WINTER 2009
3
REVISIONS
METAL BLADE
Cleaning out closets and revamping
older works, the Woodstock-based prog rock troupe 3 trudge their pop-ier side
through modern sensibilities and the outcome is Revisions. While this
band is usually known to champion a hybrid style that works from a progressive
rock foundation and branches beyond usual limits, this release relies on a laid
back borderline coffee house aura throughout its duration, definitively applying
a contemporary stamp on these 11 tracks, some of which date as far back as 1998.
Acting more to tie loose ends together to help early works sound more relevant,
while 3’s musicianship (especially Joey Eppard’s breathtaking fretwork)
is unquestionably masterful, this offering of alterations seems as more of a
contractual obligation than a proper disc, making this incongruous step for
the band a treat to appease longtime fans as well as a chance to reel in those
who prefer the unit’s softer side.
----Mike SOS
A STORM OF LIGHT
FORGIVE US OUR TREPASSES
NEUROT
Bombastic and brainy, A Storm of Light’s sophomore effort Forgive Us Our Trespasses yields an intriguing potpourri of dynamic post metal nuances for those who enjoy latter day Isis or the galactic side of Mastodon. This Brooklyn unit’s sci-fi heavy headphone friendly 10-track offering supplies a wealth of epic and ethereal vibes thanks to a masterful balance of bold instrumentation and spoken word interludes a la Today is the Day, adding rich keyboard overlays and female vocals into their stoned and sprawling monolithic compositions, allowing them to unravel in the name of righteous exploration, not self-centered exploitation. Painting a picturesque model of an apocalyptic future while a host of special guests from the avant-garde metal sect make their impact via cameos (Jarboe, Lydia Lunch), ASOL’s unorthodox sense of ambiance could benefit from some self-editing down the road, but it does develop an advanced approach to gloom and doom metal that is downtrodden enough to fit in yet distinct enough to branch past the norm. ----Mike SOS
ABACINATE
A KING’S THIRST FOR THE FROSTY BREW
GUTTER CHRIST
New Jersey deathcore mob Abacinate’s album title projects the notion that this band might be a pirate metal troupe, but after one listen of this quintet’s dastardly mix of downtuned death metal crunch and slam-worthy staccato, that idea is dispelled right quick. Decked out with flurries of six-string acrobatics and potent percussive pounding aplenty (“Rife with the Stench and Squalor”), Abacinate exhibits an uncanny knack to gracefully blur lines between tough guy hardcore and death metal by throwing in an authentically ass-kicking cover of Sepultura’s “Nomad” as well as utilizing rounds of gang vocals in “Shake the Spot” as welcomed reprieves from beleaguered formulas. While this type of metal can get tiresome both physically and mentally, this squad’s innate ability to throw down burly breakdowns or simply blast away as needed assists this group’s righteous mission to destroy all in their way without losing an ounce of street credibility. ----Mike SOS
AMY LYNN AND THE
GUN SHOW
AMY LYNN AND THE GUN SHOW
SELF-RELEASED
A staggering dose of genuine soulfulness spews from the latest eponymous four-track offering by Amy Lynn and The Gun Show, so much so that you could probably get away with conning friends into believing this disc is a remastered collection of gems from days gone by. This nine-piece band champions a bevy of stylistic tricks from Phil Spector’s patented Wall of Sound technique while lead singer Amy accompanied by a proficient duo of backup singers push the Supreme-esque approach to the moon and stars on cuts like the dynamically shapeshifting “My Only One”. Making the most from having the luxury of having nine musicians working in unison, Amy Lynn and The Gun Show produce an organically enriched musical experience that sizzles with snappy melodies and shimmying rhythms where modern pop sass, old school AM radio R&B and classic soul collide. ----Mike SOS
ANNUNAKI/ ANTICOSM
SPLIT CD
SELF RELEASED
www.myspace.com/anticosm
www.myspace.com/annunakiband
New Jersey metal merchants Anticosm and Annunaki join forces for a six-song split of unadulterated power and malevolent metallic fury. Up first are Annunaki and their pristine blend of dark thrash-infused melodeath leaning slightly towards the Swedish side of the spectrum a la The Haunted and Dark Tranquility. This act’s controlled chaos rips skulls apart on cuts like the vehemently blackened “Blunt Scapel Extraction”, whose wailing whammy bar abusing guitar solo slays with barbaric stealth. Anticosm closes out this malicious melee with a lesser produced yet similarly spirited blend of metal, as this unit’s bold warrior look (complete with fur and spikes) is accompanied with a sinister stream of traditional power metal, black, and groove metal evoking the wares of bands ranging from Goatwhore to Three Inches of Blood on “Necrolepsy Slumbershock”. Sharing a common interest of interpreting modern nuances into old school extreme metal templates, this split disc steers listeners past crowds straight to a place in the underground where hellacious hybrids reign supreme. ----Mike SOS
ARMED FOR APOCALYPSE
DEFEAT
METAL BLADE
Armed for Apocalypse features former members of California metal units Will Haven, Ghostride, and The Abominable Iron Sloth, so those familiar with the sheer sonic sludgefest employed by those acts will have no problem embracing Defeat, as this disc demonstrates logical sound progressions emanating from those particular starting lines. This eight plus a bonus track (a rousing cover of “Tempatation’s Wings” by Down”) endeavor is a soulshaking affair equipped with a dark heaviness explosively fusing a set of menacing vocals, cavernously churning guitars, devastatingly deliberate doom-laden rhythms (“You Are Alive When They Start To Eat You”), and crushing basslines to comprise a merciless and malevolent melodic metal assault (“Torch Light Search For The Dead”). Constructing a viscous wall of sound that steamrolls your senses, Armed for Apocalypse stomps you to the ground without a shred of remorse, making this wallow in the mire a crucial purchase for those who enjoy their music lurching and downtrodden. ----Mike SOS
AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE
DOUBLE BRUTAL
METAL BLADE
When will it end? Tim Lambesis returns with his brand of Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation metal with Austrian Death Machine’s double album aptly titled Double Brutal. The first disc contains 13 new metal jams served with a wink and a nod thanks to the subject matter and the rapidly getting stale Ahhnold vocalizations while the second disc tackles a slew of material from bands such as Megadeth, Metallica, and The Misfits. Supercharged with a slew of guest guitarists whose spicy solos downright save this beaten to death formula of dreadful skits in between songs with paint yourself in a corner topics, the time is ticking on the relevance and overall funniness of this project, yet it does manage to illicit a couple of chuckles in between flashes of crossover metal durability (“Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies?”). Despite exhibiting twice the muscle and might as the last disc, Austrian Death Machine’s tired act is growing staler by the minute and losing steam just as fast. ----Mike SOS
BAD LIEUTENANT
NEVER CRY ANOTHER TEAR
TRIPLE ECHO/ORIGINAL SIGNAL
Sometimes as a music journalist (and singer) I feel lonely, even if it is irrational. After all, everyone loves music, but I often feel way more obsessed than most people that I know. That’s why when an album like Bad Lieutenant’s Never Cry Another Tear comes along, it can be such a validating thing; renewed evidence of other people out there on this crazy globe with vivid musical dreams. Granted, few artists have a pedigree like New Order/Joy Division’s Bernard Sumner, one of the true musical geniuses of our time. There are many great cats out there trying to tap their muse, but Bernard can always be relied on to come up with interesting twists to his career. The latest is the (snarky-monikered) Bad Lieutenant, which was rumored to be a New Order/Blur super group. The fact is that Alex James of Blur does play bass on some of the record, but is just a good friend and not in the band. Stephen Morris performs live drums, but other than that it is mostly fresh collaborators. I’m counting Phil Cunningham, from the most recent version of New Order, as basically fresh, but the real new face in the group is Jake Evans (best known from his band Rambo and Leroy). Evans sings vocals on a number of tracks, sometime singing with the familiar cold tones of Sumner. Evans doesn’t have the sharp, smart restraint of Sumner, but they make for an interesting hot wash/cold rinse. This feels like an album experience, and there are a lot of songs here, but they are a pleasure. “Summer Days” starts with a stutter-beat that opens into a folky/dance coolness. “Falling out of whiskey bars/making love and crashing cars” is a lyric that begs to be someone’s tattoo. It might not be the most original sounding except with Bad Lieutenant it is all about the delivery and these guys are, of course, champs. “Head Into Tomorrow” even has hints of the Neil Young influence that Sumner and Evans apparently bonded over, though much more poppy and overtly wistful. “Walk On Silver Water” is a revelation of organ and bright yet restrained melody. This record makes you think of white skies on gray with hard, exacto knife-edges lurking around the bend. Yes, please. Not as life altering as some of Sumner’s past work, but nonetheless a very worthwhile endeavor. ----Morgan Y. Evans
BLACK SKIES
HEXAGON
I’M BETTER THAN EVERYONE
imbetterthaneveryonerecords.com
North Carolina’s Black Skies summon the might of Southern sludge metal on the trio’s aptly titled six-track sojourn Hexagon. This squad’s undeniable admiration for Black Sabbath also weighs heavy on their multi-influenced yet easily pegged mix of steamroller swing, as gloomy guitar crunch a la Trouble, filling-rattling bass explosions, tasty yet durable percussion, and a grizzled vocal delivery not unlike High on Fire round out this outfit’s stoner rock on steroids aura. Supplying a cavalcade of gigantic grooves and lumbering rhythms oozing with the kind of hypnotic riffs that sound so familiar yet still warrant multiple hits of the repeat button, Hexagon is a perfect addition to your collection of molasses-infused metal, best propped alongside the likes of Alabama Thunderpussy, labelmates Eyehategod and Weedeater for logistical reasons. ----Mike SOS
CASKET ARCHITECTS
FUTURE WOUNDS
ALTERCATION
There is a really crappy song by
the pop-rock band The Rocket Summer called “A Song Is Not A Business Plan”.
