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.