All of the reviews in this batch were written for Mass Movement magazine. My first written review attempts and ended up being too big for publication so I'm throwing em up here for... whatever reason.
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Friday 10 October 2008
CD review, Apr 07. Last Crack – Sinister Funkhouse #17 / Burning Time
Reviewed - 28.04.07
Last Crack – Sinister Funkhouse #17
A curious band Last Crack, at the end of the 80’s they occupied quite a little share of mainstream metal magazine space due to their seemingly eccentric frontman, Buddo, and a somewhat off the wall musical style. I never really picked up on them, thinking they were another hyped Kerrang band, swept along with what such magazines were trying to tell us was the new cool; i.e. funk metal. Of course it was 95% dire, as is most of the rubbish foisted on us by Kerrang et al, being mainly glam rockers jumping ship into something a little more alternative and street, following the sinking of Hair Metal, or Glam Rock as it was known then.
Last Crack now occupy something of a more credible position, it seems, as something of a cult band. Web research finds sensible people admitting to having been big fans and vouching enthusiatically. Similar bands of the time include Mind Over Four, Mindfunk and at a stretch, Janes Addiction. Basically that is what Last Crack deliver… rock songs that aspire to some epic Doors like vibe while mixing a hefty dose of relaxed Zeppelin and left field LA influences. Buddo certainly has a Morrison-like delivery, though perhaps a little more rock singer than wannabe poet, though there’s plenty of both.
Sinister Funkhouse #17 is certainly the more glam rock tinged of the two, with tracks such as Shelter pushing things a little too far for my liking, but hey, if you’re gonna play this kind of stuff, why not try and make a buck? The music is actually quite pleasant and varied, though the guitar playing is often so gonzo rock that more discerning punkers or metalheads may well dismiss it as glam rock or more succinctly, rubbish. Personally I hear just enough credibility, effort and individuality to keep my interest. The songs are expansive enough to keep ones interest over repeated listens, which is really what the music takes to appreciate it. There are so many bands I could name that seem to be influences here, but Last Crack make a good effort of personalizing them.
Recommended to those that think they’d like to hear what I’ve described, and of course the web can furnish you with proof, but I don’t see this as being everyone’s cup of rock. Something of a curio.
Last Crack – Burning Time
Following the ’89 debut, this 1991 follow up is a more measured, almost grungy affair, certainly every time I hear second track Mini Toboggan, I can’t help but hear Pearl Jam’s Jeremy. Both were released around the same time so I put it down to zeitgeist and coincidence. While the latter moved away from their somewhat glam rock roots to righteous punk hippy territory, Last Crack maintained their Jimmy Page on acid guitar frenzies and Buddo’s off the wall sermonizing. These tunes are very spacious sonically and I guess reaching for a trippy, deep feel before returning to the heavy rock sections.
I actually really like this album in spite of my nagging doubts that it’s just a little too commercial or, to be honest, uncool. Fuck it, the whole point is to not give a shit what people think and in that light I have to give this the thumbs up. Again the band are a real curiosity; the vocal phrasing is often off kilter and sometimes possibly unintentionally zany, though judging from the bonus live tracks on this CD, they certainly had a dedicated following and played for fun as well as for keeps.
All in all two good albums though not for all tastes, but for me a rather interesting musical experience; somewhat dated, yet strangely enjoyable. Make of them what you will.
Last Crack – Sinister Funkhouse #17
A curious band Last Crack, at the end of the 80’s they occupied quite a little share of mainstream metal magazine space due to their seemingly eccentric frontman, Buddo, and a somewhat off the wall musical style. I never really picked up on them, thinking they were another hyped Kerrang band, swept along with what such magazines were trying to tell us was the new cool; i.e. funk metal. Of course it was 95% dire, as is most of the rubbish foisted on us by Kerrang et al, being mainly glam rockers jumping ship into something a little more alternative and street, following the sinking of Hair Metal, or Glam Rock as it was known then.
Last Crack now occupy something of a more credible position, it seems, as something of a cult band. Web research finds sensible people admitting to having been big fans and vouching enthusiatically. Similar bands of the time include Mind Over Four, Mindfunk and at a stretch, Janes Addiction. Basically that is what Last Crack deliver… rock songs that aspire to some epic Doors like vibe while mixing a hefty dose of relaxed Zeppelin and left field LA influences. Buddo certainly has a Morrison-like delivery, though perhaps a little more rock singer than wannabe poet, though there’s plenty of both.
Sinister Funkhouse #17 is certainly the more glam rock tinged of the two, with tracks such as Shelter pushing things a little too far for my liking, but hey, if you’re gonna play this kind of stuff, why not try and make a buck? The music is actually quite pleasant and varied, though the guitar playing is often so gonzo rock that more discerning punkers or metalheads may well dismiss it as glam rock or more succinctly, rubbish. Personally I hear just enough credibility, effort and individuality to keep my interest. The songs are expansive enough to keep ones interest over repeated listens, which is really what the music takes to appreciate it. There are so many bands I could name that seem to be influences here, but Last Crack make a good effort of personalizing them.
Recommended to those that think they’d like to hear what I’ve described, and of course the web can furnish you with proof, but I don’t see this as being everyone’s cup of rock. Something of a curio.
Last Crack – Burning Time
Following the ’89 debut, this 1991 follow up is a more measured, almost grungy affair, certainly every time I hear second track Mini Toboggan, I can’t help but hear Pearl Jam’s Jeremy. Both were released around the same time so I put it down to zeitgeist and coincidence. While the latter moved away from their somewhat glam rock roots to righteous punk hippy territory, Last Crack maintained their Jimmy Page on acid guitar frenzies and Buddo’s off the wall sermonizing. These tunes are very spacious sonically and I guess reaching for a trippy, deep feel before returning to the heavy rock sections.
I actually really like this album in spite of my nagging doubts that it’s just a little too commercial or, to be honest, uncool. Fuck it, the whole point is to not give a shit what people think and in that light I have to give this the thumbs up. Again the band are a real curiosity; the vocal phrasing is often off kilter and sometimes possibly unintentionally zany, though judging from the bonus live tracks on this CD, they certainly had a dedicated following and played for fun as well as for keeps.
All in all two good albums though not for all tastes, but for me a rather interesting musical experience; somewhat dated, yet strangely enjoyable. Make of them what you will.
CD review, Apr 07. Xentrix - For Whose Advantage / Kin
Xentrix – For Whose Advantage
Reviewed - 23.04.07
It’s with some trepidation that I approach these Xentrix reviews, because to be quite honest, I always thought they were crap. When they came out in 1989 they were just so far behind what was happening in thrash and like most of the British also-ran thrashers, copied Metallica’s blueprint almost entirely. Worse still they did that god-awful, supposedly funny cover of 80’s pop tune Ghostbusters. While my friends all thought it was great, I thought it was dire; another thrash cliché and another nail in the coffin. The Pythonesque slapstick of Acid Reign or Lawnmower Deth just didn’t fit with the otherwise pretty po-faced image Xentrix had and I thought it did the band no favours. Reign In Blood didn’t need a bloody Pointer Sisters cover in ’86 did it?
Question is, how’s 17 years been to the poor blighters? In hindsight, I can see the band were probably just surfing the thrash wave from a ‘lets form a band’. I now realize that they were probably not trying to take over the world, though that might have been nice, and were just following the little success they had. Recent one-off gig activity finds the band too busy with non-musical related lives to attempt to rehash former half-glories and tellingly, to me, nice short haircuts.
Kicking off here with their second album For Whose Advantage, the prime candidate for my Metallica-clone bile, strangely I now find this album oddly compelling. While I still balk at the utter And Justice For All-ness of it, during a run through the other day while in a joyful mood, I actually found myself air guitaring and even a spot of the old headbanging! I quite shocked myself as I almost verbalized the words ‘fucking hell, this isn’t too bad!’. It can’t really be denied that there are a some good easy listening thrash tracks on here. Probably the kind of thrash glam rockers might enjoy, or maybe for the people that find Testament, the other band that tinge Xentrix’s sound, too heavy. It’s kind of the good and bad mixed up in one really. Catchy, but unchallenging.
To get into specifics, I’d say it’s Chris Astley’s vocals that really give Xentrix that jobbing UK thrash band vibe. He has no range, little variation and no detectable enthusiasm. They just don’t have any bite and in the end while it’s all quite listenable, it’s just too…unremarkable. Even though there are plenty of mid-paced, riffy workouts, they mostly sound like And Justice For All outtakes. I won’t name tracks as you could choose any of them really. Lyrics typically touch on the typical socio-political issues. The CD has bonus and live tracks from the Dilute to Taste EP, which have a little more authority but no particular musical advancement.
However, I’ll give the guys respect for coming up with some quite catchy riffs and rhythms. There’s nothing to trouble anyone here really, but if you’re knocking back a few beers with some old friends before a night out, or maybe just doing the dishes, this is a nice unthreatening reminder of what thrash was about before the tide rolled back leaving only the high water mark left by Xentrix’ elders and betters.
Xentrix – Kin
Xentrix released their 3rd album Kin in 1993, and into a rather unstable musical environment. As the rather refreshing CD inlay blurb explains, the band found themselves tagged as a thrash band in the dying days of thrash and attempted, as many others did, to distance themselves from the tag and the style. This album then is that attempt.
Having not heard Kin before, and now having listened to it a fair few times, I do appreciate what they were trying to achieve, theoretically if not musically. Although they tried to lose the thrash tag, those telltale mid-paced chugs, open power chords and pre-chorus buildups and are all in evidence. There are some interesting musical ideas, twin guitar melodies, and a nice bit of bass work which doesn’t always follow the guitar lines. It slows and spreads the vibe into an almost more commercial sound, but certainly doesn’t sound like it’s selling out, just a little more inventive.
That said, we’re talking about Xentrix who’s specialty was certainly not invention. All Bleed Red could sit alongside anything they’d recorded previously and I can’t help but think that much younger bands like Death Angel wiped the floor with this stuff; in speed, melody, intricacy, power… everything. Unfortunately while vocalist Chris Astley tries to spread his style with some clear singing, his gruff vocals remain and root the attempts at variation to the same old Xentrix style. Track 4 No More Time heralds the first of a handful of very basic keyboard led power ballads with, and I swear, the exact guitar sound from Metallica’s Dyers Eve built into a very watered down Justice style build up of bedroom guitar riffs. Seven minutes later and I certainly don’t feel like I’ve had a musical epiphany.
