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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, March 2, 2004, Issue #71
http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
Co-Editor / Founder: Gino Filicetti
Co-Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Contributor: Adrian Bromley
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Chris Flaaten
Contributor: Quentin Kalis
Contributor: Xander Hoose
Contributor: Adam Lineker
Contributor: Adrian Magers
Contributor: James Montague
Contributor: Jackie Smit
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault
The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at
firstname.lastname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com.
(e.g. Gino.Filicetti@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #71 Contents, 3/2/2004
----------------------------
-- Coercion: No Arm Twisting Involved
-- God Forbid: Notice Is Served
-- Coercion - _Lifework_
-- Deeds of Flesh - _Reduced to Ashes_
-- Deicide - _Scars of the Crucifix_
-- Eyes of Fire - _Ashes to Amber_
-- God Forbid - _Gone Forever_
-- In Flames - _Soundtrack to Your Escape_
-- Inspell - _Fairy-tales: Chapter One_
-- Into Eternity - _Buried in Oblivion_
-- Macabre - _Murder Metal_
-- Monster Magnet - _Monolithic Baby!_
-- On Thorns I Lay - _Egocentric_
-- The Duskfall - _Source_
-- The Forsaken - _Traces of the Past_
-- Before the Rain - _...And With the Day Dying Light_
-- Gates of Dis - _notammargarteT_
-- Ulcerate - _The Coming of Genocide_
-- Walpurgisnacht - _Moerasghesomp_
-- WindSeeker - _By the Seed of the Same God_
-- Sad Eyes Question Future
-- Best Albums of 2003
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N O A R M T W I S T I N G I N V O L V E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Kenneth Nyman and Pelle Ekegren of Coercion
by: Aaron McKay
So far away from the abject horror of the thought of tomorrow's
commute into a loveless job or needing to complete that damn thesis
for your 8:00am class on the calculus of Astronomy and Astrophysics
-- nothing about Coercion's new release, _Lifework_, necessitates any
browbeating for motivation's sake. After a fairly long hiatus from
the scene, this devastating Swedish four-piece is back, and in rare
form at that. Coercion fans will recognize instantly the beloved
style of a band missing in action for far too long. Vocalist Kenneth
Nyman and drummer Pelle Ekegren delve into topics around their
elongated break, a new label, and why the hell this wicked MCD
couldn't be just a few minutes longer...
CoC: First off, congratulations on _Lifework_! One of the biggest
attractions for me to Coercion's material is the emphatically
catchy style of the band -- the stylish metal while mixing the
fast and slow tempos very well. Shed some light on behind the
scenes sessions with regard to creating material for _Lifework_.
Kenneth Nyman: Thanks for the kind words. After the release of our
second album _Delete_ in 1999, we had a hard time
coming up with new songs. We started to complicate
things musically and we felt that nothing we came up
with was any good. During the time when Coercion
consisted of only me and Pelle around 2001-2002 we did
a lot of jamming, and through that we luckily found
our way back to the more basic and straightforward way
of making songs. We have also picked up some new
influences along the way since then, I guess.
CoC: "Consumed", track three, has some intriguing breaks (for example
about the 1:50 mark) and some heavy-laden chops at the end of
the track; probably my favorite cut off of _Lifework_. It seems
like Coercion is constantly pushing the envelope in form and
style, this song being a good indication of that. Please
elaborate on "Consumed" a bit.
KN: When this song came about, we just did as we always do. We tried
out a few riffs that fit together and we never know beforehand
how the final take is gonna be. We don't follow any template, but
since we like mixing grind with heavy stuff, those ingredients
are likely to be a part of any song by us.
CoC: Why only five tracks to _Lifework_? It seems like it serves only
to whet the appetite...
Pelle Ekegren: That's the whole point! Wait for our next full length!
KN: Originally _Lifework_ was recorded to let people at the record
labels know that we're still around, despite the four years of
silence. But since we were very pleased with how it turned out,
and got some offers to release it as a MCD, we couldn't see why
not. By this release it really feels like were back on track, and
who knows what the future holds...
CoC: Regardless of the line-up changes in the past, Coercion seems
like a durable outfit where writing material is concerned. How
is that? Is it the live (concert) energy follows the same
dynamic suit as the recorded tracks?
KN: Since I'm involved in most of the writing of the material and
have been in the band since day one, we still sound like
Coercion, I guess. The question on how we sound live should
probably best be answered by anyone who came to see us play, but
I guess we're doing okay.
CoC: While not always prominent, the bass work on the new album is
very pronounced and well utilized. Dag appears to have a true
command of Coercion's style, yes?
KN: I'm gonna let you in on a little secret <laughs>: Rickard
[Thulin, guitarist] is the one playing the bass on the recording.
Dag had just joined the band once we started recording. He hadn't
been playing death metal for a long period of time, so he wanted
to pass this one to get more in tune with the style.
CoC: With the full nature of the band's sound, how much or little
would adding another guitarist to the fold help or hinder
Coercion?
KN: We're having this discussion every now and then. The best thing
about having two guitars is that you can then play around with
harmonies. That's really cool, but it's not a must in my opinion.
When we rehearse I often play the second guitar, and I must admit
that the sound improves. <laughs> Finding a fifth member that
fits the band musically and on the personal level is not an easy
task. Besides, we're too lazy to even start looking...
CoC: What is the philosophy of lyrics on a Coercion song? Do they
exist to add something vocally or communicate a message or maybe
utilized like an instrument (a la John Tardy from Obituary)?
PE: Perhaps only Kenneth should answer to this, but what the hey, for
me the vocals are an instrument, but as it turns out Kenneth is a
devil on writing lyrics as well. So if you can't hear what he's
singing, check the booklet. To me, he's a poet and I can
recognize myself in his words.
KN: Ehmm... a poet!? You're making me blush, Pelle! I am very picky
when it comes to writing the lyrics and I do spend a lot of time
and effort to make them exactly the way I want them though.
Hopefully anyone who reads them gets something out of it. My
personal favorite growler must be Barney Greenway of Napalm
Death; a great voice with intelligent lyrics. Excellent!
CoC: _Forever Dead_ has consistently been a personal favorite since
adding it to my collection in late 1997/98. How would you
compare that release with _Lifework_?
PE: That was then, this is now! I love _Forever Dead_, but that's
old; I think _Lifework_ is the evolution of _Forever Dead_ in
2004.
KN: How flattering -- I'm glad you like it. I imagine that _Lifework_
sounds a bit more American than our previous releases. The new
stuff is also much faster and contains more grind parts.
CoC: While we are on the topic of _Forever Dead_, allow me to inquire
about the last track, "Grief (Beyond Grief)", a 23-minute track
which contains 10 minutes of clock sounding...
KN: That song is very special to me for the obvious reason that it is
written to honor the memory of my late friend Hakan Stadin, who
passed away in 1991. The "clock chiming" at the end of the song
is the result of our playfulness while mixing the album. If done
today, we would probably have left that out.
CoC: In my efforts for the magazines I contribute to, I heard
precious little about _Delete_; to this day I haven't even heard
the album. Was it promoted very much by Perverted Taste in
America? Europe?
KN: That's a pitty. _Delete_ is a good album, and it probably
deserved more promotion and a better label. Perverted Taste never
really let us in on what they were doing (or not doing)
promotion-wise. We declined their offer to release a third album
there, much because of the lack of information from their part.
