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Brain Police - Beyond The
Wasteland (Small Stone) Review by Metal Mark |
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This is the fourth album from Iceland's Brain Police who have
been around for about a decade now. It took me about five
seconds of listening to this album to realize that this band
was another stoner type band who are hugely influenced by
Black Sabbath. It seems like almost all bands in this genre
tend to draw from that legendary outfit. However that wasn't
the end to this album and it took quite a bit longer to piece
together the rest of their influences. After listening to the
entire disc twice I can hear some definite traces of The Cult
mixed in and some Soundgarden as well and the overall effect
is somewhat like Kyuss to an extent. Both more so in the vocal
department than in the music. The music has the deep, |
semi slow sludge that Sabbath started, but they lean a little
away from the doom aspect at times and opt for a more even
flow at certain points. At best they get into some passages
that blend well with some rather impressively strong vocals.
They also do enough to differ the paces and approaches of most
of the tracks. The biggest downside is that unlike Sabbath
there aren't too many times where they just peel off riffs out
of nowhere. Like a number of bands in this style tend to rely
too heavily one or two major riffs per song. With the slower
pace that combination can lead to the song being repetitive
and running out of steam before the end of the track. That
unfortunately happened on a few tracks of this release. It's
certainly a good one though and they easily manage a sound
that is somehow both dense and subtle at times. It's far from
overwhelming, but undeniably catchy and worth a listen as the
Brain Police crank out some raw and dirty rock songs.
www.myspace.com/brainpolice |
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Exalted - We Are The Grim
Throng (Battle Kommand Records) By: Dave Schalek |
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Chicago once again proves that the local black metal scene
thrives with yet another find by Azentrius in the form of
Exalted. Exalted’s debut full-length, entitled “We Are The
Grim Throng” on Battle Kommand Records, consists of straight
ahead, blasting black metal in the vein of some of the faster
Swedish bands, but with plenty of grimy, greasy atmosphere
evocative of some of the Darkthrone-inspired acts such as
Sargeist.
Exalted is galloping along very well-tread ground with “We Are
The Grim Throng”, ultimately adding nothing new to raw black
metal. However, the album is a well done example of the genre
with plenty of raw speed, greasy vocals, misanthropy galore,
and even |
hints of ‘80s black metal with a few grunts and riffs that
bring to mind some of the acts from that time. Strangely
enough, some of the riffing actually brings some muted melody
to the forefront, namely the tracks “Morbid Eternity” and
“End”, but “We Are The Grim Throng” resides firmly within the
raw black metal genre. As befitting the genre, the album blows
by in about 33 minutes with virtually no let up.
Other than that, what else is there to say? “We Are The Grim
Throng” is a good example of the genre of raw black metal,
done with enthusiasm and gusto.
www.battlekommand.com
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Glyder - Playground For
Life (True Talent Records) Review by Strawb |
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If 2008 is to be the year of the revolution, then I have a
contribution to make to the plan. We will not convert the
whole world to metal by trying to introduce them to its more
extreme manifestations. Look at the items which sell the best
in the ‘normal’ charts. Mainly compilations and much of it
classic, and the majority from the more mellow end of a bands
repertoire. And then Ace Of Spades thrown in. Is this the
mellow end of the spectrum of Motorhead? Discuss. So we may
convert the world to metal by catering to its tastes, and then
once hooked by introducing it to what we know to be best…
And so, fellow metalheads, I introduce Glyder in to my plan.
On this, their second album, |
they play the music which will bring the great unfaithful into
our sphere. Tracks with an average length of around four
minutes. Clear, well played instruments. Clean precise vocals
with an Irish brogue and overall pleasant listening. All of
the elements of the tracks which make the compilation albums,
and every possibility of a slot on some future Christmas
favourite. Melodic rock it may be, but good melodic rock.
To those of us who have already signed up there is merit in
this album and I am sure it will enjoy its fair share of
success. The talents displayed are good and their chosen path
is achieved. I was worried before I listened to this one about
the amount and tone of the publicity blurb that accompanied
this package, as this is often a sign of the Emperors new
clothes, but this was not the case here. The band cannot live
up to the comparisons put forward: Thin Lizzy and Early
Maiden? No. But this could be a typo, if it’s early Thin Lizzy
and certain Maiden [we all know which era Maiden, those
gathering dust on the shelf] then yes, Glyder are about there.
If you want to catch them live, then they will be touring with
Fish in March. If you want their website then
www.glydermusic.com is the place to be.
