Angry Metal Guy

Necrovorous //Funeral for the Sane
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Greek salad of death!! [You're stretchin' it there, buddy. - AMG]
Label: Pulverised Records
Websites: myspace.com/necrovorous
Release Dates: Out Now!

Loyal readers of these Angry Metal Pages are  doubtlessly aware of my affinity for old school Swedish death metal (SDM) akin to the likes of old Entombed, Grave and Dismember (disloyal readers are to be shunned and publicly shamed). Those same readers will also be aware of my love for the retro movement in the genre spearheaded by the likes of Bloodbath, Entrails and Interment. Because the old school SDM style has such a grim, crusty and powerful vibe, it doesn’t bother me in the least when retro bands utilize the sound without much innovation, as long as its done well. Kindly add Necrovorous to the growing list of bands doing it really fucking well with their debut Funeral for the Sane. Hailing from Greece, these gents take the classic early ’90s sound of SDM and scrape in influences from primitive American acts as well as some grindcore. The results are ugly, scabby and about as nasty as shit on scrambled eggs. Continue reading

Bodyfarm // Bodyfarm EP
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — A great start!
Label: Abyss Records
Websites: myspace.com/bodyfarmnl
Release Dates: EU: 2011.04.26 | US: 01.01.2011

Amidst the sea of breakdowns, pig squeals, and all things core, comes a band that’s traditional and non-conforming. Bodyfarm, named from the institutions that examine and study the deceased and decomposition of dead flesh, is a straight up no BS death metal project with pure energy and substance. Along the same lines as Vader, Vomitory, or Cannibal Corpse in that there sound is stripped away aggressive death metal. No Gimmicks so to speak, just the music free from the pressures of mediocre innovations and the rising deathcore movement. I’m pleased to say these guys might have accidentally stumbled upon something refreshing. Continue reading

Closer and closer we draw to the best heavy metal song of all time, but indeed there is much in between and none of it has been come to lightly. I actually have spent a lot of time mulling over this list since its creation and I am pleased, thus far I can’t think of anything major that I’ve left out—which must mean that they are not indeed ‘top songs’ at all. But let me get to one note of concern that people have raised. They say that one of the reasons that a list like Gibson’s travesty is valid is because “it’s hard to know if these songs can stand the test of time!” I just want to take a minute to call bullshit.

Bullshit. First, even by that logic, tracks from At The Gates and Blind Guardian, having been released in the mid-90s could easily have made that list. But I think the other thing that people forget is how metal is no longer as unified then and therefore it’s much harder to come up with newer songs that unify large buying publics. There’s a reason that it’s Korn and Tool that make those lists and not Opeth or Primordial (though arguably Opeth is one of the most popular metal bands in the world today), and it’s because metal doesn’t have the same kind of commercial power that it maybe once did. But does that mean that we should cloister ourselves in stupidity and only pay attention to records that went gold and songs that even people who don’t like metal have heard? This Angry Metal Guy says “Hell no!” And thus I have presented this list (here’s: 50-41 and 40-31) parallel to Steel Druhm’s lists (50-41 and 40-31) with an eye to what has happened in metal since then. Of course not everyone is going to agree—but that is simply because we live in a post-modern metal world, where not everyone is able to get the same metal.

But ask yourself this; which of these bands will be looked back upon fondly, and which of them will be looked back upon with shame. There’s a reason that Warrant and Stryper didn’t make Gibson’s list, and it’s the same reason that Korn shouldn’t have and Papa Roach wasn’t anywhere near it: because these were trends, they were bad, they were cheesy and they are to be looked upon with proper contempt and shame for having ever existed. The same cannot be said of Ulver or Opeth or Primordial or Vintersorg. These are united in excellence and artistic expression, even if they don’t all reach the same listeners.

So my goal here is not to construct the list of the most accessible stuff, it’s the stuff that I see as the best. That means when it comes to songwriting, presentation and, of course, memorability. And now, 30-21.

Continue reading

Blood Mortized // Bestial
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Old school bestiality (Like fucking your family milk cow? – AMG)
Label: Nocturnal Blood Records
Websites: myspace.com/bloodmortized
Release Dates: Out!

Steel Druhm once loved the retro thrash wave and rode it for all it was worth (as he talked of himself in the third person). However, like all waves, trends and scenes, too much becomes too much. As my passion for that movement fades, I find myself quite eagerly embracing the retro Swedish death metal wave that seems to be gaining momentum. Interment and Entrails already have quality retro death metal albums out and now Blood Mortized is set to contribute more excellently time challenged carnage. Composed of vets of the Swedish extreme metal scene and including former members of Amon Amarth and Crypt of Kerberos, Blood Mortized‘s four track EP Beastial is a scabby, crusty slab of rotten and fetid death just like Entombed, Dismember and Grave used to make circa 1990-1992. Clearly inspired by the “Sunlight Studio” days of yore, these songs will take you back in time before the days of “melodic death metal” and “death with clean singing.” Yes, this is raw, filthy old school death and it sounds gory and glorious! Continue reading

A Walk with the Wicked // Architects of Sadism
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — A Walk with the Up-and-Coming
Label: Unsigned
Websites: awalkwiththewicked.com
Release Date: January 28th, 2011

