Amen - Amen
1999 Roadrunner Records

Let me just state for the record that I think that this is utter crap, Ross Robinson being the Brendan O'Brien of the hard rock world. The fact that he's not only involved in this project, but that he liked the band so much that he signed them to his own mini-label only addds to my dislike for this disc. One more thing I can't get over is that former Wrathchild America/Souls at Zero drummer Shannon Larkin is playing on this album, until I remember that his previous band was indeed Ugly Kid Joe. I guess that this is condiered "angry", with vocalist Casey "Chaos" (who is also responsible for all the music and riffs on this sonic abortion) snarling like a third rate John Lydon as his band throws around plenty of power chords for everyone's enjoyment. You know what though, this'll probably go gold in the states, with teenage girls and big pants/chain wallet guys eagerly awaiting when they can start pseudo-moshing to this tripe. I remember when Roadrunner used to sign some awesome bands, now it's seems that they're just breeding groups for Ozzfest. Lovely. This is already recycled.

Amduscias - Amduscias
1998 Blackend Records

Metal Blade seems to have the exclusive distribution rights to all of the Blackend stuff in the states, which is fortunate for us, even if we do end up getting these albums a couple years after their initial release. What's the problem with that? Well, for some albums, Amduscias being one of them, the sound can seem a tad dated, this E.P. sounding like standard norse black metal circa '97. Yeah, that's only couple of years, but as metal styles shift so rapidly, to stay on the cutting edge, especially insomething as volatile as black metal, things have to sound fresh. That's my opinion anyway. So, Amduscias is another BM album to throw in the stacks, or is it? There are some cool guitar moments, but for the most part, I find it pretty uninspiring, not really breaking any new ground or adding anything special to the scene. The fact that this band is from Japan is kinda cool to me, but they've managed to clone an established sound, rather than creat something new, and coupled with a pretty thin production, I'm outta here.

Amsvartner - The Trollish Mirror
1997 Blackend Records

I'm actually hearing this E.P. for the first time after being enthralled by the group's Dreams full-length, and I'm glad tha this is the case. I say this because had I heard this first, I would have focused more on the primitive black metal elements rather than the progressive metal undertones that flow throughout this release. Not as focused nor as inspirational as Dreams, The Trollish Mirror nonetheless holds it's own power, being an over the top spectacle of guitar lines, frenetic drumming, and frost-laden vocals, not bad for a group of guys with an average age of about 16 here. The bottom line is that this is an exciting 22 minutes of music, rife with creativity from a band that is rapidly becoming one of my favorites to hear. I know why this is, Amsvartner incorporating a lot of breaks, and a healthy sense of melody, but it's also thanks to drummer Alfred Johansson, who plays in a style similar to Reed Mullin of 80s era C.O.C., having a reckless abandon and the chops to guarantee that what he attempts will succeed. This results in a lot of half-time/ double-time changes, maybe frustrating to some, but to me, it works because while it breaks things up but maintains the overall flow of the song. Fuck, I just like it because it's a young band who decided to play from their heart instead of taking the easy route and forming a carbon copy of a popular established band, which is what we need if metal is to truly "return". Seek these guys out over what's presented to you in the local mall, you'll be happy that you did.

Arch Enemy - Burning Bridges
1999 Century Media Records

It was only a few years ago that Black Earth became one of the most sought after indie albums of all time, it seems. Intelligently using the old supply and demand law, Wrong Again Records only released a paltry amount of this platter, forcing most people to import and pay high prices in many areas of the world. It was a secret that wouldn't last long, with Century Media "discovering" this band of musical geniuses and giving them a deal. The result of this initial union was Stigmata, a highly technical affair which pleased many young guitar virtuosos, but was a trifle disappointing for those of us who had experienced the power of the debut. Talking to Michael Amott provided some illumination into that recording, and I think that it's definitely safe to say that Burning Bridges rectifies any weaknesses in the AE armor. While not as all out brutal as BE, or as technically driven as Stigmata, a happy medium is realized, uncomprising, yet as wise and experienced as it should be. I'd place a lot of the refocusing of the group back on drummer Daniel Erlandsson, a gifted individual who helps define what metal drumming is. His powerful base allows the brothers Amott freedom to explore, yet reminds them when it's time to come home from arpeggio heaven, if you know what I mean. In heralding the rhythm section, one has to also mention bass wunderkind Sharlee D'Angelo, who is also responsible for this solidity. Now, there are some true moments of stadium rock here, where the solos are the spotlight, and I almost hear flashes of Rush or Cheap Trick! It's not as apparent as on Stigmata though, and Liiva's vocals are once again strong (apparently he was sick while tracking the last album), a good thing as his work helped define what I consider the Arch Enemy sound. He experiments a bit as well (if that is indeed him, promo discs don't have the full credits listed), a welcome change, not as outlandish as before. You may have noticed so far that I've hardly mentioned the Amott's playing, an interesting fact as Arch Enemy is truly a guitar band! Well, what needs to be said, besides the fact that the elder Amott is responsible for penning some of the greatest songs in death metal history. Chris may be the young one, but his playing shows plenty of flair, knowledge and excitement as well. I, for one, am glad to see the boys back in form after their "sophomore slump", and can easily peg Burning Bridges as one of my favorite releases of the year so far.

Atomic Bitchwax, The - The Atomic Bitchwax
1999 MIA Records

Groovy, oh so groovy, TAB consisting of Ed Mundell (Monster Magnet), who apparently remembers that he used to play some pretty cool shit before selling out with Wyndorf (c'mon, Space Lord?) It's still a it too "retro", sounding like a bunch of stuff that's been done all thrown together, but stil kinda cool, main catalyst being Keith Ackerman's hyper drumming. It's just all so 70s, really bowing a lot to Hawkwind, which is the main influence I'd say these guys have, yet I jus t couldn't put my finger on it for a while. Weird to see that they do a cover of Core's Kiss the Sun, as Core are now labelmates with these guys. Obligatory references are made to Fu Manchu and other bands of that ilk, although they're nowhere near the vicinity of Kyuss or Sleep. That may give you some indication of where TAB chose to roam. A healthy "eh" out of me, finding this OK, but kinda drab. It'll resurface when I want to hear something like this and get played over the other 15 bands that have released works in this genre lately.

Blotorch - Blotorch
1999 Wicked World Records

For some reason, I really expected Blotorch to be some kind of punk record, with the misspelled name and industrial tinged graphics. Imagine my surprise (if you will) then when what burst from my speakers was the record that Dark Tranquillity should have released instead of Projector. And that's not even the best part, Blotorch just really shredding across a multitude of styles, basing things in the melodic death realm, but also drawing from some brutal death and black metal influences as well. I have absolutely no information on this band, other than that they're from Holland, which adds to a certain air of mystery and in fact, allowed all prejudgements to be vacant. Strongest elements are the keen riffs (very DT influenced on many tracks, as I mentioned), the spot-on drumming, and some serious paint-scraping vocals. It sounds like someone's running a cheese grater along his vocal chords (shudder). Things stay along the midpace, occasionally slowing things down, or hitting blast territory. Some truly ranuchy intro samples are a bit of place, but definitely had "shock value", which is why these are placed there. Much like Soilwork's first effort, Blotorch is instantly recognizable, but may be open to too many comparisons (Dark Tranquillity vs At the Gates for SoilworK). It doesn't matter to me though, as I find enough to keep me interested here, and I really didn't like Projector. Full on recommendation from me on this one if you get into the post-Gotheburg melodic sound.

