review by: Roberto Martinelli

review by: Bastiaan de Vries

review by: Roberto Martinelli

review by: Ray Van Horn, Jr.

review by: Ray Van Horn, Jr.

review by: Ray Van Horn, Jr.

review by: Avi Shaked

review by: Avi Shaked

review by: Kristina White

review by: Kristina White

review by: Kristina White

review by: Kristina White

review by: Kristina White

review by: Kristina White

review by: Joshua

review by: Joshua

review by: Joshua

review by: Joshua

review by: Joshua

review by: Roberto Martinelli

review by: Roberto Martinelli

review by: Ray Van Horn Jr.

Calling much of Gaias Pendulum’s Vite dreamy and sedate death metal is accurate to a limit. There’s enough in the band’s songwriting to warrant a listen, but one listen’s about what you may be willing to give them. This Latin Goth metal band weaves a few magical moments, while at other times, this rings as a band still working on its identity, albeit one with a heck of a lot of promise. This could be, of course, since Vite was released in 2003 and the band has already released a second album since, Scarlet Visions.

"In the Deep of Gaia" picks up a little steam despite a sluggish opening. The acoustic portion of the bridge is a nice touch as the song builds up in intensity. Ditto for the ensuing song, "Otono," which likewise pussyfoots around with aloof keyboards by Miguel Gangora; they need the guidance of the other instruments that finally get in gear by the time the first verse strikes. At times, Gangora’s keyboards interfere throughout Vite. "Otono" is a good example as the hard tempos and the guitar rhythms find their own path astray from his meandering keys.

On the other hand, his keys are appropriated nicely on "Sin Llanto," which rocks out with an agreeable Goth melody and classic metal guitar solo, somewhere in tandem with the Ride the Lightning / Master of Puppets era Kirk Hammett. If there’s any complaint on this song, it’s the way it stumblebums on the bridge as it tries to be articulate. It’s a good venture without full stridence, but it does finish off strongly.

Throughout Vite you’re going to find Gaias Pendulum trying to extend themselves beyond their capacities. Timing issues, particularly in the drumming from Andres Merchan that borders from adequate to fumblish, tend to undermine the grand compositions Gaias Pendulum writes, at least within the first half of the album.

As the second half progresses, here is where the strengths of Gaias Pendulum become more apparent. The implementation of acoustic guitar is always welcome in any form of metal and it serves the band well. On the rather brilliant "Butterfly," they’re poignant with the keyboard support in one section, flat-out gorgeous with electric guitar in the final moments of the song. "Rainfall" is one of the album’s strongest tracks because of the guitar instrumentation from Juan David Palacio and Herman Yepes and the subtle key melody that bolsters them.

As a band, Gaias Pendulum sounds particularly brawny here, and it works because it’s an instrumental. Likewise, the band works itself a pretty terrific doom epic with "Lagrina De Arena." The growls of Juan D.M. Duque shine on the cumbersome mini-epic "Soledad," lending the driving groove extra punch, as do the supplemental female background vocals by Susana Correa that make the track rather ethereal. Likewise, the traditional Latin vocals that duet on "The Astral Eye of Desdemona" lends the song a bit more elegance than would be without them. Like the earlier tracks, it’s a bit on the short side in comparison to the few songs that precede it, although you can’t argue with the emotional guitar solo and the heavy-handed finale.

Gaias Pendulum can riff as good as most bands, and they are kind of like Iron Maiden in their very early stages; the hints of greatness are there, waiting to be cultivated. What Maiden did was revamp, retool, relearn and they became the greatest metal band in the world as a result. Of course, Maiden is a strict power band, while this one strives to be a melodic doom band.

Will Gaias Pendulum duplicate that kind of success? Doubtful. That’s a hefty amount of pressure even for graciously talented newcomers like, say, Trivium, but what you have to appreciate about Gaias Pendulum is that they mostly think outside the box. After sleepwalking through much of the first half of Vite, Gaias Pendulum utilizes its obvious strengths to display signs of what may yet come. Given what is offered on this album, it’s possible that Gaias Pendulum can increase their talents to a higher magnitude. Perhaps they are culminated on their subsequent release Scarlet Visions. (6.5/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

The French Viking (or Pagan, as they like to call themselves) Metal band Himinbjorg is progressively getting better. After some downright bad albums, it seems like they're finally finding a way to pull their stuff off well. Yes, a French band playing this style can be pretty awkward (leave the mental images of vikings in the Eiffel Tower aside) but in this case it's not necessarily bad.

After a REALLY out of place intro and some random arpeggios comes a calmer song with some vocals. Like music a military leader would play to his troops to raise their morale; lots of images will get in your head while playing this: battles, warriors, and swords... but never a lost battle. Positive war music? Maybe.

The technical part isn't a stand out at all, but probably you won't be paying much attention to it. The guitars are similar to those in the two last Windir albums: mostly fast parts, tremolo picked or power chords. The drums and vocals are fitting. There are some filler tracks, namely the untitled tracks, which are just sleep-inducing. The atmosphere created, however, is pretty similar to the one of the Nordic bands.

The album itself is really enjoyable if you like black metal or folk-influenced music in general, just don't expect a masterpiece or technically talented music. Himinbjorg could be really good, but they haven't found a style of their own yet. With every release they seem to come closer to it...expect some strong albums in the future. (6.2/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

The USBM never had a strong scene: hordes of generic bands plague it and there isn't enough original material. What we have here is a band that at least tried to be different from the rest. Resuscitator is more death metal oriented, to the point of being called black / death, with vocals similar to Immortal's latest albums (but much, much weaker) and some thrashier guitar work.

