Week 40 (Backtracking)

Cynic - Carbon Based Anatomy (2011 EP) - Honestly, I don't care for this. It's hardly a metal album and doesn't really have any point being posted with other metal albums. It has some guitars, sure - but that DOESN'T make it metal. As much as some of us don't want to believe, Cynic isn't ever going back to their death metal days. They seem to like tribal chants, odd rhythms and extremely whiny vocals.

There's some good prog and experimental sections on the disc, as what you would expect from their last album. But to be brutally honest, I cannot stand the vocals anymore. Cynic doesn't do death metal anymore, they do prog rock and we'll just all have to get over it. Unfortunately, there's not even enough musical material here for the fans. The only songs in which the band plays are "Carbon Based Anatomy", "Box up My Bones" and "Elves Beam Out." This last track features a great deal of guitar awesomeness, but it's only minute in overall enjoyment value.

This is only 23:00 of music and if this sells for anymore then ten dollars, I'm through with Cynic. Stop fucking around and make a new album. They might have been legends for like I dunno... one album, but after that - we get this light rock prog stuff with squeaky vocals. That a metal disc does not make. At least the new Morbid Angel was heavy. This is almost a coaster in my opinion. (23:00)

2/5



Agrypnie - Asche (2011 EP) - For those of you who don't already know, Agrypnie is an awesome Avant-Garde/Progressive black metal band. I reviewed their older albums a while back, so check that out if you haven't done so already. This new EP boasts 47:00 of music, which is much longer than your average EP. Almost every song on this disc is quite good and not a throwaway.

The band still speaks their native German though, but I hope that's not too much to turn you off. Also, the shouting approach that the band has always used makes it's way into this EP. But besides all of that, the disc actually holds some interesting ideas. The band gets a great deal more melodic and acoustic with some of the songs on this disc, and there's even a completely instrumental electronic track called "1.10#06+0.35" which isn't half bad if you like dark electronic music.

The band also comes on fairly strong with such powerful songs as EP opener "Gnosis" and "Erwachen." The third track, "Augenblick" is a little sub-par for the band, but does manage to get the job done in a rather gloomy way. "Kosmos [Omega]" ends out the disc technically with a large atmospheric piece, and then there's the bonus instrumental demo of "Augenblick" which I liked more than the original. The ideas in the instrumental were much more fleshed out and the final version makes me think that the band unnecessarily held back.

Nonetheless, if you liked Agrypnie before; they haven't changed much on this disc. At least check out "Gnosis." This is the band at their best, with incredible melody. (47:00)

4/5



Tsjuder - Legion Helvete (2011) - Plenty of black metal in these reviews as always. I guess I'm trying to annoy some of you who think that a man who doesn't understand such juvenile terms as necro and kvlt, should be reviewing black metal albums. Well, I don't rightly care what you think as I've gotten older and give less of a damn about the opinions of others.

Now, Tsjuder is definitely what you would consider a traditional black metal band. There are no bells and whistles here, just early Bathory inspired thrash/black that's uncompromising. If you're looking for any funky atmospheric parts, you'd better just skip this review altogether. This band is one hundred percent on making their black metal sound as old-school as possible.

Despite eight songs and 38:00 of music, the band is able to deliver on their promise. Songs like "Daudir" pummel you in the beginning, but also have a thrashy groove to them. Tempo changes are not uncommon here and are completely necessary to matter in the world of metal these days.

The quality of the album is not one of extremely well production and sounds a little raw in some areas, but I think it's perfect. This doesn't need to sound any better than it does. I think it would kill the music with better production value, plus everything is discernable from the great drumming to the very common black riffs.

Let me just put it this way. This band is 100% a love letter to those Bathory albums we remember from the 80's. It's black/thrash the way it used to be, and if you don't get it after the other 7 songs, then the band has a 10:14 thrasher called "Vart Helvete" that they would love to drill the point into your feeble skull with.

No boring slow stuff here, just thrash, thrash, and more thrash... oh, and black metal. The way it used to be. A recommend. (38:00)

666



Alarum - Natural Causes - If you take thrash-era Trivium and add Animals as Leaders style melodies and a hell of a lot of technicality, (insert favorite technical band here) you'll get this band. Which is alright, because they excel just as well as Animals and any technical band you picked. But the band still has that rough sense of bad thrash vocal, like Trivium. Personally, I think putting vocals on this album was the worst thing that they could've ever done, as it definitely takes away from their sound.

Here is a band with definite promise and ability, but the vocalist seems detrimental to the act - they don't need him. I believe it's this simple factor in which the band fails, because as soon as he starts to sing bad thrash, I start not to care. So many people think that they can just get by with bad vocals, but don't realize that the listener's ears are fragile and some more than others. This guy needs to try a new approach entirely. He's holding this entire band back.

Regardless of all this, you should certainly check out the band as they have a lot to offer. Minus the crappy vocals. (41:00)

3.5/5



Dissolution - Dirt Skies (2011) - Now here's a death metal band that I definitely care about. Dissolution is an American death metal band that features great drumming, good riffs and a mix of black and death vocals. Seriously, this is good stuff. The overall structure of the songs and their skinsman alone makes this worth checking out.

The songs are very catchy, but in the way that you want them to be. This band kind of reminds me of Watch Them Die, but with lower production value and without the core influence. Also, this band knows how to crank out a few good solos every now and then. I found myself digging just about every track on the disc, especially "Years Of Pain" and closer "Forgotten Fiend." I'm sorry, but I've heard a lot of death metal this year, and some of it from great bands, but none of that has been able to hold a candle to the package here.

In my book, this is how death metal should sound. There's a little of but of Cynic influence in the melodies here which certainly makes things a little proggy, but don't worry, the band still knows how to bring on the crunch and the death that we'd expect from death metal. All in all, you'd be an absolute idiot to pass this one by. It also got a good review on Metal Storm, which is surprising because those stuck up bastards don't seem to be able to give anything a good review these days. They might have given it an 8, but I would give it a 10 myself, because when I'm looking for memorable death metal, these gentlemen give me exactly what I'm looking for and you can't go wrong with that.

I'm also listening to their older disc right now (Dying, Dead, Undead (2007) and I'm hearing a little bit of lower production, but once again - impeccable death metal and I love every fucking bit of it.

I must also mention that the covers for Alice In Chains, "Dirt Skies" and Bobaflex's "Disinclined Savior" are done extremely well. I think this band could do pop in death metal and I'd love it. Let's just hope they don't (Already enough of that going on right now.) (50:00)

EDIT: When I was still a teenager, I was greatly into metal video game covers. (I still am, sort of.) I wasn't actually sure at first, but I didn't think that this was the same band that did what many VG-metallers consider the best Castlevania "Bloody Tears" cover ever. I remember having an early version of the track "Cursed Bloodline" and some other track (which isn't on the 07 album because it was awful) and getting them from the Overclocked Remix website. My amazement peaked upon listening to this 07 release and actually finding that this is in fact the same fucking band, and that they hadn't just done a one off and jumped off the face of the earth. Now you might not care about this, but I definitely do, as this is the heaviest Castlevania cover in the history of video game covers and it inspired me early to want to create a project that does extremely heavy video game music covers in the same vein. I always loved the band, but wondered what in the fuck happened to them. Listening to this stuff made my day.

So once again, check this shit out. The Grim Lord commands you!

666

Also Check out "Dying. Dead. Undead." (2007) It is just as good as this album. This band has yet to make a bad album, let alone a bad song! If a review is requested for this disc, I'll do it.



Enslaved - Thorn (2011 EP) - What is there to really say about another EP from Enslaved, this time with only two tracks? Sure, "Disintegrator" and "Striker" are decent tracks focusing more on the black metal side of the band's earlier years, (and one has some hefty flute action) but one can't help but think that these two tracks could have been included on the band's last album, at least on some sort of bonus disc. Granted, this material does sound much different from the band's current proggy nature.

Perhaps the next album will follow in this vein with a return to their black metal roots. It doesn't matter whether they do go back to the frozen north or not though, because people still seem to worship these guys. Just read the reviews for their albums (this one included) on metal archives and you'll see what I mean. It's a great deal of ass kissing.

Well, if you're one of THOSE people, you'll probably also think that these two songs are literal symphonies to your ears. But I on the other hand, think that I've heard far better. Also, this is only 10:46 of music. If this isn't selling for 2 or 3.00, it's just not worth it. You'd be better putting your hand in a trash compactor than to pay 10.00 for this 2 track EP. You'd literally be paying almost a dollar a minute.

Seriously, download this. Everyone knows Enslaved doesn't need the money, especially with that Scion deal. There are better albums worth spending your hard earned money on than this one. They should have put these two tracks on a new album instead of releasing them as one little EP. It's like buying one beer bottle out of a six pack. (Yes, I prefer bottles.) (10:56)

2/5 (The music isn't bad, but the idea was.)



Krisiun - The New Execution (2011) - First, I'm going to start out with how much I've always hated this extremely bland Spanish death metal act. Their last album was completely cut and paste, brutal death metal. This disc however, is probably one of my personal favorite discs of the year. Why is that, exactly?

Because for once in the band's career, they've made something that actually isn't extremely bland death metal. This disc sees the band switching tempos more than you can count, adding a grandiose amount of structural integrity that they just didn't care to show in their last twenty thousand albums. Some might complain that the disc is much slower, more groovier, and less about the speed. But I think that the band is really taking a worthwhile risk with this album and the music itself will show.

The disc is peppered with some of the best death metal drumming I've heard in a very long time. It's not just a bunch of double bass, the drummer is actually quite methodical and his beats are quite varied. The first track, "The Will To Potency" may have a somewhat obvious core/breakdown reference, but it seems to work well enough and makes me want to unleash a headbang every time I hear the drummer thunder that beat. I also caught myself playing a lot of air guitar while listening to this, being that the riffs are catchy enough but slightly unconventional in a few areas, which means that the band is experimenting.

The guitar solos are fierce and frantic, delivering us with those heavy metal heyday style solos that we might expect from Metallica, Megadeth, Judas Priest, early Morbid Angel, and other such bands around that heyday period. They have that rock and roll quality to them and it works. I haven't enjoyed an album this much in a while. It was great while exercising and I feel I got a great workout while listening to it, as I was jamming the entire way through this disc that's just one minute over an hour long. True, one can hear the Behemoth influence in these tracks too, but it's probably better to say that Krisiun influenced Behemoth.

There is one track that I do not care for however, and that track is the oddly placed Espanol only "Extincao Em Massa" (Extinction In Mass.) It hearkens back to the old days of the band with an emphasis on speed and a much more gravelly vocal than what is used on the rest of this disc. I personally didn't care for it, however some of you might think it's the only good track on the disc. In that case, I am glad that I am NOT some of you.

The band also pulls off some epics, like "The Sword Of Orion 7:59" and the closer "Shadows Of Betrayal 8:38." These tracks are both as the name implies, quite epic and worth checking out. The disc ends in probably the best way, with guitars flying and solos all over the fucking place. This is how metal is made. I wouldn't be surprised if this triumphs over the new Vader album, because I think it's much better, even though I did also like the Vader disc quite a bit myself.

Definitely worth the cash. (61:00)

666 (Despite that one track, this is still one of my favorite discs of the year.)



Leviathan - True Traitor, True Whorror (2011) - I asked myself "what the fuck?" as I listened through the majority of this album. You can tell that Leviathan is really trying to go above and beyond the call of black metal drugged out weirdness, but I think it's a very diffused album and very tough to get into.

The disc stays slow and sometimes even sludgy, offering some good guitar melodies here and there. The drumming is decent enough as well. It certainly keeps up the beat with this mind-melding concoction that the band has created. Sometimes effects are used and so is a very low tone of vocal (like Blut Aus Nord or Aborym, for example.)

The vocals on the disc are atrocious. The guy sounds like he's singing through his intestinal tract and I do believe that he didn't just put his mouth to the microphone but damn near swallowed it, and I'm hearing the guy's vocal chords
reverberate, or the noises from his stomach and intestines. If I could ask the man anything, it would be the simple of question of "Just what in the living hell are you singing about?" I'm serious. I've heard umpteen million black metal vocalists and I can actually make out the lyrics quite well, but this guy has me stumped. I'm honestly not sure if there are any lyrics at all, or if he's just making bloody noises.

However, there was a track I enjoyed a little more than the others, "Every Orifice Yearning Her Price 7:10" (Not to mention the track title, which in itself is brilliant.) because of the use of some Egyptian riffs that certainly don't appear anywhere else on this disc.