Kin continues in much the same vein; simple riffing, attempted bass and drum interplay and unremarkable vocals. Only the ironically titled Waiting (my sarcasm) shows off anything in the way of a half interesting guitar solo. The almost Solitude Aeturnus vibe of See Through You is right up my street, but it’s one track and too little to late. We’re still talking Metal by numbers and while I’m loathe to dig into a British band, well, that’s just how it is. The production is possibly rather flat too. While you can hear everything clearly enough, it sounds just a little too clean, very little fullness or bite in the sound. To be fair I don’t know if this is a remastering issue, but I doubt it. That said, the music is there for all to see, or rather hear. It’s all very pleasant but if I want pleasant I’ll go play some early Michael Jackson.
Reviewed - 23.04.07
It’s with some trepidation that I approach these Xentrix reviews, because to be quite honest, I always thought they were crap. When they came out in 1989 they were just so far behind what was happening in thrash and like most of the British also-ran thrashers, copied Metallica’s blueprint almost entirely. Worse still they did that god-awful, supposedly funny cover of 80’s pop tune Ghostbusters. While my friends all thought it was great, I thought it was dire; another thrash cliché and another nail in the coffin. The Pythonesque slapstick of Acid Reign or Lawnmower Deth just didn’t fit with the otherwise pretty po-faced image Xentrix had and I thought it did the band no favours. Reign In Blood didn’t need a bloody Pointer Sisters cover in ’86 did it?
Question is, how’s 17 years been to the poor blighters? In hindsight, I can see the band were probably just surfing the thrash wave from a ‘lets form a band’. I now realize that they were probably not trying to take over the world, though that might have been nice, and were just following the little success they had. Recent one-off gig activity finds the band too busy with non-musical related lives to attempt to rehash former half-glories and tellingly, to me, nice short haircuts.
Kicking off here with their second album For Whose Advantage, the prime candidate for my Metallica-clone bile, strangely I now find this album oddly compelling. While I still balk at the utter And Justice For All-ness of it, during a run through the other day while in a joyful mood, I actually found myself air guitaring and even a spot of the old headbanging! I quite shocked myself as I almost verbalized the words ‘fucking hell, this isn’t too bad!’. It can’t really be denied that there are a some good easy listening thrash tracks on here. Probably the kind of thrash glam rockers might enjoy, or maybe for the people that find Testament, the other band that tinge Xentrix’s sound, too heavy. It’s kind of the good and bad mixed up in one really. Catchy, but unchallenging.
To get into specifics, I’d say it’s Chris Astley’s vocals that really give Xentrix that jobbing UK thrash band vibe. He has no range, little variation and no detectable enthusiasm. They just don’t have any bite and in the end while it’s all quite listenable, it’s just too…unremarkable. Even though there are plenty of mid-paced, riffy workouts, they mostly sound like And Justice For All outtakes. I won’t name tracks as you could choose any of them really. Lyrics typically touch on the typical socio-political issues. The CD has bonus and live tracks from the Dilute to Taste EP, which have a little more authority but no particular musical advancement.
However, I’ll give the guys respect for coming up with some quite catchy riffs and rhythms. There’s nothing to trouble anyone here really, but if you’re knocking back a few beers with some old friends before a night out, or maybe just doing the dishes, this is a nice unthreatening reminder of what thrash was about before the tide rolled back leaving only the high water mark left by Xentrix’ elders and betters.
Xentrix – Kin
Xentrix released their 3rd album Kin in 1993, and into a rather unstable musical environment. As the rather refreshing CD inlay blurb explains, the band found themselves tagged as a thrash band in the dying days of thrash and attempted, as many others did, to distance themselves from the tag and the style. This album then is that attempt.
Having not heard Kin before, and now having listened to it a fair few times, I do appreciate what they were trying to achieve, theoretically if not musically. Although they tried to lose the thrash tag, those telltale mid-paced chugs, open power chords and pre-chorus buildups and are all in evidence. There are some interesting musical ideas, twin guitar melodies, and a nice bit of bass work which doesn’t always follow the guitar lines. It slows and spreads the vibe into an almost more commercial sound, but certainly doesn’t sound like it’s selling out, just a little more inventive.
That said, we’re talking about Xentrix who’s specialty was certainly not invention. All Bleed Red could sit alongside anything they’d recorded previously and I can’t help but think that much younger bands like Death Angel wiped the floor with this stuff; in speed, melody, intricacy, power… everything. Unfortunately while vocalist Chris Astley tries to spread his style with some clear singing, his gruff vocals remain and root the attempts at variation to the same old Xentrix style. Track 4 No More Time heralds the first of a handful of very basic keyboard led power ballads with, and I swear, the exact guitar sound from Metallica’s Dyers Eve built into a very watered down Justice style build up of bedroom guitar riffs. Seven minutes later and I certainly don’t feel like I’ve had a musical epiphany.
Kin continues in much the same vein; simple riffing, attempted bass and drum interplay and unremarkable vocals. Only the ironically titled Waiting (my sarcasm) shows off anything in the way of a half interesting guitar solo. The almost Solitude Aeturnus vibe of See Through You is right up my street, but it’s one track and too little to late. We’re still talking Metal by numbers and while I’m loathe to dig into a British band, well, that’s just how it is. The production is possibly rather flat too. While you can hear everything clearly enough, it sounds just a little too clean, very little fullness or bite in the sound. To be fair I don’t know if this is a remastering issue, but I doubt it. That said, the music is there for all to see, or rather hear. It’s all very pleasant but if I want pleasant I’ll go play some early Michael Jackson.
CD review, May 07. Solitude Aeturnus – Into The Depths of Sorrow
Reviewed - 10.5.07
With my track record of hundreds of listens you’d think reviewing an album as blissful as this would be easy… but I repeatedly find myself half way through the album, nodding like a mental patient and not one key tapped. Hard life! So yes, knowing where I stand (or sit) with Into The Depths Of Sorrow, perhaps I should extrapolate…
Solitude Aeturnus formed in 1987 by riff master guitarist John Perez, stabilized a lineup by 1989, recorded this, their debut, in 1990 and finally after much recording and record deal tribulations released Sorrow on Roadrunner in 1991. Sorrow remains a classic of the genre and I can’t heap platitudes high enough. I don’t remember where I first picked up a cassette of this though it was a long time ago, and I know aside from Candlemass’ Nightfall, Sorrow was one of my few experiences of the doom metal genre. Like Nightfall, I was lucky as I started at the top and nearly two decades down the line, both albums remain as fresh and vital as they ever have.
Now this doom metal style and genre may be anathema (pun) to many, but I think at some stage surely any genuine music fan can appreciate the good in any genre, and that’s the angle I try to come from. And this is good. Very good. Basically what you have with Solitude is something of a take on the Sabbath blueprint, without the hints of psychedelia or 70’s rock. This is unashamed Heavy Metal, but without the cheese so many confuse as inherent in the genre. If you can imagine everything that might be cheesy about Metal, then dump it, heap tons of heavy flowing riffs, sublime vocals and smooth melodic leads, wrap it in an almost claustrophobic blanket of doom yet leaving it free to breath and envelope the listener… this is what you get.
Vocalist Rob Lowe is the secret weapon in the arsenal, possessing a masterful clear tone which compliments the flowing doom of the band. No growling or OTT operatics, though Lowe does hit the occasional higher note, much of his vocal lines intertwine with the open power chords, leading the narrative and easing in and out of the inevitable longer musical passages and superb solo sections. The album has always given the feel of a journey and you never really think ‘here comes the solo’, you just find yourself in it and enjoying it. At least, I do!
After the haunting intro, Return to Despair exemplifies Solitude’s take on doom with double bass drums rumbling throughout, some fine soloing and a nice doom section to play out. Unlike some doom bands who lose power as they drop the riff count or use supposedly ‘atmospheric’ keyboards, this is no snoozefest, Solitude keep up the tempo and Transcending Divinity, again showcases the bands style; no pandering to trends, just more heavy flowing doom! It’s just the sound of a band who know what they’re doing and know how to do it really well. Or they got damn lucky!
There are so many tracks on this album that verbal descriptions won’t do justice. Beautiful acoustic sections, crushing doom passages, incredible yet tasteful guitar interplay, soaring and mournful vocals, Sorrow has it all. I haven’t touched on the lyrical content which I covers the gamut of positive, religious and depressed themes. While there is an occasional Christian tinge, I won’t hold that against them in the same was as I don’t hold Slayer to account for their cartoon shock lyrics.
All I can say is that if you don’t balk at the thought of doom metal, or you’d like to check out the genre but don’t know where to start, then get this album. It should be an essential part of any self respecting metalhead’s collection and will always remain a classic musical statement of intent and attained vision.
With my track record of hundreds of listens you’d think reviewing an album as blissful as this would be easy… but I repeatedly find myself half way through the album, nodding like a mental patient and not one key tapped. Hard life! So yes, knowing where I stand (or sit) with Into The Depths Of Sorrow, perhaps I should extrapolate…
Solitude Aeturnus formed in 1987 by riff master guitarist John Perez, stabilized a lineup by 1989, recorded this, their debut, in 1990 and finally after much recording and record deal tribulations released Sorrow on Roadrunner in 1991. Sorrow remains a classic of the genre and I can’t heap platitudes high enough. I don’t remember where I first picked up a cassette of this though it was a long time ago, and I know aside from Candlemass’ Nightfall, Sorrow was one of my few experiences of the doom metal genre. Like Nightfall, I was lucky as I started at the top and nearly two decades down the line, both albums remain as fresh and vital as they ever have.
Now this doom metal style and genre may be anathema (pun) to many, but I think at some stage surely any genuine music fan can appreciate the good in any genre, and that’s the angle I try to come from. And this is good. Very good. Basically what you have with Solitude is something of a take on the Sabbath blueprint, without the hints of psychedelia or 70’s rock. This is unashamed Heavy Metal, but without the cheese so many confuse as inherent in the genre. If you can imagine everything that might be cheesy about Metal, then dump it, heap tons of heavy flowing riffs, sublime vocals and smooth melodic leads, wrap it in an almost claustrophobic blanket of doom yet leaving it free to breath and envelope the listener… this is what you get.
Vocalist Rob Lowe is the secret weapon in the arsenal, possessing a masterful clear tone which compliments the flowing doom of the band. No growling or OTT operatics, though Lowe does hit the occasional higher note, much of his vocal lines intertwine with the open power chords, leading the narrative and easing in and out of the inevitable longer musical passages and superb solo sections. The album has always given the feel of a journey and you never really think ‘here comes the solo’, you just find yourself in it and enjoying it. At least, I do!
