Simplistic, pounding
heavy death metal from Russia. I liked their debut album ‘97’s “Endless
Sunfall”, but the sound (of which I’m normally not picky with) was
utterly tinny, so much so I got a headache listening to it. This time
around everything has been cleaned up nicely. T.O.D. write, catchy riffs
and throw in a few blasts but never really grind it up in their
American-ish tunes. My only two nit-picks are things could have been
tighter and I didn’t care much for their Acheron and Six Feet Under
(Ugh!) covers.
R.I.P Promotions,
c/o Vlad Korolenko, P.O. Box 72, Smolensk - 04, 214004, RUSSIA or band
contact: T.O.D., c/o Alex, Chelyabinskaya 14, Volgograd 400120, RUSSIA
|
Anybody remember
that old Great Kat video “Metal Messiah” from the late ‘80’s? Well, Kat
is still doing the same old shtick you know “I am a god, I am your
master, you are my slave blah blah blah…” Her last few releases she has
taken songs from classical composers and re-does them for violin and
electric guitar. This time it is Vivaldi and Sarasate. There is no doubt
Kat, the Julliard grad is a virtuoso on her respective instruments. The
2 new songs on here are fast (speed is always good by me) but here it
never really goes anywhere. Like her last release a couple years ago
this weighs in at a whopping 7 + minutes! She’s talented, she looks good
in skimpy leather and a garter but seems to be constantly treading an
already well beaten (by herself) path.
T.P.R.,
775 Park
Ave., Suite # 222, Huntington, NY. 11743, USA Email = greatkat@greatkat.com
website = www.greatkat.com
|
Oh man, I have
not battered my ears with the sick sounds of Thou Art Lord in a
decade probably. I loved their demos and first two 7”s and recall at
least liking their first album. Since then I have really lost track
of them and apparently they released a second album and then kind of
called it quits for a few years. I do suppose it is of note that the
old Greek band in question features The Magus of Necromantia and
Sakis of the once great now crap Rotting Christ. In the included
biography they spout off about how this album is a reaction to all
the talent-less, over proficient, over produced plastic recordings,
which have zero feeling and have literally flooded the market over
the last number of years. You know what I have to say to that kind
of belly-aching, bravo! I wish more people would tire of this
garbage, I mean where has the passion and aggression gone in metal?
It has been produced and pro tooled right out the door, if I never
heard another razor monotone robotic guitar line, looped typewriter
sounding drum run for the rest of my life, I would be perfectly
happy. It is things like this that make the old guard want to stop
buying new releases and bury themselves in a past filled metal
collection, reveling in ignorance at today’s scene. Can you tell I
too struggle with this from time to time? Okay, fine back to the
album. First of all the sound on here does have a real feeling to
it, the drums are played a little too tight for the vest and could
use a dose of reckless abandon, but otherwise just fine. They keep
things very simplistic and very rhythmic, often centering their
songs around slowed down mid pace headbang kind of riff, often it
works and other times not so well. Thou Art Lord certainly have
changed since my past encounter with them, gone are the harsh
straight ahead early 90s style black metal hell, well there are
small traces left but nearly diminished out of sight or sound. Now I
would have to characterize them as more of a black deathrash metal
band and you can hear a lot more of their 80s influences. I like it
to a certain point but I have heard this done better a lot of times,
which kind of makes it middle of the road for me. It is good but not
that good if catch my meaning, I do appreciate their attitude toward
this album and there are some great moments here and there. –
Dale
Black Lotus,
Jianni Ritsou 8, 17237 Himittos, Athens, GREECE
www.black-lotus-recs.com
|
It is always
tough to decide how to review a compilation record. Do you just give
an overview of the bands and which ones you liked best? Maybe you
attempt to do an mini-review on every band based upon just 1 song? I
will take the former over the latter most times. The truth be told I
love listening to comps but I hate reviewing them. Anyway Hirax kick
off the pure bred thrash assault with the explosiveness and
an adrenaline rush that one comes to expect from these old legends. The
Toxic Holocaust song kicks some ass and sort of stands out from the
rest as their obscured shadowy vocals contrast the rest of the bands on
here. This is a really strong quality compilation from top to
bottom. I mean there are more kill shot riffs thrown around on this
record than punches and kicks than in a Bruce Lee movie. This is put
out by Selfmadegod Records and I believe in association with Katon
De Pena from Hirax’s label Black Devil Records. The other poser
slaughtering bands on here are: Sabbat (JAP), Slaver (Brazil),
Hatchet (USA), Kat (Poland), Strike Master (MEX) and Execution
(USA). Classic stuff! – Dale
www.selfmadegod.com
|
  
Superb idea
releasing 4 old Finnish demo tapes in their entirety on a single
disc compilation. This review will go on forever if I do a full
review for each, so here is a few words on each. Just another reason
for me love Bestial Burst Records.