For instance, we have absolutely no clue on how many copies of
our two albums have been sold nor how much of our royalties have
gone down someone else's pockets.
CoC: It seems to me personally that Coercion has been an underrated
and underestimated metal outfit on the scene for a long time.
What are the band's thoughts on the subject?
PE: Yes, that's my opinion as well, I don't know why that is. I think
we just have had bad luck with record labels and distributors,
'cause I never heard anyone hearing our music saying that it
sucks, so I don't think it's our fault!
CoC: How is your media/press in the United States?
KN: Nowadays, due to the fact of our four years of absence from the
scene, it's not that good. We still get many mails from the
states though. Mainly from fans wondering when our next release
will be out.
CoC: Since signing in November of 2003, how has your working
relationship been with the German label, Animate Records?
PE: Great, I love Andy!
KN: I knew there was something going on between the two of you.
<laughs> Seriously, they've managed to impress us all more than
once. Despite being a small label they make big plans, and work
hard to see them through. We met the guys in Germany, at our
"Lifework-release- shows" in early January; they seem to be
really cool guys.
CoC: Any favorite groups Coercion has shared a tour with? My guess
the tour with Fleshgrind and Resurrected in Europe in 2000 had
to be incredible.
KN: True. That is definitely one of the highlights of our tour
history so far. None of us had heard Fleshgrind before we went on
tour with them and we were completely blown away by their stuff.
They now have a special place in our frostbitten hearts. We have
also always enjoyed playing with Purgatory. We meet them every
time we're in Germany, so they've become almost like family.
CoC: Are there any bands out there currently that have captured your
attention? Recent favorites?
PE: Vital remains, Rotten Sound.
KN: Visceral Bleeding, Signs of Dying.
CoC: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please feel
free to relate any parting words to the reader that you'd like.
KN: Thanks to Aaron for this excellent interview, and to those who
are reading it for showing interest in Coercion. Be cool.
Contact: http://www.coercion.tk
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N O T I C E I S S E R V E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Dallas Coyle of God Forbid
by: Jackie Smit
There's a name you're going to be hearing a lot in 2004: God Forbid.
Unlike the Limp Bizkits, the Papa Roaches and the Linkin Parks of
this world however, their name won't be ringing in your ears because
of the traditional MTV force-feed, or because a group of balding
record company bosses think that God Forbid has the "2004 sound" --
you will hear it on the lips of anyone with a passion for undiluted
heaviness, because this New Jersey act is, as the saying goes, simply
that damn good. You want proof? Try their latest effort _Gone
Forever_ on for size. The product of relentless and painstaking hard
work, the influence of new friends made on tour and the dedication
and of five men to their craft, _Gone Forever_ is God Forbid's
siren-call.
And they want everyone on this planet to sit up and pay attention...
CoC: Starting with the new album -- there was a significant
delay between _Gone Forever_ and your previous record,
_Determination_. Why the long gap?
Dallas Coyle: Well, it's hard to explain really, because when we did
_Determination_, we had actually just completed _Reject
the Sickness_ and we were signed to Century Media off
the back of that album. So, we had to do a new album
almost immediately for the label, so that we could go
on tour, which made _Determination_ sort of a rushed
job. With _Gone Forever_, the process was much more
thought out. We toured for two years, which naturally
hindered everything, and then we had some personal
problems, which took a long time to sort out. The
record also took a long time to write, because we
wanted to add all these new elements and obviously you
want to introduce the new elements without compromising
the sound. So a lot of time writing this record was
actually spent being very scientific about what we were
doing. The fact that we are a "scream" band -- it's a
lot harder not to be monotonous. Take _Determination_
for example: think of the album what you will, but I
think it gets monotonous after the sixth track, because
of the way that the songs are written. With _Gone
Forever_ that's definitely something that we wanted to
avoid.
CoC: _Determination_ received a very positive response and raised God
Forbid's profile considerably. Did the band ever feel additional
pressure while recording _Gone Forever_ as a result?
DC: No, because when we were doing this record, we knew that it was
going to be better than _Determination_ from the start. We're not
the kind of band to feel pressure, because the only goal we set
for ourselves is to write a good song and that's the only
pressure that we place on ourselves. I don't think that there's
any pressure from how successful we are. I mean, even though
_Determination_ was critically acclaimed and we got well known
and there were a lot of ads, we actually didn't really get "big"
off of it. We were never drawing more than 500 people to a show.
We were never really coming home with more money than we could
spend. There was never really any pressure to do anything on this
album, because we didn't feel that _Determination_ had taken us
to the level where we wanted to be at that point. We want this
new record to be one that will turn us into headliners. We don't
want to be a band that supports. And _Determination_ -- man, it's
a good record, but it's definitely not what our band is about
now.
CoC: So placing aside the diversification you brought into God
Forbid's sound, what would you say sets _Gone Forever_ apart
from everything else the band has ever done?
DC: Focus. There's definitely greater confidence and greater focus.
With _Determination_ we were kind of scatter-brained. We had just
been signed to a metal label, we wanted to make a metal record,
and we kind of went away from some of the things that we do well
to make that. With this new record -- in time leading up to our
writing and recording it, we were touring with all these bands,
who we all got along with great and who really enjoyed us
musically; more so live than on the record, because they
understood how we had written the songs. I mean for us, when you
listen to _Determination_, there are songs on there that don't
capture the original energy with which they were written at all.
With the new record, it was much more demanding, and the reason
why we had problems with our band as far as writing the album was
concerned, is because my brother and I had a definitive focus for
the band. We wanted to find our sound. Obviously we're going to
be compared to Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall and Lamb of God
-- those are things that we can't control, but what we can
control is to make sure that we do what we do as well as we can
do it on every single song, and that it's our sound. And that's
what we tried to do, which again is why the album took so long. I
think that focus is the main issue and I think that touring with
so many bands we have learned a lot of new things about music
which we apply to what we do.
CoC: That brings me to my next point actually: God Forbid has toured
with such a diverse catalogue of bands (Cradle of Filth, Opeth,
Mushroomhead etc.); how much of an influence have these bands
been on the new material?
DC: I would say that not many bands really rub off on our band's
style, apart from the bands that we are <pauses> permanently
influenced by. Cradle of Filth, for example, is a band that I
like and respect, but I wouldn't say that I am inspired to write
music because of them. Opeth on the other hand, is a band that
really influenced the new record -- there's so much Opeth
influence on the new record. A lot of people wouldn't really
notice, but the style that they do where they're melodic as well
as heavy at the same time is definitely something that we have
taken from them. A lot of people wouldn't even think it,
but that's definitely something that we've taken from them.
Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God and guys like that -- those are
inspirations to us. I mean, we listen to their music and we ask
what makes it current and what makes it fresh and then we apply
that to what we do, while still keeping it in the God Forbid
sounds. You know, my dad always says: "Good musicians borrow,
great musicians steal." And that's what we do -- we take things
that other musicians do and do it in our own way and hopefully
make it a bit better.
CoC: Speaking of your father -- God Forbid has always exuded a strong
sense of bonding and family. How do your parents and your family
feel about what you do?
