_______ __ __ __ ___ | _ | |--.----.-----.-----|__.----| .-----.-----. .-----.' _| |. 1___| | _| _ | | | __| | -__|__ --| | _ | _| |. |___|__|__|__| |_____|__|__|__|____|__|_____|_____| |_____|__| |: 1 | |::.. . | `-------' _______ __ | _ | |--.---.-.-----.-----. |. 1___| | _ | _ |__ --| |. |___|__|__|___._|_____|_____| |: 1 | |::.. . | `-------' CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, Monday, June 3, 2003, Issue #62 http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com Co-Editor / Founder: Gino Filicetti Co-Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo Contributor: Adrian Bromley Contributor: Brian Meloon Contributor: Paul Schwarz Contributor: Aaron McKay Contributor: David Rocher Contributor: Matthias Noll Contributor: Alvin Wee Contributor: Chris Flaaten Contributor: Quentin Kalis Contributor: Xander Hoose Contributor: Adam Lineker Neophyte: Adrian Magers Neophyte: James Montague Neophyte: Jackie Smit Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at firstname.lastname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com. (e.g. Gino.Filicetti@ChroniclesOfChaos.com). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Issue #62 Contents, 6/3/2003 ---------------------------- * Albums -- 16 Piece Bucket - _Born to Be..._ -- 3rd - _3rd_ -- Amorphis - _Far From the Sun_ -- Anaal Nathrakh - _When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as it Has Sown_ -- Aurora - _Dead Electric Nightmares_ -- Bathory - _Nordland I_ -- Biohazard - _Kill or Be Killed_ -- Bloodshot - _Demons, Addictions & Confidence_ -- Cattle Decapitation - _To Serve Man_ -- Compos Mentis - _Fragments of a Withered Dream_ -- Cryptopsy - _None So Live_ -- Cult of Daath - _The Grand Torturers of Hell_ -- Darzamat - _Oniriad_ -- Dawn of Azazel - _Bloodforged Abdication_ -- Deranged - _Plainfield Cemetery_ -- Destroyer 666 - _Terror Abraxas_ -- Devin Townsend Band - _Accelerated Evolution_ -- Dying Fetus - _Stop at Nothing_ -- Dysrhythmia - _Pretest_ -- Ethereal - _The Dreams of Yearning_ -- Fragile Hollow - _Effete Mind_ -- Genocide Superstars - _III_ -- Godless North - _Summon the Age of Supremacy_ -- Grave - _Back From the Grave_ -- Griffar - _Of Witches and Celts_ -- Hanzel und Gretyl - _Uber Alles_ -- Illnath - _Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure_ -- Kaamos - _Kaamos_ -- Mindwild - _Mindwild Spirit_ -- Mr Barleycorn - _The Stendahl Syndrome_ -- Mykorrhiza - _Shattered Dreams_ -- Myrkskog - _Superior Massacre_ -- Naglfar - _Sheol_ -- Nartvind - _Until Their Ruin_ -- Nasum - _Helvete_ -- Opeth - _Deliverance_ -- Scepter - _Fucking Metal Motherfuckers_ -- Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_ -- Sepultura - _Roorback_ -- Show of Exaggeration - _Show of Exaggeration_ -- Soilwork - _Figure Number Five_ -- Somnus - _Through Creation's End_ -- Soulless - _Agony's Lament_ -- Tenhi - _Vare_ -- The Gathering - _Souvenirs_ -- The Mist and the Morning Dew - _The Mist and the Morning Dew_ -- The Monolith Deathcult - _The Apotheosis_ -- The True Frost - _Open the Portals to Darkness_ -- Tuska / Incriminated - _Ten Hail Marys_ -- Vargsang - _Call of the Nightwolves_ -- Various - _The Obsolete View_ -- Various - _Victory Through Total Domination: Compilation No. III_ -- Vital Remains - _Dechristianize_ -- Wastoid - _Say Your Prayers_ * Demos -- Cryonic - _Digital Encryption_ -- Decadence - _Theatre of Eclipse_ -- Feral Horde - _Demo 2002_ -- K-Again - _Ultraviolence_ -- Soultorn - _Masks_ -- The Amenta - _Mictlan_ * Gigs -- A Kingdom United -- Goth Club Destroyed by Death Metal Gods -- Damnation and a Monday Night -- Generation Armageddon Tour =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _, _, __, _,_ _, _ _, / \ | |_) | | |\/| (_ |~| | , |_) | | | | , ) ~ ~ ~~~ ~ `~' ~ ~ ~ Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed 9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended 7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities 5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters 3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into 0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs! 16 Piece Bucket - _Born to Be..._ (Devil Saint Productions , 2002) by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10) A fusion of heavy metal and old school punk reputedly forms the basis of 16 Piece Bucket's sound. (When I say "punk" I mean punk's second wave in the early eighties and certainly not contemporary punk, which is little more then inoffensive, watered down power pop for 15 year old wannabe rebels.) This is a somewhat optimistic view, as they tend very heavily towards the punk component of the equation, sounding little more than a slightly heavier and more aggressive version of Minor Threat or Black Flag. There are a few nods towards their metal heritage -- most notably through the inclusion of several guitar leads -- which are as popular in punk as in black metal. The production is acceptable though the drums do tend to sound hollow on occasion and the innate simplicity of punk does occasionally grate. But their songs do possess an inimitable energy and catchiness that mitigates their dubious metal heritage -- but are still likely to be of only limited interest to CoC readers. For those who enjoyed DRI's seminal debut, this may be of some interest, and if you have to buy a punk orientated CD, buy this one which at least has some attitude, unlike the watered down punk beloved by the prepubescent skateboarding vermin. Contact: strgworld@aol.com 3rd - _3rd_ (Independent, 2003) by: Xander Hoose (9.5 out of 10) The fact that it doesn't take fancy record deals to come up with an album that sounds tighter than fuck and manages to creep up to the first place in my playlist is thoroughly proven by 3rd. This Italian band has more or less managed to impress the hell out of the hardcore scene with this self-financed and self-titled follow-up to their debut MCD. In four songs (and a bonus track) they mix together the best elements of Machine Head and Sepultura with noisecore, yet way surpassing both mentioned bands in quality and inventiveness. "Unable", "Nothing Safe", "Mess" and "Something More Than Nothing" are all variations on alternating aggressive hammer-tight riffs with more melodic clean parts and different vocal styles. It's good to see a band that's not trying to walk the easy path and become the umpteenth 'new metal' band for a change. 3rd has more personality than most of the bands I've listened to lately, and a technical surgical precision to express themselves in such a way that they're bound to become the next big thing. Contact: http://www.3rdweb.it Amorphis - _Far From the Sun_ (Virgin, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 10) You may have already noticed that Amorphis' ratings in CoC have been steadily decreasing with every album: _Elegy_ got a 9, _Tuonela_ an 8, and more recently _Am Universum_ was awarded 7 out of 10. The first two Amorphis records, _The Karelian Isthmus_ and _Tales From the Thousand Lakes_, are also a 9 out of 10 in my books, both of them highly influential albums at the time of their release. The same can be said about the band's third record _Elegy_, another musical milestone. All three were excellent desspite the marked differences between each other. Unfortunately, the second half of Amorphis' career seems to consist exclusively of mildly pleasant but ultimately inconsequential albums that fail to leave much of a mark. While _Tuonela_ still retained some of the more endearing characteristics of its predecessor and remains a very decent album in the band's discography, _Am Universum_ received only minimum required spinning in my CD player for a review. The Finns' new effort and Virgin Records debut, _Far From the Sun_, is practically guaranteed to follow the same path towards oblivion upon completion of this review. Not a trace of metal is left in _FFtS_'s folk rock, and unfortunately hardly a trace of real emotion can be found either. Despite all the good musicianship that stops me from lowering the rating any further, _Far >From the Sun_ simply doesn't have any soul; it's bland and contrived where this band used to be brimming with creativity and feeling. There are a few redeeming bits, such as the second half of "God of Deception", but they are very sporadic. Even Pasi Koskinen's clean singing seems to have deteriorated rather than improved over time, as it remains relatively flat and lacklustre throughout compared to the band's much livelier past efforts. They got rid of _Am Universum_'s saxophone, but on the other hand the upbeat folk melodies occasionally veer dangerously towards the silly side of things this time around -- not that it never happened before, but this time it comes across as very annoying. The album as a whole isn't mind-numbingly bad, in spite of some of its tracks, but it is depressing to see this once great band 'evolving' step by step into musical irrelevance. After three classics in a row, I still found _Tuonela_ perfectly acceptable even by Amorphis' high standards; _Am Universum_ then left me rather doubtful of the band's future; and alas, _Far From the Sun_ has just dissipated those doubts. Contact: http://www.amorphis.net Anaal Nathrakh - _When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as it Has Sown_ by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10) (Mordgrimm, 2003) Anaal Nathrakh say that "humanity is cancer"; well, I'd certainly like to know what kind of corrosive, toxic fluid runs in these guys' veins. _When Fire Rains Down From the Sky..._ is the follow-up EP to the blistering _The Codex Necro_, but even though the intensity of their spiteful attack remains the same, the approach is somewhat different in places. Whether all of the changes found on _WFRDFtS..._ will continue to be a part of the Anaal Nathrakh sound in the future remains to be seen, though I'd wager most of them will. The fact is that this EP is more than simply a few leftovers from the previous album's recording sessions. Atilla Csihar (ex-Mayhem) contributes some vocals to this recording, though given the intensity of the vox on previous Anaal Nathrakh records I didn't see much point in this. The point was made clear on the final, title track, where Atilla uses his peculiar _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_ intonation. While I wouldn't count on Anaal Nathrakh insisting on this type of vocal approach in the future, most of the remaining novelties may well stick around. It's nothing hugely different apart from the Limbonic Art-ish chanting on the title track, mind you: just some guitar soloing and electronic noise touches, as Anaal Nathrakh continue to move away from the necro sound of old and into an equally raw and merciless, but more calculated, sonic attack. There's still all the grim insanity one has come to expect from the band's hyperblast black metal, but some riffs are worked differently, some extra touches added, the overall sound tweaked, and the result is a beast that continues to evolve with every release. Tracks such as "Never Fucking Again" make this nearly half hour long EP a more than adequate gap-filler until the next full-length. Contact: http://www.anaal-nathrakh.tk Aurora - _Dead Electric Nightmares_ (Intromental, 2002) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) Ever since this Danish band came from nowhere to blow me away with their superb _Devotion_, I've been eagerly awaiting a follow-up album. Unfortunately, Aurora had to face a series of problems with their label, and only managed to resurface in late 2002. To make things worse, it wasn't until recently that I finally got _Dead Electric Nightmares_, but at least their 2001 promo CD helped bridge that gap. So much so, in fact, that this new full-length includes all four songs demoed on that promo CD -- and what's more, they remain my favourite tracks on the album ("Metaphysical Electric", "Martyr of Life", "Two Dice and a Silent Disguise" and "Chains of God"), along with "New God Rising" and the doomy "Watching, Falling, Breathing". That really is the one thing that left me slightly concerned on _Dead Electric Nightmares_: the new songs, albeit very good, generally failed to top the older material on the album. In spite of this, I have no reason to doubt Aurora's future work will be at least as brilliant as their past achievements, which is saying a lot. Virtually every song (with the possible exception of "Jack") deserves its place in _DEN_, and the album remains a consistent affair throughout. Having said all this, I still haven't even started to describe what Aurora sound like; and truth be told, they are a difficult band to pigeonhole. Their eclectic style is mainly composed of Swedish melodic death metal with a powerful, modern, discretely technical sound. This is made all the more unique by the varying moods they employ (all the way between aggressive and introspective) and vocals that can range from sung to growled to shrieking. Without necessarily sounding weird or trying to come across as avant-garde, Aurora have a very refreshing and to some degree even unique style. Their riffs, melodies and drum patterns are indeed their own, rather than a more or less conscious rehash of someone else's -- which is an easy trap to fall into when you adhere very strictly to a given genre. Opeth, and Dark Tranquillity's _The Gallery_ are still the closest references I can come up with, but they're nonetheless rather distant ones most of the time. Not many people seem to know about Aurora, and these guys deserve exactly the opposite given their compositional and technical talent; so do yourself a favour and make sure you look into this band. Contact: http://www.aurora.ms Bathory - _Nordland I_ (Black Mark, 2002) by: Quentin Kalis (6 out of 10) Most CoC readers won't have any difficulty in naming at least one of Bathory's first six releases. But I imagine considerably fewer will be able to name later Bathory albums -- mainly because they simply do not compare in terms of both quality and innovation to seminal albums like _Bathory_ or _Hammerheart_. Sadly, this new album is not an improvement over more recent Bathory material. _Nordland I_ represents a return to his pioneering epic / Viking metal sound. This is a more reflective album, more so than his much-vaunted Viking trilogy, perhaps representing an older, more mature Quorthon. But it is also a considerably more placid and, let's face it, more boring album. If _Blood Fire Death_ was the soundtrack to an impending war, then if they existed, this would be the soundtrack for a retired, middle-aged Viking warrior. Evaluated without regard to previous Bathory releases this is acceptable, if incredibly average Viking metal. But in comparison to previous Bathory albums, this is an extremely poor release, failing to move me like _Hammerheart_ or _Blood Fire Death_. Elements and sound effects that were utilised to great effectiveness in earlier albums now seem trite and clichéd; no doubt the advent of Viking metal fuelled by Bathory's past releases have contributed to this sense of déjà vu. This is intended as the first part of a staggered double CD set; perhaps the second half will be better. With newer bands such as the underrated Moonsorrow and even Graveland releasing some good, even excellent albums, there is no need for sub-average truly epic Viking metal albums to flood the market, no matter what the past credentials of the artist may be. Biohazard - _Kill or Be Killed_ (SPV, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (5.5 out of 10) I'll admit that my expectations were perhaps unfairly high after being thoroughly blown away by the 'Hazard on their Eastpak resistance tour last year. Even taking this into account however, I find it hard to ignore the stench of underachievement wafting from their latest effort. The music may be heavier than 2001's _Uncivilization_, but the passion and conviction of _State of the World Address_ is nowhere to be found. Instead Biohazard have concocted a dull, by-the-numbers record