Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

Mnemic has touched the hearts of many modern metalheads, even after their split. The remaining founding member, guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie was a master of polyrhythms, and his clear riffing and melodies that stay together with the mechanical bass and drums are what kept the band in place until things changed. He caused progressiveness from the guitar to switch out of what you hear from Opeth into a hint at a new djenty chapter...

Their debut Mechanical Spin Phenomena is a solid start of the band's futuristic industrial/groove metal journey, though it wouldn't be perfected until The Audio Injected Soul. This storm of modern sounds is something that has changed part of the course of metal in the early 2000s.

"Liquid" represents their melodic side in the chorus after a verse of guitar aggression. "Blood Stained" is a heavy tight mind-blower, often changing tempo. However, the band loses some focus in "Ghost", sounding a bit dull after that opening duo peak. "Db'xx'd" is the band's longest song at exactly 8 minutes, and has mechanical Meshuggah riff power and keyboards, all leading up to a cool ambient outro.

"Tattoos" has a bit of a Mushroomhead vibe while staying industrial. "The Naked And The Dead" is another golden highlight to make even the most serious metalhead smile. "Closed Eyes" takes a distorted drift into melody.

The title track is another highlight of progressive-ish industrial groove metal that would help bands like Sybreed and Divine Heresy find their direction and let bands of other genres like Animals as Leaders borrow their progressiveness. The chaotic electro-metal talent of Strapping Young Lad can definitely be heard. Another one of my favorites is "Zero Gravity", one more spacey 8-minute track with a slow blend of metal riffs and keyboard blasts. There's also a bonus remix of "Blood Stained" by Rhys Fulber.

After his time with Mnemic, vocalist Michael Bøgballe would keep exploring the band's sound in a more djenty level with Scamp. But this album from Mnemic has an almost entirely good metallic mix of brutal industrial attacks and melodic synth depths. If you're up for that, then crank up the volume....

Favorites: "Liquid", "Db'xx'd", "The Naked And The Dead", "Mechanical Spin Phenomenon", "Zero Gravity"

Seeing a review for this album appear in this site made me wonder, "I've reviewed all of my metal milestone bands, but can I review the metal albums of a rock band that would eventually shape my taste into 'true' metal, beyond this nu metal sh*t?" Answer: I CAN!! Linkin Park is probably the most successful 21st century rock band, yet metal fans call them "sellouts for kids". Some say they've expanded on the nu metal atrocity started by Korn and Limp Bizkit, others say they're a boy band with guitars. It's sad to see all this hate towards a super successful band. I might not enjoy this band as much as the metal bands I listen to now, but I won't take them for granted, that's for sure.

Linkin Park released their debut album Hybrid Theory (taken from their earlier band name) in October 2000, just a few months shy of what people think is technically the start of a new millennium (2001), and the technical new millennium started in a bang for this band. Excellent reviews and gigantic sales skyrocketed, hence making this a genuine well-sold platinum album. There may not be a big improvement in the popular music industry but Linkin Park's debut would remain one of the best-selling albums of nu metal and all time. Yep, there are 12 heavy industrial-infused nu metal tracks in this album produced by Don Gilmore. In fact, would you call nu metal "metal"?? It's cleaner and less edgy (in the music anyway)! Well whatever you want them to be called, Linkin Park have their best skills of heavy metal guitars, hip-hop rapping, and pop hooks.

It starts with...the rap rock hit "Papercut", where the rapping verses by Mike Shinoda make a great blend with the melodic vocal chorus by Chester Bennington (RIP). "One Step Closer" is their breakthrough single worth checking out for both metalheads and radio listeners. The riffing is both heavy and kid-friendly, the latter adjective maybe not the killer screaming bridge ("SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! SHUT UP!!"). This is metal for Sesame Street-level beginners and that song is probably the heaviest one allowed in karaoke (I know because I've been there). The low-toned loops in "With You" are performed by the Dust Brothers in a rap metal track where its gravitation center strikes your jaw off. "Points of Authority" sounds as if Bennington and Shinoda are each reading their own poetry written in a lyric sheet, acting as a lyrical exchange. That song is kinda killer though.

The emotional hit "Crawling" is where icy synths and bass crawl through the intro before getting mudded out by the guitar heaviness and Bennington's cries. The more industrial fans might compare the song to Nine Inch Nails. The lyrical subject matter deals with Bennington's teenage years of torture and meth addiction, and he's so upset about it that he needs help from the crowd when performing the song live. More of the band's skyrocketing hooks appear in "Runaway", where the primitive tune's melodies can probably get the song into alternative radio. The fairly appalling "By Myself" is a weak track that is a real example of nu metal's bad side. The hip-hop smash-hit "In the End" has piano performed prominently by Mike Shinoda as he raps along. I don't know if that's what made that song the most popular of the album, but it is what it is.

"A Place for My Head" continues the poetic lyrical exchange between Bennington and Shinoda. This is again used in "Forgotten" but more apparent with the vocal battle between the two vocalists in the pre-chorus. That song is probably another real example of nu metal tainting the second word of the genre's name. The two and a half minute experimental jungle track "Cure for The Itch" is probably the weakest point of the album, but it's where turntablist Joe Hahn really shines. The perfect formula of the singles continue once more in the closing song "Pushing Me Away", which I still like since first listening 9 years ago. Oh how I wish that was a single...

What remains of this review is the conclusion, and that is this; Linkin Park's debut album is excellent, at least compared to what the heavier metalheads think. Surprisingly, the songs I like are perfect choices for all 4 singles and two promo singles, all that's missing is that final song. The only weak songs are the remaining 5. Seems as if my like for Linkin Park before switching to real metal has infected my mind. Sure it's mainstream, but I couldn't skip to where I am today without this band, right?! Thanks a ton, LP....

Favorites: "One Step Closer", "Points of Authority", "Crawling", "Runaway", "In the End", "Pushing Me Away"

Celtic Frost was one of the most diversely stylistic metal bands to start in the 80s. First was their black/death-influencing thrasher To Mega Therion, then they released the avant-garde Into the Pandemonium, followed by the glam-infected Cold Lake. They released a gothic-influenced thrash album Vanity/Nemesis before splitting up, and later reformed for one more extreme doom album Monotheist. Since I'm listening to Mega Therion to settle a DIS vs DAT debate, let's get right into the review!

Heading right to the point, To Mega Therion (The Great Beast) is actually one of the best 80s metal albums I've heard. I'm still not very tolerant to albums that old nor that obscenely extreme, but I can see why people consider this the most fascinating Celtic Frost album. However, there are some things to argue about...

The pompous intro "Innocence and Wrath" starts the album with a doom-ish march with background brass, specifically french horns. Perhaps that part of the inspiration for Therion, the band who got their name from this album. Then kicks off the sinister fast pace of "The Usurper". That song and its aforementioned intro very well beat other openings of albums like Into the Pandemonium. Next track "Jewel Throne" has chord patterns to reflect the balance of primal composition against riffs of thrash energy and muscular drum groove intensity. I'm sure there are many other great thrash examples throughout the decades that followed, but a true thrashy metalhead would bang their head and swing their fists to those interestingly brutal riffs. I'm not even a fan old-school dark thrash metal and I'm already doing that!

With a song title like "Dawn of Megiddo", you know how well Celtic Frost would attack. The song itself once again has the strange french horns. "Eternal Summer" continues the chord balance between primal and despair. "Circle of the Tyrants" pumps you up with apocalyptic heaviness. "(Beyond the) North Winds" needs a little time for you to really see its full potential as mid-tempo-ish piece that's absolutely underrated compared to Metallica. The upbeat ghost-like guitar leads in the bridge give the song its special scent that would inspire later extreme metal bands.

"Fainted Eyes" is an aggressive piece of heavy shock that works as a black metal prototype song, once again having its apocalyptic heaviness. "Tears in a Prophet's Dream" is an extravagant yet incomprehensible sound collage that wouldn't blow any minds. Finally we come to the gigantic closer "Necromantical Screams" complete with horns, timpani, and female vocals without neglecting the morbid heavy black thrash. OK, that has to be what inspired Therion!

Was this review convincing enough for anyone who hasn't listened to this 1985 classic to do so? Either way, you definitely don't wanna miss out on its highlights (see below) for their best extreme delivery. This important album needs more attention! Sadly, Celtic Frost would never reach the brilliance of this album ever again.... AAAARRRGGH!!!!

Favorites: "The Usurper", "Jewel Throne", "(Beyond the) North Winds", "Necromantical Screams"

A few people might think Vektor is a Voivod ripoff, but...BOY WERE THEY WRONG!! They just don't see how much of a difference this band makes! First off, the instruments really work well together with precise drumming, tight riffing, and bass with more than one note per bar. The instrumentation is really cool, but what's really amazing is the vocals by David DiSanto. Forget about his domestic violence present for a while and check out his vocal range that's beyond belief. His vocals are in the same kind of level as Destruction's Schmier, but his high soaring screams are near-impossible! I bet he does what Michael Jackson used to do, grabs his own b*lls hard.

The guitars are so unique and really stick out in this album. One unique thing that marks a different approach is the F-tuning (a half-step higher than standard E tuning). I think more bands should start tuning their guitars up to F or F# 6-string, or even C or C# 7-string. When they play a riff that sounds familiar (other than the higher tuning), suddenly a different never-before-heard riff smashes into your face, while keeping constantly high quality. What's also pleasant is, the solos are magically placed in fields where you would never expect. But in the parts where you do expect a solo, they are short and end up coming out anti-climatic. However, the guitarists are really skilled, and despite those solo setbacks, they can master them as super well as DragonForce.

The title opener is probably the best track of the album. They really balance the thrash and progressive styles perfectly without having to copy anything. "This song won't write itself," rushy people say, but it's as if that song did! "Oblivion" is another great song, but it gets a little dull. It's late-Emperor-esque intro is actually the "Spiral Galaxy" intro from their demo Demolition. After that, it's on to the actual old-school speed metal intro before the Destruction-like shrieking comes in. Also, the end is a bit rushy, another good reason why I prefer its Demolition version. "Destroying the Cosmos" is another song that was re-recorded from the Demolition demo, and while I like this one better than the demo version, it doesn't quite reach the standards of the other songs besides "Oblivion". However, that solo-riff combo throughout literally the last minute is one of the most epic song endings I've ever heard! Great strength in an otherwise "meh" song!

"Forests of Legend" is an absolute highlight and the first of three 10+ minute epics. It begins with an eerie acoustic intro that sounds like the progressive thrash "Bard's Song (In the Forest)", before the heaviness begins building up before crashing safely into early-Megadeth-style speedy thrash. After that, it's back to the eerie acoustic section before another glorious outro! "Hunger for Violence" is a Voivod-like composition, opening with strange symmetric chords before heading into Theory in Practice-like violent heaviness. "Deoxyribonucleic Acid" which is what "DNA" stands for, opens with a speedy version of an Iron Maiden riff before its scientific thrash ascension.

"Asteroid" is less technical and more rock-ish in the first few minutes, and while not quite reaching the climax, an incredible charge thunders in with solid bass, sounding like when Lemmy's bands Hawkwind and Motorhead collide and travel into the future. The second 10+ minute epic "Dark Nebula" is probably the least superior of the epic trio, but it's still great. It shows a bit more of a Pink Floyd influence than Voivod while keeping the technical thrash virtuosos. "Accelerating Universe" is the 13 minute true diverse crowning highlight, initially starting with Metallica hammering thrash, it gets more epic and heavier throughout, even developing an amazing psychedelic atmosphere in the halfway point, before building back up into a heavy speedy ending.

Black Future is an almost flawless work of progressive thrash metal art, despite a couple weak points. But those weak points are really tiny flaws and they don't bring down this 5-star rating. With this album, Vektor has reached for the progressive thrash metal stars!

Favorites: Black Future, Forests of Legend, Hunger for Violence, Accelerating Universe

So I've already checked out and reviewed a few albums by Mechina, a band known for its epic symphonic cyber metal sound and expanding conceptual saga throughout albums and singles. But the question is, what were they like before they started adding in those aspects?

