REVIEWS
by Dea Evenbeck MetlMafia@aol.com, Dave Keane FuneraIFog@aol.com and Scott Klein Illdispose@aol.com
Somnus-Awakening the Crown (Root-O-Evil)
One
of my favorite bands. Here they've brought us 10 songs of black metal
with a dab of doom. I think the black metal sound is more prominent on this
CD than on their previous efforts. This has a very midevil feel to it. They
have some new songs that are fast and abrasive. They re-did the tracks from
their previous demo, "To Return the Crimson Skies", and the songs
sound much
cleaner. Scott's vocals have gotten a lot stronger and clearer. Rhia's vocals
are just as beautiful as ever. This band just has so many elements combined
that I can never tire of listening to this. They're extremely fast and loud
one minute and slow & doomy the next. I think fans of both black metal and
doom will get into this. P.O. Box 81379, Cleveland, OH 44181 USA
RavenG0d@aol.com (Dea)
November's Doom-Of Sculptured Ivy & Stone Flowers
I
heard a lot of buzz going around about this band, so I decided to check
out their website. First of all, their website has to be the best website I
have ever seen...just go look at it! I was blown away by the sound samples on
the site and was doubly blown away seeing them live at Meltdown. I bought
this CD at the fest, and here it is, 3 1/2 weeks later and I've been
listening to it ever since. Complete emotional doom. Everything just sounds
so good together...the slow drugdy music, the deep male vocals and the
beautiful female vocals. One minute, you want to burn yourself with a fucking
cigarette and the next you just want to crouch on the floor and cry. It's so
emotional and beautiful. I have found a new favorite band. All fans of doom
i.e. My Dying Bride and the like will worship this. P.O. Box 1756,
Bolingbrook, IL 60440 www.NovembersDoom.com
(Dea)
Dying Fetus-Grotesque Impalement (Blunt Force Trauma
Records)
Oh
yeah, here's one of my favorites again. If you haven't heard Dying
Fetus yet, where the Hell have you been? I've been a fan of these guys for a
long time and they never disappoint. Sick fast as fuck growling death metal
that makes you want to beat the fuck out of your grandma's little neighbor
girl!! Someone had told me that they were writing a love song, but I never
expected what I heard at the end of this disc! Imagine an old 80's hair band
love some, sung with deep death vocals and funny ass lyrics. You just have to
hear it to believe it. (Dea)
Ares Mayhem - Fanatic (Space Ghost Records)
The person I did a favor for, and reviewed this told me this was
industrial death metal. I'm never doing a favor again. This isn't
even
metal, but rather weird rave-techno nonsense with distortion heavy guitar
riffs interlaced with funny/weird/obscure samples and a drum machine. This
really isn't for me, but I'm sure there is someone out there with a rainbow
sticker on their car who will dig this. Ask for price.
AresMayhem@hotmail.com, S. G.
Records, RRI BOX 3105, Eddington, ME 04428.
(Dave)
Azazel - Order Of The Fly (self released)
Over the last year or two, there has been a surprisingly large upsurge of
high quality black metal bands from the U.S. Coming from the murky swamps
of
Florida, Azazel explodes to demolish all in their path. Excellent
production, sickening esophagus-tearing screams, pummeling up-front drums,
and inventive guitar riffs make this MCD a must have. Support the best of
the USBM scene and pick this up immediately. $8.00 to Azazel,
http://redirect.to/azazel (Dave)
Cerebral Hemorrhage - demo (self released)
One listen to this demo and the death fiends will come running for sure.
Well executed brutal death metal with a sicker than scat guitar tone. This
guitar tone has the sickest crunch I have ever heard! Sicker than Veronica
Moser on a good day! It actually reminds me a bit of Malevolent Creation a
bit. Oh shit… pick this piece of sickness up and kill yourself
while you're
still in the mood. C.M., 275 Belmont Ave., Elmont, NY 11003 (Dave)
Maladiction - demo (self released)
This band could actually get somewhere other than being a demo band if
they got rid of their singer. More typical "brutal" death metal
growls of the
garbage variety. They're not as lame as Disgorge's vocals (CA), however;
this band would sound more cohesive with a throaty scream/yell than this type
of crap. Bass heavy, mid-tempo guitar riffs, and a gay singer make up this
band. Take it for you will. No address to be found as well… maybe
its for
the best. (Dave)
Lunar Reign - Arcane Lust demo (self released)
USBM is making its own niche in music over time, and excellent quality
bands are proving that the US Hordes are indeed capable of making brutal
hateful music. Fuck Norway and their cold mountains and dark forests.
Lunar
Reign create brutal black metal in all it's glorious hateful mystique, and do
it well. They could get a new band logo though. That's the only flaw
I see
with this tape. Excellent material found within this tape, indeed.
