I have been a fan of this band since "Forever Ripping Fast". Seriously, you can go ask The person who ran Witches Brew (The label that found and released their first record). I went nuts over them. When Witches Brew decided to call it a day I was concerned that they might not have a place to release their stuff. Then Hell's Headbangers came in and saved the day.
"Onward..." is every bit as amazing as was "Phantom Knights". It should be said I love thrash! I have loved thrash since I was a teenager in the height of the thrash explosion of the late 80's. I like new thrash. I like old thrash. But I have a different viewpoint on thrash then many. I believe that the sub-genres of metal are in fact sub-genres. They are not mementos to turn back to when we want to walk down memory lane, but a living, breathing art form. I also know that there have been thrash bands new and old active and playing since the 1980's because they also see thrash as a living, breathing art form. The assertion by some young bands that "thrash is back" is patently ridiculous and those bands should be laughed off the labels that signed them!
That being said so many of the new thrash bands do not get that thrash needs to be fast and played maniacally. It should be the soundtrack for burning buildings and laughing at the fire. Truthfully, most of the signed thrash bands have no balls at all! There are a few that do and Deathhammer lead that pack right now! Young violent thrash that tears the world down around it! Its a caustic mix Iron Angel, Early Sodom and Bathory whipped into an utter frenzy of darkness!
So, yes, you go buy this record... NOW!!!! It will tear your face off and laugh. Then it will burn down your house because it needs a large space to drink in! Seriously thrash does not come any better than this!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Iron Dogs- Cold Bitch
So to continue with my favorite releases of the year list, we move to the frozen north... CANADA! This band contains Jo of Bastardator/ Germ Attak fame. He has a history of great bands at his back and this is no different!
Cold Bitch is a viscous mix of NWOBHM, snotty hard core of the 80's variety, and early speed/ thrash metal. Its a caustic sound that rips through your speakers straight into your ears. Frankly, there is no doubt that the influences all come from the early 80's period and absolutely nothing later. This sounds like it was recorded while listening to a steady diet of Exciter, Accept and GBH. Its just good rough and tumble heavy metal/ punk.
From the moment "Razors of Doom", rips out of your speakers you know violent speed metal is the rule of the day. It should be said that this album, while influenced by the 80's, does not sound like it copies anything in particular. It sounds like it could have come from that time period. The songs are incredibly well written and have a great deal of variety. These songs harken back to time when metal songs were built on variety and sub-genres were not so strictly enforced as they are today. Were the 80's better? I don't know, but it was a time when the borders of sub-genres were a little more loose.
Iron Dogs could not have crafted an album that hit my personal taste meter more if they tried. This style of punked up metal is one of my favorites! If you enjoy metal influenced by the old ways but not copying them then "Cold Bitch" is for you.
Cold Bitch is a viscous mix of NWOBHM, snotty hard core of the 80's variety, and early speed/ thrash metal. Its a caustic sound that rips through your speakers straight into your ears. Frankly, there is no doubt that the influences all come from the early 80's period and absolutely nothing later. This sounds like it was recorded while listening to a steady diet of Exciter, Accept and GBH. Its just good rough and tumble heavy metal/ punk.
From the moment "Razors of Doom", rips out of your speakers you know violent speed metal is the rule of the day. It should be said that this album, while influenced by the 80's, does not sound like it copies anything in particular. It sounds like it could have come from that time period. The songs are incredibly well written and have a great deal of variety. These songs harken back to time when metal songs were built on variety and sub-genres were not so strictly enforced as they are today. Were the 80's better? I don't know, but it was a time when the borders of sub-genres were a little more loose.
Iron Dogs could not have crafted an album that hit my personal taste meter more if they tried. This style of punked up metal is one of my favorites! If you enjoy metal influenced by the old ways but not copying them then "Cold Bitch" is for you.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Vampyric Blood- Ordo Dracul
So like I said we will be beginning with some of my favorite releases this year. And this happens to be one of them. Dark Adversary has been racking them up this year between Eternum and this gem I might just go a bit crazy!
Beginning with "Ordo Dracul(Introduction)" I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this. I mean a minimal drumbeat over some weird woodwind(?) instrument and main man Lord of Shadows whispering malignantly over said music... Yep, my kind of deal. "Black Sorcery of Wallachia" starts with some wonky stuff but then coalesces into some mid paced and mystical black metal and stays that way until the instrumental, "Vulgar Desires of Immortality". This song works well as a departure from the black metal and adds some atmosphere but with only seven songs on the album I feel it takes away space for what could be another great black metal song and is the only contentious part of the album. I really like that this drips with darkness and obscurity. No matter what you think about black metal as a form of art or its possible "political/ social" merits, its the atmosphere that matters most.
This is what happens when you combine early Black Funeral and Crimson Moon and is superior to anything either of those bands did in their later career. I may be wrong but I, again, hear a whiff of that 90's polish school in some of the (very) epic arrangements. And the ghoulish whisper that makes up 90% of the album vocals adds some much to the vampyric atmosphere. What an excellent choice, in my humble opinion. This is an excellent album that should be enjoyed by candlelight.
One of the best records released this year so far and a shoe-in for one of the top three in my own list. Go now and pick this up! My only other real complaint is that this is only seven tracks long! Next time put some more songs on it!
Beginning with "Ordo Dracul(Introduction)" I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this. I mean a minimal drumbeat over some weird woodwind(?) instrument and main man Lord of Shadows whispering malignantly over said music... Yep, my kind of deal. "Black Sorcery of Wallachia" starts with some wonky stuff but then coalesces into some mid paced and mystical black metal and stays that way until the instrumental, "Vulgar Desires of Immortality". This song works well as a departure from the black metal and adds some atmosphere but with only seven songs on the album I feel it takes away space for what could be another great black metal song and is the only contentious part of the album. I really like that this drips with darkness and obscurity. No matter what you think about black metal as a form of art or its possible "political/ social" merits, its the atmosphere that matters most.
This is what happens when you combine early Black Funeral and Crimson Moon and is superior to anything either of those bands did in their later career. I may be wrong but I, again, hear a whiff of that 90's polish school in some of the (very) epic arrangements. And the ghoulish whisper that makes up 90% of the album vocals adds some much to the vampyric atmosphere. What an excellent choice, in my humble opinion. This is an excellent album that should be enjoyed by candlelight.
One of the best records released this year so far and a shoe-in for one of the top three in my own list. Go now and pick this up! My only other real complaint is that this is only seven tracks long! Next time put some more songs on it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)