Rolling Stone would suck less were they to hire me.

Ugly and Swearing

Hi. My name is Adrian Smith. I word. I music.

This is the section that contains coherent writing as opposd to the madness of the main page. For now I just have some old music reviews, but there might be other interesting, cohesive material at a later point in time. If everything goes as planned. If the world doens't end tomorrow. If I am able to read the last Harry Potter book without stumbling across certain hated spoilers. If the War in the Sun does not defeat the entire purpose of life: boobs. If I ever get around to it. If I ever feel like getting around to it.

Poink.

This handful of music reviews were written back in the days of http://www.royalcarnage.com/. The website has been gone for a few years, but a great time was had by all while it lasted. For a review to be chosen for this list, it had to have a lasting effect on my writing. Most of these are positive, but only because my negative reviews were rarely well thought out or clever in any sort of way, not because I'm one of those dudes who loves everything. Because I don't. I suppose if you're visiting this page you've already gathered that I'm a bit of a curmudgeon even in the best of times, not speaking about the blurst of times (you stupid monkey). Blearg.

Update: I'm starting to write new reviews again just for l'Boog, which can probably be differentiated by a lack of numerical score since I no longer choose to rate art in terms of basic math. Of course if I re-choose to go back to said method, then ignore what I just said. Or not. Whatever. Thanks for COMIN' out!

Alice in Chains

It is never easy to watch your idols fall apart. One of the most influential bands in metal, Alice in Chains had a heyday or two prior to releasing their final album, the eponymous release commonly referred to as Tripod (what with the 3-legged dog on the cover and 3-legged man on the reverse). Obviously the band still had a lot of potential when newly recorded tracks made their way to the public eye several years later for the boxset, Music Bank, but this final full length just didn't quite close out their legacy in proper form.

This is not classic Alice in Chains. In fact, the only member at the top of his game (let alone even at the expected level) is Layne Staley. His harmonized vocal tracks never sounded so good, and even if they were not as energized as on Dirt, they were extremely potent. Too bad the rest of the band just never goes anywhere here. Sean Kinney, who played a pinnacle role in Jar of Flies, sounds asleep behind the drumkit. New bassist Mike Inez who did fine on that previous album sounds far too stiff in the metal aspect of his new band (but there is no proper replacement for Mike Starr anyhow). Jerry Cantrell does a good job creating some memorable riffs per usual, but the songwriting takes a severe hit as most songs have little variety and no real drive to get them going.

Perhaps I've just been bitter all these years since this did not turn into Dirt II, because there are some good tracks, including Over Now which is one of the band's best songs. Others do a good job at creating a certain somber mood, particularly Nothin' Song, Sludge Factory, and the highly introspective Frogs. It is just that so many of these tracks fall flat, especially in comparison to previous material and the two tracks recorded a few years later (the brilliant Get Born Again and incomplete yet still compelling Died, both from brief studio sessions in 1998). While Layne's vocals and Jerry's wanderings keep the album afloat, the rhythm section and songwriting are barely treading water.

So I do enjoy Alice in Chains swansong, just not nearly at the same level I love their other work. Hot and humid summer nights do light this album aflame for unknown reasons, so perhaps that glimpse of brilliance is still present in some small dose, but it's buried enough where I don't find myself on the hunt very often. Thankfully Jerry Cantrell has carried on the legacy with his masterpiece Degradation Trip vols. 1 & 2, but one cannot help but wonder what else Alice in Chains might have accomplished given a little more time on this earth.

6/10

Antimatter
Lights Out

There is a definite trend in metal circles lately to experiment with electronics. Some groups blend techno and metal into an industrial hybrid of sorts such as Pain and 30 Seconds to Mars, others just completely dive in and leave metal behind, like Ulver eventually did. Antimatter is of the latter type, as any real sign of metal is buried, if not completely nonexistent.

Ethereal is the only way to describe Lights Out, almost like a completely stripped down version of Porcupine Tree. Subtle textures, soothing keyboards, and repetitive rhythms dominate this release. The title and album cover both fit the music perfectly, as the entire affair is rather dark, but not so much that its aural depression wears off on the listener. Lights Out opens with an air raid siren and maintains that same eerie vibe throughout, even during the softer passages such as in Reality Clash. The closing track Terminal is the most pleasant sounding song with its soft string arrangement, but toward the last few minutes industrial rumbles and a heart monitor jar the listener enough to remind them how bleak the record really is. Positively haunting from start to finish.

One testament to making good electronic-based music is by how annoying the repetition is. Thankfully, Antimatter uses enough different instruments and sounds that even though the entire CD sounds like the tempo never alters, it does not become tedious. Even the extremely repetitive ending to Expire is well done and creates a nice scary mood. Some groups that delve into electronic experimentation may try to recreate song structure or maintain a decidedly metal flair when they do so, but this is not the case with Antimatter. You will not find a single metal moment apart perhaps from one highly effective scream in The Art of a Soft Landing.

The minimalist and ambient genres can easily be discussed as art rather than music. Anyone familiar with Japanese Noh Drama will probably thoroughly enjoy the simple subtleties of Lights Out. Drawn out and at times repetitive, this music is great to completely zone out to, but also to enjoy as a simple yet extremely powerful art form. Metal heads may want to steer clear, but if you are into groups such as The Future Sound of London along with your brutal death albums like me, you will not be disappointed.

8/10

Aborted
Goremageddon

Gore metal pigeonholes itself. You know which bands fall under the label because they nearly always have three elements present: 1) an indiscernible logo that uses some obscure font that you've never seen before and will never see again, 2) a bloody, generally vomit inducing nightmare of a cover, and 3) song titles seemingly picked randomly from a medical reference book. Aborted are not much different, having all three of these aspects. However, instead of the typical cacophony expected from a gore metal band, Goremageddon is an extremely listenable affair.

Make no mistake, this is not for the weak of heart or stomach. The drums are relentless, the vocals are insane, and the guitar and bass riffing is positively manic. During the first minute of this CD there are no less than four distinct time changes, ranging from fast, faster, and fastest. Pretty standard fare gore, but the sections never blur together, even if they only last a few seconds each. Around the two minute mark of opener Meticulous Invagination this group's strong point is revealed. Between various blastbeats a brief mid-tempo interlude hits with such force the listener may wonder what happened. A slow, soaring guitar solo contrasts greatly with the rest of this song, and after a few seconds it's over. These brief moments of relatively accessible material are scattered throughout this record (Ornaments of Derision and Nemesis have my favorites), and none sound out of place in the least bit. This is what makes the album work, the intensity is broken up a little to keep it from sounding single-minded, yet succinct enough to never lose focus of its punishing nature.

As usual, bands of this genre owe quite a bit to Carcass, but Aborted do not just rehash what that marvelous group accomplished 12 years ago (even with a few Necroticism sound-alike samples). Fans of gore metal will not be disappointed, and with the accessible moments, the genre may garner a few new fans that are hesitant to dive into this sick and twisted niche.

8/10

Bathory
Hammerheart

I came in late to the Bathory way of things. Only a name to me for years, but it always commanded respect. So I finally jumped aboard and was pleasantly surprised with Blood Fire Death. Pretty damn good thrash if you ask me, and well ahead of its time for 1988. I didn't fall in love immediately, but knew the group had more to offer so I went ahead and purchased another one, Hammerheart. This was a release that deserved all the reverence bestowed upon the mighty Bathory, an album I should have picked up years ago.

