corazine reviews

Burning Starr Still On Fire

Corazine — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:49:05 GMT

Among the slew of re-issues from Music Video Distributors lately is this Metal Mayhem pair: "Blaze of Glory" and "Rock the American Way," both by Jack Starr's Burning Starr. Though I'd not heard of the band prior to the re-issue, plenty of folks have. Starr mentions in the liner notes to one of these releases that the originals are in excess of $100 now (on eBay and elsewhere, I suppose). As one would expect with the "American Way" title, this is, indeed, American metal and it sounds like it. I don't think Starr was trying to come off like anybody else, though his music isn't as distinctive as some. But he obviously loves the genre and this vintage American hard rock shows it. The heart beats big in these tunes, the enthusiasm is contagious, the melodies (and the guitars) are big. It's exactly the sort of thing to hit the spot for the classic metal nerd (probably not the best term for metal cultdom - and just for the record, I do dig classic metal - the Scorpions are a terrific metal act!). Again, the upside of re-issues of less mainstream acts is that metalheads worn out on the usual suspects have new avenues to explore. And these 2 CDs also stand as historical pieces, though I don't say that to imply that this music has aged any worse than any other music of the genre. If "Rock the American Way" and "Blaze of Glory" are showing their age - and I'm not saying they are - it's the genre that is aging more than the music. Starr was embracing the hot, vibrant sound of the era, which he most certainly loved, and which he did well. A nice mingling of hard rock and out-and-out heavy metal (the genres are more blurred then than now, it seems to me), chock full of melodies and, of course, on-fire instrumental work and sizzling classic metal vocals. It's a welcoming sound to anybody who grew up in the era and it's also a cool education in what was going on that I missed. Naturally, as I said, plenty did not miss it, and you readers should take note that there is a devoted fan base. So I'm not the only one saying that Starr was doing something right. (Metal Mayhem) Visit www.mvdb2b.com

Death Threat

Corazine — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:44:12 GMT

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult is back?! A surprise to me, but a pleasant one. I can't say that this innovates or shows tremendous growth, but, then again, some bands do what they do well, and they do this well. It's refreshing to hear a more old school approach to industrial, rather than the art-industrial ways of NIN or the gritty Euro-dustrial thrust of Rammstein, etc. etc. Here, on "Death Threat," Thrill Kill Kult is doing what it has always done. The band, in some ways, was a precursor to the sort of music Rob Zombie did when he went solo, but with a different (and better) tweak. Lots of deviancy, samples, etc. And obviously so much of the effort is for the fun of the thing. But the Kult has that disco-sleaze element to their tunes that always set them apart. And that's what the listener will find here. Time hasn't treated the band badly (though, not being a die-hard fan, I can't say what a die-hard fan might say about this new album). Satirical, smirking, dark, sexy, subversive and, dammit, danceable as hell (this is disco run through Satan's sound system, so what do you expect?). "Death Threat" finds the Kult quite alive, thank you. (Rustblade) Visit www.mvdb2b.com

