Black Sword Thunder Attack-In Hell's Reign

Self-Release/Independent Release

2011

Yes, this is a 2011 release. So what? This three-piece band hail from Greece (Kalambaka, Thessaly to be exact) and seem to have more than a few fans singing their praises. Honestly, without my friends over at Strapp's site a band like Black Sword Thunder Attack (who incidentally win my award for "Most Metal Name Of The Year" for 2011 and, so far, for 2012 ) would just get lost in the day to day shuffle of life. That would be a shame as their take of epic /traditional heavy metal is just down right cool. While there was another tape, "Promo 02", which looks as if it included only one track, this 2011 demo looks to be it for these guys. For the record the band is made up of vocalist Stelios, guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Christos and drummer Marios and they have a serious love affair going on with early eighties metal. Someone mentioned Warlord and that was all I needed to check out this demo and I am thankful I did. Maybe there is some Merciful Fate to be found in the murky mix as well? Hard to say for sure. Do I wish there was more? That is the understatement of the year. My computer's counter says 12:04 by the time these four tracks wrap up and that my friends is a blatant tease. This stuff is fantastic in an underground metal sort of way. 12 mintues is hardly enough time when your enjoying some great Greece heavy metal. Find out more at the link below.

http://strappadometalblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/black-sword-thunder-attak-in-hells.html

Sacred Gate-When Eternity Ends

Metal On Metal Records

2012

Sacred Gate sound as if they fell through a time-warp. Really this is another eighties heavy metal band right? "When Eternity Ends" sure sounds as if it was an eighties traditional heavy metal release. It has all those familiar bells and whistles. Truth is this band, which hails from Mönchengladbach, West Germany was formed in 2008 by Nicko Nikolaidis (guitars), Jim Over (vocals) and Holger Zimmermann (drums). But, there is a little bit of back story to the band. They began life as Made Of Iron in 1999. Now, had that name not been enough of a hint as to what these guys were all about (think about it folks) them I'm not sure what more proof you would need about their biggest influence. Made Of Iron was Iron Maiden cover band that eventually began writing their own material. After a set of demos Anger Of Metal Records came along and released their 7” EP "Made Of Iron". After releasing their self-titled debut album in 2004 (on the Greek label Sonic Age Records) the band split up. A few years past before Sacred Gate was formed. In 2011 the band released their self-produced EP "Creators Of The Downfall". Fast forward a little and Metal On Metal comes along to sign the band and we have "When Eternity Ends". Now, seeing as the band started out as an Iron Maiden tribute/cover band it should be fairly obvious that Iron Maiden is a good starting point as far as references go. But, other eighties acts pop up as well. I suspect that for familiarity sake we should offer up the more well known names of the era like Judas Priest, Dio, Accept, Saxon, Angel Witch and Blitzkrieg. That is as good a place to get started as any. For a band that went from playing Iron Maiden covers to writing their own original material Sacred Gate has done well for themselves. "When Eternity Ends" reeks of traditional heavy metal/N.W.O.B.H.M. worship and I mean that in a good way. Since everything old is new again and this sort of heavy metal is all the rage again with fans and critics alike Sacred Gate look like a stud act in the making. There is a small chance they might get swallowed up in the mass of similar acts out there, but they do have enough of an original streak going to possibly step out in front. This is another "young" act that has all the tools needed to break out. I suspect another album or two is needed for that to happen, but this is a fine place to start and I will always encourage my fellow heavy metal to check out bands like this.

