Originally published in ‘zine issue #11, 1994
Abyss The Second Birth
Groovin’ Japanese metallic HC that sounds a lot like the Accused at times. The vocals are a little weak, which may be a result of the production, but this is a strong demo worth your attention. (Japan)
(by R. Mason) ■
Accursed Satanic Ritual
Well, they put Satan on the thanks list, so they gotta be a true black metal band. Actually, the music is pretty convincing—unfortunately, these guys are so caught up in some cheesy fucking image, it’s hard to take any of it seriously. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Anal Cunt Everyone Should Be KILLED
(Earache)
Here’s a 58-track album of noise from Boston. I liked the band better when it didn’t have any actual songs that it could play. And it gets old after a while.
(by Editor) ■
Autopsy Severed Survival/Retribution for the Dead
(Peaceville/Futurist)
Containing the first LP (with the 2nd version packaging: different cover; lyrics) and the first 12”, this will be nice for those who have neither. Both are classics of the sludge death metal scene.
The Californian band is working on its fourth album, called Shitfun, after which (sob) it will break up on good terms. I’m mortified! Hand me the razor! But wait—the drummer and one of the guitarists will start a new band called The Aborted. Oh well, at least there will be one more Autopsy album.
(by Editor) ■
Beastie Boys Some Old Bullshit
(Capitol/Grand Royale)
Those of you who never heard them when they were a hardcore band might be in for a surprise. Raunchy old-school stuff with funny lyrics (this hasn’t changed). This is a collection of their 7”es and goods from way back in the day.
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Beats the Hell Out of Me Beats the Hell Out of Me
(Metal Blade Records)
Sounds kinda like a half-assed Rollins Band with an occasional Helmet groove part. I’m sure they’re a good live band, and this record shows a lot of potential. It’s certainly worth picking up if you like groovy, riff-oriented metal.
(by R. Mason) ■
Black Train Jack You’re Not Alone
(Roadrunner)
Not always melodic like the last album, but still nice and catchy punkish hardcore kinda stuff. The band is still delivering the goods. This has more of an authentic New Yorkish quality to it, too.
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Buzzov•en Sore
(Roadrunner)
After the so-so intro, the first song finally kicked in, and it’s OK, man! Obnoxious mid-paced groove metal with industrial-isms thrown in (yeah, it sounds like a lot of other reviews, I know, but give ‘em a listen). The vocals sometimes remind me of O.L.D. A trip.
(by Editor) ■
Cannibal Corpse The Bleeding
(Metal Blade)
Whoa nellie! This rocks so much. God, I can’t believe some death metal people don’t like these guys. Cannibal Corpse has still got it goin’ on in the musical department: plummeting bass-heavy death metal that’s way fast, too. Great stuff, really!
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Catacomb The Return of the Ark
(Sacra Sindone Records)
Slow, brooding Italian death metal with hints of At the Gates apparent at times. This is good, but it kind of depressed the living fuck out of me. It’s well-produced, the packaging’s nice, and if you like atmospheric doom you’ll love this. $6. (Italy)
(by R. Mason) ■
Conspiracy Of Silence
Pure fuckin’ hardcore, muthafuckas! A cross between SOIA and Cro-Mags, with better musicianship and more interesting song structures. The singer sounds exactly like the guy from Sheer Terror, too. Buy it, ya moolies! (Germany)
(by R. Mason) ■
Dawn The Darkness Within
This sounds like Florida bands in places, and at times more derivative of the Swedish sound with some blast parts thrown in. If this is any indication of what the band’s capable of, I’m expecting a killer LP soon! And I’d trade my left arm for just one night with their drummer! $6 Europe, $7 elsewhere. (Germany)
(by R. Mason) ■
Desperate Corruption Unholy Hallucination
This demo has a strong FL death metal influence, along with hints of Suffocation. The musicianship is strong, the vocals kill, and this band should be signed to Nuclear Blast by the time you read this. Killer! (Japan)
(by R. Mason) ■
Desperate Corruption Deadly Spawn
Boy, I love [Japanese hardcore]. Here’s some pretty intense death metal with speed- and downpicking. It’s fast and furious with some blast parts. Great sound as well. Super! Order today! $6. (Japan)
(by Editor) ■
Detestor Dark Reality
Very proficient techno-thrash from Italy, with superb production and packaging. This occasionally reminds me of Sadist and perhaps Watchtower at times as well. The songs are very catchy, the riffs kill, and the vocals are sick. Plus, the tape is purple plastic! Buy! (Italy)
(by R. Mason) ■
Die Monster Die Withdrawal Method
(Roadrunner)
Well, this band gets points just for having a song titled “Vagina Detenta.” Die Monster Die is basically the drug-free version of Alice Donut. Not quite as fun, but almost as good.
