HAMMERFALL
Glory To The Brave
[Nuclear Blast]
Hammerfall seem to be getting the extremes of criticism, either
being hailed as brilliant and the saviors of heavy metal or condemned as
retro bandwagon-jumpers. All I can say is that I was very pleased upon
hearing this disc, as Hammerfall have created nine classic heavy metal
songs without compromise. The name and cover art might make you think of
Manowar,
but musically Hammerfall tend more towards the Priests
and
Maidens
of
the world. Yet, there are no direct influences audible and I must give
them credit for creating a sound that is at once so definitively old-style
heavy metal but also quite original.
Now, there are a few areas in which this Swedish quintet could
still improve. The production, while very clean, is a bit thin and could
use a little more presence, esp. in the guitar department. Also, the two
ballads, "I Believe" and the title track, left me a bit flat, though
they weren't bad - just not as great as the rest of the cuts.
Despite these minor quibbles, Glory To The Brave is a
very strong debut that promises much for the future.
[Daniel Hinds]
CURVE
Chinese Burn (CDS)
[Universal]
I loved Curve's earlier work and was psyched to hear they were back
together and releasing new material. If this single is any indication,
however, they've really taken a wrong turn somewhere.
The actual single, "Chinese Burn," is a good song, or at least
the Flood mix is. The other five mixes of the song, however, range
from passably listenable (the Lunatic Calm mix) to outright crap
(the rest). Adding one or two vocal samples to a long, mindless techno
song is not my idea of a good remix. Even though the album mix isn't exactly
typical Curve, you can at least tell it is them. The rest are all
extremely generic, tedious and just plain bad.
The other two new tracks don't fare much better. "Robbing Charity"
is okay for a bit but is pretty monotonous, while "Come Clean" is
a short burst of punky, effects-heavy tripe that does not deserve the
Curve
name
associated with it. I pray the actual album is markedly better than this,
but I'm not getting my hopes up...
[Daniel Hinds]
TWO
Voyeurs
[Nothing/Interscope]
Rob Halford's latest release was a bit of a disappointment at first,
mainly because it was exactly what I was expecting: mid-tempo, NIN-ish
electro rock. The Trent influence is obvious, painfully so on some
of the lyrics, but at least it is executed fairly well. The guitars are
more prominent than your typical NIN track, too, though still a
far cry from his Fight or Priest days.
Despite the lack of originality, I have found this album growing on
me for a number of reasons. First off, Rob's vocals are excellent,
as always, and really help distinguish Two from the hordes of others
mining this genre. It's nice to hear him really singing again, something
that disappeared a bit during the Fight days.
The main thing that really pleased me about Voyeurs is
the sense of joy a number of the tracks emanate. The throwaway lyrics don't
really add to this, but it's more the music and Rob's vocal melodies
that seem to exude a much more upbeat vibe than most bands of this ilk.
"Stutter Kiss" and "My Ceiling's Low" are good examples. "Water's
Leaking" even reminds me of some of the more blissful moments on Voivod's
Angel
Rat.
Dave Ogilvie and Bob Marlette give the album a good, solid
production and mix job, further helping the cause. I'm sure a lot of people
will see this release as another over-the-hill rocker trying to cash in
on the latest trends, but Rob has expressed his love for industrial
music since before he left Priest all those years ago and has at
least delivered a good collection of songs. I just hope he experiments
a bit more next time around and develops a more original sound.
[Daniel Hinds]
TRIANA
Musica Electronica
[self-released]
This is the second full-length CD from lone artist Daniel Triana,
who writes, plays and records all the music. Seeing the word 'electronica'
in the title had me worried and opening track "Scary" didn't do
anything to help, as it was pretty monotonous, instrumental electronic
music, but things improve considerably with the next one, "Me-Retro."
Triana maintains a fairly minimal approach, but there is a lot more
atmosphere and a really strong bassline. Throughout Musica Electronica,
the
bass parts tend to be stronger than the leads, but there are a few moments
(like "Fly") where the reverse is true. The drum programming also
runs the gamut from uninspired to quite clever and effective. Also worthy
of note is the addition of flute to the track
"Exotica," one of
the album's best.
