Sarcoptes - Songs and Dances of Death (2016)

Having named themselves after mites, these Californian black metallers certainly have some fight in them. It's a bit unfair to call this style just plain old black metal however, and we see once again where the Metal Archives genre-tagging process could use a little work. The band have been around since 2013, to which they released a demo simply entitled Thanatos. Three years later, we have their first full-length embodiment in Songs Of Dances and Death which I can describe on many facets. As a matter of fact, what appears to have a quite simplistic cover is actually a very textured and intriguing product the whole way through.

“The Veil Of Dissolution” sounds like a mixture of twisted black metal, thrash and Gothic choirs that remind me as much of Emperor and Mayhem as early Graveworm. Following that, we have the continuing efforts of Sean Zimmerman's guitar licks, bass lines and keyboard orchestrations as drummer Garret Garvey (Jack Ketch, ex-Gary Busey Amber Alert – WTF?) also performs all of the vocals for this album. His performance on the kit is just as memorable as his performance on the mic, which features memorable scowls (that you can actually understand) that I'd consider right up there with some of my personal favorite black metal vocalists. “The Fall Of Constantinople” has some rather eerie keyboard leads in sections aside from it's thrashing assault, which make for a track that not only charges with a fervor, but delights in Gothic atmospheres that seem fitting for the subject matter. We hear the same things creep up during “When The Stars Hide Their Fires” as it continues to pound with an insatiable fury. The final two cuts on the record are “Barbarossa” and “Within The Labyrinth Mind” which both feature more of the same, though at this point, we're certainly not tired of it. Perhaps the airy keyboards are graining on you a bit by now (they do become redundant after a while) but when other samples are used, these pieces can become quite invigorating. As far as the tremolos and drum blasts are concerned, these seldom change pace, but the band obviously are interested in producing a symphonic style of black metal that has an obvious Gothic tinge to it. There's an unexpected section in spots of the album's closer “Within The Labyrinth Mind” that actually features real choir samples and truly shows how memorable these guys would be if they could find a literal choir to take the place of the keyboard sample they've used to death on this one.

In the end, I'm quite satisfied with the performance uttered forth here, but I still feel that it needs some work and I would love to see how this act evolves in the future. As much as I love what they've attempted here, I would love to see it pushed forward to levels of grandiosity unlike never before seen, bigger, bolder and even louder. I know there are those of you who think this might sound better without all the keyboard synths, but let's give these guys a chance as I think that something very promising is about to bud forth from this project and I'd like to see it reach fruition. These gentlemen are certainly skilled and I seem to enjoy the performance a bit more with every listen, so I'd definitely consider giving this one an ear.

(6 Tracks, 42:00)

8/10

The Zenith Passage - Solipsist (2016)

Coming from California and not some covert space colony that lies somewhere within the debris that makes up Saturn's rings, we have the progressive technical death metallers (just called tech-death over on Metal Archives, I guess progressive passages don't count as prog) full-length debut, which comes three years after the release of their EP effort, Cosmic Dissonance. For those of you interested, (and you will be once I start mentioning names) the act most notably features Justin McKinney of The Faceless on guitars. Yes, he delivers too – with every last bit of his might, making this record a bit more rough-edged than the previous Faceless release Autotheism, which many felt was a bit too clean and lighthearted. I'll admit that I dug the man's guitar work on the album however, especially his classic style guitar solos of which we'll also find here. But that's enough about McKinney, there are four other members here responsible for this little trip the light fantastic. On grunts and growls we have Greg Hampton, who also performs in Dog Eats Flesh and Zombie Corpse Autopsy. I don't remember dealing with either of those acts, but I can say that he more often than not hits a familiar cookie monster approach to the vocals that most technical death metal fans won't flail their arms and whine about. Drumming is handled by Luis Martinez, who is also in Oblivion and Feast of which I've never heard either. His drumming certainly brings the meat when needed, yet it is also able to convey more calm atmospheres, which you will certainly hear on this disc. You might want to read that line again, just to clarify: you will also hear calm atmospheres on this disc. The Zenith Passage create some rather heavy moments, but not all of the time and as far as this reviewer is concerned, that's a good thing. There are a lot of similar tech-death acts that already do give us the same pounding death metal frenzy for an entire record, and eventually things can get a bit bland. There wouldn't be anything to offer that I wouldn't have in my collection already. So when one wants to explore new bands (which is why you're here, reading this review) you expect to hear either something different, or something that reminds you heavy of an act that you liked. Lastly, we have Rob Maramonte rounding out the guitar section here in the band, and I'll believe that he's responsible for a lot of the crunch and groove here. You might not Maramonte for his work in Eviscerated and Fallujah, which I actually happen to recall.

