Western Massacre - "Freedom Through Violence" Review

"“Freedom Through Violence” is a muscular, powerful synthesis of death, thrash, and hardcore – all sifted through a filter of mid-tempo groove, spiked with irresistible hooks, and shorn of predictability."



Standing out from the herd is no easy task, as struggling local metal bands (a redundancy, perhaps) the world over will no doubt inform you. If it were, then everyone would be special – and then no one would be. Then we’d all die of boredom. Butt-Head, wise beyond his own understanding, put it best: “If nothing sucked, and everything was like, cool all the time… how would you know it was cool?”
Boasting a moniker that’s at once a clever geographical pun and a loving homage to the music scene that spawned them, Western Massacre possess a magic touch that catapults them light years ahead of the gaggle of underground bands vying for fans across America. Content neither to repeatedly rehash the same Exodus song, nor to drown you in breakdowns, this band has built a loyal following through inspired songwriting that pays collective tribute to various styles of metal while forging an identity of its own. Their full-length debut “Freedom Through Violence” is a muscular, powerful synthesis of death, thrash, and hardcore – all sifted through a filter of mid-tempo groove, spiked with irresistible hooks, and shorn of predictability.
Don’t assume to know what’s around the bend before your first spin is complete. Opener “Steel Casket,” for example, hits you all at once like a Tiananmen tank in a doomsday explosion of drums, bass, guitars, and frontman Matt Lentner’s gutturals. But before the thirty second mark, rhythm guitarist Chad Hoag and lead shredder Kyle Leary take flight with an infectious interplay that is to form the core of Western Massacre’s sound. Then we get a lasso-swinging riff divined straight from Pantera’s ever-present ghost. This Dimebag influence remains welcome throughout, shining through on “Roadhouse” and peaking on the brilliant “Defector.”
Other standout influences include the mournful harmonizing leads of ‘90s Gothenburg melodic death, captured most pristinely on “Facelift” and “Blood and Stone.” Bastardized by American metalcore – a style whose best traits Western Massacre adopts while skirting the genre tag – the Scandinavian strains here come across as invigorating and appropriate for a change. The whole affair stirs the fresh sense of awe at hearing genres mixed for the first time; the excitement of spinning ’93-era Carcass and wondering who let that strange "Amott" fellow through the door.
To summarize, this is memorable stuff that will seize your attention, burrow its way into your brain, and stay there. While the frequent gear shifting within individual songs can occasionally hinder Western Massacre’s ability to bust out a straightforward, classic barn burner (think Lamb Of God’s “Redneck”), the transitions are handled with a deft and steady touch – as are the writing and performances in general, for that matter. This band refuses to rely solely on speed, aggression, and volume to make an impact; theirs is a calculated and controlled Massacre, anchored by their secret weapon: the groove-based rhythm section of drummer Jeff Greene and bassist Nate Larsen. These songs don’t simply make you bang your head – they make you MOVE.
“Freedom Through Violence” is an extremely rare, unexpected, and impressive achievement for an unsigned band still paying its bloody, sweaty, and tearful dues in regional clubs.

Highs: Stellar, memorable guitar work and sexy grooves throughout.

Lows: Each song contains too many changes of pace to qualify as a signature live "anthem," but the capability is certainly there for the future.

Bottom line: A catchy and impressive debut of dark, melodic "DeathGroove" from one of the finest bands in years to emerge from the Western Massachusetts metal scene.

