FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Village of Dead Roads are well versed in the sludge of Crowbar and EHG, along with “post-sludge” bands like Neurosis, while mixing elements of death doom and the atmospheric black metal stuff that’s all the rage these days.
Phenomenon is bound to please fans of all things Emperor, including Ihsahn and Zyklon, a very well-executed blackened death metal hybrid that’s in and out in less than half an hour.
This is one of those bands where the record label really had to work on their press release. There was a bit of anticipation when The Reel is described as ‘unrelenting’ and ‘unique’ when it is actually a pretty bland collection of death / metal core tunes in which there is nothing that really stands out.
Klagopsalmer is a surprisingly warm production in spite of its black metal core. That also means that, despite the band’s dark, depressive, even suicidal reputation, the record is not nearly as nihilistic or grim as you might expect.
For the first time in years, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 sees Rob Zombie playing and interacting with other musicians on tracks that actually sound like new songs rather than a set of reconstituted remixes. After the tone gets set by “Jesus Frankenstein” – which sounds a bit like an overture for the proceedings and echoes “Sawdust In The Blood” from Educated Horses – Zombie leads the charge through a set of the ten hardest-driving, least computer-controlled rockers to come from the singer since the word “White” preceded his name.
It has been a long six years since the release of Orphaned Land’s landmark album, Mabool, an album that continues to amaze me with its beautiful combination of Middle Eastern instrumentation combined with the familiarity of metal. Ever since word of their follow up album was out, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR – and with producer extraordinaire Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree and Opeth collaboration fame) on board to mix the album? Let’s just say expectations weren’t exactly low for this one.
The Reign Of Darkness incorporates all of death metal’s signature and staple elements: pummeling drums, guttural vocals and riff mayhem. What it doesn’t have is emotion or feeling that sticks out like a sore thumb.
With Stuck Mojo still churning out the nu-metal and Chris Jericho enjoying a second wind with the wrestling gig, it took Fozzy five years to put a proper follow-up together, but the resulting Chasing the Grail doesn’t miss a beat whatsoever. In fact, it turns out to be a surprisingly good record that should prove the band’s legitimacy once and for all.
Welcome to the second installment of the snarky, irreverent world of Rimshots, reconstituted for the online world that is Hellbound.ca. Enjoy them, because I know I didn’t. After suffering through this crop of crap, all I have to ask is: Sean, dude, what did I ever do to you?!
Absolutely one of the best death metal albums this year, Majesty and Decay has set the standard to beat.