Music Reviews

Cannibal Corpse - Kill (Metal Blade, 2006)
 
Rating: 9.5/10

It surprises me that there are CANNIBAL CORPSE fans who no longer like the band. From those that have dismissed all the post-Barnes albums, to folks that just think the CORPSE slipped over the last few albums... I just don't get it. Granted, you know what you are going to get with any given CANNIBAL CORPSE album, but then again, that goes for most death metal albums out there. The difference is CANNIBAL CORPSE does it better than just about any other band. To me, this is pretty much the pinnacle of death metal. Fast, clean, heavy, catchy. The musicianship is superb. The band never overplays. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher is one of the best death metal vocalists in the world. He can growl, scream, and you can actually understand what he is saying at least half the time. One of the gripes about Barnes when he first left the band is that he wasn't into singing fast anymore, which as evidenced by the early SIX FEET UNDER output, may have very much been the case, but Fisher does it all. I remember seeing CANNIBAL CORPSE live a few years back on the Gallery of Suicide tour. Fisher could barely speak between songs, his voice was so shot, but man... the fucker could still scream and rage.

Kill continues with the formula we know and love from CANNIBAL CORPSE, but as always, they are making strides in the material. These guys are veterans, and it shows at every turn. Each song has a clear identity. The tempos are varied throughout. The production, courtesy of Erik Rutan, is perfection. CANNIBAL CORPSE have really taken death metal to the most refined stage possible, and to its limits of heaviness without branching off into grindcore. This is the album that, when someone asks, "What is death metal?," would be the perfect thing to play. My wife and I were driving to dinner at a diner (where I had a great Roumanian Steak) and stopped off at the post office. I opened the Metal Blade package and saw Kill inside. Once my wife's bluegrass CD ended, I put the disc in. My wife, far from the death metal fan, was even bobbing her head to the music. Such is the strength of CANNIBAL CORPSE's material... there is no denying music like this. A genre taken to its limits, with not a second of filler on the entire record. Everything has purpose. Every part is there for a reason. Listen to "Five Nails Through the Neck." Odd timing that doesn't feel awkward (appropriately, in five). Insane groove, some of Fisher's sickest vocals, varied parts... if you're a death metal fan and don't "get it," well, maybe you're not really much of a death metal fan after all, because CANNIBAL CORPSE are everything death metal is meant to be, and Kill delivers in every way. - Al Kikuras

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Antigama – Zeroland (Selfmadegod, 2005) 

Rating: 7.5/10

Damn, this is some heavy shit. Poland’s ANTIGAMA crank through some serious grindcore in the short run of Zeroland­only 24 minutes long, with the last track being 9 minutes taken up by samples and weirdness. (Track 4 “Starshit” is similarly nothing but feedback and squealing.) Opener “Seed” gets the party started, and the band doesn’t let up for the next 15 minutes.  The whole thing spins by in a blur of brilliant grind-- blastbeats and dissonance, growled vocals and bulldozer riffs…  ukasz Myszkowski spits and snarls and invokes a gothic flat voice in “The View.”  ANTIGAMA put forth a little more effort than some of their peers in making their music more complex and dissonant, vs. just thrashing away in the same manner as a million other bands. There’s just a shade of progressive tendencies here…
 
Overall, Zeroland isn’t rewriting the book on anything, but you can’t deny the enthusiasm and the intensity in this band, and that’s all there is to it. ANTIGAMA is grindcore done properly, even if there are only 7 short tunes here to prove it. (I’d have given higher marks if it was a longer record.)
 
Polish label Selfmadegod is the home to several killer grind bands like Denver’s CATHETER and the wonderfully named HERMAN RAREBELL, a side project which includes members of ANTIGAMA. Let’s hope the label can keep up this level of quality because this is some killer stuff. - JW

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Artery Eruption - Gouging Out Eyes of Mutilated Infants (Goregiastic, 2006)

Rating: 5/10

I like to think that, for a critic, I have a relatively kind heart. I set out to find the good in each album I hear. I am forgiving when it comes to a band rehashing a formula that has already been done, as long as they do it well. However, even I have my limits, and they have been reached with ARTERY ERUPTION.

To their credit, the band is no worse than any other generic death/grind band, but the other side of that particular shiny nickel is that they are also no better. ARTERY ERUPTION do very little to make themselves stand out from the masses. They can certainly play the stuff, and drummer Darren Williams is certainly a monster behind the kit. I love the fast blast beat over the slow groove part in "Scalped," and he reaches inhuman levels of speed and frenzy, but that just makes me scratch my head and think what the he could be doing with some less generic music. There are an abundance of tempo changes, which one might expect to keep the songs interesting, but the slow groove parts are basically interchangeable... it is nigh impossible to discern one from another. I think the production goes a long way in making Gouging Out Eyes of Mutilated Infants just flash on by. The guitars and drums sound like they were recorded at opposite ends of a huge empty warehouse, especially during the fast blasting parts like the opening of "Stimulation in A Rigormortified Whore." In most of the fast parts, the drums are so high in the mix that they drown out the guitars, so it sounds like you are standing way too close to the drum kit at a live show and, as a result, it doesn't really matter what the guitars are doing for the most part as you can't really make it out.

