Debut albums are very important. One day when your band has built up a fan-base, people usually come back to your first album when your newer ones suck. So needless to say, it is pivotal to construct something respectable that might be hailed in the future. American trio Chasma are fairly new to the scene, having only released a demo in 2009, but they’re now releasing their first full-length Declarations of the Grand Artificer. Clocking in at a modest 32:33 with three songs, this wasn’t going to be the most accessible black metal record.

I would probably classify them within the DSBM [depressive suicidal black metal, for the n00bs and uninitiated - AMG] side of things, which is not the easiest style to pull off. “Daystar Angelwar” begins with a painful-sounding sample that gives you an idea of where the mindset it at. This record is all about anguish, unfortunately the riffs don’t hold my interest for long enough and the intention gets a bit muddled. The tempo changes are quite frequent, with the odd break in blasting producing some fairly soporific attempts to express melancholy. When I listen to the song as a whole, I am left feeling quite indifferent. This is largely due to the fact that the guitar work just isn’t as effective as it should be when trying to invoke feelings of gloom—the sort of thing bands like Agalloch or Alcest excel at, but unfortunately Chasma falls quite short of the mark.

The vocals are quite torturous and desperate, sometimes he does get it right… other times not so much. He tries everything from screeching to singing and moaning, but often times it makes him sound a bit like a very unhappy metalcore kid. The second track “Shadowbend” starts with guitar-picking of the simplest caliber and an attempt to create some kind of atmosphere. But the vocals here were irritating and the stylistically it just left me bored instead of enthralled. The same formula replayed with even less impact than the previous track, that is, moments of softer post-rock influenced melodies that launch into blast beats and yelping. Very few surprises here, I’m afraid.

On the production side of things, Declarations of the Grand Artificer sounds a bit obnoxious and hollow to these ears. There is something lacking here, I don’t think there is enough emphasis on making the instruments stand out. I also found myself suffering from a headache as I turned the volume up. This has nothing to do with the sound being too raw or filthy; I quite enjoy low-fi production. It’s mainly because the pitch is way too tinny and does your speakers a disservice.

There are plenty of other worthy DSBM acts out there [Gris, Nyktalgia, Lifelover etc.] that get it right. The difference is that it feels like Chasma are still learning their craft and Declarations of the Grand Artificer doesn’t contribute anything new. There’s just a general sense that what we’re hearing here has already been done before by others… and better at that. Moribund records is quite a respectable label, but they seemed to have signed these guys based on hype and not much else. Go look at most of the other reviews scattered across the net. You’ll find quite a few reviewers worshiping the pants of these guys. Well I don’t get it, and that’s what I’m sticking with. [THE SCENE DEMANDS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, POSEUR! - AMG]

Related posts:

1. Circle of Dead Children – Psalms of the Grand Destroyer Review
2. Grand Magus – Hammer of the North Review
3. Petrychor – Dryad Review

Progressive metal isn’t an easy place to be. Let’s face it, much of the world of progressive metal is a tussle between an old guard of old fans (the Neanderthals of Metal) who really like bands that sound like Dream Theater, Queensryche, and so forth, and then there’s kind of everyone else. It’s disparate, difficult to define and often pretentious as hell with little logic as to what is in fashion with which group. This is the natural outcome of genrefication, in my opinion, and part of that is a question of where a band can actually progress to. You’re either not heavy enough or you’re too heavy and you never please anyone. Few bands ever really manage to fall outside of these well-worn ruts in the road, but there are some fantastic bands in those ruts—Above Symmetry is one of those bands.