Burnt Offering - Walk of the Dead
1998 SOD Records

Whoa, what a blast from the past! Burnt Offering being around for quite a while, and recording this opus for the newly formed SOD Records. And the resulting sound? Classic, classic death metal, sounding like these guys were frozen circa 1987 and just released upon a crowd dicovering metal's "retro" years just now. Well, these walk the walk, spitting out monster riff after monster riff, Hal Shore's throaty vocals being from that beefy rock background, more like shouted words than throat grinding madness. What makes this work are the riffs and the bashing caveman style with which they're played. An interesting note is that there is NO double bass on this album, blasphemy in this day and age. But it works, Mitch being creative enough to fill inthe spots, but there are a couple of times where some mid-paced material screams for the double kicks. Cool to see someone going against the norm though, and who the hell would have thought to sample Sling Blade for their latest record? Here's also a perfect case where the music makes the packaging makes the music, Petagno's horrific cover totally capturing the vibe that the band was going for, a horrificly, crispy good time. Things get a bit redundant towards the last few tracks, but a killer disc to throw in and just bang your fucking head to, I must say.

Candiria - The Process of Self-Development
1999 MIA Records

I caught my first glimpse of Candiria through their set at the March Metal Meltdown. Completely impressed with their off-kilter approach to some grinding death (complete with stop/start beats and an off-time feel to the whole thing), I immediately ordered their first two albums. It was then that I discovered that Candiria live and Candiria on record are two completely different entities. Where live the band eschewes most of their jazz elements and concentrates on the sick, twisted and heavy material they have, their recordings find the band in a much more experimental frame of mind. Now, this is pretty cool, but it does break the flow sometimes, while at moments achieving pure brilliance. They succeed in melding all of their many influences, but I find myself skipping whole tracks at times. But, of course, this makes the insane grind parts that much heavier, and had the entire album consisted of them, the impact would have been diminished. But, in a nutshell, this is the problem I'm having with The Process of Self-Development, totally digging the older songs that are redone here (Temple of Sickness, Elevate in Madness) along with Mathematics and some other things. What I'm not liking is the heavily pervasive rap element, which just smacks of the Beastie Boys for some reason. Regardless, Candiria are a band that I can allow a few deviations from, for when they hit it, it's dead on. Plus, the band is comprised of stellar musicians, especially the multi-talented Kenneth Schalk, who decimates his drums with the greatest of ease. This is from Brooklyn though, and while I don't like it, the rap sections do make some sense. It's just a bit too mainstream for my liking... Final analysis? It's not straight metal, The Process... deviating even further from the main paradigm, but if you want to hear some jazzed out fusion metal, these are the kings. Postscript - I guess that certain aspects of rap can be viewed as a modern extension of jazz in the 70s, both beginning as a musical outlet for individuals in the urban areas, it's just not my choice of stimulation. Much respect for this band though, and I look forward to their impending world domination.

Centurion - Arise of the Empire
1999 Scarlet Records

If you're pressed for time reading this review, I'll cut you a break and tell you what this sounds like in 5 words, by the book power metal. I think that these guys were a bit hit at metalfest, for everyone kept talking about their set. As for me, I don't even know if they played, and if they did, I certainly was off watching something else, as I really don't get into this particular brand of heaviness. And it is heavy, but just chock full of cliches for me, and the vocals... The sirens of victory are always the kiss of death in my opinion, destroying any chance that the cool riffs had of winning me over. I just can't do it, these vibrato notes only succeeding in pissing me off. Which kinda sucks, as I really like some of the chord progressions. It's weird, I can get used to many different styles, but not these harpy shrieks. Sorry guys, I know you can play, but I'm getting a headache. There are some positives, some of which being the best of Maiden and even Rush revamped for the '90s, maybe the vocalist can be mixed lower next album.

Core - The Hustle Is On
1999 MIA Records

Here's another one from the same school of stoner rock where I placed the Bitchwax. Core are relatively infamous in small circles due to their Billy Anderson prodcued, Atlantic released album Revival, which people seemed to love, but was obviously not meant for mainstream America. Well, the boys have returned, this time releasing their work on the smaller but meaner Tee Pee/MIA Records. Immediately looking at the artwork (reminding me of Sleep's original Jerusalem cover, which reminded me of Bakshi's Wizards), you can tell that more artistic integrity was kept this time around, and the music seems to support that theory. I call it stoner rock because that's the definite impression that I get, Core producing sounds from a rig that I'm sure includes a Les Paul, vintage tube amplification, and most likely a "Big Muff" distortion pedal. Get the idea? Well, as I felt with the Bitchwax (I'm actually reviewing these back to back, which may be a mistake), it's OK, but an album that I'll only be hearing at certain times, like late on Sunday evenings when I'm burning the midnight oil. So while it's a bit tame for the tastes of the seasoned metalhead, there are some times when you want to throw in something else besides raging death, and Core can fit the bill quite nicely. Very unoffensive, you can play it for your family at Thanksgiving. Although don't drop LD 50 as one of the song titles to your cousin the biologist, heh heh.

Daeonia - Craven
1998 Candlelight Records

Many people consider bands such as My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost "Doom" metal. I disagree, feeling that there's a much heavier gothic flavor in these bands, evoken imagery that pertains to white shirts with puffy collars, make up, vampirism, you know, all those romanticized ideals of a perfected land gone by. So, with an appropriate definition, and some compartive bands named, I'll refresh what one can expect when listening to an album such as Craven. Don't even bother with lighting, lest it be by candle, for these carefully written chords were created to squeeze the joy out of anything in life (which is where the ill-fitting "doom" reference can come in), albeit these guys probably don't have that much to be happy about anyway. Vocally, this is one sad dude, spinning yarns of things lost, things regained for a short period, things dying, etc... I think you get the picture, Daeonia just being one hell of a depressing band, except I tend to find a lot of this overblown and pompous, shattering the illusion of sincerity. Maybe these guys do crave the black, for the chord progressions are pretty damn good (I burst into tears on numerous occasions), building into some climactic sections complete double bass support (all right!). In listening to this one a few different occasions (all in different scenarios), I found that I got into the album's first few tracks, but always lost interest around the same point, Autumn (track #4). Just a little too much synth here, it's OK, but man, I could hardly hold back from the skip button. My overall impression? Reminds me of a souped up Simple Minds, and not to be heard if you have any desire to remain in high spirits. So, you're probably ready to send me hate mail right now about my refusal to claim that this is doom metal. Well, maybe I'm just a stubborn bastard, but I don't think it's doom, case closed. Write if you want to debate it further, but man, you better have some good arguments...