I can appreciate the dexterity it takes to play this stuff, and I am a fan of the genre, but ARTERY ERUPTION are a bit too by-the-numbers for my taste. If you've heard as much death and grind as I have, you won't find much new here, and the material isn't strong enough to make Gouging Out Eyes of Mutilated Infants worth listening to more than once or twice, other than to hear Williams' performance from a sheer, "Holy shit that guy is fast" perspective. - Al Kikuras

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Bile - Camp Blood (No Escape, 2005)'

Rating: 7.5/10

I am surprised it took this long. With all the gore and horror-drenched death and grind bands prowling about the underground these days, someone finally took their obsession with Friday the 13th to new levels and based a whole album... a whole BAND around the series. With members' names all ending with "Voorhees," an album called Camp Blood, BILE mince no words when it comes to their horror allegiance. For the most part, the material is standard fare... down-tuned, bass-heavy, blasting deathgrind with CARCASS-inspired vocals. There are moments where BILE pull the rug out from under the listener, like the stumbling groove at about a minute in to "Resurrected," and enough to keep the songs from just passing by in the background, even if you have the album on while doing something else (like, errr, writing reviews). What sets BILE apart from many of the bands doing it is the quality of the material. This is good, relatively catchy stuff that is so raw, unprocessed, and unpretentious that you can't help but love it, especially if you are a fan of other acts on the No Escape roster and their brothers in blood on Razorback Records, especially WTN. - Al Kikuras

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Black Angel - From the Darkness (Ketzer, 2005)

Rating: 8.5/10

Ahh, yes. This is a fun one. BLACK ANGEL are, as the name might imply, a black metal act out of Peru, and that stands to reason as From the Darkness is more SARCOFAGO and VULCANO and those other "O" bands than it is MARDUK. Great old-school riffing that would sit comfortably along classic releases from the aforementioned bands, as well as old SODOM and KREATOR, and vocals that just make you want to vomit when you hear them are the formula that is guaranteed to have fans of prototypical black metal, as well as the new school, banging their fists with fury. Considering BLACK ANGEL was formed in 1988, the sound makes sense. It is a shame it took 17 years to get an album out, as had this been released at the same time as INRI or Bloody Vengeance, it would certainly rank among them as an all-time classic from South America. What sets BLACK ANGEL apart from other bands making the rounds today is they worship at the altar of the almighty RIFF. It is not about playing fast, or how many BPMs the drummer can hit, or just producing a big wall of noise. BLACK ANGEL is here to make you bang your head and slit your wrists, then spray the blood all over the living room, the cat, the couch... you get the idea. Old school fans looking for the genuine article, rejoice, because From the Darkness is the real deal. If you missed the boat on the bands that made the current black metal heretics do what they do, here is a chance to pick up what could have been a classic (and certainly qualifies) without having to hunt down vinyl or settling for a crappy bootleg of one of the milestones of the genre. - Al Kikuras

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Bloodchurn - Ravenous Consumption (Unmatched Brutality, 2005)

Rating: 3/10

Death Metal’s young breed from the muddy Mississippi, BLOODCHURN, is a rather unfortunate band. Yes, they manage to possess one of the best Death Metal album covers ever put on an album booklet; what’s not to love about a cannibalistic skinny bald guy with blood splattered on his mouth and chin after eating most of his left arm, along with the fingers of his right hand? Additionally, the band logo is rather sick, and ranks as one of those indecipherable Death Metal logos of all-time. This is one kick ass album cover!

Unfortunately, that’s the only great thing about BLOODCHURN’s debut album, Ravenous Consumption. Is the music brutal? Absolutely! However, just because something is unbelievably brutal doesn’t make it enjoyable to listen to. The first thing that ruins BLOODCHURN is the production and mistuning. In the right speaker, you hear very low-tuned and distorted vocal, guitar and bass work. However, the drumming is heard in the left speaker, and the tune of the drums in no way fits in with the guitar, bass and vocal work. Moreover, the production is so poor that the last half of the blast beat handled by drummer Josh Ross fades out throughout the chorus part of "Skulldrug", along with a change in tune of the drums.

Then there’s the music, which doesn’t really stick out much at all. In fact, most of the songs sound the exact same, as one could listen to the album subconsciously and not even notice the progression from one track to the other. BLOODCHURN simply doesn’t offer anything to the Death Metal listener that the listener hasn’t already heard. To be fair, the album’s highlight lies in "Dying Breed", which starts off with a unique guitar doodle, and is probably the only track that the listener can stomach from start to finish. Furthermore, album closer "Gouge Your Eyes Out" opens up with a hooky riff. If there’s a Death Metal fan out there reading this that craves repetitive and annoying brutality without the consolation of anything new and fresh, then definitely give this album a listen! Otherwise, the album is full of boring, repetitive brutality with a few good riffs in the songs here and there, but there’s nothing to really write home about.