As far as the album goes, we have a very textured approach to tech-death which comprises of more than just technical riffs and technical drumming. As I said, there are softer moments to be had here as well as more electronic sections that help to really decorate the record. Aside from that, we also have a level of technicality featured here that brings with it a great deal of diversity. I'm not getting a derivative performance, and sometimes certain sections completely die off in order to be replaced with completely different and unexpected pieces. It can be a bit mind-boggling for some listeners, especially when they're being taxed to listen to a mixture of technical riffs and whirly electronic keyboards, but then the bass pounds out heavy grooves and those are fronted with a menacing vocal style that opens up for a guitar solo. What? Yeah. I know that's a lot to chew on, but you have to understand that Solipsist isn't the kind of record that you can just devour in one day. With airy effects, devastating measures and all sorts of electronic gadgetry, it's safe to say that this near supergroup of musicians just might have crafted something that feels a little bit too rambunctious. Though if we get right down to it, this is nothing compared to an act like Sculptured, which literally confused listeners with their last album Embodiment (2008) so there's really nothing too far off-center, I think. It's just the kind of record that feels more like a test, just to see how things would flow together and how well listeners would accept it. The Zenith Passage definitely didn't get together to play the same old tech-death and even though the number of acts performing this style have gotten wider than is necessary for a thirty-man rumble, I feel that these four accomplished gentlemen have made something that truly stands out among the rest. Now I'm not sure if that's good enough for the heavyweight championship, but it's definitely a spot among the top ten combatants, and that my friends; is a very good thing. Give it a listen and see what you think. I'd certainly say that it is more than just a mere holdover for the next outing from The Faceless.

(10 Tracks, 39:00)

8/10

In Mourning - Afterglow (2016)

Taking off right where The Weight Of Oceans left off, Afterglow continues the Swedish melodeath/doomers onslaught. It's hard for me not to be biased with this one, as In Mourning have always been one of my favorite acts ever since the release of their debut, The Shrouded Divine. They are one band in particular that have never released what I'd consider to be a bad or even remotely mediocre release, really pouring everything that they have into one album. There are only seven songs here, but when you listen to the record from back to front, you'll find that is all there needs to be. Obviously fans of Opeth, Swallow The Sun, Insomnium, Daylight Dies and other acts will enjoy this one, but I don't consider the music quite so funerary or bleak, what with all the melody. While the record is death/doom, it never sounds like a literal death march, instead tapping into Opeth at their most melodic and beautiful. They've obviously taken a keynote from their Swedish brethren here, especially during the opening riff of “The Grinning Mist” which seems lifted right from Blackwater Park. That being said, the guys still pump some hefty guitar solos into their work, which are surprisingly speedy. You almost don't even expect such a sound to come out of In Mourning, but you certainly won't kick it out of bed either. 

This is the kind of performance that we've expected from Opeth for years, making Afterglow sound a bit more like the record that might have come after Deliverance in some sections. As one might expect, these songs are quite mountainous in length, with the cut I just mentioned being the longest on the album, clocking in at ten minutes. Believe me folks, if I can get into a ten minute track so much that I don't even realize I've been listening for that long, then I'm quite sure that this entire record is worth recommending. Yet once again, I'm going to be a bit biased as these guys are definitely one of my favorite things in heavy metal, and I can say that I was pining for a new release for quite a while. They've only gotten better with time as Afterglow shows, with my only wonder as to why these gentlemen haven't gotten as popular or well-known as Opeth. Sure, maybe the cleans coming from Tobias Netzell (ex-Contortion, ex-Majalis, ex-October Tide) aren't as memorable as Mikael Akerfeldt, but these guys make up for it as they always have, with three powerful guitarists. Aside from Netzell, we also have Bjorn Pettersson (ex-Majalis) as well as Tim Nedergard (Forgotten Kingdom) all playing masterful lead melodies that really seem to stand out in the mix. If there's one thing I always remember about an In Mourning album, it's in the melodies – these guys never falter in that. Thick, doomy bass riffs are delivered by Pierre Stam (ex-October Tide) while uncanny melodies are delivered by three of this act's five members that are so earth shattering at times, you might feel that your head is going to explode. Yes, they are really that good, just as I've always come to expect. When you take a look at this lineup and notice that three men are actually playing guitar here, you soon begin to realize why it sounds so musically proficient and why the record took so long to make. Keep in mind, The Weight Of Oceans was released in 2012, back when everyone thought the world was going to end, and here we are three years later with another great disc longer after we realized that we're all still here.