The Assembly of Tyrants was recorded and released in 2005, over 5 years before their second album Conqueror in which they started making their sound more cinematic and forming a massive story in the lyrics. I actually love the debut slightly better than the next 4 albums. This simple raw style of cyber metal in a similar vein as Fear Factory and Sybreed is not as overproduced as their bombastic later material. Although the saga was yet to be established, I can hear the story quite well in these lyrics!

Some of the heaviest bits of Fear Factory can be heard in the opening track "Shattered Cry", as early as that band's deathly debut Soul of a New Machine. It's a real shame about drummer Scott Oloier leaving the band, because his pummeling drum-work hits so hard. Drifting through this cosmic vortex is the dark growls of David Holch that enhance the well-thought lyrics. "Reclamation of Mortal Nature" proves that this band can sound killer even at a time before adding a bombastic truckload of symphonics and female vocals to their subsequent releases. Awesome, but I prefer the Tyrannical Resurrection version. That EP is where half the amount of the songs in the debut were re-recorded two years after. Next up, "Clash of Cultures" takes the atmospheric sorrow further. Holch has tried an earlier attempt to give his vocals a clean singing effect.

Attacking in different tempos is the long "Machine God". Then we head into one of two instrumentals, the electronic "Apothica". The next two tracks are from a couple of the band's earlier demos that basically the Fear Factory Concrete of Mechina, starting with "Skin Deep". The riffing by Joe Tiberi can things apart, alongside Holch's growls, "Draw thy weapon for pain, just for the kill". The other track "After Image" has Scott Oloier has his brother Jon (on bass) battling it out with the other guys' instrumental talents. The keyboards that are later proven to be performed by Tiberi fits smoothly with the aggressive instrumentation.

The second instrumental, "Assembly Intro" (also titled "Warfog") has some ambient serenity. The main part of the album ends with the 8-minute title epic. It's a true masterpiece highlight that greatly foreshadows what's to come later for this band. The bonus track "Clash YSAF mix" is an instrumental remix of "Clash of Cultures".

If there's anyone who, at the time of the debut's release, thought the band would go down the same path as Fear Factory and Sybreed, their second album Conqueror definitely says otherwise. Until then, The Assembly of Tyrants is essential cyber/industrial metal that anyone in The Sphere should get. Though if this dark futuristic sound had guitar solos and better production, it would've been 5-star perfection. Still it already displays Mechina's unique abilities. The best place to start before the bombastic rest!

Favorites: "Shattered Cry", "Reclamation of Mortal Nature", "Clash of Cultures", "Skin Deep", "The Assembly of Tyrants"

Following the good yet messy Empyrean, Xenon rises slightly higher with a better stylistic balance to prove the uniqueness of Mechina. And it can surpass Conqueror as well. Xenon continues to build up from what the band had in the previous two albums. As always, you can expect the djenty rhythms, keyboard melodies, and orchestral majesty, courtesy of Joe Tiberi. Plus some cool vocals, both clean and unclean. As much of a great achievement as this is, again the bombastic epicness tires me out...

It's not just the style that's more balanced, but also the production. The riffing machinery is taken to the front stage. Now you can hear the distorted grooves soar through the cosmos. Also appealing is the drumming by David Gavin. Sadly, he would leave the band after this album, and the drumming in all subsequent albums is programmed.

"Cepheus" is a bonus track in the Compendium edition of the album, and a pummeling 10-minute epic. It's my favorite track of the entire album and makes up for whatever mess the main album would have later, just like Empyrean's Compendium bonus track "Andromeda". It would be better if "Cepheus" was Xenon's ending or near-ending epic though. The title track that opens the main album is filled with f***ing underrated epic cinematic cyber metal to love! You can just imagine travelling through lightyears of space and centuries (even millennia) of time. But it can't work as an individual track when it segues straight to "Alithea". Then "Zoticus" marks another wonderful highlight, having a more upbeat tone compared to the rest of the album.

"Terrea", on the other hand, is rather terrible, going back to the messy side of the previous two albums. It is made up for by the glorious "Tartarus". You can swim through different dimensions ranging from cyber to deathly, as a saga unfolds, almost competing with Marvel, Star Wars, and even The Elder Scrolls. A truly dark ethereal collision! "Phedra" doesn't do much for the album, but I still approve. "Thales" is another brilliant standout. It can actually be enjoyed well as an individual track, with its more direct feel and not having to bleed into another track.

Going through "Erebus", there are female vocals and well-composed symphonics that you can hear in Nightwish. But it is blended with the metal heaviness that brings things closer to Xerath. A true theatrical gift! "Amyntas" is kind of a weak track to segue into, though not really a stinker. Their attempt to go all-out The Amenta in their last full song doesn't work out as much as it should. Then it all ends in dark tranquility (not the band) in the outro "Actaeon", a nice reprise to the title track's piano intro.

Xenon has a lot for you to get used to, but eventually you can embrace this multi-track cyber metal symphony and remember the more impressive moments. Joe Tiberi continues to reign as a master of epic futuristic cyber metal, with more releases appearing throughout the next 10 years, to be heard through space and time....

Favorites: "Cepheus", "Xenon", "Zoticus", "Tartarus", "Thales", "Erebus"

Turmion Kätilöt is an amazing yet strange band of Finnish industrial metal. The lineup consists of talented members with funny stage names; vocalists MC Raaka Pee and Shag-U, guitarist Bobby Undertaker, bassist Master Bates, keyboardist RunQ, and drummer DQ. The lyrics can cover everything from sci-fi to beautiful girls. And the band have been on a roll throughout their tenure that has already reached 20 years! Yet I didn't get turned on by their music until last year.

Standing by in the category of bands that should've been accepted in the Metal Archives but aren't, their disco-fueled industrial metal sound shall please both club dancers and metalheads. Reset brings us back to the Spellgoth era in terms of the quality, not reaching the perfection of the albums afterwards, but still better than Perstechnique.

"Yksi Jumalista" (One of the Gods) begins with an Egyptian-sounding EDM intro before the hammering riffing. The vocals dance around the keyboards and guitars. The chorus maintains both the EDM vibe and that riff. The song is quite a fun bouncer, even with the strange lyrics. "Päästä Irti" (Get Loose) starts off almost deathly, and then it's time to dance again. The catchy energy can really kick things up a notch. D*mn, this can get the metal/dance crowd smiling. The metal guitars fit perfectly with them beats! "Pulssi" (Pulse) sounds a little closer to Mushroomhead at times, but the guitar solo brings it closer to Beast in Black, especially when it's that band's guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen who's performing it. "Sina 2.0" (You 2.0) heads into the electronic side of the band, with some guest vocals by Netta Turunen, daughter of MC Raaka Pee.

"Musta Piste" (Black Dot) brings back the perfect glory of the rest of the Shag-U era, specifically Universal Satan. Same with "Trauma", which has violent bursts of industrial metal to infect the EDM vibes. "Otava" (Big Dipper) once again has a bit of Mushroomhead, while also throwing some Fear Factory, Waltari, and even in the 8-bit synths of HORSE the Band, to make a unique combo. "Se Mitä Et Näe" (What You Don't See) has another brilliant sound from the start, with dark electronic synths that plague the industrial metal sound (in a great way), complete with a Rammstein-ish anthemic chorus. Not much disco, but the heavy riffing and electronics are in great balance.

"Once Dead" is OK, but not that interesting. Ditto with "Puuttuva Naula" (The Missing Nail), which is a little too poppy. It's the weakest song here, though not enough to be a stinker. Following this is "Schlachter" (Butcher), a wonderful remix of the debut's "Teurastaja", featuring Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost. I might just love it more than the original! Finally, we have the 8-minute "Reset 7 (Not to Be Continued)", which has nice dance-y industrial metal, but the Babymetal-like J-pop moments are a bit too much.

Wait a minute... "NOT to Be Continued"?! Is this awesome band going to end after this?!? I sure hope not! Reset has a lot of the band's catchy energy, apart from a couple odd but still good tracks towards the end. The band shall stay alive and continue making even the most serious headbanger dance and smile!

Favorites: "Päästä Irti", "Pulssi", "Musta Piste", "Otava", "Se Mitä Et Näe", "Schlachter"

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)

Nothing More has been... *ahem* NOTHING MORE than an alt-rock/metal band that's never been afraid to test their limits. They're yet another band in my brother's collection, with a few anthemic feelers that he likes. The band has continued to evolve their sound since first hitting the major label business with their self-titled 4th album. And they've gotten so more stories to tell...

The Stories We Tell Ourselves maintains this Texan band's alt-rock/metal identity that reaches a more mature level. Jonny Hawkins has his usual impressive vocal range while Mark Vollelunga pulls out some sick guitar grooves.

"(Ambition; Destruction)" is the intro that intensely build things up to the opening song... "Do You Really Want It?" stomps through as a mid-paced anthem of lyrical power. The line "So I can shake these American demons" sounds almost fitting for what's going on in America politically, such as the election that will very soon conclude as of this review. The song is stacked on top by the interlude "(Convict; Divide)" with a spoken sample by Alan Watts. "Let 'em Burn" is a heavy punisher. "Ripping Me Apart" rips through metal darkness. "Don't Stop" sounds a little too much like Maroon 5/Green Day gone nu metal. "Funny Little Creatures" starts off with a lo-fi ambient verse that almost made me think this was going to lead to Polaris-ish ambient metalcore, but instead all we get is a more metallic take on Fall Out Boy's brand of pop punk.

"(React; Respond)" is another Alan Watts-led interlude, this one much longer than the first two interludes. Back into action is the blazing "The Great Divorce" that shall give longtime fans something to sink their ears into. The chorus of "Still in Love" explodes with emotion, shortly after the lyrics reach a heartful note, "We were gonna grow old together, but now we're just growing old." Then we have another interlude, "(Alone; Together)", this one without an Alan Watts sample. We then jump into "Go to War" that grows in anthemic heaviness. "Just Say When" is a beautiful soft ballad to mend a romantic fallout.

The interlude "Accept / Disconnect" is a lovely drift into beauty, melancholy, and eventually, more heaviness after another Alan Watts sample. "Who We Are" has a similar vibe to Celldweller, but more uplifting and less electronic. "Tunnels" has some of the most creative lyrics here. "(End; Begin)" is one last Alan Watts-led interlude before the end... "Fadein/Fadeout" is the 6-minute closing epic to touch the hearts of all music listeners.

I wouldn't say The Stories We Tell Ourselves is the best album I've ever heard, but it has the best of Nothing More. Any fan of alt-rock/metal should go get it. And if we want more from this band, all we gotta do is ask....

Favorites: "Do You Really Want It?", "Let 'em Burn", "Ripping Me Apart", "The Great Divorce", "Go to War", "Just Say When", "Who We Are", "Tunnels", "Fadein/Fadeout"

For over a decade, I've considered myself to be a metal nerd. Not to brag, but I know a lot about the different metal bands and genres I've listened to all these years. Even when I seem to distance myself from a genre or at least bands from a genre and have done it for a few years, I can still remember many of my experiences with those bands' material. One of those artists is Devin Townsend, a prolific Canadian mastermind in progressive metal.

30 years before this review, he work for Steve Vai, toured with The Wildhearts, and started his own band Strapping Young Lad. Since then, he has made almost 30 albums. Such amazing creativity he has! And now his new album PowerNerd has arrived, serving up his usual prog-metal blended with the alt-metal of his Project album Addicted.

The title opener blasts open the gates of Devin's usual energetic prog-metal, as Hatebreed vocalist Jamey Jasta yells the title, "POWERNERD!!!" The song certainly has that rock-on metal Motorhead vibe, and the lyrics have gotten me hooked too, "Time for life and rock 'n' roll!" After that, "Falling Apart" relaxes into the beauty of Terria, with serene female vocals by Tanya Ghosh. One of the most surprised-filled tracks here is "Knuckledragger", with 80s 8-bit synths and a fun catchy chorus.

