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		Music Reviews
		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.

		Spotlight Album:
	aka ”An album that really kicked our asses!”


	Nasum - Human 2.0

		This Edition’s Reviews:

		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.

		Altar, Benumb, Bloodshed Divine, C.U.M., Coffin Texts, Corvus Corax, Disassociate, Agent Steel, Angel Dust, Edguy, To Die For, Hypocrisy, Immortal, In Flames, Borknagar, Burial

		Nasum - Human 2.0 (Relapse, 2000) Rating: 9.5/10 Relentless is the word here. Nasum come out swinging with 25 songs of pounding grindcore that do not let up for a second. While often albums of this nature blend into one big wall of sound, Nasum break up the blasting with the occasional incredibly catchy metal riff before blasting right off again into total grind. The perfect example: about 48 seconds into the first track, "Mass Hypnosis." This uncanny ability to catch the listener's mind with an irresistible hook is what really sets Nasum well above 99% of their contemporaries, resulting in a very listenable grindcore album. The vocal performance is predominantly a barked mid-range scream courtesy of guitarist Miekso A Talarcsyk, traded off with deep growls bellowed by drummer Anders Jakobson. While most of the Human 2.0 cranks at full tilt, tracks like "Shadows" slows things down a notch, allowing the listener to catch his or her breath, while the band explores Meshuggah-like grooves before veering off into grind territory again. There are inhuman performances on the part of all three members of the band. This stuff is FAST FAST FAST... Believe it or not, the envelope is still being pushed to even further extremes. Human 2.0 is a great album of refined, tight, clean grind that is going to help assure the genre's place in the metal hierarchy for years to come. - Al Kikuras

Altar - In the Name of the Father (Pavement, 2000)

Rating: 6.5

Altar Undoubtedly, Holland has bred some of the best European Death Metal as of late. Of course, I’m referring to the likes of Sinister, Asphyx, God Dethroned, and Centurian to name a few. With that in mind, I guess that’s why I was kind of anticipating Altar’s third release (the first for the Pavement label) especially after reading all the decent reviews they received for their 97 debut Ego Art. Thus, it’s usually not that surprising for me to experience the occasional case of nipple erections I get upon receiving something worth waiting for. However, surprising to me was learning that my expectations were just a tad higher than usual once I got this onto the old Fisher
Price I “borrowed” from my nephew. Though admittedly it’s not terrible by any means. If anything, the songs for the most part are executed fairly well but compared to their
aforementioned brethren, it’s as bland as Elementary School lunch meatballs. For one, part of the problem lies with the frontman (I forget his name) who’s delivery remains frustratingly boring, if not irritating throughout to say the least. Much like some of the other less inspiring frontman like Max Cavalera (Sepultura, Soulfly), he maintains the same monotonous pattern of canine-like barks and growls that are usually more suitable for hardcore. He definitely needs to develop a more wider, deeper range like say George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (Cannibal Corpse) or even The Crown’s Johan Lindstrund to some extent. What I’m getting at is that the vocals need to have some sort of “life” to them if it’s going to do him (as well as the rest of the band) any justice.

The flat production is also a major setback which also adds to the blandness of this whole disc. Upon further scrutiny, you can tell the drums (specifically the toms and snare) were recorded way too low in the mix while the guitars weren’t given any breathing room to branch out and let loose. Come on, this is Death Metal folks! It wasn’t meant to sound clean and polished like a Peter Tatgren production. A more rawer sound should have been explored. Musically, the band tends to incorporate more of an old school feel which is what I can appreciate. For instance you could hear the definite Motorhead and Venom influences surfacing to the top by way of some of the more midpaced chugging riffs in the song, “Holy Mask.” The song “Spunk” is total Slayer worship with its hammering double bass and tension building riffs but sadly doesn’t come close to being as godly as the originators themselves. Interestingly enough, the band manages to firmly plant some deeply rooted hooks on the title track. It is here where choppy Pantera-ish riffs take their course and develop into all out thrash intensity. Sadly however, these are practically the only highlights on this disc. The rest is just throw away material that sounds like it was recycled from some old Deicide recordings. Though they have the potential behind them, Altar needs to fine tune things a bit by taking much needed chances rather than sticking strictly to the manual so to speak. The cover of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” adds a nice touch but otherwise it would seem kind of pointless for a band that’s having an identity crisis. - Envenomed