The premise of the song is fine, that people should be more original as musicians
even as they climb the heap of corpses on the littered highway to rock stardom.
The problem is the song does what it rails against and sounds like every other
trite, obnoxious, high octave teeny band out these days. Thank the Creator we
have some really weird, psychotic bands still like the amazing Casket Architects
or White Mice (on their new Southern Lord album Ganjahovahdose) to
show all the “my first dildo” & “same emo haircut”
mofo’s out there how it shoud be done! I remember in my ancient time of
upbringing (the 1990’s) when every band in SPIN was cynical and trying
to be more unlistenable…or at least earnest! It made for great music!
Killdozer, anyone? Lungfish?! Well, the difference now is that the music actually
IS usually unlistenable and it isn’t just because I am getting old. Most
of what is earnest is also really over-earnest and cringe worthy. Thank God
people have started to forget Yellowcard, except that twenty other even shittier
bands now exist. Kill me now! Hopefully Casket Architects (who regularly destroy
the Hudson Valley, New York region with their sci-fi death rock) won’t
get mad if I alienate “emo” fans with this review. Listen kids,
none of your bands will ever be as awesome as Glassjaw, so give up. In the meantime,
take some schooling from your peers like these guys who have a clue. Future
Wounds abounds with shocking attitude and moog infused, hyperactive death
punk. Recorded at Studio Edison in Chicago, Future Wounds is rabid
from the opening droning guitar roar and percussive slam of “Asteroid”
to the very end of “Fracture In The Capsule”. This is one of the
best bands in the underground, with many a danceable (yet not shitty!) moment,
and passionate, howled vocals that will make you a believer again. “Shadow
Dweller” is edgy enough to become a new anthem for vandals every Devil’s
Night, with guitar unafraid to own a melody yet distorted and jagged as all
get out. The spaceship romp/brain rape of “Currents” alone is better
than the entire last CD you stole. Bow down and pray you are worthy enough to
hear them cover the Misfits someday!
----Morgan Y. Evans
CIRCADIAN SKIZM
CIRCADIAN SKIZM
AKASHIC
NYC metal trio Circadian Skizm unleashes a brutal barrage of progressively inclined extreme metal on the squad’s latest four-track excursion. Featuring two studio cuts and two lesser-quality live tracks that provide an adequate feel for the unit’s live show yet drag the collection’s vibe down considerably, this act incorporates an unorthodox concoction of early forward thinking death metal tones a la Death with a steady stream of off-kilter metallic mayhem to forge the type of menacing heaviness that keeps the listener engaged with headbanging delight while slightly uneasy as to what’s to come. If you like your metal bruising with an unsettling tint, this band delivers. ----Mike SOS
DEBRA DESALVO
THE LANGUAGE OF THE BLUES
BILLBOARD BOOKS
Words, expressions, and phrases which generations of musicians and music fans have taken for granted and who provenance was rarely questioned, are given an explanation in this superbly informative and entertaining book by Debra DeSalvo. It took the author several years of research and over 50 interviews with blues musicians of all generations to trace the etymology of the blues slang to its roots. And the results are truly staggering. Words like “cool” and “cat” will from now always have a slightly more colourful ring to them for every reader, and lyrical clichés such as “black cat bone” and “killing floor” will be making a bigger impact. No more hearing Robert Plant scream those final words at the end of “The Lemon Song” with your mind drawing a blank as far as visual imagery goes.
Apart from DeSalvo’s tremendous industriousness, painstaking drive for accuracy, and her love for the blues that seeps through every page of this glossary, one is also struck by the complexity and richness of the roots of the blues and by how it managed to influence jazz, rock, hip hop, and almost every other genre of contemporary popular music.
