Live 4 Metal - Reviews

Agent Steel - Alienigma (Mascot Records) Review By Strawb
	Speed Metal from LA and a band with a history going back to 1985. It is unusual in my reviews, that the band actually have a page on BNR – and, in my opinion that is a mark of a certain quality. On first listening, I was reminded of Halford and Resurrection because this disk had the same sort of impact; it is pacy and driven throughout. Best check that your neighbours are out or enjoy this sort of music, because you are going to wind up the amp and it will be assaulting their auditory sensors, even if they live three fields away. Got an earwax problem? Not by track five, I guarantee you, and with enough volume I am sure Alienigma will assist with the dissipation of other bodily blockages as well.
The album has a theme running through it: species in thrall and the rebellion against the masters – or is that mistresses [due to the mention of matricide]? Or is it the gods of Mesopotamia or Sumeria? It also covers the consequences of rebellion. I have listened to this album a number of times and my only negative remarks are mere niggles, and often on personal trivia levels, such as vocals repeated a time too many, or a track being too long. As I say, minor and not worth the typing. However, nothing on the plus column makes this album really stand out either. It is competent and professional but just misses rising above the masses. The slow track Liberty Lies Bleeding was in my opinion the weakest on the album, and I particularly enjoyed the opener, Fashioned From Dust and Hail To The Chief - the sort of track American forces will play from big speakers on tanks to annoy the locals wherever they next invade. The album is worth a listen. www.agentsteelonline.com \| www.myspace.com/agentsteel

Amplified Heat - How Do You Like The Sound Of That (Arclight Records) Review by Metal Mark
	This Austin, Texas based trio are comprised of the Ortiz brothers with Jim on guitar and vocals, Chris on drums and Gian on bass. Chris and Jim have actually been playing in bands together for almost twenty years. The band members have a love of blues, boogie and some heavier influences as well. The ones that stand out the most to me are Blue Cheer, Hendrix and perhaps early ZZ Top. At times the music sounds like it could have come straight from 1971 or so. In fact it wasn't until maybe the fourth track that you could begin to hear some more modern influences mixed in. Occasionally the vocals contain a more modern flavor and it largely works, but at times might be a bit below the music. There are
also bits and pieces of the music that let us know that these guys have heard some hardcore albums at some point as well. The playing and especially the rhythm section are amazingly tight for the bulk of the record. It's an album that pulled me immediately with it's huge grooves and easy feel. It's obvious that they have spent quite a bit of time in basements, garages, clubs and the like sharpening their skills. My biggest concern is that they do stick so much to a retro sound and personally I would like to see more blending of modern influences. I think they need to define themselves a little more so they don't get labeled as being just a "retro band". They obviously have the talent to do more so they may on their way to establishing themselves. Check out their site here. www.amplifiedheat.com

Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant (Century Media) By: Joe Florez
	I think that just like a of fans AE has lost a lot of steam immediately after Angela jumped on board and created a masterpiece with Wages Of Sin. Critics will say that Anthems was awesome which it wasn’t and that Doomsday Machine was their best yet and while that one was working its way back to becoming heavy, it wasn’t quite like the olden days. I think the problem with the band is that they are trying to cater to the masses by making their music massively commercial which isn’t a bad thing, but have some integrity. Some of their heavy elements remained throughout their career, but the melodies seemed to have taken over the product which isn’t always a good thing. Now with Rise Of The Tyrant, they must
get back on track before the diehards dump them in exchange for the Ozzfest brats which will abandon them when the next big thing strikes. “Blood On Your Hands” is the first cut and single which I have heard and my first impression is that they are striking the iron while it’s hot. The twin leads are fast and sick thanks to the dynamic and flexible duo of Mike and Chris. Daniel’s drumming is tight and fast while Sharlee just rips it up. Now, the main focus is on Angela. Her growls are solid. Just like when she first appeared on AE, you weren’t sure if it was a guy or a girl and once again here she proves that she can play with the big dogs. Most of the song has bite until the choruses where it gets very melodic. It’s alright and the solos are ridiculous, but it a good way. Bottom line here is that it’s good and worthy of a listen for the old school fans of the band and of course the new punks will eat this up with ease. “The Last Enemy” is definitely a better cut cause the riffs are furiously fast and caustic. The skin bashing is unapologetic and hits warp speed. There is a mixture of past and present on here that should satisfy most folks in the melodic death metal genre. Long gone are the days of Johan when he was at the mic. I think we all know that. I think Mike and company are content with what they write and don’t care if the fans and critics like it or not. They will continue with their formula which has become very paint by numbers at this point in their career. This record is definitely a step above the last two and is somewhat of a vindication in my eyes. I just wish the melodies would take a bit more of a back seat and more of the abusive riffing and bashing would take over. Angela continues to dish out the evilness, but at this point the novelty effect has well worn itself out. I like this and will get it simply cause I have been a fan for ages. It should be put in your collection only if you can bypass the fact that the effective days of Mr. Liiva tearing shit up with the guys is long gone and Ms. Gossow reigns supreme on here. There are some anthems on here that should devastate live and having a few memorable tracks on here is always a good thing. www.centurymedia.com \| www.archenemy.net

Backhoe Butchery - Mailbox Full Of Mouse-Traps (Self Released) Review by James Young
	This is Backhoe Butchery’s third full-length album, if you could call under twenty minutes ‘full-length’. It’s full of thrashy riffs and shouted vocals from William Wardlaw, along with old-school thrash drumming from Eric. The raw production unfortunately means that Ann’s bass lines are nearly inaudible, although the female backing shouts are a nice touch that bring a little originality to a fairly tired genre. I personally didn’t like the style that these Americans bring to the dance, and was pretty glad it didn’t last more than the time it did, but I know that the majority of the thrash fans out there will enjoy this. I did however enjoy the humour of the band - the lyrics of ‘Boob Tube Berserker’ is a great satire on the current
state on television, and on a dafter level there is a picture of a butterfly on the back labelled ‘Looks like a nice butterfly but it’s a mean one.’ Classic. There are quite a few attempts to vary the sound too, such as the punky solo in ‘Paranoid…No, Really Paranoid’, which had me thinking of Municipal Waste, or the twiddliness of the riffs at the end of ‘I Saw Your Cross’. The heaviness of ‘What You Deserve’ and ‘Backhoe Butchery’ will also be sure to have your heads banging. Whilst I liked these songs the first time round, I felt that the album was a bit soulless, and lacked any replay value with its fairly simple song structures and plain writing. Backhoe Butchery are clearly happy with what they’re doing, and good for them. Whilst I didn’t particularly like this, don’t let that put you off if unadulterated raw thrash is your thing. www.myspace.com/backhoebutchery

Blood Stained Child - Mozaiq (Dockyard 1) Review by Zoe Thetis
	Japan's Blood Stained Child formed in 1999 (originally Visionquest changing to Blood Stained Child in 2000) in 2002 they release their first album –“Silence Of Northern Hell” bringing them onto the music scene since they have released several other works including Mystic Your Heart (2004) and Idolator (2006). The band have currently signed a new singer “Sadew” allowing their previous lead vocalist “Rio” to be able to focus more on bass. Overall I enjoyed this album it is a quirky mix of metal and techno, like Slipknot for a nightclub! An example of this has most definitely got to be Pitch Black Room, but
throughout the album it is strangely upbeat and extremely heavy, like Enter Shakira but heavier and not so wank. I found the music amazing but the lyrics became OTT in places, they drowned themselves out (using both screaming and clean singing together.) it gets to the point that you can’t hear the song so are unable to appreciate the song fully, in this case that is a shame. I especially loved “Innocence” the only way to describe it is WOW! Its one of those songs which takes you away from everything around you, you actually lose yourself within it (at least this is my experience.) This is most definitely my favourite track on the album. Though Blood Stained Child have very clear European influences you also get a hint of more oriental influences in this song which I found added to the mind boggling tranquillity. If it were purely based on music I would say that this album was amazing, but with how the lyrics are added it makes you feel they’re trying to cram too much into each song, whatever you make of this album it is most defiantly 12 tracks of OTT bliss! www.bloodstainchild.com

