Initial Impressions: Rumpelstiltskin Grinder: Ghostmaker

Their name is ridiculous of course, but Rumpelstiltskin Grinder is absolutely one of my favorite bands from the nu-thrash wave.  Part of that is their bizarre and morbid sense of humor.  Thrash metal has never really been humorless, groups like Anthrax, Exodus, and some others have definitely shown their sense of humor through their work.  Rumpelstiltskin Grinder is not as off-the-wall as Lich King, but they definitely show their sense of humor throughout.

Part of what makes Rumpelstiltskin Grinder so compelling musically is that the band does not really sound like anyone else.  With a lot of the newer thrash metal acts, it is fairly easy to trace their influences, oftentimes it is obvious by the band's name, but there are some definite giveaways in the music itself just as often.  That is not the case with Rumpelstiltskin Grinder.  This is a band that stands out from the litany of groups aping their sound from more-established acts.  Rumpelstiltskin Grinder utilizes influences from a variety of non-thrash metal genres as well, but incorporates those influences into their thrash sound rather than toe the line between genres.

In the past, RG's albums have been a little messy and all over the place.  That rawness was part of their charm.  This was a band that really seemed like a bunch of oddball guys that got together and played some ferocious thrash metal.  On this release though, the band has really tightened up their sound.  Nothing has been lost as far as their ferocity is concerned, but the riffing is tight and packs a considerable punch.  The vocals sound great along with the music and the outside influences mesh well with the thrash riffing.

What results is a truly impressive album by a band that has been steadily improving with each new album.  This is their best album yet and is a very strong contender for the thrash metal album of the year.

FMA Reviews: Havok: Point of No Return

Originally reviewed here.

Havok is yet another retro-thrash metal band. They are often overlooked in the mountain of similar bands that have popped up over the years, but that is a little unfair. Havok has a way of showing off their influences but still making music that sounds fresh and vital. Unlike a lot of the retro thrash metal groups, Havok has not picked one particular style of thrash to try to emulate. Influences from the Bay Area, East Coast, Germany, South America, and the almighty Slayer can all be heard. As such, they are one of the more interesting retro thrash metal bands and one that I try to check out whenever they release something new.

Coming off a well-received full-length, Havok offers this short EP as a holdover until they can get a new full-length onto shelves. The EP features two original songs and two covers. The originals do a fantastic job of showcasing what Havok is all about. The opening title track is fast and furious with a throbbing bass line propelling the song forward. It has an almost Overkill-esque quality with its menacing sneer and use of gang vocals. "Cradle to the Grave" features the kind of frenetic energy that Anthrax was well-known for along with more use of gang vocals.

The final two tracks are covers of major influences on the band, Sepultura and Slayer. Both songs have been covered frequently so there may be some temptation to write them off and skip them. Havok does a nice job with them though. They capture the anger of "Arise" by Sepultura almost perfectly. The complaint that I have about "Postmortem/Raining Blood" is that it is kind of silly to combine them into one track. "Raining Blood" has always been a standalone classic in the genre. To combine it into one track with "Postmortem" is kind of a slap in the face.

Overall this is hardly a necessary release. It is a nice showcase of an impressive band, but an EP is almost never a can't-miss release. This is the case here as well.

One and Done? Pt. 11: Sothis: De Oppresso Liber

I had a subscription to Metal Maniacs in 2008.  This was the year that the magazine eventually folded.  For several months the magazine was running advertisements for Sothis's debut full-length.  Lots of different advertisements.  There was quite simply a lot of hype leading up to this album's release.  Well at the time I had a lot of disposable income so I figured what the hell I will give them a shot.

Sothis is a U.S. symphonic black metal band.  Yes such things actually exist.  And of course you can imagine how well this sounded.  Somewhere along the veins of Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, and Limbonic Art, but nowhere near as impressive.  For the most part, this was just kind of a boring release without a whole lot going for it.  Well, I do enjoy "Defiance" quite a bit.  That song alone makes this somewhat interesting.  But nothing else really grabs me.

Well all the hype did not really do Sothis too many favors as the album was not well-received when it was actually released.  It's now been more than four years since that release and I have not heard anything about a new one.  Maybe the deflated egos have lead to the inability to come up with a follow-up.  Maybe the band is trying hard to come up with something decent.  Whatever the reason, four years is a long time for a sophomore album.