Overall, this isn't really my cup of tea, but if you are in the market
for some instrumental electro with touches of trance-techno, then you might
want to check Triana out. More info at: http://www2.cybernex.net/~trilab/
[Daniel Hinds]
SWORDMASTER
Postmortem Tales
[Osmose]
This album kills! Playing high-speed thrash metal ala the classic German
masters
of the 80s (Kreator, Sodom, Destruction), Swordmaster
have
really tapped into the energy that made those bands so good. Combining
pretty straight-forward riffs with fairly complex arrangements, this Swedish
four-piece
bash through nine songs of mostly fast thrash metal with elements of black
metal thrown in for good measure. As retro as a lot of the material on
here is, the band don't sound dated and add some modern elements like blast-beats
and vocal distortion to round out the package and further identify it as
their own.
As with most albums of this type, it's more of a complete experience,
as opposed to individual songs that are particularly memorable. Still,
I have to mention "Past Redemption" and "Black Ace" as being
stand-out cuts that really show off everything Swordmaster
do well
- aggression, speed, melody and brutality. The production is raw but full
enough to really drive the music home and I can't wait to hear the next
album.
[Daniel Hinds]
[various artists]
Wing Commander: Prophecy
[Edel]
This is kind of strange, a soundtrack to a computer game, but with the
names on offer, it was definitely a good move. The focus is on industrial
and techno type songs, with a bit of metal thrown in for good measure.
The highlights of the CD are the two Cobalt 60 contributions ("Prophecy"
and "Darwin Was Right"), KMFDM ("Stray Bullet"), Paradise
Lost ("Mercy") and one of the better Fear Factory remixes
("Cloning Technology (Replica)." On the down side, Die Krupps
deliver the rather dull "The Vampire Strikes Back" and Project
Pitchfork seem to have taken a really wrong turn toward spacey techno
with "Gravitation Zero." The remaining tracks, from Rammstein,
Junkie XL, Das Ich, Eskimos & Egypt, Brooklyn Bounce and Juno
Reactor, are all okay but nothing special. E&E take on Front
242's
"Headhunter," a really odd move for anyone, IMO, but they
do a passable job on it.
This is one of those compilations that looks better on paper than it
actually sounds, but it wouldn't be a bad investment if you don't already
have the good songs elsewhere.
[Daniel Hinds]
[various artists]
Firestarter
[Century Black]
This CD is pretty much an essential purchase, unless you've already got
all the tunes offered here (none are exclusive). Not only is it a great
line-up of bands but it's specially priced at $5 (or less) and is easily
worth it.
Emperor kick things off with "Thus Spake the Nightspirit"
from
their last release and are followed by an excellent track from
Old Man's
Child, namely "Soul Possessed." This is my first taste of OMC
and
I was quite impressed with their arrangements and generally good songwriting.
Satyricon
are
as forgettable as ever, but Borknagar
and Katatonia
quickly
save the day, both taking black metal in new directions. Arcturus
are
bit more standard faire, though still good, while Ophthalamia
incorporate
some doomier elements into the mix. Einherjer check in with a solid
dose of epic/Viking metal.
On the first few listens, I didn't think much of Rotting Christ,
other than it seemed to be a bit more death-like and could use better production.
But their track, "Coronation of the Serpent," has grown on me and
is actually fairly complex with effective, if minimal, use of keyboards.
The Sacramentum track falls in with Arcturus in my mind,
as it is a good song and well-recorded but isn't as unique as some of the
others on offer here. Ulver burst in next with one of the most hideously
painful guitar sounds I've heard in a while. Not only that, it's like twice
as loud in the mix as anything else, but about a minute in, they break
into a quite beautiful acoustic passage before returning to the sonic holocaust.
This one is more for the die-hard bm fans, I think.
Samael deliver
"Black
Trip," a slightly more standard metal offering, before Mayhem
destroy
any remaining resistance with a live version of "Necrolust" that
effectively captures all the ugly, raw brutality that has made them a BM
cult
favorite.
Tiamat and Opeth finish off the album in fine,
if somewhat more restrained, style.
If this isn't enough, the CD packaging looks great and includes a 12-page
booklet that features photos and short bios for each band, along with where
each track came from originally. A very thorough and professional job on
this compilation and possibly the best introduction to black metal I've
seen yet.
[Daniel Hinds]
GOMORRA
Reborn Into the Neverwhere
[self-released]
This German five-piece have produced a full-length (15 songs) demo
CD that isn’t easy to categorize. From looking at the album art and band
photos, I was expecting some kind of gothic/death metal ala older
Paradise
Lost or MDB. After an atmospheric intro, the band kicks in with
speedy drumming and death-y vocals, further reinforcing my original guesses,
but things begin to take a different turn with the next few tracks. The
vocals take on a cleaner style, reminding me a bit of Danzig
at
times, and the music ranges from dark, psychedelic Sabbath/Doors-esque
moments to more modern doom, keeping a raw and heavy guitar tone throughout.
