Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

In the late 2000s, Myspace was responsible for helping several metalcore bands gain popularity on the internet, one of those bands being In This Moment. They ended up getting signed into Century Media, and a radio station interviewed the band and played a few of their songs, granting them more exposure. Beautiful Tragedy is a different album from the pop-infused alternative metal the band would have later, with infectious Gothenburg-influenced melodic metalcore that is worth reviewing...

The guitars unleash strong riffs and harmonic melodies, but what really stands out is the unique voice of Maria Brink. She can sing beautiful melodies perfect for choruses and add harsh fury to her screamed vocals practically surpassing most other metalcore vocalists out there. There's bound to be some action in live shows!

Spooky whispers swim through rain in the intro "Whispers of October". Then sheer hooks explode in with standout "Prayers". The title track is another incredible standout. A catchy chorus stands out alongside more of the killer hooks. The next song to follow is "Ashes". That one and "Daddy's Falling Angel" are quite catchy, and while they follow the predictable formula of alternating between screaming and singing, the band knows how to get it right in the writing.

"The Legacy of Odio" is a beautiful mellow track. Brink sings in true anguish, and the emotion bleeds into the heavier sections. "This Moment" can greatly work as the band's theme song, as least in this early era. It summarizes harsh vocals harmonizing the cleans and blending Swedish melodeath with metalcore breakdowns in this upbeat tune.

"Next Life" is a bit sticky, though I can't deny the Killswitch Engage influence there. "He Said Eternity" has more of the beautiful melodies while keeping the upbeat pace. "Circles" start off with a bit of ambience before launching into metalcore. The only other bands I know who can execute that idea perfectly are early Cave In, Norma Jean, Silent Planet, and Textures. One last mellow ballad, "When the Storm Subsides" almost works as a prequel to Parkway Drive's "A Deathless Song".

You don't often stumble upon an album where a female vocalist can scream her lungs out in one song, and then perform serene singing in a different commercially approved track. Although In This Moment would go a whole different direction later on, Beautiful Tragedy is another album that has given metalcore a next life....

Favorites: "Prayers", "Beautiful Tragedy", "The Legacy of Odio", "This Moment", "Circles"

What's expected in one of those "post-" genres is the immense atmosphere. It helps you live through the enjoyment of such a journey. Cosmic Doom Ritual is a title that may sound simple yet promising in the dreamy atmosphere. It also sums up what you might find in this offering; the cosmic ambience of Darkspace, the sludgy doom of early Isis, and the post-metal ritual of Neurosis, all combined into a savory space-doomy post-sludge sound...

Cosmic Doom Ritual is the debut album by Hexer (whose band name appears to be inspired by The Witcher franchise). The band has projected their sound through the conceptual tale of a giant sea creature devouring its prey. They can really make a story similar to a Mastodon or Ahab album with a cosmic twist.

The atmospheric opening track "Merkaba" has some light beauty before exploding into the post-sludge sound that has shaped the album. The loud doomy despair of Thou is in good alternation with the post-rock melancholy of Russian Circles, the latter appearing midway through. Subtle keys make a good counterweight for the guitar dissonance and synth pulse. It's a somewhat low point for the album, yet it has some destined potential in the cosmic doom influences.

Then we hear the expansion getting stronger in "Pearl Snake". A psychedelic blues vibe is injected into the guitar rhythms and leads, as the lightness is darkened by the death growls. The oriental melodies might remind some of Om. Clean acoustic melancholy is heard in lengthy sections as the percussive rumble and thick bass groove plays along. The rhythm loops over and over with no sign of a building crescendo. However, the rhythm continues to dwell, and the heavier strength eventually makes a comeback in steady form. The vocals definitely remind me of Godflesh and, to a lesser extent, Napalm Death.

"Black Lava Flow" starts off with demented dissonance from the atmospheric guitar. This droning experimentation might make you think of The Body, while having some crust-infused vocals. Halfway through, we experience more of the cosmic psychedelia and the last of the heavy sludge until it ends just before the last minute. The atmospheric steam seems to have been lost, and therefore does not reach the earlier intensity.

3 tracks, each with an average length of 12 minutes, will give you good cosmic doomy post-sludge to enjoy. The melody has created an interesting soundscape. However, the tedious production, especially in the last track, is why I don't find it as awesome as the doomy metalheads would. Still the immense atmosphere has kept the band growing....

Favorites (the strongest one): "Pearl Snake"

For the past couple years, I've stumbled upon a few tracks by this band Shadow of Intent to add to the monthly Revolution playlists. I enjoy deathcore mostly when it's mixed with progressive or symphonic elements, my interest boosted up from getting a kick out of it from Lorna Shore. However, Shadow of Intent has some maturity in their symphonic deathcore, and there's some great stuff in their new album Elegy!

Elegy shows what Shadow of Intent are made of. It's packed with enough symphonics from the orchestration and keyboards to have the Fleshgod Apocalypse symphonic death metal part of the sound, and helping out with that is the man responsible for that band's orchestral aspects, Francesco Ferrini. The melodeath comes from the guitars.

The opening track "Farewell" starts the album like Lorna Shore would, with a one-minute epic orchestral mood-setting intro, before the heaviness storms in triumph. While the deathcore sound might not attract those not used to the sound, it's balanced out with the soft melodic parts, and that's easy to recommend. The melodeath guitar work appears in "Saurian King". The ending of "The Coming Fire" is one of the most memorable parts of the album. It's "Gravesinger 2.0"! It segues into the equally memorable intro of the song "Of Fury" that continues the symphonic melodeath/deathcore sound. There's sonic maturity within the deathcore that's still around, especially in the vocals. "Intensified Genocide" is one of the most intense songs here, with fast heavy energy.

You might wanna check out "Life of Exile" for some clean vocals that appear alongside the usual growls and screams. "Where Millions Have Come to Die" has more dynamic brutality. The variation makes sure there isn't any unneeded repetition, along with vocals by Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel. "From Ruin...We Rise" has more of those varying vocals. This vocal maturity is suitable for the album's earlier concept of inhumane genocide. The powerful cinematic deathcore of that track is set aside for something more groove-laden in "Blood in the Sands of Time". Is that a symphonic deathcore attempt at groove metal? Likely so, with vocals by Chuck Billy of Testament!

The 5-minute instrumental "Reconquest" sounds like there should've been vocals in the first 4 minutes, but it's still pretty great, and the last minute has cool guitar. The 13-minute 3-part title suite is the album's climax, starting with the short clean "Adapt", continuing with the rising "Devise", and ending with the powerful 6-minute "Overcome". Epic, while only almost reaching the glory Lorna Shore's Pain Remains suite.

Elegy is a mature offering from Shadow of Intent in the music and lyrics. The symphonic deathcore bounds continue to expand, and it's worth great listening. Top-notch orchestration is uncommon in deathcore, but I'm determined to continue my journey of discovery!

Favorites: "Farewell", "The Coming Fire", "Of Fury", "Where Millions Have Come to Die", "From Ruin...We Rise", "Elegy" (full suite)

In 2014, Wayne Static passed away from a severe multiple drug/alcohol reaction. Then over a year later, his wife, adult film star Tera Wray committed suicide. The remaining band members thought about reviving the band in a way of tribute for the band's founder, and so that's what they done. They recovered some of Wayne's unused vocal takes for an album series title Project Regeneration. They also embarked on a 20th anniversary tour for their debut Wisconsin Death Trip, a beast that I shall talk about now!

Wayne Static, along with bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuka, and drummer Ken Jay have made pretty good industrial/nu metal straight outta California. What's interesting is the album title, coming from the 1973 Michael Lesy book, though it reminds me of the USA state I used to live in when I was little.

"Push It" shows Wayne's industrial nu metal sound that shall live on. Sounds like something my brother would've listened to over 10 years ago, but he didn't, he was listening to other similar bands. The song was used in some video game/film soundtracks in 1999 and the 2000s. "I'm With Stupid" has great lyrics to like. "HE'S A LOSER!!!" Taking on the mental health of the late frontman, "Bled for Days" was used for ex-Seether drummer Nick Oshiro's audition after Ken Jay left. The programmed drumming shows the band's noise-powered industrial metal tendencies, while being easily performed with actual drums. Static's vocal range is impressive, ranging from shouts to cleans without difficulty. The band has more tricks up their sleeve in "Love Dump" with atmospheric synths. You can kinda consider this rave metal! The riffing and drums keep things heavy.

In high gear is the fast aggression of "I Am" with nu metal-ish lyrics rap-growled by Static ("Put a gun in my mouth and threaten to shoot"). A programmed industrial intro starts "Otsegolation" with the vocals being drawn out alongside some fine guitar groove. "Stem" starts with an audio sample from the 1990 gory horror film Begotten, then synths appear in this bluesy hard rock tune. Static's shouted vocals make sure that this song isn't an oddball in the album. The drums and synths are all around, a little more than the guitar in fact. Stepping in again is "Sweat of the Bud" for the metal aspect while having more of the programmed drums and vocals from earlier.

With lyrics that are just repeated while worth singing along to, "Fix" seems too obvious in referencing drugs. The title track summarizes the album in smooth flow. The lyrics are mostly repeated, but there is the trance-y industrial vibe in the music. However, it's highly different from Fear Factory. "Don’t you sing dong ding dong!" The monolithic "The Trance is the Motion" has better vocals, including those growls. The synth-fueled "December" closes the album in a hypnotic industrial noise rock instrumental.

In the end, we get to have a nice lookback at the first work of the band Wayne Static is mostly known for. And hey, I just realized that this album is a recent Gateway feature release that I missed. Gotta catch up! RIP Wayne....

Favorites: "Push It", "Bled for Days", "I Am", "Sweat of the Bud", "Wisconsin Death Trip", "The Trance is the Motion"

Danzig is a band that shouldn't be taken lightly. They're one of the more satanic classic heavy metal bands around along with Mercyful Fate and Ghost. As someone who's not into that kind of theme, whether or not I find greatness in this album, I don't expect myself to fully dig in to the rest...

Longtime Danzig fans were wondering what the h*ll the band was thinking when they made Blackacidevil, an electro-industrial album with barely anything metal. For this album Satan's Child, while there's more of those industrial elements, the metal guitar is back in prominence. This time, the riffing has a pummeling lower tuning. It may sound a bit like nu metal, but the riffing is so strong that calling any part of this album nu metal would be blasphemy.

Glenn Danzig's vocals first appear soft in "Five Finger Crawl" during the vocals, before having his usually wailing in the chorus, and that's a prime example of his vocal usage in that smashing opener. "Belly of the Beast" continues to have strong fun in the verses. "Lilin" goes on for 6 and a half minutes with some bluesy vocals coming out nice and fine. Adding in some synths and vocal distortion is "Unspeakable". That track is one of my favorites in the album. That opinion might not make part of the Danzig fanbase, but that's OK, I don't intend to.

"Cult Without a Name" shows how well Glenn Danzig can blow listeners' minds away with his voice. He can sing clean whispers and then roar like a bull in smashing intent. An excellent way to lead the drums, guitars, and bass! A weird creepy electronic intro starts "East Indian Devil (Kali's Song)", but then heaviness bashes through. "Firemass" sounds fitting for their earlier material and comes out as another favorite for me. The more trip-hop-ish "Cold Eternal" has Glenn's most moving despite the song's softness.

The title track is actually a mighty highlight! "Into the Mouth of Abandonement" is quite good too despite sounding different from the previous track. "Apokalips" is strong in the bass and drum during the doomy intro and verses. Then in the choruses, the funk/hip-hop-ish pace makes a brief comeback. The electronics are pretty much absent in that song. The final song "Thirteen" is quite good. Glenn Danzig originally written and recorded that track for Johnny Cash, and he recorded it again with the band to close this album with its blues groove.

Any earlier Danzig fan who lost contact with the band's music fearing the possibility of the band going full-on industrial after Blackacidevil should give this band another chance and listen to the band's later material starting with this album Satan's Child. I'm telling you, you'll feel way more relief than disappointment....

