400 HORSES
400 Horses
(A2)

While chances of commercial success are pretty much non-existent in this day and age, the songs crafted by 400 Horses are quite catchy and would have gone over in a big way in the late 80s.  "Too Close For Comfort" for example is like a good version of Extreme, with a very catchy chorus.  "Over & Done" even features a cowbell and has a nice, Nazareth feel to it.  The band fall down a bit with the song "Information," which seems to lack some of the fiery energy the rest of the album has.  But when your album also features such classic riff packages as "That's What I Like," it is forgivable.  Don't expect any deep, thoughtful lyrics on this album, but by the same token, don't expect any meaningless whining either.

400 Horses play dated, old-fashioned hard rock.  If you can't handle that, then I guess you can go back to listening to Incubus or Fatboy Slim or whatever the latest crappy trend band is.  If you miss this kind of music and feel like there is still life in the genre, 400 Horses are here to please.  More info:  barry@btm-gotham.demon.co.uk
[Daniel Hinds]

ANGEL DUST
Enlighten the Darkness
(Century Media)

"Let Me Live" rolls out the power riffing, with a sound that brings to mind the likes of Iced Earth and Metal Church.  When Dirk Thurisch's vocals kick in, though, you know this is Angel Dust.  The extremely fluid solos later on are also very distinctive.  "The One You Are" is a bit more reserved and introduces some nice piano, while the main riff from "Enjoy!" seems to have more of an 80s feel to it.  "Beneath the Silence" has a very quiet, acoustic vibe and reminds me of the kind of ballad bands like Queensrÿche and Fates Warning have attempted but never done this well.  "Cross of Hatred" returns the album to a heavier sound, with a wonderful melding of keyboards and heavy riffing, not unlike the last Tad Morose album.  This should have been the last track, though, as "Oceans of Tomorrow" is too mellow and forgettable to stick at the end.

Siggi Bemm has given the band a nice thick, crunchy production that really brings out the edge in the guitar playing.  The keyboards tend to get a little lost at times, but that may have been an intentional move to give the album a harder sound than the typical power metal releases out there these days.

If I had to find a complaint with this album, it would be that the songs themselves just don't seem as memorable as some of their past work.  Maybe it will just take some repeated listenings for them to really settle in, who knows.  Having said that, the album has a great sound and the band have really put their hearts into the playing, making Enlighten the Darkness an enjoyable listen regardless.  Those who love power metal but are sick of the endless Stratovarius clones should definitely give Angel Dust a spin.
[Daniel Hinds]

BABYLON A.D.
American Blitzkrieg
(Apocalypse)

The title track kicks things off well, with a rockin', funky vibe and a more socially-conscious lyrical approach than I recall the band having in the past.  The incorporation of the seminal "War" into the middle of the song is pretty cool, too.  "Magic Mary" has a punkier feel, like a weird blend of Sex Pistols and The Cult.  "I Wanna Live" has some humorous, timely lyrics and nice groove to it.  Remember when Extreme tried to be funky?  This is what they were trying to do and failed so miserably.  "One Way Ride" has a memorable chorus, an area that Babylon A.D. seem to have actually improved in.  The band do some cool vocal harmony stuff not unlike old Alice in Chains (see "Glyde") and there is a nice swagger to the album as a whole.

This is a decent album by all accounts.  I think it will go a long way towards making the band some new fans, without totally pissing off the old ones in the process.  Fans who miss the early 90s rock sound before grunge and brit-pop took over will want to check this out.
[Daniel Hinds]

BEHEMOTH
Satanica
(Dwell/Avantgarde)

"Decade of Therion" is just pure aggression from start to finish, brutal death metal at its finest.  "Ceremony of Shiva" shows Behemoth have a lot more to them, though, as it includes some surprisingly melodic riffs and more temperate tempos.  The vocals are gruff and tortured throughout, though, so the band never loses its edge.  Slayer's influence seems to be rearing its head more often on death metal releases lately and this is no exception.  It is subtle, but you can hear it creep in on songs like "The Sermon to the Hypocrites," with some of the riffs.

After hearing so many shitty production jobs in recent months, Satanica comes as a welcome relief.  Everything sounds killer - the drums are punchy, the guitars roar and the vocals just level everything else.  The band deliver every song like their life depended on it, too, not content with just going through the motions.

If you want a good mix of pure death metal brutality, clean musicianship and strong songwriting, I highly recommend this album.  It's fierce, it's evil... it's the perfect gift for the whole family!
[Daniel Hinds]

BLINK TWICE
The Demon-Haunted World
(Possessive Blindfold)

"Disruptor" is a fitting introduction to the record, charting a course from dark and mysterious textures, through an unsettling rhythm section, until a minimal synth line finally makes its presence felt.  The song evolves very carefully, like all of the songs on The Demon-Haunted World.  It is never completely obvious where each track will take you.  The title track blends in some morose piano near the end for one of the album's most emotional sequences.  "When Deities Reigned" has a very bold, draconian tone, while "On Dark Theories" charts a different course, opting for a much subtler, more disquieting feel.  The relentless "Search For Trust 1 and 2" is one of my favorite cuts on the album, reminding me a bit of a mix of old Klinik, old Delerium and really old Tangerine Dream.

The compositions on this album aren't terribly complex, but they certainly are not short on atmosphere.  Robert really excels in the "most from least" department and manages to do it without imitating anyone else.  If you're looking for the antidote for happy pop or tired dance music, this is it.
[Daniel Hinds]

BOLA
Mauver
(Skam)

BOULDER
Ravage and Savage / The Rage of It All
(Tee Pee)

Boulder's approach to music seems very blunt.  Start with a really dirty, grungy guitar sound, then just bulldoze your way through song after song in typical Motorhead fashion.  This approach works at times, such as the catchy "Rev It Up," but by and large it leaves little impression and the songs start to blend into each other after a while.  The blistering solos are the only real nod towards metal and are actually the highlight of the album.

The band obviously don't take themselves too seriously, based on the silly album art and even sillier liner notes.  Still, the humor angle isn't really enough to carry the generally weak-ass songs, so I can't really recommend Boulder.  Probably a fun live band, though.
[Daniel Hinds]

CARPATHIAN FOREST
Strange Old Brew
(Avantgarde)

After a brief into, the band charge headlong into "Bloodcleansing."  The guitar riffs have that perfect balance of rawness and clarity, allowing them to slice to the bone and shred everything along the way.  The band's fascination with BDSM is alive and well, as song titles like "Mask of the Slave," and "The Good Old Enema Treatment" quickly attest, but there is also plenty of pure, icy blackness to be had, too.  "Thanatology" is an incredibly slow, doomy affair that just oozes with an evil atmosphere.  This is the kind of music horror movies should be utilizing.  Speaking of which, the band also tackle the theme from the wonderfully disturbing Nekromantik.  "House of the Whipcord" is built around piano, keyboard ambience and distant horns, with the result being very creepy indeed (although the main melody bears a striking resemblance to some of the incidental music from the movie WarGames, believe it or not).  The subtlety of songs like this and the orchestral Nekromantik theme really belie the initial impression of Carpathian Forest as just a basic, primitive old-school black metal outfit.

CF wisely keep the tempo in balance, moving from slow, heavy riffs to speedy blackened assaults very smoothly (see "Martyr/Sacrificulum" for a good example).  Unlike many of the newer black metallers out there, CF know how to compose songs and not just throw together some randomly composed riffs.  The vocals are perfectly grim, too,  and only add to the dark atmosphere of the album.

