_____ _ _ _ ___ | | |_ ___ ___ ___|_|___| |___ ___ ___| _| | --| | _| . | | | _| | -_|_ -| | . | _| |_____|_|_|_| |___|_|_|_|___|_|___|___| |___|_| _____ _ | | |_ ___ ___ ___ | --| | .'| . |_ -| |_____|_|_|__,|___|___| CHRONICLES OF CHAOS E-Zine, February 4, 1997, Issue #17 Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti Coordinator: Adrian Bromley Assistant Editor: Alain M. Gaudrault Contributor: Brian Meloon Contributor: Steve Hoeltzel Contributor: Adam Wasylyk Contributor: Drew Schinzel Contributor: Andrew Lewandowski Mailing List provided by: The University of Colorado at Boulder --> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and bio to: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= CHRONICLES OF CHAOS 57 Lexfield Ave Downsview Ont. M3M-1M6, Canada Fax: (416) 693-5240 Voice: (416) 693-9517 e-mail: ginof@interlog.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DESCRIPTION ~~~~~~~~~~~ Chronicles of Chaos is a monthly magazine electronically distributed worldwide via the Internet. Chronicles of Chaos focuses on all forms of brutal music; from thrash to death to black metal, we have it all. Each issue will feature interviews with your favorite bands, written from the perspective of a true fan. Each issue will also include record reviews and previews, concert reviews and tour dates, as well as various happenings in the metal scene worldwide. We here at Chronicles of Chaos also believe in reader participation, so we encourage you to submit any material you may have to Gino Filicetti . HOW TO SUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a message with "coc subscribe " in the SUBJECT of your message to . Please note that this command must NOT be sent to the list address . WORLD WIDE WEB SITE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We are currently in the process of constructing a website for Chronicles of Chaos. You can check it out by pointing your web browser to http://www.interlog.com/~ginof/coc.html. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail Brian Meloon . FTP ARCHIVE ~~~~~~~~~~~ All of our back issues and various other Chronicles of Chaos related files are stored in the e-zine archive at ftp.etext.org. Connect to this site using your favorite FTP program and chdir to /pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos. For a description of each file in the archive, check out the README file. You can also reach this site through a web browser by pointing it at: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos. AUTOMATIC FILESERVER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All back issues and various other CoC related files are available for automatic retrieval through our e-mail fileserver. All you have to do is send a message to us at . The 'Subject:' field of your message must read: "send file X" where 'X' is the name of the requested file. Back issues are named 'coc-n', where 'n' is the issue number. For a description of all files available through this fileserver, request 'list'. Remember to use lowercase letters for all file names. If you experience any problems or are having difficulty, feel free to e-mail us the usual way at . >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Issue #17 Contents, 2/4/97 -------------------------- * Editorial * Loud Letters * Ferocious Features -- Morgana LeFay: Music and Visions * Chaotic Chat Sessions -- Dark Tranquility: The Darkest of the Dark -- Monstrosity: Monstrous Meglomania -- Ramp: Rapping with Ramp -- Morgoth: Morgoth Metamorphosized * Independent Interrogations -- Tchort & The Family Mantis: No Prayer For The Mantis -- Revelation * Record Revelations -- Anathema - _Eternity_ -- Angel Corpse - _Hammer of Gods_ -- Assuck - _Misery Index_ -- Bal Sagoth - _Starfire Burning..._ -- Brain Toy - _Screaming Volumes_ -- Darkside - _Melancholia of a Dying World_ -- Desire - _Infinity... A Timeless Journey Through the Emotional Dream_ -- DOA - _New York City Speedcore_ -- Fear Disorder - _In a Rage_ -- From the Depths - _From the Depths_ -- Funeral - _Tragedies_ -- Gehennah - _King of the Sidewalk_ -- Grip Inc. - _Nemesis_ -- Heavenwood - _Diva_ -- Jaww - _Southbound_ -- Korpse - _Revirgin_ -- Life Garden - _Ahitanaman_ -- Lord Belial - _Enter the Moonlight Gate_ -- My Dying Bride - _Like Gods of the Sun_ -- Molested - _Stormvold_ -- Monstrosity - _Millennium_ -- Morgion - _Among Majestic Ruin_ -- Mortician - _Hacked Up for Barbecue_ -- Murder Corporation - _Blood Revolution 2050_ -- My Only Victim - _No Voice, No Rights, No Freedom_ -- Necromass - _Abyss Calls Life_ -- Nightstick - _Blotter_ -- Puissance - _Let Us Lead_ -- Revelation - _Frozen Masque_ -- Sentenced - _Down_ -- Slightly Miffed - _Puzzled?_ -- Soma - _The Inner Cinema_ -- Strapping Young Lad - _City_ -- Tchort & The Family Mantis - _Nightside of Eden_ -- Theatre of Tragedy - _Velvet Darkness They Fear_ -- Throne of Ahaz - _On Twilight Enthroned_ -- Vader - _De Profundis_ * New Noise -- Abel & Cain - _Hands Off Cain_ -- Ember - _Within the Realm of the Snowqueen_ -- Hematovore - _Ways of the 8-Footed_ -- Moozzhead/Family Harsh Noise Experimentation (split demo) -- NDE - _Falling_ -- Rotting - _demo_ -- Soriben - _Senor de Luz_ * Chaotic Concerts -- Cradle of Filth: The Principle of Evil In England * What We Have Cranked * The Final Word =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= E D I T O R I A L ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by: Gino Filicetti Greetings loyal readers, once again we are back, like a bad habit you just can't kick. This month has been pretty quiet on the CoC front, but as always we've got a surplus of material with which to explode your mailbox. As you may have noticed, my e-mail address has changed. You can not begin to imagine the trouble that changing your address entails, but let's not get into the gory details. As of right now, my new e-mail address is mailto:ginof@interlog.com. Please use this address if you wish to e-mail me a Loud Letter or anything else, ginof@io.org is no longer valid. Also, this means that our homepage has moved too, the new URL for the Chronicles of Chaos page is: http://www.interlog.com/~ginof/coc.html, please update any links or bookmarks you may have. Lately, we've noticed that CoC has grown in size with each subsequent issue. Although some might view this as beneficial and as a sign of a healthy, growing 'zine, we think that CoC isn't about being as big as we can be, but being as GOOD as we can be. That is why we've decided from now on, we're going to keep the 'zine down to a controllable size, making sure that we weed out all the unworthy material so that we can deliver a good, readable magazine each month. We'd also like to announce a new addition to our lineup of "writing professionals." Many of you will recognize Pedro Azevedo's name from our last issue. Pedro is a native of Portugal and is heavily into the doom scene. Both these, as well as other positive traits make him a welcome addition to the CoC fold. We hope you enjoy Pedro's writing as much as we do. Now Chronicles of Chaos can truly be considered an international publication! I'd also like to announce a new FTP mirror site where you can download all of CoC's back issues. Our good friend "Marduk" (from #metal on IRC) has graciously given us some space on his site, just point your web browsers or ftp programs to: ftp://ftp.dimensional.com/users/marduk/coc. Enjoy the issue people, and don't forget the Loud Letters! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= [For all of you cravers of metal info out there, I advise you to check out this Canadian publication, it's got some of best news and inside scoops you can find anywhere. -- Gino] BRAVE WORDS & BLOODY KNUCKLES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join The Annual St. Valentine's Day Massacre!!! BRAVE WORDS & BLOODY KNUCKLES #16 February/March 1997 32 Pages Of heart-breaking metal featuring... ENTOMBED, The QUEEN Tribute, SENTENCED, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, THE LAST HARD MEN, SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, THERION, FEAR FACTORY, STUCK MOJO, SICK OF IT ALL, BRUTALITY, SINISTER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, LIFE OF AGONY, BIOHAZARD, FLOODGATE, THOR, GLENN TIPTON, NECROPHOBIC, DAWN, BROKEN HOPE, MOTLEY CRUE, PARADISE LOST, PIST-ON, VISION OF DISORDER and many more metal morsels!!! _______________________________________________ Street Date - February 14, 1997 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BW&BK UPDATE - January 1997 Distribution - 2,000 copies in North America Presently available in over 45 HMV Stores across Canada! For more brave info, please contact: TIM HENDERSON (Publisher/Editor/Retailer/Producer/Lunatic Fan) 354 1/2 Yonge Street Suite #38, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1S5, Canada Voice: (416) 545-0666 Fax: (416) 586-0819 mailto:bwbk@inforamp.net BW&BK SUBSCRIPTION INFO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6 Issues - in Canadian funds: Canada - $30.00 / U.S. - $35.00 /International - $40.00 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M""MMMMMMMM dP M MMMMMMMM 88 M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP dP .d888b88 M MMMMMMMM 88' `88 88 88 88' `88 M MMMMMMMM 88. .88 88. .88 88. .88 M M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8 MMMMMMMMMMM M""MMMMMMMM dP dP M MMMMMMMM 88 88 M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b. M MMMMMMMM 88ooood8 88 88 88ooood8 88' `88 Y8ooooo. M MMMMMMMM 88. ... 88 88 88. ... 88 88 M M `88888P' dP dP `88888P' dP `88888P' MMMMMMMMMMM This is the column where we print those lovely letters our readers decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative, ignorant or just plain spelled wrong, you can rest assured that they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own letter here, e-mail it to and enter 'Attention Loud Letters' in the subject field. Hopefully all letters received will be featured in upcoming issues of Chronicles of Chaos. Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 From: Insaniak Subject: CoC #13 - Happy Anniversary! >From CoC #13, Reviews Revisited / Writer Rebuttal section, The STUPIDEST SECTION EVER: >Finally, the moment of truth has arrived. This being our >anniversary issue, we thought it would be fitting to >give our writers a forum to express THEIR thoughts >about certain albums reviewed during the past year. Excuse me, but isn't that what reviewers do? Express their thoughts about the albums being reviewed! Why the fuck do you need to go back and do it again? Did you trendy idiots change your minds? Maybe you're just upset because you get reader feedback that disagrees with your review? TRUE(tm) metalheads stand by their convictions. Stand up and take your flames like a man! This is by far the STUPIDEST thing I've ever seen in CoC; it tops all the extraneous non-metal & loser demo bullshit you use to flesh out the ever-expanding lardass of a 'zine you spam us with every month. Maybe if you trimmed the fat, you wouldn't have to make the super-lame monthly apologies to your readers for being late! Oh yeah, Happy Fucking New Year! - Mitch Coken, aka Insaniak on #metal - Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 From: Lundsbye Subject: Re: Change of address. The message we sent to you earlier today was a mistake. After your insulting review of Female Impersonator we became aware that you lack sense of both music and humour, and I was convinced that I had removed your address from our e-mail list. But obviously I had forgotten that. There has been a TREMEDOUS response to BLACKMAILr, especially on the web, so things have been quite hectic. Now that you made me aware of my mistake, I have removed your address. You will hopefolly get no more mail from us. And don't bother to respond, unless you have changed your mind about music and critics ethics.. CoC needs to be put away before it gives someone a coronary! Maths Lundsbye, manager Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 From: smoker@oregoncoast.com Subject: Update! Bummer news about hte delay but all I can say is a CoC for New Years Eve would be killer. I probably wouldn't get to read it until then anyway. Actually I wouldn't complain if I only got one every couple of months. The price is very right for a zine of its quality. You guys really should be getting paid :> smoker@oregoncoast.com Date: Fri, 03 Jan 97 From: CHRIS SMART Subject: couple of things ... Hey Gino. Once again, a supurb fuckin issue of CoC. I especially liked the classics section, since Rust in Peace got in there. Also, I haven't checked out the web site, so you may already be doing this. I thought the other day that a good thing to do would be to have a "must-buy" section or something, where album reviews aren't organized chronologically, but by rating. I.E. All albums that got an 8 or higher could be listed, with importance being placed on the 9's and 10's especially. Might save people the time of going through the back issues looking for the things they must pick up. Just a suggestion, its probably a lot of work. Keep it heavy in '97, and thanks again for keeping me informed as to what's going on. If it wern't for the net I'd be groovin to Load these days. (laugh) Chris. chris@uoguelph.ca Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 From: maarten de jong Subject: Attention Loud Letters Hello CoC, I've just read your issue #16 and it was the best one I ever saw. Except one thing: Brian's review of "Dusk... And Her Embrace". I don't totally disagree with his review, but there are a few things to be mentioned: he gives it 8 out of 10, and he says he's a bit disappointed. Then why give it 8 out of 10? I was not disappointed with the album and I'd rate it 10 out of 10. The guitars are a weak point of CoF. Well, allright, that's true, but a lot of black metal bands play guitar like a couple of children and that's not mentioned in THEIR reviews. And why not mention the drums? I mean, Nicholas is one of the better black metal pounders. Where most Scandinavian schoolboys can't do more than some little blastbeat, he has got a great technique, varies his rhythms and plays really tight. And there is more. CoF has songs with a lot of riffs, rhythms, turns, breaks and so on and have much more variation than other bands. Dani can sing, talk, scream and grunt and growl in different ways. Damien really knows how to use his synths, which is something not all bands can say. And the lyrics of CoF are absolutely superior to ANY other band. I'm sorry, but that's a fact. No vulgar "Hail Satan" crap or some stupid War Against Christianity, but great stories, even black metal lovesongs. Supreme Vampyric Evil! With all these great things, it's very difficult for a guitar player not to be looked upon as "a weak point". I suggest Brian writes an apology to CoF and, as a punishment, may only listen to "Nocturnal Supremacy" for 10 years. People who don't agree with me can mail me (the correct address is Maarten.deJong@96.student.wau.nl) or discuss it with me on IRC (I'm Annatar on #metal). C U later folks and keep up the good work! Your zine rules. Annatar Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 From: Richard Fusco-G12943 Subject: 'Attention Loud Letters' Where do I begin? First off: this E'zine fuckin' rocks nuts!! Coc has been in existence since 1995 and I finally got wise and subscribed right before issue#17 (better late than never). Congrats on one KILLER 'zine created by the fans for the fans, the way it should be. I write for a local underground 'zine ("Black Planet") and have supported Metal since the very beginning. We, the fans, need to keep up with this on-going effort to keep this music going strong!!! Fuck all so called "music critics".....they don't have a clue as to we listen to. Again, great job!!!! Rick Fusco Albuquerque,N.M. Fusco-G12943 Richard@email.mot.