The first track is awful, with a folk-like riff that doesn't work and gets tedious after some seconds. After "In the Night's Silence," the band starts getting better in all senses of the word: coherent riffs, some good tempo changes, blasting drums. The cheese displayed in both vocals and lyrics (the typical "rise, Satan" stuff) can be a little too much sometimes, as if they were trying really hard to be considered satanists or "true black metal warriors." Whatever that is.

Sure, it isn't generic, but is it good? Relatively, yes, comparing it to other American black metal acts it shows a far more mature composition and atmosphere. You won't get the feeling that they just picked up a guitar the day before, started listening to metal and said, "Hey, let's form a band." This album shows personality and experience, but in a really boring way. Now, working on a bigger spectrum, it's just one more band without big changes and definitely not remarkable.
(4.1/10)

(editor's note: we are immediately referring our staff rookie to bands such as Weakling, Leviathan, Xasthur and Draugar)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

"Nihilist: Swedish Death-Metal Gods. Later known as Entombed. Crushing guitars, Mass Death" says the cover. That simple phrase summarizes all this.

Nihilist is one of the most important bands ever in the history of death metal. Being one of the pillars of old-school death metal with Obituary, Autopsy and Dismember, one only has to admire the influencing music they produced in just two years. It's a shame they never recorded a full-length under this name but mutated into the death metal / rock hybrid Entombed.

The CD consists of five demos: four by Nihilist (Premature Autopsy '88, Only Shreds Remain '88, Drowned '89, The Drowned Sessions '89) and one by Entombed (But Life Goes On '89). In the liner notes it mentions something everyone listening to this should know: they band members averaged 15 years of age. I don't think anyone expected a band of 15 year old guys to release one of the basics of death metal.

The only low point in this is the production. Even so, it is much better than nowadays "True black metal" demos, sometimes even adding atmosphere with its muddy sound.

Through all the demos one can see the evolution: The first ones are more thrash / hardcore oriented, with some parts reminiscent of Slayer. The production is not so good but it makes the vocals sound really evil (specially on Only Shreds Remain). After the first two, the other ones keep getting darker song by song, and dropping the thrash influences for death-metal riffs. The Entombed tracks are not as good as the others, but still an awesome example of early death metal. The biggest change it introduces is the rock influence that would later be the band's trademark.

Metal as it should be, recommended for all music fans for both its historical importance and sheer musical perfection. (9.5/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

In November, Greece's Ethereal Blue appeared out of nowhere with a quality debut. Instead of the "atmospheric death metal" name the label gave this band, it's gothic / black with doom touches. Among all the bands that in the present are making that kind of music, Black Heart Process shines through with an innovative offering. It is to be expected for a goth / black band to be Cradle of Filth worship (see Willow Wisp) to a lesser or bigger degree, but not this one.

Eight songs of melodic and emotional music without really distinguishable influences are found in this record. Synth-heavy but not annoying, with vocals that vary from moment to moment, changing the whole mood of the song and emotional songs like "Noi, Tu, Loss?". The depressing atmosphere is achieved without being forced through low speed or angst. The album flows naturally, continuing with the same mood for all of its length, having lots of interesting tempo changes to keep the listener on focus.

The technical part is really good, with the guitar and bass doing original leads instead of the usual "support for the keyboards" attitude they take in this kind of metal. The sound of every instrument is lifeless, and it helps by making the music sound stronger or maybe even colder. The production gives every instrument its own layer and the importance it deserves without burying any of them under the mix.

In general lines, an interesting and different listen. Recommended for fans of black metal, gothic or doom alike. (7.4/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

Graveworm is one of those bands that always keep on releasing good material but never anything especially inventive or original. Yes, in general it's a strong album, enjoyable through all of it and without much filler, but it doesn't add anything new to any genre. It mixes symphonical black metal, gothic, doom and death with a flawless production.

There's some heavy usage of synths here, both in an atmospherical way and as a lead instrument. As opposed to the older material, they don't use black metal sounds as much, instead making use of melodic death metal riffs. In the same way, tremolo-picked guitars are less common, opting for powerchords similars to the ones of ...And Oceans, complementing the keyboards. The vocals are a little softer but more varied in style: growls, shrieks, the usual stuff.

In this album we don't get Type O Negative covers (like on Engraved in Black) or anything original for that matter, just the logical next step: "watering down" the music, dropping most extreme influences in the name of maturity and evolution. In this specific case it doesn't hurt the album at all, it's just not the same Graveworm of before. Still, it won't bore you to death and in the right mood you might have a lot of fun, but for better results aim for any of their previous full-lengths.

Fans of gothic and the softer side of death and black metal will enjoy this. For others, this might not be their cup of tea. (6.5/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

Vomination is a Swedish band formed in a 2004, and for being such a young band they surely deliver. This is pretty much their first serious release as previously they had only recorded a three minute rehearsal.

Musically, it's a really original mix of brutal death, black metal alla Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas and thrashy riffs. In just longer than 10 minutes of really dark death / black they accomplish more than some bands do in their whole careers. Technically, it's very good: the guitars, while not being complex or tech, are a really remarkable aspect, being interesting through all of the songs in this demo. The drums accentuate the agressiveness a lot, and the vocals can go from deep growls to shrieks, fitting the music perfectly.

While it has its flaws, like some repetitive riffs here and there and some abrupt mood changes, it shows much talent and really good compositions. I'm already waiting for their full length.
(7.9/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

Mix Cradle of Filth (without the comical vocals) with more neoclassical influences, death metal and some gothic rock. Now record a seven-minute song. Repeat twice. The result is this strange and terribly unoriginal release. There's not much to say about this album: every single aspect about this has been done at least two thousand times and probably much better.