It is a disc where the band literally threw in anything that fit. I believe I heard what sounded like a fellow hammering on an anvil, and the band says "that works, we'll put it on the disc." It's very much a menagerie of sounds and strange intestinal noises. In trying to sound demonic, the band to me has come off as a little comical. But I do applaud their ability to try to do something that is really out there. If you're a fan of this absolutely bizarre sort of black metal, this disc is for you. It's probably best to be "medicated" on your journey throughout this one, as these eight tracks can be quite long and quite enervating. (47:00)

4/5 (Definitely different. But nothing really new.)



Arckanum - Helvitismykr (2011) - Arckanum is a Norwegian melodic black metal band fronted by just one guy. A picture came with the album's folder and it was just of a guy dressed in a cloak with a mask and a modified type of axe. The music however, is quite good. I'm not sure how the guy did this disc, if he programmed the drums or has a kit, or some other means of percussion (it's tough to tell these days) but the drumming certainly sounds decent enough.
But what really makes a damn to me on this disc is the guitar melodies that he uses. Some of these melodies are so damned good, that I wished I'd written them myself. As a matter of fact, as a musician I would strive for the same sort of melodies as what is displayed here. They are very strong melodies which have a lasting effect, especially on songs like "Or Djupum, Nifldreki, and "Svart ok ?ursligr." (The question mark is there because my computer cannot read whatever character was used for that title.)
The songs actually feature quite a bit of structure, and almost on every one of them there seems to be a grand finale section right towards the end. Apparently, he wanted to drill these songs into your brain. Well, it worked. The quality on the disc is as raw as you'd like it too. It's not too raw, but just raw enough to sound traditional in the realms of black metal. He could've used better production, but I am glad that he didn't.
There's an instrumental called "In Svarta" which is decent enough, and some violin work on "Svart ok ?ursligr." The album ends with "Sisoltinn and Outro" which might appear long at 13:05, if you don't count that the outro is nothing but useless static. Still makes me wonder why people do that kind of shit. "Oh yeah, let's just put static at the end of the disc." What is achieved by this? It's a waste of time and space.
Despite my griping, this is actually a very good black metal disc, as I enjoyed the melodies heavily. When you want to hear melodic black metal, you want to hear it done right. This gives you what you ask for, so I would definitely recommend it. (49:00)
5/5 (What? Just because there's some static at the end, it doesn't kill the disc for me. You just turn the thing off or stop the track from playing.)



Ghoul - Transmission Zero (2011) - Ghoul, or should I say "Gwar 2.0" is an American masked band that mixes death/thrash with some rock, punk, and surfer music. The lyrics are comical and the band is in the same parody nature as Gwar. They even play damn near the same music. The only difference is that the vocals are much more extreme and tolerable here, than on Gwar releases.

Though there are some good solos and decent enough riffs, along with some experimenting with surfer music on the title track, I can't help but think of this disc as mediocre. It's nothing more than novelty, really. Sure, there's some death metal tracks like "The Destructor" but it's still just run of the mill death metal and thrash. I don't care if Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed are behind those masks, the performance isn't that stellar or interesting.

However, it is an enjoyable listen if you like parody metal. I do, so I thought some of it was rather comical. The track with the most potential is their 8:17 monster (most of the tracks are very short) "Morning Of The Mezmetron" which seems to combine all the best of Gwar with these guys. Both lyrically and Musically, it's plagiarism. It sort of reminded me a bit of Gwar's "We Kill Everything." Still, I liked the track, so go figure.

Honestly, these guys just need to tour with Gwar, so that they can have some great battle or something. I've heard the stage shows are excellent for Gwar, so I'd like to see these two bands battling it out on the same stage. Of course it might be funnier to see Lordi get the hell beat out of them by both groups. But that will never happen.

If you like Gwar, or death thrash with a very old school and parody sense, go get this disc. There's also an insane 3 LP version of the album if you really want to go old school. Sadly, the group's single "Metallicus Ex Mortis" sounds nothing like the rest of the disc. The rest of the disc is a lot heavier. But with a single like that, these guys are going further and further away for being known for their music and are going closer to being known for their comedy. To each their own, though. (39:00)

3/5



Animetal USA (2011) - As most of you know, I'm an anime fan. Animetal is just what it sounds like. It's classic anime themes being done in traditional heavy metal. But just before you think that this is some fad, keep in mind that Animetal is nothing new, at least in Japan and has been metalicizing your favorite anime theme songs (from the 70's up till now) since the early 90's.

If you choose to dig, (and I highly recommend running a torrent or filestubing this stuff) the Animetal Marathon albums (and Lady Animetal) are worth hearing as the band powers through about 45 songs or so as heavy as they can in some aspects. (Listen to "Amazon Da Da Da" and you'll hear death metal influence) I also recommend picking up Animetal Best, because their old singer is a fucking beast and I've never seen someone power through songs the way he does. I thought he was going to have a fucking heart attack, with as much enthusiasm and damn near screaming that he does. The music was also more thrashy then.

But this is now, and Animetal USA is different in just a few aspects. They have a new singer (I believe) and the band is much more into performing what appears to be power metal renditions, but there is still plenty of thrash and musicality here. Also, all of the lyrics from the original songs have been translated by the band into English.

I need to list exactly what themes have been done. Trust me, if you've ever watched anime at all, some of these should be QUITE familiar.

1.Uchuu Senkan Yamato (No idea)
2. Gatchaman No Uta (Gatchaman)
3. Mazinger Medley (Mazinger Series)
4. Makafushigi Adventure (Dragonball Original (Not Z)
5. Zankoku Na Tenshi No Thesis (Thesis Of A Cruel Angel... The fucking theme from Evangelion that I've been bitching about!)
6. Ai Wo Torimodose (No idea)
7. Ganbare Dokaben (No idea)
8. Pegasus Fantasy (Seint Seya - Eng. Ronin Warriors)
9. Ike Tigermask (No idea)
10. Kinnikiuman Go Fight! (Kinnikiuman, I guess)
11. Yuke, Yuke, Hyuuma. (No idea)

For the most part, this is probably the best power metal disc I've heard all year. I just haven't seen too many of them come out yet that were strictly power metal. Unless we count Iced Earth, but that's power/thrash. Anyway, this disc is right up there. The musicianship is great, the guitar solos are flying all over the place and the vocalist is really fucking good, and has some definite pipes on him. He can sing a good melody and can definitely reach the high notes.

Damn, I'm impressed with the ability of this band. The music does get quite thrashy at times, but it's not about that. Even themes I've never heard before just translate so well into metal. The Gatchaman theme, Mazinger Medley, and Saint Seya theme are just fucking awesome as done by this band, even if you didn't know they were covers. I've played the Saint Seya theme probably about a dozen times, just because it's done so well. Unfortunately, I still prefer the original Evangelion theme to the metal version, even though it was a great to hear the guitar renditions of such a great theme. This is not a shitty album by all means, and fans of traditional power metal will be impressed.

There's also one more complaint I have here, and it's minute. Even though I liked to actually hear some of my favorite anime songs in metal and translated, the translations don't always match up well with the music. (Listen to the Dragonball theme for example.) But when they do, it's badass. When they don't, you just kind of smile through it. (Yeah, they fucked that one up.)

I'm wondering if there is a Japanese version of this, because I'd like to hear a metal version of Eva in it's traditional language. It just came off better that way. I'll be hunting for one, rest assured. I'm planning on downloading all the marathon discs anyway, because I don't have the couple thousand yen it would take to import them. I'm sure there's a version of it on there, and maybe "Forces" from Berserk, but I doubt it. Or, "We Gotta Power" From Dragonball Z. (Japanese) Perhaps even, "Hikari No Will Power" (Trunks theme Japanese, loved it when I was a teenager.)

Still, definitely check this one out. I was very impressed with some of these.

Who Is He? Who is He? Who Is He? Go Gatchaman! (42:00)

4/5 (I can't wait to hear their next one. Japanese bands are different than American ones, so maybe it'll come out next month! (Crosses fingers.)



The Rotted - Ad Nauseaum (2011) - For those of you who haven't heard The Rotted before, they are a UK death metal band that seems to take a cue from thrash and classic British punk. You can certainly hear the punk influence in most of these songs, albeit there are some faster numbers which sound more like extreme or brutal death metal. The album's title track "Just Add Nauseum" is a good example of this injection of brutality.

While most of the songs are quite short, many of them only in the 2:30 - 3:00 range, the disc ends with two much larger tracks at the 5:00 mark. "The Hammer Of Witches" is probably the better of these, since the song seems much different than anything else on the disc, but the almost instrumental closer (with some random barks from the vocalist) "Put Me Out Of Your Misery" also carries with it a chilling and much more doom influenced sound that might appeal more to your tastes.

While not a Baskin Robbin's album, this disc is still quite a mixed bag. However, that might be a good thing, as every song on it doesn't sound the same. These Brits definitely have what it takes to perform worthwhile death metal that echoes the footsteps of bands like the Clash, and won't turn off the British death metal fans of today, who probably believe that punk is a thing of the past. One just needs to simply listen to the music, and you'll find the influences within.

Definitely worth checking out. A great disc from beginning to end. There's also a nice cover of "Motorbastards." Which seems fitting, as Motorhead obviously also influenced this impressive death metal act. (38:00)

5/5



Mithras - Time Never Lasts (2011 EP) - This technical death metal band really shows some potential on this short 27:00 EP. There are two in studio tracks, "Time Never Lasts" and "Inside The Godmind", and there are three Live tracks, "Tomb Of Kings", "Wrath Of God", and "Beyond The Eyes Of Man" to close it out.

For the most part, this band really seems to know just what they're doing. The drums are pummeling, the guitars are doing all sorts of weird things, and there's some damn good melodies every now and then that you just wouldn't expect from a band of this nature. That continues into the live tracks, which are just a tad fuzzy on the musical side of things. Despite the fact that their lead vocalist has more of an orcish growl (sounds just like the growler in Battlelore) than an actual death metal vocal, the band certainly has some skill and uniqueness that makes them worth caring about.

I recommend this album as a starter to the band, if you've never heard them before. They may not be the best on vocals, but their musicality is unparalleled. Definitely worth a listen. Just keep in mind that it's only 27:00 worth of music, and I'm starting to wonder why bands release EP's at all. It just seems a little lazy to me. I'd rather have a full album rather than just a handful of songs. (27:00)

4/5



My Dying Bride - The Barghest O' Whitby (2011 EP) - Is it just me, or is the artwork on this thing really low budget? The album booklet looks like it didn't take a lot of work to design at all. Even the band pic sort of looks like it was done in the early 90's. Aaron looks sort of funny in his portrait, I'm sure it would be quite a humorous site to see him growling. He just doesn't look like the man you would expect to do the vocals. He also did all of the artwork for the album.

To tell you the truth (and this is going to make fans very happy) this sounds like EARLY My Dying Bride. You know what albums I'm referring to, right? Stuff like "Turn Loose The Swans" and earlier. It's just doom/death with clean vocals. I believe this disc is probably the one the band needed to do, as their current style was getting too fucking old.

Yes, fans of EARLY My Dying Bride will probably ejaculate with glee upon listening to this one, as I haven't heard the band this fucking heavy in years... and I do mean years. The drums thunder, the riffs are quite morose and heavy, and the whole thing just feels much darker. I need to add that they hired a studio drummer, but the guy is great. Seeing as this is a 27:04 track, (Yes, I did say that this whole disc is just one 27:04 track) it's quite impressive and gets pretty damned heavy at times. Much heavier than you'd think.

I'm quite impressed that the band can go back to their roots so easily. The raw production value of this disc really seems to drill this point home, and I'm so glad that this disc DOESN'T have an over the fucking top production value. If you like My Dying Bride at all, this disc certainly shows them the way that you've known them. Nothing new, but a certain return to form is imminent.

I can actually recommend this. It's worth the money. (27:04)

4/5



Vallenfyre - A Fragile King (2011) - Besides the epic name, Vallenfyre is a new project featuring members of Paradise Lost. But this music is a great deal different from what Paradise Lost does, at least in their current iteration. Yes, Vallenfyre has more in common with doom/death bands like November's Doom, but still differentiates themselves from the kind of doom/death that we've come to expect in this day and age. It might be better to call this "death metal with slight doom influence and melody."

The band certainly has a great package here, being that the songs don't share the same tempo, and there's everything from the slower introduction track of "All Will Suffer" to the much more brutal death metal notions of "Ravenous Whore." This band does all the best to combine death metal with the slightly more morose style of doom, something that the band used to do perfectly back in the early 90's when they were called Paradise Lost.

No, this doesn't feature Nick Holmes on vocals, so it's not just another iteration of Paradise Lost. This is a standalone project, even though it's in the same vein. To put why you should grab this album into words, I would simply tell you that it sounds like Paradise Lost's "Gothic" album, but much heavier than that. There are also no clean vocals. Not a one.

