMS-CANDLELIGHT
RECORDS
Admittedly,
this is my first listening to Carnal
Forge
from Sweden. Upon reading the bio I see the names Nile and Haunted,
so I remain ever-optimistic for what I’m about to hear.
Fans
of Nile will enjoy this type of music right off the bat. It’s
structured chaos that has elements of both old-school thrash metal
and newer hardcore meshing to make a great sounding effort. The
recent rash of melodic metal bands emerging from the underground has
been a pleasant change of pace from the already-tired mallcore crap
that, surprise, seems to have run its course. These kids today have
no goddamned idea what metal is about, what it takes to be a fan or a
musician of true metal, but when bands like Carnal Forge emerge and
kick in the faces of the long-haul fans it’s a treat for sure. The
band has also made a couple of videos for two tracks on this CD, so
keep an eye on some sites online to catch the video because I won’t
insult you by telling to check “Headbanger’s Ball”, though they
played the new Down video so anything’s possible!
Anyway,
“Testify for my Victims” is a happy little collection of ditties
to snuggle up to a warm fire with…provided you’ve set the fire in
a fit of rage or spiritual contentment! Heavy from the opening
track, “Testify for My Victims” and straight into “Burning
Eden” (one of the videos to look for), “Numb (the Dead)”,
“Godsend Gods End”, “End Game”, “Q.P.T.O.O.M.M.”,
“Freedom by Mutilation”, “Subhuman”, “No Longer Bleeding”,
“Biological Waste Matter”, “Lost Legion” and “Ante Mori”
the CD is rage unleashed and a brilliant listen! The recent addition
of vocalist Jens C. Mortensen has obviously been the wise choice
since he handles the hardest of core with relative ease. I like it –
9/10. Solid! www.carnalforge.com
Chris Pratl
D EMIRICOUS:TWO
(POVERTY)-METAL
BLADE
When
I first heard ‘One: (Hellbound)’ the debut LP by
Demiricous I
was hooked instantly. I thought their nothing new approach second to
just being balls out fucking Metal. Sure there were some Panterish
slant to some of the songs but the Slayer-isms were as infectious as
they were numerous. Still I did the chance to see them tear it up
live and both times they were fucking solid and far more aggressive
than I expected. Their second album shows the old “the more things
change” can be wrong. As close the bands remains to the more
original aspects of “One…” they’ve taken further steps to
evolve on ‘Two…’. Yeah there’s some Slayer here and there
and what’s wrong with that? Songs are a bit more core-ish, yet
fucking balls out again, think old school think powerful. Quite a
few highlights, there’s some shit on here that just smokes, and
while not the most original it’s in the delivery. “Language Of
Oblivion”, “Acid Lung”, “Appreciation For Misery” and
“Stress Fetish”
are
the ones I kept coming back to. This band deserves to be heard.
www.myspace.com/demiricous
=Tom=
 DETHKLOK:
THE
DEATH ALBUM-WILLIAMS
STREET
I’ve
never seen a minute of Metalocalypse, the hugely popular metal
inspired animated show on Adult Swim in my life. I’m not much of a
TV guy and less of a animation fan however I might re-think my stance
on the show after a few spins of ‘The Dethalbum’. Pretty
impressive collection of songs you’d expect by looking at the
images of the band and that’s kind of cool. Isn’t it always good
to see a band who look like they sound? Progressive death with
classic Metal throughout is a half way correct way to sum the band
up. Put it this way all the instruments are performed at a high level
without being overbearing and wankering. Really well performed on
all fronts. I think the concept is cool and anything real and true
to the core of Metal that ends up being successful, that’s great.
This album, the show and even the ‘Guitar Hero’ games…that’s
incredible. For now it’s getting “guitars” into the hands of
kids. It’s based on Rock music and that’s a step in the right
direction. I think I’ll watch the show to help it’s ratings.
Check out the album, I can see a lot Death (Mr. Schuldiner would be
proud) fans loving this album. www.myspace.com/dethklok
=Tom=
D EVILDRIVER:
THE
LAST KIND WORDS-ROADRUNNER
RECORDS
I
could give a shit what your perception is of Devildriver
in 2007/2008. They’ve come a long way since their debut and have
worked their asses off [aka paid their dues] on the road and that’s
something no one can take from them. ‘The Last Kind Words’ is a
good fucking album, drummer John Boecklin is a complete bad ass
behind the kit and there’s enough riffs here to suffocate a lesser
band. I’m looking at the band from a purely good/bad point of view
and they’re solid as hell, this record especially is something of a
very intense nature. “Monsters of the Deep” is a fucking mind
blowing track and I can think of several bands who would be envious
to have such a song on their own album. I’ve said Devildriver
exists as only a gateway to better music in the past, that doesn’t
work these days. They’ve come into their own and more power to ‘em.
www.devildriver.com
=Tom=
D EW-SCENTED:
INCINERATE-NUCLEAR
BLAST
Back
in 2005 I interviewed Dew-Scented Vocalist Leif and we spoke about
their album ‘Impact’ quite possibly being their ‘Reign In
Blood’ but with out either of us saying it. Know what I mean?
