ABSCESS
Dawn of Inhumanity
(Peaceville Records)
Rating - 8.5/10
Long running old school death metal stalwarts Abscess
return with their sixth overall full-length. Entitled Dawn of Inhumanity
and released on the Tyrant Syndicate Productions subsidiary (owned by none
other than Fenriz and Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone fame) of Peaceville
Records, the album is immediately noteworthy as a much more focused effort
than past releases from Abscess.
Although somewhat legendary due to the status of band
founder Chris Reifert, Abscess has always been, for me at least, the sort of
band that would release a solid, yet forgettable, album once in awhile that
would garner a few spins in my stereo before I moved on to something else.
That may change with Dawn of Inhumanity, an album that immediately
stands out in the band’s discography with a notable upgrade in the
songwriting department.
The usual genre elements from Abscess are present, of
course, with plenty of riffs, pacing, and growls straight out of the glory
days of old school death metal. However, Abscess incorporate a number of
plodding, slower paced sections with groove and an evil vibe that greatly
reminds me of Incantation. The music has a noticeably darker tone and is
not just straightaway, blasting OSDM. Songs such as “Torn From Tomorrow”
and “Never Sane Again” early on in the album set the tone with plenty of
tempo changes and eerie bass tones. Adding further to the sense of unease
pervasive throughout the album are some vocal samples from Nocturno Culto
and Fenriz that mostly consist of deep howls and screams.
In short, Abscess are definitely trying to do something
a bit different on Dawn of Inhumanity than on past releases, and the
result is a great album with a great deal of variation. Not exactly the
sort of approach that you’d expect from Abscess, and I, for one, welcome the
diversity. In closing, I should note that Dawn of Inhumanity is the
final release from Tyrant Syndicate Productions, and definitely ends the
label’s output on a high note. Recommended.
http://www.peaceville.com/
http://www.myspace.com/abscessband
[Dave Schalek]
ALCEST
Écailles De Lune
(Prophecy)
Rating - 8.5/10
This French outfit apparently started out in a more
black metal vein but has really progressed into a unique entity here. While
black metal elements are still to be found, a great deal of Écailles De
Lune is comprised of clean, melodic vocals, shimmery guitar textures and
melancholic rock in the vein of The 3rd and the Mortal or, going
back further, some of the more ethereal work by The Cure.
The album opens with “Écailles De Lune (part I),” which
is nearly ten minutes of gorgeous atmosphere and covers pretty much the full
spectrum of Alcest’s sound. Some blackened vocals show up early on in
“Écailles De Lune (part II),” which is another 9+ minute affair that covers
a lot of territory without every sounding rushed. “Percées de Lumière” is
probably the most straight-forward track, with the most black metal vox, but
even here the overall style is more of dreamy rock than heavy metal.
“Abysses” serves as a short, ambient bridge to “Solar Song,” which feels
like the only misstep on the record. It’s not a terrible song or anything,
it just feels a little frivolous and out of place within the context of the
rest of the album. Fortunately, “Sur L'Océan Couleur de Fer” is eight
minutes of pure elegance and tranquility, ending the album on just the right
note.
It’s so cool to see (hear) artists within the often
monochromatic black metal scene branching out and developing in interesting
new directions. Alcest produces some of the most beautiful, calming and
bittersweet music I’ve heard in a while, perfectly represented by the
album’s intimate and serene cover artwork (which is reason enough by itself
to get this on vinyl!)..
http://www.alcest-music.com
[Daniel Hinds]
ALDAARON
Nous Reviendrons Immortels
(Paragon Records)
Rating - 7.5/10
France’s Aldaaron immediately made an impression upon me by featuring a band
name seemingly straight out of a bastardization of Star Wars, and
cover art depicting the Battle of Helms’ Deep from The Two Towers on
their debut full-length. Entitled Nous Reviendrons Immortels and
released on New York-based Paragon Records, Aldaaron seemed to be treading
various SF/ Fantasy tropes of adolescence as their choice of muse on the
album. Not a good sign as the whole exercise strikes me as a bit on the
cheesy side, to say the least.
However, the screeched vocals of guitarist/ vocalist Ioldar are
indecipherable anyway (besides being, presumably, in French), and the
melodic black metal presented on Nous Reviendrons Immortels is
actually pretty good. Using obvious influences from early Emperor (without
keyboards, though) and Dissection as a base, Aldaaron feature good
musicianship and songwriting, resulting in a catchy album that’s firmly
planted in a specific era of black metal.
