Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

Two of the UK founders of industrial metal, Godflesh and Pitchshifter started their journey in 1989, the year the former released their debut and the latter was formed. It's clear that those bands are contributing to the branching out of music from the birthplace of rock/metal pioneers, England. Industrial metal was created in the late 80s, not just by Godflesh, but also American bands Ministry and Malhavoc, both of whom add some Amebix-like hardcore thrash elements. A few years later, German band Die Krupps would start their own brand of industrial metal straight from EBM. And how does Pitchshifter make their industrial metal sound?...

It's a little hard to explain. Pitchshifter entered the 90s with a more deathly industrial metal style, and as the albums went on, they branched with pieces of groove, thrash, and alternative metal, the latter especially in their final few albums. There's more of a depressive soundscape in the earlier material. The band released their debut a couple years Godflesh's debut. After that, they submitted a very good EP Submit. Then comes the dividing lines between their two eras, Desensitized!

"Lesson One" begins the album with a short droning spoken sample. Then we head to the right start with "Diable", loud and dynamic while marching through riff-patterns for strangely good atmosphere. The grand "Ephemerol" has the band's earlier sludgy sound in the intro. The spacey vibe is much more catchy than depressing. It doesn't beat the next track though... "Triad" is an impressive hymn with catchy rhythm. It kind of hints at their later dance-y material while staying in their earlier heaviness. This kind of blend really works in songs like that!

"To Die Is Gain" can be considered pure industrial metal, but the samples and vocals overlap with each other, only saying the song title. "(A Higher Form of) Killing" reveals the thrashy side of the band, though it's mixed up with what they usually have. "Lesson Two" is a similar interlude to the intro, though it's just a man saying "Listen to me. Listen to me!" The complex "Cathode" is a thrash-ish monolith of tempo variation.

Another short interlude "N/A" can be considered "Lesson Three", though it's quite random. "Gathering of Data" has hypnotic dissonance in the riffing. JS Clayden can add his usual abrasive vocals to the melody that sometimes goes quiet. More samples appear in "N.C.M.", as the riffs jump around in dynamic speed. "Routine" finishes things as a rather unrelated-to-music track. It is then followed by 23 minutes of silence, after which a hidden track appears. It's a re-recording/sequel to "Landfill" from the band's debut Industrial. It's a great highlight, I don't know why we have to wait 23 boring minutes for that cool track.

Desensitized is close to a masterpiece, one where the music and sounds fit well with the different times. The band would later evolve throughout the rest of the 90s, while staying within their industrial metal grounds. There's barely anything for me to complain about in this Pitchshifter album, which marks another great contribution to industrial metal. And there's more to find in the happiness in bleakness of the genre!

Favorites: "Ephemerol", "Triad", "(A Higher Form of) Killing", "Cathode", "Gathering of Data", "N.C.M.", "Landfill" (hidden track)

Now this is a much better improvement compared to this band's debut! The death-doom part of the sound in Collusion became much less in this album The Machine, and they started using a drum machine. Their take on death-doom in Collusion was a bit monotone at times, which didn't help with half of the amount of tracks being interludes. The Machine makes up for that sh*t by a lot, despite some obvious lyrics of social commentary. The music of mid-paced industrial metal is the real deal...

The production fits with frontman Jonathan Canady switching his vocals from growling and talking to just whispering, fitting well with the instrumentation. I like the standard guitar tone and audible bass fuzz. You can find lots of melodic riffs played in downtuned guitar. All of that make up for the somewhat lame drum machine.

First off, "Cold Hate" is perhaps the most aggressive track here. There's a Nine Inch Nails-like intro before Jonathan's vocals enter. During the chorus, the steady drum machine gets toned down for some riff aggression. A nice guitar lead comes in midway through. "Lies" is slower with a similar formula. Although instead of being aggressive, the sound is cold and dreamy. I prefer that one slightly more. "180" is a nicely bleak instrumental highlight.

"Kill" is a pretty good throwback to the earlier doom, though the Marilyn Manson-like lyrics cause some complications, "Football on the TV, beer in the hand, the extent of his rational depth. He's a god fearing man, a wife beating f***, a vacuous flag waving fool." Next up, "Blood Everywhere" has mild ambience before a movie sample appears.

The title track has Voivod-like riffing while staying slow and doom-ish as usual. One more ambient interlude, the 10-minute "Orgy of Self Mutilation" is quite busy despite just letting everything flow in dreamy space. The closing track "El Shaddi" I'm guessing is kind of a sequel to similarly titled track from Collusion. It begins with simple drumming, and is more relaxed than the other non-interlude tracks, making an atmospheric ending to the album.

I would not say The Machine is the ultimate industrial metal masterpiece, but it's really great, and much improved compared to their debut. Any fan of industrial and/or metal should get this offering. Welcome to the Machine!

Favorites: "Lies", "180", "The Machine", "El Shaddi"

Are there times when legends from two different bands collaborate with each other, but ultimately it turns out bad? Sadly, yeah. But when people first heard about Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra and Ministry's Al Jourgensen forming their own side-project Lard, they thought "That would be awesome! What can go wrong?"

The project was formed sometime after Jello left Dead Kennedys. He was already in a few other side collaborations. Jourgensen is still in Ministry, and he has done some other side projects as well. When those two innovators join forces for a different project, asking that question, what could go wrong? Practically nothing! The Last Temptation of Reid is an underrated creative album with fast music and politically-fueled lyrics, and a step up from their EP.

Opening with funky bass, "Forkboy" has fast heavy/industrial metal/hardcore fury. A fantastic opening track and the best here, with Jello's unique vocal creativity. Thrash fans might recognize the Flotsam and Jetsam cover. There's a feeling of death and betrayal here, all in a fun listen. "Pineapple Face" is a f***ing mindblower, keeping up the speed of the first track, though there's a slow psychedelic chorus that nonsensical but genius. The crazy political lyrics are odd yet having a deep meaning. Another track that you wanna keep around until the end of time! "Mate Spawn and Die" brings back the earlier hardcore of Dead Kennedys. The lyrics are sung in spoken rhythm. It's not as memorable or energetic as the first two tracks, but it has a catchy charm within the lyrics.

"Drug Raid at 4am" is still a song, but instead of lyrics, there are some samples including the famous "This is your brain on drugs", along with Jello playing the role of a police officer inspecting a house storing drugs, yelling aggressively at the suspect as the fast instrumentation plays. Then ending on a humorous note, the officers says "Oh, sorry, wrong house." Next track "Can God Fill Teeth?" The lyrics are pretty much entirely spoken word. After some conspiracy theory accusations, the guitar and drums speed up as fast as thrash, while painful yet humorous sounds of dental torture come in. Apparently, wires leading to the brain of the patient record all that's happening the appointment. So odd and mesmerizing, yet as creative as the first two tracks! Smooth bass once again starts up "Bozo Skeleton", mid-paced with catchy vocals flowing together with heavy instrumentation. This legendary hardcore/industrial combo continues to impress me!

The most metallic track here, "Sylvestre Matuschka" is quite awesome, and why not? The sinister vocals and chords make this a fun standout worth headbanging to. Then there's a cover of Napoleon XIV's "They're Coming to Take Me Away". Jello does a fun job singing this song. The marching snare fits well with the vocal insanity. Oh, the show-stealing joy! The final song "I Am Your Clock" is somewhat interesting. It's a 15-minute disorganized guitar jam with Jello presenting a speech throughout. I enjoy many long epics, but this one sounds better as a 5-minute track, but it just keeps repeating that d*mn riff with only one or a couple breaks. Really not my thing...

Any fan of Dead Kennedys and hardcore punk and/or Ministry and industrial metal should listen to this offering. The Last Temptation of Reid shows the two most well-known members of those bands at their most creative. Lard would make one more album 7 years later than go on hiatus. Recommended for hardcore/industrial listeners anytime!

Favorites: "Forkboy", "Pineapple Face", "Can God Fill Teeth?", "Bozo Skeleton", "Sylvestre Matuschka"

There are some industrial metal bands that are better off as studio-only, whether by their own choice or by fan demand, mainly due to heavy usage of electronics and samples as opposed to metal instruments. The band performed at Holiday Star Theatre in early 1990 and recorded it for a live album... In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up! The performance has actually enhanced some songs better than in the studio versions. I'll review the video edition of this album for a more complete experience...

The CD version consists of 6 songs from the albums The Land of Rape and Honey and The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, 3 songs per album. They selected some of the best songs from both albums, with some of them having good improvement.

Only present in the video edition, "Breathe" has the Jourgensen-sung madness of its original album's first two tracks, this time deliberately more intense! It takes your head off and slam-dunks it back between your d*mn shoulders, caused by driving drums and vocals repeatedly telling you to "BREATHE!!! ...YOU F***ER!!" Then the song tears your head off again like a fish in the kitchen. One of the best here! The keyboard-guitar hybrid riffing rolls in "The Missing", which is mid-paced and can deliberately force your head into a different place. "Deity" is a roaring Metallica-like thrash tune as the drums and riff thunder around.

"So What" is extended from 8 minutes to a massive 11 minutes here, but it's more than an epic, it's an anthem with harmonic guitars and catchy bass as Jourgensen declares, "So what!? it's your own problem to learn to live with. Destroy us! Or make us saints!! WE DON'T CARE!!! IT'S NOT OUR FAULT THAT WE WERE BORN TOO LATE!!!!" This song of the generation's apathy will get you screaming/singing along to an anthem that's unlike any other. After an ambient intro, "Burning Inside" kicks in a propulsive beat and repetitive guitar to keep you awake. This pounding tune is helped out by the vocals. When I wrote this review after waking up this morning, this song fired me up way more than coffee! "Thieves" starts with a hyper guitar riff over a dance beat, then the verse has Al Jourgensen's distorted screams of "THIEVES AND LIARS!! MURDERERS!!! HYPOCRITES AND B****RDS!!!!" Then the chorus stops for a stretched guitar chord until one more scream of "THIEVES!!! LIARS!!!" Then the drums go full-on thrash, but they should've used real drums instead of programming in the original studio version. I'm guessing they couldn't find any drummers going that fast.

One of the best tunes displayed here is "Stigmata" with its fuzzy keyboard riffing. Al would enter the scene with a howl of maximum distortion. The riff and beat drives the song through well. This is where the CD edition ends, but in the video edition, it is followed by Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys and Ministry side-project Lard reciting a parody of the Pledge of Allegiance. He would later be sucking his thumb and Nazi saluting during the final encore. The title track of the Land of Rape of Honey is a menacing crawler, standing out with its creepy vibe.

It's quite great hearing the songs from The Land of Rape of Honey get the heavier live treatment to suit the band's expanding metal sound. On the other hand, in the songs from The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, there more weight in the groove rather than tightness. Both separate aspects combined, they foreshadow the sound in their later albums becoming more metallic. Ministry made a great performance showcasing the songs from their late 80s metal era. Not the best live album I've heard, but quite a memorable one in industrial metal....

Favorites (two per studio album): "Breathe", "Burning Inside", "Stigmata", "The Land of Rape and Honey"

I need to catch up with BTBAM again. I really do! The Great Misdirect is known as one of the greatest albums from the band besides Colors, and was a masterpiece for me when I was still listening to them. But in the past year or so, I've only listened to a couple songs from their first two albums when assembling the Revolution playlists. With this nice revisit, let's see what I still think of this album...

Between the Buried and Me can chug through progressiveness faster than a train. Colors was once a true landmark for me. It continues the transition they had through their first 3 albums. With the new lineup of bassist Dan Briggs, rhythm guitarist Dustie Waring, and drummer Blake Richardson maintaining their places, the progressive hints from their earlier albums have evolved into a new essential part of the sound in Colors. The songs are longer and they all transition to each other like a multi-part suite. The earlier heaviness kept going, mixed with some fun wacky parts. Colors was a f***ing masterpiece for me, and so was The Great Misdirect. What do I think of the latter now?

Similarly to Colors' intro, "Mirrors" begins this album as its intro that almost doubles as a short soft song. A bit of the soft wackiness is already hinted in the jazzy bridge. "Obfuscation" can fit well as a single that should've been recorded and released between Alaska and Colors. It also shows the soft-hard blend they've used since The Silent Circus. All in all, a good start to the progressive action!

The best song for me is "Disease, Injury, Madness", having a different execution the same soft-hard blend. It starts in a progressive deathcore frenzy, then switches to soft and clean, all leading up to an excellent bluesy section in the second half. A unique standout! After that, "Fossil Genera - A Feed from Cloud Mountain" is a grand hint at the band's move away from their early metalcore. The first couple minutes show vocalist Tommy Rogers impersonating Mike Patton in a circus-like metal sound, a bit like a heavier The Decemberists. Then the rest is the usual extreme progressive metal before ending with an epic rising climax.

"Desert of Song" is the album's weakest link, though it's a nice bridge before the epic storm to come. It's a 5 and a half minute semi-acoustic ballad with some vocals by lead guitarist Paul Waggoner and well-done bass. It's a good place to breathe before one final adventure you won't forget... The 18-minute epic "Swim to the Moon" is the band's longest song to date, though the length hasn't surpassed Opeth's "Black Rose Immortal" or a few of Dream Theater's epics. I enjoy these progressive epics, but nowadays, I find the song's length to be a bit f***ing draggy. The soloing section has non-stop shredding in both the guitars and keyboards for a few minutes. Impressive, but fits more as a live jam. There's also an Alaska/Colors-like breakdown. Then it ends mellow after reusing the earlier riff. The track is still an epic highlight despite the extensive length.

