Ektomorf -- 'Instict' [review]

Ektomorf
"Instinct"
(Nuclear Blast)

***

Ektomorf, a power metal outfit from Hungary, has been gradually making its way through the underground metal scene since its inception in 1994. The band's sound has developed into a wall of sound, with thick, distorted guitars and groove-laiden backbeats. The mix of hardcore, thrash and punk along with a hint of traditional "old world" melody immediately leads listeners to draw comparisons to Soulfly or Sepultura.

***

It's not bad to pick a band like Soulfly to emulate to some extent. The band's sound seethes aggression and and fan of the metal genre would immediately feel at home listening to the band. To some degree, the group is a harder-hitting Il Nino stripped of the pop sensibilty. It has an old school feel with a new school sensibility and refuses to cut corners in order to appeal to a broader fanbase.

***

The band isn't really doing anything new, though what they do, they do well. For the most part the vocals are spot on and crystal clear (which is a good thing given that a lesser band may have chosen to go for an intentionally lesser produced sound to create an underground atmosphere), but there are times where the vocals get lost in the mix -- of course, that would be a problem from the production end of things, not the band.

***

As has already been said: If Soulfly was a 10, Ektomorf would be Soulfly on 7. "Instict" blows away anything Sepultura has put out since losing Max Cavalera in the early 90s. Or, if you prefer, Il Nino minus the pop and not quite as "ethnic."

***

This metal release really stands alone in the genre this year (apart from a killer Soulfly release). It's a grat opportunity to get int o a new band without knowing what you're getting into. The band's sound is instantly comfortable and each of the 12 tracks is a headbanging joyride.

The Project Hate MCMXCIX -- 'Armageddon March Eternal' [review]

The Project Hate MCMXCIX
"Armageddon March Eternal"
(Threeman Recordings)


The Project Hate MCMXCIX is a metal band out of Scandinavia. The group is a brutal mix of European death metal in the vein of Dimmu Borgir only much tighter and more advanced from a music (and talent) standpoint. All this brutality is tempered with delicate (albeit operatic) female vocals. The band is largely known only in the underground metal circuit and that's a real shame. The music is much more complex and the band deserves to break moreso than the similar-sounding Nightwish.

***

This album can appeal to so many metal genre fans. There's a hint of industrial grind; there's the epic feel permeating each track; the European groove oozes out of each minute of the disc; the death metal vocals are clean enough to actually mean something. In fact, I applaud the vocal work on both ends of the vocal spectrum as it all sounds clean and it's clear a lot of work went into the recording process.

***

The theatrics of the female vocals sometimes seem wedged into the tracks. There's a way to make the switches work (and when they do, the juxtaposition is amazing) ... Project Hate knows how to do it smoothly, but too often prefer to simply ram the breaks in with little rhyme or reason.

***

Take Nightwish (or Lacuna Coil if you're unfamiliar with the former) and mix it with symphonic European metal. Each track feels like an epic with plenty of operatic filler.

***

If you are a fan of metal/rock bands that trade female and male vocals but wished there was more of a death metal edge, this band is for you.

Crowbar -- 'Lifesblood for the Downtrodden' [review]

Crowbar
"Lifesblood for the Downtrodden"
(Candlelight Records)


Sometimes you're in the mood for something comfortable. You don't need new, or experimental, or groundbreaking ... you just need the comfortable grind of old fashioned metal. And Crowbar's latest effort, "Lifesblood for the Downtrodden," is exactly what you'd be looking for.

Fifteen years since the band's inception and four years since the release of its last album, Crowbar, or more specifically, front man and guitarist Kirk Windstein, seems out to prove that that the band's plodding, sludgy, dirge-heavy sonic assault is still relevant in the modern metal scene.

Windstein hooked up with original Crowbar drummer Craig Nunenmacher and bassist Rex Brown (of Pantera and Down fame) for this album, a relentless blend of heavy, murky riffs and down-tuned melody.

Every track on here is uncompromisingly heavy, each explored and expanded to fullness. While prior Crowbar releases tended to bleed together, "Lifesblood" is full of tempo-changes and melodic breaks. The band explodes out of the gate on a track like "Dead Sun," but can do a 180 and slow everything down for the chorus without losing the "metal" and atmosphere of dread.

The drums are spot on, the bass is punishing and the thick guitar work is stellar. Everything pieces together nicely to form a crushing weapon to deliver Windstein's growled vocals.

While no new ground is being broken, "Lifesblood" is a welcome addition to the Crowbar catalogue. Sometimes you don't want new and unknown, you want to pick something up you know will kick your ass. Crowbar definitely hit a homerun with this one, which says something for a band that hasn't always been able to deliver the goods. This is a band that's been doing what it does long enough to put together a hit album, not a fluke, but a collection of tracks that will entertain you. Not just for a song here or there, but for an entire album.

Nightrage -- 'Descent Into Chaos' [review]

Nightrage
"Descent into Chaos"
(Century Media Records)


What is there not to love about the Swedish metal supergroup, Nightrage? The group features a veritable who's who from the European metal scene in it's ranks: ex-Exhumation axe-slinger Marios Iliopoulos handling lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars; lead guitarist Gus G. who has previously worked with Firewind and Dream Evil; bassist Henric Carlsson who worked with Cipher System; ex-Septic Flesh drummer Fotis Benardo; and most notably, vocalist Tomas Lindberg formerly of At the Gates, The Crown and The Great Deceiver.

The combined force of the members allows the band to craft sick, melodic metal, heavy on the epic riffs and twisted back beat with the perfect twist of death metal vocals.

It would almost seem as if it was the duty of any fan of heavy metal to seek out the latest Nightrage album, "Descent into Chaos."

The disc, the band's second offering, explodes out the gate with "Being Nothing," complete with machine-gun drumming and Lindberg's comfortable growl. Gus G. and Iliopoulos run rings around each other with each riff, making even the simplest structures seem like epics.

From the opening notes the band sounds tight-as-hell and never lets up. From the choking riffs of "Phantasma" or the intricate guitar-play in "Drug," to the old-school metal feel of "Poems," there isn't a weak link in this set. Even the haunting instrumental "Solus" swings from beauty to brutality in its short couple of minutes.

