EAR CANDY MAG
November-December 2009 ISSUE

Music Reviews: November-December 2009

Surf City Allstars,"Acoustic Vibrations" (Indie Release)
Mellow. Laid back. Relaxing. All three fit the bill here. This is sonic pot. I don’t mean that as a bad thing either. This makes me feel like I’m on vacation without a worry in the world. Now, how can that be bad? These guys are ace musicians and it shows from start to finish. The vocals are dead on Beach Boys without a doubt. Someone could have told me that these were unreleased tracks from Brian’s bedroom and I wouldn’t have known the difference. As a matter of fact, founding Beach Boy Al Jardine, Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean and former Beach Boy David Marks all appear on here as special guests. Every old school surf fan should have this disc in their collection. Kowabunga!
www.surfcityallstars.com
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Blind Anabaptist Blues,"Crying For The Promises" (Indie Release)
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
It’s good enough for me.
Well, if songs like these resonated from the churches in my neck of the woods then most of the pews would be looking pretty worn by now. These guys have a fresh and completely addictive grassroots appeal and they do it without falling into a revivalist rut. No pun intended. “Have You Been Redeemed?” will have you dancing in the isles and that’s good enough for me.
artist's web site
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Guitar Bomb,"Happy Hour At The Silverado" (Rock Park Records)
Steve Earle and The Black Keys walk into a bar. Bartender says… Yadda, yadda, yadda and the punchline is a Guitar Bomb show breaks out. Okay, that did suck, but it’s a pretty fair description of “Happy Hour At The Silverado”. Take the two man blues/punk framework of the Black Keys and throw in some Steve Earle attitude and a pinch of bastardized southern boogie style guitar and you’ve got a good idea of what a great offering this album is. “OK ‘Till Ohio” and “Ode To Shane” are two tracks that are damn close to what Nashville SHOULD sound like. These guys can lock into a hyper-boogie groove that will occasionally bring to mind early Kings Of Leon material. Plus, they do it with half the work force. So, who’s slacking off over at the K.O.L. camp?
www.guitarbomb.com
www.myspace.com/guitarbomb
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Mondo Jetset,"Girl Action" (Pink Hedgehog)
Dreamy synthpop songs about… well… who the hell knows… but it’s as catchy as the latest C.D.C. proclaimed pandemic. “It’s A Lie” makes me want to play video games for hours and I don’t play video games. Ever... What that means, I don’t have a clue. I guess, if I had any gripes about this album, my only one would be that some of the songs take a little too long to lift off. But, that’s just me. I’m a pretty impatient guy.
“Poor Claire” has a bit of a Bowie , “ground control to Major Tom” vibe. But the band really takes aim at the charts with “Let’s Be Sad.” A tasty dance mix in every sense of the term. This is a solid outing for the band.
artist's web site
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Simon Felton,"Failing In Biology" (Pink Hedgehog)
Simon is the wizard behind the great curtain of Oz he’s tagged as Pink Hedgehog Records. This guy truly loves a well crafted nugget from the power pop vein and he obviously works hard mining his claim. “Failing In Biology” is a testament to his devotion. “Mister Magic Eyes” works on many levels. The perfectly executed jangle of rhythm guitar, the top of the beat pulse of the snare, beautifully blended harmonies, plus a quick, get in there and do your job, tasty guitar solo. It’s the “total package” cliché but it applies. “In The Attic” would make the perfect B-side to “Mister Magic Eyes”. I say that because I remember a time when the B-side had to stand up to the hit, and on occasion it was an even better song. If power pop is your thing then you need this.
artist's web site
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Anton Barbeau,"Plastic Guitar" (Pink Hedgehog)
The first track on “Plastic Guitar” is titled “Bending Like A Spoon”. The song comes off as heady and cheesy at the same time. And, guess what? It works. It works incredibly well as a matter of fact. I guess I should clarify things a bit by saying that this is not the kind of stuff that I would normally listen to. So, that said, writing a knowledgeable and deserving review is a bit of a task. But, here goes…
This is pop, that I’m sure of. It’s smooth and polished which I’m also sure of. Infectious would be a very proper cliché to use. Seems I’ve listened to this cd four or five times already and I’ve only had it a couple of days. Fun? Definitely. For everyone? Probably not, but if you own anything by Matthew Sweet, or the Beatles, or Marshall Crenshaw, or Redd Kross, or Weezer, etc…etc…etc… Then it’s a safe bet that this is probably for you.
artist's web site
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Peter Lacey,"Behind The Scenes" (Pink Hedgehog Records)
This is the best Christmas present I could imagine - a new Peter Lacey album, hot on the heels of his last release! And a concept album ta-boot? Well, I think that term has been used to death - I'd rather call "Behind The Scenes" an album that is flowing with concurrent themes. Split into two "acts", the concepts of reality and illusion in the human psyche are explored.

While the classic Peter Lacey harmony vocals are there, what's really exciting is the cool air of experimentation that permeates. here. There is a more varied use of musical instruments from Peter's norm of recording, in addition to sound effects/sound bites. A few times you hear “circus music” in the background – what better example of “reality and illusion”? Some of Peter's past work as been compared to Beach Boy Brian Wilson - well, this one has the cheery melodicism of Paul McCartney all over it. I think "Behind The Scenes" includes some of Peter's most beautiful melodies so far!

You've done it again Peter!
Pink Hedgehog Records
Peter Lacey myspace site
Rating:

Review by Ronnie


Arthur Hinds,"Poetry of Wonder" (Indie Release)
The first solo album by Arthur Hinds is a mixed bag, a sort of "emerald in the rough". As the major songwriter (and one of the singers) of Emerald Rose, it must be hard to create a solo album that doesn't sound like Emerald Rose. Maybe it is the overuse of the synth-drums (always a pet peeve of mine) - it seems to distract from quite a few really good songs on this album; there are at least 4 songs I would totally take them off of. And...if you are gonna use synth-drums, then why isn't there a bass guitar to fill up the sound? Finally, why the inclusion of the Emerald Rose classic, "Never Underestimate" (a.k.a. "Southern Baptist Nightmare")? This version is basically identical the ER version...I would have loved to hear it again, but ONLY if there was some sort of difference in the arrangement.

Now the good points. Arthur's use of Led Zeppen III-type guitar work and exotic rhythms (used on such songs as "Poetry of Wonder" and "The Blood of Summer") show that he can move beyond the Emerald Rose mold. "Do the Round Thing" is an instant classic, another clever pagan-themed song with a great old time rock and roll vibe. "My Emerald Rose" is a great love song and "Greenwood Woman" is reminiscent of the classic band Spirit! It is also great to hear the inclusion of two drum and chant songs, both really add to the album ("Pantheon" has a great climactic buildup).