After the haunting intro, Return to Despair exemplifies Solitude’s take on doom with double bass drums rumbling throughout, some fine soloing and a nice doom section to play out. Unlike some doom bands who lose power as they drop the riff count or use supposedly ‘atmospheric’ keyboards, this is no snoozefest, Solitude keep up the tempo and Transcending Divinity, again showcases the bands style; no pandering to trends, just more heavy flowing doom! It’s just the sound of a band who know what they’re doing and know how to do it really well. Or they got damn lucky!
There are so many tracks on this album that verbal descriptions won’t do justice. Beautiful acoustic sections, crushing doom passages, incredible yet tasteful guitar interplay, soaring and mournful vocals, Sorrow has it all. I haven’t touched on the lyrical content which I covers the gamut of positive, religious and depressed themes. While there is an occasional Christian tinge, I won’t hold that against them in the same was as I don’t hold Slayer to account for their cartoon shock lyrics.
All I can say is that if you don’t balk at the thought of doom metal, or you’d like to check out the genre but don’t know where to start, then get this album. It should be an essential part of any self respecting metalhead’s collection and will always remain a classic musical statement of intent and attained vision.
CD review, Apr 07. Toxic - World Circus/Think This
Reviewed - 29.04.07
Toxic – World Circus
Forming in 1985 and releasing this debut in 1987, these New Yorkers certainly came up at the right time and in the right place to make a mark on the thrash underground. The heavy metal schooling is apparent throughout this way above average thrash album as the musicianship is everything you want in a tight, concise and inventive thrash band.
Cutting to the chase though, it’ll be Mike Sanders’ vocals that’ll turn a lot of listeners off. Back in the day there was still a falsetto hangover in Metal, probably influenced by the likes of Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, and some bands still employed high pitched singers. However, Sanders takes the biscuit. For me at least, some of his shrieking on this CD, especially on tracks like Pain and Misery actually spoil the music. Fortunately there are also awesome thrash moments like opener (and minor classic from the old Stars On Thrash compilation) Heart Attack. The vocals were remarked upon similarly when this came out first and I guess that’s just what a band is going to have to deal with when taking on someone so… individual.
When the music is left to breath and thrash under it’s own steam without Sanders’ getting too out of hand, we find his lower registers well suited to the Toxic progressive blend of speed metal. It’s a shame that more bands didn’t adopt the urgency and vibrance of the guitar playing on this album, the opening bars to most of the tunes just sound like imminent thrash classics, yet again it’s a shame that the singing sometimes overshadows them. The pace rarely lets up and the interest never dulls through pace changes, guitar interplay and frenetic solos. Musically there are nods to peers such as Kreator, Whiplash, Death Angel and more. Toxic also lean towards the occasional NYC gang vocalled chorus which retains the feel of a solid unit, thrashing as one!
Toxic will please anyone into or researching thrash and I’d suggest listening past the vocals for the joys lying underneath, though I still find it a tough task. So much potential.
Toxic – Think This
Toxic’s 1989 sophomore release finds the band with a new singer in the form of Charles Sabin who wisely adopts a lower register vocal technique than his predecessor, but still frequently stabbing at the high notes. Think This starts off with a typical one minute acoustic type intro before getting into an aggressive mid-paced staccato vibe with off kilter vocal phrasing and more occasional gang vocals on backup. Again there’s an almost euro-thrash feel, reminiscent of Coroner or Midas Touch, with very progressive thrash arrangements. Touches of the ethereal, space-age and avant-garde of VoiVod also permeate.
Track four, There Stood The Fence heralds a thrash ballad of the CD and I can help thinking how much I prefer Metal Church’s Watch The Children Pray and very, very few others of it’s ilk. I must applaud the lyrical themes on this album though as they guided many thrash bands and at the time my new found left leaning political thoughts; social injustice, government corruption, racism… all rather poignant nearly twenty years later where we blindly repeat the same and worse mistakes. Thrash bands such as this never got the respect that HC peers seemed to get for saying much the same thing.
Sonically, Think This nails it’s colours firmly to the progressive thrash mast. Fans of the style will surely enjoy the musical fare on show here and it certainly is a guitar showcase. That said, for thrashers such as myself who enjoy frenetic challenging music but don’t care for 10,000 note guitar solos should find just as much to get our teeth into. I do. Toxic are able to straddle the line between over indulgence and ‘keeping it heavy’. A couple of tracks, such as the rambling Technical Arrogance and too over the top Machine Dream push the boundary a little, but I guess that’s the band’s prerogative. A Zeppelin cover of Out On the Tiles seems somewhat overwrought and unnecessary.
Think This is a far more progressive album than the thrashy debut and fans of bands like Fates Warning and Watchtower, as namechecked on the once again fine CD liner notes, should definitely check this out (just don’t look at the poseur-tastic pictures of the band!!).
Toxic – World Circus
Forming in 1985 and releasing this debut in 1987, these New Yorkers certainly came up at the right time and in the right place to make a mark on the thrash underground. The heavy metal schooling is apparent throughout this way above average thrash album as the musicianship is everything you want in a tight, concise and inventive thrash band.
Cutting to the chase though, it’ll be Mike Sanders’ vocals that’ll turn a lot of listeners off. Back in the day there was still a falsetto hangover in Metal, probably influenced by the likes of Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, and some bands still employed high pitched singers. However, Sanders takes the biscuit. For me at least, some of his shrieking on this CD, especially on tracks like Pain and Misery actually spoil the music. Fortunately there are also awesome thrash moments like opener (and minor classic from the old Stars On Thrash compilation) Heart Attack. The vocals were remarked upon similarly when this came out first and I guess that’s just what a band is going to have to deal with when taking on someone so… individual.
When the music is left to breath and thrash under it’s own steam without Sanders’ getting too out of hand, we find his lower registers well suited to the Toxic progressive blend of speed metal. It’s a shame that more bands didn’t adopt the urgency and vibrance of the guitar playing on this album, the opening bars to most of the tunes just sound like imminent thrash classics, yet again it’s a shame that the singing sometimes overshadows them. The pace rarely lets up and the interest never dulls through pace changes, guitar interplay and frenetic solos. Musically there are nods to peers such as Kreator, Whiplash, Death Angel and more. Toxic also lean towards the occasional NYC gang vocalled chorus which retains the feel of a solid unit, thrashing as one!
Toxic will please anyone into or researching thrash and I’d suggest listening past the vocals for the joys lying underneath, though I still find it a tough task. So much potential.
Toxic – Think This
Toxic’s 1989 sophomore release finds the band with a new singer in the form of Charles Sabin who wisely adopts a lower register vocal technique than his predecessor, but still frequently stabbing at the high notes. Think This starts off with a typical one minute acoustic type intro before getting into an aggressive mid-paced staccato vibe with off kilter vocal phrasing and more occasional gang vocals on backup. Again there’s an almost euro-thrash feel, reminiscent of Coroner or Midas Touch, with very progressive thrash arrangements. Touches of the ethereal, space-age and avant-garde of VoiVod also permeate.
Track four, There Stood The Fence heralds a thrash ballad of the CD and I can help thinking how much I prefer Metal Church’s Watch The Children Pray and very, very few others of it’s ilk. I must applaud the lyrical themes on this album though as they guided many thrash bands and at the time my new found left leaning political thoughts; social injustice, government corruption, racism… all rather poignant nearly twenty years later where we blindly repeat the same and worse mistakes. Thrash bands such as this never got the respect that HC peers seemed to get for saying much the same thing.
Sonically, Think This nails it’s colours firmly to the progressive thrash mast. Fans of the style will surely enjoy the musical fare on show here and it certainly is a guitar showcase. That said, for thrashers such as myself who enjoy frenetic challenging music but don’t care for 10,000 note guitar solos should find just as much to get our teeth into. I do. Toxic are able to straddle the line between over indulgence and ‘keeping it heavy’. A couple of tracks, such as the rambling Technical Arrogance and too over the top Machine Dream push the boundary a little, but I guess that’s the band’s prerogative. A Zeppelin cover of Out On the Tiles seems somewhat overwrought and unnecessary.
Think This is a far more progressive album than the thrashy debut and fans of bands like Fates Warning and Watchtower, as namechecked on the once again fine CD liner notes, should definitely check this out (just don’t look at the poseur-tastic pictures of the band!!).
CD review, Apr 07. Realm – Suiciety
Reviewed - 08.04.07
Realm followed up their stellar 1988 debut with 1990’s Suiciety and this too has the re-issue treatment. After a thorough grounding in Realm’s stellar debut Endless War, I admit for some reason I never crossed paths with this one first time around. For some reason I wasn’t sure it would be as good. I don’t know why, but sometimes bands over think the music, slow down and lose that youthful exuberance that made them exciting.
Suiciety certainly kicks off things with intent, Cain Rose Up has much of the feel of Endless War, though the production or mix on this seems a little less forceful. The clanky bass is a little too upfront and the guitars seem really low in the mix. Besides which, as you play the CD you notice the track 4 is really track 3 etc, because the intro to the opening tune has been given a track of its own. Somebody wasn’t paying attention. The sound issue may just be my ears because a fan on Realm’s Myspace page says Suiciety sounds awesome yet criticizes the Endless War reissue for some bad sonic mastering. Perhaps it’s just the style of this album. It’s certainly more sonically clear, but I want to hear the guitar more than the bass! And I’m a bassplayer! Horses for courses.
As for the actual music, I’m not sure if it’s my unfamiliarity, especially compared with the debut, or what I perceive as a weaker sound, but I feel strangely less convinced about this one. I must admit that all the elements of the debut seem to be here, but there’s much more of a melodic feel to the riffing, less powerchording and more of that single note type riffing that Megadeth moved towards after So Far So Good. With the bass following the same melodies it can occasionally sound a little light. The guitars do seem to fly out of the stereo every time a solo is ripped out though, and ripped out is right because these guys know how to play. The arrangements seem a lot more open too, a little more progressive, or Metal, than thrash. This is no bad thing really as apparently Realm did the road work back in the day and as their musicianship is evidently a cut above, they’re bound to try and perfect their sound. I’m just picking up more of a muso, guitar freakout vibe from this one as opposed to the spastic thrashing of Endless War.
I’ll happily admit though that this one still thrashes on occasion and certainly has no limit on notes per minute. Mark Antoni is still confidently working all of the songs and the uber-tight arrangements (and pants no doubt) show that these tracks were very likely labours of love. I just wish they’d up the pace and turn up those bloody guitars every now and then. It’s often just too mid paced and ploddy! It’s like some cock-rock beast being fucked by Sadus and Mordred at the same time. Kinda weird. Really if you want evil thrash, this isn’t the one, but if you’re a big fan of melodic, inventive Metal, you’ll likely love this. I feel terrible for saying it but this just doesn’t do it for me.