A music journalist and a musician, DeSalvo handles the topic with understanding of an insider which makes the subject appear in all of its multi-dimensional intricacy. This book is not simply about music and poetry, but also a staggering illustration to how music, better perhaps than any other art form, is capable of brining different cultures together to a valuable, life-reaffirming result, as well as on its capacity to heal, protect, and enlighten. ----Alissa Ordabai
DESPISED ICON
DAY OF MOURNING
CENTURY MEDIA
Canadian cripplers Despised Icon continue to outshine the majority of peers from the deathcore pool as the troupe’s latest 10-track offering Day Of Mourning aptly displays with both a vitriolic viciousness and a durable grip on both Hatebreed hardcore and Dying Fetus death metal firmly intact (“Day of Mourning”). Despite a solid yet somewhat surprisingly atmospheric one-two punch closing out the affair (“Entre Le Bien et Le Mal","Sleepless”) and a tremendous percussive performance courtesy of Alex Pelletier whose blazing speed, relentless battering, and dastardly doses of dexterity make a serious bid for this squad to be thrust into the upper echelon of extreme metal, this sextet’s undeniably blistering array of mosh-friendly riffs and ripping twin vocal attack at times come off stock and formulaic (going so far as ripping themselves off from previous works), ultimately falling prey to the maligned genre trappings similar acts often get lambasted for. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a modern take on heavy music and can withstand the done to death breakdown-happy parts, Despised Icon’s latest does get the job done while demonstrating this act’s leadership position in deathcore’s day-glo trenches. ----Mike SOS
DIE HARD
NIHILSITIC VISION
AGONIA
From the opening “Hail Satan” invocation heard on “Into the Desolate Halls of Death”, Swedish trio Die Hard showcases that they don’t mess around while maintaining a solid old school death metal vibe which effortlessly revisits mantras and tones from the left hand path’s most incendiary offerings. Channeling the likes of Celtic Frost to Entombed on the 10-track Nihilistic Vision, this disc strikes with straightforward battering ram percussion (“Fed to the Lions”), crushing guitar riffs and a gruff vocal evilness, shaping this excursion’s descent into the abyss to be palatable for those who choose darkness. Yielding a raucous array of metallic fury that gets the blood pumping and the axes swinging (“Bloody War”, “Death Chasing the Flock of Mortals”), Die Hard follows the glory days of death metal template to perfection to create an unholy direct line from old to new. ----Mike SOS
DYSE
LIEDER SIND BRUDER DER REVOLUTION
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM
The wildly eclectic two-man rock ‘n roll machine known as Dyse turns discordant punk upside down with the avant-garde 11-track Lieder Sind Bruder Der Revolution. This German duo’s fearless songwriting tactics, sensational use of loud/soft dynamics, tightly wound hardcore guitars (“Supermachineeyeon”), and raucous robot metal outbursts (“Shop Sui”) are likely to be ravished by those who can’t get enough Queens of the Stone Age or Refused. Cuts like “Dysenfischdyse” feature vocalizations salaciously switching between whimsical and brutal while the sinewy swagger of “Trick” and the majestic “Baubaubau” is doused with triumphant trumpets to spice this unit’s bottomless barrage of spastic schizophrenia. Possessing the kind of unbridled passion and boundless ambition that fosters repeated listens, Dyse’s latest release is a perfect choice for disaffected listeners who clamor for their heavy music to go beyond genre norms. ----Mike SOS
EASTER MONKEYS
SPLENDOR OF SORROW
SMOG VEIL
A reissue of Cleveland cult post punk unit Easter Monkeys and their seminal album Splendor Of Sorrows comes courtesy of Smog Veil, whose 15-track release digs deep to unearth as much of this revered squad’s recorded history as possible. Featuring a host of bonus tracks and a DVD of a performance taken from a 1982 show at the Agora, this band’s unique darkened no frills punk rock approach and pomp-less and meandering yet hard hitting psychedelic fits featured a pre-Pere Ubu Jim Jones (who really stands out here) and truly showcased a band whose imbued underground status and trailblazing scope definitely deserves a spin or two for the subversive rock lover in us all. ----Mike SOS
ELDER
REFLECT
FORGE AGAIN
Post-hardcore trio Elder makes a passionate return with their latest six-track endeavor Reflect. This Philadelphia-based troupe once again provide the proper balance of lush loud-soft dynamic shifts and old school DIY hardcore awareness on songs like “Friendly Fire” yet demonstrate an abrasive edge in 1:27 with the scalding tune “Vultures”. Throw a pinch of posi-core posturing, a dash of cosmic math-rock riffage and a hearty hunk of purposeful yet slightly grating screamo vocals into the mix and this squad’s boisterous bevy of fluid fluctuations are bound to score big with both the disaffected youth of today who happily lap up third-hand experience along side disillusioned adults who never let go of the underlying principles. ----Mike SOS
EVILE
INFECTED NATION
EARACHE
UK thrash metal upstarts Evile’s sophomore effort Infected Nations is an undeniable nine-track homage to the Golden Age of thrash that digs deep to excavate inspiration from some lesser known acts besides the Rushmore-esque Big Four. There’s a hearty smattering of Annihilator, Kreator, and Bay Area bashing that you can almost swore you heard from the likes of Vio-lence or Forbidden before pervading through the brazen Megadeth-like twin guitar explorations (“Now Demolition”, “Devoid of Thought”) as well as a discernibly thicker sound and slower pace than previously employed by the band (“Metamorphosis”) that manages to keep the head banging and the attitude intense while the band forges into a different subset of thrash metal waters. Rendering a mixed bag of B-list influences and lengthy tracks whose running times lend to spells of atmospheric meandering, this disc is a far cry from their debut yet definitely puts the band into a whole new light, fortifying their latest metallic mission with ambition that helps to fuse the elements together as well as help their thrash under the microscope approach escape full collapse. ----Mike SOS
EVERGREEN TERRACE
ALMOST HOME
METAL BLADE
Now in their 10th year as a band, Evergreen Terrace confidently dole out an unashamedly hybrid melodic hardcore onslaught on fifth album Almost Home. This audacious Florida-based outfit’s scathing screamo, Warped Tour punk rock, and tough guy metalcore collisions yield a myriad of hook-laden crushers whose infectious bite manages to comfortably combine the wares of Death By Stereo, Fall Out Boy, All That Remains, and Comeback Kid (4,8). But don’t discount this troupe’s thunder just because some of their songs contain parts that make your girlfriend swoon, because underneath lie plenty of chunky chuggers and moshpit movers that keep the floor occupied in a constant state of flow (9). While Evergreen Terrace’s stylistic balance may not appease all, this troupe’s latest album is sure to please the more open-minded sect of metal fans with modern sensibilities. ----Mike SOS
FAUST
FROM GLORY TO INFINITY
PARAGON
Displaying a dastardly dichotomy of tumultuous technicality and savage bludgeoning, the latest nine-track offering from veteran unit Faust demonstrates the barrage of intense and involved guitar runs, unearthly vocal growls, blazing tempos and cascading melodies that helps to round out this seasoned crew’s multifaceted evil attack (“Carnal Beattitude”). Emitting a enriched and refined aura while blasphemously blasting the masses with the type of hellaciously hate-filled vitriol heard on cuts like “Golden Wine Countess”, this band pounds out aggression with a sense of progression at the forefront of their blistering assault, interchanging dynamic musical interplay with dramatic atmospheric swings that masterfully captures the wicked grace and grave glory of the pioneers of death metal in their heyday. ----Mike SOS
FURIA
GRUDZIEN ZA GRUDNIEM
PAGAN
Polish black metal troupe Furia unleash a sinister seven-track affair whose blistering black metal assault is peppered with elements of forward-thinking metal to create a subversive musical entity whose merit lies far beyond their demonic inclinations. Equipped with rounds of angst-stricken vocals (with lyrics strictly in Polish) reminiscent of fellow purveyors of expansion Shining over atmospheric interludes, glacial guitars directly stripped from the works of the masters of the genre, foreboding militaristic marching rhythms, and an overpowering sense of bleakness oppressing the entire collection, Furia’s genuine disdain for mankind ascends from the catacombs long enough to obtain the required amounts of fresh blood to carry out evil’s bastardized biddings. ----Mike SOS
GAZA
HE IS NEVER COMING BACK
BLACKMARKET ACTIVITIES
Utah noise metal mavens Gaza return with a crushing 14-track sophomore effort entitled He Is Never Coming Back. Scouring the bottom of the metal barrel, this sludge-infused squad lay down a relentless barrage of disfigured rhythms, heaving vocals, and viscous dissonant riffs that protrude from the speakers like molten lava from a volcanic eruption. Unsettling and downright ugly at times, this disc melds the abrasiveness of Unsane with the technical prowess of Today is the Day to comprise a caustic metal cacophony armed with an authentic sense of anger and dread that will leave even the most hardened metal listener a bit shaken up. ----Mike SOS
GWYNBLEIDD
NOSTALGIA
BLACK CURRANT
