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Chronicles of Chaos Issue 064
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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, Saturday, August 3, 2003, Issue #64
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
Contributor: Adrian Magers
Contributor: James Montague
Contributor: 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 #64 Contents, 8/3/2003
----------------------------
* Chats
-- Nevermore: The Greater Goal Achieved
-- Tomahawk: Shooting the Breeze Mit Mr. Denison
-- Dysrhythmia: Tradition Be Damned
* Albums
-- Amongst the Swarm - _Crowning the Defeated_
-- Arcturus - _The Sham Mirrors_
-- Beneath the Ashes - _Nailed to Your Ruins_
-- Blessed - _Last Breath Before the Flesh_
-- Children of Bodom - _Hate Crew Deathroll_
-- Circle Takes the Square - _As the Roots Undo_
-- Crematorium - _For All Our Sins_
-- Cumchrist - _Cumplete_
-- Darkthrone - _Soulside Journey_ / _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ /
_Under a Funeral Moon_ / _Transilvanian Hunger_
-- Disfear - _Misanthropic Generation_
-- Ditch - _The Sound of Liverpigs Dancing_
-- Ed Gein - _It's a Shame_
-- Elend - _Winds Devouring Men_
-- Exterminator - _Mirror Images_
-- Farmakon - _A Warm Glimpse_
-- Golden Dawn - _Masquerade_
-- Horfixion - _Instigators of Chaos_
-- Inner Helvete - _Total Bloodshedding Devastation_
-- Killing Joke - _Killing Joke_
-- Laibach - _WAT_
-- Meshuggah - _Nothing_
-- Mütiilation - _1992-2002: Ten Years of Depressive Destruction_
-- Mütiilation - _Majestas Leprosus_
-- Mystifier - _Profanus_
-- Nevermore - _Enemies of Reality_
-- Opeth - _Damnation_
-- Pathos - _Perdition Splits the Skies_
-- Prong - _Scorpio Rising_
-- Rakoth - _Tiny Deaths_
-- Satanic Warmaster - _Opferblut_
-- Satyricon - _Volcano_
-- Strommoussheld - _Behind the Curtain_
-- Throcult - _Soldiers of a Blackened War_
-- Throne of Chaos - _Pervertigo_
-- Vinterriket - _Winterschatten_
-- Vomitor - _Bleeding the Priest_
* Demos
-- Aramathea - _Of Darkest Dreams..._
-- Kill by Inches - _Kill by Inches_
-- Outcast - _The Source of All Creation_
-- Pica Fierce - _A Spiral of Violence_
-- The Evil Cell - _The Evil Cell_
- The Evil Cell - _The Evil Cell II_
* Gigs
-- Coming Back Alive and Kicking: Sepultura and Stamping Ground
-- Raining Classics on a Lacerated London: Slayer with Lamb of God
-- Unleashing True Carnage: Six Feet Under supported by Obscenity
-- They Came For Us All: Anthrax with Kill 2 This
-- Marching on to Greatness: Mastodon and Labrat
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T H E G R E A T E R G O A L A C H I E V E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Jeff Loomis of Nevermore
by: Jackie Smit
How many times have you heard a band's forthcoming effort described
as "heavier, but more melodic"? This commonly used combination of
adjectives (I stopped counting at thirty) has during the last few
years served more to warn fans of impending drivel, than actually
stir up some excitement for a record. Always the exception to the
rule however, Seattle's Nevermore are actually able to say this of
their forthcoming album, _Enemies of Reality_, and still hold their
heads high. Having steadily been releasing a succession of excellent
records since 1995, _Enemies of Reality_ is quite simply their
greatest and most well-rounded accomplishment to date. What better
time then to catch up with main songwriter/guitarist Jeff Loomis than
on the eve of its release?
CoC: Well, Jeff -- let me say first of all that I've had the advance
of the new record for about two weeks now and it's awesome.
Jeff Loomis: Thanks.
CoC: As much as I enjoyed the previous Nevermore albums, I always got
the feeling that you were capable of and were actually working
towards something bigger. Do you feel that you have achieved
this on _Enemies of Reality_?
JL: Definitely. I think that there are some fundamental differences
on this album from the last that helped us achieve that,
especially in that the songs are a bit shorter and there's only
nine on the record. I don't think that we wanted to do another
sixty minute epic, because I think it kind of gets to the point
where you're sitting there listening and thinking "Man, is this
ever going to end?". This album is really fast and to the point.
CoC: The songs also sound as though you paid them much more attention
and in general the whole album feels a bit more well-rounded.
JL: I agree, and I think that it basically comes from just getting
better as a songwriter over the years, you know what I mean? I
don't really think we follow any set path or whatever, and I
never pre-plan anything; I usually just press record on my
eight-track in my home studio and just come up with whatever I
can and then pick out the best stuff at the end of the day.
CoC: Did you handle most of the writing for this album again?
JL: Yeah, I usually write the brunt of the music and then Warrel
handles all of the lyrics, and it was the same for this album.
CoC: You had to cancel quite a large part of your 2001 tour with
Savatage because of the events of 9/11. Did that reflect in any
way on how _Enemies of Reality_ came out?
JL: No, I mean, maybe we were a little angry at the time or whatever,
but these are all just really personal bits of poetry we came up
with ourselves and that didn't have anything to do with it.
CoC: The new album does sound a lot angrier than _Dead Heart in a
Dead World_ though -- where did this extra rage come from?
JL: I don't know... <laughs> Like I said, I don't really plan
anything. I mean, things like the war in Iraq and stuff like that
made me worried about stuff like the band's safety, since we
travel all the time, but after a while I just started ignoring
it, because I'm not really a very political person. I think that
a lot of it comes just purely from inspiration from the stuff
I've been listening to and it might also have a lot to do with
this Kelly guy we used to produce the album instead of Andy.
CoC: He did a really good job, by the way.
JL: He did an excellent job! I think that Kelly was trying to
approach recording us in a different sort of way. With Andy we
sort of had to take a building block approach and we would spend
so much time on every little thing, whereas Kelly would set up
the whole band and we'd play a lot of the songs live. So really
what you're hearing is the live aspect of Nevermore. Of course I
would add three other tracks of guitars later on, but in the end
everything came together and made for a very good album. Also
with Andy we'd have to do all the instrumental parts first and do
all the vocal bits last, and to tell you the truth it's not a
really good idea doing that, because the vocals tend to get
really burned out. After every time we had completed one song on
this new album, Kelly would bring Warrel in and do the basic
vocal tracks, so we'd have one song, one vocal, one song, one
vocal... And basically we'd have Warrel singing through the
duration of the album.
CoC: That also probably gave his voice time to rest between recording.
JL: Oh yeah, and it's really important when you're recording. You
can't blow your voice out, because you'll be screwed.
CoC: Now, this is the second time that Nevermore recorded as a four-
piece. Have you guys ever given any thought to replacing Pat
O'Brien?
JL: Well, Pat's in Cannibal Corpse now and I don't think that his
heart was really into the style of music that we wanted to do to
begin with. I mean, I was living with him at the time and he
would literally wake up every morning and listen to Cannibal
Corpse. <laughs> And I think that all of us are really happy that
he got into Cannibal, because it's his dream band. As for Tim,
our other guitar player -- I think he just had other priorities
at the time. He got married and he was always into aviation, so
he's now actually flying planes for a living. Basically right
now, it's just easier for us to go on as a four-piece, especially
in the studio. I can tighten up everything pretty well in the
studio and also business-wise it's easier for us to work this
way. And we take someone with us when we go on tour anyway. Right
now it's going to Chris from Jag Panzer who'll be coming out with
us when we play in Europe and the States in a couple of months.
CoC: There are quite a few songs on Nevermore where there's an almost
death metal-type feel to the riffs.
JL: Yeah, definitely. I actually started off in a death metal band in
Wisconsin, where I'm from, and I think that there's almost always
been an influence. And I think that you can hear that especially
on the second song, where there's almost a Morbid Angel-type
harmonic bit going on in the middle section. I think it's kind of
cool that Warrel can actually sing over that and not do the
typical death metal growl. That's why I actually stopped playing
in bands like that, because I thought that the vocals were very
restrictive in a sense. I like vocalists that can sing nowadays.
CoC: Did Warrel have any vocal training?
JL: I believe he did. As far as I know it was from this guy by the
name of David Kyle, who actually taught a lot of people in
Seattle who did, you know, this falsetto stuff and things like
that. I think in the early Sanctuary days, his voice was much
higher and over the years it's sort of evened out a bit into a
kind of mid- range to the point where it suits our stuff really
well.
CoC: You mentioned the live aspect of this album earlier and
Nevermore does have the reputation of being quite the performers
-- do you think your records or your live shows form the most
important element of the band?
JL: I think definitely the live experience is where it's all really
at for us. I much prefer playing live to being stuck in a studio,
because that tends to kind of suck most of the time. In a live
environment you have all the people really in your face and
you're able to just really let go and go off into another world.
And it's really inspiring to play live -- actually it's the place
where I'm most inspired.
CoC: So, what's been the most inspiring Nevermore gig, in your
opinion, so far?
JL: Well, there's been so many, but off the top of my head I'd have
to say the Dynamo festival in 1995. We had just started out as a
band and we played in front of like 80,000 people and to play to
such a large crowd is just indescribable. We went on at noon and
I've never played in front of such a big crowd before; it really
looked like just a vast ocean of people. It was pretty intense.
CoC: Do you have a job outside the band?
JL: <laughs> Yeah, at the moment, I think we all have to work because
we're right in the middle of the re-signing process. I try to
keep myself busy all the time -- I teach guitar to students.
Warrel and Jim are both really killer chefs and Van probably has
the best job out of all of us -- he works for Nintendo.
CoC: Have you recorded any bands in your home studio yet?
JL: I did, actually. A couple of months ago I recorded a death metal
band out of Seattle and it came out really cool. I'd like to
actually do more of that, but it's really hard finding the time.
CoC: Nevermore are often quite unfairly lumped into the power metal
genre -- does this bother you guys at all?
JL: Yeah, a little bit.
CoC: So how would you describe yourselves to people who haven't heard
you yet?
JL: Well, I think we're an ever-changing band, which makes it really
hard to say. We have so many different styles that come together
in this band that it's really hard to say, and it's probably
impossible to categorize. I think we get a lot of the power metal
references because Warrel sings, but to me power metal just
sounds a lot happier as opposed to our stuff.
CoC: Well, you also don't sing about demons and dragons and wizards
either...
JL: <laughs> Yeah, dungeons and dragons, demons jumping out of the PA
-- that's not us at all. I can't really put any tag on us,
because from album to album you never know what you're going to
get with us. It's always ever-changing.
CoC: Now, you're obviously pretty happy with how _Enemies of Reality_
has turned out. In your honest opinion, what do you feel is this
album's potential?
JL: That's a hard one to predict. You know, it's about a month away
from coming out, but to tell you the truth, I think it's going to
be our best one yet. You've got to be optimistic about things
like this or you sit at home, shaking and wondering what's going
to happen. I think some people might freak out because of the
difference in recording sounds -- I mean Andy Sneaps was so
sleek, whereas this one's focusing on the rawer approach that we
can get. I do look forward to seeing what people think, but I
definitely believe that this will be our best-selling album. We
have always outsold every successive album, so we've pretty much
always been going up.
CoC: What are your touring plans for 2003?
JL: Well, we'll be coming to Europe with Arch Enemy in September and
then after that we'll be hitting the states with Dimmu Borgir,
Children of Bodom and Hypocrisy. I think it's cool to have a show
like this, because most of the time when you go to the States,
there'll be four death metal bands playing and it just gets
really boring. I really like it when there are different bands on
a bill, because it just keeps things interesting, you know?
CoC: You actually toured with Dimmu Borgir in 2001 -- do they get up
to any crazy antics on the road?
JL: Oh man, those guys are just so much fun. They really know how to
party and they're big fans of older styles of metal, like we all
are, and they're really cool guys under all the demon-stuff they
put on.
CoC: As heavy as _Enemies of Reality_ is, in the current marketplace
one could easily imagine a couple of those songs on radio and
Nevermore actually becoming quite a big act commercially. Have
you guys ever given thought to touring with any bigger bands?
JL: I guess if the chance ever came up, we'd definitely take it,
because it would bring so much more publicity for us, but at the
moment we're sort of more attached to the underground bands.
We've always been going out with bands from Sweden like Opeth and
Soilwork and it usually makes for a really good bill.
CoC: But at the same time a band like Metallica is claiming to go
back to the old-school, yet they're taking Linkin Park out on
tour with them. Wouldn't it be great if they could actually put
their money where their motor mouths are and take a band like
Nevermore on the road with them?
JL: That would be amazing, because we'd be playing in front of so
many new people and it would bring us so much publicity, and I
think we need a break like that. I mean, something similar has
happened with Shadows Fall, who are going to be playing at the
Ozzfest, so congrats to them. It would really be great to be able
to do a high-profile tour like that to get us going. One thing
that has been very positive for us is that we're going to be
doing a video at the end of July for the title track off the new
record and with Headbanger's Ball being back to TV in the States,
it could work out really great for us.
