REVIEW: OBITUARY, World Demise

 

OBITUARY, World Demise (1994)

Roadrunner Records

Μέσα στο πνεύμα της εποχής του

Δυνατό το τέταρτο δημιούργημα ενός εκ των βασικών Death Metal θεμελιωτών, τουλάχιστον όσον αφορά τη σκηνή της Φλόριντα. Ένα είδος που, ομολογουμένως, είχε φτάσει σε κορεσμό, θεματολογικά, αλλά το κυριότερο, από εμπορικής πλευράς. Κι όμως, οι John Tardy στη φωνή, Allen West και Trevor Peres στις κιθάρες, Frank Watkins στο μπάσο και Donald Tardy στα ντραμς ρίχνουν λίγο το βήμα εδώ, παίζοντας πιο αργά και βασανιστικά σε κάποια σημεία. Διαφοροποιούνται έτσι τόσο από τον εαυτό τους στο παρελθόν όσο και από τη συντριπτική πλειονότητα των Death Metal σχημάτων στην Αμερική, τουλάχιστον.

Μου άρεσε γιατί, πρώτα απ’ όλα, καταπιάνεται στιχουργικά με θέματα πέρα από τα κλισέ της σκηνής. Όλοι όσοι αγαπάτε τους Γάλλους Gojira, προφανώς και ξεκινάτε από εδώ, σε συνδυασμό με τα κλασικά άλμπουμ των Thrash Metal θεών Nuclear Assault, τουλάχιστον θεματολογικά: προβληματισμός για το περιβάλλον, με αναπάντητες ερωτήσεις και, φυσικά, θάνατος!

Η στροφή στιχουργικά είναι όντως ενδιαφέρουσα. Ουσιαστικά, η μουσική τους είναι αυτή που γνωρίζαμε από τα τρία πρώτα άλμπουμ τους — Death Metal σχολής Scott Burns και Φλόριντα — αλλά με περισσότερο φρένο.

Με την εναρκτήρια τριάδα Don't Care, World Demise, Burned In και, στη συνέχεια, χαρακτηριστικά κομμάτια του δίσκου όπως τα Paralyzing, Lost, Solid State, Final Thoughts, Boiling Point και Kill For Me, έχουμε εδώ ένα πολύ καλό και διαφορετικό σύνολο, στο πιο ώριμο άλμπουμ τους μέχρι τότε.

English:

In the Spirit of Its Time

A strong fourth offering from one of the fundamental pioneers of Death Metal, at least as far as the Florida scene is concerned. A genre that had, admittedly, reached a point of thematic saturation, but more importantly, commercial saturation. And yet, John Tardy on vocals, Allen West and Trevor Peres on guitars, Frank Watkins on bass, and Donald Tardy on drums slow things down a little here, playing at a more deliberate and torturous pace in places. In doing so, they distinguish themselves both from their own earlier work and from the overwhelming majority of Death Metal bands in America, at least.

I liked it because, first and foremost, its lyrical themes go beyond the scene's usual clichés. Those of you who love France's Gojira will obviously find a starting point here, combined, at least thematically, with the classic albums of Thrash Metal gods Nuclear Assault: environmental concerns, unanswered questions and, of course, death!

The lyrical shift is indeed interesting. Musically, they are essentially doing what we already knew from their first three albums — Scott Burns/Florida-school Death Metal — but with the brakes applied a little more.

With the opening trio of Don't Care, World Demise, Burned In, followed by such characteristic tracks as Paralyzing, Lost, Solid State, Final Thoughts, Boiling Point and Kill For Me, what we have here is a very good and distinctive collection, and their most mature album up to that point.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: ANNIHILATIONMANCER - The Involution Philosophy

 

ANNIHILATIONMANCER - The Involution Philosophy (2011)

Pure Underground Records

Many thrash metal bands have emerged in recent years, and several of them have delivered releases worthy of attention.. ANNIHILATIONMANCER come from Naples, Italy, and have been active since 1994. After several years of development and earlier demo recordings, the band finally released their debut full-length, The Involution Philosophy, through Pure Underground Records in 2011.