DVD review

Corazine — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:25:24 GMT

This could have gone terribly wrong. Law Abiding Citizen's premise is a helluva conceit and a big idea like this needs some strong girders to keep it from collapsing. Luckily, this flick has a number of those.
First off, the acting is top notch, better than you might expect for a revenge film. But, then again, this is a little more than a revenge film. Think Death Wish on steroids with socio-political commentary jacked up in the mix too (not saying Death Wish was lacking subtextual layers). There's also the fact that the storytelling is strong; it wasn't phoned in. The movie didn't rely on its premise to maintain interest. The premise is executed with style and intelligence, which an over-the-top idea like this needs to maintain credibility. The controlled brutality of the film also works. There is one moment in which you may feel you've slipped into the Saw franchise, but this film takes the brutality down a notch where it is still strong and shocking (especially for a mainstream thriller) and gut-churning but without a priority of focus on the violence. From there, the Saw parallels remain, though not so much from the vengeful character's methods but by way of his Mensa-level ingeniousness. Indeed, part of Law Abiding Citizen's draw is the mystery of how the hell Gerard Butler getting away with this stuff? It's no secret (the trailers reveal this much and the viewer finds out early) that Butler's character goes to jail. But once locked up, he continues to unfold his massive scheme that reaches deep into the halls of justice. And these are no simple machinations. These are elaborate schemes masterminded by a man locked away behind bars in a nasty prison institution. He's not only pissed (his wife is raped and murdered in a rather uncomfortable opening scene and his young daughter is killed, as well, thankfully off camera) but he's got a point to make. This is no minor revenge scenario, though one can certainly say revenge is a motivator. But Butler is out to teach attorney Jamie Foxx - and the rest of the justice system - a lesson after seeing a violent, guilty criminal get off with a measly sentence after rape and murder, thanks to a deal the sleazeball pulls to hang the worst of the crimes on the other guy (who was not the ugliest of the two perps). Given Butler's motives, it's easy for the viewer to get behind him, even as his acts of violence escalate. It's the catharsis of film; we can enjoy id and ego driven acts in cinema we would (mostly) never approve of in real life. At any rate, for much of the film we are fascinated by Butler's surprises (and they surprise Foxx's character as well as us, I can tell you - Butler stays one step ahead of all of us) and, frankly, inclined to root for him. And here is where the single flaw of the film comes in (I'm not counting the preposterousness of the plot as a flaw since the film is kind of supposed to be a vehicle for a big idea). In the last act, the film asks us to shift our loyalties and it's not an entirely smooth segue. However, even the most bloodthirsty of us must admit at some point that, as much as we sympathize with Butler's feelings, we cannot sympathize with his actions. Moral integrity must prevail. And so there is a shift in the moral spectrum. At first we have the righteous anger of Butler and the jaded ambitions of Foxx; but, in the end, we realize that Butler has gone over the brink in his quest for justice and we see Foxx's character go through growth, too. It's a tribute to the film that this kind of character development is present. It's not a perfect film, but it's a damn good one and one that makes a fine effort at doing a little transcending of its genre.

Friends of Hell

Corazine — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:11:34 GMT

Here, Witchfinder General was continuing further down the path already blazed by Black Sabbath. It's a tight call, but between "Death Penalty" and "Friends of Hell," I'd have to give the latter the edge. Now, there's no denying that the band is awfully damn derivative. It's regurgitated Sabbath sounds. But it's not a shitty pastiche, by any means. Rather, the occultish rebellion, the vintage thick psyche grooves, all the usual Sabbath staples are here. The difference is that at this point, the genre was moving toward self-consciousness. It wasn't even a genre, fer heaven's sake, when Sabbath started doing their thing. Nowadays, there are gobs of stoner metal. And a lot of it doesn't sound anything like Sabbath. The beauty of Witchfinder General is that they do bear a strong resemblance to the Sabbath style of psychedelic hard rock/metal, but it's not outright mockery. Sure, Witchfinder General is a bit sillier and more heavy metal (I'm talking attitude here) about the imagery. Sort of the difference between Slayer and W.A.S.P., to draw style parallels in another genre. Sabbath was more brooding and serious about their occultic edge where Witchfinder General is kind of doing the "occult thing." Not that this really matters. The music does. And the General does the music well. Downside: It sounds a lot like Sabbath. Upside: It sounds a lot like Sabbath. Visit www.mvdb2b.com.