Of particular note, "Frozen" features Dark Tranquillity's Mikael Stanne contributing some cleaner vocals to juxtapose Lindberg's intense guttural howls. Coupled with that, the song (like most of the others) is chock-full of solos. And speaking of solos, it doesn't get much better than the crushing "outro" guitar work on "Omen" (and I particularly enjoy the ethereal undercurrent throughout the track).

Everyone shines on this album. The guitars are thick, the drumming is spot-on, the vocals are killer and the bass work, though subtle, pretty much holds the package together.

Nightrage might be flying under most people's radar and that's a shame. You have no idea what you are missing and owe it to yourself to check this album out. There is no reason this band isn't being pointed to as leaders in the genre, in the same fashion as The Haunted or In Flames.

Limp Bizkit -- 'The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)' [review]

Limp Bizkit
"The Unquestionable Truth [Part 1]"
(Flip/Geffen Records)


"Imagine accepting the truth..."

While many were quick to point out that the latest Limp Bizkit seemed like trademark Limp Bizkit material infused with the soul of Rage Against the Machine, it's really just the band reverting back to original form. "The Unquestionable Truth [Part 1]" sees the band pulling influence from the more abrasive material off it's debut album, 1997's "Three Dollar Bill, Y'All," and expanding on it to great result.

Limp Bizkit wasn't always the rollin' hip-pop rockers that the fickle fans loved to love and loved to hate. Before Fred Durst became an attention whore ... before guitarist Wes Borland left a band that was simply "only producing music for money" ... before he did it all for the nookie ... even before the originality of a George Michael cover turned a struggling metal band into superstars, Limp Bizkit was crafting hard-hitting, riff-heavy anthems of aggression worthy of a spot upon the heavy metal mantle. And now, after spinning it's wheels on one album that never saw the light of day (which was set to feature the song "Crack Addict") and spending much time on a well-publicized search for a replacement guitarist after Borland had left the band due to creative differences (the group released "Results May Vary" in 2003 with Mike Smith, formerly of Snot, on guitar), the band is back to its old form.

Clocking in under 30 minutes, "The Unquestionable Truth" seems more like a re-introduction to the band than an actual new album (I'd even go as far as to refer to it as an EP for all intents and purposes). Spread over seven tracks, each featuring 'The' in the title, this new album is chock-full of riffs galore (courtesy of Borland who rejoined the group late last year), sick bass lines and lyrics that actually border on thought-provoking and mature ... all this leads to a much more sinister sound overall.

The disc explodes with "The Propaganda," with the chunky Borland riffage taking center stage immediately. The "fun" is gone from Durst delivery, replaced by anger and rage. The lyrical flow seems much more deliberate, almost like a rant, with more thought-out and smarter lyrics.

Sam River shines on bass throughout the album, especially on the lead single "The Truth." The riffs are frantic and intense and John Otto does a great job of holding everything together from his perch behind the drum kit. And as solid as "The Truth" is, there's still material on here that's even better. "The Priest" is a schizophrenic affair, with the same heavy theme from the preceding tracks. In fact, apart from the funky interlude of "The Key" and the melody of "The Surrender," this is a steamroller of an affair with the album's best track, "The Story," as inspired a concoction as anything Bizkit had done earlier in its career.

The production seems intentionally low-key on this effort, probably to give the album an underground air. The drums come across tinny at times (though nowhere near as jarring as on Metallica's "St. Anger" release), the overall sound comes across as murky and Durst's vocals aren't as crisp-sounding as they could have been. The result though, instead of sounding underproduced, almost makes the listener feel like they're watching the album getting recorded right then and there.

Overall, Limp Bizkit has put out its strongest release since its debut. Sure, they probably saw more success a couple of years ago, but if the band can keep on this track, it'll actually turn into a band with staying power instead of something people wish would just fade away.

Children of Bodom -- 'Trashed, Lost & Strungout' [review]

Children of Bodom
"Trashed, Lost & Strungout"
(Century Media Records)


Hailing from Finland, Children of Bodom continue to prove themselves as part of the metal elite in the European metal scene. Lead guitarist and front man Alexi Laiho, drummer Jaska Raatikainen, bassist Henkka T. Blacksmith, guitarist Roope Latvala and keyboardist Janne Warman continue to craft killer, melodic heavy metal to rival the best the genre has to offer.

The band's last album, 2003's "Hate Crew Deathroll," landed on many best-of lists for the year. The group toured throughout 2004 and are currently holed up in the studio crafting an album for release this fall.

In the meantime, fans can make due with "Trashed, Lost & Strungout," a new EP showcasing the band's crushing sound.

The title track off the EP is fast-paced riff-heavy thrash song brimming with melody (what is becoming a trademark Children of Bodom sound). Picking up where the band's last album left off, the album pulls from older influences like Slayer or Anthrax and infuses a more modern twist (in the vein of newer In Flames) to create a twisted wreck of a metal masterpiece. According to the band's fan site, Scythes of Bodom, the band premiered the track during a summer tour last year. After making an appearance on back-to-back nights at two festival dates, the bands stopped playing it as bootlegs started to pop up online (though the band used the song on a couple of fall mini-tours).

The EP also features the debut of the new track, "Knuckleduster." More mid-tempo, the track comes across like a hefty blend of Godsmack, Sepultura and In Flames. The riffs are intentional and crushing, Laiho's vocals are as crisp and angry as ever and there's some fantastic solos featured in the song.

The band does a great job of twisting a cover of Alice Cooper's "Bed of Nails" (originally recorded for Cooper's 1989 release, "Trash"). While the guitar has the hint of the pop-rock sound from the original release, the scratchy vocals, Warman tearing it up on the keyboards and the sick drumming and bass-work gives the song a modern feel. Then, the band seems to flip a switch right before the end of the track, turning into a meta-death metal number with the double-kick drumming and a more rapid delivery.

Rounding out the set is a cover of Andrew WK's "She is Beautiful." While it's pretty obvious Children of Bodom is performing the song, the band stays true to the source material, albeit souping the track up slightly with a fuller guitar sound and more guttural vocals.

