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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, November 18, 2000, Issue #50
http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley
Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Assistant Copy Editor / Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Alex Cantwell
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Gabriel Sanchez
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault
The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at
firstname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com ("firstname" must be replaced by the
respective writer's first name, e.g. Gino@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).
NOTE: You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by
sending a blank e-mail to <Unsubscribe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the
Details section at the end of this issue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #50 Contents, 11/20/00
----------------------------
- Loud Letters
- Deadly Dialogues
-- Cradle of Filth: Ressurrection of the Filth
-- Cannibal Corpse: Death Metal Goes Live
-- Soulfly: Cavalera Finds Power in _Primitive_
-- Corrosion of Conformity: Evolution Calling
-- Hin Onde: Songsmiths of Battle
-- Impaled: And Now For Some -More- Gore...
-- Antaeus - _Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan_
-- Bealiah - _Dark_
-- Burial - _Enlightened With Pain_
-- Carnal Forge - _Firedemon_
-- Chalice - _Chronicles of Dysphoria_
-- Clan of Xymox - _Live_ and _Liberty_
-- Clandestine Blaze - _Night of the Unholy Flames_
-- Various - _Coalescence_
-- Coh Nia - _That Which Remains_
-- Gothica - _Gothica_
-- Institut - _Great Day to Get Even_
-- Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio - _Make Love & War / The Wedlock of
Roses_
-- Council of the Fallen - _Council of the Fallen_
-- Cradle of Filth - _Midian_
-- Dammercide - _Link_
-- Damnation - _Resist_
-- Various - _Dead Zeppelin - A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin_
-- Deicide - _Insineratehymn_
-- Desolate - _Eventide of the Orb and Heavens_
-- Diaboli - _Anthems of Sorrow_
-- Diachronia - _XX's Decline_
-- Dodgin' Bullets - _World Wide War_
-- Various - _Economi$ed_
-- Enslaved - _Mardraum - Beyond the Within_
-- Eternal Tears of Sorrow - _Chaotic Beauty_
-- Fate - _No Sense_
-- Firebird - _Firebird_
-- Galloping Coroners - _Dancing With the Sun_
-- Glacial Fear - _Fetish Parade_
-- Halford - _Resurrection_
-- Hin Onde - _Songs of Battle_
-- Hypnosia - _Extreme Hatred_
-- Hysteresis - _Screen Anarkia_
-- Iblis - _Axiom_
-- Illdisposed - _Retro_
-- Various - _In the Sign of the Horns - A Tribute to Venom_
-- In the Woods... - _Three Times Seven on a Pilgrimage_
-- Judas Iscariot - _Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_
-- Malevolent Creation - _Envenomed_
-- Mandatory - _Mandatory_
-- Mayhem - _Mediolanum Capta Est_
-- Merzbow - _Door Open at 8 AM_
-- Monstrosity - _In Dark Purity_
-- MSBR / Kengo Iuchi - <split>
-- Napalm Death - _Enemy of the Music Business_
-- Nargathrond - _Carnal Lust and Wolfen Hunger_
-- Nevermore - _Dead Heart in a Dead World_
-- Nile - _Black Seeds of Vengeance_
-- Nyctophobic - _Insects_
-- Opus Forgotten - _Demon of Destruction_ 7"
-- Pandemia - _Spreading the Message_
-- Point of Recognition / Cast in Stone / Torn in Two -
_Now the Tables Have Turned_ (split)
-- Ram-Zet - _Pure Therapy_
-- Ravenous - _Phoenix_
-- Serpent Obscene - _Serpent Obscene_
-- Sophya - _The Age of Sophya_
-- Stampin' Ground - _Carved From Empty Words_
-- Symbiosis - _Crisis_
-- The Cassandra Complex - _Wetware_
-- White Skull - _Public Glory, Secret Agony_
-- Witch Hunt - _Souls Enshrouded Fire_
-- Zenite - _Brutal Enigmatic Prophecie_
-- Zona - _Splattiparty_
-- Absurd - _Beyond the Dawn_
-- Fallacy - _Martirios_
-- Mahavatar - _Demo 2000_
-- Declaring War on the Underground: Mayhem and Aeternus in London
-- Judgement Night: Anathema in Manchester
-- Halloween Havoc: Macabre in Canada
- What We Have Cranked
- Details
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Correction #1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to apologise to all readers for the grave error I
made in my Dismember story which appeared in CoC #48. In my
over-zealousness to characterise Chris Reifert as "The Midas of death
metal" I remarked that he was -not- involved in Abscess. This is
quite wrong, he is a key member of Abscess. Sorry, please hurl abuse
as you see fit to Paul@ChroniclesOfChaos.com -- Paul Schwarz
Correction #2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In our review of Quo Vadis' _Day Into Night_, we erroneously reported
that they were unsigned. In fact, they are signed to Hypnotic
records. CoC regrets the error.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
M""MMMMMMMM dP
M MMMMMMMM 88
M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP dP .d888b88
M MMMMMMMM 88' `88 88 88 88' `88
M MMMMMMMM 88. .88 88. .88 88. .88
M M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8
MMMMMMMMMMM
M""MMMMMMMM dP dP
M MMMMMMMM 88 88
M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b.
M MMMMMMMM 88ooood8 88 88 88ooood8 88' `88 Y8ooooo.
M MMMMMMMM 88. ... 88 88 88. ... 88 88
M M `88888P' dP dP `88888P' dP `88888P'
MMMMMMMMMMM
This is the column where we print those lovely letters our readers
decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative,
ignorant or just plain spelled wrong, you can rest assured that
they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own
letter here, e-mail it to <mailto:LoudLetters@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
All letters received will be featured in upcoming issues of
Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2000
From: "Zaraza / Corridor Of Cells" <zaraza_doom@hotmail.com>
Subject: ZARAZA news
Hi Gino,
this is Jacek from Zaraza.
I would like to let you know that we have decided to release our
debut CD "Slavic Blasphemy" (which you had chosen as one of the
Top 10 Albums of 1998) into public domain via our MP3 site at
http://wwww.mp3.com/zaraza.
We have come to the conclusion that this is the best way for extreme
music to be truly accessible. Putting out a CD and then seeing the
distributors and record stores rip off our listeners by tripling its
price (we sold the CD to distributors for $7 and saw it in HMV for
$22.99) finally got us pissed off. We'd rather offer the music for
free via MP3 and the actual CD via cheap mailorder directly from us
then play this game. Extreme music should be more about music than
about money, at least in our opinion.
All future Zaraza releases will be done in the same manner, i. freee.
MP3 download as well as hi-fi CD for a cheap price.
If you could mention this action in your zine and point your readers
to our MP3 site at mp3.com/zaraza it would be MUCH appreciated. We
want to get the word out about this as much as possible.
Cheers,
Jacek
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2000
From: Paul Schwarz <Paul@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>
Subject: SR Prozak and Black Sabbath
In response to S.R. Prozak's comments concerning Black Sabbath, here
quoted.
'But something made metal distinct - an internal selectivity? Look at
why metal emerged from history. There were all these people making a
good income with progressive rock and "70s" style neo-bluegrass disco
cheese. Why be "hateful" and "dark" and "occult"? Black Sabbath,
until the Christians dragged them down, *did* have an artistic
suggestion in mind for the times - to abandon the way of thinking
that had even infested all of the 1960s movements that had become
commerce. These first metal musicians, like metal musicians now,
hated the transparent world of material control (religion, society,
state) and the meaningless rules it accumulated, but most of all,
they had a spirit that was - better? - than the one it contrasted.
They wanted to live life to extremes and not fear the "bad" or
"negative," even if that meant a morbid nihilism of accepting death.'
>From Loud Letters, CoC #48.
Now, maybe the Christians -- they are -so- powerful after all
-- "dragged down" Black Sabbath within a year of them becoming
"'hateful' and 'dark' and 'occult'" -- we'll have to wait for Mr.
Prozak's response to be enlightened as to this nugget of "truth" --
but if not then I think I have found somewhat of a flaw in Mr.
Prozak's argument, and all it is is the lyrics to one song.
"Have you ever thought about your soul? Can it be saved?
Or perhaps you think that when you are dead you just stay in your
grave.
Is God just a thought within your head or is he a part of you?
Is Christ just a name that you read in a book when you were in
school?
When you think about death do you lose your breath or do you keep
your cool?
Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope? Do you think
he's a fool?
Well I have seen the truth.
Yes I've seen the light and I've changed my ways.
And I'll be prepared when you're lonely and scared at the end of our
days.
Could it be you're afraid of what your friends might say
If they knew you believed in God above?
They should realize before they criticize that God is the only way to
love.
Is your mind so small that you have to fall
In with the pack wherever they run?
Will you still sneer when death is near
And say that you may as well worship the sun.
I think it is true it was people like you that crucified Christ
I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced.
Will you be so sure when your day is near say you don't believe?
You had the chance but you turned it down now you can't retrieve.
Perhaps you'll think before you say God is dead and gone
Open your eyes, just realize that he is the one,
The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate.
Or will you jeer at all you hear?
Yes! I think it's too late."
"After Forever" from Master of Reality, 1971
Irony? Not in my opinion.
>From Paul
Afterthought: In case you meet someone you really don't like, carry
around a printed copy of the following -- the summary to S.R.
Prozak's heavy metal FAQ (http://www.anus.com/hsc/hcl/mfaq.html) --
it will not only display how 'hateful' and 'dark' you feel towards
them, but will also keep them confused and frustrated for hours more
than you need to do a runner.
"Summary: This FAQ explores the development of heavy metal as a
musical movement through theory and ideology, the primary influences
on its growth, which seeks to overcome the negative through an
existential nihilism that leads to self motivated philosophies,
a transformation rooted in the self-dependent mythos of the
culture and its association with occultist post-moral behavioral
structures. Metal as a pattern of thought is a rebellion within
postmodern ideology from structured cyclicism to structuralist
dynamicism, effectively extending the principles of modernism to
a post-relativity universe through a focus on transcendental
kineticism, individual participation in postmoral experience, and
chaotic mass destruction; it could be called an information systems
theory approach. Similarly the revolution in music theory from metal
is the extension of harmony from cyclic theatricism (wagnerianism)
into melody for artistic, pure, complex experimentation. Subcultural
genres such as metal are one of the few ways postmodern and
existential thought enter mainstream life, as a meta-theory to
politics and sociology."
>From Paul
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000
From: Jason Milburn <violentforce@earthlink.net>
Subject: kudos, nice zine
Just letting you know I liked the last issue, you guys write
intelligent and thought out reviews, which is nice compared to some
other indie zines. We will be sending you a couple discs we would
like to see reviewed in your next issue. They'll go out on Monday:
Vessel, and Broken Free: Conducting The Sunrise on Burning Records.
Can't wait to hear what you think.
Jason Milburn
www.burningrecords.com
Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2000
From: TorturedDeath@aol.com
Subject: No Subject
I'd like to start by commenting on #49's editorial. I, as well as
probably a few other CoC readers, don't just read an issue and delete
it. I squeeze the pages into two columns in a small font and print it
out and bind it with staples. Then when I'm done reading it, I GIVE
it to my friends. It's like a newspaper with me. Newspapers are read
four times more than they are sold. So I'd advise all you CoC readers
to do the same.
Anyway, I'm sure we'd all like to augment the metal scene around us.
I'm also sure that a lot of CoC readers play in bands, book shows, or
work hard to build the metal scene around him or her. This is the
best way to create new metal fans. Though my own experiences, I've
learned that you can't just play a Nuke Assault CD for a potential
metal fan and expect him to say "awesome!" The only thing I found
that works is a kick-ass metal show. But we still can't forget that
as long as metal stays primarily underground, it will never die. If
you haven't already, I urge you to get involved with your local music
scene; you owe it to heavy metal! Metal is by the fans and for the
fans! Keep it that way!
-Josh Perrin
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R E S S U R E C T I O N O F T H E F I L T H
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Dani of Cradle of Filth
by: Adrian Bromley
"Each Cradle Of Filth release is different from the rest of
them. You can never really compare an album [to another], especially
when you are in the band. Each album has its own flavour to us. It
brings back many memories", starts CoF singer Dani Filth about the
difference between the new disc _Midian_ [reviewed in this issue] and
their past recordings. "I can remember back to _Dusk And Her Embrace_
[CoC #16] and everything that surrounded that. The atmospheres, the
band reactions to one another and just where we were at the time. All
of these memories don't come as a blur, you know. Each one is very
important to what we have done as a band. With this new record we had
to prove ourselves because of all the recent departures. There seems
to be a revolving door of sorts with this band and that doesn't
necessarily ring true."
He continues, "It culminated from a series of people leaving the
band and it all had to do with one person, the guitarist [Stuart
Anstsis] in the band. He was the one big problem. He was a great guy
and a great guitar player, but boy didn't he know it. I have never
met someone so up their own ass in my entire life and it just got
worse and worse as time went on. And last year Adrian [Erlandsson,
ex-At the Gates / The Haunted drummer] had barely been in the band
for three months and Gian [Piras, guitarist], he left the band
because he could not cope with things. There were problems. The final
straw was that Robin [Eaglestone, bassist] had approached me and said
that no work was being done and he wanted out of the band -- he just
wanted to write, he didn't want to go through all of the crap we were
facing. The problem was that this guitar player wanted to do all the
work and make music when he felt like it, which was never. He just
sat in front of his computer or played Nintendo all the time."
"Rob said to me, "Look, I'm going, but if you are going to get
rid of Stuart, I'll stand by you 100% and we'll make this work." He
just couldn't deal with it and a decision was made. We sacked Stuart,
but you'd have seen the reasoning behind it all if you had been a
part of this the last six months last year that this was going on. I
admit, I had let it all go. I had just had a baby daughter and my
concentration wasn't fully on the band. I just let it get out of
hand. Then the keyboardist left. So in a round about well of telling
you all of this, the reason still stands that we had to prove
ourselves with this record."
Was Dani worried that all of this was in a downward spiral and
that he wouldn't have been able to keep things afloat for the band?
"Oh yeah", comments Dani. "I really did think that at one point. It
was just getting worse and worse as time went on. Adrian didn't know
what way to turn at the time. He saw all the problems coming in and
he was led to believe that Stuart was the only writing member of the
band. When Stuart was fired, he was wondering what I was doing. He
was unsure of what I did and we didn't even know if he was going to
stay. He was living with the keyboard player at the time <laughs> and
hung out with both him and Stuart over the next two days after all
this happened. I am sure they were both yapping in his ear. A week
later Adrian came down to rehearsals and decided to return to the
band, and the rest is history. We now have Adrian in the band and
Gian and Paul [Allender, who recorded the demos and debut with the
band, and took a five-year break] are back in the band. Martin
[Powell, ex-My Dying Bride keyboardist/violinist] has joined the band
and it just feels like we are firing on all cylinders. It feels like
we have been reborn. It is just like a band that is putting out their
first record. We are feeling a good exciting buzz from this release."
"We have gradually been faced with a large amount of pressure
from each record", he says. "That just happens as the years go along.
But with this record, we knew what we wanted to achieve and just said
fuck it. We knew we were somewhat of a new band with all the new
members working to make music, so let's just fucking write."
Getting a bit in depth about the album title and the concept
behind the record, Dani offers: "After writing a few tracks, we had
decided what we were going to base the record on. The last album we
did a concept record based on Elizabeth Bathory and I remember people
asking us questions like this two years ago on why we did it. Because
it fascinates us. Gian and I have always been interested in the whole
Midian angle of things, this night world and the night breed where
creatures and even people are driven from society and find a place to
reside. It just seems like a real dark fairytale. After we had done a
few songs, it just seemed to click on the use of the name and the
ideas behind it to work for the album. We not only took the biblical
references of the name but also the Clive Barker reference as well.
It seemed compelling for us to go along with this concept and just
travel a bit further into the darkened realms."
And speaking of Clive Barker, CoF managed to snag Douglas
Bradley, the actor who plays Pinhead in Barker's popular cult movie
series "Hellraiser", to do a narrative on the track "Death Magick for
Adepts". How did that come about? "It was true destiny. He was in
Clive Barker's film "Nightbreed", a film based on the Midian concept.
He was the most perfect person to get for this record, although the
situation surrounding him was a little strange. We were both supposed
to be in a film together a year ago, but it never happened. So that
was my first encounter of sorts with him. Then Ingrid Pitt [Hammer
horror film star who was on the band's last full-length recording,
_Cruelty and the Beast_ [CoC #31]] had sent him a copy of the disc
last year for a Christmas gift. We're also starring as a band in this
British horror film [titled "Cradle of Fear"] and he was supposed to
star as this fucked up serial killer, but it didn't happen again.
Those things never came about, but when approached he was more than
delighted to help us out."
"So he came down to the studio, which is a really atmospheric
environment in the middle of the English country", says Dani
accounting the meeting with Bradley. "He came down the day he was
supposed to meet Clive Barker in London and had just arrived from the
United States. It was totally cool. Everyone was shoving "Hellraiser"
memorabilia in his face to sign when he came to the studio and our
producer John Fryer was calling him Pinhead the whole time he was
there. We even had a bust of Pinhead in the control room. It was a
blast to have him be apart of the record."
Seeing that the band has gone through numerous changes, not to
mention varied styles of songwriting and concepts leaking into the
material, how does Dani think the band has evolved over the years?
Have they changed? "In a way it feels like a fresh band, but to me it
seems like we have gone full circle as a band and are back to where
we started. I think we have gotten back the atmosphere we needed and
a renewal of the band's sound. As a band we have matured, though not
mentally. <laughs> I think we have gone backwards there. <laughs
again> I think we have just gotten more headstrong and know what we
want without sounding pretentious. We know what we want to do as a
band and we just want to use all of this youthful energy, vigor and
fire to our advantage. We have already started to write more stuff,
too. I think we have also become mature in a business sense as well.
Most people don't coincide that with being in a band, but it is very
important. We have tried to really understand the makeup of the band,
from the musical level all the way to the business side of things. We
try to understand that at least. <laughs>"
And why are people still interested in the band? "I think it is
better to not understand that to know why people do like your music",
he explains. "If we did think about it and knew what they wanted, we
could say that nu-metal is big so we need to have a riff like that in
our music 'cause the kids will love it. You need to write for
yourself and let the fans decide if they want to follow you and your
musical evolution. You just can't analyze this all."
Has it been a struggle, Dani? Has any luck been involved? "I
think the reason we have gotten to where we are has to do with
destiny. I'd rather call it destiny than luck, it just sounds more
poetic than anything. I'd like to think us being around for so long
has to deal with the hard work of the band. At least I'd like to
think that is the case. We've been lucky on a couple of occasions,
but other than that, we have worked our asses off for this band to
get where it is and get things moving."
He finishes: "There are people out there right now who say we
can't do anything right and are just getting ready to crucify us at
any moment. This band works hard and I could give a fuck what people
say. As a band you have to try and have some originality and I think
we have always aimed to have that. We have always aimed to do that,
we just seem to run into obstacles along the way. It just seems to be
the Cradle of Filth way, doesn't it?"
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
D E A T H M E T A L G O E S L I V E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher of Cannibal Corpse
by: Adrian Bromley
"I am a fan of live records", admits Cannibal Corpse growler
George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher down the line from his home in Florida.
"I think they are cool to do. We were just on tour and we decided to
record. It wasn't like we decided to do a special show or anything
like that."
Unlike many other bands out there who would think twice about
recording something live and dealing with the sound and what have
you, Cannibal Corpse jumped at the opportunity to do one. "I think we
truly captured the live experience of seeing Cannibal Corpse with
_Live Cannibalism_. There are no overdubs on this record. If there
are mistakes on this record, then they are there. I think it
represents us in a live capacity extremely well. Everyone who seems
to hear it thinks it is a good live disc. We're flattered people feel
that way about _Live Cannibalism_. This is a real live record. I
think the success of this record comes from the fact that we took
this live recording for what it was. We didn't go back and fix stuff.
