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Music Reviews |
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All reviews are on a scale of 1-10. For the jackasses, one is the lowest and ten is the highest. For an explanation of our review policy as well
as info on how to submit materials for review, click here.
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Spotlight Album:
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aka ”An album that really kicked our asses!”
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darediablo - Tunnel of Fire
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This Edition’s Reviews:
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Click on the artist’s name to be taken to the review. Scroll up or down to view the rest of the
reviews, or to return to the top.
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Armored Saint, Cerebral Hemorrhage, Dipnoi, Eternal Suffering, Holy Dio, Jacobs Dream, Kamelot, Stratovarius, Old Man’s Child, Deceased, Nocturnus, Fleshcrawl, Judas Iscariot, Emperor, Himinbjorg, Impaled
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darediablo - Tunnel of Fire (self-released, 2000)
Rating: 10/10
Tracks: tunnel of fire, 73 washington, army of ants, chicago winter drama credits, destroy this earth, game over shep, birth of
spawn, turtleneck and gun polish, cars can float, phone number for zu-zu (live), adolescence of spawn, death march of spawn (live)
In my review of darediablo’s blue plush interior ep a way’s back, I proclaimed the band the heirs to the funkgroove throne should Zony Mash fall from their lofty heights, a usurping that, to be honest, I never hoped or expected to happen.
Well, shit. It happened.
Now, the interesting thing is that darediablo aren’t currently sporting the crown because Zony Mash lost control of the dominion. Their latest
release, Upper Egypt, is a solid-enough album (although it did not grab me like Brand Spankin’ New did). Rather, darediablo have unleashed such a monster with Tunnel of Fire that they have taken the kingdom by force. Before I go any further, I should state, “funkgroove” is far too limited a term to pigeonhole darediablo (or Zony Mash, for that matter) with, as the music finds its roots as much in jazz and at times rock as it does funk, but funkgroovejazzrock is way too long a phrase, so I am going to stick with the bastardized version, thank you very much.
darediablo wear many faces throughout the 46+ minutes that make up Tunnel of Fire, slipping from mood to mood with abundant ease. The crux
of this album, in my opinion, are tracks 5-7. #5, “destroy the earth,” is an unfortunately very short, fast, hyper-energetic funk explosion that displays more chops than a meat market. “destroy...” sets the stage
for the smooooooth “game over, shep,” another short, but this time mid-paced number with a groove so deep you could drive a garbage truck into it and not hear the echo for a month. Then, on “birth of spawn,”
darediablo weaves a tone poem of such refreshing beauty that I feel like I just woke up from a 2-hour nap every time I hear it. Yet another face is revealed on “cars can float,” which starts off in Bolero-like
fashion as subdued, and builds consistently for the next 3 and half minutes, reaching a crescendo only to drop off into lulling again for a few moments before exploding gloriously into an almost arena-rock finish.
darediablo have what is missing in 99% of the dreck we call modern music, folks. Great songwriting & adventurous ideas. Take heed, ye
minstrels, there is a new wellspring from which to draw inspiration and it is called Tunnel of Fire. - Al Kikuras
Check out the official darediablo web site for more info.
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Armored Saint – Revelation (Metal Blade, 2000)
RatingK 7/10
Tracks:Pay Dirt, The Pillar After Me, The Flood, Tension, Creepy Feelings, Damaged, Den Of Thieves,
Control Issues, No Me Digas, Deep Rooted Anger, What’s Your Pleasure, Upon My Departure
 Armored Saint are back…whoooo!? Did
anyone actually miss them? Well, they are back now and there is nothing we can do about it. John Bush after a less than spectacular interval with a little band called Anthrax (I know you probably haven’t
heard of them, they were big in Guatemala for a time) has come limping back to the band that he started with. I am not familiar with their older stuff so I can’t compare this to it, but I can say it
sounds almost exactly like Anthrax’s Sound Of White Noise. I don’t know if Anthrax stole the sound from Armored Saint or if Saint took it from Anthrax, but it’s very similar.
