Miércoles 31 Ene 2007, 17:24
Best:
Moonsorrow - V: Havitetty
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Two half-hour tracks makes sure you never forget the “epic” that’s included in Moonsorrow’s “epic Viking metal” genre tag. Havitetty is another success for sure and these long songs will weed out those that just want another Suden Uni from these Fins. Moonsorrow might be ignoring brevity, but all their trademarks are still in place as Jäästä Syntynyt / Varjojen Virta's first few minutes include traditional Scandinavian harmonies, folky flutes, and a crackling fire as the song builds to a familiar midpaced, fist pumping section that’s as catchy as it is stirring. It’s Verisäkeet all over again, yet on a grander, somewhat darker scale. The production sounds a tad washed out as various elements are lost simply because there is so much going on, but the fact that band wants to take these extra steps sounds like heaven to these ears that are so tired of the prereq minimalist Burzumic black fog. That and Moonsorrow has always been keen on dynamics. Where most metal bands think that loud/soft simply cuts it, Moonsorrow goes that extra mile by utilizing every instrument and, seemingly, every texture at their disposal. Some may lament that these songs creep over sitcom length and therefore can only be listened to at specific times (or, according to those with the all too common metal ADD affliction, not at all), but Moonsorrow’s skills at building tension haven’t diminished which makes these macroblasts fly by. ‘course, some people just want to get caught up in some epic music, and to them I say, take your next vacation in the snowy north with these Vikings.
B+
http://www.myspace.com/moonsorrowofficial
Mess:
7000 Dying Rats – A Season in Hell
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Another jokey thrash/grind album. Hooray. Maybe if we hadn’t heard all these jokes before, Season in Hell would fair a bit better. Members of Lair of the Minotaur account for the guitar tone and on the skins is…Weasel Walter? Kind of unexpected and Scott Kelly makes a brief cameo, but don’t expect too many other surprises. The highlight is Weasel’s hip-hop song about getting sweaty while drumming, which is funnier/better than anything on Gut’s last record, but that’s not saying much. A cover of Paranoid with a beat might make you smile (though Busta Rhymes covering Iron Man was infinitely more hilarious), but the transition into a send up of Sabbath and bluegrass is forced humor at its least funny, not to mention that the whole metal/bluegrass thing has been exhausted by Hayseed Dixie. Musically, a bunch of avant-noise, horror soundtrack interludes (think Zombi), samples, and BCT/Fuck the Facts – Mullet Fever bridges are mixed together with incredibly old jokes (record store clerks are, like, totally pretentious assholes, guys) and third-rate Putnam aping song titles (We Had ‘Dying’ in Our Name Before All Those Metalcore Cocksuckers Came Along). Thankfully, the actual grind is separated from the “jokes” and, as grind goes, it’s okay. A far less serious, more punk influenced Lair of the Minotaur, maybe. They say humor is subjective and maybe I just don’t “get” it, but I don’t think there’s much to get when you’re singing about balls. It’s like one of those first time comics who bombs on amateur night, because his jokes are either too inside or just not funny to anyone else besides close acquaintances. That's not to say the Rats are green (they have more releases than my old CD-R label), it's just that I'm pretty far outside that inner circle that probably finds this album hilarious. Sorry dudes, sticking with Crotchduster on this one.
D
http://www.myspace.com/7000dyingrats
Rest:
Zozobra – Harmonic Tremors
Prerelease, most made one of two observations while looking at the membership: 1) Cave In minus Brodsky or 2) Old Man Gloom minus Turner. Turns out to be a bit of both. Bass heavy opener The Blessing’s beginning sounds like the best track that didn’t get included on Perfect Pitch Black, but takes a turn at the end, sounding like one of OMG’s mini-crawls. Cave In fans still bummed that their band’s return to more aggressive material wasn’t aggressive enough, might be interested in Harmonic Tremor’s bruisers that never forgo those fine hooks. At the very least, those who can’t stand Brodsky’s forays into Beatlesque pop/Failure’s space or Turner’s interest in ambient and electronic music will find Zozobra a welcome relief, as the band purposely stakes out middle ground. I can’t say that it’s on par with either main band’s work (it’s a grower and it’s currently growing), but it’s good and will do in a pinch when I don’t want to deal with either’s eccentricities.
B
http://www.myspace.com/zozobra505
Cursed – Blackout at Sunrise
A quickie three song EP from Canada’s great hardcore hope. Much improved production over their previous three releases is the obvious selling point, but please don’t ignore the songs on Blackout. The unconverted may change their tune while trying to come to terms with the shear visceral force on display. The title track pounds for five minutes without going anywhere, but it sounds so good doing it. The Hands Will Abide sounds, at once, like traditional hardcore punk and the genre’s logical conclusion. A slight sludge influence sets them apart and makes sure these songs sound not only vicious, but downright dirty. I found their previous output a little boring, never living up to the hype, but Blackout at Sunrise makes me want to reexamine my previous stance. Blackout might not change your opinion on Cursed, like it has mine, but it certainly signals that there are good things on the horizon.