Despite a bit of error that I now recognize when the band make literally one of their finest hours, it's still not too big of a deal. The transitions are almost never forced, and most of the songs are set up well overall. Tommy's vocals range from explosive growls in better quality to melodic cleans that no longer sound robotic. He appears less while still around a lot, allowing the other members to shine, including Blake whose drumming is so unique and heavy in the patterns. Between the Buried and Me continue the progressive journey they've had since The Silent Circus, and while The Great Misdirect isn't as perfect as I once thought it was, it's their finest hour of coherence!

Favorites: "Disease, Injury, Madness", "Fossil Genera - A Feed from Cloud Mountain", "Swim to the Moon" (despite being a bit draggy)

Slayer is not a band you should underestimate. They've been known controversially for their lyrics and cover arts of violence and Satanism, and real-life incidents such as frontman Tom Araya literally p*ssing on Venom's Conrad "Cronos" Lant during a tour for this album. Nonetheless, I'm glad to finally get into the thrash action of this band...

Their 1983 debut Show No Mercy has been known as more of a Maiden/Priest-influenced album, albeit more satanic. Basically a more melodic and less brutal thrash sound. Haunting the Chapel has been known as the EP that hinted at their darker heavier direction. I think choosing this album to review that sits right after moving out of the classic heavy metal-influenced sound and starting their full-on thrash sound that would reach its most brutal in Reign in Blood is a wise move of mine. So let's go! HELL AWAITS.

The title track is the perfect opener for one of the evilest-sounding albums on Earth. An unsettling reversed chant of "Join us..." fades in, ending with a growl of "WELCOME BACK!!!" Faster than you can respond to that demonic greeting, you're pulled into Slayer's demented realm with slow sludgy riffing. It's not until the 3-minute mark when the second half of fast thrash begins. It's quite a killer classic, I must say. "Kill Again" greatly gets you hooked into a menacing story in the lyrics, filled with as much graphic violence as a slasher film. The speed goes faster than a speeding cheetah. And there's more malicious violence to come... "At Dawn they Sleep" sounds quite evil, not just in the slower tempo but also the lyrics of bloodthirsty vampires, growled by Tom Araya.

"Praise of Death" is perhaps the best song here for me, though not as famous as the first track. The guitar's raw power add a lot to the evil sinister themes. The perfect top-notch drumming shows what a thrash genius Dave Lombardo is, hitting the kit hard and well. More of his infernal drumming fire is unleashed in "Necrophiliac", sounding as admirable as the rest of the instrumentation.

The riffing and different tempos get more complex in the longer "Crypts of Eternity". Araya's vocals have more extensive experimentation that he really nails. His bass is more audible while not getting much of the front stage. The guitars end up sounding quite thin, detracting a bit of heaviness. It's doesn't affect the song's greatness in any way, but it's quite noticeable and worth mentioning. However, what really gets me scratching my head is the closing track "Hardening of the Arteries". It seems quite rushed when the band wants to get everything finished before the album comes full circle with a similar riff to the album's beginning. It's good, but not the best attempt at finishing an album.

For those who enjoy wicked evil thrash anthems, Hell Awaits is what you want. Slayer made an album that has never disappointed heavier metalheads. Thrash fans shall headbang to the speed, structure, and darkness that made Slayer the unique thrash band they've been known as. This is mandatory for extreme metal fans. Welcome to Hell!

Favorites: "Hell Awaits", "Kill Again", "Praise of Death", "Crypts of Eternity"

If there is something that is hard for me to admit, but I still feel the need, it is this: Until now, I couldn't really get what's appealing about one of the most famous metal bands in the world, Metallica. Their debut has made me realize the band's earlier strength! Kill 'Em All (originally titled Metal Up Your A** until their record label manager suggested changing the album title and cover art) combines the more speedy and punky elements of Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest into the ultimate start of thrash!

Kill 'Em All sounds as if they covered the heaviest tracks from different early heavy metal bands and increased the tempo and added more heaviness to the riffs, solos, and vocals, thereby updating the classic formula. Of course, these are all original songs, and very unique ones too.

Already putting the thrash sound in place is the fun opener "Hit the Lights". However, "The Four Horsemen" is a better standout, sounding tighter than Megadeth. Apparently, that band Megadeth has their own version called "Mechanix", for their own debut album two years later. Megadeth's founding frontman Dave Mustaine was originally the lead guitarist for Metallica before he was fired for his abusive behavior and replaced by Kirk Hammett. The band took the "Mechanix" composition Mustaine wrote and rewrote it into the 7-minute riff monster that it became. So Megadeth's version is a re-recording of the original written by Mustaine. "Motorbreath" has more of the potential for the band to kick-start thrash metal, though the phrase "thrash metal" wasn't coined until next year when the late Kerrang! journalist Malcolm Dome was describing an Anthrax song.

Another highlight is worth partying to, "Jump in the Fire", having more of a hard rock groove. The chorus is so unforgettable, you'll be singing it in the shower out loud for the neighbors to hear. The instrumental "(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth" has the best performance here from bassist Cliff Burton (who sadly lost his life 3 years later when, while touring for Master of Puppets, he fell from the band's bus that tipped over and crushed him. RIP). He performs impressive bass soloing for that track. "Whiplash" has more powerful riffing. The excellent verses have clear contrast with the catchy choruses. As a result, that song is quite memorable, and nothing's a waste of time.

"Phantom Lord" bursts through greatness, especially in the innovative drumming. Same with "No Remorse" which, as the title implies, is remorseless. Things get more mid-paced in "Seek & Destroy" while staying destructive. "Metal Militia" can surely bring joy to both longtime and new fans, and the bass can heard quite clearly, compared to what people keep mentioning about the band's 4th album ...And Justice for All.

With all that said, I don't think there's much I can say to criticize, except maybe the bass-driven instrumental can be more of a bonus track, no disrespect to Burton. Kill 'Em All is perhaps the first full-on thrash metal album, so listen before you judge, and...well, have fun!

Favorites: "The Four Horsemen", "Jump in the Fire", "Whiplash", "Phantom Lord", "Metal Militia"

Pleasure to Kill is known as what made Kreator one of the most popular legends of thrash. There's lots of deathly aggression that can hail this album a kick-A classic to the heavier metalheads. However, a few riffs here are a bit repetitive and don't stand out as memorable for me.

But how is this album besides the riffing issue? Very good! Drummer Ventor and Guitarist Mille have an awesome motive of each song using vocals from one of them. Ventor has a shouting style, while Mille is a thrash growler. Ventor performs some d*mn kick-A drumming with a bit of hammering technicality. Mille performs an OK blend of smooth and crunchy in his guitar, though his guitar work could've used some improvement. Rob Fioretti performs audible bass that helps the brutal rhythms stay steady.

With melodic guitar, "Choir of the Damned" is a friendly intro, the calm before the storm... Hooking you up right away in the thrash action is the great "Ripping Corpse", with a chorus of total bloodshed. "Death is Your Saviour" doesn't lighten up a bit, staying heavy and deathly all the way.

The title track is a brutal headbanging thrash classic, though it has neat melody in the chorus. "Riot of Violence" is a more mid-paced and crushing track, with catchy riffs that are quite killer. Same thing in the 7-minute epic "The Pestilence", though with different tempo changes, switching from slow and soft to fast and brutal. This makes me think of what tech-death band Pestilence were doing for their thrashy debut.

The searing speed continues in "Carrion". Then "Command of the Blade" is another favorite of mine from this album, sounding quite dynamic especially in the riff-solo bridge that would certainly remind thrash fans of Slayer. "Under the Guillotine" is quite notable, closing the album like the life of the executed by the device the song references. The skull rolls as a chorus that's quite good yet predictable rolls on with Mille's growls, making the song sound close to proto-death metal. It's quite a brutal way to end the album, but it could've been less predictable in my opinion.

All in all, Pleasure to Kill offers the kind of headbanging metalheads really need for some f***ing extreme thrash as explosive as the creation of the universe. Still a few of the riffing and chorus should've been less repetitive, and they make the album just a tad overrated. Despite that, the wicked heaviness is something that can't be lost....

Favorites: "Ripping Corpse", "Pleasure to Kill", "The Pestilence", "Command of the Blade"

As the thrash metal scene continued to grow in the mid-80s, there were other bands who were planting the seeds for other metal genres to be formed. There has been the US power/speed metal of Metal Church, the first-wave black metal of Bathory, and the proto-death metal of Possessed, all of whom are so different and can't be mistaken for one another. Another different style is the crossover between thrash and crust punk known as stenchcore. Filled with political angst, one of the founding bands of the genre (besides Amebix), Sacrilege severed the border between hardcore and thrash in a darker sound with their debut Behind the Realms of Madness!

To level up their uniqueness, the band has front-woman Lynda "Tam" Simpson doing some of the grittiest female vocals since Joan Jett, though Tam can't keep compete with other crossover thrash vocalists out there. Despite that, the vocals add to the well-executed dirty vibe of thrash. There are some songs that actually foreshadow the sound Destruction would have in Eternal Devastation next year, albeit in a more punky fashion.

"Lifeline" shows the band unleashing their wall-breaking sound that can scream both Discharge and Slayer. Next up, "Shadow from Mordor" has a more sludgy intro, with terrific soloing to add to the greatness. "At Death's Door" is a little mediocre in the riffing, and draggy even during the headbanging riffs.

The hyperspeed of "A Violation of Something Sacred" brings back the album's quality in the guitar with the hardcore of Discharge, the speed of Motorhead, and the thrash of Destruction, all combined into one. The thick riffing with driving punches in "The Closing Irony" might remind some more of Anthrax, Metallica, and Tankard, closer to metal territory than punk. One last anthem, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" is fast with more meat in the riffing.

In the end, Behind the Realms of Madness can be considered an underrated classic. The lack of attention is mind-boggling, though it's understandable due to the UK stenchcore scene being nowhere near as prominent as the US thrash scene. Nonetheless, Amebix and Sacrilege are known as the king and queen (in terms of vocalists), respectively, of the genre. And somehow, Napalm Death would take their own crust punk roots into a more popular (and more painful for me) genre grindcore. For those looking for a band mixing the sounds of D.R.I. and Tankard, look out for Sacrilege. I'm quite amazed to find this stenchcore sound that really kicks a**!

Favorites: "Shadow from Mordor", "A Violation of Something Sacred", "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"

It was hard for me to decide which crossover thrash album to give a listening/reviewing session to see if I have what it takes in the subgenre, but ultimately I chose the second album from Corrosion of Conformity, Animosity. This band has had a similar stylistic direction to Neurosis. Both bands started off as thrashy hardcore for their first two albums in the 80s, then from their early 90s 3rd album onwards, they started taking on a sludge metal sound, though Corrosion of Conformity has a more stoner/sludge style, while Neurosis became a major force in post-sludge. Animosity is Corrosion of Conformity's own Word as Law...

Animosity is more than just a thrashy hardcore album actually. It's different from the hardcore style they had in Eye for an Eye. This band and Suicidal Tendencies are known as two bands who started adding more metallic influences to their thrashy hardcore to create a different subgenre, crossover thrash! Solos and heavier riffs are added to hardcore, though not as metallic as metalcore which was not invented yet at that time. The instrumentation shows the band refined talent as the band play like professionals. There's great flow in the rhythms and sinister harmonies to make punky metal anthems. Animosity has that insidious energy to fill this offering. So get ready for a crossover the heavier metalheads will surely never forget!

"Loss For Words" already sets the band's heavier motive. Punky thrash anthem "Mad World" attacks in an invasive battle that only the strong can beat. And clearly I'm the strong warrior! "Consumed" is also quite d*mn killer.

The more sludgy sound is hinted in the mighty "Holier", though it's still quite thrashy. "Positive Outlook" has nice thrash. With that mixed with their usual punk, it pretty much sets the idea for crossover thrash. "Prayer" has the fast thrash that hints at Slayer would have in Reign in Blood, along with the hardcore that Hatebreed would later use for their metalcore sound. "Intervention" has some static distortion to add to the sinister atmosphere.

The incredible "Kiss of Death" nicely blends raw metal with energetic hardcore. "Hungry Child" is an OK punky song, though it would be better if it was longer. The title closer creeps in sounding closer to Black Sabbath. The thick bass sounds more dense than the earlier speedy drive. Quite a foreshadowing way to end a cool thrash album!

Animosity is a swift album sealing the thrash-hardcore blend known as crossover thrash. The riffs punch through static and atmosphere to create some evil dark punky metal anthems. The aggression has made this album a classic for mostly punk fans. The metalheads wish for the sound to be more metallic. Still this is an album I would recommend to anyone looking for an earlier blend of hardcore punk and metal, worth some good listening....