that never seems to quite find direction. From the tedious doldrums of "Never Forgive, Never Forget" to the cliched mess that is "Hallowed Ground", _Kill or Be Killed_ is a massive let-down. Indeed were these the days of _Urban Discipline_, I doubt that many of the tracks on offer here would have even made it on to B-sides. Still, in the midst of overwhelming disappointment a few rays of light shine through -- were the rest of the album of the quality showcased by "Open Your Eyes" or "Penalty", that 5.5 you see above this review could easily have been a seven or an eight. When compared to Hatebreed or Snapcase's latest records though, _Kill or Be Killed_ is quite laughable. Bloodshot - _Demons, Addictions & Confidence_ (Independent, 2002) by: Adrian Magers (4 out of 10) Bloodshot play a sort of "violent groove" type of metal that definitely has its moments and shows tons of potential, but mars too many important elements. The vocals are awful, not due to poor execution but an annoying voice effect that, either utilized intentionally or as a result of sub-par mixing and recording, is featured for the duration of _Demons, Addictions & Confidence_. I hear elements of Nothingface, second album Machine Head, Overdose, and late Fear Factory, but unfortunately, Bloodshot doesn't even come close to living up to any of these bands (that is, if we disqualify new MH releases). They lack the diversity, the drive, and don't have a very natural flow to their sound. These flaws work against making them major contenders in this sub-genre. It's really hard to pinpoint exactly what this Las Vegas quintet is missing, but it's easily heard. Another gripe I had with Bloodshot is their shoddy presentation, complete with laughable artwork, uninspired lyrics, and dime-a-dozen themes. However, with experience and determination, Bloodshot could be pioneers in an area that is without major forces in the metal scene. Contact: http://www.bloodshotfans.com Cattle Decapitation - _To Serve Man_ (Metal Blade, 2002) by: Jackie Smit (6.5 out of 10) When you dub your band Cattle Decapitation, there tends to be little debate on your style of music. And so it is with Metal Blade's latest gore metal signing -- the ugly stepson of Broken Hope, Skinless et al, clinging with religious fervour to a tried and tested formula and never veering off its well-trodden path even in the slightest. There's the song titles (which, I am sure, were just a matter of time before they were going to be used by another gore band): "I Eat Your Skin", "Everyone Deserves to Die" and the brilliantly cheesy "Testicular Manslaughter" -- each track as devoid of surprise as it is of originality. There's the harmonic-drenched, technical Carcass-style riffing, and of course there's the thoroughly unintelligible, but highly entertaining death vocals, which would undoubtedly do Chris Barnes proud. Yet somehow Cattle Decapitation manage to (almost) pull it off. Sure, they were never going to be "the next big thing", but it's hard to resist the many hooks or the bizarrely catchy beats that are scattered over the course of the record. The sterling mix and production certainly don't do any harm either. When all is said and done, Cattle Decapitation unfortunately aren't much more than a slightly above-average death metal act, but at least they play the part with enough style to warrant the odd listen. Compos Mentis - _Fragments of a Withered Dream_ (Lost Disciple, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) Picking up from where they had left with their surprisingly good independently released debut EP _Quadrology of Sorrow_, Compos Mentis are unlikely to disappoint anyone who liked that EP with _Fragments of a Withered Dream_. Now signed to Lost Disciple and deservedly releasing a full-length album, these Danes have looked to develop their sound, build upon the foundations they had laid down with their EP, and come out with something that would begin to establish their name in the scene. Whether this particular release will achieve that remains to be seen, but it certainly does have a good deal of merit and promise for the future. Part Swedish melodic death, part blackened symphonic metal, Compos Mentis continue to balance the amount of melody in their sound with the anguished vocals to good effect. The guitar and keyboard interplay remains effective, busy enough if not overly complex, with atmospheric breaks and enough variation in pace and type of riffs to keep things interesting throughout. Compos Mentis manage to have a rather accessible sound without coming across as trendy or just ear candy. Much like Omnium Gatherum (another promising young band), their music has a good balance of melody and metallic edge, with a healthy dose of energy and talent on top to ensure a good final result. _Fragments of a Withered Dream_ is unlikely to be the crowning achievement of Compos Mentis' career, as they will surely be awarded plenty of opportunities to continue growing musically in the future; nevertheless, it is both a promising and worthwhile album in its own right. Contact: http://www.composmentis.dk Cryptopsy - _None So Live_ (Century Media, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (9.5 out of 10) Back in the mid-'90s, Cryptopsy were one of those very few bands that managed to maintain the role of innovators in the death metal scene -- through their 1994 debut _Blasphemy Made Flesh_ and especially the 1996 follow-up _None So Vile_. The sheer lunacy, brutality and extreme technicality, almost impossibly coupled with passages that were actually very catchy, made Cryptopsy really stand out from the death metal crowd. With Mike DiSalvo replacing Lord Worm on vocals and some more style changes, _Whisper Supremacy_ and _And Then You'll Beg_ alienated some old fans, but remain powerful testaments to the band's skill. _None So Live_ (and what a suitable title this is) deservedly focuses mostly on the band's _None So Vile_ era, while still covering their career quite well considering it only contains ten actual songs. Recorded in Montreal in June 2002, this live performance already features new vocalist Martin Lacroix. Fans awaiting his studio debut may be pleased to notice that Lacroix is neither exactly like Lord Worm nor Mike DiSalvo, but rather somewhere in between. Also worthy of notice is the fact that this live disc was mixed by Pierre Remillard, producer of every Cryptopsy album except their debut. The live set kicks off with the brilliant intro from _None So Vile_, followed by the same album's excellent opener "Crown of Horns". The album tour continues as the band visits the other three records in succession with "White Worms" (_Wisper Supremacy_), "We Bleed" (_And Then You'll Beg_) and "Open Face Surgery" (_Blasphemy Made Flesh_). Then it's back to _Whisper Supremacy_ for "Cold Hate, Warm Blood", followed by my personal favourite, "Phobophile", from _None So Vile_. Then comes "Shroud" from _And Then You'll Beg_ and "Graves of the Fathers" from _None So Vile_, which includes a near four minute drum solo midway through. The disc then finishes with "Defenestration" from _Blasphemy Made Flesh_ and "Slit Your Guts" from _None So Vile_. In other words, you get four tracks from _None So Vile_ and a couple from each of the other three records. There is very little I can think of to improve this set list other than add a couple more songs -- which might end up doing more harm than good anyway, especially if they had to be taken from a different show. As for the recording itself, the sound quality is good, but not so good that it sounds like a studio album; and the playing is tight, but not always so tight that it sounds like some sort of cleaning up took place. I cannot guess exactly what happened between the original recording and the finished product, but to me it doesn't come across as artificially good. The performers, on the other hand, are of the highest calibre -- above all, unsurprisingly, Cryptopsy's unbelievable drummer Flo Mounier, quite possibly the best drummer in the metal world. His drum solo helps cement that claim, but just hearing his performance throughout the show goes a long way to proving it. (Never having been to a Cryptopsy show myself, I can only imagine his arms flying all over the kit.) The other band members are in top shape as well, with new vocalist Lacroix putting in a very convincing performance. The guitar work is excellent, even if occasionally slightly messy. Nothing frequent or jarring enough to even begin to spoil a Cryptopsy fan's enjoyment of this superb performance though. Indeed, with such a quality set list, very adequate sound quality and an excellent display by this highly talented band, this is just about as good as a live album can get -- so much so that the only record I can see challenging it successfully is My Dying Bride's superb _Voice of the Wretched_. _None So Live_ is a deservedly outstanding live document of an equally outstanding band. Contact: http://www.cryptopsy.net Cult of Daath - _The Grand Torturers of Hell_ by: Matthias Noll (7 out of 10) (War Hammer Records, 2002) Hell yeah! Some of the most impressive pseudonyms and job titles of recent months. The leather-mask wearing Wargoat Obscurum multi-tasking between "Battering Rams, Black Winter Orator and Bestial Throat" and the equally busy Nocturno Culto look-alike Culg-gath Immortum delivering "Apocalyptic Hellsaw, Bass Holocaust and Diabolical Chants"! They proclaim to play "Cruel Barbaric Black Metal" and yes, I have to agree, worse descriptions have been made. Stylistically and sound-wise (generally raw 4-track demo quality) this whole EP is a bit inconsistent, because the seven songs come from two separate sessions or demos put onto one CD. The more recent recordings, tracks one to five (including a Beherit cover), sound like a cross between Destroyer 666 and Clandestine Blaze to my ears. Cult of Daath are unable to come close to the quality of either band, but the more I listen to _TGToH_ the more this description makes sense -- subjective as it may be. The last two songs sound less black and more in the war metal vein of acts like Blasphemy. Although _TGToH_ is nowhere near sensational, and my name-dropping only had the purpose of describing the general stylistic leanings of this US two-piece rather than say they are as good as the bands I've compared them to, this is still a very enjoyable EP. Contact: http://www.geocities.com/warhammerkult/ Darzamat - _Oniriad_ (Avantgarde Music, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (5 out of 10) If ever Andrew Lloyd Webber were to orchestrate a gothic metal opera, then Poland's Darzamat could surely be a likely result. Indeed, it's easy to imagine the maestro nodding in approval to tracks like "Into the Abyss of Forgotten Woods", "The Longest Journey" or the folksy "Elegy". Unfortunately, it's somewhat harder to see most metalheads walking mother earth in 2003 do the same. And it's certainly not due to lack of talent, as Darzamat display a sheen of admirable musical ability throughout the course of _Oniriad_ that's very hard to fault. The problem is that their brand of OTT pseudo-goth music seems permanently intent to run along the very thinnest dividing line between the grandiosely entertaining and overly bombastic. Which is precisely what ultimately leads to Darzamat's downfall. Despite being more than capable of producing fairly enjoyable tunes like "Where the Dreams Died" or "Beauty", the number of misfires on this album by far outnumber the hits, simply because the band constantly attempt to incorporate a showiness and eclecticism that never seems able to do them any favours. Dawn of Azazel - _Bloodforged Abdication_ by: James Montague (7.5 out of 10) (Hellflame Productions, 2003) This 7" EP marks my first venture across the pond into the New Zealand metal scene, and if Dawn of Azazel is any indicator, we face a stern challenge from our eastern neighbours. The band comes from the same stock as many of their Aussie brethren, firing out one impressive death-thrash hymn of their own, and a cover of "Plateau of Invincibility" by the godfathers of the style, Order of Chaos. The music is essentially a result of '80s thrash riffs breeding and evolving with modern death metal to become heavier, more downtuned and oppressive. The vocals tend towards the strangled, choked and screamed end of the spectrum, betraying a touch of black metal in the mix. The recording is pretty clear and heavy, while the graphic artwork, despite a printing fuckup that saw the lyrics placed on the inside of the slipcase, is striking. Most of all, this band thrives courtesy of a strong sense of dynamics, with riffs that beat you down, down, down, before breaking into some faster, traditional riffs that get the blood pumping and the head banging. These Kiwi chaps show ample talent with this brief taster, and are well recommended to fans of death-thrash icons like Destroyer 666 and Axis of Advance. Contact: http://www.dawnofazazel.orcon.net.nz Deranged - _Plainfield Cemetery_ (Listenable Records, 2002) by: James Montague (4 out of 10) This was one of the big disappointments of 2002. Deranged have been on the scene for a decade now and had impressed me with the tracks I'd heard from past efforts like _Rated X_ and _III_. The band has always played in the "gore metal" style, which I generally couldn't care less about, but they had a unique and twisted sound that demanded attention and caused a reasonable amount of mental disturbance. Unfortunately, they must have been too busy reading medical dictionaries and watching snuff films to worry about self-promotion, and hence they spent many good years enduring poor production and distribution. Well, now they have a top-notch sound and a widely available CD to promote, but the opportunity has been wasted with some decidedly mediocre music. Apparently content to do it neanderthal-style, Deranged has tuned down the guitars and flipped the switch on their drummer's back to "Jackhammer". The vocalist, who sounds uncannily like Cannibal Corpse's George Fischer without the range, and the band, who sound uncannily like Cannibal Corpse, pound montonously through ten indistinguishable tracks and inevitably lose my attention after about five minutes. I can certainly appreciate what the band is striving to achieve -- to wear down the listener with the relentless pummeling of a serial rapist and murderer. In truth, they do convey aurally the experience of a murder victim. But wouldn't it be more fun to experience aurally the hormonal rush of being the killer himself? Hmm, yeah. At the end of the day though, there's a lot of wasted talent here. On the rare occasion when the drummer finds his personality reserve and the group slows down to take a breath, some interesting riffs are there for the taking. The final minute of "Deathgasm", for example, is a dizzying climax that suits the title of the piece. Such moments of quality are deeply buried though, beneath a ton of tedium. If you get a rush from hanging out at construction sites, then you may enjoy the mind-numbing thumpfest. Personally though, when in the mood for brutality I'd take the mindfuck of Axis of Advance over the physical drain of _Plainfield Cemetery_ any day. Contact: http://mitglied.lycos.de/deranged/ Destroyer 666 - _Terror Abraxas_ (Iron Pegasus, 2003) by: Matthias Noll (8.5 out of 10) Judging by _Terror Abraxas_, Destroyer 666 have not yet peaked with 2002's excellent _Cold Steel... for an Iron Age_. A band that is able to release such a killer EP in between albums surely must have another couple of aces up their sleeves. Stylistically _Terror Abraxas_ continues in the vein of _CSfaIA_ and offers 22 minutes of the same brand of raw, sometimes thrashing and raging, sometimes anthemic leather, chains and spikes METAL. Razor, old Judas Priest, old Slayer, the Brazilian old-school and many others provide the anvil on which Destroyer 666 forge their steel. Clearly in possession of a style of their own, KK Warslut and Shrapnel have further refined their