There is definitely a retro feel to a number of these tracks and it is
this element that I like best about Gomorra. Also, the way they
throw in tempo changes and mix things up helps make the music more memorable.
The musicianship is all very good, too, with drummer Ralf Gottlieb
particularly impressing me. The weak-point would have to be the production,
which is a bit thin, esp. for music this heavy, but it is passable. I fear
that labels might not pick up on them right away, just because they are
not easily pigeonholed, but I applaud the band’s original sound and diversity.
To contact Gomorra, write to: Sven Keßler, Im Schlimm 23,
55768 Hoppstädten
[Daniel Hinds]
TAPPING THE VEIN
Tapping The Vein (EP)
[self-released]
This Philadelphia act were apparently deemed "not too gothic," as
Andrew
Eldritch allowed them to open for the Sisters of Mercy's highly
contentious show last year. Tapping The Vein do have a certain gothic
element in their music, though, especially some of the clean guitar passages.
Mixed with this, however, are a number of other styles, including alterna-rock,
industrial and even a bit of metal. Vocalist Heather Thomson is
probably the highlight, as she is equally effective singing quietly or
with a great deal of power. On top of that, she doesn't sound like anyone
else, and a unique voice these days is always welcome. The rest of the
band are no slouches, though, and all deliver fine performances complimented
by the excellent recording quality.
Musically, the band ranges from straight-up classic goth melodies to
powerful riffing and even manage to rip-off Nirvana on the track
"Falling
In," but they move around between the styles a lot and blend it all
together pretty effectively. There is a definite groove to the rhythm section,
too, adding a more danceable element to the music. Opener "Butterfly"
is by far the highlight and is a great song that they would be wise to
reproduce once they get a label behind them, but the other four tracks
are all decent, too. More info from:
darkmark@earthlink.net
[Daniel Hinds]
[various artists]
14 Years of Electronic Challenge II
[COP Intl.]
This is an interesting collection of classic industrial-dance type tunes.
While most fans will already have most or all of this material elsewhere,
this comp. makes a decent introduction to the scene.
X Marks the Pedwalk start things off with the rather non-descript
and boring "Mirthless Knick Knack," but :WUMPSCUT: are up
next with one of their best tracks, "Mother." Skinny Puppy delivers
one of their all-time best, "Morpheus Laughing,"
and elsewhere you
get more classics like A Split Second's "Mambo Witch," Nitzer Ebb's
"Getting Closer," Front Line Assembly's "Mindphaser," Bigod 20's "The Bog"
and Leatherstrip's "Japanese Bodies." The disc is rounded out by
Alien
Sex Fiend, Haujobb, Yelworc, Die Krupps, Battery, and Apotygma Berzerk,
all
delivering decent cuts as well.
Usually, these scene 'overview' compilations leave me wondering what
the hell the labels were thinking (a couple Cleo samplers come to
mind...), but this one is pretty solid and a good cross-section of the
more danceable side of things. As a starter disc, or just a collection
of great electro tunes, 14 Years... is successful.
[Daniel Hinds]
JAG PANZER
The Fourth Judgement
[Century Media]
Jag Panzer have managed to produce an absolutely classic heavy metal
album with The Fourth Judgement. At a time when black metal
and "alterna"-metal are all the rage, Jag Pazner have gone back
to the 80s and managed to capture the spirit and energy of the classic
heavy metal sound. Taking their cue from bands like Iron Maiden, Jag
Panzer create powerful, epic-sounding songs with clear, strong vocals,
awesome guitar solos and completely infectious riffs.
Of course, these guys helped forge the classic metal sound in the 80s
with their debut back in '84 (I think), Ample Destruction.
After some line-up shifts over the years and a somewhat disappointing release
earlier in the 90s, most of the original line-up is back, including vocalist
Harry
"The Tyrant" Conklin and guitar-wizard Joey Tafolla.
Harry
shows
the most improvement and has really developed into a first-rate singer.
Songs like "Black" and "Shadow Thief" let him show off his
skills, but it's the mellow "Sonet of Sorrow" where he really shines.
