Holy shite, this is a feisty and fiery one! One of the most successful “project” bands in recent memory, Goatwhore has come roaring back, filled with piss, bile and cayenne peppers on album five, Blood for the Master. This is nasty, blackened death/thrash from the most stagnant bayou of the Big Easy and it’s the musical equivalent of a gator attack. Featuring former members of Crowbar, Acid Bath and Nachtmystium, Goatwhore is professional, single-minded and out to punish mankind. Although they started as an American take on Norwegian black metal like Darkthrone, they’ve since settled into life as a drooling, chomping, black/death/thrash beast. While their past few albums have been a bit samey at times, they were always fun in a berserk, foaming at the mouth kinda way. Blood for the Master continues in the same direction as 2009′s Carving Out the Eyes of God but feels a bit more intense and well thought out. It hits like a nuclear howitzer from Hades with thirty-eight minutes of face melting ugliness and malevolent swagger. There are lots of  nods to the classic Bay Area thrash sound, some black n’ roll, classic death riffing and ice-cold, hyper-kinetic trem-abuse. What makes this so entertaining is the odd biker rock vibe Goatwhore manages to impart to the mach-speed chaos. Its hard to explain, but this sounds like black/death as done by a southern rock lovin, greasy biker gang and it works. While this ends up more of a thrash album than a black or death metal opus, it retains enough of an icy black heart to keep most frowners frowning happily (is that possible?). While it doesn’t differ much from what Skeletonwitch has done on the past few albums, its harder, meaner and way more convincing.

Of the ten tracks, nine blaze away with manic fury and seething hostility. “Collapse of Eternal Worth” gets the spiked ball rolling with an almost punk rock take on black metal that reminds me of the first Corrosion of Conformity album but with way more hate. The riffs are urgent and some are quite powerful. The vocals lurch from guttural death croaks to blackened rasps. “When Steel Meets Bone” is really a Bay Area thrash number with hints of vintage Exciter in the riffing and tempo. “An End to Nothing” borrows extensively from the Great Book of Slayer, including the frenzied,  whammy-intensive solos.

The most “black” of the tracks is the epic and evil “Judgment of the Bleeding Crown,” which sounds like top-notch Belphegor. The riffing locks in perfectly with the rolling drums and it sounds like an unstoppable juggernaut of doom. Likewise, “Beyond the Spell of Discontent” trots out some nicely frigid trem leads before settling into a straight thrash style. Only “In Deathless Tradition” stumbles and feels underwhelming with a more mid-pace grinding attack (it has a nifty solo).

Blood for the Master lives or dies by the strength of the axe mastery of Sammy Duet and fortunately, he’s up to the challenge. There are a lot of crisp, quality riffs here, of the black, death and thrash variety. His solos are also impressive and span several styles and approaches (my favorite coming at 2:15 during “Parasitic Scriptures of the Sacred Word”). Ben Falgoust’s vocals are diverse and mostly well done. Though he uses less of his pure black rasp this time, his death croaks are good and his screams sound genuinely painful (though he sounded better on earlier albums). I was very impressed with the drumming of Zack Simmons. The man can bash and crash and he really adds a lot of the fun to the mix.

Speaking of mix, the production by Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal) is a big factor in the success of Blood for the Master. The drum sound is huge and organic and the guitars sound pulverizing and unstoppable. This isn’t a trembly, tinny low-fi product by any means. Its got a huge low-end rumble and will shake you out of your socks with a wall of nasty sound.

Goatwhore isn’t re-writing any books on metal or doing anything unique, but their frantic, blitzkrieg approach to black/death is a winning recipe with loads of cajun awesome sauce. This is an blast of pure metal insanity and manages to be both extreme and memorable. Like having a rabid pitbull in your pants; its gonna get you moving and shaking. Get on the goat and ride…to glory!!

No related posts.

Anthems baby, fucking ANTHEMS!! That’s what Primal Fear has been churning out since ’98 and that’s probably what they’ll keep churning out ’til they die (old metalheads never really die, they just become classic rock). While they began life as Germanic Judas Priest clones (mostly due to the Halford-esque vocal stylings of mega-voice Ralf Scheepers [Sheeples? - AMG]), they slowly evolved into their own sound, merging classic Priest, Maiden and Saxon influences with europower metal like Iron Savior and Gamma Ray (Ralf’s former band). In the process, they’ve become one of the most dependable, consistent stars in the heavy metal galaxy, releasing mindlessly enjoyable, rockin albums with moments of sheer metallic brilliance (basically, they’re the AC/DC of quasi-Judas Priest clones). Their ninth studio album, Unbreakable may be their best yet and packs one old-school, fist-in-the-air anthem after another. They know what side their bread is buttered on and they know their craft inside and out. There aren’t any surprises here beyond how catchy and consistent the songs are and the high level of classic metal enthusiasm they bring to the party. It sure ain’t proggy or forward-thinking, but this is metal-as-hell and that’s enough for Steel Druhm the Elder.