Lunar
Reign, 110 NW 39th Ave. #155, Gainesville, FL 32609. (Dave)
Ejaculated Whore - Slut Slaughter demo (self
released)
Being an official member of the band (even though I don't play anything),
can I really say anything bad about this band? YES! This is
stupid-noise-core-scat-grind at its worst, and that just makes it sound
better! Why else would you want to listen to it?!? Putrid
toilet-fart
vocals, sloppy guitars, and drums from Frosty the Blastman make up this demo.
HAIL EW! With songs like "Swimming laps around my cock while my
dog eats my
fuck" and "I floated all the way to Israel on a sea of cum," how
can you not
like this band! BUY THIS!!! Send a 90-min tape and like 2 bucks, or
like 5
bucks to the band to get this demo from the Kings of Anti-Semitic Homophobic
Slamtastic Grindcore! EW!! Contact: Noise Factory, 8 off
2nd Brook St.,
Kingston, MA. 02364, USA (Dave)
Novembers Doom - Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers
(Martyr Music Group)
Much like the Em Sinfonia disc, this band sounds better and better with
time spent listening intently. Epic, majestic doom metal with death
influences is what you shall find upon listening to this CD, but I also sense
a hint of medieval flavor and atmosphere to the sound. Many eerie passages
come and go throughout the journey of the bands music, but one song strikes
me this way in particular. "Forever With Unopened Eye" has a
strangely
familiar sound to it, but the source of this conclusion escapes me at this
time. Together, with the music and the lush packaging and artistic layout,
this album is one of my favorite albums of 1999. I hope it stays that way.
(Dave)
Infernal Hierarchy - Demo/7" material
I am sick and tired of hearing this stupid shit. How many bands can
possibly come up with the same formula of deathmetal, and still think they
sound original? Stale rhythmic riffing, annoying "tap tap"
drumming that
goes nowhere, and only showcases the drummer's fine ability of hand and eye
coordination, and growls that even I could pull off…. Only I'm not stupid
enough to make an ass out of myself in a band. They didn't even include a
contact address… maybe its for the best. (Dave)
Anathema - Judgement (Music For Nations)
Quite possibly the best band England has ever spawned? I believe so, and
this album backs my opinion up ten fold. Continuing on the
ever-progressing
sound that started on Eternity and Alternative 4, this album is quite simply
said, a Masterpiece in all sense of the word. Mesmerizing clean vocals go
hand in hand with some of the most emotionally draining music I have ever
heard. If I could choose only 1 CD from any band to last me the rest of my
life on a deserted isle, I would die having to choose between Alternative 4
and Judgement. I once wondered if I could ever find a band that
exemplified
the emotional throes of every feeling possible all at one time… my quest has
ended. All bow before the gods of emotionally staggering doom.
Anathema
have arrived at the top of the heap, and forever they shall remain. (Dave)
Arise From Thorns - Before An Audience Of Stars (Self
released)
Most likely, the readers of this magazine wont even think about listening
to this. Beautiful female vocals accompanying acoustic progressive rock is
what you get with this CD, so you can just stop reading now. If you are
still interested by now, this CD is definitely worth your money. Not many
bands could pull off playing this kind of music in an almost all acoustic
context, and their musicianship shows. If you want to hear well-trained
musicians playing music because they love it, and not worrying about whether
or not they are brutal, check this out. You won't be disappointed.
Arise
>From Thorns, PO box 1077, Dale City, VA 22193, USA (Dave)
The Gathering - Superheat (Century Media)
No introduction is really necessary for this band, as they are one of
Century Media's biggest bands, and for good reason. Anneke may not have a
knack for writing lyrics, but she sure as hell can belt them out with the
best of them, if not better than any other female lead vocalist in metal
today. If you're a fan of the band's studio work, you won't want to pass
this up. By now, you've already made your mind up as to whether or not
you're going to purchase it, so take the plunge if you so shall wish to do
so. (Dave)
Eternal Suffering - Drowning In Tragedy (Extremities
Productions)
This band has power and it shows. Once in a great while, a band will
come along and their music, being strong enough to stop a freight train,
destroys the competition. This is one such band. The songs
themselves, a
grinding powerhouse of death metal, stand alone, only to be complimented by
the sheer hateful attack of the mix of death and hateful black screams.
Musically, lyrically, and visually, one of the more mature bands in the
genre, the stimulation of the senses found on this album are awe-inspiring.
If you so choose not to pick this up, you too, will be Eternally Suffering.
Extremities, PO box 14356, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406. (Dave)
Impiety - Skullfucking Armageddon (Dies Irae Productions)
The sound alone on this disc is reminiscent of the old days of thrash
metal with a very blackened tinge to it… very hateful, very fast, and very
strong. A good production, but still raw enough to create the atmosphere
of
blasphemy from the soul… skullfucking armageddon indeed! This, to say
the
least surprised me. Singapore isn't well known for its extreme metal
scene,
so it is always a good surprise to see incredibly advanced bands such as
Impiety making their mark on the scene. The singer, IMO, is reminiscent of
Pete/AngelCorpse a bit, but without the lower guttural sound he has.