Realm followed up their stellar 1988 debut with 1990’s Suiciety and this too has the re-issue treatment. After a thorough grounding in Realm’s stellar debut Endless War, I admit for some reason I never crossed paths with this one first time around. For some reason I wasn’t sure it would be as good. I don’t know why, but sometimes bands over think the music, slow down and lose that youthful exuberance that made them exciting.
Suiciety certainly kicks off things with intent, Cain Rose Up has much of the feel of Endless War, though the production or mix on this seems a little less forceful. The clanky bass is a little too upfront and the guitars seem really low in the mix. Besides which, as you play the CD you notice the track 4 is really track 3 etc, because the intro to the opening tune has been given a track of its own. Somebody wasn’t paying attention. The sound issue may just be my ears because a fan on Realm’s Myspace page says Suiciety sounds awesome yet criticizes the Endless War reissue for some bad sonic mastering. Perhaps it’s just the style of this album. It’s certainly more sonically clear, but I want to hear the guitar more than the bass! And I’m a bassplayer! Horses for courses.
As for the actual music, I’m not sure if it’s my unfamiliarity, especially compared with the debut, or what I perceive as a weaker sound, but I feel strangely less convinced about this one. I must admit that all the elements of the debut seem to be here, but there’s much more of a melodic feel to the riffing, less powerchording and more of that single note type riffing that Megadeth moved towards after So Far So Good. With the bass following the same melodies it can occasionally sound a little light. The guitars do seem to fly out of the stereo every time a solo is ripped out though, and ripped out is right because these guys know how to play. The arrangements seem a lot more open too, a little more progressive, or Metal, than thrash. This is no bad thing really as apparently Realm did the road work back in the day and as their musicianship is evidently a cut above, they’re bound to try and perfect their sound. I’m just picking up more of a muso, guitar freakout vibe from this one as opposed to the spastic thrashing of Endless War.
I’ll happily admit though that this one still thrashes on occasion and certainly has no limit on notes per minute. Mark Antoni is still confidently working all of the songs and the uber-tight arrangements (and pants no doubt) show that these tracks were very likely labours of love. I just wish they’d up the pace and turn up those bloody guitars every now and then. It’s often just too mid paced and ploddy! It’s like some cock-rock beast being fucked by Sadus and Mordred at the same time. Kinda weird. Really if you want evil thrash, this isn’t the one, but if you’re a big fan of melodic, inventive Metal, you’ll likely love this. I feel terrible for saying it but this just doesn’t do it for me.
CD review, Apr 07. Sadus - Chemical Exposure/Swallowed In Black/A Vision of Misery
Reviewed - 23.04.07
Ah Sadus, the bastard child of Dark Angel and Kreator! Sadus were never one to fuck around taking it easy, straight to the throat for Sadus, much like their potential musical parents. Sadus only crossed my path a couple of times way back when, most notably on the Roadracer compilation At Deaths Door where they stood out as a rather scary proposition, even when up against the likes of Obituary and Deicide. While those other bands were undoubtedly heavy, uncompromising and decidedly fresh back then, Sadus were something else. Off the wall speed, faster time changes, drums fills all over the place, bass you could actually hear being slammed senseless and topped with Darren Travis’ rasping, Mille Petrozza style vocals.
Such was their ferocity that their uber-talented journeyman bassist Steve DiGiorgio is now one of the most famous and admired players in the underground Metal genre. Having played with the likes of Death, Testament and Control Denied, he now, rather strangely takes up the bass spot for none other than, er, Sebastian Bach. My unfamiliarity with the rest of the band meant that while I wondered who this Jon Allen guy was that drummed for Testament for a few years back, lo and behold he was the guy thrashing the kit in Sadus! I hang my head in shame.
So, Chemical Exposure was basically a 1991 Roadracer re-release of Sadus first self-released record, 1988’s Illusions. Musically just as Sadus always stood out for their uncompromising speed, for me there-in also lay their handicap. While the music is admirably fast, and in the right mood, or maybe if you’re between the ages of 15 and 19, blooding yourself on something new and heavy, this is still The Shit. However, if you’re after something with a little more melody, the odd smooth break, a nice *cough* slow riff, Sadus are not your boys. Maybe I’m just not tough enough to listen to this kind of stuff, but I do love my thrash and there is no way I could listen to this on repeat, it becomes a blur. In its worst moments, it can be borderline annoying! Take any two minute excerpt and it’ll be two minutes of fine thrashing, but play it for thirty minutes and you kinda lose your way. At least, I do. Luckily this one clocks in at thirty five minutes, so maybe it’s aiming for that Reign In Blood perfection.
There isn’t too much by way of solos that I could pick up though there is something of the typical Slayer style demonic widdling with cacophonic squeals to flavour. If you love late 80’s Kreator and Dark Angel or even new boys like Cryptopsy, Blood Red Throne, Belphegor or by Christ, any post ’05 Death Metal, and you just love it when the drummer only takes a break from thrash blasting when it’s time for the first four bars of the next tune, Sadus could be your band and Chemical Exposure a fine introduction.
Sadus – Swallowed In Black
Now this is better, an obvious progression. Where Chemical Exposure was gung-ho youthful exuberance, this 1990 effort has a knowing maturity. Sadus still don’t let up on the speed, but there is much more musicality and far more to get your teeth into. The riffs are somehow even busier and really bring out that Sadus fluid riffing style, Jesus, this is a thrash masterclass! There are definitely heavy progressive and jazz elements to the band this time and don’t for one second think that means sellout or mellow. No, this is fast as fuck and choppy as hell! Track three is the now semi-classic Last Abide, also known from it’s position on the highly recommended At Deaths Door Roadrunner compilation from 1990. It’s a typically blistering and powerful example of Sadus best work.
However there is now evidence, as on The Wake, of some lovely slow and heavy riffing which gives this album a far more interesting feel. When the band kicks in again, you find yourself swept along. Exactly what you want! Darren Travis’ has taken a more measured approach this time, spreading his vocal lines out over the frenetic music and really giving the band a darker, deeper texture. His style is still rasping but it compliments the music this time, rather than trying to keep up.
With the addition of some rather raw bonus track from the ’86 demo days, this one definitely deserves the Thrash/Death Metal classic status it holds and a worthy member of any Metalhead’s collection!!
Sadus – A Vision of Misery
The final re-release comes in the form of Sadus third album, 1992’s Vision of Misery. This one is somewhat of a sonic expansion on, rather than a huge departure from, the musical variety of Swallowed in Black. The typical Sadus ante is set high on blasting first track Through The Eyes of Greed all the way up until the early respite in track four Slave To Misery which features some nice slow and heavy grooves before again speeding off into technical death metal heaven. The bass work is something to marvel at and not being particularly gifted musically I’m sure there is some intricate work going on here which my philistine ears can neither detect nor can I explain.
Sadus albums are almost more of a full experience than a particular showcase for individual tracks and Misery is a classic example. Tracks on this one ebb and flow into one another leaving a generalized feeling of what Sadus do and do exceptionally. Repeat listens open up the complexity and deliver hidden gems such as the fly-by solos on Throwing Away The Day which spice up the general bludgeon. Sadus don’t always speed straight through though and Facelift offers something of what was to come in the early 90’s Black Metal bands, especially down to Darren Travis’ throat ripping hoarse attack.
Really, if there are any kids out there that are really into these newer Black Metal, Death Metal or Death-Thrash/Black-Thrash Metal bands (I hear the unknowing scoff in the corner, yeah, I know!); the kinda stuff that purports to be heavy, face ripping, fast and all that… get online and check out Sadus myspace page and check this stuff out. If you like fast heavy thrash, you need Sadus albums in your collection. This is the band that helped spawn the genre and there are few that stand the test of time so well, nor blast so fast while still sounding so good!
Ah Sadus, the bastard child of Dark Angel and Kreator! Sadus were never one to fuck around taking it easy, straight to the throat for Sadus, much like their potential musical parents. Sadus only crossed my path a couple of times way back when, most notably on the Roadracer compilation At Deaths Door where they stood out as a rather scary proposition, even when up against the likes of Obituary and Deicide. While those other bands were undoubtedly heavy, uncompromising and decidedly fresh back then, Sadus were something else. Off the wall speed, faster time changes, drums fills all over the place, bass you could actually hear being slammed senseless and topped with Darren Travis’ rasping, Mille Petrozza style vocals.
Such was their ferocity that their uber-talented journeyman bassist Steve DiGiorgio is now one of the most famous and admired players in the underground Metal genre. Having played with the likes of Death, Testament and Control Denied, he now, rather strangely takes up the bass spot for none other than, er, Sebastian Bach. My unfamiliarity with the rest of the band meant that while I wondered who this Jon Allen guy was that drummed for Testament for a few years back, lo and behold he was the guy thrashing the kit in Sadus! I hang my head in shame.
So, Chemical Exposure was basically a 1991 Roadracer re-release of Sadus first self-released record, 1988’s Illusions. Musically just as Sadus always stood out for their uncompromising speed, for me there-in also lay their handicap. While the music is admirably fast, and in the right mood, or maybe if you’re between the ages of 15 and 19, blooding yourself on something new and heavy, this is still The Shit. However, if you’re after something with a little more melody, the odd smooth break, a nice *cough* slow riff, Sadus are not your boys. Maybe I’m just not tough enough to listen to this kind of stuff, but I do love my thrash and there is no way I could listen to this on repeat, it becomes a blur. In its worst moments, it can be borderline annoying! Take any two minute excerpt and it’ll be two minutes of fine thrashing, but play it for thirty minutes and you kinda lose your way. At least, I do. Luckily this one clocks in at thirty five minutes, so maybe it’s aiming for that Reign In Blood perfection.
There isn’t too much by way of solos that I could pick up though there is something of the typical Slayer style demonic widdling with cacophonic squeals to flavour. If you love late 80’s Kreator and Dark Angel or even new boys like Cryptopsy, Blood Red Throne, Belphegor or by Christ, any post ’05 Death Metal, and you just love it when the drummer only takes a break from thrash blasting when it’s time for the first four bars of the next tune, Sadus could be your band and Chemical Exposure a fine introduction.
Sadus – Swallowed In Black
Now this is better, an obvious progression. Where Chemical Exposure was gung-ho youthful exuberance, this 1990 effort has a knowing maturity. Sadus still don’t let up on the speed, but there is much more musicality and far more to get your teeth into. The riffs are somehow even busier and really bring out that Sadus fluid riffing style, Jesus, this is a thrash masterclass! There are definitely heavy progressive and jazz elements to the band this time and don’t for one second think that means sellout or mellow. No, this is fast as fuck and choppy as hell! Track three is the now semi-classic Last Abide, also known from it’s position on the highly recommended At Deaths Door Roadrunner compilation from 1990. It’s a typically blistering and powerful example of Sadus best work.