Above Symmetry (formerly Aspera) is not like much of the progressive metal that’s coming from Norway (which is where they’re from incidentally), but instead they sound a lot like Symphony X. This will not be the last time I say that—because Above Symmetry sounds like Symphony X. Like, almost exactly like Symphony X. The music is great, heavy and riffy. The band is tight, with great keyboards and a lead guitarist that is just a hell of a player. The guitars and keyboards work together really well and are balanced out by a very excellent rhythm section. Like Symphony X, the writing is intelligent with excellent transitions, good dynamic movements, beautiful choruses and solid hooks litter every song. The choruses are amazingly catchy and will definitely get stuck in your head, and yet the arrangements of the songs are still progressive enough to make you feel nice and superior to your buddies who listen to non-prog bands. On top of all of that the record is beautifully produced—done by the marvelous Jens Bogren (Opeth, Ihsahn, Symphony X, etc.)—everything is neatly organized, tight as hell and the tone is really fantastic.

OK, so what are the problems? Well, I suspect that you probably already sense an issue. When the band’s bio says that the band “quotes bands like Pagan’s Mind, Pain of Salvation, and Symphony X” it’s actually a really nice way of saying “Above Symmetry sounds like progressive metal, you know, progressive metal like you’ve heard before.” And while this is good in some ways, it feels comfortable, it also draws the listener back from the tracks thinking “Huh, don’t I know that riff?” Another major weakness is the vocalist. Unlike many progressive bands, singer Atle Pettersen isn’t a straight up bad vocalist. Instead, he’s a poseur. His performance on the record is spotty because he is at his roots a talented, choir boy singer who is trying his hardest to sound rock ‘n roll. Something his voice doesn’t have—and something that makes him a unique voice in my opinion. In a genre overrun with Rob Halford, Bruce Dickenson and Geoff Tate wannabes, Pettersen has a clean, clear voice that is strong and recognizable without needing to fake balls. Unfortunately, for whatever reason he has decided that in order to be a rock vocalist he has to have a wail and it makes him sound weak and silly, not tough and strong like he intends.

Another interesting point, which drops this record down a bit for me, is that the lyrics are not good. The Steve Harris School of Lyrics Writing is apparently still open in Scandinavia and whoever is writing the lyrics for Above Symmetry has taken all his notes directly from these guys. There is no subtlety, hardly any poetry and nothing remotely new or interesting in them. Lyrics in metal tend to range between the unfortunately bad and the passable, rarely ever being good, and for Above Symmetry, a reading list of good poets and lyricists might be in order. To be frank, I can understand why so many power and progressive metal bands have begun writing thematically (stories, concept records, etc.) because this record which seems a bit more personal, is really just filled with rock clichés.

In the end, however, Ripples indicates what I see to be a bright future for this band of Norwegian youngsters. This is their debut record and they make a really good show of it with catchy tunes, smartly written tracks and they’re tight, tight, tight. One hopes that they begin developing some personality, working on convincing their vocalist that he isn’t Russel Allen and keeps fighting on. These guys have a bright future ahead of them if they can keep it together.

[Disclaimer: This record is a re-issue of Aspera - Ripples, but the band has changed their name. I like these guys enough to re-post this so that people know that it's coming out, but it's the same record, so I just re-issued my review.]

Related posts:

1. Aspera – Ripples Review
2. Scar Symmetry – The Unseen Empire Review
3. Scar Symmetry – Dark Matter Dimensions Review

When I got this disc last year via Jester Records I missed it. I don’t know why it got shuffled off to the side, or what happened exactly, but for some reason it just didn’t get done in time. In any case, I just recently got wind that they’re readying for the US release so I figured I’d break out the Internet-pen and have at a review of this super group’s (Line-up: bass and guitars: Teloch [1349, Gorgoroth, Ov Hell, Orcustus, Umoral, Konsortium]; bass and guitars (again): Blargh [Gravferd, Dødheimsgard]; vocals: Cpt. Estrella Grasa [Kort Prosess]; and drums: Hellhammer [Immortal, Shining, Thorns, Umoral, Mayhem, Winds, Arcturus]) stab at reclaiming Norwegian black metal glory.

