Album Reviews

[ODShowtime]

That's interesting. I wonder if VH was under similar label control early on regarding their music. Didn't they pretty much get chicken winged into turning Down In Flames into a cover of You're No Good? I guess in many respects, all acts have to bend to the hand that feeds.

Well, they at least had Ted Templeman producing, and he knew what he was talking about. Dave wanted to sell records. There are ways to do that without selling out. I haven't heard that much of Halestorm so I don't know but its a shame they supposedly rock out hard in concert these days and can't do a good album. My guess is that the guitar player is not the strongest politically since he's not in the family, so he's not boss hoggin' anything and I'd bet the drummer will do whatever the singer says since they're (little) brother and sister.

[binnie]

My guess is that they had too many outside songwriters thrust upon them. As I said in the review, I stopped counting at 14.

When you're not in control of your songs, it's easy to be steered into other territories.

[binnie]

Children Of Bodom – Halo Of Blood (2013)

As they settle into middle-age (in band terms, rather than personally – they’ve been going for nigh-on two decades) it is a little redundant to expect Children Of Bodom to demonstrate revelatory growth or dramatic sonic change on a new record. ‘Halo Of Blood’ sounds exactly like what anyone familiar with COB will expect it to sound like: a blend of thrash, power, and extreme metal glued together with some irresistably infectious pop dynamics. The latter has long been COB’s left-hook to the jaw – approaching extreme metal with a hearty sense of fun, and a full-tilt rock ‘n’ roll dynamic in the lyrics, this is a band that doesn’t want to enter a ‘heavy for the sake of it’ or ‘more mysanthropic than thou’ competition. Injecting aspects of extreme metal into songs which adopt a conventional verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, they serve up the best bits of classic metal and extreme metal – anthemic sensibility and extreme aggression, respectively – without a hint of compromise.

The return to more overt displays of virtuosity on ‘Relentless, Reckless, Forever’ (2011) was heralded with shit-eating grins by many fans, and ‘Halo Of Blood’ continues the trend. Alexi Laiho shreds all over this record, and underscores his status as one of the premiere axemen of his generation, with ‘Bodom Blues Moon’ being particularly flamboyant. But it’s not all willy-waving. Both ‘All Twisted’ and ‘One Bottle & A Knee Deep’ – which trace Laiho’s battle with the bottle – adopt a more testosterone charged approach, and tap into the defiant determinism which sets metal apart from other aspects of rock. Elsewhere ‘Waste Of Skin’ demonstrates the band’s indebtedness to Death Metal (as well as one of the band’s best-ever hooks); whilst ‘Halo Of Blood’ wades into the muscular form of thrash dominated by The Haunted. But perhaps most welcome is the atmospheric and eerie ‘Dead Man’s Hand On You’, which hearkens back to the industrial metal of the mid-‘90s (think Misery Loves Co.).

Perhaps COB will never make a true classic, but there’s no shame in that. You can become a classic band without releasing a truly classic record – Overkill would be an example to emulate, and one who’s dogged adherence to the cause COB are well on course to replicating. If they continue to serve up records as enjoyable as this every couple of years, COB will long have a place in metal fan’s heart.

[ODShowtime]

I love how Binnie just plows ahead with another great review.

Masters of Reality came last night and it was pretty cool. More mellow than I expected but the louder songs are near the end. Definitely digging it and it sounds like a grower!

