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Rabies Caste -
Rabies Caste (Dada Drumming) Review by Ryan
Bartek |
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As the final release by this Israeli prog-doom band Rabies
Caste, this self-titled tyrant is an interesting run-through
of varied sludge outings and weirdly exotic experimentation.
The production feels hollow and flat, but nowhere close to
that brain-numbing Transylvanian Hunger level. Instead it's
chosen route of lo-fi only adds to the life force being sucked
out. It's a slow churner, wholly doped out and ton-of-steel
heavy, closer to Bethlehem's Dark Metal than someone like Isis
or Buried Inside. When Rabies Caste aren't completely obsessed
with the sloth-like drudging, they also have a hard-on for
piles of noise. Embrace the feedback, devour the drone. I give
them credit for trying some new angles in the usual |
| sludge
methodology. Worth a spin or two for sure, although this is
ultimately a love-it-or-leave it to obscurity affair.
www.rabiescaste.com |
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Rotting Christ - Theogonia (Century Media)
By: Joe Florez |
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I have always known
about the band, but never took much of an interest due to them
being such raw black metal. Well, I received the new disc and
thought I might as well pop it in and hear if there is
anything I liked about it. “The Sign Of Prime Creation” starts
out as one would expect. Loud and fast drumming with heavy
guitar riffs and darkened screams. It doesn’t take long for me
to take a second listen as things shift to a unique sound.
Melodic riffs are incorporated into the mix, but in an unusual
way. The vocals are more gritty and slightly understandable.
The drum patterns are more rhythmic and the dynamics become
all the more intriguing. Yes, it’s on the lighter side, but it
still has a fierce vibe that is to be |
| reckoned
with. Things just get weirder as we progress. “Enuma Elish” has somewhat of an industrial vibe with all these odd
sci-fi like effects that makes for an interesting listen
combined with the blacked vocals. There are these ethnic
(Greek) chants thrown in during the breakdown which only adds
more mystery to the music. “Gaia Tellus” mixes straight up
metallic licks with speed and more Grecian haunting chants
along with more voracious screaming that just takes music to
new and exciting dimensions. Basically, I had no idea what to
expect. I am more than sure that they don’t sound much like
they did in the past and some fans may be offended, but oh
well. Everyone needs to expand their horizons once in a while,
right? I pretty much like where the boys went on here, because
not only was it unpredictable, but enticing and interesting
which is why I stuck with this disc. What they do here is very
unusual and unorthodox, but that’s what makes music worth
listening to. There are no boundaries and this release proves
it. I love the extensive use of their roots in their sounds.
It just makes the compositions sound that much more mature. If
you are looking for adventure and surprise at every turn, then
you have come to the right place. The faithful fans who crave
the days of old can revel in their earlier works.
www.rotting-christ.com
| www.centurymedia.com
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Saxon - Dogs Of War
Re-Issue (SPV)
By: Joe Florez |
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After 1984’s
“Crusader” release, it seemed like many fans abandoned them
due to the fact that their sound was getting a little softer
and the music wasn’t as strong as it once was. Now, me for
example embraced the whole catalogue for better or worse, but
that’s just my opinion. Four records have passed since said
release at the beginning and we now have “Dogs Of War.” I
think fans could embrace this one because they were slowly
getting back on track. The title track offers some tough and
rugged riffs from the tag team of Oliver and Quinn. Biffs
voice is still intact as he croons his way from a subtle and
soft to loud and bombastic come time for the chorus. The
melodies contained within are also memorable. |
| So far,
the ingredients for a comeback are here, but how long will
they last? “Burning Wheels” sounds like something that could
have come out of their early 80’s catalogue, but just with a
more modern sound and way better production. “Don’t Worry” is
one of the lighter numbers on here and some probably could see
it as a clunker. In my opinion, I don’t think ballads of any
sort no matter how soft of heavy they are being part of Saxons
sound, they simply aren’t good at writing them. Just stick to
the mid-paced to high impact material. “Demolition Alley”
musically sounds like classic material from The Who especially
the drumming because it has sort of a Keith Moon feeling that
gets wild like on “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, but these Brits do
their own thing. It seems like after the first couple of
tracks that come off as sounding strong, the steam sort of
dies down and things get a little soft the rest of the way
through the disc. They have a very commercial vibe that they
were still going for as if someone would play this on the
radio. While this CD doesn’t bother me, certain die-hards may
still have a problem with this. This is a re-release thanks to SPV and it’s
re-mastered with two bonus live tracks for what it’s worth. I
love the band and this is therefore in my collection. It
wouldn’t be until their next offering “Unleash The Beast”
where the band would be on track once and for all.