Brooklyn, NY by way of Poland quartet Gwynbleidd establishes a name for itself on the prog death metal front with the release of Nostalgia. Despite an obvious Opeth inspiration infused either purposefully or merely by design, this unit champions a grandiose presence, wondrous compositional flow, and epic songwriting techniques that work in symbiosis to form a refined eight-track affair custom made for those who appreciate the sounds of sweeping and majestic metal with a sinister growl spearheading the movement (“Thawing Innocence”). Fleshing out intriguing dynamic twists without losing an unwavering density that keeps the album’s pace brisk notwithstanding lengthy arrangements and the mood ominous and foreboding, this album’s lush acoustic interludes woven into waves of somber and reflective melodic death metal deftly hammers home a solid sense of metallic melancholy. While the sound-alike references this act is bound to face may be a dealbreaker, this squad’s elegant sense of musicality and masterful manipulation of the death/doom/folk metal triad reveals an enjoyable listening experience for those who like to adventure with ambient metal. ----Mike SOS
HELEN MONEY
IN TUNE
RADIUM
Alison Chesley uses her creativity, an effects board or two and a cello to make music on Helen Money’s sophomore effort In Tune. This captivating and unique offering dishes out nine unorthodox compositions whose brooding metallic base and overcast experimental flourishes rival those championed by the current crop of post metal acts (“Untitled”) and wouldn’t sound out of place as a score to a quirky indie flick (“Waterwalk”). Uneasy by design and deceptively chilling yet hauntingly memorable (“Too Heavy”), this disc exhibits the sonic might, foreboding darkness, and crushing heft a cello is capable of when put into the hands of a performer with an adventurous mind, a boundless spirit, and a rock ‘n roll soul. ----Mike SOS
HELLBASTARD
THE NEED TO KILL
SELFMADEGOD
Unapologetic crust punk attitude colliding with raging old school thrash metal is what rejuvenated UK troupe Hellbastard bring to the table on their latest release The Need To Kill. Throw an unorthodox sense of whimsy and a steadfast metallic assault into the picture and watch the cacophony of crossover chaos commence, complete with the occasional oddball banjo interlude trapped inside a tumultuous Exodus-esque groove dripping with plundered punk charm just for the hell of it. Keeping the listener on their toes with flurries of rapid-fire riffs and blasting rhythms channeling the vibes of Entombed, Suicidal Tendencies, Sacred Reich, Discharge and The Haunted, this disc provides a shining example of unsanitized underground metal at its most boisterous and visceral. ----Mike SOS
IMPOSTER SYNDROME
ROSE COLORED SABOTAGE
SELF-RELEASED
Resilient NYC rockers Imposter Syndrome continue the daunting mission of churning out edgy tunes brimming with grace on Rose Colored Sabotage. This five-track presentation illuminates this quirky quartet’s superb command of the signature jagged melody over sinewy groove concoction while Kristen Persinos’ silky smooth vocal style alluringly delivers intricate interpersonal lyrical content with arresting conviction (“Rose Colored Sabotage”). Possessing the comfort zone to crank guitars up and dig into a grunge groove (“Plastic Wrap”) as easily as slip back into an alt-rock meets Pink Floyd smorgasbord (“Black, One Sugar”), Imposter Syndrome’s shadowy aura and impressive musical dexterity fosters the lost art of organic composition that sets them apart from the pack, as this release aptly displays the tools necessary to build sturdy songs that progress to satisfying ends. ----Mike SOS
JOHN WILLIAM GORDON
TECHNOT
SELF-RELEASED
Calling his modern blend of music “mutant jazz”, acclaimed San Francisco guitarist John William Gordon contrives a fiery fusion that deftly combines jazz and rock auras on latest release Technot. This 10-track eclectic exhibition throws down a dazzling and dizzying instrumental smorgasbord showcasing both Gordon’s smoking six-string benedictions with the rest of his trio’s solid chops propelling a smoldering experimental take on traditional standards and practices. Imparting a world music exercise for outer space, Gordon and crew consistently display a vigilant virtuosity that commands attention while their free-form jams like “GVOL” and “Back Room Flow” convey the proper atmosphere needed which increases the headspace in order to wander. ----Mike SOS
LYE BY MISTAKE
FEA JUR
METAL BLADE
Ironic how an album that virtually transcends metal’s hardline traditional nuances in nearly every capacity winds up on one of the globe’s premier metal labels, yet such is the case with the latest offering by St. Louis outfit Lye By Mistake, the unit’s first without a singer. By opting to go the instrumental route, this technically proficient trio’s sophomore effort channels expected progressive metal with shards of Dream Theater, Rush, King Crimson, and Death amongst others fingered and deciphered from chaotic cacophonies like “Stag”. Yet this band is not in the least bit content with merely replicating glories of their peers, as the jaw dropping prowess, surprising sense of malleability and blistering playing ability showcased throughout the course of its eight-track duration veers into uncharted areas on numerous occasions without trepidation, pulling hunks of heavy higher minded goodness out along their free form fusion discovery mission (“Vanguard to Nowhere”). While the unconditioned may receive an instant migraine upon impact, Fea Jur is an album custom built for the listener prepared to explore and be taken aback with the virtuosity of three musicians at the top of their creative and performance peaks. ----Mike SOS
KARNIVOOL
SET FIRE TO THE HIVE
RED
Eclectic Australian rock troupe Karnivool returns with a mixed bag EP that previews the unit’s new sounds in addition to revisiting old ones on the four-track Set Fire To The Hive. This quintet’s forward-thinking approach immediately brings to mind a combination of System of a Down, Dredg, and Incubus, as Karnivool’s hard rock hooks, unorthodox melodies, and left of center arrangements (just check the horns on “Roquefort” as an indication of what to expect) switch from furious to fragile in the blink of an eye, all with a captivating vocalist skillfully tying the entire grandiose offering together. Exuding the capability to stretch rock music’s boundaries past normal limits, Karnivool’s stopgap presentation provides an ample overview of how this band works. ----Mike SOS
KIRBY KRACKLE
KIRBY KRACKLE
SELF-RELEASED
Kirby Krackle is a niche band of the highest order, sitting on the tip-top of the pop culture bubble with their knack for developing songs custom made for geeks of the globe to break hearts and save damsels in distress to. This self-professed delicious nerd rock duo joins forces to rid the world of evil with a top-secret blend of acoustically driven adult alternative rock for the sci-fi sect. Fueled by an unbridled passion for the worlds of both comic books (“Marvelous Girls”, “One of the Guys”) and video games (“Naked Wii”, “Up, Up, Down, Down”), this Pacific Northwestern tandem’s whimsical delivery and comical tones assists the good time feel to sustain through this entire 10-track affair. While this eponymous offering is sure to go over the heads of those not in the know (the lyrics are teeming with insider references galore), Kirby Krackle have put together a smart and fun album meshing the wares of Barenaked Ladies, Bowling for Soup, Weezer, and Sugar Ray for fanboys and industry folk alike to sink their teeth into. ----Mike SOS
KRUM BUMS
SAME OLD STORY
TKO
Austin, TX punk quintet Krum Bums return with its high-energy attack and sinister snarl fully intact on Same Old Story. This six-track affair authentically exudes punk’s rebellious nature without sacrificing melody on cuts like “Sons of Nothing” and the street punk sing-along “No Apologies” while cranking up the heat in true Krum Bum fashion on the rapid-fire “Coliseum”, satisfying all ends of the genre’s spectrum with an angst-ridden punk-metal powderkeg ready to explode. ----Mike SOS
LACUNA COIL
SHALLOW LIFE
CENTURY MEDIA
Italian Goth-metal troupe Lacuna Coil scoops the remaining portion of their original sound out of their repertoire and inserts a streamlined pop-metal sheen a la Evanescence in its place on the squad’s latest album Shallow Life. Produced and co-wrote by song doctor extraordinaire Don Gilmore (Linkin Park, Good Charlotte), this collaboration results in decisively less metal with an upgraded electronica-like façade firmly in place where vocals (mainly Cristina’s) are the order of the day. As for the rest of the music, it may as well be damned, as the overall sanitized presentation sans an incessant use of keyboard and space filling synth elements used for Hollywood movie soundtrack atmosphere barely allows guitars enough room to flesh out colossal choruses heard on cuts like “Not Enough”. Championing a subdued and simplified form of songwriting to appeal to a broader audience, Lacuna Coil’s latest endeavor is far from a departure for the band and actually can be argued as a logical step in the band’s sound, but buyer beware; it abandons the band’s intrinsic sense of darkness in favor for a glossy and overpowering beam of bright light, leaving the unit to merely mingle in the shadows when they formerly ruled the roost. ----Mike SOS
LEAVES EYES
NJORD
NAPALM
Symphonic metal sextet Leaves Eyes return with Njord, a sweepingly orchestral offering perfectly crafted for a theatrical production. Led by the powerhouse vocals of Liv Kristine and adorned with an enormous wall of music encompassing everything from waves of singing choirs and world beat woodwinds (“Irish Rain”) to effective beauty and the beast vocal tradeoffs and killer melodic death metal underpinnings (“Emerald Island”), this disc dramatically delivers with an over the top grandiosity considerably less fluffy yet decisively more consistent than previous works. Fans of Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, and Nightwish will have little problem diving headlong here, as this 12-track disc goes above and beyond the call of duty with providing a refined and robust symphonic/goth/folk metal platter. ----Mike SOS
