Napalm Records

Artas – Riotology Review

Artas – Riotology Review

Well, I’m not sure what I did to end up on the Angry Metal Guy’s Official Shit List. However, his assigning me both the new Lazarus A.D. and Artas albums proves I’m on it bigtime. I can just picture AMG up there on his throne all high and mighty, laughing as he contemptuously sneers, “let him eat metalcore.” Steel Druhm does not like being on the Shit List and Steel Druhm will have his wengeance! Anyway, Riotology is the second album by Austrian metalcore/quasi-thrash bandwagon jumpers Artas. Up until now their claim to fame was a wildly ill-conceived cover of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” which ended up being funnier than Weird Al Yankovic’s “Amish Paradise.” Now, with Riotology they can truthfully claim recording two average metalcore albums. Hey, congrats guys! As soon as I saw the album cover which looks like a screen shot from the Assassin’s Creed video games I should have known where this was heading. The second clue I was in trouble was the band’s prominently displayed claim that they play “modern metal.” Apparently that’s record industry speak for tired metalcore by bands that yearn to be At the Gates and In Flames with poppier, radio-friendly choruses. Because I’m merciful, I will now implore you all to leave this review and save yourselves. I can’t go with you however, for I must write it.

Falkenbach – Tiurida Review

Falkenbach – Tiurida Review

The new year sees cult hero Markus Tummers aka (Vratyas Vakyas) and his one man project Falkenbach rise from a long wintry slumber to release Tiurida, album number five. Those familiar with Falkenbach will know they/he specialize in sometimes epic, folk-heavy viking metal influenced primarily by Bathory and likely Ulver as well. Being that their last release, Heralding – the Fireblade, was a re-recording of the old demo material, they haven’t released new material since 2003’s excellent Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty. That’s a mighty long time to keep fans waiting for some new stuff! So has the time away changed the style or vision? Has the endless wait by long suffering and loyal fans been amply rewarded with musical treasure? Well, gather all ye around the merry campfire and let me tell you the tale of my review whilst playing yea old mandolin. Please don your hoods and chant along appropriately.

Fejd – Eifur Review

Fejd – Eifur Review

Last year I received Swedish folk-metallers Fejd’s Napalm Records debut with great excitement. I had been listening to the band for a long time and was really impressed with their material in general. Their earlier demos I en tid som var and Huldran had both been constantly on my playlist since I downloaded them (and with good reason). But while I was not disappointed with Storm, the material didn’t blow me away as much as the earlier demos had. Maybe this was a “slump” or something, but it didn’t quite live up to those standards.

Revolution Renaissance – Trinity Review

Revolution Renaissance – Trinity Review

Wow, Timo Tolkki just can’t catch a break! First, the founder, mastermind and guitarist of long running power metal institution Stratovarius had to leave the fold due to personal problems and private demons. Now problems have forced him to call it a day with follow-up band Revolution Renaissance, shortly after releasing Trinity, their third album. I was only lukewarm about their debut and actively disliked the slow and soupy mess that was Age of Aquarius. However, after spending time with the band’s swan song, I have to admit, it’s a shame to see them pack it in. This is a solid slice of melodic European power metal and a clear improvement over the prior Revolution Renaissance outings. While nothing on Trinity is genre defying or “revolutionary” in a musical sense (it actually sounds A LOT like his former band), it’s well done, enjoyable and contains some moments of exceptional power metal songwriting sure to please fans of the style.

Monster Magnet – Mastermind Review

Monster Magnet – Mastermind Review

Monster Magnet is one of the coolest band names ever, hands down, don’t argue. As for the music they’ve produced, I’ve been back and forth on it over the years. I liked their first two albums with their over-the-top 70’s psychedelic, fuzzed out, space rock worship and I always thought Dopes to Infinity was their crowning achievement in terms of rock songwriting. After that things seemed to go downhill as they drifted toward a more commercial rock sound lacking the style that originally drew me in. Despite this drop off, I never lost respect for band mastermind Dave Wyndorf because he was churning out stoner rock before it was called stoner rock and WAY before it became hip, trendy and “retro.” Like his band, Mr. Wyndorf has had his share of ups and downs but there is no disputing that the guy is stoner rock personified and a living, breathing throwback to another musical era. Therefore, it’s with mucho gladness I report that Mr. Wyndorf and Monster Magnet are back on top in a big way with their eighth album Mastermind.

Tristania – Rubicon Review

Tristania – Rubicon Review

Norway’s Tristania have been quite the durable and enduring entity, weathering the ebb and flow of musical trends and surviving numerous line-up changes and defections, including that of founder Morten Veland. From their humble doom/death beginnings, the ever changing line-up has increasingly evolved into a standard gothic metal act with less and less emphasis on the metal part of the equation and that process continues for better or worse here on album six, Rubicon. Long gone is the Tristania that delivered the genre classic Beyond the Veil and well regarded follow-up World of Glass. Instead, Rubicon finds them dealing in fairly average, somewhat nondescript, if professionally done gothic music that’s very light in the metal department.

Shadowgarden – Ashen Review

Shadowgarden – Ashen Review

Shadowgarden is a side project of Draconian mainman Johan Ericson which is aimed at creating gothic rock of a different variety than his well-loved goth metal project. Breaking away from the beauty and the beast style and heading towards a much more commercially viable rock sound, the band has produced 10 new tracks of music for the consideration of all metal types out there to be released via Napalm records at the end of August (yeah, so this review is a tad late, but read on).

Nox Aurea – Ascending in Triumph Review

Nox Aurea – Ascending in Triumph Review

Doom is something that I have really gotten a taste for in the last couple years. A lot earlier, when I was actually playing in a band with a lot of doomy tendencies, I was actually terribly bored by most of it. But with the release of some really fantastic doom records that I’ve gotten into, it’s been harder and harder to avoid it, I like doom a lot when it’s done well. In spite of that earlier distaste for the genre, the one area that I’ve always had a soft spot for, however, has been well done gothic doom. Particularly the stuff with the “beauty and the beast” style of vocal interplay between well done female vocalist and growls. While this sound is hardly novel in 2010, Nox Aurea has attacked it anew with their second release (and Napalm Records debut) Ascending in Triumph.