Dark Tranquillity - Projector
1999 Century Media Records

The mighty Dark Tranquillity make their move to superlabel Century Media and produce one incredibly mundane album. Now, I'm not the only one to notice the alarming style change that many bands undergo after signing up with CM, but I'm not going to stick the label with the blame here. For instance, check out Cryptopsy's latest release and tell me they went soft, and Arch Enemy had recorded Stigmata before laying their signatures down. This leads me to believe that bands decide to "mature", and then pick CM as an appropriate label to shift to. A shame really, as older DT material contains some truly classic moments in the realm of melodic metal. I have to admit that my patience for the band has waned over the years, as Skydancer is by far my favorite, with The Gallery coming in a close second. I never really got into The Mind's I like I thought I should, and after hearing three seconds of those meloncholy male vocals, I'm ready to give up. When they retain their roots, things come together, but there's too much pomp in this circumstance for me to ignore. Am I disappointed? Not really, as I didn't expect all that much after The Mind's I, but it's hard to see bands do this... I wish I could pick out the 15 awesome minutes of this disc and leave all the crap out, but life's not exactly fair, is it? Actually, I just wish that they'd ditch the new co-vocalist and get back to some serious ass-kicking, but that's just my opinion.

Deeds of Flesh - Path of the Weakening
1999 Unique Leader Records

Brutal fucking death metal. And that's all that really needs to be said, Deeds of Flesh being a band content to play a solid 30 minutes of technical, blastbeat infected hate. This kinda sounds like Suffocation squared to me, being better produced and having almost more stops and starts per track then the past masters. The production is key also, making Path of the Weakening more than a train wreck presented in a the higher registers. Joey Heaslet is back, delivering a furious performance that is tighter than imaginable. This is actually a pretty tough review to write, for what can you say that hasn't been said a billion times already. How about, you like brutal death metal, huh, do ya punk. Then, if you don't already own this you have no idea what is going on. Killer artwork just adds to the gotta have status.

Ebony Tears - A Handful of Nothing
1999 Black Sun Records

Just when I think that I'm destined to hear nothing but garbage for a month, fate intervenes and furnishes me with some truly spectacular music. I didn't get the last release by Ebony Tears, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll have it before the week's end! Evoking images of the best aspect of the Swedish Scene while incorporating personality, A Handful of Nothing is 30 minutes worth hearing. There are obligatory references to be made, At the Gates and Arch Enemy among them, but while there are some real melodius moments, AHoN contains some real frenetic passages that lean more towards the newer breed of Swedish metalheads than the "Gothenburg" era. The violin track doesn't too much for me, but hey, we only killed 1:20 with that, time more than made up for on the remainder of the album. Don't let the fact that Ebony Tears is being promoted as a two-piece, as recording drummer Richard Eldund??? just kicks the shit out of his kit here. DO yourself a favor and listen to Ebony Tears, it's a good'n.

Endless - Beauty, Tears and the Setting Sun

Interesting disc here, Endless playing some sort of a mix of doom, death and punk! Doom? Where! Oh, that's in the vocals, and those meloncholy guitar lines. Death? I don't believe it! Oh yeah, sounds like these guys are tuned down to A, we've got some requisite double bass and some gnarlish vocals. Punk? Yeah right! Well, I hear a certain "I can't quite play this part but I'm gonna go for it anyway!" mentality, especially with the drumming, which is certainly a punk ethic if I ever knew one. I guess Beauty, Tears... piques my interest because it spans so many sub-subgenres, but it also kinda bores me at the same time, the whole thing just sorta on cruise control, especially vocally. OK, those string sections make me want to euthanize my second oldest cat who has leukemia, but I'm only in my basement crying about 20 minutes a day. So while I appreciate someone making another record which panders to the "gothic" individual, it's a really hard task to do without coming across completely pretentious. Morgion somehow got away with it, but they also really live the life (irony, folks), and I don't know about Endless just yet. OK, I'm being kinda harsh, but this is an album that I'm glad the review is done for, cuz I doubt that it will EVER be played again, unless I lose another kitty to the great purina famine. PS - I don't like cats.

Enthroned - Regie Sathanas
1998 Blackend Records

Metal Blade just sent this to me, about two months after I received Enthroned's latest album. Basically an E.P. of old and new material (plus a cover of Sodom's The Conqueror) made as a tribute to their former drummer (who chose to kill himself rather than live in a world full of Christians, why didn't he just move to Utah?), RS is black metal to the extreme. Meaning: guitar riffs from hell, blastbeats from beyond and vocals out of the void. Never been the biggest Enthroned fan, but they do have their following, which means that once again I may just not recognize talent when I hear it. I guess I just get sick of hearing the same damn riffs over and over again with no break to the monotony. Well, a couple of the tracks don't follow that format here, with Walpurgis Night actually being a bit slow, surprising, as Towards the Skullthrone of Satan seemed to have one drum beat for the entire album! Satan Never Sleeps (which is why he's so evil) is a track from the band's Morbid Death days, and the thrash influence back there totally shows. Weird, but probably my favorite track on the album. Their cover of The Conqueror isn't all that bad, but as Expurse of Sodomy is by far my favorite Sodom opus, it's hard for me to judge fairly. So, I'm still not the biggest Enthroned fan, and I probably will never be, but Regie Sathanas is by far their most interesting work for me. And at almost 30 minutes, this E.P. isn't that bad of a bargain. "Conqueror, conqueror!"

Gardenian - Soulburner
1999 Nuclear Blast Records

While Gardenian's first offering, Two Feet Stand, was a kick ass album, it had a couple of strikes against it. For one, the resemblance to In Flames at the time was a little more than passing, and for another, it was incredibly hard to find! Well, here comes Soulburner, and with a nice Nuclear Blast contract in hand, you can be sure that every store in sight will have multiple copies in stock. As for the In Flames comparisons, the band feels as though they've evolved beyond that phase, and I sort of agree, but... It's really hard to escape your roots, and as vocalist Jim Kjell put it "Hey, we are from Gothenburg!" This leads to an incorporation of melody, resulting in a sound that has been made popular by In Flames, but also part of what is Gardenian. While the band has strived to create song which are more power metal in nature, the biggest push towards that goal is definitely the addition of Erik Hawk (ex-Artch) on "clean" vocals. Now, I really don't know if I get into this new trend at all (it destroyed my latest Dark Tranquillity listening experience), but it works for the most part here, only being slightly annoying on If Tomorrow's Gone and Tell the World I'm Sorry. I really prefer Kjell's style much more I guess. Taking the package as a whole, Soulburner is a much more mature album, many steps removed from Two Feet Stand in many ways. Definitely more accessible, I predict Gardenian filling the space between the ultra-melodic and the ultra-brutal Swedish Metal scenes. I could be a real shithead and say "this is for fans of In Flames", but that sucks, both for the listener and the band, as Gardenian have definitely strived for something different here, even if guitarist Niklas Engelin was in In Flames circa the Whoracle tour. I also have to state that whatever the band did on the last two tracks is worth the entire price of admission here, somehow creating a soundscape of sadness that knocked the wind out of me. Their first definitive statement, Soulburner is a success for all parties concerned.

