|
1349
Hellfire
(Candlelight)
1349 from Norway
are becoming a serious contender on the black-metal scene, and when you
listen to their latest effort Hellfire it makes sense. Listening to
Frost from Satyricon fire off one barrage after the other is close to
breathtaking, and the album is on the whole a merciless shot of adrenaline
that thrashes the listener around for 52 minutes. My main point of
criticism towards 1349 has previously been the vocal efforts of Ravn,
which – sadly – come across too uniform compared to the rest of the band,
and that is also the case on Hellfire. It is fortunately not as
apparent on this new effort as it was on the previous album Beyond the
Apocalypse, but personally I would very much like a stronger and more
varied expression than is the case. 1349 have overall surpassed themselves
with Hellfire, and the album is a safe investment for fans of the
band.
Bo
Aarni
Bathos
(Firedoom Music)
Looking
at the artwork from the CD, I start to wonder what this music is. The
cover is painted very nicely in various colours illustrating flowers and
mushrooms and lots of green life in a wood. This is not what I expect from
a band from Finland. Nevertheless the artwork is very fine. From the
biography I understand that this is the band’s debut record, and that it
contains Lovecraft-inspired music ranging from folk metal to doom and
ambient metal. Well, the music is very atmospheric and contains some very
alternative elements regarding instruments and rhythms. Sometimes you
don’t know what’s going on at all, and you might have the feeling that
either the guys crap around with the instruments or that you ate some
mushrooms. All in all this record just left me wondering, and I’m not
sure that I am able to specify what style the music is, so if you like pan
flutes, lots of bass-playing and some heavy doom-guitars, this might be
your taste. Music on mushrooms.
MP
Abandoned
Thrash Notes
(Dockyard 1)
The Germans have always had a weak spot for thrash. In
the late eighties the scene was literally flooded with German thrash metal
bands. Destruction, Kreator and Sodom started what would become a true
tsunami of German thrash, which dominated the scene until the end of the
century and peaked around ‘87-‘88. Abandoned clearly cannot forget these
times of grace, and with Thrash Notes they have created an album
that might as well have originated from that era. Abandoned are closely
related to fellow Germans Kreator in sound and style, and are in no doubt
heavily inspired by the legendary kings of German thrash. So in short
terms, we are dealing with well-executed and tight old-school thrash here.
Though I can enjoy the album, I do not think it gets above average. The
production is simply too weak and – in this case – diminishes an otherwise
good band and does them no justice at all. Their sound lacks heaviness to
a high degree, and it makes the album sound like an average sounding demo
from 1987, which I think is unnecessary in these times when technology can
do magic with sound. Another weak spot is singer/guitarist, Kalli whose
voice could need some improvement. He has a narrow vocal range and his
voice generally lacks power. But all in all: a good old-school thrash
album with some crucial weak spots that pull this release down to average.
JESTER
Amorphis
Eclipse
(Nuclear Blast)
I have a bad habit of turning my back on bands when
they disappoint me with a bad release. But in the case of Amorphis I admit
to have made a mistake by writing them off too soon. I was a little
disappointed with their album Elegy (1996); following their
critically acclaimed masterpiece Tales from the Thousand Lakes from
1994, which I still consider a milestone in metal. The folk-inspired and
slightly commercialized Elegy appeared a little too cheesy for me.
I saw elder people in Finnish national costumes dancing folk-dance before
my eyes every time I listened to it. And believe me, it was not exactly
appealing. On top of that, the newly recruited co-vocalist Pasi Koskinen’s
clean vocals annoyed me for some reason. But the band seem to have come a
long way since then, and the Finns really surprise me in a positive way
with this album. Eclipse is a mature, well-composed, diverse and to
a high degree a spell-binding and epic progressive rock/metal album. The
arrival of new singer Tomi Joutsen seems to have given the band a saline
injection. His voice covers a wide field from clean vocals to growls and
he really masters it all, which helps make the songs varied and it seems
to have given the band a little more freedom in their songwriting. If I
have to compare their music to anything else, the only comparison I can
come to think of is Paradise Lost. Especially on the track “House of
Sleep” they come close to newer Paradise Lost material. But that is as
close as they get and unlike the aforementioned band, the Finns do not
deny their death metal roots, which still – though more constricted than
before – shines through on several tracks. And above that, the band have
also managed to keep the music recognizable, despite many line-up changes
through the years. You are in no doubt that this is Amorphis when you hear
it. Their music contains so many nuances and you are well entertained by
their superior musical skills and compositions through the whole album.
Amorphis has with Eclipse more than justified their existence, and
with this release they might win many new fans and perhaps win some old
ones back. And rightfully so. So as of today I will be a little more
careful with writing off any bands, before they have had the chance to
redeem themselves. That I promise.
JESTER
Arch Enemy
Doomsday Machine
(Century Media)
I
have to admit that I have never heard an entire Arch Enemy (AE) album
prior to this, so I really had no expectations. The only comparison I
could make was with the Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious
and Heartwork by Carcass on which super guitarist Mike Amott played
the lead guitar and also contributed to the songwriting. I truly believe
that Amott’s presence was the main reason that Carcass’ popularity reached
new heights back in the nineties. His simple and catchy heavy riffs
combined with a rarely heard sense of melodic harmonies blew new life into
the worn-out recipe of the standardized Carcass grindcore and catapulted
the band into death metal stardom. Heavy riffing and sick gory lyrics were
the main ingredients in Carcass, whereas AE on the other hand are more
about epic melodies with the early eighties’ NWOBHM (New Wave of British
Heavy Metal) as a clear source of inspiration. The two most obvious ones
being Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Many would caracterize AE as a death
metal band, but I would find it a little out of place to put them in a
category with bands like Nile and Cannibal Corpse, for instance. Even
though they have the characteristic death metal growls, courtesy of Angela
Gossow (a female growler who does an outstanding job by outdoing many of
her male colleagues), the music would fit better in a category together
with Iced Earth, Nevermore or with the melodic swedish Gothenburg metal, I
think. Mike Amott is a very skilled musician and it’s a joy to hear him
play, but I just miss some heavier riffing as a ‘break’ between the many
guitar harmonies and beautiful leadwork. After several spins in my
discplayer, I still lose focus every time I listen to it, and it all just
becomes a little too predictable – and dare I say: boring.
JESTER
Barcode
Showdown
(Nuclear Blast)
I
have got to admit that I have always had a thing for Barcode. Their two
previous efforts Beerserk and Hardcore were in my opinion
sublime old-school NY hardcore done in a Danish style. And nothing has
changed with Showdown, except for the record company. Barcode still
sound exactly the same as they have always done: angry and pissed off.
It’s with Barcode as it is with AC/DC and Motörhead. Expect no change –
and I don’t. Some bands never change while others change drastically from
album to album, and so it should be. I respect that. But sometimes it’s
nice to have somebody you can count on; if you know what I mean. With
Barcode it’s like coming to the usual bar, meeting the usual people,
drinking the usual beer, and having a hell of a time. That’s what Barcode
is all about for me. And if it works, don’t fix it!
JESTER
Before
The Dawn
4:17 am
(Locomotive Music)
Listening
to this CD made me wonder where I had heard the kind of sound that was
presented to me before. So I checked up on the band’s homepage and found
out that the band originates from Finland, and the recording was likewise
made in Finland. So I then knew that the sound reminded me of the latest
Rapture CD. The band was from the beginning a solo project of Tuomas, but
he was quickly joined by musicians who wanted to work together with him
and then Before The Dawn was created. This is their second record; they
have done a record and an EP in the past. I am quite pleased with this
record so I might go out and try to find the earlier material as well. It
reminds me of a combination of Katatonia, Rapture and Theatre Of Tragedy.
Note that the vocals are male, though. It is a very relaxed kind of music
that I enjoy putting on. The music is well-balanced and of a fine quality,
and the vocals are in very good unison together with the rest of the
musical picture. The music is melodic and gives away a feeling of longing
for something. One of the finer contributions to my collection indeed.
MP
Beseech
Drama
(Napalm Records)
Presented
to me as a gothic-rock band from Sweden including male and female vocals.
