MAD CADDIES 'Rock The
Plank' CD (Fat Wreck Chords)
Mad Caddies are one of those bands that are called eclectic.
They absorb influences and mix and match their styles at the
drop of a hat. The problem arises when the band fails to excel
at their chosen styles. Either do them all well or concentrate
on what you do best. Anyway, what really is the point of trying
all kinds of styles? 'Rock The Plank' is unfortunately a result
of not being master of all your trades. some of the songs are
great ie. 'B-Side' and 'Days Away' but a lot is just bland run
of the mill examples of pop punk, ska, melodic hardcore.
5/10
MADDER MORTEM All Flesh
Is Grass' CD (Century Media)
'All Flesh Is Grass' is an album whose varied ingredients leave
you picking out what you like and discarding the rest. The band's
mixing of black metal, goth, folk doom and death metal tied together
by Agnete M. Kirkevaag's haunting and pained vocals (in the vein
of Third And The Mortal) seems a little too clever by half. They
say God is in the details, and I can't think of any band that
would apply to more. Each song needs to be dissected like a corpse
to be fully understood, such is the overwhelming depth of instrumentation.
They even outdo Opeth! As a result the CD does raise questions
about what we should expect from metal nowadays. Madder Mortem's
Norwegian countrymen are renowned for pushing the boundaries
of extreme music, but each time, a band comes along to challenge
the status quo. No wonder the hyper speed black metal of Darkthrone
failed to maintain supremacy when all around are ready to reinvent
the wheel. In that sense Madder Mortem are a vital metal band,
but what will the true headbanger make of it? 'All Flesh Is Grass',
after all the analysis does lack brutalising power, and that
something that makes extreme music extreme is missing. To me,
Madder Mortem are superficial, doing things to be different for
their own sake, and unless they are more focused this is going
to result in a band disappearing up it's own arse.
6/10
MALEVOLENT CREATION 'The
Fine Art Of Murder' CD (Pavement)
Things have turned full circle. Recently there has been signs
of a death metal revival- Nile, Incantation and Cryptopsy all
releasing great albums, and now this from one of the stalwarts
of the scene. With Brett Hoffman and Rob Barret back in the ranks
MC show why over the last eight years they have been labelled
as seminal and hugely influential: thirteen choice cuts of prime
Floridian death metal with stunning blast beats and double bass
drums, brutal riffs and Brett's distinctive roar. It's all been
done before but this is better than most.
[Simon Fairfax] 8/10
MANGE 'Disillusioned'
CD (Half Life) $12
Call it snobbery, but when an unknown entity rears its ugly head
you only want to give 'em the time of day if they have some kind
of pedigree. So it's comforting to know that vocalist Bruce Reeves
is an on/off member of Phobia. That gives Mange credibility.
I know that sounds silly but I can take 'em seriously because
they've been there, done that. Not surprisingly, Mange play grind
crust like Phobia, but with longer songs (think Grief too) with
despairing lyrics to match. The production is a bit iffy with
the drums pushed forward and sounding tinny. But it's a debut
that should make them a few more fans. Fine.
6/10
MAN VERSUS HUMANITY 'Anti
Imperialist Culture Sound' 7"ep (Paracelcius) $5
Carrying on in the tradition of Germanic post Rorschach grind
a la Stack, Acme, Buchenwald, early Dawnbreed, Golgotha etc.,
and in empathy with their American cousins Burn It Down and Coalesce,
M vs. H. is pretty much what you'd expect, relying on the tried
and tested slaughtering of instruments in the name of the true
music of anger. But I've been listening to Isis' 'Mosquito Control'
which is a kinda benchmark now, so I'm noticing a lack of real
inventiveness, though the three tracks mixes metalcore with strong
melodic passages. Powerful.
6/10
March Metal Meltdown 3
Asbury Park, New Jersey- April 6 & 7
As with just about every Jack Koshick-hosted metal extravaganza,
this one was fraught with problems and nuisances, mainly to do
with scheduling conflicts: for instance, Saturday's headliners,
Cathedral, were given only twenty minutes to play after flying
in from England, and Electric Wizard were bumped off the bill
altogether! Nile and Soilwork also canceled, for reasons unknown
to me. Of course, every year I break my promise never to support
this sham by attending; that said, there were still a handful
of high points. A select rundown of the highlights is probably
the best approach, since a couple hundred acts played (and about
90% of them, well, sucked!):
Cathedral: these Sabbath-worshippers were pretty much
the reason I went to the fest, as they've been one of my absolute
faves since 91's "Forest" classic. Despite getting
in only 5 songs, Lee and the lads were in top form, getting a
rousing welcome from the American doom contingent. Mr. Dorrian
was his usual mad-fuck self, simulating anal sex with a roadie
and good-naturedly berating the audience, amongst other antics.
Surprisingly, they didn't play any songs from their new album
Endtyme, but maybe that was simply on account of their shortened
set- old favorites like "Ride", "Soul Sacrifice",
and "Midnight Mountain" (which had most of the crowd
clapping along to the disco breakdown!) were more than enough
to satisfy me, though. Hopefully they'll be back on American
soil for a proper tour soon.
Warhorse: These guys are causing quite a stir in the doom
and stoner rock scenes lately, and I found out why. Going on
just before Cathedral, they kicked out a fearsome set of downtuned,
fuzzed-out scuzz-rock that simultaneously invoked the spirits
of Sabbath, Frost, and just about every obscure 70s acid combo
you can think of. The tempos were generally sluggish, but active
enough to keep the crowd interested. I guess the term 'stoner
rock'-which I hate-applies to these guys, but they create an
atmosphere far more sullen and, well, evil than it would suggest.
They definitely have more in common with Electric Wizard than
Kyuss or Fu Manchu, if that clues you in- Southern Lord have
done well to sign Warhorse up.
Amorphis: another old favorite of mine since '92 at the
latest, the Finns were back in America after less than a year
since they toured here with Moonspell. By this point in time
Amorphis have pretty much exorcised any lingering vestiges of
death metal from their sound, but that doesn't really matter
if you rate them solely on the quality of their tunes. Guitarist
Tomi has lost interest in singing altogether, so the set consisted
only of material from their last two albums, on which new vocalist
Pasi has taken over completely. The band's atmospheric, polished
brand of metal carries over well from cd to stage, and new number
"Alone" was a definite highlight. An excellent set,
I'd say, but I do wish that they'd played something from "Tales
from the Thousand Lakes". Maybe next time!
Avulsed: making the trek from warm Spain to absolutely
miserable, rain-soaked New Jersey must have had an adverse effect
on Dave Rotten and co.'s spirits, because theirs was without
doubt the best pure death metal set of the weekend. Utterly fucking
raging riffs, ferocious guttural growls from Rotten, and a very
good sound equal death metal bliss, in my opinion. Not surprisingly,
their American-style, pit-friendly Cannibal/Suffocation approach
went down very well with the attendees, 95% of whom were 'death
metal-only' types as it was.
Vintersorg: vocalist Vintersorg has a very unusual voice,
and I'll admit that when I first heard him I thought it was dreadful;
when I got used to it, though, I actually came around to it-
coupled with his vicious black-ish screech, he is one of the
more versatile and dynamic frontmen you'll come across. Their
folky metal with black influences is a lot more rocking and groovy
live than on disc. This was the Swedish band's first show in
America, but they came across as fairly confident and comfortable
in this setting. I think the fact that a band like Vintersorg
is even playing here shows how much the state of metal has improved
in the U.S. over the past few years-in, say, '95 this would have
been unthinkable. Extra points must be awarded to the fill-in
keyboard player, who had very little time to learn the material
but rocked like a bastard anyway!
Pain: it's a little surprising that Pain played the fest
since neither of their albums has been given a domestic release,
but they definitely turned a few heads with their performance.
The thing you have to bear in mind is that Pain is a product-
an unashamedly contrived outlet through which Peter Tagtgren
can release music that wouldn't fit in with Hypocrisy. Rumor
had it that they were NIN clones, but that's not really correct-rather,
they were poppy pseudo-industrial metal with strong death metal
underpinnings. The fusion of speed-picking and blatantly poppy
vocal harmonies may sound strange, but it worked this time, and
more than a few heads were bobbing along enthusiastically. Tagtgren
played the part of Rock Frontman with aplomb, and it was amusing
to see him posturing so when he's normally a down and dirty death
metal guy.
Dying Fetus: when the Fetus are on, they are the best
live brutal death metal band on the planet, hands down. Tonight,
though, things just didn't gel for them. Maybe it's because they
were breaking in two new members (a 'high' vocalist and a bass
player to replace departed bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton);
maybe the mix wasn't clear enough; or maybe it was just an off
night for the guys. Normally their incredibly catchy grooves
are what stand out, but tonight they were barely audible, buried
underneath a wall of distortion and fuzz. Whatever the case,
I'm expecting better things the next time around!
Stampin' Ground: after reading Glasper's contributions
to Terrorizer for several years now, it was cool to actually
see him on stage. I only caught three songs of their set, but
what I did see impressed me: an energized fusion of new-school
hardcore with some razor-sharp thrash riffing. Vocalist Adam
was a bouncy-ball of energy, and seems to be a natural frontman.
The band seemed to go over with the audience pretty well, although
it's sad to say there are still some people who refuse to get
into a band simply because they don't look 'metal' enough. Fuck
those attitudes-and come over for a longer tour, SG!
Vesperian Sorrow: "What? A black metal band from
Austin, Texas??" I'm sure that's a pretty common reaction,
and these guys are probably used to it by now; but regardless
of that tired 'true vs. false' debate, musically speaking VS
delivered, despite suffering through a poor sound mix. Their
sound is somewhat akin to that of Emperor or Limbonic Art: symphonic
and rich on the keys, but still suitably vicious. At times, though,
the synths were out of synch with the other instruments, and
maybe a case could be made for VS simplifying their approach
to maximize live efficiency. Regardless, I was pretty impressed,
and promise not to break into laughter next time I hear the phrase
"Texan black metal" uttered!
Opeth: This may be come as a surprise to some, but Opeth
drew the largest crowd of the weekend. These Swedes are so un-hyped
(at least in the US), and care so little about image, that the
phenomenal turnout can only be attributed to their excellent,
original music. I saw a wide range of people headbanging, grooving,
or just 'taking it in'-- from be-mulleted cock rockers who got
off on the flashy solos to hardened death metallers who appreciated
the sheer weight of it all. Given that their music contains so
many prog and 70s rock elements, I'm surprised that it translated
so well in a live setting. Amazingly, scores of people were singing
along to the three songs aired off of new release "Blackwater
Park"-which hadn't yet been released in the States! (I guess
Napster et al really have had an impact on music) The band even
dusted off "Forest of October" from their first album
"Orchid", thereby sating an old-timer like me. Highlight
of the fest, without question
MATMOS/MOTION split 12"
(Fat Cat)
Matmos is well known in the electronica field especially for
their remixings for Kid 606 right up to Bjork via LaBradford.
