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Allhelluja - Pain Is The Game
(Scarlet) Review by Don Baird |
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With 2 of the 4 band members
wearing Entombed shirts, this was never going to be a gentle
stroll in the park. But I never imagined Rot N Roll could be
so gloriously dirty. You want a quick overview of what this is
about? Then this is Entombed meets Stoner Rock and they are
all rolling around together in a sewer full of shit. Allhelluja's 1st album Inferno Museum, may have had the
sexy packaging, (boy what an ass on the cover) but Pain Is The
Game has all the important content. And there's more than just
meat and two veg packed into this beauty.
Are You Ready? (Ready For The Massacre) is a ball breaking,
neck snapping way to
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begin.
With Hatesphere's Jacob Bredahl
immediately riding the groove of a lifetime like his life
depended on it. Best song title ever: Superhero Motherfucker
Superman doesn't disappoint in the slightest and fires across
the bows like Soundgarden's Jesus Christ Pose on a cocktail of
weed, LSD and PCP. Talking of our friend The Almighty, Hey J
is a lyrical masterpiece that just has to be heard. I'm sure
it's gone down well in the Catholic homeland of Stefano Longhi
and Co. After the air sapping intensity of the 1st three
numbers, the Stoner influences start to hold the majority
share. Stoner might not be intense enough of a description,
more like Stoner Rock being propelled by a rocket fuelled
juggernaut, with Big Money, Sweet Money being the choicest
cut, with the 60s backing vocals on The Devil, Me, Myself And
I scoring extra points for being so whack.
Pain Is The Game, if you like your Rot N Roll smothered in
shit and if you love intelligent lyrics, is most definitely
the album for you.
www.allhelluja.com |
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Battered - Battered (Candlelight USA)
Review by Jesse Ketman |
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I have a hunch that if you fed Kreator (let's pretend it's an
entity) some poison nails, lighter fluid, and maybe a puppy
for good measure, the result would approach the
under-the-radar 2006 success that is Battered, a new Norwegian
tour-de-force rising from the ashes of Viking-shredders
Einherjer. Viking metal monarchs be wary, however, as
Battered is a far cry from what you might naturally expect.
More precise than sweeping, more anger than majesty,
Battered's savage sound twists elements of thrash and black
metal, grinds them into a fine paste, and creates the
foundation of a different kind of metal, unique and venomous.
This feeling is helped along, if not completely exacerbated
by Siggy Olaisen's |
| vocal stylings, which stray closely to the
realm of punk-rock while still feeling suitably metal, and I
have to say I most definitely approve. It makes him
distinguishable in the chaos of grunts, growls, and howls out
there. Now I have to bring this up, but I can barely believe
these guys are from Scandinavia. The sound on here is more San
Francisco than Oslo to my ears, even though influences from
both are obvious. They've bridged a pretty big gap with this
album, and I absolutely love the incorporation of the clean
chorus in Derelict. I hope to see these guys experiment with
their sound a lot more in the coming years (counting on it, in
fact). With riffage sometimes calling to mind Pantera wrapped
in barbed wire, but with just enough crust and darkness for
the BM crowd, Battered will do well if there's any justice in
this industry. If any of these analogies spurs you in the
least, do your best to give a listen. Along with The Wake,
this makes two incredible winners for me (and you) in a row,
and both no doubt going on my top 10 for 2006. Stay tuned.
Stay metal.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com |
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Beyond Within -
Eternal Pestilence (Abhore Records)
By: Dave Schalek |
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Beyond Within from Ontario, Canada, release their debut
full-length entitled “Eternal Pestilence” on Abhore Records.
Essentially, Beyond Within play a version of Gothenburg-
influenced melodic death metal heavily influenced by such
notables as Arch Enemy in their more melodic moments and Dark
Tranquillity. Tending towards the heavier side of the genre
(rather than, say, something akin to Soilwork et. al.) with
perhaps a hint of thrash, Beyond Within’s definite strong
point is some excellent musicianship from the clean, dual
guitar work from Chris Finlay and Dave St-Louis. In addition,
the accompanying keyboard work from bassist and keyboardist
Darren Favot is low key and does not dominate the |
songs.