UNDERGANG - "Til Døden os Skiller" Review

It would have been to imagine a heavier album than Undergang’s Indhentet af Døden. The thing was totally crushing: churning out one stomach-churning groove after another with a hardcore-derived simplicity and a tenderising mallet of a guitar tone. Whilst I loved the album, its complete single-mindedness made me wonder what to expect from a follow-up. What would the point be without some kind of change of tack, when your point was made so emphatically the first time around? In fact Til Døden os Skiller is a change of tack of sorts, though a perfectly logical one given the band's career trajectory. Here, the pounding hardcore rhythms have all but faded away, and in its stead the very sickest forms of death metal have been given space to breathe. This is Undergang playing deeper and slower than ever before, and it is something to behold.
This is an album that wallows. The extravagant slowness of some passages here most clearly brings to mind the early days of Cianide. The latter’s The Dying Truth is perhaps the best example of one of my favourite ways of playing death metal: that which revels in the immediate, visceral pleasure of indulgently down-tempo hooks. Undergang songs like Ormeorgie or Rådden Messe roll out super-slow riffs that manage to be both languid and suffocatingly heavy at the same time, helped in no small measure by the brilliantly deep gurgles that pass for vocals here. Not that it's all one-paced. It's just that the sheer bloody heaviness of these sections weigh like a ball and chain around the feet of the faster parts, dragging it down into this beautifully inviting swamp of decay and lethargy. At times the whole sound seems to be grinding to an ugly halt. The last minute of Når Børnene Dør, for example, is priceless: squelching and staggering forward as David Torturdod’s voice spatters maniacally below.
The album closes with an instrumental, Kadavermarch. This is a level of ambition the band didn’t really have before- a piece based on morbid atmosphere rather than pure riff-power. It works horrifyingly well, with despondent guitar lines that ooze and belch distortion, and a tempo that perfectly matches the trudging, shambling gait implied by the title. It is an unusually descriptive piece of music (even if the scene described is a well-worn cliché), and as such represents an apposite end to the record. This is nasty, primitive music, and all the better for it. Buy this! Fucking buy it!

Cormorant - "Dwellings" Review

USA's Cormorant's past releases have caught the extreme metal scene by storm, with their debut EP and full length album garnering critical acclaim through their unique fusion of various different extreme metal sub-genres. Dwellings sees the band continue in the direction where they have set off from, and their appreciation of different kinds of art-forms is evident from their album artwork, which incidentally was the first thing that caught my attention and piqued my curiosity regarding the music behind the artwork.

The opening riffs of The First Man already displays the folk influences that are present on the band's music, before the vocals of Arthur come in, with almost a sense of frenzy in his vocals, spitting out the lyrics to the songs with much rage and fury, but as the album progresses this makes him seem to only put on a false aggressive front, though this is certainly not something to complain about with the brilliance of the music that one is about to discover. Despite the pace that the band travels at, there is a weird sense of calm and peacefulness in the music as well that is displayed through the melodies of the songs. Unlike many other bands of similar genres, there is not much gain on the guitar, lacking the bite that most extreme metal bands utilise, but this helps in making the softer and more melodic passages on Dwellings more soothing and sincere. Vocalist Arthur also utilises different vocal approaches, depending on and adapting to what is going on in the background, ranging from extreme metal-styled growls and screams to clean vocals and whispers. The clean vocals that are present on songs like Funambulist remind listeners of such French bands as Amesoeurs and Alcest, with the pleasing vocal quality.

The music on Dwellings, as already mentioned, is mostly soothing and at times border on epic and atmospheric. For example, on Funambulist, the band takes a slowdown, focussing on producing a huge wall of sound with an almost fuzzy guitar tone. This is not to say that there aren't heavy moments on the album though, as songs like Junta sees the band slowing down their music even further to a doom-pace, with heavily palm-muted riffs and hard hits on the drums, displaying the heavier side of Cormorant. There are also slightly more upbeat moments on tracks like A Howling Dust as well.

Throughout the album, the various instruments are also noticed to be made use of fully, especially the rhythmic instruments such as the bass of Arthur, with the softer segments seeing the bass taking over the lead role. The guitar solos also seem to take the role of bringing out and accentuating the emotional aspects of the music, with the soaring tone of the guitars, and guitarists Matt and Nick letting their instruments wail, at times sounding as if they were mourning the passing of a close friend. Drummer Brennan displays his versatility as well, through the band's rapid switching between fast and slower moments, incorporating odd time signatures at the same time, yet never missing a single beat. The band's abilities on their instruments is perhaps most evident on the instrumental Confusion of Tongues.