Nothing on Nous Reviendrons Immortels is anything remotely original,
but the album’s saving grace is simply sheer catchiness. Songs such as
“Seigneur De L’Hiver” use a nice combination of fast, catchy riffing and
tempo changes, and are the template for the entire album. Brutality occurs
with all out speed, and melody creeps in with slower guitar work and a
mid-paced tempo. That’s pretty much the pattern throughout Nous
Reviendrons Immortels, an album that works well enough and with staying
power for those interested in the genre.
In short, Nous Reviendrons Immortels will appeal to anyone with a
taste for melodic black metal that’s not too overbearing or saccharine.
Recommended.
http://www.myspace.com/aldaaron
[Dave Schalek]
ARMAGEDDON
Embrace the Mystery and Three
(Century Media)
Rating - 7/10 (Embrace the Mystery) and 8.5/10 (Three)
Okay, first off - ‘Armageddon’? Really? The
Encyclopaedia Metallum lists 20 different bands using that name, three from
Hungary alone(!). This particular Armageddon is essentially Christopher
Amott’s solo project, when he wasn’t busy with Arch Enemy. This is actually
a reissue of the last two albums he did, originally released in 2000 and
2002 on Japan’s Toy Music label, in a single package.
Honestly, if these two albums weren’t packaged
together, I doubt I would ever guess they were the same band. Embrace
the Mystery features a very crisp production, not unlike what Arch Enemy
was doing in 2000, with the music following a much more progressive/power
metal path. Vocalist Rickard Bengtsson has a clean, moderately powerful
voice and decent range that suits the music to a tee. The arrangements are
reasonably complex but never meandering, with the progressive tendencies
really shining on “The Broken Spell” and instrumental “Moongate Climber,”
with the latter tipping over well into jazz territory. The entire affair is
impressive for what it is and Chris certainly gets to show off his
incredible chops, but it all feels a bit bland and predictable after a few
songs. As a bonus, two rehearsal instrumental cuts are added, as well as
the band’s take on Maiden’s “Die With Your Boots On” (decent but out of
place as I believe it features the deathy vox of original vocalist Jonas
Nyrén).
The Three album, however, is a whole different
kettle of fish. First off, Chris has trimmed the band down to a trio and
handles the vocals himself this time. While not as technically competent as
Rickard, he has a hell of a lot more personality in his voice. Musically,
it has a distinctly different character as well. Songs like “Stranglehold”
and “Rainbow Serpent” have a much looser, more rock ‘n’ roll vibe with big,
robust choruses and riffs that owe more to classic artists like Uli Jon
Roth, David Gilmour, Mick Box and even Fast Eddie Clarke than to any
latter-day shredders. It makes for a really interesting mix that isn’t
quite metal but isn’t quite hard rock either. Bonus tracks here are two
demos and a rather lackluster cover of the brilliant Mercyful Fate tune
“Desecration of Souls.”
So, despite the poor name choice, Armageddon delivers
some decent material on one disc and some truly excellent songs on the
other. Well worth checking out, even if you’re not an Arch Enemy fan.
http://www.myspace.com/armageddonsweden
[Daniel Hinds]
ARMORED SAINT
La Raza
(Metal Blade)
Rating - 8.5/10
It has been a full decade since the last album from
these L.A. stalwarts, the disappointing Revelation. Fortunately,
unlike the confused, murky direction that album took, La Raza feels
very much like a unified band and keeps the Saint spirit while bringing it
fully up to date.
The first thing that impressed me, after opener “Loose
Cannon” finally got past it’s slow lead-in, was how John Bush’s vocals have
remained as powerful as ever. Sure, he doesn’t do as many high screams as
he did back in the day, but his singing sounds just as good as ever with
lyrics that are more pointed and direct than ever. “Head On” has a groovier
vibe, reminding me a bit of Soundgarden at times, while “Left Hook From
Right Field” is an all-out rocker with one of the most memorable chorus
lines I’ve heard in ages. The somewhat choppy riffing on the verses shows a
more modern side to the band but without sounding forced at all. “Get Off
the Fence” is a locomotive of a track, reminding me of the more rocking
moments of Symbol of Salvation.