French Metal Friday: Stallion

Stallion were a French heavy metal act that was formed in 1983 by bassist William Fort and guitarist Laurent Cintrat. After adding vocalist Draggy (yes, that really is his name!) Madjtorevic the band would have to wait over a year for the right drummer to come along. Eventually drummer Joe Steinmann (who would go on to play with Hardpege, Big Ben and Renaud Hantson's post-Satan Jokers band Furious Zoo) was hired and, after the band also added second guitarist Pascal Fauquet, Stallion was finally let out of the stables. Alright, sorry about that horrific pun but the truth is that Stallion, with a proper line-up in place, went on to record three demos between 1985 - 1989. On the band's 3rd demo Draggy Madjtorevic would be replaced by Joe Berete. In 1987 the band's song "In Search Of Power" would be featured on the compilation album "Just'in Power". As the band was unwilling to sing in French (as was the custom for most French hard rock and heavy metal bands of the day) they were unable to secure a record contract. By 1989 it appears the ride was over and other than drummer Joe Steinmann it appears as if the band members just disappeared. More information on the band is hard to come by and in fact, if not for selflessness of Metalfranc (who shared their music a long time back on Strappado's site and also gave me what little information he had on the band), chances are slim that I would ever have had a chance to hear them. Musically the band's sound fell somewhere between hard rock/heavy metal (or hard n' heavy if you will) and power metal. Not the European-style of power metal, but rather the more American version with more of a raw and unpolished (in a good way!) vibe. What I like most about these guys though is the variety between their songs. Some took on a N.W.O.B.H.M. style like early Def Leppard (before they released their debut album) while other tracks had a very distinct Iron Maiden meets American traditional/power heavy metal (Lizzy Borden/Omen/Leatherwolf) homage. Their style of metal offered plenty of variety for the heavy metal listener and, again stating the obvious, they should have received serious label attention. But, again the band was done in (like many other's from France at the same time) because they choose to sing in English. From the sounds of things there was far too many bands that had the same problem in the eighties in France. Then again there were plenty of bands here in the states that couldn't get a record contract despite being excellent as well. I can't begin to tell you how many times I remember seeing opening bands that blew away the headlining acts back in the eighties as far as skill and overall talent went. And yet they never made it past the demo stage either. Stallion deserve a second chance so perhaps some much needed recognition will help. Their demos would really do well if re-issued in a nice CD package with photos, bio, etc. With so many underground/cult demo acts getting attention that way Stallion are a prime choice as there songs were hard hitting, hook-filled and catchy.

Current playlist

Here you go....

Andy-

Listening to:
Attila-Rolling Thunder
Phantom-Dead Or Alive
Vanadium-A Race With the Devil/Metal Rock
Upper Echelon-Surface Tension
Runestaff-Runestaff
Waxwing-Appetizer
Inherent Sin-Children Of the Night
Zadok-The Sign
Rex Begonia-Rex Begonia
Ironhawk-To The Point

Watching:
Old Dr. Who


Reading:
Killing Lincoln

Metal Mark-

Listening-
Iron Maiden-Somewhere in time
Cardinal Sin-Resurrection
The Hangmen-East of western
Hibria-The skull collectors
Juliet's Vice-s/t
The Misfits-Boxed set
New Bomb Turks- Destroy-oh-boy!
Possesser-City built of skulls
Holocross-s/t
Dr. Know-The unknown

Watching-
Third rock from the sun season three

Reading-
They never came back

***What are you listening to, watching and/or reading?

Lita Ford-Living like a runaway

SPV/Steamhammer
2012

The last time Lita Ford did an album was in 2009 with Wicked Wonderland. That album was a huge departure from anything she had previously done however it was overall a total mess with her sounding completely uncomfortable and totally unconvincing. When I heard another album was coming my thoughts were that she would get back to doing more of a rock album probably similar to her late 80's-early 90's albums. Was I right? Not exactly. To be honest I think the last good thing Lita Ford did was "Dancin' on the edge" in 1984. Even though 1988's "Lita" made her a radio darling and earned her some money, it was still a watered down hard rock album that records that followed were even fluffier. The new album seems to have two types of songs-those that tired, worn out material like the title track and those that sound like half hearted attempts at modern hard rock like the lifeless "Relentless" and the almost promising but eventually tedious "Hate". She sounds better on the slower songs because on the medium tracks her voice begins to sound flat like she is struggling to keep going for the whole duration of the song. I think the best song on this album is "Devil in my head". It's a actually a good combination of a semi-modern sound with a strong riff and decent vocals. It's a shame there wasn't more of that kind connection on this album. It's a better attempt at doing something worthwhile than Wicked Wonderland  was, but the results are only slightly improved.