I really did want to love BLOODCHURN! Unfortunately, their music isn’t as great and enjoyable as their attention-raping album cover and band logo. Their album cover is definitely the Death Metal album cover of the year, but the music is something that can be ignored, and nothing will have been missed with the ignorance. For what its worth, BLOODCHURN consists of Ricky Setzer (Vocals), Zach Notter (Bass), Josh Ross (Drums) and the dual brutal Guitar attack of Bobby Childers and Charlie Hart. - Dave Larmore

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Catheter – Dimension 303 (Selfmadegod, 2005)

Rating: 8/10

Between CATHETER, ANTIGAMA, and WOJCZECH, all three of which I got this month to review, Selfmadegod is establishing itself as my new place to turn for some kick-ass grindcore.  Dimension 303 is the Denver-based CATHETER’s follow-up to Preamble To Oblivion.  Here they blast through a frightful 28 tracks of ROTTEN SOUND-styled chaos, starting with the deafening title track and not slowing down until the twin doomy intros to “Miserable Existence” and “Wasted Time.” For the most part, there’s not a lot of variety from song to song here, but that’s what grindcore fans expect, and unlike some similar bands, the whole thing isn’t a mess of noise­there’s just enough method to the madness to keep the ears interested… The bass tone is dirty as hell, and the guitars buzz by like a horde of pissed-off bees, and the whole thing has an underproduced sludgy vibe to it that totally works for what it is. My personal favorite track “Realize” incorporates a cool hardcore edge and a stuttering riff that takes it down a notch before kicking back in with the grinding…   There’s not much more to say about CATHETER except: if you dig grindcore, check ‘em out, because they’re well worth it. - JW

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Caveat – Caveat EP  (Scarab Metal Productions, 2005) 

Rating: 7/10

Canada’s CAVEAT inhabit the middle ground between progressive, death, thrash, and nu-metal, approximating the schizophrenic genre-jumping sounds of FAITH NO MORE or SYSTEM OF A DOWN.  All in all, Caveat (the EP) is an interesting mix of styles, and totally listenable, especially considering the breadth of its influences. To imagine it, simply take the foundation of underrated progressive bands like KING’S X and transpose their approach into that of extreme metal. Like SYSTEM OF A DOWN, CAVEAT sports multiple vocalists (here there are three), and like KING’S X, they use harmony and melody not to soften the music, but to emphasize its true heaviness and musicality.  Third track “State Of Grace” is the best of the five contained here, starting out with a funky FAITH NO MORE riff, then kicking into a melodic chorus complete with a death growl backing vocal, and then back again before kicking into a complex instrumental breakdown that ends the song.  “Immortalized” skirts nu-metal territory, with its mixture of Mike Patton-derived melodic vocals and a punchy chorus. These guys are a damn fine band, exceptional musicians and arrangers, and the Caveat EP is a very solid release, stopping the gap between their first album (2004’s The Biggest Secret) and the next, which hopefully will be coming soon. - JW

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Craft - Fuck the Universe (Southern Lord, 2004)

Rating: 9/10

CRAFT have stretched the boundaries of black metal with Fuck the Universe, creating a new mood and sound that hold to the standard elements of the genre, but also pushes the envelope in dissonance and all-around headfuckery. CRAFT's uniqueness does not come from bringing elements of other genres into their black metal, but rather by just tweaking the base characteristics enough that everything sounds, well... off, in the best way. Much like VOIVOD's approach to thrash and metal, CRAFT are doing something entirely their own. One of the few bands I can think of in a similar direction is HIDDEN, though CRAFT have a much more evenly-keeled production. Fuck the Universe is, undeniably, black metal, but is also so much more without ever abandoning the black metal sound. Some songs, such as "Thorns in the Planet's Side," are about establishing and maintaining a disturbing mood throughout, which holds true for most of the album, but just when you think there aren't hooks in the music, the title track comes crashing down with, a catchy chorus and hummable guitar parts that are no less bizarre. CRAFT have a remarkable release here that is deserving of a place among the annals of extreme metal as a truly unique album deserving of praise for years to come. - Al Kikuras

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Darkness Eternal - Misanthropic Annihilation (Autopsy Kitchen, 2005)

Rating: 8.5/10

I have long lauded the skills of DARKNESS ETERNAL mastemind (and sole member), George Velaetis, and shall continue to do so as long as he keeps releasing material of this caliber. On Misanthropic Annihilation, the man turns in more solid performances on each and every instrument than many bands comprising of a full lineup. We all know that scenario... a guy that can play guitar fairly well decides he doesn't need anyone else and can bash the drums good enough that he figures no one will notice or, even worse, gets a $100 drum machine used at some local music shop and programs it to play faster than any human being could ever hope to play. Such is not the case with DARKNESS ETERNAL. Quite the opposite, actually. Not since the sadly-overlooked BLOODSHED DIVINE has a one-man band turned out material this consistently good and solid. Velaetis has a gift for writing creepy, dark death metal in the vein of INCANTATION, though more polished and not quite as chaotic, with a little of VOIVOD's quirkiness thrown in for good measure. The project is not a showcase for his virtuosity on any instrument. Rather, Velaetis concentrates on writing good material, and the result is an album that delivers with each listen and has yet to grow tiresome. Velaetis and DARKNESS ETERNAL are a powerful force in death metal, and proof that there is still quality material still coming out of the underground. - Al Kikuras

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Destruction - Inventor of Evil (Candlelight, 2006)

9/10

I have been very impressed with DESTRUCTION's so-called "comeback" albums (2000's All Hell Breaks Loose, 2001's The Antichrist, 2003's Metal Discharge, and now with Inventor of Evil). They have shown us a diversity of style, tight song writing, surgical musicianship, and they've just been plain old catchy and fun as hell.

Inventor of Evil may be the best of the bunch. As soon as the first song kicks in, you get the familiar DESTRUCTION sound and feel. The song writing still sounds fresh after all these years, without loosing that classic 80's thrash sound. This is a band that doesn't compromise, because they are a band that doesn't need to compromise.

