FMA Reviews: Mortör: Shoot 'Em Up

Originally reviewed here.

Canada's metal scene is another one that is somewhat underrated, but they have churned out some amazing groups across all genres. Crytopsy, Kataklysm, Voivod, Razor, Sacrifice, and Slaughter are just a few of the death and thrash metal bands that have called Canada home. Mortör is another band to have come up out of the Great White North.

Mortör has only been active for a few years at this point, but this is already the second full-length from the Quebec natives. All of the songs are fairly short, with only a couple breaking the four minute mark. This makes for a tight, punch-filled album that is unapologetic in its take-no-prisoners approach.

Based on the song titles and album art, it would appear that subtlety is not exactly Mortör's strong point. This is an album about war and death, make no mistake about it. The music does well to match the imagery. Mortör plays groove-laden death/thrash. Points of reference include Panzerchrist and Dekapitator. Mortör uses a lot of bottom-end in their riffs, giving a deep, rumbling feeling, not unlike the sound of tanks on the move. That added to the precise rhythms of the riffs give off a mechanical vibe. Mortör is a war machine.

The only real complaint I can even come up with is that the songs tend to run together after awhile and there is no real standout here. There is no one moment that I think back to as a great moment after the album is over. Although the dueling guitar melodies in "Locked and Loaded" come close.

Yet another impressive Canadian band. This band has a bright future.

Initial Impressions: Toxic Holocaust: Conjure and Command

Toxic Holocaust has always appealed to me.  They play a style of metal that is cobbled together from influences like Celtic Frost, Bathory, Venom, and early Sodom.  It's blackened thrash metal with a definite punk attitude.  This is music that is appealing to people who remember the early 1980's underground metal and miss the rawness and the attitude from that time period.

Toxic Holocaust has been a one-man band until very recently.  This is Joel Grind's baby and he has shaped it into the blackened thrash beast that it currently is.  He now has additional members taking over at bass and drums but Grind is definitely still in command.

Toxic Holocaust's last album, An Overdose of Death made my Top 10 albums of the year in 2008.  Since that time I have looked into some of their other past recordings.  Overdose still stands out as the band's best full-length album even after this one.  That is not to say that this is a bad release at all, far from it, but it is missing something that its predecessor had.

This is still infectious blackened thrash with a punk edge but perhaps the songs are not quite as catchy.  The production is also a little muddier this time around.  This album comes off as more of a deep underground release than the somewhat more polished previous album.  Perhaps that was intentional.  Toxic Holocaust is not music meant for mainstream consumption after all.  Maybe this was a calculated effort.

I still quite enjoy this release.  It is a little bit of a letdown from their last one, but it is still a very impressive release from a band that plays a style I really enjoy.

Metal Cover Songs: Michael Jackson

When I was a little kid, I really liked Michael Jackson.  This was around the time that Bad was released and of course after Thriller.  Hey, I was like six and at the time Jackson was not considered the complete freak he turned out to be.  I long ago grew out of that.

Anyway, I thought this would be a little easier.  I was looking for some Michael Jackson covers by metal bands.  Unfortunately there do not appear to be a lot of them.  There are a ton of "Beat It" covers but not nearly as many of "Smooth Criminal" or other more rock-oriented songs.

Initial Impressions: High on Fire: De Vermis Mysteriis

I have been a fan of High on Fire since I first heard Death is this Communion.  Unfortunately something about their last album rubbed me the wrong way and I think it had to do with the production.  It just seemed too thin and clean for a band of this type.  The songs were great, the production was just kind of bad.  So I was hoping this time around for a meatier production to really bring out this band's strengths.  Luckily I got it this time around.

This is the High on Fire that I am a fan of.  Big, meaty, doomy-sounding riffs, rough and weathered vocals, and heavy pounding drums.  The band also does a very good job of keeping things interesting.  There is a lot of variety in the songs here.  One minute there will be a fast-paced crushing song and the next will be a much slower, but equally massively heavy track.

High on Fire has risen to the top of the stoner doom metal scene and with good reason.  They definitely show that reason here.  High on Fire do a great job of never really falling victim to some of the traps that other stoner doom metal bands do.  They change things up a bit and they never get into a long, drawn-out psychedelic segment.  They keep things interesting and therefore do not lose their listeners.

This is a return to form for High on Fire.  Their last album was good musically but was missing something on production.  This time around that issue has been fixed which has allowed the sound of the band to truly come through.  Definitely a good thing.

Initial Impressions: Hooded Menace: Effigies of Evil

A couple of years ago Hooded Menace released an album that got a lot of praise that I really wanted to hear.  I never actually got around to checking them out on that one however.  Well just recently they released a new album and I was determined not to make that same mistake again.

Hooded Menace is described as a death/doom metal band with lyrics dealing mostly with horror themes.  After listening to this album a few times, I think they are basically a doom metal band.  There really is not a lot of death metal elements present here.  Some of the riffs are a little more distorted than they would be on a traditional doom metal release, but not quite to the degree they would be on a death metal release.  About the only real death metal element present here is the vocal style of Lasse Pyykko.  His vocals are a very deep roar which calls to mind some of Demilich's and Opeth's work.

Despite the miscategorization of the band, this is a very enjoyable release.  For the most part, the riffing is clean and down-tuned to allow for an evil and eerie feeling.  Coupled with the death metal-esque vocals and samples lifted from old horror movies, this works quite well in conveying the horror that the songs are typically about.  

I really enjoyed this album.  It was definitely worth the wait.

Initial Impressions: Paradise Lost: Tragic Idol

Paradise Lost was a band I discovered fairly early on in my exploration of metal.  I think it was Christmas time when I was about 15 years old that I got the amazing Draconian Times.  That album was a favorite of mine for a very long time and I still love it to this day.  That being said, I have never really liked the rest of the band's material nearly as much.  Paradise Lost has gone through a lot of changes over the years and not all of them have been very good.

This album is probably the closest to Draconian Times of any of the albums that I have heard.  I have not heard really close to all of the band's albums, I will be honest about that.  This is not as fast-paced as some of the tracks from that album, in particular the hard-driving "Once Solemn".  This is melancholic gothic metal with a lot of melody.  Nick Holmes's voice still sounds as great and emotional as ever.

Paradise Lost once again has put out a terrific album of gothic metal.  This is probably now my second favorite album from the pioneering band.

FMA Reviews: Midnight: Complete and Total Hell

Originally reviewed here.

Midnight is a band that I have been wanting to check out for quite a long time, but for some reason I never really got around to it. Midnight is pretty much the prototypical Hell's Headbangers band, besides the mighty Nunslaughter of course. They pay tribute to a lot of the early black metal bands while remaining firmly rooted in the NWOBHM and speed metal. 