Regardless, we’re now two albums since ‘Impact’ and Dew-Scented
have released their ‘South of Heaven.’ However this is 2007
saying this not a future zine editor freaking out in the parking lot
of Peaches records back in 1988. Seriously this is a denser,
heavier, lower and just more bludgeoning Dew-Scented and they give
you ‘Incinerate.’ The style is what you’ve come to expect from
these guys, straight forward modern thrash with Death tendencies up
the ass. This album took a few listens to absorb but if you give it
the time I think you’ll come to enjoy it. I wouldn’t say it’s
a more original album than anything they’ve done in the past, but
its feel is definitely one that’s welcome. Songs like “Final
Warning”, “Aftermath” and “Everything Undone” are some of
my favorites and I like where the band is going, evolve or die…even
if it’s just a little. www.dew-scented.net
=Tom=
D IMMU
BORGIR: IN SORT DIABOLI-NUCLEAR BLAST
Not
being the biggest fan of this band I spent months hearing people’s
disappointment in this album before finally getting around to
listening to it. So I guess I can hear some of the negativity and
agree with it as well. It seems lightning struck with the release of
their last album, ‘Death Cult Armageddon’ and everything
surrounding that album was seriously over the top. For whatever
reason ‘In Sort Diaboli’ has a ho-hum feel to it. A real been
there-done that vibe that really lingers throughout the duration of
the album. Where things were once spectacular and fresh on previous
releases they fall short of eliciting any serious interest here.
This is not to say this is a bad album, in fact it’s a fine record
but for a specific and direct fan. Where as ‘DCA’ seemed to grab
the attention of those in the know as well as those who had no clue,
bringing them together as one I can’t see the same happening with
this. The songs are OK, the production is clean as hell and the
vocals are probably the most produced and accessible in the history
of the band but I can’t seem to shake that “eh” feeling about
the whole thing. Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t seem the
instant and World wide success story it was supposed to be now does
it? Black Metal used to be a much more intense and unpredictable
endeavor, this is nearing color-by-numbers stuff.
www.dimmu-borgir.com
=Tom=
D UBLIN
DEATH PATROL: DDP
4 LIFE-GODFODDER
RECORDS
This
is one of those albums you can already guess what it sounds like
before you even listen to it. Well for the most part you’d be
wrong. I was expecting a total Bay Area thrash fest with names like
Zetro, Chuck Billy, Willy Lange, Phil Demmel etc. and what I got was
even better than that. Dublin
Death Patrol
is a group of guys from Dublin, CA who just so happen to be or have
been in bands like Testament, Laaz Rocket, Exodus, Vio-Lence and so
on. What you get is Metal without the subgenres thrown in to
complicate things. Metal for old guys is one way someone said it to
me and I couldn’t agree more. Along with the originals there’s
also a few cover songs most notably UFO’s “Lights Out” and
“Iron Fist” by Motorhead. It’s a fun album that succeeds in
just being a party album, nothing more, nothing less.
www.dublindeathpatrol.com
=Tom=
E LECTRIC
WIZARD: WITCHCULT
TODAY-RISE
ABOVE RECORDS
The
gauntlet has been thrown. The bar raised and the end result of a
three year journey both in reverse and forward, they’ve emerged.
Emerged victorious. Electric
Wizard
are one of the heaviest bands on earth. If there’s heavier point
em out, there’s nothing like the Wizard. I shouldn’t even be
writing this review, but I will. ‘Witchcult Today’ is the album
we’ve been waiting for. After the necessary if slightly flawed ‘We
Live’ and another member change the band quietly went in and
recorded ‘Witchcult Today’ one of the best albums of their
career. Gone are the start strong/end, uh different hymns on ‘We
Live’ as they’re replaced with the best EW songwriting and
arrangements with examples all over this album. Opener and title
track “Witchcult Today “ things get off to a familiar sonically
destroying tone but it’s song two, “Dunwich” where things like
hooks and melodies are throw in into the Wizard cauldron and the
results speak for themselves. Vocally Jus Oborn has found the perfect
balance between buried and too clean as his vocals here almost add
another instrument to the mix. “Satanic Rites Of Drugula” is an
instant Wizard classic, heavy as anything on ‘Dopethrone’ and
just a pulverizing dose of Doom. The guitar work is exceptional with
Jus Oborn and Liz Buckingham complimenting each other’s patterns
succeeding on many levels. The band (rounded out by Bassist Rob
Al-Issa and new Drummer Shaun Rutter) fall into a groove so bone
crunchingly heavy on “Torquemada '71” it’s not even funny, sick
fucking sounds. Album closer “Saturnine” is another journey to
planet Oborn and closes out one of the highlights in a year of
highlights. Black amps return to tear the sky!
www.myspace.com/electricwizarddorsetdoom
=Tom=
E NTHRONED:
TETRA
KARCIST-NAPALM
RECORDS
Belgium’s
hated sons Enthroned
is one of those bands that you either love or hate – much like
Motorhead or Venom there just isn’t much of a happy medium between.
For black metal the band is one of the top bands that just keeps on
forging ahead and putting out some damn good music with which to hail
our lord Satan. Since my first hearing of “Prophecies of a Pagan
Fire” I’ve known that this band had the longevity and wherewithal
to outlast most pretenders and hangers-on and they’ve done just
that and more!
The
band’s newest unholy offering is ‘Tetra Karcist’ and if you
were going into this review thinking about hearing that the band has
retained its firm iron grip on the black metal contingency…you’re
right. From the very first note to the ending chords the CD is every
bit the black metal masterpiece we’ve come to expect and bow to
from the band. While most black metallers get lost in a seemingly
endless see of mediocrity Enthroned will allow no such substitute.