CoC: So, any last words for Chronicles of Chaos readers then, Jeff?
JL: Well, I'd like to thank the fans for waiting two and a half years
for us to bring out a new album. You know, fans are the most
important thing for us and we're really looking forward to coming
out on tour very soon, so be there!
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SHOOTING THE BREEZE MIT MR. DENISON
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Duane Denison of Tomahawk
by: Jackie Smit
Tomahawk (for those of you who have lived under the secluded safety
of a rock formation for the past few years) is the veritable super
group featuring such auspicious members as Kevin Rutmanis (The
Melvins) and the vocal talents of 'little-known' Mike Patton (Faith
No More, Fantomas, etc.). However, far from being a Patton vanity
project, Tomahawk is actually the conception of one Duane Denison,
better known to some as the guitarist for seminal rockers The Jesus
Lizard. With a fantastic new record running under the moniker _Mit
Gas_ fresh on the shelves and a fair amount of European tour dates
lying ahead of them, I was given the privileged opportunity to
discuss all things Tomahawk with Mr. Denison from his home in
Nashville.
CoC: Starting with the new record: I found that _Mit Gas_ is a far
more accessible and often more commercial record, as opposed to
the first album that took quite a while to actually sink into
the listener's conscience thoroughly. Did you guys approach the
writing and recording of the album any differently?
Duane Denison: I don't think that there was anything inherently
different, except that on _Mit Gas_ some of the
material had actually been played live before we
recorded it, which obviously wasn't the case with the
first album. But other than that, there wasn't a
different mindset or anything like that -- I mean,
you basically make something up and see what the
other guys think of it. And there wasn't much of a
difference in actually recording the album either --
both records were basically played live in the studio
and mixed and completed in about two and a half weeks.
CoC: So with you being Tomahawk's main songwriter, what primarily
influenced you in writing the album?
DD: Well, too many things to say, really. You know, I really write
stuff all the time and quite possibly you'd hear some of the
influence coming through from stuff I'd been listening to at the
time, like Radiohead or, lately, stuff like Twilight Circus and
Dub Sound -- again, I don't know how much of that came through on
the record, but it's a possibility, if you know what I mean.
CoC: Well, those are pretty atmospheric acts and generally _Mit Gas_
has a far more tangible sense of atmosphere than the first album.
DD: Yeah, definitely. I think the fact that we had played together
much more as a band when the album was recorded also contributed
to that, because it basically gave us more of an idea of what we
were capable of. And that obviously gave us more of a group
instinct and really a group sound, which was maybe missing from
the debut record.
CoC: Now, from what one hears about Tomahawk, one sort of gets the
impression that the band was started as more of a side-project,
as opposed to a full time band. Do you guys treat is as such?
DD: Well, I don't, because this is my main thing right now, and when
we're working or when we're touring or rehearsing or recording
everyone gives 100%. Obviously the other people have other things
that they do as well, but with this group I write the bulk of the
material and kind of initiate everything, so that doesn't place
as much stress on them. I think that Tomahawk sort of gives them
the opportunity to really just let loose and not have to worry
quite so much.
CoC: Tomahawk obviously gets a lot of attention because of Mike
Patton's involvement -- does this ever bother anyone in the
band? I mean, I'm thinking particularly of you as the main
songwriter in the band.
DD: I think that obviously everything Patton does is going to get a
lot of attention and his involvement in the band may well be a
large reason why we're having this interview. But on the other
hand, people make their contribution to the group in different
ways and it's not as though I am the sole owner of the group
anyway. People are always going be interested in everything that
Patton does and in this band, probably more so because as a
frontman you are automatically seen as the band's centre-piece --
the same as with people like Bono or whoever. Most of the time if
you ask him about it he'll say: "Hey, this isn't my band". He
himself is aware of the situation and so it never really gets to
the point where it becomes a problem.
CoC: At the same time, do you think that he treats Tomahawk with more
seriousness than he would something like Fantomas?
DD: No, I think that he treats it just as seriously as Fantomas, in
the same way that Kevin treats it just as seriously as Melvins.
When we're together we treat it as the only thing that matters,
which is important because we spend a lot of time together. We
just spent six weeks on the road. We're coming to Europe soon and
then after that we might go to Australia and New Zealand, and
then afterwards we'll probably get together and work on some new
songs. I mean, we really are together about five months of every
year, and that's a lot of time -- you can be really productive in
that time if you do your homework and you are able to bring
something substantial to the table. It also gives us time off
from each other though, because when you're together for too long
you can get tired of each other and the formality wears off. So I
think that we have a really healthy situation right now as far as
that is concerned.
CoC: So, are you guys all good friends or is it more of a working
relationship?
DD: I'd say that we're all friends to varying degrees. I mean,
different people like doing different things and we'll hang out
with each other from time to time. Maybe someone would like to go
to a restaurant, while someone else might want to go to a bar. We
do different things together. So, we kind of accommodate each
other in various degrees and it works out real well.
CoC: Judging by what you guys wrote on the Ipecac Records website,
you're obviously expecting the album to do quite well. Have you
been happy with the reception so far?
DD: Sure, but I always want more. I want to go triple platinum, I
want to win the Nobel Prize, I want to drink champagne with the
president of France, I want to drink vodka with the prime
minister of Russia. <laughs>
CoC: Now, Tomahawk has been on tour in support of _Mit Gas_ for a
while already -- have there been any incidents similar to the
Mike Patton / security guard urination fiasco of the Astoria in
2002?
DD: Fiasco? What fiasco? <laughs> That was the greatest publicity coo
of all time. Nothing happened. Anyway, I don't know -- maybe,
maybe not. Maybe I'll get arrested. Maybe people will find out
that John Stanier is a sexual predator. Maybe Kevin Rutmanis will
be charged for impersonating a human being.
CoC: What's your opinion on the current state of music?
DD: It depends. I think that the independent label circuit seems to
be doing pretty well, because almost any type of music these days
can find its place in the scene or the market somewhere. People
are getting hooked up well enough through the Internet and
they're able to be exposed to a wider variety of stuff, and
obviously they're also able to get their hands on a lot more
stuff. As far as popular music goes, it's still dominated by the
worst low-level common denominator music, and that's just that
way things go. There was a time, about ten years ago, when you
could safely expect something good to come off a major label, but
that doesn't really happen all that much anymore. Queens of the
Stone Age and Radiohead are exceptions in that case, but it's
pretty rare. Things go in cycles though -- people can say rock is
dead, but it just goes through changes like everything else. I
mean heavy metal and rock were hybrid forms of music since their
inception, and I don't see any kind of an end in sight as far as
the creative aspect is concerned. Again coming back to the
Internet, it's literally just opening so many doors and making
things possible for so many bands that a lot of people are
struggling just to keep up with the technology.
CoC: So does Tomahawk mind if their music gets distributed on the web?
DD: Well, I don't mind if it's getting done through Internet radio
or something like that, but when people can download entire
albums... that's just wrong, you know. It's theft of intellectual
property. When people play the song on the radio it's great, but
when someone can just download for free what you put time and
energy and money into doing and just disseminates it for you and
doesn't give you the chance to do what you would like to do with
it -- that's just wrong. What it also means for record companies
though is that they have to put more effort into presenting the
CD as a product. Taking our record as an example -- have you seen
the artwork?
CoC: Yes, it looks great.
DD: Well, it's because people download so easily that you have to
give people more of a reason to buy your work, and maybe one of
the ways to do that would be to take more trouble with things
like the artwork and the presentation.
CoC: Is the work ethic at Ipecac any different from what you've been
used to before?
DD: No, it's actually very similar to when I was on Touch & Go. I
mean, the business area of things is a bit smaller, but I like
the fact that if I have a question or whatever, I can just go to
someone and ask them and get it solved, where on a bigger label
you can't really do that. So, from that angle it's really good.
And looking at some of the shows that we've played and how the
label marketed that to the people -- who in turn came out and
really appreciated what we did -- it's really nice to be on a
label that is considered to be an ascending force in music.
CoC: Are you planning any side-projects at the moment?
DD: I do local things here and there in Nashville, but nothing major.
I recently played guitar on a Johnny Paycheck album and I do a
bit of session work here and there. There's a couple of other
stuff in the pipeline, but nothing that's really definite yet. I
don't really want to say too much about that yet. We might record
later on in the year.
CoC: Is it going to be Duane Denison's death metal project?
DD: <laughs> No, you'll see.
CoC: So, ultimately, where do you want to take Tomahawk?
DD: I don't really have any goals. I'm just sort of getting the ball
rolling and looking where it takes me. I think right now we're
definitely doing what a band should be doing, in that we're
evolving and getting better at what we do. The first album was
really sort of just us getting our feet wet, and we've played
quite a lot of shows since then and basically improved to where
we are on _Mit Gas_. So, yeah -- I don't have any goals. I just
want to evolve and continue to be something that's interesting
and enjoyable for us as well as the audience.
CoC: Well, it's been great talking to you, Duane. Any last words?
DD: Eat buffalo, drink whiskey and get ready for Tomahawk!
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T R A D I T I O N B E D A M N E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Kevin Hufnagel of Dysrhythmia
by: Jackie Smit
One of the unwritten laws of modern-day music (even in the supposedly
open-minded realms of metal) is that a vocalist's primary role lies
in being the band's centre-piece -- the gatekeeper, if you will, for
the group's identity. Very rarely will this law be broken, and even
more rarely will it be ignored successfully. Enter Dysrhythmia: a
surge of pure, undiluted, unconventional musical expression, intent
on turning every norm and tradition on its head -- and judging by the
hypnotic dirge of their Relapse debut _Pretest_, pretty damn good
at doing so. Operating sans vocals, their mixture of math-rock,
ambience, noise and dense, cascading, almost film-like overtures is
unique and powerful enough to convey the band's intended message
without the traditional, force-fed assistance of lyrics. The prime
force behind this, one of 2003's most surprising efforts, is
guitarist Kevin Hufnagel -- a man who knows all too well about having
to prove oneself to a cynical audience.
CoC: Instrumental acts -- apart obviously from people like Marty
Friedman, Joe Satriani and so on -- aren't a particularly
common thing in modern-day metal. What sparked the idea among
yourselves to do something this unconventional?
Kevin Hufnagel: With the exception of one band, I've always played in
unconventional-type bands, and half of them have been
instrumental, so I guess this is the kind of music
that interests me most as a musician. I enjoy the
challenge of creating a piece of music that can stand
on its own, convey emotion and be interesting and
memorable all at once. I think our band has nothing
to do with a lot of other "instrumental metal"
like the artists you mentioned. Our music is more
concerned with dynamics, rhythm, tension and flow,
rather than writing simplistic song forms to solo
over, if you know what I'm saying.
CoC: Relapse Records is the first label to sign you to a deal
exceeding distribution -- did you find yourself confronted by a
lot of scepticism from other labels when you approached them?
KH: Dysrhythmia never really submitted our music or recordings to any
other labels. I would hear from friends in other bands, who were
signed, that they would play our music for their labels and they
would all say "tell them to call us when they get a singer". It's
really awesome that Relapse decided that they wanted to work with
us and it was certainly something I never expected.
CoC: So how did the deal with Relapse come into being?
KH: We played a show in December 2001 here in Philly with Dillinger
Escape Plan and everyone from Relapse was there in the audience.
We went over very well that night with the crowd and they were
impressed by us, especially being a local band, I guess. There
were also a few people at Relapse who were Dysrhythmia fans
already for a few years, so that's how we got noticed.
CoC: On your website (www.dysrhythmiaband.com) you mention several
musical influences, which include avant-jazz and indie rock.
Outside of music, what would you cite as the key influences in
the writing and construction of _Pretest_?
KH: A lot of times everyday life works its way into our songs. I
think living in a major city like Philadelphia, the tension of
city life and seeing all the urban decay in parts of town
influenced songs like "Bastard" and "Annihilation" parts 1 and 2.
I'm also a huge movie buff and watch tons of obscure films and
extreme cinema. I don't know how much that really influences our
music, consciously, though.
CoC: Because of the absence of a vocalist in your band, do you feel
like Dysrhythmia still provides you with an adequate platform to
express attitudes and emotions that are personal to you, or just
general things that you want to get off your chest?
KH: Yeah, I do. Playing is a great release for me, it's a way to
vent. I don't consider myself very good with words, personally,
so expressing myself through my instrument is important and
essential to me. Sometimes a song title might clue you in on what
the song may be about or inspired by though.
CoC: So what are the key feelings that you feel you've expressed on
_Pretest_?
KH: Certainly a lot of pent-up frustration in songs like "Catalogue
of Personal Faults" and "Bastard". More melancholy feelings in a
song like "Touch Benediction". Songs like "My Relationship" and
"Running Shoe of Justice" are more upbeat-sounding, they make me
feel good. <laughs>
CoC: You've just come off the Contamination tour, where you played
with bands like Mastodon and Cephalic Carnage. What was the
reaction like for Dysrhythmia, given that you differ quite
vastly from the aforementioned acts?
KH: The reaction was extremely positive for the most part. I think a
lot of people were pleasantly surprised, and we were not what
they were expecting at all.