DVD Review

Corazine — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:06:59 GMT

To take a look at the cover of Banshee!!!, you might suspect you've been banished to straight-to-DVD hell. Surprisingly, though, despite obvious budget restraints, Banshee!!! is actually a helluva indie fear feast and its budget restraints aren't obvious by way of shitty effects or acting by non-actors or any of the other things that usually hamper shoestring budget fare. I suspect the budget here was more than a shoestring, but it still wasn't huge. Which makes it even more remarkable that Banshee!!! fares as well as it does. The acting varies from decent to good (and always functional enough for the movie's purposes) and the effects are startlingly good, especially given the restraints. Plus, knowing that there is computer animation involved leaves me even more impressed. I'm not a huge CGI fan as it is, even with big budget Hollywood blockbuster mind-numbers. I've seen enough bad indie films to know that - as a rule - indie folks shouldn't even bother with CGI. If Hollywood has a hard time making it convincing sometimes (and to me, it does), then people paying for their movie out of their worn out velcro wallet sure as hell shouldn't fuck around with it. Well, Banshee!!! is the exception that proves the rule. One thing that helps is that, while the monster appears frequently, the camera is never allowed to linger too long on it. It (the beastie) leaps about in fast-paced action sequences and we see enough of him to be satisfied but not so much that suspension of disbelief goes out the window. Toward the end, when we get a good look at his face, we find that even this final reveal holds up. Not to mention the fact that the monster design is pretty nifty. It's the face and head of the monster that bring it together and give it some originality. The gore is also effectively handled. I've grown weary of bad gore and dull death scenes that are supposed to be thrilling. Banshee!!! did not add to my weariness (or my being wary of this sort of thing). The deaths tended toward creativity in execution (pun intended) and, what's more, the movie wastes no time getting around to the kill-off. Not too much time wasted with the batch of replaceable teens (one of whom, Lake, is annoying as hell but one of the best-performed characters in the film, the other solid acting outing belonging to the tough, grizzled old dude and the female police officer - the rest are adequate, at least). And when the kills do kick in, right off we get a slaying that, with more technology and a slightly different angle, could have been a neato 3D death. Then there's the techy-glitchy way the film presents the hallucinations and distortion of reality the banshee employs when screwing with the heads of its intended victims. That is a small, but nice touch. All told, a shockingly good horror outing. Visit www.mvdb2b.com.

Caught in a Lie

Corazine — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:00:26 GMT

Admittedly, Cry Havoc takes some patience the first listen. It wasn't till I tried the second time that "Caught in a Lie" made inroads with me. I still can't rave about it, but I will say this not-great-but-still-good band deserves credit for keeping the torch burning in this day and age for melodic, metallic hard rock. At first, I kind of expected something thrashy. What with the band name and the font style, I was figuring this was a thrash act. In fact, speed isn't what they're all about. They are metal, but they certainly have some hard rock leanings (if you want to split hairs). Melody does dominate but heaviness is not number one priority. We should all remember that heavy metal isn't always abasing itself at the altar of heavier, heavier, heavier! We'll leave that to the vintage underground and, honestly, the modern metal mainstream. (By metal, I mean metal, not what usually passes for metal on the rock/pop stations that abound - thanks Clear Channel!) If you don't have a taste for old school heavy metal (helps to have grown up with it) or you expect only the cream of the crop for this sort of thing, then I can't recommend this to you. But if you're more of a devotee, acolyte, aficiando, enthusiast, etc., and you want to hear something you weren't looking for, just to get a few more heavy metal experience points, then you can't hurt to check this out. It's not numero uno, and if you don't have the true greats your collection still desires, put this on the back burner. But you don't have to take it off the stove. (Metal Mayhem) Visit www.mvdb2b.com.

Railway Returns!