Favorites: "Five Finger Crawl", "Unspeakable", "Cult Without a Name", "Firemass", "Satan's Child", "Apokalips"

I enjoyed listening to Samael, but it wasn't really for so long. As I made my brief exit from listening to black metal, Samael was one of the bands I discarded due to their black metal material last fully demonstrated in Ceremony of Opposites. Anyway, after that dark satanic trio of albums from the first half of 90s, they began their ascent to the symphonic industrial metal cosmos with the Rebellion EP and Passage, the latter establishing the band's transcendence beyond what metal had reached before. And despite avoiding the alternative/groove metal trend of other bands at the time, it worked! They gained enough fame and motivation to close the millennium with another album...

Of course, there was one more small offering made before Eternal, the Exodus EP. Though the songs in that EP are leftover tracks from the Passage sections, they served as a bridge in their evolution. They hinted at an important step, discarding pretty much all the earlier black metal elements (an exception being the re-recording of the Ceremony of Opposites title track), all done while staying faithful to their new direction.

Eternal opens with the atmospheric highlight "Year Zero". Beginning the album in shining light, this is excellent high-quality loud industrial metal! "Ailleurs" will have you dancing along. It's almost close to the cyber metal sound The Kovenant would pioneer in Animatronic! Though some might also be reminded of Front Line Assembly. "Together" cuts down on the upbeat optimism for a slow sinister pace. There's more of the brightness in "Ways" that smoothly points out the stylistic ways of their melodic industrial metal. And there's more of that coming up...

Soft piano begins the next song "The Cross". People seem to mistake this song as a Christian hymn, even though the band was going for the opposite. A good reason for me to leave behind all of black metal last year. I'm glad that I still find enjoyment in that song and might be up to making a return to that band and black metal someday... "Us" soars through the industrial metal cosmos once again with a memorable chorus despite it being a bit too noise-ridden in the background. "Supra Karma" makes a comeback to the band's previous album Passage with solid riffing. Then we switch to "I" which is another Kovenant-like dance-metal track. See if you can play that song in dance clubs for all the club members to dance the night away!

"Nautilus & Zeppelin" has more operatic keyboards in the lead, with not much space for heavier riffing. "Infra Galaxia" continues the album's direction, though it seems to lose some strength as it progresses. "Being" isn't too shabby, though it might cause some red flags. "Radiant Star" has some harsh guitar aggression to end this space journey.

Anyone who thought Samael would go full-on KMFDM/Ministry can have that fear set aside. After a 5-year gap, Eternal gained a stylistic sequel in Reign of Light, which had made those fans relieved. Era One followed as a two-disc experiment, with the second half being just ambient electro-industrial. Another album continue the Eternal direction is Solar Soul, expanding their horizons so they don't repeat too much of their past. They would then return to their earlier 90s evil black metal misanthropy in Above. Lux Mundi would return to the industrial metal era from between Passage and Solar Soul. Same thing with Hegemony 6 years after. Will they have a new album this year to keep up that sound? Fingers crossed there! But for now, soar through the cosmos with the soundtrack to this universal exploration....

Favorites: "Year Zero", "Ailleurs", "The Cross", "Us", "I", "Radiant Star"

Oh wow, another band I wish I had discovered sooner! Waltari is known for their huge blend of genres, with Space Avenue focusing on industrial/alternative metal. The album features a lineup with notable members including former Stone guitarist Roope Latvala, taking temporary place of Sami Yli-Sirniö who would also join Kreator, and drummer Janne Parviainen. Latvala and Parviainen would later join Sinergy, and the former would perform with Children of Bodom and the latter with Ensiferum. Absolutely solid!

As for the album, a fantastic lineup doesn't necessary show evolution to the band, but Space Avenue is still in the line of perfection. Manning the production is Front Line Assembly's Rhys Fulber, another reason for the album's slick audio appearance.

The space-thrash opener "External" has powerful riffing and a heavy bridge. Sounds like Latvala is having fun with his riffing before having his fun in his material with Children of Bodom. "Far Away" is a catchy poppy industrial metal single, with more of the cosmic keyboards and vocal fuzz. "Wolves on the Street" mixes a bit of the spacey prog-metal of Voivod with some rapping verses. The thrash-ish industrial metal track "Progression" progresses in heaviness with mechanical riffing though having a poppy chorus.

"Blind Zone" is another track I would recommend for fans of industrial/alternative metal. "Purify Yourself" has a bit of the experimentation of Candiria, though closer to the alt-metal sound that band would later have in What Doesn't Kill You... Adding to the experimental vibe is the beautiful cello courtesy of Apocalyptica (back when that group was still known as a Metallica cover band). "Stars" is a cover of a song by Rauli Somerjoki, and it certainly reminds me of bands Pain and Deathstars. A favorite track of mine, "Prime Time" rocks out with heavy mid-paced groove before incredible hyper-thrash soloing. And it all starts from an 8-bit video game-sounding intro.

"Main Stream" is anything but mainstream-sounding, continuing the heavy thrash. The crushing guitars performed by Latvala spawn technical riffing. Towards the end is some deathly thrash, probably the heaviest in this album! "Look Out Tonite" is more industrial with barely any metal heaviness, unless you count the bass. There's a little more of Apocalyptica's cello. Some might be reminded of Kong with vocals! "Walking in the Neon" continues the infectious dance-y sound with a bit of thrash. There's even some catchy female vocals by Anita Davis who sounds a bit like Tina Turner (RIP that rock 'n' roll heroine). "Mad Luxury" ends the album on a soft alt-metal note. A tame yet intriguing ending to another perfect album!

Throughout this release, Waltari shines with their thrashy industrial/alternative metal sound. I haven't yet listened to one of the band's other albums like Big Bang, but I can consider Space Avenue a big bang with its f***ing engaging style. The band had fun making their material, and so did I with listening to what they've made there!

Favorites: "External", "Far Away", "Blind Zone", "Prime Time", "Main Stream", "Walking in the Neon"

So here I am at the final part of Red Harvest's underground trilogy, before they became more popular with Cold Dark Matter. Some say going chronological when checking out a band's discography is one of the weaker methods because the earlier material before the famous era is often highly different. They may be correct, but HyBreed ended up being an exception to that rule. A newfound perfect favorite of mine as my industrial metal collection grows!

HyBreed shows that the band is no longer as speedy as they were in their debut album and part of their second album. The album is slow in a lot of songs, and the tempo stays the same in even the long 10-minute epics.

The short opening track "Mazturnation" is a fast yet mature track that I enjoy. "The Lone Walk" is a long epic in which the verses have a drum pattern and the chorus is more riff-focused. It just goes on throughout those 10 minutes, and there's never anything bad about that at all! Despite being a bit repetitive, that's the kind of repetition that appeals to me. This band can be catchy while only having one d*mn idea. It's quite brilliant that the band can show talent from just one or two riffs! GENIUS!!! Yeah, that chorus is quite epic along with the verse drum pattern. The other fast track "Mutant" bounces through great guitar riffing and drum kicks.

Another track, "After All..." has a haunting dark cellar vibe. "Ozrham" is almost 10 minutes of ambient instrumental. You might think I would get bored from that, but surprisingly I didn't! By the end, you soar through rain-stormy heights. "On Sacred Ground" starts slow and melodic in the riffing and beat, and continues that way throughout the song that is another one nearly 10 minutes long. However, having the last minute being an intro to the next track is a bit of a risk to take. But all in all, a true masterpiece track of melodic doom! "The Harder They Fall" is another superb bleak industrial metal track. It's amazing how my taste in modern metal developed from the metalcore of Trivium and Bullet for My Valentine into this genre.

"Underwater" has a bit of the slow yet progressive ambience Maudlin of the Well would later have. "Monumental" has a lot of that monument melody, and I love the splash cymbal used here. Another one of the best tracks of the album! There's still two more tracks left, starting with the 12-minute ambient track "In Deep", which is nothing special but still nice and soothing. "The Burning Wheel" is the righteous ending of this long trip. It's a heavier blast while not building actual speed. This can really fit in a live setting, and both new and longtime fans can look back at it in the decades following its release. Like now, perhaps?

All I'm gonna say is, no matter how perfect HyBreed is for me, some people might not like it due to its heavy repetition and lengthiness and think this could cause a dent in the genre. However, this album has the motherload of many things that solidify the melody and dark ambience of industrial metal/post-sludge. The simply structured songs can keep you hooked until the end. Any fan of Red Harvest and industrial metal should get it, and if you want to appreciate it as much as I do, it just takes patience!

Favorites: "Mazturnation", "The Lone Walk", "On Sacred Ground", "The Harder They Fall", "Monumental", "The Burning Wheel"

Let me just say that going through the first part of a band's discography when you haven't heard of the band before may be both a good and a bad way to get around. Anyone starting with the band's early-2000s material can shake their heads at me disappointed for this route. That's OK because I like witnessing the evolution from the beginning!

It's amazing how constant the band can keep their unique ability of turning things around, so that each song is unpredictable in direction. In one song you can hear bleak slowness, and the next one you can the band's earlier hellbent thrash. There's Beauty in the Purity of Sadness shows the band mixing things up quite a bit. You can almost consider the music to be a slightly more deathly Ministry, among other sounds that are the dreams of many bands.

Already bringing you onboard is the fantastic opener "Wounds"! I still can't believe I hadn't discovered this band sooner. This extreme industrial metal banger ends with an epic one-minute guitar/drums outro. "Naked" is another song I absolutely love! "Resist" is what I would describe to a blend of Sepultura at that time and Circle of Dust.

"Mindblazt" has a similar vibe to the mid-paced earlier songs of Earth Crisis in the slower sections while the rest of it is firmly industrial metal. "Mastodome" is a slow sludgy 8-minute epic that sounds like the seed planted for two bands, Mastodon and Gothminister. "Shivers" is another awesome track that gives me shivers. "?" is as confusing as the one-character title says, being just a strange interlude.

"Mother of All" almost reminds of Mushroomhead in the pace and vocals. Now, "A.B.G.L.E.A.K."... I have no idea what that acronym stands for. I do know the song sounds like one Opeth's acoustic interludes. "Sadness" is also awesome! "The Art of Radiation" is another 8-minute epic, and the best way to end the album. Worth lots of praise!

See? Industrial metal can go extreme and dark with out going as blackened as Aborym. The muscular strength comes from the music and not the aesthetics. I can someday try to build up my potential for the band's more popular albums like Sick Transit Gloria Mundi, but for now, I can admire how influential this album is despite how rare it was at the time of its release. Of course nowadays, industrial metal goodness is easy to find on the web....

Favorites: "Wounds", "Resist", "Shivers", "Sadness", "The Art of Radiation"

In a land where black metal rules them all, progressive metal has also been taking Norway by storm. Since the 90s, Norwegian progressive metal bands have come around to sweep the globe, such as the power metal-influenced Pagan's Mind and Communic, the melodic Spiral Architect and Leprous, and the extreme Arcturus and Enslaved. A warm progressive light shines over the cold darkness! There's also a Norwegian thrash metal band called Equinox. A progressive thrash metal style is quite rare in Norway, but that's where Red Harvest's debut Nomindsland comes in! Red Harvest would later be known for their strong industrial metal sound with dark atmosphere, harsh noise, and cold riffs. Nomindsland is a much different debut. This is avant-garde-ish progressive/technical thrash metal not too far off from Coroner and late 80s Voivod!

This thrash sound isn't too surprising considering the band started in the late 80s as a Slayer tribute band called Arctic Thunder. After switching to a more original band known as Red Harvest, they stormed in with some demos, combating the mainstream menace as they stood by the Norwegian thrash sound of their fellow countrymen Equinox. As the original classic thrash dies out in the year 1992, these original innovators from Scandinavia are determined to have that dream rolling one more time. And they twist it up to with some avant-progressive metal as they strive for uniqueness.

"The Cure" kickstarts the album and lets listeners know that not everything that year is grunge/groove metal, there is still classic thrash with a mighty progressive turn. The avant-garde aspects arrive with a flamenco bridge in the middle to spice up this grand opener. Aggression should also be expected in the sharp riffs and leads, though you can find catchy choruses worth singing along to. "Righteous Majority" continues running the thrash bullet-train while having a bit of the progressive atmosphere that another Norwegian prog-metal band In the Woods would later have. "Acid" has the more abstract sound of Equinox, keeping up the progressive thrash dissonance. The frantic rhythms and catchy choruses will surely delight fans of the sound.