CoC: Do you feel as though you need to adopt a different approach to
performing live, because you don't have a vocalist?
KH: I think it's cool that there isn't any one person standing out
front and centre. When we're performing it's very intense and we
aren't reserved at all in a live setting, and I hear we are fun
to watch too.
CoC: _Pretest_ often sounds to me as though it could have been pulled
from a movie score. Is that something the band have considered
doing?
KH: I never thought about that with this band. I occasionally record
experimental / ambient guitar music on my own -- though recently
not as much as I used to -- and I always thought that kind of
stuff would lend itself very well to a visual medium. It would be
awesome if someone decided to use some Dysrhythmia in one of
their films.
CoC: So if you were offered the chance, what would the ideal movie be
for a Dysrhythmia score?
KH: I don't know... <laughs> Maybe a Japanese Yakuza film or David
Lynch if he remade "Howard the Duck".
CoC: Tracks like "Annihilation" 1 and 2 create an almost thematic
feeling, which runs throughout the album. Is this just a case of
reading too much between the lines, or is that what you had in
mind when you did the record?
KH: There's definitely no theme running through the record, although
if that's what you thought from listening to it then that's
cool. Originally we had the idea of starting the record with
"Annihilation" 1 and ending with 2, but the way we do it live,
with the two of them segueing into each other, sounds so good we
decided to keep it that way.
CoC: What are your aspirations and ambitions for Dysrhythmia?
KH: I try to keep them very simple. Most importantly, I want to
continue to grow musically as a band, to explore some different
territories, and keep it fresh and interesting. Of course I want
to keep expanding our following. This means lots of hard work and
touring. I can see our efforts starting to pay off slowly
already, but at the same time I would love to see it grow much
further.
CoC: Well Kevin, thanks a lot for the talk. Any last words for the
Chronicles of Chaos massive?
KH: Come see us live. Cheers!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_, _, __, _,_ _, _ _,
/ \ | |_) | | |\/| (_
|~| | , |_) | | | | , )
~ ~ ~~~ ~ `~' ~ ~ ~
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!
Amongst the Swarm - _Crowning the Defeated_
by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10) (Skeptic Productions, 2002)
A scaled-down, heavy study in underground metal mayhem awaits the
conflicted soul brave enough to dare a spin of Amongst the Swarm's
debut effort, _Crowning the Defeated_. There are no half-assed beats,
cuts or chops found on this aggressive conflagration of musical
effigy. Guitars nearly run wildly unchecked while held in balance by
the furious beats of this offering's seven totally devastating
tracks. Strained, hoarse vocals communicate the tortured message of
considerable damage AtS lays on the listener without mercy. The
American MidWest has little to offer in the vein of what this five-
piece serves up: it's dark, restrained, but nearly uncontrolled in
its hard-ass, riffy approach. "My Place of Rest" and "In Your Time
of..." will speak volumes to what I am telling you here. Some
suggestions might include either upping the intensity or, preferably,
cultivating the "yang", as in Yin and Yang, and let the dominance of
AtS's catchy bass-severity wreak havoc on the perception of the
listener. Also, while Amongst the Swarm lays a heavy mix of hardcore
and Swedish death metal out like a concrete super highway, delivering
a strong message one way or the other between these two genres (mixed
appropriately with all the tight breaks found on _Crowning the
Defeated_) would help absorption of Amongst the Swarm's style. Absent
these things, AtS could very well be on their way to ascending to the
throne they seek, from which they could crown whomever they please...
Contact: http://www.harakiri666.com/skeptic/
Arcturus - _The Sham Mirrors_ (The End Records, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (9.5 out of 10)
It has been a full five years since the amazing _La Masquerade
Infernale_ (the only activity since from the Arcturus camp has been a
remix album, which received a lukewarm response) so one could be
forgiven for thinking that the Arcturus concept was dead and buried.
It was therefore a pleasant surprise when this album seemingly
appeared out of the blue last year. _The Sham Mirrors_ is a less
eclectic album then _LMI_ and considerably more accessible -- as
borne out by reports last year that some of the songs off this album
would be used in upcoming episodes of MTV's "Sorority High". It is
also less chaotic then its predecessor and as a result it is more
focused, with the songs being tighter and flowing more easily. The
quality of Arcturus' output is in no small part due to its revolving
door policy of musicians, who include various members from the cream
of Norwegian black metal. The most well-known members on this
excursion include Trickster G. Rex (aka Garm, Ulver, ex-Borknagar)
whose distinctive voice continues to improve with each passing
year and on _TSM_ provides the performance of a lifetime, even
experimenting with a falsetto. The Trickster declines to use typical
black metal screams (the black metal vox on "Radical Cut" are
provided courtesy of Ihsahn (ex-Emperor)) or his trademark monk-like
chanting, which I do miss. A fitting swansong as unfortunately he
will no longer be providing vocals on future Arcturus albums.
Also contributing is long-time member Hellhammer, (Mayhem), widely
regarded as one of black metal's most talented drummers. Fortunately,
he has no plans to abandon Arcturus. Keyboardist Sverd produces
some amazing passages -- just listen to the mesmerizing intro of
"Star-crossed" for evidence that he is truly one of metal's premier
keysman. An astounding album that will not be to everyone's taste,
but for those who enjoyed _LMI_ this will be a worthy successor.
Contact: http://www.theendrecords.com
Beneath the Ashes - _Nailed to Your Ruins_ (State of Grace, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10)
From Sacramento, California comes five-piece Beneath the Ashes. Being
one of the bands on the State of Grace roster, it won't surprise
anyone that stylistically BtA is a hardcore band pur sang. Which is
not strange, if you consider that band members from BtA have their
roots in many other hardcore bands, such as Embrace the End, Drowned
in Silence and Bury My Heart. On _Nailed to Your Ruins_ they display
a very refined form of tech hardcore that shows the experience
they've built over the last years. With a fitting razor-sharp
production, the guitar riffs come out crystal clear on top of the
pounding drums. The bass provides a darker edge to the music, and the
vocals -- even though not outstanding compared to the direct
competition -- is enjoyable and, even more important, a good
complement to the music. Some of the tracks on this album have been
released before ("Eastern Kansas Love Song" and "Open Eyes", for
example) but they have been re- recorded in order to sound like the
rest of the material. _Nailed to Your Ruins_ is an album that has
been perfected enough to make it stand out from the rest of the
hardcore albums being dropped on the scene lately. A supporting tour
accompanies the release of this album, so keep your eyes on their
website for dates.
Contact: http://bta.darkvisionsmedia.com
Blessed - _Last Breath Before the Flesh_ (Independent, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10)
Blessed might be an acceptable name for a Christian-orientated act,
but for a metal band -- whose listenership is largely either
indifferent or openly hostile towards Christianity -- this must
surely be one of the most efficient ways of killing a burgeoning
musical career! The three songs on this MCD fall squarely into the
brutal death metal genre -- a musical style seemingly at odds with
their chosen moniker. All three songs are suitably aggressive, well
written and performed well enough, with several memorable hooks. This
is a pleasant enough (relatively speaking!) listen, but this musical
style has been done numerous times before and while the undemanding
death metal freak will be more than satisfied, the more casual
listener may want something more. However, since these are songs
composed by an emerging band with only one previous MCD to their
name, the coming years may very well see Blessed transforming into a
death metal band to be reckoned with.
Contact: http://go.to/blessed/
Children of Bodom - _Hate Crew Deathroll_ (Spinefarm, 2003)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)
Children of Bodom are a good example of bands that inspire extreme
reactions in metal fans worldwide. One school of thought derides them
as irritating, commercial metal, while others love them for their
uncomplicated, catchy riffs and overall 'happy' sound. _Hate Crew
Deathroll_ will not affect this division in any meaningful manner, as
it can hardly be considered substantially different from any previous
release by Alex Laiho and company. There are some less obvious
differences in comparison with previous releases, however: _HCD_ is
easily their heaviest outing ever and the keyboards are infrequent
and less overbearing in comparison to previous albums. Highlights
include the album's first single, "You're Better off Dead", which
lacks the anthemic power of a "Hate Me!" but still remains a powerful
and infectious song. Song titles are atrocious -- titles such as
"Triple Corpse Hammerblow" and "Lil' Bloodred Riding Hood" might be
acceptable on the debut of a young band, but wha t excuse, if any, do
these veterans of three previous albums have? Even their cover image
shows their answer to Eddie, the Grim Reaper, in a cheesier pose than
ever before. For those few who are not familiar with Children of
Bodom, if you hated Dimmu Borgir's _Stormblast_ or anything by Old
Man's Child because of their uplifting sound, then stay far, far away
from _HCD_.
Circle Takes the Square - _As the Roots Undo_ (Robotic Empire, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (9.5 out of 10)
One of the weirdest hardcore bands I've ran into lately is Circle
Takes the Square. I wouldn't go as far as to call them geniuses, but
they do have an edge I hadn't heard before. Imagine multi-layered,
multi-rhythmic, frenzied hardcore with evil black metal vocals, clean
singing, spoken parts, weird guitar tricks and noise parts. Or as an
analogy, think of Dillinger Escape Plan doing black metal whilst on
acid. _As the Roots Undo_ is without doubt my favourite noisecore
album of the year, giving the buyer good value for their money with
songs clocking around six to eight minutes (total running time of 44
minutes) and excellent off-beat artwork -- hopefully they'll include
the lyrics in the booklet. Instead of rambling on about this album, I
can only urge you to go out and buy it as soon as it hits the shelves
-- unless you lack a sense of humor and like your music to be linear.
If you want to be on the safe side, there's an MP3 of the album on
their website.
Contact: http://www.rockstudio.com/circle/
Crematorium - _For All Our Sins_ (Prosthetic Records, 2002)
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10)
Some moderately interesting style mixtures poke at your attention
span like an annoying sixth-grader on Ritalin with this offering from
Los Angeles' Crematorium. A pretty well kept secret, this five-piece
is hard-hitting to be certain, but in this largely metal climate
today, this outfit even finds a way to hold their own. Pound for
pound, Crematorium strikes out on their own with the hardcore / punk
/ metal fusion found throughout _For All Our Sins_. A few samples
supplement the offering only enough to pique interest, while the
thirteen tracks wear down your perception thin like a prostitute's
mattress. Minor Threat fans will appreciate Crematorium's efforts in
the field of well-crafted tough-guy music. Daniel's vocals are damn
fine in their ability to command instantaneous respect -- true
underground through and through. While occasionally these guys seem
like professional race car drivers -- squealing their wheels and
going in vicious circles while expending a tremendous a mount of
wasted energy -- songs like the fanatical "Life:Sick" offset most of
the other less-than- impressive instances sometimes found on _For All
Our Sins_. "A Disconsolate Winter Landscape" provides a Morbid Angel,
"Desolate Ways"-type feel to the general atmosphere of _FAOS_, but
"Carved From Deceit" has to be the pentacle of Crematorium's vision:
it thrashes strong while staying fiercely true to their underground
sound. There's a lot to be learned from Crematorium's extreme
L.A. homegrown raw delivery, but lacking a certain individuality
profoundly inhibits this band's upward climb out of obscurity. Catch
a line and cop a hook, Crematorium is a small fish in a big pond
right now. Who wants sushi?
Contact: http://www.prostheticrecords.com
Cumchrist - _Cumplete_ (Unmatched Brutality Records, 2003)
by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10)
Cumchrist are a supergroup of sorts with members from, amongst
others, Cianide and Gorgasm. As implied by the rather dumb title,
this is a compilation of all unreleased studio material from the past
two years, and with several new tracks tagged on. As can be gathered
from the rather silly band name, Cumchrist are a goregrind band with
a black sense of humour, much like A.C. or Blood Duster, combined
with the Christian-hating dogma of black metal. Some samples are also
used, but not excessively. Cumchrist are saved from being a mere
'song title' band through some strong and catchy material. Indeed,
this could have been one of to be one of the better albums I've heard
recently from this genre. Unfortunately, the short playing time -- 18
songs in 18 minutes, including several additional hidden tracks --
makes it hard to 'get' into the songs and to really enjoy the CD. The
brevity of songs has not prevented classic status being accorded to
D.R.I.'s self-titled album and Napalm De ath's first two albums, and
there are undoubtedly listeners out there who will love _Cumplete_.
But just as the brevity of the songs on the aforementioned albums
prevent this listener from really enjoying them, I am also unable to
truly appreciate this album.
Contact: http://www.unmatchedbrutality.com
Darkthrone - _Soulside Journey_ / _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ /
_Under a Funeral Moon_ / _Transilvanian Hunger_
by: Pedro Azevedo (no rating) (Peaceville re-issue, 2003)
For some time now Peaceville has been releasing a series of quality
re-issues, all of them coming out in either low-price digipak or
slipcase format, and occasionally with some kind of bonus. In the
process they have also re-issued a few albums that were perhaps too
recent at the time to avoid annoying fans, but apart from that I find
Peaceville's recent re-issue policy very commendable -- competing in
today's world of readily accessible albums in MP3 format and
overpriced commercial releases by offering something extra at a lower
price.