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ___________ .__ \_ _____/__________ ____ ____ |__| ____ __ __ ______ | __)/ __ \_ __ \/ _ \_/ ___\| |/ _ \| | \/ ___/ | \\ ___/| | \( <_> ) \___| ( <_> ) | /\___ \ \___ / \___ >__| \____/ \___ >__|\____/|____//____ > \/ \/ \/ \/ ___________ __ \_ _____/___ _____ _/ |_ __ _________ ____ ______ | __)/ __ \\__ \\ __\ | \_ __ \_/ __ \ / ___/ | \\ ___/ / __ \| | | | /| | \/\ ___/ \___ \ \___ / \___ >____ /__| |____/ |__| \___ >____ > \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ The meat of the matter lies here. Read on for the juiciest morsels on bands ranging from the reknowned to the obscure. No fat, no gristle, just blood-soaked slabs served hot and ready. Dig in, readers. M U S I C A N D V I S I O N S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Morgana LeFay by: Adrian Bromley "We are going to go touring this new year. Possibly in March," starts guitarist Tony Eriksson about the plans for 1997 over the phone from his homeland of Sweden. "Hopefully we will be out for a while in Europe but right now we don't know how long it will be as the booking agent is still working on it. So far we only have some stuff booked for a month of shows and the thing is we are going out as headliners and I don't think that is such a good thing" Why not? "It would be better to go as a support band because we are not that famous yet," says Eriksson with humour in his voice. The band - comprised of other guitarist Daniel Persson, drummer Jonas Soderlind, vocalist Charles Rytkonen and bassist Joakim Heder - have worked hard since the release of their debut album _Knowing Just As I_ in 1993 to gain exposure in Europe. That same year the band released _The Secret Doctrine_, following that up with the well-received _Sanctified_ (1995) and the collection of old and newer material on _Past Present Future_ later that year. Prior to reaching 1997, the band released their latest effort, _Maleficium_, a swash-buckling assortment of both power metal and progressive metal sounds that thrive on well-presented songs. "I think what we have done with _Maleficium_ is a mixture of 80s metal and 90s metal," he concludes about the make-up of material on their latest LP. "I don't think there is quite a difference with this album and the ones before, but we can't really see the difference as we play the material. It is a lot easier for other people to judge the album and what we did differently. We are very satisfied with what we are doing," he continues, "and I think because of the fact that we listen to a lot of bands, Morgana LeFay is a mixture of everything that we are listening to. And that makes our music interesting to listen to most of the time." When asked what he thinks sets Morgana LeFay apart from other bands of that musical genre he answers, "I think pretty much the sound sets us apart. I think we have specific ways of performing this kind of metal. We are influenced by a lot of bands - not just metal bands. We don't try to sound like other bands, we just create music and a sound that we are comfortable with." One of the key elements to the music and lyrics of Morgan LeFay is the use of imagination and fantasy. Eriksson loves the creativity that flows from one's imagination and how it takes shape into songs. "It is a lot easier to do songwriting this way. For me personally I read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies. It is more interesting to write about deep thoughts and use fantasy when writing material. We think about reality as well sometimes. On the _Sanctified_ record there was a song called "Mad Messiah", and that was about that crazy bastard David Koresh (famous cult leader from Waco, Texas) and what he did." When talking to Eriksson and reading the band bio, it isn't hard to pinpoint where the band has lacked in regards to exposure and success: North America. Eriksson says, "We don't know how we are going to reach North America and get exposed. We are just the band. We don't have the possibility to promote the band ourselves. It is up to the record label to do that and we really don't have a big label (Black Mark). Unfortunately is has to be like this: bad promotion and just shit." Eriksson and the band try to keep their minds on the band and keep focused while facing problems. "That can be a problem sometimes," quips Eriksson. "There are days where we have to deal with record label contracts and stuff like that. There is more paperwork than playing it seems. We hate that part of the music industry but is an evil necessity, I suppose. We have been good pals since the childhood and we are happy by nature and we will live with what we face I suppose." Are you happy being on Black Mark? "Happy? I dunno... we could have been on a much better record label. But we could have been without a record label contract as well. So, this is better than nothing for the moment. But I don't think they can do enough for us to break through. We have tried to sign to a major label but it is difficult with all the record contracts and stuff like that. Lawyers and all that garbage. We want to play music and not be lawyers." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _______ __ _ _______ __ / ___/ / ___ ____ / /_(_)___ / ___/ / ___ _/ /_ / /__/ _ \/ _ `/ _ \/ __/ / __/ / /__/ _ \/ _ `/ __/ \___/_//_/\_,_/\___/\__/_/\__/ \___/_//_/\_,_/\__/ ____ _ / __/__ ___ ___ (_)__ ___ ___ _\ \/ -_|_-<(_- CoC: What influences do you and the band draw from? R: We started with Metallica and the bay area bands. I think that can be noticed when listening to the record. Right now we listen to all kinds of music. Members of Ramp are listening to various styles of music from classical to jazz to trance. It doesn't matter, as it's all just music. So for us, each kind of music has its own thing and you have to listen to it, get into it, and take [influence] from it. For example, dance music. Everyone criticized dance music. I'm not very much into it, but I know the meaning of it and I like to hear it on several occasions because it's like an invitation for dance. The good thing about dance music is the rhythm, and it's almost always the same (Rui imitates the beat, "doong doong doong..."). It gives you the spirit, it captures you. If you're inside a disco and you're listening to the music, after a minute you're tapping your feet and you're into the rhythm. That's the good thing in dance music, that it's an invitation for dancing. So it depends on the spirit that you have at the moment. Right now, we like to hear all kinds of music. This is a very important point, especially in the 90s when everyone is fusing [styles]. That is one of the things that we are trying to promote in Portugal, the respect for metal music. We always say in our interviews that "for someone to get respect, he must respect everyone," so that's the feeling we have, to respect all types of music. Metal music isn't the only kind of music that exists in the world. CoC: How is the Portuguese metal scene right now? R: Well, we have a lot of good bands, but at the same time it's very complicated because we have a very small market, so it's not easy to develop a project inside Portugal. The only band that we have right now who are getting major work outside Portugal are Moonspell because they're not on a Portuguese label. So it's easier since they have a bigger market. The level of live shows isn't very big, and the kids don't have much money to buy CDs and they are pretty expensive here. In Portugal, we (Ramp) can expect to sell 3000 records. That's peanuts, that's nothing. But that's very good here in Portugal for metal music. So you can see it's not easy to develop a band in these conditions. CoC: Is the music writing done together or do members come up with different ideas on their own? R: Normally we like to compose all the material inside a garage, we don't have just one or two members make all the compositions. It's like, if I have an idea for a riff, I'll show it to the other guys and we try to develop the idea. Normally the lyrics come after the music. Normally I get inside the ambiance of the song, and at the same time I'm imagining something from the music and that's how I come up with the lyrics. It's good from one side, that everyone enjoys what they do inside the band, but at the same time it's very complicated because it's so democratic, so sometimes it's a slow process. In the end, everyone knows that there's something from him inside the music, it's not just the music of the guitar player or bass player, it's the music of Ramp. It's like the meaning of Ramp. Do you know [what] the meaning of Ramp is? It's not the meaning of the word ramp, it's not English, it's Portuguese. It's R for Ricardo, A for Antonio, M for Miguel, and P for Paulinho, so it's the initials of the guys who made the band. It's like the spirit of community. It's a band not [just] a guitar player. CoC: Are you currently writing for the next record? R: Well, we have already the next record made. CoC: Really? So how does that compare to _Intersection_? R: It's going to have different sorts of arrangements for the songs, but do not expect any radical change from Ramp. We respect the same principals but at the same time had a few different touches. I do know the name of the album and some of the concepts of the lyrics. The album is going to be called _Future_. It has to do with a lot of changes in society right now, not only in Portugal but everywhere. Everything is changing very fast and it's a little scary when you think about youth and what they're going to face. [The lyrics] are like getting in touch with a new dimension of problems that are surging right now, and we must be prepared to face it. CoC: And finally, what personal goals do you want to reach with the band? R: Our great goal is to make the music we like and live from it, nothing more. It's our dream. We don't want to be stars, we don't want to play in stadiums and that kind of shit. We just want to make our music and hope that people like it. Last message for everyone: "Don't forget to respect the other guys if you want to be respected!!!!!" Contact: Ramp Scum Fan Club, Apartado 223 2725 Merces Codex, PORTUGAL =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M O R G O T H M E T A M O R P H O S I Z E D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interrogates Morgoth by: Adam Wasylyk Never being a fan of _Cursed_-era Morgoth, I wasn't expecting much from _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_, their third album for Century Media. With _Feel Sorry..._ being described by the label as a "daring leap that lets loose any hold that the 1980s might have held on them," I had a glimmer of hope. One listen to this record will show that Morgoth have transcended death metal by adding different elements to their music and boasting a more commercial sound. Amorphis have done it. So have Gorefest. And now so have Morgoth. Older fans may have problems with this record and may cry "sell out." Marc Grewe, who has also worked with bands like Power of Expression and Comecon, talked about Morgoth's infatuation with techno music, its incorporation into _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_, and the changes the band has undergone. CoC: First off, tell me about the new record and how long it took to record/write? Marc Grewe: Actually, I have to start with the _Odium_ album. After the tour activities for the _Odium_ album, we took a break for half a year. During that break, everyone was doing something different. I started to work with my other band Power of Expression and the other guys in the band worked a little with their computers and sampling machines. So when we came together, we started writing for the new album. For the _Odium_ album, we had the keyboards just in the studio and we worked with them only there, while for this record, the person who worked on or wrote the song used the keyboard and the sampling machine. That was the main difference between the last record and _Feel Sorry..._. The singing style has developed and it's a little different than the last one, but that's just normal. I mean, if you play in a band, you don't want to do the same stuff over and over again, or at least we don't want to. So everyone in the band took lessons on his guitar or bass or drums or vocals. I did some vocal training for a couple of months, I actually started a couple of years ago in 1994. So you want to show that on the record and that's the main reason why I sing on the album in a different way than I used to sing before. But I think if you listen to it you can still hear that it's me. Even if songs are maybe different than the ones on our earlier efforts like _Cursed_, it's still the same people and we don't deny our roots and I think you can still hear that it's the same band. If you listen to the _Odium_ album in between, it hinted at which direction we wanted to go. Plus the break where we didn't do touring or recording, we just worked on ourselves. It's different, but it's still Morgoth and still the same people who recorded the first demo. [ed: lies, lies, lies - AMG] CoC: Like you said your vocals have changed and deviated from the death metal growls. Were you getting sick of that vocal style and trying to do something fresher? MG: Exactly. Death metal growling was fun when we used to do that in the early days as it was pretty unique. It was the stuff that we wanted to do. Of course I could sing the old growling stuff also, but nowadays it's more important for me to train my voice for new stuff. I'm still not at the point where I want to go to. I'm still working on the voice and getting lessons for it. CoC: In a live situation, are you going to use the old growly voice or will you adapt it with the new vocals that you've learned? MG: We're gonna do old songs differently live and try to transfer them to the more modern sound. That means it'll be a mixture of the old growling stuff and the stuff I've done on this album. Sometimes we'll be more clear and sometimes we'll still remain heavy. So it's going to be a mixture of both. CoC: Musically, would it be fair to say that you wanted to get away from your death metal roots for a more modern metal sound? MG: We don't deny our roots like I said before but we don't want to do the same stuff over and over again. It would be easy to write a record like _Cursed_ nowadays. If we just wanted to do it for the money then we should have done a record like _Cursed_ because that was a strong selling album but that's not our aim. We wanted to do something different. We wanted to do something different with every record and we want to go further and risk something and that's the only way we can work. No one in the band is really into covering stuff that we've done before. We want to take everything a step further and always try to do our best and work on ourselves. This isn't death metal but at least it's different. I have some problems to define what [our music] is. Some say it's techno metal, some people say it's thrash metal, and some people still say it's death metal so I don't know really. I think it's just the stuff that came out and