If you feel like I do, that today's pseudo-nu-thrash metal bands are good, but kinda miss the mark, then you'll appreciate Inventor of Evil. It reminds me about all that's great about thrash metal, and today's new thrash bands, while they are getting some respect and MTV2 airplay, could learn a lot about what it means to be true thrash metal.

The songs are heavy, fast, ridiculously over the top, and catchy. The band seems to have found a second wind, and I hope this is an album that gets discovered by today's metal fans new and old.

We've had a lot of great old school thrash bands coming back at us with great new albums (KREATOR and EXODUS immediately come to mind), and it's great see. Add DESTRUCTION and Inventor of Evil to that list. All hail thrash!!! - Piston Rod

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Dismember - The God That Never Was (Candlelight, 2006)

Rating: 9/10

I am a very ceremonious pooper. When I have what I like to call my "morning constitutional," I like to get it done all at once, so I wait until I REALLY have to go. I take my mail for the day, a back up book or a few CDs to look through, and slap an album into my ancient, but reliable SONY boom box with detachable speakers and crank it up so I can listen to music while I jettison. I really like for all of these elements to be in place when I see a man about a brown bear.

Today, I put on the promo of DISMEMBER's The God That Never Was, hit play, and headed to the can. The opening riff of "Shadows of the Mutilated" came blaring out of the speakers as I sat on the throne. Then the drums hit and the music stopped. I let out an audible groan of disappointment, thinking the CD was scratched. Then it started again and I relaxed. Then it stopped again. "What the fuck," I thought. Then I realized... the CD was skipping. The music was so bombastic that it was shaking the shelf that I have my stereo on and causing the disc to skip. "This," I thought, "is a good sign," and I was right. The God That Never Was is a crushingly heavy death metal release from true masters of the genre. The "Old School" that still know how to tear your head clean from the body.

DISMEMBER have found the perfect blend between the classic Scandinavian death metal sound they are partially responsible for creating and the more melodic leanings of their later releases, like MASSIVE KILLING CAPACITY. This is not a return to form... it is the perfection of a formula, incorporating all of what DISMEMBER has shown us thus far into a cohesive whole. Even MURDER SQUAD, the side-project of some DISMEMBER members, rears its rotten, ugly head with "Blood For Paradise," an AUTOPSY-inspired slab of gore. DISMEMBER are one of the few bands from the olden-days that never left... always putting out quality material, so to say that The God That Never Was is a "return to form" would be to do DISMEMBER a disservice, but it is an excellent release that rivals anything the band has done thus far, even going all the way back to Like An Everflowing Stream, which many consider to be the biggest jewel in their crown. - Al Kikuras

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Early Man – Closing In (Matador, 2005)

Rating: 9/10

Just when the nay Sayers (and even metal fans themselves) believe that they’ve heard it all regarding metal riffs, the New York duo known as EARLY MAN issues their debut album. EARLY MAN have managed to assault listeners with riffs that are fresh and play an old school style of metal... and both are certainly a rarity today amongst the flood of mostly mediocre metal emerging today. Their influences are very obvious, as EARLY MAN sounds exactly like the New Wave of British Heavy Metal that breast fed a young Dave Mustaine, James Hetfield and Scott Ian. EARLY MAN is the perfect mixture of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, early METALLICA and BLACK SABBATH, and Closing In is a nearly flawless record.

The album opens up with "Four Walls", which warms up brief with a mid-tempo riff, and then kicks in the listener’s teeth with a riff straight from the nastiest streets of New York. The riffing in this song would make both MOTORHEAD and METALLICA proud. The vocal style is clean and in a high tone, as the voice may fit well with KYUSS. "War Eagle" sounds like something straight off Kill ‘Em All, especially with the opening riff. Unfortunately, "War Eagle" leaves a lot to be desired in the vocal department, as Mike Conte sounds like a female pop star from the 80s, but pulls off a Rob Halford-like scream in the chorus. A short but untypical (which is good) guitar solo enters midway through the song, thus making "War Eagle" a gem… if the listener can tolerate the vocals, that is. The album’s single, "Death is the Answer", sounds like something straight off Master of Reality. If Mike Conte can write a tune like "Death is the Answer", maybe he should drag Ozzy Osbourne and Co.’s ass to the recording studio and s erve as a ghost writer for a new BLACK SABBATH album. The majority of the vocal work on "Death is the Answer" sounds exactly like Ozzy, especially the first utterance of the track title before the riffing begins. "Death is the Answer" starts off as a lost SABBATH song, but switches back to the in your face riffing style and tempo that EARLY MAN have identified themselves with. The only part of "Death is the Answer" that doesn’t fit is towards the later half, when Conte incorporates the high 80s pop voice. "Feeding Frenzy" contains the heaviest riff on the record, as it never lets up. "Feeding Frenzy" itself sounds like something that MOTORHEAD should have wrote in the late 70s, and may be Conte’s highlight, regarding his vocal performance. "Thrill of the Kill" is fairly slow, and sounds like something that DOWN and/or THIN LIZZY could have penned. For a slow number, EARLY MAN sure does pull off "Thrill of the Kill", on a record full of riff-o-rama. "Like A Goddamn Rat" takes a direct QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE influence, and the vocals are barely tolerable. Nonetheless, fairly amusing chorus, and the music itself isn’t that bad.