The strength of the band's songwriting is such that even long tracks that range in the 10 minute region such as Funambulist and Unearthly Dreamings never fail to entertain and keep listeners enchanted, not only through the variations in the musical style in a single song, but also through the charismatic execution of the track, and the perfect amount of emotions that they have included in their music. With music as strong as such on Dwellings, it leaves one wondering why bands like Cormorant remained unsigned by major labels, but it could just as well remain so, considering the quality of the work that the band has managed to put out so far on their own, putting many other more recognised and more experienced bands to shame.

Mpire Of Evil - "Hell To The Holy" Review

After stumbling out of the gate a bit with "Creatures Of The Black"an ill-advised EP of covers and a couple original tunes, Mpire Of Evil finds its footing on the band's full-length debut, "Hell To The Holy." With three ex-members of Venom making up Mpire Of Evil, it's not surprising that these songs have the dawn-of-thrash sound that Venom and Motorhead pioneered back in the day.
For the uninitiated, Mpire Of Evil is made up of guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn, Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan on bass and vocals and Antony "Antton" Lant on drums. It's somewhat easy — and, for that matter, reflexive — to say that this stuff doesn't measure up to Venom classics like "Prime Evil" and "Black Metal," but it's got plenty to offer on its own merits.
The opener, "Hellspawn" and especially the follow-up track "Metal Messiah" get the classic thrash vibe going, with the former having a definite Motorhead feel, while the latter blends in some of the technicality of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal circa 1981 or so.
That era is recalled affectionately (if somewhat clumsily, lyrically) in "Snake Pit," which recalls "one hot night in '85" and name-checks Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and the Scorpions, making reference to "aces" and "bullet belts" worn by another classic metal icon. The track features Mantas' best ax-work on the album, with some face-meltingly awesome solos.
Those looking for a brief break from the fury will enjoy the bottleneck blues that opens "Devil," a familiar tale of a musician looking to trade his soul to Satan for some tasty licks. It's the album's grooviest track, with plenty of hip-shakin' to go with the head-bangin'.
Much of the credit for that — and, for that matter, how well the rest of the album goes down — has to go to Antton, who expertly straddles the divide between the double-bass bashing of thrash and the more groovy approach that tracks like "Devil and "Waking Up Dead" require.
Sure, the album has its share of filler tracks — "All Hail" and the pretty generic title tune in particular — but nothing falls short of being listenable. The biggest complaint to be had musically speaking is that Demolition Man's bass work is fairly inconsistent. On the faster tunes, he's got the Lemmy Kilmister vibe down pat, but on some of the the slower tracks — particularly "Hell To The Holy" — his playing feels a bit muddled.
As befitting its membership, Mpire Of Evil's "Hell To The Holy" raises plenty of Venom-style hell. Fans of the way metal sounded as the '70s turned into the '80s are going to find plenty to love here.

Highs: "Hellspawn," "Devil" and "Snake Pit."

Lows: "Hell To The Holy" and "All Hail."

Bottom line: A Venom-style thrasher that will please fans of that band plenty.

http://soundcloud.com/scarlet-records/mpire-of-evil-hellspawn 

Outrage (Germany) - "Go To Hell" Review

In the early 80's, a one of the first bands from the blackened thrash metal movement appeared, the German outfit known as Outrage. Of course, blackened thrash metal led the way for what we all know as Black Metal. These pioneers of metal joined together in 1983 and remained in the underground for several years. They split in 1988 and reformed in 2004.  Now, in 2011 these German metallers bring us a a release in the vein of raw blackened thrash entitled "Go To Hell". Although these are not new songs, they are new recordings of selected classics from the band's past.
Staying true to their sound and leaving out modern day techniques, "Go To Hell" takes us on a journey through the band's tremendous past. The drums are raw and the guitar is heavily distorted. Throughout the album you will find alternating melodic rhythms with brutal riffing and heavy bass lines. The vocals are especially tremendous. The raspy, deep, and vile style of frontman, Frank P. "The Voice Of Hell", gives the album it's intensely classic blackened metal touch. 
Overall this is a fantastic release and those who enjoy classic blackened thrash will definitely want to pick this one up.

Mord’A’Stigmata - "Antimatter" Review

This Polish-based post black/avant garde metal band focus their songs primarily on misanthropy and spirituality. Formed in 2004, this is their second release after considerable changes in their 8 year history.

