Deathwitch | Entombed | Bolt Thrower | Eyes See Red | Subvertor | Le'rue Delashay | Em Sinfonia | Napalm Death | Engine | Ritual | Enthroned | Abhorrence | Dimmu Borgir/Old Man's Child | Sathanas | Monolith | Endless | Novembers Doom | Sinergy | In Extremo | Peace Revolver | Vukodlak
Rating: 10/10
Tracks: Century of Lies, Unspeakable Terror, Psychological Autopsy, Demonic Embrace, Mens Rea, Whore of the Undead, Tunnel Rats, Wretched of the Earth
My first experience with Pessimist was seeing them live in NYC when they opened for the Death Across America Tour. Plagued by sound problems, it was hard to judge their performance but I knew the potential was there beneath all of the technical fuckups. I had no idea they were THIS frightening!
Blood for the Gods is an insanely technical, dark, brutal slab of death metal. The vocals range from a Joe Ptacek gurgle (Bowels of Repugnance era) up through Glen Benton-ish screams and hit just about every roaring range inbetween. What really puts Blood for the Gods over the top is the intensity. This fucking animal does not let up for a single second. The production is perfect. Each instrument can be heard clearly, with the exception of the bass and guitars ocassionaly merging into one big wall of sound. It works though. Not for a second do the vocals overpower the music.
What else is there to be said? This is death metal at its absolute peak. All of the elements are here. Pessimist are currently at the top of the heap along with Immolation, Malamor and Internal Bleeding when it comes to traditional death metal. Everyone else get on your knees and pay homage. - Al Kikuras
Deathwitch - Monumental Possession (Necropolis, '99)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: song titles not included on promo release
Despite their long and prolific history in the underground, this is my first exposure to Deathwitch. I am pleased. Detractors pegged the band as a typical retro act, and while there are elements of the old school to be found in Deathwitch's death/thrash hybrid, to write them off so quickly would be a shame as the musicianship is up to par with the best of today's death and black metal bands. The vocals are chaotic and very convincing, the drums are blurringly fast and the riffs are memorable. I find myself liking this one more and more with each listen. Despite the fact that nothing new is presented, the material is heavy and enjoyable and they've got the sound to back it up. Sometimes that is enough. - Al Kikuras
Entombed - Monkey Puss (Live in London) (Earache, '99)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Fugitive, Attempt At Resistance, Locked Memories, Tenia Living Dead, Stranger Aeons, Crawl, But Life Goes On, Sinners Bleed, Evilyn, The Truth
Beyond, Drowned, Left Hand Path
Let it be known. I am not a fan of the path Entombed took after Clandestine. While I know many praise it, the bluesy-rock road they traveled left me cold. I yearned for the older days when Entombed's music was hauntingly atmospheric yet still heavy and brutal. Monkey Puss comes as a blessing as it is evidence that, in their prime, Entombed could deliver the goods in the live
situation as adeptly as they did on vinyl.
The classics are here... "Crawl," "But Life Goes On," "Living Dead," "Revel In Flesh," "Drowned..." all the greats! The only blaring omission in my opinion is "Bitter Loss," but that can be overlooked in light of the fact that each of the 10 tracks on this disc are absolute beasts. There is not a second where the intensity faults and at the end you are left gasping for breath and feeling
like you just spent the last 47 minutes sweating and banging with the hogs in the front of the stage. - Al Kikuras
Bolt Thrower - Who Dares Wins (Earache, '99)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: Cenotaph, Destructive Infinity, Prophet of Hatred, Realm of Chaos (live), Spearhead (extended remix), Crown of Life, Dying Creed, Lament, World Eater '94, Overlord
This is a great one for Bolt Thrower fans. Rare tracks, a non-techno remix, and a live song. No surprises here, but then if you wanted surprises you wouldn't be listening to Bolt Thrower, now would you?
