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AFD Shift - Crusader (ELT) Review
by Steve Green |
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The Prodigy meets Hawkwind meets The Happy Mondays. Yeah I
know, an amalgamation of three bands absolutely poles apart,
but that's what I think the lead track on this EP sounds like.
Crusader is a high energy fix which melds Metal and an
electronic based, dare I say it rap/hip-hop style, yet the
chorus reminds me of an Eastern flavoured Hawkwind having a
fight with the Happy Mondays. I've not had a puff for 14
years, yet it seems that something is still affecting my
brain.
Breathing Space is equally as frantic, and equally as
infectious. I think AFD Shift have huge
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crossover potential
the same way The Prodigy have. I don't care what style they
are, or what category they are likely to be lumped into, this
shit is really good. Although I think the more blinkered Metalhead will dismiss it as been too "dancey".
Closing out this single is a raw as hell Live Session version
of Crusader, which may be lacking in production value, but more
than makes up for it with the vocal performances, especially
with whoever is doing the backing vocals on the chorus.
AFD Shift, I've no idea what their name means, but I'll be
keeping an eye out for them as this single is stonking.
www.myspace.com/afdshift |
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Asbestosdeath - Dejection/Unclean (Southern Lord)
Review by Chris Davison |
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Apparently a seminal band, it would seem that Asbestosdeath
were a trailblazing band of the late eighties, who only
released two singles, the Dejection and Unclean platters. From
the break up of this band, former members went on to form such
illustrious bands as Om, Sleep and High on Fire. Now it seems
that those metal archaeologists at Southern Lord have dug out
the old tapes and released them again for prosperity. How has
the music stood up to the test of time ?
Well, the music makes perfect sense in the light of their
later musical endeavours. Dirty, scuzzy hardcore tinged sludge
rumbles from my speakers like rats scurrying from filthy |
sewers. Frequently rambling and ponderous, the nasty guitar
tone and general atmosphere of decay ally it musically much
closer to the likes of Unsane than to any more traditional
doom outfit, and the overall tone is much “nastier” than any
to be found in the later works of Sleep or High on Fire.
Mastered from the original vinyl, the lo-fi sound is rather
apt for these four depraved tracks, but you're not going to
get a pleasant listening experience, as this is an
uncomfortable, degrading platter. No two ways about it, this
would have been streets ahead of its time, but nostalgia can
be a cruel mistress. In this case, she's not too harsh, as the
four tracks here have stood up well to the ravages of time and
dust, but to be frank I think I prefer the later bands that
Matt Pike and co. would go on to play in.
An interesting curio ? Certainly. Mid paced sludge with a
nasty edge, but alas, none too memorable. Sometimes we are
forced to confront the reasons why bands only released one or
two singles; simply put, they just weren't that good.
www.southernlord.com |
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Baroness/Unpersons - A Grey Sigh In A Flower
Husk (At A Loss) Review by Steve Green |
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I'm sure Baroness should be Doom band. They have a raw
Doomy tone, yet they play fast, which obviously disqualifies
them from being Doom. Yet they have that groove, the one the
Stoner bands fire out with ease. After the kickass opener
Teiressias, I think I've got it right as Cavite ambles out of
the tracks, before it explodes around the 90 second marker
with tortured vocals and off-kilter riffing. Yep, I'm wrong
again. I honestly don't know how to describe Baroness, they
fire off at some many different tangents (Jazz, Prog, Sludge,
Ambient) that they just leave me scratching my head. I'm so
confused I don't even know if I like them or not.
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Unpersons are equally as nutty as Baroness. But I definitely
know I don't like them. I spent most of time during their four
songs trying to fathom out what the fuck is going on. I'm
sorry, this is pretty much a tuneless noise and the vocals are
a variety of screams and on the edge of a nervous breakdown
type
noises. This is just plain awful.