Lycanthropy
“Sickness Revealed” Demo 1989
– Raunchy thrash metal which kind of reminds me of old Canadian
bands like Sacrifice, Razor or something like Dr. Shrinker from the
States. It has a dark feeling to it and the vocalist does the husky
evil voice well.
Morphosis “Sick
Standard of Living” Demo 1989
– Not sure what describe these guys as but maybe speed metal ala
Nasty Savage, very early Voivod or something similar but with a huge
dose of snotty punk attitude. A fun listen to be sure.
National Napalm
Syndicate “Painful Ten Hours” Demo 1987 – Holy shit this band is still going. I looked up their page on the
Metallum site and the current and past members have been / are in a
million other bands over the years such as Ancestor, Eternal Tears
of Sorrow, Ancient Dawn, Sacred Crucifix and about 10 more… Tons of
energy from this pioneering band and some nice guitar work as well.
I would say I hear some early Metallica mixed with the German speed
raunch. Some wicked solos and guitar ripping for such a young band.
Mengele
“Abominable Thoughts” Demo 1989
– That band photo is pure gold, just look at those little bad asses haha! From what I could dig up on them they changed their name to
Insomnia shortly after this, then broke up but appears they reformed
as Wengele and released an EP in 2004, nothing since but it looks
like they are still active anyway. Classic soupy sound with I would
say definitely some Slayer, Sodom, Kreator type influences. I love
it. – Dale
http://bestialburst.blackmetal.fi
bestialburst@blackmetal.fi
|
This is pretty
disappointing. First off, they no longer claim to play black metal as
they did in the past and now play “Antichristian dark metal”. I was
really into their ’94 demo “Frozen Memory” and even further enamored
with their debut long player “Forests Of Witchery”. Mainman Sami has
also retracted his sole hold on the music writing and Azheim (who penned
3 of the 8 tracks). Gone is the luster and majesty of their symphonic
black metal replaced by a stripped down regression into goth metal. Some
parts are well done but come off as boring and uneventful. Back to the
drawing board, this doesn’t even close to cutting it.
|
Boy, are Holland’s
bands/labels ever into this romantic/melancholic death/doom style. Which
is precisely what T.O.T. from Norway present here on their debut record
for Holland’s DSFA. All the elements are here. Clean male singing and
growls, operatic female vocals, slow melancholic riffs, synths, violins.
You know the usual. I dug the production on here it is rich and lavish.
Some guitar bits are admittedly tasty and well played. This is good, but
I don’t care for this style and you have to be better than good to
impress me in this genre.
DSFA Records,
P.O. Box
5058, 4380 KB Vlissingen, THE NETHERLANDS
|
I missed this bands
debut album “Where Light Touches None”, but I am graced (?) with this
sophomore effort. Frankly, I am perplexed as to why C.M. snapped up such
a generic and inept unit like Twin Obscenity! These Norwegians are flat
out a demo level w/ bland guitar riffs that work their way thru
simplistic structuring, that mix in keys that really do not even sound
like they were written for the songs they appear in! They also paint in
trendy female operatic vocals across the musical canvass and are some of
the worst I’ve had the displeasure to hear. With regards to the sound is
this their full-length demo pressed onto CD!? Thin guitars, tinny drums
and an inadequate mix. I did enjoy a few of the off-beat vocalizations
but those are used sparingly. This LP gives a already limping and played
out symphonic black metal scene a bad name.
