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metal music reviews (new releases)

BLOOD INCANTATION Absolute Elsewhere

Album · 2024 · Death Metal
Cover art 4.78 | 10 ratings
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UMUR
"Absolute Elsewhere" is the third full-length studio album by US, Colorado based death metal act Blood Incantation. The album was released through Century Media Records in October 2024. It´s the successor to "Hidden History of the Human Race" from 2021, although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the 2022 "Timewave Zero" EP. Three of the four members of the band have also been busy recording the second Spectral Voice album titled "Sparagmos", which was released in February 2024. Blood Incantation and Spectral Voice share all members except for the drummers of the two bands, who exclusively play in one of the groups.

While Blood Incantation have been brewing music since 2011 and have been relatively active since their formation, it wasn´t until the release of "Hidden History of the Human Race" that they had their underground breakthrough. Almost universally lauded for it´s intricate, progressive, and abstract death metal sound, "Hidden History of the Human Race" certainly made sure that Blood Incantation were placed firmly on the death metal map. It´s an interesting death metal release, because for all its sophistication, technical playing, and complex song structures, it´s still inherently an old school death metal release, featuring a gloomy and filthy brutality.

While a large part of the playing time of "Hidden History of the Human Race" was made up of the 18:05 minutes long "Awakening from the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)", writing such a massive progressive death metal track obviously haven´t satisfied Blood Incantation´s cravings for abstract and complex death metal constructions, as "Absolute Elsewhere" contains only two 20 minutes plus tracks titled "The Stargate" (20:20 minutes long) and "The Message" (23:23 minutes long). Both tracks are subdivided into three shorter tracks, but you still get the experience of listening to two long tracks, as the sub-tracks seque into each other.

Stylistically Blood Incantation take their music to a new level. While still featuring loads of old school technical death metal parts, the album features just as many 70s influenced tripped-out space rock parts (Artists like Tangerine Dream, Eloy, and Pink Floyd haven´t lived in vain), which have nothing to do with death metal. So how does two such different music styles co-exist? It should be impossible, but it actually works incredibly well. Blood Incantation ensure that there is a good balance between death metal brutality, technical playing, progressive song structures, and the 70s progressive/space rock influences. "Absolute Elsewhere" is epic, melodic, and atmospheric, but also brutal, dissonant, and raw. Gloomy atmospheres are followed by epic melodic moments, and laid-back psychedelic journeys into space.

The growling vocals are cavernous, but higher in the mix than on the previous releases from Blood Incantation, which is a plus in my book. "The Message [Tablet II]" features a strongly Pink Floyed influenced section with clean singing in the Gilmour vein, and although they are relatively sparse and subtle, they provide a great contrast to the brutal growling vocals, which dominate "Absolute Elsewhere". The instrumental part of the album is well performed too, and the band are arguably a talented unit. It´s the multifaceted songwriting and unconventional progressive ideas which make "Absolute Elsewhere" such an interesting release though. These days you kind of expect that bands can handle their instruments, but it´s never a given that they can write intriguing music. Blood Incantation master both disciplines with ease. Featuring an organic, powerful, and detailed sound production "Absolute Elsewhere" is a high level release on all parameters and a 4.5 star (900%) rating is fully deserved.

200 STAB WOUNDS Manual Manic Procedures

Album · 2024 · Death Metal
Cover art 3.58 | 2 ratings
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UMUR
"Manual Manic Procedures" is the second full-length studio album by US, Ohio based death metal act 200 Stab Wounds. The album was released through Metal Blade Records in June 2024. It´s the successor to Slave To The Scalpel from 2021, although 200 Stab Wounds did release the 2023 "Masters of Morbidity" stop-gap single (featuring two non-album tracks). There has been one lineup change since the debut album as guitarist Lance Buckley has been replaced by Raymond Macdonald.

Stylistically 200 Stab Wounds haven´t changed much since the last album, still playing an old school but still not too retro sounding type of death metal. Brutal and varied grooves, both death metal and thrash metal influenced riffs, and some brutal growling vocals in front. "Manual Manic Procedures" features a fat, heavy, and brutal sounding production job which along with the (for the style) relatively varied songwriting are the greatest assets of the album. The band are well playing too.