These four Darkthrone albums in particular stand out in said series:
not only do the digipaks look much more stylish than the original
format while retaining their "trueness", these re-issues also come
with an exclusive video interview with Fenriz and Nocturno Culto and
remastered sound. The interview is divided into four chunks of ten to
fourteen minutes each, with each part dedicated to its respective
album -- starting off with the old-school Scandinavian death metal of
_Soulside Journey_ (1991) and continuing with the genre-defining
black metal triumvirate of _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ (1992),
_Under a Funeral Moon_ (1993) and my favourite, _Transilvanian
Hunger_ (1994). Bearing in mind the elevated status these albums all
enjoy to some extent, I shall not linger on describing the music.
Suffice to say the results of the digital remastering are good and
unobtrusive: all the records have come out sounding stronger while
keeping their original character despite the slightly different mix.
(My copy of _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ carries an annoying
background noise, however, and while I initially assumed it was just
a faulty promotional disc, I have since been told about an apparently
similar problem on a commercial version.)
As for the snowy outdoor interview bonus, despite being filmed with a
handheld camera, the recording quality and video encoding are good
enough for the band's grim purposes. The interview itself consists of
the two aforementioned individuals questioning each other in turns,
resulting mostly in monologue; it generally remains interesting, but
not overly memorable. For anyone who doesn't already own the original
versions of these classics and has an interest in Darkthrone or black
metal in general, this is a fine opportunity: the quality packaging,
low price, good remastering and added video bonuses should prompt
them to dig into their pockets without hesitation and embellish their
collection considerably.
Contact: http://www.peaceville.com
Disfear - _Misanthropic Generation_ (Relapse, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (8 out of 10)
Those not familiar with Disfear should be ashamed of themselves --
you probably have been hiding under a rock for more than ten years.
Starting out as yet another Discharge inspired Dis-band from Sweden,
they released a monumental debut album back in 1992 along with
producer Tomas Skogsberg. In the years, Disfear became one of the
only real survivors of the Dis-scene, and even though many line-up
changes plagued the band, they kept on going until they were dropped
from Osmose Records in 1998 -- at which point they had incorporated
ex-At the Gates vocalist Tomas Lindberg in the band. Instead
of calling it quits, the band had five years to work on new
material, and Relapse made them an offer they couldn't refuse,
resulting in _Misanthropic Generation_. Swedish hardcore in its
purest form, _Misanthropic Generation_ is a maturation, modernization
and perfection of Discharge's music from back in the '80s. With a
blazing pace, Entombed-ish guitar/bass riffing meeting the banshee
vo calism of Tomas, supported by wickedly groovy Motorhead-style
drumming -- masturbation for the mind, one might call it. Well
adapted to the sound of the new millennium, the twelve songs on this
album (mostly clocking around three minutes) are a firm reminder
of the past as well as an excellent look into the future of
hardcore: _Misanthropic Generation_ is a must-have for those who
loved Discharge way back as well as those who claim to have an
interest in the Swedish hardcore scene.
Contact: http://www.disfear.com
Ditch - _The Sound of Liverpigs Dancing_ (Brown Trout Records, 2002)
by: Adrian Magers (2.5 out of 10)
I have unconditional respect for any band that goes out of their way
to not sound like anyone else. However, that doesn't mean that every
overtly weird act should be held in a higher regard than other bands.
I'm sure Ditch will find a dedicated fanbase within different
departments of rock music, but something makes me doubt metalheads
will be into what they're doing. That's not to say that all
headbangers will hate Ditch, but I'm willing to bet the music found
on _The Sounds of Liverpigs Dancing_ would rub the average CoC reader
the wrong way. The music exhibits elements that are hard to describe
in words (a basic synopsis of the music of Ditch is something like a
more alternative Clutch with more variety); something which the band
should be commended for, but that doesn't mean they should be
automatically liked. Ditch probably realize this.
Contact: http://www.ditchtv.com
Ed Gein - _It's a Shame_ (Hex Records, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (6 out of 10)
Although the name would make you suspect you're dealing with a death
metal band, it's actually hardcore this Syracuse, NY three-piece is
producing. _It's a Shame_ features eight songs, all clocking under
two-and-a-half minutes. One of the songs is a noise-piece ("...And by
the Best I Mean the Worst"), and the last song clocks at almost
twelve minutes -- of which nine minutes consist of silence followed
by a small bonus (demo?) part. Unfortunately, there's not much that's
inspiring to tell about _It's a Shame_. The production is pretty
cheap for a non-demo, which is especially audible in the tinny drum
sound -- although all the instruments suffer from it. Vocals are
absolutely average, and most of the songs are just that as well, with
the exception of "Nice Shoes... Wanna Fuck", by far the most
refreshing song of the album. With killer competition (check out this
month's Beneath the Ashes), Ed Gein has to make more of an effort to
draw a bit of attention to themselves -- havin g the name of a serial
killer as a band name just doesn't cut it anymore these days. To
quote the title, it's a shame indeed.
Contact: http://www.ed-gein.cjb.net
Elend - _Winds Devouring Men_ (Prophecy Productions, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)
"Ils m'entourent, les gémissements de la Mort." Five years have
passed since _The Umbersun_, yet its final words still echo in my
mind. Now Elend have at last returned with its successor, _Winds
Devouring Men_, and both enthusiasts and detractors alike of their
"Office des Ténèbres" trilogy should heed this warning: 21st century
Elend is significantly different from last century's. I am one of the
enthusiasts of the band's earlier work, having been especially
impressed by the chilling _Les Ténèbres du Déhors_ and the infernal
_The Umbersun_. Both were remarkable concepts, and while in hindsight
the former suffered from some shortcomings in its execution (though
for those who enjoyed it at the time it made little difference given
the impact of the album), the latter was much tighter.
But forget the first two albums, _Leçons de Ténèbres_ and _Les
Ténèbres du Déhors_, for _Winds Devouring Men_ has little in common
with them (apart from the fine packaging quality it shares with the
latter). It is instead as much a follow-up to _The Umbersun_ as it is
closer to Dead Can Dance. The atmosphere is still very dark, albeit
not quite so hellish, while the introspective, tragic setting also
remains; but the music is often more tranquil and melodic, and also
structured into shorter pieces. There are plenty more changes to take
in, though: most of the vocals are male, either clean sung or spoken;
a string ensemble is used instead of synths; the booming percussion
Elend
toyed with at one point on _The Umbersun_ is exploited
a bit further; and the band has also dived into the creative
manipulation of noise and nearly industrial atmosphere in some points
to complement the music. While the overall result sometimes reminds
one of a very dark Dead Can Dance, Elend still occasionally deliver
their descent- into-hell sequences (minus the old screaming), which
they achieve using slightly different elements than usual. It still
remains very impressive, though the Dead Can Dance influences would
have benefitted from a few more of those passages being included. The
emphasis has shifted a bit more towards tranquil melodies and
melancholic atmospheres, whilst experimenting with the aforementioned
elements in order to keep the band's sound moving forward -- quite
likely a wise choice, considering things couldn't get much more
hellish than _The Umbersun_ without alienating anyone who's not into
noise to a considerable extent.
It is perhaps unavoidable to feel somewhat disappointed by the
decrease in female vocals, but the sheer excellence of several
passages (violin on "Charis", piano on "Under War-Broken Trees" and
atmosphere on "Winds Devouring Men" are just a few examples), the
subtle intricacies sprinkled throughout the album, and the authentic,
full-bodied and highly atmospheric sound Elend have achieved
guarantee a very satisfying experience. After all these years Elend
remain a very talented and unique band, while _Winds Devouring Men_
is consistently well rounded, distinctive and simultaneously soothing
and brooding. It wasn't an easy task to create a sufficiently
different yet worthy successor to _The Umbersun_, but Elend has
succeeded in doing so.
Contact: http://www.prophecyproductions.de
Exterminator - _Mirror Images_ (Independent, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)
Exterminator is a thrash band originating from Belgium. _Mirror
Images_ opens and closes with straightforward thrashers -- the
influence of bands such as Dark Angel, Slayer and the other usual
suspects can clearly be heard. They have a strong retro influence,
yet are not afraid to incorporate more 'modern' elements (modern
insofar as their use in metal only came to be accepted within the
last decade) such as keyboards, female vox and spoken sections --
suggesting that perhaps the band have been listening to Cradle of
Filth. Still, there are far worse bands to be influenced by! The best
song is easily "Bitter End", a touching number dedicated to deceased
members of the vocalist's family; the personal connection imbues it
with an emotion lacking from the other songs, which consider religion
and touch on socio-political issues. The ordinary thrash songs are
competent but generic; however if Exterminator write more songs like
"Bitter End", they may yet make a truly excellent albu m.
Contact: http://listen.to/exterminator/
Farmakon - _A Warm Glimpse_ (Earache / Elitist, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (6.5 out of 10)
One would hope that the boys in Farmakon have a high tolerance for
criticism, because even a casual listen to _A Warm Glimpse_ provides
substantial evidence to fuel certain accusations that the young
Finnish band dipped their creative toes in the Opeth well of
prog/death a tad too often for press and fans alike to merely regard
the (currently) high-flying Swedes as a casual influence. Indeed,
Farmakon emulate their heroes to such an extent that only the trained
ear will distinguish "My Sanctuary in Solitude" or "Mist" from
anything found on _Blackwater Park_ or _My Arms, Your Hearse_ --
right down to the distinctly underdeveloped Mike Akerfeldt-like
vocals of Marko Eskola. It is only on the rarest of occasions
that Farmakon interrupt their plagiaristic dirge with a pleasantly
old school thrash attack or a series of almost Mr Bungle-esque
eccentricities -- the latter sounding cringingly misplaced. So why
the 6.5 score then? Well, as much as their shameless copying of a
superio r act irks me, Farmakon are undoubtedly a tremendously
talented collective of musicians, and derivative as they may be,
there are some truly enjoyable tracks on this record -- not least of
all the stunning opening number, "Loosely of Amoebas". However, I
should hope that when the time comes round for their sophomore outing
they would have discovered a more unique and distinguishable sound.
Golden Dawn - _Masquerade_ (Napalm Records, 2003)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)
Golden Dawn has only released one other album, _The Art of Dreaming_,
prior to _Masquerade_ -- and this was way back in 1996! The
intervening years have seen a dramatic shift in style, as while
_TAoD_ was comfortably grounded in the symphonic black metal genre
(albeit with some unusual and experimental passages), _Masquerade_ is
an intriguing melting pot of styles: Baroque-style keyboards, black
metal blastbeats, and chugging Iron Maiden riffs can all be found
somewhere on this relapse, often within the same song. _Masquerade_
tends most strongly towards goth metal -- and like virtually all the
artists of this nature signed to Napalm, there is a woman on the
cover, albeit showing less flesh then many others. But this is the
only cliché regarding this CD. Clean vocals predominate, sounding
like a midpoint between the atonal black metal style clean vox on
_TAoD_ and the baritone rumblings of your average goth band. Remnants
of their blackened heritage still remain through the o ccasional
screamed vocal and intermittent blastbeats. A worthy follow-up to
their debut.
Contact: http://www.goldendawn.at
Horfixion - _Instigators of Chaos_ (Galy Records, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)
Horfixion are a Canadian band performing a mixture of thrash and
death metal, and have performed with bands of the calibre of
Cryptopsy and Kreator. The production on _Instigators of Chaos_ could
be better, but considering that the band recorded this album by
themselves, independent of any label (Galy Records is merely their
distributor), then the level of production is perfectly acceptable.
However, it does tend to make the music sound the same throughout,
though careful listening reveals that this album is actually fairly
varied. The vocals are shouted in a modified death metal style
that is vaguely decipherable. The best song is "Le Retour de La
Grande Faucheuse", sung in their native French and showcasing the
guitarist's classical training through an acoustic fingerpicking
intro. There are some interesting moments on _IoC_, but the listener
will have to decide whether it is worthwhile to purchase this album
based on personal taste.
Contact: http://www.horfixion.com
Inner Helvete - _Total Bloodshedding Devastation_
by: James Montague (5.5 out of 10) (Ordealis Productions, 2003)
I don't think most black metal bands set out with the goal of sending
their listeners into giggling fits, but that was my reaction when I
first heard the perilously thin guitar sound and ridiculously low,
processed vocals that form the core of Inner Helvete's approach. But
having gotten over the sheer absurdity of their "music" (and I use
the term very loosely), I found something strangely alluring about
this Portuguese trio.
It cannot be disputed that in taking certain aspects of black metal
to wild extremes, Inner Helvete stand out as a unique entity. They
have also managed to create quite the infernal atmosphere. The LP
sleeve (this is limited to 500 vinyl copies and will never be pressed
onto CD -- get with the program, people!) is an immaculate conception
of beheaded Christians and dancing demons amidst the eerie reddish
glow of hell's innermost dungeons. And by placing six ambient tracks
of whipping, torture and various evil doings in amongst the six
proper black metal tracks, the band continually reinforces the idea
of eternal torment and pain.
