The QUEEN documentary "Days Of Our Lives
12 years ago
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Image via WikipediaThe Obsidian Conspiracy (Century Media)
"The Obsidian Conspiracy" is not "This Godless Endeavor". Few albums are. It is however another mighty release from the Seattle stalwarts. Again demonstrative of their unique crossing of thick 'n blistering power thrash and dark melody, the new album offers fans plenty of the familiar with a smattering of expansiveness.
The most notable aspect of the group's seventh full length release is a much more concise method of composition. Most songs are in the four-minute range — only the closing two exceed five minutes and opener "The Termination Proclamation" is just over three — and offer an immediacy that was previously uncharacteristic of the band's recordings. That is not to say that the material is one-listen candy for the ears, but it does tend toward a relatively more accessible sound, at least compared to the dense layers of past works. Opener "The Termination Proclamation", is a definitive example and reminiscent of 2000's "Dead Heart in a Dead World", while the melodic factor is boosted to a new level on tracks such as "Without Morals" and "Emptiness Unobstructed".
A handful of songs, in whole and in part, are demonstrative of those aforementioned expansive qualities. A ballad-esque track called "The Blue Marble and the New Soul" with its chilling piano is a beautiful standout. The acoustic, though still ominous, passages of "She Comes in Colors" and the comparatively heavier "The Day you Built the Wall" offer a stunning contrast as well. In both cases, rays of light are conspicuously absent. Let's face it; the one certainty is that Warrel Dane's lyrics will never be recommended as an uplifting cure for dreary days of rain.
Much of the remainder of "The Obsidian Conspiracy" is pure aggressive NEVERMORE with those always monstrous riffs and the outstanding, passionately performed, guitar solos of Jeff Loomis, the closing title track in particular a metallic beast of gargantuan proportions. "The Obsidian Conspiracy" may not be mentioned in the same breath as albums like "This Godless Endeavour", "Dreaming Neon Black", or "Dead Heart in a Dead World", but it is further proof of NEVERMORE's inability to manufacture an inferior product.
1. The Termination Proclamation
02. Your Poison Throne
03. Moonrise (Through Mirrors of Death)
04. And the Maiden Spoke
05. Emptiness Unobstructed
06. The Blue Marble and the New Soul
07. Without Morals
08. The Day You Built the Wall
09. She Comes In Colors
10. The Obsidian Conspiracy
- Scott Alisoglu
OV HELL
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01. Devil's Harlot
02. Post Modern Sadist
03. Invoker
04. Perpetual Night
05. Ghosting
06. Acts of Sin
07. Krigsatte Faner
08. Hill Norge
The lengthy and complicated GORGOROTH legal battle was the messiest of messes that left one wondering what good would ever come out of it. One album that emerged from the smoke and ashes of the dispute was originally intended, in one form or another, to be a GORGOROTH and then a GOD SEED album that ultimately turned into "The Underworld Regime" from a Norwegian black metal superstar outing called OV HELL. Featuring bassist King Ov Hell (GOD SEED, ex-GORGOROTH), vocalist Shagrath (DIMMU BORGIR), drummer Frost (1349, SATYRICON), and guitarists Ice Dale (ENSLAVED) and Teloch (ex-GORGOROTH), "The Underworld Regime" is an able-bodied effort, probably even better than some of the naysayers expected. Adding to the oddity, what previously may have been considered a strange pairing, the album is released on Prosthetic Records. However, with the release on 1349's "Demonoir", among others, the label has been broadening its horizons.
With the kind of lineup listed above, the potential for heartbreaking disappointment was high. Fortunately, "The Underworld Regime" throws a lot of connecting punches that won't thrust them into the upper tier of the black metal elite, but will easily endear them to fans of traditionally based, updated and compositionally sound black metal. Rather than taking a route that blast beats 'em all and lets the horned one sort 'em out, the album pairs speedy staccato ripping with song-based arrangements that are allowed to breathe, leaving room for the listener to discover new favorites with every spin. Songs such as "Devil's Harlot", "Post Modern Sadist", "Acts of Sin", and "Invoker" offer loads of pointy riffs, Frost's percussively dexterous drumming, and wise use of atmospherics (choral bits, hellish gang vocals, etc). Shagrath's croaky vocals are one of the highlights; the feelings conveyed through his delivery have a way of chilling to the bone and forcing the listener to pay strict attention. Most interesting is the way the spikiness of the riffs, combined with Shagrath's vocals, are reminiscent of IMMORTAL, to a certain extent coming off more potent than what was heard on "All Shall Fall". Take it with a grain of salt and call it sacrilege if it makes you feel better, but it's true.
