REVIEW: STATE OF THE UNION - 2001

 

STATE OF THE UNION - 2001 (Electronic Music Foundation, 2001)

Produced by Elliot Sharp

All Profits Go to the National Coalition Against Censorship

What are you going to say when I tell you that this are three CDs? And what are you going to say when I tell you that this three CDs have a total duration of 171 minutes? And what are you going to say if I tell you that there are 171 tracks here? And then...what are you going to say if I tell you that each of the tracks here are performed each by a different artist? I am sure that you would be at least surprised. Well, then listen to this collection of CDs...the music is extremely experimental, full of electronic sounds combined in millions of different ways, and the good thing is that each track sounds completely different one from another...from almost noise to melodic there is everything here. There are sounds that come directly from great musician´s mind like the ones of Joey Baron, Benjamin Chadabe, Bruce Bennett and many more. If you like spontaneous music, intuitive music, improvisation and experimentation, this is for you!!!!!. Contact: www.cdemusic.org/emfmedia

REVIEW: SPIRITUS MORTIS - FORWARD TO THE BATTLE

 

SPIRITUS MORTIS - FORWARD TO THE BATTLE (Independent, 2001)

Mixed by Spiritus Mortis

Recorded at Treenikämppä Studios

Tracks: 1- Forever, 2- Beware of the Quiet One, 3- In Pouring Rain, 4- Sweet Oblivion, 5- Sleeping beneath the Lawn, 6- In Between

An excelent opportunity to know something about the music of Finland´s Spiritus Mortis. This is HEAVY METAL! I am putting this with capital letters because this is heavy metal done with a lot of conviction and without falling in the cliches that a lot of the bands in the scene have. IN fact this band has a wider range of influences appart from classical metal bands. I can listen something that is similar to Danzig, and something close to Slayer on "Sleeping Beneath the Lawn" or Black Sabbath on "Sweet Oblivion". The singer has a lot of identity and puts a lot of strength through all the tracks. I like this band a lot and I think they deserve a much better sound and hopefully they will get it on their next release, Totally recommended. Favorite tracks: "Beware of the Quiet One", " In Pouring Rain" and "In Between". Contact: www.metalprovider.com/spiritusmortis

REVIEW: SOUL EMBRACED - THIS IS MY BLOOD

 

SOUL EMBRACED - THIS IS MY BLOOD (Solidstate Recs., 2002)

Produced by Brandon Ebel

Recorded by Ray Brooks and Jonathan parker

Layout and Design by D. Clark

Tracks: 1-I fade Away, 2- The Scorn of Death´s Kiss, 3- Helpless in Wither, 4- Angels with Raven Hearts, 5- Evolver, 6- End what has begun, 7- Buried In, 8- The Cold Stares of Dead Eyes, 9- My Name is Legion, 10- Scars Remain, 11- Still as You, 12- Kingdom of Shadows, 13- Leech

As always, Solidstate Records delivers crushing bands. This time is the turn of Soul Embraced a band that plays an extremely heavy kind of music, sometimes death, sometimes modern metal, always estremely heavy. The guitars have an amazing sound that I liked a lot going from being a wall of sound to extremely clean when the vocals are whispering. But what makes Soul Embraced unique is the combination of this sound with killer solos and complicate riffs. Another thing that I have to remark is the drummer with its machine like sound that is fundamental to Soul Embraced´s compositions. The vocals are really deathly going from screams to growl and making the overall sound a really anguished one. This is one band that can be fundamental to the metal scene in the future. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.solidstaterecords.com

REVIEW: SINMASTERS - CRASHING DOWN

 

SINMASTERS - CRASHING DOWN (Actcom Recs, 2001)

Pre-Mastered by Oldhouse

Cover Photo by Qumma

Tracks: 1- Crashing Down, 2- Peeping Tom (Manic Mort Mix), 3- Crashing Down (i mix)

This is a mini CD from this eclectic band called Sinmasters. The music on this CD can not be labeled in a simple way. Imagine certain riffs that wouldn´t be out of place in a band like Rammstein, then add some vocals closer to Marilyn Manson combined with others closer to Type O Negative or Moonspell. Then add a drum machine playing rhythmic beats and put a lot of electronic elements. Then you will have some idea of what Sinmasters music is about. This CD has three tracks: two of them are different mixes from the track called "Crashing Down" and the third one is a mix of a track called "Peeping Tom". Great one for lovers of electronic, mixed with gothis metal and industrial. Favorite track: "Crashing Down (Single Mix)". Contact: www.actcom.fi

REVIEW: SCHOLOMANCE - THE IMMORTALITY MURDER

 