Midnight basically sounds like a combination of Motörhead and Venom. It is fast and intense, with very short songs, but with raspy vocals and distorted riffing. It is never a pretty sound, but that's to be expected from this record label. Midnight is unabashedly retro, but they sound like they are absolutely having a blast doing it. They are fast and intense, with NWOBHM-inspired riffs and a Lemmy Kilmister-esque vocal style. This is beer-drinking, party music, if the party was to spin out of control and end up with people smashing beer bottles over people's heads and turning into a giant drunken brawl.

This is a compilation of the band's material released prior to their Satanic Royalty debut full-length. Most of this material was hard to find and long out of print. There are 21 tracks here, but they fly by really fast, with only a handful breaking the four minute mark.

As a compilation of demos and splits, the production is a little uneven. Some of the songs sound better than others, but that is all par for the course for this type of release. This compilation offers a look at Midnight's material prior to their full-length.

This is filthy and dirty metal in the vein of Motörhead and Venom. I love it.

Initial Impressions: Nachtmystium: Silencing Machine

Once one of the U.S.'s premier black metal bands, Nachtmystium started to distance themselves from that style a little bit, adding more and more progressive and psychedelic influences to the point where there was hardly any trace of black metal on their last album.  Fans were divided about whether that was a good direction or not.  One thing that could be said though is that at least it was interesting.

This album has been hailed as a return to form for Nachtmystium, even the old black metal logo has returned.  That is not entirely correct.  There are still elements lingering from the Black Meddle albums.  For the most part the black metal sound has returned, though only superficially.  The band utilizes more tremolo riffs, blast beats, and harsh vocals, but underneath it all, it is clear that Nachtmystium has progressed beyond typical black metal.  Many of the songs feature some or all of these elements but also possess a distinctive post-rock or psychedelic sound as well.  Blake Judd maintains the harsher vocal style throughout the release however.

If anything, this album represents a coming-together of the sounds that Nachtmystium has put out over the years.  The black metal is present but so is the progressive rock, post-rock, and psychedelia.  The one constant is the cold atmosphere.

I really did enjoy this album.  I have liked prior Nachtmystium albums, but none as much as this one.

Your First CD

Link.

Yahoo had this article on today, so I figured I would share.  I was very late to the CD game.  When I first started getting into music cassettes were cheap and readily available.  My first CD was around Christmas in 1995.  My parents decided to get me a CD player finally and I got my first CD on Christmas Eve from my grandparents.  I did not get the CD player until the next day but that gift kind of spoiled it.  So my first CD was the self-titled album by Alice in Chains.

The next day I received several more:
Megadeth: So Far, So Good...So What!
Ozzy Osbourne: Diary of a Madman
Ozzy Osbourne: Ozzmosis
Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Obviously Smashing Pumpkins is the one that stands out.  I never really got that album and got rid of it soon afterwards.

Anyone else have any stories?

FMA Reviews: Bonded by Blood: The Aftermath

Originally reviewed here.

When a band names themselves after a famous album, you would expect that band to try to live up to the name. Bonded by Blood is named after the amazing debut album from thrash metal pioneers Exodus. It is one of the better, if not the best, thrash metal albums in history. So Bonded by Blood already has their work cut out for them to try to not be "that band named after the Exodus album" and forge their own identity.

On their prior album, Exiled to Earth, Bonded by Blood appeared as if they had discovered their own sound, stepping out of the shadow for a little while of their namesake. They had crafted a rather impressive concept album about a dystopian future. The album was well-received and appeared to set the band up for success in the future. Bonded by Blood had joined the ranks of Skeletonwitch, Vektor, and other newer thrash metal bands to truly find their own voice instead of just copying the music that had come before them.

Which brings us to Bonded by Blood's third album. The third album is often an important album in a band's catalogue. It usually lays the foundation for how the band is going to proceed. Will they grow or will they stagnate? Well it appears from this album that Bonded by Blood will stagnate. Bonded by Blood has not taken a step forward after their impressive sophomore album. This is more of a lateral step. They did not really take a step back, but this is basically indistinguishable from any other thrash metal album.

There are two big problems here. The first one is the vocals. Bonded by Blood features a new singer this time around, Mauro Gonzales. Their previous singer Jose Barrales was a very good thrash metal vocalist, exhibiting a similar style to Exodus screamers Paul Baloff and Steve Souza. Gonzales's style is cleaner and not as raw. It is less a thrash metal style and more of a classic heavy metal style. It's fine for what it is, but their last vocalist captured the genre a little bit more.

The other issue is the production. This is way too clean. Thrash metal is supposed to be raw and dirty. This is too sterile.

Now Bonded by Blood still put together some decent songs and the riffs are still razor-sharp. The band obviously knows how to thrash. It is a little unfortunate that they were unable to take that step forward again after a terrific second album. I am a thrash metal fan and will likely continue to listen to Bonded by Blood because they do a lot of things very well. Unfortunately this album will likely not win them many new fans.

One more note, the Rage Against the Machine cover is terrible.

Bonded by Blood still craft some good moments, but this is not a step forward from their last album.

Initial Impressions: Revocation: Teratogenesis

Revocation has not been around a long time, but they have already made their mark.  The progressive thrash metal band has released several high quality recordings at this point and their last full-length album was my #3 Album of the Year in 2011.  Revocation decided not to wait long before making their next release with this five track EP being released only slightly more than a year after their last full-length.

Revocation continues to improve on their sound on this release.  Their songs have gotten even tighter and catchier on this release.  All of the elements fit together into a cohesive package.  At times on previous albums Revocation would throw in something completely out of left field which would result in kind of a disjointed feeling.  There is none of that on this release.  There are some unexpected moments but they do not feel thrown in.  There is a progression leading to them that was missing sometimes previously.

The band continues to grow.  Their first album was more of a straightforward thrasher while their last album saw the band experimenting with progressive structures.  This EP finds the band improving on that progressive aspect and leading to some great songs.  Revocation continues to improve.

Initial Impressions: Testament: Dark Roots of Earth

Testament finally returned in 2008 after a long hiatus in which singer Chuck Billy was fighting cancer.  This is the band's second release since coming back and it is easily one of their best albums in years, yes even better than The Formation of Damnation.  The band still sounds amazing.  I am a huge Testament fan so any time this band releases something, you can bet that I will be there to pick it up.

Testament has always been a little bit more politically and socially minded than a lot of other bands.  That is not to say that none of their music has dealt with death and destruction or other stereotypical metal topics, but a large amount has been devoted to various current issues.  The band has even touched on Chuck Billy's heritage in past songs, in particular "Trail of Tears" on their Low album.  On this album, Billy's Native American heritage is a common theme, complete with a rather powerful video for first single "Native Blood".