From the opening of Shores in Flames this album screams power. Quorthon was never a great vocalist, he misses many notes and his voice cracks frequently. But his passion is doled out in spades. Listen to him tell the tale of One Rode to Asa Bay and tell me you don't see the shores yourself. Quorthon belts out this album as if he witnessed every event contained in the wondrous lyrics, if not outright participated in them. The arrangements are not over the top, and honestly there are not all that many riffs to be found, but led by Quorthon's voice, the power is carried throughout Hammerheart to make one remarkable album. Easiest way to describe the music herein is to look at the cover, and add an electric guitar.

So although I didn't get acquainted with Quorthon and Bathory until very recently, this music serves as much more than just a history lesson for countless influenced bands in death and black metal. I'm slowly working my way through their catalogue, and it is easy to see why Bathory is one of the universal truths in extreme metal.

9/10

Cannibal Corpse
The Wretched Spawn

Well you'll certainly never be able to say Cannibal Corpse sold out. There is not a BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP, bar none. A formative adversary to the religious right, music fans the world over, and BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP stopped. Some may accuse the band of being in a rut, but reinventing themselves is not what they have BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP Spawn we have a great example of why they are still one of the most brutal bands on the planet.

In some ways The Wretched Spawn is a tribute to the band's BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP with the riffing and overall production sounding like early 90s death BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP is regressing, because this still sounds like a new Cannibal Corpse album. George Fisher's vocals have never sounded so BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP Webster's bass is incredible as always, locked in flawlessly with drummer Paul Mazurkiewcz, and guitarists Jack Owen and Pat O'Brien create the usual BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. Chalk this up to good rehearsals or studio cheating if you will (shame on you), but this band has always been tight, and still is. A great mix of lightning fast and slow, almost doom-like BEEEEEEEEEEEEP the album, giving this a multi-dimensional feel even if the songs have the same vibe that all Cannibal Corpse songs do. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP is probably my favorite track, with some of the best pinch harmonics I've ever heard, a variety of tempos present, and an overall BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

If you dislike Cannibal Corpse, The Wretched Spawn will not convert you, but the band probably won't mind anyhow. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP will be pleased, particularly those that enjoyed their earlier releases. I find myself thrashing around while spinning The Wretched Spawn unlike I have since 1996's Vile, and anyone who doesn't agree with me can go BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

8/10

Okay so I've had my fun, and in case you are wondering what the hell is going on here's the explanation. In order to combat this album getting leaked prematurely, Metal Blade decided to place loud BEEPs every 15 seconds or so into 10 of the 13 tracks present here. I'm not (completely) trying to be a smart ass, but the style this review is written in matches the promotional CD I received. In the coming months, look for a proper review when a proper CD copy is given to your friendly Royal Carnage staff.

Jerry Cantrell
Degradation Trip volumes 1 & 2

Double albums are particularly trying, both to listen to and even make to begin with. Putting together a full 70+ minute CD is pretty difficult without slipping a little filler in there, and many double albums have more than their fair share. Most that I have seen clock in around an hour and a half, only every once in awhile you get a full hour per disc. Degradation Trip volumes 1 & 2 clocks in at over 70 minutes PER disc, so it would be downright impossible to have an album this long with no filler, right? This album was just the original single disc version (released 5 months earlier) with a few bonus tracks... right? Alice in Chains - Dirt was over a decade ago, and most musicians are lucky to create just one masterpiece in their career, two or more is unheard of... right? Well then, onto the review.

It is always good to go out on top of your game. Unfortunately this was not the case for Alice in Chains, who's under whelming self-titled release (sometimes referred to as Tripod) was their swansong. Not a terrible album, but it did not showcase the brilliance that the group had created in the past. Two new songs were recorded in the late-90s (Get Born Again and Died), and did reveal that the magic was still there for the band, but unfortunately the only other Alice in Chains releases would be various compilations before Layne Staley's untimely death on April 5th, 2002. Any hope of reuniting were officially dead, and one of the greatest bands of all time was gone forever.

Along comes Jerry Cantrell's first solo offering in 5 years, Degradation Trip, released just two months after Layne's death. Jerry's first solo album Bogey Depot was quite good, but showed that the man was ready to do something else besides gloomy, depressing metal. Not so with this one, Degradation Trip was lauded by critics as his return to form, many citing it as the best release since Dirt. The critics were right, the album showcased Jerry's excellent writing skills and his ability to craft riffs so incredibly eerie that they gave chills to even the most jaded listener, and it really was the best album of this kind since Dirt. However, something was missing. The album had its flaws, but they were intangible. Was the incredible rhythm section of Robert Trujillo and Mike Bordin up to the challenge to succeed Mike Starr and Sean Kinney? Indeed. Was Jerry's voice capable of accomplishing the multi-part harmonies? Absolutely. Were, most importantly, the songs themselves good? Indubitably. So what was it? I had always assumed that Layne's voice was the missing element, the one thing holding this album back from the greatness it was so close to achieving. I was wrong.

Apparently, Jerry Cantrell had always meant for this to be a double album. From the horse's mouth: "From the writing process to putting it together and recording it, it was initially a 25-song record... so yeah, this was intended to come out as Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. Struggles with finding a new label led to the original single CD release, due to business politics (which do not belong in music!!!)." This new double CD version followed Jerry's vision, restoring both the 11 previously cut songs as well as the proper track order. This is what made the album perfect. Layne's voice was not missing, it was Jerry's original intent that was.

One of the many things that makes this album so great is that it really is like two separate volumes. Each disc has a distinct beginning and end, yet maintaining cohesion between the two to make it one whole experience at the same time. Gone closes out the first disc perfectly, but doesn’t quite resolve everything. Luckily the first track on Volume 2, Castaway, is a great opening song, but only completely makes sense if you just got through Volume 1. The connections are quite amazing, and even if this is not a concept album lyrically, it definitely is musically.

This is the paragraph where I was going to write more in depth about a handful of songs, but I cannot. I must admit this album is so good that I cannot even discuss the brilliance within them using mere words. Locked On is incredible. Bargain Basement Howard Hughes is incredible. Anger Rising is incredible. Repeat for every other song, they are just that amazing. There are a great variety of styles on this release: some very heavy like Pig Charmer, some very eerie like Psychotic Break, and even some very pleasant like Angel Eyes. While the songs vary, they never stray too far from Jerry's typical flair, and always stay within the realm of this monumental release. Instead of attempting at detail, which again would prove impossible, I implore you to purchase this album post haste and experience the joy that I have and will for quite some time.

Sprawling and epic in scope and execution, this album is not the easiest to completely digest. Drawn out and deliberate the entire way through, this album takes its time, but is well worth the reward. Maybe I'm just a softy for early 90s metal, but this is easily the best album to come out in nearly a decade. If you have any interest in outright excellent quality heavy metal, I implore you to seek this album out at all costs. The single CD version is good, but when the double CD is leaps and bounds better for just a few dollars more, the choice is easy.