SCHOLOMANCE - THE IMMORTALITY MURDER (The End Recs., 2002)

Engineered by Greg Roller

Recorded at Caravell Recording Studios

Graphic Design by Scott Crinklaw

Tracks: CD I: 1- Part I. Absence / Contorted Porcelain - faced bitch, 2- Part II: Childless One / the Body as Sulphur Stench, 3- Part III - Matriarch, 4- Part IV: her Iniquity Uncovered / The Eastern Trinity Unexplained, 5- Virus ( the Theft of Knowledge), 6- Companionship and Philosophical Fire (The Third), 7- Bedevilment and Bewilderment (Reality Greets the Moral Whore), 8- The Next Step (For the Sake of the Greater Whole)

CD II: 1- Replacement..., 2- The Next Step (For the Sake of the Greater Whole), 3- Nothins is For, or About you, 4- Part I. Absence / Contorted Porcelain - faced bitch, 5- As if I were Beautiful, 6- Part II: Childless One/ the Body as Sulphur Stench, 7- And Yet we were dead, 8- Part III - Matriarch, 9-How Familiar I am, 10- A Riddle, 11- Part IV: her Iniquity Uncovered / The Eastern Trinity Unexplained, 12- Additons

This is a masterpiece !! This work consist in two CDs with a lot of incredible music. The music here is extremely elaborated and it is incredible how open minded seem to be the guys in Scholomance adding a lot of influences to their music but mantining always the dark aura that surrounds them. It is also amazing how technical and well rehearsed they are...they go from catchy rhythms to complex solos and melodies, then back to another rhythm and maybe adding a keyboard solo to spice things up. The main thing is the quality that this music has!!!There are like a hundred minutes of pure music in the highest level. The second CD is an instrumental one and really rich in harmonies. The CDs come with a great booklet with all the lyrics and a beautiful presentation that matches perfectly the concept of the music here. One of the albums of the month. Favorite tracks: The whole album!!!!!!!!!. Contact: www.theendrecords.com

REVIEW: SANATORIUM - INTERNAL WOMB CANNIBALISM

 

SANATORIUM - INTERNAL WOMB CANNIBALISM (Forensick Music, 2001)

Cover Artwork by Zig

Tracks: 1- Symtoms/Intro, 2- Postmortal Gorephobia, 3- Killing, 4- That Cunt name is Heather, 5- Intravenous Ejaculation, 6- Penis Epidermis Inflammation, 7- the False Prophet, 8- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, 9- Dunwich Morgue, 10- dead Virgin Whore, 11- Internal Womb Cannibalism, 12- Final Goremageddon - Outro

This is pure brutal death/gore metal that reminded me of early Cannibal Corpse recordings like "Butchered at Birth" or "Tomb of The Mutilated". There are two type of riffs one that are more original like the ones at 1:15 in "Postmortal Gorephobia" and are better cosntructed and others that are full speed runs played over blast beats. Don´t expect subtle things here, this guys have come to crush you with their brutality. The vocals are extremely guttural and there is also a strange vocal effect like some gurgling or something like that which follows some of the rhythms. Tracks like "That Cunts Name is Heather" show all this elements within the same song structure. For death fans. Favorite tracks: "Killing", "Penis Epidermis Inflammation" and "Dead Virgin Whore". Contact: www.forensickmusic.com

REVIEW: RUBENS - GONE MISSING

 

RUBENS - GONE MISSING (Global Warming Recs., 2001)

Produced by Miroslav Opi

Recorded at Global Warming in July 2001

Tracks: 1- Shame, 2- Beauty Day, 3- Bet.com, 4- Destination, 5- heroine, 6- what´s Up, 7- Witches, 8- Beach, 9- Regina, 10- Hurray, 11- Gone Missing

I loved Rubens music from the beginning of this CD with its combination of electronics with certain elements of funk and certainly a Frank Zappa flavor. The keyboards are the main instrument here playing electronic sounds that gives some techno feeling to the music. The vocals that are sung in kind of choruses (they are harmonizing most of the time) are really interesting and gives the tracks an aura of happiness in tracks like "Shame" and of ethereal music on tracks like "Beauty Day". There are some guitars playing solos on many parts and also doing some rhythmic chord progressions along with the drum beats. Some of the tracks can be used for dancing too!!! This is amazing!! (check "Bet.com") (this guys have a great sense of humour too. Totally recommended. Favorite tracks: "Bet.com", "Heroine" and "Regina". Contact: www.globalwarming.co.uk

REVIEW: ROOTS V - THE PENTANGLE

 