After a brief intro, things rocket off with “Strike” and it’s all Painkiller-style heavy riffing, wailing guitars and Ralf’s high register, rough but melodic singing. The vocal patterns are hooky and the dueling solos are appropriately soaring. Yes, Ralf still sounds a lot like Halford and some of these songs sound like lost tracks from the Painkiller and Defenders of the Faith sessions, but they’re good anyway, dammit! These cats have an ear for writing songs so simple, so addicting and so loaded with old-timey ethos, they become irresistable. Songs like “Bad Guys Wear Black” couldn’t be more simplistic in design but work so well, it’s perplexing. Even the chorus of “bang your head and never turn it down” doesn’t sound as silly as it should when these guys do it. That’s professionalism folks. At times, they ramp up the power metal aspects as on “And There Was Silence” and it works quite well. On “Metal Nation,” they manage a chorus so silly and cliché, Manowar themselves would point their swords at it and nod approvingly. My personal favorites are “Where Angel Die,” with its big sweeping chorus, and the title track, with a chorus that contains nearly every metal watch word (fist, fire, heaven, hell, fight, demons, war, etc.). Check it, they’re all there (*Manowar still nodding*)! Even the mandatory power-ballad “Born Again” works due to an manically overwrought, lighters-out chorus. Only the final track “Conviction” fails to totally grab me.

As always, Primal Fear‘s focal point is Ralf’s impressive, über-metal vocals. Ever since he wrongfully lost the Judas Priest gig to Ripper ["Talentless Hack"] Owens (insert AMG’s rapid, anti-Ripper tirade here [Yeah, that was wrong. This guy is talented, unlike Mr. Owens who is a rank amateur. - AMG]), he’s seemed bent on proving he’s more Halford than Halford and honestly, he convinces me sometimes. His voice shines here as always and his performance is the main reason Unbreakable works. Right behind him is the memorable riff and solo work by the tandem of Magnus Karlsson (Allen/Lande) and Alex Beyrodt (Silent Force, Sinner). Every track benefits from their well-crafted riff patterns and flag waving solo work. When teamed with Ralf, they became a formidable metal attack. The production is loud and clear but not so modern that it gets in the way of the old-school fun. Ralf is upfront, as one would expect, and the guitars have heft, punch and crunch.

 So, Unbreakable may be the best of the considerable Primal Fear discography. It’s a very addictive listen and I keep spinning it again and again. It is cheesy at times? Yes. Is it over-the-top? Of course. Is it a by-the-numbers heavy metal album straight from the Official Old School Metal Template™ ? Bigtime. Regardless, it’s brainless, hyper-catchy metal and sometimes that’s just what the brain (and fist) needs. Now, point your swords and nod. Ralf n’ Roll!

Related posts:

1. Iron Savior – The Landing Review
2. Powerwolf – Blood of the Saints Review
3. While Heaven Wept – Fear of Infinity Review

I’m part of a small minority of metal fans that heard of Finland’s Fall of the Leafe and loved what they did. Although they began life as a black metal band, they eventually morphed into a unique type of progressive gothic metal and their 2005 Vantage album is one of my all time favorites. It had a special, moody atmosphere that I return to often (largely due to the strange but brilliant vocal work of Toumas Tuominen). Sadly, the Leafe called it a day in 2007 and their compelling style was silenced. However, from the acorn of the great Leafe arose The Man-Eating Tree, another interesting forest-themed entity with Tuominen on vocals and many of the same winning characteristics and flavor. Their 2010 album Vine was a pleasantly moody, typically Finnish exercise in melancholy gothic rock/metal and their sophomore followup Harvest is more of the same but even better. The songwriting is tighter, more focused and immediate, the moods are more pronounced and honest and the whole album clicks in a way that recalls the finer moments of Fall of the Leafe without plagiarizing their sound completely. Although most similar to Fall of the Leafe, there are also flashes of Sentenced (same drummer), lighter Opeth and late-period Katatonia. This is not a very heavy album and at times, the material barely has anything to do with metal. Even the most aggressive material here won’t rattle teeth or inspire a raised fist. The sound is more about darkened, somber moods, not exactly doom but clearly not happy either. Regardless, this is a great album and deserves to be heard by anyone who likes dark rock overflowing with mood and emotion. 

The slow, somber strains of intro “Harvest Bell” sets the tableau of things to come and reveals the palette the Tree will be painting with. It’s a great lead in to “At the Green Country Chapel,” which is an instantly likeable, gloomy rocker with a simple, honest chorus that worms into the grey matter. Tuominen’s vocals are as mournful and mysterious as ever. If you’ve never heard him, he has a rich, soulful style, restrained but exuding emotion (mostly sadness) and he makes any material better for his contributions. The guitars shift from edgy and semi-crunchy to softer and peaceful and everything is steeped in morose vibes. Harvest is loaded with songs of similar quality and the one-two punch of “Code of Surrender” (extra emotive vocals with thick riffing) and “Armed” (outstanding vocals hooks and best song overall IMHO) is sure to convince listeners what these chaps have to offer. Elsewhere, the doomy plod of “Exhaled” is complimented by emotionally raw, anguished vocals which can’t help but touch a nerve. The cover of Type O Negative‘s “Everything Dies” is another standout and maintains the original’s tragically brilliant gallows charm and even surpasses it in some ways.

