Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

Oh f*** me... Even one of the most impressive and talented metalcore bands ends up losing most of their metal in one album. This is pretty much the lowest point of the career in my opinion, much lower than even their 2020s alt-metal material. And this was at the time when Architects was making a downward drift in quality that includes their 2000s material. Anyway, let's review their worst album The Here and Now, right here right now...

The British modern metal scene still had a lot of metal at that time. Bring Me the Horizon was still in their pure metalcore phase white hitting the airwaves and charts. On the other hand, Architects thought it would be a good idea to rock the boat with more rock and less metalcore. The end result did not work well in heavier fans' favor.

The My Chemical Romance-infused sound of the previous album's closing track has bled into "Day In Day Out", this time having the pop-core sound of A Day to Remember. This similarly happens in "Learn to Live" which is actually a cool chant-filled anthem. "Delete, Rewind" explodes into heavier guitarwork, though in more of a post-hardcore form, especially when the emo-ish cleans blend with the screaming intensity.

"BTN" (I'm guessing that stands for "Been Through Nicotine) comes out as more of a blend of Bad Religion and Foo Fighters than anything. Aspects of the latter band appear more in "An Open Letter to Myself", albeit with a more electronic stylistic basis. Distorted aggression explodes like a bomb in the oddly titled "The Blues".

"Red Eyes" has a chorus worth singing along to that makes the track more interesting. Andrew Neufield of Comeback Kid guest appears in "Stay Young Forever", which greatly turns the track into a mosh-ready punisher. Then we have another rock ballad in "Heartburn", which is way too soft for a band known for their hardcore brutality. "Year In Year Out" is another intense anthem, featuring Greg Puciato of The Dillinger Escape Plan. I'm not sure what the point of the hidden track "Up and Away" was.

I'm also not gonna talk about the special edition reissue bonus tracks. If there's any song I would recommend from this album, it would be "Learn to Live" and most of the second half. Everything else is a f***ing failure. Luckily, they would make up for all their mistakes in their next few albums and beyond....

Favorites (only tracks I like): "Learn to Live", "The Blues", "Red Eyes", "Stay Young Forever", "Year In Year Out"

Hollow Crown is often considered Architects' best album in the 2000s era, but I don't think so. The best in their 2000s era is still their debut Nightmares and they would only achieve total glory in the mid-2010s. There are still some decent tunes to enjoy in this 2009 album...

It should be noted that there's more than one band with a similar name; Architect, an American band that was also active in the late 2000s and had a similar sound, and The Architects, an American ska-rock band. Oh, and there's an At the Gates song called "The Architects". I'm not sure if that's where the British metalcore band Architects (no "the") got their name. Anyway, Hollow Crown takes on more fierce angle than Ruin with more natural evolution.

"Early Grave" clearly shows the band taking no sh*t. There's some mathcore influence there while not highly technical, still hammering through riffing brutality. There's more of the screaming anger courtesy of vocalist Sam Carter, occasionally mixed with clean singing without becoming post-hardcore. "Dethroned" continues tearing down the walls with some alt-ish motives that would later be adopted by Bad Omens. "Numbers Count for Nothing" is more chromatic, especially towards the end. A similar ending occurs in "Follow the Water", though the rest of the song has more of the furious formula that started out in Ruin.

"In Elegance" has more melodic moments, and I can almost get the ambient heaviness from later modern melodeath bands like Gyze. Then we have the brutal scorcher "We're All Alone". The more hardcore "Borrowed Time" sounds a bit emo-ish. "Every Last Breath" takes some cues from Attila (without the rapping) and Underoath.

"One of These Days" is so diversely packed with a lot to expect from bands like All Shall Perish, Black Veil Brides, Every Time I Die, and Trivium. "Dead March" deviates from the usual D-flat/7-string A-flat, tuned up a half-step to A. "Left With a Last Minute" is just straight-up Norma Jean. The title finale sounds too much like a clean My Chemical Romance ballad. Why the f*** choose that as a title track? Their bonus re-recording of "To the Death" makes up for that and should've been the true ending.

Hollow Crown is a decent follow-up to Ruin, though another step down. Of course, many of the songs are still worth listening to. Nonetheless, i suggest that any newcomers start with their mid-2010s material, so you can have a better experience with the band that doesn't feel as hollow as this album....

Favorites: "Early Grave", "Dethroned", "Follow the Water", "In Elegance", "We're All Alone", "One of These Days"

If I were to choose which is Architects' best era, I would say the mid-2010s. Now don't get me wrong, I like this 2000s era as well. However, while most people say they've gotten better throughout the late 2000s, to me it sounds like they've gotten a bit worse, hitting its lowest point in 2011's The Here and Now. Ruin begins that descent...

In the extreme metal realms, death/black metal reigns in Europe, mostly in Scandinavia, and metalcore/hardcore reigns in the US In between, the UK, known as heavy metal's true birthplace, has a fair share of bands from both ends of the metal spectrum. Architects is an essential band in the British metalcore scene. Ruin continues their metalcore evolution while discarding most of the mathcore noise from Nightmares. Though the violence could've been greater if they had some of that Hatebreed groove.

Opening track "Buried at Sea" is a total crusher. The guitars are tuned down from the debut's drop C to drop B. Brutal breakdowns and dynamic chords spread through, along with the deathly riffing of Bring Me the Horizon at that time, maybe even reminding some of Cannibal Corpse. A solid heavy start! And there's more of that chaos in "Hunt Them Down". The punchy "You'll Find Safety" has an anthemic chorus alongside melodic singing and chords, like what In Flames was doing in their alt-metal transition back then but better. "Always" is almost like Killswitch Engage on steroids, and no, that's not an exaggeration.

The dense interlude "Sail This Ship Alone" sails through haunting ambience. "Heartless" explodes in Converge-like mathy metalcore while adding in some melody from A Day to Remember and God Forbid. "North Lane" isn't totally exceptional, but at least I know where the name of Australian band Northlane comes from. "I Can't See the Light" is almost like As I Lay Dying on steroids, and that's also not an exaggeration.

An unfortunate filler track is "Low", their first time dropping the lowest string to G-flat. Of course, the tuning isn't the problem, but this track just falls f***ing flat and ruins an otherwise entirely listenable album. "Running from the Sun" has a less technical angle, while still hammering through riffing brutality. There's more of the screaming anger courtesy of then-new vocalist Sam Carter, occasionally mixed with clean singing without becoming post-hardcore. "Save Me" continues the whole "Killswitch Engage on steroids" things with a dash of what Cane Hill would later have. Bonus track "Broken Clocks" sounds not too far off from another later band, Oceans Ate Alaska.

I wish I could say that Architects' Ruin would qualify as one of the best metalcore albums of 2007, but I have to speak my true opinion. It's not as memorable as most of their 2010s albums and even Nightmares. Still there are some good songs that make these 43 minutes never a waste of time. If anyone thinks North America is the homeland of metalcore, you may be right. Though we can't forget about Architects leading their own metalcore anarchy in the UK....

Favorites: "Buried at Sea", "Hunt Them Down", "You'll Find Safety", "Heartless", "Running from the Sun", "Broken Clocks"

Pretty much every popular band has to have at least one album that's overlooked. The album can often be a band's debut. Architects' Nightmares is a different beast than their later works, showcasing more of a technical metal/mathcore with time signature-changing riff insanity. Even at their most humble of beginnings, they can sound fresh and talented. While I can't deny how similar they are to some bands, they can pull it off without ripping it off, and they have some great chaotic stuff on their plate...

These Architects of metal and hardcore were around 18 when they made their debut. They must've listened to a lot of TDEP and Botch for their heavier sections while also blending them with different melodies. All this would please longtime fans who would then check out their new material and wonder "What the f*** happened?!"

Opening track "To the Death" starts this technicality-filled rollercoaster ride without losing any steam. Dan Searle's drumming pummels through alongside the riffing. The audible bass gives the guitarwork some boost. Next track, "You Don't Walk Away From Dismemberment" is a perfect riff-tastic highlight. Mathcore fans will have something worth smiling at in "Minesweeper".

We start to hear some clean singing "They’ll Be Hanging Us Tonight", which is fine when then-vocalist Matt Johnson does it, but Sam Carter does it better. Another standout track is "This Confession Means Nothing". It has a nice pleasant calm buildup before having some chaos in the second half.

"In the Desert" has some awesome guitar melodies, making this track not just the best highlight of the album, but one of the best ever by this band! "A Portrait for the Deceased" has some riffing harmonies that is practically a metalcore guitar fan's wet dream. The closing highlight "The Darkest Tomb" ends it all in metalcore wonder. Melodic epicness covers the riff tapping that fiddles through a final breakdown.

All in all, Nightmares is a great start to a phenomenal band. This half-hour 8-track offering shall be worth your time. They didn't have to as deathly as Bring Me the Horizon at that time nor as ultra-melodic as Bullet for My Valentine. It's all just technical metal/mathcore, recommended for those wanting chaos in their lives....

Favorites: "You Don't Walk Away From Dismemberment", "This Confession Means Nothing", "In the Desert", "The Darkest Tomb"

Creativity and technology were really advancing in the 90s. ONE MAN, Klayton decided to put his music skills to the test as a once-unknown man determined to fulfill his vision. His project Circle of Dust takes on industrial metal fury that has given him a reasonable fanbase. Turmoils over record labels and the target audience caused the end of the project. He would start his next project Celldweller and formed his own label FiXT, having more electronic rock/industrial metal freedom.

The earliest hints of Circle of Dust returning came in 2015 with a couple remixes of Celldweller and Scandroid (his electronic side-project) tracks. Later that year, it was announced that he had finally regained to the albums he made as Circle of Dust, as well as Argyle Park, re-releasing them in remastered forms with a huge array of bonus material. While he has completely brought all of his 90s work back to light, there was one thing left to prove that Circle of Dust isn't dead... A new album! Machines of Our Disgrace, released in late 2016, has the blazing aggression of industrial metal you've known from Circle of Dust, probably the best album since Brainchild.

Distortion fills the intro "Re_Engage" in electronic ambience. Then the metal fury fires away in the title track, a h*lla fantastic highlight resurrecting the band's earlier thrashy aggression. "Contagion" can fit well in this album as much as any of the earlier material. Some of the best lyrics, riffs, keys, and samples can be found here, almost like it's a Brainchild B-side. "Embracing Entropy" is more melodic and electronic. "Humanarchy" is another highlight of aggressive chaos. It's like Nailbomb 2.0!

"Signal" is a 30-second interlude with a robotic warning about an atomic bomb. Grabbing your attention again is "Alt_Human", alternating between electronic and vicious. "Hive Mind" is another synthy anthem, looking back at the sound of Disengage. "Outside In" is probably the project's first ballad. I love that beautiful song so d*mn much.

"Neurachem" blasts forward with more of the cyber complexity from the first two albums. Another instrumental "K_OS" would throw back to some more of the electronic melody. "Neophyte" strikes with dance beats and vocal harmonies, almost sounding like a B-side from the debut. The closing track "Malacandra" has the cinematics, synths, and acoustics of darkness peril that have shaped up the instrumentals from Disengage.

It's no farce that Machines of Our Disgrace would mark a true rebirth this underrated underground project by Klayton. Well-produced compositions push through the limits of industrial metal, coming out as another perfect achievement. The music and lyrics are both heavy and compelling, with the concept of striking back against the mechanical atrocities of the world. Klayton has proven himself to be a master of industrial rock/metal, and longtime fans can enjoy this music that's so complex and intense. Circle of Dust has returned, and the vision has come full circle!