The disc also contains some rather heavy drumming and the odd bit of melody once in a while from the Paradise Lost guitarist, which makes the album sound much different from death metal in a sense, but I also feel that it's sort of haphazard; that it doesn't necessarily belong in the package. The occasional (and I do mean occasional) solo is here as well, giving things a little more form. If anything else, this band is a definite competitor to acts like November's Doom, Swallow The Sun, and Insomnium (even though that disc will be a tough one to beat this year.)

Worth while if you haven't gotten enough death/doom already this year. Certainly not a bad album as a whole, and worth picking up. (41:55)

4.5/5 (The band is still a little rusty, but I think potential is definitely here.)



Electro Quarterstaff - Aykroyd (2011) - This is the same sort of sporadic, all over the place crap that some people think is talent. It's akin to throwing paint on the wall, or shit, or something of that nature. "What a wonderful piece of abstract art." says the man who looks at a piece of feces in the toilet.

I'm sorry, folks. I just really don't get this "Behold The Arctopus use a million time signatures and play your guitars in any sort of tune because it's intelligent music" crap. Now Animals As Leaders actually has some melody. This is just technical death metal with enough experimentation in it to barely even be considered music. Every song sounds the same way, and every track on the disc bored me.

There are no vocals and the songs have silly names like "Stroganoff", "Japanese Upside Down Cake" and "Unholy Gravy." It's the same sort of crap that people use to name mindless instrumentals. I also have a feeling that the band might have had the munchies while coming up with the track titles.

If you like your instrumental tech garbage all over the fucking place, then go get this. I don't know whether it's good or bad, it just is. To me, it was a solid disc. I am definitely the wrong reviewer for this kind of shit, because I can't tell you whether or not the instruments should be more out of tune than they already are.

There's certainly fluoride in the water, folks. (41:00)

3/5



Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument (2011) - This band decided that they didn't want the confusion of genres and labels on their music. That must be why this band literally decided to just do everything... and black metal. Even though it's hard to tell.

This band reminded me quite a bit of Aborym, but a hell of a lot more experimental. What do you mean, more experimental than Aborym? Yes, I am telling the truth here. This stuff is OUT there. The band mixes atmospheres with avant-garde, industrial, and even just plain old black metal tracks, like "Loupton Tuntematon." But even that track has some weird riffing going on in areas.

The album is decidedly a little raw in the production sense, and I'm not sure if this is because it's rare Finnish black metal and they don't have a lot of money, or they just wanted it to sound like that. Regardless, every track on this disc is a new and different experience. Expect to hear things that you haven't heard before, and to go places that you've never been. One of my personal favorites on the disc is the 8:57 "Andromeda" which contains some really great melody compared to the rest of the disc.

Once again, every track has it's own atmosphere and not one is like the other. This band is certainly doing something right, because reviews for this one have been really good. I believe the band worked their asses off to create something much different than we've heard before, especially in this age of experimental black metal filled with acid induced atmospheres.

While not as clear as it could be, this is still a worthy disc to check out. Especially if you're into this kind of weird metal. As a matter of fact, you'll be fucking thanking me after this one. I wish I knew about these guys sooner, or I would have reviewed their earlier discs. I may go ahead and do that in a week or so, because this is the kind of music that you just can't (and shouldn't) ignore. (66:00)

666 (Almost legendary.)



Andromeda - Manifest Tyranny (2011) - I've always liked Andromeda, but they seem to be the black sheep of the power/prog scene. I thought their last disc, 2008's "The Immunity Zone" was one of the best prog-metal albums of 2008, if not the best album of that year. I've never heard a mix of electronics and prog like they did on that disc. But sadly, others don't seem to agree. It seems I'm one of the only people who still like this band. As a matter of fact, let me know if there's anyone else on this board that likes this fucking band, besides myself.

Despite the lower production value, (probably because they didn't sell enough albums with their 2008 masterpiece) this album picks up where the last one left off, but features even more experimenting than their last one. Songs like "Asylum 7:01" certainly challenge the listener, as they incorporate more electronic elements than one might expect. Also, there's some soft ballads. One of them, "Survival Of The Richest 6:01" is great, but the other, "Go Back To Sleep 7:41" is probably the worst song in the history of band's career and I hate it with a passion.

Still, "Chosen By God 4:35" is a strong, but mostly voice-over piece that seems to spread it's message of corporate greed and the approach of the NWO quite well. "Lies R Us 5:15" is a more straight-forward prog-metal song that recalls the band's heyday, and the closer "Antidote 7:02" is a great and heavy way to close out the disc. It also has a very powerful message. The whole damn disc is loaded with this message, and I feel that it really marks the times for us as a race.

Obama's voice clips are also played with a little bit, but the band is trying to show how war is not the answer, and how Europe has become a bureaucracy that's a sure threat to democracy. There's several other messages on the disc, but I'm sure you get it.

As for musicality, it's what you can expect from the band. There are is plenty of prog here to enjoy, and it's all very well done. The band has not shown any signs of wear and tear here, and despite that one awful ballad; this is certainly some of their best work. I think that fans might appreciate this varied style a bit more than on their last release. Overall, a great album with a good message. I wasn't expecting something this good, in all actuality- so I'm surprised they came through, even though some songs are more challenging to get into than others. (63:52)

4/5



Appearance Of Nothing - All Gods Are Gone (2011) - Yet another prog metal band, and this one shows some definite promise. Appearance has been around for a while, but this is my first album from them. The band mixes many things together, in a do not fucking care sort of way. But it's this that makes the disc truly progressive, and not the same old crap. Death metal vocals are also used on the disc, so it's not as light as some prog metal can be.

The songs vary by track, and even then the tracks themselves vary so much that you sometimes can't even tell if you're listening to another track or not. The band definitely goes above and beyond with the prog, and on those special sections that we've all expected from prog metal, the passages can be a more than just a little exciting.

Sometimes the lyrics can be lacking, however; especially on songs like "...I Said Silence 7:29" which are truly terrible. I never thought I would hear the words "I want to kick your ass" in prog metal. Also, there's the straight-up no frills techno portions on "The Call Of Eve 5:15" and even some acoustic stuff just thrown into songs for no good reason.

The bad thing about this album, is that some of the songs are just too bloody long. When it gets to the point that you're not even sure you're listening to the same song, the song should've already ended. But this is not the case, as even though some of these songs are much shorter than others, they can all seem to last for hours. You just wind up saying to yourself, "How much more shit are they going to put into this song?"

All in all, there's a plethora of ideas here; but too many of them are used all at the same time. Still, if you haven't heard these guys before; it's a rather different sort of prog than I was used to, and I was sort of glad to hear it. Definitely worth taking a chance on, but try before you buy. (48:00)

4/5



Grayceon - All We Destroy (2011) - Grayceon and Giant Squid almost sound the same, except for slight differences. Both bands are sludge, and both bands experiment. The only real difference here, is that the vocals are female and there's some screaming. But the violinist is the same for both bands, as is the style. One could say that if you buy the new Giant Squid, you should also get the new Grayceon, as it's literally like another GS disc, or vice-versa.

Even though this disc came out in February of this year, I'd never heard of the band until I looked up the connections in Giant Squid and wondered if this stuff would be just as good. Lyrically, not so much. The lyrics seem very lazy and repetitive, but the music of the band follows along with he same sort of ethnic and violin fueled approach of Giant Squid. But this band is heavier and features as I've stated, more pissed off woman than the other band.

There are some happy songs though, like "Once A Shadow 7:37" which I hated at first, until right near the end of the track, where it got quite interesting. You see, it's not what this band does vocally that is appealing. It's what the band can do musically, and on songs like "We Can 17:15" the band certainly puts all of that time to good use, making proggy soundscapes that prove to be very effective.

The opener, "Dreamer Deceived 6:36" starts out quite heavy and frantic, but "Shellmounds 9:08" seems to be much better. The lyrics actually seem to be metaphors for war (and some not so much) and you can tell that when the last track, "War's Over 7:23" declares "that the war is over, it is time to rest your bones." of course this could be a chilling satire, but the song itself sounds rather melancholy.

Probably not the band's best, but certainly not too bad. I'd certainly like to dig into some of their earlier albums, but I feel that I'm more a fan of Giant Squid. Songs like "Panthalassa" cannot be touched. This album was much longer than the new GS, and only half as good.

I also don't think we'll be getting a new album from her (vocalist/violinist) for a while, because according to the current GS photo, she's got a bun in the oven. (52:00)

4/5

Week 41 (Backtracking)

Venom - Fallen Angels (2011) - Well, the band that put the "black" in black metal (cough, cough - Bathory - cough, cough) is back with a disc that sounds the furthest thing from it. In my opinion, Venom has always been about as black metal as Rob Zombie has been death metal. So in other words, I don't believe this band was ever black metal, but they may have helped to pioneer it with their version of very dark thrash.

The disc is quite long actually, split into 16 different tracks, each of them different from the other, but they all seem to contain the same rockability that this band has embraced for so long, which makes it a very rockin' dark thrash metal with some classic heavy metal influence. Surprisingly, I found the disc to be quite enjoyable and think that some of the material presented here is on par with their early work.

Songs like "Nemesis" take us back to those early thrash days, and songs like "Pedal To The Medal" make me think of a slightly darker, meaner Motorhead. There's also "Sin" which contains an excellent instrumental portion, and "Death By The Name" and it's outro piece "Lest We Forget" seem to work well enough, but I don't think that the instrumental piece was needed at all on the disc. It just sounds like it's in the wrong place. It's a very depressing little ditty that seems to kill the thrash / rockin mood of the disc. Also, there's "Punk's Not Dead" a song I wouldn't expect to hear from them. But it does work, surprisingly.

However, the title track, "Fallen Angels 7:05" really surprised me. It shows these guys still have some steam left in them and the song reminds me of the their older material a bit. Let's just put it this way. Despite the disc being packed to the literal brim with a kitchen sink full of Venom, most of the material on this disc is surprisingly good. Of course, most of it we've heard before as other songs with the same style.

There are three songs near the end that veer away from the satanic style of lyrics that the band was known for, and that includes the "Valley Of The Kings" which is yet another song about the Valley Of The Kings, and "Annunaki Legacy" which proves that Venom also digs the History channel show, "Ancient Aliens." The final track on the disc is a doom influenced track called "Blackened Blues." It's more in the vein of current Celtic Fr... I mean, Triptykon; except a little bit trippier actually. Anything went on this album, but it was an experiment worth taking and it's not a bad heavy metal/thrash album. It's not the best album of the year, but it's definitely solid. I feel my score here is well warranted. (66:00)

3.5/5



Esoteric - Paragon Of Dissonance (2011) - About the time it released, this album from Esoteric (who's been doing doom/death since 92' apparently) was number one on Metalstorm.net's "Top 10 albums of 2011." I usually check this frequently, as it's usually heavily voted on in the metal community. (Note: Stay away from Top 10 according to charts, as Megadeth's 13 and Metallica's Lulu (YES! SADLY!) rank in the number one and two spots. Proof that brainwashed people will listen to anything if it is marketed right.)

Regardless of the hype about this album, I thought that it was good, despite the fact that it's an hour and thirty minutes of music. The might as well have included a album tying silent film to go with it, as it is the same length as a current film, box office or not.

I actually enjoyed parts of this disc, especially where the guitarist played, because all that he knew was melody. But I found that it had some fascinating lighter portions and even some very nice atmospheric pieces. I mean, with seven songs that trump even Opeth's lengthier epics, you've got to have some sort of atmosphere or you'll bore people to death. The drums do what they can and sometimes even a bit more than just keep a slow morbid pace with the music.

Do not expect one fast song on this disc, as everything is slow and mellow and of course, heavy. As I said again; every note that the guitarist of this band played was brilliant. The man solos and plays wonderful melody throughout the entire disc. Some of it's so good that it leaves the vocalist in the dust. Problem is, I can't understand a word of this disc, and wish that I could; because he just seems so fucking passionate about what he's singing about here and the songs are so goddamned long, that this must mean something to him.

Of course, titles like "Abandonment, Loss Of Will, Cipher, Non-Being, Aberration, Disconsolate and album closer, "A Torrent Of Ills" certainly point out the fact that this album is not filled with the most jolliest of lyrics. While most of the songs I only liked mere parts of, there are two that I found quite striking - "Non-Being 15:30" and "Disconsolate 15:33" particularly towards the end, where I could really feel that the band's power was being fully channeled. The dénouement of that track is probably one of my favorite doom/death moments of the year. So I can see why this album was at one time regarded the best of 2011.

It's certainly a monumental task to get through it all, but it goes down easier than Lulu did. Yes, I actually got through that one unscathed, I think... (picks up head and screws it back on body) But it is a rather enjoyable experience, despite how damn sorrowful it can be. It's sort of like a mixed message, a play with emotions. There are some very beautiful light melodies and atmospheres, laden with crunchy riffs and a feeling of hopelessness as well.