Although the band has existed for many years (since '92 I believe), they have only been really active in recent years.  After the impressive Black Shining Leather, I was not expecting the band to top that release and especially not so soon.  But Strange Old Brew is every bit as good as BSL, has a little better production and makes for a slightly more satisfying listen overall.  Even better news:  this is only part 1 of a two-CD session and the other half should be released as soon as Spring 2001.
[Daniel Hinds]

MARGOT DAY
Sacred!
(Future)

The opening track of the album, "Cyber Dreams" gets things off to somewhat of an annoying beginning with it's tribal rhythm and over the top electronics.  "Neptune" is pretty cool with a similar vibe at times to certain Rasputina tracks, but with different instrumentation.  "Wicked & Wize" pushes the envelope a bit further.  At this point, a pattern begins to emerge though.  There are parts of Margot's songs that works while other ones seem clearly less effective.  "Sacred Life" is one of my favorite tracks.  It contains a little less weirdness than the others, but it remains quite unique.  I like the use of the bells.  This reminds me of some of the cooler goth stuff where rock meets the ethereal.  The following track, "25th Hour," is one of the weirder ones on the CD and challenge to find how to listen to it.  The part of the CD that I really didn't care very much for was the closing.  It is comprised of various live improvisations and they bugged me more than anything.

One thing is for sure, over the course of the CD, Margot Day really creates their own atmosphere and distinct style.  It's hard to classify, maybe impossible to.  I think this will appeal most to goths with an open mind to trippy music with somewhat bizarre electronics.  Some of the programming is a little over the top or annoying and at times this album could have been mixed better, but overall there is enough here to make it worth owning.  e-mail:  margot@together.net
[Victor Mejia]

DEVO
Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology
(Warner Bros.)

Disc one covers everything from the original, pre-Warner versions of "Jocko Homo" and "Mongoloid" up through New Traditionalists.  The special tracks here include the intro "We're All Devo!,' featuring Booji Boy and General Boy, the Human Highway soundtrack cut "It Takes a Worried Man" and the amusing spoken word "Nu-tra Speaks."  Of course, you also get most of the classics from that era, such as "Satisfaction," "Uncontrollable Urge," "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA," "Girl U Want, " "Freedom of Choice," "Whip It" and "Through Being Cool," among many others.  26 tracks altogether, clocking in at over 77 minutes.

Disc two is a little more interesting to the more die-hard fans such as myself, as it contains more difficult to find material.  Another General Boy declaration heralds the start of the disc, leading straight into 3 of the best cuts from Oh, No! It's Devo, namely "Peek-a-Boo," "That's Good" and "Big Mess."  The studio outtake "One Dumb Thing" is interesting and comes across as a bit of bridge between the Oh, No! material and Shout.  Same goes for the "Theme from Doctor Detroit," which is presented here in a very upbeat dance mix.  After 3 Shout numbers come four more hard-to-find soundtrack cuts, "I Wouldn't Do That To You" (Happy Hour), "Bread & Butter" (9 1/2 Weeks), "Let's Talk" (Fright Night), and "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini" (Revenge of the Nerds II).  Moving into the band's latter days, we get various tracks from Total Devo and Smoothnoodlemaps, the NIN cover and two songs from the film Meet Wally Sparks (1997).  To close the album, we get the endearingly annoying "The Words Get Stuck in My Throat," with Booji Boy on vocals.

If you haven't experienced Devo yet, well, what are you waiting for?  Along with all the great songs you get a 52-page booklet with lots of interesting little facts and pix covering the band's whole career.  Duty now, spuds!
[Daniel Hinds]

DESTRUCTION
All Hell Breaks Loose
(Nuclear Blast)

First off, kudos to the band for choosing Peter Tägtgren to produce this record.  Peter brings out that razor-sharp edge that characterized Destruction's riffing in the past and gives the band a much fuller sound overall.  Songs like "Machinery of Lies" just come ripping out of the speaker and Schmier's raw vocal style has never sounded better.  Other highlights include the obvious "The Butcher Strikes Back," "All Hell Breaks Loose" and the savage "Total Desaster 2000."  As a bonus, the album ends with an unlisted cover of Metallica's classic "Whiplash," done up in fine Destruction style.

I appreciate the fact that Destruction haven't tried to mold their sound to the current trends.  Instead, they stick to what they know best, which is brutal thrash metal of the first order.  Having said that, though, the band's sound has progressed in some ways, taking on a generally more brutal cast.  The only real drawback is that not every song is all that memorable, but I think that has always been a sticking point with Destruction.  Their strength lies more in creating an overall atmosphere of barely-controlled chaos and some of the coolest riffs you could hope for.
[Daniel Hinds]

EARTH CRISIS
Slither
(Victory)

"Slither" is a good example of where this album works the best.  Hard-as-steel riffing backs up vocals that alternate between near-rap, shouted hardcore and semi-tuneful choruses.  It may still be too extreme to break into the mainstream, but these days who the hell knows?  "Provoke" takes a more typically brutal approach.  "Nemesis" is less successful, though it does feature a COC-ish chorus that perks it up a bit.  "Escape" closes the album in a very grinding, Agnostic Front fashion.

Lyrically, the band's liberal viewpoints are still razor sharp.  Animal rights is a real issue, despite the generally mocking tone the media at large takes toward it, and the band make their stance clear on "Biomachines."  The band's straight-edge approach also covers topics like human rights and drug abuse, so it is a pretty broad spectrum with some quite thoughtful lyrics.

My general fondness for hardcore waned considerably when bands started slowing down and fell into the gravel-throated vocal approach exclusively.  Still, a few bands have come along that are so good, I can't help but be impressed.  Earth Crisis are one of those bands.  I must applaud them for sticking to their guns lyrically as well, especially considering the rather conservative climate this country seems to have fallen under in recent years.  We need more bands like Earth Crisis and less like (hed) pe....
[Daniel Hinds]

EDGUY
Theater of Salvation
(Metal Blade)

Taking their cue from the usual sources (Gamma Ray, Queensrÿche, Stratovarius), this quintet do a good job of delivering the expected goods while adding a pinch of their own style to the brew.  Vocalist Tobias Sammet has obviously been through the Geoff Tate school of metal singing, but he has a generally more moderate range and slightly more textured voice. 

The songs themselves are catchy and melodic and only occasionally overstay their welcome.  "The Headless Game" has a great chorus, while the piano-driven "Land of the Miracle" has an almost happy, progressive vibe (a little Kansas influence maybe?).  This latter track falls into the 'overstay' category, as the choir at the end never seems to end.  Speed is no problem for Edguy either, as evidenced by the classically-inspired "Arrows Fly."  "The Unbeliever" has a surprisingly heavy riff and Tobias takes a rougher approach to the vocals, ala Bruce Bruce.  The title track closes the album in epic, 14-minute style.

Keyboards are incorporated into the songs, but kept generally in the background.  The usual high standard of musicianship that is required to play this kind of metal is present and the production is crisp and full sounding.  Like so many other bands flooding on to the market right now, I wish Edguy had maybe a little more of their own personality, but I still rate them as one of the better of the new crop of power metallers.
[Daniel Hinds]

EIDOLON
Nightmare World
(Metal Blade)

The first thing that strikes you when hitting play on this disc is the thick, heavy guitar sound.  The crunchy riffing on "Nightmare World" will definitely please fans of bands like Iced Earth and Nevermore.  "Noctem Aeternus" is a slower but no less heavy track, while "Lunar Mission" brings in acoustic guitars and subtle keyboards to dramatic effect.  Conversely, the band show their ability to crank up the speed during the mid section of "Eye of Illusion."  "Glorified Suicide" kicks off with an infectious riff, but kind of loses steam after that.  The twelve-minute "Dreamscape" is far more interesting, bringing the album to an epic ending.

The performances on Nightmare World are all rock solid, with guitarist Glen Drover (currently touring with King Diamond) providing some outstanding lead work.  Glen also produced the album and did a pretty spiffy job of it, too, though the drums are a tad muffled.

