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Diabolic - Vengeance Ascending (Olympic, 2001) Rating: 7/10
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Ebony Tears - Evil As Hell (Century Media, 2001) Rating: 2/10
A few years back Ebony Tears released their debut album entitled 'Tortura Insomniae' on Black Sun Records. This album was a very impressive slab of Swedish Death, played well with some very interesting [if quite simple] guitar hooks. The type of songs you start to hum the next day, even if you don't really want to. Then in 1999 they released 'A Handful of Nothing' and, well, it was bland but it wasn't the worst CD ever. Although comparing it to Evil As Hell is like comparing Opus Nocturne to Midian. They used to be a middle of the pack, nothing special but well done type Swedish Death band, but now Century Media has sunk their claws into Ebony Tears and we get Evil As Hell.. one of the worst and most annoying albums of 2001. - Wayne back to the top. |
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Fleshcrawl - Soulskinner (Metal Blade, 2001) Rating: 7.5/10
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Fuck... I'm Dead - Bring On The Dead (Razorback Records, 2001) Rating: 8/10
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Ghoul - We Came For The Dead!!! (Razorback Records, 2002) Rating: 8.5/10
I think of all the Carcass disciples, Ghoul are the downright nastiest and most entertaining. The triple-vocal threat is present in all of its decrepit glory and the overall sound is so dead-on that one might think they had unearthed unreleased tracks from the original Liverpool trio's finest days. What Ghoul have done here that I think the majority of other bands with the same goal in mind haven't quite accomplished is picking up precisely where Symphonies of Sickness left off. We Came For The Dead could well be the 3rd Carcass album if they hadn't waded off into less-sickening (but for the most part, equally rewarding) waters, the primary difference being lyrical. Rather than medical textbook jargon, Ghoul's lyrics (and image) reflect an obsession with B-rate slasher flicks and exploitation films, ala Impetigo. Razorback Records have released another album that further strengthens their position as the premiere gore-grind label in the US, if not the world, and Ghoul have set the stage for a pungent and twisted musical journey that these three hooded maniacs will undoubtedly guide us through in the years to come. - Al Kikuras back to the top. |
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God Dethroned - The Ancient Ones (Coldbloodindustries, 2001) Rating: 5/10
Overall, a decent indicator of where the band came from, but I'm much more likely to reach for their masterpiece Ravenous. For diehard fans only. - Big Juan back to the top. |
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Godless Truth - selfRealization (Shindy Productions, 2001) Rating: 8.5/10
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Gun Barrel - Power Dive (SPV, 2001) Rating: 8/10
Not that I'm complaining, as long as their vocalist can sing (which he can) I'm fine with this mix. The music blasted out from the first track to the last track, very few breaks, and lots of interesting melody, fun guitar work, and just some excellent metal! Although they kind of look like Spinal Tap, these guys rather impressed me. I'm definitely going to keep this album near me at all times now! - Jim Bob the Enforcer back to the top. |
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Haste - When Reason Sleeps (Century Media, 2001) Review: 4/10
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Headhunter Death Cult - And The Sky Turns To Black (the dark age has come) (Mercenary Musik/WWIII, 2001) Rating: 7/10
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Immemorial - Temple of Retribution (Blackend, 2001) Rating: 8/10
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Jag Panzer - Mechanized Warfare (Century Media, 2001) Rating: 9/10
Now, on to the present. By the title of the new album, Mechanized Warfare, and the weapon-wielding robot on the cover, I was expecting something like Ample Destruction II. What I got instead was extremely well played and catchy power metal. Mechanized Warfare kicks off with the anthemic Take To The Sky. If you're not singing along with The Tyrant by the second chorus, you must have cotton stuffed in your ears. Frozen In Fear keeps up a similar pace followed by one of my favorites, Unworthy, which comes complete with a catchy Gregorian chant chorus and old-school guitar harmonies. The Scarlet Letter features inventive vocal harmonies, while Cold Is The Blade strikes me as the most Ample Destruction-like. The album closer, All Things Renewed, is the epic of the bunch and shows Panzer's artistic range. The Tyrant has a more mature and controlled style these days. Mark Briody and Chris Broderick lay down heavy rhythms and liquid fast leads. Drummer Rikard Stjernquist is a real find; a tasteful shredder providing complex patterns while unobtrusively propelling the songs. Bassist John Tetley holds it all down as he has from the beginning. Overall, Mechanized Warfare is a cut above in class and execution and really shows Panzer as a band poised for greater things. - John Gee Warrior back to the top. |
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King's X - Manic Moonlight (Metal Blade, 2001) Rating: 8/10