Favorites: "Machines of Our Disgrace", "Contagion", "Humanarchy", "Hive Mind", "Outside In", "Neurachem", "Neophyte"

The 3rd Circle of Dust album Disengage ended up being its last album for nearly two decades. The songs were written during the era of the first two albums, originally intended for release shortly after the 1995 debut re-recording came out. These songs would alternate between the dancey atmosphere of the debut's original 1992 edition and the fast aggression of Brainchild. The album suffered some delays for a few years, including recording new tracks and record label's demands. Said label Flying Tart would end up dissolving during distribution, resulting in limited copies. With that and Klayton losing his rights to much of his material, that was the end of the project.

Disengage is another excellent industrial rock/metal album! There are more electronic melodies without losing the aggression. Basically a more mainstream direction while staying underground. The songs are all solid and enjoyable. And within the blend of heaviness and melody is the usage of samples, as you would expect in any Circle of Dust album. It's time for another electronic journey...

"Waste of Time" is never a waste of time! I especially enjoy the rap-ish metal verse and its lyrics. "Refractor" is a true blast to the project's earlier past, while blending it in their more electronic direction, far ahead from what bands like Nine Inch Nails can do. "Yurasuka" has some ambient beats in conjunction with nu-ish industrial metal. I'm amazed that they can pull this off before bands like Limp Bizkit and early Linkin Park made it more popular. We actually have a few instrumentals here, starting with "Babylon" with its spine-chilling melody like when you're walking through a dark wasteland. "Chasm" is another highlight worth giving lots of praise to.

"Thulcandra" is another instrumental with a similar vibe to the first one. "Blindeye" is another great banger, complete with electronic rhythms and rap-ish vocals that all sound good. "Mesmerized" has both a heavy edge and a mainstream curve. Another one of my favorites! "Perelandra" is one more instrumental with spooky atmosphere, not too far off from a video game soundtrack. "You Are Fragile" is the first of several remixes that were meant to be in a separate EP until Flying Tart forced Klayton to have the remixes embedded to the album. It's an electronic track centered around a sampled line from "Chasm". The title track of the album wasn't in the original edition. It's a bonus dark spacey instrumental to follow up from the others.

Then comes some more remixes from the scrapped remix EP, starting with "Chasm (Version 2.1.0)", with its brilliant electronic patterns. "Refractor (Version 3.2.1)" follows, having more of an EDM-esque pace that surprisingly fits well with the vocals and lyrics. Those two remixes make great companions with each other. "Easier to Hate" is the first of two remixes by Lvl, Klayton's young brother. It's another remix of "Refractor" with more of an electro-goth sound, and there's more emphasis on sampling the verse with the titular lyric. "Hate Opened Wide" is a remix that combines those two tracks into one. It has more electronic ambience than the other remixes. "Alone to Die" is one more Lvl remix, centered around "Chasm" and again sampling the titular line. And thus the remix section is complete! "Deadly Love" is an interesting outro, a brief electronic track with Klayton singing. This version ends with him saying "You f***er", which of course was taken out in the original edition because Flying Tart is a Christian label.

Since I've already reviewed the first two albums that includes their remastered editions' bonus discs, it would make sense to do the same here. However, there are two bonus discs, both with lots of material, so I'm gonna try to speedrun through them all, starting with "Machines of Our Disgrace". Oh yeah, that's the song from their comeback album of the same name, and it's a h*lla great track resurrecting the band's earlier thrashy aggression. "Yurasuka" has been given a remix by Blue Stahli. Bret Audrey can once again add his electro-industrial sound to a Circle of Dust track and make it beautiful, really doing it justice! "Your Noise" is a demo track, an acoustic tune Klayton wrote against demands towards humanity made for the sake of popularity and technological evolution. I have a feeling he's just attacking Flying Tart for their compromising demands ("Please...shut the f*** up"). "Resist" is another demo track, somewhat reminding me of a more melodic Red Harvest. "Goodbye" is not related to the similarly titled Argyle Park and Celldweller songs, though it has similar vibes to those projects. Then the rest are some acoustic versions, instrumental versions, and remixes.

Disc 3 (the second of the two bonus discs) starts off with some demos, beginning with "Beneath the Skin" which is a demo of "Waste of Time" with a different chorus, intriguing me as much as the official version. There are also 3 demo versions of "Chasm", starting with an early demo that's just a short rough draft. "Blindeye" has a really cool demo. "Chasm" is given another later demo. It's more of a "not better enough but getting there" kind of situation. Then we have a demo version of Lvl's "Refractor" remix. And then there's the last of the "Chasm" demos, this one for "Chasm (Version 2.1.0)". Perhaps the best of that trio! But now it's time for some more of the "Dust" instrumental tracks which are cool but not worth talking about. And to wrap it all up, we have censored versions of the two acoustic songs with swearing, "Your Noise" and "Deadly Love". I say they're both a blessing and a curse. And yes, that's the version of "Deadly Love" that concluded the original edition of the album.

Whew, what a journey! The 4.5-star rating still goes to the original album with some of the most intriguing music and lyrics in industrial metal. Despite Circle of Dust's then-demise, Argyle Park would release one more album as AP2 and Klayton would start a new project, Celldweller. Still, Disengage shall not be overlooked in the industrial world!

Favorites: "Waste of Time", "Refractor", "Chasm", "Blindeye", "Mesmerized", "Chasm (Version 2.1.0)", "Refractor (Version 3.2.1)", "Hate Opened Wide", "Machines of Our Disgrace", "Yurasuka (Blue Stahli Remix)", "Goodbye", "Beneath the Skin (Waste of Time Demo)", "Blindeye (Demo)", "Chasm (Version 2.1.0) (Demo)"

It was hard for me to decide which Circle of Dust album to review first, their re-recorded debut or their second but first canon album Brainchild. Ultimately I've chosen this one because I think it's a more proper start to Celldweller founder Klayton's first project. This album was originally recorded in 1991 and released in 1992, but Klayton really hated, like "not caring if it's a strong word" HATED the original album. He especially disliked two of the songs from that album, "Technological Disguise" and "Senseless Abandon", and that's why they've never been re-recorded, only appearing in remastered form in a recent demo compilation.

I have to say, I agree with Klayton there. The original album is so bizarre, dull, and doesn't have any metal in their industrial sound. And he had the right idea of scrapping those two dreaded songs. This re-recorded edition is way better! It has stronger, more metallic guitars without sacrificing any of the industrial melody, setting the right direction for the band. Also I'm reviewing the 2016 deluxe remastering which includes a second disc of special treats not to be missed out on.

"Exploration (Redux)" wasn't originally in the re-recording, but adding it to the remaster has made a greater beginning, like a sample-filled electro-metal overture. Songs like this made me up to checking out Klayton's other projects like Argyle Park and the more popular Celldweller. Thanks so d*mn much, Klayton! Seriously! For "Onenemy", the lyrics are quite good, and the sound makes me think of Linkin Park gone The Prodigy. "Four cycles moving gone, three dark days and death is on, two wishing to fulfill, only one enemy to kill!" However, much of the structure in the sound is quite mild. Luckily, the breakdown that starts the last minute is something to really love! "Demoralize" continues building the band's wall of sound with heavy guitars. "Self Inflict" fires away with the usual industrial metal. It's amazing how someone (me) who has spent time with deathcore bands like Chelsea Grin can also enjoy some melodic industrial metal.

The next song "Rational Lies" has different effects, leading up a perfect ending of black metal-ish tremolos within the industrial beat before fading into ambient oblivion. Also the remastering has made the vocals and samples stand out a lot more than both the original and the original re-recording. It's more dynamic and listenable, fixing a problem often found in industrial metal production. Thunderous drums in "Nightfall" match the crushing guitars. "Twisted Reality" is another twisted industrial-fueled track, similar to some of Fear Factory's remixes. That reminds me, should Circle of Dust and Fear Factory collaborate and remix each other's tracks? I sure hope so. "Consequence" is a more brutal track while still melodic.

"Dissolved" is filled with industrial metal intensity, something that was rare in the Christian scene that Klayton has since distanced himself from. "Nothing Sacred" is another brilliant highlight and it's proves that there is sacredness in this music. "Parasite" is the best highlight for me, an awesome piece of industrial rock/metal greatness! It's almost like a sequel to "Exploration". The final track in the original re-recording "Bed of Nails" was originally a hidden track embedded with the previous one. It still has some of that earlier vibe from Nine Inch Nails along with some experimentation similar to Grin-era Coroner.

Now we come to the bonus disc 2, starting with "Neophyte", a new track that would appear in the Machines of Our Disgrace while sounding like a B-side from the debut. I absolutely love the Blue Stahli remix of "Nothing Sacred". Bret Autrey's futuristic stylings give an already great song more life. "Onenemy" has been given an acoustic version which is fine. We also have the original 1992 "Exploration", fun but not as strong as the redux. The 1990 demo of "Demoralize" lacks the heavy guitars of the re-recording.

The remaining bonus tracks are late 80s "Dust" instrumental demo tracks and instrumental versions of two other bonus tracks which are great but don't do too much. I'll give my 4.5 star rating to the main album. Nine Inch Nails electronics, thrashy riffing, audio samples, and Christian-ish lyrics.... They don't get more memorable than they are here!

Favorites: "Exploration (Redux)", "Self Inflict", "Rational Lies", "Twisted Reality", "Nothing Sacred", "Parasite", "Neophyte", "Nothing Sacred" (Blue Stahli remix)

1992 was the year when Circle of Dust's self-titled debut in its poor form compared to its re-recording. That same year, founder Klayton worked with Doug Mann on a different project Brainchild, releasing their sole album Mindwarp. The following year, R.E.X. wanted another album by Circle of Dust, but because most of the money was already used for the Brainchild project, Klayton decided to have Mindwarp re-released in 1994 as that second Circle of Dust release, with Brainchild becoming the album title.

Around that time, the band was part of the Christian music scene, and people were complaining about the secular "devilish" lyrical nature. But why should those people be the boss? Dark music and lyrics complete with samples more haunted than reversed hidden messages!? Count me in!

We're already getting into the band's different heavier sound in "Cranial Tyrant" which is like a more upbeat Godflesh. "Telltale Crime" is a highlight a lot more people need to hear more of. The Mindwarp edition originally had an audio sample from Geraldo Rivera in the intro that was then removed. "Prayers of a Dead Man" is just re-recorded in its entirely, and just like many tracks in the debut, it's better and more metal than the original. "Regressor (Aggressive Mix)" has many audio samples like this one from Robocop 2, "HE'S A KILLER, I SAW IT!" Anyone more familiar with Klayton's current more famous project Celldweller can be pleasantly surprised by his work in Circle of Dust. There's also a remix of that track by Battlejuice.

"Enshrined" is more industrial, way different from the heavier modern metal bands I enjoy like Imminence and Sylosis. Then there's "Course of Ruin", a highlight of heartful aggression. Klayton made quite a brave statement for America in this highlight "Descent". The future of America is the country citizen's hands...