The offering has moments of slow and heavy complimented by fast and
furious all deep within an evil cocoon. While I don’t revel in
much black metal of the modern age, Enthroned has been one of the
last bands to build upon its sound without reserve or compromise and
each release has been one more red droplet in the Master’s Great
Book of Servants! He would be amazed and proud that His hymns are
being well represented on this mortal coil by a band that not only
gets it but helped set the standard by which “it” is regulated
and heralded.
The
album starts off with the settling “Ingressus Regnum Spiritus”
and sets the overall mood for something chaotic and brutal to appear
from out of nowhere and there’s no disappointment there. “Pray”
blasts out and re-familiarizes us with why it is that black metal is
so damn important to our metal scene. The darkness, the brutality,
the unrelenting assault that is rammed non-stop into our ears and
makes us long for the dark is what makes this CD a
must-hail-and-worship for the end of the year! The rest of the album
is followed with the tracks “Tellum Scorpionis”, “Deviant Nerve
Angelus”, “The Burning Dawn”, “Through the Cortex”, “The
Seven Ensigns of Creation”, “Nox”, “Vermin”, and Antares”.
The current line-up has Phorgath on bass and backing vocals,
Nornagest on lead locals and guitars, Ahephaim on drums and Nguaroth
on lead guitars and vocals. The unit is as solid as they come and as
violent and traumatic as ever – this CD is one not to be missed,
for if you do turn in your metal badges and wait for Hannah Montana
to come to your local mall!
Ten
Hammers In Satan’s Servitude! Buy or Die!
http://www.enthroned-horde.com/
Chris Pratl
 EPHEL
DUATH: PAIN
REMIXES THE UNKNOWN-EARACHE
RECORDS
If
you were to peruse my personal record collection you’d no doubt
raise an eyebrow here and there at the eclectic mix of styles and
genres I enjoy. One day I can be forcing my ears to bleed with some
Nevermore or Bathory or Venom; the next I can be simmering inside
some old-school prog like Necromandus, Caravan, Yes, Host or
Decameron; the very same day Christina Aguilera or the Commodores can
get me by nicely. It’s usually a nice mix-and-match such as this
that helps one become not only a better fan and listener but a better
musician as well. Also in this mix of music I enjoy is
intdustrial/synthpop music as long as it’s good. Bands like
Wumpscut, Mesh, Apoptygma Berzerk and The Retrosic produce some damn
fine music with which to get lost in if your head is in the right
place. To be honest, I’ve always felt that some of the hardcore
industrial was the next natural progression from metal; some of it is
filled with the same sort of hard-hitting brutality that we’ve come
to know and love in our music if you know what to seek. That said, I
was surprised to see a remix album in a metal batch of CD’s to
review.
Now
I’m not a Nine Inch Nails fan by any means – I find them music
pretentious and unimaginative, but hey, that’s jut my opinion.
Reznor does nothing that metal hasn’t done for years, whereas some
bands I’ve mentioned would and do bury him in all respects.
Anyway, back to the release by Ephel
Duath
called “Pain Remixes the Known”. Upon reading the press release
I was very frightened to read that these guys were once black metal –
why does a black metal band need to remix something? In most cases
it’s like stirring a sludge pot of fecal matter that can’t do
much to improve either the sound or the material. So when I heard
the first track, “Hole I” I was taken aback at the level of
“mixing” they did. It’s something that you’d hear in an
underground club or a rave party; I’m not sure if that’s a good
thing, but as far as the music it’s not bad. The band is described
as “hardcore-cum-jazz metal band”, which I suppose is accurate
enough. If I were to compare it to anything that I’m even
remotely familiar with I’d have to say it sounds like a bastard
pairing of some newer Wumpscut with elements of Retrosic. Both of
these bands have some violent, wild music to share and both have the
tendency to stir the masses into frenzied masses of violence and
aggression – it’s sheer poetry! While I don’t mind it much as
something to “groove on” when you’re in the right frame of mind
it’s not a CD I’d pick up and pop in every time I’d want to be
cerebrally hit.
It
has some interesting moments of hard-beating pulsations that any
clubber would like, but I’m just not sure it’s something hardcore
metalheads would be willing to assimilate. For me it’s more like
something you’d play at a rave party, not a gathering of friends
who are excited to hear what you’ve gotten in your CD collection
lately. It’s good for what it is, but it’s a bit like Apex Twins
meets Nine Inch Nails in spots and that does little for me.
There
are nine remixes of the song “Hole” and that right there sort of
loses me as I’m listening in part because I’d much prefer
something…else.
I’d
go 6.5/10 – some might dig it, but I just don’t. I’d rather pop
in some Wumpscut - Bunkertor 7 for my money’s worth.
www.earache.com
Chris Pratl
E NTOMBED:
SERPENT
SAINTS-
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Entombed
have put their fans through the wringer over the years. There was
their initial burst where it seemed everything they touched was pure
gold. There was the beginning of their Death N’ Roll era that was
launched with the ‘Hollowman’ EP/ ‘Wolvering Blues’ LP and
after that a weird period where they may have not been exactly as
consistent as they once were. The past few years have seen some good
releases but to me these records were always lacking something, like
there were always a few good songs but not entirely good albums.