The guitar work is pretty simple and uninspired. The keyboards are just competent, sometimes nice but pretty much the same ones of all the gothic / black bands. The drums sound too artificial and plain annoying, even if (luckily) they are low in the mix. Hell, even the atmosphere and the visual aesthetic of the band is a copy of Dani Filth's band... corpsepaint, the same "evil" look in the singer's face, blood, vampires, everything that was used until it got too old. The vocals are mostly your typical black metal shrieks and death metal growls, with some parts similar to those of Bauhaus (of course, without the natural evil aura of Peter Murphy's voice). Nothing stands out as being more than just decent.

The production is pretty bad: even if you can hear every instrument, it sounds too muddy and doesn't fit the music at all. This is accentuated in the drum sound that sometimes just sounds like background noise.

Maybe in the future Wilow Wisp will develop a style of their own, but right now it just doesn't seem possible. All in all, just for fans of Cradle of Filth. (2.9/10)

review by: Ignacio Coluccio

Profane Omen is a Finnish band on a Chilean label. Their other demos / EPs were really inconsistent and overall boring. With Adrenaline/Enemies much more maturity and some evolution are displayed, the power metal and sludge influences were dropped and the vocalist sounds a lot less forced.

Predominantly it's melodic metal but mixed with thrash, stoner and groove elements. The faster parts are weak, the stoner / groove ones are so-so, and the catchy choruses and little bits are enjoyable but not much. The guitar work seems mechanical, emotionless... same for the vocals. The production is crystal clear, with every instrument sounding perfect.

This eight-minute MCD is not abysmally bad but it's not good either. Sure, no one is expecting a groundbreaking piece of art from two songs, but at least something not as boring as this.

At least it comes with a video for "Adrenaline," which is nice to have, but doesn't help the band to get out of its "just another band" status. Maybe when they release their full length that will change as they are evolving a little with every release. (3/10)

review by: Matt Smith

Like the rest of the series that will eventually cover the entire Eulogy roster, this DVD offers an intimate and energetic glimpse into the life of a tour itself. Rather than focusing on music or the journey of any particular band, it revolves around one tour and the stories that resulted from it.  The bands involved (On Broken Wings, The Warriors, Shattered Realm, Black My Heart & The Judas Cradle) are Northeastern mosh and hardcore bands, mostly high-intensity and low-content, as far as the music is concerned. But besides a few interludes between pranks, music is conspicuously absent from this video. It takes a back seat to the firecrackers, smokebombs, tasers and skateboarding that occupy the spaces between shows, resulting in a Jackass-type movie but with more talking.

Although it is fun to hear the interviews about being chased by cops and shooting pellet guns at each other, I don’t see this DVD as one that will make it into the player more than a few times unless you really love watching scrawny, tattooed guys beating the crap out of each other over and over. There are a few extra features, including videos from The Warriors and Judas Cradle, but the extras are unsatisfying overall. (6/10)

review by: Matt Smith

The Auburn System is a rough, sludgy, unpredictable metalcore group whose sound is more mature than you’d expect from five twenty-year-olds. Frequent and drastic shifts in mood, instrumentation and style speckle the album with jerky but fitting transitions. Downtempo sludge with deep growls morphs into a single guitar plinking its strings, which changes into an uptempo, moshy groove and then into a moderate death-style riff and back into sludge. The instrumentation is creative and well-executed, and the vocals are fitting even if the lyrics aren’t much to read. The continuous metamorphosis from one solid groove into another at half-tempo, etc... makes this short release worth numerous listens, even if the drastic changes in speed threaten to give you whiplash. I look forward to a lengthier album from these guys. (8/10)

review by: Matt Smith

Dominion of Chaos is Prejudice’s fifth release in twelve years, and the group is definitely progressing.  This independently produced album is pure ferocity, from its unrelenting speed and technical changes to its raw sound and forceful growls.

Although the vaguely foreboding album and song titles lack inspiration, the instrumentation is impressive and the overall sound is solid. The music comes crashing down at full force and hardly lets up until the end, offering few flashy add-ons or atmospheric elements. It’s just straightforward aggression, from crushing groove to fast-picked verse. 

Dominion of Chaos sounds relatively modern, however, as it combines elements from a number of different techniques to create an original style. There isn’t anything new here, but the basic elements are combined in an interesting way and executed memorably. A few shifts in tempo and mood wouldn’t hurt, as a lack of variety is one of the album’s main deficits. But as far as fast, straight, basic death is concerned, it doesn’t get a whole lot better. (7/10)

review by: Matt Smith

This album is dramatically different from Meshuggah’s previous releases, from the atmospheric interludes to the programmed drums to the complexity and constant change that drives the guitars. The entire album plays as one continuous composition, though it is broken up into 13 tracks, often at strange spots. The harder, more straightforward sections are instantly recognizable as Meshuggah, while the more atmospheric, experimental sections might leave some listeners scratching their heads.  

But even the more brutal sections are toned down from Meshuggah’s usual pace in terms of tempo and the patterns involved. The guitars are the focus of this album, and any groove they play is like a walking bass-line that doesn’t repeat (kind of redefining the word “groove,” doesn’t it?). The band even had to invent a new type of notation to keep all the changes straight, and you shouldn’t expect to hear Meshuggah play much of this material live.

Despite its oddities, fans of Meshuggah won’t be disappointed by Catch 33. There’s still plenty of the aggressiveness and technicality that have brought Meshuggah to where it is today, and the band’s hard work and musical sensibilities will always produce material that is worth repeated listens.  This one is a tangent from Meshuggah’s main path, and it is interesting to hear the group experiment with different sounds and styles. Again, Catch 33 will be a sure hit with Meshuggah fans even if it isn’t the constant, beat-your-brains-out viciousness they’re used to. (8.5/10)

review by: Ray Van Horn, Jr.

By now Bury Your Dead have become one of Victory Records’ main darlings with the strong run of their current album, Cover Your Tracks. If anything, their previous album, You Had Me at Hello, is an audition piece for this New England region hardcore unit. In the tradition of their local blood brothers, Slapshot and Throwdown, Bury Your Dead is straightforward, fuck-off-styled hardcore. 