Corazine — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:57:39 GMT

For some - make that lots - of you, “returns” may be a puzzling part of this title. Who the hell is Railway and where are they returning from? Well, if you weren’t a Euro-metalhead from back in the 80s, then there’s no reason you necessarily should have heard of them before. For those of you in this category, pretend this article is called “Meet Railway.”
(To be fair, I hadn’t heard of them before these Metal Mind/Roadrunner re-issues came to my attention.)
What you get across the expanse of these three discs - the band’s first three albums, “Railway,” “II” and “Climax” - is a band that is trying to capture the dominant metal sound of that decade (rather than merely copycatting it).
While Railway doesn’t jump out all 3D from the crowd of other acts at the time, Railway still sounds more like Railway than like an Insert-Name-Here bad, generic act. Trailblazing? No, not even for the era. But it isn’t crap either. Not at all, in fact.
The touch of a Teutonic edge (just a touch) in this German band’s metal and plenty o’ heart get the energy cranking up pretty well. It’s to Railway’s credit that the band doesn’t sound like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest or whatever other major 80s-style metal a second-tier act is apt to get compared to.
No, as I say, Railway sounds like Railway.
Hot guitars jamming out melodic but metallic hooks and a somewhat distinctive but not obnoxious (perils of the genre) vocalist - along with a rhythm section that can more than keep up - make these musical documents worth preserving.
I’m sure there are plenty of also-rans that have vanished from genre memory and which deserved to. Railway, however, is better than such a fate, and so, along comes Metal Mind and Roadrunner, by way of Music Video Distributors, reminding fan consciousness that there were, in fact, other good metal acts from that timeframe besides just Ozzy and Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal hardly has a monopoly on Eurometal. Continental Europe has its contributors, too, and they include more than just luminaries such as Manowar and such.
Most metal die-hards have already consumed, repeatedly, those yummies and so now it’s time to dig a little deeper and see what gems are floating around European metal history and to rescue those gems.
Railway has a sound with some personality and energy (and even a little brains, as well, with some not-too-surprising political sentiments - to be expected in the metal scene, maybe especially from that era), and the fact that they aren’t ho-hum blah metal makes one not regret the efforts to bring forth these albums.
While it’s true casual metal fans are more apt (and better served) to drink from the main stage well, more hardcore metal fans will be looking for something off the beaten path, perhaps.
Not that Railway is off the beaten path, sound wise. As I say, while not derivative, they still capture that classic heavy metal sound just fine. But they aren’t the first name in the Rolodex if you go hunting around for a metal band to listen to.
This kind of metal has largely fallen out of favor, especially with the bad hair metal acts tarnishing the whole scene and modern listeners moving on to heavier fare, such as Lamb of God, Shadows Fall and Killswitch Engage (just to name a few) and older listeners sticking with tried-and-true classics.
So it’s good to hear a metal band of this vintage and style that performs this metal subgenre with some panache and attitudinal grit.
Railway proves that there is good so-called “80s metal” and that it doesn’t stop with the mainstreamers.
(Metal Mind/Roadrunner)
Visit www.mvdb2b.com.

Live at the Roundhouse, London 2008

Corazine — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:45:50 GMT

Punk goddess rock returns with the X-Ray Spex, who first made their rawk splash in the 1970s. Three decades later and the fun is still there for the band, as evidenced most strongly by the vibe emanating from frontwoman Poly Styrene. She's still as neon as ever, as evidenced by this live shindig. The performance spans the decades of the band's output, giving old fans and new listeners alike a cross section of what the X-Ray Spex are all about. Drawing from the punk and no wave crowd, this vivacious punk princess and her band deliver non-hardcore punk complete with saxophone to round out the sound. Styrene's voice, of course, is the highlight here, with its discordant but not totally off-key (most of the time) edge. That's the kick of it. With her behind the mike, the X-Ray Spex are definitely not-another-punk-band. Of course, they are heroes of the punk days of lore, and, as such, it's good to see they're still in fine form and keeping the scene alive. Punk ain't dead. (Year Zero) Visit www.mvdb2b.com.

Welcome to my World

Corazine — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:34:44 GMT

Not a laff riot, but funny nonetheless, Rocky LaPorte brings a down-to-earth Italian-American attitude to the comedy table (or stage, rather). Drawing on a deliberately dumbed-down stage caricature of the "stereotypical" Italian New Yorker type, he shares his funny views on all aspects of life (including such staples of the comedy scene as marriage). He keeps the entertainment value going at a steady pace and shows smart word-play for some of his best laughs. Naturally, he isn't afraid to use his fun-poking at the Italian American crowd (from which he comes). LaPorte's amiable personality helps sell the show and his stand-up doesn't have the edge the younger crowd expects, but it doesn't mean he isn't funny. There's a classic vibe to his stand-up that is charming and familiar. I could easily have listened to more of his humor than is packed into this CD. Well done, Rocky. You should open a comedy club called, "Hey, Laugh at This." Listen to the CD and you guys will know what I mean. (Uproar) Visit www.musicvideodistributors.com.