‘Serpent Saints’ is going to go down as one of their best! From
the second the title track blasts you out of your seat you know this
is a brutal Death N’ Roll attack done the Entombed way, the whole
way through. Seriously this is a solid album from start to finish,
some great songs and some unbelievable performances from LG and the
gang. I cannot say enough good about this album, as a fan of Metal
you owe it to yourself to pick this up.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
=Tom=
E SCALATIONUNIT
CHAOS ENGIN: MACHINES
NEVER DIE-CORDIAL
RECORDS
After
reading the bio on these guys from Germany called Escalationunit
Chaos Engine
(or EUCE for short) and finding out their stage show consists of
branding irons, bullhorns, sound samples and other fun stuff I
figured I’d be in for a pretty odd ride to say the least. The band
is described as “Neo-Thrash-Metal-Core paired with percussion
instruments”. I’m not quite sure what all of the various genre
tags are for, but I’ll sum it up easier: hardcore and death meets
industrial.
Musically
they really aren’t bad. In fact, they’re quite good without using
a lot of sampling that drowns the otherwise innovative music like
some bands. It’s a lot of straight-forward head-banging music that
is angry without driving you into a Prozac-laden frenzy. The songs
have good flow, good structure and EUCE seems to have a good grasp on
how to create a solid “core” CD that isn’t crap.
This
is the band’s fourth release since 1998 and they have just
completed a small tour of the U.S. last year. This offering,
“Machines Never Die”, spills over into melodic death metal
without losing the edge of hardcore throughout. It’s by no means a
boring effort, and since I’m not familiar with the entire back
catalog I might be more inclined to test those proverbial waters
pretty soon.
Tracks
include “Obsernation”, “Wake”, “Machines Never Die”,
“Edge of Madness”, and “Riven by Grief”. The more I’m
listening to this CD the better it’s getting, so I’d recommend it
if you’re into the aforementioned genre meshing.
Nine
of Ten – good job! www.escalationunit.com
Chris Pratl
 EVILE:
ENTER
THE GRAVE-EARACHE
RECORDS
With
the “success” of a band like Municipal Waste it seems like people
are really buying the “Thrash is Back” campaign and it really
doesn’t bother me too much. I had been reading about Evile
for a bit and was surprised Earache put pen to paper with the band
but once I heard them I knew why. I expected to just throw this in
the “do not disturb” pile, I really did but I must say this album
fucking kicks ass! ‘Enter the Grave’ was produced by Fleming
Rasmussen (if you don’t know, don’t ask) and he captures that
dry, tight and effective production to make these songs take that
second step. “Burned Alive”, Thrasher” and “Bathe In Blood”
are just a few of the highlights on an album full of them. Good shit
and not a lighthearted note to be found, serious Thrash fucking Metal
reminiscent of the best Bay Area bands circa 87-90. Lord knows
there’s nothing wrong with that. Like I said I had my doubts, but
the proof is here, check em out. www.evile.co.uk
=Tom=
 EXODUS:
THE
ATROCITY EXHIBITION /EXHIBIT A-NUCLEAR
BLAST
Exodus
Fucking Exodus!
Let’s get right to it, album number two featuring Rob Dukes and a
returning Tom Hunting. Results? Very good. Really liking this
version of Exodus where they’re as productive as they are
enjoyable, they’re creating some vital Thrash here but in no way is
it dated. However there’s several riffs and or patterns on here
that are direct descendants of songs from their previous [and godly]
‘Shovel Headed Kill Machine’ but that’s not something that
prevents me from digging this record. I agree it’s weird to have a
record sound like side three of ‘SHKM’ but it can always be
worse. There’s a good mix of Exo-approved styles on here, good
tempo changes and of course ripping guitars. There’s seems to be a
slight nod towards the mid paced crushers and while I don’t mind
em, it is a bit of a slow down versus the previous ‘SHKM’. I
wonder if live pacing is/was an issue? Production by Andy Sneap ‘The
Atrocity Exhbition’ sounds killer and I like that this production
is similar to ‘SHKM’s’ so it’s like hearing almost side three
of the last album. InstaExo classics in “Children of a Worthless
God”, “Funeral Hymn” and “Bedlam 1-2-3”, this is all prime
Exodus at their best, in the present. www.exodusattack.com
=Tom=
T he
Foreshadowing: Days
of Nothing-Candlelight
USA
In
the wake of the second wave of doom metal marauding in the door, one
could argue that it has had more effect than the first. While
Candlemass, Trouble, and Witchfinder General definitely still have an
influence, the impact of bands such as Paradise Lost, Anathema, and
My Dying Bride is currently being felt in every new doom band. The
Foreshadowing
is an excellent example of said impact. Atmosphere is the name of
the game for ‘Days of Nothing,’ with doom and gloom for all.
From the pessimistic outlook of the lyrics in general, plodding,
ringing riffs, it’s got everything a doom metal album needs. It
may be a bit too melodramatic for its own good at times, but that’s
modern doom for you. It’s not perfect, but its not terrible by any
stretch of the imagination. So, this is definitely an album for you
if you’re sitting on a worn collection of My Dying Bride albums,
and looking for a new group of sad demigods to bow to. The
Foreshadowing have a lot to offer, here’s to hoping for an even
better second album. www.myspace.com/theforeshadowing
Eric Bryan
G AMMA
RAY: LAND
OF THE FREE II-STEAMHAMMER/SPV
All
I can say is that it’s rather awesome to the tenth level for to get
to review not only the Helloween this time around but also the new
Gamma
Ray
offering ‘Land of the Free II’. From my Helloween review you
might ascertain that my particular affinity lies with Kai Hansen, so
I’m really amped to pop this sucker in and hear it!