Believe gets things off to a funky start with a bluesy groove and a strong chorus. The title track follows suit, leading into Yeah which is driven by a heavy and chugging bass riff. False Alarm takes the pace down a bit, as does Static, the CD's darkest track. Static reminds me of the kind of material on Nine Inch Nail's Pretty Hate Machine. Looking over the lyric sheet, King's X appears to be working through some deep personal issues. "I hate the world because of you, the blame is my mistake" and "Sliding down the mountain, drowning in the mud" are good examples of the sentiments expressed on this seemingly personal release. Vegetable changes the pace somewhat with an almost southern rock influence. Jenna returns the album to it's signature dark and catchy sound. The album closes with the questionable Water Ceremony; basically someone drinking for a few seconds and then burping. Overall, Manic Moonlight is a well played, heavy, and entertaining affair. Produced by guitarist, Ty Tabor, the album has a raw but clean sound which suits the grunge-tinged material well. Effective programming and percussion are featured in the tracks as well as a Grand Canyon sized groove compliments of bass player Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill. - John Gee Warrior back to the top. |
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Life In A Burn Clinic - Individual Rites (Prosthetic/Metal Blade, 2001 )
Forgettable metalcore with painfully weak vocals. Could be compared to Lamb of God, Coalesce, or countless other modern hardcore bands. When they try to be overly techincal, it's quite laughable. When they're not technical, it's still laughable. - Big Juan back to the top. |
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Lost in Twilight - Planeteer (Sound Riot, 2001) Rating: 4/10
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Naglfar - Ex Inferis (Century Media, 2001) Rating: 8/10
In all honesty, I don't really see the point of this EP. There's one new song [Of Gorgons Spawned Through Witchcraft - which is a GREAT track, and hopefully a sign of things to come], a Massacre cover [Dawn of Eternity], a remake of a 'Vittra' track, and two tracks from their 'When Autumn Storms Come' 7" which also made it to 'Diabolical' as well. If you don't know Naglfar's sound, it's somewhere in the vague area between Swedish Death and Black Metal. They have a knack for interesting melodies, which sometimes makes them lean towards Swedish Death, but then they'll unleash a hellish blast making them tough to just throw into a single category. I guess if you've never heard Naglfar, this would be the easiest way to check them out. There are 5 songs covering their career and they're a good representation of their style. Word has it Century Media is repressing 'Vittra' sometime soon, so try and get your hands on that masterpiece as well. All in all, not the most original band to walk the earth, but a good band to have in your collection if you can't get enough of those Swedish melodies. - Wayne back to the top. |
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Nokturnel - Fury Unleashed (Nokturnel Eclipse, 2001) Rating: 9/10
For whatever myriad of reasons the mind wants to cook up, Nothing But Hatred went virtually ignored in the metal world, save for a handful of rabid devotees that recognize the album for the masterwork that it is. It is for those devotees that original Nokturnel member and mastermind Tom Stevens, also known for his work with Morpheus Descends and a brief stint in death metal underground stalwarts Incantation, decided to resurrect the Nokturnel legend and write an entirely new album, Fury Unleashed. Has he lived up to the legend? Yes, most definitely, and with flying colors. Fury Unleashed is an album that entirely embodies its name. Stevens sounds like he has been stewing in is own venom for the 9 or so years since Nothing But Hatred was released and it all came to a head and burst on Fury Unleashed. While the material is not quite as chaotic, the same feel of Nothing But Hatred is still there. What we get along with the streamlined sound, however, is improved musicianship, particularly with the guitarwork. Stevens is on his way to death metal "guitar hero" status, as he has the ability to write riffs that are at once mindboggling in their arrangement but at the same time undeniably catchy with snippets of melody running throughout the songs that are dissected and shuffled with the effect of being at the same time almost dissonant, yet still effective enough that the mind latches on to the hooks. The vocals run the gamut from the rabid wolverine sounds on Nothing But Hatred and deeper death metal growls. "Legend of the Wolven" opens the album in primal fashion. Fast and relentless, it is an all-out assault on the listener. "Forcefed Fear" calls the mighty Voivod to mind, with jaw-dropping guitar acrobatics. Every one of the 8 tracks on this album has seemingly been meticulously poured over and refined to absolute efficiency. The songs come blazing in, set the mind churning and the blood boiling and leave the listener gloriously battered. Track 9, "A Collision of Dimensions," is taken from the Anti-Grunge 7" released after Nothing But Hatred, and while still a strong track, it pales when following the newer material and just deepens my appreciation for Stevens' new-found inspiration in writing. Fury Unleashed is the album that should finally catapult the Nokturnel name into the annals of infamy and acclaim that it has deserved for the past 9 years, and now deserves tenfold with this new release. My deepest hopes are that Stevens continues writing and releasing music as to wait close to another decade for a new Nokturnel opus would be a cruelty beyond measure. - Al Kikuras back to the top. |
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Rabies Caste - Let the Soul Out and Cut the Vein (Earache, 2001) Rating: 0/10
