ABIGAIL WILLIAMS
LEGEND
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
MySpace... the internet's answer to nuclear power. Used in the right way, it can be a powerful force for good. Used wrongly, and everything goes to shit...
like with this band. Apparently, they're big stars on MySpace, and that's what got them this deal with Candlelight. Time was, I remember when getting
an album deal was because of the number of demos a band sold, how much touring they'd done, as well as how well their name was known. ABIGAIL WILLIAMS
passed on the first two points and capitalized on the third. Wow... umpty-squat people are their "friends." So how many of them actually plan to buy this
mini-CD? Maybe half... maybe not even that. I have a feeling that most of their "friends" will instead go and download it for free. Heh... with "friends"
like that, who needs enemies? I take back what I said about them possibly not touring a lot. They were the opening band in Los Angeles for EMPEROR's
reunion gig, and they're going out with ENSLAVED and DARK FUNERAL in the early months of 2007. That's enough, Tom... you say... just tell us what the music
sounds like for Satan's sake! Well, it's Gothenburg inspired metalcore with a slightly blacker than most edge. Yeah, nothing really new or exciting, although
at least they're more metal than core for a change. But really... so what? Good news though... they've recently broken up.
ANTAEUS
BLOOD LIBELS
2007 THE AJNA OFFENSIVE
I was extremely impressed with Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan, but
far, far less by De Principii Evangelikum. That's my initial opinion
with Blood Libels as well. Don't get me wrong, this is more than
decent pedal to the floor black metal, but I'm just not blown away as I was
with CYFAWS. Be that as it may, I'm most likely in the minority with
my opinion. And even if I'm not floored with this album, it's still head
and shoulders above a lot of other releases from other bands. MKM is one of
the most demented vocalists I've heard, and not being right in the head is
mandatory for anyone behind the microphone in a black metal band.
ARCH ENEMY
BLACK EARTH
2007 REGAIN RECORDS
This reissue confirms what I've always thought. Black Earth is the best
thing ARCH ENEMY ever did. Forget anything with Angela Gossow. You can even
forget Stigmata. Only this debut had the clash of old Swedish
death metal and a sound similar to that of CARCASS' Necroticism.
A match made in Hell, to be sure. Nope... you can talk all you want about how
great the newer albums are, about how they've become a really big band in the
underground; you can even talk about the relative merits of having a female lead
vocalist. None of those things matters a damn. The band has become less
aggressive over the years. Black Earth was and shall always be ARCH
ENEMY at their most potent. End of story.
ARCHAIC WINTER
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DEATH
2006 METALBOLIC RECORDS
This is another in a slowly growing list of bands who have rejected the "new
school" of death metal, preferring to instead create music in the same vein
as the old guard. There's a lot of influences here that aren't mentioned very
much these days. When was the last time you read a review of a band where the
author said they were reminded of MORGOTH's Cursed album? Uh-huh, that's
what I thought. Sounds cooler than the usual SUFFOCATION emulating band, doesn't
it? Damn straight it does. The Psychology of Death is an album from last
year that didn't make many (or any) top ten lists for 2006, but only because
they're not very widely known. This is a band of the true underground, not
the "underground" of DIMMU BORGIR or CANNIBAL CORPSE. If you have trouble
understanding that, you're reading the wrong fanzine.
BENEA REACH
MONUMENT BINEOTHAN
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
This is one of those bands that has a lot of appeal to fans of different
metal OR semi-metal styles. I'm talking about fans of bands like MASTODON,
TOOL, or NEUROSIS. I suppose the best label for this band is "post metal,"
which is a term I don't particularly care for. Even so, the band's style
isn't exactly metal, nor is it punk. BENEA REACH takes elements of both and
combines them into a very large wall of sound. While not as intimidating as
NEUROSIS, they're still plenty loud and have a lot going on at any given moment.
At times, things get a little too hardcore, but fortunately they never stray
into metalcore territory (except for maybe one or two questionable vocal
moments). BENEA REACH aren't quite in the same league as
the aforementioned bands, but they're well on their way to being so.
BIRDFLESH
MONDO MUSICALE
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Could it be? A piss-take on IMPALED's Mondo Medicale? Maybe. Sweden's BIRDFLESH
never were about being a grindcore band with lyrics about serious issues. They leave that sort
of thing to NAPALM DEATH. Back when these guys released an album on Razorback Records, I didn't
"get" their style of uber-short songs. I still don't. I tend to need a little more than just a whirlwind
of sound in my music. BIRDFLESH stop just short of working for me. A little less chaos and more of a focus
and maybe my opinion will change.
BLACK THE SKY
SIMPLISTIC MECHANICS OF DEFORMABLE BODIES
2007 EPITOMITE PRODUCTIONS
With songtitles like "I Can Tell He's Dead Because He Has X's on His Eyes,"
"Shave Your Face with a Rusty Machete," or "It Ain't Cheatin' if She Ain't Breathin',"
it's a safe bet that BLACK THE SKY
don't take themselves too seriously. I wouldn't write them off as a joke
band though. They've got a fairly good mix of death metal and grindcore and
definitely will appeal to fans of DEEDS OF FLESH, FLESHGRIND and the like.
It's kind of too bad that the lyrics don't evolve very far past graphic
descriptions of necrophilia. It's juvenile stuff like that which has caused
the "kill your mother music" tag to stick for all these years.
BLOOD OF THE BLACK OWL
BLOOD OF THE BLACK OWL
2007 BINDRUNE RECORDINGS
Less than thirty seconds into this, I knew I was going to like it a lot. BLOOD
OF THE BLACK OWL brings back the elusive black doom style, sounding a lot like
DARKTHRONE's "Quintessence." That's right. The songs are mostly just a handful
of riffs, played in repetition. It gets downright hypnotic at times.
"Atmospheric" doesn't even begin to describe the dark feeling this album creates.
By the third song, you'll swear you were trapped in a dank, musty, poorly
lit dungeon and that something might be stalking you. A shoggoth, perhaps?
I was just fine with that, up until "Hammer Comes Crashing Down"... The music,
the shrieks...I'm not ashamed to say that I came damn close to befouling my
undies. Remember when you were a kid and had nightmares? And your parents said
there were no such things as monsters? They lied.
BLOOD TSUNAMI
THRASH METAL
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I wonder how they settled on the name "Blood Tsunami". Unless they were going
to surf Nicaragua, it's something more suited for a goregrind type band. BLOOD
TSUNAMI play a slower version of thrash, with short riffs similar to the old
German stuff from the '80s. I'm sure that having Faust on drums will be
considered to be some sort of selling point or at least generate some interest
amongst fans of EMPEROR (even though he was out of the picture long ago). The
fact is, anyone could be behind the drums on this album. I really don't feel
that Faust adds anything special to BLOOD TSUNAMI's sound. That said, Thrash
Metal is not as over the top as I had expected them to be. The demo versions
they had posted on their MySpace site sounded a lot wilder to me. This isn't
bad by any means. I had just expected something a little "more."
CARNAL FORGE
TESTIFY FOR MY VICTIMS
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
I'll be damned... CARNAL FORGE is finally doing something a little different. At long last, we get an album that's something more than ten tracks
of non-stop speed and blasting. That's right. There's actual songs this time around. With melodies even. I haven't been able to recommend a
CARNAL FORGE album for quite some time. This one, I can.
CELESTIA
APPARITIA - SUMPTUOUS SPECTRE
2007 PARAGON RECORDS
Meh. Can't say that CELESTIA does a lot for me. File them under musically decent, but appallingly average. I really don't know how else to put it.