A really great debut album by an artist that isn't quite sure if he wants to musically cut the ties to his band on his solo releases. But he is on the right track and the hints of greatness are there...
www.soundclick.com/arthurhinds
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Ronnie


The Crimson Armada,"Guardians" (Metal Blade)
Ohio metal troupe The Crimson Armada give it up to God while playing a fierce style of new school death metal on their 10-track endeavor GUARDIANS. Following the structures and musical template of The Black Dahlia Murder a bit too closely (“Desecrated”), this band makes up for the blatant borrowing with barrages of tasty technical twin guitar shreddery (“A Filthy Addiction”) and healthy dollops of deathcore breakdowns interspersed (“The Final Words”). Nonetheless, this quintet’s furious yet familiar strain of modern extreme metal aims for a colossal collision of Hot Topic mall rats and Christian metal bible-thumpers. Let the games begin.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Job For a Cowboy,"Ruination" (Metal Blade)
Job for a Cowboy have raised the ire of purists and caught a lot of heat from stalwart death metal fans for being the media darling poster boys for the modern death metal movement, yet RUINATION showcases the band making musical strides away from their maligned deathcore roots, sprouting towards a discernibly old school death metal approach. This 10-track excursion in extremity exhibits an unadulterated Vader/Suffocation/ Morbid Angel/ Cannibal Corpse vibe and you’d be hard pressed to find anything that resembles “core” on this offering. Instead, it sounds as if this fast-rising Arizona quintet shut off the hype machine long enough to pay close attention and take stringent notes while trekking the globe with some of the genre’s elite outfits, resulting in piecing together their own interpretations of the works of the aforementioned elite acts (amongst others), even going as far to implement apocalyptic slow-churned down tempo elements (“Ruination”) and Lamb of God-esque melody into their scalding stew (“Regurgitated Disinformation”). Changing key members also doesn’t hurt to freshen up the mix, and with a new drummer and guitarist in tow, this squad’s sound has morphed into a meaner and nastier entity, as tracks like “Lords of Chaos”, “Summon the Hounds”, and “Detonate and Exterminate” demonstrate this crew’s beefed-up brutal nuances in full assault mode. Haters will still pontificate and run the band down for their shortcomings, but the fact remains that Job for a Cowboy is breaking away from the trappings of their earlier endeavors by embracing a face-ripping death metal retread sound that, while far from groundbreaking, puts the band in a position to justify all of the attention they’ve received.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Dogs Of Winter,"From Soil To Shale" (Lapdance Academy)
A sinewy yet soothing dose of hypnotic Hesher rock comes courtesy of NYC outfit Dogs of Winter, whose debut full-length FROM SOIL TO SHALE renders an exquisite nine-track rock excursion teeming with a loud and clear yet down and dirty elegance. This trio serves up a veritable stoner rock smorgasbord bursting with crafty nuggets of raucous rock ‘n roll audacity and well-placed off kilter alternative metal techniques (“Flesh to Stone”, “Ghost”). Bridging the oceansized gap between the grassroots metal of Baroness, the keep you guessing tendencies of Faith No More, and the hard hitting tunefulness of Foo Fighters, this unit’s fluid musical interplay and standout soulful vocal harmonies (“Beneath the Fold”) yield hybrids of muscular hard rock with brazen hooks, throbbing rhythms, and sly lyrical content that embody an earthy vibe as if whittled down from endless late night studio session jams. Showcasing lean and mean arrangements with an abundance of floating rhythms abound (“Anathema”), Dogs of Winter is poised to satisfy your sweet tooth with their batch of voluminous and voraciously addictive rock ‘n roll.
www.lapdanceacademy.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Hated,"Drinkin' For a Living" (Self-released)
The hard living Delaware punk quintet The Hated are a grizzled lot whose latest five-song sojourn clocks in at just shy under 10 minutes and demonstrates the right way to play hard nosed street punk. DRINKIN’ FOR A LIVING is a pogo-friendly free for all armed with a fast and loose style (“Barfight”) reminiscent of acts such as the bouncier side of Black Flag and Cock Sparrer at their most anthemic (“Troubled Oi”). Adorned with a fiery selection of compact tunes that help build confidence necessary to mix it up at any time, The Hated do the punk scene proud by heartily embracing an authentic style that any fan of real punk rock can’t resist.
www.myspace.com/forverhated93
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Gnaw Their Tongues,"All the Dread Magnificence of Perversity" (Crucial Blast)
One-man Dutch experimental black metal project Gnaw Their Tongues eerily creep into the subconscious with latest release ALL THE DREAD MAGNIFICENCE OF PERVERSITY. Adorned with an odd array of swirling instrumentation pieced together as if scoring a horror movie, ominous synths, sci-fi spoken word samples, blackened atmosphere, and whizzes of bleak industrial noise dominates GTT’s ethereal soundscape. This nine-track affair makes a serious bid for most vile and desperate cinematic soundtrack since Fantomas thanks to a cavalcade of chilling shrieks and compellingly edge of your seat musical movements that guide the way through the murky and shadowy paths taken on tracks such as “The Stench of Dead Horses on My Breath and The Vile Existence in My Hands”. Depraved and devious (just check out the disturbing bloodsoaked artwork of female captives in different stages of mechanical bondage), this is a perfect album to throw on loop at the house during trick or treat time to set the mood, scare the hell out of the neighbors, and dismember bodies to.
www.crucialblast.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Echoes Of Eternity,"As Shadows Burn" (Nuclear Blast)
American female fronted metal quintet Echoes of Eternity return with their sophomore effort, the nine-track disc AS SHADOWS BURN. Displaying a capable handle of both progressive-minded Euro metal nuances and the dreamy Goth metal sound, this troupe exhibits the capability to switch between menacing (“Descent of a Blackened Soul”) and galloping (“Letalis Deus”) at the drop of a dime while the twin guitar assault shreds with the melodic mind of a blend of Mercyful Fate, Arch Enemy, and Megadeth (“The Scarlet Embrace”, “Funeral in the Sky”). If you’re a sucker for sterile but sweet vocal harmonies over a durable and rousing yet retread metal backdrop a la Nightwish yet clamor for more hard nosed delivery, Echoes of Eternity has everything lined up ready for you to dive into.
www.nuclearblastusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Augury,"Fragmentary Evidence" (Nuclear Blast)
The progressive metal tag is often overused to describe bands, yet there’s really no other way to accurately depict the music of Canadian unit Augury. Returning after a five year absence and undergoing significant lineup changes, FRAGMENTARY EVIDENCE reveals an outfit weaned on ‘70s prog rock expansiveness, traditional classical music structure, and jazz improvisation as much as the forward-thinking death metal of Death and Suffocation and the black metal straight from Norway. This squad’s intense and unique intricacies blend virtuoso guitar playing with rhythmic gymnastics under the barbaric rants from a slew of guest vocals, making an exhilarating listening experience for even the most finicky of technical death metal heads. Featuring a standout bass guitar performance that sweepingly takes the lead over much of the album while equipped with an innate acumen that invites an oppressive atmosphere and blistering barrages of shredding to coexist in perfect harmony (“Jupiter to Ignite”), Augury’s blend of jaw-dropping musicianship and harrowing brutality renders a marvelously malevolent spectacle where adventurous metallic minds will readily get lost in (“Skyless”).