Favorites: "Mad World", "Holier", "Prayer", "Kiss of Death", "Animosity"

After my horrid experience with testing out a couple cybergrind releases, I needed something to cleanse my palate, and what better way to do that than to head to the melodic opposite end of The Horde spectrum by revisiting a melodeath band I once enjoyed, Dark Tranquillity! They were still standing on top of the Gothenburg melodeath game in the 2000s, at a time when At the Gates was absent and In Flames was heading for a more alternative metal sound. When melodeath was still reigning in my metal interest, Damage Done was one of my favorite albums of the genre alongside At the Gates' Slaughter of the Soul. Dark Tranquillity's 2002 album hooks you up with more melody, thrash, and groove in the riffing, as opposed to the old-fashioned writing of the 90s. There's more detail in the devil!

The sound has had more shape in the 21st Century so far, sounding more cohesive than just technical. There's less focused on the lo-fi speed that some of the more famous extreme metal genres had in the 90s. The sound here is less extreme, becoming as melodic as heavy/power metal, which explains why I only listened to a lot of this band when my metal taste was more melodic about 7 years before this review. Still this kind of accessibility doesn't detract the extremeness and is suitable for some of the heavier fans. However, the accessibility fits better with In Flames. Dark Tranquillity is all about the deep darkness, especially in the growls of Mikael Stanne.

"Final Resistance" already kicks things off with the upbeat speed and melodic texture of the genre. There's some more melody in "Hours Passed in Exile" in the wonderous riffs, though the slight half-second break that starts the last minute isn't highly called for. Some catchy keyboards can be heard in "Monochromatic Stains", which is an anthem to growl along to. Don't be shy!

The arrangement in "Single Part of Two" is a little too much in the synths, but what's promising is the usual melodic Gothenburg sound that's meant for the album. "The Treason Wall" is more active in the drumming by Anders Jivarp. The keyboards in the verses have better searing potential. "Format C for Cortex" has more of the dark character of the album, with the growls continuing to step forward. The title track fires away with thrashy melodeath that would remind some of the band The Crown, while reminding me of my favorite album that this one has likely influenced, Trivium's In Waves. The rage is halted for an interesting melancholic keyboard/guitar outro.

"Cathode Ray Sunshine", which appears in the Brutal Legend soundtrack, has more beautiful electronic aspects and modern drumming. "The Enemy" is the lightest, most ballad-like song here, though the rough darkness surpasses that of In Flames' classic melodeath era. Another track "White Noise / Black Silence" drives through strong riffing, and I remember that making up for what's missing in Haven. The weirdly cool 4 and a half minute instrumental "Ex Nihilo" closes things smoothly.

When I was new to the melodic death metal sound, I considered Damage Done to be one of the best releases of the genre. While there are other masterpieces that surpass this one now, melodeath is still where I wanna get most of death metal, rather than the standard violence of Death and Morbid Angel. The album is deathly within the growled vocals and dark music, though the keyboards stand out as equally as the guitars despite a few bumps. Even during those few years of not listening to this album, it has kept living in my head. Perhaps it is the catchy melody and smooth atmosphere. Damage Done is a killer example of the melodic death metal sound this band has mastered!

Favorites: "Final Resistance", "Monochromatic Stains", "The Treason Wall", "Damage Done", "Cathode Ray Sunshine", "White Noise / Black Silence"

Sometimes you can compare a metal album to a PB&J sandwich. The peanut butter, which I like, is any kind of metal that focus on extreme rather than experimental. When it's smooth, the heaviness is pleasant. When it's chunky, the heaviness is very bumpy. The jelly, which I'm not a huge fan of, is the overused experimental aspects like cyber synths. This EP shows that I'm more of a "smooth peanut butter" guy than a "chunky PB&J" fellow...

The debut EP from Genghis Tron, Cloak of Love, has the chunky peanut butter of grindcore mixed with avant-grade synth-metal jelly to make a new genre sandwich known as cybergrind. It's pretty good, but not something I would return to.

"Rock Candy" has ambient synth jelly as sweet as actual rock candy, while adding the chunky grindcore peanut butter that gets in your teeth. That combination is cavity central! There's some more stellar electro-synth jelly in "Arms". The mathy chunky grindcore is mixed together with Daft Punk-like synths and Polysics-like ambient rock guitar, while the grindcore screeches still interrupt out of nowhere.

"Ride the Steambolt" has the most of the chunky grindcore cacophony while fused with the poppy jelly. Next track "Laser B***h" starts with synth-dance jelly, a bit like New Order. The sweet-as-candy jelly only lasts for a minute before the chunky grindcore mayhem continues again, as if a nightclub dance keeps turning into moshing. By then the poppy elements are more like extra oil add to the chunky PB&J. Still the heaviness remains stable, and the changes don't sound forced. Unlike in "Sing Disorder", in which everything's out or order, making a disorganized mess.

There are a few things to praise about this EP, yet it only lasts 12 minutes with different styles stirred up into a messy joke. Still a couple songs are quite interesting and make their sound quite genuine. I don't plan on taking on more of this band's releases though. One chunky PB&J sandwich is enough for me, thank you very much....

Favorites: "Arms", "Ride the Steambolt"

Let's end the main initial part of my ultimate Pit test with one more album I enjoy! The second album from Sepulcher, Panoptic Horror has quite an evil thrash metal sound that has rarely touched the genre in the present compared to the past. It's basically a revival of earlier thrash metal with blackened guitars. I personally like the rough pain in the vocals. There's interesting bass and solid drums, the latter being subtle yet shining.

The songs in the first half have pretty much the same structure with riffing transitions from slow and fast without being too overpowering. The riffing is quite memorable and, for the newer thrash fans, worth coming back for.

First off, "Corporeal Vessels" blasts straight into thrash right from the intro. This peculiar yet killer sound is as fast as you would expect in thrash, but it slows down into dark dissonance with evil riffing. After going fast then going slow throughout the song, the tempo then sits in the middle with an awesome section, which then leads into a final fast searing riff. "Towards an Earthly Rapture" has bit of a progressive structure like Opeth, though the sound stays nice and firm at their usual blackened-ish thrash.

"Corrupting the Cosmos" is slow and sludgy, but in the last couple minutes, the band go as fast and thrashy as Vektor. "Ethereal Doom" takes a break from the Opeth-like progressive structure in their thrash for just full-on...thrash.

"Abyssal Horror" is quite the mind-blower, with a memorable beat stirring up a sound similar to early Voivod that you can enjoy. "Scourge of Emptiness" is filled with furious speed/thrash metal. "Haunting the Spheres" ends the album as a prime example of the classic thrash revival, often switching from powerful fast verses to a long slow bridge. The drumming continues to be interesting with tremendous transitions. Absolutely memorable!

Panoptic Horror is worth helping out in the mission to revive classic thrash with different elements of chaotic dissonance. If you're up for Leviathan-like arrangements added to Opeth-like progressive structure injected into a thrash sound reminiscent of Vektor and early Voivod, this album has it all!

Favorites: "Corporeal Vessels", "Corrupting the Cosmos", "Abyssal Horror", "Haunting the Spheres"

Hypnosia was a more unknown and underrated band. They were formed in the late 90s and tried to revive the withering thrash metal scene with a few releases, including this album Extreme Hatred released in 2000. Sadly, they did not get the amount of fame they were hoping for, and they split up a couple years later. There's no chance they will ever reform, due to the passing of drummer Michael Sjöstrand from skin cancer. RIP...

When the band was still active, their music did not affect metal's formula or popularity at the time, yet you can't deny the goodness of the music that's worth many listens. Extreme Hatred can be considered a tribute to the classic 80s era of bands like Sepultura, Kreator, and Slayer, in practically a higher level.

The title opener is actually my least favorite song here. Still it's quite good with the vocal screams, drum blasts, and guitar riffs worth starting up this album. Taking off further is "Circle Of The Flesh". Then "The Last Remains" continues the thrashy nature of the previous track, reminding some of late-80s Sepultura. This album is so solid so far, should I keep up the track descriptions? Yes I should, it's my thing!

The riffing in the chorus for "Operation Clean-Sweep" is a bit bumpy, like the two guitarists don't know what the h*ll they were doing. Hypnosia takes us past the midway point of the album with the great "Comatose", with a slower crushing pace. Highlight "Act of Lunacy" blasts through beastly thrash in the bass and drums.

"Gates of Cirith Ungol" is a 3-minute instrumental. It's not a long crusade that the instrumentals made by Metallica and Death Angel are, but it's quite excellent. Great riffing and slow evolution from acoustic to heavy. "Hang 'Em High" is just two minutes of fast fury. Finally, "Traumatic Suffering" can surely make a classic! Thrashing in the riffs and drumming all the way to the end with the final fade.

The thrash metal scene is no longer how it was in the classic 80s era, though the Swedish death metal scene was expanding in the early 2000s to include thrash, with bands like The Haunted and The Crown. Different from the popular 80s thrash bands while touching upon what made them great. If you wish for more of the aspects of Sepultura, Slayer, and the Teutonic thrash Big 4, in a short-lived yet different and unique band, Extreme Hatred is your answer. Nothing wrong if you're up for the riffs chopping you and drums running you over like a train before you're pieced back together by the end!

Favorites: "The Last Remains", "Comatose", "Act of Lunacy", "Gates of Cirith Ungol", "Traumatic Suffering"

This is my first experience with material from this band Deceased. Many fans of the band might have discovered them as early as 1997's Fearless Undead Machines, but I've only just found this band via this album As the Weird Travel On, almost two decades after its release. It's a weird yet great and underrated gem that mixes pieces of speed metal, heavy metal, and death metal into their own brand of deathly thrash, worshipping horror films and literature in their lyrics are aesthetic, while staying more underground than the buried dead. It's amazing how this band can be at the height to their evolution despite not releasing any full albums in the 80s.

Though this album is far past when mixing death metal with thrash could be considered a milestone, this is quite a timeless sound, one that I have much more leeway for now than in my more melodic teenage years. There's more complex structure in the heaviness and melody, without going technical or progressive. Half the amount of songs each range from 6 to 8 minutes in length. The riffs and different tempos are catchy, though sometimes predictable. Still there are fresh things that often appear like a great rhythm, a tasteful lead, or background keyboards in the gloomy night. Guitar duo Mark Adams and Mike Smith do some grade-A leads and solos that are close to Guardians territory, but you're still reminded about the album's rightful place in The Horde and The Pit. In fact, fans of Morbid Angel might like this more than fans of DragonForce.

"The Kept" opens the album, blazing through a hypnotizing 8 minutes. This can mark a modern classic, sounding joyful yet menacing. There's barely any gloomy atmosphere, instead just metal triumph as their deathly thrash throne still stands. "The Funeral Parlour's Secret" has bit of a progressive structure like Opeth, though the sound stays nice and firm at their usual deathly thrash. The intense hyperspeed of "A Witness to Suspiria" is filled with rock-on rhythms while firing away with deathly blast beats, all performed by drummer Dave Castillo. RIP

"Unwanted Memories" has an unwanted intro, but it's made up for by the killer deathly thrash, a mix of brutality and melody that metalcore band Hatebreed would adopt in later albums. "Missing a Pulse" also mixes the melody of old-school Voivod with the heaviness and speed of Demolition Hammer. "Craving Illness" has a post-apocalyptic-sounding intro, though the walking dead rises in a vicious eruption to tear any human survivors apart.

"A Visit from Dread" is perhaps my favorite highlight of this album. Right from the start, aggressive riffing crashes through with some melodic mid-tempo parts, and you will be headbanging right through the catchy chorus. After some heavy rhythm, a guitar solo plays that is one of the most haunting I've heard in the more extreme genres, even more so with the background synths. That song has everything you could ask for in deathly thrash, not just in the top-notch riffing. "Fright" is the intriguing 8-minute closing epic, though it can't beat the darkness of the previous track.

All in all, As the Weird Travel On can pin your back to the wall with blissful yet destructive horror-film-inspired deathly thrash metal. The ghastly lyrics accompany the melodeath/speed metal parts melded into their highly unique sound. Some might think of this as an Iron Maiden-ized Rigor Mortis or a more melodic Merciless. Quite accurate, though King Fowley and co. keep themselves steady in their unique direction of genuine coherence. And they certainly add more fame to the Swedish death metal sound despite being from America. I would've never had the courage to explore this band, album, or metal genres a decade before this review, but now I do. It's great to hear such energetic speed with different ideas of horror, like Helloween but far more brutal. So get ready for this f***ing fright night, metalheads!

Favorites: "The Kept", "A Witness to Suspiria", "Missing a Pulse", "A Visit from Dread"

The other Megadeth album I reviewed, So Far, So Good... So What! was an odd reviewing experience for me. It's a mildly positive 4-star album, but those 4 stars were only for 5 of the 8 songs, with the other 3 being total jokes. The rating curve has improved since then, so the review for Megadeth's strong classic should be less confusing...

To say that this band is a joke would be blasphemy to any metal community, but fortunately, there's nothing in Megadeth's sacred highlight album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? that can ever be considered a joke! Without the Big 4, the majority of the next generation of thrash wouldn't have existed. What can be considered a joke is the sh*t that band and Metallica released in the late 90s. Peace Sells... is what got Megadeth into the Big 4, though the success isn't as huge as Metallica's 3rd album that year.

