CLOSER
A DARKER SIDE OF SALVATION
PULVERISED
Swedish metal squad Closer aren’t ashamed to wear influences on their sleeves, as A DARKER SIDE OF SALVATION purposely plays like an amalgamation of Soilwork and later-day In Flames with dabs of Scar Symmetry and The Haunted strewn in (“Chaos Internal”). Despite this 10-track release containing its fair share of cringeworthy similarities to the aforementioned (“What Am I”), this modern melodeath troupe pull off a spirited yet formulaic effort that adroitly follows their fellow countrymen’s crushing template to a headbanging fault (“Hell is Where the Heart Is”, “A Darker Side of Salvation”). www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS
NECROBLASPHEME
DESTINATION: NULLE PART
AGONIA
Necroblaspheme delivers a vicious barrage of muscular death metal intensity and foreboding doom metal juxtaposing on the nine-track DESTINATION: NULLE PART. Chock full of slamming grooves (“Sorry for Us”) and brazen flashes of technicality within a well-structured metallic paradigm (“Descent’s Genesis”), this French outfit’s off-kilter atmosphere stems from the ferocious flurry of tempo changes and dynamic shifts woven into the framework, rendering exhilarating demonstrations of extreme metal ( “2h40am”, “=????>I”). Take the exploratory nature of Gojira, sprinkle in some Celtic Frost, and top it off with precise devastation a la Suffocation and Necroblaspheme is the end result, a menacing beast whose bastardized blasts grip tightly on the jugular throughout the album’s entire 36 minutes. www.agoniarecords.com -Mike SOS
SYLOSIS
CONCLUSION OF AN AGE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Newbie UK metal mavens Sylosis employ a myriad of modern touches to their latest offering, a disc heavily steeped in thrash metal’s golden era of double-barrel ambushes. CONCLUSION OF AN AGE blends the musicality of Trivium, Strapping Young Lad, Shadows Fall and Megadeth with a bevy of blistering Exodus-esque solos (“Stained Humanity”), volatile vocals (“Withered”) and complex arrangements (“Blackest Skyline”) fortifying this 12-track affair, rapidly placing Sylosis alongside metal’s most elite craftsmen. Striking a balance between crunchy and razor-sharp thanks to their metalcore meets Bay Area merger (“Transcendence”), this act eagerly doles kudos to elder statesmen such as Testament and Kreator without sounding like a retread while embracing a slew of contemporary metalcore nuances for a well-rounded attack that skillfully references the good old days without going full-on retro. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS
ESOTERIC
THE MANIACAL VALE
SEASON OF MIST
Sinewy streams of unrelenting funeral doom come courtesy of veteran UK unit Esoteric via their latest offering, a two-disc, over 100 minute affair entitled THE MANIACAL VALE. Adorned with a twisted sense of ambience and an eerie aura that creeps into your head and takes control, this ambitious endeavor’s hypnotic waves of dissonance resonate with schizophrenic aggression played up by a vocal performance laden with ferocious growls and blood-curdling shrills while the music’s gradual slow crush, armed with a vitriolic array of swirling keyboards, dirge-like rhythmic poundings, and majestically ornate riffs overtake hapless souls in its path. Ripe with raw emotion and dripping with despair, this release oozes an ominous strain of doom and dread that fans of the slow, deep, and hard will easily tune into. www.season-of-mist.com -Mike SOS
BILLY CLUB SANDWICH
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
DEAD CITY
Stalwart NYHC crew Billy Club Sandwich return with another EP containing eight tracks of crushing beatdown-laden grooves with THE USUAL SUSPECTS. Fans of Madball and Sheer Terror (who BCS lovingly cover here with “Ready to Halt”) now have another record in their collection to bust heads to, as tracks like the pummeling “Far From the Truth”, the relentless assault of “Shark Tank” and the Spanglish stomp of “Bodega” can definitely rally the troops to get involved on the dancefloor. Despite this release’s short length, there’s no shortage of aggression or BCS’ trademark sense of humor (just check out the spoof movie posters included in the album’s artwork) from this veteran unit’s latest endeavor, making this disc a perfect choice to accompany a rowdy night out. www.deadcityny.com -Mike SOS
LANDMINE MARATHON
RUSTED EYES AWAKE
LEVEL PLANE
Arizona metal merchants Landmine Marathon hammer out a potent death metal meets grindcore jamboree on the quintet’s most recent effort, the eight-track RUSTED EYES AWAKE. Taking cues from beloved acts of ’90s extreme metal, this squad lovingly pays homage to the likes of Carcass, Napalm Death, and Bolt Thrower on menacing cuts such as “Certain Death” and “Skin from Skull”, pounding out a slash and burn approach able to whip the pit up into a frenzy. But it’s the vocals of the vivaciously venomous Grace Perry that make this band one to watch, as the raven-haired beauty channels Beelzebub with a fervor and fury that male counterparts surely can only dream of (“Xenocide”). While some of their tunes would benefit from straying from their initial formula to provide a well-rounded assault, Landmine Marathon does an adequate job of carrying the torch while supplying the ferocity necessary to run with the pack. www.level-plane.com -Mike SOS
