VOLUME 2 ISSUE #1 April 1996
Ascendant Strains
10651 E. Timeless Drive Tucson, Arizona 85748 Email:cwisnom@aol.com
SASE for free copy, or Email for electronic version
Welcome, my friends, to Ascendant Strains, the metal newsletter championing the glory of true metal. This is Craig Wisnom, resident metallic attorney, hoping to offer you some bright spots on the musical scene. Some different reviews are to be published in Sentinel Steel #3, and I strongly urge you to check out that issue, as it will include epic interviews with James Rivera of HELSTAR, Ricky Van Helden of ATTACK, Kai Hansen of GAMMA RAY, and Steve Harris of IRON MAIDEN, along with others. My reviews in that issue will include the new BLIND GUARDIAN, SAVATAGE, IRON MAIDEN, and RUNNING WILD. Well, enjoy your reading, and as always, if you like the newsletter, please write to me, and please do your best to support the underground metal scene. It can only survive with the help of true fans like yourselves.
ATTACK-The Secret Place
and Revitalize
(The Attack CD's are available for $14 U.S., including shipping, from Iceland Records P.O. Box 2026/32220 Bunde, GERMANY. Also available from Empire Entertainment, $22.98 + $2.50 shipping and handling for TSP. Empire also carries four other Attack CD's, including Revitalize for $21.98 each)
ATTACK's latest album, The Secret Place, is another in the solid tradition of great German power metal. The band's mainstay at bass and vocals, Ricky Van Helden, helps deliver a magnificent and solid opus. For those of you who drool at that innate Teutonic blending of thundering speed, sweet melody, and compelling choruses that is so rare in the United States, the new disc is to be picked up right after GAMMA RAY, RAGE, and BLIND GUARDIAN on your list of 1995 albums.
ATTACK's been around on vinyl since Mouse in a Maze, a 7" in 1984, and this is their sixth original studio album. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, nothing of theirs has been available domestically in the U.S.
The Secret Place offers driving and triumphant choruses in tunes that just inject themselves instantly into your heart and mind, complemented by a rapid fire rhythm in deadly precision. Musically, it reminds me alternately of some of IRON MAIDEN (especially the bass on songs like "I Know"), the faster and more melodic Running Wild moments, and early Helloween. But overall it has its own unique version of the German metal sound. Thorsten Köhne and Peter Oko deliver a razor sharp, rapid volley of melodic and incisive riffs, complemented by the generally thunderous yet crisp rhythm section. Ricky Van Helden's vocals are reminiscent of a combination of early Kai Hansen and Rolf Kasparek, clear and melodious, and yet reaching upwards with a lot of emotion. "Warrior" and "The Prophecy" are my favorites off this new album, dazzling examples of songs that are simply magic in the way they ascend into your senses, and some of the fastest work on the album. In their own way, all the songs are memorable and well written, with a nice blend of aggression and melody. "Tsoukata" is a energetic and explosive power metal version of Bach's Toccata in Dm, replete with a drum solo in its midst (the drummer is Zacki Tsoukas), and yet faithful to the Gothic mysterium of the original classical work. The German pressing of the CD does not come with the lyrics, but you can still make out most of them, which work with stylized fantasy images and archetypical symbols of emotion, in great traditional metal style.
Another incredible album by a band that's been producing such work staunchly for years. If you're a fan of the genre, or of good solid metal in general, try picking this disc up from Iceland Records, or Empire.
I also received Revitalize, a compilation CD covering the band's work previous to The Secret Place. This collection did not disappoint, bringing together more of that incredible quality of speed with elegance, melody with strength, and conviction and heart enmeshed in the lyrics. In fact, it seems to have a bit more prominence of speed then the latest album, and I think I might enjoy this compilation even more. But with a band like this, they are so staunch in their faith that you know your feelings from album to album probably won't vary tremendously. What is it about the American psyche that resists music with grandeur, nobility, and graceful power? It's a shame, and I hope things can get turned around where true metal like this does have an opportunity to at least reach an audience, and such material is available in record stores. When I hear a compilation like this, I just hear so much majesty, where burning speed and welcoming strains intersect. I received the Japanese version, which included the lyrics, and included 12 tracks and over 60 minutes...I understand the European version includes three extra songs. I have yet to hear the discs from which this compilation was taken, but I would wager both the compilation and the previous discs by the band would be well worth picking up, especially at Iceland's reasonable import prices.