DC: Our band is definitely supported by all our families. My brother
and I have been brought up in a musical household. My father was
a piano teacher, my mom is a singer -- and it's so much easier,
because my dad raised us on the piano. The fact that we didn't go
to college and got into music instead; he couldn't really say
anything about it, because he knew exactly where we were coming
from and why we were doing it. The fact that we've gone further
than he or my mother has ever gone, he's really proud of that,
and he really shows his support. Every Christmas, he buys God
Forbid shirts for his students. He wears God Forbid stuff -- he's
really proud of it. I think that's a big reason why we're so
successful. We put everything into our music, because that's
always what we've been taught to do and what we've been steered
toward doing. We never had any flack about us throwing our lives
away. It's not like the '70s, like in "Almost Famous", where
parents were throwing away their kids' records. Our dad bought us
Metallica CDs.
CoC: Has he ever gone to any God Forbid shows?
DC: Yeah, he actually came out to a show recently; just after we
finished the record. The first show that he ever came to see us
at, he just said to us: "You were out of tune." That was all he
said. Then with the last show he said: "The singing sounded
really great." That was when we had just started singing, so that
really meant a lot to us. It's not like when you have a kid that
comes up to us and who's really bloody saying: "That was great
shit, man -- I got my head kicked in six times." Our dad -- man,
he's listening to us the way a musician would listen to us, not
to blow smoke up our asses, because he is in no position to do
that. He gains nothing from that. And the fact that he likes what
we do means a lot more to me than most other things.
CoC: So what sort of music did you listen to growing up?
DC: Well, I got into music earlier than my brother. My brother didn't
really start listening to music, until we moved in with my dad --
that's when he found Metallica. But when I was living with my
mother, I was really into old-school hip hop. And she was really
into R 'n' B, so that's where a lot of my singing comes from --
all the singing on the new record is my stuff, because it's
pretty easy for me to come up with it; it's really natural. When
me and my brother moved out of the house though, I got really
detached from the whole black culture of music, and I got into
metal. I was drawn to it so much, it was kind of like this
immediate obsession for me. It was like, every time that I saw
Guns 'n' Roses or Metallica on MTV, it was magical. Then from
there, when I was in high school I was not a good student, and I
hung out with people that were much older than me and they
listened to Slayer. Then a couple of people who I knew from my
apartment building listened to Megadeth and I was grabbing onto
all this stuff from all these people and it was all just metal.
It was like fate -- getting this in my brain. One of my friends
gave me a tape with _Reign in Blood_ and you know that album has
the whole album on both sides, and I was walking around with my
walkman with that shit on repeat, because that was me at the
time. Then, being from New Jersey, I started getting to know the
hardcore bands, and when we started hardcore metal was still
really new. Shit like Overcast had just come out and I think that
the part of their music that we patch into our band, makes us
different to just a straight metal band. At the same time though,
our hardcore influence is minimal. I mean, it consists out of
basically just a couple of New Jersey bands and it's there just
basically for the brutality. The hardcore's definitely more of an
overtone.
CoC: Coming back to your dad; growing up with a piano teacher, you
must also have quite a bit of classical influence in your
musical array as well.
DC: Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say that I was really watching my dad
play. I was just listening and learning and that stuff stayed
with me forever. I'm really turned on by minors -- minor pieces;
things that don't sound happy. That's the type of stuff that I've
always been into. My dad would play old classical stuff and old
jazz like Miles Davis; stuff that's quirky, but really dark as
well. That definitely takes a toll. Also, how I grew up with my
dad struggling to support us. I mean, I never got abused or
anything like that, but the stress level that my father suffered
-- that shit rubs off and it can be almost just as bad. That made
me want to lash out; it made me want to create. I never thought
about singing until last year, but as far as guitar -- that was
always there.
CoC: With your ethnic background and God Forbid being a band that is
racially diverse in a fairly secular genre of music; do you feel
that what you are doing could potentially influence other kids
who would possibly be apprehensive about starting a band or
doing something similar to get into the scene?
DC: Well, I think we're helping, but I think that bands like Outkast
are actually doing more for metal in that respect. I mean, their
new album is so <pauses> not black. We've been seeing more black
kids coming to shows and you see no shelter in their eyes or
anything like that. It's like they're proud to be black and to be
at the show. A lot of the black stereotypes... You know, I have
two black cousins who fit the black stereotype and who are in
jail right and it's so sad, because they're both smart as hell.
And they're in this shit, because they followed a fake dream that
someone else put in their heads. I think that the kids right now
are getting smarter and they know that all the stuff they see on
MTV -- all the shit with people like Puff Daddy; that is
something that is not very desirable, because usually it ends
badly. Metal and rock music for me has always been very
liberating. It's always been about lashing out at the norm and I
think that there's a lot of black kids who are realising that and
realising that just because they're more drawn to metal, it just
makes them a different kind of person, not a bad person.
CoC: Well, thanks a lot for your time, Dallas. Any last words?
DC: No, man -- thanks for the interview and we'll see everyone of you
on tour very soon.
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Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!
Coercion - _Lifework_ (Animate Records, 2003)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)
Some may picture the concept of "lifework" as Salvador Dali's
impeccable collection or completing Dante's Divine Comedy, but
Coercion has something else in mind. Not altogether without
connection, _Lifework_ is an incredible contribution to the arts,
only this one comes with a bit of a hitch. Akin to Dali and
Dante, Coercion's material isn't necessarily for everyone; the
metal community, as an understated sub-culture, should embrace
this offering collectively -- almost without objection. Coercion's
material on _Lifework_, much as can be found on their 1997 release
_Forever Dead_ (which was my first exposure to this band), is
emphatically catchy both in style and form. The band develops a rich
aura, oozing metal out of all pores while simultaneously mixing fast
and slow tempos as to tantalize the auditory sense. "Consumed", track
three, throws down the gauntlet for power-inducing breaks in rhythm
(tune in about the 1:50 mark for evidence of this) and brutally heavy
chops. Coercion is constantly pushing the envelope on this record
without reducing its stranglehold on their aggressive approach and
keeping the listener engaged with tempo changes and unexpected riffs.
Now on German label Animate Records since November 2003, Coercion
seems poised on the cusp of wild abandon. Notwithstanding the album's
meager seventeen minute, five track duration, _Lifework_ could fast
become one of my favorites of 2004.
Contact: http://www.coercion.tk
Deeds of Flesh - _Reduced to Ashes_ (Unique Leader Records, 2003)
by: Adam Lineker (5 out of 10)
Although the metal underground is an exciting and sprawling place to
explore, I sometimes feel like I'm digging through way too much tripe
in hope of finding something that is worthy of the time it takes to
find it. So many bands are frustratingly happy to offer us records
that teach nothing about the greatness of metal, but just exist as
lifeless obstacles that have to be painfully dealt with. Yes, I'm
having a bit of a rant, but Deeds of Flesh have set me running on
this. It's not that _Reduced to Ashes_ is all that bad -- it's just
totally uninspiring. This music is entirely made up of death metal
riff progressions, played through a guitar production that does an
adequate job, though the bass can be quite elusive in the mix. There
are some inventive riffs and effective tonal discords that might have
stood a little taller had they been employed with more thought. As it
stands, there is no sense of structure in these songs, and with no
melodic landmarks for one to hook into, nothing has any real impact;
it's never a good thing when one fails to differentiate between songs
as they play. The vocals are reasonably powerful but dull, with a
monotone death belch dominating proceedings, punctuated with the
occasional Jeff Walker-esque rasp. Drums are very competently played
but very impersonal, triggered to the extent that I double-checked to
make sure that they were not machine programmed; the snare sound is
also horribly weak. Deeds of Flesh show evident competence and
understanding of musical complexity, but they lose out big time when
it comes to structural intelligence; _Reduced to Ashes_ is a record
that simply sounds the same throughout its duration. There is a very
real sense of soul-destroying emptiness, with nothing even to get the
head nodding, let alone overload the senses and wring the emotions.
