UMUR "Schizophrenia" is a full-length studio album release by Brazilian death/thrash metal act Cavalera. The album was released through Nuclear Blast in June 2024. It´s a full re-recording of Sepultura´s October 1987 sophomore full-length studio album "Schizophrenia" plus the new original track "Nightmares of Delirium", which closes the album. Normally when the Cavalera brothers work together, they work under the Cavalera Conspiracy monicker (who have released four full-length studio albums), but they opted to release a re-recorded version of Sepultura´s November 1986 "Morbid Visions" debut full-length studio album in July 2023 under the shortened Cavalera name. The Cavalera brothers also re-recorded Sepultura´s December 1985 "Bestial Devastation" EP (or more correctly Sepultura´s part of the "Bestial Devastation / Século XX" split with Overdose). The re-recorded EP was released on the same day the the re-recorded "Morbid Visions" album. Apparently they were so satisfied with the re-recording process that they have now also opted to re-record "Schizophrenia".

The early Sepultura recordings were raw, savage, and unpolished, which are usually descriptors I would praise, but in the case of the early Sepultura recordings I always felt that something was missing, so I´m one of those who think it´s a pretty good idea to release these re-recordings (and I´m usually very much in opposition when artists do re-recordings of full releases). In the case of "Schizophrenia" it´s interesting suddenly to be able to hear all the details of the riffs and drumming, which were buried in the original mess of a sound production. The Cavalera brothers have however not destroyed the album by packing it in a polished and overproduced sound production. They have respect for the original recording, so this is still a pretty raw and hard hitting sound.

"Schizophrenia" features several powerful, fast-paced, and technically well played thrash metal tracks, and it becomes more obvious when listening to the re-recorded version of the album, that Sepultura were actually closer to the sound they would achieve on "Beneath the Remains" (1989), than what the original recording revealed. Upon conclusion this re-recording of "Schizophrenia" will divide the waters as all re-recordings do, but as written above I´m pretty satisfied with the result, and I think a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

siLLy puPPy Venezuelan guitarist FELIX MARTIN has been on the technical guitar music scene for almost 15 years now and still remains quite unique with his self-designed 12, 14 and 16-string guitars that he has perfected the art of finger tapping on. After studying at the Berklee School of Music in Boston and relocating to Los Angeles, MARTIN has been touring with other guitar wizards ranging from Bumblefoot (with Sons of Apollo) and Marty Friedman to Tony MacAlpine across the world. MARTIN has delivered a steady stream of nerdy instrumental albums since his debut “Bizarre Rejection” in 2010 and currently in 2024 he has released his latest power trio assault THE GATHERING.

For a guitar virtuoso MARTIN plays it cool and on the 10 tracks featured on THE GATHERING he definitely showcases his two-handed double-neck guitar tapping approaches with his collection of multi-stringed guitars and accompanying 10-strong basses but he integrates inspiration derived from progressive rock and metal along with medieval music, video game soundtracks, Japanese anime themes and an abundance of jittery math rock time signatures. Unlike other modern guitar gods such as Tosin Abasi who favor djent-fueled guitar heft, MARTIN offers a gentler approach making his music a bit more light and breezy despite the incessant flow of finger-tapping techniques permeating the album’s run.

Add to that MARTIN infuses his Latin musical roots into the mix and the entire album has a bit of the jazz fusion vibe that has been more prevalent on his previous albums. First and foremost MARTIN is dedicated to intriguing melodies and dynamic rhythmic drive with the virtuosity supporting the overarching theme, a trait lost on many virtuosos although that has been changing in the 21st century as gifted guitarists have found new musical avenues to incorporate their shredding skills into. Perhaps the most dynamic feature of MARTIN’s music is the fact that his 16 and 12-string guitars along with the 10-string basses offer a huge palette of sounds and technical possibilities. Add to that MARTIN uses two hands on two necks to craft contrapuntal guitar techniques, some of the most advanced technical wizardry possible.

Each track on the album includes its own artwork of an anime character that represents it as seen on the album cover art. While usually tucked into the world of progressive metal, THE GATHERING is less metallic than previous albums and offers a cleaner less distorted array of tones and timbres. The trio is flawless in its nerdy execution of the string attacks however i find the drummer to be the least interesting of the bunch as he basically only exists to maintain a steady beat with no outbursts of virtuosity in his own right although he doers offer some moments of interest. Even more exhilarating than hearing MARTIN play is to experience the visuals on his videos where you can marvel at the beefy excessively stringed guitars that he and bandmate Joan Torres double tap with amazing grace and ease.