It’s more than just John Bush, who’s voice adds a level of familiarity, it’s an overall song structure and sound of the
band. Mid-tempo thrash, nothing too exciting. Nothing to get in a snit over. I was kind bored myself. This kind of metal is decent, but I need something that really gets me going in the
morning, “Coast opens your eyes” type of shit. This album left me flat, but if you were excited about Sound Of White Noise, or you really like John Bush (why would you?) then give this a listen. – Piston Rod
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Cerebral Hemorrhage - 4 Song Demo Tape (self-released, 1999)
 Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Amongst the Tombs, Resulting in Homicide, Sacrilege, Rejoice of the Brutal
As of late the NYDM scene seems to be falling apart. Disfigured broke up, Internal Bleeding are a mere shadow of their
former selves, Suffocation broke up, and Pyrexia... no one really knows what is going on with those guys. Cerebral Hemorrhage have survived and put out what I find to be one of the best demos
I've heard by a death metal band in an extremely long time. Double bass and blasting is there as always, and they have some very technical riffs, and the lyrics are very well written
but what sets this band apart from them being a Suffocation or Pyrexia clone is their aggression and anger. It's very clearly evident throughout this demo in the vocals and general
mood of the music. Cerebral Hemorrhage have managed to put out a mind-numbingly brutal release, while not limiting themselves to one style. This demo should still be available
through Guitarist Matt Doreson, and since this demo they have added a new guitarist and a new bassist. - Rick
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Dipnoi - Fkddd (Moonza Records, 1999)
Rating: 3/10
Tracks: Benzine, Iron, Lemon Juice, Fkddd, Hide, Lack Of Me
 I've heard it all now. I didn't know Brazil
was in the art of creating Pantera clones. My first thought was that this would be very much like Sepultura, which I would have liked but instead I get this piece of garbage. It starts out pretty good but
gradually gets bad until it gets to the point where you can't really even tolerate it. The bass lines are ok, but they don't fit in the music too well, same goes for the drumming. The
vocals sound like Phil Anselmo but not quite as raspy, which can work but the music goes off in all directions. You've got Phil Anselmo Jr. doing vocals, a drummer that is too talented
for them, a guitarist that sounds like he just may have discovered there are more then 3 chords, really good bass lines though. Lyrically... well listen to this excerpt "When
everything I needed was inside my brain, I've got to fucking kill you, die." Poets huh? Well being as they are from Brazil this should be fairly easy to avoid. - Rick
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Eternal Suffering - Drowning in Tragedy (Extremities
Records, 1999)
Rating: 9/10
 Tracks: Midnight's Embrace, My
Once Shadows Desire, Drown In the Candles Flame, Let the Dark Waters Flow, The Warmth In Her Torment, Trail Of Blood To the Altar, Love Can Never Conquer Hate, Buried Under Blackened Tears, Rise, To sadness Betrothed
I had heard the first MCD by Eternal Suffering quite a while ago, Remain Forever In Misery, while I
was impressed by it I felt they were capable of so much more. This was recorded back in August of 1998 but wasn't released till 1999. Extremities finally released it and to say I
was blown away by this would be putting it mildly. While the song titles may hint that they play some sort of atmospheric music..take my word for it, there is NO atmosphere to be
found anywhere on this cd. Lyrically speaking it's perhaps one of the best albums ever written, and the music on it is great. It's extremely brutal with some NYDM-Esque slam riffs thrown
in, and some sick drumming. The vocals on it are great too, with a range that goes from a low roar to a high pitched shriek, and on one song a guitiarist does some very low
guttural vocals. Very well done through-out the cd. The lyrics are just great on this. The vocalist/songwriter, Wayne, must put alot of time into these songs, I can only imagine the pain
that inspired these vocals and lyrics. One of the sickest bands around now, with a split coming out with Vomit Remnants soon be on the lookout for this band, big things are going to happen. - Rick
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Holy Dio: A Tribute To Ronnie James Dio – V/A (Century
Media, 2000)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Steel Prophet – Neon Knights, Hammerfall – Man On The Silver Mountain, Destiny’s End – The Last
In Line, Fate’s Warning – Sing Of The Southern Cross, Gamma Ray – Long Live Rock N’ Roll, Doro – Egypt (The Chains Are On), Jag Panzer – Children Of The Sea, Blind Guardian – Don’t Talk To Strangers, Axel Rudi Pell
– Still I’m Sad, Primal Fear – Kill The King, Solitude Aeturnus – Shame On The Night, Enola Gay – Heaven And Hell, Angel Dust – Temple OF The King, Catch The Rainbow – Rainbow Eyes
 I must admit that I am not familiar with Dio,
so I will not be able to go into the quality of the interpretations of the songs or criticize the validity of the bands chosen to do a tribute to Dio. What I can do is tell you what I
think about the songs as a fresh observer. I must say that I am pleasantly surprised. This album goes a long way to showcasing what a good songwriter Ronnie James Dio is, and the bands here are some
of the best new blood in the power/heavy metal genre.
