Assassinate the Following - Massacre of the North (2009)

Assassinate the Following is a young Canadian band which meshes a variety of styles into a form of progressive thrash/death metal. While there aren't many direct comparisons I could draw, at times I am reminded of bands like Protest the Hero and Between the Buried and Me. At their best, the band is quite forward thinking and capable of writing some great, flowing licks and memorable hooks. Unfortunately, the album is burdened by hideously bad chug chug post-Earth Crisis metalcore mosh parts and vocals that range from the generic North American Phil Anselmo tough throat style to cleaner bits reminiscent of the clean parts from Shadows Fall.

I don't want to bust on the band too harshly, because there are some moments on the album where they would shine if only a few components to their sound were altered. Listen to the glorious riff opening "Fight to the Death" and how quickly it is devolved into generic mosh pit grooving. Then, only seconds later, it transforms into some pretty good technical melodic thrash metal and then back again into garbage grooves. This is a really frustrating effect which permeates many of the songs on this album. "The Sweet Taste of Nothing", "Controller" and "Hand Made Holocaust" all feature some great riffs utterly destroyed when the band breaks into their quizzical chugging. Guitarists White and Torok are very talented, and also handle the vocals. While the cleaner vocals have their moments, they are just as often annoying, and the metalcore style is just bad throughout.

Massacre of the North sounds decent for a self-released debut album, all the tones are crisp and the riffing sounds good at its most adventurous. Obviously these guys are better than the weak pit grooves and dime a dozen vocals would have me believe. The evidence is here. With a different vocalist (or vocal style) and a focus on their melodic, thrashy material as opposed to the very bland ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch that you could hear from any shitty metalcore band at the bar Friday night, Assassinate the Following could be really good.

Verdict: Indifference [5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/assassinatethefollowing

Tenet - Sovereign (2009)

What happens when three thrash metal legends get together for old times sake? In this case, something quite exciting. Tenet is the new project of former Exodus vocalist Steve 'Zetro' Souza, Forbidden guitarist Glen Alvelais, and living drum battery Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Strapping Young Lad, and a million other bands). Rounding out the roster are SYL/Canadian scenesters Jed Simon and Byron Stroud (appearing on the best metal release of their careers, in my opinion). Tenet basically sounds like what would have happened if Exodus kept 'Zetro' in the lineup and progressed into the future, instead of devolving into the suck that they are now. So, just think of this band as an explosive, slightly more technical Exodus with crisp, slick Forbidden-style riffing! Canada...the new Bay Area?

It's all here, folks, and all in the patented, unrelenting sneer of Zetro's lyrics. The man is simply one of the cruelest sounding frontmen the genre has ever known. The first few tracks "Being and Nothing" and "Indulge Me" like the force from a locomotive as you lean your face over the edge of the rails. Though fueled by passable riffing and Gene Hoglan having a grand ol' time, it's Souza that shines the most. "Crown of Thorns" dials up the asskicking with some gang shouts, rampant riffing and Souza about to give you a fucking coronary. If you can listen to this track without developing the desire to clout the nearest human being over the ears with a pair of bricks, you are doing it wrong. "Unnameable" creates a volley of sledgehammer grooves which sounds wonderfully sinister. The riffs themselves may seem a bit generic here or there, but with this exciting mix and Zetro's infallible energetic bursts of venomous hatred, they take on an entirely new life. Other amazing tracks including the flurry of "Hail! Hail!", the balls out crunch mute rocking of "Going Down" and vengeful slugfest "Watching You Burn".

Sovereign sounds insanely good, with a crisp production to ignite the long dormant fuels of its Bay Area thrash veterans. The leads are intense, the riffing constantly busy (occasionally nearing Artillery levels of prowess, though not as melodic). Whilst modern, this record doesn't miss a single element of what made albums from 80s Exodus, Vio-Lence and Testament so vibrant and memorable. I am glad someone from Exodus still nets a pair of testicles. A great debut, and a great effort from all involved!

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/tenetforce

Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs (2009)

Once in a great while, a band comes along with some new colors to offer the metal spectrum, even if these colors are merely mixed shades from previous palettes. Finland's Ghost Brigade is one such band, playing in a hybrid of melodic death and groove/sludge metal with an accessible sense of goth metal melody, without ever become fully assimilated into any of its constituent genres. Isolation Songs is the band's second full-length, following up 2007's Guided by Fire.