(by R. Mason) ■
Dischange Seeing, Feeling, Bleeding
(Nuclear Blast America)
Yet another in the Dis-prefix category. There’s nothing to distinguish these morons from the original Discharge or any of its imitators. Pick up Hear Nothing, Say Nothing, See Nothing if you want the real shit.
(by R. Mason) ■
Dog Eat Dog All Boro Kings
(Roadrunner)
Chunky, funk-laden pseudo-rap metal stuff. Cool, ‘cause they got horns on this too. Some of the lyrics have a message but there’s humor there, too. Kina unique; a whole slew of influences have obviously gone into this stuff.
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Doomed Broken
A tape containing two 7”es released by this Autopsy/Immortal Fate side band. The first side sounds like Autopsy if they went punk/HC/metal and is lots o’ fun. Side 2 is more doom/death and doesn’t stand up to the A side.
(by Editor) ■
The Ex-Idols Pill Popper
(Relativity)
Well, they’ve definitely heard their share of old Bad Religion, Gang Green, and Arenalin O.D. This basically sounds like it should’ve come out around 1985, but better late than never, I guess. Definitely not as bad as I thought it’d be.
(by R. Mason) ■
Excrescent Convulsing Eviscerations
I can’t stand the Chris Barnes wannabe vocals, nor will I tolerate the awful sound of the drum machine, but somewhere in the messy production I’m hearing some cool riffs reminding me of Mortician. I can’t say I dig this, but they’ve got potential. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Exhumation Deepest Side of Fear
Straight-ahead death metal with an occasional dose of tranquil acoustics and keyboards, and the songwriting is very interesting as well. Some of the better guitar solos I’ve heard on a death metal demo in awhile, too. These guys’re capable of much aural damage. (Greece)
(by R. Mason) ■
Faithful Witness ‘93 demo
This reminds me of Australia’s Living Sacrifice not only musically (sick death/grind) but in their Christian message as well. This is a good fucking demo, despite the fact they sing the praises of Christ the drunken lunatic child-molesting leper. Check this out anyway. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Fates Warning Inside Out
(Metal Blade/Priority)
Along the lines of the last soft album, this release has some rather odd riffs, but as for the actual songs, well, it ain’t like the glory days of the old Fates Warning.
(by Editor) ■
Gamma Ray Insanity and Genius
(Futurist)
It sounds like Kai Hansen took all the worst elements of Helloween and brought them to this overblown, pretentious metal band. The vocals are overbearing, the arrangements are only concerned with complexity, and the only reaction this evokes is boredom.
(by R. Mason) ■
Gunjah Heredity
(Futurist)
Horrible thrash riffs with the most hilarious excuse for rapping this side of Anthrax, plus the sad-ass lyrics in broken English and truly weak songwriting that all makes me wonder why the hell we haven’t bombed Germany yet. Fuck this, I need a drink.
(by R. Mason) ■
GWAR This Toilet Earth
(Metal Blade)
I’ve always admired this band’s unlimited capacity for obnoxiousness but never cared for its mediocre songwriting or musicianship. This Toilet Earth is no reason to take a GWAR LP any more seriously than anything else it’s done. I’m just surprised they’ve lasted this long.
(by R. Mason) ■
House Of Large Sizes My Ass-kicking Life
(Columbia)
Wait … I’m hearing Mudhoney one second, Motley Crue the next. Sounds like a bunch of those chronically happy retarded kids you knew in third grade that just kinda sat in the corner and drooled. This is scaring the hell out of me, but I like it.
