1349
HELLFIRE
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I'm glad Frost has this gig, since SATYRICON is more or less on ice now. This album is much
better than Beyond the Apocalypse. I'm really reminded of some of GORGOROTH's albums
this time around. The mix is a little weird, with Frost's machine-gun drums up high, the vocals
slightly higher, and everything else just a little lower. 1349 are all about speed, and they
don't let up one bit on any of the songs. I really have to wonder if Frost can keep up this kind
of pace in a live situation. I think most normal humans would be out of gas halfway through the
first song. I would like to hear more variation in the material, but these guys are about one
thing and one thing only: pushing the human body to the absolute limit in how fast it can play
an instrument. Anything I didn't like about the last album has been fixed, and this is once
again a damn fine black metal band. Let's see if they can keep it going for the next album.
ABDULLAH / DRAGONAUTA
SPLIT CD
2005 DIAS DE GARAGE
This is kind of an interesting choice of bands for a split CD, but they have such different styles
that it works. Split albums always work better if the two bands aren't clones of each other.
First up is the stoner doom of ABDULLAH. I've been a big fan of theirs ever since I heard the
debut album, and they're still keeping the quality of their music up at a high level. I even
think they might have gotten heavier. It certainly sounds that way, and if they did, then it's
good that they understand that "heavy" does not equate with playing slow. Too many bands think
that way, and it's just not true. After hearing their half of this split, if I was eager for
a new ABDULLAH album before, I'm practically salivating over it now. DRAGONAUTA are one of those
bands that change things around each time you hear them. Their album sounds a lot different
from the split they did with NATAS several years ago, and their half of this CD sounds different
yet again. They sing in Spanish, and draw very heavily from early BLACK SABBATH for their songs
here. They've got a more rock oriented sound, and also like to go off and just jam together.
Maybe there's a little too much noodling going on, but it's not enough to ruin the listening
experience. This is a fine split CD from two fine bands.
ADRAMELECH
TERROR OF A THOUSAND FACES
2005 XTREEM MUSIC
It's been six years since we last heard from Finland's ADRAMELECH, and I had pretty much written
them off, deciding they had quietly broken up. Well, I'm glad that I was wrong. This has always
been one of those bands that while they take a long time to release new material, what you end
up getting is always of the highest quality. As they say, all killer, no filler. ADRAMELECH
are still old school death metal to the bone, and that's just the way I like it. Chances are
that this will be one of those overlooked releases for 2005, and it really shouldn't be. But
at the same time, I really don't want to see someone into AS I LAY DYING to reach across the
CD rack at the store and pick this up. They don't deserve to hear something as good as this.
AMPUTATOR
AMPUTATOR
2005 REGIMENTAL RECORDS
Utterly disgusting and vile blackened thrashing war metal of death. This is not one for the
black metal trendies or snobs. I wouldn't say they're for the "elite" either though... more like
for those who still remember the old days and wish they would return. AMPUTATOR take a very
old school approach to their music, drawing from the classic influences of elders BATHORY and
CELTIC FROST, and also from newer legends such as DARKTHRONE. Speed is the name of the game
here, and there's not really a lot of variation between songs. This is a case where spirit
and enthusiasm (if you can call a nihilistic attitude "enthusiasm") are what's important. Hopefully
the band won't show up in the dead of night to lop my head off with a rusty axe for saying this...
AMPUTATOR aren't setting the world on fire here, but they're well worth a listen for those who
like their black metal ugly. By the way, the very end of the disc is not for the faint of
heart.
ANTIGAMA
ZEROLAND
2005 SELFMADEGOD RECORDS
If you like grindcore especially noisy, chaotic and in your face, then do I have the band for you! They do
a pretty good imitation of early Barney era NAPALM DEATH, but throw in a few twists and surprises too.
I can't remember the last time I heard clean vocals on a grind album. They've also got a "mathcore" style
in their sound, so all you fans of MASTODON and DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN should look for this one.
ASGUARD
DREAMSLAVE
2005 THIS DARK REIGN RECORDINGS
Didn't I review an album from this band last issue? Yep... Wikka. This is a somewhat
different album though. The power metal elements of keyboards and heavy riffs are still here, as
is the occasional guitar hero part. The vocals are a lot clearer this time, but somehow it
makes ASGUARD sound a lot more average. The keyboards are also used a whole lot more, and the
killer guitar parts are played down. Things sound a lot more like black metal than death metal
this time around. This is really a letdown from what I heard on Wikka. Hopefully this is just a slump, and not a
sign of how things will be in the future, because overall this is a very
average and derivative sounding album to me.
AUDREY HORNE
NO HAY BANDA
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Exactly what in the name of fuck is this supposed to be? This is not metal, or at least not metal
that any self-respecting TRUE metalhead would want to listen to. Compare this to DISTURBED, and
you probably wouldn't be far off. I think I've wasted my time enough on this one.
THE BERZERKER
WORLD OF LIES
2005 EARACHE RECORDS
I always considered this band to be nothing more than a joke and a novelty act. They were one of the prime examples of how not to use
a drum machine... "oh yeah, look how fast our "drummer" plays." But now it seems that they want to be taken more seriously. So members
of THE BERZERKER have ditched the ridiculous masks and attempted to write music more in line with modern grindcore. They're still using
a drum machine, but they've figured out how to make it sound like there's an actual human behind a drumkit. The best way I think I can
describe their current sound is "CARCASS on meth." In other words, they've taken on the style of CARCASS but thrown out any slower parts.
This makes me think that they're still focused on being the fastest band ever. Will their bid for credibility work? I guess we'll find
out in the future.
BIOHAZARD
MEANS TO AN END
2005 SPV
I'll admit it. I was into BIOHAZARD back when Urban Discipline came out. But I stuck with them for only one more album. After that,
I moved on to other things. I don't even own those older albums anymore and haven't for years. So this is the first time I've heard the
band in probably six or seven years, and probably closer to eight. Guess what? They haven't changed a bit. This sounds exactly like they
did back in 1992. OK, so I'm not into their sound, but I do have to hand it to them for staying true to their beginnings and not trying to
become something they're not. SEPULTURA aren't the same band anymore, but BIOHAZARD are. There's something to be said for sticking
to your guns and not changing for anyone or anything. And I'll throw this out there as well... as far as hardcore influenced metal goes,
this beats the living shit out of any metalcore band.
BIOLICH
THE SPACE BETWEEN HOME AND TODAY
2005 PARAGON RECORDS
Despite having started as a kind of DEMILICH style band, BIOLICH have evolved into some kind of chaotic tech-grind that gives me the same
sense of feeling that an ORIGIN album does. In other words, where's the songs? All I hear is a bunch of stuff slapped together and given
a song title. Sure, there's technical things going on, but there's no real flow to any of it. Maybe this is just too "modern" for me,
and I should stick to my ASPHYX albums like a good old fart should.
BLACK CRUCIFIXION
THE FALLEN ONE IN FLAMES
2005 PARAGON RECORDS
This is a mcd reissue of one of BEHERIT's contemporaries. In fact, a couple of former members
of BEHERIT ended up joining BLACK CRUCIFIXION after Holocausto moved to a different town. This
recording sounds very much like Drawing Down the Moon, and it's a damn shame that it's only
three songs plus an intro and outro. For the most part, the recording itself sounds fairly good,
but there are some distorted parts that lead me to believe that this was mastered off of an old
tape that had been listened to many, many times. Fortunately, these parts don't show up very often,
and we can enjoy BLACK CRUCIFIXION without the distraction. To put it bluntly, this band was one
of a handful of bands that truly embodied the black metal spirit as it once was. Of course,
this is not a new band, so this is not all that surprising. If anything, this mcd serves as a
reminder of what once was, and what has been lost for the most part in the scene. For lovers
of old school primitive black metal with the right kind of attitude, this is for you. Goth
fags can fuck off!
BLESSING THE HOGS
THE TWELVE GAUGE SOLUTION
2005 GOODFELLOW RECORDINGS
After all these years of hearing Billy Anderson produced albums, I finally get to hear something from his own band. Not surprisingly, BLESSING THE HOGS
plays a kind of sludgy hardcore, complete with lurching riffs and extreme vocals. There's loads of odd timings, samples, and all of the things that people into
hardcore and especially EYEHATEGOD will be into. This is some seriously intense sounding stuff, and despite the inclusion of a video, I wouldn't expect to see them
on Headgiver's Ball anytime soon. I do like the twisted version of PAC-MAN that they included as a bonus game though.
BRIARGH
KANTTRUG
2006 FATAL ECSTASY PRODUCTIONS
This is the solo project from Dux Bellorum Briargh, a member of Spain's FORESTDOME. He did everything on this release. Vocals, drums,
guitar, bass, even the cover artwork. In other words, he's a very talented guy. BRIARGH has a "back to the roots" type of black metal
sound, and to me is like a mix of BURZUM and GRAVELAND. The entire album is a celebration of sorts of Cantabria, better known these
days as Spain (and Briargh's homeland). Not a lot of speed here, the songs all focus on the brooding and atmospheric aspects of black
metal. Not bad for a debut solo project, and I'm sure this isn't the last we'll hear from BRIARGH.
THE BRONX CASKET COMPANY
HELLECTRIC
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
This is the first time I've heard THE BRONX CASKET COMPANY, but I'm familiar with the name as
both DD Verni and Tim Mallare from OVERKILL (well, not Tim since he's left the band). I'm not
exactly sure what I expected, as the lineup is fairly diverse... two guys from OVERKILL, one
formerly of the MISFITS, and one from SAVATAGE. What they've created is a kind of lighter, non-humorous, more
pop-oriented version of TYPE O NEGATIVE. I can't say if that's a good or a bad thing. I'm not
that blown away by the music. I'd rather listen to OVERKILL, MISFITS or TYPE O instead.
CALIBAN VS HEAVEN SHALL BURN
THE SPLIT PROGRAM II
2005 LIFEFORCE RECORDS
I liked the way that Season of Mist used to do those versus albums. Put two bands together, have them
do a couple of originals, and then cover one of the other band's songs. Unfortunately,
that's asking a bit much from metalcore, so that doesn't happen here. What I'd really like to
see is these two bands in a true fight to the death. Then I could just summarily execute the
survivors and be done with them.
CATHETER
DIMENSION 303
2005 SELFMADEGOD RECORDS
Insane grindcore from this American band out of Denver, Colorado. CATHETER is a lurching, lumbering monster that just knocks down
everything in its path, leaving nothing untouched. This is one you might need a couple of listens to understand. CATHETER are somewhere
between BRUTAL TRUTH, TERRORIZER, and maybe early PUNGENT STENCH. Yeah, that's a very volatile combination. Potent too.
CENTINEX
WORLD DECLENSION
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I'm really glad that CENTINEX are still around. I probably say this in every review I've done
of their albums, but it bears saying again... they are one of the last of the original wave
of Swedish death metal, and it's great to see them still going as strong as ever. But something
seems different this time around. Maybe I've been exposed to too many of these Swedish neo-thrash
bands, because CENTINEX sounds a lot like them this time around. I honestly don't hear a lot
of the old school in their sound on World Declension. That's not to say that it doesn't
show up from time to time in the songs. The old school is still there, but it gets beaten down
by the more modern touches. I wouldn't say that I'm disappointed, but I am feeling a little
let down about the fact that CENTINEX seem to want to compete with bands like THE HAUNTED or
HATESPHERE, rather than keeping the old school alive. But as I said, I might have been exposed
to too many neo-thrash bands recently, and that's caused me to focus on those elements too much,
with the end result of me talking out of my ass.
CHARNEL VALLEY
THE DARK ARCHIVES
2005 PARAGON RECORDS
A couple of really well known music critics in the underground have come together to do their own little black metal project. I won't name names, but the more
clever of you out there will probably figure out who "Worm" and "Czar" really are. Honestly, I expected something much better from the damnated duo. CHARNEL VALLEY
draws very heavily from DARKTHRONE and little else. Yet they're not a clone band in the same way that GODLESS NORTH are. I wouldn't say the music is bad, but I would
say that it didn't hold my attention very well for its 30 minute length. Worm and Czar are already working on a new album... let's hope they come up with
something a little more exciting next time. Right now, I think they've just succeeded in setting themselves up as targets for all the bands they've trashed over the years.