In addition to the classic metal stylings, Jag Panzer has added
a few new touches, as well, such as the violin on a couple cuts and female
backing vocals on "Judgement Day." All very understated but also
very effective. The production in general is perfect, with a very full
sound and good mix.
I really can't say enough about this album, it's just so good. With
a retro movement on at the moment in metal, I have no doubt that this disc
will be one to measure others against in the future and it's going to be
a tough act to follow.
[Daniel Hinds]
RIOT
Fire Down Under
[High Vaultage]
New York's Riot were one of the most underrated HR/HM bands from
the early 80s and it is great to see this classic album finally available
on CD. Sporting the band's most popular line-up (featuring original vocalist
Guy
Speranza), Fire Down Under is widely acknowledged as
Riot's
finest moment. Originally released in 1981, this album combines fiery riffs,
hook-laden arrangements and some just great playing by everyone involved.
Guitarist Mark Reale (the only remaining member in the current Riot
line-up)
provides some brilliant solos that suit the various moods perfectly. He
also penned some of the most out-and-out rocking tunes on the album, such
as "Altar of the King," "Outlaw" and the classic "Swords &
Tequila." Bassist Kip Leming, however, provides probably the
most punishing song, the title track, while second guitarist
Rick Ventura
balances
the equation with more melodic, but no less captivating, cuts like "Feel
the Same" and "No Lies."
In addition to the original ten songs, five bonus tracks have been added.
These tunes, recorded at a separate session after the original album, are
mostly second-rate Riot material but certainly of interest to long-time
Riot
fans.
To make the wait even more worthwhile, producer Steve Loeb has remixed
the entire album and added extensive liner notes and lyrics, plus a few
pix that weren't on the original LP sleeve. An essential purchase for all
fans of classic hard rock and metal.
[Daniel Hinds]
SABOT
[sabo]
[Null Pointer Publishing]
This review is long overdue as I received this CD some months back, but
I have yet to get around to reviewing it and in a way, I am glad that I
didn't. When I really listened to the CD today, I realized how incredibly
well put together it is. I also came to the realization that, although
at first listen, Sabot does not appear to be a band you'd think
about listening to loud, it is at increased volumes that their music really
comes to life.
Sabot puts together some of the best hypnotic and intoxicating
music I have heard. Call it gothic, if you will, Sabot would find
their home on a label such as Projekt, although there seems to be
a lot more texture and variations within their songs than on many bands
on that label.
Although their music seems to be centered around the vocals of Christine
Zufferey and Monika Baenninger, Sabot's music is so much
more than that. The use of saxophones adds a wonderful element and added
depth to their sound. Shawn Marquis' drumming is exceptionally strong
and is often the driving force behind many of the songs. It is evident
that the members of Sabot are well skilled songwriters just by listening
to their impeccable song arrangements. I believe that each Sabot song
is greater than the sum of all its parts.
My two favorite tracks on the CD (there are only seven tracks, but this
is clearly an LP at 49 minutes in length) are "Pearl" and "Circles."
"Pearl" is a great blending of vocals (Shawn's vocals really
add something here). Shawn's drumming completes the mix. "Circles"
is a song with a circular structure. It begins with heavenly vocals that
could easily be found on the score to The Crow, then piano
and drums join in, then guitar (Glenn Hughes' shines on this song),
and then the instruments get taken away one by one until the song ends
how it started.
I believe everyone with the love of beautiful and hypnotic music should
take a look at Sabot. I definitely believe they are a band on the
rise. For more information on the band, visit their website at: http://www.nullpointer.com/sabot/.
[Victor Mejia]
BYTET / VIOLET BLACK ORCHID
(split single)
[KSM]
Anchorage stalwarts Bytet are still kicking out some great
electro-industrial tunes and going relatively unknown for reasons beyond
my comprehension. RG Geiger is the core of this project and has
managed to consistently turn out good music since starting back in ‘89.
The two songs on offer here, “Anything” and “Tension (edit mix),”
feature female vocals to good effect, courtesy of Sommer Moselle,
along with some subtle guitarwork by Cliff Livingston. Musically,
Bytet
combine
jagged synth-lines with more dreamy textures to produce a sound that is
somewhat dated but in a good way. It reminds me of some of the classics
of the genre and wouldn’t have been out of place on Wax Trax! back
a ways. The only downside is the somewhat low-budget recording, which affects
the vocals more than anything, but the quality of the tunes shine through.
