Angry Metal Guy

Iron Fire // Voyage of the Damned
Rating: 3.5/5.0 — Space metal equipped with a death ray
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: ironfire.dk | myspace.com/officialironfire
Release Dates: EU: Out now! | US: 02.07.2012

Historically speaking, I think the main reason our esteemed AMG hired me, the ever humble Steel Druhm, as a reviewer/minion [I prefer the term "bitch," actually - AMG] was to make me the resident power and traditional metal nerd (my amazing prose and rugged good looks didn’t hurt none either). While I’m predisposed to drool over most old school stuff (cause I’m old), I’m actually quite the elitist snob when it comes to power metal. There’s some good in that genre, but there are way more generic, bad and monumentally awful things lurking in the ether. Case in point, I’ve had a love/hate/meh relationship with Iron Fire over the years. Their Thunderstorm debut was decent and moderately rabble rousing, but things have been inconsistent since then and their discography reads like the good, the bad and the WTF? After being unmoved by their past few releases, I hoped for more from their seventh release, Voyage of the Damned. Turns out, I heartily appreciate the new lyrical slant toward outer space themes, as it’s a nice diversion from the usual “dragon ate my wizard’s maiden” schtick. It’s also safe to say, this is much better than expected and it slowly won me over, despite initial doubts. Roping in elements of Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Grave Digger and Metalium, this features some highly enjoyable  Euro-power with some surprisingly heavy moments. It also delivers far less generic freight than past Iron Fire shipments. While not exactly a “must hear” album, Voyage ends up being a solid release from a band with a spotty track record.  Continue reading

Deus Otiosus // Murder
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — Old school but not old.
Label: FDA Rekotz (World) | American Line (South America)
Websites: facebook.com/deusotiosus.dk | myspace.com/deusotiosus
Release Dates: Out Worldwide
By: Fisting Andrew Golota

When you hear the phrase “old-school death metal,” you pretty much know what to expect. You can rattle off the usual list of influences (Death, Entombed, Autopsy, etc.) by heart, and you can envision the sound in your mind without hearing a single note. There’s about 9 thousand bands that are playing this style today, and neither you or I give a fuck about them because it was already done 20 years ago, and better. So when Danish band Deus Otiosus describes their debut full-length, Murderer, as “old-school death metal,” you know what you’re in for… right? Continue reading

Anubis Gate // Anubis Gate
Rating: 4.5/5.0 — Don’t Plas on these guys!
Label: Nightmare Records
Websites: anubisgate.com/ | myspace.com/anubisgate
Release Dates: Out now!

Denmark’s Anubis Gate seems fairly unstoppable. After two above average releases in the early part of the millenium, their 2007 opus Andromeda Unchained was a huge breakthrough and one of the best albums that year. 2009′s follow-up The Detached was nearly as good and also one of the year’s best. Now in 2011, they do it yet again with this self titled platter, all the more impressive since they lost the talents of stellar vocalist Jacob Hansen shortly before recording. Anubis Gate specialize in hyper-melodic metal with a fair amount of progressive leanings. To my ears, they always had a strong similarity to Vanden Plas and they excel at crafting memorable and super catchy metallic hymns. Now that bassist Henrik Fevre has stepped in on vocals, the Vanden Plas similarities increase ten-fold since his voice is very much like that of Plas’s Andy Kuntz. This is not a bad thing at all and Fevre does a smash up job as we’re given a whole new set of proggy, melodic metal with the typically strong songwriting these chaps are known for. These guys just know how to write memorable music and I’m happy they maintained their high level of output. Continue reading

Svartsot // Maledictus Eris
Rating: 3.5/5.0—Lute and pillage 
Label: Napalm Records
Website: svartsot.dk/ myspace.com/svartsot
Release Dates: Out now!