This is one of those albums that works best as a whole but one can take away “singles” as well. Of the eleven songs, all work well and there’s a nice flow throughout. One song melts into the next and there’s always that overhanging sense of loss and sadness. While there isn’t an enormous variety in tempo or dynamic, the nuances from track to track keep things from getting too samey or boring and the writing is very solid.

As one might guess from the above, Tuominen is the driving force and the secret weapon to the Tree‘s sound. His riven, heartbroken vocals work magic on each and every tune and he really sounds on the verge of slitting his wrists. Janne Markus and Antti Karhu shine as well with some beautiful, haunting and spacey fret-work. The morose solo at 4:33 of “Like Mute Companions” is touching and rings of personal loss. Elsewhere, “Down to the Color of an Eye” and “Incendere” have trilling riffs that remind of Insomnium. Rounding out the Tree sound properly are the understated but effective keys from Heidi Maatta and a crisp, sharp production with a satisfying low-end thump to it.

This type of melodic downer-metal/rock clearly won’t work for everyone but it’s exceptionally well done and I’m eating it up like chocolate covered bacon (mmmmmmm, bacon). Fans of Fall of the Leafe or other goth-influenced melodic metal would be well advised to spin this and let it soak into the soil of the mind. It’s both beautifully dark and darkly beautiful and that kind of quality doesn’t grow on every man-eating tree. Be sure to check out Fall of the Leafe’s Vantage too, you won’t be sorry!

Related posts:

1. Insomnium – One for Sorrow Review
2. Ghost Brigade – Until Fear No Longer Defines Us
3. Svart Crown – Witnessing the Fall Review

To be frank with you, I wasn’t sure whether to look forward to this one or not. On the one hand, Nightwish has a hype about them that I’ve never really quite understood. While they’re a good band that has produced some good albums (this Angry Metal Guy, for example, really enjoyed Once quite a bit), the rabidity of their fanbase and the standard to which they are held has always been very surprising to me. I have literally met people who don’t listen to anything else. Apparently their songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen (you know, the pirate from that horrible series of movies) has stalkers fans that are so hardcore about him, that they send letters to his mother to tell her that they disapprove of whom he’s dating. But honestly, I’ve never thought of the band as anything other than a pretty good, female fronted symphonic power metal band. And, well, after Dark Passion Play, I wasn’t very excited anyway. Because let’s face it. That was not a good record. So when I heard that they were releasing a movie (especially given that Tuomas is already in the movies) and a soundtrack to it, I was not excited. But Imaginaerum managed to win me over. 

Really, it starts out in a way that I don’t think I would have ever expected and started drawing me in slowly. “Taikatalvi” features Tarot vocalist Marco on a soft track that apparently translates into “Magical Winter” in English. This song—with no female vocals, some piano, a music box sound and an orchestra—sets the stage for the whole record perfectly by both building up the feeling and taking you by surprise. The surprise is important, because despite being a Nightwish record, it varies a lot more than you would expect. While it does launch into a standard record opener (in the first single from the record “Storytime”), it lets you know that this album will be a little on the unpredictable side. And surprisingly from this pop metal act—it is.

Though, don’t get me wrong. This is obviously a Nightwish record and if you’re not a fan of the style, you probably won’t like it. Though, what’s not to like? The songs are snappy, with sharpened hooks that have you singing them for days in spite of yourself. The arrangements are actually interesting and smart, the orchestrations are huuuuuge, bombastic and beautiful and the production is very good (but wow is this record LOUD—too loud, as it peaks in my speakers). And what’s good about it is that the band never settles into one thing really specifically. The songs don’t really fade into each other as can happen with certain types of records. Instead you’ve got title track pop rockers (like the aforementioned ”Storytime” and “I Want My Tears Back”), followed by mid-paced creepers like “Ghost River” and “Scaretale.” You’ve got a musical number called “Arabesque” and a kind of noir, smooth jazz(esque) track in “Slow, Love, Slow” which Anette acquits in a way that La Prima Donna never could have. Hell, you even have Celtic folk bits that sound like they should be on a Loreena McKennitt record (while breaking into a Morricone/The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly sounding whistling at the end), not a Nightwish one.