Whilst original, and capable of some quality songcraft, there are occasional misses, like the rather empty and dull grooves of opener "Suffocated". "My Heart is a Tomb" is immediately superior, with its flowing, acoustic intro (ala later Sentenced, Amorphis) to its driving power chords and friendly clean vocal chorus. "Into the Black Light" opens with a nice groove, once again reminiscent of Amorphis, but more of a college radio Amorphis. The big hooks and tortured vocals of "Lost in a Loop" strike you like a wall collapsing over your head, this is the one of the strongest songs on the album. "Architect of New Beginnings" has an excellent, thick flow of chords and basslines under the similar, strained vocals, with a very catchy chorus. Other good tracks include "Secrets of the Earth", another of the relatively Amorphis-like folk rockers, and the powerful "A Storm Inside", from its humble, mellow beginnings to its powerful apex.

Isolation Songs has a huge sound to it reminiscent of other modern metal records with an actual budget. This works in the album's favor, the guitars and vocals are delivered powerfully where needed and it can even give modern radio pop a run for its money. There are few bands I can really compare this to, aside from the previously mentioned (and to be fair, the similarities only emerge with the way they compose some of the vocals in the folkish sections). It's a good album to check out if you enjoy the accessible Finnish goth metal scene, or the simpler Amorphis albums where they were recording more of a rock sound. This is one of the more original records you will likely hear this summer.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.ghostbrigade.net/

The Cleansing - Poisoned Legacy (2009)

A look at The Cleansing's roster reads like a who's who of Danish death metal history, as the band features current and former members of Corpus Mortale, Exmortem, and Panzerchrist, among others. For the most part, The Cleansing is the update to the band Usipian, whose 2005 debut Dead Corner of the Eye generated some buzz a few years back. Four of the members have forged ahead with this new project, a hybrid of roots brutal death metal and a slightly more technical edge (though never showy or bewildering). The band reminds me of a mix of their Danish counterparts Panzerchrist or Exmortem with a healthy dose of Morbid Angel and Hate Eternal.

This is a band whose forte is its ability to create very punctual death metal rhythm with razor like efficiency. Tracks like "Insects in the Void" and "The Prodigal Son" weave choppy, progressive death metal riffing with a suitable amount of discord to create a frantic, neurotic womb of misdirection and calamity. They also get adventurous with tracks like "The Domino of Phantom Effects" with its dark ambient/acoustic intro, or the grating, grinding "Architectural Infinity" with its great, almost industrial vibe to the riffing during some sections, meshed with some sinister death metal. The band's experience and professionalism translate well into their musical aptitude, though restrained, they are capable of fluttering into a manic lead on a simple whim.

The mix of the Poisoned Legacy is punchy and well adapted to saddle the blunt hammer vocals of Toke Eld, and the material sounds like it would crush in the live environment, breaking a great many human bones in the dance pit. I'll admit that I didn't love this album...there were few tracks or even riffs which I wanted to revisit after a single listen. But a few spins of the album in its entirety are assuring enough that fans of semi-technical modern death metal would appreciate the effort, the grooves and the interesting leadwork. A competent debut.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.myspace.com/thecleansingnet

Daemonicus - Host of Rotting Flesh (2009)

I'm not sure how many old school death metal revival bands a single European nation can produce, but Sweden is testing the limits. Daemonicus is another in a long line of bands to form up in these past few years, forsaking the melodic side of the style for a trip down murder lane, to when bands like Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Unleashed and Grotesque were the cutting edge. Host of Rotting Flesh is the band's debut, after forming in 2006 and releasing a trio of demos. The album has left little impact on me, but there is certainly a wealth of old school fanatics who will chew it up for its sincerity.

To their credit, Daemonicus do not simply sound like another band ripping off the old 'Swedish' sound. When listening to this album, you would not mistake it for Left Hand Path. What this band creates has an even more primal sound to it, very simple bludgeoning death metal which recalls the days of the genre's youth. The riffs tend to range from slow grooves and slower, flowing death metal chords (ala "Carnage") to slightly faster death ("Unrest In Peace") which reminds me of early Florida style, Death, for example. Vocalist
Stefan Hagström has a deep, gruff throat which doesn't stand out much, but fits the riffs well enough. One of the band's stronger points is their capacity to create those good olde schoo, creepy leads which so few bands produce these days. There is nothing flashy or technical here, just a love of roots death metal. Of the stronger songs here, I'd choose the gloomy "Welcome the Dead" and the creepy doomlike "Swarm of Death" as the standouts.