If you could be insane enough to apply the word 'funky' to electronica
then the two tracks here are it. Fat Cat seem to think so. What
makes them funky? Well the beats, scratches, noise shards and
drones on 'Freak 'N' You' dance about. They have a rhythm and
seem to live. 'Rigged Seance' embarks on a slower, pulsating
journey with flickering sounds and loops, before an explosion
of horns lead to the destruction of peacefulness. Just sit back
and enjoy the transformation. Hey, try and dig out the sample
of field recording taken from a base camp at Mount Everest!!
Motion aka Chris Coode, based in sunny, middle class Kingston,
is another artiste picked up from a demo. As with a lot of Fat
Cat electronica, it's all about sampling sound sources and feeding
'em through a processor with the vigour of a butcher sending
meat through a grinder. Eh? Not that this effort is blood soaked
mayhem. Flickering tones , drones and atonal rhythms seek to
create tangible landscapes that can be either spooky or inviting.
There's a lot that Motion has thrown into its first release so
it'll be a while before we can say if this is the envisaged approach
or if they will become more focused.
7/10
MC MELL 'O' 'Melloizdaman'
12" (Jazz Fudge)
Five years away from the game, and you would have thought Mell
'O's return would have been phenomenal. As one of the leading
lights of British hip hop's 'golden era' of the early 90s he
has been dealt many bad hands, but has always bounced back with
strength. His potency has always been in these battle dominated
displays. Mark B's rugged compositions inspire the old fiery
flow, but something rings hollow here.
[Joe Maximus] 6/10
MEATHOOK SEED 'B.I.B.L.E.'
CD (Dreamcatcher)
'B.I.B.L.E.' is a remarkably consistent album considering the
disparate elements that have been thrown in together. Instead
of fighting it out, the feint industrial sounds marry rather
well with the not quite but almost nu metal riffing and positively
romantic lyrics. As the band has explained their influences are
many, and you can sense that they 've tried to keep this project
as up to date as possible without compromising on the essence
that makes MS stand out as a distinctive entity. Just don't jump
in expecting mindless brutality or pretentious metal twiddling.
Metal is just a starting point for something...
7/10
MEDULLA NOCTE 'Dying From
The Inside' CD (Copro)
'Unrelenting' is a word that was invented just for Medulla Nocte.
'Dying From The Inside' is what it says on the tin. But is that
always a good thing? After a while all the self torture does
begin t grate but maybe that's the intention. The loaded drum
and bass attack would be more difficult to beat and the band
sound like they've learned a bit from pure black metal. When
they do throw in a melodic break just be thankful. It's an album
that's obviously gone all out for maximum brutalism and minimum
technical bullshit. Just prepare yourself for a long ride.
7/10
MELEE/ THE CANCER KIDS
split 7"ep (Endless Knot/ Social Napalm)
I had read so many good things about Melee from reviews of their
demos, so it's a good feeling to have when everything you expected
is here on this ep. Okay, the production has been dragged through
the mud, and low end distortion comes across, but at least the
power is expressed. Fast, blistering hardcore with strong melodic
touches. The Cancer Kids are a good contrast. Faster, louder
with hints of No Comment mixing singalong shouted vocals. Their
sound is dense and is compacted into seven short songs. Beautiful.
7/10
MEMBERS OF TINNITUS 'Tactics
For Instant Music' LP (iDeal)
Tinnitus' album covers a broad spectrum in electronica and no-wave.
At times Autechre, at times Flying Luttenbachers, at times Sonic
Youth, at times Kraut rock, at times Kid 606. There's no identifiable
sound that says "this is Tinnitus". But there is a
common denominator in the energy and vibrancy of each piece.
Whether it's the tingling opener 'Radd For Rock' or the harsh
'Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!' or the jazz ambience of 'Joachim' Tinnitus
treat approach each song as if their lifes depended on it. Definitely
in a whole world of its own.
6/10
MERZBOW 'Amlux' CD (Important)
Amlux is Toyota's massive multistorey showroom in Tokyo, which
proves that Merzbow can find inspiration in the most mundane
of places. But cars make noise, and buildings make up the City.
Noise plus City equals Merzbow's current interests. Post industrial
to a point yet totally ahead of the game in terms of sound constructions.
The Merzbow of today is no longer about pure noise and mayhem.
The intelligence in his music, though always present, is more
apparent in these later releases which sees him move towards
an abstract expressionist direction. Hearing is believing.
8/10
MERZBOW 'Dharma' CD (Hydrahead)
Of all the Merzbow releases I've heard, this is the least successfully
constructed. With the thirty one minute 'Frozen Guitars And Sunloop/7E'
dominating the album the other three much shorter pieces tend
to fly by without much impression. Certainly, the openers 'I'm
Coming To The Garden...' and 'Akashiman' fail to make an impression.
The piano on 'Piano Space For Massimo Kitty' has chaotic but
fun structuring that sees noise blasts in a wrestling match with
a struggling piano. It's all pretty disposable though and would
have worked better as compilation tracks. Thirty one minutes
is about the right length for 'Frozen Guitars' whose exhilarating
speed and violence needs the space for it to build up momentum.
There is massiveness in the sound, at times unbelievably inspiring
images of a blazing meteorite ripping through the atmosphere.
Despite it's linear structuring the multi layering still allows
sound fragments to go in diverse directions so at no point is
the noise static. But Merzbow does not like to call his pieces
'noise'. I can see what he means because what we hear is sound
manipulation that expresses an idea. Noise on its own is just
er... noise with nothing to offer. If the CD title 'Dharma' is
ominous, then severe contemplation of any Merzbow recording with
result in a spiritual uplifting of the soul if not complete attainment
of Nirvana.
7/10
MERZBOW/KARKOWSKI 'Mazk'
CD (Tigerbeat 6)
Though Merzbow is actually credited by his real and solo performance
name, Masami Akita, it is still 'Merzbow'. Which means ferocious
noise and complex computer constructions. The problem is that
such is the power of his work I'm not sure what Karkowski does
on here, but I understand he is a big name in laptop music. Just
one 36 minute-no-rhythms piece on here, which reflects Merzbow's
new interest in Powerbook laptops ie. now sounds are synthesised
via software and outputted through mixers. Apparently, it's a
lot easier for him to turn up for gigs, rather than having to
set up banks of synthesisers/hardware.
8/10
MERZBOW/AURAL TORTURE
MECHANISM split CD (Crucial Blast)
Merzbow's 'Unknown Tape' electronic piece was constructed in
1994 at around the time of the 'Veneorology' release, so it is
obviously representative of what he was doing at that time. 'Veneorology'
was inspired by Merzbow's fascination with death metal, especially
the ferocious drumming styles of bands like Morbid Angel and
Napalm Death. 'Unknown Tape', at thirty two minutes, bludgeons
with equal force and is unrelenting in its one dimensional linear
pattern. There's still touches of this on recent works like 'Dharma'
but the techniques and multilayerings were then much more primitive.
As 'noise-like' as you would expect from Merzbow.
Maryland's Ryan Copeland aka Aural Torture Mechanism provide
five more recent efforts, and also bludgeon with devastating
power. Unlike the singular sourced Merzbow piece, ATM utilise
sounds from anywhere they can find them before shoving them through
a blender. The sound quality does vary, and despite their statement
that that should be considered a positive quality, the detrimental
effects are evident. I believe electronica works are enriched
by crystal clear sound where nothing is lost or muffled. It's
a paradox to suggest that for 'noise' recordings but the proof
is in the pudding, as they say. ATM have put a lot of effort
into what they've done, and each piece has been constructed to
highlight a different aspect of noise generation, though Ryan
states that each piece was constructed on the spot without much
prior thought. I like that sense of spontaneity and the freshness
comes across well.
All in all, this could be described as your archetypal late nineties
harsh noise release and as such should eventually attain 'classic'
status.
7/10
MERZBOW /DJ SPOOKY THAT
SUBLIMINAL KID 'Subsidia Pataphysica' split 10"ep (Manifold)
Merzbow's 'Tatara' is based on remixes off 'One Eyed Metal' and
'Wild Animal & Polythedral Garden' from the 'Batztoutai With
Material Gadgets' CD, and again confirms his newer direction
aqway from the linear noise barrages of his earlier days. Like
the material on '1930' 'Tatara' is seemingly chaotic cut and
paste which relveals itself to be more with careful listening.
Certainly not fierce but a welcoming experiment. DJ Spooky turns
out a simple ambient drone effort on 'Subsidia Pataphysica' which
contrasts positively with Merzbow. Again there's seems to be
a lot happening below the surface. 'Morpholo' probably represents
what most people associate DJ Spooky with, being one repeatedbreakbeat,
with subtle changes along the way. This has got to be played
loud.
7/10
MERZBOW/ AMM split 12"
(Fat Cat)
'Tower Of Ghost' epitomises most people's idea of what Merzbow
is about: harsh power electronics and pure white noise of destructive
proportions. Albums like '1930' show that there's more to him
than this but once in a while we like to have our brains plastered
across wallpaper by good old fashioned loud noise. And just to
prove that your ears are still in working order, established
electronic pioneers AMM give us the 20 minute long 'For Ute'
which is the polar opposite with its whirlpool of drone, feedback
and transient drumbeats. Make sure to prick up your ears for
this delicate effort.
7/10
MERZBOW 'Door Open At
8am' CD (Alien 8) $16
Following hot on the heels of 'Aqua Necromancer' you could be
tempted to see this as a companion piece or part two of a set.
But there is differing approach between the two, if you listen
hard enough. The cut and paste is less apparent, as is the use
of samples, but the lessons learned from 'Aqua' have been applied
to the sole use of power electronics/noise.There's a myriad of
sound textures, but at the expense of violence and speed. The
Alien 8 catalogue sez that 'The Africa Brass Session vol2' is
a reworking on a John Coltrane piece. If that's true then one
musical rebel is learning from another.
8/10
MERZBOW 'Aqua Necromancer'
CD (Alien 8) $16
Merzbow's works can be divided into two groups: the psychedelic,
where a hypnotising noise barrage is the central theme, and the
architectural, where there is a conscious attempt to built pieces
up from sound blocks within defined parameters. This CD belongs
to the latter, though the end result is a simple slap in the
face to any sane approach to construction. The incorporation
of samples by Soft Machine, torn to pieces drum attacks, and
insane tweaking has been influenced by DJ mixing techniques but
goes even beyond those limitations. This product is produced
with the blessing of Satan himself.
10/10
MERZBOW '1930' CD (Tzadik)
The latter Merzbow releases are becoming renowned for dispensing
with the straight ahead thunderous noise barrage for its own
sake, for a new found ear for texture and a bizarre sort of melody.
Thus, '1930', part of the label's New Japan series, finds the
prolific genius deconstructing the noise into manageable pockets
of sounds often in competition, sometimes in unison, with each
other. The title track slowly reveals a heartbeat as a rhythmic
tool while on 'Degradation Of Tapes' cut up and paste is less
chaos than elegant dance. The violence is there for sure, but
it's never harsh. Probably his best.
9/10
MERZBOW 'Tauromachine'
CD (Release Entertainment)
Though no way near as sophisticated as 'Aqua Necromancer' or
'1930' this is still a personal favourite. This is Merzbow as
most people comprehend him- the master of brutal harsh noise.