"Deviate" I dig much more, and this is the only second song I've heard from Circle of Dust, the first one being the title track of the comeback album Machines of Our Disgrace. Klayton has done an amazing job combining the industrial metal and samples of Ministry with Slayer-like thrash. The remastered version gives the song fresher dynamic. You can headbang while playing the air-guitar and starting a mosh pit! The "DON'T MAKE ME USE THIS!! ONE STEP CLOSER, I'M WARNING YA!" part is from Ren and Stimpy. It's a little shocking that this band is of Christian background, though I'm speaking as someone who is not Christian. This is more for those who want to destroy everything in sight, in video games, of course. "Who's got the shotgun!?" Another superb track is "Pale Reflection" if you're up for some loud distortion and Blade Runner samples. I just love the gothic-ish industrial metal finale "Aggressor (Regressive Mix)", especially the whispered screams and samples, "Behave yourself!"

Once again, I'm reviewing the remastered edition which comes with an hour-long bonus disc of special treats. Some of you might've already heard "Contagion" in Machines of Our Disgrace, but it's quite fitting here as well. Some of the best lyrics, riffs, keys, and samples can be found here, almost like it's meant to be in Brainchild. "Deviate" gets the remix treatment, and is one of the best remixes by Blue Stahli! Their cover of Steve Taylor's "Am I in Sync?" is a little odd but still OK. It is followed by the original Mindwarp editions of "Deviate", "Telltale Crime", and "Prayers of a Dead Man". I like the "Deviate" demo the best, sounding strong, even without the midsection commentary.

The remaining bonus tracks are some more "Dust" instrumental demo tracks, live versions of two tracks, and an instrumental version of the remix, all great but don't do too much. I'll give my perfect 5-star rating to the main album. If this review doesn't convince you to check out this industrial metal gem, I don't know what would. Come and get it!

Favorites: "Telltale Crime", "Course of Ruin", "Descent", "Deviate", "Aggressor (Regressive Mix)", "Contagion", "Deviate (Blue Stahli Remix)", "Deviate (1992)"

You know me as a metalhead transcending through different metal genres, currently focused on metalcore, industrial metal, alternative metal, and progressive metal. Having been born in around the same year this band was formed, I was never around in the 80s, when the older guys grew up with genres such as classic heavy metal and the more melodic progressive metal. After trying to get into those earlier genres for some time, I realized that my heart is set for something more extreme, technical, and djenty...

So here I am, listening to this amazing band Mnemic, having sonic influences from Fear Factory and Soilwork, straight outta Denmark! After two albums, vocalist Michael Bøgballe was out, and Guillaume Bideau was in. There ended up being a bit more of a progressive/melodeath vibe added to their industrial/groove metal sound, which turned off some fans, but it never ceases to please me. Mnemesis is the band's final album before hiatus, and it continues the band's indirect aim to resonate with me, though with a more melodic twist in their metal, sounding like they've added some late 80s throwbacks into their futuristic sound. It's almost enough to make this a full-on gem!

Beginning this final leg of their journey is "Transcend", adding some solid Soilwork magic. "Valves" is one of the best tracks from this band, continuing the Strapping Young Lad-like blend of arena rock and extreme death riff-wrath/growls. And that massive fusion starts from the tasteful synth intro. "Junkies on the Storm" has some more of the heavy headbanging pace along with a chorus to be implanted into your head. Solid single "I've Been You" starts catchy in the intro that blasts off into the usual riff machinery and growls, leading to a melodic chorus you just gotta love. Another track "Pattern Platform" kicks their modern metal sound up a notch once again. You just gotta follow the patterns that fire this sh*t up.

Another favorite, the title track has some of that Scar Symmetry-like futuristic melodeath going on. But what really brings the band back to a time 25 years before this album is "There's No Tomorrow", the 6-minute epic that almost sounds like a power ballad ala Bon Jovi/Dokken. There's even a beautiful guitar soloing crescendo. Of course, the brutal growls are still in great passion. Following this "Haven at the End of the World", showing how impressive drummer Brian Larsen can be despite this album being his only one with the band. "Ocean of Void" might sound closer to nu metal, but there are some melodeath growls, plus some more of the classic sounding harmonies.

Now before we get to the grand finale, the bonus tracks are worth mentioning, starting with "A Matter of Choice", with fantastic extreme dissonance that includes another blazing solo. "Empty Planet" adds a bit of Voivod-like progressiveness and Silent Planet-like hardcore and atmosphere. "Synaesthesia" has a bit of a synth atmosphere. OK, now we can talk about the final "Blue Desert in a Black Hole", the closest to atmospheric progressive metal from this band, and a very interesting way to go out in a bang.

Mnemesis is what I can consider a happy ending to the band's career, but the aftermath ain't. One of the guitarists Victor-Ray Salomonsen Ronander left after a final show in November 2013, then the band went on hiatus and the other members pursued other paths. And recently, Bideau passed away suddenly, one of a few shocking tragic metal musician deaths in May 2022, one other being Trever Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder. Nonetheless, Mnemic's tenure was quite a home run, releasing amazing records after records, and they're simply good at blending different styles so skillfully. You won't regret getting into the zone of this band of modern legend!

Favorites: "Valves", "I've Been You", "Mnemesis", "There's No Tomorrow", "Haven at the End of the World", "A Matter of Choice", "Blue Desert in a Black Hole"

The consistent path of Mnemic continues! Vocalist Michael Bøgballe was with the band for their developing debut Mechanical Spin Phenomena and their superb sophomore The Audio Injected Soul. Then for their third album Passenger came the late Guillaume Bideau. He had done an outstanding job with his growls and cleans in that album, and did he keep it up in this album? Yes sir!

His amazing vocals are part of this satisfying plethora of djenty industrial/groove metal. In the music, there are solid heavy guitars and electronic soundscapes, all a great reason to consider this album underrated.

The opening title track brings back some of the band's earlier riff technicality especially in the fast thrashy verses, but they haven't forgotten about their more recent catchy choruses worth singing along to. "Diesel Uterus" is well-suited for my modern taste. "Mnightmare" is another heavy banger. "The Erasing" has some of the band's strongest groove with an interesting catchy riff after the chorus.

"Climbing Towards Stars" somehow reminds me of if they took Excessive Force's "Ride the Bomb" or Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger" and transform either song into their own track of their usual style. Though it's not as forgettable as "March of the Tripods" that drags on into the end, but the high industrial metal quality is still up. "Fate" is another highlight that helps the band achieve what they need here. "Hero(in)" has some of the best elements of their sound, including a regular lead groove staying together with an irregular beat, arranging things in a more atmospheric fashion.

"Elongated Sporadic Bursts" seems to drag on longer than it should, but it still works a bit well. "Within" is another well-accomplished feat, where the nice melody is in engaging contrast with the heavy groove. "Orbiting" adds a bit of Voivod-like progressiveness and Zao-like mid-tempo hardcore into the usual industrial/groove metal mix. However, if you're getting any one of the bonus track editions, I should warn you, "Dreamjunkie" is mostly some mainstream-sounding junk that shall stay as a bonus track.

Once again, Mnemic proved themselves to be a monstrous cauldron of influences from Fear Factory and Meshuggah. I think one real regret this band has is not having as much recognition as they should have, which I guess is one reason for their split, though not before one more album. Take on the system!

Favorites: "Sons of the System", "Mnightmare", "The Erasing", "Fate", "Hero(in)", "Within"

Mnemic (the Greek word for "memory" and an acronym for 'Mainly Neurotic Energy Modifying Instant Creation') has packed pummeling punches during their 15-year existence. They've built up quite an audience with their demos and first two albums, including The Audio Injected Soul with its blend of speed, texture, and aggression.

Passenger takes a twist in the step with ex-Scarve vocalist Guillaume Bideau (RIP), along with Christian Olde Wolbers of Fear Factory in production work. The album takes on human entropy in emotional, psychological, and spiritual directions, something already discovered in Stanley Kubrick's Space Odyssey. Lots of prophetic inspirations in the themes! Drummer Brian Rasmussen blasts forward in time with his volcanic drum kit, with more variation than The Who.

"Humanaut" is the two-minute intro that blasts off into the industrial metal chaos of Circle of Dust and Strapping Young Lad right away. "In the Nothingness Black" has beautiful vocal harmonies and keyboards to keep you hooked. "Meaningless" attacks with great guitar dueling that marks a new addition to the evolution of the band and modern metal. "Psykorgasm" has powerful riffing with a beautiful melody to go along with it. The shape of time is changed with barely any effort. You can also hear a vicious guest appearance from Carcass frontman Jeff Walker.

The intro of the vicious "Pigf***" is insane, and so is the switch to more of the Meshuggah-like industrial death/thrash influences. "In Control" demonstrates the greatness of Bideau, especially in the powerful melodic chorus. Things get a bit unremarkable in "Electric ID Hypocrisy", but it still works. "Stuck Here" is so progressive, I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of the motive for the direction Dir En Grey would later take.

"What's Left" once again lacks some interest, but the band manages to maintain their loudness. "Shape of the Formless" once again pushes the Fear Factory/Strapping Young Lad influences they're known for. Making up a lot for the slight bit of mediocrity in two of the earlier songs, the closing epic "The Eye on Your Back" is bound to keep you awake with its cycling through some of the best vocals, keyboards, and riffs in this offering. The power that makes up most of Passenger is revisited, while not as Meshuggah-infused as their earlier albums. There's also a killer bonus track "Zero Synchronized".

"Passenger" has that intellectual emotion going on throughout that has kept Mnemic on the metal map. They've had their place in the industrial/groove metal realm that they didn't perfectly seal in the beginning but had since built it up to how it is that would still be praised 15 years forward!

Favorites: "In the Nothingness Black", "Meaningless", "In Control", "Stuck Here", "Shape of the Formless", "The Eye on Your Back"

Denmark is probably the quietest country in Scandinavia when it comes to metal. Not that it ever was quiet, but the amount of metal bands there isn't as huge as Norway, Sweden, and Finland. There are a couple prominent death metal bands hailing from there, Hatesphere and Illdisposed, along with the scene branching out into the death-doom of Saturnus, the progressive power metal of Wuthering Heights, and finally, the modern industrial/groove metal of Mnemic. Their smashing debut Mechanical Spin Phenomena is a great start of a journey for the band and their listeners, but if you're looking for something to perfectly seal that deal, prepare for the Audio Injected Soul!

Mnemic's futuristic metal sound once again has thrashy chaos and atmospheric power added to the mix. There's slightly more originality compared to the debut that had heavy amounts of Meshuggah influence, now forming together the band's original style. You can recognize the fun storming riffs and wonderful harmonic melodies. The vocals by Michael Bøgballe keep things all in place, though he would leave the band the following year.

We start off the album with "The Audio Injection", a short intro recorded using the band's special AM3D technology. "Dreamstate Emergency" follows as a straight-up banger. Heaviness is totally on their agenda here, though there's a soothing chorus before more of the riff attack. The ultimate anthem for the band in a nutshell! "Door 2.12" keeps up the wild pace. Its chorus is one of the best here and is definitely worth your money if you're buying it. "Illuminate" has some things drowned out, but it's not bad at all and has kept the album's perfection up.

Released as a single, "Deathbox" has tons of madness to be injected in your mind and soul, especially in the AM3D technology. "Sane vs. Normal" has some more wild heavy wackiness, though with a serial killer lyrical theme ("I made the mistakes I couldn’t afford to make, Hell, they even knocked on my door because they found a dead girl in the lake"). More personality is included in "Jack Vegas", including the dialogue performed by Bøgballe in multiple vocal styles.