COFFINS
MORTUARY IN DARKNESS
2005 RAZORBACK RECORDS
Anyone who describes Japan's COFFINS as yet another HELLHAMMER worship band needs to have their ears checked immediately. Those of us who remember the mighty WINTER
will instantly recognize their overwhelming influence upon these sludge-doomsters. The opening track "Black End" sounds remarkably like "Oppression Freedom" off of
WINTER's classic Into Darkness. In fact, it sounds so close that I had to check a few times to make sure it wasn't a cover. COFFINS has the WINTER sound down perfectly,
right down to the string bends that produce the weird tones that made WINTER what they were. Now don't get the idea that COFFINS is just a ripoff band, because they're not.
They have plenty of their own ideas on later tracks. But without a doubt, they are the spiritual successor to one of metal and hardcore's most overlooked yet also fanatically
worshipped band. If you're into the slow and heavy, COFFINS is a necessity for your collection.
CORPUS CHRISTII
THE TORMENT CONTINUES
2005 UNDERCOVER RECORDS
Unreal. If ever there was a statement made to show how much black metal has become watered down and a shadow of its former self, this is it.
CORPUS CHRISTII have built themselves a time machine and gone back to the early 1990s. That's where this album sounds like it came from, as if they recorded
it back then and waited until now to release it. But of course that's not true, as The Torment Continues was recorded in 2004. This is the kind]
of album that makes me a believer in black metal again. Other than maybe the last DARKTHRONE release, I haven't heard anything even remotely like this
in forever. You can take all of your gothic black metal, suicidal black metal, and symphonic black metal and shove it up your ass. This is real black metal,
and CORPUS CHRISTII succeed where many others have failed (this means you, MARDUK).
CRAFT
FUCK THE UNIVERSE
2005 SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS/ CARNAL RECORDS
This band has been known to me for many years, but I've never bothered to check them out until
now. I'm kind of sorry that I didn't, because 1) this is their final album and 2) they're
total DARKTHRONE worship with a couple of their own quirks thrown in. But for the most part,
CRAFT have that Under a Funeral Moon sound going for them. This is a case where if you
can't get enough of a certain sound (DARKTHRONE), then you need this one for your collection
to get your fix.
CRUCIFIRE
UNBLESSED UNTO HATRED
2003 SELF RELEASE
This is one of those cases where you have to listen very hard and focus your concentration on the music while ignoring the production
(what's with the constant phlange noise, anyway?. Unblessed Unto Hatred has no production, but this is a case like the first
demo ANGEL CORPSE put out. The music is fucking there if you pay attention. CRUCIFIRE is not like other Australian bands. They don't
play war metal like GOSPEL OF THE HORNS, DESTROYER 666 and the like. They're more into old school death metal, and have a style that
only slightly differs from ENCABULOS, which some of the members used to be in. The music is damn brutal in the old sense of the word,
and they've got a rough and tumble style that I'd like to hear more of in the future... but with a clearer sound, ok?
crucifire@hotmail.com
CRYPTICUS
DEDICATED TO THE IMPURE
2005 RAZORBACK RECORDS
I don't know if people are becoming more misanthropic, but it seems like the number of one man band projects has increased dramatically
in recent years. Black metal was of course inundated with them, but now I'm finding more and more death metal musicians are doing the
same thing. CRYPTICUS is one of the latest of these, but unlike so many of these solitary member things, it's actually good. The music
is all spawned from the demented mind of one Patrick Bruss, and if the music is a reflection of his mental state, then I wouldn't want
to be caught trespassing on his property at night. The good news is that CRYPTICUS has a strong old school feeling, and the vocals are
ripped straight out of the first two CARCASS albums. They're so low and garbled that I have to wonder if he's one of these infernal
microphone cuppers. If not, then please accept my apologies and carry on as you were. The downtuned guitars chase after the frantic
drums at a frightening pace, only occasionally slowing down for more effect. The CARCASS comparison works just as well here, but
Bruss does something a little more than just blatantly rip-off the grind gods like many others have. With this album, you'll finally
understand what the difference is between stealing from a band and using their music to inspire/influence you. The perfect example is
in "Cyclops Throne." Really, the only negative thing I have to say is that Dedicated to the Impure is over all too fast. But
then again, that might not be much of a negative, since it's refreshing for one of these projects to avoid the self-indulgence trap
that so many of them fall into. CRYPTICUS is short and to the point. Knifepoint that is. By the way, don't let the above CARCASS
comparisons fool you. This is not another clone. CRYPTICUS has both bloody boots planted firmly in the entire early '90s death metal
scene, not just one particular band.
DARK FUNERAL
DE PROFUNDIS CLAMAVI AD TE DOMINE
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Recorded while on tour in 2003, the live album from DARK FUNERAL finally sees the light of day...
or perhaps dark of night? A pretty good cross-section of the songs from their various releases
are presented here, and the bad did remember to include the crowd in the mix. But that mix is
not what it should be. It sounds really thin, and the focus is mostly on the vocals. The guitars
and drums seem to take turns in the pecking order, so at times the mix can seem uneven. Still,
this isn't a bad live album, and the fans will be pleased.
DARK FUNERAL
ATTERA TOTUS SANCTUS
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
It's very hard for me to come out and say this, as I was in contact with Lord Ahriman for a while, but DARK FUNERAL need to hang it up.
The sad fact is, none of their output since David "Blackmoon" Parland left has measured up to what they sounded like when they were just
getting known in the underground. I've tried to like the albums released after Secrets of the Black Arts, and I think I've been
fooling myself all this time. The material here just doesn't have the same black feeling of evil, and it's obvious that the band just
doesn't sound like they used to. Maybe I'm feeling this way because I was there for the rise of the second wave
of black metal and remember how the original bands all sounded. For the new fans, maybe DARK FUNERAL sound really evil and they just
won't understand what I'm saying at all. Bottom line is that this release sounds like the one that came before it. Literally.
Unlike AC/DC or BOLT THROWER, the songs sound identical to each other. I could put on this album, randomly play the songs, and you
wouldn't be able to tell which was which.
DARK LEGIONS
AWAKENING OF THE LEGIONS
2005 SELF RELEASE
It's always good to hear a band from Sweden that remembers the metal days of old. DARK LEGIONS may have a name that makes one think they're yet
another boring black metal band, but this is not the case at all. Instead, this trio of titans crank out a sound that can best be described as early
BATHORY meets early SODOM. Basically, DARK LEGIONS are raw thrashing blackness. Their style has a lot of enthusiasm behind it, and it's obvious to
the listener that they're going for the feeling, and not for the technicality. Of course, neither BATHORY nor SODOM was all that technical anyway.
I get the exact same feeling listening to these guys as I do when I hear TORMENT (Germany) or BURIED GOD. It's music that is fairly simple, very effective,
and gets the blood pumping. I'm sure Billy Milano of SOD would say that they inspire a "fist banging mania." Which is just how I like it. Beer in one hand,
and the sign of metal pointed high with the other.
www.darklegions.se
legion@darklegions.se
DARKBLACK
THE BARBARIAN'S HAMMER
2005 HOT DOG CITY RECORDS
While it's good to hear a new band that plays old school heavy metal (and not that power metal
stuff), my enthusiasm quickly wanes when the singer winds up sounding tone deaf. He's just
awful, although he tries really, really hard. I'm just glad that he doesn't attempt to go beyond
the small range he has. Despite the fact that the music here is fairly decent mid-paced heavy
metal (nothing overly special though... they're not the second coming of OMEN or anything like
that), I just can't get past the vocals. I don't doubt DARKBLACK's dedication to metal, but they
really need to either get someone who can really belt the songs out, or else go in the direction
of STORMWARRIOR and go for some rougher sounding vocals. Right now, they've got a vocalist, not
a singer.
www.darkblack.us
darkblack@excite.com
DARKESTRA
EMBRACE OF MEMORY
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
This pagan black metal band didn't impress me very much, except for the fact that I had a nagging feeling that they reminded me
of another, more famous band. It took me a bit to figure it out, but DARKESTRA owe a lot to SATYRICON's Dark Medieval Times
and The Shadowthrone. While I wasn't blown away, they are able to do a damn close imitation of those two black metal
classics. What the hell... they're better than what SATYRICON turned into, aren't they?
DARKNESS ETERNAL
MISANTHROPIC ANNIHILATION
2005 AUTOPSY KITCHEN RECORDS
Canadian madman George Velaetis is back with a new onslaught of music from his one man project,
DARKNESS ETERNAL. For the uninitiated, DE sounds like what you might get if you mixed INCANTATION
with THE CHASM. Yeah... I thought that might get your attention. George is still using two
different guitars to record the rhythm and lead tracks, and it's a great idea that works extremely
well. Each song also has its own identity, and that alone sets DARKNESS ETERNAL above a whole lot
of the competition in death metal. If I was impressed with Satanchrist, then I am positively
blown away by Misanthropic Annihilation.
DEATH THRASHERS KUOPIO
ZOMBIES... APOCALYPSE ... AND OTHER NICE THINGS
NECROMANCY... BLOOD... VENGEANCE
2002, 2003 IRON FIST KOMMANDO PRODUCTIONS
I had never heard of this band until I checked out the Metal On Metal compilation
of Finnish bands, and I'm really glad their demos recently fell into my hands. DTK was one
of the more popular death/thrash bands of the Finnish underground until they broke up. The material
on the first demo sounds like BEHERIT covering songs from SODOM's demos. If that's not cult, I don't
know what is. I firmly believe that these guys almost play faster than their abilities allow them,
and it's that "on the verge of falling apart" sound that really makes them as great as they are.
There's really nothing like the potential for disaster when it comes to thrash metal. Evil,
ancient obsure sound to the contrary, this is a really fun band to listen to, and that's what metal really is all about, right?
The second demo is more straightforward thrash, but it's just as killer. Different from the first, yet in the same kind
of vein. I'm not sure exactly how available this demo is, but write to the email address below and I'm sure he'll let you know.
DEATH THRASHERS KUOPIO
c/o J. Vainikainen
Saarijarventie 5 C 47
70460 Kuopio
Finland
hellspirit_@hotmail.com
DEATHBOUND
DOOMSDAY COMFORT
2005 DYNAMIC ARTS RECORDS
About the best description I can come up with for DEATHBOUND is that they're somewhere between
CARNAL FORGE and later era CARCASS. CARNAL FORGE for the overall style of music they play, and
CARCASS for the heavily distorted guitar and bass tones. The drumming here is absolutely
relentless, going from dangerously fast to ludicrously fast, and the hell with technical
acrobatics. For those into the new breed of thrash like THE HAUNTED or HATESPHERE, DEATHBOUND
is sure to please.
DEATHEVOKATION
BLOOD
2005 SELF RELEASE
Old school early '90s sounding death metal from San Diego? You'd better believe it! For this quartet, the years 1995 until now might
as well have never happened. DEATHEVOKATION believe in doing things their way, and only their way. Case in point... this demo is not
pressed on a CDR, was not recorded in a bedroom, and is not a fucking hour long. Instead, it's on a cassette tape (your eyes did not
deceive you), and is about twenty or so minutes in length. You get an intro and three songs. For you bozos out there too "cool" to
listen to a tape, the band was kind enough to encode the demo as mp3 files on a CDR for your sorry asses. The three tracks here are
"Embers of A Dying World," "The Monument," and "Blood." Of the three, the title track is the weakest in my opinion. This is mostly
because of a repeated riff that sounds completely out of place. It's the only thing on this recording that's not "old school."
However, I have been informed that since the demo was recorded, the song "Blood" has been reworked, and that riff appears only once.
Also, the first side features an overly long acoustic piece that was recorded to take up the extra space on the tape. If DEATHEVOKATION
had recorded this on CD, they wouldn't have needed to do that. Personally, I'd preferred it if they'd recorded their cover of ENTOMBED's
"Supposed to Rot" instead. Oops... looks like I just name-dropped one of their influences. Well, I might as well mention the rest.
