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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, December 7, 2003, Issue #68
http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
Co-Editor / Founder: Gino Filicetti
Co-Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Contributor: Adrian Bromley
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Chris Flaaten
Contributor: Quentin Kalis
Contributor: Xander Hoose
Contributor: Adam Lineker
Contributor: Adrian Magers
Contributor: James Montague
Contributor: Jackie Smit
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault
The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at
firstname.lastname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com.
(e.g. Gino.Filicetti@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #68 Contents, 12/7/2003
-----------------------------
-- Arch Enemy: The Rebellion Is Rising
-- Akercocke - _Choronzon_
-- Alchemist - _Austral Alien_
-- Arkhon Infaustus - _Filth Catalyst_
-- Backyard Babies - _Stockholm Syndrome_
-- Behemoth - _Antichristian Phenomenon_
-- Bongzilla - _Gateway_
-- Cavity - _Supercollider_
-- Countess / Megiddo - _Orgasmatron_ / _The Hammer_
-- Cryfemal - _Raising Deads, Buring Alives!_
-- Daemusinem - _Daemusinem Domine Empire_
-- Daylight Dies - _No Reply_
-- Deathwitch - _Violence Blasphemy Sodomy_
-- Demonized - _Demonized_
-- Devolved - _Technologies_
-- Eternal Lies - _Spiritual Deception_
-- Funerus - _Festering Earth_
-- Ginger Leigh - _10 Stories, 10 Lies_
-- Ginger Leigh - _A True Life Story_
-- Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_
-- Haste - _The Mercury Lift_
-- Hatebreed - _The Rise of Brutality_
-- Homo Iratus - _Knowledge... Their Enemy_
-- Immersed in Blood - _Killing Season_
-- Kralizec - _Origin_
-- Leviathan - _Leviathan_
-- Malmonde - _Malmonde_
-- Manegarm - _Dodsfard_
-- My Minds Mine - _Scenes of the Complete Annihilation
of This Planet_
-- Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_
-- Nephenzy Chaos Order - _Pure Black Disease_
-- Neuraxis - _Truth Beyond..._
-- Noctiferia - _Per Aspera_
-- Planet Killswitch - _You Don't Matter_
-- Regurgitate - _Deviant_
-- Schizoid - _Covered in Metal_
-- Six Feet Under - _Bringer of Blood_
-- Skinless - _From Sacrifice to Survival_
-- Sulaco - _Sulaco_
-- Summer Dying - _One Last Taste of Temptation_
-- The Legion - _Unseen to Creation_
-- Uhrilehto - _Viha Ja Ikuinen Vitutus (Hate Eternal)_
-- Vacant Stare - _Vindication_
-- Various - _Japanese Assault_
-- Cwn Annwn - _Cwn Annwn_
-- Twytch - _Hatred_
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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/ ` |_| /_\ | (_
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
T H E R E B E L L I O N I S R I S I N G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Christopher Amott of Arch Enemy
by: Jackie Smit
It seemed an unlikely proposition after the release of 1999's
_Burning Bridges_ opus, that Sweden's Arch Enemy would in a
relatively short period of time ascend to the peak that they have at
our present point in time. Indeed, an even more improbable scenario
circa the late nineties, was that this band would transcend the ranks
of standard death metal and begin a flirtation with the mainstream
that now sees them within a hairsbreadth of taking extreme music to
the masses. But, as the overwhelming response to their latest record,
_Anthems of Rebellion_, and the praise garnered from such respected
stalwarts as Slayer and Hatebreed (with whom they currently share a
bill on the US Jagermeister Tour) would indicate, Arch Enemy are very
much a band whose time has come. Christopher Amott -- one half of the
creative nucleus that powers the band -- is hesitant to take much of
this with any semblance of seriousness though, preferring instead to
joke about the band's arrogance having gotten them to the point where
they are today. Yet, one listen to _Anthems of Rebellion_ reveals
that not to be the case.
CoC: _Anthems of Rebellion_ hints -- to myself at least -- that Arch
Enemy chose to shift away from a lot of the traditional Swedish-
style melodies they were using toward a more old-school, and
almost Carcass- style approach. Would you agree?
Christopher Amott: Carcass? I think that has more to do with Michael
[Amott]'s riff style really, which is inspired by
things like Rainbow and Deep Purple. But the album
is definitely more aggressive, which I think had a
lot to do with the arrangement of the songs this
time round. We certainly tried to make the songs a
bit more straightforward, where in the past we
would make a conscious effort to incorporate clean
and progressive stuff into a lot of the songs. But
we always try to do something different on each
album, and with this record we added the clean
vocals, the keyboards and the down-tuned stuff.
Also, this was the first record where we actually
did pre- production, so it ended up being a lot of
hard work. At the end of the day, we're all
extremely pleased with how _Anthems of Rebellion_
came out. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, it's
everything a heavy metal album should be. It's
very dynamic and very diverse. We always try and
mix in various influences ranging from progressive
rock, to death, to thrash, to black metal. We're
music fans all of us, and we listen to a lot of
stuff. Probably the most die-hard death metal fan
out of all of us would be Angela. Whenever we get
off stage and we're in the bus, she always insists
listening to Morbid Angel or Deicide or whatever,
while the rest of us just want to relax and listen
to some seventies rock. <laughs>
CoC: I'm saying this purely as a compliment -- I was never much of an
Arch Enemy fan and I was very impressed by _Anthems of
Rebellion_ despite being quite sceptical. Do you feel that this
record has the potential to convert many more to the Arch Enemy
cause?
CA: Yeah, definitely. It's not something we really think of while
we're recording, but you always want a good reaction. When you're
recording, you're just basically lost in whatever you're doing,
and I haven't yet had the chance to listen to and compare this
with earlier stuff; but it could definitely turn on a few new
people, I think.
CoC: Arch Enemy has been getting a lot of press attention, especially
after Angela joined -- did this increased profile place more
pressure on you to deliver the goods this time round?
CA: <pauses> Not really. We just do our thing. We write for
ourselves, and of course we want to sell albums and sell out
shows -- all bands want that; they'd be lying if they said that
wasn't the case. But we've never really had to compromise, and we
just play whatever comes naturally. Maybe we're just not fussy
enough. <laughs>
CoC: It also strikes me how much more settled Angela sounded this
time round.
CA: Definitely. We played over a hundred shows in support of _Wages
of Sin_, and plus, she now has a different technique that she
uses. She went to a vocal coach, who changed how she breathed and
how she projected her voice. And I think that she's also more
settled in on a personal level. I mean, she was always ready to
give 100%, so there's never been a problem with that, but she has
definitely gained a lot of confidence.
CoC: Did Arch Enemy employ the same songwriting process that you have
before for _Anthems of Rebellion_?
CA: Pretty much. It's usually Mike and myself that write the basic
riffs, and then there's a lot of jamming that basically moulds it
to where it becomes an Arch Enemy song. And really, anything can
inspire us -- maybe it's something new that we just heard or a
film that we saw; anything, really...
CoC: Speaking of hearing new music -- what's the most impressive
thing that you've heard recently?
CA: I have to tell you that I have the musical taste of an old man. I
like the last In Flames album and the new Nevermore was
really good. But it's strange nowadays, because bands are so
categorized. I mean, you have twenty bands playing one style of
power metal and twenty others playing one style of death metal.
Everybody has to be in the same vein and I think that's really
boring.
CoC: And do you feel that Arch Enemy has transcended these categories?
CA: Well, I hope so. I suppose bands like Nile or Rhapsody see
themselves in the same light, and I don't know if we're
especially original. But, anyway -- we try.
CoC: So, out of all the different shows and festivals that you've
played during the last year, what stands out as a personal
highlight?
CA: Well, there's been so many, I don't really know, to be honest. I
think that Download was really cool. We had a big crowd there and
the vibe was excellent. The two shows we played with Iron Maiden
in Europe were amazing as well. I'm a huge fan of theirs, of
course, and to meet Bruce Dickinson and just see the whole Maiden
stage production in action was incredible.
CoC: Would you hope to see Arch Enemy moving into a more theatrical
stage production in the future?
CA: Well, we're all big fans of that and we do our best shows on big
stages. We like running around and making fools of ourselves.