Gaskin-Edge Of Madness

High Roller Records
2012

Raise your hands if the first Gaskin number you ever heard was "I'm no Fool". Same here. Raise your hand if you then rushed out to pick up more Gaskin only to be disappointed to discover that the band's other material was not the same. Again, same here. Gaskin was more of a blues-based hard rock outfit then the "I'm no Fool" single let on. While I was at first let down by this notion there music did grow on me over time. That said there has always been this one issue for me when it comes to this N.W.O.B.H.M. band and that is how hot and cold they would run. On 1981's "End of the World" and 1982's "No Way Out" it seemed as if the band would either knock it out of the part or hit foul after foul. While the number "I'm no Fool" (which gave Lars Ulrich a serious....) is the one number the band will most likely allows be remembered for that isn't to say Gaskin does not offer plenty on their older material or for that matter on "Edge Of Madness".
The fact is this is a pretty strong album all in all. Now, it looks as if two tracks were already released on the 2012 EP, "The Contract", those being the title cut, "The Contract", "Bedlam" and "Man's World". It is interesting to note that originally Gaskin recorded 16 tracks in the studio for this album, but due to the time restrictions of vinyl and CD only 10 tracks were chosen for “Edge of Madness”. Knowing that it does seem odd that they choose to included the three cuts from the EP. Especially as the instrumental rocker "For absent Friends" and a "couple of simple head banging tracks" were left off. As Paul Gaskin (vocals, guitars, keyboards) himself says "It’s a shame about the instrumental, as I think it contains my best ever recorded solo. Who knows when they will appear? We could use them on the next album, or maybe release some singles in the future. We really don’t know at this point." Oh well what can be said? Getting back to this release though (the fourth full-length Gaskin album) and after the intro "Just Before Dawn" the track "Damnation" kicks in. According to the promo material this is an older number and, as such, it does have a rather distinct early eighties British metal feel to it and that is frankly cool. As an opener (supposedly it is a set opening to which makes sense) it is works as it sets the album off on the right foot. "Heart like Thunder" is another good hard rock number and as the promo itself mentions to sound's a lot like "early 1980's Rainbow". Now, since Paul Gaskin himself has such a good range the cut "Man's World" works really well. Nik Turner of Hawkwind plays saxophone on the song and before you run off screaming let me just say that, even as a somewhat AOR number, it actually works. "Man's World" does seem like an odd number when stacked next to some of the heavier material like "The Contract". Moving on and, just like on their earlier material, number's like "Wake Up Dead" do leave you wanting a bit more. I understand that Gaskin pulls from so many different influences from British metal like Diamond Head to AOR like Journey, but this song just fizzles. For every good song ("Bedlam") there is one I could take or leave ("Lost & Lonely"). The album does have another intro cut, "Te Amavi", which shows off Paul Gaskin's guitar skills. He is certainly one of the most underrated guitarists of the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement that is for sure. Overall "Edge Of Madness" is a good album and a release I can recommend. Just be forewarned that not every song is an absolute winner. For a band that never got their proper due the first time around this album does present strong material and is a good hard rock/blues rock/British metal affair. I just wish that every cut was as strong as "The Contract" or "Damnation". If that was the case this album would be an absolute stone cold killer.

Forgotten Gems-Cardinal Sin-Resurrection

 

Back in the olden days bands used to record demos on cassettes (little plastic cases with things that looked ribbon). These bands would give out or sell their demos to get attention from labels and fans. Bands still record demos of course, but these days it's quicker and easier to get their music out to people. Anyways bands would frequently send their demo tapes to magazines (yes, print like with pages) in hopes of getting a good review. Well around 1989 or 1990 I read a review in a metal magazine (don't remember which one) and it was a thrash band called Cardinal Sin. The review was positive and I could obtain a copy of their Infanticide demo for three bucks so I sent away to the band to get it. The tape arrived in the mail (depends on a person driving a little vehicle that on occasion puts the right package/letter into your mailbox) and I gave it a listen. This band began in their native Puerto Rico, but had relocated to the Boston area. Yet their sound was pure Bay area thrash along the lines of earlier Testament, Forbidden and others. That was during the peak of thrash so having that sound wasn't unusual, but these guys went beyond the typical plunge ahead style and mixed in some sharp tempo changes while managing to be heavy all the way through. I was hooked on it right away and played it frequently. To me these guys were ahead of the curve and I figured they were sure to get signed even though Boston wasn't the thrash hot spot that some other cities were. A few months later I read in a magazine that indeed they had signed with Maze records. Maze records had also signed another band whose demo I had heard around the same time. The band was Biohazard and their demo stunk, yes I said it. Unfortunately for Cardinal Sin their short lived label Maze records sunk so much money into Biohazard's debut that the label ended up going under. So Cardinal Sin were left without a label. Eventually they got out another demo, it's a bit more basic than the first but still pretty potent. However the window of opportunity had closed for them, the change in musical climates of the early 90's probably had much to do with that and pretty soon the band folded. Fast forward about ten years or so to 2004. I was looking at items for a sale from  an eBay seller and saw an album by Cardinal Sin as I recognized the logo from the demo. How could this be? I thought they didn't get to release their album and they broke up. Well the seller quick answered that question because in the item description it said that this was their two demos plus more. I quickly ordered it. So this album was done by Khaosmaster records. It includes the two demos which both sound very good even now. The bonus tracks begin with Pinnacle of ignorance which is a demo track. It's of similar style and quality to their other material. Unfortunately the other three bonus tracks are live songs, at least that's what is says on the case. They are total noise and it sounds like they were recorded by a microphone that was covered by a blanket and placed outside a closed door of whatever club they were playing it. Oh, well at least the demos were released with one good bonus track. Also the  booklet includes lyrics, a band history and comments on Cardinal Sin from members of others bands. All in all a great package that I am surprised got released, but I'm glad it did.