Overall this like any MARTIN release is impressive on a technical level and even competent as far as painting interesting melodic developments and balancing the elements involved however even with all the attention focused on the songwriting with the finger tapping a secondary process, the album still comes off as a bit one-dimensional as the tracks don’t vary significantly enough from one another and by the time the album nears its final tracks the wow factor has diminished. While MARTIN has learned the discipline of toning things down and honing his skills into a greater sum of the parts, unfortunately the music isn’t diverse enough to maintain the interest of the listener for an album’s run but the craftsmanship is rather brilliant and the clean tones and timbres that MARTIN has eked out of his guitar army is quite pleasing indeed. Personally i prefer the faster tracks as the slower ones are a little too pandering to the non-techies but really there’s nothing horrible about this album other than a little monotony at times.

siLLy puPPy Approaching nearly 60 years together as a band, it’s true that only drummer Ian Paice has been with DEEP PURPLE for the band’s entire 56 year existence with other members coming and going over the decades but the band as a commercial entity has sold well over 100 million albums in its amazingly fruitful career not to mention an early innovator of hard rock and heavy metal. It’s hard to believe that these old timers now mostly in their 70s are still cranking out the same hard driving rock that they did in the 1970s but here we are in the year 2024 and band is releasing its 23rd studio album!

After the departure of long term guitarist Steve Morse who played with DEEP PURPLE from 1994-2022, the band sallied forth well into the 2020s with guitarist Simon McBride who has honed his bluesy hard rock skills in bands like Snakecharmer and Sweet Savage. Along with vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover, DEEP PURPLE is still 3/5 of its classic Mark II lineup and along with keyboardist Don Airey who has been cranking out his meanest organ playing skills 2002, the band is determined to keep going until every last member has taken his last breath.

=1 finds Bob Ezrin back in the producer’s seat who together with all the band members crafted 13 new tracks that evoke the spirit of classic DEEP PURPLE and delivered with a loose concept of the world rapidly becoming more and more complex. After the all cover song album of “Turning To Crime” one could easily assume that DEEP PURPLE was ready to call it quits but the band demonstrates that while not up to its peak as far as energetic performances are concerned, these seasoned veterans still have a knack for writing catchy hard rock tunes that find that perfect mix of boogie rock, bluesy guitar leads and organ bombast accompanied by Ian Gillan’s distinct vocal style which amazingly has held up quite well over the decades.

The album hits the ground running with the album’s opening “Show Me” which finds DEEP PURPLE in fine form for a bunch of guys now well past their prime. What the band lacks in its energetic drive that catapulted classic albums like “In Rock” and “Machine Head” to the top of the charts, the modern DEEP PURPLE rather compensates with emotive performances focused more on the melodic touches and the crafty soulful rendering of their classic sound brought to a new era. Unfortunately some of these slowed down versions of classic DEEP PURPLE are a little on the mopey side with the track “I’ll Catch You” falling into the dreaded AOR turf, something classic DEEP PURPLE never would’ve approached!

Overall this isn’t a bad batch of tracks by one of the most famous rock bands ever to have existed but it’s also a reminder that these guys’ best days are well behind them and now they are simply doing what they love in order to keep the old adage “use it or lose it” alive and well. DEEP PURPLE has definitely been a lot more interesting since 2013’s “Now What?” and in that regard the band continues to craft instantly catchy tracks that will appeal to any long time fans of classic PURPLE. While it’s hard to fault this album in any particular way it is hard not to compare them to their glory days when the combo pack attack of Jon Lord’s classically infused organ runs with Ritchie Blackmore’s neoclassical shredding were in full force.

This is a far cry from those days but nevertheless a pleasant slice of the band in its latest formation however it seems that the much younger McBride who is only in his 40s is kept on the leash and not allowed to crank out the serious energetic drive and guitar majesty that would kick this album’s energy level up a few notches with the exception of the excellent “Now You’re Talkin” which takes nine tracks to get to. While not bad, it’s also not going to go down in history as anything that stands out in the band’s canon but rather a testament to the band’s longevity and determination to sally forth no matter what obstacles lie in their path.