Harmonic guitars with loads of keyboard effects. Did anyone say Lacuna
Coil? The production of this record is almost perfect, every instrument as
well as the vocals sound and clear. As expected of a Swedish band the
music is performed flawlessly and to the point of perfection. The
disappointment falls on that the music is made from a recipe heard many
times before. The music becomes boring very quickly, and the male vocals
irritate me. Do your own vocals instead of trying to replicate Peter
Steele from Type O Negative. I don’t know what to say more about this
album. If you are a German guy and you think that bands that sound like
Lacuna Coil and vocals like Type O Negative are the best there is, this
record is surely something for you. If you are someone who sets demands
for quality in music and originality, you should avoid this by all means.
MP
Bleed The Sky
Paradigm in Entropy
(Nuclear Blast)
A
new high hope signing from Nuclear Blast who are jumping on the metalcore
wagon; a genre soon more watered-down than George W. Bush’s arguments for
starting the war in Iraq. American Bleed The Sky is a typical example of a
band trying to reach everybody with their musical blend of hybrid
metal that I would call nu-metalcore pop. The band reach out in almost all
directions of metal and add a slice of radio-friendly clean vocals and
more quiet musical outlets that I think any mother would appreciate. I
think the band needs to rethink their musical concept and narrow down the
target group, which in this case would be young teenagers looking for a
new band to take over from the over-exposed and commercialised Korn.
JESTER
Blindfault
Talking to Deaf Ears
(Fast Beat Records)
Blindfault are a bunch of skilled musicians, and with Talking with Deaf
Ears they prove it. Unfortunately, their recipe for nu-metal is not
that original. Even though they try to mix it in a new way, their sources
of inspiration are still too obvious. Bands like System Of A Down,
Mudwayne and Pantera shine through on the 12 tracks, and their obvious
lack of originality is unfortunately impossible to ignore. The expression
is aggressive and the riffing precise, and Blindfault are as good as the
best clones out there. But Blindfault could actually have a bright future
ahead of them, if they could shake loose the influences and find an
expression of their own. All it takes is commitment and a will to do it,
and I seriously believe that these guys could do it. I know you’ll do
better next time.
JESTER
Blood
Red Throne
Altered Genesis
(Earache)
After their two first offerings, Monument of Death from 2001 and
Affiliated with the Suffering from 2003, I was never convinced that
Blood Red Throne could go places. Their basic old-school American based
death metal was just a little too predictable and one-sided for me. But
now there’s a completely different and better tasting icing on the cake.
Altered Genesis has all the things that the other albums lacked and
then some. Tchort, Død and Co. have mixed their American-style death metal
and blended in some melodic Scandinavian metal, and the end result is
something to call their own. The compositions are cut to the bone and made
very easily accessible and catchy as hell too. A death metal fan wouldn’t
go wrong here. The band seem to be in their element here as they pound one
deadly track into your ears after another. Everything has been improved
from production to a more catchy song structure, and all tracks are tight
energetic outlets. I feel compelled to name the track “Arterial Lust”,
which in my opinion really stands out with its spell-binding and
uncompromising heavy riffing. Great stuff! The only weakness on this
album, if any, is the one-sided vocal work of Mr. Hustler, which could be
just a little more varied in my opinion. If you’re into old school death
metal, you should check this piece of fine culture out. Killer album.
JESTER
Burst
Prey On
Life
(Relapse)
I
knew nothing of this band before I got the promo. Nevertheless, it just
fitted right into my taste of music. This band comes from Sweden with
roughly 10 years and 5 releases behind them. I read on a website somewhere
that the band in a way regards this record as the real true Burst music
they have come to through years of making music. Well, it is very unique
in its style, combining elements from Hardcore with traditional Heavy
Metal and Swedish Death Metal; they even grind on some passages. It
contains many details in itself and is very well played, yet it demands
active listening … which is fine by me. Track number 7 “Crystal
Asunder” actually reminds me a short passage of Arcturus back to La
Masquerade Infernale days, very nice indeed. Check this out, it is very
cool.
MP
Callisto
True Nature Unfolds
(Earache)
Just what I needed:
a band from Finland who thought to themselves ‘we want to sound like Cult
Of Luna’… And they then did a record that sounded like a copy of Cult Of
Luna The Beyond. It is too obvious for me. I mean, they even got
the same sound. Even now when I listen to it, I get the creeps because I
dislike it that much. It is not ok to just copy what others do and then do
the same. That is a feature that belongs exclusively to pop music and hip
hop.
MP
Candlemass
Candlemass
(Nuclear Blast)
It’s
been a while since an album gave me shivers down the spine – but this one
did. It’s not every time a band decide to reunite that the outcome is this
positive, but I have to say that this album blew me away. Exactly like
Deep Purple it seems that the Mark II (second) line-up is the
ultimate line-up for Candlemass. Not to diminish the two mediocre albums
that bassist/songwriter Leif Edling released under the Candlemass moniker
after these five decided to part ways, but this album is light years ahead
in both quality and diversity to name but a few differences. This five
piece match together as my dick matches with Halle Berry’s pussy, and when
these five individuals come together magic occurs. And this album is the
proof. It’s like they have never been gone. The style is still the
well-known Candlemass style with the heavy riffs, beautiful leadwork,
superior compositions and the outstanding voice of Messiah Marcolin. That
man is indeed in a league of his own. One moment his voice is gently and
carefully caressing your inner eardrums on tracks like “Seven Silver
Keys”, “Copernicus” and “The Day and the Night”; next he is ripping your
entrails out on track like “Black Dwarf” and “Born in a Tank” with a
rawness yet unheard of.... From his guts, anyway. This album may not be as
good as their debut Epicus, Doomicus, Metallicus or the classic
Nightfall but its close, and I will not hesitate to put it right up
there with Ancient Dreams and Tales of Creation. Let’s just
hope that the peace will last, so that we can enjoy this band a while
longer. Epic doom metal!
JESTER
Carpathian Forest
Fuck You All !!!!
(Season Of Mist)
Finally: here is the new
Carpathian Forest album! The album was recorded a year ago but was
completed towards the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006 due to the
release of Nattefrost’s solo album Terrorist: Nekronaut Pt. 1. Let me set
one thing straight right away: it has been worth the wait. Not only did
Nattefrost with his solo album release one of the, in my opinion, biggest
surprises in 2005; Fuck You All !!!! will be one of the highlights in
2006. The album opens rather fittingly with “Vi Åbner Porten til
Helvete…”, which hints at what we are up against for the next 46 minutes.
This is Carpathian Forest as we know them, but the band have redoubled
their hostility and disgust, which shows in both lyrics as well the music.
Nattefrost et al. open – in every sense of the saying – the gates to Hell
on Fuck You All !!!!, which from start to finish delivers some of the
strongest and most hateful material that the band has released in a long
while. There are no grand forays or tryouts on the album; just necro black
metal of the usual high calibre that we have come to expect from
Carpathian Forest, and this time on an album that is sublime on all
fronts, to boot. There is not much else to say than: Buy Fuck You All !!!!
unless you want to deny yourself the experience of this latest excellent
offering from Carpathian Forest. Now fuck you all!
Bo
Carpathian
Forest
Skjend
Hans Lik
(Season Of Mist)
I
am a big Carpathian Forest fan, and I am usually delighted no matter what
they release, but I have to admit that I do not really know how
interesting a release Skjend Hans Lik really is... Yes, the Bloodlust
and Perversion demo is on there, but it has been re-released one time
before – in 1997 through Avantgarde Music. Besides the demo you find
another mix of “Skjend Hans Lik”, “Humiliation Point”, which is a
track that did not make it to the Defending the Throne of Evil
record, a rehearsal version of “Spill the Blood of the Lamb”, a live
version of “Martyr/Sacrificulum” and a cd-rom video, and even though
it is very interesting to hear “Humiliation Point”, Skjend Hans Lik
is not a release that I will pull out often in the future. After the
release of the, to say the least, impressive We’re Going to Hell for
This – Over a Decade of Perversions, Skjend Hans Lik pales a
bit in comparison, and I would at any time recommend that album instead of
Skjend Hans Lik.