Their kind of thrash metal is a bit different from what we are used to hearing. ANNIHILATIONMANCER are more interested in technical and progressive thrash than in following the most straightforward formula of the genre. This makes their music more demanding and, at times, difficult to digest. The album runs for approximately forty-eight minutes and contains seven main songs plus the introductory instrumental “Antimateria,” giving the band enough space to present its ideas in detail.

The influences come from bands such as SLAYER, MEGADETH, TOXIK, WATCHTOWER, ANNIHILATOR, VOIVOD and CORONER. The MEGADETH influence is especially noticeable in the vocals, which reminded me quite a lot of Dave Mustaine’s raspy and aggressive delivery. At the same time, the music is more complicated than standard thrash, with unusual riff structures, frequent changes of tempo, technical guitar passages and progressive arrangements.

The album begins with “Antimateria,” an intro that prepares the listener for the technical attack that follows. “Etereo,” “The Involution Philosophy” and “Apolide” demonstrate the band’s interest in combining classic thrash aggression with more intricate songwriting. The title track itself lasts over seven minutes, allowing the musicians to develop several ideas instead of relying on a short and predictable structure. “Impoverishment God Existence,” “Corner of the Answers” and “Reflected in Her Life” continue this approach, with the guitars remaining the dominant force throughout the release.

All of this sounds great, especially when we add the fact that the musicians of this band are skillful and seem to know how to play their instruments quite well. The guitar work is the strongest element of the album, moving between sharp rhythm riffs, technical passages and extended lead sections. The drums also have to follow a demanding rhythmic framework, while the bass contributes to the dense and tightly arranged character of the songs. The performances are not amateurish; this is clearly a band with considerable instrumental ability.

So, from such a skilful band, you cannot expect anything less than an interesting album. Yes, ANNIHILATIONMANCER have some very good ideas, and there are moments when their mixture of technical and progressive thrash works very well. Their music has energy, ambition and enough complexity to satisfy listeners who enjoy challenging metal. They also avoid sounding like a simple copy of one particular influence, even though the presence of those influences is easy to recognize.

However, if you look at the whole picture of this release, you will notice that the band lacks variety. From a certain point onward, I had the feeling that I was listening to the same things again and again. The riffs are often technically impressive, but the songs do not always develop in a sufficiently different way from one another. The album sometimes feels more focused on showing the musicians’ abilities than on creating memorable compositions.

I believe that the band needs to tame their skills to the point where they become functional and serve the compositions. Technical ability is important, but it should support the songs rather than become the main purpose of the songs. A difficult riff or a complicated rhythmic change does not necessarily make a composition stronger if there is no memorable idea behind it.

It would be great if, on their next release, ANNIHILATIONMANCER could create songs that are both technical and memorable. They clearly possess the talent, experience and ambition to do so. What they need is a better balance between progressive complexity, aggression and songwriting that stays in the listener’s mind after the album has finished.

The Involution Philosophy is an interesting but demanding debut from an Italian band with strong technical abilities and clear respect for the more progressive side of thrash metal. Fans of TOXIK, WATCHTOWER, CORONER and technically minded MEGADETH may find a lot to appreciate here, while listeners who prefer direct and immediately memorable thrash may find the album repetitive. Therefore, I would advise you to try to listen to this release carefully before you decide whether it deserves a place in your collection.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: BENEDICTUM – Dominion

 

BENEDICTUM – Dominion (2011)

Frontiers Records

There was a time back in the mid-’90s when classic Heavy and Power Metal had started gaining serious momentum and had once again become one of the most fashionable trends in metal. But, as with everything else, the music industry likes to keep things moving, so new trends appear, old ones disappear, and the wheel keeps turning. Nowadays, it is the Metalcore and Hardcore era, which means that classic Heavy Metal is often neglected, if not entirely forgotten, by most record labels.

I have never liked the business side of music or the whole concept of trends. For me personally, it all boils down to the things I like to listen to and the things I don’t. I certainly don’t like or accept record labels trying to shove bands down my throat simply because they happen to be the “next big thing” of the current trend. This whole mentality makes me sick. Still, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope, and there is always something exciting to be discovered, because when an interesting, ass-kicking band makes its appearance, true Heavy Metal fans are bound to find it sooner or later.

