Madder Mortem
(formerly Mystery Tribe - wise choice in name change) didn’t catch many
ears until their song “These Mortal Sins” was released on Misanthropy
comp “Presumed Guilty”. Upon listening to this 7 track album, I am left
feeling kinda bored. The instrumentation is far superior to many bands
out there but isn’t very original. The vocals are the weakest point for
me though. I have never been a fan of female vocals and the vocals laid
over this melancholic, depressed sounding metal just seem utterly plain.
Most of the disc is slow and uneventful and personally just doesn’t do
anything for me. I definitely find solace in something like Rozz
Williams but this is in another area but possible M.M. were aiming for
that crowd? They definitely should throw out their heavy riffs and
concentrate on their vocals and slower material; that seems to be their
niche. - JEFFREY KUSBEL
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An Italian
“Occult black metal” is what this one man band bills itself as. The
7 tracks, which include 4 songs, 3 intros that were done in ’06 but
apparently just now seeing label release, from what I can gather. I
am rather hoping this release was nothing more than an early,
beginners demo tape. As Manth to be blunt are all kinds of sloppy
with a liberal does of down right horrible. Manth try to play equal
parts of extreme black metal ala Profanatica / Havohej and heavy
synth atmospheric ala a dying cat that swallowed a mini korg
keyboard. I mean what an mess we have on our hands here. The metal
half, is poor to barely passable but possess no real flow, feeling
or direction to the song. The atmospheric half, sounds like a child
who got a synthesizer for christmas. The two halves are merely
smashed together in exceptionally amateurish fashion. I am left
scratching my head as to why a label would want to release this?
– Dale
www.kampf.ws kampfrec@go2.pl
info@kampf.ws
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Another great,
Marduk album in a legacy of hateful black metal. Marduk, have always
delivered superior quality with their song crafting skills and this
album, while not my favorite is supremely excellent. Split into two
chapters as to explain a tale, it has an overall concept feel to it.
Chapter one contains some slower fare such as “Dreams Of Blood And
Iron” which sounds very Bathory influenced (title and music alike).
Chapter two contains a re-recorded version of “Deme, Quaden Thyrane”
which originally appeared on the great “Opus Nocturne” album. All in all
this is a great album with plenty of violent, hate inspired lyrics and
music to go around. This is black metal! - Jeffrey Kusbel
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“Melodic shred
instrumental rock”, I would say that bio snippet about fits. Mark (from
Asteroids), is one talented guy and certainly does shred up the fret
board, something wicked. He plays with a lot of emotion too. Imagine
some Malmsteen, Beck wanking mixed with some cool Rush, Led Zepplin and
Eric Clapton style stuff. Much better than Asteroid, but still not
metal. Same price and addy as the Asteroid CD.
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The American death
metal vets return! They continue to do it - here is another album of top
quality, catchy and heavy brutal death. Bret Hoffman’s growls flow
nicely, a perfect balance between indecipherable and not. Also Dave
Culross steps in and puts down one deadly maelstrom drumming
performance. Great album & they continue to uphold after all these years
the mark of real death metal musically and lyrically. I take great
pleasure listening to this album and much respect is what I feel for
this band.
Pavement Music, P.O.
Box 50550, Phoenix, AZ. 85076, USA
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All 3 of these Czech
bands play fast, heavy and intense grind with belching vocals. M.T. do a
cover of Agathocles during their 7 songs. Gride do 2 covers, one of
Rupture, and a interesting one of Health Hazard which include female
gind vox and all - cool! Nothing to blow you away but still some great
mind-grind to be had on this pro packaged cassette. $5 US to Shindy
Productions (see addy elsewhere).