I have absolutely no affinity with either band and I think my
bin needs a top up, so I'd better not keep it waiting.
www.myspace.com/atalossrecordings |
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Behemoth - The Apostasy (Regain)
Review by Jesse Ketman |
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This is a very personal review for me. Behemoth is one of
those bands that have me constantly marvelling at the beauty of
life and death, chaos and beauty, the kind of music that is an
eternal monument to the extreme majesty and brutality that
only metal can properly convey. I’ve put off writing this
review for some time in hopes of finding lyrics for it, as I’m
more partial to Nergal’s lyrics, which seem to be nearly
infinite in meaning and divine in wisdom, than almost any
other in music, ever. Alas, this was not to be, but if the
musical quality is any indicator, there’s nothing to worry
about. Straight-out, I have to now officially declare Behemoth
fucking masters; having rampaged the terrains of raw black |
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metal and blackened death metal, this album is definitely the
best of both worlds. What I mean by this is, Behemoth have
added a few elements to their modern DM style that will
specifically remind hardcore fans of the cult classic Grom,
aka the return of chanting and singing females, and horns,
though that’s a tad more Demigod-ish, and not unexpected.
These samples are now mid-song as well, lending to the
ancient, kingly atmosphere Behemoth already exudes. The songs
themselves are insanely good: Nergal’s leads are as amazing as
ever, tinged beautifully with some eastern-sounding scales
that will give any Behemoth freak chills. Slaying The Prophets
of Isa is a high point of the 11 tracks presented, mostly as
it contains the most epic finale of any Behemoth song ever,
with a kind of black majesty rivaled only by Dimmu’s new In
Sorte Diaboli. Christgrinding Avenue is another noteworthy
track (great fuckin name by the way), but has nothing on At
the Left Hand Ov God, no doubt my new favorite song by these
Polish titans. I could go on about the tracks, but really,
anyone who’s listened to Behemoth since Zos Kia Cvltvs will
have a pretty good idea of what’s going on here, if not fully
understand the refinement and polish The Apostasy brings; some
of the best riffage I’ve heard in my whole life resides in
this plastic disc. Now, I may not be a guitarist, but I’ve
been playing metal drums since 7th grade, and gained a modicum
of skill in that time (one would hope, right?), but this album
has humbled my ego in many ways. Inferno is without a doubt my
favorite drummer, period. While not quite as technical as,
say, Cryptopsy, the sheer speed and precision with which the
well-named Inferno slams his set is constantly astonishing and
ground-breaking, and is the perfect compliment to Nergal’s
unique style of metal. I hope these two never quit. If
you hadn’t gotten the message to go out and buy this sure-fire
classic yet, let me allay those last little nagging doubts. A
lot of people have compared Behemoth to DM kings Morbid Angel
the last few years. While this is certainly high praise, I
felt it was a little misguided. It’s not that Behemoth is
stylistically the same as Morbid Angel, or too close, nothing
like that; it’s that, like Morbid Angel in their time,
Behemoth are a new, exciting entity all their own, whose
ability has already made it abundantly clear that they are
here to stay, and are carving their name into death metal
history, like it or not. And if not…? You call yourself metal…
www.regainrecords.com |
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Beneath the Massacre – Mechanics of Dysfunction
(Prosthetic
Records) Review by Chris Davison |
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Brutality is oft pursued for its own sake by death metal bands
who seem to have lost the point in making music. The arms race
for the fastest, heaviest, most impenetrable cacophony still
rumbles on, despite it being effectively ended with the
release of the first Terrorizer album. Thus it is that many
“brutal” death metal albums can, for me, be categorised more
easily as “boring” death metal albums. Happily, Canadian
mentalists Beneath the Massacre haven't thrown the baby out
with the bath water.
This is their second release, and first album proper. Being
unleashed upon an unsuspecting world by Prosthetic Records, it
is, as you would expect, heavier than a tin bath full of lead |
plated elephants. This is technical, brutal death metal in the
vein of, say, latter Cryptopsy and to a lesser extent the
twiddly master instrumentalism of Necrophagist. What places
this release alongside such illustrious peers is that this is
music borne from intelligence. The music is utterly dense,
with the expected Herculean feats of drumming, writhing chunky
guitar riffs and serpentine bass lines. From time to time the
melodies lock onto a ferocious groove and place their hands
round its neck and choke it to death until dizzying spasmodic
passages erupt from the wreckage. Each song is a song proper,
however, rather than an ego stroking exercise for the
individual band members. While Justin Rouselle appears to be a
new entrant into the world of the wonder-drummer, at no point
do his prodigious skills or playing over awe the composition
of a song.