Unspoken

Corazine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:24:44 GMT

Resonance Room saw the light in 2003, and two demos (and six years) later, their debut has been released. Lately, I'm truly being educated in creative genre compounds. Today, it's "emotional gothic doom" also able to "satisfy progressive metal fans". Sounds sweet on paper, alright.
First of all, I'm amazed that the description - to a certain extent - actually makes sense, too. It's Doom married to Gothic, the latter slipping off with Progressive now and then. The songs vary from a pushing beat to slow, silencing tempos, while Alessandro's vocals can be both powerfully clean and soothingly emotional. Together with the singing, it's the arrangement of stringed instruments that emphasize and determine the feel. The guitars can deploy steady, heavy rhythms, weeping melodies, or typical gothic chord runs. On top of those, the keyboard influences the atmosphere a great deal, especially on its most extreme moments: from synth/electro to plain piano... or silence. The eleven tracks feel mostly gothic, but the doom element is everpresent. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the prog part. Too bad, but that could've been left out. In the frist track ("Escape") I witnessed two 'copy-paste' passages that felt progressive, but didn't have any right to be in that song... or on the album. Luckily, Resonance Room cut the crap in later songs, and the most prog I heard were a few vocal lines and irregular beats. Cool stuff, but quite standard (read: necessary) to keep anyone from snoring before the end.
To finish things up: Resonance Room can certainly make a merit of "Unspoken" - great production, good atmosphere, and despite the 'lifelessness' of the genre (and RR's interpretation of it), entertaining music still.

Beyond The Universe

Corazine — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:10:32 GMT

It's been a long time since I've mentioned aspects like presentation and packaging... But the promos I got from ConSouling Sounds deserve one. Not just because of their clean feel and look, the packaging format is quite new to me: an oversized 3-panel cardboard sleeve, limited to 1000 copies. Like I said, it looks professional, but the CD is loose in there, and the heightened sleeve doesn't fit between my CD shelves. Anyway, I got one of those 1000 copies - let's hope that by the end of the review, I'll (still) be honored to.
The promosheet states that the lack of a defined style is Exxasens' main appeal, but since they're obliged to stick on something: post-rock/post-metal is the name of the game. Post-metal summons up images of Amenra and Isis here, but Exxasens is something quite different (with the exception of some riffs, which seem to share the same ancestors). Perhaps atmospheric rock would be a tad more appropriate, but is doesn't really matter. "Beyond the Universe" is all about ethereal vocals (if any), guitars reverberating, and drums tapping along. The project focuses lyrically on the infinity of outer space and related human achievements and explorations. What Exxasens achieves musically is simply a realization of the lyrics: every track is like watching a dream drift by from a nameless, spacious place. This album is the diary of a journey through an immense soundscape, invoking both adrenaline-pumping awe and peaceful bliss. The only danger is that, after the full 50 minutes, you might return home a bit weary or disappointed; the longer the journey takes, the more the different episodes start resembling eachother.
All in all, after a first sold-out 2008 release, Exxasens appears to deliver the goods once more. Most likely an inspiring album for every post-rock fan, and for those who can appreciate influences of ambient, post-metal, and late Anathema.

Wax

Corazine — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:22:06 GMT

Now, I've reviewed some Russian bands before, but I'll be damned if they weren't all from Moscow. Defect Designer is from the Siberian region - for some reason, I always associate it with some barren, permafrost no man's land, somewhere in the most northeast corner of the continent. Probably the fault of the movies. And if you'd tell me the place is so desolate that only the most classic metal albums get distributed, I would half believe you. Why? Simple, because of "Wax".
Nearly every band writes and performs by the tradition it's part of and accustomed to. Defect Designer (DD) obviously learned from top-notch progressive death metal acts, with the exhilarating fact that they aren't a copycat in the slightest bit (at least not in my catalogue of classics). Pushing the compositions to a technical or high-paced level often enough, DD has its brutally chunking and grinding death metal moments in which straightforward double bass often leads the way. Then there are the oddly grooving elements, perhaps not entirely worthy of the "progressive" or "crossover" tag, but it's damn close, and sure as hell "Wax" is boosted up to seomthing way beyond traditional death metal. So wait, let me rephrase: DD's style is worthy of a more indicative tag. In the complex-sounding guitar dialogues, bands like Anata spring to mind, but that's about it.
I don't know if any other bands are hiding out in the Siberian vastness, but if they're all like this one, we need to send out discovery teams right fucking now. "Wax" is the first album since long that breaks my expectations and blends styles unconventionally. An album both refreshing and riveting.