I don't label my music. So it's up to the people who buy the album. To me it's just music. CoC: What was the logic behind the dance track "... And Its Amazing Consequences", as techno music is taboo on metal records? MG: We got really attracted by the underground techno stuff, in Europe it's getting popular. Not the kind of stuff you think about techno, as most of the time when you think about techno you think of that stupid bubble gum techno "boom boom." That's not the stuff we really like, we like the underground stuff. It's like comparing Bon Jovi with Cannibal Corpse. There are so many different styles of that kind of music, that you can't say techno is this or that. Like I said we really like the underground stuff, especially in the city where we come from, in Dortmund. There are these events with crazy people and extreme techno stuff, [which is] extremely hard and extremely aggressive which reminds me of the early days of metal when it was still underground. It's fun to be there. A lot of people from different sides are attracted by that sort of stuff, like people from the punk and hardcore side and people from the metal side. So there's a very special atmosphere down there. It is illegal and sometimes police come to check it and catch you but that's the stuff we really like and it's almost compatible with the early death metal stuff: very aggressive and intense. To us it's something new and if you listen to it loud it just blows you away. CoC: So the whole band was influenced by this new wave of techno music in Germany? MG: More or less yes, but there are still people in the band who like more of the metal stuff. I'd say two people are really going for the techno stuff at the moment but they still of course listen to metal and guitar music. The rest are more into guitar stuff than going to those techno events, but still go to them once in awhile. But two people are really crazy for it. CoC: How have the critics and fans been reacting to _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_? MG: People in Europe are freaking out about it. In the States it's very difficult, I don't know. I've read some very bad reviews but also some very good reviews so it's kinda split. I think a lot of people from the older days can't respect the development we've made in the music. If you expect a record to sound like death metal and it's not then you write a negative review about it. I don't think it's a record that you can listen to once. You have to discover it as there are so many little hidden things that you don't hear by listening to it just one time. You have to hear it twice, three, four times and then you'll get the clue to what we mean with the record. It's not one that gets in your ear right away. So you need to listen to it, maybe more times then usual [as compared to other bands]. CoC: I reviewed _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_ and I liked it a lot but some of my fellow writers didn't like it at all, especially those that loved _Odium_. Do you feel that the change in sound on the new album is more on the drastic side? MG: We view ourselves as a progressive band. Not progressive as you label bands like Dream Theater, but I see progression more in the way like experimentation. Maybe the next record will be different than this one. We really like to experiment with songs and if people like the _Odium_ album, then I don't understand why they don't like this album. In Europe, it's the other way around. The people who liked the _Odium_ record also liked this record. But that's the way our band wanted to go and it's just what came out in the last two years. Maybe in the future we will do something totally different again. CoC: I've heard that you're planning to re-mix _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_. Can you go into more detail about that? Would a Morgoth fan be able to appreciate the music on it? MG: That's going to be involving the stuff we really like, techno and trip-hop stuff. It's going to be totally re-mixed and it'll just have some guitar parts in it, it'll be very different. It'll have for example a very hard techno track on it but also a trip-hop song which is more relaxed. It's going to be an experience. I know that a lot of people will hate it, but we don't care. It's what we want to do. CoC: Any plans to tour North America for this album?? MG: Hopefully '97 will be the year for Morgoth to be on the road. There's a chance that we'll be coming to the States in February supporting Stuck Mojo and after that we'll continue touring Europe. CoC: Do you see your future material being more experimental like "... And Its Amazing Consequences" or in any other direction? MG: Well, you never know as anything is possible with this band. We will never do it for the money. Maybe the next record will be more heavy or maybe it'll have more techno. We already have three songs written for the next one, and they're a little heavier at the moment and are more like "Curiosity" kinda stuff, being heavier and catchier. CoC: Do you see another three years lapsing before the next record comes out? MG: Absolutely not. We had some problems after the _Odium_ tour as we couldn't stand each other for a couple of months, so that accounts for some of the break. We started some of the writing for this album in January 1995 so it took one year to actually write the album, but all in all it was three years after the _Odium_ album came out that we released this one. Like I said we have written three songs already for the new record and we hope to go to the studio in October/November of 1997. CoC: Finally, do you think the title of the last song, "A New Start" sums up the music and your changed direction on _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_? MG: That's right, yeah. It's kind of a new start for us. We've been away for three years and a lot of people said "they're dead." This album sounds different from the previous releases and it's sort of a new start for the band. It's great to be back! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::::::| :| :| :| ::| :::\ :':| :~~/ :::\ :~~/ :::\ :':| :~~/ :::\ :::| ::::::|:|:| :::| :::, :::/ :::, :|:| :::| :::, :|:| :| :| ::::::| :| :| ++ ::| :::\ :::| :~~/ :::| :::| ,::\ .::\ /::| :::| :| ,::\ :::\ <::< ::::::|:|:| :| :::, :| :| `::/ `::| \::| :| :| `::/ :|:| >::> ,.:/ Here is where CoC gets the inside story on up-and-coming bands. Check out this column for a variety of fresh, brutal groups. Should you be an aspiring band on your way to super-stardom, send us your demo and bio; our address is included in the zine's header. N O P R A Y E R F O R T H E M A N T I S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interrogates Toronto's Tchort & the Family Mantis by: Adrian Bromley For fans of local Toronto doom metal squad Tchort & the Family Mantis, one will acknowledge that the years have been tough for the band. The band has worked hard to get noticed and succeed through numerous gigs and style changes over the years. They fought hard to keep the metal scene going in Toronto (the scene is not as strong as it used to be), but hard work and persistence by the band seems to have finally paid off with the introduction of their well-received debut CD, _Nightside of Eden_. Having originally begun as a death metal band and incorporating a violin player, the band has slowly evolved over the years into their present day shape and sound: doom metal. Tchort's sound consists of thick riffs etched from the books of England's premier doom metal outfit Cathedral, the congruency and grooveness similar to that of now defunct sludge-rock outfit Kyuss, and the satanic fondness and pure loudness brought to our attention in the early days of Black Sabbath. In other words: the band wears their influences on their sleeves proudly. The band has released two efforts in the last two years, one being the 4-song _Ace of Shrooms_ demo from last year and most recently the amazing _Nightside of Eden_. _NoE_ offers us six new songs recorded with brilliant Toronto producer Rob Sanzo, as well as the material from _AoS_, allowing us the listener to see the evolution of the band and their sound. "We found _AoS_ experimental, and we wanted this record to be more of a "straight-ahead" sounding record that would embody both traditional British and West Coast style metal," says singer/guitarist Eric Coucke. "We wanted to get that down pat and that will allow our next record to be more adventurous." For the recording of _NoE_, Coucke says producer Rob Sanzo was recommended by fellow Toronto band Mundane as well as Coucke having known of Sanzo's top notch production from other bands, such as Poledo. "I was a little concerned at the beginning that he was going to be like this 'trendy' producer making bands sound similar. So I met up with him and found him to be an incredibly cool person and having cool ideas and willing to work with us on a creative level. To quote him, he said, 'Working with you guys was like a vacation.' We got along with him and another reason it worked is that he said I reminded him of himself ten years ago." He adds, "I don't know if he was joking but he definitely put us on the same wavelength." According to Coucke, the band right now - made up of Coucke, guitarist Les Godfrey, bass player Nick Sewell, and drummer Chris Gramlech - is absolutely the best assembly of musicians he could ask for. "I used to be the principal songwriter, and now I am happy to see that the other guys are writing more songs for the band. We don't really collaborate much these days," reveals Coucke, "We usually just come to practice with a finished piece and work with it. We might take a piece from here or there or even scrap the piece. Usually we openly welcome submissions by band members and take it from there. A lot of the songwriting is a process of osmosis where I will listen to a type of music a lot and soon enough it will come out in my songwriting," starts Coucke about writing material for Tchort. "If we look at it as a whole and how we write songs, then it is a question of time because we are all in our "doomsday" trip - and so actually, today (the interview was conducted January 1st, 1997), we have three years left." He laughs. About Tchort's sound changes in the band's style, Coucke states, I think we have gone from being a doom metal band to something I call a "fuzzy" band. Both Les and I didn't really like the guitar timbre of _AoS_ because we thought it sounded way to thrash metal and so we changed amplifiers and that helped change the guitar sound for us." Talking about the album (which Coucke describes as a "fuzzy nightmare you can groove out to"), Coucke says, "I really like the guitar tone of the album. I also like the fact that the album was recorded live with the exception of vocals and guitar solos. It sounds live and was mixed that way. I think the record is raw sounding and that is what I like, too. The work put into coming up with a guitar sound also takes time. You usually spend hours working on it and after a lot of work we found it. I'm glad of that, too." As the interview winds down, seeing that the band has stayed indie for a certain period of time, the question of signing to a label surfaces. What does the band want from a label if they sign to one? Coucke responds, "We want tour support first and foremost. I want to be able to have my music distributed and to be able to go around to cities and play to the people that want to come out and see us. We want to play to the people that enjoy our music. Right now, obviously we don't make money doing what we do. Ultimately, if I pay my rent and feed myself I will be happy. We just want decent distribution and tour support. It is all we are asking for." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= R E V E L A T I O N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by: Drew Schinzel Having been around since 1986, American doom-metallers Revelation have had their fair share of underground experience. After four albums and a two-year layover, their fifth studio release, _Frozen Masque_, is about to be unleashed to the public, and the band couldn't be any more enthusiastic or hopeful about their bright future. I recently had a chance to talk with Revelation bassist Jim Hunter. Here's what he had to say. CoC: Greetings Jim. Most of CoC's readers are probably unfamiliar with Revelation. Could you give a little band history? Jim: Well, the band was started in 1986 by Steve Branagan (drums) and John Brenner (vocals/guitar). With various bass players, they recorded a few demos, did a track for the Rise Above Records compilation, _Dark Passages_, put out by Lee Dorrian (of Cathedral), then signed with the label and released the first album, _Salvations Answer_, in 1991. Then they recorded another demo after that, signed with the German label Hellhound Records, and then they put out the second album, _Never Comes Silence_, in 1993. After that, John got disillusioned with the music scene in general and decided he wanted to quit the band. They knew a guy named Dennis Cornelius who was a huge Revelation fan over the years and even jammed with them a few times, so Steve felt he would make a good replacement for John. So he became the new guitarist/vocalist. Then in February 1994, they recorded the _Mourning Son_ demo, and a few months after that I joined the band, and in late '94 we recorded the _... Yet So Far_ album. CoC: Explain Revelation's sound, in your own words. Jim: To me, Revelation's music is totally heavy doom-type music, but still melodic and emotional. I think we're getting better and better at having melody but keeping it really heavy. The stuff's getting more aggressive, not like Pantera or something, just more headbangable. We also like to throw some weird Rush-type grooves in there too, because we're all big Rush fans, especially their earlier stuff. CoC: What were some other influences on Revelation ? Jim: I'd say our biggest influences are bands like Black Sabbath, Rush, and Trouble, but bands like Iron Maiden, Voivod, Queensryche, Fates Warning, and others have had a huge impact on our musical output. I personally am a heavy metal freak! CoC: Why was there such a delay between _... Yet So Far_ and _Frozen Masque_? Jim: After _... Yet So Far_ was released, we did two European tours, one with Saint Vitus in March of 1995, and one with Solitude Aeturnus in May of '95. When we got back from the tours, we started writing new stuff and we were actually planning on recording a new demo in December of '95. We ended up just recording a 4-track rehearsal tape. But then in March of 1996, due to some personal stuff going on at the time, Dennis decided to quit the band and move away. Steve and I were considering finding a replacement but then we both got so busy with our own lives that it just never happened. Then, in about the middle of the summer, Dennis decided he wanted to rejoin the band. Our first opportunity to really get together was in December of 1996, we just got together for a week, jammed, and recorded the songs from the rehearsal tape for the new demo called _Frozen Masque_. CoC: Are you satisfied with the result ? Jim: Extremely, I've never really been satisfied with anything I've been involved with recording, but I love this tape. It's not totally perfect, but I think the songs are some of, if not the best we've ever come up with. I just think the whole thing has a real powerful sound that I'm proud of. CoC: You weren't satisfied with _... Yet So Far_? To me that was