If you’re expecting anything revelatory on this reissue of 2003’s You Had Me at Hello, forget it. With the exception of the off-the-cuff “Burn Baby Burn,” this album is not at all dissimilar from Cover Your Tracks. If you know Bury Your Dead or if you know any of their ilk (i.e. Hatebreed, Full Blown Chaos, Martyr A.D.), you know what you’re getting on this album: fast verse tempos, agro vocals and breakdowns ad nauseum. Be advised or be warned, depending on your propensity for this sound. 

The other distinction of You Had Me at Hello (and it’s noteworthy only from a jughead’s point-of-view) is the utterly lame closer “Mosh ‘n Roll,” with its singular narcissistic and nihilist lyric:  “Bury your fucking dead!”  Give me a break; Monty Python this is not. It makes the Tom Cruise admiration society aspect of Cover Your Tracks look like brilliance. (6/10) (ed's note: our reference loving staffer may have missed that this album's title is also from a Tom Cruise movie. Can you name it?)

review by: Bastiaan de Vries

Described as “a bit of an incestuous affair between the Simons [Heath and Kölle of Swedish dark ambient group Za Frûmi,” who contribute not two tracks of their own but also dabble in a handful of other bands on this compilation. Let’s make a list for those who are interested, or for those too lazy to read through the booklet: first and foremost Za Frûmi, but also Volstoj, Abnocto, Alvskugga, Musterion and of course the wonderful Atrium Carceri. Now before you throw tantrums, even with the two Simons jumping out of the bush everywhere you look there is more than enough diversity. This is not a one-dimensional release in the slightest.

Now, before I go on, if you are fickle about fantasy or in any way dislike role-playing games then go out and impress friends and family with your new found knowledge about the Simons and leave the rest of this review for what it is. If you enjoy watching said family and friends prance around in either an elf costume or some type of medieval dress then this record is nothing short of crucial. And if by any chance you are still in the closet about your geek-ness don’t fret, when you order this compilation it comes to your door in a plain brown envelope.

Alright, regular readers of Maelstrom already know our love for the two Simons; Roberto has a soft-spot for Za Frûmi, I have a soft spot for Atrium Carceri. Suffice to say that you can read up on those reviews in the archives and I can leave the two Simons for who they are for the remainder of this review.

Rich and powerful fantasy, tranquil and fragile fantasy, chant-heavy fantasy, eerie, electronic fantasy, it’s all there. Autumn Tears delivers a atmospheric track, Waerloga band Encryption soothes with blankets of grandeur, Patrice Deceuninck soundtracks his way through, OverCoat, despite the silly name, contribute a wonderful Arabic piece. Rising Shadows sneaks and slithers past, Vurpa brings a well needed campfire folk break, The Soil Seeds Black takes us to the chanting church... honestly, the list goes on and on.

Twenty tracks is more than enough for you to gather at least 1500 XP points and perhaps even a magic longbow +2. Go, buy and enjoy your geek-ness. (8/10 for you geeks)

review by: Bastiaan de Vries

A big, inverted wolf; flesh and fur stripped from the bones, washed and scrubbed and turned inside out, fluorescent blue instead of golden white, non-florescent against the seasons. One big green eye, one big blue eye but both swimming in red. High as a motherfucker, this wolf roams around the deserts looking for shade, blood red shade, and when it does it coughs up five men, who strip its flesh and fur, wash and scrub it, but instead of clothing the wolf again they roll it up in a blunt and smoke it. The blue fluorescent smoke they breathe out as a result could be called strange at best, intoxicating perhaps. The Stoned Council sits on clouds of blue fluorescent smoke, which is an interesting sight for those surrounding them, but they are looking boring at best.

Those lucky, or not lucky, enough to purchase this release, can strip it from its flesh and fur, wash and scrub it, roll it up in a blunt and smoke it and perhaps then they can appreciate it for what it’s worth. Look for some blood red shade, sit down and have a sip from your fruity drink. Stare into the searing heat, the waves above the asphalt and await the arrival of the dog faced gods. Entertaining like said asphalt waves, sludgy rockers left and right; the occasional epiphany roaring past but far too quickly. A live band I can imagine: a truck full of bearded men and women, full of beer and BBQ, sand in their eyes and ears, on their way to a Dog Faced Gods concert. An amazing sight for sure.

On record there is none of that imagery. Unless you smoke pot. A LOT of pot. From a bong, not a water pipe. (5/10)

review by: Rod Togam

Draugar is yet another American one-man black metal project, led by a person called Hildolf. Besides having a pseudonym sounding like a parody of the name of an officer in the German army, how can one not like him?

Indeed, regardless of any compositional brilliance or excellent
instrumental performance, such releases are simply too heart warming not to embrace... which is a rather lucky notion for Hildolf, who apparently does not possess exceedingly impressive qualities in either realm.

The music on Weathering the Curse is composed of the well known arsenal of dissonant guitar riffs played repetitively, placed over dark keyboard layers, supported by aggressive drumming and covered by rather standard growing vocals. As happens with many releases by extreme hermits such as this (Leviathan being the exception), the level of playing rarely ascends above mediocrity. This is also not assisted by the odd production and rather bizarre mix, making the overall sound appear as an unintended trebly implosion. Also, the pieces themselves don't feature much originality or innovation. We have all heard this done before.

But still, one cannot ignore the uniqueness of Weathering the Curse. A bleak character opening a hatch in us all, inviting the listener to share the authentic atmosphere of his lone soul's dark abyss. And even calling himself Hildolf. As imperfect as it may be, it still definitely is an album to absorb and cherish. Recommended, especially for underground and cult freaks. (7/10)

review by: Tom Orgad

Honestly, I could never actually allow myself to write a negative review of In Trance. Had I done so, whenever an opportunity arises, they might not accept me to join them.

