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AMONGST
THE SWARM
Crowning the Defeated (Skeptic Productions)
Featuring former members of Upheaval and Burn It Down, this Midwest
U.S. death/hardcore machine is fucking relentless. Most people have
compared the music on this 7-song, 23-minute recording to Hatebreed.
While this comparison is somewhat warranted, Amongst the Swarm garners
a heavier, thrashier, and generally more pissed-off sound than the
aforementioned band. Featuring a solid mix of death metal and hardcore
balanced with a fierce thrash groove, this band takes no prisoners
in its violent intensity. I can' t forget to mention the vocals
of Deejay Perry, who sounds like he's about
to tear someone's heart out when yelling the lyrics! Another comparison,
as far as guitars are concerned, would be to Swedish legends Entombed.
Guitarists Bobby Easley and Ryan Green have that dirty, chunky sound
about their instruments, and use them to pummel the listener. With
a new 10-song album in the process of being put together, it should
further solidify their intense beginnings found on this short but
sweet album.
<Liam Savage> -8-
AMPED
Rude & Tattooed (Stumble)
From
St. Catharines, Ontario, Amped play mid-paced power pop in the vein
of MxPx and Good Charlotte. Vocals and backing vocal harmonies are
the driving force behind this band, and are accomplished with excellent
craft. While the band markets itself as punk, their sound is missing
the rage and energy that symbolizes true punk. Most of the lyrics
focus around simple teenage subjects such as friendship, girls,
and having fun. All 12 tracks on 'Rude & Tattooed' are instantly
catchy, but the songs lack the musical and lyrical complexity one
usually discovers on discs that still sound just as good, if not
better, the hundredth time through as the first. Fun, fashionable,
and fleeting.
<Paul Silbiger> -6-
ANNIHILATOR
Double Live Annihilation (AFM)
My jaw hits the floor every time I listen to this two-CD live set.
Yeah, I' ve known for years that Jeff Waters was a great guitarist,
but actually
hearing this stuff on a decent quality live disc ('In Command (Live
1989-1990)' was cool, but it had too much of a bootleg vibe going
on, and Jeff was still developing as a guitarist) really caused
goosebumps. The setis a speed-driven hulk touching on a majority
of the finer points throughout the years, and live, the band made
even the material I previously didn't care for likeable! While many
bands use live albums as contractual obligations (*cough* Sanctuary
*cough*), it seems Annihilator released 'Double Live Annihilation'
as brilliant evidence that the band needs to be heard and is truly
a sonic force with which to be reckoned! I'm really gonna miss Joe
Comeau fronting the band, because he had great chemistry with Jeff
and blended beautifully with the music, even in the live setting.
But goddamn, when is the world going to recognize Jeff Waters as
a world-class master shredder? This man plays circles around every
damn nü-jack guitarist on the scene, and where is his Guitar
World cover feature? Oh that's right, Americans don't care about
talent. Anyway, disc two is the real charmer here, for as the set
draws to a close, they pull out the classics, and just hearing "Crystal
Ann" live made me extremely envious of the Europeans who were
there to witness it. Even if you are not a fan of live discs, this
deserves at least one listen, because it could really change a lot
of opinions about the band. Annihilator, the kids just can't compete!
<Mark Morton> -9-
ANTHRAX
We've Come For You All (Sanctuary)
There seems to be a stigma, especially these days, with historic
metal bands. If the band loses key members along the way, and/or
doesn't put out an album for a few years, speculation runs rampant
about how the band's new album will be shit before it's even heard.
Many seemed to take this stance with the new Anthrax for some reason,
but after listening to it quite a bit myself, I will offer my own
opinion on their first new album since 1998's 'Volume 8 - The Threat
Is Real.' While there are some throwaway tracks on here, there are
some great tunes that are destined to be classics, most
notably lead track "What Doesn't Die," which gives off
a crushing thrash delivery, "Superhero," with its infectious
rhythm, and "Safe Home," which flows really nicely. But
then there's the throwaway tracks, such as "Black Dahlia",
which is just weird with its blast-beats out of nowhere. "Cadillac
Rock Box" also comes to mind because the title is fucking horrible,
and the song sounds like a Kiss tribute, which might have been the
intention. Regardless, apart from a few swerves on this album, it
only gets better with repeated listens. Anthrax didn't put this
out to compare to 'Among The
Living' or 'Sound of White Noise,' but rather to be judged on its
own. I think people need to look at it that way before listening.