That is pretty much what happened to me with BENEDICTUM and their third studio album, Dominion. Originally released by Frontiers Records in February 2011 in Europe and March in North America, Dominion arrived at a particularly interesting point in the band’s career. Formed in 2005 and quickly noticed by former DIO guitarist Craig Goldy, Benedictum had already built a reputation with their first two albums, Uncreation and Seasons of Tragedy, as well as appearances at festivals such as Wacken Open Air and Gods of Metal and touring with Doro. For Dominion, they moved to Frontiers and, with a significantly reshuffled line-up around the core duo of vocalist Veronica Freeman and guitarist Pete Wells, brought in Grammy Award-winning producer Ryan Greene, whose credits include Megadeth, NOFX, MxPx and F5.

And believe me, they came, they saw, they conquered!

They simply blew my mind with their classic Heavy Metal structures, infused with quite a few progressive and modern touches. Dominion, running for just over an hour, is here to take us all by storm with its dynamic and powerful compositions, flawless musicianship, memorable riffs and choruses. This is not an album that relies solely on brute force, either. One of the things I particularly like about it is its versatility and variety. It is undoubtedly a powerful and mighty record, but it never lacks melody, atmosphere or beautiful guitar work, and its songs possess different characters and moods.

There are straightforward Heavy Metal anthems such as “Dominion,” “Grind It” and the fist-pumping “Bang,” darker and more threatening material such as “Dark Heart,” more melodic moments such as “Loud Silence,” and then there is “Epsilon,” the nearly nine-minute epic that takes the band into considerably more progressive territory. The latter is probably the clearest indication that Benedictum were not content simply to repeat what they had already done. With its extended structure, keyboards and scorching guitar work, it expands the album’s musical horizon without ever losing its Heavy Metal identity. Guest guitarist Craig Goldy adds his own touch to the track, while the album also benefits from the presence of Jeff Pilson and the legendary Rudy Sarzo, who lays down the bass on “Bang.”

What makes this album stand out, apart from its beautiful compositions, excellent execution and powerful production, is undoubtedly its lead singer, Veronica Freeman. She is one of the best singers I have listened to in a long time, and I am not only referring to female singers. Her voice has such depth, flexibility, aggression and passion that she can sing melodically, scream and growl, shifting effortlessly between different expressions without ever losing her identity. Her range is impressive, but the common denominator in everything she does is that her voice serves the songs rather than merely showing off what she can do. It enhances their character and increases your satisfaction to the maximum. Contemporary reviewers likewise singled out Freeman’s power, versatility and commanding presence as one of the album’s greatest strengths.

Pete Wells, meanwhile, is responsible for a substantial part of the album’s identity. His riffing is heavy, muscular and rooted firmly in the classic British and American Metal traditions, while his solos provide enough technical fireworks to keep things interesting. The rhythm section of Chris Shrum and Mikey Pannone keeps everything firmly under control, and Tony Diaz’s keyboards become particularly important when the band ventures into its more atmospheric and progressive territory. The result is a sound that remains unmistakably Heavy Metal while allowing Benedictum enough room to breathe and experiment.

And if all this isn't enough for you, the album offers two bonus tracks, both of which are actually worth your attention. The first is “Sanctuary,” a beautiful acoustic-based ballad that reveals a considerably softer side of Freeman and the band. It is a welcome change of pace after almost fifty minutes of headbanging, aggression and fist-pumping Heavy Metal. Interestingly, the song was written by Freeman and Wells several years earlier, while Jeff Pilson contributes vocals and acoustic guitar to the recording. Freeman herself has spoken enthusiastically about the song and its collaboration with Pilson.

And then comes the real surprise: “Overture/Temples of Syrinx,” Benedictum’s interpretation of the opening section of Rush’s 2112. Choosing Rush was certainly not the most obvious move for a traditional Heavy Metal band, but it makes perfect sense here, considering the progressive tendencies already present in Dominion. The band stays remarkably close to the original while delivering it through its own heavier perspective. Apparently, the idea came from producer Ryan Greene during the mixing sessions, and even the band’s rhythm section initially thought the song would be a serious challenge. They were not wrong—the result, however, was well worth the effort.