[Von Halen]

Black Star Riders – All Hell Breaks Lose (2013)

Black Star Riders are a confused band. Built from the remnants of the band which toured as ‘Thin Lizzy’ (original Lizzy drummer Brian Downey stepped aside and is replaced here by journeyman Jimmy Degrasso), they announced their intention to continue making music with that legendary moniker, before bottling it half-way through making this record upon realizing that the negative press that would ensue would be counter-productive. Or, perhaps they realized that without Phil Lynott these songs fuck all like Thin Lizzy. Either way, dropping the moniker is not a bad thing in its self. What is a bad thing, however, is not knowing who or what you are. For this is the sound of a band that existed as ‘Thin Lizzy’ trying not to sound like Thin Lizzy whilst performing songs originally written with Thin Lizzy in mind. Me either…………

In truth, this is a decent enough rock band featuring some experienced hands and – in the presence of Lizzy axeman Scott Gorham – one legend. But legends are not always excellent songwriters, and Gorham does not do much of the pen-work here. That task is left to fellow guitar player Damon Johnson and ex-Almighty man Ricky Warwick. The latter has the un-enviable task of filling Lynott’s shadow. In the live arena, it must be said, he has done this exceptionally well and with considerable respect (noting that he ‘stands beside Phil’s shoes’ is a nice touch). Here, he often drops into parody by copying Lynott’s turn of phrase and vocal nuances. Whilst those moments are rare, they’re enough to be unconvincing – added into to that that Warwick’s voice is much better suited to more aggressive and heavy music and the whole feels a little contrived. But perhaps the bigger problem is the relative subdued nature of the performance. Johnson does not play well off Gorham, and often these songs scream for guitar histrionics. When the patented Lizzy harmonies do emerge, they also feel somewhat forced.

That’s not to say that there aren’t moments here. ‘Hey Judas’ has a great Warwick hook and is a punchy little anthem; the title-track is peppered with piss ‘n’ vinegar; the Gaelic fury of ‘Kingdom Of the Lost’ smashes punk into folk with venomous results (although it sounds an awful lot like Warwick’s solo work); and ‘Bloodshot’, which features some tasty Gorham licks, is the sort of rock ‘n’ roll we were hoping for. It’s just a shame that the record is marred with mediocrity – surely everyone involved with this project is better than characterless, cliché-driven drivel of ‘Someday Salvation’, ‘Kissin’ the Ground’ and ‘Hoodoo Voodoo’? Maybe a dirtier production – Kevin Shirely’s work is remarkably polite here – would have helped.

But you know what, despite the cliches, despite the rather restrained performances, and despite the myriad of other problems, I can’t help but quite like ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’. Maybe it’s because I wanted to. But you have to ask this: if a band without the legacy involved here performed these songs to an A&R man, would they get signed? On the evidence here, you’d have to assume it would be no sure thing…………..

In my opinion, track 11, "Blues Ain't So Bad" is the best song on the disc.

It's not bad. Seems the best songs, are the ones that sound the most like Thin Lizzy. Unfortunately, not all of them do.

[binnie]

From the vaults: Papa Roach – Metamorphosis (2009)

Yeah, I quite like Papa Roach. Don’t laugh. No, please – stop. For many people – those who know the band primarily for their uber-hit, 2000s ‘Last Resort’ – Papa Roach’s only redeeming feature is that they were not as truly turgid as Linkin Park. But, whilst they may no longer be selling anywhere near as many records as in their Nu Metal heyday, they are making music of far greater quality. Now treading a musical path that might best be termed ‘anthemic rock’, Papa Roach approach song-writing with a ‘simple but effective’ manner, centering things around huge hooks and performing everything (even the silences) like it was their last night on earth. The result of this is that if you approach ‘Metamorphosis’ – or any of their more recent records – with an open mind, and don’t take music too seriously, you will yourself pleasantly surprised.

Opener ‘Change Or Die’ is a scuzzy sort of punk which treads into the territory best inhabited by The Bronx – it’s nowhere near as killer-cool-fuck-yo-mama as The Bronx, but it is powerful enough to neuter a bull at fifty paces. Elsewhere ‘Holywood Whore’ adopts the sleazy-lament in a Buckcherry style; whilst ‘I Almost Told You That I Loved You’ is a filthy rock anthem which reminds you why you loved rock ‘n’ roll in the first place. It is relieving to hear Jacoby Shaddix move away from the angst-ridden lyrical tropes – surely no human being has ever endured as much pain as Mr Shaddix, if those lyrics are taken at face value – and even the rock-by-numbers heartbreaker ‘Live This Down’ is carried by his charisma. Sure, much of this is saccharine, but many bands have made a career out of this – ‘Carry Me’, however, may be a step too far along the Bon Jovi route of bullshit. If you scratch the surface you will find fault: the record certainly has a ‘by committee’ feel to it, with every type of rock catered for (hipster punk, ‘Change Or Die’; radio rock, ‘Lifeline’; sleaze, ‘Hollywood Whore’, and so on). But Papa Roach are never going to be game changers – in truth, few bands are. Taken at face value, ‘Metamorphosis’ is a rock record: and it’s a bloody good one.