Upon conclusion "Manual Manic Procedures" is another good quality death metal release from 200 Stab Wounds and the greater emphasis on brutal grooves and breaks is an interesting feature of the album, which provide the music with something a little more unique than what many other contemporary death metal artists put out. When that is said, "Manual Manic Procedures" still use trid and true musical elements...they are just combined in an effectful and rewarding way. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

GIGAN Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus

Album · 2024 · Technical Death Metal
Cover art 4.79 | 3 ratings
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siLLy puPPy
Dissonant and psychedelic tech death metal is killin’ it in the 2020s with long established bands coming of age and blowing away the competition en masse. Long timers like Pyrrhon, Ulcerate and Mitochondrion are continuing to up their game with each subsequent release and newer bands like Blood Incantation are perfecting all these elements with amazing precision. You can add the Tampa based GIGAN to that list which started as far back as 2006 and has continued to pummel the world of extreme metal ever since. Having taken a whopping seven year hiatus this power trio has returned with founder Eric Hersemann (bass, guitar, synthesizer, theremin) along with decade long drummer Nate Cotton and growler-in-chief Jerry Kavouriaris who returns for his second album with the band. GIGAN is back with yet another multisyllabic album, ANOMALOUS ABSTRACTIGATE INFINITESSIMUS which melds the now established worlds of sci-fiction debauchery with the blitzkrieg wizardry of world class disso-death metal.

Named after the alien cyborg kaiju who first appeared in the 1972 film “Godzilla vs. Gigan,” this ultimate weapon of the M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens which was deployed to Earth to aid the alien invader’s conquest of the planet proves to be the perfect namesake for this technically infused band that worships the alter of brutality and dissonance. While not the first extreme metal band to delve into the world of Lovecraftian horror fiction and strange diabolical fantasy, GIGAN has practically perfected its idiosyncratic style of surreal convoluted compositional constructs fortified by unrelenting tempos, bantering abrasiveness and strange twisted concepts. The album opens with the 8-minute “Trans-Dimensional Crossing of the Alta-Tenuis” which explodes like a bomb on Hiroshima with the turbulent drumming cacophony of Nathan Cotton who delvers some of the most demanding and demonic tech death performances in the biz. Oscillating waves of dissonant guitar riffing assail the senses as the band delivers a chaotic brutality that was woefully missing on the previous album (at least at this magnitude).

“Ultra-Violet Shimmer and Permeating Infra-sound” doesn’t let up with an even more brutal decibel rampage as the guitar riffing and bass bantering become every more chaotic with ever more complex percussive clamor and freaky slide guitar effects while Kavouriasis’ vocal style becomes insane asylum material. While taking the brutality to the next level the wild synthesized atmospheric note slides adds a touch of surreality to the whole shebang all graced by the off-kilter production techniques that take things even further into the abstract world of surreality and mind-fuckery. The most bizarre track of all comes with “Emerging Sects of Dagonic Acolytes,” a 10-minute excursion into the a bizarre tightrope act between extreme death metal acrobatics coupled with psychedelic rock techniques and free improvisation abstruseness. While starting off as a somewhat “normal” GIGAN track, things start to get weirder and weirder to the point where you feel like you’ve totally lost your sanity and all connection to reality as the band goes down one of its most surreal rabbit hole escapades to date.

And the Lovecraftian surrealism doesn’t stop there. Each track delivers another powerful punch of erratic techy death metal with freaky guitar solos and convoluted riffing patterns. “Erratic Pulsitivity and Horror” is like the closest thing to a musical seizure i’ve ever experienced while “The Strange Harvest of the Baganoids” offers some of the strangest twanging jangle guitar chops ever experienced and features a strange time signature dynamic that makes you feel like you’re traveling through a turbulent asteroid belt on the Millennium Falcon. As the album closes with “Ominous Silhouettes Cast Across Gulfs of Time,” the band engages in another lengthy near 8-minute battle of chaos and order only this time with a more doomy introduction with plodding guitar stomps and ominous distortion but then the track breaks into a bifurcated effect of rampaging death metal along with the plodding effects, yet another wild surreal display of creative craftiness or should i say Lovecraftiness.