"No Next Generation" actually hints at a bit of the industrial metal the band would switch to and Deathstars would also later be known for. "Machines Way" reminds me a bit of Sadus in the thrashy parts. "(Live & Pay) The Holy Way" is a true avant-garde tech-thrash highlight, especially in the second half to reminds some of Mekong Delta.

What confuses me a bit is the idea of sneaking in "Crackman", a one-minute hardcore track, but it's still OK. "Face the Fact" is just straight up technical thrash from the get-go, a Coroner-like masterpiece of a song. The closing track "Wrong Arm of the Law" is another short eclectic hardcore track. It certainly repels a few of the more strict listeners, but nonetheless, it's a good way out.

Red Harvest had a much different stylistic nature that their more famous era. Regardless of that change, it's great to look back at the old-school as much as you can enjoy the modern stuff. Nomindsland shows the band's strength even when they didn't yet have the industrial sound that carves their name in stone!

Favorites: "The Cure", "Righteous Majority", "Acid", "(Live & Pay) The Holy Way", "Face the Fact"

I've tried! I've tried to get into Oomph!, but what do I expect? It's just the unsettling and barely understandable (for me) German industrial rock/metal subgenre Neue Deutsche Härte that has ended up popular via Rammstein. Still, Wunschkind (German for "Desired Child") is quite heavy in both music and lyrics.

As we only go through the songs I truly like, "Born-Praised-Kissed" starts with an innocent music box before you hear guitar heaviness everywhere. The title track has that kind of riffing too! Guitars and synths are blended together in dark atmosphere. However, it's not something you should be bring to dance parties because of the dark mood and slamming heaviness. The instrumentals might have better potential though...

"Wälsungenblut" (Blood) is the more interesting of the two interludes, having a didgeridoo and choir. One song really worth talking about is "Krüppel" (Cripple). Dero's vocals sound close to growling as he details a story about getting kicked, punched, crippled... basically getting beaten up by vicious bullies. Now this is the Oomph I need in the lyrics that are heavy as the gradually distorted music. The emotion is what makes the song special in its own right. Sadly, there's no later song like that in this album. The other interlude "Filthy Playground" has piano to add to the sad mood of the concept.

The songs I've mentioned make me understand why fans of German industrial metal see Wunschkind as a classic. However, I just can't get into a lot of this band or other Neue Deutsche Härte bands like Rammstein, Megaherz, and Eisbrecher. I'm fan of industrial metal, but NDH still ain't for me....

Favorites: "Born-Praised-Kissed", "Wunschkind", "Wälsungenblut", "Krüppel", "Filthy Playground"

OK, this one is slightly better that the previous album. Defekt has heavier guitars and drums, and more powerful vocals that have more shouting than singing. There are some more songs that are pretty cool, including the lyrics, despite still using German often.

However, not all of the songs are any good, so I'll just talk about the ones that are, starting with one of the best here, "Willst Du Hoffnung?" (Do You Want Hope?). Another track "Hast Du Geglaubt?" (Did You Believe?) has a more experimental vibe almost like what Dir En Grey would have a few years later at the other side of the globe. Perhaps the true best of the album is "Come and Kick Me". I don't have much words to describe its beauty!

"Mitten Ins Herz" (Right in the Heart) continues that experimental vibe. "Your Love Is Killing Me" sounds strangely like 2000-era Embodyment in the clean-sung verses, but then the usual heaviness is still around. Another one of my favorites is the 7-minute closing title track, ending the album in amazing young genius!

As heavy as this music is, it doesn't measure up to bands that I like such as Hatebreed. Fans of Rammstein, and to a lesser extent Slipknot, might dig this....

Favorites (only ones I like): "Willst Du Hoffnung?", "Hast Du Geglaubt?", "Come and Kick Me", "Mitten Ins Herz", "Your Love Is Killing Me", "Defekt"

Need some Oomph in your German industrial rock/metal? I don't. The idea of producing a German mix of the industrial of the Laibach, the metal of Pantera, and the in-between of Ministry doesn't cut it for me. Nonetheless, the then-newly created subgenre of Neue Deutsche Härte would motivate bands like Die Krupps and KMFDM to push their metal direction further and spawn the second NDH band and the most popular, Rammstein!

Only a few tracks in the album stand out for me, one of them being the best here, "Sex". Another good track is "Feiert das Kreuz" (Celebrate the Cross). "Breathtaker" is indeed what the title suggests. "Ich Bin Der Weg" (I'm the Way) is quite underrated and deserves some listening.

As interesting as it is to hear an innovative start of Neue Deutsche Härte, Sperm exemplifies why it's not for me. The lack of consistency in the writing, along with the German sex-ridden lyrics, can be a struggle most of the time. Nonetheless, I can witness how influential the album is at starting something different....

Favorites (only ones I like): "Sex", "Feiert das Kreuz", "Breathtaker", "Ich Bin Der Weg"

The 90s was when different possibilities were really expanding beyond metal's classic 80s genres. The decade started with the introduction of groove metal that, along with alt-metal and later nu metal, would take the place of thrash metal in the reign of fame. Then by the mid-90s, industrial metal has just ascended out of the underground and gained global prominence. Vocalist Patrik Wiren has covered all those metal tracks in earlier bands leading up to this one to vent his anger, Misery Loves Co.

The band formed around 1992/1993 and recorded a song for the compilation Extreme Close Up. Gaining some good reception as a result of that, the band consisting of Wiren, guitarists Örjan Örnkloo (who also does drum programming) and Michael Hahne (who also plays bass) and ready for some industrial action!

At the start of "My Mind Still Speaks", you already know what a great industrial metal journey this is gonna be. The abrasive metal guitars play through the vocal blend of the growls of death metal and the singing of alternative metal. "Kiss Your Boots" has heavy rhythm marching on. "Need Another One" is more of a goth/alt-metal ballad-ish song in which Wiren's singing make the softer sections sound like a more industrial HIM. "Sonic Attack" starts off in a ballad-like pace, then the sharp riffing aggression continues.

"This is No Dream" is a memorable heavy thrasher in this industrial environment of theirs. "Happy?" is another ballad-like song. Wiren sings an excellent chorus over guitars as bleak as Ministry at that time. Then there's the FX-ridden intermission "Scared".

The dynamic "I Swallow" is a heavy pounder with a bit of melody. Next up, "Private Hell" is a winning standout with sharp riffing especially in the chorus. "The Only Way" is pleasantly aggressive, as the fast guitars can level up a mosh pit quite well along with the p*ssed-off vocals. I enjoy the headbanging heaviness that occurs in "2 Seconds", having some of that 90s groove to end this industrial metal ride.

After released two more albums, the band split up during the millennium turn. He could've reformed his earlier thrash band Midas Touch to keep up with the thrash rebirth, but that didn't happen. Misery Loves Co. didn't return until 2016. Still the band's 1995 debut is quite interesting and has made up for classic-era metal's temporary death....

Favorites: "My Mind Still Speaks", "Need Another One", "This is No Dream", "I Swallow", "Private Hell", "2 Seconds"

It's interesting how the creators of the first side of Napalm Death's Scum, known as the founding album of grindcore, would go on to make their own industrial metal acts. Justin Broadrick would focus on Godflesh, and Mick Harris and Nick Bullen would create... SCORN.

The debut album from this project fits well at home in the Earache label. Although Vae Solis mostly shows its industrial direction, there are slight traces of thrashy death metal that Harris was moving away from for the project. This is heard vocally from Bullen's growls though they're not too far from Broadrick's vocals. Also giving the album a Godflesh vibe is the guitar contributions from Broadrick. However, most of what happens in the album is strong spacey ambience with occasional reverb within the metal.

"Spasm" rolls with a bit of thrash similar to Meshuggah at that time, while staying firmly in industrial metal. One of the more basic Godflesh-sounding tracks is "Suck and Eat You". There's more of the fast thrash in "Hit", having a great connection to Napalm Death in the band's punky side rather than their hyperspeed.

There's some extra percussion used in "Walls of My Heart". The single "Lick Forever Dog" is not really worth DJ usage but it's one of the best of the album. "Thoughts of Escape" is another Godflesh-like tune. The exceptional "Deep in - Eaten Over and Over" is one of the most dreadful-sounding tracks I've heard in industrial metal, almost like funeral doom before the genre was fully developed, though some might be reminded more of Swans than Skepticism. A solid break from the fast pounders!

"On Ice" is a bit sh*tty but still OK. "Heavy Blood" is more mid-paced, but it slowly rises in heaviness, sounding like Godflesh at that time mixed with one of the slower and more melodic Fear Factory ballads. The album rating would've been higher if not for the filler CD bonus tracks, which I don't wanna mention, and the only one of the bonus tracks I enjoy is "Scum After Death". Napalm Death fans might recognize the opening bass from their song "Scum". The 3 voice samples that appear in the song are from I Drink Your Blood: "Do we pray?" "Satan was an acid head." "Together we'll all freak out!"

Bullen's vocals are what stand out in the original tracks, ranging from direct singing to deathly snarls. Again I would've given the album a higher rating if I was only rating the LP edition, which is filled with decently solid industrial metal that can sometimes be brutal or ambient....

Favorites: "Hit", "Lick Forever Dog", "Deep in - Eaten Over and Over", "Heavy Blood", "Scum After Death"

Just when the Christian metal scene seemed to start dying down, with the temporary split-ups of metalcore bands like As I Lay Dying and Underoath, the deathly progressive metal side has boosted it back up with Extol's first comeback! This excellent memorable band reappeared with their first album in 8 years since The Blueprint Dives.

What's noticeable about the band's self-titled album is, the harsh vocals are back in full usage after their singing-dominated previous album, not just the growling side but also the blackened shrieks of the awesome Burial. That and the usual cleans help maintain the deathly progressive balance. Once again, the guitarwork is technical as h*ll, fitting with the drumming speed and tempo changes expected in progressive metal, not to mention the breakdowns having some flavor.

"Betrayal" is the perfect starting track, with a sense of danger and chaos to give you motivation in life. "Open the Gates" opens the deathly progressiveness further in the structure. "Wastelands" follows suit. "A Gift Beyond Human Reach" is a well-done composition of mind-f***ing drumming and riffs.

"Faltering Moves" is almost an extension to the Undeceived instrumental "Where Sleep is Rest", this time with vocals. None of Extol's songs are weak in any way, but "Behold the Sun" comes close. I can't stand the barbershop vocalizing appearing often, and it's because of that this album is a half-star missing from perfection. Following this is "Dawn of Redemption", an acoustic interlude in a similar vein to Synergy's "Aperture", a gentle break from the punishing heaviness.

"Ministers" throws back greatly to the band's earlier style from the late 90s era. The title track can indeed be considered the band's theme song, looking back at all different eras, mostly Undeceived. Enjoyable but slightly predictable. It segues to the twisty "Unveiling the Obscure", in which the Yes-ish vocal harmonies are much better performed.

Once again, Extol knows how to make an extreme progressive journey, as demonstrated in their 2013 album. They certainly sound more mature than they were previously. While it can't beat the perfect glory of their earlier material, there's no doubting the amount of death/progressive metal fans digging this offering. Anyone who thinks metal can't be Christian is dead wrong. As we wait for the band's next album to come after over a decade-long gap, enjoy this progressive adventure I would highly recommend!

Favorites: "Betrayal", "Open the Gates", "A Gift Beyond Human Reach", "Ministers", "Unveiling the Obscure"

My first experience with technical progressive metallers Extol was when I checked out The Blueprint Dives two and a half years before this review. That album is an alt-ish prog-metal masterpiece. But somehow it wasn't until a year later when I finally embraced the greatness of their discography. Many of their albums are so f***ing perfect! And I'm not kidding about that; Burial and Undeceived are a one-two punch of atmospheric technical/progressive death metal, the latter expanding on that sound with complex ideas. Their catalog has truly made this band an unstoppable force!

Now here we are at their 2003 album Synergy. It is the band's first move to a different style from their earlier deathly sound, taking on more melodic thrash. This change of sound has turned away some earlier fans while winning some new fans who wanted to hear the continuation of progressive/tech-thrash after bands who have attempted that style in the early/mid-90s have faded out. It's safe to say that Extol took a lot of inspiration from fellow Christian progressive thrashers Believer. If Extol kept going with the violins from their deathly first two albums, they could've easily made "Dies Irae 2.0". At least they had first shown their Believer influences in songs like "And I Watch" and their cover of "Shadow of Death". Extol have executed their tech-thrash sound very well in Synergy, with only a fairly short amount of death remaining.