attack while also honing their songwriting skills -- all without compromising one inch or showing signs of stagnation. I can't really name another band that manages to fill the gap between the harsher side of things and the positive aspects of traditional metal as successfully as Destroyer 666 does. "Fist Banging Mania" by SOD was meant to be a joke about typical metalhead behaviour; yet there's nothing funny about a fist banging mania when listening to a track like "Terror" -- in fact, there's absolutely no other behaviour imaginable. Devin Townsend Band - _Accelerated Evolution_ by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10) (Spitfire Records, 2003) On almost the same date as his Strapping Young Lad album, Canadian musician Devin Townsend released a follow-up to his personal project -- already the fifth in line (after _Ocean Machine_, _Infinity_, _The Physicist_ and _Terria_). Now operating under the moniker Devin Townsend Band, Devin has attracted four band members to create a new musical chapter in his life: _Accelerated Evolution_. Most surprising is the absence of Gene Hoglan from the line-up; drums are handled by Ryan van Poederooven instead, bass and keyboards by the Young brothers and guitars by Brian Waddell -- all newly recruited. The result is a fresh sounding album that is more melodic and heavy metal / rock-influenced than _S.Y.L._ or _The Physicist_, yet more song-oriented than _Terria_. Some of the songs on the album, like "Storm", "Suicide" and "Sunday", have a lot in common with his earlier _Infinity_ work, but the songs do sound less frantic and more mature. In some ways, Devin performs a lot better with _Deaccelerated Evolution_ than his latest Strapping Young Lad album: there is more variation, and the songs are more memorable and layered than their one-dimensional _S.Y.L._ counterparts. _Accelerated Evolution_ will appeal to a somewhat different (if not older) part of the metal scene than Strapping Young Lad, but it would be stupid not to give this album a try just on that basis. For those who thought _Terria_ was going too much in the wrong direction, _Accelerated Evolution_ will probably come as a relief. Contact: http://www.hevydevy.com Dying Fetus - _Stop at Nothing_ (Relapse Records, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (7.5 out of 10) While Dying Fetus have never built their admirable reputation on the basis of constant innovation, it may raise an eyebrow or two to learn that their latest album bears more stylistic relation to their debut than it does either of their two previous records. Whether or not this was a conscious decision by John Gallagher (the sole remaining member of the line-up circa 1998's _Killing on Adrenaline_) remains to be seen, but unfortunately it results in the end product sounding strangely dated and very much like a band taking quite a few steps backward. A further shortcoming of _Stop at Nothing_ is the work of new vocalist Vince Matthews, who despite having the obvious ability to mince it up with the best of them is neither as convincing, aggressive or as unique as the departed Jason Netherton. Similarly, Netherton's politically-aware and thought-provoking lyrics, which have developed into a veritable Dying Fetus trademark over the years, are sorely missing from this package. Despite these drawbacks however, _Stop at Nothing_ is nonetheless pretty enjoyable. Technically faultless and helped in no small part by a top-notch production job, it seamlessly blends its death metal brutality with a hardcore groove that proves to be as crushingly effective as anything the Fetus have added their name to. Indeed, were it not for the fact that it is so outclassed by its predecessors, _Stop at Nothing_ would probably have scored much higher. Unfortunately though, Dying Fetus have proven in the past that they are capable of much more and this time around they have failed to reach the bar, which by the looks of it may well have been raised to unattainable heights. Dysrhythmia - _Pretest_ (Relapse Records, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (7 out of 10) The pointless guitar masturbation of virtuosos like Steve Vai and Marty Friedman has until now made me shudder at the very mention of the phrase "instrumental album". Despite always being technically sound, the majority of these records have failed across the board to compensate for their flashy antics with even the slightest redeeming flicker of entertainment. I therefore approached Dysrhythmia's Relapse debut with a predictable amount of prejudice and indeed kept a copy of the new Immolation close at hand to replace it on the sound system at a moment's notice. A strange thing happened, however: unlike the futile fretboard noodling I had been expecting, nay dreading, an infectious, exciting and hypnotizing lick wafted from the speakers after I had pushed the play button. While the track did retain some of the tiresome technical tomfoolery that plagues all instrumental albums, it also bore with it a strand of undeniable charm -- a melody that was at once refreshing and mesmerizing. I placed the jet-black Immolation disc inside its jewel case and waited for more. "My Relationship" followed -- a speedy, metallic jazz number I would almost expect to hear on a racing videogame. On the third track though, Dysrhythmia came into their own and suddenly the album had my full attention. You see, despite its lack of vocals and its sometimes overdone freeform approach, _Pretest_ actually contains many a moment of sheer breathtaking musical brilliance. While I'd happily pass on tracks like "Heat Sink", the ingenuity of a song like "Annihilation 2" is breathtaking. Taking the listener from a subtle, atmospheric soundscape to a full-on Dillinger Escape Plan-esque frenzy, Dysrhythmia's keen sense of dynamics and composition is the glue that binds every worthwhile second on this effort together, and inevitably makes it a surprisingly satisfying experience for those who see it through to the end. Dysrhythmia will probably never ascend above much more than a largely eccentric niche fanbase, but I doubt that they're all too concerned with this. _Pretest_ is about passion and belief in one's work. And if they can manage to convince a cynical fool like me, then who knows what they could do for you. Ethereal - _The Dreams of Yearning_ (Recital, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) _The Dreams of Yearning_ is the sort of album that starts quietly, slowly weaves its web, and ensnares you in a way that after a few listens you will be left wondering how exactly you came to enjoy this disc so much. You see, Ethereal's main strength lies not in crushing brutality or breakneck speed (neither of which they have), nor in mind-blowing symphonies or jaw-dropping technicality (both of which they hint at without making it obvious). Instead, Ethereal seem focused on creating quality music above anything else; music that demands attention and rewards the listener with each successive listen. _The Dreams of Yearning_ comes across, at least so some degree, as a bit of a concept album: songs flow into each other seamlessly, offering different moods and patterns, and this hour-long album ultimately seems to last less than that. Ethereal play a form of melodic, atmospheric, mostly melancholic metal that remains quite difficult to compare to any specific band. Comparisons can nonetheless be made in certain areas to a few bands. Vocalist Hugo Soares tends to remind me mostly of Nevermore's Warrel Dane; there are a few more similarities to be found between the two bands, but they are far from dominant in Ethereal's sound. These Portuguese newcomers can just as easily remind me of In the Woods..., with their occasional quietly symphonic synth touches (e.g. "A Lonely Dancer") and especially the emotional duelling vocals on "The Moon Blesses Our Sins". You may even be able to distinguish some vague traces of Queensryche's _Operation: Mindcrime_ if you pay attention. Regardless of that, Ethereal constantly come up with fine melodies and arrangements of their very own, and have been able to make a very good album out of them. For my taste a couple of passages would have benefited from a slightly higher aggression level, and it might have been possible to trim a few minutes off the album without sacrificing the overall result. Ultimately, however, these are minor complaints. Ethereal have succeeded in crafting an album that exudes dedication, talent and personality, which leads me to vividly recommend it. Contact: http://etherealwebrealm.tripod.com Fragile Hollow - _Effete Mind_ (Avantgarde Music, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (4 out of 10) "Imagine a wonderful mixture between Him and Katatonia/Anathema", reads the Fragile Hollow bio. If "wonderful" is defined as virtually every single irritating, cliched and annoying element to be found in the aforementioned bands (all of whom I actually enjoy), then I'd say that the description is rather accurate. Fragile Hollow certainly do remind one of bands like Sentenced and Anathema, albeit with a serious throwback to the big-hair glam-metal days of the '80s, but at the same time they don't seem able to conjure up a single strand of originality for the entire duration of _Effete Mind_. Instead they give us songs like "Disgusting", "I Don't Believe in Love" and "Confusion"; each sounding as tired and overplayed as the next. Combined with an, at times, almost amateurish performance, the record's only saving grace is "Come Undone" -- a song of such higher comparative quality that it sounds positively out of place on this collection. Genocide Superstars - _III_ (Relapse Records, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (7.5 out of 10) Regardless of anyone's opinion on the matter, it is seriously doubtful that when Iggy Pop, The Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys and Black Flag recorded the tunes that would form and reinforce the foundations of punk, they ever thought that popular opinion and the mainstream media would affiliate tepid, manufactured bile like Good Charlotte and Sum 41 with the genre they pioneered. Sadly the year 2003 sees this as being very much the case, and while it is probably somewhat foolish to expect this sorry state of affairs to change in the foreseeable future, it is good to know that in some quarters the mohawk-sporting, spit-drenched monster that is true punk is alive and well. This of course brings me to Genocide Superstars, whose latest opus comes as somewhat of a surprise particularly as Relapse Records are not especially well-known for releasing material of such a comparatively subdued nature. Which is not to say that the Superstars are by any means "soft". Indeed, _III_ is one of the nastiest, most relentless and pissed off punk records to hit the shelves in some time. With a sound smacking of Exploited, Rancid and Discharge, Genocide Superstars plough through the fourteen tracks on their third effort with remarkable prowess and confidence. Perhaps at their most effective when they hit the accelerator pedal, "The Hateball Is Rolling", "Moron" and the Nasum-esque "Danger Danger" are the highlights of the album. Unfortunately though, Genocide Superstars do at times wear their influences on their sleeves somewhat too noticeably, but this is a minor flaw and soon made up for by the band's willingness to experiment and add variety on songs like "War Child". _III_ certainly doesn't add anything new to the punk genre, but then again how many recent releases have? The bottom line is that it's a commendable effort and one which ought to appeal to fans of anything from Rancid to Nasum to The Hellacopters. Godless North - _Summon the Age of Supremacy_ by: Matthias Noll (6 out of 10) (Breath of Night Records, 2002) Like the majority of today's black metal hordes, Godless North from Canada do not really explore the genre beyond the limits that the second wave reached almost ten years ago. At least the arsenal of stage names and type of weaponry still seems to know no limits, and so we are introduced to Othalaz von Armageddos providing "Ancient Archetypal Summonings and guitars" and Oblak Ilking manning the "Berserkerish Warhammers". Excellent, even though the "...and guitars" bit already seems to show a certain lack of imagination and determination. Once summoned, 90% of the Age of Supremacy turns out to be another one of the forgotten brethren of _Transylvanian Hunger_. There's a little bit of early Gorgoroth shining through during "The Winter of Cleansing" and a few painfully uneventful, slower paced Burzum-ish parts here and there. Sound-wise things are trebly and raw, but a bit too distant and powerless. The main problem I have with _Summon the Age of Supremacy_ is that Godless North do not seem to be aware of when to pull the plug. The _Transylvanian Hunger_ school depends on very repetitive and minimalist ingredients, which when done right transport the listener to cold and ugly otherworldly places. Godless North got the repetitive and minimalistic part of the formula right, but they fail because their songs end up in the six to seven minute range. Usually about four minutes into the song, the well-achieved trance turns into much too comfortable sleep. When reaching the five and a half minute mark, the desire to shout "shut up and stop playing, that's enough already" sometimes becomes as "berserkerish" as Oblak Ilking's merciless treatment of the snare. There's just not enough substance behind these Canadians' material to pull such long songs off successfully. I believe it was Michael Blenkarn from Esoterica magazine who called Godless North anaemic, an adjective which hits the nail on the head so perfectly that I want to use it here as well. A thirty-five minute version of this fifty-two minute album could have been well worth 7 out of 10 for me. Grave - _Back From the Grave_ (Century Media, 2002) by: Matthias Noll (7 out of 10) _Back From the Grave_, the title of Grave's reunion album, is a bit misleading because the Swedes do not re-appear with the pure Swedish '90s death metal of their debut _Into the Grave_. Maybe _Soulful_ would have been a better indicator how the reborn Grave sound, because this new album is a continuation of 1994's _Soulless_. This means that _BFtG_ is grooving and pulverizing slow-to-mid-tempo death metal which has a lot more to do with Bolt Thrower or _Heartwork_-era Carcass than early Entombed. The death metal tag is even a bit shaky because Ola Lindgren's vocals are rather distorted shouts than textbook death metal grunts. Although Grave haven been successful with their attempt to write some totally heavy and mighty riffs, this album could definitely need some more variation and more stand-out tracks. Three or four songs into the album the impact of _BFtG_ wears off every time I listen to it. The material and pace is just too similar. The slightly more up-tempo "Resurrection" manages to re-establish a certain momentum and could easily be the best track on _BFtG_ if not for some blatant borrowing from Carcass' "Buried Dreams", the incredibly heavy opening track from _Heartwork_. The Skogsberg-production of _BFtG_ sounds up-to-date and is the heaviest work I've heard coming out of Sunlight Studio for quite some time, and I'm sure everybody who loves _Soulless_ is going to be happy with this new Grave album. But although Grave are a million times better and heavier than bands like the equally groovy but utterly crappy Six Feet Under, their career went down the drain despite or maybe because of albums like _Soulless_, and I can see Grave fizzle out and disappear once again soon. What finally makes this album a worthy purchase is the fact that it comes as a double CD edition with Grave's three important 1988/1989 demos in all their splendour. The rest is unfortunately just a 7 in my book. Griffar - _Of Witches and Celts_ (ISO666, 2002) by: Matthias Noll (7 out of 10) Griffar is yet another entry in the ever-growing list of French black metal bands. For a change this is a black