Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

I was hoping for a slightly better follow-up to Caliban's debut on their side of this EP, but what do I end up getting? A more generic-sounding melodic death/metalcore split EP with some of its entertainment value. The other band hasn't been great either, after reviewing one of that band's albums a couple years ago...

The intro is sampled from a composition used for the 1992 Dracula film, a great atmospheric build-up. Then a good thrash/groove riff rises after a great scream beginning the first real song "Assassin of Love". There are two f***ing brilliant breakdowns, but afterwards, the song sounds a bit draggy. "A Summer Dream" is just weak thrashy melodeath-metalcore, with only the intense vocals not sounding lame. The riffs really need faster speed and sharper changes for the genre to work.

The intro of "Sunday's Words" is nice, but the rest is weak-sounding metalcore, and not the thrashy melodic-ish kind I prefer. Their cover of Heaven Shall Burn's "Partisan" is very good though. Then the outro is an audio sample from Pulp Fiction.

I just can't say anything about Heaven Shall Burn's side of the EP. I mean, some parts sound raw and good, but there just isn't any great or mentionable. Except the vocals that are once again the best aspect, ranging from good growls to great screams. However, the structure is terrible, spoiled especially by the drumming. Metalcore is awesome, but they were missing a lot to learn. A real metalhead would skip most of the songs in the EP, and if they're up for better metalcore like I am, best to search elsewhere....

Favorites (only from Caliban's side): "Assassin of Love", "Partisan"

Good amount of chaotic potential, though much too intense for my liking. Daughters' Canada Songs had the one to two minute grind-mathcore song aspect done much better. And those song titles are hard as sh*t to type without copy-pasting! The final 6 and a half minute epic works out well, but the rest of the album? No thanks! This is just another case of grind-mathcore sounding more than I can take....

Favorites (only one I can stand): "2xs{om:cclc}2xs{/f}4xs{ccl}2xs{g:infct}1xs{hx}3xs{:\:.}"

The first nu metal band with gnarly masks that comes to the minds of many people is Slipknot. But for me, it's Mushroomhead. Despite not being as successful as Slipknot, Mushroomhead has been around since a couple years before Slipknot was formed, and this industrial-ish take on nu/alt-metal is more interesting to me. Their 8th album A Wonderful Life proves that the band can stay relevant after a 6-year gap and the departure on longtime members vocalist Jeffrey Hatrix and keyboardist Tom Schmitz.

As always, the industrial-ish nu/alt-metal sound is blended together with pieces of hip-hop and techno, whether separate or together. Props to the new lineup that includes new vocalists Steve Rauckhorst and Jackie LaPonza, one-off guitarist Tom Shaffner, and sampler Rick Thomas taking over on keyboards, for keeping the band alive!

"A Requiem for Tomorrow" opens with a church choir before a rollercoaster ride of a familiar yet fresh heavy sound. The attitude changes when you nicely expect it to change. "Madness Within" has Marilyn Manson-infused madness, some unusual elements to spice up the cauldron. First single "Seen It All" hints at the band taking a more accessible route than before. Not quite a surprising track, but Rauckhorst's vocal range has promising melody. No matter how repetitive it is, the catchiness still pleases me a bit. Taking the vocal spotlight in "The Heresy" is 3rd vocalist Jackie LaPonza. Next song "What a Shame" is where rapping/growling vocalist Jason Popson gets ahead of the game with his vocals. With eerie carnival-like experimentation, it's almost like "Qwerty" all over again!

Clear strings and choir appear in "Pulse" that almost make that track full-on symphonic metal. "Carry On" is a beautiful addictive highlight. It's almost entirely clean vocals here, and I like it as much as the other tracks. Great music! The band sure know how to build back up after their split from Schmitz and Hatrix. It's so riveting! I feel like this is a continuation of the dedication to the loved ones they lost that started with their previous album The Righteous and the Butterfly. Keep calm and do what that song says! Some epic doom can be heard in "The Time Has Come" before speeding up. "11th Hour" is a strange yet enjoyable track of Faith No More influences in the music and vocals.

"I am the One" has nu metal riffing performed well by Shaffner. Ballad-ish "The Flood" lets the piano flow as the song progresses. "Where the End Begins" has more of that piano and other diverse aspects everywhere in this 7-minute epic. Absolutely exciting! The choir-led finale "Confutatis" is something unexpected from the band, but it allows the standard edition to come full-circle. There are 4 bonus tracks in the special edition, but not much is interesting there, apart from the destructive "Sound of Destruction".

All in all, A Wonderful Life continues the band's strong streak. They have a new lineup and modern approach while staying true to their name and getting fans on the edge of their seats over what the future has in store. Wonderful!

Favorites: "A Requiem for Tomorrow", "Madness Within", "What a Shame", "Carry On", "The Time Has Come", "11th Hour", "Where the End Begins", "Sound of Destruction"

It's strange how Mushroomhead is part of the nu/alt-metal pack but has never gained the huge success many of their other peers have gained. Nonetheless, this band has a large fanbase that barely of those other bands have. The dedication fans have for Mushroomhead is a good reason for their 3-decade existence at this point, and why open-minded metalheads, such as myself, have no trouble at all with albums like this one, The Righteous and the Butterfly!

Following up from the heavy Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children, the industrial-ish nu/alt-metal blend of brutality and beauty still stands in this album. The Righteous and the Butterfly introduces two new members, guitarist Tommy Church and bassist Ryan "Dr. F" Farrell. Jason "J Mann" Popson returns on vocal duties to make a 3-vocalist lineup (or 4 if including their later vocalist Jackie Laponza who guest appears in one song here). The title pays tribute to two longtime contributors who passed away in the years leading up to this album, former guitarist JJ Righteous and band photographer Vanessa Solowiow (drummer Skinny's wife). RIP...

Opening this album is "Our Apologies" that pretty much summarizes all that Mushroomhead is known for. Then we take on "How Many Times" that's more melodic and ominous as h*ll. "Devils Be Damned" continues the hardcore adrenaline that's gotten the band this far in their career. "Qwerty" is a song that sounds weird at first, but eventually I end up loving it to bits. This might've also happened to my brother because he loves it as well. I guess you can consider this Slipknot performing at a haunted carnival. Seriously, this band should've had greater fame than Slipknot. The haunting piano makes a comeback in "Portraits of the Poor". It very well sums up the slower Mushroomhead tracks of yore that can please both modern metal fans and ballad lovers.

"Childlike" has haunting beauty with the vocals mainly done by Jus Mic of 10.000 Cadillacs. "This Cold Reign" launches back into heaviness to tear you apart. And again in "We are the Truth" with its country-like guitar and the aforementioned guest vocals by Jackie Laponza. The Best Buy version has a few bonus remixes of that song at the end of the album. If you thought there's not much experimentation left here, "Son of 7" will have you think otherwise. Another standout, "For Your Pleasure" has pretty much everything you can find from Mushroomhead, practically from every era. A true gem!

"Worlds Collide" sounds like you're going down a cave until a heavy monster crushes you. "Graveyard Du Jour" is as spooky as a graveyard while maintaining some heavy moments. One more original track "Out of My Mind" has smokin' hot metal. It practically pays great tribute to earlier heroes like Judas Priest. A high-quality heavy tune! But my actual favorite song here is their cover of Adele's "Rumor Has It". It's no rumor that this awesome cover is what got me into this band. Incredible!

All in all, Mushroomhead have their strongest album since XIII in The Righteous and the Butterfly, nicely improved from the albums in between. Both longtime fans and newcomers will love this righteous album, essential for any nu/alt-metal fans' collection!

Favorites: "Our Apologies", "Qwerty", "Portraits of the Poor", "This Cold Reign", "For Your Pleasure", "Out of My Mind", "Rumor Has It"

Mushroomhead and Slipknot were in a bit of a feud throughout the 2000s due to their aesthetic similarities, but then they ended their rivalry and became close friends. They even paid respects to each other's fallen members in 2010; ex-Mushroomhead guitarist John "JJ Righteous" Sekula and original Slipknot bassist Paul Gray (RIP). Though while the bands themselves have buried the hatchet, their fans are still burying hatchets into each other's heads, with some of them claiming that Mushroomhead is ripping off Slipknot. In reality, Mushroomhead's sound is much different, and they were creating music in the underground before Slipknot even formed. The situation is pretty much equivalent to people thinking Big Nate is a Diary of a Wimpy Kid ripoff when Big Nate is actually around before Wimpy Kid and both book series' authors know each other.

The global success Mushroomhead would achieve did not come until their compilation XX and their first two major-label albums XIII and Savior Sorrow, standing out from the nu/alt-metal pack with their experimental sound. The band can still stay strong despite having to leave behind one of their original vocalists and the record label that propelled them into fame, before their previous album. For this one, Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children, they continue their industrial-ish nu/alt-metal journey with more emphasis on metal. Still you can hear the Faith No More-ish wackiness to keep their stylistic personality in place.

First track/single "Come On" punches through with its heavy instrumentation and catchy vocals. The song has some notoriety in the foul chanting chorus ("Do you really wanna f*** with me?! COME ON!") and its music video that's too graphic for television. Starting off "Inspiration" is some fiddling of synths and drums that can turn off anyone who hates nu metal or industrial. I can hear a bit of Limp Bizkit in the hip-hop pace. "Slaughterhouse Road" has a lot to expect from Mushroomhead. The name of the song was the album's working title before the band changed it to its current one based on a DC Comics graphic novel series. The Faith No More influences are the most prominent in "I'll Be Here", where Tom Schmitz displays his keyboard/piano talent. The sampled children noises are a bit odd yet interesting.

"Burn the Bridge" starts with a funny beatboxing intro then launches into thrash aggression. "Holes in the Void" has more of the keyboard drama with some guest vocals by Joe Altier and Sarah Sloan. The percussive intro in "Harvest the Garden" leads to rock-out groove-ish riffing. "The Harm You Do" is close to ominous blues rock in the guitar.

The vocal contrast stands out the most in "Your Demise" between vocalists Waylon Reavis and Jeffrey Hatrix. Topping it all off is excellent soloing by Dave Felton. "The Feel" is a ballad with a lot in common with the slower tracks from other bands like Asking Alexandria, Waltari, and While She Sleeps. Can you feel?! Next track "Darker Days" has some more excellent metal guitar. The closing track "Do I Know You" has slow piano tranquility plus a brief buildup that stops in a rather anticlimactic ending.

Anyone who enjoys any of Mushroomhead's surrounding releases can very well dig this one. Whether or not you're in the Mushroomhead or Slipknot side, there's always some appeal to gain from Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children. If any outsiders consider metal an ugly genre, they don't know what they're missing out on, the beauty within!

Favorites: "Come On", "Slaughterhouse Road", "Burn the Bridge", "Your Demise", "The Feel", "Darker Days"

Although Mushroomhead is more of an experimental nu/alt-metal, there are some times when they lean into industrial metal. Savior Sorrow is where the industrial side of the band shines the most. It's also where the band decided to just have Gravy do all the guitars after Bronson left. Co-lead vocalist J Mann also left and was replaced by Waylon Reavis. He can perform growls as greatly as J Mann and can almost be considered the band's savior!

The tight structure of this album has reduced a bit of the experimentation from their previous albums. It's also less commercial and not so radio-friendly, though it has spawned singles/music videos for half the amount of songs in the album. And even at their most mainstream, Mushroomhead is still what they are.

Firing things up is the opening track "12 Hundred", beginning the album in a more kick-A fashion than most of their previous albums. "Simple Survival" is one of my favorite and more industrial-sounding Mushroomhead songs, beginning with the sinister yet melodic opening line, "The shadow within me, the sorrow at my feet". This will make you wanna pay more to get more of Mushroomhead's releases. So cool! I can hear a bit of a Linkin Park influence in the music and a Slipknot influence in the aesthetics, though it's no reason to start a feud between these bands. Still an awesome song! "THE END IN ME!!!" Unorthodox instruments roam in "Damage Done" which starts off sounding like Korn until they bring in a sitar. "Save Us" is a softer ballad suitable for the radio.