However there is now evidence, as on The Wake, of some lovely slow and heavy riffing which gives this album a far more interesting feel. When the band kicks in again, you find yourself swept along. Exactly what you want! Darren Travis’ has taken a more measured approach this time, spreading his vocal lines out over the frenetic music and really giving the band a darker, deeper texture. His style is still rasping but it compliments the music this time, rather than trying to keep up.
With the addition of some rather raw bonus track from the ’86 demo days, this one definitely deserves the Thrash/Death Metal classic status it holds and a worthy member of any Metalhead’s collection!!
Sadus – A Vision of Misery
The final re-release comes in the form of Sadus third album, 1992’s Vision of Misery. This one is somewhat of a sonic expansion on, rather than a huge departure from, the musical variety of Swallowed in Black. The typical Sadus ante is set high on blasting first track Through The Eyes of Greed all the way up until the early respite in track four Slave To Misery which features some nice slow and heavy grooves before again speeding off into technical death metal heaven. The bass work is something to marvel at and not being particularly gifted musically I’m sure there is some intricate work going on here which my philistine ears can neither detect nor can I explain.
Sadus albums are almost more of a full experience than a particular showcase for individual tracks and Misery is a classic example. Tracks on this one ebb and flow into one another leaving a generalized feeling of what Sadus do and do exceptionally. Repeat listens open up the complexity and deliver hidden gems such as the fly-by solos on Throwing Away The Day which spice up the general bludgeon. Sadus don’t always speed straight through though and Facelift offers something of what was to come in the early 90’s Black Metal bands, especially down to Darren Travis’ throat ripping hoarse attack.
Really, if there are any kids out there that are really into these newer Black Metal, Death Metal or Death-Thrash/Black-Thrash Metal bands (I hear the unknowing scoff in the corner, yeah, I know!); the kinda stuff that purports to be heavy, face ripping, fast and all that… get online and check out Sadus myspace page and check this stuff out. If you like fast heavy thrash, you need Sadus albums in your collection. This is the band that helped spawn the genre and there are few that stand the test of time so well, nor blast so fast while still sounding so good!
CD review, Apr 07. Realm – Endless War
Reviewed - 08.04.07
Oooh, what can I say about this?! Realm and I go back. Many moons ago a fellow school kid told me about this band, that he had this album and later brought in the vinyl for me to check out. I’d never heard of them and was surprised he had, every kid was a metaller circa ’87 cos it was cool, but I fancied myself as the real deal. So I nabbed it, got it home and checked it out… Bang! Shit, it was fast, thrashy as fuck and the singer high pitch punked his way throughout, peppering the tracks with some insane shrieking that stood up there with King Diamond and Flotsam’s Erik AK! I thought it was awesome! I never did convince my school chum to sell me the record, even though like most kids he didn’t really bother with Metal much after that. None of that growing up shit for me!
I have to be honest, since those heady days, and aside from a couple of dozen listens to my tape copy, I haven’t heard this album in years. Question is, does this album still deliver, twenty years later? Well I’m happy to say yes, in spades! Endless War is a fine late 80’s thrash album; it has all those great fast thrashing sections, nice breakdowns and frenetic yet tasteful guitar solos. The opener and title track pretty much sets the tone with a straight speed section and Mark Antoni’s pretty much trademark high pitched vocals stating Realm’s case for thrash classic status. Now I don’t know if he used some clever but subtle delay or double tracking but I kind of doubt it, this guy just has a great voice. Luckily while I find some of that high pitched screeching a bit irritating, Antoni comes through with lower register vocals in similar fine fettle. Endless War is also a very inventive record, throwing caution to the wind, forgoing the average 16 bar and change thrash-isms for some almost progressive, 70’s rock style workouts that space out the meatier sections nicely. It’s a very musical album, like some thrashing King Crimson at times.
The great thing about this album is, even though it’s often up-tempo and regularly switches gears, it flows really well. Insane guitar solos come in at just the right time uping the tempo, choruses hit the spot. Who doesn’t want to scream Slaaaay The Oppressooor at full metal tilt?? The tracks flow pretty nicely too, new sections layer over each other giving a real sense of purpose and by track three Eminence we’re into a more open music workout before getting back to business. Later All Heads Will Turn To The Hunt brings the groove with a cool lumbering chorus wrapped around some great riffing and arrangements. Yet while the pace may occasionally drop, the energy doesn’t and a bizarre highlight comes in the form of a pretty blistering cover of The Beatles Eleanor Rigby!
I can’t really think of any thrash bands I’d compare this to that would do Endless War justice. To me it just feels a little more leftfield and mature. It has what I’d feel is some early Queensryche or Toxic type vibe yet the sound has almost a whiff of Pink Floyd on (lots of) speed, and there’s plenty of early USA style Kreator or maybe Whiplash overriding any mellow or sub-par possibilities. This is a little known must have for anyone that fancies themselves a Thrasher or Thrash-Progressive freak. Endless War really does stand the test of time, 20 years later, and to me sounds even better than my lucky young self thought the first time. Liner notes include a nice history and a thoughtful write-up by guitarist Takis Kinis. Classic.
Oooh, what can I say about this?! Realm and I go back. Many moons ago a fellow school kid told me about this band, that he had this album and later brought in the vinyl for me to check out. I’d never heard of them and was surprised he had, every kid was a metaller circa ’87 cos it was cool, but I fancied myself as the real deal. So I nabbed it, got it home and checked it out… Bang! Shit, it was fast, thrashy as fuck and the singer high pitch punked his way throughout, peppering the tracks with some insane shrieking that stood up there with King Diamond and Flotsam’s Erik AK! I thought it was awesome! I never did convince my school chum to sell me the record, even though like most kids he didn’t really bother with Metal much after that. None of that growing up shit for me!
I have to be honest, since those heady days, and aside from a couple of dozen listens to my tape copy, I haven’t heard this album in years. Question is, does this album still deliver, twenty years later? Well I’m happy to say yes, in spades! Endless War is a fine late 80’s thrash album; it has all those great fast thrashing sections, nice breakdowns and frenetic yet tasteful guitar solos. The opener and title track pretty much sets the tone with a straight speed section and Mark Antoni’s pretty much trademark high pitched vocals stating Realm’s case for thrash classic status. Now I don’t know if he used some clever but subtle delay or double tracking but I kind of doubt it, this guy just has a great voice. Luckily while I find some of that high pitched screeching a bit irritating, Antoni comes through with lower register vocals in similar fine fettle. Endless War is also a very inventive record, throwing caution to the wind, forgoing the average 16 bar and change thrash-isms for some almost progressive, 70’s rock style workouts that space out the meatier sections nicely. It’s a very musical album, like some thrashing King Crimson at times.
The great thing about this album is, even though it’s often up-tempo and regularly switches gears, it flows really well. Insane guitar solos come in at just the right time uping the tempo, choruses hit the spot. Who doesn’t want to scream Slaaaay The Oppressooor at full metal tilt?? The tracks flow pretty nicely too, new sections layer over each other giving a real sense of purpose and by track three Eminence we’re into a more open music workout before getting back to business. Later All Heads Will Turn To The Hunt brings the groove with a cool lumbering chorus wrapped around some great riffing and arrangements. Yet while the pace may occasionally drop, the energy doesn’t and a bizarre highlight comes in the form of a pretty blistering cover of The Beatles Eleanor Rigby!
I can’t really think of any thrash bands I’d compare this to that would do Endless War justice. To me it just feels a little more leftfield and mature. It has what I’d feel is some early Queensryche or Toxic type vibe yet the sound has almost a whiff of Pink Floyd on (lots of) speed, and there’s plenty of early USA style Kreator or maybe Whiplash overriding any mellow or sub-par possibilities. This is a little known must have for anyone that fancies themselves a Thrasher or Thrash-Progressive freak. Endless War really does stand the test of time, 20 years later, and to me sounds even better than my lucky young self thought the first time. Liner notes include a nice history and a thoughtful write-up by guitarist Takis Kinis. Classic.
CD review, Apr 07. Pestilence – Mind Reflections
Reviewed - 27.04.07
Right, this one is rather easy because basically it’s fucking awesome! The first two Pestilence albums, Malleus Maleficarum (1988) and Consuming Impulse (1989) are utter must haves in my book and I recommend them to anyone that thinks they like heavy music, especially thrash, death metal or anything heavier. After the first two releases the band lost bass player and vocalist Martin van Drunen and followed a more jazz fusion influenced death metal style (Testimony of the Ancients and Spheres, ‘91 and ‘93 respectively). The latter favoured by fans of the more mature and melodic musicianship of later death metal bands, whereas my heart lies with the earlier brutal stuff.
Mind Reflections then is a compilation spanning all four albums and a fine compilation it is too. Kicking in with my all time favourite, the classic that is Out Of the Body, Pestilence waste no time in proving that it is possible to keep the listener spellbound while also being uncompromisingly heavy. The drums just pound the accompaniment and the feel is that of a band thrashing like there really is no tomorrow. Von Drunen’s vocals really make the band as his guttural utterances surely come from somewhere unearthly. It is so vitally important that a Death Metal singer stamps his authority and both Von Drunen, and guitarist Patrick Mameli, who stepped up after Drunen’s departure, do this with style. That the guitar solos almost speak with sublime mastery is more icing on the cake.
Second track Twisted Truth, from Testimony, showcases the later melodic death style and while I might normally turn away from this, Mameli mixes melodic passages with required heaviness and the band retain the vibrant, captivating musical changes of earlier albums. For me it’s the crushing power and aggression of tracks like Parricide and Dehydrated from the first two albums that stand out more, but such is the quality of all of the music, you don’t think to press ‘forward’. Mind Reflections from Spheres has an almost VoiVod-ian ethereal quality, with occasional incorporated keyboard and fusion guitar solo which is a bit of a departure from previous thrashings, but is no slouch in the aggression stakes.
There are ten tracks culled from studio releases and a further six live tunes from Dynamo 1992, by the Testimony lineup. This means no Von Drunen, but the tracks are still and interesting listen for anyone familiar with the songs and a nice addition to the CD.
Highly recommended if you’re not sure where to start with Pestilence and if you have not heard the band before, I implore you to treat yourself to what is some of the most well respected, masterfully played and uncompromisingly brutal music in the field.
Right, this one is rather easy because basically it’s fucking awesome! The first two Pestilence albums, Malleus Maleficarum (1988) and Consuming Impulse (1989) are utter must haves in my book and I recommend them to anyone that thinks they like heavy music, especially thrash, death metal or anything heavier. After the first two releases the band lost bass player and vocalist Martin van Drunen and followed a more jazz fusion influenced death metal style (Testimony of the Ancients and Spheres, ‘91 and ‘93 respectively). The latter favoured by fans of the more mature and melodic musicianship of later death metal bands, whereas my heart lies with the earlier brutal stuff.