The band name of course comes from the old DISMEMBER song that many people probably won't remember. The three songs here mostly sound
like BOLT THROWER meets old UNLEASHED. There might be a little MASSACRE or MORGOTH (or both!) thrown in for good measure too. The
band is already working on new material, some of which I've been informed sounds like an unlikely mix of VADER and INCANTATION. I will
definitely be on the lookout for anything else this band sees fit to record. Put simply, if you're a fan of the old school, this is
one demo that your collection needs to have in it. If there is a band that has resurrected the days of old with their sound,
DEATHEVOKATION is it.
DEATHEVOKATION
Goetz Vogelsang
8118 La Jolla Shores Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
USA
www.deathevokation.com
guts@deathevokation.com
DEFLESHED
RECLAIM THE BEAT
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I've been a fan of DEFLESHED for several years now, but I'm really starting to wonder what's going on with them. Reclaim the Beat sees the band falling
victim to the same problem that plagues CARNAL FORGE. The songs all kind of sound the same, and just blast forth at full throttle. Don't get me wrong, this isn't bad by any
means, but it's really sad to see DEFLESHED becoming yet another one dimensional band. I remember when they were stiff competition for GOD DETHRONED.
DENIZEN
AUDIO PAINTINGS
2005 SELF RELEASE
One man project here, with everything played by Pete Geer except for the drums, which he programmed.
A strong progressive feeling is the main core of his music, with a kind of DREAM THEATER meets
maybe Nothingface era VOIVOD. The production here isn't the best, as everything sounds
like it was recorded underwater. Well, maybe not as bad as that... maybe the microphones were in
the next room and not in the swimming pool. Pete's songwriting ability is pretty damn good, but
I'd really suggest he find a vocalist, preferably one with some power in their lungs. His voice
doesn't suit his music's sound, and is more spoken than sung. I think Pete knows what he wants
to do with his music, but hasn't quite figured out where to go yet. For that, I think he could
use a few friends.
DENIZEN
P.O. Box 171
Ontario Center, NY 14520
USA
pgeer@optimaxsi.com
DESTRUCTION
INVENTOR OF EVIL
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I have a sinking feeling that a lot of people will avoid this album because of
Metal Discharge. They really shouldn't, because even though DESTRUCTION weren't quite
up to par on that album, they were still (and are) better than a whole shitload of other bands
out there. I'm sure there will be a lot of comments from the peanut gallery about "The Alliance
of Hellhoundz." Well piss off. I like it. I think it was pretty cool getting all those guest
vocalists to participate. Musically, the album is pure DESTRUCTION. And that means killer
thrash metal.
DESTRUKTOR
NUCLEAR STORM
2005 HELLS HEADBANGERS
I've got a demo from this Australian band somewhere in my home, and it's good to see that they're
still around. DESTRUKTOR of course follow the path laid by bands that came before them, such as
BESTIAL WARLUST or DESTROYER 666. This was recorded all the way back in 2002, but not mixed until 2003/2004.
So it took forever to come out. But it's well worth the wait even though it's only four songs and an intro.
Nuclear Storm is simple, fast and straightforward in the true Aussie style as only they can do.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
DAY OF THE DEAD
2005 CINISMO RECORDS
This band came out of the idea of two members of Colombia's AGONY to reissue their albums for the US market. It seems that they had
decided to record some new material to be used as bonus tracks, but what they came up with was something very different and wouldn't
work as they originally intended. No word on what happened to the AGONY reissues, but here's the DIA DE LOS MUERTOS project instead.
Currently, the band has no regular lead singer, so they instead got some friends to help out, with each one both writing the lyrics and
then doing the vocals for their particular song. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS is in that "new thrash" kind of vein, but with the different vocal
styles of Loana dP Valencia (DREAMS OF DAMNATION), Maldito X (ASESINO, STATIC-X), Andres Gimenez (A.N.I.M.A.L.), and Alex Okendo (MASACRE),
it's hard to figure out exactly what they would like the vocals to eventually sound like. A lot of this album sounds very much influenced
by both newer SLAYER and Roots era SEPULTURA. In fact, a few riffs sound like they were "borrowed" from SLAYER and then tweaked
a little bit. Overall, this sounds more like something for the DISTURBED and SLIPKNOT crowd than it does for us underground types.
DIVINE EMPIRE
METHOD OF EXECUTION
2005 CRASH MUSIC
Well, it figures. DIVINE EMPIRE finally evolved (in my opinion) to a decent sounding modern
death metal band, and then they go and implode. This is the last output you'll be hearing
from the original members unless they reunite sometime in the future. The last I heard, one
member will retain the name, the other two have formed THE DIVINE EMPIRE. Uhh... yeah. Well,
whatever. If you're into CANNIBAL CORPSE or MALEVOLENT CREATION, and wonder what a mix of the
two would sound like, then you're in the right place. All of you fans of brutal death metal
fans need look no further, unless you're really against bands that aren't very technical
or not afraid to slow down here and there.
DRAGONLAND
STARFALL
2005 CENTURY MEDIA / MAGICK RECORDS
There is such a thing as power metal that's too pretty. DRAGONLAND's music is so light and airy that I expected daisies and pansies to start
flying out of my stereo's speakers. The nice thing is that at least they don't beat you over the head with their music. There's no showing off
or crap like that. But things are a lot more laid back than I'd like. I also don't really get the closing trilogy of songs, which are all instrumental,
yet have a story that goes with them.
EARTHRIDE
VAMPIRE CIRCUS
2005 SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS
I've been, hell... we've ALL been waiting for this album for far too long. Taming of the
Demons was phenomenal, and I'm sure that we all wanted more. So here at last, we finally
get it. Sounds like the band has tuned a little lower... or maybe they're just playing it
heavier. Either way, that's fine with me. Dave Sherman sounds a lot grittier and that's for
the better too. I really didn't think these guys could get any better than they already were.
Somehow or another, they did, and it's all I can do to not play an air instrument along to this
album as I listen to it here at work. Slower and doomier... sounds like they avoided the
sophomore slump. Good for them!
ENTWINE
DIEVERSITY
2005 CENTURY MEDIA / MAGICK RECORDS
Here's the latest Finnish techno goth/rock sensation in all their glory, such as it is. Sounding like the direct descendants of ALICE IN CHAINS, MARILYN MANSON,
and the like, they've got a sound that's radio friendly but still with enough of an edge to make them "cool." ENTWINE are pretty typical of the kind of "metal" you get
on soundtracks to post-apocalyptic movies these days. You know... dark, crunchy, and trendy.
EPHEL DUATH
PAIN NECESSARY TO KNOW
2005 EARACHE RECORDS
I just don't understand bands like this. Do people actually buy albums full of what are essentially noise collages? I prefer music myself. I mean,
sure, EPHEL DUATH can be compared to NEUROSIS in a lot of ways, except that NEUROSIS don't include the jazz bullshit in their music. The huge lurching parts
give way to passages of utter chaos, where it seems like everything is thrown into the mix including the kitchen sink. Is this really music? ... must be,
and someone out there must like it. Probably some art fag.
EVEMASTER
MMIV LACRIMAE MUNDI
2005 CRASH MUSIC / RISING REALM RECORDS
Weird way to record things... this duo that employs a plethora of session musicians laid down the synths and vocals in 1998 and took until 2004 to
get the drums and guitars done. Whatever. What we've got here is a blackened melodic death metal band (gee.. I haven't heard one of those before!)
that doesn't do much of anything new, different, or even mildly interesting. In fact, I think they should string up whoever wrote the bio sheet that I got
with this CD. When the people promoting you describe you as a lesser version of CHILDREN OF BODOM, something's just not right. If you're a BODOM fan, stick with
them... EVEMASTER just can't compare. I do hope that Ronnie James Dio is getting some kind of kickback since the band decided to cover "We Rock." The man
deserves some kind of compensation given how they completely botched it.
EVIL INCARNATE
WAITING FOR HIS RETURN
2005 HELLS HEADBANGERS
Without a doubt, Mike Eisenhauer and his bandmates are holding high powered rifles as they
wait for Him to return. This album is well over due, but you can blame that on the usual kind
of problems that seem to plague bands. The fact that Morbid Records changed their mind after
signing them didn't help either. But EVIL INCARNATE found a home in Hell's Headbangers, and at
long last their third album has finally been released. The band continue to play a kind of
thrashing death metal. There is one thing that I don't care for here, and that's the Aryan
standpoint that EVIL INCARNATE have taken. I guess it's always been there, but they've now decided
to be a little louder about it. Hopefully this does not affect the music too much in the future.
Unfortunately, as they've recently replaced the pentagram in their logo with a swastika, I doubt that's
going to happen.
FEAR MY THOUGHTS
HELL SWEET HELL
2005 LIFEFORCE RECORDS
I'm sick of coming up with new ways to bash "medio-core" bands. Your turn to think of one.
FIREWIND
FORGED BY FIRE
2005 CENTURY MEDIA / MAGICK RECORDS
Interesting.... So Gus G. of DREAM EVIL has another band, and it's a much better one. FIREWIND is a band that puts the "power" in power metal. You could
practically provide enough electricity for a small city with the amount of energy that is on this album. Even without the contributed solos by James
Murphy and Marty Friedman, there's all the makings of a big band here. Time will tell, and I kind of hope that Gus will focus his energy on this band rather than
anything else he's involved in.
FLESH
DODSANGEST
2005 IRON FIST PRODUCTIONS
Give me an old school death metal band, and I'm a happy camper. Give me an old school death metal band from Sweden, and I'm on cloud nine. I could
end this review right there, but Pete Flesh deserves a little more than a simple, "This rules, buy it now goddamn it!" The riffmaster maniac
has taken a departure from the deaththrash style of music that he used to play with MAZE OF TORMENT and currently blazes through with DECEIVER in
favor of a death metal sound that reminds me of both AUTOPSY and early EDGE OF SANITY. Take a second or two, let that sink in, and come back to me. OK,
has the idea hit home yet? Are you practically foaming at the mouth with the desire to hear this album? Great. Because FLESH is just as rabid. At just
over a half hour, every track hits home with deadly accuracy, and smashes with more power than your average body slam. Lyrically, FLESH probably isn't the
most "advanced" band out there, but death metal never truly was about socio-economic issues now, was it? Nope. The lyrics of FLESH focus either on dark scenarios
from your most dreaded dreams, or on sheer hate. In that second case, instead of telling some kind of story, Pete Flesh opted to just try and describe his aggression
and hatred in as few words as possible. The year 2005 will most likely be remembered for the albums that BOLT THROWER and OBITUARY mercilessly dropped
on our heads, but if it was up to me, FLESH would be right up there alongside them.
www.peteflesh.tk
peteflesh@hotmail.com
FLOTSAM & JETSAM
DREAMS OF DEATH
2005 CRASH MUSIC
I don't think FLOTSAM & JETSAM could have made a more boring album. From the sounds of things,
they've decided that they're not a thrash metal band anymore. They've dropped anything fast
from their sound and decided to focus on melodies and soft lyrics for Eric AK to sing. I'm really
not sure why they would decide to go in this kind of direction, unless they're counting on their
fanbase to remain as faithful as ever. Myself, I always found them to be average at best and
never got into them very much. I honestly can't say for certain if this is better or worse than
High... my memory has completely (and thankfully) blocked out that album. Dreams of
Death has a real flat production, and everything sounds like it was recorded on autopilot.
There's no real feeling behind any of the material here. A few songs might sound better live,
but that doesn't do much good for us at the moment. This is one for the diehards.
FLOWING TEARS
RAZORBLISS
2005 CENTURY MEDIA / MAGICK RECORDS
How many of these alterna-metal goth/rock things does Century Media need anyway? They sure seem to have the market cornered. FLOWING TEARS' music comes from the same place
that TIAMAT, MOONSPELL, and LACUNA COIL get their inspirations from. You know the drill... strong production, hot chick on vocals, ugly guys playing instruments. I think I'll
pass on listening to this album again, but if vocalist Helen Vogt ever does a spread for Playboy, I'll be sure to pick up the issue.