It's cool playing in clubs as well -- I mean, any show is cool as
long as the fans are enjoying themselves.
CoC: I remember seeing you open for Opeth at the [London] Mean
Fiddler last year and you did seem a bit claustrophobic on such
a small stage.
CA: A little, yeah -- we like to be able to move around.
CoC: So, looking at the present-day metal scene -- what do you feel
sets Arch Enemy apart from the rest of the pack?
CA: I don't know... arrogance? <laughs> We get accused of being
arrogant all the time, but seriously though, I do feel that we're
a bit different and I do think that we offer something for
everything. There's the technical playing for the musos and
there's the heavy stuff for the metalheads. There's a lot of
stuff for people to sink their teeth into.
CoC: Christopher, it's been great talking to you.
CA: Thanks. We'll be on tour quite extensively in the upcoming months
and I hope that we'll see a lot of you out there.
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~ ~ ~~~ ~ `~' ~ ~ ~
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!
Akercocke - _Choronzon_ (Earache , 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (8.5 out of 10)
I'm not a fan of Akercocke. Or shall I rephrase that and say: I -
wasn't- a fan of Akercocke. To me the hype surrounding the massively
lauded _Rape of the Bastard Nazarene_ effort was very much a case of
the emperor's new clothes, and after witnessing the band performing a
decidedly droll set in support of Cradle of Filth earlier this year,
my opinion was virtually set in stone. That is, until I heard
_Choronzon_.
What is instantly appealing about Akercocke this time round is their
overt eagerness to, for lack of a more appropriate phrase, boldly go
where no death metal band has gone before. Instead of relentlessly
blasting away and attempting to copy peers like Nile and Krisiun,
they have opted instead to forge ahead into bleaker and more
atmospheric territories with a clear nod given to classical music and
the early '80s gothic dabbling of bands like Bauhaus. In this sense,
the epic "Leviathan" stands out as perhaps the record's finest moment
-- a coming together of every strength that this London-based
collective possesses: the superb baritone of Jason Mendoca, the
skintight drumming of David Gray and the band's undeniable penchant
for conjuring melodies that are truly steeped in darkness.
Not everything on _Choronzon_ screams perfection however. While they
have definitely made several leaps forward in terms of songwriting
and composition, songs like "Becoming the Adversary" are brought down
by the band's enduring habit of splicing together sequences of pure
genius with the kind of residuary scale-shredding that should by
all rights have remained on the cutting room floor. The sheer
overpowering impact of tracks like "Enraptured by Evil" more than
compensate for these minor flaws however, and with another superb
production job by Neil Kernon adding the final ingredient to musical
cauldron, I'd think it's safe to say that Akercocke are well on their
way to the next level.
Alchemist - _Austral Alien_ (Relapse Records, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (9 out of 10)
Blending various influences into a veritable musical stew is becoming
an increasingly common departure point for a lot of modern-day metal
bands in the noughties. Truth be told, with the number of acts
nicking riffs, beats and ideas from each other with gay abandon these
days, it's almost starting to feel as though I'm repeating myself in
my reviews; but such is the nature of the beast, and thankfully
Australian psychedelic space-metallers Alchemist don't so much steal
as tint their sound with the likes of Fear Factory, Strapping Young
Lad, early U2, and Killing Joke. The end-result is a truly gratifying
and atmospheric piece of work, defined by such highlights as
"Solarburn", "Letter to the Future" and "Alpha Capella Nova Vega".
Never simply the tally of their influences though, Alchemist inject
every song on this eleven-track opus with ample doses of undeniable
and all-important X-factor, making _Austral Alien_ a thoroughly
exciting and adventurous prospect, and quite simply seminal in every
sense of the word.
Arkhon Infaustus - _Filth Catalyst_ (Osmose Productions, 2003)
by: Adam Lineker (4 out of 10)
As soon I picked this up off of the pile I knew what I was in for,
simply because I have seen this record dozens of times over. The
hybrid demon cyborg naked woman glared up from the front cover,
glazed over in devilish red and black and surrounded by evil,
uninspired fontage. The message was clear: abandon hope all ye who
listen. Seeping out of the speakers in a mess of thuds, _Filth
Catalyst_ is a fine example of mindless death metal slush. The
waspish, underpowered production completely buries the vocals into
the mix, and the useless whispering that Arkhon Infaustus have deemed
essential to their message doesn't help proceedings. I'm sure the
lyrics are nice and blasphemous, but that failed to convincingly
carry music a long time ago. Arkhon Infaustus do come across as
suitably malevolent, creating riffs that are vaguely menacing in
tone, so there is a semblance of atmosphere amid the hissing racket.
Yet even the better riffs are blended into each other and the few
notable melodic figures are squashed. At best _Filth Catalyst_ hits
us with some coherent breaks; at worst, it bogs down into a mire of
repetitive, generic tosh. Nothing has any real impact, although it
feels like Arkhon Infaustus are trying in earnest to create some
urgency. For their efforts they manage to create a resemblance
of enthusiastic aggression but no real dynamism. Each motif is
monotonously beaten to death in the 4by4 trap; _Filth Catalyst_ is
the work of yet another band that are too happy to come up with a
riff in the 4/4 time signature, repeat it four times over, and then
start the process over again with a new figure. Arkhon Infaustus
really need to learn that each riff they commit to tape is an
important one, and to cease relying on sounding darker than some
other bands that play this music. They will undoubtedly get along
with the support of a cult audience that care little for invention
and look for nothing more than a nasty vibe. Good for them.
Personally, _Filth Catalyst_ has added nothing to my life that scores
of similar bands haven't already vexed me with. Come and get it
people, this is like, really evil scene-metal.
Backyard Babies - _Stockholm Syndrome_ (BMG, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (7 out of 10)
With their 1993 _Diesel & Power_ release, the Backyard Babies
immediately placed themselves in my favourite band list; and they
stayed there for a while, gradually slipping down with every album
that came out. It wasn't until their 2001 album _Making Enemies Is
Good_ that I found myself actually enjoying a Backyard Babies album
again. Even though stylistically they almost performed a 180-degree
turn, their songs rocked and rolled. _Stockholm Syndrome_ is a
logical continuation -- I'd almost say more of the same. Sounding
even more accessible, commercial and especially safer than ever
before, I fear that BMG has a little more control over their music
than I'd want to believe. Some of the songs, like "Earn the Crown"
and "Say When", have a little bit too much hit potential for me, and
there's too many moments where the Backyard Babies sound too
much like what you've heard before and elsewhere. Even with my
disappointment at the band's loss of identity, _Stockholm Syndrome_
is a decent album that will satisfy most listeners. Me, I'm popping
in my old copy of _Diesel & Power_ instead.
Contact: http://www.backyardbabies.com
Behemoth - _Antichristian Phenomenon_ (tour-EP, 2001)
by: Xander Hoose (no rating)
Even though this was released back in 2001, I still decided to review
it for the sake of completeness (and the fact that it seems to pop
up in stores now and then). Basically a tour-EP, _Antichristian
Phenomenon_ contains a few album songs ("Antichristian Phenomenon",
"Malice" and "From the Pagan Vastlands"). However, there are some
extras that make the EP worth listening to: four cover songs,
the first being Sarcofago's "Sathanas", then David Bowie's "Hello
Spaceboy", followed by Morbid Angel's "Day of Suffering" and Mayhem's
"Carnage" to top it off. Recording quality is very good, no crappy
demo sound. Especially "Hello Spaceboy", a very unusual song for a
death metal band to cover, is worth a listen. The other three are
rock-solid covers that don't differ too much from their originals. If
you can find this EP and are a nut for cover songs, _Antichristian
Phenomenon_ is good value for your money.
Bongzilla - _Gateway_ (Relapse, 2002)
by: Xander Hoose (6.5 out of 10)
Since _Gateway_ was never properly reviewed in our magazine, I
couldn't resist the urge to at least write a few lines on this stoner
rock bible for fucked up dopeheads. Okay, okay, forgive me all that
clich�, but the fact is that Bongzilla is still making the same
twisted stoner music they've been playing for years and years now.
