American Head Charge -- 'The War of Art' [classic review]

American Head Charge
"The War of Art"
(American Recordings)


"I think we probably put a little more thought into arrangements and I think we put a lot of thought into sonics, layering, melody, counter-melody, tempo changes and mood changes. You know you put on a record and the first song sounds like the second and the fourth sounds like the seventh song. Why even make a record? Why don't you just make a single? I'd like to believe our record kinda does this (gestures a peak and valleys motion). We got different moods and textures."

-- American Head Charge bassist Chad Hanks

Give seven guys some guitars, amps and drums, throw in some samples and a heavy dose of metal and industrial noise, and you're left with American Head Charge.

The group's debut album, "The War of Art," was quite literally a wall of sound.

From the opening, foreboding samples on "A Violent Reaction," you can tell you're in for a gritty, down and dirty ride filled with metal mayhem. Martin Cock is a sort of twisted master of ceremonies, growling through track after track with abandon. Each track bleeds into one another, barely giving the listener time to come up for air.

"Pushing the Envelope," with its machine-gun stutter-stop chorus, is one of the most abrasive tracks released in the past decade. Even when the band lets up for a moment (like the keyboard opening of "Song for the Suspect") the relief is short lived. Every track seethes with an abundance of emotion (check out the "Never get caught..." vocal bridge on the song of the same title).

In short, American Head Charge put together a turgid blend of unflinching metal and industrial haze. And with 16 tracks, the band hardly gave up an inch or cut things too short ... this is a full (read: long) album of material that fails to find a niche or ever get boring.

Biohazard -- 'Kill or Be Killed' [classic review]

Biohazard
"Kill or Be Killed"
(Sanctuary)


The album clocks in a little over half an hour, but what a trip. What "Kill or Be Killed" lacks in length, it makes up for with pure Biohazard punch. The band crafted an album that pulled the foundation from the early New York hardcore scene (the heavy, slow, down-tuned riffs) and mixed it with a punk attitude, not in sound, but in attitude. The songs are hard-hitting and to the point.

The group's sound is instantly recognizable -- the ominous riffs, the foreboding sound, the juxtaposed vocals (Seinfield's guttural groans against Billy Graziadei's higher-pitched yells), the bass-heavy grind of each song with everything pulled together by the double-bass drum kicks.

The album opens with "Never Forgive, Never Forget," a pit-anthem if ever there was one (on par with the band's most venomous anthem, "Authority"). The kill or be killed theme runs through the album, mentioned in this track and continued on the title-track (obviously). Throughout the album the band has this knack of steamrolling ahead from track to track, putting the perfect hook into each song to make you long for more. Not only that, but the band manages to change things up enough to prevent the album from becoming redundant or boring. Both of these elements were lacking on earlier (read: mid-career) material.

The one-two crunch of "Never Forgive ..." and "Kill..." is prime Biohazard material, the band switches it up with "Heads Kicked In" (a slower, more deliberate assault) and "Beaten Senseless" (probably the closest the band has ever gotten to hardcore). From there the band never lets up; "World on Fire," the crush of "Make My Stand," the drowning riffs of album closer "Hallowed Ground." In the end, it all ends too fast but leaves an indelible mark on the listener.

Slayer -- 'Diabolus in Musica' [classic review]

Slayer
"Diabolus in Musica"
(American Recording)


Few can string together a metal album like Slayer. A streamlined power-punch of rhythm and a crushing wall of drums, intermingling with intense sociopolitical influenced vocals. Tom Arraya in still album to string together a violent string of choked vocals as good as the foreboding bass riffs he supplies to the band. Add to the proceedings one of the best guitar duos in metal (six-string god Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman) and the vastly underrated drumming skills of Paul Bostaph and what do you expect? Nothing short of "the devil's music."

King's minor key riffs seethe with a sense of foreboding and fans wouldn't want it any other way. The one-two attack opening of "Bitter Peace" and "Death's Head" is one of the best openings of a metal album (ever!). "Bitter Peace" begins with slow, plodding drumming and down-tuned guitar that slowly pick up steam before plowing into the opening riff. King's guitar riffs mid-way through the track are particularly venomous. The track abruptly comes to an end, giving way to the "Death's Head" rumble of heavy bass and guitars opening.