10/10

Drudkh
Autumn Aurora

Every so often the beauty of art comes full circle.

The enigma that is Drudkh ("Recorded Winter '03, Ukraine" by who? what? why? how? Internet searches provide some results, but not many) have created a distinctly black metal piece with Autumn Aurora: fast drums, screaming vocals, and layers of guitars. Yet everything has a great harmonic balance and is utterly beautiful at the same time. The dichotomy here is so perfect that one may have a hard time hearing one side or the other, as everything comes together in a completely marvelous whole. The most obvious example is the guitar solo in Sunwheel, as it has massive sheets of distortion, pummeling double bass, and a fast moving guitar solo, but it's just so pretty that the harshness is well overshadowed.

The incredibly organic sound achieved here is mostly due to the keyboards and production (not pristine, yet hardly dirty either), but every element plays a role in sounding exactly as the album cover pictures. Within its own circles, black metal is generally synonymous with the forest but with Autumn Aurora the mystique is fully visualized. I was truly enthralled with this album driving down the mountain in the fog from a camping trip several months ago, the music could have been coming from the trees themselves best I could tell. This level of synchronization with nature is rarely achieved in music, regardless of how many groups may try.

A high watermark for black metal, metal, music, and perhaps even art in general, this is an extraordinary accomplishment that should not be missed by anyone. I cannot quite give this a perfect score yet, but in the coming months and years, it certainly has a chance. My only genuine complaint is that it is too short! There should be another track filling the gap between Wind of the Night Forests and The First Snow, as the album closes too quickly. Then again, so does autumn.

9/10

Edge of Sanity
Purgatory Afterglow

It is amazing how some albums grow on you. Many of my favorite albums would have been tossed aside if I wouldn't have given them a chance, and sometimes I even get excited if upon the first listen I don't like the CD. Purgatory Afterglow is one such album, the first few listens I didn't like it at all, but now I will definitely return to it over and over again in the future.

This album represents a near perfect balance between intensity with catchiness. The down-tuned riffs are pummeling, yet the choruses are extremely memorable. You can practically whistle the harmony guitar line from Black Tears all day long, and the building guitar solo at the end is just incredible, climaxing with a high pitched squeal in pure sing-a-long style. Even when songs like Elegy pummel along through a blastbeat, it sticks in your head like any silly little ditty would. This does not compromise the integrity of its metal aspect though, as Purgatory Afterglow is always close to the line of commercialized metal but never once is it crossed.

I do have two major complaints about this album unfortunately. First of all, there is a time and a place for distorted bass and it is NOT throughout an entire album! Thankfully Anders Lindberg's lines are pretty interesting, but constant distorted bass has always been a huge pet peeve of mine. My second gripe is more obvious to the average listener instead of just neurotic bassists like myself. Track order plays an important role in any album, particularly opening and closing tracks. Opener Twilight has a great catchy chorus, but also a few quiet keyboard breaks that show this will not be a single-minded affair. However, closer Song of Sirens is one of the worst songs I have ever heard, sounding like 10-year olds attempting to play Entombed during the first week of picking up the guitar. I'm not sure what possessed the band to even write this song let alone put it as the closing number, but it definitely drags down the listening experience.

Those complaints aside, this is an awesome CD. I will probably always prefer the brilliant follow-up Crimson to this album, but since Purgatory Afterglow is so different from its successor, it will never be seen as merely a lesser form of that incredible release.

8/10

Especially Likely Sloth
But If What He'll What Ant

Some things are so strange that one does not know how to handle the situation. I'm man enough to admit that there are things in this world that have caused me to do irrational things, like running across the street holding pinking shears, frantically asking every form of plant life I see "HAVE YOU SEEN THE TURNIPS?!?!" Now I know what you are thinking, this is supposed to be a review of some sort, and I'll get to that soon enough. Just let me hide the rainbow colored arsenic vial that calls out my name as Especially Likely Sloth invades my ears via headphones and I'll get to the review. Ready? Okay here we go!

Give a room full of ADD kids a bunch of digitized instruments and hold a microphone somewhere toward the center of the room. Run it through some ultra slick production and paste an ample amount of samples from the Simpsons on top, and you just might replicate But If What He'll What Ant. Now stop and think about what I just said, then read it again. Is there any possible way this could be a good idea? Well apparently Jason William Walton thought so, and yes this is the same J.W.W. from Agalloch. Don't look for a connection, as you won't find it no matter how open to infinite interpretation you may be. Did you read my description twice now? Okay, read it a third time, then truly imagine it. If you are thinking "why didn't I think of that!?" then run out quickly and pick this album up. If not, just run. Run very quickly. You must find escape, and find it now. Run hard, and don't look back. Nevermind, screw running. Just kill yourself in case 50 years down the line you might catch a glimpse of this playing in an elevator somewhere, as you really shouldn't take the risk.

Forget Today is the Day, Khanate, and Goatsblood. Especially Likely Sloth is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, but accomplishes more insanity then those three bands put together ever will. Personally I've found myself unable to hit the stop key, but don't say I didn't warn you.

|-147.6| / 10

Fantômas
Suspended Animation

Tracks 1 - 30, one date per track.

Fantômas. What the hell am I supposed to say? Hmm, I could start with describing their sound I suppose: Trevor Dunn, Mike Patton, Dave Lombardo, and Buzz Osbourne doing whatever the fuck they want. There that makes sense. Their latest offering, Suspended Animation, is a companion piece to last year's DelÌrivm CÚrdia which to be perfectly honest, scares the piss out of me. This one is a bit different, but rather than explaining in explicit detail what is going on with these self-described 30 Miniature Holidays in 43 Minutes, I'll just leave my language impression of each date, including thoughts on the visual accompaniment (the artwork is a 30 day calendar, each date featuring the art of Yoshitomo Nara). Bear with me, this might get a little weird.

04/01/05
Small crucifix pissing into flames. DUN DUN DUN. Ready for takeoff. DUN DUN DUN. Squish. Here we go...

04/02/05
LIFE. WAR. BAM chaaaaaaant Lombardo rolllllllll. POP WHIZZZZZZZZzzzzzz swing baby swing.

04/03/05
Serenity evolves into religious ranting into the light of children playing. Rocket board child. Whiz pop whiz pop (I sense a theme). Juice harp!

04/04/05
Dhalism girl fight, communicate sans language. Waaah wah wah waaaaaah uh oh. No feet talking foot. Whiz pop ahhhhh.

04/05/05
FUCK. Breathe in, swear out. Stretch, pop, whoops, fart.

04/06/05
Work the floating Casio guitar smoke. 1, 2, 3, 4, enter the riff. Smell you later riff, make room for the pretty. Still no feet, what happened? 4, 3, 2, 1. Whiz pop HA! HA! Whiz pop HA! HA! Elsewhere somebody died. Bang.

04/07/05
She looks surly. Who let the clown into this mess?! Final request: hat dance.

04/08/05
Now she's the little drummer girl! Apparently she doesn't want to play, someone is laughing at her. Oh good, now she has mastered blast beats (fast learner). DUN DUN DUN DUN! DUn DUn DUn DUn! Bye-bye!

04/09/05
The sky is injured, time to fight. He's quick, he's rythmic, he's good. I can't tell who won, my guess is nobody. Applause anyhow.

