CD Review: SENATE - The Great Northern Scenekill
Remember everything good you liked about early In Flames or At the Gates? The speed? The accuracy? The raw, visceral hatred pouring from the singers mouth the like a biblical plague? Now take that, add on ten years of metal evolution and forget that little thing called hardcore even happened and you've got SENATE. I know it seems trite, but SENATE is the real deal… Few bands can actually live up to the big names they're ever so often compared to, but SENATE can seriously hold their own.
Hailing from Quebec/Ontario, these Canadian trashers take no prisoners with their sound. In the Great Northern Scenekill, there is no need for cheesy breakdowns, only pummeling riffs brought on by the bands guitarists, Jay & Hudson. These are serious, old school riffs that will make fans of anyone from Maiden to Immortal think twice before passing up this band. Not to mention the drummer, Patrice, raises the bar a notch every other song. Between blast beats and precision drumming, I can't tell if the drumming gets me going more than the duel guitars. Together the total metal riffage and drums lay down the heart work for the icing on the cake – the vocals. Barrowing from so many influences, Matt, lead vocalist screams like he is atop the highest mountain of hell…you can almost taste the evil in his voice when listening to this album. Just combine the guitar riffs of the legendary Swedes (At the Gates, Carcass, Soilwork), the raw emotion that only could come from North America, and the meticulousness that comes with any legit metal album and you'll know you've found a diamond in the rough.
There is no messing around with this band. And for the first full-length release, this is some serious production quality too. Nothing is spared with SENATE; these are some dead serious Canadians who will soon no doubt join the ranks of their Canadian brethren Threat Signal, Kataklysm and Strapping Young Lad. There's no imitation here, this is original, extremely well produced, thrash death metal that you need to have. I won't lie when I say they might be the next big thing…SENATE is quality hate in a nicely packaged box.
CD Review: LESSER BEING - Of Vengeance and Fear
Want to know the latest and greatest thing to come from CT/NY? LESSER BEING. As a trashy, brutally intricate 4 piece melodic death metal band, they are on the rise and taking names and kicking ass. This band is fantastic and the best part is their brand new EP, just over 30 minutes in length, showcases their talent through superb recording and mastering.
The first part that stands out in my mind is the drums. The drumming on this album is amazing, and it sounds how metal drums should sound on any record label release. The guitar work is masterful for only one guitar player, lying somewhere between Meshuggah and At The Gates. The vocalist's stylings are powerful and brutal, allowing no oxygen to escape his bellowing lungs. If you have the chance to catch their live show, I highly suggest you do it. Their live performance lives up to their CD and visa/versa. According to their official press release, they "eat, breathe and shit metal," so anyone looking for a real metal band that's tired of the generic local scene, check out LESSER BEING to get your socks rocked.
CD Review: ARSIS
United In Regret
Sweet Jesus, have mercy. Can ARSIS ever go wrong?! I don't think anyone will be regretting owning this album. But they sure will be uniting in the fact that ARSIS is slowly bringing the Melodic Death Metal scene to the U.S. and calling it their own. The musicianship on this record matches their last in evil, intensity, intricacy and brutality. For the skeptics who think that bands never do well on their second album, guess again!
This is truly another genuine masterpiece crafted by guitar master James Malone and insane drummer Mike VanDyne. The technicality on this album equals the first shown off in such fantastic manner that once again every song reigns supreme on its own level. Personally, my favorite is the title track "United in Regret." There is just so much violence and aggression built into one tightly knit song that it could drive a person mad. The layered solo upon solo built over the tightly pounding drums is dizzying and makes one wonder just how such devilish masterpieces could be created. Every part on this album is written to a 'T' and who would expect anything less from the almighty ARSIS? I can't wait to see their tour support for this album. They truly are the real deal, no gimmicks, just straight up, hard hittin' brutality in a box. Buy it.
CD Review: CLONE CIRCLE - Superimposed
Ever wonder what's happening in Denmark? My guess is, not that often. However, since I'm tapped into that whole Scandinavian scene, I recently received a band called CLONE CIRCLE. I didn't think the industrial scene was still happening, but apparently it's still alive and kicking. CLONE CIRCLE has a sort of Marilyn Manson industriality, with a little bit of Cold / Dope whine. Thankfully, through the whole record there's no Korn influence. Hell, even in parts of this mechanical grind fest I hear a touch of Suicidal Tendencies. This is a very dark, very "goth house" band, which goes to prove that somewhere – people are still listening to the goth industrial.
Musically, they've taken simple chord structures and mixed them with a touch of evil and a bit of a Korg synthesizer to produce a wall of sound that anyone who likes that late 90's sludgedustrial sound will like. The syncopated guitar rhythms, drum machines, ticking synths are all staples of the industrial sound and it comes through in colors with CLONE CIRCLE. Song topics deal with long drawn out phrases about hate, lies, and dead people. In short, you're gonna need a whole lot of vinyl clothing to listen to this. And I hope you have dreadlocks with little pieces of string in them or are a vampire by night, because that's all that's going to help you appreciate this album.