metal record which does not contain the slightest trace of Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum or any other influential black metal outfit you can think of. Musically Griffar are heavily influenced by early Iron Maiden and other traditional metal, spiced up with breakneck speed, raspy but unspectacular black metal vocals, a production that none of the Black Legions bands would have considered too commercial, and three out of four songs clocking in at around 13 minutes each. Even assuming that the production job was meant to be this way, this is still a pretty odd combination that gets delivered without any keys, female vocals or guitar solos. To my ears, especially the Murray / Smith signature in many of Griffar's riffs and melodies is even more prominent than on a record like, for example, Naglfar's _Vittra_ or certain very Maiden-esque parts on Cradle of Filth's _Dusk and Her Embrace_. I have no real clue as to how such material in combination with a garage-like production might appeal to someone who digs this type of music, which is usually delivered with the much more polished approach and superior musicianship of various, mainly Swedish outfits that add a good deal of death metal to the formula. Also, I have no idea how many closet-Maiden fans can be found among those who consider anything better than 4-track recordings to be a complete sellout and enjoy dwelling in misanthropic agony muttering "grim", "true" and "frostbitten" as many times a day as possible. What speaks for _Of Witches and Celts_ is that the four songs flow surprisingly well throughout their incredible length and never get boring or cease to make sense. In addition, most of the melodies and ideas Griffar use are of at least decent quality. Furthermore, some work has also gone into a two-pronged concept with lyrics that tell a continuous story, rather than having been tailored to suit and accompany the songs. So, despite somehow sitting in between chairs, _OWaC_ as a whole is a really enjoyable album which might appeal to those who like their traditional metal delivered the black and underproduced way -- but allow me to doubt that Griffar will sound the same next time around. Hanzel und Gretyl - _Uber Alles_ (Metropolis Records, 2003) by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10) This is some of this band's most powerfully complicated and heavy work to date. While the _Ausgeflipt_ album was an extremely killer effort, I am a -big- supporter of this German outfit's duo trade-off vocal approach on _Uber Alles_, where they volley on and off like a pair of simultaneous bowling pin jugglers at an illusionist's show. What's more is I am committed to this newest effort's blend of diversity, both musically and vocally. Singing largely in their native tongue, Hanzel und Gretyl enhance their overtly techno-infused-metal mystique on _Uber Alles_ well more than tenfold. Hard-hitting licks and disrupted lyrics go a long way to making _Uber Alles_ nearly as significant as _Transmissions From Uranus_, but with an edge that the latter effort couldn't hope to attain on Earth or -anywhere- else, for that matter. More choppy and industrially metal, _Uber Alles_ kicks down the door between the potential of their creation and the explicitly inhuman nature of the beast on this newest manifestation. While still not without samples and an industrial feel, this album has its fair share of mood-inducing moments too, like on the last cut from the CD, "Aufweidersehen" (and -damn-, some of those German words are HUGE!). Admittedly, this release is not for the closed-minded, but Hanzel und Gretyl -do- put out some widely acknowledged material -- known for its techno slam aspects, as well as its unique metal prowess -- on the market today. What's more is that this album seems to be driven to the edge of nearly an addictive attraction; like something out of a Mad Max movie, I'd say. Give these two a spin, chances are you'll like more than just the raw power of these Germanic industrial revolutionaries. Contact: http://www.metropolis-records.com Illnath - _Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure_ by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 10) (Worldchaos Production, 2003) Danes Illnath return after their _Angelic Voices Calling_ EP, which impressed me to some degree with the quality it managed to offer in spite of being an independent release. Worldchaos from Japan have picked them up, and this is the band's first commercial full-length. Allow me to emphasize that the word "commercial" can be used in more than one sense here: much like their EP, this is very sweetened, commercial blackened metal. According to the label, "their killer sounds style are like Cradle of Filth and more melodic and beautiful world"; furthermore, "their sounds is catchy riff with glowing voice and melodic guitar & keyboard battle". Confused yet? Well, at least the music isn't as goofy as the album title, _Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure_, might suggest. Much like they proved with the EP, Illnath are well capable of crafting very decent melodic blackened metal. There seems to be even more keyboards than before, and even though they are well employed, they keep bringing to my mind the elf-like girl on the front cover -- which should give you a reasonable idea of how sinister they sound. This isn't any worse than their EP, but Illnath clearly overlooked any reviews that, like mine, strongly suggested they needed to find a less derivative sound; instead, they have managed to sound even more like Cradle of Filth on this full-length -- think CoF in a lighter mood with more keyboard sugar on top. This causes the drop in my rating, and I don't know how low it will go next time if things don't improve in this area. For instance, the start of fourth track "Temporary Borders" goes too far into the CoF world, as Illnath struggle to avoid sounding like a CoF cover band. This probably goes without saying, but anyone who is easily vexed by "sweet black metal" should stay the hell away from this release -- seriously. Those who feel just the opposite way and still haven't got enough Cradle of Filth in their lives will find in Illnath a highly competent albeit sweeter clone. Illnath would be well advised to explore their potential in more interesting ways than this in the future. Contact: http://www.world-chaos.com Kaamos - _Kaamos_ (Candlelight, 2002) by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10) Many months before the universally acclaimed Bloodbath album _Resurrection Through Carnage_ suddenly brought early '90s Swedish death metal back to public attention, Kaamos released their self-titled debut, and it certainly does not deserve to go unnoticed. Whereas _RTC_ brought back an even more caustic version of the Skogsberg sound, the production of the Kaamos debut rather resembles the somewhat underproduced approach of the first two Unleashed albums. Musically, Kaamos' material is also roughly comparable to the fastest tracks of early Unleashed, although they sound much more aggressive and tend to rush through their songs as if chased by the hounds of hell. Serving their death metal relatively simple but totally relentless, these four Swedes have the gift many others lack: they have an ability to write real songs and not just brutal riffs. The catchiness is what makes this album extremely enjoyable and songs like "The Storm of Coming" provide the perfect soundtrack for some late night beer-drinking, thrashing and headbanging sessions. There's something incredibly intense, sincere and youthful about Kaamos' music, a rare spiritual vibe which wasn't lost during the recording process, and they manage to sound authentic, old-fashioned and up-to-date all at the same time. Support this band and their no-frills death metal, I'm sure they deserve it more than many others! Contact: http://www.kaamos.nu Mindwild - _Mindwild Spirit_ (Independent, 2002) by: Quentin Kalis (6.5 out of 10) The first five songs on this album are a fusion of thrash metal and hardcore, much like a thrashier S.O.D.. The vocals tend to be sung in a hardcore style, occasionally becoming a bit too monotonous. The fusion of styles is a successful one, though it does seem somewhat listless. The energy jumps up several rungs on the sixth and final track, which features a considerably poorer and more primitive production and was in all likelihood lifted off an earlier demo. Although it does break up the flow of the album somewhat, it is easily the best song on this CD. The rawness of the production suggests that Mindwild started life as an in-your-face hardcore band, before evolving into their current incarnation as a hardcore/thrash crossover band. Several other songs, which sound as if they were recorded at the same time, are incorporated as hidden tracks. While I'm not overly impressed with the majority of the contents of _Mindwild Spirit_, they have demonstrated that Mindwild do have the potential to go further. Mr Barleycorn - _The Stendahl Syndrome_ (Alter Ego, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (8.5 out of 10) It's hard to believe that the arid climate of South Africa could produce so cold and dark a gothic beast as Mr Barleycorn -- least of all because up until now the country has hardly produced anything worthy of more than five minutes' listening time. Even harder to comprehend, is the fact that _The Stendahl Syndrome_ is their second full-length -- the follow up to 1998's _Blood & Romance_ -- and that up until now this highly talented five-piece have somehow slipped underneath the radar of the goth metal fraternity. Mixing equal parts of Depeche Mode, Type O Negative, Sisters of Mercy and Radiohead into their rather bleak alchemy, _The Stendahl Syndrome_ sees them successfully manage to stamp down their own identity on every track on the album, whilst at the same time cleverly avoiding most of, if not all, of the clichés that the genre is so loathed for. Of special mention in this case is the performance of vocalist Luigi, whose exceptional voice sounds at once intense, desperate, angry and vulnerable and contributes virtually an entire added dimension of emotion to the record. Granted every song on the disc doesn't match the quality of _Run With Scissors_, _All You Ever Wanted_ or _Plastic Bag Sky_, and the production, while adequate, could have used some work in the guitar department, but overall _The Stendahl Syndrome_ is miles ahead of anything that Silke Bischoff, Christian Death or even Moonspell have managed in years. Overall this album holds its own as an impressive testament to the group's tremendous potential, and to say that Mr Barleycorn are currently somewhat underrated is a triumph of understatement. The chances are very good though, that with records like these this may very soon change. Contact: http://www.mrbarleycorn.com Mykorrhiza - _Shattered Dreams_ (Konqueror Records, 2002) by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) Having been left unimpressed by Mykorrhiza's self-titled EP, my expectations for this full-length were, of course, low. Much like high expectations can be a recipe for disaster, the opposite can pave the way for pleasant surprises -- which turned out to be the case here. _Shattered Dreams_ is unlikely to set anyone's world alight, but it's a damn sight better than the EP and quite enjoyable in its own right. The production is far superior, and right from the start Mykorrhiza's aggressive yet melodic death metal promises to entertain. For the first few tracks, they fulfill that promise. There's a bit of black, a bit of thrash and a bit of old-school Swedish death in the mix too (no wonder considering they're from Sweden). The pace is a lot more varied, while the riffs and guitar leads are vastly superior and more memorable. Of course all this praise must be taken in the context of their mediocre EP, compared to which this record is a massive improvement. Occasional clean vocals still show up once in a while: on "Sadist", "Surgery" and "With Pleasure They Ride" (where they get on my nerves) and on a couple of spoken parts. The second half of the album (which includes the aforementioned tracks) fails to maintain the same quality level, but it's not a dramatic lunge, and _Shattered Dreams_ remains a competent album that contains several enjoyable tracks. Contact: konqueror_records@hotmail.com Myrkskog - _Superior Massacre_ (Candlelight Records, 2002) by: Jackie Smit (9 out of 10) In a move that is becoming seemingly more and more popular among certain black metal bands, _Superior Massacre_ sees Norway's Myrkskog shed a hefty amount of the electronic and blackened elements which comprised a part of their previous _Deathmachine_ offering. While some might view this as a regression of sorts, Myrkskog make their more basic death metal-influenced approach work beautifully in their favour, with the result being a record that sounds akin to a guns-blazing, mid-battle steel battalion. Those looking for diversity and rapid tempo changes should seek elsewhere as Myrkskog unleash blast after relentless blast of spite-filled hatred -- the musical equivalent of Armageddon and, at least in my opinion, a notch above the efforts of the highly acclaimed Anaal Nathrakh. Particularly impressive is Myrkskog's ability to avoid sounding repetitive despite the constant lightning speed rhythm that defines literally every track on this record. "Domain of the Superior", "Indisposable Deaths" and "Bleeding Wrist" are the album's definite standouts, but ultimately there's precious few weak moments to be found on the disc. Clocking in at just over a half hour, _Superior Massacre_ is one of the most beautifully merciless efforts to carpet-bomb my eardrums in quite some time. Naglfar - _Sheol_ (Century Media, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) Naglfar have harvested influences from Dark Funeral and Dissection, filtered them through they own style, and come out with a damn enjoyable album that still manages to be just about distinctive enough to scrape through the minimum required originality barrier. _Sheol_ is an extremely energetic, dynamic -- and have I already mentioned enjoyable? -- album that sets quite a few standards in its genre (e.g. "Of Gorgons Spawned Through Witchcraft", to name just one track). It contains some amazing high-speed serpentine guitar work a la Dark Funeral, soaring leads, catchy riffs and vocal patterns, a punishing rhythm section, and a relentlessness that just won't let go -- a lot like its predecessor _Diabolical_, only much increased. _Sheol_'s success also lies in the fact that when it does remind you of some other band, it almost always reminds you of that band at its best. The resulting concoction, after being given the Naglfar treatment, is delivered in such excellent form that one would really have to make an effort for something like lack of originality to disturb his appreciation of this devil of an album. _Sheol_ spent quite a few years in the making (its full-length predecessor came out in 1998, with only an EP in between), and the maturity of the songs on offer is apparent throughout. This is by no means some quick rehash of the band's previous album -- contrary to, say, Soilwork's latest --, and the track list is free of any weak links. Anyone who seeks well written, explosively delivered, highly energetic melodic black metal should derive massive enjoyment from _Sheol_ -- as long as originality isn't a major concern. Contact: http://www.naglfar.tk Nartvind - _Until Their Ruin_ (Painkiller, 2003) by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10) Comfortably lodged in the putrefying bowels of early '90s Norway, this Belgian combo belches forth a surprisingly fetid gust of pestilence, as if to teach the new horde of Burzum worshipping clones a lesson in raw, filthy black metal. This album recalls the halcyon days of bands like Demonic and Countess, a feeling only the most elite of cults today have approximated (read: Mutiilation, early Judas Iscariot). Vaguely