"Gratitude" has softer harmony, in contrast to the Hevy Devy business in other tracks. "Dreams of Light" is a short peaceful spacey interlude. It segues to "Ubelia" that drives on as an uplifting anthem. "Jainism" comes back to the modern progressiveness longtime Devy fans know and love.

Power ballad "Younger Lover" continues the motive of exploring a different style. The dramatic grandeur of "Glacier" is quite massive. This throwback to the Sky Blue album shall level up an arena-sized crowd. 6-minute epic "Goodbye" is a joyful rocker in a similar vein to Van Halen, probably done better! That should've been the end of the album, except... "Ruby Quaker" brings back the "comedic bonus track" aspect as a coffee-themed country hoedown. Interesting, though this album would've been perfect without it.

With PowerNerd, Devin Townsend fans are once again reminded of what a progressive metal superhero he is. While I have my own metal heroes, I don't mind revisiting this musical genius once in a while and checking out amazing offerings like this one. Creativity can be anyone's superpower, but he isn't just anyone!

Favorites: "PowerNerd", "Knuckledragger", "Ubelia", "Jainism", "Glacier", "Goodbye"

Godsmack is still going throughout their Grammy-nominated 3-decade career, though they've retired from making new albums after Lighting Up the Sky. Their first 6 albums had their modern mainstream alt-metal on display, but with When Legends Rise, Sully Erna and the gang decided to turn things around with a more hard rock direction. Sadly, it just doesn't work as much as it would, and not even the songs that go back to their roots can help out.

So yeah, this Massachusetts band consisting of Sully, Tony Rombola (guitars), Robbie Merrill (bass), and drummer Shannon Larkin have some catchy hard rock in their hands. While it's clear where they're going, the album is not without some slight metal heaviness...

The opening title track moves on well in the verses. The chorus, not so much. The kind of chorus that's too radio-focused is the bad kind for full-on metalheads. The next track and first single "Bulletproof" may be too accessible for earlier fans, but it soars much better with its catchy melody. Reminds me of Breaking Benjamin a bit, which must be why my brother likes that one. Also exciting is "Unforgettable", indeed an unforgettable anthem complete with a choir-backed gang chorus.

Then things start falling apart further in "Every Part of Me". That track and "Take It to the Edge" follow the opening track's motive of having promising verses followed then by painfully predictable choruses. That kind of structure can cause weakness to reduce the strength. "Under Your Scars" is an interesting track. It's a power ballad similar to the ones made by Guns n' Roses. And yet I actually find it stronger than those poor previous two tracks. So emotional! "Someday" has better potential with heavy-hitting action, though it's too far out to make highlight status.

"Just One Time" is a repulsive sh*tter. It starts heavy in the first 15 seconds then drops into Johnny Cash-ish country rock. That's rather disappointing. The kind of rock in "Say My Name" is too close to that of Clutch. "Let It Out" take the radio-infused power of the first 3 tracks and makes too much of that for its own good. The closing track "Eye of the Storm" is a heavy anthem like the ones the band made 15 to 20 years prior.

You might think When Legends Rise would be like a rising phoenix, but this phoenix seems more watered down. Erna made his attempt at rebuilding the sound of Godsmack and it seemed like he had fun in the process. Still it doesn't sound like something to please metalheads and longtime Godsmack fans. But would it please my brother? Sure....

Favorites (only songs I enjoy): "Bulletproof", "Unforgettable", "Under Your Scars", "Eye of the Storm"

As I continue to explore some more of the hard rock/alt-metal/post-grunge bands my brother listens to, Godsmack is a similar band to Breaking Benjamin, though my brother likes the latter more. OK, not entirely similar, but they fit in the same genres. My point is, while Godsmack is more of a hard rock band, they have enough heavy metallic instrumentation to qualify as alt-metal, a bit like how I feel about Breaking Benjamin. And this includes the more rock-ish albums from the 2010s...

Godsmack have taken their time with making their albums, allowing them to have some pretty good energy in 1000hp. The "hp" stands for "horsepower", but the video game side of my mind keeps thinking it's "health-points". Sully Erna and co. have been doing their heavy side well to please fans old and new.

The title opener is an anthem of their journey so far, taking us back to the year of their formation, 1995. Listen to that aggressive guitarwork and argue with me about whether or not that's metal, because I might win that debate. The loudness and powerful vocals shall pack some heavy face-punches. "TURN THAT SH*T UP LOUDER!!!" Slower riff rhythms come up in "FML" (F*** My Life) along with some catchy heavy hooks. The heaviness takes a time out for "Something Different". The vibe is much softer and more melodic. The heaviness from the guitar is around yet brushed aside by a simpler drum beat and background strings. What's next is "What's Next" in which the band once again go big on the heavy riffs and impressive bass as they take on lyrics of mortality.

The more advanced "Generation Day" is a 6-minute epic of the dangers of technology for our generation's future. It's a super impressive trip through aggression and beauty, including searing soloing midway through. "Locked & Loaded" is where Sully Erna shows the abrasive side of his lyrics to fight off those against him. It's another one of the strongest of the bunch. "Livin' in the Gray" has some sludgy bass and drums that become more groove-ish when the guitars and vocals come in, though the slight bit of electronic distortion in the bridge is a little off. The high-quality "I Don't Belong" makes sure some of the album's memorability doesn't wither away.

Late into the game is "Nothing Comes Easy" that comes off a bit odd. Guitars rise from the ominous ambience abyss with some rock-on distortion. "Turning to Stone" ends the album with some decent rhythms. However, it's surpassed by "Life is Good!", a bonus track in the Best Buy edition. With a rebellious chorus to engage the live crowd, this perfect anthem is one of the best things Godsmack has ever done. If this was in the actual standard edition of the album, I would give the rating an extra half-star.

With all that said, 1000hp proves Godsmack's ability to add heaviness and melody where they belong. Though with its more rock-ish sound, it's more suitable for my brother than the more serious metalhead. Of course, he can sometimes be as metal as I am. 1000hp is worth it for anyone wanting more hard rock/alt-metal in their life....

Favorites: "1000hp", "What's Next", "Generation Day", "Locked & Loaded", "I Don't Belong", "Life is Good!"

Today I felt up to revisiting Savatage after one of my outside-world friends shared a couple songs from this album. Streets shows the band joining the concept album trend that would carry on in many of their 90s albums. A story filled with different characters and twists centers around a fallen rockstar wandering New York's drug-laden streets. It keeps up the operatic motive of their previous album Gutter Ballet. While it's not entirely awful, it just doesn't appeal to me now as it had a few years ago...

As the band attempted to keep things going from the operatic Gutter Ballet, it sounds like they've gotten farther than they should've had. Streets is almost 70 minutes long, and while I enjoy some long progressive concept albums, it causes some decrease in consistence. Although the band has insisted that this is fiction and autobiographical (that's how I've had to explain the book series that I write), it seems more like a tale of their addiction/success struggles in the pre-Hall of the Mountain King era. Now I don't mind the constant narrations. It's the excessive amount of piano ballads that can be sleep-inducing, better suited for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, no offense.

So, talking only about tracks that I actually like, the title opener impresses me with dark orchestration and vocals. However, it can never surpass "Jesus Saves", introducing the main character DT Jesus and having catchy hooks. "Strange Reality" is another melodic heavy metal highlight to sing along to. After a couple sappy happy tracks, "Sammy and Tex" actually makes me happy with speedy guitarwork by Criss Oliva (RIP). "Ghost in the Ruins" has more of that but with less speed. Along with "Agony and Ecstasy" to get you hooked. As we approach the end, the uplifting ballads become more interesting like "Heal My Soul" which becomes more than just a lullaby. "Believe" is practically a hymn to the rock world, well effective for a radio ballad. I would've loved it slightly more when I was a teen. And I still want more of the earlier speedy heaviness.

Other problems this album seems to have is not enough power in the production. At least the atmosphere allows you to wander through the streets like DT Jesus. I enjoy the guitars and vocals by the Oliva brothers, though Jon seems to have overused the keys despite having some excellent moments. The bass isn't all that audible, and the drums are so f***ing simple with not much of the speed I expect in most metal bands. And the melodies that are often catchy sometimes come out too arena-ish. Perhaps their couple previous albums I should've revisited, maybe even Sirens or Dead Winter Dead. Nonetheless, the band knew what they were doing in the decent Streets....

Favorites (only tracks I like): "Streets", "Jesus Saves", "Strange Reality", "Sammy and Tex", "Ghost in the Ruins", "Agony and Ecstasy", "Heal My Soul", "Believe"

I've already been familiar with Neurotech via a few later songs and several of those long Symphonies. And now it's time for me to explore further back into the discography of one of the most underrated acts of one of the most underrated subgenres of all, cyber metal. Blue Screen Planet is a two-track EP with the first track being a 10-minute epic and the other being a laid-back instrumental of almost the same length.

Similarly to Mechina's Conqueror, Blue Screen Planet marks Neurotech's transition from a standard industrial/cyber metal band to one that's more symphonic and setting up a conceptual universe. Also similarly to that Mechina album, it doesn't entirely pay off as it should...

"Part I - Axiom" is a bombastic journey of symphonic cyber metal... Well, too bombastic. Some parts are overdone, which very much exemplifies the paraphrased adage, "Too many ingredients spoil the broth." While this epic is still solid, his 10-minute explorations are better explored in the later symphonies. Interesting how I like the instrumental "Part II - Revelation" more. Most metalheads and more upbeat music listeners can't go past the first half of this serene Hans Zimmer-like composition, but I can! It's amazing how magical this piece sounds as it transports you out of the harsh reality of Earth into the astral plane. It works well with the video game No Man's Sky. So instead of unleashing metal in maximum power, let the cool ambience move you into this different dimension. By the 5th minute, you'll already be one with the multiverse.

The origin of Wulf expanding the soundscapes within his Neurotech project is all in this EP. Lots of great ideas from calm to blasting, from soothing piano to crushing guitar! Though the instrumental is more balanced than the epic. As beautiful and intriguing as this EP is, it's more of a side-order than a main dish....

Favorites: Both tracks, though I like "Part II - Revelation" more.

From 2011 to 2015, Disturbed was on hiatus. During then, vocalist David Draiman decided to form his own temporary project, Device. If you'd like me to give you a hint at what Device, it's like Disturbed with a more industrial edge...

People already knew Draiman's plan to make more industrial material from some teasers. The industrial side comes from the other member of the project, Geno Lenardo, ex-guitarist of Filter. The heaviness Disturbed fans have expected is blended with electronics for some decent results. It should be noted though that Lenardo was replaced by Will Hunt (Evanescence) and Virus (Dope) for the couple live concerts performed by the band.

Straight into heaviness is "You Think You Know" which rocks out as if Disturbed never had that hiatus, while having a bit of Nine Inch Nails. Draiman's singing is quite strong here, "You think you know but you're horribly blind, you think you know that the story's defined, you think you know, but your heart has gone cold inside." Sounding closer to Disturbed is "Penance". The drumming rhythms and vocal grunts are still around while having some electronic synths. Following this is "Vilify", the best choice for the band's first single. It's a perfect highlight of Draiman's strong vocals.

For their cover of the 80s glam ballad "Close My Eyes Forever", taking the respective places of Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne is Lzzy Hale of Halestorm and Draiman, and the song is given a modern electronic twist. "Out of Line" stands out well as another one of Black Sabbath's members, Geezer Butler performs his audible bass, while Draiman and System of a Down's Serj Tankian both sing their perfect lyrical views of the world. The haunting "Hunted" continues taking on the electronic metal fusion as they've done throughout the album so far, showing that they can do it well without relying on guests. "Opinion" rips through with searing soloing by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, having more of the spotlight than in Linkin Park's "Drawbar".

"War of Lies" has some of the nu metal riffing of early 36 Crazyfists. "Haze", which has Avenged Sevenfold vocalist M. Shadows, is another solid collab. These guest appearances really help boost the quality of the album in most cases. The last guest vocalist is Glenn Hughes, known for his solo material and his time with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, in "Through It All", a nice sentimental rock ballad. I don't really like the bonus tracks enough to mention, except for their cool cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Wish".