04/10/05
Hello, press a button! F! A! N! T! ô! M! A! S! SOLID FIST IS MADE FOR FIGHTING. Where you were yesterday? Oh my, that sounds like words (first time this month, impressive). I think the blast beating drummer girl just snuck in here, at least she scared the clown away.

04/11/05
More smoking guitars. Spooooooky, I hope she doesn't drown before becoming abducted. Bonk.

04/12/05
hahahaha what's so funny, pinball? Pretty sure she's looking out for number one. No that wasn't meant to be sexual, jeez get your face out of my armpit!

04/13/05
The flattened dog king has an onlooker, I'm unaware of his/her motives. I think we're landing on the home planet now, or at least downtown Los Angeles. Ah, car alarm. Definitely LA.

04/14/05
Battleships always say "don't cry!" Maybe if the fat lady would stop singing there would be no tears. That riff oughtta shut 'er up (it do). Pan left! Pan right! Center! ONWARD!

04/15/05
CRAP. What's wrong? Oh, nothing, you're just curious. Spoonman baby devil doll.

04/16/05
Fires make you warm and toasty, but not your friend. Spock has no sense. taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap

04/17/05
Boom. You don't speak clearly, One With Golden Plate For Eye, try again.

04/18/05
FUCKIN' POLITICS. Whoopee! HOO RA. HOO RA.

04/19/05
We're. We're flying. We're flying again. We're flying again bunny. We're flying again bunny girl.

04/20/05
Steps have never sounded so eerie and calm at the same time. Must be a dragon at the top. I can hear wings, I think it's a Gibson. Too quiet, not silent. AGAH! Oh.

04/21/05
Hey Mz. Tambourine Lass, play a song for this babe. Diggitin. Diggitin. Diggitin diggitin diggitin. Diggitin. Diggitin diggitin diggitin. Diggitin. Diggitin diggitin diggitin. Cuckoo!

04/22/05
The ceiling is injured, but first it struck the boy. His elbow is not happy, and says so.

04/23/05
Death metal riffery and hideous child laughter accompany the fox on his way through Dali's desert. The fox is driving. He also might be a dog. All I know is his name is Pete.

04/24/05
I think the aliens have invaded the Marshalls, the girl is not happy. Well she's not sad either, but she does have a mustache. I seem to remember this swing from a few weeks ago, or some sort of swing.

04/25/05
Dogs don't get upset when flying in submarines, they just get a little ticked off. Maybe that was why he's . . . .

04/26/05
Say NO. As opposed to the alphabet? Well I don't know, better ask the birthday girl. *burp* Aahh.

04/27/05
Nothing like a good drive for a jazzy Christmas, especially when you're a dog. I grow weary. OW!

04/28/05
Ch, Eh! FUCK! She has a point, Eyeball Head. I think this month is trying to end itself.

04/29/05
Toy boat toy boat. Spanish-American War toy boats. Toy boat toy boat boy toat tob oyat. Maybe speed metal will save the pure from the unbelievers.

04/30/05
Buildings aflame, while children try to fly. What better time to introduce the only riff to last more than 14 seconds? Nevermind, I've lost the ability to count. Thanks Bugs Bunny!

I think Fantômas are starting to age in letters.

KILL WHITEY / 10

Goatsblood
Drull

Well, well, well. There are certain things on this earth that probably should not be. Even the plague had a purpose (hey that kind of crap was in the Bible and was part of god's will right?), but what purpose does a band that makes vile, festering, puked up garbage serve?

It is no easy feat to listen to this album all the way through. Many of the songs tend to run together, and I must admit it can be rather difficult to discern one from another. The guitar work is nothing special, most full of down-tuned sludge played freeform, with drums, bass, and vocals just following along with the rhythmic nonsense. So is it any good? Sure it is, if you like your music roasted on the spit of some bestial demon's barbecue party for tortured souls and other wicked occurrences. There are no soaring guitar solos, no mosh-worthy riffs, and in fact, I dare you to find a time signature herein.

Nonetheless, Drull avoids sounding like random sounds strewn together with no real aim. There are more evil acts out there, and there are more brutal bands, but none quite capture this sheer essence of volatility. Even after several thorough listening sessions, this release remains extremely unpredictable. The sporadic blast beats and melodic (!) guitar line or two come out of nowhere, and even if you know this album very well, these moments may still surprise you. There is an intangible here, something much easier felt than heard. Drull scares me, but in a gleefully sadistic sort of way, similar to the first time you witness the blood flowing from the elevator in The Shining.

Indeed, this is a most disturbing release. You probably won't like it, in fact, you most certainly will not. However, if you tire of song structure and really any form of coherence when it comes to your extreme music, give Goatsblood a whirl. This is as noisy as it gets without becoming noise, and if you survive (or care to that is) you will be thoroughly rewarded.

8/10

Gruntsplatter
The Organ Harvest: Unreleased and Rare 1994 - 1999

This is noise. 74 minutes of disconcerting not-quite-white-noise-scapes. Somehow it is not annoying, so I guess it is good, but how does one go about rating unadulterated, disconcerting sound?

...

It's creepy and I like it.

8/10

Hypocrisy

Break ups are always hard to do. Take Hypocrisy for example, who called it day following the aptly titled The Final Chapter. All three band members were ready for something else, but fan pressure lead to a quick reunion. Thankfully somebody was paying attention, because the result was Hypocrisy's most accomplished album to date.

If The Final Chapter was a bit unfocused, and Abducted a bit too narrow minded, this self-titled album achieves the proverbial happy medium. There is quite a variety of songs here, numerous slow numbers mixed between high-speed shredding, but none stray from the central musical concept. This album has a distinct cohesion that gels as well as the trios playing together. As with most of Hypocrisy's work, the guitar and vocals take precedence over the bass and drums, but rather than sounding boring, Michael Hedlund (bass) and Lars Szöke (drums) form a highly streamlined, extremely effective rhythm section.

You can pick and choose song highlight songs from this release, from the extreme catchiness of Reversed Reflections, the death metal ballad Until The End, or the perfect album closer Paled Empty Sphere, but the true highlight is Peter Tägtgren. He is the vocalist, sole guitarist, producer, keyboardist, and primary songwriter, leaving absolutely nothing to desire in each role. The production is crystal clear without ever sounding sterile. The keyboards are the most tasteful throughout this genre. The songs are amazingly catchy without ever compromising sheer intensity. His vocals range from screeches to growls to even croons. Guitar playing has always been Peter's forte, and the work on this album is breathtaking. The complex and lightning fast riffs are played with sheer ease, yet the slow work achieves an emotional quality rarely heard in death metal. If I were to name my top 10 guitar solos of all time, at least 3 come from this album. Soaring, screeching, and speeding all performed to perfection, as well as moody, atmospheric, and soulful accomplished with uncanny ability.

This is as close to perfect as it gets without quite achieving it. Even though Hypocrisy has released two less than stellar albums since this magnificent opus, I do believe they have yet to achieve their true milestone. Even if I'm wrong, this is a monumental album by far, and will no doubt go down as one of my favorite albums of all time.