“Chilled” is a cool song (no pun intended), a slightly
more laid-back track with lyrics written from the middle-aged perspective
that are surprisingly positive. The title cut has some nice Latin
percussion and gives Joey Vera a chance to show off his amazing bass
skills. “Little Monkey” highlights some of the band’s more progressive
elements, jumbled together with an almost punk attitude. “Bandit Country”
is a bouncy, upbeat rocker that might be the leas Saint-sounding song on the
album but still makes for a strong ending to the record.
With the Anthrax situation seemingly in perpetual
limbo, it is great to hear John Bush back at work on a quality album, easily
the best thing he’s done since Sound of White Noise back in ’93. The
rest of the band is sounding as good or better than ever, too, making La
Raza an all-around solid, rocking album that should be greeted like
manna from heaven by Saint fans around the world.
http://www.myspace.com/armoredsaint1
[Daniel Hinds]
ARMOUR
Armour
(Hell’s Headbangers)
Rating - 8.5/10
Hailing from Finland, this four-piece has been on the
scene for a few years now, releasing several EPs and a split but this is
their official debut full-length. And it is pretty obvious within the first
five seconds which decade the band owes its allegiance to (in case the
80s-inspired cover art wasn’t a dead giveaway).
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Tonite” sets the pace nicely, a
mid-tempo, very straight-forward rocker that goes no deeper than the title
implies. The production is raw but clear and punchy, not unlike the first
Crue record. The L.A. scene is a good comparison all-around, actually,
though Armour leans more toward the heavier end of that scene - think bands
like Odin, Leatherwolf or even the more rocking London material. Tracks
like “Satan’s Knights” and especially “Hellfire” demonstrate the band can
play it hard and fast just as easily as they can do the melodic bump and
grind. The most intriguing cut for me was “Can’t Resist Your Spell,” which
manages to impart an epic yet simple vibe that bands like AC/DC and Dio did
on occasion. It all comes down to skillful arrangements and some
well-placed leads and Armour pull it off beautifully.
Perhaps the one element most likely to give listeners
pause is vocalist Vince Venom. His raspy style falls somewhere between that
of Tom Keifer and Eric Wagner, if you can imagine Eric outside of Trouble’s
doom-laden world. It may be a bit of an acquired taste but I like it. I
think it gives Armour a lot of character and really works with the songs on
offer here.
Aside from some dodgy lyrics (“Heavy Metal Drinkers”
anyone?) and a few slightly repetitious choruses, Armour has done an
excellent job with their debut. While it is all the rage for bands to
emulate the NWOBHM sound, it is kinda cool to hear someone (from Finland, no
less) paying tribute to the underground American metal scene from the same
era that never got quite the same attention.
http://www.myspace.com/metalarmour
[Daniel Hinds]
BESTIAL MOCKERY
Christcrushing Hammerchainsaw (reissue)
(Hells Headbangers Records)
Rating - 8/10
Here’s an oldie, but a goodie. Sweden’s Bestial
Mockery is about as dirty you can get with regards to an all out assault of
blackened war thrash metal. Although the band is still active, their output
is somewhat spotty with lots of splits and demos released in between
infrequent full-lengths. In addition, their early albums are hard to find
with only a few copies manufactured. To that end, the good folks at Hells
Headbangers Records have taken it upon themselves to reissue Bestial
Mockery’s seminal, monstrous full-length debut entitled Christcrushing
Hammerchainsaw.
Originally released on Metal Blood Music, the album has
been long out of print since its original issue in 2002. Thanks to Hells
Headbangers Records, now is your chance to snatch up this reissue in
multiple formats, including vinyl and picture disc for those of you so
inclined. If you’re not familiar with Bestial Mockery, the album title
pretty much says it all. Christcrushing Hammerchainsaw is totally
over the top with plenty of simple riffs, all out blasts, screams, a
definite punk vibe with some of the riffs and pacing, and not a degree of
technical wankery, or melody, anywhere in sight. The obvious intent with
Christcrushing Hammerchainsaw is merely to tear your head off with an
all out assault. In that, Bestial Mockery certainly succeed as the album is
a near perfect, sloppily played mess of infectious blackened war thrash.
Hells Headbangers’ new issue of the album comes with
loads of goodies, depending upon the edition and format, as well as new
cover artwork by Chris Moyer. What the Hell are you waiting for?!
http://www.hellsheadbangers.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bestialmockery666
[Dave Schalek]
CONVULSE
World Without God
(Relapse Records)
Rating - 8/10
Here’s an unheralded OSDM classic that you may have missed the first time
around. Finland’s Convulse released a couple of old school, Swedish-esque
death metal albums in the early ‘90s, and then promptly disappeared.