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Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory (Limb Music, 2000) Rating: 9/10
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Sargatanas - Knights of the Southern Cross (Barbarian Wrath, 2001) Rating: 8/10
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Satans Blood - Christians to Ashes, Angels to Dust (Sound Riot, 2001) Rating: 8/10 T Satans Blood are like a nasty b-rate horror movie (there is one called Satan's Blood, actually). Dark, evil, and a bit cheesy, but still terrifying. Musically this is what Marduk could have released instead of La Grande Dance Mablah and I wouldn't have been as disappointed as I was, though Christians to Ashes is more similar to Heaven Shall Burn than the direction Marduk were going in with Panzer Division Marduk. Fans of straightforward black metal without the pomp and keyboards like Dark Funeral will eat this up. No surprises, but Satans Blood are good at what they do and Christians to Ashes is a rewarding listen, despite being predictable, because of it. An interesting trivia tidbit: members of Satans Blood were also in the death metal band FEARER and for Satans Blood they reversed their own names to come up with their pseudonymns. For example, guitarist Thomas Zorn is now N'roz Samoth. - Al Kikuras back to the top. |
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Severance - What Lies Ahead... (WWIII, 2001) Rating: 6.5/10
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Sinister - Creative Killings (Martyr/Hammerheart, 2001) Rating: 8/10
Now, I have said it before and I am sure I will say it again... Sinister's Diabolical Summoning is one of my all-time favorite death metal albums. It has the perfect blend of violent brutality and a seething sense of evil lurking underneath every masterful riff. Each Sinister release since hasn't held up and when I get the urge to listen to Sinister, I put on Diabolical Summoning EVERY time. Will Creative Killings unseat Sinister's second album from its perennial place in my playlist? Oh, hell no! But I do think that, on occasion, when I get the urge to listen to Sinister I may find Creative Killings spinning in the CD player. It seems that most of the metal underground hails Hate as Sinister's finest hour, but I must admit that I prefer Creative Killings (and Diabolical Summoning, I think it goes without saying, though I did just say it again). Strong tracks like "Reviving the Dead," with clean guitar ingeniously doubling some nasty riffs, the opening of "Early Gothic Horror," which smacks of the eeriest moments of Immolation's spectacular Closer to a World Below, and just about all of "Moralistic Suffering" indicate that Sinister have begun to tap some songwriting resources kept on reserve for the last few releases. In light of the great writing displayed on these tracks, I am a little worried about the band's future now that long time guitarist Bart has left the band. Hopefully the more interesting elements will be further explored on Sinister's next release rather than lost as a result of Bart's departure. I, for one, have high hopes. - Al Kikuras back to the top. |
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Sonata Arctica - Silence (Century Media, 2001) Rating: 9/10
Their history is silly, they apparently put out two demos as a different band and one of them was called "Best Friends Forever." Now maybe I'm the only person who finds this silly, but then they cover "Winds Beneath My Wings" on some Japanese release. These guys are silly, but they're very good. If you want to take a listen, I suggest the songs San Sebastian (revisited) and Wolf & Raven. These guys have moved on from their first album (and definitely from their demos), and I think they're going to be making a mark on the power metal scene before long. Keep your eye out, and buy their album. - Jim Bob the Enforcer back to the top. |
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Vulgar Pigeons - Summary Execution (Necropolis/DeathVomit Records, 2001) Rating: 6/10
Like almost any grind release, songs average one minute in length, and the album is filled out by 26 songs. Needless to say it's quite easy to get lost and suddenly notice you're on track 17 wht you thought you were on track four. Standout tracks for me were "Lampshade Desire" and "River Rat." The former grabs you mainly because at three minutes, it's the longest and most diverse song on the disc. "River Rat" has a few leads that sound like they were lifted straight form Immortal's "Blizzard Beasts" record. An interesting touch. As a whole, VP play very typical grind for the modern day. They rely too much on tricks hardcore bands have already perfected (and are even boring then). But there is no denying that these guys are proficient. Most amusingly, at the halfway mark (track 14) they have a rather quiet song called "Intermisson." Clever. - Big Juan back to the top. |
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Diabolic released two albums within about one week of each other: Subterraneal Magnitude on Conquest
Music and then Vengeance Ascending on Olympic. From what I understand, however, Subterraneal was recorded about a year before this album was, but the typical label bullshit led to the huge delay. I very much liked S.D. (see the 
Wow. What a piece of garbage this stupid album is. Some of this almost sounds like
that horrible band Meshuggah that tries to be "weird" and fails miserably. This is one of the most bland sounding albums I've heard in a long time, and I can't believe how generic this stuff is.