Shooting the target further is "Mindsaver". Then there's more atmosphere in "Overdose in the Hall of Fame". It's unfortunate that "The Silver Drop" doesn't stand out the way it should, but the perfect of the album is kept intact. In saying that, you might think my reaction to the band covering the Duran Duran hit "Wild Boys" wouldn't be pretty. And the truth is, nothing is spoiled! It's another pleasant example of a band metalizing a pop hit to be way better than the original. However, it's not as spectacular as the highlights of the album, while still a wild fun ride.

The Audio Injected Soul is an album to recommend for the wildest metalheads out there. It's so interesting how catchy and melodic this album is while having the usual heavy chaos. This is modern thrashy industrial/groove metal that fans of Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad, and Machine Head should get into. A standout in the trek of Denmark's finest band of modern futuristic metal!

Favorites: "Dreamstate Emergency", "Door 2.12", "Deathbox", "Jack Vegas", "Overdose in the Hall of Fame"

I just realized that I haven't reviewed this Watchtower EP yet, and since upcoming music from this band was announced to be in the works on the month I've written this review, it's a good time to do that. It's mathematical! No there isn't any mathcore. Watchtower is known for their jazzy progressive tech-thrash sound that continues on in this EP that contains three 2015 singles, one 2010 single, and a brand new composition, altogether forming a near half-hour of brain power.

It must've have been a joy for fans of mathematical prog-thrash witnessing the return of these Texan legends. However, for those hoping to hear Jason McMaster return from their debut Energetic Disassembly, that's not the case here. At least we have Alan Tecchio, whose previous album with the band Control and Resistance is also a classic.

Coming back with their prog-thrash sound still stable is the under 4-minute "M-Theory Overture". It goes beyond overture levels by getting listeners geared up for the thrashy riffing and time changes coming up in the next 4 tracks. They continue to give their longtime fans delight! "Arguments Against Design" is where Alan Tecchio steps in with his memorable vocal range, as the thrashy riffing bounces alongside solid leads.

"Technology Inaction" is a marvelous blend of progressive complexity and thrashy aggression, with catchy vocal hooks, "T-T-T-T-TECHNOLOGY INACTION!!!" Next track "The Size of Matter" isn't too bad, having some spacey riffs and leads before a surreal psychedelic bridge. That's the 2010 single! Finally, "Mathematica Calculis" is the new track, a 10-minute epic (their longest song) of the usual progressive thrash, though toning down the earlier aggression for more expansive aspects. Those aspects being the amount of twists and passages almost as much as Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment. Absolutely wild!

Besides Watchtower, other progressive thrash bands were making their return from the void in the 2010s, such as Toxik and Blind Illusion. While those bands end up taking on a different sound from their respective magnum opuses, Watchtower have never abandoned their roots, and they've made it more exciting with different complex sections that turn this release into an expert-level metal sudoku. Not to brag, but I'm one of those listening experts. The Math Gods have give us a sine- I mean, sign!

Favorites: "M-Theory Overture", "Technology Inaction", "Mathematica Calculis"

I love this blend of progressive metal and thrashy technical speed metal. I can get the fun wackiness of prog and speed metal's eponymous aspect without having too much of either side. This album was made by an innovative group of talented musicians, wearing their sound with pride but not too much pride, and it's really impressive. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a serious start to the technical side of metal that we know today!

The bassist and guitarist work well like a duo, a possible inspiration for that kind of aspect in later bands. The thrash-like guitar riffing and bass tones fit like a glove, despite the difference in octave, and even more so in the interplay between searing leads and bass harmonies. I'm not super into Halford-like falsetto vocals so much right now, but the ones here have spot-on beauty. Barely any other vocal style can fit into this kind of album. And MAN, these are some mighty drum skills. I wish my family didn't give away an electronic drum kit I once had, so I can continue learning that instrument. You never have to rewind because all those instruments can be engraved in your mind.

The tracklisting is different in some editions, but for this one I'm reviewing, "Violent Change" starts off with a thrashy riff of violent energy. It's different from what you would expect in the mid-80s, with the drums and vocals sounding punky before rising close to classic heavy metal. It's insane how groundbreaking this album was when it was released in 1985, and you can understand the NWOBHM elements they've had there. And there's a lot of vocal power in that chorus! "Asylum" has one of the best solos here, near the two-minute mark, and would make you wanna repeat that part. It's those instrumental sections where the guitar and bass jam all over the place, and the drums tag along for the ride. That can also occur in the beginning of one of two 6-minute epics, "Tyrants of Distress", another one of the best here with great verses and chorus.

"Social Fears" has thunders in with an ominous bass line and a riff that's catchy as h*ll. More of the amazing bass comes in a short solo after the chorus. The title track picks up the speed, and it has the best of all the instruments and vocals. Seriously, these guys have done a splendid job keeping up the expectations required for an album's title track. Prepare to get blown away by the bass solo near the 3-minute point! The following track "Argonne Forest" slows down the pace a bit, and tells a story about the Forest of Argonne's role in the first World War. A catchy bridge shows the guitar heading high into frantic soloing, bringing back some of the speed.

Next up, "Cimmerian Shadows" has a slower pace and lower vocals than the rest. While the aforementioned title track is the highest point, this one is the lowest and almost comes out as bland. Still it doesn't affect the album's perfect glory. "Meltdown" makes up for that by a ton as perhaps the second-best of the album, with fast tempo, an unforgettable chorus, and incredible soloing. It's probably one of the first ever songs by the band, recorded a couple years prior for a compilation.

It's many progressive/technical metalheads' dream to have this band as teachers for music lessons. Energetic Disassembly is an album that's so ahead of our time and showed the band assembling the genres we know as progressive metal and technical speed metal. Consider your mind blown!

Favorites: "Violent Change", "Tyrants of Distress", "Energetic Disassembly", "Meltdown"

A lot happened in the months between the recording and release of this album. While waiting for its release date to be decided, Lorna Shore began touring with other bands in support of the album with ex-Signs of the Swarm vocalist CJ McCreery. He recorded vocals for the album, and the band released 5 singles in advance. Then when a scandal of abuse allegations involving McCreery occurred, caused by the Weinstein effect, he was fired. The band wasn't sure about releasing the album at first, but I'm glad they done so. All drama aside, Immortal is the start of Lorna Shore's perfect streak, and one of the greatest deathcore releases on Earth! The best of their previous releases have been given deeper personality and a more atmospheric background, so sinister and ethereal. With that along with the brutal breakdowns and symphonic black metal influences, this would give the band a spot in the deathcore hall of fame (there is one now!).

Deathcore has crucial aspects for records of that genre. You need technical atmosphere and heavy aggression in careful balance so the heavier listeners can praise it. Lorna Shore have proceeded in the perfecting that mix for Immortal, and it's no secret. They were slowly building up symphonic black/melodeath elements into their deathcore throughout their powerful tenure, and this release has marked the perfect prominent point for those elements, leaving their earlier releases to lower their heads in regret.

Unleashing that aspect right off the bat, the epic powerful title opener is a surefire deathcore highlight! McCreery lets out every vocal style he could possibly do throughout a thick sea of brutal glory. "Death Portrait" is a brutal work of splendor to fit well with a dangerous battle against demons on top of a snow mountain under a solar eclipse. An excellent mental masterpiece! "This Is Hell" is a heavy onslaught bursting through the gates of Hell, unleashing more demons, running as fast as the immaculate insanity of drummer Austin Archey. His amazing skill has grown since Flesh Coffin, shining in many songs like that one, alongside breakdowns bursting through in full force. McCreery's brutal vocals can get you hooked from start to finish.

Next track "Hollow Sentence" is a brilliant vocal battle between the growling of the one-man army that is McCreery vs. a multi-person choir, almost like a vocal exchange. There are huge dramatic theatrics while staying menacing. The riffing is also impressive, alternating between the slow breakdown and sledgehammering sections. "Warpath of Disease" continues that vocal technique, alongside brilliant fretwork and riff immolation from the two guitarists. The vocals once again have catchy hellfire. "Misery System" has the most impressive technicality in the album.

In "Obsession", the guitars sound so ethereal that the brutality is mostly in the drumming. At this point, you might find a bit of repetition in the album, especially in the vocals, with all this savagery leaving you numb, but honestly, that's just what the genre wants to convince you to think. I can still find a heavy amount of creativity here and face the enemy head-on despite what can be considered too similar. McCreery keeps up his regurgitating-like vocals in "King ov Deception" (again with the black metal "v" spelling), and I mean that in a great way. "Darkest Spawn" is another epic highlight with vocals pulverizing like a motherf***er. That song along with the earlier "This is Hell" were the first two singles for the album and with McCreery as vocalist, so those tracks make a great heavy starter duo. "Relentless Torment" shows the band going out in skillful fury. You get to hear the last of McCreery's catchy yet brutal vocals in this offering. Honestly, I'm the kind of person who doesn't directly associate art with artist, so I prefer to enjoy his vocals without thinking too much about the atrocious things he had done.

Lorna Shore has made an impressive leap into a different era, beginning with Immortal, a bleak brutal journey. This is Lorna Shore's way of starting the new decade in a bang, an immolating offering relentless heaviness and gloom. Despite being a decade later than Oceano and Whitechapel, this band shall be immortal in the deathcore realm!

Favorites: "Immortal", "Death Portrait", "Hollow Sentence", "Misery System", "Darkest Spawn"

Lorna Shore has shown a lot of potential that I can finally witness thanks to my brother recommending this band to me. Straight outta New Jersey, this band unleashed some of the most immensely talented deathcore around beginning with 2015's Psalms, and while that album is superb, a couple tracks were dragged down by the cliche overthinking of breakdowns. Would they make their next album solid and in a greater level?...

H*ll yeah, they did! Flesh Coffin continues the technical atmosphere and furious groove of Psalms with slight cleanup and enhancement. Of course, they were the same band that they were in their debut, while slowly building up their greatness.

"Offering of Fire" already proves the band's strength that has never withered, including vocalist Tom Barber, straight from the first verse. After all that crushing aggression in the first track, shining more with shredding soloing is "Denounce the Light". Next up, "The Astral Wake of Time" shows non-stop decimating speed in the drumming skill. Absolute blistering technicality in that one!

The rhythm section of bass and drums continues to dominate in the complex "Desolate Veil". Up next is "Fvneral Moon" (looks like they're using the black metal "v" spelling), which is such a great highlight. There are two breakdowns that would burst out of nowhere and crush your bones, then you're pulled back into speedy soloing and fantastic riffing. A much better balance than that small fraction of their debut! "Void" shows the guitar duo hammering their skills hard. Adam De Micco and Connor Deffley reign as one of the best duos in deathcore, though Deffley's time with the band would end after this album. Some of the catchiest lyrics and verses appear in "Infernum".

"The//Watcher" (what's with those slashes?!?) expands on the band's symphonic black metal influences that they would have more of in subsequent albums while keeping the "-core" part of their sound in mind. A fantastic highlight with wonderful background melody! "Black Hollow" displays more of Barber's incredible vocal range, enduring more professional energy than many of the more famous heavy bands. The brutal title closing anthem can cut you to the bone, all the way to the last of Barber's growls.