They churn on like a war machine. Double bass pounding, guitars chugging and the unmistakeable roar of Karl Willets sounding over it all. The live version of "Realm of Chaos" makes me wonder why Bolt Thrower aren't in the line for live albums at Earache. Judging by that one song, a live album would KILL. "World Eater '94" is a new version of the track off my favorite Bolt Thrower album (Realm of Chaos - Slaves to Darkness) and it is pretty insane. The production is improved tenfold, the vocals are even deeper. Very cool!! Even those curious about Bolt Thrower would do well to check this out. It is rare that a collection such as this is a good starting point for someone new to a band, but the ten tracks are a good sampling of what Bolt Thrower are all about. - Al Kikuras
Eyes See Red - Embrace It (self-released, '99)
Rating: 7/10
Tracks: Emotional Flatline, To Kill The Demon, Light The Fuse, Laughing, The Quickening, Pieces of Me, The Need To Feed
Switzerland's Eyes See Red play straight up death metal. That's it. The no-bullshit, straightforward description befits the music. Think Oppressor without the clean passages.
You can tell this is a digital recording. I prefer analog myself, as analog recordings tend to sound more like a live band and not quite so lifeless. All of the instruments can be clearly heard in the mix, which is nice, but it lacks balls. I think the overall presentation of the music suffers as a result of the production, which is a shame as the tunes and performance are strong. I think I would me much more impressed if I saw the band live.
The vocals come off as a bit nondescript. Vocalist/bassist Christian Meckler has a nice roar, but lacks a distinctive sound or style and while the musicianship is good, the material is somewhat standard fare, which is not necessarily a bad thing but without the huge sound to back it up, they fail to excite. Next time out, with better sound, they could do some serious damage, but as it stands right now this is a release that might fall through the cracks and dwell in relative obscurity. - Al Kikuras
Subvertor - Transgreso-Evolucion (Wild Rags, '99)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: Intro, Viviseccion, XX, Justica (Che Guevara), Anoxibiosis, Compulsion, Nutricion-Cero, Hecatombe, Lacra, Terrorista
I can't help but think of the old Wild Rags release Mysteries About Life & Death from Toxodeth when I listen to this one. Both are from third world countries (Toxodeth from Mexico, Subvertor from Bolivia), both releases are very underproduced and both have a certain charm as a result, and both seem to be as if Richard C was saying "Fuck you all, THIS is underground!!" He's right!
Whereas Raul Guzman of Toxodeth aspired to be the first Mexican guitar hero, Subvertor haven't set their sites quite as high, instead churning out a nasty blend of grind and death metal. The vocals are great... the full range from a gutteral growl up through a high scream is used and used well. All the lyrics are in Spanish. The music is fairly inventive. Most of the ideas work, some are borderline, but happily, there isn't a single embarrasing moment on the disc. Subvertor could use a metronome as the timing is all over the place on occasion, but that just serves to add to the previously-mentioned charm. The demo-sound is actually very appealing for the same reason. I really get the feel listening to this release that Subvertor are a great band in the developmental stages. If they had great sound and they were "on" all the time, I don't know if Transgreso-Evolucion would be quite as enjoyable as it is. I guess only time will tell. I look forward to their next release. - Al Kikuras
Le'rue Delashay - The Court Composer (Theatrkill Productions, '99)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: The Midnight Tower, Piano Sonata in Am Opus 23, Violin Concierto in C#m Opus 41, Harpsichordia, Victorian Walls, Symphony No. 1 Opus 13, Harp Aire, Symphonaire Noctem Opus 48, Concerto for Strings Opus 37, Chamber Musick
I sometimes get the feeling that Le'rue Delashay's stuff is somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Maybe it is the cover photo that does it. I laughed right out loud when I first saw it and it still makes me giggle. Just so you can get a fair idea of what I mean, click on the cover art to see the larger version. It'll pop up in a new window.
Anyway, the music is what I am really supposed to be worrying about, yes? Le'rue's skills as a composer are actually impressive. I am not a huge fan of synth music. I mean, synths for the sake of synths themselves are fine, but when a synth is played in place of a full orchestra, it just gives me a hankerin' to hear the real thing. That is the downfall of The Court Composer, in my opinion. While the pieces have the potential to be powerful and moving, the lack of actual instrumentation (besides the synth, that is) saps a lot of the energy and life from what could be a great listening experience. It is not as noticeable on the piano pieces, but as far as strings and percussion go, there is just no substitute for the real thing.
Delashay has a definite ear for archaic sounds and chamber music. This is stuff that has the potential to transport the listener back to another time, but the fact that they didn't have keyboards in the time of the great composers makes the trip a bit bumpy. My hope is that Le'rue can find an actual ensemble to perform his work, as I think the end result might be quite breathtaking. - Al Kikuras
Em Sinfonia - In Mournings Symphony (Martyr Music Group, '99)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Lost Hope Bellows, To Silence The Laughter, In Mournings Symphony, The Ravens Eyes
I usually hate this stuff. Long, drawn-out doom metal laced with female vocals. Normally, I'd rather eat a peanut butter sandwich laced with shit than sit through more than 10 minutes of that kind of stuff.