Note: Why on earth there is a bonus track on this album is beyond me, as Paled Empty Sphere is one of the greatest closers since Pink Floyd's Pigs on the Wing, part 2. Do yourself a favor and shut off the CD player right before Selfinflicted Overload begins, count to 10, then turn it back on and enjoy. It's a great song, but would do much better if it were dispersed in the middle of this album, or better yet placed on a bonus disc.

9/10

Hypocrisy
Abducted

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for certain themes. I'm not a big science fiction fan, unless of course it involves little green men. My initial attraction to this CD was the alien theme so I had high hopes for its X-files factor, as well as high hopes for the musicianship after hearing many good things about this band. All were realized, and if anything this album exceeded them.

The disc begins with one of the eeriest introductions I have ever heard. The Gathering could be the initial discussion of Area 51's original UFO encounter. This leads into what is probably Hypocrisy's most recognized song, Roswell 47. Not many more things can be said about this one, except that is up there with the best of mid-tempo metal. Very much an anthem in scope and presentation, this is as accessible as death metal gets while still maintaining its edge (as well as credibility). You can almost see the raised fists in the crowd when you hear the opening riff. The lyrics leave no doubt of where this album is headed: there is a government conspiracy to hide the reality of alien life.

The album then runs the gamut from thrash, to mid-tempo, to serene, and back again. Killing Art could crush your skull with its intensity and varying speed, yet is between two of the slower and melodic songs, The Arrival of the Demons (part II) and the aforementioned Roswell 47. Buried is insanely heavy, followed by the title track, which is maniacally fast, complete with squealing guitar solos. Many albums that try too many different things end up not working, but Abducted has enough cohesion between the lyrical content and overall creepiness that even the disparate closing tracks Slippin' Away and Drained fit the mood of the album perfectly.

The highlight track for me is Paradox. The same lead riff is used throughout this song, but the time signature and tempo varies throughout the song to drive the riff straight into your head without becoming monotonous. Not to mention that it’s one of the best riffs I have ever heard, so hearing it over and over again is much welcomed.

The reason this album is so great is that it is very much a guitar-oriented album with all the riffs directly in your face, yet subtle nuances and techniques are not lost behind the barrage of distortion. Little bits of well-timed feedback and rather interesting drum fills may not be at the forefront of the songs, but are still noticed. My only disappointment with this album is that the bass is buried, but that is a minor quibble, and the only thing better was what Hypocrisy would come up with next.

9/10

Ion Dissonance
.357

My biggest problem with grindcore is the distinct lack of riffs. Oftentimes there is never an established groove because by the time any sort of cohesion may seem like it’s about to start, the train is derailed and a completely different time signature and feel is developed. Sometimes this holds bands back and gets tedious, which challenges a listener more than what it may be worth. Right when you think it will sound good, it stops. However, with Ion Dissonance there is just enough groove to keep things interesting and accessible without getting anywhere near traditional song structure.

Ion Dissonance is not so much chaotic as it is a well-rehearsed rhythm section. The bass, drums, and guitars form one solid wall of ever-changing sound, and quite successfully at that. Sporadic guitar squeals and quick bass runs break up the monotony, but most of the time they play as one unit. It is obvious that they practice frequently, as the insanely precise stop/start changes are very well put together. Imagine Meshuggah but faster and more chaotic, and you get the picture. The vocals are a little one dimensional, but I couldn't imagine anything but harsh screaming on top of this music anyhow. The lyrics are included and are quite interesting, none of the typical gore just for gore's sake clichÈs, even though the subject matter is very dark. The production is very good, albeit a little thin sounding, but all the instruments can easily be heard.

Their full length is slated for a July 2003 release, which I will definitely pick up. If you are a fan of complex rhythm changes and old-fashioned grindcore, you should too.

8/10

King Crimson
The Power To Believe

Some groups just will not disappear. How many more times do we need to see The Rolling Stones, in all their geriatric glory, rehashing the same riffs over and over again. Ozzy Osbourne has retired at least four dozen times, and his glory days are long over. Here we have King Crimson, whose remarkable first album In the Court of the Crimson King debuted in 1969. Virtuoso guitarist Robert Fripp is the only original member, but he still drags the name around after calling an end to the band on several occasions throughout the last three decades. They still make albums, they still tour, they're pushing 60, and what's this? They're better than ever.

After the brief Haiku opening (which also serves as the closing moment), this album kicks off with one of the heaviest songs KC has ever done, Level Five. Odd time signatures, polyrhythms, and pummeling riffs abound: not quite what one would expect from the kings of progressive music. Eyes Wide Open is next, and showcases Adrian Belew's obscure yet soulful vocals, accompanied by the type of ballad KC has been known to engage upon for several years now, a stark contrast to the previous track. This album bounces between heavy and serene, but there are no shocking departures from their most recent work. What sets The Power To Believe apart in their vast catalogue is that everything sounds completely fresh. Personal favorite Elektrik is not wholly separate from ideas kicked around on KC's last few albums, but the execution has not only been perfected, it has exceeded any expectations fans may have for the band and also for the entire realm of heavy music. This album is not only the culmination of what KC has been doing over the past 20 years, but represents the future sound of metal, something that will take even the best contemporaries in the genre at least 5 years to catch up to.

I had the good fortune to see King Crimson live a few months ago (with my parents, who were my age when In The Court was released), and it was an incredible experience to say the least. The sheer energy produced by the current line-up is staggering. Adrian Belew has the energy of an 18 year old, and his vocal stamina is amazing. Pat Mastelotto, as my girlfriend said after the show: "He didn't play the drums, he WAS the drums." Trey Gunn is the most talented low-end wielder in the game today (he plays Warr touch guitars, which serve the purpose of a bass, but aren't quite the same), even playing two separate instruments simultaneously at one point. Robert Fripp, well, there is nothing you can put into words about what this man accomplishes live. If you think he does some incredible virtuoso work on wax, you need to see the serene appearance he achieves while his fingers literally blur on stage. Astounding performances all around, King Crimson puts to shame any live act half or even a third their age.

Distinctly heavy, trance inducing, mind boggling, ever soothing, and flat out intense, this album is a milestone. I welcome any and all influence this album will most certainly have on metal bands around the globe. Be prepared.

10/10

Manes
Vilosophe

Some CDs you continue to listen to and you just don't know why. Take Manes - Vilosophe for example. The vocals are a bit annoying, the riffs are repetitive, the electronics are primitive, and the production is a bit muddy. It doesn't matter though, as this album is extremely addicting.

Vilosophe opens with a sample of a woman making a complaint about a murderous cult. She apparently went to the police and they told her they couldn't do anything, because any bodies were apparently eaten by the cult. Perhaps it's my morbid sense of humor at work, but this really drew me in. Lots of electronic elements, awesome bass work, distorted guitars with loads of harmonics and feedback, and bizarre yet soothing vocals dominate this release. Most songs are mid-tempo, but nearly all start off soft and quiet and gradually become hard and loud. This building nature of the songs reminds me very much of The Fragile-era Nine Inch Nails, but that is not necessarily a fair comparison, as Manes doesn't sound like anything else around.