And this is exactly what I like about Dominion. It is not afraid to be a Heavy Metal album first, but it is equally unafraid to stretch its boundaries when the song demands it. It can crush you with a riff, hit you with a chorus, slow down for a melodic passage and then suddenly launch into an eight-minute progressive adventure. The eleven original compositions are followed by the two bonus tracks, making for a remarkably varied listening experience that never feels as predictable as its traditional-metal foundations might suggest.

Of course, Dominion is not without its imperfections. Some of its ideas are stronger than others, and the album’s ambition occasionally threatens to become a little too much. But even its weaker moments are outweighed by the sheer energy, musicianship and personality that Benedictum bring to the table. This is a band with something that many technically proficient modern acts seem to lack: character.

And that, ultimately, is what makes Dominion such an enjoyable record.

In an era when trends come and go and record labels constantly search for the next fashionable sound, Benedictum simply played Heavy Metal on their own terms. They brought the riffs, the power, the melody, the progressive touches and, above all, Veronica Freeman’s phenomenal voice. Dominion may not reinvent Heavy Metal—and it certainly does not need to. It simply reminds us why we fell in love with the genre in the first place.

Check them out. Turn it up. And let Benedictum do the rest.

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: DEF LEPPARD, On Through The Night

 

DEF LEPPARD, On Through The Night (1980)

Vertigo

Μία νταλίκα, μια νύχτα με πανσέληνο

Το πρώτο τους, κυριολεκτικά, αλλά και το πρώτο τους για μένα που άκουσα, καλοκαίρι του 1997. Αγορασμένο LP, σφραγισμένο, εισαγωγής, αλλά στα φτηνά, από το Rock City της οδού Ακαδημίας. Ωραία εμπειρία, ωραίο βρετανικό hard & heavy στα όρια του NWOBHM.

Έχει μέσα υλικό που αξίζει πολλά, όπως τα Rock Brigade, Wasted, Sorrow Is a Woman, Hello America — κι αυτό ειδικά δείχνει πού και πώς θα κατέληγαν, σε λίγα χρόνια, ως ήχος αλλά και ως image — Satellite, When the Walls Come Tumbling Down και Answer to the Master, που είναι τα πιο χαρακτηριστικά από τα έντεκα συνολικά τραγούδια του δίσκου.

Οι πέντε τότε νεαροί από το επαρχιακό Σέφιλντ πατάνε, από τη μια, στα χνάρια των Saxon και, από την άλλη, των Led Zeppelin της μετά το Physical Graffiti εποχής.

Από το επόμενο άλμπουμ τους, High ’N’ Dry του 1981, θα ανοίξουν, επί το εμπορικότερο, το μουσικό ύφος τους. Το τρίτο τους άλμπουμ, Pyromania, θα τους κάνει χρυσούς δισκογραφικά και τα αγαπημένα παιδιά του τότε νέου MTV.

Η πράσινη γλίτσα με τις ροζ τσιχλόφουσκες και το «λεοπαρδαλέ» ντύσιμο του Glam θα τους βρει στο Hysteria, επτά χρόνια μετά από τούτο.

Έκτοτε, απλά, ποτέ δεν θα ακουστούν τόσο βρετανικά Heavy. Ορθότερα, δεν θα το ήθελαν κιόλας. Οπότε, ας το παραδεχτούμε: αυτό επιθυμούσαν κι αυτό έκαναν!

English: 

A Lorry, a Full-Moon Night

Their first one, quite literally, and also the first one I ever heard, back in the summer of 1997. A sealed, imported LP, bought for a bargain price from Rock City on Akademias Street. A great experience: proper British hard & heavy, right on the edge of NWOBHM.

There is plenty of material here that is worth its weight in gold, including Rock Brigade, Wasted, Sorrow Is a Woman, Hello America — and this one, in particular, already hints at where they would end up a few years later, both in terms of sound and image — Satellite, When the Walls Come Tumbling Down, and Answer to the Master, which are among the most characteristic tracks on the album’s eleven-song tracklist.

The five young lads from provincial Sheffield were, on the one hand, following in the footsteps of Saxon and, on the other, drawing from the post-Physical Graffiti era of Led Zeppelin.

With their next album, High ’N’ Dry (1981), they would begin to broaden their musical style in a more commercial direction. Their third album, Pyromania, would earn them gold status and turn them into darlings of the then-new MTV.