Already proving itself to be as much of a classic as the Anthrax and Destruction albums I reviewed, the album starts with "Wake Up Dead". It's quite odd when the bass and drums enter, then the riffing, then the low drunken whisper-ish vocals of Mustaine. A solo comes in, along with differences in tempo. The riffing is not yet at its memorable stage but when it is, it closes that solo, then there's some more crushing riffing and thrashy soloing. Then a faster tempo, with crazier soloing, among pentatonic riffing. Then more of the crushing riffing and atonal leads. More memorable riffing, then Dave's vocals obviously tell a tale about a man being caught cheating on his girlfriend. And as if the structure can't get odder, it stops. Then the beat switches to a slow crushing pace with a vicious riff (makes me think of the intro for "THAT METAL INTERVIEW" videos) followed shortly by perhaps the greatest, darkest, most harmonic solo in the album, filled with anger and aggression. Finally, Mustaine keeps screaming the song title over that riffing ("WAKE UP DEAD!!!"). Quite an under 4-minute adventure, almost as adventurous as Sikth's "How May I Help You"! The insane "The Conjuring" doesn't work well in their attempt to imitate Slayer in the sinister intro. Still there's great thrash all over, when the song has more of the crazy tempos, riffing, and soloing.

The semi-title track, "Peace Sells" is quite simple compared to Metallica at that time. It spawned Megadeth's first music video (though "Wake Up Dead" would have its own video later). Getting into MTV was a big step in the band's popularity, though they're still behind Metallica. However, when Metallica released their first music video two years later, the subsequent high popularity caused that band to go a different direction and make the f***ing Black Album. On the other hand, Megadeth stayed with their style, but they probably shouldn't have gone the MTV route if they didn't want criticism in the long run. Anyway, it makes sense why that song was chosen. It's accessible while still thrashy. It's a true charm that shall be enjoyed! It's a great song that can be considered a classic or not. The lyrics work best for any metalhead wanting to flip off the system. "Devil's Island" thrashes though nice and straight. It starts as a slow crusher, then after some soft bass, it really speeds up. It's decent, but I wouldn't consider that one a favorite. And now for a true piece of art, the two-part, nearly the heavy dark 7-minute epic "Good Mourning/Black Friday". Here's a joke based on the first part's title and a Cartoon Network show: What did Uncle Grandpa say in a funeral? "Good Mourning!" (lol. Get it? Anyone?). Anyway, the track is quite extreme, almost catchy up with other American thrash bands, Teutonic thrash bands, and Sepultura. It starts in sinister doom, including a solo of f***ing dark emotion. After that creepy one-minute intro, the heaviness booms in, though with guitars sounding more clean than distorted. The solo ends, but the riffs are still clean. Dave comes in with his vocals. Then after asking "What the f*** is this?", BOOM!! The guitars and his voice rapidly ascend. Kick-A riffing and soloing go back and forth. The speed cruises and crushes keep until the end when the killer storm of madness makes a grinding halt. Not the right ending, but the rest of that track is so amazing!

"Bad Omen" is also dark, yet more of a regular song than an epic. It starts sinister, then goes heavy, than odd. A great thrasher all the same! The cover of "I Ain't Superstitious" by Willie Dixon... Well, it's better than the Sex Pistols cover in their next album, but C'MON, blues in thrash!? We should be grateful for blues spawning rock, rock spawning heavy metal, heavy metal spawning thrash. It's just that, the cover sounds too silly, but it still has slight goodness. The last song of the album is quite masterful, that one being "My Last Words", having sinister guitar in the intro evolving from clean to distorted. Soon the song goes as f***ing heavy and fast as speed/thrash metal. Despite being a unique standout, the song has some riff repetition through the two minutes that follow the one-minute intro. A bit annoying, and it's not until over the 3-minute mark when some new riffing of speed metal kicks in, going fast as f***. Adding to the redeeming insanity, a powerful solo of great melody is played. It ends with the last of that riffing with Dave's final repeated line of "You! Come on! Next victim! Your turn to die!" Ain't that a silly reminder of the lyrics based on Russian Roulette. Still, what a way to head out!

So there we have it, another 4.5-star thrash album classic! Peace Sells... is a great influential album from another master band of classic thrash. There's a bit of rough weakness in a couple songs, but they're easy to overlook so you can focus on this music that any fan of metal/thrash can't live without. With the young genius minds of Mustaine and crew, they know how work out their true charm. Well, it has often been suggested that their true charm isn't finalized until Rust in Peace, but I'm talking about the classic 80s thrash era here, an era that's part of my ultimate Pit test, a part that I just finished in the test, with this album of thrashy madness. A true classic winner!

Favorites: "Wake Up Dead", "Peace Sells", "Good Mourning/Black Friday", "My Last Words"

After their debut album of blackened-ish thrash, Destruction took on a more intense and killer pure thrash metal sound in their second album Eternal Devastation. This is such powerful energy with some of the best of classic Teutonic thrash!

There's a lot of top-notch riffing in here! It's different from what I normally expect in classic thrash while staying firmly in that style. The riffing dominates with catchy strength without ever having to drag in improvisation. It's quite d*mn enjoyable! The memorable riffing is indeed what makes those songs quite brilliant. Though one or two songs might not reach total perfection while they're still great.

The opening "Curse the Gods" starts clean and quiet before becoming heavy and killer! The aggressive riffing and drumming can easily cause listeners to headbang and air-guitar to that thrashy tune. The riffing will stay in your head due to all of its catchy fun. If you ever wanna play some of those impressive mind-blowing riffs on guitar for your friends to hear...why not? "Confound Games" is another catchy classic, especially in the chorus and fast riffing that will attack together with the excellent drums and vocals. How much more insanity is there!?

"Life Without Sense" is another great song filled with their trademark energy fitting quite well for its mid-tempo pace. There's more intensity on the guitars than the drums, showing how bombastic they can be without going so fast. "United by Hatred" shreds through in the intro with some brief neoclassical sh*t, then the riffs will get you headbanging through another long-stand thrash anthem.

"Eternal Ban" also starts with some shredding. The song is shorter and quite catchy, though the goofy lyrics are basically a declaration for attention in the world. Oh this band would get the well-deserved attention after this album's release... The 4-minute instrumental "Upcoming Devastation" changes the tempo quite a bit, with some more guitar fury. The ending track "Confused Mind" is quite upbeat. It starts with a soft intro that would keep you on your seat for the last bit of destruction that finally arrives. The guitars have made a memorable impact enough to stay in your mind even after it all ends.

All in all, this album is filled with a neck-breaking thrashy riff-fest that can scare the sh*t out of the weak, and make the strong stronger. The heavier classic metalheads will be up to joining in this bad-a** fast offering of mass thrash destruction!

Favorites: "Curse the Gods", "Confound Games", "United by Hatred", "Confused Mind"

Anthrax is the kind of band who can brain-storm. They can think up better and new ideas at ease. With the classic thrash scene rising, and their side-project Stormtroopers of Death, Anthrax made a different sound that combines hardcore punk and speed metal into their own form of thrash metal, making them part of the Big 4.

That was the right call! Among the Living is full of insane relentless thrash lightning, almost competing with bands like Slayer and Dark Angel. The tempos, vocals, and attitude are in better influential elements than in bands like Megadeth. Most of the instrumentalists also provide background vocals to add in a "gang" kind of vibe, which is kind of what Exodus has done also. The vocals often hits the highs as much as Judas Priest and Metal Church, in contrast to grittiness of Metallica and Slayer.

The album's title track is not really the best here, but it has excellent structure, despite the bizarre melodic vocals. The speed here is quite neck-breaking like a motherf***er and adds to the anger. That track is based on one of the Stephen King's tribute The Stand, and it's a nice tribute. "Caught in a Mosh" is a brilliant moshing thrash anthem almost rivaling the anthems of Metallica and Exodus, with out-of-this-world speed. The headbanging breakdown is definitely worth moshing to, brushing aside the comedic lyrics that are still genius ("Stomp stomp stomp the idiot convention, which one of these words don't you understand?"). The chorus to shout along to is the most impressive here. There's hardcore thrash in this house! Next, "I Am the Law" is one of the more classic thrash hits, but I don't enjoy the singing here. The moshing riffing is fun though.

"Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" (If you wanna know what it stands for, type the word backwards or guess the acronym) is really great, telling a more serious tale. They let things loose with well-focused riffs, mystical melodies, and nice soloing. The lyrics protest against drug abuse, which comedian John Belushi tragically succumbed to. The band really thinks outside the box and breaks boundaries, though not as progressively as Anacrusis and Watchtower. "Skeleton in the Closet" is another song based on a Stephen King story, this one being Apt Pupil. It's quite good for the mosh-pit, but it doesn't really spread a message as it should. The chorus with hammering vocals by Joey Belladonna and his backup gang will really get you headbanging. The fun "Indians" starts off by making h*ll of a tribute to Iron Maiden in the leads, then speeds up into their usual thrash. Still a lot of things there tribute to Maiden including Joey's high vocals and the break for a moshing solo. F***ing great attitude, including the speedy chorus. Great classic!

Now there's more madness to come in "One World", in which the structure is just pure thrash aggression similar to Metallica. Loud riffs, Priest-esque vocals, nice drums, and vicious leads make the song worth checking out. "A.D.I./Horror of It All" is a two-part 8-minute epic, reminding some of the ones Exodus could do. It's more mid-paced, while still having strong riffs, powerful vocals, and nice riffing. It tributes to Metallica's fallen bassist Cliff Burton. Anthrax wanted one more chance to "say goodbye". Mesmerizing triumph despite breaking from what the Big 4 is known for. "Imitation of Life" sounds like a forced letdown. Though the comedic lyrics are quite fun, convincing record executives to let them rise in success, which actually worked (obviously).

Among the Living can be considered the highest point of Anthrax's career, showing them as a much better band than when they made Sounds of White Noise. So tip your hat off, like the guy in the middle of an emotionless crowd in the album cover, to one of the most influential classics in thrash metal history!

Favorites: "Caught in a Mosh", "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)", "Indians", "A.D.I./Horror of It All"

1985 was the year when a few notable speed metal albums were released, one of them being the second album by punky metal band Warfare, produced the late Lemmy of Motorhead. It sold poorly, and they couldn't do any big tours. They didn't want to spend all their money on a special opportunity to support Metallica at the Hammersmith Odeon. To protest their management with a big "f*** you", the band rode their truck to the parking lot outside the venue while Metallica was performing, and played their own show. They caused destruction to many different cars, including one owned by the Odeon manager. They were arrested after the chaos, but it was f***ing worth it for them.

SEE!?! That's the kind of crazy sh*t that has never happened in the nu metal scene! This band speaks out their attitude with actions rather than words. Of course, vandalism and public disturbance should never be condoned, but it really shows the band what a wild group they can be. And the music they made for Metal Anarchy expresses their attitude even further, more rebellious than even The Revolution clan.

The 40-second "Intro" is an odd one, though it sets the tone. The serene theme of The Sound of Music plays, but once you hear the happy singing of "The hills are alive with the sound of music", it abruptly gets cut off by an evil laugh among other noises. "Electric Mayhem" blasts off in speed and fury. "We will show no mercy, watch you f***ers plead, as we crank it higher, watch your ears bleed". The perfect opening track that's heavy as f***, parodying heavy metal more than Manowar could! The band's title track is longer and a bit slow. The transitions that occur in "Death Vigilence" can be a slight flaw, but the song still works well.

"Wrecked Society" is an over 6-minute epic that starts slow then speeds up. Another track "Living for the Last Days" sounds quite great, but could use some more potential. "Disgrace" has more of the speedy grace.

"Military Shadow" is more melodic while keeping the speed. The perfect anthem of punky metal has got to be the album's title track. It really does show the band raising their fists in anarchy, along with the music video of being metaphorically caged in. "Psycho Express" is one more psychotic track to end the album, though the very end is a bit weird. Not the best finale, but I'll take it anytime.

Metallica is known as one of the heaviest and loudest bands on Earth, though Warfare wanted to rival them...with attitude! Feel the restless madness throughout this album. You might very well enjoy it. However, it might not be for everyone, nor a perfect 5-star masterpiece. Still, I had no idea before now punky speed metal could be so thrilling!

Favorites: "Electric Mayhem", "Warfare", "Wrecked Society", "Disgrace", "Metal Anarchy"

The wolves of metal have been really rising in the first two decades of the new millennium. Two of which include heavy/power metal acts Wolf and Powerwolf. And there are probably more obscure bands that also "wolf" in the name. One interesting band in the wolfpack is Speedwolf, cooking up a fresh new punky brand of speed metal. Though they are 25 years late in the scene compared to the other speed metal albums I've reviewed and, if we go slightly earlier, the proto-speed of Motorhead.

Only one album was made during their run from 2008 to 2016 (the same period as when Obama was the U.S. president). Ride With Death throws mighty punches for fans of hardcore/crossover thrash to enjoy. The vocals have kind of a Motorhead/Sodom vibe, while the distorted bass sounds like the bassist has learnt from the late Cliff Burton.

The band's own title track (NOT of the album) has a draggy two-minute intro, but then it speeds up right away, perfectly taking you on a wild ride. Things cool down slightly with the rocker "Up All Night" that sounds closer to Iron Maiden in the riffing. They then pick up some early-80s Slayer-like speed in "Out on Bail". There's another faster track "I am the Demon", in which the riffing would fit well for early Venom.