Unfortunately, Convulse is a group that I completely missed at the time,
but the good folks at Relapse Records have decided to jump into the recent
OSDM revival with a remastered reissue of the first full-length from
Convulse, entitled World Without God.
If you’re not familiar, Convulse were purely old school with deeply heavy,
crushing riffs, growled vocals, a fat bass, and a generally mid-paced,
pre-blastbeat era tempo. Originally released by Thrash Records in 1992, the
remastered version of World Without God features a really thick
production, with a huge guitar sound that sounds as if Convulse have
collided headlong with Incantation and the Sunlight Studio sound (I’m not
sure where the original album was recorded, though). As would be fitting
the style, the riffs are simple, the vocals are growled, and any hints of
technicality are simply not present. However, the musicianship and
songwriting are more than adequate, and the music is as heavy as a ton of
bricks.
Besides the original album’s 10 songs, this reissue from Relapse also
includes four songs from the 1990 demo Resuscitation Of Evilness.
The sound is not nearly as primitive as you would expect from a demo, and
actually sounds a bit closer to the Sunlight sound than the formal album.
Rounding out the release are two live tracks from the 1994 bootleg Live
In Pain, including a cover of “Countess Bathory.”
In short, here’s your chance to pick up an OSDM classic with some historical
value. World Without God is regarded as an important release in the
early Finnish scene, which was not nearly as developed as that of their
Swedish and Norwegian counterparts of the era. Recommended.
http://www.myspace.com/convulsedeathmetal
http://www.relapse.com/
[Dave Schalek]
DISMAL LAPSE
Eon Fragmentation
(DeepSend Records)
Rating- 7/10
California’s Dismal Lapse are Necrophagist clones, pure
and simple. The trio’s debut full-length album entitled Eon
Fragmentation and released on DeepSend Records, is straight out of
Mohammed Suicmez’s playbook with technical/ progressive guitar work as being
the main focus. Lots of fluid riffs, arpeggios and solos, time changes
galore, rough vocals, and nice bass work are the bread and butter of Dismal
Lapse. Naturally, these elements are all tricks taken from Necrophagist and
numerous other clone bands treading the genre of overly technical death
metal.
Not to be too harsh, Dismal Lapse do pull off their
homage quite well, with good musicianship, most notably in the bass, a good
production on Eon Fragmentation, and so on. What does lack, however,
is a knack for really good songwriting to draw in the listener. Eon
Fragmentation is the sort of album that you’ll admire for the
musicianship while you’re listening, and you’ll probably find yourself
tapping along with the music, particularly with a couple of tracks that do
stand out, such as “U-235” and “Divide and Devour.” However, the album is
immediately forgettable afterwards due to the lack of riffs and hooks that
really draw you in for the long haul.
In short, if you’ve become increasingly frustrated at
the promises of new material from Necrophagist that still remain
unfulfilled, you’ll probably find much to like in Dismal Lapse. However,
the lack of strong songwriting will eventually dissuade the non-musicians
amongst us, not to mention the lack of originality. I’d like to see Dismal
Lapse stake out an identity of their own in the future.
http://www.myspace.com/dismallapse
http://www.deepsend.com/
[Dave Schalek]
ENTHRONED
Pentagrammaton
(Regain)
Rating - 8/10
Enthroned is probably the longest-running and best
known Belgian black metal band and it helps that they’ve remained
consistently active since their debut back in 1995 (which, now that it is
2010, is officially a long friggin’ time ago). While others in the scene
peaked early in their catalog (Dimmu, Emperor, Burzum), Enthroned seem to
only get a little better with each album.
“In Missi Solemnibvs” summons the dark spirits with two
minutes of slow-building, almost industrial-sounding ambience before “The
Vitalized Shell” blasts forth in full fury. The band’s long-running brand
of intense, brutal black metal hasn’t abated a bit, with plenty of
blastbeats, demented riffing and Nornagest’s steadfastly grim vocals. Most
of the album proceeds in a similar vein with a couple of exceptions. The
title track again touches on some industrial elements and includes some of
the more off-the-wall riffs and change-ups. The neo-pagan riff that kicks
in at the halfway mark is truly exceptional and shows that Enthroned isn’t
just some one-dimensional black metal outfit. “Unconscious Minds” closes
the album as even further proof of this, starting off with a mystical
ambience and building into a pounding anthem in line with Immortal’s more
Bathory-inspired material. The guitar-work on this track is just downright
eerie at times.