Then we have the mighty heavy "Tattoo" with guest vocals by Sean Kane of Gizmachi. Next song "Erase the Doubt" stands out well to smoothly end the album's first half. "Burn" stands right on the line between the industrial metal of Fear Factory and In This Moment and the mid-tempo metalcore tendencies you might find in bands like Soilwork and Upon a Burning Body. The second ballad "Just Pretending" is better and heavier than the first. You can certainly point your devil horns and headbang along while doing the emotional ballad swaying.

Another anthemic ballad, "The Need" can still unleash complex power. "Cut Me" messes things up a little as a strange gothic sound creeps in and causes some confusion to affect the thunderous guitars/drums frenzy. "The Fallen" won't work in the Metal Academy clan The Fallen, but it's still nicely heavy. "Embrace the Ending" ends the album as an eerie ballad, albeit a metal-less one. The vocals, guitars, and classical strings add beauty to the haunting sound. A demo version of "Burn" appears as a bonus track.

With Savior Sorrow, Mushroomhead knows how to keep things in control. It may seem restrictive, but that's good because too many cooks can spoil the broth. Though I'm not saying 7 or 10 band members is too many. They all know how to do everything just right!

Favorites: "12 Hundred", "Simple Survival", "Erase the Doubt", "Just Pretending", "The Need", "Embrace the Ending"

After making 3 albums in the underground, Mushroomhead released their first major-label release XX, which is a compilation of tracks from those 3 albums remastered. That release marks the band's introduction to a more global audience. With that big amount of success achieved, it was time to make their major-label album of new material, the perfect gateway into a new level of fame, XIII!

The songs in this album are more accessible but at the same time more enjoyable. The guitar tunings have been dropped lower to drop B and drop B-flat. The experimental nu/alt-metal has some stoner/grunge-ish elements that are added to make sure nothing sounds too repetitive.

"Kill Tomorrow" is one of my favorite Mushroomhead songs from the breakthrough era, though the quality could've been slightly higher. "Sun Doesn't Rise" is a more commercial single that is still great because the vocal duo singing together in the choruses can get you headbanging in no time. There's some strong muscle in "Mother Machine Gun", but it makes way for some moody piano. Soft emotion covers "Nowhere to Go". Then "Becoming Cold (216)" is another heavy banger.

"One More Day" is the most emotional track here. It moves you along through serene piano, a gothic violin solo, and background female vocals by Devon Gorman. It certainly shows more of the experimental side of early Mushroomhead before the band's usual heaviness returns in subsequent songs. "The Dream is Over" decimates the earlier softness as the heaviest track here, featuring killer growls by Meshuggah vocalist Jens Kidman. The thrashy "The War Inside" has the speediest torment here that only the strongest can survive. "Almost Gone" has a bit of the funky groove of Faith No More. "Eternal" has a bit of the industrial metal of Gothminister added to the brutal heaviness.

"Our Own Way" has the acoustics, piano, and female vocals similar to the other song that features Devon Gorman, but the heavy guitars and growls are still around. The progressive "Destroy the World Around Us" is an intriguing 8-minute epic with slower drama. I feel like that one should've been the final track of the album. Simply because the only track here I consider even remotely weak is the actual final track "Thirteen" which sounds serene until you end up hearing creepy baby laughter. Quite unsettling but doesn't affect the album's perfect score. Some editions have a bonus track before the album's original hidden track, the bonus track being "Along the Way" with a similar vibe to Demon Hunter at that time. Said hidden track "Crazy" is a cover of a Seal song, but it sounds a bit half-baked. One more bonus track "Treason" sounds more like a remix.

I would give this album a score of 96%, those few percentage points being taken off by that unlucky 13th track and the hidden Seal cover. Nonetheless, XIII is one of the greatest, most satisfying albums Mushroomhead has ever done. A fantastic start to their more famous days!

Favorites: "Kill Tomorrow", "Sun Doesn't Rise", "One More Day", "The Dream is Over", "The War Inside", "Eternal", "Destroy the World Around Us", "Along the Way" (bonus track)

Nightmares are brutal beasts of horror that haunt your dreams and give you terrible experiences in your mind. Fortunately, I'm one of the lucky few to not remember a single dream. The only downside for me is, I wouldn't have any new fears to conquer and gain heroic strength. But I am grateful for my memories of reality. Sometimes the worst nightmares are the ones that actually come true, like for metalheads when nu metal sprang into existence much to their chagrin. However, Mushroomhead has given this metal nightmare a more expressive and elegant turn, and turned it into a pleasant dream for open-minded listeners such as myself.

Staying hot in Cleveland since forming in 1993, Mushroomhead have their experimental nu/alt-metal sound going with pieces other genres ranging from art punk to industrial metal, along with a similar live imagery to Slipknot. The band started slightly weak with their self-titled debut but were slowly building up to the top. The 3rd part of their 8-album journey so far, M3 might just be their entryway into the unbreakable streak that started with the perfect XIII! Though M3 is the last part of their independent 90s trilogy.

"Before I Die" is a wicked start to this offering. However, it doesn't beat "Solitaire/Unraveling", one of the most popular songs from the band's 90s era, and for a great reason. Jeffrey Nothing sings in clean melancholy while Jason "J Mann" Popson has his tough-guy vocals, both fitting well with the dramatic instrumentation. "The New Cult King" has some heaviness while being more melodic. The haunting "Inevitable" follows, and it starts with an audio sample snuck in from Storm of the Century, a miniseries by Stephen King, shortly after the series first aired.

"Xeroxed" has a more brutal take on Mushroomhead's style. Unfortunately, it seems a bit flat in the production compared to other songs. "The Final Act" is more melodic, partly due to Scot Edgel performing guest vocals here. Then "Conflict - The Argument Goes On" has more of the incredible vocals to flow with the keyboard atmosphere.

The impressive "Exploiting Your Weakness" is full-on primal in the riffing by J.J. Righteous and Dinner. Oh yeah, I should mention that this is the last album with that guitar duo, and JJ Righteous passed away in 2010. RIP... The aptly titled "Beauteous" is filled entirely with beautiful somber piano. "Born of Desire" is a great heavy ending to the main album. But then there's 12 minutes of silence followed by a hidden track "Dark and Evil Joe", a humorous prank call argument over the true meaning of "black" metal.

Despite that hidden track and the production in one of the songs, M3 is a stunning album that long-time Mushroomhead fans should get. And I would also recommend this to anyone coming across this band for the first time. If you can get used to this blend of electronics, melody, and heaviness, you're all set. No harm, no foul!

Favorites: "Solitaire/Unraveling", "Inevitable", "Conflict - The Argument Goes On", "Exploiting Your Weakness", "Born of Desire"

The earlier albums by Mushroomhead were practically unknown. You gotta admit how underrated this industrial-infused nu/alt-metal band is, compared to the more popular aesthetically identical Slipknot. Back then, these Clevelanders were starting their underground business before that Iowan band was even heard of. Mushroomhead pretty much invented the idea of a nu metal band wearing horror masks and costumes, though of course, that aspect has already existed in other genres like black metal.

Buick is a cool car name. My dad owned one when he was young. However, Superbuick is a super cool name! The band's second album was self-produced with help from Bill Korecky. It is a shorter album without a useless 12-minute medley and, like their debut and their 3rd album M3, would have some songs appear in the compilation XX.

The first song "Bwomp" has some of the greatest lyrics in the album. Jason Popson performs a rapping verse with some amusing lyrics ("If it was up to me, I'd free Charles Manson"). Then later, Jeffrey Hatrix yells out his own lyrics in the killer breakdown ("Laughed at religion long ago, I doubt I'll be an angel when I die". Fantastic start! Then "Never Let It Go" continues this perfect blend of beautiful melody and dark heaviness that would maintain its greatness in the XX remastering. Next up, "These Filthy Hands" has keyboards shining over the guitars for an eerie effect. The creepy drama from the piano is more apparent in "The Wrist", another highlight. If you can't go past the spookiness that track has, then why are you still here!?

The piano horror/drama doesn't stop in "Chancre Sore", which once again keeps its quality together when remastered in XX. "Flattened" is more unpredictable, even when it's mostly a piano-emphasized ballad. "Big Brother" shows how well the band can add experimental twists into alt-metal long before Twelve Foot Ninja would do the same thing. "Idle Worship" is another track that shall be worshipped by members of the experimental alt-metal fanbase circle. This is the kind of a song that would ask fans of the genre the following question, "Are you in or are you out?"

"Fear Held Dear" is a slow sludge-ish track, a bit like Will Haven, though the experimental alt-metal aspects are still dominant. To be honest, I don't know if "Unintended" was intended to be the album's outro. I mean, it does sound like it should be the outro, but then we have one more track... That final track being a reprise of "Bwomp". Should've been different placed, but it's still as perfect as the main song.

Newcomers should be prepared for the experimentation the band has to offer, and once they're used to it, they'll find greatness within. But if they don't like it, they should at least listen before cursing it out. As great as this album is, I feel like the production quality, guitars, and vocals could've been improved. Still cool either way. And that's all....

Favorites: "Bwomp", "Never Let It Go", "The Wrist", "Big Brother", "Idle Worship", "Bwomp (Reprise)"

Like most metalheads, I'm not a fan of nu metal. However, I don't hate it as much as those other metalheads do. A little overrated, but not everything about it is a downright atrocity. My brother likes a bit of nu metal, alongside his usual hard rock/alt-metal/post-grunge, and I was following his music footsteps before starting my own metal path. Mushroomhead is probably the closest band to nu metal that I enjoy, and they play a more experimental take on alt-metal.

For those who think Slipknot is the band that introduced horror-themed masks to nu metal, Mushroomhead already invented that aspect before Slipknot popularized it. The alt-metal sound with bits of hardcore/industrial metal in this album should've had more fame than their aesthetics, though their 1995 self-titled debut is bit of a rough start...

"Slow Thing" is an interesting track to kick off the album. It's an instrumental gothic-ish piano ballad with samples from a couple documentaries about LSD and marijuana. Then the last minute is an audio sample from an intense scene in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me ("IT'S HIM!!! IT'S YOUR FATHER!!" "ARRG!!!!" "STOP IT!!!"). From the White Zombie-ish "Elevation", you're already in for some punk-ish chords, melodic synths, strong cleans/shouts, and percussive assault. Some Ministry/Killing Joke influences are snuck into their alt-metal. "Too Much Nothing" has riffs and vocals that might end up spawning a nickname for this band, "Alice Inch Nails". Then we have a useless piano "Intermission" before we can proceed further into the album.

"Ego Tripp" has more funky fury to remind some of Suicidal Tendencies. "Mommy" is a cute yet sexual-sounding ballad with soft lovely guest vocals by Mandy Lascko. A bit weird but a great break from the more thrashy heavily-sampled arrangements in other songs. "2nd Thoughts" shows the band easily mixing together alt-metal with old-school electro-dance music. The only other band who could do that mix well at the time is Waltari. "Casualties in B Minor" is another pointless interlude and probably the worst of them. That's practically what most metalheads would consider a boring lullaby.

I'm indifferent to the song "Indifferent". Then "Simpleton" is far too simple to impress me at all. "43" starts with that One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest sample that also started Mastodon's EP Lifeblood ("DO YOU UNDERSTAND!? FINALLY!?!"), then the song itself is a catchy rocker with the two vocalist Jeffrey Hatrix and Jason Popson performing their Mike Patton-influenced vocals well. "Episode 29" is another instrumental, but it's much better than the other ones. It starts with a sample from David Lynch’s Hotel Room ("You're not a nice person. You're a b***h.") then leads into some wicked electro-industrial with some background samples from Twin Peaks. The remix in the Remix EP is f***ing killer. "Snap" is a strange outro that reprises the "LSD user" sample from the first track. After 29 silent tracks, the 43rd track is a medley of several highlights from the album, and each clip is separated by a different-pitched sample of "Slow Thing". It's cool and all, but at the same time, absolutely worthless and baffling.

So here we have a standard E-tuned (in PAL speed/pitch) platter of alt-metal gone experimental and industrial (NO avant-garde metal). A nice beginning for the band, but don't expect this album to be a grand work of art....

Favorites: "Elevation", "Too Much Nothing", "Mommy", "2nd Thoughts", "43", "Episode 29"

It's amazing how a group of 5 can stay together for around two decades even with a few-year break and a recent pandemic. Brandan Schieppati has battled through mental doubt during these trying times to keep the band alive during the virus. The end result is the 3-track EP Rage, filled with straight sh*t-loads of aggression!

