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BACK
QUEENS
OF THE STONE AGE
Songs For the Deaf (Interscope/Universal)
A lot of critics are already putting QOTSA’s newest album on
their Top 10 lists for 2002 and they have good reason to—the
album fucking rocks! Continuing from where the rambunctious (and
humorous) attitude of ‘Rated R’ left off, ‘Songs
For the Deaf’ picks up and runs like hell though a more schizophrenic
collage of feedback and melodies. The albums has this very strange
(or is it psychotic?) demeanor to it, an assortment of hard rockin’
numbers that are glued together with some of the most bizarre segues
I have heard in some time. Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) plays
drums on this record and QOTSA could not have asked for a more suitable
stickman to bring strength, intensity and diversity to the mix.
Along with Grohl on board, the album also features Mark Lanegan
(Screaming Trees) doing some great work with the vocals on "Song
For the Dead" and "Hanging Tree." When the band hits
a stride with their material ("You Think I Ain’t Worth
a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire," "First It Giveth,"
and "Six Shooter") they are out of control, a reckless
outcast that deserves to be avoided and observed from a distance,
and when the band brings melody into the mix (first single "No
One Knows" and the awesome "Gonna Leave You") it
only feels right to be up there in front and singing right along.
Schizophrenic for sure, but QOTSA are a rare band that knows how
to rock out and have fun regardless of how they do it. QOTSA are
pure rock ’n’ roll fun and deserve to be heard! <Adrian
Bromley> -9.5-
RECLUSION
Shell of Pain (Listenable Records)
Every time an album from Listenable Records falls into my lap, I
get excited. Some of the truly elite in the metal spectrum make
this label their home. Will this album live up to the great reputation
the label has made for themselves? Fuck yes! This is great music!
To get an idea of what they sound like, take ‘Burn My Eyes’-era
Machine Head, throw in a bit of Meshuggah, and season it with some
Swedish thrash, and you’ve got Reclusion. The band roars through
the nine songs on this album with a tight and solid approach. And
with Andy LaRocque of King Diamond handling the production, this
album shines brightly. Another great aspect to this sound is their
technicality and ease when moving through the razor-sharp sound
of the album. This almost sounds like where Machine Head should
have gone with their sound if they hadn’t have seen fit to
sell their souls to the nu-metal gods. Punchy, aggressive, and a
good kick in the ass. <Liam Savage> -8-
RIOT
Through the Storm (Metal Blade)
Man, this is a hearty hard rock record! Nothing flashy, but there
are some great melodies and hooks to draw you in. Opening track
"Turn the Tables" sees Riot serving up some great vocal
harmonies alongside infectious guitar playing, and as the album
progresses the band continues to keep this vibe with numbers like
"To My Head," the revved-up "Chains (Revolving),"
and a cool cover of UFO’s "Only You Can Rock Me."
I like singer Mike DiMeo’s vocal delivery—very smooth,
but rockin’ when need be. And like any hard rock band out there,
the band can slow things down a bit and deliver the goods just as
well. Case in point: the awesome title track and "Let it Show."