In Trance is a Scorpions tribute outfit from Quebec. Regardless of the quality of their musical performance, the most notable traits of their activity are their great enthusiasm, pleasure and delight of their deliverance of imitating their Teutonic idols. Their live demo glimmers forth with beams of authentic, unconditioned love and joy towards the dissemination of the classic hard rock and lite-metal familiar anthems.

The aforementioned is not to imply that the band suffers any professional deficiency. Their performances, featuring a mixed repertoire of numbers from various eras of the Scorps chronicles (neglecting only the periods of early 70's and the sorrowful few last years), prove them to be players of more than satisfactory abilities. The lead and rhythm guitars sound surprisingly similar to the source, the rhythm section performs tight and steady. Indeed, the (reasonable) singer sounds is far from resembling Scorpions' Klaus Meine, rendering the overall listening experience quite different from the origin, yet doesn’t affect the great enjoyment bound to it.

So, for the time being we may listen to the distributed demos of In Trance, and more importantly, catch them at live gigs. Until, perhaps, one day, a wondrous chance suddenly appears. Every Scorpy's dream. (8/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Angel Air continues reissuing Ray Russell related material for our benefit. This time it is the only album by The Running Man (the early 1970’s outfit Russell led shortly after Rock Workshop) that receives the reissuing treatment.

The Peter Gabriel inspired vocals of the opening “Higher and Higher” might confuse you as to the true identity of this release; but the wild, bluesy guitar and the vocals shifting into a more Steve Winwood territory will set you straight: The Running Man (1972) offers a rather interesting take on progressive rock, extending blues-rock into jazz regions instead of into the more frequently visited classical movements.

The major blues-rock inspiration evident here is the one of Blind Faith. Much like their sole album, Blind Faith (1969), the material on The Running Man sounds half baked, giving it a certain feel that might attract some (especially those coming from an R&B-oriented rock background) while deterring others; as it is not a popular attribute of progressive rock works.

The recording is driven by a truly hard rocking section, featuring a rasp, eccentric guitar and a bombastic bass that is followed, note by note, by hard-hitting drums. These are confronted with a free-jazz front, in the form of wind instruments and dazzling improvisations, and the whole thing is occasionally drenched with a presence of a Hammond organ. At times, this combination might remind you of King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man.”

The bonus track is an extended, rough take on “Spirit” (a song featuring vocals that are reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”), offering some more of the wild, vertiginous free-jazz (check out the simultaneous guitar / sax noisy squeaks that serve as an intro to the song!), and it might be a reason good enough for fans of the original album who own a previous issue to buy this new release.

The Running Man disbanded shortly after releasing the album, but Russell and drummer Alan Rushton soon formed Mouse, another band that released just one album, which also sees a reissue by Angel Air these days (I’ll tell you more about it next month). (7.5/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Igor Krutogolov has gained himself a name as one of the more disturbed figures on the Israeli avant-garde scene, leading bands such as Kruzenshtern & Parohod (check our archives for the review) and Karate Band Toy Orchestra.

On this solo release he unveils a composition he originally wrote as a soundtrack to a film (by Hiromi Yamamoto and Takayuki Iwasawa), which has remained unpublished.

This is a far more relaxed piece than his usual output. The avant-garde flavor he favors is here, of course, but this time around he approaches it from a more minimalist standpoint.

Krutogolov surrounds notes of voice, bells and various other objects with air, and the listener can react in a diversity that moves between getting bored to being fascinated.

In the absence of the movie it was written for, the composition is left for interpretations by its absorbents. To me, the atmosphere suggests an infant’s room in an old haunted cabin, with a carousel of dingling toy-creatures hanging above the child in order to relax him. An occasional door-screeching marks his parents’ arrival to check up on him, and there’s a bug that does the same, penetrating the room harmlessly.

Sections IV and V of the piece carry a certain development, introducing a string symphony that gradually occupies the listener more and more, with water running and various objects clashing, eventually breaking down the bent melody. The later sections proceed with a certain guitar boost that is coordinated with the chimes.

Wardrobe is an album full of quirkiness, which is never clouded by dense aesthetics, hence remaining true to its own low key statement. Still, even avant-garde followers will probably find it hard to follow, and they may be more satisfied with Grundik + Slava’s Frogs (reviewed in issue 33). (6.5/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Light of Day, Day of Darkness is bound to forever be considered as Green Carnation’s highlight. The reason for this is quite obvious: progressive rock fans have unexplained attraction and appreciation for extended pieces, regardless of their actual content.

The acclaim surrounding that aforementioned album (which is consisted of a single, hour-long track) certainly falls under this classic scenario of favoring “continuous quantity” over quality: The heavily used recycling of the masterful Randy Rhoads “Diary of a Madman” Riff (the title-track of an Ozzy Osbourne album, based on a theme from "Carmina Burana"), a bunch of doom riffs missing a melodic statement, and patches over patches of unconvincingly and, at times, poorly performed, forced combination of metal, jazz and orchestrated music with sparks of eastern motifs and avant-garde; they all leave Light of Day, Day of Darkness with unfulfilled potential, and as one that can easily be thrown away in favor of Black Sabbath’s classic albums that were much more fascinating in their eclecticism and statement, not to mention much superior in their realization.

Still, although unrightfully, the shadow of Light of Day, Day of Darkness hovers over Green Carnation’s later output, characterized by a more song-oriented approach. So let me tell you, their new album is way better!

The level of execution is vastly improved, and the power chords now live side by side with real melodic hooks, that even manage, together with the determined performance, to cover up for some incoherent lyrics (kind of like what Amorphis does).