GRAVELAND
FIRE CHARIOT OF DESTUCTION
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
It's been quite a while since I last heard anything by GRAVELAND. I think the last album I listened
to was Following the Voice of Blood. Not much has changed from what I can tell. GRAVELAND
are in kind of an odd position if you think about it. When they first crawled out of the Polish
underground, it was at a time when black metal was just starting to gain popularity over death
metal. It was also the time of band proclaiming how "true" they were and how "evil" they could be.
I also remember some interviews where Rob Darken mentioned how much he dislikes America and
Americans (strangely enough, GRAVELAND has a big fanbase here, so Rob must not have an aversion
to American dollars in his bank account). For you younger fans out there, realize that this was
when Clinton, not Bush was in power. That's right. Americans weren't very well liked then either.
So what makes GRAVELAND kind of odd is that they started out as this controversial, NS leaning black
metal band... but they've been around so long that they're not so controversial and are one of
the elder bands of the scene. It may well be possible to argue that at least politically, they've
mellowed. But we won't get into that here. The music is just like I remember from the early
albums, although maybe not quite as raw. They've focused mainly on the atmospherics, and I must
say that they can still deliver the goods. Whatever you think of their political views, you have
to admit that they're one of the most dependable black metal bands out there when it comes to
recording and releasing great music.
GRIMFIST
10 STEPS TO HELL
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
While much of the metal world was busy with a circle jerk over Ghouls of Grandeur, I
didn't care a bit for it. With their second album, some things changed while others stayed
the same. Horgh is gone. The big guy is no longer the drummer for GRIMFIST. But all of you
groupies can check him out in HYPOCRISY instead. The music has improved a little bit, with the
thrash sound remaining and the shoddy midwestern US death metal sound gone. I must say that this
album was a little hard to review. See, in order to try and dissuade the people out there who
would take the tracks and post them to the internet, Candlelight opted to fade out each song
partway through and then fade back in to a different part. This made the album very hard
to listen to, and I could never get into the flow of things. It's really too bad that the label
decided they had to do this to the promotional copies, and all because there's some bozo out
there who just can't wait to rip it to mp3 and post it on his website. If that's you and you're
reading this, you're a loser and a traitor to metal. Fucker.
HE WHO CORRUPTS
THE SMELL OF MONEY
2005 EUGENICS RECORD LABEL
Tacky. Utterly tacky. This ep features a supposed "scratch & sniff" digipack that smells like money, maybe a one dollar bill signed by the vocalist,
and a whole lot of metal meets hardcore meets grind that just fails thanks to said vocalist. Well, it's not really all his fault. I can't handle
schizophrenic shit like this. The metal is not really metal, the grind is not really grind, and we won't even touch the hardcore. I fully
expect some hatemail about this one from some tattooed fanboy with one of those emo haircuts. By the way...
what's the deal with asking for three bucks and a S.A.S.E. for a copy of the thankslist? Lame with a capital
jerk-off.
HELL SPIRIT
DEMO 1
2005 SELF RELEASE
Thrash metal is definitely making a comeback once again. We saw a resurgence several
years ago with the likes of BEWITCHED or INFERNO, and it is happening once again, but stronger
this time with bands such as NOCTURNAL or VEXED. Finland is right in the thick of it of course,
with HELL SPIRIT. This is some serious hellfucking thrash metal that has more than just a touch
of old black metal (think BEHERIT) in it for good measure. I love raw, primitive stuff like this.
For me, it's almost like the old Brazilian scene has been resurrected in the cold north, but with
slightly different influences. There's really not a bad word I can say about HELL SPIRIT. The
recording is of good quality, the music is fast, and the vocalist sounds particularly nasty.
Seriously, what's not to like? Check this band out, and I'm sure you'll agree with me. I hope
we hear a DEMO 2 in the near future.
HELL SPIRIT
c/o J. Vainikainen
Saarijarventie 5 C 47
70460 Kuopio
Finland
hellspirit.dy.fi
hellspirit_@hotmail.com
HELLOWEEN
KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS - THE LEGACY
2005 SPV
I have a feeling that this double album will go down in HELLOWEEN's history as their great
controversy. There's most likely two camps of thought about their tying it into the first two
Keeper albums. One side is probably just fine with it and doesn't care. The other,
which I am part of, feels that unless Kiske and Hansen were involved, the Keeper name
should have been left alone. To me, this album title feels like the band isn't sure what direction
they should be heading. It's almost like they're whoring out the high point from their past,
similar to what QUEENSRYCHE is doing by releasing a sequel to Operation: Mindcrime.
Anyway, let's talk about the music now. The last couple of HELLOWEEN albums really didn't feel
like HELLOWEEN albums to me at all. So of course I had some serious doubts and reservations
about this one. But I have some good news. This one is a return to form, and features some
of the strongest material I've heard from them in quite some time. Despite my misgivings about
the album title, they give the proper honor and respect to the Keeper name. The songs
here don't try to sound like copies of what came before, but they do fit in very well.
HELLOWEEN have really redeemed themselves with this release, and I hope they can keep things
on track like this for the future.
HELLVETO / PHORCYS / FORESTDOME
THREE WAY SPLIT CD
2005 FATAL ECSTASY PRODUCTIONS
I'm kind of surprised that this triple threat CD didn't have a title overarching all three bands. But no matter.
First up is HELLVETO, with Epitaph. This is a one man project out of Poland, featuring atmospheric black
metal with loads of orchestration. The guy seems to really love his keyboard, and keeps it set to "piano" rather
than "cheap sounding Japanese piece of crap". He also keeps things moving, as HELLVETO plays in a fast style. Next up
is PHORCYS, hailing out of Belarus, with Kolobos. Unlike the other two bands on this split, PHORCYS is more of
a black/death metal project, with the vocals far closer to death than black in sound. However, not to the same kind of
extreme that's found with AETERNUS. I really like PHORCYS, but I hope that Scarriot (only member) learns how to program a
drum machine so it doesn't sound so mechanical for his next release. Finally we have Spain's FORESTDOME, featuring three
members (at last, something other than a one man band), what could qualify as the most unintelligible vocals ever, and a
sadly thin production. These three warriors of death have a very chaotic style on When the River of Hate Tears Floods.
At times things will start to make sense musically, then they'll throw something in there that will knock you for a loop.
Very unpredictable, and probably the most challenging band on here. Overall, this is a fairly decent three way split CD. Each
band has a different style, so you'll never wonder exactly where you are on the disk.
HEMNUR
SATANIC HELLRIDE
2005 INFERNUS REX
Very, very strange to see a car on the cover of a black metal album. But then, Frediablo never has
been one to follow any "rules," whether written or not. HEMNUR is his old school black metal
project, which really reminds me a lot of NECROPHAGIA's latest, Harvest Ritual Volume 1.
Very similar guitar tone, and eerily similar vocals to those of Killjoy. The lyrical style (short
and choppy, not long epic poems) is also very much like NECROPHAGIA. Take that and add in super
fast parts that consist of hammering away at a few power chords (mainly the E chord of course)
and you've got HEMNUR. I've got a feeling that some of the bigger mags will just dismiss this
album. Me, I like it.
HIBRIA
DEFYING THE RULES
2005 REMEDY RECORDS / MAGICK RECORDS
There is indeed a difference between power metal and heavy metal. HIBRIA is an excellent example
of that difference. Simply because they flat out rock instead of trying to come across as a
five or six piece orchestra that gets bogged down in false self-importance. Musically, they've
taken a melodic speed metal and mixed it with a touch of glam. I for one don't give a flying fuck
about the glam bits. Why? Because as I said before, they flat out rock. This is a fun band,
with a fun album from start to finish. There is a little guitar fret wizardry, but it's never
overpowering, and the band quickly gets back to just cranking through their material with much
headbanging and hair-windmilling. They've got a more polished sound than an OMEN or a SKULLVIEW,
and I would go see these guys instead of BLIND GUARDIAN any day of the week. Put these guys on a
US tour with GUN BARREL, and I'd be very damn happy. Metal doesn't have to be all about doom,
gloom, how good of a musician you are, who makes the most money, or any of that crap. Metal
can be fun, and should be fun. I'm glad that HIBRIA remember that.
HOUR OF PENANCE
PAGEANTRY OF THE MARTYRS
2005 XTREEM MUSIC
Other than the long and skilled guitar solos, there's not much to HOUR OF PENANCE that attracts me
to their music. They still sound like a mix of HATE ETERNAL and DIVINE EMPIRE, but they've toned
down the technical parts to the point that they've moved more into MALEVOLENT CREATION-like
territory. Lots of wild drumming to be found here, and the guitars totally play off of the crashes
and bangs. Fans of IMMOLATION should definitely pick this one up. That fine tuning I mentioned
in my review of Disturbance has indeed taken place.
ICARUS WITCH
CAPTURE THE MAGIC
2005 MAGICK RECORDS
If you picked up the mini-CD from ICARUS WITCH earlier this year, you've probably been waiting
on pins and needles for their full length debut. Well, here it is for you in all its glory.
The band plays music that's a lot "prettier" than I remember from the Roses on White Lace
mcd, and some of the lyrics are in DIO style Dungeons & Dragons fare. The vocalist is still doing
a damn fine James Rivera imitation as well. In fact, I think he does a better James Rivera than
James Rivera! One big complaint from me though, is that the songs are all a little too slow.
Most of them seem to tell a story, and material like that is always done slow, but come on guys,
we need some blistering fast songs as well. Helps get the audience moving. The super fancy
guitar solos just aren't enough.
IN FLAMES
LUNAR STRAIN
SUBTERRANEAN
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
IN FLAMES may sadly have gone over to the Dark Side and become the poster-boys for metalcore, but
there was a time when they were one of the best bands when it comes to melodic death metal.
Although dismissed by many because their songs sounded too "happy," it was still undeniable that
they really had something good going, with riffs that would stick in your head for days. At long
last their first two releases are now available in the US, and both of them might leave some of
their fans shaking their heads in disbelief at how "un-scenester-like" the band used to be.
Candlelight chose to release these albums separately, but I'm reviewing them together because I'm
of the mind that they should have been a two disc set. Lunar Strain was the debut of course,
and at the time, Anders Frieden was still fronting DARK TRANQUILLITY. Michael Stanne, now of
DARK TRANQUILLITY was the lead singer, and things were undeniably metal. This reissue contains
three demo versions of songs on the album, as well as an acoustic piece. Subterranean
was recorded while IN FLAMES was in a transitory state between vocalists, but the material is just
as good as, if not better than Lunar Strain. This reissue contains IRON MAIDEN and
METALLICA covers as bonuses, as well as two tracks with Jocke Gothberg on vocals. Neither release
sounds much like today's IN FLAMES, and I'm still left wondering what would have happened if they'd
not given in to the scenester fans that picked up on them.
INFLICTION
THE SILENCER
2005 CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC
Here's some Italian death/thrash with the vocalist of NIGHT IN GALES [Bjorn Goosses]
fronting the band. At first listen, the opening riff on the first song, "Eyeseeblack" sounds
very close to the main riff for ACCEPT's "Metal Heart." But it's not exactly the same. Even so,
my level of suspicion has been raised. Despite the use of a keyboardist and some truly metal
guitar soloing, INFLICTION still somehow has a bit of a metalcore reek to it. I think it's
because Bjorn uses a variety of vocal styles, ranging from clean to light death, to deep death.
I can't say this does a lot for me, but at least this is better from that last abomination
from SOILWORK.
KHOLD
KREK
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
KHOLD are doing their best to sound like DARKTHRONE's Panzerfaust album on this release,
but I kind of think they were always trying to do that, so except for the fact that they're getting
better at it, there's not much new here. KHOLD sound kold und grim, and they've stuck to the same
formula which works for them. Nothing wrong with that.
KRATORNAS
SUBTERRANEAN SODOMIES
2005 SELF RELEASE
Alright, here we have a one man black metal type project out of the Phillipines. Apparently KRATORNAS has gone though some
evolution, as this mcd (or 7", depending on which format you want), features covers of older material from when the band
was more grindcore oriented. That's an interesting idea to say the least! The result is something that sounds like SARCOFAGO
hyped up on crack. Sort of like their Crust mcd, if you've heard it. This is definitely something unique, although I really
don't understand why he chose to re-record older material that doesn't have much to do with the current sound of his project.