The lyrics deserve a special mention, being rather a cut above
the run of the mill for the genre. The previously mentioned
intelligence is shown again in this sphere, with ne'er a
mention of Zombies, gut-eating or bitch-axing. An apt example
is this passage from the stunning, “Modern Age Slavery”, “We
are dead inside / A death dressed like life / We are dead
inside / Honour is at stake/ Slave is my name”. This is a
sentiment that I'm sure most of us working Joes can
appreciate, and to hear it set to such a bludgeoning, furious
sound track is cathartic in the extreme. A fantastic release
from the thinking mans death metal band. Track this one down –
but be prepared to put some work into listening to it. Easy
listening this ain't.
www.beneaththemassacre.com |
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Even Vast - Teach Me How To Bleed (My
Kingdom) review by Neil Mackenbach |
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If
it hadn’t been for chancing across a sample of their earliest
material a while back - “Hear Me Out” their very first album
to be precise, released in ’99 – I would have approached this
review with no more than the usual curiosity. It was a
compelling collection, lovingly put together, lugubriously
enchanting, with a style perhaps akin to that of Die Laughing
or possibly early Christian Death (removing Rozz Williams from
the equation naturally). In essence it was the prerequisite
blueprint of pure retro goth with all its endearing
melancholic naiveté and innocence. A fundamental obbligato, a
gem.
It’s understandable then that I approached “Teach me how to
Bleed” with a little more |
keenness than I’d normally show, but not without a slight tang
of trepidation, I might add. How had they fared in the interim
eight years? How had they progressed? Had they progressed at
all?
The nagging fear I suppose was that they’d gone down the now
all-too familiar route of the greater proportion of the
current glut of female fronted bands, and opted for the
ever-so-slightly over-produced, operatically orchestrated,
full-on wall of sound option. Phew! (And apologies for the
vitriolics.) That would have been tragic!
I needn’t have worried. My initial fears were unfounded. They
have adhered to the basic formula of their earlier material,
but with some augmentation. Still present is the trademark
cold, pale, anaemic guitar. Antoinetta’s voice is as hypnotic
as ever, but the overall sound is fuller, more rounded,
heavier and without a doubt a number of shades darker. Not
surprising though, as there have been a couple of line-up
changes. Still present are founder members Antoinetta
Scilipoti on vocals and keys and Luca Martello on guitars, but
there has been an introduction of new blood in the form of
Stefano Manfrin on drums and Vincenzo Di Leo on bass.
The most noticeable difference to their sound, however, has
been the introduction of electronic programming. A
contamination you might say of that early pure, retroistic
trad sound, but this has been to their advantage, giving
greater intensity to the darkest emotional aspects and adding
a fresh dimension.
Lending a harder, heavier edge, Luca Martello has taken on the
extra task of electro grooves master with surprising ease. He
and Scilipoti are not exactly new kids on the block, however,
they honed their craft many years ago, gaining recognition as
two parts of the now legendary underground outfit “Chaos and
Technocracy” operating around the early 90’s. They had a big
live impact, but eventually split in ’97 thus freeing the duo
to commit to a new project “Even Vast”. In other words,
they’ve had plenty of time to get it right, and this time they
have.
This is their finest collection of compositions to date. In a
nutshell, they have taken what is essentially a traditional,
tenable sound and with a minimalistic reworking have claimed a
small part of it somewhere out on the periphery as their own.
Nothing can remain static for long without stagnating, so this
is no more than the natural progression of a style even as
indurate as “Goth”, itself a hybrid – the bastard child of
post punk New Wave and New Romanticism. It is if my memory
serves me, one of the longest surviving subcultures, spanning
close to 25, even 30 years if you delve deep enough into its
extremely chequered history, although even now many of the
earliest bands are still exercising a disclaimer ever being
part of its conception.
Italy's Even Vast help to fill a niche currently occupied by
bands the likes of The Gathering, Mandrake, The Crest, Miranda
Sex Garden, After Forever, Inkubus Sukkubus and early Lacuna
Coil. Having said that, as music is such a contentious,
subjective thing, the verdict is entirely yours, but hear me
out: they merit at the very least a little of your time and
attention, if nothing else. The musical genre of which they
have become an inherent part, by fate or design, is a mass of
pitfalls and clichés, but it’s a certainty that they have the
acumen to carve themselves out a pretty decent foothold.
www.even-vast.com |
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Forever In Terror - Restless In The Tides
(Metal Blade) Review
by Will Knott |
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I've been pondering this album for a while, which may explain
my untimely delivery of said review. Forever In Terror are an
extremely young band and therefore, you could quite rightly
predict that their target audience will be of a similar age.