CELESTIA has that storming sound and raging speed that we hear in so many black metal releases these days. I am grateful though, that they're not
another one of these "suicidal" acts. Something I don't understand is why they opted to remaster the album, when the original press on Full Moon Productions
apparently had a bad mix. Mixing and mastering are two different processes, and remastering it at best might have been like putting a band-aid
on a shotgun wound.
THE CLAY PEOPLE
WAKING THE DEAD
2007 OVERIT RECORDS
Music and driving often go hand in hand. Waking the Dead by THE CLAY
PEOPLE had to have been specifically written for this purpose, because I can
easily see myself cruising down the freeway at 110 miles per hour while blasting
this. Drawing from the likes of ALICE IN CHAINS, MINDFUNK and a variety of
stoner rock bands, THE CLAY PEOPLE have created something that has a mainstream
sound with an underground vibe. This sounds like it comes from that short period
of time between the death of glam metal and the rise of grunge, when us music
fans were trying to make sense of the shifting trends. This was the time when
ALICE IN CHAINS was somehow being lumped in with heavy metal, and a few
foolhardy individuals came up with something called funk metal. If you blinked,
you probably missed it. Each track on this album has its own identity... a
different sound from each of the other songs. There's rock, pop-punk, and
something between goth and shoegaze. Honestly, this isn't the sort of thing that
I would ordinarily listen to, much less give a good review of, but somehow
or another, THE CLAY PEOPLE struck a chord in me that takes me back to my high
school days in the late 1980s. Waking the Dead has a ton of potential,
all of which could be realized if the band can get their sound out to the
mainstream masses.
CLOSER
DARKNESS IN ME
2006 PULVERISED RECORDS
Debut mcd from yet another melodic Swedish thrash band. I like these guys a lot
more than THE HAUNTED, and there's a lot more differentiation in their songs than
what we hear from CARNAL FORGE or HATESPHERE. CLOSER is also nowhere
near as angry as those bands. This works to their advantage, as it allows them
to do a lot more than just blast through each of their songs. The three tracks
here have a lot of diversity between them, and that serves as proof that it
doesn't always pay to go balls out at 150 miles per hour all the time. About the
only real problem is that like most mini-CDs, this one is over all too quickly.
CRUACHAN
THE MORRIGAN'S CALL
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
What the fucking hell is this? This is probably the most insane blending of styles I've ever heard. Not for the better either.
The first track alone sees a ridiculous shift of aggressive black/death metal to some sort of folky carnival medieval frivolity.
Frankly, this is well beyond my comprehension. If the two were woven together a little better, I might understand. But
CRUACHAN is like SKYCLAD on some extremely bad acid. Things do improve a little on subsequent tracks, but I'm
really not getting this band's appeal. Then again, I never had any use for IN EXTREMO either, and that's the direction
these guys are either coming from or are going to.
DARK LEGIONS
SATANIC DESTROYER
2006 PESTILENCE RECORDS
Sweden's DARK LEGIONS has just released their debut album, and have expanded from
a trio to a quartet. That's good, otherwise the album cover (their version of
KISS Destroyer) would not have worked. Seriously though, this is a huge
step from their demo. DARK LEGIONS has grown into a dirty heavy metal band.
Any BATHORY or early SODOM sound has more or less vanished, leaving behind a
brooding atmosphere and a CELTIC FROST (think Morbid Tales) kind of sound.
Or at least what FROST would sound with a healthy dose of rock and roll. I think
this band is a "love it or hate it" kind of thing. Few will "get it," and most
will not. That's fine. I get it, I like it, and as we all know, those who don't
should make sure the door doesn't hit them in the ass on the way out. Hang on...
that's not quite right. Losers and poseurs will be leaving by a different route
if DARK LEGIONS have anything to say about it. As the song by RAVEN goes, "Pick Your Window."
DEATH THRASHERS KUOPIO
MADNESS... UNDERGROUND... THE RETURN!
2007 FINAL PUNISHMENT RECORDS
This is slated to be the final release from this cult Finnish thrash metal band.
The idyllic peace of the opening intro is quickly shattered by the ugly, dirty
sound of DTK. Surprisingly, the vocals are not in that semi-death metal style
that's so prevalent in today's old school thrash metal. I'm reminded maybe a
little of Nasty Ronnie from NASTY SAVAGE. Same snotty attitude, same attempt
at singing which fails on all technical levels but somehow still works on the
visceral ones. What can I say other than that it's a damn shame that DTK appears
to be over. At least for now.
www.myspace.com/dtk666
DEATHBOUND
WE DESERVE MUCH WORSE
2007 DYNAMIC ARTS RECORDS
With eighteen songs in just over thirty minutes, these Finns obviously waste
no time in getting down to business. What business? The business of dirty,
grinding death thrash, of course! To no one's surprise, DEATHBOUND still
sound similar to CARNAL FORGE or HATESPHERE. What...? You were expecting
some sort of switch to a LACUNA COIL style? Getthefuckouttahere. Kai
Jaakkola's vocals are starting to resemble those of Tomas Lindberg, both in
sound and delivery. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since he's a good
guy to try and emulate, but it doesn't do much for DEATHBOUND's attempt to
stand out from the rest of the pack. Even so, these guys are ripe for a
breakthrough, and this just might be when it happens.
DEMONTAGE
SACRILEGE 'N MISCREANCY
2006 UNSUNG HEROES RECORDS
From the name, I was expecting some sort of black metal or black/death mix.
I was right about the "black" part, but was still way off. Canada's DEMONTAGE
are a blackened heavy metal band, with a sound that kind of reminds me of
COUNTESS' Hell's Rock and Roll mini-CD. The same feeling is there,
although the vocals sound nothing like those of Orlok. The production is a
little murky, but this kind of music doesn't lend itself to a DEF LEPPARD style
of production. The heavy bottom end works well, but I'd kind of like to hear an
even dirtier version of DEMONTAGE's music. Even so, the band can stand proudly
alongside the likes of SKULLVIEW, METAL INQUISITOR and WIZZARD.
http://demontage.muspelfire.com
demontage@gmail.com
DESECRATION
PROCESS OF DECAY
2007 EPITOMITE PRODUCTIONS / COPRO RECORDS
Not bad if you like fast brutal death metal. DESECRATION sound a lot better
than I remember. No single facet of their sound completely dominates the
recording. Brutality does not conquer technical ability. Speed does not
overtake the songs. What I'm getting at is that DESECRATION don't sacrifice
an element of their music in favor of another. Where some bands perform music
so brutal that the song becomes a two or three minute blast fest, or the song
itself is lost in a technical frenzy, DESECRATION keep everything equal with
everything else. While not a band that I would usually choose to listen to,
I have to give it to DESECRATION for maintaining a balance in their music.
DESTRUCTION
THRASH ANTHEMS
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Instead of just getting their new album done (you'll have to wait until 2008 for that), DESTRUCTION have opted to give us a greatest hits CD with a couple
of new songs. Oh, and they re-recorded all of the old ones. So now you'll get to hear some of their classic material with a better production. I'm a little
on the fence about that. Sometimes poor production is what helps to "make" a band. Would you really want to hear early BATHORY with good production? How
about SARCOFAGO? Or even KREATOR? Nah. That raw sound is what made you really love those bands. But still... it is good to hear Schmeir on "Cracked Brain."