Topically challenged as they are, they still pray to the almighty
green leaf (songtitles include "Greenthumb", "666lb Bongsession",
"Keefmaster", "Hashdealer") and have even adapted fitting artwork,
goa-style. For those who haven't checked this album out yet, do so if
this review has made you curious. For those owning most of the other
Bongzilla albums: shit bro, you'll like this one as well, just don't
expect any form of renewal.
Cavity - _Supercollider_ (Hydra Head (reissue), 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (10 out of 10)
Dating as far back as 1999, _Supercollider_ was the album that put
Cavity on the musical map. Showing off virtuosity and style in such
an excellent way that they outranked stylemates Bongzilla and even
Eyehategod, they unfortunately never received the attention they
deserved due to improper distribution by Man's Ruin. Now that
_Supercollider_ is being reissued, almost five years later, one
cannot deny that it is still a hell of an album that outweighs most
of its competition. Sounding like Ministry at its peak meeting Black
Sabbath at its darkest, the songs screech, churn and writhe their way
into your brain, leaving a lasting impression that is not easily
replaced. The album is an intriguing listen from beginning to end,
something that cannot be said of Eyehategod and Bongzilla. Even more
important is that even though the original release wasn't badly
produced, the new rich and dense production that Hydra Head applied
to this album is absolutely killer and makes the musical originality
of Cavity even more noticeable. If you don't own the original
release, _Supercollider_ is an absolute must. If you consider
yourself a sludge fanatic, you'll particularly fancy this reissue due
to the superior sound quality and the bonus track. Either way,
_Supercollider_ is a winner.
Countess / Megiddo - _Orgasmatron_ / _The Hammer_
by: James Montague (6 out of 10) (Decius Productions, 2003)
Finally, after much blood, sweat and tears, Decius Productions
managed to get these two stalwarts from the Barbarian Wrath stables
to contribute a song each for this little collector's item. Any self-
respecting metalhead will know that the song titles "Orgasmatron" and
"The Hammer" can only mean one thing -- yes, this is a M�torhead
tribute. A bit of old-school fun, and recorded on 45rpm vinyl for
good measure.
Countess kicks off with the song covered by so many in the past,
including big names like Sepultura and Satyricon. Matching the
former's effort would be formidable, though the atrocity that was
Satyricon's cover of "Orgasmatron" could be seen as relieving the
pressure on Countess. But that's a rant for another day. This song is
actually perfectly cut out for Countess, the quirky, ultra-simplistic
blackish metal band from Holland. Playing the basic guitar leads and
mid-paced rock tempos in a somewhat humorous, somewhat deranged
manner, Orlok (the sole member of Countess) pays worthy homage to the
British metal godfathers.
Megiddo is a sterner, more serious band, and so "The Hammer" is
played in a no-nonsense fashion. With faster drumming and noisier
black metal guitar shredding, the song is over in a heartbeat. Wham
bam and thankyou ma'am, quick and professional like Krusty the Clown
recording sound clips for his latest talking doll. This Canadian band
is much in the vein of very early Bathory, and as such is quite
unremarkable. The cover falls very much in the good-but-not-great
category, leaving Countess clear winners in this little head-to-head.
Contact: http://www.deciusproductions.com
Cryfemal - _Raising Deads, Buring Alives!_ (Oniric Records, 2003)
by: Matthias Noll (1 out of 10)
Despite a promising album title (always remember: bad grammar = true)
_Raising Dead, Buring Alives!_ is without a doubt the worst black
metal record I've heard this year. The album in its entirety consists
of an obviously out of control, terribly annoying drum machine in
permanent overdrive (mostly at twice the speed of a fast Anaal
Nathrakh track or else executing random rhythm changes) and a
completely synthetic sounding guitar that leaves the impression of
being handled by a lobotomized guitar student receiving one electric
shock after the other -- plus some extremely distorted vocals. Oh, I
almost forgot: there's also some occasional keyboards with a totally
laughable sound. Yeah, this is fast, this is weird, this doesn't make
any sense at all, but this also happens to be total crap, and a
corpse-painted, fire-spitting figure on the cover doesn't make this a
black metal record. Guys, get rid of your computer, go back to black
metal boot-camp, or else start recording your farts.
Daemusinem - _Daemusinem Domine Empire_
by: Xander Hoose (7 out of 10) (Cold Blood Industries, 2002)
Eight tracks, forty minutes of pure black metal -- that's what you
get when you buy _Daemusinem Domine Empire_. In those forty minutes,
you won't experience many surprises, but the music is very fast-paced
with excellent guitar work and satisfying drumming. Whether or not
you like the vocals will be a different question, as I can imagine
them not being to everyone's liking -- they weren't to my liking,
anyway. The militant lyrics are also quite immature, unless you get a
hard-on for Roman themes. Nonetheless, if you want a no-nonsense
shit-kicking black metal album that hasn't gone for the commercial
approach, check this one out.
Daylight Dies - _No Reply_ (Relapse, 2002)
by: Xander Hoose (8 out of 10)
Where the doom scene is still pretty much dominated by European bands
(Opeth, My Dying Bride, Katatonia) there have been occasional
exceptions worth mentioning from the American continent. Daylight
Dies have received much credit for their 2001 album _Sign_, and they
have returned with a follow-up that shows once more there's quality
to be found in the States. _No Reply_ is a very clean -- almost crisp
-- but sombre and atmospheric recording, taking on the approach of
earlier My Dying Bride. Songs haven been written and performed
without any feeling of 'haste' to them; riffs and melodies flow by
gently even in the midtempo sections of the album. Strangely enough,
the vocals don't really fit the bill. The raw, sharp vocals don't
carry any emotion in them, creating an empty texture that shouldn't
have been there. Deep, clean vocals would have fitted this album much
better, especially when playing more than a few songs. Nonetheless,
_No Reply_ is a very decent album that will satisfy fans of the
previously mentioned bands and should definitely not go unheard.
[Pedro Azevedo: "Much like Rapture before them, Daylight Dies harvest
inspiration from mid-era Katatonia, with the likes of _Brave Murder
Day_ and the _Sounds of Decay_ EP clearly having had considerable
influence on the making of _No Reply_. Armed with strong production,
some really good riffs and emotional melodies, and competent raspy
vocals, Daylight Dies show enough songwriting skill to make this
hour long record very enjoyable. Not the most original of releases,
but definitely worth looking into if you feel the aforementioned
influences seem promising."]
Deathwitch - _Violence Blasphemy Sodomy_
by: Jackie Smit (6 out of 10) (Earache / Wicked World, 2003)
Note to journalists: Deathwitch don't give a fuck what we think. This
is, quote unquote, the slogan emblazoned across the front cover
of _Violence Blasphemy Sodomy_; a collection of expletive-laden,
pedomorphic anthems featuring such choice numbers as "Blood Sucking
Fuck", "Coffin Fornicator" and my personal favorite, "Fuck Off &
Die". While musically this record is definitely not the worst
thing I have ever heard in my life (well-performed, albeit fairly
unimaginative old-school death metal), it is the poorly delivered and
infantile ramblings of frontman Terror that grate. "I don't give a
fuck / Fuck you fucking leaches / I hate you / I hate everything",
read the opening lines to "Total Morbid", one of the record's more
lyrically thoughtful and intelligent moments. But as the subject
matter gradually degenerates to even more base-level dross, musically
the album manages to churn out a number of engaging moments, in
particular the mid-tempo onslaught of "Violence Blasphemy". Still,
this style of death metal has been done and done well countless times
before -- a prime recent example being Destroyer 666's excellent
_Terror Abraxas_ EP -- and ultimately there is nothing to recommend
Deathwitch over such infinitely more deserving acts.
Demonized - _Demonized_ (Osmose Productions, 2003)
by: Matthias Noll (4.5 out of 10)
Too many releases, too many bands doing exactly the same thing in a
sub-standard fashion, too many labels releasing superfluous albums --
even if the guys in Demonized might be sincere and true metalheads,
this is just another album that falls into this category. Why
should anyone waste his money buying another second or third rate
combination of Angelcorpse and Krisiun? I've heard this album five
times and can't remember anything but the absence of triggers and
myself being completely surprised that such extreme music can leave
me totally unimpressed, lethargically sitting through it just for the
sake of doing my duty before I can think about reviewing it. This is
another extreme metal equivalent of music that usually gets played in
elevators to provide some background noise until the ride is over in
a couple of seconds. As dedicated to metal as the members of the band
might be, it's painfully average stuff like this that truly kills the
enjoyment of music and even makes me crave for a 100% crap release
because at least there'd be something remarkable about it. I don't
think that zero points is really the worst rating the CoC system
allows; it's rather something between four and five.