The band has handled the production this time around
and it sounds a bit thin, particularly the rather wooden drums, but it works
well enough. Longtime fans of Enthroned will not be disappointed and I
think it is safe to say Pentagrammaton is among (if not at the very
top) of the band’s best works to date.
http://www.emptiness.be/enthroned/home.html
[Daniel Hinds]
HEATHEN
The Evolution of Chaos
(Mascot)
Rating - 8.5/10
The Bay Area thrash scene in the 80s delivered a number
of incredible bands to the world, from Metallica to Exodus to Death Angel
and Violence. But one of the best that sadly never seems to get their full
due is Heathen. It has been nearly 20 years since their last proper album
so The Evolution of Chaos has a lot to live up to and I’m happy to
say that, for the most part, it does just that, even surpassing expectations
at times.
Heathen was known for writing very tight, very riffy
songs that often stretched out to the seven, eight, even nine minute mark,
running through a slew of change-ups along the way. Founding member Lee
Altus turns out his usual plethora of skillful and unusual leads, often
incorporating Eastern-sounding melodies very effectively along the way.
Vocalist David White and drummer Darren Minter are also still intact from
the band’s heyday and both sound as determined and talented as ever. David
in particular delivers a powerful performance, his voice a timeless match
for the band’s thrashy style, covering a wide range with grit and melody in
equal amounts.
All the chops and top-notch production in the world
isn’t going to help much if the songs aren’t there but Heathen have that
pretty well covered. The opening one-two punch of “Dying Season” and
“Control By Chaos” is just devastating, the latter tune in particular is an
instant thrash classic in my book. “No Stone Unturned” is an eleven-minute
excursion that moves from grinding mid-tempo stomp into a Metallica-esque
acoustic bridge and then on into full thrash mode. “Arrows of Agony” is
another storming track with a memorable chorus, while “Fade Away” sounds
like Heathen out Exodus-ing Exodus.
The first real chink in the album’s armor is “A Hero’s
Welcome,” a ballad documenting the sacrifice of war veterans. It’s
certainly a timely topic but somehow the song never fully engages
musically. “Red Tears of Disgrace” works much better as a power ballad,
with a truly heavy riff once it takes off. The remaining songs all follow
in the complex, thrashy footsteps of the earlier album cuts, though
“Bloodkult” veers a bit toward filler material at times.
Aside from a couple of lesser tracks, it is hard to
find fault with this record. The production is thick and perfect for the
band’s sound, the musicianship is stellar and the cover art is simply
awesome. With the entire thrash scene seemingly rejuvenated in recent
years, Heathen deliver one of the strongest statements yet that classic
thrash metal is as alive and vital as ever.
http://www.myspace.com/heathenmetal
[Daniel Hinds]
IMMOLATION
Majesty and Decay
(Nuclear Blast)
Rating - 8/10
I have to admit, back in the day I had a general
loathing for death metal. It basically destroyed my beloved thrash scene
more readily than anything else and a lot of those early bands just did
nothing for me. There were the rare exceptions like Obituary, Entombed and
the first Morbid Angel album, but by and large it wasn’t until the late 90s
when I started to acquire a grudging admiration for the scene. Along with
bands like Vader, The Crown and Krisiun, Immolation was one of the bands I
was particularly digging at the time.
Immolation has made the rounds of labels over the
years, from Roadrunner to Metal Blade to Olympic to Listenable, but are now
calling Nuclear Blast their home for Majesty and Decay. Working
again with producer Paul Orofino, the band’s crushing style is fully
intact. Steve Shalaty’s drumming is intense throughout, combining
technicality and brutality in equal measures and never relying on stock or
repetitive beats. Similarly, the guitar duo of Robert Vigna and Bill Taylor
is nothing short of impressive, conjuring some crazy riffs that twist and
turn constantly. It is this near prog level of complexity that really
separates Immolation from the standard death metal bands out there and I’m
happy to say the material here is up to their usual standards.