Maybe they should have just re-recorded that entire album (kind of like what THE CROWN did). Apparently, the tracklist was chosen by the fans and not
the label. I'm not sure there would have been much of a difference if the label had done the selecting though. OK, maybe the band would have done "Eternal
Ban" instead of "Death Trap." But the majority of the classics are here. "Curse the Gods," "Life Without Sense," "Bestial Invasion," ... you know the
drill. So no surprises with the tracklisting. And definitely no surprise entries from the self-titled ep, Them Not Me, or The Least Successful
Human Cannonball. That's something I'm grateful for. I don't think anyone wants to hear those songs ever again, much less in re-recorded form.
Stil... I can't help but think that it would have been far cooler if the band had done like GAMMA RAY and released a live album with songs chosen by
the fans.
DEW-SCENTED
INCINERATE
2007 NUCLEAR BLAST
Will they ever release an album that doesn't start with the letter "I"? Probably.
right after MORBID ANGEL breaks with their ABCD tradition. Incinerate is
yet another example of why DEW-SCENTED is one of the top modern thrash metal bands
in the underground scene. Both they and HATESPHERE are the bands vying for the
top spot in my opinion. About the only way DEW-SCENTED could get any better than
they already are would be if Patrick Jensen came to his senses and quit THE
HAUNTED in favor of them. That's how fucking good they are, and that's how
fucking good this album is. And I didn't even mention the guest appearance by
Mille from KREATOR.
DISKREET
INFERNAL RISE
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS / SIEGE OF AMIDA
There's two virtually guaranteed ways to tell whether or not a band will suck.
The first is if their name is three words long. The second is if they've taken
a word and modified the spelling. The second of these is the case we've got here.
Fans of ORIGIN's first album should love this one, if only for the fact that the
production sounds like complete shit. I've heard four track demos that sounded
better than this. The drums are completely flat, guitars too high in the mix
(and possibly out of tune as well), and hardcore style death metal vocals. A
real disaster, to be sure. Which is why every fan of brutal technical death
metal will be emailing me with orders to remove my head from my ass.
ENSIFERUM
VICTORY SONGS
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Check it out... viking metal from Finland. If you're expecting ENSIFERUM to be
the Finnish answer to AMON AMARTH, forget it. This band opts for more of a
symphonic power metal with some black metal elements instead. Not quite like
EINHERJER, but similar in some ways. ENSIFERUM have more of a folkish quality
to their sound, which mostly comes through in their keyboards and the liberal
use of acoustic guitar. The music is a little too fast to drink to, but that
sort of feeling runs throughout each and every track, along with a generally
upbeat tone. Aye, we're happy vikings who laugh in the face of death and
thoroughly believe that life is an adventure, even in dark times.
FLAGELLATION
INCINERATE DISINTEGRATE
2007 LAST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS
This is one of those bands which has members from a bunch of other bands. I
guess that maybe guys like them just get bored easily and need more than one
musical outlet. There's a couple of members of MACHINERY, one from INSISION
and one from FREDDY KRUGER'S UNDERWEAR. What they've gone and done is create
an ugly mini-CD of semi-technical death metal. Lots of skilled solos, blast-beats
galore, and even somewhat of an epic feeling. And they do it all in just over
twenty minutes too. A full length should be very interesting to hear, if they
choose to do one.
FLESH
TEMPLE OF WHORES
2006 IRON FIST PRODUCTIONS
Maybe you recall how back in issue nineteen I sang the praises of this new project from Pete "Flesh" Karlsson. Suffice to say, it was a "Buy or Die!" type
of album. Well, he's back with round two, in the form of Temple of Whores. In case you're wondering... no, the man did not write a song about The
Bunny Ranch. Nope, this is some sinister stuff, focusing on sacrifices, death, Satan... all that good stuff. Morbid as fucking hell for sure. Pete
did make a few changes in both the lyrical and musical content though. His lyrics are a lot more complex this time, conveying very descriptive images
instead of the raw feelings like last time out. As for the music, things sound a lot thrashier as well. I'm not surprised... after all, he was the main
songwriter in MAZE OF TORMENT for years as well as DECEIVER. Nothing wrong with adding in a little thrash influence as far as I'm concerned... especially
when the end result is a someting with a bit of a DESTROYER 666 type of vibe. Remember what I said about the last album being a "Buy or Die!" release?
Take a good guess what this one is. You know damn well what to do.
FULLY CONSUMED
FULLY CONSUMED
2007 EPITOMITE PRODUCTIONS
Anyone out there remember an American death metal band called TON (that's not
a reference to TYPE O NEGATIVE, dammit!)? They were around back in 1995 or so.
One of the members is now in this band, FULLY CONSUMED. I don't recall how
TON used to sound, so I can't compare the two. FULLY CONSUMED is your
standard mid-1990s midwestern United States sounding band. If you don't know
what that means, I envy you. Short history lesson... around 1994, death metal
just about came to a grinding halt here in the US as far as creativity goes. The
focus went from having your own sound to emulating one of the more brootal bands
that had become well known. SUFFOCATION was the favorite choice. This trend
continued until ANGEL CORPSE came around and jump-started the scene again. I
know this is a simplistic view, but it's how I perceived things at the time, and
this really isn't the place to write a twenty page essay on the evolution of
American death metal. Anyway... FULLY CONSUMED are definitely not a SUFFOCATION
sounding band, but their style does hearken back to that abysmally stagnant
period in US metal history. Yet another faceless band with a sound that could
also be that of a hundred or so other bands.
FUNERAL
FROM THESE WOUNDS
3007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Not surprisingly, FUNERAL play funeral doom. Their take on the sub-genre is a
little different than other bands. There's more of a goth influence, and
no death metal vocals. I'm reminded of parts of PARADISE LOST's Shades of
God album and maybe Icon as well. All of this combines to create
a sound that I don't find to be very depressing at all. I wouldn't call
FUNERAL "upbeat," but they're definitely not as despondent sounding as a lot
of other funeral doom bands. Nothing wrong with that really.
FURZE
UTD: THE WEALTH OF THE PENETRATION IN THE ABSTRACT PARADIGMAS OF SATAN /
UTD: BENEARTH THE ODD-EDGE SOUNDS TO THE TWILIGHT CONTRACT OF THE BLACK FASCIST
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
This has to be a first... a band does a split release with themselves. This new
album from FURZE is divided into two distinct parts as if each was from a
different artist. Strange, but true. That's also about as unorthodox as FURZE
gets. The music is more or less your standard raw underproduced black metal
which sounds like demo material that DARKTHRONE discarded years ago. It's not
bad, but I've heard a lot better. Might I recommend COUNTESS instead?
GRAVEWORM
COLLATERAL DEFECT
2007 NUCLEAR BLAST
This isn't your typical Italian band. Unlike their power metal counterparts, GRAVEWORM up the ante when it comes to a heavy
sound for their symphonic black metal. Actually, calling the band "black metal" is a little limiting. There's a lot of death
metal elements in there, and some parts that definitely remind me of Germany's CREMATORY. Overall, this is much better than
whatever the older album was that I reviewed some time ago. I will say this... if I was in
GRAVEWORM, I'd be very pissed off that my album was being released so close to that of DIMMU BORGIR. As much as these guys
have improved, there's just no stopping that DIMMU juggernaut.