Honestly, I only have a few complaints about this record. I guess, firstly, I think Anette is kind of a weak vocalist. This is not to ignite any kind of “they should have kept Tarja” debate—because frankly, they shouldn’t have. It just seems like she only really hits her stride in the poppy choruses of these songs and sometimes she brings down songs on the softer side (Tarja was the same). Her accent gets a tad cartoonish at times (“At the end of the reeever!”), but mostly I just think she doesn’t have the same grace as someone like Helena Haaparanta, who is just such a much more dynamic and powerful performer. But this is offset by the fact that Marco and choirs are used very wisely, and Anette feels more like a part of an ensemble than La Diva. My second complaint is that the last 12 minutes are completely wasted on citing lines from the movie and then recapping the whole album as an overture (the title track “Imaginaerum”). So a record that could have ended with a bang, makes me just want to shut it off before it’s done. That’s a shame. Finally, sometimes I feel like Tuomas is quoting himself a bit much. I actually twice went back to check older records to see if “Storytime” and “Last Ride of the Day” were using similar riffs or melodies from previous records. They never did it, as far as I can tell, but they got really, really close a couple of times.

Still, Imaginaerum is a huge step above the previous record and makes it feel like Nightwish really is on top of the world again. Hell, they even have a song on here that impressed me poetically (“The Crow, the Owl, and the Dove”)—something I never thought possible. The lyrics on that track are actually bordering on really good and the performances are outstanding. On top of that, the record plays well like an original sound track and is everything you expect from Finland’s biggest pop sensation. It’s simultaneously beautiful, while introducing some heavier elements that work well and taking the orchestral presence to a new level. It’s good that these guys got the chance for a do over after the last one because it’s heads and shoulders above it.

Well played, pirate boy, well played.

Related posts:

1. Tarot – Spell of Iron MMXI
2. Cormorant – Dwellings Review
3. Crimfall – As the Path Unfolds…

Here’s a band I bet most haven’t heard of and some actively avoided due to their “christian metal” tag. Well, its time you heard of them and stopped worrying about such silly tags. However, for those diehard, anti-christian, pagan warriors of Wotan, try replacing “christian metal” with “white metal” or “good metal.” Okay, that probably didn’t help AT ALL but the point is, Theocracy is a really good band and their third album  As The World Bleeds is an exceptional dose of progressive power metal. Once a one-man project helmed by Matt Smith, Theocracy is now a fully functioning band and these altar boys can really play! Sounding like a mash-up of Avantasia, Axenstar, Balance of Power, Eden’s Curse and Shadow Gallery, they deliver hyper-polished, super-slick, technical, proggy power with a ton of melodic hooks and a fair amount of heavy edge to boot. Songwriting is first-rate, musicianship is very impressive and heck, God will appreciate you listening to it. When was the last time you hordes of miscreants could honestly say that? Yeah, that’s what I thought, sinners! In all seriousness, this is a great power metal album, regardless of religious inclination. If you dig melodic metal, follow Steel Druhm through the desert of this review and he’ll deliver you to the Angry Promised Land.

Whether you cotton to their divine viewpoint or not, there’s no denying Theocracy have some serious brass by leading off with the longest track possible. “I Am” clocks in at a whopping eleven minutes and most bands not named Moonsorrow would be loath to challenge the listener so quickly. However, Theocracy has a guardian angel on their collective shoulder and it really works! This winding epic really draws you in and introduces you to their songwriting abilities and musicality without feeling overlong or tedious. As you would expect from such a lengthy piece, it’s dramatic, features a boatload of moods and textures and allows the band to flex their chops. What makes it work is a combination of great lyrics, excellent vocals and surprising twists and turns. Matt Smith’s vocals morph from commanding to soaring, soft and powerful as the story unfolds and it all feels natural and unforced.  The guitars are upfront, plenty heavy and scatter rich, fluid solos throughout. Song highlights include the unexpected lurch into a jaunty Irish jig-like piece at 5:20 and the progression into thrash territory as things unwind (including a cool Voivod-like stutter step thrash riff at 7:45). After the epic opener, there are brilliantly catchy, power-prog nuggets like “The Master Storyteller” (the guitars and vocals are both addicting), a sojourn into the crunchy and aggressive with “Nailed” (big chorus and insane guitar-work) and compelling guitar twists, turns and tricks on “Altar to an Unknown God” (I love the mega-cool string thingee that first pops up at 2:00).

Although this is a VERY melodic prog-power outing, there are plenty of heavy moments interspersed. Even the most mellow tracks like “The Gift of Music” and the title track eventually segue into thrash metal segments. This heavy/melodic dichotomy enhances the impact of the songs and gives them valuable metal credibility. No song is completely soft and all have diverse tempos. Matt Smith’s vocals are stellar throughout and the extensive use of vocal layering gives everything a big, rich, choral sound like late-period Savatage (but thankfully, way less Broadway jazz-handsy).  The guitar mastery of Val Allan Wood co-headlines with Smith’s vocals and the man makes those strings burn like hades fire. Every song is bursting with his big leads and inventive riff-work. The whole ensemble brings a formidable A game and this is a technically satisfying release from start to finish.