You just have to admit how much outer thinking Draiman has with his work. He can really expand his boundaries beyond the band he's usually known for. It works well with some solid standouts, though not so much for a lot else. And the project would stop once Disturbed was revived....

Favorites: "You Think You Know", "Vilify", "Out of Line", "Opinion", "Haze", "Wish"

So... A Loded Diper album exists. If you're familiar with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and films, you know what Loded Diper is. If you're not, let me fill you in without spoiling too much. Loded Diper is a heavy metal band in which the main character Greg Heffley's brother Rodrick plays drums. All members of the band are in high school, except the lead vocalist Bill Walter who is in his 30s and still living with his grandma. The books involving Rodrick and his band, like Rodrick Rules and Diper Overlode, are a couple of my favorite Wimpy Kid books because of how much I like metal band-themed kinds of stories. Of course, I don't tolerate Rodrick's bullying behavior towards Greg.

I got my hopes a little too high when I discovered this album. The thing is, it's not an official Loded Diper album, more like a fan-made compilation. It starts with the two official songs from the live-action Wimpy Kid movies, and then the rest is just fan-made tracks, whether attempts at actual songs or just dialogue-sampled rock/metal instrumentals, similarly to Spongecore where they make metalcore/deathcore songs over Spongebob Squarepants dialogue.

The two official songs are actually quite fun, starting with "Exploded Diper" from the Rodrick Rules movie. This mid-tempo heavy metal/hard rock tune is both comedic and anthemic, and worth headbanging to. The chorus almost reminds me of the pre-chorus of Metallica's "Master of Puppets". The other official song is from the Dog Days film, and is a fun yet goofy-a** cover of Justin Bieber's biggest (s)hit "Baby". It starts off similarly to the original then gets cranked up into punky hard rock. Rodrick performs the song in an attempt to impress Heather Hills (older sister of Greg's crush Holly) at her birthday party, but it ends up going spectacularly wrong.

Then the fan-made tracks begin, starting with "Diper Overlode". It's just a sh*tty slacker rock attempt to make a song out of the official lyrics written in the Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book. I'm pretty sure I can make something a lot better and more metallic using those lyrics. The dialogue-sampled instrumentals cover the rest, and they're all only either OK or poor quality. The only one I really enjoy is "Rodrick Rules", with its kick-A thrashy metalcore instrumentation.

Now I've seen the new animated Wimpy Kid films on Disney+, and the new Rodrick Rules film has an official song called "Can You Smell Us Now?" The song also appears in the Diper Overlode book. Some may be turned off by the odd vocals by Bill Walter (at least compared to Bill in the live-action film) and the ridiculous lyrics (what the h*ll is a "chocolate cow"?!), but it's truly a hard rock/glam/heavy metal tune to get even the most serious metalhead grooving. And while it doesn't appear in the Loded Diper album because it was released a few years before the release of the song and the film it appears in, I wish it was there.

If I were to show you how to make a Loded Diper playlist, take the first 4 songs and replace "Diper Overlode" with "Can You Smell Us Now?". Everything else, throw it into the fire. Now I'm hoping for an album consisting of songs by Enslave the Mollusk, Nate Wright (from Big Nate)'s rock band, whether official or fan-made....

Favorites (only ones I like in the official album): "Exploded Diper", "Baby", "Rodrick Rules"

Ministry have made it big in pioneering the American side of industrial metal, with their 3 albums from 1988 to 1992 being commercially successful. With their 1996 album Filth Pig, the band's sound became darker and heavier than before, almost reaching sludge territory. According to founder Al Jourgensen, people hated the album. They wanted the humor and electronics of Psalm 69, but the album doesn't have much of those. I still like the heaviness though.

Darkness is often what I look for when I want to take a break from the brighter reality. And sometimes, darkness can be a bit intimidating. It can also have a bit of humor, from the literally meat-headed young American politician in the album cover. A whole lot you can find in the dark...

"Reload" is a short violent introductory song practically picking up where Psalm 69 left off. I was hoping for that kind of excitement in the title track, but it goes for a little too long and has almost given me brain damage. "Lava" is equally as long as the previous track, but it flows well in the riffs and vocals, almost like a march to a Southern battle. "Crumbs" is OK, but crumby in some places.

"Useless" fits well with its name, being far too weird for its own good. "Dead Guy" has awesome lyrics and nice groove. "Game Show" is the long 8-minute epic of this album. I wouldn't say it's bad in any way, but it's still a little weird and not something I would listen to on the daily.

"The Fall" seems to fall in quality but can stand back up for some time. Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" has been given the cover treatment here. It has a more alternative edge, a bit like Killing Joke at that time. No wonder it easily became a radio single! Really cool psychedelia there. Finally, "Brick Windows" brings back some earlier experimentation. Fantastic lyrics in this one!

Other things to mention about Filth Pig include the solid production and instrumentation. Those help keep the general quality stable, even in the lower half. There's nothing with switching gears to a heavier sound. A lot of us here are up for something like that. I just think a few of the songs in the album could've had better execution....

Favorites: "Reload", "Lava", "Dead Guy", "Lay Lady Lay", "Brick Windows"

Starting my time with a band's material via their new album isn't always a conventional way to begin, but I'm fine with Veritas being my first P.O.D. full-album experience. At this point, the band has moved quite far from their rap/nu metal roots while throwing back to them every now and then. Veritas is all about heavy aggression and anthemic power to stay true to what they are...

After releasing many albums in 3-year intervals (on average), they left a 6-year gap since their 10th album Circles. Now their true side is back on board in Veritas (Truth). While P.O.D. still have a bit of their earlier rap/reggae, they have some heavier riff fire here to please the fans.

Straight out of the opening "Drop", the drama bomb explodes with the vicious rapping of Sonny Sandoval and aptly used bass drops. Lamb of God's Randy Blythe unleashes his growling thunder, "Set fire to the system, set fire 'til they listen". Then "I Got That" has the swaying guitarwork of Marcos Curiel as Sandoval's vocals alternate between rapping, singing, and screaming, "We got that underground original, nothing to prove". The aggressive anthem "Afraid to Die" includes haunting singing melody by Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk. The vocals by both Sandoval and Shmayluk reach the height of defiance in one of the strongest alt-metal standouts of the year! "Dead Right" is a shorter punk-ish song, alternating between soft and heavy dynamics.

You can definitely recognize what the band is known for in "Breaking". The riffs and rapping stay fresh. The mid-paced "Lay Me Down (Roo's Song)" was written in memory of Roo Bublitz, one of Sandoval's friends. I think anyone who's unaware of that might think this is about that kangaroo kid from Winnie the Pooh. The singing in the chorus has a lot of raw passion, "Live your life, keep the faith, don’t ever cry for me!" Positive lyrics cover "I Won’t Bow Down" that makes another highlight. "This is My Life" sounds like if the post-grunge my brother likes collides with the reggae punk of Bad Brains, complete with guest vocals by Cove Reber of Dead American and Saosin.

Then we have "Lies We Tell Ourselves", another mid-paced anthem. It has a pretty cool guitar solo by Curiel. "We Are One (Our Struggle)" marks a swift return to the earlier heaviness as the band try to tear down the cultural walls holding us back. We then reach the atmospheric conclusion that is "Feeling Strange", as clean guitar and a looped beat lead to a heavy dramatic chorus. A little strange, but I can live with that.

All in all, Veritas has some solid anthems that can please alt-metal listeners and longtime P.O.D. fans. I'm still not up for more of this band though, especially considering the overuse of rap or reggae at times. Still they have their strength, and that is the truth....

Favorites: "Drop", "Afraid to Die", "Lay Me Down (Roo's Song)", "I Won’t Bow Down", "Lies We Tell Ourselves"

Progressive/technical thrash/death metal is something I'm up to exploring more of, but I'm still heavily focused on the genres for my main clans. One of my latest attempts was when I checked out Sadist's 1993 debut album Above the Light. Interestingly, this Hemotoxin album doesn't stand out to me as much as that Sadist album. Perhaps one reason is because it sounds to me more like the tech-death/thrash of Revocation with only some progressiveness here and there...

When Time Becomes Loss is the 4th album from this band from Pittsburg (California, not Pennsylvania). Guitarist/vocalist Michael Chavez has pulled off some deathly riffing and thrashy harmonies with technical firepower. His vocals are pretty cool too.

"Morbid Reflection" opens the album smoothly though the production is a bit muddy. Nonetheless, you can hear the energy coming from the guitar and bass. The tech-death/thrash sound definitely sounds like if Revocation time-traveled to the era of Atheist's debut Piece of Time. "Call from the Abyss" kick the drums and guitars up some notches. This is fast wall-smashing metal! "Malediction" burns you to the ground then resurrects you like a phoenix. The speedy machinery slows down in some sections.

"Abstract Commands" blazes through once again with its firmly heavy fast sound. "Conscious Descent" finally has the progressive variety I was anticipating, starting with clean acoustic melancholy before descending into Vektor-ish chaos. The bass sounds the most audible here.

"Reborn in Tragedy" returns to the tech-death/thrash sound, practically rebirthing a genre that faded out long ago. It's actually more progressive than most of the other tracks here, but again, technicality and aggression continue to reign. The title closer unleashes the last of the technical firepower in this album. And you're left wondering if there will ever be more of that sound in the future.

I think it's clear Hemotoxin has the strength to crash through the gates and show no mercy. They have true tight talent and are good at their blend of old-school and modern. All I'm asking for is clearer production for a new album and giving their sound a little more progressiveness to go a long way....

Favorites: "Call from the Abyss", "Conscious Descent", "Reborn in Tragedy"

At long last... The time has come... The release of one of the longest-awaited albums, Time II! Recording for the album began as early as 2006 when it was recorded together with Time I with the initial intention of being one whole album. While Time I was released in 2012, we had to wait 12 more years for the arrival of Time II. And during that wait, we got a separate album in The Forest Seasons. Now if Time II came out in 2017 instead of The Forest Seasons, it would've blown me away hard, considering how much I loved epicness in metal back then. With my metal heart aiming for modern heaviness nowadays, I'm no longer the Wintersun fan I was 10 years ago. An album like Time I that was an epic masterpiece back then, I don't think the same today. But I have to seize the moment of checking out this highly anticipated offering, so let's get into it.

So what's great is the shredding, vocals, and drums. The epicness that comes from the soloing and melodies is top-notch. The neoclassical soloing is actually quite memorable, and I like the Oriental folk/symphonic orchestration. There's barely any difference in the vocals of Jari Mäenpää in the different times each section is recording, that's how fresh in both the cleans and screams. On the other hand, the production is a bit too much. The otherwise nice drumming ends up messy. The bass can barely be heard. There is a lack of actual metal riffing. And the orchestration is too pompous, which again I would've loved to bits when I was younger, but now, NAH.

"Fields of Snow" is a nice promising start. A pleasant intro filled with Eastern folk music. The only problem is, it goes on for 4 minutes, just like the intro for Time I. If it was shortened to half its length, I would like it more. My favorite song of the album is "The Way of the Fire", the first real song. It's been played live since just a year before Time I even came out, so it's one of the most anticipated songs here. The melody and the drums have made me smile, as if I was an epic metal-loving teen all over again. Lots of excellent soloing, drumming, and melody to headbanging. The epic power shines the most in the chorus with the clean/harsh vocal dynamics that also appear in various other places. This is probably my newfound favorite 10+ minute epic by Wintersun, a glorious journey all the way up to the final orchestral strum.

"One with the Shadows" can be considered the "Land of Snow and Sorrow" of Time II, a short mid-tempo ballad. I really enjoy the soloing, which barely happened in the previous two albums. The leads and the clean/harsh vocal dynamics level things up as always. Truly a 6-minute banger, keep that in mind before the longer epics that will come shortly. "Ominous Clouds" is a better instrumental than the other one. First off, it's only 2 minutes long, the way an interlude should be. Second, the Eastern folk synths and strings have some nice guitar fiddling on top, all for smooth atmosphere.