Ruins Afire

Corazine — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:19:58 GMT

Bastardized Recordings often strike me as a talent-hunting label: most of their promos are debut albums, and none of them are below average (sometimes, quite the contrary). A similar case is the subject of this review: Versus The Throne - a German band that has self-released a few EPs under another moniker, and that's now rendered its first full-length on Bastardized.
The cool thing about Versus The Throne is their ability to shift between genres instantaneously. Just an example: the first two tracks open with melodic black metal of sorts (at least, that's what it struck me as, without context). As soon as the vocals kick in, the whole band suddenly throws about a few hard- and metalcore clichés, takes a sidestep into a more 'screamo' vocalisation, and then lets go of the gas completely with a heavy chunk of deathcore pounding. And, if the wind sits right, it smells of (melodic) death metal, too. At the flick of a measure, the mood alters from emotional to melodic or brutal.
The album thrives on its variety, execution and what I'd almost call the Bastardized production. Of course, there are downsides. The myriad of genres could be summarized as variety, but also as indecisiveness. Being able to blend tons of influences is a virtue, but not always wanted: if I want to relax on some good old metalcore, I don't require death metal and hardcore to take up half the record (which is in this case only half an hour, by the way).
Versus The Throne has chosen their path, justified by the fair quality of "Ruins Afire". The choice for this one is the consumer's affair, simply depending on whether he/she prefers their metal well stirred and shaken.

Engraved Flesh

Corazine — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:07:43 GMT

Symbolyc thought by themselves: if we're going to play a marginal genre anyway, let's do it right from the start. "Engraved Flesh" is consequently not just death metal, nope, it's called extreme death metal. Since death metal is already quite extreme, we're now talking about an album that essentially equals the square of extreme. Proceed with caution.
In my opinion, death metal should make people go "yuk" and bugger off. Extreme metal should simply scare people away really, really fast. Symbolyc, with its debut full-length, is halfway there. References for this band include Behemoth, Vader and Decapitated. Especially Behemoth (listen to "Oncoming Apocalypse"): Symbolyc's most convincing facets are indeed derived from such blackened death greats. We can summarize the positive aspects in one sentence, but they constitute a great part of the songs. Firstly, the superb, sometimes dual vocals that really bark out of your speakers; secondly, the Behemothesque mid-tempo chord riffing that can lift passages up to epic tunes.
All this bathes in a very aggressive production, and while the overall intensity is just a tad too insufficient to really leave me breathless, I was well entertained by "Engraved Flesh". On one or two occassions ("Wingless" and "Denied", I think), some wimpy melodic metalcore riffs kicked in, which were completely out of order in an album such as this - the same goes for some of the leads.
I'll end with what I started: as far as premium extreme metal goes, Symbolyc is halfway there. The debut shows that they're here to stay; all they need to do is kick it up another notch. I'll brace myself for when they do.

To the weight of all things (2)

Corazine — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:04:01 GMT

This album's first two measures actually made a few neurons pop, right in the back of my cranium. Then, to my utter frustration, more axons gave up on life when I read this band has split up recently. The ways of life are unpredictable (both for neurons and for bands, as you can see)... Hiroshima Will Burn has delivered a lethal but immensely attractive gem with "To the weight of all things". Ranging from majestic artwork to its inherent musical quality, this release deserves a big red stamp that says "Approved".
As the band's moniker strikes me (as fairly original), so does the music. Originality due to technicality, mostly. But since the fields of technical death metal are blossoming like never before, sweeping riffs and low-tuned shredding are not that jaw-dropping anymore (although still enthusiastically welcomed). £Don't imagine HWB's style as something Necrophagist-like; these guys actually have tons of mid-tempo passages. Basically, we've got a case of brutal deathcore that frequently gets a fit of uncontrollable, raging spasms. To get back to the originality-issue, HWB's combo of slow deathcore and shredding licks does have its effect, and they pull of some neat rhythmic variations. "Laberinto" is quite the unique track, too - not very metal by itself, but with me, it does score points.
I've already disclosed this review's nub at the beginning. For that reason alone, there's no real concluding paragraph. Make sure you check this out, but take care of your neurons.