My favorites here are Primal Fear doing “Kill The King,” a very metal song done exceptionally well by one of the best metal
bands around today. Steel Prophet’s version of “Neon Knights” also shines as a high point of the album.
This album is good for both the Dio fanatic and the newbe Dio fan. If you like the bands on here, check it out, if you like the
songs, check out Dio. That’s exactly what I think I am going to do myself. - Piston Rod
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Jacobs Dream - s/t (Metal Blade, 2000)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: Kinescope, Funambulism, Scape Goat, Mad House Of Cain, Tale OF Fears, Crusade, Black Watch, Love
& Sorrow, The Gathering, Never Surrender, The Bleeding Tree, Violent Truth
 Can you say Iron Maiden rip of? I knew you could. This band is very talented and fun. Music wise they deserve over a 9, but the problem is that the lead singer IS
Bruce Dickinson (his actual name is David Taylor, but it might as well be Bruce). It's too bad that I can't get over this and cant's stop getting turned off by it, because this is an album I would listen to.
Here are the good points: Bruce, I mean, David Taylor sings
his heart out, he isn't one of these pussy power metal singers that we get bludgeoned by every month. The whole band, like I said, is very talented and the songs are all ripe with catchy
melody's, singable choruses, and there is enough of a variety in the sings to keep the listener interested the whole way through.
The bad points: The whole Bruce Dickinson thing. It's just too
similar for me to get over, but if you don't think that that will bother you (hey, I'm fucked in the head, I know that) then check these guys out, this album gets a 9 or higher without my little problem.
Basically a very strong album with one major problem that for me wrecks the whole album. Of course I'm being totally
hypocritical because I have been saying that power metal bands need a high vocaled lead singer that knows how to kick the shit out of people, and these guys have one. Oh well, this is my own personal demon. - Piston Rod
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Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy (Noise, 1999)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: New Allegiance, The Fourth Legacy, Silent Goddess, Desert Reign, Night Of Arabia, The Shadow Of
Uther, A Sailorman's Hymn, Alexandria, The Inquisitor, Glory, Until Kingdom Come, Lunar Sanctum
 Kamelot really piss me off. Their music is
very "metal", and their heart is in the right place, these guys kick ass musically, but this lead singer, Khan, is a COMPLETE pussy. He wouldn't scream a high note if someone kicked him in the balls. The
music behind it is powerful and rocking, and he comes in and totally kills the power that the band has created. It's like he is trying to put the dragon to sleep, not cut him open with his voice.