[Von Halen]

Binnie, have you reviewed the new Five Finger Death Punch yet?

[binnie]

No: but it's on my (very long) 'to do' list. I've never been a huge fan, but they're certainly a lot of fun if you don't apply the mircoscope.

I'll certainly get round to it, though.

[binnie]

Church Of Misery – Thy Kingdom Scum (2013)

Disappointed with the new Black Sabbath record? Check THIS out. Japan’s Church Of Misery combine the juggernaut power of ‘Masters Of Reality’ (seriously: how can anything be THIS heavy?) with the swing which made ‘70s Sabbath great. It is that swing which 99% of the Sabbs modern copyists fail to capture, but drummer Junji Nariko deserves plenty of accolades here, guiding COM through some of the most hypnotic doom metal ever recorded. As with all COM records, ‘Thy Kingdom Scum’ is about various serial killers – represented here are Dennis Rader (B.T.K), Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, Dennis Nilson, and Peter Kurten, amongst others – and that macabre subject is handled in a manner which more than a freakshow dabbling in gore. Like all truly great Heavy Metal, COM explore evil and delve into the darker side of humanity – in their hands, the subject matter titillates because it is taboo and because the band teeters on the edge of celebration in a manner which is far, far more subversive and unnerving than the tens of thousands of Death Metal bands can hope to conjure up. The latter deal in gore; COM deal in something truly evil. And that exploration is complemented by the free-form nature of the music, the almost psychedelic sense of being carried somewhere that only jamming can. This is the (very) dark side of the trip, my friends. But it is also expertly handled – more than just a collage of heavy riffs, COM’s compositions are always based on songs.

‘Lambs To The Slaughter’ is, for want of a better word, magical. Sizzling with live feel, the band is completely immersed in the moment. Elsewhere, the band is so raw they sound unhinged – the sliding morass of ‘All Hallows Eve’ is crushingly heavy, whilst the bluesy bombast of ‘Dusseldorf Monster’ is 11 minutes of jet-propelled, sun-scorched Satanic majesty. Hideki Fukasuma’s vocals might not be to everyone’s taste – he growls like a trucker as the end of a life of hard knocks – but even a critic would have to admist that it fits the subject matter. And in Ikuma Kawabe, we have one of the world’s least celebrated riff masters – possessed of an Iommi-like ability to make the simple bludgeoning, Kawabe serves up riff after anvil dented riff here with abandon (‘Brother Bishop’ has at least two battleship sinkers).

In a year in which Cathedral have called it a day, it is importance to reflect on and celebrate doom’s best bands. Perhaps High On Fire might now be hailed as the kings, but COM would have to in the conversation. Album number 5 is a phenomenal addition to their oeuvre – it may also be one of the best records of 2013 for those bold enough to embrace it.

[binnie]

Alice In Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013)

To say that this is a silly album title is an understatement. But it does reveal something interesting about how AIC have changed (or, perhaps, ‘evolved’ – geddit?) on this, their 5th studio record. The title refers to certain branches of fundamentalist Christians who refuse to accept the existence of Dinosaurs because they are not mentioned in the Bible, and who – bafflingly – believe that fossils are a ploy by the devil to delude mankind out of faith in God. Tackling themes like this is an evolution for AIC, a band whose exploration of the agony of the human condition and perils of addiction revolved around lyrical themes both introspective and insular. Hearing that trademark viscous, tar-thick sound underpinning lyrics about subjects projecting out into the wider-world is thus something of surprise – a critic might suggest that the music loses some of its (incredible) emotive punch as a result; a more generous reviewer would suggest that this is changed AIC, but accept that ‘different’ is not necessarily ‘better’ or ‘worse’.