From "Grace for Succession" on, stunning guitars leap around, with ideas extracted from the 1990/1991 albums of Believer and Coroner. The harsh vocals continue their blackened death range, while the cleans have sweet flavor as they shine in the Opeth-like mellow sections. Tech-thrash reaches its height in "Paradigms" which also has lovely female singing by Maria Solheim. "Psychopath" has psychotic shredding and rhythms, while continuing the amazing blend of technical heaviness and more of that Opeth atmosphere. "Blood Red Cover" has more melodic progressiveness ala Fates Warning, hinting at Extol's direction in The Blueprint Dives.

"26 Miles from Marathon" is a fast riff marathon as different speeds collide. You can definitely hear some early 90s Atheist there, especially in the technical labyrinth that then leads to searing shredding. "Confession of Inadequacy" continues the progressive thrash, though they switch from rhythmic aggression to serene balladry for one section. Then we have a full-on thrash attack in "Scraping the Surface". They get closer to their early deathly drama while having some of the operatic drama of Arcturus.

The thrashy diversity sounds so excellent in the somewhat title track "Thrash Synergy". The technical guitarwork definitely has Believer all over, though the speed slows down when they have more psychedelia. "Aperture" is a nice acoustic break from all that madness. Then "Emancipation" snaps you back to riffing aggression while having slight balladry, followed by more of that Atheist-like guitar versatility. "Nihilism 2002" combines the best of both of Extol's worlds with a tech-death/thrash blizzard, then this progressive offering ends with the last bit of psychedelic soloing fading out.

As of this review, I had already reviewed The Blueprint Dives a long time ago and will take on their self-titled comeback album next. But for now, Synergy has really shown the band dialing back the deathly brutality for some dynamic progressive tech-thrash with some Rush-like psychedelics. It also shows an early hint of the accessibility of The Blueprint Dives. There's barely anything awkward about Synergy, and Extol shall continue to delight their audience from time to time!

Favorites: "Grace for Succession", "Psychopath", "26 Miles from Marathon", "Scraping the Surface", "Thrash Synergy", "Nihilism 2002"

Extol was formed in 1993, the year Atheist, Pestilence, and Cynic released their respective prog/tech-death classics. After those bands' activity came to a halt the following year, Extol started expanding the sound left behind, beginning on a more deathly note. Back then, one of the only other Christian death metal bands was Mortification, whose lead vocalist/bassist Steve Rowe signed them to his record label for a 1996 compilation album. This would then lead to their fantastic debut Burial, followed by their second one Undeceived, which expands their sound much further and surpasses the debut by a slight point! While the extreme brutality is still there, dark insane progressiveness takes the lead. There's more prominent violin and cello in some tracks that make the doomy sections sound like My Dying Bride.

Undeceived sounds as if those Christian musicians were hypnotized to take their violent anger out on playing their instruments. The harmonic techniques stand together at once. The fury comes from the power God blessed them with. The preaching lyrics are a little stretchy, but they fit well for the implied battle between God and Satan. The clean singing by guitarist Ole Børud is quite pleasant, and they touch upon the more melodic progressive metal bands like Leprous. They also put the vocal scale in balance together with the growled vocals by Peter Espevoll.

The first track "Inferno" is a beautiful start, especially with the violins in the intro. The title track is a brilliant highlight and might just go down as one of my favorite songs in all of progressive metal. It has everything from the classical intro to deathly aggression, powerful vocals, and thrashy soloing. It's a shame they would completely discard violins from Synergy onwards. Still I'm glad to hear them in all its beauty and bliss. "Time Stands Still" is similarly structured, this time starting with medieval-ish acoustic before the violent storm. "Ember" is another memorable track, and where Børud starts singing his clean vocals. It should be noted that he has had two decades of experience before this album, starting off in a children's singing group.

"Meadows of Silence" is a relaxing acoustic interlude as a nice break from the heaviness. Then "Shelter" has a slower pace that almost reminds of the more sludgy Neurosis. "A Structure of Souls" is a well-structured highlight, once again having Børud take the front stage. "Of Light and Shade" attacks with more of a progressive melodeath sound closer to what Persefone and Insomnium would have a few years later. "Where Sleep Is Rest" is another interlude, this one having beautiful metallic melody that can compete with other progressive and non-progressive metal bands like Burst, Sikth, Sylosis, and Mercenary.

"Renewal" is another one of my favorite tracks in this album. The band can motivate you better than other bands can, especially when Børud's singing sounds inspiring. "Abandoned" is one more interlude that can fit well in a video game soundtrack. "And I Watch" seems to be shaped up by early Believer as well as Trail of Tears and Underoath at that time, thus stirring up another deathly classic to end this masterpiece!

Any non-metal person who thinks metal is the Devil's music would be proven wrong with bands like Extol. Christian metal is real and can be enjoyed by anyone, whether they're Christian or not, whether they're a metalhead or not. This band and their music shall never be forsaken!

Favorites: "Undeceived", "Ember", "A Structure of Souls", "Of Light and Shade", "Renewal", "And I Watch"

I'm not gonna lie, Extol is very much the true definition of Norwegian of black-ish progressive death metal. The more deathly metalheads can get their tech-death from bands like Suffocation and Nile, but I can get it from progressive masterpieces like Extol's debut Burial. One of the greatest albums of extreme technicality!

When it comes to progressive/technical death metal, extreme hyperspeed is often the key. Just as long as it remains progressive and not heading into too much of the brutal side. This album has all of that in savage fury. The heavy brutality also comes in contact with some melody and experimentation. Everything is blended together as it should be, and nothing is out of order.

"Into Another Dimension" is the intro that takes you through just that in a brief minute and a half, the way Into Eternity would but more extreme. It segues to the diverse blackened "Celestial Completion" that I enjoy. The insane title track follows through. "Renhetens Elv" (The River of Purity) is another blackened track with more folk.

The lyrics of God are more prominent in "Superior". Then "Reflections of a Broken Soul" continues the amazingness with more cleans and lyrics of depression. "Justified" takes on the Devil. "Embraced" shines with more heaviness and lyrics of depression.

"Innbydelse" (Invitation) starts off in the first minute sounding somewhere between doomy and almost a slam deathcore breakdown, and then launches into more of the black-ish tech-death. Sadness and sorrow covers "Tears of Bitterness" while maintaining the speed. "Work of Art" is exactly that! And a crushing one too. "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø" (Jesus Came to World to Die) is a clean doomy hymn originally written by session keyboardist Arnold Børud, father of guitarist/clean vocalist Ole Børud.

All the extreme technicality you can find is in Extol's 1998 debut. It is one of my favorite albums of progressive/technical death metal, and it's just the start of the band's incredible discography. Extol can really show that extreme progressive greatness exists!

Favorites: "Celestial Completion", "Renhetens Elv", "Reflections of a Broken Soul", "Embraced", "Innbydelse", "Work of Art"

Imagine the look of shock on the faces of many Whitechapel fans when their ears first encounter this album. I didn't have the same feeling since it's only recently when I started listening to and paying attention to this band. They've had quite an active career for over a decade and a half, and since their debut, they've been known as one of the heaviest, toughest, breakdown-fueled deathcore bands around. Although the band's name and that debut album The Somatic Defilement is based on the infamous legend Jack the Ripper, I still enjoy their early brutal material, just as long as it's balanced out by the recent melodic direction. The Valley definitely puts the latter up in great use, suitable for vocalist Phil Bozeman's lyrics about the tragedies of his childhood. Their deathcore in that album is more melodic, atmospheric, and progressive than any of their earlier material, already hinting at a brand new tone the band would have in the following album...

For their new album Kin, the band still have their usual deathcore, all within the low-tuned guitars and bass, and explosive breakdowns. However, the writing here is simplistic yet dramatically detailing more of Bozeman's feelings of his young struggles. The music is actually radio-friendly rather than made for the deathly underground. Once again, they really bring the tone down and became a much different band from the one that made their debut album. This is different from other bands such as Carnifex and Job for a Cowboy that both also released their deathcore debut album in 2007. The former stuck with their blackened deathcore sound, while the latter switched to prog-death. Kin shows Whitechapel taking on more of a progressive/alternative metal sound for the most part, it's not really bad at all. It's something wonderful to embrace!

The opening song "I Will Find You" already makes their new sound clear by combining the distorted heaviness with beautiful cleanliness. Up next is "Lost Boy" which brings back some of the band's earlier intensity, especially in the drumming. "A Bloodsoaked Symphony" is the closest the band has gone to deathcore in this album. The typical heaviness of that genre can be heard again in the drumming, though in a djenty marching pace. "Anticure" is a perfect emotional lament. It kinda reminds me of some of the slower ballad-like Trivium songs!

"The Ones That Made Us" then showcases a bit of the heavier side of Trivium mixed with All Shall Perish. "History is Silent" is another wholesome power ballad. "To the Wolves" leans into a melodeath-groove combo to remind some of DevilDriver, including a melodic and technical guitar solo.

I must admit, "Orphan" is quite a tear-jerker. Bozeman's vocals and lyrics sound so emotional, though the music is a little too soft with barely any steam and no crushing heaviness at all. "Without You" has nothing going on except serene acoustic guitar. "Without Us" mixes clean atmosphere with stomping djenty deathcore aggression. Don't expect too much viciousness in the title track, with the first half being practically acoustic. However, the second half reprises the melodeath heaviness in the instrumentation.

All in all, we get to hear more about Bozeman's journey to fight the demons of his past. Kin can be a bit bumpy in some places, but the experience is never heavily soiled, unlike a couple ugly mid-2010s albums. Kin is a pleasant surprise, and I hope in the future, Whitechapel can take this new direction to the next level....

Favorites: "I Will Find You", "Anticure", "The Ones That Made Us", "To the Wolves", "Without Us"

Since the mid-2000s, Whitechapel has proven themselves to be a true developer in deathcore, a metalcore genre so extreme yet controversial in the metal community. As much of a plague people might consider the genre, it's innovative forces like Whitechapel that lessen the bad rep deathcore has gained. The more brutal bands Carnifex and Job for a Cowboy have taken their brutal aggression from Whitechapel's earlier albums that in turn have some Suffocation influence...

Recently, however, the extreme aggression in their sound became much less. Their usual deathcore is still around in Our Endless War and Mark of the Blade, but those albums marked the beginning of the band's more progressive djenty side, especially in the latter album. Longtime fans hated this softer direction, especially they go far into clean singing. Personally, though I like the more melodic clean moments, it's the djenty side (which I normally like) that's in the wrong. It's too over-the-top and experimental for the band's standards. 3 years later, the band fix everything with The Valley. It's more progressive yet the heavier riffing is brought back to form. An excellent balance!

Starting this journey is "When a Demon Defiles a Witch", in which they continue to shine with their usual deathcore at its d*mn heaviest here! Right after the short acoustic intro is when you experience the fast aggression of the drums and guitars. And there's more of that chaos to come... "Forgiveness Is Weakness" returns to more of the band's earlier sound. "Brimstone" takes on the band's more groove-ish side. Power ballad "Hickory Creek" is definitely different, the first song by the band to be entirely clean-sung.

"Black Bear" is more of a groove/nu metal-ish track a bit like Korn in the riffing. However, it's so catchy, unlike in the previous two albums that didn't mix right. "We Are One" once again throws back to the classic sound, with some incredible soloing. "The Other Side" has more of that groove.

"Third Depth" can switch from clean to heavy without being too abrupt. You can also hear the bass sounding more audible and muddy in a nice way. It's a beautiful heavy sludge-ish tune that has put the deathcore sound to a halt. The sludge continues in "Lovelace" while keeping the deathcore fury. "Doom Woods" isn't the band's first rodeo when it comes to 6-minute epics. This time, it's a doomy deathcore track similar to what The Acacia Strain were going for that year. Could've been more fulfilling though...

At last, the solid production is back on! Mark Lewis, who has produced albums by bands like Trivium, helped the band bring back the earlier greatness. It's like the sound of the previous two albums has been enhanced and mixed with their earlier days. The old and new are combined in The Valley, bringing the band's glory back to their fans' lives!