www.spv.de |
www.saxon747.com |
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Swallow The Sun -
Hope (Spinefarm) Review by Steve Green |
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It seems as if Doom
has become my listening pleasure this cold winter and that
makes me very happy indeed.
The leader of the miserable pack is Hope, the new album by
Swallow The Sun. With the "possibility of happiness" level set
as low as the recent temperatures, the title track enveloped
me immediately. After such a toe curling chunk of misery to
open the show, I was wondering if the mood was going to shift
at all. These
Hours Of Despair, despite the gloomy title, started off
tearing out of the blocks, but it immediately swandived into a
sewer of gloom. With the pace changing more often than a woman
changes her mind, it was a nice respite from the mire I
expected to face. The Justice of Suffering (which |
| features Katatonia's Jonas Renkse on vocals) - Too Cold For Tears - No
Light, No Hope - Doomed To Walk The Earth all prepared me for
that sunny day on beach, NOT. Anyway, bollocks to the summer,
I'm quite enjoying the winter thank you very much. This album
was as miserable as expected, and then some. Perhaps Swallow
The Sun are trying to move Finland further up the worlds
highest suicide rate top 10. Their current position at number
10 is really not good enough
www.swallowthesun.net |
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Tales of Dark -
Fragile Moments (Solitude Productions) Review by Steve Green |
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In the mid to late 90s I loved discovering bands from (the
then) lesser known depths of Eastern Europe. The Czech
Republic and Slovakia seemed to be my favourite hunting
grounds, discovering such gems as Silent Stream Of Godless
Elegy, Galadriel and various cult acts released on the likes
of Shindy Productions and Metal Age Productions. Since then,
that part of Europe has been embraced by the West and the
World has become more of a global village thanks to the
internet. With this in mind, receiving a copy of the debut
album from Serbian Doomsters Tales Of Dark was quite a joyous
thing for me. The fact it was a Doom-laden masterpiece made me
even happier. |
| I always find that an area or country that's unblemished by
the commercial shit the kids are force fed in Western Europe
and the USA produces quality material that's at least 10 years
behind what's "hot" right now. With a list of influences that
vary from ex-Anathema frontman Darren White, My Dying Bride, Opeth and
Mourning Beloveth, I don't really need to sell this album to
you. But for those that need persuading, Fragile Moments is a
melancholic slab of Doom, spliced with the deathly tones of
Arpad Takac and with hints of Gothic grandeur thanks to the
uplifting female vocals of Jovana Karajanov. Basically it
reeks of early My Dying Bride, albeit with a more contemporary feel.
As with the new Swallow The Sun album, this is perfect winter
listening. Cold crisp mornings dominated by an icy chill and a
clear blue sky provide an inspiring backdrop for such a
depressing, but satisfying offering.
www.talesofdark.net
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The Almighty -
Anth'f***ing'ology The Gospel According To... (Sanctuary)
Review by Steve Green |
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I've not listened to The Almighty in fucking years. Listening
to this 17 track retrospective has brought back to me what a
good band they were. It also made me realize how much like
Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, Ricky Warwick and the
boys sounded like. Both Destroyed and Power are such close
relatives of the seminal Zod classic Prime Mover, I thought
for a moment I was playing the wrong cd. Both bands were at
their rocking sleazy best at the ass end of the 80s so it's
not really a surprise they sound so similar.
Not only does this compilation bring back some good memories,
it's also shown The |
Almighty's material to have stood the test of time very well
indeed. The Doors-esque swirl meets biker
anthem of Wild & Wonderful, the rock god drive of Free N Easy
and the anthemic Devil's Toy are sound as if they were
recorded this Millennium. And as for Little Lost Sometimes,
not only does it show the bands softer side, it still sounds
absolutely stunning 16 years after it's initial release. The
material from 1989's Blood, Fire & Love and 1991's Soul
Destruction are by far my favourite on this compilation.