A metaphor for the world perhaps? There is both beauty and sorrow? Maybe I'm just thinking too much into this one. But trust me, you may find yourself doing the same thing. This is probably the longest recording of the year, by far. As I said, if you get this one, make some time to listen to it. But I suggest not to take it in all at once, as that can be daunting.

Still, definitely one of the better psychedelic/atmospheric doom/death albums of the year. But then again, it might be the only one.
(Disc 1 - 45:00) (Disc 2 - 44:00)

4/5 (Great, but just too fucking long.)



Vektor - Outer Isolation (2011) - Though I got this album a while ago, I have checked Metalstorm.net recently, and have discovered that it has found it's way into the top of the chart on Best Metal Albums Of 2011. So, I figured I would go ahead and see why people think that this progressive thrash metal band's release is so good, and why you should or shouldn't spend you money on it.

Well, for starters - this band would best considered an progressive/highly technical/death metal influenced thrash band. Many could call it the next wave of thrash, and so far from "Cosmic Cortex 10:22" the album opener, that begins with an awesome instrumental intro; I'm about ready to consider this the best damned thrash album I'm heard all year. Yes, read that again.

This is what thrash metal is all about. It would make Destruction proud. As much as I liked that Detonation album further down on this list, I would be an absolute idiot not to consider this fucking masterpiece one the most interesting discs I've heard all year.

I mean, how should I describe this band? The drums are killer, the guitar riffs are amazing, some of it even mind-blowing, and I'm not even supposed to be reviewing this one right now. But it's just that great. The vocals are blood curtling, almost black metal in a sense, I guess you could compare them to Skeletonwitch, but Skeletonwitch might as well pack up their shit, now that this has come out. Those guys could work their asses off and never come up with something this great.

Some of the songs are slower paced with some prog influence, but regardless of all that, the instruments really speak on this disc. This is a disc where you can really feel the power of the band, reminding me of the greatness of bands like Death in their prime. Oh yes, there is definitely Death influence here. Sometimes the vocals do remind me of Chuck a great deal.

I'm sure you're saying "All this prog/experimental/technical crap is great, but does the band actually do decent thrash?" Well, from what I'm hearing, yes. The thrash portions of this disc are very hard and very fierce. But the added guitar geekiness of this album certainly makes the formula sound even better. In fact, I can't even keep up. I'm serious folks, the goddamned guitars on this disc are making my head spin. This band sounds like it's made of five or six guitarists, so whoever these guys are - give them some goddamned medals because they can seriously play more than I've heard in a while.

Damn. That was just two songs. I'm going to have a heart attack before I finish this one. Even though this disc is only 51 minutes, you won't care. As a matter of fact, I think most metal listeners will cream their pants upon listening to this one, because even I can't explain this shit. It's just good. A whole lot of variation, great vocals, and some damn good drumming. If these guys are only teenagers, I'm going to bow to our new alien masters.

Fans of Death, I highly recommend this band to you. You'll cry and think that Death has been reincarnated as a thrash band. It's really that goddamned good. If you listen to one album this year, I'd have to recommend this one. The songs have so much goddamned structure, that 5 minute tracks feel like they've been playing for hours. This is the universe's gift to metal. I'm digging the living fuck out of this.

You know what? I haven't even finished listening to this entire disc yet. But I am 100% positively sure that the rest of this disc doesn't suck. Even if it did, The four songs I've currently heard are fucking incredible. This band could have released just one track and it would have sufficed. Be grateful that this a full album.

We are seriously not worthy. Bow to Vektor. (51:00)

777 (Who are these inhuman beings?)



Blut Aus Nord - 777 The Desanctification (2011) - Ah, Blut Aus Nord. Giving us the other part of your 777 saga? Well thank you, very much. I did feel that the disc was starting to get good as it ended. What's this? The disc starts right where the last one left off? Maybe I should re-listen to them both as a whole then.

Since I haven't got time for that, I'll just lay this one out for you all. The disc is much more industrial than I've heard the band in quite a while. They're fooling around with effects in the vein of bands like Aborym and DHG. The riffs are quite simplistic however, and so are the simulated drum loops. At least this first track, the aptly named, "Epitome VII" which is something I'd expect to hear in a futuristic FPS. Trust me, this is the kind of thing I'd expect to hear playing in the background of a new Doom game, for sure. But is it entertaining? Yes.

This all still sounds like one big experiment, but the disc features more guitars and guitar layering than the last one. It starts out rather simplistic, but gains variation and form further on in the listen. This must be the main meat of the project, or it's the second appetizer and the real meat of the project will be delivered to us in 2012.

Nonetheless, there are some new ideas on the disc, like the use of clean vocals (they remind me a little of Enslaved) and a female vocal chant on the second to the last Epitome (Epitome XII.) I was also happy to see that the band used more melodies on this disc than in the last one, and some of them are quite good. There is also an ethnic sound on some of the songs in this album. Remember, this is just one big experiment.

While only six songs, some of them seem to work well together, but the first Epitome and the epitome that follows DO NOT flow into each other one single bit. However, the album still maintains it's industrial "The Work Which Transforms God" style approach, but with a few slight alterations and new ideas. Some might say that disc is either better or worse than that one, but I definitely like it better, as TWWTG was difficult for me to get into.

This disc is certainly not very long, as one might expect; and I gather that repeated listening could either give one a better appreciation or a greater dislike for the album. Nevertheless, it's still very Blut Aus Nord, but nothing like Memoria I or II. So you'll just have to get over it and give it a try. While not mind-blowing, it's a step up from the previous album. Of course, Blut Aus Nord seems to be having too much fun with their electronics - and that might push some people away. (43:00)

4/5



Thy Catafalque - Rengeteg (2011) - Thy Catafalque is quite simply, the future of avantgarde metal. Never since the days of Arcturus and Ram-Zet have I heard avantgarde done so well, and so different from other avantgarde bands out there. No, you won't understand a lick of the lyrics, or even the titles of the songs (unless you know Russian) but that will not stop you from listening. The band meanders through many different styles on this album, with tracks like the opener, "Fekete mezők 9:20" being both very crunchy and very beautiful, with soaring vocal lines. This is a band that incorporates folk music into their formula, and it works greatly.

They also fool around with electronics, but you don't hear them as much as you would think, as they are more in the background, giving the songs a great structure. The band doesn't really use a harsh vocal approach, but the music is heavy enough in areas, and it doesn't really call for it. But later Arcturus also swayed from heavy vocals, particularly on their final disc with Vortex in 2005.

"Kő koppan 4:38" is another track that is much different from the rest of this album. It focuses on very light melody and symphonics, but features a great vocal melody.

This band is also known for making one or two very long tracks, and on this disc, it just happens that "Vashegyek 14:09" is one of those longer tracks, even though this song is quite shorter than some of their near 20 minute epics on earlier albums. Again, Vashegyek is much different from the other tracks, as it features female vocals, and then features male clean singing, after that, it gets very heavy and has a killer melody that I just didn't notice the first time.

As for overall musicality, these guys are fantastic. There are great guitar melodies and as I've already stated, and plenty of structure and differentiation in the songs. There aren't so many harsh vocals, but they do exist on the album, and double bass does come in in places, so this disc definitely cuts a fine line between many genres, and that is what makes it avantgarde.

Compared to many of the earlier discs in this band's career, Rengeteg is the best production quality that they've ever had. That's why you should go out and search for this one. I am telling you, people who don't know about Thy Catafalque will want to know about them. So spread the word to all fans of avantgarde, because not too many people know about these guys because they are Russian, I suppose.

Listener, if you like avantgarde metal at all - I highly, highly, highly, recommend that you check this band out. This is not overhype, they might become your next favorite band in a matter of minutes, because they're just that fucking good. There are plenty of ideas explored in this album, and my review couldn't cover them all if I wanted to. This is the true sense of avantgarde metal, and it will be listed on my Best of 2011 as "Best Avantgarde Metal Album" hands down. Giant Squid was nice, but this is incredible. Absolutely amazing metal, with impeccable musicality. Get off your fucking asses and grab this one! (59:00)

777 (The next thing in avantgarde, hands down. Listen to "Vashegyek" in full (or 8:14 - 14:09) and tell me that you don't like these guys! Also check out "Minden test fű 5:11" for a dose of black metal at the end of the disc.)



Burzum - From The Depths Of Darkness (2011 comp. with re-recorded material that is incredibly un-kvlt.) - The first thing about this disc that I noticed, is that all of these tracks now have English titles. Whoops, I suppose it's no longer traditional Norwegian black metal anymore. The disc contains 8 songs of various lengths, and three introduction pieces. Why? I don't know. Go ask him.

Personally, I like the idea of the songs being re-recorded. I'll also add that they still sound as raw as they would have originally sounded, but with a peak in quality. So yes, you can actually hear them. This was something I always hated about black metal, the fact that you could never hear the earlier bands.

For me, this is the first time hearing many of these tracks. What can I say? I'm impressed. The only discs I have from Burzum are Filosofem and Hildsjalf. But Hildsjalf isn't a metal album, so it doesn't count. Of course, now I've also got Fallen and Belus which I both enjoy. I don't think there's been a song so far I haven't enjoyed from this guy, so it doesn't surprise me that this earlier material also sounds good with a "facelift" so to speak. Oh... um... some of the lyrics are also in English. There's even a nice little solo part in "Ea, Lord Of The Depths 5:23" I'm sure Cthulhu would be pleased. The introduction piece to that song "Sassu Wunnu 5:23" is a necessity, so I can see why it was added.

"Feeble Screams From Forests Unknown 7:48" is a great opener for the disc however, reminding me of Burzum's now much more melodic sense. It's still heavy, but carries with it quite a bit of melody.

"Spell Of Destruction 6:47" really gives me the feel of what early Norwegian black metal sounded like. I just feel that the song itself has a very aged quality. There are just some parts in that song that I seldom hear from Black Metal these days. Also, some of the riffs are kind of spooky - which you don't really hear anymore either. It really gives the song a definitive flavor. Trust me, I just don't hear that many spooky riffs anymore. Perhaps I've been listening to too much metal, but I just don't hear anything that really evokes a sense of eeriness quite like this one.

"A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit 11:30" is the longest track on the disc, and seems to also evoke a sense of "fear" if you will. The song itself actually sounds in the vein that Sabbath were looking for when they wanted to become a very dark sort of band. As for Sabbath influence, you'd be an idiot if you can't hear it in the crunchier portions of this song. I hear PLENTY of Sabbath in this one. I guess that makes Sabbath partly responsible for black metal as well, which I could figure since while one can argue until the end of time, it pretty much all goes back to Sabbath. (Going past that point would lead you to Hendrix of course then you could keep going and we'd eventually be back to the first man who ever strummed a guitar.) Of course, getting past the crunchiness - there's also a sense of atmosphere (which you really need to have if you're going to do a song this long.)

While "My Journey To The Stars 7:51" might sound like a great name for a children's book, it's also a pretty awesome song. Again, the melodies really help to bring this one out, one thing I've always liked about this guy's music. His ears definitely knew what melody was, unlike a lot of these other black metal guys that think just heavy and dark is the way to go. I especially like that riff at 4:56. Another thing about this track, is it seems happier than the rest, perhaps folkier in portions. Then it gets thrashy at the end... certainly a mammoth of a song.

"Call Of The Siren" introduces "Key To The Gate 5:14" which just sounds awesome to me, no matter how you put it. I've always liked the occult based lyrics, even if based in myths like some of the more Lovecraftian stuff on this disc. This track is quite erratic, very crazy and has some punk vibe to it. Then the proggy stuff comes in. I can see how this kind of material sparked a prog black metal revolution in the mid to late 2000's which has remained strong today. Of course, the melodies are also very strong and I've greatly enjoyed this fucking track.

At times, I think Burzum should've titled this album "Black Metal 101" because it really is a guidepost as to what could be accomplished with black metal. I hear so many different ideas, yet they all seem to fuse together in a sort of melody that is even hard to physically wrap my head around. Things like this shouldn't work together, but they do. Black metal bands just starting out could learn a thing or two from these tracks.

"Turn The Sign Of The Microcosm 9:50" also has a weird sensibility, from double bass it goes to a much more pounding style, which changes the overall style of the song in some areas. I don't hear too many bands doing that today. Of course, I do think that the song is just a little too long and don't understand the atmospheric that is being attempted. Alright, now I can start to sense that melody come back into the mix a little. Burzum is trying for a very trippy, drone-like feel on this one. Right near the end, the drums came back, which is a little odd; considering that you don't expect them to tap out with the end of the song. This one leaves me a bit puzzled.