Clocking in at just under 15 minutes, this EP is either a taste to tide fans over until the next album (due out this fall) or a cheap introduction to a band any metal fan would gladly add to their collection.

Mudvayne -- 'Lost and Found' [review]

Mudvayne
"Lost and Found"
(Epic Records)


Mudvayne exploded onto the national scene in 2000 with the release of "L.D. 50." Despite having an EP under its belt (1997's "Kill I Oughta"), this was the first taste most fans had to the band that mixed vocals delivered with a psychotic edge and heavy, groove-laden riffs with start-stop tempos. Add into the mix a helping of ethereal "mood" music and interludes and you have Mudvayne's debut album.

But as good as "L.D. 50" was, it was also a little too eclectic for it's own good. The thread holding some of the songs together was just too fine and the interludes were, at times, simply forgettable.

Then, in addition to the musical problems, the band was type-cast as face-painted madmen, with the image (every member was painted up) soon overtaking the message of the music.

2002's "The End of All Things to Come" was an image overhaul of sorts. The music became more focused, albeit less intense. The band lost the facepaint but replaced it with an alien theme.

With two (or three if you want to include the re-release "The Beginning of All Things to End") full-length albums under its belt, Mudvayne was still looking for the album to make or break the band.

"Lost and Found" is that album. Simply put, it's nothing short of a homerun.

"Lost and Found" pulls in the best elements from the band's entire career and strings them together as a metal masterpiece. There's the tempo-changes, but they make more sense now and come across as less experimental. The vocals drift from the growls seething anger to the melodic delivery Chad Gray is more than capable of pulling off. The groove from the band's debut EP is utilized. Truthfully, this album is the culmination of all the band's previous work. And it doesn't hurt that the band finally put away the image and the members are presented simply as themselves.

"Determined" is the perfect opening track for the album, an exclamation point and mission statement all at the same time. Featuring the trademark growled, scratchy vocals and fantastic rhythm section, the song is probably one of the hardest-hitting tracks the band has recorded.

"Happy?" is almost the perfect juxtaposition to such a track, more melodic and gentle in delivery (similar to "Not Falling" off the band's second album). There's the stutter-step tempo but (again) it seems to actually drive the song instead of pull attention away from it.

"IMN" is the best of "L.D. 50" wrapped into one almost-six minute track: there's the frantic tempo-changes, the sick bass work, the full array of vocal styles and, while Ryan Martinie's bass-work is subtle at times, at others it takes center stage to amazing effect.

Even when the band goes out on a limb this time, everything seems to blend together perfectly. The album's longest track, "Choices," which runs just over eight minutes in length, drifts back and forth between melody and driving force. And the distorted "inny, meeny, miny, mo" that breaks up the verses during the opening verses sounds crazy at first, but soon fits in so well you hardly notice it. Gray's singing has never sounded better during the track's driving bridges and choruses. The song unfolds to an epic as Greg Tribbett is let loose on the guitar and Gray punctuates his guitar bridges with scratchy exclamations.

When listening to the album, it's impossible not to note how grounded everything sounds thanks to Matt Mcdonough's solid drumming. He can lay down a brutal wall of sound like the album's opener, or offer up a more subtle back-beat in songs like "Forget to Remember" (thought he still comes across explosive during the choruses).

Overall, "Lost and Found" is a glimpse at a band at its absolute best. This is the album Mudvayne's fans knew the band was capable of, and an album that will convert countless others to the fan base.

Definitely one of the band's best, "Lost and Found" is also a contender for album of the year. A great metal release ... a great album in general.

Corrosion of Conformity -- 'In The Arms of God' [review]

Corrosion of Conformity
"In the Arms of God"
(Sanctuary Records)


Everyone has an extended family, and the metal community if no different.

You've got the grandfather you're close to: Black Sabbath.

The bad-ass father: Slayer.

The kids you're tight with: Trivium, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall.

The cousins you see once in a while: In Flames, The Haunted, Children of Bodom.

And the crazy uncle you see once in a while but you know is going to give you a good time: Corrosion of Conformity.

Well, that crazy uncle is finally back, and he's been gone far too long ...

Corrosion of Conformity is back with a vengeance. Pulling from its "Deliverance"-era sound, COC has pushed the blues-edge back into the mix and crafted a superb metal offering, "In the Arms of God," a true return-to-form.

Opening with sick, bluesy riffs, the album lead-off track, "Stone Breaker," soon tumbles over itself into a thick, sludgy metal anthem. Front man Pepper Keenan's vocals are instantly recognizable, as his intent, crisp drawl spews forth the lyrics with angry abandon. Bassist Mike Dean and drummer Stanton Moore do an adequate job backing up Keenan, but its him and fellow guitarist Woodroe Weatherman that anchor the riff-heavy COC sound.

There's hardly a break between tracks as the steamroller of "Stone Breaker" gives way to the more up-tempo yet just-as-crushing "Paranoid Opioid," which in turn offers little reprieve before Keenan is screaming over the foreboding opening notes of "It is That Way."

The beauty of "In the Arms of God" is that the band seems to have turned its back on the crisp production offered on "America's Volume Dealer" (the band's last studio album released in 2000). On this new beast of an album, the group has embraced an almost garage-band like sound, reminiscent of early Black Sabbath material blended with southern rock.

Standout tracks would have to be the aforementioned "Stone Breaker" and "Paranoid Opioid." But there seems to be little in terms of weak tracks -- the spoken-word verses of "Dirty Hands Empty Pockets (Already Gone)" are the perfect juxtaposition to the faster bridges and chorus (definitely vintage COC), while the slower "Crown of Thorns" comes across as the band's attempt at its own "Planet Caravan" (to use the Sabbath analogy).

Sandwiched in between is some of the best straight-forward southern-fried metal this side of Black Label Society.

It has been far too long since COC was on the scene and this is one hell of a welcome back party.

Bury Your Dead -- 'Cover Your Tracks' [review]

Bury Your Dead
"Cover Your Tracks"
(Victory Records)


"Cover Your Tracks" is the stereotypical Victory Records release from days of long ago (before the alternative-rock, "emo" explosion). It's hardcore to a T. Bury Your Dead's sound is eerily reminiscent of Hatebreed during the "Satisfaction is the Death of Desire" days, yet there's just that little something missing.

