Album Review: HORSE the Band – A Natural Death
Koch Records – KOCCD4228 – 28 August 2008
Being both intrigued and annoyed by the ‘Nintendocore’ tag thrust on HORSE’s shoulders, A Natural Death was approached with a degree of suspicion. A pleasant surprise it was, then, to discover that HORSE the Band are a superbly technical outfit in the vein of latter-day Dillinger Escape Plan (in want of an easy reference point). Yet in this fickle world we live in, the band does espouse its own gimmickry in the form of synths that – you guessed it – sound like they were sampled from old Nintendo and arcade games of the 80’s. And sure enough, as ‘Hyperborea’ thunders from the starting gate, it quickly gives way to bleeps and blips of the ancient ‘Donkey Kong’ variety. What’s more, the two pieces that close A Natural Death are MIDI versions of album tracks that end up sounding like old ‘Street Fighter’ stage themes.
Now whilst the more cynical amongst you may balk at what appears to be a ploy to tap into the neuro-associative nostalgia brainwaves of young men in the 20s and 30s, that assertion would be more valid were these guys chops not up to scratch. Thankfully, a dig beneath the zany surface reveals a great stab at technical metalcore (or ‘mathcore, or whatever it is we’re calling it these days). Slabs of meaty riffage cascade around versatile drumming, and the vocals strike a decent balance between emotiveness and aggression – mercifully we’re spared any emo crooning – always a plus. ‘I Think We are Both Suffering’ is a lengthy number that moves through myriad tempos and moods, including a nifty jazzy section. The fantastic ‘Murder’ is perhaps the best example of HORSE’s penchant for video game homages, as the frantic musicianship shifts atop pervasive synths that sound like ‘F-Zero’ put to a metal soundtrack (which, oddly enough, is how I used to describe Children of Bodom’s keyboard solos to people when I was 16). ‘The Beach’ is completely synth-based, meanwhile, and is reminiscent of one of those scenes from the old ‘Final Fantasy’ games on the SNES; the ones where the protagonists had happened upon a village in ruins because of their nemesis or something, and the music was all foreboding and sad.
You see, it’s hard not to like this if you’re of a certain age/tendency towards geekiness without coming over all doe-eyed for a childhood long wasted. Thus ‘Face of Bear’ becomes less noted for its chugging riffs than because it sounds like a metalled-up boss encounter. A Natural Death is an enjoyable listen, although in the face of Dillinger Escape Plan it can sound a little lightweight. However, there’s plenty to be gotten from Horse the Band, or at least more than might seem apparent on first listen.
Official HORSE the Band Website
Official HORSE the Band MySpace
Official Koch Records Website
Album Review: Harvey Milk – Life…The Best Game in Town
Hydra Head – HYH-159 – 3 June 2008
Inhabiting a similar sphere as the Melvins, Corrosion of Conformity and others within the ‘punky-Sabbath-sludge-cum-rock’ genre, Harvey Milk have returned after a lengthy hiatus to produce Life…, a thoroughly heavy offering that’s possibly their best work to date. A doom-trodden, dirge-like quality washes over many of the tracks herein – most notably in the suitably spiteful ‘After All I’ve Done for You, This is How You Repay Me?’ – but when they rock out there’s a touch of the southern-fried boogie that could easily have appeared on an Alabama Thunderpussy record. ‘Barnburner’ is aptly titled, for instance, blasting forth like an undesirable hoedown incited by a throng of doped-up hillbillies, and although Harvey Milk are a fairly monstrous beast at times, there is a creeping melodicism at play throughout; hell, ‘Decades’ outro leads would give a Sarah Palin-esque wink to Led Zeppelin if vocalist Creston Spiers hand’t just been roaring at us like Buzz Osbourne with the flu.