The final track on the disc is "Channeling The Power Of Minds Into A New God 4:56" which is brilliant in title, personally. As for the song itself, I'm hearing a very sort of drone-like sense from the band which continued on obviously with albums like Filosofem, which I'd hope would get a remaster or re-record as it is hard to hear, but I definitely enjoy the disc and have listened to it quite a few times. However, this one leaves me a little cold. There's very little musicality to this track, anyone could've made it. But I'm not crazy about drone in the first place.

Burzum definitely shows why people should still care about them, playing these tracks just as well as they always have. I quite enjoyed this disc and would highly recommend it even though I didn't care for the closer. It's an absolute must buy, because these new recordings are much cleaner and you really get to absorb these ancient tracks just a little better. (62:00)

5/5



Iron Savior - The Landing (2011 Ltd. Edition Digipack) - The last time I checked, this was #2 on Metalstorm.net's best of 2011 list, and it seems to be well deserving as it's some of the best power/heavy metal that I've heard in a very long time. While many bands these days fail to really improve on the formula of power metal, other than adding more technicality (Dragonforce) and more prog and symphs, (several other bands) here comes a band whose debut it thunderous and true to what power metal actually is. Taking a page from legends Manowar and adding plenty of Blind Guardian moments to the mix, (sometimes their vocalist even echoes Hansi Kursch) this band have created a wonderful power metal experience that you shouldn't soon forget.

The strengths of this band lie in their skills, there's no questioning that. The guitar playing is fast and ferocious, except when it's slower and more melodic. The band juggle two styles on this album, one being more akin to Blind Guardian power/thrash and the other sounding like a more anthemic Hammerfall or Manowar. Both styles are done exceptionally well, and the solos on this disc are fantastic. These are the kind of solos that'll make you want to bust out your air guitar skills and follow along, because they're just that great. Even in terms of riffs, this band seems to know just what they're doing, by mixing the old school right in with the new.

The vocals on this album were an acquired taste at first. but once I had acquired them, I definitely enjoyed the album and couldn't see how another vocalist could do just as good of a job as this one does. As I said, he can be a little screechy in the thrashier parts of the album, but it definitely reminded me of Hansi quite a bit, and it's a good thing that some power metallers haven't forgotten their elders.

The production quality of the disc is not sparklingly clear, but you can definitely discern all of the grandeur within. The disc wasn't meant to sound pristine, and was meant to echo the rawer production of some of the older power metal bands in their heyday. The effect was greatly achieved.

Of all eleven tracks on this disc, I enjoyed eight of them. Which isn't bad, because that means that I liked an entire 40 minutes of this disc, which is saying much more than most. Of best power metal albums for 2011, it's surprisingly a tough one as we've got Charred Walls Of The Damned, Iced Earth, this album, Brainstorm and Pagan's Mind for starters. But this is certainly not an album you'd want to miss this year, which has been extremely good to power metal in all of it's subgenres.

Bonus Tracks: The bonus tracks on this album rarely differ from each other. "Coming Home 5:04" is sort of a lackluster B-Side, but "Atlantis Falling 4:35" has certainly more merit. But there's nothing really special on either of these tracks, and none of them seem to be as good as any of the tracks on the original album. However, "Atlantis Falling 4:35" is very close. I would still stick with the regular, unless the digipack isn't too much more money.

Give this one a shot, for sure. It's well worth hearing. (49:00 Original) (58:00 Digipack)



Nightwish - Imaginaerum (2011) - Nightwish is back with their seventh album, "Imaginaerum." This one is a little more special than the others, because a feature film goes in tune with it. Yes, this is the soundtrack to a feature film by the same name. Go IMDB it. The band is doing the music for this film, and what I at first thought was a kid's film, and thought that this might be "children's metal" was definitely changed by the 13:00 epic, "Song of Myself" which has an endnote that most religious people would condemn greatly and would forbid their children to see it. Apparently, Markos and crew have given up Christianity entirely.

An excerpt:

"Why do we still carry a device of torture around our necks? Oh, how rotten your pre-apocalypse is. All you Bible-black fools living off a nightmare ground. I see all those empty cradles and wonder if man will ever change. I too, wish to be a decent man-boy, but all I am is smoke and mirrors. Still I've given everything, may I be deserving, and there forever remains the change from G to E Minor."

The album at first, opens with an intro that sounds like a Finnish lullaby. Then the first major track of the album, "Storytime 5:22" hits. This is probably one of my favorite tracks on the album, and the new vocalist definitely shows that she's got staying power on this one. I can't wait to hear it open the film. (Of course, I'm going to d/load an import copy. I doubt this is hitting US Shores.)

"Ghost River 5:28" follows, with the same style as "Storytime" which borrows greatly from the "Once" album. (plenty of thrash and orchestration) Except Markos even goes to the realms of trying to perform a harsher sort of vocal. It's actually a pretty heavy track and very dark in tone.

"Slow, Love, Slow 5:50" is another one of those jazzy 1950's detective show sort of tracks, definitely reminds of the burlesque dancers that sing on stage. (Do they still have that? I'd love to go see a show like that, personally.)

"I Want My Tears Back 5:07" returns with the thrash, but tries to be a bit of a single and doesn't really work for me. The orchestration in it is really good though, and I guess it's catchy enough. Something made me give it five stars, so I'll just have to listen to it again, I suppose.

"Scaretale 7:32" is also very heavy (they really put on the thrash in this album) and it actually features the female vocalist doing some weird vocals that are supposed to sound eerie. This is what made me think that this might be a children's film. The operatic style of vocal really gets laid on thick here, it's very much like a play (as is most of this disc.)

"Arabesque 2:57" is nothing more than an enjoyable Arabian instrumental. It's quite good though. "Turn Loose The Mermaids 4:20" is decent enough, but doesn't really get good until the start hammering you over the head with the catchy chorus. It's not a very heavy track though.

"Rest Calm 7:02" is one of the only two songs on this disc that has a guitar solo. It's slightly heavier than the last two songs, but really didn't phase me. I liked the orchestration, but the solo gets muddied out by it. It's a decent song, but I would've liked to hear more of that guitar solo.

"The Crow, The Owl, And The Dove 4:10" might wind up a single with a video, even though most of the tracks here are thrashers and this one is easily marketable on the radio. The lyrics of the song are very good, an inspiring folk song. But I like the lyrics of the song better than the actual song itself. Still, not bad.

"Last Ride Of The Day 4:32" is the other song on the disc with a solo. it is a thrasher in the same style as the tracks on "Once." It's good enough, catchy as "Storytime" and has a decent lyrical theme about life being a magical adventure full of mystery.

"Song Of Myself 13:37" is an overblown track with plenty of actors from the movie speaking in it, and from their vocal performances, I'm going to have to see this, because they seem to be great actors. The plot also sounds very good. The song itself though, is decent enough, but it only makes you want to see the film if you have not. I couldn't really get the lyrics, but a lot of poetry is being spouted in this one. Most of it is remarkable poetry though. Markos was always good with his words.

The final track on the disc is the self titled orchestration piece which is featured in the movie of the same name, "Imaginaerum." It's more or less an overture of all the other songs on this disc, just completely orchestral. Again, I'd like to see this film.

Imaginaerum is definitely a thrashier disc than we've heard from the band in a while, but it also has it's own charm and uniqueness from the things that they have done in the past. The new vocalist has been put through the ringer here, and I no longer mind her. I'm definitely impressed and hope to see the film and to get this thing in better quality (192 ain't cutting it.)

I also noticed that this disc was produced by Nuclear Blast (Warner) which I'm not sure if that means that NB is owned by Warner, or in association with Warner pictures. If that's the case, this film will definitely be hitting American shores soon enough.

Even if you don't see the film, this is one of the band's best albums in a very long time. I've heard everything this band has had to offer (or damn near it) and I'm quite impressed here as I wasn't much with the last one.

Definitely worth a listen for fans of orchestral opera metal. (74:00)

4/5



Farsot - Insects (2011) - Farsot has definitely taken a page from Enslaved and Nachtmystium this time around, making a very prog infested album that's in both parts equally heavy and equally light. There are crushing portions in this slower-paced black metal album, but plenty of progressive riffs and melodies as well as what sounds like surfer rhythms and some psychedelia on tracks like "Withdrawal 8:33" which makes perfect sense, due to the title.

There is also the interesting (but not very black metal) instrumental "7 3:46" which literally sounds like something out of a 50's era detective film, and might have found a home in L.A. Noire and people would've never known the track was done by a black metal band.

The majority of the songs on this disc, like the opener "Flakes Of Rust 7:49", and the tracks "Empyrean", "Perdition", "Adamantine Chains", and "Withdrawal" are all within the 6-10:00 mark, (With Empyrean being the longest track on the disc at 9:57) and the only short songs on this disc are the instrumentals "7" and "Somnolent 4:38." But these lengthy songs shouldn't deter listeners, for this is the sound of prog done right. If you enjoyed any of the last couple of Enslaved albums from Isa (2004) onward, you should certainly give this a listen. You will find it to be less forgiving on clean vocals, (there aren't any, aside from the low tone vocal that the vocalist uses - you'll know what I'm talking about when you hear it) but just as keen on melody and structure as Enslaved would be. As much as fans kiss their asses, I'm quite sure that Farsot is now not far behind. I also will state that I could understand the vocals on this one. At least in some places. The vocalist uses the traditional scowl as well, so there's nothing funny about this one (other than the low tone, which I didn't seem to mind.)

All in all, Farsot has put together a well produced, and well crafted black metal album that's not just another album amongst the sea of metal we've had this year (and last, and last, and last...exc.) It's an absolute must listen for any fans of progressive black metal that don't mind their music being a little slower, but without all the clean vocals, and with some added weirdness. After listening to the whole album, I couldn't find a thing wrong with it, and would have to give it a pretty good score.

Go buy this one if you've got the money folks, you shouldn't regret it. (55:00)

5/5



Klabautamann - The Old Chamber (2011) - In 2009, Klabautamann put out an excellent album, regarded one of the best of that year. Solstafir also did the same, but sadly their new one won't get the same glory. Klabautamann this time seem to be telling a story, as every track seems to be stages of a character's journey. (I like the story based concepts personally, so I'd like to read the lyrics)

The album cover also is quite intriguing, as it reminds me a little bit of an American McGee's Alice sort of atmosphere. If I was buying by cover art alone, I would've surely bought this disc. But enough about the concept and art.

The disc is certainly progressive black metal, but doesn't have as much of the atmospheric beauty that the last disc had. The band comes on much heavier and fiercer on this disc and some fans might appreciate that, while other might not. The march-style drumming on the disc also livens things up, giving it a more militaristic quality. The riffs are still great, and still very dark and evil at the same time. Eerie melodies counteract with blackened riffs just fine, while the drums help to give the foundation. Then the prog comes in, and just like Farsot; the band slays with such great prog riffs and melodies. If you picked up Farsot already, you might want to pick this one up with it. The two discs almost go seamless together and would make a great holiday gift for any fan of progressive black metal.

Compared to their earlier effort though, lightning did not strike twice. This album only manages to halfway reach the level of beauty on their last disc, however we know that black metal isn't all about beauty, it's about bleak rhythms and overall darkness. These were captured well on the disc, but unfortunately lump the band in with many other "regular old black metal bands" rather than really being something that branches out.

Instrumental "The Old Chamber 3:10" is an interesting stripped down folk-piece, and there's an interesting melody on "Gloom 4:52" as well as several interesting melodies and good proggy riffs throughout. "The Maze 3:51" also contains some nice melodies between vocal lines. You get the sense that the band definitely wanted to be heavier this time around, but in doing so they have sacrificed a little of the charm that made them unique in 2009.

The Old Chamber is certainly not a bad album. It's quite far from terrible, but it doesn't encroach on the territory that Farsot covered with their latest release which literally came out of the blue, and might be one of the year's biggest surprises. But if you're looking for something of a desert platter to your Farsot dinner, a little Klabautamann won't hurt. (47:00)

4/5



Gorath - Apokalypsis (Unveiling The Age That Is Not To Come) (2011) - Before I even say anything about this review, I'm going to point out the elephant in the room. Yes, the oversized, snarling black metal elephant. Why couldn't this band have simply called their album "Unveiling The Age That Is Not To Come?" Must there be two titles? Can you not make up your fucking minds, gentlemen? People are just going to refer to your album as "Apokalypsis" regardless, because it's less fucking words to say, obviously. I highly doubt that I'll meet a man who says "Have you heard the new Gorath album, Apokalypsis unveiling the age that is not to come?" I'd fucking hate that guy.