Musically, this is bottom-end heavy, grooving thrash metal, the kind that Testament has perfected over the years.  Once the band stopped trying to be a clone of other thrash metal bands and found their own sound, they have never really looked back, other than a couple of albums where they experimented with death metal.  This is the sound present here and, if anything, Testament has further tightened their sound.  The last album had a few missteps on it, but those have been mostly eliminated on this one.

The band does a decent job of keeping things interesting, as they always have.  Ballads have been a strong point for Testament over the years with "The Ballad" and of course my favorite song of all time "Return to Serenity".  Another ballad appears here with "Cold Embrace".  It is another triumphant, powerful track.

The limited edition, which is the one that I have also features covers of songs from Queen, Scorpions, and Iron Maiden.  Kind of an eclectic mix, but very interesting.  The Maiden track in particular is done quite well despite the fact that Billy does not have anywhere close to the same type of voice as Bruce Dickinson.

This is yet another very strong album from Testament.  As I mentioned before, I am a huge fan of the band.  I think this is one of their best efforts in a very long time.

FMA Reviews: Lord Impaler: Admire the Cosmos

Originally reviewed here.

Greece has one of the more underrated black metal scenes. Most people are familiar with Rotting Christ of course, but not a lot know about Kawir, Varathron, Dodsferd, or Ravencult. Well add Lord Impaler to that list as well, because this band is just as impressive as other black metal bands from their home country such as the ones named.

Lord Impaler has actually been around for quite a long time, though this is their first full-length. They have released four demos and a split with three other Greek black metal bands in the past. Lord Impaler does not have a full-time drummer, so the position is filled with a guest each new recording.

As with many other Greek black metal bands, Lord Impaler's sound is melodic and atmospheric. There is a wealth of tremolo riffing present in each song, which makes up the bulk of the melodies. The vocals are delivered in fairly typical black metal style, although they are not as ear-splitting in pitch as some other bands. They are still very harsh and intense vocals. The band does occasionally delve into melodic, Burzum-esque keyboard lines during songs. There is also one whole track of this. The bulk of the album feels cold and sinister.

I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Greek black metal is somewhere right behind Australian war metal and German thrash metal as far as my favorite regional subgenres go. This band proves why.

Reader Submissions: Mortalicum: The Endtime Prophecy

Wow.  That's really the only word that comes to mind here.  I loved this album.  There is nothing quite like a good, hard-rocking doom metal album to pick you up in the morning.  That is exactly what this is.  Instead of the sometimes plodding, slow-paced doom metal, this is somewhat fast-paced and definitely infectious.  It reminds me more of groups like Cirith Ungol and some of Reverend Bizarre's more upbeat stuff such as "Doom Over the World".

"My Dying Soul" immediately kicks things off with a hard-driving riff.  Once vocalist Henrik Hogl comes in with his crooning voice, it is evident that this is going to be a powerful album.  The vocals are the biggest bright spot on this album.  They definitely attract the most attention.  The guitar tone on this album is incredible.  It is beefy and somewhat bluesy and it fits in very well with the vocals.  Many of the tracks have kind of the same structure.  There are a few exceptions, but for the most part many of the songs are alike, which is not at all a bad thing here because the songs are so entertaining.

This is not really an album for doom metal lovers.  While there is doom metal riffs present, the music is faster and more upbeat.  This is more geared towards lovers of traditional heavy metal.  The band brings a lot to the table in songwriting and musical talent.  There is not a single weak track on the entire album.  This is a very good album and possibly one of the year's best.      

FMA Reviews: Warclouds: A Disturbing Presence

Originally reviewed here.

South America has some of the best, and most underrated, metal scenes in the world. Some of the black and death metal that has been coming out of that continent proves that there are still some great, original bands out there. It has actually always been that way with the mighty Sarcofago, Sepultura, and Vulcano all rising out of Brazil in the 1980's.

Unfortunately, there are also a lot of fairly mundane acts from the continent. Bands that do not really bring anything new to the table, but simply rehash many of the same ideas that other bands have.

Warclouds fits in with the latter. There is nothing technically wrong here, other than the programmed drums which can get a little obnoxious at times. There just is not really anything to love either. This is basic death metal without a whole lot to really distinguish it from any of the other thousands of death metal bands out there. The riffs are quite fast which can get be entertaining at times, but it is kind of ruined by the mechanical precision of the drums. A real drummer might have been able to add some interesting fills at times to keep things from being too boring. It is kind of a shame because some of the riffs are actually very interesting, in particular the opening riff to "Flawless". They just get ruined.

Beyond the riffs and the drums, the vocals are also fairly straightforward death metal fare. Delivered in a deep guttural roar, they are not really distinguishable from many other bands. They also do not really branch out much over the course of the album. They typically stay at about the same volume and inflection.

There are some interesting ideas here, but unfortunately they are often overshadowed. A real drummer would do this band a lot of good. This is the band's first recording so there is room to grow.

FMA Reviews: Vesen: This Time It's Personal

Originally appeared here.

What a ridiculous album title. Seriously, this is the kind of thing you would expect from some Nickelback clone or rap artist, but for a long-running blackened/thrash metal band, it comes off as juvenile and embarrassing.

The first track kind of continues with a little bit of this juvenile style. It's much more of a teaser for the album as a whole with the band building in intensity toward the very end. The vocals are presented in a layered format which gives off the impression that they are actually yelling at the listener. So subtlety appears not to be Vesen's strong suit at this point.

The title track though turns everything on its head. It has a terrific guitar riff that calls to mind early Sodom or Hellhammer. From there the band settles into a relatively constant Impaled Nazarene-esque style. They have the same feisty, raw, punk attitude that ImpNaz has in spades. Songs are short, simple, and highly aggressive. But underneath this brutal simplicity lies some compelling moments, such as the clean singing portion of "Where the Children Go to Die" and "Pressure".

What results from all of this is a highly aggressive and caustic sound that never relents in intensity. Vesen is not at all subtle nor apologetic. They just make noise.

It started off low, but being a fan of Impaled Nazarene, it is impossible not to get into this a little bit.

Reader Submissions: Skelator: Agents of Power

Skelator huh?  I suppose I should not be shocked that the He-Man arch-nemesis has spawned a band name.  It's just kind of funny really.  I don't take Skelator particularly seriously myself, but that could just be me.  The band Skelator has been around for quite some time, though this is the first I have heard of them.  This is the band's third full-length album and they have several demos over the years as well.