I think we played fairly decent, but nobody is perfect and there will
be mistakes. I like that whole feeling of the record, of us being
recorded at a certain time and just playing the music the best that
we could."
Seeing that reviews and feedback of the new disc have been
rather strong, would the band -- rounded out by bassist Alex Webster,
guitarists Jack Owen and Pat O'Brien and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz --
ever consider doing another one? "You never know. We'd just have to
do a whole lot of different songs on the next one to make it
different from what you got here. We wouldn't rule out doing another
live recording."
A lot of people have been fans of the band since their inception
more than a decade ago, rabidly following the band through such
classic records as _Eaten Back to Life_ (1990), _Butchered at Birth_
(1991) and _Tomb of the Mutilated_ (1992), as well as embracing both
original singer Chris Barnes (who now fronts Six Feet Under) and
Fisher, who replaced him. Why the live record now? Why did it take so
long? "Metal Blade has been talking about it for a long time and many
fans were asking us at the shows about possibly doing one. I think
fans are seeing Deicide and Morbid Angel putting out live records and
they wanted us to do one. We thought about it and heard the feedback
from fans and we took it into consideration. The main reason we did
it was because the fan feedback stated that they wanted one. So we
did. You have to listen to the fans. That is the main reason why we
are here. We are here because we love to play music and to play death
metal and they support us. Why not give them what they want?"
And about the live record experience, was the process fun?
"Playing death metal live is hard to capture. Contrary to some
people's beliefs, it is an extremely challenging form of music. You
can easily capture simple riffs <he hums a few riffs at a slow pace>,
but when you have a song like "Dead Human Collection" with the
complicated riffs, you really have to pay attention to making it all
come together. I don't care what anyone says, I think we captured a
good flow of what a Cannibal Corpse show is like. We knew we were
recording, but you put that in the back of you head and let the
adrenaline take over and let the rush of things just take charge. The
crowd just gets really into it all and you just go for it. It was all
like a real show, except I had to do some sound checks, which I never
do because I like to keep my voice raw, but I had to get all their
sounds levels set. Plus they had cameras also following us around
[for the live video/DVD of the same name] and that was just in your
face all the time. They were filming me shaving and it was fucking
nuts. They had all this behind the scenes stuff of talking to fans
and sound checks and that was just bizarre. That was hard to get used
to. Once the tapes were rolling and the cameras were on, we just did
our thing."
And in closing, I ask, "Any favorite live albums, George?" "Oh
yeah. _Unleashed in the East_ by Judas Priest is probably one of the
all-time greatest live records ever put out. I also like the Sodom
live disc they put out a while ago, and of course Iron Maiden's
classic _Live After Death_. I also think the live Decide disc [_When
Satan Lives_, from 1998] is great too. Glen Benton's vocals are so
fucking powerful. He fucking rules."
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C A V A L E R A F I N D S P O W E R I N _ P R I M I T I V E _
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Max Cavalera of Soulfly
by: Adrian Bromley
Soulfly ringleader/guitarist/songwriter Max Cavalera is on a
mission. His mission? To create hard, vibrant music full of passion,
high on intensity and with no boundaries. Where Max treaded with his
debut a few years back with Soulfly, after his departure from
Sepultura, he makes up the ground and then some with the new disc,
titled _Primitive_.
With a diverse sound, no doubt brought on by collaborations with
Sean Lennon, Slayer's Tom Araya and Corey Taylor (#8 from Slipknot),
_Primitive_ marks a special time in Cavalera's career. He has broken
free from what people have expected from his music and spread his
wings and grown even stronger as a songwriter in the process.
While many metalheads out there will assume the record is geared
toward the Ozz-Fest crowds and their ilk, it is more metal than
people might actually think. But it is more than metal music. It is
music from the heart and the soul. In touch, in sync and unstoppable,
Max Cavalera has returned once again to the music scene with his
music as a pedestal and the words as his weapon. Who'll be left
standing? It's anyone's guess.
After numerous (three!?) times of trying to track down and
schedule and interview with Cavalera and his band -- rounded out by
bassist Marcelo D. Rapp, drummer Joe Nunez and guitarist Mickey
Doling -- the call comes in from Portland, Oregon where Soulfly has
just started their headlining tour in support of the new disc.
Cavalera is excited to be back on the road. I'm just excited that the
call finally happened.
CoC: You have been in this business for along time. You have done a
lot of work through the years to just stay atop of things and in
the scene. It has been rather impressive, from Sepultura's
beginnings onto Soulfly. What kind of things did you want to do
with the new disc that you hadn't done before?
Max Cavalera: I just wanted to continue on with my musical journey
and just be inspired to do different things with what I
created. I wanted to continue the message and the
attitude of Soulfly. I am very happy with the way
_Primitive_ turned out and being able to work with many
great guests on the disc.
CoC: The first Soulfly record, I felt, was about just letting it all
out and going crazy and really showing off the aggressive side
of the band, no doubt music that was spurned forward by events
in your life and what was going on during the inception of the
band. The new record is just about exploring and seeing where it
can go, shown quite vividly with the song ideas and the guest
artists. Did it come together quickly?
MC: This record was very time expanding, but it was all worth it in
the end. I think everything about the record, from the guests to
the cover artwork and the percussionists taking part, just made
it seem like a big movie production. It took a long time and a
lot of ideas came and went, but it is out now and I couldn't be
happier. I am happy with it and I can't wait to hear fan
reactions to the material while on tour and get their feedback to
all of this. I put my heart and soul into this.
CoC: Many say there is a lot of pressure for bands when it comes to
the sophomore disc. Was there pressure?
MC: I didn't feel it at all. I think I made a great record. I'll let
other people judge what I did. All I can say is how it felt right
to do the music found on the disc.
CoC: Where did a lot of the song ideas come from for the new disc?
What inspired you to write?
MC: Musically this album is open to different styles of music, but it
is still heavy, I think. It is experimental heavy, where we go
from song one to twelve and we just mess around with various
ideas. We incorporate reggae, R&B, hardcore, world music and a
bunch of other ideas. Listening to this record for me is like
taking a trip around the world.
CoC: Do you think fans of Max Cavalera and Soulfly have come to
expect a different style of record each time out?
MC: I think they have expected nothing less than this. I think they
would be shocked if one day I just went in and recorded an album
and did nothing on it, you know? Just a straight metal record. I
think that would really shock the shit out of them. It won't
happen, though.
CoC: Let's talk about studio work. How did you go about approaching
things in the studio, like trying new things out? Or did you
just let everything be natural and let it all fall into place?
MC: I learned a lot with this record. I tried out a lot of things,
like sound effects and even trying to alter my vocals by doing a
song with Sean Lennon [on the song "Son Song"]. By working with
Corey Taylor or the rap band Cutthroat Logic, it allowed me to
really try to expand things in the studio. You really learn with
each album. I think you need to have your ears and mind open as
things go along. It has definitely been a learning experience for
me with every record I have done and that is cool with me.
CoC: I have to ask, seeing that it is an odd pairing, how'd you hook
up with Sean Lennon?
MC: It just happened by accident. I think it was fate that just
brought us together. We met in Australia in 1999 during the Big
Day Out festival. He was playing with a band and touring for a
new record. We were sharing the same tour bus, too. He was a fan
of my music and I discovered what he was all about and it was
real cool. While we were making the disc and trying new things
with the band, my wife Gloria suggested I could work with Sean. I
thought about it and came to the conclusion that it would
definitely be the most different thing I have ever done. I am so
glad I pursued this, because I could not be any happier about how
the song came out with him. It is definitely a good surprise for
the fans, I think.
CoC: What if people don't like the song?
MC: I don't really care what people think about the song. I love it.
I'd just say: "Listen to the song before you judge it." Who cares
who is involved or how famous Sean Lennon is? Give the song a
listen. It comes across as real and honest. I'd love to work with
him again. He was the coolest person I have met, I think. It was
a great experience. He is a very humble and a very down to earth
kind of person.
CoC: So would you do a guest spot on his next record?
MC: <laughs> Sure -- I'd just go into the studio and scream my head
off.
CoC: Despite all of the obstacles that you have faced while getting
to this point in your career, you still have a level head and
faced your problems. What has kept you going?
MC: Music. Family. Friends. And of course the tribe, my fans. They
have given me the strength to go on. No band can survive without
a fan base, because they motivate you to continue on and do
things.
CoC: The fan base of the band seems to grow as the years pass.
Soulfly has been a part of several big tours, as well as
headlining tours -- which do you prefer?
MC: I loved the Ozz-Fest. Festivals in Europe are fun. I also like to
tour and play in Brazil and Australia. I love the headlining gigs
a lot, especially while on tour now, because all of the fans are
there 100% for Soulfly. Fans are just so hungry for Soulfly and
it really makes me love touring and playing for the tribe.
CoC: In today's music scene, where mainstream music seems to be out
of control and the underground scene wants nothing to do with
it, where do you see Soulfly fitting in?
MC: I think we are right in the middle of everything. We mix the new
music with the old school music. We are just trying to stay true
to what we believe in and what we want to play. I like new metal,
I like old metal. I like hardcore. I like it all and I want to
play it all. I don't care about scenes. We can be a part of as
many scenes as we want. We'll take young crowds and old crowds --
whomever.
CoC: Many bands feel a lot of strength in what they do. You seem to
have twice that amount of respect and support for your band and
what you do. Why is that?
MC: I just think what I want to do is take what music has given to me
over the years and put that back into Soulfly. I want to let
people experience what I have and be a part of all of this. I
came from a little town in the middle of nowhere in Brazil and my
music made me a world traveler. Therefore I believe that there
is magic in music and that everything is possible. If you
work hard and are determined to get far, then you can have
dreams and actually achieve those dreams. Music has become very
extraordinary for me, because I never thought coming from such a
small, unknown place I would be where I am today.
CoC: How do you think Soulfly is different from what you had achieved
with Sepultura?
MC: I think there's more things going on within the music, stuff I
had been wanting to do for a long time. Sepultura kept on doing
the same ideas and I just wanted more of a change. I never wanted
Sepultura to be one of those bands that, after a while, starts to
become a repetition of what they had done before. It is kind of
like Pantera who have been around so long, but haven't evolved
too much. I never wanted that to happen with my music and that
could have happened with Sepultura if I had stayed with them. The
music would have become old and tiring to the fans. That is why I
play in Soulfly. Playing this music has made me very optimistic
about what I can bring to this band and the music I create.
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E V O L U T I O N C A L L I N G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity
by: Adrian Bromley
I have to admit, the first time I heard Corrosion of
Conformity's (now known solely as CoC [Hmm, sounds familiar -- ed])
new disc _American Volume Dealer_, I was shocked at how grounded and
sedate it was compared to their last few releases like _Deliverance_
(1994) and _Wiseblood_ (1996). Here was a band that had started off
in the true hardcore/punk rock element in the early '80s and grew as
a band, winning over fans and critics along the way into the
mainstream. Would this record be their demise?
Another fan of CoC told me to give it a few more spins, to let
it all seep in and let their sound and message spread like wildfire
before I give my final say on _American Volume Dealer_. I did and I
actually am finding out that I am digging this record much more. It
is still growing on me and I have come to the conclusion that this is
still Corrosion of Conformity. Guitarist/singer Pepper Keenan agrees
too.
"I hope our fans are surprised at what we did here on the new
disc", starts Keenan. "I just don't want them to go, "Oh that is
cool." I don't think they will be surprised in a bad way. I believe
we think just like our fans do when it comes to the music we play."
The one underlying element that has seemed to have been a part
of each CoC offering is that fact that they all bring their own set
standard of CoC and their music, each disc no doubt sounding
different from the past one. _American Volume Dealer_ continues on
with the tradition.
"You just can't be a musician and make the same record [twice].
It just sinks in that that isn't in the cards. This band functions
very intuitively and we know where we have to go and what we have to
do. Without that in check, we'd be lost.
"We are not too careful in the studio with what we are working
on. If a song is headed in a certain direction, like the song "Stare
Too Long" [the slow ballad on the new disc], we don't put it aside or
scrap it. It was just turning into that kind of a song and there was
nothing we could do about it. We had the balls to carry it through
and not try to overly control the tune. I thought, "This is crazy
shit. We've never done this before. If we are going to do this, then
let's do it right." We just let the song go that way. If you end up
trying to control your songwriting, you end up with records that all
sound the same. We don't fucking want that."
Along with fellow members in tow, bassist Mike Dean, drummer
Reed Mullin and guitarist Woody Weatherman, Keenan plans on just
taking things as they come in the new millennium. "We are proud of
what we did here on this disc, but fuck man, we could throw that all
out the window next album and make a blistering punk rock record. We
just go in when making a record, write the songs and just document
the time and the place of the band and where our heads were at during
the recording. It is that simple, bud."
And the significance of the album title? "We just thought it
made a lot of damn sense. Some kid came up to us one time at a show
after seeing us like for the tenth time or so and said that we are
like America's volume dealer. We laughed about it for a while and
then realized he was right. It just stuck and it make sense too."
Success has been a gradual climb for the band, from the raw,
energized days of punk rock (1983's _Eye for an Eye_ and 1984's
_Animosity_) onto the solid, hard rock ditties storming out of CoC in
the '90s, the band has managed to keep pretty grounded. Success
hasn't ruined them.
"We have to be true to ourselves and we know that. We have
always had those thoughts running throughout the band as the years go
on. We need to let fans know that this is what we set out to do and
what we strongly believe in. If they know that, then they can
understand each new record CoC puts out."
He continues: "We have gotten ourselves in a position now where
we can't put out stuff half-assed anymore. I don't care if it takes
four fucking years to make a record. If it takes that long to get the
right record out to the fans, then so be it. When I am old and gray
and look back at all that was accomplished with this band, I can say
that we never bullshitted anyone. We were always straight up with the
music and fans and that is all that matters in the fucking long run."
I mention to Keenan the fact that many fans and critics have
said that this album takes repeated listens to get into. What is his
take on that? "I know what you mean and I have heard that too. But
you have to understand that CoC puts a lot of thought into what
we do. If you put a set of headphones and you listen to the
motherfucker, you'll see where we are coming from. I'll admit that
there is some soft shit on the record. I think whatever people think
hardcore music is, being a band that has grown up hardcore, this is
being hardcore more than anyone else is. This is being hardcore and
willing to put your neck out on the line. This whole recording and
writing process is about that. If not, you do the same fucking record
again and no one wants that. If people want something really popular
and hard and heavy, go buy a fucking Static-X record. People have to
understand there is more to making music than just trying to be
heavy."
Continuing on the same topic, though rounding out the interview,
Keenan says: "All people need to know is that there is a new CoC
record out. It doesn't matter what label it is on or if there is a
single. The record is out. Go buy it, sit back and crank it up. That
is all we ever wanted from all of this. We just wanted to be truthful
to the fans and the music we make and have fun along the way."
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S O N G S M I T H S O F B A T T L E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Wircki of Hin Onde
by: Alvin Wee
Relative newcomers in the underground, Finnish troopers Hin Onde
boast a well-received 7" EP debut _Fiery September Fire_ as well
as members already relatively experienced in the scene. Emerging
from the ashes of an obscure Storm-soundalike called Svartalfheim,
the renamed Hin Onde's down-to-earth folksiness and ambitious
songwriting should garner them no little attention in the underground
press. _Songs of Battle_, their first full-length effort, was
unleashed in August on Norway's Aftermath Music, a promising slab of
Viking heroics reviewed elsewhere in this issue. Thanks to Haavard
at Aftermath, I managed to look up keyboardist Wircki for an
introductory chat, and got some intelligent, mature answers...
CoC: The debut release of Hin Onde is finally out, so you're
effectively leaving the days of Svartalfheim behind now.
Wircki: We have left the Svartalfheim days behind us long time ago.
The Svartalfheim era actually consists just of the very first
weeks of the band's existence. It's quite a meaningless
period in our history, but somehow it always comes up in the
interviews -- I guess it's a price you'll have to pay for
changing the band's name, hah. It was a time when the band
was not that serious yet, our first "demo" was released but
it was like our third rehearsal recorded with a four-tracker,
so not a very serious effort by any means. At the time we
weren't sure whether we should form this band at all, but we
kept rehearsing together and a couple of months later it
turned out that we had plenty of new songs ready and the band
was working out quite well. So we started to take it more
seriously and it was obvious that we also wanted to change
our name to something more distinctive. I'd say when the
first ideas came to take this band more seriously, when we
started to think about things like booking a studio and
stuff, it was no longer Svartalfheim.
CoC: So what are your expectations?
W: I don't expect things to change that much; we are still a small
band, but I hope and I'm also confident that _Songs of Battle_
will not remain as our only album.
CoC: How has the new album been received so far? What should we
expect from it?
W: It has just very recently been released, so it's a bit early to
say. But from what we have heard so far, the feedback has been
mostly pretty good and I'm satisfied with the promotion too. You
have to realize the limitations of being a small band on a small
label; considering that fact, Aftermath is doing a good job.
Distribution is working and I guess the promos have done their
mission as there have been a lot of pre-orders and interest from
zines towards us has suddenly grown. What should you expect from
the album? Well, catchy energetic folk-influenced metal in a more
mature way than on our previous releases.
CoC: I'm sure there must be a development on _Songs of Battle_, but
what new areas have you explored, especially in relation to your
Svartalfheim days? You've dropped the Storm influence somewhat,
and gone into a more black metal orientation for sure... Was the
name change to reflect this progression?
W: If the name change reflects anything it might reflect the
"official" start of the band. What has changed since then, we have
two new session members: J. Loikas has played bass for us since
late 1998 (his main band is Nocturnal Winds) and J. Hytonen, a new
clean vocalist who joined our ranks just before we started to
record the album. The biggest change is simply that we have
developed as a band. There is nearly two years between the
recordings of the _Fiery September Fire_ 7" -- I don't even bother
to talk about Svartalfheim as it consists just of our first few
humble rehearsals -- and the album, so naturally the progress
shows. The musical style itself hasn't changed that much since the
EP, just developed; I think we have found more and more our own
way of songwriting and I guess from now own we'll keep on going
towards a more distinctive style. I have to disagree with you on
that black metal orientation, what songs on the album do you
consider as black metal, as I don't seem to find any? Some parts
maybe bear a resemblance to something like Borknagar, but I still
don't consider it black metal.
CoC: Fair enough. Perhaps it was the vocal style that changed into a
more black metal rasp... Now unfortunately, the promotional
copies of the CD don't come with lyrics (you might want to
suggest that to Haavard), but it's not hard to tell the subject
matter. What in particular do you see in ancient Viking ways
that inspires you to write such material?
W: First of all I admit the lyrics on this album are not very deep,
some of them are quite old and not very good. Mostly the lyrics
are imaginative stories of some sort, influenced by Finnish
mythology, myths and history, and some lyrics are just about old
times in general, not necessarily dealing with any written myths
at all. It's hard to say what in particular interests me in
Finnish mythology. It's the whole atmosphere, I think some of the
stories hold a lot of wisdom within them and there are many things
I can ideologically relate to. On our album there are also three
Viking-ish songs, lyrics for all of which were written by our
guitarist NRQ. Personally I don't tend to write about Vikings, I
feel the Finnish mythology closer to me.
CoC: Sure, but are such things really important anymore? You could
write about more contemporary issues, for instance...
W: Contemporary issues? Hmm, well, maybe if we were a punk band...