Host of Rotting Flesh also boasts a very humble production, that dark and ominous jam room tone which dominated the proto-death of the very early 90s. There are no annoying grooves or breakdowns, nothing cheap or insincere about what they do. I didn't enjoy many of the songs, but there's nothing particularly negative to report about this. If you favor the really true, old sounding death metal which has recently seen a comeback, Daemonicus is at least worth a listen.

Verdict: Indifference [6.5/10]

http://www.daemonicus.nu/

Empty - The House of Funeral Hymns (2009)

Perhaps it's just my 'inner goth' speaking, but there is something about a haunted house or funeral home which transfixes me, especially on an album cover bathed in moonlight. Fortunately, Empty has a lot more to offer than just cover art, and The House of Funeral Hymns is a solid album of driving, pure black metal with a great mix to boot.

The style here really drew my ears back to the mid 90s Norwegian scene, albums like In the Nightside Eclipse or The Shadowthrone. Empty weaves a lot of atmosphere into their compositions, whether it is through clean, distant crooning vocals, or semi-symphonic keyboards. But the crisp, full guitar tones on this record are its true strength, and through their careful conjuring the band creates a mesmerizing lull. "The Sense of No Being" is a ponderous nine minutes dominated by its sad, slower guitar lines and immersive howlscapes. "How Far I Am From All" cautiously escalates from subtle tones into a glorious charge of jangling black melodies. The title track opens with a familiar, descending acoustic guitar, accompanied by distant, harsh whispers and tranquil bass. The vocals do get a little silly, King Diamond silly, but the track is still tempting. Another strong track is the alluring "In the Somber Solitude" with its memorable, melodic hooks.

The House of Funeral Hymns sounds far more professional than most other grim/black metal albums, without catapulting the band into Cradle of Filth-like studio gloss. Simply a superb mix, great for your car speakers while driving at night down an empty highway or through an abandoned neighborhood. Empty isn't a perfect band and this is not a perfect record, there are a few moments where I was unable to focus my attention due to some occasionally mediocre riffing. Taken as a whole, it's a strong effort which should satisfy fans of the 'majestic' black metal fo the 90s, when it was all about castles and woodlands and suffering. Today, it's mostly just the suffering.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.emptyhorde.com/

Sacrifice - The Ones I Condemn (2009)

The Ones I Condemn has arrived at last, another of those successful thrash 'comeback' albums which will leave your head spinning. Not only does it feel like Canada's cult thrash act retains all the vigor of their youth, but the energy on this album possibly exceeds that of their previous efforts. It's a great new album, and one of the best thrashings I've had recently, well on par with Apocalypse Inside or Soldiers of Misfortune.

16 years have not stripped away this band's penchant for snarling, mean sounding thrash metal, an approach not always the easiest to pull off. Their sound has always come across as the Canadian sibling to bands like Slayer, Exodus, Vio-Lence and Sadus: cruel vocals that deliver their message with aplomb, bursts of hook-laden guitars and a quickened pulse that would even have hardcore fans raising their fists in fury. "The Ones I Condemn", "Give Me Justice", and "Hiroshima" are all steamrollers of frenzy inducing 80s fury: listen loud, listen often. "The Devil's Martyr" nearly broke my neck, the vocals are wild and punishing, filthy and mean. "Ultimate Power Corrupts" features excellent old school rhythms, and for bonus kicks there are re-recorded version of "Burned at the Stake" (Torment in Fire) and "The Entity" (Forward to Termination).

From a production standpoint, the new album sounds a lot like their 90s output, but slightly better; but the writing more closely mimics their earlier efforts. It's really the best of both worlds, and if you've enjoyed any of their past four records then it's a given you should track this down. I know the 'comeback' album is quite a cliche these past 5-10 years, but I'm always happy to hear it done well. Sacrifice is successful in this. Now, if only Razor would put out a good new album...I would be complete.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.myspace.com/sacrificecanada

Thronum Vrondor - Vrondor II: Conducting the Orchestra of Evil (2009)

Though it's produced some superb bands in the past, Belgium is not quite a 'haven' for breakthrough black metal, at least not so much as other European countries. Alas, Thronum Vrondor, a two-piece effort featuring Vrondor (Paragon Impure, Demonizer, and others) and Crygh, has taken me quite by surprise with this sophomore effort, a grim yet evocative landscape of ghastly black composed with subtle nuance and replay depth.

