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October 2006
The Price of Existence
Nuclear Blast
 All Shall Perish bring a pummeling mix of melodic death metal, metalcore, and a bit of grind to their sophomore effort, The Price of Existence. Beginning with the opening blasts of “Eradication” (complete with some crazy sweeping lead bits), the band shows that they have the talent to sling their respective instruments quite masterfully. They also show their wide range here, starting off a bit techno-grindcore, then bringing in a massive breakdown complete with gang vocals, and smoothly transitioning into a decidedly Swedish sounding death metal. “Wage Slaves” follows, and brings another element to the show – a freakin’ COWBELL! The track also features some catchy riffs, and more gang vocals that are sure to be a hit at ASP’s live shows in the future.
Aside from having a title that is far too long, “There is No Business to be Done on a Dead Planet” features some impressive fretwork from six-stringers Ben Orum and Chris Storey, as well as four-stringer Mike Tiner with the super technical opening to the song (drummer Matt Kuykendall is no slouch either, as demonstrated by his insanely paced blast beats during the same song). After smashing your mind in with some more technical and brutal mayhem, ASP takes a quick break with “Greyson”, which showcases some more great guitar work. So, you just caught your breath during the interlude, and then comes “We Hold These Truths”, and it comes straight for the gut with its ferocity. Bringing us to a close is “The Last Relapse”, which starts quietly, and quickly shreds out into a violent assault on the senses, before tapering off with a solo piano outro.
One of the most impressive parts of this disc is Hernan Hermida’s vocal range. He goes from a super deep guttural growl, to a high pitched scream (see “The True Beast”), to hardcore chanting, and even throwing in some black metal rasps (in “Better Living Through Catastrophe”). If that isn’t enough, he exercises some clean vocals at the beginning of “The Last Relapse” which ever so slightly reminds me of Dan Swäno on Edge of Sanity’s Unorthodox.
The production quality is also impeccable here, with every pluck of the strings, snap of the snare, and growl of the voice coming through loud and clear from start to finish.
While the band’s diversity may lead some to think that they have no direction or focus in their music, I think their website bio sums up their focus quite well: “they simply wanted to brutalize audiences and get people moving,” which they do very well here.
A- -Goz
The Conductor's Departure
Wicked World
 “Downward Spiral Into Madness” is the opening track on Anata’s latest release, The Conductor’s Departure, and it sets the tone for the entire album quite well. The main riff in the song is a winding, atonal bit that is both supremely catchy and also a bit unnerving at the same time. Eschewing the typical dual guitar styling where the guitarists mimic each other, Anata’s Fredrik Schälin and Andreas Allenmark play distinctly different parts for much of the song, weaving riffs in and out of each other, criss-crossing, but never meeting at the same point, which creates an unnerving, disturbing feeling to the music. It’s quite a unique sound, and it works very well here.
“Better Grieved Than Fooled” begins with a more traditional dual-guitar attack (joined by Henrik Drake on Bass and Conny Pattersson’s masterful drumming), then slows to a bluesy bit in the middle, and back to the main riff again to showcase some glitzy guitar solos. “Disobedience Pays” opens with a massive riff that should blow anyone away, and contains some of the most insane drumming on the disc as well – that is until the instrumental interlude “Children’s Laughter” where Pattersson puts on a very brief clinic in drumming. The title track ends the album, and it is 8 ½ minutes of brilliance. Showcasing all sorts of interweaving riffs, great guitar leads, and a nice drum solo, this song pretty much sums up what Anata is all about – technical mastery of their instruments.
Production on the disc is top notch, everything comes through perfectly. The only part of the album I am a bit down on is the vocals, which are pretty flat and don’t really match up with the technical work of the rest of the band (aside from some great backing vocal parts scattered here and there).
B+ -Goz
The Diabolical Procession
Cruz Del Sur
 Bible of the Devil hails from Chicago, and based on the name of the band, the title and front cover of the disc, I thought they must be a black metal band. I was dead wrong. BotD is more or less a straight up “Heavy Metal” band. The band plays off of influences ranging from Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, a bit of Priest, and many more that are too numerous to mention here.
The opening “Ecclesia Novorum Innocentium” shows that the bands twin-guitar attack of Mark Hoffman and Nate Perry play well off of each other, with lots of melodies (often matched on a lower octave by bassist Darren Amaya). This is a theme that repeats throughout the disc, but is represented strongest in “Orphans of Doom”, where a great melody part midway through the song breaks out into a nice dual guitar lead that wouldn’t be out of place on Maiden’s Somewhere In Time.
The final track, “Slaves”, falls flat for me. It seems the band is trying to make an epic song of sorts, with a quiet opening, an organ, clean acoustic guitars, and an attempt at cleaner singing which comes off quite poorly. The song fades out to a fake ending, then comes back to rock out for another minute or so. I can safely say that when I listen to this disc again I will skip over this last track.
A good effort if you are looking for some old school metal, or want to try squeezing into your old spandex or leather pants from the `80’s to rock out for a while...just ignore the last tune.
C+ -Goz
Black Church
Woodcut
 Nearly six years since their last full-length release, Finland’s Enochian Crescent bring us Black Church – 9 songs of somewhat technical black metal.