THE ERUPTORS
MICROWAVE MASSACRE
FIXING A HOLE
UK punk metal trio The Eruptors clean out their vault to deliver a 10-track affair of odds and sods titled MICROWAVE MASSACRE. With songs like “Skate Fast! Die Hard!” and “Cannibal Holocaust”, you can basically tell that these guys like to keep the mood lighthearted. Yet don’t be cajoled by their sense of humor, as their Misfits meets Motorhead by the way of The Exploited style will stomp a hole in any unassuming bystanders, best shown on cuts like the garage rock vibe emanating from “Tow the Line” or the vintage raucous punkabilly aura of “Theme From The Eruptors” . Gritty and direct, The Eruptors forcibly drag punk rock back through the gutter and come up with fists full of punk rock gold, embodying the spirit the way it was intended to be taken. www.fixingahole.jpn.orz -Mike SOS
VARIOUS ARTISTS
HEAVY METAL KILLERS
EARACHE
Dust off your denim jacket and polish up those spiked wristbands thanks to Earache’s latest compilation installment HEAVY METAL KILLERS, a 13-track excursion that spans the globe to unveil a new breed of followers to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound. Featuring a multifaceted cross-section of groups (that interestingly enough boasts not one band from the United States) that worship at the altar of metal, this disc offers a rousing array of musicians that have studied their craft to summon the moves, nuances, and aspects of the glory days right down to the last guitar gallop. Brimming over with heaps of histrionic falsetto vocals (just check out the mid-paced Cast Iron and the nimble Enforcer for two radically different examples) and flurries of fancy fretwork, much of what’s heard here can be directly traced back to Maiden, Manowar, Saxon, and the ilk, though there are some surprises, such as the doomy King Diamond-esque delivery of Portrait and the thrash-influenced elements H.O.D throw in. Nonetheless, if it’s speedy rhythms, tantalizing solos (every song showcases at least one bit of guitar gymnastics), whammy bar abuse, and high-pitched vocal caterwauls aplenty you crave, this compilation will catapult right back to 1982, leather vest not included. www.earache.com -Mike SOS
GNAW
THIS FACE
CONSPIRACY
An industrial black metal mindset laden with despair propels the malignant madness audible from Gnaw’s debut nine-track affair THIS FACE. This unconventional quintet (featuring members from avant garde metal troupes Khanate and Burning Witch) unloads an hateful assortment of non-linear noise rock, soul crushing doom, and exploratory electronics to create an eccentric and possessed sonic explosion. Led by a vocalist whose screeching rage fuels insanity (“Backyard Frontier”) while the band’s two bold sound designers create a cacophony of sound by implementing barrages of haunting feedback and gloomy overlays (“Ghosted”, “Talking Mirrors”), this unsettling endeavor emits an apocalyptic feel of being caught in the middle of the world crumbling down. www.conspiracyrecords.com -Mike SOS
FROM JUPITER
NO, SERIOUSLY
THIRD EYE
Despite their cosmic name, the spawn of Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory has no interplanetary connections, as From Jupiter’s 11-track offering NO, SERIOUSLY follows in their proud parent’s footsteps to a fault. This Vermont-based outfit churn out power pop punk with panache, as tracks like the keyboard-assisted “Karmaward”, the sappy yet effective “Slow Motion” and “Take Me Back” contain all of the sticky sweet melody and contagious hooks you’d find on a Yellowcard or Simple Plan disc. Providing an innocuous listening experience, this well-polished batch of tunes have all the makings to make an impact on the audience that finds themselves too old for The Jonas Brothers yet primed to rock out at Warped Tour. www.myspace.com/musicfromjupiter -Mike SOS
RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER
LIVING FOR DEATH DESTROYING THE REST
RELAPSE
Fortified with a well-rounded extreme metal assault, the sophomore release by Philadelphia, PA’s Rumpelstiltskin Grinder merges classic metal aspects with a blistering delivery on the 10-track LIVING FOR DEATH DESTROYING THE REST. Meshing galloping black metal, thrash metal guitar runs, beatdown breakdowns, death metal rhythmic devastation and a hardcore punk attitude (“Revolution of Underground Legions”), this quartet’s versatility warrants automatic crossover appeal (“Beware The Thrash Brigade”, “Fiends in the Mountains, Ghouls in the Valley”). Putting modern spins on sounds from thrash’s golden age (“Darkness Never Ending”) while injecting a bastardized sci-fi by way of horror movie lyrical slant that gives off a charming storyteller-like vibe and permits a form of chaos made famous by the likes of SOD (“Spyborg”), RSG’s stylistic switch ups will keep you guessing while their persistent headbanging crunch manages to project a vibe that is both seriously furious and a whole lot of fun. www.relapse.com -Mike SOS