www.nuclearblastusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


As You Drown,"Reflection" (Metal Blade)
Swedish squad As You Drown cross-pollinates an old school death metal spirit with seeds from the deathcore tree on their nine-track debut REFLECTION. This quartet’s concoction of severe savagery over a barrage of bludgeoning modern tones is seemingly redundant and yields a far from earth shattering result, even conjuring comparisons to Bury Your Dead and the like upon first listen. Yet don’t count this act out just yet, as dastardly discernible characteristics from the unsurpassed brutality of Suffocation to the technical tenacity of Meshuggah take flight after a few spins (“Swallow”, “Ashes”) to give As You Drown’s punishing presence a way more well rounded appeal than that of their peers. Focusing on demolishing everything in its path with an unstoppable sonic crush whose impressive exhibition of power is capable of widespread damage (“Driven by Hatred”), REFLECTION proves to be a extreme metal exercise in relentlessness which stands solid amongst the countless metal troupes who employ similar devices.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Cryptic Tales,"VII Dogmata Of Mercy" (Empire)
Polish quintet Cryptic Tales latest album is 13 years in the making, making this veteran outfit’s latest seven-track VII DOGMATA OF MERCY the extreme metal version of CHINESE DEMOCRACY...minus the dramatics apparently. This troupe’s symphonic black metal styling contains punchy melodies (“Set the Unholy Icons Free”) and robust guitars (“Valley of the Dolls II”) that stays in step with Old Man’s Child and Cradle of Filth, yet with drums way high in the mix throughout the disc’s course, it’s hard to ascertain a continuous sense of atmosphere while constant pounding is abound. Nonetheless, Cryptic Tales follow blueprints while making artistic additions well enough to pull off a sturdy long awaited follow-up laden with a bevy of the necessary nefarious instrumental ingredients interspersed with an oddball sense of humor (just check out their cheeky promo pictures as an indication of this) that should garnish this band attention from the corpsepainted contingent.
www.empire-records.pl
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Few Against Many,"SOT" (Pulverised)
The Few Against Many is a progressive melodic death metal troupe that boasts former members of Satariel, Torchbearer, Angel Blake, and ex-Scar Symmetry frontman Christian Alvestam in its ranks. This Swedish quintet’s debut SOT demonstrates a hellacious hybrid of symphonic black metal, melodic death metal, and a tenacious technical prowess whose scope is way darker and oppressive than when we heard Alvestam last, as tracks like “Heresi” bleed through the speakers with Dark Tranquility-esque fury while “Skapelsens Sorti” explores a shadowy symphonic side with lyrics sung in Swedish (only two songs here are sung in English by the way, proving that as long as the voice sounds evil, it’s all good). Providing a discernibly darker departure with a slew of new and intriguing sounds creeping in unheard on previous works, The Few Against Many make their mark with a solid array of nefarious melodies (“Brand Mark”) via SOT.
www.pulverisedrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Municipal Waste,"Massive Aggressive" (Earache)
Good time thrashers Municipal Waste bear down from the carefree kill the keg beer swigging ways to produce their fourth installment of speed and power in the form of MASSIVE AGGRESSIVE. As cliché as it sounds, this Virginia quartet’s latest 13-track attack is the album where this troupe has “matured”, but fear not loyal fans, they haven’t gone soft in the least; in fact, the ‘Waste is as dangerous as ever, churning out the cavalcade of blistering breakneck riffs with all the vicious velocity your body can handle with the impetus of the bastard child of Suicidal Tendencies, DRI and Exodus (“Acid Sentence”, “Mech-Cannibal”). The departure comes mainly in the lyrical content, a place where the unit’s trademarked crack a beer and chug whimsy has all but disappeared (sans “Horny for Blood”), replaced by a barrage of horror movie retellings (“The Wrath of the Severed Head”), disaster scenarios (“Wolves of Chernobyl”), and fighting the powers that be (“Upside Down Church”, “Divine Blasphemer”), fitting in perfectly with the crew’s menacing riffing, high pitched vocal yowl, and ripping rapid-fire drumming. Meshing chaotic hardcore punk leanings (“Media Skeptic”) with hearty dollops of mid-paced chugging into their high-energy tumultuous thrash metal approach (“Massive Aggressive”), Municipal Waste’s latest album showcases a sinister sharpening of their skill set while the band implements some new tricks into their arsenal that when combined make a template for what a lean and mean crossover metal record for the 21st Century should sound like.
www.earache.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Accused,"The Curse of Martha Splatterhead" (Southern Lord)
Despite only one original member remaining in the fold (guitarist Tommy Niemeyer for those keeping score at home), incendiary Seattle splattercore pioneers The Accused manage to capture the extreme essence from their salad days on the group’s latest 14-track endeavor THE CURSE OF MARTHA SPLATTERHEAD. Reinvigorating the masses with a fire at all cylinders slash and burn style that bequeaths them crossover hero status alongside the ranks of DRI and Suicidal Tendencies (“Scotty Came Back”), this release relentlessly slams your head against the wall from start to finish with a barrage of twisted vocal angst (“Splatter Rock II”), thunderous rapid fire thrash metal percussion (“Bodies are Rising”), raucous punk metal guitar melodies (“Hemline”), and gore-driven horror movie intensity throughout the entire affair, making this album a raw treat chock full of the unapologetic hack ‘em up and drag ‘em out metallic goodness this band helped spawn.
www.southernlord.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Blood of the Prophets,"Blood of the Prophets" (Self-released)
Toledo, OH sextet Blood of the Prophets blend the best elements of modern metal to comprise their three-song eponymous release. Led by a versatile menacing growl and a bountiful array of nifty fretwork with an obligatory dose keyboard overlay to add a harrowing chill (“Awaiting Death”), this act confidently straddles the line between the heavy handed approach of Chimaira and the histrionic path of melodic black metal to create a maelstrom of metallic fury whose familiar strains of aggression are bound to get the pit involved.