The band throws a little bit of everything at you here; “Tatan” is the opener and it has a pretty straight forward black metal feel to it with blast beat drumming, and wiry sounding riffs, with a bit of a curveball for the gang-vocal chorus. “Tango Absinto” has an interesting melodic line in it that is repeated throughout, a great bass solo mid-song, and a backing vocal during one part that reminded me of a Christmas carol or something (I know, I know…I don’t know how I came up with that either). An eerie cackle welcomes in “Chalk Face”, which features a pretty cool sing-along part in the middle (“Hey, hey, hey!”) where I can picture the band sitting around with mugs full of ale while they are chanting it out. “Thousand Shadows” features another interesting vocal part, almost like a swashbuckling pirate is singing the part (no doubt with a mug full of ale as well). Closing out the disc is the title track, which starts a bit slow and quiet, but picks up the pace and the volume around the midway point.
Overall, a good release from Enochian Crescent. An interesting mix of black metal, with a little technical stuff, and some oddball vocal parts for flavor.
B- -Goz
Outsourcing Morality
Deepsend
 Exitium hail from Oklahoma, and spew some mean ass politically tinged grind on their sophomore release, Outsourcing Morality. Offering up 11 songs, and clocking in at just over 26 minutes, Exitium doesn’t let up for a mere second.
Getting things going is the title track, which immediately brings forth memories of grind legends Nasum and Phobia (among others). An all out aural assault, featuring insane dual vocals, blast beats galore, screaming guitar leads that come out of nowhere, and even a medium paced bit to end the song. “Enshrined” follows with more of the same, but also ads in a bit more technical guitar parts, and a section in the song that is more reminiscent of straight ahead death metal. “Prorated Peace of Mind” sneaks in some really off the wall vocals; a high-pitched, distorted squeal that reminded me of Hatebeak for some reason. In another unique bit on the record, “Only in Death” has a guitar break that sounds like the backing music to an Atari 2600 video game. “A Dying Act of Defiance” ends the disc, and probably has the most memorable riff as well (as well as a Steve Harris-like bassline at the end of the track).
Throughout the disc, the band shows influences from many bands, including Slayer, Carcass, and a myriad of grind bands. Production is quite good, with all the instruments coming through in their overly-distorted glory, and the dual vocal attack growling and screaming above it all. Since the recording of this album, the singer has left the band, with one of the guitarists taking over the vocal duties, and a new guitarist joining to make up for the lost six-strings. Let’s hope that Exitium can continue to show some inspired grind with the revamped lineup.
B -Goz
Above the Weeping World
Candlelight
 Above the Weeping World is Insomnium’s third full length release on Candlelight Records. The Finnish foursome showcase some fine melodic death metal throughout the 9 tracks on ATWW, and it should appeal to fans of Opeth, Cemetary, Sentenced, and Amorphis (amongst others).
Opening with a mellow, atmospheric two and a half minute mostly instrumental track which incorporates a piano and rainfall sounds in the beginning, culminating with a nice catchy melodic riff that sets the pace for what to expect for the next 50 minutes or so. “Mortal Share” is the first proper song, and it incorporates a fairly simple, slightly dissonant melody line that is backed by some good heavy rhythm guitar and bass backing it up. The vocal style is growling, but still very understandable. “Dawn of Black” follows in similar territory, starting the song off with a melodic riff which is returned to throughout the track, but they also have some folky, acoustic parts this time around. This folky sound is found in many of the other tracks, with various keyboards, flutes (or maybe a recorder) and other instruments adding to the atmosphere. “At the Gates of Sleep” is one such song, starting off with an acoustic guitar piece backed by a flute/recorder (something), and quietly whispered vocals, then blasting in with a monstrous riff. “Devoid of Caring” shows the band at their heaviest, beginning with a masterful twin guitar intro and ending with a slow, drawn out ending. Finishing up the disc is the epic “In the Groves of Death”, lumping together all the various elements the band has shown in the previous 8 songs into a fantastic 10-minute closer that wraps up the disc in fine form.
Insomnium isn’t really breaking any new ground with Above the Weeping World, but they are building a solid foundation that shows a lot of promise for the future.
B -Goz
Void
Goodfellow
 Progressive – initially this is what may come to mind after a listen through on this, the group’s initial outing. That’s also not an entirely accurate measure of their music, however. Oh sure, the guys in Intronaut know their way around a complex math equation, and their instrumentation skills are clearly top-notch. But don’t let this deter you from checking them out. Their music is much more accessible than one might expect for a band drawing comparisons to Messugah and Mastodon.
Amazingly technical at times with a sprinkling of psychedelic head-trips, atonal chords, and wacky time signatures, Void is a slab of heavy, yet abstract metal fury. Clearly not a background record, Void can, at times, be challenging and intense, but it’s not without reward. After a second listen through, it all begins to come together rather nicely. The riffs can be brutal at times, while the vocals teeter, stylistically, between thrash and death metal. What might be most interesting about this release is that, while it comes across brutal, heavy, and intense, there’s quite a bit of melody going on here.
The knock against very technical/progressive metal is that it’s not at all memorable and catchy to those listening that aren’t musicians themselves. You won’t find that here. On Void, Intronaut have found a way to bridge the two worlds together rather seamlessly. It’s going to be a real treat to see what these guys continue to come up with on future releases.
B+ -Chuck Ferreira
Adoration of the Blade
Deepsend
 Adoration of the Blade is the debut full length from South Carolina’s Lecherous Nocturne. The disc is 8 songs, and about 24 minutes or pure brutality, not letting up for even a beat from start to finish.
Lecherous Nocturne is all about pure brutal death metal, with just a touch of technical stuff mixed in. Singer Jason Hohenstein can belt out the death growl with the best of them, and sneaks in a couple of grind-like screams to show some diversity. Guitar duo Kreishloff and Chris Lollis keep the lightning paced riffs going, and bassist Mike Poggione (of Monstrosity) and drummer Dallas Toler-Wade (guitarist for Nile) offer a rock solid foundation for everything else to play upon.