The last half of the record starts off with "Fist Shaker", with the track being just as the title suggests: a fist shaker. "Fist Shaker" could have easily been on an old school JUDAS PRIEST record. "Evil is", again, is another track that could have definitely appeared on Kill ‘Em All. Conte’s vocal performance slightly mirrors that of the old James Hetfield style, which was largely influenced by the style of Conrad "Cronos" Lant. "Brain Sick" is quite different from the rest of the riff-o-rama tracks on Closing In, and seems like a filler song, to be perfectly honest. "Contra", however, sounds like a B-Side from Ride The Lightning… especially the production value of the song. Conte, however, chooses a rather peculiar vocal style for "Contra"… like a Dave Mustaine emerging from a seven-day heroine binge. However, Conte has obviously proved to the listeners of Closing In that he’s not exactly the best singer. The album closes with "Raped and Pillaged", and the song is a proper closer. The riffing is rather different on "Raped and Pillaged", as the riffing isn’t a full throttle kick to the breadbasket. "Raped and Pillaged" is rather slow in tempo, and that’s to be expected with a title as such.

In the end, Closing In is a great record for those in search for an old school metal album from the new generation. Many have questioned if a band from the new generation of metal could put out an album in the style of the old school. The answer to the question is a resounding yes, as Closing In is a direct throwback to metal’s glory days. The highlights of Closing In are certainly "Four Walls", "Feeding Frenzy" and "Death is the Answer". Perhaps the fact that the recording line-up of EARLY MAN is a duo is more interesting than the fact that a new generation metal band can put out an old school record. Hopefully, EARLY MAN will keep up with bringing back the old school style of metal, and not change their style after receiving accolades. EARLY MAN is the New York duo consisting of Mike Conte (Vocals, Guitar, Bass) and Adam Bennati (Drums), with Matt Sweeney offering the services of additional guitar work here and there. - Dave Larmore

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Ed Gein – Judas Goats & Dieseleaters (Metal Blade, 2005) 

Rating: 7.5/10

According to the bio, a “Judas goat” is an older animal at a slaughterhouse, trained to lead the other animals into slaughter, and a “dieseleater” is a reference to a tractor trailer, which are described as “noisy, un-economical, polluting and mass-consuming.” So from the title of this record, one can infer the opinions of ED GEIN toward their fellow men. Ferocious, cynical, noisy grinding hardcore is the name of the game here, with tracks like “Small Towns, Small Minds,” “The Wool Is Pulled,” and “Christianity As Foreign Policy” spitting hatred toward everyone from the government to Confederate-flag-waving racists.
 
There are three guys in this band, and they make an unholy racket­its intensity is undeniable, although my interest begins to wane over the length of the record, which is the only reason it didn't get a higher score. So pick this up if you’re a fan of cynical thrashcore that veers between PIG DESTROYER and THE RED CHORD. Stick around ‘til the end of the record for the faithful (but still brutal) cover of NIRVANA’s “Breed” tacked on as a hidden track. (After the song, be sure to skip over the endless sound effects that follow­dogs barking, cars passing, mumbling, crickets, whatever…  Lasts about 13 minutes…)
 
Not to get political, but I'll close by quoting the entire lyric of “A Conflict Of Interest”: “Government and big business should not mix. Go back to running Harkin into the ground and take that Halliburton piece of shit with you.” Now that's righteous anger… - JW

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Epoch Of Unlight - The Continuum Hypothesis (The End Records, 2005)

Rating: 3/10

EPOCH OF UNLIGHT’s fourth offering, The Continuum Hypothesis, unfortunately doesn’t stick out at all. The death metal/grind core recorded here is too generic and predictable, as it unfortunately sounds like anything else that’s out there, regarding the new metal that’s emerging nowadays.

The album opens up with the title track, which sounds like something that ASESINO half-assedly came up with while on a three-day marijuana and tequila binge. The title track is decent, but fairly boring and unoriginal. At this point, vocalist sounds like he’s taken vocal tips from Maldito X (vocalist/bassist for ASESINO). The ASESINO inspiration (whether intentional or accidental) continues on "Under Starside Skies", which actually has an original and good breakdown of riffage at the one minute and 34 second mark that lasts a good eleven seconds. The riffage is repeated a time or two in the song, and that’s the only part of the song that even remotely stands out; consider "Under Starside Skies" the highlight of the album. "Argentum Era Secut Duos" begins as a downer, but then rips straight into the death metal and grind core tempo and riffing… and a black metal influence (in the vein of DARK THRONE and SATYRICON) is incorporated. "Cardinality" doesn’t sound much different from "Under Starside Skies" or th e title track, in exception for the fast melodic black metal guitar picking at the beginning.

"Highgate" seemingly changes the mood of the album, and could contain the sole sound of originality offered by EPOCH OF UNLIGHT... at least in the first few seconds of the song, with the PINK FLOYD-inspired mellow guitar picking. The typical grinding emerges from the foreclosure of the mellow guitar picking for the rest of the song, and is nothing to write home about. "The End of All" was potentially the album’s other highlight, as it starts off in a (nowadays) NAPALM DEATH fashion… but then degenerates to a black metal/grind core track that will put a listener to sleep. "Broken Pendulum" is very similar to "Argentum Era Secut Duos", and "Aberrant Shadows" is fast grind core filler utter crap. Again, "Quicksilver To Ash" is another track that starts off very interesting in the first few seconds, but then degenerates to a boring grind core track. The opening riffing to "Quicksilver To Ash" slithers along the lines of power metal, but easily takes a detour down the boring grind core highway 68.3. "Denubrum" is another track that ASESINO could have shit out during a three-day marijuana and tequila binge. The album finally concludes with "The Scarlet Thread", which opens up with a great drum roll. Unfortunately, the great drum roll is the only highlight of the song.