a great album. Jim: Well, we were totally rushed for time when we recorded that album. We only had a certain number of days in which to record in order to be able to do the [Saint] Vitus tour. Considering we did the whole thing, recording, mixing, and mastering in six days, it turned out really good, just not as good as I would have liked. There were certain things with the mix I would have liked to have done over but there was no time. But I have to give credit to Drew Mazurek, the guy who recorded it, he made our sorry musical equipment sound great! CoC: How was the St. Vitus tour? Did you get a good reaction from the European crowd? Jim: The Vitus tour was AMAZING! It had a very special personal meaning for me. Vitus was the first band I ever saw in a club. I was 12! It was Saint Vitus and the Mentors at the Hung Jury Pub in Washington, DC in 1987. What an insane show that was! I had been a Vitus fan ever since then. So to see their last show was like closing a circle in my life. Those guys were so cool to us too, totally took us under their wing. No egos or attitudes or anything. Scott Reagers had always been my favorite Vitus singer too, so to get to see that line-up play every night was just mindblowing for me, and then to get to hang out with them all day and party with them? Unbelievable! CoC: Think there's any chance for a North American tour this year? Jim: Unless Hell starts freezing over and America is a big supporter of this type of music, I doubt there will a North American tour ever! Nothing against America, I love living here but to be able to tour in the US with the same conditions we had in Europe we would have to be as big as Mercyful Fate or something! And besides, we actually need one of our albums to come out in America first! CoC: What led to the changes on _Frozen Masque_? Your last release, _... Yet So Far_, was not quite as heavy and had some fairly lengthy songs on it. Jim: Yeah, with _... Yet So Far_, we, especially Dennis and I, felt that we had a lot to prove to the old Revelation fans, so that album was real "jam-happy." We were just really enjoying playing together and coming up with the craziest stuff we could. But then when we toured, we realized a lot of the songs weren't as powerful as we would have liked them to be, and some were just a drag to play over and over. When you're playing with bands like Vitus and Solitude Aeturnus, your stuff has to be really powerful to even compare to them! So when we got back, we made kind of a conscious effort to write more aggressive, heavier material, and try to tighten up the arrangements a little. If you can say the same thing musically in 5 minutes that you can in 8, why not just keep it at 5 and not bore everyone to death? So that's what we tried to do with the new stuff: keep the elements that make it Revelation music but try to make it more powerful. CoC: With a name like Revelation, some may think you are a Christian band. Please explain the origin of your name, and what Revelation is all about, both musically and lyrically. Jim: Well, the name actually came from the trouble song "Revelation (Life or Death)" from the _Psalm 9_ album. It was Steve and John's tribute to one of their favorite bands. The band has always had a spiritual side to the lyrics. John Brenner's lyrics were more overtly Christian, but our lyrics are now more from our personal experiences, but that spiritual side is still there. The lyrics have always been very personal, sort of a "revelation" of the minds of the band members. Musically, we want it to be heavy, melodic, emotional, and interesting to the listener; not too crazy as to confuse people, but just enough so it isn't just boring and plodding the whole time. I want our music to be as special as my favorite bands' music is to me. CoC: When do you see Revelation calling it quits? What would cause you to stop making music? Jim: Well, Revelation's been going for over 10 years now and has been through a lot and is still going. We'd probably call it quits if we became disinterested in playing together but I don't see that happening any time soon. I'm looking forward to recording a new album and doing some more tours and getting Revelation's name known more and more in the metal scene. I personally would stop making music when it didn't inspire me anymore, but right now I'm totally 100% obsessed with music, it's my favorite thing in the world! I'm sure it will end up being a life-long obsession for me. CoC: What will Revelation be up to the rest of this year? Jim: Well, right now we want to spread this demo out as much as we can to fans, labels, magazines, etc. We are looking for a new record label, so hopefully that will work out. We're just going to start writing some new tunes and prepare to record a new album and probably try to play a lot of local shows in our area this summer. CoC: When will _Frozen Masque_ be available? Jim: Extremely soon, people start sending in your orders now! The demo is $5 (US) $6 (world). It may be a demo but it has album-quality production, in my opinion. It doesn't sound like it was recorded in a toilet or anything. We're just glad to have something that represents us that we can get to people. CoC: What is Revelation's relation to the Internet? Do you have a web page? Jim: I'm totally into the Internet, I love it! I've been hooked since January 1996 when I first got online. I just love having access to all the metal information I would never get otherwise. I can really keep on top of things. And yes, we do have a webpage at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7567 and we invite everyone to come check it out! A really good friend named Tiff Gorman designed it for us and she did a hell of a job! It's got a bio, discography, samples, photos, and all that kind of stuff. We're hoping to get some new samples from the demo up in the next month or so. Also, we can be reached by e-mail at mailto:imagez@erols.com. CoC: Ok, I think that's about it for the interview, anything else you'd like to say? End it whatever way you want... Jim: I'd just like to say if you're reading this, thank you for enduring my babble. If you're not reading this, then you suck! Ha, ha! Seriously, we just want to encourage people to check out our stuff, because we desperately need the money! And we'd like to spread the Revelation disease as far as we can. Also, if people want to e-mail me, especially cute metalhead females, you're more than welcome to! My name is Phil Anselmo. Long live metal! Contact: REVELATION, c/o Jim Hunter 905 S. Clinton St., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA mailto:imagez@erols.com http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7567 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ______ __ | __ \.-----.----.-----.----.--| | | <| -__| __| _ | _| _ | |___|__||_____|____|_____|__| |_____| ______ __ __ __ | __ \.-----.--.--.-----.| |.---.-.| |_|__|.-----.-----.-----. | <| -__| | | -__|| || _ || _| || _ | |__ --| |___|__||_____|\___/|_____||__||___._||____|__||_____|__|__|_____| This is where we rant, rave, and rip apart albums. Check this column every month for the scoop on the latest in heavy hand-outs. Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- If there was ever a perfect CD, this is it! 8 out of 10 -- A great piece of metallic mayhem 6 out of 10 -- Not too bad of an album 4 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters 2 out of 10 -- If you like this, you are fucked! 0 out of 10 -- My shit can put out better music than this! Anathema - _Eternity_ (Peaceville, 1996) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) First let me get one thing off my chest: no matter how good Anathema are right now, I liked them better with Darren White in the _Serenades_ era. But I will be doing my best to keep this off my mind and review the album for what it's worth. Anyway, this is Anathema's second go with Vincent Cavanagh on vocals. After _The Silent Enigma_ proved Anathema hadn't lost it musically and also showing Cavanagh as a competent vocalist, I expected a lot from _Eternity_. The digi-pak version is damn long, around 70 minutes, since it features two acoustic reprises. The album starts off with a sad, interesting intro, very good. Tracks 2, 3, and 4 were the ones I liked the most at first listen, and still are right now. Also remarkable is track 7, "Suicide Veil", which brings us to the unfortunate fact that this album tends to be all about suicide, which is something I can't stand. Still, this is doom, right? Well, yeah, right. Anathema are even doomier than on their previous effort, actually, but the album's overall feel is softer than before. The guitars aren't so crunchy and Cavanagh's voice isn't raspy anymore. He now sings with clean vocals. There are some moments in which he sounds a bit like Aaron from My Dying Bride, almost weeping, which is great. However, he frequently uses a "sing-a-long" approach which doesn't seem to work too well. Wrapping up, all I can say is that Anathema have gone lighter, but they're still very talented. This album has some very good songs, some excellent doom moments, but there's a bit of a significant part of the album which I felt didn't keep up with the quality I expected, which they deliver throughout most of the album. A very good effort, nonetheless. Angel Corpse - _Hammer of Gods_ (Osmose Productions, November 1996) by: Steve Hoeltzel (8 out of 10) The first few plays I gave this disc got me pretty darn stoked, since these guys definitely have a ripping, ferocious, and malevolent sound. In fact, the sound in question is virtually indistinguishable from that of Morbid Angel's first two LPs - from the general style of riffs and leads, right down to the trademark wild and frequent shifts from sprinting to grinding to crazy alien riffing entwined with koo-koo, wah-wah, squonk-squonk soloing. If you like Morbid Angel's early stuff, as I do, then there's a lot here to enjoy, especially "Envenomed" and the wicked "Lord of the Funeral Pyre". Still, Angel Corpse don't exhibit as much variation in feel or style from song to song as that "other" Angel does. And because the whole Angel Corpse vibe is so entirely derivative of the sound of another, much more original band, their potential impact is blunted by the knowledge that when Morbid Angel cut their first two LPs, -they- weren't simply imitating someone else's distinctive style. Anyway, original or not, I still think _Hammer..._ contains some killer tracks, and if you're a big fan of Morbid Angel's early material, then it's a safe bet that you'll think so too. Assuck - _Misery Index_ (Sound Pollution Records, December 1996) by: Valgamon (9 out of 10) Assuck have definitely returned with this new record (I hesitate to call it a full-length because it clocks in at a mere 15:20). Here we have fifteen tracks of raging, unbridled power - grindcore at its very best. In case you're wondering about the line-up, guitarist Steve Heritage is now handling vocal duties as well, and he sounds (growls) very much like former vocalist Paul Pavlovich. Steve Kosiba is on bass, and Rob Proctor is once again on drums. The songs seem a little bit less precise than earlier material, perhaps a manifestation of the burden created by Heritage's two-fold task. This would also explain why the vocal patterning is often very predictably on-beat, which is a disappointment at times. However, don't let those observations fool you; this record is full of Assuck's signature sound, often marked by unexpected breaks which are reminiscent of Deicide's "Legion" (not surprising, considering the geographical origin of both bands, and that they both record at Morrisound in Tampa - a fact not lost on this reviewer when trying to remain objective and not draw the obvious comparisons). These songs are very powerful, soaked with dissonance and then tumble-dried in a whirlwind of bass-heavy fury. Some have said that Assuck are a very production-oriented band, and that they rely a bit too much on Morrisound. After seeing them play on new year's day, I must admit that I do prefer listening to their records; however, their live show was far from boring. I almost feel like I'm being too critical here, because this record is truly superb; however, after setting such a high standard with "Anticapital," (the pinnacle of grind), this new release does seem like a little bit of a let-down. But not by much. If you liked that LP and the seven inches, you are sure to enjoy this. Packaging is minimal, but does include some nice cover art by Brandon Dunlap. And where's the vinyl? [As you may have noticed, this review wasn't written by one of our staffers, this review was graciously donated by Valgamon (who's real identity will remain anonymous), thanks again Valgy! -- Gino] Bal Sagoth - _Starfire Burning..._ (Cacophonous, December 1996) by: Drew Schinzel (8 out of 10) Okay, the name of this album isn't -actually- _Starfire Burning_. It's really _Starfire Burning Over the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule_, but that was just a tad too long to fit in the review header. Now, with that out of the way... The new full length album from Bal Sagoth delves even further into the depths of cheese and flat-out absurdity, but if you can cut through the obscenely long song titles ("In the Raven-Haunted Forests of Darkenhold, Where Shadows Reign and the Hues of Sunlight Never Dance", anyone?) and somewhat pretentious music, what you've got is a quality album with loads of huge, symphonic synth and some unique changes from their last album, _A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria_. First off, the guttural growls have flown out the window (though not entirely), and have been replaced for the most part by a rather unsatisfying spoken approach. In addition, the keyboards are much higher in the mix this time around, and provide a massive, orchestral feel, which, contrary to the new vocals, are -extremely- gratifying, and have a very thick, professional sound. Maybe they should've been even higher in the mix though, to drown out the annoying guitars. Unoriginal and uninspired guitar lines are sprinkled throughout _SB..._, and are overshadowed only by the beautiful clean interludes mercifully thrown in here and there. Don't get me wrong - I like _SBOtIVToUT_ quite a bit, and it's admirable that Bal Sagoth didn't jump on the black metal bandwagon after their somewhat-B.M. debut, there are just a few minor parts which could have been improved. In the end, however, what you have is a fine album with an obvious amount of hard work put into it, which is well-deserving of a recommendation. Brain Toy - _Screaming Volumes_ (Cerebral Records, November 1996) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) Progressive metal/classical trio Brain Toy's debut album radiates creativity and a definite knack for being able to project thoughts and visions through music, but rarely sparks any interesting and memorable numbers. While a large portion of the material is reminiscent of Dream Theater and Rush, Brain Toy manages to incorporate their own take on progressive metal throughout the album's nine numbers. The band shifts from up-tempo, aggressive numbers onto more slowly tuned, melodic numbers that flow very gracefully at times and do allow for some versatility to shine through but as mentioned before nothing stands out. The introduction and use of classical styles mixed with progressive metal styles works off each other quite well as seen on numbers like "Shadows", "Wash Your