(by R. Mason) ■
H.P. Zinker Staying Loose
(Energy)
Imagine Depeche Mode’s vocalist singing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’d try to describe this more, but you should already be vomiting.
(by R. Mason) ■
Intricate [va:l]
(Century Media)
Anguished vocals over repetitive, almost annoying off-key, strange riffs. Voivod and Fugazi in a train wreck? Hmmm …
(by R. Mason) ■
Kataklysm The Mystical Gate of Reincarnation
(NBA)
Complete insanity from these Canadian brutes, though the production kinda suffers. The sickest death/grind band around right now; it makes Macabre look like girl scouts.
(by R. Mason) ■
Krabathor Cool Mortification
Fuck any trendy morons who’ve decided that thrash is dead because it’s not “brutal” enough. this killer LP reminds me very much of classic German thrashers Deathrow; catchy as fuck and totally heavy. Overall, this Czech band are the best thrash band I’ve heard in ages. $9 for MC. (Czech Republic)
(by R. Mason) ■
Living Impaired Flea Market Religion
Deathrash sometimes reminding me of Malevolent Creation, Living Impaired aren’t a helluva lot different from any other ordinary death metal band. This certainly isn’t bad; it’s just been done to death (no pun intended). Good production, too. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Mercyful Fate The Bell Witch
(Metal Blade)
Containing two tracks off the last LP and four live tracks (including “Curse of the Pharaos,” “Come to the Sabbath,” and “Black Funeral”), this EP is a supreme addition to Fate’s classic official discography. Buy this tuneage and jam it out!
(by Editor) ■
Mercyless Coloured Funeral
(Century Media)
An amazing improvement over the debut, Mercyless has returned with an album full of technically astonishing riffs and creative song arrangements. Brilliant.
(by R. Mason) ■
Monstrosity ’94 demo
The death grinders are at it again. Some well-produced, chunky, fast, choppy, technical songs here. The band keeps dropping in and out of blast beats. Lyrics included too. Well, it’s no Horror Infinity, but it’s still cool. And get the LP! (USA)
(by Editor) ■
Mortality Elephant Man
If King Crimson, Primus, and Watchtower gang raped a crippled nine year old, Mortality would be the mutant offspring. This is LP is nothing short of completely incredible. Beautiful melodies fused with droning rhythms and erratic riffing makes it a must listen for anyone into good music. $18 for CD.
(by R. Mason) ■
Mortuary Nocturnal
Think Bay Area thrash, c. 1989—frantic riffing, galloping rhythms. I appreciate that not many bands are doing this these days, and for the most part I enjoy this demo. However, the vocals need to be more straightforward and there’s at least a thousand other bands named Mortuary. $2. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Mundane Seed
(Raw Energy/A&M)
The guitars remind me of Prong, the vocals kinda remind me of Prong, hmmm … the drums sound vaguely familiar too—Prong, maybe? The tribal drumming is interesting, though. At least they’re ripping off someone cool, I guess.
(by R. Mason) ■
“Fuck this, I need a drink.”
Murder Inc ‘93 album
(Mechanic)
The riffs are boring and simplistic, the vocals are pseudo-hip hop drivel, and everything else just contributes to the overall suckage projecting from my speakers. “Motion Sickness” is a cool song, but this is basically a waste of plastic.
(by R. Mason) ■
My Dying Bride Turn Loose the Swans
(Peaceville/Futurist)
I’m sorry, but I’m not impressed with this gothic death metal shit anymore. You can count all the guitar riffs on this LP on one hand; most of it is violin and keyboard bullshit. Fuck “atmosphere”; let’s have songs that won’t put me to sleep.