In fact, there's little to distinguish Bury Your Dead from the slew of other hardcore metal acts that have come and gone over the years.

Despite this fact, the band has crafted a solid, straight-forward hardcore release: 12 tracks clocking in at just over 30 minutes with most songs failing to break the three minute mark.

"Cover Your Tracks" is 12 tracks of in-your-face hardcore: throaty vocals, chugging guitar riffs, subdued drumming and bombastic bass work. Track after track unfolds as a brutal hardcore anthem, mixing in the occasional metal element (a groovy riff here and there with some crazy chord progressions).

Out of the mediocrity is one shining gem however: the pseudo-melodic "Magnolia." The guitar is just crunchy enough, the drumming is insane and the song has a crazy melodic hook. If you're interested in checking the band out, start here. "Magnolia" is the type of song that can make you fall in love with a band. And once you've fallen in love with Bury Your Dead, you'll be able to forgive the lack of originality and fully embrace "Cover Your Tracks."

"Risky Business" almost employs a similar structure, however the melody is replaced by a metal edge. The guitars come across like they were filtered through water but the vocals are spot on, especially towards the end as the lyrics, "You crossed the line from enemy to casualty the day you disrespected me," play over and over again.

From a production standpoint, the distorted guitar seems to be an intentional effect, but the drums come across as hollow at points and the bass unfortunately gets lost in the mix.

Also of note, the band chose to title every song after a Tom Cruise movie: from "Top Gun" (the album's opener) to "The Color of Money" to "Legend." Hell, the band even used "Losin' It" and "Outsiders," though unfortunately there's no "Taps."

At just over a minute long, "Losin' It" has to be the band's theme song: the lyrics are simply the band's name (with an expletive thrown in for good measure) chanted over and over again.

But it takes more than an interesting marketing decision to craft a good album. Bury Your Dead are worth checking out, but the band will have to work at actually making people want to keep listening.

A Static Lullaby -- 'Faso Latido' [review]

A Static Lullaby
"Faso Latido"
(Columbia Records)


"Tonight, this poet dies..."
-- From "Half Man, Half Shark; Equals One Complete Gentleman"


A Static Lullaby's "Faso Latido" is the musical equivalent of a band like From Autumn to Ashes turning into The Used.

While, on its surface the album is still a "screamo" alternative rock offering, the band flip-flopped on how the material was presented. On the group's first album, the impressive "...And Don't Forget to Breathe," the hard-hitting music and screamed/strained vocals were occasionally tempered with a more melodic tone and gentler presentation. On "Faso Latido," the band opted for a 180 degree shift -- now the hardcore vocals are interspersed among melodic fare that, while still strong, seems completely different from what the band's original material promised.

That is not to say A Static Lullaby are any less relevant or as good as its last outing ... just that the band moved in a different direction (think Brand New or Taking Back Sunday in reference to the musical shift).

"Faso Latido" is a solid musical outing for the band. Whether it was the production, or the band going for a more "mature" sound here, everything sounds much tighter and more streamlined.

Phil Pirrone really shines on the bass, which is much more prominent on this album. Working in tandem with Brett Dinovo on drums, the duo lays down a nice backdrop to A Static Lullaby's sound, but also manage to take center stage on occasion (most notably the drumming on "Calmer Than You Are" and the bass work on throughout "Shotgun!").

Front man Joe Brown holds his own on the album, with a moody vocal delivery the resonates more emotion than most of the bands making this type of music. He also comes across much more confident, not only in delivery, but in over all style. While on "...And Don't Forget To Breathe" the vocals seemed a mere component of the group's overall sound, here Brown actually stands tall as the band's front man.

Dan Arnold and Nathan Linderman work well together on guitar, which is where the heart of the A Static Lullaby sound lives: the more high-pitched intricate play layered over firm riffs, giving most of the songs an almost epic feel even though, for the most part, everything is clocking in around three-plus minutes.

While "Stand Up" seems to be the song generating the most buzz at the moment, it isn't the best of what "Faso Latido" has to offer. "Stand Up" is catchy enough, and probably one of the more commercially accessible tracks on the album. But it's songs like "Radio Flyer's Last Journey" or "Calmer Than You Are" that really get to the meat of what A Static Lullaby are capable of. "Calmer" would be labeled the anthem of the disc, as a layer, demonic-sounding pre-chorus gives way to a chant-worthy refrain of "We can't wait for..." The song also features the multiple vocal styles the band has to offer: the spoken word, strained vocals, screams and normal singing. "Radio Flyer's Last Journey" is chock-full of driving guitar riffs and, while they really aren't catchy enough to get stuck in your head, the whole song has just the right intangible hook to be played over and over again.

Overall, while this is a different beast from the band's first album, "Faso Latido" is a definite hit. The band took the time to grow and evolve as musicians, and changed everything enough to do so while holding the spark of its original sound.

Burn the Priest -- Self-titled [review]

Burn the Priest
Burn the Priest
(Epic Records)


Lamb of God has steadily pushed its way to the front of the line when it comes to modern American heavy metal. With last year's "Ashes of the Wake," the band's first effort on a major label, Lamb of God proved it was a force to be reckoned.

Of course, this news was nothing new to the band's long-time fans that had pounded fists to 2003's "As the Palaces Burn," or the group's debut, 2000's "New American Gospel."

But until now, this five man wrecking crew's first outing, under the moniker Burn the Priest, was a little known and hard-to-find gem in the Lamb of God war chest.

No longer... the album has been remixed and remastered for the band's legions of fans.

"Burn the Priest" is far more raw than the quintet's more recent material. The sludgy, thrash-meets-death metal musical framework is still readily apparent; it's front man Randy Blythe that stands out here. As much as the band seems to channel an intense version of Pantera, on "Burn the Priest" Blythe sounds more like Phil Anselmo (Pantera lead singer) fronting Superjoint Ritual on its first release. That is to say the vocal delivery sounds far more strained and guttural than simply intense. Track after track, Blythe tears through lyrics that seem more of an afterthought given the sick guitar riffs and intense (double-bass) drumming accompanying him.