Favorites: "When a Demon Defiles a Witch", "Forgiveness Is Weakness", "Hickory Creek", "We Are One", "Third Depth"

With an album title like Mark of the Blade, you might think the band would make a better mark at their new direction. Unfortunately, it's more mixed than Our Endless War is and not an album I would return to commonly. It's not entirely bad, and I enjoy some parts of it as much as their better earlier material. However, the direction continues to bring the band backwards from the top. The ideas that pop up just aren't fresh or natural enough to stick like a Post-It...

The powerhouse production adds to the album's good side, with thrash/melodeath-like rhythms in the guitar that switching into the usual djenty deathcore grooves, but the problem is, they can't decide where to stick with, so it's a bit messy at times. The bass bounces on you during the hardcore breakdowns that punch through the air.

The album starts off promising in "The Void", with kick-A speed and aggression, but the djenty riffing in the chorus can be annoying. The title track sounds too nu metal-ish for my liking. "Elitist Ones" leans towards the metal/hardcore of Hatebreed that I like, but it's ruined by the hip-hop-like sh*t of Biohazard in the way the vocals are performed. Then we have a brief ominous start to "Bring Me Home" with soothing guitar, and we get to hear clean singing from this band for the first time, sounding a bit like Maynard James Keenan from TOOL and a Perfect Circle. The rhythms are still crushing while in that ballad-like pace. That's where the band should be taking their new direction!

I'm skipping a few songs because of how bad they are for me. "A Killing Industry" comes d*mn close there. The band sounds hypocritical in that song, with lyrics of learning about mistakes and evolving, not writing sh*tty albums for the sake of commercial success, all while growling "I JUST DON'T GIVE A F***!!!" Yet it's just the same ol' nu metal tainting their deathcore, eliminating what makes them unique and soiling the legacy of the genre they added positive light to. The lyrics in "Tormented" have much better anger despite the vocals sounding hoarse. Beautiful melodies and violent rhythms are in a good mix. The instrumental "Brotherhood" sounds interesting in the melodies and solos to make up for some of the lameness. Skipping ahead to "Decennium", this 6-minute closer has better clean vocals mixed well with the growls from the abyss.

To h*ll with over half of this album! The poor songs sound so funny, and not the laughing kind. I wouldn't wanna keep falling into this trap. Is this sh*t really the deathcore I thought I knew?! Well they can diversify the aggression to the point where it almost becomes progressive, but the way they do it is often improper and becomes kind of a nuisance. Yes, I know that Whitechapel can write real songs, and they've written fantastic ones, evident in their earlier material. It's just the riffs and lyrics in this album that don't suit me quite well. They had lost some effort they could've had, and that was since their previous album Our Endless War which was only slightly better. High amount of accessibility aside, there's still a bit of the greatness of the band's first 4 albums in the few great songs. I can jump around in delight like a toddler in those great moments. So yeah, this sh*t isn't f***ing enough to constitute an awesome album. Has potential, but not fully fulfilled....

Favorites (only songs I like): "Bring Me Home", "Tormented", "Brotherhood", "Decennium"

Deathcore is pretty much the Voldemort of the metal community. The more pure metalheads are used to the thrash/death metal of the 80s and early 90s. However, those two genres were knocked off the popularity throne in the late 90s and early 2000s. The late 2000s/early 2010s was when deathcore was on the rise. There are actually a few bands like Whitechapel that display the genre properly. Their previous two albums have true maturity, especially the latter. Will they have the same in this album?...

Surprisingly not. It seems like they took a step backwards when it comes to the guitars. Whitechapel is known for their 3-guitarist part of the lineup, and that aspect really enhances the wall of sound the band create, whether or not it's fully utilized. What makes this guitarist trio great is the soloing by lead guitarist Ben Savage and the dissonant riff rhythms by the other two guitarists Alex Wade and Zach Householder. For this album, the riffing has far more of a djenty groove. While there's no problem with that in my opinion, they could've at least kept the leads and atmosphere, but no. Instead, those are reduced, and that less effective sound really puts a dent in the album's quality.

The title of the intro "Rise" says it all. The instrumentation rises as you prepare for a revolution, though it's not as revolutionary as the previous two albums are... The crushing title track speeds things up without ever letting go. "The Saw is the Law" has a djentcore riff in the intro, but it's so mediocre and annoying, and anyone moshing would just be shaking around like a seizure-prone robot. The speedier riffs are better, though they keep returning to that d*mn slow riff. "Mono" continues that bad-a** fast riffing.

"Let Me Burn" has slow monotone sections while still having that awesome riffing speed. "Worship the Digital Age" fires away in deathly fury to make up a lot for the mediocrity, includes killer growls and blast beats. I enjoy that! "How Times Have Changed" once again sets aside fast aggression for slow dullness.

"Psychopathy" starts with a strange yet beautiful moment, an atmospheric bass intro that is then decimated by the usual heavy chaos. "Blacked Out" strays away from pretty much any of the slow djent. There are cool leads and riffs, and Sonic-fast bass and drums to please even the heavier metalheads. Last up is "Diggs Road", which is perhaps the most solid way out in great effect. We have a nice guitar melody, and not one but two solos. Wow! That definitely makes up for the earlier disappointments.

What we have in this album is pretty good music that is sadly often f***ed up by mediocre riffing. I thought it would have the same kind of attention-grabbing perfection as the previous two albums, but that wasn't the case. Of course, I still like Our Endless War. It's worth good listening. Still this is the prelude to a different era coming up next....

Favorites: "Our Endless War", "Mono", "Worship the Digital Age", "Blacked Out", "Diggs Road"

With the creation of their 2012 self-titled album, Whitechapel was really rolling the dice. They were taking on a different direction compared to their brutal starter trio. The Somatic Defilement was a solid extreme start. This is Exile showed some improvement building. Then A New Era of Corruption rules on the throne. So what about their 2012 album? Sharing the throne! What's different is, there are more melodies and solos than before, and that really shows how unique the band is in deathcore!

Alongside the melody, there's also more atmosphere in the music. It adds to the uniqueness of the sound, and even gives the songs in this album some difference from the ones in their previous albums. For the guitars, technicality is added more to the mix while standing by what they're known for. The guitar trio continue to work as part of the team, as the noise-ridden walls continue to fall and crush, though it can work just as well with just two guitarists instead of 3. And like I said, there are more guitar solos! If you thought the band's previous albums have common soloing, there are so many of them here that DragonForce would be amazed.

"Make It Bleed" starts the album as my favorite here! That sweet piano intro is a wonderous change of pace, right before the deathcore fury crashes in. The guitar solo is one of the finest I've heard from this band. "Hate Creation" is enjoyable as well, especially in the breakdowns, filled with sh*ts-load of brutality. His attempt at cleans when he says "I'm so sick of all these people" kinda brings down a few percentage points though. "(Cult)uralist" has some of that kick-A soloing.

"I, Dementia" is another favorite of mine here, and it has another top-notch solo for this band! The breakdown here is in the same tempo as the song, but it's much better for the structure than for that of previous songs. The riffing during that is definitely welcome! There's some more of the clean whispering, but it greatly adds to the atmosphere. "Section 8" has a pretty chorus. "Faces" has some greatness that is missing from people listening to deathcore without an open mind. Same with "Dead Silence" which is absolutely satisfying for heavier listeners.

It segues into "The Night Remains", which doesn't grab my attention too much, but it's still very solid. The instrumental "Devoid" has nice soft piano just like in the beginning of the album, but then it makes an excellent switch into a deathcore breakdown, like soldiers getting for the final war... "Possibilities of an Impossible Existence" unleashes the last of the album's power before the album ends where it began, with that beautiful piano melody. It's so great!

Although you can think of this release as a concept album, it's the band's first two albums that follow a lyrical concept. Whatever your opinion is, if it's polarizing, you probably haven't paid close attention to the band's maturity, as this album has the most of it. This and A New Era of Corruption make the band's greatest album duo!

Favorites: "Make It Bleed", "I, Dementia", "Faces", "Dead Silence", "Possibilities of an Impossible Existence"

Since their formation, Whitechapel has made some kick-A albums. Their debut The Somatic Defilement kicks off their journey with brutal heaviness. Their sophomore album This is Exile is more diverse and unique than some of the bands they influenced like Impending Doom and Oceano. Further cementing the band's position in the modern metal scene is their perfect 3rd-time charm A New Era of Corruption! The more serious metalheads might hate it, but it's something for me, a Revolution guy, to love.

The music in this album and the previous two help make the band stand out. Why? GUITAR SOLOS, Y'ALL!!! People should stop judging a band by their genre. Deathcore isn't always just replacing solos with breakdowns. Just because not every song in the album has solos, doesn't mean there's none. And there's a f*** lot of them to be found here!

"Devolver" already shows the band's evolution since their previous two albums, and the chorus riff is so unique compared to other deathcore bands that rely on the more generic. The guitar soloing that should level up deathcore's appealing factor appears in "Breeding Violence", a violently pleasant highlight. Next track "The Darkest Day of Man" transforms from mid-tempo groove into fast thrash, even leaning close to melodeath practically reminiscent of The Black Dahlia Murder, while occasionally bouncing into the song's usual slam groove. All of that gives more dynamics to the riffing for more terrifying effect. More bloodthirsty rhythms appear in "Reprogrammed to Hate". It's a more diverse song, especially in the last third, with more of the guitar soloing, a nice small bass solo, and vocal chanting and shrieking by Deftones' Chino Moreno.

The guitars have more variety in "End of Flesh", particularly halfway through when some Latin-like acoustics come in briefly. "Unnerving" is another standout with background keyboards sounding like part of a horror movie. The riffing that appears in "A Future Corrupt" pummels through along with some more soloing, this time by Jason Suecof, a metal guitarist and record producer known for his production work with bands like All That Remains, Trivium, and Chelsea Grin. "Prayer of Mockery" has more of the searing soloing to mock deathcore haters.

There's something mesmerizing about "Murder Sermon", and that would be the soft bridge around two and a half minutes in. It nicely balances out with the guest vocals by The Acacia Strain frontman Vincent Bennett appearing shortly after. "Necromechanical" has one more solo by Jason Suecof. It segues into "Single File to Dehumanization", having soft dark melody before the crushing breakdown the greatest deathcore fans expect from the band. A beautiful acoustic outro closes everything.

Anyone who think Bring Me the Horizon have a more tough-guy image than Whitechapel might have to reconsider that thought. Unworldly growls, apocalyptic lyrics, crushing breakdowns, cool riffing, and a d*mn lot of soloing! What's not tough about all that?! Bring Me the Horizon had already moved out of deathcore and later switched to softer territory. Whitechapel should be convincing enough for metalheads to realize how f***ing heavy this band is. Just ignore the haters and don't expect anything happy and sunny here. A New Era of Corruption is an epic winner in deathcore. Satisfaction guaranteed for fans of the genre!

Favorites: "Devolver", "Breeding Violence", "Reprogrammed to Hate", "Unnerving", "Murder Sermon", "Single File to Dehumanization"

Whitechapel started their career quite well their debut The Somatic Defilement, having gained quite a fanbase in the deathcore community. They switched from Candlelight Records to Metal Blade for their next album, and will the momentum help keep them steady? F*** yes! It's more accessible yet appealing to people such as myself who like growls and breakdowns. They also added some new variety to make things more flavorful.

While the death metal influences are still here, the brutality is reduced to make way for more melody. Some can consider this right between the lines of As I Lay Dying and Devourment. Adding to the melodic vibe is more common usage of soloing. Not a lot deathcore bands do soloing, but Whitechapel has a lot of them!

Beginning the opening track "Father of Lies" are some standard deathcore blast beats right out of nowhere. The title track uses kind of an oriental harmonic guitar scale, especially in the breakdown when one guitar plays the melody, while the other two play the ravaging rhythm. The riffing in "Possession" is quite decent, along with the soloing that adds more of the variety.