There is also a total absence of thematic construction within the
music, aside from the irony of the fittingly titled closer "The
Endurance" (eleven minutes of dirge! I ask you!). I don't actually
enjoy being so critical of the efforts of working musicians, but with
_Reduced to Ashes_ Deeds of Flesh have given nothing of worth
to death metal -- a genre that could do without such a staid
representation.
Deicide - _Scars of the Crucifix_ (Earache Records, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit (8.5 out of 10)
By the time you read this review, the odds are you've read ad
infinitum the lamentations of several journalists bemoaning the dire
quality of Deicide's last few records. Ironically, a great many of
these individuals were praising Deicide's sonic atrocity; either way,
the truth of the matter is that Deicide have been cruising down the
wide-line highway to mediocrity ever since the release of 1994's
_Once Upon the Cross_. That _Scars of the Crucifix_ has promised a
return to the infernal form of the Floridian deathers' debut or the
mighty _Legion_ means little the in face of the yawn-fest that
was _Insineratehymn_ or the (unintentional) self-parody of _In
Torment in Hell_. So, for anyone still wondering, _Scars of the
Crucifix_ does not match up to what it claims to be. Yet, that
said, it is a blistering, ferocious record that will certainly
make a fair few of the band's detractors eat their words. Glen
Benton's vocals are once again piercingly vicious, while Steve Asheim
remains one of death metal's unsung heroes behind the drum kit.
This time round however, top honours go to the brothers Hoffman
for their outstanding guitarwork -- combining venomous riffs with
some surprisingly symphonic leads, particularly on the record's
title track and the ironically titled "Mad at God". Niel Kernon's
production job is slightly disappointing though, especially when it
results in the thin, trebly guitar sound that previously plagued
1996's _Serpents of the Light_. When all is said and done, perhaps
the most intriguing thing about _Scars of the Crucifix_ is not that
it's the band's first solid record in nearly a decade, but that
it begs the question as to whether Deicide will manage to top
this effort on subsequent releases, or whether this is the final
triumphant dying call of a once majestic beast.
Contact: http://www.earache.com
Eyes of Fire - _Ashes to Amber_ (Century Media, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit (9 out of 10)
Turn your mind back a few odd years and you might recall the name
Mindrot -- a promising five piece hailing from Los Angeles whose
debut record, _Dawning_, was released in 1995 amidst a somewhat
pre-emptive amount of hoopla. Soon afterward the ballyhooing died
down however, and by the time the arguably superior _Soul_ surfaced
in 1998, Mindrot had all but vanished from the general metallic
conscience. Still, it's fair to assume that there are more than a few
metalheads that mourn their passing to this day, and if you happen to
fall into that category, you'll be happy to learn that Mindrot
founders Dan Kaufman and Matt Fisher have returned to the fray with
Eyes of Fire. While their debut EP _Disintegrate_ passed me by for
some reason, _Ashes to Ember_ picks up where Mindrot left off, with
Kaufman and Fisher still very much ruing the day, musically speaking.
The heightened level of maturity in their songwriting is almost
baffling though, and from the word go, _Ashes to Ember_ is a far more
emotionally intense, focused and well-rounded effort than anything
they ever conceived under the Mindrot banner. Eyes of Fire sees
Kaufman and Fisher (along with new collaborators Ben Smith, John
Haddad and Cary Petersen) further explore the dissonant soundscapes
of Neurosis, the nervous energy of latter-day Anathema and the cold,
gothic overtures of Fields of the Nephilim, while still keeping
things suitably heavy. Interestingly, _Ashes to Amber_ works best as
an album consumed in its entirety, as short abstract pieces flow into
the record's more epic centrepieces -- of which "One More" stands out
as perhaps the band at their most morosely effective. Cameron Webb's
(Godsmack, Danzig) production is adequate, although one listen should
make it clear that Eyes of Fire would benefit greatly from a more
layered and dense sound. Ultimately, Eyes of Fire are still in
relative infancy, and to release a debut of such poignancy and power
puts them right up there with metal's elite.
Contact: http://www.eyesoffire.net
God Forbid - _Gone Forever_ (Century Media, 2004)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)
Pushing forth from the broadening expanse of the metal realm, off a
small label known as 9 Volt Records, God Forbid stands as a
formidable ally to us all on the scene today -- especially now with
their newest offering _Gone Forever_. As a well-timed tease, the band
spit forth a five track EP entitled _Better Days_ to prepare the way
for the full offensive that _Gone Forever_ unleashes. Century Media
has captured, but not contained, this band from their debut on this
label, _Determination_, and now _Better Days_ continues the truculent
crusade. Arguably God Forbid may be using the recent album titles to
signal a profound change in metal by their hands alone -- "better
days" are just an album away and "gone forever" are the unchallenging
concepts sometimes found scattered throughout the metal/hardcore
genres. Thickly enriched with solid grooves and high doses of rhythm,
this band drives home their style on each of the nine tracks making
up _Gone Forever_. This five piece outfit has arranged their newest
offering with incredible riffs and absolutely stunning leads to
invoke images of old Anthrax meets Corrosion of Conformity, but with
a flavor too hard to cite with any kind of decisive accuracy. Byron
Davis' vocals have a harsh, biting, unsympathetic technique, while
Doc and Dallas Coyle's twin guitar method punches through _Gone
Forever_'s track listing like a pneumatic air hammer. For evidence of
this, check out track four, "Precious Lie", right about the 4:06 mark
-- astonishing. Often operating unassumingly in the background, the
rhythm facet of God Forbid has taken this notion and categorically
dismissed it: Jon Outcalt on bass and Corey Pierce on the drums
further develop the forcefully tight union of hardcore and thrash. No
better place can this be witnessed than on "Living Nightmare", track
six, for the majority of the song's nearly four minute and twenty
seconds. For the money, it'd certainly be worth it to pick up _Better
Days_ along with the full length to supplement the entire God Forbid
experience. I pride myself as a reviewer on fighting against the
temptation to issue a pass to a band simply based on previous work
and recorded material of the past. That said, God Forbid made matters
delightfully easy in this regard as they have reinvented themselves
on _Gone Forever_.
Contact: http://www.godforbid.com
In Flames - _Soundtrack to Your Escape_ (Nuclear Blast, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit (8 out of 10)
So In Flames have released a new album -- so what? As far as I'm
concerned, the last decent record to bear the In Flames logo was
_Whoracle_, way back in 1995. Since then the Swedes have, for all
intents and purposes, repeated their increasingly tired schtick on
every successive release, and in so doing have steadily grown into
one of the most boring bands in extreme metal. Of course, their
juggernaut-like popularity would suggest that a fair number of you
don't share my opinion, but that's besides the point.