Skelator-Agents Of Power

Metal On Metal Records/RAW Metal
2012

Awhile back I covered Skelator's "Death To All Nations" in a Forgotten Gems article (link below) so imagine my surprise when I got an e-mail from Metal On Metal Records toting the band's third full-length album. I quickly sent off a request for promo materials (this and several other albums on the label I hope to review) and let me just say that I was not disappointed. My only minor complaint with this promo is (and I can understand why they do this is a day and age of extreme digital piracy) how often you keep hearing "you are listening to Skelator the king of fear Metal On Metal Records.com". That does take away some of the impact of an otherwise enjoyable listening experience. Obviously that is just for press copies so I wouldn't lose sleep yet Skelator fans. Now, the big selling point here is aimed towards Michael Moorcock fans: “Elric: The Dragon Prince”, a 40 minutes epic in 12 parts. My guess is most people will not know who Elric of Melniboné is anyway so what does it matter? If your curious just do a Google search and you'll find out for yourself. It's a concept album and truth be told Skelator are not the first band to tackle the subject matter and they probably won't be the last. What matters most to most people (including me) is the meat of the matter. How is the sound? Is it a step-forward from their last album? Yes, although the two albums are also so very different. This being a concept album there is a certain feel to the album in the way it flows. While the last album just assaulted you with hard-hitting old-school metal this newest one follows it's own game plan and seems a tad more focused on the job at hand. There is still plenty of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Dio worship going on. Obviously other bands in the same ballpark would be Virgin Steele, Hellstar, Metal Church, Sacred Steel and to a lesser extent Manilla Road. With Skelator though the band doesn't just repeat all the same the same notes, in different order, like far too many newer traditional/U.S. power metal bands. No, these guys seem well-suited at crafting epic metal without any of the added flair that often times drags down modern metal revivalists. More importantly they seem to be making more of a move towards an individual sound with album number three. Slowly the band is carving out their own unique sound and I'd suspect that by album number four the comparisons will be less and less and Skelator will just sound like....well, Skelator.










http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Forgotten+Gems%3A+Skelator-Death+To+All+Nations+

Generation Of Vipers-Howl and Filth

Translation Loss Records
2012

Knoxville, TN three-piece Generation Of Vipers is made up of members of U.S. Christmas and A Storm of Light. According to their Myspace bio the band was formed in April of 2004 and solidified a permanent line-up in September of 2004. They hit the scene (playing out live that is)in the early months of 2005 and issued their self-released album "Grace" the same year. In 2007 the band released "Dead Circle" and now we have their new album, "Howl and Filth", which is made up of 6 tracks of various lengths. This is also the band's Translation Loss debut and it was recorded and mixed by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios in Salem. Since their own bio also mentions that they have been referred to by some as "Dark Metal", "Dark Rock", "Post-Metal", "Ambient Sludge" and a psychedelic version of Crowbar that seems like a good place to start. The music itself borrows themes often heard in all of the above "genres" while it also seems to have come from a place that some of us used to just call "alternative metal". Where was that place? Well, the map itself was lost back in the eighties or nineties so if someone was to go looking for it I suspect they would have a hard time locating it. Of course it's an easy enough cop-out to just throw some generic label on Generation Of Vipers, but honestly they have an old familiar sound that still retains enough originality as to avoid throwing out obvious band names. While I'm being fairly cryptic on the music, other than to say it is ambient and dark, the vocals used here are almost death metal in nature. So, while the music is more dark sludge rock/metal with psychedelic doom elements (how's that for a description?) the vocals are harsh and punishing like old-school death metal. That makes "Howl and Filth" all the more menacing and worthwhile.

