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Friday, May 23, 2003
"'Blessed Hellride' by Black Label Society"
by
Bill Vogel III
May 22, 2003 A.D.
The mighty Black Label Society has returned. Their 2003 opus, "The Blessed Hellride" [Spitfire Records], is as solid as they come. (...Even if at times it feels a bit mellower than previous efforts.)
Black Label Society is like Pantera's Psychedelic little brother-pissed, powerful, and primal as cold steel. Zakk Wylde's guitar playing is flawless, ranging from heavy, pulverizing blasts of electric fury to dark, acoustic moments of introspective sorrow. His deep, rumbling vocals crown this sonic mayhem perfectly. The rhythms are tight and powerful, and solidly anchor the Black Label Society sound on a good foundation.
Psychedelic Powercore Metal is what Black Label Society does so brilliantly well. The best of these killer cuts includes the visceral "Funeral Bell," "The Blessed Hellride," the melodic intensity of "We Live No More," and the sublime darkness of the ballad "Blackened Waters." Every track oozes blood-drenched grooves; this is amazing stuff.
Ozzy Osbourne does some guest vocals on the song "Stillborn."
In summary, Black Label Society has hammered-out another excellent slab of music. And it is one blessed hell of a ride. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Pantera, Drowning Pool, Kilgore Smudge,
How It Ends, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. War.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 5:29 PM
Thursday, May 22, 2003
"'So Shall It Be' by How It Ends"
by
Bill Vogel III
May 22, 2003 A.D.
This is How It Ends is-brutal Death/Sludgecore genius without a single weakness. Their debut, "So Shall It Be" [Thorp Records], makes Crowbar seem absolutely placid in comparison. How It Ends strikes the aggression vein, and bleeds it dry.
Combining powerful grooves with a visceral intensity, How It Ends adds a new vitality to the Sludgecore slugfest. Razor-sharp, growled vocals burn through massive, sludgy guitar blasts radiating from molten waves of aggression. Rhythms are tight, and as heavy as the Hell.
The best of these killer cuts includes the fiery bombast of "Dying Eyes," "Still Bleeding," "Crippled," the punishing "Hardest Lesson," and the primal beauty of "Empty Nothing Forever." How It Ends takes it to the cataclysm of extremity, and without losing a glimmer of dark glory.
Overall, How It Ends is viciously sublime. Devotees of Extreme Music styles will be well pleased with this one. If this is How It Ends, then finality has never been so sweet. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Crowbar, Pro-Pain, Hatebreed, Hoods,
Hate Theory, Scar Culture, God Forbid,
Acid Bath, Sourvein, Jungle Rot, Rotten
Sound, Dying Fetus, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. War.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 12:25 PM
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