KRATORNAS
21 Emerald Street, Eusebio Subdivision
Cadiz City, Necros Occidental
6121 Phillipines
kratornas.cjb.net
armamentsofsadism@yahoo.com
KULT OV AZAZEL
THE WORLD, THE FLESH & THE DEVIL
2005 CRASH MUSIC / ARCTIC RECORDS
Truth be told, I wasn't very impressed with KOA's last full length album. I have a feeling the band wasn't all that happy with it either, because they really put a lot
of work into this one and have put the band back on the track of hate and blasphemy. There's no soft lead in, no atmospheric intro... the album goes straight into an instant
hellish assault. The sound here is a lot stronger, but also a lot tighter. Not surprisingly, speed is still the name of the game, and KULT OV AZAZEL put the pedal to the metal
with their style of black metal that is not too far removed from DARK FUNERAL. However, they don't hit warp 10 like MARDUK did back on Panzer Division Marduk, and
that's fine with me. There is such a thing as too fast, and if anything, I'd like to see KOA slow things down every once in a while. I have a feeling that some slow, heavy parts
would really put their brand of black metal over the top. Speed ends up being a one-trick pony a lot of the time, and slowing down would give the band a whole new dimension to their
sound that would do them a lot of good (...er... evil). That bit of nitpicking aside, this is one hell of a return to form, and will go far in convincing Christians that
people into black metal really don't like them or their religion.
LORD BELIAL
THE SEAL OF BELIAL
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS / REGAIN RECORDS
Lord Belial have really changed a lot over the years. Not only have several of the founding members left (some returning under their real
names), but the sound of the band is different as well. Remember how they used to use a flute, like back on Kiss the Goat?
Things like that have gone away. Not only that, but they’ve also changed the speed they play their songs at. They’ve dropped the
speed, speed, and more speed approach in favor of slowing down a little bit. Now before you get upset, take this into account.
By doing this, they’ve added a lot more feeling to their songs, and given the material a lot more power. You can only blast for so
long before it all becomes just a wall of noise, and while that can be good to listen to for a while, it doesn’t do much for a band’s
longevity. The Seal of Belial is a far more dynamic album that their last few, and it’s also much more interesting to listen
to. I think this is really an excellent album, and you really should give it a listen or twelve.
MADMAN MUNDT
FOR A DAY OR A LIFETIME
2005 SHIFTY RECORDS
My first thought upon seeing a package from this band in my mailbox again was, "Oh no, not these guys again." I really hated the last thing
they sent me, so I was surprised to see something else from them. This time around, they've gotten better at songwriting, although they're
still nothing special. The vocals are what really put the nail in the coffin though. The guy isn't metal and he's not punk either. But
he does prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he does not belong behind the microphone. He's about on a par with that turd that "sings"
for SYSTEM OF A DOWN (or as I call them, SYSTEM OF DOWN'S SYNDROME). It may well be that MADMAN MUNDT is one of those bands that
sounds better live than on disk, but I for one don't really care to find out.
www.madmanmundt.com
mundtmail@yahoo.com
MALAS
CONQUEST
2005 SEMPITERNAL PRODUCTIONS
Things have been quiet in the LORD BLASPHEMER camp lately, but leave it to Erik Pertl to find something to keep his sick
mind busy. He's joined MALAS as bassist and frontman, and they've quickly been snapped up with a label deal.
Conquest is the result of that signing. Not surprisingly, the music of MALAS is not all that far removed from LORD
BLASPHEMER or old MASTER. If you're looking for old school heavy death thrash, then look no further. I particularly like the in your
face production here. Everything is loud and up front, and you really can't ask for more than that when it comes to
this kind of metal. I was lucky enough to see these guys at the Nuclear Holocaust Fest in Chicago over the
summer, and they completely obliterated everyone who was there early enough to catch them.
MALICIOUS DAMAGE
SCORCHED EARTH POLICY
2005 SELF RELEASE
With a style that's far more hardcore than metal, MALICIOUS DAMAGE have only one goal in mind:
the relentless pummeling of your eardrums. Somehow or another, they've worked in some industrial
influences as well, which almost convinced me that they had a drum machine. But no, it was just
the way they have things tuned and how their distortion set up. That applies to the guitars as well,which have a very mechanical "grating" sound to them. MALICIOUS DAMAGe do put up one hell of a
wall of sound, and vocalist Josh sounds at times like a cross between Kirk of CROWBAR and everyone's
favorite tough guy, Phil Anselmo. The thing is... this band started back in 1987, and if the old
photo that's displayed on the pictures page of their website is what they looked like back then,
then somehow I have the feeling that the band originally started off as something more metal.
Maybe like DRI. I wouldn't mind hearing some of the material from that era, as the current sound
seems to indicate that they're trying to straddle the line between what gets played on Headgiver's Ball and truly extreme music.
MALICIOUS DAMAGE
4331 NW 20th Ave #1
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
USA
www.maliciousdamage.net
actomaselli@msn.com
MANTICORE
FOR RATS AND PLAGUE
Holy fuck. MANTICORE have gotten heavier. The ORDER FROM CHAOS similarities are still there,
but the sound has a huge bottom end, and one of the vocalists sounds like he belongs in INCANTATION.
I really hate to continually compare MANTICORE to OFC, but to me, this is the true spiritual
successor to one of the underground's most revered (and in some cases, hated) bands. These guys
might as well have the slogan of "MANTICORE play nuclear death metal exclusively." This is one
of those albums that just leaves me speechless.
THE MASS
PERFECT PICTURE OF WISDOM AND BOLDNESS
2005 CRUCIAL BLAST
Someone out there must really hate me. This is the second release from THE MASS for 2005. Making me suffer through a second album of crap like this in less than a year
definitely falls under "cruel and unusual punishment." At least they use the saxophone a lot less. This isn't exactly crap, but it's stuff that those of us into
real metal won't care for. The DILLINGER kiddies will eat it up, I'm sure.
MASTERPLAN
AERONAUTICS
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
This is my first time hearing MASTERPLAN, the new project of former HELLOWEEN members Roland Grapow
and Uli Kusch. The style is not far removed from what they did in HELLOWEEN, but this is much
better than Rabbit Don't Come Easy. Jorn Lande handles the vocals. I really enjoyed his Out to Every Nation solo album,
and he's in fine form here, although he doesn't get to cut loose very much. Yes, there are keyboards and the band has a kind of "power
metal-lite" / pop sound, but it's not at all like what STRATOVARIUS does. I think this album is more in the hard
rock vein than it is power metal. That's not necessarily a bad thing; it just depends on what
you're looking for.
MINDGRINDER
RIOT DETONATOR
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I was fairly impressed by MINDGRINDER's debut album, and it sounds like they've gotten even better
for this album. Mindtech was more or less straightforward blast, but Riot Detonator
has deeper songwriting, and soaring solos to boot. Tons of aggression in the vocals, and top-notch
musicianship to go along with it. Some detractors will probably go on and on about how MINDGRINDER
sound a lot like BEHEMOTH these days, but that's their problem.
MINSK
OUT OF A CENTER WHICH IS NEITHER DEAD NOR ALIVE
2005 AT A LOSS RECORDINDS
When a band claims to draw a lot of influence from HAWKWIND or URIAH HEEP, you'd better believe
that I look at that claim with an air of skepticism. To put it bluntly, I don't hear any of that.
What I do hear is a band that is a potential successor to the much missed MORGION. Potential,
because they also sound one hell of a lot like NEUROSIS. In fact, as the album progresses, the
more death/doom parts that sound like MORGION give way to the NEUROSIS sounds. The album is
six songs long, plays for about an hour, and in that time you'll be lost in a maze of tribal
sounding drums, somewhat hardcore vocals, heavily distorted guitars, and ambient sounds. In
other words, if you're into NEUROSIS (circa Through Silver in Blood), you'll go crazy
for MINSK.
MONOLITHE
II
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS / APPEASE ME
It really takes a lot of talent (and a lot of balls) to write and release an album that contains only one song. Especially when that one song
runs slightly over fifty minutes. Not very many bands have attempted this. Only SLEEP's Jerusalem, EDGE OF SANITY's Crimson, SABBAT's
The Dwelling and GREEN CARNATION's Light of Day, Day of Darkness come to mind as successful ones. Maybe also FREDRICK THORENDAHL's SPECIAL DEFECTS
counts too, although it was divided into a ton of subtracks. File MONOLITHE as one of the successes. This feat is even more impressive when you learn that this is
how all of their albums will be done for the forseeable future. And you can't beat their style. This is like early MY DYING BRIDE, early ANATHEMA and early PARADISE
LOST all rolled into one. Vocals are few and far between, and supposedly this is the second part of a story that is being told over the course of their
first few albums. Unfortunately, I don't have any lyrics, so I have no idea what that story is. I sure as hell intend to find out though. Not surprisingly, the
song herein does have the kind of flow you would expect. It starts off with a feeling of something rising, of being built... kind of like you were staring up
at a monolith. Then, towards the middle, it plateaus. And I'm sure you've already figured out that there is a descent towards the end. OK, so maybe writing a song
like that isn't too original, but keep this in mind... if II is telling a story, then this would be a chapter. So the structure works, and even allows the album
to stand on its own. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a flow like this than something completely schizophrenic that ends with no reason and just
sounds confused. I just hope that Candlelight licenses I sometime in the near future so I can hear the start of this sonic journey.
MORRIGAN
HEADCULT
2005 UNDERCOVER RECORDS
With the sad demise of Quorthon and the end of BATHORY, it's good to know that we still have
Germany's MORRIGAN to give us the ultimate in grandiose black metal in the style of
Hammerheart or Twilight of the Gods. MORRIGAN have taken what BATHORY started and
expanded on it. Within moments of starting Headcult, I had images of snow capped mountains,
frost covered trees, and the vastness of nature in my mind. The key to MORRIGAN's music is
atmosphere, and that key is created and used in a different way than most other black metal
bands. The epicness of Headcult is just amazing, and is something you have to experience.
Words fail to do it justice.
NACHTMYSTIUM
DEMISE
2005 AUTOPSY KITCHEN RECORDS
Despite the fact that the underground seems to be abuzz with talk of NACHYMYSTIUM, this is my
first time hearing one of their albums. Somehow, I'm not surprised that they're extremely raw
black metal with electric shavers for guitars. Thankfully, they don't sound like one of these
"suicide" black metal bands to my ears. What they've gone and done instead is recapture the
very early days of IMMORTAL, BEHEMOTH, and to an extent... DARKTHRONE. I wouldn't call what they're
doing "new" by any means, but they definitely have the true and right spirit of black metal.
The music is cold and grim, and will in no way appeal to those who think that DIMMU BORGIR is
the epitome of extreme music.
NUCLEAR ASSAULT
THIRD WORLD GENOCIDE
2005 SPV
I will not lie to you, my loyal readers. This is not a triumphant return for NUCLEAR ASSAULT. Even if I were to try to convince myself that this is a good album,
I'd never believe it, and so I won't tell you that it is. I think the band just forgot how to write music like they used to. The mix is horrible, and John Connelly is
very hard to hear a lot of the time. Of course, he was always in the background on their older albums, but he sounds a lot weaker here. Fact is, he's no longer the Sam Kinison
of thrash metal. The anger just isn't there. The songs are all flat sounding and just don't hold up to what NUCLEAR ASSAULT has done before. There's even some real guitar
melodies in here. Even Out of Order is a better album than this, and that was a real low point for the band in my opinion. Pick this one up if you want to, but I'm
warning you that it is not one that will grow on you.
NUNSLAUGHTER
GOAT
2005 HELLS HEADBANGERS
The original press of this album is no longer in print through Metal War Productions, but for
those who missed it the first time around, you can redeem yourselves. Hells Headbangers has
repressed it (as they are NUNSLAUGHTER's label for all intents and purposes at the moment) in
digipack format with a RUNNING WILD cover for a bonus track. Amazingly enough, for all the
7" records, split vinyls, live CDs and compilation CDs NUNSLAUGHTER have released over the last
few years (enough to make even a SABBAT fan blink), this is only their second studio album.