At times Life… can drag a little, the band lingering on riffs that don’t quite deserve it. ‘Goodbye Blues’ is such an example as it happily goes nowhere for 4 minutes before finally taking off in a barrage of inspired leads. Of course, it’s more than likely that the band knew exactly what they were doing, since ‘Goodbye Blues’ winds up, literally, in the theme tune for ‘Looney Tunes’. There’s an amiable balance between the more off-kilter moments and the all-out rocking on this album that marks it well above its peers, and it has the grittiness that the last few Melvins albums have perhaps lacked (not to mention their ex-4 stringer Joe preston on bass duties). And like the Melvins, Harvey Milk have a slacker-friendly, oddball humour to them that works well with such material. Life… is the kind of record you’ll want to put on before a night drinking crappy beer and crushing the cans off your forehead, and as such it probably has the most appropriate artwork you’ll ever see. Life affirming.
Official Harvey Milk Website
Official Harvey Milk MySpace
Official Hydra Head Website
Album Review: Folie Circulaire
Prosthetic Records – 10059-2 – 24 June 2008
Although a fleeting listen to Withered’s second release (and 1st on Prosthetic) throws obvious nods to punk/grind roots, Folie Circulaire is a deceptively eclectic work that commands repeated listens. Beneath the rather crusty (but no less meaty) production lie a slew of influences, from grindcore, black metal right through to the likes of Neurosis and back again. Mike Thompson and Chris Freeman share both guitar and vocal duties, and the latter veer between feral barking and blackened rasps, with each track offering an almost seamless transition between styles.
‘Gnosis Unveils’ is an early highlight, showcasing the band’s aptitude for genre-bending as a deluge of Isis-inspired slow guitars eventually explode into swathes of lumbering riffs before winding right back down to where it began. Closer ‘Into Armageddon’ begins straighforwardly enough with a swashbuckling speedy black metal intro in the vein of latter-day Keep of Kalessin that descends into brutal death metal territory and lurches right back out again. Thus the aural theme of Folie Circulaire could be said to be its penchant for ‘build and release’ tension, as the prerequisite moments of blistering fury are usually tempered by something a little more measured. The songwriting isn’t perfect throughout, with moments of filler to be found, but it’s certainly more hit than miss. With Folie Circulaire, Withered have marked themselves as a band to watch. They certainly can’t be faulted for ambition, and although they haven’t quite nailed it yet they came pretty damned close.
Official Withered Website
Official Withered MySpace
Official Prosthetic Records Website
Album Review: Theatres Des Vampires – Anima Noir
Aural Music – Aura005 – 2 May 2008
By Paddy Walsh
Those of you interested in Italian goth metal staples Theatres Des Vampires would do well to ignore the hammy ‘Vampiric Metal’ tag, as it’s a peurile and singles them out for more ridicule than they deserve. I’d imagine it’s probably put off as many potential listeners as their ‘we invented our own genre’ gimmick has actually gained. But I digress. Many moons ago I was subjected to one of their earlier releases – the name of which escapes me – but I do recall a fairly syrupy and tedious brand of the Cradle of Filth symphonic black metal formula. Anima Noir is is all but unrecognisable, composed of dancefloor-friendly gothrock anthems like a riffier Sisters of Mercy. Abgott fans – now is your cue to leave the hall – these fellow Italians will most certainly leave your grimness wanting.
The rest of you might be interested to know that as far as metallic goth rock goes, Anima Noir is as pleasant a stab at this often tedious genre as you’re likely to hear this year. Sure, Sonya Scarlet (yes I know you can smell cheese, but bear with me) has a squeaky quality in her voice that renders it somewhat irritating in lengthy doses, but she certainly can’t be accused of insincerity, as she gives a spirited performance throughout. Hell, even obligatory ballad ‘From the Deep’ manages to work reasonably well, even if she insists on coming over all operatic on us. The guitars are laid on thick, and are thankfully high in the mix, and they are supplemented by an all pervasive synth presence. The latter has a distinct 80s flavour, and on tracks such as ‘Blood Addiction’ the guitars adopt a new wave-esque hue, making this release more retro than the crystal clear production might have you believe. The band wander into that unfortunate goth metal scourge of ‘male-female-trading-vocals-duet’ that the likes of Lacuna Coil have been inflicting on us for years, such as on the aforementioned ‘Blood Addiction’, and it’s no less anoying here either. Much of Anima Noir is cheesy as hell, but for the most part it’s an enjoyable romp into 80s two-step territory. Opener ‘Kain’, with its mid-paced stomp, and obvious dancefloor filler ‘Two Seconds’ will likely have the eyeliner-sonning masses in rapture. This is certainly a better direction than the Cradle of Filth-worship of old, and indeed it stands above much of the saccharine goth ‘metal’ hordes doing the rounds these days.