While I think Metal Blade needs to ease off a bit on signing new bands (unless they want to end up like Roadrunner, a fate worse than death), they have definitely found a good one with Eidolon.  Questionable album art aside, this is the kind of album that gives heavy metal a good name.
[Daniel Hinds]

EU
19
(mp3.com)

FAHRENHEIT 451
The Gothic Years and After
(Cleopatra)

Executive Slacks prove to rock a bit more than Fahrenheit 451 and Athan's voice seems to rise to the occasion.  It shows a little more versatility to his singing style.  Tubalcain seems to mark more of a swing towards industrial music.  Athan's voice is distorted and are as intense and raw as the music.  "Carbon Black" is a pretty killer track dating back to 1994 when more good industrial music was prevalent.  The Lucifer's Scale is pretty cool with a darker approach to both the music and the vocals.  The guitars are great.  And the Spahn Ranch track on this CD dates back to when they were still a cool music project.  Cool song.

I hadn't realized how good Fahrenheit 451 had been.  This just goes to prove my latest realization that Athan really does need to leave Spahn Ranch and pursue other music avenues.  The last couple Spahn Ranch albums have been nothing, but a waste of Athan's tremendous talent.
[Victor Mejia]

FAITH & DISEASE
Insularia
(Ivy)

The highlight of this band continues to be Dara Rosenwasser's crystal clear vocals.  The production on them is wonderful and they mix well to the subdued rhythms of Faith & Disease.  The guitar playing of Steven Knouse provide a nice background for the vocals to glide over.  This is beautiful music which can serve as a soundtrack to a deep conversation over glasses of red wine with someone special, or possibly something you listen to when you are gently kissing someone for hours.
[Victor Mejia]

FOCKEWOLF
Die Toten Weg
(ADSR Musicwerks)

"Terror & Withdraw" is a good opener, with an up-tempo beat, dramatic vocals and some nice spacey electronic textures.  "Nihilistic Automaton" has a harder, more industrial feel, though he chorus has a very Siouxsie-esque feel to it.  "Beauty Masked Sorrow" has a more laid-back, ethereal quality to it, with the synths and the vocals intermingling perfectly.  R. Wilhelm takes his shot at vocals on "Accidents With Scalpels" and "Frail Doll," doing a decent job but lacking the more distinctive quality that Severina has.  "Carcinogen Factory" ends the album well, with one of the band's best choruses.

The band may not be a tower of originality, but they at least do a good job with their chosen style.  The mix of old-school industrial/EBM electronics with a more gothic atmosphere is pulled off surprisingly well, sounding very natural for the band.  The use of samples and analog-y synths is all very pleasing to the ear.

The recording quality is another clear area of improvement.  The synths are nice and upfront, the beats cut through the mix nicely and the vocals are never overbearing.  The album does get a bit tired by the end of its 62-minute length, but if you've got the patience, there are definitely some quality tracks to be found here.
[Daniel Hinds]

GAMMA RAY
Blast From the Past (2CD)
(Noise)

After a short intro, the band burst out with "Lust For Life," "Heaven Can Wait" and a fifteen-minute version of "Heading For Tomorrow."  This latter tune is probably one of my all-time favorite Gamma Ray songs, but unfortunately this version lacks a lot of the character of the original.  Although I appreciate the fact that Kai and crew wanted to re-do these old tracks, let's face it, Kai is no Ralf Scheepers when it comes to singing.  He certainly isn't bad and has a highly distinctive style, but Ralf has so much more power and you can really feel the void on this track.  Some of the highlights from disc one include "One With the World," "Tribute to the Past" and the very catchy "Last Before the Storm."

Disc two is where Gamma Ray really shine, though.  They are one of those rare bands that seems to actually be getting better with each release.  "Rebellion in Dreamland," "Land of the Free," "Beyond the Black Hole," "Somewhere Out in Space," "Anywhere in the Galaxy," "Send Me a Sign," "Armageddon" - they're all classics.  The band has really found the perfect blend of power, speed and melody and wraps it all around some incredibly catchy tunes.

To top it off, this album has some of the most amazing artwork I've seen in ages.  Derek Riggs is enlisted once again to continue the Egyptian/Stargate theme from the Powerplant artwork.  There are numerous incredible works throughout the booklet and double-fold out digipack packaging, as well as plenty of band photos and all the lyrics.  This is the standard by which all 'best of' collections should be measured in the future.  Bravo!
[Daniel Hinds]

TEH GATHERING
if_then_else
(Century Media)

There is a simple elegance to this album that has never really been present before on a Gathering album.  The songs feel like they have been compacted, drained of any needless excess.  "Bad Movie Scene" is a good example, with its very straight-forward melody and rhythm, accompanied by some of Anneke's sweetest and most touching vocals to date.  I've heard a lot of people criticize her voice, but I think she is incredible - very unique.  The song "Analog Park" should be a huge hit if there is any justice in the world.  While The Gathering aren't a trip-hop band by any stretch of the imagination, I can see this album appealing to the same types of fans, as well as some of the more gothic-tinged outfits like The Cranes.

Production-wise, this is no doubt the band's best yet.  Everything is very up-front and mixed exceedingly well.  The snare drums are maybe a bit too 'live' sounding for my taste, but I have a feeling that is what they were going after.  The guitars are incredibly diverse, covering everything from soft and moody to loud and heavy, and all of 'em sound great. The use of strings (or at least string-like synths) on songs like "Saturnine" and "Morphia's Waltz" is also beautifully done.

if_then_else still suffers from the same problem I have had with all of The Gathering's albums:  it gets kind of boring after a bit.  There are some great songs and the performances are top-notch throughout, but there are also a few kind of bland tracks where I start to nod off.  The ratio of good to blah is considerably better this time around, to be sure, but I would still recommend Superheat as the essential album for people to get by these guys first.  Then, once you're enthralled by that disc, buy this one.
[Daniel Hinds]

GODSIZE
Death Before Dishonor
(self-released)

Guitarist/vocalist Barney Guts (oh yeah) spits out the lyrics with contempt, but keeps everything understandable and far away from the extreme hardcore and death metal growlers.  The fifth song (okay, so I lost the part with the song titles, so sue me...) has a nice balance of fast and slow riffs, as do many of the cuts here.  Godsize don't play super-technical, progressive metal, but they do keep things interesting.  Track 6 has a really catchy main riff and an even catchier chorus - a song with definite single potential.  The band really know how inject some memorable melodies into their aggressive sound (see track 9 for another good example).

This is a hard album to categorize, a fact that I'm sure Godsize are only too happy about.  It is certainly heavy, though, and makes for a nice change-of-pace from the standard assortment of death metal, true metal, and thrash metal bands out there.  More info: http://listen.to/godsize
[Daniel Hinds]

HATRED
The Offering
(Demolition)

Tim Clayborne delivers some truly demonic vocals that range from screeches down to guttural death tones, all equally ferocious.  Tim also handles the lead guitar duties, which come into play a bit less than I might like, but are nonetheless impressive when they do.  The rest of the band deliver just as forcefully, with tracks like "We All Burn" and "Voices of Pain."  The band experiment a bit, too, such as "Rotting," which features some very choppy riffs, tempo changes and a just plain weird arrangement - and they make it work.  "Trust No One" is the biggest departure, with some clean guitar bits and (*gasp!*) some clean singing, too.

Hatred won't get any points for originality because, frankly, there isn't much to be found here.  But if you are looking for some well-played, energetic extreme metal from a fresh source, look no further.  More info:  www.demolitionrecords.com
[Daniel Hinds]

HEAVENLY
Coming From the Sky
(Noise)

"Carry Your Heart" tells you right up front what to expect from Heavenly.  Plenty of speedy, melodic riffing, flashy leads, soaring vocals and big sing-a-long choruses.  The similarities to bands like Helloween and Rhapsody is pretty obvious, leaving very little in the way of originality to be found.  "Riding Through Hell" takes on more of a galloping classic Maiden style, while "Number One" is more in line with modern Maiden in its epic approach.  The band are diverse but know how to kick out the jams when they need to, like the speedy "My Turn Will Come."