By the way, if anyone out there is discussing the mellow end
of Motorhead, then get off of this site and go get a Sugababes
tee. The words ‘mellow’ and ‘Motorhead’ in the same sentence
are banned in 139 countries and will soon be outlawed by the
Geneva Convention [amendment 666 I believe]. |
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Nyia/Antigama - Split
(Selfmadegod Records) By: Dave Schalek |
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Poland is making a serious push for notice in the difficult
genre of grindcore. Few would argue that Scandinavian bands
such as the defunct Nasum and Rotten Sound sit at or near the
top of the heap along with Pig Destroyer and the almighty
Napalm Death. However, Poland’s Selfmadegod Records has a
roster that sports the blistering assault of Toxic Bonkers as
well as jazz/technical grindcore bands Nyia (on loan from Feto
Records) and Antigama, the subjects of a recently released
nine song split.
This untitled split consists of originals and has been
released to coincide with a double bill tour of the bands in a
recent trek through venues in their native Poland. Nyia is up
first on |
the split with a contribution of three short songs. I only
have a passing familiarity with the band and I was pleasantly
surprised by Nyia’s excellent fusion of
mathematical grindcore with the free form meanderings of jazz.
Nyia is also unique in that they’ll incorporate melodic vocals
rather than just the usual screams and growls present in
grindcore.
Antigama’s contribution to the split consists of six songs
with a more traditional grindcore sound. Highly technical
blasts, growled vocals, and mathematical, chaotic song
structures are typical of Antigama’s sound, a bit more
abrasive than that of Nyia, although some free form jazz is
present, as well. Four of Antigama’s tracks are in this vein
along with a throwaway ambient track, as well as one track
played backwards. These tracks are obviously just there for
the Hell of it, but do not detract from the overall quality of
the release.
Antigama’s last full-length, “Resonance” on Relapse Records,
has garnered the band notice. Nyia are not far behind with the
imminent release of their second full-length, which I fully
intend to track down, entitled “More Than You Expect”. This
split is a good introduction to both bands.
www.selfmadegod.com |
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Quercus - Postvorta
(Deserted Factory) Review by Steve Green |
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Quercus are a Czech band that are signed to a Japanese label,
but I've no idea what planet they are on. The label has them
down as Avantgarde dark/doom, well I'll agree on the dark
description. And while I think this is a fucking depressing
listen, I'd not necessarily call it doom as there aren't
enough riffs and this is far from being majestic. It's much
more of a minimalist empty void. So we do we begin then? Well,
there are four sprawling tracks that stubbornly reside over a
very long 67 minute period. At times the guitars are woefully
out of tune and the tracks meander aimlessly and I'm left
scratching my head to the whole point of this exercise. Easy
listening this is not. Towards the end of opening number
Poles, I'm sure |
they've sampled a cats meow and played it through a keyboard,
and sure enough, on the credits for track one is Cudlik, a cat. I would say they are barking mad, but
that wouldn't be quite right. This is one of the weirdest
pieces of "music" I've ever heard.
The first three numbers are extremely hard work, but then on
the final number, Prophets, Letter, Memories, they get it spot
on. Spoken work passages add a wonderful texture, the growled
vocals I'd endured on the previous numbers now sound great and
the introduction of female vocals completely transform their
sound and it feels as if I've been lifted from the sewer
Quercus had dragged me into and I'm now back on dry land.
This one is for the manic depressives of this world who want
to take their mind into an even more fucked up state.
www.desertedfactory.com |
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Sjodogg - Landscapes of
Disease and Decadence (Osmose) Review by Crin |
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Norwegian Progressive Black/Death Metal that has little
recognizable Black Metal in its standard form. However, there
is a deeper, mesmerizing side to the music here that is both
captivating and horribly grim in tone. Featuring members from
Norwegian acts, Enthrall, Crest of Darkness, and The Flesh,
what we have here is a mind bending collision of fast and
furious Black Metal and melting drones of despair. Think of
Katatonia on speed whilst fragmenting into the twisted world
of Deathspell Omega. The linear notes to the promo state,
Sjodogg is both minimalist, and innovative blending old school
Death/Black metal with progressive elements and acoustic
pieces’, and more revealing, ‘We believe that |
| Sjodogg has
something significant to offer the fans of dark metal music
around the world’. Notes such as these add fuel to the
critiques fire, and all the self gratification cannot dispel
the facts. And the facts are these, whilst not being the most
inspiring release; this album does have much of what the notes
stipulate. There is a unique undercurrent to the songs,
although this uniqueness does wane as the album moves to its
less than convincing conclusion. It is the repetitive rolling
of the same hypnotic guitar patterns that inevitably plunge
the release into a mire of its own making. Sprightly drum
beats and resonant guitar strums can only sustain a certain
amount of interest, and a whole albums worth of the same
downcast, plodding woeful riffs and drum patterns is enough to
wake up the devil himself, and at the same time send the most
avid metalhead to sleep.
www.osmoseproductions.com |
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