Dear Maelstrom readers,

Greetings and welcome to issue #19 of Maelstrom.nu! This occasion marks the third year anniversary of Steppenvvolf and my (Roberto’s) decision to turn our pet “Worst in Metal Site” pet project into an actual zine.

I didn’t like most music publications I was reading one bit. Not only was the writing and grammar bad, but the reviewers either had no sense or no spine. Everything was highly recommended, “unlike all the crap in the genre,” none of which seemed to be covered, despite the dozens of reviews. Hmmm... It seemed that the point of someone reading a review of a product would be to ascertain whether or not he or she should spend money on acquiring it, no?

So we started our own zine, with honest and well-written reviews, and with interviews that don’t suck. Along the way we’re met some really nice and intelligent people, some of which even joined our staff! I would never have had any idea that Maelstrom would have even grown to the place its at in 2004. But we have so much more to do.

On to the issue at hand. First off, this month’s contest. Thanks to all who made last month’s giveaway of Horse the Band’s R. Borlax a success, and I hope our winners will enjoy their new CDs! This month, we’ve got copies of Cannibal Corpse’s The Wretched Spawn *and* Gorerotted’s Only Tools and Corpses up for grabs. Please see our “this month’s contest” section for details.

Issue #19 brings you 50 album reviews, three interviews (with Anata, Swarm of the Lotus and the Oxbow Documentary) and four live reports (including Iron Maiden and Opeth, plus a fine contribution from former contributor Liam Deely), along with our usual From the Vault feature.

As always, Maelstrom’s staff is a busy and wacky bunch. The Condor is training for a marathon while maintaining his staunch campaign against vegetables, Roberto Martinelli has started his real estate career, signing waivers guaranteeing he won’t sue if he falls through the floor of run-down houses for sale, and Jez Andrews is on an off-shore oil rig in the general vicinity of Nigeria. We swear.

Thanks, everyone, for making Maelstrom such a joy to work on. Before we leave you, please take a minute to read this letter from Scott Jeffreys of Confessor, who have reformed. Some of you old, OLD time death metal fans may remember this band and its single album on Earache records about 14 years ago. I know many people will be happy to hear about this band coming back together. Also, take a look at some of our staff’s best of lists for 2003. A new year for a music zine isn’t much without a best of list, is it?

- Roberto Martinelli

from: scott@reidesignco.com

Dear Maelstrom,

Greetings from the members of Confessor. We just wanted to drop you a quick e-mail to tell you that your web site is awesome and we would love to be a part of it. We go there regularly and were hoping that you might post an update on Confessor and a link to our website. Confessor is officially back together and will be entering the studio in April. We will be performing at The Lincoln Theatre, in Raleigh, NC on March 13th. (Other news is available on our website.) As mentioned before, we would love to be a part of your website and would appreciate any of your support.

Please visit www.confessorband.com

Thanks!!!
Scott Jeffreys

Roberto Martinelli’s top 35 + 2 of 2003 in alphabetical order:

- ABORTED - Goremageddon
- ABORYM - With No Human Intervention
- AKERCOCKE - Choronzon
- AD HOMINEM - Planet Zog - The End
- AGENT STEEL - Order of the Illuminati
- BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - The Silent Circus
- BULLETHOLE - Incarceration
- CANAAN - A Calling to Weakness
- CHARGER - Confessions of a Man (Mad Enough to Live Amongst Beasts)
- CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN - Human Harvest
- DIMENSION ZERO - This is Hell
- DRUDKH - Forgotten Legends
- DYING FETUS - Stop at Nothing
- EIKENSKADEN - The Last Dance
- END - End
- ENSLAVED - Below the Lights
- HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE - The August Engine
- HELLOWEEN - Rabbit Don’t Come Easy
- I.C.E. - I.C.E.
- IMPALED NAZARENE - All that You Fear
- KARJALAN SISSIT - Miserere
- KATATONIA - Viva Emptiness
- KSK - Diminishing Spiritus
- LOST HORIZON - A Flame to the Ground Beneath
- LORD WEIRD SLOUGH FEG, THE - Traveller
- LUGUBRUM - De Totem
- MADDER MORTEM - Deadlands
- MANES - Vilosophe
- MELECHESH - Sphinx
- MIRRORTHRONE - Of Wind and Weeping
- NEPHENZY CHAOS ORDER - Pure Black Disease
- PANZERCHRIST - Room Service
- SOUL DEVOURED - Eleven Deadly Sins
- SUPARED - Supared
- WHILE HEAVEN WEPT - Of Empires Forlorn
- WINDIR - Likferd

Bastiaan de Vries’, in no particular order or state of mind, 35 of many great 2003 albums (in alphabetical order):