www.myspace.com/bloodoftheprophets
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Your Demise,"Ignorance Never Dies" (Earache)
Your Demise is a bruising UK quintet whose angry bursts of melodic metal-tinged hardcore falls in line with the most recent works of Agnostic Front, Gallows, and Comeback Kid on the 14-track IGNORANCE NEVER DIES. Rendering a refreshing concoction of Hatebreed-esque pit stompers (“The Clocks Aren’t Ticking Backwards”, “Nothing Left But Regret”) featuring a scalding mix of vicious vocals, a standout bombastic bass guitar whose performance deserves an award (“Burnt Tongues”), chunky riffs galore, and rhythmic beatdowns (“TF”), the only misstep here are the electronic dub interludes dispersed in between the mauling mayhem of cuts like “All I Never Want to Be” and “Black Veins”, coming off a bit overindulgent and misplaced. But when taking on this album as a whole, Your Demise’s supple fury (“Blood Ran Cold”) maintains the immediacy of slamming grooves chock full of punk spirit and hardcore heft, so all can be forgiven for their branching out and throwing some chill out moments in, as you’ll definitely need them to catch your breath anyhow.
www.earache.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Burnt By The Sun,"Heart of Darkness" (Relapse)
New Jersey metalcore titans Burnt By the Sun have sadly decided to call it a day, but at least they’ve graciously given us a mammoth farewell in the form of their explosive 10-track swan song HEART OF DARKNESS. This menacing menagerie of metalcore mayhem impressively recreates the cult unit’s seething delivery after a six-year hiatus with trademarked edgy songwriting twists cemented into a brash barrage of tumultuous technical metal colliding into chaotic and confrontational hardcore perspectives masterfully captured via Mike Olender’s vitriolic and venomous bark. This is not your run of the mill Hot Topic metalcore, kids; this is the real deal from seasoned veterans that get the job done with a proficient combination of brutality, integrity and expedience, providing the necessary nastiness that lunges from the speakers with an insatiable wrath to destroy.
www.relapse.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Hardcore Superstar,"Beg For It" (Nuclear Blast)
Cock rock for the 21st Century, Sweden’s Hardcore Superstar return with the group’s latest offering BEG FOR IT. A hodgepodge homage to heavier end of hair metal a la Love/Hate and Kix, this 12-track affair’s jarring juxtaposition of contemporary tones with pop metal priss (“Hope for a Normal Life”) is tailor-made to rock soccer stadiums (“Nervous Breakdown”) thanks to the mind-numbing enormity of the choruses, not to mention the presence of both a gritty and grizzled rock singer and nifty fits of glistening guitar (“Beg for It”). If you’re pining for a modern slant on glam metal’s glory days or really miss 1988 that much, Hardcore Superstar sufficiently scratches the itch but don’t expect much more.
www.nuclearblastusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Arch Enemy,"The Root of All Evil" (Century Media)
Metal mavens Arch Enemy have excavated some of their favorite cuts from the first three non-Angela albums, rehearsed (and in some instances rehashed) the hell out of them and went to the studio and laid down new versions to comprise their latest 13-track endeavor THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. While re-recording previous works long finished seems like a copout to some and sometimes irks loyal fans as taking a cheap and easy route, such is not the case here thanks to Team Amott’s unbridled pristine interpretations of classics (“The Immortal”, “Dead Inside”) brimming over with a voracious vigor whose exhilarating electricity renders the closest thing to the energy of a live show you can get with headphones plugged in.
www.centurymedia.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Overmars,"Born Again" (Crucial Blast)
Make sure your attention span is fully intact when popping in the latest one-track, 40-minute endeavor from ambitious French metal septet Overmars, as BORN AGAIN tries patience and slows momentum with its methodically torturous pace and unsettlingly haunting passages of dastardly drone and doom-laden dramatics that unmistakably shares common ground with avant-garde metal’s usual suspects such as Isis and Neurosis. Almost as if providing a soundtrack for an inescapable nightmare, this unit’s bleak industrial interludes and trance-inducing elements are bolstered by a three-prong vocal attack (two guys and one girl), each with distinct characteristics stamping unique eeriness to the redundant lyrical textures. Not only do the nuances of sludgy post-metal, dirge-like ambience, and black metal atmosphere join forces here, they work together in a sinister symbiosis to crush your feeble soul while exerting an excruciating display of darkness and despair custom made for those who call the catacombs home.
www.crucialblast.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Gwar,"Lust In Space" (Metal Blade)
Intergalactic metal warriors Gwar celebrate their 25th anniversary as a band in style (just check out the homage to Kiss from the album’s cover) with a discernibly thrashier approach on LUST IN SPACE. Retaining the outrageous stage antics and witty lyrical subject matter (“Metal Metal Land”) that put them in the collective conscience of the metal scene, Gwar’s 11th studio offering (produced by Devin Townsend no less) is a meatier musical entry, providing the listener an impressive arsenal of durable guitarwork (“Let Us Slay”) and solid metal anthems (“Parting Shot”, “Damnation Under God”) to go along with the band’s undeniably unique presentation. Cohesively tying everything together to form a solid release where the chops are as sharp as the whimsical delivery, Gwar’s latest cosmic treat is a raucous and fun-filled metal excursion chock full of headbanging humor.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Black,"Alongside Death" (Pulverised)
Harkening back to an era where black metal was at its most unfettered, Swedish trio The Black take a nefarious no-nonsense approach on their scathing eight-track offering ALONGSIDE DEATH. Serving a malicious hunk of meat and potatoes black metal with a cavalcade of eerie riffs, chaotic blasts, and feral vocal utterances leading the charge, The Black murkily impart direct derivations from the Mayhem and Satyricon playbooks (“Dead Seed”). Despite the complaints about the unit’s simplicity, it’s that same dialed-back delivery which allows for the squad’s diabolical aura to permeate from “A Contract Written in Ashes”, making an enjoyably authentic slab of demonic darkness for those who have stayed troo.
www.pulverised.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Behemoth,"Evangelion" (Metal Blade)
Polish death metal mavens Behemoth unleash another blasphemous barrage of blackened death metal on the unit’s latest affair EVANGELION. Intense from end to end, this nine-track offering renders a blistering batch of unholy mantras over a noteworthy demonstration of relentless percussion (“The Seed Ov I”) while a menacing mix of guitar and bass explosions pummel your skull (“Defiling Morality Ov Black God”) and shakes you down to your soul (“OV Fire and The Void”). Crisper and more fluid thanks to the talents of Colin Richardson behind the boards, Behemoth’s massively malefic tones and ominous grooves sound bigger, badder, and burlier than before (“Shemhamforash”), thrusting this troupe from the roots of the underground to the surface of the extreme metal bubble with all the malcontent and dastardly elements intact necessary to destroy the hapless in their path. Strap yourself in and prepare for the oncoming onslaught courtesy of this evil outfit.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Subarachnoid Space,"Eight Bells" (Crucial Blast)
Returning after a four-year layoff with a completely revamped lineup, revered Portland, OR troupe Subarachnoid Space dole out five mainly instrumental tracks of space-laden psychedelic guitar freakouts from the bleak end of the black hole on this galactic group’s latest offering EIGHT BELLS. This veteran troupe keeps the riffs cosmic and the atmosphere dark (“Akathesia”) while providing an acidic blend of trippy effects, Hawkwind-esque heft, and fluctuating moodswings with a hard rock soul, yielding a stellar set of shadowy explosions (“Hunter Seeker”) which should find no problem fitting snugly between your Fucking Champs and Explosions in the Sky discs.
