6 is poor!
66 is average!
666 is worth playing to the ANCIENT ONES!
By Lucifera and Larry N.
(Note: I beg to differ- many complain that if you’re not a musician you shouldn’t be a music critic. Well, you are wrong, your strongest critics are your audience, not just musicians, but it’s made up of many different people who want to hear something good and obtain it. I happen to be one with the audience, someone who tried to be a musician but didn’t have the patience to learn an instrument. So I’m a writer but a writer with an appreciation of talent in others that I may not have. And I am the audience because if I like something I’m going to go out and get it. So remember that next time you get all out in a rage about that. Also, a special thanx to Hammerheart in this issue for overwhelming me with CDs, much appreciated, found quite a few gems.-Lucifera)
Aeternus-Burning the Shroud
(Hammerheart)
This is an excellent release. Aeternus continues to fan the flames higher with their unique blend of death/black metal.
This album includes releases fromDark Rage 7” picture album and Dark Sorcery mini-CD.
666
Lucifera
Alas-Absolute Purity
(Hammerheart)
Emotional, melodic power/gothic/opera metal. Martina sings in high pitch opera and in sweet serenade styles while Erik Rutan displays his masterful guitar skills on this album. Drummer, Howard Davis adds a jazzy feel to the band and along with Scott Hornick the band create mystical, alluring somewhat mellow and diverse music. The only thing a bit stagnant are Martina’s vocals at some points on this album but her haunting vocals do fit in with the music’s depressive lyrics. Some of the most beautifully written songs are Absolute Purity and Loss of Life, the lyrics are also easy to relate to, they are very depressive yet encourage you to move on in life. There are moments the music and the vocals don’t seem to mix with music, the vocals seem to drown in the background at times as well. I have mixed feelings about this, but it’s an enjoyable album. This ends with a strange and sweet guitar piece.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Amber Asylum-Supernatural Parlour
(Collection--Release Records)
Imagine gray skies, black swans encircling a field of autumn in decay, wolves
sing bereavement to the slain souls of their kingdom: Apocalyptic Romanticism, is the echoing tunes you hear. Heavy, but the aggression is stealth. Beautifully dark, decadent, depraved and vengeful is the instrumentation. Soft, tranquil, like a lavish poison coursing through your soul, is the voice of Kris Force. I could call this
musick Dark Ambient, but no...no, such a term would be of such criminal proportions that death would come down and devour my very being. What I can say about this talented band is their musick isn't something one merely "listens" to. No, it consumes you. So march forth, experience all that is Apocalyptic Romanticism, and sail through the world of Amber Asylum.
666
-Larry N.
Ancient Rites-Dim Carcosa
(Hammerheart)
This begins with a bit of classical music giving the album an element of drama, longing for distant times and heroism. The introductory excerpt by Oliver Phillips which is found in the booklet tells us just that…the concept of this album is a journey into "the beauty that lies beyond the horizon" and the return home, one can say this is an epic. Ancient Rites’ style reminds me of King Diamond when it comes to the music but Gunther Theys sings and growls without using King Diamond’s opera vocals. Touches of power metal, very melodic music and great choruses, this is something fans of In Flames will enjoy. I enjoyed reading their lyrics which shows a blend of romantic diabolism with ancient celtic/Viking themes. This album requires active listening, the music and lyrics are engaging.
666
Lucifera
Arch Enemy-Wages of Sin
(Toy’s Factory --Japanese Label)
Death/Thrash metal mixed with classical power metal music and grunted vocals by Angela, their new singer. If I would have heard this without seeing who it was I would not have noticed a change in vocalists. The music is melodic, loud, aggressive, technical and unnerving while Angela Gossow’s vocals range from deep growls to aggressive screams. An excellent release worthy of your attention. 11 lively tracks. Very strong music!