The opener 'Cannibalism Of Machine' rumbles with bestial violence
as if we are witnessing the death throes of a civilisation at
war with itself, while the use of water on 'Soft Water Rhinoceros'
evokes emotions that the opposite of violence. But this is only
my impression. Pure noise is inherently open to personal perception.
That is what makes Merzbow records so exciting. Never expect
to decipher them.
8/10
MERZBOW 'New Takamagahara'
CD ([Ohm]/ Jazzassin)
Three tracks across fifty three minutes makes for one of Merzbow's
more unrelenting noise devastations. His most recent works may
have discovered new structural techniques, but this one is pure
electronic mayhem tinged with psychedelia. Employing his much
beloved EMS Synthesisers, the Theramin (remember the original
'Dr. Who' theme tune?), raped tapes and struck metals, you're
made to feel like you're being projected through some bizarre
stargate with multicoloured strobes disabling your senses. Killer.
8/10
M.I.A. 'Lost Boys' comp
CD (Alternative Tentacles)
When history judges US punk rock and and hardcore, it is usually
an exclusive crowd that gets name checked- Bad Brains, Dead Kennedys,
Circle Jerks, Black Flag, 7 Seconds, Germs. Anyone outside of
that group is usually of only regional significance- "Texas'
most popular punk band at the time was..." or "Nevada's
most influential band in their scene was..." That unfortunately
reflects a reality. M.I.A. could be classed as Las Vegas' most
popular and most influential punk rock band. Even that doesn't
mean much until someone puts out a compilation to prove their
point. 'Lost Boys' definitely proves that point. M.I.A. played
excellent and fast punk and hardcore totally in tune with what
happening in the U.S. scene, but doing enough with their songs
to stand out. This comp collects ep, demo and comp tracks from
'81-'85 and in all their rawness express an energy that few bands
can genuinely mimic. But are we saying that M.I.A. deserved to
be big? I don't think that is what this comp is about. It' about
reminding us that bands came and went that really did do something
important for punk rock values.
8/10
MICE PARADE 'Ramda' CD
(Fat Cat)
Slightly more astonishing than the music is the fact that this
is a one man project. Adam Pierce (also of Dylan Group) plays
every instrument on this fifteen tracker employing many overdubs
but the precision timing and sequencing hides that fact. Most
astonishing is the complexity of the music which is loosely post
techno/ left field indie and is a mosaic of drones, drum and
bass, loungecore, gentle psychedelia and plain ol' fashioned
weirdness. The technicality at times overshadows any emotional
expression, but as they say, God is in the details. Close you
eyes and listen to this very carefully.
7/10
MICHAELIS CONSTANT 'Verbal
Vomit' 12"ep (Temple Remote)
Christian emcees. Wait come back! They're incredible! Hip hop
heads are used to having Five Percenter rhetoric shoved down
our throats, these Brummie lads display a nice line in subtlety
and skilled wordplay. The lead track, 'Verbal Vomit' is five
minutes of slow motion beats and stark imagery, particularly
from the insane Tutall. 'One Way' sees the welcome vinyl return
of 499 producer, Pelt with an uplifting rhythm to match the words.
Last but not least, the rabble rousing 'Sureshot Redemption'
is an essential for your in-car mix tapes.
[Joe Maximus] 9/10
MINUS 'Jesus Christ Bobby'
CD (Smekkleysa)
Iceland's a good place to be right now for music. Even if that
lsland's only band was Minus, that would be enough to make Iceland
a good place to be. Minus' second album is blistering noisecore,
as powerful and demanding as anything by Isis. There's touches
of Chicago Touch And Go Records style guitar violence too, as
on 'Denver' but the assistance of Curver on production duties
keeps this on the right side of kickass. But I think there's
still lots more the band can do in terms of structuring such
are their inherent dynamics, so do not expect this album to be
the band's final statement of intent.
8/10
MOLEHILL 'Comfort Measured
In Razor Lines' CD (Rage Of Achilles) £7/ $10
If you don't mind having the sensory channels of the brain fried
by heavy, slow motion grind, then maybe the process can be further
enhanced by these wrist slashers from Birmingham Alabama. They
are exactly what you'd expect if I tell you they fall in the
niche inhabited by Grief, Iron Monkey, Cavity, Eyehategod, Charger,
Bongzilla, Corrupted and Burning Witch. Ultraviolent sound bites
set the tone for some seriously fearsome doom though don't expect
anything out of the ordinary. Would I like to see 'em live? The
hell I would.
6/10
MONKEY ISLAND 'Monkey
Island' CD (Ultra Recordings)
When I reviewed their fine debut album 'Mere Pawns...' I said
this London garage punk/scum outfit weren't derivative, and it
still holds, but there's no harm in naming other bands on the
same wavelength: add a slight touch of the Revelators in the
vocals, and a sleazy rhythm attack in the vein of Psyclone Rangers
or New Bomb Turks or Penthouse and you've got a powerful, moody
and sometimes slinky eight songs that hold together convincingly.
Check out the noirish 'Ansonia Hotel' to see where this band
could go if all runs well. Excellent.
7/10
'Moonlanding' Dbl 7"ep
comp (Helicopter) $10
Artistes: Mason Jones, K2, Sissy Spacek, KK Null, Panicsville,
Disc, Darin Gray, Jetstream Panic, The Haters, Zipper Spy, J.
Wiese and Cory Ronnau, Spastic Colon, Aube, MSBR, John Wiese,
Bastard Noise, Thurston Moore.
Jon Wiese, now of Bastard Noise, has released this fine and tempestous
comp on his own label, with pretty heavyweight 'scene names'
contributing noise/ electronic pieces each around a minute in
length. As exciting and innovative as they are they do come across
as fragments of bigger works so you can't really get into them
without very careful attention. Maybe electronic music was always
designed to be analysed to a certain level. Of course, there
is no information printed on the actual vinyl labels so unless
you know your noise inside out you may wonder who is who, but
I guess that's half the fun.
8/10
MORBID ANGEL 'Gateways
to Annihilation' CD (Earache)
This is something of a disappointment, I think; on one hand,
in a career as long as the Ancient Ones', a lesser album was
inevitable, and compared to what many of their peers have put
out recently this is still solid stuff, but on the other I'm
wondering "Is this it?". Technically, the album is
faultless- Pete Sandoval remains one of death metal's absolute
finest sticksmen, Steve Tucker's guttural roar is in fine form,
and the guitarists wring and churn the most twisted riffage imaginable
from their instruments but this is exactly the same formula they've
been using since day one, and I was hoping for a little more
in the way of innovation or inspiration. Maybe it's just old
age setting in on my part, but this seems a little too samey.
Regardless, since this IS Morbid Angel we're talking about, 'Gateways'
is not a bad, album as such. There are rays of hope shining through:
many songs here are a bit slower than on the speed-obsessed 'Formulas
Fatal to the Flesh', and so while losing a bit of intensity much
of the riffage is thicker and heavier than in the past. I'm a
sucker for double-bass runs, and Sandoval is the best in the
business when the kickers are concerned. Still, the end result
somehow isn't satisfying; I've no doubt that many of the band's
longtime fans will love this album, and one less-than-perfect
release is no reason to write off such an esteemed act prematurely,
but Morbid Angel are perilously close to having the Death Metal
Crown snatched right off their heads by Nile.
[Seth Patterson]
6/10
MORGION 'Solinari' CD
(Relapse)
Morgion's atmospheric doom metal has the enviable knack of being
incredibly infectious. Fragments of melodies tend to stick in
the head, and you find yourself putting the CD on again and again.
'Among Majestic Ruin', had strong individual songs, but 'Solinari'
transcends all its deficiencies, because the band has melded
even stronger songs together in a dynamic flow that is like waves
of the sea lapping the shore line incessantly. It's neverending,
can vary in violence, but is always encapsulating. The latter
three songs are especially devastating, with 'All The Glory...',
'Blight' and 'The Last Sunrise' revealing Morgion's strengthening
prog rock influences, especially Pink Floyd. It's the keyboards
that really holds everything in unison while the rhythm section
lay on the heavy doom metal in swathes of vibrant tones. The
danger is that it can sound too pretty or comfortable on the
ears when but I think Morgion are up to the challenge. The lyrics
are really heavy, and can go over your head, but they reflect
the high romantic gothic moods this album celebrates. With Neurosis'
'Times Of Grace' Relapse have hit a double whammy of High Metal.
8/10
MOROSE/ NARCOSIS split
7"ep (Deathstill)
It don't come more thunderous than this (unless there's a Man
Is The Bastard/ Excruciating Terror split ep out there). Morose
are aural barbarity that goes beyond Napalm Death, and that's
saying something. They give us three tracks of high/low end vocal
grind. Unforgiving. Narcosis aren't daunted by their mates on
this one. Their three tracks of blackish death grind carry on
from Morose but the rhythmic structuring and screamed vocals
are very Excruciating Terror or Phobia. They do try to squeeze
in some 'tunes' here and there, but it seems a fruitless gesture
in the face of such savagery.
9/10
MORSER '10,000 Bad Guys
Dead' CD (Chrome Saint Magnus)
I recently had the pleasure of being sledgehammered by Belgium's
Rubbish Heap- their self titled album being the epitome of European
metallic grind. But there's a band I hadn't reckoned with and
who have gone one better. Germany's Morser have delivered an
album of such weight and depth, to take in all its spine breaking
dynamics at one sitting would be self defeating. At first listen
we're presented by songs that mix death metal with grind and
crust, but closer inspection reveals a multilayered work. Is
it complicated and overstructured? Not in the manner of Dillinger
Escape Plan or Converge. Morser are part of the old school where
grind had to be immediately in yer face so their complexity is
more subtle, like washes of colour combining to an intensity.
After all, Morser has seven members- three vocalists (!!!), two
bassists, one guitarist and a drummer, all with a determined
objective so you can imagine their destructive capabilities.
I for one miss bands like Man Is The Bastard, ABC Diablo and
Rorschach, so Morser's very existence is important to me. I hope
you guys and gals feel the same way too.
8/10
MORTICIAN 'Domain Of Death'
CD (Relapse)
There's nothing new I can add to what already been written about
previous Mortician albums. They're all pretty much the same with
an uncompromising though very monotonous brutality. If it wasn't
for the predictable horror movie soundbites to break things up,
this would just fade into the background. Scary stuff this is
definitely not. Mortician don't set their sights for high pretentions
and give the average death metaller what they want for about
forty minutes. I personally think they're a cop out at this point
in their career though I might drop death metal points for saying
that. The title of the album is lame too
5/10.
MORTICIAN 'Chainsaw Dismemberment'
CD (Relapse)
The world loves the horrific, the obscene and taboo. As we all
know Mortician are the musical epitome of these things. There
as no limits to how fast or how downtuned they can get, which
is their principle appeal. As usual horror/gore flicks are the
sole subject for the lyrics and let's face it, the lyrics are
about as shit as the scripts for the films they are obsessed
with, but hey, Oscar winning performances are neither expected
no wanted here. While Mortician do seem to remake the same album
over again we're thankful it's such a bloody good 'un.
