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40 Grit – Nothing to Remember |
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Written by Chris Slack
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Sunday, 15 June 2008 15:23 |
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The promo photo sent along with the CD had me worrying about just what sort of music this was going to be. The guys sport short hair, goatees, and one even has the spiky dyed blond hair. I’m not one to judge fully by appearance but 40 Grit looks like just about any of the so called “Nu-Metal” bands that are all over MTV these days. I still had hopes for the CD though, after all Metal Blade has been one of the labels at the forefront of the metal scene for 20 years now.
The album starts out with a promising intro then breaks into a fairly catchy rocker titled “No Giving In”. Nothing too flashy to be found here, simplistic riffs, semi-growly vocals and some decent hooks fill out the 2:40 track. Track 3, “Bomb Bottom”, made me fairly pessimistic about the whole thing, more simplistic riffs, clean almost rapping vocals, and your standard mid-to-slow drum beats. The fourth song, “Only Human” is more of the same. “Last Time Around” is a bit better, with a fairly interesting picked riff carrying the song along, at least until it breaks into the chugga chugga chorus. The track reminds me of Pearl Jam meets Linkin Park or something else along those lines, I’m sure you all know what I mean. The rest of the album carries along in the same style so I’ll spare you the details. The album comes with a good quality MPG video of the track “Only Human”.
To me it seems that Metal Blade is going for a slice of the modern hard rock pie by putting out this release. The album has radio written all over it, nothing really innovative or threatening going on anywhere during the course of the album, just catchy hard rock that at times borders on being heavy. I must admit that 40 Grit writes some catchy songs and are very good at what they do, it’s just that the material is just a little to clean and commercial for my tastes. My girlfriend probably should have reviewed the album as she really likes it (she also enjoys bands like Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed, and so on) but she doesn’t like writing so it wasn’t an option. If you like bands like those I just mentioned you’ll probably enjoy this CD but if you’re looking for something really heavy stay away from it, far away.
Addendum 03/17/2003: I just had the pleasure of listening to 40 Grit's first album "Heads". It is MUCH heavier and more metal than the new one. Hopefully they will get back to the heaviness come time to record the next album, they are definitely capable of it.
For info on the band and some audio samples check out http://www.40grit.com/.
Track list:
01. Intro
02. No Giving In
03. Bomb Bottom
04. Only Human
05. Last Time Around
06. Pieces
07. Because of You
08. Nothing to Remember
09. Serenity Reigns
10. Higher Tide
11. A Part of Me
12. Taken Aside
13. Pull Out
(Metal Blade Records) Rating: 5 /10 |
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Corporation 187 - Perfection in Pain |
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Written by Chris Slack
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Sunday, 15 June 2008 15:22 |
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The band started out in 1995 as a Slayer tribute band, playing local shows throughout Sweden. This lasted until 1998 when Corporation 187 was officially born. Like fellow Swedes The Haunted, Corporation 187 chooses to play heavy thrash metal instead of the melodic death metal the country seems to be best known for. In February of 2000 their first album, “Subliminal Fear” was released.
Their latest CD, “Perfection in Pain” follows the same heavy thrash course as their debut but is enhanced substantially by the Mille Petrozza-like vocals of Filip Carlsson who ironically played bass for the group in the Slayer tribute days. Production is thick and clear, possibly due to the Abyss Studios mix by Hypocrisy’s Peter Tatgren. It’s hard to compare the band to any other as the sound is very original, blending breakneck aggression with subltle melodies and virtuoso soloing. From the opener of “Religious Connection” (“I hate your paradiiiiisssse”) to the closer of “The Joy of Being Addicted” Corporation 187 completely kicks the figurative ass of the listener.