Em Sinfonia are the great white exception to the rule, it seems. While all the elements are there, in this case they are blended so expertly and with such passion that the music is downright infectious. What Em Sinfonia manage to do that so many of their peers cannot is really convey a genuine sense of solemness and despair. Listening to the four (long) tracks that make up In Mournings Symphony make me feel blue, people. Not blue because my conscience as a journalist is making me sit through an album that I really can't bear to listen to for more than a few seconds, but because absolutely every element of the music seems to be building upon one another to weave a tapestry of complete desolation. Perhaps the thing that I like most about this album is that the heavy parts are actually HEAVY. Although melody, female vocals, violin, keyboards and elements of the gothic are incorporated, Em Sinfonia have not lost sight of the fact that this is still metal. The counter to April Domet's haunting vocals, the roar of Paul Kuhr, would befit a band such as Bolt Thrower as well as it does Em Sinfonia. Listen to his snarls on "The Ravens Eyes" to see what I mean.
Am I a convert when it comes to gothic doom metal of this nature? No. But what I am is a fan of Em Sinfonia as this is the absolute best I have heard from the genre to date. Forget Lacuna Coil, forget Theatre of Tragedy. Em Sinfonia are IT. - Al Kikuras
Napalm Death - Bootlegged In Japan (Earache, '99)
Rating: 7/10
Tracks: Antibody, My Own Worst Enemy, More Than Meets The Eye, Hung, Greed Killing, Suffer The Children, Mass Appeal Madness, Cursed To Crawl, Glimpse Into Genocide, I Abstain, Lucid Fairytale, Plague Rages, Cold Forgiveness, Control, Life?, Siege of Power, The Truth Be Known, Unchallenged Hate, Nazi Punks Fuck Off, From Enslavement To Obliteration, The Kill, Scum, Ripe For The Breaking
Now, this is a shame. The band sounds great on Bootlegged In Japan. Very tight and heavy! The weakness here is the performance of Barney. His voice sounds tired. Less like the roar he emits on Napalm's studio albums and more like he is hoarse and cupping the mic just ain't cutting it anymore. On some of the tracks, like Hung it actually works, but for the most part his performace just falls flat. Especially on the older numbers like "From Enslavement To Obliternation," "Lucid Fairytale" and "Scum." Perhaps the flatness of his voice is due to the production and the lack of actually being in a big room where his grunts and growls can echo off the walls. Whatever the case may be, I am disappointed. It is good to hear that Napalm Death still have the ability to blast through the old grindcore numbers even though they have moved on to the greener death metal fields, but Barney just doesn't have the juice to pull it all off. - Al Kikuras
Engine - s/t (Metal Blade, '99)
Rating: 5/10
Tracks: Monster, Alone, Falling Star, Taste, I Don't Need, Teach Me, Bear Your Cross, Tree Of Life, You're Awake
Engine is a side project of Fate's Warning vocalist Ray Adler. Reportedly, Adler put Engine together because "although [he] is in a prog rock band [he] is also a fan of heavier music."
In my opinion and experience, "heavy" doesn't always have to do with the guitar sound or the riffs or drums. Heavy can be a result of the emotion put into the music... the overall sense of the song and the mood put forth. Although Engine is a bit more guitar & riff-driven than Fate's Warning, it really pales in comparison to Adler's mother band. The 9 tracks on this release sound more like an alternative band that decided to get a bit metal at a rehearsal. It is just too middle-of-the-road to be exciting. There are no new ideas and no new approaches to old ideas. Set your alarm to keep you awake as this one'll have you snoozing by track 5. - Al Kikuras
Ritual - Soldiers Under Satan's Command (Wild Rags, '99)
Rating: 6.5/10
Tracks: Kill Main Destroy, Steamroller, Triumph of the Teutonic Warsmen, Soldiers Under Satan's Command, Death Machine, The Mysterious Portals, Elucidarium (Honorius Of Sutun), Infinite Eyes
Soldiers Under Satan's Command has the look of a black metal album. Wild Rags is more than happy to have the potential buyer believe it is, tagging Ritual as "Criminal Black Metal." While the vocals certainly have a black metal flavor to them, the music is anything but. It sounds a lot more like old school thrash metal to me.
