RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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THE POODLES – Performocracy
The title of this fourth album combines the words performance and democracy – and I believe these two constants explain the ascension of these Swedes to multi-platinum heights and high chart action across various European countries. Since their late 2005 formation, The Poodles have written theme songs for Sweden’s representation into the Olympic Games, toured…
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ANNIHILATIONMANCER – The Involution Philosophy
Napoli Italy’s Annihiliationmancer (say that name ten times fast and not sound like marbles in your mouth) have been around since 1994 and released two demo recordings a decade apart. Usually that sends up a warning flag in this reviewer’s headspace – because it shouldn’t take this long to get a debut album on the…
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RADIOHEAD – The King Of Limbs
A strange monster, this Radiohead thingie. When I sit down, take a listen or two, think for a while…, I’m pondering on the strangeness therein. I cannot come up with one band too similar to Radiohead, which probably means that I know few pop and rock bands, but it is also possible that this band…
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ENBOUND – And She Says Gold
Sweden and melodic power metal appear to melt together like two soul mates – such is the vision carrying vocalist Lee Hunter, drummer Mike Cameron Force, guitarist Marvin Flowberg and bassist Swede in this new act Enbound. “And She Says Gold” contains 14 songs, running the gamut from guitar driven riff energy numbers like “Squeals…
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EXELOUME – Fairytale Of Perversion
Throughout metal’s history, there came points in time where genres exploded, burnt themselves out and resurrected due to new blood infusing their creativity and pouring out new product. Norway’s Exeloume on their debut album “Fairytale Of Perversion” appear to step their stylistic toes into dual thrash and death waters. Recording a four song demo “The…
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CHROME DIVISION – Third Round Knockout
In today’s large music market, musicians appear to have let the creative floodgates open far and wide. No longer does one band or project satisfy their songwriting or performance cravings – the desire to unfurl as much as possible before retirement is only limited if the means (money and time) remains restricted. Dimmu Borgir vocalist/…
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ILLDISPOSED – There Is Light (But It’s Not For Me)
Celebrating their 20 year anniversary as a band, Denmark’s Illdisposed release their eleventh studio album, the oddly titled “There Is Light (But It’s Not For Me)”. To refresh my memory regarding this death metal act I went back into my archives to give 2009’s “To Those Who Walk Behind Us” a few spins. The standout…
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WOLF – Legions Of Bastards
The resurgence of traditional metal across Scandinavia may have begun with Hammerfall in the mid 90’s, but I know many also sat up and took notice of the young talent through Wolf as well with their self-titled debut in 2000. Despite the cartoon-like cover art, guitarist/vocalist Niklas Stalvind took the scene by storm with his…
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LYRIEL – Paranoid Circus
German gothic metal sextet who gain a re-release of their third album “Paranoid Circus” due to the limited issue of this record through London based Femme Metal Records. This should prepare the listeners for the fourth studio platter, due to hit the streets this fall. These 17 tracks contain 11 proper songs, 2 bonus tracks…
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LAKE OF TEARS – Illwill
Back in the Black Mark Productions era, a surprising record hit my mailbox. “A Crimson Cosmos” appeared at a time in 1997 when this Swedish band transitioned from being more of a doom outfit to a straightforward gothic metal group- yet with psychedelic, Pink Floyd-like tinges. Even after a brief retirement in the early 2000’s,…
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NEUROTECH – Antagonist
Industrial metal is perhaps a vague description, but nevertheless accurate when it comes to Neurotech. This Slovenian trio has made an album that sounds similar to Covenant’s "Animatronic". The drums are programmed and mechanically fitting the monotonous industrial sound. The singing style is somewhere between Lex Icon and Samael’s Vorph, and the melodies are accessible,…
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ULCERATE – The Destroyers of All
Ulcerate’s last album "Everything Is Fire" did not only earn 6/6 points from me but I declared it the greatest Death Metal album of all time. It seemed to me, at the time, that there is no way in Valhalla or Scheol that "EIS" can be beat, even by Ulcerate themselves. It turns out I…
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WIZARD – …Of Wariwulfs And Bluotvarwes
When you cut away all the extraneous atmosphere, the bottom line comes down to songwriting and performances in metal for me. Certain bands grab you by the throat with their intensity or immediacy- and other acts take a little longer to advance their following for the opposite, wide open spectrum of sounds they employ. Germany’s…
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DEMONICAL – Death Infernal
There’s nothing like the adrenaline rush one receives when listening to certain Swedish death metal bands. Whether it’s the lower, hanging by a thread guitar tone, the roaring vocal bellows or the rhythm section that can change from hyperventilating overdrive one song or hypnotic doom the next – when done correctly, it’s the best form…
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MANIFEST – Written In Blood
The third album of modern thrash with blistering underground ethics from a Norwegian four piece intent on giving you a punishing aural journey through these 11 songs. “Written In Blood” contains some wonderful progressive drum parts from Alessandro Elide on the intricate “They’ll Have To Carry Me Home” and then moves into mach ten overdrive…
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ISENGARD – Høstmørke
I actually own a copy of "Høstmørke"’ on vinyl, but I have never listened to it. I know, shame on me. Isengard was a solo project set up by Fenriz of Darkthrone in the late 1980’s, which began as a death metal project and evolved into a large mix of styles, incorporating elements of doom,…
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WINDS OF PLAGUE – Against the World
Winds of the Plague has been around for a while, but I must admit that this is my first encounter with their music. And what do we have here? Metalcore, plain and simple. The break downs, the screaming, typical riffing to the genre, complete with the clichés, such as “burn this motherfucker down” . They…
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WINDS OF PLAGUE – Against The World
Warrior Metal is flourishing these days, and thanks to well executed promotional campaigns Winds of Plague is sticking their head out amongst the hordes of cannon fodder insignificant warriors. Unfortunately Winds of Plague is more show than muscles. Compared to other recent releases within the Warrior Metal genre, “Against the World” is never more than…
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GODSLAVE – Into The Black
With a motto ‘old school – new school – OUR school’, this German thrash quintet assail your ears with their second album “Into The Black”. Upon initial exposure, Godslave appear to straddle the fence between the more melodic tendencies of the Bay Area movement (a la Metallica and Heathen) yet have the raw, loose intensity…
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PANZERCHRIST – Regiment Ragnarok
I liked the Danish death metal elite Panzerchrist when they released their fourth album "Room Service" in 2003. There was something about the brutality in their music that was un-Nordic. It was unlike everything else I had heard from Nordic bands, at least Danish band. But it was mostly no more than the brutality of…
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OBSCURA – Omnivium
The calmest, more serene point of the album takes place in the first 45 seconds of “Septuagint” with slow, double acoustic guitars gently building the song up before the German technical/progressive death metal four piece and their skill set pins your interest over 9 songs and the next 54 minutes. With a name like Obscura,…
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OBSCURA – Omnivium
On their third album Obscura shows evidence of a band matured to the occasion. Production, technicality, melodies and performance are improved since their previous album. Best of all, I find the creativity to be flourishing this time around. This improvement coupled with a heightened dynamic makes this a worthwhile album. The variety on “Omnivium” ensures…