Lamb of God fans will recognize tracks like the album's opener, "Bloodletting," as it has remained a staple of the band's live act. Other songs like "Chronic Auditory Hallucination" and "Salvation" unfold at a breakneck pace as it seemed clear the band was content with going in, kicking ass and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

"Lame" is a bludgeoning masterpiece, while "Dimera" is pure brutality. The vocals switch from an ungodly howl to a scream with abandon, and every breakdown sounds like it was crafted to start a near-riot in any mosh pit.

It's clear from "Burn the Priest," which was originally independently released in 1999, that Lamb of God had a strong future in the metal industry (through I doubt anyone could foresee just how great the band was to become).

While there's some filler at times, overall this is pretty solid metal release, albeit a little more "extreme" than the material the band releases nowadays. Any Lamb of God fan will be happy to add this to their collection. Other metal fans could be just as happy, provided you aren't looking for any melodic bridges -- this is metal that fans of thrash and death will love.

Trivium -- 'Ascendancy' [review]

Trivium
"Ascendancy"
(Roadrunner Records)


It's a riff-heavy, double-bass filled sonic assault that features aggressive yet melodic singing.

It's the newest wave of American heavy metal, a movement that features bands like Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall at the helm.

Well, you can add one more name to the list: Florida's Trivium.

The band's second album (the group's Roadrunner debut), "Ascendancy," is filled with all the trademarks of a solid metal album. In fact, the album is probably one of the best (pure) metal releases to hit shelves in a while (possibly since Lamb of God's release last summer).

The one-two attack of dueling guitar from lead vocalist Matt Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu is one of the album's higlights, and the two seemed pretty eager to stick as much heavy riff-age and hard-hitting solos as they could into each song. The two are kept on track by drummer Travis Smith and bassist Paolo Gregoletto, who not only work off each other quite well, but lay down some truly destructive beats that take center stage at times (especially in a bludgeoning bridge towards the end of "Rain") and outshine the rest of the band's sound.

Production wise, the album really shines, as each part of the band melds together into a crushing machine -- the thunderous beats, the riff-heavy guitar work and the interplay of melodic and scratchy vocals (courtesy Heafy, Beaulieu and Gregoletto).

Opening with a brief instrumental (that also features a piano), the album lulls listeners into a false sense of ease. "The End of Everything" soon gives way to the chunky riffs and machine-gun beats of "Rain." Heafy growls out his lyrics like a general leading a charge, though the Trivium vocal "sound" soon rears it's head in the chorus: throaty melody with more "clean" backing vocals (or vice verse).

"Ascendancy" is such a strong metal release, incorporating more contemporary metal elements in its sound, but still maintaining a classic (Priest or Maiden) feel. "Rain" grabs the listener, but "Ascendancy" doesn't allow a moment of air, maintaining the assault throughout: "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" (with its crushing pre-chorus); the blistering opening to "Drowned and Torn Asunder" along with the intricate guitar-work behind the chorus; the urgent nature of the title-track; the nod to the European metal scene on "Suffocating Sight." Track after track, "Ascendancy" comes across as a hit. Even the slightly out of place, more melodic "Dying in Your Arms" (a track the band had to push to have included on the album), with its unique tempo and hook-filled verses, sounds like a homerun.

Nothing on this album sounds like a radio track, yet everything sounds like a hit. "Ascendancy" is a welcome release from Roadrunner, a label built on metal that seems to have faltered at times in the past couple of years.

It's completely insane tracks like "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation," a song that turns on a dime from an metal juggernaut to a time-capsule from the 80s, the interesting "Dying in Your Arms," the choking "Suffocating Sight" and the amazing solos in songs like "Like Light to the Flies" that will make this one of the best albums of the year. Buy "Ascendancy" for the sheer metal bliss; overdose on the amazing guitar work throughout the album, feast on the spot-on vocals and bang your head to the sick beats overflowing in every track. This is an album not to be missed.

Norma Jean -- 'O God, The Aftermath' [review]

Norma Jean
"O God, The Aftermath"
(Solid State Records)


Norma Jean creates music that isn't immediately accessible to the average listener. The band specializes in a sub-genre of hardcore some have dubbed noisecore -- a type of music that relies on breakneck tempo changes and minimal song structure. Let's put it this way: what a band like Dream Theater might be to progressive rock, Norma Jean is to hardcore.

The band offered up an intense, bombastic release in 2002 ("Bless the Martyr & Kiss the Child") that left fans salivating for more. Little did they realize the sophomore release would take almost three years.

And what a tumultuous two and a half years it would be.

Shortly after the release of "Bless the Martyr," Norma Jean lost its front man Josh Scogin. For "O God..." the band picked up Cory Putman, who had previously worked with notable metal bands Living Sacrifice and Eso-Charis.

The band doesn't seem to have missed a beat. The entirety of "O God..." unfolds like a musical assault on the senses. Odd tempos fall over one another and give way to repetitive riffs and aggressive backbeats. While at times the sound will stop long enough to indicate a track change, for the most part the entire album is like one solid wall of sound. Song structures are scatterbrained at best; there's hardly a verse, chorus, verse foundation, much less noticeable verses or choruses on any of the tracks. Putman does a good job filling Scogin's shoes, though it seemed hardly a difficult task as a majority of the vocals are throaty yelps (though, it should be noted, Putman is far less guttural in his delivery).

But as much as Norma Jean's sound is built around the concept of a cacophony of sound, there are some impressive moments squeezed in too: there's a great melodic bridge towards the end of the album's second track, "Vertebraille"; the band almost channels the spirit of Fudge Tunnel's popular song "Grey" during the "chorus" of "Bayonetwork"; there's some fantastic "singing" during parts of "Liarsenic," probably the best and most easily accessibly song on the album.

Overall, Norma Jean is able to craft a pretty intricate, hard-hitting album. The songs easily bleed into each other and the vocals are pretty low in the mix, giving way to the music which is the real focus (or at least should be) of what Norma Jean is putting forth.

While it's not the most accessible album, "O God..." is exactly the type of album Norma Jean wanted to release. It's abrasive, it's in your face, it's unrelenting. And, for fans of the genre, it\'s a solid release for fans that have been waiting for a long time.