The third track is by Violet Black Orchid and is more of your
typical dark-electro song with semi-whispered vocals. The recording is
decent but the song itself is just a bit too non-descript to really get
a good feel for what VBO are all about. Not bad, but Bytet is
the reason to get this disc. Contact BYTET at: http://www.corecom.net/geiger/
or VBO / KSM at: http://www.infomatch.com/~ksmrecords/
[Daniel Hinds]
THE AZOIC
the divine suffering
[Worm]
The Azoic exemplify what I would have to classify as abysmal music
in the positive sense. The Ohio trio (Steve Laskarides,
Shawn
Lower, and Kristy Venrick) combine industrial along with gothic
elements to pull you down into the dark recesses of your mind and your
soul. This is gothic music at its most gothic -- a soundtrack from an eerie
movie (the track "Beginning" comes to mind) that leaves you shaking
in the dark. I like what The Azoic do in the combining of gothic
and industrial elements. They don't go for the typical ethereal combination,
but keep in the deep recesses of the conscious.
My favorite tracks are the ones that place Kristy's vocal over
doomsday electronics creating a truly dark atmospheric sound. Songs like
"I
Tried to Warn You" with Shawn taking over the vocal duties also
work, but they sound a lot more typical of enigmatic electronic music.
A song like "Inside" is fantastic in that it combines and balances
all of the elements, and, I feel, stands out as a signature piece for the
band. Later, songs such as "Thorns" and "Godaphile" build
more of an evil-sounding atmosphere.
The album ends wonderfully with the more serene "Alone" and "Transitions."Kristy's
vocals over the swirling atmosphere of sound really works and is a much
needed change at this point of the CD. "Transitions" just builds
on the atmosphere and is a nice slow trip back from all of the darkness.
My main problem I had with this album was the lack of any real tempo
changes or any real major change. It is all one long dirge and I think
the album could have been editing down to 10 or 11 songs (from 13). Upon
really close listening to it for review, I was relieved when it was over.
It is really quite exhausting. My only other gripe I have with the album,
is that although I believe the band knows how to use samples well, I believe
they do it too often and the power or the effect of the samples is diminished
as the album goes along. Visit The Azoic's website at: http://www.netwalk.com/~theazoic.
[Victor Mejia]
808State
Don Solaris
[Hypnotic]
I am actually pretty surprised by how teutonic and square most of the rhythms
are on Don Solaris-- especially with the popularity of jungle
and drums&bass. I expected more emphasis on breakbeats and whatnot.
Don
Solaris is, however, more of an "electronic" album than "electronica".
It's lush and organic, with guest vocal performances (Manic Street Preachers
and Soul Coughing) pushing this release more into the realm of pop
than club. The first song, "Bond", reminded me of early Depeche
Mode with its dark drum-machine pulse, thick electronic sounds and
moody vocals. It isn't until track 8 that some of the more club-oriented
songs emerge with their more interesting rhythms and squelchier basslines
("Balboa" in particular). Check out http://www.feedback.com/808/
for more info.
[Laird Sheldahl]
SPEEDY J
Public Energy No. 1
[Plus 8 records Ltd.]
Autechre meets Dive? "Public Energy No. 1" ocillates
from noisy, digital rhythms to empty, strung-out atmospheres. The drum
beats sound like they have been strained through a couple old distortion
pedals before making it to CD, they cackle and scream in a most excellent
manner. The sounds laid over the top are usually very clicky or synclavierish
(that is to say, spacy and outer-worldly). This is definitely not pop-crossover
material!
I think that Speedy J lacks in the same area Autechre does--
there are no compelling melodies. The few sounds that are even somewhat
melodic play noodly, meandering clumps of notes. No Rick James loops,
either, just pure digital bliss.
The final track, "As the bubble Expands", deserves some special
notice. I think it is the only song here with a predominantly organic feel--
big bells resound over some sort of pitched drum (tabla?). The drums are
fed through a couple of wahwah pedals (it sounds like), so what would normally
be a more punctuated-sounding rhythm track instead is this cascade of waves,
waxing and waning from a muted garbly tone to a painful and schreechy tone.
Highly recommended!