The hyperblasts that are a signature of most black metal bands are absent. The musicianship is decent. The timing is a bit unsteady on occasion, but that adds to the charm and makes it all the more reminiscent of the early days of thrash and the formative years of death metal when there was an uncertainty to it all. Listen to Kreator's Pleasure to Kill to see what I mean. It seems at times that even the band are not sure if what they are doing is going to work musically, but they just don't care!
I find myself liking about half the material on Soldiers Under Satan's Command. "Kill, Main, Destroy" is a raging tune. The instrumental second track, "Steamroller" is also entertaining. "Triumph of the Teutonic Warsmen" falls flat though... it is just too long and plodding. The title track starts off with another clunker of a part, but soon picks up quite nicely. It also sports the best vocal performance on the disc. The rest of the album wavers between boring and semi-inspired.
In all, a very lukewarm effot that offers nothing new, but has its moments. I don't dislike it, but I doubt I'll put it on again after the review is written. Die hard fans of old German-sounding thrash that can't get enough of the stuff might eat this up, but I'll just throw on my old Sodom albums instead. - Al Kikuras
Enthroned - Regie Sathanas: Tribute to Cernunnos(Metal Blade, '99)
Rating: 7.5/10
Tracks: Prelude to Satan's Avengers, By Dark Glorious Thoughts, Walpurgis Night, Satan Never Sleeps, The Conqueror, Deny The Holy Book Of Lies, Outro
From what I understand, Enthroned's Toward the Skullthrone of Satan is quite the raging black metal monster. While Regie Sathanas has its moments, on the whole it seems to be somewhat of a hodgepode of black metal rather than a sharp instrument of torture. Understandable, as this is a collection of "old and brand new stuff" in tribute to their "war-brother Cernunnos, who killed himself in April, year of our Lord 1997." I am assuming it is the first two actual tracks (not including the "Prelude..." intro) that are the new tunes and they are fairly raging. Not that the older tracks dating back to '88 (!) and '95 aren't enjoyable. In fact, all of the songs on Regie Sathanas stand well on their own, including the cover of Sodom's "The Conqueror," but the snare when it comes to collections like this that span a band's career is that they are just that.. collections rather than a concise whole and as a result there is no flow to the material. This is one for hardcore fans, but newcomers like me would probably do better to check out a full-length album for an intro to the band. - Al Kikuras
Abhorrence - Ascencion (Wild Rags, '99)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Reborn To Vengeance, Communication With The Deads, Horde Of The Demons
Kinda like a mix between early Slayer and early Morbid Angel. Very raw. I like these guys. The drumming could be a little more creative and in-your-face, but it's not bad either. If you like your thrash heavy, loud, and evil, then these guys are for you. Their songs are catchy, and I see good things for their future.
I tell ya, Wild Rags sure are giving us some good stuff. Whoever they got picking out their talent is doing a good job. I look forward to the next album they send us. But for now I'm happy with Ascencion. One thing though, when are we gonna get a full length album from these guys? - Piston Rod
Dimmu Borgir/Old Man's Child - Devil's Path/In The Shades of Life (Hammerheart, '99)
Rating: 7.5/10
Tracks: DB - Master of Disharmony, Devil's Path, Nocturnal Fear, Noctural Fear (Celtically possessed) OMC - St. Adien's Fall, Seeds of the Ancient Gods, Manet Sorgfull Igiennom Skogen, The Old Man's Child, Og Jeg Iakttok Dodsriekets Inntog
Two much-hated bands in the black metal underground on once CD. A purist's nightmare!! I personally don't give a shit and a handshake about who is "true" and who is not. Believe it or not, I have never heard Dimmu Borgir on CD before, having just seen them live at the NJ Metalfest in '99 (a somewhat uninspired performance, in my opinion). I AM familiar with Old Man's Child's Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion album, which I really like.