Teenagers they may be themselves, yet there isn't an ounce of
angst in their vibrant sheen. The core, choice of word
intentional, of their sound is Thrash based, yet it stays away
from the "old school" tag as their very existence is propelled
by a modern heart.
Now, for all of their skills as musicians and of the supposed
vibrancy in their possession, Restless In The Tides isn't an
exciting album. Nothing leaps out at you, even though the |
Thrash they produce is far from lacklustre and therein lies my
problem and my endless evaluating of what to say about this
album. At the end of the day, to use an old cliché, this one
is most definitely about opinions. The one advantage the band
have is that they are still in their late teens and their songwriting skills will develop, as will the cohesion they
need to use to bring "it" all together.
The level of musicianship indicates Forever In Terror are
capable of producing something special, I just don't think
they are quite there yet. I'm sure less seasoned music fans
will jump on the bandwagon and those that enjoy a more
commercial takes on Metal, with The Chosen One being a prime
candidate, will lap this up. This one, I'm sure, is aimed
directly at kids.
www.metalblade.de/index.php?mod=artists&page=detail&id=176 |
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Hanoi Rocks - Fashion (Demolition)
Review by Steve Green |
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My love/hate relationship with Hanoi Rocks continues once
again. With comeback album number three looming, it's time to
get a taster of what to expect with new single Fashion. Well
musically, I really like it. It's very mellow, yet undeniably
Hanoi Rocks. I don't have a problem with Mike Monroe's vocals
either. I've always been a sucker for his unique timbre. So
what's the problem? I hate the lyrics. I don't give a flying
fuck for the subject matter and it's not a patch on previous
subject matters, like the Booker Prize winner Tooting Bec
Wrecked. Yeah I know, I'm taking the piss. But the song is a
grower, just a shame I can't sing-a-long to it. Much better is
the cover of the Billy Bremner (the band, not the ginger
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Scottish footballer) song Trouble Boys. Obviously I know
different, but if I didn't know I'd swear it was a Hanoi Rocks
original. It has the swagger, the groove and most definitely
the attitude. I can see it becoming a live favourite too. It
just has that certain something and is a much better lead song
than Fashion.
As a bonus, you also get a video clip for Fashion, which I'm
sure you'll guess what to expect visually and also a clip of the
wonderful Boulevard Of Broken Dreams filmed live in Helsinki
in March of this year.
www.hanoirocks.info
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Iskald - Shades of Misery (Indie
Recordings) Review by Crin |
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Originally this album was self released in 2006. Promoted as
an ice cold and crystal clear Black Metal act, Iskald, are
more crystal clear than ice cold. Their style if more likened
to the technical melodic death formats adopted by fellow
countrymen Scorn, Thyruz, and Celebratum. The bands lack of
corpse paint reveals their more diluted imagery, with a more
polished sound and thankfully, some hard, fast, flesh ripping
tracks.
The first track proper, Shades of Misery, bursts forth in a
very similar sound as Emperors, lacerating opener on Nightside
Eclipse, Into the Infinity of Thoughts. Uncanny, or a
deliberate subliminal choice of riffs? |
This band have come a long way from their more thrash
influenced, Northern Twilight, EP. This album, is a very
streamlined fusion of the alluring rhythmic brilliance of In
Flames, and the riveting tightness of Sentenced. Add to this
mix a dose of Testament, and what you get is a very modern,
melodic, Metal album that transcends the mere restraints of
the Guitar/Drum ethics of Black Metal. To evolve from the icy
drones of the former without the use of keyboards or
electronics, the style must reach out into the more
progressive extreme acts for inspirations.
Iskald, are a band who will keep the Norwegian scene alive,
albeit from a more mainstream perspective.
www.myspace.com/indierecordings |
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Jack Viper - Devil May Care (Self
Release) Review by Steve Green |
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For a band starting out, what goals do you set yourself.