There’s nothing quite like Danish melodic death/folk, right kids? What’s that you say? You don’t know what Steel Druhm speaks of? For shame! By now you probably should know of Svartsot and their heavier than thou approach to folk metal since they’ve been churning it out since 2007. I was a big fan of their quirky debut Ravnenes Saga and was equally amused by the follow up Mulmets Viser  (as was AMG himself). Both featured heavy but very catchy and anthemic folk metal with very deathy vocals. Their sound can almost be summed up as Korpiklaani meets Cannibal Corpse after too many ales. Its a weirdly festive and danceable style (yes, you may want to dance around like a spazz to some of their tunes) that somehow remains bruisingly heavy at the same time.  Because their approach is so offbeat and unique, it struck a nerve with me and I had high hopes that nerve would continue getting struck with Maledictus Eris, their third release. I’m happy to report this is more entertaining, beer stein swinging, gnome jigging, renaissance faire approved folk metal. All the elements that made the previous albums work are present and if anything, this may be more catchy and fun than before. Now, their admittedly quirky style might not be everyone’s cup of grog. It requires a little tolerance for folk-infused camp and silliness but if you can handle the oddness, its more fun than a barrel full of forest gremlins. Continue reading

Mercenary // Metamorphosis
Rating: 2.0/5.0 — Core is hell
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: mercenary.dk | myspace.com/mercenarydenmark
Release Dates: EU: 25.02.2011 | US: 03.29.2011

Well, we can’t be expected to love everything that comes out this year, although it seems at times like we have been. Although I really enjoyed the earlier releases by Denmark’s Mercenary (especially 11 Dreams and  The Hours That Remain) and was looking forward to this release, the massive upheaval that led half the band to flee after 2009′s Architect of Lies has clearly taken its toll. After losing their drummer, keyboardist and singer, they were forced to retool and regroup and I’m sad to report that the 2011 incarnation of Mercenary is only a shadow of what it once was. While their sound always had elements of the dreaded metalcore style, it was merged with many other influences and thereby rendered tolerable. On Metamorphosis, they’ve emerged from their cocoon as a full blown metalcore-melo-death butterfly, just like the eight million others out there (I know the cover shows a phoenix but this is way closer to butterfly, trust me). Gone is the intriguing blend of death, power, thrash and progressive metal that graced their earlier material. Gone is that special something that made their songs so impactful and addictive. Now it’s generic metalcore with poppy, radio friendly choruses all day, all night. While fleeting moments of the old sound can be heard here and there, overall this is a very different entity and to these ears, a much lesser one. In fact, this is inferior to their previous work in every possible way. Continue reading

Woebegone Obscured // Deathstination
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — A thick, meaty helping of doom
Label: I, Voidhanger Records
Websites: myspace.com/woebegoneobscuredband
Release Dates: 24.01.2011

Doom metal is a sub-genre that gets a lot of flak from orthodox metal fans for being “boring” or “too slow”, even more so for the processionary pace of funeral doom. Enter Denmark’s Woebegone Obscured, self-described as a “blackened funeral doom” band, with their debut full length Deathstination (self-released in 2007 and now re-released by I, Voidhanger records) – a crushingly slow doom album punctuated by high-energy black metal flourishes and a very apparent progressive mentality. Continue reading

Wuthering Heights // Salt
Rating: 4.0/5.0 – Ale to the Captain!!
Label: Scarlet Records
Websites: wuthering-heights.dk | myspace.com/wutheringheightsofficial
Release Dates: EU: 15.04.2010 | US: 04.27.2010

Well shiver me timbers, it’s a pirate metal concept album! Sure, Running Wild has been doing that since 1987 but can you ever really have enough pirate metal? Yarr, I think not me mateys! So it is with open arms I welcome Salt, the new album by Denmark’s Wuthering Heights. Salt is the band’s fifth release and although they began life in 1997 as a power metal unit, I am not exactly sure how to classify them now. They still have many elements of traditional power metal (fast, galloping rhythms, speedy yet melodic guitar work) but they have evolved into a far more progressive and unorthodox entity over time. So much so in fact, that yours truly couldn’t get into their past two releases because they were just too schizophrenic, scattered and disjointed. I will admit that after my initial few listens to Salt, I had exactly the same problem and was prepared to send this album down to Davey Jones’s Locker with a vicious cannonade along the lines of “ARRRRRR, she blows!!!!” Then slowly, the album’s buccaneer charm began to seep into my head and I started liking it (although at first I only liked parts of it and prepared to say it possessed merely “pieces of great, pieces of great”). However, after two days of soaking in the Salt, I have signed on for this expedition and am ready to pillage and quaff ale right along with Wuthering Heights.