The overall feel of the album is very epic, and I like the way
they present themselves. This is metal in the grand style, and with a stronger lead singer (not a Menudo refugee [you gotta see this guy]), this could be one of the best of the newer
metal bands, but as it stands now, they are just another one on the pile on my floor of wanna be metal. - Piston Rod
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Stratovarius – Infinite (Nuclear Blast, 2000)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Hunting High and Low, Millennium, Mother Gaia, Phoenix, Glory of the World, A Million Light
Years Away, Freedom, Infinity, Celestial Dream
 What is the difference between
“Progressive Metal” and “Power Metal”? I have spent many a long hour trying to figure that one out. Why is it that I can’t stand progressive metal, while I love power metal (well, good power metal),
even though their sound is so similar? Well, I think I have figured it out. I am so smart. The difference is the singers. Even though both styles of metal have singers with high vocals, the
progressive metal singers have no balls. That is that they don’t slay you with their vocals. They kind of sing like pussies trying to woe a woman. Stratovarius suffered from that for a
long time. It’s what made me hate their last album, Destiny, and I was not looking forward to reviewing this album either.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Infinite is a much better album than Destiny. The songs and the singing are more
aggressive and the overall sound is more “metal”. This is a good sign, and this is an album I enjoyed very much. The songwriting shows the depth of a band that has been
sculpting their craft for many years, as Stratovarius has been, and there is a feeling of raw energy that these guys haven’t show in the past. Hunting High and Low and Glory of the
World are my two favorites on the album, both ripe with metal guitar licks and powerful vocals that soar above the rest of the music. Give this one a listen if you get the chance. - Piston Rod
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Old Man’s Child - Revelation 666 (The Curse of Damnation) (Century Media, 2000)
Rating: 7.5/10
 Tracks: Phantoms of Mortem Tales,
Hominis Nucturna, In Black Endless Void, Unholy Wind Innocence, Passage To Pandemonium, Obscure Divine Manifestation, World Expiration, Into Silence Embrace
I am a little disappointed with this one. While I applaud Old Man’s Child for holding true to their roots
and not abandoning the heaviness and speed that gained them the notoriety they currently enjoy, I find myself wishing they had progressed a bit more in SOME area. There is nothing radically different on Revelation 666 than on the
band’s last release, Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion, which I referred to as “...a very intense album that manages to employ adequate amounts of melody and keyboards without
sacrificing an ounce of aggression.“ Revelation 666 is a little less aggressive and more melodic, but they aren’t playing remotely like tulips yet, which is a good thing. - Al Kikuras
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Deceased - Supernatural Addiction (Relapse, 2000)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: The Premonition, Dark Chilling Heartbeat, A Very Familiar Stranger, Frozen Screams, The Doll With The Hideous Spirit, The
Hanging Soldier, Chambers of the Waiting Blind, Elly’s Dementia
 I was a huge fan of Deceased’s earlier
stuff, from the Nuclear Exorcist demo up through The Thirteen Frightened Souls, and while I enjoyed both The Blueprints For Madness and Fearless Undead Machines quite a bit, the fact that
Deceased had moved away from the brutality of previous efforts to showcase more melodic, classic metal influences made me miss the raw death metal sound that I loved so much about the band to begin with.
I am happy to say that such is no longer the case, and not because Supernatural Addiction harkens back to the days of
yore, but rather because Deceased have crafted such a metal masterpiece that to ask or hope for anything but what they have produced here would be a compromise. No, there is
nothing new on these 8 songs, but Deceased have written such strong material and have found such an invigorating, fresh sound that Supernatural Addiction is exciting from the
first note to the last. This is everything that is great about metal... soaring melodies tempered with crushing heaviness, emotive vocals, catchy songwriting. Deceased have truly
mastered their craft, and have risen to the top of the metal heap in doing so. If there was any doubt in your mind that today’s metal can be as strong as it was in the glory days, Supernatural Addiction will lay those doubts to rest. The
second coming of metal is upon us, and Deceased is the Prometheus, carrying a torch called Supernatural Addiction and spreading the flame of metal to the far reaches of the globe! - Al Kikuras
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Nocturnus - Ethereal Tomb (Season of Mist, 2000)
Rating: 5/10
Tracks: Orbital Decay, Apostle of Evil, Edge of Darkness, The Killing, Search for the Trident, Paranormal States, The Science of
Horror, Outland
 I am a very big fan of Nocturnus’
debut album, The Key. I think it is a very strong death metal release with a very distinctive sound, great playing, catchy songwriting and a very mechanical, cold atmosphere
that fits the music perfectly. I am not nearly as familiar with Thresholds and haven’t heard it enough to really formulate an opinion (if anyone has opinions on Thresholds to share, please drop me an email).