God Dethroned - Bloody Blasphemy
1999 Metal Blade Records

Platter number three for these heretics, and while I completely got into last year's The Grand Grimoire immediately, Bloody Blasphemy has required a little extra time to sink in. The major elements of TGG are still here, and if anything, Bloody... is even faster and more intense than that release. I'm really not sure why I find fault with this release, it's just that like Children of Bodom's last release, it's good, but something is definitely missing. The performances have all improved since the last outing, especially in the drum department, undead pulse initiator Roel just decimating everything around him. The guitarwork is slick, vocals sick, and the production dead on, but I'm left kind of dry. Granted, I did start to lose interest after a few tracks on The Grand Grimore, and there is quite a bit of good material here, perfect if you're a "hit" listener. Me? I like to hear an album in it's entirety, not fast forward or press stop after the first couple of tracks, which is what I guess I find happening here. The strongest parts for me on the album are when things slow down a bit, as in the mid-section of A View of Ages, or during the truly remarkable Soul Capture 1562. Introduction of some weird vocals on opener Serpent King are way off the mark in my opinion, but hey, at least they're experimenting, I guess. I know I'm being really critical here, but I'm just a little disappointed overall by this album. I do like the bald look though, and I'd give money to know how "Beef" got his moniker. Unless it has something to do with "Boogie Nights", in which case I'll just keep thinking that it's cuz he works for the Dutch meat trade.

Godflesh - Us and Them
1999 Earache Records

Listening to Godflesh is more of a all-encompassing emotional experience than say, a casual affair. Something about the truly menacing riffs, mechanistic rhythms, and Broadrick's slithering voice create the perfect companionship for darkness in the city. Maybe I feel this way because I used to spin Streetcleaner quite a bit when I was in my angst period ('89, Philadelphia), but it just seems to fit. The Godflesh attack isn't as threatening as it once was, but with each album brings new advancements to the trademark sound, as close to the idea of "Industrial" as you'll hear from a major label these days. The last platter I really dug by these guys was Songs..., partially because Brain was on drums (in place of Machine), and if Earache hadn't sent this to me, I doubt I would have picked it up. Why? Well, I don't listen to this brand of pain as much anymore, but in hearing Us and Them (aptly titled), I can see why Godflesh still has reason to exist. Once on, it's really hard to do anything else except be absorbed by the music (yes music), encased within. Yeah, there are break beats, and some other "funky" stuff, but if you need something to listen to to completely clear your mind, check this out. Whew, wiped me out just listening through it once!

Hate Eternal - Conquering the Throne
1999 Wicked World Records

Possibly one of the most anticipated deathgrind releases this year, Hate Eternal boasts guitarists from two of the greatest extreme bands, Morbid Angel and Suffocation. Erik Rutan (the MA road guy who was also a member of Ripping Corpse) may be the main dude here, but the presence of one Doug Cerrito is also very known. Cerrito is the man, having written almost all of the best Suffocation material, and having these two in the same band is cause for some alarm. I can't believe sometimes how people can play this fast and this tight, also guessing that production is NOT the reason for this, but rather solid talent on these musicians' part. The Basswork is somewhat in the background as is typical of this genre, but oh man, not the drumming. Holy shit, Tim Yeung is set to be noticed, just blasting through 30+ minuted of some really, really extreme playing. The man is a machine, and I know most people throw that around now, but just listen to this guy's doubles and you'll hear what I mean. I made the mistake of trying to listen to this through headphones at work, and let me tell you, even for someone who deals with extreme all day, this was almost too much. Forget any tedious work whilst under the influence of this shit, for I almost lost it to the point of jumping up and thrashing co-workers on numerous occasions. Hey, you like brutal, brutal grind? Buy this, now. It doesn't get any deadlier. Highly recommeded and hereby named the deathgrind album of the issue.

Hypocrisy - S/T
1999 Nuclear Blast Records

These are the hardest reviews to write, because how do you place the new album from one of your favorite bands in the same league as all of the other crap discs that fly by every day? Well, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. Want the review in a nutshell? The album fucking rules, stop reading and go buy it. Want me to go a little more in depth? Well, Peter and company ahve officially become an institution with this release, providing the metal populace with three back to back incredible metal albums. Existing in the middle of the Abducted's sterility and the dirty crunch of The Final Chapter, Hypocrisy is possibly the best way to present the band. Written more as a complete band then previous works, this disc showcases the obvious talent (and influences) that go into making a band of this caliber. I'm not sure why, but I've read that the band has described this disc as being the black album for Hypocrisy, and in trying to read between the lines for this one, I'd say that that statement signifies the rebirth of the band (they almost split 2 years ago), their opportunity to shine in the fickle spotlight of the "mainstream", and that this album is also comprised of many moods, ranging from the bleak to the chaotic. Themes that were hinted at before are accentuated here, perhaps due to raised confidence or maturity. Lyrically, well, one gets glimpses of subject matter, clarified a little by hefty track titles. I know, it's everyone's wish that we can read these in their original form, but evidently Tagtgren really doubts his creative abilites in that department, so we can only wait. The vocals are less subhuman this time, staying more in the midrange of Peter's spectrum. Less demonic than the past, but very fitting for this material. When I think about this as a whole, it seems a tad slower and more refined than TFC, yet certain sections contain some of the fastest pieces since the debut (check out Time Warp). In my opinion, this is still Tagtgren's show, but no problem there, as Peter is easily one of the best songwriters in music, period. In any regard, this is easily my favorite heavywieght disc this time around, never leaving my player unless by absolute force. For further listening enjoyment (and to get an idea where some of the "new" Hypocrisy sound comes from) check out the Pain album, another masterpiece.

Iced Earth - Alive in Athens
1999 Century Media Records

Iced Earth pretty much epitomize power metal in the 90s. Having released album after album to a growing audience, the Florida based band has made a huge jump and relocated to the new metal capitol of the U.S., Chicago. In the interim before the next full length, we get this, an excellent live album which is by no means any filler for the masses. Over two hours in length, my only complaint about this may be that it's just so fucking LONG! But that's necessary, as most IE tracks are over the 8 minute mark, little epics all their own. And then all 16:23 of Dante's Inferno kicks in, and even Iron Maiden are awed by these usurpers of the throne. OK, I'm laying it on a bit thick, but that's my mood when I hear Iced Earth, it's meaty, powerful, metal music. Even the "ballads" are strong, putting a tear in everyone's eye (and more reminiscent of Caress of Steel era Rush than anything else to me!) and a million lighters in the air. They were smart to do this in Athens, as the crowd (yeah, I'm sure it's boosted) know every freakin' work in all the lyrics. And the band? They sound stronger than ever, with Matthew Barlow's vocals really working here, being perfect for the new material as well as his interpretations of the older stuff. The mix is Awesome, and those twin guitars work their magic everywhere. Brent Smedley also puts in a great job behind the set, and the drums sound just HUGE. Studio quality (and not to be cynical, but probably "fixed" with technology), Alive in Athens is worth it, just to hear the Iced Earth perform all their classics as they play them now with excellent clarity.