Black Label Society -- 'Mafia' [review]

Black Label Society
"Mafia"
(Artemis Records)


Black Label Society has been releasing new music almost non-stop since its inception in 1999 (an album a year), so it's no surprise that front man Zakk Wylde and his boys are a tight-knit group that know exactly how to craft a strong song, let alone a strong album.

"Mafia" sounds like the bastard son of Ozzy Osbourne and Alice in Chains -- the perfect blend of metal and southern rock groove that you can't help but nod along with. This new album takes a page right out of 2002's "1919 Eternal." It's chock-full of blistering riffs and insane guitar solos that continue to solidify Wylde's place among the metal elite.

"Mafia's" first single, the intentionally plodding "Suicide Messiah," rumbles along at a deliberate place, showcasing Wylde's Ozzy-influenced vocals, as well at the intricate guitar work he is know for. And the rest of the band (in its current incarnation) live up to the BLS label. Craig Nunenmacher is a beast behind the drums, accentuating each track with impressive fills and subtle cymbal crashes. Nunenmacher and bassist James Lomenzo (who previously worked with Wylde in the band Pride and Glory) lay a solid foundation that Wylde dances around vocally, on the guitar and, at times, on the piano as well.

While "Mafia" is packed with impressive bombast, there's a couple of surprises on here too. The heartfelt "In This River" (a tribute to guitarist Dimebag Darrell) is one of the highlights of the album. The ballad-esque track features Wylde on piano (with some fantastic background guitar-work and a tight little solo), accompanied by Lomenzo on bass. The song isn't over-the-top trite, but the emotion really seethes from the speakers as the song slowly takes shape and repeats.

The moments of beauty -- "In This River," the piano opening to "Forever Down," the haunting "Dirt on the Grave" -- hardly tip the scale of head-banging goodness on show throughout "Mafia." Tracks like "Fire it Up," "You Must Be Blind" and "Electric Hellfire" are vintage BLS, while the Lynyrd Skynyrd cover, "I Never Dreamed," might be one of the best songs Wylde and the boys ever recorded (and the song closes with one of the sickest solos I've ever heard).

Most are quick to point out that "Mafia" is simply more of the same from BLS, but the truth is that the band has a blueprint for the music it creates, and Wylde is such a great artist that while each song might sound like something the band has done before, that doesn't make you want to listen to it any less. Wylde is one of the rare guitarists that seems to have his craft literally flowing through his veins; it appears as if he simply plugs in his guitar and solos pour out.

While "Mafia" may be nothing new and Wylde's vocals can get slightly repetitive at times, it's still a solid rock-metal release with enough "surprises" to keep casual and diehard fans interested. BLS is definitely in an upswing and if you liked any of the band's previous work, you'll love this album.

Open Hand -- 'You and Me' [review]

Open Hand
"You and Me"
(Trustkill Records)


There's a lot of band's out there making great music ... band's that, despite being on an established label and having a tight, solid sound, still manage to slip through the cracks.

Open Hand is one of those bands.

Formed in 1999 by guitarist/vocalist Justin Isham, drummer Alex Rodriguez and bassist Michael Anastasi, the band combined elements from a variety of genres (alternative rock, hardcore and amazing melody meshed together to form a truly dynamic sound) and quickly built a solid fan base through tours with Thursday, Glassjaw and The Juliana Theory.

The band released a couple of independent EPs, and was courted by a handful of major labels (which led to a few "false-starts" for the band) before finding a home at Trustkill Records, a label known predominantly for hardcore bands. The band released "The Dream," a combination of the out-of-print EPs and a couple of new tracks, at the beginning of 2003. By the summer, the band was touring Europe with Poison the Well.

But, as they say on VH1s "Behind the Music," things were about to change...

Following the tour, the band's bassist and guitarist abruptly quit, forcing Isham and Rodriguez to put the band on hiatus. During this time Isham questioned the band's future, while "The Dream" continued to find new fans (eventually finding its way onto various critics' "best of" lists for the year).

Rodriguez eventually left too, and Isham was forced to reinvent the band, connecting with Paxton Pyror (an old friend and versatile drummer). The two picked up bassist Michael Anastasi (from the original line-up) and guitarist Sean Woods (another one-time member) along the way and Open Hand finally got its sophomore release, "You and Me," on shelves in the public's hands.

"You and Me" is a change of pace for the band that, at one time, drew strong comparisons to bands in the vein of older Sunny Day Real Estate or, perhaps, later Jawbreaker material (think initial "emo" movement for lack of a better term). On this new release, Open Hand takes that original sound and mixes in some stoner rock, alternative metal and punk -- think Queens of the Stone Age and CKY meets the Foo Fighters and Thursday, with the most ethereal vocals to grace speakers in some time.

The band pumps out a strong 14 tracks in just over 41 minutes, touching and melding all genres of influence along the way. The album explodes with the frenetic "Pure Concentrated Evil," a just over a minute and a half power rock song to make any Clutch fan smile. The song abruptly ends, giving way to a more subdued "Her Song," chock-full of slow, distorted guitar and groovy backbeats. Not only do Isham and Pyror work great together musically with rhythm and structured beats, but their vocals complement great as well.

Speaking of vocals, Isham also shares vocal duties with the opposite sex on a couple of tracks (Hayley Helmericks on "Tough Girl" and "Take No Action" and Katy J on "Waiting for Katy").

"I've always wanted to have other people sing on our records -- especially strong, empowered women," Isham says on the band's Web site about the collaborations. "It's so boring to just hear a dude singing all the time about the kind of stuff that dudes sing about. It's refreshing to get a female perspective. What's really cool about it on these songs is that the girls' voices are so much harder and more raw than mine. I sing the pretty parts. It's awesome."

In the end, Open Hand has crafted one fantastic hard rock album, an album that pulls influence from a variety of places and manages to defy yet embrace multiple genres. Open Hand is a band that has been overlooked long enough and would be a great addition to any music fan's collection.