Guilt Away", and "Silhouette". Darkside - _Melancholia of a Dying World_ (Conquest Music, 1996) by: Alain M. Gaudrault (4 out of 10) The cheesy fake-sounding automatic rifle combat noise in the opening sequence of this album was cause for immediate concern upon my first listen. Chalk up another one for gut feeling. I'll admit right away, before even getting to the music, one of my biggest problems with this release is the production, not the engineering, mind you, but the production. I mean, technically, it seems well recorded and sounds nice and clean, perhaps too clean, but the overall sound is just one bad decision after another. Those sporadic electronic sound effects are completely out of place, the guitar tone is thin and hollow, and the vocals are too forward in the mix, although the latter point could have been remedied by thicker, louder guitars. If this is all due to lack of funds for a proper studio and all, I apologize for harping, but the clean, crisp recording didn't lead me to believe this was the case. Enough with the production, already, right? If only that were the worst of it. Darkside is essentially death metal, but you couldn't tell from the music. This is death strictly by the presence of death vocals; lame, boring ones at that. Too many sad rock structures and solos, neither played with much skill or significant complexity, a wonder seeing as they try so hard to be experimental. Combining elements of death, speed, hard rock, doom, goth, and even free-form jazz, _Melancholia..._ goes everywhere, and in the end, goes nowhere. Cohesion? Forget it. Musicianship? Minimal. Aggression? Washed out. We're talking several dead simple (not to mention cliche, in far too many instances) riffs, strung together nonsensically with unexpected genre context switches, all backed with a low-grade drummer who makes Death's Bill Andrews sound good. Honestly, I found it painful having to sit through this album the dozen or so times I forced myself to listen to it in order to write this review. It should be noted that this was actually recorded in 1994, was released in late 1995 in Germany, and is just now available in North America, so confused lot of Austrians may have improved significantly since, but truely, these guys need to find their strengths and focus on them... a lot. Desire - _Infinity... A Timeless Journey Through the Emotional Dream_ by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) (Skyfall, 1996) Desire are a Portuguese symphonic doom band. They use lots of keyboards for atmosphere, extremely deep and slow death vox, and they play mostly pretty slowly. They do speed up in the appropriate parts, though, maintaining the interest and not letting the album bore you. These guys have managed to create a majestic piece of doom, where orchestration is concerned. It's well produced, and it has some pretty good ideas. There's enough on this album to keep anyone who likes doom interested, although others may find this a bit boring. Besides the constant keyboards, they also use acoustic guitars and occasional black metal vox. It's all sort of dreamy, as much as doomy. They create an interesting atmosphere, though sometimes the music isn't thrilling - that's the price they pay for atmosphere. They managed to keep the album well balanced, though, so the atmosphere doesn't take over too much. It's not really an excellent album, but it has some good ideas and they seem to have worked hard. The next album, if they prove to be more mature and all (no, this doesn't mean softer, and it doesn't mean dropping the death vox either), could be great. DOA - _New York City Speedcore_ (Earache, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) Drowning in some of the most powerful techno hardcore beats and sounds, as well as fusing together sinister screams of rage and momentous walls of noise comes New York's Disciples of Annihilation (D.O.A) delivering the goods. No question about it, this stuff is heavy. Laced in serious hardcore techno and gabber (200+ beats per minute), DOA storm through powerful concoction after powerful concoction of sound styles as well as bringing into play samples, industrial metal qualities and noise. Lots of noise. While the music on _NYCS_ rotates in sound and style, there is no question that every song is delivered with full-force and intensity. Numbers that'll knock you silly include: "Total Annihilation", "Extreme Gansta", "You're Dead", and the title track. I recomend this release for anyone that craves noise/industrial/extreme music bands. Fear Disorder - _In a Rage_ (Independent, November 1996) by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) Local Toronto act Fear Disorder have been through the ringer too many times to count (name changes/band members/demo tapes/etc) but at last the band has finally been able to capture a sound and groove that is very hard-hitting. While the music on _In a Rage_ may not be the most earthshaking material we have heard in the last little while (with regards to might and intensity), what Fear Disorder has managed to do is gather together all their know-how as a hard metal outfit and bring that out into their music. _IaR_ is overflowing with strong riffs, monster-growls and non-stop blasts of heaviness. The music - a combination of thrash metal (Overkill or Testament) and well-focused metallic grooves (Voivod) - allows the four-piece to maneuver through memorable numbers like the title track, "Hole in Your Head" and "God Kills (And So Shall I)" with the greatest of ease. A strong debut CD by a band that has finally mastered and perfected where they should be in the metal music realm. Let's hope people catch on now. From the Depths - _From the Depths_ (Dismal Records, 1996) by: Steve Hoeltzel (7 out of 10) Not to be confused with the Italian black metal band of the same name, these guys hail from Cleveland, and their self-titled CD is a cool release that mixes black metal's appreciation for atmosphere with the styles of sonic brutality usually associated with the death and death/grind scenes. The band alternates freely and rapidly between the riffing and vocal styles of black and death metal, while the percussion is generally played and recorded in more of a death/grind style. Keyboards are brought in occasionally, and at the right times, adding creepy vibes without dominating the sound. The lyrics are also worth mentioning: they're entertaining little horror stories which are actually driven by plot, as opposed to the inane repetition of gore cliches, or the now-standard confused and garbled attempts to mix christian satanism with old pagan religions. The songs themselves contain lots of instantly memorable sections, especially "It Lurks", the raging title track, and "Curse of the Scarecrow". (The latter song gets two thumbs up - way up! - for actually mentioning my mighty home state of Iowa by name. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Norse and Swedish hordes.) Why, then, haven't I rated the CD a bit higher? Well, for one, I think the songs are overly dominated by the lyrics. This band can definitely smoke, but most of the time, by far, they're just providing the vocalist with a riff to sing (or narrate) over. Longer, more involved instrumental passages between vocal parts would really add impact to the compositions, I think. So would more and louder guitar in the mix. Regardless, this is likable and fairly unique. Funeral - _Tragedies_ (Arctic Serenades, 1996) by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10) Hmm. Give or take 3 points to that score, depending on whether you think you'll like the slowest album I've ever heard or not. This really is a test as to how much one really likes extreme doom. I mean, this is the most extreme doom album I ever heard. In fact, it's so extreme it suffers from it. This is the debut album for this Norwegian band which features extremely slow (believe me, extremely slow) doom/death. They have a female singer, Torill Snyen, who's able to deliver some damn good femme vox. She left the band after this recording, though. Her vocals alternate with a powerful death grunter, causing an interesting effect. The problem with Funeral is that they wanted so much to make a slow album that they overdid it. The album's just too slow, some of the melodies are even ruined because of that. I personally find some pretty interesting parts on this 5-track, 60-minute album (not that long songs are a bad thing, on the contrary), but it's too slow and monotonous for me. They're promising a lot for their next album, though. It's been recorded in Academy Studios (used by bands such as My Dying Bride, Anathema, Cradle of Filth and Paradise Lost) this year and produced by the well-known Mags. They're now going to record the female vocals, since they only found a new female vocalist recently. The album's supposed to be a lot better and not as slow as before. Let's see if they can deliver all they're promising. Gehennah - _King of the Sidewalk_ (Osmose Prod., November 1996) by: Steve Hoeltzel (6 out of 10) Look out, rock and roll children, because the "gods of mean and dirty street metal" have returned, and if their bio is a reliable document, then you can bet that Mr. Violence and friends are rocking out and getting stinking drunk even as you read these words. Worry not, though: your reviewer is perfectly sober at the moment. See, although I briefly considered the idea of trying to find out just how much sauce it would take to make me really enjoy this band, I quickly decided that this approach would probably land me in the hospital. In other words, I just can't get into Gehennah's brand of Motorhead-inspired, low-concept, early eighties style schlock. Of course, their schlockiness is intentional, as likably silly titles like "Bitch With a Bullet Belt" and "Bang Your Heads for Satan" demonstrate. But all this humor doesn't make the songs any more engaging on a musical level, and frankly, I just get bored by these repetitive exercises in simple, rocking riffing, propulsive bass lines, gruff singing, and slap-happy tempos. If you're really into the basic Motorhead style, you'll probably enjoy Gehennah, and if cornball metalhead humor is your thing, then you'll find this release to be a potent sonic brew indeed. But if, like me, you prefer the more extreme styles that have been distilled in recent years, then steer clear of this outdated swill and stick to the real hard stuff. Grip Inc. - _Nemesis_ (SPV, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) Okay... so now ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo's new band Grip Inc. has been given enough time to work out the kinks and problems that may have surfaced when the band's debut _The Power of Inner Strength_ was released. Time to deal with good/bad press and enough time to tour and show people that this Lombardo project was not a "security blanket" after leaving (was booted from?) Slayer. The band's debut album _TPoIS_ was an assortment of heavy drumming, powerful riffs, technical guitar playing (provided by producer/guitar wizard Waldemar Sorychta) and screams of anger delivered by singer Gus Chambers. Round two. The sophomore release _Nemesis_ continues on where the band (now a three-piece) left off, drenched in intensity and hard-ass momentum, as well as some technical know-how. I'm actually quite impressed with the band's "new" sound which features keyboards and Chamber's vocals being a bit more versatile. The music has developed more of a groove now and even though Chambers still screams his head off, there seems to be a definite feel and creativity within the material that showcases both thrash and speed metal qualities. For those that thought Lombardo and Co. were going to fuck up with album number two - you're wrong. _Nemesis_ is worth a listen and should be enough to keep metal fans interested in the band till album number three comes out. Heavenwood - _Diva_ (Massacre Records, 1996) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) Heavenwood are currently my favourite Portuguese band. No matter how great Moonspell's _Wolfheart_ was, _Irreligious_ disappointed me, and _Diva_, Heavenwood's debut, seems clearly better. You can read more about this band from my home city of Porto in my concert review (see CoC #16). About the album itself, it mixes some doom with death vox and lots of Crematory-like keys. They produce a very melodic sound, keeping a powerful edge to their music. They do show some clear influences. Track 1 reminds me of Paradise Lost, track 4 is influenced by My Dying Bride, and there are even some (crap) Sisters of Mercy influences in one of the later tracks. As far as I'm concerned, and although tracks 1, 3, and 4 are also great, the three demo tape tracks that were included are still the best: "Judith Heavenwood", "Frithioff's Saga", and "Emotional Wound". Brilliant melodies all the time. It's a bit of a shame about some softer, goth-like parts in a couple of the newer songs that put down this score to an 8. If they had entirely kept up with their demo tape songs' level, they would surely get a 9. A great album and one everyone should at least try. Jaww - _Southbound_ (Independent, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) Helping fuel the intensity and harshness that Toronto's music scene is lacking (besides bands like Tchort or Solus) comes Jaww, an intense four-piece who's music style - similar to Cannibal Corpse meets Obituary (a bit more thrash metal based and noticeably more coherent) - seems to take on quite a powerful momentum on their debut album, _Southbound_. Produced by one of my favorite local Toronto producers, Rob Sanzo (Mundane, Tchort, Poledo), the 10-track release heaves at us powerful and brutally charged numbers like "Trampled Under Foot", "Free from Disease", and the cool-grooved grind of title track, "Southbound". Having only been around since 1995 and only having released a 4-song demo tape, _Demonstration_ (a time where they used a drum machine), I am quite impressed with the depth and work Jaww members put into the songwriting and song structures. Having Sanzo on board in the studio helped strengthen the sound, too. Metal bands like Jaww seem to be popping up all of a sudden and I'm beginning to have some hope that Toronto may be able to market a "metal scene" once again. Contact: Jaww, c/o Doug McLarty 1756 Queen St. West, Box 30 Toronto, Ontario, M6R-1A6, Canada mailto:jaww@gadzook.lglobal.com Korpse - _Revirgin_ (Candlelight Records, 1996) by: Alain M. Gaudrault (9 out of 10) Had I managed to get my hands on a copy of this album while I was investigating the metal scene in Scotland, I'd have claimed, as I do now, that Korpse is easily the most impressive band the country currently has to offer. Their quirky approach blends trippy, groovy elements into a hybrid of death metal and Motorhead-driven speed rock, without sounding like a derivative of any of their influences. This impressive three-piece have managed to successfully blend this concoction into an album capable of convincing your lead foot to take over on an open highway, while lending itself beautifully to bouts of complete THC-induced inertia, and all despite hailing from metal-deprived Aberdeen! The vocals, a subdued airy death growl, at 1st don't seem to fit particularly well with the music's speed rock tendencies, but after familiarizing oneself with the songs, the band's sonic vision becomes increasingly clear and highly addictive. Lyrically, I don't know what to make of Fluff's (bass and vocals, rounded