This album is very special, in that it uses the innovation of the avant garde not to detach itself from its fans, but to ingratiate itself deeper. The use of different vocal effects – such as slowing down the vocal, speeding it up, changing pitch, etc. all contribute to the uniqueness of this work. 

It’s a very hard listen first tine round, but it is on the second and subsequent listens that it becomes easier to take in and digest. It’s varied and technical, with solid work from each of the members. The instrumental is tight, with the odd guitar squeal over drums being a main element of their music. The lyrics are varied, as are the vocalist’s talents. It goes across his whole range from the screechy screamo, to the normal, and then into the deep dark depths vocally. 

It’s black metal roots shine through, in the way some of the songs are performed, but without the screechy unintelligible lyrics. This is a really nice diversion within the genre, and shows not only a black metal background, but the ability to twist and change what is heard, subverting expectations.

Vildhjarta - Masstaden

Century Media Records is one of the greatest record labels right now because of bands like Vildhjarta. This 7-piece progressive metal act hail from Sweden and were a brutally pleasant surprise the first time I listen through their first studio release, “Masstaden”. I had never heard of Vildhjarta before and was surprised to hear a ridiculously tight and refined progressive metal sound with a healthy dose of djent to boot. Not everybody knows the term “djent” so I’ll define it real quick: djent refers to a specific palm muted guitar distortion sound that was popularized by Meshuggah, so basically djent groups possess an obvious Meshuggah inspiration.
  “Masstaden” is an almost flawless debut from Vildhjarta. It contains wickedly atmospheric guitar melodies which are quickly obliterated by wonderfully heavy and technical metal riffs that always require me to crank up my stereo’s volume as loud as the speakers can take. I included the video for track 4, “Benblast”, but pretty much every track is amazing. Vildhjarta have two vocalists, one with low death growls and the other with low screams, which I think may be a bit overkill since one vocalist would work just as well. Then they’ve got 3 guitarists, which makes sense, especially when they’re playing live. The Vildhjarta instrumentation is really the heart of this album as they brilliantly accompany the odd-time signatured breakdowns, eerie synth, and chaotic guitar riffing with the punishing punch of bass and drums. However, they’ve got some groove metal riffs scattered throughout the album that I could’ve done without, which is why I can’t give them a 5 out of 5. Regardless, I hope this positive review of “Masstaden” helps to expose the brilliant musical minds of Vildhjarta.

Zebulon Pike – Space is the Corpse of Time

One of the simplest facts about Zebulon Pike is that they are a band based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After that, things become much more complicated, as they engage in a genre of music that can only be described as auditory mad science. Formed in 2002, every single one of their albums has been a brain-demolishing piece of experimentation: And Blood Was Passion in 2004, The Deafening Twilight in 2006, and Instransience in 2008. With each release, they have become more dense, more intelligent, more volatile. Space Is the Corpse of Time continues this progression, spiralling out in a universe of it’s own making.

Their band name comes from an American historical figure, an officer and an explorer after who also leant his name to Pike’s Peak in Colorado. This is extremely fitting for a band that goes about the process of writing an album as though they were launching an expedition. Listening to Space Is the Corpse of Time is an act of discovery, as if the band were feeling their way through a new musical landscape. Listening to to depth and sparkle of “Echoic Worlds” is like watching from spaceship windows as starts are born and galaxies accrue.

Space Is the Corpse of Time is incredibly complex and littered with musical references. In fact, it is possible to treat the listening experience as a game of spot-the-influence. A chugging riff here will evoke Meshuggah, then an eerie and caustic atmosphere will conjure Bloody Panda, and then the avant, anxiety-inducing drumming will call up YOB. Masters of skillful combinations, Zebulon Pike combine a classic rock aesthetic pioneered by bands like King Crimson with an experimental jazz spontaneity, prog rock complexity and Mike Patton-esque genre-defying energy. But with all the name-dropping, all the references that Zebulon Pike inspires, at the end of it they are, most of all, themselves. Their aesthetic is singular. They are a cyborg of a band, a plasma, marrying the organic and the electric, futuristic instrumentation with a very human heart. No matter how many times the nebulous “Powers of the Living” morphs into a new musical shape, it retains a curious, pensive emotional tone, like a touchstone.