www.crucialblast.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Liturgy,"Renihilation" (20 Buck Spin)
Brooklyn NY’s Liturgy sparks an interesting debate for the ardent black metal fan to lament over; can a band who openly and wholeheartedly disregards black metal’s trademarked norms yet punishes ears with a similar array of blistering elements passed down from the genre’s elite really be considered black metal? Surely this discussion is bound to go the distance, but rest assured this fresh-faced as opposed to corpsepainted troupe will be too occupied transcending their abominable aural assault through opaque intervals of twin guitar tremolo runs to care about looking the part. Adorned with an unintelligible bestial shriek that fits the music perfectly and solidified with an octopus-esque percussive performance that whirls at breakneck velocity and never misses a beat, this collection of volatile metallic shredding gives props to Burzum, Darkthrone, and Ulver while implementing smidgens of hipster influence within its classically cacophonic crackles and bastardized buzzing to keep the haters hating and the vibe raw, yet maintain a global scope (“Track 7”) which permits an escape from their frosty forest to peruse the vast metal landscape for inspiration before making their solemn sojourn back to the wild.
www.20buckspin.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Funkface,"Your Politics Suck" (Buddha Bug)
Seasoned NYC juggernaut Funkface hits hard with a soulful hard rock stance on their eight-track endeavor YOUR POLITICS SUCK. Taking the listener back with the immediacy of Bad Brains while mixing in a flurry of Living Color-esque hard rock with flourishes of harder-edged ska and punk, this quintet displays a unique energy where both old school values and new school tones collide yet coexist in heavy harmony.
www.funkfacenyc.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Harvestman,"In a Dark Tongue" (Neurot)
Harvestman is the third musical offering from prolific post-metal artist Steve Von Till (Neurosis) that essentially captures one man’s journey through sound. Waves of synths and guitars crash along drone rhythms while a rash of unorthodox instrumentation yields a cosmic cacophony jarringly juxtaposing hallucinogenic rock and abstract noise. Despite the music’s trance-like build-ups peaking to reach grand crescendos, Harvestman retains a disciplined tranquility that emphatically echoes the earthy sentiments of the music’s natural surroundings yet still manages to break away and take rocket ship rides to outer space (“The Hawk of Achill”).
www.neurotrecordings.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Litmus,"Aurora" (Rise Above)
UK psychedelic metal merchant Aurora returns from a trip in the time machine to present their third offering, the euphoric eight-track journey entitled AURORA. A galactic odyssey containing all the space rock swagger, prog-rock peel-outs, and crazy keyboard whizzes and swirls your brain on drugs can potentially handle, Litmus’ bromantic worship of Hawkwind is appalling but totally forgivable because of their authentic interpretation of both the energy and the experimental spirit. Further channeling Yes, Monster Magnet, and Pink Floyd into the mix also doesn’t hurt, as this band’s ability to effortlessly blast off into the universe’s farthest reaches is a boundless entity that renders a elated listening experience for all who crave an escape.
www.riseaboverecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Tenet,"Sovereign" (Century Media)
How’s this for a resume? Tenet is a supergroup started by Jed Simon comprised by members of Exodus, Strapping Young Lad, Forbidden, and Dark Angel. While imposing and impressive on paper, this troupe’s ferocious batch of oppressive thrash metal beatings is for real and delivers with a dastardly snarl that damn near guarantees this all-star quintet an automatic ascension to the genre’s upper-echelon. SOVEREIGN is a nine-track thrash metal tour-de-force whose startlingly seething approach (thanks most notably via an insanity-laden over the top vocal performance from Steve Souza), endless rounds of resonant crushing riffs, and permeating vibes of genuine destruction all work together to form brutal barrages of Grade A thrash metal. Churning out the kind of vibrant volatility that the permutation of some of the genre’s elite should be, Tenet present a triumphant neck-snapping affair thrash fans new and old will adore.
www.centurymedia.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Diablo Swing Orchestra,"Sing-Along Songs For the Damned and Delirious" (Sensory)
Schizophrenic Swedish sextet Diablo Swing Orchestra intertwine crushing metal a la System of a Down with oodles of oddball flare that combines heavy-handed metal menacing with a jump-jiving dose of 1940’s-era ragtime and swing with a span the globe sound. Throw in a bothersome barrage of over the top male/female operatic twin vocals and cap it off with a smorgasbord of surreal stylistic switches accompanied by a cavalcade of old time instrumentation destined to induce listener dizziness to round out this twisted yet enchanting offering. If you can stand your metallic attack with a lot of left of center influences, you won’t find a more ambitiously avant-garde release than SING-ALONG SONGS FOR THE DAMNED AND DELIRIOUS, making it a must-have for the adventurous sect who wouldn’t feel out of place busting out The Lindy in the pit.
www.lasersedgegroup.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Valkyrja,"Invocation of Demise" (Metal Blade)
A cold and bleak strain of black metal emanates from Sweden’s Valkyrja in the form of the nine-track endeavor INVOCATION OF DEMISE. Originally released in 2007, this sinister offering showcases intense layers of hellacious havoc this band wields with thunderous drums, tremolo guitar runs, and diabolic vocal projections sounding startlingly full and clear for a black metal recording. Paying homage to the pioneers of the genre without sacrificing their own unique twists and turns on cuts such as the sprawling “The Vigil”, the menacing “Plague Death” and the mammoth “Purification and Demise”, Valkyrja’s grim trajectory demonstrates the capability to switch up tempos from blast to crawl without losing an ounce of evil while channeling the gauntlet of black metal atmospheres with an effigy of demonic elegance standing tall throughout.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Vader,"Necropolis" (Nuclear Blast)
The firm death metal grip of Vader returns to terrorize the world once again, as this stalwart Polish unit returns with the 11-track NECROPOLIS. This disc yields a few surprises (such as an overall emphasis on brevity that gives the entire affair a brutal boost as well as a dramatic and dynamic closer with “When the Sun Drowns in Dark”), yet Vader has achieved status as one amongst a handful of bands who consistently deliver the goods while developing a brand of neck snapping pulverizing metal that they can truly call their own (“Blast”, “Anger”). Armed with the blistering speed, vitriolic vocals, and knockout punch arrangements that have made them a mainstay in the extreme metal scene (“We Are the Horde”), despite all but one original member remaining, Vader manages to not only retain its signature sound but stand out in the vast sea of other metal acts, a testament to both the band’s devastating approach and relentless passion to its craft.