The
band has recently signed a new deal with Steamhammer/SPV which, for
years upon years, has produced nothing but great bands and albums.
From as far back as I can remember the label takes on no shit bands
as a rule, so this signing has me even more amped (if it’s
possible). So far it doesn’t seem to disappoint by any stretch.
The familiar “Gamma-Sound” straight from Deutchland is
ever-present, complete with awesome harmonies and sky-high vocals
that haven’t lessened one iota in the two-plus decades Kai has been
reaching them. I firmly believe this is the sound a lot of these
“power metal” bands today simply don’t have the talent or
direction to find. The disappointment for me is all of the keyboards
and synthesizers running amok in metal since about 1995, but, if done
correctly and sparingly, they can add a certain element to
already-good music. The only example that comes to mind is
Stratovarius’ “Visions” CD from a few years back, but in this
writer’s opinion they then relied too heavily on said keys and
drowned the music in mediocrity and boredom. I simply lost interest
pretty quickly. Gamma Ray doesn’t fall short here.
The
tracks are: “Into the Storm”, “From the Ashes”, “Rising
Again”, “To Mother Earth”, “Rain”, “Leaving Hell”,
“Empress”, “When the World”, “Opportunity”, “Real
World”, “Hear Me Calling”, “Insurrection”. I have to say
that Kai’s vocals range from the aforementioned elevated octave to
a low, almost dismal tone that switches nicely and without losing
itself within itself. Henjo Richter’s guitars, Dirk Schlachter’s
bass and Daniel Zimmermann’s drums almost sound larger-than-life
throughout this CD and I’m glad I got to review such a great
freakin’ disc! I also hear that Gamma is going to be touring with
Helloween in ’08 with special encore sets of Kai rejoining
Helloween each night for some tunes!
Ten
out of ten without trepidation! A definite must-add!
www.gamma-ray.com
Chris Pratl
H ELLOWEEN:
GAMBLING
WITH THE DEVIL-SPV
It’s
an argument I’ve grown so damn tired of having already.
These
little ones running around our scene today (you’ve all seen them
raging and thrashing at the local power shows) seem to think that
“Power Metal” is made up of all the wondrous keyboards and
high-pitched Kai Hansen-esque vocals. While it can rest somewhat on
Kai’s amazing shoulders that power metal was really brought to its
majesty during his tenure with Helloween
oh-so-many
years ago, some of the bands out there, nameless, of course, are
freaking clueless. So are some of the fans.
Well
kids, grab a seat – here’s partly where it began…but can it be
that Helloween, the European powerhouse from my youth, still rages
enough for this old fart?
Helloween,
for those not in the know, comes from Germany and began its
illustrious career some 20+ years ago with its first s/t EP, followed
by the intense “Walls of Jericho” and the “Judas” EP in 1985
and 1986 respectively. Guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen screaming at me
to “Ride the Sky” drew me in and I’ve never forgotten how
exciting it was for my friend Kurt and me to find the subsequent
releases. The band parted ways with Kai not long after, but “Keeper
of Seven Keys” parts one and two were all Kiske needed to solidify
his tenure as vocalist for the fold.
Today
the Helloween guys are made up of “Andi Deris on vocals, “Michael
Weikath and Sascha Gerstner on guitars, Markus Grosskopf on bass and
Dani Loble drumming.
The
new CD is titled ‘Gambling with the Devil’ which already sounds
like Lemmy should have written it (damn that “Ace of Spades”).
The CD begins with a goofy-sounding voice (who I come to find out is
Biff Byford from Saxon, so he gets a proverbial pass on sounding odd)
supposed to be ethereal and haunting, welcoming you to the roulette
wheel I suppose. I admit my heart began to sink a bit, thinking of
yet another “Pink Bubbles Go Ape” catharsis, but it kicked right
into “Kill It” and the heaviness of the Jericho-era was both
evident and welcome! I also admit I’m not 100% familiar with this
singer, Andi Deris, though I know of him from obvious prior releases.
While this writer kneels at the altar of Kai Hansen and some Michael
Kiske, this is my first true introduction to him with full-on,
unequivocal open-mindedness. So far I’m not unimpressed. Hell, I’m
even sitting here bobbing my head in old-school fashion as I type so
that can only mean it’s getting to me where it should. “The
Saints” is the second track that is really what power metal is
about, my friends! The style, the feel, the emotion in the playing,
it’s all there for a reason. To me, some of the newer stuff falls
flat and can’t or won’t convey an honest feeling of unabashed
metal; dare I even say it’s almost like these bands seem to deviate
away from the metal genre and adopt the “Power Prog” moniker.
It’s not an ugly word, fellas, and Helloween knows that!
Other
tracks on this are “As Long as I Fall”, “Paint a New World”,
“Final Fortune”, “The Bells of the 7 Hells”, “Fallen to
Pieces”, “I.M.F.”, “Can Do It”, “Dreambound”, “Heaven
Tells No Lies”. “As Long as I Fall” is the obvious AOR-friendly
track that, all respect, reeks of that “feel-good” track some of
the hair bands of the 80s tried so desperately to find the balls to
make, but never could – because they looked and acted like girls!