Assuming OV HELL is able to stabilize and distance itself from the trauma of the past, the potential for future blockbuster releases is vast. As it stands, "The Underworld Regime" is a convincing starting point and a pretty good black metal album.
- Scott Alisoglu
01. Bloodbath & Beyond
02. Rise Of The Fallen
03. Great Depression
04. Lethal Injection
05. Kingdom
06. Jeffrey Dahmer
07. Off With Their Heads
08. Vulture Culture
09. Mega-Doom
10. Counter Sabotage
11. Soulfly VII
Those of you that have been paying attention lately have noticed that Max Cavalera has been on quite the roll lately. Since reclaiming his roots on the thrashfest that was "Dark Ages", Cavalera seems to have really re-embraced the violent side of his musical heritage. Along with "Dark Ages", its follow-up "Conquer" and his reunion with his brother Igor for the punk-fueled CAVALERA CONSPIRACY album "Inflikted" are arguably the heaviest Cavalera-penned releases we've heard since the glory days of SEPULTURA. Thank the metal gods for consistency as the newest SOULFLY drop, "Omen" sticks faithfully with the current trend.
As expected with any SOULFLY release, "Omen" carries a common bond with everyone of its precursors in that we're treated to Max's trademark gruff bark and straightforward (and often repetitious) style of riffing. In other words, if you're a SOULFLY fan, there's plenty here to go nuts over. If not, I doubt "Omen" would do nearly as much as "Dark Ages" to change your mind. The absolutely explosive opener "Bloodbath And Beyond" immediately grabs your attention with a relentless punk/thrash attack. One of the album's two guest spots (save for Max's sons who appear on covers of LED ZEP's "Four Sticks" and EXCEL's "My Life, Your Life" on the bonus addition) comes from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN vocalist Greg Puciato. The track, "Rise Of The Fallen", while reserved, does step outside of the box a bit with the typical SOULFLY bulldozer groove flavored with some cool cyber-sounding licks courtesy of guitarist Marc Rizzo and a touch of sitar that leads into a plodding death metal-esque section. Surprisingly, Puciato's agonized voice fits quite well alongside that of Cavalera's. Tommy Victor (PRONG, DANZIG) lends his guitar talents to "Lethal Injection"; a tune that could have easily come from PRONG's back catalog.
Overall, "Omen" is the aggressive, go-for-the-throat side of SOULFLY on a rampage. While there's not a lot we haven't heard from the band going on here, the disc is not without its golden moments. The interplay between Cavalera and Rizzo (who once again provides plenty of impressive examples of lead work) during the mid-paced "Kingdom" adds a nice twist to the SOULFLY norm. Nothing fancy, but it works well; a statement which could summarize "Omen" as a whole. Tracks like "Jeffrey Dahmer", "Vulture Culture" and "Off With Their Heads" are fairly straightforward in delivery and repetitive in nature. They definitely won't be going down as the most memorable tunes Max has ever written, but they do well to get the blood flowing. Despite a hit and miss mid-section, "Omen" ends on a strong note with "Mega-Doom", which adds an air of moodiness to the mix without sacrificing the any of the aggression offered by the tracks that surround it and "Counter Sabotage"; a song that the unbridled angst of the album's first song, while adding fistfuls of groove and guitar pyrotechnics. Of course, what is a SOULFLY record without another addition to eponymously-titled instrumental to close the show. This time out, Rizzo taps into the soul of Andy Summers (THE POLICE) for a pleasant foray into the world of mellow jazz. A nice calm after the storm.