This is a fairly typical swords-and-sorcery type metal band.  Their lyrics are mostly pulled from Michael Moorcock, especially after the first four tracks.  I am not really up on fantasy literature a whole lot so you will have to forgive me if I have no idea who that is.  At any rate, you can probably guess that fantasy stories make up the lyrical content here.  Titles like "Gates of Thorbadin", and "Elric the Dragon Prince" certainly make that plainly evident.  I am not the biggest fan of bands like this, especially since I am not a big fantasy fan, but if the music is done well, I can usually look past it.

So that brings us to the music.  Skelator definitely fits the mold of other bands that center their songs around fantasy themes.  They play music in the vein of early American power metal and other classic metal styles, owing a lot to the music of Manilla Road, Omen, and the like.  The music is typical for power/speed metal with guitar-driven riffs and anthemic choruses.  The leads show a heavy Iron Maiden influence and the dual guitar attack is done quite well.  The individual songs are certainly memorable and highly infectious.

The vocals took a little while to grow on me.  Initially they came off as too high and abrasive, but as I continued to listen, they fit in quite well with the music.  They sound like a mix of vocal styles from Rob Halford, Geoff Tate from Queensryche, and Steve Grimmett from Grim Reaper.  Once past the initial shock and dislike, the vocals actually sounded quite good.  Jason Conde-Houston has exactly the type of voice you would want in a band of this style.

Overall I think this is definitely a grower.  Initially I was skeptical that I would really like it at all with the fantasy lyrics and vocal style, but I got into it as it wore on.  This is actually not unusual for me with this type of metal.  Domine took awhile for me to get into as well, and Skelator has a lot in common with them.  Overall this is an impressive power/speed metal album.  Another good slice of classic metal.

FMA Reviews: Mongrel's Cross: The Sins of Aquarius

Originally reviewed here.

Kicking things off with some evil-sounding keyboard melody that sounds like it would be found in a 1970's horror movie, Mongrel's Cross definitely know how to set the atmosphere for their own brand of bestial brutality. The fact that this is just the band's debut full-length is shocking. The band sound like seasoned veterans of the Australian scene. 

Yes the Australian scene. Mongrel's Cross bear a sonic resemblance to groups like Gospel of the Horns, Destroyer 666, Denouncement Pyre, and Atomizer. So right away, this band is definitely up my alley.

What is found on this album is the same type of frenzied guitar riffing and psychotic-sounding vocals that have become well-known traits coming from many other bands in Australia. And yet, I can never get enough of this sound. Mongrel's Cross still manage to make things sound fresh. Their sound is different enough, featuring plenty of U.S.-grounded death and thrash metal elements than their decidedly more Australian and South American-sounding peers.

Their sound is not as raw and unpredictable as some of their other peers. While still plenty destructive and evil, it is a bit more refined. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. In fact it is different enough from other Australian bands that it causes Mongrel's Cross to stand out a little bit more.

This is an absolutely impressive debut that proves that the Australian scene that I love so much is still pumping out new bands.

Site News

You might have noticed an increase in posting this week.  I wouldn't expect it to continue.  I have not been as busy this week, but starting the first week in October, I have a lot of trials scheduled.  However, I am trying to set aside time each day to try to get through one post.  It helps that I recently went on a bit of a CD buying binge when there was a big sale at the local music store.  So I have a lot to review.  Add in trying to catch up on Reader Submissions and bringing stuff over from Full Metal Attorney and I have quite a bit ready to go right now.  I will try my best to keep going.  I just ask for patience.

FMA Reviews: Terror Empire: Face the Terror

Originally reviewed here.

The thrash resurgence must still be going reasonably well. Here we have the debut EP from Portuguese thrash band Terror Empire. Terror Empire has only been around since 2009 and this is their first ever release.

True to their name, Terror Empire's EP appears to mostly be about the war on terror. Featuring samples from speeches by former U.S. president George W. Bush and song titles like "Dirty Bomb" make that fairly clear.

The problem Terror Empire really face is the same one that a lot of newer thrash metal bands face. They just do not really bring anything new to the table. Their EP sounds a lot like the albums of just about any other newer thrash metal band. They just do not do anything to distinguish themselves from the pack.

What Terror Empire lacks in originality, they make up for in fierceness though. Terror Empire is fast and relentlessly intense. Featuring razor-sharp riffs, hoarse, shouted vocals, and pounding drums, Terror Empire definitely has the chops to compete with most of the rest of the new thrash metal scene.

They are just not there quite yet and that should be expected from a band releasing their first ever EP. Very few bands are at this point in their careers.

Not a bad start. Terror Empire needs to find their own voice, but they definitely have strong ability.

Initial Impressions: Dying Fetus: Reign Supreme

Dying Fetus was once one of the pioneering bands in the slam death genre.  In the years since then they have moved into more of brutal death metal band with the occasional slams and of course some more technical riffing style thrown in for good measure.  None of this has detracted from the band's music.  I have liked every single Dying Fetus album I have checked out to this point.

Dying Fetus singer John Gallagher has gotten a lot of flack in the past for his statement about liking some rap music better than some heavy metal.  It is even clear from his vocal style on some tracks that rap has influenced him quite a bit.  Some of his vocals would sound like rap if they were not delivered in Gallagher's distinctive deep guttural croak.  The pacing and rhythm of his vocals, particularly when he is doing his deepest frog croak are the most obvious times.  This continues on this release.

Fans of Dying Fetus will know what to expect here.  A whirlwind of squealing guitars, crushing riffs and breakdowns, and quick but brutally heavy songs.  Dying Fetus does not re-invent the wheel here, they are just doing the same thing they have always done, crush skulls.  Even after 20 years, they still sound pretty damn good at it.

Reader Submissions: Sacred Gate: When Eternity Ends

Metal on Metal Records has sent me a number of requests to review their bands.  I have noticed one thing about a lot of the artists on their roster.  The label is very committed to the classic metal sound of the early and mid 1980's.  Many artists are reunion projects from that time or are bands with a sound that is undeniably influenced by artists from that time.

Sacred Gate falls into the latter category.  This is the band's debut full-length having only released an EP last year.  The band's sound is a mix of traditional heavy metal and early power metal that calls to mind groups like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, and Brocas Helm.  Hell, one of the songs is called "In the Heart of the Iron Maiden", a not-so-subtle reference to a major influence.

Sacred Gate's music is energetic and fast-paced.  There are no filler tracks here.  Every song is a straight-forward rocker.  The guitar leads weave in and out of the highly competent rhythm section easily.  The vocals carry a lot of the songs.  This is definitely fist-pumping, hard-driving pure metal.

While Sacred Gate do not really bring anything new to the table and probably will not set the world on fire, this is a highly enjoyable release.  It's metal through and through and that is definitely a good thing.