The well-played drums are mostly mid-paced with a few speedier
moments here and there, and the vocals are guttural.
Those of you into this genre, admittedly not my favorite, are
by now asking what’s not to like? I hate to say it, but
“Eternal Pestilence”, overall, is not particularly memorable.
It’s not as if the songwriting is poor or amateurish, far from
it frankly, but is there enough originality here to stand out
from an over saturated genre, given the amount of American
bands that seem to be floating around out there shamelessly
ripping off the Gothenburg style? To some extent, it’s a bit
hard to define what might be missing here. The production
values are good, but not exceptional, and the sound seems to
lack a certain power. As described, the musicianship is
excellent for a debut from a band that’s only been together
for a couple of years. Perhaps, I’m just overanalyzing a
decent debut from a band that shows some promise.
Beyond Within’s debut is going to appeal to those really into
this genre, but casual observers such as myself will probably
want to stick to the established acts. That said, however,
Beyond Within definitely has potential and will be worth
watching as they progress. Can this band stand out? We’ll see.
www.abhorerecords.com
| www.beyondwithin.net
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Celesty - Mortal
Mind Creation (Dockyard 1) Review by James Young |
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I do love my power metal, and even more so when bands break
the boundaries and venture that little bit further. I also
enjoy the exact opposite, the cheesy generic style which makes
no attempt to break with tradition. With this said, I couldn’t
help but find myself frustrated with the predictable nature of
Celesty’s new work, Mortal Mind Creation, as the band do show
a readiness to be a little different, but just not often
enough. The young Finnish six-piece have oodles of talent and
good ideas, this album supposedly a fantasy tale continuing
the saga of their last album, but there is little which draws
the listener into any kind of story, especially with the
clichéd themes and lyrics that are thrown around. It’s |
difficult to fault the musicianship or production, which seem
fine and not lacking any punch. The symphonies sprouting from Juha Mäaenpää’s fingertips take a prominent role in the
tracks, especially on ‘Demon Inside’ and the epic intro to
‘Arrival’, intertwining fast double bass drums with his
keyboard wizardry. With competent instrument handling, and
blazing solos littered throughout the album, the vocals of
Antti Railio are at times only just passable in comparison,
and some of the high notes can sound a little strangulated,
such as on the opener ‘Lord Of Mortals’. This is a shame,
because there are moments when his voice compliments the style
perfectly, like in ‘Empty Room’ and the squeaky clean acoustic
‘Among The Dreams’, both of which could be compared to Power
Quest’s frontman Alessio for the foreign tinge the lyrics
contain, not a bad thing at all.
The occasional progressive addition shows the band’s
willingness to deviate from the power metal norm; the laid
back interlude in ‘Back In Time’ demonstrates the flashes of
genius the band are capable of. Similarly, a clean passage in
‘War Creations’ which paves the way for a great guitar solo,
and the piano-led section of ‘Empty Room’, makes for a
memorable couple of songs. Likewise, although perhaps for the
worse, the aggressive ‘Unreality’ lays down some almost
thrash-like aggression, with a blistering drum intro courtesy
of Jere Luokkamäki, with guitar leads that (hopefully
unintentionally) resemble the metalcore likes of Shadows Fall.
These moments of variation contrast vividly with the generic
majority of the album, rendering the likes of ‘Arrival’ almost
instantly forgettable. This number sounds like every power
metal band I have ever heard rolled up into one song, and
whilst this could be acceptable, it’s simply annoying when the
band have shown they are capable of more. ‘Last Sacrifice’
also has a traditional edge which strongly resembles
Hammerfall, especially in its predictable (yet inevitably
catchy) sing-along chorus.
