The QUEEN documentary "Days Of Our Lives
14 years ago
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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