Devolved - _Technologies_ (Copro, 2002)
by: Xander Hoose (6.5 out of 10)
Australia's Devolved have a moderately unique take on death metal,
melting it into somewhat new forms with their hardcore-ish Fear
Factory vocal style and smooth technical drums / riffing. Uniqueness
does not imply quality, however. Even though the concept of
_Technologies_ -- creating a metal version of Rage Against the
Machine -- is praiseworthy, it is important to be backed by capable
musicians in order to achieve your goals. However, the triggered
drumming sounds like it's straight from a drum computer and the
guitar / bass combo is mediocre at best. The usage of electronic
elements hasn't been pushed to its full effect, with only the
occasional beat here and there. The vocals are above average and the
song structures are interesting, but right now there are too many
downsides to _Technologies_ to make the album worth remembering.
Eternal Lies - _Spiritual Deception_ (Arctic, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (7.5 out of 10)
We all know how Sweden is the one and only birthground of all the
famous technical death metal bands with the buzzing guitar sound --
Dismember, Eucharist, In Flames, Soilwork... add to this list another
one, Eternal Lies. The intrinsic problem this band is faced with
is that the scene is still crowded with capable bands, making
competition very hard. With _Spiritual Deception_, Eternal Lies have
at least given it their best shot. The songs are pretty memorable,
the music is tight as a teen girl, the vocals are kicking (though not
very special) and even the artwork is above average. 42 minutes is a
bit on the long side, though; after about 30 minutes I've already
heard enough, but _Spiritual Deception_ is by no means a waste of
your money.
Funerus - _Festering Earth_ (Ibex Moon Records, 2003)
by: Adrian Magers (8 out of 10)
Funerus is kind of like a kick-ass old school death metal jam band.
Bits of old Deicide and Obituary are presented alongside a groove-
based guttural assault. Guitars are low and crunchy, vocals are
bellowed, and everything's driven by pounding rhythms. The band is
probably most known for featuring Incantation founder and guitarist
Jim McEntee (also featured in the band is the aforementioned
Cleveland-based act's skinsman Kyle Severn). However, it should be
noted that Funerus is a very separate entity from any other group,
and can prove their worth with or without any big names enlisted.
Funerus started in the early '90s, but after lying dormant for many
years they've returned in full force. _Festering Earth_ is the band's
manifesto, and is sure to impress those whom enjoy the original
Floridian circle of this particular form of music. It combines the
early genre standards with a few elements very much akin to many of
Sweden's Entombed-inspired metal bands. Probably the best thing about
_Festering Earth_ is its ability to take each song through so many
different tempos and feelings: from mid-pace sludge to thrashing
blurs and back, Funerus completely command their music in a way that
shows off their collective musical experience and wisdom. For a short
time you can get the pre-release version of this album (limited to
only 500 copies) from the band's website; I advise all interested
parties to act immediately!
Contact: http://www.funerus.com
Ginger Leigh - _10 Stories, 10 Lies_ (RLM, 2002)
by: Xander Hoose (7.5 out of 10)
How does one define originality? The question rises from time
to time, when coming upon certain albums. Ginger Leigh's _10
Stories, 10 Lies_ is one such album. Continuing the electronic /
industrial onslaught of previous albums, _10 Stories, 10 Lies_
contains thirteen songs that are unique in many aspects but share
great similarities with other artists on the other side: when one
listens to the middle-eastern percussion and the scraping beats,
break-genius Muslimgauze comes to mind. However, Muslimgauze has
always limited his experiments, whereas Ginger Leigh takes a far
wider spectrum of noises and sounds and integrates them into his
music. Ranging from passive drones to hyperactive industrial walls of
sound, there is enough for the listener to experience and enjoy. I am
a little discontent with the production, though: a somewhat heavier
mix wouldn't hurt the songs at all.
Contact: http://www.gingerleigh.com
Ginger Leigh - _A True Life Story_ (Masuno, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10)
Continuing where he left with _10 Stories, 10 Lies_, _A True
Life Story_ is a more nuanced journey into the realms of harsh
electronics, subtle hums and devastating feedback by Ginger Leigh.
The album has a more aesthetic feeling to it when compared to _10
Stories, 10 Lies_, the compositions are better, and there is a better
balance between loud and soft. Having a somewhat cleaner mix causes
the songs to seem more vivid; there isn't much that Ginger Leigh
and Muslimgauze have in common, because of the entirely opposite
direction Ginger Leigh is moving in. The tracks on _A True Life
Story_ are more song-oriented, and are very melodic even in all their
electronic harshness compared to Muslimgauze's anti-melodies. _A True
Life Story_ is not for the faint of heart, but then again, it's not
for the breakcore-addicts either: the album contains too few brutal
beats and has too many passive moments. For those who appreciate the
subtle shades of industrial, _A True Life Story_ is definitely worth
checking out.
Contact: http://www.gingerleigh.com
Graveland - _The Fire of Awakening_ (No Colours Records, 2003)
by: James Montague (9 out of 10)
A return to form for Graveland? Maybe not for people like myself, who
thoroughly enjoyed Darken's work even as he sucked the adrenalin from
the beast, with the sedate _Memory and Destiny_ rating as one of my
favourites. But for those who thought the band would never rediscover
the epic rage of _Thousand Swords_ or _Following the Voice of Blood_,
this latest LP will be a pleasant surprise.
It's all in the titles, you see. _Memory and Destiny_... obviously
the fella was in a state of deep nostalgia for that one. But now
we've found the _Fire_, realised through more powerful, driving
guitar lines. I must emphasise the word "driving" -- these guitar
riffs are like a relentless push, a wave of horsemen urging you, the
Pagan warrior, into the fray. Keyboards have definitely taken a back
seat now -- they still pop up occasionally to express Darken's
longing for the glory days, but his _Awakening_ is no longer just
spiritual, it is also physical. Thus the guitars bear the brunt of
his rediscovered anger, and the vocals have perked up too -- recently
just a bitter old croaker, Darken is now growling and screaming, a
vitriolic drool splattering his mighty warrior's beard. A further
throwback to the days of _Thousand Swords_ is the lyrics -- no longer
dreaming of the splendour of ancient times, Darken is now happy just
to slay all those fuckin' Christians. The blood of Yahweh will once
again slake the battlefield, and all is well in the land of Pagan
fantasists!
Still retaining his rare knack for a stirring folkish melody, Darken
has given himself a timely reminder that Graveland is, first and
foremost, a metal band. _The Fire of Awakening_ sits proudly near the
top of an extensive and magnificent repertoire, and should be a sure
thing for anyone who appreciates folk-influenced black metal.
Contact: http://www.vinlandwinds.com/graveland/
Haste - _The Mercury Lift_ (Century Media, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (7 out of 10)
Hardly a day seems to pass by where a new record isn't advertised
using trendy marketing buzzwords like "diverse influences" or
"inevitable musical evolution". These being particularly favoured
descriptive slogans among the emo and increasingly fashionable post-
hardcore crowd, Alabama's Haste are no exception for the most part.
From time to time however, they do reveal the knack for penning a
good tune or three, ultimately making _The Mercury Lift_ a distinctly
more attractive offering than anything you'd hear by the likes of the
highly overrated Funeral for a Friend or Hell Is for Heroes. Like the
melodic bastard-child of Snapcase or the ugly cousin of Boysetsfire,
_The Mercury Lift_ is an uneven listen; brilliant at times, hinting
at the staleness of yesterday's underpants at others. Certainly the
likes of "With All the Pride & Dignity of a Drowning Summer" are
excellent examples of how effectively no-frills hardcore and melodic
breaks can combine. Lamb of God's D. Randall Blythe even pays a
welcome visit to the vocal box on the bone-jarring "God Reclaims His
Throne". Yet Haste often miss the mark in terms of consistency and
effective song construction. Likewise, the production job lacks bite,
and although showing off the band's obvious talents with admirable
clarity, fails to do their dynamic approach justice. For what it's
worth however, one should take solace in the fact that tracks like
"Force Is Always an Option" hint at Haste becoming a bona fide
contender in contemporary heavy music within the next few years.