Material from 1993's Powertrippin' and 94's Crank are less
familiar to the old grey matter, although both Over The Edge
and Jonestown Mind both register amongst the cobwebs. The
sparse representations from The Almighty's last three studio
albums show a band in decline. With 3 tracks from Just Add
Life sounding like a 2nd rate Clash and the one track each
from the final studio albums failing to contain any
resemblance of quality, it's a sad way for this collection to
end on.
If you've not heard the band before, either get this
compilation by way of an introduction. Failing that,
definitely buy the 1st two studio albums, as they sound even
better today than they did originally.
www.thealmighty.co.uk
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The Handshake
Murders - Usurper (Goodfellow Records)
By: Dave Schalek |
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Tight as Hell, technical metalcore with more than a nod given
to giants such as Coalesce and Meshuggah is not exactly what
you’d expect from Arkansas, but that’s exactly what The
Handshake Murders delivers in spades on “Usurper”, their debut
on Goodfellow Records and overall second release.
To be honest, metalcore’s not really my thing, but I can
certainly appreciate bands such as Meshuggah, Hatebreed, etc.
as much as the next guy. Anything with a dose of death metal
mixed in with the hooks and breakdowns will at least earn a
listen from me. However, as technically proficient as The
Handshake Murders happen to be, their music consists of |
essentially nothing but mathematically oriented breakdowns
without any sort of speed or blasts. Consisting of crushingly
heavy, devastating riffs mixed with dissonant beats and odd
time changes, “Usurper” pretty much pummels you into
submission with every twist and turn. At times, the metalcore
has a definite math metal influence with a few moments of jazz
infusion and, at times, reminds me of “Obscura”, although not
nearly as death metal oriented.
The complete lack of galloping rhythm is offset by the
creative, disjointed breakdowns that keep you guessing. This
prevents the music from getting stagnant, ultimately resulting
in a good album for someone such as myself; that is, outside
of the genre looking in as a casual listener. In addition, the
eleven-song album is rather short, clocking in at just over
half an hour. Quite frankly, anything longer would’ve lost my
interest.
As it is, anyone with a definite interest in metalcore can’t
go wrong with The Handshake Murders’ “Usurper”.
www.thehandshakemurders.com
| www.goodfellowrecords.com
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Uli Jon Roth - The
Best Of Uli Jon Roth (SPV)
By: Joe Florez |
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Legendary former Scorpions guitarist and solo artist has been
wowing fans and critics alike for over thirty years and has
now put out a best of double disc that showcases all of his
talents under one house. What makes this special is that Uli
handpicked all of the tracks and put them in order according
to how the songs flow. So, he wants a consistency that never
loses momentum. Disc 1 showcases all of his symphonic work
and blasts off with “The Tempest.” The violins move at a
furious rate and UJR keeps up the with string arrangements by
moving his fingers so nimbly. There is great drumming as well
that helps flesh this short piece of neo-classical master work
in motion. Guest vocalist Tommy Heart |
from AOR band Fair
Warning joins in on “Bridge To Heaven” which is a Puccini
adaptation based on “Nessun Dorma.” It’s powerful and
beautiful filled with emotional guitar playing, an orchestra,
a choir and cymbals that sound like waves crashing onto the
show. There are many faces to Uli’s classical compositions
because we can have soft and gentle numbers to bombastic and
epic numbers like “Tod Und Zerstörung” which has Tommy
boasting his golden throat in German. The guitarist does some
singing as well on here which is a given because this is his
baby after all. Disc one is a colorful, vibrant and
emotionally charged that will absolutely turn a dreary day
into a bright one when you pop this in. This is mature music
at its finest and while I may have not understood “Sky Of
Avalon” back in 1995 because I wasn’t ready yet due to the
fact that I still wanted my music hard and heavy, I am now.