Mind Reflections then is a compilation spanning all four albums and a fine compilation it is too. Kicking in with my all time favourite, the classic that is Out Of the Body, Pestilence waste no time in proving that it is possible to keep the listener spellbound while also being uncompromisingly heavy. The drums just pound the accompaniment and the feel is that of a band thrashing like there really is no tomorrow. Von Drunen’s vocals really make the band as his guttural utterances surely come from somewhere unearthly. It is so vitally important that a Death Metal singer stamps his authority and both Von Drunen, and guitarist Patrick Mameli, who stepped up after Drunen’s departure, do this with style. That the guitar solos almost speak with sublime mastery is more icing on the cake.
Second track Twisted Truth, from Testimony, showcases the later melodic death style and while I might normally turn away from this, Mameli mixes melodic passages with required heaviness and the band retain the vibrant, captivating musical changes of earlier albums. For me it’s the crushing power and aggression of tracks like Parricide and Dehydrated from the first two albums that stand out more, but such is the quality of all of the music, you don’t think to press ‘forward’. Mind Reflections from Spheres has an almost VoiVod-ian ethereal quality, with occasional incorporated keyboard and fusion guitar solo which is a bit of a departure from previous thrashings, but is no slouch in the aggression stakes.
There are ten tracks culled from studio releases and a further six live tunes from Dynamo 1992, by the Testimony lineup. This means no Von Drunen, but the tracks are still and interesting listen for anyone familiar with the songs and a nice addition to the CD.
Highly recommended if you’re not sure where to start with Pestilence and if you have not heard the band before, I implore you to treat yourself to what is some of the most well respected, masterfully played and uncompromisingly brutal music in the field.
CD review, Apr 07. Gorguts – Considered Dead
Reviewed - 24.04.07
Well, what can one say about Gorguts? One of the early 90’s wave of Death Metal bands that really expanded the boundaries of the genre. Not many frontmen sang with the truly demonic, razor blade gargling growl of Luc Lemay. Nor did many follow up such individual sounding vocals with such brutal yet smoothly effective riffing and arrangements. This 1991 debut is a rather heavy affair, with powerful yet measured, smooth rhythms. That’s not to say the Canadian foursome don’t know how to thrash because Considered Dead has plenty of up-tempo death metal pacing.
A case in point, opener ...And Then Comes Lividity has some very Cancer (the band not the disease) like chugging. This isn’t perhaps so unusual either as both bands, and many others of the time, took advantage of Scott Burns production skills at Morrisound Studios, Florida, including the likes of Obituary and Deicide. There’s even a solo included by James Murphy who played for two of those previous bands and I’m pretty sure worked at the studio back then. While the liner notes offer some apology for crisp and clear sound of Considered Dead, I personally love it, as I do most of those Morrisound productions. The instruments are well balanced and there’s a nice warm mix which to adds to the cohesiveness.
It doesn’t hurt that Gorguts write a mean death metal tune, all catchy, heavy sounds, nice time changes and uncompromising drawled doom vocals. Let’s not forget those straight heavy chugs which are spread throughout the album. Disincarnated is probably one of the most instantly memorable tunes and featuring a sweet melodic solo that fits effortlessly. It sets the tone for the other tunes which continue the style. There’s no letup in intensity but also no unnecessary musicianship that might muddy the waters. It’s tight and concise.
I could quite happily recommend Considered Dead as a compliment to the aforementioned bands as a primer in early 90’s Death Metal and definitely one of ten or twenty essential listening albums of the genre. It’s a cracking album and though it’s heavy and uncompromising, it remains vital and interesting. Good stuff!
Well, what can one say about Gorguts? One of the early 90’s wave of Death Metal bands that really expanded the boundaries of the genre. Not many frontmen sang with the truly demonic, razor blade gargling growl of Luc Lemay. Nor did many follow up such individual sounding vocals with such brutal yet smoothly effective riffing and arrangements. This 1991 debut is a rather heavy affair, with powerful yet measured, smooth rhythms. That’s not to say the Canadian foursome don’t know how to thrash because Considered Dead has plenty of up-tempo death metal pacing.
A case in point, opener ...And Then Comes Lividity has some very Cancer (the band not the disease) like chugging. This isn’t perhaps so unusual either as both bands, and many others of the time, took advantage of Scott Burns production skills at Morrisound Studios, Florida, including the likes of Obituary and Deicide. There’s even a solo included by James Murphy who played for two of those previous bands and I’m pretty sure worked at the studio back then. While the liner notes offer some apology for crisp and clear sound of Considered Dead, I personally love it, as I do most of those Morrisound productions. The instruments are well balanced and there’s a nice warm mix which to adds to the cohesiveness.
It doesn’t hurt that Gorguts write a mean death metal tune, all catchy, heavy sounds, nice time changes and uncompromising drawled doom vocals. Let’s not forget those straight heavy chugs which are spread throughout the album. Disincarnated is probably one of the most instantly memorable tunes and featuring a sweet melodic solo that fits effortlessly. It sets the tone for the other tunes which continue the style. There’s no letup in intensity but also no unnecessary musicianship that might muddy the waters. It’s tight and concise.
I could quite happily recommend Considered Dead as a compliment to the aforementioned bands as a primer in early 90’s Death Metal and definitely one of ten or twenty essential listening albums of the genre. It’s a cracking album and though it’s heavy and uncompromising, it remains vital and interesting. Good stuff!
CD review, Apr 07. Gorguts – Erosion of Sanity
Reviewed - 24.04.07
Gorguts second release two years after the debut is a somewhat more challenging affair than its predecessor. So confident is this album that track two starts with a sometimes clichéd but still beautiful classical passage, then turning into a slow burning, windmilling Death-Doom workout before getting down to faster Death Metal business.
That sets the tone for the record really; fast parts, slow parts but mostly damn heavy, sealed with those fucking insane vocals. Unfortunately, if you’re not a dyed in the wool Metaloid, this album can occasionally dip into over indulgence and the constant battery of rolling drum fills and stop-start rhythms can get tiring. The riffing seems to rely on either a muted slow chugging or the time-honoured Death Metal fretboard workout, but this was 1993 and pretty cutting edge at the time. In fact, it’s probably cutting edge today as the likes of Cryptopsy and Meshuggah employ much the same technique, just sometimes twice as fast! However, there is often more interesting musical respite during each track and guitar solos when they arrive are always tasteful and melodic.
It’s hard to go into much individual detail about this one as really the feel of the album is similar throughout. I’m guessing it could be a love or hate thing for a lot of people, yet I find myself strangely on the fence; I love the heaviness and ingenuity of the riffing but I find the almost incessant chug and roll with rarely a section that isn’t an exercise in musical dexterity, a bit hard going. Lemay’s vocals remain awesome but I find it hard to follow them with the music, almost like some spoken word performance over jazz, but very heavy! It’s a common vibe about this album but one that apparently improves with repeated listens, for those who can handle it. Gorguts remain a great example of why Death Metal was such a powerful and exciting force during its early 90’s incarnation, but perhaps not one for all tastes.
Gorguts second release two years after the debut is a somewhat more challenging affair than its predecessor. So confident is this album that track two starts with a sometimes clichéd but still beautiful classical passage, then turning into a slow burning, windmilling Death-Doom workout before getting down to faster Death Metal business.
That sets the tone for the record really; fast parts, slow parts but mostly damn heavy, sealed with those fucking insane vocals. Unfortunately, if you’re not a dyed in the wool Metaloid, this album can occasionally dip into over indulgence and the constant battery of rolling drum fills and stop-start rhythms can get tiring. The riffing seems to rely on either a muted slow chugging or the time-honoured Death Metal fretboard workout, but this was 1993 and pretty cutting edge at the time. In fact, it’s probably cutting edge today as the likes of Cryptopsy and Meshuggah employ much the same technique, just sometimes twice as fast! However, there is often more interesting musical respite during each track and guitar solos when they arrive are always tasteful and melodic.
It’s hard to go into much individual detail about this one as really the feel of the album is similar throughout. I’m guessing it could be a love or hate thing for a lot of people, yet I find myself strangely on the fence; I love the heaviness and ingenuity of the riffing but I find the almost incessant chug and roll with rarely a section that isn’t an exercise in musical dexterity, a bit hard going. Lemay’s vocals remain awesome but I find it hard to follow them with the music, almost like some spoken word performance over jazz, but very heavy! It’s a common vibe about this album but one that apparently improves with repeated listens, for those who can handle it. Gorguts remain a great example of why Death Metal was such a powerful and exciting force during its early 90’s incarnation, but perhaps not one for all tastes.
CD Review : Disincarnate – Dreams of the Carrion Kind
Reviewed - 27.04.07
This 1993 solo release by legendary death metal guitarist James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Cancer, Testament and more) is a rather poignant album to review. As explained by the rather awesome liner notes by late 80’s thrash and Kerrang veteran Don Kaye, James Murphy suffered a harrowing ordeal around 1999 due to an undiagnosed brain tumour which led to him losing a home studio, his spot in Testament and ending up almost destitute, only to be rescued by his family. Only then was the tumour diagnosed and his alleged erratic behaviour explained.
Having also met and spoken with James when I was a young thrasher watching Obituary tour their timeless classic Cause of Death, and found him a very sweet guy, the only time I’ve ever seen a band member come out and walk the line of fans queuing and talking to anyone that was happy to say ‘hey’. So with all of this in mind I want nothing more than to say that Dreams is the best death metal album of all time and everyone should buy it. Unfortunately that wouldn’t by my personal truth.
Cutting to the quick, my problem with the album is that it tends to keep a rather workmanlike death metal sound and a samey vibe throughout. More specifically, Bryan Cegon’s vocals just don’t have enough variety or bite, again coming from the school of generic DM vocals. A style invented by Kam Lee of Massacre and again copied by the likes of Barney of Napalm Death, much as I respect Barney and Napalm, I’ve never been able to get past his vocals. This is a personal thing and I know this issue divides fans right down the middle. This is neither a slight on James backing band, who were all young at the time and whose musicianship is unquestionable. Unfortunately I still feel these hold Dreams back.
Things are much the same for the music. There is no shortage of riffs, heaviness, or variety in pace, but things rarely rise above the average. Riff after riff, constant double bass, all the death metal 101 moments are catered for but it’s strangely unmemorable. It it’s almost like too many riffs are being packed in, I find it hard to put my finger on it but I can listen to this on loop and find parts of it extremely enjoyable, such as the nice signature Murphy melody on Monarch of the Sleeping Marches, or the rolling doom of Soul Erosion, but as a whole, something seems missing. Murphy’s solos are as usual excellent and very reminiscent of his other work, this is no bad thing as his sound and style are unmistakable and outstanding.