In this environment, the thin guitar and bizarre vocals start to make
sense. While the LP comes with an elaborate lyric sheet, the vocalist
makes no attempt to actually recite the verses -- rather, it is
simply a demonic groan ringing in the ears of the damned. The guitar
riffs are simple and very noisy, almost sending the music into
ambient territory with their constant drone. The end result is an
album that can be very effective and atmospheric if one can turn off
their cynical side. Personally, I almost feel ashamed of this album
and at times have considered it too ridiculous to warrant a serious
review. But somehow, somewhere, there is a hellish element within the
noise that is captivating.
Contact: inner_helvete@hotmail.com
Killing Joke - _Killing Joke_ (Invisible, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10)
Granted, I've never been a connoisseur of Killing Joke. I've tried to
listen to a couple of their more 'famous' albums, but the only thing
that stuck with me was their excellent hit-song "Love Like Blood". So
when I received this promo, I was quite surprised about the course
that the reunited Killing Joke (their last album is from 1996) have
taken. If you're looking for poppy elements, there are quite few of
those on _Killing Joke_ -- the band have reverted back to playing
cold, mechanical industrial music with a very modern production. No
poppy vocals here either; instead you find raw, deep vocals that at
times come close to a death metal grunt. The whole album is pretty
much recorded in mid- and up-tempo, the bass and guitar sound is very
clinical and Dave Grohl's drumming is accurate and very static,
perfectly adding to the atmosphere. The closest reference I can give
to _Killing Joke_ is Morgoth's swansong _Feel Sorry for the Fanatic_.
More than once am I reminded of song s from that album, except that
Killing Joke is taking a less complicated path in songwriting -- I
wouldn't say the songs are as one-dimensional as those by Rammstein,
but they're definitely in-between the two. Even though there aren't
any songs on this album that are sub-par, I'd like to name the fast-
paced "Asteroid", the melancholic "Blood on Your Hands" and the
almost black metal-ish combo of "Dark Forces" and "The House That
Pain Built" as my favourites. Killing Joke 2003 have proven to be
extremely adept and versatile in capturing the zeitgeist with their
music. Hopefully this album will be picked up by the media as well as
the public; it's well deserved.
Contact: http://www.killingjoke.com
Laibach - _WAT_ (Mute, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (7 out of 10)
Reviewing a Laibach album is always a tough bitch. Laibach have been
around for ages (since 1979, to be precise) and from their debut
album _Nova Akropola_ (1985) to their last effort _Jesus Christ
Superstars_ (1997) there has been little progression musically.
Laibach's ever so bombastic, atmospheric, industrial and nihilistic
music has progressed almost exclusively in the production department
-- which is quite obvious with _WAT_, as it features a clear yet
harsh sound that Rammstein would envy. Laibach's trademark of
adapting (I'm consciously avoiding the word "covering") famous songs
and molding it into their trademark style has produced killer tracks
such as "Opus Dei", "Sympathy for the Devil", "The Final Countdown"
and of course the _Let It Be_, _Nato_ and _Jesus Christ Superstars_
albums. However, on _WAT_ there isn't a single adaptation in sight.
The thirteen songs on this album are not just original material,
they're also very closely connected lyrically; _WAT_ is L aibach's
fiercest protest against capitalism to date. Perhaps that is also the
reason for making _WAT_ the most stripped-down Laibach album ever:
most of the songs are very basic, making the album a far better
soundtrack for an all-out war than Rammstein could ever dream of.
_WAT_ will find its way to the leftist part of the dance/industrial
scene, no doubt. Rammstein fanatics with an IQ higher than their
shoe-size should give this a try as well, especially considering the
relatively one-dimensional nature of this album. Other than that, I
don't think Laibach will attract a different crowd with _WAT_, but
then again, I don't think they ever intended to.
Contact: http://www.laibach.nsk.si
Meshuggah - _Nothing_ (Nuclear Blast, 2002)
by: Jackie Smit (6 out of 10)
"Meshuggah -- a death metal band from Norway", exclaims uber-annoying
ignoramus Jack Osbourne, and at this very moment one can almost
feel the publicists at Nuclear Blast start to salivate at the
possibilities that this free publicity could hold not only for one of
their most promising acts, but also for their bankbooks. And so it
has come to be that the magazines that once scorned Meshuggah are now
sweeping under the carpet their many slurs, insults, sneers and all
manner of derogatory review, now showering the band instead with
catchphrases along the lines of the "next big thing". Similarly, kids
who would never give the Swedes the time of day, are suddenly
claiming to have loved them "since the beginning". Not that they
don't deserve some attention, mind you. If anyone has paid their
dues, Meshuggah certainly has in spades. While a bit lazy as far as
putting out records is concerned, they are a phenomenal live act and
have a sterling back catalogue under their belt -- mos t notably the
fantastic _Destroy Erase Improve_ effort, which in all honesty is
still miles ahead of its many imitators. I find it decidedly
bewildering though that more care was not taken in the construction
of what surely has to be the most important record in their career.
Indeed, for the most part _Nothing_ is far more lacklustre than it is
excellent -- tracks like "Closed Eye Visuals" and "Organic Shadows"
not much more than exercises in sheer monotony, a test of the
listener's endurance more than anything else. At the same time, this
elevates the impact of a song like "Straws Pulled at Random", with
its incredible closing melodic break, to even greater level, and
underlines the notion that Meshuggah are capable of so much more than
they have offered us. While still avoiding anything even remotely
approaching a conventional rhythm, Meshuggah have slowed down and
paced their music far more evenly than in the past. Where before
they'd flutter through several different bea ts and polyrhythms over
the course of a few minutes, most of the tracks on _Nothing_ are
built around individual, tardigrade grooves, from which it very
rarely deviates. Compounding this crippling flaw is their persistent
overuse of single-note chugging -- no doubt a means to show off their
custom- made eight-string guitars, but sadly rendering proceedings
even more lifeless. With its few excellent exceptions aside, this
record is ultimately so soul-drainingly boring that simply staying
awake until its conclusion would be challenging for all but the most
hardened Meshuggah fan.
Mütiilation - _1992-2002: Ten Years of Depressive Destruction_
by: James Montague (7.5 out of 10) (End All Life, 2003)
Mütiilation. End All Life Productions. 666 copies. Double LP with
poster. Vinyl only. For those who were born yesterday, this means
eBay paydirt. That will probably take care of about 500 of the 666
available copies, and I hope the buyers choke on them. For people who
buy rarities for humbler reasons such as musical interest, read on.
While the title may indicate some kind of "Greatest Hits"
compilation, this is in fact a collection of material from demos,
live performances and other impossible-to-find stuff, making it the
ideal gift for people like me, who wasn't quite "with it" in 1992 and
refuses to pay $100 for a scratchy demo tape from an online
entrepreneur. The first two tracks are from the _Rites Through the
Twilight of Hell_ demo ('92) and show the band in its infancy,
playing raw Venom-based blackened thrash, with incompetent drumming
and extreme, painful howling over the top. This style noticeably
developed over the ensuing year, as evidenced by the next four tracks
from the much-improved _Ceremony of the Black Cult_ demo. This is
where the band's trademarks -- slow, discordant dirges and despondent
arpeggios -- started to rear their ugly heads.
A keyboard version of "Dawn of the Fallen Angel" comes next, and
appears to be the one previously unreleased track on the compilation.
It is certainly a worthy addition -- a moody, dark organ piece with
vomitous vocals perverting it to kingdom come. This leads us into the
compilation's highlight, three tracks from the sublime _Satanist
Styrken_ demo from 1994. By this stage the musicianship (especially
the drumming) had progressed from near-ineptitude to agreeable black
metal spontaneity and looseness. This allowed the band to fully
establish "the Mütiilation sound" -- haunting, almost romantic
melodies enshrouded in a blur of utter loathing of oneself and all
around. These perfect songs have convinced me that _Satanist Styrken_
is one of the finest demos ever released, so if you must venture onto
eBay with copious amounts of hard-earned, try to direct your efforts
in its direction.
The second LP starts with a cover of Bathory's "Rite of Darkness"
from a '94 promo. Meyhna'ch does a pretty accurate Quorthon
impression, and the song evokes the '80s spirit quite nicely -- which
of course makes the song far too upbeat for a Mütiilation release!
But it is very brief -- barely over a minute long. Unfortunately, the
second LP continues to throw disappointments into the mix, as it then
regurgitates "Dawn of the Fallen Angel", this time the metal version
that previously appeared on Drakkar Productions' 1997 compilation,
and which drew severe criticism from me at the time for its contrived
feel and horrid machine-generated blast beats. The noisy B-side track
from the _New False Prophet_ single, a raw mix of the title piece
from the ultimately pedestrian _Black Millennium_ CD (this was
pointless...) and a cover of Venom's "Possessed" from the _Destroy
Your Life for Satan_ cassette round out a rather ho-hum side C.
Side D chronicles something many of us probably never expected to
hear: a live Mütiilation performance, from the Under the Black Sun
festival in July 2001. Thankfully, the setlist includes one song each
from the legendary _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_ and _Remains of
a Ruined, Dead, Cursed Soul_ albums, plus an old demo piece, but
frustratingly, they took two of the five tracks from the less
interesting and more readily available _Black Millennium_. As for the
more pertinent question of performance quality -- well, despite
Meyhna'ch's oh-so-impressive ability to scream "Desecrate Jesus'
Fuckin' Naaaame!!!" in introducing an old song, the performance is
competently played but nothing to write home about. There is a reason
why many of us never expected to hear Mütiilation in concert: because
this just isn't festival music. I can't really picture myself
standing in a mosh pit with sweaty Marseille metal fans while
listening to a band that has always created such an atmosphe re of
bitter solitude. Nor would I ever expect to hear the vocalist yell
"Come on! Come onnnn!" in the middle of a song, but there it is for
all to hear... The live tracks are good to have as a curiosity piece,
but aren't exactly a highlight of this band's work. The vocals and
drums are also far too loud in the mix, drowning out the band's
trademark noisy ambience and sublime guitar melodies.
Although the second LP is a little underwhelming, this compilation is
worth having for the first disc, a marvellous collection of inspired
demos. A gatefold cover full of ugly photos of Meyhna'ch is also
something of a bonus, I suppose. Overall, this compilation makes
a very nice souvenir of Mütiilation's decade-long tour through
Miseryville and Suicide Planet.
Contact: eal@wanadoo.fr
Mütiilation - _Majestas Leprosus_ (Ordealis Records, 2003)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)
What separates Mütiilation from the Darkclones -- and they are legion
-- is that no other grim black metal band succeeds in recreating the
same sense of anger, despondency and hatred best demonstrated on the
underground classics _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_ and _Remains
of a Ruined, Dead, Cursed Soul_. _Majestas LeprosusL_ is not unlike
Meyna'ch's (Mütiilation's sole member) previous full-length, _Black
Millennium_; in fact it is so similar, it could easily be from the
same studio session. Then again, Mütiilation is a graduate of
the Marduk School of Musical Experimentation and Progression, so
for Meyna'ch to release a comparatively innovative album -- like
Dodheimsgard did with _666 International_ -- is highly unlikely.
_Majestas Leprosus_ conforms rigidly with the trademarks of the
genre: trebly, grim production, the bass guitar and double bass
drums are practically indiscernible, and so on. The guitars are
characteristically raw, with the riffs more focused than on p revious
releases. However, the album tends to be quite repetitive: there is
very little variation in tempo, and most songs are simply four or
five minute blasts of black metal noise. Although this is an
improvement over _Black Millennium_, _Majestas Leprosus_ will sadly
not stand the test of time as did _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_.
Contact: http://www.ordealis.com
Mystifier - _Profanus_ (Crash Music, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (3 out of 10)
To be perfectly frank, I have never been a big fan of Mystifier's
retro black/death, and no matter how positively I have tried to
approach their latest effort, I doubt that my dislike for them will
dissipate any time soon. _Profanus_ showcases a collection of songs
more suited to a demo predating 1992. It blends together, with
virtually no exception, every single metallic cliché you can possibly
imagine, and then somehow manages to spawn something even more
profoundly mundane and laughable in the process. At times it sounds
like an elaborate joke -- witness the tone-deaf power metal vocals on
"Beyond the Rivers of Hades" or the dismally performed "Superstitious
Predictions of Misfortune". Elsewhere "Je$$us Immolation" [sic]
manages to be virtually the only surprise on the record, by having
lyrics that make the work of Glen Benton seem genuinely thought-
provoking in comparison. Once in a while a decent lead or semi-
interesting melody manages to wade through the muck, but for the most
part I seriously doubt that the world would have been deprived
of much, had Mystifier and their dismally produced fourth album
disappeared straight up their own Satanic arses.
Nevermore - _Enemies of Reality_ (Century Media, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (10 out of 10)
Two and a half years separate _Enemies of Reality_ and its
predecessor, the brilliant, if somewhat flawed, _Dead Heart in a Dead
World_. In that time, a lot has changed in the world of heavy music.
Bands like Korn no longer unload units in the ludicrous numbers they
once did, older bands like Metallica and Anthrax are once again
making headlines, and the metal world in general, it seems, is
craving something different. And if _Enemies of Reality_ is anything
to go by, then they need search no further than Seattle's Nevermore.