HAIL PLANKTON
THE HEAT FROM BELOW
2006 SELF RELEASE
Bizarre name. Even more bizarre music. I think they were trying to create a
raw black metal sound meets GODFLESH, but the mix on these tracks varies so much
that it more or less obliterates any chance of making that work. On the first track,
the drums sound like they were played down the hall to the left behind a
wall of pillows. The guitar just overpowers them without mercy. The first track
doesn't show a lot of potential, but the second one opens with a sick sounding
riff as well as a better mix. The final song again doesn't have a very good mix,
but again shows the real potential that HAIL PLANKTON has. Really, all they need
to do is lower the guitars, bring up the vocals and drums, and maybe have a little
more differentiation in their songs.
www.myspace.com/hailplankton
HELLVETO
IN THE GLORY OF HEROES
2007 PULVERISED RECORDS
This black metal band has been as productive as XASTHUR as of late. Every time
I turn around, there's another new HELLVETO album. Their sound has matured more
and more each time I hear them as well. In the Glory of Heroes reminds
me a lot of Holland's COUNTESS. While not sung in a crow-like voice, they
do have that sound where it's like they were recorded using a rougher production
than the music. HELLVETO is definitely improving with each new recording, but
they still seem to be lacking that little extra something.
THE HIDDEN HAND
THE RESURRECTION OF WHISKEY FOOTE
2007 SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS
It's always a good day when there's a new album from Wino and whatever band he's in at the moment. This new album by THE HIDDEN HAND is no exception.
There's really no point in describing the sound. If you're at all familiar with anything Wino has done in the past, then you'll know what to expect here.
If not, then we'll say it's doom rock and leave it at that. The album itself is a loose concept of sorts, an almost tale of a fictional pioneer of
mixed ethnicity. Life was tough back then, and these songs illustrate that. While maybe not as great as the Mother.Teacher.Destroyer album,
this one still kicks a whole lot of ass.
ICED EARTH
OVERTURE OF THE WICKED
2007 SPV
Sometimes, the story ain't the whole story. ICED EARTH main-man Jon Schaffer took a look back at the Something Wicked album and decided that the trilogy of songs at the end didn't do an
adequate job of telling the tale. This mini-CD re-presents those three songs in re-recorded form, along with one new track. Of course, Tim Owens is on vocals, and it's interesting to
compare what he does with those three songs to the original Matt Barlow versions. Combined with the new production, the tracks have more of a classy feeling than the originals. Which is neither a
good nor a bad thing. Maybe some people will prefer the originals, with their unbridled passion and fury which could be attributed to the somewhat rougher production and Barlow's distinctive style.
Either way, ICED EARTH fans will win once again and that's what matters.
KAMELOT
GHOST OPERA
2007 SPV
Sticking to your guns can be difficult, but it can also pay off in a big way. Years ago, KAMELOT couldn't get much of anything going in the US, thanks to the popularity of death metal. So, they did the
obvious thing and focused on Europe instead. Then as these things go, their native country finally saw the light, and they've started to have success at home as well as overseas. Of course it's to a
lesser extent than Europe, but I think the guys in the band are happy about it nonetheless. Over the years, KAMELOT has evolved into a highly symphonic power metal band with a very heavy
sound for the style. Roy Khan is still probably one of the most underrated singers out there, but that's because he doesn't hit those super high notes or over sing anything. That might be
due to a lack of range, but he uses the one he has to it's fullest extent while never overshadowing the rest of the music. Ghost Opera, I think, sees some experimentation from the band. It's got a
darker feel to it, and a few gothic and almost industrial influences have found their way in. Nothing too radical, but still not your typical power metal album either.
KATHARSIS
VVORLDVVITHOVTEND
2007 THE AJNA OFFENSIVE
Anyone out there into filthy fucking black metal? Finally... a new black metal
band that's worth a damn. I've heard the name KATHARSIS in the past, but somehow
lumped this German band in with the French Black Legions as being pure crap.
I admit it... I'm fucking retarded sometimes. This album definitely breathes
new life into a genre that's been decaying for years now. KATHARSIS really
have that old DARKTHRONE sound down to a science, but I would not go so far
as calling them a clone band. This is some damn fine raw black metal, and it
beats the living shit out of whatever 1349 has done lately. Fans of Under
a Funeral Moon or A Blaze in the Northern Darkness, this one's
for you.
KOTIPELTO
SERENITY
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
It must be the money. That's the only thing I can think of that would keep
Timo Kotipelto in STRATOVARIUS, where he has to deal with that nutjob Timo
Tolkki. There's no shame in that. STRATOVARIUS has name recognition, and Timo
Koltipelto can definitely make a living off of that band while funneling cash
into his own project. KOTIPELTO is still in the same vein as before, mainly
friendly power metal-lite. It's about what I would have expected, nothing more,
nothing less.
LORD BELIAL
REVELATION: THE 7TH SEAL
2007 REGAIN RECORDS
... and so the pendulum swings the other way. On the last couple of albums,
LORD BELIAL had focused more on the death metal part of their sound. Now they're
going in the other direction and have put the emphasis on black metal. This is
a step backwards, not forwards. With the more death metal sound, LORD BELIAL were
well on their way to becoming a real powerhouse in the underground. By abandoning
that approach in favor of the black metal elements in their sound, LORD BELIAL
are instead condemning themselves to the hellish fate of being lumped in with
dozens of other similar sounding bands. I wouldn't call this a bad album, but
it is a bit of a letdown.
LOST EDEN
CYCLE REPEATS
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Metalcore, it seems, has spread everywhere... even to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Am I surprised? Nope. Not a bit. I can't say that this album changes my
opinion of the subgenre. It's metalcore. Either you like it or you don't.
Count me as one of the "don't's".
MACHINERY
DEGENERATION
2007 LAST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS
With a name like MACHINERY, I wasn't expecting the latest black/goth sensation.
Of course not. MACHINERY are the latest entry in the modern thrash field. The
first thing that I took notice of was that the vocals don't exactly fit the music
in the way you'd think. Despite the churning guitars and smashing drums around
him, Michel Isberg has a very calm, slow delivery. Except for not having an
extreme high end, he almost sounds more suited for a power metal band. As for
the rest of the music... it's kind of by-the-numbers thrash metal, with a few
MESHUGGAH style moments thrown in for variety. The inclusion of keyboards at
times adds a progressive kind of feel, causing MACHINERY to almost cross the
border into power/thrash territory.
MAGNUM
PRINCESS ALICE AND THE BROKEN ARROW
2007 SPV
This is my second time hearing MAGNUM, and I like what I'm hearing a lot more
than what I heard on 2002's Breath of Life. A little too polished
sounding though. Too radio friendly, even though they don't get airplay on
this side of the pond. The album is still more than decent classic/prog rock,
but everything I've read about MAGNUM says that their albums from 1983 and before
are the ones to listen to. Apparently they were far less commercial then. I
have a feeling that MAGNUM may well have gone the way of URIAH HEEP. Maybe
I'll seek out some of their early stuff. Until then, I hear a lot of things to
like in Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow, but it's not as "dangerous"
as it should be, as the band seemingly decided to just play it safe.
MANES
HOW THE WORLD CAME TO AN END
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
This is my first time ever hearing a MANES album. Even though I had made a mental
note to check them out way back when I saw the name in a Moribund Records ad in
an early issue of S.O.D., I just never got around to it. I have the
feeling that the MANES of 1996 doesn't resemble the MANES of 2007 at all when
it comes to the sound of their music. Sounds to me like these guys and ULVER have
a lot in common. Both started off playing black metal, but then (de)volved into
some sort of trance/techno/electronic crapola that has nothing to do with metal
in the slightest. It even includes a rap part?!? That's enough for me; I'm
gone. Holy shit guys... nothing wrong with jumping from one style of music to
another, but why drag the name MANES down with you?