Wow! Mind blown!!!! While i still loved GIGAN’s approach on the previous “Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence,” it seemed like the band was toning down the intensity a bit from its previous “Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery And Super Science” so in effect ANOMALOUS ABSTRACTIGATE INFINITESSIMUS was a make or break type of album for me although i could never totally write this top band in my collection. As it turns out this fifth installment of the GIGAN universe is its best effort yet and combines the perfect combo punch of brutal bombastic techy death metal drenched in dissonant disdain coupled with the heady mind-altering effects of psychedelia and surrealism. The band has outdone itself with this one with each track standing out as a testament to its creative prowess taken to the next level and beyond. Yeah, baby! This is what 21st century death metal is all about! Two listens in and i’m ready to push play again, something the last album didn’t quite coax me into doing. I’ve been a fan of this band for over a decade now and i’m utterly thrilled beyond measure that not only has the band returned to its avant-garde unorthodoxies from its beginnings but has delivered them all in such a brutal excellence that totally caught me off guard. I think this band has been raised a few notches on my favorite extreme metal band list.

ORANSSI PAZUZU Muuntautuja

Album · 2024 · Avant-garde Metal
Cover art 4.00 | 1 rating
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siLLy puPPy
Following the trajectory of the Finnish psychedelic black metal band ORANSSI PAZUZU is like experiencing an Earth based band fall into a wormhole and accidentally tagging along for the ride. While starting out as a somewhat recognizable black metal band all the way back in 2009 with its debut “Muukalainen Puhuu,” ORANSSI PAZUZU incrementally left the gravitational pull of our host planet and has taken a bonafide space journey into a world of its own making. This eclectic quintet has returned after a four year hiatus with its latest effort MUUNTAUTUJA which translates into something like “Transformative” or “Shapeshifter” which is exactly what this idiosyncratic and eccentric band has clearly become.

MUUNTAUTUJA marks another step beyond the once established parameters of black metal and takes the band into a bizarre web of neo-psychedelia that finds electronic influences taking a much larger role in crafting strange futuristic soundscapes that offer wild otherworldly spaced out effects. While the black metal hasn’t been totally usurped by gurgling synthesizers, trip hop based beats and ominous industrial sounds, any traces of Scandinavian kvlt majesty have been set way down in the mix as to leave only distorted guitar distortion rumblings and the band’s classic raspy vocal style as a beacon of light that points to its origins. Something like a modern day Ulver that never jettisoned the black metal furor, ORANSSI PAZUZU has reached the middle of its wormhole journey with one of its strangest albums yet.

One of the most inventive black metal bands to have emerged in the 21st century, ORANSSI PAZUZU set off like a voyage on the Star Trek Voyager and has crafted a truly unique sound that never remains stationary from album to album. While the earlier albums showcased a post-metal-like procession with cyclical riffs that slowly ratcheted up to crescendoing uproar, the band has always teased in psychedelic embellishments that have indubitably initiated a completely new genre called space metal. By the time the band got to “Mestarin Kynsi” it was apparent that these Finns were heading to the stars without looking back and boldly going where no black metal band has gone before. And the best thing of all is that these talented musicians actually created interesting song structures that made you want to tune in rather than send them off on their mission.

This band has always reveled in juxtaposing the most polarized opposite musical genres together and making strange bedfellows sound like a predestined fit. MUUNTAUTUJA only ups the ante as it takes you on a transcendental musical excursion into an alternate universe where Blut Aus Nord and Portishead commingle in darkened corners with Death Grips and Philip Glass with a touch of Massive Attack, Ministry and Mad Capsule Markets. From the very first oscillating tones of “Bioalkemisti” it’s clear that MUUNTAUTUJA is a completely different beast than what came before and another incremental leap down the avant-garde rabbit hole with surreal musical motifs that shapeshift from one track to the next that sample from a cauldron where the disparate worlds of progressive rock, black metal, trip hop, 20th century classical and industrial rock have been simmering in an undisclosed locus in the midst of the vast Finnish forests.