Official Theatres Des Vampires Website
Official Theatres Des Vampires MySpace
Official Aural Music Website
Album Review: Gorgoroth – True Norwegian Black Metal: Live in Grieghallen
Regain Records – RR100 – 23 June 2008
I must admit to being a little bemused by this latest offering from black metal stalwarts Gorgoroth; the recent release of their infamous 2004 Krakow show would render this release redundant, no? Turns out the ‘Live’ part of the title is slightly misleading, as what transpires is actually a re-recording of some of their older material ‘live’ in studio. Hence the lack of crowd noise and the bizarrely decent production. Gorgoroth, like too many of the black metal older guard, may have let their infamy overshadow their musical acheivements at times, but they’ve still had their moments of ferocity. Antichrist and Pentagram are two particularly nasty black metal releases, and it’s rather pleasing to hear them again. A clear yet gritty production works wonders, and vocalist Gaahl proves himself as one of the genres more unsettling frontmen, his waspish rasp cutting through these tracks with aplomb. Perhaps it’s more fitting to view Live in Grieghallen as a ‘best-of’ of sorts, and it serves as a decent introduction to one of the most engaging ‘true’ black metal bands out there.
‘Destroyer’ is particularly vicious, whilst ‘Bergtrollets Hevn’s sub-punk assault recalls a time when Darkthrone hadn’t yet begun parodying themselves. ‘Unchain My Heart!!!’, despite its goofy title, isn’t a cover of some 80s power ballad, but is beset thankfully by a distinctive groove. It’s all quite good in fact, Gaahl’s drunken attempt at ‘epic’ clean vocals ‘Profetens Apenbaring’ excepted. Yet was this whole thing necessary? The quick answer is no, especially since the albums from which these tracks were culled were re-released not so long ago. Furthermore, 31 minutes of music does not a good value album make, rendering Live in Grieghallen one for the completists out there. Yet those unacquanited with one of Norway’s long standing exports looking for a starting point might do well to pick this up, along with ’06’s superb Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam. If you’re wondering why I omitted the elephant in the room that is their recent split/divide/schism/whatever, along with the myriad other controversies that have dogged this band throughout the years, well, that’s what Wikipedia is for isn’t it?
Official Gorgoroth Website
Official Regain Records Website
Official Gorgoroth MySpace
Album Review: Aborted – Strychnine.213
Century Media – CM9977901 – 24 June 2008
Is three albums in three years overkill? It doesn’t have to, but in Aborted’s case it just might be. Strychnine.213 follows hot on the heels of ‘07’s Slaughter and Apparatus, which itself came shortly after ‘06’s The Archaic Abattoir. The latter was a mighty fine romp into melodic death metal of the Carcass variety, and firmly ensconced Aborted at the top of their game. Ridiculously catchy riffs were underpinned by stellar leads that somehow retained a murky brutality thanks to Sven De Caluwe’s nasty growls, rasps and screams. Yet it’s ‘03’s Goremageddon that will always best represent these Danes, being something of a minor classic in its field.
On Strychnine.213, Aborted retain the core elements of their sound, but the results are nowhere near as memorable. Initial listens prove unrewarding, disappointingly yielding a dearth of truly standout moments. Aborted are noticeably trying to shift their emphasis from bludgeon to a more atmospheric, dare I say brooding attack. ‘Carrion’ does this rather well, as spoken words are bolstered by groove-laden riffs and searing lead-work. ‘A murmur in Decrepit Wits’ also utilises this approach well, as the time-honoured tradition of movie samples is reprised in a decidedly eerie bout of mid-paced riffery. The standard issue Aborted numbers fare rather less well, however, and they are evidently less memorable than their forbearers. Repeated listens yield some goodies, and the likes of ‘Ophidolatry’ is up there with some of their best, but at times Strychnine.213 comes over somewhat rushed. The great thing about Aborted has always been their propensity towards an instantly gratifying adrenaline rush, and the more nuanced approach icomes across a little out of character. A more thought out and planned attack for the future will no doubt have these fellows back in flying form, but at the moment they’re sounding a little like they’re on autopilot.