I've no doubt that Opeth fans in particular are going to jump for joy when they put this one into their listening devices, as the band have borrowed so much from their playbook that it might almost seem ludicrous. For a band that began as Gothic metal, they certainly have reached a new turning point in this extremely progressive, yet forlorn sound and style. There's nothing here that will make you cry tears into a bucket, but the passion and emotion lodged deep within this record will surely make you weep tears of joy. Albums like Afterglow and Blackwater Park are the very reason why I was drawn to this type of metal, despite finding it awfully boring in my younger years. As I soon grew and matured, I began to recognize the level of heartfelt composition and the amount of time needed in order to craft such a record like this, which feels like a modern classical release at times. I feel that Afterglow is a sort of morose watercolour painting, albeit with very bright streaks of light and some rather ferocious undertones. Opeth worship aside, these Swedes have once again done what they've always done best – and you don't need me to tell you that. This is definitely a record to follow in the footsteps of The Weight Of Oceans, and seems to excel far greater in areas where the previous disc fell a bit short. It's the kind of record that you can listen to many times over, without getting tired quickly, especially if you're a lover of melody like myself. There are certain songs in particular that I could listen to for days, simply due to certain melody sections alone. That being said, I highly advise you to go out there and make this purchase as you will not regret it, and the band needs your support. Without question, Afterglow is a record that has exceeded my expectations greatly, and was well worth the wait. So we have yet another great album, from another great band.

(7 Tracks, 55:00)

10/10

Holy Grail - Times Of Pride and Peril (2016)

I can't tell you how many times I had written these guys off, but Californian modern heavy/power metallers Holy Grail actually managed to catch my attention this time. People really seemed to enjoy the band's last one (2013's Ride The Void) quite a bit, but to me I still thought it had too much of a modern core feel and was not all that pleased with it. That being said, it's got a solid 90% over there at Metal Archives and all three reviews are relatively positive. Times Of Pride and Peril however, sees the band playing this kind of metal the way it's supposed to be, albeit with more of a classic heavy mentality. There was that huge Dragonforce surge along with Guitar Hero III back in the day, and this band really took off on the heels of it. It's just a good thing to hear that it's gone, because these guys really seemed to suffer from that “modern power metal” feel and seemed to be directly eating right off the table of that trend. It's also interesting to note that these guys are made up of several members of additionally popular act Huntress. In particular, they feature drummer Tyler Meahl, and guitarist Eli Santana, who also handles the vocals for this act. Though I should mention that he only appeared on the group's newest release, Static (2015) and has not been apart of the act since day one. The same can be said for Meahl, which makes current Huntress half of Holy Grail. This interests me quite a bit, as I always wondered why the power/thrash sound had dissipated in favor of a more traditional style. 

For this album, Holy Grail really seemed to have dug into metal's ancient history, as influences from Judas Priest, and Helloween come into view. They still remind me of acts like Hybria and Skull Fist as well as radio rock acts like Avenged Sevenfold. Eli Santana definitely has that sort of youthful clean, which reminds me an awful lot of American radio 101 even though I'll definitely add that the record is constructed well enough that it comes across listenable to metal fans as much as it would for fans of professional wrestling. We get a number of singalongs here that would work well as the entrance theme for any wrestler or Pay Per View event, and that's where the real meat of the record lies. Times Of Pride and Peril is full of catchy, short and easy to digest pieces that ultimately make it an easy to digest and extremely accessible record. People who liked the last Avenged Sevenfold will actually find something to like here and it could be seen as a slightly harder gateway drug into the world of metal. If you don't expect any more out of this than what you should expect from such a band, you'll be pretty satisfied with it. As I said, I found it pretty catchy, and quite enjoyable. I wasn't going to review it all at first, but it's definitely worth mentioning. Your enjoyment of this record ultimately depends on what kind of person you are, and what you enjoy outside of less accessible heavy metal realms. Times of Pride and Peril straddles the lines between hard rock and classic heavy metal pretty well and there's most certainly an audience for it. It's worth a listen if you know what you're getting into, as it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

(10 Tracks, 48:00)

7/10

Orbit Culture - Rasen (2016)