Nidingr, for those who don’t know, have had one previous record which came out in 2005. It flew right under my radar, to be honest, and it seems to have flown under a lot of radars. I think, however, that Wolf Father may change some of that. A concept record which seems to encompass the whole span of Norse mythology in just six songs, this record has a pace and a feel to it that I haven’t heard from any band containing original members of old Norwegian bands since… well… at least the early 2000s. In fact, as part of their promotional text they point out that this is the only Garm-approved black metal to come out in an age. Take that as you will.

Wolf Father is undeniably cool, however. The riffs are traditional black metal riffs—you know, lots o’ trem picking—with the occasional mid-paced groovy riff thrown in for good measure. The drums are Hellhammer, so you know how they sound with triggered blasts and pretty fake drum sound, but I guess that goes with the territory. Honestly, the most uncommon aspect of this record is vocalist Estrella Grasa who doesn’t sound like a traditional black metal guy at all. His vocals are, first, quite understandable even though they’re screams, but I’d almost stick them into the hardcore vocalist territory if it wasn’t for the fact that he sounded so tortured at times.

Thematically there’s some interesting things going on here. From what I can make out from the lyrics the record starts with basically a ‘why am I here?’ (in “Fafnismol”) and ends with Fenriz devouring everything and Ragnarök (“Lokasenna”). It kinda leads to an interesting question about what the lyricist is getting at with these lyrics. What I think is interesting is the focus on Baldr, actually. It might just be that his vocals are most understanding in those sections, but the focus on the death of Baldr (“Baldrs Draumar”) struck me as odd because I thought it was fairly well-known that Baldr’s position among the pantheon seemed to have changed at some point. It’s believed by some scholars that I’ve read that Baldr took on the position of Jesus in an almost allegorical sense (dies and goes to Hel, comes back—The Shining God). Now granted, the death of Baldr is an important point in the sort of overarching mythology but there is sort of an irony of focus on that particular section on a black metal record.

In any case, the songwriting deserves its accolades because this is well-constructed black metal. It’s also well-played. There are some really fantastic riffs on here and some cool technical things that one rarely hears in black metal (though, the 1349/Gorgoroth connection is definitely obvious at times). Still Wolf Father is an ultimately very enjoyable record and a good modern addition to the Norwegian black metal legacy which could maybe use a bit of polishing.

A final note: the Garm cameo in the aforementioned “Baldrs Draumar” was quite cool to hear. Of course, his black metal vocals would actually be more appreciated by this Angry Metal Guy—but I guess one can’t ask for too much.

Related posts:

1. Vulture Industries – The Malefactor’s Bloody Register Review
2. Wolf – Legions of Bastards Review
3. Troll – Neo Satanic Supremacy Review

One of the things that people have been lamenting about the dawn of the Internet and how it will affect the future of music is that localized scenes no longer get localized sounds—and Crow Black Sky is definitely an example of this. Or more specifically, the South African metal scene seems to be a great example of this. See, Crow Black Sky is a melodic death metal band, whereas the other two bands that I’ve heard from South Africa (Heathens and A Walk with the Wicked) are black metal/black n’ roll and old school death metal. Due to access to music and information worldwide, it sorta kills that homogenization effect that gigging together, hanging out together and shopping at the same record store seemed to cause. Is it possible that the black metal scene from Oregon is the last cohesive scene we’re going to ever see? Well, that’s not actually relevant to this review. What is relevant to this review is that despite (or because of) the lack of homogeneity in the South African scene every single one of these bands that I’ve heard has been really very good. Crow Black Sky being no exception.

Pantheion is the band’s first full length release, and while really they should probably sell the thing as a demo because of the obviously programmed drums and the amateur mix, the music here speaks for itself. Crow Black Sky basically sounds like a cohesive blending of Swedish death metal ca. 1996. Obviously having huge Opeth and Amon Amarth influence, these tracks essentially sound like the best way you could blend those two bands. The death parts are highly melodic, with a lot of double bass grooves and things that make you rock out. While the guitar work is actually a step up on the kings o’ viking metal (that’d be Amon Amarth if you were wondering), it gives it a bit more of an In Flames or Nightingale kind of feel (should’ve gotten Swanö to produce this thing). This is offset by long progressive passages that are straight out of Opeth‘s playbook. Add in some keyboards and black metal sensibility and you end up in the ballpark of Winterhorde. Not bad..

