have stayed with that sound. (Nuclear Blast)

Living Sorrow- Triumvirat (Album)
Starts off almost ripping off early Metallica then this just throws a bunch of mid-paced thrash and keyboards at you. Way too many keyboards. Now where is the female vocals? You just know they are going to make an appearance at some point. Hmmm, no females in the first song. Maybe the second??l this track is a little slower, sort of like a new Paradise Lost song but without the electronics. Third song is all spooky sounding at first. Sounds like Sisters Of Mercy with some goofy keyboard riffs. Track four has some heavy guitar and is also pretty darn slow. ?? rest of the CD carries on pretty much the same. Crossing somewhere between mid to slow-paced thrash and gothic. (T.N.G. Music Productions)

Machetazo- Carne de Cementerio (Album)
Ultra-gore death metal. Blood and guts leaking out of your speakers. Which, if you think about it?? rather disgusting. Imagine having to clean that mess up? I sure would not want to. musically this actually doesnt sound exactly as I expected it too. I was expecting the extremely low vox, chunky riffs sort of like Carcass or even Cannibal Corpse. The first track is along those lines: all putrefying and icky and stuff. But then the next two songs seem to switch gear into a more straight forward death style. Rather boring actually. Never fear tho cause after that brief interlude into blah-dom things get rolling again into the rrrrrrr uurrrr rrrrraaaaaaa uurrrrrrrrahhh type stuff which I am sure we all love so well. AND some dual vox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you figured out yet that I love dual vox? We also get a couple of tracks that I would say have a little punk influ in them. And some doom! Did I mention the doom? Kinda sneaking around behind all that deathliness. Isnt that neat? Isnt that spiffy? Aint that grand? I would almost say that this band has nothing to offer that is really groundbreaking. That is true to a certain extent. But there are some little quirks in their guitar riffs that leave you saying COOL!!! This is actually a lot more interesting than I thought it was going to be. I love surprises! (Razorback Records)

Mess Age- Reborn (Demo 2000)
You know, I remember back when female backing vocals used to sound interesting. Now I am so sick of them! It seems like every band has them. So you can probably figure out by my opening rant that Mess Age have female backing vocals. They also have straight forward thrash metal with a touch of classic metal. This could possibly be a decent if somewhat boring tape but the female vox just make this sound like any other band, and lets face it, the music and vocals arent anything that you havent heard before. (ANDRZEJ OSMALEK, UL. SZARA 27/62, 80-119 GDANSK, POLAND e-mail: message@underweb.net)

Night Conquers Day- Rebellion Is The Art Of Survival (Album)
Been reading a lot of good reviews for these guys. Starts off with an orchestra (or probably a keyboard with an orchestra programmed in) then we break into some guitars that sound like they are being played underwater, the music keeps building??e come the vocals?? black metal vocals but sung melodically. Actually from what Ive heard so far these guys seem to be a more musical band rather than the blast, blast, blast style of BM. Hmmm the shortest song is 10:27 and there is seven tracks??s CD is 73:04 long. Sheesh this better be good. Really hope they dont just stay at this pace the whole way thru. One or two songs at the mid range speed in fine but you need something a little faster to break the monotony. And I really could do without the squealing guitar solos?? think we are in trouble here folks. These songs are going to just drag on and on??mp;lt;approximately 2 hours and a couple listens later> The songs were way too long. There were great parts in each song but on a whole I got really bored with each song. Maybe they could just take parts of each song and build a whole new song around them. Maybe shorten the track length down a bit too. Maybe I am just not getting this stuff. Its not bad but damn the songs are loooooong! (Hammerheart Records)

Nomad- The Devilish Whirl (Album)
I was expecting black metal from this band a I get melodic death metal. Actually this could almost be black metal if you threw in some Bolt Thrower, a few Carcass-like riffs, some amazing time changes that actually sound like they belong in the song, some old metal and a cool vocalist who sounds almost constipated, but an evil constipated. Hey, dont ask me. All I know is that it works. It just builds up, crashes down on you, goes around a few corners, rips out your throat, lulls you into a false sense of security, and then well let us just say: be afraid be very afraid. (Novum Vox Mortis)

Sick Of Society- Sportsman Sound (Album)
Back again and cooler than ever! This band is never afraid to do something different. One song can be Monster Magnet-esque the next can be total punk and then you get a slow song (tho I dont think you are supposed to take it too seriously!!!). Every song is catchy as I was humming various songs throughout the day after only one listen. Complaints: Oliver tells me he does not actually play the drums any more but programs them. Well most of the songs it does not seem to matter but on the opening track NO IT! and on TIME BOMB they just sound awful. Sound like they were done on one of those starter keyboards you get when you?a kid. Speaking of TIME BOMB, they do a bit of rap/spoken word between choruses that just sounds a little too forced. But that song actually has one of the catchiest choruses on the CD so I guess I can overlook it (isnt that nice of me?). Anyway, like I said, this is an ear pleasing CD if you like hop around like mad music. I like the new elements brought into the sound except for the rap thing. Tho I think with a little work even that could be cool as long as it is not over used. To paraphrase SOS: I can?magine there is someone out in the wide, wide world, who does not like the nice Sick Of Society guys. (c/o Oliver Kast, Romerstr. 26, 89269 Vohringen, Germany e-mail: SickofSociety@gmx.de)