"Time to Annihilate" fires away again with massive energy, though with a slight modern taste. Another track "Never Twice" seems like they fuse power metal and technical thrash in the instrumentation. I like when they rock out in songs like "I Can't Die". Interestingly, "Death Ripper" sounds close to old-school black metal, especially in the vocals.

"Hell and Back" brings forward the band's attitude of alcoholic motor-bikers. When "The Reaper" speeds up, it reminds me a bit of Living Sacrifice's debut, but with more melody. Perhaps the best standout for me is the title track, a pure thrashy speed metal assault, reminding some of classic Tankard and other thrash bands' 80s breakthrough albums, all while keeping the melodic riffing going through the fast tempo. "Denver 666" is not the best way to end the album, but it keeps up the speed once more.

With the recent revival of thrash metal and speed metal, Speedwolf made a pretty great representation of reviving the latter genre's 80s essentials. The mix sounds different in this current age while giving listeners what to enjoy from its powerful past. A new rebellious metal generation out there is ready to ride, drink, smoke, and howl in the night!

Favorites: "Speedwolf", "Out on Bail", "Time to Annihilate", "I Can't Die", "The Reaper", "Ride With Death"

OK, I'm back in the speed metal part of the ultimate Pit test. And I just encountered an album that balances out that part, taking on a more aggressive thrashy form of speed metal that seems appropriate for The Pit. Well, despite the Accept influences...

Living Death released their debut album Vengeance in Hell in 1984. They then hired Harald Lutze for a tour to support the album, with fellow German metal band Warlock (Doro's former band) by their side. After that, Lutze was fired for some reason and taking his place was Andreas Oberhoff (RIP). The following year, 1985 saw the release of the EP Watch Out, hinting at a different progression of their sound. Their different sound is solidified in this album, Metal Revolution!

This aggressive style already makes it entrance with the opening track "Killing Machine" that's like a more thrashy Accept. The next track "Gripping a Heart" is fast while looking back at the earlier part of the 80s. Another track "Rulers Must Come" is slower and more mid-paced.

The heavier "Screaming from a Chamber" is a 6-minute slow monster that takes a break fast thrashy speed metal aggression that covers most of the other tracks on the album. Though I'm happy with this occasional slow approach. The team have really built a wall of sound so impenetrable. The riff really thunders through in that slow track, as opposed to the faster tracks' intense energy. Side B starts with a one-minute-and-a-half intro. I have a feeling these two vinyl sides are switched, like the album should've started with an intro then ended with a 6-minute epic. The speed snaps back on in "Shadow of the Dawn".

Then "Panic and Hysteria" follows as another good song. Honestly, I still think side B should've been side A, but never mind that. Summing up the style further is "Road of Destiny". There's still the faster speed metal, but some slow guitar sections can occur. The vocals by Thorsten Bergmann are never weak in any way, having his trademark high abrasion. Love it or hate it, when it comes to speed metal, this is the good sh*t! However, there is slight weakness in his vocals in "Deep in Hell", though his strong side still dominates. The guitars can be heard quite clearly in the mix, thanks to the beefy production, along with audible bass to continue building this wall of sound. The drums even have a nice snare. Whether or not the vinyl sides have truly been switched, a good ending either way.

So is this album really closer to The Pit? The answer, in my opinion, is yes. I think of most of the songs of a kind of speed metal that is like old-school melodic thrash with the cleaner riffs and vocals of Accept. It shows Living Death evolving with good progress in their own unique sound. This is enjoyable thrashy speed metal energy! Anyone who likes Accept but wants more speed than that band's album Restless and Wild might dig this....

Favorites: "Killing Machine", "Screaming from a Chamber", "Shadow of the Dawn", "Road of Destiny"

This is my first experience with material from this band Merciless, and let me just say, there's nothing disappointing about this album. Merciless is a band from Sweden that combined thrash metal with aggressive influences from death metal and even a bit of black metal. In the late 80s, the band released two demos. They recorded this album The Awakening in 1989, and released it less than a year later in 1990. What's also worth noting is, it's the first album released via Deathlike Silence Productions, operated by late Mayhem guitarist Euronymous. Two years later, he would publish 8 black metal albums within a couple years before his murder by Burzum's Varg Vikernes. Back to this band Merciless, The Awakening is pretty much the last Swedish extreme metal album released in this earlier era before a different one of full-on death metal.

Now I know what you're thinking, "You seriously interrupted the more melodic speed metal part of your Pit test for a deathly thrash album from the 90s thrash metal part? That's quite an odd switch, what's the deal there!?" Yeah, those speed metal albums were quite melodic for Pit releases, one of them doesn't have any rights in the Pit! So I decided to check out the remaining album from the 90s thrash metal part before going any further, and it's a heavy polar opposite. Quite killer despite its mere 27-minute length. Time flies when you have fun listening, so you have to savor in some thorough listening for a full experience worth appreciating.

"Pure Hate" starts things off with what you expect to hear, straight from the top. It's clear that the band was taking the last bit of thrash left in the 80s, and it's worth sharing to the heavier members of Metal Academy. The violent deathly thrash riffing really pleases me. Some might even think of 80s Kreator. And you might even scream along to his vocals, "PURE HATE!!!!" Next track "Souls of the Dead" is full-on deathly thrash. Same with the title track that kinda reminds me of Living Sacrifice's debut from next year.

Next track "Dreadful Fate" pushes the early Kreator-like style further. "Realm of The Dark" does the same, with the intensity I really like and prefer. "Dying World" has interesting original riffing that sounds both inspired and inspiring.

Towards the end, cool melody finally arrives in "Bestial Death". Still the band is focused as ever on the brutal speed. They never go complex or progressive, instead having straight-up violence. If the album cover art doesn't tip you off about that, it's still worth trying for killer tracks like that one. The savage extreme thrash is back once more with "Denied Birth", ending the album as viciously as it began.

All in all, the sound is quite great, including the production. Without ever having to use a professional studio, it sounds so unique and raw. The mix in the instrumentation is done in a way that barely has any flaws at all, giving in a more primitive vibe. The majority of this album is quite memorable, as well as underrated compared to the heavier bands that stretch past my brutality limit. I might not entirely be in the mood for deathly thrash metal, but if I am, I'm up to giving The Awakening an occasional listen. I would certainly recommend it to fans of earlier death/thrash metal for some of this anger and merciless hate!

Favorites: "Pure Hate", "The Awakening", "Realm of the Dark", "Bestial Death"

This is my second attempt at reviewing Helloween's debut album. I can marvel through and describe the album to you twice now! However, the thing is, I've already dumped my interest in the full-on power metal of albums like the Keepers pair. For the sake of staying focused on the sound of this album, let's go back in time to over 37 years ago...

It is late 1985. Just a year and a half before the Keepers saga led by vocalist Michael Kiske began. Vocalist/guitarist Kai Hansen, guitarist Michael Weikath, bassist Markus Grosskopf, and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg (RIP) were determined to make a different metal sound, combining the speed of Metallica at that time with the melody of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, plus the fantasy vibe of Manowar. The Walls of Jericho were built and a new genre began to rise. This is...POWER METAL!

The cheesiness of the genre sure got its head-start with the title intro being a synthesized brass rendition of "London Bridge". The actual opening song "Ride the Sky" is a superb thrashy assault of catchy rage from the guitars, bass, and drums. The bass has some notable fills, and Kai Hansen performs his signature shriek-singing. Hansen's young yet nasal voice may sound a bit funny, but it's filled with enjoyable power. The perfect harmonies and leads midway through, you can think of as a more thrashy Priest or a speedier Maiden. A superb start to power metal! "Reptile" is a little bad, trying to imitate Priest so much, especially in the poor chorus. It's not a total failure though.

"Guardians" has solid higher speed and nice melodic guitar riffing. There's slightly less power in the vocal notes Hansen tries to hit. However, it's made up for by the strong catchy chorus, along with nice bass. An anthem for power metal and the Guardians clan! A slower while still speedy song, "Phantoms of Death" is another show-stopper. The background keyboards in the verses are at the right place, practically inspiring power metal's keyboard aspect. There's also more of a Maiden vibe here, especially in the pre-chorus drums. The soloing is marvelous, especially during the second half of the bridge. That song is quite good! "Metal Invaders" is my least favorite here, and strangely enough, the closest-sounding to actual speed metal. The vocals in the pre-chorus and the chorus aren't so strong. Though there's nice harmony in the bridge.

"Gorgar" also doesn't work well enough to be a highlight. The riffs sound too much like they're copying Metallica and Judas Priest rather than building up their own unique sound from those bands. And that bridge, "Livin' for today, no thoughts for tomorrow", really does sound taken from a Priest song, and that only can detract a few percentage points. I'm not too sure if I can take "Heavy Metal (Is the Law)" too seriously, especially the sing-along bridge ("Heavy metal! HEY"). Still it's pretty good. The closing highlight "How Many Tears" is a long 7-minute epic with a long instrumental bridge. Such a powerful way to end the true founding album of power metal!

All in all, many of the songs are awesome, though only a few of them need slight improvement. Keep in mind that 10 years later, there is a little more of a rock side while keeping a lot of their power metal, and another 10 years later, the band would go a little more progressive. However, Walls of Jericho can be heralded as a classic that has started the ascent of power metal. A mostly excellent album where the power rises!

Favorites: "Ride the Sky", "Guardians", "Phantoms of Death", "How Many Tears"

Blind Guardian weren't always a symphonic/power metal band. This mighty evolving beast of a band started as a melodic speed metal outfit named Lucifer's Heritage. The band changed their name to avoid association with Satanism and black metal, but kept their original style while foreshadowing their famous power metal. Honest admission: I find the recent albums too over-the-top and bombastic, and that's why I'm up for the simplicity of their debut (and why I'm no longer into a lot of power metal).

Their debut album Battalions of Fear is a well-polished speed metal album, in line with their peers back then, Rage (which also evolved into theatrical power metal) and Scanner. Some tracks were re-recorded from the band's Lucifer's Heritage demos, with some notable changes.

Odd carnival intro aside, the opening track "Majesty" is a majestic anthem with a melodic chorus of vocal layers. "Guardian of the Blind" is perhaps the most memorable highlight here and what inspired the band's new name. "Trial by the Archon" is an early Iron Maiden-like interlude. Lead guitarist André Olbrich knows how to do some shredding lead melodies like Maiden's Dave Murray.

It segues into the excellent song "Wizard's Crown", originally titled "Halloween" but they probably changed it because Helloween released a song with that title. "Run for the Night" is a little more average, sounding inspired by classic heavy metal. Same with the less powerful "The Martyr". Nothing filler here though.

The title track has a heavy bridge, with the leads sounding so excellent. The lyrics somehow reminds me of the epic space film franchise Star Wars, though it's about Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. The excellent outro "By the Gates of Moria" is based on Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9. Great, now I feel the urge to sing out loud the chorus of Rhapsody's "The Wizard's Last Rhymes". The CD's bonus outro "Gandalf's Rebirth" has OK leads and melodies, though it's not too necessary.

The lyrics in most songs involve fantasy and mythology, an aspect they would expand on in later albums. Battalions of Fear is good, but I guess the band's classic era of the 90s still reigns. There's clear production for an 80s debut album with searing leads and rhythms in the guitar. This is the kind of sound I prefer nowadays rather than the over-the-top layers of their 2000s albums. While not as catchy nor in wide range as their later material, the vocals of Hansi Kürsch show such a wild young lad that he was. Blind Guardian, one of this century's most titanic power metal bands started with an underrated power/speed metal album. Quite a fun beginning....

Favorites: "Majesty", "Guardian of the Blind", "Wizard's Crown", "Battalions of Fear"

The heavier classic metalheads know who Max Cavalera is. He was one of the founders of Brazilian metal legends Sepultura alongside his brother Igor. During Max's time with the band, they made a blackened death metal album, a classic deathly thrash metal trilogy, and two mainstream groove metal albums. Believe it or not, this is my first time I've given some listening and a review to a full album from Max Cavalera's later band Soulfly. With all this yelling I've heard of about "jumpin' da f*** up" and armageddon, I thought I would have a turn to dive in. And this experience left me...quite disappointed. The potential for unique groove aggression I was expecting doesn't happen.

I just wanna say that there's a little more to hate than the other couple groove metal bands in this part of the Pit test; the riff-fest of Machine Head and the hardcore-ish power of Anthrax's Sounds of White Noise. At the same time, there's still a bit of interesting music experimentation, including some thrash. You can hear it a bit of riff aggression and soloing. So there's nothing overly bland about the Dark Ages album as a whole, but still not all of the songs are worth mentioning.

Focusing on only a few songs, The first full track "Babylon" is already a waste of time. However, decent thrashy riffing appears in "I and I". In the middle, there's a beautiful soft bridge as a break from the riffing. All those aspects in that song make it the best here. Some confusion can be caused by the bad-a** rawness of "Carved Inside" with kick-A riffing that then leads to vocals so weird that you feel the urge to rip out his Max's vocal cords. Actually, it's lead guitarist Marc Rizzo that's causing the f***ing issue here with his horrible attempt at soloing. The band was really trying their best there, but ultimately it all just turns into out-of-tune bullsh*t, making the experience age poorly.