All the elements of great death metal are here, but Fleshcrawl haven't quite managed to make a great death metal
album. I was very fond of their last release, As Blood Rains From The Sky. The overall sound is essentially the same, save for the songwriting. What Soulskinner lacks that made As Blood... such a great album is hooks. For the
most part, the material on this album is relatively indistinct. Track 3, "Carved in Flesh," sports a catchy refrain, but aside from that most of the album just blazes by, never really
grabbing your attention. When you do sit down and give it your full attention, it is evident that Soulskinner is a good album - the music is very heavy, the production is very
"Swedish death metal" (though not as huge as on the last album), the vocals are convincing and well executed (few vocalist have the high screams and deep growls down as
perfectly as Sven Gross), but put Soulskinner on while playing a video game (or typing a review) and chances are it will be over before you know it, only grabbing your attention for a
few brief moments here and there (another being the opening blast and scream of "Breeding the Dead"). That said, I can still recommend this album to any death metal fan as you will not
hear a single thing on it you won't appreciate, but if you are looking for an album that is going to grab you by the balls and demand that you listen to it again and again, this ain't the one. - 
Razorback Records unleash yet another beacon of brutality, further solidifying their place as one of the most extreme
labels ever to surface. Fuck... I'm Dead hail from the land down under and akin to other bands on the Razorback roster, like Intense Hammer Rage, Machetazo and Ghoul (see below), produce completely over the top grind that
sounds more like it was played by a rabid pack of cougars that have been up on speed for three days rather than three guys and a drum machine. While I generally am not a big fan
of the 'ol electric clicker, it works well for Fuck... I'm Dead as the dynamics that drum machines usually rob music of really are not an issue when your basically have two speeds (fast
and "gaping asshole" fast). Though, to their credit, Fuck... I'm Dead do know when to slow down and pummel just enough to keep things interesting. Normally when you see a grind
album with 23 songs you can safely expect the entire affair to last about a half hour, and that is being generous, so I was surprised to see that Bring On The Dead's duration is a hefty
73 minutes, though much to my chagrin about 48 minutes of that time is dead air waiting for the dreaded "bonus track" that never really pays off. I'd like to find the cocksucker that
started this trend and kick his crotch in for him. The worst to date had been on Internal Bleeding's Driven to Conquer, which is an album I really like, but waiting through an eternity of
silence just to hear these guys read their thanks list is not my idea of time well spent. Well, Fuck... I'm Dead went and blew the lid off that sucka with the void following the live track
"Licky Webster" that closes out the album. I don't even think there was a bonus track. I sat there with my finger on the fast forward button on the CD player like a jackass for about
2 or 3 minutes waiting for this fucker to play out and I think there might have been some clicking sound at the end of it, but that is it, and I am not even sure there was a clicking
sound, but fuck if I am going to fast forward through all that silence again. Maybe this is Fuck... I'm Dead's way of stating what I said above... hidden bonus tracks that take forever to
find suck a fat horse dick, but since I fell for it I am entitled to be angry. Anyway, Bring On The Dead is a great grind album. Lots of screaming, lots of blasting, lots of growling, lots of
short songs and lots of fun. Just don't be as gullible as I was and wait for the Emperor's Clothes bonus cut. - 
Carcass worship is not an uncommon thing in the underground. The reigning kings of splatter-gore grind well deserve
to be lauded by their successors. Adoration has reached the levels of imitation, and we, the metal-hungry public, so grieve the loss of the classic Carcass that we allow other bands to tread in their exact footsteps and we
actually praise them for it. The question that arises, then, is not how good the particular band is based on their own merits, but rather how they hold up to the original article. 