Some fans of the band’s earlier stuff may not be into what
the band is dishing out in 2002, but I like what I hear, and in
a day and age where a lot of veteran hard rock bands I once admired
are losing steam (hello, Scorpions), it is good to see that Riot
still has some fire left in them. <Adrian Bromley> -7-
ROLLINS BAND
The Only Way To Know For Sure (Sanctuary Music)
Being a big fan, I had been eagerly anticipating this album ever
since I heard about it coming out. And of course, Henry Rollins
and co. didn’t let me down. Not one bit. This double live album
is the perfect summation of Rollins’s storied career. Known
for giving it his all in a live setting, Henry and his band Mother
Superior spew intensity with every note plucked and drum bashed,
and of course, Rollins has his throat in full abrasive mode for
such an occasion. The band’s set on this album spans the great
career of Henry and his music. Where most bands would opt to put
out a greatest hits album instead of a live album, Rollins has made
the best move for him and performs the best (and some rare) tracks
as he exudes just as much energy in the live performances as he
does on record. And his band Mother Superior is his most energetic
lineup to date, showcasing why they’re one of the best live
bands going these days. Rollins Band has added new flavours to their
hard music stew, such as funk and jazz, but all the elements of
Rollins and his musical legacy are still being held together quite
nicely. <Liam Savage> -9-
SEVERE TORTURE/BLOOD RED THRONE
A Taste For Butchery Split (Hammerheart)
As I have written man times before, the split EP is a curse for
bands (except in the case of the Misery index/Commit Suicide split,
where both bands shine) because one band always manages to upstage
the other one. In the case of their brutally assembled split, Holland's
brutal masters Severe Torture totally go to town with such a violent
rage, lashing out with punishing numbers like "Rest In Flames,"
"Pray For Nothing," and the godly drive of "Perverse
Suffering." You can just feel your neck cracking under such
weighty numbers. While Blood Red Throne play brutal death metal,
here it sounds a bit forced and confined. The production on the
songs is too clean, thus diminishing their attack. Severe Torture
continues to impress me with each outing (their 2000 release ‘Feasting
On Blood’ was magnificent!) and all I can say is, bring on
the next full-length! <Adrian Bromley> -7.5/4-
SHRINE
OF SCARS
Deathbed For A Weakening Spirit (Independent)
I'm stuck in a bit of a bind with this one. I like the sound, but
the problem is, it's one I've heard before. Shrine Of Scars is a
tight, guitar-driven death thrash outfit. The sound is like a mix
between Florida death and Bay Area thrash (no surprise here since
they hail from Sacramento, CA). This is enough to have people rejoice.
Unfortunately for me, I get picky and tired with certain sounds
after it's been done to death by every band out there. I'll give
the band this much though, songs like the title track, the short
and sweet punchy attack of "Sniper" and cool guitar passages
in "P.O.S." show this band to be very capable of creating
a focused and driven sound. They know how to play and show it. But
once again we come back to the fact that it's unoriginal, and it
takes an awful lot to impress me these days. I'll say this much;
if you're a total sucker for early 90's death thrash, you'll probably
enjoy this platter a lot. <Liam Savage> -6-
Contact: www.shrineofscars.com
SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY
For Eternity Brings No Hope (Bindrune Recordings)
From the upper part of Michigan, this one-man band (how come it
are so often the single member projects that end up being so good
in this genre?) plays emotional and melancholic black metal that
ranges the gambit from slow to mid-paced to full-on blast. The unconventional,
atonal riffing reminds one of Burzum and especially Ved Buens Ende,
but with a characteristic American touch, if this makes any sense.
All of this is ‘shrouded’ in a modest, almost ‘organic’
production for the full ‘forest atmosphere’ effect, not
far off from Wyrd, reviewed elsewhere, but... different. Tracks
like ‘Night’ and ‘Upon This Planet of Waste’
serve as good examples of the rich personality of this band, both
interesting pieces in themselves, but what makes Shroud of Despondency
stand out the most for me are the acoustic instrumentals. Produced
in a different time and place from the rest of the recording, yet
nonetheless smoothly complimenting the whole, the four instrumentals
on this disc, especially the last, ‘Something of Nothing’
are truly special. One can’t help but imagine stalactites hanging
from caves with deep woods surrounding them up in the northern plains
when listening to these compositions, sitting out in the dark, cooking
marshmallows on the fire, full of profound thoughts and memories.
‘Is the music up there in space as good as this?’ The
perception is bolstered in no small measure by a very tasteful production,
and, of course, the nature imagery that adorns the booklet. And
to think... this is only the first CD this Heikkila guy has ever
recorded. What could come next? Those that claim the USBM scene
is stagnant and only generates unoriginal bands should take a listen
to Shroud of Despondency and judge again. <Yury Arkadin>
-8-
SIEBENBÜRGEN
Plagued Be Thy Angel (Napalm Records)
This fourth epic release sees the Swedish sextet firmly planting
their feet in the oddly pleasing realm of mid-tempo, classic metal-laced
gothic arcane music. There really is no one in the field of black
metal to compare them with, as they employ neither incessant blasting
nor overbearing synthesizers. The mix of guitars, bass, percussion,
keys and vocals are amiably balanced for an appealingly dark listening
experience. Marcus Ehlin’s ominous, ember-crackling vocal tone
blankets the Mercyful Fate-inspired arrangements in sinister harmony
that borders on romantic (if you can believe that). Angelic, operatic
female vocals are interspersed tastefully; in a similar fashion
to the way drum fills enhance a potentially tedious segment. "Angelic"
is brilliant evidence of the band’s ability to creatively fill
space while creating a work of defined beauty. Each track opens
a different door into the spirited world of night. The album closes
with a very inspired cover version of Judas Priest’s "Jawbreaker,"
affirming Siebenbürgen’s dedication to their roots. If
this is not enough verification for you to nab this one, there’s
also full-frontal female nudity on the cover, so get moving!