Along with Dodheimsgard, Ulver, Ved Buens Ende and Ram-Zet, ORANSSI PAZUZU has become one of Scandinavia’s most forward thinking bands and with the closing “Vierivä usva” totally drifting off into space and leaving the metal mojo behind one can’t help but wonder if this band is going to pull an Ulver on us and completely jump into the world of avant-garde electronica. Wherever this inventive band leads many of us avant-metal nerds will surely follow as it is virtually guaranteed that this band will take you somewhere you never knew existed. While i personally found the previous album to be more of my liking, this one is definitely a wild ride into the world of cosmos metal that will leave you gasping for air as you drift beyond the limits our Earthly realms.

DÅÅTH The Deceivers

Album · 2024 · Death Metal
Cover art 4.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Dååth began their journey in 1999, releasing four studio albums and touring with Slayer, Nile, Cattle Decapitation, Dark Funeral, Cynic, Dragonforce, Goatwhore, Chimaira, Dying Fetus and others before going on hiatus in 2011. They have finally returned with their first album in 14 years, although founder/guitarist Eyal Levi has overseen a complete overhaul of the lineup, with only singer Sean Zatorsky still there from the old days. Together they have been joined by Kerim “Krimh” Lechner on drums, Jesse Zuretti on orchestration and guitar, Rafael Trujillo on lead guitar, and David Marvuglio on bass. In addition, there are numerous guests providing guitar solos including Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, Arch Enemy), Mark Holcomb (Periphery), Dean Lamb (Archspire), Per Nilsson, (Scar Symmetry, Meshuggah), Spiro Dussias (Platonist), and Dan Sugarman (Ice Nine Kills), while video game composer Mick Gordon (Doom Eternal) contributed sound design and synth to “Purified By Vengeance.” By the way, for those who are interested the name "Daath" is a Hebrew word meaning "knowledge", which is certainly much more interesting than their original name, Dirtnap.

I remember reading about Dååth when they were around first time, but I don’t think I had previously come across their music and picked this up due to a combination of name recognition and them being on Metal Blade, but I am so very glad I did as this is a belter. Having not heard their earlier material I cannot comment as to how much they may have changed musically, but what I can say is that here is melodic death metal which also relies heavily on huge arrangements and orchestration. In some ways they come across as a mix of Fleshgod Apocalypse and classic Dimmu Borgir, with complex layering of guitars, always driven from the back by a great rhythm section, orchestration over the top and some great growls out front. Zatorsky has been keeping himself busy with Chimaira and Sinsaenum, but this is where he is truly at home, with his relationship with Levi continuing on as if they have never been apart. They may have been away for well over a decade but Dååth are back with a vengeance.

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DAMAGEPLAN New Found Power

Album · 2004 · Groove Metal
Cover art 2.95 | 6 ratings
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"New Found Power" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Texas based groove metal act Damageplan. The album was released through Elektra Records in February 2004. Damageplan was founded in 2003 under the New Found Power monicker but changed to the current band name in early 2004. Damageplan was formed by the Abbott brothers, Dimebag Darrell (guitars) and Vinnie Paul (drums) after the demise of Pantera. The lineup on "New Found Power" is completed by lead vocalist Patrick Lachman (ex-guitarist for Halford) and bassist Bob Kahaha. Damageplan would be a short-lived affair as Dimebag Darrell was shot dead in a Columbus, Ohio nightclub in December 2004, while performing with Damageplan. A tragic episode which meant the end of the band.

Stylistically the 14 tracks on the 61:39 minutes long album are vers/chorus structured groove metal, featuring heavy groove laden riffs and rhythms, and a raw and angry sounding vocalist in front, who occasionally sings clean vocal parts too ("Save Me" is an example of that). The performances are tight and the sound production relatively well sounding, but the material is generally a bit generic and feel uninspired. Other than a couple of sharp groovy riffs here and a pitch shifter effect laden lead guitar part there, and a drum sound that is somewhat similar to Vinnie Paul´s distinct sounding drum production on Pantera´s releases, there aren´t much on this album which reveal that the Abbott brothers are involved. To hear a guitarist of Dimebag´s caliber play one anonymous and generic groove metal riff after another is almost a tragedy when you know what he is capable of producing.