Even more amazing is that they're almost at the twenty year mark as well. This is one of those
bands that either you "get" or you don't. There's no middle road here. Their fan(atics) love them,
their detractors hate them with a passion. That might be because they're about as old school
as it gets, and none of the modern trappings of death metal have weaseled their way into
NUNSLAUGHTER's sound. In other words, if you're one of those people who are into death metal
bands for their extreme technical ability, then get lost. There's nothing for you here. But for
those of us who are into death metal (and metal in general) for something other than that,
NUNSLAUGHTER is one of our favorite bands. Goat finds the band in fine form, with their
raw style, short songs and blasphemous approach to life. As I said, NUNSLAUGHTER have been around
for almost twenty years now. They must be doing something right. For all of you who are into
the music just for the technical bullshit, let me ask you... do you honestly think your favorites
will still be around in twenty years?
PARABELLUM
STAINLESS
2005 NEW SOUTH METAL RECORDS
OK, first off for those of you who just read the name of the band and are bouncing off the walls,
this is not... I repeat, not... the Colombian PARABELLUM. Sorry to take the wind out of your
sails. This PARABELLUM are from the US, and play a style of sludge/death similar to CROWBAR,
EYEHATEGOD, and the like. I've never been much of a fan of this proto-death type stuff.
I find bands like this to be the neanderthal to the MORBID ANGEL cro-magnon. For what they do,
PARABELLUM aren't too bad. They plod along at a predictable rate, offer few or no surprises,
and just get the job done. They also seem to be very fond of finding one main riff and then
playing it over and over again for five minutes or more. I tend to expect a little more from
the bands I listen to.
PEST
IN TOTAL CONTEMPT
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
Like the San Antonio SLAYER and the Los Angeles SLAYER before them, I think it's time that the Finnish, Swedish and German PESTs got together for a battle of the bands to see
who should own the name. There's just too many of them running around. Personally, I like the Finnish one best, but with In Total Contempt, the Swedish one is really making
a strong case for themselves. This is the first time I've heard them (I think), and it seems that they're into the HELLHAMMER/DARKTHRONE style of black metal. That certainly scores points
for them in my book. A lot of this album sounds like a cross between Panzerfaust and A Blaze in the Northern Sky. This really is great black metal, and it does a whole
lot more for the genre than a score of "ultra-fast riffs stitched together" type bands do. Support!
PRO-PAIN
PROPHETS OF DOOM
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Zero surprises here. Same old PRO-PAIN, as angry as ever. Loads of start/stop riffs for those of
you into those kinds of things. Hardcore vocals from a man that shits napalm and pisses kerosene.
That's Gary Meskil for you. I could be wrong, but the songs seem to all be centered on the war
in Iraq. In ten years, no one's going to give a shit anymore, and this album will have lost all relevancy.
RABID
NON STOP VIOLENCE
2005 SELF RELEASE
It's not every day that I hear a new band that truly understands what old school thrash really is all about. RABID is one
of those bands. Taking influence from mostly DRI and VIO-LENCE... and SLAYER of course, they prove they can thrash along with just about any '80s metal
band you can think of. These guys are built for speed, but sometimes they grudgingly slow down a little bit for a couple of moments.
This is one of those rare bands that would be at home playing CBGB's on either punk or metal night. Besides this six track CDR, they've
released several other demos, including some splits with other bands. Currently they're working on an album for an actual label, and
if it sounds anything like this demo does, then we'd all best be prepared to get our faces smashed into the mud.
http://www.givemebackmybrain.cjb.net
http://www.myspace.com/rabid666
RAM-ZET
INTRA
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I vaguely recall reviewing a RAM-ZET album some years ago, and I think they sucked a fat dick back then. Well, it's 2005 and that's still the
case. With members of THE KOVENANT and ASMEGIN, it was virtually guaranteed that I wouldn't like RAM-ZET one bit. DODHEIMSGARD remains as the only
band to get the cyber black metal thing right. Everyone else fails. Especially these clowns. Sure to be a big hit with your average fan of CRADLE OF FILTH,
DIMMU BORGIR, EVANESCENCE and the like.
REDEMPTION
THE FULLNESS OF TIME
2005 SENSORY ENTERTAINMENT
Nyk Van Dyk is back with another progressive tour-de-force. Vocals are handled by
Ray Alder of FATES WARNING, and Bernie Versailles of AGENT STEEL is on guitar too. I have
to wonder just how Ray feels about REDEMPTION. His own band has gone too far out into the
deep end for their own good, and REDEMPTION sounds like what FATES WARNING should be doing
these days: straightforward prog metal. All of the instruments work together to create a
cohesive sound. A lot of the time, bands with ambitious music like this end up sounding like a
collapsing wall of noise. Yet somehow, REDEMPTION pulls it off, and also doesn't sound overly
pretentious or arrogant by doing so. I am once again amazed by the talent Nyk has when it comes
to writing music.
RELENTLESS
TEMPEST OF TORMENT
2005 CRASH MUSIC
Sometimes, you just have to go completely against the flow of what everyone else around you is doing, and do your own thing instead. Such is the case of Sweden's RELENTLESS.
Not only are they ignoring the current trend of melodic death metal, they also chose to not have any old Swedish death metal influences in their work. Instead, they look
to the old American scene. Most of what can be heard in RELENTLESS' sound comes out of Florida in 1990. We're talking about influences drawn from old MALEVOLENT CREATION, a little
MONSTROSITY, and a touch of MORBID ANGEL. But they also borrow heavily from the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE (Barnes era of corpse), IMMOLATION, and even INCANTATION. They go heavy
on the brutality and completely skip the technical. Tempest of Torment is a true blasting assault. Oddly enough though, despite drawing on all of these old and mighty bands,
RELENTLESS somehow managed to distill just the parts of their respective sounds that gave rise to modern death metal. So despite all of the old school influences I hear on this album,
they're all the parts that helped turn death metal into what it sounds like today in a lot of respects. What I'm saying is that while the influences are old, the music does not
have the "ancient feeling." But don't let that get you down. It's still awesome stuff.
RESURRECTURIS
THE COOKOO CLOCKS OF HELL
2003 SELF RELEASE
A little old, but the band just sent this to me... hell, you probably haven't heard it yet either.
This is a mix of the old and the new. The opening track starts off with a riff that's about as
old school as they come, but then turns into CANNIBAL CORPSE meets NAPALM DEATH. The hardcore
elements in their music never takes over the songs. That's a very welcome change from most other bands that end up being
hardcore with a token amount of metal mixed in. It's similar to the
balance that NAPALM DEATH found on the classic Harmony Corruption. RESURRECTURIS don't
do a lot of blasting though. They opt for something a little faster than midpaced. There are
some clean vocals, but for once I don't really mind them. Some might decide that the tradeoff
of death and clean vocals would mean that the band is metalcore, but that is definitely not
the case. This band takes all of those bands like DARKEST HOUR, SHADOWS FALL, or the latest
flavor of the week and kicks them squarely in the ass.
www.resurrecturis.com
info@resurrecturis.com
RICHARD ANDERSSON'S SPACE ODYSSEY
THE ASTRAL EPISODE
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
When the driving force behind a band is the keyboard player, you know I'm probably going to have
some disparaging things to say. Such is the case with SPACE ODYSSEY. Chances are that you've
never heard of Richard Andersson. Well, if anyone you know is a fan of either TIME REQUIEM
or MAJESTIC, they'll probably hit you upside your head. Yeah, I know... you haven't heard of
those bands either. Neither have I, so don't feel too bad. However, it seems that Richard
has done keyboard parts on a variety of power metal albums for a variety of power metal bands.
But for me, a keyboard player as the main guy in a band is like letting the inmates run the
asylum. The good news is that he does keep the wanking under control, so this doesn't sound
like a WARMEN album. The bad news is that except for those fans who know who Richard Andersson is,
SPACE ODYSSEY will go largely ignored as "just another average power metal album."
RIGOR SARDONICUS
APOCALYPSIS DAMNARE
2005 PARAGON RECORDS
This is a reissue of the 1999 album by RIGOR SARDONICUS. Did you know they had an album out back in 1999? I didn't either, so don't feel
too bad about it. I honestly don't know if Steve Moran (ex-EVOKEN) is still in the lineup, but if he's not, it would help explain why 2004's Principa
Sardonica was so godawful compared to this. Of the material I've heard from RIGOR SARDONICUS, this is the best example of their style of funeral
doom. The mix is very good, unlike what I heard on their most recent album, and it's really only the vocals I take issue with. Either someone is cupping
the microphone like they're clinging to life itself, or they threw a bunch of effects to make them sound lower on there. Whichever the case may be,
it distracts me from the rest of the music and disrupts the otherwise hypnotic drone. The good thing is that at least I now know why someone would even bother
to sign these guys.
RIMFROST
A JOURNEY TO A GREATER END
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
Don't believe for a second that RIMFROST are "just another band that mixes MARDUK with DARKTHRONE." They're not. The fact of the matter is that
they're one of the very few bands that are able to tie those two influences together into something that actually stands out and can be said
to be of quality. The very strong production helps them out a lot as well. This release only has three songs, but I have a feeling that anyone who
has been wanting to hear more real black metal (as opposed to what seems to be pushed on us these days) will be begging for more by the time the disc is done.
ROB ROCK
HOLY HELL
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Vocalist Rob Rock has been around for a while now, and while he's worked with a lot of well known musicians, I first encountered him on WARRIOR's The Code
of Life. Since then, he's focused most of his attention on his solo career, and Holy Hell is the third of his solo releases. While most power
metal bands from Europe have become clones of each other, Rob Rock remains fairly fresh sounding. Backed by a thundering production, his style of power metal
stands out from practically everyone else. Of course it bears a lot of similarities to other acts, but there's a certain quality to the music that sets him apart
and makes his style just a little more distinctive.
SATANIC WARMASTER
CARELIAN SATANIST MADNESS
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but Finland's SATANIC WARMASTER has somehow become like a trendy band in the underground. They're "trendy" in the same way that
XASTHUR is "trendy." However, neither band gives a shit about any of that, they just make music. In SATANIC WARMASTER's case, that would be fast raw black metal. I was quite taken with
them on their first few releases, but their shine has more or less worn off for me. Carelian Satanist Madness is better than MARDUK's latest, but of course it doesn't hold up
against the back catalog of the Swedish war machine. I dunno... other than a spiffy new logo, SATANIC WARMASTER aren't really showing me very much here. Maybe they're not as insane
as they used to be... or maybe I'm just getting old.
SCARS
THE NETHER HELL
2005 SELF RELEASE
Brazil's SCARS have been around since 1991, so it's not a surprise that their sound is in the old school vein. Before
writing this review, I read a few that have been written before. I was surprised to see comparisons made to bands such as
KORZUS or KRISIUN. To my ears, SCARS do not sound very much like either of those bands. Instead, I look to 80s thrash metal
in the US, and one band immediately comes to mind: HIRAX. While the lyrics are completely different from anything the old LA thrashers
would do (the mcd is about the journey through Hell in Dante's Inferno), the music is very close. I really like the six
songs on this mcd a lot, and I hope the band manages to get picked up by a label that will be able to get them heard by an audience
that's not restricted to the Brazilian underground and a handful of international thrash maniacs like myself.
www.scars.com.br
www.myspace.com/scarsbrazil
SCUM
GOSPELS FOR THE SICK
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
While one might be able to argue that this is some sort of "supergroup," I think a better case could be made for SCUM to be one of the
most bizarre collaborations of musicians ever seen. I don't think anyone would have ever even imagined a band consisting of Samoth,
Bard Faust, Cosmocrator, Casey Chaos and Happy Tom. Yep, SCUM is made up of members of EMPEROR, MINDGRINDER, AMEN and TURBONEGRO.
What they've come up with is a kind of black thrash sound with punk rock vocals. I'm very much reminded of SLAYER's God Hates Us
All... the attitude, not the music. Same kind of pissed off sound, but with better music behind it. The production's a little
on the screwy side though. The band sounds like they're in another room, while Casey's vocals sound like he recorded them through
some sort of megaphone. I'm not really sure how I feel about this album. It's got a good attitude behind it, they've written some
really pissed off songs, but I can't see myself spinning SCUM very much.