Heavenly are actually pretty good at doing the Helloween/Gamma Ray schtick, if that is what you want.  It is just a question of  how many times do we need to have new bands treading this same path?  If your answer is, "You can't have too many!" then Heavenly should be at the top of your shopping list.  Otherwise, you probably don't really need this album.
[Daniel Hinds]

(hed) p.e.
Broke
(Jive)

(hed) p.e. are one of the worst yet.  Yeah, they've been around for a bit, longer than some of the current chart-toppers, but based on Broke, they are even less deserving of success.  The riffs pile on top of each other in that slow, fuzzy, downtuned tone that is indistinguishable from a zillion other bands, while the half-assed raps rant on about the wonders of getting high and using women.  The humorlessly sexist tone of this album is even more disheartening than the attitudes espoused by the likes of Sugar Ray and Type O Negative.  Whatever.

I have no capacity for judging this kind of crap in relation to other, similar acts.  On the surface, it seems even more shallow and underdeveloped, but maybe that's just what fans of the genre are looking for.  It seems to be the trend...
[Daniel Hinds]

HERESIARH
Mythical Beasts and Mediaeval Warfare
(Demolition)

The album begins with a somewhat noisy, ambient intro called "All Hail the Wyverns," which leads directly into "Horns of War."  This song moves all over from speedy, blackened riffs with guttural vocals to more melodic moments accompanied by Rasa's beautiful soprano.  "Dragons Domain" has a slightly more power metal feel to it, but the growls come in from time to time to remind you that this is still black metal at its roots.  The band like to play fairly extended songs, with many different sections and sub-sections to keep you interested.  Songs like "The Cruel Bard Suite" and the majestic "Higher Than Hills" are good examples of this tendency and the album clocks in at over an hour in all.  Another highlight is the shorter but ever-so-charming "Elfwine," which boasts a really cool medieval/folk flavor.

The production on Mythical Beasts… is rather flat, especially in the drum department, and detracts from what I think would otherwise have been a much more impressive album.  Even still, the band does shine through with their talent and reasonably unique style.  Anyone looking for some off-the-beaten-track black metal with better than average female vocals, definitely give Heresiarh a spin.  More info: http://www.vikings.lv/~witchcraft/heresiarh/index.htm
[Daniel Hinds]

IF.THEN.ELSE
Realizations
(Emanate)

IN AETERNUM
The Pestilent Plague
(Necropolis)

Picking out individual tunes for comparison is a waste of time, as they all kind of blend into the same blur of raw-voiced hyper-riffing mayhem.  So, yeah, the band still haven't completely overcome that sense of generic competency that pervaded their first album.  Still, there is something a little more interesting going on this time and I find the album as a whole more satisfying.  The production certainly helps, too, packing quite a whallop in pretty much every department.  Strange that I feel that way, since I tend to appreciate melody over brutality, but it seems In Aeternum are doing something right and moving in the right direction.  If they can give the songs a little more individual character next time out, they may just hit the magical formula.
[Daniel Hinds]

IN FLAMES
Clayman
(Nuclear Blast)

Straight away, "Bullet Ride' sets the tempo with its heavy riffing, catchy melodies and the trademark In Flames death growl.  The song also features some of the beautiful clean guitar playing that made The Jester Race such a breath of fresh air, along with some rare clean vocals (more on this later).  "Pinball Map" ups the speed factor, demonstrating that In Flames haven't lost their aggression (nor their love for Maiden).  "Only For the Weak" kicks off with an immediately memorable melody and should make for a highly marketable radio single, methinks.  The song reminds me a bit of Sentenced circa Frozen, but is unmistakably In Flames.

The clean guitars return on "Square Nothing," as do vocalist Anders Fridén's attempts at clean vocals.  As much as I have complained in the past about Anders' death vocal style, I have actually come to really like it and he seems to inject considerably more personality into the gruff delivery on Clayman than ever before.  The clean singing, however, falls a little flat and is the only disappointing element of this otherwise brilliant album.  Falling somewhere between a whisper and a gothic style, Anders just sounds too restrained on these parts, as if he doesn't have enough confidence in his singing to really put himself forward.  He fares better on the more powerful clean sections, such as the chorus to the title track, and I hope to hear him develop that style more in the future.

The playing is so incredibly confident on this album, it is a thing of beauty.  It probably goes without saying, but the production is also top-notch, presenting the band in the best possible light.  What truly makes the difference on Clayman, however, is the songs themselves.  Never before have I heard an In Flames album where so much attention has been given to giving the songs individual character.  From "Pinball Map" to "Swim" to "Satellites and Astronauts" to "Only For the Weak," the songs are very distinctive.  And, while many are instantly memorable, there is also a lot of depth to be explored on repeated listenings, giving the listener the best of both worlds.

Perhaps I'm overselling this album a bit, but I was just so damn impressed when I heard it.  In Flames were a band that seemed to have settled into their comfortable niche, content to churn out variations on a theme, but Clayman demolishes that image within the first two songs.  The band have created a fresh sound without losing the key ingredients that made them so popular - a rare feat, indeed.  Fans of old and the uninitiated should both check out Clayman for some truly inspired heavy metal.
[Daniel Hinds]

IONIC VISION
Homo Sovieticus
(DSBP)

From the Soviet-styled artwork and logos down to the simple beats and minimal synthlines, the Nitzer influence is very obvious.  If anything, though, they actually remind me more of Paranoid, with their slightly more synthetic feel and darker vocal approach.  This is great, pounding dancefloor material, in particular the title track, "I am Your Jesus" and the driving "Maschinesukunft."  "Hypocrite" is another standout, with a really cool tempo-shift midway through.

The only times the band falters is when they fall into the more repetitive, mid-tempo numbers like "D/d (base)" and "See Me," but happily most of the tracks don't fall into this category.  The faster, more aggressive tracks are where Ionic Vision really excel.

Some of the tracks here are taken from previous releases, but there are also some previously unreleased songs, plus the album closes with live versions of "The End" and "Pain."  It is nice to hear this kind of music done again and Ionic Vision pull it off quite well.  I'm really looking forward to seeing how they develop and expand their sound in the future.  More info:  http://www.dsbp.cx/ionic
[Daniel Hinds]

ISAN
Salamander
(Morr Music)

JANE DOE 69
Snakeskin (MCD)
(self-released)

As with many bands in this vein lately, the whole time I am listening, I keep expecting them to really let loose and blow me away with some speedy bits or super-cool riffing, but it never happens.  The rhythm is kept strictly in the moshing realm, just as the vocals are all spit out in typical, bitter fashion.  "Transient Desire," the closing track, is the only real standout.  It kicks in with a great bass line, with some chugging riffs quickly joining the fray.  Even still, once the vocals come in, the ennui returns...

With the market as glutted as it is with this kind of metal these days, it isn't too surprising that Jane Doe 69 haven't found a major label to back them yet.  Still, I think they do it better than a lot of the bands out there, as they at least keep the songs dynamic and aren't out just to annoy people (Transport League anyone?).  More info: http://janedoe69.cjb.net/
[Daniel Hinds]

KENZINER
The Prophecies
(Metal Blade/Leviathan)

After the first song "Live Forever," it will come as no surprise to see David T. Chastain's name attached to the project (he helped record the album and wrote some lyrics).  Kenziner have a similar rough-yet-melodic approach to metal that Chastain does.  Guitarist Jarno Keskinen is the main force here, writing pretty much all the music and playing bass and some keyboards, too.  His lightning-quick runs down the fretboard will take you back to the late 80s when the guitar god was still treated with respect.  Stephen Fredrick has a powerful, somewhat coarse voice that reminds me of Graham Bonnet at times.