Conducting the Orchestra of Evil is not the type of album to sink its hooks into you with immediacy. Catchy melodies and gimmicks are nowhere in sight or sound. The strength of this band is their subtle ability to creep up on you, suddenly transforming their textures of carnal woe into unforgettable tracks. "Grief's Abysmal Valley" opens with some brief horror-like synthesizers before breaking into a straightforward blast beat under melancholic, driving guitars, pensive basslines and a bell or two. It's at the one minute mark where it suddenly slams you with this excellent, if reserved guitar rhythm, and you know you've just stumbled across an album of depth and character. "The Summoning" wastes no time driving the point home, a vortex of plucky whirlwind blackness which recalled to me the finer moments of countrymen Enthroned or perhaps Nemesis Divina - era Satyricon. The track also features some plucky melodies which kindle a blues-like sensation. "Evoking the City of Dis" seems to do just as its title would infer, creating circular glorious melodies that summon this metropolis forth from Hell. "Speak the Tongue of Hate" is a slower, sparse track for much of its length, but creates another dystopian sadness within its composition. "Ashes Falling Down" is perhaps the most driving track, but it too slows for an atmospheric interlude. "Where None Remain" is a mellow, haunting outro to the album with some subtle spoken word beneath its ringing, fuzzed out guitars. There is an amazing melody

The band's ability to channel sorrow is executed well through a very base production, not quite 'raw' or painful to behold but certainly stripped of any excess flourish. The result is a journey worth the time to travel, an album that will possess the listener through multiple spins. Very much recommended.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/thronumvrondor

Ingested - Surpassing the Boundaries of Human Suffering (2009)

When it comes to brutal death, the 'slam' category is not something I typically derive entertainment from. So many bands of this style phone in boring rhythms offset with stolen Cannibal Corpse/Deicide riffs and dumb Earth Crisis breakdowns, smother them in gore and porn lyrics performed at the most guttural level possible, and seem to amass a great deal of credibility over nothing. So, how is the debut from UK's Ingested any different?

Because it does this well. On the surface, this is no different than a thousand other brutal/slam death metal albums you'll hear, but this young outfit impresses through their ability to craft their mosh pit extremity into cohesive songs that fuse the expected level of guttural violence with some truly crushing old school death rhythms. The riffs are kept simple throughout, but never once extraneous or dull. Most of the complexity comes through the insane battery of drummer Lyn Jeffs, truly a beast. The vocals are your typical pattern of brutal grunts, but they are offset by even deeper gutturals and harsher snarling, and thus kept interesting throughout. The absolute best moments of this album are on tracks like "Intercranial Semen Injection" where they bust out this insanely great, primal death metal riff astride a wall of Jeffs' berserk footwork. The material is consistently strong if you have the stomach for this level of punishment: "Stillborn" sounds like a heap of rotting corpses being fed into a trash compactor, and "Cremated Existence" is like a drunken juggernaut of dumb yet satisfying pit rhythms.

Surpassing the Boundaries of Human Suffering also benefits from a huge production. The drums are at the perfect, machine-like level, while the guitars sear. The record sounds deep and brutal yet clear as day. Thematically, I can't say the band is very creative, but this is not a genre of music where fans are seeking such things, so "Skinned and Fucked" and "Anal Evisceration" should be right up their alley. This is a good debut effort from a band who makes no compromise in their effort to trample your intestines. A labor of solid, grisly craftmanship.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/ingesteduk

Mercyful Fate - Evil EP (2009)

After a decade of silence, Mercyful Fate has re-recorded a pair of tracks from their debut full-length Melissa, in concordance with their appearance in the Guitar Hero: Metallica game. If you don't have the game, the tracks are available as a digital download on ITunes.

Whereas I tend to shun many re-recordings of classic metal tracks, it's hard to fault what Fate have done here. The songs sound much like the originals, just clearer and cleaner through the marvels of modern production. King Diamond still sounds fantastic on the vocals, and Sherman and Denner provide their classic axework. With the EP, you get "Evil" and "Curse of the Pharaohs". The tracks are mastered by Andy LaRocque, unlike the Activision versions in the game.

This is really not worth more than a couple bucks, but if you're some n00b who has never heard Mercyful Fate, it's time to man the fuck up. Now is your chance, slackoffs. I don't play Guitar Hero or Rockband or any of these games very often, nor do I karaoke. I'd rather write my own music. However, if I WERE to suddenly establish the desire to play these games, I'd be honored to have Mercyful Fate tracks available rather than the radio lite shit that chokes up so many of them. Actually, skip this and just track down Melissa or Don't Break the Oath.

Verdict: Indifference [5/10] (you can't improve upon perfection)

http://www.covenworldwide.org/