Swedish melodic death groovers Orbit Culture have been around since 2013 and have consistently released a new album almost every year, which isn't quite so common, to say the least. You'll notice that the band took a little bit more time with this one however, as there's a year gap between 2014's In Merdias Res and this new album. From what I've heard here, the gap seems like just what the record needed, though I can't be for certain as this is my first excursion with the act. Disregarding all of that, I can say that fans of melodic death metal legends and recent greats will be quite pleased with the record, certainly just as much as I am. The opener “Svartport” seems like it might have influence from Testament's The Gathering, while “Sun Of All” certainly seems to carry that sorrowful tinge that Insomnium and Swallow The Sun brought to the genre. “Obsession” feels a lot like mid-era Soilwork, although you could also compare those grooves to mid-era In Flames. The album's title track sounds like it has some Gojira references behind it, while at the same time reminding me a lot of Scar Symmetry. Frontman Niklas Karlsson has a vocal bark that is almost completely comparable to that of legend Christian Alvestam, especially during his Scary Symmetry and Unmoored work. There is no doubt that the melodic death metal listener will find several references to his favorite acts here, yet they are all placed in such a way that they sound authentic, and not like some mere emulation. Occasionally Orbit Culture also throw in synths and cleans, which definitely help the performance and are certainly not unheard of in this kind of music. 

If you'll remember what I said when I was reviewing Israel's The Fading, Orbit Culture sound like a more modern tribute to the melodic death metal we have today, whereas the latter sounded more like a tribute to the melodic death of yesteryear. That's also why I feel that such an album is greater, because these guys aren't making a mere emulation of the same songs and artists that they like. They're reinterpreting their favorite acts in a style that befits them. Orbit Culture sounds like a new band, with a lot of great influences and that's what's important. Every great band has a lot of inspirations behind them, even Priest, Maiden and Sabbath had their influences. But what makes a band a great band, is when they can pool all those influences together to make something that just sounds monolithic, and that's what I feel Rasen is. While we might think it's a little funny to consider a record called Rasen very close to the English raisin, I can absolutely assure you that this disc is no mere dried fruit. The band still have some places where they can explore and expand what they're doing here, but if you love hard grooves, memorable melodies and an overall great interpretation of some of the best things that this genre has had to offer for the past couple of decades, then you should look no further than Orbit Culture. I should also mention that I'm quite happy with the production value here, and everything has been properly for what I'd consider the best possible experience of a record that I'm sure you'll play again and again. I surely wouldn't mind having a copy of this in my collection and I feel that most melodic death metal fans would feel the same – especially if you dig grooves as much as I do. Rasen is a definite win for these gentlemen and I hope that this won't be the last we hear from them. Yet after two prior records, I'm quite sure that they're only beginning to show off what they can really do. You're gonna love this one.

(10 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10

Brimstone Coven - Black Magic (2016)

West Virginia's Brimstone Coven are another occult/doom rock act that cite everything from Sabbath to Zeppelin to The Mamas and The Poppas as influences. What's interesting about these guys is the fact that they use three-part vocal harmonies, which we used to hear quite a bit in classic rock music. Listening to “As We Fall” right now definitely reminds me of several classic tunes that my mother and father used to enjoy and it's assured that (aside from the horror natured lyrics, even though the old man loved Sabbath) they'd probably enjoy a disc like this one as well. You just don't hear music like this anymore, and it has a production quality that literally feels like it came right out of that sixties/seventies golden era of music. There are still thick nudges of doom to be had, but this I more of a classic rock album that focuses mainly on the vocal melodies and choruses, when it's not mesmerizing me with such catchy leads as can be found on “Beyond The Astral.” Trust me, that's one song that you'll never forget. It's also one of the main reasons this album was brought to focus, as well as the catchy but unfortunately short “Black Unicorn.” As nice a chorus as it may be, I wish they could have beefed the piece a little more in the vein of many of these other cuts. To be honest, there's not much here that isn't five minutes or more and the fact that “Black Unicorn” barely encroaches three is a bit of a bizarre oddity to me. Still, it can't be helped and it's not too much of a deterrent as I'm making it out to be. There are nine chunky tracks here to make up for it, and each one of them delivers in the way that classic rock albums did. I mean, you can hear the influences here. Some of this shit goes way back to Thin Lizzy even, if not Cream, Pink Floyd and Mountain. Damn, talk about time-traveling. 

Even if you're not into the whole occult thing, there's still enough classic rock and trip factor here for you to enjoy this one. The songs make for great singalongs, the melodies are certainly something you'll hum, and there are some nice moments on the disc in which you can pull out an air-guitar. Some might not get the fact that the record is mastered in a style that might seem a little dated, could be compared to the dreaded “dad rock” millennial term and ultimately won't appeal to them. I'd hope they'd find something in this classic and nearly forgotten sound, but that's like asking for a miracle sometimes. In any case, those who know the sound will surely love it and think of it as a blast from the past and a well-needed refresher from the menagerie of derivative crap that gets released from rock and metal on an almost daily basis. It might sound a bit old, but there's some real magic here and I have a good feeling that you're going to be able to overlook the production as soon as you've noticed it for yourself. These guys are great and I hope we'll get to hear more from them in the future.