Perhaps some may view EPOCH OF UNLIGHT as undiscovered geniuses in the genre of grind core. One might argue that EPOCH OF UNLIGHT are simply taking a blueprint of the typical grind core, and simply adding a touch of blueprint death metal and black metal. Other than the couple of interesting riffs and drum rolls previously mentioned, The Continuum Hypothesis offers nothing new or exciting to the listener. Again, in the interest of fairness, "Under Starside Skies" is the highlight of The Continuum Hypothesis. The recording line-up of EPOCH OF UNLIGHT for The Continuum Hypothesis consists of BJ Cook (Vocals), Joe Totty (Bass), Tino LoSicco (Drums) and Josh Braddock (Guitars). - Dave Larmore

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Flowing Tears - Razorbliss (Magick, 2005)

Rating: 0/10

Ten reasons why someone would purchase Razorbliss:

10. He/she is a big-time LACUNA COIL fan.

9. He/she has very poor taste in music.

8. He/she wants to extract horrible revenge on a former significant other.

7. He/she liked the vocalist’s tits in promotional photographs.

6. He/she is a lonely Goth.

5. He/she likes EVANESCENCE, which coincides with #6 and #10.

4. He/she likes the worst possible material from STATIC-X.

3. He/she loves techno, for some odd reason.

2. He/she doesn’t know what real metal sounds like.

1. He/she was looking for the third STRAPPING YOUNG LAD record at a record store, but was unluckily very trashed/stoned beyond repair and severely confused the album covers of Razorbliss and SYL.

With that being said, the only thing that could be said about the sixth album from the goth/techno poor-excuse-for-a -metal band FLOWING TEARS is that Razorbliss is a waste of perfectly good paper and compact disc. As if EVANESCENCE and LACUNA COIL weren’t bad enough, FLOWING TEARS emerges to offer yet another boring, depressive slab of goth/techno metal that the hot topic kids would eat up. Razorbliss is what would happen if Marty Friedman and Dave Ellefson were able to write MEGADETH’s follow-up to the controversial Risk album. Razorbliss doesn’t contain a single highlight, and the listener won’t want to go beyond listening to the first two tracks… unless he/she qualifies in either one of the aforementioned 10 circumstances. Along with new vocalist Helen Vogt, FLOWING TEARS consists of Benjamin Buss (Guitars), Stefan Gamballa (Drums) and Frederic Lesny (Bass). - Dave Larmore

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Funerot - Invasion from the Death Dimension (Razorback, 2006)

Rating: 8/10

This was not at all what I expected. I love Razorback. When it comes to what they do, I "get it," so even while I may know how an album is going to sound before I even hear it, I can pretty much rest assured that I will enjoy it. With FUNEROT, all the arrows pointed to another thrash-soaked splatter platter of death grind, tongue planted firmly in cheek. Instead, Invasion from the Death Dimension is a straight-up thrash album, more akin to the "B-level" thrash bands that never really made it, like DEVASTATION, RIGOR MORTIS and HIRAX than the death metal greats CARCASS and IMPETIGO, who set the standard for many a Razorback band.

FUNEROT stick to the books for the most party, playing fast and catchy. Vocally, this reminds me of EVILDEAD. In fact, FUNEROT's entire gig calls to the oft-overlooked L.A. thrash band, with a heavy dose of hardcore a la latter-day D.R.I.. If you are a thrash fan who is sick of the current squeaky-clean thrash that bands are churning out, FUNEROT will certainly satiate your hunger for the genuine article: unpolished thrash laden with attitude. The riffs are excellent, the solos rage, and there are even distorted bass solos a la PUNGENT STENCH's For God Your Soul... For Me Your Flesh. Invasion from the Death Dimension is not an album that would have changed the world if released at thrash metal's peak, but rather would have sat among releases like GOTHIC SLAM's Killer Instinct, GAMMACIDE's Victims Of Science, and AT WAR's Retaliatory Strike as great albums that never managed to break through the surface to much more than underground notoriety. - Al Kikuras

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Grimfist – 10 Steps To Hell (Candlelight, 2005) 

Rating: 9.5/10

Energy is what has always separated great bands from lesser bands, from the dawn of music until now. And energy is what GRIMFIST has in spades.  Falling squarely in the middle ground between black metal, death metal, and traditional metal, GRIMFIST rock like hell. Vocalist Frediablo shouts, growls, and croons; Ole Walaunet's guitar tone is perfect; new drummer Christian Svendsen (replacing former IMMORTAL basher Horgh) is machine precise. 
 