In Flames - Colony
1999 Nuclear Blast Records

Is it me, or have all of Sweden's heavywights released albums all in the same month? While some have disappointed (Dark Tranquillity), I'm plesantly surprised by the return to form that In Flames have taken here. I say this for while I felt that Whoracle was a good album, it was a huge letdown for me after the brilliance of The Jester Race. Some of this may be that the band had less opportunity to work on the Whoracle songs, but I think that it was more the fact that Whoracle caught the band in transition, with longtime In Flamesians Glenn Ljundstrom and Johan Larsson leaving the band after that album's recording. Niklas Engelin from Gardenian stepped in, but left to be replaced by drummer Bjorn Gelotte, who was responsible for a lot of the new material. This change was for the best, as the band's intensity has been upped a notch by new skinsman Daniel Svensson (ex-Sacrilege). The movement towards the pop realm is still taking place, but I have to hand it to In Flames for keeping the faith in the vocal department, because to my ears, that's the main factor keeping this band from the mainstream limelight (well, and maybe that lightning double bass work). Changing the vocals could have made things "easier" for the band, but thankfully for us fans, they don't seem to have any intention of this is in the near future. There's no real point in trying to describe what Colony sounds like, for In Flames is one of those rare bands that you compare other bands to, not vice-versa. To attempt it anyway, I guess the core sound is an updated Iron Maiden/Judas Priest sense of axework, tuned down to B of course, Frieden spitting out his venomous vox with a sense of power and clarity. Which is a good thing, as his lyrics are once again as intelligent and thought provoking as we've come to expect. Expanding on his conceptual ideas given earlier, it's more like reading a book than a metal lyric sheet. Anders explains his ideas in the interview better than I ever could, so I won't butcher the points he's trying to get across. Another picture perfect Studio Fredman production doesn't hurt this opus either, all instruments strong and mixed well to clarify the attack. I have to say this much though, my immediate favorite song on the album is their 1999 rendition of Behind Space, an awesome song done justice by this confident new line-up. No doubt this is partially due to previous knowledge of the song, but it is a little scary to think that the older stuff may sound more powerful than what is more recent. The whole album grew on me exponentially though, and I have no doubts that this disc will be spun long after the cows have gone to pasture, an occurance which is becoming rarer and rarer as my album collection grows. So, while there are some interesting points in the album (a little organ line pops up at one spot), In Flames are back to business, totally ready to conquer the world this time around, and I for one wish them the best of luck.

In Extremo - Weckt die Toten!
1999 Metal Blade Records (Dist)

Bursting out of central Europe like a second rate Skyclad sung in German, In Extremo ceratinly have something going for them. Complete with a bunch of guys who play traditional instruments (both old and new), Weckt die Toten! (if I were still in high school this would certainly be known as Wacken mie Offen) is kinda dancy in a folk way, probably great for the English Garden, but for normal listening, it's kinda flat. What's funny about German Power Metal is that it always skirted this line, and it wasn't until last weekend that I figured out (finally!) what it was. I was listening to Blind Guardian's Imaginations from the Other Side album when that musical interlude comes on (song #3), and my girlfriend is like: "It sounds like a rennaisance fair". It sure did, and THAT'S the influence that always made those bands have that element of cheese to me, those sections reminding me of badly dressed skinny guys running around with swords and a lot of fake blood. Do you like the human chessboard? Then you may think that In Extremo is El Supremo, but I can't wait to finish this review and get on to something new. Oh yeah, the whole thing is sung in German, which will either add or detract, depending on your particular inclination. Dis Musik Really Sucken!

Internal Bleeding - Driven to Conquer
1999 Pavement Music

Oh yeah, this album just fucking starts, no warning shots, and no pity throughout the whole running time of this monster. Much like Dying Fetus (I'd call these two peers), Internal Bleeding play brutal American Death Metal, complete with incredible guitar work, some truly sick grind vocals, and of course, drum acrobatics from hell. The Addition of Guy Marchais (Pyrexia) has appeared to have twisted this band even further, leading to an interplay between him and Pervelis which competes with the best of them out there. "New" vocalist Lebron has a true gut-wrenching style, I mean, he's got to be sponsored by Chloraseptic. Swirling guitar lines, nicely accented drum patterns, and did I mention that this was fast?! A requisite for bands such as this, regular blast beats almost seem to be too slow for these guys, who have obviously enough confidence in their abilities to be able to come up with some innovative shit at mach 3. I never thought this would be the style that caught my attention the most, but this is yet another album that has been in heavy rotation for the last few weeks. A buy or die if you can appreciate anything brutal out of the state of New York. Last track is contains a 13 minute verbal "thank you" to make sure that no one was forgotten. 8/13/99 - Just wanted to add that I caught these guys at Metalfest (after Dying Fetus no less), and they just blew everybody else off the stage. What impressed me the most was the energetic display from these guys given the incredible technicality of their songs. In my humble opinion, one of the top groups in the genre.

Kreator - Endorama
1999 Pavement (Dist)

For a period of about three years (1986-1989) Kreator were, no holds barred, my favorite band. Pleasure to Kill is a milestone in thrash metal, as is it's successor, Terrible Certainty. I still throw on Flag of Hate to get moving at certain times. Extreme Aggression was the start of the decline of the band in my opinion, finding it a bit too by the numbers for my tastes. I skipped Coma of Souls for years, and have never even heard Renewal. Cause for Conflict found the band reinvigorated, but then Outcast found Ventor back on the throne, and the band faltered yet again. Weird, because Outcast coincidentally found Coroner's T. Tommy Baron in the band. Well, here's Endorama, and upon playing the first few tracks, I can safely say that this sucks, Kreator now vying for the Spinal Tap of 1999 award. I can't believe that two classic bands were ruined to make this piece of slop, Endorama being completely sappy, and further humiliating because there are actually some halfway decent hooks on this album, completely destroyed within seconds by some meaningless chorus or rock play. I completely give up, and you know, I wouldn't have touched this with a ten foot pole had Pavement not sent it to me. Yeah, there are moments of what Kreator used to be, but why should I sit through 15 minutes of garbage to get there, or make allowances anymore for this once incredible band? I don't, nor will I, Endorama being the final chapter in the book of Kreator. I swear, seeing that logo on this album makes me angry.

Lab Animals - Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars
1999 Digital Dimensions Records

The obligatory preface for this review will also serve as a warning to those who any like their music crammed full of distortion: This ain't metal. In fact, Lab Animals remind me of "industrial" as it was perceived at the beginning of the decade, with some late night rave madness thrown in. Now, I've never been to a rave, but I've seen one on TV, and if that is an accurate representation (I'm joking, folks), then Lab Animals know what to do when the 'X' starts to kick in. All fine and dandy, but when I'm listening to this at 9 AM on a Thursday, the effect just isn't there for me. I do dig the Evil Dead 2 samples (one of the greatest movies, ever), and that throws in a point or two, because if it's dictated that you have to have samples, make 'em good. But, after a few tracks, my interest wanes, and I'm skipping around to find something of interest. Hey, if post-industrial dance music is your bag, this is probably good stuff, or it's derivative schlock. Either way, it all kinda sounds similar to me, so ' I'll leave you with that description and state for the record that I could probably find another time to hear this, but most likely Silent Weapons will become another promotional beer coaster while I spin the new Deeds of Flesh album.