_Soundtrack to Your Escape_ is In Flames' seventh full-length outing
and immediately captures the band in a more austere mood. The flashy
guitar leads that have become synonymous with their sound have been
all but entirely cast aside, in favour of a more subtle keyboard-led
approach. Indeed, the more sombre atmosphere of _Soundtrack to Your
Escape_ comes especially to the fore on the almost gothic "Dead
Alone" and "Touch of Red" -- tracks that sport driving keyboard
melodies and clean-sung harmonic choruses that hint at a very strong
'80s pop influence.
Now why the generous score, you ask? Well, the simple reason is that
_Soundtrack to Your Escape_ did what I considered unthinkable and
surprised me. It may be overall slightly less heavy than _Reroute to
Remain_, but it's the first time in aeons that In Flames have truly
attempted any sort of experimentation, and thankfully for them, the
results are very enjoyable. Of course, I'd be the first to frown at
the frankly radio-tailored "Evil in the Closet", and at the same
time, the infectious hooks of forthcoming single "The Quiet Place"
and "Dial 595 Escape" bears undeniable appeal.
If you haven't surmised it by now, _Soundtrack to Your Escape_ is
going to split fan opinion in two (possibly) very uneven segments.
Whatever happens though -- kudos to In Flames for coming up with
something this enjoyable at a time when many skeptics had counted
them down.
Contact: http://www.inflames.com
Inspell - _Fairy-tales: Chapter One_
by: James Montague (5 out of 10) (Little Norway Productions, 2003)
Does a black metal band that releases an album called _Fairy-tales_
-- containing song titles like "The Brave Tin Soldier" and "The
Little Match-seller" -- deserve a fair review? The devil on my right
shoulder urges me to launch into a rant about black metal's essence
being raped by power metal fantasia; the devil disguised as an angel
on my left shoulder compels me to judge each case on its merits. The
left shoulder wins, and I must confess that within the constraints of
beautified, emasculated, keyboard-drenched, melodic black metal,
Inspell (right shoulder: "Look at the name! Come ON, man!!") are
doing pretty well.
The first thing these Bulgarians have done right is to recognise that
black metal -- even black metal about Little Red Riding Hood -- is a
form of metal music, and therefore guitars and drums are integral.
The lead guitars are scratchy in the typical early-'90s Norwegian
style, but the solid rhythm guitar and bass give the songs impetus,
while the drumming is an energetic driving force. The vocalist rasps
away in the usual way, and when all is said and done, the metal
component of this album is quite well done.
Of course, in this bastardised form of black metal, the metal must be
smothered in sweet keyboard melodies, mostly in the form of admirable
piano and sickly, squeaky violins (blech!). In certain places -- such
as the five-part "The Snow Queen" -- these extra ingredients are
mixed into the songs creatively, and add to the flavour. In other
songs, such as "The Little Ida's Flowers" (ye gads! What a title!),
the keyboards are sprinkled indiscriminately like so much excess
parsley in a pretentious modern yuppie restaurant.
The album concludes with a Styx cover, so there's no way I could
possibly like it. But I can admire the band's skill and songwriting,
and can recommend Inspell to people who think that Darkthrone is just
shitty garage rock and that Cradle of Filth were the real pioneers of
black metal.
Contact: c/o Nikolay Velev, PO Box 296, Blagoevgrad 2700, Bulgaria
Into Eternity - _Buried in Oblivion_ (Century Media, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit (8 out of 10)
It's been well over a decade, but death metal is growing up, and
regardless of whether or not you think that's a bad thing, the
sizeable influx of quality records from the genre -- particularly
toward the close of last year -- prove that the days of the "shin"
bands are quickly giving way to a newer, more lethal beast. Only one
obstacle could potentially upset this rapid rise to prominence, as
more and more bands rely on speed and the blast beat as the driving
force to everything they do, which begs the question: how long before
it all turns as stale as yesterday's underwear? It's heartening
therefore to see bands like Canada's Into Eternity display the
talent and gumption to fuse diverse elements into their barbaric
incantations, and while their combination of Floridian death and
progressive power metal may not seem instantly appealing on paper, in
practice it is superb. Hinting at Iron Maiden and Dream Theatre at
times, Deicide and Morbid Angel at others, Into Eternity incorporate
their influences into a seamless alchemy that owes as much to
speed as it does to dynamic, ultra-technical leads and mid-tempo
neck-snapping riffs. "Beginning of the End" and "Black Sea of Agony"
stand out as immediate favourites on an overall superb package, which
is only slightly let down at times by a production job that is a tad
thin on the guitars and allows the snare drum to sound tinny.
Elsewhere, "Three Dimensional Aperture" shows off one of the most
infectious vocal hooks you're likely to come across this year -- all
of which helps make _Buried in Oblivion_ an inspiring and refreshing
alternative to the pedal-to-the-floor standard.
Contact: http://www.intoeternity.com
Macabre - _Murder Metal_ (Displeased, 2003)
by: Quentin Kalis (5 out of 10)
How to make a Macabre CD:
1. Pick a serial killer. Any will do.
2. Write darkly humourous and somewhat mocking lyrics about his
crimes.
3. Toss in some simplistic riffs.
4. Add a catchy chorus.
5. Repeat till enough material to produced to fill a CD.
Yes, they are sadly that predictable. The Macabre trio were never the
most accomplished or technical of musicians, but compensated for
their musical shortcomings through the creation of a unique sound and
the adoption of a then fairly novel lyrical obsession with serial
murderers. But what once were mere defining elements have degenerated
into a formula that is adhered to almost religiously. The ubiquitous
black humour of the lyrics is likely to produce a smile -- they may
even generate a snigger -- but the joke fades fast and one is left
with the music, which is sadly lacking. Macabre are not one of those
bands that undergo Ulverian shifts in sound, but even to a Marduk
fanatic the albums would sound too similar to each other -- the only
substantial change has been the dumping of the more punk-like
elements present in their initial efforts.
To end on a positive point, the bass notes are easily distinguishable
and it is placed on an equal footing with the other instruments in
the mix; after years of listening largely to trebly black metal,
where the bass may as well not be there at all, and its sidelining in
most death metal, it is a pleasure to actually hear an extreme metal
album with such a distinct bass. This however does not somehow
magically transform _Murder Metal_ into a worthwhile purchase, and
the interested reader is encouraged to investigate classics such as
_Grim Reality_ or _Sinister Slaughter_ rather then purchase this
recycled drivel.
Contact: http://www.murdermetal.com
Monster Magnet - _Monolithic Baby!_ (SPV Records, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit (9 out of 10)
Monster Magnet are the saviours of rock 'n' roll. In fact, check
that. Monster Magnet -are- rock 'n' roll. Period. Fuck The Darkness
and their faux-spandex, bucktoothed grins plastered across every TV
music channel. Fuck Axl Rose and his mythical Chinese Democracy.