First and foremost it must be noted that Salt requires some initial patience and attention from the listener. This is a BIG album musically and each song has a lot going on. There are enough dynamic shifts and mood changes to make one seasick at first, but unlike earlier works, this album eventually clicks and makes for a wild, adventurous if not totally berserk voyage. Of the nine tracks on offer, only three are fairly direct, linear song constructs (“The Desperate Poet,” “Tears,”“Weather the Storm”). The rest fly all over the treasure map from power metal, to thrash, to Celtic inspired harmony and so on. A perfect example of this running amok musically is “The Mad Sailor.” This oddity begins life as slow sea chanty then quickly changes over to bouncy power metal, then morphs into weird polka music before transitioning to a catchy, swing the beer stein chorus that may have you singing along before you realize it.

Major commendations must be awarded to Nils Patrick Johansson, whose outstanding Dio-on-fire vocals keep this insane rampage from shipwreck upon the rocks of over ambition. This guy is truly a professional metal singer, which should come as no surprise since he also helms Astral Doors, Lion’s Share and Space Odyssey. Johansson captains this vessel with power and fury and keeps you coming back for more throughout all the madcap, deranged shifts and turns. The rest of Wuthering Heights are equally top-notch musicians and they all shine brightly as Salt blasts along this way and that.

Throughout Salt, the attentive listener can discern elements of Running Wild, mid-period Helstar, Astral Doors, Voivod and countless other metal bands but no one sounds exactly like Wuthering Heights and what they have created here is unique, ambitious, crazy and fun. Do they go too far at times with the lurches and leaps in timing and style? Yes they do indeed and it hurts certain songs because it becomes TOO much to wade through (ex. all sixteen minutes of “Lost at Sea”). Fortunately, this is kept to a minimum and with patience, most of the songs on Salt end up being outrageously fun to listen to.

Whether you love or truly hate power metal, I would strongly recommend listening to Salt. It’s different, unique and inventive and even an Angry Metal Guy can like this and not feel too unmanly. I mean, pirates are really tough and cool right? So grab this album, proudly fly the Jolly Roger and find yourself a comely beer wench or two. Happy raiding you scallywags!

Svartsot // Mulmets Viser
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Thoroughly enjoyable
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: svartsot.dk | myspace.com/svartsot
Release Dates: EU: 26.03.2010 | US: 04.06.2010

Given the whole history of medieval Scandinavia and where the vikings actually came from as a rule, it is surprising to me that there are not more bands from Denmark that have jumped onto this whole Viking Metal thing that has been swelling up in metal for the last decade or so. No, instead it was basically introduced by a Swede in the 1980s and has been carried on primarily by Swedes and Norwegians who do the style well. But it was not the Swedes that the Englishmen were so afraid of, but the Danes. There was even a law (and a word for it) where they called the money that was paid in tribute to the Vikings who were threatening to invade a certain area: “Danegeld”. It is true that (what would be modern day) Norwegians were involved in these raids, and so, too, were the Rus, or Swedish Vikings. But the Danes are the Vikings you learn about. “Sure,” you say, “but this point is pedantic and long-winded. You’re Angry Metal Guy not Angry History Nerd.” Good point. But my point is this: very little Danish viking metal exists. The only band I’ve heard of is Svartsot, who has just released their second album of folk influenced, medieval Scandinavian metal songs.

The world is better for the existence of Svartsot, however. Mulmets Viser is a really enjoyable collection of folk influenced, melodic death metal tracks by this Danish sextet. The style isn’t terribly unlike things you’ve probably heard before as a fan of folk metal, that’s for certain. Bands like Finntroll, Otyg and others would be sorely treated if they were not mentioned in a description of the sound. The band uses mandolins, whistles and accordions to make their particular brand of catchy as hell folk metal. Stylistically they lean towards death metal, and have a growl as the primary vocals on the record even at times when clean voices would seem more appropriate—but 99% of the time this works out convincingly.

