Insect Warfare - World Extermination Review

Another old one today folks, Insect Warfare's insane album World Extermination, originally posted @Blistering.com 2009.

Board your windows up people, if you haven't heard Insect Warfare's World Extermination yet: 1) why the hell not!? And 2) its a fucking barnstormer. Originally released back in 2007, I first heard the 'Warfare on a Burnt Alive compilation supplied by Razorback Records in 2008 sometime, and of all the awesome gore and grind at my fingertips, all I could focus on was the relentless brutality of the band.

The one minute and 20 seconds of a demo version of “Human Trafficking” was too much for me. I wasn't going to sit there and twiddle my thumbs while Insect Warfare were ripping faces clean off skulls, and I'm damn glad I did something about it. The aforementioned tune and stunners like “Necessary Death” and “Self Termination” were what awaited me when I plunged head first into the album. What I was hearing was essentially by the book, but somehow so refreshing and vital.

As the textbook has been written, so shall the disciples of the mighty grind follow: the album comprises of 20 top notch stop and go extreme metal diatribes. Build it up tear it down, all in a matter of seconds, you know the drill by now.

Any chump with a head for speed can make a grind album, but one that seems to make perfect sense, with everything in the right place is a totally different matter. Each outburst is fast, groovy and fuckin’ evil and gives you just enough time to wrap your mind around it before the next blast begins.

Lyrics hang towards the political and shine a flash light on the evils and squalor of human nature a la Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Nasum and Brutal Truth rather than the guts, blood and faeces of some comrades. Even the cover owns the majority of the CGI or art pretentious wankery that adorns many a sleeve out there. Old school, hand drawn, an army of cockroaches infest a decaying cityscape with the ominous figure of death lurking behind. Fantastic.

Emulating your idols old and new but with a kick of originality, Insect Warfare have already forged a underground fave with World Extermination, which through proper media channels is set to be a grindcore classic.

Related links:

www.myspace.com/insectwarfare

Cryostorm - Version Review

Here comes the hard part – trying to contain excitement when trying to describe this album to you guys. I could always go for the lame approach that some damp squibs still use and break the album down track by track (yawn). I'll keep it simple, I know how rushed everyone is these days...

1. Cryostorm - awesome

2. Vitality - awesome

3. Solacing - awesome

4. I Am Anomaly - awesome

5. Vivify - awesome

6. This Vivid Night - awesome 

7. Septentrion - awesome

8. Fate & Evolution - awesome

9. Taciturn - awesome

10. Vorticity Spiral - awesome

11. Apocrypha - awesome

Are these these same songs we heard back along on Destroyer of Ardor? This band have upped their game considerably. The production is amazing, everything has been tightened to the level of a witch's cleft! At their heaviest, the songs blaze with the intensity of a thousand suns. The vocals are relentless in their ferocity and their schizophrenic mutation from growl to scream is seamless and impressive.

Do you remember Trigger The Bloodshed? Meh. Ignominious Incarceration? Barely. They were future of UK Death Metal apparently - gracing the cover of Terrorizer magazine, pandering reviews, plenty of interviews (one by yours truly) but nothing became of them. They didn't have the song writing chops to back up all the hype. Version is different. Cryostorm have not been surrounded by lots of media buzz – until now no doubt. Everything here takes its influences admittedly, but it is fresh and invigorating to listen to, these songs are instantly memorable. They have carved out something satisfying from their collective knowledge of metal.

There is a well balanced blend of Bloodshot Dawn, Darkest Hour (circa The Eternal Return), Dark Tranquility, In Flames and Scar Symmetry on show here. While all the aforementioned have their faults there doesn't seem to be a weak point on Version. It's all adrenaline all the time, despite all the songs not being full tempo all the time. The little twists and turns, the tasty little transitions are all brilliant, like the Pantera stomping groove on 'Solacing' and the sweet moment at the end of the solo on 'I Am Anomaly'.