|
Trauma (formerly
Thanatos) are only second to Vader as the oldest Polish death metal band
having formed over 10 years ago! They have released several demo tapes
and their debut album on Vox Mortis in ’96. This is some great death
metal, somewhat along the lines of Vader taking heavy influence from the
American scene but still play, much of their material with true Euro
dexterity. Trauma have a flare for solid song structuring, which are
both driving and interesting with all spiced up by tasty drum work and
smoking guitar solos. Recommended.
|
I must admit, I
really enjoyed listening to “Hierarchy”, the first full-length from
Finland’s Tunrida. They play a fast and melodic form of black metal with
some slight death metal touches. There’s a lot of music to be enjoyed
here and the musicianship is creative, with well thought out
compositions and some odd vocal effects ect. Added, here, and there are
a plus. The album doesn’t contain just one straight-forward style of
playing but mixes things up a bit with some more melodic non-double bass
tracks and piano interludes, ect. “The Calling” actually sounds somewhat
akin to something In Flames would release! The vocals are in the more
shouted death metal vein rather than the black metal rasp common for
this style and it perfectly suits the music within. I’m sure I will be
listening to this one quite often and I strongly recommend this to
anyone eager to check out new talent within the black metal scene.
- JEFFREY KUSBEL
|
|
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z
|
Okay, first
apparently Garm of Ulver was pissed at Century Media & split from them
and formed Jester Records (distributed by Voices Of Wonder) and released
this double album. This album is based on William Blake’s written work.
Bruce Dickinson has made it well known to everyone in the press since
his previous album was released in ’97. That his next album “The
Chemical Wedding” (Which beat this Ulver album into stores by at least 6
months) was going to be based on this exact same work by William Blake!
I guess nobody told Ulver. He (Garm) Probably stole the idea. Now let us
get on to this abomination of an album. I am not the biggest Ulver fan
but I did enjoy their early stuff and I am sure fans of the band early
or late will be sickened and disappointed by this! I could go into a
long list of all the awful points to be found. Just let me tell you this
imagine if you will (though it may induce vomiting) Tears For Fears and
Devo mixed heavily with a softer version of Ministry and KMFDM or some
other gay techno/rap inspired beats (showing their Beastie Boys
influence)! On top of this dung heap is Garm singing throughout in a
clean voice that sounds like Micheal Bolten attempting to be a viking
warrior. What a fucking mess!
Voices Of Wonder, PB
2010 Granerlokka, N - 05050, NORWAY website = www.vow.dk
|
Neurotic sends
along a brutal little piece of vile death metal by way of Auckland,
New Zealand. I should clarify that “Of Fracture and Failure” are not
just more run of the mill straight forward grinding death metal
band. They have a penchant for mixing in doomy spirals for
atmospheric effect, not to mention mixing it up with different
levels of speed and time changes, wiping away any fear of generics
or monotony. Which for a debut album is quite commendable and as far
as the technical playing goes these blokes are proficient and
skilled. Their thick soupy wall of death has some influences to mine
ears such as I think I hear a bit of the godly early Cryptopsy
sound, Gorguts too (trying to butter me up with Canadian references,
it just might work here) and some Immolation thrown in. The
recording is really tight and fits their style well, no worries mate
you can hear the 1 thousand riffs on here just fine. Alright it
might not be terribly original but it is hellishly well done Kiwi
metal and I enjoyed the hell out of it. – Dale
www.neurotic-records.com
www.offractureandfailure.com
|
We are presented
with torturous and atmospheric, black metal from this German horde
of barbarians known as Undor. The music is a dirgy crawling,
plodding rumbles with slow pounding drums. Undor are undoubtedly
quite clearly influenced by Abruptum. I must say they do not do this
style nearly as well as the old Swedish bastards did back in the
day. I am listening to this and I just do not feel it and I can not
shake the feeling this should probably have been released as nothing
more than a limited demo tape. I do like the vocals though which are
a cross between the Canadian gods Lust and early Burzum. Maybe it
will come with time for Undor. – Dale
www.bestialburst.blackmetal.fi/
bestialburst@blackmetal.fi
|
Cool compilation. It
consists of all dark and evil black metal minus a few exceptions like
Vomitory, Nocturnal Breed, & Hellwitch. It struck me as pointless to
include so many well known bands on other labels: Mandanus Imperium
(NBA), Aeturnus (Hammerheart Recs.) ect... Other bands on here are
Sorhin, Hordes Of The Lunar Eclipse, Wallachia, Bethel, Legion, and
Primordial. This release is the first volley in a assault by D.H.R.