This is simply remarkable. Disc two is the more rocking side
of the artist and we are treated to select songs from the
Electric Sun period which is my favorite era of the band. You
are served up three cuts from Earthquake: “Still So Many Lives
Away”, “Winter Days” and “Burning Wheels Turning” which are
hard rocking and jammed with catchy riffs combined with
elements of progressiveness, trippy atmospheric vibes and
refined solos that make it definitely space rock, but sheer
bliss to the ears if you are in the right frame of mind for
this. Two cuts from Firewind are included including the heavy
hitting title track and “Enola Gay-Hiroshima Today?” Also on
here considered to be real treats are a couple of cover tunes
from the man’s main inspiration: Jimi Hendrix. Renditions of
“Voodoo Chile” and “Little Wing” are absolutely frightening
because they sound just like the original with a sprinkle of
UJR’S flavor for good measure. You can tell that this man ate,
slept and drank Jimi for a better part of his life. Another
highlight is having Jack Bruce from Cream join in for an
impromptu version “White Room.” What is cool about the man is
that many of his songs be it studio versions or live that he
seems to always find a way to go off on a tangent and explore
new avenues in a spontaneous way. That’s what makes this music
not only original but second to none in every way possible.
This is no hype. Uli’s music transcends boundaries, is full of
dynamics and textures that one listen is not enough. Even the
most talented musicians such as Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie and
others site him as a true inspiration. Simply put, he may not
be everyone’s cup of tea because his music is out there, but
if you really want something refreshing and have never been
down this path, this comp is a great way to start your
journey. Besides, you think that the whole metal/classical
movement started with bands emerging in the new millennium?
You are dead wrong! It has started many moons ago and many
will agree that Uli paved the way. Essential listening.
www.ulijonroth.com
| www.spv.de |
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Vixen - Live & Learn (Demolition Records)
By: Joe Florez |
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I have to admit it, but I say it with no shame that I was a
fan of the band when they first exploded on the scene back in
1988. It took a while though because I was such a die hard
metal fan and anything weak was not for me. But thanks to MTV
playing “Edge Of A Broken Heart” a million times over on every
program including Headbanger’s Ball, I couldn’t resist anymore
and besides they were hot too. Well, after two records, the
group disbanded and went away for a long while, but re-emerged
in 1998 and eight years later from that we now get this
offering. Gone from the line up are original vocalist Janet
Gardner, drum pounder Roxy Petrucci, and Share Pedersen. Only
original founding |
| member
guitarist Jan Kuehnemund remains and
she has enlisted a new batch of girls to try to rock the
house, but in a different way. The first time out everyone
knows that they were a pop/glam/metal act that wrote catchy as
hell tunes. This time around they are going for a cleaner look
and sound. Gone is all of the spandex, caked on makeup, Aqua
net and the slick pop production. The pack of wolves here opt
for more of a rock sound that is simplistic. Jan’s guitar work
during the opener “Anyway” has some bite and is somewhat
heavier than usual, but she eases up quite a bit during the
choruses where it gets much lighter. The rhythm section is
pretty simplistic thanks to Kat Kraft’s basic 4/4 measure and
Lynn’s consistent bass line strumming. New vocalist Jenna Sanz-Agero is pretty plain and unenthusiastic. There is no
true inflection in her voice. It’s one dimensional and does
nothing to make the band sound exciting. At times, the voice
comes off like a wannabe Natalie Merchant from 10,000
Maniacs, but never completely pulling it off, but that’s ok.
After two more than lackluster songs, things get rolling with
“I Try”. I love the melody lines created here. It’s a little
bit dark in terms of sound and somewhat unusual to come from a
band like this, but it’s good. Also, the riff action is
tougher and Jenna’s lung work slightly improves as she is able
to sing just a little higher and be excited a wee bit behind
the mic. A cover version of David Bowie’s “Suffragette City”
is tackled and it rocks out a fair bit. I appreciate the
fact that the group wants to go for a more mature approach to songwriting as they are all older now, but it doesn’t mean
that all of the songs have to be softened up tremendously.
With the exception of about 3-4 songs on here, I hate to say
it, but they should have kept the door closed for good or call
it another name because this isn’t the same band that I am
used to and quite frankly I prefer the old version. If you are
a fan, listen first before buying because it’s not what you
think. www.vixenrock.com |
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