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AMON
AMARTH - The Avenger (Metal Blade/Attic)
Amon Amarth's last album, 'Once Sent From The Golden Hall,' though
decent, was lacking in variation and definition and didn't really
hold my attention for its forty five minute duration. 'The Avenger'
is a more powerful creation. Though forged of their trademark brutal
Swedish melodic death style, it is less riff-cluttered and is enhanced
by an emphatic and sharply defined production (done by Peter Tagtgren
at Abyss). The melodies are threaded well with the heavy and percussive
guitar and drum attack and the vocals have a gripping roar to them
creating an album with character and punch.
P. Schwarz -8-
CENTINEX - Bloodhunt MCD (Repulse)
Although Centinex are Swedish and this CD was recorded
at Sunlight Studios, 'Bloodhunt' remains a step up from the hordes
of indistinguishable melodic black/death metal bands growing like
weeds in the shadows of predecessors like Dissection. 'Bloodhunt'
contains six tracks of furiously precise technical black/death,
melodic in spades with outbursts of speed and gutsy riffing. Being
unfamiliar with their style previous to 'Bloodhunt,' their new guitarist
and vocalist seem to hold their own and round out this CD nicely.
It's a short 21 minutes, but with the velocity of this disc, you
wouldn't be able to hold your breath any longer.
S. Wasylyk -8-
DARKTHRONE - Ravishing Grimness (Moonfog/PHD)
Well look who's back to offend and piss everyone off? Just when
you thought you could get rid of them, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto
come back with their latest slab of rough n' dirty black metal.
Out of all the Darkthrone albums, this is easily the most old school
of them all and comes across simply as pure Hellhammer worship.
What else would you expect? It's Darkthrone as we all know them,
but if you were disappointed with 'Total Death', then don't expect
any more from this. Like they would give a shit about what you think.
C. Bruni -7.5-
EMBER - Concession (Shadow Play)
Ember have changed their cover art and personal appearances,
and their musical approach has followed suit. Those of you who know
Ember's previous demo outputs (all included on this 'MCD') will
probably scratch your head the first time you hear 'Concession',
as Ember have essentially abandoned the midpaced, build-up atmospherics
of 'The Gate' and have instead chosen to embrace black metal's thrash
roots in Destruction and Celtic Frost, adding a big dose of Slayer
and The Misfits for good measure. Cleverly retaining some of the
sombre melody previously atributed to them, the result is pleasing
to say the least.
P. Schwarz -8.5-
Contact: PO Box 2177, Darien, IL 60561, USA
E-mail: ember@heavymetal.com,
emberr@gateway.net
HATE ETERNAL - Conquering the Throne
(Wicked World/St. Clair)
The prospect of Morbid Angel live guitarist and former
Ripping Corpse (RIP) member Eric Rutan aligning himself with the
talents of Doug Cerrito (ex-Suffocation), Jared Anderson and Tim
Yeung was a fearsome prospect. 'Conquering the Throne' is a complex,
but also straightforward death metal album which sort-of lives up
to expectations. When Hate Eternal hit the right mix of crushing
brutality, and a variety of riffs and solos they slay, but at points
things get very slightly mired in their own death metal straightforwardness.
However, if you like death metal, this is still sure to bring a
smile to your face.
P. Schwarz -8.5-
KATATONIA - Tonight's Decision (Peaceville/PHD)
Every time I listen to this CD it makes me cry. It's
like something on here gets me in touch with my sensitive side.
Laugh like jackals, you metal hounds, but Katatonia have found new
and compelling ways to hit the melancholic and depressive centres
in your brain. In many ways, 'Tonight'sÉ' continues from last year's
groundbreaking 'Discouraged Ones,' but has elements that are different
enough to say the band has experimented with their sound. The guitars
have been brought forward, and have more of a crunch to their sound,
while the inclusion of metal icon Dan Swano on drums is an excellent
addition, as his influence is evident from the killer first track
"For My Demons." The excellent musicianship is compounded by the
fact that the CD illicits a gamut of emotional responses from the
fatalistic realm of your mind. By far the closest competition to
Nevermore for CD of the year. Anything that gets you delving into
the outer reaches of your grey matter as much as this disc deserves
high praise.
A. Ristic -9.5-
MORTIFICATION - Hammer of God (Metal Blade/Attic)
If you believe in an all loving God and want to hear
a group of similar minded people bang out death metal of appallingly
low quality, then buy 'Hammer of God,' you'll love it.
P. Schwarz -2-
RAMMSTEIN - Live Aus Berlin (Motor/Mercury)
Those who picked up last issue know I've been on
a Rammstein kick as of late, having picked up their last album 'Sehnsucht'
and seen them in concert on their Toronto stop in June. Capitalizing
on their newfound popularity after supporting Korn and doing their
own headlining tour, the industrial metal sextet have released a
live album that nearly solidifies the kinetic energy and passion
they have on stage. Performing their best tracks ("Spiel Mit Mir,"
"Bestrafe Mich," "Sehnsuct," "Asche Zu Asche," "Du Hast," "Engel,"
"Bueck Dich"...there's so many!), only the visuals of a Rammstein
set (bright lights, lasers, water-jet penises etc.) prevent this
album from being the perfect example of Rammstein live. Hearing
the crowd sing with the band and cheer gives the impression you're
in the crowd with them, enjoying every moment. Truly spine-tingling.
The sound is great (besides a couple of moments here and there),
the selection of tunes is perfect...there's nothing of substance
to criticize. The only thing left to do is give it the mark it deserves.
A. Wasylyk -10-
TARTAROS - The Red Jewel (Necropolis/St.Clair)
This is one of those times where I have to agree
with my colleague, that Bruni-poo, Candy-Ass, because Charmand Grimloch
is a master of the metallic horror soundtrack. After re-releasing
'The Grand Psychotic Castle' earlier this year, Grimloch had set
quite the task for himself, but 'The Red Jewel' shows that he was
up to it. While not capturing the imagination as much as its predecessor,
the CD definitely paints eerie soundscapes, with a melodic black
metal finesse and creepy keyboard music. "Terrifying," in the words
of Bruni. A worthy follow-up and a great indication of why Emperor
uses him to play keyboards.
A. Ristic -8-
WITHERED EARTH - Something So Pure (White Noise)
Withered Earth's inventive craft of mixing cathartic
breakdowns, repeated circular structures and catchy grooves more
commonly associated with the hardcore style of say Vision of Disorder,
with a dark and guttural death metal core which owes its debt to
the likes of Incantation and Immolation, provides one with a pleasingly
different perspective on death metal. 'Something So Pure' features
improved production by Bill Koreckie (Incantation), and tighter
songwriting which indicates that Withered Earth are steadily honing
their craft, and will take it to an even higher level in the future.
P. Schwarz -8.5-
Contact: 5 Beechwood Dr., Rochester, NY 14606, USA
E-mail: witheredearth@hotmail.com
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