The final two epics start with "Storm", which reminds me a lot of The Forest Seasons' "Eternal Darkness" with its blackened instrumentation. That definitely makes a highlight, but the problem is, the 3-minute flute outro with sounds of rain and thunder is too overlong. And it segues to "Silver Leaves" which has a 3-minute flute INTRO. The song itself is centered around flute and orchestration with the guitars and drums being more of an afterthought. Again, would the younger me love this? YES. Would I love it now? NO.

I would fully enjoy this album if they could've shortened the longer songs a bit and tone down some orchestration. Time II is pretty great, yet it should've had a few kinks to make it more memorable. Not worth a lot of revisiting, but I'm quite curious about a planned 4-album series and what Jari Mäenpää can do with 5 albums worth of demos....

Favorites: "The Way of the Fire", "One With the Shadows", "Storm"

Before the 90s, there was barely any metal in Italy. The country seemed to be more focused on their own prog-rock scene that was rising in the 70s. There were several Italian metal bands in the 80s, though not as many as later on, two notable bands being Death SS and Bulldozer. It wasn't until extreme metal started to grow in the 90s when the Italian metal scene gained some underground popularity starting with the more extreme bands like black metallers Mortuary Drape and, of course, the progressive/tech-death of Sadist! Their debut Above the Light is like a horror-infused blend of Coroner, Cynic, and Death's albums from that year.

Back then, Italian metal was still far away from the popularity gained in later more symphonic bands like Rhapsody of Fire and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Sadist was able to pull off unique keyboard usage before those bands. This gives Sadist more in common with Nocturnus, one of the earliest death metal bands to use sci-fi keyboard ambience, although Sadist gives it more prominence. And you can hear the keys most clearly in the interludes. Plus some strange seagull noises.

The intro track "Nadir" already lets you hear those haunting horror-ish keys. Then in "Breathin' Cancer", the melody is passed down towards the guitar and bass, and you're ready to take on this creepy yet exciting nightmare. "Enslaver of Lies" has a bit of Slayer-like thrash, but the prog-death is still on, almost as progressive as later Enslaved.

"Sometimes They Come Back" actually sometimes reminds me of the first 3 Trail of Tears albums, obviously without any of that band's operatic female singing. After a melodic soloing intro, the razor-sharp "Hell in Myself" explodes into some more thrash-ish deathly aggression. Solid vocals there, though the drumming could've had better production. "Desert Divinities" has a great unique sound. Almost like if Yngwie Malmsteen joined At the Gates at the time! The neoclassical guitars and keys are performed in nice technicality without being too flashy, and the riffs can go wild with no drastic twists. Wicked!

The band's own theme interlude, "Sadist" creeps in with horror-filled synths. This time, the heavy guitars join in on the spooky action. The band can actually pull off the horror movie vibe better than other death metal bands, enough for the chances of ending up in a film soundtrack to be likely. Probably a Psycho remake! "Happiness 'n' Sorrow" has the last of the dark prog-death sound for this album, until the rest of their discography (except the nu/industrial metal Lego).

Above the Light is a solid start for the Italian prog/tech-death band that is Sadist. Due to how overlooked this band is, it's the kind of album that should be reach more listeners. This shall reward anyone up for some prog-death with hints of Coroner. Within darkness, there's light!

Favorites: "Breathin' Cancer", "Sometimes They Come Back", "Desert Divinities", "Sadist"

Ah, Jeris Johnson... Known for his remixes of popular rock/metal hits "Last Resort" by Papa Roach and "Can You Feel My Heart?" by Bring Me the Horizon. I actually first heard of him from when he collaborated with Plankton AI metal artist BOI WHAT in the song "Battling My Demons". I like his vocal work so much that I decided to check out more of his material, and some of the new singles got me hooked. Those singles would then be part of his new album Dragonborn. I've seen this album get as much hate as Falling in Reverse's new release Popular Monster, which is actually a little more surprising. On the one hand, not everyone is up for a huge diverse cauldron of genres, and they say too many cooks spoil the broth. On the other hand, Jeris Johnson is nowhere near Ronnie Radke levels of infamy, though Johnson has co-written a song for Popular Monster, the country metal single "All My Life". So here's what I have to say about Dragonborn...

Around half of this album is arguably the best work Jeris Johnson has ever done! This is perhaps the first ever album to combine heavy/power/melodic metalcore as main genres, while adding in some alt-metal, Nordic folk, cinematic orchestra, and his earlier trap-core. Yeah, his days of trap-core aren't really strong, but this diverse metal mix of epic and modern can overpower the poor past for a more promising present.

The title track is a nice start. It begins with the acoustic folk strumming of Korpiklaani, then rises into mid-tempo alt-metal not too far off from some of my brother's favorite bands. In the end, the acoustic folk returns, this time with background synth ambience and layered vocals that will definitely plant Skyrim into your mind. "The Story of Our Lives" is a total rocker. Sure there's a bit of the electro-trap in the verses, but it's outshined by the heavy/power metal that makes its entrance in the chorus, along with a brief groove metal breakdown that you might hear from Lamb of God. "When the Darkness Comes" is a spooky track continuing the blend of Avenged Sevenfold-style heavy metal and trap. If you're wondering if that chorus melody sounds familiar, it's that Arabian riff! It also reminds me of Kesha's "Take It Off" which uses the Arabian riff in the chorus as well. "Welcome to Valhalla" is interesting. The Skyrim-esque Nordic folk is combined with trap which is an odd mix that threatens to bring it all down. But then it explodes into an epic blend of power metal and melodic metalcore, "power-core" if you will. Then it ends with the cinematics of Wintersun's Time interludes. Truly a glorious highlight!

"Here's to the Years" continues that epic blend. Last year, Dragoncorpse united deathcore and power metal together. This year, Jeris Johnson showed the world that melodic metalcore, power metal, and Nordic folk can co-exist in that fun tune. More of the epic blend comes in my favorite track here, "Siren Song". You may recognize "Greensleeves" as the main melody, and holy f***, it can definitely compete with August Burns Red's "What Child is This?" cover. Brilliant! "Down with the Dynasty" is the 4th track in a row with the epic blend, this time with some more trap drops. "John" is another alt-rock/metal ballad not too far off from the bands my brother likes such as Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, Three Days Grace, etc. "Not a Person (Freak)" is a trap-metal mess with the closest we have to a deathcore breakdown that comes out as generic.

"Eat Drink War Repeat" is much worse, the weakest track here, making me f***ing cringe over this trap/crunkcore sh*t-fest. It's made up for a lot by "Ode to Metal", more of an ode to modern metal, but still really cool. After starting with a cinematic symphonic intro, we have an alt-metal blend of a Linkin Park-esque rapping verse, a pop punk chorus inspired by A Day To Remember, and a bridge filled with the melodic metalcore of early Avenged Sevenfold and the nu metal of Slipknot, all 4 bands paid lyrical tribute to in said chorus. "Kiss From a Rose" is a nice heavy alt-pop rock take on a Seal classic. "Finish Line" is a beautiful ending ballad of acoustic folk gone 5FDP-style alt-metal.

Dragonborn doesn't reach the perfection of Popular Monster, but it shows how well Jeris Johnson can experiment with different genres to make something diverse. If he makes a follow-up to this, I'm counting on a full-on heavy/power/melodic metalcore album with none of that trap sh*t. Now if only BOI WHAT can make his own full album....

Favorites: "The Story of Our Lives", "Welcome to Valhalla", "Here's to the Years", "Siren Song", "Ode to Metal", "Finish Line"

Falling in Reverse is one of the least liked bands in rock/metal, maybe even the world. All the hate is pointed towards frontman Ronnie Radke. He can be considered, y'know, dangerous, with his multiple arrests for assault (whether physical or sexual) and battery, the mugshot from one of his arrests being used for this album's cover. His first arrest was the most notorious; he was in a fight that resulted in a young man getting shot dead. Although Radke didn't pull the trigger, he was arrested for his involvement in the fight and was sentenced to probation which he violated and subsequently served two and a half years in prison. Around then, he was the lead vocalist for Escape the Fate and was fired from that band. He decided to form his own band while behind bars and write some material to send to a few musicians he was in contact with. It wasn't until Radke was released from prison in late 2010 when the band got together to work on their debut, and the rest is history. CONTROVERSIAL history... Now as I've said before, I'm the kind of person who doesn't put direct association between art and artist. Just because someone is considered a total d*ck doesn't mean their music is automatically dogsh*t. Though exceptions can be made for those known for more serious stuff like murder and Nazism (Burzum's Varg Vikernes would qualify in both categories). Some music you can enjoy without thinking too much about one of the band members and what they've done, but we live in a world where people can easily put you down for something you like, which is what this site is supposed to prevent. With that said, it's time for me to say something that is going to stun a lot of you. So here it goes...

I F***ING LOVE POPULAR MONSTER!!! That's right, I said it! Anyone can hate this album and the band, but personally, I find no reason to give it a thumbs-down, and that's my true opinion. This is the epitome of a modern alt-metal sound blended with metalcore, trap, and other genres. And it's a drastic improvement from their mediocre previous albums that are basically just pop-core. I can witness a lot of talent from Radke and co. with their respective roles. 3 quarters of the album was already pre-released as singles, but they certainly shape it all up, and a good feeling was already made from the millions of streams some of the singles has earned. This proves that no matter how shunned a band can get, they can sweep the globe. A good metaphorical meaning behind the title of this monstrously grand album, Popular Monster.

Starting track "Prequel" introduces you to this dark world with an ominous tribal march, as Ronnie takes on some poetic diary-like rapping that can actually outshine Eminem. As all this is happening, an epic buildup slowly grows, and Ronnie warns the haters to, if they have anything bad to say, let him know directly. Right at the very height, he pulls off some impressive falsetto singing, and the heaviness crashes down on you like a world-destroying missile. His girlfriend Saraya (who guest appears in a song later on in the album) would definitely use that her entrance theme for wrestling tournaments. I understand if anyone wants to skip that track for something more upbeat, but for me, it's a glorious start to this monstrous offering. The title track has definitely deserved topping the charts. That's actually the earliest hint of the album, having been released as a single 5 years prior, and with founding rhythm guitarist Derek Jones before he passed away. RIP... "All My Life" is rather different while not deviating from the album's heavy sound. It's a country metal track featuring country rapper Jelly Roll. Radke seemed quite confident to hop into a different genre, and it paid off quite well. There's great synergy between the vocalists. Now I probably would've hate a song like this if it existed at least a year ago, but my tolerance has greatly grown. Probably because of BOI WHAT's "Rock Bottom" that is a country metal hoedown starring pretty much the entire main cast of Spongebob Squarepants.

"Ronald" is actually the track that made me interested in Falling in Reverse and this album, a massive explosion of deathly metalcore with a rapping verse by Tech N9ne. But the epic climax comes in beyond the two and a half minute mark leading into a brutal breakdown more powerful than anything Lorna Shore has done, for real, growled by Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail. Yeah, I know, that guy is indeed considered terrible for the neo-Nazism he's accused of, and I mentioned that I'm drawing the line on Nazi musicians. Nonetheless, I like a couple tracks with his vocals, such as his "BFG Division" vocal cover. Just don't expect me to listen to a lot of his band. So yeah, on "Ronald", everything is so deathly and melodic all at once! "Voices in My Head" is fast and furious in the guitars and vocals, and the pop rap influences I normally don't want too much of, I approve! Now we head into the new songs with "Bad Guy", with guest vocals by the aforementioned Saraya. Following some rap verses, the song explodes into the usual heaviness in the chorus, and Radke battles against the haters and wears his "bad guy" epithet in pride. Saraya takes over the chorus towards the end. Now that song I like more than the Billie Eilish one! "Watch the World Burn" is another example of rap metal gone epic. The greatness of that song can practically compete with the Trivium one!