While most of the tracks follow the Immolation formula
outlined above, there are a couple of standout tracks. “A Glorious Epoch”
features a slower grind and darker atmosphere, albeit still with plenty of
change-ups, while “The Confusion of Cowards” has some of the most difficult,
angular riffs I’ve heard lately without falling over into the dissonant
realm.
To sum up, Majesty and Decay is very much an
Immolation record with just enough progression in the writing and production
departments to keep it interesting for those already stocked with the band’s
catalog. Plus it has a pretty damn cool cover, which is always a bonus
these days.
http://www.myspace.com/immolation
[Daniel Hinds]
PERVERSOR
Demon Metal
(Hells Headbangers)
Rating - 7/10
Here’s a quick look at a five- song EP from the Mexican version of Perversor
(at least three bands from Latin America are floating around out there with
that moniker). Demon Metal, released on the increasingly reliable
Hells Headbangers label, is a completely no frills, old school approach to
blackened thrash with an ‘80s vibe. It becomes pretty obvious very quickly
that Perversor have spent a great deal of time listening to classics of old,
as influences range from Sodom, Bathory, Venom, and so on.
All of the requisite genre elements of enthusiastically over the top
blackened thrash are present with buzz saw, sloppily played guitars, all out
blasts somewhat faster than the ‘80s progenitors, and growled vocals. Add a
reasonably low-fi production to the mix, and Demon Metal is anything
but original. However, the songwriting is good, the musicianship is more
than adequate, and the 17 minutes blows by quickly. So quickly, in fact,
that you’ll probably find yourself reaching for the replay button more than
once.
In the end, Perversor is really all about harmless fun with blackened thrash
metal that we’ve all heard before. However, combined with competent skills,
the infectious enthusiasm of Perversor is enough to win over this reviewer.
Recommended.
http://hellsheadbangers.com/
[Dave Schalek]
SECTIONED
Purulent Reality
(Paragon Records)
Rating - 7.5/10
Sectioned are an OSDM band, plain and simple, formed in England by guitarist
Zoltan Valter in 2006. Purulent Reality is the debut full-length
from Sectioned, and is released on the always impressive New York- based
label Paragon Records.
One look at the cover of Purulent Reality, and you know that you’re
in for a solid dose of OSDM. Featuring Seagrave-esque cover art and an
aesthetic straight out the late 80s / early 90s era of death metal,
Sectioned are treading heavily in the ground carved out by Florida and
Swedish giants of yesteryear. The slightly muddy production of Purulent
Reality has a heavy sound with a low-grade fuzz in the background (think
Scream Bloody Gore more than anything else), and marks Purulent
Reality as an obvious direct descendant of early Death.
Vocalist The M. (also from New York- based black metal outfit Dimentianon;
hence, the Paragon Records connection) is emulating Schuldiner with his
vocal style, and the riffing from guitarists Valter and Gabor Schiller is
kept rather simple; that is, pure old school with a crushing sound and nary
a hint of technical wankery. The bass is loud and overlays the guitars
quite nicely, and the generally mid-paced tempo is kept to the era predating
the blastbeat for the most part. The songwriting is good, resulting in
crushing, catchy songs that will appeal to followers of the old school.
Simply put, Purulent Reality by Sectioned is a solid slice of well
done OSDM, nothing more, nothing less, and is, therefore, recommended.
http://www.myspace.com/sectionedx
[Dave Schalek]
TRIPTYKON
Eparistera Daimones
(Century Media)
Rating - 9/10
After the latest incarnation of Celtic Frost fell
apart, band leader Tom Gabriel Warrior decided to form an all-new group,
Triptykon. It’s not too surprising that Eparistera Daimones sounds a
great deal like the follow-up to Frost’s Monotheist, as Tom pretty
much said that would be the case. The lumbering, leviathan heaviness of
that record is intact, as are the lengthy songs and some of the
repetitiveness, but there are a few new elements in play as well that make
this one a fine follow-up as well as a step forward.
Kicking off with an eleven-minute track seems fitting.
“Goetia” flows through several different riffs and moods, from foreboding to
outright thrashy, and neatly establishes the dark, moody atmosphere that
enshrouds the album as a whole. There are riffs that could have come from
Morbid Tales and others that could be from Monotheist (and
even one that sounds like the chorus from Anthrax’s “Who Cares Wins” -
seriously!). Next up is “Abyss Within My Soul,” a nine-minute monster that
has far less in the way of diversity, opting instead for a more grinding,
doomy feel. “Descendant” is another slab of classic doom, nice and slow.
