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Deceased - Surreal Overdose |
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Written by Liu
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Saturday, 16 July 2011 13:21 |
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Shrieks From The Hearse Records
Sometimes, good things come to those who wait. This is a philosophy one must have if you are a Deceased fanatic. Their last album, As The Weird Travel On, was delivered six years ago and was perhaps the most underrated album of 2005. Several things have changed in that time, most notably the retirement of guitarist Mark Adams from music altogether. The band finally found the time this year to regroup and put to tape their next death metal monstrosity.
This is death metal done right. Deceased have their own niche within the genre, one that doesn't really have classification. They may be heavier than that fat girl you once took home, but they aren't brutal death metal. They have enough melody to make Dave Murray and Adrian Smith smile, yet they certainly do not belong in the melodic death metal genre. They possess intricacies and nuances, but don't string together riff after riff after riff mindlessly like many in the technical death metal genre. No, Deceased is above all that nonsense. They are just Deceased, death metal as it should be, presented as is and with no apologies.
Surreal Overdose is probably their most manic album since Luck Of The Corpse. The tunes are fast and in your face, with the aggression amped up from their last two albums. As soon as Skin Crawling Progress begins, you are assaulted with a barrage of riffs and then King Fowley's menacing vocals. He wastes no time in narrating his chilling tales of horror and doom. It's amazing that he never gets short of breath as he goes through his horrid tomes. King is also back behind the drum kit, sitting it out the last time due to complications with a blood clot that almost ended the maniac. It doesn't sound like he's lost a step either. He's all over the kid like a madman, sounding much more natural and fluent than a lot of the protools assisted hitters out there. |
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Last Updated on Saturday, 16 July 2011 14:12 |
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Read the full review [Deceased - Surreal Overdose]
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Iron Maiden - April 14, 2011 |
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Written by Liu
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Monday, 18 April 2011 16:03 |
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Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier World Tour April 14, 2011 Coliseo De Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico w/ Aura Azul
Local heavy metal band Aura Azul opened for the night. The venue was still about at only a fifth of its capacity when they hit the stage, but even then it was still probably the largest crowd that the band has ever played in front of. They possessed lots of energy and they captivated the crowd, most of which probably didn't even know that there was a vibrant local scene. Lead vocalist Edgar impressed many with his voice and commanded everyone's attention. The band's blatant Maiden inspiration shined through, from Hommy's guitar solos to Emma's galloping bass playing. They silenced any critics they had (who probably had never even heard a single note of their music) and there's no doubt that the young band left making many new fans.
After a half hour, Aura Azul closed their set and about 20 minutes later, the lights went dark....
Before I continue, let's rewind a bit, to 3 years ago. It was March 12, 2008 and Iron Maiden returned to the island after 16 years on their Somewhere Back In Time world tour. It was their second nostalgia tour, focusing largely on the Powerslave to Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son albums, with select songs from earlier albums and one sole post-90's song (Fear Of The Dark). So basically the setlist was all classics and fan approval was across the board. This time around they are on tour supporting their fifteenth studio album, The Final Frontier. Many bands who tour in support of new studio albums are perfectly content in just playing two or three songs from the album and then pack the rest of the set with classics. Iron Maiden is no such band. They always play a minimum of 5 songs from each album they are supporting (and in the case of their previous album, 2006's A Matter Of Life And Death, they played the whole fucking thing). Clearly they believe in their own material and stand behind it. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 18 April 2011 18:48 |
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Read the full review [Iron Maiden - April 14, 2011]
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Babylon Rising Festival w/ Rotting Christ - April 16, 2011 |
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Written by Liu
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Monday, 18 April 2011 16:06 |
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Babylon Rising Festival: Rotting Christ, Infernaeon, Generichrist and Death Legion April 16, 2011 La Repuesta, Santurce, Puerto Rico
Start time on the ticket said 7pm, but as usual the doors weren't open to the waiting crowd until a little before 9pm. Last month at the Saetith show the start time was delayed for two hours because two of the opening bands hadn't arrived yet. This time it was because the venue security had yet to arrive. It's always something, heh.
Death Legion was the first to hit the stage. You've probably never heard of them because this was their first ever gig in front of a crowd and they left quite an impression. The Puerto Rican band played a form of blackened death metal and set the tone for everything else that would transpire throughout the night. The band wore masks that made it look like they had dried mud on their faces with spikes sticking out. It was an interesting look. Despite being their first gig, they already possessed a tight sound that suggested that they've been around for far longer than they really have.
Up next was Generichrist from Tampa, Florida. Their sound can best be described as a mix between death metal, grindcore and thrash. All of their songs were quick jabs to the face, packed with intensity and anger. Lively song titles like Extinction Of The Jesus Freaks and My Lovely Whore gives you an idea of what the band is about. Their set was short and to the point, with vocalist Tony Anderson refusing to stand still, moving around the stage like a man possessed and with a purpose. That purpose of course was to bludgeon the senses of all who stood before them. They succeeded.
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Last Updated on Monday, 18 April 2011 18:48 |
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Read the full review [Babylon Rising Festival w/ Rotting Christ - April 16, 2011]
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Satanic Warmaster - Nachzehrer |
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Written by Philip
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Tuesday, 12 April 2011 21:07 |
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Werewolf Records
Satanic Warmaster has always been about
tradition, and has long been the perfect embodiment of all that is pure, true,
classic black metal. From Satanic Tyrant Werewolf’s raspy, feral vocals and
raw, savage, and grim guitars to the black and white imagery of occult and
folkloric evil, everything about Satanic Warmaster has been consistently
executed to precise black metal aesthetic for over ten years. Never has Finland’s
finest considered changing it up for mass appeal, or thought about throwing
something new into the mix to broaden the sound. From the beginning the mission
of Satanic Warmaster was just this: stay true to what black metal always has
been and always will be. In addition to this mission, which is not necessarily
explicitly stated but has been implied over this career is this: release
consistently fantastic black metal that puts others to shame. The mission
continues to be accomplished.
Five years passed between the last Satanic
Warmaster full length and the latest offering, Nachzehrer (a German vampire-zombie that consumes the dead). Over
that time there were no shortage of limited edition compilations, splits, and
EPs released under the Satanic Warmaster name, but a full length of new
material was becoming long overdue. |
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Last Updated on Sunday, 17 April 2011 00:35 |
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Read the full review [Satanic Warmaster - Nachzehrer]
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