CAULDRON BORN-Swords,
Sorcery, and Science
(Cassette, $5.00 U.S., $8.00 overseas, c/o Howie Bentley (Checks payable to...) P.O. Box 921252, Norcross, GA 30092.)
This is the best new American metal band I have heard in quite a while. Led by guitarist Howie Bentley, they combine the heart and soul of pure, forgotten heavy metal with excellent execution. At the same time, CAULDRON BORN is fresh and original by cultivating their own distinct sound. To begin with, the music is excellent, and the vocals are tremendous, rumbling deep with emotion, and yet ascending to piercing heights, and always carrying a distinct sound, like a cross between Ray Alder and Mark Shelton. The guitar playing is excellent. Sharp, aggressive, riffs rip through the album, along with dazzling leads and solos of speed and evocative melody. The bass work is also tremendous, lively and formative, which is great because of how many bands and productions overlook the importance of a good sounding and well executed bass performance. Like OVERKILL and IRON MAIDEN, the bass really helps bring these songs alive and establish a distinctive style. Even more importantly, this album succeeds at the art of music, which is so much more than just having talent, melodies, and good lyrics. It crafts and evokes emotion with magic. In some ways, this album captures the great feeling that LIEGE LORD's Burn to My Touch had.
I see a lot of similarities to MANILLA ROAD (the most unknown band to release 10+ albums), even though CAULDRON BORN is by no means derivative, and in fact, songwriter Howie Bentley has never even heard the mighty Road. Rather, I think they have a lot of elements that will appeal to MR fans. The epic, mystical, and well fleshed out fantasy lyrics are one of the obvious ways. The way the choral melodies are so powerful, and yet almost unexpected, with emotional, lower intonations, is also reminiscent of the songwriting on Open the Gates. So is the way the instruments wreak such an aggressive path underneath more placid and slower vocal sections. Although they have a clearer, more polished sound than MR, I think fans of MR should definitely pick this up. (Well, then again, I think everyone should, I just think that's even more of a reason.)
One of the things I love most about this band is the dedicated fantasy lyrics. I spoke with Howie Bentley, and the lyrics are obviously deeply influenced by the writing of his favorite authors, such as Robert Howard, and mythology in general, especially from the United Kingdom. I personally love the grand emotions and images in fantasy lyrics that tap into deep human spirit in an original context, and I have always had difficulty finding very many songs that are really so dedicated. Plus, most fantasy libretto is a bit on the simplistic side, and not up to the writing quality of better lyrics in metal on other subjects by bands like SKYCLAD and DREAM THEATER. This band shatters that limitation, with lyrics that are lush, poetic, detailed, intricate, and specific. There is a lot of material currently written waiting to be recorded, and when Howie told me about one of the songs, it absolutely made me drool. It's called "The Sword's Lament", and the chorus invokes the names of manifold swords in the annals of myth and legend; "I Caladcholg, Excalibur, Socht's Sword, Gorm Glas, Beater and Biter/I Stormbringer, Mournblade, Cruadin/I am the sword with which Siegfried slew the dragon/Those strong enough to brandish me/Will know only in their lives misery." A roll call of blades reminiscent of Moorcock's concept of the Eternal Champions. Howie told me that they're currently trying to get a new singer, and while a lot of the singers want to be able to write about politics and social issues, Howie doesn't want that, because that is not what this band is about. This band is purely about the power and glory of mystical images, just as surely as it is about the untainted majesty of heavy metal.
The band is currently looking for a label, and a number of European record companies have expressed interest. I pray that something happens, so I can get some of this, and their future material, on CD very soon! I feel it is absolutely essential to order this demo!
I also received Howie's previous solo work, "Beyond the Shade Gates", which is similar in style to the CAULDRON BORN material, with a session vocalist with vocals a little more in the stratosphere, portraying more fantasy anthems and sleek metal aplomb. Tunes like "Wicker Man" capture antipathy towards the Roman empire, in a tale of capturing a Roman soldier and holding him for druidic rites. Well worth picking up as well done American metal, but I think the CAULDRON BORN demo is even more magical and sensational. The solo tape is also available (including lyrics) for $5 from Howie.
