Music Reviews of Metal, Grindcore, Death, Prog-Rock
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Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Metal, Grindcore, Death, Black, Thrash, Progressive Rock
Winters — Black Clouds in Twin Galaxies Buy it at Amazon
Hard gothic metal in the vein of Elliott Smith and Black Sabbath (yes that’s a bizarre combo but it’s what fits damn it). Winters are from England and realize that Monster Magnet might be slightly more famous than them but that it’s perfectly acceptable to follow in those huge footsteps. Think Cathedral meets the Kinks.
- J-Sin
Mustasch — Latest Version of the Truth Buy it at Amazon
Now this is the heavy metal our dad’s grew up with. We’re talking power metal ballads with spandex, long hair with plenty of headbanging, and whirling guitar solos. Hard rock in the vein of AC/DC but with metal’s power and fury. Raise both fists high for this one folks!
- J-Sin
Depressed Mode — Ghosts of Devotion Buy it at Amazon
Gnarly guitars crunch around the melodic female vocals and spooky keyboards. Death growls grunt and mutter about doom and gloom while their suffering metal opuses pander to the lost souls of the world. Melancholic lyrics twist into a crevice so dank and evil that it precipitates sweat, blood, and tears. Doom metal hasn’t sounded this impressive in a long while.
- J-Sin
Cobalt — Eater of Birds Buy it at Amazon
Colorado black metal? Sure it’s fucking cold and bitter enough. Earning a bit of a reputation amid the underground metal scene, this duo write war metal songs about the upcoming apocalypse with a certainty and urgency that is equally eerie. Left with feelings of dank distraught and mistrust, listeners of “Eater of Birds” will no doubt be ready to pick up their battle axes and swords and go to battle against the Light. Epic anthems pummel you with soaring guitars and mighty crushing percussion. Violent visceral vocals vomit forth a spew of war metal.
- J-Sin
Charnel Valley — The Igneous Race Buy it at Amazon
Worm and Czar formed Charnel Valley to give an answer to what they saw as problems in the burgeoning black metal scene. Sounding a bit old school and in the vein of Mayhem, Burzum, and Darkthrone, Charnel Valley does their thing with a bit of punk mixed in. Guttural vocals and crushing lo-fi recordings give “The Igneous Race” a defiant yet sincere sound. Raw and unadulterated black metal that refuses to jump on any bandwagon.
- J-Sin
Outgunned — Vol. I: Answering the Ceaseless Need Buy it at Amazon
After the band broke up and the new members were fired, Andrew Saunders was so distraught that he decided that clearly the music must go on. Here he assembled “his” music and allows Outgunned to be a studio “artist” though he’s leaving the door open if the right musicians are out there—watch out though fellow musicians, as Saunders will fire your ass if you don’t grow musically. Well speaking of growing musically, volume one of Outgunned is nothing more than a rehashing of old Voivod tunes with less than special musicianship and quite terrible singing.
- J-Sin
Project: Failing Flesh — The Conjoined Buy it at Amazon
Thank you Project: Failing Flesh for putting Northern Virginia on the map for extreme metal! Having done amazing things like their incredible cover of Venom’s “Warhead” and being spotlighted on a variety of compilations, Project: Failing Flesh write brutal metal opuses that are incredibly fast, aggressive, and violent all the while maintaining a sick sense of technicality that most other bands forgo. In addition, Eric Forrest (ex-Voivod, E-Force) is on vocals and has given them some well-deserved name recognition already in the metal community. Chaotic song structures and discordant harmonies are the backdrop to the twisted guitars and amazing musicianship.
- J-Sin
Canvas Solaris — Cortical Tectonics Buy it at Amazon
Technical metal prowess is at the crux and heart of everything Canvas Solaris puts out. Wild and energetic with massive time signature challenges, “Cortical Tectonics” is yet further proof that this instrumental technical metal trio from Georgia has more up their sleeves than your average heavy talented act. Some of their songs are so hard to follow, I only wonder how on earth the group ever remembers how to play them live or otherwise. Intricately arranged opuses feature epic guitar landscapes, well textured percussion, and thick bass ala King Crimson, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Voivod.
- J-Sin
Weedeater — God Luck and Good Speed Buy it at Amazon
Weedeater formed from the remaining bits and pieces of the infamous Buzzov-en back in the middle of the ‘90’s and its grunge-a-thon. Swamp rock that drudges onwards with grimy guitars and stoner rock riffage, “God Luck and Good Speed” was actually recorded by one of the hallowed stars of the grunge era from which they emerged—the legendary Steve Albini (Nirvana, Neurosis, High on Fire, Pillow Theory) who also produced and mixed the album. Doom metal star Dave “Dixie” Collins is Weedeater’s frontman and bassist. Having previously recorded under the watchful eye and tuneful ears of Billy Anderson (Melvins, High on Fire, Neurosis), Weedeater finds that Albini focuses on creating a loud live drum sound with crunchy heavily distorted guitars. Sick discordant harmonies and raw throat vocals make this one of the heaviest albums to come out so far this year.
- J-Sin
Glorior Belli — Manifesting the Raging Beast Buy it at Amazon
Unholy alliances of black metal and classic heavy metal have birthed “Manifesting the Raging Beast”, the latest from French black metal outfit Glorior Belli. Raging with heart-eating intensity, Glorior Belli conquers the dark black metal scene with their innate knack for suffocating vocals, buzzy guitars, and crashing percussion. Emerging on the scene with a rumble, they unleashed their first demo a short two years after their formation in 2002. Oddly the group always seems to manage to craft black metal that still rings with catchy infectious melodies while still just as grym as your favorite corpse painted black metallers.
- J-Sin
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