[Simon Fairfax] 8/10
MORTIIS 'The Smell Of
Rain' CD (Earache)
It comes down to personal taste whether we prefer the Mortiis
of 'The Stargate' or the Mortiis of this album. He may have had
good reason to abandon the aesthetics of his neo black metal
in favour of this new post-industrial phase (influences come
openly from NIN and Skinny Puppy) but fortunately he has done
so with confidence and boldness. everything about this album
comes across clear in intention and its technical aspects are
admirable. It's nice to know that Mortiis has finally found a
style he can build upon with some command. Oh yeah- I still prefer
'The Stargate' but that's personal taste.
7/10
MORTIIS 'The Stargate'
CD (Earache)
The fringe of black metal is littered with the bizarre and off
kilter- bands or individuals who sidetrack the usual path covering
the middle ground, opting instead for experimentation, High Art
pretensions or just simply not being able to fit in. Abruptum,
Arkanum, Peccatum and Thokk come to mind. Mortiis, however is
the most enigmatic of the lot. Having rejected the path of his
former band Emperor, Mortiis has been developed into the physical
embodiment of a certain Spirit or a state of mind. What exactly
can only be partly fathomed from listening to this album because
it's haunting yet bombastic compositions are created to instill
a feeling of place to which one escapes to from troubles and
strife. It's an idyll evoked through a mixture of modernised
folk melodies, filmic scores, synthesised orchestrations and
the tormented vocals of Sarah Jezebel Deva, but done in an ostentatious
way that is both audacious and visionary. One would really have
to believe in themselves to go to the musical lengths that Mortiis
has, though ultimately his intentions are peaceful despite the
look of menace. Intriguing and colourful work that demands closer
inspection.
8/10
MOS DEF 'Black On Both
Sides' LP (Rawkus)
After hearing his initial ballistic attack, 'Universal Magnetic'
we were all expecting a full length of the same caliber: B-boy
music from the year 3000. Instead we have a more soulful set
dripping with warmth and emotion. Premier and Diamond D bring
the boom bap on 'Mathematics' and 'Hip Hop' respectively, to
keep the knuckleheads happy, but the true gems lie elsewhere,
where emceeing doesn't even take place. 'Umi Says' finds Mos'
singing voice in fine form, floating over a hip shaking groove,
there is some shite on here, but 'Umi Says' is worth the entry
fee alone.
[Joe Maximus] 8/10
'Motorlab 1' comp live
CD (Kitchen Motors)
Kitchen Motors in Iceland put on monthly events, during 2000,
through commissioning works and collaborations from artistes
involved in multimedia. The idea being that artistes were placed
in an unfamiliar creative environment, where collaboration inspired
works that could not have been done at any other time. The four
inclusions on here are intriguing, but it has to be said a lot
is lost without the visual element.
Stilluppsteya and Magnus Palsson don't benefit on this CD without
the video projections accompanying the mix of spoken word and
drone electronica. Meditations on subjects are reduced to irritating
aural mumblings on this CD. Better represented is the collaboration
between Hilmar Jensonn, Ulfar Haraldsson, Johann Johannsson,
and the CAPUT Ensemble. They provide a delicate drone soundscape
mixing electronica, processed guitars and a ten piece orchestra.
Despite the freedom given to every member to determine the direction
of the piece by activating computer sounds, the piece 'Veltipunktur'
is remarkably controlled and transient. An industrial noise edge
is provided by Hispurslausi Sextettin with his custom built instruments.
'Junkyard Alchemy' intriguingly explores the nature of sounds
produced by everyday materials plucked out of their mundane environments.
Finally, in keeping with current youth trends, Telephonia process
sounds and messages sent by the audience to their mobile phone!
The resultant loops, basking in an ambient noise is far removed
from your usual Top 40 ring tone. Telephonia features Andrew
McKenzie from the Hafler Trio, who wrote the software, and Johann
Johannsson of Kitchen Motors. Curver directed proceedings.
This is a fascinating work that emphasises inventiveness, but
the low key ambience of it all may not sit well with those thriving
on more intense noises.
7/10
MR. SCRUFF 'Keep It Unreal'
LP (Ninja Tune)
The badly dressed Mancunian has been releasing happily disturbing
tunes for the past three or four years, progressively honing
his craft. Although not a hip hop producer in the traditional
sense, Scruff carries the ethos of crate digging and original
break usage through every track. The title reflects the crazy
contents that hide within, particularly on the nautically obsessed
tunes, 'Fish' and 'Shanty Town'. Things get serious on the down
tempo tracks as a more reflective side is shown, particularly
via the loop manipulation of 'Travelogue' and the beautiful vocals
of Fi on the sweet roller 'Honeydew'.
[Joe Maximus] 8/10
MUMIA ABU JAMAL 'All Things
Censored' spoken word CD (Alternative Tentacles) $14
This is a powerful and very interesting collection of commentaries
by Mr. Jamal and other Civil Rights activists highlighting the
injustices of the American Legal System and the contempt the
State holds for the poor and disaffected. There is nothing ambiguous
about what is spoken and those that speak his case are genuinely
passioned while fearful of how difficult it is to tear down a
system that holds people in prison out of paranoia. For me, I
see this CD as a powerful case against the Death Penalty, and
Jamal's stay on death row is nightmarish.
8/10
MYRKSKOG 'Deathmachine'
CD (Candlelight)
Sweden's Myrkskog has gone through a lot to get to the point
where they could release something like this. Judging by the
sound of 'Deathmachine' I don't think they could get a more perfect
line up because they play cyber death metal that's as fast as
it is complex and that requires an understanding between all
concerned. If there's a weak link then the whole thing just falls
apart. Of course, there's a touch of the Swedish sound in there
but the strong closing metallised drum and bass track reveals
where they're really coming from. Now we want to see where they'll
go next. Very far I hope.
8/10
NASUM 'Human 2.0' CD (Relapse)
I don't think any grindcore album has taken the scene by storm
like 'Inhale/exhale' did, but even that is a lesser work compared
to 'Human 2.0'. Even though the press release is at pains to
tell us that they hark back to the old days of Napalm Death etc.,
Nasum are a lot more up to date. Overlaying the grindcore structures
is a tapestry of complex rhythms, melodies and and very well
balanced production that lets each instrument take its turn to
thrill. The end result is a very heavy, very brutal record that
is never monotonous or hackneyed. Nasum are ready to take the
throne vacated by Brutal Truth.
9/10
NECROMICON 'Peccata Mundi'
CD (Hammerheart)
Calling this a run of the mill Gothenburg death record doesn't
make it run of the mill if you see what I mean. Gothernburg death
metal on the whole has a lot going for it, even if it's not pure
death metal. In fact, it's the one extreme metal form that's
most susceptible to external influences. Necromicon therefore
fill their sound to the brim with dominating keyboards, pianos,
break neck razor sharp guitars and haunting background vocals.
Bands like Hypocrisy, The Haunted and The Crown can be heard
in Necromicon's music, so the possibilities are endless if they
don't get bogged down with styles.
7/10
NECROSPHERE 'Revived'
CD (Die Hard)
If there's anything being revived, it's our faith in death metal.
Italy's Necrosphere have delivered what could arguably be rated
as one of the best of its kind for this year, and one to compare
other releases to. Taking their stylistic touches from bands
as diverse as Malevolent Creation, Immolation and Slayer, 'Revived'
overspills with power, technique, brutality and entertainment.
This album links the old school with the complexity demanded
from today's bands. It's all about getting the balance right
between aural violence and good songwriting. Vocalists Franco
and Massimo at times restrain their guttural styles just to the
right level where there is a sense of musicality about them because
the rhythms these guys throw out demand accessibility without
compromising on brutality, and in turn the guitars and drums
still remember that they're playing intelligent, well constructed
songs. This is not old school death metal that becomes a blur
under the weight of volume and speed. Yes, there's so many good
things happening, 'Revived' is an album that you will want to
hear again and again.
9/10
NEUROSIS 'Times Of Grace'
CD (Music For Nations/Relapse)
'Enemy Of The Sun' and 'Through Silver In Blood' may be regarded
as preparations for this, which can be seen as the third part
of a triad. Those preceding two albums were heavily bombastic,
bordering on the psychotic, but 'Times Of Grace' is altogether
more thought out and directional. This can be witnessed not only
in the strengthened song structures, which actually have beginnings,
middles and ends, but there is less experimentation and greater
variety. Each song is played to tell its own story and mood,
as with the folky 'The Last You'll Know' with its Dylanesque
harmonica, while the title track is as morose as 'The Angel And
The River' era My Dying Bride, and 'The Road To Sovereignty'
mimics Amber Asylum. Not surprising since Kris Force's contributions
are more prominent than on previous collaborations. Her e-bow
in conjunction with the devastating grind and the hardened vocals
lift this onto higher levels. The Neurosis theme of mystical
natural forces and how they hold us to ransom is again here,
but I sense a positive light emerging from the darkness of before.
But I fear the darkness will triumph.
10/10
NEUROSIS 'Sovereign' CD
+ CD-ROM (Music For Nations)
If you survived the pummelling onslaught of 'Times Of Grace'
then 'Sovereign' will prolong the pain. It more or less carries
on from where 'Times Of Grace' left off. The four meaty tracks
are appropriately dense and multi textured with the climax being
the last track, 'Sovereign'- a thirteen minute lumbering dinosaur
of a song. I don't think we would have expected anything less
from the band. Well, think again, because all this pales in comparison
to the multimedia CD-ROM. Those who have seen the band live know
how important their visual artist Pete Inc. is to the band with
his occultist, pagan, psychedelic lightshows and projections.
This CD-ROM brings him into our homes. Armed with Macromedia's
now legendary powertools, this interactive experience is a non
linear journey of self discovery employing image maps, sound
loops and video. The screen responds to mouse movements and clicks
(Java?) thus opening up undescribed sections. The music is more
Tribes Of Neurot drones and noises than Neurosis but as you travel
from one section to the other you immediately create your own
compositions. The faster you go the more fun it is as images
flash before your eyes. It's infinite in its use and concept
though the downside is that the number of images and sounds is
a little too limited. Should inspire the Pete Inc./Tribes Of
Neurotite within all of you.
9/10
NEVERMORE 'Dead Heart
In A Dead World' CD (Century Media)
Normally, trad heavy metal just doesn't do a thing for me; in
fact, mention the words 'heavy' and 'metal' in unison and it's
inevitable that my thoughts will revert to the most horrid of
that genre's cliches- the glassbreaking vocals, the mullets and
perms, the grating pseudo-classical guitar masturbation- and
I'll feel a strong urge to stick something like Suffocation in
my player. It's all the more surprising, then, that the new Nevermore
CD has hit me as hard as it has. I think it's due to the fact
that these Seattle chaps are one of the only (THE only?) bands
to have successfully brought old-fashioned heavy metal into the
new millenium. Warrell Dane sings in a 'clean' style, but does
so both tastefully and forcefully- more in line with Dickinson
than Halford, if you will. And guitarist Jeff Loomis has penned
a stockload of insanely catchy riffs- in fact, I've not heard
any so relentlessly hooky since Carcass' 'Necrotocism...'- which
place him well above the hordes of Teutonic axeman still keen
on aping Yngwie in terms of taste and potency. Skeptic that I
am, I'm still searching for a weak link here, but really haven't
found one yet- they even manage to cover a Simon and Garfunkel
tune and make it sound good, for fuck's sake! After listening
to this album I'm almost tempted to break out the denim and spikes...
almost.