SKYCLAD-Irrational Anthems
(Massacre)
At the end, this album is another unique masterpiece by a band whose seminal grandeur was the lyrical genius of Martin Walkyier, but now has garnished an innate musical brilliance that is breathtaking in its own right. This album continues the progression begun with Wayward Sons of Mother Earth, taking the next step into music more heavily focused on the violin, with song structures more imbued with folk influences then on the past albums. The work is tremendously easy to get into and infectious, with bright memorable choruses and absolutely incisive riffs, from both violin and guitar. The lyrics too edge farther away from the voluminous libretto and apocryphal scope of SABBAT's Dreamweaver, dealing more with on hand social problems, musical injustice, and personal feelings. All in all, if I had a preference, I'd choose the more puissant lyrics to Dreamweaver or Wayward Sons over this album. But for what Martin and company have delivered here, I can't help but delight in this work, preferences put aside.
"Inequality Street" opens the album with an a capella chorus that at first shocked me, almost reminiscent of DOKKEN's "In My Dreams", but with "Life's really a chocolate box lyrics" that are perhaps the weakest and unjustly quoted and repeated from the album. But once the violins kick in, the lyrics improve, somewhat reminiscent of "Thinking Allowed", and SKYCLAD has entered the building. "The Wrong Song" is next, a witty barrage of lyrics apparently dealing with the problems of trying to succeed with a band like SKYCLAD..."Snake Charming" follows, basically a portrait of the deceitful, with an arabesque dance mood to the music. "Penny Dreadful" is sumptuous ear candy, catchy as can be with its violin riffs and infectious chorus, detailing (justifiably!) the unfairness, insanity, and mindless trends of the music business. It provides me with my current favorite pun off the album, "‘Cause I'd rather be called sour and bitter/Than be deemed the flavour of the weak." But you get the idea from the opening four tracks, that despite their lyrical marvel, it just doesn't quite project the powerful, transcendent ideas of "Mythistory", or "Trance Dance." The next track, "The Sinful Ensemble" is quite an original tune, and again has such a dynamic and memorable chorus it could easily sell so well with a bit of exposure. The lyrics detail a nightmare scenario, where all the evil tyrants of history gather to drink and engage in minor sadism. While it's tone is at times playful, it has a serious note about the apathy, bigotry, and weakness within ourselves, within ordinary bars, that give rise to such tyrants: "This is far more than just a joke/Can't you see the fire for the smoke/Choose any public house you please/And find dictators such as these."
"My Mother in Darkness" projects the most somber tone on the album, an elegantly vibrant vampyric tale: "Dance with the lilies in the shadows of the valley/My lily of the valley of the shadow of death/Her velvet shadow in the rain/Disturbs the stillness of the hour/Each crimson kiss a tender pain/Like plucking petals from a flower." The tune has a barely audible chorus, as if echoing from inside of a casket. "No Deposit No Return" is interesting, a touching tale of Martin's family and their support for his career and convictions. "I Dubious" begins with a nice piano intro that foreshadows the compelling chorus, and "History Lessons" is another of the faster songs, loaded with Martin's deft touch for word craft. "Quantity Time" ends the album, slow, somber, and delicate, but with words of such simple, eloquent poignancy, it is one of the most moving on the album. "My hopes and dreams transparent phantoms/this wayward son's irrational anthems..."
Overall, this is simply another magnificent album. George Biddle's violin work is instantly and obviously unique, and yet its frenetic abandon fits so perfectly with heavy metal. The band works so well together...Steve Ramsey's writing style is just innate, and combines with the rhythm section to produce songs that are so original and so unforgettable that they do justice to Martin's indomitable lyrics. How often does a band produce work that is so intellectual, incomparable, dynamic, good, and easy to listen to? Not often enough, and thus this album is one of the essentials of 1996.