"To All That Are Dead" is brilliant in the soloing, and it really helps out the album! Sure there's another breakdown, but it's never repeated. The Red Chord's Guy Kozowyk guest appears in "Exalt" and marks a killer change of pace from the growls/screams of Phil Bozeman. As "Somatically Incorrect" approaches its ending, the riffing is a bit irritating while still tolerable. Instrumental track "Death Becomes Him" seems to lose a bit of strength, but it works as a well-needed intermission in the middle of such a deathly album before we can continue the storm.

One song that isn't the best, yet can be considered great, is "Daemon (The Procreated)". A fantastic breakdown starts the song, but the melody is a bit laughable. The guitar notes are all over the place, adding to the song's technicality. Then we have the repeated vocal shouts of "DAEMON!!!" The breakdowns still work, but the riffing is somewhat forgettable. The ending breakdown has Phil shouting "THIS IS THE END OF ALL LIFE!" Now this breakdown would've been as awesome as the previous ones in the song and some previous ones, if the vocals didn't sound so f***ing faded. It's more comedic than demonic! "Eternal Refuge" has a slower tempo. Its breakdown is much slower than what Emmure and Bring Me the Horizon at that time have performed, sounding a bit sludgy. I like that! The unnecessary interlude "Of Legions". It builds up through spacey effects before a breakdown that lasts too long to be good. Despite its mediocrity, it all leads to the finale to remind you why this album is amazing... "Messiahbolical" starts heavy, then switches to an ambient bridge, and finally ends with Phil's repeated growls of "I AM THE END!!!!". A great ending highlight here!

Despite how amazing this album is, the flaws that keep the album a half-star short of total perfection include the lack of bass, lyrical immaturity, a few songs having poor riffing and too much vocal effect, and the interludes that could've been improved. Nonetheless, if you're looking for deathly madness, you know what this is... THIS IS EXILE!

Favorites: "This is Exile", "To All That Are Dead", "Exalt", "Eternal Refuge", "Messiahbolical"

Although the kind of deathcore I prefer is when bands perform the genre with progressive (Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris) and symphonic (Lorna Shore, Make Them Suffer) elements, the heavier standard deathcore has spawned a few better bands of that kind. It's quite interesting, considering they're named after basically murder central for the infamous Jack the Ripper. Of course, what makes this band more suitable for me is their recent alt-/prog metal material, which we'll get to as my review journey goes on...

You can expect positive reviews from open-minded critics, but you can also expect scathing negative reviews from pure metalheads who want nothing to do with deathcore since Job for a Cowboy at that time. However, Whitechapel is not as horrible as those people think, and even their least awesome yet still great debut proves it!

The Somatic Defilement begins with a spooky horror intro "Necrotizing" as the deathcore drumming rises. Then rolling in is the crushing title track, non-stop brutal fury until the one-minute orchestral outro. The intro riff in "Devirgination Studies" stands out, along with eerie ambience in the breakdown midway through. Another intro riff stands out in  "Prostatic Fluid Asphyxiation", though not as much as in the previous track.

There's more of an earlier blackened death metal influence in "Fairy Fay". Continuing on, a breakdown and soloing harmonies are combined in "Ear to Ear" that make that song one of the highlights here, and prove that 3 guitars don't spoil the broth. Starting "Alone In The Morgue" is another standout riff.

You can hear a bit of grindcore in the suitably shorter and furious "Festering Fiesta". The death metal side of the band "Vicer Exciser" is more brutal, worth moshing along to the beat. The vocal layers work the best in the 4-minute closing track "Articulo Mortis", especially at the end when vocalist Phil Bozeman says "And then you rot" in both his high screams and low growls before fading into feedback. Ain't that a spine-chilling way to end!

If you're up for the more deathly side of The Revolution clan, The Somatic Defilement has gory yet unique lyrics based on the legend in which its hometown would inspire the band's name, and an extreme sound without ever going experimental or progressive. See? This solid brand of deathcore is never as disappointing as you would believe....

Favorites: "The Somatic Defilement", "Devirgination Studies", "Ear to Ear", "Alone In The Morgue", "Articulo Mortis"

25 years on and Unearth continues to light the metalcore torch. Alongside other bands like Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Hatebreed, and God Forbid, this band has engraved their name into the New Wave of American Heavy Metal stone. However, with both founding rhythm guitarist Ken Susi and recent drummer Nick Pierce having just left the band and joined As I Lay Dying, it seemed like the torch might end up being put out...

Fortunately, their new album The Wretched; the Ruinous, has some of their heaviest diversity yet! The album contains Nick Pierce's last recordings with the band, though with earlier drummer Mike Justian rejoining the band later, I hope the band can make some albums with Mike in the future to restore the perfection of The Oncoming Storm.

Starting off the action right away is the spectacular title opener. This is perhaps the best track I've heard from the band in ages! Alongside some aggressive energy, guitarist Buz McGrath packs some punches with his melodic shredding force. Vocalist Trevor Phipps keeps his vocals moving forward, especially in the ending deep viking-esque chant of "No heroes... Year zero..." Different layers give the song diverse brilliance! "Cremation of the Living" has more of that excellent metalcore sound, a Gothenburg-style anthem with the riffs, vocals, and breakdowns throwing back to the mid-2000s, in a way where they can really do it! Next track "Eradicator" again has the At the Gates/In Flames melodeath style blend with moshing metalcore breakdowns, keep you interested in the heaviness.

What makes this album show the band at its strongest is the contrasting experimentation, as you can hear in "Mother Betrayal". It flashbacks to the band's earlier beauty from 20 years ago then twists it with the closest the band has gotten to black metal. With that and McGrath's sonic leads, that song is another epic standout. Then we have the thrash-blasting "Invictus". The strong breakdown isn't highly hardcore, but it has the brutal-melodic blend of Shogun-era Trivium. "Call of Existence" continues the melodic sound taken from Miss May I and The Browning (minus the electronics of the latter). Deeper down the line is "Dawn of the Militant", having more of the classic metallic hardcore sound of Earth Crisis and Strife, with great b*lls. This is solid heaviness we really need. It then leads to perhaps the most brutal breakdown the band has ever made. Absolutely killer sh*t right there!

"Aniara" is a soft acoustic interlude to start the final third of the album. "Into the Abyss" pulls you back into the heavier melodeath-infused drama of In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. One true surprise in this offering is "Broken Arrow" which is more of a straight rocker. Some can be reminded of Queen of the Stone Age at some points. Nonetheless, their 2000s metalcore throwback is still on as the guitar leads, riffs, and breakdowns continue to crush. The album's closing track "Theaters of War" concludes quite strongly, like everything has lead up to this point. It all ends in a hellbent breakdown unleashed in a punishing catastrophe to break the world apart.

The Wretched; The Ruinous marks both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. The band can continue what has made them great while adding in nice surprises. The metalcore sound is still in their hearts. This album is filled with amazing hard-hitters and occasional experimentation. Their fame shall be kept high!

Favorites: "The Wretched; the Ruinous", "Eradicator", "Mother Betrayal", "Invictus", "Dawn of the Militant", "Theaters of War"

The first ever Death live album turned out to be one of two released near the end of the band's tenure, the other being Live in Eindhoven. Those albums were released to raise money to help treat Death founder Chuck Schuldiner when he was having his brain cancer, which he tragically succumbed to by the end of that year, thus ending the band and his side-project Control Denied. He put Death on hold for Control Denied, so this live performance became one of the last for the band. The setlist is heavily focused on the band's 4 albums from their progressive/tech-death era, with only two songs from their earlier death metal era. A solid setlist for anyone with even slight interest in Death!

Chuck could show how well he could perform with the band's final lineup. Bassist Scott Clendenin (who also passed away, in 2015) may not have been in the same level as Steve DiGiorgio, but he still sounds excellent. He can fill in the background of the guitars performed by Chuck and Shannon Hamm, and the drums performed by Richard Christy. Anyone one looking for clear audible bass, it's all in here.

A strange Halloween-ish intro begins the show, setting things up for the energetic "The Philosopher". It has catchy groove to fit well through the tempo changes for a technical standout. The bass can be heard and loud, especially when it transitions to the next track... "Spirit Crusher" is a notable highlight with riffing mixing brutality and melody, the latter appearing more in the chorus. Then "Trapped in a Corner" opens with one of the best leads I've heard from a tech-death band, though the heaviness is a bit unbalanced. "Scavenger of Human Sorrow" shows temporary drummer Richard Christy peaking at every minute from the beginning onwards with his massive drum skills. I say temporary because he only appeared in this album along with the rest of the lineup besides Schuldiner. The other two members are Scott Clendenin, who plays cold deep bass, thick to the core and as different as possible from the riffing, with thoughtful effort on his performance; and Shannon Hamm, playing great guitar rhythm, essential for a tight contrast with Schuldiner's leads.

"Crystal Mountain" charges through with catchy bass and strong guitar with a cleaner tone, sounding mystical as the song closes. Another one of the best is "Flesh and the Power it Holds", a legendary 8-minute epic filled with mesmerizing instrumentation, unforgettable soloing and brilliant lyrics. Next song "Zero Tolerance" is more aggressive while complex, and the title reminds of that extreme metal magazine Zero Tolerance, which I bought an issue last week as of this review (Book review to be worked on when not too busy). The more deathly fans finally get what they want with "Zombie Ritual" from the band's debut Scream Bloody Gore, with sick riffing in the intro. For the more progressive fans, there's still more of their final sound to come...

"Suicide Machine" is a classic example of their progressive direction. Half the riffs are heavy and the other half is melodic, both especially in the climatic pre-chorus. The mind-blowing time changes are unexpected but keeps things stable. There are extreme sections alongside a famous chorus hook. "Together as One" has mind-f***ing rhythms, along with bass pumping through the thrashy death of Sadus at that time. "Empty Words" is a solid blend of accessible, aggressive, and progressive that should appeal to the more progressive fans such as myself. The title track of Symbolic is an incredible highlight with tons of transitions. Finally, we get to the last track "Pull the Plug", but before playing the actual song, they play the Charlie's Angels theme! A bit confusing, but it leads to the actual song from the band's second album Leprosy, actually one of the best tracks I've heard in standard death metal, with emotional riffing and an epic solo. Incredible! I gotta listen to the original studio version.

I wouldn't say this is the best live performance to end the band's activity in a bang, but there are some great highlights here! Death fans should really pick up this album, and maybe also the DVD edition for a more worthwhile visual experience. RIP Chuck Schuldiner and Scott Clendenin.....

Favorites (one highlight per album): "The Philosopher", "Flesh and the Power it Holds", "Zombie Ritual", "Suicide Machine", "Symbolic", "Pull the Plug"

Persuader was one of the bands I started listening to a couple years ago in an attempt to revive my power metal interest. What was once an incredible genre ended up being generic and out of place for the taste in metal going a more modern heavy direction. And despite the motivation to revive my more melodic past, it all ended up blowing up in my face a year after I discovered this band...

Fast forward to a year later when I was helping Xephyr with the Guardians playlists in his absence, the results of which gave me the courage to give this album another go. And it still blows my mind away! With melodic yet heavy riffing and amazing vocals, I'm glad to still recognize most of the greatness of this Swedish power metal band.

The album's strong opener "Twisted Eyes" begins with a sampled line from Alec Baldwin in the film Malice, "You ask me if I have a God complex? Let me tell you something... I am God." Then we blast off through great riffing and vocals. The track has some impressive technical soloing, and there's plenty more in this album. Another track to carve the band's name into the power metal stone is "Slaves of Labour". Same thing with "Sending You Back".

"R.S. Knights" is suitable for some mighty combat battles in RuneScape, which I'm guessing is where the name comes from if the band members play that MMORPG. That song and "The Return" have nice soloing. Many songs are fast enough to almost be considered melodic thrash like the title track. The song that got me into this band via an earlier Guardians playlist is "Judas Immortal", and it's still so awesome! It starts with a Nevermore-like rapid-fire thrash intro, then the vocals come in once again reminding me of Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch. Speedy power metal adrenaline from this underrated band!

"Doomsday News" has more impressive vocals. The sing-along chorus has some power metal glory that still touches my heart. The small amount of harsh vocals have a bit of a Children of Bodom vibe. All that's missing is keyboards for soloing, but that would cause too much cheese. Well, the interlude "Zion" has a bit of electronic sampling that leads into beautiful guitar melody. Fast bass and drums blast through "Enter Reality", though I think that closing track is a bit of an afterthought for me. Oh well...

