Reviews


And Oceans... “Allotropic/ Metamorphic Genesis of Dimorphism” Released 2001 Century Media/ Season of Mist
Nice album title huh!? Well as weird and unique as the album name sounds the music this band plays is according. First of all this is Black Metal. The best part of the band though, is, the influences they combine with that style. Containing a healthy dose of blast beats And Oceans mixes traditional atmospheric Black Metal with thrashy drums, death metal grooves and some sweet new age/techno keys. A quick listen to the album may reveal just another Black Metal band that is just running through the motions but, after repeated spins, this comes off very fresh and rather unique at that. I love how this band breaks barriers. And Oceans over three albums continues to run for the borders of modern Black Metal. This time out the groove they’ve brought to their sound adds the one final dimension to make them a heavy weight in the crowded extreme metal scene. I believe much of the new influence can be credited to being recorded at The Abyss studio and produced by Tommy Tagtren. The Tagtren brothers Tommy and Peter always seem to push towards innovation and understandably exert some very Hypocrisy like influence onto the music that they are involved in (Peter is “the man” (gtr, vocals, production) in Death Metal legends Hypocrisy). In closing, AM GOD is an excellent album. Outside of the final track on the album (an instrumental techno track) there are no songs to complain about and there several deserving tremendous praise. This is one of the finer Black Metal releases I’ve heard in awhile.
Songs of note: Tears Have No Name, Odious and Devious, and Of Devilish Tongues.
8.5

Biohazard "State of The World Address" Released 1992 Roadrunner Records
What is this doing here? Well, I actually like it. Biohazard isn’t the coolest band in the world and their rap/metal core isn’t something that normally appeals to me. It’s angry though and the lyrics are purely honest and urban. Biohazard tell it like it is and there is great intergrity in that. The album is also cool as well. Compared to the rest of their albums and the genre included this is quite an undertaking. Most of the songs are long with acoustic and even piano intros. Some of the songs are just plain sweet (noted below). Despite my liking of this fine disc I don’t necesarily recommend it. If you do have an interest in hard core or metal core you may like it. As far as I'm concerned, this is easily one the best in the genre.
Songs of note: State of The World Address, Tales From The Hard Side, Failed Territory, and Love Denied.
7.25

Emperor "Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise" Released 2001 Candlelight Records
The last Emperor eh? Turns out the masters of black metal have decided to go their seperate ways. Before they left they decided to come together for one final album. So what is it? The last disc "IX Equilibrium" had a huge amount of death metal influence and this one isn't too different. Prometheus mixes that same death metal influence with keys horns and classical instrumentation along with their most ambitious writing to date. The whole album has a progressive dissonance to it. While remaining constantly brutal it's always challenging you with weird and intricate playing. The drums by Trym again are fantastic and the whole disc just pounds away at your heart. This has to be one of the best and most cold Black Metal albums ever. Everything comes at you raw and grating. It's like a razor blade cutting at your throat just like BM should be. Great stuff. 9.5

My Dying Bride “As The Flower Withers” Released 1992 Peaceville Records
Enter the godfathers of doom. This album is a suicidal romp through the darkness of life. There’s speed in there but it’s mostly grinding slow doom. Aarons vocals are brutally death metal growls and the violins thrown in creat some tremendous atmoshpere. I love MDB’s style and this album is just killer. Over the slower parts they always throw in some sweet slowed melodies that float in like death down a gentle stream. If you sped them up a hundred times and looped them they’d probably make a sweet Maiden song with killer death metal vocs. Not for the weak or the tremendously happy. This will make your bad day worse in a good way. Sear me is a song for the ages. Doom/Death never did get any better.
Songs of note: Sear Me, The Forever People, Bitterness and Bereavement
8.5