Hatebreed - _The Rise of Brutality_ (Universal Music, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (8.5 out of 10)
For many, Hatebreed's pummeling 2002 effort _Perseverance_ underlined
with fierce determination the fact that the Connecticut-based quartet
were without a doubt the meanest pack of rottweilers in the
underground hardcore yard. Yet, as powerful as it was, there were
moments when _Perseverance_ suffered badly from downright monotony as
characterized by a glut of superfluous grooves and downright lazy
songwriting. To be honest, I was more or less expecting a repeat of
both past glories and mistakes on album three, and it is ironic then,
that a band who peddle such unequivocal and forthright music could
actually succeed in surprising me. From start to finish, _The Rise of
Brutality_ displays a distinctly matured and improved act delivering
their finest moment to date; but those expecting to hear any sort of
departure or diversification should think again, because from the
moment that "Tear It Down" thunders its way on to the speakers, it
will be evident that the record is very much set to live up to its
title. Indeed, _The Rise of Brutality_ is even heavier than its
predecessors and, if it were at all possible, Jamie Jasta and Co
sound more menacing than ever. The album showcases a far tighter and
more focused Hatebreed than ever before, with songs like "A Lesson
Lived Is a Lesson Learned" and "Voice of Contention", stripped bare
of any excess filler and made all the more effective by incorporating
hooks that could rip the face off an unsuspecting listener at twenty
paces. Elsewhere "Beholder of Justice" carves a groove of such
sludge-like density that it almost becomes overwhelming, while
"Confide in No One" concludes the album at perhaps its most
satisfying peak. _The Rise of Brutality_ is not for everyone, and if
you're hungry for melody and dynamics you'd be well advised to search
elsewhere; but for those yearning to hear an album of truly heavy
music that would make the likes of Fred Durst soil his oversized
trousers, it is most definitely an essential purchase.
Homo Iratus - _Knowledge... Their Enemy_ (Arctic, 2002)
by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10)
Much like Relapse, music label Arctic has also started releasing ten
minute long EPs of their artists. While this trend still remains
questionable, at least _Knowledge... Their Enemy_ is fitted with two
video tracks along with the four audio tracks. Homo Iratus plays
solid, uncompromising death metal with great similarities to Six Feet
Under, except for the fact that these guys do have a capable
vocalist. Four songs are not enough to base much of a judgement on,
especially since I haven't heard their debut album, but as far as I'm
concerned they're doing a fucking good job. The Sepultura cover
("Roots Bloody Roots") wouldn't have been necessary, as their own
material sounds better. People who've bought the _Human Consensus_
album can skip this EP, as two songs are from that album. I wouldn't
be surprised if either Metal Blade or Relapse would try to sign this
band, and that in itself might give you good enough a clue as to
whether or not you want to hear this EP.
Immersed in Blood - _Killing Season_ (Arctic, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10)
I really can't say why I like _Killing Season_ so much, but I do.
This debut album by Immersed in Blood, a band risen from the ashes of
Inverted, isn't something spectacular or original. In less than 30
minutes, we are treated to some fast (and I mean -fast-) death metal
songs not unlike Malevolent Creation, Immolation or Dying Fetus.
There is a great deal of virtuosity, even though it's not always
pushed to the limits. Then again, the album has an excellent flow to
it that makes you want to bang your head into the walls and scream
your lungs out of your body. The blast beats are so tight it almost
provokes an epileptic fit, with a lot of attention to the vicious
sounding hi- hats. If you're interested in something violent, this
will be your thing.
Kralizec - _Origin_ (Maquiavel, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10)
Some bands stick to tried and true formulas when it comes to creating
music; others choose to take more chances. Canadians Kralizec belong
to the latter category: their amalgam of hyperblast, symphonic
bits, melodic passages, ultra-low grunts, blackened screaming and
even Akercocke-like clean singing sees them mixing some seemingly
unmixable elements. Propelled by a decently operated drum machine
(though still just a drum machine, in the sense that the album would
have benefited from a good human drummer), Kralizec do a better job
of creating interesting music from all these elements than one might
expect. The music is mostly fast blackened death metal, with
occasional keyboards and intricate guitar work, as well as dual
low/high-pitched vocals. The production sounds a bit thin, but it
does allow all the instruments to shine through admirably, and there
is certainly plenty going on most of the time to keep the listener
occupied. Though even the clean singing is well incorporated into the
music, the quality of the album is somewhat uneven -- some really
good passages alternate with rather more generic ones and a couple of
failed experiments. Still, the band is quite proficient technically
and shows some good songwriting ideas; in addition to the unusual
mixtures that make up _Origin_, there is plenty of quality material
to be found (especially "Oceano Nox" and "Kralizec" early on), and
the disc flows reasonably well. _Origin_ should be an interesting
choice for anyone into this kind of metallic experimentation, and
Kralizec a band to watch out for in the future.
Contact: http://www.kralizec.ca
Leviathan - _Leviathan_ (The Judas Cradle Productions, 2003)
by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10)
Purposefully driven music with a well-defined direction in mind has
always been a big selling point for me. Danzig's material, both with
his band, Danzig, as well as the Misfits, have been a staple in my
listening repertoire for some time now. Leviathan approaches music in
this same vein with this self-titled debut, but somewhere there is a
disconnect in the chosen approach on this release. Vocally, it is
hauntingly similar to Glenn Danzig's style and the music is similarly
rhythmic (like a heart-beat), but strangely absent life, to say
nothing of vitality. That said, ironically enough, the third cut,
"Love Eternal", from this seven-track, nearly twenty-eight minute
debut EP, is their strongest song on the entire effort. The bass,
compliments of Chris Gardiner, is very much as I like it: expansively
demonstrative. While impressive, it is showcased without proper
exposure. What I mean by that is, for example, Gardiner's talents are
far too hidden within Leviathan's circles. In other words, let the
bass shine through more. The seven songs on this offering by these
New Yorkers are of a certain "boxing match in slow motion" quality,
but, try as you might, there is little on this disc from Leviathan
that would even begin to approach any kind of T.K.O. Named after a
giant biblical sea monster, Leviathan's name might lead a person to
believe rapture is upon us when, in all actuality, the band flounders
more like a minnow in the savage ancient seas.
Contact: http://www.judascradle.com
Malmonde - _Malmonde_ (Osmose Productions, 2003)
by: Adam Lineker (6.5 out of 10)
It is important to maintain an optimistic perspective on the years
ahead to preserve one's sanity, but if bands like Malmonde are to be
believed then the future is a dark and freezing place full of
machines that glint under eerie lights. Malmonde offer us some
catchy, mechanistic guitar work that is offset by ethereal and cyber
keyboard moods. They succeed in creating a cold, otherworldly tone,
and this vibe remains constant throughout the opus. On top of this, a
bilingual vocalist swings between sinister growls and mournful
wailing in accordance with musical progression; there is nothing
special here, but he is competent enough at both vocal styles. Aside
from creating an effective sonic landscape to perform in, Malmonde's
greatest strength is their ability to pen immediate heavy riffs,
though placed as they are in this music, they often sound akin to
focused nu-metal figures (thankfully without the DJ and rid of weak
attempts to be down with the kids yo). The riff work provides the
musical bone structure, while keyboards merge melody and atmosphere
into a central stylistic feature. However, while some of these
keyboard touches are quite inventive, the ethereal figures come
across as somewhat functional. I feel that Malmonde's biggest failing
is their lack of variation: the music conveys the desired imagery,
but it is too repetitive, with the band often returning directly to
previously used riff progressions. The consistency of tone makes it
difficult to differentiate between songs; "World of Silence" vaguely
stands out, but it gets the remix treatment and suddenly becomes
cursed with mundanity. Malmonde offer us a record that effectively
displays their inspirations, but shows a real need for progression.
It is a well-executed attempt, but the result is rather unsatisfying.
