Originally published in ‘zine issue #12, 1994
Abominog Human Disgrace
I hate to say anything bad about these guys whom I’ve been into since their ’90 demo, but this new tape doesn’t stand up to the band’s previous material. The riffs have sort of been tailored to the new drummer’s style, which doesn’t work for me. The energy and vocals are there but it isn’t the same. (USA)
(by Editor) ■
Agathocles Black Clouds Determinate
(Cyber Music)
The premiere classic mincecore band now has an old-school HC edge, a la Disrupt, and it will melt your eyes right out of their sockets. More catchy riffs and structures along with the trademark AG lyrics and philosophies. 15 studio and 15 live tracks make this a must for any HC/grind fan. Buy now.
(by Editor) ■
Bolt Thrower … For Victory
(Earache)
Yet another amazing follow-up in the Bolty catalogue. Having a lot of the vibe of The IVth Crusade but with the attitude of Realm of Chaos, this LP has heavy-as-a-brick-in-the-face riffs, beats, and sound. Willet’s vocals are definitely more aggressive here. Too bad he and Whale are out of the band.
(by Editor) ■
Brutal Truth Need to Control
(Earache)
This is highly amazing and blows away everything in the band’s cheese thrash/grind past. The new drummer’s style compliments this new-and-improved approach, which is a sort of total grinding Brutal Truth meets Carbonized meets true industrial. Buy or quake and fail!!
(by Editor) ■
Cranes Loved
(Arista)
The vocals are so obnoxious, I can’t stand them. I couldn’t even focus on the music. I’d rather listen to my four-year-old niece than this band. This album was really bad.
(by Laurie Thompson) ■
Desert Storm Perspiration
Shit. I was all ready to tear ol’ Desert Storm a brand-spaking-new sphincter based on the cheese factor of the band and demo names alone, when out of the speakers came a scrotum-melting blast of Rage-inspired melodic techno-metal, with killer production and strong musicianship. (West Germany)
(by R. Mason) ■
Exit-13 Ethos Musick
(Relapse)
The follow-up LP from these eco-grind freaks is totally weirdo stuff. The new material kills everything I’ve heard from them before. The studio mix on the music is schizophrenic as is the music itself. The band’s new lineup on the album features the ex-rhythm section from Brutal Truth. I love it!
(by Editor) ■
FLH Sacred Red
Any fucking moron with an E string and three living brain cells can manage to cop 10-year-old cheezy thrash riffs. Maybe they live in a log cabin in the forest and are under the impression that thrash still exists. Whatever the case, they are well-practiced at sucking ass, as this demo exemplifies. (Canada)
(by R. Mason) ■
Fudge Tunnel The Complicated Futility of Ignorance
(Earache)
Sabbathesque riffage, monstrous grooves laced with feedback, hateful vocals, all combined with heavy muthafuckin’ production! If you’re into the likes of Eyehategod, Cop Shoot Cop, and maybe even Pantera, buy this or off yourself.
(by R. Mason) ■
Godflesh Selfless
(Columbia/Earache)
The Birmingham duo are back and are as good as they ever were. The new LP has hints of the classic Streetcleaner sound but with new elements and is thankfully devoid of any techno influences (which are fine in themselves but don’t work well with Godflesh outside of Slavestate). I’m a fan again!
(by Editor) ■
Incantation Mortal Throne of Nazarene
(Relapse)
It sounds like the last LP but it’s predominantly slower. They haven’t lost their heaviness. Of course I like the riffing. And the delightfully blasphemous lyrics can be found.
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Mercyful Fate Time
(Metal Blade)
It sounds like Fate went hog wild in the studio with the effects and the mixing, plus the added instruments. Longtime Fate fans seem to be divided on this release. My feeling is that it’s a fucking great album but it doesn’t have that evil Mercyful Fate feel of their earlier albums.
(by Editor) ■
Pitch Shifter The Remix War
(Earache)
Why a band would want to humiliate itself like this is beyond me. I still stand behind Industrial-era Pitch Shifter, but to let a bunch of morons like Biohazard and Therapy? do a so-called “remix” job on you, and to then do just as pathetic a job yourselves, crosses the boundaries of good taste.
(by Editor) ■
Revelation … Yet So Far
(Hellhound)
This here, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the best doom metal bands out there, right along with Solitude Aeternus, St. Vitus, Stillborn, and others. The new lineup does it again on the new LP with stunning music, musicianship, and conviction. Total unadulterated god. Pick it up!!
(by Editor) ■
The Spudmonsters Stop the Madness
(Massacre)
FIRST OF ALL, the name is fucking stupid. Lose it, we’ll talk. Second, umm, guys, this is, like, 1994, OK? Does the name Crumbsuckers mean anything to you? Third, the cover portrays my personal lord and savior, Vince Neil, with his head on a stick. For this, they must die. Blasphemers!
(by R. Mason) ■
Strife One Truth
(Victory)
Just about the raddest stuff out there. They are soooo good live, and the new album is amazing. Fast, punchy hardcore with lots of drum work. Includes a reworked 7″ cut, a compilation cut, and a whole lot of new material. Strife: the “youth crew” of the ’90s.
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Tony Bennett Snowfall
(Columbia)
Great, a Christmas album just in time for Halloween from Tony Bennett, the new alternative sensation. This guy is very shrewd and a very talented big band crooner. All the standards are here, even a live cut from The Jon Stewart Show. I missed that episode.
(by Editor) ■
Various Artists Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath
(Columbia)
On this compilation the bands are doing their own versions of the tunes instead of copying them, the latter of which I always preferred concerning covers. Original Sab alumni appear on the CD and the packaging is great. But some bands have obviously only been included to sell records.
(by Editor) ■
Warzone Old School to New School
(Victory)
Their “scrapple” comp, if you will, features some live cuts, some covers of old The Abused, YOT, Cause For Alarm, and Urban Waste classics, and a remake of a Warzone oldie. All in all, not bad.
(by Vaughn Currier) ■
Photo: Incantation live sometime in the early 1990s (courtesy Debbie Sellnow)