www.nuclearblastusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


White Wizzard,"High Speed GTO" (Earache)
Focusing on the more pleasant end of the NWOBHM spectrum, Los Angeles revisionist metal mob White Wizzard harkens back to a more hard-rock based form of metal in the vein of Thin Lizzy, early Def Leppard and UFO on their seven-track excursion HIGH SPEED GTO. Songs about cars and girls with balls and bite are so pre-1985, yet this quartet pull off the authenticity of the era with a suitcase full of beer and some snappy rhythms (“Celestina”), flashy guitar licks, popping bottom-end (“March of the Skeleltons”) and creamy vocal melodies that stick in your head whether you like it or not. While their pop sensibilities may prove to be a bit too polished for the average metal fan, this act combines hard-edged hooks with arena metal enormity for an undeniably innocuous listening experience perfect for cruising the boulevard with the top down to.
www.earache.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Mugs,"2009 NYHC" (Self-released)
Raw and unapologetic, Mugs tear rooms apart with an unadulterated hardcore punk stance with strains of thrash metal looming underneath. Direct and confrontational, this quartet’s motto of ”Blunts, Broads, Beers and Boards” is played to the hilt on songs like “Work”, the snotty and snarling “I Get What I Want”, the Metallica farce of “Jaws” and the skater anthem “Board 2 Death”. If you’re looking for a soundtrack to demolish things to, seek this one out, as they champion the drunken debauchery of the likes of Murphy’s Law and No Redeeming Social Value rather well.
www.myspace.com/pestcontrol
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Despised Icon,"Day of Mourning" (Century Media)
Canadian cripplers Despised Icon continue to outshine the majority of peers from the deathcore pool as the troupe’s latest 10-track offering DAY OF MOURNING aptly displays with both a vitriolic viciousness and a durable grip on both Hatebreed hardcore and Dying Fetus death metal firmly intact (“Day of Mourning”). Despite a solid yet somewhat surprisingly atmospheric one-two punch closing out the affair (“Entre Le Bien et Le Mal","Sleepless”) and a tremendous percussive performance courtesy of Alex Pelletier whose blazing speed, relentless battering, and dastardly doses of dexterity make a serious bid for this squad to be thrust into the upper echelon of extreme metal, this sextet’s undeniably blistering array of mosh-friendly riffs and ripping twin vocal attack at times come off stock and formulaic (going so far as ripping themselves off from previous works), ultimately falling prey to the maligned genre trappings similar acts often get lambasted for. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a modern take on heavy music and can withstand the done to death breakdown-happy parts, Despised Icon’s latest does get the job done while demonstrating this act’s leadership position in deathcore’s day-glo trenches.
www.centurymedia.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Circadian Skizm,"Circadian Skizm" (Akashic)
review goes here...
www.circadianskizm.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Evergreen Terrace,"Almost Home" (Metal Blade)
Now in their 10th year as a band, Evergreen Terrace confidently dole out an unashamedly hybrid melodic hardcore onslaught on fifth album ALMOST HOME. This audacious Florida-based outfit’s scathing screamo, Warped Tour punk rock, and tough guy metalcore collisions yield a myriad of hook-laden crushers whose infectious bite manages to comfortably combine the wares of Death By Stereo, Fall Out Boy, All That Remains, and Comeback Kid. But don’t discount this troupe’s thunder just because some of their songs contain parts that make your girlfriend swoon, because underneath lie plenty of chunky chuggers and moshpit movers that keep the floor occupied in a constant state of flow. While Evergreen Terrace’s stylistic balance may not appease all, this troupe’s latest album is sure to please the more open-minded sect of metal fans with modern sensibilities.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Armed For Apocalypse,"Defeat" (Metal Blade)
Armed for Apocalypse features former members of California metal units Will Haven, Ghostride, and The Abominable Iron Sloth, so those familiar with the sheer sonic sludgefest employed by those acts will have no problem embracing DEFEAT, as this disc demonstrates logical sound progressions emanating from those particular starting lines. This eight plus a bonus track (a rousing cover of “Tempatation’s Wings” by Down”) endeavor is a soulshaking affair equipped with a dark heaviness explosively fusing a set of menacing vocals, cavernously churning guitars, devastatingly deliberate doom-laden rhythms (“You Are Alive When They Start To Eat You”), and crushing basslines to comprise a merciless and malevolent melodic metal assault (“Torch Light Search For The Dead”). Constructing a viscous wall of sound that steamrolls your senses, Armed for Apocalypse stomps you to the ground without a shred of remorse, making this wallow in the mire a crucial purchase for those who enjoy their music lurching and downtrodden.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Abacinate,"A King's Thirst For the Frosty Brew" (Gutter Christ)
New Jersey deathcore mob Abacinate’s album title projects the notion that this band might be a pirate metal troupe, but after one listen of this quintet’s dastardly mix of downtuned death metal crunch and slam-worthy staccato, that idea is dispelled right quick. Decked out with flurries of six-string acrobatics and potent percussive pounding aplenty (“Rife with the Stench and Squalor”), Abacinate exhibits an uncanny knack to gracefully blur lines between tough guy hardcore and death metal by throwing in an authentically ass-kicking cover of Sepultura’s “Nomad” as well as utilizing rounds of gang vocals in “Shake the Spot” as welcomed reprieves from beleaguered formulas. While this type of metal can get tiresome both physically and mentally, this squad’s innate ability to throw down burly breakdowns or simply blast away as needed assists this group’s righteous mission to destroy all in their way without losing an ounce of street credibility.
www.abacinate.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Black Dahlia Murder,"Deflorate" (Metal Blade)
The Black Dahlia Murder returns with a terse homage bountifully bursting with Swedish metal influence with their unique blackened thrash twists embedded within on their 10-track, 34-minute collection DELFORATE. Showcasing swift jabs of focused aggression with a familiar brutality behind it all (“Eyes of Thousands”), this Michigan troupe’s delectable twin guitar tandem craft some niftily nefarious solos (“Throne of Lunacy”, “Necropolis”) while Trevor Strnad’s varied vocal approaches continues to spew venom although exhibiting a tad more restraint than usual, allowing the unit’s trademark maniacal melodic side to commandeer the bastardized blitz (“I Will Return”, “A Selection Unnatural”). Despite claims by some who lament about the band being a bit stagnant (“interchangeable” seems to be a buzz word flying around regarding this band’s output), TBDM continues to dole out a brutishly consistent strain of metal that does a stellar job of unleashing the beast in us all.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Sanctification,"Black Reign" (Pulverised)
Swedish death metal squad Sanctification return with their latest nine-track excursion BLACK REIGN. This unit, who boasts members of Dark Funeral, In Battle, and Demonoid in their ranks not to mention production by the team of the Tagtgren brothers and Dan Swano, adopts a decisively Americanized approach a la Deicide and Morbid Angel with leanings towards an old school influence by such luminaries as Entombed, Bloodbath, and Grave to diabolically fulfill nightmares across the globe (“Storm”). Complete with relentless deluges of low-pitched vocal growls a la latter day Cannibal Corpse (“Hear This”), a salvo of crushing blast beats, and rapid-fire rounds of muscular fretwork manning the helm (“Black Reign”), this disc juxtaposes two of the more scathing death metal styles together to form a juggernaut of a release that ardent supporters of early underground metal will gleefully bang their head to.