Now onto the music. Thankfully, Gorath is able to mix a raw black metal with prog quite seemlessly and in an interesting enough fashion. The opener, "Before The Throne Of The Demiurge 9:31" actually has an atmosphere that made me feel like I was in the presence of some false god. The band uses more than just your standard-fare synth atmospheres and it all works extremely well for the disc. The acoustics and the sound effects definitely help to bring this one along. Not to mention that the band has a very keen grip on melody and what I would call a true "progressive nature" rather than just going all over the place. It's actually well structured.

Here, it's not so much about the music or the lyrics, it's more about the feeling that you get from listening to something both so brutal and so mellow that changes at the drop of a hat. This is the way I used to feel about Primordial's older albums (and yes, the new stuff is still great.)

Though there are only truly five songs on this disc, "Wrath of God 1:32" and "Whore Of Babylon 2:53" are decent enough, the first being a short atmospheric that you barely even notice, but the other one is a dark acoustic that works well enough in the album.

Gorath is a band that truly throws in whatever they think is best, whenever they think is best. The epic, "Beasts From The Earth and Sea 13:03" actually contains about two or three minutes of music-less monk chanting. It's not the kind of chanting that they just ripped from some film either. This is real monk chanting amidst a sort of vortex-like effect which is rather faint, but hearable. If I must say, the monk chanting is pretty good. In terms of monk chanting.

Whatever the case, this band definitely tried to be the more experimental of the bunch and threw in many things which work and don't work so much. But they seem more interested in creating their atmospheres than they do about anything else on this disc. This is one of those discs, like Leviathan's latest - where just about anything goes. (But it does retain musical structure, as I mentioned earlier.) If you are one of those people who are more into a good atmosphere than a good black metal album, you might find what you like here.

Of course, I don't want to spoil your dreams of a perfect dark atmosphere; but there is some black metal on here as well. Nevertheless, it's a good mix of two worlds. It should be the midnight snack that goes right after the Klabautamann you had earlier. (48:00)

4/5



NunFuckRitual - In Bondage To The Serpent (2011) - Certainly not a great way to start your morning, NFR is probably the most depressing and darkest black metal this side of the frozen north. It's full of slow and melancholy riffs, shrieking, screaming and hollering in an almost sludgy sort of way, and the most depressing feeling that you could ever get from a black metal band as of this year.

I was actually in a good mood when I listened to this, and I thought it was just rather too dark and dreary and let it continue playing throughout. There are a few interesting melodies, and some good psychedelic effects here though. Even though they brought along Atilla (Mayhem) and Ravn along for one of the tracks, possibly the album's best, "Komodo Dragon, Mother Queen 6:55."

Also of note, Dan Lilker (from NY) plays bass on this album. Everybody seems to have recorded in different areas, but it all ended up on the same disc and doesn't sound too distant. The disc spans six tracks, all of them being between six and nine minutes each. I thought the disc was alright, albeit a little depressing; but the song that I really hated on this album was the closer, which just happens to be the title track. That song is nothing more than stripped down depression, and it just made me say, "Get on with it already!"

If you like depressing black metal like this, you should enjoy the album. But for me, it was alright I guess. I've heard far better this week, however. (44:00)

3/5



Disturbed - The Lost Children (2011) - Before you even ask, I'm just going to reiterate that Disturbed was my personal gateway drug into metal, and despite that I listen to bands that would be considered much more metal these days; I still have a very soft spot for the band, and some of these songs especially. You see, these songs are the B-Sides and unreleased tracks, and some of them are my favorite hard rock songs of all time.

The disc opens with "Hell" a song that was first released on the band's myspace in 2005. This song was so powerful, that I wished it could've gotten more recognition. It had the power to become a single and have a video dedicated to it, in itself. It was just that fucking good, and I from time to time still play it, because I think it's one of the best songs in the band's career. It has been released as a single for the B-Side album though, (which is strange) and represents the band at their best.

"A Welcome Burden" was originally recorded for the Dracula 2000 soundtrack, a long with a few other hard rock bands in their prime (Static X, Powerman 5000) and it shows the band with their heaviness of The Sickness, but edging more into the melodic side of Believe. It's a decent song, but was never my favorite. "This Moment" was on the Transformers 2 soundtrack (or was it the first one?) and never really gelled with me, but I suppose that some people liked it. "Old Friend" I have never heard before, but the lyrics sounded interesting, as did the musicality of the song. I was kind of surprised by this one. "Monster" was one of my favorite B-Sides from "Ten Thousand Fists" an album which contained too much damn filler for me, despite that "Deify" the singles, and the title track were quite good. Also, I do like the cover of "Land Of Confusion" as well as the McFarlane video.

"Run" was fairly decent, nothing special. Just like the bonus track from their newest album, "Leave It Alone." The next track, "Two Worlds" is another B-side from TTF, but it's just not that great. "Sickened" however is a good track, even though it's a bit more romantic in lyrical style, it's like a love song. "Mine" I've never heard before, and while I like the concept (Disturbed actually writing an anti-war song after TTF for once) it just didn't gel with me. I felt the same way with "Parasite."

The only Believe B-side "Dehumanized" and I have a very long history. I remember hearing this one on the "Music As A Weapon II" disc as a live version. I could not believe how powerful the lyrics to this song were as well as the melodies. The song is about a troubled soul that bargains with a deity. "If I offer you my soul, will you carry me away? I cannot be the only one to be dehumanized again."

Most of you know I've been through shit in my life, and while I was going through hell as a teenager, I used to play this one on repeat all of the time. Domestic abuse is nothing to laugh at, and it's tough to talk about. This song actually got me through some tough times, despite it's suicidal nature. Hence this is why the song probably never made it big.

Regardless of all this, I wondered if there was an actual studio rendition of this song, and I found one several years later and played the fuck out of it. Fast forward to 2011, I listened to the thing last night, but with a different sense towards the lyrics. The world is a very crummy place, and it would be wonderful to be taken away from the pain and misery of life, but it is also part of life that we must suffer, hence the first rule of Buddhism. "Life Is Suffering."

The next track on the disc, is what some would consider to be Disturbed's last track as a band, "3" which is about the West Memphis Three. The song lyrics are very powerful and I'm sure that those men could resonate with them. I think it's a very good song, and it represents the case, which any money to the sale of this track helped to go towards the freeing of the 3, which lo and behold; happened just a few months after this song released. We all know how bittersweet it was due to conditions of their freedom, but at least they are free.

Two covers follow. Faith No More's "Midlife Crisis" was never my favorite song from the band, and DIsturbed did make the cover a little more bassier - but other than that, it's just not that good. It wasn't good to begin with, anyway. The next cover ends the disc. It's just a cover of the more rocking side of Priest, "Living After Midnight" even though the intro to the song is the intro to "Painkiller." I was wondering if Draiman could actually take on that one, because that song's a fucking beast. But no, it goes into "Living After Midnight" and it just doesn't sound that good. I guess Draiman just couldn't do "Painkiller."

Well, the disc has a few good tracks, some of them very special to me, like "Hell" and "Dehumanized" most of all, but other than that - this is only worth buying if you want to hear two of the best song's in the band's career. The rest aren't that good, really.

Of course, there is a song missing and I know why. The band also did the theme for the wrestler "Stone Cold Steve Austin" (who used to be Stunning Steve Austin back in the day.) The track was called "Glass Shatters" and the WWE probably bought it, so they couldn't get it to put on this disc. It is a very good track and probably the best version of the Wrestler's theme. It was recorded a little bit after The Sickness era, when the band was still a little heavy.

Also, and yes - this isn't some kind of rumor; but the band did do one more extremely rare cover. It was only done live, and on their tour with Pantera. Before I even knew who Pantera was (believe me, this was YEARS ago) I managed to snag this from some filesharing client (I don't even remember what it was) and couldn't believe how well the band covered Pantera's "Walk."

If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have even known who in the hell Pantera was, and probably wouldn't have picked up that Pantera "Reinventing The Steel" album from the pawn shop years ago. Then of course, I heard "Vulgar Display Of Power" and everything else.

For those of you who hated reading all of this, I'll just let you know that Disturbed is, and will always be my favorite Hard Rock band. The band is calling it quits, (They say "hiatus" but I doubt they'll come back together.) and they're leaving us with this. So that's all she wrote. You won't have Disturbed to pick on anymore, because that ship has sailed.

One thing about the band is that people who do listen to much heavier music still seem to really enjoy the band's music, even though others still make fun of the beat-boxing in a few of the songs. You'll find that only a few songs on here have that "beat-box" approach, as David wanted to get away from that style as much as possible after people kept walking up to him on the street to ask if he could do that wa-ka-ka-kow" thing. You'd get tired of it too.

Still, this isn't a great album by any means. It's only got a few great songs on it, everything else is mediocre. Just download it, as it's really not worth the money for some of these tracks, especially since they are all available elsewhere. (60:00)

3/5



The Burden Remains - Downfall of Man (2011) - The Burden Remains is a progressive thrash band that sounds like a mix between current core/thrash bands like Trivium and Nevermore. Yes, it does work. But before I get into that, I thought I might let you know that this band photo in the digipack for this disc quite surprised me. These kids have got to be maybe about 15-16 years old. They look REALLY YOUNG, and it's surprising how well the music actually sounds on this disc.

The band definitely knows how to mix thrash and prog in a way that doesn't mush thing altogether. The vocalist is still very green, but I hear a young Warrel Dane in parts, and I must certainly say that he's got potential. There's also a growler in the band that comes off a little deathcore sometimes, but I'll let it slide. Of course, the band uses a few breakdowns, but they back it up with some good guitar solos and some really great prog work. Their 8:11 epic, "Out Of Fire/Into The Flames" is brimming with gusto, and if the band is capable of things like this, the sky is certainly the limit here. I'm not saying these kids could create something to rival "Politics Of Ecstasy" but there's certainly a possibility they could mature into something of note.

The production quality of this disc is quite good, because they're on the same Australian label that also houses Tool-worshipping death/prog masters Chaos Divine, "Firestarter Distribution." That being said, this disc doesn't show much until into the latter portion, although their released track on the myspace, "Prophecy Of Decay" actually shows some Nevermore worship, and was what I heard first before I decided to grab this one.

If you like these kids, go ahead and give them your support. I suppose I'd rather have my young ones playing metal instead of some teen-glossed pop music, anyway. Better yet, buy your teens a copy of this one, show em what kind of music teenagers can make that isn't wannabe metal or glorified hard rock. It's probably like 10 or 12 bucks. The lyrics are also intriguing. (49:00)

4/5



Antediluvian - Through The Cervix Of Hawaah (2011) - Antediluvian mixes sludge and brutal death metal together, and gives it a little bit of an experimental edge. The material is definitely brutal, with a somewhat muddy production that seems to fir the music. People who love brutal death metal will enjoy this one and all of it's brutality, but as I am a fan of melody, I'm not hearing much here.

Personally, if not for the slight tinges into experimental music, this would be run of the mill brutal death metal. The song titles and ideas are all steeped in lore and arcane magick, which differ greatly from the slasher themed death metal that we would have expected from the genre. Still, it's not the best album I've ever heard. Nonetheless, I will say that it's a solid disc for brutal death metal fans who want aren't afraid to have a wrench thrown in the gears every once in a while, as the sludge slows the music down a bit, and as I said - there is some other weird shit going on in this disc, particularly at the beginning of the last track, "Erect Reflection (Abyss Of Organic Matter) 6:47" that sounds like an eagle being strangled to death.

While being short and all over the place in areas, this is still worth checking out. Just not my cup of tea, particularly. (36:00)

3/5 (solid.)



Devil - Time To Repent (2011) - Devil is a rock outfit, definitely influenced by doom metal and comparable to Sabbath or Candlemass, but with much more of a rock and roll edge. The vocals I don't particular care for, but they are much better than other vocalists I've heard.

Where this band really excels though, is in their music. There's a lot of jam portions in the music, and some great grooves and melodies that will sound pleasing to most of all, the older heads and people who just like rock music as straightforward as it used to be. (not all the pop glam that rock bands get these days) The production is quite low, it almost sounds like a high quality garage production, if that makes any sense. But I am 100% sure that it was made to sound that way.

Most of the songs on here don't do much, like "Blood Boiling 4:19","Break The Curse 3:18", "Death Of A Sorcerer 4:53) but they don't last long either like, "Open Casket 2:40" but the band really seems to have struck my attention with the title track, being 6:00 of doomy greatness. It's also quite catchy too, which is what you really want in this kind of music. "Crazy Woman 2:34" really does this for me, reminding me of the rocky side of Sabbath. ("Fairies Wear Boots" - for example) I also didn't think that "At The Blacksmith's 4:02" was a bad song either. As for the album's closer, "Howling (At The World) 5:11" it's decent at best, nothing amazing.