There is much that sets Zebulon Pike apart from their peers, but a key component of the success of this album is the intelligence, the deliberateness with which they deploy various tones and techniques. Every tremulously clean tone and grating bit of feedback, every bit of blazing speed or anguished slowness is carefully chosen and incorporated at precisely the correct moment. There is a moment in “Spectrum Threshold” when a passage with sludgy guitars suddenly clears, gentles, and the entire piece transforms. There is something part science and part magic about this style of composition, a kind of alchemy that takes base elements and handles them just so, combines them at just the right time and in the right proportions and suddenly, somehow, there is an overflow of liquid gold.

Zebulon Pike should be way, way more famous than they are. A band of brilliant composers with an equal mastery of contemporary classical and heavy metal styles, they consistently crease genre-defying, brain-melting music that is as transcendent as it is pleasurable to listen to.  Give Space Is the Corpse of Time a listen, let it put down roots in your mind, and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Websites: zebulonpike.com / myspace.com/zebulonpike / facebook.com/zebulonpike

Ritual (USA) - The Resurrection

After trudging through band after band with the same name, I finally caught up with the one I needed. This US-based black metal band have been together for nearly 20 years (with the same members, except for one change in vocalist very early on) and have been bringing their brand of evil and hate filled black metal to the masses. This is their fourth full-length album and the first on their new label, after a hiatus of nearly ten years. 

This album is decidedly different from the start, with a reliance on instrumental track favoured over nonsensical lyrics. However, when the vocals do kick in, they are more understandable than is usual for death metal, so this is another welcome change. The instumentals are more melodic than death metal, with slofter, slower guitars against a less frenetic drumbeat. The vocals are within the vocalist’s range yet still play about within it. He doesn’t push himself too much, which Is nice to hear. 

The first track sounds very much like it should have been in the soundtrack for The Crow. This change of death metal into a more melodic gentle form is obvious in the guitar hooks and solos. Instead of going full-throttle they slip and slide around each other, either using echoing or doubling of the sound to create depth rather that cacophonous noise. 

This change from the norm makes this a very easy to listen to album, and without the harshness it lets it be moee open to listeners who may not necessarily like the harsh guitars of death metal.

Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma

The most unique black metal I've ever heard. If a Greek black metal cave dweller murdered the singer of a 60's psychedlic rock band and took his place you would get Hail Spirit Noir. Two members from Transcending Bizarre? make up this astounding two piece. This is mastered by Jens Bogren that also worked with Opeth, Katatonia, and Amon Amarth. It was mixed at Lunatech Studios which worked with Rotting Christ. When you finish listening to this you'll understand why they chose to use both of these avenues.
In "Mountain Of Horror" the guitar tone and keys give it that great vintage psychedelic rock sound. At times I feel like I'm listening to a black metal version of Can. So inspiring to hear someone mesh these styles together so cohesively. "Let Your Devil Come Inside" has some unique clean vocals that slightly remind me of Micheal Akerfeldt. The violin in this track really sets the mood. "Kill your mother while your still in her womb"... haha what a ridiculously awesome line. The drums are an eclectic mix of styles that fit each mood of the music perfectly. He knows when to be intense and other times reserved with tones of feel and syncopation. "Against The Curse, We Dream" is one of those progressive tracks that draws your thought process out. "When All Is Black" is like Opeth meets a jazz symphony with a mix of clean and wretched vocals. At the end of "Into The Gates Of Time" there is ambient pond noise for almost three minutes. Unique idea that is well placed on the album and is relaxing. The large swell of the hum of insects and amphibians at night is entrancing and cleansing. Throughout the album there is a wide variety of vocal styles. There is also a handful of fantastic rock solos pitter pattered throughout the record. Any true guitar lover would fall head over heels for this record. Even the bass tone and riffage is spot on.
Once again I must reiterate that this is the most unique forward thinking black metal record out there. I'll go as far as to say this is one of the most unique albums ever.

ENTRENCH “Inevitable Decay” ALBUM. 2011 ABYSS RECORDS.