The relevance of the ancient way of life for us today is not the
most important thing if you consider us musically. It's just that
we find those subjects very interesting and since those are the
things we write about we also want the music to reflect the
feeling in the lyrics -- if we would lyrically write about
something else, then I think we would also musically sound very
different. And what comes to that relevance then, well, I think it
would be good for everyone to at least know about their cultural
heritage, about the ways of life that were silenced. In most
countries the ancient ideologies and beliefs are still not
officially acknowledged. Also, I suppose anyone who bothers to
read about the olden ways of life can find many wise thoughts that
haven't become outdated after all these years. Actually, it
constantly seems to amaze me how wise our forefathers have
actually been considering the world they lived in, the scarcity of
vital things, the things we consider self-evident nowadays, which
probably made them think about things more dimensionally and made
them respect, for example, nature and its spirits in a way that I
think most people should have something to learn from. Damn, I
start to sound like a hippie, don't I? Maybe I should even things
up a bit with an ugly trollish grin, grrgrrgrrgrrrg!
CoC: <trembling> D...d...do you see today's culture as being inferior
to the past? Or would you rather have a sort of medieval,
anarchic system than the order we have today?
W: Since I've only lived in the modern world I don't consider myself
capable of comparing how life was in the different cultural eras.
We can only imagine and all imagined things are more or less
romanticized. I don't think that any political system is complete,
there will always be plenty of faults to be fixed and constant
updates to be done. It's not necessarily this modern era that
annoys me, it's just the empty-headed people, this widespread
one-dimensional western world thinking, "heat comes from the stove
and bread from the store" thing. Everything is taken so much for
granted that no one bothers to think about things in more than one
perspective anymore. People even plan their careers and lives
without ever stopping to think what they really want to do, what
they personally enjoy. They just do what they are told and
supposed to.
CoC: Now a more sensitive question: considering the themes, etc., do
you think that such music is suitable for people of other
races or cultures? There's always been a certain amount of
"exclusiveness", etc. in the genre...
W: No relevance to me whatsoever. The music just might not open up
to someone who has never heard anything about Scandinavian
mythologies, but I don't see that as an issue; it definitely won't
harm you if you learn something about foreign cultures too. To
know yourself is really to know the others too, how would you
really know what are the great and distinctive things in your own
culture if it's the only culture, you know?
CoC: That's a great philosophy in life, really... What do you think
is so special about your music that differentiates you from the
horde of Viking bands out there?
W: Our music is catchy and quite melodic -- not melodic in some
extremely technical way, but rather in a more simple triumphant
folksy way. You could perhaps say that our music is even cheerful.
At least it's not very dark or brutally aggressive, but still we
have a lot of energy in it. And I think that musically we have
probably less in common with black metal than most of the
Viking-ish/folkish bands. And yes, we sounded quite like Storm on
our first demo, but that's past, we sound nothing like that
anymore.
CoC: You hit the nail on the head there, I wish I'd written that in
the review! So what do you think of the other "Viking" bands
such as Vintersorg, etc.?
W: I liked Vintersorg's _Till Fjalls_ a lot, but their new album is
not that good, it's too similar to the previous one. Same with
Otyg, the first album was brilliant but the second one doesn't
offer anything new.
CoC: How much are you influenced by their work?
W: In general I don't think that we are taking much influence
from these newer bands... well, of course everything you hear
influences you in some way, but it's nothing conscious. Like most
of the young bands, we were more influenced by other bands when we
started, but now we are trying to go more towards our own style.
We don't consciously seek to achieve anything, the material comes
quite naturally. The only things we sometimes have to think about
is to avoid writing too songs that sound too similar, etc..
CoC: You guys are also responsible for Azaghal, aren't you? It's more
a band than a project, right?
W: I'm not involved in Azaghal, but two members of Hin Onde are. It's
quite aggressive, a bit thrashy black metal if someone hasn't
heard it. Neither of these bands is a project, they're both real
and serious bands.
CoC: Any influences from the other side coming over in Hin Onde?
W: I don't think they affect each other much as they are musically
quite different and neither of these bands is so big that it would
steal time from each other or something. There have never been any
problems about Hin Onde members having other bands too.
CoC: Why does Azaghal keep changing labels? I mean, the EP on
Aftermath was quite successful, then came Melancholy and now
Evil Horde... what next?
W: I don't really care how many labels they have. But in general I
don't think it would be very wise for any band to sign a multiple
album deal with some small label anyway.
CoC: I used to be in contact with Morgueldar of Elven Witchcraft.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Svartalfheim had something to do
with other Finnish bands like Valar (killer stuff!) and Wind.
W: Wind was my old project and Valar is NRQ's band/project. Valar is
probably still alive, but I'm not sure.
CoC: Those were great days, when the music was really honest, but I
guess now it's easier for you to get more attention. What are
your thoughts on making the transition from Elven Witchcraft to
a more professional label?
W: Are you saying that our music isn't honest? [Uh oh. No... --
Alvin] Anyway, being in a more professional label hasn't really
changed anything. We are still a small band and in contact with
mostly the same people as before. Small distros like Elven
Witchcraft are still important to us, those are still the places
where our releases can be purchased from; most of the big record
stores are not interested in selling underground metal albums.
CoC: Speaking of Finnish bands earlier, I'm trying to think of other
acts from your country, and there aren't many who've made it big
(in the true black metal scene that is)... Barathrum, Darkwoods
My Betrothed and Horna are some of the better acts that never
could catch on much. Strange, isn't it?
W: I simply don't know why there aren't more big names from here; if
I knew, I would be probably working for some record company. It
doesn't really interest me either. I think it's just a good
thing that the Finnish sound cannot be that easily defined or
recognized. Maybe bands in here are relatively different from
each other and maybe we Finns are too polite to rip off our
countrymates, heh.
CoC: OK, back to the album. Are you planning on playing live to
promote the album? Any planned tours or shows outside your
country?
W: We'll probably do a couple of gigs here in Finland, but there
aren't any tours to be expected, at least not in the near future.
We might do some gigs abroad next Summer, but at the time we are
too busy with our jobs and studies.
CoC: What would be a typical live show for you?
W: Our typical live "show", well, we'll see... nothing too
surprising, I guess -- we don't care much about swords, spikes and
reindeers on stage.
CoC: Finally, what are the plans you have for the future? What can we
expect from the band? Is there a particular dream you have, a
musical direction or something?
W: No drastic plans, just the ordinary. Maybe a couple of gigs by the
end of the year and we also have some new songs more or less
ready, so we'll keep on working with them. We might do more gigs
next Summer or then we'll hide from the sunshine in the gloomy
depths of a studio to record our second album, but it's a long way
to the Summer now and our plans always tend to change anyway.
You'll just have to wait and see.
CoC: OK, that's all now. Thanks for your time and good luck! Anything
else?
W: I suppose it's all said, so thank you for the interview. I'll need
some sleep now. Not that I had a boring time answering, I just
happen to be very tired, heh.
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A N D N O W F O R S O M E - M O R E - G O R E . . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Leon del Muerte of Impaled
by: Aaron McKay
For many reasons, interviews are a favorite charge on responsibility
list for Chronicles of Chaos. This e-mail discussion with Leon del
Muerte from Impaled is a prime example. Following a less than
glorious review of their latest CD, _The Dead Shall Dead Remain_ [CoC
#48], Leon and I began conversing. Due to an error on my part in the
review, I asked if I might have the opportunity to clear the matter
up and Leon graciously allowed the interview. When I tell you this
conversation was a lot to conduct, I mean it. Leon's answers were
informative and often very humorous. I believe that you will get as
much out of this, on many levels, as I did. Speak to us, Mr. del
Muerte!
CoC: To begin with, Leon, thanks for granting this interview. I
appreciate you taking the time to enlighten the CoC readers
regarding Impaled.
Leon: Hey no problem, especially after that VICIOUS SLANDERING OF OUR
CD, YOU DIRTY CANADIAN! [See issue #48 -- and being American, I
hope no Canadians take offence at Leon's humorous, good-natured
assumption that I was from Canada -- Aaron]
CoC: What was your impression of the Milwaukee Metalfest this year? I
noted that you were playing early on in the evening across the
hall from Fleshgrind.
L: It was cool, actually. This year was better than the last few I've
been to. More bands that I wanted to see, in general. A few
disappointments (i.e., Katatonia... good music, super boring stage
show). Yeah, we played at 6:05, which is about an hour after the
slightly bigger bands start, according to Don Decker. We were a
bit nervous about playing opposite those guys, since they're
Metalfest favorites, but much to my surprise the small Necropolis
room was so packed when we played that someone told me they had to
watch from the outside just to see anything. I know that sounds
like a lie, but hey... it is!
CoC: I was curious how the new Impaled material from _The Dead Shall
Dead Remain_ went over in a live setting to the Metalfest crowd.
L: It went well. The sound was awful, of course, as is expected for
the Metalfest, but there were a few people up there singing along
and stuff. I was most stoked to hear that all the Ravenous guys
watched our set (they were the best band of the fest, hands down),
and Mark from Impetigo, and the fellas from Cianide. Color me
surprised and chartreuse.
CoC: In my review of the new release, Leon, in Chronicles of Chaos
#48, I mistakenly stated that track four was "Spirits of the
Dead" when it is actually "Trocar". I apologize. The thrust of
that portion of the review was to emphasize the incredibly
strong riff about the four minute mark in the song. What is you
opinion about that track? A favorite?
L: Well, because I am a total ego jerk-off, and sheister, I must
admit that is my favorite track on the CD. I also wrote the entire
song. I actually wrote it in the time it takes to play it, and we
learned it in the time it takes to play it, and therefore, it
sounds as though someone wrote it in five minutes and learned how
to play it in five minutes. My apologies to anyone who actually
paid for this piece of crap. Amazingly enough, that riff is also
the simplest on the entire album, and yet it always gets mentioned
in reviews.
CoC: It seems to me that Impaled is more of a guitar driven band,
than say Cryptopsy's drumming. Would you agree?
L: Yeah, I would. We're riff-happy. Raul is a great drummer, but
everything revolves around the riffs. The next album should have a
bit better of a mix, and people might actually be able to tell
that Raul is not playing some primitive stone/stick setup.
CoC: Broadly speaking, for the most part, I think it could be said
that bands like Slayer try hard to cater to their fan base by
not altering the group's sound drastically. Other bands like
Ulver seem to fluctuate their style almost unconsciously. This
in mind, how would you personally categorize _The Dead Shall
Dead Remain_ as it relates to _From Here to Colostomy_ [CoC
#46]?
L: Well, good call. As far as we go, there's not much difference
between the two, since three of the four songs on _FHtC_ are on
the album as well. Things happened very fast for us: we cut the
demo, then we were signed and recording the album in literally
less than a year's time. Now we've had a chance to catch our
breath and sort things out, the new music is a little different.
Not a lot, but so far a little faster and more aggressive, I
suppose. It'll be strange to see what happens next.
CoC: Is it your opinion that Impaled's subject matter in any way
limits the direction the band might want to proceed toward in
the future or is it more like the perfect variety for what
Impaled intends to accomplish?
L: Well, to be honest, the question is sort of moot for us. The
lyrics aren't really all that important. Sean does write some
amazingly complex and humorous stuff, and I really like what he
writes, but we're really a band that just is concerned with the
music. Some of the lyrics, (viz. "Faecal Rites", et al) were
actually written in the studio just prior to recording the vocals.
It probably does limit our appeal, but we're not too concerned
with that, either. We're too arrogant for that.
CoC: Can you tell us a little bit about your excursion with your
former bandmates in Exhumed recently and expand on some tour
possibilities since the cancellation of the September tour with
Nile, Incantation and Hate Eternal?
L: It was fun, it was really my first tour experience. I can only
hope that our November tour with Nile and Incantation goes at
least as well. I was only with them for two weeks (eight days of
the tour) but we had a lot of fun, especially in Florida, where in
the south we met up with friends who bought us loads of alcohol,
and in the north we met up with the legendary KAM FUCKING LEE and
did a Massacre song with him onstage.
CoC: Speaking of touring, I was happily surprised to see Impaled with
Yellow Machinegun and Enslaved early this month in California.
Did the show go off without any snags? What is you impression of
Yellow Machinegun?
L: We've actually played with Yellow Machinegun before -- they are
awesome, definitely my favorite hardcore band. They really super
kick ass. Enslaved ended up not playing in favor of a bigger show
in SF a few days later -- not that I blame them at all. Another
group that is really good, and are really swell fellas. The show
itself was great, we play at the place it was at pretty regularly
(or used to), so it's just like a practice basically, except
sloppier and slightly less drunk.
CoC: Winding-up here a little bit, you and I talked some earlier
about European bands verses US based groups -- who would you
list as a couple of your favorite of each type? Any monumental
influence on you musically? Engorged?
L: Well, my favorite European bands have all either wimped-out or
broken up, i.e., Carcass, Dismember, Entombed, Carnage, Unleashed,
Grave, etc.. Carcass is the biggest influence on us, obviously. As
far as US bands, I really like Engorged and Vulgar Pigeons,
Hideous Mangleus and stuff. It's nice that two out of three of
them are on the same label with us.
CoC: Well, again, Leon, thank you for this interview and good luck to
the band. If you would like, please feel free to add any parting
words you might have, for instance, Impaled's particular,
soon-to-be-famous finale phrase, "FUCK OFF!"
L: Well, that's very rude an insensitive! I guess this one will just
have to live without! GOOD DAY TO YOU, SIR!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_____ .__ ___.
/ _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____
/ /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \
/ | \ |_| \_\ \ | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____/___ /____/|__|_| /
\/ \/ \/
_____ .__
/ _ \ _________.__.| | __ __ _____
/ /_\ \ / ___< | || | | | \/ \
/ | \\___ \ \___ || |_| | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____ >/ ____||____/____/|__|_| /
\/ \/ \/ \/
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!
Antaeus - _Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan_ (Baphomet, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10)
Nothing quite like the direct approach, huh? No real gray area there,
right? Any questions about where this French band stands? Didn't
think so... These guys are quite new to me. One thing I -do- know is
that this band used to employ the talents of a guitarist named
Antaeus, but not now. Currently the group is comprised of Storm
(drums), Set and Thorgon (guitars), Sagoth (bass) and MkM (vocals)
and these guys make a point rather quickly, even without the benefit
of seeing the album title. Massive catastrophic conflagration to make
Hades look like a ski resort. There are no lyrics printed in the
inlay book, but I think I could wager on the story they'd tell if
there were. Eight tracks comprise _Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan_
and each song is not without depth. Sometimes I have found that bands
of this breed devote all to blast, speed and fury. While there is
-plenty- of that on _CYFaWS_, Antaeus uses a dimensional music and
vocal approach together that is more interesting than even some early
Mayhem and Ancient material; kind of like a cross between these two
bands I just mentioned and Crimson Moon. One thing that I picked up
from the CD inlay book is a Napalm Death sticker on one of
guitarist's instruments. It isn't all that hard to hear an influence
from Barney, Shane and the boys on Anteus's style either. Obscure and
wildly blunt, Antaeus is probably a band that you will need to
discover for yourself. Words almost fail their function.
Contact: mailto:antaeus@multimania.com
http://www.multimania.com/antaeus/
Bealiah - _Dark_ (THT, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
From the violent landscape of religious battles and social unrest,
Jakarta, Indonesia, come the black metal force of Bealiah. The man
behind Bealiah seems to have three tricks up his sleeve, because
Bealiah takes on three different sounds: their first demo and
_Weeping at the Crimson Moon_ are primal, melancholic black metal,
their EP is comprised of ambient/darkwave symphonic compositions, and
then they have the sound which makes up tracks 1 to 4 on _Dark_
(tracks 5 to 8 were taken from the _Weeping at the Crimson Moon_
sessions). Those four tracks have a more rockin' feel to them, very
strongly influenced by early Celtic Frost, but with the chaotic touch
and simplicity of early Mayhem. You see, Bealiah have decided to
forego progression for the sake of just playing raw, harsh black
metal with less than great guitar sound and equally "sonically
challenged" production. One who still unfurls the metal freak flag
with every passing day in the spirit of old-school black metal
would appreciate this band. Tracks 5 to 8 were taken from a
previous recording session, and have a different sound and musicality
altogether. With these tracks the band (uh, I mean the man) stretches
out into the more atmospheric leanings of black metal, while not
losing any rage or musical brutality whatsoever.
Contact: THT, P.O. Box 1496, JKB 11014, Jakarta, Indonesia
mailto:thtudg@centrin.net.id
Burial - _Enlightened With Pain_ (Lost Disciple, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10)
Burial has it all-together. Pretty intense brutal death metal laid
forth on _Enlightened With Pain_, the band's debut release. Having
been around for more than four years, this rabid bunch of guys cut
their teeth in the underground for more than a significant amount of
time. Launching Burial's career from Massachusetts, earning respect
in proper death metal style fashion couldn't have been easy, but I
feel Burial pulled it off skillfully. This CD is evidence of that. I
see that comparisons to Cannibal Corpse must be a dime a dozen for
Burial, but to be a bit more concise and elaborate, I think I hear
more of a Malevolent Creation / Broken Hope or Fleshgrind mix. The
guitar work on _EWP_ isn't something that you might expect hearing
from a death metal band; it is rather ridged and harsh with masterful
soloing and the whole thing is chalked full of nice fat riffs. Well
done. While a band will have to go a mighty -long- way to surpass
Dying Fetus in my book, Burial is a firm and solid band in the same
vein. Good effort.
Carnal Forge - _Firedemon_ (Century Media, October 2000)
by: David Rocher (7.5 out of 10)
With members of Swedish melodic death outfit In thy Dreams -- and
formerly Armageddon -- in their ranks, Carnal Forge already have one
full-length, the rather overrated _Who's Gonna Burn_ (WAR Music,
1998) on their rosters. However, now proudly displaying a new
vocalist (Jonas Kjellgren, who also appears in Swedish death metal
formation Centinex), bassist and label, it seems Carnal Forge are
well and truly back in great shape with a "who's gonna be pleasantly
surprised" kind of release! Offering twelve intense tracks of
violent, hateful and screaming hyperspeed metal, _Firedemon_ is one
mother of an extremist thrash metal dumpling, roasted in true
hellish spicy Swedish sauce. With their tight, compact and powerful
songwriting, Carnal Forge come at their listeners fast and hard,
and fortunately display considerable evolution over the material
showcased on their first full-length offering -- _Firedemon_ is far
more directed, enthralling and catchy an onslaught than the rather
linear and tachycardiac growl 'n' moshfest that their first release
embodied. Oddly enough though, several tracks on this searing little
bastard are actually more than just reminiscent of Carnal Forge's
first effort, owing to their slightly inferior production and
slightly less compelling songwriting -- simpler structures, more
"hardcore"-influenced riffing just don't seem to work. However,
Carnal Forge's new material won't fail to cut, sear and mangle
extremist death metal addicts into insignificantly small gobbets of
flesh -- in clearer terms, _Firedemon_ reveals an insight into a very
promising future for this five-piece.
Chalice - _Chronicles of Dysphoria_ (Modern Invasion Music, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
Yet another addition to the collection of female-fronted, mildly
doomy bands, Chalice opt for a generally tame metallic backdrop upon
which to lay their keyboard and violin melodies. Central to the
band's sound is, of course, their female vocalist, who uses mostly
soprano-type vocals but often displays an interesting range and
introduces some variety into her performance. Chalice add violin and
keyboard to a formula that reminds me much more of early The 3rd and
the Mortal than the more bombastic likes of Tristania. The keyboard
work, although competent, is not much of a highlight, whilst the
violin is usually more interesting and sometimes pleasantly entwines
with the vocals. It does, however, suffer slightly from the fact that
it always emanates from the left side of your stereo (not very
pleasant if you prefer headphones). Chalice have produced a very
enjoyable and unpretentious-sounding melodic doom record that should
be worth your attention if the genre interests you.