Contact: http://www.malmonde.com
Manegarm - _Dodsfard_ (Displeased, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (6.5 out of 10)
A long time ago I wrote a review of the first Manegarm album when it
came out. I remember being impressed with the black metal assault
displayed by these guys, even though I wasn't a big fan of black
metal. _Dodsfard_ is Manegarm's third album already. Upon first
inspection, the folk part has received much more attention, something
I'm not completely happy with. While increasingly turning into a
Vintersorg-style band, the heavy and aggressive side of the band is
occasionally undermined by almost cheerful folk nonsense. I'd be
the last one to say a band shouldn't try out new things, but
stylistically, I think this juxtaposition doesn't do the album much
good. The clean Viking-style vocals don't really cut it for me
either. Thankfully, there are enough songs left that are just
downright vicious motherfuckers to ensure _Dodsfard_ is by no means a
waste of money.
My Minds Mine - _Scenes of the Complete Annihilation of This Planet_
by: Xander Hoose (6 out of 10) (Amenta, 2002)
My Minds Mine has been around since 1995 and they're still going
strong -- sorry, -grinding- strong. Twenty-four tracks in a mere
twenty minutes; we've heard it before. The problem this time around
is that we've heard it done better before. Please guys, the sloppy
production and lack of any memorable songs do not justify carving yet
another notch on your bedpost. A prime example of the right approach
can be found on the last Pig Destroyer album, for instance; variety
and tightness are not overrated. If My Minds Mine would spend a
little more time in the studio and try to raise their own standards a
little, creating something really fresh and aggressive, I'd love to
give them the benefit of the doubt. For now, a meagre 6 out of 10 is
all they get.
Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_ (Season of Mist, 2003)
by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10)
Looking at bands like Gorelord or Wurdulak and the somewhat
irritating fraternization of Necrophagia members with Norwegian black
metal has- beens, it became quite easy to write off Killjoy and his
gang. With Anselmo out of the band and the other members involved in
projects that either never released anything (Eibon) or were located
deep in mediocrity territory, I just didn't see it coming -- and the
crushing impact of _The Divine Art of Torture_ almost did blow me
away through the windows of my living room. Gone are the meandering
song structures; trimmed away is the fat generated by too many
breaks; and riffs that fail to totally crush simply have not been
given a place on _TDAoT_. Whereas in the past Necrophagia have often
tried to put a bit too much into individual songs, this time they
rely on simplicity, and the result is devastating. My description so
far might give you the picture that Necrophagia have just become
simpler and groovier and lost the atmospheric part of their sound;
but that is not the case, thanks to the totally effective, haunting
keyboard parts that Sigh's Mirai has added to the grooving mayhem
of Fug and Frediablo's twin guitar attack. Add Killjoy's insane
vocals and a production that is as close to achieving the perfect
balance between clarity and total heaviness as it gets, and you
have a headbanger's wet dream of a record. Even if due to its
simplicity the immediate appeal of _TDAoT_ might wear off after some
time, Necrophagia's achievement of being able to throw all ballast
overboard and just let it rip in the studio without losing their
trademarks is simply admirable. Furthermore, in my opinion, the
inclusion of keyboards makes them sound even cooler and more
horror-film-like than ever.
Nephenzy Chaos Order - _Pure Black Disease_
by: Aaron McKay (4.5 out of 10) (Baphomet / Red Stream, 2003)
Despite the rating, these guys have a fair amount working in their
favor. How's that? Details, you say? Well, for starters, these guys
aren't about a lot of talk. "Put up or shut up" seems to be the
Nephenzy Chaos Order philosophy, probably written in blood above
their urinals at home. Without a doubt, this five-piece is as raw as
a battlefield flesh wound. In no way are they new-comers to the
scene; Nephenzy Chaos Order (or NCO for short) have skills stretching
as far as the likes Pain and Nifelheim. One can analyze things to
death (NCO's forte), but this style of black metal is to be absorbed,
not picked apart and dissected. "Mental Aggression" is easily NCO's
power- hand on _Pure Black Disease_: it combines the strength of
Himinbjorg and a somewhat riffier Gorgoroth. If this type of musical
direction found on "Mental Aggression", or even the harsh attack of
"Insomnia", were to be stretched across the other eight tracks, NCO
would have discovered the holy grail of the the black metal scene --
that being a certain discerning originality. As things turn out,
they have not. Stained and bland for the most part on _Pure
Black Disease_, NCO combine all the right ingredients for their
more-evil-than-thou cauldron o' decay, but ultimately fail to deliver
the enticing allure of imagination. Nothing from nothing and all
things being equal, Nephenzy Chaos Order is vocally and moderately
musically mystifying, yet hollow in their approach. When all is said
and done, NCO is admittedly ripe with all the redeeming qualities few
on the black metal scene seem to have -- now let's have a few more
cuts specifically in the vein of "Mental Aggression", gentlemen.
Contact: http://www.oblivioncreations.com/~nco/pages/main.html
Neuraxis - _Truth Beyond..._ (Morbid Records, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10)
It seems like this is Montreal extreme metal month for me, with
Neuraxis coming along together with fellow countrymen Kralizec
looking for a review. While Kralizec are on a Portuguese label,
Neuraxis are on a German one -- but there is a certain kind of
extremity they have in common, though Neuraxis are much closer to the
Canadian masters of extreme metal, Cryptopsy. Benefiting from a full
but clear production, the band's attack scores highly both in
terms of impact and technicality. Though very likely doomed to be
branded a Cryptopsy clone, Neuraxis are a talented band, and
despite the similarities they do have a style of their own -- the
melodies running through all the brutality on brilliant opener "...Of
Divinity" and the variation on second track "Impulse" prove just that
within the album's first few minutes. What's more impressive is that
hardly a track goes by without a couple of memorable, distinctive
passages; the album is a joy to listen to, and delivered with great
impact. The band members all seem very skilled (including a drummer
of the Flo Mounier school) and there's plenty of hooks and breakneck
changes amidst the hyperblasting. To illustrate just how much I enjoy
this album, the only Cryptopsy studio album I find even better than
this is their legendary _None So Vile_. I don't know where these guys
have been hiding, but you should do yourself a favour and pick up
this outstanding piece of metallic extremity.
Contact: http://www.neuraxis.org
Noctiferia - _Per Aspera_ (Arctic, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (9 out of 10)
Even though the title seems to suggest a black metal band, Noctiferia
doesn't really fit into that category if you dismiss the vocal style.
_Per Aspera_ is by definition a technical death metal album, and by
this I am referring to Morbid Angel's style of death metal.
Noctiferia have their homebase in Slovenia, but the production of
_Per Aspera_ is far better than most albums from Eastern Europe. The
sharp guitar sound makes the album a delight to listen to, because
_Per Aspera_ features many riffs that would make more famous metal
bands jealous. Even though the music itself might not be original,
the displayed skills are frightening and they show considerable
talent in writing atmospheric songs that stand out by themselves.
Although I'm not much of a black metal lover, the snarling vocal
style did not irritate me even for a second, as it seems to fit the
music well. _Per Aspera_ is a small jewel; if you're lucky enough to
find it, you will end up giving this one many a spin in the good old
player.
Planet Killswitch - _You Don't Matter_ (Independent, 2003)
by: Adrian Magers (9 out of 10)
An impressive blend of metal, electronics and general weirdness:
Planet Killswitch perform music that I would describe as Ministry,
Coal Chamber, Slayer, Hatebreed, Chimaira, Skinny Puppy and KMFDM
all thrown in a blender. The band employs three distinct vocal
styles from three different members of the band (death growls,
goth-tinged grumbles and distorted wails) and a generally unique
sonic presentation of the band's bitter lyrics. Topics range from
governmental control to society's ills, and so forth. My one problem
with the album is that some of the tracks, like "Bleak" and "Killing
Machines", sounded better on their demo CD _The Scum of the
Planet_ (recorded when the band was known as just Killswitch).
Maybe it's just me, but it seems that something was lost in the
re-recording. Aside from this, there are no other flaws I can pick
out. Planet Killswitch is easily the midwest's most promising
underground industrial metal band, and in my opinion one of the best
unsigned acts in the country. I have a feeling PKS may be a love/hate
affair with few opinions in between the extremes; but if you
like crunchy metal laden with industrial scraps and bits, Planet
Killswitch is sure to please.