But what is more impressive is the real hooks in these songs. Its all to easy today to make heavy music that is flaccid and uninteresting, but this album has a creative spark that can be seen from space, and will propel this band to a big label and big things no doubt. The only advice I would offer is maybe deepen the atmosphere a tad, maybe add some more longer or more progressive songs (like 'Apocrypha'). Get of your apathetic arses people, this one is well worth your time!

Hear it here: http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=92145

Band Page: www.facebook.com/cryostormband

Altar of Plagues - Sol Review

Another blast from the past! It's interesting to find out what I wrote 5 years ago has come true...

Originally posted 2008 @ Blistering.com

Irish newcomers Altar of Plagues bring a very compelling and thought provoking platter to the table. A mix of post hardcore dreamscapes, bile infected sludge and cold black metal. Like Wolves In The Throne Room; a trance like experience hazed out whilst finding new directions whilst clinging loosely to the bones of by-the-numbers black metal.

Despite the appetising appeal of Altar Of Plagues on paper, Sol is trying to achieve great scope, but sometimes doesn't reach the apex over the distance covered (geometry finally has a use…in metal!?). The problem is too much variety.

Inevitably, the peripheral passages surrounding the black melee are mixed in style and quality, for example the final track ‘With Fire In Our Veins We Drown In The Light’ captures the loneliness and trauma of Thorr’s Hammer or Burning Witch, but also starts off sounding like the Deftones on auto-pilot.

The variety of vocal delivery is good and each style of larynx release slots in well with the music at each given point. We mustn't delude ourselves that this variety in musical styles is a bad thing, on the contrary. Altar of Plagues have demonstrated an ability to keep a strong vibe consistent throughout their EP, a lurking evil and imminent malevolence.

Certainly an individual amongst an ever increasing crowd of mediocrity, Altar of Plagues will definitely be filed under high potential. The material on Sol would effortlessly translate to a live setting and would make for a transfixing viewing. An EP to prove strong capability and unsullied ideas, now what we want from this band is a mind-boggling full length, please.

www.altarofplagues.com

www.pofoundlorerecords.com

NOFX - Self Entitled Review

Fat Mike and his Jew-punk wrecking crew are back.

The advertising for this album hasn't been overwhelming by any means. It was available to order only a matter of days after I even realised it was on its way. Some may blame NOFX for being lazy and resting on their laurels, but if you have such a solid fan base and such a lengthy and prosperous career as these guys, I think we can can forgive them.

The output has been mixed since the glory days, but admittedly there has been a lot of it and they have been slaving away at it for longer than most. Come on, Coaster without the opening track may as well be a fucking coaster (I think that was intended!), even though it would remind me of the bitter disappointment every time I have my morning brew, not a good start to the day.

One thing missing on this record – a dub/reggae song. Some of the established live classics have been 'Kill All The White Man' and 'Eat The Meek', so where's our mellow tune eh? These songs are so much better than the cheesy acoustic song that so many bands feel they must include on an album to show depth or maturity. These guys do it because its fun!

The clever and inspired song writing is still there, as well as the comedy tunes. The last song which was previously released 'Xmas Has Been X'ed' always makes me chuckle. A song about the cancellation of Christmas and celebrating Hanukkah instead coming from these chaps has got to be good. '72 Hookers' is funny, like all good songs about selling your body for money are, but the message pleading for peace prevails and makes it a success. 'Ronnie & Mags' – with the flip it on its head chorus and political nostalgia never fails to entertain.

OK OK, some of it is punk-by-numbers (see 'Secret Society'). You can't deny Self-Entitled has the pubescent whine which made us fall in love with this quirky band way back in the early 90's. The perky polished punk, with the subtle melancholy that was established on Punk In Drublic remains gloriously accessible. However without the dire song writing on some of the other more recent efforts (*cough* Coaster) it might not seem so amazing as we first thought. 

Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind Review

Words sometimes falter to capture the music of Converge. The fact they have been on top of their game and massively in the public eye since the painfully emotional but beautifully heavy Jane Doe means that most writers in our little niche of the journalistic world have already exhausted all angles and opinions. However the task lies with us writers to dissect and probe the latest effort from the band.