Clan of Xymox - _Live_ and _Liberty_ (Metropolis, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 and 7 out of 10)
Much like the purifying swig of water the fine wine connoisseur
benefits from during a sampling, Clan of Xymox is a much needed
watering hole of cleansing alleviation to the ear. Too much of
anything devoid of a comparison isn't necessarily good. I am of the
opinion that CoX is just what the doctor ordered. This band is
perfect in its compliment to the abrasive elements of metal. More
dark, electro/dance-esque in their approach, Clan of Xymox is nothing
if not appealing. I remember this band as far back as early high
school. Popular among the gothic crowd, CoX (then just referred to as
Xymox) was a staple of many a musical diet in my formative years.
Always balanced with the devastatingly harsh death metal scene I was
surrounded by, CoX, more than likely, carved out the niche in my
taste that Mortiis and Sephiroth dwell in reverence. As a bit of
history, having only signed with Metropolis in 1999, this band has
done very well giving their fans release after release from 1984 up
to present. The recent two are _Live_, a double disc of obviously
live material with a beautiful passage through nineteen songs and two
CD extra videos, and _Liberty_, only four cuts long but able to
provide an amicable, albeit brief, taste of the nectar to come from
CoX's upcoming full-length disc very soon. Unique but having a
similar soothing sound to _First and Last and Always_ era Sisters of
Mercy (specifically Gary Marx-ish guitar) and therefore with little
surprise The Mission material, with a waft of fermented Jesus and
Mary Chain essence, too, I believe. Pay specific attention to the
opening of _Live_. Very few concert recordings can capture what it
must be like to be there in person, but the back to back "Stranger"
and "Cry in the Wind" tracks do a damn fine job! Well over one
hundred minutes of music on _Live_ and exactly twenty-three minutes
on the _Liberty_ single, this two guy, two girl group from the
Netherlands whisk the listener through luxuriously dance-darkened
impenetrability. I feel Clan of Xymox's more than fourteen years of
experience offers something more than what I can impart to you with
this review, so I encourage you to uncork a bottle of this aromatic
divinity and flounder in the beat-tastic intoxication that is Clan of
Xymox.
Clandestine Blaze - _Night of the Unholy Flames_
by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10) (End All Life, 2000)
Already somewhat of a cult in the black metal underground, Finnish
Clandestine Blaze return with another full-length in a typically
limited vinyl-only release. Talk about old-school! Little more than
that can be said music-wise: CB don't deviate much from the standard
underground black metal fare. It goes without saying that any given
"cult" or "underground" album nowadays plays like a Darkthrone
tribute, the only difference being -which- Darkthrone album it sounds
like. _NotUF_ pays unashamed homage to _Transylvanian Hunger_ with
its under-produced earthiness, never quite achieving the same level
of coldness as the original but reaching a commendable level of dark
epicness on tracks like "Chambers". The grinding rawness of "Cross of
Black Steel" brings out the best in the uncompromising lyrics, which
in any other context might seem somewhat contrived. It's been a while
since any band ever matched such vitriolic texts with adequately
forceful music and the lads at CB obviously have the technique honed
to perfection. That said, most non-fanatical listeners might find the
monotony of the music off-putting, and would attribute the simplicity
of the typical riffing to a lack of ability rather than a conscious
effort at simplicity. Nevertheless, the overall effect of the album
is impressive, shrouding the listener in a veil of utter blackness
and primal melodies, epic at times, crushing at others, swirling in a
chaotic dark. Somehow, music like this can seldom be raved about in
concrete terms, but should rather be quietly applauded for its
insidious, primitive evil. All in all, _NotUF_ never once strikes me
as being absolutely essential, but fans of the style will already
have made up their minds not to miss out on this cult piece. End All
Life has put out more brilliant stuff in the past -- Warloghe,
Mutiilation --, but the appeal of this one to stalwarts of the
underground is obvious. $18 from the label and be fast: 333 numbered
copies only.
Contact: End All Life, B.P. 4, 86 281 St. Benoit Cedex, France
mailto:eal@wanadoo.fr
Various - _Coalescence_ (Alien8 Recordings, 2000)
by: Gabriel Sanchez (8 out of 10)
From the get go this compilation has two great things going for it:
I) A solid representation of noise artists from across the spectrum,
and II) Amazing efforts from all acts involved. Kazumoto Endo's
loop-a-thons of punishing yet mesmerizing noise stands up to more
drawn out works by Aube while still finding a nice niche with the
purely chaotic compositions of Masonna. Merzbow gets structured while
Knurl gets loud. Crawl Unit dances eloquently around the noise while
David Kristian pours it over himself. Some of the noise is dark, most
harsh, and all of it a pleasure to take in. The sleeve photography of
artist Marc Prent's disturbing sculptural designs compliments the
noise. Like the noise, even their initially appalling design coupled
with wonderment over what could possibly motivate one to bring such a
conception to reality is tempered with amazement. Amazement over the
complexity of the pieces. Amazement over the beauty that can be found
in something so overtly gross and unattractive. Kudos to Alien8 on
this one. They have truly out done themselves and shown to be a noise
label above any other.
Contact: Alien8 Recordings, PO Box 666, Station R,
Montreal, Quebec H2S 3L1, Canada
http://www.alien8recordings.com
Coh Nia - _That Which Remains_ (9 out of 10)
Gothica - _Gothica_ (6 out of 10)
Institut - _Great Day to Get Even_ (7 out of 10)
Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio - _Make Love & War / The Wedlock of Roses_
(7 out of 10) (all titles Cold Meat Industry, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley
It has been a while since we got a good batch of Cold Meat stuff to
review, so I decided to incorporate them all into one long review.
The titles sent to us -- Coh Nia, Gothica, Institut and Ordo Rosarius
Equilibrio -- all represent the varied levels of sounds and styles
culminating within the ranks of the popular ambient label. The music
found on all four discs varies in many ways, but in the end their
sounds rise to the occasion of bringing uniqueness to music in
general, a key element of the many fine releases from Cold Meat over
the years. The first disc to be analyzed, and my personal fave of the
lot, is Coh Nia, a surprisingly creepy trip into a darkened realm of
death, perseverance and creativity. The music bellows forth a
spectrum of hypnotic gothic patterns and eerie chantings, coming
forth to maintain a real brutal edge to the beauty it casts from its
songs. A real gem for sure. Next up is Gothica, a pretty much
rounded gothic troupe in the vein of, say, Arcana (another band on
the roster) and American act Autumn Tears. While the music no
doubt illustrates the real haunting quality to their work and the
atmosphere at times works well, in the end I am lost within the ways
the compositions intermingle with one another. While not cluttered,
Gothica needs to make their music a bit more gelled and vibrant. The
black sheep of this group is no doubt Swedish duo Institut and their
power electronic outing. Brash, violent and no doubt noisy, Institut
lashes out at us with a real overpowering force of sounds and styles,
rarely loosing grip on us as our ears bleed. At times a bit too much,
but fans of this genre will no doubt find something really worthwhile
in Institut's work. At times, I'd wish the blender was running
instead of the amazingly crazed noises emanating from _Great Day to
Get Even_. Finally we come to the continuing saga of Ordo Equilibrio,
though now it goes under the name of Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio as
participant Chelsea Krook has left the band. Still erotic in sound
and presentation, ORE follows the same patterns of their past work,
but sheds light on newer ambience within the music and possible ideas
of their direction in the future. Soft chantings and acoustic guitar
work make this a pleasurable listen, but nothing far from what they
have done in the past. There will no doubt be some ideas swooning in
as the years go on to change the aura buzzing from ORE. I shall await
the changes.
Council of the Fallen - _Council of the Fallen_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10)
I have to admit, I was just not impressed by the sound quality of the
disc when I threw it on my CD stereo. While the fast-paced death
metal charge of Council of the Fallen is adequate in standards to the
realm of death metal music, the underproduced record doesn't do much
to change my marks. I also felt that the vocals didn't suit the fast
paced speed of the band's three-song CD. This disc is just seven
minutes in length, and to tell you the truth, it was just a blur at
best.
Contact: 1208 Naylor Ave., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, USA
mailto:vehem@worldnet.att.net
Cradle of Filth - _Midian_ (Music for Nations / Koch, October 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10)
Bigger isn't always better. Some would point out that Cradle of Filth
is the best known and/or best selling "black" metal band on the scene
today. While I have issues with calling CoF "black metal", I would
buy their "vampyric evil metal" label. Regardless, Cradle of Filth
has enjoyed a lot of name recognition, for sure. I have never been
all that fond of their efforts previously; however, I found _Midian_
to be very provoking and interest inducing -- some of Cradle of
Filth's most promising material to date. Other than Cradle of Filth's
cover of Iron Maiden's "Hallowed Be thy Name", from the limited
edition double disc _Cruelty and The Beast_ in 1998, very few of this
band's songs have appealed to me like _Midian_, as a whole, has
succeeded in doing. I also enjoy the dichotomy present on this disc,
as well. Midian, as some horror fans will no doubt remember, is
semi-loosely based on Clive Barker's short story "Cabal", which was
remade into the movie "Nightbreed". In this world of Barker's
creation, Midian is where the monsters go. For these outcast
protagonists, Midian was both a heaven and a hell. Much the same way
this grandiose effort by England's CoF is a gratifying lesson on the
topic of torment and tribulation. There are many fulfilling surprises
awaiting you on this release. Maybe it was the whole "open door
policy" with Cradle of Filth's membership going on for such a long
time that would have eventuated a disastrous end for any lesser of a
band that gave this offering its edge. However you look at it,
_Midian_ is quite possibly the proof that sometimes having too many
cooks in the kitchen isn't a recipe for disaster. Furthermore, I
might even have gone in for an additional half point or so were it
not for the completely useless and utterly unavailing waste of time,
track none, I mean -nine-, called "Satanic Mantra". YAWN! Other than
that -one- fifty second foul departure, the rest of _Midian_ is as
solid a CoF output as I could have hoped for. They managed to pull a
chiding cynic like me closer to their fan-base; not an easy thing to
do. _Midian_ is out Halloween (of course). Grab it up, friends. "You
are no longer Aaron Boone. You are Cabal!"
Dammercide - _Link_ (Negatron Records, September 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)
Part of a pack consisting of Italy's Negatron Records' first four
releases, Dammercide have made an album that may not be remarkable
but constitutes a reasonable starting point for band and label alike.
Glancing at all of the four Italian bands whose albums Negatron
are releasing, Iblis' and Glacial Fear's outputs are also quite
reasonable, and only Zona turned out to be rather sub-standard
[they are all reviewed in this issue]. Dammercide play thrashy
Swedish-influenced metal, and generally do so pretty well. There is,
however, a certain tendency for the band to include clean vocals that
don't mix too well with the better, aggressive side of their music.
Also, the occasional keyboard or acoustic passages seem a bit
misplaced and contrived. Nevertheless, although not groundbreaking in
any respect and not quite as memorable or exciting as the output of
their Swedish counterparts, _Link_ is still capable of keeping its
head above the water.
Contact: mailto:negatron@tin.it
Damnation - _Resist_ (Dark Realm, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10)
I am going to briefly mention this fast then move on to the finer
points of Damnation's newest effort. Straightaway, I have to admit
I'm getting saturated with the "Satanic" and "anti-Christian" aspects
ever more pervasive in music. It is almost to the point of
desensitization. Consequently, it honestly has little bearing on my
perception of a band anymore, by and large. On occasion, I think that
the more these groups try to be "different" by traveling the "I'm
-so- evil" path, the more they are just the same as all the others.
Enough of that! Other than maybe incorporating some of the shared
perspectives above, Damnation stands proud with their _Resist_
release. Embattled, confrontational and impassioned, Damnation makes
a firm statement with this effort. With their "take no prisoners" and
"no guts -- no glory" approach, this Polish band reaches down well
past their dubbed dark death metal roots into uncharted territory.
Sounding at times like a God Dethroned meets Morbid Angel (about
their _Covenant_ period) meets Blood Ritual, Damnation's strongest
and most obvious feature, I think, is the drumming: wickedly
progressive firecracker beats worked effortlessly and conveniently
around the guttural vocals and bitting guitars. _Resist_ is a shorter
album, totaling about thirty-three and a half minutes, whereas I
could have easily handled about forty-five from this blast-happy
Clydesdale of a metal outfit. "Invisible Force" is nearly as alluring
as "Doomsday Celebration" or "Desolate Ways", if you permit me to
reach back a little bit further in the Morbid Angel comparison vault.
One last bit of interest, at least to me, is the Dissection-esque
cover on the CD rear that would put you in mind of seeing the back of
_Storm of the Light's Bane_. Kinda cool. I believe that _Resist_ will
go to some lengths to draw a few fans to this band's brood.
Various - _Dead Zeppelin - A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin_
by: Aaron McKay (2 out of 10) (Dwell Records, 2000)
This should have never been done. Primarily because it is just plain
wrong. Points ultimately come from the bands who -do- accomplish
sounding somewhat like the songs they are covering, but outside of
that... I can appreciate the notion of employing the talents of
relatively unknown groups on compilations in an attempt to accumulate
some support for their unsung efforts, but having at least one
"anchor band", one much bigger than the rest, could be a real help.
On this disc there are none, as far as I am concerned. The "names"
that -are- on this tribute, I will list having a working knowledge of
Solus covering "Communication Breakdown", Postmortem doing "The
Ocean", Wasteland dressing up "Wearing and Tearing" and Black Debbath
massacring "When the Levee Breaks". At this point I am not even going
to waste time clarifying my abhorrence of Black Debbath as they
butcher the little respect I have left for the overplayed radio
favorite "When the Levee Breaks". Worst track on here (and it was
all-too-close of a competition for this honor) goes to the Singapore
group Doxomedon absolutely assaulting "Living Loving Maid". Assisting
Sorrow covering "Achilles Last Stand" sounds a lot like -old- Metal
Church and Vladimirs attempting "In the Light" gives off a real
Danzig vibe. The best of this lackluster bunch is Anno Daemonicus
cradling "Immigrant Song" in a black metal shroud. Not just too
shabby. If you love Zeppelin, you'll cry at what they've done to your
favorites. If you respect Zep, but could take 'em or leave 'em (like
me), most of your sixty-three minutes listening to this will be spent
shaking your head in disbelief. If you haven't anything good to say
about Plant, Page and the boys, what possessed you to read this
review?
Deicide - _Insineratehymn_ (Roadrunner, 2000)
by: Matthias Noll (2 out of 10)
In the endless battle of good vs. evil, the forces of light seem to
have won a minor victory by successfully stripping Benton's evil crew
of everything that once made them one of the top death metal acts on
earth. Quite some years after their crushing debut and the follow
up _Legion_, maybe a bit over-technical but brutal as fuck and
rather unique in style, Deicide have decided to no longer become
associated with stagnation but finally, even if only musically, try
to do something slightly different. That must have been the moment
where some things did start to go seriously wrong. I guess the
original intention may have been to become heavier and groovier.
Unfortunately, slowing down to almost doom metal tempo and using
variations of Metallica's staccato "For Whom the Bell Tolls" riff
does not automatically summon more heaviness or achieve a decent
groove or flow. The result must be one of the most boring records I
heard in the last ten years. _Insineratehymn_ is devoid of all the
elements necessary for a good death metal record. There's no
violence, no aggression, no anger, no hate, no real power. The
production by Morris is competent and better than Burns's work of
late, but far too clean and polished, and Benton's vocals come across
as if he finally got tired of praising Satan (who wouldn't after all
these years) but hasn't been able to come up with a better idea what
to growl about. A handful of songs start with riffs that are quite
OK, but after the first or second break the band falls back into the
same plodding rhythm patterns and the faster parts seem only to serve
the purpose of staying within the unwritten ruleset of death metal.
Halfway through the record I lost interest in tracking how many times
they dared to use what seems to be an identical section over and over
again. Things are made even more monotonous by Benton's vocals, which
follow the guitar lines come hell or high water. Maybe I'm wrong with
my assessment that _Insineratehymn_ is a mighty crappy record, and I
might just be unable to identify the masterplan here, but if there's
a plan then it's evil to the bone: bore the Christians to death.
Maybe the DEA should get some copies to use them next time they have
someone like Noriega under siege. I'm pretty sure the bad guys will
give up sooner when exposed to "Insineratehymn" instead of AC/DC.
Desolate - _Eventide of the Orb and Heavens_ (X-Rated Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
Now this is what I like to hear: dark, seething metal that exudes
rawness and confidence. Wrapped within a firestorm of darkened metal
and death metal riffing, Bulgaria's Desolate punish the listener with
music that basks in uptempo riffs and harrowing black metal-like
cries of aggression -- and still keep it very underground-sounding.
The rawness may be the band's best weapon, as Desolate's _Eventide of
the Orb and Heavens_ is harsh and ready to strike without warning.
Choice cut: "Eventide in Fire".
Contact: X-Rated Records, 3215 NW 10th Terrace, Suite 206,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309, USA
http://www.xratedrec.com
Diaboli - _Anthems of Sorrow_ (Full Moon Productions, August 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (6 out of 10)
"The Stream of Time", a.k.a. track four, is an incredible segue, but
only totaling about three and a half minutes. A segue in every sense
of the word specifically as it relates to the first part of the
album, that I could pretty much do without, moving toward the last
three songs, which I view as considerable. "The Stream of Time" acts
as the diaphanous conduit of grace between the two segments. "As I
Walk Through the Shadows" is the next track after the channel
blasting you in the face as well as sliding you further through the
silken tones of Diaboli's undertaking (at least from track four on).
Even though the Finnish duo find their sound comparable to (I would
assume -early-) Mayhem and Burzum, about the closest -I- see them to
these aforementioned greats is on the second to last cut, "Majestic
Midwinter Night". Other than this song, Diaboli may be closer to a
_Wrath of the Tyrant_-era Emperor and a touch of the Crimson Moon
[CoC #33] sound in there, too. Stripped-down from a group that once
boasted five members, Grimn'r now simply vocalizes Pete's writing,
guitar, bass, drums and synth work within the Diaboli fold. I
wonder if that is what you'd call having the lion's share of the
responsibility?
Diachronia - _XX's Decline_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
From Poland comes this rather competent self-released full-length
record with which Diachronia showcase their blackened symphonic
metal. Featuring decent production and layout, _XX's Decline_ is an
equally reasonable record as far as the band's songwriting and
performance is concerned. Mid- to fast-paced, somewhat blackened but
generally more preoccupied with good guitar solos and keyboard
passages, the songs flow nicely, even though there's nothing
particularly brilliant about them. Diachronia are a band who could be
on their way to a very good release: they show skill and some ideas
on this record, and for the time being have produced a pretty good
and quite listenable album that they can use as a stepping stone to
achieve something more ambitious in the future.
Contact: mailto:diachronia@poczta.onet.pl
http://diachronia.cjb.net
Dodgin' Bullets - _World Wide War_ (Facedown Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
Sixteen minutes of East Coast hardcore done in West Coast style(?!).
This band consists of members of Shockwave, No Innocent Victim, Cast
in Stone, and xDisciplex, and their style is most like that of No
Innocent Victim. Dodgin' Bullets, despite the sicko vocals, seems to
be kind of a "joke band", or maybe a "fun band", for the members of
the more "serious bands", but that is not to say that the songs lack
intensity or massive amounts of aggression. "Whining Rage" is a
pro-American song featuring Roger Miret from Agnostic Front on
vocals. I never thought I would hear him in a band with a bunch of
Christians, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, I suppose.