Bo
Chaos
Breed
Brutal
(Century Media)
Eventhough being from Finland, ChaosBreed have all the
ingredients of an early nineties swedish death metal band. The
characteristic superdistorted guitarsound courtesy of the Boss Heavy Metal
HM-2 pedal, the mix of ripping fast played metal, as well as the rockin’
and groovin’ parts best known from releases by Entombed, Unleashed and
Dismember in the early and mid-nineties. These three bands seem to have
had a large influence on ChaosBreed and especially Dismember and Unleashed
comes to mind at first listen. I happen to like all of the aforementioned
bands, and I have weakness for the swedish old-school death metal style in
general. And though not being particularly original (just listen to the
main riff of the song “Faces of death” and think of Slayer’s “Dead skin
mask”. You could get arrested for less, you know!), these songs make me
wanna bang my head, and the headbanging factor happens to be one of the
parameters on which I measure quality. If the music just grab you by the
balls and slam you hard against the walls until you surrender
unconditionally, then there is nothing to do, but to submit to the
superior. Fans of early Entombed, Dismember and Unleashed will surely not
be disappointed here. Comes with a neckache guarentee.
Jester.
Crowhead
Frozen
(My Kingdom Music)
Listening
to the first track while working with something else; at track number two
I was perfectly still listening only to the music; while track number
three was playing, I was fumbling for my headphones; at number four I was
lying on my bed with my eyes closed with nothing but Crowhead in my ears.
Coming from Norway with a music history in Ragnarok, these two guys did
indeed impress me with their debut CD. It is written in the booklet that
“Frozen” is destined to be a new milestone in the depressive Gothic
Dark Music. It is and I have recommended it to all I know that favour Goth
Rock and the like. I even recommended it to a member of the board of a
Goth arrangement in Copenhagen called Black Cat. It must spread like a
plague for this is awesome and it definitely deserves to be checked out.
Two guest musicians from Ex-Apoptygma Berzerk are performing on the CD as
well, adding some very interesting elements to the music. Should you ever
buy this CD, you should try blasting your speakers while listening to
track 2 “Mad Man” and track 5 “Fire Eye (Kill You)”. If you do not
despair, then try again when you’re drunk. It should definitely take you
down.
MP
Dead
Soul Tribe
A
Murder Of Crows
(InsideOut Music)
At
first I wondered why I was given this CD for reviewing. After having
listened to the CD to the end I knew. My first impression was that this
might belong to a guy favouring progressive metal, but this band has a
depressive and Doom Metal feel in it as well that might lead your thoughts
to old Candlemass. Performing very atmospheric music with screaming solos
and despairing vocals, this record stands out as unique in my collection
of CD’s. The music sometimes makes me think of standing on a battlefield,
dead corpses on all sides, the crows already taking their share. It weaves
and crawls through me and I enjoy listening to this CD, reading some of my
fantasy books. There is a great focus of percussion in the music that
gives it the tribal attitude, matching the name of the band. I cannot
point to a precise genre that fits to this music, but you should check it
out and find out yourself. It is really worth it.
MP
Decapitated
Organic Hallucinosis
(Earache)
‘You are
reading a review of the new Decapitated album, Organic Hallucinosis,
on the Evilution Magazine website’.
Yeah, Earache made another voice-over stunt. Please address
anthrax-stuffed letters and other such hateful comments in their
direction, thanks.
MISEREION
Deinonychus
Mournument
(My Kingdom Music)
This
is what real doom metal is about. A booklet with small pictures of art,
black backgrounds and grey letters. A long intro with eerie sounds that
leads you through the tunnel that ends where the real music starts.
Melodic doomy guitars with keyboard supporting the musical picture. And a
very desperate voice screaming its painful words into your ears. My first
thought: why didn’t I hear about this years ago. Mournument is the 5th
full-length album from Deinonychus, and I understand that it started as a
black metal band back in 1992. There is no doubt that there are strands of
black metal inspiration in this doom metal; nevertheless it supports the
music perfectly and creates a very mystic, creepy and sorrowful dimension.
I enjoyed this cd from the second it entered my cd player and the music my
ear, and it is definitely not the last time it will annoy my neighbours.
People into music like Shape of Despair and Ancient Wisdom should check
this band out even as you read this.
MP
Destruction
Inventor of Evil
(AFM records)
Let me say this
right away: I worshipped Destruction back in the old days! Sentence of
Death, Infernal Overkill, Eternal Devastation as well as
Release from Agony have constituted a big part of my musical
upbringing in the 80’s, and for that reason it hurts to receive an album
like Inventor of Evil to review. It has been a thorn in my side
that Destruction have not been their good old selves since the reunion,
and in my opinion it just keeps getting worse with each album that they
have released since All Hell Breaks Loose. This new full-length
does not at all make things better, as it is plainly speaking just boring.
There is nothing here that they have not done before or better – except
from featuring a host of guests – and everything is quickly forgotten. I
wish that Destruction would step up to the task sometime, but
unfortunately that has not happened with Inventor of Evil, which to
me is the newest addition to a line of disappointing releases ever since
the reunion of this band, and I will continue to stick with the old
albums.
Bo
DIO
Evil or Divine – Live in New York City
(Spitfire Records)
This live album is
fucking amazing! The whole band are right on the money and deliver every
goddamn note with passion and intensity, and Ronnie's voice hasn't lost
any range over the years. Contrary to many other old-timers out there
today, he is still a supreme vocalist and this album is a proof of that!
My personal favorite on this disc is a brilliant medley of “Egypt (The
Chains Are On)” and the almighty Sabbath song “Children of the Sea”. Hell,
picking a favorite song off this disc is no easy task since it is filled
with classics, and the 3 songs from the Killing the Dragon album
are also right up there with the best of them. If you are a sucker for DIO,
Black Sabbath and/or Rainbow you should pick up this album. It is
certainly recommended for fans that are into pure heavy metal! Hail DIO
for not wimping out!
Svest
Disbelief
Spreading
The Rage
(Massacre)
I
was introduced to Disbelief once by a friend of mine who said that maybe
it was something for me. It was and I was very happy to receive this new
record from them to review. Having a very unique style, and in my opinion
walking in the footsteps of Morgoth and Neurosis, combining two unique
styles and adding their own contribution to it in the end, this new record
differs somewhat from the previous material by being more melodic and
slightly more up-tempo. Being still very noisy and playing heavy riffs,
this is actually quite satisfactory. The Intro “The Beginning Of Doubt”
somewhat confirms this statement in my opinion. All in all a very good
step in the development of their music. I enjoy it and will recommend it
if you by chance should see it in the record store near you.
MP
Dissection
Reinkaos
(Black Horizon Music)
One thing should be clear straight off: Reinkaos is one of the most
anticipated albums this year, and the expectations towards this new era in
the history of Dissection reach towards the sky. It has been 11 years, the
band consists of a new line-up, and the material has been written and
composed while Jon served his time in prison. Reinkaos is the result of a
strong development in the band, which will undoubtedly split their
audience in two camps: those who love the new Dissection and those who
will be disappointed with the fact that band sounds very little like they
did on the classic Storm of the Light's Bane album. I have heard
comparisons between the new Dissection material and latter-day In Flames
from quite a few people, but since I'm not exactly a big In Flames fan I
am not really able to draw any conclusions as far as that assertion is
concerned. Besides, you could well ask yourself who inspired who when it
comes down to it. Dissection anno 2006 is musically speaking a far more
well-tuned entity, and the tracks are primarily mid-tempo and
atmospherically founded with a lot of melodic parts: a development that
was prefaced on the Maha Kali single, and which has been further
cultivated on Reinkaos. The development on the new album can seem rather
drastic on the first few listens to Reinkaos when it is compared to The
Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane, but for me Reinkaos was rather
swiftly absorbed as a album that evidences where Dissection would be
today, whether the band had released any other kind of material in the
past 11 years or not. There is no doubt whatsoever that Dissection have
went through a massive evolution while Jon has been unable to record new
material, and since we have not had the privilege of being able to witness
and take in the many mid-phases between Storm of the Light's Bane and
Reinkaos, there is a world of difference between the two albums. The music
is complemented by the strongest Dissection lyrics to date, written by Jon
and Frater Nemidial from MLO (Misanthropic Luciferian Order). It is no
understatement that Dissection consider Reinkaos a 'a sonic invocation to
the endless dark aeon' because the lyrics take their onset in the Liber
Azerate and MLO's anti-cosmic ideology as well as esoteric workings, and
provides a rare insight into the form and vision of MLO. Tracks like "Dark
Mother Divine", "God of Forbidden Light", "Black Dragon" and "Xeper-I-Set"
should be mentioned as my favourite songs on Reinkaos, but the album is in
its whole a solid release which not only shows that Set Teitan and Tomas
Asklund are the perfect arbiters for this new incarnation of Dissection,
but also that the lyrical collaboration between Jon and Frater Nemidial
definitely takes Dissection to the next level. As written before, old fans
who expect to hear a Dissection anno 1995 will be seriously surprised with
the style on Reinkaos - but do not let yourself be intimidated by that.