The only problem with this track is the intricate time-changes are
too intricate; at times I actually had to check the CD player to make
sure it wasn’t skipping. Sometimes less is more, but it’s a small
complaint. After feeling fine and special and all of that noise,
“Paint a New World” kicks in and immediately makes you feel
really
damn
good with the power chords carrying the load as well they should. Old
Helloween meets newer Helloween in this offering and it’s not at
all boring or mundane. The rest of the CD relies on much the same
formula to just being heavy and unapologetic to its rooted history in
our beloved, but misused genre! “The track “Can Do It” was a
little too AOR-like for me, but it’s nothing that most people would
skip over at all.
To
be honest and nothing less, this CD is damn good and should appeal to
the many Helloween fans that appreciate the band’s persistence in
metal and refusal to go away after various line-up changes,
professional tragedy, and some less-than-stellar releases along the
way. I say this CD is a must for true fans of true power metal who
like a slightly updated sound with nothing vital left out along the
way.
9/10
Iron Hammers Skyward! Germany reigns supreme!
http://www.helloween.org
Chris Pratl
H IGH
ON FIRE: DEATH
IS THIS COMMUNION-RELAPSE
RECORDS
Right
now and for almost a decade High
On Fire
can do no wrong in my eyes (ears). Album by album they progress
enough to show artistic growth with absolutely no signs of slowing
down [selling out] or fucking with the formula that has brought them
this far. ‘Death Is This Communion’ is several steps ahead of
the excellent ‘Blessed Black Wings’ and finds Matt, Des and Jeff
Matz (who makes his recording debut with the band) experimenting as
well as playing it somewhat safe by doing what they do best. Keeping
it heavy, really heavy. Opener “Fury Whip” is similar to ‘BBW’s’
“Devilution” in it kicks things off fast and furious (yeah, I
know) and takes off from there. Some of my favorite songs include
the title track, the first single/video “Rumors of War”, “Turk”,
“Cyclopian Scape”, “Return To NOD”…fuck I like em all who
am I kidding? High On Fire deserve to be one of the biggest bands the
world will let them be. If it happens, it happens but if not the
chosen few know what we know and that’s all that matters.
www.highonfire.net
=Tom=
H ORNCROWNED:
SATANIC
ARMAGEDDON-KETZER
RECORDS
Okay,
I have to ask, do we still have a war on Christianity? I’m just
curious…I thought that went out when certain people went to jail a
decade ago. Sorry, but when I see the facepaint and the little
disclaimer on any current CD that tells me of a “pending” war we
still have going I shake my head and wonder what the hell Venom
started back in ’81. I mean, this damn war has been coming for
15-years already and there hasn’t been a dent, a nodule, a
pin-prick in the movement yet! What are we waiting for?
Okay,
that aside, I received Columbia’s forlorn sons Horncrowned’s
“Satanic Armageddon” in my recent package and since I’m right
off the wonderful Trollech review I’m ever open-minded that not all
black metal is going to suck. While I admit I’m overtired of the
“War” thing there is still some fine music to be had out there if
it lands in your hands. This CD does okay for itself, but fails to
impress me beyond the scope of “Been there, done that”. It’s
the usual unrelenting hatred wrapped around a musical soundtrack that
only Belial Himself could appreciate and sanction. While it does
carry in the usual vein of fast picking and wickedly-inherent
double-bass drumming the overall fury and evil are evident within, so
much so in fact that Marduk springs to mind ever-briefly. Once again
the vocals are nothing special or unique but if you’re into this BM
style you won’t find them dull or annoying. While I don’t
dislike it I just find it like much of everything else I’ve heard
with little in the way of originality.
Tracks
include “Christophobic Campaign of Annihilation”, “Breed of
Nuclear Devastation”, “Hatred Anthem”, “Black Seeds of
Holocaust”, “Dominions of the Cursed”, “Demonic Mark Inside
(The Goatsoldier)”, “Satanic Armageddon”, “Rebirth Into the
Acheron”, “T.B.M.M. Offensive”, ”Crowned is Hell” and
“Triumph of the Beast”.
I’d
like to rate this higher than a 7/10, but reviews solely on
production value and some decent guitar riffs can’t garner a higher
grade from me. For me it’s typical black metal that’s, sadly, all
too typical. http://horncrowned.com
http://www.myspace.com/horncrownedofficial
Chris Pratl
I CED
EARTH: FRAMING
ARMAGEDDON (SOMETHING WICKED PART I)-
SPV
It’s
rare, but sometimes a band truly can bounce back after a very long
“off period.” Iced
Earth,
despite a mediocre few albums in a row, have managed to come back
with a vengeance on ‘Framing Armageddon.’ The album is one Matt
Barlow (ex, now returning vocalist) away from being all an Iced Earth
fan could want. Jon Schaffer (guitars) finally gave up the excessive
triplet riffing, as well as the political lyrics, and the band itself
seems to be happy with thrashing instead of power-chording to the
middle. The thrash break in the title track, one of the most intense
in the band’s repertoire, is proof enough that the fire beneath the
band has been lit again, and they’re in prime position to take back
the ground they lost with such “eh’s” as ‘The Glorious
Burden’. If this is framing Armageddon, the end result will be
truly devastating. www.icedearth.com
Eric Bryan
I GNITOR:
ROAD
OF BONES-CRUZ
DEL SUR
Well
then….along comes this band out of Texas called Ignitor
and gives the familiar edge to power metal we so desperately need.