(10 Tracks, 54:00)

8/10

Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (2016)

Obviously thrown together at the last fucking minute, this absolute waste of fucking time actually only clocked in at about thirty-one minutes and left me unmoved. Although there are few good ideas utilized here and there and it is a surprisingly heavier disc, the album seems like it could have benefited from longer tracks and possibly a little more initiative. Our intro is pretty forgettable, with only a reverberating thump to benefit “Electric Warlock Acid Witch!” which then goes right into “Satanic Cyanide/The Killer Rocks On” a track that features more electronics, but the same approach to Hellbilly albeit in a different style. Rob Zombie used to experiment more vocally, but he's trying to go back to Hellbilly yet again here and it isn't working for him. We've already heard it, Rob. We've heard it done twice now and there's no need to go back into it. “The Life and Times of A Teenage Rock God” sounds like Zombie might think he's a Rock God for the teens of the current age, which is bullshit as I don't even want to know what the teens are digging, but it's definitely not him. The chorus is strong, there's a nice solo (and an unnecessary clip from a stage show) but once again, it's just so damn formulaic and I've already heard it. When Rob finally tried to do something new with “Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O.” it backfires on him drastically. The track sounds like a mixture of “Jesus Built My Hot Rod” and “Wynonna's Big Brown Beaver” smushed together in a vein that makes it's sound like an old drunk fool yammering about in complete fucking gibberish. Quite possibly, this is the worst song he's ever attached to his name. What in the hell was he thinking? “A Hearse That Overturns...” comes across as a relatively decent instrumental, where soundclips move into acoustic soundscapes and make a difference. You see, Rob's band is doing a great job on this record. The problem is, Rob Zombie himself isn't.

“...Gore Whore” adds seventies style keyboards to what sounds like sort of party rock. It's decent enough, kind of catchy. But nothing out of the ordinary. “Meditation For The Melancholy” is a little bit better, as it's a more hard-driving number, but it ends abruptly. One of the disc's only good tracks “...Get High” starts off oddly just like “More Human Than Human” and seems to deliver in it's Nu-Metal thumps, as well as an unexpected solo. Rob Zombie's actually on his game here, but the chorus I feel might have hit better if I was still in high school and not about to turn thirty-one myself. The chorus is literally nothing but “Get, get, get, get, high!” over and over, which sounds like it was just kind of slapped together. “Super Doom Hex Gloom Pt. 1” is another instrumental, but it works pretty well if you like keyboard soundscapes as much as I do. “In The Bone Pile” is a decent Hellbilly style song, but once again it shows that Rob is definitely overdoing it with that approach. There are already a bunch of songs that sound similar and this is truly formulaic as hell. “Get Your Boots On/ That's The End of Rock and Roll” comes in with a party rock feel, along with a weird chorus that doesn't really do any of his previous choruses justice. What in the hell was he thinking here? Even a decent solo section can't save this retread. The album ends with the unexpectedly interesting “Wurdalak” though, which actually distorts Rob's voice a little bit and has some threatening thumps. What I found was very odd and a perhaps foreshadowing a little about the man's music career, is the extremely forlorn piano piece that appears at the end of the record. It is definitely a sad piece, backed with wind and thunder which sort of seems like Rob Zombie's death knell in regards to his musical endeavors. He is starting to get a little older (that's obvious just from looking at the cover) so maybe he's lamenting his own demise, especially with so many celebrities dying as of late. There is the actual possibility that Rob might have felt that he was next or something, and wanted to hurry up and get this record out as quickly as possible. Maybe he thought that last track was supposed to be a remembrance piece to him, and was expecting to have died before the record released. In that case, it would have been fitting there.

If nothing else, this absurdly long album title and it's absurdly long track titles are very much reminiscent of classic Rob Zombie. If nothing else, this retread seems like a celebration of all that he's done over the past couple of decades and I can understand that. That being said, maybe it's time that he stick to movies and veer away from music for a while. His latest musical performance DVD was nearly unwatchable, as he nearly butchered classics in an effort to go through them as quickly as possible. I really hope this means that “31” won't be rushed through as well, because as of right now, that's the only thing from him that I'm looking forward to right now. I really wouldn't care if he ever released another disc, if this is all we're going to get. If you need to hear Rob Zombie, then La Sexorcisto, Astro-Creep 2000 and Past/Present/Future are really all you need. Everything else just seems to be retread at this point, which makes this record an unnecessary addition to your Rob Zombie collection. As a commenter on social media put it, “Rob Zombie needs to spend less time making ridiculously long song and album titles, and more time writing actual music.” That I believe, says it best.

(12 Tracks, 31:00)

5/10