Reader Submissions: Heretic: A Time of Crisis

Heretic is yet another band that has not released an album in years but reunited recently and put out some new material on Metal on Metal Records, which is quickly becoming a specialty of theirs.  In this case, Heretic released a reasonably well-regarded, if unfairly forgotten album in 1988 called Breaking Point.  The band broke up thereafter with the singer leaving to join Metal Church and the other band members forming a new group with the former singer of Metal Church.

I was never really familiar with Heretic so this is new to me.  As I understand, this is not really a complete reunion.  The only old members of the band to return for this release is guitarist Brian Korban and vocalist Julian Mendez who was out of the band by the time they released their only album, though he was present for the band's EP.  The other three members are all new to the band though they have done time with a number of other groups.

Heretic is a power/thrash metal band along the lines of groups like Helstar and the aforementioned Metal Church.  The music is melodic, yet aggressive and rooted in the music of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.  It features powerful, crunchy riffs and fast-paced energetic songs.  Heretic does not waste a whole lot of time setting mood or building up to anything, they are just here to rock.  All of the songs are very straightforward with a fairly simple structure.

This is not a perfect album by any stretch, but it is certainly entertaining.  The vocals can be a little grating at times, but do sound better with repeated listenings.  The other issue is the lack of a real standout track.  All of the songs kind of run together after awhile, not that there are any that are bad, there just is not one track that really grabs the listener's attention.

Heretic is a band that had some promise when they were around the first time.  Hopefully the band is rejuvenated enough to meet some of that promise.

Reader Submissions: Demon Dogs: Demon Dogs

Last year I did a review of a compilation of unreleased material and an interview with a thrash metal band called Bitter End.  Recently Russ Stefanovich of Bitter End contacted me about his new project Demon Dogs.

Where Bitter End was a thrash metal band, the sound on Demon Dogs' first EP is closer to traditional heavy metal with a little bit of American power metal thrown in.  The music is fast and upbeat with a lot of melody.  It is much closer in sound to the works of groups like Jag Panzer, Virgin Steele, and Helstar.  This album is full of energetic riffs, shredding solos, and the air raid siren vocals of Sean Aust.  On "Ticking Parcels", Aust's vocals in each of the verses even bears a strong resemblance to Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden.

"The Others" kicks things off on a high note with its galloping opening riff, calling to mind the trademarked riffing style of Iced Earth.  The band does not really slow things down from here.  Demon Dogs also features members of Coven and Midnight Idols, so these guys are no strangers to putting out hard-driving metallic anthems.  They certainly pull it off on this EP.

About the only disappointment that I can think of is that "Howl", which is posted on the band's website, did not make it onto this EP.  This is unfortunate because it is probably the most dynamic of the five songs I have heard from this group.

This is a very short, but very enjoyable EP.  There are only four songs here, but the energy is infectious on it. Each of the songs is catchy in its own way.  This is a very promising debut release from a new band.  I look forward to seeing what Demon Dogs will come up with next.

Reader Submissions: Killjoy Corporation: Horsefly

Sometimes it's interesting to judge an album by its cover.  Once in awhile you will see an album cover so grotesque or monstrous that it is completely obvious that you are about to listen to a death metal band.  Sometimes the cover features all blackness with a little bit of white, and you know you are about to listen to a black metal band.

And then there are the times like the above album cover when you don't know what in the hell you are in for.  With the bizarre cartoonish art, complete with popular internet meme, this could be a humorous punk band, a  LMFAO-esque abomination, or pretty much anything else.

Killjoy Corporation is a Finnish band that incorporates elements of groove, thrash, and death metal.  The band fits in well with groups like Children of Bodom, Kalmah, Norther and some of the other Finnish bands. But the band is not content to rest on its laurels and play things exactly the same as their countrymen.  They take something of an experimental approach to songwriting.  Some of the guitar melodies seem pulled from the NWOBHM while there is a strong rhythmic crunch supporting the melodies.

Some of the highlights are the almost swinging riff of "Infected Prey" and the shredding riffs of "Superior of God".  But there are some truly bizarre moments as well.  The "Flight of the Bumblebee"-esque guitar line at the end of the aforementioned "Superior of God" and most of the samples used.  

This is quite the interesting EP.  It has some strong moments, and it has some very bizarre moments as well.  The band actually does a fairly good job of putting together a soundtrack to the strange album cover.  Sometimes you have no idea what to expect from an album cover, but sometimes it's worth it.

Initial Impressions: Kreator: Phantom Antichrist

German thrash metal is probably one of my favorite musical styles.  I first heard Kreator shortly after graduating from law school and finding my first job as an attorney.  They have remained a favorite band of mine ever since.  What keeps them up there is the fact that after all these years, Kreator still sounds as raw and fierce as ever.  New Kreator albums stand up well to the early works.  Obviously even Kreator put out a few bad albums in the 1990's but they have come back in a big way since Outcast.

This is the band's newest album, and yes it sounds a lot like the last couple of albums that came before it.  Kreator's most distinguishing characteristic is the vocal style of Mille Petrozza.  Petrozza still sounds like a rabid dog on this album, his voice is still as iconic as ever.  In addition to the vocal stylings, the music still sounds as sinister as ever.  The riffs are still sharp, the solos still shred, and the band still carries on as it has for the last nearly thirty years.

One thing that has changed is that Kreator has gotten a bit melancholic on this album.  Previous albums were exercises in anger and brutality, but this album finds the band a bit more introspective on tracks like "From Flood Into Fire" and "Death to the World".  Not to say that there still are not some of the classically angry songs we come to expect from Kreator.  "Civilization Collapse" and "Phantom Antichrist" still call to mind classic tracks like "Pleasure to Kill".  Kreator's songwriting shows some signs of maturity and an awareness of global concerns.

This is still Kreator doing what they do best however.  There may be more melodic moments and more socially-conscious lyrics this time around, but the band still makes a hell of a racket.  And that's what we expect from Kreator.

Initial Impressions: Gojira: L'Enfant Sauvage

I was a big fan of Gojira's album From Mars to Sirius, but for some reason I just never checked out The Way of All Flesh.  I have no idea why that is.  I never heard anything that dissuaded me from checking it out.  I certainly liked the band previously.  I guess I just missed it.  Well that did not happen again.  I have been eagerly anticipating Gojira's fifth album this year and picked it up just as soon as I saw it.  I am very late in getting this review up mostly due to being busy this summer.

I am very glad I did, because this album is phenomenal.  I honestly think it is a contender for my Album of the Year.