While this is of course a made up story, I picture the Abbott brothers playing these songs to Phil Anselmo, asking him to sing on them on the new Pantera album, and Phil crying out in disbelief at what he has just heard..."hell no! I ain´t going to sing on those generic groove metal tunes"... "and by the way...I´m done with Pantera, if this is all you can muster". Back to reality Lachman is actually a decent vocalist, who does a good job with the material he has to work with, but it really isn´t much. "New Found Power" isn´t a terrible release, but it´s a mediocre one and considering the musicians involved it´s hard not to be disappointed by the quality of the songwriting in particular. Don´t expect anything near the quality of the Abbott brothers former act. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.

D-A-D Helpyourselfish

Album · 1995 · Hard Rock
Cover art 3.95 | 3 ratings
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"Helpyourselfish" is the fifth full-length studio album by Danish hard rock act D-A-D (previously Disneyland After Dark). The album was released through Medley Records in March 1995. It´s the successor to "Riskin' It All (1991)". After touring in support of the hugely successful "Riskin' It All (1991)", D-A-D went on a 3-year hiatus where they didn´t give interviews or made any public appearances. From the day they released "No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims" (1989) until the last show on the tour supporting "Riskin' It All" (1991) in July 1992, D-A-D had been on an almost constant recording/touring schedule and they were probably burnt out and needed a break. Behind the scenes the band worked on reinventing themselves after they were dropped by Warner Bros. Records (their international recording contract), after "Riskin' It All (1991)" only sold 60.000 copies in the US. Internatinally it was a pretty big success though selling around 450.000 copies.

Part of reinventing themselves meant that D-A-D dropped most of the humour elements from the previous releases (although the title of the album would suggest otherwise) and considerably turned up the heaviness of their music, and as a result "Helpyourselfish" is arguably the most heavy release in the band´s discography. Bringing in Paul Northfield (Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Dream Theater, Geezer, Queensrÿche...etc.) to produce the album brought a more meaty heavy riff approach to the songwriting, and although D-A-D were still primarily a hard rock band, they did touch heavy rock/metal territories on this particular release (tracks like "Reconstrucdead" and "Blood In / Out" are examples of that). They´ve included melodic rock songs like "Unowned" and "Prayin' to a God", and a ballad like "Flat" to balance things out, and "Helpyourselfish" is a release featuring enough variation to entertain all the way through the 51:11 minutes long playing time.

It´s fully understandable (especially in retrospect) that D-A-D felt the need to evolve and change their music to better suit the times, as both "No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims" and "Riskin' It All" were in many ways connected to the 80s glam metal/hair metal scene (although they are essentially just hard rock albums), which in 1995 was almost totally dead and buried. I think "Helpyourselfish" showed a bold, well playing, and inspired act, but also a band who wasn´t completely comfortable with the heavier direction their music had taken. "Helpyourselfish" features a couple of really great songs and especially the opening duo of "Reconstrucdead" and "Written in Water" plus the title track stand out as bring highlights. The album is unfortunately frontloaded with the best tracks and there are some more unremarkable tracks the longer you get into the tracklist. still a 3.5 star (70%) rating isn´t all wrong.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY Pandemonium

Album · 2014 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 3.45 | 6 ratings
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"Pandemonium" is the third full-length studio album by Brazilian thrash/groove metal act Cavalera Conspiracy. The album was released through Napalm Records in October 2014. It´s the successor to "Blunt Force Trauma" from 2011 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as bassist Johny Chow (Stone Sour) has been replaced by Nate Newton (The Ocean Collective, Doomriders, Old Man Gloom). The usual suspects are Max Cavalera on guitars and lead vocals, Igor Cavalera on drums and percussion, and Marc Rizzo on guitars.

Stylistically "Pandemonium" leans a bit more towards the thrash metal past of the Cavalera brothers than the two previous releases, but still features a lot of heavy grooves and the occasional ethnic trial music moment (although it´s mostly the limited edition bonus track "Porra" which falls into that catagory). "Pandemonium" features quite a few fast-paced thrashy sections and the distinct sounding shouting raw vocals of Max Cavalera and it´s generally a highly energetic, heavy, and aggressive album. The lead guitar work of Rizzo is of high class and his playing is both varied and intriguing.