Track listing:
1. Religious Connection
2. Ghosts of Confusion
3. Liquid Truth
4. My Life to Kill
5. Thursday Night Aggression
6. Perfection in Pain
7. 2nd Pain
8. Strange is Strong
9. Violated Relation
10. The Joy of Being Addicted
(Earache/Wicked World) Rating: 8 /10 |
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Symphorce - phorcefulAhead |
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Written by Chris Slack
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Sunday, 15 June 2008 15:22 |
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This is the third full-length release from Germany’s Symphorce, founded in 1998 by vocalist Andy B. Franck so he could write songs "straight from the heart, right into your face”. Their 1999 debut on Noise Records, “Truth to Promises”, received enough acclaim to land them a spot touring with Mercyful Fate in 1999. After picking up a new guitarist and bassist in 2000 they released another album on Noise in 2000 titled “Sinctuary” which was hailed by many as being one of the most important releases of the year. Since I’m not one to follow power metal too closely I missed out on both. Two years later the band headed into the House of Music Studios to record their Metal Blade debut “phorcefulAhead”, the album blasting out of my speakers right now. While the album was released late in 2002 in Europe, US power metal fans have had to wait until early 2003 to get an earful of it.
I’m not the biggest fan of power metal so I was somewhat apprehensive when it came to first listening to this disc and was quite surprised to find that the album was a lot heavier than I had expected. Andy B Franck’s vocal style reminds me of a mix between Warrel Dane (Nevermore) and Geoff Tate (Queensryche) and Rob Halford (Judas Priest) but with a style quite his own. While they are very clear and melodic they’re much more powerful than the majority of power metal vocals these days which, as a rule, sound rather effeminate to me. Cedric "Cede" Dupont and Markus Pohl are serious shredders and lay down blistering solos throughout the album. The thing that makes the solos stand out is that while they are complex and demonstrate a lot of talent, they actually complement the rest of the instruments and sound as if they belong. Certain people could “unleash the fuckin’ fury” and take a lesson or two in arrangements from these guys! The bass and drums don’t seem to be written to be particularly technical but provide a solid backdrop for the guitars and vocals, the true stars of the Symphorce show. The production on “phorcefulAhead”, engineered by Achim Köhler (Primal Fear, Brainstorm, Sinner), is nice and heavy with a thick guitar sound and deep bass. That in itself adds a lot of enjoyment for me since a lot of the more melodic metal bands seem to favor a tinnier guitar sound with less mid-range tones.
“phorcefulAhead” is a band that lends me faith in a genre whose bands usually fail to do a lot for me. I think anyone who is a fan of power metal would enjoy this band a lot. Hell, any metalhead who digs stuff like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Nevermore, and so on should give this a try, a pleasant surprise will more than likely be in store as this is fits more into the heavy metal genre than the power metal genre.
Track listing:
01. Speak My Mind
02. Unbroken
03. Slow Down
04. Longing Home
05. Moving In Circles
06. Falling Through Again
07. Your Blood, My Soul
08. Rage of Violence
09. Touched and Infected
10. Nothin' Left
11. Where Night Returns (Demo '02)
12. Force Fed (Demo '02)
13. In Times Of Grief (Demo '02)
(Metal Blade) Rating: 9 /10 |
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Amon Amarth - Versus the World |
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Written by Chris Slack
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Sunday, 15 June 2008 15:21 |
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This is the fourth full length album from Sweden’s Amon Amarth. It’s already out in Europe but it takes longer for us to get this stuff in the USA. Early word on the album had the band mellowing substantially and taking a more commercial approach to their Viking death metal bordering on hard rock. Those reports couldn’t have been more wrong!
The album is almost exclusively mid-paced death metal that remains heavy while still managing to convey emotions. Musicianship is solid throughout, proficient yet never delving into guitar god style wankerness. Vocals are harsh and gravelly, yet clear enough to make out a lot of the lyrics. Visions of Viking ships, stormy seas and epic battles with hammers, swords, and axes come to mind when listening to Versus the World. Here’s a breakdown of the album, song by song:
1. Death in Fire: good selection for an opening track, melodic yet still remaining heavy. Some of the riffing reminds me of a death metal version of Dissection.
2. For the Stabwounds in Our Backs: This track is a bit more reminiscent of the current crop of Swedish death metal (In Flames, dark tranquility, etc) yet not as happy or upbeat. The melodic aspect is still there, it’s just heavier!
3. Where Silent Guards Stand Guard: Builds nicely with drums that remind me of an army preparing for battle, then levels out with a simplistic chuggy rhythm that seems made for headbanging. Subtle yet emotional soloing is the highlight of this track; it’s nice to get this kind of emotion from a death metal band without having it sound cheesy.