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The opening
movie sample on “Zombie Terror”, track number two for those keeping
score at home, of gut munching and that beyond awesome, high pitched
scream right out of the 80’s had me hooked like a fish. Do they have
quality music to back the window dressing? Oh Lucifer I invoke thee,
the dark prince raises a spiked hoof and proclaims “God be cursed,
Mephisto knows how make me headbang!” Speaking of Satan, there is
very little doubt Mephisto musically worship at the black magic
altar of Venom!! Hell, they even wear the influence on their sleeves
by closing with the richly titled inside nudge “Again At War With
Satan [Introduction]”, it is a short brutal little ditty
incorporating the song title in the lyrics and a nice little
“Teachers Pet” guitar run, among others, for nostalgic value. I only
hope I am not making Mephisto out to be some kind of un-serious band
because they make stone cold sober black metal of the thrash ‘n
death variety. These Italians do have a knack for writing that old
loose style, most of these plastic (i.e. – Pro Tool cheatin’) bands
would shake their head and call it sloppy, but no this is the way
real bands play, this is the way metal is supposed to be fucking
played, ‘Metal of Death’ indeed. The drums are so “Welcome To Hell /
Black Metal” sounding it almost hurts and other influences, speaking
in a much more general arena would be Sodom, Bulldozer and Slaughter
swim through my brain. The vocals sound so familiar as well but I
will damned if I can remember who, the closest I can seem to come is
Hellhammer with early Bathory with a dash of Cronos and something
else I just cannot put my finger upon. How does Bestial Burst keep
finding these maniac bands?! I must confess this album has an
atmosphere and feeling to it that I have not felt in a new band in
many years. Buy this now or I might interview and then you will be
sorry you waited later. – Dale
www.metalofdeath.com
http://bestialburst.blackmetal.fi
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Here it is, the long
anticipated (not by me, but by a large portion of the scene) new
Meshuggah album. I loved their first LP “Contradictions Collapse” but
became repulsed after they released their next material “None”. It saw
them dropping their old school jazz tinged speed metal roots and crafty
structuring. Replaced by straight-forward, boring stop ‘n start Pantera
/ MachineHead / Skinlab tough guy ‘jump’ metal (a phrase coined by C.A.
writer Arto Lehtinen). I fail to see where all the hype on this band is
justified! Just to be fair, I have this album a multitude of listens to
see if I was missing something. I will give them one thing on here, they
try some spaced out stuff to distinguish them from the pack but ends
with being a futile effort. This genre is limp, I just don’t get it it
is so fucking boring. Vocalist Jens spoken word/shouted screams really
grate on my nerves after a couple songs. I have to comment on album
closer “Elastic” halfway thru the song, there is this 5 to 6 minute
electronic drone that takes over. It sounds like a video game soundtrack
(I guess in the 3 years, since the last full length, they couldn’t come
up with enough material for a full album so they threw on 6 of filler to
bring it up to normal album length). All else I can say is if you liked
the last one, you’ll probably like this too. So go get a boner & jump
around, jump around, get up, get up & get down!
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It amazing that
this quality Australian band has been around so long (that is since
1991 for those keeping score at home). Yet, outside their homeland
and the staunchest die hardcore followers of death metal. They seem
to still be a fairly unknown name. It is a shame and I suppose they
will be one of those bands that everyone claims they always revered
once they are gone. First off as opposed to my review of Limb From
Limb, this album, has a great recording that really helps the music
stand out and be heard. This record is just fantastic. Some
avalanche heavy death metal that is mid to slightly fast paced, but
is intermingled with heavy doses oppressive doom elements that
smother you like a blanket of darkness. Some really massive and
memorable material and more than enough dynamics to keep me
interested every minute of the way. I really dug the guitar solos,
tastefully done and bring to mind some of the classic metal bands
from the late 80s. Damon Robinsons vocals are superb as well and
bring to mind some legendary American death bands like Incantation,
Immolation, Grave, Asphyx, old Morbid Angel etc… They are growling
and brutal but just clear enough make decipher and convey a range of
depth and emotion the garbled style growls can only dream of. I am
not sure what else to say except every self-respecting death metal
fan must have this album in their collection! –
Dale
www.obsidianrecords.com
www.myspace.com/ondemonwings
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As you will read
elsewhere, this label split apart right after this release! Jay went
onto form No Middle Ground and Jill joined up with a partner to form
Razorback Records. Stand out’s for me are: Insatanity, Skinned, Ton,
Sanguinary, Devileech, Viral Load, Fleshtized, and lastly not to be
passed over is The Forgotten. There is only one band on here I flat out
didn’t like and that is the mundane Rotting Flesh. Here are the rest
that didn’t blow me away but are still solid death/grind: Sabbatic
Feast, Malignant Inception, Unhallowed, Incarrion, Unblessed,
Psychophancy. A fine example of what the death/grind underground has to
offer. Get it for a skimpy $5 US:
c/o Jill Girardi,
P.O.
Box 308, Deer Park, NY. 11729, USA
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Muerte Villa
are, a Texas based, death metal band. The entire concept and lyrical
content deal with and promote the ideals of the Mexican Nationalist
agenda. As you may have already guessed all lyrics are sang or
rather growled in Spanish. Before you begin to scratch your head,
there is no need to get worked up you death purists, as there is no
Mariachi music or any traditional Mexican instruments like trumpets
or maracas incorporated into “La Conquista”. No, it is traditional,
straight forward, non-technical American style death metal. So for
better or worse, the music does not support or directly compliment
the message and/or concept. The production is pretty bass heavy and
kind of low (you will have to crank it up). “La Conquista” presents
some solid and enjoyable death metal but at the end of the day,
nothing really stands out for me.
– Dale
www.negativityrecords.com
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