<Mark Morton> -8.5-
SOMNUS
Through Creation's End (Root of All Evil Records)
Genre pointing is very presumptuous when attempting to describe
Somnus's unique brand of charbroiled metal. Any label you really
put on them cannot accurately define the textures, flavours and
colours the Cleveland-based quintet incorporates into their music.
Following up their most excellent debut ‘Awakening the Crown,’
Somnus up the ante and experiment further into the realms of darkness
and mythic storytelling on ‘Through Creation's End.’ Too
atmospheric for black metal, too classy and diverse for death metal,
too fast for doom metal, and too sinister for any other category,
the band hones their skills with shadowy imagery and ritualistic
composition to create extraordinary, picturesque soundscapes. Even
the term "song" is too limiting, as the magical disposition
of each work carries the listener on an imaginative expedition through
time, weaving tales of history's arcane traits. It's surprising
that Somnus is not signed to a larger label with vast distribution,
as the band's talent and ability surpasses that of the majority
of schlock in stores today. Somnus is a band that consistently evolves,
pushing their facilities ever forward in an effort to design a new
dimension in metal music. ‘Through Creation's End’ is
a young band's second evolutionary step towards another world, a
world not limited to mere genre. <Mark Morton> -10-
TEEN CTHULU
Ride The Blade (Rage Of Achilles)
From the Pacific Northwest comes Teen Cthulu, a rabid black metal
machine that grooves and grinds its way through an array of songs
that punish and puzzle the listener at the same time. While black
metal at heart, this band makes no pact with the black metal elite
to remain ‘true,’ as the band crusades recklessly into
the darker arts with a real raw, punk rock feel at times, storming
through songs like "Fantastic Wound," "Fucking With
Death" and "Knocking On Heaven’s Gate" like
there is no tomorrow. Teen Cthulu are an exciting band to hear because
they are unpredictable and for the most part creative at how they
go about doing things. A good set of black metal screams and off-kilter
vocal styles help mix it up. Its nice to hear a band that takes
a genre, roughs it up a bit and goes out of their way to get heard.
<Adrian Bromley> -8-
TERATISM
Ex Infernus (Root of All Evil)
‘Ex Infernus’ appears to be a teaser of early ’90s
black metal, as according to the reviewer's guide sent with the
CD, the four tracks have all been culled from somewhere else, and
are due to appear on an EP or album right about now. Composed of
members from Theatre of the Macabre, Lorde of All Desires, Anal
Blast, and a few others, this under-produced taster definitely pays
homage to early Mayhem, Satyricon and Darkthrone, though not sounding
really anything like those bands. Teratism has extracted influences
from those groups, however, and of course have brought in the usual
suspects, i.e. satanic lyrical imagery and short, blasting songs.
The unfortunate thing is that while Teratism doesn't sound like
any one band, they don't exactly create exciting music either. The
under-production of the CD makes anything memorable hard to hear
and absorb, and while not "biting" any one specifically,
unfortunately no one is going to replace their imports of early
black metal material, costing mucho dinaro, for something they already
have. Just not essential. <Alex Ristic> -5.5-
THY DISEASE
Devilish Act of Creation (Metal Mind)
Unlike a lot of the death/black metal bands circulating in the scene
right now, Thy Disease seem to offer a new approach towards delivering
a ferocious attack than the typical brutal "in-yer-face"
methods. ‘Devilish Act of Creation’ is a lively record
that works well because of the Polish band’s hard work to bring
atmosphere and rawness to their technical flair. In other words,
this Polish sextet knows how to add to the basic death/black metal
template without it sounding pompous. The keyboards add a nice touch
to their aggressive approach, and the production is killer. The
album sounds great and proves my point that bands can bring a vast
assortment of ideas into a record and make it sound good as long
as there is a strict attention to detail. These guys are on fire
and are right up there with their Polish brothers Vader, Hate, and
Decapitated. <Adrian Bromley> -8.5-
V/A
The Collections - Volume I: Tools of the Trade (Sounds of the Dead)
The key to releasing a compilation of material from three different
bands is to make sure the listener gets their money's worth. Don't
include three bands that sound exactly the same—that gets old.