[Laird Sheldahl]
PHOTEK
Modus Operandi
[Astralwerks/Caroline]
The songs might be in 4/4 time, but the emphasis is on the threes and sevens--
this is a very angular album. The grooves jerk you around, pop into one
beat and slide into the next. The breakbeats are often a mixture of forward
and backwards snares or cymbals, giving an added sense of jerkitude to
the grooves as they go back and forth, back and forth over 64th notes you
can barely distinguish from one another. The basslines are organic and
jazzy, and there's not too much beyond that. Some backwards glassy samples
and other things seem to pop up in at least every other song, but even
though so many of the sounds are reused in every song, there's never a
sense of repetition or monotony. More like deja vu. But before you can
place where that sound showed up last time, a new and infectious jerky
beat kicks in.
It took me a good while before even liking Photek. But something
clicked recently, and now I think they're it, baby. If you are looking
for harmony, or an aggro bassline, or vocals, well... look elsewhere. Photek
is
the Michael Jordan of the jerky groove.
[Laird Sheldahl]
(various artists)
TV Terror: Felching a Dead Horse
[ReConstriction/Cargo]
If I’m not mistaken, this album was originally supposed to be out back
in late ‘94, but didn’t see the light of day until late ‘97. I think it
benefited from the delay, though, as Chase took over the project,
added a second disc worth of material and gave it a much higher profile.
The concept is various goth and industrial acts covering their ‘favorite’
TV theme songs. The results? Actually, a lot better than I was fearing,
with some real classics in the lot. Collide and Numb get
things off to a creepy start with their takes on “Felix the Cat”
and “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Other highlights on disc 1 include
Christ
Analogue’s angsty “Happy Days,” 16 Volt’s rockin’
“Love
Boat,” Hate Dept.’s frighteningly faithful “Facts of Life”
and the amusing “Dukes of Hazzard” courtesy of Pinchpoint.
Disc 2, even though it features less-known bands, is actually the stronger
of the two. I think part of the reason is the line-up of bands is more
diverse and what they do with the songs is less predictable. Ikon turn
in my favorite performance with the gothified “Gilligan’s Island”
that simply must be heard. Stone 588 come up with a cool version
of “Creature Feature,” while Liquid Sex Decay make the “Twin
Peaks” theme more menacing. Elsewhere, Coin of the Realm technofy
"The
Outer Limits," Lick mangle (in a good way) "Star Trek" and Wreckage
give
us "Spiderman" in all of its glory. Unfortunately, the absolute
low-point of the whole comp. is also on this disc, namely My Glass Beside
Yours’ “Muppet Show,” which, at best, is a complete waste of time.
My band (Triple Point) also appears on TV Terror,
so I may be a bit biased, but I did enjoy this comp. It’s not a must-have
by any means, but it gives you a chance to see a different side of some
of the cooler ‘synthcore’ and goth bands out there, not to mention injecting
a bit of humor into two generally over-serious genres.
[Daniel Hinds]
SKYCLAD
The Answer Machine?
[Swan Lake/Massacre]
Despite the band’s relative lack of commercial success, Skyclad has
continued to produce some of the finest music out there on a non-stop schedule
that has seen the band release 8 full-length albums in as many years. Each
album has been a unique entity, but also a link in the ever-evolving Skyclad
sound.
If anything, I think this is probably the most subtle advancement of
style over the excellent Oui Avant-Garde a Chance from last
year, but there some notable differences. First off, despite a slightly
more metallic approach on cuts like “Einarach,” Martin Walkyier’s vocals
are clean throughout the disc and he sounds better than ever. While I thought
he might be slipping a bit last time out, one listen to “Helium” or
“Building
a Ruin” convinced me otherwise. Also, the production sounds a bit fuller
this time, especially on the folkier tunes.
Martin’s lyrics are the highlight as usual, with more biting
cynicism than ever. It’s interesting to observe how his writing has progressed
since the days of The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth. Back
then, he seemed to have a rather dim view of the human race and the direction
it seemed to be heading. Lately, though, it seems as though the anger has
abated somewhat. His view has shifted to a more sympathetic view of human
beings and plays more off their fragility and foibles. It makes for a generally
more depressing album, but always with enough hope to carry you through.
On the down side, there are a few tracks that don’t live up to the general
level of quality expected from Skyclad. The strikingly straight-forward
hard rock of ‘Fainting By Numbers” just doesn’t sound as thought-out
as masterpieces like “Single Phial” and “Isle of Jura.” Elsewhere,
“My
Naked I” tries to be a bit too clever for its own good, while
“Dead
Angels on Ice” is a bit of a mish-mash of ideas that don’t quite gel.
Minor points, though, and even a bad Skyclad song is a million
times better than most of the shit out there these days. If you’re a Skyclad
fan
or just like great metal and folk music, this is highly recommended.
