REVIEW: SUPERKOLLIDER - SUPERKOLLIDER

 

SUPERKOLLIDER - SUPERKOLLIDER (Wonderdrug Recs. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at New Alliance Studios.

Engineered by Ken Cmar & Ethan Dussault

Produced by Ken Cmar, Ethan Dussault & Superkollider

Cover Art / Design: Duncan Wilder Johnson,  Shaun Mc Carthy and Mimi Boudreau.

Track List: 1-Resolution, 2-Transmission, 3-Mean, 4-Element, 5-Boldface, 6-Painstaking, 7-Human, 8-Blood, 9-Coffee, 10-Lust, 11-Hindsight, 12-Springtime, 13-Sleep

Looking to the over of the CD I expected a more pop sounding band or something more ethereal, but here is Superkollider making me eat my thoughts. Why? Because they make a really modern sounding metal (don´t worry !! This is completely different from bands like Limp Bizkit, no hip hop here). The band that came into my mind more often when listening to this was The Almighty in their heaviest format ("Crank" era), I think specially in the vocals parts and the hooks. The riffs are a cross between metal, hardcore and alternative music with a really fat sound in the guitars. Songs like "Transmission" and "Mean" have enough power to shatter your ears with their crushing riffs and fans of metal and hardcore would most likely be satisfied with this band. Songs like "Element" take a more metal approach in the vein of say Soulfly or Roots-era Sepultura. The thirteen songs here are totally certifuing that you will bang your head along them. Favorite tracks: "Transmission", "Painstaking" (really Almighty) and "Human". Contact: www.wonderdrugrecords.com and www.superkollider.com

REVIEW: STRATUZ - SPIRIT SEDUCTION

 

STRATUZ - SPIRIT SEDUCTION (The LSP Company , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded and Mixed by David Hernandez at Jam Studios, Caracas / Venezuela.

Mastered by manuel Amengual.

Cover Art / Design: Franklin Berroteran.

Track List: 1- Oh, Ala, Ojalá, 2- Swift Death, 3- Mula, 4- Sleeping Sins, 5- Into the Darkness, 6- Welcome to the Circle, 7- The Last Angel, 8- Return of the Souls, 9- Spirit Seduction

What a contrast !! This CD starts with an introduction with acoustic guitar and harp that sounds a little bit eastern sounding, a little bit latin, before getting into an extreme death metal track. This is death metal directly from Venezuela and they are really powerful, using double bass drumming through all the CD, original riffs and some percussion that enhances the feeling of the CD (like perhaps Sepultura, but more agressive, more guttural, more death metal). Another thing that I like from Stratuz and that I think they should make a trademark of it are the guitar solos that are melodic an technical giving another dimension to the tracks, also there are riffs like the odd-time in "Sleeping Sins" (2:29) that can be very important for Stratuz as an element of identity. To have more elements to consider, check the climatic "Into the Darkness" with excelent riffs and drumming and above all excelent sound (a characteristic of the whole release). Favorite tracks: "Swift Death", "Welcome to the Circle" and "Return of the Souls". Contact: www.lsp-company.com

REVIEW: STEN SANDELL TRIO - STANDING WAVE

 

STEN SANDELL TRIO - STANDING WAVE (Sofa Recs. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Tracks 1 and 5 Recorded live at Blå, Oslo (November 1999) by Bjørn Magne Idland.

Tracks 2, 3 and 4 Recorded live at Munch-museet (October 2000) by Thomas Hukkelberg.

Produced by Sandell Nilsen-Love and Berthling. Co produced by Ivar Grydeland, Ingar Zach and Thomas Hukkelberg.

Cover Painting: "Flag IV" by Terry Nilssen-Love 

Track list: 1-Mural, 2-Standing Wave, 3-Axel, 4-Edvard, 5-Elongate

The Sten Sandell trio is formed by three great musicians: Sten Sandell on piano, Johan Berthling on double bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. From chaotic experimentation to jazz style phrases, this trio follow their path to explore new dimensions. I think this guys are taking as a basis a free jazz style format and starting from there are doing research and exploration on new possibilities. Improvisation and an open mind are essential here. What amazed me most here is the great coherence that all the material has, specially on "Mural" that is a full speed track with great piano lines and an amazing base conformed by Berthling double bass and Nilssen-Love´s drums. "Standing Wave" starts with Nilssen-Love´s drum experimentation before getting in a weird sounding passage with Sandell playing only vey high and very low notes and Berthling extracting sounds from his double bass. After this the trio gets into a textural piece with Sandell playing cascades of notes (Gyorgy Lygeti came to my mind). I specially liked here the longer pieces because surprise strucks you from every corner of this tracks. Once more: open your mind and listen carefully to this awesome musicians. Favorite tracks: "Standing Waves" and "Edvard". Contact: www.norcd.no/sofa or sofa@norcd.no

REVIEW: SPIRITUAL ECLIPSE - AMARANTH

 

SPIRITUAL ECLIPSE - AMARANTH (Hailstorm Prods. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded in Five Records Studio - San José (May 2000)

Produced by Spiritual Eclipse.