Official Aborted Website
Official Aborted MySpace
Official Century Media Website
Album Review: Cannabis Corpse – Tube of the Resinated
Forcefield Records – FF009 – 27 April 2008
By Paddy Walsh
Okay, okay – it’s not the most sophisticated metal you’re ever likely to hear – and no prizes for guessing who these stoners were apeing. Tube of the Resinated is best viewed as a tribute album of sorts, as each track name parodies a Cannibal Corpse song; so for ‘Mummified in Barb Wire’ we get ‘Mummified in Bong Water’, and ‘Fucked by a Knife’ becomes ‘Fucked by Northern Lights’. You can envisage the wheezy scoffs of smokey sniggers that presaged this project. And yes, this is exactly the kind of thing anyone who’s been in a weed-injected stupor has dreamt up at some point, yet it’s interesting that these folks actually got it together long enough to go and record an album. Woah!
Cynicism aside, this release has a certain niftiness to it that marks it as possibly the best homage to Cannibal Corpse to date. Each song is primed with the kind of detuned, fast-paced Floridian riffery that was de rigeur in the early 90s. Their tongues may be planted firmly in cheek, but they’ve really got the chops to back it up. Tube of the Resinated is both brutal and catchy, and with just enough grit so that it could actually be a Cannibal Corpse album were it not for thr whiff of skunk replacing all the bodyparts. Because Cannabis Corpse features members of thrash revivalists Municipal Waste, there is a sure-fire ability to evoke the spirit of a certain era at work here. Nudges to their chief influence abound, often in Weedgrinder’s vocals – check out the scream at the beginning of ‘Mummified by Bong Water’ as it effortlessly evokes the fantastic ‘Devoured by Vermin’.
They don’t make ‘em like this anymore, not even Cannibal Corpse do in fact, so if you’ve got a hankering for some Vile or Gallery of Suicide type death metal stylings, then Tube of the Resinated is for you. If you’re expecting a modern take on the classic Tampa formula then you’ll probably find this disappointing, as it’s hardly cutting edge, but then ‘Gallery of Stupid High’ (ho ho) has a mid-paced groove that slightly steps out of Cannibal Corpse’s shoes momentarily. If you need to be challenged by your death metal in ‘08, then avoid this, but if you need to headbang in a major way, and you’re not predjudiced against the obvious kowtowing at play, then you could do worse.
Official Cannabis Corpse Website
Official Forcefield Records Website
Album Review: Melvins – Nude With Boots
Ipecac – IP105P – 8 July 2008
If ever a band has remained criminally overlooked by the masses through a long, prolific and consistently excellent career (that has been in a steamrolling motion since 1983), than its the Melvins. Hugely influential to a multitude of rock and metal bands, inspiring everything from grunge to drone, their refusal to settle into a single niche has afforded them brief flirtations with the mainstream. The Melvins‘ enduring legacy may be their impact on a fledgling Seattle rock scene in the late 80s, early 90s, the scene’s most prominent martyr Kurt Cobain acting as something of a protege of the band initially, before eventually using the weight of Nirvana’s explosion with Nevermind to secure Melvins with a 3-album stint with major label Atlantic. The Melvins were alwyas too predictable and downright odd to sell millions of records to angsty gen X-ers, however, even if there were always potential radio-friendly hits buried within the gruelling sludge, twisted Sabbath-isms and general rock weirdness that is their forte.
In 2001 the band finally found a stable home with Mike Patton’s Ipecac label. Their past few albums have been quite streamlined by their standards, with ’06’s (A) Senile Animal perhaps their most accessible record since Houdini. Nude With Boots continues this trend, building on the critical acclaim of its predecessor. Notable about both Nude... and …Senile Animal has been the annexation of kindred upstarts Big Business into the bass, drumming and backing vocal fold, which means there are doubled up drums in the mix to give the listener an extra pounding. The backing vocals of Jarod Warren meanwhile add a great compliment to Buzz Osbourne’s familiar roar, the layered style adding a bizarrely operatic effect at times. Nude With Boots is stylistically similar to (A) Senile Animal, and there is a little deja vu going on here, but repeated spins prove rewarding as it really takes a few listens for this album to get under the skin. ‘The Kicking machine’ has a distinct 70s flavour, like Led Zeppelin dragged through a ditch backwards or something. ‘Billy Fish’ is something of a nod to the Houdini/Stoner Witch days as a ctachy, mid-paced rock-out, with the multi-percussive element proving devastating in this instance. As before, Jarod’s contributions are a great accompaniment to Buzz’s vocals – they’re slightly similar actually, but less gruff and thus add a melodic air to things. Think of Jerry Cantrell’s vocals to Layne Stayley’s in Alice in Chains.