The disc really carries a 70's vibe, and I personally don't think it's that bad. Have I heard better? Yes, but this isn't bad. If you've got some spare cash and don't want to listen to the more poppier version of this, "Wolfmother" than you should pick this one up. It's a short disc though, about 35:00 long. But did you expect it to be long?

Just don't expect this disc to be the best doom album you've ever heard, because then you'll be sorrowfully disappointed. It probably wouldn't hurt to smoke something along with it. (35:00)

2.5/5



Elitist - Earth (2011 EP) - Oh, please. Don't tell me that this is more deathcore with odd time signatures. Thanks, Meshuggah. It's your fault ten million bands have adapted this style. This guy sounds like he's pissed off about something, perhaps his rent went up. The disc sounded good enough with the intro track, "Pulse 1:36" but if not for all the time signatures and slight experimental shit, this would be boring.

However, the band does seem to have some melodic capabilities, this I have noticed. There's even some Decapitated influence here, I guess as well. But it's still nothing overall amazing. I've heard the same thing twenty million times, but I still go on the boards and people shit over this stuff. It doesn't make any sense to me. But I guess that people just really like this kind of shit.

Go figure. Oh, there's 3 instrumental versions of these tracks that follow the original 12 minutes of the EP. All in all, it's still rather short, and I'd rather listen to something like Tesseract or Animals as Leaders, or Gru. But you've could've guessed that. But I will say that the band has some potential, and they could definitely go somewhere. It's just up to you whether or not you want to spend the money for these three songs. It's only a 23:00 EP.

But like Born Of Osiris, there is something definitely here. (23:00)

3/5



MELT - Emissions Of Hypocrisy (2011) - Melt is a Canadian industrial/thrash band very similar to Ministry. In fact, you will hear plenty of Ministry influence in the band, as the formula was copied and pasted by the musician, as I think this is a one man project from Sebastian Komor.

I'll put it this way, if you like the heavier, thrashier side of Ministry (as opposed to "Filth Pig" and "Dark Side Of The Spoon" experimentation) you're going to love this. Not only does it have the same rebellious air about it, but the whole disc just reminds me how much I like heavy/industrial music to begin with. The songs are for the most part explicit, and in your face. This is knock your teeth in metal, for the most part. Sebastian's voice is a little more youthful that Al's, but he shows just as much aggression, and has the skills to make this Canada's own brand of Ministry.

There are a few songs (a handful) that differ away from the rest, like "Worm", "Killswitch", "In Your Head" and the closer, "Digital Truth" which is nothing more than an instrumental. These songs add some depth to the album, but kill the thrashier vibe of the disc. I suppose you can say it would've been awful if every song was thrash/industrial, so I was glad that the disc doesn't follow the same pattern throughout.

Indeed, things do get groovier on certain tracks, and much less heavy. But that's not to say that tracks like "The World Is On Fire", "Destroy","Full Of (Sh)It", "Where Is Your God","Everything Is Dead", and "Crush" aren't ready and waiting to crack your skull open with a metal bat. There's also some heavy tendencies in "Sleepwalker" even though it starts out a bit slower.

Even though sometimes this switches from hard rock to metal, it keeps both genres in check, delivering plenty of great industrial/thrash to keep us busy until the new Ministry album, "Relapse" comes out in March. I knew it was coming, after all. The state of the world is now even worse than when the Bush trilogy was written. I expect great things and good messages to come out of that one.

But there is plenty of message to this disc as well. Most of the songs take the same "don't be consumed by your entertainment/media devices, don't listen to the government exc. exc." but the last track is a short speech by, I believe Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on the censorship of the internet, something that he calls "reverse intelligence." I mightily agree, sir.

All in all, great material that highly takes a note or fifteen thousand of them rather; from Ministry. But, it does try in places to verge from the style. This has a lot of potential and is worth a buy, but you'd have to import it I guess, unless it's free. I have no idea, so go check for yourself. Some of these one man projects are usually handouts anyway.

Still, worth a listen for fans of thrash/industrial metal. (44:00)

4/5 (Would've gotten higher if there was one decent solo on the disc. That's something I'll have to wait to hear from Ministry.)

t perfect, it's damn near close and well worth getting a hold of. If you like metal at all, I'd recommend it. This has to be some of the best death/thrash I've heard in a very long time. Not even that last album from Exodus can hold a candle to some of the shit that is going on here. Hell, this is going to really cut a few throats... but I think some of the material here might even be better than some of the songs on "Heartwork."

Definitely check this one out, you won't regret it. (34:00)

666




Jeffrey Nothing - The New Psychedalia (2011) - The frontman of Mushroomhead (and founding member) has decided to take a break from the band for a while (even though their last album was better than I've heard in a very long time despite the production) to release a solo album of his own. Of course, it might be better to hear him on a disc without all of the rapping (that the band didn't always do, listen to some of the earlier discs.) True fans of Mushroomhead might remember "Flattened" a song that was much more low key than some of the band's heavier numbers, and "The New Cult King" which is one of my favorite songs, still today. These tracks were different, especially during the time, when Mudvayne was still well known for "Dig" and before they picked up the alien get-ups, and Disturbed was known for "Stupify." Not to mention that everybody and their mother were playing System Of A Down's "Chop Suey."
If I had a dollar for every time that song played on the radio in my youth...

But what I'm trying to say here, is that this sort of material was still rather experimental for the market, and the label must've pressured the band into 13's different, but more marketable sound. Regardless, now that Nothing is on a much more rebellious underground label (Subnoize) that usually hosts rap and artists like Hed P.E. (who I am actually very fond of. I reviewed Truth Rising in 2010, but took it off before it was posted on the boards due to it's controversy of being posted in a metal review thread) who seem to be able to say whatever the fuck they want, (Listen to the bonus disc that comes with Truth Rising for a 30 min. discussion about Jahred's "Truth Movement." The man's actually quite intelligent, and surprisingly well read, even though this doesn't come off in the music. He also can communicate well with the youth, being able to speak "their own language.") so I'm quite sure that the disc will be both eye opening and very interesting.

The disc is still a little raw, like the Mushroomhead disc was, but there are definite touches of electronics and other such weirdness that you'd expect from him. The vocals are very high in the mix, which I could understand because this is a solo debut, but it's a little arrogant. There are a few songs that I could do without on this disc though, like, "Mnemerator" which could have been left off entirely. Little thought if any, went into this 2:39 ditty. I guess that's one of the benefits of an underground label. You can put whatever the hell you want on a disc.

Most of the songs on this disc are really hit or miss. The acoustic that gets a little hard rock influenced title track is decent enough, certainly one of the better tracks on this disc. But it isn't Nothing's best work by a long shot. If anything, it sounds like he's burned out. "Enough" is another track that's decent enough, but it contains a guest rapper from the subnoize label, so that might deter you from listening to it.

However, "Burial" and "Time" are both very strong, doom-influenced hard rock tracks, and they are definitely worth listening to. "Deathbed Masquerade" is also a good track, with both a female vocalist and a growler that reminds me of the growler from Mushroomhead. He might guest on this track. It's certainly one of the heavier and more interesting songs on the disc. The same can be said with "Wormwood" the longest track on the disc at 6:35. Which the songs from Burial - Wormwood are all much longer than anything else on the disc and seem to work well as a whole. These tracks could have been thrown on an EP along with "Psychedalia", and it would've been a better release to the public.

There just seems to be some experimenting and filler that doesn't need to be on here. It just doesn't have a purpose other than to literally "fill the disc." Even the 4:00 "Goodbye" isn't nearly as strong as the Burial - Wormwood tracks. The album's opener "Dear Departed" doesn't work at all, especially for an opener. The intro is awful and the song is a musical skeleton. It's more or less an idea, not a fully fledged track.

There's an instrumental called "Darkseed" which is actually rather good, even though it's a computer composed dark circus music style instrumental. I wonder if it was inspired by the PC game, Darkseed? It certainly sounds that way, and that one was a very unique game for it's time. (We need a remake!)

"Devil" sounds like bunch of crap. It's electronic music with a female vocalist and it's very profane for the sheer fact of being profane. It doesn't even have anything to do with the rest of the album. If that was some kind of bonus track, I could've done without it. The song's almost a b-side. It has no purpose on the disc.

The disc ends with "Shut Up!" a four second sound effect of a guy saying "shut up, shut up." Then the disc ends.

Well, so many things wrong here. In order to fully enjoy this disc, you must do the following:

First download the disc. It shouldn't be hard with filestube. Then delete all of the tracks except for "Goodbye" and "Psychodalia" and from "Burial" - "Darkseed."

Rearrange the disc so that it flows, like so:

1. Goodbye 4:09
2. Burial 5:36
3. Time 5:36
4. Deathbed Masquerade 4:52
5. Psychodalia 6:42
6. Darkseed 3:33
7. Wormwood 4:52

And viola! You've got a standard 36:00 EP. This is probably what the disc composed of before the label rejected it and said that it needed more rap, or something. I personally would've been more than happy if it was released in this fashion as an EP. All of these songs feature great ideas, plus it flows with an intro that starts at "Goodbye" and ends with the music box playing it's last note on "Wormwood." The perfect way to close an album. I took out all the bullshit tracks and tracks that don't go with the album, and now we've disc a worthy of the man's name.

If the disc was released in the fashion that I had proposed, I would've given this a 4/5 or higher, being that it well represents the man, and the image he wanted to portray with the disc. But there are too many skins and skeletons and overall fuck-offs on the disc which will make the man lose what credit he still has.

There are strong tracks, I've re-arranged them and recommend that fans of Mushroomhead listen to only this tracks and in this order. You'll feel a great appreciation from what would've been fine as an EP. Sometimes, you don't have to put out an LP, especially when you've just got ideas floating around.

Despite the fact that there are several strong tracks on this disc, I cannot give it a strong score, because it was muddled down by as I've said, "skins, skeletons and fuck-offs." It's like if somebody tried to put robots and ninjas and pot smoking monkeys into the background of the Mona Lisa. It might be funny, but it sure as hell isn't art. That's why I tried to keep my ideas to a minimum on my first solo album with Ebon Etheric. There doesn't need to be a lot of songs if the ideas are well thought out. (Of course I'd love to go back and redo so much of that album.)

If you're a fan, you'll like the strong tracks here. But you'll be put off by some of the bullshit as I was. It's good to see that he's still got strong work, it's just been cluttered with junk. (57:00 that should've only been 36:00)

3/5



Ourobiguous - Lord Of The Mountains (2011 EP) - One again, the king of musical slop has offered unto us ungrateful metal bastards, a heaping helping of shit. It's a good thing he doesn't want money for this, as I'm not even sure it's music. It just sounds like a man who can't play the bass and a bunch of weird effects and bad drum machine programming. Yet again...

What in the living hell is this? I don't even think people who think that throwing feces on the wall is a type of art would consider this music. I think I'd have to be as completely drugged up as this individual is to be able to understand this crap. Whoever the lord of the mountains is, I'm sure that he's hollering from atop mighty peaks, the same bloody thing : PLEASE TURN THAT BULLSHIT OFF!

"Within The Temples (9:50)" is the same thing that you would expect from our shit-tastic friend here. It's a bunch of noise that doesn't make any odd sense! It sounds like a bunch of people got together and just starting playing whatever the hell they wanted to all at the same time. It's utter chaos in the purest form, and is only recommended for those who wish to have a headache quick, fast, and in a hurry. Oh I'm so fucking glad that's over with.

Oh my... no fucking way. There is no way I'm going to put myself through another 15 goddamned minutes of this. "Lord Of The Mountains (15:36)" is too fucking long, and contains the worst impersonation of black metal I've ever heard. Is this band truly serious, or is this a parody? This sounds like a bunch of people who just thought that they could get together and make black metal by making a lot of noise and screaming. Please, somebody shoot this fellow. I'm begging you. Don't they cut off people's hands in countries by which such great offenses are committed? I feel like the boy king on Game Of Thrones:

"Will it be your hands or your tongue?"

Except that I would relieve this fellow of both of them. His singing is awful and his fucking playing is atrocious. Whoever programmed that drum machine needs to be shot in the foot, and someone needs to smash that thing all to hell. This is a grave atrocity among music, and if this ever becomes the next thing after dub-step, I will be certainly ready for the oncoming apocalypse. Hell, I'll welcome it with open arms! Come on Destruction! This world is shit now, so do what you will!

There's no rhythm, rhyme or reason here. There's nothing but incoherent bullshit that makes no sense. Thank you once again, Ourobiguous for setting the bar on the worst metal project ever conceived by man. It gets no worse than this, ladies and gentlemen. As I have established earlier, this is the fucking bar. To make music any worse than this, you'd have to go to extreme lengths. Though I think the sounds of an actual defecation might be more pleasing to the ear than this. At least I'd feel better afterwards.