Contact: http://www.planetkillswitch.com
Regurgitate - _Deviant_ (Relapse, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (9.5 out of 10)
Woot! I love this album. I wasn't all too sure about the latest Nasum
album; I felt like something was missing. I still find it hard
to pinpoint what that "something" is, but I can tell you that
Regurgitate has it. No less than 27 songs of bitching grindcore,
fast and vile like a rabid dog on acid, with excellent vocals
(high-pitched screams versus low growls), songs that flow into each
other, an excellent mix where especially the bass and drums provide a
killer combination... this whole album breathes "buy me!". If you
like energetic music, if you like Cephalic Carnage and Nasum, if you
haven't heard this album yet... what are you still doing here? BUY,
BUY, BUY!!!
Schizoid - _Covered in Metal_ (D-Trash, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (6.5 out of 10)
Raised on metal, yet a full-time practicing digital hardcore freak,
Canada-based Schizoid has circumvented the trap of being torn between
two worlds by combining them both. _Covered in Metal_ is not
unique, but still definitely special: covering old metal songs by
transforming them into a digitalized fusillade is something you won't
hear every day. On _CiM_, Schizoid presents us his view on Dead World
("Cold Hate"), S.O.D. ("Chromatic Death / No Turning Back"), Suicidal
Tendencies, Biohazard ("Thorn"), Anal Cunt, Candiru, and many more.
Even though I really like most of the industrial renderings of these
songs, I also have to say that it could have been done better. The
album sounds like a home-made product, with a weak mix and over-
represented high tones, while the vocal parts aren't all that
impressive either. Teaming up with another metal-loving noise artist
would probably have resulted in a more professional sounding result
-- but then again, maybe my standards have been set to high with the
latest Venetian Snares releases. If you're into weird stuff, don't
hesitate to buy this album. If overall music quality is a very
important factor, however, make sure you give this album a listen
before buying it.
Six Feet Under - _Bringer of Blood_ (Metal Blade, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (4.5 out of 10)
With the amount of media attention lavished -- arguably quite
undeservedly -- upon Six Feet Under in recent months gone by, it was
virtually a given that _Bringer of Blood_ was going to turn out to be
either sheer class or unabashed hype. Indeed, after seeing Barnes and
his not-so-merry crew tear it loose at the London Underworld earlier
this year, I was personally anticipating something not so much
remarkable, but most definitely... well, better than this. One could
blame Metal Blade Records for allowing Chris Barnes to languish in
the producer's seat, or you could point the finger at Barnes himself
for turning in one of the most amateurish and weak vocal performances
witnessed for some time. Regardless, _Bringer of Blood_ falls short
of expectations on several counts. "Sick in the Head" opens the album
on a decidedly tepid note, whilst "America the Brutal", with its
droning anti-war chorus, sounds like Six Feet Under making a
half-hearted stab at recording a punk tune, and inevitably falling
flat on their faces. Elsewhere, tracks like "Ugly" and "Murdered in
the Basement" go some way toward redeeming the album slightly, but at
the same time heighten one's amazement at the fact that the same band
could have recorded the album's shockingly poor title track. The
truth of the matter is that 2003 has already played host to many more
creative and outstanding death metal releases (Misery Index, Krisiun,
Zyklon and Morbid Angel to name a few), and amidst such vastly
superior talent, Six Feet Under are at best an afterthought.
Skinless - _From Sacrifice to Survival_ (Relapse, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (7 out of 10)
Skinless has always been one of the less interesting bands on the
Relapse label, mostly because the band lacks identity. Just being out
there between Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation and Dying Fetus
doesn't automatically mean people will buy your album -- you'll need
something unique to stand out from the crowd. Where Skinless
previously tried to "stand out" with painfully not funny lyrics, they
have now dropped the humor. Instead, on some songs you will find some
clean rock vocals somewhere in the background. Please don't ask me
why, because it immediately degrades the songs, making you wonder
"what the...". On the positive side, _FStS_ is quite a varied album,
something that can't be said for some of the competition, making it
easier to listen to the album as a whole. Some of the songs are very
simple and straightforward, disregarding technicality in favour of
groove ("Miscreant", for instance), so this album will probably do
well with Lamb of God fans. _FStS_ isn't a bad album; it's actually
quite okay if you're into brutal death, but I still prefer seeing
these guys play live. That's where they really do stand out.
Sulaco - _Sulaco_ (Relapse, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (8.5 out of 10)
It's almost becoming a common thing for Relapse to introduce a new
artist by releasing a 3- or 4-track sampler as a teaser for a full-
length album. Sulaco has been signed pretty recently and this less-
than-15-minute EP is a good indication that Relapse will be further
exploring their hardcore/noisecore direction. Sulaco plays this style
expertly, but unlike labelmates Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge or
rivals Drowningman, their style is very straightforward. You'll find
breaks and blast beats throughout the album, no worries, but there's
just no surprising element to give the songs extra value. I guess
with the proper promotion, Sulaco can become one of the bigger bands
in the scene as long as Relapse is backing them.
Summer Dying - _One Last Taste of Temptation_ (Independent, 2003)
by: Adrian Magers (8 out of 10)
Summer Dying are easily one of the best unsigned American bands
right now, and I can say this without any doubt in my mind.
This band will be signed, and probably could have already picked
a label from the overwhelmingly positive response generated by
the band's debut full length _Beyond the Darkness Within_. Their
resume is impressive, having opened for Children of Bodom, Dimmu
Borgir, In Flames, Moonspell, Cannibal Corpse, Killswitch Engage,
Shadows Fall, Incantation, The Haunted, Nevermore, Hypocrisy, Lacuna
Coil, Witchery, Dying Fetus, The Crown and more nationally and
internationally respected bands. They were voted the number one
unsigned band at the Online Metal Awards. So does this band live up
to their reputation? Their growing fanbase would answer with a
resounding 'yes'. The music is very well put together, managing to be
catchy without sounding mainstreamed, and angry without sounding
anything but genuine. Overall the band most akin to their brand of
metalcore is Darkest Hour, but fans of Shadows Fall, Unearth and
Poison the Well would do well to keep an eye and ear out for Summer
Dying. In just two short years they've practically made it to the top
tier of regional band success. The word of Summer Dying has spread
fast through the metal underground, and for good reason. Hearing a
young band like this that has such a fully-formed sound is quite
refreshing. Impressive -- and it seems this is only the beginning.
Contact: http://www.summerdying.com
The Legion - _Unseen to Creation_ (Listenable Records, 2003)
by: Matthias Noll (6 out of 10)
If you're into recent Marduk but wish they'd be a lot more technical,
and you enjoy the clinical, Emperor-derived black meets death metal
of Zyklon or Myrkskog, then Sweden's The Legion should interest you.
_Unseen to Creation_ is the ultimate album to bridge the gap between
yawning along to either of the above mentioned bands. Putting it into
a CD changer set to random play mode together with _World ov Worms_
or _World Funeral_ will surely do the trick of notably prolonging the
time until either release gets boring. The quality might be lower
during the Legion tracks, but they won't substantially disturb the
flow.
Let's move on to a German lesson now. In the former GDR, people
referred to restaurant food which had the purpose of filling one's
stomach rather than be especially tasty as "Saettigungsbeilage".
An "at least you'll get yourself stuffed side-order" would be
the somewhat crude translation. "Markslon" fans take note, your
Saettigungsbeilage is ready for consumption now, served with a clean,
professional Abyss production, totally average screeching vocals,
excellent technicality but nearly nonexistent songwriting skills,
wish-we-were-black-metal leanings and -- fucking necrotrueness, can
there be a better selling point?! -- the current and certainly
talented Marduk drummer among all the norsecore madness.
Contact: http://www.legion.nu
Uhrilehto - _Viha Ja Ikuinen Vitutus (Hate Eternal)_
by: Xander Hoose (4.5 out of 10) (Cold Blood Industries, 2001)
The band logo not being very recognizable and the album title being
followed by the words "Hate Eternal", one could easily mistake this
for a new album by Erik Rutan. It is not, however, and not by a
longshot. Compared to the skills displayed by Hate Eternal, Uhrilehto
sounds like a demo band, and even without this comparison my
judgement wouldn't be any less harsh. While they claim to play music
in the vein of old Rotting Christ and Samael, they can only wish to
possess that little spark of songwriting quality. Musically, _Viha Ja
Ikuinen Vitutus_ isn't that bad, just very uninspired. The keyboards
sound cheap, the drumming is bad, but the guitar work makes up for a
lot. This is only for the real fanatics; the rest of you should stay
clear of this album.
