Wednesday, December 18, 2002

Wednesday, December 11, 2002

Tribe Of Judah - Exit Elvis

Tribe Of Judah
Exit Elvis
Spitfire Records/Riot! Distributors













For more information on Tribe Of Judah, check out - https://www.facebook.com/extremeband.

© Justin Donnelly.

Raging Speedhorn - We Will Be Dead Tomorrow

Raging Speedhorn
We Will Be Dead Tomorrow
S.P.V./Steamhammer/Riot! Distributors




For more information on Raging Sppedhorn, check out - https://www.facebook.com/ragingspeedhorn.

© Justin Donnelly.

Wednesday, December 4, 2002

Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage

Bloodbath
Resurrection Through Carnage
Century Media Records/Shock Records




For more information on Bloodbath, check out - https://www.facebook.com/bloodbathband.

© Justin Donnelly.

Napalm Death - Order Of The Leech

Napalm Death
Order Of The Leech
Feto Records/Snapper Music/Shock Records



For more information on Napalm Death, check out - https://www.facebook.com/officialnapalmdeath.

© Justin Donnelly.

Monday, November 25, 2002

Breed 77 Interview

Breed 77 Interview

Unlike most bands these days, Breed 77 is anything but an overnight success. Their trials and tribulations have mirrored that of many bands, but the success they have achieved, as an unsigned band is no less spectacular. One of Blistering.com is Australian correspondents, Justin Donnelly, caught up with vocalist Paul Isola at his home in Walthamstow (East End London).

“Oh man! I’m still waking up. This time difference sucks man. It’s 9.20 in the morning! I’ll be right though. I’m making the most of the week break between tours. We’ve been pretty busy touring, but we like it like that. We just came off the road with Ill Nino and Raging Speedhorn. And then we’re off on tour with Prong. Both Ill Nino and Raging Speedhorn have treated us really well. They’ve been awesome. Raging Speedhorn are really old friends of ours, and Ill Nino are Spanish Americans. We all speak Spanish, and we’ve been getting along famously. We badmouth terrible promoters and people around Europe in Spanish, and nobody would understand us. That was cool.”

While most would think that linking legendary industrial pioneers Prong with rock act Breed 77 was a clash of styles, Paul sees things differently.


“I’m looking forward to it! (After a short pause) We don’t approach tours in the sense of whether our music will suit theirs or not. It’s very hard to find people that go with our sort of music. We seem to fit in with a lot of people and yet no one at all. So I see this tour as an opportunity to play in front of somebody else’s crowd and also playing in a lot of places that appeal to us.”


After numerous years slogging it out on the local London underground scene, Breed 77 finally caught the notice of the mighty Albert Productions. The band may have breathe a collective sigh as all their hard work finally paid off, but they also knew that timing played a big part of that success. ďThe old saying that all good things come to those who wait is true.


”I’ll be honest here and say that for a while there we carried an enormous chip on our shoulders. We were asking ourselves why this was happening to us (Not being signed). After all, we’d been around and paid our dues. We’ve done this and done that. Once you’ve been in the grinder a couple of times like we have, you come to know the nature of the beast that is the music industry. Everything is up to chance, and there is no time scale in this. Things will happen when they want to. We’re just really happy that we did get a deal in the end. We now have the chance to get to places like Australia, Europe and the U.S.. We’re older and wiser and I think we’ll do better with our record deal now than if we had actually been signed five years ago.”


While some writers and musicians claim they hate putting a band into a genre box, it’s sometimes a necessary evil. Trying to label Breed 77 into any one genre is another matter entirely.


“First and foremost, we’re a rock band. I think that covers our music a broader sense. That’s the easy way out right? (Laughs) Basically we have many influences, I’d probably have to call it flamenco/Arabic/nu-rock kind of thing! (Laughs) Wait till our next album comes out. That’s going to be even harder to clarify.”


While Paul’s created a whole new genre tag for Breed 77, some critics have written the band off as another mere nu-metal band.