That being said, Lecherous Nocturne doesn’t offer anything spectacular or new to these ears. Sure, they put together some brutal songs (with “The Divine Wind” being my pick for tops on the disc), but nothing about the disc was super memorable or would entice me back for repeat listenings.
C -Goz
Rio Grande Blood
13th Planet
 What can be said of Al Jourgensen’s political viewpoint that hasn’t been written over and over again? The man despises the current President (as do many of us), and this, Ministry’s latest release, pulls absolutely no punches in spreading the message that “Dubya” is quite possibly the most evil and manipulative man to take residence in the White House.
As the second installment in Jourgensen’s trinity of venomous statements against the political nightmare that has a grip on the country (the first being 2004’s excellent House of the Mole), Rio Grande Blood is a definitive statement – there’s no gray area to be found here. Everything is dealt with; from Bush’s hard-line, thick-headed cowboy stance on attacking a sovereign Iraq and the underlying motive (that would be the oil, kids), to the current conspiracy theories gaining momentum surrounding the tragic 9/11 attacks.
Also given center stage is the pathetic reaction (or non-reaction if you will) on the part of our President to the horrific and sad situation after the Katrina disaster, as well as the realization that the current administration had ample information to thwart the before-mentioned 9/11 horror. Some slag Jourgensen as unpatriotic, but the man is only speaking out (albeit loudly) on subjects with which many Americans have questions, concerns, and suspicions.
How does the record sound? The trademark machine-like pummeling dual guitar onslaught (bolstered by the addition of the incredible Tommy Victor of Prong) is almost assault-like in nature, and that’s just how we like a Ministry record, isn’t it? Former Killing Joke Paul Raven supplies the bottom end (hmmm...could a potential Prong reunion be in the future?) and long-time stick slinger, Matt Baker supplies that trademark pummeling drum attack. We’ve long come to appreciate Al’s talent for cutting together and manipulating sound bites of guys named George Bush to better represent the truth going on around us, and there are sound bites galore to be found here. The overall sound is what you expect – loud, brash, heavy, precise, nasty, and unrelenting. Oh and yeah, it’s “industrial” sounding too.
B+ -Chuck Ferreira
Prone Mortal Form/Innocents (reissue)
Century Media
Century Media brings us a very affordable 2-disc reissue of the two classic Only Living Witness recordings, Prone Mortal Form and Innocents, originally released in 1993 and 1996, respectively.
From the opening title track from Prone Mortal Form, to the Innocents finale “Total Particle Reversal”, these two albums are chock full of the heavy, catchy, groovy riffs that many bands have since mimicked and used as a launching pad to their success (see Shadows Fall and Killswitch Engage for prime examples – both have mentioned OLW as big influences in past interviews). Every song on these two disc is memorable, packed with monstrous riffs, quieter interludes, and crushing breakdowns. If this music doesn’t get you moving, then you need to have yourself checked to see if you’re still alive. I’d pick out favorite tracks, but it’s simply impossible for me to chose. Let's keep it easy (and honest) and say that everything here is a standout.
As if the original CDs weren’t enough, there are 11 bonus tracks (mostly demo version of album songs as well as one unreleased songs) and two video tracks included as bonus material (one shot back in the day by GASP's own Bruce Millet).
Only Living Witness was a band before it’s time, bringing together the best of metal and hardcore with a good bit of punk mentality. Unfortunately, the band broke up shortly after Innocents was recorded. If these albums were released today, the band could possibly be one of the forerunners in the metal scene. EVERYone should have a copy of this in their collection.
A+ -Goz
The Black is Never Far
Exile on Mainstream
 This one should make Tony Iommi proud. Of everything yet released in 2006, The Black is Never Far is one of the biggest, bottom-ended, brooding, doom riff-fests out there.
Following a dose of significant turmoil since their second record (the excellent With Vision), highlighted by the amicable parting of ways with fellow Doom veteran Scott 'Wino' Weinrich and an announced dissolving of the band, Victor Griffin (chief songwriter, vocalist and guitarist) managed to avert disaster with a release that is altogether heavy and crushing, but is also reflective and hopeful. Griffin’s spiritual stance is not one of ambiguity - the man’s a follower of Christ, and yet it’s a far cry to call this a “Christian Rock” record by any stretch of the imagination. That’s far too limiting. The over-the-top cheerful and unrealistic happy-go-lucky vibe found in most Christian Rock releases is nowhere to be found here. Rather, this is a record based in reality, working towards exorcising the demons that haunt us daily and having the awareness that those types of attacks can happen at any moment, as the title suggests. Griffin’s inner flame is fueled by his faith in God and his approach to songwriting can only come from a place of someone who stands tall after surviving the majority of life’s battles.
Sonically, this record switches from moments of absolute doom metal fury with massive guitar tone and thundering drums to moments of almost psychedelic acoustic tinged numbers provided as interludes during the onslaught of metal. On those heavier numbers, though, the riffs are so damn big and catchy, that if the aforementioned Godfather of all metal riffs (Iommi) should hear this CD, he may very well be inspired.
Who says Satan gets all the best metal?