UMUR "Between the Worlds of Life and Death" is the third full-length studio album by US, Denver, Colorado based death metal act Vale of Pnath. The album was released through Willowtip Records in May 2024. It´s the successor to "II" from June 2016, although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the 2019 "Accursed" EP (at 27:32 minutes it´s only 10 minutes shorter than this album, so maybe mini-album is a more correct label than EP). So it´s safe to say that Vale of Pnath haven´t been the most prolific act in terms of output. They´ve been marred by quite a few lineup changes over the years though and of course the COVID-19 epidemic probably didn´t do anything good for them either. On "Between the Worlds of Life and Death", Vale of Pnath work as the trio of Vance Valenzuela (guitars), Ken Sorceron (vocals, guitars, bass), and Gabe Seeber (drums). The latter two are new in the lineup since the release of "Accursed". Other than the performances by the permanent members of the band, "Between the Worlds of Life and Death" also features quite a few guest performances. Mainly a host of guitarists playing solos on the album, but also Wayne Ingram (Wilderun) who is responsible for orchestration on a couple of tracks (the album intro track and an interlude track later on the album), and Kakophonix who performs cello parts.

Stylistically the material on "Between the Worlds of Life and Death" is a continuation of the technically well played death metal style of the previous releases, but the more dominant use of keyboards and the blackened growling provide this particular release with a symphonic black metal element I don´t think I heard on the preceding output by Vale of Pnath. They´ve toned down the technical playing a bit too, and focus more on epic blackened atmospheres, although there are still plenty of technical playing and complex songwriting ideas on the album. At first it may seem a bit odd to have no less than five different guest solo guitarists play on the album, but the solos are generally very well played and provide the music with a couple of blistering virtuosic moments. They are nicely melodic too.

"Between the Worlds of Life and Death" features a powerful, detailed, and professional sounding production job, and it´s overall a well sounding release, featuring a sound production which matches the material. So upon conclusion "Between the Worlds of Life and Death" is another high quality release from Vale of Pnath. I must confess to being a bit confused regarding the band´s symphonic blackened edge, because that´s not at all how they started out in 2011 on their debut full-length studio album "The Prodigal Empire". Vale of Pnath have of course developed since and the "Accursed" EP also included some blackened elements, but with "Between the Worlds of Life and Death" they go pretty much all in in terms of incorporating symphonic black metal elements to their melodic and technically well played death metal style. While this is arguably high quality music, the development of Vale of Pnath´s style does leave me with the impression that they lack a personal style and musical direction, or that they are maybe just still searching for it. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

siLLy puPPy When it comes to insane batshit crazy avant-metal both Colin Marston and Mick Barr have cranked out some of the most unusual sounds that could still be tangibly connected to the metal universe. While their main gig KRALLICE seems to have become their stabilizing tour de force where they can exercise their experimental touches within some sort of traditional framework, this duo along with Lev Weinstein and Nick McMaster have also found a seemingly infinite number of directions to take this fearless intrepid band that lies in the murky bardo world between progressive, black and death metal. While the band took some time off in the 2010s so the members could engage in other projects, the 2020s have proven to be unusually prolific with the band releasing two albums in each year of 2022 and 2023.

Either the first or only album to emerge in 2024 is INORGANIC RITES, the 15th in the long and ever-changing canon of one of extreme metal’s most outrageously original acts of the 21st century. Following in the footsteps of last years disso-death fueled “Mass Cathexis 2 - The Kinetic Infinite” and the progressive space ambient fueled metal of “Porous Resonance Abyss” i wasn’t really sure what to expect but it seems that KRALLICE has opted for another dip into the world of progressively infused extreme metal with a heavy dose of progressive electronic and space ambient sounds to bring two distinct worlds together in a lethal dose of atmospheric metallic furor. With 10 tracks at over 66 minutes playing time, this is a lengthy beast that delivers all the expected trade marks of KRALLICE, namely knotty time signature rich progressive labyrinths of swirling sounds that erupt into black metal chaos as well as the deathened black metal vocal style that projects all the angst and gloomy despair you could hope for.

This time around though there is a LOT more focus on the synthesized parts with lengthy chunks of time dedicated to non-metal electronic space journeys that evoke classic Klaus Schulze and other Berlin School pioneers. While the band has always flaunted an atmospheric presence, on INORGANIC RITES they’ve taken it to the next level with entire tracks such as the 10 minute “Universe Ancestral Talisman” embarking on an astral plane journey complete unshackled from the lambast of blastbeats, tremolo guitar aggression and black metal dissonance. Fortified with trippy space ambient intros and intricately designed synthesized compositions that seem to overlap the metal constructs, INORGANIC RITES much of the time sounds like two separate albums played simultaneously only tailor made to overlap like a custom made sports jacket that fits in all those right places.