There's very little to say about this disc. It's a collection of early God Dethroned
material recorded around 1991. It's very difficult to listen to this disc and not hear a band struggling to obtain their own style, which can be heard on their more recent Metal Blade Releases. 
Similar to latter-day Internal Bleeding, but a bit more technical. The vocals are very
brutal. Just when you think the voice couldn't get any deeper, thar she blows! There are some insane changes in these tunes where the band completely turns on a dime and you are left, jaw agape,
saying "What the fuck just happened??" Though in the band photo they look more like a cross between hardcore and a boy band (when is the last time you saw a guy in a grind band wearing a BUM
Equipment cap or a round, white Gilligan boating hat?), Godless Truth are most definitely brutal to the core. There are some slight hardcore inclinations to Godless Truth's music,
but they by no means dilute the death and grind. To his credit, for a guy that looks like a cross between Michael Stipe (everyone knows who he is) and Peter Garrett (from Midnight
Oil, everyone SHOULD but sadly DOESN'T know who he is), drummer Jura "George" is a fucking animal behind the kit. Hell, if he was a guy that looked like a fucking animal, he
would STILL be a fucking animal behind the kit. Heavy-handed, great feet, fast and clean - everything you want in a grind/death metal drummer. selfRealization is a very strong album that should garner these Czech fellas some
recognition if there is any justice in the world (and we know that it is in rare supply these days). The packaging is fantastic, by the way. Very extensive, high quality and nicely laid out. I
just hope people don't see the band shot before hearing the disc as they may assume the band is going to sound like Pennywise (whom I have never actually heard, but I am sure they suck). - 
I'd never heard of these guys, and there's nothing to help me figure out who
exactly they are, but when I first picked this album up, I was sure there was going to be a lot of "I wish I were Iron Maiden" shit on here, and nothing worth while. I was wrong. I hate when I'm
wrong. Instead, they sound like a mix of Motorhead and Iron Maiden.
I heard some of their material from their debut and it wasn't awful, semi-original,
good music but the vocals were what made me dislike it so much. I suppose that should be called Whisper Supremacy Syndrome, anyways...WSS rears its ugly head yet again. This time there are
some high vocals that are almost tolerable, but the blend of the highs and lows sounds so similar to Dillinger Escape Plan it makes me sick to my stomach. I've got no problem with DEP, but the
only reason their vocals fit the music is the insanity in the music, going from grinding chugging riffs, to jazz parts, and in all odd directions, with the strangest possible timing I've ever
heard. Haste attempts a similar vocal approach and falls flat on their faces, but once again the music isn't that terrible. It's fairly aggressive, and at times, dare I say it... heavy. The
vocals just bury this cd before the end of the first song. I suppose buy this if you don't mind bad vocals, or enjoy this style of crossover HC/metal. - 
The bio on the back of this crappy cardboard promo sleeve (nothing particular against Headhunter D.C. or the
label, but cardboard slip sleeves annoy me as I consider the packaging and lyrics to be a big part of reviewing a product) hints that Headhunter D.C. blazed the path for Krisiun and Rebaelliun, which lead
me to believe that the band was another hyperspeed Brazilian export ala Abhorrence and Nephasm. Such is not the case, however. Headhunter Death Cult play straightforward death metal without the insane technicality
and incessant blasting that is the signature of the aforementioned bands. It's good stuff, but formulaic. Nothing really sets them apart from their contemporaries and the end
result is a solid but unremarkable death metal album. - 
Combining the finest elements of the Gothenberg sound and brutal Swedish death metal, Immemorial have forged a
brutal yet melodic brand of metal akin to At The Gates and Dissection. As any seasoned death metal fan knows, this particular blend has been the flavor of late, with many bands striving to re-create the buzz At The Gates left