Track list: 1-Sangue di lupo, 2-Manifesto, 3-Lamentations of the Lingering Soul, 4-Circle of VII

Interesting band of death/black metal from California. "Sangue di Lupo" is called the first track of this CD and it shows all the main features of the band: interesting riffs, melodies, speed in some places, brutality in others, various types of vocals (one growling type and another of the screaming kind). On the second track, "Manifesto", an acoustic intro opens the gates for a doom rhythm and intro, before getting in a full speed death metal track with an interesting riff at 1:29 (I want to hear more riffs like this one in the music of this guys). What I find more interesting in this band is their use of melodies in places where one would not expect it and the use of very slow passages like the above mentioned mixed with hyper speed blasts. Also, another feature to remark is their use of acoustic guitars and whispering vocals. I think they have a good mixture between brutality and elaboration, a godd equilibrium... My favorite tracks: "Lamentations of the Lingering Soil" (strange vocals in there, full of anguish), "Circle of VII". Contact: http://members.nbci.com/SE7777 or spiritual_eclipse@hotmail.com

REVIEW: SOILS OF FATE - SANDSTORM

 

SOILS OF FATE - SANDSTORM (Retribute Recs. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded and Mastered at Subsonic Studios.

Produced by Soils of Fate

Cover Art: Jocke

Track List: 1-Life Hijacker, 2-Sandstorm, 3-.44, 4-Stripped Humanity, 5-Half My Blood, 6-Blunted on Reality, 7-Assassins

Form the first pinch harmonics of the beginning riff of "Life Hijacker" until the end os the recording you will find death metal here !!! With extremely guttural vocals that are  almost a growl and make some rhythmic patterns in some places with short words, manic solos that could be longer for my taste and great riffs like on "Life Hijacker" (2:17) or "Sandstorm" (1:51) that I think is the point that the band has to explore deeper in the future, killer double bass drumming ( the bass drums sound quite electronic, maybe they are triggered or something like that I think) with our friend Jocke at the top of his posibilities. There are some odd tempos too, like in "Sandstorm" (0:50) and blast beats (just mention this for the fans of speed). The overall sound is good and I would have mixed the guitars a little bit higher with a little bit more of edge and presence....the best here is the bass sound that is really killer through all this release. I would point out songs like "Half My Blood" or the beginning of " Blunted on reality" that are paths for the band to follow in the future. Favorite Tracks: "Stripped Humanity", "Life Hijacker" and "Half My Blood". Contact: Retribute@aol.com or http://come.to/soilsoffate

REVIEW: SKYFIRE - TIMELESS DEPARTURE

 

SKYFIRE - TIMELESS DEPARTURE (Hammerheart Recs. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Abyss Studios,

Produced, Engineered and mixed by Tommy Tägtgren and Skyfire

Layout / Design: Chrille Andersson.

Track List: 1- Intro, 2- Fragments of Time, 3- The Universe Unveils, 4- Skyfire, 5-Timeless Departure, 6- Breed through me, Bleed for me, 7- Dimensions Unseen, 8- By God Forsaken, 9- From here to Death.

This is one of the albums of the month. One word comes to my mind when listening to this CD: grandiloquence !!! There are only few bands that can make a record like this mixing black/death metal with such perfect clasical orchestrations. It seems that this band has taken the best of the genres, you can listen black metal through all the album, power metal in the keyboards of "Skyfire". I really think that Martin hanner and Andreas Edlund that are in charge of the guitars and keyboards here are people that can be considered keyboard/guitar masters, in total command of the music of Skyfire and in complete control of their instruments. It is amazing the contrast between Henrik Wenngren´s raw vocals and the subtle and sublime orchestration that the other guys construct around him. This CD will be a classic !!. Contact: http://listen.to/skyfire or www.hammerheartamerica.com or info@hammerheartamerica.com 

REVIEW: XENOMORPH - BANEFUL STEALTH DESIRE

 

XENOMORPH - BANEFUL STEALTH DESIRE (Independent, 2001):

Track List:1- Dragon´s Breath, 2- Post-human (The X-morph Deathcult), 3- Blood of the Stars, 4- Storm Innocent Eve, 5- On the Most Blackened Wings, 6- Bestia Infernali, 7- Last Contribution to Art, 8- Once Upon Armageddon.