The opening track "Babylonian Pandemonium" is one of the highlights of the album, but "Pandemonium" is generally a well written and effective release. The sound production is professional, raw, and detailed, and the musicianship is top notch. So on most parameters "Pandemonium" is a good quality release. There are elements which aren´t as great as others though, and I´d mention some of the thrashy riffs, which do sound a little uninspired (especially compared to what the brothers produced on the late 80s/early 90s thrash metal releases by Sepultura) and the idea to often put distorting effects on Max Cavalera´s voice. It doesn´t sound great and contributes to "Pandemonium" being an album I seldom return to. With the talent involved in the creation of "Pandemonium", I just think I expect more. Still a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

OBSCENE JESTER Citadels on Fire

EP · 1989 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 3.50 | 1 rating
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"Citadels on Fire" is an EP release by US, Texas based power/thrash metal act Obscene Jester. The EP was released through Chase Records in 1989. Originally only on cassette tape, and it wasn´t until 2015 that the EP saw a CD release through Divebomb Records. Obscene Jester proved a short-lived act forming in 1987 and disbanding in 1991 after releasing "Citadels on Fire" and a 1990 demo. A debut album was alledgedly recorded but it was not released because the band split-up, and it has yet to see the light of day (as of November 2024). Obscene Jester played one reunion show in 2015, featuring Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup on vocals replacing original vocalist Sammy Stovall (who performs on "Citadels on Fire").

Stylistically the material on "Citadels on Fire" is thrash metal with a lead singer who sometimes sings a little more melodic and therefore enters US power metal territory. Not completely unlike a contemporary act like Intruder (from Nashville, Tennessee). Although the band do venture into both melodic US power/heavy metal territories and even could be labelled a bit progressive at times ("Apocalyptic Prophecy" is a good example of all their stylistic elements on display), this is however still mainly a thrash metal release featuring hard edged thrashy riffs and rhythms, blistering lead guitar work, and a nice portion of aggression.

"Citadels on Fire" is well produced, featuring a powerful, detailed, and effectful sound production, which suits the material perfectly. It´s an EP release worth spending your time on if you enjoy artists who combine thrash metal with US power/heavy metal elements. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

ORIGIN Unparalleled Universe

Album · 2017 · Technical Death Metal
Cover art 3.88 | 8 ratings
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"Unparalleled Universe" is the seventh full-length studio album by US death metal act Origin. The album was released through Agonia Records in June 2017. It´s the successor to "Omnipresent" from 2014 and features an identical four-piece lineup of Paul Ryan (vocals, guitars), Mike Flores (vocals, bass), John Longstreth (drums), and Jason Keyser (lead vocals).

"Unparalleled Universe" opens with "Infinitesimal to the Infinite", which pretty much sounds exactly how you´d expect an opening track on an Origin album to sound like. Ultra fast-paced guitar sweeps and blasting drumming, highly energetic and controlled chaotic, technical, brutal and sharp death metal with both growling vocals and higher pitched screaming vocals.

"Unparalleled Universe" unfortunately also suffers from the same issues as the preceding Origin releases, and that´s the lack of memorable songwriting. Everything is so over the top in regards to brutality and technical playing, that the band seem to forget to write catchy songs. I understand this isn´t pop music and it´s not meant to be easily accessible, but a hook or a memorable moment here and there wouldn´t hurt. When they put their mind to it, they are able to do it (like the closing melodic sequence to "Cascading Failures, Diminishing Returns"), but they predominantly focus so much on technical playing and brutality that the music often lacks dynamics and impact.

From a technical standpoint this is highly impressive music. The skill involved to pull off playing these tracks at the breakneck speed that´s required are amazing to say the least. Breaks, tempo changes, and fast, fast, fast-paced guitar riffs and rhythms. "Unparalleled Universe" features a pretty well sounding production job, although the clicky sounding bass drums are placed a bit too high in the mix. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

KILLING JOKE What's THIS For...!