Say what you will about SOULFLY, but Max and Co. have always been able to produce quality material; even if his vision has changed more than the band's overall sound. "Omen" won't go down into the annals of history as his best effort, but I will rank it among his hardest-hitting. Admittedly, I do kind of miss the ethnic/world beat element we've heard in the past, but the fist-pumping rage-aholic in me dug the shit out of the no-frills, destruction-minded approach taken on "Omen". Slice it up as you like; "Omen" is bound to leave a trail of broken and bruised bodies in its wake.
- Ryan Ogle
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01. Into The Fire
02. The Awakening
03. The Time Is Now
04. Necropolis
05. The Order Of The Moon
06. The Return Of The Witch
07. Lillith
08. Alpha And Omega
09. Seven
I have periodically wondered what happened to Quebec's NECRONOMICON. It has been somewhere around seven years since I reviewed "The Sacred Medicines", a great album of vintage MORBID ANGEL-ish death metal that came with guitarist/vocalist Rob The Witch's uniquely occult touch. I'd always the thought the long-running act never got the level of recognition deserved either. Lo and behold, NECROMICON has resurfaced stronger than ever with "The Return of the Witch" on a new label in Napalm Records that may finally get NECRONOMICON that deserved level of international recognition.
With production values that finally do the NECRONOMICON sound justice, complete with instrument clarity and low end fullness, and a fully realized potential in the songwriting department, "The Return of the Witch" hits the target straight on. Anchored in a traditional, song-based death metal approach made just modern enough for present day standards, yet without sapping the old school spirit, the disc is fresh and familiar at once. It succeeds as well as for its individual track selections as it does as a holistic listening experience. Songs like "The Time is Now" and the title track impact with classic DM fury, but most cuts also come with measured use of accent and pointed tempo shifts. The up-tempo and thrashy break during "Into the Fire" commands attention, continuing in various forms for the remaining minutes and spine tingles with choral effects. A variation of a more operatic variety spices up "The Awakening", a song that also benefits from one of several of the album's gripping guitar solo moments, in this case supported with only au naturel bass/drum accompaniment. Moving through the disc you'll hears sections of gothic churn and chilling keyboards segments ("Necropolis"), epic composition ("The Order of the Moon") and creepy interlude ("Lilith"). All of it comes with Rob's mighty MORBID ANGEL-meets-THORNAFIRE roar.
"The Return of the Witch" just feels right. It is traditional death metal with compositional twisting that enhances, rather than detracts, from the all encompassing power of the music. Welcome back, Rob!
- Scott Alisoglu
Exhibit B: The Human Condition New Album exodus 2010
Blame it on the lingering spectre of "...And Justice For All" as some kind of alleged benchmark for an album's importance. Or perhaps it's a defense mechanism in the sleep-deprived brain of Gary Holt, feverishly obsessed with fighting off the advances of age and topping himself with intensity every time out. EXODUS apparently believes that if they don't attack with the hammer down for every possible second of their record, and if their record isn't as long as is technologically feasible, they've somehow failed you, the listener, and pussed out. The end result is kinda like being in the mood for a hamburger, and instead having a fat, cranky man in cutoff sweats tackle you, cram a firehose down your throat, and force feed you six or seven pounds of high-pressure ground chuck.
That said, there's a lot of high-quality stuff on "The Human Condition". The first two songs crash out of the gate with intense, pit-friendly riffing and a full-throttle enthusiasm that makes it impossible to stay on the sidelines. When EXODUS is on point, there's just no stopping them, no matter what year it is — echoes of their back catalog linger throughout these songs, with singer Rob Dukes occasionally channeling a fair bit of that old-style Zetro snarl. While there seems to be a little less twin-guitar action than back in the days when Holt had Rick Hunolt as a sparring partner, Lee Altus more than steps up in both the soloing and songwriting department (he wrote the opener, arguably one of the album's best tracks). And Tom Hunting remains a lethal force on the drums, his fills crashing down like cannon shot all over these cuts.
Basically, at this point, you know what you're gonna get from an EXODUS record, and the post-reunion incarnation of the band has always delivered — an amped-up, no-surprises modern take on their classic downpicking thrash, with overclocked Andy Sneap production and enough fuck-you attitude to pick (and win) fights with bands half their age. The sheer vein-popping force of the whole overbearing thing is kinda the point of its existence, and that works — Christ knows we don't need the band slowing down or softening up. But at some point, they'd be better off culling a coupla weaker songs (I nominate "Hammer and Life", the sort of midtempo, groove-metal, alpha-male EXODUS-guide-to-living cut these guys have never been any good at, and the long and dreary "Nanking"). At 45 or even 50 minutes, this record would have been an unquestionable bruiser; at 72, it's just fatiguing.