Motley Crue -- 'Red, White & Crue' greatest hits [review]

Motley Crue
"Red, White & Crue"
(Hip-O/Motley Records)


Since the band's first album, 1982's "Too Fast for Love," Motley Crue have been called everything from the bad-boys of metal to a hair band to washed up has-beens.

With all these labels to choose from, one thing is clear: Motley Crue is a venerable hard rock/metal band that has amassed an impressive back catalogue over it's 20 plus years in the business. And the band knows it too.

"Red, White and Crue" is only the newest of a handful of "hits" collections the band has released over the years. There was 1991's "Decade of Decadence," 1998's "Greatest Hits" collection, not one but two box sets of hits ("Music to Crash Your Car To") along with a collection of b-sides ("Supersonic and Demonic Relics") and a live set. With all these collections already floating around, what's the point of yet another one?

Well, not only is this the best of the greatest hits collections (barring the box sets), but there's also some new gems on here that any fan of the band would enjoy having in their collection. And as an introduction to the band, this set is simply amazing. Two discs long, "Red, White & Crue" is more of a chronological tour through the band's career, opening at '82's "Too Fast..." (though there is one older track) and travelling right through to 2000's "New Tattoo," closing with three new tracks (including a cover of Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man").

The set opens with "Live Wire," a song which somehow still manages to seem as relevant, energetic and "rockin'" as it did 23 years ago. "Piece of your Action" and "Too Fast for Love" also made the cut, but two other tracks from this era steal the spotlight here: 1981's "Toast of the Town," the band's first, independently-released single, and "Black Widow." "Toast..." is a track that didn't make the cut for the "Too Fast For Love" album (although it was added onto the re-release in 2003); "Black Widow" has not been available until now. While both are strong tracks, "Toast..." is the better of the two as "Black Widow" seems slightly repetitive (like the band was thinking of reworking it but never got around to actually doing it).

"Shout at the Devil" is well-represented here ("Looks That Kill," "Too Young to Fall in Love," the "Helter Skelter" cover and the title-track), while "Theatre of Pain" is all but ignored (only the "Smokin' in the Boys Room" cover and "Use it or Lose It").

Of course it wouldn't be a Crue collection without the stripper anthem "Girls Girls Girls." And along with "Wild Side" and "All in the Name of," the twisted and controversial (at the time) love song "You're All I Need" also made the cut.

Disc one closes with the "Dr. Feelgood" tracks: the rocking "Kickstart My Heart" and "Same Ol' Situation," the forced ballad "Without You," "Don't Go Away Mad" and finally, one of the band's biggest hits, "Dr. Feelgood."

Disc two picks up in the 90s, with the three newer cuts off the "Decade of Decadence" album (the "Anarchy in the U.K." cover, "Primal Scream" and the 1991 remix of "Home Sweet Home"). Surprisingly, the band included some John Corabi material (the band's front man in the mid-90s after Vince Neil was fired -- prior collections essentially ignored this time in the band's career). There's an edit of the bluesy rocker "Hooligan's Holiday" and version of "Misunderstood." Two instrumentals off the rare EP "Quaternary" release (the tecno-rocker "Planet Boom" and the bluesy "Bittersuite," the later of which begs the question why didn't the Crue do more instrumentals?) are also included.

Three tracks off the Neil welcome-back-album, "Generation Swine," are here. Included with the title-track are the lacking "Beauty" and oft-overlooked "Afraid" (albeit a different mix). The "new" tracks off the 1998 hits collection, "Bitter Pill" and "Enslaved," mark the final older recordings featuring drummer Tommy Lee. Two "New Tattoo" tracks (featuring the late Randy Castillo on drums) are tacked on just to represent that album ("Hell on High Heels" and the single version of "New Tattoo").

Then, the original line-up of the Crue recorded three new tracks for inclusion here, including the Nikki Sixx (Crue bassist) and Simple Plan penned "If I Die Tomorrow" and "Sick Love Song." "If I Die..." is the set's first radio single and, while there\'s discontented rumblings due to the Simple Plan tie-in, the song actually has a great sound, even if the lyrics are slightly lacking. As for "Sick Love Song," the track sounds good but sounds nothing like Motley Crue, the verses are pseudo-rapped while the chorus sounds like some new rock/metal band (though there is a cool Mick Mars solo on here so not all is lost). The disc closes with the Stones' cover.

Overall, this is a comprehensive overview of a more-than-noteworthy band that made various waves in the rock and metal scenes over the past 20 years. It's definitely a great collection and worthy of a recommendation.

American Head Charge -- 'The Feeding' [review]

American Head Charge
"The Feeding"
(DRT/Nitrus Records)


American Head Charge exploded out of the gates in 2001 with "The War of Art." The band, label-mates on American Recording with the likes of Slayer, scored a deafening hit, touring on Ozzfest and later on the Pledge of Allegiance tour with Slipknot (to name just a few). The album was a huge, thundering assault of metal -- a mix of Slayer riffs and Slipknot percussion, with a dose of keyboards and industrial edge.

Then, as big as the band seemed destined to be, things apparently (according to the band's press material) fell apart internally. Various members wrestled with internal demons and it would be almost four years before the band would re-surface with new material (though the song "Cowards" did show up on a compilation).

Well, that was a lengthy wait for fans of the Minneapolis-based seven-piece, but it seems to have been worth it. Of course, as with all things, there are notable changes in the band's sound.

During the interim, AHC left Rick Rubin's American Records, settling in at DRT/Nitrus. As a result, Rubin was not at the production helm this time around and it shows at times. In his place is Greg Fidelman, who had a hand in engineering "The War of Art."

The result: "The Feeding," an 11 track, tight, metallic offering clocking in just over 41 minutes.

"Loyalty" opens the disc with a false sense of bombast before Martin Cock settles into a more subdued vocal mode and the song slows down substantially. Of course, the song still features a pretty solid, pounding chorus (and bridge for that matter), but it's evident from this first track that there's something ever so slightly different this time around.

"Pledge Allegiance" is a more straightforward metal offering from the band, something more akin to what fans may have been expecting from the group. But even this track eventually evolves into a hollow dirge mid-way through (though the band does a good job of rescuing the thing before the final screams), for some reason sounding more like an older Marilyn Manson song than something like a Slayer/Slipknot/Ministry hybrid (like anything off "The War of Art").