Vocally Pantheion is well-performed, not a lot of death metal growls but more in the range of Gothenburg death metal (mid-ranged screams). And what I can make out of the lyrics aren’t embarrassing, so the pass is given on that front. Really, the biggest weakness here is probably the fact that the record is so easily comparable to the Swedish metal scene of the late 1990s. But since the music is well-performed and well-written (and not just a total fucking knock-off), it’s easier for me to get into it. So while I can definitely hear the influences (particularly the Opeth stuff in the cleans—the beautiful melodies with just a few held out notes over some acoustic work [probably done with an eBow] just screeeeam Blackwater Park), the fact that they’re blended into each other and that the songwriting itself is very good means that I’m much more ready to just sit back and enjoy instead of being annoyed at how something might feel a tad derivative.

I have to give a shout out to these guys for something that one doesn’t often hear on demo records and self-produced albums and that is that there is a flow that this record has. Pantheion sports tons of instrumental passages (a daring thing in a world so vocalist-centric) and these help the record flow in a way that’s reminiscent of Nile (quite literally at the beginning of the title track “Pantheion”) and Symphony X‘s excellent V: The New Mythology Suite. This shows that the song-writing here isn’t just a fluke—these guys have serious potential. I give ‘em a sophomore slump and the third record will be stellar if they make it that far.

You’ve been warned.

Related posts:

1. A Walk with the Wicked – Architects of Sadism Review
2. The Atlas Moth – A Glorified Piece of Blue-Sky Review
3. Netherbird – Monument Black Colossal Review

Stand UP for EXCITER!! Sorry, had to be done. Anywho, Exciter is a band with some serious metal history under their bullet belts. These Canadian metal troopers were there at the birth of thrash metal in the early 80s. In fact, their debut, Heavy Metal Maniacs could be considered the vanguard of said movement since it came out months before Metallica‘s and Slayer‘s debuts and Germany’s Destruction always cited that album as their inspiration for thrashing like maniacs. Subsequent albums like Violence and Force and Long Live the Loud were also hailed as Angry Metal Masterpieces™ of the 80s and I was a big fanboy. Sadly, good things never last and Exciter hit some rocky times on later platters and eventually disbanded, rebanded and disbanded yet again, releasing uneven material throughout. However, in 2008 they returned with a new line up (guitarist John Ricci being the only original member) and released the impressive Thrash Speed Burn and now the same line up returns to kick even more ass with Death Machine.

Like the previous album, Death Machine doesn’t fuck around as the berserk title track explodes with Ricci’s classic fuzzed, distorted and static-ridden guitar sound and the manic, hysterical vocal rants of Kenny “Metal Mouth” Winter. This guy sounds like he stepped on a nail AND got kicked in the Jimmy simultaneously and needless to say, his  delivery ain’t subtle. This track has everything that made Exciter great once. A frenzied pace, chaotic and ugly guitar and screaming til Tuesday. This is a simple, addictive thrash song that will make you want to lift cars and throw beer bottles. Knowing what side their metal bread is buttered on, Exciter wisely keeps the foot on the throat and songs like “Dungeon Descendants,” “Hellfire,” ”Slaughtered in Vain” and especially “Pray for Pain” really recapture the classic Exciter style and fury. Even when they opt to slow down for “Power and Domination” the rawness and heaviness of the delivery keeps the energy and momentum going fullbore (especially aided by the unhinged, testicle rupturing vocals at 2:36 onward).