But perhaps most people won’t give a shit either way because – as always – AIC serve up two things on this record that hit you like Wladimir Klitschko: Jerry Cantrell’s ungodly heavy and instantly memorable riffs; and melodies that could make the dead feel. Warmer sounding than previous outing – ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ (2009), which dealt with the death in Layne Stayley in a torturous manner – the band here explore a wider melodic palette, and even branch into psychedelic pastures in places. There’s a real ‘60s vibe beneath the grunge of ‘Low Ceiling’, for example; whilst ‘Breath On A Window’, although still crushingly heavy, has a looser, less metallic vibe than you might expect. William Duvall’s vocals blend seamlessly with those of Cantrell (who is high in the mix here), adding an instinctive an unparalleled polyphonic richness that is unlike anything else in rock or metal – the chorus in songs like ‘Hollow’, for instance, are just instantly classic. On ‘Pretty Done’ they display the vim of a much, much younger band and positively wallow in hooks that are so thick they choke the air around you. There Cantrell’s guitar oddities scream and squeal; whilst ‘Stone’ heralds a riff sludgier than a crack addict’s first dump of the day. The acoustic ‘Voices’ is all the vintage AIC you could want, and sounds like an old friend from the first listen. But perhaps best of all are the title-track – which is a near indescribable soundscape of intermeshed guitar and vocal melodies morphing into one unholy powerful and terrifyingly captivating web of music – and ‘Phantom Limb’, which is just……chilling. Most guitar players would sell their mother to pen riffs like this, and the lyrics are beyond perfect.

Twenty five years in, AIC shouldn’t sound this hungry. Their compositions are tight and focused, where most ageing bands are more interesting in playing than writing; and they continue to find things to say, where most ageing bands rest on the big ‘ol book of rock ‘n’ roll cliches. If ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ was the peak of the nightmare which grief creates, ‘The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here’ is the dawn in which you awaken changed by trauma, recognizably you but knocked over into the light of an older soul.

As good as music gets? It’s close, really close…………..

[jhale667]

Great review of a great album.




Hey, do a review of the Butcher Babies "Goliath" EP. Would be interested to hear your opinion, they're friends.

[binnie]

Do you reckon you could arrange a date with for me if I give it a good review?

[jhale667]

Do you reckon you could arrange a date with for me if I give it a good review?

The brunette is married, but I'll put in a good word for you with the blond.

[binnie]

Evile – Skull (2013)

Despite its importance to the origin and development of Heavy Metal, when it comes to thrash the legacy of Britain is somewhat quiet. Onslaught and Sabbat aside, these isles made little of an impact on what is perhaps the most important sub-genre in heavy music’s history. It is refreshing, then, to see that Evile are doing plenty to put the UK on the thrash map. Even as the past decade has seen an explosion in thrash metal – firstly through the crop of bands inspired by (or plagirising) The Haunted; secondly be a wave of nostalgia enthused, white-top wearing Bay Area wannabes – Evile are a band that has stood out. On ‘Skull’ – their 4th record – the band continue to develop. You can certainly here the influences drawn from the Bay Area bands of the ‘80s, but this is far more than an exercise in nostalgia. Indeed, this is a band whose song-writing chops have steadily developed with each record, and Evile can now comfortably incorporate their classic influences into modern dress and production. For anyone who didn’t quite have their hunger for thrash satiated by the new Megadeth album, ‘Skull’ will be a more than meaty second dish.