"Innerspirit" is also nicely decent. "Bleak" is ironically not as bleakly dull as most of the other tracks. It starts heavy then gets more experimental in the climax. It's nowhere as shallow as the lower points of the album.

So all we have is a few good songs, but everything else is mostly just simply obnoxious. Awesome riffing in those 3 songs, then the direction goes unfocused. And guess what, the lyrics are often worse than the ones in Machine Head's debut, and combined with the weak music, they make a lot of this album's material a laughingstock. I say the atrocity covers most tracks, while the more tolerable ones keep the album at its current rating score. I'm not sure I would be up for this Sepultura spin-off band again...

Favorites (only ones I like here): "I and I", "Innerspirit", "Bleak"

Machine Head isn't totally bad. I just can't get myself into enjoying a huge lot of this band, and with this band being an important developer of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, it's kind of a tragedy for my enjoyment of the movement. Machine Head was formed by frontman Robb Flynn in the early 90s after he left thrash metal band Vio-lence following a violent altercation. His time with Vio-lence was when mullet-headed metalheads where in a moshing frenzy from all that vicious thrash. Soon the idea of groove metal's mid-tempo breakdowns and tribal tattoos begin to roll into popularity, and thrash bands began to add accessibility to their heaviness. Trying to find something to enjoy from Robb Flynn's new-band-experience, Machine Head has only given me a dull bruise instead of the battering moshing I needed...

Honestly though, Burn My Eyes has built up a bit from the thrashy origin of Flynn's career. After his time with thrash, Flynn and co. began taking more inspiration from Biohazard, Pantera, and Sepultura's Chaos AD. These influences are injected into the thrash sound for the band's own brand of groove metal, with occasional hip-hop chords. The band didn't really have the hardcore credit or Pantera personality in the riffs and vocals. Burn My Eyes shows the band making a fine balance between dynamics and atmosphere to please some metalheads. The drum thunder rolls to make the primal riffing more bloodthirsty. The bass by Adam Duce is good and thick. Robb Flynn can really shout like a caveman, and I don't mean that as an insult. He can encourage you f***ing jump through the tempos and riffs like other bands from their record label Roadrunner. Also add to the groove is some mechanical guitar leads that would remind some of Prong at that time.

Listeners ready to tune in will be struck by the massive punch of "Davidian" that can be considered the Godflesh "Like Rats" of groove metal. "Old" is a brilliant track here. If you've been listening to metal for a long time like I have, the enjoyment depends on what you're really into. Still the aggression can get you headbanging in no time. It should be noted though the vocals might not be for fans of Pantera who expect Phil Anselmo's southern accent. Some might also think of Sacred Reich there! The vocals in "A Thousand Lies" kinda make a goofy take on Biohazard. The less confident "None But My Own" sounds dull in the clean vocals. The groove breakdown isn't really their best way of imitating Pantera at that time. Fortunately, the structural machinery shows that the band knows who and what they are.

"The Rage to Overcome" sounds like it continues from the previous track, though never really a stinker. "Death Church" is once again reminiscent of Godflesh. Just listen to the riffing that's like that band's extreme industrial riffing, but without the industrial. This is where Flynn has a more authentic mood in the vocals. That's perhaps my favorite track of the album, much more than the similar still massive "Davidian" and slightly above "Old". The lyrics are h*lla catchy and worth driving in your car to, "Hey Jesus, can you help me with my pain, mainline me some religion to keep me sane?" Next up, "A Nation on Fire" is a straight mix of groove and mood while again losing some confidence. Though the thrashy ending will get you geared up for what's next. "Blood for Blood" is the closest to the kick-A thrash of Vio-lence. In all honesty, there should've a few songs as fast as this to replace the somewhat earlier dull Pantera/Biohazard-like tracks to make a solid groove/thrash album. Never mind that, I don't want too much confusion.

"I'm Your God Now" is once again back to that g****mn grunge-ish formula. Nonetheless, Flynn's soft singing sounds the best here, especially during the mid-tempo riffing. The singing sounds grittier when the riffing goes faster. From there, the groove starts rising up to better enjoyment again, getting pretty f***ing close to the earlier highlights. "Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies" is filled with samples of crimes and brutality. Again, the band takes the industrial metal of Fear Factory at that time, but removes the industrial. It's easy to hear how strong Flynn is when facing politics. "This country needs to go under a radical change." Finally, "Block" is back to the Pantera/Biohazard-like groove, though in f***ing catchier form, with the guitar tone being a bit thrashy. Clearly it makes sense when you connect this with the then-recent sound of Sepultura.

Upon seeing what I think of the music and the lyrics in a couple tracks, you might think a lot of the lyrics are received positively from me. The truth is, the lyrics in most of the non-highlight tracks are some of the worst I've heard in groove metal, sounding too cliche in the topic of suffering. The cover art is quite bizarre. The best non-sexual guess I can is a photo merge of a couple headbanging positions. Despite the oddities and lyrical atrocities in half the amount of songs, Burn My Eyes is a decent start to the band's career and I understand the groove metal scene growing from there....

Favorites: "Davidian", "Old", "Death Church", "Blood for Blood", "Block"

OK, I may have been a little too optimistic when I said I have a great feeling about groove metal. This was around the time when grunge was entering the mainstream. A dark heavy rock (sometimes metal) genre with bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden reigning in the scene. Though as well-respected as a couple of those band's albums may be, the classic bands ended up following their footsteps. The 90s saw many of the American thrash bands discard their classic sound for something more modern. Metallica is the most famous victim of that trend. Though this band, Anthrax has ended up taking a more hardcore groove metal direction throughout most of that decade...

Well, it's not as atrocious to me as what many people think of it, there are some good points. Sounds of White Noise has some decent moments that I enjoy. The band knew how mature and capable they can be, surviving the reception for what they record and promote. With Sounds of White Noise showing the band abandoning their 80s thrash sound, this different direction isn't so fast, but it is darker. Joey Belladonna left the band (though he would return when the band's thrash returns) and taking his place is ex-Armored Saint frontman John Bush. He's not too bad, sounding better than the false grunge idols of Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. The lyrics Bush sings are more coherent, and his vocals sound more melodic. I kind of like his voice here, though he doesn't have a lot of capability.

Listen to "Potter's Field" for the dark heaviness to come. Despite sounding closer to the grunge movement, the notable highlight "Only" is a true keeper. The upsides of this different direction make something quite great there. "Room for One More" gives the first third of the album room for one more solid track.

"Packaged Rebellion" is where the band starts to take on the dreaded grunge side, detracting the might the album would've gained from the opening trio. Same with the next song "Hy Pro Glo". The following track "Invisible" is very good, despite the downsides making their appearance. "1000 Points of Hate" is a track I really hate, though it's not the biggest sh*tter. Sure there's a bit of their earlier fast thrash but it's f***ed up by the occasional switch to mid-tempo groove.

Despite being a dark soft ballad, "Black Lodge" is another favorite you just can't miss. The atmosphere makes the song sound dark instead of cheesy. There's also beautiful guitar harmony midway through. "C11 H17 N2 O2 S Na" means "sodium thiopental" is periodic table elements language. It's a slightly better bridge between the band's earlier sound and grunge. "Burst" shows the band continuing their darker direction while throwing back to the earlier thrash in a much better fashion. Another one of the three 4.5 star favorites! "This is Not an Exit" is a boring closer, sounding too much like an attempt to rip off Alice in Chains. That sh*tty-a** ending gives the album the most damage.

Despite sounding close to grunge at times, Sound of White Noise is a decent addition to the band's discography and 90s metal. It hits a few high levels while falling into lower ones. There are more slips and slides through a different direction than what they're known for, similarly to Metallica's motive, all occurring in the 90s. This is more recommended to fans of grunge and earlier groove metal. The heavier metalheads, especially fans of the band's classic thrash era, should avoid this kind of noise....

Favorites: "Only", "Room for One More", "Invisible", "Black Lodge", "Burst"

It's been about a year since I stopped listening to Nevermore, and I decided to re-review one of their albums. Enemies of Reality was controversial for the production job by ex-Queensrÿche guitarist Kelly Gray. Producer Andy Sneap remixed the album, which helped a little but not a lot. Dreaming Neon Black and Dead Heart in a Dead World were once golden classics for me, and this album, This Godless Endeavor, still takes on the greatness, with unique song structures of heavy riffing and excellent vocals.

This Godless Endeavor keeps the band's steady fire going, as greatly as they've done in Dead Heart in a Dead World. Guitarist Jeff Loomis performs complex riffing in 7-string slaughter, and drummer Van Williams goes heavy on his metallic drumming. Second guitarist Steve Smyth joins in on the action and contributed a bit of songwriting.

"Born" already speeds up right away with powerful thrash and Warrel Dane's vocal aggression before the melodic chorus. A great kick-A opener! The excellent "Final Product" isn't too special, but it represents the band's formula quite well. The chorus for "My Acid Words" is quite a heartful break from the heaviness that covers the rest of the highlight. The powerful composition "Bittersweet Feast" is another highlight.

"Sentient 6" lyrically continues from the epic closer of the band's earlier album The Politics of Ecstasy, starting off as a desperate ballad before ending with a vengeance. Jeff Loomis continues his guitar grace in "Medicated Nation". Then "The Holocaust of Thought" is a nice instrumental.

"Sell My Heart for Stones" is another calm ballad, though not as vengeful as the other ballad-like track. "The Psalm of Lydia" is full of surprises, such as acoustic guitar briefly snuck into the wild progressive thrash. The challenging progressive soloing can be found in ''A Future Uncertain'', which lyrics and riffing recycled from a demo. The 9-minute title epic is so fantastic and dynamic. The vocals and guitars truly add to the art, starting from monumental riffing and vocal layers, staying epic until the end.

This Godless Endeavor continued the band's greatness streak from Dead Heart in a Dead World, with a compact direction to love. Sadly, with the band's split and Dane's passing, they can no longer continue that streak. While there are other bands out there with killer releases, the vocals reign upon the modern metal throne! RIP Warrel Dane

Favorites: "Born", "My Acid Words", "Bittersweet Feast", "Sentient 6", "The Psalm of Lydia", "This Godless Endeavor"

Taking a short break before continuing my ultimate Pit test, I decided to test out another Revolution release of early mathcore. Hardcore fans know Nora from their split EP with mathcore legends The Dillinger Escape Plan. I thought I would be impressed with this EP as much as I am with TDEP...but I was wrong. Sure there's that full-on metal/mathcore going on, but the vocals are horribly painful to listen to. To put it simply, there isn't any of the powerful emotion of bands like Shai Hulud.

The opening title track is the one track I can stand. The metal riffing and bass crashes in and kicks you hard in the neck. The mix of metal and hardcore punk works well with the tempo. However, the vocals are too harshly twisted and predictable, like the guy's voice is heavily strained.

It's hard for me to explain what I feel about this. It's a short 5-track EP that would've been OK for the killer heavy instrumentation, but the screaming kind of turns it all into a joke. If an instrumental version of the EP, play that version in a speedy highway drive....

Favorites (only one I can stand): "Theneverendingyouline"

It's albums like Stigmata's The Heart Grows Harder in which the band has clear potential that somehow gets missed. It sounds like a hardcore/early metalcore band trying to replicate Metallica's earlier thrash sound that they discarded for the Black Album from the previous year. You can hear from the "progressive" drumming that falls out of place, especially the bass drum, the guitar riffing and leads that are good but a bit too much of a rip-off, and the vocals that sound more like a weak attempt at impersonating James Hetfield than most other metalcore bands. Pretty much a lot of the instrumentation sounds muddier than what black metal bands were doing those days production-wise...

The best song here by far is the title track, a 7-minute opening epic that actually reminds me of Paradise Lost's Shades of God in the earlier verses. Then midway through, things go as fast as the speed/thrash metal of early Metallica. But there's still a bit of the hardcore/metalcore that represents what the earlier bands of the genre were going for. Then it slows down again to that Paradise Lost-like pace. The rest of the album is 5 more songs with two scattered interludes, but none of them match the title track's glory.

I think it's quite interesting to hear Stigmata's attempt at a crossover blend of hardcore/early metalcore and the prog-ish thrash of 80s Metallica. Ultimately though, most of the album just falls flat on the face. Only the opening title track is worth much of your time....

Favorites (only one in this album): "The Heart Grows Harder"

Soundgarden. One of the earlier grunge/alternative metal bands, fronted by the legendary Chris Cornell. Sadly, he committed suicide in 2017, which caused the band to end and perhaps his close friend Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington to take his life as well on Chris' birthday. RIP both vocalists...

Under 3 decades before those tragedies, Soundgarden were becoming a classic band in the grunge/alternative metal scene with their first major album Louder Than Love. It's quite a cool stepping stone to their then-expanding adventurous career. Chris Cornell has great vocals, Kim Thayil's guitar playing really blooms, Hiro Yamamoto flows with his bass, and drummer Matt Cameron performs complex time signatures. The production is audible and metallic, though it could've used some improvement.