Judging for this recording Xenomorph is the ideal band to start to hit your head and fists against the wall ina a frenzy. Take Fear Factory, put something of bands like Aeon and The Forsaken, mix it with some Carcass and Death and you will have an approximate idea of how this band sounds. Xenomorph exudes agression and brutality through every pore of their skin, retaining some subtle elements like the ska-like passage in "Dragon´s Breath" (1:27) or the guitar passage in "Blood of Stars" (1:25). The main element here is the killer drummer who is really tight and is a master of double bass drumming. Listen this release and feel the fury !!!!. Favorite tracks: "Post-human...", "Storm Innocent Eve" and "Bestia Infernali". Contact: www.x-morph.com

REVIEW: WITCHFYNDE - THE AWAKENING

 

WITCHFYNDE - THE AWAKENING (Demolition Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Foundry Recording Studio

Cover Artwork by Mike Schindler at Dragon Design

Track List: 1- Hell Hath No Fury, 2- Death of Innocence, 3-Vampyre´s Tale, 4- Blessed Be, 2- To the Devil a Daughter, 6- The Awakening, 7-Unholy Shadows, 8- Astep Closer (To Hell), 9-Unknown Soldier, 10- Ghost Dancer

Power/thrash metal in a real pure format!! It has been a lot of time since the last time that I heard an album like this one. All the elements that were really popular in the late eighties in the thrash/power metal scene are hear: crunchy rhythms, good vocals, guitar solos, twin guitars, thrash drum patterns. There are also some subtle moments like on the darker "Vampyre´s Tale" or in the Iron Maiden-like "Blessed Be" (it reminded me of "Remember Tomorrow"). The difference between this guys and the actual power metal scene is that Witchfynde goes to the rawer side of the style instead of using (or abusing) the neoclassical influences that so popular seem to be in the style nowadays, and prefer to use darker melodies, less high-pitched melodies (sometimes similar to those of Vicious Rumours Carl Albert). Interesting release from a style that has not dissappeared. Favorite tracks: "Hell Hath No Fury", "Vampyre´s Tale" and "Unknown Soldier". Contact: www.demolitionrecords.com

REVIEW: WAR - WE ARE... TOTAL WAR

 

WAR - WE ARE...TOTAL WAR (Orion Music Entertainment/Necropolis Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Tracks 1-7 recorded at The Abyss - Nov. 1996. Produced by WAR and Petr Tägtgren.

Tracks 8-14 recorded at The Abyss - Oct. 1997. Produced by WAR and Mikael Hedlund.

Cover and Album design by Blackmoon

Track List: 1- Satan, 2- I am Elite, 3- Total War, 4- The Sons of War, 5- Revenge, 6- Reapers of Satan, 7- Satan´s Millenium, 8- War, 9- Rapture, 10- Ave Satan, 11- Soldiers of Satan, 12- 666, 13- We are War, 14- Bombenhagel.

This is a kind of supergroup of the scandinavian black/death metal scene. Joining efforts here are Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, The Abyss, etc.), It (Vondur), Blackmoon (Necrophobic, Dark Funeral, Infernal), All (Vondur) and Mikael Hedlund. This album compiles the best tracks of War´s two releases called "Total War" and "We are War". Extremely fast and raw tracks full of blast beats and All´s screamin anguish vocals. It and Blackmoon grind through all the recording with their chainsaw-like guitars.while Peter Tägtgren drums furiously breaking your neck with his blast beats. The seven last tracks have a different sound (I like more the way the guitars sound on the seven first tracks, they are better mixed). Also this CD includes a cover track of Sodom´s "Bombenhagel" in a ripping version. Favorite tracks: "I am Elite", "Reapers of Satan" and "Ave Satan" (it sounds like old Venom !!!).  www.necropolisrec.com

REVIEW: VORE - LORD OF STORMS

 

VORE - LORD OF STORMS (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Aaron Allen at Buzzwo Studios.

Produced by Aaron Allen and Vore

Artwork and Layout by Odis Holcomb

Track List: 1- Veils of Oblivion, 2- Godslayer, 3- Host of Abomination, 4- To Be a God, 5- Lurker Above, 6- Lost Nation, 7- Agony, 8- Opaque, 9- Primordial Conquest, 10- Forging a new Vision

Death metal with excellent guitar riffs that put the accent on the rhythm instead of the speed. I can listen in this guys some influences of thrash metal, some of old death metal bands like Entombed or Dismember, and some stuff of bands like Pantera or doom metal bands. All this influences are thrown in a mixing machine and adding some identity, here is Vore´s music. It is interesting how this guys are proving something that I think is like an axiom....that in most of the cases a good riffs ends up being heavier than a blast beat or some riff bassed only in one note speed runs. The sound of this release is good specially on the guitars and vocals, I would have mixed different the drums and put them a little bit more in the front, but the overall mix is good. Favorite tracks: "Godslayer", "Lurker Above" and "Opaque" (an instrumental with acoustic guitar...most death metal bands would have shaken with fear just imagining putting something like this on their albums). Contact: www.vore.org