The production is crisp, clear and polished, as is the music itself. The lyrics can, at times, be a bit pious, a tad preachy and slightly judgmental but how many HAIL SATANs have you listened to this year alone? Stop drinking the Devil’s Kool-Aid and give the other side equal time, for Christ’s sake! Steel Druhm ain’t exactly the biggest church-goer in heaven’s green garden but the lyrics didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this excellent material, so they shouldn’t for you either.

These chaps have toiled away in relative obscurity for years and with As The World Bleeds, they’ve released their crowning glory (their previous two platters are also very good). This looks to be one of the best prog-power albums of 2011 and a certifiable Myrrh Record. You would be stupid to skip this because of some anti-religion mumbo-jumbo, so Steel Druhm demands you open your mind and listen. But, DO NOT download this illegally! Most of you are in enough trouble with the man upstairs as it is. Blasphemers!

Related posts:

1. Lance King – A Moment in Chiros Review
2. Arch/Matheos – Sympathetic Resonance Review
3. In Solitude – The World. The Flesh. The Devil. Review

Cormorant is a band that I probably would have never found on my own. Instead, I just randomly got an e-mail from their promoter a couple years back, where she hooked me up with the band’s 2009 release Metazoa. I was duly impressed by what these coasties had to offer, so when I saw that these guys had a new record coming out, I definitely reached out to get a promo of it. And I’m happy that I did, though I think that Dwellings is a different beast from Metazoa. Bad? Definitely not. But did the band grow and get a lot better? It seems like the maintained a pretty even keel during the two years away. 

Cormorant is part of this west coast scene that’s been blooming since the early 2000s. For those of you familiar with the scene, this should give you an idea of the sound already. Stripped down from what you get from commercial releases (I’ve been interchanging the new Nightwish record all week, and I always have to turn the volume way down when I put that record on), this record sounds like it was recorded in about 1983. The guitar tone is solid, but not re-amped to the point of being unrealistic. The bass is audible and fat and the drums sound like.. fuckin’ a, drums! This puts them into the same sort of category soundwise of bands like Shroud of Despondency or Hammers of Misfortune and they’re much better for it. This has a good atmosphere to it and the production is perfect.

Of course, songs are more important than production, and in interchanging with Nightwish all week, I had a really good chance to think about these songs in a very unique context. In fact, Dwellings is like the negative of Imaginaerium. While it’s sweeping and large at times, there isn’t a traditional “hook” on the whole record. While songs like “A Howling Dust” and “Funambulist” contain beautiful, lush melodies that poke at your soul, nothing is really repeated for emphasis. More often than not, the band is meandering into Agalloch or Ulver territory in their approach to black metal or Taake and Shroud of Despondency territory with sort of post-thrash riffing like on the lights out “The First Man”. But these styles are all blended together into a stew of progressive extreme metal that is punctuated by NWoBHM riffing and the occasional guitar melody and the thoughts are never truncated to an easily consumable form.

The same can be said for the lyrical content. Covering difficult issues like eugenics (perfect for metal in some ways—but difficult in a a scene with some dirty laundry), the Junta in Guinea, suicide bombing and any host of difficult to stomach topics in a way that goes beyond the Steve Harris School of Lyric Writing™ (see: “Alexander the Great” for the prime example), Cormorant definitely hits home on the poetic/lyrical front. While von Nagel could definitely called a bit of a pretentious shit, I like his approach, because it’s obviously he takes this stuff seriously and it translates to the music. The lyrics and the vocals are not going to be everyone’s cup o’ tea, but I think both are strong successes and I dig it.

Though, it’s not like it’s hard to get into this record. The writing is engaging, the songs are really well written and despite the long running time (56 minutes), I’ve listened to it a couple times a day since I’ve gotten it. In the process, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed Metazoa, which is also a really great record. So, pulling that back out and comparing some things, it’s pretty easy to hear some differences. While the black metal and NWoBHM influences stand out, Dwellings eschews references to 70s prog and Opeth (with the exception of the final track—which actually has a bit of a “Black Rose Immortal” breakdown in the middle). This change left me kind of longing for it, honestly. They did a pretty good job of doing that sort of delicate 70s acoustic rock stuff without sounding too hackneyed or like their source material. I’m sure they were sick of getting comparisons, but some of the cleans go missing on this album.

All-in-all, I’m fucking stoked about Dwellings, though. It’s a really solid album from one of the lights of the American underground. The best thing about them is that because they’re driving the DIY bus, they’re doing everything they want to do, which means that they’re supportive of people sharing their music and they’re putting out good packaging that makes me actually want to buy this record (check out their bandcamp for more information on this). Cormorant is what a 21st  century metal band should be like. If you dig progressive, extreme metal and that sort of American west coast sound, you should definitely check this record out. It might not be quite as good as Metazoa, but it’s still pretty fucking rad.