Album · 1981 · Non-Metal
Cover art 3.50 | 7 ratings
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"What's THIS For...!" is the second full-length studio album by UK post-punk/industrial rock act Killing Joke. The album was released through E.G. Records in June 1981, only little over half a year after the release of the band´s eponymously titled debut full-length studio album from October 1980.

There was no reason to wait any longer to release new material though, as the material on "What's THIS For...!" is a natural succession of the post-punk style of the debut album, and in regards to the quality of the material it´s on the same high level as the material featured on the debut album. Killing Joke already had a rather distinct sound this early on. An energetic hypnotic groove, busy basslines (although a completely different sounding artist, I´m hearing references to the bass playing on Japan´s releases), powerful almost tribal influenced drumming, jagged distorted guitar riffs (twisted punk riffs), and Jaz Coleman´s distinct sounding voice and intense shouting vocal delivery. Synths are used too, but only on occasion to enhance atmosphere. An atmosphere that is predominantly bleak. This isn´t happy music and you´ll most likely leave depressed.

Like the debut album "What's THIS For...!" is a self-produced affair, and Killing Joke have managed to create a powerful sound which suits their material perfectly. The hypnotic repetitive nature of the music can sometimes feel a little tedious, but it´s a means to an end and helps build the above mentioned bleak atmosphere. While the tracks aren´t exactly hook laden, there are still catchy moments here and there, which make "What's THIS For...!" an engaging listen throughout. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

AT THE GATES Terminal Spirit Disease

Album · 1994 · Melodic Death Metal
Cover art 3.73 | 18 ratings
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"Terminal Spirit Disease" is the third full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act At the Gates. The album was released through Peaceville Records in July 1994. It´s the successor to "With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness" from 1993 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as guitarist Alf Svensson has been replaced by Martin Larsson. "Terminal Spirit Disease" was originally intented to be released as an EP, but label pressure meant it ended up being released as a full-length album. It´s a combined studio and live release though, as the first six tracks are new studio recordings and the three closing tracks are live recordings of "All Life Ends", "The Burning Darkness", and "Kingdom Gone". All three previously appeared in studio versions on the band´s first two albums. So calling "Terminal Spirit Disease" a full-length studio album is a bit of a stretch, but that´s how it´s catalogued.

Stylistically the listener is treated to melodic death metal with the distinct sounding high pitched snarling/growling vocals of Tomas Lindberg in front. At the Gates display a more streamlined and tuned version of their style on this release, and the experiments of the first two albums are nowhere to be found. At the Gates hit a good balance between aggression/brutality and melody and catchiness on this release. While it´s not ideal with three live tracks of previously released material on what is tagged a studio release, the live tracks are well performed and also feature a well sounding production.

So upon conclusion "Terminal Spirit Disease" is quality melodic death metal release, and the studio tracks show a slightly more mature version of At the Gates. Not all issues from the previous releases have been weeded out, and personally I could for example have wished for a more varied vocal approach (a deeper growl here and there wouldn´t have hurt). Lindberg´s tortured screaming vocal style can be a bit hard on the ears. It´s a subjective opinion though, and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is still deserved.

AEON Bleeding the False

Album · 2005 · Death Metal
Cover art 3.42 | 2 ratings
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UMUR
"Bleeding the False" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Aeon. The album was released through Unique Leader Records in September 2005. Aeon formed in 1999 after Defaced Creation disbanded (after releasing quite a few minor releases and their debut full-length studio album "Serenity in Chaos" (1999)). No less than four members of Defaced Creation formed Aeon and only guitarist Morgan Nordbakk hadn´t been involved with that band. Aeon released the "Dark Order" EP in 2001 and since that release there have been two lineup changes as Nordbakk has been replaced by Daniel Dlimi and drummer Arttu Malki has been replaced by Nils Fjellström.