Catchy,
but still very raw thrashy blackmetal is the deal here. To pick up the
Ltd.
Edition digipack, send $20US well concealed to: Impiety, PO Box 544, Bedok
Central, 914605 SINGAPORE, Republic of Singapore. (Dave)
Malevolency - Martyrialized (Maquiavel Entertainment)
I really don't know what to say about this band… They are melodic death
metal from Portugal, but not in the hyper-melodic style that has been made
famous by Gothenburg bands. This, unlike the latter, is GOOD melodic
death!
Not really comparable to any band I've had the chance to hear, this is very
original, yet follows the same formula for good speedy death metal. Think
Monstrosity with some very minimalistic keyboards, a little melody and
variety and epic-styled guitar work, and a not so chunky sound, and I suppose
you can kind of get the picture. Not your normal band… I recommend this
to
all fans of somber death/doom. Maquiavel Entertainment, PO Box172, 2400
Leiria, PORTUGAL (Dave)
The Zephyr - Impure & Divine (American Line
Productions)
Hailing from Mexico, this band is confused…Haha. They have a very black
metal styled sound to them, but are also very deathmetal sounding at the same
time. Very fluid riffing techniques, reminiscent of the typical blackmetal
sound are found in abundance here, but blasting and very active and powerful
drumming as well. I can't say that I would recommend this, but I'm sure
someone would like it… maybe. Check em out: The Zephyr, c/o Ciro
Gutierrez,
PO Box 86-275, CP. 14391 D.F. MEXICO. (Dave)
In Extremo - Verehrt und Angespien (Metal Blade)
Damn… this is some whacked out shit, but I am finding myself liking it
the more I play it. VERY strange Celtic sounding metal, complete with
bagpipes, flutes, and horns. This isn't going to appeal to many fans in
the
underground, and almost everyone will hate it after the first listen, much
like myself. However, with forced influence, it actually does get pretty
catchy and sounds perfectly normal… if that is possible. Check this out
if
you are searching for something extremely abnormal in the underground metal
scene! (Dave)
Amsvartner - The Trollish Mirror (Metal Blade)
Having been released in 1997, I am clueless as to why this was sent to me
now, but nevermind. This is melodic black metal with a hint of death metal
in there, but why this was released on Metal Blade is beyond me. The drums
are sloppily thrown together, the vocalist uses basically the same exact
style and tone the entire way through, the sound volume fluctuates throughout
the disc, and the songs themselves are mediocre at best. Save your money.
(Dave)
Amduscias - Amduscias (Metal Blade)
Picture a slightly subdued, more atmospheric sounding Dissection and you
basically have this band's sound. A pushed back production tends to make
it
sound like it was recorded a few yards away from the speakers, but that just
adds to the ambiance I suppose. Everflowing rhythm guitars seem to create
a
buzzing ethereal feel to the music like you are being drifted away somewhere,
but slowly segues into piano pieces to slowly fade away. A good release
all
in all, but nothing I would spend my money on. (Dave)
Grey Skies Fallen - The Fate Of Angels (Nightfall/Terrorizer
Records)
This band has a very distinct sound which separates them from the rest of
the scene… very doomy in nature, but also very melodic and well executed with
a great recording job. Each instrument is very distinct in the mix, but as
a
whole, does a very good job of settling things down for some great songs.
Very epic in nature, the songs are a result of a combination of many styles,
ranging from doom to folk, death metal to progressive, and more. The well
executed clean vocals highlight this CD, and give it a somewhat somber
feeling to it…not to mention the Black Sabbath-esque soloing and atmosphere
of "Shadowburn." All in all, a great CD and worthy of any metal
fan's
collection. Grey Skies Fallen, PO Box 120074, Staten Island, NY
10312.
(Dave)
Veneficum - Promo 2000 (self released)
Normally, I am not one to find melodic black metal all that interesting,
but this CD actually keeps my attention. The keys are kept to a minimum
with
not too much force in their sound, but more than I would think this band
would want. If they got rid of the keys, what they have is a stripped down
black metal band with some really amazing riffs. The drums are superb, but
partially pushed back in the mix, and there is a fair amount of bass that can
actually be heard…something black metal tends to hide for one reason or
another. Another gripe is the singer… If you are going to do
vocals for a
BM band, make them hateful sounding. There is something that makes a
vocalist special… something that sets them apart from the crowd. Some
people
have it, some people don't. It is obvious that this guy is screaming with
all his soul, but on this disc he just doesn't have that spark. He
definitely has potential; the band just needs a more professional production.