There's no doubt than Flesh Coffin has shown the band reigning as one of the best blackened-ish deathcore bands in the late 2010s, probably more than Carnifex, with technicality and melody added to the darkness. There's almost nothing disappointing about Lorna Shore, and even then they can improve. Here's to more of their excellence!

Favorites: "Offering of Fire", "The Astral Wake of Time", "Fvneral Moon", "The//Watcher", "Flesh Coffin"

Life falls apart, death is your only way, your fate lies in higher power, and no matter how much divine salvation you pray for, you can't escape the brutal intense apocalypse... This is Hell! Psalms is a crushing deathcore offering of infinite power unleashed by Lorna Shore to the world. Only those brave enough to dive into the deepest darkest depths of heaviness can access all that deathcore has to offer.

Anyone who has followed the band since their EP trio of Triumph, Bone Kingdom, and Maleficium knows the heaviness to come. Psalms is perhaps the heaviest start of the band's true adventure, adding brutal breakdowns with technical twists. Drummer Austin Archey has pretty much the ultimate death metal/core weapon.

Archey is already dominating with his arsenal in "Grimoire", boldly kicking through drum patterns and cymbals. An excellent opener! And you can hear the shouts and growls from vocalist Tim Barber from the start. "Harvest Realms" is another excellent dynamic track containing shredding soloing balanced with aggressive breakdowns. "Throne of Worms" has some slight filler, but it's still quite good.

The vicious "White Noise" is an anthem of deathcore devastation, with drums kicking and smashing skulls like cannonballs launched into the face. Guiding Archey along in the assault is founding bassist Gary Herrera, providing heavy patterns in synchronization. More of the wonderful drum kicking is included in "From the Pale Mist". Punishing death metal riffing are in a brilliant mix with brutal breakdowns. "Infernal Haunting" continues that excellent combo, though the breakdown lacks its need buildup. "Death Gowns" has some relevant moments, while sounding noticeably similar to Thy Art is Murder at that time.

"Wretching in Torment" unleashes its might in its 30-second intro than drops into a breakdown like a car screeching into a brutal crash. Although it's a great track, it might work better live. "Traces of Supremacy" makes amends for those slight mistakes in sinister fury. "Eternally Oblivion" is the 5-minute epic where the guitarists roam and Barber lets out his echoing yelling and growling that can almost rival The Black Dahlia Murder's Trevor Strnad (RIP).

Lorna Shore has made some of the heaviest deathcore magic-craft that is learnable for the new generation of music. With dark atmosphere, technical melodeath-like riffing, and sludge-ish breakdowns, the heavier fans can gather around for a moshing party filled with this punishing aggression. You can't be spared from the deathcore inferno!

Favorites: "Grimoire", "Harvest Realms", "White Noise", "From the Pale Mist", "Eternally Oblivion"

Maleficium is the 3rd Lorna Shore EP and last one before the band was signed to Density Records and began making full albums. It is one of the most brutal releases they've ever done, only for fans of the band and the genre brave enough to go down the back roads. Here they're already hinting at the Lorna Shore we all have known.

Deathcore was pretty much dying in the 2010s, and any band of the genre back then had to resort to something unique that had barely been done before. Diverse vocalist? Check. Speedy drummer? Check. What's left? Oh yeah... Every member has to have that level of professionality to give this sound a punch. And throw in some new and different aspects like ambient background keyboards. Just make sure deathcore/metal fans have what they want to stick around for these pummeling 20 minutes.

Opening track "Godmaker" has it all in 4 and a half minutes of perfection. Ominous ambience creeps in throughout the first minute, then they launch into relentless riffing, blast-beats, and bass bounces. And there's more of that to come! We hear a bit of the floating keys in "Cre(h)ate". The song is quite decent. Not the best, but I've heard worse.

The best of the extreme vocals of Tom Barber comes in the title track. The soloing helps make it another standout. "Born in Blood" has heavy breakdown and deathly growls without ever calming down. "Accumulatory Genophage" ends the offering with some of the strongest drumming and darkest soloing around. The lyrics and vocals can remind some of Whitechapel and Thy Art is Murder because of how brutal they are, "So say goodbye to your father, your mother, your sisters and your brothers".

Even a short EP like Maleficium can be destructive, though I prefer the blend of epic and extreme that would come up in their later albums, more glorious than the last. Still if you're up for Lorna Shore at their most brutal, this EP is the right call....

Favorites: "Godmaker", "Maleficium", "Accumulatory Genophage"

After a decent yet rough start with the more metalcore-fueled Triumph, Bone Kingdom severs the band's ties with that genre for just pure technical deathcore. It's better and more worth repeated listening, but I think some songs could've had a bit of excessiveness trimmed to reach the higher levels of subsequent Lorna Shore releases.

I say the songs are all pretty good, though not worth detailed mentioning. However, I have a couple songs I wanna talk about that I can give as many spins to as their later material, starting with "Life of Fear". The song was the band's first exposure to internet fame when it was featured in one of those YouTube cat videos (popular before the reign of pop music videos). Truly a killer favorite deathcore track of mine! The title track is quite awesome too.

Alongside the change of sound, the production is better improved and has more impact. The structure is less formulaic and would shape up the uniqueness the band would later obtain in the later part of their discography. It's still a little far away from that though....

Favorites: "Life of Fear", "Bone Kingdom"

Epic deathcore heroes Lorna Shore began as more of a death/metalcore band in a similar vein to The Acacia Strain and Emmure, maybe even the heavier songs of Parkway Drive and Bring Me the Horizon at that time, in their debut EP Triumph. Those other bands have done it much better than this sh*t though. Keeping things decent is the vocal work by Tom Barber who was the original vocalist before he switched to Chelsea Grin in 2018. The album cover is beautiful too. I can jam out to the vicious "Second Skin". But everything else doesn't sound all that great. I'm a f***ing lot more used to their later sound that would start to shape up in the next EP Bone Kingdom onward....

Favorites (only song I really like): "Second Skin"

While Empire of Dark Salvation is Gothminister's breakthrough and my favorite album from their electro era, Happiness in Darkness is better known to the rest of the world. The music from that album is definitely worth playing clubs from dusk to dawn. Anima Inferna is a great transition from that era into a new one, one with a more expanding sound and a lot of new surprises...

Utopia showed Gothminister gaining higher ground than before! New stuff has been added to their dark gothic industrial metal such as more accessible pop elements, in a way that increases their audience instead of decreasing.

The intro "The New Beginning" is indeed a sign of the beginning of a new era, though it could do without the baby crying. "Someone Is After Me" is an action-packed hit for the dance floor. Powerful strength comes from the beat and melody. You'll never be bored when you listen to this amazing action. The title track is a great catchy example of the gothic-infused industrial metal I prefer. "March" is a short march to the next track.

The freaky "Horrorshow" really dominates. Exploring the next track "Nightmare", there are nice gothic melodies, but the spoken bridge midway through kind of ruins the vibe. The song "Afterlife" may seem cliche in the title, though it's a more serious track. "Helldemon" is more cliche in the interlude itself, but it's fine.

At some points in "All Alone", the storytelling can remind some of King Diamond's concept albums, yet the sound has more simple catchy melodies and sounds far closer to Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar than King Diamond's Abigail. "Purgatory" is one more orchestral interlude. "Eternal" isn't the best song here, but still listenable. Towards the end is the excellent "Raise the Dead". And finally, "Boogeyman" finishes the album as a complex entertaining 6-minute epic.

Utopia is clearly something I would recommend to fans of gothic-infused industrial metal. It can certainly please you to the bitter end. It's been an interesting journey through Gothminister's discography so far, and it continues!

Favorites: "Someone Is After Me", "Utopia", "Horrorshow", "All Alone", "Raise the Dead", "Boogeyman"

The dark journey of Gothminister continues on, and I'm already midway through what they've had so far. I think you can consider Anima Inferna the transition album between the two surrounding 3 albums eras; the electro side and the epic side.

Whichever era the band is in, they've been engraved to the stone of Norwegian dark industrial metal. Bjørn Alexander Brem enjoys doing what he loves. However, he thought about becoming a lawyer again after feeling like he achieved enough from his electro-era trilogy. Luckily, he didn't stop! He still felt up for some more music to create. He knows how to make a living while doing he and his fanbase love.

The album opener "Stonehenge" begins with heavy guitar crunch and interesting synth harmonies. Then the guitars calm down to let Brem's baritone vocals shine. Sounds quite evil for a then-recently-married and domestically happy man, proving his ability to maintain the earlier darkness. Optimistic lyrics ain't gonna make the gloomy vocals fade away in this battle of life and death. The album's single "Liar" has an electro-synth intro that expands through the guitars and vocals. Brem has excellent vocal range and harmonic effect. The track drives through in the beat and melody. Next track "Juggernaut" starts with guitar that again fades slightly for Brem's vocals. After being primarily guitar-focused, the buildup makes a calm descent into the atmosphere of synths and strings.

"616" switches again to an interesting synth intro before the guitar and drum strength comes again. Brem's vocals become grittier and deeper, similar to the earlier albums, that wasn't heard in this album until that point. The electro-synths fully dominate in "Solitude", while Brem's moody voice and driving percussion make their entrance, balanced out by the guitar. That's probably one of the darkest tracks with the most electronic synths. "The Beauty of Fanatism" sounds much different with higher melody. Brem's vocals remind you that there's more to expect than that song innocent melody. The beat eventually picks up, and there's more aggressive mood in the lyrics. There's pretty much epic evolution in that creative composition! The title track opens with a faint male operatic chant, then a drum beat marches in alongside symphonic strings. Brem's vocals have dynamic fury as usual. The music fits well and gives you the right amount of attention.

The interlude "Fade" transitions out of that track in orchestral fashion. Then it leads into the next track "Beast" which almost has the evilness of blackened death metal, but is really just a melodic song with more singing in the band's usual style. Wrapping things off is the outro "Hell Opens the Gates", subtly transitioning from the previous track with simple synth and barely any percussion. After some vocal sample effects, an evil voice ends it all. There's also a bonus remix of "Liar" which, while sounding way different from the original track, works quite well.

Anima Inferna is quite excellent, with every full song working smoothly, though it would've been perfect without the somewhat pointless interludes. It's quite short at just 40 minutes, so there should've been more. Nonetheless, the vocal range is brilliantly mixed with the electro-industrial metal sound. It's just so good with astonishing melodies! If you enjoy Gothminister's earlier electro trilogy, you'll be up to hearing the sound leveled up. And if you're new to this band, let me tell you, the legendary greatness is real!

Favorites: "Stonehenge", "Liar", "616", "The Beauty of Fanatism", "Anima Inferna"

"Happiness in Darkness" is the perfect ending to the perfect offering that is Gothminister's second album Empire of Dark Salvation. Would they expand on that sound in their third album named after that track? Let's find out, shall we?...

Bjørn Alexander Brem was once a lawyer, similar to Stephan Pastis before his main job as the creator of comic strip Pearls Before Swine. Brem's main job is being the leader of band spawning out of a side project, Gothminister. The debut Gothic Electronic Anthems was a hit with the critics, but it wasn't until Empire of Dark Salvation when they became one of, if not THE, biggest gothic industrial metal touring acts. This band has really proven to us that there's... Happiness in Darkness!