Gojira still do what they have always done so well.  They are monolithically heavy with bass-driven riffs and harshly shouted vocals.  Gojira is a very rhythmic band.  Many of the guitar riffs are almost percussive in sound.  There is not usually a lot of melody, though that is not to say that there is none to be found.  More than anything, Gojira just beats their listeners into submission with a constant wall of riffs.

Gojira is a little more bleak this time around.  On past albums there has always been a brightness shining through their music.  Sort of a ray of sunshine.  This time, the band is as depressive as possible.  Gojira has always been known for their environmentally-conscious lyrics.  This time it is as if the band has given up.  The world is coming to an end in the eyes of Gojira.

This is a terrific album, but it's definitely not uplifting in any way, shape, or form.  Best to listen to this on a cloudy day.

FMA Reviews: Chaos Inception: The Abrogation

I had not heard of this band before, so I did some checking before I listened to the album. When I discovered that Quinta Essentia madman guitarist Matt Barnes also performed the guitar work for Chaos Inception, I knew I was going to enjoy it.

Chaos Inception bears a strong resemblance to Quinta Essentia in that the band is not simply a middling death metal band. There is a lot of substance here, some real progressive song structures with complex riffing and a real organic foundation. This is not stale, modernized death metal focused solely on providing a brutal experience. Chaos Inception has the occult and doom-laden sound of an early Morbid Angel. Their sound is like a Lovecraftian beast, horrendous and otherworldly.

The playing of Matt Barnes is definitely the highlight, as I knew that it would be. His leads are incredible and really send chills down the spine. On top of that is his brutally intense riffwork when he is not playing leads. Chris White's vocals are also a strength. He is doing his best David Vincent impression on this material and sounds damn good doing it. The drum and bass work provides a pounding, thick and meaty bottom end to the riffing and vocals.

Each song is proof that brutal death metal can still sound intense without losing its blackened soul.

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FMA Reviews: Tribune: Elder Lore/The Dark Arts

Tribune (apparently pronounced TRY-BUNE) shows a large variety of influences. Elements of thrash, progressive, death, and even some metalcore are woven throughout this release. The band probably is most reminiscent of Into Eternity, a fellow Canadian progressive metal band with a variety of other influences. But, if anything, Tribune is even more varied.

One thing is for certain, this is definitely not a boring album. Tribune is all over the place with their sound. The listener truly does not know what to expect to hear next. One minute the band is speeding along with a thrash riff and then the next you could be hearing some doom metal. The variety definitely keeps the listener involved in the album. Along with the variety of styles in the music itself, Tribune also features a variety of vocal styles. There may be some death metal-esque roars followed immediately by some cleaner crooning.

"The World's Greatest Cynic" is definitely the highlight on this release. At nine plus minutes in length, it represents a microcosm of the entire album, throwing in as many influences as the band could and featuring a whirlwind of competing riffs and vocal styles. Otherwise, "The Warrior Mentality" and "Below" also made strong impressions. "The Succubus" is more of a radio-friendly metal song that would not sound out of place on a Killswitch Engage album.

This is a widely diverse album that keeps the listener on their toes.

Reader Submission: Satellite Beaver: The Last Bow

Maybe it's just me, but I don't really think of stoner doom as a genre with a big international following.  Most of the stoner doom bands I am aware of are American or British.  So it came as a bit of a surprise when I was recently contacted by a Polish stoner doom band by the name of Satellite Beaver.

With stoner doom, you pretty much know what to expect from a musical standpoint.  Heavy, fuzzed-out riffs, throbbing bass lines, pounding drums, and spaced-out vocals.  Stylistically this band has far more in common with the Southern sludgy, stoner/doom stylings of groups like Corrosion of Conformity and Crowbar that the psychedelia-infused Electric Wizard.  That is to say that the tracks featured on this EP are much more straight-ahead, rock-oriented and do not tend to get bogged down in lengthy, trippy guitar noodling.  There is definitely something to be said for something you can put on and just rock out too.  Satellite Beaver provide that here.

This is a very short, but fun EP that shows off some decent songwriting skills.  There is enough variation in the individual tracks to retain interest.  The vocals in particular are surprisingly versatile, going from a sort of droning croon to the occasional blood-curdling scream.  The guitar riffs are ever-evolving and refuse to stay in one place very long.  This is definitely roadtrip music.  Hell, that's even the name of the last track.

Satellite Beaver has now released two digital-only EPs.  They certainly have the talent and a good enough sound to be picked up by some label or other.  I found myself very impressed with this band.

FMA Reviews: Mass Burial: Of Carrion and Pestilence

It is entirely possible that Mass Burial has heard of the Swedish death metal scene. And that would be a huge understatement. Mass Burial is dripping with the buzzsaw Swedish death metal riffing sound. The band does one hell of a job at re-capturing the glory that was the early days of Entomed, Dismember, and more. Which is okay, because I am a huge fan of that particular sound. Unfortunately there have been a lot of bands aping the style over the last few years and it is getting a little ridiculous. So a band that wants to play that style had better do something good with it in order to stand out.

Mass Burial actually does an admirable job. I would not say I prefer their work to the early landmark albums, far from it in fact, but the Spanish band does stand a little taller than some of the other groups out there these days that are pulling from the same well of influence. Where Mass Burial excels compared to other bands is that their sound is a hell of a lot nastier and filthier. They are not worried about cleaning up their production or their lyrical content. They are not scared to go some of the places that Vomitory for example inhabits.Their sound is bestial and raw, with murky production values and a truly sickening guitar and bass sound.

The praise above is not meant to suggest that this is a particularly great album. There are some issues that wear thin after awhile. In particular, I am not really a fan of the vocal style. It stays at a pretty even sound throughout which is a fairly gruff growl, but it lacks some of the bite that made the early Swedish death metal groups so fantastic. It does not come close to the insane, haunting styles of early Entombed or the monstrous roar of early Grave. The vocal style is okay at first but after a few songs, it gets a little old. The other issue is with the songs themselves. There really is no standout track here. Most of the songs follow a similar formula and those that do not, do not really stand out for the reasons they should.

This is only the band's debut album. They formed in 2002 but took until 2012 to release this album. The band still has some time to grow and improve on some things. This is a nice album for a debut, but it does not hold up to the classics that it is clearly influenced by.

FMA Reviews: Holodomor: Témoignages de la Gnose Terrestre

I had to look up the name of the band, due mostly to curiosity. Apparently Holodomor is the term for an event in the Ukraine for a genocidal famine provoked by Ukrainian communist rulers. So, with that cheerful thought in mind, I went about listening to this EP which was suggested to me by Full Metal Attorney.