COLD NORTHERN VENGEANCE
DOMINATION AND SERVITUDE
BINDRUNE
The two man black metal tandem known as Cold Northern Vengeance hail from New Hampshire, a place not usually factored into a metal equation per se, especially one of extreme proportions. Yet this unit’s 10-track offering DOMINATION AND SERVITUDE does justice to aural desolation and dread, as this duo’s heavy-handed delivery is bolstered by lush piano pieces (“The Black Silence”), darkwave industrial (“The By-Paths to Chaos”), moody acoustic guitars (“The Shores of New Hampshire”), and crusty bass guitar surges (“The Abraxas Trance”). Displaying a fearlessness to bend black metal’s rulebook while maintaining scathing traditional tones (“A Past Forgotten”, “Hidden 93”), Cold Northern Vengeance’s adventurous nature invokes a break from USBM rigidity, giving this affair an edgier and earthier vibe. www.bindrunerecordings.com -Mike SOS
BURIED INSIDE
SPOILS OF FAILURE
RELAPSE
Canadian squad Buried Inside return after a four-year layover with SPOILS OF FAILURE, a viscous and vitriolic affair curiously titled only in roman numerals. Produced by underground guru Kurt Ballou, this eight-track offering yields an elaborate mix of sludgy guitars, gut-wrenching vocals, and mammoth percussion, at times breaking through with the majestic fury of Isis on steroids (“III”). Intertwining post-hardcore venom with a doom metal oppressiveness (“V”), these menacing merchants of despair demonstrate a searing array of progressively structured blackhearted hardcore mired in cascading waves of hypnotic hopelessness and unrelenting sheer ferocity, painstakingly laying down groundwork to the soundtrack for those at the end of their rope. www.relapse.com -Mike SOS
NETHERBIRD
THE GHOST COLLECTOR
PULVERISED
Dark and dramatic, Swedish symphonic metal trio Netherbird adorn their latest 13-track effort with a brash production chock full of the accoutremental bells and whistles similarly heard by acts such as Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir. Championing a sound that distributes black metal malevolence (“Blood Orchid”), classic metal composition, and doom metal heft, THE GHOST COLLECTOR also implements a flurry of grandiose ideas into its songwriting paradigm to reinforce their metal at the opera aura (“Carcass Symphony”, “Forever Mournful”), at times sounding like a bastardized concoction of Amon Amarth and Nightwish. Meshing a theatrical vibe with a broad palette of metal, Netherbird provide a mental metal escape into another landscape that screams for a screenplay to be written. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS
NARCOSIS
DISCOGRAPHY 1998-2007 BEST SERVED COLD
EARACHE
BEST SERVED COLD is an all-encompassing posthumous offering by revered UK grindcore gang Narcosis. Containing 51 tracks chronicling all of this face-shattering troupe’s split 7″‘s, EP’s, and full-lengths, this disc is perfect for completists, as no stone is left unturned when this noise mongering squad scoured their vaults. This caustic affair does a fine job of prepping the new jacks and satisfying diehards, as the reintroduction of classic bits of frenzy such as “Broken Finger Stranglehold”, “It’s Not a Birthmark, It’s a Bruise” and “If Being a Cunt Was People, You’d Be China” still sounds relevant and utterly relentless. Throw in a set of liner notes which runs down Narcosis’ tumultuous run of endless lineup changes and broken spirits written with a casual narrative that charmingly radiates as if you’re having a conversation over a pint, and this collection’s flaws (disparity in sound quality and repeated tracks) nearly becomes forgivable, as you’re too busy banging your head to care. www.earache.com -Mike SOS
DARKANE
DEMONIC ART
NUCLEAR BLAST
When a band replaces a lead singer, issues with identity are bound to arise. Yet Swedish powerhouse metal squad Darkane, who are no strangers to singer shakeups having undergone multiple changes behind the microphone since their inception, appear to be a rare exception to the rule judging by the quintet’s fifth installment of extreme metal excellence DEMONIC ART. This 12-track offering, which finds the band settling in with Jens Broman (The Defaced) at the helm, pushes this unit’s brand of thrashing brutality with melodic inclinations further down the darkened metallic path forged on previous outings (“The Killing of I”, “Demigod”). As for the vocals, expect the patented blend of harsh growls, maddening yells, and Eurodeath melodies that truly fits within the framework of the compositions to remain intact (“Leaving Existence”). Retaining both their progressively-minded and savage aspects (“Still In Progress”, “Impetious Constant Chaos”), Darkane shows no signs of a lull period, as they’ve effortlessly picked up where they left off, cranking out another declarative round of crushing thrash metal technicality while radiating a murky brutality rivaled only by melodeath’s top-flight acts. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS
ARCHITECT
GHOST OF THE SALT WATER MACHINE
BLACK MARKET ACTIVITIES
Laying down a confrontational and caustic foundation of apocalyptic heaviness, Architect’s abrasive metallic hardcore tackles weighty sociopolitical issues while crashing through aural receptacles with the grace of a piledriver on their nihilistic nine-track affair GHOST OF THE SALT WATER MACHINE. Channeling the red-faced, well-informed aggression of Deadguy, Coalesce, and Ringworm, this sextet boasts the scathing guitar tones and seismic rhythmic rumblings (“Uninventing the Wheel”) that come sans fancy haircuts and energy drink endorsements, opting to keep an eye on society’s ills rather than on the TMZ ticker (“The Dog and Pony Show”). And when this act’s heartfelt screamy gang shouts (“I Am Become Death”) and sludgy atmospherics kick in (“Camelot in Smithereens”), be prepared to spiral through the depths of urban decay and modern era blight while this seething troupe paves the way. www.blackmarketactivities.com -Mike SOS
THE HEADIE BERRIE
MORNING TOAST
SELF-RELEASED
Long Island quintet The Headie Berrie return with a freewheeling full-length follow-up to their recent four-song EP. MORNING TOAST further flesh out their love of hardened jam rock with an emphasis on guitar heroics and vocal histrionics, playing the riffs like they own them (even if Hendrix and Clapton really do) while implementing the harmonica in key spots with the attitude that the love is still free and the drugs are still pure believed by all. Referencing everyone from Phish to Blues Traveler to Mother Love Bone (“Musicism”), The Headie Berrie boasts a brother guitar duo whose intriguing interplay never gets stale, bolstering their boisterous brand of modern boogie rock with shards of straw-chewin’ country and a dash of revolution rock a la Credence Clearwater Revival to smooth out this topsy-turvy tie-dyed tirade (“Souless Shoe”). www.headiemusic.com -Mike SOS
TOMBS
WINTER HOURS
RELAPSE
NYC trio Tombs masterfully juxtapose metal subgenres to develop a blend of bleak yet menacing shoegazing sludge on the 10-track disc WINTER HOURS. Post-hardcore pondering and black metal brutality collide many times over on this stirring affair (“Filled With Secrets”, “Gossamer”), creating explosive waves of intense aggression laden with dense dollops of doom and darkness (“The Divide”). Channeling the corpsepaint contingent, the experimental voyager and the esoteric metal crew for inspiration, Tombs embrace each party’s unique sense of bombast without giving into genre excesses, resulting in this lean and mean 37-minute endeavor emblazoned with sweeping tempo changes and dramatic dynamics shifts (“Story of a Room”). www.relapse.com -Mike SOS
NEW DAY DAWN
THE COMPANY WE KEEP
BOTTI PARTS
New Jersey outfit New Day Dawn showcase a mature rock sound that finds a balance between tough and tender on the well-produced 10-track offering THE COMPANY WE KEEP. Led by the vocalist Dawn Botti, whose strong pipes are reminiscent of a modern day Pat Benatar, this unit portrays all the pop appeal necessary for mass adoration (“Over You”, “Daddy’s Song”), yet unlike most, exhibit the ability to dig down deeper to hit a more decisively rock vibe (“Paralyzed”, “Misunderstood”). Fortified with a bevy of hooks that stick in your head (“We Are”), this seasoned quintet (from Slushpuppy and Latch respectively) exude the virtues of dynamic songwriting and wise composition (“See Me Fall”, “Follow”), finding a most comfortable position between rolling out fist-pumping anthems and laying down refined melodic rock with bite. www.newdaydawnband.com -Mike SOS
INSECT WARFARE
WORLD EXTERMINATION
EARACHE
Re-released from 2007, Texas grindcore trio Insect Warfare’s WORLD EXTERMINATION gets the re-release treatment courtesy of Earache, and hail Satan for that! This disc yields a blindingly-fast and corrosively abrasive metallic mauling, essential for fans of Brutal Truth, Napalm Death and Nasum to get their crusty claws on. Broken down into 20-tracks clocking in at a violent 23-minutes, this now-defunct squad blasts through a hellacious barrage of musical misanthropy (“Hydraphobia”), savagely ripping apart your aural cavity with an endless stream of drum pounding and crushing guitar riffs (“Nuclear Deterrence”, “Self Termination”) while the demonic rasp proceeding over the battle barks with belligerent grunts and yowls with desperate wails (“Enslaved by Machinery”, “Mind Ripper”). Insect Warfare’s warmongering shredding and rapid-fire tempos are not for the weak-willed metal fan, as this band solicits a primal need unapologetically rip off your face like a vicious animal would without a shred of remorse. www.earache.com -Mike SOS