Retaining the traditional values of heavy metal while staying
unpredictable and sounding fresh would be no easy feat for any act to
accomplish, but it is one that Nevermore achieves with an almost
intimidating level of ease. Opening with a statement of intent in the
form of the record's title track, one is immediately struck by the
album's rawer and less polished sound -- provided courtesy of
Queensryche / Dokken producer Kelly Gray. Not only does this bolster
the band's brutality -- at times taking them to near death metal
heights of heaviness -- but, more essentially, it serves to highlight
and underline vocalist Warrel Dane's melodic swells with greater
clarity than ever before. In further contrast to previous efforts,
_Enemies of Reality_ presents a far more measured, well-rounded and
well-structured album, every track moulded and shaped to perfection,
stripped of any excess filler. Nevermore's succinct approach is made
all the more effective by their incredible knack for balancing melody
and heaviness -- a prowess they demonstrate with particularly
breathtaking skill on "Ambivalent" and "Never Purify". Simply stated,
the more I listen to this record, the more deserving of encomia it
becomes. Essential in every sense of the word, it is one of a select
few efforts to literally contain absolutely no discernable flaws, and
possibly the most exciting prospect it creates lies in how Nevermore
will go about creating a worthy sequel.
Contact: http://nevermore.tv
Opeth - _Damnation_ (Music for Nations, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10)
_Damnation_, the second half of Opeth's ambitious twin album project,
is likely to surprise those who expect an entire album of typical
Opeth acoustic bits sewn together. Although there is a fair amount of
variety to be found here, Opeth consistently manage to avoid falling
into said trap. They seem to have approached the making of this
tranquil album from an interesting angle, which becomes apparent
right from the opening chords of excellent opener "Windowpane" and
onto the intriguing yet powerful "In My Time of Need". At this
stage the warm melancholy of the music is nearly mesmerizing, as
_Damnation_ captivates the listener in a smooth, almost intimate way.
It certainly doesn't sound anything like some left-over acoustic
interludes from previous albums, or even the product of a band
struggling to meet its promise of a near-acoustic album. Instead, it
comes across as honest and inspired -- the sound of a band
comfortably expressing itself in a different but nonetheless adequate
form.
Back to the album, "Death Whispered a Lullaby" may not be as great as
its predecessors during the acoustic sections, but the haunting
distorted guitar work that twice takes the lead achieves a much
increased impact through its contrast with those quieter bits.
"Closure" then goes into a more rhythm based approach that, while
entertaining, seems vaguely out of place in the album. "Hope Leaves"
passes by in a pleasant but not particularly stirring manner, and
introduces "To Rid the Disease": a slowly evolving guitar line and a
memorable chorus weave their way into a fine piano-lead conclusion.
The electric guitar soloing of "Ending Credits" is sorely misplaced
for the most part; not a bad track in itself by any means, but in
spite of boasting a superb passage, a lot of the song is hardly able
to match the overall melancholy of the album. The subdued "Weakness"
finishes the disc in a passable way, which contributes to the
unfortunate fact that _Damnation_ is one of those records that starts
off extremely well but fails to either peak later on or even stay at
the same level. At its best, throughout virtually all of the early
section of the disc and only occasionally in later stages, the music
can be quite wonderful, carrying a deep sense of melancholy and
keeping the listener comfortable through many a rainy day. About
midway through the album interest starts to wane, however, and while
there aren't any bad tracks as such on the disc, _Damnation_ never
quite recaptures the brilliance of its first few songs.
The first half of this project, _Deliverance_, was a very good album
with some cracking moments, but in the wake of classics like _My
Arms, Your Hearse_ and _Blackwater Park_ (not to mention the band's
earlier work), it failed to conquer the crown of Opeth's discography.
_Damnation_, on the other hand, plays in an entirely different league
and cannot be objectively compared to the band's previous work. It
proves Opeth's outstanding quality once again, though it ultimately
falls short of fulfilling all its immense potential. It also lacks a
stronger connection to _Deliverance_ for this dual release to gain
some more meaning beyond the similar packaging and close release
dates, but remains a very worthwhile record in its own right. In
addition to some excellent tracks, _Damnation_ leaves the promise
that Opeth are likely to create another masterpiece next time around:
if only they can put together an hour long album that's as good as
the best thirty minutes from each of these two, then _Blackwater
Park_ will be under a very serious threat.
Contact: http://www.opeth.com
Pathos - _Perdition Splits the Skies_ (Intolerant Messiah, 2003)
by: Adrian Magers (6 out of 10)
_Perdition Splits the Sky_ opens in a most promising way with "Toward
the Precipice", an enchanting violin part woven into a clean guitar
and double bass drum filled instrumental. For the next thirty-some
minutes Pathos alternates between some very choice riffage and a bit
of material that seems to fall flat on its face. Fortunately for the
listener, the former occurs much more often than the latter. The band
tends to indulge in a most technical form of brutal death, citing
Cryptopsy as a major influence. However, since Pathos seem to try to
avoid overdoing strange timings and playing, and strike a balance
between raw musicianship and songwriting talent, there's a good
chance they could appeal to death heads of all kinds. The CD is
definitely not without its flaws though. The vocals are quite
disappointing, sounding rather awkward and monotonous for the most
part, and occasionally some of the songs seem to go nowhere.
Basically something worth an occasional listen for the a verage
person into extreme music, and good investment for those into
technical death metal.
Contact: http://www.pathoskills.com
Prong - _Scorpio Rising_ (Locomotive Music, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (6 out of 10)
Like many others, I was anxious to hear Prong's return to the scene.
"Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" and "Rude Awakening" are all-time
favourites of mine -- as is the whole _Cleansing_ album, actually. So
I eagerly listened to _Scorpio Rising_, banging my head and jumping
around. And I listened again. And again. And then it dawned upon me:
I still hadn't memorized any of the songs, I found no personal
favourite, I couldn't even separate most of the songs from each
other. Giving the album a couple more spins, I had to stress my
earlier conclusions even more. I'm very glad to see Prong back in
action, if only for their excellent live shows, but _Scorpio Rising_
is not worth the wait. Average songs, average songwriting, average
vocals; _Scorpio Rising_ is an album that does fit into the Prong
catalogue and might come out sounding good in comparison to Prong's
early albums, but after all these years you'd expect them to have
learned a thing or two, that they would show some p rogression. I'm
not asking to be surprised with a killer song like the two I
mentioned before, but _Scorpio Rising_ becomes hard to enjoy after a
few spins. Sorry.
Contact: http://www.prong-23.com
Rakoth - _Tiny Deaths_ (Earache / Elitist, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (7.5 out of 10)
Past experience has taught me that when a bio describes a band as an
"eclectic journey", it is an almost dead cert that an additional
adjective along the lines of "utterly pompous rubbish" is applicable.
It is perhaps my disregard for the pretentious dribble of acts like
Darzamat, then, that makes Rakoth's second outing such an enjoyable
surprise. Bombastic in every sense of the word, Rakoth's music lends
itself to no conventional description, incorporating elements of
black metal, classical, folk, trip-hop and even film scores into
their densely atmospheric odes to musical experimentation. Although
these dramatically polarised influences at times fail to blend as
seamlessly as one would prefer, they form the basis of Rakoth's
captivating appeal and undoubtedly showcase a drastic improvement
over their debut record. "Dawn" recalls the rich and captivating feel
of Eastern European folklore -- a subtle journey through countless
emotions and moods. "Trust This" could easily have been the sound of
The Chemical Brothers crashing the party -- an almost OTT electro
interlude, which Rakoth amazingly manage to pull off. "Horizon" is a
breathtaking piano-led monologue -- the melodic drive of which could
easily have been lead-in to a Tori Amos number -- while the closing
and title track is an excellent example of the exciting force Rakoth
could likely develop into. This is by no means a perfect record, as
there are times when the plodding tempo and seemingly aimless
progression just becomes a bit too much. But, if anything, Rakoth
have succeeded where many others fail miserably and by the looks of
it, could yet be responsible for some truly spectacular music.
Satanic Warmaster - _Opferblut_ (No Colours Records, 2003)
by: Matthias Noll (7 out of 10)
Finally Satanic Warmaster have released what for me was one of the
most anticipated black metal releases of 2003. Still stunned by the
ferocity of their debut _Strength and Honour_, the much slower _Black
Katharsis_ EP released earlier this year left me wondering which
stylistic path these Finns might pursue. Well, the picture has
become somewhat clearer now: _Opferblut_ brings back the speed of
_Strength and Honour_, but with the melodic approach used on
_Black Katharsis_. What I personally miss, however, is the totally
over-the-top aggression and blunt hammer-to-the-head approach of
their debut. The simplistic mid-tempo sections, with their slashing
riffs (which were one of the highlights of the debut), do not make
much of an appearance. The same can be said about many of the faster,
more aggressive parts with their obvious _De Mysteriis dom Sathanas_
influence. All of this has given way to what in my opinion is a
somewhat exaggerated focus on minor key melodies, and the ov erall
impact of _Opferblut_ is a lot less devastating and certainly below
my expectations. While Satanic Warmaster have developed a clearly
distinguishable identity and are still raw and underground to the
bone, _Opferblut_ sounds too carefully calculated and consciously
structured and has a disturbing tendency to lose much of its initial
appeal after five or six listening sessions.
Satyricon - _Volcano_ (Capitol Records, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (8.5 out of 10)
This must have come as a disappointment to the grim corpse-painted
brigade (that is, if they hadn't abandoned Satyricon after the
release of _Rebel Extravaganza_) as this was released by -- shock!
horror! -- a major label (at least in Scandinavia). But the more
cynical of our readers can put all thoughts of "Sell-out!" behind
them: daytime rotation on MTV is still a very long way off. The scorn
and contempt that characterized _Rebel Extravaganza_ have not been
diluted one iota by their signing to a major label, and Satyr remains
as angry, vitriolic and aggressive as before. I did honestly expect
some experimentation with clean vocals, but none are to be found --
Satyr is content to stick with his characteristic rasp. Of course the
production far exceeds that of his early days, and will predictably
draw more scorn from the aforementioned self-named defenders of true
black metal. Although similar in sound to its predecessor, _RE_,
_Volcano_ is a considerably less complex affair . The best track is
undoubtedly the punchy "Fuel for Hatred"; the catchy hook ensures
that this song is the most likely candidate for a single (should one
be released; a promo video has already been made). On the downside,
the album closes with the fourteen minute long "Black Lava" -- some
liberal editing would have greatly improved this overlong nightmare.
One can debate endlessly whether _Volcano_ is black metal, but
ultimately, what does it matter?
Contact: http://www.satyricon.no
Strommoussheld - _Behind the Curtain_ (Avantgarde Music, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (8 out of 10)
With so many fundamental trademarks in common, it should come as
no surprise to see the marked increase in black metal bands
utilising the cold, mechanistic venom of industrial in their work.
But where bands like Aborym and Red Harvest focus on unhinged
rage, Poland's Strommoussheld instead explore the more bombastic,
operatic side of the spectrum -- with surprisingly enjoyable results.
An album that seemingly gets better with each successive track,
_Behind the Curtain_ is a bold collection of experimental, dark and
impressively structured malice, at times hinting at records like
Samael's _Ceremony of Opposites_. The swirling fourteen minute
epic that is "Restless Souls" stands out as the record's primary
highlight, and aptly pinpoints the three-piece's immense potential
and keen sense of melody and depth. Unfortunately let down by a
production effort that at times lets the music sound a little thin --
when it's striving to be anything but -- Strommoussheld know and
rely heav ily upon their aforementioned strengths, blending their
influences with the subtlety of seasoned veterans. Even on the rare
occasions when a section appears a tad drawn out or when Maels'
spoken vocals become annoying ("Deception" being a fine example), the
band manage to easily make up for such flaws by throwing enough at
the listener to keep him/her hooked. If anything, _Behind the
Curtain_ provides ample proof that Poland is capable of producing
more than just death metal.
Throcult - _Soldiers of a Blackened War_ (Crash Music, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (6 out of 10)
Upon listening to Throcult's latest, heavily Naglfar-inspired effort,
I learn that this band has in days gone by opened for such
prestigious and high-profile acts as Type O Negative and Anthrax. At
least that's what their bio says, and if it's true (and I'm sure it
is), then one should tip one's hat to them for not letting a taste of
the big league motivate them to head for more socially acceptable
musical pastures. Indeed, it is hard to imagine any of the seven
tracks on offer here serve as a lead-in to something on Type O's
latest. The only problem is that for every moment of sheer,
exhilarating viciousness and enjoyment you'll get from this record,
you'll be playing "where have I heard that riff before". "The
Uprising", for instance, is equal parts excellence and recycled
Dissection, while "Eclipse of the Blood Moon" borrows shamelessly
from just about every semi-decent melodic Swedish black metal band
you care to mention. That said, Throcult are certainly a very tight
and proficient unit, with drummer Jeremy Portz doing an especially
commendable job. And for all their references to other bands,
Throcult do show some very promising potential, particularly during
the grim bombardment of "Hunted". While _Soldiers of a Blackened War_
is far from being a spectacular album, at the very least it leaves us
with the promise that the future may well herald some impressive work
from this Stateside sextet.