“Myopic Empire” is probably my least favorite track, as it employs a starker
riff and a more repetitive, monotonous vocal style, all of which reminds me
too much of Tom’s disappointing Apollyon Sun project.
The most interesting tracks for me or the ones where
they actually deviate from the relentless, heavy riffing and venture into
more esoteric territory. “In Shrouds Decayed” features clean guitars and
vocals for the first half that harkens back to the more gothic-sounding
Into the Pandemonium cuts. “Shrine” is a couple minutes of desolate,
wind-swept ambience that leads nicely into the speedy “A Thousand Lies.”
The real gem of the album is “My Pain,” a mellow and hauntingly beautiful
track with female vocals that has a real darkwave, Swans-like vibe that
works perfectly. Closing out the record is “The Prolonging,” a 19-minute
epic that encompasses pretty much everything Triptykon stands for
musically. It is a journey, to be sure, but bookends the album rather
nicely with the equally complex “Goetia” that opens it.
Amid the melodramatic disintegration of Celtic Frost,
it was difficult to really gauge what happened, but thankfully Tom was able
to pull things together and forge ahead with Triptykon, the next logical
step from Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. While very similar in tone to
Monotheist, I found Eparistera Daimones to be generally a little
more accessible and, frankly, memorable. It has more light and shade, where
Monotheist was perhaps rather pitch black. A welcome return to the
scene from one of the true innovators.
http://www.triptykon.net
[Daniel Hinds]
TROLL
Neo-Satanic Supremacy
(Napalm)
Rating - 7.5/10
My last contact with Troll was a full decade ago with
the intriguing but disappointing The Last Predators album. Since
that time, the band has wisely parted ways with vocalist S.M. Twice and
mainman Stian Arnesen (aka Nagash/Lex Icon of Dimmu Borgir and The Kovenant
fame) has taken over the mic. In fact, the entire rest of the band has
changed since the last recording and it all seems to be for the better.
The style here is not as raw as some of the earlier
work, nor as mechanized as some of the later stuff. In fact, it has a lot
in common with Dimmu circa Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, with plenty
of grandiose, heavy riffs and keyboard textures to complement the blackened
ferocity. Songs like “Ga til Krig” and “Smertens Rike” really capture that
bigger-than-life sound of late 90s black metal. Also worth noting is the
title track which is a blistering 2.5 minutes of pure Anti-Christian hatred
and I kind of wish the album had more of this level of brutality to it, as
the band are so good at it.
Not sure who was behind the boards recording this album
but it sounds quite good. The drums in particular are a vast improvement
over the lifeless beats I remember from Hellhammer’s stint in the band. Ygg
may not be the most unique-sounding drummer on the scene but he does a fine
job and it is captured in all its punchy glory, which this type of symphonic
black metal needs.
As good as everything is here, it does suffer from
being a bit forgettable. Still, strong performances all around and anyone
impatient for the next Dimmu album should be quite pleased to hear this (and
honestly this is better than the last couple Dimmu albums anyway).
http://www.myspace.com/troll
[Daniel Hinds]
TROUBLED HORSE
Bring My Horses Home (7”)
(Crusher)
Rating - 9/10
The cover art of this single made me a bit wary at
first, as it reminded me unpleasantly of the slew of terrible alt-rock 7”
promos we received back in the early 90s. Fortunately, the actual music of
Troubled Horse is truly amazing, blending a range of late 60s and early 70s
styles into one heady brew.
Side A features “Bring My Horses Home,” a slightly
melancholic track with psychedelic overtones. Vocalist Martin Heppich has a
strong, clear voice that works perfectly with the band’s style and is as
timeless as the songs themselves. “Shirleen” is more upbeat and hard
rocking, reminding me at times of Blue Oyster Cult and especially Pentagram
back when they were more inspired by the Stones than Sabbath. It also
features a nice guitar solo that isn’t flashy but perfectly effective. Both
tracks feature clean, smart arrangements that flow perfectly, keeping it
simple without being repetitive.
It’s not too surprising to learn that Troubled Horse
features Witchcraft bassist Ola Henriksson and guitarist John Hoyles in the
line-up, though I would say their work here is even more satisfying. An
amazing start for a band, this single bodes well for their debut full-length
and I for one cannot wait.
http://www.myspace.com/troubledshoes
[Daniel Hinds]
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