The songs on The Prophecies are pretty consistent.  None of them really leap out and amaze me, but none are really bad either.  Most follow an upbeat speed-metal tempo, with a lot of classical influences.  "The Trail of Tears" is a darker, more subdued track that has a slight Zep feel to it ("Kashmir"), while "Eternity" is the ultimate show-off piece for Jarno and keyboardist Mikko Harkin.  The weakest number is easily the ballad "Like a Paradise," which is just lacking in emotion and features some horribly cliched lyrics.

Still, this is a very solid album.  It isn't one that I'm likely to ever be dying to listen to, but for the right mood, it is really quite good.  Fans of Yngwie, Rainbow, Riot and Chastain should all definitely find something of interest here.
[Daniel Hinds]

KILOTON
The Seeds of Genocide
(self-released)

"Faces of Death" is a fine example of the cliche-ridden material you can expect on The Seeds of Genocide.  Brad McDonald's vocals come across as rather uninspired and the super cheesy chorus only makes matters worse.  The programmed drums are also very flat, especially on the faster cuts like "Defuse the Bomb."

There are some cool riffs to be had on this album, no doubt about that.  Plus, the recording is nice and punchy, with the guitars sounding particularly good.  With better songs and better vocals, Kiloton could be a dream come true for disillusioned Annihilator and Megadeth fans.
[Daniel Hinds]

KRISIUN
Conquerors of Armageddon
(Century Media)

Picking out specific songs for comment is a bit of a lost cause.  All nine cuts offer a pretty equal dose of soul-raping, christ-hating metallic venom, the likes of which makes the legions of Morbid Angel wannabes sound rather limp.  That level of grim intensity is no doubt a big part of Krisiun's appeal.  While the lyrics read like a mish-mash of Slayer, Celtic Frost and any number of satanic death metal acts, the band deliver them like they were the one true gospel.

The playing is where the band really shine, though.  All three members command their instruments with skillful ease, churning forth a firestorm almost effortlessly.  The result is a bit mechanical at times, but generally very successful and impressive.  The production work of Erik Rutan is excellent, with the guitars coming through particularly fiercely.

There are no breaks on Conquerors of Armageddon - no acoustic intros, no slow doomy bits, and certainly no keyboard washes.  This is an all-out assault, meant to be as punishing as possible.  While I didn't get into the material all that much (my taste in death runs more towards the likes of Dismember and Vader), I was consistently impressed with the band's work.  If you dig Morbid Angel or Angelcorpse, definitely check out Krisiun immediately.
[Daniel Hinds]

MIRA CALIX
Oneonone
(Warp)

Despite the general anonymity of the electronica genre, I suppose it is worth mention that Mira Calix is the creation of one female whose name I forget. One name I can drop, however, is Disjecta, whose music Mira Calix reminds me of somewhat, and who also plays some role in the creation of the track "ms. meteo".  That track also appeared on Mira Calix's first EP "Pin Skeeling", and I must say I am more impressed with this release, their first full-length (although perhaps only because I think these hushed noises are given more anonymity with a seventy minute backdrop, whereas the EP format makes heavier demands on songs being individuals).
[Laird Sheldahl]

MONDO GENERATOR
Cocaine Rodeo
(Southern Lord)

"Miss Mary Gets a Boob Job" is the first track that kept me interested for its whole duration, though the speedy "Unless I Can Kill" tries its hardest.  Elsewhere, though, the band seems content to just wallow in irritating chords, screechy-but-comprehensible vocals and plodding rhythms.  And the production is of the garage variety - i.e. crap.

Nothing terribly original here and nothing good enough to make up for that lack.  If this is what Kyuss would have sounded like, it is a good thing they split...
[Daniel Hinds]

NEW VEMBER
Meanless and Breathless
(self-released)

Enough about the vocals, though, the music is pretty good.  And on the whole, New Vember doesn't fall into the industrial-synthpop side of things, maybe more along the lines of Clan of Xymox without guitars.  There was no mention of any official release of any sort on their bio, and there's no webpage to check out in the meantime, so perhaps we will hear from New Vember in the future.  And maybe then they will tell us what "Vember" is and where the old ones went.
[Laird Sheldahl]

OPERA IX
The Black Opera - Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum
(Dwell/Avantgarde)

The most notable feature of Opera IX is undoubtedly vocalist Cadaveria.  She not only handles the clean singing bits, but also manages to spew forth in a convincingly evil and grim manner (which she does most of the time).  Her voice may not be the best trained in the world, but she does have a unique style and that goes a long way in the black metal world these days.

Musically, though, Opera IX left me a little flat overall.  I can't quite put my finger on what is missing, but it just feels like too many of the riffs fall into that pedestrian category.  The band take a middle-of-the-road approach, never playing super-fast or really melodic.  Having said that, though, there are some standout tracks to be had.  The first that really caught my attention was the ten-minute "Congresses cum Daemone."  The song starts off with a really cool clean guitar riff that immediately grabs your attention.  Then the power chords come crashing in, but the song never loses its sense of melody thanks in large part to the keyboard backdrop.  The band close the album with a cover of Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead," a song that has already been covered way too many times.  I always felt this song was rather crap anyway, but at least Opera IX inject some new life into it (so to speak...)

Obvious comparisons are difficult with Opera IX, another point in their favor, though I do hear some Frost influences and maybe a bit of For All Tid-era Dimmu.  Fans of any of the more symphonic or gothic black metal bands out there will be right at home here.  The band has the chops and from time to time throw out an awesome riff, but they still need to construct slightly more memorable tunes next time out.  A good but not great effort.
[Daniel Hinds]

PECCATUM
Oh, My Regrets (MCD)
(Candlelight)

"Rise, ye Humans" is the most straight-forward of the two originals, but that isn't saying much.  The song contains some heavy riffs to be sure, but also throws in some really oddball time signatures, unusual classical elements and even some carnival-esque music.  "Oh, My Regrets" starts off with very gentle strings blended with Ihriel's soaring voice, but eventually the guitars come crashing in, this time in much speedier fashion.  Even still, the band goes for the unexpected and throws in some really unnerving chords.  The final track is an inspired choice - a cover of the criminally underrated Judas Priest tune "Blood Red Skies."  The band do a great job of making it their own without losing the original's power.  The whole opening section is transformed into a gothic, string-heavy piece, with the two vocalists taking turns with the verses.  Then the song kicks in fully with an even more techno beat than the original.  The combination works superbly and this song damn well better show up on Century Media's next Priest tribute.

Peccatum's music is difficult.  The arrangements are unpredictable and complex, forcing the listener to really pay attention.  My only real complaint is that the vocals, as impressive as they are at times, sound a little strained at others and don't always seem to mix properly with the music.  Perhaps this is intentional, another example of the band trying to keep people from getting too comfortable, but it is kind of irritating.  Still, this is worth checking out, if for the Priest cover alone.
[Daniel Hinds]

PIPER
Piper
(self-released)

Post-1989 technology hasn't touched this album (I'd wager)-- the drum machines and synths and effects all sound very canned and tiny (tinny, too).  So if that sounds boring or not angsty enough for you, avoid it.  Otherwise, check out http://john.piper.net for more info.  Perhaps he's written more stuff since the 1998 copyright on this disc.
[Laird Sheldahl]

PROYECTO MIRAGE
Proyecto Mirage
(Hands)

RED HARVEST
Cold Dark Matter
(Nocturnal Art Productions)

"Omnipotent" kicks off with some strangely disturbing, Voivod-like riffs, coupled with vocals that vacillate between near-whispers and howls of anguish (all accompanied by the requisite amount of distortion, of course).  "Last Call" has a noisier, vaguely apocalyptic feel to it, not unlike early Godflesh.  "Absolute Dunkelheit" kicks up the tempo to death metal levels and shows what the band can do when they really let loose.  "Fix. Hammer. Fix" is another blast of high-speed, aggressive goodness.