MARDUK
ROM 5:12
2007 REGAIN RECORDS
I really wasn't too into MARDUK's last album, Plague Angel. That one was
just too much of a speedfest for me, and I felt that Panzer Division Marduk
was their defining moment for that sort of thing. So yeah, I wasn't very
enthusiastic about this new album. Silly fucking me. Not only is this a
return to form, but the band has a really twisted vibe in their sound now.
That's mostly thanks to vocalist Mortuus, who really gets to cut loose here.
The man must be sick in the head. He sounds far too deranged to be sane. The
music has slowed down, kind of like what we heard on World Funeral.
Personally, I think that's for the better. You can only do so much when you
play fast. Slowed down, MARDUK just get uglier and more disgusting like they
should be. Production-wise, things sound a little dry. It's almost like the
band decided to strip things down to the bare bones. I can't really describe
it well. Sort of a "less is more" approach maybe? Regardless, MARDUK have
redeemed themselves in my eyes, and are the sick sounding black metal beast that
they've always aspired to be.
MARTRIDEN
MARTRIDEN
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS / SIEGE OF AMIDA
Believe it or not, the state of Montana has some sort of metal scene. Or at least there's a small group of people there who like the music.
MARTRIDEN hail from this unlikeliest of locations, and they're here with a vengeance. Boasting of a bold sound influenced by the likes of BEHEMOTH,
MITHRAS, and NILE, they're here to make their presence known. While they're certainly loud (even on a low volume setting) and have a lot going on in their
style, MARTRIDEN don't just throw up a wall of sound and attempt to overwhelm the listener. There's a whole lot of great guitar melodies to be found here,
and not a single one of them is done in some kind of happy sounding style. The flow of the four tracks here though, is a little odd. They'll be moving along
just fine, and then suddenly change direction completely. It's a little jarring, almost like it's two songs mashed together, but right after the changeover,
everything is smooth sailing again. I'd watch out for these guys in the future.
MASTERPLAN
MK II
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Geez... one might have counted MASTERPLAN out when vocalist Jorn Lande left last
year. But sometimes these things have a way of working out for the best, and
that's the case here. Not only has Mike DiMeo joined as the new vocalist, but
Mike Terrana is now the drummer. This is huge. It's very hard to top having
the former singer for RIOT in your lineup, along with the former drummer for RAGE.
Both guys fit in very well in MASTERPLAN's sound. But we kind of expected that.
DiMeo is one of the more underrated vocalists around, and with RIOT releasing
albums very sporadically, he was also one of the more underutilized. Terrana
of course is as excellent as ever, although I think his work in MASTERPLAN is
much simpler than what he did in RAGE. The music is about the same as ever, but
it's like the missing pieces have been found. MASTERPLAN have gone from
being an average band to being a potential heavy-hitter. I more or less expected
this, as both Terrana and DiMeo (especially DiMeo) really put all of themselves
into what they do. And that, ladies and gentlemen is what elevates a band above
the rest.
MEMFIS
THE WIND UP
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Ugh. Any time I hear the term "thinking man's metal," I know that's my cue to run in the opposite direction. MEMFIS is no exception to this rule.
Here at Metal Nightmare, we don't have the inclination to waste our time on anything that can be compared to the likes of BURST or MASTODON.
METALIUM
NOTHING TO UNDO - CHAPTER 6
2007 CRASH MUSIC
The saga continues, with the sixth album from METALIUM. Over the last few years,
the band has really established themselves as an awesome power metal act that
(at least in the States) flies under the radar. For whatever reason, they seem
to be one of these great bands that you just forget about until they have a new
album. That's really a shame, because METALIUM deserves so much more than that.
This new releases is just as potent as ever, and proves beyond all doubt that the
band should be mentioned alongside the likes of HELLOWEEN, PRIMAL FEAR, or
(ugh...) RHAPSODY OF FIRE. If you've heard the band before, get ready for more
of the same... all of it ranging from good to great. And if you haven't had
the pleasure of checking out METALIUM yet, you're in for a treat. They're a prime
example of power/speed metal done right.
MERCILESS DEATH
EVIL IN THE NIGHT
2007 HEAVY ARTILLERY
There seems to be a small movement in the underground that is made of people
who think the 80s thrash metal scene never died. The thing is, the majority of
them were still drinking from mom's tit while that style of music flourished.
Armed with white high-top sneakers, patch-covered denim vests, and an armload
of albums by bands that range from EXODUS to ACID REIGN, from VIO-LENCE to
EXUMER, they're doing their damndest to bring the glory days of thrash metal
back to life. There's also a lot of detractors out there; people who claim that all
of this is just "fashion metal" and is created by teenagers and 20-somethings
who only possess mp3s of all these old albums. In some cases, that's true, but this
isn't one of those cases. Los Angeles' MERCILESS DEATH is the real deal.
They must have melted down their vinyls of NUCLEAR ASSAULT, SLAYER, ARTILLERY AND RAZOR, and inhaled the fumes.
Style-wise, they've created something that bridges the gap between the LA and
Bay Area bands and those from Canada. More or less EXODUS meets RAZOR, if
you will. The vocals of Andy Torres even sound like the late Paul Baloff,
both in tone and delivery. I'm very glad to say that MERCILESS DEATH took the
time to make this CD look like a 1980s product (even if CDs weren't very prevalent
back then! Vinyl lovers, this will be pressed in LP format too!). The cover
art is by Ed Repka, and there's a photo collage which goes so far as to include
Judge Dredd and drummer Cesar Torres in a vintage Transformers shirt. No fancy print on the disc
either, just like those early CDs. One thing I do like a lot is the fact that the band uses old band
names and lyrics either in their songs or as titles. Their name of course
comes from DARK ANGEL, and they've got a song called "Slaughter Lord" and another
called "Exumer" (which includes the line 'crush kill destroy'. I hope you know
who that refers to). This isn't the first time thrash metal has made a comeback. Maybe you remember
the likes of AURA NOIR, INFERNO and BEWITCHED? This time around, we've got bands made of people who aren't
doing side projects. Thrash metal is their life's blood and they're proud of it.
MITHRAS
BEHIND THE SHADOWS LIE MADNESS
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
MITHRAS stormed onto the scene a few years ago, and polarized the death metal
fanatics into two camps. Either you loved MITHRAS, or you hated them. There
really was no in-between. Fast forward to the present, and the band is finally
back with a new album. They still present us with a wall of sound, but it's not
as dense as it once was. NILE don't need to be worried about that at all. I just
hear a lot of holes in their sound that weren't there before. On the other hand,
plugging all of them would lead to just a solid mass of sound, one where you
wouldn't be able to discern one instrument from another, much less tell what
song you were listening to. Once again, the slower elements of MORBID ANGEL is
where MITHRAS take their inspiration from, and they've created some compelling,
if repetitive, songs. I think that some people will switch their opinions on
the band once they hear this new, less dense, sound.
MORGANA LEFAY
OVER AND OVER AGAIN
2007 BLACK MARK PRODUCTIONS
I don't think I've heard these guys since several of the members split to form
LEFAY. I guess this is a CD single that's being released in advance of their
upcoming album. The opening song isn't one that I would have picked as a single,
as it's a slow building tune... no real power to it until the two minute mark.