Unfortunately, some of the songs on The Quiet Offspring share a certain pattern, reflecting flashbacks to Winds’ albums. “A Place for Me,” in particular, sounds like Winds minus the string arrangements.

Still, “Between the Gentle Small and the Standing Tall” possesses the fury of Pearl Jam’s “Do the Evolution,” as well as blending a classical music influence towards its end, which might appease progressive metal fans.

“When I Was You” freshens things up as the album approaches the finishing line, with a semi-acoustic performance that is boosted by a symphonic backdrop gradually transforming the song into one of a stormy weather, only soon to be calmed into a breeze with the jazzy keyboards of “Child’s Play, pt. 2.”

Therefore, The Quiet Offspring might be ideal for Pearl Jam or Winds fans who are interested in getting more of a metal edge. Those who expect a second Light of Day, Day of Darkness might be disappointed as this was clearly, and thankfully, not Green Carnation’s intention. With all that being said, Porcupine Tree’s In Absentia offers a far more creative and emotional work while maintaining just about the same metal edge, and should be considered as a more coherent alternative. (7.25/10)

review by: Ray Van horn, Jr.

Well, you have to hand it to these guys for accuracy. Welcome to Your Suffering is a brutally honest title, and so is their music. 

With a sort of jackknife sonic expressionism that works for certain bands such as The Number 12 Looks Like You, Into the Moat or Quell, Fogcrawler is more akin to Napalm Death in its infancy stages of the eighties. The former bands have found ways to unleash melodic sublets beneath their angry tempests of ear-shredding clamor. Fogcrawler, on the other hand, seems more focused on
shock value speed and vomited throat scrapings from Scott Usher, who tells you all you need to know about his current ideals with his T-shirt that blares: "Fuck You, I Have Enough Friends."  Read into it as you will.

This Wisconsin death squad stems from drummer Jason Thorson's original band, Stone Misery. In the decade between Stone Misery and Fogcrawler, Thorson has painstakingly assembled his current roster of heathens and unfortunately, as much as they seem intent on matching Pungent Stench and Cannibal Corpse's efficient viciousness, they still have ways to go.

Poor timing issues, overextension of singular parts that frequently lose one another and moments of lacking production torment Welcome to Your Suffering, which could be because Fogcrawler assumes a DIY methodology to its standard ops. This might be the reason it pales; with a little extra capital and a skilled producer backing their jagged raucousness, perhaps the components will gel into a more cohesive unit.

Occasionally this crew manages to peel off a few memorable riffs like on "Excuses," and there's a pretty kickass bridge on "Brain Plagued," and yes, there's a neat ethereal guitar lead-in and groovy solo by Wes Edge on "Tension." Bassist Chris Halzel is one of the underlying talents in Fogcrawler, but unfortunately, he's left aloof many times as finesse is sacrificed for unapologetic speed and overt force that is less impressive. Fogcrawler reminds one of obscure eighties thrash acts like Wehrmacht, Lawnmower Death and yes, Napalm Death.

It took some time for Napalm Death to achieve a higher quality to their introduced raucous cacophony. At one time Napalm Death was considered the fastest band on the planet, yet it wasn't respected until it capitalized on its shortcomings and now they're one of the elite of the underground. As Fogcrawler attempts to use outright death metal bludgeoning to get its heavy-handed point across, what this means is that there is an audience that will undoubtedly gobble up their furious nihilism as soundtrack to their weary and frustrated lives.  That at least works to Fogcrawler's advantage. After all, who hasn't used extreme music of some sort to cope with life, unless they live in a Mary Poppins existence? (1/10)

**Reviewer's note:  if you've read a previous different version of this review, consider this my attempt to rectify writing that was grossly beneath my personal code of standards.

review by: Ray Van Horn, Jr.

In many ways Beyond the Flesh sound like Testament with Mille of Kreator assuming most of the vocal duties. Even though Chuck Billy is such a good singer in his own right, that ends up being a delicious prospect. In some ways, the shrill and hissy production of Beyond the Flesh is highly reminiscent of Testament's The Legacy and Kreator's Extreme Aggression.

The sound quality enjoinders Beyond the Flesh to past thrash masters in a way so very few are fortunate enough to do. Regardless of the correlations, Beyond the Flesh reissues What the Mind Peceives, its very solid thrash album from 2003 with above-average guitar solos and first-rate structuring.

"Rise Above the Weak" is a good jump-starter with its breakout thrash and wonderful guitars by Rich Flanegan and Justin Leary (who encapsulates the Mille-like vocals). The hardware on drummer Senen Selis' kit really twinkles on his ride cymbals and he's a quick hombre as well. If there was such a thing as a wind chime resonance for metal, Selis might have a patent on the sound.

The song breaks are nary to be found, which really keeps this sucker chugging on all cylinders.  Particularly cool is the non-transition between "Fleshwound" and "The Scars That Remain." The latter song just explodes without warning. Also particularly effective is the grinding verses on "The Sick" that build towards eruptive and climactic thrash choruses. From there, this album keeps on going with few slowdowns.

As a whole, What the Mind Perceives kicks the snot out your clogged head in ways Theraflu or Flonase can't. It's hard not to dwell upon classic Testament along the ride, but that doesn't mean Beyond the Flesh doesn't kick it proper in its own right. Any straightforward thrash albums these days are most welcome.. (9/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

An oni, in Japanese folklore, is a gigantic creature that was originally regarded as a punisher of evil doers, and over time gained a reputation as evil itself.

Black Oni, the newest release by the English trio (overdubbed to the max), certainly can be attributed with some evil connotations, as a ton of orchestrated mess is poured out gradually, filling the air with a profound sense of wickedness.