A strange and mondo bizarro album like pretty much any KRALLICE release has to offer, INORGANIC RITES takes the band’s progressive metal tendencies into overdrive and then fortifies it all with an almost orchestrated electronic layering effect. The results are electrifying and raising the bar in the limits of atmospheric accompaniments as often they are set so high as to become the dominant force. While the earlier tracks such as the early released “Flatlines Encircled Residue” seem to over-rely on the atmospheric touches as the primary focus, later tracks like “Fatestorm Sancturary” seem to get it right and allow the guitar, bass and percussive heft to rise to the top of the mix. The labyrinthine compositional structures are a bit hard to follow but they do unfold in a logical manner as they take the complexities of classic progressive rock and adapt them to the excesses of obnoxious extreme metal.

While this is considered black metal by some, there are moments where the band sounds more like Gorguts than anything in the black metal world but the vocal styles change it up offering even more diverse elements. While i could totally see the increased emphasis on the symphonic sounding space ambience as being annoying to some, in the crowded world of extreme metal it’s actually rather refreshing to hear something so dynamically different and not to worry extreme metalheads, KRALLICE loses none of its extreme metal intensity with all those brutal riffing sessions, moments of guitar squealing run amok and of course the bantering bass and drum furor. Fifteen albums later and KRALLICE seems like it’s just warming up and INORGANIC RITES shows the band still firing on all pistons.

GwennyLOLmusic This album is just great no matter what. This album is incredibly heavy and kicks ass.

This is the band Element Eighty's first album, and 4 of the songs were remade for their self titled released 2003. This album is just really good and raw and I love it.

Individual Track Notes. Yankee Cake has a really neat verse flow, with its singing and its drumming, with the hi-hats. The song speaks about being betrayed and being better off without them. "And you call yourself a fucking friend?", "I'm insane, I loathe you. I'm alone, and better off without you". Painmaker, like with a decent amount of E80's early tracks, has multiple notable moments where the singing and the guitar riff sync up, like the pre-chorus, "Body Ache, Forsake, Penetrate, this fucking pain". A better example of this would be in Bloodshot or Pancake Land Frustrated perfectly transitions into R & M and it works very well. R & M's chorus is incredibly good and catchy.

All the songs have incredibly good and even catchy(?) guitar riffs.

Favorite track: R & M Least favorite track: Echo Song

siLLy puPPy IRISH COFFEE was one of the few hard rock bands that emerged from the early 70s Belgian scene but packed a punch that was as caffeinated and intoxicating as its namesake. Formed in the West Flanders city of Aalst out of the ashes of a band called The Voodoo which got its start playing covers by bands like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, The Who and The Kinks, IRISH COFFEE crafted its own seamless fusion of its influences after it formed in 1970. The band delivered a rather crafty debut album in 1971 which happened to be its only release from its first run that lasted until 1975 when a car accident killed the drummer and seriously injured the bassist effectively ending the band.

While easily taken as an average organ driven hard rock band in the vein of Deep Purple or Atomic Rooster, IRISH COFFEE deceptively wove progressive elements into its soulful yet feisty performances that featured an exquisite sense of melody, an even more developed rhythmic drive and a top notch instrumental interplay of the musicians which included William Souffreau (vocals, guitar), Jean Van Der Schueren (lead guitar), Willy De Bisschop (bass), Paul Lambert (Hammond organ) and Hugo Verhoye (drums). This eponymously titled debut offered an interesting mix of early Led Zeppelin inspired bluesy rock along with the organ heavy rock of Deep Purple but also offered a bit of soulful heavy psych funk of Grand Funk Railroad along with the pop infused sensibilities of late 60s British acts like Gun.

While the album may sound a bit generic upon first encounter, this is one that sort of sneaks up on you like an internet cookie and beckons you to return. Once you sink your teeth into the intricacies beyond the instant ear wormy grooves and irresistible melodic hooks, the album reveals deeper idiosyncrasies that make the band stand out. First and foremost, the star of the show is clearly singer William Souffreau who was the chief songwriter along with lead guitarist Jean Van Der Schueren who also delivers some excellently tasteful guitar leads. Souffreau’s vocal prowess elevates the rather average musical style several notches as the groovy boogie rock style was fairly common for the day but something about a gifted vocalist that can really take an album experience up a few notches.