Tracks like “Breed Apart” mine the stomping American metal sounds of PANTERA and disperse black metal flourishes throughout, and “Unborn” pulls the classic metal trick of a soft acoustic intro before the hammer falls and all hell rains down.  (That particular track has a kick-ass main riff before dropping into a grooving verse where Frediablo backs his death growl with clean vocals and a gothic melody that recalls PARADISE LOST.  Then Walaunet comes in with IRON MAIDEN melodic leads, and I start drooling… The whole record is like this: a mishmash of everything I love about metal, done perfectly from start to finish.)  “Reap The Fire” rides a fucking brilliant intro riff into a thrashing staccato verse, the combination of which any number of bands channeling vintage METALLICA would kill for. Then the whole thing breaks down into an atmospheric bridge with samples of laughing children and creepy keyboards, and then right back into the fire with a pure black metal blastbeats-strings-and-screaming bit and then a slow death metal mosh part...  (My personal favorite track here is “The Ashes Of The Gods” with its KREATOR-like pure Teutonic thrash.  Completely untouchable.)  The mixture of styles and the ease with which they switch between them remind me of the almighty SOILENT GREEN, and that swampy stoner edge that SOILENT wields so effectively even creeps in from time to time.  In short, 10 Steps To Hell is like an amalgam of every band that Phil Anselmo has ever put forth­from the thrash of PANTERA to the pummeling monstrosity of SUPERJOINT RITUAL to the stoner rock of DOWN to the bleak blackness of VIKING CROWN (which admittedly pretty much sucked, but you get the point)…
 
There isn't a single damn thing wrong with this record, EXCEPT that my copy fades out and back in again about every three minutes. It's like listening to an 8-track tape, for those of you old enough to remember doing so. (I'm assuming this is Candlelight's way of preventing me from ripping MP3s and distributing the record myself.  If so, there are better ways to do it that don't disrupt the flow of the music.) Whatever, though.  Fuck it.  This is a great record, and I guess it worked in Candlelight's favor because I'm going out tomorrow to pick up a copy that doesn't fade in and out. - JW

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Insidious Decrepancy – The Inerrancy Of Profanation (Unmatched Brutality, 2005)                             

Rating: 8/10

I got this CD, and I opened up the packaging, and on the inside, there's a photo of this skinny little dude with glasses giving the metal horns, and I immediately thought, “What a dork.  This will suck.” I'm man enough to admit I was wrong. Texas' one-man brutal death machine INSIDIOUS DECREPANCY is back with his second release for Unmatched Brutality.  The mastermind behind the band, Shawn Whitaker, performs all instruments and vocals here­in fact, the only thing he's not responsible for is the lyrics and the verbose, cliched, almost Norwegian song titles.  (Case in point: “Surreptitious Misanthropy Voraciously Consuming Rationality Thus Invoking Dormant Sociopathic Desirest.” What the fuck?) Lyrically, The Inerrancy Of Profanation deals with the typical death metal fare of gore and anti-Christian sentiment (and sometimes both at once).  There's nothing new there, but since you can't understand Whitaker's vocals, it's easily ignored.  What INSIDIOUS DECREPANCY does well is shred: brutal mid-paced riffs interspersed with tremolo-picked fast bits that are accented by the mechanical quality of the programmed drums.  Like most death metal, it falls somewhere between MORTICIAN and INCANTATION… This disc is also very similar to the one that I got from INGURGITATING OBLIVION a few months back. I dig MORTICIAN and INCANTATION; I dig INGURGITATING OBLIVION; and I dig this. - JW

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Kill By Numbers – We Held Hands And Counted The Dead (Deus Mortuus, 2005)

Rating: 7/10

KILL BY NUMBERS is a brutal death metal band, but with a simplicity that begets a looser feel than most bands of that style. These guys seem to have a more punk approach to brutality­chugging midtempo breakdowns; thirty-second song blasts; less-precise riffing, blastbeating, and complexity than a NILE or MORBID ANGEL.  The guitars have a cool grindcore edge to them, and overall the disc is well-done and engaging, but yet nothing that really knocked me down. Vocalist Jessika (who appears to be male in the photo, despite the name) grunts like Nergal and then shrieks like a metalcore kid, flipping back and forth effortlessly between the two voices. The whole record is listenable and entertaining, but doesn't really leave much of an impression in the long run.  These guys are still young though, and there's plenty of time for growth. Nothing bad here at all, but nothing that really left a lasting impression, either. - JW

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Killing Spree – Deception Betrayal Revenge (What’s My Cut? Productions, 2005)

Rating: 9.4/10

When someone names their band KILLING SPREE, they’ve got to be a pretty good heavy band, right? Fortunately, the answer to this question is a resounding bold yes. Being promoted as "California’s favorite thrash band," KILLING SPREE issues their debut release, which followed a critically acclaimed 4-song EP (Motive).  Featuring two members from FIFTY LASHES, KILLING SPREE is a perfect blend of SLAYER, old school ANTHRAX, early CLUTCH and the last album (Time Bomb) from DEMOLITION HAMMER. Despite the blending together of the aforementioned band, KILLING SPREE still possesses an original and distinct sound, which is hard to find nowadays on the metal circuit.