MIDNIGHT FISTFIGHT
THE MAIN EVENT
SELF-RELEASED
myspace.com/midnightfistfightrules
NYC’s Midnight Fistfight recall a time when denim and leather was the uniform and the attitude was fast and loose on their Sunset Strip soaked five-track debut The Main Event. Equipped with a gritty guitar tandem whose nimble fretwork and on the money Guns ‘n Roses and Skid Row by way of AC/DC and Faster Pussycat riffs (“My Cocaine”) gel with lead vocalist Dan Pyro’s Dionysian lyrical double entendres and credible cock rock delivery (“Booze & Bitches”), earning this offering an all access pass back to the glory days of arena rock and hair metal’s excesses and successes. ----Mike SOS
MOJO RISING
FEEL WHAT YOU FEEL
SELF-RELEASED
myspace.com/mojorisingband.com
Aussie dance-rock team Mojo Rising meld the best elements from both the excessive ‘80s commercial front a la INXS and Duran Duran and the manufactured funk-driven thump of bands like Maroon 5 and the cheeky balladeering of acts like Hootie and the Blowfish together to form this duo’s five-track offering Feel What You Feel. Decorated with a dash of blue-eyed soul worthy of more than a good night out on the town that helps an overall sense of authenticity to peak out from the Pro Tools sanitizer, this slickly produced effort makes up for its near deal-breaking lack of lyrical depth with a slew of dynamically charged grooves inside of well-arranged compositions bound to make a dance floor hopping. Mojo Rising’s blend of middle of the road rock and pop goes down smooth and keep spirits high for certain, but for those who keep a keen interest in the mainstream music machine, this disc is bound to sound all too familiar to make it worthy of spins beyond a random good night out on the town. ----Mike SOS
MONGREL
REVENGE
SCREAMING FERRET
Mongrel reveals a no nonsense raucous punk/metal dimension on their five-track excursion Revenge. Brimming with street punk savvy and dripping with inner city contempt, this Massachusetts quartet’s aggressive attitude is reminiscent of a hybrid of Circus of Power, Scatterbrain, and Black Flag, as they maintain a melodic side while spewing venom with reverence to the early days of the punk and hardcore scene on cuts like “Butterknife Suicide” and “Catharsis”. Direct and to the point, Mongrel’s frantic pace with attention to hooks projects a rowdy and rebellious aura perfect when elevating the level of madness is at the top of the to-do list. ----Mike SOS
MUDVAYNE
MUDVAYNE
EPIC
Mudvayne have really done a great
job with their self-titled disc, from presentation to musical synopsis AND advancement.
Major kudos on the packaging job from the band and legendary artist Paul Booth,
which combines black light reactive art with Booth's creepy images of a human
to fly metamorphosis. It's the coolest packaging I've seen since Tool's 10,000
DAYS and certain to keep stoners busy for hours damaging their eyes! If
only there were some titty pics in in the packaging (not turning into anything
else), it'd be perfect! As for the record, Guitarist Greg Tribbett is in top
form on these songs, with "Beautiful And Strange" having not only
one of the most infectious choruses (and some very Tool-esque verse vocals from
Chad Gray) from the band, but also some truly hypnotic riffing. Moments on the
disc almost approach Lamb Of God heaviness here and there, though of course
Chad Gray has a much more melodic undertone to his screaming. I'd hold up "Out
To Pasture" as reason alone not to underestimate these guys or oversimplify
with a too convenient tag like "Nu Metal". The song starts out like
a mellower, spooky track that wouldn't have been out of place on Lost And
Found, before romping into a very inspired and startling, horrific dirge.
"Not Falling" may still be their best ever single, but the new disc
has no shortage of raging and enjoyable cuts. "Heard it All Before"
is pure rage over a classic-Mudvayne groove that just can't be denied. Anchors
the band's past with proggy side and headbangs into their future. ----Morgan
Y. Evans
MY OWN DEATH
NECROLOGY
PULVERISED
Sweden rarely fails when it comes to churning out mass quantities of quality death metal, and the latest endeavor by raging quintet My Own Death once again proves the theory to be true. This seething squad’s sophomore effort Necrology nary shows a sign of slump, as these macabre metal merchant’s blend of gore-inspired subject matter, fast-paced rhythmic frenzy (“Age of Torment”, “Carnal Revelations”), punishing grooves, bellicose vocal bellows, and thrash-y twin guitar assault of menacing riffs and tasty solos yields a warmongering fury from the opening strains of the march-like “Awaiting Death” right until the last note of “Incineration” is played. Brutal and bludgeoning, this disc delivers the goods with all of the delectable devastation a solid death metal release should. ----Mike SOS
PERE UBU
LONG LIVE PERE UBU
SMOG VEIL
Cleveland, OH avant-garde garage punk pioneers Pere Ubu made the type of music that bucked trends, shunned spotlights, and kept the mainstream as far away as possible throughout their career of cult status and latest offering Long Live Pere Ubu is no different. This unit, formed back in 1975, is an acquired taste for certain, as the music of Pere Ubu is an ever evolving medium that consistently presents a challenge to the ears, exploring art punk’s outer most reaches with innovative arrangements, quirky vocals, oddball instrumentation and an absurdist’s viewpoint at the forefront, This time around, the band comes full circle, interpreting the much-maligned Alfred Jarry surrealist play they take their name from into a working musical form, a task which renders an off-kilter old time serial radio version of the production (which Pere Ubu brought to life in a UK theater) chock full of David Thomas and company’s trademark protean fractured musical detachments and provocative audio juxtapositions. Best experienced uninterrupted in its entirety and definitely not for the easily offended, Pere Ubu’s tackles this ambitious and somewhat nostalgic endeavor with an ambient panache as only a band of their caliber can muster. ----Mike SOS
PESTILENTIAL SHADOWS
IN MEMORIAM III OMEN
PULVERISED
Black metal isn’t just coming from normal channels anymore, as Australia’s Pestilential Shadows demonstrates with a mutual blast of the cold and bleak temperance shared amongst their northernmost peers This unit’s latest elegiac eight tracks of evil titled In Memoriam III Omen features a feral battering of twin guitarwork to guide the affair into black metal’s murky depths and pits of despair on cuts such as “Of Loss And Suffering Inherit” and the ethereal instrumental “Ecclesia Moriendi”. Everything else from authentic production values to the vitriolic vocals is not only solid, but a cut above genre specifications, stamping menacing mid-tempo numbers such as “Beautiful Demise” with the right measure of glacial isolationist tendencies and significantly somber musicianship for a hearty combo of melancholy and mayhem (“With Serpents I Lay “). ----Mike SOS
POWER PELLUT
POWER PELLUT
I’M BETTER THAN EVERYONE
imbetterthaneveryonerecords.com
Louisiana sludge trio Power Pellut mix Am Rep style vocal barks with a slew of fuzzed out Eyehategod-esque viscosity to comprise its eponymous six-song swampy sojourn. Solely released on 180g vinyl and limited to a 500 copy run, this uniquely presented offering specializes with an amps cranked to 11 ballistic rhythmic explosiveness seemingly derived from endless hours of jamming in the studio with the bloodshot intent to crush all in its path firmly at the forefront of the mission. Not unlike fellow purveyors of dissonance such as Melvins, Unsane, and Black Sabbath, Power Pellut’s purge to plod provides a skull-rattling good time for those who choose to take their metal with a side of ugly. ----Mike SOS
ROBOTS AND EMPIRE
COLOR TOUCHES
TRIPMACHINE LABS
Color Touches is a fierce slab of concise indie-core from the usually gigging hard Robots And Empire. “Rush At Burnt Siennaville” is like an odd Weezer/Drowningman amalgam party with everything you’d expect, in a good way. Pictures In Braille and these guys do wonders for making melody and dissonance still gel coherently in the New York state indie scene. They take the best lessons of real screamo and emo bands and mix it up into something stil very interesting. R&E’s “Time Like Machines” is labored but very comfortable, even while taking colossus steps into near Manic Compression Quicksand meets Godflesh territory. “The Grapes” calls to mind The Afghan Whigs “Retarded” before flailing into post-hardcore/indie prog land. There is even some workhorse Helmet riffing around the 1:50 mark in that song, though topped with ethereal Muse-y crooning. Check ‘em out now. ----Morgan Y. Evans
RYAN ADAMS
HELLO SUNSHINE
AKASHIC
akashicbooks/hellosunshine.htm
Grammy-nominated American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has released his second volume of poems/short stories. Titled Hello Sunshine, this 190-page volume is a sturdy follow-up to his earlier debut volume, Infinity Blues. Where Infinity Blues dealt with the deep and the dark, the chaotic bitter mess within Adams’ heartbroken mind, Hello Sunshine is the page-by-page journey out of that morass, the climb out of the abyss, that unequivocable and undefinaable moment twixt dusk and down when the light finally overtakes the darkness.