Up until that point, MORGANA LEFAY had me thinking that they'd morphed into some
sort of goth-rock kind of thing. But the doom and gloom combined with changes
to hard hitting heavy metal is a tried and true songwriting method, probably best
heard in METALLICA's legendary "One." The other track, "Face of Fear," is a
more straightforward rocker. With their rough vocals and almost death
metal-like guitar tone, MORGANA LEFAY are set to conquer European metal radio
for sure. As for the States, all I can say is that this is a much better band
than currently hyped darlings, DRAGONFORCE. Hopefully I'll get to hear all
of this album.
MORTUUS
DE CONTEMPLANDA MORTE: DE REVERENCIE LABORIBUS AC ADORATIONIS
2007 THE AJNA OFFENSIVE
Yet another fine example of black metal from Sweden. Much like the other bands
on The Ajna Offensive, MORTUUS forsake high speed guitar riffs for a slower,
more plodding assault. This of course gives their music a thicker, heavier
atmosphere of decay and rot, of ancient things better left buried and forgotten.
The occult plays a huge role in their lyrical concepts, making MORTUUS truly
a black metal band. There is no commentary about cold winds on high Swedish
mountains, and no praise to Satan. MORTUUS are much deeper than that. This
is true black metal, and is everything that fancy packaged bands such as DIMMU
BORGIR or EMPEROR are not. Hell, this is even more insidious than DARKTHRONE.
MYKORRHIZA
NORTHERN REMEMBRANCE
2006 KONQUEROR RECORDS
Glad to see that these guys are still around. It seems like their mcd and full
length were released ages ago, and I kind of wondered if they were still around.
MYKORRHIZA continue on in their melodic death metal style, which somehow straddles
the gap between the distinct sounds of Stockholm and Gothenburg. There is a lot
more Gothenburg than Stockholm in MYKORRHIZA's sound, but that doesn't bother me
at all. The music is still dark... too new school to be morbid, and too old
school to sound upbeat.
NEGATIVE PLANE
ET IN SAECULA SAECULORUM
2007 THE AJNA OFFENSIVE
Astounding. So old school, but fresh-sounding at the same time. NEGATIVE PLANE
take the morbid CELTIC FROST sound and turn it into something even darker.
It's been a while since I've heard anything as demented and twisted as this album.
In a lot of ways, NEGATIVE PLANE is the American answer to MORTUARY DRAPE. The
band also cite MARTYRIUM as a major influence, which explains a lot, as that
band was and still is well outside what is considered to be the "norm." For
those who think they've heard it all, this one will be a major eye-opener.
NOISECORE FREAK / ASK HEROIN SALLY
APATHETIC INFANT SKULL
2006 DEADSIX COMMUNICATIONS
Chris Stepniewski is back yet again, this time with a double assault. This is a split album of his two projects,
NOISECORE FREAK and ASK HEROIN SALLY. The NOISECORE FREAK portion is probably the most "musical" thing I've heard
from this project to date. ASK HEROIN SALLY stands in stark contrast to NOISECORE FREAK. Where NF is a severely caustic
take on music, ASK HEROIN SALLY is all about sinister ambient soundscapes. It's as dark and twisted as you'd expect, although
I think it's more suited to being used as intros/outros to more conventional music. This CD also includes a music video of sorts,
featuring Chris at work recording his art, as well as some other images. Not as disturbing as I might have expected though.
Nice TSATTHOGGUA shirt man!
www.noisecorefreak.com
www.askheroinsally.com
NOMINON
REMNANTS OF A DIABOLICAL HISTORY
2007 KONQUEROR RECORDS
I'm always glad to see bands take their demos, 7" records, and split albums and
compile them together. It's not just because I like having access to formerly
rare recordings. It's because I tend to enjoy hearing how a band has evolved
over the years. NOMINON started off as a somewhat raw sounding death metal
killing machine, and they've since grown into... well... a somewhat raw
sounding more effective death metal killing machine. The vibe on these old
songs is just incredible to me, since it really takes me back to my misspent
youth, when death metal was peaking and Swedish death metal was king. NOMINON
also do some nice covers of VOIVOD and WHIPLASH. Suffice to say, if you're a
fan of NOMINON, this is something you need in your collection.
OBSCURUS ADVOCAM
VERBIA DAEMONICUS
2007 BATTLE KOMMAND RECORDS
Uh-oh.... When I see a Latin band name, I know I'm in trouble. And this one
is double trouble, since the album title is also in Latin. Plus, the band
is French. So even before I push play, I know I'm knee deep in shit.
Fortunately, OBSCURUS ADVOCAM aren't one of these self-absorbed, self-indulgent
super-noisy black metal bands who think they're going to tour the Moon next
week. While the production sounds like there's a big hole in the center of
it, everything else sounds fine. They've sort of found the missing link between
DEATHSPELL OMEGA and JUDAS ISCARIOT. Vocals are closer to death metal than
they areblack metal, and some of the riffs here and there sound like the band members
used to be in a semi-technical death metal band. This becomes
especially evident during the times when the band steps back and lets the
guitarist lay down a solo. These solos are definitely not black metal,
and are certainly not orthodox. Part way through this album, things change
a lot, and a lot of OBSCURUS ADVOCAM's originality disappears. The atmosphere
is still gloomy at best, but I just don't hear what I need to hear to make
me foam at the mouth, raving about this album.
OCCIDENS
GLORIFICATION OF THE ANTICHRIST
2007 DEATHGASM RECORDS
Slightly different kind of black metal sound than what you might expect from this
Chilean death cult. They've taken the style favored by bands like SARCOFAGO and
BLASPHEMY, and merged it with a mid-90s high speed type of Nordic black metal.
To me, it sounds sort of like MAYHEM's De Mysteriis Domine Sathanas played
at a fast speed. So basically, OCCIDENS have recreated the Euronymous version
of MAYHEM, and not the overly pretentious and experimental version that they became
on A Grand Declaration of War. Nice to see that at least someone out there
thinks that newer MAYHEM is crap besides me. Only death is real, indeed.
OCTAVIA SPERATI
GRACE SUBMERGED
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Who is OCTAVIA SPERATI, and does she have a nice rack? I'm kidding. First off,
it's a them and not a she. And "them" just happens to be an all female band out
of Norway that probably should be bigger than they are. Fans of THE GATHERING
and LACUNA COIL should be falling all over themselves to obtain a copy of this
album. I personally think that OCTAVIA SPERATI has both of those bands
completely outclassed when it comes to dark symphonic rock. They've grown a lot
since their Winter Enclosure debut. While some MY DYING BRIDE comparisons
can be made, most of the similarities are now gone in favor of something more
along the lines of LACUNA COIL. Only darker. This band has the potential to
be just as big as the aforementioned acts, if their music can find its way into
the hands of the right fans.
OMNIUM GATHERUM
STUCK HERE ON SNAKES WAY
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Anyone else here sick of modern thrash metal? If so, you've read enough of this
review. If not, read on. OMNIUM GATHERUM may be a modernistic thrash metal band,
but they put a little more into their sound than most others. Some songs are
almost technical, and the keyboards (yes, they have keyboards) aren't overused
or overblown. I can easily see the mainstream underground type of metal fan
(you know... the ones that like SLAYER, IRON MAIDEN, IN FLAMES, SLIPKNOT, and
CRADLE OF FILTH... that is, the ones that barely scratch the surface and think
they know it all because Headgivers Ball told them they do) going for
this. Those of us who live deeper in the scene will not.
ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET
ERROR IN EVOLUTION
2007 NUCLEAR BLAST
Just as I expected. They picked up right where they left off. This is one of those bands where I have a hard time
talking about their album. This is so good, I'm at a loss for words. It's simple really. They sound a lot like THE CROWN,
and that was one of my favorite bands before they broke up. So it's obvious that I'm just as rabid for this band as I was
for them. 'Nuff said.
ONSLAUGHT
KILLING PEACE
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Forget that the In Search of Sanity album ever happened. While Killing
Peace is not the album that should have succeeded The Force, it comes
damn close. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this album picks up right
where The Force left off. It doesn't. Both the production and overall
style are very modern, but not in a bad way. I think that if ONSLAUGHT had
kept the same lineup after their second album and continued to write and record
music in all the years between that album and this, Killing Peace is
exactly where their path of evolution would have taken them. In a lot of ways,
I'm reminded of INFERNAL MAJESTY and METAL CHURCH. On the later tracks, I'm
more reminded of Ripper Owens era JUDAS PRIEST. Chances are that you just
let out a groan of disappointment. Don't be. Just don't expect Killing
Peace to sound like it was recorded over a decade and a half ago.
PAGANIZE
EVOLUTION HOUR
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Chances are that the involvement of Trym [ZYKLON/EMPEROR] will generate a
lot of interest and curiosity in this band. Fans hoping to hear his part
in the latest death or black metal extravaganza are going to be disappointed.
PAGANIZE is a heavy metal band, bordering on power metal. We're talking
about the kind of band that will appeal to fans of KAMELOT, or maybe
SYMPHONY X. This band is slower and darker than the majority of the rest of
the scene, so at least that's different. No guitar wankery here. The songs
are more or less your standard fare with a few moments of brilliance. Not
bad, but nothing really special either.
PANTHEON I
THE WANDERER AND HIS SHADOW
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
It's black metal. Well played black metal to be sure, but nothing even remotely
amazing. PANTHEON I just reuse the same things we've heard on other albums.
On the other hand, they do have that mid-90s kind of sound... remember when
BEHEMOTH were black metal? This has the same sort of feel to it, even if the
music isn't similar.
PHLEGETHON
TOTEMS WITHIN
LAVA POETRY
2006 / 2007 SELF RELEASE
Here's a pair of demo releaess from Finland's recently reactivated PHLEGETHON. This is old school death metal all
the way, sounding like a mix of PESTILENCE and a variety of old thrash metal bands. The short story is that PHLEGETHON
is one of those rare reunions/resurrections that is worth a damn. Totems Within features four new tracks, and
Lava Poetry has two. Both are well worth your time and interest, although Lava Poetry sounds more old school and
is definitely the heavier of the two. Hear the sound of death metal as it was before
all the unfeeling technical stuff took over. Return to the roots!
www.myspace.com/phlegethonfin
PRO-PAIN
AGE OF TYRANNY
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Gary Meskil and PRO-PAIN must be ecstatic. The war in Iraq continues, and they've gotten to release their
second politically charged album about it. Whoop-de-fuckin-do. I'm no fan of the current administration, but
I for one will be very interested to see if their invective continues when Dubya is gone. ... especially if the
Democrats take over. I'm just not one for albums that are as politically charged as this. Ten years from now,
no one will give a shit. It's one thing to have a single song about 9/11, or one about the war, but a whole album
is really overdoing it. Age of Tyranny is a gripefest, and I wonder if PRO-PAIN has anything to offer up in the
way of solutions instead. Something a little more deep than "We must leave Iraq. Impeach Bush." Maybe you don't agree
with me on any of this. But I'd hope that you'd at least agree that the hip-hop cadence to the vocals has got to go.
RELLIK
HERITAGE OF ABOMINATION
2006 UNITED GUTTERAL
There's a couple of bands running around with the name RELLIK these days. If
you're looking for the one wth ex-IMMOLATION drummer Craig Smilowski, this isn't
it. I'm a little surprised this is an American band. RELLIK sounds more
Australian to me, in terms of the production and music. Sort of like the
bastard child of BESTIAL WARLUST and MISERY. The mix is kind of bright...
no murky, muffled stuff allowed, and the songs are blasting affairs that almost
fall apart but stop just short of doing so. The vocals are distinctly American.
They're low, but not gurgled. There is no doubt in my mind that if RELLIK had
released this album circa 1992 - 1995, they would be one of the bigger names
in the scene today. I'm going to qualify that statement however, because if
RELLIK had gotten the typical production sound that most underground American
bands have, they wouldn't have stood out very much at all.
ROSE FUNERAL
CRUCIFY KILL ROT
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS / SIEGE OF AMIDA
Technical death metal fans, prepare to have an orgasm. ROSE FUNERAL are a very brutal sounding tech death metal band with a lot
of start/stop riffs and a vocalist who sounds a lot like Killjoy of NECROPHAGIA. They've more or less taken that old "generic" American
midwest death metal sound and modernized it. Those of you into lots of breakdowns will be more than pleased by this one.
SAXON
THE INNER SANCTUM
2007 SPV
The streak of great SAXON albums since the Unleash the Beast (or maybe
Dogs of War) comeback remains unbroken. The Inner Sanctum is
one hundred percent pure SAXON, with the same drive as their last few albums.
I can already see a lot of these songs going over big in a live setting. SAXON's
been around for close to thirty years, and there's no sign of slowing down.
SEAR
LAMENTATIONS OF DESTRUCTION
2007 DYNAMIC ARTS RECORDS
This isn't the SEAR I remember on Begin the Celebrations of Sin. This
might as well be an entirely different band. Last time around, I drew all kinds
of comparisons to DARK FUNERAL. This time, while that element is still present,
it's not the major player in their sound. SEAR have discovered the sound of
BEHEMOTH, and have mixed that with both the DARK FUNERAL base and dual vocal
styles. They use both a low-end death growl and a mid-range black metal voice.
Of the two, I'd really prefer to see them stick with just the death growl. It's
just a lot more primal to these ears and it really works as one of their
strengths. Check that... there's three vocal styles. The third pops up only
occasionally, which is a good thing. I'm just not into these "clean" voices that
sound like they're being spoken/sung through a megaphone with distortion. It
makes SEAR sound a little wimpy, when they're anything but that.
SECRETS OF THE MOON
ANTITHESIS
2007 THE AJNA OFFENSIVE
This is probably one of the more malevolent sounding black metal bands I've
heard in a while. They must hail from one of the higher towers of the city of
Dis, as their hellish sound contains none of the filth and dirt that bands from
lower echelons possess. Very little speed is present, and in that, SECRETS OF THE MOON
is similar to other bands signed to The Ajna Offensive. Atmosphere, feeling,
and a general sense of power are more important than anyone trying to set their
instrument on fire by playing as fast as possible. Speed only gets you so far,
but playing slower opens all sorts of interesting doors as is the case here.
SECRETS OF THE MOON is one of those bands that I think should be bigger, but
also selfishly am glad they are not. The greater part of the scene doesn't
deserve brilliance such as this.
SUBCYDE
SUBCYDE
2007 LAST ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS
There is no doubt in my mind that SUBCYDE is Sweden's answer to PRO-PAIN, minus
the hip-hop bullshit or neverending political message. Their trademark is tons
of groove, a bottom heavy sound, and a vocalist who is fully focused on
sounding more hardcore than thou. As far as other influences, think PANTERA,
TESTAMENT's slower and lower moments, and maybe SEVENDUST. Not exactly a
combination that I look for in a band.