4. Vs the World: Another song seemingly written for doing battle by. The battles fought to Amon Amarth music would be longer, more painful, and more grisly than the swift destruction suggested by more traditional war metal. This is heavy stuff here folks and almost doomy at times. The fans at the shows will definitely be singing along with this one!
5. Across the Rainbow Bridge: No happiness here, this track is full of depressive melancholic heaviness. The depressiveness of the song leaves one feeling sorrow but never hopeless, knowing that death is imminent yet the path to Asgard is still in sight.
6. Down the Slopes of Death: Another tale of a mighty Viking warrior headed out to his final battle. When one listens to this song they can easily see him charging forward on his steed, axe drawn high and ready to spill the blood of his foes.
7. Thousand Years of Oppression: This one build up from a simple riff backed by cymbals into a thundering mid tempoed melodic fury. Spoken vocals in the beginning and end sections insinuate the telling of an ancient tale. I read the lyrics to speak of the Christian oppression of those following the ways of nature via guilt and lies.
8. Bloodshed: Another great sing along battle epic! Out of all the tracks on this album Johan Hegg’s vocals are probably the strongest here. Powerful stuff!
9. ...And Soon the World Will Cease to Be: The song starts out with a melodic, almost peaceful riff that breaks into angry single-string picking. This is yet another track that would be a great one to do battle by, melodic, energetic and full of anger.
This is one fucking GREAT album, if you like the Swedish sound but could use a little more anger and aggression this album is for you. People who have enjoyed the albums from the middle of Hypocrisy’s discography will eat this up!
Versus the World will be first released in a “Viking Edition” (digipak in Europe), containing a bonus album featuring the following songs:
Siegreicher Marsch (New recording of Victorious March in German)
From the MCD, remastered:
Sorrow Throughout the Nine worlds
Arrival of the Fimbul Winter
Burning Creation
Mighty Doors of the Spearguards Hall
Under the Greyclouded Winter Sky
Second Demo:
Arrival of the Fimbul Winter
Burning Creation
Without Fear
First (never released) Demo:
Risen from the Sea
Atrocious Humanity
Army of Darkness
Thor Arise
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
(Metal Blade) Rating: 9 /10 |
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The County Medical Examiners - Forensic Fugues and Medicolegal Medleys |
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Written by Insane Wayne
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Sunday, 15 June 2008 15:20 |
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Okay, I know it's been awhile since my last review and all; to make a long story short, my computer went haywire with some virus and I had to get it repaired (had to reset my cookie acceptance level to get back on here too). Anyway, what I have in my hot little hand is the full length album from The County Medical Examiners. I've been tracking these guys (and girl) since their three song demo. Finally after a year and a half wait, we finally get a full-length from these pathological sickos. Were my expectations met? They were...and then some. If you admired the glory days of Reek of Putrefaction and Symphonies of Sickness era Carcass, this is definately a CD to check out. The lyrics are the best part about this; medical terminology straight from the textbooks courtesy of two medical school graduates, and one med school student. 12 tracks in just over 30 minutes which to me is the perfect full length album. If there was a band that could keep the memory of Carcass alive, it's definately The County Medical Examiner. I urge anyone who loves gory pathological grind to buy this CD, it's well worth your 11 to 14 bucks.
Track Listing
-Autopsy Suite
-Medicocriminal Entimology
-Vitreous Humor
-Epicedium for Epidermal Slippage
-NH2(CH2)4NH2 & C5 H15 N2 (Putrescene and Cadaverine)
-Organ Harvest (The Anatomical Gift Act)
-Rigor Mortis: Posthumous Muscular Rigidity
-Algor Mortis: The Linear Rate of Cadaveric Cooling
-Livor Mortis: Gravitational Blood Pooling
-Pugulistic Burn Postures
-Y-Shaped Thoracoabdominal Incision
-Y=1285/X
Razorback Records
http://www.razorback records.com
The County Medical Examiners Official Website
http://www.thecountymedicalexaminers.com
(Razorback Records) Rating: 10 /10 |
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