Another factor that offers a more complex approach than the average hard rock band is the drumming style of Hugo Verhoye which is fairly busy throughout the album’s run with amazingly complex drumming patterns that sort of seamlessly meld into the overall flow of the album’s musical style. The album stampedes into action with the heavy rocking “Can’t Take It” with its off-kilter drunken sailor boogie rock groove laced with a unique percussive drive and a ferocious guitar presence. William Souffreau immediately dominates the mood setting with his powerful soulful yet gruff vocal style while the Hammond organ slinks around in the backdrop. “The Beginning Of The End” slows things down a bit and offers a completely different style with a melodic groovy addictive guitar riff and a stronger organ presence more in the Deep Purple “Child In Time” territory. Souffreau shows off his vocal range with a passionate lyrical delivery that pretty much continues for the rest of the album.

“When Winter Comes” follows suit with the same style but “The Show (Part 1)” jumps into a high energy funk show with a super catchy groove and even more ear wormy sing-songy vocal harmony section. It sort of reminds me of the White Stripes’ “Icky Thump” which would follow decades later. This one in particular evokes a strong Grand Funk Railroad vibe. While “The Show (Part 2)” sort of insinuates a continuation in theme, the track is a bit different sounding more like the bluesy rock on Led Zeppelin’s debut however does feature a funky groove after the introductory moments. The rest of the album pretty much follows the playbook set up at this point and continues the vibrant flow of heavy percussion and bluesy guitar soloing over funk, blues and slightly progressive underpinnings all glazed over by the hefty Hammond organ use.

Although the band only released a sole album in its initial five year run, it did release a series of singles all the way up to 1974 just before Paul Lambert was killed in a car accident and Wim De Craene was permanently injured. The band reformed as Joystick briefly following the tragedy with new members but never released anything. Eventually this album would find a reissue with all the non-album singles as bonus tracks in the 90s and IRISH COFFEE even reformed in the 2000s with original members and a new lineup and has been active since 2013. While i would probably call this a second tier band in the world of organ-based hard rock from the 70s behind bands like Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep and even Qatermass, i would still consider the sole IRISH COFFEE release from the 70s an excellent slice of passionately delivered progressive hard rock that only becomes more addictive the more time you give it a listen.

UMUR "Inferno Go-Go" is the second full-length studio album by Finnish rock/metal act Mind Riot. The album was released through Godhead Recordings in 1996. It´s the successor to "Peak" from 1995.

Mind Riot started out a death metal act but already on the 1993 "Plasma" EP they started experimenting with dissonance, unconventional songwriting ideas, and alternative rock/metal elements. They completed the transition to alternative rock/metal (with a few excursions into death´n´roll territory) on "Peak", and on "Inferno Go-Go" they´ve streamlined their sound even more. The death metal elements are now completely gone from their sound, and they´ve become less experimental. The tracks on "Inferno Go-Go" are therefore vers/chorus structured alternative rock/metal tracks delivered with great energy, pace, and conviction. It´s by far Mind Riot´s most easily accessible release.

This is designed to rock hard (and rock hard they do...) and not to make you think too much. Mind Riot have already released enough "thinking man´s metal" on their previous releases. "Inferno Go-Go" features a well sounding production job, which suits the material. It´s powerful, raw, and detailed. Upon conclusion "Inferno Go-Go" is a good quality release from Mind Riot. It´s not unique or adds much new to the scene, but it´s a well composed, well performed, and well produced album, which it´s enjoyable while it plays. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Peak" is the debut full-length studio album by Finnish metal act Mind Riot. The album was released through Godhead Recordings in 1995. It´s the follow-up release to the 1993 "Plasma" EP.

Right off the bat opening track "For the Spirit" introduces the odd and experimental songwriting style of Mind Riot. "Plasma" still featured some old school death metal elements, although it was an adventurous and quite unconventional death metal release, but "Peak´s" only connection to death metal is the occasional sections featuring growling vocals. Those sections can be labelled death´n´roll, but Mind Riot also more prominently play an alternative metal style and combine it with the death´n´roll elements. Clean vocals, heavy rock/metal riffs, funky moments, and odd experimental songwriting ideas are some of the elements which make up the sound of "Peak". When Mind Riot are most weird their countrymen in Waltari isn´t the worst reference.