Slaughter Lord- Thrash Til Death (Album)
This isnt actually a studio album as Slaughter Lord broke up before they were ever able to release anything. This is a collection of demo tracks, rehearsal tapes, and their Taste Of Blood demo, all done around 1986-87. This sounds old. Very old. Which is new I guess now that we have the retro thing going on?? kind of think that this would never have been re-released if it werent for the current trend. But then again Hammerheart seems to be a decent label (and I get points for sucking up to the label yay!!!) so maybe they just really like this band. Whatever, its the music that counts right? Was this deserving of a release after so many years? Sure, what the heck? This isnt what I would call groundbreaking stuff here folks but I still rather enjoyed listening to the old style thrashy guitars and besides, this is actually stuff from the late 80s so at least it is the original music of the time and not a bunch of kids that werent even around back then trying to cash in on the cool retro thing. (Hammerheart Records)

Snapcase- Designs For Automation (Album)
Well I havent heard much from this band but apparently this release is a big deal. My first thought is that the vocalist is a little weak. There is no power in his voice. But on the bright side he doesnt sound like every other hardcore vocalist and I think he may grow on me. Maybe if the vocals were raised up in the mix a bit??usically this reminds me of Neurosis a bit, mixed with elements of a more traditional hardcore album. And while I?ot sure what all the hoopla is about (frankly I am looking forward to the new Shut Down a lot more) this is an album that I will give a listen to every once in a while. (Victory Records)

The Step Kings- Lets Get It On! (Album)
I didnt quite know what to expect from this band. Maybe ska? Well anyway I am quite happy with what this turned out to be. Its got some of that new metal sound, some punk, and some hard rock. Some songs are slamming and some are plain rockers, and there is even a slowish song. A nice mix of styles performed by a vocalist who has some decent vocal range. Well the first half of the CD is like that??e second half, all the songs start to sound the same. Maybe they should have released this as an EP. (Roadrunner)

Tears Of Euphony- In Na tura (Album)
Bloody great band!!!! This band is unlike anything you have ever heard before. They are death metal, thrash, NWOHM, classical, and a bunch of other styles all mixed up into one. BUT that is not where it ends, because mentioning those styles wont help you to understand what this band is doing musically without actually hearing some of their music. Structurally this actually sounds more like a classical CD done by a metal band. Its a mixture of beauty one moment, becoming brutal and vicious the next. Its like a warm spring day turning without warning into a blizzard. Its an album that musicians and laymen can listen to and enjoy, not to mention understand. Its sort of like the seasons of the year, the birth and death of all life, interpreted into the metal genre. I have heard two CDs by Tears Of Euphony so far and I have been totally and completely sucked into living them every time I hear them. It is not just listening, it becomes part of you and you become part of it. This is not a CD that you can just put on and do something else while listening. You need to give it your full attention in order to get the total experience but it is well worth the effort. (Per Lunding, Kliplev Nygade 5, 6200 Aabenraa, Denmark e-mail: ToEuphony@hotmail.com)

Thanatos- Emerging From The Netherworlds (Album)
Ok this is a re-release of this album but as an added bonus, you get eight extra songs taken from demo tapes. So all in all you get 19 trax on this CD. Hmmm??ther re-release from Hammerheart. I think they must really like this old stuff or something. I am a little more interested by this release though cause I had actually heard some Thanatos stuff before. I wish I had this on an LP. The cover art is just incredible, especially the colours used in the painting and it is a shame to have it crammed onto a booklet the size of a CD. (Hammerheart Records)

Therapy?- Suicide Pact: You First (Album)
I am surprised anyone was willing to release this CD after these guys released that pile of crap called Infernal Love. But apparently they managed to kiss some major ass or marry someone whos father or mother is a record exec??tually maybe its because these guys used to be amazing and they figured that perhaps the last CD was just a fluke. Or not. This CD doesnt sound too much like Therapy? The first song I swear sounds like a swing song. You know, like Brian Setzer Orchestra (sp?). There is another one that could fit in nicely on Monster Magnets Superjudge album and there is another that sort of makes me think of Joe Satrianis song Big Bad Moon (man, I used to love it when that video came on!). Well the last two actually arent bad things to be compared to but unfortunately those two songs are the only really interesting ones on the whole CD. The rest seems to be filler. Not worth buying for two songs. (Which label are these guys on now? )

Tulus- Evil 1999 (Album)
Black metal. Yawn. Nothing new. Probably not bad if you are the kind of person who loves all black metal, but unfortunately I am not such a person. This just seems too much like what I have heard from countless other bands, done better by a good number of them. This has all the prerequisites for a black metal release so you know what to expect. (Hammerheart Records)

Unhallowed-PunchFucking Blasphemy (CD Demo)
It has been a while since I have received a demo from a band claiming to play grinding death. Its like music to my ears??ich is good I guess cause this is supposed to be music. Works out rather well huh? Damn I miss this kind of music!!! Used to be the in thing I guess??d to receive tons of demos from grind mixed with death bands but now I get to hear black metal over and over and over and over?? I slip this sucker into my CD player and out pours some beautiful, putrid, gurgly??h man, THIS IS SO COOL!!!!! This CD and the Cenotaph one have made my week much more bearable. (Jenn C, 5170 Berkshire Valley Road, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 U.S.A.)