The highlight to this release is Diving with your Hands Bound [Nearly Flying], a magnificent sprawling epic. It begins with some quiet sound effects and vocals, and then slowly morphs into an intense wall of distorted sound and howling vocals. Manes is all about subtlety, and this song showcases it the best with the soft and mercurial pinch harmonics and sound effects during the very lengthy climax. Even after it seems everything has come into play with the barrage of sound flying around during this section, it continues to build for several minutes, finally concluding with some extremely loud percussion, eventually feedbacking its way into a quiet keyboard and drum machine outro.

In a flurry of spectacular releases this year, Vilosophe really does stand out. I find myself going back to it constantly and being thoroughly entertained each time, which is all that really matters in the long run. After countless listens I’m still not quite sure what to make of this release, but I do know that I really like it. I just wish I had an English translation of the spoken German on album closer Confluence.

9/10

Morbid Angel
Domination

For whatever reason Domination seems to be the red headed stepchild of all the Morbid Angel releases. Granted, it is their standout offering that doesn't quite fit in with the rest, but there is nothing necessarily wrong with that. Change can be a bad thing for death metal, but when it works, it works very well. From the fast-paced opener Dominate to the haunting outro guitar solo in Hatework, this album is sheer perfection.

This particular incarnation of Morbid Angel will always be my favorite. David Vincent never sounded so menacing. Erik Rutan was actually around for some writing duty this time around. Pete Sandoval may have played faster on later releases (the double bass seeming to blur on Gateways to Annihilation), but never so brutal. Trey Azagthoth outplays himself better than he ever has, and the only way to describe his solos is as harshly melodic. The quartet blends sludge and speed, chaos and balance, cacophony and melody all into one tightly knit unit, further proven by their absolutely flawless live execution of this material.

It is hard to pick out a standout track from this disc, as every single one is incredible within its own scope. Dominate pounds you in the face, “Where The Slime Live” is classic Morbid Angel at its best, Eyes to See, Ears to Hear is the greatest death metal song of all time, Melting calms the pace just before your head spins into oblivion, Nothing But Fear comes in to blast your ears off before you get too comfortable… you see where this is going. Every riff, every nuance, every syllable, and every beat is absolutely perfect. Nothing ever seems forced on this album, never once does it seem that they sat down and said "let's put a really heavy part here" or "how about a crazy whirlwind riff here," everything always seems natural, like everything just came out that way the first time they even perceived it. Odds are it was a lot of rehearsal time and practicing, but you get the point.

I have and always will love Morbid Angel, but even for a group with such a strong catalogue, nothing ever came close to the magic achieved on this album. Death metal just does not get any better than this. Nothing has pushed Domination off the lofty pedestal I placed it upon since its release over 8 years ago, and even with a lot of strong contenders out there, nothing will for some time to come.

10/10

Opeth
Deliverance

Easily one of the most progressive (in the truest sense of the word, not the typical genre definition) death metal albums in quite some time, Blackwater Park was a milestone not only for Opeth, but also for death metal as a whole. What is a band to do for a follow up? Try to top it or do something completely different? Opeth chose the latter, completely stripped their sound, and came up with Deliverance.

First thing I noticed about Deliverance was how heavy the album is, especially in comparison to their earlier works which relied mostly on sweeping guitar melodies broken up by quiet acoustic passages. There are still these acoustic passages and clean guitar breaks interspersed, but they are fewer and far between. Many of the multi-layered guitar lines with the sweeping arpeggios have been replaced with low register chugging riffs. Wreath and Master’s Apprentice are more akin to Morbid Angel than any of Opeth's previous works, yet still with the decidedly Opeth flair. In typical Opeth fashion this is a dark record, this time both musically and lyrically.

The standout track is the title-track, which is up there with their best work, and will no doubt go down as a death metal classic. Old time Opeth fans will certainly love this song from the beginning, it travels back and forth between extreme and serene, perhaps even more intense on both ends than usual. What makes this track stand out from anything they have ever done is the repetitive outro. Positively haunting, Opeth uses a certain technique like they never have before: subtlety. The riff is solid with the double-bass, bass, and rhythm guitar chugging away over the same two notes for almost three solid minutes. However, the changes in the cymbals and simple yet eerie lead guitar carry what would normally be boring into something magical. I have not heard something in death metal that creates this type of mood for many years, and seeing them perform this live is positively hypnotizing.

Some fans have accused Opeth of digging themselves into a rut, but allow Deliverance to show that their brilliance is not dependent on one tried and true formula.

9/10

Opeth
Damnation

Don't be fooled by the artwork theme complementary to Deliverance, or the fact that this album was recorded along with that album complete with plans for a double album. This is Opeth Lite, nothing more, nothing less.

Describing Damnation is simple: extract any of the mellow parts out of various Opeth songs and put them on wax. That means variety is out the window, strong songwriting is gone, and any trace of anything but soft rock (don’t call this progressive, because it's not) is distinctly lacking. For whatever reason though, that doesn’t make this a bad album. While it sits on my shelves gathering dust most parts of the year, every so often I'll spend a few days listening to nothing but this, as it is highly relaxing. In My Time of Need is one of my favorite Opeth songs ever, even though it is unremarkable in nearly every way. What was that? Je ne sais quoi? Whatever you say, Frenchy.

The highlight here, which has only been hinted at during the past few Opeth albums, is unquestionably the rhythm section. The Martin Two are quite possibly the tightest duo since the marvelous Double Trouble. There is a complete sense of connection between the bass and drums sounding entirely inseparable, and for a change their subtleties are easily heard without a wall of distortion blocking them.

I still cannot help but wonder what Damnation would sound like integrated into the death metal elements of Deliverance. Then again I never played around with track orders between the two on my own, so apparently I don’t care all that much. So whereas Deliverance is a complete album, Damnation is, for all intents and purpose, an EP. Pretty enjoyable during certain occasions though.

7/10

Queens of the Stone Age
Era Vulgaris

What happened? Probably my least favorite phrase when listening to a new album by an old favourite. At least if you think "man, what the fuck is this?!" it means there's something a little different that might have caught you off guard, and hey who knows, innovative stuff, even seemingly bad at first, might reveal itself to be brilliant upon proper absorbtion. Unfortunately this is not the case with Era Vulgaris, as all I can think is "what happened?" when I spin this one.

I've spent about a month with the album, and the first few times I thought my ears were deceiving me, but I still haven't heard a geniune riff. Considering Josh Homme is arguably (by me at least) the most riff-oriented dude since Tony Iommi, I find this perplexing. The alleged guitar lines are chaotic, but not in a fun King Crimson sort of way, but rather in a bad hardcore group trying to sound edgy while eschewing all things 4/4. At best it sounds noisy, and at worst it makes you want punch a cat.

There are songs that should be better, falling flat under the pressure of what, I don't know. Poorly timed harmonics in place of good leads, uninspired performances all around, and other problems plague what could be great, such as Make It Wit Chu and 3's and 7's. Nearly classic Queens simply isn't, although for no immediately discernable reasons. Giving the stuff a chance does not reveal creativity or solidarity (brother), but rather exposes the realization of just how meaningless the entire affair sounds. Things lag. Where's the love?