Throne of Chaos - _Pervertigo_ (Spikefarm / Century Media, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (8.5 out of 10)
It is often tempting for the critic to simply slot bands into neat,
pre-determined categories such as technical death or symphonic black
metal. But on occasion, an album will be released which will defy
such easy classification. _Pervertigo_ is one such album. A wide
range of influences make their presence felt -- encompassing a wide
range of genres, including heavy metal, death metal and rock --, as
well as bands such as Dream Theatre and In Flames, yet without
sounding generic or a copy of any other band. Some of the more
unimaginative critics might lump Throne of Chaos together with fellow
Finns Children of Bodom and Kalmah, but apart from mixing heavy metal
with death, they have nothing else in common. The range of influences
might account for the somewhat schizophrenic nature of _Pervertigo_
-- the lyrics are somewhat dismal, yet the music is often uplifting.
The album is infused with memorable hooks and melodies, and the
powerful clean vocals provided courtesy of Nikla s Isfeldt (Dream
Evil) driven by a clear and strong production are amongst the best
that I've heard from any band that also uses growls. Highly
recommended.
Vinterriket - _Winterschatten_ (Ketzer / Desolate Landscapes, 2003)
by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10)
Although _Winterschatten_ is only Vinterriket's second full-length,
it follows on a seemingly endless litany of EPs and split EPs -- in
fact, I would be extremely surprised if there is an act out
there who has actually released a larger number of split EPs! On
_Winterschatten_, Vinterriket continues to expand his (this is a
one-man act) sound through incremental changes to his characteristic
melancholic ambience. The first few songs are black metal based, and
Vinterriket even attempts some black metal style vox (possibly
for the first time). However the vox and guitar are vastly
subdued and keyboards/synths dominate the mix. The remainder of the
album consists of more conventional ambient songs, representing a
continuing departure from the repetitive simplicity of early Mortiis
and latter- day Burzum. This is a somewhat tepid release; although
his experimental and adventurous spirit shines through, this album
simply does not live up to the quality he has proven capable of deli
vering in previous releases.
Contact: http://www.vinterriket.com
Vomitor - _Bleeding the Priest_ (Metal Blood Music, 2003)
by: James Montague (8 out of 10)
Formed by ex-members of relatively well-known local bands like Gospel
of the Horns and Spear of Longinus in 1998, Vomitor is yet another in
a long line of Australian metal veterans who cling to their '80s
vinyl collection and spit out some strong, uncomplicated death metal
with an enviable level of skill. About the only surprise with
_Bleeding the Priest_ is that it's available on CD, because this
album reeks of intransigence and inflexibility, to paraphrase a
certain sword- wielding black metal luminary. Basically, if you know
what bands like Gospel of the Horns sound like, you know what to
expect from Vomitor. Still worth owning? You bet your metal arse it
is.
Like all the better death/thrash bands from the Great Southern Land,
Vomitor love to throw extensive guitar leads over their traditional
thrash chords, which ensure that the music has direction and a form
of expression -- a voice, if you will. The songs are predominantly
focused on instrumentation, with reverbed throaty shouts like those
of old Celtic Frost popping up occasionally and unobtrusively. The
production is true to form -- gritty and raw, but every detail is
audible enough and well balanced. The tempo is generally high, the
energy levels immense. This is great drinking music, and would
absolutely slay in a live setting, so get out and see these guys if
you get the chance -- they can truly whip up a frenzy, not to mention
some impressive leads and riffs.
Is there really any reason to go on? If you love the Aussie style and
can't wait for the next Deströyer 666 album, then you can't go wrong
with _Bleeding the Priest_. If on the other hand you think metal
needs to get with the times and embrace freestyle jazz as a matter of
course, then rest assured that this isn't the band for you.
Contact: http://www.geocities.com/vomitr/
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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
Aramathea - _Of Darkest Dreams..._
by: Adrian Magers (1.5 out of 5)
Aramathea is a one-man black metal project based out California, an
unlikely place to breed those who enjoy contributing to a most
foreboding and grim form of expression. The sound presented on _Of
Darkest Dreams..._ blends parts of raw traditional black metal with
atmospheric keyboards, but instead of utilizing and expanding musical
boundaries, Aramathea tends to stick in one place. Both brutal and
melodic black metal rely on song structure and transition, and this
is where the CD falls flat on its face: the music doesn't soar into
blitzkrieg riffs, nor does it descend into dramatic melodic passages.
It just drags along, without anything memorable about the songs. Most
of the guitar work is just repetitive strumming, and although the
style tends to add an atmospheric touch, after several minutes of the
same riff one tends to become bored with a song. Overall this band
seems rather self-absorbed and unprofessional, something that sounds
more like a basement or garage hobby th an a serious act.
Contact: http://aramathea.metalpatrol.com
Kill by Inches - _Kill by Inches_
by: Adrian Magers (2.5 out of 5)
Kill by Inches is a decade old groove-based rapcore act based
from New York. One might think it unfair that a band would go
long unnoticed only to end up seeing their form of music become
somewhat trendy and have to struggle against appearing overtly
mainstreamed. However, this three-piece have little to worry about
in that department: their blend of hardcore, metal and hip-hop
features uniqueness and attitude that MTV-friendly rap rock lacks.
However, it's unlikely that they'd strike a chord with most seasoned
metalheads. So far only Kill by Inches' NYC brethren Biohazard have
appealed to the core of the metal scene with rap-flavored undertones.
The band definitely have commercial potential, but with the current
slow resurfacing of underground metal even that may be in jeopardy.
However, since the band's survived ten years, and put out four
releases, they've proven that they go on despite trends in music.
This fact in and of itself could be the greatest determining factor
in Kill by Inches' potential success.
Contact: http://www.killbyinches.com
Outcast - _The Source of All Creation_
by: Pedro Azevedo (3.5 out of 5)
Thrash metal is hardly a novelty these days -- even with the renewed
popularity it currently enjoys -- and Outcast focus a lot more on
keeping their music dynamic than they do on trying to innovate. On
track one the listener is heavily reminded of Vader for more reasons
than just the half-shouted, half-growled vocals, but over the
remaining three tracks miscellaneous thrash classics weave their way
into Outcast's sound. The band performs each track with considerable
conviction but not much flair: a few of the riffs are a bit stale,
though some better passages and the band's evident enthusiasm help
make up for that. The production is a cut above average for a demo
and the playing is tight, indicating that Outcast are intent on
pushing the band forward. Overall, Outcast are far from breaking any
new ground, and I'm not sure they'll ever strive for that, but as an
unpretentious thrash band they've made a very decent start in the
demo world with _The Source of All Creation_.
Contact: http://outcast.music.free.fr
Pica Fierce - _A Spiral of Violence_
by: Adrian Magers (3.5 out of 5)
Pica Fierce is an impressive up-and-coming four-piece and serve as a
sort of sampler of European metal. Within the three songs featured on
_A Spiral of Violence_ the listener is treated to a carefully blended
recipe of a Gothenburg-centered sound that incorporates bits of prog-
metal, thrash, power, and even a few hints of melodic black. Pica
Fierce manages not to sound like a half-baked concoction of their
influences; rather they take early melodic Swedish metal and run with
it. Good transitions and song structures definitely work in their
favor, and will make them an even more enjoyable listen if/when a
full-length comes out. The only complaints are minor, such as a
somewhat tame guitar tone, vocals sounding as if they've been placed
on top of the music instead of fusing with the instruments, and other
easily amendable production qualms. Overall though, the sound quality
is excellent for an independent band. Although the band isn't playing
a groundbreaking form of music, the y have a sound that sets them
apart slightly, and are worth a listen. Since many copies of _A
Spiral of Violence_ were unfortunately stolen, the band has offered
downloads of the three tracks on their website.
Contact: http://www.picafierce.com
The Evil Cell - _The Evil Cell_
The Evil Cell - _The Evil Cell II_
by: Quentin Kalis (3 / 3 out of 5)
The Evil Cell embodies a range of styles. For example, _TEC_ opener
"Just Out of Reach" starts with a Santana-like riff before venturing
into Atheist-esque old school death metal. Elsewhere, "The Grind" off
_TECII_ is strongly influenced by industrial, while a cover of Led
Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" adds a rock flavour to the mix. But all
this is mere background noise for the true focus of these demos,
namely sole member Eric Sperr's considerable guitar playing skills,
as the two demos abound with leads and virtuoso guitar playing.
Surprisingly, there are a few moments of self-deprecatory humour. The
drumming on both demos is low key, repetitive and actually quite
boring, probably so as to not detract from his guitar playing.
Individually, most of these songs are pretty good (barring "The
Grind"), but played back to back the demos simply do not flow and
sound somewhat disjointed. Clearly, Sperr is comfortable with the
guitar; however some more attention needs to be paid to t he
songwriting process.
Contact: http://www.theevilcell.com
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C O M I N G B A C K A L I V E A N D K I C K I N G
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Sepultura, Stamping Ground and Atreyu, London Astoria, 13 July 2003
by: Jackie Smit
Max Cavalera was not Sepultura. He was 25% of a very talented musical
collective, who recorded some classic albums, but as the album
credits will forever state in black and white, he was not their sole
songwriter, nor, as the Soulfly records prove, their most talented
member. The almost deafeningly vocal contingent who declared a
post-_Roots_ Sepultura deceased have never been able to get around
this fact, and as tonight proves, never will. While _Against_ was a
somewhat disappointing record, both _Nation_ and _Roorback_ contain
some of Sepultura's best and most inventive work to date; without a
doubt a far cry from the nu-metal blatherings of the Soulfly efforts.
By the sound of the rapturous ovation afforded the Seps as they make
their way to the Astoria centre stage this evening, mine is not an
isolated view. So deafening is the applause, and so absolutely mind-
blowing the performance that follows, that one could almost forget
the impressive efforts of the two opening acts.
Atreyu, first to tantalize the punters tonight, blend old-school
Maiden-esque melodies with admirably performed hardcore aggression.
They may be young and possibly quite nervous, but they thankfully
also have a clear understanding of stage activity as well and not
only are we treated to a fair amount of jumping and cavorting, but
we also get to bear witness to some thoroughly classic unison
headbanging as they blast through the excellent "Vampire's Lament".
Stamping Ground are always a reliable addition to any bill, and
though coming across as decidedly more docile than in my previous
encounters with them, they nevertheless throw one hell of a show.
Debuting new material off their forthcoming record, they come close
to shattering the Astoria's foundations with a blistering version of
"Officer Down" -- complete with an accompanying "wall of death" from
the audience. It may be some twenty years down the line, but there is
no doubt in my mind that Stamping Ground have the ability to become
Britain's answer to Slayer.
Back to Sepultura though, and tonight they are on a form that
defies any reasonable praise. Mixing in old fan-favourites like
"Refuse/Resist", "Propaganda", "Necromancer", "Troops of Doom" and
"Inner Self" with storming renditions of newer material like "Leech"
and the daring U2 cover of "Bullet in the Blue Sky", their show
is only made so much the better by the fact that, for once,
the Astoria's sound is almost miraculously perfect tonight. The
crystalline thud of Igor Cavalera's inventive beats ripples through
the frantic audience like tidal waves as they explode into one of the
most frenzied mosh- pits I have ever seen when the opening dirge of
"Attitude" explodes through the PA. And to be honest, Derrick Green
sounds nothing short of fantastic. No matter how well Max Cavalera's
mighty roar used to suit the Sepultura sound, Green's voice has a
superior range and enough aggression to strip the paint off a car at
ten paces. Of course, the fact that his sheer size could intim idate
an entire Tolkien Orc army into running for cover adds no end to his
dynamic stage presence.
Like Slayer just days before, Sepultura are faultless tonight, and by
the time "Come Back Alive" and "Roots Bloody Roots" close the show, I
-- and the great majority of Sepulfans in attendance -- barely have
enough left in us to stand up straight. Truly, if this is the sound
of a band on the decline, then 99% of metal acts may as well cash in
their chips and call it a day.
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RAINING CLASSICS ON A LACERATED LONDON
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Slayer and Lamb Of God at the London Astoria, 8 July 2003
by: Jackie Smit
With the promise of never-before aired oldies and some less
frequently played favourites attracting the throngs to a reunion with
the undisputed gods of metal, the air of excitement in (and around)
the Astoria tonight is almost overpoweringly palpable. Add to this
that the opening act happens to be one of metal's hottest and most
promising properties right now, and one can't help but frown at the
fact that two lone female security guards man the front barriers when
Virginia's Lamb of God hit the stage.
Plagued by a distorted bass sound that often drowns out their
intricate trash-core riffing, Lamb of God -- in particular front man,
Randy Blythe, who takes to the stage looking like a psychopathic
beach-bum -- nevertheless get things going with far greater skill and
ease than Ellis did when opening for Slayer in this venue exactly a
year ago. Songs like "Ruin" and "As the Palaces Burn" are absolutely
crushing, with Blythe's voice sounding even more threatening here
than it does on record. Keeping things short and to the point, Lamb
of God know not to outstay their welcome and close proceedings with
"Black Label" after about 25 minutes, almost certainly having won
themselves a decent number of new fans with their uber-intense
display of metallic prowess. No matter how cynically you care to
approach the topic, this band is definitely set to (deservedly) be a
big name sooner rather than later.