“I suppose that’s true to an extent, because we exist within that genre. I don’t listen too much of that stuff anyway. I think itís the nu-metal tag that puts me off rather than the bands themselves. I’m sure there’s some good nu-metal bands out there, but I can’t say I’ve heard that many. I don’t find anything particularly new about the nu-metal scene. If you mention rap rock, I think of Aerosmith with Run D.M.C., Public Enemy with Anthrax, Mordred and Faith No More. There’s also Rage Against The Machine, who have been doing that stuff for years. So you can tune your guitar down really low. So what! (Laughs) It’s just a different tuning to the guitar, but as far as being new, I don’t think so.”


For more information on Breed 77, check out - https://www.facebook.com/breed77.

© Justin Donnelly.

Saturday, November 2, 2002

Threshold - Critical Mass

 

Threshold
Critical Mass
Inside Out Music

I've always thought that the six-piece British outfit Threshold stood out from the rest of the progressive movement. Rather than become a Dream Theater clone (Like so many other bands these days), Threshold have been consistently been honing their individual sound since 1998, and with severely unrated results.
Last years Hypothetical was the album that really placed the band high in most writers favourite progressive albums of that year, and Critical Mass, Threshold's sixth album, looks set to do exactly the same.
While 'Critical Mass' pretty much picks up where Hypothetical left off, it would be unfair to call it a carbon copy of the same formula. Repeated listens highlights the subtle changes scattered throughout the opus. Opening number 'Phenomenon' provides the first distinct change, and that's the obvious overall heaviness of the material. While Hypothetical was dominated by the use of keyboards, guitars seem to win out on the mix this time around. 'Choices' follows the same dramatic chorus that make up the predominate feature of Threshold; while 'Falling Away' has the band slowing the pace just a fraction before the chorus lifts up proceedings. There's some heavy crunching throughout 'Fragmentation', while 'Echoes Of Life' has the soft strains of a ballad, yet soon turns into a mid paced rocker. One of the darker sounding tracks is 'Round And Round', with vocalist Mac (Andrew McDermott) really putting the effort and range to lift the song from what could have been a disaster in anyone elseís hands. The true ballad on the album goes to the shortest track on the album (Clocking in at close to five minutes) 'Avalon'. Unlike 'Keep My Headí (From 'Hypothetical'), this works well with the other material. The real epic arrives with the final track 'Critical Mass Part 1-3', and should please fans of songs within songs passages of music. Part one ('Fission') follows the same line as the album, while part two ('Fusion') allows guitarists Karl Groom and Nick Midson to wail away in Dave Gilmour style. Part three is a soothing acoustic outo that shows the other side of the band in a different light.
For a limited time, the album comes as a limited edition double C.D. that features the bonus C.D. single for 'Phenomenon'. Although the track is an edited version, its 'Do Unto Them' and 'New Beginning' (Both previously unreleased) that really is the prize. Both tracks could well have come off the album, and are not merely throw away tracks. Also on the bonus C.D. is a multimedia section featuring a documentary video, studio video footage and diary, screensaver, musician pages, exclusive photos, artwork and demo recordings. If you're tired of the Dream Theater clones, cheesy keyboards, singers that struggle to sustain notes, or you want something completely different, then this album may be just what you're looking for.


For more information on Threshold, check out - https://www.facebook.com/threshold.

© Justin Donnelly.