Reinkaos is in all aspects an album that paves and demonstrates
the way for the new era of Dissection, and I will recommend everyone to
purchase a copy of this piece of anti-cosmic metal of death.
Bo
Draconian
Where
Lovers Mourn
(Napalm Records)
Mournful,
slow and melodic. A male voice half growls half speaks, later joined by a
female voice singing in a mournful contrast to the male one. Precisely as
in the old days of Theatre of Tragedy. Then all of a sudden the music
shifts into something that reminds me of Moonspell – Wolfheart. There is
nothing new in this, yet it is well played and well composed so I was not
unsatisfied all the way through this CD. Being a quite large band
consisting of seven members and hailing from Sweden, this record is
presented as Gothic/Doom Metal. It does certainly appeal to the Gothic
fans that hang on to Theatre of Tragedy and Moonspell. So if you seek an
alternative to those bands mentioned, check this out.
MP
Eisheilig
Die
Gärten Des Herrn
(Napalm Records)
So
if I say texts in German and a very low pitched male vocal, what do you
think of? Rammstein perhaps? Well, those guys here certainly thought of
Rammstein and In Extremo while they composed this material. These guys
here should stick to the sausages and the sauerkraut while watching “Ein
Fall Für Zwei” on TV. Do something nice with your instruments: sell
them to kids who want to play cool metal. I can recommend this CD to you
if you would like to have new references as to what kind of music you
don’t like.
MP
End
Of Days
Dedicated to the Extreme
(Alveran Records)
This
is what Obituary would sound like if they played metalcore... and were
German. The music actually reminds me a bit of the Swiss metalcore act
Cataract reviewed in Evilution Mag #1. Perhaps it’s the sound because this
album is like Cataract’s With Triumph Comes Loss album from last
year, recorded at the already widely known Antfarm Studios, and was mixed
by producer Tue Madsen in association with singer Jacob Bredahl of
Hatesphere fame. And I think this production may be a little bit too close
to the aforementioned album for my taste. It’s one of these albums where
you have got to make a tough choice: either you diss it, or you look
shamelessly away from its obvious lack of originality and headbang like
hell. Death metal-ish metalcore with John Tardy-like vocals. Check it out.
JESTER
End
Of Green
Last
Night On Earth
(Silverdust)
It
took me some time and the CD in the player more than one time to get
accustomed to this record. Nevertheless, it grew each time and I have
actually promised myself to check out their previous material as well if
given the possibility. Coming from Germany, End Of Green launches you into
a style that I would call Melancholic Rock and compare with bands like
Katatonia. The production is very fine and delicate, supporting the music
very good. And for once the vocalist sings and has a voice that sounds
perfect to the music as well. There is a perfect balance between the
tracks, changing between more traditional Rock music to heavy melodic
gloomy passages. A very fine combination and very well played. I will
definitely be there, should they play a concert near me.
MP
Eternal
Majesty
Wounds
Of Hatred And Slavery
(Candlelight)
There
is nothing quite like receiving an album that really surprises you. This
is exactly the case with Eternal Majesty, whom I – unfortunately –
have not been introduced to before despite their impressive back catalogue
of split releases, a couple of demos, a live album, the EP Night
Shadows as well as the debut From
War to Darkness. A list of releases that I will definitely have to
make myself acquainted with after the eye-opener that is Wounds of Hatred and Slavery. The band are comprised of members and
ex-members from Atrox, Antaeus, Aosoth, Ancestral Fog, Reverence and
Deviant, and offer diabolical black metal, which lacerates its listener
from start to finish with icy moods and an all-out dismal soundscape. The
music is constantly balancing on the borderline between aggression and
melancholy while it retains a logical consistency, and Eternal Majesty
have really got a hold of something that is just right. Eternal Majesty
are a non-compromising, anti-Christian war machine, who have released an
album that you cannot allow yourself to ignore.
Bo
Exodus
Shovel Headed Kill Machine
(Nuclear Blast)
I think Exodus have made quite a scoop by recruiting
skinbasher Paul Bostaph (ex-Forbidden, ex-Slayer) and guitarist Lee Altus
(ex-Heathen, ex-Die Krupps) to their ranks. Their résumés should speak for
themselves. On top of that, they have managed to hire a new lead singer in
the shape of Rob Dukes, who sounds exactly like now-departured Steve
Souza. So despite a lot of turmoil concerning the line-up, the band have
managed to keep the ‘new’ sound which they introduced on their comeback
album Tempo Of The Damned (2004) intact, and they really sound as
good as ever. I think their sound has gone through big improvements
compared to the ‘old’ days. The band have chosen to follow time soundwise
instead of dwelling by the past, which I think is admirable. Even though
the expression has become darker and more in-your-face than in the old
days, you still recognize their music from a mile away, as if it was a
rotten body washed ashore. The style has
generally been through a facelift to make the impact optimal and you just
can’t help at least tapping your feet when listening to their
uncompromising and well-executed clean thrash attack. And with this new
super line-up, I think their old status as serious contenders to the
thrash throne is surely within reach by the new generation of metal heads.
So watch out ‘cos Exodus is a shovel headed kill machine meaning business
and they will brake for nobody!
JESTER
Fantomas
Suspended Animation
(Ipecac)
What is there to
expect when you receive a Fantomas CD to review? The first material I
heard with Fantomas was The Director’s Cut which I liked pretty
much and sometimes had great laughs listening to. Then the Delìrium
Cordìa album which I thought was more a piece of musical art than
ordinary music – yet I enjoyed it. I do not really know what to expect of
this. I did not get any press material with the CD. The only thing I know
is that on the back it says 30 Miniature Holydays In 43 Minutes,
and that there was a limited spiral-bound calendar look-alike version in
the stores. This is something typical for Fantomas, I think: you never
know what comes. One moment you hear a lot of chimes along with samples of
voices distorted so they sound like cartoons; the next you have some
unyielding grindcore that just blasts the speakers to their limit. Like if
you sampled some Tom & Jerry cartoons together with Napalm Death – Scum.
If you are a true Fantomas fan or you are devoted to music that constantly
seeks out new borders, this is something for you. I enjoyed this, but I do
not have any highlights… It is a CD that compels you to enjoy it in the
present moment.
MP
Finntroll
Nattfödd
(Spikefarm)
I
have not heard Finntroll since their debut album Nattens Widunder,
so I will not be the one who voices my opinion on the musical changes
since their previous release, but it is at any rate a more easily
accessible Finntroll you find on Nattfödd compared to Nattens
Widunder, both musically as well as production-wise. Finntroll is
still a very unique band who combines atmospheric black metal with folk
melodies and those polka-like parts that made Nattens Widunder such
an unusual release compared to so many others. Besides the more refined
production the band has added more sing-a-long to it all, but fortunately
not in the crappy power metal fashion. There is a lot of balls in the
tracks, and when the band set the stage for community singing, it happens
with heathen vibes and pride in the music, which support the lyrics in a
very convincing way. I have obviously missed out on a lot, so I have to go
out and buy the missing Finntroll albums – and in the meantime you could
well get a copy of Nattfödd.