666+
Lucifera
Aura Noir-Increased Damnation
(Hammerheart)
Celtic Frost! That’s what comes to mind when listening to the re-releases of this unholy thrash metal band. 1994-1998 includes the original version of Tower of Limbs and Fever. 15 tracks, includes songs such as Released Damnation, Wretched Face of Evil, Dreams of Deserts and Angel Ripper. This takes you back, but at moments it gets a bit repetitive and you’ll find yourself wondering whether or not to skip to the next song.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Avrigus-The Secret Kingdom of Avrigus
(Hammerheart)
Keyboard oriented, atmospheric music starts this out along with lovely opera-like vocals by Judy Chiara while Simon Gruer adds melodrama and intensity using keyboards, guitars, bass and drums in addition to adding his own vocals to this wonderful project. The music is haunting, and it’s a strange blend of aggressive and mellow music. This is gothic/atmospheric music with some metal mixed in. This is an excellent release with touching poetic lyrics. Another album that will take you on a journey through the world of frozen forests, distant lands and painful memories. Sweet and deviant, this is the devil’s church music. Love it!
666+
Lucifera
Braindance-Redemption
(Progressive Darkwave)
I remember the hearing their first demo and not being impressed. This has changed, this album is dark, technical, moody, gothic and ambient. The music is mixed with some industrial and dark/power metal. All their track titles start with the letters "RE". Their cover layout uses a comic book style and this album has heartfelt lyrics. Deep, dark romantic male vocals mixed with some female vocals. (Xastur will love the picture of Sebastian Elliot, ahem, as if I don’t…uff, sexy, now if he would only toss that cross). Great improvement! Very professional! (Correction: Sebastian is wearing an ankh, not a cross-Sylvestre---oops, sorry-Lucifera) Contact: braindance@progressivedarkwave.com
66 ½ +
-Lucifera
Cesium:137-The Fall
(Tonedeaf Records)
Damn, these guys are good! Self-proclaimed as "Achieve superior sound through technology." This industrial band from Philadelphia creates demonically danceable beats. They sound like Rammestein in the first song but more in the electro-ebm-noise side. They are also reminiscent to bands such as Apop Berzerk and VNV Nation. This is filled with much musical variety and steady beats. An enjoyable CD, 6 trax of mixes, edits, and remixes all very twisted!
666
Lucifera
Core Device-promo
(coredevice@aol.com)
A 3 song promo from a band that continues to progress musically. This is a seriously professional metal band. Melodic, enchanting and doomy, this is definitely a good heavy metal band with variety in their music to keep you from getting bored. The 3 songs are Burning Away, Unknown Tears, and Sixth Sense. Check them out.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Corona Borealis-Corona Borealis
(Hammerheart)
This album contains Celtic, Medieval, folk music. Acoustic guitars, flutes, bagpipes, lyres, you name it, it’s played here. This is very relaxing music. It makes you feel like you’re sitting in Ireland/Scotland on some green grass looking at a castle in the distance. Beautiful and enchanting. Put on this CD and close your eyes.
666
Lucifera
Cruachan-The Middle Kingdom
(Hammerheart)
Huh, what’s this? I’m in Ireland or is that 42nd street’s station in NYC, listening to bagpipes, ha ha. I was enjoying this intro a bit but it needs to be shorter, I was starting to pull out my blue hair for a moment there and then finally some soothing music came in and changed into a kind of hard rock sound. OK, now I’m confused, imagine that, and this is only the beginning of Crauchan’s diversified album, just like the album cover they have way too much going on here. I guess this is heavy Celtic/Pagan and occasionally atmospheric metal. Sometimes, the complexity is annoying but there are moments their mixes are great. Each song comes with notes detailing a little history or explanation of the songs. If you listen to track 5, Is Fuairan Chroi you get Nirvana mixed with Janis Joplin. The lyrics have a couple of good heroine/goddess figures. A weird but intelligent release.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter-All You Need is Love
(Hammerheart/Martyr)
Is this black metal, death metal, folk music? It’s a mixture of all that and a strange sense of humor. I mean, come on, the title of the first song is Licked by the Tongues of Pride. Well regardless, they are musically talented and their album is thoroughly enjoyable. And it you see the pictures in their booklet, you can tell they had fun putting this together. "These tunes are dedicated to the glorious METAL movement all over the world!" Do I sense some sarcasm here? Nevertheless, they are excellent! I’ve played this over and over again already. A must for all!