Melvins have never made things too easy for the listener of course, and the ominous ‘Dies Irae’ is typical of this tendency, invoking Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western soundtracks through a minimalist dirge. ‘It Tastes Better than the Truth’ is like a nightmarish mantra of sorts, as squawking guitar shapes and menacing screams and yells; it’s repetetive, loud and obnoxious the way a Melvins closer should be really. For the most past, though, Nude With Boots is comprised of standard issue Melvins rockers such as ‘Suicide in Progress’ that are always a treat to the ears. It rarely strays into the kind of out there weirdness that has often bemused listeners in the past (their collaboration with Lustmord a few years ago had a 20 minute track of incessant repetetion to fuck you up), it’s concise and to the point. It’s unlikely to have the critical impact of (A) Senile Animal, as it’s essentially more of the same, but it’s the Melvins and therefore rocks the fuck out of everything. So there.
Official Melvins Website
Official Melvins MySpace
Official Ipecac Website
Album Review: Graveyard Dirt – Shadows of Old Ghosts
Self Released – 29 September 2007
These Irish doomsters have something of a complicated history. Originally forming way back in ‘94, their first demo Of Romance and Fire was released in ‘95. Having piqued the interest of German label Ars Metalli, they were signed the following year with a view to a debut album. A series of setbacks, including guitarist David Reilly’s sustaining an arm injury, led to the band’s dissolution before they ever managed to realise their potential. Cut to 2005, and Graveyard Dirt have reformed. Of Romance and Fire has been re-released, and the band have decided to enter the studio to finally record some of the material that was intended for that elusive debut full-length. Shadows of Old Ghosts is the result, a 34 minute, 3-track EP. As it turns out, we’ve all been missing out bigtime with their absence, as Graveyard Dirt have crafted a work of magisterial brilliance that not only entrenches them firmly within the upper echelons of doom’s considerable heirarchy, but actually surpasses many of their better contemporaries in the process.
The main riff motif that dominates the first 4 minutes of ‘Rise…Fallen Skies’ is sublime; effortlessly invoking that simultaneously uplifting and downtrodden beauty that typifies the best doom. Their sound could best be likened to British scene of the early 90s – Anathema (think Crestfallen and The Silent Enigma as opposed to Judgement), My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. There’s a tinge of the dark romanticism that typifies those bands too, although it’s delivered in a less overtly hammy fashion. Each of the 3 tracks on offer shift through myriad moods and tempos, yet the familiar dirge of this genre is omnipresent. Paul Leydon gives a spirited performance behind the mic, his combination of throaty roars and whispered spoken word passages like a cross between Darren White and Aaron Stainthorpe.
Since some bands have made it their business to create the slowest, least listenable dirges in the world, Graveyard Dirt have instead concentrated on creating memorable songs. A warm, textured production baths each track in an audible but no less gritty light, and is short of being overly clinical. ‘A Tearless Lament’ highlights this nicely, as a spoken word and intricate, clean guitar midsection launches back into a crushing dirge, and the effect is nothing short of epic. ‘Gathering Storm’ is just as its name suggests, as a calculated build up morphs into a violent climax, whilst it utilises piano and string flourishes to great effect. Shadows of Old Ghosts is thus a lovingly constructed and excellently wirrten piece of work, and as all good EPs should, its brief length leaves you gasping for more. Those of you bored to tears by My Dying Bride’s dreary A Line of Deathless Kings need to hear this, as Graveyard Dirt could show those old dogs about how vital doom should sound these days. And labels? You let these guys release this independently? For shame!
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