For me, the faster songs worked much better.  Some of the slow ones just got too settled into a groove and induced yawns before they were complete.  This album as a whole is less metal sounding than HyBreed, but if anything, it is heavier and more brutal.  I'd also like to see the band back off from relying on the vocal distortion so much, as it tends to undermine what could otherwise be decent songs.

This isn't the breakthrough industrial/metal album that I have read it is supposed to be.  It isn't bad by any means, but overall it only clocks in as 'average.'  Great album title, though.
[Daniel Hinds]

ROTTEN SOUND
Still Psycho (EP)
(Necropolis)

"Perfection" flies out of the speakers without any warning, blast beats, raging riffs and tortured vocals all demanding immediate attention.  There is a nice raw attack to the band's guitar sound that recalls bands like Entombed and Dismember at their fiercest.  The Napalm Death influences is certainly there, too, as the minute-long "StrongMan" will quickly attest.  "Lack of Awareness" is the closest thing to a mid-tempo track, but is just too basic for its own good.  Fortunately, the band end the EP with a ripping version of Carcass' "Reek of Putrefaction."

This EP is only sixteen minutes long, but they manage to cram an awful lot of music into that tight space.  Rotten Sound defy their name by having a surprisingly clean, hard-hitting production here.  For the extreme death/grind fans only.
[Daniel Hinds]

SEIJ MINUS AC
Less Physical Vortex
(self released)

SENSA ANIMA
[sin thetic]
(Voices of Wonder)

One of Sensa Anima's strengths is in the diverse vocals, which range from clean to screamed to deep almost gothic-sounding.  Also, the band manage to avoid the pitfall of sounding like Ministry or NIN.  In fact, the only band that comes to mind is Oomph! and that only because of some of the rhythms and arrangements.  "What If I Was Jesus" is a good example of all these elements working together.  "The Hunt" has a more straight-forward approach that works just as well.  "The Devil's Cartoon" kicks off sounding like a bad Nirvana song and spends most of its time a little too far into alt-rock territory.  "Sweet Sister Seventeen" reminds me of the more downbeat tracks from the last Manson record.  Not bad at first, but it drones on way too long.  The rest of the album is split about 50/50 between good and naff.

Fans of bands as diverse as White Zombie, Samael, NIN and Moonspell may find something of interest in Sensa Anima.  To me, the material here is the only thing somewhat lacking, but I think the band do have the potential to deliver a really blazing record next time out.  Even still, this is a decent album and makes for a nice diversion.
[Daniel Hinds]

SINERGY
To Hell and Back
(Nuclear Blast)

For those who haven't heard Sinergy, it is the brainchild of Kimberly Goss, who has played keyboards and delivered vocals for the likes of Avernus, Dimmu Borgir, and Ancient, among others.  Finally deciding to take the lead reigns, Kimberly found some highly-talented musicians to help deliver her melodic power metal tunes to the world.  The debut album was a mix of stunning successes ("Beware the Heavens," "The Warrior Princess," and "Venomous Vixens") and near-misses ("Razor Blade Salvation" and "The Fourth World"), resulting in a strong but flawed album.  Kimberly obviously took a little more time and really crafted the best songs possible for the follow-up.

"The Bitch is Back" is more than a statement of intent, as it barrels out of the gates with a no-hold-barred speed metal approach.  Kimberly's vocals sound much more confident this time out, matching the power of the music with no problem.  "Midnight Madness" harks back to "I Want Out"-era Helloween, while "Lead Us To War" has the patented Sinergy sound.  What is the patented Sinergy sound?  It's hard to describe, but it is at once classic 80s heavy metal and fresh power metal, all wrapped up with Kimberly's multi-tracked vocals.

"Laid to Rest" is one of only two somewhat lacking numbers on To Hell and Back (the other being a strangely uninspired cover of Blondie's "Hanging on the Telephone" at album's close).  Ostensibly a power ballad, the vocals never quite mesh with the somewhat lethargic music.  Fortunately, "Gallowmere" sets things right again with one of the album's catchiest choruses.  "Return to the Fourth World" is a cool, albeit slightly bizarre, detour into Megadeth-land.  Kimberly sings the verses the same way that Dave delivers the verses in "Sweating Bullets."  Weird.

Two things make the latest Sinergy a worthwhile investment.  First, the album is chock full of thoroughly metal songs, just like they used to make 'em in the 80s, all played with extreme skill and conviction.  Secondly, Kimberly possesses a unique and powerful voice that gives the album a character completely unlike other retro-minded metal releases out there.  Her confidence and delivery are even stronger than last time out.  Now if we can just get her to come back and tour her home country someday!
[Daniel Hinds]

SLOW HORSE
Slow Horse
(Freebird)

"Lick My Wounds" is a nice, brutal start to the album, plodding along at a snail's pace, while vocalist/guitarist Daniel Bukszpan spits out vitriol like "Fuck me over and don't try to mask it/You shovel that shit down on my casket."  Happy-time music this ain't.  Halfway through, the song goes on a really cool sojourn into a groovy, early-Sabbath like solo section.  Another highlight of the album is fuzzed-out cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" - an inspired choice, to be sure.  "When Are You Coming Home?" lives up to the promise that early Soundgarden only hinted at.

The obvious weak spot on this album is the recording.  It isn't god-awful or unlistenable, but there is plenty of room for improvement nonetheless.  At least they got the mix right and the band carry out their performances quite impressively.  If you're looking for something heavy yet diverse and want something a little different from the current crop of stoner rock bands, give Slow Horse a shot.  http://come.to/slowhorse
[Daniel Hinds]

SOILWORK
The Chainheart Machine
(Century Media)

The title track starts off the festivities, tearing through some mighty fast riffs and enough change-ups to make Children of Bodom raise an eyebrow.  "Bulletbeast" follows suit in equally gung-ho fashion and features an incredible harmony solo in its midst. Guitar harmonies play a big role in Soilwork's sound and they put them to good use.  "Millionflame" is a bit of a departure and shows Soilwork's ability to incorporate an incredible amount of melody without losing any power.  This song alone makes this album worth getting.  The rest of the album is consistently good, too.  The band excel at coming up with unique, mind-bending riffs (see "Neon Rebels") and have a way of injecting an infectious energy into their songs (see the hyper-speed "Possessing the Angels").

Recorded at Studio Fredman with the band and Fredrik Nordstrom at the production helm, the sound on The Chainheart Machine is naturally brilliant.  The drums are punchy without sounding mechanical and the guitars are just blazingly heavy.  Of course, this only furthers the In Flames comparisons, but I'm not complaining.

The album title and questionable cover art had me assuming this would be some kind of industrial/grind album, so don't be fooled.  Soilwork play top-notch melodic death metal, with the emphasis on 'metal.'  Whatever they may lack in originality they more than make up for with incredible musicianship and stellar songwriting skills.
[Daniel Hinds]

SOULLESS
The Darkening of Days
(self-released)

"Devilish" has some quite original riffs thrown into it and delivered with the ferocity of early Slayer.  Tempo changes are another favorite trick of Soulless.  "Turn" starts off all slow and heavy, then kicks into near-death metal overdrive, then returns to a more mid-tempo range for the mid section.  Very smooth transitions, too.  Tracks like "Blissfully Damned" and "Crumble Beneath" have a certain modern death metal edge to them, but the band never loses their sense of style.  Blast beats make a rare appearance on a couple tracks, like the vicious "Emptiness Domain," and even here they are kept in balance as the song twists and turns through many different riffs and rhythms. 