"Peak" features a well sounding production, and you´re able to hear all instruments and vocals in the mix. So upon conclusion it´s an interesting release. I´m not sure I agree with all the odd songwriting choices, but at least Mind Riot got balls. The death metal growling should probably have been left off this release, as the death´n´roll parts disrupt the flow of the album, and they just sound out of place. The clean vocals are predominantly well performed and relatively varied in style, but sometimes they sound a little out of key, and the female vocals which occur a few times even more so.

So upon conclusion "Peak" isn´t a perfect release by any means, and it´s also difficult to point to a group of listeners who could appreciate a release as eclectic as this. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

GwennyLOLmusic I have no idea why I love this album so much, but damn I love it. The album is themed around Christianity and gospel(?) but, unlike other Christian bands, instead of dancing around the positives of it all, it plunges into the poison womb of the negatives and corruption.

The album, in my eyes, themes itself around an early ages Christian setting, and the songs fit into that with their lyrics, and the keyboard synth in the background, commonly resembling organs.

Individual track notes:

Cannibal is a great example of the album going into the dark and corrupt side of Christianity. This song, as the title somewhat implies, is revolving around cannibalism, specifically feasting on our own children. The song showcases a sound of regret towards the end, with lyrics like "Father, what have I done!", as if they are recognizing their sins and how its too late to change, they've already been damned. Also shown in lyric "We fashion a new generation, who thinks like us, speaks like us, kills for us. Through them we will not die", which I believe refers to that their legacy will not die, and be passed on through their children, if they didn't eat the shit out of them.

Harlot's Womb is just a great full throttle fast paced track. The keys in this track add a lot, even though they are very subtle. NOTE I do not know shit about the bible, I don't know who Emily and Apollyon and Babylon is. (Apollyon referred to in Harlots Womb, Babylon in Drop The Bomb, Emily in Dying Young)

Judas is a great and remarkable song. This song of course goes on about the story of Judas, specifically the betrayal of Jesus. Notable lyrics like "See you standing sober, cutting out my fathers eyes" and "You're like a son to me". The second verse goes right into the betrayal.

Favorite track: Judas. Least favorite track: Morgan Freeman.

Recently got this album on CD. Uploaded the lyrics and info to Genius for y'all.

Lyrics uploaded = https://genius.com/albums/Crucifix-doll/Fuck-this-flower

Album HQ CD Rip = https://archive.org/details/crucifixdoll-cdrip (I'm a huge nerd okay)

-=Additional Album Info=- Recorded, mixed, and mastered in 12 days during the month of September 2004.

Executive Producer – Rick Musmecci. Produced by Dan Faraci. Assistant producer – Kalen Chase. Recorded by Dan Faraci @ Tommy Tedesco Studios and DC11 Productions (Darren’s Apartment). Assistant record engineers – Max Fritz and TJ Helmrich. Mixed by Doug Kern @ Tommy Tedesco Studios. Assistant mix engineer – Dan Faraci. Mastered by Doug Kern @ Doug’s house. All artwork by Jenny Stone. Photo by Debbie Faraci. Layout by Dan Faraci.

UMUR "Phobos" is the ninth full-length studio album by Canadian metal act Voivod. The album was released through Hypnotic Records in in August 1997. It´s the successor to "Negatron" from November 1995 and it´s the second Voivod album featuring the trio lineup of Eric Forrest (lead vocals/bass), Michel "Away" Langevin (drums) and Denis "Piggy" D-Amour (guitars). It´s also the last studio album to feature Forrest, as he was seriously injured in 1998 in a car accident in Germany and subsequently left Voivod in 2000 after a longer recovery period, which saw the band questioning their continued existence. Voivod actually shortly disbanded in 2001, but reunited in 2002 with original lead vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger and opted to continue with the band.

Stylistically the material on "Phobos" is a continuation of the heavy, aggressive, and at times almost brutal thrash/groove (with industrial atmospheres) style of "Negatron" and in that respect it´s fair to label the two albums sibling releases. Also because they are the only albums in Voivod´s discography which feature this sound and style. Both "Negatron" and "Phobos" are vastly different in sound to anything else Voivod have released. But that doesn´t mean it´s not unmistakably the sound of Voivod, because "Phobos" (just like "Negatron") still features the dissonant riffs and organic drumming, which are signature elements of Voivod, and of course the sci-fi lyrics and imagery. Forrest is predominantly a raw screaming vocalist, but he does occasionally deliver semi-melodic or less raw vocals (not often but a few times).