While "Ridicule" may be the best song off AHC's new album, it's nothing like the initial groundwork the band had laid prior to this effort. It's full of fantastic tempo-changes, haunting vocals and chilling melodies. Yet, there's also a hefty helping of intensity and seething anger. With this one track AHC manages to prove it still has a relevant place in the metal community. The juxtaposition of the subtle guitar work and gentle singing with the screaming verses and chug-a-chug musical assault works very well here.

"Take What I've Taken" (and, to a lesser extent, "Fiend") shows the band still wants to keep a foot firmly planted in the industrial genre. In fact, the song sort of sneaks up on the listener as, at first, you are just nodding along to a subtle track but realize that, by the end, you are fully pulled into the song.

"Dirty" seems to fully encapsulate what "The Feeding" is all about: The song opens strong and has some killer verses and a great melodic, echoing bridge, but the chorus is a crazy, stutter-stop of "dirt, so dirty, dirt ... di-di-dirty!" As ridiculous as the chorus sounds the first time you hear it, the band somehow manages to make you believe in it ... it pulls it off either by completely giving in to it, or simply through sheer will ... and you almost want to chant along by the end.

Unlike many metal releases (even AHC's "War of Art"), the "meat" of the disc lies in the middle tracks. "The Feeding" takes it time to get started through the first couple of songs, but by the time the band kicks into "Ridicule" it settles into a strong groove that doesn't let up until the final few songs (most albums front load the best material and by track seven you start to get bored -- that's not to say there aren't good tracks, just that you tire of the material).

In the end fans are left with a nice little metal album. Maybe not the intense, killer follow-up "The War of Art" seemed to promise, but a nice solid album all the same.

Nirvana -- 'With the Lights Out' box set [review]

Nirvana
"With the Lights Out"
(DGC Records)


More than 10 years since the death of the band's front man led to an abrupt end of the group, Nirvana fans finally got their hands on a "holy grail" of sorts: a four disc box set of the groups demos, hard-to-find songs and other rare material.

I really want to love this set. When you first take a look at the contents, you can't help but think this is the best box set to ever be released -- there's just so much material included. But is the wealth of the sonic offerings really enough to sell "With the Lights Out?"

It's a real catch 22 when you look at it ...

On one hand, it would seem to be a fan's most treasured wish: to hear all the songs you grown to love stripped down to their barest forms in some cases; to be able to actually hear a song's progression from acoustic demo to rough track to finished product. Sprinkle in some obscure live tracks and some noteworthy b-sides and you should have a hit on your hands.

It depends on which side of the fence you're looking at this from.

Diehard Nirvana fans should, in theory, be chomping at the bit for something like this. For more casual listeners, it's something to easily overlook. In reality, this is simply a large collection of sub-par recordings that, for the most part, were never meant to be released. And that is the conundrum when you really take a look at this set.

Sure, it's fun to hear an early version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or "Rape Me," to hear how the lyrics evolved over time, to see how Cobain and Co. modified the song structures ... but ultimately you're just reminded of the strength of the actual songs and would rather just listen to those.

The initial excitement over hearing something like the acoustic tracks "Beans" or "Clean Up Before She Comes" is soon replaced (after a couple of listens) with a sense of "how often will I really want to listen to something this rough?"

Don't get me wrong, there are some gems here.

On the second disc, outtakes like "Oh the Guilt," "Return of the Rat" and "Old Age" are welcome additions to a fan's collection (for those who hadn't already tracked these songs down). Cobain's solo offering of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (which showed up as a live rendition on the "Unplugged" disc) is a nice gem among the collection.

Disc 3 kicks off with two versions of "Rape Me," an acoustic track with weak vocals, and a more polished demo. The acoustic version sounds more like Cobain still trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to do with the song. The demo is much more lively as the song was really starting to take shape at this point. As a bonus, baby Cobain can be heard (intentionally I'm thinking), crying in the background at various points throughout the song, a nice touch.

The demo of "Scentless Apprentice" is much more raw than the track that eventually found its way onto "In Utero." The whole song sounds like a pretty good jam session, though, it should be noted that the overall sound is almost more Foo Fighters (Grohl's eventual band) instead of Nirvana.

There's interesting acoustic versions of "Serve the Servants," "Very Ape" (sans lyrics with mumbling) and "Pennyroyal Tea" (which was surprising near-completion).

As for "Heart Shaped Box," this is another instance of Cobain still exploring for just the right lyrics ("I wish I could eat your cancer when I get sick;" "Locked in heart-shaped coffins"). The same goes for "Milk It" or "M.V." (a song that wasn't that accessible to being with, I was actually surprised they included a demo of the track instead of the finished version).

Though it isn't labeled as such (read: demo), "I Hate Myself and Want to Die" doesn't sound like the version that eventually went public, unlike "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" and "Marigold" (probably the crown jewel of songs that never made it on official Nirvana release with Grohl on vocals), which are pretty much the versions that showed up on international release and b-sides. Same goes for "Sappy" (also known as "Verse Chorus Verse") though the demo was on disc 2.

The most interesting aspects of the set as a whole, is not only the ability to see the songs develop over time, but to see the band actually attempt to fully realize songs. Watching Cobain take "Rape Me" from an acoustic mish-mosh to a raw demo and then to the finished track (on "In Utero") is something fans of bands are rarely able to experience. Then, on top of that, listening to something like "Other Improv" (off disc 3), obviously a glimpse of the band trying to find a song, is just amazing to be able to experience.

On the flip side, how many people really want to pull out demo material when they're in the mood to listen to music. When this set is, musically, over 70 minutes of material spaced out over three discs, one can't help but think there was some way to shorten things a little.

In the end, you are able to say that this is a fantastic look into the inner working of a band, but much like a history book is an interesting look into, well, history. Do you get something out of reading the book? Yes. Do you want to read it over and over? Maybe. "With the Lights Out" is the musical equivalent of a Nirvana text book. It's something that is worth listening to ... at least once in a while. It's just that the really good tracks are spaced out amongst the rawer material, which makes this something only Nirvana diehards would really be interested in.