BLOOD OF THE BLACK OWL
A FERAL SPIRIT
BINDRUNE
Blood of the Black Owl is a one-man metal band whose latest disc A FERAL SPIRIT embraces the worship of nature and its aesthetic beauty but not before it takes you by the throat to drag you down into the depths of the abyss. This sprawling nine-track excursion enlists unorthodox Native American instrumentation, animal and nature soundclips, enlightening use of organ, and crushingly slow funeral doom tempos to comprise a haunting aura (“Void”) while the troll under the bridge spoken-word into hysterical-crying vocals chronicle the painful journey from the throes of addiction (“Forest of Decrepitude”). Setting a deliberately straggling pace dripping with fuzzed-out black metal despair interspersed with left of center interludes , Blood of the Black Owl’s malice-filled ambience and steady streams of atmosphere illuminate a mystic journey from damnation to salvation. www.bindrunerecordings.com -Mike SOS
KYLESA
STATIC TENSION
PROSTHETIC
After a tumultuous eight-year run, Savannah, GA quintet Kylesa have come into their own on the outfit’s latest 10-track disc STATIC TENSION. Fully realizing their unique spot in between Isis and Mastodon on the metal continuum, this act has struggled both through wallowing the underground as well as in the shadows of some bigger hometown bands, having endured the kind of major setbacks (such as deciding to forge on after original bassist Brian Duke’s sudden passing) that destroy bands with lesser perseverance and ultimately coming out musically richer in the process. With the aid of two drummers (whose stunning interplay adds a refreshing nuance as well as an added fury on cuts like “Said and Done”) and a slew of swirling psychedelics flying in an out of memorable guitar and bass lines freshly woven into the dank downtuned stoner metal meets sludge-ridden doom rock tapestry hanging on their wall (“Almost Lost”), Kylesa manages to supplement without losing any ground, maintaining its trademarked voluminous viscosity throughout (“Running Red”). Burying the alternating female/ male vocal just deep enough in the mix to render a haunting yet intelligible presence that makes it easier to absorb the abrasive rhythms, burly riffs and thick percussion (“Insomnia for Months”) while executing exercises in songwriting self-editing to keep the entire entity on a disciplined track of discourse, for a less expansive yet more rewarding exploration into the realm of gutwrenching metallic melodies, STATIC TENSION is hard to beat. www.prosetheticrecords.com -Mike SOS
LEPROUS
TALL POPPY-SYNDROME
SENSORY
There’s good reason why ex-Emperor mainman Isahn handpicked the members of Leprous to be part of his touring band besides sharing the same hometown (Notodden, Norway), and this quintet’s daunting eight-track affair firmly backs up Isahn’s choice. With a strong set of ’70s symphonic pomp and a darkened dollop of progressive metal’s usual suspects’ wares in place from Opeth (“Dare You”) to Emperor (“Not Even a Name”), this troupe remain elegant, elaborating with punch and purpose without going overboard (“Phantom Pain”), tastefully borrowing from many different sources ( Deep Purple pipe organ on “White”, anyone?) to develop an intriguing slant to a well-tread entity. Emotionally-stirring and masterfully played,with bass guitar especially standing strong, the sophomore effort by this squad fits snugly between Pink Floyd, Strapping Young Lad, and Porcupine Tree as an outfit that understands how to launch into the stratosphere while still keeping an eye on Earth. www.lasersedgegroup.com -Mike SOS
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
BLACK CASCADE
SOUTHERN LORD
Throwback Pacific Northwestern trio Wolves in the Throne Room apply old fashioned recording techniques as well as the unit’s avid spiritual connection to nature to achieve black metal bliss on their latest four-track, 45-minute atmospheric excursion BLACK CASCADE. Using vintage gear to capture the rich tones protruding from the guitars on cuts like “Ex Cathedra”, this album’s majestic aura and dazzling ambient shifts prevail thanks to this recording being made on 2-inch tape, a method allowing the instruments to resonate with the depth and warmth digital cannot replicate. Reawakening the soul with a stirring blend of pagan ritual and melancholic malevolence, BLACK CASCADE reveals a desperate cry to return back to a simpler life sans the value systems of modern society under a backdrop of tremolo-picked guitar and crashing drum mayhem. www.southernlord.com -Mike SOS
LEAF
FIRST KILL
SELF-RELEASED