A -Chuck Ferreira
Triumph Or Agony
SPV
 Amazing that almost ten years down the road a threatened lawsuit would make a popular symphonic Hollywood-styled Italian metal outfit modify their name to avoid controversy. When this quintet first hit the streets many camps were fascinated by their blend of Helloween style speed with strong choir/classical leanings front and center in the proceedings. Sustaining a career merely from studio albums, Rhapsody Of Fire finally took the chance with their third album Dawn Of Victory to play live shows, obviously having to enhance their sound with backing tapes but at the same time upping the energy and ferocity factor in front of fervent crowds. Since then guitarist Luca Turilli seems to be an unstoppable writing machine, releasing 2 other albums this year with his solo band and Dreamquest before putting the finishing touches on their sixth Rhapsody effort (first as Rhapsody of Fire).
Triumph Or Agony focuses more on the mid-tempo aspects of the band, laying off much of the double bass speed and instead accenting more of their medieval/ theatrical parts of the band. Narrator Christopher Lee makes a splendid return, and of the 10 normal songs on offer, 8 click in at a rather to the point time frame (between 3:50- 5:11), save the 16 minute plus five-part epic “The Mystic Prophecy Of The Demon Knight” and 6:27 closer “Dark Reign Of Fire”. “Heart Of The Darklands” features back and forth interaction between Fabio Lione’s operatic vocal nature, Alex Staropli and Luca Turilli’s keyboard and guitar chord tradeoffs and the larger than life choral background vocals that make you feel like you are witnessing a Broadway musical. “Old Age Of Wonders” on the other hand touches the folk heart, a gentle ballad much in the tradition of the better Blind Guardian slow moments through their lifetime. Aligning with Manowar in terms of guidance and management ties has definitely stepped up their professionalism in terms of production, packaging and songwriting. It’s easy to hear on this album why they are one of the veteran acts to keep paying attention to as a result of their recordings.
Sure you have to be in the right frame of mind to appreciated Rhapsody Of Fire, but then again doesn’t all high quality metal touch the cranium in just the right cortex?
B+ -Matt Coe
Sahg I
Candlelight
 Norway’s Sahg offer up 10 tracks of catchy, trippy, grooving doom/stoner rock on their debut release, Sahg I. At first listen, Sahg reminds you of early Black Sabbath, complete with eerily Ozzy-like vocals (maybe not as close as sHeavy frontman Steve Hennessey, but still pretty close at times). Keep listening, and you will notice that they take their Sabbath influence, blend it with the best of the modern Stoner scene (Electric Wizard, Orange Goblin, etc.), add in some Monster Magnet with a dash of Soundgarden to come up with a catchy and unique sound that is infinitely entertaining.
Opening with a 2-minute intro that segues straight into “Repent”, Sahg use some interesting sounding instruments to setup a creative and laid-back atmosphere before the heavily distorted guitars come in to knock you into a rocking frenzy. “The Executioner Undead” is a mid-paced track, with a multitude of catchy riffs, and a chorus that is begging for a sing along (sing it with me now - “river runs red, blood will be shed, the executioner undead”). “Rivers Running Dry” is another riff-laden mid-tempo track, with a thunderous bass-line and a brief quiet 'smoking break' after a short dual guitar lead. “Godless Faith” begins with a droning riff that’s so heavy, it should come with a warning label. I would have to pick this as my standout track, with its mix of heaviness, quiet moody bits, and ultra memorable chorus. Rounding out the disc is “Black Passage”, another collection of catchy riffs and catchy vocal lines, coupled with a slightly quicker pace than most of the other tracks.
Call them stoner rock, doom, gloom, or just plain old rawk – it doesn’t much matter because Sahg has put together a great disc. I’d put Sahg I up against Age of Winters from The Sword for top stoner/doom album of 2006 so far.
A+ -Goz
What Have We Become
Equal Vision
 Seemless is the perfect name for a band that so seamlessly blends a wide variety of influences into a cohesive and entertaining sound. The most obvious influence to my ears is Only Living Witness (get their reissue if you don’t already have it), along with some `70’s southern rock, `90’s groove rock (Soundgarden, Monster Magnet, Kyuss), and more modern metal &
hardcore to a lesser extent. When asked what they sounded like by a friend of mine, the first thing I thought of was Only Living Witness crossed with Queens of the Stone Age, which I still feel is a pretty apt - although constricting - description of the band.
What Have We Become is the band's follow-up to their impressive 2004 self-titled debut and is full of thick, sticky grooves (sticky like the resin of fresh bud on your fingertips), interesting and diverse drumming, and great vocals.
“In My Blood” gets things going with a scream of "1, 2, 3, 4" that launches into one monster of a groove, combining a great riff with solid drum beats. There is a breakdown part towards the end that showcases a bit of the hardcore influences the band has (especially with the drumming), and is followed by a bluesy guitar lead. “Numb” is one of the standout tracks on the disc, featuring a down and dirty blues-rock riff with a nice lead over it, and superb vocals throughout the entire song. “Eyes of a Child” has a great part in the middle of the song showcasing the bass player with a nice riff, and also makes use of everybody’s favorite percussive instrument, the cowbell. “Seven” starts off with a funky drum beat and a very memorable guitar riff, and picks up the pace a bit halfway through.
“Maintain”, which was previously available as a live bonus track on the reissue of their debut disc, contains one of the hugest grooves I’ve heard in a long time (reminds me a bit of Clutch, actually), with drummer Derek Kerswill, guitarist Pete Cortsese and bassist Jeff Fultz all hooking together to create a monster sound that just begs you to move, and vocalist Jesse Leach providing some smooth singing on top of it all.
If you like your music full of groove and soul, Seemless delivers just that with What Have We Become.