Do I recommend it? Hell yes — "The Ballad of Leonard and Charles" and "Beyond the Pale" alone would be worth the price of admission, and even a subpar EXODUS song usually has at least one good riff or line to make it worth checking out. Do I recommend sitting through all of it at once? Not unless you want to OD on thrash and numb yourself for the rest of the week. EXODUS, despite all the years of lineup instability and turmoil, remain the undisputed heavyweight kings of Bay Area thrash metal, no question, no room for doubt. I know it, you know it, little old ladies on the shuffleboard court know it. I just wish EXODUS knew it, and didn't feel the need to try so hard to prove it that they ended up turning a killer record into too much of a good thing.
- Keith Bergman
JUDAS PRIEST's British Steel album 2010
As for "British Steel" proper, the only problem is describing its greatness is one of reigning in the unbridled enthusiasm and staving off the inclination to ramble endlessly. I'll try to be succinct. Though 1979's "Hell Bent for Leather" is a classic in its own right, something clicked during the "British Steel" sessions that resulted in the band sharpening its approach to songwriting by compacting its legendary armored attack into nine surgically precise compositions that pound for pound offered just as much, if not more, metal, while putting greater emphasis on catchiness. Both sound and delivery are distinguishing factors, as the recordings feature an unparalleled instrument clarity, as well as a lockstep, militaristic approach previously unheard of and in many respects still unmatched by albums released since.
Sandwiched between too all-out head bangers in "Rapid Fire" and "Steeler" were seven truly diverse tracks, each one a different kind of highlight and inclusive of some of the greatest riffs and melodies in the history of heavy metal. "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" are the breakout hits on a breakout album, each quintessential anthems with rousing, made-for-FM-radio choruses. "Metal Gods" is the metal march to end all metal marches and "Grinder" is just downright nasty with that clipped bluntness of the main riff and a chorus that is one of the most infamous ever written (yet it is a metaphor for breaking out of life's spirit-destroying routines, as Halford notes during the interview portion of the DVD). "The Rage" offers yet another stark compositional contrast with its reggae-gone-metal verse (still Ian Hill's most conspicuous moment) and a iron and steel avalanche of a chorus that is overwhelmingly heavy even by today's standards. "You Don't Have to Be Old to be Wise" is in many respects the album's most dynamic cut with a refrain tailor-made for the sing-along, while "United" is one of the most, well, unifying heavy metal shout-outs of all time; a simple song with a simple message, yet a message that defines the strength and life-long bonds of the heavy metal community, alternate interpretations notwithstanding.
Bonus-wise, the CD portion of the package rounds out with a live version of "Grinder" and a touching, if melodramatic, cut recorded in 1985 called "Red, White, and Blue". Additionally, Dave Shack's liner notes poignantly capture the feelings evoked by "British Steel" both when it was first released and 30 years later.
That brings us to a spectacular bonus DVD, the centerpiece of which is an excellent 16-song live performance from last year's 30th Anniversary Tour, beginning with "British Steel" played in its entirety. A special selection of tunes like "The Ripper", "Diamonds & Rust", "Victim of Changes", "Freewheel Burning", and "You've got another Thing Comin'" follow, sitting alongside "Hell Patrol" and "Prophecy" (from "Nostradamus"). Great audio, great video; case closed. The 30-minute "The Making of British Steel Interview" is engrossing, as each member discusses each of the nine songs, a well as the details of the recording sessions at Tittenhurst Park. The stories behind the creation of the sound effects used for "Metal Gods" are worth the price of admission alone.
What more can be said about "British Steel"? Lots more, but it's time to wrap things up. In a nutshell, "British Steel" is an album beloved by generations of fans and will continue to be loved by future generations. The 30th Anniversary Edition is an outstanding tribute to it. While an 11 would be a more accurate rating, we'll have to settle on a 10.
- Scott Alisoglu