Drummer Derek Youngsma blasts the band into the action of "P*ss You Away" that instantly makes one of the band's best classics. Gang chants, harsh growls, and harmonic cleans, all from Brandan Schieppati, blend with Marta Peterson's stunning background singing and icy symphonic keys unusual to metalcore. The band proven themselves to still be around during these trying times.

"Damage Done" reminds me of 2000s-era Dark Tranquillity with more of Peterson's enchanting keyboards, melodeath-ish riffing/soloing, and melancholic atmosphere. The chorus is definitely worth singing along to and makes a modern classic moment, alongside lyrics of love and hate. The final hardcore breakdown crashes through to instantly start a moshpit. This (un)holy trinity of songs ends with the title track, complete with sinister riffs, sharp solos, and serene synths that oughta land this song a spot in the soundtrack for the next Underworld movie. So epic and brutal!

This melancholic yet malevolent 3-track release is a very short yet great continuation of the band's career. They've returned since their 2018 album Love Will Kill All in a way that they don't overstay their welcome....

Favorites: all 3 of the tracks! (though they could've been slightly better)

Hearing about a successful band reuniting without but in honor of their two fallen founding members is a nice time to finally witness what the hype was about with Pantera's Cowboys From Hell! This is their 5th album and a mighty change from their once-unknown heavy/glam metal to the freshly developed groove/thrash metal that would make them burst in popularity. Metallica made a similar attempt with their own fifth album in sort of the opposite approach, switching out of thrash into mainstream heavy metal, and they were already popular underground before expanding globally. For Pantera, their groove twist in the speed/thrash template has left many hits and a few sh*ts...

The production is heavy yet clean, though later albums from the band and the genre would be heavier. The late Abbott brothers have really taken the stage with their respective instruments; Dimebag's guitar has thick tone but not too heavy, and Vinnie's drumming has a thrashy pace without too much aggression. Rex Brown's bass is close to audible, and vocalist Phil Anselmo is professional at his singing range from clean to aggressive, even making the heavier songs sound tame in a beautiful way.

The title track already shows traces of the post-thrash fury the band would shine with. "Primal Concrete Sledge" fits their groove metal development much further with the heavy riffs, powerful chords, and simplistic rhythms that they would have in later releases, though it might cause some love from thrash fans and hate from groove haters and people accusing the band of being a metal ripoff of Red Hot Chili Peppers. "Psycho Holiday" has Metallica-sounding riffing, minus the epicness and speed, plus the repetitive rhythms that lack variation. Despite its flaws, that song is still decently listenable. "Heresy" has faster speed than what Metallica and Megadeth would abandon slightly later on, along with politically driven lyrics.

"Cemetery Gates" is the album's ballad-like song, an excellent one, and the band's longest at 7 minutes. After a stellar acoustic intro, the power increases especially in the vocals and shredding soloing. That song was covered by many bands, including Between the Buried and Me on their cover album The Anatomy Of. Another one of the few fast furious speed/thrash tracks here in "Domination". The shredding "Shattered" has a lot of Judas Priest vibes, including when Anselmo makes his attempts to sing as high as Rob Halford, along with Dimebag's guitar cutting like a chainsaw.

However, that's the start of the filler second half of this album, starting with the odd flop that is "Clash with Reality". Honestly, the sounds of pop rock and thrash end up clashing each other in a forced mix that sounds lost. "Medicine Man" sounds fun though a little too goofy. Same with "Message in Blood" with its murder themes. "The Sleep" is also fun-sounding yet forgettable. However, "The Art of Shredding" makes up for all those mistakes with one more offering of dense thrashy riffing and shredding.

All in all, I understand this album being the bridge between their once-elusive glam years and their famous groove era. Although this sounds inconsistent with its mix of classics and duds, Pantera was done sounding like Van Halen and preferred an Exhorder-like direction. May the two fallen Cowboys From Hell rock on in metal heaven.... RIP

Favorites: "Cowboys From Hell", "Primal Concrete Sledge", "Cemetery Gates", "Domination", "Shattered", "The Art of Shredding"

2020 was the year when everything in the world slowed down due to a certain virus, and many bands were in a storm of plan changes, one of those bands being Japanese alt-metalcore rockers Coldrain. However, despite delaying album production by a year, they're still strong in creating their latest offering...

Coldrain is the kind of band that prefer to rise up and not stand down. Nonnegative marks the 7th full-length part of their discography filled with ups and downs. I'm probably one of the very few people in my homeland of Malaysia who knows and listens to this band, but I'm sure that by the possible chance of success for this album, more people here would hear about them too. Get ready for some massive surprises!

"Help Me Help You" (Is that a Jerry Maguire reference?) will make you rise up and clap along with the intro beat that's like Vena's "Gone" on steroids. The song kick-starts the top-notch power of vocalist Masato, and the rest is worth giving this song a perfect 5 stars. "Calling" keeps up the pace with more depth in the cool screamed vocals. They really enhance the music structure with sections stitched seamlessly well. The darker "Cut Me" has heavier metal guitars that sound nice. Growling verses lead to perfect clean choruses. Relentless guitars and great vocals make a real crystal gem out of that song. "Before I Go" sounds closer to the more poppy Senses Fail songs, but it's OK.

"Bloody Power Fame" is a thought-evoking anthem throwing back to their earlier alt-metal/post-hardcore roots of 10 years ago. It's certainly addictive with the tight guitar shredding and powerful clean choruses. No wonder it became another anime theme! Smoothly carrying on is "Here With You", with probably the best guitar solo from the band in their recent era. I wanna hear that shredding as long as DragonForce's solos. "Boys and Girls" is a nice beautiful rock ballad. It's different from the rest, yet a nice emo tune that also flashbacks to 10 years ago when the band also made a few ballads. "Paradise (Kill the Silence)" was the first single from the album, released a year before, starting ominous before throwing you into frustration and joy. Blending the drums, guitar, bass, and vocals altogether, we have the perfect rock-out anthem from Coldrain!

Moving on, "2020" reminds you of what happened to the world from March of that year onwards in an opening monologue. Emotional screams lead into the first chorus. Then gritty bridge riffing leads into the last chorus. I think I've done enough mentioning such an impactful song, let's go to the next... "Rabbit Hole" is so d*mn brutal, almost like a continuation of Code Orange's "Swallowing the Rabbit Hole", especially in the growling screams of metalcore. That's the heaviest track in the album and probably by the band, and it's good that they placed it towards the end of the album so you wouldn't get tired out from those growls too soon. Next up is, no doubt, a cover of "Don't Speak" of No Doubt, the former band of pop-star Gwen Stefani, and probably the most surprising of the bunch, a pretty good challenge. The guitars are heavy and rough as always for the band, but I wish they would've metalized that acoustic guitar solo. "From Today" closes the album on a fine note. Nothing bad at all, ending with excellent energy.

Nonnegative is very solid for an alt-metalcore album with barely anything worth harsh criticism. Calm sections with clean singing are mixed with heavy sections with harsh growls. The successful formula they've had in The Side Effects is still strong in this album. They're back on their path, and might be off to a golden future in J-rock/metal!

Favorites: "Help Me Help You", "Cut Me", "Bloody Power Fame", "Paradise (Kill the Silence)", "2020", "From Today"

Well, we've come to this album that is the August 2023 Gateway feature release, one year after the band's next album Obsidian was the feature release for that clan. And I must say, I really look forward to saying what I should say about this album. It's one of the best albums I've heard to blend genres from 3 of my clans; The Gateway, The Revolution, and The Sphere. And seeing how well-deserving their earlier albums are of The Infinite, it solidifies Northlane's reign as one of the most suitable bands for me.

The band had already reached a decade since formation at that point. Continuing their quest for worldwide fame, they were able to overcome lineup/touring changes. Alien is a true definition of the new modern direction they're going for. As amazing as their previous two albums are, Alien is, in a couple words, f***ing fantastic!

The cyber-metalcore style blasts off in "Details Matter", a total in-the-face track of heaviness and screaming. There's a lot of industrial/cyber metal effect in the song, much more than in any of Northlane's past albums. "Bloodline" has absolutely awesome lyrics and production here! So atmospheric while dark and heavy. Fantastic prog-ish alt-metalcore! "4D" is a speedier track, albeit as electro-industrial-focused as Rammstein and The Prodigy. Unlike some metal bands that trade their heaviness and breakdowns for electronic synths, Northlane combines the best of both worlds, with a sound unique as f***. The addictive speed is worth good listening. Bassist Brendon Padjasek, who's only in the band for this album, also performs noticeable screamed vocals, alongside Marcus Bridge's cleans, and even a screaming duel between the two vocalists.

In "Talking Heads", Marcus has proven himself well as one vocalist ruling with 10 techniques! The sludgy nu metal part of their cyber metalcore sound has really expanded in their recent albums. "Freefall" has a brief slow introduction, then it explodes into a faster drive. The heavier side with screamed vocals and djenty riffing definitely makes this song another favorite of mine. "Jinn" is so monstrous. The band take on different sounds and styles, and crank up the power. As a result, this mind-blowing blend can beat a lot they've done in the past. "Eclipse" is one of the most upbeat and heaviest songs by Northlane. You can definitely scream along to the lyrics in live shows!

"Rift" is a soft atmospheric ballad. There's not much heavy or loud, with the power being relied on by the electronic synths. It's almost like they take some influence from Bring Me the Horizon's divisive album Amo that was released earlier that year. The fearless "Paradigm" has more of the heaviness and screaming that's definitely worth playing live. With a lot going on, hearing this song is much more of an experience than a listen. In "Vultures", Marcus Bridge is really having more influence from the band whom Northlane named one of their songs after, Architects, adding melody to his screaming. So insanely epic, continuing the writing of Mesmer while restoring their earlier riff-wrath. The final track "Sleepless" is mostly just EDM, though it's a fitting closer for this offering as different sounds appear. During the second half of the track, the band's heavy instrumentation is unleashed one last time in full emotion and melodic heights. Then it all ends in synth and piano. It's a risk that nicely paid off.

Northlane continues to rise as the album Alien expands their style into different realms. The elements can evolve while the source stays intact. This album is highly enjoyable and can be treated like a journey from the dark Hell to the bright Heaven. A true masterpiece from the masters of futuristic modern metal!

Favorites: "Bloodline", "Talking Heads", "Freefall", "Eclipse", "Paradigm", "Vultures"

Northlane started off their career with two djenty metalcore albums, Discoveries and Singularity, with their original vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes. Then came their 3rd album Node, marking a grand entrance for their current vocalist Marcus Bridge, and beginning to hint at more alternative experimentation. People weren't aware that another album was around the corner, and just when they least expected it....

F***ING SURPRISE!!!!!! Northlane's 4th album Mesmer sprung out of nowhere after some singles and teasers that went on for a couple months! I think they got that idea from when Avenged Sevenfold surprise-released The Stage months prior, so sudden that fans of that band didn't even know. Was the abruptly ended wait for Mesmer worth it?

Already the answer is yes with opening track and single "Citizen". OMG, I have no words to describe this beauty! And it continues in "Colourwave". The breakdown here is one of the best, and it has stirred up one of my favorite songs from this album the and band. It made me pumped up for listening to the rest of this album. Segueing out of that riff-tastic monster, "Savage" opens with synth that is put on the spotlight ahead of the ambient guitar, building up for 25 seconds before the rest of the band bursts in. This is heavy aggression that can smash through the walls surrounding you. At over the 3-minute mark, things quiet down for listeners to take a breather before a quick heavy outro.

Kicking off with slow and steady drumming is "Solar", and the pace is maintained throughout the song. Marcus is so good at singing, easily hitting those notes within the ambient instrumentation. I guess you can find a bit of Limp Bizkit-like nu metal/rock here. What helped the band reach their mark there is the production by the legendary David Bendeth. "Heartmachine" has more of that ambience. It can come out as a sweet power ballad while being a dark banger. "Intuition", despite being in the middle of the album, is its first single. Anyone who was in the 2017 Unify Gathering got to hear the band perform that song for the first time. It's packed with the band's usual f***ing heavy riffing, drumming, and clean/unclean vocal alternations. It's perhaps one of the heaviest songs by the band that any fan of the Adrian Fitipaldes era should dig. "Zero-One" has a brutal breakdown with some of the heaviest as f*** vocals I heard from Marcus. Holy sh*t, now that's my favorite here, and worth playing in live shows!