The band relentlessly hits the club with opening single "Dusk Till Dawn", picking up where they left off with industrial rock/metal guitars with monumental orchestra. What's really good for this song is the chorus with top-notch vocals from Brem. "Darkside" ascends with gloomy choir atmosphere before powerful drumming, alongside more of the hard-hitting guitars and orchestra. "Your Saviour" is the first of 3 songs in the album to feature the serene vocals of former the Crest/Theatre of Tragedy vocalist Neil Sigland. I could also hear a bit of the synths that are somehow reused by Dead by April.

The next track "Freak" is interesting and rather, well, freaky. Following this is "Sideshow" with an opening audio sample of a circus ringmaster, "We didn’t lie to you folks, we told you we had living, breathing monstrosities." The strings from that sample segue into brand-new mighty strings, pushing forward with the heavy drumming. The softer melodic "The Allmighty" is a nice surprise intermission, with only Sigland singing, sounding like a medieval princess.

"Beauty After Midnight" has a darker heavier sound, similar to Motionless in White's more industrial works but without any of the metalcore screaming. The ballad-like track "Emperor" is still a rocker at times while progressing through the band's softer side, along with the last of Sigland's vocals. "Mammoth" is one mammoth of a song in the more dynamic parts. "Thriller" is superb cover of that Michael Jackson hit, though it's clear that Brem is straining beyond his limits. There's an extended version that's twice as long and includes part of the original narration by Vincent Price.

Gothminister continue their right path, as Happiness in Darkness pleases both old and new fans. It's so catchy with barely anything flat. That's great value needed for an album of gothic-esque industrial metal!

Favorites: "Dusk Till Dawn", "Darkside", "Sideshow", "Beauty After Midnight", "Thriller"

The more commercial music listeners might think of Gothminister as nothing but a horrifying freakshow, but the more open-minded metalheads like myself recognize their brave talent. Bjørn Alexander Brem was once a lawyer, and his wife Sandra Jensen is an artist photographer. As for the other 4 members, they were already producing music and performing in other bands. Bound to be a winning offering, Empire of Dark Salvation can be seen as the Trivium Ascendancy sophomore breakthrough of gothic industrial metal! It's a grand step up from their 2003 debut that is still pretty great.

Manning the co-mixing is Stefan Glaumann, known for his production work with Rammstein, Within Temptation, and Paradise Lost. Empire Of Dark Salvation has a dark powerful sound, helped by the occasional spooky vocals of the angelic Miss "Dementia" Jensen, along with keyboard atmosphere by Halfface. With guitarists Android and Maschine, and drummer Chris Dead, the loud unforgettable instrumentation impresses us, accompanying the vocals of the main star Mr. "Gothminister" Brem!

"Dark Salvation" opens the album big, really big! It serves as kind of a prologue to the album's story that actually starts with the interlude "Welcome". The best track for me is "Monsters", worth adding gothic-ish industrial metal to a club. "The Calling" has some cyber-industrial elements that I wouldn't be surprised if Northlane used for Obsidian.

"Daughter of S" is a strange interlude of a satanic trial for child murder or something. I really like "Forgotten", what else can I say? "Nachtzehrer" is another weird yet satisfying gothic-infused industrial metal treat. Not the best one here, with all the eeriness going on, but it still works like a charm. "Leviathan" once again has some electronics that reminds me of what trance-metalcore band Crossfaith uses.

"Swallowed by the Earth" is more atmospheric. I wouldn't say it's as atmospheric as bands like The Ocean, but I'm referring specifically to Halfface's keyboard atmosphere, along with wild soloing from those synths. "We Die In Dreams" is another standout hit. However, right after such a hit, again there's a brief interlude, "Gates of Salvation", that leads straight to the next song. "Happiness In Darkness" is the perfect ending track to make you happy in the midst of lyrics telling a tale of the end of the world as everything dies and decays out of existence. There are also a couple bonus electronic remixes, for "Monsters" and "Swallowed by the Earth".

Gothminister is the dark devil that the more angelic music listeners out there really need to balance out their lives. Throughout these exactly 40 minutes, you can travel all around this gothic world of darkness. And there are more reviews to come for the rest of their stellar discography!

Favorites: "Dark Salvation", "Monsters", "Forgotten", "Swallowed by the Earth", "We Die In Dreams", "Happiness In Darkness"

I think electronics in some metal genres stand out. While there a few bands out there that sound too poppy or dark, it all works well in a good balance. Gothminister can be considered the metallic equivalent to dark pop bands like Unheilig and Wolfsheim.

There's a lot more to expect in Gothminister's material. The album title Gothic Electronic Anthems says it all; electro-goth industrial metal with a few beautiful atmospheric ballads. It's so unique for me to listen to! This band can master the coherent concepts of these songs at such ease. They wouldn't fully perfect their sound until Empire of Dark Salvation, but it's quite promising in this debut.

"Gothic Anthem" is a prime example of this kick-A gothic-influenced industrial metal sound. And you never really have to be Satanic or Goth or swear to make or even listen to music like this. The music is what's supposed to matter. The anthemic single "Angel" is totally worth hitting the charts and being used for clubs. "The Holy One" is also quite decent. "Pray" has more of the atmospheric electronics. There's quite some nostalgia for 80s electronic dancers, while adding in the sinister 90s sound of Marilyn Manson. Take that one to a club!

"The Possession" is an ominous interlude. Then comes the second single "Devil". It's slightly darker than the other single "Angel", adding to the "Devil vs. Angel" motive. The slow side begins with the soft "Shadow of Evil Sins". However, the better "Hatred" smashes through as industrial dance-metal that should really make a hit.

The slow decent "March of the Dead" really leads the listeners through up to the ending buildup. "Wish" has soft female vocals by Nell Sigland, former lead vocalist of bands the Crest and Theatre of Tragedy. "Post Ludium" is one more beautiful electronic ballad of bittersweet dreams. It really has the romantic goth vibe of HIM. So cool! The edition of the album that appears in the rest of Europe has a bonus club remix of "Angel".

If you're looking for a band like Umbra et Imago but more industrial and less sexually dominating, Gothminister is that star in the dark skies of goth. Their debut Gothic Electronic Anthems is a solid versatile start to this band's journey, and listeners of many genres might dig most of it. But I'm prepared for the better in their next offering....

Favorites: "Gothic Anthem", "Angel", "Pray", "Devil", "Hatred", "Post Ludium"

As an ex-fan of Between the Buried and Me and fan of Prayer for Cleansing, I knew I had to give this band/EP a good listen and review, since two members of both bands were in this one; guitarist Paul Waggoner and vocalist Tommy Rogers. From Here On had more noise in their deathly metalcore than the technicality of those other two bands. The harsh vocals from Rogers roar over the heavy riffing/shredding of Waggoner. There are occasional acoustic/narration passages between parts of the onslaught.

However, there are only two great highlights here, one of which is "Shards of Glass", a total spine-chiller. The other highlight, "Further Away" has the best breakdown I've heard in any of the Rogers/Waggoner bands. Other than those two, it's all mostly just uninspired deathly metal/hardcore, and I'm relieved that the EP only has a 25-minute length....

Favorites (only two for this album): "Shards of Glass", "Further Away"

Ah, here we go! A 1990s metalcore/deathcore release that has greater playing value than that other Abnegation release, along with the Napalm Death/Coalesce split and Downcast album. This oughta add a small bit of goodness to my search...

The 90s was a different time for our world. For one thing, thrash/death metal was withering after their golden age of the 1980s, and in its place was the newly developing metalcore scene on the rise. The two bands here, Abnegation and Chapter, both of whom would have a more deathly sound later, were highly influential back then but faded down into obscurity. This split EP was a very important display of adding metal into hardcore. They didn't need to be known by the whole world, just the right audience!

Abnegation began their transition from hardcore to metal around that time, and what helped out is one of their songs here, "Blanket of Black". This highlight shows more of a speedy deathly metalcore sound. This was considered the most metallic/Slayer-sounding any hardcore band has gone before. It was thanks to this band and that song that every metalcore band would start emphasizing the metal part of their template. "Behind the White Walls", on the other hand, continues the chaos, yet the shorter length kind of decimates its memorability. Still a great song to like!

Chapter is not really interesting enough for me to describe the songs in detail. All I'll say is, they play wild dissonant metalcore that would also take over the late 90s, yet more in the Rorschach style than Slayer. I mean, they sound more metal than Rorschach, but not as powerful when crashing in different angles. I prefer my noise-metalcore from the more popular Converge who would release the amazing Petitioning the Empty Sky. While Chapter is likeable, Abnegation has much better Slayer-inspired metalcore.

All in all, this split EP is an interesting example of metalcore beginning to rise, straight from two nearly-elusive bands. Abnegation's side is a more amazing offering from that band than the ultra-deathly 1998 album. If you're going through metalcore's early age, start with Rorschach then work your way to this split, then you know what matters....

Favorites (only from Abnegation's side): "Blanket of Black", "Behind the White Walls" (despite its short length)

I'm sorry, but NO. My search for the earliest bands in non-melodic metalcore subgenres ended up getting imploded by 90s f***ing proto-emo-core. I'm glad this is much lesser-known than the real fantastic metalcore inventors like Rorschach, Integrity, and Starkweather! The only reason I gave this at least 1.5 stars at all is for the song "System" that has helped in the band's attempt to create metalcore that is better off made by those bands. No words can explain how weird the outcome of trying to expand my ongoing search for metalcore can be, when it comes to these sh*tty oddballs....

Favorites (only one I even slightly like): "System"

Abnegation was one of the very first bands to connect the bridge between metalcore and death metal in the 90s, plus adding in a bit of Slayer riffing. It wasn't until their 1996 split EP with Chapter when they've gone from obscure to influential. They were following the common straight-edge lifestyle with their views of veganism and pro-life. But with this different sound, they've become very divisive within the scene...

Verses of the Bleeding is more weird than good in some ways. It's different from what the more hardcore fans might expect. The earlier fans might be in dismay by the fact that 3 of the founding members already left, and the switch from hardcore to evil death metal. On top of that, they were still in Goodlife, a Belgian record label for hardcore bands and hardcore fans, and those fans were vegans and activists. The band went from holy to unholy, not giving a f*** about their longtime audience. And I bet the sh*tty gruesome cover art was a dead giveaway for all this. Personally, I have more of this deathcore/metal album to judge than ideology changes, so let's dig right in!

It starts promising with my favorite song here, "When the Smoke Clears", the shortest while having guitar aggression. The title track has that lo-fi death metal sound going on to remind you of Morbid Angel and Deicide. However, the lo-fi is too low, that first minute of film-samples has tired me out, and the riffing is decent but not interesting enough for me. "Hopes of Harmony", has some slight redemption in fine significance with their earlier hardcore, but the only thing truly heavy is the so-so death growling.

"Bury the Needle" is another short favorite here, having the guitar and vocals reminiscent of early Cannibal Corpse. I think I like the shorter songs best. "Stones That Strike the Cedar" was recorded from an earlier demo, though subject to destructive criticism. Same with "Drowning in Halo's Water", also fast but doesn't mean it's ever powerful.

"A Kiss Before Dying" is one of the most brutal songs I've heard, and it's hard to believe that my metal interest slowly evolved from the epic melodic progressive metal of Symphony X to the brutal deathcore/metal of this album. "Cry of the Ezurate" is a vicious ending track that I enjoy, and it's not as short as the other two highlights. There's also, apparently, a bonus cover of Venom's "Welcome to Hell", but I couldn't find that one. Fine with me, because I've had enough here.