This is one filthy beast of an EP. I have a feeling that the reason it is only an EP instead of a full album is due to the absolute insanity of the five tracks that are here. They do not get much more bestial than this. Holodomor easily stands up next to other blackened death/thrash metal bands like Angelcorpse, Bestial Warlust, Gospel of the Horns, and the first few Deströyer 666 albums.

Throughout much of the EP, the riffs are razor-sharp and extremely fast. There is a brief slower portion in a couple of the middle tracks which sounds more like melodic black metal bands such as Lord Belial and Naglfar. It is a much darker and sinister sound than the raw and primal blackened thrash the band employs throughout the rest of the EP.

FMA Reviews: Bloodwritten: Thrashin' Fury

Originally posted here.

I have always been shocked by just how good Poland's metal scene really is. Beyond the incredible Behemoth and pioneering Vader, Poland has also produced a wide variety of impressive metal bands. Bloodwritten is another name to add to the list.

Bloodwritten play fairly standard blackened thrash, but they play it with such emotion and rage that it is hard not to get swept up in it. Their sound is something of a combination of Sodom, Kreator, and Nifelheim. The music mostly consists of fast-paced, sinister-sounding thrash riffs and shrieking Mille Petrozza-esque vocals. The band catches the listener's attention early, with the album opening with the sound of a gun being cocked and fired. It immediately reverts to a state of chaos and whirlwind riffs from that point on through the end of the runtime.

The music keeps up the frenetic pace throughout the album, with only a few times where the band slows things down. Even those rare occurrences retain a dark and evil atmosphere. While the band is not really innovative, they understand their craft well enough that they produce a pretty decent overall album. People who are not already a fan of blackened thrash metal will still probably not care for this. It's a fun ride, it's just not something that hasn't been done before.

FMA Reviews: KozybunX: Practice Room Demo

This was originally reviewed here.

I have no idea what this name is supposed to represent. It looks more like someone's ill-conceived chatroom screen name than the name of a band. Furthermore, it certainly does not seem to be the kind of name a stoner doom metal band would choose. It seems much more likely to be chosen by a pop group or some other mainstream atrocity. But nevertheless, here we are, with KozybunX bringing some interesting Electric Wizard-esque psychedelic stoner doom.

KozybunX are a four-piece doom metal group who apparently recorded this demo in their practice room. Nonetheless, the production values are actually quite impressive. This sounds every bit as powerful and heavy as anything that the aforementioned Electric Wizard put out. The riffs are slow and muddy, just the way stoner doom should be. They have a very thick bottom end that gives the atmosphere a sense of gloom and desolation. The demo as a whole gives off a feeling of impending doom, which I guess is kind of the point of the whole genre.

The interesting aspect of this release is that the band does not use vocals. Instead, they add to the doom riffs samples from various B-movies and other sources. I know I recognized one sample from a White Zombie song. I could not tell you the actual source of the samples as I am not well-versed in B-movies these days. They do certainly add to the general atmosphere and the inclusion of samples is done well enough that vocals and lyrics are not even missed. The samples do a good job of actually telling a story themselves. It is a fairly original idea and it is presented very well in this case.

The only real issue I have with this is that the songs do tend to drag a bit. The shortest track is seven minutes long with the second track being nearly 18 minutes. That is not unusual for this type of metal, but there is not a lot of tempo change. Once the band locks into a riff, they keep it going for a long time. That is not to say there are no changes in dynamics, just not a lot.

Tribune: Elder Lore/The Dark Arts

I had another review posted on Full Metal Attorney for Tribune today.  Here is the link.

Initial Impressions: Sonata Arctica: Stones Grow Her Name

I want to like Sonata Arctica's newer material, I really do.  Unfortunately it is just not happening for me.  It is extremely disappointing because I rank Silence as one of my all time favorite power metal albums, if not my favorite.  The combination of speed metal and power metal along with some amazingly catchy songs and some surprisingly heart-wrenching ballads keeps me coming back for more over and over again.  But that feeling is absent from their more recent material.  It's unfortunate.

Unia was the first album that really let me down.  I skipped the next one and then decided based on the hype that this was the band's best album in years to give them another chance.  I will probably not be giving them another shot after this one.

The album starts off fine, with a decent fast-paced song in "Only the Broken Hearts".  From that point on though the band descends into radio-friendly modern rock tracks with very few highlights.  Among the lowlights in "Shitload of Money" with its ridiculous lyrics.  "Cinderblox" is interesting, with its banjo melody, and the two "Wildfire" tracks have their moments.  The rest of the stuff is just too stale and boring.

This is pretty much it for Sonata Arctica as far as I am concerned.  I will likely not be checking out anything else.

Initial Impressions: Exumer: Fire & Damnation

It's kind of bizarre how so many completely random bands have been reuniting and putting out new music.  This certainly is not anything completely unusual but when we are talking about a band that released two full-lengths and a couple of demos in the mid to late 1980's that were mostly forgotten, you kind of have to wonder how the decision to reunite really came about.  I mean, I have never heard anyone say they really miss Exumer.  Not to say some people didn't miss Exumer, I just have not known of anyone.

Exumer is a German thrash metal band from the 1980's, and that's all it really took to get me intrigued.  Their presence on Metal Blade, which is still a label I trust, also helped matters.  Exumer does deliver on that promise.  As is typical of German thrash metal, this is a neck-snapping maelstrom of an album with lots of riffs and lots of aggression.  It kicks off with a bang and the frenzy never lets up.

The only real problem I have with the album is that there is a lack of variety.  The band never lets up on the accelerator.  That is not a major problem, after all this is a thrash metal band we are talking about.  It is not as if that is unusual.  Fans of the genre expect it.

I have not checked out Exumer's prior material, but something tells me it is right up my alley as well.

Initial Impressions: Nephelium: Coils of Entropy

This review was originally posted here.  I don't usually reprint the reviews I contributed to Full Metal Attorney, but I felt this was worthy of a rare exception.

I don't really know what to call this quality that certain death metal bands have that appeals to me. Apophis has it. Cenotaph, the Mexican band, has it. It is this particularly savage riffing and vocal style that comes across as exciting and fresh. It is like the bands truly enjoy what they are doing and this enthusiasm comes across in their intensity.

Nephelium has the same quality.

I have listened to this album over and over again and the same thing jumps out at me every time. I love this album. The riffing is top-notch and the band really never gets bogged down with just one idea. There is a lot of variety in the music with tempo changes and some technical riffwork. The tracks are a little on the long side, none of the songs are less than five minutes and there are a nine minute song and a ten minute song, but that does not matter when the music is as good as this is.

I don't think I can pass up an opportunity to mention that this band is originally from Dubai, although they have since relocated to Canada. It is an interesting little nugget of information. I have not previously heard a metal band from the United Arab Emirates, so this is a first for me.