So "Phobos" is another heavy, raw, and aggressive release from Voivod featuring a savage and punishing sound production, which further enhances the rawness and heaviness of the material. It´s less surprising than "Negatron" was, and maybe therefore a little less interesting (the novelty of Voivod releases something as raw and heavy as "Negatron" has worn off by now), but on the other hand the material is both well performed, well produced, and well written. Thirteen tracks (including a relatively unnecessary cover of "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson and three shorter intro/interlude tracks) and a total playing time of 66:22 are a bit much though when the atmosphere and variation of the music aren´t greater than the case is here, and "Phobos" is therefore an album which could have benefitted from a culling. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is however still warranted.

UMUR "Negatron" is the eighth full-length studio album by Canadian metal act Voivod. The album was released through Hypnotic Records/Mausoleum Records in November 1995. It´s the successor to "The Outer Limits" from August 1993 and there´s been a significant lineup change since the predecessor as lead vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger has left. As the bass parts on "The Outer Limits" were recorded by session musician Pierre St-Jean, and Voivod had not found a new permanent bassist, they were now both a lead vocalist and a bassist down. Enter lead vocalist/bassist Eric Forrest who along with remaining members Michel "Away" Langevin (drums) and Denis "Piggy" D-Amour (guitars) complete the trio lineup who recorded "Negatron". Voivod would work in this trio constellation (and also release the 1997 "Phobos" album) until 1998 when Forrest was severely injured in a car accident in Germany. During his recovery period the remaining members of the band felt that they weren´t able to continue and after Forrest left in 2000, Voivod shortly disbanded in 2001.

But´s that´s of course getting way ahead of the story, as the new trio lineup in 1994/1995 was a breath of fresh air and a new start for Voivod, who did taste limited commercial success with their three preceding major label releases, but never really broke through to the mainstream. "Negatron" signals the return to a much more harder edged and aggressive style of music, and it´s probably the most heavy, angry, and punchy release from Voivod up until then. While Forrest on occasion can deliver semi-clean melodic vocals (the chorus on "Nanoman" is the best example of that), he predominantly delivers raw screaming vocals and as the riffs and rhythms are also heavy, brutal, and hard edged, Voivod have never sounded more potent. When "Negatron" was released I remember being a bit baffled by the change of musical style and if you compare the psychedelic tinged progressive metal of "The Outer Limits" with the brutal thrash/groove metal (spiced up with some industrial tinged atmospheres) assault of "Negatron" it almost sounds like it´s two different bands playing.

That´s of course not the case and if you listen a bit more closely it´s still unmistakably Voivod playing. The signature dissonant riffs are in place, and so are the organic drumming, and the sci-fi themed lyrics and image. So it´s mostly the more raw vocals and the increased heaviness of the music, which make "Negatron" a different listening experience to the earlier material by the band. "Negatron" features a raw, heavy, and punishing sounding production, and it´s the perfect sound production for the equally raw and heavy material.

The eleven tracks, 57:24 minutes long album opens with the strong trio of songs: "Insects", "Project X" and "Nanoman". The latter being the melodic highlight of the album and one of the only times Voivod sound slightly like they did on the last couple of albums. But from there the tracks become harder and harder to tell apart and remember. It´s not that the rest of the tracks are of a poor quality or anything like that and listened to individually they are actually quite enjoyable and powerful material, but as a full album listening experience there´s not enough variation between the tracks. When Voivod try something a bit different they aren´t necessarily successful either. The closing track "D.N.A (Don't No Anything)" is for example a track where Voivod go all the way into industrial metal territory and it´s quite a tedious listening experience. It´s not a good way to end an otherwise decent album and I find that I have more fond memories of "Negatron" when I simply stop the album before "D.N.A (Don't No Anything)" and imagine that "Drift" is the last track on the album.