HELLOWEEN-The Time of the Oath
(Castle Communications)
This album was a pleasant surprise to me after Master of the Rings, an album much touted, but one which left me with a feeling of too much foot tapping mediocrity. The band returns to a slightly heavier sound, but more importantly, the songwriting is vastly improved from Master of the Rings. Songs like "We've Got the Power", and "Kings Will be Kings" hold those memorable, magnificent choruses that have marked this band at their very best, rising out of speedy songs. "After the War"? Well, suffice it to say that song is tattooed firmly in my brain, and I can't wait to get to it when spinning this disc. The two ballads on this album, "If I Knew" and "Forever and One", while very accessible, sugary, and commercial, so that they may offend metal fans who tend to be offended by such things, are at least good songs of that style, as compared to the anemic "In a Middle of a Heartbeat." "Mission Motherland" and the title track offer some mid-tempo majesty, dealing with some sci-fi and fantasy lyrics which Master also was missing, marking the band's most consistently serious lyrical effort since Keeper II. The album overall has a grandeur, proficiency, and compelling nature which a good portion of Master lacked. On the down side, I still think that Andi Deris' voice doesn't live up to either of his predecessors in the band, and while he carries the tunes adequately, the Paul Diannoish rasp doesn't fit as well with this music as many other singers could have. But it is good enough, and given that HELLOWEEN is finally releasing an album in the states, I would thoroughly recommend this to any pure metal fans left in our trendy wasteland. This isn't up to the first three HELLOWEEN albums, nor does it really compare with Kai Hansen's absolute ascension on the last GAMMA RAY album, but it is nevertheless a very strong, potent, and enjoyable album.
MYSTIC FORCE-A Step
Beyond
I first heard this band on Metal Massacre XI, with "Shipwrecked with the Wicked", a surprisingly melodic, and relatively mellow song, especially considering Metal Blade's slow turning towards industrial death at that point. The band showed a lot of promise, almost reminiscent of an American STORMWITCH, in their catchy and laid back approach.
This latest album is even more impressive to me, because they've added a solid dose of heaviness to their stylings, a real feeling of power and crunch not evident on that compilation track. And overall, the new work is quite effective. It's refreshing to hear an American band sound like this, first of all because it vigorously defies the trends in American metal and the music market in general. But second of all, because they avoid the sometimes too flat, often too Queensrychy sounds that so many American bands that want to play clean, progressive metal end up with. Rather, this album is one of very catchy songs, which are still complex, intelligent, and heavy, and a unique vocal presence that satisfies all of us who do love QUEENSRYCHE, FATES WARNING, LETHAL, and HEIR APPARENT, but yet doesn't sound like any of them. The lyrics are poetic and emotional, without becoming too meandering, and the music is focused, pure heavy metal, with memorable strains. If elegant and ambitious American metal still impresses you, then check out one of its best recent examples.
KAMELOT-Eternity
(Available from Noise Mail Order for $14.95)
This band pretty much deserves a tag as a CRIMSON GLORY clone, sounding tremendously like CG's heavier and more serious moments on Transcendence. And they don't stray far from their roots, as they too are from Florida. (Is this only the second American band Noise has released, the first being MORDRED? Or at least the second band I'd want to remember, forgive me if I tend to block out HUMONGOUS FUNGUS)..But that's not necessarily bad, this band carries the effect off tremendously, and I'd rather hear something excellent yet derivative than something original but bad. It is also refreshing to hear an album like this, where the vocals and enunciation are so clear you don't even need to read the lyric sheet. The band concentrates on fantasy images of black towers, yearning seas, and raging hearts, and the music and lyrics are brought across in a grand, elegant manner. If you're at all a fan of the aforementioned CRIMSON GLORY album, and you don't mind a band that copies a style you enjoy, than I definitely recommend picking up this album, especially since you can save those pesky import surcharges and tariffs by ordering it from Noise.
OZZY OSBOURNE-Ozzmosis
Ozzy's return is much better than I expected. The album is pretty catchy, yet with a good sense of emotion and power. The studio is able to hide the decay in Ozzy's voice pretty well. Overall, the disc is enjoyable, and for all the great things he's done, this is worth picking up if there's nothing better in the record store. While it comes nowhere close to the highest glory he reached with Randy Rhodes, Tony Iommi, and even Jake E. Lee, it transcends and redeems the tepid combination of anemia and banality that infected No More Tears.