Thursday, October 31, 2002

Meduza - Now And Forever

Meduza
Now And Forever
Massacre Records

From the ashes of Autumn Lords, guitarist Stefan Berg, bassist Jonas and drummer Ola quickly assembled the new group Meduza. Keyboardist Jan and Greek born vocalist Apollo were eventually recruited to finalize the line up, the latter of which had already achieved success to a certain degree after singing on Majestic’s ‘Trinity Overture’. It wasn’t long before Meduza (From Pilea, Sweden) secured a label deal and headed into Andy LaRoque’s Los Angered studio in Gothenburg. Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Memento Mori) was roped in to co-produce and engineer.
From the opening double kick-drumming opener ‘Shed No Tears’, you can pretty much tell what the whole album has in store. It’s pure straight up power metal. Not that there’s anything wrong with power metal (I’ve got a few classics in my own collection), but there’s no denying the tried and true guitar formula style of Yngwie J. Malmsteen that Stefan Berg serves up at every opportunity. ‘Sleep’ and ‘Holy Ground’ are so much like Malmsteen that I needed to double check which album I was listening to.
But it’s not all bad news. ‘Twilight Of My Mind’ displays Apollo’s strong vocals, while ‘Land Of Forgotten Dreams’ provides plenty of guitar attacks. Both ‘Burn In Hell’ and ‘Curse Of Pharaoh’ also show Meduza can slow the tempo down to a atmospheric smoulder, allowing Stefan to loosen up and play an alternate to the fast paced Malmsteen carbon copy solos.
Meduza has been compared to Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius in recent times, and while they may well be close to the mark style wise, it would be only fair to wait until the band shows a little bit more originality before putting them in the same league as established acts.


Fore more information on Meduza, check out - https://www.facebook.com/massacrerecordseurope.

© Justin Donnelly.

Tuesday, October 29, 2002

Lacuna Coil - Comalies

Lacuna Coil
Comalies
Century Media Records

Italy’s Lacuna Coil certainly hasn’t wasted their time following up 2001’s Unleashed Memories. The band have once again teamed up with producer Waldemar Sorychta (Sentenced, Samael, Tiamat) hence the clever blend of gothic, progressive and metal is masterfully handled.
The opening number ‘Swamped’ is a perfect example of Andrea Ferro’s deep-seated growls contrasting with Cristina Scabbia’s sultry melodies. Unlike Unleashed Memories, the vocals seem to be shared equally, thus allowing a nice mix without having one dominate over the other.
'Heaven’s A Lie' is the lead off single, and shows that Lacuna are not afraid to combine heaviness with an accessible chorus. Elsewhere on the album, there’s a touch of latter day Paradise Lost on tracks such as ‘Tight Rope’ and ‘Entwined’, while ‘Angel’s Punishment’ displays the groups many styles combined in the one track.
There’s plenty of metal amongst the lush melodies, and the production seems to suite the band to perfection. While the band has only been around a short six years, there’s no denying that Comalies is the sound of a band on top of their game.


For more information on Lacuna Coil, check out - https://www.facebook.com/lacunacoil.

© Justin Donnelly.

Monday, October 21, 2002

Iced Earth - Tribute To The Gods

Iced Earth
Tribute To The Gods
Century Media Records

Tribute albums can be either great, or a complete waste of time. Thankfully, Iced Earth has provided us with one of the great ones. This eleven-track album gives Iced Earth fans the chance to hear some of the bands that helped shape Jon Schaffer’s musical background.
This particular album was first available as part of the five CD retrospective box set Dark Genesis. The bands covered include AC/DC (‘Highway To Hell’ and ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top’), Black Sabbath ('Black Sabbath'), Iron Maiden (‘The Number Of The Beast’ and ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’), Blue Oyster Cult (‘Burnin’ For You’ and ‘Cities On Fire’), Alice Cooper (‘Dead Babies’), KISS (‘Creatures Of The Night’ and ‘God Of Thunder’) and the legendary Judas Priest (‘Screaming For Vengeance’).
All tracks have been given the Iced Earth makeover, and while all the cover versions are true to the original, vocalist Matthew Barlow certainly adds his distinctive stamp to them all. Jon Schaffer and the rest of Iced Earth give the accompanying music a much-needed punch, and the production is certainly sharp. Of particular note is the version of KISS’ ‘God Of Thunder’ where Matthew sounds very much like Gene Simmons. The other is the odd inclusion of Alice Cooper to the mix.
Iced Earth injects plenty of freshness put into every one of these old classics, making the whole album a classic in its own right.


For more information on Iced Earth, check out - https://www.facebook.com/OfficialIcedEarth.

© Justin Donnelly.