The vocals are also worthy of note, as they have a pretty unique flavor.  Jim manages to spit out the words with plenty of bile, but stays away from the usual death or hardcore style, instead opting for something more akin to old Kreator or Destruction (sort of).  The rest of the band perform well above average as well, especially considering the rather complex nature of some of the songs.

Production-wise, The Darkening of Days is simple but effective.  It doesn't suffer from the irritating boominess that a lot of American recordings seem to.  The guitars rip and shred, but the bass cuts through the mix nicely, too.  Soulless know when to end a song, too, never dragging them out too long.  I've gotta say, this album totally kicks the shit out of a lot of the label releases I've heard in recent months and someone should sign these guys immediately.  More info: chrisdora@webtv.net
[Daniel Hinds]

SPEEDY J
A Shocking Hobby
(Mute)

If you are familiar with Speedy J's last release, this one is very similar but better in every way.  Yum!
[Laird Sheldahl

SPIDERS & SNAKES
London Daze
(Deadline)

After a pointless intro, "Nonstop Rock" kicks in full throttle.  This is glam metal the way it should be played:  full of attitude, loud riffs, and a blazing solo.  "Party in Hollywood" follows suit in slightly sillier fashion, while "Radio Stars" has an almost 70s pop feel to it.  Very catchy, melodic stuff.  "Don't Know When To Stop" is almost a little too whiny, while "Public Enemy #1" should be all-too-familiar to anyone with a passing interest in the Crue.  Never one of my fave songs, this version is decent - a little more fun than the Crue version.  The cover of Mott the Hoople's "Rock and Roll Queen" is quite energetic and given the proper amount of Spiders & Snakes own charm.

The band make a rather grievous error by including three London demo tracks at the end of this CD.  The songs themselves ("Nobody Loves You Like I Do," "Straight From the Heart" and "Dream Girl") are much poppier and sappier than the Spiders & Snakes material and the quality of the recordings is just awful.  I'm sure for the die-hard fans, it might be interesting to hear once, but that's about it.

This isn't a perfect album, but it does have some good, fun party anthems played with the kind of energy that made this scene happen in the first place.  If you're looking for some catchy, sleazy rock music to counter the hordes of mumbling alterna-clones out there, give Spiders & Snakes a shot.
[Daniel Hinds]

SUICIDE CULTURE
Hallowed Be Thy Agony
(self-released)

"Swarming the Flies" kicks things off in a whirlwind of flashing riffs and brutal drumming.  These guys don't sound dated, yet never fall into relying on death metal or any nu-metal influences to get their point across.  This is 100% thrash metal.  "God Forbid" follows in a more mid-tempo style, reminding me of some of the classic Bay Area thrash acts.  "Make Believe" is a bit slower, with some spoken vocals ala Slayer, and didn't work for me as well as the rest of the CD.

Fortunately, next up is a rousing rendition of "Jewel Throne," certainly a classic by anyone's standards.  Suicide Culture do a good job of interpreting it in their own style without losing the original essence.  "Bury the Hatchet" is a 6+ minute amalgamation of everything the band does well and ends the CD on a very strong note.

One thing Suicide Culture does that I like is they incorporate a lot of riffs into each song, yet manage to exploit each one to its fullest.  Lots of great thrashy instrumental passages to be had here.  Also worthy of note is the recording quality.  It is pretty no-nonsense, but it captures the energy vividly and all the instruments are very up-front in the mix.  Overall, this is a very impressive opening salvo and I am sure we will be seeing Suicide Culture move onto bigger and better things soon.  More info: http://suicideculture.itgo.com/
[Daniel Hinds]

SUPERSHINE
Supershine
(Metal Blade)

Opener "Take Me Away" is one of the more average tracks, but things quickly improve with "Kingdome Come."  Bruce is the master of the chugging, heavy riff and some of his best work yet shows up on this album (see "Automatic" and "Love" for starters).  There is a real catchiness to many of these tracks, too, an element that has been missing from the last few releases by both Trouble and King's X.  Songs like "One Night," "Won't Drag Me Down" (which has an almost Scorpions feel to it at times) and "Candy Andy Jane" immediately lodge themselves in your skull.  The band keep things heavy throughout, too, with the exception of the final track, "Shadows/Light," which shows a much more subtle but no less powerful side of the band.

I really hope Supershine continues and makes more albums.  I've always thought Doug Pinnick had a great and very original voice, but it was wasted on a lot of average songs in King's X.  Here he finally gets to match his vocal talent with some creative, catchy, heavy tunes and it is the perfect complement.  Bruce does a great job of keeping the 70s vibe alive without being so blatant about his influences as he has in the past.  A thoroughly enjoyable album.
[Daniel Hinds]

TROLL
The Last Predators
(Head Not Found/Voices of Wonder)

This is some brutal shit, no doubt about that.  After a menacing intro, "Fall of the Marbeled Galaxy" (that's what it says here, I swear…) kicks in at hyperspeed, setting the tone for most of the album.  The riffing is simple, fast and raw as all hell.  It is also painfully obvious the band is using a drum machine.  Some songs feature some okay programming, but a lot of times it is very thoughtless and mechanical.  Still, not bad enough to really detract from the album as a whole.  The raging guitars kind of dominate everything, which is good because they are by far the highlight.

The real drawback of The Last Predators, at least for me, is the rather irritating vocals of newcomer S.M. Twice.  He leaps around in style like an eternally sneering King Diamond, but without any of the charm or talent.  It's different, I'll give him that much, but damn if it doesn't ruin what could otherwise have been a cool album.

So, if you can deal with the vocals, this isn't a half-bad album at all.  One caveat though:  it's very short, barely exceeding 30 minutes.  No fluff, though, just a lot of blackened riffs and insane vocals. (NOTE: It has recently come to my attention that Hellhammer actually plays the drums on this album; they just happen to be Roland electronic drum pads that he is playing rather than a standard kit. Points for fooling me into thinking it was a machine, due to the sheer speed and precision, but it still feels uninspired compared to his (usually stellar) work elswhere.)
[Daniel Hinds]

LUCA TURILLI
King of the Nordic Twilight
(LMP/SPV)

The album opens with a vast, operatic choir that subjugates subtlety in favor of soaring emotion and visceral impact.  The effect is quite impressive, as is the melodic speed metal assault that shortly follows.  Olaf Hayer delivers the suitably epic and powerful vocals, although he is joined throughout the album by a wonderful female vocalist and various equally talented chorists.  Classical and folk influences abound on tracks like "Legend of Steel," the beautiful ballad "Princess Aurora" and the epic, eleven-minute title track, which closes the album out.  Piano, flute, violin and other non-metal instruments are utilized throughout Nordic... to great effect, but it is the rousing choirs that really impress the most.

The lyrics and the story behind them are rather simple compared to Rhapsody, but there are some interesting ideas thrown out.  The music is really the album's strong-point, however, and here Turilli delivers in full force, creating a collection of catchy, melodic tunes that will captivate fans of Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian and their ilk.  Even without the fantasy-oriented lyrics, the music alone stirs the imagination in many wild directions.

If you're familiar with Rhapsody, it goes without saying that the production is sterling and all the performances are brilliant  The CD booklet is nicely illustrated and includes the background story along with the lyrics (although I could have done without the rather pompous bio of Turilli himself).  Power metal fans who embrace the grandeur of classical and opera will no doubt fall in love with this album immediately.
[Daniel Hinds]

[various artists]
A Fistful of Rock 'n' Roll vol. 4
(Tee Pee)

Quadrajets kick off the CD with the raging "Fireball."  A bit thin on the production side, but this tune is still quite the stormer.  Murder City Devils do them one better with the rockin' but strangely melancholic "Fireball."  Pulpit Red are a little more average-sounding, while Three Years Down inject some sleazy swagger into the proceedings.  Black Halos sound like a standard Sub-Pop band with a more restrained version of Taime Downe singing.  American Heartbreak have something closer to a modern pop-punk feel to their music - a definite minus in my book.  Graveyard School are considerably more fun and Lovemasters sound like old-school Nugent mixed with, well, I don't know what, but something good.