Limbonic Art - In Abhorrence Dementia
1999 Nocturnal Art Productions

I first heard Limbonic Art on one of the Blackend compilations, and much like Diabolical Masquerade, their latest release far surpasses anything that exists in their back catalog. Major player Morfeus is credited with being the "Keymaster" here, and I guess I'll let that slide, as IAD contains some truly monumental synth passages, deserving some serious accolades. There are so many keyboard layers here that some might argue that they're the main focus. Maybe, and with the drums also being programmed, the feel is definitely electronic, but it's performed in such a way that I'm not turned off by it. Limbonic Art is basically Morfeus and Daemon, a two man band that probably don't tour that much, instead spending most of their time perfecting these highly sequenced songs which I would say, are among the elite in the atmospheric black metal scene today. They aren't short compositions either, most tracks being around the 7 minute mark, the whole disc coming in at a whopping 70 minutes. Not much in the way of filler here either, all 9 tracks just ripping along at an inhuman pace. I did drop the term atmospheric, but I guess that term is a bit open to interpretation, Limbonic Art being first and foremost a black metal band, just using symphonics to elevate the music above solid grating guitar tones. An excellent release, in my oh so humble opinion, perfect for getting the blood moving on a sluggish winter day.

Lorde of all Desires - The Scent of Malevolence
1999 Root-O-Evil Records

Essentially the flagship band of Earl Root's Root-O-Evil burgeoning record label, Lorde of all Desires play black metal of a distinctly european flavour, yet reside in, of all places, Eden Prarie Minneapolis. The cool thing though is that while the music has the cold yet appealing ambience of those frosty BM bands, Lorde didn't choose to just join a particular movement. Instead, LoaD throw in elements that differentiate them (for me) from many other apers. Production seems to be a key factor in a lot of these recordings, with feelings that anything overproduced goes against the black code of honor, a limiting development which hampers some otherwise good discs for me. Well, this isn't done with mirrors, nor is it recorded in a cave, Malevolence having a really bleak feel, yet everything is discernible, much to my liking. I'm still a layman in matters such as these, but I'd guess that lots of compression and reverb were the helping hands here. A testament against those that sais that the states could never produce a killer black metal band, Lorde of all Desires pay a lot of attention to song structure, building some masterful tunes which run longer than the average 3 minute mark, allowing songs to grow and the listener to become accustomed to each track (essential in more atmospheric black metal) without boredom setting in. I hear a couple of different vocal styles here, with a faint nod towards Cradle in areas (but not too blatant), but overall, I think that LoaD have managed to create an album which stays true to the form, yet builds on the foundation that they were given. There are either a couple problems in the mix or the mastering, where a couple of the instrumental tracks are louder than the rest of the disc, but when considering that this was released through a true undergroung label, I feel bad about making comments like that. Always a big hit at the American festivals, I can see Lorde of all Desires rapidly becoming a hot commodity in the black metal circuit. Closes with an eight minute acoustical guitar piece, now that's something I haven't heard in a while!

Metalium - Millennium Metal
1999 Pavement Records (Dist)

Just what I needed, more power metal. Not that I hate this stuff, but Ijust get so exasperated with having to listen to so many of these albums that I begin to start breaking into volcanic howls of the valkyrie whenever I hear those power chord crescendos. But, I guess that if I have to hear it, at least Metalium do it right. You want gut-busting operatic vocals, twin guitar attacks from beyond the black hills, double bass drumming to announce the coming of the apocalypse, Millenium Metal (Chapter 1, please) is just what the doctor ordered. Some all stars present here as well, Chris Caffery of Savatage and Mike Terrana (it's pronounced Ing-Vay...) being just a couple of them. It's professional, it's German in scope, and it just begins to bug the shit out of me. At this point, what else can I write, for if you like this brand of metal (Iron Maiden taken to new exponential heights), then you'll probably love MMP1, but, if hearing these guys kinda makes you snicker, then there's nothing here to necessitate becoming a teutonic metal convert, not even the dual sword cover.

Mist, The - Gottverlassen
1997 Repulse Records

I remember way back when, Jairo "T." was a band called Sepultura. He had some sort of disagreement as to the direction of the music, and was reported to have left to form a band "more along the lines of Motley Crue"... Well, if indeed that was the case, he sure as hell ditched that idea along the way, for The Mist resides in that realm of punchy, powerful metal, Brazilian style. On the surface, things are pretty straigtforward, and Gottverlassen could be another album which is spun a couple of times and then hits the recycle pile. Depth does exist however, most notably in the guitar work, which adds dimension to the songs, and lifts them from the standard "chug-chug" foundry where most bands feel content to reside. The production is good, don't know why the word "punchy" keeps coming to mind, but it is, with the lower elements (bass guitar and bass drums) given the proper accentuation, keeping things from getting to muddy, while retaining those low frequencies. The vocal work of Marcello Diaz is pretty interesting, being more of a deathly origin, yet every word is discernible, two great tastes that taste great together. Things do start to drag a bit towards the end, but with a running time of almost an hour, that tends to happen. Summing up, a strong guitar album that should appeal to fans of mid-paced powerful death metal, yet with a commercial enough edge to bridge that "gap" that's there.

Mortician - Chainsaw Dismemberment
1999 Relapse Records

I'd say that by now, Mortician are pretty much the most infamous death metal band, and I'd claim that for a few reasons. One, most people seem to absolutely hate them, calling their riffs crap tuned down as far as possible, and masked by too many horror movie samples. Hey, at least they're trying to be original! While I may not be able to throw on Chainsaw Dismemberment at any given point in the day, I appreciate it's existence as the anti-musical statement of the month. Granted, some of it is too much, but hey, it's Mortician, and you get what you pay for. Sub-vocalist Will Rahmer has the lowest voice I've heard, and I was fortunate enough to witness him give an impromtu vocal lesson to my friend Justin (Myself Am Hell) in the Ambassador bar this past August. Watching these guys, this isn't a joke to them, they live the life, and I give credit for that. The other main complaint is the use of a drum machine, which makes sense, but then again it doesn't. People complain that drummers sound like machines on some albums, and yeah, we'd all be flabbergasted if someone was playing these rhythms (which someone did at metalfest), but the machine doesn't sound half bad to me this time. I don't know why I like these guys, it going against everything sensible, but I do, Mortician being the aural equivalent of the thousands of gore movies which are released each year all packed into one solid punch. You Mortician fans know who you are, and we all agree that this is probably their best work to date. Something completely meaningless if you can't stand the band. That's OK, I think the new Backstreet Boys is coming out soon, hope you enjoy it. As for me, I'll stick to the brutal. I still get a chuckle everytime I hear the phrase "Hacked up for Barbeque". Seriously though, I think that these frequencies are so low they could kill whales and shit.