In its own right, Ethereal Tomb is not a terrible album, but it is way too typical to be adorned with the Nocturnus name. Past
members a band do not make... if you are going to carry on a legacy, you MUST live up to it (I am sure detractors of the new Mayhem can relate). Ethereal Tomb just does not cut
the mustard. The vocals are standard death metal fare... I sorely miss Mike Browning’s distincive voice. I have listened to this album at least a dozen times, and the only song that
sticks in my head at ALL is “The Science of Horror.” It and the closing instrumental, “Outland,” are the only exciting tracks on this entire release. The album’s opener, “Orbital Decay,” is
decent, but the other 5 songs just slip by unnoticed. The music is not as fast as past material, the changes not as radical, and the songwriting is not even in the same realm as
on the debut. If you’re curious as to what it feels like to have narcolepsy, throw this one on. Just don’t operate any heavy machinery while doing so. - Al Kikuras
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Fleshcrawl - As Blood Rains From The
Sky... We Walk The Path Of Endless Fire (Metal Blade, 2000)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: March of the Dead (intro), Path of Endles Fire, Under the Banner of Death, As Blood Rains From The Sky, Embraced By Evil,
The Dark Side of My Soul, Swords of Darkness, Impure Massacre of Bloody Souls
 The Swedes just will not let the classical
Swedish death metal sound die, and I, for one, am very happy about it! Fleshcrawl have an impressive slab of music here, worthy of the glory days of the genre. The production has the traditonal
buzzsaw guitar sound that is a staple of classic Swedish death metal. The vocals are very deep, the songwriting is strong, the musicianship is impeccable. The opening track, “Path of
Endless Fire,” could be one of the heaviest death metal songs of all time! My thoughts upon first hearing this album: the problem with starting an album off with a song that fucking
incredible is that the rest of the album couldn’t possibly hold up, but Fleshcrawl just about pulled it off with the next track, “Under the Banner of Death.” Then, when “As Blood Rains
From The Sky” came raging out of the speakers, you could say I was duly impressed. So, no, the rest of the album is not as remarkable as the first three tracks, but that is not to say
the rest of the tracks aren’t excellent in their own right. Everyone out there creaming your pants over the Bloodbath EP, pick up As Blood Rains From The Sky... We Walk The Path Of Endless Fire and prepare to get really excited. - Al Kikuras
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Judas Iscariot - Heaven In Flames ( Red Stream, 2000)
Rating: 9.5/10
Tracks: An Eternal Kingdom of Fire, Gaze Upon Heaven in Flames, Eternal Bliss... Eternal Death, Before a Circle of Darkness,
From Hateful Visions, Spill the Blood of the Lamb, An Ancient Starry Sky
 The age of grim black metal is not yet
over. The pomp of bands like Agathodaimon and Dimmu Borgir has not infected the deepest depths of the black metal genre... there are still those that uphold all of the ideals and aesthetics that
made the genre so great in the first place - ugliness, hatred, disdain for the masses, and a rejection of all that is beautiful and pure. Akhenaten’s Judas Iscariot may well be at the very
forefront of that ever-decreasing movement.
If anything, Heaven In Flames is a step backward for Judas
Iscariot as far as sound quality goes, and knowing the man behind this project, I am sure it was not accidental. Once again, Akhenaten has strived for an overall sound that is
harsh on the ears, and music that all but the most dedicated of black metal purists will find disagreeable. Heaven In Flames is the deepest nail yet driven into the coffin that has sealed
Judas Iscariot off from any semblance of commercial acceptance. Five years ago, I never expected to see Emperor and Satyricon in Tower Records’ Pulse Magazine top 10 list of
the year. I never thought I would live to see the day that Marduk was a name on the lips of the average 17 year-old metalhead in the US. One thing I KNOW, however, is that neither Pulse nor the aforementioned metalhead will be
embracing Judas Iscariot when 2005 rolls around, and I sleep better at night because of it. If you are a fan of past Judas Iscariot releases for the same reasons I am, then you will not be disappointed by Heaven In Flames. - Al Kikuras
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Emperor - Emperial Live Ceremony (Candlelight, 2000)
Rating 6.5/10
Tracks: Curse You All Men, Thus Spake The Nightspirit, I Am The Black Wizards, An Elegy Of Icaros, With Strength I Burn, Sworn,
Night Of The Graveless Souls, Inno A Satana, Ye Entrancemperium
 Emperor are an exemplary live band.