The flow of the work compiled here
gives the reader a sense of tension and disquiet at the start, almost disconcerting.
The pieces like “I Am Standing On This Beach” come with dignified
composition to capture the attention and “Hello Sunshine” seals
the deal.
----Christine Natanael
SANCTIFICATION
BLACK REIGN
PULVERISED
Swedish death metal squad Sanctification return with their latest nine-track excursion BLACK REIGN. This unit, who boasts members of Dark Funeral, In Battle, and Demonoid in their ranks not to mention production by the team of the Tagtgren brothers and Dan Swano, adopts a decisively Americanized approach a la Deicide and Morbid Angel with leanings towards an old school influence by such luminaries as Entombed, Bloodbath, and Grave to diabolically fulfill nightmares across the globe (“Storm”). Complete with relentless deluges of low-pitched vocal growls a la latter day Cannibal Corpse (“Hear This”), a salvo of crushing blast beats, and rapid-fire rounds of muscular fretwork manning the helm (“Black Reign”), this disc juxtaposes two of the more scathing death metal styles together to form a juggernaut of a release that ardent supporters of early underground metal will gleefully bang their head to. ----Mike SOS
SHRINEBUILDER
SHRINEBUILDER
NEUROT
The term supergroup is tossed around these days like a football during a tailgate party but if there’s one band that deserves the moniker, it has to be the fearsome foursome known as Shrinebuilder. This top-secret quartet comes into the light and features the talents of Wino, Scott Kelly, Dale Crover, and Al Cisneros. If you are unfamiliar with any of these guys and their pedigree, please stop reading this now and bone up on your history. For those who vigilantly follow metal’s underground scene, this is your go-to mini-album of the year, an eponymous five-track offering reportedly recorded in three days whose imminent strike and psychedelic overtones take on a life of its own without abandoning the roots from which it came, sounding as if four admirals have taken equal charge on one massive battleship’s course through the seas of an alternative world. Chock full of doom metal lethargy, swirls of stoner rock goodness, and oodles of avant-garde metal ambiance, this unit has made an album that transcends the usual bullet points and can be summed up in one word: awesome. Get this now and become enchanted with your new favorite band. ----Mike SOS
SLAYER
WORLD PAINTED BLOOD
AMERICAN
Slayer is at it again doing what
they do best, painting the world blood red. This review could just go ,“There’s
a song on here called “Public Display Of Dismemberment”, you God
fearing pussies!”, but I won’t sell you short and leave it at that.
As my friend Sean Paul from the band Nighmares For A Week recently sarcastically
joked re: Behemoth’s new album,“How can anyone be this evil?”
THIS IS HOW!
When not busy watching The 69 Eyes teach NYC a lesson in death-rocking, I lately
must admit that I have mostly been busy praying with my friend Dave (who owns
Darkworld Studio) that next years Van Halen and Ratt albums somehow fulfill
our hopes (please Ratt, take the template of “Nobody Rides For Free”
from the Point Break soundtrack and just do that ten times. I don’t
care! That song rules!).
Motley Crue made it happen again (Hey, “What’s It Gonna Take”
from Saints Of Los Angeles was truly great). My point is that nothing’s
impossible. Dinosaur Jr. reformed with the original line-up and it smokes just
about everyone.
Anyway, while lamenting Michael Anthony’s lack of a role in Van Halen
can be time consuming (no dis to Eddie’s son meant), there was also the
irresistible knowledge/anticipation that Slayer were due to drop a new LP. This
is always a relief! A seriously big bloody relief.
Thank God or whoever that they always deliver a great album when times are the
most f-ed up. Didn’t they have an in-store cut out on 9/11 that incidentally
said “someone’s gonna die today”? Metal.
Also, I’m gonna be the guy who argues that Divine Intervention
is underrated. Slayer have really never gone down hill, even when they didn’t
have original members (and by that I am not taking the easy way out being a
Van Hagar hater, lest you are reading deeply into this). Paul Bostaph rules,
but it has been a real thrill to have Lombardo back.
Anyway, World Painted Blood is Slayer expertly blending their raw beginnings
with their utmost violently refined professionalism. “Snuff” is
absolutely undeniable and really is frightening. The whole record mirrors the
deadly intent of criminally insane thoughts. When Tom Araya brays “Murder
is my future” it is in no way corny and raises the hairs on the back of
your neck, like looking at the John Wayne Gacy cover art of Acid Bath’s
When The Kite String Pops for too long. The accompanying deluxe version
animation film (which coincides with the album tracks) is part Dethklok and
part very fatal attraction.
Who remembers in High Plains Drifter when Clint literally paints the
town of Lago red? That’s what happens here.
WPB is focused more on daily murderous violence than religion or even politics
(though “Hate Worldwide” deftly finds Araya voicing some of his
best religious based lines in awhile with “Religious doubt I instigate/from
what the Bible demonstrates”).“Hate Worldwide” is sure to
kick off the best new song influenced Slayer pits this side of most of God
Hates Us All. It is pure thrash-core at it’s finest.
Ravenous fans got a taste of this album’s vicious streak with the preview
of “Psychopathy Red”. It is a skin blistering call to abandon principle
and slash wildly, and it is by no means in lonely company on this album. I love
that these dudes have still been touring with Marilyn Manson too. I think that
rules.
In a perfect world they would have included a bonus track cover of L7’s
“Shitlist”, a great anthem for making lists of people you’d
like to probably kill. They didn’t. I checked twice.
In Terry Goodkind’s fantasy novel Temple Of The Winds the moon
turns red for three nights and everyone loses his or her shit. It must have
been a Slayer-esque few days. Oh yeah, a giant plague of evil is breaking out
in the story. Telling.
