| MUSIC REVIEWS (April 2003) |
| ABADDON INCARNATE - NADIR (24 song CD) SENTINEL RECORDS ABADDON INCARNATE formed back in 1989 under the name of BREAVED. These guys play some ultra sick Grindcore Death Metal music. The music is very fast & intense sounding Death Metal music that is twisted together with loads of Grindcore. The drums is where lots of the Grindcore comes into play. The vocals are done in two different styles, one being low to mid ranged Death growls & the other being mid to high ranged Grindcore screams. I liked this mix of vocal styles a lot. I also liked how the band tosses in lots of groove between all the musical madness! - AINCARNATE@hotmail.com / www.ABADDONINCARNATE.8m.com ANI DIFRANCO - SO MUCH SHOUTING, SO MUCH LAUGHTER (24 song 2 CD set) RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS This is the long awaited live 2 CD set from ANI DIFRANCO. This is her second live CD release to date. This album was recorded live with her six piece band at several locations along the route of her 2000-2002 tour. This release shows Ani in all her glory & really show cases what an amazing talent she really is. She plays a blend of Punk, Funk, Folk, Alternative & Rock music. She truely an amazing musician & has already established herself as a legend & a leader in the music scene! This is a great double disc set with different versions of some of her best work!!! - P.O. BOX 95 / ELLICOT STATION / BUFFALO, NY. 14205 / www.righteousbabe.com ARCHAEUS - THE ANNIHIL CHAPTER: A SOURCE OF FIRE (7 song CD) This is the second release from this aggressively brutal Death/Black Metal band out of France. These guys play a very raw style of Black Metal music that is equally merged with Death Metal music. The music is super fast sounding & has a real war like feel to it. The music is also very raw, noisy & really chaotic sounding. There are high pitched Black Metal growls & screams used mixed with some lower more mid ranged Death vocals! this disc is sure to evoke some demons from hell!!! You've been warned!!! - 4 RUE DE MAGENTA / 67610 LA WANTZENAU / FRANCE / angelofdeath_rob@yahoo.fr / dark_acid_soul@yahoo.fr / http://members.lycos.fr/ARCHAEUS A TRIGGERING MYTH - FORGIVING EDEN (12 song CD) THE LASER'S EDGE A TRIGGERING MYTH is a two piece band out of Richmond, Virginia made up of Rick eddy & Tim Drummeheir. These guys explore the very unique musical connection between them. They do include some guest musicians on each release though. on this, the bands fifth album they blend lots of Jazz Fusion with Rock, Classical Funk & Blues. they do also add lots of atmospheric & cosmic type sounds within their music to give a deeper feel to the music. there are no vocals, but none are needed. the music stands by itself & would be some nice music for some fantasy films I've seen!!! Check it out if you've got an open mind & would like to escape reality for a little bit!!! BESTIA - DEMO 2001 (6 song CD) Here we have the newest release from this Black/Death Metal act out of Estonia. Yep, I said Estonia! These guys play some great raw Black Metal music with elements of Death Metal all through out. I liked the way they mixed in influences of old school & new school Black Metal music. There is a strong darkness in their sound which I dug a lot! The vocals are done in a mid ranged throaty sounding Black Metal growl & scream. These guys are probably the only band I've heard out of Estonia, but if this is what they have to offer I want more!!! - KOTKA 6-33 / TALLINN 11315 / ESTONIA / sadogoat@hotmail.com / andresk@rasi.lr.ttu.ee / www.zone.ee/BESTIA BEYOND FATAL - SANCTUARY IN MISERY (10 song CD) BLOODSOAKED RECORDS I've heard previous material from these guys out of my home state of Pennsylvania & was very impressed. These guys have continued to impress with this new release! BEYOND FATAL play straight forward & brutal as hell Death Metal music. They