Contact: Facedown Records, P.O. Box 1202, Escondido, CA 92033, USA
mailto:facedown-niv@juno.com
Various - _Economi$ed_ (Economy Records, 2000)
by: Gabriel Sanchez (7 out of 10)
Purchased on a whim without any prior knowledge of what it contained,
_Economi$ed_ came as quite the shock to me when I first placed it in
my CD player. In buying this album from a known "extreme music" /
noise distributor, I was under the impression that the description of
"dark and atmospheric compilation" was a prep of sorts to experience
some rumbly power electronics. Instead I am given 63 minutes of club
music on crack. And no, I'm not complaining. _Economi$ed_ is very
much a trip into unknown musical territory for a listener such as
myself, but no doubt will lure in fans of tribal/industrial/techno
with limited difficulty. The tracks are well constructed, atmospheric
(to say the least) and strangely catchy. Simple drum machine patterns
never sounded so good when blended with minimalist musical elements
and ambient sounds. The possible surrealistic, laid back feel of a
trance disc is absent though no piece reaches the pounding level
expected out of techno. It is the groove music of he who has consumed
far too much pills and gin to shake it on the dance floor but whose
fetish for analog synths must be appeased. I do not doubt my
description will send most of the metal fans who read these reviews
diving for the nearest vomit receptacle at the thought of enjoying
(let alone purchasing) such a disc. To these fine folk I say
simply... try it. Even a hardened noise fan such as myself could not
deny its calling and ability to make a dancing machine out of me yet
(or not).
Contact: Economy Records, PO Box 820266, Memphis, TN 38182, USA
http://www.manifoldrecords.com
Enslaved - _Mardraum - Beyond the Within_ (Osmose, October 2000)
by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10)
I have never been a fan of Enslaved and it was with some reluctance
that I decided to give their newest album a spin. Well into the first
and magnificent track I had to re-check the cover; is this really
Enslaved? Atmosphere, melodies; it's all there, and luckily for me
it's not presented in their usual supersonic tempo. The music is
greatly varied and you even get acoustic guitars and clean (choir)
vocals. The album has an intense, cold and brutal atmosphere, due to
both the choice in harmonies and to the production, courtesy of
The Abyss. Midway through the album they explore some death and
thrash-like metal influences before they unleash the two fastest
tracks on the record. With earlier Enslaved albums I had to concede
listening after a few tracks. This time I endured the entire album
and wanted more. Still, I do not believe any fans of their previous
works will be disappointed. Enslaved has simply made an awesome
album, to be enjoyed by all fans of extreme metal.
Eternal Tears of Sorrow - _Chaotic Beauty_ (Spinefarm Records, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
You wouldn't have been the first to mistake Eternal Tears of Sorrow
for a doom band, for obvious reasons, but in fact dynamic, melodic
and slightly blackened metal is what they play on _Chaotic Beauty_.
Whilst able to bring to my mind bands such as In Flames and Amorphis,
EToS are also rather fast and bombastic at times -- and equally
likely to slow down and increase the melody level as well. This
Finnish ensemble shows considerable talent in creating memorable,
dynamic and entertaining metal with plenty of melody and a reasonable
dose of aggression. The latter could, in my opinion, have still been
greater. It would have further prevented EToS from sounding a bit
"sweet" in spite of the speed their music often reaches -- their use
of keyboards is also sometimes the guilty part there. A cover
of Edge of Sanity's "Black Tears" from _Purgatory Afterglow_ is
also included; decently adapted to EToS's own style, but less
than satisfying due to the replacing of Dan Swano's clean vocals
with rather monotonous snarls. Overall, this is much more of an
immediately enjoyable album (that's perhaps especially well suited
for fans of Swedish melodic death metal) than something to find a
great deep meaning in, but sometimes this is all one needs.
Fate - _No Sense_ (Mafia Underground, October 2000)
by: David Rocher (4 out of 10)
With the fury of hardcore-tinged social commitment flowing through
their veins, this Parisian "brutal deathcore" act fuse the rage of
urban underground musical currents such as hardcore, metal and
rap with the outrageous mauling sessions of rather sub-standard
brutal death metal. Basically, "brutal deathcore" rapidly sums
up to spectacular drumming and intensity, but linear infra-bass
guitar rumblings, boring phlegmy grunts and rants, and interspersed
"wicky-wicky scratch" vinyl molestation dirges. The sneaky feeling of
endlessly being faced with the same track repeatedly doesn't fail to
settle in, and all _No Sense_ will achieve is to leave you craving
for a helping of raging, angered death metal, free of grease-sodden
barfs, scratches and "yo"s.
Firebird - _Firebird_ (Rise Above, June 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10)
Bill Steer's new project with Spiritual Beggars drummer Ludwig Witt
and Cathedral's bassist/organist Leo Smee is certainly a departure
from vintage or even final Carcass material. However, it shouldn't
come as a great shock to anyone who could hear where Bill was headed
for in Carcass' final days, or who has any knowledge of the output of
Lee Dorian's Rise Above label, that Bill nowadays commits himself to
rehashing '70s rock. What may be somewhat more of a surprise is that
the man who once so gruesomely named his solos has actually not made
too bad a job of it. It's essentially cliched and unadventurous (and
not of interest, it seems to me, merely for the fact that it has been
penned by Bill Steer), but compared to others of its anti-progressive
character Firebird is not bad. I'd suggest listening before buying,
though: somehow I doubt _Firebird_ will be of much interest to the
average CoC reader, or the average fan of Carcass -- even if you
-did- like _Swansong_! I certainly can't see myself putting it on
again.
Galloping Coroners - _Dancing With the Sun_
by: Pedro Azevedo (4 out of 10) (Neurot Recordings, 2000)
Admittedly, the idea of an album themed around the worshipping of the
Sun and the celebrating of its brightness and warmth is hardly
enticing for me in any way, and that appears to be what this is. Yet
I cast those thoughts aside as I played this Hungarian band's live
recording for the first time. However, they wouldn't let me forget
about the album's theme: their heavily psychedelic/folk-drenched
material tends to often sound like it would make much more sense if
you were out in the street, dancing and celebrating beneath the
sunshine. This isn't the case throughout all of the album -- it is
varied enough to avoid that --, but the rather over-the-top vocals
(sung in their native language) and the band's tendency to indulge in
long passages that don't seem to really go anywhere particularly
interesting can be found in most of the record. Their use of numerous
folk-related instruments does inject some more variety into the
music, but things tend to become quite tiresome somewhere along the
record's massive duration. Ultimately, it's not a matter of whether
the album is about dancing with the sun or howling at the moon -- the
band just didn't manage to get me interested.
Glacial Fear - _Fetish Parade_ (Negatron Records, September 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)
Another Italian band releasing an album through the debuting
Negatron Records, Glacial Fear present a strange kind of mix
between "nu-metal" elements and the more traditional side of things.
Featuring a front cover that probably aims at being provocative and
shocking but ends up looking rather silly, _Fetish Parade_ is a
collection of punchy, aggressive and sometimes relatively technical
material delivered with adequate conviction. Since the electronic
elements I was for some reason expecting never actually make an
appearance, Glacial Fear deliver a far less pretentious album than
the front cover and album title might suggest and simply churn out
some decent riffs and rhythms accompanied by somewhat Cavalera-like
vocals. The material does tend to sound somewhat samey after a
while, however, eventually highlighting the lack of real outstanding
passages and thus resulting in an average record.
Contact: mailto:negatron@tin.it
Halford - _Resurrection_ (Sanctuary, 2000)
by: Matthias Noll (5 out of 10)
After a short and unsuccessful intermezzo in the industrial genre,
Rob Halford's metal heart has miraculously started to beat again, and
in true metal warrior fashion he comes roaring along on his brand new
motorcycle. Crackerjack clothes have been replaced by the good old
leather outfit and old Rob looks quite mean -- or laughable,
depending on one's stance towards traditional metal poses. The
sticker on my CD says "The metal God is back", and being the naive
person I sometimes am, I expected "Painkiller Part II" or at least
something close to that. _Resurrection_ starts quite promisingly
with the fast-paced title track in true "Painkiller" style with
high-pitched trademark vocals. Track two, the driving "Made in Hell",
is also quite good, even if less powerful. But after these convincing
first two songs have passed by, things suddenly start to get lame.
How someone can pen a stupid track like "Locked and Loaded" is way
beyond my comprehension, and with the exception of the disc's
highlight, "Silent Scream" (done along the lines of the immortal
"Beyond the Realms of Death") and the duet with Dickinson on "The One
You Love to Hate", the rest of _Resurrection_ is one filler track
after the other. While the lead guitar work could easily be mistaken
for Downing/Tipton, all of the fillers have some things in common:
the serious lack of guitar riffs and song structures you haven't
heard a million times before. Surprisingly enough, Halford's return
to the metal scene is not as much a showcase for his unique voice as
one might expect, but also plagued by far too few outstanding vocal
performances compared to benchmarks set on _Unleashed in the East_ or
_Painkiller_. Looking back at his output since the split from Judas
Priest, from which the song "Light Comes Out of Black" (with Pantera)
is almost the only highlight, _Ressurection_ has somehow succeeded in
robbing me of most illusions about what metal god Rob is worth
without a serious band or songwriter by his side. Don't get fooled by
the hype, of course every track on _Ressurection_ could have been on
a Priest record (not on _Jugulator_, though), but as a whole this is
at maximum on par with their weaker output (take _Point of Entry_,
for example). Let's just continue to wait for the inevitable
reunion...
Hin Onde - _Songs of Battle_ (Aftermath Music, August 2000)
by: Alvin Wee (6.5 out of 10)
Having somewhat enjoyed Svartalfheim's raw Storm-isms on their
obscure demo some years back, I looked forward to more of the same
from this renamed and infinitely sleeker outfit. Needless to say, Hin
Onde still churn out heavily folk-tinged tunes, but having dropped
the obvious clone-factor in favor of a more standard ethnic-based
black metal. Catchy folk melodies have always been the band's forte,
and the eleven battle hymns on offer here firmly attest to that fact.
Opening the album with an outstandingly memorable synth ditty, the
title track sets the mood right from the start. While die-hards might
find the simplemindedness of the tune irredeemably cheesy, it remains
curiously infectious. The band's weakness, however, is already
apparent on this first track, when things take a turn for the slow
midway through the song. The atrocious clear yowling that plagued
their otherwise commendable demo makes a regrettable appearance here,
and the liveliness of the preceding minutes is veritably wrecked by
the slowed tempo. This seems to be the major fault of the album;
the band's strength lies in liveliness and memorable tunes, and
any departure from that norm seems to result in near-disasters.
The obviously outstanding tracks boast oddly hummable melodies.
"Fimbulwinter" kicks off with a foot-tapping eagerness, the cheerful
tune strangely inappropriate for the subject matter: "...dark clouds
form in the sky, the winter storms arrive..." just doesn't click with
the jovial atmosphere. No matter, it remains as effective as
the following "Through Sinister Landscapes", which adopts a more
experimental approach, disharmonic riffs clashing brilliantly with
the folkloric background. Hin Onde seem to come into their own on
later tracks, "24th of September..." showcasing a more developed side
of the band, weaving the sonorous black metal guitar punch with
rapidly repeated chants, quiet tension-building interludes and the
ever-present folk-motif running through. Three bonus tracks are
included, all versions of other tracks already in the album, not
adding much to the overall effect except to lengthen an already
dangerously mediocre piece. On the whole, _SoB_ should garner some
attention from the underground, just how much is anybody's guess.
Lack of maturity seems to have dampened the promising nature of this
album, and should Hin Onde develop their style any further, the next
record will be something formidable indeed.
Contact: Aftermath Music, Box 721, N-7407 Trondheim, Norway
mailto:ruholm@online.no
Hypnosia - _Extreme Hatred_ (Hammerheart, October 2000)
by: David Rocher (7 out of 10)
With the wake and wreckage of the definitely unmemorable black thrash
tidal still washing tepidly over a blase extreme metal scene's
shores, the young Hypnosia's musical orientation is definitely
leading them to tread dangerous swamps. And indeed, as the album's
eponymous opener track kicks in, Hypnosia's interpretation of thrash
just doesn't seem to actually stand clear enough from the rather
undynamic black metal guitar technique and screeching vocals, but
nonetheless displays some great, catchy ideas and musicianship --
however, by the time track three, "The Last Remains", is unleashed,
Hypnosia's passionate sentiments for the thrash metal genre are
revealed very uncompromisingly. Indeed, with "slight hints" (in the
same way that Luciferion occasionally "hint" at Morbid Angel,
admittedly) at formerly glorious masters such as Kreator, the wasted
Sepultura, the deceased Metallica or the long lost Slayer, _Extreme
Hatred_ cuts, gashes and lacerates its way through ten inflamed
tracks of fierce, powerful and catchy blackened thrash. Boasting the
clear, ample and powerful sound to match, this album is a very
promising first slash at the listeners, and successfully enough
clears great distance from the rather boring "classic" black thrash
which metalheads have had more than their fair chance to be plagued
with these past few years.
Hysteresis - _Screen Anarkia_ (<Independent>, May 2000)
by: David Rocher (8 out of 10)
Well, it's been a long wait for all who had cast an ear on
Hysteresis' self-financed and produced EP, _Art Is Entertainment_.
Whereas this first offering proudly displayed the French quartet's
dedication to old but innovative thrash acts such as Coroner
(especially of the _Grin_ era), _Screen Anarkia_ soon sets the
backdrop for the 69 tracks and 69 minutes of bizarre, powerful,
emotional and varied metal it showcases. Fuse Coroner-style riffing
with Arabic chants and music, and you get the amazing "RU 432". Delve
into more traditional metal tones, with killer guitar lines, wicked
rhythms and breaks, and you have the enrapturing "Dawn of Silence".
Hysteresis don't fail to break away from the traditional metal
scope either, as they venture along more experimental lines of
industrially-tinged musical weirdness such as "C.C.C.P.". _Screen
Anarkia_, in many a sense, totally escapes the metal scope in which
its roots are nonetheless firmly set -- Hysteresis have actually
expanded their original thrash style to attain dimensions guaranteed
to leave the most acceptant of metalheads totally disconcerted and
disoriented at times. However, with openness in mind, they have
succeeded in creating an opus of intricate, extremely elaborate and
meaningful extreme -music-; in fact, _Screen Anarkia_'s only true
problem is the lack of more powerful, ample guitars and drums, owing
to the band's limited financial means -- with a Metallica-style
production, _Screen Anarkia_ would very likely have attained even
greater dimensions. With this said, however, this creature's sound is
far more than merely acceptable, and does not impair in any way this
album's unique power and significance. In a nutshell, _Screen
Anarkia_ is an enlightened 69-minute, 69-track long journey into
complex, varied and intermingled musical worlds, and clearly deserves
any open-minded metalhead's attention.
Contact: mailto:hysteresis@chez.com
http://www.chez.com/hysteresis/
Iblis - _Axiom_ (Negatron Records, February 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)
Starting out with some intriguing and atmospheric piano and violin
somewhat reminiscent of Devil Doll, _Axiom_ (the first album released
by Negatron Records) shows plenty of potential. From there on, Iblis
introduce their somewhat blackened metallic elements to the mixture
and start to alternate between the two styles. The violin is forsaken
during the metal sections, some keyboard still being used. The
problem with Iblis is essentially that the metal passages are rather
forgettable and don't live up to the other parts of the album, which
in the end do constitute a minority. Furthermore, the two are hardly
integrated with one another, and at times it feels like the listener
is listening to two different records, one of which is clearly better
than the other. Judging by the quality of some of the violin/keyboard
sections, however, and since the metal component of the album is not
terrible either, Iblis may well be on their way to creating a more
mature, consistent and remarkable album in the future.
Contact: mailto:negatron@tin.it
Illdisposed - _Retro_ (Diehard, November 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (6 out of 10)
For once, I am thankful I received a covers album. I had
that horrible feeling _Retro_ might be a Neanderthal level
"back-to-basics" death metal opus; at least this way the songs
are good. Pity that other people wrote these songs, 'cause then
this release would need filing under "pointless", an already far
overfilled category. Who wants to hear great to good songs by great
to good bands played by their fans in average bands? Who wants
to hear eleven different vocalists from Nick Holmes and Jeff
Walker to Lemmy and Bon Scott mimicked by one rather characterless
death-barfer? If "me" is the answer to either of the above, then I
say take note of tasty renditions of "Cromlech" (Darkthrone's
powerful opener to their death metal _Soulside Journey_), "Open
Casket" (Death) and "None Shall Defy" (Infernal Majesty), hope the
amusing linear notes (displaying Illdisposed's obvious fandom) from
the press release are included on the full release, and get ye forth
to procure this. The rest of you are advised to search out
_Symphonies of Sickness_ (Carcass), _Severed Survival_ (Autopsy) and
_Leprosy_ (Death) or at the least save your hard earned cash for some
-original- music, rather than this. I'll say it again, -pointless-
collection of covers.
Various - _In the Sign of the Horns - A Tribute to Venom_
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10) (Dwell Records, 2000)
This compilation is much more to my liking than the tribute to
Zeppelin Dwell also put out [also reviewed in this issue]. For
starters, this disc is a tribute to a group I hold close to
my heart: Venom. Next, we have some pretty awe-inspiring bands
anteing up for this effort, like Black Witchery, Diabolic and Mork
Gryning. Finally, the song choices put forth here, while somewhat
stereotypical, are solid. Coffin Texts displays a brutal rendition of
"One Thousand Days in Sodom" right after a nicely done "Black Metal"
cover by the Los Angeles band Nokturne. Very good way to start
off, I say. There is a little bit of a lag with one of my
least favorite groups, Bloodstorm, doing "Satanachist" (snore!),
followed by Venereal Disease and Perverseraph putting out "Lady Lust"
and "Genocide", respectively. From the Depths brings things back
around with an incredible interpretation of "Live Like an Angel"
sounding flawlessly close to the original, but with a perfect
dose of From the Depths flavor. After Evil Incarnate ("In Nomine
Satanas") and Black Witchery adding their two cents worth by pulling
off "Warhead" authoritatively (Massacre's version still being my
favorite, however), we find Diabolic at track nine. If it wasn't for
Osmose recording artists Ritual Carnage ("Welcome to Hell"), Mork
Gryning ("Leave Me in Hell") and Acheron ("Countess Bathory") on this
collection, Diabolic's effort with "Buried Alive" would be hands down
my favorite song. Rounding out the last three unmentioned cuts are
respectable renderings by Anal Blast ("Red Light Fever"), Noctuary
("Die Hard") and Morpheus Descends ("Angel Dust"). The last three
tracks I mentioned weren't bad at all, but just not my favorite
Venom offerings. This compilation isn't quite up to the Cleopatra
equivalent in 1998, but still very good. There is a trade-off between
the two, I think, where we pick up Diabolic and Ritual Carnage with
this one, but lose Voivod, Nuclear Assault and Sodom on the Cleopatra
collection. As far as the labels are concerned, Dwell is sporting the
vastly more professional organization and I think Cleopatra was just
plain lucky with their Venom tribute. RESURRECTION!