Stylistically the material on "Bleeding the False" is a continuation of the brutal and technically well played death metal style of the "Dark Order" (2001) EP. It´s an early 90s influenced death metal style which shares many similarities to some of the artists on the Florida scene. There´s a slight Morbid Angel influence there from time to time (listen to how "Forever Nailed" opens), but it´s definitely Deicide who is the greatest influence on Aeon. The powerful brutal riffs, the pummeling precision drumming, and the deep intelligible growling vocals delivering blasphemous/anti-christian lyrics. It´s all there and accounted for.

Unfortunately the lyrics are even more awful than Deicide when they are worst. I have nothing against blasphemous/anti-christian lyrics if they are intelligent and bring valid criticism, but these lyrics are just meant to shock and provoke. Again that´s not always an issue, but the lyrics on "Bleeding the False" are so juvenile that only a kindergarden kid would find them offensive. Songtitles like "Biblewhore" and "God Gives Head in Heaven" speak louder than words and I´m definitely not going to quote the absolutely ridiculous homophobic lyrics of the latter. Suffice to say the quality of the lyrics don´t do the otherwise strong material justice. This is one of the few cases where I would actually wish for an unintelligible growling vocalist.

...and it really is a shame Aeon chose a lyric approach like that, because there are some killer riffs and brutal moments on the album and actually some pretty hook laden and intelligible growling vocal sections too. "Bleeding the False" also features a powerful, brutal, and detailed sound production and the musical performances are all on a high level. So upon conclusion everything else but the lyrics are high quality US influenced death metal and fans of the early 90s Florida sound are adviced to take notice. I´m tempted to rate low because the lyrics do ruin the listening experience for me, but I´ll take a more objective stance and therefore a 3.5 star (70%) rating isn´t all wrong.

MALICIOUS INTENT Shades of Black

Album · 1989 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 2.50 | 1 rating
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UMUR
"Shades of Black" is the debut full-length studio album by Canadian thrash metal act Malicious Intent. The album was released through Resistance Recordz in 1989. Malicious Intent formed in 1986 and released two demos before forming their own label (Resistance Recordz) to release "Shades of Black".

"Shades of Black" features 13 tracks and a total playing time of 36:25 minutes. Stylistically the material is in a raw, primitive, and simple thrash metal style. The album features a lo-fi garage type production, which lacks power and bite. The band sound inexperienced and badly rehearsed, and "Shades of Black" sounds like it was more or less recorded live in someone´s garage. It could have been a charming old school thrash metal release in the most raw and savage end of the scale, but instead the album ends up being a powerless and tedious affair. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded through wool and there´s a lack of aggression and attitude as a result of it.

It´s not an album featuring any noteworthy tracks or anything in particular worth mentioning, because all elements of the album are either mediocre or below standard for the genre. Therefore a 2.5 star (50%) rating isn´t all wrong.

SLAPDASH 240.25 'Actual Reality'

Album · 1996 · Groove Metal
Cover art 2.50 | 1 rating
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"240.25 'Actual Reality'" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish groove/thrash metal act Slapdash. The album was released through MNW Records in October 1996. Four out of the five members of the lineup played in Swedish thrash metal act Rosicrucian (and released two full-length studio albums under that monicker before forming Slapdash), and only lead vocalist Jens Mortensen is therefore new in the lineup since the Rosicrucian days (which actually isn´t entirely true as he performed vocals on stage with the band at their last show before changing their name).

Stylistically Slapdash is groove oriented thrash metal and it´s contemporary Machine Head, Pantera, Meshuggah (before they went completely nuts with time signature changes), and similar artists which are the source of inspiration. I also think the contemporary groove oriented releases by Forbidden and Testament are valid references. Slapdash are obviosly skilled musicians and they deliver a both tight and convinving performance. Mortensen is audibly influenced greatly by Phil Anselmo and there are several moments throughout the album which are in a similar style to the American band. Slapdash don´t quite reach the quality or uniqueness of Pantera though, but that doesn´t mean this isn´t some relatively entertaining groove thrash.

"240.25 'Actual Reality'" features a pretty well sounding production, and there is a good balance between clarity and power. Upon conclusion "240.25 'Actual Reality'" probably isn´t more than a footnote in the history of groove thrash, and I can´t say that I feel much different about the album, but it is pretty enteraining while it plays, and a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating isn´t all wrong.

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