Slowing down further is "Fade", but only for a few seconds before some more speed, followed by nice singing melody. That might be worth hitting the mainstream. As the end of the album nears, "Render" has haunting ambience to fit well with Marcus' vocal anger. This is another one of the best here, and it really shows Marcus' unstoppable vocal talent. "Veridian" lets you know that there's still more of this adventure left to go beyond. Fast guitars, background synths, and more of both the clean and unclean vocals are not to be missed. "Paragon" closes things up as a tribute to Architects' late guitarist Tom Searle. Things ease up slowly for over a minute, and then F***ING H*LL, there's more of the heavy bass, chaotic screams, and melodic cleans. Alex Milovic has more audible bass played and it sound so impressive. Totally worth some re-listening!

Mesmer is quite close to reaching the perfection of most of its surrounding Northlane albums. The band stood silent about their album-released plans, and then delivered it straight to fans as a reward for their patience. These guys should really be proud of their work, especially Marcus Bridge. So exceptionally mesmerizing!

Favorites: "Citizen", "Colourwave", "Intuition", "Zero-One", "Veridian", "Paragon"

The third album from Northlane, Node is basically a continuation of the djenty metalcore sound in their earlier albums before their more recent evolution into alt-/industrial metal territory. Here you can find the experimental structures, polymetric grooves, and down-tuned riffing that make up the djenty sound first prominent in Singularity. Though this time, the more alt-metal elements draw near...

As the Australian metal scene grows with awesome metalcore bands like Parkway Drive, The Amity Affliction, and In Hearts Wake. Standing strong in the scene as well is Northlane! Their 3rd album Node introduces their current lead vocalist Marcus Bridge after Adrian Fitipaldes left the previous year.

Kickstarting this offering is "Soma" with a slow buildup into what to expect; great riffing and lyrics ("I refuse to die here"). It's easy to find out how much greatness the band still have since Singularity. The next track is single "Obelisk" which has its own video released a month before the album's release. I enjoy that track that nicely builds up throughout before a 20-second slam-down. The title track is slow yet epic, with motivational lyrics and vocals ("You could be the change"). A true anthem for world peace!

"Ohm" is where the speed starts picking up as the band members jam along. The following track "Nameless" is an ambient instrumental with most of the work being the percussion by drummer Nic Pettersen. My favorite song here is "Rot", the first single of the album and listeners' first taste of Marcus' vocals. Each listen makes it better, and it ensures the modern heavy direction the band has in this album. Any Northlane newcomers here, start with that awesome song! There's barely any time to settle down as "Leech" storms in with a breakdown after a calm intro. OK, the REAL breakdown doesn't come on until later, and it's worth listening to as well as playing live.

"Impulse" proves that Marcus can really bring new sounds to the old, and that's why he's an awesome vocalist! "So alone in a digital world..." Massive heaviness and diversity right here! That's how much I love this band, and the breakdown rules! Structures had also tackled the topic of the truth of the digital age. It can actually fit in the Digimon video games or anime! The sound would've been what would happen if Underoath didn't have their hiatus after Disambiguation and instead took on a more progressive sound before their recent albums. As this album approaches the end, we have the slow "Weightless". Smashing through your face is the heavy "Ra". And lastly, "Animate" makes a superb combo of cleans and uncleans to end the experience as perhaps the best album closer by the band.

All of this modern greatness comes in waves of timeless talent from this Sydney-based band. This is another album that can truly get modern metalheads worldwide in love with this music. Another solid recommendation!

Favorites: "Obelisk", "Node", "Rot", "Impulse", "Animate"

Although Discoveries is a solid start to Northlane's career, it's their second album Singularity that catapulted the band into fame. It's quite a step forward from Discoveries, with the production in Singularity being some of the best I've heard in modern metal. It's so perfectly clear! The growls and screams by Adrian Fitipaldes sound awesome as ever and stay unbreakable. Too bad this is the band's last album with him, though their next vocalist Marcus Bridge is awesome too.

It's quite easy for me to give this album a perfect 5 stars. It's a melodic progressive blend of beauty and heaviness. The breakdowns hit hard! The poetic lyrics fit well for this modern-age society and give listeners positive encouragement.

The ambient intro "Genesis" starts with haunting strings, followed by rising percussion, dissonant rhythm, and emotional vocals to start things on a powerful note. Keeping it up straight on is "Scarab". With its technical structure, you'll be able to stick around in attention as the band members unleash all their talent. "Windbreaker" shows the earlier heaviness still being around as the melody increases. The most brutal growls and breakdowns can found there. It's almost as if they initially wrote that song for Discoveries.

A bit of Dark Tranquillity-like melody can be heard in "Worldeater", which is one of a few singles from the album. Another single "Quantum Flux" shows the band taking on a calmer direction, while keeping the usual heaviness. The breakdown fury is in perfect place, and they're never overdone, proving how well Northlane are at the genre. "Dream Awake" is more energetic with a rapid pace, in solid delivery and balance with the ethereal atmosphere. "The Calling" reminds me of a similarly titled track by Saturnus, though instead of gothic death-doom, we have a foreshadowing of the band's later alt-metalcore, like a more progressive and djenty blend of All That Remains and Coldrain.

The aggression really levels up in "Masquerade", perhaps the strongest track with something special, guest vocals by Drew York of Stray from the Path. The catchy chorus is what makes this song a total highlight, along with lyrical fire and breakdown brutality. The slow ambient title interlude has given me a good lesson; If I worry too much about famous people like Michael Jackson, I would become disempowered by media icons. Terrence McKenna gave those who have listened to this album up to this track this advice, and it's amazing advice to follow. The instrumental itself gives me warm chills ("warm chills", sounds oxymoronic), it's so beautiful! The message is now more unbelievably relevant than ever. The final track "Aspire" unleashes the last of Adrian's vocals. Chaotic yet pretty!

I can never put down such a perfect masterpiece that is Singularity. This is a true example of ambient progressive djenty metalcore, and a must-have for modern metalheads. You won't regret this incredible journey!

Favorites: "Scarab", "Windbreaker", "Quantum Flux", "Masquerade", "Singularity"

Throughout the past year and a half (as of this review), I've made many different Revolution/Sphere discoveries, and Northlane is one of those bands. Since their 2010 EP Hollow Existence, they've been building up a strong fanbase. Their first full album Discoveries was released on 11/11/11, the day that two of the greatest computer games arrived, Skyrim and Minecraft. Djent-ish metalcore fans can chill and enjoy the music without comparing the bands to the other same tier.

OK, yes, there might be a few similarities to other bands, but they're very subtle! Architects was their most obvious influence, with Northlane taking their band name from one of Architects' songs. However, this band twists their influences into a unique masterful sound, as they explore the spectrum of modern metal.

The brief technical bass intro in "Dispossession" might catch some people off-guard, but the drums, guitars, and vocals make a perfect entrance! They kick things up to high gear without slowing down much. The band can really balance riff melody and killer breakdowns without ever wimping out. A clean ballad-ish song follows with highlight "Abrasumente", standing out with an honest clean chorus. More clean singing appears in "Comatose", building up within the eerie as sh*t atmosphere.

"Transcending Dimensions" proves that progressiveness can dark melody that's far different from other progressive bands like In the Woods... The title intermission is a nice time to chill out. It's quite epic and beautiful, starting off with serene ambient chords that soon build up into a stylistic djenty climax. A lot of the diverse sound of this band is summarized without having to use vocals, and the bass and drums gain tight insanity. "Corruption" is my favorite track of the album, and right after the intro, you'll encounter heavy verses worth headbanging to, with complex drumming. This mix of ambient and brutal has never been demonstrated so flawlessly elsewhere!

"Exposure" seems to stray off a bit, with a more average-sounding chorus. The singing could probably have taken out of the chorus as there's little point there. Anyone following the band since the beginning may know "Metamorphosis", re-recorded from the Hollow Existence EP, having some heavy songwriting. "Solace" (or "Solitude" in some editions) definitely has the djenty metalcore vibes Within the Ruins and Invent Animate would have later. All of the band's strength is unleashed once more in "I Shook Hands With Death", dominating with wicked instrumentation/vocal talent. It's quite impressive how the band can end it all in a devastating bang without being too much of an abrupt cut-off. Props to this band for that!

Northlane can perform some f***ing brutal technicality in conjunction with ethereal melody, in professional form worth playing over and over again. This band has proven themselves ahead of their peers, and the game ain't over for them. It was just getting started!

Favorites: "Dispossession", "Abrasumente", "Discoveries", "Corruption", "I Shook Hands With Death"

A highly influential band in 90s hard rock/alt-metal, it may seem like a shock that Helmet did not reach the mainstream as much as their peers in the alternative age. They can almost be unsung heroes! In their initial 90s run, they released 4 albums that are something for alt-rock/metal fans to die for. Strap It On is the first and probably the best I've heard from those guys. Get ready for one of the rawest, most frantic half-hours of your life!

This is more of kind of a post-hardcore album, but closer to what you would expect from Coldrain, not the wimpy variety of Dance Gavin Dance. Guitar riffs, noise, and chords build a wall of sound repeatedly punched by the rhythm section.

You can already hear alternating time signatures such as the 6 out of 8 or 4 in "Repetition". Then "Rude" has some more of that noise that your neighbors would consider rude to play as loud as an actual concert, though in an early groove-like pace. More of the simple yet never boring riffs evident later on can be found in "Bad Mood", utilized very well. You'll never be in a bad mood with that!

Another track has mostly just guitar noise in the instrumentation, "Sinatra", which is obviously not a Frank/Nancy Sinatra tribute. A tense breakdown in the beginning of "FBLA" occurs on and off alongside Page Hamilton's shouts. The groove-ish riffing in "Blacktop" is what makes that song the most metal one here. An addictive banger!

The 7/4 parts of "Distracted" is what keeps the simple instrumentation formula interesting. Predominantly in "Make Room", the vocal style is clean singing as opposed to rough yelling. The clans are sparse and different while making sure you hear the band's signature sound. In "Murder", the album's finale, "NO ONE'S SAFE!!!" yells Hamilton within a heavy storm of noise-metal.

So with all that said, is Strap It On a metal album? It's not the most metal one I heard, sounding closer to hard rock, but specifically it's alt-metal/post-hardcore with pieces of early groove. All these natural elements make this release enjoyable despite its short length. Basic beats, tough vocals, and guitar noise can sound pretty d*mn good!

Favorites: "Bad Mood", "FBLA", "Blacktop", "Distracted", "Murder"

As the alt-metalcore fan I am, it's hard to confess that I've barely given this band a listen despite a good amount of fans of a similar style loving this, and it can be tough putting to words how much I feel about a band in which I enjoy a couple of their songs a lot but an album I'm about to review might not be as perfect as them, though a very close call. Those two songs from The Dark Pool that were in my Revolution playlists are crazy good, but now I'm taking on a different album from this band...

I've noticed what an easily different journey Thornhill has taken in this album. They've boarded a new concept in the style and lyrics, heading into alt-metal territory in a similar yet less industrial manner to Northlane. I've enjoyed the majority of Heroine without letting my expectations run wild.

First up, "The Hellfire Club" has a title that could remind some of either Stranger Things or that Edguy album. Yet the music in this track is cinematic alt-metal that can easily fit in a Hollywood film soundtrack. "Leather Vibes" continues that vibe with metalcore elements. Then we soar through "Blue Velvet" with moody melody and vocal insanity. The incredible "Arkangel" is a throwback into 90s nostalgia, especially with its grungy sound. The outro has good drumming.

"Valentine" is slow and seducing with low bass guitar and high falsetto vocals. All of those aspects occur alongside good drum effects. "Casanova" is more recognizable as metalcore, and that I really like. So upbeat and worth dancing/moshing to. The chorus buildup is incredible! You can also hear a fantastic switch from a classic metal guitar solo to djent bass riffing. After all that heaviness, we have a beautiful intermission in "Something Terrible Came with the Rain". It slowly builds up into the same cinematic vibe as before, from guitars to synths then strings.