So, imagine my surprise when I found myself digging the DB stuff and disliking the OMC tracks (got to love those abbreviations). The Dimmu Borgir material isn't quite as presumptuous as they came off in the live situation. It is pretty raw stuff, and the Celtic Frost covers are excellent. The first sounds like DB covering Frost in their own style, while on the latter they are emulating Frost's own sound. As for OMC, while the music is not bad (although a bit boring), the clean vocals grate against my skull. I was surprised to hear them, as I don't remember there being ANY on Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion. Usually, black metal bands start employing clean vocals on later releases, as opposed to the other way around ( I am not familiar with Born of the Flickering, so I have no idea if they were used on that album). The OMC tracks sound like typical stuff to me. Nothing exciting. As the material is ancient when placed in the timeline of black metal, I guess that is understandable, but listening to it nowadays and especially after hearing OMC's last album, it does nothing for me. - Al KIkuras
Sathanas - Armies of Charon (Conquistador Records, '99)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Intro, Armies of Charon, Servant to the Ungod, Exorcism, Palace of Belial, Resurrect, Before the Throne, Into Darkness, Devoured by the Beast, Prophecy Unfolds, Writhe In Sin
Yep, folks, I am going through the archives and getting to all the albums that my punk ass has been lapse in reviewing. This time the victims are Pennsylvania's Sathanas, featuring Paul Tucker, formerly of the band BATHYM who I always wanted to check out back when I was running the print version of Unchain the Underground in '89-'91 or so. If they sounded anything like Sathanas, I would not have been disappointed. Sathanas take the brutality of death metal and sluice it through the grating of old school thrash song structures. The vocals are akin to black metal bands such as Darkthrone and Judas Iscariot... very raw and convincing.
"Palace of Belial" takes Slayer and wacks 'em in the mouth with "Flag Of Hate" era Kreator and old Death for a nice combo that just screams metal and sets the standard for the rest of the album. This is old-school flavored stuff that Sathanas manage to pull of without sounding dated. Recommended. - Al Kikuras
Monolith - Ego Through Art (self-released, '98)
Rating: 8.5/10
Tracks: The Nostromo, Deitybreed, Eija Yeah Hea, I Give You A Smile, Disconnected, Good Friends
Well, here is one that slipped through the cracks. Sorry, guys! I am embarrased to say that months upon months after receiving this disc, the review is finally in the works and up. I'm a putz, I know it. Better late than tether.
Ego Through Art is a 20 minute blast fest of all-out grind. Great stuff! Vocalist Arion's delivery is a bit like former Kataklysm vocalist Sylvian Houde. Totally schizophrenic vocal patterns that jump from a growl to a scream and back down and back up again often within the same 3 or 4 word line. There is melody working behind even the fast blast parts that kicks things up a notch, making Monolith's material a bit more memorable than other bands of the same vein. The production is pretty tinny. The drum sound is puny. The bass has a nice crunch that brings me back to the days of classic Cryptic Slaughter. Actually, the music on a whole reminds me of CS, which is a VERY good thing in my book. The band peg themselves as "grinding noise rape" and I can say that is a pretty accurate description. This is great tongue-in-cheek, fun stuff that is well worth your 7 bucks (5 if you're in Europe). Check out their web page for more info. - Al Kikuras
Endless - Beauty, Tears, and the Setting Sun (Pavement, '99)
Rating: 7.5/10
Tracks: Children, Defeat, Doomed, Smoke, A Weeping Mist Reveals, In Stone He Creeps, The Unrest, Shame Of Deeds Past, Cry My Ecstasy, Everlasting Dream
Doom metal played fast. Not a bad idea. At least these guys don't fall into the two main categories that I feel most doom metal falls into: either painfully slow music that is good for nothing except causing old people to go into a coma and die, or that horrible shit with a woman singing back-up vocals. These guys are trying to do something different and for that I can respect them.
Endless have some good ideas, but not enough of them. About halfway through the CD I got really bored. I felt like I had heard it all before and didn't need to go on. That feeling persisted until the end of the CD. As with most doom metal, there isn't much room for variety in the music and that hurts the full enjoyment of the album.
To tell the truth, I'd rather listen to a 400 pound goat being raped in the ass by a drunken farmer with chronic halitosis then listen to doom metal, so I may be a little biased. The reason I listen to metal is to get pumped, to get inspired, to want to go out and kill anyone wearing a Korn, NIN, or Limp Bizkit T-shirt...but hey, that's just me. Die you fucking commie wimps!!!! - Piston Rod.