The rest of the album is no slouch either: from the bludgeoning force of "In the Name of God" to the incendiary cry of "Stain of Mind," if it weren't for Slayer classics like "Reign in Blood" and "Seasons in the Abyss," this would be the focal point of the band's storied career. Instead, as it stands, "Diabolus" is simply another reason Slayer is one of the most noteworthy and influential metal bands of all time.

Black Label Society -- '1919 Eternal' [classic review]

Black Label Society
"1919 Eternal"
(Spitfire Records)


"Take a bunch of pissed-off Rottweilers that have been in the cage, a bunch of ravens, some skulls and chains, violence, alcohol, some Sabbath, and you got the new album."

-- Zakk Wylde on "1919 Eternal"

If ever there was an album filled to the breaking point with a completely no-nonsense approach to metal, this would be it. From the opening choke of "Bleed for Me," it's clear Black Label Society is interested in taking no prisoners. Wylde has perfected his specific approach to the rock-metal hybrid BLS favors.

"Bleed for Me," "Lords of Destruction," "Demise of Sanity" ... each song is constructed with a simple, repetitive riff and verse-chorus-verse approach. The band isn't interested in over-tech-ing its sound. This isn't rocket science, it simple balls-out metal. However, the monotony is completely destroyed by the insane solos Wylde heaps upon each and every track, and the ease at which each mind-bending twist and riff flows out of the speakers is exactly why Wylde is metal's new guitar god.

BLS isn't afraid to take it down a couple of notches either. The melancholic "Bridge to Cross" is a slow-burn affair that oozes with emotion. And forget (the overrated) Jimi Hendrix's version of the "Star Spangled Banner," if ever there was to be a new national anthem, how could you not choose Wylde's unforgiving "America the Beautiful." Instantly poignant and unforgettably beautiful, Wylde's guitar work never sounds more crisp and clear.

Wylde is backed up by a competent group, including Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo on a handful of tracks, but this album is really the Zakk Wylde show.

The beauty of "1919" is that Wylde was still finding his singing voice and thus wasn't afraid to vary the tempo or cadance from time to time. Over the past couple of years, he's taken to emulating Osbourne on any of the band's louder songs. "1919" was that one moment ... where the band was just starting to blossom into what it was to become. There's the hard-hitting anthems, the melancholic moments, the killer cover and one of the best metal songs of the past 10 years, the bludgeoning "Battering Ram."

Wylde and BLS took what "1919" was and continued to build and improve upon the formula. "The Blessed Hellride" is killer, "Mafia" is a classic in its own right, but this was where it all started to come together. "1919" isn't a debut, it isn't an underground sensation, it's simply a band finally coming into focus.

Unearth -- 'The Oncoming Storm' [classic review]

Unearth
"The Oncoming Storm"
(Metal Blade Records)


"It was the first time we ever really pre-produced before a record. We've never really had the chance to pick and choose what we liked before we recorded anything so it made the record turn out better. The album sounds a whole lot better because we had more money to do it. Anybody could really make a better album with more money to work with, but Adam gave us a great price on it and worked really hard to make it sound like it does. Everyone always asks "What's it like to work with Adam D.?" and honestly, it's great, he's one of my best friends and it was really cool. The thing is, we went and did all of the dirty work and everything, and Adam just made it sound like the greatest thing we could do. Everything turned out really cool."

-- Unearth guitarist Ken Susi on recording "The Oncoming Storm"

While Unearth's sound can comes across as epic and expansive, it's really pretty simple in terms of the song construction. Rather than crafting complicated structures and patterns (think Tool or, for a more metal feel, something like Meshuggah), the band opts to go for the throat quick. That's not to say the sound is simple, rather the manner in which the band makes its music. There's the solid riffs, the twin-guitar attacks, the machine-gun drumming and crushing groove of the bass. The band likes it's hardcore breakdowns and serves up plenty. Along the way, Trevor Phipps attacks the vocals with a callous abandon, but keeps from going too far over the "guttural" edge with his screams. Sure, he might not offer up the melodic breaks like Killswitch's Howard Jones, but there's always that subtle hint of melody just under the surface.