[Seth Patterson]
8/10
NEW FLESH 'Communicate'
12" (Big Dada)
UK's abstract kings return with an abbreviated name, but they've
lost nothing in their quest for boundary stretching. The next
level drum programming that Part 2 exhibited on their last 12".
'Arcade Terra' is once again on display in both mixes of the
main track, 'Communicate'. A sweet soul vibe permeates the song,
with warm bass lines wrapping themselves around subtle synth
arrangements: a perfect bed for guest vocalist, Gift of Gab to
plant the roots of his verbal crop. The Quannum emcee fits the
track perfectly with an advanced oscillating flow, which is interspersed
with some crooning from Toastie Taylor that would put plenty
of these bump and grind singers to shame! There,s no reference
point for this song, in both of its guises (which are pretty
similar in tone), and I believe that it opens up a new avenue
for hip-hop to travel down, in terms of a connection between
verbal delivery and music. This is an aspect that carries forth
to the flipside tune, 'Bound'. Juice Aleem is at the verbal command
console here, navigating along a sparse, bass-heavy landscape,
with his usual high level of skill. His performance here acts
as a connective thread, to the bare, stripped-down instrumental,
which would not stand up to, repeated listening on its own. Overall,
an effective stepping stone to the next album, and hopefully
onto bigger and brighter futures.
[Joe Maximus]
8/10
NEW FLESH FOR OLD 'Equilibrium'
CD (Big Dada/ Ninja Tune)
The Sci-fi Channel meets Discovery's Sci-Trek in what becomes
a lessons in the precise engineering of hip hop breakbeats, loops,
scratches and demanding vocal flows. "...like atoms in your
nuclear fission" and "my gravitation reduces men to
mental protoplasm" are a couple of lines snatched from 'Eye
Of The Hurricane'. And believe me it gets madder. It's almost
psychedelic and peaceful with a hint of menace lurking within.
This is not yer Cypress Hill jock rap and it's not lame trip
hop, if that's what yer hopin'. Holding it all together is the
same smooth trance vibe that fueled the Voyager II across the
Solar System and beyond without grief. It's clear that the concept
of equilibrium is where it's at, which is mirrored in Toastie
Tailor's and Juice Aleem's dual attack that weaves together finer
than yer favourite Auntie's sweater. Half the fun is keeping
up with what they're going on about, and when you query the more
obscure lines they've already accelerated into a newer orbit.
It's one long chase in hyperspace. By the end I guarantee total
exhaustion despite the deceptive mellow moods.
9/10
NIGHTSTICK 'Death To Music'
CD (Relapse)
"I wanted to find new ways to be heavy" is the much
used (and much loved) quote of Nightstick's drummer/ writer Robert
Williams (ex-Siege to you and me). I thought 'Blotter' showed
promise and near fulfilled Robert's intentions, but that is nothing
compared to this. At it's most basic level Nightstick are Sabbath
influenced stoner acid rock with the grind mentality of labelmates
Bongzilla. But whereas Bongzilla's 'Stash' is a one liner, 'Death
To Music' is overabundant with inventiveness, experiment and
brashness. It's just hard to describe. You've got to experienced
it. "Awesome" sound okay?
8/10
NIGHTWISH 'Wishmaster'
CD (Spinefarm)
Nightwish have stuck with the same formula they used on previous
albums, but for some reason I find 'Wishmaster' to be a more
enjoyable listen than those earlier efforts. On the surface,
not a thing has changed, so this band seem to be one content
to gradually refine and perfect their sound over time, instead
of taking a 180 degree turn like, say, Paradise Lost did. Tarja's
operatic-some would say a little overly clinical-vocals are the
center of attention, as always, but to this listener it seems
like a little more emotion has crept in this time around. She's
still hitting all the 'right' notes, but has struck a better
balance between feeling and technique this time around-a vocalist
at the top of her game, perhaps? Despite my growing dissatisfaction
with the so-called 'gothic metal' genre, I can't find too many
faults with this album, pompous as it is: the (naturally domineering)
keyboards are manned by a player who obviously knows a thing
or two about his craft, which makes all the difference in the
world. The rhythm section kick out a pretty groovy backbeat too,
disproving the notion that those Northerners can't swing. One
interesting thing about 'Wishmaster' is that Babylon Whores'
Ike Vil lays down guest vocals on the song 'Kinslayer'; musically,
the two bands couldn't be different, the Whores churning out
as they do scuzzy, booze-fuelled Rock full of irony and humor.
Surprisingly, though, it works, Vil's vaguely Danzig-ian croon
adding a bit of humor to the otherwise po-faced proceedings.
Ultimately, I think that anyone who enjoyed Nightwish's previous
albums will enjoy this one; the final question I have, then,
is a familiar one: where will the band take things from this,
arguably the high point of their recording career thus far?
[Seth Patterson]
8/10
NIKUDOREI 'Genital Torture'
CD (HG: Fact) $13
Is this the ultimate in grindcore? If I said this leaves Gore
Beyond Necropsy sounding like Boyzone. Would that give you a
clue? You've got 99 tracks to get through to help make up your
mind. Constructed as 50% grindgore and 50% harsh noise, and a
definite genital/anal fixation, Nikudorei is the almost perfect
band- brutal, slightly silly but deadly keen on what they do,
and that's what matters most. The music especially is a joy because
any deficiencies in production are overwhelmed by the gargantuan
avalanche of a sound especially those drums that complement the
high pitched screeches.
8/10
NILE 'Black Seeds Of Vengeance'
CD (Relapse)
At the end of the day, Nile has to be good death metal band.
A lot has been said of their Egyptophile leanings, and the whole
existence of the band owes itself to that ancient and brutal
civilisation. But the music has to stand up by itself. So before
I go onto mention the concepts, I'll simply say, Nile are an
exciting, bludgeoning, energetic death metal band. I think that's
the bit you wanted to hear. So how does Nile stand up as a concept
band? You can take or leave it. But to their credit, the music
does reflect the violence and monumental presence of the Pharaoh
Kingdoms, and their culture of death. If you do immerse yourself
fully into this album, then it is scary, disturbing and sinister.
At that time various humans were regarded as Gods and the total
subservience of subjects and slaves engendered an acceptance
of their dire positions. It's almost fascistic to think that
Nile would glorify such a culture but I guess it's metaphor for
today. The powers that be, despite the illusions of democracy,
do hold us to ransom. Humans are a vicious breed. Inspiration
enough for some of the most destroying riffs and hateful vocals
committed to extreme metal. Unlike the previous album 'Catacombs...'
the band have allowed the death metal to dominate and the Egyptian
influences in the music are better structured and more intelligent
but still maintain that Hollywood movie feel. Nile have done
a lot of work to make this difficult concept not sound kitsch
so there's little fear in believing that any future works won't
be as involving. Excellent.
9/10
9 SHOCKS TERROR/THE KILLERS
split 7"ep (Gloom)
I've heard so much about this record my expectations were high.
With a good sound quality and an awesome Pushead sleeve design,
this is everything I wanted. 9ST give us three songs of hardassed,
angry hardcore with some metallic touches. Just non stop screaming
insanity. The Killers more or less continue in similar brutalising
fashion, but with some darker, quirkier touches. I think we could
be looking at the next big thing. I accidentally played this
at a slower speed and it sounds just as good in a heavy, crusty,
sludge doom sort of way.
8/10
NO REST FOR THE DEAD 'The
End Of Space' CD (Deaf American) $12
Stoner grind gets a much needed shot in the arm from Japan's
No Rest For The Dead. Sounding like one part Bongzilla and one
part Hangnail, it's no surprise that an over abundance of heavy,
swirling 70s guitar riffing and razor edged vocals is calculated
to be the next best thing to a hit to the brain. Needless to
say it's an endurance test and after 70 mins. those high times
feel like they're gonna turn into bad acid trips. I guess that's
the essence of this kind of music. Isn't 'Endurance' a Japanese
show or something?
7/10
NO RETURN 'Self Mutilation'
CD (Listenable)
"Thrash, oh thrash, wherefore art thou?", some lovelorn
maiden once cried pining for what made her life worth living.
Well, I can't answer her, as I'm as much in the dark as anyone,
but she may find some comfort in knowing that there are still
a few bands out there keeping it real for the old school heroes
like Kreator, Slayer, Destruction, Sepultura and Testament. If
those bands are having a hard time retaining that freshness and
energy which gives thrash 90% of its life then France's No Return
are quite capable and willing to take over from where those guys
left off. With their fifth album and an upward spiralling reputation,
'Self Mutilation' is an incredible tour de force that even smacks
the ass of Master. If 'Self Mutilation' refers to the damage
done to fingers sliding up and down fretboards, then I can well
believe it, because the speed is unrelenting with a depth of
feeling last experienced on 'Roots'. Even death metallers will
find solace in all this violence when a track like 'Soul Extractor'
kicks in. Then we're going back to the days when Morbid Angel
were skinning people alive. But that's the album's charm, it's
all things to all men and women without any high pretensions.
These guys simply enjoy thrashing with rage and speed: certainly
something worth killing yourself for.
8/10
NOVEMBERS DOOM 'The Knowing'
CD (Dark Symphonies)
Are Novembers Doom America's answer to My Dying Bride? Not just
yet, but a stronger case for U.S. doom/death hasn't been made
in recent memory. The band has been fine-tuning its sound for
years, and has really come into its own with "The Knowing".
What's initially most impressive about the album is its dramatically
increased range of sounds when compared with earlier works. It's
still heavy, to be sure, but Novembers Doom have reached the
point where they're ready to expand upon doom's basic "tune
to B, play 3 notes a minute, and moan" premise. While tempos
here are generally chunky and a notch or two slower than midpaced,
don't expect anything as sluggish as Electric Wizard or first-album
Cathedral-- look instead to Paul Kuhr's effectively contrasted
harsh/clean vocals, Joe Nunez's thunderous drumming, and Eric
Burnley's clever songwriting for inspiration. Having seen the
band live twice, I can say that the material doesn't lose any
potency in the transition from album to stage, which is sadly
often the case with doomy bands. If forced to pick out standout
tunes I'd go with 'Harmony Divine', 'Silent Tomorrow', and the
Trouble-ish 'In Memories Past', but this is definitely an album
to be listened to in its entirety. Although atmospheric doom
may well have peaked with 'Turn Loose The Swans', bands like
Saturnus, Morgion, and now Novembers Doom have shown that quality
music can still be found in this genre if you look hard enough.
[Seth Patterson]
8/10
'No Watches No Maps' comp
CD (Fat Cat)
Unable to work with all the artistes that send this fine electronic/
post rock label demo material, Fat Cat have released this visionary
compilation of, in their opinion, some of the best stuff they
have received, in the hope that others will follow up on hearing
them. I believe all the material is clever and thoughtful, but
I don't believe they all have an emotion chip installed in their
hardware. Here's a brief overview of the artistes' pieces:
QT?- characteristic short, sharp blasts of noise shards
and splinter sounds. A compressed compendium of harsh noise trickery.