Apparently, Persuader had some turbulence after this album's release which caused the next one's delay. Their label at the time, Dockyard 1 Records shut down, and the band members were focused on other projects. Still the band had strong determination in their writing, and When Eden Burns should've given this underrated band more attention!

Favorites: "Twisted Eyes", "R.S. Knights", "When Eden Burns", "Judas Immortal", "Doomsday News"

"A quasi progressive spot that was lacking on the new Katatonia record", huh? I'm up for the challenge of finding out if this album is more progressive than Sky Void of Stars has ever been. I mean, that's how I like a bit of alt-metal, isn't it? When it has that progressive edge... Yeah, let's see how this one flies in the progressive zone. (SPOILER: There is some strong progressiveness in this release!)

Klone has quite some brooding atmosphere in their music. And seeing how this band made 7 albums including this one in nearly two decades, I'm stunned by how little attention they've received, so much so that I haven't even heard of this band until now. Their new album Meanwhile shall keep you engaged to its technical emotion.

I won't object at all to "Within Reach" being the album's lead single. Guitars and bass sweep nicely under the powerful vocal harmonies of Yann Linger. The guitar reverb truly create some atmosphere with the sinister aggression. Standing strong is "Blink of an Eye" that will keep you tuned into the band's progressive alt-rock/metal sound. Subtle tones almost reach jazzy progressive territory while staying accessible. Somber guitar melody roams in "Bystander" within a progressive structure.

"Scarcity" is more mellow. "Elusive" has a blend of hopeful and hopeless tones, showing true emotions while never sticking in just one of them. "Apnea" stands by the average song length of over 5 minutes, while making interesting subtle changes in time signatures. The band can really have some confidence and control when it comes to that ability. The irregular time signature changes go further in the satisfying storm that is "The Unknown", and it's filled with cinematic delight! And I thought only Amorphis knew how to go all-out progressive in songs that are under 5 minutes long.

A bit sluggish after that monumental highlight, "Night and Day" meanders a bit while having some indulgence. "Disobedience" pulls things through a more direct pace with satisfying drumming. The title finale of the album descends into darker complexity, especially midway through when you can let go of any expectations and witness the unexpected magic happen. By the ending cacophonic climax, you feel up to giving that experience another go!

With this mournful yet powerful blend of guitars, bass, and vocals, Meanwhile shows how grand progressive alt-rock/metal can be. Despite a bit of hauling in a few tracks, you know how much confidence the band has when experimenting with darkness and light....

Favorites: "Within Reach", "Blink of an Eye", "Apnea", "The Unknown", "Meanwhile"

If you were to ask the earlier metalheads for their favorite supergroup, would they say Anthrax spin-off band Stormtroopers of Death? Most likely. The answer may vary for metalheads of different styles or eras, all wanting to hear several members of their favorite bands united. Azusa isn't my favorite supergroup, but it's real close! The group was formed by two members of Extol and Absurd2, guitarist Christer Espevoll and drummer David Husvik. Joining them is The Dillinger Escape Plan bassist Liam Wilson and Sea + Air vocalist Eleni Zafiriadou, all ready to shock the world!

Coming from the US, Norway, and Greece, the band perform a solid modern avant-garde-ish progressive metal to remind some of Ram-Zet's sound bleeding into Extol. And you know what? Eleni can perhaps be the most versatile female vocalist I've known, practically surpassing Julie Christmas and Karyn Crisis. From singing to screaming and even whispering, a lot of drama is created to make this experience out of the ordinary.

The twisted thrashy opener "Interstellar Islands" will get you headbanging in delight right away. As thrashy as the backbone is, there's a bit of the atmosphere that would appear more in the rest of the album. Things get calmer amongst the alt-metal parts of "Heart of Stone" that isn't too far from Stolen Babies. The title track has the frantic mathcore of TDEP, though slightly plain and predictable. "Fine Lines" takes a break from the recent Veil of Maya-ish extreme djenty progressive metal for something softer and ominous, like one of Julie Christmas' post-metal works.

We take a space trip through "Lost in the Ether" that's like a more dissonant and chaotic on the thrashy progressive metal sound of late 80s Voivod. "Spellbinder" adds in a bit of the ambient progressiveness of Born of Osiris, while replacing that band's metalcore with tech-thrash. There's also an excellent ballad, "Programmed to Distress".

You shouldn't be too surprised by the sudden switch to thrashy intensity in "Eternal Echo", and instead enjoy the moshing passion. The awesome "Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis" frantically switches through different tempos and time signatures, all from different corners, in just under 4 minutes, unlike those other extreme progressive metal bands that make long epics. "Succumb to Sorrow" is shorter but reminds me of the heavier Persefone. "Distant Call" ends it all with a bit of the djenty side of Architects.

You can never stop appreciating how original this band can be once you hear this album, ranging from beautiful to nefarious with barely any limits. Although this might not be for everyone on Earth, Azusa has made the kind of sound the future really needs. For this supergroup, greatness shall not die!

Favorites: "Interstellar Islands", "Heart of Stone", "Lost in the Ether", "Spellbinder", "Programmed to Distress", "Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis"

Wow... Who would've thought one of the Big 4 of American thrash and the inspiration for Kerrang! journalist Malcolm Dome coining the phrase "thrash metal" would also make a song that has kickstarted rap metal, in the same year as their third-time charm Among the Living? Now ain't that somethin'!

It was during the tour for that album in 1987 when the band's popularity was immensely increasing, and they decided to make a fun little "thank you" gift for their supportive growing fans. However, the more metal fans consider it more of a "f*** you" gift, thinking they're selling out. Of course, the band made it as a joke. They're still the influential thrash metal band they have been, though they did end up selling out with a groove/alt-metal sounds in most of the 90s...

Here we have 3 different versions of the title track. The first one is a censored version, which is only useful for radios and clubs. The original version is a fun hilarious metal rap performed by the band members, not just in the instruments. The rappers keep messing up their verses in a funny way "I'll steal your pop tarts like I stole your...socks!" And the chorus paraphrases a line spoken by Taylor Negron in the movie Easy Money, "I'm so bad I should be in detention, I'm the man!", while sampling "Hava Nagila" in Dan Spitz's riffing. Even the live version has some humor! Halfway through, the band tells the crowd to yell "JOEY F***ED UP!!!" and then calls them f***ing mean.

Also recorded for the EP is a great cover of Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". This is the year when Metallica released their Garage Days EP, so Anthrax is not the only thrash band who had the small bonus EP idea that year. While Anthrax did not record any other covers like Metallica in Garage Days, they probably should've made some more cover that would kick a**.

There are also a couple great live renditions of songs from Among the Living, starting with "Caught in a Mosh", a brilliant moshing thrash anthem almost rivaling the anthems of Metallica and Exodus, with out-of-this-world speed. The headbanging breakdown is definitely worth moshing to, brushing aside the comedic lyrics that are still genius ("Stomp stomp stomp the idiot convention, which one of these words don't you understand?"). The chorus to shout along to is the most impressive here. There's hardcore thrash in this house! Next, "I Am the Law" is one of the more classic thrash hits, but I don't enjoy the singing here. The moshing riffing is fun though.

This EP doesn't hit me with as much greatness and Among the Living, but it's essential for true fans of the band. You can hear the band be themselves, be like Black Sabbath, and be rappers. Although I'll never truly be a fan of rap metal, I can understand how well they broke the walls between those two separate genres, and that is respectable....

Favorites: "I'm the Man" (original), "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (Black Sabbath cover), "Caught in a Mosh" (live)

Looking for the best of Godflesh's breakthrough debut in a live recording originally part of a broadcast in which the audio version wasn't released until 25 years later? Look no further to the Earache Peel Sessions! This EP was part of a split album with Carcass whose side consisted of songs from their goregrind era. In Godflesh's side, 4 of my favorite tracks from their debut Streetcleaner (including the Tiny Tears EP) are performed greatly in industrial metal grace.

The first half is a couple tracks from the unreleased "Tiny Tears" EP, starting with the title track... "Tiny Tears", probably my favorite song of that EP/side! "Wound" is another standout with its main riff bringing down even the tallest and most stable building.

Heading into the Streetcleaner side, "Pulp" is another favorite here that can pulverize you into a pulp with the bass and drum machine rolling under the burning guitar slashing through vocals in a hopeless crescendo yelling "PULP" repeatedly until the last breath. The heavier groove-driven side stands strong in the well-known tune "Like Rats", a furious groove track with a noise-powered bridge ("You breed...like rats!!").

Wow, this EP has really blown my mind like the guy in the album cover. This is very well a true display of their earlier material, and it can certainly please Godflesh fans in the present as it did back in 1989. 17 minutes of perfect industrial metal bliss!

Favorites (all of them, but if we're doing one per each half): "Tiny Tears", "Pulp"

Skrew is not a band you wanna screw around with. Their earlier material displays an industrial metal sound similar to late 80s Ministry, and it's no surprise considering the two bands working together. There are some interesting things about Skrew's debut Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame, such as the odd variation. While having some metal they would have more of in Dusted, the thrashy guitars are in the back of the line compared to the industrial samples. And this is high in quality for an early 90s album! Clearly, they learned from the guys who made The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste when it comes to the sampling > guitars approach.

And who's the leader of the pack? F***ing Adam Grossman, that's who! His vocals and guitars at the heart and soul of the band, as the percussion and riffs stay present. The issue is, the burning riffs keep getting doused by the drowning vocal effects that aren't use much anywhere else. Still it's slightly less repetitive than some of Ministry's songs. As proficient as the album is, they seem to lose that aspect when they add in some experimentation.

The intro "Orifice" is quite horrifying with indecipherable sounds of scared women and psychotic men. Then the title track unleashes as much industrial destruction as The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste. "Cold Angel Press" is the best in both the song title and the song itself, even bringing back the horror film vibe in the vocals. "Charlemagne" makes an incredible contrast between mellow psychedelia and headbanging speed. The moshing aggression goes on in "Gemini", which can almost be considered a blend of Ministry and Slayer. Pretty cool, right?

"Indestructible" attacks with more of that thrash, but with more brooding riffing. The darker "Feast" has a slower doom-ish tempo, with violent riffing that almost brings it to sludgy territory. There's decent shredding in "Once Alive", though a bit rough, but whatevs.

Rolling Stones classic "Sympathy for the Devil" is covered here. It's actually one of the coolest Stones song covers I've heard. They've done it much better than Tiamat had later that decade. However, Mick Jagger and his crew might not recognize it due to the post-thrash aggression and noise-ridden vocals, the latter compared to Jagger's soulful cleans. "Poisonous" is the most experimental track of the bunch, featuring hip-hop turntables and rapping that too awfully resembles N.W.A. That has immensely f***ed up the flow of the album as an out-of-place rap track! Another horrid case of trying to sneak hip-hop into an album's that meant to be just metal. "Prey Fish" is a relaxing album closer with emotional clean vocals, almost like an ambient ballad. Mellow yet interesting!

Having spent a couple years digging into industrial metal, I've gained more leeway in the genre than I would have when I was younger. Skrew would reform recently and have made a new album, but I'm more familiar with their songs from the 90s. Ministry fan should check out this album's industrial anguish, that is good, but mostly moderate....

Favorites: "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame", "Cold Angel Press", "Gemini", "Indestructible", "Sympathy for the Devil"

Meathook Seed was originally an industrial death metal side-project from members of Napalm Death and Obituary, with only one album released in 1993. Then 6 years later, founder Mitch Harris revived the project with a different lineup and sound.

With such drastic changes, this second album Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth is surprising to any listeners of the debut Embedded. Instead of the other members besides Harris being Obituary members Trevor Peres and Donald Tardy, taking their places are bassist Shane Embury (also from Napalm Death), drummer Ian Treacy (ex-Benediction), and vocalist Christopher Lamouret (ex-Out). The extreme industrial death metal is out, replaced with simple industrial metal/rock, which I quite enjoy!