expect soon releases from The Black Witchery, Nebron, Lucifugum and
more.
D.H.R., 6435 West
Jefferson Blvd., Suite # 666, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46804, USA
|
I see V
Twenty-eight are described as an “Industrial death metal” band.
Which is certainly fair but I might put the words death metal first
in that description. As it is definitely their base sound "Violution"
is built upon
and directional choice. These Norwegians like to mix up some heavy
middle pace driving sections and moody / brooding sort of slow sections with
the odd lightning speed attacks sprinkled around. The vocals are a
mixed bag of growling, black metal rasps, clean vocal bits and some
obscure shadowy whispering. There are some guest appearances on this
record from Garm (Ulver) as well as members from G.G.F.H. and MZ.412.
As far as this style goes, this is not ground-breaking, or destined
to be a future classic in the genre. Yet there is enough diversity
and overall quality to make this recording enjoyable and worth some
repeated listening. If you are a devout death metal and industrial
fan, then, this is a worthy pick up. If you are instead an
occasional or cream of the crop collector you can get by without
this. – Dale
www.vendlus.com
www.v28.com |
|
Welcome back
Germany! Highly influenced by Darkthrone’s early BM offerings, one
could also say Mayhem 1993 to the early days of Bathory and Celtic
Frost. Vargsang is truly in a world all of his own. Vargsang has a
dark side unto himself that you can hear and feel, like he’s
stalking you, a one band of perfection and I’m waiting to be found.
This is slow yet energetic blackened death metal, Satanic sorrow and
induced death. As the earlier-mid ‘90s were, every song is
memorable, beautiful darkness in it’s pain and devotion. He’s deeper
than many BM gutturals, this man’s a demon, his musical talent is as
good if not better than most remembered bands today. It is sad for
me to announce that by being disgusted by the development of the so
called scene TOTF is Vargsang’s final release, he is calling it
quits. Come back V., we need you to again show scene what true black
metal is all about! You need this album. No contact or interviews
are welcome. Undertakers report that human bodies do not deteriorate
as quickly as they once did because of the many preservatives in the
modern diet, thus Vargsang shall return soon enough. - Clayton
www.undercover-records.de
|
Let me just
preface this review with the following statement: “The New Age of
Chaos” is the best brutal death metal album I have heard this year,
possibly longer than that. I mean it is fan-fucking-tastic yet
experiencing something this devastating may be hazardous to your
health, robbing you of your reproduction abilities. The planet is
too over populated anyway right? There were two things that stood
out and struck me and that was how atmospheric this album is for
it’s brutish nature and again keeping in mind how punishing Vile
are, there playing bleeds a lot of emotion on through. I do not want
to harp on these points, however it cannot be glossed over that it
takes a hell of a lot of talent and vision to truly give this level
of emotional and ambiance to music that is this fast, this vile (hehe)
and blistering. “The New Age…” is also a record that grows on you,
the more you play the more you will appreciate some of the guitar
intricacies (see the smoking solo in the title track, around the 3
minute mark for proof positive) and counter points swirling through
the compositions with ease and with style. There is even a whisper
of black metal in some of the darker guitar melodies on here. The
vocals are classic death metal growls but even here I would class
them as top shelf, very deep, flowing and forceful reminiscent of
some of my fave growlers such as Dave Ingram, David Vincent etc…
with a just detectable King Diamond during his gruff deeper vocals
(too many levels to that mans voice to explain further, but KD die
hards know what I mean!). Great job with the recording it reminds me
much more of the early / mid 90s before Pro Tools turned everyone
into a robot, despite talent level. Colour me impressed and this is
coming from someone who previously was not really much a Vile fan.