The production is awful. I am a big fan of dirty, raw recordings. Listening to as much underground black metal and stoner rock as I do, it simply could be no other way. Nattens Madrigal by Ulver sounds fantasting. Unida's ill-fated ne'er properly released demo-quality swansong album is amazing. This sounds like a garage band playing through an AM radio. It's not to the level of outright stupidity that St. Anger was, but considering that is the only album's sound I can come up with for partial comparison, the outcome is quite bleak.

This album is not terrible, and I find myself spinning it on occasion, but I'm much more pre-occupied by their other works, including the initial Kyuss - Queens of the Stone Age and later Complication EPs, which are pretty second rate compared to the Era Oliveri full-lengths. Speaking of that crazy bald bastard, when Mondo left the Generator, myself and a few friends were nervous about what the future held for Queens, but other than lacking a great bass tone, Lullabies to Paralyze was yet another stellar album. Era Vulgaris is not.

Disappointed, but not angry.

Scald
Headworm

Have you ever walked down an alleyway aimlessly, only to realize it's dark and full of rapists far too late to turn around and see what direction you came from? Slightly disconcerting to say the least, but hey, while you're here, might as well take a look around. Scald's full length debut Headworm represents this journey into darkness, but without the feeling that this is part of your last moments on this mortal coil.

Beginning with an eerie synth opening, HS01 sets the stage pretty well. Without this brief moment one might think Headworm is just typical grind with a heavy doom influence (although not like that is typical I guess), at least the first time through. This is a very dark album with lots of creepy artwork to compliment it, but not all out vileness. Filled with many tempo changes, chaotic yet balanced guitar work, and a hideously distorted bass, Headworm is going nowhere fast, but rarely gets bogged down by its own weight. Everything is very deliberate including the faster passages, and what may sound off track the first time reveals itself to be quite fitting upon further examination (see the bass and guitar trade-off riffing in Condensation). I don't care much for the higher pitched vocals, but the growled backgrounds are excellent, and the two compliment one another to avoid what may have been annoying yelps up top. Drumming is very complimenting of the music, but a bit buried to hear what intricacies might be hidden.

Headworm takes its time, and is probably not for everyone. But if you are looking for doomy grind and just a flat out dark experience without diving into clichÈs, Scald has an answer for you. I didn't care much for it the first few spins, but now it is beginning to envelop my being, one plod at a time. I think their followup has the possibility of being much stronger, but this is still a very solid first effort.

8/10

Slayer
Seasons in the Abyss

Tell me this doesn't rock your very soul and I'll call you a liar. Up there with the best the entire realm of metal has ever produced, Seasons of the Abyss could even transcend genre games and be one of the greatest albums ever done. There will probably never be such a perfect blend of immense brutality with just enough accessibility as on this album, whether by Slayer or any other band. They may have changed the world with Reign in Blood, but as far as I'm concerned their pinnacle came four years later.

The party kicks off with War Ensemble, which is probably the best mosh-inducing piece of music ever written. Fast, loud, in your face, menacing, evil, and everything else Slayer has become to be known for is present on this track. That mood never ceases throughout the album, and while the tracks vary from lightning speed to mid-tempo pieces, the punishment and power never let up. Highlights and favorites are pretty pointless, as every song is equally as incredible as the next. The first Slayer song I ever heard was Dead Skin Mask so I have often cited it as my favorite, but what I've grown to realize over the years is that every track on this album possesses the same mystic qualities, and is equally as special.

Everything about this makes it the perfect Slayer album, even down to the number of tracks. Don't ask why, but no Slayer release should have any more or less than 10 tracks, it just works great for them for whatever reason. The variety in songs would never work this well again for the group, with each track distinct yet completely tied to one another. I will never get over the tone of this album. Tom Araya sounds evil and hungry, Dave Lombardo is impeccable, and Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman are panned hard left and right, creating a sound that is mammoth, authentic, and even rustic all at the same time. Imposing dirty clarity I suppose you could call it, but whatever it is, the production here represents the only true tone for this remarkable group.

My heart rate has increased, I'm sitting here unable to stop moving to the music, and am even sweating in excitement while Seasons in the Abyss spins, and this is probably the millionth time I've listened to it over the past 12 years. That is magic folks; do not deny the raw power of this album. Absolutely, positively, and undeniably essential.

10/10

Sunn 0)))
White1

Slow, repetitive, simplistic, and pointless. A sparse few vocal samples strewn across 3 riffs (one for each song). That might not be so bad, except that the average song length is nearly 20 minutes. White1 sounds like some stoner sitting in his basement playing the same thing over and over again on guitar while blitzed beyond belief, every once in awhile pressing the start button on his drum machine or double-clicking a .WAV file or two on his PC for "vocals." So why do I enjoy it so damn much?

There really isn't any way to describe this album other than by calling it extremely simple and minimalistic. Most of the album consists of repetitious guitarwork with occasional subharmonic sound effects peppering the monotony. Where this album succeeds is in its ability to draw the listener in, and every possible subtlety becomes a challenge to figure out what the hell is going on, and what might happen next. Sunn 0))) might seem like they never get going on White1, but that doesn't really matter because wherever they may be heading, they are already there. I normally hate to write in such a cryptic manner, but it is truly fitting for this wonderful enigma of an album.

This is quite a creepy affair. Not in any overt way like a gore metal bloodfest that transcends goofiness, or even in the subtle way some avant garde offerings try to give you nightmares, but something very different. I find myself looking over my shoulder several times while listening, just to make sure that what I am hearing is on the CD and not some axe wielding maniac sneaking up behind me. White1 could very easily blend into the background of a cocktail party if played at low volume, and none of the guests would notice anything strange until they drove home and had the sudden urge to plow their car straight off a cliff.

This is another album that is certainly not for everyone, and more than likely it will be either loved as genius or hated like trash by anyone who pays attention to it. I can't help but love this sort of subtle terror, but realize that many won't agree with me. Hopefully you will at least give it a shot, and maybe even survive the journey as well.

8/10

Tomahawk
Mit Gas

A testament to a group's genius is their ability to remain versatile while maintaining quality output. Some groups fail to relinquish a certain style, impeding any progress they attempt. Others spread themselves so thin across multiple genres that the fans and the band itself are dragged into an identity crisis. Tomahawk is able to bring a variety of styles as evident from their two distinct albums thus far, yet retaining their particular vibe no matter what they do.

This is a very strange release, but what has Mike Patton ever been involved with that wasn't? What I like the most about the band is the equality between instruments. The bass, drums, guitar, and vocals all have distinct parts and all play an integral part to every moment on this disc. This could easily lead to showing off by any member of the band, but that common pitfall is always avoided, as nothing ever sounds out of place or as if one may be trying to rise above the mix and the band itself. Even Patton who frequently delves into look-at-me vocal theatrics is able to show off his highly talented pipes without stepping away from the group.

Mit Gas goes around the bend six and a half times while jumping around like a goon running backwards on his hands, but consistency is still achieved. Desastre Natural sounds like a Spanish ballad, Rape This Day is borderline punk, Harlem Clowns is psychedelia at its best, and You Can't Win could have come from 1950s Americana (well, maybe in Bizarro Universe perhaps). This is just a taste of the many different flavors present, but it all works as an album rather than just a collection of songs. At first I thought it was the production, but that no longer appears to be the case, as some tracks are rough and dirty sounding, while others are extremely slick. Whatever this je ne sais quoi may be, it is very welcome and highly enjoyable.