Celesty constantly fall between two stools, capable of putting
out much more than a generic power metal release, but often
succumbing to doing just that. The odd glimpse of what the
band could do if they pushed themselves a little is promising,
but these moments are so few and far between, the majority of
the album fails to elevate this release above the great mass
of ‘plain’ power metal bands around at the moment. Better luck
next time.
www.celesty.net
| www.dockyard1.com
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Cradle of Filth - Thornography (Roadrunner)
Review by Jesse Ketman |
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I'm just going to have right out with a confession before
launching into this one, if you don't mind (and you have no
choice anyhow, so ha): I haven't liked a Cradle of Filth album
since Midian. Well, I suppose that's a bit harsh. I should say
that ever since the Midian/Succubi days Cradle has lost it's
once potent magic on me. I found everything in Damnation and a
Day bland in comparison to the sweeping majesty of tracks like
Tearing the Vale From Grace and Saffron's Curse. Nymphetamine,
though undeniably a new start and sound for the group, didn't
live up to the legacy either, as far as I was concerned. Too
commercial. Too MTV. I know, I know, that's what happens when
a band starts reaching larger |
audiences. Sad fact of life, I suppose, as it happens to all
the greats. In any case, and in reaching the belabored point, Thornography, though continuing
with the flashy commercial side of Cradle (try not to cringe,
true believers, but even Ville Vallo from HIM appears in this
one), nevertheless weaved quite a spell over yours truly.
Strange fact of the matter, however, I didn't even come close
to realizing it until I read the lyrics along with the album.
You have to admit, for good or ill, that the shrieking
garden-gnome vampire can weave quite a tale. I'd probably read
a book if he wrote one. Giving the literary quality a boost to
the the stars are Dani's vocal chords. Reaching a new peak,
he's becoming quite versatile, full of feeling and range, and
ever-emanates a drugged Jack Skellington-esque quality,
especially in the clean portions. Of the 12 tracks here, my
favorite is no doubt Tonight in Flames, a sort of decadent
theme-song for the debauchery in us, hosting an utterly
rousing chorus. Also worthy of note are The Foetus of a New
Day Kicking, whose short length belies it's catchiness and
turns out to be a rousing metal bravado, The Rise of the
Pentagram, which is to my knowledge the first full-length,
instrumental track in the band's history, and Libertina Grimm,
no doubt destined to become the screen name of teenage
"subculture" girls worldwide (ick). I feel I should mention
that there's been some line-up changes since the last
go-around, but this is familiar territory for Cradle fans.
Gone is the ingenious Martin Fowl, replaced by a new female
keyboardist whose name escapes me, but proves herself more
than adequate (and if you're reading this, I'll make sure to
plug your performance double next time), and yet another
guitar switch-up following the unexpected departure of
Nympheto string-man James McKillroy to new axe-twiddler
Charles Hedger, a trade I actually couldn't be happier about.
No offence to James, but my only association with him is
Nymphetamine, so credibility is low. Following the albums
release, longtime drummer Adrian Erlandsson, who has
personally not only impressed, but inspired myself in the
field of percussion, stepped down from the sticks to pursue
side-projects. Good luck, we'll miss you.
Okay, so time to boil it down to some critical language. What
we have here is not going to appeal to those of you who
thought Cradle bottomed-out around Dusk and Her Embrace, which
I realize is a fair amount. Straight up, not happening, so
just stop reading. Who's left? Okay, we have a whole lot of
high-school kids who know nothing about the history involved,
and they'll lap it up like dad's stolen beer. I like it
because it reminds me of the Cradle I like, and more than
that, relights a spark of interest in the group I haven't felt
in a good while. All of a sudden I have some hope for the
future, and another album for 2006's top 10 list. |
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Destruction - Thrash
Anthems (Candlelight USA Records)
By: Dave Schalek |
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All right, kiddies! I had a copy of seminal German thrash
legends Destruction’s original EP, “Sentence Of Death”, on
vinyl way back in 1984 (you know, the cover with the faux
makeup, inverted crosses, black leather, bullet belts, etc.
while the band is lying next to an opening grave. Yeah, I had
that one.) Subsequently, “Infernal Overkill” and “Eternal
Devastation” (all on vinyl) saw extremely heavy rotation in my
stereo throughout my latter teens as my friends and I eagerly
awaited a US tour that never materialized (the World War III
festival in Montreal in late 1985, I believe, was
tantalizingly just out of reach to a 17 year old in the
Midwest. There was also a rumor, unfulfilled, that Destruction
was to appear at |
the very
first Milwaukee Metalfest, which I
attended). As the 1980s ended, frankly, I started to lose
interest in the band with “Release From Agony”, and listened
to “Cracked Brain” maybe once or twice as death metal and
black metal cemented more than a foothold in my mind. However,
there’s no denying that Destruction was a seminal band that
had an enormous influence on all genres of extreme metal.