Benumb - Withering Strands of Hope (Relapse, 2000)

Rating: 7.5/10

Benumb Around 1996 a Bay Area fueled movement in hardcore began to move to the forefront of the scene. This style, played by bands like Spazz, Man is the Bastard, Infest, Drop Dead (not from Cali), Crossed Out, Despise you, and Benumb was dubbed "power violence" by some, but it's just really fast hardcore. Labels are unnecessary.
Needless to say, hardcore played really fast was interesting at first, but got pretty boring rather quickly. Every new band on the scene had little to offer and just seemed to stagnate.
Enter the new release from Benumb. While the sound is still heavily rooted in "power violence" the band has made strides beyond other bands of the style, as well as their own debut LP. With "Withering Strands…" you have 32 songs that have a more mature and sincerely destructive feel to them than material of the past. If hardcore with and edge is your thing, get this now. Sure to inspire killings nationwide! - Shockwave

Bloodshed Divine - "To The Ancient Dawn" & "Hail Victory" (Self-Released, 2000)

Rating: n/a

I don't really feel it is relevant to give a numerical rating to two one-off tracks. The first, "To The Ancient Dawn," is a re-recorded version of the title track to the second Bloodshed Divine demo, while "Hail Victory" is an entirely new composition. I am a very big fan of Bloodshed Divine. The new version of "To The Ancient Dawn" far surpasses the original. The recording is twice as powerful. Troy LeBlanc's vocals are much more tortured. The performance is tighter... simply put, this kills.

"Hail Victory" is the slowest Bloodshed Divine song to date, paced almost like a war march, and is also the most melodic. Do NOT let the idea get into your head that it is any less raw, oppressive or extreme, rather it just shows another face of this relentless black metal war machine. The vocal performance ranks as one of the most repulsive I have heard to date. There are folkish elements incorporated into the music that don't sound at all jarring or out of place. Melody is seamlessly interspersed throughout, with clean guitars layered over distorted chords - a very weighty atmosphere is the result.

Keep an eye out for the forthcoming Bloodshed Divine release on Largactly Records, Summoned... To The Ancient Dawn, featuring both demos remastered on one CD. Buy several copies, because the sooner those suckers go, the sooner we can hear a full length of new material which, based on these two tracks, will be nothing short of a monumental achievement in black metal. - Al Kikuras

Catasexual Urge Motivation - The Encyclopedia of Serial Murders (Razorback Records, 2000)

Rating: 6.5/10

CUM This is some by the numbers gore-grind done by this Japanese crew, I assume, with the use of a drum machine. Not bad at all. Very brutal, straight forward and heavy. If you like anything bands like Mortician, Anal Cunt, Gore Beyond Necropsy, Impaled Impetigo, older Carcass, etc… have done then this will definitely be a great addition to your collection. You have the typical gore song titles, and structure, but done well enough. The 22 songs definitely tend to sound alike by the 7th track or so. But again, if gore and brutality is your game, this is a good investment for you. - Shockwave

Coffin Texts - Gods of Creation, Death & Afterlife (Dwell Records, 2000)

Rating: 8.5/10

Someone's been listening to the "-tion" bands. Coffin Texts may not be at the top of the originality list, but they are definitely capable musicians churning out some of the pure 'ol heavy stuff. They do an admirable job catching that unearthly nature that makes Incantation stand out from their contemporaries. The album does not have the dry, analog sound that so many feel marred the new Incantation album (although I still really dig it), rather it is very robust and alive-sounding. The vocal delivery is very much akin to both Ross Dolan's work on Failures For Gods crossed with the trademark Incantation and Mortician deep, indecipherable bellow. My description thus far might lead a reader to believe that these guys have nothing of their own going on, but such is not the case. While there are no strikingly original ideas on here, the album has a very ethereal feel to it that lends a terrific atmosphere to the material - very brutal, doomish death metal. The Egyptian look to the cover and apparent concept of the band are going to draw invevitable comparisons to the mighty Nile, and the bands do share some characteristics in that there is a slight middle-eastern flavor to the music, particularly the warped melodies described by the guitars, but Coffin Texts are not as grind-ish as Nile, going more for an oppressive, engulfing sound rather than extreme stop-start dynamics and abrupt changes.