Welcome back, Anthrax!
<L. Savage> -7.5-
ANTIMATTER
Lights Out (The End)
I'll admit I was eagerly anticipating the new album from Antimatter,
and the band did not let me down. While much mellower than their
previous
release-2002's 'Saviour'-Antimatter still manages to rustle up enough
emotions to draw you into their framework of ideas/sounds. I've
always liked
Duncan Patterson's compositions (the duo is rounded out by Mick
Ross), as he penned most of one of my favourite albums of all time
(Anathema's
'Alternative 4') and because of his real down-to-earth vibe he gives
each number. Even if a track is a glorious, triumphant epic, there
is always an honest, wholesome vibe going on. Here the music follows
a steady, simple flow of harmonies and lush soundscapes for the
most part, with 'Lights Out' never really straying far from the
realm in which it has comfortably imbedded itself. Most notable
tracks would have to be "The Art of a Soft Landing," the
title track, and "In Stone." 'Lights Out' is a worthwhile
listen for anyone who feels to need to sit back and forget about
the world for 50 minutes or so, a tranquil state of mind set at
ease by soothing passages.
<Adrian Bromley> -8-
AS I LAY DYING
Frail Words Collapse (Metal Blade)
Metal Blade has been hit or miss with me for the last little while,
mainly due to the mass of talent occupying other labels like Century
Media and
Nuclear Blast, which leaves slim pickings. So one of the unexpected
surprises for me was signing a band that plays the "deathcore"
style, which
in this case is As I Lay Dying. Found on their major label debut
is 12 tracks of your average run-of-the-mill deathcore, with liberal
dashes of
Swedish death throughout. So if you heard a description like this,
would you be intrigued? I would be, but only slightly. Not every
band can pull this
off, and I'm sorry to say this particular band hasn't. However,
I see this band getting better with more experience and future albums.
But for now, it
just sounds like anything else I've heard before. Good effort, guys,
and great playing, but let's see some musical growth for album number
two.
<L. Savage> -5-
BATTLELORE
Sword's Song (Napalm)
Finnish folklore/battle/metal act Battlelore continue where they
left off with 2002's '...Where the Shadows Lie' on their new disc,
providing us with
an album of wonderful, lush harmonies, epic song structures, and
metallic riffing. While the band doesn't really stray too far away
from their sound on this new offering, there are shining moments
of the band working their mystical magic here and there into some
new territories and ideas, most notably "The Mark of the Bear,"
the electronic-tinged battle march of "Attack of the Orcs"
and "The War of Wrath." Battlelore are one of those bands
whose image might deter some from picking up an album (they take
this Middle Earth persona very seriously) but if the skeptical metalhead
can look past the broadswords and shields, there is a lot of great
stuff to digest here (and on all their releases). The gods shine
on Battlelore once again.
<A. Bromley> -7.5-
BRICK
BATH
Rebuilt (Crash Music)
It's funny, sometimes even the most simplistic albums give me an
energy
rush. With Brick Bath's latest (and my first exposure to the band),
they
give such a straight-ahead crushing musical delivery that you can't
help but
become ensconced into this adrenaline-soaked, angry recording. Simplistic,
yet catchy and hard as hell-that's a winning formula when done right.
As far
as a particular sound? Well, if you took The Haunted and added some
hardcore
to their already pertinent death sound, you'd get a good idea of
what Brick
Bath is all about. They also sound like Lamb of God as far as the
energy and
forcefulness goes, which is a definite plus. The great thing about
this disc
is that the band delves into other styles of metal while keeping
themselves
planted firmly in their death/hardcore/thrash sound. 'Rebuilt' doesn't
get
tiring, as the band changes up each song just enough to not induce
boredom,
which a lot of bands in this genre tend to do. Losing sight of quality
in
place of being too concentrated on delivering the heaviest possible
sound is
lost on a lot of metal bands these days, so that's why I'm glad
Brick Bath
traveled down the right path. Great album.