out by Taff on drums, and Sid on guitar and flute) mental scratchings. From the off-the-wall song titles ("Octochoosy", "Milk and Two Salts", "To Be Continued...?", "Vitamin F", "International 1001", etc) to the oft-broken English of the lyrics themselves, Korpse isn't about espousing deep, conceptual ideology, but pure musical feeling, delivered expertly and unendingly throughout all eleven tracks. Candlelight should lay off Opeth for awhile and concentrate on promotion for this trio, who could easily gain sizeable appeal if allowed to reach the metal masses. Life Garden - _Ahitanaman_ (Agni Music, 1996) by: Andrew Lewandowski (7 out of 10) One major factor differentiates Life Garden from the majority of their ambient contemporaries: a reliance on organic instrumentation. Thus, _Ahitanaman_ contains no random metallic pounding, no disorienting high frequencies, and no lengthy periods of space devoid of anything except sparse bass droning. Disregarding the virtues of electronics generally lends itself to one major dilemma: how does one occupy the void? While some form of "action" constantly occurs throughout the album, Life Garden prefer to keep their music simple. Tribal percussion creates a mesmerizing foundation, one which rarely gets built upon. A myriad of instruments occasionally resonate throughout the alternate dimension manifested within the stereo of each listener. They produce a hallucinatory effect, chaotically exploding into the forefront one second, before dissipating a second later. Once combined with the chants of Su Ling, this transcends into a truly disturbing listening experience. Her voice is that of a schizophrenic; it contains whimsy counterbalanced by indescribable sorrow, an operatic cry juxtaposed by primal shrieks. A correlating set of contradictions surround this album: an underlying aura of aggression almost seeps throughout, yet it remains sparse, maybe too much so; this sparseness lends one to pigeonhole it as "meditative," yet the music is far too manic to transport a listener into any one desired mood. Lord Belial - _Enter the Moonlight Gate_ (No Fashion, Spring 1997) by: Drew Schinzel (9 out of 10) Lord Belial's debut album, _Kiss the Goat_, was received with mixed reviews by most; signs of brilliance occasionally shone through, but on the whole the majority of people considered it an average release, nothing spectacular. However, this time around it is a different story. Crushing melodic Swedish black metal. Those four words just about sum up Lord Belial's latest offering, _Enter the Moonlight Gate_. After you begin to hear the fast riffing which opens the album, you know you're in for a treat, and the remainder of the album definitely does not disappoint. Taking the main elements of the genre: acoustic interludes followed by buildup in energy, cleanly played melodies, and skilled musicians, Lord Belial has put together a release which should satisfy any fan of Dissection, Mork Gryning, and others of their ilk. That's not to say that this album is completely derivative, it does have some of its own original (or at least original to the genre) facets: some heavy riffing, outrageous and particularly Bethlehem-like vocals in one section, and a flute (also used on _KtG_). A flute? Don't worry, it's not used much, and when it -is- used, it's perfectly mixed in with the music and truly great. Also present in one song are very moderately used female vocals, but again, they are sparse (only in the closing moments, in this case) and well done. Of course, what would any black metal album be without cliched lyrics and song titles? Both are here, but neither matter very much. Let's review: Lord Belial, _Enter the Moonlight Gate_, awesome melodic black metal, highly recommended. My Dying Bride - _Like Gods of the Sun_ (Peaceville, 1996) by: Pedro Azevedo (10 out of 10) My Dying Bride are currently my favourite band in the world. I'd rate any of their four full-length albums 10/10. They're just unbelievable. They keep changing every year, but are still always great. Aaron's voice is still 100% clean, as in _The Angel and the Dark River_, so it seems like the grunting is over. After going lighter album after album, MDB inverted that by releasing an album that, while still being a doom album, like they said, rocks. _LGotS_ has much more of a metal feel to it than before. They maintain (or even increase) their brilliant use of violins and keyboards, adding much to the music. Aaron keeps his voice excellent, moody, deeply felt, almost weeping at times. The guitars are now much crunchier, heavier than before, and the drumming is nothing short of excellent. The production is near perfect. The tracks are mostly shorter than before, less epic, but the musical quality's all there. Tracks such as "A Kiss to Remember", "All Swept Away" or "For My Fallen Angel" are just excellent. All of the album's excellent, in fact. There's not one bad moment. My Dying Bride once again show their excellence, proving to be, in my opinion, the best band on the face of the Earth. Molested - _Stormvold_ (Repulse Records, September 1996) by: Adam Wasylyk (7 out of 10) From the hellish, foggy, corpse-painted depths of Norway come...... a death metal band!!??!! Touting themselves as "one of the most brutal and twisted death metal bands ever to hail from Norway," a good word to describe Molested in my opinion is "chaotic." The production on _Stormvold_ sounds loud and noisy, most likely done by the band on purpose to sound more brutal. Lots of blazing guitars and drums with deep death metal vocals. Starting off with the eerie riffing on "The Usurpers Winterblood", they go on with tracks like "Fogflames" and "Following the Growls". Fans of brutal death metal will like this MCD, but the production does take some getting used to. Monstrosity - _Millennium_ (Conquest Music, December 1996) by: Adam Wasylyk (7 out of 10) Tampa's Monstrosity have finally released their long awaited follow-up to _Imperial Doom_. _Millennium_ contains 10 tracks of well-played technical death metal, produced by death metal producer guru Scott Burns, which accounts for the good production. Songs like "Fatal Millennium", "Devious Instinct", "Fragments of Resolution", and "Mirrors of Reason" are good examples of how technical, fast, and heavy Monstrosity can get. This record also features the vox of George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher who is now in Cannibal Corpse. One listen to _Millennium_ will convince you that "Corpsegrinder" made a horrible mistake by leaving one of Florida's better death metal bands. [Personally, I'd give it a 9/10, this rules - Alain] Contact: Monstrosity, c/o Conquest Music 4195 South Tamiami Trail #190, Venice, FL, 34293, USA mailto:conqmusinc@aol.com Morgion - _Among Majestic Ruin_ (Relapse, December 1996) by: Drew Schinzel (9 out of 10) To those who didn't know (including myself before listening to this), Morgion plays strongly death metal-influenced doom. Guttural vocals and uptempoed sections occasionally come into play during the epic compositions, but for the most part, this is a fine doom metal offering, combining extremely heavy riffing at times with slow, majestic, keyboard-laden atmospheric flourishes. Morgion weave out five anguished offerings on this lengthy MCD, every one of them an amazement in itself, each one sorrowfully adept at proving that Morgion are an awesome band and deserve more recognition than they currently garner (maybe Relapse should stop promoting Amorphis and Neurosis so much?). Even though every song is fantastic, I actually almost gave this album an 8.5, but the third song is just so completely awe-inspiring that anything other than a 9 would be a "Travesty". Some might consider this review a bit too short... but when you're talking about _Among Majestic Ruin_, there's no need to mince words: you owe it to youself to get it immediately. Mortician - _Hacked Up for Barbecue_ (Relapse, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) I have never been a fan of Mortician and I still continue to feel the same way about the band and the music the duo Will Rahmer (bass/vocals) and Roger Beaujard (guitar/drum programming) create. Sort of. While I was not a fan of 1996's _House by the Cemetary_, there is something intriguing and kind of interesting about the twenty-four songs and numerous samples used on their sophomore album, _Hacked Up For Barbecue_, especially the FUCKIN' CREEPY intro sample of "Bloodcraving". Rahmer is a horror/slasher film aficionado and that love of demented tales and visions when coupled with savage riffs, deep guttural vocals and low-tuned bursts of intensity make the music powerful and crafty. Songs to crank loud: title track, "Fog of Death", and "Necrocannibal". The only downside to this album, as with most Mortician records, is that the album radiates a very similar sound and style throughout. It's fast and it's utterly disgusting at times. A sick nightmare brought to reality is what _HUfB_ seems to have shaped itself into. Brilliantly executed, yet sickly demented. Murder Corporation - _Blood Revolution 2050_ by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Repulse Records, November 1996) Five songs only on this here EP, but five songs of sheer powerful death metal. Made up of ex-members of death metal outfits Deranged and Mega-Slaughter, the latest band to surface from Sweden is worthy of a listen. Supported by complex and quick-riffed guitar solos, harsh growls and pure intensity, Murder Corporation plow through the five songs like a runaway freight train. Loud and dominant vocalist Jens Johansson leads the way with some heavy growls that'll make anyone uneasy at least once while hearing this album. All the songs on _BR2050_ are great, especially the violently power-packed crunch of "Point Blank Range". With just enough material to cover a bit more than sixteen minutes, Murder Corporation's debut will make anyone into them wait around for a second release. I'm willing to wait. My Only Victim - _No Voice, No Rights, No Freedom_ by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10) (Century Media, January 1997) Much like the other forms of hardcore/metal material surfacing from Century Media (i.e. Stuck Mojo, Turmoil, and Hostility), Louisville, Kentucky quintet My Only Victim mix and match music styles, melding together both hardcore and metal music. The five-piece band released their well-received debut album (_Burning Inside_) in 1995 and now two years later, after many touring dates in the US and in Europe, the band returns in 1997 with their sophomore record _No Voice, No Rights, No Freedom_. _NVNRNF_ is a full-throttle stomp of harshness and energetic and mayhem that scatters throughout eleven songs but as I hear this record more and more I am lost by the somewhat stale (boring? repetitive?) hardcore sounds the band has keyed in on with the record. The record is raw sounding and supplies ample amounts of ferociousness and raw power ("Unjustified," "Walls Apart", and "Cornered".) but there seems to be something lacking. Not to say the band lacks any form or originality or creativity, I just feel that _NRNVNF_ doesn't quite deliver up to the momentum and adrenaline rush that bands like Turmoil or Stuck Mojo do with their crossover techniques. Just my point of view as I see this effort lacking something. Necromass - _Abyss Calls Life_ (Dracma Records, 1996) by: Andrew Lewandowski (7 out of 10) Talent is required to intertwine unconventional elements into an extreme metal context, a talent which alludes many contemporary practitioners of "avant garde" metal. Many of the black and death metal scene's supposedly creative acts are simply unable to balance originality and extremity; bands either become muddled in their impotent attempts at technical superiority, or create a mask of varied instrumentation to obscure utterly simplistic song structures. All emotional content appears overly prefabricated as the music screams "pretentious" instead of "poetic." For the most part, Necromass' hybrid of death and doom metal side steps this black abyss. Although, some sections do not work; the choral passages are far more irksome than ethereal, and the meandering guitar solos (the second track, "Vibrations of Burning Splendor", contains one that lasts for a minute) are too obtrusive. Some tracks, especially the grand finale "Before to Obsess," sound a bit overblown. Worst of all, the Necromass vocalist calls himself Charles Blasphemy (on a less superficial level, he possesses a nice, guttural roar) and their rhythm guitarist goes by the name of Nachzerehrmara. When will these bands realize that every name used after "Dead" and "Euronymous" can only be superfluous? Back to the music: the riffing patterns are dynamic although still somewhat repetitive, yet from this repetition arises an effective tone of melancholy. The songs slash their way into one's skin before settling somewhere in the most sullen depths of the soul. The somber images evoked are fairly reminiscent of those created by Katatonia; in fact, the music bears a close resemblance to a more lively version of Katatonia. The addition of acoustic guitars are more effective within the context of a Necromass track than in many of their peers, and the surprisingly violent drumming (a remnant from their less sedate debut on Unisound) is a reminder that this is still a death metal band. Although Necromass fall victim to some of the usual problems, _Abyss Calls Life_ showcases creativity without neglecting to create interesting songs. Nightstick - _Blotter_ (Relapse Records, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) Let me give you some insight on Nightstick and then you decide if you want to listen to it: Acid. Feedback. Padoinka the clown serving as member and as stage prop. Heavy riffs. Ex-con serving as a member. Samples. Distorted vocals. Answering machine message sampled. Psychedelic music. Intense screams. Cool song titles ("Fellating the Dying Christ"). Massachusetts natives. Relapse act. They know Anal Cunt. Cool quote in bio ("I wanted to find new ways to be heavy..."). Decided yet? Well all that has to be said about this band is that this is one fucked-up bunch of musicians, coming together to create noise... er... music. It's a great job isn't it? Have fun and drop a blotter. :) Puissance - _Let Us Lead_ (Cold Meat Industries, Fall 1996) by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) Acting as the soundtrack to the awful atrocities of a war and human suffering, Puissance's _Let Us Lead_ is a true testimonial of the frightening world that we live in and the reality that many of us must face on a daily basis. War and suffering are the main focus of _LUL_. Surfacing on the ultra-cool label Cold Meat Industries, Puissance's album is not something that many metal fans might pick up on as it serves more as a tool of understanding rather than a fixed voice and outlet of aggressive and angry music/lyrics. To best describe the music I would classify it as noise/industrial/classic. More symphonic and eerie sounding opposed to brash and lethal injections of riffs and growls, _LUL_ follows a pattern of intensity through mood swings and emotions. My only complaint with _LUL_ is that the album strays too far away from a focused view/direction of music and as well sometimes the long songs seem to lose the listener. Not much to complain about and overall a great listen for those that are into epic song structures and classical music. Revelation - _Frozen Masque_ (Independent, January 1997) by: Drew Schinzel (8 out of 10) Back with their fifth release in six years, Revelation take a turn towards the heavier, more condensed side and leave behind the plodding, lengthy compositions of 1994's _...Yet So Far_ album. Picking up on what hurt _YSF_, Revelation remain definitively in the slow doomy genre, but this time the production helps things quite a bit and the songs are noticeably more aggressive and heavy, while remaining melodic. Perhaps the only thing that can be held against this release is that the melodies and riffs could maybe be developed a bit more - they often just kind of hang around, without being fully taken advantage of. That said, however, there is plenty to be happy about with _Frozen Masque_. As mentioned, heaviness abounds, and the guitars have a solid "in your face" feel; in addition, the clean vocals are well-performed and fit this sort of music perfectly. It would be difficult to adequately follow-up the terrific _...Yet So Far_, but Revelation have done so, admirably. Sentenced - _Down_ (Century Media, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) Managing to shapeshift its sound and direction over the last few releases (_North From Here_ in 1993 and 1994's _Amok_) Finnish metallers Sentenced return to the new year with their exceptional and stunning release, _Down_. Much different than past incarnations of their extreme and black style metal music, _Down_ signifies the changing of the band - in sound and members. Gone is longtime singer Taneli Jarva and in comes new singer Vile Laihaila, an addition to the band that helps produce some memorable song arrangements and allows a comforting yet powerful onslaught of vocal styles. Lost to some extent is the rather harsh elements of the bands music (i.e. hard riffs, growls) and in return comes a rather smooth array of rock n' roll infested material. The technical and dark elements of the band are still present, which allows us still to be intrigued by the way the band assembles their music and the way it has been worked on in the studio. While much different than the material the band brought forth on their debut album (_Shadows of the Past_), I can honestly say that I was not at all disappointed with Sentenced's latest effort. It grows on you. Standouts: "Keep My Grave Open", "Ode to the End", and "Crumbling Down (Give Up Hope)". Slightly Miffed - _Puzzled?_ (Slightly Fishy Records, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) Once you get past the brilliant, funny, and time consuming packaging of England's Slightly Miffed debut CD _Puzzled?_ (not to mention their amazing website, http://www.miffed.com/) the music is quite funny and enjoyable as well. Slapstick humor, funny samples, and odd arrangements make up this debut album by the energetic four-piece. The music of the band can be best described as "Monty Python meets metal." Case in point, song titles like "Bingo", "Cheesefish", and "User Friendly". I know some of you are shaking your heads, but this is rather entertaining and interesting. While the band is talented enough to arrange and create the metallic riffs and other material, it is the jokes and humor that keeps this baby afloat. Original and funny, British metal just sat on a "Whoopie Cushion." Fourteen songs that'll make you laugh and bang your head at the same time. Weird but enjoyable. Soma - _The Inner Cinema_ (Extreme Records, November 1996) by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) I would give this record a ten, but then that would require everyone to drop what they are doing and go out and buy it. This is one of the best ambient/noise/extreme records I have ever heard. Before purchasing this record at a used CD store, I had never heard of the band. Now I want all their material. Floating with mind-altering sounds and visions, Soma's material takes on a life of its own as it slowly picks up momentum and grabs hold of the listener with numbers like "Stygian Vista", "Baal", "Rise from Agartha", and "Endless". We are whisked away into an imaginative piece of space and time that has Soma's material being the theme music. Flavored with keyboards, jazz, industrial, and multiple noise effects, Soma's _TIC_ cuts and pastes onto a blackboard for us the making of an acid dropper's awesome trip - even possibly envisioning a good high. This is mind music. To sum this album up into one description: a pleasantly sedate voyage into one's mind. Awesome. Strapping Young Lad - _City_ (Century Media, January 1997) by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) The follow-up to 1995's _Heavy as a Real Heavy Thing_, entitled _City_, is one "ball-busting-rip-roarin'-intensified-muthafucker" of a ride. Unlike the grinding groove bestowed on _HaaRHT_, _City_'s material is ten-fold heavier and ten-fold more sinister. Lashing out at break-neck speed and coated with some of the coolest rushes of momentum and anger I have heard in some time, _City_ never rests. >From opener "Velvet Kevorkian" onto "Oh My Fucking God" and "Home Nucleonics", singer/producer/mastermind Devin Townsend leads a fantastic charge of creativity. While _HaaRHT_ was the stepping stone for Townsend to break away from previous work with Steve Vai, The Wildhearts, and g//z/r, and be more creative and intense vocally and material-wise, this album sets the direction where Townsend obviously feels comfortable and where he should be. This is a very extreme sounding record with innovative ideas and sounds, as well being able to combine elements of Frontline Assembly, Ministry and a slew of technical ideas. Living it loud and proud, Townsend takes SYL one step further into the mind of a madman. At 39:40 minutes (nine songs), it's short, but enough for one sitting. Trust me. Tchort & The Family Mantis - _Nightside of Eden_ by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) (Independent, October 1996) I may be going out on a limb by saying this, I may be right or I may be wrong, hell even Gino may agree with me - who knows? But the fact of the matter is that Toronto doom metal act Tchort & the Family Mantis' debut CD, _Nightside of Eden_, may just be the record that England's Cathedral should have made this year. Anyone hate me yet? [Cathedral sucks, Tchort rules - Alain] While I may be a big Cathedral fan, and I love the new record _Supernatural Birth Machine_, I find that the new sound of Cathedral lacks the stomp and forceful grind that earlier releases like _The Ethereal Mirror_ or EP _Cosmic Requiem_ had. Listen to the monstrous Black Sabbath/Cathedral riffs of opener "Tantric Dream Fish" and you are already in heaven. Thick, rough exteriored and downright abrasive, the 10-song album (made up of six new songs and four from their 1995 demo _Ace of Shrooms_) sounds amazing due to many key ingredients: 1) singer/guitarist Eric Coucke's raspy snarls, 2) guitarist Les Godfrey's killer riffs and 3) producer Rob Sanzo's (Mundane/Solus) help. _NoE_ is not only a strong-riffed concoction of songs, but also a psychedelic ride of sorts into the world of Tchort, a world that believes deeply in one's imagination taking control. Get fried with "Fly Agaric", "Godeater"or the cool "Wonderland War March", or subdued by the rather potent "Satan Love Boogie". Either stoned or sober (the first choice more likely to gain odder results), there is no doubt in my mind that Tchort's _NoE_ is one of the brightest debut albums I have heard in a while. Get down and dirty with Tchort - you'll love it. Theatre of Tragedy - _Velvet Darkness They Fear_ by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) (Massacre Records, 1996) I expected a lot from Theatre of Tragedy after their self-titled debut, and they didn't disappoint me. This Norwegian 7-piece melodic, classical-influenced doom band still features the best female singer in the world, Liv Kristine Espenaes, which is a guarantee of excellence. Raymond's grunts are as good as ever, and he now uses clean voice once in a while. The melodies are as excellent as before, with Raymond's grunts, together with some well-placed powerful guitar parts, assure the powerful edge we all like to complement the melodies. Therefore, they haven't changed much since their debut, as they have kept all their main characteristics. This album represents a slight improvement over their excellent debut, at least in what concerns some aspects of production. I can't decide whether I like this one better than their debut or not. Maybe the debut's melodies were just a tiny little bit better sometimes, maybe this one has a slightly better planning involved. two great albums, that's all. Perhaps the only reason why they're not getting a 10 score is because they haven't shown nearly any improvement over their debut. The vocals are still the most remarkable part of the music, but it's due to their combination with the excellent classically-influenced instruments and the very good melodies. This is just one of those bands where everything seems to fit right in, nothing seems out of place, not even the excellent, beautiful digi-pak, possibly the best digi-pak I have ever seen. One of the top five albums of the year, no doubt. Excellent. Throne of Ahaz - _On Twilight Enthroned_ by: Drew Schinzel (6 out of 10) (No Fashion, December 1997) Don't buy the latest Throne of Ahaz album looking for surprises, because you won't find any. The material found within _On Twilight Enthroned_ has been done by other bands a thousand times before, and perhaps better. That said, _OTE_ isn't exactly a bad album, it's got its own high points (and its share of low points), and is overall fairly enjoyable, but nothing groundbreaking nor terribly interesting. This is aggressive black metal (but what black metal -isn't- aggressive, for that matter...), but not overtly melodic like most other bands on No Fashion. One of the main things that hurt this album is probably the production. High on the bass drum (just try and pick out the snare during the fast parts), and low on guitar, the production does nothing for this release. Still on the production theme, the vocals have a slight echo/reverb effect added to them, and have some kind of strange sound to them, like they were overly engineered/produced (of course this may or may not be the case). The melodies set forth by Throne of Ahaz are all pretty basic, nothing complex or mind-boggling, but even with the knowledge in mind that they weren't supposed to be complex, they aren't much to listen to. In addition, maybe as a by-product of their simplistic approach, ToA have somewhat of an "old school" feel at times; nothing as obvious as, say, Deathwitch, but evident nonetheless. I hate to end this by calling _On Twilight Enthroned_ generic, but it's difficult to avoid. Vader - _De Profundis_ (Conquest Music/System Shock, 1996) by: Alain M. Gaudrault (10 out of 10) Conquest has once more done justice to a high quality death act by domestically releasing Vader's (the first Eastern-bloc metal band ever to be signed to a Western label, according to the press release) follow-up full length to 1992's well-received _The Ultimate Incantation_. Although officially released in 1995, North American distribution has been problematic for the band since being dropped from their original label, Earache (Fools! Dig, stop following sonic trends and start giving metal the attention it deserves once more.) The Polish quartet has recorded a mesmerizing album, still highly influenced by Morbid Angel, although more focused and less experimental than MA, borrowing early Slayer ideas, and producing a distinct sound that often evokes greater aural impact than their American counterparts. While not as chaotic nor as intent on speed as the debut, _De Profundis_ manages to improve on their twin guitar approach, displaying more inventive and harmonically complex passages, delivered with precision and conviction. If you liked the actual songs on the _Sothis_ EP (minus the Black Sabbath cover), I'm convinced you'll be listening to _DP_ for some time after purchase. Most instruments are played impeccably, with bass being too low in the mix to tell either way. The band's production is top notch, giving them a very full, thick sound, mixing the vocals in at just the right level to render them more of an instrument on par with the others, while still permitting them to be distinguishable. Slightly reminiscent of Nicke Andersson's _Clandestine_ work, Piotr Wiwczarek (who also plays guitar and writes all the music) does enough damage with his throat without being entirely incomprehensible, and avoids becoming disjoint from the music, meshing perfectly with it and accentuating the highs and lows of the pieces as they flow along. The low point of the album is easily the closing cover of Depeche Mode's "I Feel You", a bonus track not appearing on the European release. After fourty minutes of blistering, bone-chilling death, this lightweight track sounds entirely out of place and far too mainstream, even with Vader's attempts to beef up the song. Personally, I don't consider this track to be a part of the original album (I've had a copy of the European pressing long before receiving the domestic promo), which is why I'm not letting it affect my perfect rating. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __ __ _ /\ \ \_____ __ /\ \ \___ (_)___ ___ / \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \ / /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/ \_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___| Your best source of information on the newest of the new, and the deepest of the underground, New Noise is the place to read about all the coolest shit you never thought existed! And if you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo with a bio if you want to be reviewed; our address is included in the zine's header. Scoring: ***** -- I see a record deal in the future **** -- Great piece of work *** -- Good effort ** -- A major overhaul is in order * -- A career change is advisable Abel & Cain - _Hands Off Cain_ (4-track demo) by: Brian Meloon (***--) Abel & Cain hail from Catania, Italy, and play a progressive metal style that isn't exactly unique, but isn't a direct copy of any band. In their style, I can hear traces of many different bands, such as Iron Maiden (middle-era), Leviathan, and fellow Italians Black Jester (especially in "Lights in the Dark"), as well as many others, most of whom don't come to mind off the top of my head. The fact that each of the songs on the demo are different from each other (due partly to the fact that three of the songs were written by three different band members) adds to this plethora of similarities, and makes this demo more diverse. In general, their ideas are good and their compositions are involved, yet have reasonably good song flow; but a few of the transitions sound forced, and some of the riffs are so dated that they sound out of place. In addition, the production is a little faded, which adds to the dated feel. The playing is generally good, but they aren't as tight as they could be. The guitar solos are my biggest complaint, as they aren't very interesting, and generally sound thin and cheap. My favorite parts are the clean (almost jazzy) sections, such as the one which saves "Holywar". Judging from the growth demonstrated from the earlier songs on the tape to the later ones, these guys appear to be on the right path, but just need a little time. Contact: Abel & Cain, c/o Davide Arico Via V. Brancati 38, 95030 Gravina di Catania, Sicilia, ITALIA mailto:davidea@lineup.it Ember - _Within the Realm of the Snowqueen_ (3-track demo) by: Steve Hoeltzel (*****) No lie: these guys have packed more pure, grim power into this nine-minute, three-track demo than many better-known bands can manage to put on a full length CD. Hailing from Illinois, Ember play no-frills, mean black metal, and their style of delivery is so impressively ferocious that their music comes across with real blistering intensity. Mourngrym's guitar tone is thick, loud, and distorted, much heavier than the standard black metal string sound. And the vocals! Peter's vox are in the upper mid-range, transforming the typical black metal rasping into an agonized yell that just seethes with rage. The band has a totally solid, dynamic rhythm section, too. (Bassist Allen and drummer Abbas have since taken over for Chris and James, who perform on this recording.) The songs - "Dance of the Ancients", "Forever Beautiful", and "The Serpent Fallen" - are brief but action-packed, containing well-timed changes and numerous cool riffs, some in the die-hard, black metal vein, others with more of an old school feel. Great stuff. I believe this demo is becoming fairly scarce, but I'd say it's definitely worth the effort to track it down if you're interested. The band has been featured on a couple of compilations since this first started making the rounds, and apparently they currently have a 7-inch EP in the works, which I can't wait to hear. Watch for that, and in the meantime, check out their well-done web site at the URL listed below. Contact: EMBER, P.O. Box 2177, Darien, IL, 60561, USA mailto:pmlot@orion.it.luc.edu http://www.xnet.com/~odin/ember.html Hematovore - _Ways of the 8-Footed_ (8-track demo) by: Adrian Bromley (***--) Odd. Weird. Choice words to describe the music of all-instrumental outfit Hematovore. And because of that odd and weird feeling pulsating from the band's 8-song release, I found it very hard to actually get into the music. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the songs are very long-winded and derivative too. Musically, the band moves from an aggressive guitar riff style (very metallic at times) onto a more laid-back stance when creating the long song structures. I hear a lot of old thrash/death metal influences (Carcass/Death/Overkill) in the material on _Wot8F_ and a lot of creative ideas are brought into the album, much like how any progressive metal band would bring intricate guitar solos and alternate song structures into a recorded piece. Add some samples and you pretty much got it. While not the best demo I have heard, Hematovore's release is interesting. Contact: HEMATOVORE, c/o Inbred Produktions 1022 McKinley Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, USA mailto:ratanda@eng.auburn.edu mailto:uertzjl@mail.auburn.edu Moozzhead/Family Harsh Noise Experimentation (split demo) -- _Perversioita Z-Mollissa_ (1-track/7-tracks) by: Adrian Bromley (****-/***--) A double dose of demo material (a split demo) here from two very different solo projects from two opposite parts of the world: FHNE from California (USA) and Moozzhead from Finland. From Finland comes the ambient/noise project of Moozzhead, a masterful one-song performance called "Ad Nauseam" - a song that plays out long ear-bleeding noise distortions for roughly half an hour. During that half hour display comes multiple spurts of intensity and passion, as well as lulls in the noise, and as its ambient/noise moves and scratches its way, it reaches ear-popping capability. My ears popped - I swear! Noise enthusiasts be on the lookout. This is intense. Onto side two and we are faced with multiple styles of sound offered by FHNE. Notable sound styles used within the seven tracks include death metal riffs and growls, gothic sounds, ambient and noise creations. I found it hard to actually get into the groove FHNE provided us with as some of the songs (maybe the styles?) don't seem to match or gel together quite well. The noise/ambient stuff manages to sound the best offered to us, but still there are a few notable picks from the lot i.e. "Cacophony/Tantrum", "Sickness", and "Shredded Flesh". A great split demo to check out if you really are looking for obscure creations in the noise/ambient music genre. Contact: Moozzhead, c/o Oskari Mertalo Uusitie 4, 01300 Vantaa, Finland Family Harsh Noise Experimentation, c/o Bill Sannwald 3538 Paseo Salamoner, La Mesa, California, USA NDE - _Falling_ (11-track demo) by: Adam Wasylyk (***--) Ohio's NDE (which stands for Near Death Experience) on their self-produced CD play heavily Pantera-influenced metal with heavy riffs and the occasional thrash beat. Their guitar sound very much reminded me of Righteous Pigs in terms of their production sound, while the actual riffing reminded me of Pantera (the opening riff of "Angry Song" reeks of them!). The vocals of Bob Reinard sound like a harsher Phil Anselmo, which are accompanied by the rare death growl. The songs "Stench" and "No Tomorrow" were my favorites while most of the other tracks sounded too much like someone else other than NDE. The CD layout is one of the more professional ones I've seen, done as well as some major labels. Having played with bands like Crisis, Incantation, Stuck Mojo, and Cannibal Corpse, it shows that the band have worked on getting their name out to metal fans in their area. Now it's time that NDE work on writing more original material, as what is evidenced on "Falling" sounds too close to a thrash metal version of Pantera. Contact: NDE, P.O. Box 2297, Streetsboro, OH, 44241, USA Rotting - _demo_ (6-track demo) by: Adrian Bromley (****-) Following up the band's well-received first demo _Drown in Rotting Flesh_ (1995), Newmarket, Ontario death metallers Rotting return with one hell of a wallop. Packaged tightly into this six-song demo is an abrasive and collective force of metallic mayhem. Spewed forth upon us by opener "Sexually Tortured", the band's latest release edges more towards a brutal take on death metal than their last offering. Singer Korey Arnold's vocals have become more strengthened over time and the riffs and pummeling rhythm section seem to be on full throttle. The band still maintains their Cannibal Corpse/Carcass-like sound, thanks to Arnold's guttural spats and guitarist Jeff White's forceful riffs. The thing that makes this demo work for the band is the fact that nothing of Rotting's fast-riffed music style and sound was lost with the recording, and while the beats may be delivered at breakneck speed, they are clear and cohesive - a sign of good production. Another thing that makes this release is the congruency and flow that the songs have with one another. Also proving to have not lost any ideas over the time between recordings, Rotting delivers solid efforts like "Christian Castration" and "Unholy Penetration" with this demo. While Ontario, Canada may be behind in the metal department, at least there are bands like Rotting and Solus (Toronto) making every move to keeping a style of music alive and well. Like Solus' _Slave of Mind_ release, this demo is also worthy of getting a hold of. Contact: ROTTING, c/o Korey Arnold 58 Roxborough Rd., Newmarket Ont., L3Y 3K9, Canada voice: (905) 830-4016 Soriben - _Senor de Luz_ (7-track demo) by: Pedro Azevedo (****-) Soriben are a very young band from Seville, Spain, their ages varying from 17 to 19, plus a 14(!)-year old (talented) keyboardist. There's two things I really like about this 6-piece band: their choice of style being melodic doom/death, and the fact that they are self-confident and have enough skill to back it up. Their opening track sets the mood for this 29-minute long demo tape, serving as a good example of the band's music. They work a lot around good keyboard/guitar melodies, while joining some funeral dirge guitars at times, all with very good drumming and bass playing, and some very interesting vocals. It's all sung in Spanish, using death vox, but it's like he speaks out poetry instead of just grunting... good. The second track shows some faster parts, in which the band seems to stay together remarkably well, making those parts sound pretty good. The third track is softer, mostly melodic and sung in clean vox, featuring some good melodic ideas. Fourth track is an instrumental mix of an excellent drum/bass solo (both performed brilliantly) and a very well-played keyboard piece of Bach(!). Track five reminded me of early Anathema, with some strong rhythms, and track six is possibly the best, featuring some superb melodies which really get into you. Great stuff. Finally, track seven is a keyboard instrumental which is based around a requiem sound, using funereal organs to create a very depressive, yet highly interesting, finish for the demo tape. By now you're probably asking why I haven't rated them 5/5 instead... well, this is their first demo tape and shows a lot of promise, but their next demo tape (coming up) must still show some improvement, namely slightly better songwriting (longer, more involved song structures), and they must become a little bit more... professional, I think. They have some excellent ideas, good taste in music, and are all good players (although some of the high-pitched guitar parts still need a bit more work). This is definitely a band to watch for, as I believe they will get a record deal if they keep working like this and showing so much skill. Great effort. Keep it up, guys!! Contact: SORIBEN, c/o Manuel Ponce de Leon, Urb. Jardin Atalaya, Bl. 2, 6 A. 41900 Camas, Sevilla, SPAIN mailto:manuel.ponce-de-leon@cs.us.es =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ____ __ __ /\ _`\ /\ \ /\ \__ __ \ \ \/\_\\ \ \___ __ ___\ \ ,_\/\_\ ___ \ \ \/_/_\ \ _ `\ /'__`\ / __`\ \ \/\/\ \ /'___\ \ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/ \ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/ ____ __ /\ _`\ /\ \__ \ \ \/\_\ ___ ___ ___ __ _ __\ \ ,_\ ____ \ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\ \ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\ \ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/ \/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/ Here is where Chronicles of Chaos gives you the lowdown on the latest shows coming your way. Check out Chaotic Concerts every month for the scoop on the bands brutalizing the masses with their own form of terror. T H E P R I N C I P L E O F E V I L I N E N G L A N D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cradle of Filth at the London Astoria 2 December 13, 1996 with Dominion and 13 Candles by: Ali Jaffary The Queen of England, Stonehenge, Madame Tussads, Cradle of Filth, what do all these have in common? I think you've guessed it by now. Perhaps England's most controversial group, Cradle of Filth were headlining at the London Astoria 2 on this Saturday night. Having arrived from Chicago around 7:00 at London Heathrow Airport the same day, I was informed that this show was the following Monday. However, that was not the case and further, Opeth had been the supporting act for CoF on a recent tour but unfortunately weren't on the bill. Despite that, it did not stop us from seeing this 6-piece actually play live. After getting by a hard struggle for a ride, I managed to appear at the Astoria by 20:00. The opening band had already passed so all that was left to see was the middle of Dominion's set and CoF. For all those not familiar with Dominion, they are a local 5-piece from the U.K. area with a female singer handling most of the vocals trading off with the frontman guitarist. Musically, they are a mix of _The Gathering_ with a _Pantera_ feel. There seemed to be a nice response to their efforts from the crowd although most were hungry for the main act. At times, I noticed the female singer to be a bit off with the high notes of the guitar which did crack me up a bit, but I had to clap for the humour of it. Personally, I don't think this band would manage to draw a large crowd and certainly would not fit to support for a huge act. After a few walks around the club and a 30-minute wait, all the 600+ fans and I had awaited for the moment of the night. Like all other shows, the lights were turned off and out came a nice keyboard piece for an intro. The stage presence was great - a nice CoF banner held atop for everyone to stare at and of course, who can forget the corpsepaint? The bassist even had a nice robe to show himself off. I cannot recall their set off hand, but I do remember them covering most of the songs off their new album _Dusk... and Her Embrace_. Also, most of the songs from "Vempire" were played along with the classics from _TPOEMF_ such as "To Eve the Art of Witchcraft" (the closing song) and the title track (funny thing about this is they started with Slayer's "Hell Awaits" for about 2 minutes then broke off into their song). And finally to end this set was a nice guitar bashing from Stuart which gave the crowd and nice roar. Overall, this show was impressive. The sound, lighting, props, etc... was of the best I've seen in '96. My eyes and ears were glued to the stage pretty much the whole show and I'm sure every person at the show had the same view. Be sure to check this band out if they are in your area. Two thumbs up!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gino's Top 5 1. Korn - _Life Is Peachy_ 2. Pitch Shifter - _Infotainment?_ 3. Mundane - _Seed_ 4. The Chemical Brothers - _Exit Planet Dust_ 5. Cradle of Filth - _The Principle of Evil Made Flesh_ Adrian's Top 5 1. D.O.A. - _New York City Speedcore_ 2. Acid Bath - _Paegan Terrorism Tactics_ 3. Mortician - _Hacked Up For Barbecue_ 4. Ozzy Ozbourne - _Bark At The Moon_ 5. My Dying Bride - _Like Gods Of The Sun_ Brian's Top 5 1. Altura - _Mercy_ 2. Cadaver - _In Pains_ 3. Naked City - _Torture Garden_ 4. Cradle of Filth - _Dusk and Her Embrace_ 5. Meshuggah - _Destroy, Erase, Improve_ Alain's Top 5 1. Cryptopsy - _None So Vile_ 2. Dark Funeral - _The Secrets of the Black Arts_ 3. Quo Vadis - _Forever..._ 4. Vader - _De Profundis_ 5. Summertime Daisies - _The Clarity of Impurity_ Steve's Top 5 1. Summoning - _Dol Guldur_ 2. Behemoth - _Grom_ 3. Ember - _Within the Realm of the Snowqueen_ 4. Various - _A Storm of Drones_ 5. Sinister - _Bastard Saints_ Adam's Top 5 1. The Dreamside - _Nuda Veritas_ 2. My Dying Bride - _Like Gods of the Sun_ 3. Proscriptor - _The Venus Bellona_ 4. Cradle of Filth - Dusk...and her Embrace 5. Vader - _De Profundis_ Drew's Top 5 1. Dark Tranquillity - _Enter Suicidal Angels_ 2. Lord Belial - _Enter the Moonlight Gate_ 3. Cradle of Filth - _Dusk and Her Embrace_ 4. Deceased - _Fearless Undead Machines_ 5. In Flames - _Lunar Strain_ Andrew's Top 5 1. Dissecting Table - _Zigoku_ 2. Tormentor - _Anno Domini_ 3. Necromass - _Abyss Calls Life_ 4. Laibach - _Jesus Christ Superstar_ 5. My Dying Bride - _Like Gods Of The Sun Pedro's Top 5 1. Katatonia - _Dance of December Souls_ 2. The Blood Divine - _Awaken_ 3. My Dying Bride - _Like Gods of the Sun_ 4. Lux Occulta - _Forever Alone. Immortal._ 5. Cradle of Filth - _Dusk... and Her Embrace_ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E F I N A L W O R D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Until next time my friends, keep it loud, keep it heavy, don't give in and most of all, have a fucking good time! Catch you all next month -- Gino Filicetti =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #17 All contents copyright 1997 by individual creators of included work. All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.