Novembers Doom - s/t (Martyr Music Group, '99)
Rating: 8.5/10
Tracks: With Rue and Fire, The Jealous Sun, Suffer The Red Dream, All The Beauty Twice Again, Reaping Forest Calm, For Every Leaf That Falls, Serenity Forgotten, Forever With Unopened Eye, Dawn Breaks
As if the band's moniker didn't give it away, Novembers Doom play Doom Metal in the vein of My Dying Bride & Paradise Lost. No new wrinkles and nothing to get in a snit over, yet very catchy at times with a lot of nice atmospheric stuff going on. Generally, I am not excited by this genre of metal at all, but I enjoyed having this on in the background while I was cleaning up the other day. I wouldn't sit down and listen to it, but if I need background music, then this one does the trick. The groove is heavy, the vocals are very emotional... all the elements of a good doom metal band, from what I understand, but it just is not aggressive or in-your-face enough to hold my attention. If doom metal is your poison, I would imagine that November's Doom will have you drooling, but I'll pass. - Piston Rod
Sinergy - Beware The Heavens (Nuclear Blast, '99)
Rating: 9/10
Tracks: Venomous Vixens, The Fourth World, Born Unto Fire And Passion, The Warrior Princess, Beware The Heavens, Razor Blade Salvation, Swarmed, Pulsation, Virtual Future.
Sinergy is a band formed in Sweden by ex Avernus/Ancient/Dimmu Borgir/Therion keyboardist/vocalist Kimberly Goss. For the debut album she has selected an all star line up. This line up includes Jesper of In Flames, Alexi of Children of Bodom, and Sharlee of Mercyful Fate/Witchery/Dismember/Arch Enemy/Ill Will, and an unknown drummer by the name of Ronnie Millanowicz.
The album opens with "Venomous Vixens" a real good opener that deals with how women end up taking over the world and having men as slaves. I actually like the concept of the song, and alot of men rightfully deserve to be humiliated. The music on this song is heavy and yet meldoic at the same time.
One of my favorites on this album is an instrumental called, "Born Unto Fire and Passion", which was written by drummer Ronnie Millanowicz. What I like about the song is the use of a string quartet, because it gives the song an atmospheric quality. This song is sorta like an intro to the next song called, "The Warrior Princess". "The Warrior Princess" is about Xena. The concept of the song may sound corny to you, but the music herein is really exellent.
Now this song, "Beware The Heavens", is without a doubt my favorite track on the album (possible video too.). The riff on this song is excellent. This is a hard driven thrashy type song. The theme of this song to me, is about about how preacher screw over people, and thus have brought armaggeddon to us all. I go into a headbanging frenzy when this song plays.
"Razor Blade Salvation" is like the ballad of the album. I'm not a big fan of ballads, but I do in fact like this, as it has a somewhat emotional atmospheric feel.
I've always liked Kimberly's voice, and I'm glad she's getting a chance to use it more, unlike in the past where she's only had a few lines.
You can hear all the influences from everyone's bands on this album. I can also hear a little Iced Earth and Iron Maiden as well. Which is not a bad thing. All in all I was very pleased to have this added to my collection. This is in my top 10 for '99. I'm looking forward to hearing more albums from Sinergy, and seeing them on tour for many years to come.
Also be on the look out for my interview with Kimberly Goss in an upcoming issue of Unchain The Underground. - Azazel.
In Extremo - Weckt die Toten! (Metal Blade - under license from Vielkland Musikproduktion GmbH, '99/'98)
Rating: 8.2/10
Tracks: Ai vis lo lop, Stella Spledens, Hiemali Tempore, Rotes Haar, Villeman og Magnhild, Como Poden, Palastinalied, Vor vollen Schusseln, Maria Virgin (Quem a omagen da virgin), Totus Floreo, Der Galgen, Two sostra
In Extremo are a German band of modern day minstrels who add modern metal to ancient folk songs. Sound unique? It is, to say the least. Alongside the heavy guitars are bagpipes, flutes, and other folk instruments (which the band claims that each member crafts by hand, as in days of old). Reportedly each track is an actual folk song dating from between the 9th and the 15th centuries, with the band adding in elements of metal but still staying true to the original sound of the song. While Skyclad and Amorphis dabble in folk music, In Extremo are defined by it.
