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ADRAMELECH
Pure Blood Doom (Severe)
Adramelech bring to mind the mid-paced, unpretentious single chord
hammering style common to Massacre and, consequently, a shade of
'Leprosy'-era Death. An often relentless double bass drum tirade,
though at mid-pace, helps to impress on a technical level, but structurally
Adramelech sound neither original nor fresh. Competent splicings
of melody into the brutal riffage and a somewhat Scandinavian slant
to their production imbue Adramelech with individuality sufficient
to set them apart from mere re-hashers. This is an unexciting but
an acceptably improved second album for the band.
Paul schwarz -6-
DECAYED REMAINS
One Man's Fate
(Radicart/Civilian Death Network)
The second offering from one of Canada's most promising prospects
sees the band wholly improve their style and add a more potent layering
to their already impressive shell. Along with a stronger production
and sound, the overall playing has improved along with a more metal
feel resulting in a slick product. The influences show more this
time around and are clearer, but the most important factor is that
this band can mix a whole bunch of influences (traditional metal/black
metal/death metal/thrash metal etc.) and actually succeed in doing
so. They do this way better than a lot of the European bands that
attempt at it and by all means, with the outcome of 'One Man's Fate,'
Decayed Remains have single-handedly proven that they are one of
Canada's finest musical exports in metal. They are a band who need
to be exposed on a grander scale.
chris bruni -8-
DER BLUTHARSCH
The Track Of The Hunted (Tesco)
A much more mellow release than its predecessor 'The Pleasures Received
In Pain' (reviewed and revered last issue), 'The Track...' offers
a less militaristic approach and boasts a more ambient influence,
but it's no less emotionally stirring. The eleven tracks presented
offer another glimpse into the soul of its mastermind, Albin Julius.
It's an album not as instantly ear catching as 'Pleasures...,' but
when given a chance to grow it does, and hits its mark. Various
stringed instruments, acoustic guitars and droning vocals accompany
the occasional sound byte (some, as per usual, are war related)
to create a stirring piece of art. If one believes in the notion
that brutality isn't the only way of self-expression, that ambience
or atmosphere can be just as good as anger-fuelled mayhem, then
Der Blutharsch are perfect for you. Highly recommended.
a. wasylyk -9-
Contact: Tesco P.O. Box 410118 D-68275 Mannheim GERMANY E-mail:
Tesco-Org.-Ma@t-online.de
EMERALD RAIN
Age Of Innocence (Frontiers)
It is the most aggravating thing in the world to listen to a CD,
which only has minor flaws, but when compounded make the album extremely
difficult to hear. Emerald Rain is Canada's latest sojourn into
progressive rock, and for the genre they have much to offer, but
there are improvements aplenty needed. For one, the guitars are
using notes way to high to make them viable in today's metal market,
which leads us to a second problem; lack of an edge. While it is
progressive, what makes Dream Theatre and Fates Warning attract
different crowds is a definite heavy vibe that is just lacking on
Age Of Innocence. Lastly, the vocals are much too clean, once again,
for today's environment. Had these guys come out in Rush's heyday
they would be shining example, but now it just comes across as dated.
There is something going on here; the guitaring is technically proficient,
the arrangements are nice. They just need to either update their
influences or sound, otherwise they will get left behind.
alex ristic -4-
Contact: Frontiers Records Via G, Gonzaga 18 80125, Napoli ITALY
FALL OF THE LEAFE
August Wernicke (Icarus)
With an intriguing name and album cover, this Finnish five-piece
scripts involved compositions that incorporate death metal's penchant
for heaviness with black metal-influenced vocals and keyboard atmospheres,
and then allows melodic guitar leads to run rampant over the top.
Without losing sight of the aggression factor, Fall Of The Leafe
explores some interesting, if not exactly groundbreaking, territory,
including acoustic-led passages, rich keyboard melodies, and complex
song structures. The main fault with this band is the clean vocal
delivery, which detracts from the intensity with its whiny tone
and poorly-delivered melodies, although "Machina Mimesis In The
Corner Cafe" indicates a more dynamic interpenetration of clean
and growled vocals.
tate bengtson -6.5-
IN MEMORIUM
s/t (Moribund)
In the beginning, a dark tranquil eerieness floods into your ear,
then the music plummets into a harrowing echo of harsh black metal
bellows, and you're grabbed by your ankle into this inferno. No
one will hear you scream (if you turn your stereo loud enough anyway).
The atmosphere is really grim, thick, and extreme. A perfect album
for the dehydrated black metal ear. Some very fucking talented musicians
here.
jessica hardaway -10-
NILE
Black Seeds Of Vengeance (Relapse)
Nile has once again returned to wreak havoc upon the black earth
with 13 tracks of imperial Egyptian declarations of war. 'Black
Seeds...' sees Nile evolving and expanding in both the realms of
brutal death metal, and the textured sounds of a foreboding middle
East. I find this record to have even more variation than their
previous release, as more Egyptian and Middle Eastern influences
have been added to the music. However, Nile is faster and heavier
than ever before, as demonstrated on the title track and the devastating
"Defiling the Gates of Ishtar." With 'Black Seeds...' Nile has stood
the test of time and has demonstrated their ingenuity, originality
and progression without losing any bite. This is a must have!
steve wasylyk -9.5-
NOKTURNAL MORTUM
NeChrist (The End)
It isn't hard for one to greatly admire this band's desire to incorporate
its own national heritage into the very nature of their music. Indeed,
traditional Slavic melodies could break new ground in the rapidly
hardening foundations of black metal. Unfortunately, outside of
those motifs, Nokturnal Mortum hasn't forged a black identity of
its own, cribbing from Burzum and old Emperor to color the areas
around the folkiness. With album #3, it seems as though their patience
is drifting as much as mine, even calling on gauche traditional
power metal riffs and licks to compensate. And yet, there is still
a humorless fervor which connects, maintaining a begrudging interest
in album cuatro.
matthew kirshner -7-
THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX
Cybersonic Superchrist (Pavement)
Hands down, this is probably one of the most exciting releases for
me this year, as well as for Adam too (check out his story this
issue). Managing to engage in a volatile battle between beauty and
the beast, TPH (a project involving Entombed's Jorgen Sandstrom)
rip and tear through a monstrous array of death metal/keyboard driven
ideas, splitting up any notion that this would be any ordinary metal
release. The passioned vocal chants of Mia Stahl add electricity
to the already vibrant music circulating through the record. Killer
production (thank you Dan Swano!) and a real hatred flowing from
every pore makes TPH the real deal in 2000.
adrian bromley -9.5-
V/A
A Tribute To Mercyful Fate:
Curse Of The Demon (Dwell)
Probably one of the better and fine tuned tribute albums I've heard
in quite awhile. It is no secret that releases of this nature are
not what I'd call a favourite of mine, but any fool knows a valuable
commodity when they come across it; well, most simpletons anyway.
Let me save you the embarrassment of subjecting yourself to the
idiot-test; if you like Mercyful Fate, old and new, and savour the
works of Deceased, Vital Remains, and Necrophagia - buy this. Watch
out for the first track, Equinox's version of "Gypsy." It is sensational.
Why don't I own some Equinox? After hearing their cut on 'Curse
Of The Demon,' I intend to rectify this oversight. I might also
suggest that if this Dwell Records tribute to one of the mightiest
of bands through the annals of time is not in your collection that
you too rectify this omission.
aaron mckay -8-
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