The interesting opener "Ugly Truth" creeps in with atmosphere that might seem abrupt for newcomer listeners. The irregular riffing sounds nice, so I can cross off that small issue. It shines in peace while having a sinister mood, like wandering through a wasteland. The riff strikes during the atmosphere in this composition written by Cornell. The atmosphere is quite awesome compared to other alt-metal bands. The technique used in there would carry on in later albums. There's some more of this strong writing in "Hands All Over". It's environment-themed in the lyrics, so if you Cornell yelling "You're gonna kill your mother, yeah...and I love her", it's about the destruction of Mother Earth, not matricide. Another good creeper is "Gun", with has a slow sludgy start before speeding things up. "Power Trip" is a conceited take on the lyrics and music of glam metal.

"Get on The Snake" hints at what they would have later on in their career. Reaching punky levels, "Full on Kevin’s Mom" is as fast as earlier hardcore. Still it's lighter and closer to hard rock. The lyrics are apparently about some dude whose mom gets beaten up by an a****le that was once the dude's friend. "MOMMY!!!" The strongest song of the album is the semi-title track "Loud Love", though a bit creepy. "I Awake" is more somber. The twists in the intro and heavy riffing give it a creepy nightmarish vibe. Cornell shouting "I love you! I LOVE YOU!!" add more tension to the lyrics about not taking an estranged relationship. Great track with simple yet moody riffing!

"No Wrong No Right" has thinner instrumentation and less remarkable vocals. Probably the worst here. Another simple yet strong track is "Uncovered", also hinting at what they would develop later. There's straight melody and comforting atmosphere that nicely adds to the pace. "Big Dumb Sex" is another glam metal parody track that I would never recommend for the more serious metalheads. "Full On (reprise)" isn't really a necessary way to end the album.

All in all, Louder Than Love is a strong loud album. Though I've heard more cohesive albums from more recent bands. Still it's a great album to dive into. But will I be up to checking out more of this band? Not sure, but it's my call....

Favorites: "Ugly Truth", "Hands All Over", "Gun", "Loud Love", "I Awake", "Uncovered"

In late 2006, the most popular thing in the world was the then-recently-released Nintendo Wii. For the Brazilian progressive power metal fanbase, it was Angra's Aurora Consurgens. An album that has made their day on Thanksgiving and Christmas besides turkey and presents!

I was nearly a decade late for the action when I first discovered this album, and the rest of the band's discography. Back then, I was more interested in progressive/power metal than any of the genres I still listen to today. Back then, the previous album Temple of Shadows was the true perfect gem of their discography. Aurora Consurgens came close to sharing its reign, especially when it started with an absolute mind-blower...

"The Course of Nature" is a bad-a** hit, worth listening to on a bus ride or shuttle train throughout the country, though try to control yourself during those rides so people won't stare at you like you're a madman. Those 4 and a half minutes are so awesome, especially the middle bridge. The sick riffing and soloing differs from what the band has done in Rebirth, and I still love it today, long after laying the power metal side of my interest to rest. Another track "The Voice Commanding You" looks back at the band's power metal era of Rebirth. "Ego Painted Grey" masters the band's progressive side that they've been picking up since Temple of Shadows, with excellent dynamic depth. The guitar soloing by Kiko Loureiro and Rafael Bittencourt is really put forward in unbelievable ways. The catchy "Breaking Ties" has more accessible melody.

"Salvation Suicide" is insane yet lovable for the earlier fans, along with some technicality. The guitar soloing is filled with highly impressive shredding that fans of such an aspect would want more of. Same with the furious "Window to Nowhere". The 7-minute epic "So Near So Far" continues the band's signature aspect of adding Brazilian percussion into the mix, though it's not as much as they used to have in Holy Land. The guitar has more groove, and that's something the band hadn't tried until this album. Still their usual brand of melodic progressive power metal is the key, especially in that song.

This is then followed by the smooth "Passing By". Then "Scream Your Heart Out" is a progressive highlight that will make you do what the song title says. Vocalist Edu Falaschi is known for his incredible vocal range, though the lower part of his singing doesn't appear in "Abandoned Fate", quite lower than before, in fact! It's quite noticeable and fits well with the ballad. The kick-A bonus track "Out of This World" was written for Marcos Pontes, the first Brazilian astronaut, and Bittencourt took over on lead vocals.

There's practically nothing that I would consider a waste of time in this amazing album. I even like the ballads! My rediscovery of Angra has stunned me again with another one of their albums that has pleased me today as it had almost 8 years ago. The progressive power metal memories still shine!

Favorites: "The Course of Nature", "Ego Painted Grey", "Salvation Suicide", "So Near So Far", "Scream Your Heart Out", "Out of This World" (bonus track)

Time for me to again give you a brief summary of what the deal was with classic metal genres transitioning in the early 90s. Most thrash metal bands at that time either left in a hurry or switched to a different style, most notably alternative or groove metal. But those bands started in the early to mid-80s, and the ones late in the game that started in the late 80s wanted to have the last bit of what was popular when the story was already moving on. Anacrusis is one of those latecomers, and they still had their great sense of technicality and unique atmosphere, unlike other late-80s-starting bands like Annihilator that fell victim to mainstream pressure too soon at that time.

Screams and Whispers is a masterpiece! They really ended their initial run smoothly. It was quite an incredible surprise to me after just finding this band this week. It's a dark atmospheric swansong offering. Kenn Nardi has an impressive vocal range, ranging from aggressive shouting, almost deathly, to clean operatic singing that you can find from other thrashy progressive metal bands like Nevermore.

The lower sorrow of his cleans can already be found in the dramatic riff-wrath of "Sound the Alarm". The pessimistic darkness would continue in later songs, while the mid-paced riffing stays sharp and keeps the bleakness interesting. The chorus in "Sense of Will" has greater speed. The progressive "Too Many Prophets" has mystical keyboards.

"Release" is a highlight that tackles a style similar to earlier progressive rock/metal. A remix would later appear as a bonus track. A faster standout "Division" has pounding bass and drums. A nice operatic progressive track "Tools of Separation" has more atmospheric heights. "Grateful" has a heavier contrast. It is a tremendous song with the best of the album's guitars and keyboards. Honestly, I'm so grateful to hear such a well-written track as a break from the depressiveness. The most positive highlight here!

The more technical "A Screaming Breath" follows. Then the dynamic "My Souls Affliction" shreds through. "Driven" has that heavier contrast yet again. The 7-minute finale of the album and the band's initial run, "Brotherhood?" is quite ambitious. The first half includes a riff taken from an old demo song, and the second half is mostly orchestral. It can be a bit draggy, but it's still an acceptable way to leave the stage. The orchestration comes from the keyboards instead of an actual orchestra, so I can't really put the "early symphonic metal" stamp on it. Still it adds a whole new dimension to the sound before ending it all in grace.

With Screams and Whispers, Anacrusis made their technical transition achievement better than what other bands had done that year. Coroner's last album Grin was more progressive than their previous album, but leaned too much into industrial-ish groove metal territory. Voivod dumped the thrashy side of their progressive thrash metal sound for something more experimental. Anacrusis stayed firmly in thrashy progressive metal with the right amount of balance. Sadly, they disbanded right after that album, a self-sacrifice to not fall into the modern trap. However, in the early 2010s, they were back on the touring road for some time, and they even re-recorded their first two albums, then after that, other than a 2019 reunion show, they again said "That's all, folks!" But if they ever come back in the future with a new original album, sound the alarm!

Favorites: "Sound the Alarm", "Release", "Division", "Grateful", "Driven", "Brotherhood?"

I don't think I have listened to The Chariot before this album became this month's Revolution feature release. Once again I found another diamond in the rough totally worth adding to my collection. Thanks for this, Daniel!

The Chariot had already made 3 albums before this, each more popular than the last, and their 4th album Long Live is filled with relentless energy. Unlike a band like Motionless in White that often balances aggressive verses with sweet choruses, The Chariot is firmly set in pure metalcore throughout each song, making the genre more exciting for the heavier fans. Long Live proves that the band is standing high in the metalcore game.

Opening track "Evan Perks" already perfectly unleashes aggressive emotion through the screaming of Josh Scogin, "DISAPPOINTED?!?! I KNOW YOU ARE!!!" Lots of chaos in just a minute and a half! "The Audience" is a highlight with ever-changing vocals. Injecting more surprises into the skin, "Calvin Makenzie" makes unexpected metal dives from something brutal to something old-school. The old ditty can cause an impact, but it's quite odd and doesn't work entirely. Nonetheless, that's a solid song, and the album's perfection isn't affected one bit.

Something worth singing along to is "The City", when it builds into a choir in the melodic midsection. Singing is so rare in this album, with potential to reach a stadium. Next song "Andy Sundwall" heads back into the usual metalcore with not as much as brutal energy as other songs. Scogin's vocals in "The Earth" are in constant movement as the band do what they want before a dark breakdown. A video was made for the diverse highlight "David De La Hoz". The song features a weird bridge from a hillbilly preacher, and it ends with a soft harp outro.

Strangely there's a more art-rock vibe added to "The Heavens", but it still becomes a sludgy math-metalcore highlight, simple yet admirable. As we reach the end, the chaotic "Robert Rios" charges. With a lengthy drum bridge midway through, "The King" is a 6-minute long epic, a bit like a more experimental heavy Underoath, whose producer Matt Goldman help recorded this album in a live analog technique.

Long Live has clear production as much it has raw energy in this fresh masterpiece. If you need a lot of metalcore adrenaline, one of Georgia's finest bands of the genre can give it to you. Long live their music!

Favorites: "The Audience", "The City", "David De La Hoz", "The Heavens", "The King"

I wanted to find an album that is so bad and sh*tty, enough to fit my own top 10 worst albums list. I thought I would search in the early mathcore or deathcore release lists because that's where I found some sh*tters during my rediscovery journey. And ladies and gentlemen, this is the F***ING WORST!!!

Just from the band name and album title, I knew F*** the Facts was gonna be a massive issue for me, and it is! It's all just a true example of f***ing grindcore that is a b***h to get used to for those inexperienced with the genre like myself. And I was expecting some bad-a** Dillinger Escape Plan-like mathcore and there ain't! I should've known from a band that has the same genre as a certain band named A.C. that made a track homophobically insulting DEP fans, among other controversial tracks.

If you're a fan of grindcore and its bands, you do you. However, albums like this prove that this genre is not the right one for me. F*** this band F*** the Facts!

Favorites: N/A

This Angra album was a classic for me when I was still listening to power metal. After some months passed since I've made my full move out of most of power metal, I started wondering if there are any bands of albums for me to give another chance. My Audiomachine-loving friend has even gotten into listening to a few of those bands that I used to enjoy. When Angra's Temple of Shadows became this month's Guardians featured release, I just knew the time would be right for some redemption...

Any open-minded music fan should try at least one mature concept album to explore the story that you might find in a book or a movie. All the band members have worked together to build the soundtrack to a story written by guitarist Rafael Bittencourt, proving that their teamwork really made the dream work!

The melodic intro "Deux Le Volt!" consists of classic orchestration without anything electric. It's the result of Bittencourt's music studies to be recognized by Angra fans. Then the first actual track "Spread Your Fire" kicks in the headbanging power metal action right from the drumming and powerful guitar soloing. I actually still think this song is quite epic since first listen. And there's more of the professional guitar solo dueling between Bittencourt and Kiko Loureiro. Vocalist Edu Falaschi has such a unique style, though not as high-ranging as the band's earlier vocalist Andre Matos (RIP). Emphasizing the start of this journey is the background soprano vocals of Sabine Edelsbacher of Edenbridge. "Angels and Demons" has a faster beat. The lyrics let you know about the angels and demons controlling your mind, as part of the perils in this ongoing journey. This can almost be an outtake for their previous album Rebirth while still connected to this album's tale. "Waiting Silence" has some synth atmosphere with good melody and great vocals. The bridge and soloing sounds awfully close to Dream Theater at times, though that's just the band's way of exploring beyond their stylistic limits. As a result, that song is a more progressive take on power metal, hinting at their later material, and it's quite interesting for the audience. "Wishing Well" has nice acoustic melody and choir arrangement in a journey through dreamland. There's already a music video for that track! It should interest non-metal music listeners looking for something sweet. The soloing and vocal power can help maintain metalheads' attention. It can leave travelers both determined and confused. Good song for the softer listeners!

The earlier heaviness of Angels Cry returns in "Temple of Hate". The power metal devil Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray sings alongside the angelic Falaschi. Those vocals remind you of the angel-demon battles that can make the heavier melodic metalheads smile. Alongside the good speedy power metal, you can hear a bit of background violins and drum variation. The soloing by Loureiro is so impressive, probably more than Dream Theater, and the violins really level up the powerful guitar riffing. This song is definitely worth repeating! "Shadow Hunter" is a grand 8-minute epic. The Latin influence can be found in the acoustics and percussion, accompanied by nice clean vocals. The electric guitar adds to that melody without being too heavy. The harmonic vocals can lead you to the excellent soloing for atmospheric power, alongside the usual drum kicks. One of the best tracks here happens to be one of the only ballads that I ever actually consider great, "No Pain for The Dead", while adding in the guitar and orchestration that really make the track a great hit. The progressive side of the band grows in the tempo and vocal development. Sabine Edelsbacher returns for more of the spotlight, and sounds the absolute best in this album. Thumbs up! "Winds of Destination" is good, but the tempo sounds off in some parts. The songs tries to build up but falls back down. This might fit better for a different band like Freedom Call or Blind Guardian (the latter's vocalist Hansi Kürsch guest appearing in that song). Not bad, but not so necessary.