The opener 'Aimless Arrow' simmers and bubbles and shows massive restraint as it builds up for the orgasmic release that is 'Tresspass'. An absolute behemoth of a tune, this is the 'Dark Horse', 'Locust Reign' and 'Bitter and Then Some' of this album. Its a song addicted to forward motion and one of the simplest yet heaviest riffs you'll hear this side of 2012.

There seems to be an almost evil atmosphere to this album at times. Previous efforts before have dipped with pain and sadness, but this if anything is an angrier Converge and more a more vengeful one – tracks such as 'Sadness Comes Home', 'Sparrow's Fall' and 'At Glacial Pace' are the stuff of nightmares. Then it is ruined by the pomp of 'Vicious Muse', which sounds like a fucking Cancer Bats song, no bad thing but a little lazy! Then the Mastodon like opening introduces 'Coral Blue', which holds its own despite the trendy nod, but again remains a little uninspired.

No matter how supreme the quality, the ever-evolving art of such a mega band like Converge will always attract detractors just because they are pigeon holed as not metal. Well boo-hoo I say. Fuck 'em. Don't know what they are missing. Less assholes at Converge shows! Still this is a must-listen as it always has been with Converge, but not up there if you look back down the timeline.

Related Links:

www.convergecult.com

Converge and Friends Cover 'Wolverine Blues'

Exciting news from the Converge camp today people: They have recorded five interpretations of 'Wolverine Blues' by the mighty death metal beast that is Entombed. Exciting is an understatement when you learn who does the vocals for said tracks:
1. Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom)
2. Jacob Bannon
3. Kevin Baker (The Hope Conspiracy etc.)
4. Nate Newton
and..
5. Kurt Ballou & Tomas fucking Lindberg! (At The Gates, Disfear, Lock Up etc)

That's correct. Tompa himself, Mr Midas in the world of metal and hardcore, Swedish master covers Swedish classic! The tracks are all available to stream at the official Converge website.

http://www.convergecult.com/news/55/

Clutch - Earth Rocker gets the THR treatment

Why will people review the new Clutch album telling you it is awesome?

Why? I'll tell you why. The last track on the album, is the BEST TRACK on the album. Coincidentally it is the longest, but this beauty will more than likely be the last that a reviewer or blogger will hear and give them a skewed perspective. I too have been guilty of this in the past, I may have gone haywire when I heard the last track 'Centric Flow' by Obscura on Cosmogenesis. The walls were painted with figurative spaff. The album turned out to be a belter anyway, but the mind-game was there. Beware!

So to the rest of Earth Rocker. What it lacks in catchy songs, it makes up for with a raw rocking energy. Free range rock-n-roll unlike the battery farmed shite that pollutes the airwaves like Biffy Clyro, 30 Seconds To Mars and other such ball ache. Your average Clutch fan will turn the inside of their undies white at the sound of such amazing songs as 'Crucial Velocity'.

There is an inevitable slow and melancholy song on the album a la 'Regulator', but 'Gone Cold' isn't there as a filler. It is a heart felt, stripped down and intimate moment with the band and definitely one to cherish.  It absorbs you so much you almost forget the rocking antics of the first half.

The finale 'The Wolf Man Kindly Requests...', apart from having that effortlessly cool title, is a testament to the new ideas that come into the fray here on Earth Rocker. From the cheek wobbling antics of the title track at the beginning to the sudden change of tempo and pulsing heaviness in the aforementioned last song, its shows Clutch are not phased by the challenge of creating something fresh.

I have been soul-searching, racking my brain, trying to figure out why this record just comes short of top dollar, 10/10. Which according the cheese-merchants in Hollywood, involves staring across beautiful sunset lake scenes or introspectively looking out a window into pouring rain. It may be due to songs like 'Oh, Isabella' which is a fleeting moment of weakness. Clutch do have the gritty edge, but the beards, the hooks and the attitude may attract assholes, getting in on this slice of accessible underground while its still fresh is the key boys and girls.

Related Links:

www.pro-rock.com