Monster Magnet are the real deal: a band that exudes the hedonistic,
vital pulse of rock 'n' roll like no other, and if their previous
offerings haven't convinced you, then _Monolithic Baby!_ offers the
final shard of evidence to underpin their genius. Continuing in the
vein of 1998's _Powertrip_ and eschewing the over-production of
2000's _God Says No_, this is a gloriously filthy behemoth of an
album, well-played and devilishly clever in its simplicity. While
largely stripped of the psychedelic shades that characterised some of
the band's previous work, songs like "Too Bad" and "On the Verge"
still betray Dave Wyndorf's penchant for experimenting with diverse
sounds and textures. At its heart though, _Monolithic Baby!_ is all
about big, in-your-face verbosity; the kind of music that is best
enjoyed at maximum volume, with as little forethought as possible. To
this end, _Monolithic Baby!_ requires no further analysis, save to
say that after three years of label woes and uncertainty, it's good
to see Monster Magnet back and as strong as ever.
Contact: http://www.monstermagnet.net
On Thorns I Lay - _Egocentric_ (Black Lotus, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 10)
It only took one listen to _Egocentric_'s opener "Life Can Be" for
contradictions to arise in my mind: from a reviewer's perspective, I
immediately loathed this new incarnation of On Thorns I Lay for
copying present day Katatonia so unashamedly; but the catchiness of
the track was undeniable and reasonably pleasant, and one must
surely possess some skill in order to achieve that. _Egocentric_'s
similarity to Katatonia initially seemed my most likely target
for criticism, in spite of the apparently decent quality of the
album. How ironic then that it was never again felt as much as
on the first couple of tracks, and that this would prove to
be _Egocentric_'s undoing. As the similarities faded, the album
correspondingly descended into an anonymous, unremarkable mush
of trendy pseudo-depressed, half-acoustic rock. Some tracks on
_Egocentric_ fell below the limits of my patience, while others were
just about average; ultimately, I ended up actually missing the kind
of blatant lack of originality found in the aforementioned "Life Can
Be" for the rest of the album. This isn't to say the rest of
_Egocentric_ is a very original affair: it's mostly the influences
that change and become much less interesting. Only the last couple of
tracks recaptures some of the album's initial interest, and they even
do so without having to resort to any great lack of originality. On
Thorns I Lay have come a long way from their early experimental days
of _Sounds of Beautiful Experience_, _Orama_ and _Crystal Tears_;
having previously toyed with interesting ideas but still falling
short of the target, six albums into their career On Thorns I Lay
just seem confused as to where they want to take their music.
Contact: http://www.onthornsilay.com
The Duskfall - _Source_ (Black Lotus, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
Still haven't had enough of mid-era In Flames? Longing for something
more in that vein, only more death-metal-oriented? Then you are one
of those who would do well to purchase _Source_. The Duskfall are
undeniably good at their craft, which involves Swedish buzzsaw
riffing and melodic hooks aplenty, and end up sounding a bit like
mid-era In Flames on a death/thrash day most of the time. Tracks like
"Striving to Have Nothing" and "Not a Good Sign" are damn good, even
with so many bands playing a similar style. Clocking in at a mere 33
minutes, the album certainly doesn't overstay its welcome; and while
the remaining tracks fail to shine as much as those I mentioned
before, they still remain entertaining enough. With two cracking
tracks and a very decent offering overall, The Duskfall now dangle
between the oblivion of being just another band in an overcrowded
genre or actually coming up with an entire album of material as good
as the best songs on _Source_ next time -- and that would definitely
take them to a different level. For the time being, Corporation 187's
_Perfection in Pain_ remains my pick of the year for Swedish
death/thrash.
Contact: http://www.theduskfall.com
The Forsaken - _Traces of the Past_ (Century Media, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10)
The Forsaken's debut _Manifest of Hate_ propelled them into
vertiginous heights in my expectations; after an unusually high
number of listens spanning several months, I ranked them as perhaps
-the- most exciting prospect in Swedish death metal. Along came their
second album _Arts of Desolation_, and I found myself mildly
disappointed by the band's turn toward American influences. Although
a very competent album, _Arts of Desolation_ fell short of the
staying power and enjoyability possessed by its predecessor. This
takes us to the Swedes' latest effort, _Traces of the Past_, an album
I obviously met with mixed expectations. In most ways, it has turned
out for the better: there's less American riffing, more enthusiasm in
their vibrant form of technically sharp, energetic death metal, and
overall _Traces of the Past_ is closer to the level of accomplishment
found in _Manifest of Hate_. On the other hand, however, the sheer
catchiness of _Manifest of Hate_ is yet to be reproduced by the band
-- although this one is even more impressive as far as the
technicality of its guitar work is concerned. I still have a bit of a
gripe with the vocalist's phrasing of the lyrics, but his work is
otherwise very adequate. Ultimately, _Traces of the Past_ is more
accomplished than its predecessor, but only just enough to stay with
an 8.5 (they would have received a lower rating had they stagnated).
The Forsaken have nonetheless reaffirmed their place as one of
Sweden's premier death metal acts today; whether they will ever be
able to find that ellusive extra inspiration to create their own
_Slaughter of the Soul_ remains to be seen.
Contact: http://www.theforsaken.net
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Scoring: 5 out of 5 -- A flawless demo
4 out of 5 -- Great piece of work
3 out of 5 -- Good effort
2 out of 5 -- A major overhaul is in order
1 out of 5 -- A career change is advisable
Before the Rain - _...And With the Day Dying Light_
by: James Montague (3.5 out of 5)
Those of you still mourning the death of In the Woods... have
probably invested many a wasted dollar in the search for a
replacement. Many of those cash cows (heifers, more like) have silly
names like Beyond the Dusk, After the Dawn, or When Sleet Turns to
Snow. Before the Rain keeps this daft tradition alive, but is the
first band I've heard that might -- just might -- have the potential
to fill the massive hole left by the Norwegian crackpots.
This Portuguese quintet came to being in 1997, as an acoustic duo.
They decided to go electric to get the full weight required for a
proper feeling of doom; unfortunately they also discovered a love of
noisy guitar feedback that blights the recording from time to time.
Most of the pieces are in place, though: thoughtful, melancholy lead
guitar; competent clean vocals that ocassionally overdo the woe-is-me
factor (but wasn't this also one of In the Woods...' guilty
displeasures?); and a generally slow pace. Occasionally the band will
throw in a crushing riff and some death growls -- just to get the
blood pumping again -- but these three lengthy songs are decidedly
down-tempo, and not too heavy for the most part.
Quite an impressive blend of soul and grunt, Beyond the Rain is one
to look out for if you're into melodic doom... and you-know-who.
Contact: http://doom-metal.com/bandlist_entry.php?id=28
Gates of Dis - _notammargarteT_
by: James Montague (1 out of 5)
The band member who sent me this demo proudly proclaimed it as "the
worst demo ever -- a bunch of stoned daemons playing Beherit and
Countess songs". The latter part of this description is apt -- they
do sound like devotees of the two underground legends -- but
apparently not everyone agrees on the former, as they actually
managed to find a Danish label to release this demo on CD-R. God only
knows how: I guess these days it's easy to market any old noise as
cult black metal, just as it's easy to take some warbling cow, team
her up with a failed jazz pianist, and market the result as
"contemporary adult pop" for those who want to follow the trends but
are worried that their investment banker friends might laugh at them
if they listen to Christina Aguilera. But I digress... the point I
have just veered from is that Gates of Dis are woefully inadequate at
their instruments / vocal chords, and although technical proficiency
has never been a requirement for black metal, it helps if you are at
least capable of expressing whatever the hell it is you're trying to
say. And when covering a Beherit song ("Gate of Nanna"), it helps
if the vocalist knows at which point to come in; clearly the
cannabinoids were having more than enough of the desired effect by
this point in the recording. Don't even get me started on the
drummer, who makes Capricornus look like Flo Mounier; he clearly
hasn't a clue, or has been getting the best shit in his spliff.