Gods of Creation, Death & Afterlife is a very strong first showing. The second-to-last song is a cover of Slayer's "Crypts of Eternity," which the bland twists around enough to make it fit into the feel fo the res to fthe album. The album's closer however, a cover of Black Sabbath's "Disturbing the Priest," ends things on a less lofty note. While one might think that a doomish death metal band might do well to cover the kings of dark doom metal, instead it takes away from the eeriness that makes the rest of the album so impressive. Still, though, a minor blemish on an otherwise excellent release. - Al Kikuras

Corvus Corax - The Atavistic Triad (Dark Symphonies 2000)

Rating: 3/10

Corvus Corax My, my. This is definitely frightening. That someone would actually record this, that is. Slow and dramatic gothic metal is the name of the game here. These guys make Skid Row seem bad-ass. I'm reminded of ridiculous folk rock, and some of the worst Flotsom and Jetsom material that i can think of. I can't bear to listen to this.

Really slow guitars, dense drumming, and a vocalist who either whispers a lot or does his best Sisters of Mercy impression. Oh, oh, oh!!!! I forgot about the LAYERS AND LAYERS of synth. And why not? This is Goth Metal after all, what would it be without the synth??? That's like polka without an accordian! Lame..... - Shockwave

Disassociate - Imperfect World (MIA Records, 2000)

Rating: 6.5/10

Disassocaite These guys have been tearing through the New York scene for years, and it's about time someone hooked them up with a nice deal. Disassociate has always been one of my favorite grindcore bands to watch live, due to Ralphy and company's fun attitude and general excitement about their music (and marijuana). The problem has always been that they could never capture that live sound on record.

With the new release they are a few steps closer, but haven't quite made it there yet. I think the main problem lies in the production, which was handled by Steve Austin of Today is the Day. Now, Mr. Austin has a knack for making his bands records sound incredible, but can never seem to work that same magic on other projects. This is a perfect example. Often the sound is too muddled and unclear. However, this is hardly the bands fault, as they do turn in 10 blistering tracks including covers of two classic new York bands, namely Nausea and Jesus Crust. They definitely get a thumbs up on that.

Honestly, any grind freak should eat this up like candy, and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre. I think that these guys are one record away from crafting a masterpiece…. - Shockwave

Agent Steel – Omega Conspiracy (Metal Blade, 1999)

Rating: 8.5/10

Agent Steel This is a very hard album to review. On one hand, I think the whole is better than the sum of the parts. Taken all together, this is an album that I want to put on a pedestal, and tell all other neo-thrash to listen to. But when I start to pull apart the elements, I get very disturbed. First of all, the lead singer mumbles his words. It’s hard to figure out three words per song. All you get is high notes and low notes. This didn’t bother me until the 3rd listening when I was trying to figure out what the lyrics are, and after I while I got so frustrated I turned it off. Second, is that almost all of the rhythm parts (bass and drums) are stolen from other metal bands. Most notably Judas Priest’s last 2 albums Jugulator and Painkiller. Really, I would be listening to the songs, and realize that the rhythm parts are from other songs. It got to the point where I was challenging myself to figure out which songs they were stolen from.

But, like I said, taken as a whole, this album kicks most other albums in the head, then rips off the heads and pisses in their dead skulls. Heavy and vicious, but perhaps not with much raw talent of their own. I’d like to see if other reviewers caught these things as well. Either way, still worth giving a listen to. – Piston Rod

Angel Dust – Enlighten The Darkness (Century Media, 2000)

Rating: 8.5/10

Angel Dust The kings of the Iron Maiden wanna-be’s are back again to bring you their own blend of metal forgery. Listen these guys are good. They can play, they just have that “been there, done that” feel to them. This album however is a step above and beyond their last album “Bleed” however. They are a hard working band, putting out three albums in the last three years.

