Even MORE proof that REAL American Metal is slowly making it`s way back up from the depths of the Underground! "Wrath Of The Gods" is the first full-length release from Gods Of Fire, a New York 5-piece who specialize in good ol` fashioned NWOBHM-style Metal, something we in the US definitely need more of! Iron Maiden is an obvious influence, as well as Manowar, Fates Warning and a bit of Jag Panzer, which is not too shabby. The 8 songs are rather lengthy ["The Long Walk" clocks in at nearly 10 minutes; "Hyperion" is the shortest at 5 minutes!], but manage to hold your attention through out due to the high quality song-writing. And the lyrics are intelligent AND well written, no cheeseball cliches allowed! World class musicians one and all, The Gods use their instrumental prowess to bring the tunes vividly to life; "City Of Gold" and "Eternally Strong' are but 2 examples of this. Catchy, thought provoking and capable of inducing instant head-banging; THAT`S what great Metal is all about! So go ahead, face "The Wrath Of The Gods"; you`ll be SO glad you did!
Death from The Netherlands! Desensitised are a Dutch 4-piece whose specialty is straight up Grind/Death Metal, pure and simple. Their 5 cuts on this split CD have a touch of that early ninties`s Earache sound, with Carcass obviously a primary influence. Desensitised is guitarist Susan Gerl, bassist Jeronen Gelissen, vocalist Wilbert Janssen and drummer Martijn Sijmons. [a different drummer and vocalist perform on the CD] Unlike many bands of this genre, who end up making nothing more than an incoherent mess, this crew KNOWS what they`re doing! And even though the tunes on "Bought Beauty" are relatively short, they still stick in your ear, a testament to the band`s songwriting ability. Good production values help each track stand on it`s own, and they alternate from mid-paced to blast beats with gear-like precision. Crushing guitars, pure death, what MORE could you ask? Now HERE is a band to watch! The only bad part is that it`s too short! ARGH! Hey, Susan & crew; we want MORE!!! But of course the way to ensure that we hear more from this band is to got to their website and buy their stuff, as I did [thanks Susan, for the speedy delivery!]! The other half of this split CD features music from the French band Peach Her. "Gastrophobia" is what I`d classify as extreme hardcore/metal, featuring some thrashy elements as well as a serious groove. The Peach Her tracks [All TEN!] are even more brief that Desensitised, but they make every note count! And with titles like "My Fork Is A Poltergeist", "Brain Ice Cream" and "Vomit On You", you KNOW that sublty is not their strong suit! But who needs sublty when ya got attitude? And there`s even a sense of humor [humour?], as well. Fans of all things extreme would be well advised to check these guys out!
C`mon, do I really need to tell you who Saxon is by now??? Three years after the release of their last studio effort, "Killing Ground" [as well as a CD of re-recorded classics AND a cool double DVD set!], The Mighty Ones have returned with "Lionheart". So, does it stand up to the bands` best? Are you kiddin`? This is SAXON, baby!! As in SAXON 2004! Those who wish they would release "Denim `N` Leather" over and over should just STAY in 1981! The band has a new drummer [Jörg Michael of Stratovarius fame] but the core of the band remains. Another difference from past albums is that, for the first time in fifteen years, Saxon have recorded on their native soil. And obviously this move inspired the band to no end, as "Lionheart" is DEFINITELY "English" in theme and feel. And every damn cut here is a winner! "Witchfinder General" starts things off with a blast, and is destined to be added to the long list of Saxon classics. "Man & Machine", featuring a great chorus, is next, followed by the epic title track. Dealing with Richard the Lionheart, this is, without a doubt, one of the band`s FINEST moments! The life-after-death themed "Beyond the Grave", the wicked riff of "To Live By the Sword" just keep things going! The Olde English-styled ballad "Jack Tars" leads into the rousing "English Man O War" and yet another killer delivery from Biff Byford. "Searching For Atlantis" and the racous "Flying On The Edge" close out the album, but you`ll be reaching for the REPEAT button, believe me! This album is hardly the work of a bunch of over-the-hill geezers gasping their way to retirement; Saxon has all the fire, passion and venom they had upon their formation in 1976, coupled with years of experience. A lethal combination, to be sure! Biff Byford just keeps getting better all the time [let`s see how all those Nu Metal mutts sound when THEY`RE in their fifties!]. The screaming dual guitars of Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt are set to "Kill", Nibb`s bass at times has a damn-near Death Metal sound to it, and Jörg Michael fits the band to a "T". "Lionheart" continues the revitalisation begun in `97 with "Unleash The Beast", brought to fruition with `99`s "Metalhead" and refined with "Killing Ground", and takes it to the next level. Saxon aren`t a bunch of has-beens living off past glories, but a vibrant, viable musical entity who continue to build their fan base with each album. Not too many bands reach such dizzying heights, or stay there, for that matter! Absolutely the HIGHEST recommendation possible!!!!!!
With a name like Crusader, you KNOW you`re in for some good ol` Epic Euro Power Metal! And this 5-piece from Belgium delivers on "Fools", their second release. Medieval imagery abounds within each of the 9 tracks; "Flowers of War", "I...Joan" [dealing with Joan Of Arc], the rousing Scottish Metal anthem "Angus" [MY personal favorite!], "The 7th Crusade", "Win or Die", ah, I could go on and on! It`s really tough to pick a favorite, as the whole album is just killer from start to finish. The band features bassist Mark Theunssens, drummer Dries Deturck, guitarists Fillip Lasseel and Joost Vlasschaert, and vocalist David Walgrave. [as of this writing, both David and Joost are out of the band]. Both as instrumentalists AND song-writers, Crusader are obviously top-class. And the production is first rate, giving the songs even MORE punch. Sure it doesn`t break any new ground, but so WHAT? With "Fools", Crusader has delivered what ANY true Metal maniac worth their denim `n` leather would want, and that`s ALL that matters! Without a doubt one of the 10 best Metal releases of 2004! \m/HORNS UP!!!!\m/
One of the BEST album titles I`ve ever heard! Chainsaw is a 4-man murder squad from Holland that specialize in a beer & blood splattered style of `eighties Thrash ala Destruction, Sodom and a bit of early Venom. The band is; Yanni [No, not THAT Yanni!] on guitar, Aike on vocals, Magnus on bass and Don on drums. And "Smell The Saw" is 12 tracks of raw, unpolished European thrash metal delivered with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball! No squealie vocals, happy choruses, no "math Metal" no BS! Just 4 guys turning up as loud as possible, all attitude, no apologies. The way Metal is SUPPOSED to be! And the tunes are pretty damn catchy, too! "Route 666", "The Butcher Of Bagdad", "Lay Down And Die", the hilarious "She Just Wants To Get Laid" [these guys are FUN, also!] are obviously borne out of the "Crank it up and blast it out" school of thought, while taking great care to ensure that each cut stands on it`s own. AND it`s guaranteed to piss off the neighbors! What more could a Metal monger possibly want? The `Saw is definitely the Law!!! Highly recommended!