– Dale
Unique Leader,
Box 6544, Los Osos, CA. 93412, USA
www.uniqueleader.com
info@uniqueleader.com
|
Now I do not
know much about Parasile records, they are likely not a black metal
label but Vinterriket never cease to amaze me. They manage to get
their stuff released by black metal record labels, time and again,
when their music has more in common with Danny Elfman and Nature
sound cds you see at your local bookstore for $4.99. I mean really
truly some of the ‘music’ on here sounds like the sound tracks to a
montage in a chick flick of the guy and girl falling in love, going
out to dinner, walking hand in hand and kissing at the outdoor
skating rink. I mean what the fuck is this shit?! What it is is a
boring pot luck meal of the most dainty ingredients, in other words
fruity sound samples, nature noises and loops on top of some really
boring synth music which is neither well timed nor variety rich and
not allowed to flow in a proper manner, it becomes increasingly
obvious that this is merely a bunch of parts sewn together like a
patch work quilt with plenty of thread bits sticking up out of the
stitching and way too many powder blue and barbie pink squares in
the color scheme. You would think flow and musical vision would at
the very least be a pre-requisite when playing a form of the music
(i.e. – atmospheric synth), that takes little to no talent. What do
I know? I had an old tape trader of mine who made a bunch of this
kind of garbage up over a weekend once and sent me a few tapes of
it, I told him it sucked but somehow he managed to get some damn
Italian label to release 2 albums full of that junk! I am not a fan
of this kind of…er…material but I would think those that are would
at least want to spend money on something of value that was
interesting, had musical vision and was actually executed with a
level skill? Maybe I ask too much, at very least this drivel should
be in the chick flick soundtrack or New Age fruit loop section of
the record store and not equated with metal or even black metal
music. Oh did I mention this is some sort of collection from
1996-2002, I am hoping that it was not meant to be a best of and
actually refers to the stuff Vinter previously thought was too lousy
to release but now that maturity has kicked in and they have bills
to pay, they said what fuck let’s release it, these morons will buy
anything with our name on it. This is very un-recommended and you
die if you buy! – Dale
www.vinterriket.com
www.parasilerecords.com
|
Polish label,
Australian band. Yet easily from your local madhouse, morbid passion
a-plenty into psychedelic maliciousness; all the shit that makes me
whole! Vociferian is an uncontrolled instrument of audio apocalyptic
masochism, chaos and regression once called Lord Genocide. Check out
“Babel Tower” and catch my drift with demented Satanic hymns as
beautiful in aural blasphemy as it comes for sick minds like my own.
A better vocal delivery in production would kill this release dead,
and that’s smart on their part. This vocalist is so infectious and
scornful, he sounds like he is ripping faces off. The lead guitars
and electrics guitars are fuckin “A” and “Possessed Worshippers Ov
Doom” highlights this band at their best. They sure don’t make them
like this anymore! They never let up and persist to bleed your ears
for ages, this vocal insanity is for real UG demons only. “Scardance
In Damnation” is like Abruptum on coke as “Mary’s Kunt Ripping” is
straight jacket style black metal. The “It’s supposed to hurt!” was
taken from Exorcist 3 and explains everything about this band for
you. Yes, I believe in murder, I believe in pain…in cruelty and
infidelity. I believe in slime and stink, and in every crawling
putrid thing, every possible ugliness and corruption you
son-of-a-bitch – I believe in you!” – George C. Scott 1990. In
Nomine Satanas, the noise, the filth and the fury. – Clayton
www.time-before-time.com
|
|
|
|