www.pulverised.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


My Own Death,"Necrology" (Pulverised)
Sweden rarely fails when it comes to churning out mass quantities of quality death metal, and the latest endeavor by raging quintet My Own Death once again proves the theory to be true. This seething squad’s sophomore effort NECROLOGY nary shows a sign of slump, as these macabre metal merchant’s blend of gore-inspired subject matter, fast-paced rhythmic frenzy (“Age of Torment”, “Carnal Revelations”), punishing grooves, bellicose vocal bellows, and thrash-y twin guitar assault of menacing riffs and tasty solos yields a warmongering fury from the opening strains of the march-like “Awaiting Death” right until the last note of “Incineration” is played. Brutal and bludgeoning, this disc delivers the goods with all of the delectable devastation a solid death metal release should.
www.pulverised.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Karnivool,"Set Fire to the Hive" (Red)
Eclectic Australian rock troupe Karnivool returns with a mixed bag EP that previews the unit’s new sounds in addition to revisiting old ones on the four-track SET FIRE TO THE HIVE. This quintet’s forward-thinking approach immediately brings to mind a combination of System of a Down, Dredg, and Incubus, as Karnivool’s hard rock hooks, unorthodox melodies, and left of center arrangements (just check the horns on “Roquefort” as an indication of what to expect) switch from furious to fragile in the blink of an eye, all with a captivating vocalist skillfully tying the entire grandiose offering together. Exuding the capability to stretch rock music’s boundaries past normal limits, Karnivool’s stopgap presentation provides an ample overview of how this band works.
www.karnivool.com.au
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Gwynbleidd,"Nostalgia" (Black Currant)
Brooklyn, NY by way of Poland quartet Gwynbleidd establishes a name for itself on the prog death metal front with the release of NOSTALGIA. Despite an obvious Opeth inspiration infused either purposefully or merely by design, this unit champions a grandiose presence, wondrous compositional flow, and epic songwriting techniques that work in symbiosis to form a refined eight-track affair custom made for those who appreciate the sounds of sweeping and majestic metal with a sinister growl spearheading the movement (“Thawing Innocence”). Fleshing out intriguing dynamic twists without losing an unwavering density that keeps the album’s pace brisk notwithstanding lengthy arrangements and the mood ominous and foreboding, this album’s lush acoustic interludes woven into waves of somber and reflective melodic death metal deftly hammers home a solid sense of metallic melancholy. While the sound-alike references this act is bound to face may be a dealbreaker, this squad’s elegant sense of musicality and masterful manipulation of the death/doom/folk metal triad reveals an enjoyable listening experience for those who like to adventure with ambient metal.
www.blackcurrantmusic.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Pestilential Shadows,"In Memoriam III Omen" (Pulverised)
Black metal isn’t just coming from normal channels anymore, as Australia’s Pestilential Shadows demonstrates with a mutual blast of the cold and bleak temperance shared amongst their northernmost peers This unit’s latest elegiac eight tracks of evil titled IN MEMORIAM III OMEN features a feral battering of twin guitarwork to guide the affair into black metal’s murky depths and pits of despair on cuts such as “Of Loss And Suffering Inherit” and the ethereal instrumental “Ecclesia Moriendi”. Everything else from authentic production values to the vitriolic vocals is not only solid, but a cut above genre specifications, stamping menacing mid-tempo numbers such as “Beautiful Demise” with the right measure of glacial isolationist tendencies and significantly somber musicianship for a hearty combo of melancholy and mayhem (“With Serpents I Lay “).
www.pulverised.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Annunaki/ Anticosm,"Split CD" (Self-released)
New Jersey metal merchants Anticosm and Annunaki join forces for a six-song split of unadulterated power and malevolent metallic fury. Up first are Annunaki and their pristine blend of dark thrash-infused melodeath leaning slightly towards the Swedish side of the spectrum a la The Haunted and Dark Tranquility. This act’s controlled chaos rips skulls apart on cuts like the vehemently blackened “Blunt Scapel Extraction”, whose wailing whammy bar abusing guitar solo slays with barbaric stealth. Anticosm closes out this malicious melee with a lesser produced yet similarly spirited blend of metal, as this unit’s bold warrior look (complete with fur and spikes) is accompanied with a sinister stream of traditional power metal, black, and groove metal evoking the wares of bands ranging from Goatwhore to Three Inches of Blood on “Necrolepsy Slumbershock”. Sharing a common interest of interpreting modern nuances into old school extreme metal templates, this split disc steers listeners past crowds straight to a place in the underground where hellacious hybrids reign supreme.
www.myspace.com/anticosm
www.myspace.com/annunakiband
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Leaves Eyes,"Njord" (Napalm)
Symphonic metal sextet Leaves Eyes return with NJORD, a sweepingly orchestral offering perfectly crafted for a theatrical production. Led by the powerhouse vocals of Liv Kristine and adorned with an enormous wall of music encompassing everything from waves of singing choirs and world beat woodwinds (“Irish Rain”) to effective beauty and the beast vocal tradeoffs and killer melodic death metal underpinnings (“Emerald Island”), this disc dramatically delivers with an over the top grandiosity considerably less fluffy yet decisively more consistent than previous works. Fans of Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, and Nightwish will have little problem diving headlong here, as this 12-track disc goes above and beyond the call of duty with providing a refined and robust symphonic/goth/folk metal platter.
www.napalmrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Amy Lynn and the Gun Show,"Amy Lynn and the Gun Show" (Self-released)
A staggering dose of genuine soulfulness spews from the latest eponymous four-track offering by Amy Lynn and The Gun Show, so much so that you could probably get away with conning friends into believing this disc is a remastered collection of gems from days gone by. This nine-piece band champions a bevy of stylistic tricks from Phil Spector’s patented Wall of Sound technique while lead singer Amy accompanied by a proficient duo of backup singers push the Supreme-esque approach to the moon and stars on cuts like the dynamically shapeshifting “My Only One”. Making the most from having the luxury of having nine musicians working in unison, Amy Lynn and The Gun Show produce an organically enriched musical experience that sizzles with snappy melodies and shimmying rhythms where modern pop sass, old school AM radio R&B and classic soul collide.