Maximum impact guaranteed.
PHLUIDBOX- cut and pasted electronica mixing strong drum
and bass beats with glitches and drone fragments. Effective at
high volumes.
JETONE- sterile beats against a lush oriental percussion
backbone. Becomes heavy on the rhythm but ultimately remains
a very pleasant listen.
ZOOEY- one of the strong pieces. A mesmerising Japanese
percussion track that'll take you on flights of fancy. Minimalist
and short but overwhelming.
UKIYO-E- unassuming post rock a la Don Caballero or Mice
Parade or a calmer Iceburn. Another with an oriental feel but
also of hazy summer days.
MOKIRA- fractured beats and glitches galore over a shimmering
drone flow with minimal effort. Slight technical adjustments
break up the monotony. Hypnotic.
MONEYSHOT- one of the more brash efforts with a hard techno
attack. Technically uncomplicated but volume gives it kick. One
to fill up the dance floors to bursting.
COM.A- opens as a pseudo industrial beast which gives
over to techno fireworks with a synthe current. An ambitious
piece that compresses a lot of stuff.
JOSEPH NOTHING- another almost uncontrollable techno blast
beefed up with some maddening bpms. But it kinda dies at the
end with a whimper.
OPAQUE- machinery like effects build up a phasing effect
before just fading away. A track with balls in its short length
and maximum impact.
BEANS- a slow, pondering piano piece that wouldn't be
out of place in a Tarkovsky or Bergman film soundtrack. Sounds
like it's straight from the brooding, frozen north.
THE BULKY MULE- a fine, memorable track with its repetitious
digital effects battling against crystalline piano melodies,
whispish drones and subtle drum and bass.
CYTOKINE- a pretty basic dance inspired beat that treks
through the tried and tested trance landscape. Not as adventurous
as it could have been but it's dreamy.
MEEK- the best track on the CD. A pulsating drone vs.
metallic scrapings and cyclic synthe flows. A noise construction
full of dynamics and emotive atmosphere.
SKIST- another work that relies on the tried and tested
digital beat language without really pushing itself as far as
it could go. Minimal dynamics that lack forcefulness.
DIGI.OTAKU- a hard beat holds together a compendium of
strange elastic sounds and scintillating percussion with a gradual
strengthening of rhythm. A jigsaw puzzle.
CHIB- spooky atmospheres and processed sounds with a gothic
piano line gives this a nineteenth century feel while emphasising
a modernist edge.
BEXAR BEXAR (ASCAP)- a very low key finish that lets you
come back down to earth. A meandering, semi acoustic guitar instrumental
with math rock leanings.
8/10
NO WINGS FINS OR FUSELAGE
'Electris' mCD (Saucer/ Seriously Groovy) £7/ $10
Their debut album was a great slab of lo fi indie guitar rock
with a nice quirky edge, though some also said they are too much
like Pixies. 'Electris' has a much cleaner sound which may be
detrimental though the songs are stronger and solid. They actually
sound like a band that means business rather than some esoteric
experimental group. That lack of weirdness is a weakness especially
since they have an unhealthy UFO obsession, so we should really
focus on what they'll come up with next in terms of feeling and
drama.
6/10
NO WINGS FINS OR FUSELAGE
'The Other Side Of The Sky' CD (Saucer/Seriously Groovy) £10/
$15
I've always liked what No Wings Fins Or Fuselage have done considering
they've never been 100% successful with their idea, but they've
always hinted at being something special. That element of quirkiness
being their greatest appeal. But that's all academic now sa they've
recently split. so it's pleasing to know that they've finished
on a high. As with 'Electris' 'The Other Side...' benefits from
very strong songs and emotive singing yet the science fiction
theme is again not expressed depite their continuing fascination
with it. The sleeve graphics may suggest a desert rock or stoner
band but the band opt for a sound that is very late eighties
like those guitar bands on Homestead or SST. That's no bad thing
because I love deceptively simple guitar tunes and drawling vocals
and psuedo psychedelic texturings. If the music doesn't expoit
the sci-fi themes then the lyrics more than make up for it. They're
not banal but they're not esoteric either just narratives from
what could have made a really good b-movie- encounters in the
desert, glowing bodies, DNA encoding, the surrealism of Vegas.
This album simply exists in its own vacuum and you'll be drawn
back to it again and again. NWFOF RIP.
8/10
NOW IS THE
TIME FOR WAR no.1 (UK fanzine) A4 28 pages xeroxed £1.00
/ $3 ppd.
Interviews with Converge, Contempt, Slavearc, Day Of Suffering,
Statement, Birthright, Vegans For Life
Formerly known as 'Darkside Of Hardcore' this zine is co-written
by Heath Crosby and pretty much only covers vegan straightedge
stuff. There are lots of interviews but they all seem to be asking
the same questions over again. Could have done with features
on Vegan SEHC lifestyle and philosophy as straightedge is more
than just music, but some of the views are hardline.
c/o Heath Crosby. See All Is Lost for address.
[Simon Fairfax] 6/10
N.R.G. ADDICT 'Thresholds'
(2nd demo eight songs- CD-R = £3.00/ $6)
N.R.G. Addict originally released a great demo under the name
Soundscape 37, but despite the name change, still continues along
in the same vein ie. techno mashings married with samples and
soundbites centring on human genetics. With the addition of greater
guitar processing, the result is a vibrant yet disturbing work
that puts the much maligned techno to good use. There's a multilayered
abundance of other techniques used all passed through a computer
to enrich the aural violence. The options open to N.R.G. Addict
seem infinite so expect even more great, thoughtful stuff in
the future.
20 Rose Valley, 3 Milestone, Truro, TR3 6BH, UK
8/10
'Obscene Extreme 2000'
comp CD (Obscene Productions)
This comp is a fine companion to the Obscene Extreme Grindcore
Festival held in the Czech Republic highlighting the best Europe
has to offer. About half of the bands could be described as grindcore
and the other half death metal, but the mix brings out the best
of each styles. For the most part, there is a positive old school
flavour, and the influence of Carcass is evident (Hypnos being
the best). No complaints there. Nothing on this CD is exclusive,
with all songs coming off albums or demos, but Cripple Bastards
provide two album songs with different mixes. The sound quality
therefore is good. Abortion's deep sound is worth experiencing
especially if heard on headphones. This is the line up: Rotten
Sound, Isacaarum, Ingrowing, cock And Ball Torture, Fleshless,
Squash Bowels, Hypnos, M.A.C. Of Mad, Pandemia, Cripple Bastards,
Abortion, Din-Addict, Profanity, Lykathea Aflame, Bloodsuckers,
N.C.C., Contrastic, Intervalle Bizarre, Purulent Spermcanal,
Comrades, Convent, Laniena Mentis, Allenation Mental, Feeble
Minded, Nuclear Devastation.
8/10
ON THORNS I LAY 'Future
Narcotic' CD (Holy)
Seemingly having taken their cue from Theatre of Tragedy, Greece's
On Thorns I Lay are yet another onetime 'gothic' metal act who
have distanced themselves considerably from their harsher, heavier
roots. While I commend the band on their desire to evolve, I
must say that the end result here isn't entirely satisfying.
Male vocalist Stephanos (since this is a gothic metal band, of
course both male and female vocalists are used) simply doesn't
have the range or power to match his more advanced counterpart,
and while his previous death-grunt style probably wouldn't have
fit here either, he's got a lot of work to do if he expects to
sing 'properly' in the future. As far as the music itself is
concerned, well, it's a mixed bag- there are quite a few catchy
moments, mostly corresponding with the album's more upbeat sections,
yet there's an almost equal number of ideas that simply don't
work. A lot of what they're doing here is similar to the moody
rock Katatonia are churning out these days, but On Thorns I Lay's
songs lack the polish or swagger the Swedes freely grace theirs
with. Aside from probably moving prematurely into new territory,
On Thorns I Lay's real problem is their lack of intensity; though
they've clearly got a bit of potential to work with, thus far
they've not been able to convert it into dynamic, exciting songs.
It'd be unfair of me to hold On Thorns I Lay responsible for
the shortcomings of an entire genre, but they're nonetheless
quite representative of gothic metal's general failure to develop
into something truly compelling and long-lasting.
[Seth Patterson]
5/10
OPERA IX 'The Black Opera:
Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum' CD (Avantgarde Music)
Italy's underground dark metal legends may make a lot more friends
with this promising album. a good production and enabling budget
has allowed the band to bring forth all their ideas and make
them work hard. Clearly the focus of the band is the versatile
deathly/sweet vocals of Cadaveria who adds much needed melodrama
to their evil gothic fantasies. As a metal album they still can
deliver hi energy but I think Opera IX will further concentrate
on atmospherics as is their conceptual image. I'm hoping they
make videos.
7/10
OPETH 'Blackwater Park'
CD (Music For Nations)
Eventually there will come a time when our mortal world will
no longer be big enough to cradle the sounds of Opeth. 'Blackwater
Park' is a massive album in all senses of the word, eclipsing
even the shredding brilliance of preceding release 'Still Life'.
With a full on production and a sensitive mix, Mikael Akerfeldt
and company throw their weighty talents in songs rich in melodies,
textures, layerings, tone, and heavy vibes. The acoustic passages
are not thrown in for their own sake, but act as counterpoint
to the driving neo doom metal, while obvious references to psychedelia
allow extraordinary flourishes in guitars. Despite all this,
Opeth would be nothing without Akerfledt's thoughtful vocals
which are both narrative vehicle and musical instrument. I think
the band are self consciously restrained at times, since one
can sense opportunities where the band could get carried away
and spoil everything with bombast. The result is an album that
isn't as metal as it could have been but Opeth are the type to
transcend such banal stylistics. Their skill is to be natural,
and 'Blackwater Park' is as natural and transient as anything
you could expect to hear.
9/10
OPETH 'Still Life' CD
(Peaceville)
Opeth's appeal is paradoxical. We should really hate them because
they play death metal but throw in all that orchestral/ high
harmonic stuff we associate with prog rock bands, and yet they
still convincingly come across as an extreme metal band. I think
it's because they've always blended the two aspects intelligently
without contrivance. After all, atmospheric metal is now the
norm for a lot of bands and yet they sound like they've tried
too hard and suffocated their sound. 'Still Life' has both freshness
and a timelessness. It's taken Opeth four albums to perfect it
but the wait was worth it. Spectacular.
9/10
ORANGE GOBLIN 'The Big
Black' CD (Rise Above)
'The Big Black' has left me in a bit of a quandary. It's so obviously
retro I should dismiss them for not responding to today's music
scene. But then again they're such a fucking great band, I can
forgive 'em for their frequent use of cliches- space + chicks
= 70's hippie stadium rock. And why shouldn't there be a niche
for bands like Orange Goblin? Radical underground music isn't
always about extremity. It's also about feel good bands that
put the spark back into miserable lives. No band is better placed
to do it than Orange Goblin. A tremendously heavy album too.