NWOBHM WEDNESDAY: SPIDER

The year was 1976 and the place was Liverpool, England. Four young men (two of whom were brothers) decided to form a band even though, supposedly, not one of them had ever played in a actual band before. In addition to the two brothers (Robbie & Brian Burrows - drums and bass respectively) the band would feature guitarist/vocalist Dave Bryce (Sniffa) and vocalist/guitarist Colin Harkness. All totaled Spider would release three albums including 1982's excellent "Rock ‘n’ Roll Gypsies", 1984's "Rough Justice" and 1986's "Raise the Banner (For Rock 'n' Roll)" before calling it a day in 1986. Of course the band also released more singles then you can throw a stick at. Or so it seems as I'm listening to the band's "Singles Collection 1976 - 1986". Starting off with the band's first single, 1977's "Back to the Wall" and moving forward it's interesting to see the band's growth. For those who don't know the band was often dubbed a poor man's Status Quo and sure enough this early single showcases a down and dirty boogie style. While Status Quo is a matter of interpretation here, and I surely wouldn't disagree with that assesment, I'd also suggest band's like Eddie And The Hot Rods as a point of reference. Seeing the band play full-tilt boogie style rock, which is certainly on the fringe of the movement admittedly, and then transforming into something with a bit more...well, backbone is interesting. Not that album's like "Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies" completely abandon the boogie. Rather they give it a good kick in the pants. The music on 1982's "Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies" offers more of a familiar NWOBHM sound with louder guitars and an unashamed "let's just have fun with this guys" attitude. It certainly would never be confused with Saxon, Tank or Iron Maiden and yet, even as it is stripped down rock and roll at it's purest, if we are to be honest it deserves every bit the attention these other bands got just because it is so much fun. In the end, despite countless gigs and single after single, the band simply called it quites. None of the members managed to stick around in the field of music really if truth is to be told. Even now some will no doubt cast snide remarks about whether or not Spider were really a NWOBHM band as they were more rock then metal. But, from their early days on the boys just wanted to have fun and play music that was no-frills, rock and roll with the same sort of D.I.Y. attitude that made the genre so sweet to begin with!

Sardonis II out soon

I don't normally post press releases, but I'll post this one because I am a fan of theirs and they asked nicely. Here you go...

 

SardoniS - 'II' out soon.

Belgian two man army SardoniS signs with Hammerheart for the release of its second album. The new album - aptly titled 'II' - offers 7 hammers of instrumental heaviness in the brutal, grooving tradition of the band but is more uptempo, divers and more metal than the debut. 'II' will be available on CD, limited LP and digital download on June 18th 2012.

You can pre-order now through http://sardonis.bigcartel.com

On tour in June;

11/06 London (w/ Acid King + Saint Vitus)

12/06 Manchester (w/ Acid King + Saint Vitus)

13/06 Bristol (w/ Acid King + Saint Vitus)

14/06 Arnhem (w/ Acid King)

15/06 Luik (w/ Acid King)

More info via www.sardonis666.be

 