ROOTS V - THE PENTANGLE (Root of All Evil Recs., 2001)

Tracks: 1- The Alchemist (Somnus), 2- Enraptured by Temptation (Theatre of the Macabre), 3- Valkyrie (Walhalla), 4- Scream Machine (Impaler), 5- Condemned Creation (Demonicon), 6- Choir ofImmortal Queens (Ancient Ceremony), 7-Caged (Opaque), 8- Don´t Ex´pect any Miracles (Disturbed), 9- Your Carcass (Crimson Thorn), 10- Black Metal (Sigh), 11- Downvain (Aesma Daeva), 12- The True Will Deisired (La Rue Delashay), 13- Smoke em if you got em (Maphead, 14- Blood from Zion (High on Fire), 15- Pianoskin (Ekstrand and Green), 16- Shrine (The Unholy), 17- Mulch (Pentagoria), 18- Death is Eminent (Ripsnorter), 19- L.N. (edit) (Rev. Poky Bunge, 20- Introduction to Evil (Brainmix)

This is a compilation from American label Root of All Evil Recs. featuring the bands that they have released in their catalog and some cooperations with other labels. So, here there are bands like Theatre of the Macabre, Walhalla, Somnus, Impaler, Demonicon, etc. Opening with Somnus was a good idea for this compilation because of the mix of elegance and brutality that their sort of death/black metal music with keyboards and spoken parts has. Following that track is Theatre of the Macabre´s "Enraptured by Temptation" with its killer keyboard and guitar based black/death metal. The interesting thing about this compilation is that covers very different sides of the spectre from Demonicon to Aesma Daeva...from Sigh to la Rue Delashay and much more. Plus it includes some rare tracks from bands like Maphead, the Unholy, High on Fire and more. Favorite tracks: "The Alchemist" (Somnus), "Downvain" (Aesma Daeva), Shrine (King Diamond Cover) (The Unholy). Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

REVIEW: RESISTANT - ANCIENT FUTURE

 

RESISTANT - ANCIENT FUTURE (Seventh Generation Recs, 2001)

Produced by Resistant and Schneebi

Recorded at Donner and Blitzen Studios

Art Direction and Design by Anthony E.

Tracks: 1- Strike, 2- refuse/Resist, 3- They Want to Keep You out, 4- Ball and Chain, 5- Four Wheel Drive, 6- Boss, 7- Man Against the Machine, 8- feathered Serpent, 9- Knowledge is the Key, 10- Ancient Future, 11- Mutated Future, 12- Medicine

This is band from California that makes a crossover between thrash, hardcore and death metal with a lot of other elements that makes them really original. There are a lot of breaks in the music here (in some of them you can appreciate a killer bass player). The vocals have a lot of moods from screaming to calm, from guttural to sort of industrial. The guitarists are really good musicians too and they have some funky flavour (the beginning of "Refuse/Resist" is really funky (starting as an extremely heavy and death metal version of Infectious Grooves and twisting into a Fear Factory/Sepultura style...cool!). One thing that got my attention is that all the tracks here are completely different one fom the other and that makes the CD more interesting to listen to. The palms here go to the great musicians which are original, heavy as hell and thay don´t miss a beat even in the more complicated parts. Favorite tracks: "They Want to Keep You Out", "Four Wheel Drive" and "Mutated Future". Contact: www.resistantculture.com

REVIEW: REFLECTING SKIN - AGONY STAR

 

REFLECTING SKIN - AGONY STAR (Luminous Motion Recs, 2001)

Mixed by Bruce McFarlane

Recorded at Supersonic Studios and

Cover Photo by Michelle Sola - Layout by Leah Chandra

Tracks: 1- Shadow of Your World, 2- Agony Star, 3- Snakes, 4- Remember Me, 5- Last in Heaven, 6- Soul Desert, 7- One, 8- Blue Night, 9- I dream You Sleep

There are a lot of aspects on this recording to consider it one of the bests of this month!! The first and most important is the excellence of Leah Chandra, whose vocals are so well placed through the whole recording giving an ethereal feeling and a lot of originality to the tracks. The second reason are the great arrangements that the band makes on this album. They are original and sometimes they are eastern sounding, sometimes more pop, sometimes jazzy. There is a lot of variety on the music here and that is, in my point of view, another reason to say that this is an excellent album. The percussion and the guitars are not what one is accustomed to listen...the drummer is really tribal in some parts and the guitarist knows how to be heavy and how to be subtle when the track needs it. Favorite tracks: "Snakes", "Soul Desert" and "Blue Night". Contact: www.reflectingskin.net