Friday, October 4, 2002

Living Sacrifice - Conceived In Fire


Living Sacrifice
Conceived In Fire
Solid State Records

While Living Sacrifice have been around in one form or another for the last thirteen years, their brand of extreme Christian metal never really did all that much for me. Their last album, 2000's The Hammering Process was good, but still failed to ignite anything above my curious interest. That has all changed!
Conceived In Fire, their sixth album, amply displays exactly what the band is capable of, and truly delivers. The death metal element still appears at the start of 'Imminent War', but takes a backseat while the band stretch the song writing into something more digestible. 'Symbiotic' is one of the defining moments on the album, and conjures up the image of Testament with the heavy riffing.
The album is pretty relentless, but there are moments of melodic death metal. 'The Poisoning' is one of those moments, with its irresistible "All the world is for sale!" chant. Another such moment comes in the closing track 'Reach For The Sky' with its spoken word passage. After the quiet gentle melodic tones of the instrumental 'Into Again', the band do an about face with the speed and aggression of 'Separation'. There's a slight nod to Slayer with the lead break, and 'Distrust' and 'The Martyr' features the most powerful drum sounds Living Sacrifice have recorded to date.
It would be fair to say that Living Sacrifice have been honing their skills and are getting better as each album is released, but that would be only half the story. Producer Barry Poynter has given the band a heavier, meatier and cleaner sound, while the legendary Andy Sneap has done an amazing job with the mix.
The band must also be given credit for ditching the shit album covers that have adorned their previous albums, and using Travis Smith. As one of the masters of modern art, Travis has provided surreal images for Devin Townsend, Opeth, Nevermore and countless others in recent times.
Living Sacrifice has finally created an album worth shelling out your hard earned cash for.


Fore more information on Living Sacrifice, check out - https://www.facebook.com/livingsacrifice.

© Justin Donnelly.

Monday, September 23, 2002

Bon Jovi - Bounce

Bon Jovi
Bounce
Island Records

Just what does Bon Jovi have left to prove? Nothing. And that's what makes every Bon Jovi album released these days so interesting. After sales that run into the tens of millions (and counting), it would seem that the attitude the started off on 2000's Crush is the same that motivates the band with Bounce. The simplicity of writing strong songs, a good balance of ballads and rockers and all with the air of confident seasoned ease of professional musicians.
As with a lot of artists, the events of September 11 seem to have inspired, outraged or prompted the rethinking of game plans. Jon and the rest of his group are no exception. But rather than attempt to make some over the top heavy slab of anger, Bon Jovi have instead decided to make an album of mostly uplifting nature.
The opener 'Undivided' is an unashamed call with the entire hallmark Bon Jovi strong back up vocals and big hooks. The lead off single (And promotional clip) 'Everyday' follows the same lines, while 'The Distance' and the title track 'Bounce' sound like a combination of the Creed/Fuel formula (With a dash of Bon Jovi) arena anthem.
Within Jon, there's still a Bruce Springsteen soul. While songs that involve a storyline are not uncommon with Bon Jovi, the album seems to have a few this time around. 'Joey', 'Right Side Of Wrong' and the touching 'You Had Me From Hello' certainly compliment both The Boss and the Jovi guys. 'Misunderstood' is a cool mid paced number, but there's more than a slight 'Never Say Goodbye' rehash to 'All About Lovin' You'.
Another couple of hard rocker are delivered with 'Hook Me Up' and 'Love Me Back To Life', while the album closer 'Open All Night' is certainly one for the ladies. The two hidden tracks 'No Regret' and 'Postcards From The Wasteland' are obviously demos that weren’t worthy of the album, and that certainly is the case. They’re best left at that.
Luke Ebbin was behind the production (Along with Jon and Richie) on Crush, and has again been used for Bounce. Bounce is a celebration, and fans of Bon Jovi are sure to snap this up and enjoy it whole-heartedly.



For more information on Bon Jovi, check out - https://www.facebook.com/BonJovi.


© Justin Donnelly.

