Music Reviews

Into the Moat - The Design (Metal Blade, 2005)

Rating: 10/10

"Holy shit," I thought to myself when I put this record in, "what the fuck is this?" It all got better from there.  Every swirling, sporadic beat on this album is put perfectly into place, so that it's practically impossible to groove to, but also impossible to turn off. 

I think the best way to describe INTO THE MOAT, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the band, is to put it like this.  Imagine that you had the craziest grindcore you can think of (GORE BEYOND NECROPSY, for example), with it's 30 second ideas all thrown into 5 minute songs.  Now, top this off with lyrics about war, and what seems to me to be some sort of gladitorial combat, that are thrown atop this insanity in sporadic bursts, sometimes splitting words into syllables to make it fit the never constant rhythm. Take this technicality, add hardcore breakdowns and fantastic, crisp production (courtesy of the lads in the band and Erik Rutan).  This, my friends, is INTO THE MOAT.

This album is huge on so many levels.  While taking root in traditional grind and hardcore, it merges them in a sporadic foray of incredible musicianship.  Not once does they stop to give you time to breathe or think about the technicality, the brutality, the sheer genius of the song writing until the record is over and your looking at the CD player wondering what the hell just hit you.

What makes this all more impressive is that this is really a debut album from a very young band.  Their first incarnation was a formation in 2001 where the drummer wrote all the music. They were signed to Lovelost Records in 2003, but they only produced an EP.  So for a first time full-length, they've produced a monster of a record.

If you're at all into technical music, buy this record.  You might not listen to it that often, but you will certainly be blown away by what you hear, and anyone who is a fan of genre progression, originality and sheer talent should get their hands on this. - Jim Bob The Enforcer

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Kaamos - Lucifer Rising (Candlelight, 2005)

Rating: 8/10
 
Kaamos is a good, classic-styled death metal band. In their bio, they state that they "formed in 1998...in order to create death metal," and that's exactly what they do. Very well, in fact, although not at all in any kind of forward-thinking or progressive fashion. As a whole, "Lucifer Rising" plays like an Earache release from about 1994--pummeling drums with tons of fills and double-kick, fast thrash riffs played faster and faster, grunting vocals, the whole deal...  But here's the fun part: I really like classic death metal, so this is cool to me.  It sounds like a record from the second wave of death metal--not like Death or Possessed or Sodom or whatever, but more like early Gorguts or a less-doomy Bolt Thrower. If you're looking for a solid semi-old-school death metal record, that references releases by Morbid Angel, old Vader, and so on, then check it out.  (A word of warning, though--it's not as technical as some bands.  It's not riff-o-rama, just solid death.)  The title track reminds me of old Napalm Death, back during their flirtation with death metal, and the chorus is as catchy as the genre gets. But on the other hand, if you're one of those people who constantly seek new horizons and new sounds, then this isn't for you.  Just for the record, though, if you're one of those people, then you're missing out--not only on Kaamos, but probably on a shitload of other cool stuff.  Also of note: the drummer's name is Chris Piss, and that makes me laugh. - JW

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Lord Gore - Resickened (Razorback, 2005)

Rating: 8.5/10

I loved LORD GORE's Razorback debut, The Autophagous Orgy. To quote the movie Jerry McFuckingGuire for perhaps the first time ever in a metal review, I may not love Resickend, but I "sure do like [it] a lot." Resickened has all the elements that make LORD GORE the fun-loving, head-smashing, vomit-inducing band they are, but lacks some of the hooks of the debut. Resickened is not a loss, though, as what it lacks in catchiness, it makes up for with a thin layer of grime. While Orgy was anything but bright and poppy, it made me snicker at times. Resickened does not. It makes the skin crawl. It is darker and more disturbing. To put it in cinematic terms, think of the debut as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and this, the second release, as the first in the series. Yeah, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is insane and warped, but as funny as it is frightening, while the first film leaves you feeling like you fell down a dark well into murky, filthy water and can't get out. So, if thrash-laden death metal with vocals ranging from a sub-sonic gurgle to a shattering screech, great riffs, solid drum work and a meaty sound, all doused with a bucket of blood 'n guts 'n grind is your kind of pool, dive right in and splash around a while. - Al Kikuras

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Malefactor - A Collection Of Broken Dreams From The Common Man (Twin Earth Records, 2005) 