Good thrash metal is hard to come by these days. So many new bands jumped on the bandwagon of ugly ass Reebok high tops, tight pants, little vests with all the coolest patches fresh from ebay and even the poofy hair. Even quite a few of the older bands came back and tried another go at it. Most of the bands in both of these groups failed in my opinion. Then again, there are exceptions like the sets at Maryland Death Fest 2011 by old thrashers like Voivod and Nuclear Assault. They both kicked ass! Not sure about any new material that will be coming out, but both of those live sets RULED! Now Entrench have come to join the thrashing madness. They are from Sweden, but have a sound that is totally German. Think “Terrible Certainty”/”Extreme Aggression” era Kreator mixed with a little “Persecution Mania”/”Agent Orange” era Sodom. It has speed, power, aggression, ripping riffs, shrieking vocals and will make you head bang. The pace gets even a little faster at times, into the old Sadus speed, which is always welcomed! I know those will say “why waste time with a copy cat band when the originals are so much better.” This might be true at times, yet there are some bands that mix in their own stamp on the style so well, they can run with the greats. Entrench seems to be a band that has the potential to do just that. I wouldn’t call this album a “classic” but it is quite an impressive debut and all in all, a KILLER thrash album!

”As Dawn Breaks” starts everything off here, and you will swear that it’s 1987 all over again. It’s a total riff o’ ramma on this banger. Nice and fast at times and also has some killer head banging moments, like in the middle where it slows down a bit with some mid paced bangery, then gets fast again once the guitar solos kick in. “Debt of Sorrow” is 2nd and has some punches at the start that then lead to some double bass mayhem. A break comes and then a ripper of a riff introduces the manic speed of the ripping fast part. Relentless thrash at its best. “Portrait of a Phobia” is a roller coaster ride of thrashing rage that is all over the place and full of awesome riffs. I love the punk riff during one of the fast parts. The speed is more controlled, but is still fucking killer! This is one of the longer songs on here, but it doesn’t get old. “Into Oblivion” starts off with total mid paced banging. Throw in some heavy double bass and the killer mid one/two combination. The slower/fast part that comes with the vocals also rules. It remains pretty mid paced, the faster parts don’t get all that fast. But it is still a crusher of a song. Most of the songs have that “roller coaster” feel to them actually. The pace changes up quite a bit, but it all fits very well together.

“Doubt What’s Left” brings back some fast ripping again. The changes on this album are dynamic and flow so well together. The fast stuff blends well with the mid paced “mosh” stuff. There are multiple tempos all over this album. That is what makes it so enjoyable. Entrench actually remind me of my good pals here from Southern California Witchaven. “Blind Illusion” is next up. The song starts off fast and manic. The riffs tear you to shreds. It then slows down with some prime Sepultura like rolls and open riffs. It then slows down to some mid paced banging. You will find yourself banging your head clean off with this one. This song would be their “video” that all of us maniacs would stay up for back in the day, on the 3rd hour of MTV’s original Head Bangers Ball. The song takes off again with pure thrashing fury. There is an instrumental song “Crossing the River” that is next. This ain’t no pretty, classical inspired piece of artsy music, full of feelings. This thrashes and rages with the best of them. Reminds me a little of the old Metallica instrumentals, just with some more speed at times. Pretty fucking killer! Some effects at the end of the song lead into the album closer “Where Only Ruins Remain”. This banger starts off nice and slow. It still has the same killer and catchy riffs as the other songs though, especially when the fast part kicks in and the shrieks and screams from vocalist Fredrik slash through your ear drums. This song is a long one at over 7 minutes, but it never gets boring and always rages. Great work from these Swedes!

This is totally pounding and ripping thrash metal on display here. The guys can fucking jam, the riffs shred and the fingers are all over the fret boards at times. The drumming of Joel KILLS and he can get fast and attacking, as well as slower and nasty, with the best of them. The production and the sound of this are also old school, but you can hear everything, like those old Harris Johns recordings of the golden era. I HIGHLY recommend this to fans of blazing thrash, or just killer metal in general. Great work by Entrench and Abyss Records on this one!

http://www.officialabyssrecords.com/