The band's Brazilian roots shine in "Sprouts of Time" with moving percussion. Falaschi sings lower here, which is a good beautiful break from the higher vocal motive of power/speed metal. The mood spreads into Loureiro's soloing to help solidify the band's regional identity. A good sound to add to their style! "Morning Star" is the best track here. After the Brazilian rhythms comes a perfect transition into something wonderful. At atmospheric jazzy bridge is around to give the guitar and bass a nice touch. The vocals by Falaschi add more sweetness to the beginning of the journey's end. The melody morphs into heavier guitar for the chorus, repeated in the second verse. Soon a heavier dose of power is added to the strength of the riffing, soloing, and drumming. The headbanging power metal carries on until a few more verses and a final chorus to end in orchestral grandeur. The story actually ends with "Late Redemption", which is beautiful, but to me, more like an afterthought. The band members perform with more emotionally with some vocals by 60s/70s Brazilian pop star Milton Nascimento. "Gate XIII" is the 5-minute orchestral reprise of all the songs in the album, almost like the end credits music for a possible movie adaptation, similar to the end of Nightwish's Imaginaerum.

I certainly remember when Temple of Shadows was a classic part of my power metal collection, and the times when I would repeat it along with other albums of the genre. I would definitely give the album a perfect 5 stars if I reviewed it 8 years ago. Still this is worth a close enough 4.5 stars as its "classic" status isn't going away anywhere!

Favorites: "Spread Your Fire", "Waiting Silence", "Temple of Hate", "The Shadow Hunter", "No Pain for The Dead", "Morning Star"

*Sigh*... I would've dived into more of this band Sigh's over 3-decade 12-album career if I had more interest in avant-garde black metal with Japanese lyrics. With that said, their new album Shiki has given me great surprises. There are many meanings for the word "Shiki" and this album focuses on two of them; the Vivaldi/Wintersun-like motive of "4 seasons" and the DSBM-like attitude of "wanting to die". However, do they really follow those meanings? Let's find out...

The instrumentation really supports the album well, with guitars and bass by ex-DragonForce member Frédéric Leclercq and drumming by Fear Factory's Mike Heller. Longtime Sigh fans know the band's unpredictable weirdness, but some of them didn't expect the band to take a more serious Eastern progressive metal turn here.

A strange 15-second demon ritual-sounding intro "Kuroi Inori" (Black Prayer) starts the album similarly to the aforementioned DragonForce's debut Valley of the Damned. But in "Kuroi Kage" (Black Shadow), instead of speedy power metal, we have Celtic Frost vibes of slow black-doom-ish guitars with a psychedelic background. It's the soundtrack to a haunting nightmare! The insane high shrieks of vocalist Mirai are actually given more significance by the Japanese lyrics. It's not just slow gloom in this album though, as the black metal part of the sound crashes in "Shoujahitsumetsu" (Death of the Living), one of the fastest tracks of the album. There's also some classic metal influence, especially in the soloing, which is quite amazing, consider Leclercq's occasional soloing contributions to DragonForce.

"Shikabane" (Corpse) thunders through with powerful kick-A drumming. Check out "Satsui - Geshi No Ato" (Murderous Intent - After the Summer Solstice) for more of those thrashy drums and classic metal vibes, all that depart slightly from the avant-garde extreme metal of the earlier tracks. One track that's slightly laughable is "Fuyu ga Kuru" (Winter is Coming), and as if that title wasn't the tip-off, it seems too much like something worth appearing in an Eastern adaptation of the Game of Thrones soundtrack. "Shouku" (Community) is the closest we have to the bass and drums of the band's earlier black metal, while the guitar and background cleans add more melodic variety.

"Kuroi Kagami" (Black Mirror) is another ominous interlude. Then "Mayonaka No Kaii" (Midnight Mystery), despite reminding some of a weird Japanese Jethro Tull tribute at times, is an amazing highlight. Surprising turns in the instrumentation makes this an unforgettable wild ride. Did I mention the amount of surprises this band can pull? The oriental outro "Touji no Asa" (Morning at That Time) will keep you on your seat for what would come next in the future, if there are any more weirdly fun standouts to come...

So, did this band really worship Vivaldi, Wintersun, or DSBM? NOPE. Instead it's based on Japanese poem about Mirai's perilous journey from Autumn, through Winter, to Spring. Interesting concept, and very interesting album. Should there be an English translation though? I personally would hope so!

Favorites: "Kuroi Kage", "Shoujahitsumetsu", "Shikabane", "Shouku", "Mayonaka No Kaii"

Katatonia is known as one of the finest metal bands to come from Stockholm, Sweden. So why am I not getting into more of this action? See, they started as a death-doom band throughout the early/mid-90s, and they made a couple of the best albums of that genre. But when I left the Fallen clan, I distanced away from this band (among other death-doom bands), and the depressive lyrics they've had throughout their career kind of boosted my moving out motive. Interestingly, their albums from Viva Emptiness onwards are in the clan I switched into, The Gateway, with those albums considered dark alternative metal with post-/progressive elements. When I found out about their newest album Sky Void of Stars (the title sounds like a depressing take on a Coldplay single), I remembered the decently well-made City Burials from 3 years prior and my subsequent wonder of whether or not Jonas Renkse and co. could do better. And they've done it! They've made something close to a masterpiece of creativity.

There's just so much to discover the moment this offering started playing. They've enhanced their sound in this ongoing alt-metal era, continuing the mellowness of City Burials while eliminating the plodding factors and climbing back up towards the top. My concerns about if the depressiveness becomes too depressing is now out the window, and instead we have what might just be the best album Katatonia made in 25 years.

Dropping in right away is "Austerity", an incredible 4-minute opener of progressive force, complex in the riffing and rhythm while staying melodic. Drummer Daniel Moilanen makes his way through an impossibly big amount of time signatures. Bassist Niklas Sandin impressively keeps up with the fast technicality, into a bridge of mellow jazz. Guitar duo Anders Nyström and Roger Öjersson are the masters behind the riff complexity, with the latter performing a beautiful soloing. Of course, we can't forget about Jonas Renkse's warm vocal melodies, but while the unpredictability of the vocals can level up the impact, right from the beginning, it might catch you off guard at times. "Colossal Shade" gradually slows down into mid-tempo with lighter catchy melodies and bouncing electronics. Of course, darkness still lurks in the heavy guitar dissonance, especially in the bridge harkening back to Viva Emptiness. "Opaline" calms things down further. It's easily accessible with mellow dark electronic keyboards, leading up to a chorus of melancholic majesty, bringing back memories of The Great Cold Distance.

Continuing the flow is "Birds", restoring more of the straight heaviness of their early 2000s albums like Viva Emptiness, within the sinister atmosphere and urgent melody. Softer again is the more psychedelic "Drab Moon". Adding more tension again is "Author", with a chorus that really throws back to dark melody of the band's earliest albums since abandoning death-doom, Discouraged Ones and Tonight's Decision. "Impermanence" will leave you spellbound as a power ballad where Renkse sings together with Soen vocalist Joel Ekelöf, as the beautiful guitar leads take you towards the doom-rock of Last Fair Deal Gone Down.

"Sclera" is an underrated highlight, as the subtle melody, drumming, and electronics evoke great effect. While that song's chorus is memorizing with perfect tension, it's not as much as "Atrium", another glorious melodic goth alt-metal highlight that should really have as much attention as their 2000s era while making a great dark throwback to their late-90s albums. The 6-minute progressive closing piece, "No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall" changes things quite a lot with twists in the riffs and evolution in the bleak vocals. And after all that's over, the listener will be left wondering what's next for the band... Unless they get the edition with the bonus track "Absconder", which unfortunately sounds too much like they're trying to recreate the sound of Last Fair Deal Gone Down and doesn't come out as greatly as all the other tracks.

If you're not as experienced with Katatonia as I am (despite my break from that band for over a year), Sky Void of Stars wouldn't be easy for you initially unless you give a lot of listening time. Eventually, it'll be worth witnessing the album's brilliance. Katatonia had finally made their way back on top in their discography, and I look forward to more!

Favorites: "Austerity", "Opaline", "Author", "Sclera", "Atrium", "No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall"

It really is sad when a few of the best bands I've ever listened to end up splitting up so soon. After only 4 years and two albums, the band members parted ways. Guitarist Malice Rime and bassist Zoltan Harpax formed a different band with a more folk-ish take on their sound, Manntra. Drummer Torsten Nihill joined death-thrashers Monox. No one knows what happened to vocalist Mya Mortensen, but hopefully she's still around.

See, very few bands ever made their music almost entirely perfect throughout the career, but this band is a rarity! Kinetic continues the talented vocals and instrumentation that made Dreams in Formaline a shining star.

"Colossus" shows that the band had the potential to keep rolling after two albums, but sadly declined that opportunity. This is an awesome epic start to this album. This is more kick-A than Rammstein! It really continues where the band left off in their debut Dreams in Formaline. It makes me think of what would happen if Theatre of Tragedy continue the industrial pop rock elements of Musique and Assembly in Storm while keeping that album's gothic metal comeback, or simply a more industrial Evanescence. They should really reform sometime. "Dance With Me" is another pretty great song to enjoy for some of this band's gothic industrial metal sound. "Strip Me" has this broken desire kind of theme. "Time of Change" is a heavier track that grants you the ability to catch the world in your hands.

The title track perfectly exemplifies what the album is made of, from the beating heart. "Salvation Refused" shows that your battles against life aren't always fair, but you can overcome them. "I Am God" is the kind of song that makes you question your beliefs of God, but it doesn't affect me. "Breaking" is another absolutely underrated highlight.

For some over-the-top marching, check out "Cut Forget" for what sounds like a crossover between Joan Jett and anthemic hard rock. "Wind" is a nice softer track to fill the air. The album's final track "Pjesma (A Song)" marks the band's swan song. It's a shining straight anthem, partly sung in the band's native language. I almost feel like crying in both sadness and joy. There's also a bonus remix of the title track, but I prefer the original.

And there you have it, Omega Lithium, probably the best lesser-known female-vocal symphonic-infused gothic/industrial metal band to come from Europe. It's a refreshing break from any of the other genres I enjoy, and if the band was more popular, they wouldn't have disappeared after a short career. Let their music live on!

Favorites: "Colossus", "Time of Change", "Kinetik", "Breaking", "Cut Forget", "Pjesma (A Song)"

Omega Lithium is one of the most unknown yet underrated bands I've heard. I just love their spectacular gothic female-led industrial metal glory throughout their two albums. And my interest in that band started because my brother was listening to one of their songs. It's a real shame that they split up after those two albums, but their legacy shall carry on and having their 2009 debut Dreams in Formaline up as a feature release might just be a step in giving them a bit of the attention the band should've had.

This band can make songs to get stuck in your mind, and I was certainly hooked! This is full-on industrial/gothic metal to please your ears, so sit back and let this young cyber-sorceress Mya Mortensen guide you through this dark sci-fi apocalyptic realm...

With an epic opening track like "Infest", just how could this awesome band be short-lived?!? This band can add electronics into metal without ever going into hip-hop territory! The sexy vocals sound far better than Lady Gaga. Absolutely precious! "Stigmata" is an awesome song to love, and it makes me wish Omega Lithium would one day reform. Mya Mortensen is really pretty, and pretty talented in the industrial/gothic metal scene. Again you can almost consider her the Lady Gaga of metal! I can thank my brother for showing me that song. "My Haunted Self" continues the lyrical theme of the first track, in which a couple is haunted by the ghost of past revenge. The title track has evil bleak synths, with emotions controlling humans in an attempt to make dreams come true.

"Andromeda" is one of the heaviest songs here, and a terrifying creature from a science lab escapes and wants to devour humanity, "We’re dying, we’re crying, just because she escaped". The humanity-threatened monster continues to roam in "Nebula", a scary yet catchy masterpiece composition. Within the evil synthesized violins and cold vocals, the creature has DNA from the aliens of Nebula who wage war on Earth to tired out the human rebellion. Another one of the best songs here is the twisted "Snow Red", in which a boy murders his mother for sexually abusing him. Dark heaviness in the keyboards, riffing, and vocals let out an uneasy yet pleasant vibe throughout the song, especially in the chorus, "Love is the strongest weapon, joined with the blade". In "Hollow March", the industrial/gothic metal blend is still on, albeit in a quick epic pace. D*mn, this band is so underrated!

I can't say much about "Factor: Misery", but it's still really great. Then we have "Angel's Holocaust", in which a woman wants her lover to do an act of terrifying devastation. Then "Point Blank" shows us the scary consequences of society's self destruction. That's actually quite political, and I'm not one to discuss those kinds of topics. Still it's a beautiful way to end, if not including the US edition bonus track... "Ocean Dream" seems to be repetitive in the dark instrumentation. The rating I give this album covers its standard edition that doesn't include that repetitive but still good bonus track.

Dreams in Formaline is the first of only two albums by Omega Lithium. The production is excellent, as are Mya Mortensen's serene clean vocals. I really love this album, and there's nothing here I don't like! Well, except for a small bit of the bonus track. Although this band is no more, their music shall continue shining in the future!

Favorites: "Infest", "Stigmata", "Nebula", "Snow Red", "Hollow March", "Point Blank"