Midwinter Blood

Corazine — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:25:47 GMT

Today, Infernal Angels, an Italian combo, are going to entertain us with their sophomore full-length album. Supposedly they play "epic" black metal, which is always a dangerous word to toss around. Right now, I'm already expecting to see ancient battlefields full of glory and defeat, should I close my eyes during "Midwinter Blood". Unfortunately, it's not that kind of epicness.
The album's opener is slightly detrimental for my ears and mood altogether, especially when the incredibly plain up-down melodies are repeated over and over. Darkthrone and 5000 other bands do it, sure, but Infernal Angels' production is so purely crystallized that those high-pitched, tedious tremolos stand out, and are thus fucking annoying. The really unfortunate part is that these guys seem to regard this kind of riffing as the essence of their style. Take "Coronation of dark victory": it's a split between 50 percent of convincing, atmospheric (and even epic!) black, and 50 percent of razorsharp, repetitive tunes hostile to the eardrums.
The members are obviously not the grim black metal morons that hardly can play a chord (trust me, I've seen bands like that on a stage),but it's a shame the riffing remains at too low a standard. The epicness sometimes steps into the spotlights, and tracks like "Tutto Quel Che Rimane" are highlights of the songwriting process. The melodies too often hit the wrong notes (probably the neighbours of the epic ones), and if it weren't for the obligation of reviewing, "Midwinter Blood" would have lasted about one and a half songs. The vocals are powerfully layered, the drumming is fair enough: Asmodeus has proven his worth in his previous - superb - bands. Infernal Angels need more complexity and layers, or much more ferocity (listen to your fellow Italian band Nefarium, for example). The solution is simple: replace whoever came up with the guitar score, or buy him "How to write great guitar riffs".

Spectral Extravagance (2)

Corazine — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:04:08 GMT

Lacerated Enemy Records presents the debut from Greek outfit Cerebrum. I was almost going to call these guys brothers, judging by the photograph in the booklet. But apparently they just share that renegade-like, haven't-shaven-in-a-week look. Which is awesome, by the way - as far as my memory goes, Apollo (the singer) even resembles that long-haired actor from the series Renegade.
Whatever, you think, and rightly so. We're here for the music, and in fact, I prophetize that I'm just going to approve of Cerebrum's debut. There, you can all go home now. The reason why I'm so clairvoyant? Simple: George Kollias is drumming. Now, you may call me presumptuous, but let's face it: the band's discography only warrants a 2005 demo, and psh, like Kollias would do session work in some half-assed band. Let's press the play button and see if I'm correct.

From the first track, a few facts establish themselves. Let's get it out of the way: the drumming is flawless. The production is stripped down to the essence (the snare sounds so... naked) - no overproduction here at all, rather the contrary. Every instrument fills up its rightful slot in the spectrum, very bare and straightforward, but that's quite alright. I have to admit, I was initially a tad disappointed, probably because Kollias summons expectations of brutality in the vein of Nile and Sickening Horror. Although Cerebrum gets the stamp "technical death metal", I'd call it progressive and groovy first. Of course it's technical, but not in the Spawn of Possession or Necrophagist sense. There's the occasional fingerbreaking lick, but Cerebrum's specialty is the intertwining of death and progressive elements, including some odd chords and scale runs, rhythmic shifting, and clean vocals. Also props to the great grunting by Apollo.

There's a form of symbiosis going on between Cerebrum and George, who was perhaps looking for a somewhat different style to fire off some creativity. Cerebrum is just that, but Spectral Extravagance wouldn't have cut it with merely a "good" drummer. Not matter how hard the six-strings scream alongside a clattering bassguitar, brutality isn't the primary message. No, the songs tell a different tale: that of unexpected musical ups and downs (literally), offbeat surprises, and a few notes that turn the whole atmosphere around. Great death metal with a very specific approach: taste it to find out!

Tinnitus Sanctus

Corazine — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:05:26 GMT

There's nothing more pleasant then to look back at 2009, right at the beginning of the new year. It sometimes is a bit confronting to see albums in a different light. For the better, or for the worse... I stumbled upon this German power metal appetizer "Tinnitus Sanctus" of Edguy. It was firewater that fountained at the end of 2008 and that favoured and quenched in the first months of 2009. But how to review it now?