B+ -Goz
Kauja Pie Saules
Paragon
 Skyforger’s 1998 debut, Kauja Pie Saules (or The Battle of Saule), was just recently re-released on Paragon Records. The band is from Latvia, and plays what they call “Latvian Pagan Metal”, a blend of Baltic folk and black metal.
The first track “Neighed the Battlehorses” is a tradition folk style song, complete with horses neighing in the background. I can picture a bunch of people huddled around a campfire singing this. Next, the band gets into the metal side of things with the title track. It begins with a bit of a classic metal riff, before sliding into more of a black metal feel (although still incorporating some traditional folk sounding instruments), complete with ultra-raspy vocals. From there on out, with the exception of one pure folk track, and the penultimate song, “Battle at Garoza Forest” (which is actually quite good), it’s pretty much the same – fast beats, raspy singing, and ultra wiry, whining sounding guitars, mixed with a touch of folkiness here and there to keep it ever so slightly interesting.
Aside from the aforementioned “Battle at Garoza Forest”, this disc falls flat for me, as it is unable to keep my interest with its repetitiveness.
C- -Goz
Alter
Southern Lord
 Drone is a rather peculiar offshoot of the doom subgenre of metal, in that it’s not so much an actual musical style as it is atmospheric sound, albeit a dark one. In many cases, a drone “song” can carry on for several minutes with absolutely no form of structure, melody, or arrangement. While this can be perfect in the right frame of mind, it’s hard to imagine that any band putting out a drone project will attain anything more than extreme cult status.
In the case of SunnO)) and Boris, however, both bands have been receiving a lot of attention lately. SunnO)) are stalwarts in the slow, huge riff-based drone movement (along with Earth, perhaps their biggest contemporaries) and Boris, who’s latest release, Pink (see Mark Small's review a few albums down), has drawn rave reviews. Alter is being described as a complete collaboration between both bands (including contributions from some “all-star” special guests like Kim Thayil of Soundgarden and Joe Preston, formerly of the Melvins) from the writing and conceptualization phase all the way to the finished product. It’s a great concept, but what do we make of such a collaborative effort? Does it work? After a couple of listens through, it’s obvious that each band manages to keep its own identity throughout while charting new territory and finding a way to form one entity.
For the most part, Alter is an instrumental outing with the lone exception of the outstanding third track, “The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)”, which features a deep, hypnotic vibe more characteristic of the Boris sound (this is also the one track with any true sense of melody and arrangement). The CD as a whole, though, caters far more to the SunnO)) drone sound with massive chords decaying over a lifetime, and huge wailing feedback strewn about. There’s little doubt that in the world of the drone fan, this album is a wet-dream come true.
B -Chuck Ferreira
Greenland
Tee Pee
 Teeth of the Hydra – what a GREAT name for a metal band, and the music they’ve created on their maiden journey is what one might expect from a band with a name like Teeth of the Hydra. Equal parts sludge, doom, and stoner rock, Greenland finds these Columbus, Ohio natives channeling their inner Leif Ericksons and tackling material that is usually reserved for bands in the Black Metal scene. There’s certainly a danger when a band decides to get all “Odin” on our asses because they run the risk of putting themselves in a position to have a troupe of dancing dwarves trod upon their Stonehenge metal aspirations.
Thankfully, though, Teeth of the Hydra avoid this by steering clear of any pretentious cartoon-like imagery of mystical Viking battles and dying warriors making their journey to Valhalla despite the disc’s “concept album” leanings. Rather, the lyrical subject matter tends to revolve around the difficult, harsh life of living in the artic, and really, who can’t relate to that? There’s nothing here that will take you by surprise, but that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good thing...a very good thing.
Greenland is absolutely pummeling in its approach, and sonically brash and upfront. For those who are enjoying the current trend of massive riffing, mid-tempo, Sabbath-inspired retro metal (The Sword, Pearls & Brass, Torche, etc.) Teeth of the Hydra are essential to the mix.
B+ -Chuck Ferreira
The Crusade
Roadrunner
When I first put Trivium’s third release, The Crusade, into my CD player to write this, I had to eject it after about a minute to make sure it was the correct disc. I though I had put some long lost Metallica demo in by mistake.
Turns out it was the right disc, it’s just that The Crusade is, for the most part, very unoriginal, and almost a clone of earlier (up through …And Justice For All), classic-era Metallica. Vocalist Matt Heafy’s voice is almost identical to Hetfield’s (although a lot more monotonous), and many riffs that could've have been lifted from records 2 decades old. The lack of originality or thoughtfulness in songwriting is the major factor that plagues this album, as there were times where 3 or 4 songs had gone by, and I thought it was all one song or the same song on repeat. Not only do they sound like a clone of another band, but each song sounds like a clone of the previous song.
That being said, there are a couple of things on this disc that are decent. Many of the guitar leads are stellar, showing that the band has the chops to play good music, but apparently they don’t have essential songwriting chops. “Tread the Floods” starts off with a pretty nice riff, then descends right back into the same Metallica-by-numbers theme that every other song has. And it’s not only the music that is written poorly, as “Anthem” (a song that features the best lead guitar spot on the disc) contains such brilliant lyrics as “Wo oh oh oh oh” and “Yeah eh eh yeah eh”. Sure, it’ll probably translate live with everyone singing along, but it sounds extremely lame coming out of my speakers.
Closing off the disc is the title track, an 8+ minute instrumental. The band shines here, showcasing all of their musical talent. It’s too bad that it's a little too late to salvage anything, as you’ve had to trudge through almost 50 monotonous minutes to get to this point.