"Trigger Warning" is where Ronnie tackles his homeland of America with a blend of metal, rapping, and synths, ala Marilyn Manson. Usually these Manson-esque kinds of tracks irk me, but that one's quite clever, though I know how divisive it might be. "1. Resistance is futile, 2. Comply if you can, 3. Trust in your government, 4. We got blood on our hands. D*mn, this is irrelevant." Next up, "Zombified" is a total anthem of intense energy, standing against the cancel culture Ronnie was suffering in. Love that one! "No Fear" is the best one of the new songs. Again we have some fast Eminem-like rapping and a clean chorus in front of an epic choral background. The heaviness only comes up briefly in the bridge. Still everything's quite excellent! Interesting is the final track, a cover of the Papa Roach hit "Last Resort". Instead of heavy guitars, drums, screams, and rapping, Ronnie sings his heart out in full emotion over strings of despair. Remember Disturbed's piano cover of "The Sound of Silence"? It's like that but more bombastic.

Popular Monster may not be for a lot of music listeners, but it certainly opened my ears to the talent for Falling in Reverse. It's honestly quite a unique release in the metal and hardcore realms. This experimental alt-metal style is something done in different ways by bands like Sleep Token and Bad Omens, yet Falling in Reverse step in with a more diverse mix. If anyone doesn't want anything to do with this album or band, they have their own ways. Just know that one man's sh*t is another man's treasure. One of modern alt-metal gold!

Favorites: "Prequel", "Popular Monster", "Ronald", "Watch the World Burn", "Zombified", "No Fear"

The problem with having a band with a huge number of members (9) is, you're bound to have a change in lineup in almost every album. For Mushroomhead, it has gotten to the point where percussionist Steve "Skinny" Felton is the only founding member left in the group. The only other consistent founding member was Jeffrey Nothing until he left in 2018. Recently, Nothing started his own version of the band and threatened to sue Felton's band for unpaid royalties.

The new album Call the Devil maintains two of the vocalists from their previous album, Jackie LaPonza and Steve Rauckhorst. Long-time on-off vocalist Jason "J Mann" Popson was replaced by Scott "xtriker" Beck. And making a comeback after 12 years away is Steve's brother Dave "Gravy" Felton on guitar. The powerhouse continues...

Opening track "Eye to Eye" begins with what sounds like old-school radio banjo playing, then the groove-ish action kicks off in the guitars, drums, and vocals by Rauckhorst. The heavy catchiness that makes up Mushroomhead's sound is all in here. "Fall in Line" is a kick-A single marks the debut of Beck. Lots of fresh yet usual music and lyrics here, "You’re killing me with all your sorrow". This is true heavy sh*t while often melodic! "Emptiness" takes on slower experimentation. There's some progressive energy from the funky guitar and ambient background synths. "We Don't Care" aptly shows the band not caring about anything except their own thing. It's like they've taken a song from one of their 90s albums and made it much heavier. An instant classic!

"UIOP (The Final Reprieve)" is the first of a couple filler tracks, which starts with sinister creepiness, then it comes out as more of a d*mn jam track. Honestly, they should've left that track out of the album. "Prepackaged" has the dark heaviness, but their attempts at that are a bit too drastic. "Decomposition" once again has a creepy carnival intro before the mid-paced doomy instrumentation begins. It fits much better for a circus show than a metal concert. "Grand Gesture" stands out here as a stylistic ballad. It's not often you get to hear a ballad from this band, nor a ballad I actually like. "Hallelucination" has more of the uncomfortable experimentation that sounds too random.

Better effort from the band can be heard in "Hideous". Then "Torn in Two" has the guitars, beats, synths, and vocals collide with one another for something ominous and heavy. One of the strongest comebacks to the band's roots! "Shame in a Basket" is a monstrous 8-minute epic, complete with dark ambience that leads into the usual guitar heaviness and vocals. So perfect! Ending track "Doom Goose" is a weird minute and a half outro, with the actual sounds of a goose honking.

Skinny is still going strong with his band and keeping it rolling with his and fellow members' writing, along with their masked performances. Call the Devil is definitely a true comeback, though it could do without a couple filler tracks....

Favorites: "Eye to Eye", "Fall in Line", "We Don't Care", "Grand Gesture", "Torn in Two", "Shame in a Basket"

My cyber metal journey is full of surprises. Either they turn out well or they don't. With a more melodic, futuristic sound than industrial metal, how tempting can it be for a Sphere member like me? Quite a lot, thanks to killer albums like this one...

Taking on a hardcore-ish melodeath/cyber metal path, The Interbeing have existed for nearly two decades and has made an interesting light in the practically unknown cyber realm. Album #3, Icon of the Hopeless shows us what modern metal is like, complete with electronic atmosphere. And it's so fresh, keeping you aware of the future brought upon us. Whether good or bad, you have to be prepared for what lies ahead.

The intro "Revive" has that futuristic industrial vibe as the story begins in a dystopia of withering humanity. "Perplexion" kick-starts the heaviness like an upgrade from Fear Factory and Mnemic in the riffing while making room for the epic melodic chorus. Often the riffing takes a turn from industrial metal to leaning close to metalcore, which actually opens up more outer dimensions in the music-verse. The aggressive "Black Halo" has more of the metalcore-ish riffing, sounding like it's taken from both the early 2010s and 2020s era of Architects and Bring Me the Horizon. "Lies of Descent" gets you hooked with melodic sections and massive breakdowns to light up a retro skyline.

"Synthetic Bloodline" is filled with vicious perfection. "Lifeless Decoy" is packed with unpredictable heaviness. "Ruin" crashes through with more of the pulverizing verses and emotional choruses. That highlight can almost surpass Breach the Void's song "Ruins"!

Single "Depressor" combines polyrhythms with synths the way Fear Factory can, though the chorus is a little lousy. "Eternal Eclipse" branches out a lot more, heading into a bit of progressive groove metal that will take you through space and back. Once we reach the title outro, you know this exciting journey is about to end. The intense ambience rises and then quickly fades out, leaving you wondering what's next for the band.

Well-focused without repetition, The Interbeing has given each song many different twists so none are highly alike. I don't know if anyone had ever predicted decades ago how futuristic metal would end up becoming, but if something like this dynamic album was their prediction, they f***ing nailed it. And here's to a more epic future of metal....

Favorites: "Perplexion", "Black Halo", "Synthetic Bloodline", "Ruin", "Eternal Eclipse"

Sybreed wasn't the only Swiss cyber metal band around. When the drummer for their debut Slave Design, Alex Anxionaz left the band, he formed his own. His band started out as a deathly industrial metal band called Etna, but then changed into Breach the Void with a sound closer to his former band. Sadly, both Sybreed and Breach the Void split up in late 2013, which is a shame because of how solid both band's debuts are, including The Monochromatic Era...

I'm not the most experienced in cyber metal right now, considering I've only heard a few other Sybreed songs besides their debut in The Sphere monthly playlists. Breach the Void is a clear continuation of the direction Alex Anxionaz wanted to take on Slave Design, with its toolkit of crushing rhythms, clean/unclean vocals, and cyber synths.

"Propagate" is a good start to this cyber metal adventure, though a bit strained. "Subversive Mind" is so f***ing destructive, though it's toned down slightly by the clean singing. "Retribution Engine" maintains the Sybreed-like direction right from the intro. "Customized Genotype" hits hard with stronger synths and rhythms. We head deeper into the futuristic city stricken by the apocalypse.

The lyrics in "Falling" are totally understandable, especially in the first verse, "Simulated happiness is my everyday, f***ed up life". How can I not love cyberpunk melodeath track?! Well the harsh vocals could've been much better... "Digital Structure" reaches the top with those golden drums and vocals! As much as I would consider this song a pinnacle of modern industrial/cyber metal, the only slight problem is when the clean vocals sound a bit inferior to the guttural ones. Nonetheless, the band has some original talent there! "EC-10" is OK, but trying to add swearing to futuristic lyrics is a bit frustrating, "I cannot see my own f***ing immortality. Frustration of something I cannot see."

"Ruins" is slower, though the second half has more energy from the complex rhythms and soloing. "Spirals" has a more lively pace that makes up for the speed bumps some of the previous tracks had. "System Failure" is a beautiful two and a half minute outro, just a clean yet glitchy techno outro with choir samples. It's nice and all, but wouldn't it be nicer if we had one more song to make the album more complete?

All in all, the sole album by Breach the Void, The Monochromatic Era is a solid offering with many tracks to enjoy. Lots of tight rhythms here without having to go technical. Small issues aside, this is for anyone up for cyber metal with some pieces of djent and melodeath....

Favorites: "Subversive Mind", "Customized Genotype", "Digital Structure", "Ruins", "Spirals"

The title of this EP and its title track reference the suicide of R. Budd Dwyer during a live press conference. He pulled out a gun from a manila envelope, and when people tried to stop him, he shouted "Don't, don't, don't, this will hurt someone!" and shot himself dead. Needless to say, that tragic event would later be depicted in the cover art of 1994 vinyl re-release of Neurosis' Pain of Mind and the original edition of CKY Volume 1.

Those samples aside, this EP is not really worth it. Most of the tracks have poor structure and rely too much on samples. The only good track is the radio edit of "The Machine" from its eponymous 1993 album, though obviously I still prefer the 8-minute original. Generally I'm only checking out this EP to complete my Dead World journey, and this is exactly how I wanted to end that journey, but there's nothing else left. Never before had I rated an industrial metal release this low, but that's all this f***ing sh*tter can get. At least the band had done their sound much better in their full albums....

Favorites (only song I even slightly like): "The Machine" (radio edit)

Damnation A.D. is another early metalcore band, releasing two albums in the 90s, and then disbanding for nearly a decade before reforming for a couple more releases. The lo-fi production is certainly an issue, as is the occasional lean into the industrial-ish alt-metal of Helmet. Both problems have caused many of the tracks to suffer loss in quality.

There are only a couple surviving highlights, with one of them, "No More Dreams" being one of the darkest and heaviest songs I've heard in metalcore. "The Hanged Man" would've been a highlight if not for the painful vocals and lyrics that drag it down into the sh*t abyss. Those fortunately never appear in the 10-minute acoustic cover of Chopin's "Funeral March", which is as great as the Skycamefalling "10.21" instrumental. So I enjoy a couple of the longer tracks. The other songs can be hanged and damned....

Favorites (only songs I like): "No More Dreams", "Funeral March"

As I continue my revisiting journey of Samael, we're heading down to a special EP. Rebellion marks the end of the band's black metal era and the start of their ongoing industrial metal era. Here we have two new tracks, two re-recorded tracks, and two instrumentals, one of the instrumentals having its own German vocal edition as a hidden track. Sure a few traces of their black metal era remains, such as those two re-recordings and the last bit of D-flat tuning, but mostly, a new industrial era has opened up...

So how has the sound turned out? Pretty great! Lots of catchy and heavy riffs. And the style really does live up to the fact that it's the bridge between Ceremony of Opposites and Passage. A few of these anthems I enjoyed a few years ago, and I still enjoy them today!

Case in point, the title track is a song useful for conquering doubtful situations in war and rebellion. "I know how little is the value of that which has a price." Then "After the Sepulture" is a more industrial remake of the best song of Blood Ritual and perhaps their black metal era, but I prefer the crushing original more. With evil slow riffing and vicious vocals by Vorph, it's a destructive highlight.

I have a problem with the Alice Cooper cover "I Love the Dead". It would've been great, but Vorph's attempt at singing it makes it a stinker. Don't worry, everything else is better. Well, not entirely better, "Static Journey" is a mediocre instrumental that's a little overlong.

Oh, when I say two re-recordings, I meant in the CD edition; a rare re-recording of "To Our Martyrs" appears in the cassette edition, and it rules! For the "Into the Pentagram" remake, I love it more than the original! The guitars and beats are greatly paced. Excellent! Then comes the untitled outro, a strange electro-techno instrumental slightly better than "Static Journey". Speaking of "Static Journey", that's the track that has its German vocal hidden track after 4 minutes of silence. A little better, JUST a little.