Viva Stoner rock, baby.
8/10
ORIGIN 'Origin' mCD (Relapse)
I'm tempted to proclaim that the new Suffocation is here but
I can't because Origin are better! Hard to believe I know but
that's the deal, man. Origin are about to make themselves the
greatest death metal band in the world. I know a few other bands
will disagree but maybe they should listen to this debut orgy
of blastbeats, death grind vokills and rhythms of military precision.
Which is appropriate because once 'Lethal Manipulation' kicks
in it's a non stop musical barrage, equivalent to the Yanks carpet
bombing the jungles of Vietnam. Oops! That wasn't military precision.
Origin is more like the mighty Alexander marching into Asia tactically
destroying anything standing in his way. 'Mental Torment' just
has to be heard to be believed!!! After 24 minutes, any silence
that follows is hugely welcome. But that's only temporary respite
because you'll just go and put this fucker on for further punishment.
So why is Origin like this? Could be that they feature ex-Angel
Corpse drummer John Logstreth and ex-Cephalic Carnage bassist
Doug Williams. But vocalist Mark Manning is no danger of being
replaced by anyone because his vocals are death metal perfection.
If his voice was a chick it'd be Britney Spears! Heaven. But
seriously, Origin are what we've been missing for a long time-
a pure, good death metal band that's neither old school or pretentious.
9/10
Jim O'ROURKE 'I'm Happy
And I'm Singing And A 1,2,3,4' CD (Mego)
Here's reason enough to believe that computer music has transcended
its limitations of sterile digital abstractions. Jim O'Rourke's
latest work takes a giant leap from his previous, more typically
computer works, and takes on the challenge of musicality. So
how do we approach this work? Is this computer music trying to
be musical, or do we put out of our minds that it's of no relevance
that this is computer generated music? I think the answer is
somewhere halfway. The sounds employed are so obviously digital,
you have to accept the source of creation. But the structuring
is so luscious and sublime the pieces on here attain the quality
and serenity of chamber music. What is Jim O'Rourke trying to
say? Probably nothing more than wanting us to analyse this as
you would a chamber piece. The opener 'I'm Happy' is a spatial
journey or dancing electro signals, while 'And I'm Singing' mixes
a joyous atmosphere with looped rhythms and textures and crescendo.
The concluding 'And A 1 2 3 4' rivals Fennesz in its 'classical'
elegance where the darkness of droning synthe mimics mourning
cellos. Though not ground breaking or out to reinvent the wheel,
this CD will certainly add new dimension to your collection.
8/10
OSCULUM INFAME 'The Black
Theology' mCD (Mordgrimm)
Osculum Infame's epic black metal on this is about as modern
as can be expected. While wholly immersed in the gothic, keyboard
methodology of Cradle Of Filth and Mortiiis, there is a secondary
layer that is pure atmospheric doom a la Morgion. The opener
'Killing In The Glorious Dawn Of Satan' is typically Mortiiis
though adventurous, and by the fourth and last title track, they
become quite clever and affecting, recalling Morgion's epic grandeurs
of 'Among Majestic Ruin'. However, a four track ep is just too
limiting for what OI are about.
7/10
OXIME 187 'Chemical
Bondage' (1st demo three songs- CDep = £3.50/ $6.00)
Oxime 187's brand of digital hardcore has a full effect on this
CD but I feel that with a better budget and studio then the possibilities
are endless. At the moment, the plan of attack has been laid
down and across 18 minutes we're treated to some banging techno
that is not really for your trendy nightclubbers at Gatecrasher
(I hope). In conjunction, O187 have also released a killer six
track tape of Bloodthirsty Massacre remixes and some unreleased
tracks, so check that out too. Promising.
Oxime 187@yahoo.co.uk
7/10
PAN AMERICAN / JANEK SHAEFER
split 12"ep (Fat Cat)
Five pieces of orchestral sounds synthesised pulsations and degraded
tapes make up an eerie introduction to Janek Shaefer. The dark
and subtle modulations point towards stark industrial images
and feelings of alienation, but the understated nature is in
opposition to the harsh electronics of say, Masonna or Merzbow.
Pan American provide one long piece of postrock drone a la E.A.R.
or Popol Vuh even, with the addition of warm bass lines that
gives the work a soulful, relaxing vibe. The contrast between
the two is evident but their is an underlying theme of forboding.
8/10
PANDEMIA 'Spreading The
Message' CD (Lost Disciple)
This CD seems to be split in three part each with three songs
and an intro making it look like a collection of demos. From
what I can gather it's all new stuff that these Czechs have put
out even though there is a progression in quality with the last
three being very good blasts of brutality. Pandemia have put
a lot of work into this debut effort using the intros to set
the mood and the songs for the full on death metal violence.Pandemia
aren't just another metal band. They really do look like they
could take the European scene up another rung of the ladder.
7/10
PAN SONIC 'A' CD (Blast
First!)
Formerly called Panasonic, but now having to drop the A at the
Electronics Corp's insistence, (hence the title), the Finnish
duo of Mika Vaino and Ilpo Vaisanen have created a mosaic like
collection of electronic pieces. Each one being fragmentary but
somehow interlocked by the band's trademark crisp and delineated
textures whether it be harsh noise or low volume drone or hard
sequenced beats. Such is the mixture, there is an uneven flow,
so you can never settle into a groove, but playing this with
the random select switched on should throw up an infinite number
of surprising responses.
8/10
PARADOX 'Through Pain
There Is Joy'
(2nd demo 5 songs plus outro CD-R= £2.50/ $5)
Paradox's mix of death metal, black metal and industrial beats
has made me a big fan of their 'Outcasts' demo. This second effort
has a slower, doomier industrial sound emphasising the inner
torture and pain. In that respect Paradox have tried something
a little different and it would have worked if not for the poor
quality sound which mixes the intentional rawness with unintentional
muffled effects. There's a lot happening here that should make
Paradox a potent force in the UK metal scene.
PO Box 21700, London, E14 3YR, UK
6/10
PEANUT BUTTER WOLF with
PLANET ASIA & MADLIB 'Definition of Ill' 12"ep (Stones
Throw)
One of the heaviest tracks from the 'My Vinyl Weighs A Ton' LP
receives a new twist from the Lootpack's producer, Madlib. For
those not in the know, the original mix flips an ill break before
morphing halfway through the track into a hypnotic organ ride.
The 'deuce version' follows a similar change, but Madlib's jazzy
context enables his own guest verse and Planet Asia's new lyric
attack to stand out. Planet Asia continues to spit fiery meteors
of wisdom with youthful tones, the beats of PBW and Madlibbeing
the perfect backdrop for him to go off.
[Joe Maximus] 9/10
PECCATUM 'Strangling From
Within' CD (Candlelight)
The highly personal symphonic rock project of Emperor's Ihsahn
will need a couple of listens for you to fully digest everything
that's going on. Most obviously, Peccatum's music is hugely overbearing
with dark Gothic tones creating a filmic score. The melodrama
is completed by Ihshan's wife, Ihriel who employs her full full
vocal range at the forefront, and brother in law Lord PZ making
sure there is a metal edge to proceedings. As a whole this is
a forceful work and captures the personal feelings of Ihriel
who really is the driving force. But it's also different to anything
Emperor would do.
7/10
PENNYWISE 'Live @ The
Key Club' live CD (Epitaph)
The '@' in the title refers to the band asking fans to e mail
the names of songs they'd like featured in this live comp. In
front of an audience of 600, the results are laid bare. Covering
their whole career, this CD proves why they are one of the premier
melodic hardcore bands in the world. Most bands have fans come
and go but few have the following of Pennywise and the relevence
of their lyrics is partly the reason. They are one of the few
melodic hardcore bands that I can still bear, so it's no waste
to have this fine CD completing your collection.
7/10
PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS
'The Next Step' LP (PUTS Records/ Om)
One of the underground surprises of 1999, PUTS have delivered
an album that recalls the humour of early Native Tongues, but
with a Los Angeles spin. The duo, consisting of MC/producer,
Thes One and MC/DJ, Double K deliver quirky rhymes about their
everyday activities and the state of the industry over a tight
selection of heavy drums and jazzy basslines. When I received
the vinyl, I thought it was a CTI record at first, and the grooves
within seem to have been plundered from this classic label. Well
worth investigating.
[Joe Maximus] 8/10
PHAROAHE MONCH 'Internal
Affairs' LP (Rawkus)
The hip hop world mourned when the innovative group Organized
Konfusion split. Luckily both components, Prince Poetry and Pharoahe
Monch, are operating as separate units, with the latter stepping
in with his long playing platter first. Monch seems more down
to earth on this record, stepping away from the space rhymes
of the past in order to grapple with some close to the heart
topics. The furiously complex rhyme meters and vocal trickery
are still intact, appearing increasingly breathtaking when released
in the presence of guest emcees, who are consistently overshadowed.
Fine.
[Joe Maximus] 7/10
PHOBIA 'Serenity Through
Pain' CD (Deathvomit)
Phobia has always stood fast to their underground convictions,
and in return have amassed a heap of admiration and respect not
only from punks looking for some truly brutalising crust and
grind but from people who share the same beliefs and values.
Phobia are a political band, but without the rhetoric, without
the banner waving. They see things as they are and say it loud
as direct a way as possible. That anger is more than matched
in their aural onslaughts leaving no doubts about themselves.
'Serenity Through Pain' in many ways is like all other Phobia
releases, whether it be the countless eps or their 'Means Of
Existence' album. Tracks like 'Means Through Punishment' more
or less mark out the band as the U.S. answer to Napalm Death
as both bands share the same sense of rhythm and structuring
while Shane McLachlan can easily be mistaken for ol' Barny. As
with Napalm, a lot of thought has also gone into making this
album worth repeated listens. While many grind albums are one
hit wonders that only satisfy baser instincts (nothin' wrong
with that) 'Serenity Through Pain' has an infectious groove that
draws the listener in at each approach- the only other album
that does that to me is Excruciating Terror's 'Divided We Fall'-
but that's another story. Affecting.
8/10
PHOBIA 'Means of Existence'
CD (Slap A Ham) $13
Everything their 'Enslaved' 7" promised has been realised
on this fine slab of pure grind crust. Using soundbites to introduce
songs, the band lay to waste myths and lies concerning religion,
morality, animals and political power. The bottom line is that
Phobia aren't doing anything really new to what other crust bands
have done from the likes of Disrupt and Confrontation right up
to Excruciating Terror. But there are worldwide problems that
need to be addressed and only this kind of music effectively
puts across the anger and latent violence of those on the lower
rungs of the social ladder.
7/10
PLANESMISTAKENFORSTARS
'Fuck With Fire' CD (No Idea)
Harderassed than Hot Water Music but not as extreme as In/Humanity.
Somewhere inbetween lies the essence of Planes... Fast, catchy,
chaotic, pained hardcore with some fucking evil drum rolls. 'Fuck
With Fire' is an appropriate title if this is the inferno we're
faced with and I can picture the mosh pits pulsating to their
thrahing onslaughts. I don't want to go into lyrics because they're
obscure in that emo sort of way, but I'm sure they're all to
do with fully charged emotions. Anyway, I doubt if you'll care
what they're singing. You just want the rock, yeah?