Again, avoid like the plague. An atrocity not just to metal, but to music as a whole. The worst musical recording I've ever heard. (25:00)

0/5

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Edward Kim - Billboard Death Metal (2011 FREE ALBUM FROM YOUTUBE PAGE) - Billboard Death Metal is a youtube band that seems to take off from where the Ten Masked Men left off. They probably don't even realize it, but that's exactly what they are doing. The band has continued to do every song in death metal that scores at the top of the billboard music charts. Obviously, since the stuff is copyrighted, their music is offered free via their youtube page in a nice zip file that I believe gets updated every so often. Well, I downloaded that zip file and thought I'd see whether or not these guys were actually decent metal musicians or trend-followers who'll learn any simple chords and weak growls to get views.

The disc so far is only 29:00 long, which means it's practically an EP. The band has surprisingly good production, and the drummer sounds like he's got some good hits every now and then, unless it's a program. I definitely can feel the Ten Masked influence here, and the simple melody works well enough in the songs. As a matter of fact, this has too much TMM influence, and it even features the multi background vocals that TMM used.

Personally, being a fan of TMM, I'm quite impressed what's going on here. They even pull off some good solos. Not bad for free metal. The band also keeps in the spirit of death metal, using dark rhythms in the songs, that even TMM didn't use. By the way, there are a few breakdowns in the songs, but even they don't seem to rely on them as much as bands used to.

The songs being covered are:

Rude Boy - Rhianna
Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Telephone - Lady Gaga
Tik Tok - Ke$ha
Baby - Justin Bieber
Nothin' On You - B.o.B.
OMG - Usher
Can't Be Tamed - Miley Cyrus

But I'm sure they'll update with more songs as they get them done. While these guys seem to be more than capable musicians with some good riffs and melodies, this is all just for fun. Don't expect it to be amazing, but it's far better than I expected. Yes, I could definitely jam to this.

By the way, that "Can't be Tamed" has some impressive melody and one hell of a solo at the end. The only thing I hate about this is that the band cuts the tracks off in the middle of the really good solos. I hate bands that do that, famous or not. It makes me want to see a live concert of the group, just so I can hear the whole fucking song. This has pissed me off about metal since day one!

A recommend. (29:00)

Score not applicable, as this is not a standard album. It's a zip folder that gets updated.

Bellicist - An Eternal Recurrence (2011 Local Band By Request)

Bellicist - An Eternal Recurrence (2011 Local Band By Request) - I thought that this package was actually the Apnea album at first, (but it's alright guys, I understand the world's a tough place with this sinking economy and all) but I was actually quite surprised to find this to be a freshly printed album from a technical death metal band by the name of Bellicist. Though I couldn't really see the cover art on the package, (Don't worry guys, it's always dark. I have other local discs from bands that tell me the same thing.) I found myself looking at the lyrics book to find some very profound and interesting lyrics. I daresay that I got lost in reading the lyrics alone!

But that's not what you want to hear, is it? Of course not. So I'm going to go song by song in only the best of fashions, in order to explain just what this 62:00 surprise that I wasn't expecting, but was more than happy to receive and immediately review, has to offer.

The disc starts out with "Avarice 2:50" and definitely makes me place the band's sound somewhere between Necrophagist and Decapitated. It's certainly as the name implies; technical death metal of a very complex nature. I especially like that the drumming is very well, technical - able to keep the base of the song just right, and the guitar work is definitely decent enough to hold up the package, especially the solo work. The vocals actually have a sort of black/death feel to them, since one is more screechy than the other which is more gravelly. There are also quite a bit of sweeps.

"Insignificant 3:25" is much longer, a track that seems to feature more of a pummeling drum style that I can definitely appreciate. The vocal style goes just right with the song too. if they'd used the screechy vocals there, it would sucked. Many bands make that mistake, however.

A flying solo comes in, and then a breakdown. You all know that I'm not a fan of breakdowns, but the light melody that follows after it is unexpected, and then goes into one big scream of utter rage. Great vocal work follows, and then comes a good solo. This song is definitely death metal over technicality, and the sporadic structure of the song is something to take note of as well.

"Philistines 4:09" starts off with a line from one of my favorite comedians of all time, the immortal George Carlin. Not only was he a great comedian, but he was very damned smart. I have a copy of "When Will Jesus Pass The Pork Chops" and have read it through and through. Only Lewis Black has come close, IMHO.

The song has an interesting riff that keeps a frequent presence, as well as the technical (sometimes progressive) tendencies. The guitar solo is frantic, and there's a slight middle eastern influenced riff that comes right after the breakdown, which goes into technical hell. Then the vocals come back in, and that riff comes back, along with more frantic technicality. A definite trip. This is a mind ripper.

"No Redemption 4:35" starts out interestingly enough, almost like a sort of march. Then a spatial riff opens the vocal lines which come pounding just like always, but I'd have it no other way. Definitely a good groove going on with the drums, and then the sporadity that follows works well enough. A functioning brain is required to understand this at a musical level. There's also this very dark slower portion of the song that just kills. These songs have so much structure that it's tough to keep up. Thank God, I've got ADD! Truly, this is some great technical death metal on par with several of the greats of the genre. It's amazing that three guys can do this.

"Paradox 3:52" sounds incredibly spacey at the beginning, I can hear that early Cynic influence. Or perhaps I'm hearing Atheist? I cannot be for certain, but I think I'll go with Cynic. (Reminds self to go back and listen to Focus) Then a heavier portion comes in, and then it gets quite trippy. A great way to open a song. A dual vocal style continues amongst a driving rhythm. The song slows and has an interesting rhythm that sounds rather dark, this style continues throughout and winds up in a solo. The driving rhythms continue and the song ends rather abruptly.

"Anti-Human Manifesto 5:40" starts out with another good opening riff. There is plenty of potential in this, as the opening of a song is important, and these gentlemen have figured out that songs should actually sound different from each other. I have reviewed label bands who've yet to get this right. The song goes into a sort of sludgy portion, that follows with more technicality. Well, who was expecting that beautiful light melody? I wasn't.

Then there's just some really great technicality that follows. It follows into a slower portion, that goes into another barrage of technicality. The song mysteriously goes into silence halfway in the middle, and then I start to hear the song volume increase ever higher. A solo is now playing. The solo is good, but I'm curious as to why the volume drop and rise in the middle of the song. Is this still the same song? The song ends with some double bass hits. Weird. Then an alarm sounds followed with a quote.
"For Your War 7:45" is a bit longer than the others have been (and this time I hope it's a full song) and the vocal style sounds like me after I've gotten really pissed about something and scream it into an instrumental. This song is actually quite technical however, and doesn't seem to contain much other structure until... oh, nevermind. I'm only 2:43 in. After the solo, there's a nice riff, and then it goes into a very slow and doom influenced clean riff in which some sound effects are playing, but I can't really hear them. Then the clean riff becomes much more pronounced and the band continues their fierce assault, yet more eerier riffing. Yes, I like this one.

Then the song goes into technical chaos, (def. Cynic influenced) and goes back to braising your intestines. A little bit of a breakdown, but I can deal with it. There's an interesting sound effect near the end of this song that sounds quite eerie as well. I like that idea. An otherworldly riff seems to drive the song home. I also hear some tom playing which I like to close the song out.

"Vermin 5:51" starts out pummeling, but also goes into an interesting sort of melody which then goes into technical madness. A solo comes in at full speed, completely unexpected. This is what is meant by extremely complex tech death. Another thing I like about this band is their ability to change tempos so suddenly, as something that sounds like doom/death creeps in around the 5:00 mark. Definitely didn't expect that. But that is what I look for in metal. Something unexpected. Trust me, I already have heard the expected albums years ago. (And I still continue to hear plenty of them today.)

"Antithesis Off 4:30" a rather odd name for a song, starts out with an aural assault, but has a clean riffing in it that is sort of unexpected. The song continues with a technical assault that will definitely please fans of the genre. Then there's a sort of breakdown, which works well on stage. I do like the vocal technique being used, and the bass licks that you can barely hear (but yes, I notice these things.) Then a screaming solo opens the way for doomier riffs and some more vocal punishment. Boom! Song ends.

"The Iscariot Path" starts out with a line from the Bible, a book that I used to love when I was young, than was told by the media and several thousand idealists to hate, and now I start to think it's probably quite an interesting read, regardless of religion. I guess that's part of being a free-thinker, though.

As for the song, it starts out pummeling as you would expect. There's a weird riff style going on during the first part of the song, I thought it interesting. Then after the bible line is spoken, the Cynic style clean riff comes in again. Then I heard a sort of riff that I would definitely hear on a black metal album, but didn't expect to hear it here. It actually has some hardcore influence afterwards, but it seems to work for the song. A gravelly approach follows as the kicks continue to pound. Than the song gets slow, and ultimately goes acoustic. But then it gets pummeling again. Again, hitting me with unexpected things is something I enjoy. (In music anyway, not life. That's something I regret, depending on what I'm being hit with, of course.)

Also, really liking the riff at about the 4:40 mark. Just a really good riff. This song definitely wishes to pound your face off as much as the rest of the album does. But again, I like how it's not drawn into that style. A solo flies from out of nowhere and it's pretty good, certainly longer than the other solos on the disc. The last couple notes drag out with a great melody. This guy can shred. I absolutely fucking love the last part of this song - the riffs, the drums, and the vocals. Great slow pace almost sounds like Amon Amarth on the track, "Amon Amarth." Probably my favorite part of the whole disc, I could play this part back and again several times. Such a great way to end a song.

"To Serve The Pigs 11:11" comes in directly after previous song. There isn't even a break, like it's another part of the song. However, this song starts out much slower and has a sort of sludge sound almost reminding me of the music used in the Doom PC game. Then they decide to throw in the really eerie clean stuff. Yes, absolutely fucking great. This is the exact soundtrack for these lyrics. I feel it backs them greatly. A voice clip follows, but I didn't catch it.

Then the song heats up and starts pummeling once again. Such a powerful intro. The riffs going on during the first chorus is also fucking great. Again, loving the dark slow riffs thrown in here. Definitely carries the depressing vibe of the worker slave to the corporate pig (a position I am only too well aware of, having been in janitorial most of my life.) There's an interesting clean riff used about the 6:40 mark, I'm also really digging that. (Maybe that's Gojia inspiration I'm hearing?)

A driving riff comes in and delivers with it a slightly core sound, but it definitely works well enough. I heard what I thought was a solo, and then it faded. The drums come in crushing, and then I'm hearing some lengthy riffs which go into a solo. Another great solo by the way. Sometimes it sounds slightly off-key but that might just be me. Then the thump comes in. The bass revs up and Obama guests on the disc. I had no idea he was into technical death metal. Actually, there seem to be many politicians on this voice clip, but I understand what's going on here. It's the beginning of the end. Of course, I can look outside my window and tell you that. I can show you recent news and you'd see that. Of course I wish that I could've heard the entire clip, because some of those quotes I hadn't heard, but it's readily apparent what it's about.

Of course, there might be so much metal coming out because there is so much wrong with the world. Metal has an always was the voice of dissent, and it's definitely an age of protest and dissent. The youth are even interrupting major conferences such as the Climate Control Conference in Durban. With good reason, as the US considers climate change nothing to worry about, but almost every other country does. In five years, the damage will be irreversible... Ten... we're under water.

But getting back to the disc, I definitely feel it's both an informative and very complex listen. The voices on this disc are the voices of the everyman, and the music on this disc is the music of well polished musicians who have been working tediously to make this a notable technical death metal act. I am not joking around here, folks. If I was a label executive, I would've given these gentlemen a recording contract.

This is great tech death, that's just as good as anything you can buy on the market today, but with much more pizzazz and flair than tech death has offered in the past. There is alot of genre melding on this disc, and that's what really makes a band great, is when they can really fuse so many things together so seamlessly. I've heard plenty of tech death, and hated much that I've heard with few exception, because it seems that many people are trying to repave the road, so to speak. That is not such the case, here.

This was a pleasant surprise, gentlemen. I both missed getting my daily workout and postponed the revision of my second novel's 22nd chapter in order to give your disc the attention it needed. I feel my efforts weren't in vain, as this is highly crafted tech death (and I mean highly crafted) that should be selling by the thousands.

If you are a fan of technical death metal at all, this is quite an extravaganza. I always find it funny how local acts can sound so much better than groups leagues away. Perhaps it's something in the water, or the air. Or perhaps we southern folk just have more time to concentrate as it isn't so noisy out here. (Looks out window to see miles of farmland.)

Whatever the case, go grab this disc. I'm sure the band would appreciate it, and it's well worth it. I'm also glad to hear something that doesn't sound so much like Meshuggah. (62:00)

4/5