Bo
Gardens
Of Gehenna
Mechanism
Masochism
(Grau)
Four
guys from Germany, combining the elements of Doom Metal and elements of
Industrial into this piece of music. This could well be the incantation to
your funeral, your body stolen by cultists and now being sacrificed upon
the altar of something sinister. While the guitar riffs are slow and
melodic, the monotony of the rhythm makes it sound like a ritual being
observed in horror. The vocal parts consist of growls, almost spoken in a
slow and deliberate fashion. It reminds me of a combination of Samael –
Ceremony of the Opposites mixed with Paradise Lost – Lost Paradise. Very
nice indeed.
MP
Glittertind
Evige
Asatro
(Karmageddon Media)
I
took the new Glittertind album in with quite some scepticism, but that was
mostly because of the selling points in the biography, which made
references to Glittertind’s appeal to fans of Storm, Dropkick Murphys,
Skyclad, Finntroll, Cruachan and The Pogues. I repeat: Storm and Dropkick
Murphys in the same line... That is not entirely wrong, however, because Evige
Asatro does move from imposing folk songs to punk-like sing-a-long
hymns, and it is exactly this mixture that exposes Torbjørn Sandvik’s
strengths and weaknesses. The best cut on the album is without a doubt “Nordmannen”,
which Storm has also recorded, while “Sønner Af Norge” and “En
Stille Morgen – 1349” prove that Torbjørn also has a talent for
composing atmospheric tracks. Unfortunately it does not work quite as well
with the fast and punk-like sing-a-long songs. Not only do they remind me
a bit too much of Dropkick Murphys, but they also create a sort of
inconsistent ambience on the album. The atmospheric songs hold references
to the Scandinavian moods on Storm’s Nordavind, while the faster
tracks have a more British ring to them and make me think of English pubs,
soccer games and gallons of Guinness – which I imagine is not the
intention with the Scandinavian lyrical concept in mind. Furthermore, I
miss a little more power in Torbjørn’s vocal delivery. Everything comes
across a bit too neat and nice, which contrasts with the assertive message
in the lyrics, and for that reason I could really use some more strong
words and forceful pride on his part. When that is said, however, I find a
lot of potential in Glittertind, and I will look forward to become
acquainted with the future releases from Torbjørn. Even so I hope that he
will focus more on the atmospheric songs in the future and lay aside the
punk elements, because there is no doubt which of the two works best.
Bo
God
Forbid
Gone
Forever
(Century Media)
Reading
the biography or presentation of the band given along with the promotional
copy I received almost makes me want to throw up. This is presented as
being sublime thrash metal, Americanized so that it should bring every
listener to his knees. The last cite is ‘The new wave of American metal
has arrived’. OK… Why is it then that this reminds me of traditional
Swedish Death Metal like In Flames, added some traditional elements from
bands like Machine Head and Fear Factory? As far as new wave goes, this is
not entirely new. This kind of music has been heard many times before, and
played with better and more combinations in the music than God Forbid. I
am sorry but there is nothing new in this music at all. If you like the
bands mentioned above, this band might be something for you. It surely did
not appeal to me – and the biography made everything much worse.
MP
Iommi w/ Glenn Hughes
The 1996 DEP Sessions
(Mayan Records)
This album was
recorded back in 1996, which is pretty evident when you glance at its
title, but for some reason it was shelved back then and it has stayed
unreleased until now. I'm very fond of Black Sabbath's Seventh Star
album from 1986, which also features Glenn Hughes on vocals, and I was
hoping that this album would be just as good as the first one the two
gentlemen did together, but this is unfortunately not the case. Iommi's
riffs and Hughes' vocals are generally pretty good, but the album never
really ‘takes off’ and delivers any real highlights. Also, Glenn Hughes
sometimes gets a bit too funky for his own good and a few passages on the
album end up sounding wimpy as a result of this. All in all, The 1996
DEP Sessions is just a solid metal album made by two veterans who know
how to write decent songs. Nothing more and nothing less!
Svest
Kataklysm
In the Arms of Devastation
(Nuclear Blast)
All metal fans
in Roskilde and its bushwhacker environs love Kataklysm. Their household
elder and newborn niece both adore Kataklysm, and even their über-obese
tomcat hunts mice with Shadows and Dust as a motivational
soundtrack. Wherefore then, I ask, does their material as a whole come
across so bland and lukewarm to these otherwise amenable ears? Whereas the
aforementioned ‘favourite for felines’ has entertained me on more than one
festive booze-sustained occasion, most of all because of its
leviathan-like title track, Serenity in Fire bored me half-stiff at
the first encounter, and almost made me consider a modern-world
abomination like Toto as alternative stereo fodder at the second listen.
In The Arms of Devastation contains all that which makes for an
excellent metal release: cement-block riffs intermixed with candied
melodic licks, screams and roars of dreadful doom +2, them trademark
northern hyperblasts and not least a well-broiled, well-stirred sound. Yet
it all leaves me unexcited for the reason that there is but a sub-atomic
trace of life, soul and feel to extract from these fine-chiselled
colonnades of metal music born dead. There, I said it.
MISEREION
Khold
Mørke Gravers Kammer
(Candlelight)
Khold’s
debut album Masterpiss of Pain was a refreshing flurry, which
combined the distinctive black metal of their old band Tulus with a
rock’n’roll attitude, which yours truly immediately caught on to. The
follow-up Phantoms took it a step further, in that when the moment
of surprise was over from the debut album, Khold stepped forward and
proved that there was a lot more in the band in the form of solid
songwriting and a long-term concept. For that reason my expectations for Mørke
Gravers Kammer were very high, and therefore the new album is a bit of
a disappointment. Even though Khold has by all means released a fine
album, it is not up to par with the previous two records; not least
because it all seems a bit too anonymous, but also because their
individual expression does not come out in the same way at all. Even
though you can easily hear that it is Khold, Mørke Gravers Kammer
sounds very much like so many other releases, and that is sad to discover.
In its entirety Mørke Gravers Kammer is not an album that reaches
the same heights as the two first releases, and I hope that Khold will
take their revenge on the next album.
Bo
Ljå
Til Avsky For
Livet
(Aftermath Music)
First off I would like
to thank Aftermath Music for releasing this album, because it is by all
means quite a debut we are talking about. Regrettably, I have not heard
the band’s split
7”
EP with Koldbrann, but
I intend to make up for it. Ljå picks up where the majority of the
Norwegian scene left off in the mid-90’s. This is necro black metal as
it should sound like – and then some. The title Til
Avsky For Livet sums up in all simplicity what it is exactly that you
will find on this album: misanthropic black metal that calls up
associations to bands like Gorgoroth and Marduk. Chaos, hatred, Satan and
misanthropy from first to last note; just like black metal should and is
meant to sound. Til Avsky For Livet
gets all the recommendations I can possibly give it, and I am looking
forward to their next album with high expectations.
Bo
Impious
Hellucinate
(Metal Blade)
Ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. Please remain in your
seats and fasten your seatbelts, cos’ we’ll be experiencing a deaththrash
storm. Whoah! What a ride. Impious delivers high speed and high quality
deaththrash, that will please any metalhead into the more extreme metal.
These guys are pounding ahead in a manner, that would make even the mighty
Slayer jealous and they have an energy capacity that exceede most human
built power stations. Fuck windmills, man! Impious make enough energy to
cover the power consumption of Sweden for decades. A tight, melodic,
aggressive and a very convincing workmanship is on display here from
swedish Impious. More of this, please...
Jester.
Mandrake
Calm
The Seas
(GreyFall)
Having
only the cover, the CD and the track list, the only information I have on
this band is that the record was recorded in Germany and contains 13
tracks. Mandrake somehow has an inspiration from Theatre of Tragedy and
Dismal Euphony and some very twisted angles as well. Being harmonic and
well composed, it sometimes turns into disharmonic passages and back again.
The vocal parts consist of growling and female singing. The keyboard is
all in front and so dominating that I sometimes forgot the guitars and the
bass… which is a shame since it could support the music pretty well, I
think. I grew bored of this CD very fast since I found nothing new in it;
only a well-produced copy of what other bands have made…
MP
Mortiis
The
Grudge
(Earache)
You
can easily say that Mortiis has gone through a tremendous transformation
for the last couple of albums. After a few dark-ambient records he decides
to make a radical change of style on The Smell of Rain, and that
now continues on The Grudge. Where The Smell of Rain has a
stylistic resemblance to Sisters Of Mercy, The Grudge is rather
situated in the Nine Inch Nails territories. In its entirety there is
nothing wrong with the material on The Grudge. At times it can be a
little too much alike the inspirational sources rather than containing
original elements, and it is also evident on this record that Mortiis has
only just begun to move into this genre. There is no doubt that in time he
will surely develop his own style, and in that way come across as more
original than is the case on The Grudge. However, I will recommend
long-time fans of Mortiis to give The Grudge a listen before they
buy it, because this is definitely far from his old material, and a lot
has even happened since The Smell of Rain.