Vacant Stare - _Vindication_ (Copro, 2002)
by: Xander Hoose (4 out of 10)
A lousy attempt at throwing uninspired nu-metal at unsuspecting
buyers. Check out A Perfect Circle, Thorn.Eleven, Underground Union
or Number One Son instead of giving this poop a listen.
Various - _Japanese Assault_ (Relapse, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (7 out of 10)
Continuing the _Assault_ series that Relapse has been bringing into
the market for the last three years now, this time it's up to the
Japanese bands to show us what they've got. Japan is well known for
the most fucked up bands (C.S.S.O. as their best known export
product), so I had really high hopes for this comp. My enthusiasm was
a little tempered after the first few spins, because there's nothing
really wicked or surprising. On the other hand, if you're into fast
fucking grind (Agoraphobic Nosebleed / Nasum style), the album has an
excellent kick-off for you: Senseless Apocalypse treats you to
fourteen songs averaging one minute each, crazy, fast and insane.
Muga's tracks are much slower and darker, reminding me of older
Swedish crustcore bands. Realized make up for another big part of the
album, with another fourteen songs; however, they sound less clean
and technical than Senseless Apocalypse and the vocals are a huge
disappointment. Closing act Swarrrm, however, get the award for
standing out the most: this death/grind act takes Brutal Truth and
Converge influences and twist them into their own take on the genre.
The haunting twin vocals give the music an extra touch. Of this band,
I hope to hear a full-length release as soon as possible; they are
without a doubt the most promising band on the compilation.
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Scoring: 5 out of 5 -- A flawless demo
4 out of 5 -- Great piece of work
3 out of 5 -- Good effort
2 out of 5 -- A major overhaul is in order
1 out of 5 -- A career change is advisable
Cwn Annwn - _Cwn Annwn_
by: Aaron McKay (2 out of 5)
With such an atypical and interesting band name, as well as hailing
from the mid-west, Cwn Annwn (pronounced coo-nah-NOON) was a band I
was interested in checking out. This quartet from Minnesota came into
being around 1998 and now finds themselves in the desperately
difficult position of climbing out of relative obscurity to more of a
professional status. The most recent attempt in accomplishing this
task was done by way of a three track demo at Echo Bay Studios in New
Hope, Minnesota; I understand that Echo Bay has been responsible for
producing acts like Living Colour and Elvis Costello. Be that as it
may, Cwn Annwn's new demo needs an angle. Not without direction,
this band has ability, but seems lacking in the "musical vision"
department. This demo is well done, yet leaves the listener absent a
hook for their form/style. Naming themselves after the Welsh "hounds
of hell", on first impression Cwn Annwn paints a vivid word picture
of a severe thrash metal outfit, but musically burns a bit too rich
in the gas/oil mixture. These guys have a lot of drive throughout the
disc complete with well-timed speed and nice breaks. The vocals are
sung in a clean, understandable style, yet sounding a lot like they
are still too close to their garage band roots. The mostly hyper
riffs of "Feral Ferocious" start things off. "Grey Streak" follows
next with a ghostly touch of the surreal, thumping bass and the most
stirring mix of breaks on this effort -- my favorite of the three
songs. Last is "I Used to Give a Damn", sounding very much like
Nuclear Assault screwing around with Metallica's gear in the _Kill
'em All_ era. The CD came complete with a radio edit for "Feral
Ferocious" and a radio edit and alt ending for "Grey Streak". I will
be listening, hopefully soon, for a longer and more mature venture
from these guys. There is something here that just needs to connect
and we'll have another Flotsam and Jetsam on our hands, and that'd be
a -good- thing from where I stand.
Contact: http://www.cwnannwn.com
Twytch - _Hatred_
by: Aaron McKay (4.5 out of 5)
Whether it's school, work or just life in general, sometimes you just
gotta outwardly vent some frustrations. When that time comes, as it
does for us -all-, Twytch has got your back. This Massachusetts five-
piece is about as professional as they come without the restrictions
of a major label pulling "creative control" strings like you're some
damn marionette. Angry, tough and hostile, with an unmistakable
method to their intense sound, this outfit has a lot going for them.
What's more, Twytch is brutal in their approach, but with the all the
timing of a precision Italian race car. With a heavily influenced
drive, all the members pull together on this effort with the untapped
energy of a thousand Hatebreed fans. This six-track effort comes in
at 22 plus minutes in length. After a few times through _Hatred_ you
feel like you've been trapped in an industrial strength cement-mixer
with a half a dozen iron mallets. The thick, enriched chops on this
disc are simply amazing and truly infectious. The single obligation
to a specific task in the band dynamic seems to allow these guys to
develop and concentrate solely on their respective part within the
band. Matt McChesney's clean and strained "tough guy core" vocals
are utilized with incredible proficiency all throughout _Hatred_.
Lyrically, the discontent on this effort manifests itself as a
vitally engaging element to Twytch's energetic display of aggression.
Isaias Martinez and Tony Zimmerman provide the twin riff-packed
guitar assault, whereas Joe Martinez's bass thunders out the low end
with all the stability of a tectonic plate shift. Some percussionists
just keep time, but Brian Joyce's drum talents vibrate throughout
_Hatred_ like a propeller on an aircraft carrier -- the effect is
jaw-dropping. As was mentioned earlier, Twytch has it all going for
them, especially if "Hatred" and track six, "Swallow the Stitches",
is the direction they continue to explore. Call their sound whatever
you want, Twytch has all the pieces put together for an explosive
career.
Contact: http://www.twytch.com
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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. Drudkh - _Forgotten Legends_
2. Disfear - _Misanthropic Generation_
3. Mythos - _Pain Amplifier_
4. Carcass - _Symphonies of Sickness_
5. Judas Priest - _Rocka Rolla_
Pedro's Top 5
1. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
2. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
3. Drudkh - _Forgotten Legends_
4. Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_
5. Neuraxis - _Truth Beyond..._
Paul's Top 5
1. John Coltrane - _The Ultimate Blues Train_
2. Impiety - _Skullfucking Armageddon_
3. Gospel of the Horns - _Eve of the Conqueror_
4. Craft - _Terror Propaganda_
5. Nehemah - _Light of a Dead Star_
Aaron's Top 5
1. A Canorous Quintet - _The Only Pure Hate_
2. Pest - _Desecration_
3. Grievance - _Grievance_
4. Fortid - _Voluspa Part I / Thor's Anger_
5. Hatebreed - _The Rise of Brutality_
Matthias' Top 5
1. Mourning Beloveth - _The Sullen Sulcus_
2. The Crown - _Possessed 13_
3. Necrophagia - _The Divine Art of Torture_
4. Hate Forest - _Purity_
5. Demoncy - _Joined in Darkness_
Quentin's Top 5
1. Impiety - _Kaos Kommand 696_
2. Graveland - _Blood of Heroes_
3. Zyklon -_Aeon_
4. Moonspell - _The Antidote_
5. Melechesh - _Sphynx_
Adam's Top 5
1. Blaze - _Silicon Messiah_
2. Nightwish - _Century Child_
3. Tool - _Aenima_
4. Entombed - _Clandestine_
5. Opeth - _My Arms, Your Hearse_
Adrian Magers' Top 5
1. 16volt - _Skin_
2. My Ruin - _The Horror of Beauty_
3. Iron Maiden - _Powerslave_
4. Thorn Garden - _Various Demos_
5. Dimmu Borgir - _Death Cult Armageddon_
Jackie's Top 5
1. Zyklon - _Aeon_
2. Myrkskog - _Superior Massacre_
3. Alchemist - _Austral Alien_
4. Sick of it All - _Life on the Ropes_
5. Paradise Lost - _Symbol of Life_
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Web Site: http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos
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DESCRIPTION
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Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically
distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews,
album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages of Chronicles
of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of
chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to electronic/noise
to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles of Chaos is dedicated
to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie
bands who send us material, as well as interviews with a select
number of independent acts.
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #68
All contents copyright (c) 1995-2003 by individual creators of
included work. All rights reserved.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals
expressing them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone
else.