Related posts:

1. Cormorant – Metazoa Review
2. Shroud of Despondency – Dark Meditations in Monastic Seclusion Review
3. Grayceon – All We Destroy Review

2011 might as well be dubbed the year of Swedish Retro Death. Band after loathsome band has burst from the underground to pay rancid homage to genre legends like Entombed, Dismember and Grave. Despite the sheer volume of the stuff, Steel Druhm has remained supportive and for the most part, the trend hasn’t worn out its welcome. Now we get Vallenfyre‘s debut full length from a veritable death metal super group featuring members of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Cradle of Filth. With such a pedigree, it shouldn’t be too surprising when A Fragile King has everything you would reasonably expect from a Swedish death album. It’s chunky, thick, nasty and vile. It’s an ode to all things Entombed with a sizeable injection of Celtic Frosty goodness as well. At times, its so much like the immortal Left Hand Path it’s uncanny, yet it also brings in plenty of dire dirges to shake things up. This MOFO was conceived in unholy sin, birthed in ungodly filth and raised on bloody carnage. There’s a guitar sound heavy enough to fracture your vertebrae and vocals so grisly they’ll disturb the deranged. But, you rightly ask, is it actually good? Oh yes, it’s really good! This is unapologetically retro and doesn’t strive for innovation but it nails home the tried-and-true Swedish sound with the subtlety of a Panzer division. How this will sit with you depends entirely on your tolerance for more Swedish death. If 2011 has fed you all the old-time death you can stomach, move along and I won’t think less of you. If not, belly up to the death buffet and chow down on this meatloaf of the damned.

As soon as the guitars roar to unlife in opener “All Will Suffer,” you know you are in for a harrowing experience. The basic Sunlight Studios guitar tone is there but sounds even more murky and raw that it did back in the salad days of the style. The tempo is slow to mid-paced and the riffing will remind old-timers of the pummeling might of Celtic Frost. One hell of an opener for sure. “Desecration” ups the speed and throws in creepy, slithering riff patterns and mournful, forlorn solos not unlike those heard on the first Entrails album (listen at 3:57 for a very moody, glum example). Elsewhere, songs like “Cathedrals of the Dread” and “Seeds” feature super doom riffs  of Trouble and Saint Vitus proportions accompanied by raucous death metal. “Seeds” in particular works very well as a creepy, doom-death gem. Numbers like “Black Siberia” and “The Divine Have Fled”  go right for the classic Entombed playbook and get it pretty close to perfect. At no point are things technical, progressive or clean. It’s all raw, dirty and crushingly heavy. The writing is crisp, the songs all have memorable aspects to them and there’s plenty of variety in tempo and dynamics.

The guitars are the guts of Vallenfyre and the ridiculously heavy riffing is admirably rendered by Hamish Hamiliton Glencross (My Dying Bride) and a gentleman simply known as Mully. The tone is gigantic,   hideous and the riffing will give   you the sensation of being run over by an armored column, which later backs over your corpse just to be dicks. Gregor Macintosh’s (Paradise Lost) death croaks are low, phlegmy and very convincing (this album is his attempt to work through some personal tragedy and loss). His bellowing, along with the relentless sledgehammer riffing will cause you to feel a touch of bell’s palsy in and around the facial area (it’s just a partial paralysis). The production is solid, nicely raw and basically serves to amp up the guitar buzz to insane levels of sonic abuse. It’s distortion for distortion’s sake and I never argue with that (it’s death metal, after all).

At the end of the day, there’s a shelf life to the whole Swedish death retro wave and its expiration date is drawing ever nearer. I love the sound, I love the style and I really enjoyed most of the retro releases this year, including this one. But, even I can’t handle the volume with which this stuff is currently propagating. However, I have no hesitation recommending this platter of plague and pain. It’s brutal, skull cracking music done by vets of extreme music, for fans of extreme music. Ponderous man, fucking ponderous.

Related posts:

1. Blood Mortized – Bestial Review
2. Demonical – Death Infernal Review
3. Cryptborn – Into the Grasp of the Starving Dead

One of my great failings as a fan of heavy music is that I will listen to the originators of a particular style/genre, but ignore all the bands that arrived in their wake. If I want to hear thrash, I’m not going to put on Warbringer, for instance—I’m going to listen to fucking Exodus [Hear, hear! - AMG]. And I find it hard to give a shit about the more recent crop of sludge/stoner rock, seeing as how I’ve already got the first 10 Black Sabbath albums. But sometimes, being a closed-minded asshole means you miss out on some good stuff. And apparently, during the 15 years I was pissed off that Carcass broke up, I missed out on Exhumed.

Luckily, I’ve been given a second chance. After spending most of the 2000’s working an office job, Exhumed mainman Matt Harvey has resurrected the goregrind legends with a new-and-improved lineup and a new album, the aptly-titled All Guts, No Glory. So let’s talk the new members: longtime drummer Col Jones sits this one out, replaced capably by Danny Walker of Intronaut/Jesu/Uphill Battle fame. The rest of the band includes guitarist Wes Caley (Uphill Battle) and bassist Leon Del Muerte (ex-Intronaut; I wonder if that makes band practices with Walker awkward?)