Notable songs – "Mirror", "Anatomy of Hate". The single doesn't do the album justice, yet will give you the general idea. And second half of the album makes up for the lamer first half. Through and through, CLONE CIRCLE definitely has its share of scary elements. However, I think we need more double bass drum and less drum machine if the industrial scene is going to carry on its legacy.
CD Review: Malicious Disorder - Caucasian Psychosis
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. A seemingly unknown town to most of the U.S., yet within its walls, harbors one of the most intense metal bands in the New England area - Malicious Disorder. Their debut album, entitled "Caucasian Psychosis" is one of sheer brutality that keeps your ears glued to every hard hitting track. The recording quality of the CD is superb for a full length demo, making it a pleasure to listen to over and over. The technicality of this band is fantastic and the originality level is beyond what most generic metal bands are coming out with these days. Some songs are even kind of catchy! In that, Wow, this is memorable death metal! kind of way. Like some old Testament, reinvented with a taste of At the Gates and a whole lot more anger. There is no messing around here, this is real metal. There is no core of any kind present and its very refreshing to hear. The trashing level is high with Malicious Disorder, but the hints of death metal blast beats ground the songs and keep things heavier than one might expect. The guitar melodies are haunting and the screaming vocals make you want to reach out and punch your neighbor. The drumming is solid - no fake triggers here - this band will kick your ass and their CD proves it. All the good metal intricacies of Pantera-esque guitar grooves, with the violence and calculated machine aggression of Meshuggah, Malicious Disorder prove to be a force to be reckoned within the northeast underground metal scene.
CD Review: ARSIS
Celebration of Guilt – March 05’
Arsis is amazing. This CD should be called ‘Celebration of AWESOME’.
Alright, so let’s face it. We're in an age of metal that isn't exactly all there. Well, its there, it's just not sure of what it wants to be. You've got hardcore music with the breakdowns, barking vocals and slow churning 'kick you in the teeth' kind of mosh pits. Then you've got death metal, with all the speed riffs, trills, screeched vocals and double bass you could ever want. Put them together and what do you got? Metalcore. That is the current state metal music is in. Maybe it’s just a little confused about its orientation? I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but I like to have a fine line distinction in what I'm about to listen to or go see, and that's where Arsis comes into play.
Arsis, the musical term for silence and that is one thing this band is definitely not. Full of skull shattering drum parts and more guitar intricacies than you could ever think was possible, A Celebration of Guilt rises above the rest of most metal albums out there today. In the death metal market which is almost completely capitalized on by the northern Europeans, Arsis stands its ground not moving for anyone and bringing melodic death metal one huge step closer to the U.S. The greatest part about this album is that it was recorded by two guys! Yea! Just two, and not only that, one of them, I know for sure graduated from Berkeley School of Music, so the classical undertones run rampant throughout this entire album. People have liked their work so much in fact, that they've been asked to compose a song for the Ballet Deviare in NYC for their winter performance. These guys are fucking amazing. If you don't believe me, you should listen yourself; ARSIS is one of those bands that should definitely not be overlooked. This CD is a must have for any fan of true, no holds barred death metal.
CD Review: ARSIS
Diamond For Disease – October 05’
www.myspace.com/arsis
www.worshipdepraved.com
I came home to find the most amazing package sitting on my table. In it was my Arsis sweatshirt which I had ordered from Willowtip (their record label) and tucked inside the sweatshirt's pouch pocket was a copy of their new EP 'Diamond For Disease'! This CD isn't scheduled to be released until next Tuesday, but they sent it along anyway! I immeadiately threw it into my CD player and was sucked into a 20 minute melodic assault on my ears, of which 13 minutes are just one song!
The title track, Diamond for Disease is simply glorious. It has a gradual lead into the song and then once the song breaks, you are on board for the next 11 minutes, swirling and climbing higher with the intricacies of Jim Malone's guitar playing! The solos are incredible, as are all the various rhythm parts throughout the song. The drums are absolutely maddening as well! Mike VanDyne is a monster of the double bass drum. There is no stopping for these guys, and the greatest part is it never gets old! It just keeps going and there is never a dull moment! This song is filled with various bridges and choruses that will keep you banging your head all the way through. This song was written to be performed as a ballet, and most certainly will in January 06' by the Ballet Deviare in NYC. Look them up online, it's going the be a madhouse!
The next song is an Alice Cooper cover, "Roses on White Lace", but sweet Jesus, you would never know! In fact, you'd think that these guys wrote it themselves with the way they've arranged it. That takes care of another 4 minutes off the EP, and once again, you are never bored! The melodic death metal assault continues with the final song!
'The Promise of Never' is incredibly fast paced and technical and will blow you away. Yet the song is over before you know it and you've reached minute #20! Arsis has done it again, a magnificent mini album that will leave you wanting more, much much more! This is completely worth the money, even for an EP. Please, check them out as soon as possible. Their full length is due out sometime next spring, but in the meantime, we have the metal ballet to look forward too!!