B-
http://www.your-funeral.com/cursed/main.html
Car Bomb – Centralia
Ex-Neck takes tech timing to new levels. Think a more experimental Human Remains meets Nyia, with quick Mike Patton near-ambient tangents, and some Disembodied chugs thrown in to give you something to remember. And, that’s only one song. Fans of the promo/demo can rest easy as Rid, His Eyes, and Solid Grey are done up once again, though, it’s a bit of a downer that previously released material remains their strongest stuff. The guitar work is creative, the drumming is jaw dropping, and the middle finger to common song construction/rhythm is fresh without ever sounding messy or illogical. The stop/start riffing and the *blink*-you-missed-it style does kill the flow and makes the listen a bit jarring and disjointed, however. That, and not all of their ideas shine as brightly as others. Still, the effort is appreciated, even if Centralia doesn’t quite measure up to the expectations. In a few years, they could be to tech what Monk was to bop and I can’t think of a better compliment than that.
B-
http://www.myspace.com/carbombcult
The End – Elementary
Tech band writes rock riffs rife with melody and begins the shift towards mainstream stardom. Maybe not stardom, but certainly The End will now feel the embrace of a wider fan base. Within Dividia’s complexity is now only a memory, as the band steps up (or steps back) with the likes of The Esoteric; another techish band throwing it all away to record songs that are memorable instead of stringing “cool” parts together. But, like The Esoteric, the band has forgotten the weight and aggressiveness of their previous metal attack at home, which is what made them so enjoyable in the first place. That, and you get the feeling that the singer really wants to be Jonah Jenkins. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but his version of Jonah is spliced with hints of bands like Saosin. Still, even though these songs are a bit overlong and tend to drag (especially the acoustic closer that comes nowhere close to tech gone acoustic Nostromo), the singability of these hooks will keep this album in the car of most listeners. A great transition, but not a great album. The next one could be stellar, as the band graduates to the always confusing middle school. Hair in weird places and zits always seem to make for the best rock/metal albums.
C+
http://www.myspace.com/theendmusic
Coldworker – The Contaminated Void
I have a hard time finding fault with something that fulfills its function. It’s not fair for me to compare a simple chair to some glorious architectural masterpiece, especially when the chair’s only function is to be a place to sit, right? In a way, The Contaminated Void is that chair. It’s straightforward Swedish death with most songs barely hitting the two and a half minute mark. Heavy tone, solid musicianship, and a decent vocal performance. Think a grinding Bloodbath or Ribspreader (not surprising since Swano is on the knobs) without the interest in bringing Grave back from the, well, you know. It’s not going to satiate techheads looking for the ultra complex, but one thinks that Coldworker never wanted to be complex or unique. It’s just a chair, have a seat and enjoy the experience for what it is.
C+
http://www.myspace.com/coldworker
Jorn – Unlocking the Past
He with the golden pipes covers his influences. Great bands/songs, yet Unlocking the Past never hits the highs of a regular Lande solo venture. If it unlocks anything, it’s how much more enjoyable his own distillation of AOR/proto-metal can be. A far less varied Jorn album, then? Kind of. All the hallmarks are there, these are his influences after all, but Lande has shown that he’s more adept at taking the crème de la crème of metal cheese, the best parts of these covers, and leaving the rest behind. Case in point: A song like Feel Like Making Love sets up to be a perfect cover for The Duke, but it comes off as rather bland and lifeless. Like cover albums before Unlocking the Past, the execution isn’t as high as it could be, nor is there much of a creative spark. Straight reads it is not, but the band, and Jorn in general, sound a little boxed in by knowing (read: revering) the source material so well. Still, it has been every fan’s fantasy to hear him shout the final lines of Children of the Sea and he does so at the end of Lonely is the Word / Letters From Earth. A tad underwhelming, especially coming on the heels of Duke of Love, but it’s nice to hear MSG’s On and On, no matter what the context.
C+
http://www.myspace.com/realjorn
Elision – Things Are Far From OK
Releases like this always pose the question, do I not like this because the quality is lacking or because I’ve heard so many bands in this vein before? Leaning towards the latter because, although Things has no noticeable flaws, it doesn’t sound particularly fresh, basically treading ground already covered by three of the big hardcore Bs: Burst, Breach, and Botch. Fans of Burst will probably get the most out of this considering the vocal resemblance and overall drive. There are a few clever sections, as the band’s use of the polyrhythm and some great riffing keeps this from sinking to the bottom of a vast ocean of bands built in the Burst/Breach/Botch mold. Still, one can’t help but think that this should’ve been released five years ago. I still have a soft spot for metalcore of this variety and these Germans do it better than most (not to mention, they have the right set of influences), but it’s nothing you haven’t heard before. Of course, if you haven’t heard a lot of it, this is as good a place as any to start.
C
http://www.myspace.com/elision1
The County Medical Examiners – Olidous Operettas
Once a fun novelty, the curtain has been pulled and these “real life pathologists” are now rumored to be “real life members of Exhumed.” Shame, the put-on was fun while it lasted and produced one pretty good split with fellow Carcass worshippers, General Surgery. But, as most jokes tend to do (are you reading, SNL?), this gag has lasted for far too long. Symphonies of Sickness has never sounded so forced and sloppy; another boring retread of a classic that should be left alone. Guest solos (at least, one assumes these are guests) are the highlights, but Olidous Operettas never even reaches the fairly low bar set by lesser clones like Exhumed and Impaled. Worth buying only if Symphonies of Sickness, Necrology, or A Chapter of Accidents aren’t within arm's length.
D+