|
Brilliant, Amazing, Genius terms that are overused when most people are describing any release from any metal band. In this day and age its pretty hard to find original bands, or a band that might not be
original but still manages to put out an album that blows everything else away. Nowadays its either a band further bastardizing Swedish Death Metal with hardcore influence, or going towards the avant-garde style of
Black Metal. As for Death Metal, even I will admit that many bands just want a sick album cover and can't write good songs to save their lives, but there are some exceptions, some bands that make it worth
hearing the horrible clones, these are the albums so close to perfection, it makes you wonder how it is possible for so many of the horrible bands to get signed, let alone sell a lot of albums.
Asphyx - The Rack (Century Media)
Rating: 10/10
 Back before Peter Tagtren started producing every album, many bands went for a primitive
barbaric sound. In my opinion, Asphyx started this for death metal. Martin Van Drunen of Pestilence fame did some of his best work of his career on this album, going from lows to
highs in the middle of pronouncing one word. The guitar tone on this album might be damn near impossible to emulate, buzzing like old Darkthrone at times, but clear as
day the next second. Basically, this album is what keeps my faith in death metal alive, hoping a band this raw, and brutal can exist again.
Necromicon - Sightveiler (Hammerheart Records)
Rating: 9/10
 This might just be the best Black Metal album with keys ever made. This album screams
originality from the beginning. The packaging is a digi-book with Sightveiler spelled out of the song titles, with a booklet featuring lyrics to a play of sorts. The storyline to the play influences
everything to this album. When an act, or scene is dramatic, its slower and darker. When its intense, the music speeds up. Necromicon managed to create a massive concept album where
the music tells the story, not just the lyrics. As far as the style, it is what Cradle of Filth should sound like(Minus the mediocre female vocals), with the range of vocals going from high
shrieks to mid range roars, and low growls. While the other albums by this band might not be anything special, this album blows most other black metal away.
Mortal Decay - A Gathering of Human Artifacts (Self Release)
Rating: 10/10
When I first heard this compilation of all of Mortal Decay's demo material I wasn't sure what to make of it. I knew it was one of the most brutal bands in the history of death
metal, but I wasn't sure if 72 minutes of death metal was too much, as the average length of an album is around 40 minutes. After one listen I knew 72 minutes wasn't enough.
Sometimes in brutal death the vocals are the one part that really stand out, not to take anything away from vocalist John Paoline, but his vocals aren't the entire story on this cd.
With riffs ranging from frenzied goregrind, to slow grinding death, to fast slams there is no shortage of variety on this material. Lyrically this might be the sickest album ever
written. Drummer Anthony Ipri must have a lot of issues to write these songs.. a prime example being in track 17, Delerium.."Deranged Asphyxiation, I watched her take her
last breath...Mesmerizing Unrealities, hideous lust of perverse satisfaction, her strangled body peacefully lying dead, I'll hold you in my arms forever, sleep." Every track
on this album is classic, I swear by this album.
Dehumanized - Prophecies Foretold (Pathos Productions)
Rating: 9/10
Not many slam death metal bands can catch my attention. Old Internal Bleeding, Baphomet(NY) set the standard for me, and not many live up to those classic bands.
Dehumanized managed to re-invent the Long Island style of death metal. The deep low vocals, and heavy slam riffs really fit together well but the drumming is what makes this
album what it is. George Torrez is the best drummer to come out of New York ever. I'm pretty sure this album is out of print, but many places still carry it, and it can be
found. Buy this album if you want to hear the last great band to come out of NY.
Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane (Nuclear Blast)
Rating: 10/10
 While many people who listen to In Flames also listen to Dissection, I think very few people really
appreciated Dissection for what they were. A lot of people seem to think they were an average band, but those people wouldn't know real Swedish Death Metal if it bit them in the ass. This album defines Swedish
Death Metal, melodic yet aggressive, with touches of classical and dark black metal, all thrown into a blender, and played by some of the best musicians in
the history of metal. Maybe once Jon got arrested they got more attention, and are now legendary in many peoples eyes, but thats how it should have been from the beginning.
This surpasses At the Gates-With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness as the best death metal album out of Sweden.
Discordance Axis - The Inalienable Dreamless (Hydrahead Records)
Rating: 10/10
My real review of this can be read here, but basically this album is everything grindcore should be. Deep lyrical content is something not in grind very often, but its
refreshing to read lyrics that sound more like poems. The vocals are insanely high, and the lows are deep, but the warp speed riffs and inhuman drumming steal the show on
this cd. I guess basically anything Dave Witte is on is destined to be good. While Discordance Axis broke up for now they could always re-form(its happened) so just hope
they do, and release another album. Until then listen to this album constantly.
Clean Flesh - Clean Flesh (Self Released
Rating: 10/10
It's rather odd that a 4 song demo cd made this list, but this demo just gets better with each listen. Under 12 minutes, this cd is straight and to the point. With programmed drums
you might expect this to be decent, but it goes above and beyond that. The vocals of Joe Wolfe are the sickest you will ever hear, ranging from gurgly lows to highs that sound
like a horse in heat being dismembered with a chainsaw. Sadly, only 200 copies of this exist, but I am lucky enough to have one of them. If you ever see this used, or for trade or sale get it.
December Wolves - Completely Dehumanized (Wicked World)
Rating: 10/10
 I took a chance picking this album up, unsure exactly what I was getting into.
I threw it in, and after an intro I was greeted by a mix of Death, Black, and Thrash played at a blistering speed. Then they slowed it down, and went a bit melodic, and then back to blistering
speeds. Not many albums(let alone metal) are as intense as this. Lyrically and musically one of the most complex albums I've had the luck to listen to. December Wolves are Wicked World's best kept secret.
###
Comments? Contact Rick.
|
