Mechina is one of the more unique metal bands out there. But I would've loved them more if I discovered them 10 years ago when bombastic symphonic epicness was still my thing. Now it's quite tiring when the Nightwish-esque aspects of symphonics and female singing overpower the guitars. This is actually the first time female vocals are used here, though I'm not sure if those are real or programmed. Still, Empyrean is a well-structured potential soundtrack for Star Wars or any other epic sci-fi film franchise...

The quality would've been higher if there was more variety. That's the main issue when the album is following a conceptual saga with tracks seguing into one another to make a huge-a** suite. If they had more ideas to add to their creativity, some tracks would be better appreciated.

The Compendium edition actually has a few bonus tracks, and the first one right at the start is "Andromeda", a 9-minute epic released shortly after Conqueror. It's not all about headbanging and soloing, but rather a truly epic space journey. You can find a lot more in just 3 minutes instead of just DragonForce guitar soloing (which I still like). Although I love this epic, I think this would fit better in the Conqueror album as its near-end epic. Symphonics float through the drum/guitar attack as David Holch looks up to the cosmos and tears it apart with his brutal growls. All done practically better than in Conqueror! Those heavy climatic moments mixed with pleasant bliss would certainly give the Star Wars soundtrack more impact. And there's also the energy of Fear Factory, a band whom Mechina would cover one of their songs as another bonus track...

But for now, we're at the main part of the Empyrean album, starting with the build-up intro "Aporia". It leads to "Asterion" with some of the best riffing you can find here. Keep that in mind before the atmosphere takes the focus elsewhere. Things continue to sound steady in "Interregnum" as it begins. However, that's where the attempt to stitch tracks together becomes more obvious. "Imperialus" kicks off after building up from the previous track, and you can never hear it as a singular song. Once you're finished with "Anathema", you would think, "Wait, that long song was 3 tracks?!" Luckily, that track has amazing keyboard atmosphere to go with the heavy wrath.

"Catechism" is just a flat sh*tter, basically this album's "Internecion". It leads to this album's skippable midway interlude, "[Cryostasis_simulation__2632_01]", which just has some female dialogue over soft orchestra. But then we have "Eleptheria", which is perhaps the most well-executed highlight here, never as poorly aging as the other tracks. It segues to the title track, keeping up the momentum with incredible keyboards and vocals. Sometimes, simplicity can add to memorability.

"Infineon" is another memorable track that you can listen to at home or anywhere. "Terminus" drives through as a 10-minute epic, but it's too lengthy and complex for its own good. I still enjoy long progressive epics, just to make myself clear. It's just that, well, "Andromeda" had it all better.

Heading back into the Compendium bonus tracks, there are two covers, starting with the one for "Zero Signal" by Fear Factory. While the original song is still amazing, Mechina gave it an epic enhancement, filled with futuristic atmosphere before ending peacefully with a piano outro. But just like the original, it's doesn't quite reach highlight status. The mind-blowing "Ordinary World" is basically that Duran Duran ballad gone epic cyber metal. Of those two covers, I love this one more.

As cinematic and Fear Factory-infused as this album is, it seems the writing is a bit messy in Empyrean. But at least some tracks like most of the second half and the bonus tracks show a promised path towards the better Xenon (review for that later). Empyrean is best experienced in the V.2. remastering or the deluxe Compendium edition....

Favorites: "Andromeda", "Asterion", "Anathema", "Eleptheria", "Empyrean", "Infineon", "Ordinary World" (Duran Duran cover)

Melbourne's Christbait would be a band that I'd become aware of shortly after I'd made my first tentative steps into the wonderful world of Australian extreme metal back in the early 1990's. They were quite well known in the local scene at the time, having played a number of high-quality support gigs with international bands throughout the first part of that decade. My first time hearing their music though would be on a late-night metal radio program that I regularly recorded for my own listening throughout the subsequent week. It would be the opening track "Loose" from their first proper release "Yeast", the subject of this review. I was already well across English industrial metallers Godflesh at the time & was not at all surprised to hear the song paying clear homage to Justin Broadrick & co. given that Christbait had so clearly borrowed their name from the classic Godflesh anthem "Christbait Rising". This was a seriously good track in its own right though & one that I would go on to give a good ol' flogging in my Walkman over the subsequent months. It wouldn't, however, see me seeking out the "Yeast" E.P. or any other Christbait releases for that matter & it's only now, more than thirty years later, that I've found myself committing to my first active listen to a Christbait record for one reason or another.