KREATOR-Cause for Conflict
(Noise, also available for $14.95)
This band always continues to surprise me, as much as I never really think I am going to like their work, they manage to infuse it with such structure and memorable lyrics that it always wins me over. Their style has altered yet again on this disc, but it has not been tempered. This album is a tribute to pure chaos. The lyrics, the music, all seem to express an almost nihilistic rage, hatred against the establishment, yearning for revolution, and utter loss of love and beauty. The first time I heard it, Mille's voice seemed to swim around, adding different, detached vocal styles to his previous harsh work, as if auditory fractals. And yet the music is still focused and precise in its unrelenting torrent, and strong yet vitriolic choruses on "Lost" and "Isolation" do become tremendously compelling. Not a cheery album, not a very melodic album, but if it's a severely enraged disc you're looking for which you can still respect in the morning, this should fit the bill.
PSYCO DRAMA-The Illusion
(P.O. Box 7161, Colorado, Springs, CO 80933-7161)
Luckily, this album has just been released on CD overseas by Massacre records, and may be available through the band for U.S. fans sometime soon. PSYCO DRAMA play the best kind of metal America currently has to offer as its own, heavily steeped in influences like QUEENSRYCHE, CRIMSON GLORY, and DREAM THEATER, progressive and melodic with silken proficiency. Corey Brown provides the vocals for the band, and they are exquisite, elegantly and powerfully compelling, and display rich talent just a notch above the norm in this genre. The production, even on the cassette, is excellent. Songs like "Dream to Sorrow" and "Castle in the Sky" portray a soulful, glorious emotion that I will never be satiated with. This is music of inspiration and beauty, that encourages dreams, hopes, addressing and transcending pain.
SCANNER-Mental Reservation
(Massacre, Import)
This German band returns after a long hiatus with their third album. Like their first, Hypertrace, this is a concept album, which melds demonic horrors with post apocalyptic politics throughout its 64 minute soundscape. The lyrics look like they could have been greatly improved by asking some friends to read through them, since ofttimes they seem awkward, strange, or just plain silly; and the concept is a pretty convoluted and odd tale. The music is what you would expect from a great German power metal band, fast, melodic, and driving, with swelling, apocryphal choruses the like of which made their first disc so good. New vocalist Haridon Lee glides through the album with silken perfection, clear power resonating through every note. The production on the album is also superb, crystalline yet rich. Unfortunately, only available on import for the moment, just another great metal album from Germany. Steel and glass melded together with refrains that will stamp themselves firmly into your musical psyche.
HELSTAR-Multiples of Black
(Massacre, Import)
This is a brief return for the Texan progressive mavens, just under 35 minutes. The music too is simpler, with all members from Nosferatu except James Rivera and Jerry Abarca gone from the band. The intricacy is toned down a great deal from their last American magnum opus, yielding songs that are more accessible, if not as fascinating or impressive. The lyrics similarly are more oriented towards the anger of the streets than they are the tombs of vampires and the winds of war. The cover of JUDAS PRIEST's "Beyond the Realms of Death" is a high point, just because that is such a favorite of mine, and they do a great version of it. The rest of the album delivers a satisfying crunch of catchy songs with Rivera's unique vocal presence. Not anything as special as they've done in the past, but still good work. Probably an essential pick up at domestic prices, but as an import, especially with the length, I wouldn't recommend it. Look for HELSTAR's next release to return more to the band's complexity and Gothic imagery.
VAUXDVIHL-To Dimension
Logic
(ARTON, Import)
This band emerges from Australia with a devastating progressive metal sound, one that is unique and quite powerful. The sound is closest to the most recent FATES WARNING albums, displaying exceptional talent, but through lush subtlety. This is a soothing rubric of songwriting tapestry, woven together in a seamless web, traced by lyrics of delicate emotion and intellect. The vocalist is quite excellent, full bodied, dead on target, and somehow not sounding like so many other vocalists in this genre. The power herein is restrained, melodic, and brooding, not ostentatious or conventional. It took me a few listens to become enraptured in this work, but it happened. A fascinating new player in the progressive metal scene combining excellence and originality.
CIRCLE OF ELEMENTS-
Reflections of Contrast
(Four Song Demo)
This band reminds me of SOLITUDE AETERNUS, mainly because the vocals are quite similar, although not quite as good, and not quite as ethereal. Still, the singer's voice is quite emotional, with strong notes, and its own unique moments. The band has done their songwriting here, and each track is pretty involving with a good chorus and well written riffs for this kind of elegant, brooding doom. The music is a kind of a mid/slow tempo mix, effective but nothing spectacular. The lyrics are adequate, albeit a bit repetitive and stilted. The sound is not something you hear too often, and if you're a melodic doom enthusiast, this is an enjoyable listen. It also promises a band that could really put something special out with their next album.