Tuesday, September 17, 2002

Shadows Fall - The Art Of Balance

Shadows Fall
The Art Of Balance
Century Media Records

I had high hopes that Boston’s Shadows Fall would be able to follow up their last album, Of One Blood, with something special. The fact that the same five musicians that come up with Of One Blood and The Art Of Balance is hard to grasp. The progression between the two is unescapable and obvious!
‘Idle Hands’ simply sheds with more than a slight resemblance to the ‘Master Of Puppets’ era Metallica styled riff. You just don’t know how much you miss that crunch until you hear someone else do it. ‘Thoughts Without Words’ is next, and is also the first promotional video for the album. There’s a slight Soilwork influence here, but is given a different slant with the hardcore styled backing vocals.
Brian Fair’s unique and varied vocal sound is evident in the Testament sounding ‘Destroyer Of Senses’, while the short and delicate instrumental ‘Casting Shade’ showcases Jonathan Donais’s and Matthew Bachand’s guitar prowess. There’s an unbelievable intensity in ‘Stepping Outside The Circle’, but title track ‘The Art of Balance’ does just as it suggest and allows the band a breather. There are some razor sharp licks within ‘Mystery Of One Spirit’ and ‘The Idiot box’, while ‘Prelude To Disaster’ again shows the short instrumental genius of the guitarists. ‘A Fire Burns In Babylon’ has plenty of twists and turns, while final track Pink Floyd’s ‘Welcome To The Machine’ is given a complete metal makeover, yet still retains the spirit of the original.
Producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, God Forbid) has given the Shadows Fall another great sounding album, and the band themselves have given us another great slab of hardcore / metal / thrash. This is one band that will surely be around for some time yet.


For more information on Shadows Fall, check out - https://www.facebook.com/shadowsfall.

© Justin Donnelly.

Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Spock's Beard - Snow

Spock's Beard
Snow
Inside Out Music

Being an ardent fan of Spock’s Beard for some years makes it quite a challenge to review their sixth studio outing, Snow. There’s also the fact that this is their first attempt at a full-blown double concept album that makes the task at hand even harder.
Suffice to say, Snow is everything you expect from the band. The album is based on an Albino psychic character named John Sikeston (AKA "Snow") who grows up sheltered from normal life until his move to New York in his teenage years. The story features a whole host of characters that flesh out the story.
Now, what about the music? Well, there are plenty of lavish melodic moments (‘Made Alive’, ‘Love Beyond Words’ and ‘Solitary Soul’), hard rock numbers (‘Stranger In A Strange Land’, ‘Welcome To NYC’, ‘Freak Boy’ and ‘Devil’s Got My Throat’) and progressive workouts (‘Overture’, Second Overture’ and ‘Snow’s Night Out’).
Nick D’Virgilio (Drums) deserves special mention for his stunning lead vocals on the tracks ‘Carrie’ and ‘Looking For Answers’. He’s improved ten fold since his solo album Karma.
If I really had to be critical (and its hard, let me tell you!), the real weak moment on the album has to be the keyboard solo ‘Ladies And Gentlemen, Mister Ryo Okumoto On The Keyboards’. It may well be short by seventies standards, but unnecessary nether less. It would be impossible to really go through the album track by track, and I believe that fans would rather discover the album as a whole by themselves. All is made up though with the final piece of the puzzle ‘Made Alive Again/Wind At My Back’. The band turns everything (vocals harmonies and instruments up to ten) in a towering crescendo. Pure magic that words can’t describe!
Between the perfect harmonies and the songs that never outstay their welcome, there’s a sense that the time is perfect for Spock’s Beard to finally arise to the top of the progressive field along side Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater, and lose long forgotten icons of the past like Genesis, Marillion and Ayreon. This is an album that truly defies words, and will live well beyond its shelf life. There’s a lack of bands of this calibre, and that is a real shame. Both progressive and concept are not dirty words to those of my age.


For more information on Spock's Beard, check out - https://www.facebook.com/spocksbeard.

© Justin Donnelly.