(by R. Mason) ■
Napalm Death Fear, Emptiness, Despair
(Columbia/Earache)
Once again a band is prased as being “musically mature” (i.e., it doesn’t want to play fast anymore) as it turns its back on the roots from which it was born. The less-extreme, more-accessible approach Napalm Death has chosen to follow on its latest album reeks of the groove/grunge metal that so many formerly underground bands have now embraced. Although the riff and beat ideas on the new album are unorthodox, they aren’t interesting enough to sustain one’s interest beyond the first few tracks, and they certainly aren’t grindcore. Even the traditional logo and long thanks lists are missing from the album. I’m very, very disappointed, but I suppose not surprised.
(by Editor) ■
Napalm Death Hung 7”
(Columbia/Earache)
This is just a track off the new LP with a non-LP track on the B-side which is just as bad as the title track, and the rest of the album for that matter. At least it has the old logo on the cover and it’s see-through brown vinyl.
(by Editor) ■
Obituary World Demise
(Roadrunner)
Once again a formerly great death metal band decides to “mature,” so they slow down, write a bunch of mid-paced groove shit, and listen to too much grunge and techno. When you start singing about pollution instead of zombies, there’s trouble. Fuck this shit.
(by Editor) ■
Phobia Return to Desolation
(Relapse)
Pure killer politico-death grindcore from California. This EP has four new songs to which it’s impossible to follow along with the lyrics, and the All That Remains 7”. Get it! Get it! They didn’t even rip off Napalm Death this time (like I’m one to talk ).
(by Editor) ■
Sinister Diabolical Summoning
(NBA)
They’re from Sweden. They play death metal. What more really needs to be said? Overall, decent, though you’ve heard it already.
(by R. Mason) ■
Snapcase Looking Glass Self
(Victory)
Fat, punchy, slow hardcore, Buffalo style. The tasteful use of harmonics reminds me of Human Remains (NJ) sorta. Snapcase’s got swell lyrics too. Fave cuts are “Deceived” and “Fields of Illusion.” Definitely up there on my playlist. Check it out!
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Toad The Wet Sprocket dulcinea
(Columbia)
Here’s some rock that could easily appear on both the alternative and classic rock stations. Kind of over-mellow in places but nice to listen to. In a nutshell, interesting—sometimes.
(by Editor) ■
Tranquil Passing Depression: A Failed Attempt at Life
Interesting death metal with two vocalists, some original ideas here and there, and even the more typical material still sounds fairly good. Very impressive and worth checking out if you’re sick of Obituary clones. $5. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Travail ‘94 demo
Hmmm … East Coast-style thrash circa 1989, minus the deathish vocal grunts. Strong playing, good production, with many tried-but-true thrash riffs ever-present throughout this 10-song release. $5 tape, $10 CD. (USA)
(by R. Mason) ■
Tribes With Knives You May Safely Graze
(Red Decibel)
Parts of this are reminiscent of Warrior Soul’s second LP, but this band has a strong metal influence on the majority of songs on this powerful LP. I guess you could define this as alternative metal; check it out if you’ve got an open mind.
(by R. Mason) ■
Unbroken update
Here is a hardcore band that isn’t afraid of change, of doing its own thing, or of embracing its death metal influences. Unbroken (interviewed in issue #8) has gone from being dismissed as a metal band by the closeminded elements of the HC scene to getting nothing but support from its label, New Age Records, and its fan base, as evidenced by its successful U.S. tours (and on to Europe this year). It’s even gotten offers from subsidiary labels. The second album, Life. Love. Regret., shows more musical and lyrical strength from Unbroken. To order the LPs or 7″es, get in touch with the bass player, Rob.
(by Editor) ■
Vermin Scum of the Earth
Another Swedish death metal band, yes, but this time it’s mixed with grindcore and it’s very aggressive! A totally impressive demo of interesting songs (and plenty of ‘em) that’ll smash in your stuck-in-a-rut face. Ask about the band’s other demos too. Six well-worth-it bucks. (Sweden)
(by Editor) ■
Xymonthra Her Cherished Dream
Hyper techno-thrash riffs sometimes reminding me of Deathrow, with some keyboard parts thrown in. However, the songs tend to drag on much too long and the Frank Mullen-like vocals don’t really fit the music well. The production is nice as is the packaging. (Sweden)
(by R. Mason) ■
