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Friday, December 05, 2003
"'What It Is To Burn' by Finch"
by
Bill Vogel III
December 5, 2003 A.D.
Sometimes I get surprised. One such case, when a large chunk of the meandering masses caught-on to the great band Finch. (After all, eMpTV [MTV] is as mindless as they come. Natural selection, anyone?) Finch's 2003 opus of crushing beauty, "What It Is To Burn" [Drive-Thru Records], takes Melodic Hardcore to the extremes of perfection.
Finch adds some Emo and Pop Punk into the maelstrom-the intensity though is never sacrificed for esthetics. Clean, melodious vocals are sharpened by explosive yells and shrieking growls. Hardcore blasts fluidly fuse with softer passages. Finch is powerful, and addictive....
The best of these amazing cuts includes the anthem "Three Simple Words," the intensely cool "What It Is To Burn," "Grey Matter," "Post Script," "Perfection Through Silence," and the poignant Emo power-ballad "Letters To You." Finch is phenomenal-the angelic balance of sublimity and aggression is pristine momentum.
Overall, Finch is worthy of all of the attention they get. This is one killer band. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Trapt, Alien Ant Farm, Onesidezero,
Pressure 4-5, Element Eighty,
Glasseater, V Shape Mind, Nonpoint, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 6:45 PM
Thursday, December 04, 2003
"'Heretic' by Morbid Angel"
by
Bill Vogel III
December 4, 2003 A.D.
They've done it again. Morbid Angel's 2003 opus, "Heretic" [Earache Records], is their best release since "Covenant." It regains that cold, relentless intensity of their previous cataclysmic efforts. And it is excellent.
The urgent fury of the Morbid Angel sound has remained intact over the years, as they combine many extreme styles. Morbid Angel fuses together elements of Black Metal, Grindcore, Death Metal, and even a little Doom Metal into a furious amalgamation of visceral power. Intense growled vocals spearhead barrages of grinding guitar blasts. Some intricate leads are used as well.
The best of these amazing cuts include the bleak power of "Abyssous," "Memories Of The Past," "Beneath The Hollow," and the rampaging "Curse The Flesh." Morbid Angel is an unleashed storm of wrathful glory.
In summary, Morbid Angel continues to be amazing. (Even with the bizarre tracking on the disc.) This one is sure to obliterate. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Incantation, Hate, Nile, Fog, Usurper,
Belphegor, Acheron, Mental Horror,
Centinex, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 1:02 PM
"Devildriver (Self-Titled)"
by
Bill Vogel III
December 2, 2003 A.D.
Revolution is the catalyst of creativity. Dez, the former lead vocalist for Coal Chamber, has returned with a new band and a new direction. His new project, Devildriver, creates a visceral brand of Deathrash Metal that absolutely destroys. Their 2003 self-titled debut, out on Roadrunner Records, takes no prisoners. It's full-on and ferocious.
Devildriver hammers away with crazed guitar frenzy-the grooves are more subtle than smashing. Dez's patented shrill growl pierces the frenetic onslaught, adding a violent burst of fury. It's a riotous display of sheer, primal power.
Songs of note include the fractious "I Could Care Less," "Die And Die Me," "Meet The Wretched," the blasting "I Dreamed I Died," "Knee Deep," and "Swinging The Dead." Devildriver is as relentless as hell.
Overall, Devildriver is killer. And this is ferocity! Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Superjoint Ritual, Hedfirst, Darkane,
Usurper, Sepultura, Sepsism, Carnal
Forge, Eucharist, Incubus Rage, Sadus,
Diabolic, Death, Obituary, Deicide,
Malevolent Creation, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 10:21 AM
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
"'A Darker Monument' by Aeturnus"
by
Bill Vogel III
December 2, 2003 A.D.
A darkened glory shines in the abysmal Aeturnus, whose power is epic, pristine, and brutal. Their 2003 opus of hellish brilliance, "A Darker Monument" [Lumber Jack/Candlelight/Nocturnal Art Productions], is as bleak as it is beautiful. Aeturnus masterfully creates Epic/Dark Death Metal that is flawless and ferocious.
Combining elements of Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, and Dark Death Metal, Aeturnus welds together a stunning masterpiece of sublime brutality. Shrieks crown utter, growled vocals. Frenzied blasts sharpen expansive, dark grooves of guitar density. Aeturnus goes for the throat and kills....
The best of these wickedly cool, bloodthirsty cuts includes the abyss radiance of "Darkstorm," "Litany Of Ra," the crushing power of "Genocide Delight," "Slavestate," and "Seen Through Abhorrent Eyes." Every song is impressive though. Aeturnus is gloriously savage-a true wonder of cataclysmic excellence.
In conclusion, Aeturnus is an amazing Epic/Dark Death Metal act worthy of much praise. "A Darker Monument" is a stunning accomplishment. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Cult Of Luna, Gardenian, Carcass, Salem,
Hypocrisy, Hedfirst, Vader, Decapitated,
Single Bullet Theory, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 1:49 PM
"'Dopesmoker' by Sleep"
by
Bill Vogel III
November 25, 2003 A.D.
It could be said that the band Sleep is keeping the Sabbath dream alive. Pure Psychedelic Doom Metal is what Sleep is all about-trippy, heavy, and groove-bleeding power that smashes bones in a slow, swirling stomp. Their 2003 opus, titled "Dopesmoker" [Teepee Records], is massively cool.
Strange as this may sound, this release has only two songs. But the expansive title-track is over an hour long. A detuned ocean of surreal power, it smashes with a slow, crushing intensity. Clean, woeful howls linger through the dense dread of electric gloom.
The second cut, "Sonic Titan," is a much shorter, live cut that continues in the same vein. Both tracks are killer, without a doubt. Sleep is true blue, cosmic Doom.
Overall, Sleep has a quality that is truly epic. ...And it will make them legendary for ages to come. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Black Sabbath, Raging Slab, Jimi
Hendrix, Orodruin, Sally, Penance,
Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet,
Queens Of The Stone Age, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION.
Copyright 2003.
Courtesy of Stranger Aeons Magazine.
W.B. Vogel III 9:32 AM
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