www.amylynnandthegunshow.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Faust,"From Glory to Infinity" (Paragon)
Displaying a dastardly dichotomy of tumultuous technicality and savage bludgeoning, the latest nine-track offering from veteran unit Faust demonstrates the barrage of intense and involved guitar runs, unearthly vocal growls, blazing tempos and cascading melodies that helps to round out this seasoned crew’s multifaceted evil attack (“Carnal Beattitude”). Emitting a enriched and refined aura while blasphemously blasting the masses with the type of hellaciously hate-filled vitriol heard on cuts like “Golden Wine Countess”, this band pounds out aggression with a sense of progression at the forefront of their blistering assault, interchanging dynamic musical interplay with dramatic atmospheric swings that masterfully captures the wicked grace and grave glory of the pioneers of death metal in their heyday.
www.paragonrecords.org
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Power Pellut,"Power Pellut" (I'm Better Than Everyone)
Louisiana sludge trio Power Pellut mix Am Rep style vocal barks with a slew of fuzzed out Eyehategod-esque viscosity to comprise its eponymous six-song swampy sojourn. Solely released on 180g vinyl and limited to a 500 copy run, this uniquely presented offering specializes with an amps cranked to 11 ballistic rhythmic explosiveness seemingly derived from endless hours of jamming in the studio with the bloodshot intent to crush all in its path firmly at the forefront of the mission. Not unlike fellow purveyors of dissonance such as Melvins, Unsane, and Black Sabbath, Power Pellut’s purge to plod provides a skull-rattling good time for those who choose to take their metal with a side of ugly.
www.imbetterthaneveryonerecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Midnight Fistfight,"The Main Event" (Self-released)
NYC’s Midnight Fistfight recall a time when denim and leather was the uniform and the attitude was fast and loose on their Sunset Strip soaked five-track debut THE MAIN EVENT. Equipped with a gritty guitar tandem whose nimble fretwork and on the money Guns ‘n Roses and Skid Row by way of AC/DC and Faster Pussycat riffs (“My Cocaine”) gel with lead vocalist Dan Pyro’s Dionysian lyrical double entendres and credible cock rock delivery (“Booze & Bitches”), earning this offering an all access pass back to the glory days of arena rock and hair metal’s excesses and successes.
www.myspace.com/midnightfistfightrules
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Krum Bums,"Same Old Story" (TKO)
Austin, TX punk quintet Krum Bums return with its high-energy attack and sinister snarl fully intact on SAME OLD STORY. This six-track affair authentically exudes punk’s rebellious nature without sacrificing melody on cuts like “Sons of Nothing” and the street punk sing-along “No Apologies” while cranking up the heat in true Krum Bum fashion on the rapid-fire “Coliseum”, satisfying all ends of the genre’s spectrum with an angst-ridden punk-metal powderkeg ready to explode.
www.tkorecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Throneum,"Deathcult Conspiracy" (Pagan)
Polish blackened death metal troupe Throneum exhibit a nefariously necromantic blend of Celtic Frost, Possessed, Sepultura, Entombed, and Obituary on their nine-track descent into the catacombs entitled DEATCULT CONSPIRACY. Raw and relentless, this disc’s fitting murky production, maniacal and ferocious vocal performance (“Rituals of Fire and Sulphur”) evil arrangements (“His Shadow”) and sturdy guitar riffs and fills are far from groundbreaking yet hypnotize with a catastrophic cadence whose blasphemous brutality and unabashed underground approach is bound to earn points for those who choose to embrace the sunless universe (“Wizzard's Testimony”).
www.paganrecords.pl
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


While Heaven Wept,"Vast Oceans Lachrymose" (Cruz Del Sur)
A histrionic strand of sorrowful and forlorn progressive metal comes courtesy of seasoned sextet While Heaven Wept and their latest disc VAST OCEANS LACHRYMOSE. This veteran unit’s six year in the making melancholic collection features discernibly less epic doom than previous works while showcasing pervasive Dream Theater-esque melodic flair with Fates Warning-like lengthy instrumental passages. The band stunningly pulls off this graceful shift in styles without completely extinguishing their once dominant doom-laden flame (“Living Sepulchre”), surely a relieving thought for longtime followers. Boldly using the wide array elements in their vast arsenal to form a grandiose strain of majestic yet somber metal falling squarely between Katatonia and Solitude Aeternus, While Heaven Wept display elegant and forward-thinking metal at its best.
www.cruzdelsurmusic.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Destro,"Harmony of Dischord" (Metal Blade/Ironclad)
Proud to proclaim a breakdown band they are not, Dallas, TX squad The Destro instead opt to unleash brutal barrages of thrashy and sludgy death metal on latest release HARMONY OF DISCHORD. Containing nine-tracks of non-stop teeth-gnashing groove-laden metallic goodness, this quartet strikes with Carcass-esque precision (“Angel Killer”), dastardly deathcore rage (“Thorns of Truth”) and a boatload of southern-fried by way of Sweden downtuned guitar licks that wouldn’t sound out of place in a jam between Exhorder, Meshuggah, Exodus and Down (“Mouth of the Heretic”). Yielding a one-dimensional yet utterly punishing entity, this troupe pushes levels to the brink of disaster (“Persistence of Ignorance”) truly revitalizing an extreme aura back into modern extreme metal.
www.metalblade.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Helen Money,"In Tune" (Radium)
Alison Chesley uses her creativity, an effects board or two and a cello to make music on Helen Money’s sophomore effort IN TUNE. This captivating and unique offering dishes out nine unorthodox compositions whose brooding metallic base and overcast experimental flourishes rival those championed by the current crop of post metal acts (“Untitled”) and wouldn’t sound out of place as a score to a quirky indie flick (“Waterwalk”). Uneasy by design and deceptively chilling yet hauntingly memorable (“Too Heavy”), this disc exhibits the sonic might, foreboding darkness, and crushing heft a cello is capable of when put into the hands of a performer with an adventurous mind, a boundless spirit, and a rock ‘n roll soul.
www.tableoftheelements.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Dyse,"Lieder Sind Bruder Der Revolution" (Exile on Mainstream)
The wildly eclectic two-man rock ‘n roll machine known as Dyse turns discordant punk upside down with the avant-garde 11-track LIEDER SIND BRUDER DER REVOLUTION. This German duo’s fearless songwriting tactics, sensational use of loud/soft dynamics, tightly wound hardcore guitars (“Supermachineeyeon”), and raucous robot metal outbursts (“Shop Sui”) are likely to be ravished by those who can’t get enough Queens of the Stone Age or Refused. Cuts like “Dysenfischdyse” feature vocalizations salaciously switching between whimsical and brutal while the sinewy swagger of “Trick” and the majestic “Baubaubau” is doused with triumphant trumpets to spice this unit’s bottomless barrage of spastic schizophrenia. Possessing the kind of unbridled passion and boundless ambition that fosters repeated listens, Dyse’s latest release is a perfect choice for disaffected listeners who clamor for their heavy music to go beyond genre norms.
www.mainstreamrecords.de
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


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