SECRET WISDOM-What Never Was
(Cassette, $4.00 c/o Dan DeLucie, 615 S. Marguerita Ave., Alhambra, CA 91801)
I appreciate this two piece (?!?) band's aspiration, to create aggressive, progressive fantasy metal, unfortunately, it doesn't succeed on this demo. I understand guitarist Dan DeLucie has gone on to much better things with NEW EDEN, which more fully realizes the promise shown on this tape. The first song on the album, "Sacrifice at the Event Horizon" is the best, opening with some punchy, crisp riffs, and a compelling chorus. Unfortunately, the vocals are obscured with an almost industrial effect. But on the later tracks, it appears that is preferable, because the vocalist's voice is occasionally missing and straying on notes, as well as being a bit sharp and not reflecting enough emotion. The last track, "Spell of Forbidding", has excellent lyrics, based on the writings of Terry Brooks, with an epic style over 14 minutes long. But unfortunately, the music just doesn't live up to the vision of its creators. While the guitar and bass playing throughout the album is excellent, the writing for the instrumental sections needs improvement, and it is most evident on this last, epic track, where there seems to be just too much meandering and lack of focus to the myriad of instrumental sections. The band does show excellent talent and conceptual promise, and I believe that with a couple more members, and improvement of their songwriting, they could have produced some tremendous and inspirational work. I'll be looking forward to hear the NEW EDEN material.
GRAVE DIGGER-Heart of Darkness
(GUN Records)
Grave Digger is another German band stretching into their second decade, and does so with perhaps their most serious and ambitious album yet. While their earlier work in the 80's featured a lot of good, solid German heavy metal, it also had a bit of silliness to it, a lot of songs about rock'n'roll and heavy metal breakdowns. This album was interesting, because it seems to be bending slightly towards more modern arrangements, just because the disc is over 67 minutes long, with quite a few tunes topping the 6, 7 or 8 minute mark. And yet, when I listened to it, I was struck with a blast of unpretentious metal that seemed more characteristic of the 80's than the 90's. Not as effective to me as the utter inspiration of ANGRA, GAMMA RAY, or BLIND GUARDIAN, this is just catchy, punchy, and enjoyable heavy metal...tunes about witches and demons are sung unabashedly, infectious choruses are repeated often enough to speed their introduction into your bloodstream. The music is generally the tempo of...heavy metal, not too fast, a lot of slower sections, but enough speedy parts to make you know they mean business. Singer Chris Boltendahl carries a nice mixture of enough melody to keep the songs interesting, and enough crunch in his voice to bring a sense of playfully demonic aggression to the music. The title track is a 12 minute plus epic, based on Apocalypse Now...and the band does an effective job on it, one of the better songs on the album. Interesting, for good or bad, it doesn't sound like a 12 minute song, it's neither as epic in its feeling as the best tunes in that length, nor is it boring in the way mediocre tunes at that length tend to be. Instead, it just feels like a shorter song. I still prefer MAIDEN's new "Edge of Darkness", for utterly capturing the spirit of the film, but this one works pretty well. Overall, this is a very good album...I don't know if it has that upper echelon emotion and thrill that would make me recommend it at import prices, but if you can grab it anywhere at a domestic price, and you think the 80's were great, then you can enjoy a crisp, memorable, and entertaining hunk of heavy metal...