reminiscent of the dark rehearsal ambience conjured up by the long-forgotten Raven (Norway), Nartvind manage to stave off sloppiness with their decisive melody and tightness, yet remaining curiously unpolished at the same time. Simplistic, hate-filled dirges owing much to the early underground Norse scene draw up suffocating atmospheres of primal evil, nevertheless brimming with semi-epic melodies, as the soot-choked vocals rasp out ancient maledictions of woe. Too many albums of late have been described as "old-school Darkthrone worship"; reviewers and bands alike should listen to this shockingly ancient sounding piece before passing judgement. Old warriors missing their stacks of demo tapes and bootleg copies will no doubt greet this newfound act with open arms, as should anyone else who finds beauty in Ulver's _Nattens Madrigal_. Contact: http://www.painkiller-records.com Nasum - _Helvete_ (Relapse Records, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (9 out of 10) Consider just about every hype-affirming tagline in existence and chances are that it has already been used to describe Sweden's Nasum at some stage prior to you reading this review. Indeed with a massive underground following, as well as accolades heaped upon them from sources as seemingly outlandish as Amen's Casey Chaos, it is somewhat surprising that their third full-length album is released to relatively little pre-emptive exposure. However, as the first riff of opening track "Violation" literarily scythes through the air, it is pretty much a given that their record label are confident enough in the band's obvious ability to sell themselves based on sheer blunt-force ferocity and talent. This, of course, they succeed in doing with tremendous aplomb. Although sounding slightly slicker and just a tad catchier than either _Inhale/Exhale_ or _Human 2.0_, _Helvete_ is by no means the sound of a band losing steam. In fact, it would be fairly safe to say that their Molotov cocktail of punk, grind and death metal has never sounded angrier or more crushing. The lads even manage to throw in a few surprises along the course of the twenty-two musical beatdowns that comprise the disc's entirety -- witness the ingenious melodic break that drives "Living Next Door to Malice" or the raised-fist anthem that forms the foundation of "I Hate People" for proof. What ultimately makes _Helvete_ such a roaring triumph is that Nasum have managed to avoid the dreaded third album syndrome, which by all accounts would have been very easy for them to fall into, seeing as how their last two albums are widely regarded as classics. There may be a lot of talented bands in the grind scene right now, but this record confirms without a doubt that they are merely the _Pleasure to Kill_ to Nasum's _Reign in Blood_. Opeth - _Deliverance_ (Music for Nations, 2002) by: Quentin Kalis (10 out of 10) The best sign that Opeth is a unique entity is the fact that anyone who appreciates their music will cite a different CD as their favourite. Fans of say, Emperor or My Dying Bride usually near unanimously claim that _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_ or _Turn Loose the Swans_ as their finest moment - sometimes with a dissenting few claiming that another album, such _In the Nightside Eclipse_ as their best work. A few special bands such as Darkthrone might even have three albums competing for the title of their best work. But there is no consensus on what constitutes Opeth's finest work and for me, that is the most telling indication of the unique nature and consistently high quality of Opeth's music. All the familiar Opethian elements such as the complex progressive rock melodies and the sublime interplay between mellow and heavy sections are present. As they have done with their later releases, some sections are repeated, though this hardly detracts from their uniqueness and the songs have yet to follow conventional song writing structures. The album is split halfway through by an amazing instrumental, showcasing an awesome progressive melody; it seems a shame to waste this on what is really little more than an intermezzo. The delivery of the vocals at the beginning of the final tracks sound as if they would be better suited to some lame Cradle of Filth black metal band, rather than a band of Opeth's calibre. But I'm grasping at straws here; this is actually such a minor quibble it is barely worth mentioning. _Deliverance_ is an undisputedly excellent album and an improvement upon _Blackwater Park_, which can hardly be considered a shabby album. If this album is not deserving of 10 out of 10 then no album is. [Pedro Azevedo: "_Deliverance_ shows a more death metal oriented Opeth than its more atmospheric predecessor, the excellent _Blackwater Park_. Overall slightly less accomplished as an album, _Deliverance_ nonetheless presents the listener with another fine collection of songs, and includes several superb moments as one would expect from this band. As part of Opeth's daring double release plan -- one metal, one acoustic --, _Deliverance_ provides a good metallic half, though overall it is not Opeth's best album to date."] Scepter - _Fucking Metal Motherfuckers_ (Merciless Records, 2003) by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10) Using "fuck" as nearly every word in an album title doesn't make you any more or less "metal". Furthermore, these three guys seem obsessed with defining that term, too -- what's "metal" and what isn't and "no one is more 'metal' than Scepter", or so the propaganda goes. Overly stripped-down and basic, this band, despite a couple of previous efforts under their leather vests, seems wildly unpolished. In all fairness, that very well may be this outfit's bailiwick -- who knows... Getting into Scepter's shtick a bit deeper (as far as the depth of the puddle will allow), even their lyrics find themselves challenged at a primitive level. Grunting out this and that about statutory rape, abortion, and how "metal" they are (like an arrogant rapper might do -- only Scepter does it with long hair and an ability to play their instruments), this Chicago three-piece breaks no new ground here nor do they begin to challenge the listener in any way on any of the twelve cuts that comprise _Fucking Metal Motherfuckers_. About as involved as a restaurant dinner receipt, the last layer of this band available for examination is their instrumentation. Sounding like Black Sabbath on steroids occasionally (that's obviously a good thing), Scepter is entirely too predictable: guitar riffs fall exactly where you would expect them to and the "boom-boom, beat-bash; boom-boom, beat-bash" of the drums seem to be more to keep time than add anything to the music. Finally, this band has clear and understandable vocals -- another mark in the plus column. However, with the baseless subject matter barfed forth on _FMM_, this is, at best, a mixed bag. I suppose this type of music has its place, but kinda like Pearl Jam -- just not in my collection. Contact: http://www.merciless-records.de Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_ (Hammerheart, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (9.5 out of 10) One can only speculate as to the reasons why Septic Flesh chose to tarnish an otherwise sparkling discography with a left-turn bowel movement of an album like _Revolution DNA_. At the same time, one would also wonder whether it was the realization of said album's many flaws that fuelled the creative fires that would eventually conjure up the frankly stunning _Sumerian Daemons_. You see, Septic Flesh have made good with an album that is as surprisingly fresh-sounding as it is a work of sheer musical genius. While the slow doom-dirge of _Mystical Places of Dawn_ has been rendered exclusively to the past, _Sumerian Daemons_ sees the welcome reinstatement of the deep guttural vocals which once formed part of the band's trademark. At the same time, there is also a marked increase in speed, brutality and the kind of dense, layered synths which would be at home on anything Devin Townsend has put his name to. The classical / Greek influence which used to form the basis for most, if not all of Septic Flesh's melodies is still very prevalent, only this time round it's been awarded a more sinister dark tone. Indeed the opening riff to "Red Code Cult" would almost easily suit an Immortal song. Likewise, the bleak, futuristic atmosphere conjured up by "When All Is None" makes the melodies sound even more immense and majestic. Truly there is very little that one could reasonably fault on this record, save for the odd occasion where a blast beat is almost lazily tacked on to a song. _Sumerian Daemons_ is without a doubt Septic Flesh's finest offering to date and one which blows craters of mythological proportions into a big majority of recent death metal releases. Sepultura - _Roorback_ (SPV, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (8.5 out of 10) With nu-metal on the fast decline, it should probably come as no surprise that the mainstream metal media -- once the main protagonists in the deluge of scorn heaped upon a post-Max Sepultura -- have suddenly transformed into a bootlicking collective all touting the return of Brazil's finest. The irony in this is that _Roorback_ does not differ all that much from either of its two predecessors, albeit for a marginal increase in heaviness. Truth be told, just about any track on the band's latest effort would rest quite comfortably among anything found on _Nation_. This observation aside, _Roorback_ is undoubtedly a fine record, and one which easily takes a lengthy piss on anything Soulfly has ever had their logo slapped on. "Come Back Alive" opens the album with a decidedly hardcore slant, while the thick, chugging grooves of "Godless" prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Igor Cavalera remains one of the finest and most inventive drummers in modern-day metal. "Apes of God" is Derrick Green's finest moment vocally, while "Urge" sounds like the precursor to a full-scale riot. "Bottomed Out" on the other hand, clearly hurts the disc's intense momentum and at times almost sounds like a bluesed-out joke, before leading into the vicious "Activist" -- a track you know will lead to no small amount of venue destruction when the Seps hit the road this year. After three albums with the new line-up, it's clear that Sepultura will never again be the band who recorded _Arise_ or _Beneath the Remains_, but even so, _Roorback_ is a largely entertaining effort, and definitely one of the best straight metal releases of 2003 so far. Show of Exaggeration - _Show of Exaggeration_ (The Rectrix, 2003) by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10) One would expect no less than the best in dark electronics from Philipp Münch (of Ars Moriendi, Templegarden's and Synapscape fame), teaming up here with fellow German Bernhard Wöstheinrich of Centrozoon, a name I'm not familiar with. The colossal opener "Death Arch" rumbles and spews volcanic chunks as statically charged hums and crackles signal the passing of a monstrous automaton. Skies clear as deliciously fried electronics mark the transition into "Passing Gods", a similarly ominous soundscape of tattered battle-flags fluttering dismally in a blackened breeze as an alien twanging framed by majestic drones dissolves pathetically into insectile clicking and a supersonic whine. The following tracks showcase the project's more rhythmic side, with futuristic phaser-shots and robotic screeches juxtaposed delectably beside crisp analog-sounding crackling. The title track(s) form an impressive closing trilogy, with "The Master" recalling the post-apocalyptic, sci-fi aspect of the previous two tracks with high-pitched hums and feedback enveloped by sweeping waves of static and distorted lo-fi electronics. "Subjects With Cameras" ups the ante with ear-piercing whines doing battle with a rising tide of textured, tonal static. A bass-heavy, muted Merzbow-esque fluttering takes over towards the end of the track, de-fusing the tension for the uneasily psychedelic textures of the finale to develop. Great stuff, and hopefully not the last we'll be seeing from this incredible duo. Contact: http://www.therectrix.com Soilwork - _Figure Number Five_ (Nuclear Blast, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (5.5 out of 10) Soilwork must have been a bit intoxicated by the reactions to their previous album _Natural Born Chaos_, and seem to have decided to release a rushed _Reload_-of-sorts one year later: _Figure Number Five_. Ironically, I actually like this new album marginally better than _Natural Born Chaos_, an album that greatly disappointed me -- although it is true that this one didn't have the same expectations to live up to. _Figure Number Five_ doesn't add any significant new attributes to the mix, except perhaps a bit more electronics; it simply comes across as slightly more inspired overall than its predecessor, or at least it doesn't have as many seriously grating moments (although there's always the terrible solo vocals on "The Mindwalker"). Still, I could swear a couple of these tracks (and especially some of the omnipresent choruses) are near direct adaptations of material from past albums, most notably _Natural Born Chaos_ -- and they still sound a lot like In Flames at times, which is hardly a compliment these days. Both bands seem to have become a caricature of themselves, losing the vast majority of their appeal in the process. _Figure Number Five_ is a decent album, and of course a technically competent one, but also extremely formulaic and still quite uninspired compared to what Soilwork have the potential to do. Contact: http://www.soilworkers.com Somnus - _Through Creation's End_ (Root Of All Evil, 2002) by: Adrian Magers (8.5 out of 10) This second (and sadly, final) album from Somnus was released last year, several months before the band's subsequent break-up; a slight improvement over 2000's _Awakening the Crown_, and probably the pinnacle of European-style melodic black metal in the United States. For those unfamiliar with the sound of Somnus, they utilize a heavy blend of gothic/fantasy keyboards, thrash interludes, ethereal leads, pained vocals, and occasional spoken word parts. The differences between this album and Somnus' first aren't shocking, but are definitely noticeable. The album sounds even darker, a bit more aggressive in all facets, a more professional approach, and a ton of variation on their sound. Probably the most remarkable thing about Somnus is that in a genre where many bands (sometimes unfairly) are dubbed "Cradle imitators" they manage to define their own sound, but definitely have the appeal to attract any admirer of symphonic black metal, and maybe even some open-minded death or thrash fanatics. The CD also includes a live rendition of "Unfulfilled Prophecy" (from their debut album) and the video for "Warlock's Feast". Contact: http://www.somnusmusic.com Soulless - _Agony's Lament_ (Worldchaos Production, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10) Thrash metal to the bone, Soulless inject a lot of Swedish influences into their sound to produce an album that is American but doesn't sound American. Soulless are the kind of band that doesn't waste time with preludes, interludes or any such things; five seconds into the album, they've already said a lot about what's to come. All tracks hover around three to four minutes in length and share the same style: fast and furious, the rabid vocal performance matched by the busy Swedish riffing and drumming. All very metallic and energetic, but lacking individuality and real stand-out tracks. Indeed, Soulless are a very competent band in their genre, but still no match for the powerful death/thrash of bands like The Forsaken or Corporation 187. As such, _Agony's Lament_ remains an honest effort and certainly an enjoyable album in spite of the bland production, but one that offers little that's different from or better than a large number of other