8/10
PIGNATION 'You Would Have
To Know' mCD (Shing)
Poland's Pignation have been studying their hardcore album collections
with ernest glee, because 'You Would Have To Know' is a case
study in letting your peers get the better of you. The eight
tracks, which they refer to as power violence, looks to bands
like Infest, Attitude Adjustment, DRI, COC as inspiration, but
instead of building on that they produce something that's not
bad but a little too predictable. If you just want brutal fastcore
with a touch of crust then this is good, but we're hardly talking
Benumb levels of quality here.
5/10
PLOTKIN/PIMMON split 12"ep
(Fat Cat)
James Plotkin has never been easy to tie down. Everytime I hear
something from him, it's different (the last being Flux, I think).
But the common denominator is guitar. He utilises it to create
electronic sounds much more differently than what you'd expect
from say, Caspar Brotzmann or Sonic Youth. The three tracks on
here almost deny the existence of guitar as we know it such is
the level of sound processing. Picked or plucked strings are
given way to pure signals and expanded drones interlaced with
shimmering flickerings of metallic notes. It's a gentle exercise
with a remarkably hypnotic vibe. Australia's Pimmon aka Paul
Gough dosn't process guitar sounds but "love" sounds-
kissing, tense heart beats, and romanitc songs from old 78s.
It's a luscious mood that is obviously set up but it's never
complacent. Love has a dark side and the vast landcsape of aural
textures is as unstable as any emotion. Again, three tracks are
provided from a demo that was submitted a year ago to the label
but its staying power is evident. Usually the split series features
two differing artistes but on this one, there's a similarity
of intent to the Plotkin efforts in the use of processed sound
sources through computers and if truth be told there's not too
much to separate them. Just hope your copy doesn't have the labels
pressed on the wrong sides or it could get embarrassing. Great
stuff nonetheless.
8/10
PORTAL 'Forthcoming'
CD (Cadia)
Neither old school death metal or being overwhelmed by their
melodic orientated peers and countrymen, Portal's 'Forthcoming'
is a confident and dynamic debut which reveals a lot of thought.
Just as you would expect Rotting Christ to reinvent the melodic
black death sound, Portal have tried to avoid as many cliches
as possible and give something to jaded listeners something worth
hearing again. Songs like 'Night As I' are a tour de force of
powerful drumming. blastbeats and dancing guitar rhythms, proving
that the spirits of Sentenced and Dissection are still casting
their magic.
7/10
'Possessed To Skate' comp
CD (Pessimiser/ 625)
A record destined for classic status if ever there was one (alongside
Pessimiser's Cry Now Cry Later comps, I don't doubt). Well, within
the power violence scene at least. Originally released as vinyl,
to much frenzied applause on Max Spazz's 625 Records, 'Possessed
To Skate' attempted to reclaim skateboarding for all the hardcore
kids just when it seemed that the indie, metal and techno scene
was jumping on the bandwagon (have you seen that Billie video
with the teenybopper skateboarders?). To skateboard is the devil's
past time and seven bands are going to prove it across forty
one hair raising songs. The mighty goofball grind of Charles
Bronson kicks things off with their trademark subtlety. They
are as fast as you'd want without getting too stupid. A little
is allowed. Spazz always show up on these kinds of comps thus
adding a killer death grind touch to things. Next emo violence
grind takes over (which means fast, intricate playing and a lot
of passioned screaming) with the likes of Asshole Parade, Pretentious
Assholes, Unanswered and the mighty Palatka. Pessimiser house
band Despise You finish off with a slurry of ten songs of hateful
heavy crust in the blink of an eye. You wouldn't think anyone
could get so worked up about skateboarding.
8/10
PRIMAL DAWN 'Primal Dawn'
(2nd demo four songs - CDep = £IR 5 / £5 / $10)
Primal Dawn have enough of an ability to construct a death metal
song but not the imagination to give it life. You'll be waiting
for something to grab you during the four generic numbers, but
by then the CD's ended. There's too much of a mixed bag here
with filler riffs being neither this or that. I suggest they
could learn much from Sadistic Intent, a band who's style seems
closest to what Primal Dawn do. Dodgy lyrics too.
Pat Kennedy, 7 Glenville road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15,
Eire.
4/10
PRIMAL FEAR 'Nuclear Fire'
CD (Nuclear Blast)
Q. How much do these blokes want to be Judas Priest? A. Quite
a lot as it happens. Check out the evidence...Front cover: A
biomechanical eagle which recalls both Screaming for Vengeance
and Painkiller. Back cover: Band photo showing five blokes dressed
in leather (and, it has to be said, looking a fair bit porkier
than the Priest in their black clad heyday). Not only do Primal
Fear want to look like Judas Priest they also do their damndest
to sound like them as well. First track, Angel in Black is near
perfect clone of Painkiller. Second track, Kiss of Death, bears
more than a passing resemblance to Hell Patrol. After that the
steals become a bit less obvious although the band continue to
wear their influences on their sleeve with their crunchy guitar
attack and duelling lead breaks. The vocalist isn't quite in
Rob Halford's league though. He gives it plenty of welly but
he's one of those high pitched squealers that comes standard
issue with every generic German metal band from the Scorpions
onwards. He's good on the high notes but just can't do the low,
gruff stuff like Halford did. This deficiency is particularly
noticeable on the semi-ballad Eye of an Eagle.
I'm in two minds over this record. I'm a sucker for traditional
metal and I admire the solid musicianship and crisp production
on this record, especially on the title track which is a real
Teutonic barnstormer. On the other hand I find the overt copying
of Judas Priest more than a little disconcerting and it leaves
me thinking why bother with imitations when I can dig out the
real thing from my old record collection?. Primal Fear have it
in them to be a first class metal band but they need to concentrate
on developing their own sound instead of reproducing what other
bands have already done.
[Linden Dunham]
6/10
PRIMORDIAL 'Spirit The
Earth Aflame' CD (Hammerheart)
Funny, isn't it, how the albums those 'in the know' rave about
never seem to appeal to the average metaller? Such was the case
with Primordial's 1998 effort, "A Journey's End", which
a select few hailed as a groundbreaking, monumental dark metal
album-- and which just about everyone else seemed to ignore en
masse. Early reports suggest that the band's newest release "Spirit
the Earth Aflame" has fared considerably better, commercially
speaking, than its ill-fated predecessor, and for good reason.
The band has opted to hone and carefully tend their sound over
time, rather than morph drastically from album to album as some
of their contemporaries are wont to do, and this approach has
payed off. While "A Journey's End" was frequently doomy
and tended to deal more with melancholic atmospheres than with
riffs and snappy arrangements, "STEA" is defiantly,
unashamedly a metal album. Perhaps this has something to do with
vocalist Alan Averill's love of the likes of WASP and Virgin
Steele; at any rate, he has stated that with STEA the band has
struck a proper balance between tragedy and might, and this is
true. While Primordial are from Ireland, the band thankfully
avoid Celtic cliches; their 'Irishness' is present but indirectly
so, evoked more in moods than with 'folk' instrumentation and
the like. Averill's vocals have also improved; his harsh vocals
ever-venomous, while his 'clean' vocals seem more confidently
delivered than ever. Check out "The Burning Season"
especially for evidence of this. The only thing I question with
this release is the band's inclusion of old demo tune "To
Enter Pagan; it isn't a poor rendition, by any means, but seems
a little out of place amongst the album's newer, more epic tunes.Finally,
for those of you who still bother to read lyrics: spend a little
time on these! They were certainly written more thoughtfully
than is the case with your average metal band; no tired cliches
here! I'm very curious to see how Primordial will develop their
sound after this.
[Seth Patterson]
8/10
PROCESS/ DAT POLITICS
split 12'ep (Fat Cat)
the clash of textures between Steve Barnes aka Process and France's
Dat Politics exemplifies the true rewards of electronic experimentation.
Process' luscious soft tones may at first suit the lively, multilayered
rhythms to his three pieces, but similar rhythms appear of the
Dat Politics side and yet the mood is totally different. The
French quintet opt for ear piercing sounds and an extraordinary
squeak effect that sounds Iike the digital impulses could do
with a drop of WD40. 'Fracture noise' is a term used so you can
imagine how really out of it this record really is. The split
series gets better and better.
8/10
PURGATORY 'Blessed With
Flames Of Hate' CD (Perverted Taste)
There's something extremely likable about the raw and rough edged
black/death metal of Germany's "oldest death metal legend".
While fitting in with Perverted Taste's tendency towards undiluted
underground aesthetics, Purgatory's depth in field deserves to
lift them out of that very limited scene and introduce them to
an audience more accustomed to the intricacies of Converge or
Godflesh or Old Man Gloom. Mainstream metal needs a band that
retains its passionate rawness but also can convey a reasonable
semblance of musical understanding. If Purgatory are considered
a little long in the tooth, 'Blessed...' has to be the album
that will do the business for them. Make it happen for 'em people.
8/10
my top
40 albums
of 2001
Friend Of The Devil online album of 2001
Friend Of The Devil online album of 2001
Fennesz- 'Endless Summer'
(listed in
alphabetical order)
Anaal Nathrakh- 'Codex Necro'
Agalloch- 'Of
Stone Wind And Pillor'
Angel Crew- 'Another
Day Living In Hatred'
Autechre- 'Confield'
Bastard Noise- 'Throne
Is Melting'
Big In Japan- 'Destroy
The New Rock'
Cadaver Inc.- 'Discipline'
Cathedral- 'Endtyme'
Corrupted- 'La
Victima Es Tu Mismo'
Cripple Bastards- 'Misantropo
A Senso Unico'
Cult Of Luna- 'Cult
Of Luna'
Darkthrone- 'Plaguewielder'
Deranged- 'Deranged'
Emperor - 'Prometheus'
Entombed- 'Morning
Star'
Failed Humanity- '
The Sound Of Razors Through Flesh'
Filth Of Mankind-
'The Final Chapter'
Firebird-
'Deluxe'
Gammera- 'Smoke
And Mirrors'
Godflesh- 'Hymns'
God Forbid- 'Determination'
Gorerotted- 'Mutilated
In Minutes'
Groinchurn- 'Whoami'
Ill Disposed- 'Kokaniium'
Iowaska- 'Vine
Of Souls'
Isis- 'Celestial'
Kataklysm- 'Epic
(The Poetry Of War)'
Khanate- 'Khanate'
Khold- 'Masterpiss
Of Pain'
Morser- '10,000
Bad Guys Dead'
Mortiis- 'The
Smell Of Rain'
Opeth- 'Blackwater
Park'
Phobia-
'Serenity Through Pain'
Planesmistakenforstars- 'Fuck With Fire'
Purgatory- 'Blessed
With Flames Of Hate'
Rocket From The Crypt- 'Group Sounds'
Set Fire To Flames- 'Sing
Reigns Builder'
The Convocation Of...- 'Pyramid Technology'
Warhorse- 'As
Heaven Turns To Ash'
Zyklon- 'World
Ov Worms'