"Hollywood" returns to the 90s grungy nostalgia, this time mixed with 21-century Hollywood-like epic trailer-ish orchestra and 80s synths. I guess you can think of this as Deftones with more emphasis on djenty metalcore. Plus there's a breakdown with classic-sounding guitar! How much more can you mix?! "Raw" has dirtier-sounding synth, fun for dirty dancing in the moshpit. The end is near with "Varsity Hearts", sounding like an emo-ish classic. Then the final title track has cool classic-sounding harmonics.

Heroine is kind of a drug, a more legal and musical one compared to heroin. It's filled with inspiring poetry and sound! It would be boring for the band to stay with their original sound whether or not that's what fans want, so don't dismiss something that's different. Just listen and learn!

Favorites: "The Hellfire Club", "Blue Velvet", "Arkangel", "Casanova", "Hollywood", "Varsity Hearts"

Dutch band Pestilence made a brilliant evolving revolution in the European death metal scene in the late 80s and early 90s. First they were thrash, then death, then tech-death... Then came top-notch original progressive death metal in Spheres, making the many elements that were in their first 3 albums possible! Patrick Maneli and co. bring their music to more imaginative realms beyond comprehension, despite disapproval from heavier fans and the band doubting their future, leading to their 15-year split.

I really mean it when I say that I just found what might be my favorite Pestilence album and a true motivation to get me listening to this band full-time. Sure the music disappointed the earlier extreme fans who prefer Testimony of the Ancients or earlier. While that album is great too, Spheres has a better understanding in attracting attention with its unique sound, and it would make open-minded listeners want more. It was a risky yet intriguing move for the band. Whether the consequences were good or bad for them, they've never lost their stylistic essence.

The guitar riffing style of Mekong Delta can already be found in "Mind Reflections", standing out with minimalistic atmosphere and sounding nearly as thrashy as Dead Brain Cells. This continues in "Multiple Beings". And even further into "The Level of Perception" with a bit of tech-thrash foreshadowing what would come in the new millennium. Then the heaviness halts for the spooky string aura of interlude "Aurian Eyes".

"Soul Search" is an urgent prog-death trip that would expand beyond death metal's boundaries, the way Tribulation has done in their first two albums. There's some marvelous psychedelia a bit like Pink Floyd in "Personal Energy" in more dynamic light. "Voices from Within" is another ambient instrumental.

Then we have the abstract title track. There are some more mind-blowing traces in "Changing Perspectives", containing some more impressive synth-thrash of Mekong Delta. Then there's one more interlude, "Phileas". And lastly, "Demise of Time" is a twisted labyrinth of great leads and synths that guide you through transcendence beyond space. Lots of galactic magic all around!

Spheres was the band's last attempt at changing their style into something phenomenal before their long hiatus, and they nailed it! The album has placed this band in the tech-death league along with Cynic and Atheist, thanks to their combination of space and extreme. A unique masterpiece before their disappearance from activity!

Favorites: "Mind Reflections", "The Level of Perception", "Soul Search", "Personal Energy", "Changing Perspectives", "Demise of Time"

The whole reason I keep requesting these earlier metalcore/mathcore/deathcore bands to be added in this site is to make sure I can expand my metalcore genre rediscovery with different discoveries, particularly in the very early years of those "non-melodic" genres. And, well... This one's a f***ing mess! Sure there's the noisy chaos of mathcore and metalcore that I like, but it leans towards Refused-like hardcore than what could spark up a more metallic band like Underoath. The least agonizing and only song close to a highlight here is "Charcoal Drawings / Weapon Of Choice", their best attempt at the mathcore Deadguy developed more properly, in a two-part epic. Yeah, it's much better to start with Deadguy in your mathcore journey, rather than this sh*t-fire....

Favorites (only one I even remotely like): "Charcoal Drawings / Weapon Of Choice"

With all this recent talk about Northlane, and me enjoying one of their earlier songs to bits in one of my Revolution playlists, I decided to check out their latest album Obsidian to see if I really do have a chance with this band, and YES I DO!!! They were named after a song from metalcore band Architects and once known for their djent-fueled progressive metalcore sound. While experimenting on their untouchable sound in recent albums might alienate their fanbase, for me, it fits well with my current clans!

Here we have some f***ing bangers filled with emotion and talent in their music. If Obsidian can get you get as excited as I am, d*mn right it will! I'm here to provide usual track-by-track, and while it might not do the tracks in this masterpiece justice, it's all about my reviewing journey.

"Clarity" starts optimistic-sounding, all light and gentle in the electronic without immediately starting in a bang while many other albums in a similar style would. After one and a half minutes, BOOM!! The heaviness kicks into high gear! Switching from melodic vocals and electronics to screams and technical riffs, you're buckled up for this wild ride like no other. A very strong starter track! Building through this 6-minute track, it's not until the 4-minute mark when the breakdown the more hardcore fans are hungry for strikes and gets you hooked in the remain two minutes. Every member shines with the instruments in their own ways. The drumming especially makes that song a standout! "Clockwork" is the second track but the first single, released over a year before the rest of the album. I probably love this as much as any Northlane fan who has listened to it before. Not as adventurous as the opener, but I'm highly comfortable with this breakout track. If you thought this would end the album with the "I’m running out of time" lyric, you're mistaken! It sounds so fresh and strong, and there's more to come in this album soon... "Echo Chamber" is my favorite song here and shows how big the sound can be. There's strong synth-dance bits while staying heavy and vocally diverse. I sometimes feel like I'm in an online vortex where my goals have a hard time being reached, and that's what that track relates, along with the virus lasting for a couple years. Again, that track is the f***ing best! "Carbonized" is another single, this one starting with grungy experimentation in the intro. The screams giving you a moshing urge. The moods often change. Then the chorus adds more life with Marcus Bridge's d*mn beautiful singing.

"Abomination" has different elements and interestingly covers self-reflection to fit with the monstrous sound. When you expect a metalcore breakdown, instead you get a DNB-like dance section! It's great that this journey has something to break the circuit. "Plenty" is one more single as we approach the end of the first half of the album, so the second half would have songs that originally appeared in the album and not before. The second half of that song has plenty of twists that make an interesting standout. I definitely see that as a live staple!  "Is This a Test?" is a test of 90s nostalgia. You can for sure understand when I say that this would fit well in the soundtrack for the rave scene of an action-thriller movie set in the 90s. When you listen, you can hear the palate being cleansed with fresh ideas. There's certainly never any filler, though the tempo change seems too calm for one. "Xen" twists your way back into heaviness in the beginning verses before a light verses. Yet another standout! Your heart would melt by the harmonizing music and vocals, especially when they take a detour away from breakdown territory, into a f***ing searing solo! More harmonies await in that experimental alt-metalcore track! It's another 6-minute track, but the softness is reserved for the two-minute outro. That can be considered the last track before a 5-song encore...

"Cypher" has a long intro following up from the previous track's outro. Beautiful music shows comfort in their creation. They've made an easy song that still speaks more than words. Not regular, but an enjoyable standout! "Nova" is, from start to finish, the lightest song here. It sounds so dreamy in the music and vocals, where Marcus can really shine. So get yourself and gear up for more coming... "Inamorata" is a beautiful song that's the closest we have to a modern metal love song. Oh the beautiful emotion! The title track starts by once again following the light path of the previous two tracks. But after the first minute, we start to witness a climatic epic buildup and wondering if they will ever reach their breaking point. That occurs in the "we’re too far gone" breakdown and final drum collapse. "Dark Solitaire" is the 5-minute ending track summarizing the heavy and light sides of the album. It switches back and forth from a light section to a furious breakdown, and finally ends in an interesting farewell.

The band has been plagued with lineup changes and other problems over the years, but they've never given up. Obsidian is the album they've pretty much dreamt of making, and much different from what they had 10 years prior. Well done, Northlane! You've served a masterpiece for the new modern metal age!

Favorites: "Clarity", "Clockwork", "Echo Chamber", "Plenty", "Xen", "Cypher", "Obsidian"

Here's one of the first albums to combine death metal and hardcore in the late 90s, thus creating deathcore, a genre that would evolve (or devolve) into something much different. Day of Suffering and Abnegation were two of the first bands to combine hardcore with thrashy death metal influences. At hand was a righteous mix of Earth Crisis, Slayer, Deicide, and Morbid Angel, the latter of whom is perhaps how Day of Suffering got their name, from one of that band's songs...

The Eternal Jihad has a few uncomfortable things about the album, such as the title. It's so unlike the lyrical themes the band was interested in, and me being part of Islam, I'm not sure what my family would think of this. Of course there were more controversial bands of the hardcore scene like Vegan Reich. The vegan message made by that band and Earth Crisis would carry on into Day of Suffering. It's quite strange hearing such liberal themes in hardcore, but hey, when haven't those themes occur? They were more relevant back in those days than the recent diversity I was more used to.

The opening title track begins with a sample from Malcolm X before hitting you like a truck with deathly hardcore. The Slayer/Earth Crisis-like riffs are leveled up with death metal influences. It's so amazing hearing chugging tremolo riffing with dangerous aggression. "Shades of Red" is a better highlight, with as much blasting intensity as Deicide before settling into hardcore groove. There's a chanting chorus important for live shows. "Elegy" fights against abortion.

"Engulfed In Darkness" starts with a dark intro then accelerates into hardcore chaos. The thrashy "Condemned to Fire" has evil-sounding leads. "Visualize Industrial Collapse" takes on industrialization as the lyrical theme.

"Pawn" is another deathly hardcore monster. "The Rising of the Tide" is one more highlight that's left me in awe. I can hear the metalcore that Trivium and Demon Hunter would have in their most sinister in each band's first couple albums, while mixed in with those thrashy death metal influences from before. This finale doesn't beat the first two tracks, but it's a brutal good way to end!

The music this band has made fits well for their place and time. Many underground bands would remain forgotten, yet some stand out as interesting and underrated. The Eternal Jihad is perhaps the best founding definition of early deathcore/metalcore and is worth being placed in the hands of the listener....

Favorites: "The Eternal Jihad", "Shades of Red", "Engulfed in Darkness", "The Rising of the Tide"

Even though I'm glad to join The Sphere, I still haven't listened to as much industrial metal as many of the genres in my other clans, though there might be more, thanks to the tracks I've enjoyed in the Sphere monthly playlists, such as one of the tracks in this album (sneak peek for the July playlist premiering less than a week after this review!). From the gothic-ish cyber metal sound to the artwork of blood and nudity, Deathstars' Termination Bliss can be quite strange yet awesome!

I might try their other albums later, but Termination Bliss is a perfect work of cyber metal and what got me interested in Deathstars. I'm no expert in song analysis, but I've done it hundreds of reviews before, and that's what I shall do again...

"Tongues" is a slow melodic awesome album opener to get you pumped for incoming darkness. The deep dark voice sticks with the heavy electronic rhythm. I also enjoy the chorus and the female singing before it. "Blitzkrieg" is blazing epic techno-metal fire complete with an awesome mix of voice samples, guitar distortion, and driving rhythm. Excellent single and probably the best here! "Motherzone" feels a little bothersome. I mean I love the warm chorus, but the change from techno groove to violent heaviness is abrupt. It's great, but not the right bridge. "Cyanide" is a perfect hooker! Great rhythm alongside more of those deep dark vocals. They probably work better in studio than live and, along with the bass, shine more than the guitars that are still awesome. From the synth intro onward, you'll never get bored even after hundreds of listens.

"Greatest Fight on Earth" is a weird slow heavy track. The King Diamond-like chorus is once again sung by that female vocalist, Ann Ekberg. It's an impressive waltz within the rhythm and vocals. Not the greatest of the album, but definitely in my favorites list down below. "Play God" is quite killer. The great chorus with heavy rhythm is what makes that song remarkable. Probably the best for public jogging! "Trinity Fields" is the longest of the album, though only 4 and a half minutes long. It still works as a relaxing change of pace in one of their gigs, or at home after a long day out. Different yet nicely great.