SEAR
BEGIN THE CELEBRATIONS OF SIN
2005 DYNAMIC ARTS RECORDS
More strongly melodic black death metal. I'm surprised that labels are still signing these kinds
of bands, but what the hell... it's better than metalcore. Vocally, I'm reminded of DARK FUNERAL,
and I mean both the Themorgoroth and Caligula eras. DARK FUNERAL seems to be a major influence
for the music as well, but SEAR also draw from a variety of other black metal sources. I can't
say that SEAR are all that original, but they do have a definite musical presence about them,
and what they've recorded here is very strong. They also venture further into the death metal
territory than other bands of their type ever dare to do. Unless you're so horribly burnt out
on the genre that you'll explode if you hear another melodic black/death metal band, I suggest
you check out SEAR.
SEVERE TORTURE
FALL OF THE DESPISED
2005 EARACHE RECORDS
If there's one band that is the King of Brutal Death Metal, Holland's SEVERE TORTURE at least have a legitimate claim to the throne. They've
been honing their craft like a carving knife for many years, and Fall of the Despised is their best work so far. If this isn't the pinnacle
of their career, I'm scared to find out what might be. Their fans might be a little shocked by some parts, as the band has expanded beyond their
established sound and added ... melodic passages. They're short, but still there. Brutal death with melody? Unheard of until now. I have
a feeling that some out there will claim that SEVERE TORTURE have wimped out, but such claims can not and should not be taken seriously. Just listen
to the rest of the music, especially the vocals, and you'll soon learn that they're just as rabid, aggressive, and yes... brutal as ever.
SHEAVY
REPUBLIC?
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
So you're an Ozzy fan, but you're sick of his continual hijinx, bitch of a wife, and recent utterly
lame albums. Well, SHEAVY isn't quite a replacement, but if you'd like to hear a guy that sounds
remarkably like Ozzy did back in the early SABBATH days, then you'll want to check them out. SHEAVY
have been at it for some years now, and they play a stoner doom sort of style that's guaranteed to
please. They've heavy, doomy and groovy, and are definitely a band that both stoner fans and
metalheads can agree on and enjoy together. Now if someone would just reissue that debut album of
theirs that goes for ridiculous amounts on Ebay....
SLUGATHOR
UNLEASHING THE SLUGATHRON
2003 AGONIA RECORDS
Finland may never have been as prolific with bands as Sweden, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for with
quality. I for one will take quality any day of the week. Finland has some truly classic bands... BEHERIT, DEMIGOD, XYSMA,
ABHORRENCE/AMORPHIS, SENTENCED (the early stuff at least), FUNEBRE, DEMILICH, and ADRAMELECH. Well, you can add SLUGATHOR to
that list. Here is yet another band that has told the modern scene to fuck off and die in pain. Heavy as hell, brutal in a
decidedly "non-American" way, and all-around crushing, SLUGATHOR are one of the new rising stars in the underground. Chances
are that you've never even heard about them, but you should seek them out. This is one of those bands that is buried deep in
the underground, down where many "real" bands lie. They come from the same place that the gods of old came from, with the same
kind of mindset and attitude towards metal. SLUGATHOR are somewhere in the realm of ROTTREVORE and INCANTATION, impossibly
combined with DEMIGOD. If that doesn't sound good to you, then you must be some kind of poseur.
SO I HAD TO SHOOT HIM
ALPHA MALES AND POPULAR GIRLS
2005 CRUCIAL BLAST
When the biography for a band lists both NAPALM DEATH and BLONDIE as influences, you know there's going to be trouble. What we've got here
is the ridiculous combination of a band playing the most discombobulated grindcore this side of EXIT 13, combined with the vocals
of Libby, who seems to be convinced that 1) she can sing and 2) she's fronting some kind of 80s post punk pop band. This is the kind
of thing that I hear and shake my head while wondering just who on God's green earth would like this kind of claptrap. Yet another
prime example of a band that tries to be everything for everybody, but winds up being nothing for nobody.
SOURVEIN
EMERALD VULTURE
2005 THIS DARK REIGN RECORDINGS
Despite disaster and near catastrophes at every turn, SOURVEIN still press onward. This mcd
is their latest release, and it continues in the same vein as Will to Mangle. SOURVEIN
is one of the sludge doom bands that I like, and with good reason. They're slow and heavy,
with vocals that are not overly extreme like those of EYEHATEGOD or IRON MONKEY. This is one of
those bands that just can't get any heavier. If they did, then SOURVEIN would be a solid wall
of sound with the power to demolish concrete and steel skyscrapers. As they are now, I'd be very
careful playing them around a brick shithouse. I think they could easily punch a hole in the wall
of one of those at minimal volume.
SUNNO)))
BLACK ONE
2005 SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS
I can't say that I'm surprised at all. SUNO))) had two white albums, and now they've released a black one.
This is more of just the usual droning guitar noise, but this time with vocals from Wrest of LEVIATHAN and
Malefic of XASTHUR. Malefic appears on "Bathory Erzebet," a sixteen minute trip into the terror of claustrophobia.
In fact, they locked Malefic in a coffin with a microphone when he recorded his vocals. Despite all that, the band
still does nothing for me, and I don't think I ever will understand the appeal.
SUPERCHRIST
SOUTH OF HELL
2005 AUTOPSY KITCHEN RECORDS
Yeah, I know I reviewed this one back in issue sixteen. So what? Now that it's got an official release, it deserves another
look and listen. Let me put it this way... if you're into MOTORHEAD, THE HELLACOPTERS, or TURBONEGRO, then you owe it to yourself
to check out SUPERCHRIST. They're really fun hard-driving rock and roll and make for a welcome change from whatever doom and gloom
you're currently listening to.
SUZUKITON
SERVICE REPAIR HANDBOOK
2005 CRUCIAL BLAST
I miss KARMA TO BURN. I really, really do. SUZUKITON don't quite fit that hole, but they come
very, very close. This is an excellent mix of pounding drums, dirty electric guitars, and no
vocals. Nope, not a one. Not even a "Hi, how're you doing?" Let's face it... instrumental
stoner type stuff rules. All of the tracks rock, and that's what truly matters. Tons of drive,
tasty jams, and everything stoner rock is supposed to be... minus a vocalist.
THE TENTH CIRCLE
OF WAR AND REFLECTION
2005 BLED OUT RECORDS
All you drum freaks out there have probably been wondering just where Tim Yeung disappeared to.
Well, he's been working with a new band called THE TENTH CIRCLE, and is doing a damn good job with
them. The band is very much in the same vein of MONSTROSITY, newer MALEVOLENT CREATION and BRUTALITY (for those who remember them).
I don't think you can go wrong with that. THE TENTH
CIRCLE have captured the sounds of those bands almost perfectly, and the result is a new-school
band with one foot planted firmly in the old-school. I think this is one of those rare bands that
death metal fans can agree on, whether they're into the old classic stuff or the newer faster type
stuff. So, metal brothers, you know what you should do!
www.thetenthcircle.com
bledoutrecords@comcast.net
TEXAS IS ON FIRE
SHINE.SET.REPEAT.
2005 CRASH MUSIC
Wheee! More wonder metalcore for me to review! (Maybe I can fool myself into liking this
stuff... nah, never happen) So here's a group of very young guys with those damned emo haircuts
playing what passes for modern mainstream aggressive music. I'll keep this short and simple...
MORTEM crushes you four when it comes to aggressive metal. Give up the band and go to college.
The metalcore trend will die in a few years. I pray to Satan every night to bring an end to it.
TORMENT
FORGIVE THE IGNORANT
2005 DIABOLICAL CONSTELLATION
Don't confuse this TORMENT with the German thrash maniacs. This one plays somewhat technical death
metal that hits the ground running immediately. Don't let that word "technical" put you off....
TORMENT may have a modern sound, but they're not technical for the sake of being so. Their songs
do not sound like random collections of riffs. TORMENT have a strong American styled sound, drawing
from the likes of MONSTROSITY, later MORBID ANGEL, and a little MALEVOLENT CREATION. At the same
time, they also draw off of parts of early SINISTER, VADER and DECAPITATED. They also know when
to slow down and when to play fast, never falling into the trap of maintaining just one speed
for an entire song. The simple fact of the matter here is that while TORMENT have a modern kind
fo sound going, as I listen to them, I'm also having the kind of feeling of excitement that I haven't
had very much since the early 90s. That's really all I ever ask of a band, that they
bring back those days with what they do. TORMENT deliver that to me spades. TORMENT are the
kind of band that you have to listen to if you call yourself a fan of death metal. If you don't,
you're doing yourself a disservice.
TOTIMOSHI
MYSTERIOSO
2005 CRUCIAL BLAST
This album was actually released in 1999. I guess it's been out of print for a while and Crucial
Blast has reissued it along with a CD-ROM video track. The band plays a brand of super down-tuned
stoner type rock that sounds sludgy with a lot of drive. A bit of a weird mix to be sure, but it
works very well for them. The vocals are more or less mumbled, and I'll be damned if I can say
for certain if they're in English or Japanese. I don't really care for the ambient noise they
sometimes use as an "intro" to their songs, but once each particular track gets moving, there's
no stoppng it. At least not until the band has decided to stop it. This is not your average stoner
band with a little doom mixed in.
TWILIGHT
TWILIGHT
2005 SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS
We've seen plenty of black metal supergroups in the past, now here's one for the current generation. TWILIGHT features members of KRIEG,
XASTHUR, LEVIATHAN, DRAGUAR and NACHTMYSTIUM. All of these, save for KRIEG are the major players in the current trend of "suicide black metal."
KRIEG of course has been around for a while longer than these bands and has never given much of a flying fuck about the scene, trends or you for
that matter. In a way, this is really a weird grouping of musicians, as all five people involved write and record their music on their own. In other
words, being in a band is a new experience for most of them (KRIEG have done some live shows, so Imperial at least has experience in working with
others). TWILIGHT is literally apocalyptic sounding black metal, with a ridiculously muddy mix. The vocals suffer the worst here, as they sound like
they were recorded down the hall, two doors to the left, under a thick wool blanket. TWILIGHT also does not sound as "suicidal" as many of these
artists regular bands. Tortured, yes. Despondent, yes. Despairing, yes. But suicidal? No. Of course you've got the mix of both slow atmospheric songs
and fast ones, so at least they don't get stuck in one particular speed for the whole album. Really, I'm surprised this even worked... all of these guys
just seem too misanthropic to me to be able to work with one other person, let alone four.
TYMAH
TRANSYLVANIAN DREAMS
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
Someone's finally come close to capturing the spirit of GORGOROTH's early albums. This is extreme old school black metal. When I say "extreme,"
I really mean it. TYMAH play at an extreme speed and have an extreme shrieker for a vocalist. Not necessarily the best black metal band out there,
but better than what the larger labels think the underground wants.
THE UNHEARD OF
THE STRUGGLE
2005 SELF RELEASE
Whee. Alternative sounding rock that belongs on MTV or Fuse and nowhere within the pages of Metal Nightmare. What's with the trashcan
drum sound anyway? Very aptly named band. They should truly have remained unheard of. File under "for fans of STONE TEMPLE DOUCHEBAGS."
UNSHINE
EARTH MAGICK
2005 CRASH MUSIC / LOW FREQUENCY RECORDS
Wow... talk about a band with no energy and a vocalist who really can't sing. While comparisons can be drawn to both LACUNA COIL or maybe THE GATHERING, at least
those two bands either have or have had something behind their music. LC has some power to their music, and just listen to THE GATHERING's Mandylion to hear some
female-fronted all out rock. UNSHINE has nothing really going for them. Look... get the girl some singing lessons, ditch your songwriting style that sounds like carnival/carousel
music, and just go for more of a goth sound. Right now, no real goth will touch you, and metal wants nothing to do with you.
V:28
SOULSAVIOR ... PROVIDING A BRIGHT FUTURE...
