Angry Metal Guy

Sahg // III
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — The Norwegian scene is dead, long live the Norwegian scene!
Label: Indie Recordings
Websites: sahg.no | myspace.com/sahg
Release Dates: EU: 30.08.2010 | US: Unknown (09.14.2010?)

Retro is the new new, apparently. Everyone and their dog is doing retro bands doing old school things with better (or at least louder) production and with the sensibilities of generations who have listened to a lot of music and decided that it’s time to come back to the thing that really seems to unite them: the 1970s. I, myself, have been listening to a lot of stuff from the 1970s lately, and especially the progressive rock movement that influenced many of the musicians from Scandinavia seems to be rearing its head in an interesting combination of traditional hard rock, heavy metal sensibilities and dudes who used to play black metal. Sahg‘s III embodies this movement sonically—and does it very, very well. Continue reading

Grand Magus // Hammer of the North
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Sweden hammers the World!
Label: Roadrunner Records
Websites: grandmagus.com | myspace.com/grandmagusrocks
Release Dates: EU: 21.06.2010 | US: 06.29.2010 (?)

It seems a sad fact that when one anticipates something and really looks forward to it, the chance of being disappointed increases exponentially. After Grand Magus unleashed their wildly impressive Iron Will album in 2008 (which was one of my favorite albums that year), I was extremely stoked for a follow up by this cadre of Swedish metal mongers but wondered if they could match or top the quality of that massive platter. Now that I have the anxiously awaited follow up in the form of their fifth album, Hammer of the North, my fears of being let down seem silly, because once again Grand Magus shows that they know how to craft top quality traditional heavy metal songs with a slight doom tinged edge. Continue reading

Poisonblack // Of Rust and Bones
Rating: 2.0/5.0 — Boring.
Label: Century Media
Websites: poisonblack.com | myspace.com/officialpoisonblack
Release Dates: EU: 22.03.2010 | US: 03.23.2010

In the wake of Sentenced it’s no surprise that Poisonblack has continued strong, with support from fans of the previous band and has become bigger and bigger in Finland and throughout the world. Many miss the tongue-in-cheek depression that went hand-in-hand with later Sentenced records, at the same time as missing the band that once was. Of Rust and Bones, the new Poisonblack record (the band that features former Sentenced vocalist Ville Laihiala) basically continues on with the Sentenced legacy of mid-paced heavy metal with depressing lyrics, but doesn’t do it with the same kind of conviction or freshness that was embodied by the former band.

By now, I’m sure the band is sick and tired of Sentenced comparisons and, as a reviewer, one is always aware of the fact that certain kind of comparisons are lazy and/or inappropriate. But, like Bruce Dickinson will never escape Iron Maiden (and vice versa), Ville Laihiala was the voice of what was probably one of the greatest bands in Finnish history. So listening to this album its really hard to not think back to later Sentenced material and do the comparisons, and frankly, this isn’t far off. Think about it: it’s mid-paced heavy metal, simplistic riffs and chord progressions. The vocals are the focus of this music, and while Poisonblack has longer songs and is less pop-oriented than, say, The Cold Blue Light was, it is still remarkably similar.

From “My Sun Shines Black” to “The Last Song”, Poisonblack produces markedly similar riffs, vocal melodies and content to Sentenced, but with none of the same energy that existed. To sum it up with one word, the music is boring. It’s basically just a bunch of rehashed heavy metal riffs, rock beats and self-depreciating lyrics. The formula seems pretty simple and the band doesn’t move too far away from it, though some interesting song craftsmanship does actually happen here and there. For the most part, however, the rehashed feel pretty much pervades track after track, turning the record into more of a slog through boredom than an enjoyable listen.

Fundamentally Poisonblack is still stuck on blues-based 70s and 80s hard rock, with the verses for every song just be vehicles for a big, catchy chorus. And that works for them, and if you like that kind of thing you will probably love this. But just like the myriads of bands who are fundamentally stuck on this sound and can’t seem to ever really update it, Poisonblack seems more mired in a rut than anything. One can only write the same song so many times before the boredom starts to set in personally—and that’s pretty much how this sounds. Tired. Bored. Maybe depressed because of too much Koskenkorva and too little sunlight, but whatever the reason, it’s still not compelling.

‘Course, could be that I just don’t get it. I am, indeed, Angry Metal Guy not Sad Metal Guy. Fans of later Sentenced and gothic rock are encouraged to check this band out, but it’s definitely not something I’ll be spinning again. Ever.