Edguy is an obstinate power metal celebrity. These demigods deliver a melodious heavy metal sound, based on power metal structures, that passes a very broad variety of noises and colour. Edguy is not afraid to step outside its own niche and falls back on many very different influences. That was proven with the release of the previous full length album "Rocket Ride" (2006) (with tons of speed metal, heavy metal and hard rock hints). The Edguy collective - gathering Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dirk Sauer, Tobias Exxel and Felix Bohnke - keeps this pace on "Tinnitus Sanctus". The album is a carpet of bombs with eleven massive heavy metal shells. I'm not that found of crossover heavy and power metal, but between times I love the enjoyable and melodious rhythms. This German quintet rocks! Track three and nine, "The Pride Of Creation" and "Speedhoven" are full of very melodic metal and/or bombastic hints. Singer Tobias Sammet is delivering "Fachwerk". Sometimes the collection of tracks seems to be a bit unwieldy. Fortunately, you can't say the musicians take their opus too seriously. This power metal clashes with the noise barrier, with a fierce-humoured approach. Tons of variation and different music styles leave the classic power metal sound. "Tinnitus Sanctus" becomes a firm and steady turret!

Now let me report my conclusion. This disc won't be a hit number (it nevertheless does not sounds as a massive second-string competitor, that's for sure). It often lacks some subtlety. The closer "Aren't You A Little Pervert Too?!" for instance, could have been a lovely and humoristic end, but it misses some fire. "Tinnitus Sanctus" is a must hear, even with these rough edges (without being a lumber shed). Are you ready for some tasteful action?

Tracklist:

Ministry Of Saints
Sex Fire Religion
The Pride Of Creation
Nine Lives
Wake Up Dreaming Black
Dragonfly
Thorn Without A Rose
9-2-9
Speedhoven
Dead Or Rock
Aren't You A Little Pervert Too?!

Brahmavidya: Transcendental I

Corazine — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:23:51 GMT

Now this is literally an exotic jewel, as I'm tempted to believe. Rudra is a band from Singapore - though the Encyclopaedia Metallum (EM) lists 184 Singaporean bands, this is the first one that has come to my attention. The typical promotional twaddle nearly made me go off again, but Rudra's discography on the EM boasts some amazing review scores. Not always a good point of reference, but still: curiosity aroused, for sure.
The so-called "Vedic metal" deals lyrically with ancient Indian mythology. From my Western viewpoint, that's one serious step farther than Middle-Eastern inspired bands like Nile and Melechesh. Just as with those bands, the lyrical and ethnic influence shines through in the music as well. The album is spiced up with samples of folk chants and instruments, but that's not the reason to buy a metal release. Rudra's blackened death metal doesn't fail to amaze, though: it's a pure aural extravanganza. They've meticulously observed bands like Behemoth and Nile, and put their formula back to use with a twist. Rampaging drums are either matched with straightforward, rapturing chords, or contrasted with an atmospheric-rhythmic duality (Behemoth's Demigod might serve as a structural reference).
Brahmavidya: Transcendental contains over an hour of material, perhaps a recompense for four years of silence after the Primordial album. I hadn't expected anything less by now, but the Vedic metal stays strong and intense until the final track. One or two times I did wonder what Rudra were thinking though (the uninspired black metal riff near the end of Advaitamrta actually made me grimace - twice), but let's not go nitpicking.
The first part of the Brahmavidya trilogy is released back in 2005 - the good news being that for part three, you won't have to wait that long: recording is planned for mid 2010 or so. High quality oriental black/death metal that leaves little to be desired.

The Unbearable Lightness Of Dying

Corazine — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:12:04 GMT

Over the vast fields of West-Flanders, a new prototype thunderously rolls onward. Atreus is the name of the beast, and it fires death metal shells at a devastating rate - victims are sure to follow. With their first demo, the band is showing off their grasp of the basics (and beyond). Solid musicianship and groovy compositions contribute to a quite enjoyable demo. I'm especially fond of the old school vibe that echoes through all tracks - headbanging is made for grooves like these. The atmospheric leads clearly effloresce from a Death influence, which is never a bad thing. From my point of view, there are two issues that could've been better: the drums and the vocals. The drummer is clearly gifted with fast hands and feet, which leaves me wondering why many rhythms are so straightforward? A tad more variation and accentuation would add a new level of dynamics to every song. The drums are very acceptable as they are, but I have the feeling the drummer hasn't sped up to full capacity yet. Same goes for the vocals: the screams are fine, but some of the grunts feel like a half-bark, half-yell, i.e. too forced. However, practice makes perfect, and this demo should be a great warm-up for a debut album. Fix the flaws, tweak the details, and it will work out just fine.