At their best they are a metal band playing true metal and keeping the faith alive. Taken at their worst, they are a poser band, just trying to do what they know has been tried and proven successful before. You decide. – Piston Rod

Edguy – Theater Of Salvation (Metal Blade, 1999)

Rating: 9/10

Edguy There have been many Iron Maiden rip-off bands to come down the pike with this new resurgence of power metal popularity, but this is the first blatant Helloween rip-off band. The thing is that I can accept this a lot better than the million and one Maiden clones. Perhaps it’s because it’s not been done to death, or because I think Maiden is more sacred than Helloween. Either way, I like Edguy a lot. They have a lot more gusto then most of the other bands I’ve been hearing lately. The songwriting is better as well. Many bands think that all they have to do is fill up 60 + minutes of time with high vocals and guitar solos and they will have a hit. Most of the time what you get is a CD that grows old faster than fresh baked bread.

At 63 minutes, this album does suffer from the “learn-to-edit-yourselves” syndrome. Really guys, they aren’t all hits. 45-55 minutes was good enough in the 80’s and it’s good enough here. If you like good power metal in the Helloween vein than this is a damn good album. Edguy could use with a little more originality and diversity in topics and song styles, but this isn’t such a big complaint, more of a suggestion. Keep it going boys. – Piston Rod

To Die For - s/t (Nuclear Blast, 2000)

Rating: 8/10

The promo sheet for To Die For made it sound like this was a very hyped anticipated album, but to be completely honest until I got the cd and sheet I never even heard of them, or them signing to a major metal label. I figured on the typical My Dying Bride/"Doom" ripoff of slow boring riffs and sleep inducing garbage but there's much more to this album. To me most doom is a gimmick and they act depressed but the music on this is one of the few times where the music has such a strong dark and sad atmosphere it almost hurts to listen to this more then once, but it's such a good album you almost enjoy the pain. The guitar and keyboards on this remind me quite a bit of Darkseed-Diving Into Darkness, but even heavier and darker, the vocals are one of the few parts of the cd I'm not too big on, as the singer reminds me quite a bit of Peter Steele of Type O Negative, but not quite as monotone and redundant. If you are looking for something a bit different from the usual death metal, or black metal album then go for this and listen with an open mind, because if you don't then you might miss out on one of the most sorrow laden albums in quite a bit. - Rick

Hypocrisy - Into The Abyss (Nuclear Blast, 2000)

Rating: 8.5/10

I read that Into The Abyss was a return to the more brutal days of Hypocrisy. This is true, to an extent. The album's opener, "Legions Descend," would definitely sit well on Inferior Devotees, but the album is not an all-out brutal death metal assault. I would say the split is around 50/50 between the classic sound and songs that are more akin to later releases like the s/t album and The Final Chapter. Nothing really new on Into the Abyss, though, so the final result almost sounds more like a retrospect of the band's career rather than an album of all-new material. I guess they blew their nut re-creating themselves from The Fourth Dimension on. Kind of a catch 22. When a band grows that dramatically, any stagnation is going to stand out. Look at Deicide.. they have been doing the same thing for 5 albums and it's a-okay, but Voivod put the brakes on progression with Angel Rat and I just about shit myself in anger. Into The Abyss is a solid Hypocrisy album with good songs, but it does not offer anything new. You'll get a few things you haven't heard from these guys in a few years, but nothing you haven't heard before. - Al Kikuras

Immortal - Damned in Black (Osmose Productions, 2000)

Rating: 8/10

After disappointing me a bit with the At the Heart of Winter release, Immortal are back with a ferocious new album. While I know many were into the last LP, i was always a fan of the Immortal blitzkrieg assault that made Pure Holocaust, Battles in the North and Blizzard Beasts classic to me. So the atmosphere they went for witht e last release left me very high and dry.