SUICIDAL WINDS
TOTAL DEATH N' LIVE
2007 KONQUEROR RECORDS
There's no mistaking this is a live album. The vocals are above everything
else, with all the instruments pushed toward the back of the mix. Nothing wrong
with that. After all, if the sound was perfect, then it would be a studio album.
SUICIDAL WINDS were in prime form the night this gig was recorded. They thrash
their way through a good chunk of their back catalog, including songs from
every release. It's really kind of rare for an underground band
like this to release a live album (a true live album, not a fucking rehearsal),
so support!
SWALLOW THE SUN
HOPE
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Fans of early MY DYING BRIDE take note. If ever there was a band that could come close to duplicating the brilliance of
Turn Loose the Swans, SWALLOW THE SUN is it. Their music has a lot of similarities with MDB, but also follows
a different path. The clean vocals aren't as clear, for one thing. They're spoken/sung in a very quiet voice, but it's definitely
not a meek one. The death vocals are of course every bit worthy of the name. As for the rest, it's nothing less than quality
goth-tinged doom metal. SWALLOW THE SUN have remained consistent with their sound over their three albums, and
it's been the right thing to do. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY
LETHAL AGENDA
2007 DEMOLITION RECORDS
I'll get to members Dave Ellefson and Stet Howland in a moment. The first thing
I need to do is to say that the first thing that hit me with this album is
vocalist Todd Barnes. The name was unfamiliar, but his voice was. Turns out
that he used to front a band here in San Diego called 13A. I'm damn sure that
I'd heard them on the radio years ago. He's got a hardcore/thrash kind of
delivery which lies somewhere between NUCLEAR ASSAULT and SICK OF IT ALL.
Of course, the big selling point for TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY is the team-up of
Dave Ellefson and Stet Howland. Dave came from MEGADETH, and Stet used to
be in WASP. Dave's bass and Stet's drums play off of each other perfectly,
and for once I can easily hear the bass in the mix as a separate instrument.
The band has sort of an old school thrash metal vibe, but it's done in a
modern way. This isn't something that I would necessarily recommend, but
for what it is it's decent. I think that if they'd formed this band back
when MACHINE HEAD's debut was released, TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY would be on a
much bigger label.
THRONE OF KATARSIS
AN ETERNAL DARK HORIZON
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
This is about an hour of pure DARKTHRONE worship with a vocalist who sounds
similar to Attila on MAYHEM's De Mysteriis Domine Sathanas album. Saying
this album is raw is an understatement. Primeval would be more like it. While
the overall atmosphere is fairly horrifying, my bowels didn't turn to water as
they did with BLOOD OF THE BLACK OWL and NEGATIVE PLANE. Even so, THRONE OF
KATARSIS is one of those bands that understands orthodox black metal. That
means guitar, bass, drums and vocalist only. No female clean backing vocals.
Minimal, if any, use of keyboards. No flutes. No bongos. No wind chimes.
THRONEUM
THE UNHOLY ONES
2007 DEATHGASM RECORDS
Poland's THRONEUM are rapidly becoming one of the more prolific bands in the
underground when it comes to releasing material. Every time I turn around, there's
either a new album, new mini-CD, 7", or split-LP available from these guys. So
far, everything they've done has been quality stuff. Tomaz and Marek have
enough good ideas for three or four bands, and I'm really not worried about the
chance that they might burn themselves out in the near future. This new
mini-CD features seven raw new tracks (plus an intro) that shows no growth or
progression from the old school death metal sound of their previous releases.
That's great! Growth and progression are overrated, and usually only serve
to make a band wimp out. I doubt we'll ever see THRONEUM wimp out. They play
ugly old school death metal, and always will. If you've liked their other
releases, you'll like this one as well. Now if only (yeah, I do have one
little thing to bitch about!) they would write and record more MORBID EXECUTION
stuff too.
TORMENT OF SOULS
BENEATH A DARK MIND
2007 SELF RELEASE
Here's some death metal that's a little different. I can't say that I've heard
a death metal band that has a base in semi-progressive thrash metal. Definitely
not morbid, but also not unfeeling technical blasting either. Maybe the most
unusual thing here is the fact that there are three guitarists. Even with three
axe shredders, TORMENT OF SOULS keeps their songs in line and on track. Not a
single case of "fuck the song, watch me play better than anyone else" can be
found. I can't say that I'm particularly reminded of any other band either.
TORMENT OF SOULS would have been at home in 1990 Florida, where there were tons
of bands, and none of them sounded like each other.
www.tormentofsouls.de
TRANSMISSION 0
MEMORY OF A DREAM
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
So let's see if TRANSMISSION 0 have improved any since I reviewed their debut back
in issue seventeen. Honestly, I'm not sure. They still sound like NEUROSIS-lite,
with heavy riffs that stop just short of bringing the walls down. I'll admit that
NEUROSIS ain't what they used to be, but TRANSMISSION 0 still can't touch them.
I just don't find the music to be all that engaging. It's not how heavy you
are, it's what you do with it that counts.
TYRANTS BLOOD
TYRANTS BLOOD
2006 MORBID MOON RECORDS
This is a brand new band which features members of BLASPHEMY. Amazing how the
mere mention of that name makes metal fanatics sit up and pay attention... even
though the band only had a handful of releases and hasn't been active in years,
save for some rehearsal sessions. Not surprisingly, TYRANTS BLOOD sounds a lot
like BLASPHEMY. It has the same unholy, filthy mix of black metal, death and
thrash. This is one of those albums that will make one of today's SLAYER
fans turn tail and run home to momma. I don't know what the deal is with Ross
Bay, but there sure are some killer bands from that area. Maybe it's the
cemetery there. Maybe it's the water. Hell, maybe the liquefied decay of the
bodies buried in the cemetery has seeped into the water supply. Whatever it is,
it's working.
TYRANTS BLOOD
c/o Marco Banco
9715 131 St.
Surrey B.C.
Canada
V3T 3P4
www.myspace.com/tyrantsblood
cativo@shaw.ca
UDO
MASTERCUTOR
2007 CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Just ignore the gawdawful cover art. In the great scheme of things, it doesn't matter. Mastercutor is yet another triumph for Udo Dirkschneider and crew,
full of everything you've come to expect from them. There's really not much else to be said. UDO is just as dependable as ever when it comes to releasing albums of kick ass heavy metal.
VORKUTA
INTO THE CHASMS OF LUNACY
2007 PARAGON RECORDS
I hate having to review albums like this. VORKUTA is not a bad black metal band,
but they're not particularly a good one either. What they are is mediocre.
Nothing here grabs my attention... the album might as well just be background
music. The music is mid to slow paced, light use of keyboards, and vocals that
sound like someone is being jabbed in the ass with a sharp stick. Hardly a
tortured feeling at all. Maybe if they used an electric cattle prod instead?
WATAIN
SWORN TO THE DARK
2007 THE AJNA OFFENSIVE
WATAIN is one of those bands that pays attention to the details. Not just with
their music, but with how they present it. The packaging is some of the best
I've seen, and is on a par with what DEATHSPELL OMEGA did with their last two
releases, and what REPUGNANT did with their album. It just screams Necro
Metal of Destruction as loud as it can. And the music... just as killer as ever.
These guys pulled Swedish black/death metal out of the melodic shithole it had
fallen into. I'm sure that some other bands did as well, but WATAIN are the
standout for me. Fast, evil, dark and full of venomous hatred for everything
and everyone. Intense only begins to describe their sound. Calling it an
assault on the senses comes a little closer. WATAIN play filthy black metal
of death, and are damn proud of it.
