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

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.

Ben Levin Group is a large band that formed (or at least met) at Berklee School of Music (which also brought us Kayo Dot and fucking Dream Theater, so let’s call it a hit-or-miss record) and that produce concept records of epic scope with (as I understand it) very few vocals. Pulse of a Nation is one such full length concept record. It clocks in at 45 minutes and all I can say is that it is a truly excellent piece of composition, performance, production and that if you are a fan of progressive music even a little bit, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Pulse of a Nation is basically an amalgamation of different kinds of elements. There is a bit of guitar god influence going on here—obviously producing a record that largely consists of melody that’s being carried by an electric guitar is reminiscent of Vai or Satriniani—but unlike the show-off elements of those guys employ shamelessly, Pulse of Nation is largely predicated on smart melody. In fact, there’s not really a solo that I would call wanky on the whole album even though there is some excellent technical soloing on “Ill From the Poisons of Your Loving”—so don’t take that whole analogy too far. Take that general format, which allows for a lot of variation, and add in what sounds like noise and industrial influences and you start to get something that is simultaneously heavy, progressive and emotive. While the noisy stuff can maybe get a little overbearing (a lot of stuff is peaked in the mix, which means that listening with monitors can get painful—but the actual mix is not too loud), it works to really push the extreme feelings to a different level.

Of course, this record isn’t super heavy. It seems to me that Mr. Ben Levin (who I’m assuming does the large majority of composition) doesn’t really wander into death metal territory. The drums aren’t as heavy as I’d like and when there are vocals (which is very, very rare), they tend towards NIN kind of yell/scream, not growls. But for this project that’s all fine with me. The music is beautifully cohesive, excellently constructed and the heavy is still heavy so I don’t need it to be tech death metal or anything.

Though, to be honest, if there was one thing that I could’ve used more of it was vocals. In this case the vocals are very rare and while the melodies are certainly strong enough to carry themselves, there were moments when they probably would have been appropriate. I am a fan of instrumental music, but in this case there were some passages that felt as though they were calling for vocals. But to be fair, given that the vocals that are on here aren’t exactly stellar when it comes to lyrical themes and pure vocal ability (it really is what I would consider to be a weakness), it’s probably better that the project is left with what the band is truly good at: the music. Hard to criticize someone for playing to their strengths.

If you’re a fan of progressive music I strongly suggest that you check this project out. I also strongly suggest that if anyone from InsideOut or any other progressive label ever reads this that they sign these guys immediately, ’cause this stuff is cool and pretty unique. I’ve said many times before on this blog that the best prog rock stands on the border between technical and poppy and Pulse of a Nation does just that. Just varied and interesting enough to keep you interested and with enough hooks to stick. I’ve got a feeling that this record will continue to grow on me, too.

Huh, turns out I wasn’t at a loss for words after all.

Related posts:

1. Thomas Giles – Pulse Review
2. Sigh – Scenes From Hell Review
3. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Option Paralysis 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

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

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.

Road to the Octagon eschews the usual black metal aesthetics, so you can forget the traditional intro with two minutes of creepy wind effects or Dracula’s castle style keyboard noodling (in fact, there are no keyboards at all). Instead you get instantly assaulted by full speed black thrash inflicted in short sharp bursts. Most tracks are between two and three minutes and fly by in a rabid blur, leaving virtually no time to frown, scowl or pose menacingly in a wintry forest. Velocity is the watch word here and there’s very little change in tempo from track to track, just light-speed black thrash and the very effective rasps of Mika Luttinen (only album closer “Rhetoric Infernal” slows the pace down). Some tracks even veer close to Germanic thrash and “Corpses” in particular reminds me of old Sodom and also stands out as the best track of the thirteen. While the super short songs guarantee none overstay their welcome,  several times it felt like the songs ended prematurely (“Tentacles of the Octagon” and “Reflect on This”) but I guess it’s always better to leave them wanting more. All the speed however does cause the songs to blur together and leaves Road to the Octagon feeling a little monotonous as it blasts along.  On a positive note, although I didn’t have a lyric sheet to aid me, it seems the two words thrown around most were ”Satan” and “fuck” and that’s what metal is all about folks (especially during the holidays). Also, lest fans start to worry, there is the obligatory goat themed song, this time it’s ”Cult of the Goat.”

The gold star here has to go to drummer Repe Misanthrope (really?) for sounding like he has four arms and endless cardio. I would hate to be this guy come touring time. Second place goes to Mika for the mammoth throat abuse he must have endured recording his vocals (now go see a physician). Another positive is the production by Mika and crew which is one of the best Impaled Nazarene ever had and far from low-fi. In fact, it’s very clear and crisp and allows everything to be heard despite the insanely fast pace.

You simply can’t ask for more ferocity and aggression and Road to the Octagon is essentially an aural panic attack. That said, this isn’t their best work and falls victim to the ”too much of the same thing” syndrome. Only a few tracks manage to rise above the swirling nuclear madness to demand special attention from the listener. However, this still gets a decent score because of that very same swirling nuclear madness. Sometimes that’s exactly what one needs to hear and well, here it is.  Happy Anger by the Manger Day and remember to kiss a goat.

Related posts:

1. Things You May Have Missed 2010: Triosphere – The Road Less Travelled
2. Manilla Road – Playground of the Damned Review
3. Pain of Salvation – Road Salt pt. 1 – Ivory – Review