The first track "Civilize the World" has ambient guitars, yet the sound for this song is basically dance-metal, stylized with Red Harvest-esque industrial metal and the earlier technical death metal in just the instrumentation. That's actually an intro track compared to the next song "Elemental". Shocking fans of this band is Christopher's singing, as opposed to the growling in the debut. Such great genius in this song that can make any industrial rock/metal compilations! Some might find that song to be like a slightly more metallic mix of Killing Joke and Nine Inch Nails. Entering your head is melodic catchiness worth dancing to. The sound even takes on a bit alt-rock/metal from that decade while blending in with dance-punk. Lamouret sings in passion! "Push Away" is a hypnotizing highlight and one of the best here!

 "I Think You Lie" has a bit of the experimentation from Coroner's Grin. "Beautiful" is filled with industrial groove metal beauty. "Dumb Show" is slightly mediocre, but those haunting chords and vocal melodies help save a bit of the album's grace. Can they keep it up in the later tracks? "The Ladder" is a one-and-a-half-minute intermission, and the electronics eerily sound like what Motionless in White would use from their own second album Infamous onwards. "Black Sky" actually reminds me of a much less deathly The Red Chord in the more aggressive moments.

Another song "The Die Is Cast & Cries Will Last" shows how greatly this band can make their metal sound. This might remind some of Peace Love & Pitbulls, but with more metal and less noise. The sound rises again in "And Silence / Build a Rhythm". However, "Question Mark" seems to be a little more of an afterthought. Safely closing the album is "Lost in a Box", a dark symphonic instrumental. It then leads to a 6-minute hidden track that's kind of pointless.

It's so weird how different the band sounded in this album compared to their debut, and yet I enjoy it! Perhaps I like the project slightly more when it was really deviating from Napalm Death's grind sound. Despite the bad reception this album might've received, this is definitely something for any fan of industrial rock/metal!

Favorites: "Elemental", "Push Away", "Beautiful", "The Die Is Cast & Cries Will Last", "And Silence / Build a Rhythm", "Lost in a Box"

It's quite interesting that the best album of the possible final part of my early industrial metal exploration happens to be least well-known one. There aren't any singles in the album and it never reached any charts. This incredible techno-industrial metal project was founded by Peter Tägtgren, founder of Hypocrisy.

I think it's understandable why this album would be unknown, since it originally started as a one-off side-project with not much promotion. I've heard a few songs before from Hypocrisy, there are small elements of that band's melodeath sound while the project entirely stays in its own style. It's so awesome how the catchy chorus hooks blend in well with the metal part of the sound so it isn't too poppy. Though it's not that prominent here. Still it's all in perfect quality!

This album opens with "On Your Knees (Again)", without a doubt a true highlight. The standard riffs sound so greatly written. This man shows a bit of his Hypocrisy roots when "Rope Around My Neck" opens. His clean singing, which takes over most of the album, is so powerful! And there might be a few growls now and then. He's able to perform all instruments, including interesting drum patterns with only slight repetition. The electronics work out well despite being in a low volume. One song that really stands out with those electronics is "Learn How to Die". Another grand highlight besides the opener!

"Don't Let Me Down" slows things down a little, closer to Godflesh territory. Same with "Breathe", though I think some of those electronics would later be used by Coldrain when they level up their own different sound in The Side Effects.

"Greed" almost reminds me of Amorphis at that time if they replaced the folk elements with industrial. "Choke on Your Lies" surprising has some riffing that isn't too far from that of Bullet for My Valentine's nu/alt-metal material, though in an obviously different style of course. "The Last Drops of My Life" is an interesting slow finale. After all that experimentation, we can just calm down with a mostly soft ambient ending.

The 1997 self-titled debut by Pain is spectacular! It's the spark I need to explore more of this band eventually. It's worth hearing for all that catchy electro-industrial metal, and all this from the man behind Hypocrisy!

Favorites: "On Your Knees (Again)", "Learn How to Die", "Greed", "The Last Drops of My Life"

Marilyn Manson is not a band/artist that should be underestimated. With aesthetics and themes of cross-dressing, anti-Christianity, cabalism, elitism, and horror, I wouldn't expect a lot of people close to me to ever be up for such scalding concepts. But hey, whether this material can be considered moral or not, you can just brush away the real haters and let your taste run free for a little bit. Marilyn Manson's second album Antichrist Superstar is a concept album of dark desire! Not pretty, but pretty great...

Fake gore and real emotion is blended together by Manson, and helping out in the sonic production is Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor. The dark vibe of the album makes it almost suitable for horror movies like The Shining or A Nightmare on Elm Street. Manson can joke along to the strong and scare away the weak.

Starting The Hierophant cycle, "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" has Manson's taunting growls, and his singing sounds so sinister. One highlight that you can truly appreciate is "The Beautiful People". Then "Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World" that sounds a bit dry in the music, not really as wild as those first two tracks. Ending the first cycle is "Tourniquet" which is OK, but let's hope for some more madness in the cycle...

Inauguration of the Worm begins with the heavy "Little Horn". Then "Cryptorchid" nicely interrupts the buildup by slowing down. We rock on to "Deformography" and Manson's fear-inducing whispers and shouts, "You're such a dirty, dirty rock star... I am the one you want". He shows that nightmares are what all people need, whether polite or angry. "Wormboy" once again kicks things up a notch. "Mister Superstar" starts soft being adding in some Skrew-like industrial. "Angel with the Scabbed Wings" is so good. If only that was a single! "Kinderfeld" ends the second cycle with wonderful industrial beauty.

At the start of the Disintegrator Rising cycle, the title track will make sure you want the album to keep going as long as you like. A captivating song, "1996" can turn the fearful tension into joy. "Minute of Decay" sounds too much like a Linkin Park "reanimation" than anything metal. "The Reflecting God" is honestly quite omnipotent. It describes a dream within a dream more than Inception could, but "you'll understand when I'm dead". Finally, "Man That You Fear" is enjoyable but not as much the previous track. I'm getting a bit tired of haunting repeated line, "When all of your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed." The hidden track that appears after 82 silent tracks, "Track 99" is rather pointless. Just drop the album after the final full track and run.

Despite the music not having as much weight as it had on paper, you can find a bit of great grandeur in this industrial mix of the early metal of Black Sabbath, the operatic arrangements of Queen, and the chilling experimentation of Bauhaus. Manson brought together with him guitarists Daisy Berkowitz (RIP) and Twiggy Ramirez (also on bass), Madonna Wayne Gacy on keyboards, and Ginger Fish on drums to make a dark army with a pounding sound. The band, together with Reznor and Skinny Puppy's Dave Ogilvie, produced the album quiet well. With choirs, growls, and synths added to the mix, it's a party that I can leave if I want to, but more often than not, makes me wanna stay....

Favorites: "Irresponsible Hate Anthem", "The Beautiful People", "Little Horn", "Deformography", "Angel with the Scabbed Wings", "Kinderfeld", "Antichrist Superstar", "The Reflecting God"

White Zombie was known as one of the first ever groove metal bands alongside Pantera, as fully demonstrated in La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One, though they hadn't yet reached the mainstream. They finally got their commercial success with their killer final album Astro-Creep 2000! But to say this album is groove metal is bullsh*t, or at least my ears think so. This is more like industrial metal/hard rock. Sure it has some heavy riff groove, but I wouldn't count on groove metal being a primary genre here...

I can very well enjoy most parts of this album to the f***ing death. I'm an open-minded metal listeners, unlike those close-minded purists out there. I'm a fan of industrial metal, but not much of Rob Zombie's material. Still this album is something I like, more than Hellbilly Deluxe. Whether this is more rock or more metal, it's still great.

"Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)" starts the album with awesome rock/metal riffing. There's intense speed, though not in faster metal levels, giving the track mighty power. This album and Fear Factory are great examples of industrial metal getting you higher than stoner metal listeners, without ever having to use drugs. "Super-Charger Heaven" is a greater thrash-rock highlight. The drums have wicked kicks! The only downside is Zombie's vocals not sounding as aggressive or deep as they should. Still it's one of the best songs here! However, "Real Solution #9" isn't really something I like here. There are hip-hop-ish drums like some proto-nu metal sh*t, and too much reliance of movie samples. "Creature of the Wheel" is a slow crazy headbanger, with more audio samples. Killer vocal aggression here, though not much off there either.

"Electric Head, Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)" is more groove-laden, and having more of a disco-like beat. Hold up... DISCO THRASH METAL!?!? Who knew that was a thing!? Cool catchiness, though I prefer "Part 1". Next up, "Grease Paint and Monkey Brains" is probably one of the least popular songs amongst the earlier metalheads. Being the young modern metal listener I am, I like it. There's more of a Static-X vibe here which isn't too bad. One of the most metal songs in the album! "I, Zombie" returns to the earlier speed. Nothing special, but a much better fight song than Rachel Platten's excuse of one.

"More Human Than Human" is one of the best tracks to mix catchy and heavy in a way that I love. This is one of those songs that I can't let my metal-hating mother hear. I can't believe I did not hear anything from this band until when I included this song in one of the Sphere playlists. A good track for Halloween, if you imagine the moaning in the intro as ghost noises. "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama" is a song I can have an awesome blast with. One of the best songs to love here! After a heavy headbanging, the speed slows down, while still having its greatness. "Blur the Technicolor" is another fun track. The vocals help out the catchiness in this simple groove tune. I like it, but it's a little behind the highlights. "Blood, Milk and Sky" is one of the most haunting and hypnotizing tracks I've ever heard, and I'm talking strongly mesmerizing. I love it! Then after 3 minutes of silence comes the hidden track, "Where the Sidewalk Ends, the Bug Parade Begins". A peaceful yet heavy swansong for this band!

Despite a few downers, and sounding more rock than metal in some places, I dig this White Zombie album. There's still some great aggression as the album progresses in improvement, but even a few heavy parts don't work out too greatly. Still it's the best way for the band to make their exit, before Rob Zombie's solo Hellbilly sh*t.....

Favorites: "Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)", "Super-Charger Heaven", "Grease Paint and Monkey Brains", "More Human Than Human", "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama", "Blood, Milk and Sky"

For those who enjoy Ministry, would you like a bit more sauce for your industrial metal dish? Skrew adds in some thrashy vocal fuel. The band has been well-known and well-touring since their debut Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame. I haven't yet listened to that album, but perhaps I will after this one! Dusted shows the band, unlike some other industrial metal bands, focusing less on experimentation and more towards guitar heaviness from frontman Adam Grossman. He has truly mastered the guitar, vocals, and songwriting. Interesting that he let a death growler took over vocals in their recent comeback album though...

Grossman is very much responsible for keeping his band going and giving them a more metal sound that some industrial rock bands can't get away with. In some ways, they can be similar to Ministry in terms of the use of samples and overdubs. But hey, scr*w that comparison! This is Skrew we're talking about, and they done their industrial metal sound better than most other bands of the genre in the first half of the 90s.

"In Tongues" starting the album with audio samples and noise is a similar idea to the beginning of Embodyment's Embrace the Eternal. Of course, instead of early deathcore, there will be melodic industrial metal not too far off (in terms of style, not time) from Deathstars. That sound can be found in "Seeded". Then "Picasso Trigger" shows that this band is probably slightly more underrated than Ministry. The intro f***ing kicks a**! I'm sure Beavis and Butthead fans would recognize this song. Also in a slightly higher level than Ministry is "Albatross", which is quite a monster within those chords.

"Jesus Skrew Superstar" cranks up the thrash, the way Fear Factory and Strapping Young lad would the following year. "Skrew Saves" adds in a bit of experimentation that gives the sound more in common with Mushroomhead than Mnemic. "Season for Whither" bursts out with rich groove all over. However, there's more of that groove in some of the later highlights here...

"Sour" has more sludgy groove throughout these 7 minutes, pretty much their own different take on Ministry's epics. "Mouthful of Dust" is another great kick-A track pleasing industrial metal fans, filled with monk-like chanting. "Godsdog" is the closest we have to a Godflesh-like sound, at least what Godflesh would have in the late 90s.

Need some anger to cure you from anger? Industrial metal fans can pick up Dusted any f***ing day! It's a stage set for more refreshing levels the band would reach later on. I don't know if it's any better than their debut, likely because I've not tackled that one, but I got the motivation I needed from their second album Dusted. It's not too impressive, yet highly innovative. For the greatest industrial metal listeners, this one's a keeper....

Favorites: "Picasso Trigger", "Albatross", "Jesus Skrew Superstar", "Sour", "Mouthful of Dust"