OVERKILL-The Killing Kind
(CMC)
Despite pretty poor distribution, I finally got my hands on this disc...After W.F.O., with its rejuvenated energy and razor precision, it's a bit of a disappointment, but it still delivers a solid sphere of OVERKILL style metal and thrash. OVERKILL essentials "Blitz" and D.D. Verni return, joined by ex-Anvil/Ramrod guitarist Sebastian Marino, and ex-Liege Lord vocalist (huh?) Joe Comeau on guitar as well. Hm, well suffice it too say I'd still rather hear Joe singing "Master Control" and "A Soldier's Fortune" then I would playing any of the riffs on here. There are too many nods to modern trends on this album, from the annoying samplish, "Hey!" that virtually ruins "Battle" through its incessant repetitions...Lyrics to "Cold Faced Pagan Stomp" that would make House of Pain look a bit ashamed of their silliness, and some profligate profanity just too reminiscent of Biohazard. Luckily, these are minor elements, the album still retains the OVERKILL sound, feeling, and power at its core, and thus it is an entertaining disc. "Godlike" and the un-OVERKILL like ballad, "The Mourning After" are especially good. I doubt many OVERKILL fans would not enjoy this album, but I also doubt too many will be completely overjoyed with it. With the poor distribution this disc seems to be getting, this point may well be moot anyway, but if you're a fan of the band, then it is something you'll enjoy, just expect some disappointment.
SEDUCER-Shock Value
(Cassette available from Tripp McNeil, 4625 Murray Hill Rd., Charlotte, NC 28209, for $5)
This four piece North Carolina band delivers a vicious stab of pure thrash on this four song demo/EP, complete with lyrics. Somewhat reminiscent of earliest SACRED REICH, and heaviest DARK ANGEL and SLAYER, the lyrics are angry and violent, the vocals are harshly aggressive, and rapid fire beyond comprehension. The guitar work is well done, the rhythm section hectic. Not my favorite genre of metal, but pretty effective for this style, and for those of you hungering for some true thrash that pulls no punches, yet doesn't descend into the generic death spectrum, perhaps a demo to check out.
APPOMATTOX-No Doubt
(Four track demo)
Imagine an adequate American progressive metal band, with the singer for STORMWITCH doing the vocals. That's what this project sounds like. Nothing spectacular, the vocals are very sketchy at times, and the musicianship isn't the best you'll hear in this genre. However, the songs are memorable, something far too often missing from bands like this these days, especially those of the fledgling variety.
Other fanzines and newsletters:
SENTINEL STEEL-$3 for issue 1, $4 for issue #2, c/o Denis Gulbey, P.O. Box 123 / Rockaway, NJ 07866, 201-586-1058
A VISIONARY'S DREAM, $3 Issue #1, $4 Issue #2, c/o Curt Meisner, 157 Norway Av., Trenton, N.J. 08609
NETHERWORDS-S.A.S.E. c/o Dan DeLucie, 615 S. Marguerita Av., Alhambra, CA 91801
KOLLNOT NEWS-S.A.S.E. c/o Jon "Orphan Gypsy" Kollnot, 1268 W. 133rd Circle, Westminster, CO 80234
POWER AND MIGHT-2 I.R.C.'s c/o Max Michiels, 44 Av. du Juin 1940, 93360 Neuilly-
Plaisance, France
METAL CORE FANZINE-c/o Chris Forbes,
13 Carriage Lane, Marlton, NJ, 08053-1109
For obtaining imports and independent metal:
NOISE MAIL ORDER- 7510 Sunset Blvd., Suite 515, LA, CA 90046
Email : noiseus@aol.com
EMPIRE ENTERTAINMENT-(707) 823-6445 Email : Empireent@aol.com
THE ORDER OF STEEL- (201)-586-1058
BRAIN TICKET RECORDS-P.O. Box 122048, Arlington, TX 76012
DREAM DISC - (219)-347-8080
RAM MUSIC -(414) 781-5293
METAL DISC- (805) 492-6385 /
Email : Metaldisc@aol.com
(Online)
CD EUROPE-Telnet cdeurope.com
GMX -Telnet 199.35.15.200
CD CONNECT.-Telnet cdconnection.com
1996 looks like a promising year, especially with new releases from ANGRA and ICED EARTH on the horizon. 1995 closed with a lot of memorable albums, and here is my tentative list for the best albums of 1995:
1)GAMMA RAY-Land of the Free
2)BLIND GUARDIAN-Imaginations from the Other Side
3)RAGE-Black in Mind
4)SAVATAGE-Dead Winter Dead
5)SKYCLAD-Silent Whales of the Lunar Sea
6)SCANNER-Mental Reservation
7)ICED EARTH-Burnt Offerings
8)CAULDRON BORN-Swords, Sorcery, and Science
9)ATTACK-The Secret Place
10)THE GATHERING-Mandylion
11)MOONSPELL-Wolfheart
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