Rating: 7.5/10
 
The disc opens with pops and crackles and a piano... Wait?  Did I put on my mom's old Barry Manilow LP again?  No! Damn.  You got me...  Malefactor are from Waycross, GA, and have released three records prior to this one, dating all the way back to 1999. The songs chug along on twin-guitar riffs, while Jarrod Bennett spits and snarls and growls and shrieks his way through a punishing collection of mallcore anthems with titles like "Failure" and "Deception" and "Into The Ashes."  The piano makes its return for a full two minutes as the outro to "Wither," and I found myself enjoying the breathing room.  As far as the songs go, there's nothing that really jumped out at me.  At some points, there are samples from movies or television shows that for the most part, I couldn't place, except for the classic Hulk line "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." At 13 tracks in 45 minutes, the record kind of washes together.  Malefactor remind me of Killswitch Engage or Chimaira or a few other of the Roadrunner artists, except a bit heavier.  For the better, there are only a few of the "sensitive" singing bits that metal bands are fond of these days, and there's no rapping or scratching or ridiculous percussion breakdowns at all. If you're a fan of the Roadrunner bands, then definitely give Malefactor a listen--they're a solid band with a solid record.   Always the pranksters, Malefactor end the record on a joke, too, making the disc sound scratched and skipping before it finally just stops.  Those wacky guys... - JW

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Necrophagia - Nightmare Scenarios DVD (Red Stream, 2004) 

Rating: 8.5/10

I am a huge fan of classic death metal (Possessed, Death, et al), and the music on this DVD takes me back to a time when metal was simple, brutal, bloody, raw, and evil. And I like that. The videos are a b-movie pastiche of gore and breasts and blood and low-budget special effects, and the overall vibe of the entire affair is that of a cheap, campy slasher film.  And what more would anyone expect from Killjoy and company?  The band has always walked the line between sickening and silly, and these videos are equal parts of both.  Imagine if King Diamond and Cannibal Corpse paired up, held a bake sale, and used the proceeds to fund production on a few short films. The DVD special features range from mildly interesting interviews to the utterly pointless "A Few Words From Necro Goddess Jenna Jameson," which lasts maybe four seconds and consists of literally two words, "Necrophagia rules".  (Note to bands who might one day release a DVD: "behind the scenes" footage of a band in the recording studio is boring unless the band is actually doing something entertaining.  Watching a band sit around and listen to the playback of their tracks--or watching a guitarist in sweatpants and a t-shirt play a solo ten times--is like watching "behind the scenes" footage of insurance adjustors in a staff meeting. There are reasons why some moments remain "behind the scenes.")  As much as I love the band, I'm not certain the whole package is something I'll watch all that often, except maybe on Halloween, but the music is ripping and definitely worth cranking up.   Bonus points are granted for the appearance of Ms. Jameson, no matter how inconsequential. - JW

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Opera IX - Anphisbena (Magick Records, 2005)

Rating: 5/10

I've never been particularly fond of OPERA IX. While they're not terrible, I've never thought that they were putting out a brand of black metal that was really that interesting. I'd heard a couple of their albums before (and their pitiful cover of the IRON MAIDEN classic Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner) and I just was never impressed.

Unfortunately, Anphisbena isn't a far departure from their unimpressive past. For those of you unfamiliar with the band, OPERA IX is sort of Italy's answer to CRADLE OF FILTH, though I'd say they're far better.  Operetic female vocals, offset by black metal vocals (and the trem-picking and blast beating) creating an atmosphere of misanthropy and stuffy guys in puffy collared shirts (with corpse-paint on).

However, there are some very cool things on this record. A track that really stands out for me is the medieval sounding "In Hoc Signo Sanguinis," which comes off to good effect. Some of the guitar work is good, and the keyboards don't busy things up, they actually work to layer things nicely and give the band some depth.

This is a pretty average symphonic black metal album, though, for the most part. There isn't a whole lot that I find to be particularly interesting or innovative going on here and while it doesn't make me angry, it certainly doesn't excite me. - Jim Bob The Enforcer

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Overlord's Perpetual - S/T (Sonic Age, 2005)

Rating: 3/10

Some albums are glimmer with light when they're played.  They radiate with the genius of a prodigy guitarist, they invigorate the speakers from which the colorful, intense luminssence flows. OVERLORD'S PERPETUAL's debut (self-titled) record is not one of these records. While there are glimmers of hope that shine through, this is a string of tired metal cliches, excessive sweeping, triplets, and just general self-gratification.

