UMUR "Graveyard Classics 2" is the 7th full-length studio album by US, Florida based death metal act Six Feet Under. The album was released through Metal Blade Records in October 2004. It´s the successor to "Bringer of Blood" from 2003. Six Feet Under released the "Graveyard Classics" album in 2000, which featured covers of classic heavy metal and hard rock tracks by artists like AC/DC, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Dead Kennedys, and Venom. "Graveyard Classics 2" is as the title suggests the second installment in the series, but this time around, Six Feet Under have not chosen to cover tracks by various artists, but have instead opted to cover AC/DC's "Back in Black (1980)" album in its entirety.

Wether that is a good or a bad idea is probably very much up to the ears that hear, but it´s definitely (at least) interesting to hear the classic tracks featuring death metal growls. There´s nothing wrong with the musical skills or the execution of the material (the instrumental performances are relatively true to the original material), but personally I think the novelty effect wears off after a couple of tracks. Some tracks work better than others, with especially the more melodic tracks like "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Let Me Put My Love Into You" being the low points of the album, while more potent hard rockers like "Shoot to Thrill" and "Shake a Leg" actually work pretty well.

Upon conclusion "Graveyard Classics 2" is a decent experiment but it´s not an album I´ll listen to very often. I´ll take the original any day over this death metal cover version. It had probably been a childhood dream for Barnes to record this album, but sometimes dreams are better not fullfilled. "Graveyard Classics 2" may not be Six Feet Under´s best release, but at least the idea behind it was honest and for the love of the original. It does feature both fine musicianship and a quality production job too, so while this is not a personal favorite a 3 star (60%) rating is still warranted.

UMUR "Lavatory" is an EP release by Swedish death metal act Wombbath. The EP was released through Napalm Records in March 1994. It´s the follow-up release to the band´s debut full-length studio album "Internal Caustic Torments" from 1993. One lineup change has taken place as lead vocalist Tomas Lindfors has left. The vocals on "Lavatory" were therefore recorded by session vocalist Daniel Samuelsson (Disgrace, Corrosive Divine). "Lavatory" was Wombbath´s last release in their original run. They did actually record a full-length studio album after "Lavatory" and sent it to Napalm Records, but there was no response from their label, and after recording a 2-track promo tape they disbanded in 1995. None of the two latter mentioned recordings were released.

It´s not only on the lead vocalist spot that there have been changes, as the material on "Lavatory" is quite different sounding from the preceding releases by the band. Their 1992 demo, the 1992 "Several Shapes" EP, and "Internal Caustic Torments" (1993) feature a brutal US influenced death metal style (which doesn´t sound Swedish at all), but on "Lavatory", Wombbath play a pretty creative death´n´roll style, featuring many rhythmic changes, breaks, melodic lead guitar work, the occasional use of atmospheric keyboards, unconventional song structures and interesting musical ideas. The vocals are now semi-growling/shouting/screaming/cleans, instead of the deep brutal growling of the past releases. So in that respect Wombbath followed the trends of the time, and changed from a death metal act to a death´n´roll act, which I must say is a bit surprising if you´re familiar with the preceding releases by the band.

"Lavatory" features a slightly thinly produced sound, but it´s somehow still decent enough, and you´re able to hear all instruments and vocals in the soundscape. Upon conclusion "Lavatory" is definitely one of the most creative death´n´roll releases I´ve encountered. It´s a smorgasbord of different musical styles and ideas, and I´m actually pretty impressed by how many interesting sections and ideas are thrown around. As a cohesive listening experience, I´m not so sure I think all the parts and ideas work that well together though, and when I evaluate this EP, I find that I´m more intrigued by the boldness of it all than I am by the actual music. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Celestial Mechanics" is the debut full-length studio album by Finnish goregrind/death´n´roll act Pakeni. The album was released through Napalm Records America in 1999. It´s the successor to the 1996 "Detergent Bubble Bath" EP. Unfortunately "Celestial Mechanics" would be the band´s sole full-length album in their original run. Pakeni formed in 1992 and released two demos, an EP, and this album before disbanding.

Stylistically the material on "Celestial Mechanics" is a dark and energetic death´n´roll style. Pakeni included Carcass influenced goregrind elements on their early releases, but those influences are more or less gone on "Celestial Mechanics" and only the band´s death´n´roll influences remain. Pakeni are an incredibly well playing, tight, organic, and groove oriented band, and they deliver their death´n´roll with a great charm and gleam in the eye, but personally I miss the unique combination of Carcass influenced goregrind and stoner metal/death´n´roll, which was featured on the two preceding releases. That combination and the odd sonic experiments that the band also incorporated on those releases, are what made Pakeni unique, and it´s hard not to feel that "Celestial Mechanics" in comparison is a slightly more generic release (sounding a little like a more adventurous Furbowl).

"Celestial Mechanics" is well produced feauturing a warm, heavy, and organic sounding production, which suits the organic nature of the material well. Upon conclusion "Celestial Mechanics" is a good quality death´n´roll album by Pakeni, but it´s not at all what I had hoped for coming to the album after listening to "Virgin's Delirium" (1993) and "Detergent Bubble Bath" (1996), which are both very unique and unusual releases. Still a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Detergent Bubble Bath" is an EP release by Finnish goregrind/death´n´roll act Pakeni. The EP was released through Morbid Records in 1996. It´s the follow-up release to the band´s two 1993 demos "The Silent Majority" and "Virgin's Delirium".

Stylistically the material on "Detergent Bubble Bath" continue the odd and unique combination of Carcass influenced goregrind and stoner metal/death´n´roll, but this time around with even more experiments that go beyond those music styles (female backing vocals and saxophone parts occur). Pakeni are definitely one of the more unusual acts out there, but despite combining elements which really shouldn´t work together, that´s exactly what Pakeni make them do. Heavy stoner metal/death´n´roll riffs, heavy grooves (and the occasional blast beat), the occasional use of organ/piano, and goregrind/death metal vocals performed by an energetic and well playing band. That´s the unique sound of Pakeni. The only other band from those days I can come up with at the top of my head, which was as crazy and unconventional as Pakeni is Disharmonic Orchestra.

"Detergent Bubble Bath" features a well sounding production job, which provides the perfect platform for the material to shine. Upon conclusion "Detergent Bubble Bath" is a great first label release by Pakeni and great follow-up to the promising "Virgin's Delirium (1993)" demo. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Virgin's Delirium" is the 2nd demo by Finnish goregrind/death´n´roll act Pakeni. The demo was independently released in 1993. It´s the successor to "The Silent Majority" demo released earlier the same year. Pakeni formed in 1992 and released two demos, an EP, and an album before disbanding.

Stylistically this is one of the more unusual extreme metal demos I´ve come across, as Pakeni combine Carcass goregrind influences with stoner metal/death´n´roll elements (strongly influenced by their fellow countrymen in Xysma), and as if it´s a perfectly natural thing to do, they also on occasion add melodic and epic keyboard sections. I don´t think I´ve ever heard anything quite like this before. Needless to say this is a pretty unique sounding recording, and featuring a well sounding and detailed demo quality sound production, you get to hear all the details of this bizarre glory of a demo.

What this demo does so well, is that it not only combines musical elements which shouldn´t go well together and make them gel, but also manages to disply the strong musical performances as a result of the well sounding production job. The deep growling vocals has the right morbid and juicy tone to them, the drumming is busy and groovy, and the many heavy and groove laden stoner metal riffs combined with the goregrind lyrics and fast-paced death metal/grindcore parts, create an odd overall sound, but it works. A high quality release this one fully deserving a 3.5 star (70%) rating.