“Beauty Through Order” revels in slower Slayer creeping tempos,
like Seasons In The Abyss re-imagined, but not with integrity revoked.
You knew these guys weren’t gonna fuck this one up. Just go buy it. Kerry
King is in charge of you. ----Morgan Y. Evans
TEMPLE OF BAAL
LIGHTSLAYING RITUALS
AGONIA
Nine blasphemous blasts of charred metal arrive via French veteran troupe Temple of Baal on the unit’s latest offering Lightsaying Rituals. Exhibiting a primitive and punishing aggressiveness necessary to be considered lethal (“Vectors to the Void”) and a dastardly demonic wrath that effortlessly emits an authentically heartfelt sense of hatred (“Death Cult”), this disc dexterously melds black metal atmosphere and death metal brutality with flashes of thrash metal tumult to create a contemptuous sonic whirlwind glacially steeped in ‘90s extreme metal notoriety (“Black Sun of the Damned”). While those who’ve been around the block have heard the likes of this before from everyone from At the Gates and Entombed to Absu and Celtic Frost, the expert production, contagious songwriting (“Hate is My Name”) and overall disdain carried across the album captures a modern misanthropist vibe for the new age of underground to feast upon. ----Mike SOS
THE BLACK DAHLIA
MURDER
DEFLORATE
METAL BLADE
The Black Dahlia Murder returns with a terse homage bountifully bursting with Swedish metal influence with their unique blackened thrash twists embedded within on their 10-track, 34-minute collection Delforate. Showcasing swift jabs of focused aggression with a familiar brutality behind it all (“Eyes of Thousands”), this Michigan troupe’s delectable twin guitar tandem craft some niftily nefarious solos (“Throne of Lunacy”, “Necropolis”) while Trevor Strnad’s varied vocal approaches continues to spew venom although exhibiting a tad more restraint than usual, allowing the unit’s trademark maniacal melodic side to commandeer the bastardized blitz (“I Will Return”, “A Selection Unnatural”). Despite claims by some who lament about the band being a bit stagnant (“interchangeable” seems to be a buzz word flying around regarding this band’s output), TBDM continues to dole out a brutishly consistent strain of metal that does a stellar job of unleashing the beast in us all. ----Mike SOS
THE DESTRO
HARMONY OF DISCHORD
METAL BLADE/IRONCLAD
Proud to proclaim a breakdown band they are not, Dallas, TX squad The Destro instead opt to unleash brutal barrages of thrashy and sludgy death metal on latest release Harmony Of Dischord. Containing nine-tracks of non-stop teeth-gnashing groove-laden metallic goodness, this quartet strikes with Carcass-esque precision (“Angel Killer”), dastardly deathcore rage (“Thorns of Truth”) and a boatload of southern-fried by way of Sweden downtuned guitar licks that wouldn’t sound out of place in a jam between Exhorder, Meshuggah, Exodus and Down (“Mouth of the Heretic”). Yielding a one-dimensional yet utterly punishing entity, this troupe pushes levels to the brink of disaster (“Persistence of Ignorance”) truly revitalizing an extreme aura back into modern extreme metal. ----Mike SOS
THE GATES OF SLUMBER
HYMNS OF BLOOD AND THUNDER
METAL BLADE
The Gates of Slumber’s spot on presentation of the NWOBHM and doom style shines on their fourth release Hymns Of Blood And Thunder. This Indiana trio skillfully channels the creeping vibes of Candlemass, early Trouble, and St. Vitus to create a viscous wall of sound complete with brooding guitar solos (“The Doom of Aceldama”), thunderous drums (“Beneath the Eyes of Mars”), and a vocal warble that trembles with an authentic dollop of old school grit. Showcasing a dastardly sense of dynamics, this unit convincingly pours out hypnotically thick riffs and calculated rhythms a la Cathedral (“Descent into Madness”) yet can still break into a balls out heavy dirge a la anything Wino (“The Bringer of War”) a Dio-era Sabbathian double time chugger (“Chaos Calling”) and veer into ‘70s classic heavy metal territory without losing an ounce of gloom (“Age of Sorrow”). If you have a hankering for a solid slab of despair, this monolithic 10-track cornucopia of calamity may sound at times like a repeat but ultimately is a hard album to beat. ----Mike SOS
THE NETWORK
BISHOP KENT MANNING
BLACKMARKET ACTIVITIES
Produced by Kurt Ballou, the sophomore effort by New Hampshire’s The Network meld noise metal and mathcore mayhem on the 10-track Bishop Kent Manning. This coarse and caustic collection of tracks string together a tale of a televangelist on his death knell, yet the suffocated and strained screams and strangled vocals barely reveal anything but utter chaos, further backed by a dastardly attack of thunderous percussion, granite smashing bass, and abrasively angular guitar work. Channeling unbridled rage like many of the bands who have graced the God City complex before them, The Network’s furious and ferocious assault does let up in spots to issue a quick breather (“Corpse Paint”), but overall bestows an oppressive sonic crush where barrages of brutal and belligerent modern hardcore converge. ----Mike SOS
THE SANDGUINEAS
OLD AS THE HILLS
SELF-RELEASED
Featuring former members of Crisis
(NYC), Rejuvenate, New Faith, Cause For Alarm and Darkside NYC who all went
west at some point of their careers, The Sandguineas are a great new band of
metal/hardcore scene true vets respecting pop music. This record sounds nothing
like their former varied/skull crushing bands, but rather an homage and furthering
of the real roots of melodic punk rock. The bands The Sandguineas are most akin
to are The Dickies, Screeching Weasel and the upbeat, classic elements of The
Ramones and even Beach Boys. Major harmonies here work incredibly well with
catchy and motivational music and themes, instead of abusing “pop”
like so many mistakenly chose to do. These guys maximize basic structures instead.
Like The Fiendz, you get many people singing around a lead vocal.
“Counting” and especially the opener “Superficial” making
you want to face your day with a better perspective, whistling a tune.
Like Ramones Mania you can listen to this over and over all the way
through very easily, despite a lot of tracks. “Warrior” is Afzaal
Sandguinea and company firing on all cylinders. "Silence” rolls loose
and fast like the best Bad Religion, while the bands’ East meets West
sensibilities refreshingly abhor adherence to the boring tenants of strict regionalism
which often plagues the underground. Being proud of where you are from is fine,
but many shows out there have devolved back into people being little gangs from
various areas with different people doing “hard choreography”. It’s
vain.
What happened to everyone trying to make the whole show better instead of just
showing off, idiotically? If Prong is playing “Looking For Them”
in front of you, make a fucking circle pit! If The Sandguineas are playing,
do it too! You can even grab a girl. Let’s go!
“When you’re falling down, I’ll be there for you.” ----Morgan
Y. Evans
THE VIKING
THE VIKING
SELF-RELEASED
For a self-produced demo, these guys
already sound real pro and are packing out shows in the N.Y.State capitol region.
Rough around the edges like early Dillinger and especially ETID, The Viking
have a killer live show and veer all over the heavy map without becoming annoying.