Michael Oehmen, PO Box 2205, Orlando Park, IL, 60462. (Dave)
Defleshed - Fast Forward (Pavement)
Should you be looking for balls out brutality with absolutely no filler,
you must buy this album and not look back. Brutality is an overused
cliché,
but its bands like Defleshed that really give the word a true meaning. A
straight out speed/thrash metal hybrid with no concern for where the rest of
the scene is going, this CD obviously lays the path for future brilliance.
I
don't own Under the Blade, but after hearing this disc, it is only a matter
of time before it resides in my collection. Amazing from beginning
to end,
the disc flows effortlessly, ending after a good 35 minutes with 2 live
tracks (both of which are culled from Under The Blade). (Dave)
Moonspell - The Butterfly Effect (Century Media)
I really don't know what to say. I threw this on, and it didn't catch my
attention until song 3, and that was only because I thought I had put on a
Depeche Mode CD instead. I'm sure some metal fans will enjoy this, but for
those who prefer not to have electronics and weak, abstract songs about
nothing, don't bother. I will say one thing however: GREAT production!
The
music will go along at a relatively somber pace, and out of nowhere, the
drums and guitars will blast in like a jackhammer. This isn't on behalf of
the actual music's strength, but rather the production once again. Good
background music, but if you are looking for profound material… look for a
band that is NOT on Century Media. (Dave)
Rain Fell Within - Believe (Dark Symphonies)
After RFW released their amazing demo, Solemn Days, it was only a matter
of time before they got picked up by a label… Well here it is. All in
all,
the material on the demo was much stronger than that which can be found on
Believe, but this is by no means a bad album. This style of emotional
melodic doom has really found a cornerstone band, and Rain Fell Within is
that band. A great production certainly helps, and the vocals are as
enchanting as always. This band also has a GREAT drummer! Most
people won't
recognize this, but the drumming on this album is so on par with the music
and style, its almost like they were born together. Bass, guitars, and
keys
all have great placement as well, so there really isn't much I can say about
this album other than you will not be disappointed. D.S., PO Box 547,
Billerica, MA 01821. (Dave)
Pessimist - Blood For The Gods (Lost Disciple Records)
Great medieval barbaric death metal! That's all the introduction this
band needs. A brick smashed in your face would have less effect than this
band. One of the truly heavy bands in death metal, their material, not the
production gives you chills. Some interesting song structuring to listen to
at first, but you get into it fairly easily. I hear these guys killed at
the
2000 March Meltdown… It is easy to understand why. This CD is just
pummeling
straight up death metal all the way through. No fucking keyboards, No
fucking clean vocals, just pure death metal through and through. Finally.
Lost Disciple Records, PO Box 340, Winthrop, MA 02152 (Dave)
October Tide - Grey Dawn (Avantgarde Music)
A masterpiece! This album has to be one of the most complete gothic/doom
albums ever created, and it is not hard to understand why. A Katatonia
side-project of sorts, this features Jonas Renske on drums/acoustic/electric
guitars, Fredrik Norman on electric/acoustic/bass guitars, and vocals by none
other than Marten Hansen. I have yet to meet a person who does not like
this
album. Emotional and somber, aggressive and scathing, this album covers
all
ground. If you buy this and do not like it, chances are you don't like
metal. Sound Cave, P.O.BOX 19, I-20010 Vanzago (MI) ITALY. (Dave)
Cranium-Speed Metal Sentence (Necropolis Records)
Cranium
is a band most closely associated with bands like Macabre or
GWAR. I don't know what inspires these types of bands. I really have a hard time
taking this style seriously. The cover of the album is sort of
"playful" in a
cartoonish violent way which describes the music perfectly. With songs like
"Pestilential Penis" I get a good feel for a band like Exit-13 which
had a
bunch of porno influence obviously. The vocals I do not care for, my best
description
would fall between a mix of the Overkill frontman and King Diamond.
Mostly King Diamond though. Ha! If you like speed-metal in a silly way, then you will
find
this quite pleasing! (Scott)
Fleshcrawl-As Blood Rains from the Sky.. (Metal Blade)
After
many releases on the Blackmark label, Fleshcrawl signs to the
American Metal Blade Records. They also have attempted to polished their
production by using the famous Studio Fredman which usually gets used by
those boring Swedish melodic bands, but the sound on this album reminds me a
lot more of the Entombed and Dismember tone. Primarily in the guitar sound.
Don't worry.. Fleshcrawl has not sold out!! The music on this album is the
expected brutal death played with speed and a great deal of raw quality. This
album and its
predecessor are a lot faster than previous albums such as "Bloodsoul"
in my
opinion. There is rarely a break in the aggression and tenacity of this album,
if you like melody I wouldn't look here, but if you like dual leads and fast
growls topped with background screams of agony this may be your ticket sparky!
(Scott)
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