I’m generally skeptical of any band that replaces 3/4ths of the lineup, but my research shows that All Guts sounds remarkably like Exhumed’s last album, 2003’s Anatomy Is Destiny. The long hiatus does not seem to have had any adverse effect on Harvey’s ability to write furious riffs and gruesome lyrics. If anything, 8 years in Office Space mode might have given him a renewed passion for death metal, because All Guts is fucking ripping.

It’s worth mentioning that Harvey has been playing in Exhumed for the majority of his life (he founded the band 21 years ago, at age 15) and the dude obviously has a solid understanding of what makes grindcore great. This puts my leaders-not-followers bias to the test, because while Exhumed might not have done it first, they do it so well. They get it. The blatant Carcass-isms, the big dog/little dog vocals, the surprisingly melodic lead guitar work – all of it comes off as the work of someone who is truly a fan of this music, someone who wishes it was 1990 just as much as we do. And who could possibly have a problem with that?

There’s really no point in going into a track-by-track breakdown here. The album starts off with the title track, a 2-minute instrumental, and then beats the shit out of you for the next 33 minutes or so. I suppose “Death Knell” and “As Hammer To Anvil” stand out from the pack somewhat, by virtue of catchiness and killer lead work. Having said that, all the songs are really well put together, and jam-packed with deadly riffs.

Credit must also be given to whoever produced and mixed this thing, because it sounds big and meaty, like punching a giant bloody steak. It’s a very fine line between sounding like grind and sounding like shit, and the sound on this record is definitely the former.

All Guts, No Glory is a solid grind record, and the fact that it came after such a long time away from the music business makes it even more impressive. Very few bands pull off this style with as much enthusiasm and conviction as Exhumed. And until Bill Steer and co. get around to that inevitable reunion album, All Guts is about as good as it gets.

Related posts:

1. Things You Might Have Missed in 2011: Vektor – Outer Isolation
2. Deus Otiosus – Murderer Review
3. Vallenfyre – A Fragile King Review

In the ”Barons of Bombast” wing of the Pantheon of Metal, no band has a pedestal quite as lofty as Manowar. Since their birth in the late 70s, they’ve pretty much cornered the market on over-the-top clichés, cheese-wizardry and shameless loincloth abuse. One of the few pretenders to that furry, mead-stained throne of excess (besides Rhapsody, Rhapsody of Fire, Rhapsody of Luca, etc. etc.) are these Germanic purveyors of silly sci-fi lyrics, steely anthems and lusty over-production. It’s true, Iron Savior has never shied away from painful clichés, absurdly goofy concepts or exaggerated paeans to things metallic. If their multi-album concept about the misadventures of a sentient spaceship called “Iron Savior” wasn’t proof enough for you, don’t pursue a career in investigative services. In case you missed the back story, Iron Savior is the creation of one Piet Sielck, a close friend and former band mate of Kai Hansen (Helloween, Gamma Ray). The early Savior albums were close collaborations between Piet and Kai, firmly rooted in Germanic power metal but injected a lot of traditional and NWOBHM influences into the mix. Their material was so damn catchy and fun, I didn’t mind the silly space-opera lyrics or their propensity to sound overdone (a friend dubbed them “the most overproduced band ever”). The Landing is the first new Savior release since 2007′s Megatropolis and long-time fans can breathe easy, because absolutely nothing has changed! The bombast, the cheese, the vintage sound and style, it’s all back, bigger than ever (if that’s even possible). This is big boy power/traditional metal with attitude, balls and delusions of grandeur. In other words, its stupid fun and really rocks!

After a throw-away intro, Iron Savior lands their plane (spaceship) with “The Savior.” This is 110% classic Savior-music and its both charmingly familiar and fun. Piet’s rough, atypical power metal vocals are great as always and his guitar work (along with Joachim Kustner) is thick, chunky and aggressive.  The chorus is huge, hooky and epic as many Savior choruses are (the backing vocals are great) and the whole thing is almost TOO metal, if that makes any sense. Followups like “Starlight,” “Moment in Time” and “Faster Than All” blast along at warp speed, almost approaching thrash territory at times, but they always keep it catchy and tongue-in-metal-cheek.

The big fun comes along with “Heavy Metal Never Dies,” which could have been penned by Manowar themselves and Joey DeMaio will likely claim it as his own. This is the type of knuckleheaded “I love metal” anthem that makes you roll your eyes but still ends up in your stereo for weeks. It’s guilty pleasure metal and it makes me feel bad for liking it so much. Other happy moments of genre exploitation include “Hall of Heroes” (love the guitar harmonies) and “No Guts No Glory” (fun guitar, even more fun chorus). When it comes to writing addicting, memorable power metal, Iron Savior still pisses excellence.