Coronatus - Lux Noctis (Massacre) Review by Steve Green
	If you're a fan of female fronted Gothic Metal, then you are in for a treat as Coronatus have two female vocalists ready to enchant you. Both have a completely different style with Carmen Schäfer, also of Illuminate, handling the exquisite Soprano vocals, with Ada Flechtner covering the more rockier aspect. I'm won over straight away with the hypnotising Scream Of The Butterfly, as the two vocalists styles entwine and captivate and provide a perfect accompaniment to this very Germanic brand of symphonic Gothic Metal. Just as I'm expecting another dollop of Operatic enchantment, I'm surprised and delighted to be met with a folk induced jig. With a
language switch to the bands native German, and Ada's darker tones, I'm reminded of the Sabine Duenser era of Elis, which is a good thing as far a I'm concerned. These two songs are as good as anything I've heard this year when it comes to this style of music, and that includes both the new albums from Epica and Nightwish. I love the medieval slant of My Rose Desire, the metallic crunch of Hot & Cold and the pomp & grandeur of Requiem Tabernam, and its the variation of the songs that keeps this album interesting. Coronatus have not rehashed one idea into eleven separate compartments, they crafted eleven separate identities and have blended them together with a common theme, mainly the two outstanding vocal displays from Carmen and Ada, to create a nigh on perfect album. If you're a fan of this type of music already, then Coronatus will win you over with ease as this is an outstanding album. If you've avoided the Goth Metal scene, regardless of whether you know anything about it or not, then give this album a chance, as it's a perfect album to begin a voyage of discovery with. www.massacre-records.com

Nora - Save Yourself (Trustkill) Review by Steve Green
	Punishing, absolutely punishing. For a more Metal orientated person such as myself, Nora's razor-sharp brand of hardcore is a shock to the system. Carl Severson's vocals are about as intense as it gets and are full of despair, which makes me wonder were the name Emo came from. If you want an emotional performance, then look no further as Severson is pouring out his entire innards, never mind just his heart. But this bears no relation to the crap that's tagged as "EMOtional". This is one hell of an intense piece of work. I have to admit that while I can marvel at the vocal intensity and the tightness of the playing, Save Yourself is not an album I've connected with. For me there's nothing to latch onto as
bar a bit of slowdown on the title track, this one is constantly going for the jugular in spectacular style. I can listen to the Dead Kennedys and Slayer all day, but this album is too much for me to take. By the midway point I had to take my headphones off and take a breather and when my cans were put back in place, I had to drop the volume down a few notches. Yep, Nora kicked my ass. www.trustkill.co.uk

October Falls - The Streams of the End (Debemur Morti Productions) Review by Crin
	Finland is a hotbed of Black/folk influenced acts, ranging from the magnificent Moonsorrow, Ensiferum, and Finntroll, to the lesser known, but still fascinating Falchion, Azaghal, Vordr, and, Vultyr. This MCD contains 4 tracks, one being a pointless instrumental, pointless unless you embrace the concept of the release with open arms. October Falls is a more primitive and straight from the hip melodic Black Metal act, they do not adhere to the extravagancies of Moonsorrow's orchestral pomp, nor do they travel the more campfire mentality of Finntroll. Here we find a primitivism draped across an acoustic driven Pagan metal atmosphere. There is a deep folk embodiment to the songs, and yet the
abrasive guitar style and caustic vocal delivery sets the music as a whole very firmly in a more desolate and rugged terrain. The slow acoustic passages merge with an undeveloped primal guitar strum, a style aligned very firmly to the crass Black metal of Judas Iscariot or the countless Darkthrone clones that litter the scene. If you can imagine a very early Behemoth, woven into a likewise embryonic Hades, and you may garnish more clearly the sound October Falls create. Nothing to write home to your ancestors about. www.debemur-morti.com/default.php