Bo
Motörhead
Kiss Of Death
(SPV)
Holy
fuck, it is impressive beyond belief that Lemmy et al. are not only living
up to their own standard from album to album, but are also able to outdo
themselves. The last couple of albums have been first-rate, and with Inferno fresh in mind Kiss of
Death has quite a few things to live up to – and that it does in
every way. Motörhead are at their very best on Kiss
of Death, and with songs like “Under the Gun”, “God Was Never on
Your Side” and “Sucker” they demonstrate that after more than 30
years they still have the ideas and the fire. There is really not much to
say about Kiss of Death, because we all know that Motörhead deliver the goods
every time they release a new album. So buy it, dammit!
Bo
Mythological
Cold Towers
Sphere
Of Nebaddon
(Sound Riot)
Why
did I not know of this band before? This is actually a record from 1996
re-issued in 2002. If you belong to the group of people that think
Paradise Lost should have continued their style from “Lost Paradise”
and “Gothic”, then this band is definitely something for you.
Continuing the exact same style from “Lost Paradise” and adding their
own contributions in the fray, Mythological Cold Towers come from Brazil
and play Death Doom Metal. Indeed, this is Doom Metal to the core. It is
rare that I stumble upon something this true to the genre – but this is
it. I will try with all my might to get hold of the other CD they made as
well. Tragic melodies, slow riffs, deep growling and a production that
reminds you of early 90’s; what do you miss? Nothing, exactly!
MP
MXD
Frustration Is Fuel
(Equilibre Music)
To call this metal might be stretching the term a
little much, I think. MXD is an electronic-based EBM band with metallic
influences. I think you could compare them to, for example, Chemical
Brothers, Young Gods, Frontline Assembly, Prodigy and to a certain extent
the mix records by Die Krupps (congratulations on the 25 years!), White
Zombie and Rammstein. Frustration Is Fuel is MXD’s fourth outlet
and it is a dance-friendly, synthesizer-based, yet
rock/metal/gothic-oriented journey into the wasteland between dance music
and metal. And a rather good one of its kind. EBM and the whole industrial
dance scene have been ignored by the majority of metal fans despite the
many common denominators; which I think is a pity because the scene has a
lot to offer. The band create some interesting moods that fascinate me,
and they are capable of writing good memorable songs. I found the album
very exciting without being impressive. Fans of the abovementioned bands
should check it out.
JESTER
Nasty
Savage
Psycho
Psycho
(Metal Blade)
The
last couple of years have been plagued by half-hearted reunions, and I
have to admit that I am getting sick and fucking tired of it. When an (unnecessary)
reunion is announced, everything gets blown out of proportions, and when
the album then finally appears, it is a trifling release by a band that is
only a shadow of its old self. *cough* Destruction and Exodus *cough* With
that in mind it is an understatement to say that I was nervous when Nasty
Savage proclaimed their return, because if I have to mention some releases
that I revere and worship, it would be Nasty Savage, Indulgence,
Abstract Reality and Penetration Point. Fortunately, I could
breathe a sigh of relief when Psycho Psycho was issued, because
this is an album that is characterized by solid songs, which signifies a
development in the band but which is at the same time faithful towards the
Nasty Savage that we know. The album feels sincere and evokes the feeling
that they have never really been gone; something which a lot of reunions
could learn a good deal from! As a whole Psycho Psycho is a solid
album that contains a lot of good songs, and the title track in particular
together with “Dementia 13”, “Terminus Maximus”, “Betrayal
System” and “Return of the Savage” should be emphasized. Yep, Nasty
Savage are back – and thanks a lot for that! Now I just hope that they
have returned to stay, because Psycho Psycho shows that they have a
lot to offer still and that they can come across just as strong as during
their heydays. Anxiety has now been replaced by pleasure for the reunion
of Nasty Savage, and I will look forward to their next album with
impatience.
Bo
Nebelhexë
Essensual
(Candlelight)
There
were probably a few people who were surprised when Andrea Haugen laid the
neo-folk band Hagalaz’ Runedance to rest in order to tackle a wider and
more nuanced style with Nebelhexë. The debut album Laguz,
Within the Lake introduced influences from new wave and gothic, but at
the same time it stuck to the heathen moods and characteristic dreamy
themes from Hagalaz’ Runedance, and for that it worked well as a bridge
between the two bands. With the new album Essensual
Andrea Haugen once and for all manifests her visions with Nebelhexë, as
it takes a great step forward from her previous works. The old vibes are
still present but are now integrated into a thoroughly more electronic
sound structure, and it is refreshing to hear her work in this way. In
retrospect there is no doubt that this step has opened up for a whole lot
of possibilities which she did not have with Hagalaz’ Runedance – Essensual is evidence of that – and fans of Hagalaz’ Runedance
should by no means let themselves deterred by the fact that Andrea Haugen
is exploring new territories. All in all a solid effort that you can
safely write into your budget.
Bo
Necrophagia
Nightmare Scenarios
(Red Stream)
This long-awaited
DVD features videos for nine songs from the Divine Art of Torture
album, and just like the previous Necrophagia DVD Through Eyes of the
Dead, this is hardly interesting unless you are a die-hard fan of
Necrophagia. The videos for “Rue Morgue Disciple” and “Sick Room” are
pretty well-done and interesting, but the remaining seven videos are not
really entertaining, and two good ones out of nine is not really that good
statistically speaking, is it? My problem with Necrophagia's videos is
that their music is goddamn brilliant, and I just don’t think their videos
can summon the content and feeling of the music in any way, which is
certainly evidenced by their two DVD releases so far. One of the few cool
things about Nightmare Scenarios is that there is a pretty cool
21-minute feature where we see Necrophagia recording some of the songs
that have ended up on the Divine Art of Torture album and the
Goblins Be Thine mini-album. Also, there is a really cool interview
with Killjoy and also a pretty cool trailer for the upcoming Necrophagia
live DVD entitled Necrotorture/Sickcess, but unfortunately
these are the only features that really grabbed my attention. Bottom line
is that Necrophagia's music speaks for itself and that videos do not do
their music justice. Stick to their albums and worship those instead!
Svest
Negative
Reaction
Everything
You Need For Galactic Battle Adventures
(PsycheDOOMelic)
My
first impression listening through this CD was old Cathedral joined by the
vocalist from Confessor. The band comes from America; Long Island to be
more specific. The music is composed of very basic old-school doom
elements like Black Sabbath and Cathedral. Yet the vocals consist of
neither song nor deep growling but some guy screaming his lungs out of the
body. Very sad, I think. I like the music very much but it is very hard
for me to get used to the screaming. Somehow I find it very much out of
the picture, but maybe this is exactly what Negative Reaction wants to.
Track number two on the CD “I hate Me” has some of the meanest riffs
heard in a long time. Heavy, doomy, crunching guitars that blast your
speakers out of the cabinets. All in all a very nice tribute in the
collection containing St. Vitus, Cathedral and Black Sabbath. I never got
used to the vocal parts but you should definitely check it out if the
abovementioned bands are on your top 5 list.
MP
Nuclear Assault
Third World Genocide
(SPV)
Let me put this
straight: I get tics every time a new reunion is announced. There have
been too many examples of bands that have returned as a shadow of their
former self, and you have had the feeling that some things should remain a
thing of the past. You should never underestimate how much the full
picture can be utterly spoiled by the last perspective you get, and there
is nothing worse than being ripped out of a year-long admiration for a
band because of an irrelevant and uninspired reunion album. Destruction is
a very good example in the world of yours truly, and when I received
Nuclear Assault’s comeback album I was hoping that it would not be the
same case with these thrash metal gods. Now, I can just as well say right
away that it was not the case. Nuclear Assault have on the whole done
quite well with Third World Genocide. They miss the target with a
track like “Whine and Cheese”, which belongs in the songwriting formula of
a hardcore band, and the banjo in “Long Haired Asshole”… Well, it is
rather amusing – but Nuclear Assault? The title track is on the other hand
a fine testimony to the fact that the songwriting from Game Over,
Survive and Handle with Care still lives on in the band.