Texas quartet Leaf really dig on the spectrum of ’90s alternative rock, as this group’s six-track endeavor harkens back to a time when Stone Temple Pilots and Alice in Chains were gaining ground (“Who Is It?”) with a few of today’s tricks fleshing out their recently deemed retro sound. FIRST KILL showcases the wares from a troupe whose ready for rock radio melodic side is accompanied with everything from snarling guitars and carnival keyboards (“Game Box Kid”) to a clumsy attempt at industrial (“Bear Tracks”), displaying a retread of bands like Filter and Gravity Kills with scattered shots of quirkiness mixed in (“See What Happens”) that salvage this offering from being totally cast as a watered down version of a music from an era gone by. www.leafmusic.com -Mike SOS
VARIOUS ARTISTS
PUNK ROCK KARAOKE
MVD
West Coast punk veterans Eric Melvin, Greg Hetson, and friend’s pet project PUNK ROCK KARAOKE have released a slamming CD/DVD version of the clever live band karaoke shtick, aptly self-titled and bursting with punk rock fun. The CD portion contains 10-tracks of punk rock luminaries from Dicky Barret and Dave King to Mike Herrera and Matt Skiba belting out classic anarchistic anthems by the likes of Bad Religion, The Adolescents, and Black Flag, but it’s the DVD when it all comes together, craftily featuring the option to remove vocals from the mix so that you, yes YOU can be a punk rock rebel, right from comfy confines of your couch while making the Guitar Hero-like love come alive right before your eyes. Even though doing this on stage at a real club with a unsuspecting crowd is definitely the optimum way to experience this whole shebang, the collection does a fine job to give a little for those yearning to take the party home. www.punkrockkaraoke.com -Mike SOS
THE VEER UNION
AGAINST THE GRAIN
UNIVERSAL MOTOWN
There’s not a shred of anything remotely AGAINST THE GRAIN about The Veer Union’s current three-song sampler that you don’t learn at Chad Kroeger 101, yet this fellow Canadian quartet’s advanced placement yields an angst-ridden vocal and action-movie hooky punch whose youthful exuberance and slick package demands attention, even if for a fleeting moment (“Seasons”) to check the screen and see if it’s Theory of A Deadman or Hinder pumping out the mediocre hard rock. www.universalmotown.com -Mike SOS
MILLIONS
GATHER SCATTER
SEVENTH RULE
Spastic and noisy hardcore with underpinnings of melody best describe the racket exerted by Chicago quartet Millions, whose eight-track offering GATHER SCATTER goes from the gutter to outer space in approximately 27-minutes. Emblazoned in dissonance, songs like “Saddle Up and Ride” exhibit the rhythm section playing like a wrecking crew drunkenly demolishing a skyscraper, while “Pickpocket” channels QOTSA for a shot of fretwork freakouts and “Life is Satisfactory” reveals the might of Millions’ ever-shifting three-pronged vocal delivery with the sandpapered bark leading the neurotic charge. If you are partial to early post-hardcore and get misty-eyed for the noise rock days of yore, this crew has got the fix you need. www.seventhrule.com -Mike SOS
SEANCE
AWAKENING OF THE GODS
PULVERISED
Old School Swedish death metal troupe Seance return with their third endeavor, a durable slab of classically-rounded raging madness complete with the gutwrenching growls, dastardly drums and demonic riffs straight out of 1992 (around the time of this unit’s debut). AWAKENING THE GODS is an explosive 11-track exercise in evil whose malevolent metallic mayhem leaves holes in the walls while summoning netherworld spirits thanks to the crushing low-end rhythms and drop on a dime precision this quartet employ (“Your Time Has Come”, “Prisoner 666”), not to mention the incessant feeling of getting punched in the head songs like “Murder” bring on. Tasty solos, technical playing laden with grooves galore, slivers of variation (the gonzo acoustic track “Flight of the Wicked” is self-indulgent yet aces), and a threatening combination of malice and aggression allow Seance to make good on the promise to dutifully dole out something more sinister than the rest of the pack. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS
JULIE THE BAND
AN ACT OF COMMUNICATION
BABY BIRD
Championing an eclectic blend of indie rock teeming with instrumental depth and acerbic wit, savvy Los Angeles quintet Julie the Band present a boundless 15-track effort whose fearless compositions stir up an exhilarating sense of intrigue. AN ACT OF COMMUNICATION skillfully straddles between contagious pop-rock jangle and oddball quirk (“Do Si Do”), finding a comfort zone somewhere between the cautious expansiveness of Incubus, the Bic-lighter drama of Dashboard Confessional, and the zany resourcefulness of Beck (“Catch a Feeling”, “Lonely Streets”). Showcasing a knack to adorn heady lyrics with the right mix of horns, strings, and whimsy (“Un-Tongue-Tied”), it’s no surprise that the members of this band have ties in the entertainment industry in a behind the scenes capacity, as their endearing music reveals the kind of advanced production sensibilities and clever cohesiveness reserved for those working from the inside. www.julietheband.com -Mike SOS
GOLLUM
THE CORE
ROTTEN