Built on the basis of traditional neo-classical guitar rock (it's hard to believe that this genre was once revolutionary), OVERLORD'S PERPETUAL go through all the motions of being a neo-classical guitar rock band, the shrill vocalist (with the bad-to-mediocre lyrics), the "rock-beat-plus- double-kick" drummer, the "what-they-have-a-bassist?" bassist, and the "aslo-a-prodigy" keyboard player. Oh, of course, let's not forget Overlord, himself, the Ego-in-training (who happens to look just like a skinny YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, with the cross, cream Fender Strat and all).

These guys, however, have a glimpse of hope. A couple of the songs on this record were pretty good. There were times when they broke away from the boring chord based riffing and the excessively shrill guitar solos to do some very cool, technical guitar (and keyboard work) that really showed a modicum of taste and respect for the art of metal.  The fifth track, which lacks vocals, is probably the best one on the record. The keyboards really shine through, and good ol' Overlord puts his guitar tracking to good work to come up with a fine blend of technicality and melody that made me appreciate the moment.

Of course, aside from a couple of tracks, this was just another piece of the same-ol' from the neo-classical genre.  The vocals are the traditionally bad, ESL vocals that tend to mar these records. Really, the only redeeming quality in any of the other tracks is the keyboard solos.  The keyboardist can really play, and he also has a good under- standing of theory, while not being a total wanker (and being able to do it well, when he is playing a fast solo).

I'd say, watch and see with this Overlord kid. He's only 20, and if he can realize that he's not YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and that he has the talent to really do something unique and interesting, he'll put out some great records in the future.  However, if he continues down this path of masturbatory self-gratification (and leopard print), I suspect he'll only be playing with himself in the future. - Jim Bob The Enforcer

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Pure Sweet Hell - The Voyeurs of Utter Destruction as Beauty (Crash Music, 2005) http://www.crashmusicinc.com 5/10

A while ago, I remember writing a review about the band SUSPERIA.  In that review I dubbed them "post-black-thrash." It could be said that PURE SWEET HELL is a very curious, eclectic version of the same thing. In a highly sporadic mix of thrash metal, black metal and some industrial content, Christ Eichhorn and Van Williams (NEVERMORE) put together an average album that really comes at you from many different directions.

Firstly, I think it's fairly obvious that these guys had a great time making this album, there is a definite energy to this music that permeates throughout the whole record.  And the obvious thought and energy show in taking what could be some pretty mediocre music and turning it into something with personality. That energy bleeds through every track, and it made me really appreciate parts of this record.

However, energy cannot make up for everything, and there were some qualities to this record that I didn't enjoy.  For one, the thrash vocals weren't great, in fact, they weren't even good.  That sort of semi-clean vocals where you can understand the sort of semi-bad lyrics really kills the moment for me.  The music was certainly unique, and there were obviously plenty of different influences, and while certainly I laud the fact that I can't really pin down a band that I think they're that similar to, aside from SUSPERIA (but that's stretching it), the originality didn't make up for the fact that it wasn't really that strong of an album.

Realistically, PURE SWEET HELL is a group that might get better over time. They signed a 4 record deal with Crash Music, so I hope they do.  There is definite potential here in the creative aspects of the music, but I think that the cohesion wasn't there. - Jim Bob The Enforcer

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Scenteria - Act Of Aggression (Candlelight, 2005) 

Rating: 8.5/10
 
I really dig the current Swedish thrash scene. In Flames, The Haunted, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy...  Now I can add Scenteria to my list...  Forming in 2002, Scenteria released three demos before recording "Act Of Aggression" in their home studio in early 2004.  Album opener "Acts Of Lunacy" sets the pace--verse riffs that are almost reminiscent of Bay Area legends like Exodus and Testament, before seguing into the more melodic choruses that fans of modern Euro-thrash know and love.  Vocalist Stefan Persson has a strong voice, although he sounds quite a bit like any of the growlers in any of the bands I mentioned earlier. "Dead Point Of View" grooves along on a tight bass line, picking up in the chorus, and using just enough keyboards to set the mood.  We all know there's nothing worse than rocking along and then running right into some cheesy keyboard part, ruining a perfectly good thrash record, and Scenteria seem to understand that. So, while there are keyboards throughout the record, the band uses them as keyboards should be used: sparingly and only to provide texture.