Holy sh*t, "The Last Ammunition" is another brilliant highlight. There really should've been a single for this, being the 3rd-best song of the album (behind "Cyanide" and "Blitzkrieg"), though maybe I would find better songs in the others. If there ever was a video for this song, it could be the soundtrack for the combat sequence of a modern war video game. With dramatic rhythm, synths, and vocals, this is as perfect bliss as those two other favorites. You must check them out! After that perfect storm comes the calm of "Virtue to Vice". This is probably the softest song of the album, quite close to a ballad. The guitars and vocals shine despite their softness, and you might hear more of that in their next album. "Death in Vogue" shows that, while the album is still deserving of this 5-star rating, this song is once again just plain. You can read or study to that! The title track has slower melancholy with sad emotion. You don't need to know the lyrics to get the feeling, an achievement first made by Queen in "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Well my reviews are mostly based on my own taste, but Termination Bliss is so amazing that you have to listen to believe. We'll see how much I enjoy their other albums, but for now, this is Deathstars' best work and a (inter)stellar piece of cyber metal!

Favorites: "Tongues", "Blitzkrieg", "Cyanide", "Greatest Fight on Earth", "Play God", "The Last Ammunition"

So I've been into metal for nearly a decade, including the first 5 years when I preferred power metal. However, the rest of you in this site have only known me for 3 years now in a time when metalcore was dominant in my metal liking. I definitely see more appeal now to lyrics of hate for metalcore fans to love. Rising from Connecticut, Hatebreed, has been active for nearly 3 decades, with the only two founding members still active being vocalist Jamey Jasta and bassist Chris Beattie. This band has been quite strong and successful, having released a solid 9 studio albums since 1997, including their 2002 second album Perseverance!

The artwork is as basic as the album, depicting what appears to be the band's logo with two spiky black maces, all on fire. The name "Perseverance" can be seen below. You can see it as some sort of face! Anyway, the artwork is not bad, but they could've made better effort. The logo stands out the most in the artwork. The name is also suitable for the band's motive to persevere with their sound and career.

The band prove their heavy aggressive metalcore sound in "Proven", blasting through for believers to rock on with them while the doubters are given a big fat "f*** you". This banger can get things moshing in no time and, at two and a half minutes long, the hellfire doesn't last too long. The title track keeps up what the first track had, a blast in the face and b*lls. Enhancing the metalcore approach very well is how clear the vocals sound, so you can hear the lyrical message better. Persevere against these hard times! "You're Never Alone" is for those who don't feel enough appreciation or mental health in life. This would definitely help us more now than 20 years ago, since we have a certain virus going on. You're encouraged to brush aside those issues and come to peace with what you really love. This is why metalcore and other heavier metal genres should not be knocked until tried. This band says a f***ing lot more than lame pop stars. "I Will Be Heard" motivates you to get up on your feet and stab your enemies with your middle finger. Aggressive metalcore greatness! It also appears in the Vin Diesel film xXx, which is one reason why I'm here in this review. "A Call For Blood" changes the narrative into more hate, targeting possibly the 8-year presidential tenure of Bill Clinton. Jamey's words cut sharply like swords in that angry thrasher.

"Below the Bottom" brings the lyrics back to normality while adding a twist. Sure it's about self-belief, but the story is about the enemy sinking below the bottom in the pit of lies while the hero rises out of there. F***ing rad, right?!? A shorter one and a half minute track is "We Still Fight", continuing the theme of belief and dedicated to the military who has helped the country stay safe. Short yet sharp, though slightly forgettable. "Unloved" can be considered the most hateful breakup song in existence. This might or might not be the right song to send to your partner that you're tired of, like a huge "f*** you" to that partner. Moving on, that track is not too bad, but a bit bland. "Bloodsoaked Memories" is a composition I like for the switch in gear. The drumming really drives along here. Riffing is drawn out while staying aggressive. However, the lyrics are just painful to fear, continue the power of hate but with something missing. Rolling on from the last track's riff, "Hollow Ground" opens nicely yet loudly, shouting to the masses for them all to fight back with their fists up high. I'm happy that the album's back on track after the bumpy middle. G****mn it, that's a great fight anthem!

"Final Prayer" signifies the human race being destroyed by greedy leaders fighting for infinite power. It's hard and heavy as usual, ending with killer guitar soloing by Slayer's Kerry King. The lyrical message is quite bleak, since the power would destroy us before we could have a chance to fight back. "Smash Your Enemies" is re-recorded from their hardcore demo EP Under the Knife. The great intro has some of the heaviest growling and vibe here, as the lyrics detail destroying your enemy with the strong power of the previous track, in interesting depth. "Healing to Suffer Again" would have you raising your flag in a battle to protect your mental health, which the vocalist might've been struggling in, considering the lack of the earlier perseverance. "Judgement Strikes (Unbreakable)" is quite decent for another short track, with a clear message of hate. "Remain Nameless" is the final real song, and a more complete one to once more strike down haters. The "Outro" is quick a 40-second jam hinting at what would come next...

I'm glad to enjoy this album. Even though the middle tracks are a bit dull, the ones in the start and end are highlights with clear messages. Hatebreed and Killswitch Engage were competing against each other in the reign of metalcore popularity, but both bands should be checked out by fans of the genre. Hatebreed shall please the metal breed!

Favorites: "Proven", "You're Never Alone", "I Will Be Heard", "Below the Bottom", "Hollow Ground", "Final Prayer", "Smash Your Enemies", "Remain Nameless"

Motionless in White has been in the modern metal zone since the 2010s. They're one of my favorite bands to cover 3 of my current clans, though they probably would've been too dark for me 6 years before this review, when I wasn't fully into the genres they cover. They've made a really solid and relevant run from Creatures to Graveyard Shift, though Disguise was slightly more alt-metal focused. They started their current path through industrial metalcore around Infamous and Reincarnate, and what could top the former album being my favorite alongside Creatures? With the early 2020s insanity of the virus going, the band have more courage to unleash their emotions to the world.

The band didn't immediately start working on their new album after touring. They released a 10th anniversary reissue of their breakthrough debut Creatures 2020, along with two singles "Creatures X: To the Grave" and "Timebomb" to look back at their metalcore roots. With the announcement of Scoring the End of the World 3 months prior to its release, will they continue the throwback while unleashing the emotions they've had in the period after Disguise?

The album opener "Meltdown" begins with a mighty "BLEGH!!!", already letting you know that hardcore sh*t's gonna go down. The electronics and heaviness continue from Disguise, and what also makes the song great is the massive chorus. The title absolutely fits the electronic atmosphere and the couple years we've suffered through, "Side effects are not allowed when they include our meltdown". Next track "Sign of Life" has wonderful inventive strength in the verses and the chorus. Chris Motionless does an amazing Breaking Benjamin impression in the triumphant chorus, "Wasting away in the dark is not an option, I’ll scratch my nails through this coffin". Those first two tracks already make a f***ing fun live show opener. My first time listening to "Werewolf" was a quite exciting experience, having some of the most f***ing experimentation they've had for so long. It's like a Carpenter Brut remake of Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me", especially when Chris sings Michael Jackson's hook from that song. Some fans may love it, others may hate it. The chorus is my favorite here with pleasing harmonies, "I can be honest, I can be human, I can become the silver bullet in your hand". I want more of that! The slow-paced ballad "Porcelain" has lots of beautiful emotion in the singing. "I’ve broken my vows to reconcile. I shattered your heart and left a crack in your smile". One of the singles here "Slaughterhouse" is a f***ing heavy fun track, featuring Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose. He and Chris do perfect vocal alternation in the brutal bad-a** breakdowns, alongside political lyrics, "In the land of the free you’re a slave to your wealth". The chorus is slightly out-of-place within the heaviness, but still enjoyable.

"Masterpiece" follows as another ballad, which is quite jarring when adding a brutal as f*** song between two ballads. Still this ballad is a great tune I should recommend to my brother! Another powerful harmonic chorus occurs there, "So how do I apologize, and put the tears back in your eyes? When every canvas that I paint is a masterpiece of my mistakes." Next up, "Cause of Death" doesn't strike me as much as the previous tracks, but it's still a good grower. The instrumentation is quite good too. "You found your life in my cause of death." Then "We Become the Night" has a Marilyn Manson-like sound that throws back to Infamous when industrial elements were first entering the stage. Fans can decide whether or not that song is for them. I enjoy the haunting verses and massive chorus of huge dynamics, "Take back your soul while we become the night." The title of "Burned at Both Ends II" already lets you know the song sequels are still going on, being a sequel to a song from Infamous. It has really grown into one of my favorites. The lyrics have a more positive theme, "At both ends burned once more, but now I live for something more".

What worried me a bit is "B.F.B.T.G. Corpse Nation" when I first saw the title. The first "B.F.B.T.G." from Disguise was, as I said before, a bit sloppy and repetitive. Fortunately, it has better cinematic surprises to touch my industrial alt-metalcore soul. "RESEARCH THIS, MOTHERF***ER!!!!" One other song to be a "sequel better than the original" is the previous album's "Undead Ahead II". Next track, lead single "Cyberhex" is a phenomenal highlight. They came back with an epic vengeance, along with guest narration from Lindsay Schoolcraft, former vocalist of Cradle of Filth. Many more electronics have been used than before, and the chorus is so huge, "In this hell you are my paradise". The unfortunate "Red, White, and Boom", featuring Caleb Shomo of Beartooth and formerly Attack Attack!, is the f***ing worst song of the album. The riffs and gang chorus are so corny, and the shout before the bridge doesn't really help, "1! 2!! F*** YOU!!!" Still it's quite fun to listen to, so it's not a total disaster. Otherwise, the album rating would've been lower. The glorious title closer is my favorite song here, with amazing lyrics and melodies, plus a total headbanging breakdown! This can motivate listeners to look out for a possible apocalypse. It surpasses "Cyberhex" by a small notch as the album's highlight I guess the legendary Mick Gordon's instrumentation work could have been heavier, but it all comes out perfectly! One of the best tracks the band has ever done! "Amplify or die, it’s us or them".

All in all, Scoring the End of the World has proven to be amazing comeback for the band after a slight decrease in quality in Disguise. Many of the tracks will satisfy open-minded listeners, though not every track is highly likeable. Scoring the End of the World has the band's dynamic strength in fresh quality!

Favorites: "Meltdown", "Werewolf", "Slaughterhouse", "Masterpiece", "Burned at Both Ends II", "Cyberhex", "Scoring the End of the World"

Coalesce has been an impressive band that fits in the mathcore Big 4 along with Converge, Botch, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Their chaotic take on metallic hardcore is highly influential in math-grind abrasion that later bands can play but never replicate the master. Former and current band members were in other projects that would later spawn a new melodic emotional side of Coalesce. The resulting deep cacophonic sludge swamp is rewarding but doesn't the reach the reign of their original era...

I'm writing my review for this album of demented growls and frets at a time when the band is long-gone. It's not easy accepting that a band this good would now be nothing but a distant memory, but I still have a grasp on the band's rage and some of this strange experimentation.

"The Plot Against My Love" starts with the usual furious barks of Sean Ingram, beginning the album almost like Botch's last full album, though at a lower mid-tempo pace closer to heavy hardcore. For the first time ever for this band, clean singing occurs in "The Comedian in Question". And again in the intro for "Wild Ox Moan", which actually sounds like a stoner-infused Alice in Chains before it gets broken apart by the usual chaos that has shaped up the band's career. "Designed To Break A Man" is almost literally what that title says, with powerful distortion in the mid-paced drums, bass, and guitar, the latter having their signature sludge-ish riffing, crazier than The Jesus Lizard. "Where Satires Sour" is a brief acoustic interlude that lasts under a minute.

The speed is picked up by "The Villain We Won't Deny". More of this stylistic experimentation is presented in "The Purveyor Of Novelty And Nonsense", which integrates earlier Western music history into their sludge. Try speeding your Ford car up a ramp over a river to the other side while listening to that track! Next up, "In My Wake, For My Own" brings back some of the noise from their 90s era, this time with bluesy guitar jangle and falsetto chants that sound like a little kid choir. The instrumentation sounds grungy, but the gang-led shouting is still around. Then it briefly drops into more chanting, this time from Gregorian monks. "New Voids in One's Resolve" has excellent bass.

"We Have Lost Our Will" is another pretty interlude, here with acoustic melancholy and soft xylophone. It's like a spot-on image of the band's tumbleweed-infested home of Kansas City. The madness leads on in "Questions to Root Out Fools" with riff/vocal passion. "By What We Refuse" has lyrics the earlier fans might agree to. "Dead is Dead" deconstructs its chaos smoothly into a marching ballad. "There is a Word Hidden in the Ground" is a h*lla crushing slow closer, a brilliant favorite of mine to end it all!