Mortification - Hammer of God
1999 Metal Blade Records (Dist)

You've got to give credit to Mortification, I guess, for no matter what, they keep slogging it out, releasing album after album of mediocrity. Some riffs are cool here, but for the most part, a lot of this stuff is juts rehashed older material from better bands. I almost feel bad for these guys, because they obviously put a lot of work into their material, a lot of it just doesn't come across very strong. My opinion? The band is hampered by a low budget, and by the fact that every song has to do with new christianity, something that tends to rub a lot of metalheads, including myself, the wrong way. I don't know, it could be worse, I guess, Mortification at least being consistent. The more I listen I do see some growth, I just think that the band should cut half of the material released here out, which would still have produced a 32 minute album. Don't care much for Rowe's spoken gruff vocals either, although I do dig Bowen's guitar style, and the tracks that he adds to are among the best on the album. For some reason I don't want to completely slag this, but it does come off as ultimate cheese. C'mon, Daniel was a mosher? Ugh. Mortification - Australian for disciple...

Obscurity - Damnation's Pride
1999 Scarlet (1986 reissue)

This sucks, plain and simple. I don't know how Obscurity are now grouped in with the masters of the late 80s, but that's the marketing plan, something that baffles me. Well, it seems like we've got yet another reissue to throw out, and while the sound gets better on the second half of the disc, it's just fucking boring! Straight ahead playing, spoken word lyrics that sound like Romper Room, forget it, hit stop and save a little but of your life. It also sounds like they spliced a drum machine with real drums in certain sections, ah, fuck it, go get In the Sign of Evil if you really want to hear some old school black thrash.

Old Grandad - The Final Upper
1999 MIA Records

The only reason that one could even begin to call this metal is the tone of the guitar. Other than that, everything about The Final Upper (songs, lyrics, overall feel) is punk to me. And snot nosed punk at that, Old Grandad finding the most juvenile things just hilarious, reminding me of myself in high school. Well, I'm way past that now, so for me, Old Grandad has almost nothing to capture my attention for more than 30 seconds. The playing is sloppy, the songs primitive, just another run of the mill album. Except, there are a few moments where Old Grandad find their niche, and it's in the slow, sludgy passages that inhabit the midsections of their longer tracks. Of course, there are also long ass tracks that just don't go anywhere, making this album (which should have been around 30 minutes) over an hour in length! There are some moments, but for the most part, this will hit the stacks and sit, because at this point, I just don't want to slog through 30 minutes of crap to get to a couple of good ambient minutes.

Regurgitate - Effortless Regurgitation
1999 Relapse Records

Regurgitate are one of the cult grind bands, having been around for quite a while and releasing "music" similar in scope to early Carcass or Napalm Death. Before I give my healthy opinion on this album and the grind genre in general, let's give the specs. 63 tracks in 56 minutes, and that ladies and gentlemen, may be all the information you need to make your decision. No, these aren't slow, drippy love songs, nor are they well thought out technologically superior odes to satan. What this really is are raw, naked ideas. Riffs created and presented almost one at a time. Why do this? Why just take the first thing that pops into your head and throw it on tape? Well, maybe you prefer Delacroix to Picasso, but they're both artists, aren't they? One choosing to refine and present a masterpiece of time, talent and love, the other warping perceived conception and forming a new sphere of influence. The question then just comes down to the type of stuff that you want to hear. If 10 second blasts of noise aren't your bag, or having to sift through 3 tracks to catch an incredible riff, don't even try Regurgitate. But, if you dig primal screams, raw intensity and naked aggression, this is a veritable goldmine for you to discover. For me, I left this stuff at the door a long time ago (with the first Napalm/Carcass releases, along with Larm, Heresy and others of that ilk), and it doesn't do for me what it once did. I can still appreciate what is being done here though, and there ARE some truly inspiring moments here, I just am a little more refined in my old age though I guess. Something to be said for raw creativity though, and at least this drummer (Peter from Face Down/Entombed) is really playing this shit!

Riot - Sons of Society
1999 Metal Blade Records

And they just keep going, and going, and going. Mark Reale has kept Riot alive for over 20 years in one form or another, keeping core members, adding new ones here and there, and SoS is no exception. One of the core elemets that have kept Riot together over the last ten years (besides Mark) is the phenomenal rhythm section of Pete Perez and Bobby Jarzombek. Yeah, they sound familiar, because they're also 2/3 of Spastic Ink. These two are monsters, Jarzombek keeping things interesting almost all of the time, laying back on the slower, "ballad" tracks. Riot is always a mixed bag for me though, always digging a couple songs on each recent album, but finding them not strong enough to carry through the whole hour of material. It's definitely the faster double bass oriented stuff that I find appealing, but I could totally do without those aforementioned three hanky 80s style ballads. I have to say this for Riot though, if someone needed a prime example of a "classic" metal band, Riot would work just fine. All the elements are here, guitar pyrotechnics, amazing solos, and Mike Dimeo belting out tales of fantasy straight from the gut. A bit too cheesy for me most fo the time, but hey, it's Riot, and if I have to make allowances to any band, this is the one. You could do a whole lot worse for your money.

Samael - Eternal
1999 Century Media Records

Now I finally understand where they were going with the Exodus E.P., Eternal just being a ghost of the brilliance that existed on Passage. Similar to Rotting Christ, modern Samael holds no relation to it's previous incarnation, no being a synthy, techo band which kinda sucks. Now, I really liked Passage, and it filled a definite spot for me, but this is just lame, rehashing the same songs as that album, which makes the entire thing end up sounding fake. The "Hoo, Ha" choral lines in the first 30 seconds of the disc are an early warning that this is flying nonstop towards the land of eternal cheese. If you want to hear a near-perfect display of orchaestrated metal, get Passage, and leave this thing the hell alone. I was looking forward to this too, and my disappointment can be felt across vast galaxies, spanning multiple planes of existence, blah blah blah...

Taetre - Out of Emotional Disorder
1999 Die Hard Records

Oh yeah! It seems as though I have to slog through like 20 mediocre discs before something like this jumps out and grabs me. After the requisite 40 second intro (some say mood building, I of the ADD generation say distracting), things kick off and continue along for the duration. Not as balls out as Carnal Forge or Naglfar, I'd still put Taetre up there in the same dimension as those bands, accenting the power rather than the melodic. Yet these songs don't appear chord based, as a lot of other metal albums do, lightening the atmosphere but still keeping the pace and power, get me? I guess the whole package is that new school Swedish Death, just a tad more accessible, which isn't always a bad thing you know. The title refers to how the record was created. Interestingly enough, the most "emotional" track on the album is the ripping cover of the Stones's Paint it Black. Overall, a really good blend of all the Swedish flavours, but I'm kinda bummed about the short playing time though.

Tartaros - The Grand Psychotic Castle
1996 Necropolis Records

Psychotic is certainly right, this album being the sounds from your worst nightmares (or Tim Burton's daydreams). Now famous for his ivory work with a touring Emperor, Charmand Grimloch released this platter a couple of years ago, and the folks at Necropolis are kind enough to have re-released it as a teaser for the pianist's next opus. Based mainly on keyboard work (of course!), TGPC also has some standard black metal guitar and vocals, made interesting by the swirling soundscapes present. The album is a tough listen, but totally cool, really giving one the feeling of being let in on something truly secretive, and fairly evil. I mean, the closing track reminds me of something akin to Clive Barker. Try this as an anaology: most black metal is to Tartaros as Stephen King is to Clive Barker. Stephen King writes some good, creepy stuff, but you know in the end that it's fiction. Barker, on the other hand, writes excellent, creepy stuff, but sometimes I wonder if he knows something we don't... Lovecraft was like that as well. I know I'm off the subject a bit, but this disc is just really eerie, I guess. this means that it may not spin as much as others, but I'm still really impressed with it. Better than average production courtesy of Greighallen adds that special flavor, culimanating in a superior prelude to the next Tartaros release.