Of course, there are few names as prolific and revered as that of
Slayer. Arguably the remaining member of thrash's "Big Four" that can
hold their collective head highest and proudest, the Slayer live
experience is not so much a show as it is a grand event. You'd
certainly be able to number on one hand the amount of acts that can
elicit such a crowd roar as to virtually overpower the face-ripping
viciousness of the opening number -- coming to us tonight in the form
of "Disciple". Venue security is immediately stepped up, as "God Send
Death" and "War Ensemble" follow, the audience now nothing more than
a human tumble dryer stretching from wall to sweat-soaked wall.
Reliable stalwarts like "Seasons in the Abyss", "Dead Skin Mask",
"Hell Awaits" and "The Anti-Christ" force the assembled mass to draw
on energy they didn't know they had in them, but it is when Slayer
delve further into their back catalogue and start throwing out such
rare renditions as "Post Mortem", "Jesus Saves ", "Altars of
Sacrifice" and "Necrophobic" that the true carnage begins. Tom Araya,
as ever, seems genuinely moved by the crowd's overwhelming response
and when Slayer finally end the night with the dual assault of "Post
Mortem" and "Raining Blood", it is fair to assume that whatever
tickets were still available for the following night will be sold out
within a matter of minutes to the countless fans who'll want to take
in another night of this madness.
You can argue all you want about the quality of their post-_Seasons
in the Abyss_ efforts, and you can even go as far as to say that
Slayer are past their prime (though a few thousand people in the
London Astoria tonight will strongly disagree with you). But as far
as live shows are concerned, no one can come close to matching
Slayer's intensity, stage presence and sheer bludgeoning ferocity.
They have been hailed the greatest live act by countless media
sources and polls, and to quote a phrase "they are that damn good".
Truly, if you ever only see one live band in your life, do yourself a
favour and make that band Slayer. No matter what your persuasion, you
will not be disappointed.
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U N L E A S H I N G T R U E C A R N A G E
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Six Feet Under and Obscenity play the Camden Underworld, London
7 July 2003
by: Jackie Smit
The Chris Barnes-led death metal juggernaut that is Six Feet Under is
an entity that is equally worshipped and reviled in extreme circles.
At the same time, very few of their detractors have managed to fault
their live show -- which makes the prospect of seeing them in the
intimate surroundings of the Underworld a very attractive one indeed.
First things first though: Germany's Obscenity take to the stage to a
huge ovation and immediately kick off with a track off their latest
_Cold Blooded Murder_ opus. Despite their best efforts though, a
snafu on the part of the soundman results in the drum and vocal
levels virtually completely overpowering the thrash/death riffage of
tracks like "Bleed for Me". Much to their credit however, they make
the best the out of difficult situation and come up trumps -- the
crowd even baying for more when the Germans head backstage.
In stark contrast, Six Feet Under sound just about perfect and
deliver the goods many times over with a menacingly intense
performance. Curiously drawing heavily from their much-criticised
_Haunted_ debut, they ignite proceedings with "Silent Violence",
before driving the pit into a frenzy with "The Day the Dead Walked",
"Suffering in Ecstasy", "No Warning Shot" and "Nonexistence". Chris
Barnes' vocal performance is quite honestly awe-inspiring: audible,
very deep and devoid of some of the more eccentric absurdities that
have confounded detractors and fans alike
in the past -- several
examples of which can be found on their last _True Carnage_ record.
Similarly, Barnes' undeniable stage presence and charisma is the fuel
for much of the madness that takes place on the floor tonight, his
generally pissed-off attitude making the songs seem even more
intense.
As an added bonus we're treated to two numbers off the forthcoming
_Bringer of Blood_ effort, and although it's a little hard to judge
properly, they do sound very promising. The title track is aired
first: a curious blend of almost Red Harvest-like atmospherics and
_Warpath_-era SFU, while "America the Brutal" is a punked-up beast of
a song that wouldn't sound out of place on Six Feet Under's arguably
strongest collection to date, _Maximum Violence_. Either way, both
serve to aptly whet my appetite for the release of the record when it
hits stores in September.
Closing with "Victim of the Paranoid" and "Beneath a Black Sky", Six
Feet Under go some way toward proving that they are easily one of
death metal's most exciting and enjoyable live acts -- which is
something the genre needs a lot more of at the moment.
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T H E Y C A M E F O R U S A L L
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Anthrax and Kill 2 This at the London Astoria, 4 July 2003
by: Jackie Smit
Having played in a band myself many moons ago, I am left wondering
after Kill 2 This' lacklustre set whether I would have preferred
incessant booing and jeering (not that I ever got any), as opposed to
the completely oblivious deadpan stare that the audience give the
Manchester metallers tonight. Underlined by the fact that Dimmu
Borgir booming from the PA rouses a greater response than they manage
to do for the duration of their entire set, Kill 2 This could very
probably have stayed in for the evening and saved themselves the
trouble.
To be fair, their set starts off well -- satisfyingly heavy, tightly
played hardcore. However it is when tracks off K2T's atrocious new
record, _mass.[down]-sin(drone)_ are aired that things go horribly
awry. Seemingly desperate to win over the mainstream herd, their
cleanly sung, overlong doldrums are a far cry from the promising
potential of their earlier aggro-core. Tracks like "Circles" and
"Frame by Frame" literally have punters yawning and ultimately the
only truly great idea they implement this evening is to end their
stint shortly after the first projectiles start hitting the stage.
Anthrax, on the other hand, can virtually do no wrong. Touring on the
back of arguably their strongest recording since _Sound of White
Noise_ -- and certainly one of the better "comebacks" of 2003 -- they
immediately fill the venue with a sense of triumph as they kick into
the gear with a face-rippingly heavy rendition of "What Doesn't Die".
They may be twenty-year veterans of the metal scene, but they perform
with the exuberance and unbridled enthusiasm of a young act who've
been given their first big break -- bassist Frank Bello being a
particularly impressive sight as he relentlessly hurls himself across
the stage, never remaining static for even a second. Drawing a highly
fan-friendly setlist from their vast back catalogue, older songs like
"Caught in a Mosh" and "NFL" appear to have aged very gracefully,
even if they prove how juvenile the Anthrax lyrical prowess was in
their formative years. Newer tunes like the forthcoming Keanu Reeves-
endorsed "Safe Home" and "Black D ahlia" also go down a storm, but it
is (somewhat surprisingly) the dual pairing of "Bring the Noise" and
"I'm the Man" that most definitely causes the decidedly old-school
crowd to wreak havoc on the Astoria floor.
Unfortunately not all is perfect tonight, however: a cringingly out-
of-tune guitar causes the intensely atmospheric "Black Lodge" to
sound very confused, and of course there's always the matter of
favourites left unaired. But, as I'm sure the sweat-drenched mass
that makes their exit at 22:30 to make way for (in Scott Ian's words)
"the gay camp attack" will attest, tonight's show provides ample
proof that Anthrax are miles away from running out of steam anytime
soon.
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M A R C H I N G O N T O G R E A T N E S S
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Mastodon with Labrat @ Camden Underworld, London UK, July 1, 2003
by: Jackie Smit
Tuesday, July 1st, 2003 has hardly been what I would call a good day
leading up to my arrival in Camden Town at around 8pm. Running on two
hours' sleep -- thanks to my slow-witted housemates' insistence that
their television remain at top volume until the early hours -- and
with an eight hour work day and a hellacious commute on Hell's answer
to public transport behind me, I head in the direction of the
Underworld's box office window, politely state my name and tell the
woman in charge that I am on the Relapse Records guest list. She
briefly scans through a blizzard of paper printouts and shakes her
head. "Should I write my name down, in case you didn't hear me
correctly?", I offer, knowing that my foreign accent at times
confuses the more mentally challenged citizens of the United Kingdom.
She ignores me and just shakes her head. Desperately fighting the
urge to unleash a salvo of expletives that would make every last
layer of make-up on her haggard face peel, I ask whether it would be
possible for me to check the guest list to see whether or not a
mistake has been made -- I do after all have an e-mail in my inbox
confirming that I need not pay the £10 admission fee for tonight's
performance. "You can't and you're not on the list, okay!", she
scowls and as patient a man as I am, I am now overcome by the
virtually irrepressible urge to go make like The Rock and lay the
smack down on her pasty behind. Indeed, were it not for the fact that
Mastodon's _Remission_ record is one of the truly great releases of
2002, this live review may well never have been written. I fully
empathise with the fact that the slack-jawed troglodyte, that has
just been (somewhat unsurprisingly) rude to me, has a job to do, but
there is such a thing as class. And to prove mine, I will refrain
from using my position as writer for the greatest webzine on God's
green earth to call her several paragraphs worth of unmentionable
names, instead quoting Matthew Broderick in "Ferris Bueller's Day
Off" and saying: "It's understanding that helps people like me
tolerate people like yourself."
So, with my hard-earned slapped begrudgingly on the counter, I enter
the venue just as local noise-niks Labrat are about to start their
set. I last saw these guys open for Strapping Young Lad, and on that
particular evening they played quite possibly one of the worst sets I
have ever had to endure. It is therefore ironic that in my present
state of mind, they actually end up sounding infinitely better. While
I still don't care much for their punkified Cryptopsy / Dillinger
Escape Plan concoction, the band does have an undeniable amount of
talent and potential -- of particular note being the efforts of
drummer Nathan, who absolutely shines on "Clint Eastwood Is Well
'Ard". The aforementioned potential also comes strongly to the fore
on closing tune "Two Pigs Fucking", and Labrat leave me thinking that
there may well be a decent band hiding beneath their amusingly cocky
exterior.
Few bands in the underground currently enjoy the level of adulation
that has flooded the world of Atlanta's Mastodon in recent months.
And from the first note to their opening attack of "Crusher
Destroyer" it is made abundantly clear that they not only intend to
justify the hype, but to leave it lying in the dust. Their tri-vocal
approach demands action from every stage-front member -- which each
serves up by the truckload, never once seeming any less intense than
a full- squadron air siege. Even more admirable is the fact that they
somehow manage to sound even better on stage than they do on CD --
their performance not only watertight, but bathed in an added layer
of atmosphere that bands with ten times Mastodon's profile can
only dream of. Slower numbers like "Ol'e Nessie" leave even the
most mosh-hungry punters mesmerized, while "Shadows That Move" is
heavy enough to outweigh the impact of a mid-scale earthquake.
There is honestly nothing that can be faulted with tonight's
Mastodon experience -- from their performance, through to their crowd
interaction, they are quite simply fantastic from start to finish.
And with a blistering rendition of "March of the Fire Ants" ringing
fresh in my ears, I'm smiling again.
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W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gino's Top 5
1. Judas Priest - _Point of Entry_
2. Judas Priest - _Hell Bent For Leather_
3. Judas Priest - _British Steel_
4. Judas Priest - _Screaming for Vengeance_
5. Judas Priest - _Defending The Faith_
Pedro's Top 5
1. Weakling - _Dead As Dreams_
2. Elend - _Winds Devouring Men_
3. Insomnium - _Into the Halls of Waiting_
4. Corporation 187 - _Perfection in Pain_
5. Solefald - _In Harmonia Universali_
Brian's Top 5
1. Spawn of Possession - _Cabinet_
2. Novembre - _Classica_
3. Ron Jarzombek - _Solitarily Speaking of Theoretical Confinement_
4. Canvas Solaris - _Spatial / Design_
5. Behold the Arctopus - _Arctopocalypse Now... Warmageddon Later_
Paul's Top 5
1. Clandestine Blaze - _Fist of the Northern Destroyer_
2. Sorhin - _Apocalysens Angel_
3. Venom - _Welcome to Hell_
4. Bestial Warlust - _Vengeance War 'Til Death_
5. Pink Floyd - _Wish You Were Here_
Aaron's Top 5
1. Madder Mortem - _Deadlands_
2. Gorgoroth - _Twilight Of The Idols_
3. Pig Destroyer - _Prowler in the Yard_
4. Tyrant - _Legend_
5. Trouble - _Trouble_
Quentin's Top 5
1. Moonsorrow - _Kivenkataja_
2. Ancient Rites - _And the Hordes Stood as One_
3. Golden Dawn - _Masquerade_
4. Satanic Warmaster - _Opferblut_
5. Cradle of Filth - _Damnation and a Day_
James' Top 5
1. Deströyer 666 - _Terror Abraxas_
2. Mr Bungle - _California_
3. Mr Bungle - _Mr Bungle_
4. Vlad Tepes / Belketre - _March to the Black Holocaust_
5. Sargatanas - _Knights of the Southern Cross_
Jackie's Top 5
1. Exhumed - _Anatomy Is Destiny_
2. Arch Enemy - _Anthems of Rebellion_
3. Immortal - _Battles in the North_
4. Myrkskog - _Superior Massacre_
5. Danzig - _7:77 I Luciferi_
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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
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You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending an
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #64
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.