Female-fronted bands always have been a favorite of mine since the
mighty Doro Pesch first invaded my senses some two-decades ago and,
sadly enough, to most alpha-male metalheads the breasts and ass are
the main instruments of worth on any unfortunate lass who steps in
front of a sea of horny metalheads! These days the likes of Angela
Gossow and Sharon Den Adel have fought and won the battle against
such silly, if not territorial handicaps. That said, vocalist Erika
handles the vocals on Road
of Bones
with all the fervor and intensity of a slightly-subdued Rob Halford
ala British Steel-era. I can even hear a less-obstreperous Geddy Lee
in certain areas and it’s quite cool to find that. Her high
register is only complimented by her lower Lee Aaron delivery that
holds water with any power metal vocalist, past or present, male or
female.
Musically,
if you’re looking for over-the-top soloing and riffs that twist and
turn in a cacophony of structural mazes this isn’t for you. If some
strong, solid rockin’ metal in the vein of Steeler, Sentinel Steel,
Axe, newer Megadeth and Iron Maiden this is a band to check the hell
out! I suppose what I’m saying is all of the bands that create
these befuddled messes they call songs are usually lost in a mire of
their own complicated tunes and fail to reach a true metalhead and
keep him or her. Such is not the case here. This band is tight, heavy
and solid in itself - so much so that it sounds like a release I’d
have eaten up when I was a wee-lad some years ago. Those of you that
have read my reviews (thank you…and I’m sorry) know of my
penchant for the 80s; after all, it was my era and I’m particularly
nostalgic about it. This band manages to find the time warp and make
such a wonderful sound relevant and pertinent to this day.
Let’s
meet this band of yesterday today: the aforementioned Erika does the
lead vocals, Stuart and Annah shred guitars, Brendon handles the bass
and Pat drums to near-perfection. The titles of this release are
“”Death on the Road (Intro)”, “Road of Bones”, “Scarlet
Enigma”, “March to the Guillotine”, “Wings of the
Blackheart”, “Hymn of Erin”, “Phoenix”, “Broken Glass”,
“Castle in the Clouds”, “God of Vengeance” and
“Reinheitsgebot”.
My
love for Judas Priest allows me to place none as high as them, but
Ignitor hits a very close plateau – 10 out of 10 Hammers! Check
them out and feel the grand disease of metal!
http://www.myspace.com/ignitor
Chris Pratl
 JOB
FOR A COWBOY: GENESIS-METAL
BLADE
Can
someone please tell me what’s so great about this band? What’s
so groundbreaking and/or original that this album sold over 15,000
copies in its first week? Sorry, but anyone older than 25 will have
heard this shit a million times and a million times better. Standard
guttural Death Metal that can be heard and seen on Headbanger’s
Ball and at any of the lovely package tours currently traveling the
US. Sure this is well executed shit and obviously the band can play,
but it’s just something the hype machine has overshadowed and
there’s 5,000 other bands waiting to take their place. This
probably sounds like bitter old man bitch and moan, and I suppose it
is, but I can’t see anyone who’s been around the block at least
once seeing anything worthwhile in this record or at this point in
time, this band. Plus at the end of the day #1 Fuck Metal Blade and
#2 what the fuck is a job for a cowboy anyway? Being in an overrated
band? www.jfacmetal.com
=Tom=
K ULT
OV AZAZEL/VROLOK:
FEAST
OF SACRELIGIOUS IMPURITY- SPLIT
CD-ARCTIC
MUSIC GROUP
Okay,
as I’ve said before the U.S. bands know squat about Scandinavian
black metal and should never be allowed to attempt to play such
music. We know nothing of the fjords, dampness, endless cold and
dismal skies, or loneliness and solitude of the nearest neighbor
being 15-minutes down the lane. In short, we are too spoiled and
decayed to understand the beauty and tradition of such a heritage as
the Scandinavians possess, and the Europeans for that matter. We’re
too busy with our MTV, our laptops, our outings with screwball
friends and bandmates tying one on every night of the week to care
about what we’ve lost. Soapbox aside, my point is this: the
Floridian unit Kult
ov Azazel’s
split with Vrolok
may be a good black metal offering if you’re into the same old
boring USA take on black metal, and trust me, we haven’t one worth
a damn! And if anyone mentions that freakin’ Havohej I’ll puke
in my own mouth!
The
myriad of U.S. bands that attempted to imitate Venom back in the
early 80s all fell to the wayside; seriously, name me one US metal
band that was doing what they were doing and lived to tell the tale
some 25-years later. You can’t. I can’t. No one can…because it
didn’t happen. Hence, everything started to sound the same and
people tended to realize just how pure and true the originators of
such music were. The short of it is that this CD, “Feast of
Sacriligious Impurity” is the same damn thing once again, but not
nearly as good as the same old bands from overseas that are doing it.
You should get the drift right there. It’s literally a bastard son
of a bastard son in some ways and it offers me nothing new or
interesting. The vocals are typical barking, howling, and wailing in
agony over faster-than-fast guitars and the wonderful double bass
drum you can literally set a goddamned watch by these days. Sorry,
but this literally does nothing for me on the side of Kult ov Azazel
– leave it to the Swedes and Norsemen...please!
On
the other side of the CD is Vrolok
from Pennsylvania (again, not a fjord or cascade of mountains to be
found), who at least made a conscious attempt to sound Norwegian,
casting brief images of Emperor from time to time. However heavy on
the keyboard this is, the overall “atmosphere” at least paints a
picture of what black metal is supposed to be I guess. While I can
say that the songs are shorter little entities of evil that cut out
long before they become insipid or tedious, the music is tolerable
only in that the typical black metal “Feel” is there throughout.