666
Lucifera
Em Sinfonia-Intimate Portrait
(Hammerheart)
Dual vocals by Bunny and Brian with doomy, tragic, melodic metal music. There are some folk parts to some of the songs and there are moments this seems to drag. Bunny’s vocals are similar to Anneke’s from THE GATHERING and Brian delivers robotic growls. Sometimes Bunny’s vocals don’t mix properly with the music especially in the song Counting Shadows. The keyboard kills the mood of some of the songs, the album is slow moving with elegiac lyrics.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Hagalaz Runedance-VOLVEN
(Hammerheart/ Well of Urd)
This is Andrea’s creation and her is what I found, The Dawning reminds me of music and style of singing of Native Americans, with tribal drums repetitive thumping in the background and a dash of Celtic folk music mixed in. The music and vocals on this album have some similarity to Dead Can Dance. Seeker Divine definitely has strong Scottish/ Celtic folk music feel to it, but it’s a little on the goth side. This album makes me think of New Age music and world music. There is a variety of influences on this album, it sounds good but needs a little more to it for some reason, maybe deeper emotions or stronger music. This contains sweet sounds, a sweet voice, very relaxing music. 9 songs with an extra bonus track.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Havayoth-His Creation Reversed
(Hammerheart)
Three fiends created this release. The first track Transcendence begins with a melodic funerary intro, then leaps into the heavy metal/ gothic-like song Mirrors.
The band’s music is emotional, visionary, and dark. The vocals are sung, ala Diabolique. This is relaxing, touching and sometimes danceable. Maybe I’ll take it to a goth club and see if one of the DJ’s will play it. Dark and moody.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Holy Moses-Masters of Disaster
(Century Media)
German Thrash metal with furious female vocals. After an eight-year absence Holy Moses returns. This album is violent and moves fast. Sabina’s high pitched thrash metal vocals are those of an angry deranged woman and the band’s speed works up an extremely deadly album. They earned the title "Masters of Disaster" with this album. Only 5 tracks which include songs such as Taste My Blood, Feel the Pain, and the title track.
666
Lucifera
Hypnosia-Extreme Hatred
(Hammerheart)
Absolute thrash metal by a Swedish trio. Thrash metal wish screechy vocals on hyperspeed. Ah, they’re reviving the good ol’ days of leather, jeans, metal t-shirts and long, long hair…oh and old worn out sneakers, although I prefer boots, myself but that’s when you knew that a guy/gal was a damned thrash metaller. Anyway, you can’t go wrong here if you’re into thrash. Just listen to Circle of Flesh, Operation Clean-Sweep and Traumatic Suffering and you’ll be convinced you’ve got to have this.
666
Lucifera
Mangled-Most Painful Ways
(http://listen.to/mangled)
Violent Death Metal! Again Mangled attacks us with their vicious music and deadly vocals. Their lyrics are aggressive and at the same time rather funny, just check out the lyrics to Hate, especially the part that says, " Aggressively I punch your stomach/and your head/there goes your lunch."…ok I have a sick sense of humor. Evil Terrestrial was an intriguing questioning of people caught up in the satanic panics and the belief of ufos and abductions, but those questions in these lyrics do have answers. One, people need something to believe in, two, people live for gossip and making up stories (just look at how myths and religions came about), three, what you consider "lies" are realities to others. Oh darn, I’m supposed to be doing a review not an analysis. Mangled never disappoint, their music is strong and enjoyable with good lyrics, that make you think!