behind with their sad yet honorable departure from the metal world. While Immemorial's material is not nearly as well-crafted as that of their forefathers, Temple of Retribution
is a solid release that I can not fault, other than to say that there are no real serious hooks on the release. In my opinion, the thing that most bands of this ilk, Immemorial included,
lack is catchy songs, which is what made At The Gates the fantastic anomaly they were: the ability to pen an infectious tune without sacrificing heaviness or brutality. Immemorial
certainly has both items in spades and they do occasionally display strong songwriting talents (the instrumental "Blazing Glory" in particular, with its very Hades Almighty-ish tempo is
a great tune), but on the whole, while the ability is certainly there, the songs are not yet. Temple of Retribution is a fine display of death metal from a very promising act that is well
above the average for the genre, but it is because they are better than the average band that I am being a bit harder on my critique of the songwriting. With a little polishing, they could be the next death metal supergroup. - 
When I think of Jag Panzer, the first things that come to mind are their classic
self-titled ep and first full-length album, Ample Destruction. These releases were a rare combination of raw violent power and melody topped with one of the best vocalists in metal. Singer Harry "The
Tyrant" Conklin showed a knack for going from a low croon, to piercing highs, to a B movie starlet scream sometimes in the same bar of music. After close to two decades after their releases,
these records have lost none of their ability to make me want to put on a football helmet and slam my head into a wall.
Being a novice to King's X music, you can take my opinion with a grain of salt, as I have little knowledge of this
legendary band's past work. I must say that the new CD, Manic Moonlight, is pretty much how I pictured the group would sound though; late 80's styled groove rock with catchy, layered harmony vocals.
Rating: 2/10 
I like Moonspell. Apparently, so do these guys. A lot. The album sounds like a
replica of Moonspell. It's nothing special, a little boring and a little absurd at times. The musicianship on it is actually fairly good, but their vocalist should be replaced, and they should really look into
getting new CD layouts, it took me 20 fucking minutes to figure out whether their name was Lost in Twilight or Planeteer. - 
After the release of 'Diabolical', I wasn't anticipating anything new from Naglfar. Their debut 'Vittra' was an amazing
album, and that would get a 10 if I were reviewing it right now. Then 'Diabolical' came out and I couldn't get into the new stuff at all. It just seemed kind of rushed and thrown together, and I always found myself reaching for
'Vittra' instead.
Sit back and hear the tale of an ill-fated record label called JL America. JL was
home to, essentially, three categories of bands: 1) cult bands that went on to underground acclaim; 2) cult bands that forever stayed cult and were sorely under-appreciated, and 3) shit bands. JL
was shoddily run and, fittingly, went under because of it and despite having some big distribution deals. Bands on the roster at one point or another include: Blasphemy, Impaled Nazarene, Killing
Addiciton, Malicious Onslaught, Acheron, Immortal, Master's Hammer, Mortuary, Morpheus Descends, Deteriorate, Excruciation, Beherit, Goatlord, Disastrous Murmur and the
subject of this review, Nokturnel. While I will leave you, the able reader, to place the above acts in their appropriate categories, I will tell you that Nokturnel most definitely fell
into the second one: "cult bands that forever stayed cult and were sorely under-appreciated." Nokturnel's debut release, Nothing But Hatred, is a workout in stop-start dynamics,
chaotic guitar and basswork, rabid vocals and an overall out-of-control sound that bands like Angelcorpse would later become infamous for. A perfect blend of thrash, grind and
death metal, with prototypical elements of what would later become violent black metal ala Black Witchery, Black Dawn and so forth elevated Nothing But Hatred above the standard death metal album of 1993, offering so much more
on many different levels. The production was also very unique and immediately identifiable, with the bass and guitars mixed at just about an even keel, and sounded like it was
recorded in a cavernous garage with a fortune in recording equipment. 