Again, sadly, I must say that all of this music is the same as the
band before it – long out of style, boring and unimaginative as a
whole. I like some modern black metal as much as the next guy,
believe me; I was around when the originals were spawned and saw the
progression over the years quite vividly. That said, most of these
bands just fail to impress me. That’s not to say that a band like
Damnation from Sweden or Kill for Satan from the (gasp!!) USA can’t
bring black metal some small bit of respect or prominence, and they
at least try to make it interesting for me.
As
a whole I give this CD a 5/10 – just not interesting or unique for
me. http://www.kultovazazel.com/
http://vrolok.luxferous.com/
Chris Pratl
LIETTERSCHPICH:
I
CUM BLOOD IN THE THINK TANK-
Tophetprophetheartandcrossbone
The
fuck? I realize that this isn’t aimed at everyone, but come on,
this anti-music stuff can only go so far before its just noise.
Leitterschpich
is a “band” that make industrial “music.” That said, this is
mainly a bunch of guys who either aren’t talented enough, or too
pretentious to, create actual music. Sure, it can create a kind of
trance, but so can Blut Aus Nord. So can Ministry. So can Akercocke
for that matter. Get the picture? Now, to be fair, this isn’t
metal. It may be abrasive, but just because its not pop or rap does
not make it metal. It has distortion sure, but there aren’t riffs,
and there’s barely a beat. Music has these things, but
Leitterschpich does not. This is not music. If you’re into the
anti-music scene though, then by all means, have at it. I’ll stick
to notes, time, scales, and all that malarkey.
www.myspace.com/doomdub
Eric Bryan
L IMBONIC
ART: LEGACY OF EVIL-CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
With
“Legacy of Evil,” Limbonic
Art
has created a new standard for symphonic black metal. After
releasing five other albums and then disbanding, LA reformed on
6/6/06 (tee-hee), and began work on this. Well done gentlemen. A lot
of modern black metal uses elements of classical and symphonic music,
but as one can see in the follies of Dimmu Borgir and the like, it
doesn’t always work. However, Limbonic Art manage to do what it
seems only Sigh have been able to also achieve, and use said elements
to accentuate metal, and not the other way around. From the first
second of “Legacy…” there is literally no let up. No intro.
No spoken bit. From second one, there is only tremolo riffing, and
two pissed-off Scandinavians vomiting aggression out upon the world.
While there is an ear for metal, very few bands sound as honestly
angry as Limbonic Art. An evil legacy indeed.
www.myspace.com/limbonicart
Eric Bryan
 MALEVOLENT
CREATION: DOOMSDAY
X-NUCLEAR
BLAST
I’ve
had such a soft spot for Malevolent
Creation
over the years. They had some fucking amazing albums early in the
career and even when a dud or two would appear they’d follow it up
with a killer. Along with their music they always had some great
talent in the band over the years but that revolving door bullshit
has never helped the band. When they hype for their 10th
album started making waves it was reported their 10th
would be a reunion album. So we finally have the much heralded
Fasciana, Hoffman, Blachowicz, Rubin and Dave Culross line up so lets
get right to it. I like this album a lot it’s got some classic
Malevolent moments all over it as well as a few tricks up their
sleeves. “Deliver My Enemy” is not only one of the highlights of
the album it’s one of the best songs the band has ever done. I’m
not surprised to report that as of October 2007 Blachowicz and
Culross are out of the band again, but like I said earlier the
revolving door factor has always been strong. Regardless it’s
fucking cool to have their input on a solid MC release.
www.malevolent-creation.com
=Tom=
 MARDUK:
ROM
5:12-REGAIN
RECORDS
The
unstoppable war machine known as Marduk
continue to roll and crush the World. ‘Rom 5:12’ their latest
release is further proof of their superior fire power. With more
line-up changes one would have to wonder if founder Morgan could have
everything in line to reward the faithful and I’m glad to say he
has. From the great production to the presentation ‘Rom 5:12’ is
as essential as anything the band has done in the past and yes, those
are bold words. The attacking Black Metal the band is known for is
here in aces but more importantly it’s the mid paced and
“experimental” stuff like “Accuser/Opposer” that sets things
just a bit higher. Killer album and another in a long line of Metal
excellence, long live Marduk. www.marduk.nu
=Tom=
 MAYHEM:
ORDO
AD CHAO-SEASON
OF MIST
Who
says you can’t go home again?
Many,
many, many years ago (or so it would seem) Norway was up-in-arms over
a small contingency of metal musicians that adopted the “Black
Metal” moniker and set out to re-create the darker part of our
spectrum. Leading the charge was Mayhem,
whose name would become synonymous with black metal and death,
leading them into a future of infamy. Church-burnings, murder,
assaults, rapes, grand exclamations of evil to local papers- you name
it and they had it! Well, those of you reading this know the rest…
In
the middle of that mess was Mayhem’s brilliant offering, “De
Mysteriis dom Sathanas”,
a staple of the Norwegian movement and an instant classic for
underground fans the world over. The singer, Attila
Csihar,
had a severely amazing vocal delivery that bordered on a low sneering
whisper and, in the writer’s opinion, made the CD a legendary
piece. Well, after a run-in with Varg
Vikernes
and general problem with Euronymous,
Attila’s one-off recording was left to the annals of time and he
was replaced by the lackluster Maniac,
original |