Contact: http://www.dwellrecords.com
In the Woods... - _Three Times Seven on a Pilgrimage_
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) (Prophecy Productions, 2000)
At the time perhaps unknowingly, with the release of _TTSoaP_ this
very talented and rather unique Norwegian band prematurely closed the
circle of their career. They might not like my representing of their
career as something so linear as a circle, but there has been a great
sense of symmetry in ItW's career due to the three 7" vinyl EPs
collected and re-released in CD format as _Three Times Seven on a
Pilgrimage_. This because each of these 7" EPs came out successively
after each of ItW's three full-length albums. This collection has now
been released after what now turns out to be the final album/EP pair
is out -- but -not- after the final full-length album that should
have come out after the last EP release, as ever before, and could
have been a masterpiece. If you start at one eighth of the circle,
you have _HEart of the Ages_; advancing by one eighth at a time, you
have one EP and one album (_Omnio_ and _Strange in Stereo_)
successively until you reach seven eighths, where the masterpiece
that now will never be should have been placed; and then "midnight",
where this collection of EPs stands. The symmetry is now broken; far
worse, the second masterpiece will be left undone. And if you feel
I'm just rambling on this review, well, I probably am. Still, if we
leave all that aside, ItW produced not only _Omnio_ and two very
good albums in the shape of its predecessor _HEart of the Ages_
and successor _Strange in Stereo_, they also released three very
noteworthy vinyl EPs featuring strongly ItW-tinged cover versions and
unreleased material (including the excellent "Karmakosmik" from
the _Omnio_ sessions), and that is what you can find on _Three
Times Seven on a Pilgrimage_, with all the unmistakable emotional
male/female vocals, expressive guitars and unique doomy atmosphere.
Too bad ItW's symmetry has been forever broken... but obviously what
is really bad is that it's been broken due to the band's untimely
demise.
Judas Iscariot - _Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10) (Red Stream, 2000)
No _Heaven in Flames_, that's for certain. When I reviewed that
effort just a few months ago in issue #47, I became unhinged with the
raw conviction concerning Akhenaten's dream. This one man black metal
drill is truly as far-sighted as a clairvoyant with an astrologer's
map and fortuneteller's crystal. That vision, however, has apparently
become somewhat blurred with this, the newest Judas Iscariot release.
_Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_ is not some lost, disassociated
metal effort searching for meaning like a worldly nomad; not at all.
I keep reminding myself that this is an MCD only totaling some nearly
twenty-one minutes of music. This being the case, _DCaF_ is nowhere
near all that bad as MCDs go, just maybe a bit inopportune. It does
still suffer from the same unavoidable question of what was wrong
with waiting and releasing a full (hopefully more groomed) effort
at a later date. Without belaboring the point, Judas Iscariot's
sound hasn't been altered significantly on this release, although
I will say _Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_ has a newer,
blast-grittiness I didn't pick up on _HiF_. To be perfectly frank, my
favorite piece is the harsh abrasive instrumental, "March Upon a
Mighty Throne", which is the track before final bonus cut, "Spill the
Blood of the Lamb". If I might suggest something: try the full CD
_Heaven in Flames_ first and if it is to your liking, then
_Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_ will surely see some spins in
your disc-player too. Fair?
Malevolent Creation - _Envenomed_ (Pavement Music, November 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
Writing a follow-up to a critically acclaimed album such as 1998's
_The Fine Art of Murder_ [CoC #35] is never an easy thing,
and _Envenomed_ would inevitably end up being compared to its
predecessor. What Malevolent Creation seem to have opted for was not
taking many chances: to a considerable extent, _Envenomed_ tends to
contain more of the same kind of material found on _The Fine Art of
Murder_. That Malevolent Creation have found a formula they wish to
hold on to is not very surprising given the quality of _TFAoM_, and
may be a reflection of the band having finally reached a line-up they
were able to keep for two albums and a few years so far -- whether
the fact that not much has changed in their sound since _TFAoM_ would
be good or bad would always depend on the quality of _Envenomed_ and
whether it would be able to overshadow their previous effort. The
answer, from my point of view, is that _Envenomed_ is a mighty album:
intense and perhaps even more aggressive than usual whilst still very
precise and calculated in cold blood; but it was mostly unable to set
aside its rather similar predecessor in my mind. Having said that, I
don't think this shorter effort is necessarily inferior to _TFAoM_,
which should attest to its quality, but I didn't enjoy it any better
than _TFAoM_ or perhaps even the recent _The Only Law Is Survival_
from Hateplow [CoC #49] -- which actually contains three members of
Malevolent Creation. A very good record nonetheless, but hardly a
breakthrough for the band this time.
Mandatory - _Mandatory_ (Psychic Scream, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10)
All the way from across the Pacific rim comes the work of Mandatory,
a vibrant black/death metal-tinged music machine that relies heavily
on rabid drumming, raw production and sinister growls. While
Mandatory does have the speed and rawness to appeal to many fans, the
band loses ground in the variety department. There just isn't much
going on. A lot of the songs sound the same and I'm left wondering if
the band really had any set goals while assembling this. With heavy
nods to speed, thrash and black metal, Mandatory makes it quite
apparent their influences are from all over the map. Too bad the
record is too. Stay focused guys, and people may take note next time.
I'll admit there are some nice guitar solos on this disc. Choice cut
(nice piano work): "Be Guide Me".
Contact: 55, Mukim 6, Kg. Pertama 13500, Permatang Pauh, Penang
mailto:death_sentenced@yahoo.com
Mayhem - _Mediolanum Capta Est_ (Avantgarde / Dwell, November 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)
This is what I am talking about. In review after review, I think to
myself, metal here and metal there, but rarely engaging metal
anywhere. This -is-, I assure you. _Mediolanum Capta Est_ is also an
official Mayhem live album, too, from what Dwell says. That in and
of itself is interesting, I think. Intriguing also is Mayhem's
"offensiveness". To know what I mean, you'll have to listen to
Maniac's rants between songs. That, my friends, is what is known as a
"tease" in journalism. If you wanted it on just one Mayhem release --
it's here, even an appearance by Tormentor (Attila) from the
_De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_ era contributing appropriately enough
vocally to track nine, "From the Dark Past". The band skillfully
works through their previous material as a fire might consume
thirsty Autumn leaves. I have no desire to lecture you on Mayhem's
accomplishments, but even for a live release, this is exemplary.
Necrobutcher's bass is clear in its perfected buzz and hum and
Hellhammer no doubt had to replace his set after obliterating it
during this performance. Much better than _Live in Leipzig_, I can
see no reason fans of all metal wouldn't want this embellishing their
collection.
Merzbow - _Door Open at 8 AM_ (Alien8 Recordings, 2000)
by: Gabriel Sanchez (8 out of 10)
Masami Akita's fourth release on Alien8 Recordings proves to be
another step further away from the uncompromisingly harsh and mildly
chaotic style most would pin the seasoned noise artist with. _DOa8AM_
is Akita's "tribute" to free jazz drummers, opening the door for the
use of rhythm and "live" music as a backdrop to the screeching
feedback and stereophonic noise effects. It is debatable as to
whether or not the pieces featured are truly examples of structured
noise, though there is little doubt to the fact that much thought and
design went behind each track. Akita's choosing to finally step off
the beaten path of noise is refreshing, to say the least. What is
even more enticing is the fact that Akita appears to be forging his
own way as opposed to trespassing on the trails clearly marked off by
many of his peers. The noise is sporadic in parts and never once
reaches a level that could be defined as "assaulting". Each track is
far less of a rollercoaster ride through madness as it is to say a
tube ride down an E Coli infested river at a Big 10 school; serene
yet (un)surprisingly bad for one's well being. This lack of well
being can be seen as dozens of Merzbow fans throw on this disc only
to feel cheated and become visibly angry that their GHB money is now
in the hands of Alien8 Recordings (or one of its distributors). Such
is the life for those too ignorant to see all the signs and far too
dense to appreciate the magnitude of what they are diving into. Such
is life for a better part of humanity. After listening to Merzbow's
reconstruction of John Coltrane's "Africa Brass Session", similar
reactions over the loss of funds for unfiltered cigs and cheap mocha
will be experienced by snoody avant-jazzhole extremists. Akita-san
has done well.
Contact: Alien8 Recordings, PO Box 666, Station R,
Montreal, Quebec H2S 3L1, Canada
http://www.alien8recordings.com
Monstrosity - _In Dark Purity_ (The Plague, 2000)
by: Alvin Wee (9 out of 10)
Contrary to all appearances, Florida veterans Monstrosity aren't
finished yet, and _In Dark Purity_ reaffirms that fact with a brutal
kick in the butt. Eschewing the grinding brutality of their old
days for a crunchier, more technical riff-fest, the band kicks
things off impressively with the strongly rhythmic "Destroying
Divinity", a blazing collage of semi-melodic riffs and a searing
vocal performance by Jason Avery, who easily fills the boots of
semi-legend George "Corpsegrinder". Interestingly, Avery proves a
more charismatic growler than the current Cannibal Corpse frontman,
injecting his roars with a more caustic tone than George's guttural
rumblings. More impressive is the sheer intensity of the following
track, "Shapeless Domination", the chorus section boasting a thrashy
tightness and manic fury missing from all but the greatest acts
(read: Vader). In a surprising turn midway through the album,
"Suffering to the Conquered" countermands the pure aggression of the
previous track with an opening that wouldn't be out of place on
an early Gothenburg album. Clearly a nod to old-school Swedish
melodic acts like Eucharist, the smooth, epic melodies of the song
soar to their highest in brilliant, effortless solos scattered
throughout the track. The remaining tracks don't leave much to the
imagination regarding these old-timers' abilities, although the
slightly technical nature of the riffing detracts somewhat from the
brutality of the previous half-hour, but such is hardly noticed after
being pounded by the coup de grace, a cover of Slayer's "Angel of
Death". What this version lacks in terms of the raw hate of the
original, it makes up for in a vastly more nuanced, though still
old-school rendition of the classic. Seriously, this stuff spits a
venom long missing from the glut of latter-day death/grind endeavors,
combining the bone-crushing heaviness of their Morrisound heritage
and the dynamic, technical fury of their European counterparts into a
mind-blowing mix. There's little more to be asked from a solid slab
of death like this (except for better promotion than their somewhat
unrecognized second album). At a hefty 50+ minutes, and a cover
painting worthy of a full-size vinyl release, this slick digipak
will no doubt garner some respectable figures for the ambitious
Hammerheart label. And rightly so: both loyal fans of _Impending
Doom_ and listeners weaned on newer Swedish acts cannot possibly
ignore the power of this release.
MSBR / Kengo Iuchi - <split> (Alien8 Recordings, 2000)
by: Gabriel Sanchez (9 out of 10)
It is possible that one of the reasons I have been and continue to be
a noise fan is simply the genre's continuing ability to shock and
amaze me. If it isn't Aube using The Bible as a source sound or
Merzbow covering John Coltrane tunes, it must now be Koji Tano (MSBR)
teaming up with a... death folk artist. The very definition of what
constitutes "extreme music" that I had so lovingly embraced for
years was instantly obliterated and reconstructed to fit this new
sub-genre. Iuchi is given a solo track along with some live
pairings with MSBR to flaunt his death folk stylings while screaming
and plucking his way into my psyche. MSBR provides toned down
surrealistic backdrops to Iuchi's wailing and willingly takes a back
seat in order to let the death folk shine. MSBR's own solo piece on
the disc is indicative of his greatness as a noise artist who sees
the virtue of patience in constructing his pieces and brings as much
harshness to the noise spectrum as he does entrancing moments of
anti-musical elegance. The pairing of the overtly ugly with dark
subtle beauty in the anti-music field is not unheard of, though it
never sounded quite like this before. If anything, this album stands
as one of the few "must own" noise recordings of the last few years,
if for nothing more than it standing as proof that while much has
been done in the noise genre, there is still plenty of new ground to
be broken.
Contact: Alien8 Recordings, PO Box 666, Station R,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2S 3L1
http://www.alien8recordings.com
Napalm Death - _Enemy of the Music Business_
by: Paul Schwarz (9.5 out of 10) (Dream Catcher, September 2000)
I haven't bought a Napalm Death album since _Diatribes_, and that was
the first Napalm Death album I bought. The last couple of Napalm
records just never tweaked my interest; the altered approach didn't
quite hit the spot. However, just when I was on the brink of losing
all faith in them, Napalm Death spectacularly blasted their way
back into my consciousness with this disorientatingly aggressive,
pleasantly sporadic beast of an album. Of course, I would have been
far less shocked had I taken the time to check out their _Leaders and
Followers_ covers EP: one of the only covers-only releases worth
owning, in my opinion, even if it is a bit short. My former favourite
from Napalm was _Fear Emptiness Despair_, but after two months of
listening and consideration I firmly believe that _EotMB_ is their
outright best album. The title may seem off-putting in its bluntness,
but it really is surprisingly appropriate; _EotMB_ may not represent
a revolution in anti-music like _Scum_ did, but it stands outside
"scenes", "trends" and "musical movements", sticks two fingers up,
and proceeds to slam your face into the dirt over and over again. And
don't be thinking that all Napalm have done is pumped up the
aggression and drawn fans like myself back into their fold: _EotMB_
will be enjoyed by fans of the last three Napalm albums as well, and
I think as much, as it most surely will be by the "old timers".
_EotMB_ a damn fine record with top notch production and songwriting.
Basically, whether you're a fan of Napalm from any era, have never
heard the band, or just never liked them previously, you're strongly
advised to check out _EotMB_: I'll bet they'll be few of you who'll
be disappointed.
Nargathrond - _Carnal Lust and Wolfen Hunger_ (C.D.M. Records, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
This cassette-only release contains what can be described as
keyboard-based darkwave in which a drum machine and varied male
vocals are also used. Vocals range from snarled to somewhat
goth-like, while the music itself can go from funereal dirges
to lighter, classically influenced passages. The generally dark
atmosphere that enshrouds most of the music helps maintain some
coherency, but _CLaWH_ tends to become somewhat repetitive at times.
Nargathrond's use of the drum machine is mostly competent, even if
not remarkably inspired (not of the quality on Samael's _Passage_,
for example). Still, despite containing several elements of just
average quality, there are quite a few moments during the album that
do capture an interesting atmosphere and make _CLaWH_ a potentially
worthwhile album to look into if you are a fan of the genre.
Contact: http://www.nargathrond.da.ru
Nevermore - _Dead Heart in a Dead World_ (Century Media, 2000)
by: Matthias Noll (9.5 out of 10)
In times when one might get the impression that parodies of all the
things annoying and cheesy in metal have replaced the real thing
(HammerFall and the current true power metal fad), my admiration for
Nevermore grows and grows. This band is one of the very few that
manage to remain metal through and through, have the skill to merge
old and new without getting trendy, fuse heaviness and melody, play
on the highest technical level yet always remember that the result
has to be a song. _Dead Heart in a Dead World_ sees Warrel Dane and
co. combining the dark and progressive style of their brilliant 1999
effort _Dreaming Neon Black_, straighten it up a little bit and add
some slower, darker and more melodic numbers. The production work by
Andy Sneap is simply fantastic, giving every instrument the room it
deserves without compromising the relentlessly heavy guitar sound.
Speaking of the guitar work, I have to say that Jeff Loomis must be
one of the most underrated guitarists of the last ten years. His solo
work is simply breathtaking and the riffs this guy is able to come up
with can't get enough praise for their brilliance. Vocalist Warrel
Dane might be a love it or hate it affair with his clear and somewhat
unusual voice and vocal lines, but even if you dislike his style
he definitely knows how to bring across emotion and dedication.
Occasionally he still uses the high pitch like on the two highly
recommended Sanctuary records, _Refugee Denied_ and _Into the Mirror
Black_, but never throughout a whole song, only in places where it
truly does make sense. It's very difficult to name highlights as
there is no weak spot on _Dead Heart in a Dead World_. If you want to
get an impression before buying this CD, which I definitely advise
you to do, then check out the crushing opener "Narcosynthesis", the
melodic "The Heart Collector" or the Simon and Garfunkel cover
version "The Sound of Silence". Before the mere existence of the
latter puts you off: this is -not- a ballad anymore -- Nevermore made
it one of the heaviest and thrashiest songs on the album and the
degree to which they made it their own song is exactly the way I like
covers to be done. In my opinion, this is the best metal album of the
year, all subgenres left aside, and even though I doubt it, I hope
one day this band will get all the recognition it deserves.
Nile - _Black Seeds of Vengeance_ (Relapse, September 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (10 out of 10)
Simply put, this should be a redundant review for all but aesthetic
purposes: you should all own this album by now. That said, I'm sorry
that it's taken me a while to get round to writing this review, it
should by all rights have been in CoC #49. Apologies aside, the extra
time has allowed me to better compose my thoughts, though I'm still
fathoming and wondering at _BSoV_ utter devastating brilliance two
months after first checking it out. As many of you long time CoCers
will have gathered, I am not a religious man. I am also not a
superstitious man. However, I still find myself disbelieving as to
quite how Nile can have created a record that far surpasses _Amongst
the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka_ [CoC #32] without some type of divine
aid. Of course, that's what makes a record like _BSoV_ that much more
wondrous: that it is merely a human creation, an example of what can
be done when some of the most talented people in their field push
themselves to the limits. And in the field of innovating and
devastating within a realm which one can still accurately refer to as
"death metal", Nile must now be the masters. "Solid" is probably
-the- key word to use in describing _BSoV_: it's compositions,
structure as an album, the performances put in by every member
and the pure power it churns out in never-ending abundance are
things to be marvelled at. Bursting from the scene-setting Egyptian
Argoul performed intro, the title track's main objective is utter
devastation. Its greatest part is simultaneously traditional and
beyond the norm in its death metalness, while the classically beefed
chant which closes it off is a sterling example of truly effective
innovation. "Defiling the Gates of Ishtar" follows. Into 3 minutes
and 38 seconds Nile cram the most incredible musical journey that I
have ever witnessed in a song under five minutes long. I refuse to
spoil the surprises, but sufficed it to say that this song alone
demonstrates how ridiculous a number of light years Nile are ahead of
nearly all death metal bands currently existent in the world today.
Nile's mastery of speed is astounding, but their grasp of songwriting
construction and dynamics is as an example of near-perfection. Nile
evidence an expert knowledge of pace both in the relatively rapid
compositions which make up the majority of _BSoV_'s tracks and also
in the crushing, simplistic but equally masterful chugging final
"song" "To Dream of Ur". Nine minutes in length, it provides the
final clinching proof that Nile do not need speed or any other
particular, basic musical element to construct excellent, brutal and
invigorating songs. In a year when death metal seemed to be showing
its age, Nile have shown how monumentous a creation you -can- make
using the style as your core elements, and have simultaneously
shown up how lacking in ingenuity, creativity, and even worthwhile
brutality the majority of death metal bands today are.
Nyctophobic - _Insects_ (Morbid Records, October 2000)
by: David Rocher (3.5 out of 10)
I had always heard, read, and to an extent believed that Nyctophobic
were a referential grindcore band among this rather happily thriving
and over-productive scene. Well, Nyctophobic -are- grindcore -- and
that's about it. Offering material fairly reminiscent of early
Extreme Noise Terror, _Insects_ is the recording of a bunch of
metalheads indulging in a chaotic grunt 'n' grind session, and
unfortunately displays not much more than the interest to match.
Nyctophobic are fun and appealing for three tracks, but by the time
track four starts, you'll more than likely be reaching for the
genuine works themselves, such as Extreme Noise Terror's _A Holocaust
in Your Head_ or Napalm Death's _From Enslavement to Obliteration_.
Sad, really -- had we now been slowly heading towards the cold
days of Winter 1983, Nyctophobic's latest spawn would have been
welcomed as an interesting and innovative effort; but we're not, and
therefore, neither is _Insects_.