<L. Savage> -8-
CALLENISH CIRCLE
My Passion / Your Pain (Metal Blade)
I guess upon hearing their last album, 2002's 'Flesh_Power_Dominion,'
I didn
't expect much from this group. It's not that they aren't a worthy
and
talented band, but it was more a case of me already predicting the
sounds I
was going to hear. This happens a lot these days within the hybrid-genre
of
death/thrash. So I received the new album from Callenish Circle
hoping for a
little more advancement. I received that. It's not the biggest advancement
of their sound that I could hope for, but it's a start. The new
album keeps
the old death/thrash theme intact, but adds some maturity to the
platter.
Opener "Soul Messiah" sets up their basic sound, while
"Forsaken," "What
Could Have Been." and "This Truculent Path" showcase
well-drawn-out
compositions that lure in the listener and offer more to the overall
sound.
There are a couple of tracks that do nothing to evolve the sound,
but in
general they're not representative of the whole recording. Upon
the first
listen to this, I kind of passed it off, just seeing it as a rehash
of the
last one, but after repeated listens, it commanded my attention.
If you
loved their last effort, 'My Passion // Your Pain' will be even
more
inviting to your ears.
<L. Savage> -7-
CHARGER
Confessions of a Man (Mad Enough to Live Amongst Beasts) (Peaceville)
Triumphantly continuing where Iron Monkey (R.I.P.) left off, fellow
Brits
Charger steamroll into 2003 with an album so powerfully charged
and
downtrodden that most EYEHATEGOD/Iron Monkey fans will get a stiff
woody
from just a quick scent of what this album holds. In short, Charger
makes
deranged lunatic Charles Manson look like a schoolgirl. Ruthless,
uncouth
and rabid, Charger fuels the riotous dreams for those of us who
like our
music heavy and in chaotic disarray. No matter what song is spinning,
they'
ll all knock your teeth in. As you know, your parents warned you
about the
bogeyman-I'm warning you about these venomous Brits.
<A. Bromley> -8.5-
CHINCHILLA
Madtropolis (Metal Blade)
My kingdom for some interesting power metal! This has been an issue
with me
for quite a while, as some may have noticed in past reviews of this
genre.
Now with Chinchilla, I'll state what the good things about this
album are.
It flows well, and the musicianship is very good. Yep, that's about
all I
can salvage from this. Now to the bad. This just reeks of boring,
cookie-cutter power metal, which basically means it's well played,
but it
offers absolutely nothing new to the listener. Then, of course,
we get to
the part of the disc that offers the unnecessary song about heavy
metal. I
will always trash bands that take this route, as it makes them sound
like
Manowar, which annoys me to no end. We all know heavy metal is great,
but
can you cut out the cheese so outsiders looking into this form of
music that
we love can take a serious look at it, instead of laughing at this
Spinal
Tap moment? Chinchilla is all right if you're one of those "true
metal"
types of headbanger, but I just can't sit by and watch the bulk
of
modern-day power metal make a mockery of the music I love.
<L. Savage> -2-
CULPER RING
355 (Neurot)
What a fucking mindtrip! What started in 1997 has finally been released
to
the world, an ambitious and truly ethereal romp into a sonic realm
of
comfort and uneasiness. The band-a side project of Kris Force (Amber
Asylum), Mason Jones (Subarachnoid Space), and Steve Von Till (Neurosis,
Tribes of Neurot)-pushed forward with this project over many years
when time
allowed them to break away from their other projects. What we have
here is a
substantial amount of experimentation, lots of simple bursts of
energy
enshrouded within haunting vocal passages and a real essence of
life
unfolding, leaving your emotions cautiously entranced from track
to track.
Beauty runs deep within Culper Ring, yet the more you search for
it, the
more you get lost in the subtle, yet blinding intensity of it all.
I'm
speechless.
<A. Bromley> -9-
xDISCIPLEx A.D.
The Revelation (Triple Crown)
As the band name implies, xDisciplex A.D. is a Christian straightedge
hardcore band; 'The Revelation' is their fourth full-length release.