Nevermore “Dead Heart In A Dead World” Released 2000 Century Media
“Dead heart...” is now Nevermore’s fourth full length studio release and after the critically acclaimed technical power metal classic “Dreaming Neon Black” expectations were high for this release. Never being a big Nevermore fan, though all their album are good somehow they really grate on my nerves, and always the critic, this album hit on a sorry note. Popping this in my player Track 1 Narcosynthesis began. The first thing I notice is the amazing production from Andy Sneap. The second thing I notice is the simple and extremely boring riff, very manufactured. The third thing i notice is that the guitar sound bears tremendous resemblance to Machine Head. All I could think is what happened here!? Well, I continued on through the album with relative amounts of boredom and when finished I was left with two great songs “The River Dragon” and “Inside Four Walls.” As I continued to play this over the next week I just didn’t get it. So I traded it away. Well, two months later, “The River Dragon” pops into my head and I bought DHIADW again. The album really clicked that time yet two weeks of constant play proved to be all it was worth. The one thing I will say from here is that this album has very little to offer in replayability. The songs are mostly simple and dry. Nobody is using the word sell out here because this is not commercial music. “Dead Heart...” is still metal through and through but, I just can’t help feeling that the band was trying to become something they are not. This album is just far too plain and ordinary. Don’t be fooled by those saying Nevermore stuck to their guns and claim this is still technical or melodic because it is hardly either. It is currently the closest thing I have to mainstream metal. Needless to say DHIADW is up on my list for most dissapointing discs of 2000. I hope next time they put something out a little more worthy of their talent.
5

Opeth “Blackwater Park” Released 2001 Music For Nations
Two years after the fantastic “Still Life” Opeth returns. As many have pointed out Mikael Akerfeldt and the boys do nothing really new with this album. Maintaining the sound they had on the previous two albums, the mentioned Still Life and 1996’s My Arms Your Hearse, Blackwater Park is a refinement of that. To style I mean this is thick, fantastically produced, progressive metal with death metal influence throughout. There are moments of pure electric furry here and moments of acoustic melancholy both of which transition back forth complimenting each other beautifully. Mikael’s vocals again when in Death metal mode roar up from the underworld like never before while his clean vocals are as beautiful as ever (Note the amazing track Harvest). As mentioned the transitions on the album are again fantastic. Bleak, the albums finest track, is perfect from beginning to end in this very way. It moves from warm yet brutal death vocals over frenetic riffing to stunning clean vocals over acoustic interludes and melodic leads without a whisper or a moment of awkwardness . Simply put, without too much gushing, this is another brilliant chapter in the band’s history. Though the band itself may change little in style here, there is no use in reminding the listener that nobody sounds this good. Mixing heavy 70’s prog influence with fantastic song writing skills Opeth winds and weaves it’s way through 8 tracks (one of which is a 2 minute acoustic/piano interlude) and 67 minutes of pure darkened fantasy. Opeth are masters of their craft. I suggest buying this album now! There is no reason not to.
Songs of note: Every single one!!!!!!
10

Rage "Welcome To The Other Side"
Well well here we have the 12th full length Rage album. This time the band returns with Peavy Wagner founder and lead songwriter and two new members, Mind Odyssey's Victor Smolski on guitar and Mike Terrana, the heavy metal journeyman, on drums. The new album marks a change and a return in sound. WTTOS offers a return to the bands thrash/speed metal roots while becoming equally complex and progressive as well. Without the aid of the Lingua Mortis Orchestra Peavy has employed Voctors skills on keyboards and forged on fantastic 17 track 65+ minute album. Though some of the melodic moments turned me off at first this album has really grown on me. Now with time to consider I would say, without a doubt, this is Rage's finest album. It would be a masterpiece if not for Track 10 "Leave it Behind" being too quircky for my taste. Highlights on the album are "The Mirror in Your Eyes" and its driving riffs and "Straight To Hell" with a monster pounding groove. I'm so glad to see the band lose its former members and come back this strong. "Welcome To The Other Side" is definetly recommended!
10