All the songs here are very simple, direct and as far from progressive as it gets. This is lowbrow, neanderthal thrash metal and it’s mean, messy and battle ready. You may notice I haven’t compared the sound to any other bands as of yet. Well, that’s because Exciter always had a  unique style and sound and this really doesn’t remind me of anyone except Exciter. I suppose the more manic tracks could be compared to 3 Inches of Blood due to Kenny’s lunatic screaming, but that would be a stretch and these guys are far better and way cooler. The production is raw and perfect for the music with the guitar tone being particularly spot on and biting. And let’s hear it for the most metal cover of 2010. So wrong, yet so metal.

The only potential stumbling block here may be the previously mentioned wacko vocals. Those that loved the classic Exciter albums will be used to odd vocals (original throat Dan Beehler frequently sounded like a pig being slaughtered) and will likely take it in stride as I did and enjoy the insanity. Others may feel Kenny is WAY over-the-top and too frantic. One thing is for shit sure, the guy can wail and shriek with the best of them.

There will always be a soft spot in my metal heart for these guys and it’s great to see them churn out a metal monster reminiscent of the good old days. If you like thrash or even pure heavy metal with plenty of aggression, this will really hit the mark. Stand UP for, ah fuck it, just check this out.

Related posts:

1. Austrian Death Machine – Double Brutal Review
2. Lake of Tears – Illwill Review
3. Sodom – In War and Pieces Review

I know it’s not a popular standpoint, but I’ve actually been pretty critical of Sweden’s underground. It is true that Sweden has produced some of the best metal in the world, I still have a bit of a feeling of “What have you done for me lately?” While there are some great bands out there that we all know, the underground here since after that first wave in the early 90s just hasn’t been the same. However, in the last few years a new generation of Swedish death metal and black metal has started coming to the forefront. Sometimes these are older bands, but there are also a number of younger bands carrying on the banner of their proud Swedish heavy metal heritage and doing it well. Sanity of Impiety, from up north in Umeå (the same city which spawned Meshuggah, Naglfar, Cult of Luna and others) is certainly one of these bands.

In Life We Despise is the first demo from Sanity of Impiety, a side project of the Umeå-based Daemonicus (a blackened death band that you should definitely check out). Five tracks, this little demo clocks in at 23 minutes in length and it’s thoroughly entertaining for all 23 of those minutes. Ranging between more technical metal and blasty death metal (at times reminiscent of Behemoth), the tracks have a strong melodic death metal streak which reeks of Hypocrisy. This, however, isn’t a bad thing. The melodic nature of these tracks is well-received largely because it’s not the only thing the band is capable of doing.

All 5 tracks on here are above par death metal, but I think my favorite track is “Sane in an Insane World,” which has just a bit of old school wound into riffing—and then moves on towards more blasty and melodic fare. But while the first four tracks are pretty much straight forward death metal, it’s worth noting that track 5 “The Sinister Lullaby” is a rather doomy tune that’s littered with clean vocals. The melody is pretty good, though the vocals sounds a little bit like when James Hetfield sings, but for the leather jacketed, bitter, entrenched death metal guy, this might be deal breaker. I dig the track, though it maybe goes on a bit too long. After the first ball busting 16 minutes, the change of pace is well-received and well done.

In Life We Despise is also a home-recorded entity and it serves the purpose well. While the drums are obviously programmed, the guitar tone is heavy and the sound is thick and pretty tough. All-in-all this is a worthy demo and I’d not be surprised if this project isn’t picked up by a smaller label in the near future.

Related posts:

1. Arise – The Reckoning Review
2. Crow Black Sky – Pantheion Review
3. Death Maze – Prodigy of Death Review

Well, now that the top 10 is posted and all of that is out there, I’ve received a record that I had no idea even existed and that is super cool. Of course. I said I was nervous about missing cool December releases and now I have been galvanized. I just thought I’d point that out. But I will not deny you the joy of a review of some very cool new music from this Australian progressive outfit by the name of Ironwood (not to be confused with the pornographic comic that I discovered while searching the Googles for the band’s website).  This is the band’s third release and second full-length and it is available for your perusal at the band’s website.