Generally, the album is a journey back to the halcyon days of Nuclear
Assault, while the band at the same time reveal a meaningful form of
creativity that could be the beginning of a new era for Nuclear Assault
today. Third World Genocide does not leave me speechless with
excitement, but it is far better than I dared hope for, and old fans
should not veer away in anxiety from this reunion.
Bo
Obsidian
Enslaved By Nightmares
(Self-financed)
I knew nothing of Obsidian
from California when they sent Enslaved by Nightmares to the Evilution
Legion, but I’m sure that we will hear a lot more of this band in the
future. The thing is that Obsidian deal with the genres that we love and
cherish in this magazine, and with influences like Morbid Angel, Obituary,
Opeth, Emperor and Dan Swanö there is not much doubt left from yours
truly. As the aforementioned bands suggest, Obsidian perform black/death
metal and they do that very convincingly on the three tracks (with a
playing time of 24:32) that constitute Enslaved by Nightmares. Obsidian
master the traditional American death metal sound and style, but a handful
of Scandinavian influences have also left their mark on the songs – and it
all works really well. The tracks clock in at seven to nine minutes, and
Obsidian achieve to combine brutality with atmosphere all the way through,
so you do not get the feeling that the length of the individual tracks is
too much. This is not least due to the use of keyboards, which primarily
functions as a supplement to the already atmospheric songwriting, and the
keyboards are at no time the dominating force in the music. All in all
this is a solid and convincing demo release that raises the expectations
for the band’s upcoming debut album and live DVD. Enslaved by Nightmares
can be ordered via Obsidian’s official website:
http://www.obsidianskies.net/
Bo
Rain
Paint
Nihil
Nisi Mors
(My Kingdom Music)
Maybe
I had to high expectations to this, reading in the booklet that it
featured one member from Rapture, and knowing that the band originates
from Finland. Coming from a Scandinavian country in high regard for their
splendid Doom Metal scene, this CD disappoints me. One moment they sound
like Dimmu Borgir, the next you think they start to play power metal.
Summed up this CD is one big style confusion. I don’t like the vocals, I
think the dynamic in the music is to weak or non existent and it just goes
on and on, tormenting me … It is audible some places that guys from
Rapture performs on the CD, but it does not enhance the listeners
experience. I don’t know which group of listeners this music should
appeal to, it certainly did not appeal to me.
MP
Saturnus
Veronica Decides To Die
(Firebox)
It has been 6 years since we
last had the pleasure of a Saturnus album. Since then a lot of line-up
changes has gone through the band and one thousand rumors has gone from
mouth to ear about the status of the band and the prediction of their
future. Now Saturnus is back on the scene featuring their new record
"Veronica Decides To Die" featuring 8 tracks, some dating 5 years back in
the past. My expectations had somewhat dwindled caused by the long waiting
time, but the waiting was all worth it. I had the pleasure to have a
pre-listening session together with vocalist Thomas AG Jensen some months
ago which made me look even more forward to recieve this promo. It took me
somewhat 1 minute in the first track "I Long" to become convinced, and I
simply lay down what I had in my hands, and leaned back in the chair and
enjoyed the CD to the end.
Saturnus has done it, making a record which is more a follow up from
"Paradise Belongs To You" mixed with references from bands as: My Dying
Bride, Mourning Beloveth and the first two records from Pardise Lost. I am
awed. And very pleased. All my expectations are met, and I am even
impressed. This is definitely something worth buying if you are a true
devoted to first class Doom Metal.
My highlights on the "Veronica Decides To Die" are "I Long", "All Alone",
"Rain Wash Me" and "Embraced By Darkness"
I look forward to buy this record for my own collection and see this band
perform live again. Thumbs up for this release !
MP
Sentenced
The Funeral Album
(Century Media)
This
will be the swansong of Finnish Sentenced. The band has officially
announced their break-up and want to go out in style with this album. I
don’t really know why this album landed on my desk, because I haven’t
really paid any attention to this band since their first offerings
Shadows of the Past from 1991 and North from Here from 1995,
which was sublime dark death metal. And if you did not know, then you
would never guess that these are the same lads that released these two
very fine albums. This is from the other end of the scale and completely
different from the aforementioned albums. The Funeral Album is a
mature and very laid-back hard rock album with only hints of metal on it,
except for the instrumental track “Where Waters Fall Frozen” where the
band shows some of the death metal aggression they were known for in the
early nineties. I think this track was meant as a joke, but its kickin’
and shows that if these guys were ever to begin playing a more extreme
kind of metal again, they could show some bands a trick or two. All in all
a fine hard-rock album, that will probably please any fans of their newer
stuff. R.I.P.
JESTER
Slow Death Factory
Promo 2005
(self-financed)
Ex-Illdisposed
axeman Morten Gilsted, current Corpus Mortale vocalist/bassist Martin
Rosendahl, drummer extraordinaire Per Møller Jensen (The
Haunted/ex-Invocator) and the somewhat less remarkable Roar Christoffersen
(ex-Corpus Mortale). Switch the latter of the four with a certain Brian
Eriksen, and it would be the exact same ‘megastar combo’ who belted out a
vicious track at the first ever Danish Melodeath Grand Prix back in 2001
under the moniker Negative Polarity – and almost won the whole shebang.
This three-track demo offering sounds rather much akin to what churned out
from the speakers at the now-defunct venue which housed the aforesaid
event, and it also sounds rather much akin to Submit (scrutinise
the track list, bozo) or in effect whatever Illdisposed album that the
reader happens to be most familiar with. Our household connoisseur on all
things doom, monsieur Mikkel Putzek, received this CD from Slow Death
Factory themselves, but since he is a mellow fellow who kills most of his
leisure time with at least three or four Barbara Cartland novels and a
veritable fish bowl of vanilla-flavoured strawberry tea in hand, he asked
me to feed it to the insatiable review machine. That aside, however, I
think the machine is about finished… Yes, let us take a look at the
analysis sheet: ‘slow, crunchy old-school death metal created from a
concrete/cement basis of stentorian vocals, simplified drum beats and
riffs that are the instrumental avatar of a steroid-freak silverback on
the hunt for cunt’. And cool it sure is! Yet, I have a whole bunch of cool
records and so little time to waste. As it is, Slow Death Factory come
across on Promo 2005 as a decent kick-ass death metal unit whose
favoured means of attack is a thorn-embedded club or some similar kind of
cumbersome blunt-force tool, which is all but obnoxious in these times
when scores and scores of bands seem to favour ornate stilettos and other
such homosexual instruments of warfare. Uh, if that makes sense? What
bothers me as a magazine reviewer, metal fan and local sex icon is that
Rosendahl should rather concentrate all brains and brawn on his excellent
main outfit, the br00tal Corpus Mortale, as well as that elusive sideline
called Strangler – because the tracks on this here demo effort are
virtually not much more than a wistful echo of a much-imitated Danish
metal sound that never ever reached far outside of Denmark, if truth be
told. Perhaps some forest-dwelling orca ate all of their Illdisposed
records, and this is the frustrated counter-reaction to that sudden
existential void in their lives… Hell knows! What I know, however, is that
Slow Death Factory is a band with obvious musical talent, colossal cojones
and a line-up with some status, but at the same time a band with little or
no future if their artistic ambitions are limited to the material on this
first demo taster.
MISEREION
The Chasm
The
spell of retribution
(Wicked World)
The
Chasm is like taking a trip back in time to the late eighties, armed with
the technical precision and musical skills of the late nineties and
beyond. The sound is somewhat different from the wonders of modern
technology that we’re so used to and appreciate, but that does’nt mean
that it’s not listenable. On the contrary. It’s nice to hear someone bring
in a “new” approach, as many bands tend to sound alike these days. Both
musically and soundwise. The chasm has a certain mood to their aggressive
metal, that can be compared to the darkest realms of extreme metal with a
slice of early Kreator and Possessed thrown in the mix. This is very
exciting and it never gets boring. It’s not very often that you come
across something unique in the world of metal today, but The Chasm have
found a little niche of their own here, I think. Highly recommended for
any extreme metalhead.