Savatage "Poets and Madmen"
This is the 12th Savatage studio album and it marks some changes in the band. First Al Pitrelli (second guitarist) and Zak Stevens (lead vocals) are gone. Pitrelli has joined up with Megadeth and Stevens has opted to spend more time with his family. So, the situation for this album is that Jon Oliva, founding member of the band, has taken over all the vocals again. For me this was fantastic news. Jon’s rasp happens to be my favorite singing voice ever. Nobody displays emotion better. Now with Jon at the helm there was only one other wish I had for P&M. I wanted the band to get back to a heavier style. The past couple albums were well written but lacked any punch. With time I began to forget how truly great this band was. Well Poets and Madmen isn’t all I hoped for but it definetly is heavier. The album takes the direction of their last album “The Wake of Magellan” and gives you a good mix of old Savatage styling circa “Streets” and “Gutter Ballet.” The guitars havemore grit to them and Chris Caffery shreds throughout the album. The songwriting is still top if you excuse some cheesy lyrics every so often (Paul O’Neill trying to be deep). Another complaint though a small one is, this was supposed to be the first album from the band in awhile without a cocept or story. I guess Paul O’Neill was the blame for this because he has written another story. Here the story has absolutely nothing to do with the songs on the album. There is no point in this story and I’m sorry its there. Never the less this is a great album. It takes time to grow on you but as you dig deeper the album only gets darker and more aggressive. To me this is Savatage’s best album in years. A happy welcome back to one of my favorite bands.
9

Sonata Arctica "Ecliptica" Released 1999 Spinefarm Records
Lots of uh’s in the name but what do they sound like? Simply, they sound like Stratovarius. I guess that could stop you right there but it shouldn’t. SA is a free version of that style. Each Stratovarius album is nearly a mirror image of the others. They aren’t exactly alike but you can sense a formula to it. If you wish for that style with a more “fresh” approach, go get Ecliptica. SA’s youthful approach offers more open passages and some cool variations. There is a better 80’s mix to this. It comes off more like traditional 80’s metal/ power metal than the tired high speed Helloween/Europe wannabe sound of the Timo tandem in that other band. Of course speed is essential here. There are plenty of fast tracks but the band knows when to let up and open up their sound. I wish i could say this sounded just like Strato and leave it. I can’t though. Ecliptica is a good CD full of good to great songs. The passion they exude makes this a must get if you like Stratovarius. So, If you want more Strato, come and get it!
Songs of note: My Land, 8th Commandment, Full Moon, and Destruction Preventer.
9

Steel Prophet “Messiah” Released 2000 Nuclear Blast America

“Messiah” is my second Steel Prophet album after 1998’s “Dark Hallucinations.” Steel Prophet plays traditional Maiden inspired American Power Metal. From the high pitched vocals of lead singer Rick Mythiasin, to the twin leads of Pons and Kachinsky, everything abut Steel Prophet exudes quality. The band is very good at what they do and it shows on this it’s newest album. “Messiah” is an excellent slab of quality metal. Boasting better production than it’s predeccesor the disc shows more mature songwriting and in turn a polished and well crafted album that runs smoothly over its entire 57 mnute duration. This recommended for anyone into Maiden, Priest, or NWOBHM in general as well as pursuers of just plain quality power metal. Look for the new album “Book of The Dead” in mid 2001!
Songs of Note: The Ides of March, Vengeance Attained (One of the best metal songs I’ve ever heard!), and Dawn of Man.
9

Steel Prophet "Book of The Dead"
Book of the Dead is Steel Prophet's third release for Nuclear Blast is the best yet. The album shows off excellent song writing in a classic metal style. Each track is a mix of Maiden and Priest influence along with their own sound creating a great album. I can't really say much about the songs other than that they all rule! The problem here is their aren't enough songs and the album is too short. Nevertheless here are 8 excellent tracks of quality power metal. 9.5

Testament “The New Order”

The New Order is Testament's second album and, at the time of this review, the earliest album of their's I own. As I had heard many times before and now fully agree, this is Testament's finest hour. The New order is a thrash classic that stands up with the best of the genre. This totally kicks all the butt in the world! Songs like "Into the Pit", "The Preacher", and "The New Order" are just amazing. Chuck Billy is in my opinion the greatest metal vocalist of all time and Alex Skolnick is the Melodic King of thrash leads. I simply can't say enough about this album. They even manage to make an Aerosmith song "Nobody's Fault" fit into and even add to quality of this release. You absolutely can't love thrash and not have this album! Recommended? I'd say so!
10

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