Naturally, mostly for nostalgic reasons, I welcomed “All Hell
Breaks Loose” in 1999 with the re-introduction of Schmier, and
I feel that “Metal Discharge” is the best of the post
reformation releases (which are all good examples of retro
thrash with a modern touch). Enter Candlelight USA Records and
the latest, “Thrash Anthems”. No, this is not a new release
but is, instead, a re-recording of thirteen old classics from
“Sentence Of Death” up through “Cracked Brain”, plus two new
tracks. OK, you pretty much will either get into this sort of
thing, or you’ll merely see it as a way for a band to pick up
some quick cash. I’ll opt for the former, because Destruction
does such a good, damn earnest job of breathing new life into
old classics (unlike Anthrax’s rather tired “The Greater Of
Two Evils” from a year or two back). “Bestial Invasion” and
“Total Desaster” (yeah, they had already re-recorded it on
“All Hell Breaks Loose”) are worth this release alone, but you
also get a good helping of other classics, with a generous
chunk of “Infernal Overkill” represented (I would’ve liked to
have seen “Black Death”, though). “Curse The Gods” is also
present; even though they had re-recorded that song as a
hidden track on “The Antichrist”.
Maybe, Candlelight Records USA will take it upon themselves to
give the original albums the star treatment with richly
deserved re-issues. Obviously, the intent here with “Thrash
Anthems” is to release old classics to a younger audience with
modern production values, but old guys such as myself will
still want to get this one, as this will make you feel like a
16 year old again. That’s reason enough. Buy or die.
Postscript: Incidentally, I will finally get my chance to see
Destruction in concert on February 17th at the Knitting
Factory in Hollywood.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
| www.destruction.de |
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Fear My Thoughts - Vulcannus (Century Media)
By: Joe Florez |
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These German
neo-thrashers already have an impressive résumé despite the
fact that they have only been around since 1999, give or take
a few years. Once again, I have never heard of the name nor
music, but figured what the hell! I will give them a shot. I
have to say that these kids can throw down some serious shit.
The music is tight and vicious while Matt’s vocals have a
scream/growl to them, but are quite tolerable. Lead cut
“Accompanied By Death” is jam packed with energy that is like
a loaded powder keg ready to go off at any given moment. Don’t
get thrown off by the atmospheric electronics mixed into here.
They don’t dominate like in some other artists music. The
riffs are caustic |
and
fast, but never sloppy. The drumming is crisp and sharp and
the blows to the skins are quite lethal. Blastbeats are
inserted too for some added flavor and the harmony vocals are a nice twist as well.
“Blankness” sounds like something from the Soilwork catalogue,
but back in day when they used to kick ass. The chorus during
this cut is quite killer because the voices here are clean and
show that the boys can do just a little more than scream in an
inaudible sense. The solo is a trip for the simple fact that
there isn’t a guitar being wailed on. It’s more like a
breakdown with a trippy vibe supplied by the keyboards.
Unpredictable, but cool as hell. Not only can FMT create songs
that have a lot of impact, but they can slow it down a bit
just like on “Culture Of Fear.” The song still manages to
inject a one-two punch and the singing still has bite, but
there are cleaner sections such as an acoustic guitar being
used in addition to all the distorted six strings and more
clean lungs being used as well. The real kicker is this
breakdown that adds some programmed beats that are reminiscent
of something used in dance music for a few moments.
There is
plenty of variety used here to keep things from being on a
single track. It’s diverse, dynamic and fun to sink your teeth
into. If you enjoy bands like Fear Factory, Lyzanxia, Mnemic
and the ilk (you see where I am going with this?) without all
the mimicking, then this is something that you should give a
listen to. Besides, the production is Grade A.
www.centurymedia.com
| www.fearmythoughts.com |
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