Spitfires take the energy from early KISS and blast out the ever-so-catchy "Something For Nothing."  Dgeneration apply a slightly harder edge, while Tricky Woo fully utilize those classic late 70s backing-vocals.  High School Sweethearts are okay, but maybe a little too simple, even for this comp.  Stilleto Boys have a much punkier feel, as do The Reds who follow.  Neither are all that special, nor is album close Von Zippers, but none come close to sucking either.

This is one of the most consistent of the Fistful comps yet.  It also showcases a great deal of Canadian talent and is the best of the series to check out after Vol. 1.
[Daniel Hinds]

[various artists]
Gateway to Hell 2: A Tribute to Slayer
(Dwell)

Perversaraph make a good choice with "Chemical Warfare," and certainly give it a more underground, brutal interpretation, but it personally didn't do much for me.  Angel Corpse do up "Kill Again," veering very little from the original, while Sanctorum are the first to capture the proper guitar histrionics on "Evil Has No Boundaries."  Hate stay very true to "Post Mortem," but add subterranean death growls over top.  Nocturne (gee, there's an original name...) do a nice and thrashy version of "Hardening of the Arteries," with some very raw vocals.

Next up is Incantation's "Hell Awaits."  The band lavish their ever-so-evil guitar tone on this undisputed classic, though they lose a little power when the croaking vocals kick in.  Black Witchery cast a black metal glint on "Fight Til Death," while Abigor do the same for "Crionics."  Equinox plod through "Haunting the Chapel," ditto for The Chasm with "Face the Slayer."  Thy Infernal underproduce their way through a dismal "Black Magic."  Mystifier succeed better, adding a healthy dose of their own charm to "Tormentor."  Cephalic Carnage do an okay job on "Jesus Saves," but manage to procure the most irritating drum sound on the whole album.  Enter Self shoot themselves in the foot from the get-go by choosing the dull as dirt "Mandatory Suicide."  Messe Noir destroy "Piece by Piece" with a sub-demo quality recording.

All in all, this is not a good tribute.  For starters, the quality of the recordings is just sadly lacking in almost every case.  Underground is one thing, but some of these are just plain bad.  And, as with many Dwell tributes, there are just too many unknown (and not that great) bands involved.  Maybe it is time to put the tribute thing to rest, hmm?
[Daniel Hinds]

[various artists]
King Diamond Tribute
(Necropolis)

Dark Funeral do a great (and pretty faithful) version of "The Trial," really nailing down some distinctive leads in the process.  Damnation also do a good job with "Mansion in Darkness," utilizing different vocal styles in a distinctive way.  In Aeternum add a raw-throated charm to "Abigail," not to mention some searing, Fate-like guitar tones.  The first American act to be featured is Usurper, who turn in a superlative version of "Charon," adding plenty of gritty black metal atmosphere to the track (and at least one Tom Warrior-inspired 'Heyyyyy!').  Grindcorrorists Exhumed have never been my favorite, but they manage to pull of a reasonably adept (and humorous) "No Presents For Christmas," with the silliest falsettos I've ever heard.

Hailing from King's homeland of Denmark, Aurora do a great job with "Eastmann's Cure."  Great production and cool female vocals complement the band's very melodic In Flames-like sound.  Power metallers Destiny's End choose the excellent "Dressed in White" and play it to a tee, but the production is really muddy for some reason, especially after the crystal-clear Aurora track.  Ancient don't seem to fare much better in this regard and also make the mistake of trying to imitate King Diamond's vocal style.  It isn't too bad really, but there is certainly room for improvement.  Fallen Empire could also use a bigger studio budget, but deliver "The Exorcist" with some nice gothic keyboards and a very grim black metal vocal line.  Enthrall, an unsigned Norwegian band, deliver a competent but unspectacular blackened version of "The Portrait."  To complete the album, France's Agressor give us a pretty faithful "Welcome Home," albeit one with very sick and twisted vocals.

Having been recently subjected to a rather awful Slayer tribute, I wasn't looking forward to hearing this disc.  But it turned out be a very impressive release overall and definitely worthy of the legendary King.
[Daniel Hinds]

[various artists]
Ischemic Folks
(Schematic)

[various artists]
Metal Dreams vol. 2
(Nuclear Blast)

Finland's Stratovarius start things off with their classy "Neon Light Child."  Moving to American shores, Iced Earth present the awesome "I Died For You," a song that just drips with longing emotion.  Sinner's rare foray into balladry "Destiny" is next, followed by Helloween's somewhat forgettable "Forever and One (Neverland)."  Skid Row's "18 and Life" is a good song, but it just seems out of place.  Nightwish show off their skill at creating truly beautiful music with "Sleeping Sun," a more laid-back track for the band.  Blind Guardian's brand of medieval metal shines on "Nightfall," complete with some incredibly vocal harmonies.  Steel Prophet hold their own with "Earth & Sky," while Lacrimosa are the first truly gothic-sounding act to show up.  "The Turning Point" is a decent song with some nicely placed strings, but the singing could be a bit better (or at least recorded better).

By far the least welcome track is the clap-along "To Be With You" by the terminally awful Mr. Big.  Newcomers Sonata Arctica offer some fresh blood on "Replica," featuring a vocalist who isn't just another Kiske clone.  To Die For seem to have a certain Cure influence and this is one of their best tracks by far, while Love Like Blood's "Remember" is less inspired.  Gotthard bring to mind the poser metal bands like Poison and Warrant, which is never good, and Bonfire don't do anything to improve things.  Fortunately, the album ends with the piano-led "Moonlight Caress" by Macbeth.  I'm not familiar with this band, but they have a female vocalist who has a truly gorgeous voice and I hope to hear more from them soon.

So, except for three or four tracks, this is very nice compilation of melodic metal tunes.  If you haven't heard many of these bands, this is a good introduction, though be aware that a lot of them spend most of their time rocking out a little more than this.
[Daniel Hinds]

DAVID E. WILLIAMS
Hello Columbus
(Ospedale)

WINTERKÄLTE
Drum 'n' Noise
(Hands)

The songs on Drum 'N' Noise offer quite a bit of variety.  Opening with the frantic "Rebound," the album segues into the oddly danceable "Effect vs. Sustainability" and the chaotic "Structure 04."  "Tropical Timber Trade" includes what almost sounds like severely tortured guitar noodling at a couple points, while "The Fate of the Sea" is a dark, brooding eleven-minute piece that covers a lot of ground.  And if that wasn't enough, the twenty-minute "Do Not Vote For Industry!" is just plain overwhelming.  While this track certainly has some key moments, it is on the brink of collapsing under its own weight.  "Global Deforestation" sets things right again with a speedy assault on the sense to close out the proceedings.

If you are prepared for a musical experience sans conventional structure and melody, I highly recommend this album.  The finesse and subtlety of the attack is spectacular.
[Daniel Hinds]

WRITTEN IN ASHES
Eternal
(self-released)

The album starts off well with the rather subdued "Your Ghost," but the band quickly makes a misstep with "Nightfeast," which has slightly too OTT vocals for its own good.  "Petals (Like the Night)" quickly rights things, though, and is probably my fave cut on the album.  A driving drum beat coupled with beautifully ethereal guitars and rich male vocals are the order of the day and it all comes together here perfectly.

The rest of the album never quite equals this track, but it never lags far behind either.  The album works as a whole and is pretty consistent, making for a nice, downbeat soundtrack for those lonely nighttime hours...  More info: http://www.writteninashes.com/
[Daniel Hinds]