Upon conclusion "Negatron" is another unique release in Voivod´s discography. It´s harsh, heavy, and aggressive (and not nearly as progressive as it´s direct predecessor), which may turn off some of the fans of the last couple of releases, but while the abrasive nature of the sound production, the relentless aggression of the material can be a bit hard on the ears, and the album overall lacks a bit in the variation department, it´s still overall a good quality release from Voivod, showing their most heavy and brutal side. A bit unexpected upon release but with time I´ve learned to appreciate "Negatron" more and it´s overall a nice addition to Voivod´s discography. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Outer Limits" is the seventh full-length studio album by Canadian progressive metal act Voivod. The album was released through MCA Records in August 1993. It´s the successor to "Angel Rat" from November 1991 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as bassist Jean-Yves Thériault has left, leaving Voivod a trio on "The Outer Limits". The bass parts were recorded by session bassist Pierre St-Jean. "The Outer Limits" was produced (and mixed) by Mark S. Berry, which is quite the unusual choice, as Berry was not particularly familiar with producing heavy metal artists. Most of his production/mixing work was done for pop and rock artists.

But that was obviously what Voivod were looking for at this point. "Angel Rat" was produced by Terry Brown, which of course made a little more sense, but Voivod were obviously intent to keep developing and changing things up. To my ears Berry did a fantastick job. Some people feel that "The Outer Limits" features a sterile and cold sounding production job, and while that may be true to some extent, it´s exactly the right sound for Voivod´s music. Gone are the organic and murky sounding production values of "Angel Rat" and instead the listener is treated to a clear, sharp, and detailed sounding production, which perfectly suits the sci-fi themed progressive metal of Voivod.

While Voivod consciously chose to go for a more simple vers/chorus structured songwriting approach on "Angel Rat", "The Outer Limits" is a partial return to the more complex song structures of the late 80s releases and just a generally more creative and adventurous composition style (including the return of more dissonant guitar riffs and unconventional time-signatures). Complex tracks like "The Lost Machine" and the 17:28 minutes long "Jack Luminous" represent the most progressive tracks on the album, but they are complimented by more immediate vers/chorus structured and hard rocking tracks like "Fix My Heart" (which features an irresistible uplifting mood and energy) and the cover of "The Nile Song" by Pink Floyd (which fits in well with the original material). So "The Outer Limits" is a varied release, which brings together elements from progressive metal, psychedelic rock, hard rock, and heavy metal, and the outcome is undeniably and uniquely the sound of Voivod.

"The Outer Limits" was the last album to feature lead vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger until his return in 2002, and Michel "Away" Langevin (drums) and Denis "Piggy" D-Amour (guitars) would take Voivod in a much more harder edged and aggressive direction on the next couple of releases, which sound nothing like "The Outer Limits". Thus "The Outer Limits" is a pretty unique sounding release in Voivod´s discography. They hadn´t released anything like it before, and they haven´t released anything like it after. So listeners should prepare for an adventurous, varied, and intriguing progressive metal release. They can also expect high quality performances, strong and unique songwriting, and a powerful and detailed sound production, suiting the material well. A 5 star (100%) rating is fully deserved.

UMUR "Some Call It Educational and the Others Just Domestic Violence" is the second demo recording by Finnish, Tampere based death/thrash metal act Menticide. It´s the successor to the "Enforcer" demo from earlier that same year. Menticide formed in 1988 and released two demos in 1990 before disbanding.

Stylistically Menticide still play a hybrid thrash and death metal style, but they´ve become sligthly more dark and brutal on this demo compared to the "Enforcer" demo. The music has also become a bit slower and more heavy, although Menticide still occasionally play some fast-paced thrashy riffs and rhythms. The vocals are raw throaty growling and haven´t changed much since the first demo.

The sound production is a bit more murky and less powerful than on the first demo, which isn´t a positive in my book. Menticide are a pretty well playing band and all details of their music deserves to be heard, but that´s difficult when presented with these sound production values. So upon conclusion I´d recommend listening to the "Enforcer" demo before this one. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Enforcer" is the first demo recording by Finnish, Tampere based death/thrash metal act Menticide. The demo was independently release in 1990. Menticide formed in 1988 and released two demos in 1990 before disbanding.

Stylistically the material on the two-track, 9:09 minutes long demo is a hybrid thrash and death metal style. To my ears it leans mostly towards death metal but the music also features thrash metal riffs and rhythms. It´s generally pretty creative music featuring many different sections and complex song structures. The vocals are hoarse throaty growling. The sound production is a bit murky and sometimes sound like it was recorded behind a closed door in another room, but other than that it´s a decent sound production suiting the music well.

Upon conclusion Menticide were probably too thrashy for their own good in an environment which craved brutal death metal, but in restrospect they play a relatively unique style of music, and they are a well playing unit too, so there are a lot of quality features on this demo. A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.