Various- Heavyweights (Comp CD)
UNEARTH, BEYOND ALL HOPE, RED SKY, NORA, CLUBBER LANG, DIECAST, THROUGH AND THROUGH, UNDYING, CIPHER, JANE, DARE TO DEFY, GODFORBID, UNSOUND, FORTYDAYSRAIN, CROSSTHREAD, DAY OF MOURNING, ALL IS LOST, RED TIDE, DEEP, and FINAL HOUR?? came for the Day Of Mourning and boy did I like the rest. (Endless Fight Records)

Various- Mission Impossible 2 Soundtrack (Album)
Lets see. Rob Zombie gives us a??l Rob Zombie song. All his songs sound similar. Metallica contribute a boring song with a decent riff. Foo Fighters song is ok mainly because we do not have to hear Dave Grohls voice in it. Uncle Kracker sounds like Kid Rock, maybe they are, I dont care. This song is awful. Tinfed, Diffuser, and The Pimps all have completely forgettable songs, no hook, nothing new, just faceless blah bands. Chris Cornells song starts off with a wicked riff and decent vocals but he slows things down and it gets boring fast. The Limp Bizkit song is a good LB song though I figure it wont win over anyone not already into the band. Godsmack are semi-heavy, and cool as always. I love those bands with Alice In Chains type vocals. Butthole Surfers are also cool. Their song is kind of a soundscape turned into a song. Buckcherry give us a fast little rocker. Very catchy. Apartment 216 are semi-abrasive, industro-angst hardcore-ish. Decent. And Powderfinger??l lets not mention them. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. There is a Tori Amos song too. I really like Toris music but this song is definitely one of her lesser attempts. Is this soundtrack worth buying? Not at all. I would suggest doing what I did. Download it off the net. (Dont Know Which label this is on)

Various- Never Give In: A Tribute To Bad Brains (Comp CD)
OK I am starting to really like Haste. I have only heard two songs by them now but both were amazing!! High energy, aggressive, cool vox??t this isnt a Haste review so I will leave it at that. As the title says, this is a tribute to Bad Brains and I am going to assume you all know who they are so we shall dispense with the history lesson. Bad Brains deserves a tribute. They have tons of cool songs to choose from. So as I have mentioned before?? can it go wrong with that formula? Well Moby sure does his best to wreck the whole thing. Mr. I-Change-My Musical-Persona-Every-Day (I am all for progression in music but this guy did not progress. He jumped) does a cover of Sailin On and??ll, let us just say I really dont like Moby anymore. Some highlights for me include the aforementioned Haste (No Conditions), Boy Sets Fire (I Against I), Skinlab (The Messengers), and Vision Of Disorder (Soulcraft). Pretty much every band does at least a half decent job on their respective songs so I give this Comp my full endorsement (YAY!!!). (Century Media)

Wadge/Pantalones Abajo Marinero- Split (7 inch Split)
Actually I think Wadge is one of the better bands to come out of Canada. It is insanity on vinyl. Its sort of hyper grind with a technological edge to it. Think Fear Factory if they were in a mental institution and played faster, heavier music. Ok Wadge sounds nothing like Fear Factory. I just said that because I felt like it. Pantalones Abajo Marinero??M?? thats a gurls name! Dont sound like gurls tho. Unless said gurl was choking on a chicken bone. The vox for this band sounds like he has got a bone stuck in his throat. Sounds cool. The music is ultra fast and insane like. (Discos Al Pacino)

X Coalition Against ShaneX- Down With The King (Album)
What can you say about these guys? They act like a bunch of goofs, their song titles are a joke. The music isnt exactly professional??s hard to take them seriously??t DAMN, the music is fun to listen to, and live is always a blast. Musically somewhere between hardcore and grind not to mention all the odd little sound FX they use, and the banter between and during songs, XCASX pull out all the stops to be??l I am not sure what they want to be actually. A funny, novelty band? Just a way to blow off steam from the other bands they are involved with (Day Of Mourning members included), or maybe they are just having fun? Dont know, dont care. Probably all of the above. Still confused? Here is a couple of song titles to give you an idea: Love Bites??r Arm Off (A Tribute To The One Armed Drummer Of Def Leppard), Rebuttal From My Butthole, George Corpsegrinder Does Not Really Grind Corpses!, X Coalition Against ShaneX VS. Tony Ramhit in a no holds barred Japanese Style Death Match With Barbed Wire Bats and Exploding Tacks??ou get the picture. (X ProphecyX Records)

taken from issue #13