- ANATHEMA - A Natural Disaster
- ATRIUM CARCERI - Cellblock
- BEYOND SENSORY EXPERIENCE - Tortuna
- BORIS - Akuma no Uta
- CATASEXUAL URGE MOTIVATION - Nekronicle
- CLITEATER - Clit 'em All
- DAY EVERYTHING BECAME NOTHING, THE - Le Mort
- DRUDKH - Forgotten Legends
- ELEND - Winds Devouring Men
- EMBALMING THEATRE - Sweet Chainsaw Melodies
- ENSLAVED - Below the Lights
- EXHUMED - Anatomy Is Destiny
- GATHERING, THE - Souvenirs
- GOREROTTED - Only Tools and Corpses
- HH9 - Kod
- HOUWITSER - Damage Assessment
- KILL, THE - The Soundtrack to Your Violence
- LITHIVM - From Threshold to Disharmony
- LOST IN TRANSLATION - OST
- M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts
- MANES - Vilosophe
- MELT BANANA - Cell Scape
- MERZBOW - Animal Magnetism
- MERZBOW - Frog Remixed and Revisited
- MOURNING BELOVETH - The Sullen Sulcus
- NARGAROTH - Geliebte Des Regens
- PROPHECY, THE - Ashes
- RAISON D'ETRE - Requiem for Abandoned Souls
- ROMPEPROP - Hellcock's Pornflakes
- SUNN O))) - White 1
- SWALLOW THE SUN - The Morning Never Came
- ULVER - Lyckantropen Themes
- ULVER - 1st Decade in the Machines
- WINDIR - Likferd
- YOUR CELL:YOURSELF - Re-evolve

The Condor’s top 31 faves:

1. SLOW READER - Slow Reader
2. GOLDCARD - Goldcard
3. DARKNESS, THE- Permission to Land
4. EARL SHILTON - Two Rooms (Full Of Insects)
5. DECEMBERISTS - Castaways And Cutouts
6. NEGURA BUNGET - 'N Crug Bradului
7. THERMALS - More Parts Per Million
8. BASINSKI, WILLIAM - The River
9. KOPERNIK - Kopernik
10. ASA-CHANG & JUNRAY - Jun Ray Song Chang
11. STREET = X - Street = X
12. SAULE - Sentimental Journey
13. STEVENS, SUFJAN - Greetings From Michigan, The Great Lakes State
14. DIZZEE RASCAL - Boy In Da Corner
15. MOVING UNITS - Moving Units
16. AD HOMINEM - Planet Zog - The End
17. GOGIRA - The Link
18. HARVEY MILK - The Singles
19. EIKENSKADEN - The Last Danse
20. WOVEN HAND - Blush Music
21. NADA SURF - Let Go
22. THEE ARMPIT - The Praying Mantis
23. ZORN - Menschenfeind
24. ONRY OZZBORN - The Grey Area
25. THOMAS, ANDREW - Fearsome Jewel
26. BANNER, DAVID - Mississippi: The Album
27. BANNER, DAVID - Mississippi: The Screwed And Chopped Album
28. FUNERAL MIST - Salvation
29. NACHTFALKE - Doomed to Die
30. COHEED AND CAMBRIA - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
31. GORGOROTH - Twilight of the Idols

Jez Andrews’ top 10 of 2003 in alphabetical order:

- 1349 - Liberation
- AKERCOCKE - Choronzon
- BATHORY - Nordland I & II
- BLIND GUARDIAN - Live...
- LORDI - Get Heavy
- MARDUK - World Funeral
- NILE - In Their Darkened Shrines
- SKYFORGER - Thunderforge
- SONATA ARCTICA - Winterheart's Guild
- TYPE O NEGATIVE - Life Is Killing Me

Joshua's Top 21 of 2003, in alphabetical order:

(Criteria: records that garnered the most repeated listens.

Non-apology: a few non 2003 releases.

Lament: that it took me three years to discover the PJ Harvey album.

Honourable mentions: too many.

Most essential: William Basinski's "The River", not only one of the best drone records ever, but absolutely instrumental in getting me through one month last summer.)

- ABORYM - With No Human Intervention
- ALCHEMIST - Austral Alien
- BANNER, DAVID - Mississippi: The Album
- BASINSKI, WILLIAM - The River
- CARPATHIAN FOREST - Defending the Throne of Evil
- COLECLOUGH, JONATHAN & HILL, TIM - Beech For John & Miho
- DEADBOY & THE ELEPHANTMEN - If This Is Hell Then I'm Lucky
- DIMMU BORGIR - Death Cult Armageddon
- FREYA - As the East Light Drains
- GAS - Konigs Forst
- GERMANO, LISA - Lullaby For Liquid Pig
- GRIMFIST - Ghouls of Grandeur
- HARVEY, PJ - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
- KILLING JOKE - S/T
- LUNGFISH - Love Is Love
- MINISTRY - Animositisomina
- MISTRESS - The Chronovisor
- NURSE WITH WOUND - Salt Marie Celeste
- POTTER, COLIN - See
- THEMSELVES - The No Music of Aiffs
- ZAO - Parade of Chaos

Abhishek Chatterjee’s top 10 of 2003 in alphabetical order:

- ABORTED - Goremageddon - The Saw & The Carnage Done
- AKERCOCKE - Choronzon
- DISGORGE - Necrholocaust
- DRAWN AND QUARTERED - Extermination Revelry
- GHOUL - Maniaxe
- GORGASM - Masticate to Dominate
- GREENFLY - Hidden Pleasures of a Nonexistent Reality
- PSYCHOTOGEN - The Calculus of Evil
- PSYCROPTIC - The Scepter of the Ancients
- REEK OF SHITS - Bloody Obstetric Technology
- SEPSISM - To Prevail in Disgust