releases out there. Contact: http://www.world-chaos.com Tenhi - _Vare_ (Prophecy Productions, 2002) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) Tenhi's debut full-length _Kauan_, _Vare_'s predecessor, is filled with truly exquisite dark beauty and melancholy; an album with introspective, atmospheric qualities that I have found difficult to match, and one I would award a 9 out of 10. Though mostly based on dark folk, these Finns crafted a sound all their own on _Kauan_, with acoustics and sombre vocals as well as sullen piano passages. This new album, _Vare_, therefore comes in the wake of the extremely high expectations created by their masterful debut (with the _Airut:Ciwi_ EP having served as an appropriate interlude). Even though the music on _Vare_ can still be generally referred to as dark folk, it is more folk and less dark than _Kauan_. More specifically, there are three tracks on the album that I find very annoying with their upbeat folk style: "Jaljen", "Kevain" and "Katve". Fortunately the album is lengthy enough for the absence of these tracks to go nearly unnoticed, otherwise they could seriously disrupt the atmosphere created by the other songs. _Vare_ is full of rich yet often subtle arrangements -- even moreso than its predecessor -- and apart from the aforementioned trio, the songs flow very nicely. The album reaches its peak midway through with the heartbreaking "Suortuva", a remarkable track that is almost worth the money on its own. Overall, much as it is very pleasant, soothing and atmospheric, _Vare_ is not quite as remarkably inspired as its predecessor. If you already have _Kauan_, then _Vare_ should also prove a worthy addition to your collection; otherwise, I would recommend seeking _Kauan_ first. Contact: http://www.tenhi.com The Gathering - _Souvenirs_ (Psychonaut, 2003) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) First and foremost, _Souvenirs_ proves that The Gathering anno 2003 is increasingly Anneke van Giersbergen's band. I don't mean this in a negative way, as if the band's talented vocalist was forcefully dominating the other band members -- I've no idea what happens in their rehearsal room. What I mean is that the music seems increasingly written around her vocals, concerned with suiting her voice and giving it a leading role. While I do miss the heavier _Mandylion_ days, this is not necessarily a bad decision by the band. I'll have to use the old cliche "this is not a metal album" here, as this is in fact a much more atmospheric, electronic affair than its entertaining predecessor _if_then_else_. _Souvenirs_ tends to have a pleasantly sombre mood, and opens particularly well in that respect with "These Good People". "Golden Grounds", "Jelena" and the first half of "Monsters" provide some more good examples of the same kind of atmosphere. A few other tracks are more upbeat, however, and in the (excessively) sweet "You Learn About It" The Gathering have a potential chartbreaker -- or at least a very radio-friendly song that could see a lot of mainstream airplay if certain people happen to notice it. There is also an Ulver connection in _Souvenirs_, brought about by Anneke's duet with Trickster G (a.k.a. Garm) near the end of the album on "A Life All Mine" -- an interesting prospect for many music fans out there, surely, and a worthy result. The unobtrusive beats, subtle electronic elements and pleasant melodies are kept at a high quality level throughout by this experienced band, although the result is not always overly interesting. Nevertheless, _Souvenirs_ remains a very playable album with a few really good tracks and several nice if mostly indifferent ones. Contact: http://www.gathering.nl The Mist and the Morning Dew - _The Mist and the Morning Dew_ by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10) (Independent, 2003) This self-released debut EP by The Mist and the Morning Dew boasts some interesting connections in the Finnish doom metal scene by featuring ex-Unholy vocalist Veera Muhli and Shape of Despair guitarist Jarno Salomaa, as well as Finntroll bassist Sami Uusitalo. In addition to the similarities with Shape of Despair in the guitar department and Unholy in the vocals, this female-sung doom affair also brings a more metallic version of The 3rd and the Mortal to my mind quite a bit. Ultimately TMatMD are heavier than T3atM but nowhere near as heavy as Shape of Despair, of whom they inherit only some of the guitar style -- bearing in mind that Shape of Despair's other guitarist, Rapture's Tommi Ullgren, is not part of TMatMD. Overall, the band is still able to claim an identity of their own in spite of the similarities with the aforementioned bands. On the downside, the somewhat withdrawn vocal style may require some getting used to, while the production could use some improvement. Some violin is also used, but fails to make much of an impression. On the other hand, the melancholic guitar leads and forlorn female vocals get along very well, and the music is very pleasant throughout. Anyone into Shape of Despair, Rapture and female-led doom bands should check out this band. Contact: http://www.themist.xrs.net The Monolith Deathcult - _The Apotheosis_ by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10) (Cold Blood Industries, 2003) The Monolith Deathcult are a Dutch band specialising in performing violent and brutally intense death metal. Although they have been compared with Nile, the music only bears a superficial similarity to them, whose song writing skills and musicianship are several notches above those of The Monolith Deathcult. (Actually, Nile is several notches above virtually the entire death metal milieu.) This in no ways implies that they are sloppy or untalented; on the contrary, they are a tight and fairly technical outfit, often throwing in a few Slayer-esque solos. They are similar to Nile with regards to other aspects: they too possess an astounding three vocalists, and they also draw upon blood-drenched historical events such as Attila the Hun and the Roman Gladiators for lyrical inspiration. On the downside, they are content for the most part to simply blast their way through the songs. This is hardly likely to be a problem for the average death metal fanatic, but a more discerning listener might be put off by the relentlessness of their music. Contact: http://www.coldbloodindustries.com The True Frost - _Open the Portals to Darkness_ by: Matthias Noll (3 out of 10) (Millenium Metal Music, 2002) Dear Mum, I'm doing fine, but please send more money -- I went to the metal market in Frankfurt and spent everything I had on CDs. I know I shouldn't do this, but I got in a shopping frenzy. Unfortunately, I bought a CD by a band called The True Frost. I know you told me many times, a name like The True Frost is almost as good as a sticker on the case saying "avoid like the black plague" -- because how could anyone with even the smallest amount of trueness ever call his band "the true "? But somehow I couldn't control myself. Quite often they sound like a talentless former punk or oi band who got a Hellhammer and a Darkthrone record and thought it would be much cooler to play underground black metal. And when I'm completely honest I believe I have found more atmosphere and grimness in the trunk of my car than behind the portals to darkness. I promise I'll be more careful in the future. Maybe I can sell it to an idiot like myself on eBay, but please Mum, send the money soon so that I can buy something decent like the new Satanic Warmaster. Necro-Hailz from your son, Matthias. Tuska / Incriminated - _Ten Hail Marys_ (Bestial Burst, 2003) by: Matthias Noll (1 out of 10) This split CD is another crap release I've spent 11 Euro on during my latest shopping frenzy. "Necro black core vs. old skool death doom" and comparisons made somewhere on the web between Beherit and Tuska were all I needed to place an order. Tuska is neither necro, black, nor core. It's utterly shitty garage-grind/hardcore which someone is being clever enough to sell via a completely made-up connection to black metal. On to Incriminated. I considered them to be one of the better Hellhammer / Celtic Frost worshippers around, and I found the split CD with Bloodhammer on Northern Heritage to be truly enjoyable. What goes on here is puzzling, to say the least. It appears to me as if they have a new singer who's ruining most songs with the use of a totally ridiculous and irritating clean wail that is probably meant to sound psychotic and insane. He manages to come across a bit like Tom Warrior on some better left forgotten passages from _Into the Pandemonium_, but so much worse and annoying it's unbearable. Musically the five Incriminated tracks are also forgettable, third rate doom/death with a strong Celtic Frost vibe and a garage production. Limited to 666 copies. Part-time alchemists take note: this is how you turn shit into money. Having listened to this debacle one more time, I even had to generously give The True Frost three instead of two points. Vargsang - _Call of the Nightwolves_ (Undercover Records, 2003) by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10) For those familiar with German underground black metallers Graven, the description of _Call of the Nightwolves_ doesn't require much more elaboration than saying that it sounds exactly like Graven with a rawer sound and slightly better songs. Looking at the line-up this is hardly surprising, because Vargsang (the band) is the one man show of Graven's former main songwriter Vargsang. Musically this is pure, keyboardless, mostly Norwegian-sounding black metal, delivered with a very Teutonic sense of order and structure when it comes to breaks and tempo changes. Unsurprisingly one finds that monotony is consciously used to achieve hypnotic effects, but Vargsang prescribe small doses of that, slowing down or speeding up at the right point in time. They fortunately avoid making the same mistake as, for example, Godless North, who allow their _Transylvanian Hunger_ worship to turn into boredom quite frequently. There is little if any originality at all to be found on _Call of the Nightwolves_; what makes me recommend this album and even give it an 8 out of 10 is the high quality level which is kept throughout the 37 minutes, as well as the fact that -- even though I hear a little Euronymous here and a bit of Darkthrone there -- this doesn't sound like a rip-off. Perhaps I am in a somewhat conservative mindset right now that leads me to prefer a fine execution of a tried and tested formula rather than the abysmal travesties that an unstoppable desire to be original and groundbreaking can produce. But in times when former black metal icons like Satyricon recycle bridge sections Voivod might have used on a bad day in 87/88 and repeat them over and over again until another seven minute borefest is complete and gets a song title, I enjoy bands like Vargsang more than ever! Contact: http://www.undercover-records.de Various - _The Obsolete View_ (The Rectrix, 2003) by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10) Another in the line of solid releases from this quality-conscious label, this disc collects the works of three stylistically different experimental-ambient artists, and manages to sound strikingly coherent given their considerably different approaches. Hollowing kick things off with waves of highly processed metallic scrapings / clangings and a barely intelligible looped voice sample, creating a vacuous, warehouse ambience not unlike the darkest Nurse With Wound material. Things take a more sombre turn with the subdued dronings and organic beating of the "Yadu'a", only to veer into relatively upbeat territory on the short, almost martial third track. Not quite as stimulating as the original Organum / NWW / glitch tradition they appear to be building upon, Hollowing nonetheless excel in the darker, electronic aspects of their music. Aere Aeturnus opt for a less eclectic approach with their drawn-out cinematic textures; distant cosmic piping frames a backdrop of muted tribal beats and softly processed guitar drones on the aptly titled "of suicide, pain and old age", creeping dreadfully into the rocky subterranean rumblings and uncanny metallic creaking of the compilation's title track. Infinitely depressing stuff on all four of Aere Aeturnus' offerings, with their pervasive sense of otherworldly eeriness not helping things much. Great material nonetheless, and a worthy precursor to Metanemfrost who manage to maintain the atmosphere of desolation with the inexorable scraping and plodding of "Chthonian". Distinctly scabrous and unhealthy, Metanemfrost's five tracks form a horrid soundtrack to H. P. Lovecraft's monstrous nightmares of antediluvian Gods and shambling beasts. Not quite matching Inade or Lustmord in scope or immensity, the restrained rumblings of "Empire Ablaze" still evoke a sense of cosmic foreboding which eventually coalesce into the arcane ritualism of "Ancient Blood Scriptures", before finishing the disc off with the monotonous thrumming of "The Black Vortex". All in all a highly engaging and varied listen with solid performances throughout, just falling short of being essential listening due to the lack of any immense, genre-defining achievements on the disc. Contact: http://www.therectrix.com Various - _Victory Through Total Domination: Compilation No. III_ by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10) (No Colours Records, 2002) _VTTD_ is a collection from grim black metal label No Colours Records. As can be gathered from the above rating, the compilation as a whole is above average, though the quality of individual songs varies widely. It is not necessary -- and beyond the scope of this review -- to comment on every song in detail, but it is worthwhile to mention several of the highlights and lowlights. The album's undisputed strong points are Satanic Warmaster's as yet unreleased (why?) "Distant Blazing Eve" showcasing an incredibly depressive and melancholic atmosphere unheard in black metal since Dimmu Borgir's _For All Tid_ and Gaahlskagg's explosive "P.T.R.", which is essentially a punk song cloaked in black metal trappings. (Be warned: some of these songs are quite old -- "P.T.R." is taken from _Erotic Funeral_, which was released several years ago.) The weak points include Wigrid's track -- apart from being too long, the hoarse vocals sound like those of a certain Varg Vikernes -- and Judas Iscariot's contribution, while not particularly bad, is not nearly as good as some of his previous material. For those for who consider necessary ingredients in an album inferior and trebly production, inhuman screams and grating guitars, yet are not familiar with the No Colours roster, then this compilation comes highly recommended. For those who are not familiar with contemporary raw black metal, this compilation will also serve as a useful introduction. Vital Remains - _Dechristianize_ (Century Media, 2003) by: Jackie Smit (9 out of 10) Maybe it's just me, but I'm starting to grow a tad weary of the whole Satanic thing in extreme music. I mean, let's be honest -- there's only so many ways in which you can chant the praises of the hooved one before the theme grows stale. This gripe aside though, Vital Remains are one of the better bands to needlessly shove their religious views down the listener's throat. Either way, _Dechristianize_ is a very important album for the band, thanks in no small part to the attention awarded them by the presence of Deicide's Glenn Benton. Certainly, the probability of their (arguably somewhat overdue) promotion to the upper tier of death metal rests very squarely on its ability to deliver the goods. And to this extent, it does so beautifully. Many may mistakenly regard this record as a stop-gap while we await Deicide's next (and equally important) offering. The truth is though that in virtually every aspect _Dechristianize_ is a far cry from any of the sub-par meanderings which Deicide have soiled their latter-day career with. With a level