Old school death metal is making a comeback around the world and apparently South Africa is no exception to this rule. In fact, as I’ve already referenced, South Africa is an up-and-coming scene that seems to have little cohesive sound but still has a lot of talent in it. Because of that, whenever you get a demo from one of these bands it’s always a surprise—and this was an old school death metal surprise that came out in the form of A Walk with the Wicked‘s debut disc Architects of Sadism. It was also a pleasant surprise, at that. Continue reading

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”

Demiurg // Slakthus Gamleby
Rating: 4.5/5.0 — Fanfuckingtastic
Label: Cyclone Empire
Websites: myspace.com/demiurgofficial
Release Dates: July 30th, 2010

When I was doing my interview with Ed Warby last November, I reached the end of the review and he mentioned that I hadn’t asked about Demiurg. Embarrassed, I admitted that I hadn’t heard Demiurg and was quickly informed as to its nature. To paraphrase Warby (who plays drums in this band, in case you didn’t know that) this is the “Rolls Royce” among vocalist Rogga Johansson’s bands and a real juggernaut of Swedish death metal. He hooked me up with a copy of The Hate Chamber, the band’s second record, and I was duly impressed. The band, made up of Rogga (Bone Gnawer, Paganizer, Ribspreader, The Grotesquery), Dan Swanö (maybe you’ve heard of him), Johan Berglund (This Haven, The Grotesquery) and Ed Warby (The 11th Hour, Gorefest, Hail of Bullets, and more), has come back in 2010 with a new take on their already well-developed and unique sound. Continue reading

Witchery // Witchkrieg
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Riff after kick ass riff
Label: Century Media
Websites: witchery.se | myspace.com/witcherytheband
Release Dates: EU: 21.06.2010 | US: 06.29.2010

Hey, turns out that Witchery is releasing a new record in a few days. Far be it from me to not review this monster of a super group, especially given the news that got everyone pretty worked up: ex-Marduk vocalist Legion joined the band on vocals. Not only does this cement the band as serious super group (now sporting members or former members from Opeth, Séance, Bloodbath, Arch Enemy, Marduk, Devian, Spiritual Beggar, The Haunted, and Satanic Slaughter), but it adds a well-known quantity to the band. Turns out that Swedish scene is a tad bit inbred. But does this kind of caliber, and a back catalogue of well loved records mean that Witchery will hit home anew with their deathy brand of thrash metal in 2010? Continue reading

In Mourning // Monolith
Rating: 5.0/5.0 — Easily one of the best up-and-coming bands in the world
Label: Pulverised Records
Website(s): inmourning.net | myspace.com/in_mourning
Release Date(s): EU: 25.01.2010 | US: Unknown (Possibly early February via Megaforce / Sony)

In 2008 the underground was taken by storm by a little-known Swedish progressive death metal band called In Mourning that released a tour de force entitled Shrouded Divine. A powerful combination of melodic death metal, Opeth-y style progressive bits and death metal with just a touch of core (trust me, just a touch), they were ranked highly on many year end lists and, frankly, left a bit of an impression on this Angry Metal Guy. See, there is life past Opeth in Swedish progressive metal—something that I had been coming to doubt. In Mourning managed to put out a record that had all of the great heaviness and thickness that one wants in a death metal record, while still managing to keep the haunting progressive parts fresh and interesting. The question is can they keep it up? Is it possible that they’re able to follow up such a lauded record with something even better?

The answer to the previous question is an unequivocal YES! In Mourning has come back for their sophomore release sounding hungrier than ever. With improved production qualities and a new label (that has an eye for talent, obviously, and provided the band with great artwork by the same guy who has done the Katatonia, Opeth, Devin Townsend, and Bloodbath covers—Travis Smith) In Mourning has been able to shape their sound into something even more powerful and cohesive than what was established and distinguished on Shrouded Divine. That is to say: Monolith overshadows the earlier work from this band with its power and writing.

The basics are the same, of course. A blend of Swedish death metal (à la Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates) vocals, some hardcore vocals and some great brutal death metal vocals that round out the sound. There is a lot of downtuned chunk on this album, backed up by an excellent and tight rhythm section that makes the tight, technical bits sound crushingly powerful. At the same time the band is able to slow it down a bit and they use guitar melody and, sometimes, vocal melody to even out the landscapes of this record.

One of the most vastly improved aspects of this record, in my opinion, is the flow that they’re able to get. While Shrouded Divine was good, it sometimes felt like the band was too quick to write choppy pieces that felt unnatural moving into each other. Due to the improved production, and I think just a straight up tighter band, Monolith has hardly any moments that don’t feel natural and flowing. Instead, the songs are often deceptively long despite the fact that they don’t feel that way at all—clocking in at six or seven minutes when you think it’s only been 3 or 4—and the transitions are vastly improved. Tracks like “The Poet and the Painter of Souls” exhibit the smart composition that the band now exhibits, moving seamlessly between parts and never really following into bad patterns. The same is also very much true of “With You Came Silence.”

It’s hard for me to say this, as it’s the first record I’ve reviewed for 2010, but this album has the makings of a record of the year. It has everything that fans of doom, melodic death metal, metalcore and well, frankly, good heavy metal in general should look for in bands: technical proficiency, excellent writing, balanced production and cohesiveness. Monolith may well tower over 2010 as one of the best… Not to mention that In Mourning is definitely working its way into the echelons of amazing Swedish metal bands in my opinion. It has been a while since a new band from Sweden really blew me away, but In Mourning has all the makings of one of the greats.