| MUSIC REVIEWS (March 2007) |
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| ABORTION - THE GONZO MUSIC (22 track CD) OBSCENE PRODUCTIONS Rearing it's head from Slovakia comes this crazy Death Grind band called ABORTION. This new release of theirs blasts away anything else they've done in the past. The music is much tighter, faster & more spastically aggressive. They combine many elements of Death Metal music & stab it with tons of Grindcore influences all through out. They even toss in some groove oriented blast parts to mix things up a bit too. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Screaming Grindcore style mixed with mid ranged Death growls. This is a must a must for any fan of Death Grind. ABORTION@zoznam.sk / www.ABORTION.sk |
| ARCANA COELESTIA - UBI SECRETA COLUNT (4 track CD) AETERNITAS TENEBRARUM MUSIC FOUNDATION This is a new musical project from MZ who is also a member of URNA & LOCUS MORTIS. This project is a very dark cold atmospheric Doom Metal band. There is a strong cold & melancholic vibe all through out the music. At times the music almost takes you on a hallucination ride & then pulls you back to reality. The concept of the album is based on Swedish writer August Strindberg & his opus "Inferno" before leaving it's activity to focus on Alchemy. He lived his life on the edge of madness tormented by visions & prophecies of his master E. Swedenborg. The vocals are done in a low melodic & hypnotizing Doom Metal style. If your into Funeral Doom Black Metal music then look no further! |
| BAYSIDE - THE WALKING WOUNDED (12 track CD) VICTORY RECORDS This si the fourth release from this Pop Punk Rock band on VICTORY RECORDS. These guys have a Punk Rock sound that is very radio friendly with lost of Pop elements present. The music has a mixture of old school & new school Punk bands. There are some good fast up beat grooves mixed with some slower more dragging grooves. The vocals are done ina mid ranged Pop style with slight Punk influences at times, especially in the louder harsher parts. Not one of my favorite bands on VICTORY, but still a good band & successful one for them! If you haven';t heard them before starts with this their best album so far!!! www.BAYSIDEisacult.com |
| BLESS THE FALL - HIS LAST WALK (11 track CD) SCIENCE RECORDS This is the debut full length release from this Scottsdale Arizona five piece. These guys blend together some great elements of Metal & hardcore to develop their sound. There are some very intricate & technical sounding Metal guitars mixed with fast hard hitting & powerful Hardcore drums. They also like to mix up the fast aggressive with the slower more melodic & atmospheric parts all through out. The vocals are also done in a few styles ranging from strong harsh Hardcore/Metal crossover styled screams & mid ranged melodic ones as well. A must for fans of UNDEROATH & AS I LAY DYING!!! www.myspcae.com/BLESSTHEFALL |
| CARANAVAGE - THE HAIRLESS FAT CARNAGE DEED (10 track CD) APATHIC VIEW PRODUCTIONS Behold the newest release from these sick Grind bastards out of the darkest corners of Algier. This is the bands second reclease & what a release it is. The music is done mostly in a low end Grindcore style with some touches of Death Metal mixed with in. They grind the shit out of you with fast paced blasts that crush to some stop & starts parts & even some slower break downs. The vocals are done ina low ended Death growl with some groggy sounding Grind vocals. They even do a cover of a MORTICIAN & an AVULSED song for your enjoyment. If you aren't affraid to get the shit pounded out of you & enjoy it then pick this disc up Grindheads!!! CARNAVAGE@yahoo. com / www.CARNAVAGE.tk |
| CLOSER - DARKNESS IN ME (3 track CD) PULVERISED RECORDS I wasn't sure what to expect from these guys because of the band photo on the back cover. I was very pleased whne I popped this disc in. These guys play a very cool style of Metal that mixes in lots of Classic Thrash with newer Metal sounds. I really dig the full explosive sound they have. The music is very fast, tight & a little technical sounding at times. I loved the thick groove the bass sound had a lot too. The vocals are done in a mid ranged almost Death Metal scream style. If you meshed together LAMB OF GOD, KREATOR, TRIVIUM & IN FLAMES you'd get these guys! Now that right there should be enough to let you know this is worth picking up! So do it!!! |
| COMEBACK KID - BROADCASTING... (11 track CD) VICTORY RECORDS This has been one of the most anticipated albums for 2007. With one listen you can tell why. This amazing Hardcore band kicks you in the balls from the first song to the last. These guys are a ferocous unrelenting non stop ball of Hardcore fury! They take from the greats of old school like SICK OF IT ALL, GORILLA BISCUITS & MADBALL & blend together from new school like RISE AGAINST, RANCID & more. There is not stop energy pouring from these guys with lots of grooves, break downs & change ups. I loved the intense Hardcore screaming vocals with the chant along choruses. You must have this CD in your collection & play it continuously over & over again! www.COMEBACK-KID.com |