I would certainly recommend Rebellion to any fan of Samael and blackened industrial metal, though mostly for the awesome title track and re-recordings. The average instrumentals are better experienced by fans of electro-industrial. And that Alice Cooper cover? NAH....

Favorites: "Rebellion", "After the Sepulture", "To Our Martyrs", "Into the Pentagram"

A few years after this Damaged album Purified in Pain was released was when the band met its final fate. They had suffered through lineup changes and conflicts over the years, but when founding member Matt "Skitz" Sanders ended up having health issues, the band ultimately called it quits. A couple years later, he attempted to reform the band with ex-vocalist James Ludbrooke, though legal troubles caused them to start a different band, Terrorust, which only lasted one album.

Purified in Pain is the only Damaged album without Ludbrooke. Taking his place was Kevin Sharp from New York's Brutal Truth, and that was at the time when his main band had its first split. His vocals have good strength and diversity, and you might think this would give the band more of the deathgrind/deathcore power they had in previous releases. Well the thing is, the production and songwriting is a bit inconsistent, bringing the quality back down between the band's two mid-90s releases, though closer to Passive Backseat Demon Engines than Do Not Spit. With that, several of the tracks are too weak for mention, but I'm up to mentioning the highlights...

The expansive influences start flying forward rapidly with the blackened riffing of "Broken" opening the gates. The deathly heaviness has greater effect in "Cyberwar". Then "Head Trauma" kicks a** with cohesive riffing, despite being sandwiched between a couple tracks in which the quality is more like half and half. The more deathcore side comes on with hardcore sections in "Conman". And again in "Breathe Deep" which truly shows the extreme/melodic blend deathcore has to offer.

The rest of Purified in Pain withers away from that greatness, losing some potential in the band's talent, despite Kevin Sharp giving them some momentum. Deathgrind is not easy for me to get into, though it helps a bit when mixed with deathcore. I'm sure the more extreme metalheads will love it more than I ever would.....

Favorites (only songs I like): "Broken", "Cyberwar", "Head Trauma", "Conman", "Breathe Deep" 

Do you know when deathcore was invented? I say it was first realized as a full genre in 1996/1997 with releases by Abnegation, Day of Suffering, Deformity, and (you guessed it) Damaged, before Embodyment sealed the deal with their 1998 debut. This has to be said for the 60% of deathcore voters in this release's RYM genre-voting page, THIS IS NOT DEATHCORE. Sure there are some hardcore elements, but the mid-90s material of Damaged is just pure deathgrind.

And is their debut Do Not Spit a good album for me? I'm sorry but it ain't. The problems I had with their next couple releases are around in this one and at their worst, and it once again shows that deathgrind is out of my league...

The issues begin from the first few seconds of "Dreggs" after the guitar tone sounds pretty good but then gets trampled on by the stampeding bass and drums. Normally I'm a fan of that combo, but that was quite a buzzkill. I'm not really a fan of the vocals either that sound so constipated, and it doesn't help the riffing with constant interruptions. A troubling start to the album, and I have to ask why they placed it there. "Dust" is a better track and hints at a bit of their later proto-deathcore with some metalcore riffing that Unearth would later have. "The Travellin' Maniac" is not something I really need. A slow stoner-ish riff flows through the aptly titled "Slow (Heretic)", but it fits much better in a sludge band, not a deathgrind band like Damaged.

Next up, "Ultra-Mild" is just a half-minute experimentation with a riff before an abrupt stop. What the f*** was the point of that sh*t!? The blend of grind and death is more prominent in "Open Arms". This kind of instrumentation gives the song and much of this album more in common with Terrorizer, maybe even the Swedish death 'n' roll of Entombed. This is the kind of chaos that you can mosh around to, but not the kind of chaos I would enjoy in the long term. Also having some groove-ish riffing is the title track. There's even some melodic soloing, but nothing memorable. However, I enjoy the death-punk of "Resurrect".

Then it's back to the horrid rhythms in "Walk Blind". Then "My Grain" brings things back up with the sludgy riffing of Coalesce's demo releases. It shares the same track with "Nails" which is much faster, giving this two-part track a great "yin-yang" deal. After a minute of half of silence, an unnamed track comes on. It's actually a cover of Celtic Frost's "Dethrone Emperor", but despite staying true to its original sound, they really f***ed it up and it's perhaps the worst cover in that otherwise enjoyable category.

Do Not Spit has some good moments here and there, but in over half of the album, the instrumentation and vocals are all just awkward and out of place. Not outright terrible but not really for me. They would gradually become better in the next couple releases, slowly building their way up to the earliest stage of deathcore....

Favorites (only songs I like): "Dust", "Resurrect", "My Grain", "Nails"

7 Horns 7 Eyes is another remarkable discovery in my on-off melodic death metal journey, taking on the progressiveness of Allegaeon and a bit of the hardcore tendencies of Neaera (two other bands I've been listening to lately), along with Christian philosophical lyrics. Unfortunately, they've already faded into the void while trying to make a follow-up to this album. And it stuns me how this band isn't accepted into Metal Archives and a few other metal websites. By that logic, what can be considered true metal then?!

This progressive tech-/melodeath band's sole release so far is a wonderous quest through a dark heavy world. Throes of Absolution is the kind of album that would stand out as greatly as other similar metal bands like Opeth without ripping them off. The album solidifies the band as another team of unsung heroes in the metal realm!

Atmospheric guitars and strings start "Divine Amnesty" and all its majesty, as crushing mid-paced grooves roll through right after. The blend of brutality and melody can truly impress me. "Phumis: The Falsehood of Affliction" is a more chaotic assault with frantic rhythms. There's a lot of melodic progressiveness, including in the mighty soloing, while still heavy. The lyrics seem to question God and reality before accepting the possibility that "we are the consequences of our human weaknesses and our damnation is our own". Then "The Hill Difficulty" has more melodic light in contrast to the earlier brutal darkness. Continuing the lyrical theme from the previous track, a messenger of God is willing to see the light of humanity's hard-to-endure truth, wishing to be carried "to the Summit of Infinity". Love that chorus and its melody!

Next up, "Cycle of Self" has more of the crushing pace, while a bit of accessibility gives it a small boost of popularity outside the subterranean levels of metal. "Delusions" has more darkness to go alongside the melodic/progressive side for another piece of planet-sized heaviness. The lyrics seem to reflect upon repentance with a reward of blessing by the end. Next, "A Finite Grasp of Infinite Disillusion" really takes on the progressiveness of many Infinite bands including Disillusion. As the story goes on, the main character is still determined to seek the truth with the chance of being saved or destroyed. There's a bit of neoclassical melody within the almost doomy slowness.

"Vindicator" is as destructive as a volcano erupting and raining fire and ash across the land. The crushing riffs and leads sound so powerful.. Ravaging highlight "The Winnowing" has more monstrous vocals while the guitar work has some light in the violence. "Regeneration" is very much the music equivalent to the Rapture and subsequent Heaven. It is an instrumental standout featuring some soloing by Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore), reminding me of his later supergroup Conquering Dystopia.

Now this is progressive tech-/melodeath fury as it should be. From ambience to heaviness, 7 Horns 7 Eyes has it all. Throes of Absolution is a must-hear for all metalheads out there. The 2012 apocalypse never happened, but the album still remains a fitting soundtrack for that "what if"!

Favorites: "Divine Amnesty", "Cycle of Self", "A Finite Grasp of Infinite Disillusion", "The Winnowing", "Regeneration"

When it comes to nu/alt-metal bands, some of them seem interesting enough for me to try and others just soar past my mind. I never thought of checking out one of System of a Down albums until just recently, so let's see how this album Mezmerize stands out...

There's a lot you can think of when hearing System of a Down. Maybe something like Rage Against the Machine gone Dead Kennedys. Mezmerize is part of a double album with the other half Hypnotize released 6 months after. It's a blizzard of dark energy and comedic joy blended together into one. It's heavy enough to tear you asunder while giving you something to smile about and turn the pain into pleasure.

"Soldier Side" is a soft melancholic intro, and I almost thought it was going to lead into something like epic power metal. "B.Y.O.B." quickly proves me wrong by launching into a thrashy intro followed by a blend of Iron Maiden-like verses and nu metal choruses. An epic diverse start to this offering, and the main reason why I became up to listening to this album, when my brother was listening to that song. "Revenga" kicks off the heaviness with some fast riffing to remind me of Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave" before going all wacky like some of Devin Townsend's more comedic material. "Cigaro" is a strange song that can be considered "c*ck mock rock".

The chorus of "Radio/Video" sounds too repetitive and fails to give the song the memorability it should've had. The verses have good rhythm too, but they often dive too deep into a reggae dance. "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song" is filled with speedy fury spawned from Jello Biafra's projects such as Dead Kennedys and Lard. "Violent Pornography" starts with a Wild West-like ominous intro but swiftly turns lyric-spitting rapping that has confused me. The chorus is nice though.

"Question!" has a different structure I like. You just gotta hear it to believe! "Sad Statue" isn't sad at all, filled with rage and humor. "Old School Hollywood" is a decent song to expect from the band. Finally, "Lost in Hollywood" is a great track to end this release, a ballad I actually like. You'll definitely sing your heart out to this lovely hit!

Anyone who has System of a Down's 1998 debut or their 2001 album Toxicity as their own entryway to the band's material, I can understand. I mean, who in the nu/alt-metal world has not yet heard one of their earlier classic hits like "Chop Suey"? But I've encountered more than just their singles by checking out one of their full albums for the first time, the less conventional choice Mezmerize. I don't know if I'll be up to following it up with its companion Hypnotize, but maybe one day....

Favorites: "B.Y.O.B.", "Revenga", "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song", "Question!", "Lost in Hollywood"

With several of Killing Joke's non-metal albums appearing on this site (requested by Rex), I decided to check out one of them and see if it has enough metal to offer. That album being Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions, the one non-metal album before Pandemonium appearing in the site. Is Extremities really metal, and more importantly, one of the earliest notable industrial metal albums besides Godflesh and Ministry? Let's find out...

The band's post-punk 80s era ended with their failed attempt at the synthpop of Ministry's With Sympathy in Outside the Gate. The band decided to make up for it big, bringing in drummer Martin Atkins and returning bassist Paul Raven (RIP) for something heavier that than their first few albums. Not just heavy, metallic!

Jax Coleman unleashes his vocals through the ravaging "Money is Not Our God", starting off with smooth singing in the verses while shouting the title lyric with his later gruff tone. Geordie Walker (also RIP) performs his guitar with riff-tastic firepower, going chaotic without too much technicality. His heroic skills really made a memorable hit out of that tune. Next track "The Age of Greed" starts with a barely audible ad to add to the industrial atmosphere. There's strong writing in the lyrics that fit well for the complexity of the music. "The Beautiful Dead" is an ominous mid-tempo march with strong metallic riffing. An early prime example of their more metal direction! "Extremities" also has some great metal, though it can't beat the previous track.

"Intravenous" has Egyptian sounding riffing, hinting at the direction the band would take in Pandemonium. "Inside the Termite Mound" is slower and darker, but their previous albums' accessibility hasn't been lost. The more atmospheric "Solitude" has some melodic keyboards not too far off from the band Enigma that started out in the same year. "North of the Border" also has Killing Joke's earlier calmness. Though it also follows Ministry's footsteps when it comes to evolving their sound from industrial/synth-pop to industrial metal. That may seem great on paper, but not the way it should be utilized.

"Slipstream" has a more progressive spirit that makes up for the bumpiness of earlier tracks. "Kaliyuga" is an odd pointless interlude. That sh*tty downer doesn't really add anything, and it's best to just ignore it. We actually have some speedy thrash in "Struggle" similar to what Ministry would do in Psalm 69 two years later. Unfortunately, it sounds a bit generic and isn't as strong the other metallic tracks here.

I wouldn't say this is the worst industrial rock/metal release I've heard, but some songs might need some improvement to actually show the band's heavier direction. Still the strong songs seal the deal for the more metallic path that Jaz, Geordie, and co. would take on in that decade and the next....