But hell, why listen to it yourself when you can read my poetic rendition of why this record is something you should listen to for yourself! So let’s get to that then.

Ironwood is best called a progressive band. At their very fundamental base, they are a band like any other band that mixes their influences of extreme metal into other styles, who are doing something that narrows them into a small (if ever-expanding) genre. Storm Over Sea, therefore, is a very enjoyable record to listen to because of these stylistic considerations. But unlike other bands who have mixed in death metal or expanded their doom roots, Ironwood largely draws on folk metal and blackened folk metal. What’s cool, then, is how they blend these together into what I would call a unique blend of prog and folk.

This record has a lot of clean vocals and I fear that’s where individuals will get hung up. The vocals of whoever is doing them primarily are definitely a bit of an acquired taste. He’s not bad per se, but they’re not metal vocals really. They belong far more on the Yes side of the spectrum (with maybe a touch of power metal). They can seem a bit over-stated or exaggerated at times and a bit amateurish at other times (specifically with harmonies and background vocals later on in the record), but over all they work for what the band is trying to accomplish and they help give a unique flavor to the music, which is important for all bands when it comes to vocals.

That said, however, the music is what draws me in on this record. There’s great material here which goes between black metal, technical death metal and folk metal as well as prog. Clocking in at 55 minutes, and with three 11+ minute tracks Storm Over Sea never gets boring. Particularly the epics, “Infinite Sea,” “Weather the Storm” and “A Bond to Sever”, are well constructed tracks loaded to the teeth with interesting movements that bring the listener back to this record time and time again. If you’re a fan of folk metal and progressive metal I’d given this thing a chance. I can’t guarantee that you’ll love it, but I can tell you that it’s worth a shot. With all the various influences and epic composition, it’s hard to imagine that fans of these genres wouldn’t love it.

Related posts:

1. Fejd – Storm
2. Metsatöll – Äio Review
3. Heidevolk – Uit Oude Grond Review

How can this be? Yet another metal treasure nearly escaped the watchful eye of Steel Druhm and makes me feel shame for failing to include it in my Top Ten(ish) of 2010. Please forgive this epic oversight as I belatedly introduce you to Opus Eponymous, the debut by Sweden’s Ghost, which is a goldmine of expertly written and played mega-retro 70′s style satanic heavy metal. Taking inspiration from old Mercyful Fate, Witchfinder General, Pentagram and every horror film about satanic cults ever made, Ghost operate in a time warp where metal was as much about mood as sheer musical heaviness and where melody and accessibility were king. Opus Eponymous sometimes feels like the soundtrack to The Exorcist and at other times like Anton LaVey’s satanic mass set to music but it’s compelling, instantly likable and a lot of evil rocking fun for those among us in the left lane of the highway to hell.

Although this isn’t a wickedly heavy album by any means, it is plain wicked and cries out for a burning at the stake (it has an evil Pope on the cover for Pete’s sake!). The best points of comparison are the first two Mercyful Fate albums. As they took traditional metal and soaked it in lyrical tales of the occult and Satanism, so does Ghost, although they’re less aggressive and far more accessible than Mercyful Fate ever was. There’s that same eerie and evil vibe on Opus Eponymous as there was on Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath but mixed with healthy doses of Witchfinder General and Blue Oyster Cult. Similarly, the unnamed vocalist (all members of Ghost apparently go without names and wear corpse masks and robes when playing live but word on the street suggests members of Watain and Repugnant are involved) does at times sound like King Diamond without the falsetto and he turns in a very solid and enjoyable performance here. No screaming, no death gurgles or shrieks, just clear, clean singing and it fits perfectly. The mystery guitarists provide a series of classic riffs and solos that would have fit on any of the early Judas Priest albums and the unknown keyboardist generates a plethora of evil church and horror movie worthy runs. All of this results in some excellent and memorable songs like “Con Clavi Con Dio,” ”Ritual,” ”Genesis” and album highlight “Elizabeth” (yes, it’s about Countess Bathory). Toss in some Latin incantations, church bells, lots of “hail Satans” and an occasional dark foreboding background voice and you have a whole lotta Rosemary’s Baby going on!