They could have called this disc Kill The Lightning, Ride The Master Of Justice…And Puppets For All.
F -Goz
Midvinterblot
SPV
 Sweden’s Unleashed have been at it for some 16 years now, releasing their 8th full length recording with Midvinterblot (possibly named after the Carl Larsson painting from 1915; translated it means "midwinter sacrifice"), their first disc for new label SPV. They continue in their tradition of playing a death metal style (with more than a slight touch of rock n’ roll thrown in), but writing songs about Vikings and war more than plain old death and dismemberment.
“Blood of Lies” opens the disc, and if you have heard Unleashed in the past, you should know what to expect – that is, fairly quick, galloping riffs, mid-range growling vocals, and some pretty good lead guitar parts. “We Must Join with Him” is obviously inspired by Tolkien, with the chorus “We must join with Sauron, or we have chosen death”, taking a slight departure from the Viking theme for a bit. From there on out, we get an aural assault of catchy, heavy riffs, ripping solos, and all the other stuff you’d expect from Unleashed. Standout tracks for me are the title track and “The Avenger”.
Unleashed has been putting out very similar sounding music since 1991, and they don’t depart much from it on their latest release. If you like their previous offerings, you will surely like Midvinterblot as well.
C+ -Goz
Impressions in Blood
Candlelight
 Vader has been pummeling listeners with brutal, blast beat-laden death metal for 20 years now, and there is no sign of letting up on their latest, Impressions in Blood.
The disc opens with an orchestral bit that sounds like it could be part of the soundtrack for the next super hero movie, then rages straight into “ShadowsFear” – which starts off with a mid-paced semi-technical bit, then after a “Go” from singer Peter, we get to the brutally blazing blasts that we know Vader for. Add to that some nice guitar leads, and a pretty technical breakdown towards the end of the song, and you have a great opening track. “Halleluyah!! (God is Dead)”, the track they made a video for, starts off a bit peacefully with some strings in the background, before again hitting breakneck speed when the chorus arrives in all of its chant-along glory. It’s a fairly straightforward piece that will probably go over well during their next tour. “Field of Heads” may be the most technical track on the disc, with abundant use of pinch harmonics and a couple of good leads, and a drum solo finishing off the song.
“Predator” shows the band in top form, after a brief orchestral opening, we are crushed by the massive opening riff by guitarists Peter and Mauser being solidly backed up with the rhythm section of drummer Daray (BIG double bass on this track) and bassist Novy. From the monster riff that carries most of the song spawns a nice guitar lead mid-song, and then a long, slow fade to the end. The next few tracks follow the same pattern – fast riffs, deep vocals, pretty nice guitar leads – but don’t venture into any new territory. “The Book” finishes things up nicely, with a great mid-paced riff, some insane drumming, and three different guitar solos that keep the technical aspects of the track in check.
Impressions in Blood has some very good moments to it (“Predator” and “The Book” being standout tracks), but it also has a group of songs that could be interchanged with each other and that change not be noticed.
B- -Goz
S/T
Interscope
 It’s hard to find a category for Wolfmother, which may be why this Australian power trio appears to be on a meteoric ride to rock stardom. At different times seeming to channel the dark sound of Black Sabbath, the mythic tones of Led Zeppelin, and the alternative approach to metal led by the White Stripes and Queens of the Stone Age, Wolfmother feels familiar yet sounds like nothing you’ve heard.
Close your eyes and listen the tracks “White Unicorn” and “Where Eagles Have Been” and you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the Zeppelin-era. The band bravely combines `70’s lyrical themes with a progressive sound that harkens back 30 years ago, but never touches down. In fact, the 13 tracks on Wolfmother’s self-titled album succeed in delivering the past as the future, with enough force to convince you that “modern rockers” (that means you Nickelback) haven’t done as much damage as you’ve feared.
Other highlights include “Apple Tree,” “Colossal,” and the Tull-savvy “Tales” complete with flute solo. It’s clear this band was conceived three decades too late, but Wolfmother’s proto-heavy metal sound may be just what’s needed to shake up the modern rock scene.
A- -Dan McDermott
August 2006
Pink
Southern Lord
 What can I say about the mighty Boris that hasn’t already been said? Pink has the feel of an indie band finally doing their major label release. What I mean by that is, that Pink is kinda a sampler of the different styles that Boris is capable of producing. It is probably their most accessible record, and it kicks some major ass. I should note that I’m reviewing the Southern Lord version of this release. Musically it’s the same, but the packaging is a bit different than the original Japanese pressing. I must say that I didn’t really love the artwork as much as the original, but the 3 sheets of acid that come with Southern Lord’s version are a nice treat. Haven’t tried any of it yet, but I do think this is definitely more trippy than it is stoner rock.
On to the music. As I said, this record does display a few different styles, but they all work together to make a somewhat unified theme. That theme is HEAVY as shit. The first track, “Farewell”, is more of a My Bloody Valentine/Jesu track, and it is a great ambient intro to the record as a whole. I remember seeing Kevin Shields from MBV doing a 20 minute solo on one note that cleared the entire club, and that’s what “Farewell” reminded me of. Very melodic, but totally heavy, sick noise to boot. What more could you ask for. The second and third tracks, “Pink” and “Woman on the Screen” get more into the riff heavy madness that we all love about Boris. “Nothing Special” and “Pseudo-Bread” get more into some speed metal/Motorhead type noise that is somewhat weak, but still kicks some feedbackin’ ass. “Blackout” is a killer dirge, that really had me thinking about Godflesh, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. The last track, “Just Abandoned Myself”, is just a killer noisefest that clocks in at about 18 minutes, the last 10 minutes or so just being two chords and a bunch of noise. Absolutely great stuff.