A strong foundation of classic progressive rock influences rules the morbid, five-part piece, as Guapo uses classic keyboard instruments such as the Mellotron, Harmonium and Fender Rhodes with a Van Der Graaf Generator inspired mightiness; and mix it with vicious, bursting bass lines (think of John Wetton’s roles on King Crimson’s Red) and an army of syncopated rhythms that are held hostage by a menacing, constantly shivering gong.

A foggy production brings a further mysterious edge to the work, which ends up sounding like a dirty incarnation of Univers Zero, minus the wind instruments.

The occurrences on Black Oni can, to a certain degree, describe a nuclear assault: from the genius design of the bomb through its engaging and the march to war, and on to the airstrike and the blast, which then leaves us paralyzed, with an ultimate silenced inferno, only to slowly absorb the fallout as well as horrible consequences.

The band is not afraid to carefully develop its themes, and though some listeners might find it tedious, it is an essential ingredient to the essence of the piece, which fittingly ends with an eruptive anticlimax, living you to regenerate in air and hover in despair. (8.25/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Evolotto’s new EP starts with some fine bashing and a killer riff, leading into a song that has a Tool-ish touch, but is far more punk driven and straightforward.

The punk metal attitude gets bigger during the album’s 15 minutes, which makes the whole thing a bit lamer. By the time the fourth track, “Shine on, You Crazy Starfucker,” arrives, the Henry Rollins influences take over, and while the trio still sounds pretty raw and has some inventive licks along the way, it also sounds pretty much pointless.

Smile may be high on adrenaline, but it’s no biggie, especially being so short. Get it for a buck or two if it comes your way, but until it does, you’re not missing anything crucial. (4/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Originally released in 1981, this is the only album by Midnight Flyer, a band that was composed of well known and experienced musicians who have played with the cream of rock’s outfits (Savoy Brown, Stone the Crow and Whitesnake to name a few). It is therefore no wonder that it all sits tight.

Fronted by the screaming Maggie Bell, whose vocals are as rasp as Janis Joplin’s, yet are more delicate in their approach, this is a fine soul-based, blues-rock release that can be easily regarded as a feminine version of Whitesnake.

The instruments share an extremely balanced sound that bases the bass a bit more upfront than usual while sending the guitar a bit backwards (quite a surprising move considering the album was produced by Bad Company’s guitarist Mick Ralphs).

Keyboardist John Cook has some fine moments here, but especially considering that the material relies on a well established formula, it misses that certain spark needed in order to raise this album to a truly genuine level. Still, it is an album that classic rock fans should taste, as I’m sure they’ll find it satisfactory. (6.5/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Don't Stop the Dance features lost recordings of Britain's Medicine Head, dating from 1974, the time on which the outfit changed ways from a duo into a full rock band (adding ex-members of Family and Freedom to the force).

Full of harmonica, Jew's harp and blues rock, these recordings sound like a crossover between the free-spirit white-blues of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, the R&B pychedelia of The Rolling Stones and the fierce folk romanticism of Thin Lizzy.

The sound issue, while suffering some tape hiss and muffle on certain tracks, is certainly nothing to be troubled about, as the recordings seem to be clear enough and quite effective.

However, as such products tend to be, this release should be considered as a compilation of unreleased songs rather than a consistent, materialized body of work. It is definitely a worthy addition for fans (who would also appreciate the era-documenting booklet), but others should approach it more carefully and knowingly. (8/10 for the fans, 5.5/10 for the others)

review by: Avi Shaked

Germany's Scenes certainly does not reinvent progressive metal, but it does offer a right balance between Dream Theater and Iron Maiden. Though not as technical as the first, there are still undoubted musical skills demonstrated here, but it is mostly the Iron Maiden sense of a melody that wins you over.

Their first full-length album opens with one of its finest songs, "So (Father)," featuring emotionally loaded lyrics delivered by the band's new, powerful and Bruce Dickinson influenced front-man, fueled by a precise musical force.

Other highlights include "Start Again," with a fine piano and bass dialogue and pouring, melodic guitars served with a threatening rhythm; "I will stay" with its hymnal power metal edge that avoids banality; and the lengthy closing epic "Nothing Left to Say (Unforgiven)."

Sadly, the album's cohesion is damaged a bit by the presence of the band's former vocalist on two songs, which fails to deliver the same amount of drama. However, this doesn't change much of the fact that finally there is a band that is not just another technique-driven Dream Theater spinoff, but instead a very thoughtful band, presenting a work that is inspired and lyrical. (8/10)

review by: Avi Shaked

Rivers of Broken Glass is a puzzling album. Trond Engum (of The 3rd and the Mortal) clearly had a vision to carry out on this, but he seems to have flopped big time.

The basic formula used here is one of some sort of a pseudo-orchestrated movements surrounding a core of gloomy songs. The songs are quite standard (sometimes even banal) in their foundation, but they receive a dark accent with the aid of oblique psychedelic and electronic sounds.

Truth be told, this album does not sound so much different than Tiamat's Wildhoney (which was a bit of an evolution product itself), but it certainly sounds less impressive and less creative.

The distant sounding production does maintain a certain feel of sailing through a river in the underworld, but it can get quite irritating as the vocals, which move from a man's half-growl to a woman's semi-emotional chanting, remain flat and unexciting; and the whole thing drags into a monotonous state without revealing much details or subtlety.

"Waiting" might be noteworthy as an exception that brings a breath of life into the doom-ish atmospheres, with a brass section that carries a feel of a spy-film score. But even then, this remains a depressing release, simply because it smells shoddy. (3.75/10)

review by: Ignaccio Coluccio

review by: Avi Shaked

Unlike the prevailing opinion, living in Israel can have its advantages, and witnessing Ahvak's world premier performance was certainly amongst these.