 "Act Of Aggression" is a great debut from a band that, while maybe not completely original, has enough talent and chops and songwriting ability to compete. - JW

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Shade Empire - Sinthentic (Magick Records, 2005)

Rating: 9/10

There's an old adage that you might know that says, so eloquently, "don't judge a book by its cover." While this may be applicable to books, it often isn't applicable to music. I can generally look at the cover of a band's record and be able to tell what kind of metal it is, who they sound like, and whether or not they suck. I'll always give stuff a chance to not suck, but it's usually a pretty fair bet that my initial impression will be correct. So I looked at the SHADE EMPIRE cover, saw the devil face with a little '666' neatly tucked into the corner behind the eye, and more importantly the sticker that says 'For fans of DIMMU BORGIR.' Immediately I was struck by that panic that happens when you know that you're going to have to sit through 60 minutes of shitty rip-off artists trying to sound like DIMMU.

I was absolutely wrong.  This is one of those few cases where that doesn't upset me.

In fact, I was blown away by this release. SHADE EMPIRE have managed to bring together all the best qualities of melodic, symphonic black metal and Swedish death into a cohesive, melodic onslaught of extreme metal that anyone with an ear for talent will be impressed with. Like some unholy union of (yes) DIMMU BORGIR, AT THE GATES and DARK TRANQUILLITY, this band deftly put forth melancholy melodies, backed up with a stunning drum assault and a heavy rhythm that keeps you rocking for the whole record. Spiced up with guest vocal appearances by Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH and TAROT), and Spellgoth (TROLLHEIMS GRÅTT), Sinthetic (ok, the cheesy name didn't help the initial impressions, either) offers a dynamic, exciting aural assault that actually left me wanting more!

While this band is tight, what I noticed most was the keyboards and the vocals really carry this record. The guitar work, while good, isn't stand out, and the guitars play more of a support role.  But the awesome melody and (brace yourself) all the hooks came through the keyboards, which border on the gothic side sometimes, and at other times almost having a THE KOVENANT feel (though only for a short time).  The vocals are pretty standard, but there are glimpses of deep, baritone/bass clean parts that really add a dynamic to otherwise good vocals.

Dynamics, as I've said before, play such a huge part in metal records. The clincher here is that they work their way deftly through the record never getting boring, while never changing the dynamics so much that they sound like a different band.  There is not a weak moment on this album. The whole while there is a distinctive feel, a distinctive sound and a sonic barrage that leave you with one of those shit-eating grins on your face. Mark down an incredible debut for these Fins. - Jim Bob The Enforcer

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Thine Eyes Bleed - In The Wake Of Separation (The End Records, 2005)

Rating: 7/10

There is really nothing wrong with this CD...  It's a nice, lovely piece of melodic metal-core. The riffs are tight; some of them border on memorable. The musicianship is good without being flashy.  Vocalist Justin Wolfe has a good growl, sounding at times exactly like Randy Blythe and at other times more like Tomas Lindberg.  At first I was excited, because, unlike so many modern metal bands, Wolfe went three whole songs without trying the godawful emo-singing thing. But damned if he didn't go and do it in "Live To Die." So much for that...  The songs truck right along, doing okay, without an outright stinker in the bunch. But with all of that, somewhere along the way, the record leaves me cold. It reminds me of the second-stage at Ozzfest--I saw twenty bands there this summer, and I remember four of them. (And while we're on the subject of Ozzfest side-stagers, Thine Eyes guitarist Jeff Phillips was the touring guitarist for Kittie, whose new record you may remember as being a ho-hum pile of shit.) Bassist Johnny "Yes, My Brother Is In Slayer" Araya adds some cool factor, until you read the liners and learn that he didn't play on the record.  Maybe next time... Not to sound like the captain of the pep squad, but I think the band could do better.  If they want to stand out, I think they'll have to. If you like Devildriver or any of the more accessible side of today's extreme metal, then check out Thine Eyes Bleed.  They're probably worth a listen, but this record just isn't anything that Lamb Of God isn't doing better. - JW

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