There aren’t too many records that really have blown my mind upon first listen, but I would have to include Pink on that list. I think there are enough genres on here to satisfy most everyone. A superb record.
A -Mark Small
The Stench of Redemption
Earache
I will admit up front that I became bored with Deicide after their first two releases. It seemed to me that the band was stuck in a rut and I just didn't care for what they were doing. After hearing about the departure of founding members and guitarists Eric and Brian Hoffman following their last album (their first for Earache after a long tenure with Roadrunner), I was interested to see if maybe it was the kick in the ass needed to wake the band up. Apparently it was, as Deicide shows on The Stench of Redemption.
Starting with the title track, you can tell that new guitarists Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla are adding some new life to the Deicide sound. After an initial onslaught of tight riffs and head-snapping blast beats backed up with Glen Benton's superb dual vocal attack, we are treated to an almost 2 minute instrumental break with slick harmonized solos, followed up with a trade-off solo, showcasing both six-stringer's immense talent. “Death to Jesus” follows and showcases some more of drummer Steve Asheim's ultra-fast blast beats (I don't remember Deicide blasting this fast in the past), and more amazing guitar work by the afore mentioned duo. Asheim's song writing is what you would expect from him if you know Deicide - memorable break-neck speed riffs interlaced with melodic bits and it seems he left plenty of room for solos this time around as well.
“Homage for Satan” has one of those memorable riffs repeated throughout the song, sandwiched between lots of melodic bits and Benton's possessed vocals. The final track, “Not of This Earth”, includes one of the best riffs on the record and has a decidedly Slayer-like feel to it. It's tough to pick a favorite here, as the whole disc is pretty strong, but “The Lord's Sedition” and “Walk with the Devil in Dreams You Behold” would probably be at the top, the former for it's sheer intensity and the latter for the amazing solo work.
B+ -Goz
Smoke and Mirrors
Small Stone
 I had the distinct pleasure of seeing these guys live twice this spring, and let me just say, they are awe-inspiring. Dixie Witch have been around for quite awhile, and touring the whole time. They are probably one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen. No matter what kind of music you’re into, their hard work really shows and they totally slay. That being said, the question becomes, how do you capture that ferocity on tape? That became the challenge for Joel Hamilton and Tony Maimone at Studio G in Brooklyn. I must say, they did a terrific job in creating the best Dixie Witch record to date.
If you’re not familiar with these guys, it’s hard-rocking, blues-based, southern rock at it’s best. With substantial volume being the key ingredient, they take massive amp stacks and run them full out to create a huge wall of blistering riffs and empty PBR cans in their wake. The first track, “Set the Speed”, is a perfect example. Guitarist Clayton Mills really set the mood right from the beginning here, with a killer groovy riff that really begs you to drink-some-beer and bang-some-heads. Lyrically, the general theme is life on the road (you sing about what you know, I guess) and vocals are shared between drummer Trinidad Leal and bassist Curt Christenson. Two very different styles, but both work pretty well. Trinidad is definitely the stronger vocalist, but Curt’s vocals have a cool Motorhead feeling to them.
Besides the opener, “Ballinger Cross” is another standout track. A jaw-dropping live song that translates really well on this record. Starting with a heavy dirge riff that moves into a cool melodic bridge, then back into full-on dirge. “What you Want” highlights some cool slide work by Clayton and “Last Call” is a cool instrumental with Tony on the B3 organ. Musicianship on this record is really top-of-the-line without sacrificing the song. Everything seems to fit into place.
These guys score a perfect 10 when it comes down to authenticity and tenacity. If you’re into blues-based rock done the right way, this album is a must have. And, if I may reiterate, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SEE THEM LIVE!
B+ -Mark Small
A Matter of Life and Death
Sanctuary
The legendary Iron Maiden unleashes the eagerly awaited follow up to 2003's Dance of Death with the 70+ minute A Matter of Life and Death. Long songs are the norm here, although none of them ever seem to drag (quite the opposite, actually). There are lots of intricate riffs and melodies, layers of harmonizing, and of course plenty of guitar solos. The production is superb, as expected, allowing each individual’s skills to shine through and be heard clearly.
AMOLAD kicks off with "Different World", the shortest and most radio friendly track on the album. Full of melody and catchy vocal lines, this track gets the album going on a strong note. Bruce Dickinson’s vocals really shine on the next track, “These Colours Don’t Run”. A moody song about war, this showcases all of the bands talent, from the minute long intro, to the screaming guitar leads, and the memorable and powerful chorus. “Brighter Than a Thousand Suns” is a powerhouse, with a huge riff that might be as powerful as the H-Bombs the song is about.
“The Longest Day” is another epic song about war, this time covering D-Day. Some of the best musicianship on the album shows during this song. Just after the mid-way point, there is a harmonized part where all three guitarists – Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers – are joined by bassist Steve Harris (who also had a major part in writing all the songs here) for a moment that I can only imagine will be a standout during their upcoming tour to support this release. Spark up your lighters for “Out of the Shadows”, a fairly quiet, acoustic-ish song with great vocals by Bruce once again. The following three tracks – “Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg”, “For the Greater Good of God”, and “Lord of Light” – continue to showcase all that Maiden has to offer; great musical talent, killer vocals, and thoughtful lyrics.