Favorites: "Money is Not Our God", "The Age of Greed", "The Beautiful Dead", "Intravenous", "Slipstream"

I decided to give this Gloios album some listening and was hoping for some glorious post-metal similar to Rosetta and Solstafir, and well... There are some cool metal ideas thrown in here and there, especially in the "Tele" tracks. But other than that, the sound isn't that great in quality and having some unnecessary aspects that don't have anything to metal. I would enjoy this more if the album has more of the metal of the first couple tracks instead of just sounding like an indie video game soundtrack....

Favorites (only tracks I like that sound metal): "Tele I", "Tele II"

With an industrial metal Uniform covering the electronic drone Body, this collaborative duo made such an experimental offering to please the underground metal masses in Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back. But have you heard what they made a year prior? It's shorter but much darker...

The Body's lyrical themes morbidly touch upon guns, death, and suicide. The title of their album from that year, I Have Fought Against It but I Can't Any Longer, was taken from the note 20th Century writer Virginia Woolf wrote before drowning herself in a raging river. You might think this collaboration album's title, Mental Wounds Not Healing, is also dark, but it comes from Ozzy Osbourne's hit "Crazy Train". For the album itself, Uniform and the Body open up a soundtrack to a world of distress beyond imagination.

"Dead River" already has distorted screaming flowing through an electronic beat. Guitars mostly consist of faint feedback. Then we have the intense "The Curse of Eternal Life", continuing the electronic beat usage. Chip King's "tortured rooster" screams sound more mechanical in this album, though there are the snarls of Michael Berdan that I prefer. "Come and See" shows the vocal duo uniting greatly with the drumming of Lee Buford and the guitarwork of Ben Greenberg. "The Boy With Death in His Eyes" is filled with devastating distress, as the duo continue their thunderous attack. It's like a true stormy voyage while lost at sea.

"In My Skin" is slower with some post-ish guitar. "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" is just straight-up noise and pain. Even the album's average song length of 4 minutes can go on for eternity. Many listeners might want out, but I'm experienced enough to stay in and let it infect my mind. The more anthemic "Empty Comforts" once again has dreamy guitars, and it seems to end the album as more of a dream than the nightmarishly good album it was.

Nothing is ever bright in Mental Wounds Not Healing, just drone-ish industrial metal darkness and noise. I don't think it's as masterful as their other collaboration album though. Plus there are heavier bands I've listened to that I enjoy. But this is pure darkness. Darker than anything I've experienced in my existence....

Favorites: "Come and See", "The Boy With Death in His Eyes", "Empty Darkness"

Many different artists and bands each have a massive boost of popularity in different ways. For this band Lord of the Lost (originally just called Lord, but the name had to be changed due to other bands like the Australian power metal band LORD, or Lordi, or The Lords), it was a couple things; 1. They were special guests for Iron Maiden's Legacy of the Beast tour. 2. Their performance in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. What was lost in the underground is now found more globally!

Blood & Glitter was released between those two events, much earlier than anticipated, at the end of 2022. It was a slightly late Christmas present for all the band's supportive fans. Gothic industrial metal has never sounded as pleasantly poppy as these tunes....

The title track is the band's song representing Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, though it could've been done better. "Leave Your Hate in the Comments" is a big "f*** you" to those who can plague the internet with negativity from the privacy of their home. I'm amazed by how brilliant this is, having the "take no sh*t" attitude the rest of the album would have. There's more of that in the aptly titled "Absolute Attitude". It's quite gentle and would work well for any 80s movie. And we have a lot more in "The Future of a Past Life", blending in that 80s sound with some growling by Marcus Bischoff of Heaven Shall Burn. So catchy while heavy enough to make even classic metalheads grin. "No Respect for Disrespect" has the retro synth-metal of Beast in Black.

"Reset the Preset" features Combichrist vocalist Andy LaPlegua, with music suitable for both the dancefloor and the moshpit. "Destruction Manual" continues the catchy industrial dance metal. "Dead End" is another highlight that's pretty much next-gen KMFDM. The ballad-ish "Leaving the Planet Earth" is the exact opposite of a love song.

Bring keyboards up front is "Forever Lost" that's almost a more electronic Moonspell. Taking on "Save Our Souls" with lovely strings is Subway to Sally violinist Ally Storch. The "important" "One Last Song" is a beautiful way to say farewell, having a bit of the recent poppy side of Avantasia in the mix. There's actually one more track here, a cover of Roxette's "The Look", featuring Jasmin Wagner, also known as German popstar Blümchen. A perfect cover, and arguably this album's true standout! RIP Marie Fredriksson

Vocalist Chris Harms believes in the long run when it comes to an album's value, "F*** the charts, playlist pitches and 1,000 pointless reviews in advance." I'm quite pleasantly surprised by how well Blood & Glitter turned out even though I'm late by a year and a half. Metal continues its modern expansion with great catchy results....

Favorites: "Leave Your Hate in the Comments", "The Future of a Past Life", "Reset the Preset", "Dead End", "Forever Lost", "One Last Song", "The Look"

A punishing force in industrial rock/metal, Killing Joke kept their comeback going since their 2003 self-titled album and 25th anniversary DVD XXV Gathering with another album. The self-titled album was more metallic than their earlier works and had Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) as the drummer, stirring up brilliant energy. However, fans of the band's mid-80s material wanted more of what they used to have, and vocalist Jaz Coleman wasn't highly satisfied with how that album turned out. He was determined to find the right balance in their next offering...

Fast forward to the recording of Hosannas From the Basements of Hell. The sessions took place in Studio Faust, a studio in an ancient building in Prague, specifically in its deepest darkest basement, aptly named Hell. The band can battle Satan's demon horde, feast on their remains, and reign in the cavernous darkness. The album was recorded using vintage equipment from the time of the band's debut release Turn to Red, giving Hosannas the massive intensity Killing Joke fans want.

"Lift up your spirits!" Coleman shouts to begin "This Tribal Antidote", gathering around "celebrants in a state of merriment", i.e. fans of the band, as we hear the guitars slay. The title track shows Coleman taking on the perspective of one of those fans, even referencing this very band performing, "I walk down the stairs and Killing Joke waits for me". The music and lyrics sound f***ing supernatural in "Invocation". I definitely like the beat. You get to hear some of Paul Raven's last audible bass with the band before his passing the next year, RIP. There's some ominous cello to go along with the strings. It would've been cooler if the beat was more synchronized, but it's still OK.

"Implosion" has the relentless drum-work of Benny Calvert, alongside the guitar riffing of Geordie Walker (also RIP), the vocal melodies of Coleman, and the booming bass of Raven. The out-of-this-world "Majestic" has majestic guitar force. One of the two long epics, "Walking With Gods" has some riffing to remind some of the band's early 80s era.

The other epic, the nearly 10-minute "The Lightbringer" builds a bridge towards the mid-80s. That can be considered a highlight, though the ultimate highlight goes to this next track... "Judas Goat" leads you to the darkest depth of Hell with more technical drumming, guitar rhythms, and singing almost like a mantra. Then you're teleported back home in "Gratitude" as Coleman sincerely thanks you and the gatherers for that journey, "A toast for the man who loves every hour of every day."

Although Hosannas hasn't reached as much success as the 2003 self-titled album, it shows the band having more creative freedom. Almost every track ranges from 5 to 10 minutes, similarly to ZP Theart-era DragonForce albums. The band has tighter focus here than in previous albums. You know who to thank for this music....

Favorites: "Hosannas From the Basements of Hell", "Invocation", "Majestic", "The Lightbringer", "Judas Goat"

In the criminally underrated realm of cyber metal, Illidiance is here to show that the subgenre is far from dead. What's often hard to believe is, this band started off as black metal. There's absolutely none of that in this album! The sound is essentially catchy melodies, electro-industrial synths, and clean singing, side by side with groove-ish riffs and death growls, all a common definition of cyber metal. Damage Theory pulls out a lot of punches with not much room for a break. You can find lots of interesting twists and turns while sticking firmly to what they are.

The digital production can take you through different dimensions, especially when the electronics and vocals shine. Two of the band members perform vocals; the wonderful cleans of bassist Tommy Gun "Syrex" and the emotional growls of Dmitry "Xyrohn" Shkurin. We often have the typical growled verses and clean choruses, though there's some difference in the aspect to get listeners hooked.

"Hi-Tech Terror" kicks things off in a high gear as an awesome tune of cyber metal! This should've fit well in Tron Legacy. "Critical Damage" is another underrated song and I don't wanna miss out on more of this style. As great as this is, I'm not as heavily attached to this as the previous track. The most awesome part here is the final chorus that changes its key for the final repeat. Thumbs up for this greatness! "Breaking the Limit" is another great piece of modern metal history! Those drums shall unleash a dark vortex as part of the bad-a** music. "New Millennium Crushers" once again shows that they can squeeze all these perfect rhythms and epic melodies in a mere 4 minutes (the average song length for this album). This is like a more cyber take on pop-ish melodeath bands like Blood Stain Child and Scar Symmetry.

Then we slow down for the ballad-ish "I Want to Believe", clearly an X-Files reference in that title. "CyberGore Generation" can almost be considered "Cyber-core", blending together the cyber metal of Deathstars with a bit of the melodic metalcore of Memphis May Fire, The Autumn Offering, and Of Mice & Men. We end up getting more of the groove-ish melodeath side of the sound in "Cybernesis", still sounding cyber with those d*mn cool keyboards. "Infected" is another great example of letting the riffs fly free, sounding heavy while surrounded by electronic melodies.

"Fading Away" I would recommend to anyone wanting something cleaner and more melancholic. Just when I thought the band was going to lose steam, "Mind Hunters" strikes on as another better deal. "Razor to the Skin" has more of the razor-sharp riffing and synths. The 2012 re-release has two bonus tracks, starting with "Neuron Electrics Inc.", a cyber metal standout to practically rival Deathstars. The other bonus track "Neon Rebels" can practically be considered Soilwork gone Black Veil Brides stylistically.

Here we have a great example of cyber metal in this Illidiance album Damage Theory, for anyone looking for the revival of this subgenre invented by The Kovenant. Apart from some slight improvement needed, this offering is what you need for a great trip into the cyber realm!

Favorites: "Hi-Tech Terror", "New Millennium Crushers", "CyberGore Generation", "Infected", "Fading Away", "Mind Hunters", "Neuron Electrics Inc."

Over the course of the past 10 years before this review, Fange has released 7 albums and 3 EPs, almost every one of which has a one-word title that starts with the letter P. Their music is best described as industrial sludge metal, sometimes heading into other genres like death-doom or crust-core. Basically a blend of some of the heaviest, most crushing metal genres around. And with this album of two 15-minute tracks, the sound has become more climatic, though also much less accessible.

I can almost consider this a more deathly and doomy Godflesh! Something similar to Godflesh is the amount of noise mixed in with the guitars, and the use of a drum machine instead of a human drummer. With all that and the underground production, what's more to add in this dark journey?

"Tombé Pour La France" (Fallen for France) is the first of the two epics, and it starts off sounding so crushing. Then things slow down for melodic riffing and hardcore shouting. They can do that without losing their crushing atmosphere, proven by the riffing becoming more industrial. The composition is so brutal and emotional, and sometimes the melody can bring their sound closer to post-sludge.

"Les Vergers De La Désolation" (The Orchards of Desolation) is the second epic, sounding more post-rock-ish, while maintaining a lot of the industrial effects. Lots of moods, melody, and textures... They can add in a slight bit of accessibility while staying in the underground.

All in all, Pantocrator is a dark mature release in which industrial and sludge collide alongside pieces of other genres to make something so diverse. Fange knows how to push the limits as much as the more popular post-sludge bands could. Although both epics stand equally between those two genres, fans of the post-sludge of Sumac might dig the first one more, and fans of the industrial noise of The Body might dig the second one more. Whichever epic you prefer, you know how harsh industrial sludge can get!

Favorites: Both, though I like "Les Vergers De La Désolation" slightly more