Monday, August 26, 2002

Tunnelvision - Tomorrow

Tunnelvision
Tomorrow
Massacre Records

Upon first listen, this Finnish five-piece band didn't really sound like anything special. However, after repeated listens, the music finally started to have an effect.
After forming in 1995, Tunnelvision released their debut While The World Awaits in 1999. The band have gone through numerous line up changes in their time, but things looked fairly solid prior to the recording of their new album, Tomorrow.
There's a militant drum sound opening the album on 'Calling', and Marko Waara's vocals are certainly unique. If you can imagine a cross between Queensryche's Geoff Tate and Nevermore's Warrel Dane, you'll some idea. The keyboard dominated 'Silence' adds a dark sound to the epic, while 'Parasites' simply lumbers along with its heavy riffing. While itís not a definitive ballad, the slow rocking 'Lightning' again highlights Marko's powerful vocals (and Finnish accent). There's an almost power metal feel to 'Time Of The Hunter's Moon', but there's also just enough progressive moments to please fans of the genre. There's also some cool slap bass work from Lauri Porra towards the tail end of the song. 'The Hermit (Wait And See)' has a touch of Dream Theater in its song structure, as does 'Don Juan's Triumph'. As good as that sounds, the chorus in 'Don Juan's Triumph' is really its downfall. It simply lacks that special something.
'Ribbon Of Tears' is another of the albums quieter moments, featuring some tasteful moments from guitarist Vili Ollila, making way for the two epic closing numbers 'Long Voyage Back' and 'While The World Awaits'. Both numbers allow the band to have individual shining moments, and are by far the best tracks on the album (Is that the guitar solo from Alice Cooper's 'Pass The Gun Around' in 'While The World Awaits'?).
Tunnelvision are far from doing anything original in the progressive field. The production as well fails to truly capture the band in full flight. Having said that, Tunnelvision are certainly a band worth keeping an ear on. They may just have a few surprises next time around.


For more information on Tunnelvision, check out - https://www.facebook.com/massacrerecordseurope.

© Justin Donnelly.

Tuesday, August 20, 2002

Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done

Dark Tranquillity
Damage Done
Century Media Records

Sweden’s Dark Tranquillity may have been a half step behind some of the other leaders in the Gothenburg melodic death metal movement (In Flames and The Crown come to mind), but with Damage Done, Dark Tranquillity are not only going to get the praise they deserve, but be a hard act to follow in the process.
Their last release, 2000’s Haven raised a few eyebrows from long-term fans, and while it was a great album from the band, it tended to be a little more on the experimental side of things. Damage Done seems to revert back to the aggressive sounds of previous albums, yet pushes them beyond anything they’ve done before.
‘Final Resistance’ opens with a deceptively melodic riff before turning into a full on assault attack of the senses. Vocalist Mikael Stanne seethes anger and hate, while retaining the essential melody that binds the band as one. ‘Hours Passed In Exile’ has some majestic melodic twin guitar work (Courtesy of Niklas Sundin and Martin Henriksson), while ‘Monochromatic Stains’ (The first promotional video from the album) returns the aggression. Both ‘Single Part Of One’ and ‘The Treason Wall’ lean heavily on the keyboard sounds, but are counter balanced with the heavy guitars, and riffs most bands would envy. One of the catchier tunes is the unusually titled ‘Format C: For Cortex’, and has a passing resemblance to Iron Maiden in parts. The title track ‘Damage Done’ passes with intensity, but ‘Cathode Ray Sunshine’ is certainly highlighted by its experimentation of subtle keyboards and guitar tones. The experimentation is taken one step further with the brilliant ‘The Enemy’. This is defiantly one of the albums many highlights. ‘White Noise/Black Silence’ again pushes the manic fury, only to dilute itself with the sweeping instrumental ‘Ex Nihilo’.
The Gothenburg scene may well be seen as death metals bastard child, but there’s a lot to be said about the movement when something as special as Damage Done is conceived.


For more information on Dark Tranquillity, check out - https://www.facebook.com/dtofficial.

© Justin Donnelly.