Nothing too bad for the band's true swansong album. It's interesting enough to satisfy me. Their intensity has been decelerated by some of the experimentation, but it all worked pretty well in the end. And with that, the crazy career of Coalesce has closed.....

Favorites: "The Plot Against My Love", "Wild Ox Moan", "Designed To Break A Man", "The Purveyor Of Novelty And Nonsense", "In My Wake, For My Own", "Questions to Root Out Fools", "There is a Word Hidden in the Ground"

Another kick-A album coming through, this one from one of the most historical years in metalcore/mathcore, my birth year, 1999! That year spawned a few blockbusting classics from the technical Dillinger Escape Plan, the melodic Poison the Well, and the mathematical Botch. And rounding off that awesome year is Coalesce, with their then-swansong album 0:12 Revolution in Just Listening!

The album is only under 24 minutes long, just as long as Rorschach's debut, but it's worth listening to all this hardcore grace. It has really paved the way for a new millennium for the metalcore of A Life Once Lost, the mathcore of Every Time I Die, and the deathcore of The Red Chord, though Coalesce's brutal technicality can never be cloned.

The action plays right away in "What Happens on the Road Always Comes Home", striking you like a truck to a brick wall. The fast frets soon collapse into a monstrous headbanging groove. It's all topped out by Sean Ingram's vocals that should be heard at least once in your lifetime. Segueing out of an odd children-filled audio sample is "Cowards.com", unleashing a crushing mathcore assault that mixes Deadguy with early Meshuggah. "Burn Everything That Bears Our Name" is another top-notch highlight.

Progressing through is "While The Jacka** Operation Spins It's Wheels" with the quick guitar fury of TDEP at that time, all in a beautiful force of precise dissonance. The rather aptly-titled "Sometimes Selling Out Is Waking Up" has a strange yet smashing amount of riffs. Some of those riffs sound fitting for Led Zeppelin while others are noisy beyond human comprehension. Now for the next song, "Where The H*ll Is Rick Thorne These Days?" Well, h*ll if I know! I don't even know who this Rick Thorne dude is. But at least we have another groovy metallic hardcore track.

"Jesus in the Year 2000/Next on the Sh*t List" starts with a collage of audio samples until Coalesce's force is unleashed again into your ears. James Dewees' drumming skills pummel through the hammering riffing and vocals to skin alive the weak. Now that's a classic! "Counting Murders, Drinking Beer (The $46,000 Escape)" is another top-notch composition with verse reverb. A crushing highlight not for the faint of heart! The ambient ending "They Always Come in Fall" actually closes the album quite well.

0:12 Revolution in Just Listening is an intense math/metalcore ride through furious groove precision. It is a heavy landmark for the genre and essential listening for any metalcore fan in The Revolution!

Favorites: "What Happens on the Road Always Comes Home", "Burn Everything That Bears Our Name, "While The Jacka** Operation Spins It's Wheels", "Jesus in the Year 2000/Next on the Sh*t List", "Counting Murders, Drinking Beer (The $46,000 Escape)"

I enjoy Coalesce's studio albums, I really do, with all of its chaotic screaming intensity. However, they still haven't matured enough yet in their demo EPs, sounding too strained and tight. "Simulcast" is in its original demo form, but still the only incredible song here, with some changes into an occasional sludgy sound that would hint at the band's incoming technical experimentation and emotion. By the time Give Them Rope comes on, they would've already improved....

Favorites (only one highlight): "Simulcast"

Season of Mist is one of the most diverse metal record labels out there. Their roster can range from the stoner-sludge of Kylesa to the tech-death of Atheist. When fellow Floridian (former) tech-death band Cynic released their progressive metal comeback album Traced in Air via that label, it was probably a sign for some metalheads that another early 90s progressive tech-death band would rise again thanks to that label. That prophecy came true a few months later, then the following year, the album Jupiter was made! While staying true to their classic style, Atheist would bring a new creative direction...

So in the early tech-death scene, Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert (RIP) were in pioneering force Death before forming Cynic, in which its bassist Tony Choy helped record bass in a couple Atheist and Pestilence albums. Cynic reformed and went progressive metal, Pestilence reformed and continued their tech-death, then Atheist reformed and stayed in a furious mix of those styles. All 8 of this album's tracks are real songs, no interludes, in just over a half-hour. But enough comparison, let's get to the songs!

Atheist's returns to their uncanny speed instantly in "Second to Sun", which can bring to mind the planet Jupiter without being a title track for the album ("all atoms report to the sun", "without all her fire there won’t be anyone"). Kelly Shaefer's vocal range crosses between Testament's Chuck Billy and Devin Townsend in his Strapping Young Lad albums. Guitar swipes through in "Fictitious Glide". Next track "Fraudulent Cloth" can be said for the rest of the album to keep the Atheist flag raised even after a long 17 years without anything new. The banner is still high!

Shaefer breathes out his vocals at its fullest height in "Live and Live Again" after a soft cello intro. The chorus of "Faux King Christ" is a clever and far better way to disguise the F-word than a certain sh*tty Britney Spears single.

"Tortoise the Titan" has some experimental groove, including a speedy chorus that sounds funny when Shaefer tells everyone to "SLOW DOWN!!!!". The strength is helped out by both the music and the lyrics telling a mythical fable. Concluding "When the Beast" is more of the earlier guitar sweeps. Finally, "Third Person" has an interesting lyrical quote "Historically it has been told, harmonically your soul is sold to old, I was the highest bidder, dripping blood on the dark side."

I'm thankful to finally get comfortably seated in a tech-death band ride for the first time since my year long back from that genre, with this band of coherent passion. Atheist is one of very few bands to achieve that balance, and Jupiter continues their slow yet astonishing evolution of progressive tech-death!

Favorites: "Second to Sun", "Fraudulent Cloth", "Live and Live Again", "Tortoise the Titan"

The original 90s creators of the metalcore universe returned for one last album. Album #2 Protestant is a kick-A masterpiece that would make weeks-long welcomed visits in the playlists of metalcore fans wanting to hear an early mix of the genre with many others!

While the sound is mainly early metallic hardcore, you can hear small bits of punky thrash, deathgrind, and black-doom added to this bad-a** mix. With these influences, there's more riff variation than their violent metalcore-establishing debut Remain Sedate. For Protestant, they expanded on their early Voivod-like punk-thrash riffing into more creative variety. The Slayer-like dissonance is spiced up with tempo changes for progressive chaos. Breakdowns appear sparsely without any cliche over-usage.

"Mandible" already opens the album with abrasive guitar that might make you think of the industrial metal wave that was also shaping up at that time. However, the band is still in the metalcore zone with hysterical shrieks to accompany the abstract madness that gets more melodic midway through. "In Ruins" brings back the powerful anger of their debut. "Traditional" takes on the hardcore thrash that sounds like Voivod's first two albums in interesting dissonance, often twisting into violent bashing. Things get weirder in "Drawn & Quartered" when the Slayer-ish thrash chaos ends up reaching a technical style before becoming a doomy elegy.

"Shanks" has dissonant aggressive chaos taking a turn into the doomy stomping of Confessor. More of the atmospheric music can be heard in "Recurring Nightmare #105". That song and "Blinders" have probably the best early metalcore breakdowns. "Hemlock" again follows the early-Voivod formula of wild riffing and Hellbound atmosphere.

More of the band's earlier raw disjointed madness appears in "Raw Nerve". The nearly 5-minute "Skin Culture" is the band's longest song, and it continues the band's rhythm evolution with a doomy vibe before a sudden twist into faster dissonance. "Cut the Wheel" mixes these elements similarly, but this time having grindcore levels of speed and riffing. Triggering dissonant atmosphere in the best light is "Ornaments", the most atmospheric swansong to end their short career.

All in all, Protestant is an a**-kicker with top-notch music, anger, and atmosphere, going out in history as an absolute early metalcore classic. Highly recommended for fans of metalcore, or simply metal or hardcore, and any mix of those two genres that has ever existed!

Favorites: "Traditional", "Drawn & Quartered", "Recurring Nightmare #105", "Blinders", "Skin Culture", "Ornaments"

Well, time to check again on the present days of The Revolution as a break from my late 90s/early 2000s tour, though this band would revive the emo scene from that era. They show a lot of maturity in the sound, other than this album's title Rouge Carpet Disaster (How do I type in that title without misspelling the first word "Rogue"?).

Static Dress can be considered the Disney/Pixar's Turning Red of the emo revival. They've taken influence from bands from 20 years ago, sounding similar but still unique and not in a clone kind of way, from the post-hardcore of Glassjaw, to the metalcore of Poison the Well, and the alt-punk of My Chemical Romance. Static Dress has brought a great amount of exciting color to the new scene, with Rouge Carpet Disaster seeing possibility of them reaching the hardcore stars.

"Fleahouse" is a melodic album starter, bouncing through a noisy mix of singing choruses and harsh verses. It's the perfect setup for what to expect in the album. Things would keep expanding as the album goes on, as the crew stabilize the foundation. "Sweet" is anything but the title, with strong depth in the harsh vocals. There's more melody later in the progression to keep things balanced. "Push Rope" continues pushing the boundaries with new elements including a shoegaze-like riff added to their mid-2000s emo vibe. There's more of this new experimentation to come as we stay in our seats...

"Attempt 8" turns down the energy for clean guitar and soft vocals that actually sounds perfectly well. Then the chaos returns again in the not-so-relaxing "Courtney, Just Relax". The explosive screams that make a twisting contrast with the softly sung vocals bring Glassjaw and Poison the Well to the minds of early 2000s post-hardcore listeners. The guitars really fire things up sounding melodic one moment and chaotic the next. "Disinter" fires things up yet again as a chaotic yet melodic highlight. King Yosef's guest vocal appearance in the song is one of many layers of sound that heavier rock genres have been going for today. The chorus makes the song an exciting fresh classic. A heavier attempt at a ballad is "Such a Shame". It's songs like that would made Static Dress more popular if they were around 20 years ago.

"...Maybe!!?" is a more melodic song close to pop punk, while keeping some of the harsh vocal brutality. While following that mundane verse-chorus structure, the catchy melodies and drums are balanced out with heavy breakdown usage. Another highlight, "Lye Solution" continues the chaotic/melodic contrast to keep the listener in attention. "Unexplainabletitlesleavingyouwonderingwhy (welcome in)" takes on the punky wonders of a humorous title and post-hardcore assault. It's the most vulnerable song here, not to mention unexpected for those expecting a heavier sound in the album. "Marisol" is the most ballad-like of the ballads, with softness in the drums, bass, guitars... Everything! The soft vocals sound vulnerable while having some raw emotion. You might expect the album to finish after the string-infused ballad, but... The finale "Cubical Dialog" brings back their usual sound as a bonus encore. A worthy instant classic for the ages of melody and chaos!

Static Dress have shown that they're more than just a typical metalcore/post-hardcore band. They've revived the scene from 20 years ago with fresh sounds to make their own sound more unique and less tiring. Rouge Carpet Disaster might just be the start of a new emo generation!

Favorites: "Fleahouse", "Push Rope", "Attempt 8", "Disinter", "Lye Solution", "Cubical Dialog"

UGH, NO, F*** THIS!!! This is just deathgrind-infused deathcore f***ed up much more than Damaged and Deformity's Misanthrope EP. The only track I have time for is "A Time for Iron", mainly because it's under a minute long and I wanna get this sh*t out of here fast. It just ain't worth my early metalcore subgenres tour. This EP can rot in Hell. I'm done. Peace out and p*ss this one off...

Favorites (only one I remotely like because of length): "A Time for Iron"

Now this is a better, more solid mix of death metal and hardcore from this Belgian band! They've unleashed a different beast compared to their EP Misanthrope that was stuck in the middle between those two genres. They mixed them much more smoothly in their debut full album Murder Within Sin, with heavy emphasis on the death side.

I used to really try to avoid the standard death metal/deathcore like the plague, but this album from the late 90s rules! They've made a unique approach that's not as fast and technical as Cryptopsy, nor as brutal as Nile, nor as melodic as Arch Enemy, but right at the center of the 3, and from as much as a hardcore perspective as Embodyment to qualify as deathcore. Everything's in infectious excellence! They don't focus on over-playing solos, instead on dynamic motion.