This new one has elements of the last release, but well mixed with the holocaust cries of Battle... and other releases. Their sound is much fuller now, thanks to Peter Tagtren's production. As they have stated in countless interviews, they are looking for a more "professional" sound, and it's very obvious. The song structure is more...well... structured. The riffs are very plentiful and catchy, but not quite as spontaneous as those on their classic trilogy of records. You still get Abbath's hilarious vocals, which are enough to keep me entertained for a bit.

A good release from a band about to reach legendary status. This is their 10 year anniversary and all. - Shockwave

In Flames - Clayman (Nuclear Blast, 2000)

Rating: 7/10

In Flames are like the Beach Boys of metal. With each release they craft extremely catchy songs that infectiously crawl into your psyche. They write songs that can be extremely upbeat, but with an eerie and morbid undertone.

Regardless, on their fourth record for Nuclear Blast, In Flames prove that they are perhaps the catchiest band around today (metal-wise), as well as one of the most aped bands in the scene. The torch they have carried from the likes of Iron Maiden is in constant circulation these days, with the In Flames signature guitar sound turning up all over other metal and hardcore releases. So a new full length from these guys provides everything it should, catchy as fuck guitar parts, strong vocals and awesome melodies. Considering my other tastes in extreme metal it's somewhat odd that this appeals to me as much as it does, but more than anything, it's a testament to what good song writers these guys are. - Shockwave

Borknagar - Quintessence (Century Media, 2000)

Rating: 9/10

Prior to this album I had heard The Olden Domain and Archaic Course, and I wasn't impressed by either in the slightest bit. To me it seemed very pretentious sounding, and like they were trying to make themselves look like a groundbreaking act when in actuality they were just an average band. I understand the lineup changed from the last album to this and I must say it is for the better. Perhaps the older members were just lousy musicians because this is easily one of the best releases of the year. While it may not be as eletronically cutting edge as Ulver, or dark as Ved Buens Ende, Borknagar manage to find an in between. Many people ight say Borknagar have "sold out" or "gone mainstream" but I think this is the most non-commercial move you can make.At a time when the regular style is brutal death or raw black metal Borknagar went and put out a cd that may be above quite afew peoples heads. The vocals are a nice mix of clean singing, and the normal growls, and the keyboards aren't quite majestic or enchanting but they still add quite a bit to the music, a darker feel to it. Track 4, Colossus is a prime example as they have layered growls as background while I.C.S. Vortex sings clean over the growls, and a slow keyboard part is played while the guitars go off in a very spacy direction, and the drummer somehow in the midst of all this confusion keeps perfect time. The first listen of this album might be a bit challenging if you aren't ready for something that is a little bit innovative. Possibly one of the best albums of the year, and reccomended for fans of the last few albums, Dødheimsgard - 666 International, and Ulver - Bergtatt and Themes from William Blake's 'Marriage of Heaven and Hell'. - Rick

Burial - Enlightened With Pain (Lost Disciple Records, 2000)

Rating: 8/10

Burial Burial's first EP, Mourning the Millenium, was good but nothing special, and it showed some room for impovement. At times it was too technical, other times it got bland and boring, but on Burial's first full length they seem to have gotten to be better song writers in the time between this and Mourning the Millenium. Enlightened With Pain is just violent and brutal from start to finish, and I love it more and more each time I listen to it. Sherwood of Skinless, and Rich Lipscomb of Fleshgrind did guest vocals on several songs, in my opinion two of the best vocalists in death metal, making for one of the sickest combination of growls that I have heard in a really long time. Musically, Burial can go from really fast riffs and blasts to an almost NYDM-Style groove as the bass keeps chugging along, and the leads during the odd parts to the songs actually add quite a bit to it, rather then look like showing off as many leads riffs end up doing. Not the fastest, not the heaviest..but just a damn good release from a solid band who will only improve over time. I reccomend picking this up if you like Fleshgrind, Skinless, Dehumanized, or mostly brutal death. - Rick

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