If the reader is new to the early ‘90’s Death Metal sound I would recommend this as a primer in the field, especially this excellently packaged reissue, to be followed up by any and all of the other albums James Murphy has played on, but I wouldn’t place Dreams of the Carrion Kind higher than most of the other work blessed by his talents. Please check out www.msanthrope.com/jamesmurphy for James story.
This 1993 solo release by legendary death metal guitarist James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Cancer, Testament and more) is a rather poignant album to review. As explained by the rather awesome liner notes by late 80’s thrash and Kerrang veteran Don Kaye, James Murphy suffered a harrowing ordeal around 1999 due to an undiagnosed brain tumour which led to him losing a home studio, his spot in Testament and ending up almost destitute, only to be rescued by his family. Only then was the tumour diagnosed and his alleged erratic behaviour explained.
Having also met and spoken with James when I was a young thrasher watching Obituary tour their timeless classic Cause of Death, and found him a very sweet guy, the only time I’ve ever seen a band member come out and walk the line of fans queuing and talking to anyone that was happy to say ‘hey’. So with all of this in mind I want nothing more than to say that Dreams is the best death metal album of all time and everyone should buy it. Unfortunately that wouldn’t by my personal truth.
Cutting to the quick, my problem with the album is that it tends to keep a rather workmanlike death metal sound and a samey vibe throughout. More specifically, Bryan Cegon’s vocals just don’t have enough variety or bite, again coming from the school of generic DM vocals. A style invented by Kam Lee of Massacre and again copied by the likes of Barney of Napalm Death, much as I respect Barney and Napalm, I’ve never been able to get past his vocals. This is a personal thing and I know this issue divides fans right down the middle. This is neither a slight on James backing band, who were all young at the time and whose musicianship is unquestionable. Unfortunately I still feel these hold Dreams back.
Things are much the same for the music. There is no shortage of riffs, heaviness, or variety in pace, but things rarely rise above the average. Riff after riff, constant double bass, all the death metal 101 moments are catered for but it’s strangely unmemorable. It it’s almost like too many riffs are being packed in, I find it hard to put my finger on it but I can listen to this on loop and find parts of it extremely enjoyable, such as the nice signature Murphy melody on Monarch of the Sleeping Marches, or the rolling doom of Soul Erosion, but as a whole, something seems missing. Murphy’s solos are as usual excellent and very reminiscent of his other work, this is no bad thing as his sound and style are unmistakable and outstanding.
If the reader is new to the early ‘90’s Death Metal sound I would recommend this as a primer in the field, especially this excellently packaged reissue, to be followed up by any and all of the other albums James Murphy has played on, but I wouldn’t place Dreams of the Carrion Kind higher than most of the other work blessed by his talents. Please check out www.msanthrope.com/jamesmurphy for James story.
CD Review : Atrophy – Violent By Nature
Reviewed - 02.05.07
On this 1990 follow up Atrophy certainly up their game from the debut. While still offering much of the same approach, there’s an even tighter, more streamlined thrash approach here, with more confident staccato riffing and less reliance on constant pace. Group backing vocals are also in evidence, especially on the solid title track, as employed by other gritty thrashers such as Vio-lence.
There seems to be more cohesion and intent of purpose on this album, surely a product of experience and road work. The mix on this album, courtesy again of Bill Metoyer (DRI, Slayer) seems warmer, the drums are thudding and the guitars up in the mix. Almost an odd observation as Metoyer produced the debut, perhaps intervening years helped all round.
It’s telling of the quality of music that came from the thrash field that an otherwise great work of heavy music as this can still seem to suffer from a lack of x-factor in comparison to the greats of the genre. I guess it’s just the familiarity of the riffing and arrangements; as with many thrash bands, sections can be referenced back and forth through Bay Area bands such as Testament or New Yorkers Overkill. The Bay Area feel is much in evidence here, and while being no bad thing, also by it’s nature it has to compete with classics of the genre.
That said, tracks like Slipped Through the Cracks offer variety in arrangement, vocal phrasing and chorus whilst still retaining the heavy sound. It also has a rather tasty middle eight solo section which would stands up next to any of their peers. Unfortunately next track Forgotten But Not Forgotten is a happy enough but rather ploddy track which tends to symbolize the pedestrian nature of bands like Atrophy. When albums as vital as those recorded by the likes of Slayer and Metallica many years previously were in our consciousness, it’s no surprise that by 1990 and albums like this, the wear was beginning to show. It’s no shame on Atrophy, or others, as this is a very good thrash album, but it is just the way of things.
All in all a more interesting and intense record than their debut and recommended for the thrash completist or for those discovering the original genre via the nu-thrash wave, but I’m loathe to say, not a ground breaking record.
I should also note that it appears the first track on the CD is eight minutes of silence before the next track starts. This is a bit confusing as the track list on the CD differs from what the player says. A pressing mistake I assume but not one that should concern the listener as the mix is fine and bonus demo tracks and a video make up for any inconvenience.
On this 1990 follow up Atrophy certainly up their game from the debut. While still offering much of the same approach, there’s an even tighter, more streamlined thrash approach here, with more confident staccato riffing and less reliance on constant pace. Group backing vocals are also in evidence, especially on the solid title track, as employed by other gritty thrashers such as Vio-lence.
There seems to be more cohesion and intent of purpose on this album, surely a product of experience and road work. The mix on this album, courtesy again of Bill Metoyer (DRI, Slayer) seems warmer, the drums are thudding and the guitars up in the mix. Almost an odd observation as Metoyer produced the debut, perhaps intervening years helped all round.
It’s telling of the quality of music that came from the thrash field that an otherwise great work of heavy music as this can still seem to suffer from a lack of x-factor in comparison to the greats of the genre. I guess it’s just the familiarity of the riffing and arrangements; as with many thrash bands, sections can be referenced back and forth through Bay Area bands such as Testament or New Yorkers Overkill. The Bay Area feel is much in evidence here, and while being no bad thing, also by it’s nature it has to compete with classics of the genre.
That said, tracks like Slipped Through the Cracks offer variety in arrangement, vocal phrasing and chorus whilst still retaining the heavy sound. It also has a rather tasty middle eight solo section which would stands up next to any of their peers. Unfortunately next track Forgotten But Not Forgotten is a happy enough but rather ploddy track which tends to symbolize the pedestrian nature of bands like Atrophy. When albums as vital as those recorded by the likes of Slayer and Metallica many years previously were in our consciousness, it’s no surprise that by 1990 and albums like this, the wear was beginning to show. It’s no shame on Atrophy, or others, as this is a very good thrash album, but it is just the way of things.
All in all a more interesting and intense record than their debut and recommended for the thrash completist or for those discovering the original genre via the nu-thrash wave, but I’m loathe to say, not a ground breaking record.
I should also note that it appears the first track on the CD is eight minutes of silence before the next track starts. This is a bit confusing as the track list on the CD differs from what the player says. A pressing mistake I assume but not one that should concern the listener as the mix is fine and bonus demo tracks and a video make up for any inconvenience.
CD Review : Atrophy – Socialized Hate
Reviewed - 02.05.07
Atrophy hailed from the same desert as thrash luminaries Flotsam & Jetsam and Sacred Reich but never quite reached the ‘heights’ of their Arizona peers. As with many third wave thrash bands (the first being the likes of Exodus, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer; the second being Testament, Death Angel, Sacred Reich, etc) the style was well worn and all the paths well trodden. Atrophy adopt a rather straight ahead, fast and furious thrash style topped with Brian Zimmerman’s laid back Mille Petrozza-esque vocal sneer.
This 1988 debut demonstrates much of what is good and not so good in bands of Atrophy’s standing. While their strong points; fine fettled riffing, tight and catchy arrangements are all in evidence, there’s little light and shade that might have lifted them up to the next levels of more successful and more interesting peers. The lyrical themes are again laudible as many thrash bands were, there is also the inevitable anti-pay-to-pray track Preacher Preacher. I’m sure record labels paid extra royalties for thrash bands covering this topic because just every one of them has! I could do without the Beer Bong comic track too, but then in the miserable nowadays I may have forgotten that thrashing was all about having fun too, and I have no doubt that this jokey thrasher went down well live.
Again, the title track offers some rather learned lyrics on the subject of slavery, control and subservience, which are just as relevant today, wrapped up in a neat thrashing bundle. Socialized Hate doesn’t disappoint in it’s approach, but just doesn’t have that x-factor that can lift it out of the also-ran category. It’s a shame and it’s not a bad album, but as with many other bands may have been trying to slot fast and clever riffs together while not quite injecting enough originality. Without that extra spark and with the passage of time, this is still an interesting album but not one I could recommend before any of its better peers.
Atrophy hailed from the same desert as thrash luminaries Flotsam & Jetsam and Sacred Reich but never quite reached the ‘heights’ of their Arizona peers. As with many third wave thrash bands (the first being the likes of Exodus, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer; the second being Testament, Death Angel, Sacred Reich, etc) the style was well worn and all the paths well trodden. Atrophy adopt a rather straight ahead, fast and furious thrash style topped with Brian Zimmerman’s laid back Mille Petrozza-esque vocal sneer.
This 1988 debut demonstrates much of what is good and not so good in bands of Atrophy’s standing. While their strong points; fine fettled riffing, tight and catchy arrangements are all in evidence, there’s little light and shade that might have lifted them up to the next levels of more successful and more interesting peers. The lyrical themes are again laudible as many thrash bands were, there is also the inevitable anti-pay-to-pray track Preacher Preacher. I’m sure record labels paid extra royalties for thrash bands covering this topic because just every one of them has! I could do without the Beer Bong comic track too, but then in the miserable nowadays I may have forgotten that thrashing was all about having fun too, and I have no doubt that this jokey thrasher went down well live.
Again, the title track offers some rather learned lyrics on the subject of slavery, control and subservience, which are just as relevant today, wrapped up in a neat thrashing bundle. Socialized Hate doesn’t disappoint in it’s approach, but just doesn’t have that x-factor that can lift it out of the also-ran category. It’s a shame and it’s not a bad album, but as with many other bands may have been trying to slot fast and clever riffs together while not quite injecting enough originality. Without that extra spark and with the passage of time, this is still an interesting album but not one I could recommend before any of its better peers.