Opus Forgotten - _Demon of Destruction_ 7"
by: Alvin Wee (9 out of 10) (Aftermath Music, September 2000)
While the label prefers to call this "thundering black metal", the
term doesn't quite describe the fast, melodic style of Scandinavian
blackness these Norse neophytes employ. Kick-ass A-side "Demon of
Destruction" harks back to the good ol' days of _Ooimai Algeiou_-era
Algaion, the admittedly "thunderous" entry soon giving way to
a highly melodic, almost Swedish barrage of riffage and torrid
invocations. Running through three or four different riffs in
two minutes without even batting an eyelid, Opus Forgotten seem
determined to prove their worth despite their tender age. The crunchy
epicness of the closing riff seals the impression: OF are more
Swedish than anything, blending the power of Setherial with Sorhin's
ear for oddly satisfying melody. "Our Last Quest" makes up the
B-side, equally furiously, perhaps even more so than before. In a
remarkable display of control, the lightspeed riffing and frantic
double-bass pummeling only serve to hammer in the infernal melodies,
Thy Primordial style. Again, the variety of riffs and tempos create
an impressively complex and dynamic soundscape, reaching a standard
many more experienced acts would be hard put to achieve. If Thy
Primordial, Sorhin and old Algaion are your thing, Opus Forgotten are
certain to bring an evil smile to your face. This little baby
couldn't come more highly recommended.
Contact: Aftermath Music, Box 721, N-7407 Trondheim, Norway
mailto:ruholm@online.no
Pandemia - _Spreading the Message_ (Lost Disciple, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10)
Here is what I like about Pandemia: interesting guitar work and
fitting vocals to the material at hand. This fuckin' group -knows-
when to speed it up when necessary and when to ease into a
killer rhythm for effect. Sometimes it isn't the brutality or the
inventiveness of the vocals, but exactly how fitting they happen to
be to the music at hand. Furthermore, did you hear the uncompromising
solo bleed into the wicked riff that finishes out the seventh cut,
"Leaves the Storm"? If not, listen again. Perfect. Know what? I
-just- changed this band's score to an eight and a half from
an eight. I certainly appreciate the intelligence and mastery
Pandemia displays all-throughout _Spreading the Message_. Never did
my interest wane; I was engrossed from beginning to end. The fucking
bass pops nearly the two minute mark on track four, "Free Strokes",
is reason enough to buy this album. I -live- for that kind of shit!
This Czech band has all their skills honed exquisitely. Chop after
riff after awesome chop -- just listen to "The Tones Are Weaker".
This four-piece has enough inventiveness to use "intros" three places
throughout _StM_ collimating with an outro as track thirteen. Not
before the title track, however. This bearing all the more reason to
hear this disc. "Spreading the Message" is as addictive as any
-three- narcotics I have ever hear heard about. Try the incredible
riffing at key points through the song on for size, but the one
around the two minute mark is next to divine. Find out about this
band, I urge you. As soon as they support this debut in the United
States, I'M THERE! Planetarily impressive!!
Contact: http://www.lostdiciple.com
Point of Recognition / Cast in Stone / Torn in Two -
_Now the Tables Have Turned_ (split) (Facedown, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (8.5 out of 10)
A novel idea indeed from Facedown Records: instead of doing a split
EP, as is common to do with just two bands, why not have a third band
and make it a full length that is worthy of your dollars? Cast in
Stone start things off, and are quite an energetic little hardcore
band. With all of the audience cue lines included on this studio
effort, I'm sure that those in attendance at one of their shows that
had these things memorized would be quite overcome with aggression
and all out machismo whilst yelling them out in unison with the
vocalist, which is what most of this new skool hardcore is based
around anyway -- I'm not saying aggression and machismo is bad, I
quite enjoy it really, but if you take a step back it is quite
laughable. Anyway, Torn in Two storm the second set of songs with
great original musicality along with crushing heaviness. They really
set things off when the two vocalists (that's right, another in a
future long line of hxc acts to have two vocalists) trade off lines.
Point of Recognition's appearance on this CD is disappointingly
without their second vocalist, leaving Aaron "Wrekinthings" alone.
Refer to issue #49 for a more involved description of this band, but
I will remind everyone here that PoR has suddenly jumped to the top
of the West Coast hardcore heap, as far as myself and many others are
concerned. The four songs on this split aren't groundbreaking or
anything, but they are brutal and aggressive, with doom riffs thrown
in and even a chorus or two, and let's face it -- hardcore with
double bass drumming freakin' rules.
Contact: Facedown Records, P.O. Box 1202, Escondido, CA 92033, USA
mailto:facedown-niv@juno.com
Ram-Zet - _Pure Therapy_ (Spikefarm, October 2000)
by: Chris Flaaten (7.5 out of 10)
This is not what one would expect from a Norwegian band on Spikefarm.
It's hard to describe their music, but calling it a mix of Meshuggah,
The Project Hate and The Kovenant seems fitting. Ram-Zet started out
as a solo project by a fairly unknown Norwegian, Henning Ramseth, but
is now a trio joined by loads of guest musicians. _Pure Therapy_ has
a modern sound with hammering riffs, aggressive vocals and industrial
undertones. To give the songs more texture and basically make the
music more interesting, Mr. Ramseth, or Zet as he calls himself, has
used a wide variety of elements. Female vocals, violins, choirs,
flutes and melodic guitar solos are nicely woven into their sound,
making the album sound fresh and original. The only flaw I found is
Zet's vocals, which become somewhat annoying after some tracks,
mostly due to lack of variation. The female vocals compensate nicely,
so that is nothing major. Ram-Zet delivers great musicianship and
should definitely be able to raise some eyebrows with their debut.
Ravenous - _Phoenix_ (Metropolis Records, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (6 out of 10)
This is -not- the band Ravenous featuring Killjoy of Necrophagia,
Danny Lilker of S.O.D. and Chris Reifert (ex-Autopsy/Abscess). In
other words, this isn't the "necro-death metal" CD _Assembled in
Blasphemy_ scheduled for release soon by Hammerheart. This band also
-isn't- to be confused with the title of the new God Dethroned album
_Ravenous_, accentuated by the efforts of Tony of Angel Corpse on
drums. That cleared up, _Phoenix_ is a well put together mental
massage of relaxed passages suitable to damn near all moods as long
as those moods are calm ones. Ravenous is a relative newcomer to
music, sounding at times more like a dark-laden, electro-dance
mainstream Depeche Mode or Britain's Erasure than an obscurely
burdened underground Peter Murphy fronted group like The Cure.
Invoking images of singer Wayne Hussey from The Mission UK, Tim
Fockenbrock delivers the listener a complete package with _Phoenix_.
Social issues run ungoverned all through this effort; nature,
relationships, daily life and religion are just a few of the topics
explored on _Phoenix_. While no one song sticks out in my mind, in my
opinion a fact that served only to plague Ravenous's score, all the
cuts are very well done, even though moderately forgettable as a
complete whole.
Contact: http://ravenous.x2.nu
Contact: http://www.metropolis-records.com
Serpent Obscene - _Serpent Obscene_ (Necropolis, August 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (4.5 out of 10)
Nine tracks of some pretty straightforward death metal totaling about
twenty-nine minutes. Maybe it is that there is -so- much superior
music to choose from that the average has become almost sub-standard.
Something like to us a college degree today is what a high
school diploma was to our parents. Anyway, Serpent Obscene is
frustrating, speaking to the point that in their music there are some
massively impressive and alluring "breaks" ever-present throughout
this self-titled debut, but yet they manage to become meandering and
convoluted very quickly thereafter. This is baffling. As the first
example on the release, track two, "Serpent Prophecy", around the
minute and a half mark, lasting about forty-five seconds, displays
SO's nice riff capability, choppy and heavy, but then all that fades
into samey, everyday momentum playing. If this was designed to tease
the listener that SO do possess talent and can play metal riffs with
the best of 'em, it worked; but the unwanted side-effect is that it
pisses me off, too. Very little guitar soloing traded in exchange for
a more all-out campaign for speed. Most of track five, "Pestilent
Seed (The Plague)", especially the beginning, is well executed and
manipulated with promise, so in addition to "Serpent Prophecy",
"Pestilent Seed (The Plague)" and "Morbid Horror" are my other choice
cuts from _Serpent Obscene_ showing, I think, the band's greatest
promise for future success. Hope lies dormant for Serpent Obscene as
of now, but this, of course, is just their debut. With the promise of
two more releases for Necropolis and, I'm told, a strong second demo
awhile ago dubbed _Massacre_, things could very well turn around for
this group.
Sophya - _The Age of Sophya_ (Metropolis Records, September 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10)
Stop reading if you are interested only in metal; death, black or
otherwise. No metal here. What you will find on _The Age of Sophya_
is primarily lacy vocal wisps of dainty blue-drawn shadows. Stretched
almost into the fanciful, you could say that Sophya's musical
textures, and lack thereof when the need arises, are equitable in an
unbiased fashion to what Mortiis lays down in his icy cave under the
arctic mountain. Comparatively, like Mortiis, Sophya's mouthpiece,
Sonja Rozenblum, is everything and more to the group, in my opinion.
Sonja's vocals sound a lot like a much more palatable Israeli
equivalent of a mixture including Sinead O'Connor and Dolores
O'Riordan from The Cranberries. You almost get the feeling of hollow
despondency as you work your way through _The Age of Sophya_'s
seventy-three minutes. "Sunshine" exhibits a more masculine vocal
approach done by Idan Arutchi, I would assume, one of the only other
two members in Sophya. "Sunshine" serves rather well as a base test
for other tracks on the CD, showing beyond much doubt that Sonja's
whispers are an effective and fundamental component to Sophya's work.
_The Age of Sophya_ includes a hidden track, ninety-nine, in addition
to a cover of "Inner Station" by French relocated Israeli art-pop,
dance-rock group Minimal Compact. Generally, indulging fans of the
Smiths, Wire and Tuxedomoon would be embraced by the Sophya camp, I
think, but emphatic metalheads should just keep right on reading...
Contact: http://www.metropolis-records.com
Stampin' Ground - _Carved From Empty Words_ (Century Media, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (8 out of 10)
I know that this is supposed to be hardcore, but the more I listen to
it, the more Machine Head I hear. Nevertheless, Stampin' Ground is
one of the forerunners in the newly burgeoning UK hardcore scene, and
rightly so, because _Carved From Empty Words_ kicks massive booty.
The drumming is jaw-dropping and is the most technically proficient
and creative (ahh, the cymbal work, and those snare rolls, ooh)
drumming that I have heard in this particular genre, and it really
helps to push the band to a higher level of professionalism -- not to
mention manly aggression. When I first put this on, I was head
walking and doing air vocals like mad, so it's a good thing that I
work alone -- someone else in the vicinity -would- have gotten hurt.
These guys have also learned a trick or five from Slayer, but they
mold them brilliantly into their own compositions to make for a
serious pounding. I feel like I just watched Rocky after listening to
this.
Symbiosis - _Crisis_ (Listenable Records, 2000)
by: David Rocher (9 out of 10)
Listenable's newest release on the slate, _Crisis_ is the French trio
Symbiosis' first full-length album -- thirteen intricate tracks of
extreme metal, atmospheric and aggressive, brutal and progressive,
frightfully complex yet unbelievably catchy. Spin _Crisis_ once, and
within just a few seconds, Symbiosis will blow you away in an
almighty maelstrom of mind-blowing, shape-shifting metal assaults --
oozing with _Heartwork_-era Carcass-style riffing, crushing rhythms
and supremely powerful and enrapturing guitar work, godly orchestral
arrangements in the vein of Samael's majestic _Passage_ and insanely
complex structures and breaks which Dream Theater could not possibly
sneer at. Symbiosis' first onslaught is also pervaded by extremist
speed, heavy and even black metal dirges and segues, through which it
grows and mutates into a screaming whirlwind of jaw-dropping musical
maestria, all sealed within this newly arisen Trinity's powerful and
distressing musical malpractice. Graced with an ample production,
_Crisis_ is one -hell- of an album, considering it is Symbiosis'
first offering to date; in fact, this rather exemplary portrait is
only shaded by two mildly irritating drawbacks. The first is the
rather uneventful and repetitive vocals -- although they are actually
quite efficient and rabid in the making, they actually don't prove
much more than to be rather run-of-the-mill distorted blackish
screams. The second, and by far most unnerving, is the presence of
electronic drums. Actually, to be fair, Symbiosis' utilisation of
this artefact is more than precise and impressive, but during the
numerous blasting segues this element becomes just that bit too
invasive and overwhelming. Besides, it burdens Symbiosis' flowing,
varied work with a clinical, robotic feel which it could definitely
do without. All in all, however, with flamebearers such as these, it
seems that the healthy French scene has more than what it takes to
contend with the Scandinavian masters of the genre -- make sure to
keep your eyes wide open for these merciless metalheads, because the
monstrous rush they deal will be way ahead of what you can cope with
before you even feel it coming!
The Cassandra Complex - _Wetware_
by: Aaron McKay (5 out of 10) (Metropolis Records, September 2000)
I get a 1970s sci-fi television adventure series "Buck Rogers"
vibe from _Wetware_, the newest oar-in-the-water by England's
The Cassandra Complex. Electro dance-ish material layered on a
Peter Murphy-esque vocal hum-drum supplied by Rodney Orpheus, the
band's founder. While I hold disdain for the term "sci-fi" in
any of its forms or usages, it does, however, serve my purpose
well in communicating the climate and aura packaged by TCC. The
science-fiction aspect isn't necessarily so much in the lyrics as in
the mood of _Wetware_. For example, track one, "VALIS" (which, I
gather from the song, means "vast and living intelligent system"),
surfaces images of robots and androids, but the real sci-fi feel is
raised from placid waterways long forgotten in the mind by the
-music- on "VALIS" in particular. An echo of Orpheus's voice sounding
very computer generated is almost a dead ringer for Dr. Theopolis,
the artificial intelligence lugged around by the robot Twiki on
"Buck Rogers". The material on _Wetware_ runs the gambit from the
aforementioned musical workings to rather forgettable songs like the
repetitive "When I Fall in Love" and "My Possession", setting me up
to think of a "Star Wars" scene with Jabba the Hut, Princess Lea and
Seal's "Crazy" piped in on the slave barge. The most arresting track
I found on _Wetware_ is "Dion Fortune". Nicely worked with a beat to
get your blood flowing with a swift current. If more efforts on
_Wetware_'s nearly seventy-four minutes resembled anything like "Dion
Fortune", I'm sure its score would have been higher. I cannot compare
this release to any other of TCC's vast resume of albums because this
is my first dip into their pool of material. So far the water is
a bit too shallow for me, at least comparatively speaking in
relationship to Metropolis's armada of other talented groups.
Contact: http://www.metropolis-records.com
White Skull - _Public Glory, Secret Agony_ (Nuclear Blast, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (1 out of 10)
Beat drum, beat drum, beat drum -- guitar solo -- deplorable vocals
and even worse lyrics. In CoC issue #44, I gave White Skull a 3 out
of 10 for their _Tales From the North_ release. While at the time
that was probably appropriate, this _Public Glory, Secret Agony_
effort is the most massive steaming pile of skunk shit I have ever
had the misfortune of hearing a "power metal" outfit barf out. I was
hoping after _Tales From the North_ White Skull would improve. Let's
face it, there wasn't much of a direction to go other than -up-. WS
sure found the only other way to go, no questions about that. They
sound like guitarists Erik Turner and Joey Allen (Warrent) with
Firehouse vocalist C.J. Snare trying to emulate Manowar by laying
down a cover of "Phantasmagoria" by Annihilator. As a positive note,
WS's -one- point comes from the fifth track, "In Caesar We Trust". I
managed to get past the atrocious vocals to some tunes that weren't a
complete and total waste of my time. Not a great song, and the chorus
screws the track up a significant amount, but it is the brass ring on
this cavalcade of shit album. If you value your hearing, stay
clear of _Public Glory, Secret Agony_ and White Skull in general.
Detestable!
Witch Hunt - _Souls Enshrouded Fire_ (X-Rated Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10)
While the record does show a lot of promise, I think the majestic
realm of death metal that Witch Hunt plays is a little excessive. A
little too much going on, if you know what I mean. The vocals are
indeed solid, as is the playing and the haunting choir-like vocals,
but as a whole it misses the mark. This band has been around for a
while now, so I'm pretty sure they'll forge forward (taking to heart
negative comments of reviewers like myself) and make amends to their
sound. If not, it may be the same comments next time around.
Contact: X-Rated Records, 3215 NW 10th Terrace, Suite 206,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309, USA
http://www.xratedrec.com
Zenite - _Brutal Enigmatic Prophecie_ (Ne Figueiredo Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
Veteran Brazilian death/thrash metal outfit Zenite (who have been
playing for thirteen years!) has just released their latest offering
to the metal masses, and while I am not exactly jumping up for joy, I
am somewhat impressed with their real meaty death metal/thrash metal
deliverance. The tuned down guitars, meshed with the brutally gritty
vocals, propel some of the songs into a blinding fury. It is the
other set that get lost within mediocre song ideas and less than
average production. Had the band scoped out a better producer, this
record could have easily been about a point or two higher in the
rating. Death metal can rely on mediocre production for the most
part, but this is just a tad lower than mediocre. Sorry, guys. Hope
the next record sounds much better.
Contact: Ne Figueiredo Records, Av. Gentil Bittencourt 449,
Belem-Pa, Brazil
mailto:naf@interconect.com.br
Zona - _Splattiparty_ (Negatron Records, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (2 out of 10)
The black sheep of the first four Negatron releases, _Splattiparty_
is a live album consisting of some bland metal with one of the most
annoying vocalists I can remember hearing on record. This is not
necessarily due to the Italian lyrics; it's just that the voice
itself, what he does with it, and the way he often spurts out words
at a rate of at least ten per second all contribute to the building
of a massive barrier that I am unable to cross in order to possibly
enjoy the rest of their music. Then again, there's not much that
could be interesting beyond that psychological barrier: besides some
occasional efforts from the bass player to break the lethargic
monotony of this succession of uninspired riffs, there's hardly
anything else to be noticed. Maybe the fact that this is a live
recording has something to do with Zona's inability to inject some
energy and vitality into their music (let alone anything deeper
than that), but then, if that's the case, what's the point in
releasing a live record as if the band has a great collection of
albums behind them? So, assuming the band is supposed to be
particularly good live, I can see no excuses for the blandness and
general mediocrity of the music showcased here. Fortunately, the
other Negatron releases reviewed in this issue show a lot more
promise than this one, and certainly the label can grow from those
towards more remarkable releases.
Contact: mailto:negatron@tin.it
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/ \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
/ /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/
\_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|
If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo, including a
bio, if you want to be reviewed. We accept demos either on
traditional media or MP3 format. E-mail us at
<mailto:Demos@ChroniclesOfChaos.com> to know which is the most
appropriate postal address for you to send your CD or tape, in case
you are sending one, or to indicate the location of a website from
which we can download the MP3 files of your entire demo (but do
NOT send any files attached to your e-mail).
Scoring: ***** -- A flawless demo
**** -- Great piece of work
*** -- Good effort
** -- A major overhaul is in order
* -- A career change is advisable
Absurd - _Beyond the Dawn_ (4-track MP3 demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (****-)
Swedish metal from Russia, eh? Never mind -- whether that makes much
sense or not is of little relevance, because Absurd can certainly
play some good, entertaining Swedish metal. The band Absurd tend to
remind me of most often is the sadly deceased A Canorous Quintet
circa their excellent _Silence of the World Beyond_ album, although
of course Absurd aren't quite -that- good, at least not yet. Still,
with enough technical competence, decent production and plenty of
aggression, Absurd prove that quality Swedish metal can indeed come
from places far from Gothenburg.
Contact: http://www.mp3.com/absurdrussia/
Fallacy - _Martirios_ (5-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (****-)
Here's a novel concept: mixing jazzy guitar/bass/drum work with
Portuguese folk chants. Does it work? Partially, in my opinion.