I am extremely impressed with this album. The intensity is infectious and this band has a very bright future.

Initial Impressions: Pilgrim: Misery Wizard

I feel like traditional doom metal has been missing a leading band for the last several years since Reverend Bizarre broke up.  There have definitely been good doom bands, but Reverend Bizarre gave the genre a truly outspoken leader.  Enter Pilgrim, a band with a similar look and feel, from the historical yet sinister cover art, to the crushingly heavy and morosely slow doom metal therein, Pilgrim definitely recalls the good Reverend.

Pilgrim has only been around for a couple of years now, and this is their debut full-length album after a demo and a split, so of course there is going to be some room to grow.  That is definitely the case here.  The album kicks off with some monolithic riffs and the opening track is definitely a steamroller of a song.  Unfortunately almost every song after that takes the exact same formula.  The result is a long lumbering album with a lot of songs that sound virtually the same.  Only the last track really changes up the formula with a rolling faster-paced start before slowing down a little and then speeding up again.  A little more variety would likely help this band quite a bit.

Pilgrim has released a fairly impressive debut, but they definitely have some room to grow as artists.  It will be interesting to see where they go from here.

 

Top 10 of 2012 So Far

We are a little over halfway through 2012 so here is a Top 10 list so far.  This was not too difficult to do because I have not been buying a lot of new music this year.

10.  PILGRIM: MISERY WIZARD
This is one I have not had a chance to put up a full review on yet.  I just got it a couple of weeks ago.  Pilgrim is a doom metal band with an emphasis on the doom.  Most of the tracks are incredibly slow but undeniably heavy.  There is not a lot of variation in the tracks, other than the rollicking final track, but once in awhile that's good.  Look for a full review very soon.

9.  EXUMER: FIRE AND DAMNATION
Another album with a full review soon to come.  Exumer is a longtime German thrash metal band who has recently reunited.  The band previously put out a couple of albums in the mid 1980's and this is their first album since.  I am not familiar with their earlier material but if it sounds anything like this, I will definitely be checking it out.

8.  16: DEEP CUTS FROM DARK CLOUDS
16 is a fairly brutal band in the sludge metal genre and is another group that it took me quite awhile to finally check out.  This is an incredibly infectious album although it does tend to drag a little at times.  16 is not as violently aggressive as Eyehategod but they are similar to Acid Bath.  16 shows us what real sludge metal sounds like.

7.  OVERKILL: THE ELECTRIC AGE
One of the most consistent thrash metal bands in the history of metal, Overkill has never put out a bad album and this one is certainly no exception.  Overkill continues to put out fantastic album after fantastic album.  While this is something of a step down from their last release, it is still a phenomenal album.  Overkill deserves a lot more notoriety than they get.

6.  3 INCHES OF BLOOD: LONG LIVE HEAVY METAL
Once a very promising band, 3IOB took a big step backward when one of their vocalists left and threw the band's sound in disarray.  But this album finds the band realizing their sound once more and gleefully enjoying their take on classic metal.  This is an excellent return to form for the band.

5.  KREATOR: PHANTOM ANTICHRIST
The most recent album from this list, I picked this one up in the final week of June so it just barely made the cut for consideration here.  Since pulling out of their tailspin in the early 2000's Kreator has put out a number of great brutal thrash metal albums.  Kreator is still going very strong after all this time.

4.  ASPHYX: DEATHHAMMER
Martin Van Drunen is one of my favorite extreme metal vocalists and this is just another reason why.  Asphyx was one of the more compelling early death metal bands, particularly with their infusion of doom metal elements.  Aspyhx has not been back together long but they have put out some amazing work in the time they have.

3.  AURA NOIR: OUT TO DIE
I cannot believe it took me so long to discover Aura Noir.  Blackened thrash metal is one of my favorite genres and Aura Noir is considered one of the better bands in the genre, and for good reason.  Their music is raw and infectious and recalls early Venom and Sodom.

2.  GOATWHORE: BLOOD FOR THE MASTER
Goatwhore has been one of my favorite bands for a long time now and they just keep getting better.  Each album is an improvement on the one before it and this one is no exception.  Their sound is more streamlined but that does not mean it is any less intense.  This is a neckbreaker from start to finish.

1.  CHRISTIAN MISTRESS: POSSESSION
The top metal album of the year so far has come from a somewhat unexpected place.  This is only the band's second album so far but the band has a very bright future.  They play a brand of NWOBHM-influenced retro metal.  Their songwriting skills are top-notch and the vocals are incredible.  A terrific album from start to finish.

Initial Impressions: Aura Noir: Out to Die

I am a sucker for blackened thrash, which brings up the question "why is this the first time I have heard Aura Noir?"

The Norwegian band has been around since the early 1990's, but have now only released five full-length albums.  Nevertheless, for some reason they have been operating under my radar despite performing a style of music that I rank as one of my favorite metal forms.  Norway is not really known for their thrash metal bands, although this is not pure thrash.  Aura Noir is made up of former members of a number of well-known Norwegian black metal bands, most notably Blasphemer of Mayhem.

This album brings to mind early Sodom and Venom albums.  It is fast, filthy, and raw, just the way blackened thrash metal should be.  It does not rise to the levels of ugliness present on a Gospel of the Horns or Bestial Warlust release, but that is not really the intention.  The goal is to call back to a simpler time when bands were fusing the sounds from Motorhead, hardcore punk, and trying to up the evil factor.

This album is a neck-breaker.  It's fast-paced, dirty metal all the way through.  The band never slows down. This may have been the first time I heard Aura Noir, but it will not be the last.

Initial Impressions: Naglfar: Teras

Naglfar, the Swedish melodic black metal band, was an early band that I checked out when I began really expanding my metal horizons after law school.  I was very impressed with Harvest at the time and checked out some of their prior material.  I kind of grew out of them after awhile though.  This is actually their first album since Harvest, which is odd since it has been five years.

Not much has changed musically for Naglfar.  This is still surprisingly catchy black metal with a strong sense of melody.  It is not anything revolutionary, but Naglfar does it well.  There are plenty of other bands who play the same general style of Naglfar but few play it with the same intensity.

Naglfar's music is streamlined and packs a punch.  They do not really do a lot of melodic interludes or buildup for songs.  They just launch into the aggressive, fast riffing that they have always done.  Of course Wrath continues to sound like a man in need of an exorcist.  I have not heard a lot of the band's material with Jens Ryden so I don't have a lot of ability to compare the two.  Wrath's vocals fit the band's sound pretty well though.

As I mentioned, this is a solid release, but it is not spectacular.  Naglfar's albums sound basically the same.  They do a decent job at what they do, but there is not much else to say.