The green slime, pink bubblegum and “leopard-print” Glam attire would catch up with them on Hysteria, seven years after this record.

From that point on, they would simply never sound this British and Heavy again. More accurately, they did not want to. So let’s admit it: that was what they wanted, and that was exactly what they did.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: DEF LEPPARD, Adrenalize

 

DEF LEPPARD, Adrenalize (1992)

Mercury

Δεν ξέρω ακόμα γιατί υπάρχει στη δισκοθήκη

Τα πρώτα πέντε άλμπουμ τους τα έχω· αυτό είναι το πέμπτο στη σειρά κυκλοφοριών. Πρέπει να πέρασε την πόρτα μου επειδή, στις αρχές του 2001–2002, το παλιό καλό Metropolis το είχε 6,90€, όπως και το εξίσου αδιάφορο για εμένα Hysteria που είχε προηγηθεί δισκογραφικά — οπότε, μικρή η απώλεια. Ειλικρινά, έχω αναφερθεί με τα χειρότερα λόγια για αυτούς και, «ειλικρινέστερα», δεν τα παίρνω πίσω.

Sleazy, Hair Rock που εκείνη την εποχή, στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του ’90, πέθαινε πολύ γρήγορα — και μακάρι να μπορούσα να του δώσω τη χαριστική βολή με μια βαριοπούλα στο κρανίο, αν ήταν εφικτό. Αν και το Grunge φρόντισε (με τις πλάτες του νέου αέρα, των δισκογραφικών εταιριών–βαμπίρ και του ύποπτου για τον ρόλο του MTV) να μας απαλλάξει από τη σαβούρα, δυστυχώς συμπαρέσυρε ολόκληρη τη σκληρή πλευρά του ήχου, ακόμη και το Metal της δεκαετίας του ’80.

Σαν δίσκος έχει μερικά ενδιαφέροντα σημεία στα δέκα κομμάτια του, αλλά και πάλι, από δαύτους συμπαθώ μόνο τα τρία πρώτα άλμπουμ — μέχρι το Pyromania, δηλαδή. Οπότε απλώς πίνω τον καφέ μου όσο ακούω τα Let’s Get Rocked, Heaven Is, Make Love Like a Man, Tonight, Stand Up, Personal Property, Tear It Down, μιας και δεν βρίσκω πολύ «ψωμί» στις Made in America συνθέσεις τους στον δίσκο.

Ξέρω ότι έχουν το κοινό τους — το σέβομαι. Αλλά προτιμώ καλύτερα να βάλω το ντεμπούτο τους, On Through the Night του 1980, όπου τουλάχιστον το Hard & Heavy τους είναι απείρως πιο τίμιο.

English:

I still don’t know why it’s in my collection

I own their first five albums; this one is the fifth in their release sequence. It must have slipped into my collection because, back in 2001–2002, the old good Metropolis had it for €6.90 — just like the equally indifferent Hysteria that came before it. So, the loss was small. Honestly, I’ve spoken about them in the harshest possible terms and, “more honestly,” I’m not taking any of it back.

Sleazy, Hair Rock that, in the early ’90s, was dying fast — and I wish I could have delivered the final blow with a sledgehammer to the skull, if that were possible. Though Grunge took care of that (with the backing of the new winds, the vampire-like record labels, and MTV’s suspicious role), it unfortunately dragged down the entire heavy side of the sound, even the Metal of the ’80s.

As an album, it has a few interesting moments across its ten tracks, but still, I only like their first three records — up to Pyromania, that is. So I just drink my coffee while listening to Let’s Get Rocked, Heaven Is, Make Love Like a Man, Tonight, Stand Up, Personal Property, Tear It Down, since I don’t find much “meat” in their Made in America songwriting on this record.

I know they have their audience — I respect that. But I’d much rather put on their debut, On Through the Night (1980), where at least their Hard & Heavy is infinitely more honest.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: BETRAYER F.T.M. – No Life Till Fury

 

BETRAYER F.T.M. – No Life Till Fury (2010)

Violent Records

This is the second new band that I listen to from Colombia, the other one being REVENGE, and I think that this South American country has already shown that it can give us some very good speed/thrash metal bands. Anyway, let me get into the music of the band.