When Unearth serves up epic, it does so in style. Songs like "Zombie Autopilot" and "Bloodlust of the Human Condition" just tumble over and over again, expanding with each passing second. The band isn't shy with the anthemic riffs either. "Predetermined Sky" opens up a metallic surge of energy and, as an aside, the song almost perfectly encapsulates the band's dual personalities as it unfolds as a metal goliath but stumbles to a hardcore dirge by the close. In fact, the band pulls off the same feat on "Lie to Purify."

Along the way other elements of the genre are thrown in for good measure, whether it be some European flavor ("Failure"), speed metal ("False Idols") or something more American and completely destructive ("This Lying World").

Unlike other albums that instantly pulled me into a web, "The Oncoming Storm" doesn't unfold as a masterpiece, it simply is one. You can jump in at any point throughout the record and be hooked. And the group doesn't build from one song to the next, it simply offers up a barrage at any given moment. Even the piano interlude "Aries" has some sort of unique charm that manages to instantly intrigue.

While Unearth has undoubtedly paid its dues, the band still seemed to explode onto the metal scene out of nowhere. The group created a template that has been stolen and emulated time and time again, which is impressive given the group's relatively young age in the genre. Unearth has carved out a nice little niche for itself on the North American metal community and seems eager and willing to offer up more. I'm not sure how much influence going out on tours with bands that incorporate more melody into the metal proceedings could have affected the way the group chose to tackle it's next album. While it seems the band has a great work ethic and solid chops to back up any claims of greatness, one has to wonder how much Adam D's production added to what became "The Oncoming Storm." If he's on board will a follow-up simply be "Storm 2?" And if not, will someone else still be able to steer the band to another classic?

Rob Zombie -- 'Hellbilly Deluxe' [classic review]

Rob Zombie
"Hellbilly Deluxe"
(Geffen Records)


"After your first success you never know if it's going to be you last one. After having finally reached a wide audience you have no idea what that audience thinks, or what they expect - it's kinda weird."

-- Rob Zombie

"Hellbilly Deluxe" is the perfect encapsulation of everything that was right with White Zombie. The album is a full-on metal assault of chugging riffs, head-spinning beats and classic Zombie charm.

The album is full of rock/metal staples, hits and fan-favorites: the explosive opener "Superbeast" that is a huge hit during the live shows; the chug-a-chug rumble of "Demenoid Phenomenon" and "What Lurks on Channel X"; the hit singles "Living Dead Girl" and "Dragula."

Zombie had perfected the sound he was creating with White Zombie, a blend of sleazy rock and twisted metal, a hint of industrial noise, churning rhythms and some occasional sampling. The whole amalgam is spiced up with a cult-horror flavor, whether it be the lyrics or the samples (even some of the riffs start to sound like organ chords).

While the music Zombie is creating isn't exactly anything new, he is able to put his own subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) spin on it and make it truly his own. Long-time fans have more than enough to love here; new fans will be instantly hooked with the unique melodies and cult imagery.

Following "Hellbilly Deluxe," Zombie began to expand his sound. The "Sinister Urge" was still a strong outing, but taken as a whole the album had its share of hit-or-miss moments. (As it turns out, Zombie was experiencing a little burnout at this point and internal struggles with his band was making his music life "seem more like work" than usual.) With a new band in place, Zombie felt rejuvenated -- this year's "Educated Horses" takes the fundamental Zombie sound and tempers it with a classic rock feel.

Zombie is also spending more and more time making movies. With "House of 1,000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects" already under his belt, the modern-day auteur is working on a full-length animated feature and is rumored to take the helm of "Halloween 9."

Still, whenever the whim hits, Zombie is sure to offer up more spooky-metal for the masses.