Release an album , support your favourite band, world
domination? I'd say these sleaze merchants are cock-sure and are
certain they'll hit the big time. I have to admit I tip my hat
to them (even if it is only a beanie) for getting one of their
songs loaded onto half a million MP3 players. That is mightily
impressive Yet at the same time, getting your band onto a covermount cd (any band can PAY for this privilege) or
supporting someone at the Underworld in Camden isn't really
something to crow about...unless you've set your sights pretty
low.
So forgetting any hype, what is the music like based entirely
on what is coming out of my speakers. Well, lead track Devil
May Care is ok. An upbeat rocker with plenty of soaring lead
guitars and rock n roll riffing, it most definitely hits the
spot, but it's 0800 Fuck You that shows the bands weakness.
It's a horrible, heard it all before, stab at commercialism that
makes me cringe every time I hear it, particularly on the
kiddie chorus, which I'm sure the pre-pubescent's think is
rebellious. Getting sucked into the clichéd world of bubblegum
rock is a dangerous game to play. Jack Viper should stick to
what they are good at and leave the clichés to the LA brigade.
www.jackviper.com |
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Miscreants Welcome the Miscreants
(Let it Burn Records) Review by Chris Davison |
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Short but sweet, with this release, featuring Dutch mob
Miscreants. This five piece modern thrash outfit describe
themselves as “Smart Metal for Smart People”, which is a bit
disconcerting as with either conception of the word “Smart”, I
fail. Not only am I scruffier than Wurzel Gummage after ten
rounds of cage fighting, I'm the cerebral equivalent of racing
thoroughbred horses on a giant snail. That being said, I can
only applaud a band that has such a bold mission statement;
but then, these bold statements can have a habit of biting you
in your arse, can't they?
Modern hardcore tinged thrash in the vein of The Haunted
around, say , “Made Me Do It”, |
is the order of the day here, so right from the bat, you know
what kind of sound I'm talking about. The vocals are harshly
barked, with the odd hint of a gang shout-out type sound here
and there, while the guitars rattle along with enough shake
and verve to make even the most stoical of heads bang. The
drumming is workmanlike with the odd smile-raising flourish,
and the bass, which is more prominent in the mix than most
other comparable modern thrash acts, rumbles effectively
throughout. It is an unusual use of occasional minor key
melodies in the music, as with the excellent third track,
“Blood as Spirit” that they really begin to stand out. There
is also an abundance of well played and well composed guitar
solo action, which is also to be applauded.
Special mentions to both the production, which is clear and
powerful, and to the wonderful lyrics that are thoughtful and
set aside from the run of the mill. Six track E.Ps can be
difficult affairs, but this really succeeds in the most
effective way possible; it left me wanting more. Bravo.
www.letitburnrecords.com |
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Mortuus - De Contemplanda Morte (The Ajna Offensive)
By: Dave Schalek |
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No, this is not a new Abruptum album, nor is this a Marduk
side project. Instead, Mortuus is a Swedish duo with
connections to two great, but obscure bands in Ondskapt
(apparently still active) and Ofermod. Both of those bands
sort of dropped out of sight, and members now re-emerge in
Mortuus with their first full-length, released in the U.S. on
Southern Lord, entitled “De Contemplanda Morte”.
Mortuus’ musical direction consists of slow to mid-paced,
bottom heavy black metal with a thin edge to the guitars, and
droning, intoned vocals that are somewhat muted. The
atmosphere that is dredged up by such an approach is dreary
and depressive, and is further |
enhanced by subtle uses of guitar melody. The use of a slow,
rather simple pace can run the risk of boring the listener,
but Mortuus is, more or less,
able to avoid this pitfall with six tracks dripping in
atmosphere and, periodically, some catchy, if glacial, riffing,
particularly on the last track, “Supplication for the Demise
of All”, which has caused me to get more use out of my Repeat
button. This is a track that really stands out and, for me,
provides an anchor for this release. Not everything is slow
doom-and-gloom on “De Contemplanda Morte”, however. There are
a couple of blasts thrown into the mix (very sparse, though)
to keep you from becoming too mesmerized.
Adding to the overall atmosphere is a great album layout with
plenty of interesting, depressing artwork. Ultimately, “De
Contemplanda Morte” is a solid black metal release with plenty
of atmospherics.
www.theajnaoffensive.com
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