[Daniel Hinds]
KMFDM
[Wax Trax!/TVT]
KMFDM have returned with probably the most radically different album
since Angst. Pushing the guitars down in the mix (even further
than on Nihil) and adding more modern electronics on top,
this album seems to be lacking some of the usual KMFDM energy and
magic. The vibe throughout reminds me somewhat of Naïve,
in that the songs tend to be too long for their own good and just need
a little more ‘oomph’ to them.
“Megalomaniac” and “Stray Bullet” kick off the album well,
esp. with the latter’s catchy chorus and cool synth lines. Ogre guests
on the terminally average “Torture,” while Raymond Watts
and Tim Skold fare better with “Spit Sperm” and “Anarchy,”
respectively, but elsewhere only “Leid Und Elend” really gets the
thumbs up. “Waste” tries hard to be the pounder that the album needs,
but is only partially successful. Guitarist Gunther Schulz has been
really kept in check this time around, which is a shame as he has delivered
some of the best moments on the past few albums.
The anger of Xtort and the elaborateness of Nihil
are
noticeably absent on this album, leaving the listener with ten decent but
mostly uninspired tunes to tide them over until the next album. Ever since
the classic Money, I’ve always counted on KMFDM to
kick ass with each new album and, until now, they’ve never disappointed
me. Maybe these songs will come alive when they tour, but I’m afraid I
can’t whole-heartedly recommend this album and that makes me sad. Maybe
it’s one of those records that requires a few dozen listens to properly
appreciate…we’ll see…
[Daniel Hinds]
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
The Wonderful World of…
[Iron Music/BMG]
I’ve always loved this Canadian outfit, ever since hearing “I’m An Adult
Now” on the radio years ago. Combining a no-nonsense approach to rock
‘n’ roll with vocalist Moe Berg’s bitter but humorous and witty
observations of love and life, TPOH have consistently released quality
albums over the past nine years. The Wonderful World of…
is the band’s fifth effort and probably their most experimental in many
ways.
After a short intro, “Tara” kicks in with an unusual, Beatles-esque
vibe. One problem I had on the first few listens is that all the songs
run into each other, and rather abruptly at that. “I Like You” comes
up next and is more the typical TPOH song, followed closely by the
more rockin’ “Carmalina.” “Metaphor” follows in a richer, quieter
vein, and is one of the most mature pieces I’ve ever heard from them, harking
back to the better tracks on The Downward Road. In fact,
many of the songs on this record could have appeared on that album or its
predecessor, One-Sided Story.
“She’s The Devil” slams in next and is probably the heaviest
song TPOH have ever recorded, complete with heavily effected vocals
and some of Moe’s most brazen lyrics yet. The rest of the disc slips
a bit in quality, but there are still solid tunes like “Hate Engine”
and “What You Did To My Girl” and no real clunkers.
It took a few listens, but now I’d definitely rate this disc up there
with the first three. It’s always cool to see a good band that can hold
it together despite a lack of commercial success and continue to create
inventive and memorable new songs.
[Daniel Hinds]
ENTOMBED
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth!
[Music For Nations]
After a brief (and probably ill-advised) stint with Columbia Records,
Sweden’s Entombed return with a solid new album for the MFN label.
This disc has actually been out in Europe for quite a while, but folks
in the States are just now getting domestic copies of it. Was it worth
the wait?
This disc continues in the vein of Wolverine Blues, i.e.
it’s not the death metal approach of the earlier albums, but more of a
brutally heavy approach ala COC and Misery Loves Co. L-G
Petrov’s vocals are gruff but powerful and understandable, putting
him well ahead of many of his peers. The dynamite team of Thomas Skogsberg
and
Sunlight
Studios scores yet another production success and
Entombed
haven’t
lost their trademark buzzing, death-heavy guitar tone.
The songs themselves are all pretty solid, though only the title track,
“They”
and
“Damn
Deal Done” really stick in my memory after the first couple hearings.
I still prefer the speedy brutality of albums like Clandestine,
but I can’t fault a band for wanting to progress and at least Entombed
have
done so on their own terms and without losing their creative edge.
I think my only real complaint is with the cover art. The movie poster
thing has been done to death and I much prefer the darker, more thematic
art on the early albums (not to mention the old logo!). This is very minimal,
though. The music is what counts and Entombed have delivered the
goods.
[Daniel Hinds] |