Today is the Day - In the Eyes of God
1999 Relapse Records

Today is the Day is an exhaustive experience. Coming close to their potenital on 1998's Temple of the Morning Star, TitD finally give birth to the monstrosity that we feared they were carrying within. A lot of the credit has to go to new drummer Brann Dailor, for this guy puts in a performance that's way above the call of duty, peppering every evil-tainted riff with more insanity. It fits though, drawing and swirling around Austin's tortured screams and tales of terror. Not for the weak, In the Eyes of God also sports some truly horrificly good packaging, courtesy of Paul Booth, who has put to canvas what one may honestly call a morbid vision. Better use of atmospherics here surround the listener in an aural pummeling. Yeah, lots of metaphors here, but I feel allowed, as this album to me just represents pure evil, an evil that is not blatant or shown, but something lurking below the surface. To sum it up in one word, depravity, that's what I hear. And while it's not the happiest thing to throw in the tape deck, something draws me back to this time and time again. Worth the risk, if you dare.

Tree - Our Day Will Come
1999 Wonderdrug Records

Interesting, very interesting indeed. One of the main things that Tree remind me of is skate metal. I can't peg just why, but these tracks remind me of some of the Texan hardcore that was out circa 1985. Sure, the guitars are heavier, and the overall production is a bit meatier, but lyrically, we're back there, and the vibe of the thing is this free-for-all type atmosphere where you've got four guys just going for it. Vocals are a bit soulful, not quite as abrasive as days of yore, but to paraphrase Napoleon Wilson, "There are moments." A bit primitive perhaps, but I can easily pick out some killer riffs on the first few spins, tracks like Cemetary being a prime example of that hooky soul-core (NOT emo-core) I so speak of. One cool surprise: First time I played this I noticed that the final track was the same playing time as the album. I thought to myself, "Oh great, another 32 minute blank song." But instead, tack 12 is the whole album, sans indexing. First time I've ever seen that, and it's a pretty cool idea. Not exactly my cup of tea, but it's OK, a punky, rocky ride through rural america, complete with backing vocals. For some reason I'm sure that this comes across better live.

V/A - Never Give In: A Tribute to Bad Brains
1999 Century Media Records

I bet this seemed like a good idea at the time. With Tribute albums being all the rage, I guess someone felt that it was time to pay homage to one of the greatest hardcore bands in history. The thing with Bad Brains was that they lived the life, and they also made sacrifices. Basically banned from their home of D.C. due to a dispute with a more powerful dude in the scene (I guess they caused a little Fugazi), the displaced Bad Brains went on to create some of the most memorable music in the scene. OK, tributes can be cool, but who the hell decided that Moby should lead this thing off? His cover sucks, and honestly, I was ready to throw the disc away in disgust after hearing that track. Things pick up a bit with Ignite and Skinlab, but there are so many fucking stinkers here that it's abasing. It also goes to prove that good production does not a band make, as the Bad Brains were also very adept at their instruments, something not to be said of all the artists here. Now, I'm not going to point fingers and blame, but even the once mighty Entombed embarass themselves here with their just horrible version of Yout' Juice. Are there any winners? Well, Vision of Disorder's Soulcraft has some of the sound, and some of the vibe, as does 16's Right Brigade, but then Sepultura kicks in and ruins everything. I say stay away, but I bet this sells a ton of copies to kids that have never even heard the originals. You want to honor the band? Rerelease their older, hard to find albums like the original Rock for Light along with this brown nugget.

V/A - Roots IV: Zoso
Root-O-Evil Records

The fourth compilation in only about a year, Earl Root has once again managed to compile some truly eclectic bands for this issue's Roots compilation. Including quite a few ROE roster artists such as Lorde of all Desires, Impaler, Le'rue Delashay, Plan E and the 612 Crew, Zoso also features long lost tracks from recent recorders like Fleshgrind and November's Doom. All I can say for these, outside of there being some really killer tracks you won't find anywhere else, is that if approached with an open mind, any of the Root-O-Evil compilations should remind you of the days of yore, when compliations had 20 bands that all sounded different in both production and style. Pretty cool stuff, and even Impaler live on this disc sounds tighter than ever, woo-hoo!

War - We Are War
1999 Necropolis Records

Well, well, well, it seems that Blackmoon really burned some bridges on this one. Not sure the exact story, but it seems that after signing a deal with Necropolis, Blackmoon felt that War should be promoted through his own label. I guess legal issues don't mean much in the satanic realm, but it just seems a shame that music has to be overshadowed by things such as this, for this is sort of a cool balls out thrash record. Yeah, it claims to be Satanic, War being the band to unite All and It into a machine of depair to Christians everywhere. Can't we all just get along? Anyway, We are War continues where the Total War E.P. left off, replacing It and skinsman Peter Tagtgren for In Aeternum's David Larsson (who informed me that he plays guitar on this album, not bass as is labeled) and Hypocrisy drummer Lars Szoke. Some pretty big changes, but the overall feel stays pretty true, War having a sound that contains early Slayer, old Sodom, some Kreator, you know, the good stuff. The album is short, the songs pretty derivative, but overall it's OK. Not great, mind you, but a halfway decent disc to throw in if you need to pound a few beers in a short period of time. I'm not sure if I agree with replicating everything when going retro (down to the ultra-thin guitar tone), but 1,000 bands can't be wrong, can they? I'm riding the fence on this one, not sure if it's the monumental thrash achievement it should be, or another hunk of badly produced riffs. Sodom's Bombenhagel closes things off, which is one of my least favorite songs off of the album that marked the beginning of the end of my Sodom phase (sorry, Expurse of Sodomy was THE apex of their career). Maybe not the best choice, as All is a spanking clean carbon copy of Angel Ripper, but I guess it really drives the point home. Maybe it's just the fact that most of the songs fade out just when they're getting started that puts the final nail in, who knows.

White Skull - Tales from the North
1999 Nuclear Blast Records

All you have to do is read the title and you get a pretty good idea of what's going on here, White Skull playing good old fashioned German power metal underneath what I would assume to be Norse myths put to song (I guess titles like Asgard and Viking's Tomb also give me a hint). Whatever the case, I find this type of stuff pretty damn cheesy most of the time, this being one of those moments. Make sme want to raise a tankard and grab a comrade-at-arms for some battle, but that's not really appropriate in my tiny apartment. Blind Guardian does it better, and with all of the stuff I have to hear daily (and that's HAVE to hear, not want to hear, this isn't going t ostick around that long. The final nail comes from the vocals, which (especially on the "ballads") sounds like gibberish. Eh, fair, but nothing all that special, sounding more like a band that was signed to cash in on a current fad. Glad to shut this one off.