of brutality and technicality that could easily go toe to toe with a band like Hate Eternal, Vital Remains plough through some of the most vicious, and uncharacteristically lengthy, extremity they have ever come up with. To the credit of the group's core members, they also never allow Benton's appearance to overshadow their commendable abilities. Where many death metal bands would fail dismally to record a track exceeding five minutes without sounding monotonous, Vital Remains equate them of their task with admirable aplomb -- indeed it takes only one listen to the title track or "Infidel" to realise that Deicide wish they could be this good. Wastoid - _Say Your Prayers_ (Independent, 2002) by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10) Wastoid are one of those bands that are least likely to have terms such as "original", or "groundbreaking" headed in their general direction anytime in the near future. Normally this would be a huge negative as I value originality and innovation quite highly in the music I choose to listen to, but in some exceptional cases originality can and does take a backseat to music that is simply unpretentiously good. Wastoid are one such band: they were not formed with the intention of forging a new path for metal, nor do they lay claim to such lofty aspirations; their sole function is to play the unashamedly retro classic metal that they are no doubt huge fans of. It is uncertain whether today's metal fan(atic) will wish to hear old school metal performed by anyone other then the masters. But this will not concern Wastoid, as they will in all likelihood go on playing the music they love whether they sell 100 or 100 000 CDs. Contact: http://www.wastoid.net =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __, __, _, _ _, _, | \ |_ |\/| / \ (_ |_/ | | | \ / , ) ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Scoring: 5 out of 5 -- A flawless demo 4 out of 5 -- Great piece of work 3 out of 5 -- Good effort 2 out of 5 -- A major overhaul is in order 1 out of 5 -- A career change is advisable Cryonic - _Digital Encryption_ by: David Rocher (4 out of 5) Considering this is Cryonic's first self-released recording, I am truly impressed by the professional quality of the material on _Digital Encryption_. Reveling in cold, industrial-tinged metal, Sweden's Cryonic create a cybernetic canvas of low-case riffs borne on simple and hypnotic electronic drum patterns, crafting three tracks of chilling, dehumanised soundscapes. The cold, inhuman feeling irradiated by _Digital Encryption_ is completed by Cryonic's use of distorted melodic vocals, somewhat reminiscent of Sisters of Mercy's early days, and the effective insertion of keyboards throughout their material. Comprising three full-fledged electro-metal tracks delineated by disquietingly placid, truly effective synthetic interludes, _Digital Encryption_ is a cohesive, powerful and compelling effort that clearly denotes the immense musical potential lurking within Cryonic's ranks. Followers of the electronic/industrial metal genre would be well advised to reach for these Swedes' first effort, which delivers the quality of a professional release. And although I am in truth no dedicated follower of this musical style, I definitely look forward to hearing more from Cryonic. Contact: cryonicworld@hotmail.com Decadence - _Theatre of Eclipse_ by: David Rocher (3 out of 5) A rather self-satisfied Italian quintet dedicated to "Obscure Metal", Decadence have released a suitably impressive and professional nine-track, 30-minute demo. What Decadence refer to as "Obscure Metal" in fact embodies a form of symphonic, tentatively "neo-classical" blackened metal, which often reminds me of Forlorn's _Opus III: Ad Celestis Res_. Technically proficient and musically well inspired, but plagued by a weird, wildly unbalanced sound, _Theatre of Eclipse_ is finely crafted, and reveals that Decadence indeed possess potential. However, despite the honourable amounts of musical skill and theoretical research displayed by this self-released MCD, _Theatre of Eclipse_ fails to display the consistent musical brilliance that Decadence strive to attain; and although _Theatre of Eclipse_ does display some truly grandiose keyboard arrangements, Decadence tend to rely too much on these to enhance their otherwise effective, yet rather conventional "progressive" black metal. In fine, although Decadence will need to hone the musical consistency and focus of their material to rise above their peers, _Theatre of Eclipse_ remains a commendable effort for symphonic black metal fans to check out. Contact: http://www.obscuremetal.com Feral Horde - _Demo 2002_ by: Alvin Wee (3 out of 5) While three points might seem a tad generous given the mediocrity of the three tracks on offer, these Canadians must be credited with pulling off a fair number of stunts while never quite crystallizing their vision. Opener "Holy Vermin" initially comes across as a mish-mash of incoherent riff- and tempo-switches, only to break into more structured segments which hint at the band's hidden knack for crafting uniquely explosive passages. A somewhat mixed bag of ideas, some of which fortunately jump out as being highly promising. The second track takes down the speed a notch, cleaning the sound up for a much more focussed excursion in mid-'90s melodic Swedish riffery. While arguably more conventional than the first track, "Tool of Damnation" nevertheless stands the band in much better stead in terms of maturity and cohesiveness, remaining well-structured and developed throughout. The final live track showcases the band as a particularly convincing live act, blazing ahead with bold conviction and fierce melody, if one were to overlook the lapses into unmoderated chaos in the middle of the track (an unfortunate quirk of the band, it seems). Still, I wouldn't write off these boys entirely; a few solid months of writing and rehearsal should see Feral Horde developing the flashes of brilliance here into a full blown assault. Contact: feralhorde@hotmail.com K-Again - _Ultraviolence_ by: Jackie Smit (2.5 out of 5) For a band who confidently title their demo _Ultraviolence_, K-Again's brand of nu-metal is surprisingly tame, and very rarely does it exceed the level of violence that would deem it fit for the adjective "ultra". Thankfully though, it is not a product of the same swill that produced Papa Roach and Linkin Park -- in fact, K-Again at times showcases a commendable amount of potential. Blending elements of Slipknot, Chimaira and Mudvayne into their music, they struggle, but almost manage to sound unique on "My Own Freedom" and "U". Unfortunately though, these moments are all too rare and generally K-Again just comes across as... well, just another nu-metal band -- which even in the eyes of the mainstream right now isn't a good thing. The production on this effort is acceptable and far beyond what you'd expect from a band of their profile, but the group need to concentrate on improving their song writing to the point where they can lay claim to their own identity. Similarly, vocalist Pigo is clearly not pushing his voice as much as he can, which doesn't do the music any favours. With Logan Madder (Machine Head, Soulfly, Medication) set to produce their next effort, I'm sure that big things may yet await K-Again though. Contact: http://www.2kkrecords.com Soultorn - _Masks_ by: David Rocher (2 out of 5) I had great expectations for Soultorn's newest MCD, which _Masks_ sadly fails to live up to. Boasting Niklas Sundin artwork and a finale in the guise of a cover of Dark Tranquillity's "With the Flaming Shades of Fall", _Masks_ scarcely seeks to conceal its dominant musical influence, but suffers from some significant flaws that finally overcome its professional aspirations. Indeed, whereas a track such as "Legacy" proudly displays excellent, melodic riffing and cool arrangements, most of Soultorn's material simply sounds too derivative to prove effective; in addition, _Masks_ at times showcases unpleasant atonal qualities, particularly with regard to the sometimes toneless-sounding guitars and the clear vocals, which sound like a strange, unconvincing blend of gothic laments and punkoid tone-deafness -- considering how effective Ryan Montigny's screamed vocals are, I wonder why Soultorn resort to these at all. There is potential and will lurking within Soultorn, as _Mask_'s clean production and professional approach testify to, but these young Americans definitely need to fine-tune -- both literally and properly -- their sound and strip their songwriting of some whimsical components if they seek to break through the ranks of today's saturated melodic death metal scene. Contact: http://www.soultorn.tk The Amenta - _Mictlan_ by: David Rocher (5 out of 5) Stating that Australia's The Amenta are professional musical killers would be euphemistic. From the glorious packaging right down the most sombre, unnoticeable details of the blasting, syncopated and experimental death metal it delivers, _Mictlan_ oozes with flawless power, sadistic refinement and rapturous brutality. Fusing blasting, aggressive death metal with synthetic atmospheres usually endemic to the black metal genre, The Amenta sound like a strange, yet utterly lethal hybrid of Myrkskog, Cryptopsy and Nile. Loaded to the brim with unrelenting, punishing blast beats, razor-sharp time changes, insane start/stop onslaughts and an atmosphere of suffering and decay bordering on the tangible, _Mictlan_ is graced with a colossal and abrasive production, that testifies to these Australians' dedication to musical perfection. Truth be told, _Mictlan_'s only failure is its brevity; at 11 minutes (including a dispensable two-minute industrial outro), this murderous surge of energy seems to ebb just too fast for its own good, and is guaranteed to leave death metal addicts craving for more. The Amenta are beyond all doubt an immense musical force to be reckoned with, and are currently looking for a label to release their forthcoming full-length debut, _Ennea_ -- I can therefore only hope that they will not be unjustly ignored by labels as the excellent Aphotic have been. Contact: http://www.theamenta.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _, _ _, _, / _ | / _ (_ \ / | \ / , ) ~ ~ ~ ~ A K I N G D O M U N I T E D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Immolation, Malevolent Creation, Aborted and Noctiferia at Electrowerkz, London, May 13, 2003 by: Jackie Smit Many a reviewer has in the past called London's Mean Fiddler venue a "cold soulless dump", while several others have leveled similar accusations at the equally dingy Camden Underworld. I seriously doubt however that any of these scribes have ever had the displeasure of visiting Electrowerkz -- hardly the venue of choice, one would assume, for bands of the stature of Immolation and Malevolent Creation. With its post-war Baghdad decorum and acrid stench, it's no wonder that the turnout is so surprisingly sparse. Fortunately the evening gets off to a promising start with Slovenia's Noctiferia. Not being familiar with any of their work myself, I am very impressed with their blend of melodic and brutal death metal. Sure, they have the genetic fingerprints of Aeturnus and Nile stamped all over their songs, but they clearly have the talent and the tunes to become a big name in the not-too-distant future. Belgium's answer to Carcass, Aborted, take to the stage next, and while their recorded efforts have yet to impress me, they succeed in delivering a very classy performance as they tear through several numbers off their latest _Goremageddon_ disc. Although they do veer dangerously toward outright monotony in the latter half of their 30 minute set, at the very least they leave me wanting to give their records another listen. Despite an enjoyable start to the evening, the show is clearly all about the two headliners, and as Malevolent Creation check their instruments (bizarrely there's not a roadie in sight for the entire evening) and the punters swarm to the claustrophobically small stage, it's very clear that all hell is about to break loose. Starting off with "They Die" from the _Eternal_ album, new front man Kyle Symons immediately takes centre stage with one of the most aggressive and manic performances I have ever seen come from a death metal band. Truly, if there was a vocalist lottery of some kind, Malevolent Creation have hit the jackpot with Symons, who not only infuses old favourites like "Multiple Stabwounds", "Premature Burial" and "Living in Fear" with a fresh shot of adrenaline, but also takes the aggression of new material such as "The Will to Kill" and "Rebirth of Terror" to virtually unparalleled heights. After being around for nearly fifteen years, and spending quite a bit of that time languishing in mediocrity, it looks as though Malevolent's time has finally come -- and not a moment too soon. Most bands would be seriously daunted at the prospect of having to follow Malevolent Creation's blistering set, but Immolation are clearly up to the task as they fire off the twin salvos of "Of Martyrs and Men" and "Sinful Nature". Their performance is note-perfect -- albeit slightly faster than on record -- and frantically energetic. For the remaining forty-five minutes of tonight's show, they seem incapable of putting even the slightest wrongdoing. Treating fans to old material like "Under the Supreme" and "Those Left Behind", it is the material off their latest album, _Unholy Cult_, that prove to be the most devastating weapons in their arsenal. The audience certainly seem to agree, and when the record's title track and "A Kingdom Divided" are aired, the pit extends across the floor until there isn't a single safe spot left inside the venue. Immolation have been somewhat unfairly relegated to the second tier of death metal for the better part of their decade-odd career, despite having quietly and consistently released some of the best efforts to grace death metal in aeons. When they close with "Bring Them Down", there's almost a feeling of sadness among the crowd at the prospect of seeing them go, but one fact has been hammered into the collective conscience of each one present tonight: like most musical geniuses throughout the ages, Immolation are criminally underrated -- and light-years ahead of virtually all the competition. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= GOTH CLUB DESTROYED BY DEATH METAL GODS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Immolation, Malevolent Creation, Aborted and Noctiferia at Electrowerkz, London, May 13, 2003 by: James Montague A relocation from the excellent Underworld Club in Camden to the repulsive gothic club Elektrowerkz in the Angel, Islington, would have been enough to put me off attending most gigs. But this was a chance to see one of my first extreme metal bands (Malevolent Creation) and a late-but-great discovery (Immolation), live in the flesh. This is a dual opportunity that will probably never present itself to me in Australia, so attendance was mandatory. The venue was every bit as bad as I'd expected: a dingy, rat-infested passage with a filthy enclave where one could deposit a coat for the ludicrous fee of £1.50 (more than the VIP lounges of the classiest clubs in London). Upstairs, the cramped stage opened out onto a large room -- unfortunately, a pile of crap had been plonked smack bang in the middle of the room, upon which the sound engineers had set up base. That meant a huge area had a partial or zero view of the stage. Fan-fucking-tastic. Naturally I was determined to see the bands and cramped myself into the front section of the club for the night. Thankfully, once things got rolling the sound was good enough to cancel out my initial revulsion. London seems to be quite good at getting the live sound right -- something we could do with in Australia. Not a technical glitch all night! In the publications I'd read, the gig had been advertised as an Immolation + Malevolent double bill, so I had no idea who was going to take the stage first. After being blown away by a magnificent doom-layered exotic death metal opener, I was keen to know who these chaps were. They were Noctiferia (http://www.noctiferia.com) from Slovenia, a name I won't be forgetting in a hurry. With some extensively and tastefully employed lead guitar work and majestic sound sampling, the band reminded me strongly of Nile or Morbid Angel (leads clearly inspired by Trey Azagthoth), but without the blast-beat prevalence of either band. This is my kind of death metal, and I will be looking out for their _Per Astra_ album on future shopping trips -- highly recommended to you folks too. The band fell for the usual openers' trap of concentrating too hard on their instruments, but their undeniable quality drew roars of approval from an unsuspecting audience. Belgium's Aborted came on next and gave a fiery performance. The vocalist moaned about the mixing between songs, but I had no problem hearing anything. Gore-grind death metal isn't my thing, but it is great fun in a live setting when done well. And these guys were very good, blasting and banging away, the vocalist switching from guttural belch to asphyxiated screech as easily as a baby shits its nappies. Aborted seems to have some pretty nifty songwriting tricks, and threw in some catchy thrash riffs amongst the gory carnage. Much enjoyment was had by all. I ventured up to the stage to witness the band that kicked my arse with _Retribution_ many moons ago. After chatting amicably with the bemused security fellow by the stage, I then proceeded to confirm his most dreaded stereotype by hurling my head up, down and around in manic fashion. There's not much else one can do when a band comes on stage to the sound of machine gun fire and belts out "Alliance or War". A frenzied set included many newer tracks with which I was unfamiliar, but they did play "Eve of the Apocalypse" from the _Retribution_ album, to the approval of a rapturous audience. Some observers were put off by the vocalist's appearance -- red t-shirt, short hair and gold chain -- hardcore all the way, but he did attack the songs with the required fury and made himself the centre of attention. The drummer (is it still Derek Roddy?) pumped out some of the fastest blast beats this side of Flo Mounier. For me, Malevolent was the star of the show, and three days of whiplash were testament to the fact. I was exhausted by the time Immolation came home, and since I was still only familiar with _Close to a World Below_ (having bought _Unholy Cult_ earlier in the evening and held it in my pocket all night, cursing myself for not familiarising myself with it earlier) I decided to sit back for this one. If I were a long-time Immolation fan, they'd have been the show-stopper for me, no doubt. Bald guitarist Robert Vigna led the fray, enthusiastically sweeping and plucking away at his axe in true showman fashion, grinning and clearly loving the metal life. Bassist/vocalist Ross roared away with diabolical passion, while Alex laid waste to the drumkit in style. The memorable main riff of "Father, You're Not a Father" brought me back into the headbanging hotspot, and the hysteria amongst the small crowd built as the set went on. At the end of the performance a wasted crowd couldn't be arsed shouting the band's name, so we just shouted "More". We got more -- a round of greetings from Vigna preceded a couple of closing tracks, naturally ending with "Bring Them Down". A quality performance all around by a band whose gigs should be made compulsory for all metal enthusiasts. Riding the tube home, I noticed my trousers covered with dirt and axel grease, confirming the decrepitude of the shitty Elektrowerkz. Those stains eventually washed away, but the memories of this night will not fade so easily. Possibly my best gig of all time, right up there with Nazxul's first few shows and the Morbid Angel / Damaged tour of 1995. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= D A M N A T I O N A N D A M O N D A Y N I G H T ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cradle of Filth and Akercocke at the London Astoria, April 16, 2003 by: Jackie Smit With Cradle of Filth touring hot on the heels of their highly touted and self proclaimed coup de grace, I must admit to being a tad shocked upon my arrival at the Astoria some two hours before the doors are set to open: there was already a queue well out-stretching what even Slayer could manage here little less than a year ago. Indeed, if you were to ask virtually anyone among the black-clad mass waiting to enter the venue who the better of the two are, they'd probably not hesitate to shriek "Cradle" at the top of their pubescent lungs. Kids these days. Unfortunately, the evening kicks off with the monumentally disappointing news that Immolation -- who were previously scheduled to provide support -- will not be performing, as they apparently "have the evening off". Even more disappointingly this gives South Yorkshire's ambassadors of Beelzebub, Akercocke, even more time to peddle their brand of unimaginative black/death metal. Now, I have to be honest here -- I have never liked these guys. In my opinion they are pretentious and unoriginal in the extreme and it is only rarely during the course of their half an hour plus set that they manage to even slightly challenge my perception. In all fairness though, this could also be due to the sound gremlins which do hamper their set quite badly, as well as showing no favours to the headliners later on. After running through a set list that comprises material from both their forthcoming and previous records, the true highlight of Akercocke's performance remains their vocalist's cringingly cheesy (yet funny in a Tankard-sort of way) pre-song rant: "We hear you London and when we hear you HE hears you!". I'm sure that this isn't exactly what they're aiming for, but the last time I laughed so hard was when Seinfeld was still a regular on terrestrial television. By their own admission, it is amazing to think just how far Cradle of Filth have come. From being the little-known Suffolk contribution to pseudo Satanic black metal and clearing out many a small-town make-up supply store of its black eyeliner and white face powder, to the Sony-powered fashion accessory they are now -- hell, even one of the simpletons from Good Charlotte was sporting a CoF shirt in a magazine not so long ago. Their shock ascension is hit home especially hard by the very impressive stage rig that glares at the audience (think Rammstein on a -much- smaller scale) and the dual flanking video screens that show scenes from the much maligned movie "Cradle of Fear", while roadies frantically ready the band's equipment. Of course when the black-clad sextet slither their way on to the stage, the audience's response is unsurprisingly rapturous, but from the outset something feels wrong. It may be that the video screens are now displaying the album covers from whence each currently performed song is pulled, coming across in many ways as black metal infomercial. Or it may be Dani's incessant macho posturing -- not a convincing sight when you're five foot nothing and thin as a rake. The real problem though is the sloppiness of the band's performance. While material from their latest _Damnation and a Day_ is tightly played and sounds acceptable, albeit coming off an album which was underwhelming to say the least, anything predating this comes across as being performed by a mediocre cover band at best. Even during straightforward songs like "From the Cradle to Enslave" the band members -- especially the drummer -- drop out of sync and on more than one occasion during "The Forest Whispers My Name" can a rather heavy hint of bewilderment be detected on the faces of the two guitarists. Closing off with "Queen of Winter, Throned", Cradle of Filth leave the Astoria with an air of disappointment. This is hardly the return to the battlefield everyone was hoping for, and in as many ways as Dani Filth's antics reminded me of Axl Rose during the course of the evening, I can't help but thinking that perhaps I have just witnessed the birth of black metal's answer to Guns 'n' Roses. And I'd hate to sound negative, but I can't see them easily proving me wrong. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= G E N E R A T I O N A R M A G E D D O N T O U R ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ancient Rites, Thyrfing, Blood Red Throne and Skyfire in London, UK, April 30, 2003 by: James Montague One might expect Europe's most populous city to be a haven for extreme metal concerts, but alas London, as with Britain in general, has all but forsaken metal for the past decade or more. Admittedly, Immortal and Hypocrisy drew a decent audience at a sizeable venue last year, but on the flip side, Enslaved had to cancel their gig on April 23rd because of poor ticket pre-sales (reportedly, only nine tickets were sold). So the scene is definitely an endangered species over here. Thankfully, the Underworld Club in Camden persists in hosting extreme metal bands despite the lack of commercial benefit they reap. Considering that only about 50 or 60 people bothered to show up, the set-up was quite impressive, with excellent sound, a good bar and - not surprisingly given the "crowd" -- plenty of freedom to move about and test different vantage points. The gig was due to start at 5pm, but ended up being delayed for two hours due to uncertainty about who would show up (an all too familiar story). Primordial, the main band I'd come to see, had to pull out because their drummer had been barred from entering the UK. At least the other four band members showed up, and vocalist A. A. Nemtheanga took the stage to apologise and explain the situation. Unfortunately, he ignored the crowd's exhortation for the band to play without a drummer (or with a hired hand). The other no-show was the Greek band Septic Flesh, for whom no explanation was offered. So I sat around for a while drinking beer and observing the eclectic crowd: on my right side, an Asian girl in gothic garb reading a "Digital Signal Processing" textbook (just like me, five years ago!); on my left side, an Englishman and a Danishman discussing life in their respective countries. You have to love these extreme metal crowds -- and your mother would love them too if only she dared see what the scene's really like. We really aren't such a scary lot. 7pm eventually rocked around, and first on the bill were Skyfire, a band I'd never heard of before. Judging by their accents I'd say they're Danish or Swedish; judging by their music I'd say they're a power metal band with a touch of black/death metal brutality, making them quite an apt opener for an Ancient Rites / Thyrfing gig. As well-written and as catchy as their material was, their lack of stage presence was inescapable. A pile of rotting haggis would've had more personality. Guys, seriously, you may not be happy about being the opening act in a gig played before virtually nobody, but the test of a great live band is whether you can fire up a disinterested audience. On this count, you did not succeed at all! Norway's Blood Red Throne, who took the slot mysteriously vacated by the Dissection rip-off band Soulreaper, showed how an opening act should behave. I was actually dreading watching this band, as I'd thought they were Norway's answer to Cradle of Filth (evidently I had them confused with Blood Stained Dusk). Instead I observed brutal death metal, played fast and tight, and with healthy doses of long blonde hair being swirled around in circles by the three stringsmen and the big fat vocalist. Yes, that's more like it -- metal! The band were only given about twenty minutes to play despite all the cancellations, and the crowd were sorry to see them ago, unlike Skyfire. The next band to come out had black war paint on their faces and launched into a ferocious attack with growled vocals. I thought this must have been Septic Flesh (whose status was still uncertain at this time), so it was quite a surprise when after the opening song the vocalist screamed "We are Thyrfing from Sweden!". Thyrfing is a band I am quite familiar with, having _Valdr Galga_ (1998) in my collection. On CD, the band is something of a guilty pleasure -- led by the keyboards a la Dimmu Borgir, but set in a Viking metal context, a la Amon Amarth. Their music is upbeat and catchy and often very cheesy, but enjoyable. On stage they seem to focus more on sonic violence, and the keyboards tended to fade into the background while the vocalist seemed more brutal. For the first time in the evening I actually recognised a few songs: "Firever", "Storms of Asgard" and possibly "The Deceitful", from their 1998 release. They put on a good performance, though towards the end I was counting the seconds until Ancient Rites would take their place. The Belgian headliners strolled out to the opening refrain of their _Dim Carcosa_ album, Gunther Theys looking every bit the 40-year-old frontman with his impressive girth and purposeful glare. The band continued the track listing from their latest album by thumping out "Les Litanies de Satan" and "Victory or Valhalla" in impressive fashion, the drummer blasting out the black/death fury while the guitarists indulged in their power metal-tinged solo flairs. Over the course of a long set, the band played the first six songs from _Dim Carcosa_, several tracks from the early albums _Blasphemia Eternal_ and _Diabolical Serenades_ (most welcome because they were sans blastbeats, which had tended to drown out the band at times) and some from their exalted _Fatherland_ album. It was almost inevitable that the set would end with the songs "Ode to Ancient Europa" and "Mother Europe" played back-to-back. The crowd was really getting into it by this stage, with the dozen or so diehards who had banged all night being gradually joined by the recalcitrant arm-crossers. Old Man Gunther had a good rapport with audience, seeming unfazed by their small numbers and praising their metal spirit. Satan bless that man! The pitiful crowd was rewarded for their commitment with a lengthy encore that Ancient Rites would have been forgiven for not performing out of disappointment in the London scene. But like the crowd, they are committed to metal regardless of its pauper status, and came out to thrash out loads of epic _Fatherland_ tracks. This allowed the crowd to overcome the disappointment of missing Primordial and Septic Flesh, and sent me home with some faith in London metal's ability to ride out the current dearth of interest. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __, __, ___ _, _ _, _, | \ |_ | /_\ | | (_ |_/ | | | | | | , , ) ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ Web Site: http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos --> Interested in being reviewed? Please ask for a local mailing address by e-mailing us at: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Europe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com NorthAmerica@ChroniclesOfChaos.com RestOfTheWorld@ChroniclesOfChaos.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DESCRIPTION ~~~~~~~~~~~ Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews, album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages of Chronicles of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to electronic/noise to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles of Chaos is dedicated to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie bands who send us material, as well as interviews with a select number of independent acts. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending an e-mail to with your full name in the subject line of the message. You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a blank e-mail to . =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #62 All contents copyright (c) 1995-2003 by individual creators of included work. All rights reserved. All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.