Ugly Kid Joe-Stairway To Hell

UKJ Records
2012

Metal Mark and I have differing opinions when it comes to Ugly Kid Joe. While he tends to write them off completely I prefer to look at them as pop metal's dirty white trash neighbor. In an era when big hair and make-up were the norm for men (really?) along came this punk/funk hard rock band that listen Black Sabbath as an influence. Sure, the joke was old as soon as it started and there wasn't much to back up the band's humor. At best they were decent with some songs better than others. On "Stairway To Hell" (clever title boys...) it seems to be more of the same. Or is it? First things first though. The EP will come out on July 9 as a physical release, but digital copies are found on Amazon and Itunes. As well it is being streamed (link below) at Sleaze Roxx which is what I am listening to right now. Now, this is the band’s first release since they called it a day back in 1997. Of the six tracks present there was only one "Love Ain’t True" (which features guest appearances by Angelo Moore and Dirty Walt of Fishbone) that I had heard before and it left me feeling so-so. Well, that track did which you can read below as. Anyway, the other five numbers fans will probably love. It sounds like the old band only with a slightly modern edge. Of the cuts it was "No One Survives" that stood out to me and that was only because it reminded me of Whitfield Crane's short-lived band Medicine. Otherwise the cuts are not bad, but they don't really stick out to much either. Maybe with a few more listens I might be able to hear something to get excited about. Maybe...

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Ugly+Kid+Joe-+%22Love+Ain%27t+True%22+Single+

http://www.sleazeroxx.com/news/01349.shtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sleazeroxx+%28Sleaze+Roxx+News+Headlines%29

Bible of the devil-For the love of thugs and fools

Cruz Del Sur
2012

So here's the latest from Bible of the devil. We know from their past work that we'll likely get some stoner/classic style metal with influences from Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and NWOBHM bands.  "For the love of thugs and fools" falls into that formula more or less. That's not a bad formula to subscribe to and it has worked for them well enough in the past. The thing is this time around we get an album almost of of halves as far as quality. "Sexual overture/While you were away" kicks it off with the first half being an alright introduction and the second part is a just slightly better but rather typical stomping kind of track. "Out for blood" steps the tempo up a bit and sounds kind of like Zoetrope only more basic and with less spectacular drumming. "Raw and order" is a mid-paced hard rocker that benefits from decent solos. "The Parcher" attempts to be steady, but begins and ends the same-mundane. "I know what is right  (in the night)" has a bit more punch, but all too often feels like the band is holding back in places. "Anytime" and finally they get into their mandatory Thin Lizzy style song, nothing wrong with that because they excel and they mix some other parts in with it as well. "Can't turn off the sun" reminds me of early Dio at first, but ventures off into an anthem and they hold it together pretty well. Woo-who "Yer Boy" is up next and it's more Thin Lizzy inspired rock that they handle so well. The closer "Night Street" has a NWOBHM flavor and it's nothing new or spectacular, but it's very tight and pumps along nicely. This was an uneven album although it eventually leans over to the positive side a little more.

Hard to believe it's just a few weeks away from being the middle of the year. Seems like 2012 just because. I always a approach a year hoping that everyone has a good or great album. Seriously, I hope everyone hits it out of the park because I don't want to waste my time hearing junk. Fortunately it's been a mostly good year for music so far. Some surprises and some consistent bands continued to put out solid releases. I won't go into details about my favorites so far because...
A-there are still a few more weeks left before the mid-year point so more good albums could come out.
B-I'd like to do a post just on my favorites of the first half of the year about a month from now.

I also like to do a mid-way list that way when the end of the year comes around I'm not scrambled to figure out my favorite albums of the year all at once. The half-way list gives me a head start on the end of the year list.
So here's hoping more fine releases assault out ears in the rest of 2012 and I'll work on a best albums of the year so far to have out the end of next month.

Fear Factory-The Industrialist

Candlelight
2012

"The Industrialist" (due out June 5th in American and set to be released in three formats – standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book with two additional songs and 180-gram double vinyl) is the second release to be written by vocalist Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven year split. It also finds the band once again working with producer Rhys Fulber who also brought his keyboard skills to the record.It was mixed by Greg Reely (Paradise Lost/Skinny Puppy/Machine Head), with additional tracking done by Logan Mader (Gojira/Divine Heresy) and is a conceptual record based around a story written by vocalist Burton C. Bell. Formed back in 1989, and originally going by both the names Ulceration and Fear the Factory before it was decided to stay with the shorter Fear Factory, this L.A. band started out with more of a grindcore/death metal sound before transforming themselves into the Ministry/Godflesh industrial metal vibe that they would become known for. On their new album Fear Factory follow the blueprints fairly closely as set by 2010's "Mechanize". The only difference between releases seems to be John Sankey who replaces Gene Hogan. Obviously no one can really "replace" Gene Hogan so the best you can hope for is a suitable replacement. Sankey does a decent enough job, but Hogan is missed. Otherwise Fear Factory sounds like Fear Factory here and listening to this album offers no real complaints. If your into the band you know what is in store by this time so this new album should hold no surprises. If your new to the band then I would probably start with their landmark album, "Soul Of A New Machine", and work your way up. Other then some disappointing years in between that album ("Digimortal" is still a head scratcher to many including me) and this release the band has managed to release more good albums then bad. "The Industrialist" isn't a groundbreaking release by any stretch of the imagination, but it knows what it wants to be and it pushes itself as much to the limit as Cazares and Bell can muster after all these years.