Jester.
The
Silent Agony
Silence
Of Insanity
(Thundering Records)
Coming
from France with roots in the French gothic metal scene, this band
consists of three musicians; some with a past in Synoptia. The description
of the music style says NuGoth or NeoGoth, but listening to this CD
intensely quickly reveals strands of inspiration. I am reminded of the new
generation of My Dying Bride at first impression and then some elements
from the new Katatonia. Looking on the technical side of this album, it is
well produced, the music well played and there is a very good balance
between heavy despairing passages to quiet and sorrowful moaning. However,
the strands of inspiration are clearly audible in the music and this drags
the listening experience a little downward. This music stands for me as
nondescript and I would have wished for more creative compositions at
times. It appears to me that this is the debut release of the band, and it
will surely be welcomed nicely by the Goth scene indeed; yet it did not
appeal directly to me.
MP
Thy
Primordial
Pestilence
Upon Mankind
(Blackend)
Pestilence
Upon Mankind
is the sixth album from Thy Primordial, and how nice it is to be able to
ascertain that they are still keeping the high standard which they have
established over the years. Thy Primordial continue from where they left
with The Crowning Carnage, and despite the fact that vocalist
Isidor has now left the band, the loss is not as great as I had expected
and feared. The thing is that the new vocalist in the band, Nicke
Holstenson, who has previous worked in Nominon, has taken over the vocals
in the band, and his performance on Pestilence Upon Mankind is in
my opinion beyond all expectations. The same can be said about the rest of
the band, who have not only released a worthy follow-up to The Crowning
Carnage, but have also surpassed it considerably. Tracks like
“Genocide Angel”, “Branded” and “Revel in Misanthropy” reveal
Thy Primordial from their very best side, and as a whole Pestilence
Upon Mankind is a reliable investment; not only for fans of Thy
Primordial but for the black-metal audience in general.
Bo
Thyrfing
Farsotstider
(Regain Records)
I will be the first
to admit that I have never been a great Thyrfing fan despite the fact that
I have reviewed all their albums, as well as seen them live a few times.
Thyrfing are one of those bands where the melodic and semi-progressive
elements have taken over to such a degree that I have a hard time really
enjoying their music, and it is therefore without great expectations that
I receive their new album Farsotstider. Fortunately, it is indeed
possible to surprised in a positive way by the bands that you expect the
least from, and Thyrfing do surprise me to a certain extent this time
around. The music is still characterised by those elements that I would
rather be without (and yes, I know that they are a part of what
makes Thyrfing special compared to so many other Viking-metal bands out
there – but still…); yet the aggressiveness has at the same time
increased. Moreover, the band has this time chosen to write lyrics in
their native tongue, Swedish, and that works really well. The folk
passages are for that reason truly strengthened by the language, which is
a quality that I hope Thyrfing will stick to in future. Farsotstider
is on the whole a positive experience for yours truly, and an album that
Thyrfing fans should embrace without hesitation.
Bo
Uphill
Battle
Wreck
of Nerves
(Relapse)
There
are not many breaks for you to find in this music. For once here is a band
where the name lives up to the music. Or the other way around, if you wish.
From the start this music just blasts ahead. Music from the environs of
hardcore, death and thrash metal with pure hardcore vocals, screaming
angry words at you. The music is performed to the core of perfection,
tight and well-played. It goes fast, is brutal and hurls you through a
technical hell. At sometimes you even get clear references to black metal
and grindcore. But there is no mistake here; it is played with excellence
and stunning accuracy. There is no remorse. I am amazed at the brutality
presented for me. Coming from USA and having one release before this one
and some vinyl singles and a DVD, this is indeed going to be an
interesting project for me since I am going out to get hold of some of it,
for sure. A fine contribution to the collection for people loving hardcore
and development in the genre.
MP
V/A
Seven
Gates Of Horror
(Karmageddon Media)
I
strongly assume that the readers of Evilution Magazine are familiar with
Possessed and their importance for death metal, so I will refrain from
writing an introduction to the band and immediately plunge into reviewing Seven
Gates of Horror – A Tribute to Possessed. It is always risky
business to release a tribute album; especially if the bands take the
liberty of interpreting the chosen tracks so that they fit into their own
concept, since it usually leads to a love/hate relationship to the
individual cover songs. That is fortunately not the rule on Seven Gates
of Horror as the involved bands have generally been quite faithful to
Possessed. For the most part, luckily, the contributors to this album are
death metal bands, so there are no really significant experiments. On the
other hand, there is an overall common thread throughout the whole album,
where the most noticeable aspect is the variance in the production quality
of the different tracks. Seven Gates of Horror is on the whole a
decent tribute album, and if you simply need a reason to purchase a copy
of the release, it would definitely be “The Exorcist” performed by
Sadistic Intent and Jeff Becerra! That should be reason enough, but if you
insist on having more I can refer to Pentacle, Absu, Diabolic, Angel
Corpse, Cannibal Corpse and Amon Amarth as merely some of the bands that
have contributed to this record.
Bo
Various
Artists
Phoenix
Rising
(Candlelight)
There is no doubt that Candlelight are one of those labels that have taken
a front position when it comes to delivering extreme metal for the masses
– extreme metal of a generally high level, that is. Emperor made the
snowball roll and since then Candlelight have made a profile with an
impressive list of bands, such as 1349, Grimfist and Zyklon to mention a
few, and the label continue to push the envelope of extreme metal in all
its various forms. Maybe you have missed out on a few of their releases
for one or the other reason (money is most likely the main issue for most
of us), but Candlelight are now offering us a service in the form of the
2CD release
Phoenix
Rising. We
are presented to 27 tracks from their latest releases, which is a perfect
opportunity to explore the Candlelight roster as well as being introduced
to tracks from She Said Destroy, Spektr and Mannguard, whom Candlelight
are representing through their partnership with Nocturnal Art and Appease
Me. A decent release that serves as a perfect introduction to the latest
offerings from Candlelight Productions.
Bo
Via
Mistica
Testamentum
(In Hora Mortis Nostre)
(Metal Mind)
Guess
what, this sounds just like Theatre of Tragedy mixed with The Gathering in
their early days.A high-pitched female vocal supported by male growls,
screams… whatever. I have heard many attempts to sound precisely like
the two bands already mentioned, but this comes closest, having only one
thing in difference … Andy La Rocque-like solos. How unoriginal. I found
this very boring and uninspiring. The music has been heard a thousand
times before, and the vocals have a tendency to become very boring and
nerve-wrecking when you listen to it for a long time.
MP
Wall
Of Sleep
Overlook
The All
(PsycheDOOMelic)
In
Hungary, the doom scene has at last succeeded in placing its banner. At
least this band comes from there and it says in the press information that
they’ve got their primary inspiration from Black Sabbath and small parts
from Cathedral. The first time I heard the CD I thought: those guys simply
sat down and listened to Black Sabbath while thinking “this is what we
are going to do”. They have succeeded in it so far and the last track on
the CD is a cover of “The Wizard”. The music consists of very heavy
classic passages known from BS at the time when Ozzy was the front singer.
Actually the music is very good, but very unfortunately the singer does
not quite reach the main level when it all initiates. It shines clearly
through in “The Wizard” and I sometimes thought: no no no no... Well,
it appeals to the kind of people who think that BS is the right way of
playing doom metal.
MP
Yob
Catharsis
(Abstract Sounds)
Imagine
some of the slowest Black Sabbath tracks, joined by the vocalist from the
early days of Metal Church… I bet it would sound like this. How very
fortunate since I like both. This promo contains three tracks, two of them
20 minutes long in average. The first track “Aeons” starts so very
slowly with eerie and shrill vocals turning into long and sinister growls,
all while the slowest 70-like rock’n’roll blasts through your
speakers. The band is a three-piece from Portland, and if you are into
Black Sabbath, St. Vitus and the like, this is surely something worth
checking out.
MP
|