It's no surprise how overwhelming the album's resulting controversy was for the band. They broke up at the end of the year, and not much is known about the members since. I prefer to get my early deathcore from a more hardcore band like Day of Suffering, and I should dive into Abnegation's earlier hardcore stuff too. Yeah, I probably should....

Favorites (only ones I really like): "When the Smoke Clears", "Bury the Needle", "Cry of the Ezurate"

Until now, I honestly wasn't really up to giving this split EP a listen and review because of how rotten I treated the Coalesce EPs, and the band in the other side of split is English grindcore pioneers Napalm Death. Y'know, the band with the one-second "You Suffer". This split was made around the time of Napalm Death's experimental death metal phase, and Coalesce was making their transition from their poor demos to their more superior albums. While those different directions sound promising...

...What was the point of this split!? I get they were trying to promote both bands, but if each band released their side separately, there would be just a couple two-sided singles. While the music is OK, the length isn't. I could listen to a progressive metal epic as long as that entire split! Really not necessarily worth purchasing.

The Napalm Death tracks are actually quite interesting, specifically "Food Chains", continuing the groove-laden death metal of Diatribes, almost leaning into early nu metal, as you can hear in the Korn-like chords and Sepultura-like drumming. The vocals by Barney (NOT the dinosaur) make it obvious that this is the band's usual death metal. A demo version of "Upwards and Uninterested" (from Utopia Banished) is an aggressive beast. While that song is from their earlier grindcore era, it sounds closer to the band's return to that style in Words From The Exit Wound, especially when the riffing and drumming sound smooth while staying as chaotic as mathcore. The best of that side!

And now for the Coalesce tracks, with their technical hardcore/mathcore sound starting to be more comfortable while still not reaching its brilliance, starting with "A Safe Place". Shifty rhythms dominate over strange riffs, all in front of guttural vocal barks. The drumming is interesting, yet it's not highly listenable. "Harvest Of Maturity" has more relaxed maturity with midpaced riff variation to be explored along with more of the technical drumming. That's what I prefer!

All in all, the EP is quite decent in quality but at the same time unnecessary. I don't know who to recommend this entire EP to, fans of death metal, mathcore, or both genres, and even then there's not a lot of point. If this were to cost anything, it would probably just be dollar or less, any more than that and it's a rip-off. Easy split, but skippable....

Favorites (one from each side): "Upwards and Uninterested", "Harvest Of Maturity"

After staying in the modern metalcore scene firmly in the first 10 years, Parkway Drive stunned them all with their 2015 album Ire, evolving into a more expansive part of their journey. Then their following album Reverence took out most of their metalcore roots for emotional experimentation. So what's next in this Byron Bay band's 7th offering Darker Still? Another small step forward into their melodic path, but a good leap in quality compared to the previous album...

This album is as dark as the title would suggest! Apparently, the theme is confront a destructive event and standing up against it with your beliefs as you make your journey through this dark world. In other words, instead of living in nightmarish misery, let this metal tale motivate you to rise in resistance against what life has to threaten you.

Twinkling into the opener "Ground Zero", vocalist Winston McCall starts off sounding fragile, before rising in defiance and shouting "Drop the beat!", as if he commanded the band to begin their anthemic attack. The riffing and chorus would have you pumping your fist in joy. Add in a moshing breakdown and a big choir-like bridge, and it's pretty much Parkway Drive's ultimate anthem! Next track diving in "Like Napalm", destined to make a furious mosh pit when the band can perform it live, complete with a chorus to shout along to amongst the dangerous chaos. The album's first single "Glitch" adds a bit of speed while in a mid-paced march through insomniac depression, alongside guitar and gang-style vocals to remind me of While She Sleeps.

"The Greatest Fear" shows a different, more epic direction for the band, beginning with a church organ and an angelic choir. Then melodic riffing marches in to make you think of Iron Maiden then it's twisted into the groove of Rob Zombie in the verses. In the bridge, we hear a Gregorian-like choir singing the "hymns of nevermore" and then they're replaced with a moshing breakdown. Probably one of the best of the album for me and my brother whose listening to the song reminded me that I needed to get into the action. However, the title-track centerpiece, surpassing the previous album's "Chronos" as the longest and probably most epic song by the band, is a prime example of reinvention for the band. It's basically filled with pieces of acoustic balladry and whistling, with Winston singing some Nick Cave-like cleans. It's obviously not as heavy as the more metal tracks, but there's deeper texture glory than before! However, "Imperial Heretic" doesn't sound really inspired. Neither does the minimalistic "If a God Can Bleed".

Fortunately, "Soul Bleach" puts us back on track with rapid pacing in the riffs. Then cleaning this up in a brief one-minute interlude is "Stranger" with a post-apocalyptic vibe in only two repeated lines, "We are all but strangers, in a stranger world" and "Pixelate, isolate, filter out the human... We become the future". It leads to "Land of the Lost", with one of the most infectious refrains, telling you to "Keep digging the hole down deeper". The headbanging closer "From the Heart of the Darkness" gets you ready in the intro for a final battle started by a mighty guitar riff and Winston grunting "I took a walk last night through the valley of death". The heaviness pounds in rebellious resistance!

Parkway Drive has given you a journey through Hell that you can pleasantly battle through and come out with as many scars as the band had making this powerful offering. The songs with the most strength come from the first half, though a couple ones in the second half are great too. All part of this test of promised survival....

Favorites: "Ground Zero", "Glitch", "The Greatest Fear", "Darker Still", "From the Heart of the Darkness"

It's a little hard to believe that the last Vision of Disorder album as of this review was a decade ago. It's almost as long as the gap between the release dates of From Bliss to Devastation and The Cursed Remain Cursed. This album, Razed to the Ground can be considered the bridge between those two, and while that brings the rating closer the former, it still has potential to be as excellent as the latter...

To be more specific, these metalcore/hardcore Long Islanders have more of the mainstream alt-metal of From Bliss to Devastation than before. Fortunately, they still have their roots from the heart of 90s metalcore.

This is especially proven in the furious opening highlight "Heart of Darkness", starting off reckless and relentless (NOT the Asking Alexandria album). "Hours in Chaos" is filled with intense chaos. "Electric Sky" brings things further, having some top-notch riffing and vocals. Then we have the ferocious title track. The breakdown at the end is so f***ing pulverizing, practically rivaling those from mathcore/deathcore bands out there.

"The Craving" is slightly more progressive, having an unorthodox time signature. The power and strength makes that song another one of the best here. For the next track "Cut My Teeth", the bridge is quite sharp, though the rest is a little dull. "Red on the Walls" loses some power as well, and it's not as sh*tty as FBTD's lowest point.

"Nightcrawler" brings the quality back up with some heavy riffing. Nothing about it is a letdown! Neither is "Severed Wing" which is also a bit progressive, considering the amount of key changes it has, more than many other metalcore/hardcore bands could. Finally, "Amurdica: A Culture of Violence" is so heavy and violent. It's really only the choruses and the ending that are melodic. A solid brutal closing track!

Vision of Disorder is almost never the kind of band to disappoint. Only those who are experienced with the band and genre will enjoy Razed to the Ground at least as much as I have. A couple weak-ish tracks aside, this is a great release to get you pumped up before a possible upcoming album sometime near....

Favorites: "Heart of Darkness", "Razed to the Ground", "The Craving", "Nightcrawler", "Amurdica: A Culture of Violence"

It was during the late 90s when two separate scenes, metal and hardcore, began to coexist with more than just a few bands. And one band that helped the genre out was Vision of Disorder. Their sound can cause violence and fury in the moshpits. And if one other New York hardcore band can bring metal into the scene, that band is Strife. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002 due to lack of support from record labels, and the members formed other bands including Bloodsimple.

After some reunion shows, the band returned with their new album The Cursed Remain Cursed! They brought back the metalcore/hardcore of their late 90s material, and while the alt-metal of From Bliss to Devastation is still around, you won't find many grungy elements here.

This is especially proven in the opening track "Loveless". A riff-storm accompanies Tim Williams' sharp growls and smooth cleans. It's good to have their earlier hardcore roots back! "Set to Fail" has intense touches of groove/thrash, and the chorus consists of the song title chanted fiercely. It leads to "Blood Red Sun", which is probably the f***ing best song here. The vocals, guitars, bass, and drumming are all filled with rage, especially in the riffing and screams. The cleans also add to the brilliance.

Lots of great riffing in "Hard Times" too! "Annihilator" alternates between audible bass and f***ing violent riffing. This also happens in "Skullz Out (Rot in Pieces)" albeit starting with the grunge-ish sound of their previous album. "The Enemy" is another aggressive banger.

"The Seventh Circle" adds a little more groove to their hardcore, reminding some of Coliseum. In saying that, Vision of Disorder still have uniqueness in their alt-metalcore aggression. Even at just 4 minutes, they can unleash all their furious power from their riffing just like that. "New Order of Ages" continues that as another prime example. Same with "Be Up On It" which is quite heavy and leaning into beatdown. "Heart and Soul" is one more hardcore gem, only slowing down for a soft bridge.

The Cursed Remain Cursed is an amazing comeback for Vision of Disorder, proving that they're still relevant to the metal/hardcore scene. So if you're in the mood for some alt-metalcore fury, just put this album on and witness it all!

Favorites: "Loveless", "Blood Red Sun", "Annihilator", "The Seventh Circle", "New Order of Ages", "Heart and Soul"

Some people don't like change, particularly when a band they've been listening to changes their sound out of nowhere. Like if Vision of Disorder fans were expecting another hardcore/metalcore album, they would be quite p*ssed. That is what happened when the band jumped on the alt-/nu metal wagon that was really rollin' at the time. However, that was long before I started listening to metal. From Bliss to Devastation is actually, to my ears, a great album. I think I still have some Gateway enjoyment left in me...

I'll fill you all in with what has led to this album's creation. This usually hardcore/metalcore band made it big with their first two albums released via Roadrunner Records. They ended up leaving the label and made a mostly demo-re-recorded album with a different label. And then here they were, delivering some sharp alt-metal with this release.

Already crashing in is the driving "Living to Die". I think it's still clear that they can be a great band even with a different sound. The guitars are razor-sharp and Tim Williams' vocals have all that hate and rage as always. "Southbound" has some sinister heaviness, coming out as a Sabbathian Soundgarden. The beat is probably the best I've heard here! "Itchin' to Bleed" rips on through just like their older days. "Sunshine" may remind some of Faith No More in terms of the music and vocals.

"On the Table" has a bit of the groove from Demolition Hammer's Time Bomb. The 6-minute title epic can make very much an alt-metal classic. I think this is the closest we ever have to hearing Sabbath-esque riffing and a Slipknot-infused groove in the same song. The most prominent throwback to the band's earlier rage is in "Downtime Misery". The aggression that occurs is in a slower groove, heard in fine production. "Pretty Hate" is another great track. It's nice hearing grunge from the prior decade being given a heavier resurrection. "Without You" packs some alt-metal punches that Bury Your Dead would also execute in their later material.

"Overrun" has haunting groove in the guitar. However, this is around the point where I start to recognize how repetitive things are getting, making me hope for a glimpse of their more hardcore side. "Done In" makes up for that by unleashing some metal fury in the riffing and vocals. "Regurgitate" does kind of the same but becomes an ugly mess, making me feel like regurgitating. "Walking the Line" makes me wonder if this is the same band who dominated 90s metalcore alongside Hatebreed in their debut era.