A heart-stopping shot of Southern discomfort arrives courtesy of viciously versatile Wilmington, NC metal crew Gollum, whose 11-track batch of tainted tuneage renders an acid-soaked musical adventure that’s both evil and expansive a la Goatwhore, Bloodlet (whose Scott Angelacos appears here), and Soilent Green. Raging hardcore rumblings and technical death metal sensibilities bolster this unit’s sonic foundation while an oddball agenda containing psychedelic overtones, foreboding electronic manipulations and a devilish use of dynamics launch at all angles from Gollum’s viscous superstructure, setting an ominous atmosphere akin to being stranded in the swamp as dusk becomes nightfall (“The Core”, “Omens”). THE CORE relentlessly shifts gears and styles, yet keeps it heavy throughout, examining every heavy-handed riff method to savagely crush your skull (“Blacksmith”) while utilizing multiple guest vocalists to further impose the jumpy point of view of “The Burden of Ubiquitous Scars” and “Diggin'”. Settle in with some strong substances and enjoy a sullen and sinewy schizophrenic stomp delivered by a juggernaut brimming over with avant-garde abrasiveness and unabashed fits of metallic fury. www.rottenrecords.com -Mike SOS
MAN IN BLACK
MAN IN BLACK
SELF-RELEASED
NYC punk rock unit Man In Black play with a retro echo-heavy style and the authentic no frills fuck the world grizzled attitude that time long forgot intact, skewering bits of Oi, reggae, and lo-fi in their tasty three-song sampler smorgasbord. Simple yet effective, this unit’s sharp-tongued attack is aided by standout bursts of shimmering guitar and garage rock keyboards that emit warm tones, providing the right touch of texture to this squad’s sneering brand of old school flavor. Championing the sounds of yore, Man in Black fits nicely in between your Toasters and Buzzcocks discs. www.maininblack.org -Mike SOS
PERSONA NON GRATA
SHADE IN THE LIGHT
SENSORY
Greek progressive metal troupe Persona Non Grata glide along the familiar melodic path tread by bands like Edguy and Circus Maximus while traces of the moodiness of early Queensryche and Fates Warning lurk about on their 10-track offering SHADE IN THE LIGHT. This quintet’s reliance on composition dramatics rather than instrumental acrobatics helps this unit make a durable batch of songs that permit the group’s standout soaring vocal over dominant walls of keyboard charge to confidently lead through the light and dark hues of the prog metal prism. Stamping songs like “Stillness” and “Longing” with a chilling aura while naturally crunchy riffs (“Dual Unity”) drive a spike through the heart during heavier tunes, this act’s atmospheric delivery cuts out genre excess down to bare essential so things like tasty solos can shine (“Before the Reason”). Containing its fair share of punchy musical interplay while exhibiting an reverence for the edge, this disc will appease those who like to stick close to the gameplan. www.lasersedgegroup.com -Mike SOS
ASSAULTER
SALVATION LIKE DESTRUCTION
PULVERISED
Harkening back to metal at its most primal, Australian outfit Assaulter bang and smash their way through seven tracks of crude buzzsaw guitar explosions and blackened death rasps on SALVATION LIKE DESTRUCTION. Pounding away with the savage fury of bands like Hellhammer in plain sight (“Glory Alone”), this trio terrorize with an old school death/thrash hybrid chock full of hatred (“Awe of Fire”), yielding a warmongering tone that permeates through cuts like the ferocious “The Axiom Star” and the militaristic amalgamation of High on Fire and Sodom on “Talon and Teeth”, making this throwback entity an enjoyable yet predictable slab of raging crust-laden metal. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS
CROWN THE LOST
BLIND FAITH LOYALTY
CRUZ DEL SUR
Merging power metal prestige, classic metal history, and technical thrash prowess, Pittsburgh, PA quintet Crown the Lost blast through 10 tracks of intricate guitar infused heaviness, sounding like the bastard child of Nevermore, Trivium, and Iced Earth (“Finality”). Despite their excessive sonic output, the forced juxtaposition of vibes and incessant solo breaks sound clumsy at times, almost as if the group is trying too hard to make unlike things work in symbiosis. Armed with a wailing metal screamer whose Dark Angel meets Dickinson caterwaul leaves an indelible mark while a sturdy rhythm section valiantly holds the tumultuous and twisting twin guitar assault down (“Hollow Refuge”), Crown the Lost’s do an admirable job of sounding complex yet lose momentum by leaving listeners more overwhelmed than engaged. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS
THE RAYGUN GIRLS
DIRT COLLECTOR
KILLZONE
