|
Written by Sameerah
|
|
Friday, 29 January 2010 |
|
Throne of Darkness Helvete Candlelight Records Once again compression has killed what could have been a brilliant album. Throne of Darkness has this album packed in so fucking tight that the vocals only register when they are in full attack mode. A total disappointment since it sounds as if there are some great vocals and chants to be had when they aren't being pushed out by the over whelming guitars and drums. The only thing saving this album from being a complete and total failure is that that these guys know their way around their instruments. There are some incredible riffs and some inhuman drumming, but those things aren't enough to make Helvete the brutal album that it wants to be. The pursuit of ultimate loudness has killed another album. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
|
|
|
Written by Sameerah
|
|
Friday, 29 January 2010 |
|
Aosoth Ashes of Angels Agonia Records 3.5 Ashes of Angels takes Aosoth's sound to more sinister heights. They are firmly planted in the realm of Black Metal, but not to the point where it becomes cliche. They don't let themselves become restrained by sticking totally to the expected sounds of the genre. Using it more as a guide, allowing them to weave in more atmosphere and progressive leaning aspect. Aosoth's leaning toward a more progressive sound makes Ashes of Angels and more devastating album. Cries Out of Heaven has a hook that is jazz fueled and actually a bit soothing. Beastly vox come out and rip you apart with images that are inspired by the ultimate depths of demonic bliss. It's evil, brutal and brilliantly produced. Since they didn't compress the album to death in the search for ultimate volume you can actually hear the mastery these guys have over their sound. The vox aren't over powered by the other pieces, the riffs and drums are clear as you could want them. Aosoth is at the top of their game on this album. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
|
|
Written by Sameerah
|
|
Tuesday, 19 January 2010 |
Easter Monkeys
Splendor of Sorrow
Smog Veil Records
3.0
Easter Monkeys are a punk band from my original home town of Cleveland, OH. Because we cut our teeth in the same area of the rust belt I went into this album with a ear towards nepotism. Fully ready to claim that they are the best underground punk band of all time and everyone should give them a listen before they die. What I got instead was 80's pop punk that is as bland and rusty as the deserted car factories that litter the Cleveland landscape. Easter Monkeys aren't bland because of the way that they play or because of their lyrics. They are bland because they sound like every other underground punk band that was around at the time. The same five note songs just played at varying speeds and intensity. Apparently they were the kind of band that wanted to bring a fuck the man art is everything ascetics to their music. I can see what they were trying to go for but I just cant buy it from these guys. The more they go on and one about how "My Baby Digs Graves" and "Nailed to the Cross" the more I get the feeling that they were just trying to get a rise out of people and every lyric is perfectly crafted for shock value. With an mind towards how the kids of the underground scene think and how they would react to what they were saying. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Easter Monkeys were hardly the first of the last underground band to do shit just to freak people out. But since we have all been there and done that with countless bands since them, its all old hat. And just to rub salt in the wound its done with no particular flair or style. Sad really. Now this could be because I am listening to this with an ear 30 years past when this album was made. That being said I tried to listen to this with the same ear I give to bands like the Ramones, Black Flag or Suicidal Tendencies; old shit that still fun no matter how dated it may be now. Still no luck. Easter Monkeys may have been a killer band in their day but they simply don't make the translation to now. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
|
|
|
Written by Sameerah
|
|
Tuesday, 19 January 2010 |
|
Pistol Whip Terminal Smog Veil 3.0
There is one thing that makes Terminal stand out in the wasteland of reissue/reunion albums, its recorded like a documentary. In between trax there is a little robot lady giving you little bits of information on the band, when and where the songs where recoded; occasionally with some input from the band. Getting that little bit of insight into what was going when the album was made without having to go through the liner notes or look up shit online is a nice touch. It makes it feel exactly like what it is, a brief retrospective into the short career of Pistol Whip. Once you get past the documentary commentary of the album you are left with organ infused punk rock of the late 70's. Just pop enough that I can imagine it making it onto the airwaves of mainstream radio from time to time but they keep just enough of the gritty punk rock swagger to keep the kids into it. The lyrics are someplace in between politics and the mindless chatter of drunken men who want nothing more than another round of beer and the girl in the booth next to them. Pistol Whip embodies a kind of reckless innocence that still holds up well 30 years later. The bits where they scream about Jimmy Carter trying to steal rock and roll gave me a laugh as I looked to see if the old coot was still alive. But other than the occasional dated lyric Terminal stands up as just kick ass rock and roll the kind of thing that never really gets old no matter how many years pass by. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
|
|
Written by Sameerah
|
|
Tuesday, 19 January 2010 |
|
IXXI Elect Darkness Candlelight Records 3.0
IXXI's Elect Darkness is the best and worst album to fall asleep to. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to make this my slumber music, but it made for one of the most restless but kick ass nights I have had in a long time. I was lulled to sleep with the soft almost haunting melodies that smacked vaguely of folk Metal with the opening track, Underworld. It starts off smooth but it quickly turns into a rampage of chaotic thunder with Southern Tribes and beyond Rapture. The heavy bass lines and ripping guitars sit on your chest heavy with aggression while the seething vox puncture through you like a hot knife through butter. It was a gut churning beautiful way to spend the evening. While Elect Darkness is a great album, its a little compressed on the production side. There are places where the drums are so intense that they drown out the vox and guitars at points. It can be a distraction but it's minor, even when the drums are a little too intense they keep the timing of the music spot on so that when they do let up you don't really loose much. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 4 of 42 |