With the right method in mind, newly formed label Sounds of the
Dead release an interesting collection of material from diverse
acts like Royal Anguish (old-school death metal), Soul of the Savior
(low guttural death metal) and brutal death metal act Tortured Conscience.
I was pleasantly surprised by Royal Anguish and their material (this
is the re-release of their 1992 EP 'Shocking the Priest') with its
strong delivery and intense vibe. Soul of the Savior's music (which
consists of their EP 'Farewell to Flesh') is pretty much the same
throughout, delivering a deep death metal intensity, but never really
moving forward from there. Bland to some degree. Tortured Conscience
(featuring members of grind act Vulgar Pigeons) end this collection
with a blistering assembly of brutal death metal (from their EP
'Face of God'), most notably "A New Trend" and "In
Hell." I'll be on the lookout for more Tortured Conscience
in the future as the bonus track ("Internal Torment"),
a sneak peak of new material coming soon, sounded killer. A pretty
solid compilation worth owning if you like to sample diversity in
the death metal ranks. <Adrian Bromley> -7-
WYRD
Huldrafolk (Millenium Metal Music)
In the gaping hole left in the underground after the metamorphosis
of Burzum and the departure of more than half of all the best revolutionary
black metal bands, there’s been a kind of quiet air of "what
to do now?" going on in the underground, as artists tinker
in their basements to find new variations on the black metal genetic
code, but unfortunately most recent attempts at bringing the real
passion of old black metal back just seem to fall on their faces.
Enter Wyrd from Finland, previously known as Hellkult, one of the
101 projects of ultra-prolific Tomi Kalliola (Azaghal, Vultyr, Valar,
Hin Onde, et cetera). Already a vast improvement from the debut,
‘Huldrafolk,’ the second release of Tomi’s obscure
Wyrd project, is easily one of the most remarkable atmospheric and
individualistic black metal releases to have come out of Finland
this year (which, given the amount of excellent metal that comes
from that country, is a comment that should not be taken lightly).
Whereas ‘Heathen’ was one monolithic 50-minute opus spanning
a range of moods and scenery, ‘Huldrafolk’ is split into
six separate tracks to better isolate and divide the diversity of
the material. The best description would be raw, modestly produced,
atmospheric black metal with folk and ambient elements. These folk
and ambient elements work their magic particularly in the opening
track, the excellent "Ashes of Man and Oak and Pine."
One can almost smell the scent of the forest here at certain points;
so rich are the moods that are created. Certainly ‘Huldrafolk’
has its weaknesses, like Tomi’s harmonized vocals, which could
be better, but looked upon in a wider perspective, the music Wyrd
is creating is not only charming on its own, but very much needed
in today’s troubled times. Check it out. <Yury Arkadin>
-8-
YAKUZA
Way of the Dead (Century Media)
If someone asked you to classify the sounds coming out of Yakuza’s
debut for Century Media after a few listens, I don’t think
many would be able to describe what is going on. Seriously…what
the fuck is going on? First of all, the band’s sound is off-balance,
nothing really stationed or held down and secondly, the band has
managed to incorporate a saxophone into their hard music. Fused
together somehow by an intense set of rock-hard numbers, the album
sways from side to side with a seductive atmospheric drive that
nurses the saxophone sections and the melodic edge, as the band
explodes at numerous intervals to let loose a bizarre vibe. As I
finish up this review, I don’t know how to react to this serious
mindfuck of a release, but I must admit: I was into it. Century
Media no doubt saw potential in the four-piece when they signed
them so I’m giving it a few months to kick in before I give
my final verdict. Until then, the record will continue to toy with
my mind. This is worse than trying to figure out the Caramilk Secret.
Damn you, Yakuza! <Adrian Bromley> -7-
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