Now, this vehement criticism does not mean I agree with the
assessment of "worst demo ever". I've managed to write more than two
sentences about _notammargarteT_, which immediately makes it more
interesting than 80% of the demos I listen to. It is certainly the
most incompetent recording I've received, but dammit, it is quite a
laugh. Just listen to "Invocation", a Satanic version of the Lord's
Prayer -- you gotta admire anyone who does that after pressing the
REC button. And hell, at least they're fucking up in an appealing
manner. I always say: if you're going to butcher something, make sure
you butcher the classics.
Contact: http://rustyaxedistro.tk
Ulcerate - _The Coming of Genocide_
by: Quentin Kalis (3.5 out of 5)
The first thing I noticed upon receiving this demo was that the
booklet has a very professional look to it, superior to many booklets
released by labels who presumably have comparatively more money
to play around with then these New Zealanders. My expectations
were immediately raised, and to a certain extent, Ulcerate don't
disappoint. The production is markedly superior to most other demos
-- even better than some (non-black metal) CDs. For an act at the
demo stage, they are also a fairly tight unit. The music is well
performed, competent and well written lyrically and musically, but it
is also incredibly generic, whose spectre affects many brutal death
and underground black metal acts. Although it will hardly be a
terrible listen for ears weened on extreme metal, the sameness of the
music to many other acts will make this a hard album to remember.
Though highly listenable, it is also but also highly forgettable.
Undoubtedly, they will probably sooner rather than later be picked up
by a label, but if they want to hit the big-time (relatively
speaking, of course) a more distinctive and personal touch will be
needed.
Contact: http://www.ulcerate.orcon.net.nz
Walpurgisnacht - _Moerasghesomp_
by: Jackie Smit (4 out of 5)
Grim and necro are very definitely the order of the day on
Walpurgisnacht's maiden offering -- a rehearsal demo that the band
claim will be a true revelation to old-school black metal fans. The
influence of Mayhem, Darkthrone and early Satyricon is indeed strong
on the cold, aggressive songs contained on this disc, but to their
credit Walpurgisnacht manage to sound as relatively unique as one can
reasonably expect of a band in this genre, despite the obvious
rehearsal quality of the recording. Clearly a tremendous amount of
talent is at work in this band -- some followers of the European
black metal underground might even recognize drummer Marchosias from
his work in Grimm, Zwartkkerij and Cirith Gorgor. While this doesn't
quite top the ominous majesty of Benighted's last demo, you can
comfortably tick off Walpurgisnacht as a name to keep an eye on in
the future.
Contact: http://www.walpurgisnacht.tk
WindSeeker - _By the Seed of the Same God_
by: Pedro Azevedo (3.5 out of 5)
This Italian quintet started out as a power metal outfit with their
first demo _Breath, Light and Hope_. A few years past, _By the Seed
of the Same God_ showcases a thrashier, more aggressive approach to
their music -- at least according to WindSeeker's biography. You will
find quite a bit of Nevermore and Iced Earth in WindSeeker's
relatively modern-sounding power/thrash, with some prog influences
thrown into the mix here and there. The band members are technically
proficient, the clean singing is competent, and the occasional
harsher vox just decent. Production-wise WindSeeker have found a
reasonable balance considering this is only a demo CD, though when
their singer hits his higher notes the sound comes out rather strange
to my ears. Overall, WindSeeker are at a stage where they are
competent as a band, able to create some good tunes and reasonably
entertaining songs, and now need to excel a bit more as far as really
capturing the listener. In any case, these guys look like they might
be a good band in the making.
Contact: http://www.windseeker.it
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S A D E Y E S Q U E S T I O N F U T U R E
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Arch Enemy and Akercocke at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
December 16th 2003
by: Adam Lineker
It has been very satisfying watching Arch Enemy win over the
mainstream metal press with their last two records, especially
because they are now touring accessibly in Great Britain. This
billing with Akercocke was the third time I have seen the band live,
and after witnessing a storming performance at Donington Park (May
31st 2003), I had very high expectations. However, on a night full of
the unexpected, it was hard to ignore the sense of something amiss in
the Arch Enemy camp.
The gig started in suitably explosive fashion. As the venue was
packed to the rafters it didn't need much to create atmosphere, but
Akercocke made an inspired effort, with all their eerie red lights
and possessed facial contortions. As the chants of their intro tape
grew louder, the band worked themselves up into a frenzy, only to be
immediately thwarted by the guitar amp conking out after the very
first note, and leaving a jocular Jason Mendonca to save face in
front of a crowd who were almost on the floor with mirth, as the
frontman's London accent quickly transformed him into a more sharply
dressed Nigel Tufnell.
However, proceedings were quickly back on track and Akercocke
restarted their set, assaulting the crowd with a relentless half hour
of undefined, passionate bludgeon. Maybe their sound man was having a
bad one, but I barely recognised anything in their set, and it seemed
that most of my favourite songs were left out; the fact that the band
segued many songs into each other didn't help. I probably should have
acquired their current _Choronzon_ opus before the show. However, I
took great pleasure in watching the band's physical performance, and
David Gray's effortless drumming was among the finest musical
displays I've witnessed.
Having milled around individually during Akercocke's brief but
violent set, Arch Enemy made a confident collective appearance
onstage, kicking into "The First Deadly Sin" with conviction. Having
overdosed on their recent _Anthems of Rebellion_ opus, I was
expecting the show to be a visceral and triumphant display of musical
prowess from a metal band whose time has arrived. I was brought
down to earth with an uncomfortable bump by what was actually
delivered. The band played their metal as solidly as expected,
with the virtuoso Chris Amott and bass-monster Sharlee D'Angelo
giving inspired performances. The band took the atmosphere up to a
satisfying level, working the crowd with newer songs such as "We Will
Rise" and "Instinct". Yet despite these achievements, there were
evident problems that became more so as the set progressed. Aside
from the rather short and patchy set, the sound often seemed
hopelessly over-distorted, marring the melodic intricacies of the
music. Although this may seem like a rather bizarre criticism from a
dedicated metal lover, everything was simply too loud to preserve any
form of clarity and the vocals were often buried. Angela Gossow,
despite performing with her usual fire and passion, vexed me with
Slipknot impressions whenever the music stopped. Gone was the cool
and professional frontwoman who told the soundman here to get his
shit together on the last tour; this incarnation addressed the
audience entirely in growled tones and said Fuckin MuthaFuckas. A
lot. However, this might have been good, wholesome, metal fun, were
it not for the killjoy demeanour of Mike Amott. Staring moodily at
his feet and seeming to go through the motions, the flame-haired
guit-artiste was an introverted and disconcerting presence over stage
left. I wasn't the only one to notice this. As the show progressed, I
noticed more and more people looking at each other and shrugging
their shoulders, debating the possible cause of this apparent attack
of disinterest.