A slow, southern riff will suddenly explode into near Dragonforce land and back
into a blues solo but the raw edge of the distortion tones, which are decidedly
more fuzz metal, keep it from being a huge mess. Stages and venues are another
matter entirely. Check out this band now because they are very determined to
be noticed and deservedly
so. Josh James is a beast behind the kit and really the whole band are very
passionate and not without a sense of humor, as "Class Action Pant Suit"
demonstrates. Very recommended. ----Morgan Y.Evans
THREAT SIGNAL
VIGILANCE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Even though Canadian modern metal crew Threat Signal have undergone a significant amount of lineup changes within their relatively short life span, it has served as merely a minor deterrent from releasing their self-produced sophomore effort Vigilance. This 13-track juggernaut endorses the piledriving and ultra-pasturized processed sound of bands like Fear Factory (whose Christain Wolbe Olders produced their first album) and Soilwork with loads of Swedish death metal elements a la In Flames and American metalcore structures from the likes of Shadows Fall (“Another Source of Light”) and Killswitch Engage (”Through My Eyes”) strewn in the mix with a smidgen of melodic nu-metal providing the arena-filling sing-along choruses that assists this band’s crossover appeal (it doesn’t hurt that lead singer Jon Howard bares an uncanny vocal similarity to Chester from Linkin Park either, depending on who you ask). There’s no question that Threat Signal is a talented band with a penchant for writing a catchy song that packs a damaging heft behind it (“In Repair”), but attentive metal fans have repeatedly heard much of the excellently executed brazen attack heard on Vigilance before from numerous other acts in not so different forms, rendering this disc as a solid yet non-essential album. ----Mike SOS
THRONEUM
DEATHCULT CONSPIRACY
PAGAN
Polish blackened death metal troupe Throneum exhibit a nefariously necromantic blend of Celtic Frost, Possessed, Sepultura, Entombed, and Obituary on their nine-track descent into the catacombs entitled Deathcult Conspiracy. Raw and relentless, this disc’s fitting murky production, maniacal and ferocious vocal performance (“Rituals of Fire and Sulphur”) evil arrangements (“His Shadow”) and sturdy guitar riffs and fills are far from groundbreaking yet hypnotize with a catastrophic cadence whose blasphemous brutality and unabashed underground approach is bound to earn points for those who choose to embrace the sunless universe (“Wizzard's Testimony”). ----Mike SOS
VARIOUS ARTISTS
OCC ROCKS
SONY/OCC RECORDS/RED DISTRIBUTION
The boys Orange County Choppers have put together one heck of a classic rock compilation with OCC Rocks, a biker friendly comp that has a great cross-section of muscular hard hitters like Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” and Blue Oyster Cult’s “Burnin’ For You” along with barn burners like Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever” and Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ With Disaster” .The Outlaws epic “Green Grass & High Tides” is the “high”-light of the comp, and Paul Teutel, Sr. even makes an appearance on a cover of “Summertime Blues”. While I would’ve loved to have some Aerosmith thrown in here or any Motorhead, the comp has some great surprises like Toto’s “Hold The Line” (I love that band! DUNE soundtrack, anyone?) and Mott The Hoople covering The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane”. Judas Priest is an awesome inclusion, though I would’ve preferred “Hell Bent For Leather” to “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” (wink,wink). But there are more than just gnarly old favorites. Bumblefoot of GN’R affiliation drops in with the Orange County Choppers band to deliver “Cold Sweat” (now if only Axl would deliver the m.i.a. music video for “Better”. Just do it!). Elsewhere the excellent, punky Death Valley Screamers throw down “Bonnie And Clyde”, sounding like Danko Jones and The Supersuckers giving you the free bird. My only criticism is that with the Screamers involvement, it’d have been cool to have a few more new bands like Git Some or Turbonegro (in my dreams, haha!!!) along with the bike friendly all time greats. C’mon, you know you wanna go from Eddie Money to “Chainsaw Clothesline”. But seriously, while dudes did a good job compiling this, it could’ve easily been a two-disc comp. ----Morgan Y. Evans
VARIOUS ARTISTS
SAW VI: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
TRUSTKILL RECORDS
I only liked the first SAW movie in the franchise. It’s not that I don’t like horror/slasher movies. Check out The Marsh. That movie was seriously awesome. Film criticism aside, the SAW soundtracks have been pretty good (Fear Factory’s “Bite The Hand That Bleeds” comes to mind). SAW VI continues these diverse and heavy soundtracks and is one of the best in the series with bloodthirsty contributions from Chimaira, Every Time I Die, Nitzer Ebb, Shadows Fall (with a tasty remix of their recent “Still I Rise), and many more. First off, Converge’s “Dark Horse” smokes almost the whole rest of the soundtrack. It’s that good. That said, let’s move on. Hatebreed’s “In Ashes They Shall Reap” opens the disc and presents further indisputable evidence why they will always be so unstoppable (though I wish All Out War had also gotten as big). Lacuna Coil’s “The Last Goodbye” is a melodic standout, as good as (and better than some of) the material on their recent Shallow Life album. Watery guitars drenched with 80’s effects and great performances from everyone in the band make this mournful yet pushy tune a real winner from Christina Scabbia and company. Type O Negative’s “Dead Again” is seriously beautiful and doomy before thrashing into the more punky side of the band, a great song even if it is from Peter’s regrettable religious conversion themed record of the same name. I’m not against faith but am definitely pro-choice. It Dies Today deliver ferociously with “Reckless Abandon”, which features some serious In Flames-influenced guitar punishment, if vocally not 100% satisfying. Mushroomhead’s “Your Soul Is Mine” sounds like it was written in 1999 (and probably should have been in a Mortal Kombat movie with a name like that), but is pretty rocking if not their finest hour. Other highlights include Danko Jones’ “Code Of The Road” and the very hard working Outbreak’s old school throwback sounding hardcore gem “The Countdown Begins” from their self-titled new Jim Siegel produced record (which you should buy before this soundtrack)! It’s the shortest and (second) best tune on here. Why doesn’t someone make a movie about a non-racist skinhead who serial kills Nazi punks and tells them to “Fuck Off”? Why would anyone watch SAW films when even a friggin’ television show like Dexter is 100 times better!? Shit, I’ll take the fucking Leprechaun franchise over Jigsaw any day, and not just because I have always wanted to smoke weed with Warwick Davis. ----Morgan Y. Evans
WHILE HEAVEN WEPT
VAST OCEANS LACHRYMOSE
CRUZ DEL SUR
A histrionic strand of sorrowful and forlorn progressive metal comes courtesy of seasoned sextet While Heaven Wept and their latest disc Vast Oceans Lachrymose. This veteran unit’s six year in the making melancholic collection features discernibly less epic doom than previous works while showcasing pervasive Dream Theater-esque melodic flair with Fates Warning-like lengthy instrumental passages. The band stunningly pulls off this graceful shift in styles without completely extinguishing their once dominant doom-laden flame (“Living Sepulchre”), surely a relieving thought for longtime followers. Boldly using the wide array elements in their vast arsenal to form a grandiose strain of majestic yet somber metal falling squarely between Katatonia and Solitude Aeternus, While Heaven Wept display elegant and forward-thinking metal at its best. ----Mike SOS
WHIPLASH
UNBORN AGAIN
PULVERISED
The best thrash didn’t always come from the Bay Area, as cities both home and abroad also had a stake in the white high top and bullet belt game as well. Count New Jersey metal trio Whiplash in as one of the acts that walked amongst regional heavyweights like Overkill and Anthrax back in the day who have returned after a long hiatus armed with a 10-track release that makes references but doesn’t relive their salad days. While Unborn Again doesn’t aim to replicate the golden era, it does contain a solid array of catchy tracks that fall in line with the output of similar bands from the old school who’ve returned after a considerable length of time. Trading in trademarked white-knuckle velocity for newfound groove-laden crunch on cuts like “Swallow the Slaughter” and “Firewater”, Whiplash takes it down a notch with a simplistic and direct approach packed with an organic feel and a genuine snarl that many modern bands have a tough time establishing. Coming back to the scene with some alterations to their sound yet still able to summon the chops to throw a breakneck tempo down when necessary (“Pitbulls in the Playground”, “Feeding Frenzy”), the latest release by Whiplash may not be your older brother’s thrash metal, but it will do the trick for diehards who remember the band from their early days. ----Mike SOS