This, like all Savior albums is a very guitar driven affair. I always enjoyed their sound because the guitars were so much heavier than most Euro-Power weenies. The tone here is expectedly thick and mean and it keeps things heavy even when they add tons of keys and get all epic on your ass (“The Savior,” “Hall of Heroes”). Add in Piet’s rough, Lemmy-meets-Jorn vocals and a low-end, bass-heavy mix and it results in a manly take on what can often be a fruity style. Piet and Joachim excel at crafting aggressive, zippy riffs that propel the songs along and they pull off a series of typically metal-tastic solos. Everything sounds crunchy and tight and despite the liberal use of effects and keys, they still sound like a rowdy metal band (kinda like Gamma Ray meets Motorhead).

It’s great to have Iron Savior back after a long hiatus. Like Manowar or a movie like Underworld, to fully enjoy it you must suspend disbelief and embrace the gourmet cheese. This is a big, bold and bombastic collection of trad/power metal hits and it would be a shame to miss the fun because of a self-imposed lactose intolerance. Take your pill and climb aboard Savior Airlines. The flight attendants will be serving ale and mutton once we reach rockin speed.

Related posts:

1. Primal Fear – Unbreakable Review
2. Powerwolf – Blood of the Saints Review
3. Battle Beast – Steel Review

Way back as a newbie first year reviewer for the world-renowned Angry Metal Guy, no release floored me quite like Stormzone‘s Death Dealer.  Although I’d never heard of these Belfast hooligans, their hardcore NWOBHM worship and excellent song writing really got my blood riled up. Accordingly, Death Dealer got Steel Druhm’s only perfect score for 2010 and ended up my album of the year as well. Fast forward to 2011 and it’s a grizzled, jaded, cynical Steel Druhm that greets their new release, Zero to Rage. So, do things look different now that my doe-eyed youth has been drained away by long hours, crappy releases, zero pay and spiteful hate mail? Not really! They still embody the very essence of the NWOBHM style that I love dearly and still traffic in the ways of Saxon, Grim Reaper, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. When they hit their stride, they’re as metal as metal gets and no school sounds older. They also prove once again they’re capable of writing metal anthems that rock my metalverse. While this is a little less immediate than Death Dealer, it’s yet another mammoth dose of old style metal with enough hooks for a month-long fishing trip and enough muscle for an amateur bodybuilding contest. These guys have an infectious swagger and charm all their own and it’s still coming through loud and proud. So, don your high tops, skin-tight jeans and bullet belts and climb aboard the Way Back Machine™ as I set the dial to 1983!

Things pick up exactly where Death Dealer left off and both “Where We Belong” and the title track are HUGE songs that Saxon would have gleefully killed Def Leppard to possess. This is anthemic, studded-glove-in-the-air music that makes me grin like an idiot (if you aren’t raising a fist during the title track, you’re clinically dead). Both are super catchy and put across with deadly conviction by “Harv” Harbinson’s excellent vocals. These are the kinds of  songs you want playing as you bravely march into an epic battle against orcs, trolls, nazis and hippies (all must die!). This is Stormzone at their best and I love it muchly. The same goes for massively hooky, traditional metal chestnuts like “Jester’s Laughter,” “This Is Our Victory” and “Empire of Fear.” Pretty much every song is loaded with commanding vocals and gritty, rugged riffs. Things are generally kept straight-forward and simple with an ear toward melody and accessibility but the musicianship does come through in the solos and some of the more interesting riff patterns. The style never deviates from the tried-and-true 80s and that’s fine with me.

The only song that falls completely flat is “Fear Hotel,” which just doesn’t fit in with the rest of the material and comes across as a bit goofy. Another issue is the run time of several songs. While most are punchy, catchy and fun, several run too long (“Last Man Fighting” being the worst culprit). On last minor point is the repetition of ideas within the songs. A few take a good chorus or segment and hammer at it too long. All in all though, this is a very well-written, highly enjoyable collection of “true metal” songs.

As with Death Dealer, Harv’s vocals are the star of the show and his Blaze Bayley meets Steve Grimmet style is great fun. He’s one of the rare vocalists that can make even the most cliched, Manowar-approved lyrics seem sincere. His tough mid-range grounds things but he can soar as needed. Helping Harv along is the big box of NWOBHM flavored riffs Keith Harris and Steve Moore unpack throughout Zero to Rage. At times you hear Saxon, other times Maiden. Regardless, they have this style down cold and they churn out a lot of fist pumping energy with a heaping side order of testosterone.

Stormzone has excavated a comfortable niche in the metal world and they’re mining it for every ounce of old-timey steel glory. If your interests don’t include revisiting the days of metal lore, this may leave you flat. However, if you cherish the sound of traditional 80s metal like Steel Druhm does, this will work wonders for your spirit. Keep it coming Stormzone, keep it coming.

Related posts:

1. Stormzone – Death Dealer Review
2. Vicious Rumors – Razorback Killers Review
3. Riot – Immortal Soul Review