The band has won many deserved accolades for its debut studio album (released last year by Cuneiform), yet it was the first time they had attempted pulling through their dense material live. Unlike most of the premier shows around (and I believe this to be a universal observation), Ahvak's premier was, if anything, a professional one that reflected much experience. The playing was tight, and it certainly shows that these guys took the time to rehearse and ripen.

Starting the performance, which included most of the material from their sole album to date, was a dead serious doomsday attack ("Verdun") taken from their demo release. While the atmosphere was darkened by the eerie piece, Ahvak had soon released a bit of the tension as they continued with "Bherta" – probably their most accessible offering yet – reminding us that Ahvak, as opposed to some other avant-garde progressive-rock bands, also have a sense of humor and playfulness.

The original, renowned drummer, Dave Kerman, was replaced by Yatziv Caspi (a long time collaborator of Orphaned Land, as well as other local bands), who, while being less of a showman (so I'm told), did a solid job as he remained loyal to Kerman's roles, for better and worse. He did occasionally rely on cues supplied by the other band members, especially Sommer, in order to fit in with the team.

Throughout the performance, Ahvak stuck quite successfully to its attempt at being a group effort rather than a showcase for virtuoso personal capabilities. At a certain point the band even made a brief, Gentle Giant inspired endeavor, with three band members playing flutes simultaneously on what appeared to be a rather pointless improvisation. Nonetheless, Udi Susser has done an impressive job as a multi-instrumentalist, and the rest of the band was equally effective.

Unfortunately, real-time performance has its constraints, and the flow was occasionally damaged due to the switching of the instruments. More attention should be paid to filling these gaps wisely, especially since the composition themselves are frequently based on fragmented algorithms that do enough to confuse the less familiar crowd, which every now and then applauded before the piece was over.

Yet, while the gig's mission was certainly purposeful, as it was held as a warm up for the band’s highly anticipated and crucial performance at the Tritonale festival in Paris on June 16th, Ahvak's music seemed to suffer in that department, remaining true to its recorded material as the band approached doom laden territories with mischievous variations. With no real climax for the most part, the band just caught you by the neck and then released; never squeezing hard enough or taking the irreversible step needed to really make a remarkable impression.

Enthusiasm and energy were high though, thanks to a skillful, invigorating execution as well as a detailed and consistent sound. The latter can easily be attributed to the masterful dedication of Udi Koomran, who raised the performance to a whole new level, much like he had done on the album.

Those who appreciate Ahvak's debut album should not miss the opportunity to see the band live, as they are promised a treat. Ahvak, however, should start considering its next step of evolution. It has been over a year since its debut release and while touring is a necessary and toughening experience, Ahvak should not rest on its laurels when the time comes to be creative.

review by: Avi Shaked

The previous time I attended The Flying Baby’s live gig was on April 28th, 2004, when they opened for Rockfour. I then wrote: “…Flying Baby, a local band that performed rocking originals in English for about half an hour – a raw yet unpolished set.” (issue 21)

It seems a lot has changed in the year that has passed since then.

The Israeli power-trio held the performance in mark of their recent release, Pain to Give, as well as their embarking on an American tour with Peter Himmelman, who also celebrated his new release, Imperfect World, (which should be covered in the next Maelstrom issue), joining The Flying Baby on the second set.

For an hour or so, The Flying Baby delivered a blistering set, filled with 70’s guitar passion and agonized vocals. Still performing originals in English (for the most part; they did play a ragged cover of Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World”), but they now feature a new drummer, Guy Shechter (also of the lunatic Kruzenshtern & Parohod), who had no trouble living up to the groove. These guys often sounded like Pearl Jam in their wildest and most sincere moments, maintaining the tightly written songs with a loose edge that allowed them to curve the songs with appealing jams.

It seems that The Flying Baby found the cure to what dimmed them as ineffective the previous time I listened to them, as this time they had a melodic sense built-in into their powerhouse chords. I just could not stay indifferent!

Unfortunately, the two songs they performed before the closing number, caused me a déjà vu to the previous year’s gig with their casual combination of power chords, and I would have to vote in favor of their dismissal from the otherwise highly satisfying set.

After a short break, Peter Himmlelman approached the stage for a solo number. The Flying Baby (minus Shechter, who had been replaced by another drummer) then went onstage to back him, but at this time he decided he wanted the performance to be of a more intimate nature, inspired by the small amount of people that attended the event.

He jumped offstage, demonstrating rock-star maneuvers and kidding about these, as he declared his need to avoid stardom. This was, in retrospect, a confusing move. Sure, he found a place for himself, both of his guitars and the mike within the audience for nearly the entire show, but he left his monitor, not to mention his band members onstage.

Troubles began unexpectedly soon, as Himmelman paused a song in the middle, giving directions for the band and soundman, and then got back at it. Soon enough, he also cut the title song of his brand new release in the middle due to his dissatisfaction with a bass line.

Now, it seems my proceeding differs from Himmelman’s, as I was raised not to let dirty laundry get out of the house. While Himmelman used an overdose of humor to cover up for his improper remarks (and what was, to him, band screw ups) that belong in the rehearsal room rather than during an actual concert, these certainly left a bitter taste and I was offended for the band.

Things had gotten better on the following songs, some of which included nice slide-guitar work by Himmelman. He then finally returned to the stage to perform the last number, incorporating improvised words in order to introduce the band. This closed another hour long set that was supposed to touch hearts and bring to life songs that were already personal and powerful on the album, but ended up being a half-baked rehearsal.

Himmelman and The Flying Baby are currently touring America’s east coast together (check out www.the-flying-baby.com for tour dates, including an entire Flying Baby set at the NYC Knitting Factory on June 8th). I hope that Himmelman will avoid turning any other shows into a rehearsal and manage to bring the live dignity his recently recorded work deserves. The Flying Baby are definitely up for it, and even if Himmelman messes up, their own energetic performance is well worth catching!