Opener ‘Underworld’ is one of the best tunes Evile have penned – more than just fast, is soaring melodies and hooks switch-hit you with the heaviness and typify a band who have the ability to be very heavy and very memorable. The title-track injects thrash with elements of Maiden’s epicness, and recalls the lofty heights with latter-day Kreator and Destruction have ascended to on their recent albums, albums which are as strong as this genre of music has ever been. On ‘The Naked Sun’ you find yourself startled – ‘fuck: why don’t Metallica sound like this any more?’ Riff-riff-riff-riff-riff and then….BOOM, a side-swiping time-change into a huge hook. It’s classic, classic stuff. Even on the mid-paced material (where they have been less convincing in the past), Evile shine here: ‘Head Of The Demon’ features a riff that rules; whilst ‘Words Of The Dead’ has the crunchy bottom-end that vintage Anthrax owned so well. Closer ‘New Truths Old Lies’ features such an accomplished displayed of controlled power that you can only imagine that the future will be very bright indeed for Evile.

Relentless riffage, a hypnotic tsunami of speed, spiraling solos and duel guitar melodies – familiar friends served up on a bed of very well-crafted song dynamics. Evile are not the best thrash band in the world, but they are a very, very good one, and ‘Skull’ will be a very healthy addition to your record collection.

[binnie]

Burgerkill – Venemous (2011)

I would suggest that Metal is the only true form of world music. Maybe it’s because aggression is universal, maybe it’s because this has always been a genre that attracts lifers rather than fair-weather fans, but you’ll not find a corner of the globe without a scene. If the UK and US spawned the genre, and the Europeans and Scandinavians saw it blossom into a host of ever-expanding sub-genres, in the current millennium the sheer levels of talent from bands in the Middle and Far East has been truly astonishing. Indonesia’s Burgerkill are one of the best of those bands – fuck that: on the evidence here, they have the talent to be considered amongst Metal’s very best regardless of geographical entity. Borrowing heavily from Black and Death Metal, ‘Venomous’ has all the hallmarks of the genre in the 21st century. You sense, however, that Burgerkill’s distance from the claustrophobic conformity of UK or US scenes has allowed them to develop more organically and to choose which elements of their influences to bring to foreground outside of any pressure from a record label or producer. Indeed, what pleases most about this record is its processing of 21st century metal through the killer sounds of the mid-90s: there is more than a slight dose of ‘Chaos AD’-era Sepultura about proceedings, and it adds a hardcore, crushingly abrasive groove to the band’s power.

Opener ‘Age Of Versus’ kicks things off with a flailing whirlwind of drums and grating guitars. This is brutal metal. But it is also well-composed, sophisticated and with enough dynamics (tempo changes, multiple riffs, and so on) to pummel you to attention. ‘Through The Shine’ is incredibly direct: balancing The Haunted’s post-thrash crunch and dark melodies with Hatebreed’s muscular hardcore delivery, it is metal at its most head-buttingly abrasive. By way of contrast, the experimental and spacey sections of ‘For Victory’ show a band who know how to be expansive and balancing the sonic depthcharges out over the space of an album; and ‘Only The Strong’ serves up riff after tortured riff of molten metal of epic ugliness. The variety is impressive, but remains subsumed into a coherent aesthetic. In the bruising mid-paced ‘House of Greed’, the band conjures the guitar pummel of the first Machine Head record – it’s almost as exciting as that record, too.

Lean, mean and continually on ‘kill’ mode, this is a record where not one bar is wasted if more crushing metal can be crammed in. Burgerkill have the chops to match any band in the West – drummer Andris is clearly a three-armed genius – but they have wisely eschewed the often over-processed and compressed production methods of US bands. The rawness of their production makes it feel more human, and adds groove in crucial places. And it feel that really separates ‘Venomous’ from the host of bands who – superficially, at least – are as heavy and intense as Burgerkill. In Indonesia, being different – let alone a metalhead – takes remarkable courage. Metal is consequently more than music, more than entertainment – and you really sense that here. Burgerkill deserve our attention not out of some sense of patronising Western curiosity, but because they tell us what music can be.