"Eyes (They Watch, Part II)" is a sequel to a song from Misanthrope, and it's much better than the original. There's a slight touch of the modern deathcore The Contortionist had 10 years later before that band's more progressive sound. Perfect death metal/core reigns in "Bloodfields", especially the end when the vocalist screams "NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE!" That really has the vibe of threat and danger to be expected in the genre. "Stained Red" is a short one-minute track that would've been better if it was longer. But it serves as a prelude to the divine "Enter Within the Lust Divine".

"33" once again shows that there are more brutal sounds in The Revolution. An acoustic interlude "Angelheart" has excellent indulgence that reminds me of the outros of Stratovarius' earlier albums. Then it leads to the highlight "The Dark Sun", the centerpiece of the entire album, and a great underrated part of death metal/deathcore history. The riffing starts off sounding like Slayer before leading into bruising death, complete with screams and growls in the vocals. That's how explosive death metal/core can be!

One song kept in good consistence is "Speak Out My Name". That song and "Misanthrope" (the latter taking its name from that EP) are athletic hookers where brutal breakdowns are in great balance with the other aspects. "Burn Down the Heavens" showcases the deathcore influence that would spread to German metalcore bands Caliban and Heaven Shall Burn at that time. "Night Scars" is the 4-minute "epic" of the album, like the only good song of the Misanthrope EP, and once again, this kind of sound I wouldn't get away with long ago when I was only into the power metal of DragonForce, but now with more diversity in my range, there's much more leeway.

Despite the short album length of 27 minutes, Murder Within Sin is a prime example of impact instead of atmosphere in death metal/core, though the technicality can rise thanks to the efficiency. It's so stunning how much of a secret this album was back in the late 90s. Thank greatness for the internet to spill the beans and blood!

Favorites: "Eyes (They Watch, Part II)", "Bloodfields", "33", "The Dark Sun", "Misanthrope", "Night Scars"

I had quite a blast with my standard metalcore subgenre rediscovery voyage, along with several extra reviews for albums from that earlier era. It's been great discovering gems from the genre's first decade after being initially fixated on the more modern/melodic metalcore. With that said, there's more for me to look out for, including the epilogue in Deadguy's original run, Screamin' with the Deadguy Quintet!

Had Deadguy ever actually bad at their sound? Not from what I witnessed! I love both this EP and their debut, they're both perfect. But if I had to choose one, it would probably be the debut, while acknowledging the EP's equal greatness. Sadly, after one more live album, they would break up until a reunion show 25 years later.

First off, "Human Pig" gets you started in the same way as their debut, to level up your energy. After siren-like wailing of the guitar, the drumming gets all crazy, and vocalist Tim "Pops" Naumann (replacing Tim Singer) screams all over the place up to the end. "(Escape from) the Fake Clink" has some absurd drumming with different changes, all that could fit well in a Clint Eastwood movie. "Turk-182" sounds more unique than most other hardcore/metalcore bands, but not the most unique themselves. That's good because everything gets balanced well for my enjoyment.

The odd yet best one here is "Free Mustache Rides". The lyrics and screams can be scary as sh*t for newcomers while having a bit of humor, particularly in the title. "Angry Dwarf" is another crazy song, almost like a love song but it ain't. It ends with a beeping noise that slowly and softly fades out which you might think would mark the end of the album... Then "Prosthetic Head" begins with noise fading back in, leading to a mysteriously spiritual-sounding song, symbolic for the end of the band.

Let me explain to you right now the greatness of this band, Deadguy. Their two major recordings are some of the best I've heard, and any metalcore/mathcore fan should get time ASAP. Deadguy may be mostly dead now, but we shall keep their legacy living!

Favorites: "Human Pig", "Turk-182", "Free Mustache Rides"

The first time I had something with the name "Hatebreed" was Children of Bodom's second album Hatebreeder, but back then I wasn't into metalcore yet, and was definitely not up to going the hardcore route of bands like Hatebreed and Biohazard. Fast forward 6 years into the present when I came across this band in my metalcore rediscovery journey (ended up being a bonus epilogue for that journey because this album was not yet in the site), and I was glad to give their debut album a go! What grabbed me was aggressive intensity and lyrics of frustration that I love in metalcore. This band's lyrics of reality shows that they're more than just metallic hardcore noise.

With their debut, Satisfaction is the Death of Desire, it amazingly describes the band's lack of satisfaction for life's advantages and disadvantages. In its release year 1997, their former label Victory Records was still focused on hardcore/early metalcore bands that included not just Hatebreed but also Earth Crisis, Integrity, and Strife. If this early debut isn't an honor for the metalcore sound that would stick with Hatebreed, I don't know what is!

This 14-song 26-minute onslaught begins with "Empty Promises" that immediately pummels through with lyrics following their main theme. This short fast pace sets up the sound the album needs. Then the strong guitar and smashing drumming are kept up for "Burn the Lies". The memorable "Before Dishonor" has a chorus worth shouting along to, along with flaming riffs. Another favorite here is "Puritan", with a bit of melodeath flavor in the riffing. Another death metal-ish tune "Conceived Through an Act of Violence" once again has a catchy chorus and thunderous riffs.

The blazing "Afflicted Past" takes on more of the band's earlier influences. "Prepare for War" once again prepares me to leave the power metal lands I was once in to head into metalcore war. The best track here is "Not One Truth", blasting through rebellious lyrics and chorus rhythm. The drums get fired up again in "Betrayed by Life".

"Mark My Words" would stun the metal community with one of my favorites here, MARK MY WORDS!!! "Last Breath" would leave you breathless by the end of that minute and a half. "Burial for the Living" is another fast highlight to pump me up. "Worlds Apart" is another metalcore key in which the influences would bleed into even later bands like Asking Alexandria and Make Them Suffer. Another one of the best here! Then finally, the heavy "Driven by Suffering" would still be a solid track for fans to this day.

An awesome metal/hardcore gem that is quite short, but length doesn't matter here. I'm glad to finally complete my early metalcore rediscovery voyage with this album. Thanks Ben for adding this to the site, and I ever come across some more albums that can top this one, I'm up for that challenge. Bring on the hate for me to love!

Favorites: "Before Dishonor", "Puritan", "Prepare for War", "Not One Truth", "Mark My Words", "Burial for the Living", "Worlds Apart"

With speedy guitars and hellbent vocals, this is very much a European blend of brutal death metal and deathcore. While nowadays, I don't mind the pained grinding of that mix, the mundane structure sounds a bit dull (though never really going verse-chorus) when you're expecting the complexity of those genres back then. For that reason, the only song that really slightly stands out is "The Shadow of Mankind", reminding me of Underoath at that time.

So all we have is an inhuman yet stupid attempt at mixing Hatebreed with Obituary, only coming out with a slightly worse result than that Deformity EP. I prefer to get my deathcore from Embodyment's debut and in 21st Century bands that sadly get more hate than this trash-fest....

Favorites (only song I even slightly like): "The Shadow of Mankind"

"I've found that strife won't make the bleeding stop, nor will it take away the pain. I feel like this search is all in vain, and I struggle to find my way." OOPS, wrong song! Come to think of it, was Strife one of Trivium's influences? NAH, they probably have a lot more to listen to then just hardcore punk leaning into metal instead of full-on metalcore...

That's basically what Strife is, proving that even though metalcore is becoming a new sound for the rebellion, the original hardcore did not die, instead just hanging out in the underground. One of the more metallic hints comes from the loud fast tempos that most other hardcore bands only use occasionally, with power chords and guitar fuzz to match. Other than a two-year break in the millennial turn, Strife is still alive with their straight-edge lifestyle and disciplined hardcore attitude.

"Through and Through" is a good starting highlight. "What Will Remain" is also good with the occasional speed. "Lift" lifts things up once again through hardcore fire. "Still Rise" has a promising Metallica-like soft intro and metal riffing, but after that, they never really go anywhere. Let's face it, "Face" sounds too hardcore for my palate.

"Am I the Only One?" is also more hardcore, but it's an awesome anthemic standout! And there's more energy in "Arms of the Few", with a highly frantic pace and lyrics to shout along to. But then they lose focus again in "To the Surface". After that, "Shadow's End" has some elements that early Shadows Fall would also have, but it's pretty much just metal-ish hardcore as opposed to Shadows Fall's melodeath-inspired metalcore. This album even has a power ballad, "Slipping", which showcases the band's Metallica ballad influences that aren't even close to dominant as other hardcore bands like Judge.

"Moment's Lost" loses a bit of momentum, being a highly short hardcore track at only under a minute. However, the most f***ing metal track here is "Question Mark", especially that shriek towards the end. "Inner Struggle" is one more track I seem to struggle a bit with. And finally, "Calm the Fire" is not so calm for the most part, but there's heavier fire here to end this close-to-mediocre hardcore offering.

One Truth has some worthy material, but to tell you the truth, it offers much more hardcore than metal, the latter still being around but not a lot in the album. I've reviewed much better and more metallic 90s metalcore releases than this half-decent sh*t....

Favorites: "Through and Through", "Lift", "Am I the Only One?", "Arms of the Few", "Slipping", "Question Mark", "Calm the Fire"

Metalcore was barely existent in some European countries like Germany in most of the 90s. And why not, since it was pretty much a US thing when the genre started. Two bands would mark the first ones from Germany to be metalcore; Caliban and Heaven Shall Burn. They would even release a couple split albums together, but not before each releasing an album separately. This is Caliban's side of the German metalcore coin...

Their 1999 debut A Small Boy and a Grey Heaven showcases their brutal thrashy death/metalcore roots. Obviously they're not the very first metalcore band in the world, but this album is different from what you would expect today. Barely any melody is found here, with the guitars being mostly electric, and very few clean vocals to go with the unclean dominance. With that and the Slayer-like riffing and wicked hardcore breakdowns, plus some memorable scream-along refrains, I can see the influence the album might cause for modern deathcore. All I gotta say is, this can be considered a hardcore mix of the thrash of Kreator and Anthrax, and the groove of Pantera and Hatebreed.

The interlude tracks are quite pointless here and I don't wanna explain them all, though the "Intro" can almost make you think this is a Therion album. Then the proper songs started leveling up your attention, beginning with the standout "Arena of Concealment" with sick screams and the Slayer riffing to creep in your skin and get you headbanging, especially in a pummeling breakdown. "In My Heart" carries on in similar fashion with blazing riffing, slamming drums, and a catchy ending worth shouting along to. One song that actually clean singing is the destructive "Destruction". The title track has the hardcore bass crunch going on that's actually audible, though low and ominous. That's how early metalcore shall roll around here!

After one of the two pointless skits, "A Faint Moment of Fortune" has a more furious riff onslaught complete with blast beats, though you might wanna expect another mid-paced breakdown, and another f***ing skit afterwards! "Supervision Until Death" clearly stands out, sounding slow, even the same level as sludgy doom with notable bass. Of course things will still speed up. Returning to more of the brutal thrash, "Always Following Life" has some bloodthirsty guitar grinding before an incredible climatic outro. The noise-polluting "Pollution" is an anthem with a cool slow intro before slamming and lightning-fast leads and the mid-tempo moshing of hardcore.

After the lame 3rd skit ("Sylca"), the bulldozing "Intolerance (Ignorance II)" (sequel to a song from an earlier EP) has memorable riffing to round things up. Finally, "De Rebus Que Gerunter" (The Matters of the World) is a Slayer-powered scorcher that then slows down for a melodic breakdown, once more having the uncommon cleans that back up the screams. Another thing to make that track a highlight is an unforgettable guitar solo. I think that should've been the end instead of a weak anticlimactic "Outro".

As part of the trio of influential 90s metalcore bands with their names starting with the letter C (along with Cave In and Converge), Caliban is essential for the metalcore we know today. It is recommended for metalheads who want to witness the development of a genre. A few details I might not like, but I know this album's importance....

Favorites: "Arena of Concealment", "A Small Boy and a Grey Heaven", "A Faint Moment of Fortune", "Supervision Until Death", "Pollution", "Intolerance (Ignorance II)", "De Rebus Que Gerunter"