Delain-We Are The Others

Sensory Records
2012

For those of you not familiar with the Dutch band Delain they were formed in 2002 by former Within Temptation keyboardist Martijn Westerholt and former To Elysium/Infernorama vocalist Charlotte Wessels. Now, it should be a no-brainer that in the hands of ex-Within Temptation member Martijn Westerholt the keyboard is used in such a majestic fashion that it reaches it's full capacity with ease. Saying they are lush arrangements would be a gross understatement. They are simply stunning. Equally stunning (talent wise although she is easy on the eyes as well) is vocalist Charlotte Wessels. As she has been trained in both jazz singing and classical singing she adds an unreal beauty to Delain that, while not too surprising given her skill-set, is as epic as it is charming. Usually symphonic metal bands are hit or miss for me. While the skill and beauty can be present there must also be an urgent sense of addictive appeal if I am to be kept interested. Delain seems to understand that concept well as on the band's third album the music seems to have been crafted in such a way as to maximize the appeal of symphonic metal. At that end the band enlisted a huge production team for the recording, including Jacob Hellner (Rammstein, Apocalyptica), Fredrik Thomander and Anders Wikstrom (Scorpions, Backyard Babies). This seems to have made all the difference as the extra elements (goth, alternative rock, traditional heavy metal,etc) that creep in, while not obvious upon first listen, bring out a variety of different feelings. Even the addition of Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell (as a guest on the album) seems aimed at making the album as varied as possible while still retaining the band's familiar sound and appeal. Joining Charlotte Wessels and Martijn Westerholt is bassist Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (ex-Detonation) guitarist Timo Somers (ex-Vengeance) and drummer Sander Zoer (ex-Nemesea) and the band, as a whole, emerge at the end of "We Are The Ones" strong and triumphant. Delain's third full-length studio effort is great from start to finish and a sign that the group is on the right track.

Circus Maximus-Nine

Frontiers Records
2012

I'm not sure about you, but I hate it when a record teases you with it's opening (with samples or softer instrumentation) and you expect it to explode out of the gate with something truly HEAVY and then.....nothing. Well, not quite nothing but it is more like a little "poof" then a big explosion of heavy metal fury and RAGE. They could be forgiven if they didn't throw out something like this: "offering the most melodic and at the same time heaviest moments of their repertoire". If this is the heaviest moment of their repertoire then I'd hate to see their softer moments. Would it put you to sleep? Maybe I'm being too mean here, but when your second track is over 10 minutes long and your still wondering when the band is really going to take off well, with great boasts comes great responsibilities! This album might offer mature song-writing, but in the end none of it every catches on. It's classy enough and will surely please those who love a lot of pose and polish, but what it really comes down to is you have an album that elicits very little in the way of excitement. In the end it was just another album to get through which, while technically all shiny and bright, left me feeling rather ho-hum.

Weekly Playlist

With Metal Mark tied up with work and outdoor activities I decided to simply post my own lists.


Listening to:
Rogue Male-First Visit
Leather Nunn - Take the Night
The Best Of Indie Metal-Various Artists
Desolation Angel-Same + While The Flame Still Burns Demo Sessions
Impulse-Gladiator
Riggs-Riggs
Hardware-Heavy Nights
Angel Witch-As Above So Below
Breathless-Breathless
Stallion-Various Demos
ATC-Cut In Ice
Heir Apparent - Graceful Inheritance

Watching:
The Wolf Man-The Legacy Collection
Escape From L.A.
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
MS3TK (various episodes)
Night Of The Creeps
Sherlock Holmes (1939 film series)
Forbidden World
Alien 3

Reading:
The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes

What are you listening to?