All the songs are short, none longer than four and a half minutes and it’s a very short album overall at only thirty five minutes. Due to the extremely high level of song quality and large fun factor, it goes by too quickly and definitely left me hungry for more. The production is ultra-clear and organic sounding and fits the music like a coven mitt. You can even hear everything the bass does and whoever is playing it does some cool and  interesting things. Pretty much everything is a major success here and I can see why Fenriz of Darkthrone championed these guys in the past.

While I’m sure some stopped reading when I used the dreaded “retro” word, it would be a mistake to miss out on Opus Eponymous. These masked men are really onto something here and what they created  is clearly the Devil’s work and should be heard by all those currently in a bowling league with Satan. If the power of Christ repels you, Opus Eponymous may just have your number (of the beast). Mr. Crowley commands you to check this out!

Related posts:

1. Devil – Time to Repent Review
2. In Solitude – The World. The Flesh. The Devil. Review
3. Devin Townsend Project – Ghost Review

Hollow’s 1998 debut Modern Cathedral showcased an already mature sounding unit capable of writing powerful and memorable metal tunes with plenty of crunch and loads of hooks and melody. Also working in their favor were the outstanding vocals of Andeas Stolz, whose powerful and expressive voice really made the whole sound take flight. While Modern Cathedral had a lot of excellent songs (“Crusader,” “Can You Hear Me” and “Wounds”), Hollow didn’t reach their full potential until 99′s epic concept album Architect of Mind. This thing utterly blew me away and continues to be one of my favorite metal platters of all time. Mixing very very heavy, crunching guitars with soaring vocals and brilliant songwriting, every single track smokes and demands repeated spins. From the dichotomy between the crunching riffs and mournful vocals in “Transcending Sorrow” to the memorable and hooky ”Secluded Dreams” and the grim sadness of ”Alone in Darkness,” this album kicks more ass than Chuck Norris after a few too many vodka and Red Bulls. Add an intriguing concept involving cyberspace, artificial intelligence and mankind’s addiction to technology and you have something pretty damn special (imagine the theme and mood of Queensryche’s “Screaming in Digital” stretched out to album length). There’s a strangely touching and morose vibe throughout that makes the material even more compelling and this is right up there with the best metal concept albums of all time IMHO.  The re-issue sounds great, features a very well done presentation with a history of the band and separate booklets for each album. Impressive across the boards.

While I still wonder why these guys didn’t attract more attention in their day, I’m happy the metal world is getting another chance to hear these albums and give Hollow some well earned posthumous praise. Go buy this for yourself and several for your friends as gifts and don’t fuck up your second chance to hear some amazing metal!

Highlights: Every track is outstanding but “Transcending Sorrow,” Secluded Dreams,” “Binary Creed” and “Alone in Darkness” are tops.

Related posts:

1. Things You Might Have Missed 2010: Entrails – Tales From the Morgue
2. Things You May Have Missed 2010: Triosphere – The Road Less Travelled
3. Things You May Have Missed 2010: Briton Rites – For Mircalla

If you love old school Swedish death metal and the newer bands that try to recreate it like Bloodbath or Death Breath, then this is an evil time capsule from 1992 you should unbury and check out. Enter the Entrails! EWWWWWWW.

Highlights: “Blood Red,” “Entrails” and “Euthanasia”

Related posts:

1. Entrails – The Tomb Awaits Review
2. Things You Might Have Missed 2010: Vex – Thanatopsis
3. Things You May Have Missed 2010: Adversarial – All Idols Fall Before the Hammer