The album begins with "King of Sand," which proceeds with a nice mid-80s similar riff, only after the annoying ringing of guitarist James Murray first plugging in his guitar. The song then establishes itself as a successful mixture of thrash and death metal, and features an appropriate guitar solo. While the music thus far is a mix of death and thrash metal, a death metal vocal style is absent here, as vocalist/bassist Eric Hansen opts for a clean vocal style in the vain of Tom Araya (SLAYER), Joey Belladonna (ANTHRAX) and Steve Sousa (formerly of EXODUS and LEGACY). The music to "King of Sand" would make a perfect SLAYER song for the band’s upcoming release, if SLAYER were intending for a throwback to their glory days. "Garden of Heathen" is another track molding together thrash and death metal, which works efficiently enough to establish a distinct sound for KILLING SPREE. In the first few seconds of the song, Eric Hansen unleashes a scream over the chugging guitar riff that would make JUDAS PRIEST prou d, and chooses a JUDAS PRIEST vocal style to carry the rest of the song. In the middle of the song, a brief bass solo is featured, which is fittingly followed by a short but sweet guitar solo. "Garden of Heathen" is definitely an old school metal song, as either JUDAS PRIEST or ICED EARTH could have claimed authorship of this song. "Infection" is a track could have easily been left on the cutting room floor of the recording sessions for Among the Living (an ANTHRAX album, for those still not paying attention), especially considering the obvious Joey Belladonna vocal influence. Furthermore, the guitar and bass riffing style is very similar to the playing styles of both Scott Ian and Frank Bello, resulting in "Infection" being one of the album’s highlights. "Devilution" is a track that could pass as a song left on the cutting room floor of the recording sessions for Divine Intervention (a SLAYER album, for those not paying attention), with the sudden rapid riffing and tempo. "Power of Hate" starts off with a s trong riff, but the two MACHINE HEAD nu-metal guitar doodles (lasting about ten seconds each) before the chorus repetitions ruins the song’s potential. The song has a great riff to it and a cool vocal style, but the MACHINE HEAD influence is a debauchery, considering how well the album has been prior to "Power of Hate."

"Killing Spree" fortunately shifts the last half of the album back to the classic thrash style that’s evident before "Power of Hate," and keeps a mid-tempo throughout. "Disgrace" is relatively fast in tempo, and thus renders itself as one of the album’s highlights. However, the thrash style ends with "Disgrace", as "The Cleansing" adapts to a very mid-tempo song structure. Additionally, "The Cleansing" is the only song to start off with a bass line and possesses doom elements to it. As a result, THE OBSESSED could have easily authored "The Cleansing." "Hollow Structure", on the other hand, has a CORROSION OF CONFORMITY (Blind and Deliverance-eras) and CLUTCH feel to it, and remains mid-tempo. "The Cleansing" and "Hollow Structure" are certainly a change in pace for the album, when considering the obvious thrash elements employed on a majority of the album. The album closer, "Big Bang", starts off (and concludes) with a voice over, and then is carried out in a BIOHAZARD instrumental fashion, with the bass line being very audible.

Deception Betrayal Revenge also features two bonus tracks, which come from the previously mentioned EP (Motive). The first of the two, "Going Nowhere", opens in a dirge-like manner… only to shift towards an upbeat and very fast tempo. Eric Hansen employs a very high vocal style to the song, and it works successfully. Moreover, "Going Nowhere" may be the best representation of Mike Taylor’s reliable drumming, features a short but very sweet guitar solo and sounds very similar to THE UNBAND (who most might remember as supplying the opening and closing song to the movie Super Troopers). The opening riff to "After The End" is an ugly full-throttle thrash metal assault (similar to that of SEPULTURA), as the riff hooks in the listener immediately. The song remains relatively fast, and Hansen sings at his highest and most juvenile.

In the end, Deception Betrayal Revenge is nearly flawless, as "Power of Hate" is the only song that holds the album back from old school metal perfection. KILLING SPREE, the band formerly known as FLUSH, have a very distinct sound and are one of those bands keeping the spirit of underground metal alive. Only more great things can come from KILLING SPREE, and they are certainly a band that underground metal fans should be keeping a very close eye on. Deception Betrayal Revenge is well worth listening to, especially for "Disgrace", "King of Sand" and "Infection." KILLING SPREE are an old-school metal trio consisting of Eric Hansen (Vocals, Bass), James Murray (Guitar) and Mike Taylor (Drums). - Dave Larmore

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Lord Belial – The Seal Of Belial (Candlelight, 2005) 

Rating: 8.5/10

In a scene choked through with boring bands recreating endlessly the innovations of DARKTHRONE, EMPEROR, BURZUM, et al, it's always good to hear a black metal band that sets themselves apart from the pack, either through some new approach or just simply through making a quality record that may be derivative as hell but at least isn't a diminished replica of a dozen records before it.  LORD BELIAL fall into the latter category­not as groundbreaking as a BLUT AUS NORD, but certainly not to be dismissed. There's a quality of musicianship and songwriting that sets them apart a bit from the faceless horde of corpsepainted wannabes. LORD BELIAL's particular brand of hatred is a more melodic, more accessible one than that of most of their peers.
 
Finally getting a US launch after its European release in 2004, The Seal Of Belial is a solid record, from start to finish, with a classic metal feel mixed with the odd dissonant chord and the expected tempo changes and rasping vocals. Some of these riffs remind me of a modern MERCYFUL FATE (even more so than most black metal), and the guitar solos are crisp, tasteful, and downright melodic. (The presence of longtime KING DIAMOND compatriot and underrated guitar wizard Andy LaRocque in the producer's chair certainly accents both of these traits.)  But this isn't a retro record, either­just listen to the intro to “Abysmal Hate” for the best example of LORD BELIAL's mix of modern spite and classic melodicism. The whole mix is more black metal than the melodic thrash scene (ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES, etc.), but not so much so that The Seal Of Belial isn't as accessible as records by those bands.
 
Elegantly mixing the classic approach of European metal with the modern black metal scene, LORD BELIAL have created a good set of songs and a solid release. - JW

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