This album did not strike me right away, and in fact it took a considerable amount of time for me to even listen the whole way through, let alone enjoy any of it. Once it clicked though, wow. If you like your music off the wall in a dark sort of way, get this and give it time.

9/10

Tool
Lateralus

This was not expected. On October 1st 1996, Tool released what I've long considered the greatest album of all time. They already had one stellar debut EP and one masterpiece full length under their belt, but nobody was prepared for what ÆNIMA unleashed. Perfection does not even begin to describe that album, but that's not important right now. I was in the Highland Target parking lot bright and early on May 15th, 2001, probably ditching a class to be the first in line to get Lateralus. Although extraordinarily excited, my expectations were not high, because this band had clearly reached their pinnacle nearly 5 years earlier and I would be content with a merely average album. I was only fooling myself.

I nearly ran my truck off the road during the closing moments of album opener The Grudge upon first listen. In fact I was so overcome with emotion that I literally went blind for a few seconds, thankfully only half a block from my destination so nobody got hurt. What Tool has, like only so many before them, is power. An unmistakably intense vibe rings throughout all of what they do, but the message is completely focused with Lateralus. Each song here draws the listener in, whether it be by force (Ticks & Leeches), a plead to softer emotions (The Patient), or just mesmerizing drone (trio Disposition-Reflection-Triad).

This album removes much of the angst of previous Tool albums, replaced by more emotional yet technical songs. Nearly all tracks are full of complex time signatures, oftentimes more than one at the same time across the different instruments. It never gets flashy or wanky though, everything flows. In the past drummer Danny Carey has been the sole member to engage in intense musical feats, but the rest of the band joins him this time around. Generally speaking chops supplant emotions in rock, but Lateralus allows both to exist in perfect harmony.

What Lateralus represents is a genuine musical experience. The vocals are not overdone, the drums aren't flashy to a fault, the guitars have no problem being more of a textural instrument than shredding, and the basswork, while amazing, never steps beyond its realm of a foundation instrument. Since this is Tool's most adventurous outing (there is a reason why prog-rock inventors, purveyors, and masters King Crimson were taken out on tour to support the initial release), this certainly won't win any converts, and has in fact alienated many long time fans. Obviously I'm not among them, and once again I have been completely floored.

10/10

Ultraspank
Progress

Some bands go completely unnoticed and nobody can explain why. Ultraspank had everything: a major label deal, extensive touring, and a large underground following. So what the hell happened? They released two remarkable albums over a 3 year period, and quickly broke up afterwards. Damn shame too, as they were one of the greatest bands to explode out of the late 90s.

There have always been two schools of nu-metal to me. One is the typical white boy rapper fronted, shite riff repeating, "fuck you I'm so cool" attitude tripe that dominates the airwaves and makes real metalheads recoil in horror at the mockery they see before them. The other side is no more or less metal than the authentic variety, but is rather just a modern interpretation of the genre, unfairly lumped in with the other nu-metal slop just because the media can find no other way to label them. Ultraspank came from this latter type, blending a mix of metal, techno, and just downright catchy music.

The rhythm section is nearly perfect for metal, rarely becoming flashy but never fading to the background either. The sound effects are simple and effectively used. The vocals are incredible, jumping between harsh screaming and soaring clean vocals several times within each track. Pete Murray is one of the most underrated vocalists I've ever come across, sounding equal parts Tom Araya of Slayer and Simon Lebon of Duran Duran, with a highly emotional delivery. The riffs are extraordinary, and the funniest part is that they are nearly perfect for every song, but none really stand out. They are in your face all the time, but somehow remaining subtle. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but they sound so automatic yet never sterile.

The best comparison I could ever think of to describe this band was to Fear Factory. Take away most of the death metal elements and add more catchiness, aggression, and overall variety to the sonic assault, and you get Ultraspank. I sorely miss these guys, and probably always will because I do not think their full potential was ever reached. A few of the band members have quit the music scene altogether, and two others are now in Lo-Pro (which I just found out about, and promptly ordered). Either way, two marvelous entries to the metal community is better than one, and infinitely better than none obviously.

9/10

Ulver
A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP

Love them or hate them, Ulver can always be counted on to bring something different to the table. For those that are still wishing for a return to their black metal origins, well, the wait is still on. However, those that love to watch the mercurial nature of this band will not be disappointed, as they have once again morphed into something different.

Although distinctly Ulver (whatever that means anyhow), there are different influences here, notably opera, classical, and traditional Japanese music. Little Blue Bird features a constant violin motif with varying operatic vocals atop it, with a few electronic noises toward the end. Doom Sticks has several keyboards dancing around one another, plucked violins, and other stringed instruments. All this contrasts with the intermittent noisy drums, but the differences work well together. Vowels is the song that truly gets me excited for the next full length release. A fast airy keyboard coupled with more operatic vocals and subtle string movements builds into a relatively boisterous ending, again with some slight electronic sonic textures. The bonus track Eitttlane is a rearrangement of Nattleite from the all acoustic Kveldssanger. Not wholly separate from the original version, but different nonetheless, and a good cover of their own material. As usual, there is something in this release that grasps the listener, but it is not immediately clear what it is.

Unlike the more recent Ulver EPs (Silence Teaches You How to Sing and Silencing the Singing), A Quick Fix of Melancholy is more a preview of what's to come than a proper release. There is a definite cohesion between the first three tracks, but the Nattleite remake piques my curiosity, especially since there is a bit of distorted guitar present. Will Ulver follow the Japanese influenced path of Vowels? Most likely, but Eitttlane makes me wonder what else this truly brilliant group might be planning for the days to come.

9/10

Vader
De Profundis

Several years back I went to my local record store (a good one, not some corporate trash), and was in the mood for some new music. I had heard the name Vader a few times, and also knew that De Profundis was the one to look for, so when I saw that Vader had their own little handwritten sign that said EXCELLENT FUCKING DEATH METAL!!! in the row of CDs I figured it was a risk worth taking. What I soon learned that in addition to making the greatest vodka in the world, Poland also was home to some excellent fucking death metal.

The opening is quite impressive, starting with a thunderclap then quickly flying through several blast beats and rapid time changes. The production is an interesting one, not slick yet not dirty, but rather some strange place in between. The drummer locks in with the guitars and bass, forming a rather punishing wall of sound. Even in the flurry of noise, every note is distinguishable from each instrument (well maybe not the bass, it’s buried most of the time). Then the vocals kick in, and you quickly realize that this will be something special. It is odd that even though Piotr’s voice is quite menacing, every syllable and word is clearly audible. More time changes, more audible words, more incredibly tight musicianship, and then the song ends with a sudden clang. I literally stepped back and exclaimed "wow!" at this moment. That reaction does not stop until the end of the disc, as every song is simply amazing.

My favorite aspect about De Profundis is the fact that it is all over the place with sounds and time signatures, but so extremely listenable. This is an album that I could see non-metalheads enjoying. Not that it compromises or even that it is very accessible, but there is just something about the album that makes it so damn likable! Maybe it's the Depeche Mode cover at the end.

9/10

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What.