The press release spends most of it's time praising In Extremo's live show, which features costumes, fire eating and traditional folk dance. This is usually a red flag to me, screaming "THE MUSIC SUCKS!" Thankfully, this isn't the case for In Extremo. My only real complaint is the heavy German accent in the vocals, which is a personal pet peeve of mine, but other than that I really got in to the sound, with my favorites being "Ai vis lo lop" and "Maria Virgin." This music is definitely not for all tastes, and is sure to be labeled "gay" by True Metal purists, but those interested in medieval folk music or just looking for something different should check it out. - Scott
Peace Revolver - Grab Your Peace (Nuclear Blast, '99)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: T.V. Dinners And Serial Killers, Sweet Cajun Girl, Daisy Dukes In Combat Boots, Pussy Power, Energy, Fight, Crome, Chains
"Fight" is like an old Redd Cross song from the early 80's. This is a cool 80's punk type of song and despite some shoddy lyrics I liked the song a lot. Good start to the record!
"Sweet Cajun Girl" is reminiscent of KISS' "War Machine" but I think the singing is as bad at the Chocolate Bunnies From Hell (old Canadian club band with shitty singers and great lyrics!)
The third track, "Chains," starts off like an AC/DC riff but includes bad Rush from the 80's solos and it doesn't deliver like "Fight" does. Again I didn't like the lyrics.
Awesome bass licks start off the fourth track on the record, "Energy." This is the heaviest song so far. The chorus lyrics suck but the rest of this song almost sounds like a combination of Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Cliff McLarnon just smokes on bass in this tune. The guitar solo rules because it is't your typical solo with a million notes a second it has power and is cool to listen to. The drumming is very prominent in this song.
A slow intro brings us into the fith song but it then hits a classic Judas Priest pace. This is "Pussy Power." Not a bad song and the musical talent is definitely there.
Another slow intro get's into the 6th song. This one is called "Chrome." This is a cool song that finally brings out the badass in lead singer David Dresden. He finally unleashed some cool sounding vocals and is backed up with some solid performances by the rest of the band. The highlight is Mingo Chikonez' solo. I really love this song!
Some heavy guitar leads us into the 7th track which is called "Daisy Dukes In Combat Boots." However, this one has little to offer and was a disapointment.
The final track comes out with some cool 70's era punk riffs. This one is called "TV Dinners and Serial Killers." I found the lyrics very funny because they sound like a guy singing about watching a lot of violence on tv. I love the guitar riffs in this one and this proves from start to finish the guys in this band can play! The highlight was another great solo by Mingo!
BOTTOM LINE: This band has a bright future in the metal community if they keep this up. However only on one song, "Chrome", did the vocals really impress me. This brings my rating down. Musically this album kick serious anus from start to finnish. Dominick Arthur is quietly going nuts behind the drums and is totally unleashed in this CD. The basslines would make Flea cry and what more can I say about Mingo on guitar? He smokes. There are a few dogs on this one but by and large this is a good debut album. Until next time remember: LISTENING TO RICKY MARTIN WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER POOL PLAYER! - Johnny D.
Vukodlak - Via Diabolis (self-released, '99)
Rating: 8/10
Tracks: Walpurgisnacht, Ja Sam Vampir, Burnt Horizon, Death's Whisper, Reyarp S'drol, Twilight, Blackest Autumn, Hellacaust, Nowonmai
Ugly aesthetics is one of the defining characteristics of true underground black metal. Vukodlak embody that principle in every way. This is ugly, UGLY music. Vukodlak is a one-man project of Lord Akhkharu hailing from the USA. Via Diabolis has much of the same appeal as Judas Iscariot's first album, The Cold Earth Slept Below and Black Funeral's classic Journeys Into Horizons Lost demo. The musicianship is simple and, at times, so chaotic that it borders on sloppy, but that is one of the aspects of this release that contributes to the overall grim, ugly sound. The primary weakness on Via Diabolis is the lack of a live drummer. While the drum performance on the previously mentioned Judas Iscariot album is all over the place, and I would bet a dozen donuts it would be here if Lord Akhkharu took up the sticks himself, it is worlds better than the lifeless drum machine being used now and might actually add to the chaotic nature of the music.
Keyboards are used liberally throughout the 9 tracks. The vocals are tortured and painfully raw. The riffs are simplistic, but one-minded in their barbarity. The production is harsh to the ears. All the elements grate at the soul in a prime example of violent raw black metal. I look forward to the next release. - Al Kikuras
For more info, check out the official Vulodlak web site.
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