Roadkill - Dark Side (Self Release) Review by Strawb
	This is my second Dutch self promotion CD on the trot, and on the basis of Silhouette and Roadkill, the record companies over there must be missing an awful lot of talent. Roadkill are a five piece band who have been around since 1993, and started as a covers band. The untimely death of their previous vocalist meant that position needed to be filled, and a second guitarist has also been added. This release is a five track EP. God of War opens with an almost folky introduction before drums and bass add metal. The opening vocals are a gentle range tester leading to the opening verse. The material itself is the standard fare of ancient lore, in this case with the
lead taking up the position of the title. The music is competent and driving. A slow repeat of the chorus and harmonious backing slow the pace slightly, before a further repeat to close. Very Seventies and I say that as a man who plays Seventies every day. The title track comes next and I am immediately struck that this would not have been out of place on any of the seminal Dio albums. A brief instrumental intro before a screamed vocal arrives and then the verses roll through at a fast pace. An instrumental interlude in proceedings allows all to display their talents, again at a slower pace before accelerating for a repeated chorus and abrupt ending. Lost fields the vocal contributions of the guest artist Christine Roetert and is a ballad. An acoustic guitar introduction at a slow pace sets the tone. Male vocals open, and then female vocals take the next verse, providing a good contrast and leading to a closer collaboration as we get to alternative lines about and finally together. A love song, but a well structured and listenable one, [perhaps too long at almost seven minutes, although the pacey instrumental from five and a half onwards was welcome]. King Of Swords returns to the faster driven rock of the earlier tracks and to the theme of ancient lore, with the addition of blacksmith like sounds as the weapon is forged; the sort of track I am used to hearing from Manowar. And the final track is Dream, a slow bass intro with bursts from the guitars and then a drum arrival and vocals, and the pace continues throughout as the words question the purpose of the subject, then the most abrupt ending on the disk. This CD has been played daily since I received it, and I really can’t say more than that. Internet for Roadkill: www.roadkill.nl and www.myspace.com/roadkillheavymetal

Tangorodrim - Justus Ex Fide Vivit (Southern Lord) By: Dave Schalek
	A recent trend in black metal increasingly appears to look back to the first wave in the early to mid 80s. Bands such as Cult Of Daath and Satanic Funeral, for example, have been getting some notice as they play in the style first developed by such notables as Hellhammer and so forth. Joining that group of bands playing in this style is Tangorodrim, from Israel of all places, with their homage to first wave black metal. Tangorodrim has been around since 2000 with now four full-lengths to their name, the latest being “Justus Ex Fide Vivit” on American giant Southern Lord. This is my first exposure to the band, but not to worry since, as we all know, Southern Lord’s roster is replete with
high-quality acts from a number of different genres. Tangorodrim is certainly no exception. Essentially coming across as a (slightly) more polished version of Hellhammer/early Celtic Frost with a hint of early Venom, “Justus…” piles on thick the simple, heavy riffs, a mid-paced tempo, and growled/snarled vocals that are a blend of Tom G. Warrior and Cronos himself. Throwing in such Hellhammer tricks as using heavy feedback to open a track, as well seemingly intentionally sloppy drumming that periodically makes an appearance, completes the nostalgic allusions to the early days of black metal. A few grunted “uhhs” lifted from Warrior’s early playbook certainly don’t hurt Tangorodrim’s cause, either. None of this is terribly original, of course, but Tangorodrim’s homage is spot-on with all of the genre’s early signatures present. Naturally, there’s a bunch of other bands floating around out there that, like Tangorodrim, seem to exist mainly as an homage to past glories. That’s just fine in the case of Tangorodrim because they are able to fill their niche rather nicely. www.tangorodrim.org/ \| www.southernlord.com/