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Napalm Death-Enemy of the Music Business
(SpitFire Records)
The title explains the concept of this album. 14 tracks of fast paced music. Good album which goes somewhat back to their older style. Napalm Death fans will enjoy this. I’m not too thrilled.
66 ½
Lucifera
Necronomicon-Peccata Mundi
(Hammerheart)
Dark metal with distant vocals and keyboards that add a sense of creepiness to this release. This album’s music is a bit reminiscent to Necromantia’s musical style. The vocals in the first song Peccata Mundi makes me think of an inner voice angrily fighting to get itself heard. Atmospherically dark metal with 7 great tracks. I feel the vocals should have come forward a little more.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Premonition-We are Metal/He is Rising
(T.F. Records)
A double-CD release by Florida’s heavy metal band. Disc one We are Metal is their second release and it contains 11 tracks of simple heavy metal with the addition of a cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s I Don’t Know. The first song The Last Millenium was boring, The Chosen One started out promising but truly didn’t move me. Some of the better tracks here are The Bitch and Hang ‘em High. He is Rising was their first release, it contains 12 tracks and it’s a little better than the first disc.
66
Lucifera
Rabies Caste-let the soul out and cut the vein
(Earache)
They sound like a messed up version of Godflesh, but not as good or as heavy as Godflesh. 10 tracks or Israeli-Russian sludge core.
66
Lucifera
Rebaelliun-Annihilation
(Hammerheart)
This Brazilian extreme metal band release their 5th album. Their first song is absolutely boring and repetitive. Great guitar riffs but the rest is simply boring. Deeply growled vocals and dull death metal, with some creative elements that should have been brought out more. Great lyrics. The band sounds a little better towards the 4th track when they enter the song Red Spikes. This could be much better.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Skyfire-Timeless Departure
(Hammerheart)
Excellent music, this is the extreme version of power/classic/technical metal. Very classy music, rather heroic with a black metal vocal style (screechy yells). It’s a pure delight to hear something so creative. 9 majestic tracks.
666
Lucifera
Severe Torture-Feasting on Blood
(Hammerheart)
Truly extreme, it seems like something Razorback Records would release. Vicious death metal with deeply growled vocals. Great music! Fast and furious! Although, they do sound like many other brutal death metal bands out there but I have to say I enjoyed these ten chaotic tracks.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
Thanathos-Angelic Encounters
(Hammerheart)
Eerie and frenzied death metal. The album FEELS intense. Deep growls and deadly music. The lyrics are intriguing and I especially enjoyed The Devil’s Concubine
It’s very sexual and very devilish!
666
Lucifera
Throneaon-Neither of Gods
(Hammerheart)
Strong death metal with supreme lyrics as well as blasphemous music! They remind me a little of Deicide, which is strongly reflected in their style. Ah, and Tony Freed is probably the 3rd blonde man I have found to be extremely sexy…hot, hot, hot..oh ahem, sorry, yes the music is absolutely worth listening to. Powerful and enchanting guitar riffs, steady drum works and 12 hellish tracks to satisfy your forsaken ears.
666+
Lucifera
Thyrfing-Urkraft
(Hammerheart)
Symphonic Viking metal. Very creative, heroic music, paying homage to the ancient ways. The vocals are sung, semi-growled, and in chorus (ala Emperor’s last album). Emotionally charged music, very deep and filled with longing. Excellent guitar work on this album as well, it must be heard. 12 excellent tracks.
666
Lucifera
Unsanctified-Empty Veins
(renee@unsanctified.com)
You may have heard these fiends on MP3.com, if you haven’t, well then, you should! Formed from the ashes of Desecration, this is rising death metal band you can’t miss. Crushing dual guitars, mad drum works, driving bass and growled vocals. They have strong potential to take the death metal scene by storm. Check them out. Four powerful tracks.
66 ½ +
Lucifera