| DAVID NEIL CLINE - A FIT OF RAGE (FINAL MIX) (9 track CD) GAZOCHTAHAGEN RECORDS This is the 20th year anniversary release for DAVID NEIL CLINE. He plays some really good old school Metal music. He blends together many elements of Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Traditional Metal & Progressive Metal music too. The music definately has an old school feel to it all through out. The vocals are also done in an old school Traditional & Heavy Metal style. There are some more aggressive ones mixed with some more melodic Power Metal ones. All old Metal heads would really enjoy this disc, which reminded me of older Metal; bands like SCORPIONS, JUDAS PRIEST, VAN HALEN & HELLOWEEN. www.DAVIDNEILCLINE.com |
| NOMINON - REMNANTS OF A DIABOLICAL HISTORY (11 track CD) PULVERISED RECORDS Nominon play some very heavy & brutal sounding old school Death Metal music. They have a fast lower end & aggressive sound. Their music reminds me of a lot of the late 80's & early 90's Death Metal bands that were emerging from Florida. They do toss in some Speed & thrash Metal elements at times in the guitar sound. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style with some higher almost scream like ones at times. If your into this era styled Death Metal music then I'm sure this disc & band will be to your liking! www.NOMINON.com |
| GLENN HUGHES - MUSIC FOR THE DIVIDE (11 track CD) DEMOLITION RECORDS This is the newest release from one of Rocks many talented voices Glenn Hughes. Glenn was mostly lknown for his work in DEEP PURPLE. He has done many projects since. On this new one he collaborates with Chad Smith, drummer for the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. This album has a Classic Rock sound mixed with some really funky & grooving styles too. The vocals are always done perfectly when it comes to Glenn & this time is no exception. he has a Classic Rock Funk Rock style to his vocals. If you enjoyed any of his past releases you'll dig this one too!!! www.GLENNHUGHES.com |
| GRUUTHAAGY / BONE MACHINE - SPLIT (6 track CD) SKULL FUCKING METAL The first three tracks come from GRUUTHAAGY. I was a bit surprised that this was more of an Industrial / Experiemntal band. I actually really enjoyed this CD a lot. The music was fast paced, chaotic at times, noisy at others, but was really cool sounding Industrial music. There are some slight vocal samples here & there. The last three tracks are from BONE MACHINE. These guys sound almost like the first band. They are also an Experimental Industrial band with lots of different fast paced, chaotic & static sounding parts all through out. I loved this stuff, it reminded me a lot of the first BILE album!!! Give this a try!!! kktz666@hotmail.com / barbarians@liwest.at |
| HELLVETO - IN THE GLORY OF HEROES (7 track CD) PULVERISED RECORDS HELLVETO play some very intense old school sounding Death Metal music with some mixtures of Black metal tosses in. They have a harsh lower end old school Death Metal sound that is brutal & fast paced most of the time. They blend in some more atmospheric sounding Black Metal elements to expand on their sound & give it depth. The vocals are done in a mid ranged groggy Death growl style along with some clean Black metal ones at times. This is a different sounding band & one worth checking out!!! Expand your mind & your collection with this release!!! |
| KHYMERA - A NEW PROMISE (13 track CD) LOCOMOTIVE RECORDS This is the second release from this melodic Rock band. The band features members of PINK CREAM 69 & GENIUS. The music has a really full powerful sound almost like a Rock Opera style. There are some really crunchy Rock parts along with some more melodic & mellower parts. They have a really tight & technical sound with lots of twists & turns all through out. The vocals are done in a powerful full sounding Rock style that is hard hitting at times & mellow & melodic at others. If you like your Rock in an almost Opera sounding style, then this is for you!!! |
| LUCIFER'S LEGION - VERSES OF UNHOLY BLASPHEMY (6 track CD) Self Released LUCIFER'S LEGION is a one man project made up of Brad Dillon. He is the soul creator of this band doing all guitar, bass, vocals & MIDI programming. The music has a different sounding Black Metal style. It's done in a cold harsh Death sound, but has lots of Black Metal atmospheres, but also has some Gothic type overtones. At times the guitar work has a Classic Metal feel to it. The vocals are done in a low ranged Death growl style, that sometimes get lost in the music. This is pretty impressive coming from one guy! I know I wish i had his talent!!! |