While there are not lyrics included, or translations of the lyrics really, in the promo material there was a really fascinating piece with the liner notes from the album which I found to be fascinating and which shows the depth to which these guys are going when it comes to lyrics. Instead of focusing on the Ásatrú, like so many bands do, or writing wistfully about what a great country Denmark must have been in the ages of the past like some overrated black metal and folk metal bands have done, Svartsot instead writes about history for the most part, with a few simpler songs about masculinity thrown in for good measure. (This is metal afterall.) For this reason, the songs read a bit like a Scandinavian History course: covering the first Viking raid in recorded history (Lindisfarne in England in 793) to writing about King Æthelred II (the Unready) who paid the Danes 10,000 pounds of gold (i.e., the Danegeld) to not ransack his ass.

Honestly, this is one of the better folk metal records I’ve heard recently. The tracks are well-conceived, well-performed and caaatchy. Angry Metal Girlfriend did her fair share of silly, impression folk dancing while I was listening to this album so it should give you an idea of the feel of this music. But unlike bands like Metsatöll or Fejd, these guys are still more rooted in death metal, which makes the music still more aggressive and fun to listen to from an energetic stand point. You could drive to this music, listen to it while drinking with your buddies are just or just plain rock it out while doing something else. The word “visa” in Swedish (and I’m assuming in Danish as well) means basically “folk melody”, a simple melody which is catchy, simple and worth knowing by heart and singing when intoxicated. That pretty much describes Svartsot.

The Kandidate // Until We Are Outnumbered
Rating: 2.5/5.0 — No reason to come back to this…
Label: Napalm
Websites: thekandidate.com | myspace.com/thekandidate
Release Dates: EU: 27-29.01.2010 | US: 02.09.2010

The Kandidate wasn’t what I was expecting. Like a mix of thrash metal and Agnostic Front, these Danish metallers have produced an album to which I am utterly blasé. As Angry Metal Guy, it is my job to have really strong opinions about things one way or another, but instead I listen to this album and I just.. don’t hear much that I want to come back to. On the other hand there’s not much to dis. It’s just an all-in-all mediocre record by a band I’ve never heard before.

There are some good things about this album, however. There’s some great riffing on here. Some of it sounds a little hardcore, but a lot of it sounds like the band was asking themselves “W.W.S.D?” (What Would Slayer Do?) as they were writing the songs. This makes for some interesting moments, and because of the thick production it can be pretty hard to avoid getting into a bit of a groove (I just want to give a shout out to the drummer from the band, who is definitely super talented and the producer who decided to use good thick drums instead of modern production tricks—more power to you!). I mean, let’s face it, this stuff is basically built to be moshed to. You don’t build that kind of music without building a solid groove into your album.

The Kandidate doesn’t pull any punches, either. The tracks are short and fast, the riffs are heavy and blitz you directly out of the gate. But there is just a lack of hooks, which I think is exasperated by the totally bland vocal approach. The vocals are very much of the hardcore variety, and sort of vacillate between that and an almost Tom Arya style clean scream over the top of things. After a few songs it gets pretty damn repetitive. A few variations from this basic formula would have been welcome—but really, the band never strays far from the sort of run-in-place-hardcore kind of vocals that just feel like they lose their extremity with every listen.

The upside to all of this is that this album is short. The Kandidate offers about 32 minutes of music and that’s the end of it. So, for fans of fast, aggressive hardcore and thrash, this might be something to check out. For me, it just blended into the background. There were some cool riffs here and there, some groove that I liked and even a catchy chorus or two. But I doubt that I will come back and listen to this record much after I’ve finished this review. If the band could spice things up a little with some cool technical stuff, and maybe more varied vocals, they definitely have the talent to be putting out excellent records. But Until We Are Outnumbered, despite it’s totally kick ass cover art, doesn’t really seem like much more than a drop in a sea filled with bands doing similar things.