Tuesday, August 13, 2002

Norma Jean – Bless The Martyr And Kiss The Child

Norma Jean
Bless The Martyr And Kiss The Child
Solid State Records/Tooth & Nail Records

Norma Jean (formerly know as Luti-Kriss) has returned with their second album for Solid State Records. Following hot on the heels of their highly acclaimed Throwing Myself, the band was toured relentlessly, rushed into the studio, and now they're back with Bless The Martyr And Kiss The Child.
As time goes, Norma Jean's sound seems more extreme, and the messages more thought provoking (cryptic?). The song titles are certainly some of the strangest I’ve read in some time (‘Pretty Soon, I Don’t Know What, But Something Is Going To Happen’, ‘Sometimes It’s Our Mistakes That Make For The Greatest Ideas’ and ‘I Used To Hate Cell Phones But Now I Hate Car Accidents’), but the songs are pure youthful metal hardcore noise. No one particular track stands out as they all have their moments of inspired twisted guitar sounds and screaming chaotic vocal exercises from Joshua Scogin. One thing worth mentioning is Aaron Jonathan Weiss’s (Mewithoutyou) vocal contribution to the crushing ‘Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste’.
Noted producer Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage) has done the near impossible and allowed plenty of space within the scope of sound utilized by Norma Jean, without turning the album into a wall of noise. If hardcore is your bag, and Hatebreed and Converge get you all excited, then check this band out before they sell heaps of albums and start being labelled sell outs.


For more information on Norma Jean, check out - https://www.facebook.com/normajean.

© Justin Donnelly.

Monday, July 22, 2002

All Boro Kings - Just For The Fun Of It

All Boro Kings
Just For The Hell Of It
Century Media Records

New Century Media signings All Boro Kings is an amalgamation of members from Dog Eat Dog (Sean Kilkenny-guitars and vocals and Dave Neabore-bass and vocals) and Mucky Pup (Dan Nastasi-guitar and vocals, Dave Neabore and Sean Kilkenny). Their old friend John Milnes completes the line up on drums.
So with the line up and background, you pretty know what to expect from this release. Funk / punk / party rock is the call of the day, and All Boro Kings think they have the tunes and the rhymes to keep the party going.
While I’d be hard pressed to pick a stand out cut on the album (Yes, they’re that hard to find), there are some noticeable guest appearances on the album. Dog Eat Dog vocalist John Conner appears on ‘Blowin’ Smoke’, while Murphy’s Law vocalist Jimmy Gestapo does his thing on ’12 Pack’ (A piss take of the classic Black Flag number). Ex-Anthrax guitarist Paul Crook teams up with Dog Eat Dog saxophonist Scott Mueller on ‘Broke, Drunk’.
The album is quite short at just beyond the half an hour mark, but it really fails to deliver anything new throughout proceedings. I would really only suggest putting this on at a party where no one seems to take any notice of what’s playing anyway. After some highly consistent albums being released by Century Media in recent times, I think we can forgive them for this little slip up.


For more information on All Boro Kings, check out - https://www.facebook.com/centurymedia.

© Justin Donnelly.

Monday, May 27, 2002

Nocturnal Rites - Shadowland

Nocturnal Rites
Shadowland
Century Media Records

The genre known as power metal has been around for many a year, but it's really exploded in the last five. Europe is literally a breeding ground for the countless number of bands claiming to be the new leaders in the power metal race for supremacy.
However, there are some that have forsaken that race and instead simply release consistent albums time and time again. One such band is Sweden's Nocturnal Rites. Their origins date back to when the power metal scene was in its infancy, when they were leaning more towards death metal, and have slowly progressed with each successive album. Now with their newly released fifth under their arms, they can once again show some of these new upstarts a thing or two.
Extensive touring has sharpened the band since 2000's Afterlife, and it's evident from the opening anthem 'Eyes Of The Dead'. Producer Daniel Berstrand (Meshuggah, Strapping Young Lad, Stuck Mojo) seems to have given the band a punchier sound this time around too. Elsewhere, the title track 'Shadowland' is one of the albums defining moments with its epic build ups, while 'Vengeance' and 'Revelation' are flat out speed work outs. Vocalist Jonny Lindkvist seems to put in a more aggressive effort on tracks like 'Faceless God' and the album closer 'The Watcher'.
In the end, if power metal is your thing, you have quite a few choices out there. For a guaranteed winner, you can't go past Nocturnal Rites to deliver the goods and staying true to their metal roots.


For more information on Nocturnal Rites, check out - https://www.facebook.com/nocturnalritesofficial.

© Justin Donnelly.