Betrayer F.T.M., hailing from Cali, Colombia, formed in 2005 and belong to that wave of South American underground bands that kept the spirit of classic thrash alive well into the new millennium. «No Life Till Fury» is their first full-length album, following the «Bestial Torment Rage» EP from 2007. Originally released in 2010 by «Violent Records» as catalog number «VME003», the album contains nine tracks and runs for just over half an hour. A later digital edition appeared in 2013 through Born of Chaos Records, which explains the different date you may encounter on some streaming platforms.

Musically, they move into the speed/thrash path, with plenty of punk aggression and some traditional heavy-metal touches thrown into the mix. Their sound has nothing modern about it and brings strongly an ’80s atmosphere. Even the production follows this direction, being dynamic, clear and sufficiently open to give all the instruments their proper space. The album never sounds overproduced or artificially polished, and that works perfectly with the band's underground character.

As for the influences, well, I think early METALLICA is above all, while you can also find traces of bands such as TOXIK, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and even BLACK SABBATH. The guitar work occasionally moves into traditional heavy-metal territory, while the bass is surprisingly prominent in the overall sound rather than being buried underneath the guitars. The solos in particular add another dimension to the otherwise straightforward thrashing attack.

«No Life Till Fury» is also a very direct album. At roughly 32 minutes, it doesn't waste time with unnecessary arrangements or extended compositions. The band themselves have explained that they did not try to make the record fit a particular running time; it simply ended up being as long as they felt it needed to be. And this is probably the right approach for this kind of music. Nine songs, plenty of speed and aggression, and then you're back to the beginning looking for another spin.

There is also a small detail that adds some character to the record: “La Orden Del Chaos” is sung in Spanish, standing apart from the predominantly English-language material. The lyrics throughout the album deal with rebellion, anger, aggression and the whole confrontational attitude that comes naturally with this style of thrash metal. The shouted vocal interjections and rowdy delivery give several songs an almost live-performance feeling.

On «No Life Till Fury» you might not listen to something particularly original, but honestly, that isn't the point. All the songs are played with such passion and enthusiasm that the whole listening experience remains thoroughly enjoyable. This is music made by people who clearly love the classic era of metal and aren't interested in reinventing the wheel. The album's aggressive, anthemic character, combined with its raw production and old-school attitude, makes it easy to return to.

Even the cover artwork fits the band's approach perfectly. Its grotesque and disturbing imagery immediately establishes the violent and confrontational identity of the record before you have even pressed play. It is certainly not an album that tries to be pretty or sophisticated—and neither does the music.

The only thing that I would like from BETRAYER F.T.M. on their upcoming releases is to add some more variety into their sound. There are moments when the formula becomes a little predictable, particularly because the band relies so heavily on the same old-school thrash attack throughout the record. A little more variation in tempo, songwriting and arrangements could have made an already enjoyable album even stronger.

So, the conclusion is simple: if you like 80s speed/thrash metal, especially the rawer underground side of the genre, then there is a very good chance you might like *No Life Till Fury* too. It may not offer anything revolutionary, but it delivers exactly what it promises—fast, aggressive and passionate Colombian thrash metal with a strong old-school feeling. And sometimes, that's more than enough.

Nick Parastatidis

ANGA Release New Single “Demons”

 

German modern metal band ANGA have released their new single, “Demons,” offering a powerful snapshot of the band’s increasingly dark and heavy sound.

The track was recorded across three studios operated by members of the band: Thomas Höflein’s studio, SFR Recordings, run by guitarist Marvin Schäfer, and Helios Studio, operated by drummer Gabriel Illert. Mixing and mastering were handled by guitarist Thomas Höflein.

Hailing from Stuttgart and Aschaffenburg, ANGA combine crushing riffs, driving breakdowns, electronic elements, soaring vocal melodies, and the dark intensity of modern metalcore. The band features vocalist Anne Zeides, guitarists Thomas Höflein and Marvin Schäfer, bassist Fabian Streich, and drummer Gabriel Illert.

Following their 2021 debut album “Shadows” and the “Straight to Hell” EP, ANGA have continued to develop a darker and heavier musical identity. “Demons” captures this current chapter of the band: modern, aggressive, atmospheric, and confidently genre-defying.