How could a label that has released Symphonies of Sickness, Slaughter of the
Soul, World Downfall and such other gems in the late 80's and early 90's release such a total piece of shit? I always try to find some good in every cd but this is one of those cd's where it becomes a chore
trying to get through one song. Earache's track record lately with Wicked World has been incredible, with bands like Decapitated, Hate Eternal, Garden of Shadows, and December Wolves, its really hard to
believe something this bad can see the light of day. Fusing Nu-Metal riffs, with hardcore screaming vocals could be the worst idea in the history of music, sadly Rabies Caste do just
that, and manage to bore from the second the album begins. All I know is the unthinkable has happened, a cd that makes God Forbid's latest offering Determination sound great has
been released. Avoid this like HIV, Syphilis, the plague, and any other harmful spreadable disease. - 
It lost one point because at times, I remember that I'm not really an Elf and
this is not a sword, this is a spoon, and suddenly I realize that I'm not really killing orcs and it all goes downhill from there. This is great "Sword Swinging Elf Metal!" I popped it in, and aside from
the very cheesy "At the court of King Chaos" thing at the beginning, it was absolutely great. The guitar work is excellent, the neo-classical thing has really been trippin' my trigger lately,
and the vocals are excellent. Not to mention a stand out performance by the drummer! I was very impressed musically. Other than Luca (the guitarist) getting lost
occasionally in his solos, everything was impressive. And how can you argue with music where the vocalist is named Fabio and one of the songs has a line "And now it is time to
decide how to escape from this cavern!" I've been using it as back ground music for my D&D campaign, and it works so very, very well. - 
I very much enjoyed the last Sargatanas release, The Elightenment, which sported heavy, mid-paced, doom-laced death
metal that really got the primal blood boiling. Sargatanas still display those tendencies, but on the whole the material on Knights of the Southern Cross is much faster and the band leans more towards primitive death metal than
anything resembling doom. The production is very raw, but powerful - perfectly fitting the music. The vocal delivery ranges from a deep roar to screams in a higher register.
Elements of the early masters of brutality like Kreator and Sodom (ala Pleasure to Kill and Persecution Mania) can be heard, which is not surprising as Sargatanas originally formed
in 1986. It is this veteran status that enables them to incorporate such elements without sounding "retro" - they are the real deal, and any fan of dirty, ugly death metal will
find Knights of the Southern Cross to be a rewarding listen. - 
he fickle beast of black metal... such a fine line is walked between pomp and integrity, between
noise and brilliance, between looking intimidating and just plain stupid. Germany's Satans Blood are off to a bad start as they are missing the apostrophe from their name, so we have the plural
instead of the possessive and the name is now akin to a phrase like "Boots Milk" which just makes no sense. Anyway, I am a grammatical penis, stuff like that annoys me and really has
nothing to do with the music, so I will move on. 
Standard death metal that offers nothing new or more than mildly interesting. Though Severance are apparently
veterans, forming in 1989, the music on What Lies Ahead... is so by-the-numbers that I am not surprised it has taken this long for me to hear them. Had this album been released in 1989 or '90 I
might be more impressed, but in this time when so many bands have done it to death (heh heh), you either have to do something different or do it so damn well that people have no choice but to pay attention, and
while Severance are actually a competent death metal band, that alone doesn't carry What Lies Ahead... - 
I find myself liking Sinister’s new female vocalist, Rachel, despite myself. She
basically has one range... deep and it is obvious the mic is cupped. Normally this vocal style is appealing under two circumstances: 1) the band is an all-out grinding mess where the riffs are as
indecipherable as the vocals and thus they actually fit or 2) for about 15 seconds. Since the Sinister formula of brutal death metal with a myriad of changes is still intact, we know #1 is out. Much
to my surprise, and against my better senses, #2 doesn't apply either. Rachel's ultra-gutteral delivery appeals to me, as opposed to making me think "considering the band is doing
so much, how the hell is she getting away with going UUURRRGHH over and over??" But, somehow she does it. Rachel occasionally annunciates quite well, like the refrain
"CREATIVE KILLLINGS!!" on the title track and "I WITNESS, I LIE!" in "Judicious Murder." Those few words you can actually understand become a chorus, whether they actually are the
chorus of the song or not. 
This album could be called the "feel good album of the year!" Because, damnit, I
love this album. It has a down point or two (I'm not a big fan of ballads) but in general the album is great. It basically sounds like Europe with nuts. I was so impressed with the soaring melodies,
lightning fast guitar work, and great fucking drummer (how does one describe a good steady drummer?) that I checked out their website, downloaded songs from their first album, and read about them.
VP are not an entirely uninteresting grindcore band from the West Coast.
They're hardly reinventing the wheel on grindcore (who really has since Terrorizer), but they do know when to throw in some decent metal riffs and other tricks that makes some of their songs very interesting.