Having seen them live in NYC last year, I can personally attest to that. They can pull off the album tracks to the note. The problem with being that good, however, is live recordings tend to sound like studio
albums with an audience behind them. In music like this, there is not much room for improvisation as far as the arrangements go, and the thing that made great live albums like Zappa's You Can't Do
That On Stage Anymore series so great is just that... you hear things that you didn't hear on the studio versions of the songs, and in some cases (especially on live Zappa albums)
you heard tracks that aren't on any studio albums and are completely new to your ears. Less impressive, but equally fun, are live albums like Manowar's Hell On Stage, where
audience participation brings so much to the album, and Hades' Live On Location, where the band just has a different sound in the live situation. In Emperor's case, however,
aberrations from the studio versions vs. the live ones are minimal, if not completely nil. I understand a video is to be released, which judging by the multimedia live video of "I Am
The Black Wizards" on this disc, will be excellent, but without the visual to accompany, what is the point? While the band sounds great live, they had may as well thrown an audience
track behind a "best of" album instead of going through the trouble to set up all the mics and equiptment to record a live show. I cannot fault the band for a putting on a flawless
performance, but I can ask if we need a live Emperor album when it is this by-the-numbers, and the only answer I can come up with is a "no." - Al Kikuras
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Himinbjorg - In The Raven’s Shadow (Red Stream, 2000)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Guided By the Stars, Thiazi's Oyne, The Inverted Dimension, In the Raven's Shadow, In the Forest of the Demons From
Within, Rising, Dream Walker, The Voice of Blood, IX- Valaskjastf
 Although originating out of France, a
place not usually associated with Black Metal, Himinbjorg's music strictly adheres to the Scandinavian tradition (i.e. Immortal, Enslaved, Mayhem) and surprisingly, pulls it off very well. Whereas last year's Where Ravens Fly
showcased only a mere fraction of the band's promising potential, In The Raven's Shadow is clearly a step up in terms of dynamics, songwriting, and craftsmanship. Granted, the Viking theme
and Scandinavian lyrics do raise a few questions considering the band's geographical location but amazingly, the songwriting showcases enough painstaking research on the
subject matter which ultimately commands my respect. Musically, Eld period Enslaved comes to mind but on a more organic, if not gimmicky production scale (think Ulver's Nattens Madrigal or Arckanum's Kostogher to get the idea).
Surprisingly however, it's the rough production that does these guys justice because it accents some of the atonal rawness in riffs and even creates a wintery, cold-like
atmosphere. The lyrics, while sung completely in the Scandinavian tongue, are more or less inspired primarily by ancient Nordic mythology and as the song titles would
suggest, are all chronologically structured into an epic (something akin to a musical Conan the Barbarian perhaps). Given the conceptual theme, the album opens predictably
enough with an intro of a Viking ship lost at sea all the while deep subtle synth lines and an acoustic melody sets a very sombre mood. Now before you corpse paint wearing
Burzum-ites decide to dismiss this altogether on the basis that this all might seem a bit cliche and dramatic for your tastes, just skip onto the first song, "Thiazi's Oyne" and you'll
be amazed by the overpowering dynamics and pulsing rhythms. Interestingly enough, the song just doesn't come out blasting from the starting gate like so many other bands
are used to doing but rather begins at a rather subdued midpaced gallop (again recalling Enslaved, preferably the first track off of Eld) and showcases cleanly sung baritone vocals.
It isn't until the 3rd verse that the song then ultimately makes the transition to hyper blasting, double bass fury. Surprisingly, the transition works since it helps to build up the much
needed amount of tension in order to keep the listener engaged.