It is quite possible that the band were having an off night, which is
an understandable occurrence for any group of working musicians on
tour, but nobody wants to pay money to go and see a band that look
like they've other things to be doing from the moment they get
onstage. I'm not interested in starting up the rumour mill about
Amott and Gossow's relationship here on CoC, so I'll express my
confidence that this distracted vibe was caused by knowledge of
forthcoming cancellations that affected the rest of the UK tour.
Still, despite my love for Arch Enemy, I left King Tut's underwhelmed
and crestfallen. The band that totally ruled at Donington 2003 just
knocked about some of my favourite metalworks of the recent years
without any real heart.
As the era of the old Metal Gods draws to a close, we look to
champion new ones. On this performance Arch Enemy seemed touchable,
not much more than a decent band doing the rounds.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best Albums of 2003
Back with a vengeance after a brief hiatus in 2002, the CoC Album of
the Year competition has crowned a new champion for 2003: Melechesh,
whose prodigious album _Sphynx_ shattered all competition. Naglfar's
_Sheol_ was second both in terms of total points and individual votes
(i.e. number of individual lists mentioned in), with Mourning
Beloveth and The Crown completing the top four. Also worth a look is
Behemoth's _Zos Kia Cultus_, which in spite of a relatively modest
tenth place in the overall list still managed an impressive tie for
third spot in the Most Consensual Album chart. The lists:
CoC Writers' Best Albums of 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
2. Naglfar - _Sheol_
3. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
4. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
5. Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_
6. Hate Forest - _Purity_
=. Drudkh - _Forgotten Legends_
8. Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_
=. Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_
10. Behemoth - _Zos Kia Cultus - Here and Beyond_
=. Burnt By The Sun - _The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good_
CoC Writers' Most Consensual Albums of 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
2. Naglfar - _Sheol_
3. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
=. Behemoth - _Zos Kia Cultus - Here and Beyond_
5. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
=. Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_
=. Hate Forest - _Purity_
=. Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_
=. Morbid Angel - _Heretic_
=. Vital Remains - _Dechristianize_
Gino Filicetti's Top 8
1. Drudkh - _Forgotten Legends_
2. Ulfsdalir - _Grimnir_
3. Hate Forest - _Purity_
4. Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_
5. Blut Aus Nord - _The Work Which Transforms God_
6. Burnt by the Sun - _The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good_
7. Nargaroth - _Geliebte des Regens_
8. 1349 - _Liberation_
Pedro Azevedo's Top 10
1. Aurora - _Dead Electric Nightmares_
2. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
3. Elend - _Winds Devouring Men_
4. Corporation 187 - _Perfection in Pain_
5. Behemoth - _Zos Kia Cultus - Here and Beyond_
6. Vital Remains - _Dechristianize_
7. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
8. The Haunted - _One Kill Wonder_
9. Naglfar - _Sheol_
10. Hate Forest - _Purity_
Adrian Bromley's Top 10
1. The Old Dead Tree - _The Nameless Disease_
2. Darkthrone - _Hate Them_
3. Hammers of Misfortune - _The August Engine_
4. Anathema - _A Natural Disaster_
5. Dead Soul Tribe - _A Murder of Crows_
6. Ephel Duath - _The Painter's Palette_
7. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
8. Type O Negative - _Life Is Killing Me_
9. The Mars Volta - _De-Loused in the Comatorium_
10. Darkest Hour - _Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation_
Paul Schwarz's Top 10
1. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
2. Keelhaul - _Subject to Change Without Notice_
3. The Meads of Asphodel - _Exhuming the Grave of Yeshua_
4. Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_
5. Axis of Perdition - _The Ichneumon Method_
6. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
7. Dissection - _Live Legacy_
8. The Haunted - _One Kill Wonder_
9. Desaster - _Divine Blasphemies_
10. Nevermore - _Enemies of Reality_
Aaron McKay's Top 10
1. Fleshgrind - _Murder Without End_
2. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
3. Coercion - _Lifework_
4. Hatebreed - _The Rise of Brutality_
5. Strapping Young Lad - _SYL_
6. Behemoth - _Zos Kia Cultus - Here and Beyond_
7. Naglfar - _Sheol_
8. Misery Index - _Retaliate_
9. Project: Failing Flesh - _Beautiful Sickness_
10. Vital Remains - _Dechristianize_
David Rocher's Top 10
1. Funeral Mist - _Salvation_
2. Naglfar - _Sheol_
3. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
4. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
5. Moonsorrow - _Kivenkantaja_
6. Leviathan - _Far Beyond the Light_
7. Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_
8. The Wake - _Ode to My Misery_
9. Dimmu Borgir - _Death Cult Armageddon_
10. Behemoth - _Zos Kia Cultus - Here and Beyond_
Matthias Noll's Top 10
1. Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_
2. Hate Forest - _Purity_
3. Drudkh - _Forgotten Legends_
4. Disfear - _Misantrohpic Generation_
5. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
6. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
7. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
8. Desaster - _Divine Blasphemies_
9. Revenge - _Triumph, Genocide, Antichrist_
10. Ulfsdalir - _Grimnir_
Alvin Wee's Top 10
1. King Diamond - _The Puppet Master_
2. Iron Maiden - _Dance of Death_
3. Naglfar - _Sheol_
4. Serpens Aeon - _Dawn of Kouatl_
5. Leviathan - _The Tenth Sub-Level of Suicide_
6. Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_
7. Vital Remains - _Dechristianize_
8. Khanate - _Things Viral_
9. Morbid Angel - _Heretic_
10. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
Chris Flaaten's Top 10
1. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
2. Swallow the Sun - _The Morning Never Came_
3. Edge of Sanity - _Crimson II_
4. Moonsorrow - _Kivenkantaja_
5. Draconian - _Where Lovers Mourn_
6. Slumber - _Formless Serenity_ (demo)
7. The Provenance - _Still at Arms Length_
8. Strapping Young Lad - _SYL_
9. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
10. Windir - _Likferd_
Quentin Kalis' Top 10
1. Dimmu Borgir - _Death Cult Armageddon_
2. Solefald - _In Harmonia Universali_
3. Akercocke - _Choronzon_
4. Opeth - _Damnation_
5. Zyklon - _Aeon_
6. Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_
7. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
8. Behemoth - _Zos Kia Cultus - Here and Beyond_
9. Naglfar - _Sheol_
10. Moonspell - _The Antidote_
James Montague's Top 10
1. Destr�yer 666 - _Terror Abraxas_
2. Skyforger - _Thunderforge_
3. Misery's Omen - _Misery's Omen_
4. Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_
5. Elend - _Winds Devouring Men_
6. Negura Bunget - _n crugu bradului_
7. Darkthrone - _Hate Them_
8. Morbid Angel - _Heretic_
9. Satanic Warmaster - _Opferblut_
10. Portal - _Seepia_
Jackie Smit's Top 10
1. Burnt by the Sun - _The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good_
2. Krisiun - _Works of Carnage_
3. Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_
4. Morbid Angel - _Heretic_
5. Zyklon - _Aeon_
6. Tomahawk - _Mit Gas_
7. Misery Index - _Retaliate_
8. Akercocke - _Choronzon_
9. Nevermore - _Enemies of Reality_
10. Alchemist - _Austral Alien_
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DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically
distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews,
album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages of Chronicles
of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of
chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to electronic/noise
to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles of Chaos is dedicated
to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie
bands who send us material, as well as interviews with a select
number of independent acts.
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #71
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included work. All rights reserved.
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