Slight mistakes towards the end aside, From Bliss to Devastation is for people who can appreciate rock-on alt-metal with none of the hip-hop elements of nu metal in sight. Sadly, the lack of success and support would result in the band disbanding temporarily. Still their greatness has stayed strong even in the roughest of times....

Favorites: "Living to Die", "Southbound", "From Bliss to Devastation", "Downtime Misery", "Pretty Hate", "Done In"

Vision of Disorder had their breakthrough with the first two albums having been released via Roadrunner Records. However, the label seemed to prioritize this band less than others, giving them very little recording time for Imprint and lack of tour support. So the band left Roadrunner and decided to try something different with a new record label...

The band decided that to make up for the inconvenience fans have witnessed, they would make something for those fans, that being a mostly demo-re-recorded album For the Bleeders! It shows the band's simpler more hardcore roots while keeping things tight and metal. Despite some loss of energy, there still isn't anything bad about these songs. They just continue their powerful emotion in songs that each have a shorter amount of time.

One of the songs "Choke" is from their 1995 EP Still. Right away, it explodes into their usual blend of groove/metalcore/hardcore. Then one of the new tracks "Adelaide" hints the verse-chorus structure they would expand upon in their next album. "Watch Out", another track from Still, is filled with blazing speed.

One of the tracks from the earlier demos is "7/13". Melody and heaviness drift alongside each other. The title track is the second of the new songs. They slow things down to a more sludge-ish approach while still aggressive. Hardcore screams and smooth cleans fit greatly with the ethereal guitar chords. "No Regrets" is from the 1996 CD edition of the Still EP. It's good, but it doesn't impress me as much as all the other tracks. "Formula For Failure" is another early demo track. I think until this album was released, fans knew it more as a live track than something made in studio.

"Beneath the Green" is one more song from Still, and it's the best song of the entire album. My mind can embrace it as much as it embraces me. "Take Them Out" is the remaining of the re-recorded demo tracks, filled with hardcore fury. Another impressive highlight "In The Room" is the last new track for this album. Well technically, it was originally recorded for the soundtrack for the film Terror Firmer, released shortly after the Imprint album. It certainly sounds fresh out of the Imprint sessions.

The band consisting of vocalist Tim Williams, guitarists Mike Kennedy and Matt Baumbach, bassist Mike Fleischmann, and drummer Brendon Cohen sound better and more mature, especially in Williams' vocals. The bass is more audible, and Cohen is still one of the best drummers in early metalcore. The bleeders shall enjoy!

Favorites: "Choke", "7/13", "No Regrets", "Beneath the Green", "In the Room"

I like the idea of music giving negative personal experiences more positive light. That seems to be the second Vision of Disorder album Imprint's main theme. Apparently, vocalist Tim Williams was caught up in some fights, one of which resulted in a razorblade slash in the face. The cover art is a manuplated photo of his scar. This scarring incident, while not the album's main focus, took it to a different lyrical direction. One that would, combined with the music, would make the band's greatest breakthrough!

Imprint truly proves Vision of Disorder as one of the best and heaviest bands of New York hardcore/early metalcore/groove metal. Although their 1996 self-titled debut is a perfect gem too, their second album is given smoother production by Dave Sardy, who's known for his production work with bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Helmet as well as his own film score compositions. The writing is also quite sharp as they unleash their East Coast heaviness, far away from the rising West Coast nu metal at the time. Although all the members are worth appreciating, the one that really stands out for me is Brendon Cohen and his incredible drumming skills.

In "What You Are", the band wastes no time as they attack with the guitar complexity, rhythmic drumming, and furious vocals. It already shows Vision of Disorder as more than just your friendly neighborhood hardcore band. This is basically Converge gone Sepultura, with the occasional death metal sprinkle of Obituary and Death. Williams can alternate between screaming and singing quite impressively. "Twelve Steps to Nothing" is another memorable highlight with both melody and aggression. "Landslide" also displays their songwriting ability. The drum/guitar frenzy is followed up by a strange yet intriguing melodic chorus as the guitar is given greater effect. Next track "By the River" is an interesting standout. Williams has a vocal duel/duet with Pantera's Phil Anselmo who is a Vision of Disorder fan.

The title track crushes as it details how Williams dealt with his scarring injury. The 6-minute epic "Colorblind" has their standard sound filled with different colors. "Rebirth of Tragedy" is another enjoyable highlight. "Locust of the Dead Earth" has some of the hardcore of Converge at the time with some melody later used by The Autumn Offering.

Pulling up some punches is "Up in You". Then "Clone" shows that they're more than just a hardcore/metalcore clone, with the melody of 36 Crazyfists and the chaos of Burnt by the Sun, years before those bands' rise to prominence. And finally we have the melodic "Jada Bloom", which really touches my heart as pretty much one of the first ever uplifting metalcore ballads. The beat is still quite hammering, along with the addictive heavy starting riff. So f***ing beautiful, especially the song's second half!

Vision of Disorder's first two albums show the band at their best, with a slight edge given to Imprint. Whether they can be remembered or forgotten, this fantastic offering is an essential one for 90s hardcore/metalcore. Imprinted for anyone to see and hear!

Favorites: "What You Are", "Twelve Steps to Nothing", "By the River", "Colorblind", "Rebirth of Tragedy", "Jada Bloom"

Let's make it clear that as much as potential as these high screaming vocals and guitars have, they don't have enough meat in the bone. It's very much just another early underwhelming attempt at deathcore/metalcore. I'm glad this got added to site so I could give it a try and find out it's just sh*t not worth trying for. The best track here is "Falling Into Ashes", but that's pretty much it....

Favorites (only one in this album): "Falling Into Ashes"

Remember when I mentioned that one of the songs in my August Sphere playlist ended up in the soundtrack for Bad Boys? Well that movie came on TV earlier today (as of this review) and that was the incentive needed for me to give this album a listen and a review. How did it go? Well, where do I begin...

Album #8 from KMFDM, Nihil is where the band started adding a bit of that metal groove into their industrial sound. They've also become more of a collective than a band, with En Esch and Sascha Konietzko gathering many guests throughout the years. Even their image has become powerful, thanks to the visual marketing that includes comic-style cover artwork from Brute. Except this album's cover art was made by guest drummer Bill Rieflin's wife Francesca Sundsten (both passed from cancer at age 59, RIP).

Busting through is the nearly flawless opener, "Ultra". After that is the anthem "Juke Joint Jezebel", the most popular song from KMFDM, selling over a million single copies, and the aforementioned song that appeared in the Bad Boys. A remix version is also in the Mortal Kombat movie. You can really dance along to some parts, much more than Nine Inch Nails, especially the disco-sounding choir led by guest vocalist Jennifer Ginsberg. "Flesh" is slower in the verses, but speeds up in the chorus and definitely towards the end. "Beast" has choruses you can sing along to.

The political-sounding highlight "Terror" thunders through with industrial metal guitar. "Search & Destroy" is one of the more destructive songs here, while having some of the catchiness infecting the album. "Disobedience" is perhaps what really stands out the most in the album. It's not a ballad, but it sounds the closest to one. In saying that, it's one of the greatest highlights here.

"Revolution" cranks up the heavy power once again, but not before things get heavier... "Brute", named after the cover artist of almost every other KMFDM album, is more brutal while staying melodic. "Trust" has another female sung chorus by Dorona Alberti, "Do what you can, what you want, what you must, feel the hunger inside, don't lose your trust", which has a funny similarity to Steely Dan, and is ironic during the battle for idealism that ends up getting lost. The hidden title outro is rather pointless, but I guess it helps makes sure the album doesn't end too abruptly.

Nihil can be considered the core of KMFDM's industrial intelligence that has helped the band fly in the mainstream realm, far beyond their peers. Alongside founders Esch and Konietzko shining throughout, vocalist Raymond Watts and guitarist Gunter Schulz make colorful contributions above the artful production. Compared to industrial metal's usual abrasiveness, KMFDM have a more polished sound, proving that they can be more than just noise. Still they know how to control their striking impact....

Favorites: "Ultra", "Juke Joint Jezebel", "Terror", "Disobedience", "Brute"

Self Inflicted is known as one of the cult albums deep in the underground metalcore/early deathcore mines. However, there's not much in common with what I'm used to when it comes to this style...

I mean, there are some moments to beat you into damnation, but I was hoping for more in this mix of Hatebreed-style metalcore and slight Crowbar-ish groove. Maybe a bit of experimentation from fellow New York-core band Candiria would've spiced things up, but nope, nothing like that here, other than a few audio samples. One track, "Step Back" is pretty good, but everything else is mediocre and boring (I hate using that latter word to describe anything metal). I got much better bands to access than this poor sh*t...

Favorites (only one for this album): "Step Back"

Candiria's goal for a more complete sound wasn't achieved in their then-unknown debut Surrealistic Madness, but I think it might just be in their 1997 second album Beyond Reasonable Doubt! As the band take on Starkweather-like experimental metalcore sensibilities, it seems like a slight change of lineup might affect which path to go. Guitarist Chris Puma (RIP) left to explore different horizons, and taking his place was John LaMacchia who would then be confirmed to be a full-time member for their next album.

The band went to Brooklyn's Purple Light Studios to record the albumwith All Out War producer Michael Barile. As a result, you'll find the usual complex yet listenable compositions with guitars at true thick power.

There's not much you can deny when it comes to how flawless this offering can be, beginning with "Faction", an irresistible blend of metal and jazz. The blend continues to form in "Year One", with incisive riffs and rhythms as changes surround the sound. "Lost In The Forest" is an 8-minute experimental jazz instrumental which seems to weigh down the earlier dynamic. It's the only slightly annoying part of this otherwise perfect album. "Paradigm Shift" adds in tribal groove percussion and a bit of saxophone.

There's some more of tribal percussion in "Tribes", this time brought into the front stage while mixed with more of the cutthroat riffing and vocals. Next track "Molecular Dialect" has some sprawling drum samples which I found out were from the somewhat Dave Witte (Municipal Waste, Burnt by the Sun, Discordance Axis, etc.) who brings interesting color into this interlude. Amazing! Then we have the improbable "Divided". Even "Mental Politics" is excellent, and that one is a different genre from two scenes in New York, rap, which is not really my thing in other times. That proves how well the album shines in diversity.

Then there's the interlude "Riding the Spiral" that's pointless but doesn't affect the album's score. It leads to a more primal highlight "Primary Obstacle". The final track "Intrusive Statements" closes the album with a couple long jazz jams. I wouldn't say it's bad in any way, but while there are irresistible aspects like its energetic attack and urban groove, this would be more pleasing as soundtrack to a cheesy lounge, rather than something for metalheads. It's still quite fun! Ya like jazz!?

How can I not praise the talented genius of these guys? Beyond Reasonable Doubt follows the style of Surrealistic Madness though in a better level that I hope to find more of in their more successful next two albums. There's more efficient maturity that has helped Candiria stand out in the hardcore scene. You really shouldn't forget quite a feat. Anyone here looking for eccentric creativity for a hardcore band? You're in luck! Candiria would have it all in this album and their next two. Beyond Reasonable Doubt shall delight me with its improbable delight for many years to come, and it's no doubt at all!

Favorites: "Faction", "Year One", Molecular Dialect", "Divided", "Mental Politics", "Primary Obstacle"