NYC alternative metal vets The Raygun Girls capture the shadowy desolation of Gotham City’s dark recesses on the squad’s latest three-song sampler taken from their forthcoming full length DIRT COLLECTOR. Combining a flurry of industrial electronic elements into their female fronted Goth metal blueprint (“Ones I Denied”), comparing this quartet’s throbbing flourishes and concrete melodic metal foundation in the vein of acts like Lacuna Coil and HIM wouldn’t be out of place, yet the hypnotic quality to songs like “Intentions” display a band whose savvy songwriting prowess can lift his band out of the dark long enough to enchant ears by dishing out something different besides the genre’s prototypical processed angst. www.theraygungirls.com -Mike SOS
UNKNOWN INSTRUCTORS
FUNLAND
SMOG VEIL
Unknown Instructors continue to inspire with their third effort, the 12-track FUNLAND. This free-form jazz punk jamboree isn’t going to get the party started, but it will guide through tough times after one listen of the discernibly sadder and more morose tales told in spoken word Beatnik meets film noir style (“Last Waltz”, “Afternoon Spent at the Bar, Sunny”). But it’s not all gloom and doom at the old man’s tavern, as sometimes the bass and drums (courtesy of Mike Watt and George Hurley of Firehose) morph into a razzmatazz blues groove, providing a backdrop for some righteous soapbox preaching (“Lead!”), then switching into a herky-jerky bounce (“C’mon”) . Rendering a way above the cut listening experience best taken in headphones, FUNLAND is a divine disc for those with the headspace to spare. www.smogveil.com -Mike SOS
EDGUY
TINNITUS SANCTUS
NUCLEAR BLAST
Streamlining their trademark power metal might with a healthy dose of melodic hard rock, German quintet Edguy return ready to rock with their eighth release, the 11-track TINNITUS SANCTUS. Cramming crunchy guitars with an enormous drum sound (“Sex Fire Religion”), this veteran unit’s typically over the top delivery has been dialed down considerably here, long enough for fans of hair metal to be able to find solace within cuts like “Nine Lives”, “Dragonfly” and especially the power ballad “Thorn Without a Rose”. But don’t fret fans of Edguy’s early fantasy metal phase, they haven’t lost it all completely, as the instrumental breaks on “Speedhoven” and the Queensryche-esque “Wake Up Dreaming Black” gallantly mark a reprise to the speed-driven pomp roots you’ve come to expect from this crew. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS
UNANIMATED
IN THE LIGHT OF DARKNESS
REGAIN
After a 14 year slumber, the Swedish beast known as Unanimated has awaken from hibernation with a feral 10-track strike in the form of IN THE LIGHT OF DARKNESS. Boasting former members of incendiary metal acts Entombed and Dismember, this brazen unit’s mayhem-fueled melancholy is bolstered by a bombastic variations of mid tempo to blasting black metal beats (“Enemy of the Sun”, “Serpent’s Curse”) and throaty growls directly from the bowels of the netherworld (“Diabolic Voices”). The guitars succinctly maintain an evil and foreboding aura (“The Endless Beyond”), throwing moments of melody in for good measure (“In the Light of Darkness”) to make this disc a noteworthy addition to your darkened collection. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS
EGOIST
ULTRA-SELFISH REVOLUTION
SELFMADEGOD
Egoist is a one-man band (naturally) from Poland with a somber yet schizophrenic take on heavy music. ULTRA-SELFISH REVOLUTION features a sobering eight tracks of avant-garde acuteness complete with a jarring dissonance and clinical angularity, as if machines manipulated man to make this music happen rather than the other way around. Striking a middle ground between NIN, Helmet, Clawfinger, Bjork, and Protest the Hero, these songs are difficult to decode upon first impression, yet reveal an off-kilter undercurrent of abrasiveness thanks to the funk on drugs basslines and choppy rhythmic parts employed (“Bright Shift”), not to mention a few choice guest solos courtesy of Patrick Mameli (“(Not) the End”) to emit an ultimately unsettling listening experience reserved for the most open-minded of the prog metal contingent. www.selfmadegod.com
LORD MANTIS
SPAWNING THE NEPHILIM
SEVENTH RULE
Punishing and pummeling from the get-go, Chicago’s Lord Mantis have developed an apocalyptic amalgamation that merges sludge, post-hardcore and black metal elements on the quartet’s begrimed seven-track affair SPAWNING THE NEPHILIM. Relentlessly menacing the eardrums with assaults of furious sprawling riffs and explosive low-end rhythms rendering a thunderous sonic crunch (“Hit By a Bus”), this hulking beast thoroughly scours the depths of the depraved, unabashedly bearing teeth and claws (“Unnatural Dwarfism”, “Zealot”) while a cavalcade of tortured vocal shrills and bellowing growls guide the descent into darkness (“Push Tug Wipe”). Despite this nefarious unit’s obvious aping of Neurosis spaz-outs, Mastodon rumblings, Today is the Day uneasiness and Bloodlet quirk, Lord Mantis wisely uses the aforementioned’s wares to introduce their own unique vertigo-inducing discord (“Abducted by Aliens”), exuding a thorny and tumultuous bludgeoning for those who enjoy unapologetically getting run over.
www.seventhrule.com -Mike SOS