Just when you thought the album couldn’t get any better, “The Legacy” comes along to close it out. After opening with a gentle classical acoustic guitar intro joined by a wall of distorted riffing at about the 3 minute mark, it progresses to a trademark Maiden gallop mid-song, and finishes up with a catchy harmony and back to the acoustic bit again.
A Matter of Life and Death shows that Iron Maiden still has the chops that made (and still make) them one of the most influential metal bands ever. After the 70+ minutes here, I am left wanting more new Maiden already.
A -Goz
Anything For The Devil
Corporate Punishment
 Crunching guitars, raging vocals, melodic hooks and solid programmed synthetic tension lurking beneath the surface define the 5 track Anything For The Devil EP from Rikets. Industrialized tunes with a hard rock edge are a dime a dozen right now, but lifted up by some verbal shredding by Scott Rose, who can balance melody with rant and rage theatrics well, and balanced on a very solid and understated electronic edge that doesn’t undercut the guitar/drum beatdown, Anything For The Devil produces a solid foot thumper for those looking for sing and scream along tunes.
Opening strong with “Useless” and “Hollywood”, the tone is set for fans of Static-X too rock out to the raging vocals and melodic hooks and in the early section of the album the strengths of Rikets are on display in top form. Pounding away until they hit the mid-point with “Blister”, a track that sounds a bit more like Linkin Park and radio-worthy industrial rock. It is a good radio song that cuts the edge off the earlier tracks without shaving away intensity to good effect. While the trend continues through “Bitter Words”, the disc closes on the groovy pound out of the title track.
If the discographies of Static-X and Linkin Park were to attempt to gangbang Saliva’s songwriting then you would have a sick and disturbed little lovechild...with RIKETS!
B- -David Zuzelo
Christ Illusion
American
 Slayer. In the grand scheme of Metal, they are the BEST band there is and ever will be. NOTHING will touch Reign In Blood – it is the album that defines the genre, though it’s to Slayer’s creative detriment that they will always have this standard to live up to.
So here we have a five year lapse between albums and the return of the almighty Lombardo. This 20 year Slayer fan can only imagine how close they can come to recapturing that evil essence from 1986. Perhaps this pressure weighed too heavily on the band member’s minds as well because Christ Illusion simply falls flat.
Tom’s vocals are the strongest they’ve sounded in many, many moons and Dave’s drumming is, like always, perfection. But Slayer lives and dies by the riff and, sadly, Kerry and Jeff have let us down as the overall musical construction sounds slapdash. Granted it’s far more polished and professional than the majority of the CDs that crawl into my PO Box, but, welp, here’s that forever Reign-ing comparison again.
The album opens with “Flesh Storm” which sounds way too much like a throwaway track lifted from Seasons In The Abyss. “Catalyst” introduces us to an awkwardly high-pitched wanky riff that is used yet again, only more effectively, on “Jihad”. “Skeleton Christ” chugs along with some interesting flavors and “Cult” is the hit single, but none of it is overly memorable.
Unlike virtually their entire back catalog, it’s not the first but the last tune on the album that’s the most potent. “Supremist” has it all: anger-spewed vocals fueled by pain-filled lyrics, neck-wrenching guitar solos, pummeling double bass (verging on blast beats at times), a well-placed mosh part, and a mystifying fade-out ending. Similarly to the band’s last three releases however, one standout and three or four decent songs does not a classic album make.
It’s the Slayer sound through and through, though it is disappointing that they couldn’t have kicked it up a few notches for old time’s sake.
C+ -Mike Baronas
The Beauty and The Beer
AFM
Tankard has been pouring its German Pilsner brand of thrash for almost 25 years, and if you thought they rocked back in the `80's, chances are you haven't missed a thing. Like contemporaries Destruction and Sodom, you know exactly what you're gonna get well in advance of pressing the 'play' button.
Band leader and singer Gerre still croons his alcohol-fueled lyrics (I cannot believe his liver isn't pickled by now if he honestly still practices what he preaches) and the band churns out catchy riffs on “Ice-olation”, “Rockstars No. 1”, and “Dirty Digger”. The production is top notch too. Really not sure how else to describe this album other than to give the band props for staying true to their roots. I remember buying The Morning After back in the day and they truly haven't changed the formula at all.
Tankard haven't skunked on us yet...just fermented a bit.
B- -Mike Baronas
Fang Bang
Rykodisc
 At first glance one might think Wednesday 13 is just another Marilyn Manson wannabe, but he’s much more fun. His new release (and first for Rykodisc) Fang Bang is a shock/horror inspired collection of new songs that can only be described as a punk-metal inspired Alice Cooper (current era).
Sounding like a cross between Alice and Marilyn, Wednesday’s tongue-in-cheek song lyrics have some classic lines. “Morgue Than Words”, a little ditty about telling someone who has died in a car accident how much you loved them: “You had such beautiful eyes, now they’re covered in flies”. “My Home Sweet Homicide” describes marital bliss with lines like, “I’m so love sick/sick of you...I guess I’ll see you in hell, but I’m sure you would ruin that too...you’ll be the death of me/baby you’re my home sweet homicide...and the best thing about our future is knowing that I’m going to die!”.
Wednesday tackles the topic of necrophilia while cross-dressing in “Happily Ever Cadaver” and even adds an ode to to the Friday the 13th series with “Till Death Do Us Party”. He never gets too serious and constantly rides right on the edge of being offensive. The production is great and the playing is inspired. All of the songs sound as if they'll translate great live and will have the audience shouting right along. Word has it that Wednesday 13 has a lot of surprises in store for the Fang Bang stage show, so it sounds as if the album is only the beginning of the party!
A -Matt Smith
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