Christbait initially began life as a death metal/grindcore act back in 1989 but "Yeast" sees them having taken a very different route for the majority of its 28-minute run time. There are a couple of short grindcore blastathons included (see "Nailgun" & "Tug"), both of which sound a little out of place & are easily the least significant tracks of the seven of offer, but the majority of the E.P. sits largely in sludge metal territory. If you were to take the industrial component out of Godflesh's sound to leave just the sludgy riffs & placed them over a more organic rhythm section then you'd go pretty close to describing the sound you can expect to hear on "Yeast". English sludge metallers Fudge Tunnel also spring to mind quite readily & so does Nirvana's "Bleach" album although the shouted vocals of front man Jason Vasallo sit much more firmly within the hardcore punk spectrum than Kurt Cobain would ever venture. It's all done exceptionally well though with the production job of well-known Aussie metal producer Scott Harper (who also produced popular underground releases from bands like Blood Duster, Damaged & Mindsnare to name just a few) being surprisingly heavy for an underground release of the time. There are periods where the Christbait head into slightly psychedelic territory (particularly on psychedelic rock closer "Loose (Edit)") but I think the links to stoner metal are overstated for this release to be honest as the grooves never have me feeling like dancing a jig if you know what I mean. They're colder & more serious than that.

The tracklisting is exceptionally consistent, particularly for a first-up release from a little-known Aussie band. There are no weak songsincluded but I'd suggest that only opener "Loose" feels like a minor classic. The rest of the material is generally very solid with simply-titled pieces like "Swing", "Spagnum" & "Yeast" all offering me plenty of appeal & replay value. It's honestly hard to see how Christbait didn't make more of a dent in the international scene on the strength of this record though because it competes really well with the bands I referenced earlier in the review. I guess this is simply another reminder of just how far away we are from the rest of the world, a distance that was perhaps a little more insurmountable back in the early 1990's. If my description of Christbait's sound tickles your fancy though then I'd strongly encourage you to venture over to YouTube to give the E.P. a crack for yourself as I have no doubt that you'll be pleasantly surprised by a record that has built up a decent level of notoriety in Australian metal folklore.

For fans of Godflesh, Fudge Tunnel & "Bleach"-period Nirvana.

Rotten Christ

While the last few notes of the closing track are ringing, I grace the recycled album cover with a tired stare. — Oh, how I wish I had fired up “Incorrigible Bigotry” instead! I figure at this point I should make peace with the fact that the Greek titans have indeed earned their right to rest & make some quick buck now and then — their works of old have brought me so much joy after all! As I contemplate the retirement conditions of musicians once great, it occurs to me that it'd be prudent to stop making a fool of myself and cease throwing more effort into this review — for on the record I struggle to find any.

It seems like the longer VOLA sticks around in the progressive metal sphere, the further away from their identity they get. Now this comes with its own sets of residual effects, but for progressive metal, it can sometimes turn into a net positive. But VOLA were never one of these bands that threw away the concept of melody, harmony and motivic development in their music for the sake of elongated song structures, with face melting guitar solos. 

And, wouldn't you know it, the newest VOLA album, Friend of a Phantom, will likely not have the same gradual effect as the band may have intended. If anything, there are more similarities between this and Soen's 2023 record Memorial, as the truly progressive aspects of the songwriting are gone. Now, VOLA sits as a singles band with the occasional djent breakdown to quell the crowd. And that might surprise you, since the first track, "Cannibal" is one of the heaviest that VOLA have ever made. Thanks in large part to the harsh vocals of In Flames' Anders Friden, you would be forgiven thinking that "Cannibal" was going to be an accurate representation of Friend of a Phantom, but that could not be further from the case.

The grimier sound quality continues into "Break My Lying Tongue", but it kneecapped by a distracting synth lead that is persistent throughout the songs choruses. But following that, this album goes into the status quo of VOLA alternative metal. And the hooks are not even as good as an album such as Witness to back it up. It has good moments sure (i.e. "We Will Not Disband" and "Hollow Kid") but they seem more spaced out than ever before.

At least the production is solid. This record has a great sound to it; all of the records most important parts are given center stage during their respective tracks. Whether that be the dogshit synth on "Break My Lying Tongue," or the vocoder harmonies of "Glass Mannequin." Even the albums djent-ier breakdowns are presented with polish and precision and also contain a semblance of motivic growth through them. The structure of the album however is not a strong suit. The album starts heavy, but becomes progressively slower and mellow as it persists and leaves me feeling like it runs too long for its own sake.

I will admit, Friend of a Phantom left me feeling underwhelmed. I'm not quite sure what I expected from VOLA with this album given their track record, but this felt lazy and uninspired. It almost feels like they want out of the progressive metal sphere and would rather take a place in the spotlight as an above average alternative metalcore band. The result however is losing a piece of what made VOLA so popular in progressive forums in the first place. The individual songs might be decent, but it's hard to separate them from the full artwork.

Best Songs: We Will Not Disband, Bleed Out, Hollow Kid