I have to give Fallacy credit for not following trends, doing
their own thing and trying to be innovative while they're at it;
furthermore, credit is also due for the technical skill they
showcase. They seem to have gone deep into Portuguese countryside and
villages to find the folk chants they merge with the music in some
occasions -- forget about early Moonspell if that's what comes to
your mind when Portuguese folk is mentioned; this is entirely
different. Fallacy's jazzy, progressive instrumental section
(clarinet and saxophone occasionally included), technically skilled
as it is, could still have been more dynamic and powerful for my
taste -- especially the guitar work and sound itself. Still, if
progressive metal is your thing, the music on this demo CD is
definitely worth listening to for its innovation, experimentation and
technical quality. Personally, I feel Fallacy still need something
more in order to fully convince me. Maybe they will be able to
improve what they currently lack for their music to become more
attractive to me in the future, more than just interesting
experimentation -- I wouldn't be surprised.
Contact: mailto:fallacy_management@hotmail.com
http://come.to/fallacy/
Mahavatar - _Demo 2000_ (4-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (****-)
I'll admit it. First time I heard this record, I didn't like what I
heard. Too much going on in terms of vocal styles and the Middle
Eastern sound was throwing me off. But after repeated listens I found
the music of New York act Mahavatar very intriguing. The sounds and
styles of the music are just so damn addictive, with the Middle
Eastern style on one side and harsh, heavy tones of metal music on
the other. Plus singer Lizza Hayson has got some deep heavy growls,
but at a second's notice can break into soft-chanting vocal delivery.
The musicianship on this four-song offering is top notch, especially
the track "Open Your Minds". Those of you who like their music a
little bit intricate and a bit more ethnic-sounding, don't hesitate
to check this band out.
Contact: P.O. Box 314, JAF Station New York, NY 10116, USA
mailto:info@mahavatar.net
http://www.mahavatar.net
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/\ _`\ /\ \ /\ \__ __
\ \ \/\_\\ \ \___ __ ___\ \ ,_\/\_\ ___
\ \ \/_/_\ \ _ `\ /'__`\ / __`\ \ \/\/\ \ /'___\
\ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/
\ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\
\/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/
____ __
/\ _`\ /\ \__
\ \ \/\_\ ___ ___ ___ __ _ __\ \ ,_\ ____
\ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\
\ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
\ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/
\/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/
D E C L A R I N G W A R O N T H E U N D E R G R O U N D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mayhem, Aeternus and Red Harvest
at the Underworld, London, England
September 13th, 2000
by: Paul Schwarz
After visiting their set briefly and returning to the melee at
the bar to search for fellow CoCer Pedro Azevedo, I caught back
up with Red Harvest upon finding our long-suffering proof-reader
checking out their set: he passed me by, and so, essentially, did Red
Harvest. Not having picked up their well-received _Cold Dark Matter_
album [CoC #48], I was oblivious to how accurately they were
reproducing their material, but I must say not only did I not "get"
their set, I didn't particularly enjoy it either. An additional
drumkit beefing up a few songs with multi-rhythmic work was the
highlight of a rather monotonous and uninteresting set. Maybe Red
Harvest just aren't a live band; I'll have to wait to hear _Cold Dark
Matter_ to see, but suffice it to say that their performance didn't
inspire my confidence.
Aeternus, on the other hand, I am quite familiar with, and
tonight their impact was markedly better than when they supported
Deicide in February 1999 [CoC #36]. The material from last year's
_Shadows of Old_ [CoC #45] was certainly one of the reasons behind
this. Combined with a beefy sound uncharacteristic of the underworld,
it made parts of Aeternus' set sound more brutal and -death metal-
than most Milwaukee/Koshick metal cannon fodder that calls itself
death metal. With their talent for dynamics also punching through,
Aeternus ripped through an impressive set composed mostly of the
aforementioned latest album, along with a few older tracks.
A short while and a chat with Jason from Akercocke (their new
album's due in February and looks to be pretty spectacular from the
sample tracks I've heard) later, and Mayhem were onstage and
beginning "A Grand Declaration of War". Guitars bit big chunks from
my flesh, Hellhammer's deadly drum assault (though not matching Dave
Suzuki of Vital Remains [CoC#48]) was puncturing my cranium... and
Maniac was delivering the vocal proclamations of "The Lies Whereupon
You Lay" like he'd just run a marathon. Maniac's vocals were
dispassionate, lacking both pronouncement and dynamic punch. Mayhem
played a very diverse set which time-warped its way through their
various different eras all the way back to "Chainsaw Gutsfuck", and
even beyond to the legendary (though apparently rubbish) 1984 debut
demo's "Total Fucking Armageddon" title track. Mayhem were damn
impressive in managing to sound like a different band as they
shifted eras, reproducing _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_ in almost as
authentic-sounding a manner as they did the likes of "A View From
Nihil". Unfortunately, Maniac proved to be a constant weak link in
an otherwise extremely cohesive chain, though it was only his
reproduction of the latest album's spoken sections which were
rubbish. Ultimately, Mayhem and Aeternus together made this worth my
journey into town and the ringing in my ears which I suffered for the
day and a half after, but Mayhem failed to live up to their
considerable reputation.
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J U D G E M E N T N I G H T
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mayhem, Anathema, Hatesphere and Bronco Busters
at the Rock World, Manchester, England
September 26th, 2000
by: Pedro Azevedo
In England, people have a saying, something like: "It never
rains... it only pours." This was probably the first time I realized
this could also be seen from a point of view other than the negative
one, as after having lived in England for nearly six months without
witnessing a single concert, I got to see two in a couple of weeks --
and nearly a third one. Ironically, however, although Mayhem were
headlining this show and playing their last concert of the tour, my
trip to Manchester was entirely due to the inclusion of Anathema as a
special guest band -- they doubtlessly are one of my favourite bands
and I had already seen Mayhem a couple of weeks earlier in London
(supported by Aeternus and Red Harvest) with good friend and CoC
writer Paul Schwarz [see his own article in this issue for more
details on that concert].
Norwegian female trio Bronco Busters were the first band on
stage, presenting their fast-paced, relatively heavy rocking style.
You're probably wondering why such a band was supporting Mayhem;
well, this concert was part of a bigger, week-long event of
Scandinavian music that took place in Manchester, so they weren't
exactly part of a Mayhem tour package or anything. Of course now you
may be wondering what is Anathema's connection to Scandinavia, since
they were also playing. Well, none that I know of, but there was a
Scandinavian band that -was- supposed to play and didn't, and a few
weeks before the show Anathema were asked to replace them. Anyway,
despite having tried hard, Bronco Busters received little attention
from an audience that was there to see either Mayhem or Anathema (or
both). Their rather shrill sound just made me wish they would go
away, especially because the show was already running quite late due
to bass amp problems.
So far, most people (myself included) had only guest "metal DJ"
Fenriz (of Darkthrone fame) and his obscure vinyl oddities as
something musically interesting to pay attention to. Hatesphere from
Denmark, however, changed that situation. Playing some aggressive
Swedish-like metal that reminded me of bands such as The Haunted and
Soilwork, their half hour on stage was certainly intense as far as
the band's performance was concerned. Soilwork they were not, but
Hatesphere still managed to entertain and make themselves noticed --
I cannot recall ever having heard of them before, but I was tempted
to find out some more about them after the show.
With their set cut down to half an hour due to the belatedness
of the whole schedule, Anathema finally appeared on stage. As the
stage was pretty low and one could get quite close to it, the whole
thing didn't feel far from watching a rehearsal -- except Anathema's
performance that night was too -intense- for that. Still, with a
woman on the front row unrequestedly revealing everything beneath her
shirt to the band, things were starting off on a weird tone. This was
not a Manowar or Metallica-like act, though, and vocalist Vincent
Cavanagh's amused reaction was just that "People do the strangest
things..." Starting quietly with "2000 & Gone", with Vincent reciting
something (or simply making it up as he went along) instead of
actually singing, they then surprised everyone by linking that onto a
completely devastating, approximately ten second long piece of
grindcore-like destruction (brutal enough for Vinny to need a new
guitar afterwards, though the drums sure proved to be resistant).
After Vinny politely but unsuccessfully tried to get someone to lower
the stage lights that made it impossible for him to see the audience,
the band played "Deep" from _Judgement_ and followed it up with a
very aggressive (especially vocal-wise) rendition of "Empty" from
_Alternative 4_. Good sound, plenty of emotion coming from the stage
and a very warm welcome from the significant part of the audience
that seemed to enjoy every minute of Anathema's performance.
"Forgotten Hopes" from _Judgement_ was next, and then the band
played one of the new songs they've been working on recently -- a
psychedelic and doomy one. They were supposed to play some more new
material, but there was no time for that; and thus the first few
notes of "A Dying Wish" from _The Silent Enigma_ received a massive
cheer from the crowd, myself included. It's a shame they couldn't
play the title track from that album, but given the amount of time
they had available, I'm more than glad they actually even played "A
Dying Wish" at all -- and they did so excellently, generating truly
remarkable intensity. They then finished their set with a surprising
Iron Maiden cover that most of the audience seemed to enjoy a lot
more than I did.
Thanks to concert organizer/promoter Alex Nordgaren (from the
band Fleurety), who proved to be an excellent host from the moment I
arrived with my girlfriend at the Rock World, we had the chance to
talk to Anathema vocalist Vincent Cavanagh for a few minutes after
the show. As I didn't have any chance of recording the conversation,
it turned out to be a totally informal chat during which Vinny talked
briefly about the preparations for the recording of the new album and
made some remarks about the concert (the set list having been decided
five minutes before they started playing, and Danny having picked up
the microphone and announcing the Maiden cover that nobody else in
the band actually wanted to play, for example). During the rest
of that brief chat, which had Fenriz's musical selection as a
soundtrack, Vinny was actually quite inquisitive; a good example of
that was the concern he showed at my beloved's apparent tiredness and
lack of participation in the conversation. He carefully asked how she
was feeling -- to which she just shrugged -- and whether she had
liked the concert. The reason why I mention this is that her answer
illustrates a lot of what I felt as well: after all the effort we had
expended in travelling to Manchester and staying there overnight to
see a band that is her favourite and one of my own favourites as
well, a half hour performance was less than satisfying. But still,
Anathema's live excellence and a good choice of songs given the
limited amount of time certainly helped ease that feeling.
As Mayhem tore into the second half of their set (a shortened
one in comparison to what I had seen in London -- see Paul Schwarz's
article), we were greeted by the cold rain outside, a reminder that
the live Anathema experience was over. Memories, however, will always
remain.
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H A L L O W E E N H A V O C
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Macabre, Anonymus, Bunchoffuckinggoofs and Blood of Christ play the
Kathedral on October 31st 2000
by: Adam Wasylyk
"Candy apples and razor blades
Little dead are soon in graves
I remember Halloween
This day anything goes
Burning bodies hanging from poles
I remember Halloween"
The Misfits, "Halloween"
Ah yes, one of my favourite times of the year -- Halloween!
Trick or treaters scurry like rats in a never-ending quest for candy,
candle-lit pumpkins sit atop chairs and porches, and home-built
altars with fire and smoke are monuments to the obsessive celebrant
of this most Paganistic holiday. For the metal fan in Toronto it was
a chance to experience "murder metal" by the likes of Chicago's
Macabre. During my long trek to Toronto, two buses I rode were
assaulted by eggs, while police cars and firetrucks sped by to answer
the cries of those affected by October's most infamous day. Indeed,
the full fury of Hell can only be felt on Halloween.
Having arrived an hour late, I was to discover the doors had
been closed an extra hour meaning I hadn't missed any of the nights
festivities. Cool! A couple of Heinekens got me warmed up for the
show openers: London, Ontario's Blood of Christ. The last couple of
times I'd seen them they failed to live up to their full potential,
but on this night they delivered a very strong set of innovative
death/black metal with some cool melodic touches for added flair. Two
of the members felt the need to dress for the occasion, as the first
song was performed with Jason and Freddie Krueger masks. Their new
vocalist, whose voice has easily filled the vacancy left by ex-singer
Conan Bulani, unfortunately contributes little if anything to the
band's stage presence. This is due to the fact that the band, once a
foursome, is now down to trio, with BoC's new vocalist now handling
bass guitar duties as well. Despite this, the guitaring talents of
Jeff Longo and the excellent drumming of his brother Jason were top
notch, especially Jason's lethal blast beats and great cymbal work.
Personal highlights include "Autumn's Twilight" off their amazing
_The Lonely Flowers of Autumn_ demo, and the leadoff track they
played (an instrumental, I believe), which was executed in a delicate
yet totally harsh fashion. Working on an independent CD right now,
there's no question that Blood of Christ are one of Canada's best
metal bands. Great set!
I was made aware of Bunchoffuckinggoofs largely through the ads
their label took out in M.E.A.T. magazine, a once proud metal
publication which went bust years ago, but never heard a single note
of their music until now. As I expected it was punk music, but I had
no idea it would sound this bad. Generic, lifeless and boring... if
it's true that Halloween is the only day demons and spirits can
freely walk the Earth, surely one of them would have spared us from
this musical blasphemy! A sore lesson was learned: some things are
best left untouched (or in this case, unheard).
Montreal's Anonymus followed, sporting an obvious metal sound
with elements of thrash and death liberally sprinkled throughout. The
occasional faster parts made my ears prick up, but when regressing
back to their normal aggression levels I quickly returned to the
conversation I was having. Not many in attendance were impressed, but
it could have been worse, I suppose. More Heineken would be consumed,
along with a little herb, as murder metal was soon to commence!
Macabre, simply put, are like no other band in the metal scene.
To this day I find it surprising that death metal "legends" (a term I
use loosely) like Dismember or Bolt Thrower have had so much
attention lavished upon them, while Macabre, for the most part, are
less recognized for their musical genius. Macabre are a cult band,
plain and simple, and despite the lack of attention they receive
compared to other bands, their fans are amongst the most loyal and
diehard in metal. And don't be mistaken, Macabre aren't simply a live
band... they are an experience to behold.
Nearly repeating a classic set of material they executed in fine
fashion this past March, fine tracks from their back catalogue such
as "Fritz Haarman the Butcher", "Nightstalker", "Montreal Massacre",
"Mary Bell", "Vampire of Dusseldorf" and "McMassacre" were delivered
and consumed by their hungry fans, each song played true to the
original and full of energy. In addition, they performed a healthy
number of tracks off their latest record, a concept album revolving
around serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer called _Dahmer_. Included were
"Dog Guts", "Hitchhiker", "Cup of Coffee", "Bath House", "Trial" and
"Konerak". Maniacal fans all throughout the night shouted out the
songs they wanted to hear, as did I, with fierce mosh pits breaking
out during "Is it Soup Yet?" and "Albert Fish Was Worse Than Any Fish
in the Sea" off Macabre's underground classic _Sinister Slaughter_.
Beautiful.
What makes Macabre so special isn't just that they're great
musicians, but they deliver a performance onlookers will never
forget. Before beginning each song, guitarist/vocalist Corporate
Death would highlight the grisly details on the serial killer they
were about to sing about, recounting the stories in an almost
sinister fashion. At one point, during a brief pause in between songs
due to a broken bass string, Corporate delighted fans with some fancy
guitar soloing. Why this man isn't fully recognized for his guitar
skills I will never know. When one fan hollered for Corporate to show
his anger before their next song, he obliged and gave the most
pissed-off look he could muster before striking the first riff on his
guitar. Now -that's- a showman, that which is sorely missing in
today's underground scene.
My favourite moment on the night would have to be the preceding
minute to, along with the actual performance of, "Zodiac". The crowd
(present company included) shouted and screamed out our best and most
twisted "ZOOOODIAAAC!" after which Corporate Death and bassist
Nefarious traded off their own versions for a couple of minutes.
Needless to say my voice was shot at the end of the night, which is
always a good sign that a show went well.
A long trip home from the venue left me with a lot of time to
pontificate about this most joyous day. To nostalgic childhood
memories of egging houses and trick or treating, I can now add
witnessing one of the best death metal bands at their pinnacle to my
chest of memories. Happy Halloween indeed!
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W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gino's Top 5
1. Dying Fetus - _Destroy the Opposition_
2. Radiohead - _Kid A_
3. Mundane - _Feeding on a Lower Spine_
4. Various - _King Diamond Tribute_
5. Unleashed - _Live in Vienna '93_
Adrian's Top 5
1. Napalm Death - _Enemy of the Music Business_
2. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
3. Lamb of God - _Lamb of God_
4. Amen - _We Have Come for Your Parents_
5. The Mystic Krewe of Clearlight - _The Mystic Krewe of Clearlight_
Brian's Top 5
1. Lethargy - _Discography '93-'99_
2. VNV Nation - _Empires_
3. Nevermore - _The Politics of Ecstasy_
4. Septic Flesh - _Mystic Places of Dawn_
5. At the Gates - _Gardens of Grief_
Alain's Top 5
1. Punchdrunk - _Music for Them Asses_
2. Immortal - _Damned in Black_
3. Dying Fetus - _Destroy the Opposition_
4. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
5. dead horse - _horsecore: an unrelated story that's time consuming_
Adam's Top 5
1. My Dying Bride - the track "The Whore, The Cook and the Mother"
exclusively
2. Blood Of Christ - _...Adrift With the River of Contemplation_
(advance promo CD)
3. Portishead - _Roseland NYC Live_
4. Darkthrone - _Preparing for War_
5. Immortal - _Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism_
Pedro's Top 5
1. Enslaved - _Mardraum - Beyond the Within_
2. In the Woods... - _Three Times Seven on a Pilgrimage_
3. Nile - _Black Seeds of Vengeance_
4. Malevolent Creation - _Envenomed_
5. Incantation - _The Infernal Storm_
Paul's Top 5
1. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
2. Immolation - _Close to a World Below_
3. Seth - _The Excellence_
4. Naked City - _Torture Garden_
5. AC/DC - _Let There Be Rock_
Aaron's Top 5
1. Setherial - _Nord_ (thanks, Steve)
2. Various - _Campaign of Hate_ (fitting for the U.S political season
-- thanks, Adam)
3. Cradle of Filth - _Midian_
4. Shape of Dispair - _Shades of..._
5. Epoch of Unlight - _Black and Crimson Glory_
David's Top 5
1. Nile - _Black Seeds of Vengeance_
2. Cannibal Corpse - _Eaten Back to Life_
3. Strapping Young Lad - _City_
4. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
5. Lisa Gerrard - _The Mirror Pool_
Alex's Top 5
1. Overcome - _Immortal Until Their Work Is Done_
2. Point of Recognition / Cast in Stone / Torn in Two - _Now the
Tables Have Turned_ (split)
3. Iron Maiden - _Brave New World_
4. Haggard - _And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer_ (thanks to Alvin!)
5. Borknagar - _Quintessence_
Matthias' Top 5
1. Nevermore - _Dead Heart in a Dead World_
2. Napalm Death - _Enemy of the Music Business_
3. Nile - _Black Seeds of Vengeance_
4. In Flames - _Clayman_ and _Colony_
5. Morbid Angel - _Gateways to Annihilation_
Alvin's Top 5
1. Demonic Christ - _Demonic Battle Metal_
2. In Aeturnum - _The Pestilent Plague_
3. Obliteration - _Dying Age_ (demo) (thanx Alex!)
4. Gorgon - _The Lady Rides a Black Horse_
5. Ruthless - _Metal Without Mercy_
Gabriel's Top 5
1. Merzbow - _Door Open at 8 AM_
2. Joy Division - _Complete BBC Recordings_
3. New Order - _Complete BBC Recordings_
4. Various - _Economi$ed_
5. The Urge - _Too Much Stereo_
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Homepage: http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
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Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #50
All contents copyright 2000 by individual creators of included work.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing
them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.