Crimson Glory – Strange and Beautiful
Reviewed - 08.04.07
Crimson Glory have always been an anomaly for me. Friends I have tortured over the years have either loved or hated them. Strangely only polar opposites Neurosis had the same effect. Mind you, that was before everyone grew beards. I traded the first album on the back of a C-90 (that’s a 90 minute cassette tape kids) with Candlemass on the other side. My 16 year old self didn’t know what the fuck he was listening to but loved it and I still do, even though they looked and sounded distinctly glammie. I didn’t and still don’t care, it was thrashy, heavy, fast, slow, beautifully melodic in parts and generally completely gonzo! I’ve turned on a few people to the insane mental thrash glories of Mayday and many have raised the horns.
However, I never applied myself to their other albums. When we did cross paths, I heared some other, watered down, version of my secret love. So as I tackle this, the third album Crimson Glory release, the second being Transcendence, my opinion is only confirmed by my previous listens. This is the sound of a band experimenting, I’ll give them that, but this is experimentation with a view to cashing in those guitar skills for… money? drugs? blowjobs? While I shouldn’t really be surprised, this is only a vaguely similar band to the Crimson Glory of their debut album. Gone is the crazy speed and insane guitar work. Midnight still retains much of his vocal style, but little of the fire remains.
The problem being that the band has simply opted to chase the stadium hair rock dollar. Either that or they plain forgot to play heavy guitar and instead made a lush, keyboard laden, soft rock, ball-less, female soul singing layered… well, you get the picture. If you like those 2nd rate glam rock bands that still soil rock discos up and down the land, you’ll like this. Christ, it’s horrible. It’s the kind of thing you chewed off your fingers watching MTV’s Headbangers Ball while waiting for them to maybe play a Megadeth video. It’s a damn shame as there are tiny snippets of decent rock, the opening title track being a case in point; it’s catchy but it… er, rocks. That said, most of the rocking tracks are of that Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love/Kashmir style, which was much in vogue with hair metal bands at the time.
Unfortunately, by track two, Promised Land, the game is already up. That typical horrid striding bass, muted guitar and terribly commercial female backed chorus. It just smells of session musicians, made for MTV safe-rock. Third track Love and Dreams is even lighter, a simple rock ballad, acoustic guitar, soft keyboards. Extreme, Poison, it reminds me of all of that stuff. It’s just rock by numbers, the antithesis of integrity. The rest of the songs sound similarly dated covering all of the basic cock-rock styles of the late 80’s. Band pictures on the sleeve confirm the horror. Not my thing. At all.
There is a bizarre interview on the CD where Midnight and band leader Jon Drenning discuss each song, alluding to sexually related themes throughout. The whole thing just reeks of record company interference and too many drugs. The positive comments culled from mainstream rock magazines of the time are very telling too. Looking at the penchant for screamo boy bands now, they’d balk at this. Funny, the more things change, the more they stay the same (woah, woah).
Crimson Glory have always been an anomaly for me. Friends I have tortured over the years have either loved or hated them. Strangely only polar opposites Neurosis had the same effect. Mind you, that was before everyone grew beards. I traded the first album on the back of a C-90 (that’s a 90 minute cassette tape kids) with Candlemass on the other side. My 16 year old self didn’t know what the fuck he was listening to but loved it and I still do, even though they looked and sounded distinctly glammie. I didn’t and still don’t care, it was thrashy, heavy, fast, slow, beautifully melodic in parts and generally completely gonzo! I’ve turned on a few people to the insane mental thrash glories of Mayday and many have raised the horns.
However, I never applied myself to their other albums. When we did cross paths, I heared some other, watered down, version of my secret love. So as I tackle this, the third album Crimson Glory release, the second being Transcendence, my opinion is only confirmed by my previous listens. This is the sound of a band experimenting, I’ll give them that, but this is experimentation with a view to cashing in those guitar skills for… money? drugs? blowjobs? While I shouldn’t really be surprised, this is only a vaguely similar band to the Crimson Glory of their debut album. Gone is the crazy speed and insane guitar work. Midnight still retains much of his vocal style, but little of the fire remains.
The problem being that the band has simply opted to chase the stadium hair rock dollar. Either that or they plain forgot to play heavy guitar and instead made a lush, keyboard laden, soft rock, ball-less, female soul singing layered… well, you get the picture. If you like those 2nd rate glam rock bands that still soil rock discos up and down the land, you’ll like this. Christ, it’s horrible. It’s the kind of thing you chewed off your fingers watching MTV’s Headbangers Ball while waiting for them to maybe play a Megadeth video. It’s a damn shame as there are tiny snippets of decent rock, the opening title track being a case in point; it’s catchy but it… er, rocks. That said, most of the rocking tracks are of that Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love/Kashmir style, which was much in vogue with hair metal bands at the time.
Unfortunately, by track two, Promised Land, the game is already up. That typical horrid striding bass, muted guitar and terribly commercial female backed chorus. It just smells of session musicians, made for MTV safe-rock. Third track Love and Dreams is even lighter, a simple rock ballad, acoustic guitar, soft keyboards. Extreme, Poison, it reminds me of all of that stuff. It’s just rock by numbers, the antithesis of integrity. The rest of the songs sound similarly dated covering all of the basic cock-rock styles of the late 80’s. Band pictures on the sleeve confirm the horror. Not my thing. At all.
There is a bizarre interview on the CD where Midnight and band leader Jon Drenning discuss each song, alluding to sexually related themes throughout. The whole thing just reeks of record company interference and too many drugs. The positive comments culled from mainstream rock magazines of the time are very telling too. Looking at the penchant for screamo boy bands now, they’d balk at this. Funny, the more things change, the more they stay the same (woah, woah).
CD Review : Crimson Glory – Astronomica
Crimson Glory – Astronomica
Reviewed - 08.04.07
After the release of Strange and Beautiful it seems Crimson Glory imploded, Midnight leaving even before they could tour the album and the band went separate ways. Eight years and various side projects later, original guitarist Ben Jackson rejoined the fold. Band Leader Jon Drenning replaced Midnight with one Wade Black and the new band released Astronomica in 1991. The result is far more mature affair, with a lot less blatant commercial rock than its predecessor and an almost eerie, ahead of its time power metal edge.
So how does Wade Black match up to the infamous Midnight? Well, I think it’s safe to assume that when he hits some of his over the top heights here, dolphins in distant waters are putting their flippers over their ears and in nearby streets dogs are soiling carpets. Wade certainly turns the screws, his performance occasionally hilarious and sometimes even painful! I can hardly stand his screeching on second track New World Machine. Rather strange as the tune is fairly measured and melodic, with some pretty sweet soloing. Rob Halford on acid is fairy accurate. Overall though it seems the band have exercised more control and recaptured some of the fire and musicality of their early years, building each track in a cohesive whole.
The impressively presented double CD package includes full lyrics with accompanying apocalyptic theological, historical, political and science fiction quotes, making for a fuller experience when taking it all in. Although the turn of millenium calamities themed in Astronomica might be scoffed at now, eight years later, the irony is that more benign forces seem to be guiding us in the same metaphorical direction. A second CD of Astronomica demos and classic early live tracks offer interesting and lively respite. For fans, I’d consider this a genuine bonus!
I must admit I’m not a great fan of power metal or progressive metal, but I can appreciate what is good on this CD and for a fan of the genre this may well be a must-have. It’s also important to emphasize that this was released in 1992, when in the last ten years there seems to have been a glut of new European bands plowing this very furrow. Crimson Glory may well have been accidentally ahead of their time here. Their original pomp and bombast mixed with the expected tasty twin guitar refrains, rather heavy funk bass lines and sometimes eastern tinged melodic passages, such as the title track, give it a real, futuristic feel.
Luckily when band and singer do drop down a few notches and hit some straight riffing, Crimson Glory start delivering something more palatable, while commercially tinged, it’s certainly more power metal than cock rock. There is a lot of Queensryche and Priest on show here and for lovers of any mix of the genres of power, heavy and progressive, this is recommended. Myself, I’m not such a huge fan and so find it a little too chest beating as opposed to actually heavy. There is plenty to get ones teeth into and it’s hard to criticize the tracks as they are very well played and laid out, but if it had a little more bite and crunch instead of flash and sheen, I’d like it a hell of a lot more.
Reviewed - 08.04.07
After the release of Strange and Beautiful it seems Crimson Glory imploded, Midnight leaving even before they could tour the album and the band went separate ways. Eight years and various side projects later, original guitarist Ben Jackson rejoined the fold. Band Leader Jon Drenning replaced Midnight with one Wade Black and the new band released Astronomica in 1991. The result is far more mature affair, with a lot less blatant commercial rock than its predecessor and an almost eerie, ahead of its time power metal edge.
So how does Wade Black match up to the infamous Midnight? Well, I think it’s safe to assume that when he hits some of his over the top heights here, dolphins in distant waters are putting their flippers over their ears and in nearby streets dogs are soiling carpets. Wade certainly turns the screws, his performance occasionally hilarious and sometimes even painful! I can hardly stand his screeching on second track New World Machine. Rather strange as the tune is fairly measured and melodic, with some pretty sweet soloing. Rob Halford on acid is fairy accurate. Overall though it seems the band have exercised more control and recaptured some of the fire and musicality of their early years, building each track in a cohesive whole.
The impressively presented double CD package includes full lyrics with accompanying apocalyptic theological, historical, political and science fiction quotes, making for a fuller experience when taking it all in. Although the turn of millenium calamities themed in Astronomica might be scoffed at now, eight years later, the irony is that more benign forces seem to be guiding us in the same metaphorical direction. A second CD of Astronomica demos and classic early live tracks offer interesting and lively respite. For fans, I’d consider this a genuine bonus!
I must admit I’m not a great fan of power metal or progressive metal, but I can appreciate what is good on this CD and for a fan of the genre this may well be a must-have. It’s also important to emphasize that this was released in 1992, when in the last ten years there seems to have been a glut of new European bands plowing this very furrow. Crimson Glory may well have been accidentally ahead of their time here. Their original pomp and bombast mixed with the expected tasty twin guitar refrains, rather heavy funk bass lines and sometimes eastern tinged melodic passages, such as the title track, give it a real, futuristic feel.
Luckily when band and singer do drop down a few notches and hit some straight riffing, Crimson Glory start delivering something more palatable, while commercially tinged, it’s certainly more power metal than cock rock. There is a lot of Queensryche and Priest on show here and for lovers of any mix of the genres of power, heavy and progressive, this is recommended. Myself, I’m not such a huge fan and so find it a little too chest beating as opposed to actually heavy. There is plenty to get ones teeth into and it’s hard to criticize the tracks as they are very well played and laid out, but if it had a little more bite and crunch instead of flash and sheen, I’d like it a hell of a lot more.
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