Angry Metal Guy

Above Symmetry // Ripples
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — Same damn record, re-issued
Label: InsideOut
Website: abovesymmetry.com | myspace.com/abovesymmetry
Release Dates: EU: 2011.04.25 | USA: Digital: 04.26.2011

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. Continue reading

Nidingr // Wolf Father
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — “Are you ready for some pure Norvegian black metal!?”
Label: Jester Records / Vendlus
Website: nidingr.no
Release Dates: EU: Out | US: Jan 18th, 2011

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. Continue reading

Ben Levin Group // Pulse of a Nation
Rating: 4.5/5.0 — Super cool independent prog
Label: Unsigned
Websites: benlevingroup.com
Release Date: December 6th, 2010

I’m not accustomed to being short for words when I write a review. It’s something that happens pretty rarely because I tend to form such strong opinions about things. And given how much shit I’ve been listening to lately for this website, it’s really cool to be able to get my hands on something that has this kind of exciting personality—but let me tell you now, I’m not sure if I’m up to the job of actually doing this record justice with my descriptions. So if for some reason you don’t feel particularly inspired after this to go out and check out this record then ignore that impulse—and check it out anyway. Continue reading

Crow Black Sky // Pantheion
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — A promising start!
Label: Unsigned
Websites: crowblacksky.bandcamp.com
Release Dates: November, 2010

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. Continue reading

Exciter // Death Machine
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — Old thrashers never die, just take more Geritol
Label: Massacre Records
Websites: hemidata.se/exciter/ | myspace.com/exciterofficial
Release Dates: Out now worldwide!

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. Continue reading

Sanity of Impiety // In Life We Despise
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — Very Promising
Label: Unsigned
Websites: myspace.com/sanityofimpiety
Release Date: Available from December 17th, 2010

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. Continue reading

Ghost // Opus Eponymous
Rating: 4.5/5.0 — Satanic rites done right!
Label: (EU) Rise Above Records |(US) Metal Blade Records
Websites: myspace.com/thebandghost
Release Dates: EU: 18.10.2010 | US: 01.18.2011

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. Continue reading

Talk about buried and nearly forgotten classics! In their all too brief existence, Hollow walked the line between traditional and progressive metal and had a really compelling sound that fell somewhere between Mindcrime-era Queensryche, Crimson Glory and latter day Agent Steel. However, it always seemed they were completely overlooked and to this day I have yet to meet another metal fan who had even heard of them. Needless to say, I was mighty shocked but pleased to hear that Metal Mind Productions had remastered both albums and released them on one CD in time for the holidays.

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.

Yet another great release that seemingly got missed by the metal press,the Entrails debut Tales From the Morgue (available on F.D.A. Rekotz) falls in the same oddball category as Interment’s debut from earlier this year. Both releases are by bands who were at ground zero of the Swedish death metal explosion in the early 90′s but failed to release anything beyond demos until now. As scene contemporaries of Entombed, Dismember and Grave, the Entrails sound and style sticks very close to those pioneered by the aforementioned leaders of the genre and Tales From the Morgue is composed of songs actually written in and around 1991-1992 or even earlier in some cases. Listeners will be greeted by the same fuzzed out, super distorted, down-tuned guitar sound heard on Entombed’s Left Hand Path or any of the Dismember platters. There is plenty of brutality, just enough groove and the vocals of Jocke Svensson are excellently grisly and guttural.  The major reason for the success here is the quality songwriting. Yeah, the songs are over 20 fucking years old but they’re very good and sound crusty, maggoty and filthy. At times this reminded me of really old Entombed and other times, Seance (circa Salt Rubbed Eyes) but they really do have a style of their own. Take for example the eerie and haunting solo work Entrails employs to break up the bludgeoning (see “Blood Red” and “Entrails”).  This gives the tracks an almost horror movie vibe and it fits perfectly. The production is a winner too and the raw and ugly sound stops just short of muting the music. And let’s hear it for the album cover! Simply classic.

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”

Impaled Nazarene // Road to the Octagon
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — Goatwill toward men and season’s beatings for all!
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: campnazarene.com | myspace.com/impalednazarene
Release Dates: Out now worldwide!

Well, this album CLEARY isn’t in the spirit of the holidays!  Christmas-unfriendly band name aside, it’s apparently time for another goat worshipping blast-fest from these blasphemous and blackened Finns. The Impaled ones have created an odd, morphing catalogue over their long life and drifted from pure black metal into something way more like punk-infused black thrash. That continues here as it did on 2007′s Manifest but with more energy and urgency this time out. At a scant thirty three minutes in length, this barely qualifies for a full-length and it goes by mighty fast, but if savage black/punk metal warms the cockles of your heart this time of  year, then scream BAH HUMBUG and read on. Continue reading