| MEANS - SENDING YOU STRENGTH (12 track CD) FACEDOWN RECORDS This four piece out of Regina Canada come at you fast & hard & don't let up. They play some really great sounding Hardcore music that smacks you in the face. They blend together old school almost New York styles Hardcore with some new school California based Hardcore. I love this blend of sounds. They add lots of flavor with grooves, breakdowns & change ups all through out! The vocals are done in a high octane Hardcore scream style with some clean mid tone Hardcore ones mixed in. These guys will surely be making a name for themselves in the Hardcore scene!!! www.helloMEANS.com |
| MYKORRHIZA - NORTHERN REMEMBRANCE (10 track CD) KONQUEROR RECORDS This is my first time hearing these guys & I loved it. They play a very harsh & intensive sounding style of Death Thrash music. They blend a lot of classic Thrash elements together with many modern Death Metal sounds. I liked this a lot, because it reminds me of a lot of bands from the late 80's & early 90's era of when Thrash & Death were merging. There is a chunky crushing Thrash groove threading into the Death Metal sounds a lot. The vocals are done in a graspy Death/Thrash crossover style with some clean vocals mix within. KREATOR, EXHORDER, CARCASS & newer TESTAMENT fans would be pleased with this release!!! |
| MY LAMENT - BENEATH THE HIDDEN (3 track CD) ROTTEN TO THE CORE AGENCY MY LAMENT play a different sounding style of Doom Metal music. They have a cool dark doomy sound, but they toss in lots of Speed Metal elements all through out. There also is a strong funeral type vibe happening as well. I liked how they mixed all these sounds together to create a really somber creepy feel to their music. The vocals are done in a slow throaty Doom Metal style with clean Doom vocals bleneded in too. This is a good 3 song look into what this great band will be delivering us in the future!!! www.MYLAMENT.be |
| OCCIDENS - GLORIFICATION OF THE ANTICHRIST (12 track CD) DEATHGASM RECORDS Hailing from Chile comes this massive aural assault in the form of OCCIDENS. These guys plow you over with a blast of Blackened Death Metal music. The music has a strong cold vibe to it & mixes many elements of Death Metal & Black Metal together. There is plenty of speed, brutality & atmosphere to please any fan of this style. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl with some haunting & harsh Black Metal growls crushed together. The Cd also includes their long sold out MCD "DESCENDING OF THE FIRE HORDES". OCCIDENS_legion@hotmail.com |
| PSYCHOSIS - LIFE FORCE (6 track CD) CHASE THE DRAGON RECORDS PSYCHOSIS is the band members of PROTOTYPE were in before. These guys are getting back together so they sent me their original CD released in 1992. These guys play some really cool sounding Thrash/Speed Metal music. I liked the crushing guitar sounding that acompanies the cool grooving bass & driving drum beats. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Thrash sounding style. These guys could hang with some greats like DESTRUCTION, FORBIDDEN, TESTAMENT & others of this time. Check their old stuff out while you can, before they drop the new stuff!!! PROTOemail@aol.com |
| RELLIK - HERITAGE OF ABOMINATION (10 track CD) DEATHGASM RECORDS Wow! I was blown away when I popped this disc in. These guys play straight forward no holds barred Death Metal music. Their sound is very thick & full of intense brutality all through out. I loved the fast paced rythm they have & then they pound you with even faster more aggressive stuff. There is a slight groove at times in their music but it's pulsating, not funky. The vocals are done in a mid ranged very angry sounding Death growl style. These guys are the forrunners of the Chicago Death Metal scene for sure!!! Prepare to take your beating!!! phil@RELLIK.cc / www.RELLIK.cc |
| SUICIDAL WINDS - TOTAL DEATH N' LIVE (14 track CD) PULVERISED RECORDS SUICIDAL WINDS plays some very old school sounding Death Thrash Metal music. The music is very raw aggressive sounding Death Metal music that is laced with lots of Thrash Metal elements. They have a strong Death groove that is also in their sound. The guitars is where the majority of Thrash influences come into play. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Death growl style that is very throaty sounding. This is a live recording with a VIOLENT FORCE & KREATOR cover included. Prtetty decent Death Thrash for your listening pleasure!!! |
| TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY - LETHAL AGENDA (10 track CD) DEMOLITION RECORDS Southern Florida unleashes this new band TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY that play some really good Metal music. They have a modern Metal sound with lots of Rock melted within. There is a classic Metal vibe with some Speed Metal sounds, especially in the guitars. The vocals are done in a mid ranged kind of groggy Metal style with some harsher almost Thrash/Death vocals. The vocals almost remind me of Gary Meskil of PRO-PAIN. Check these guys out before they explode on the scene & are every where!!! www.TEMPLEOFBRUTALITY.com |
| THIS MOMENT - STAR PARALLEL (12 track CD) UPRISING RECORDS THIS MOMENT plays a really modernized style of Metal-core music. They have a really cool mixture of Metal music with Hardcore music. The music has a strong grooved style with some great rythms all mixed through out. I liked the breakdowns & change ups a lot in their sound. I like when they go into a fast paced explosion & then stop into a slower more sludgy styled Hardcore sound. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Hardcore almost Death Metal growl/scream style. These guys can definately be at the head of the Metal-core scene, no problem!!! |
| THRONEUM - THE UNHOLY ONES (8 track CD) DEATHGASM RECORDS THRONEUM have been kicking around the underground scene for a while now & have unleashed another new CD. These guys play a great mixture of Death & Thrash Metal music. The music has an old school vibe to it. It's a litttle dark & dirtier sounding Death Metal that has much Thrash Metal elements threaded into their sound. The Thrash mostly comes in in the guitars sound, but blends well with the Death drums. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style that is a bit dry & throaty sounding at times. Support these old school maniacs, because they deserve it!!! triumph@poczta.onet.pl / www.geocities.com/THRONEUM |
| TODD SNIDER - PEACE, LOVE AND ANARCHY (14 track CD) OH BOY RECORDS Todd Snider is a singer song writer out of Nashville Tennesse. He is now on UNIVERSAL RECORDS, but OH BOY RECORDS went back & sifted through his stuff to come up with this CD. This CD contains lots of rarties, b-sides & demos of his work. The music is done in a really Bluesy Folk style. There is lots of accustic guitars & vocals only on this album. This is not my kind of music, but if you dig stuff like this, I'm sure you'll enjoy his work!!! www.TODDSNIDER.com |
| VIXEN - LIVE & LEARN (12 track CD) DEMOLITION RECORDS VIXEN is back! Yes, it's that VIXEN from the 80's. The band contains 2 original members & 2 new members. They have revamped their style & sound a little bit on this new record. The music still has a 80's Metal sound but has also added in a more modern Rock type sound as well. There is a strong ballad vibe to the majority of their songs. The vocals are done in a mid to higher ranged melodic Metal style. I was never a big fan of theirs in the 80's, but if you were a fan then I'm sure you will enjoy this new CD just as much if not better!!! www.VIXENrock.com |
| VOW DREAMS - THE CASTLE OF THE LOST SOULS (4 track CD) Self Released Hailing from Italy is this very dark sounding Death Metal band. These guys aren't your typical Death Metal band though. They add in lots of elements of Goth & Black Metal music to round out their sound. The heavy fast paced stuff is where the Death Metal is built, but everything else is kind of blended in with their sound. The creepy vibe & atmosphers definately has a Goth Black Metal feel. The vocals are done in a haunting Goth/Black metal style as well with some mid to low ranged Death growls mixed within. There are some clean melodic vocals as well! VIA NAPOLI 7 / 08015 MACOMER (NU) / ITALY |
| WARTANAS - INFERNAL RITUAL (8 track CD) Self Released This is a 2 man Black Metal project. The band consists of Ulvera (vocals) & JD Bradshaw doing all music & production. The music has a really raw old school Black Metal style to it. There is a very cold almost war like Satanic feel to their music all through out. There is a lot of fast paced driving parts in their music The vocals are done in a mid ranged throaty & groggy Black metal growling style. This is definately one for all the old Black Metal hordes to chow down on!!! www.myspace.com/WARTANAS |
| ZOMBIE RITUAL - ZOMBIES FROM TOKYO (5 track CD) APATHIC VIEW PRODUCTIONS The Japanese zombies are back again with another great Death Metal masterpiece. These guys play some amazingly well structured Death Thrash music. I love this whole CD. The music is Thrash Metal music, but is injected with tons of Death Metal influences all through out. There is a strong old school vibe thats happening in their sound. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style along with some harsher higher pitched Death growls. This is one of the best Cds I have heard in a long time! I lovedit & could actually see myself listening to this while the zombies from 28 DAYS LATER were attacking!!! Get zombified!!! info@ZOMBIERITUAL.com / www.ZOMBIERITUAL.COM |