do toss in some Grindcore & Thrash Metal elements here & there, but for the most part they play Death Metal music. The Thrash elements appear sometimes in the guitar sound while the Grindcore comes in within the drums. I really enjoy the vocal style a lot as well. There are mixes of deep Death growls along with harsh Death screams. Fans of PESTILENCE, CARCASS & BROKEN HOPE are going to love these guys!!! - 1143 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE / BOX 180 / STATE LINE, PA. 17263 / www.BEYONDFATAL.com / BEYOND_FATAL@hotmail.com BLACK WIDOWS - STOPS A BEATING HEART (7 song CD) INITIAL RECORDS Yes! these guys play some very cool & crazy Punk Rock music! these guys are great! BLACK WIDOWS features former members of ENDPOINT, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE NATIONAL ACROBAT & AUTOMATIC. The band has a strong 80's D.C. hardcore vibe that reminds me of the great BLACK FLAG. They also throw in some new school Punk & hardcore sounds like H20, STRIFE, SNAPCASE & RINGWORM. I love this sound a lot cause it mixes great 80's D.C Hardcore with 90's N.Y. styled hardcore! there is tons of energy, aggression & emotion pouring out of this band!!! - P.O. BOX 17131 / LOUISVILL, KY. 40217 / www.initialrecords.com/BLACKWIDOWS BLOOD RED - HOSTAGE (10 song CD) INITIAL RECORDS BLOOD RED rises from the ashes of two Long island, Ny. bands - SILENT MAJORITY & INSIDE. This is the bands debut release & takes us deep within the lives, loves & strife of suburban life. These guys blend together lots of anger, strength & aggression from hardcore with lots of depth & atmosphere. They add touches of Punk Rock to their sound as well. If you took the band U2 & turned them into a Hardcore Punk Rock band you would get BLOOD RED!!! - P.O. BOX 8 / LINDHURST, NY. 11757 / www.BLOODRED.net BUNUH - THE TORSO KILLERS (7 song CD) (Available through BEOWOLF PRODUCTIONS) BUNUH play some very raw & aggressive styled Death/Grind serial killer type music. The music has some old school Death Metal influences mixed with some dirty Grindcore music. There is some very cool mixtures of fast & slow rhythms & breakdowns. The vocals are a mixture of low, low Death growls & some higher Grindcore screams. If you combined old CANNIBAL CORPSE & BRUJERIA & added more Grindcore you'd get these guys!!! - BLK. 220 YISHUN ST. 21 / #05-399 S'PORE (760220) / SINGAPORE / BUNUH2002@hotmail.com CARCARIASS - KILLING PROCESS (9 song CD) ADIPOCERE RECORDS These guys hail from France & play some really good & technical sounding Death Metal music. Their music has a very cool old school styled Death Metal sound with touches of new school tossed in. They do mix in lots of elements of Thrash Metal that really comes out in the guitar work. There is a very traditional Metal sound that shines through in their music as well! The vocals are done in a very mid ranged old school Death Metal growls! I liked these guys a lot cause they added in lots of atmosphere & major creativity with in their heavy brutalness! This is one for every fan of Death Metal music!!! - 41 E. CHEMIN DE VALENTIN / 25000 BESANCON / FRANCE / couturie@iut-bm.univ-fcomte.fr / www.CARCARIASS.org CARNIVORE - ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK (11 song CD) DARKSTAR RECORDS This is the original motion picture soundtrack of the 80's inspired sci-fi/horror saga "Carnivore". Most of the music here is wild guitar driven 80's Metal music. There are eleven tracks here & 7 bands or musicians featured. The bands include HOLLAND, L.A. GUNS, CUTLASS, SLAVE DRIVER, NITRO & some other musicians. The CD also includes the orginal music score along with the Carnivore movie trailer & "Mother Mary"- SLAVE DRIVER music video preview. This is a classic soundtrack to a classic film! Check them both out!!! - 1736 NORWOOD AVE / SUITE G-1 / ITASCA, IL. 60143 / DARKSTARREC@aol.com / www.DARKSTARRECORDS.com |