They
project a tough, testosterone-injected sound that features angry
vocals,
buzz-saw guitars and intense drumming. What makes xDisciplex A.D.
stand out
is their willingness to mix things up. "Lick Your Wounds,"
the album's
fourth track, is built around slower rock rhythms, which makes for
a
compelling change of pace. The next song, "Die Humanity,"
shows a different
face, driven by extended double bass drumming and ferocious chugga-chugga
guitars. Madball's 'Look My Way' had the same approach to tempo
and, thanks
to that approach, was easily their best album. Featuring an effective
combination of all-out power and colourful variety, 'The Revelation'
is an
excellent listen from beginning to end.
<P. Silbiger> -7.5-
DIXIE WITCH
One Bird, Two Stones (Small Stone Records)
Seeing as music with a retro sound has been accepted for a little
while now
in the music business, I wasn't surprised that I discovered another
album in
this category. The genre for the retro sound contained on this album
is
southern rock, and I'd be lying if I didn't say that Dixie Witch
pulls off
this sound flawlessly, and without all the stereotypes. There are
no lyrics
about whiskey drinking, or getting in bar fights, or songs about
the south,
but rather songs about life on the road and what it's like to be
a
hard-working band in America. Another great aspect of this band
is that they
're a trio, but convincingly make this sound just as rich and full
as the
Allman Brothers do with three guitarists. Add a dash of stoner rock,
a great
fuzzy '70s-sounding production, and a singer who sounds like Dave
Wyndorf
from Monster Magnet, and you've got a great recipe for southern
rock done
right.
<L. Savage> -7.5-
ELAD
LOVE AFFAIR
A Woman Gives Birth to a Gun and It Stabs Her (Immigrant Sun Records)
Ever wonder what Bjork would sound like if she ventured into the
unfamiliar
territory of the emo/punk scene? Well, she would most likely sound
like
singer Nola Ranallo of Elad Love Affair. The singer highlights an
off-the-wall set of At The Drive In meets The Blood Brothers-sounding
tunes
that run from delicate sounding to light mathcore. The album title
is, um,
interesting, for lack of a better word. And the music has a tendency
to draw
you into its uniqueness, then quickly switching to another arrangement,
which tends to frustrate me if it's not done properly. The band
manages to
do this about half the time on this EP, but I guess that's part
of being a
group in this scene. Getting back to the vocals, Ranallo seems to
me like
she's trying too hard, like she's singing with all her energy, even
during
the slow parts, which kind of seems out of place. And her voice,
once again,
reminds me of Bjork, and while I'm a fan of that particular songstress,
I
find the comparison not to be beneficial to this group. All that
aside, this
is a decent album that has a good amount of twists and turns, and
doesn't
get tiresome (although if it was more than 30 minutes, I might lose
interest).
<L. Savage> -6-
FORLORN
Hybernation (Napalm)
I like where black metal is headed these days. Gone are the restrictive
shackles of continuous blast-beats and trying to be the heaviest.
More
diversity has been added, and I welcome it. Such is the case with
Forlorn.
They have taken a black metal canvas and painted some ambient and
atmospheric styles in this musical art. Probably most comparable
to current
Dimmu Borgir crossed with Samael, 'Hybernation' takes you on a metal
journey
filled with atmospheric keyboards and guitars. I do think there
could be
improvements to the vocals though, which tend to sound a little
too typical
of black metal in general. Also, they seem to stretch out some areas
on the
CD that could be better left shorter, but other than that, I'm interested
in
this involved, yet not convoluted sound. It'll be interesting to
see where
this band goes sound-wise on the next album.
<L. Savage> -7-
EMBRACE
TODAY
Soldiers (Deathwish)
There seems to be an abundance of bands in the ultra-heavy genre
of
grindcore that put out albums with a ton of songs that range from
30 seconds
to two minutes, and make a point of giving the listener an aural
assault in
that short amount of time. Such is the case with Embrace Today,
who at 15
songs in a mere 22 minutes, have taken that grindcore layout and
made it
somewhat accessible in a hardcore shell. And why does this make
it as good,
if not better, than short grind albums? Well, it flows a bit better.
It
doesn't give you a heart attack right away; rather it hits you hard,
but
gives you time to recover. This isn't an album to compare to the
likes of
Agoraphobic Nosebleed or the late, great Brutal Truth, but rather
outfits
like Extreme Noise Terror and Subzero. Hard as hell, but not too
much too
quickly. A decent mini-album full of power and intensity.
<L. Savage> -6-
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