While I happen to have the highest respect for bands like Darkthrone and Immortal, the one big gripe I have always had
with them is that every song of their's always automatically begins at crippling tempos where the blast beats are going like a 100 miles a minute; something I have always felt to be a
big cop out and secondly to be a big cover up for any lack of musical ability. On the other hand, Himinbjorg's style totally takes on many different themes and emotions and accents
them with just the right ideas and subtle nuances to convey emotion both songwise and lyricwise. Of course, the aggression is still there but just not as so blatantly "evil," and
for what it's worth the first song is proof of that. Alternating between cleanly sung war chants and gravel throated rasps (recalling the late great Euronymous during his stint with
Mayhem) the vocalist takes on two identities almost as if he's playing the part of two major characters in a dramatic folktale. The drums are remarkably high and punchy in the
mix while the guitars are unbelievably low at the very bottom leaving an almost impenetrable wall of fuzz. However, the muddied guitar sound coupled with the backdrop of synth
amazingly adds texture. Whereas bands like Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, and Children of Bodom usually tend to saturate their dissonant sound with such frilly keyboard melodies and lively
arpeggio styled leads, the keys here on the other hand are only utulized occasionally just to emphasize depth. Just listen to the crystalline chiming effects on "The Inverted Dimension"
just to get my drift. For the most part the guitars are mainly played with afrenetic quickpicking technique just to create dissonance but occasionally some interesting fretboard
scalings (ala Mayhem) during "The Inverted Dimension" and other songs like "In The Forest of the Demons From Within," and "Rising." Though I have to fervently state that my
favorite track on the whole outing is definitely, "The Voice of Blood" because it is here where the vocals take on a much more ominous tone and combined with the stirring keyboard
effects, creates a barbaric, war like atmosphere which brings to mind some of the mindjarring compostions of Angelcorpse but on a much more grandiose level. The double bass pedals
along with the pummeling snare and cymbal attack only heightens the primitive atmosphere a thousandfold. While the bass is usually kept way down low with the guitars just to
provide a nice, solid bottom end, it is here where it is remarkably high in the mix and played at a frenetic finger style, not unlike Iron Maiden's Steve Harris which pulsates
through the very thin fabric over your speakers. This is definitely intense and worth every penny. The funny thing is how Red Stream chooses to push regurgitated crap like
Necrophagia over this is beyond me. Granted, Black Metal may appear to be a worn out and tiresome trend these days, it's albums like this that make restore faith in the genre.
Hopefully, these guys will be determined enough to stay for the long haul. - Envenomed
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Impaled - The Dead Shall Dead Remain (Deathvomit Records, 2000)
Rating 8/10
Tracks: Introduction, Faeces Of Death, Flesh & Blood, Trocar Spirits Of The Dead, Immaculate Defecation, Faecal Rites, Back To The Grave, All That Rots, Gorenography, Blood Bath, Bonus Track
 It is obvious someone on CA misses old Carcass and General Surgery,
and since they aren't the only ones out there that do, it's a good thing that Impaled have taken on the task of serving as the patron saints of gore metal along with fellow CA residents Exhumed. The high-low
vocal attack that Carcass sadly abandoned after Symphonies of Sickess runs rampant here, and it is great to hear. Now, in most cases I am rubbed the wrong
way when a band really does nothing new, but when they do something familiar REALLY WELL I don't mind so much. To say Impaled have the Carcass thing down would be a bit of an
understatement. To say they mastered it and have musically moved beyond a bit would be much more accurate. As far as actual chops go, I'd say they are well above their mentors,
but in the songwriting department they aren't quite up to the level of mastery that Carcass were. Don't get me wrong, there are no weak moments on The Dead Shall Dead Remain, but it's not as catchy as the pre-Swansong era material and
at around 40 minutes of music, it gets to be a bit monotonous. Perhaps next time the riffs will stick in my head a bit more, like so much sanguineous ooze stuck to the seat of the toilet on the tasty album cover. - Al Kikuras
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On to the next page of reviews.
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