2005 VENDLUS RECORDS
Compelling. I didn't quite know what to expect from this Scandinavian band. The bio hinted at some kind of industrial metal, but with contributions of Peter Andersson
of RAISON D'ETRE and Lina Baby Doll of DEUTSCH NEPAL, I expected something along the lines of what you'd see on a label like Cold Meat Industries. If that was the case, I wouldn't have
given this a second look, as noise/ambient isn't something covered by these pages. But as it turns out, V:28 is an industrialized black metal type band. Don't expect a mental
mindfuck like 666 International from DODHEIMSGARD though. This leans more towards RED HARVEST territory (terror-tory?). Currently, the band uses a drum machine, and I don't
know if there's plans to replace it with a human. Probably not, as they sort of use the machine in the same way that MYSTICUM did... as a machine, and not as a replacement for lack of
a human drummer. On the other hand, they also don't program it to do anything particularly inhuman either. Soulsavior... is filled with a ton of atmosphere, and it's cold,
dark, and not very organic. Expect this to be one of those hard to find sleeper albums that is completely worth the effort to track down.
VARGSANG
THRONE OF THE FORGOTTEN
2005 UNDERCOVER RECORDS
More old school raw black metal for those who remember when black metal was metal and not
goth inspired crap with weeping women in between keyboard wankfests. DARKTHRONE of course is
a major influence, and VARGSANG draws mostly from the Under a Funeral Moon era. Undercover
Records seems to have an understanding about what black metal is supposed to be, and VARGSANG
is yet another excellent example of that. It appears that truly worthy black metal like this
has gone deep underground, and that means the real fans will find out about it, and the scenesters
will not. Don't expect to see VARGSANG shirts for sale at your local mall any time soon.
VELD
INFESTED WITH RATS LIFE
2005 FATAL ECSTASY PRODUCTIONS
Sometimes people question the need for reissues. For all you fans of old school death metal, VELD is your reason. This album was released
back in 2002 (apparently on CDR format), but is now available again in all its ugly glory. Probably the one thing that you'll immediately
notice is the rough production. Infested with Rats Life has a really heavy "blower" kind of sound to it, and I've got to say that
it fits perfectly. Please VELD, don't change a single thing with the production for your next album. You don't need to record digitally on 666 tracks
with some hotshot engineer. Whatever you did this time is what you should stick with. You'll also most likely pick up on a bit of a "tech"
feeling in VELD's music. You'd be right about that, but don't start thinking that it's in the "modern" sense. Think instead of very early
PESTILENCE, when Martin van Drunken handled the over the top vocals and the music was technical for the sake of the music, and not for the
sake of simply being technical. I really can't get over how great this album by VELD is, and I'd like to thank Fatal Ecstasy Productions
for having the balls to reissue it. If Belarus has any more bands similar to this unholy trio, then I say... bring 'em on!
VILE
THE NEW AGE OF CHAOS
2005 UNITED GUTTERAL
This definitely not what I was expecting. VILE is one of those bands that seem to have much
praise heaped upon their name by the death metal fans who only like technical brutal stuff. So
I was under the impression that VILE would be yet another faceless band of that sub-genre.
As it turns out, they're brutal but not all that technical. In fact, they do a damn good imitation
of CANNIBAL CORPSE. Put simply, VILE are unabashedly death metal. They don't pretend or
aspire to be anything more than that. You know something? There's absolutely nothing wrong
with that kind of attitude. Lyrically, they're also a step above a whole lot of other bands.
No "rape the six month old corpse of your grandmother" lyrics to be found here. Works for me.
VOCIFERIAN
UNIVERSAL HATE DECADES ULTIMATUM
2005 INFERNUS REX
I don't hear it. The bio for this one man black metal project promised that VOCIFERIAN would sound similar to bands like REVENGE, BESTIAL WARLUST and early
IMPALED NAZARENE. But I don't hear any of those bands in what Lord Genocide has created, except that the drums sound somewhat like those in BESTIAL WARLUST.
Vocally, there's no high screams. Instead, the style is similar to that of AETERNUS, with maybe a little early VARATHRON thrown in. I dunno... the formula here just isn't right.
The way he supposedly mixed these influences just doesn't create what I would have expected, and VOCIFERIAN winds up sounding average.
Attitude-wise, Lord Genocide is behind the times too, as evidenced by the bio. "Vociferian strongly incite you to murder and desecrate all that is weak, holy,
moralistic and kind, with no compassion for that pitiful species which represents mankind." Hoo-boy. Sounds like someone really, really wishes they lived in Norway
around 1994. Look... all the supposedly "evil" bands from that period have dropped the "we're the most evilest band ever" nonsense and just make music now. Loose the attitude
and try tweaking the musical formula next time.
WEREWOLF
THE TEMPLE OF FULLMOON
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
Leave it to Germany's No Colours to find the best raw black metal the underground has to offer.
WEREWOLF are just the latest find in a long line of truly amazing bands. It's always refreshing
to hear a band that 1) Really understands what black metal is and 2) Can write songs that have
an actual structure and time changes. Despite all that, WEREWOLF sound remarkably like GRAVELAND,
and I do have to wonder why No Colours felt they needed a second one of those. But whatever...
it's their label. I'll be interested to see if just fans of GRAVELAND check this band out, or
if the underground kiddies into LEVIATHAN or XASTHUR start to give WEREWOLF praise.
WIDOW
ON FIRE
2005 CRUZ DEL SUR
It's good to see WIDOW off of a mostly metalcore label and onto one that understands their kind of music better. The band just needs to reach out and meet them halfway. It's pretty
obvious from their sound that WIDOW started off as a metalcore band, but quickly went more melodic and well... more "metal." The continual switch between extreme and clean vocals
is a real giveaway, and I think it would be a really good idea to drop one of the two. This is a decision that gets even more complicated once you realize that they've also got a female singer
that they seem to underutilize. She's used a lot, but still seems to be secondary most of the time. I'd either get rid of her and go with the extreme vocals all of the time, or keep her
and just have her as permanent and only lead vocalist. If WIDOW were to go with the second of those choices though, I'd get her into some voice lessons asap. She doesn't have the power
needed to handle all vocals by herself. Hmm... maybe that's why they insist on having two singers? Whatever the case may be, it's very obvious that this highly melodic
speed/power metal band is dreaming some really big metal dreams. The attitude and drive is there,b ut we'll have to wait and see if they can expand their fanbase into the core group of
real metal diehards and not just the emo crowd that somehow glomms onto these bands and refuses to let go.
WIGRID
DIE ASCHE EINES LEVENS
2005 NO COLOURS RECORDS
Sounds like BURZUM style black metal to me. Hypnotic, droning riffs, haunting sound, cold and grim. Not a bad listen, although I would like to see them put a little
more variation in each song.
WITCHCRAFT
FIREWOOD
2005 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS / RISE ABOVE RECORDS
I remember completely freaking out when the first WITCHCRAFT album was released, and I really
would not have ever dreamed that there would be so much hype around their sophomore album. I
for one have never given a shit about the amount of hype about any band. I like what I like,
and have no patience for people who feel they can't listen to a certain band because they think
its overhyped or overrated. Enough of that... Firewood sees a tremendous growth in a band
that was already too good to begin with. There are a variety of bands these days that are trying,
with various degrees of success, to recreate the music of the 60s and 70s (or at least what their
perception of that music was). WITCHCRAFT is one of the very, very few acts that actually
sounds like an authentic band from that period. I'm really overcome by just how good this album
is. Anyone into PENTAGRAM, BUFFALO, or any doom or psychedelic rock band has got to check this
out as soon as they possibly can, if not sooner.
WITHERED
MEMENTO MORI
2005 LIFEFORCE RECORDS
Where the hell did these guys come from? If you must know, they all were in hardcore and sludge
type bands, but got together to play death metal. Of all labels, they ended up on Lifeforce,
which means that WITHERED is the black sheep among the rest of the roster made up of metalcore
crap. The background of the four members of WITHERED is what undoubtedly led them to death metal.
After all, it was more or less the mix of crossover, thrash metal, and some punk that created
the genre in the first place. Somehow or another, WITHERED have recreated the old Stockholm
Swedish sound. That's right, they sound like ENTOMBED or DISMEMBER did on their first few
albums. I swear I am not shitting you. Of all the labels they could have signed to, I can't
believe Lifeforce is the that picked them up. There's no wimpiness here, except for the really
emo looking cover art. The bad news is that they'll probably tour with bands like MASTODON, as
they seem to have their roots and fanbase in crap music like that.
WOJCZECH
SEDIMENTE
2005 SELFMADEGOD RECORDS
I'm not much of a fan of grindcore, but when there's enough of a crusty sound to it, I'll pay a lot more attention to it
than I would to the usual kind of mindless blasting that is inherent in the genre. Germany's WOJCZECH actually got
Harris Johns to work as producer for this album. Yes, that's the same guy who worked with KREATOR and a whole lot of other
big name bands back in the '80s. Musically, I like the amount of variation these guys put into their songs. A little blast here,
a killer guitar part there. They know when to slow down and are perfectly ok with doing that. I can't say I care for the vocals
all that much, but they're the glass gargling kind that we've come to expect from grindcore.
ZARATHUSTRA
CONTEMPT
2005 UNDERCOVER RECORDS
ZARATHUSTRA have been at it for some years now, and they're one band that I never see talked about on message boards or even between black
metal fans in general. That's a damn shame, because they are one of the better bands the underground has to offer. They have always remained true
to their roots and to themselves, never changing because others think they should change. In other words, they haven't gone industrial, gothic,
or experimental. ZARATHRUSTRA are pure black/death metal through and through. My one beef here is that they decided to record this mini-CD in Sweden,
and I don't think the result is one that they really wanted. The production makes the band sound Swedish, rather than the proud Germans they are.
This makes Contempt probably my least favorite of the recordings I have heard, even though the music is still as excellent as ever.
ZERO HOUR
A FRAGILE MIND
2005 SENSORY ENTERTAINMENT
With The Towers of Avarice, ZERO HOUR established themselves as one of the top acts in the
progressive metal genre. At the time, I felt they were going in a direction that was very similar
to what Chuck Schuldiner (RIP) was trying to do with CONTROL DENIED. A lot of that kind of feeling
is still present, but I think that the members of ZERO HOUR have been overdosing on NEVERMORE lately
as well. New vocalist Fred Marshall sounds a lot like Warrel Dane to my ears, which does not
mean it's a bad thing. The music definitely has a harder edge than before, so really the short
version is that if you're expecting this to be a second Towers..., forget it. ZERO HOUR
is one band that doesn't fear making slight but noticeable changes to their sound but still
remain true to what they did before. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that goes against much of the
trend these days.
UNITED IN METAL: It's not often that a compilation is released these days that's actually worth a damn. Face it... most of them are either
tribute albums or label compilations that are released at a bargain price. Well, Metal On Metal is neither of these. This is a real metal compilation,
put out by a group of Finnish bands. The album contains nineteen songs by ten bands. Most of these bands aren't signed, but damn well should be. There's
not a single bad band on here, and it's obvious that all are extremely dedicated to their metal art. Take note of these names... you WILL hear more of them
in the future: JUMALATION, MALICIOUS DEATH, PYOVELI, WENGELE, HELLBOX, EVOKED CURSE, DEATH THRASHERS KUOPIO, EVIL ANGEL, FLAME and SLUGATHOR. Here's hoping
we see a second volume sometime in the future (... Metal On Metal II: Finland Strikes Back?).
VIDEODROME: Are MANOWAR ever going to release a new album? Well, there's a teaser included with Hell on Earth IV, and "King of Kings" is
in their true epic style of songwriting. I don't want to say much more than that, since this is really about the DVD. In keeping with the other three,
Hell On Earth IV follows the band around on tour in Europe, and shows us little bits and pieces of what it's like to be in MANOWAR. Of course, there's also
some live concert footage, and overall if you've seen the other three volumes, then you've more or less seen this one. Of course, all us true little MANOWARriors
have to have all four volumes. For me, It wasn't the footage on disc 1 that was the best part of this DVD, it was the TV appearances on the second disc. There
is no doubt in my mind that MANOWAR should have their own reality show. The only thing is, with the way Joey DeMaio talks, it would either not be shown in the
US, or would have more bleeps than The Osbournes. By the way, the original Hell On Earth has finally been reissued on DVD. Time to upgrade and
get rid of those well-worn VHS copies.
