SCUMFEAST METAL ZINE

LOCAL NORTH CAROLINA EXTREME METAL TO CHECK OUT

2008-03-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

During the early part of March Mayhem I had the opportunity to check out some newer North Carolina Extreme Metal bands. Here are three of them for you to check out.

Band Name - COLUMNS
From - Boone/Winston Salem, North Carolina USA
Genre - Death Metal

I saw this band recently at a Brewery show. Yes I was at the Brewery and I haven't been surrounded by that many virgins since fuckin grade school. I was only there to check out another band who were supposedly Black Metal. So I purposely went there late in the hopes of missing any opening bands. Unfortunately when I walked in there was this horrible "emo/screamo" band on the Brewery's sparse stage. Thankfully I only had to hear the end of their set. But they still drove me to drink faster than usual. You can always gauge a band by how many trips you make to the bar. For a good band you stay and watch em but for the bad ones you turn your back on. And for this one band, who I will not give a free plug by mentioning their name, were "mall core".

The band which came up next, COLUMNS, was a surprise for me. They're a four piece who blasted old school Death Fuckin Metal. Nothing fancy just straight in your face (literally, the singer got off stage and into the crowd) Death! Another thing about COLUMNS is that they're not doing this modern "Tech Death" shit. Well yeah they are a young band (early 20s?) so they could just evolve into one in a year or two. But honestly they were not your cliche type of new Death Metal. These guys sounded like they were weened on old MORBID ANGEL or CANNIBAL CORPSE. They have a new guitarist who's only been with em since the Fall of 2007. But you couldn't really tell since they ground down the kiddies in the audience like a well oiled death dealing machine.

I say give them some more practice time. Let em play to more stranger filled audiences (on this night you could tell that they were playing in front of all their friends). Get some gigs opening up for some semi-bigger named bands. And then look the fuck out because these guys are doing something that fans of old Death Metal want. Fuck the flashy shit just get on stage and kick every goddamn ass in the fucking audience.COLUMNS has a few demos out and if what I said interests you. Then go check em out at:

http://www.myspace.com/columnsmusic
http://www.purevolume.com/columns

Band Name - FAITH IN ASHES
From - Cary, North Carolina USA
Genre - Black Metal
This is the band I went to the Brewery to see. I was told about FAITH IN ASHES (not to be confused with FROST LIKE ASHES, a black metal band on Open Grave Records) by a friend and he said they were a local Black Metal band. Of course since I'm a extremely jaded bastard, the "?" mark popped out. Ok I'll be the judge on that one. I checked out their site page and listened to some of their songs. And they sounded like something worth while to check out. Their site says "epic black metal". Also there was something strange about their band photo. At the time I couldn't put my finger on it. But there I was at the club and my friend introduced me to one of the band's guitarists, Adam, and their vocalist, Micah. Then they finally got on stage and it was then that I figured out what so weird about their band photo. Adam, who was wearing glasses when I met him but had them off while on stage, looks like a younger Euronymous. I swear if you put this guy in corpse paint and in a leather jacket you would think that you were staring at the ghost of Euronymous. Whoa what a freaky moment I wanted to ask the guy if he was born in Norway or at least conceived there in say 1988? But hey I didn't want to offend him right off the bat.

Musically, well their opening contained a pre-recorded taped sample of some classical piece. A few seconds later the band starts shredding some good sounding melodic Black Metal. I liked their vocals, Micah's raspy screams were fuckin exciting to listen to. Also his presence on stage was very into the crowd's face with his neck veins popping out for good effect. Guitars and Bass sounded great also although I would like to hear the band in a bigger venue. Their stage presence needs some work. The other guitarist, who also contributes backing vocals, is a lefty which is very cool (follow the left hand path). But dude leave the DIMMU BORGIR shirt at home. Your up on stage trying to raise demonic beasts from the fiery pits of Hell, not advertising that you shop at Manic Panic. Another thing that stuck out like a Pope's Hat at a BLACK SABBATH concert was the drummer wearing a red t-shirt and I could swear he started the gig off with a baseball cap worn backwards.

Were they "Epic"? Not unless they add a keyboardist and were backed by the North Carolina Symphony. I wanted to close my eyes and just listen to them but obviously I couldn't do that where I was. Some audience "mall rat" would look at me and say to his buddies, "Look some one's dad is passed out in the corner!" Also I saw some of these "mall rats" practicing their "high kicking" moves before the music started. Yeah that's all I needed. There I am standing against the wall with my eyes closed listening to FAITH IN ASHES crank out some melodic blackness. And the next thing I know some kid slams his size 7 sneaker clad foot into my nut sack by accident. I'm there to check out the band, not to be brought up on charges of manslaughter.

Anyway as I write this I'm also on the FAITH IN ASHES site listening to the 3 songs which are on it. I can honestly say I like them better live since on that night the majority of their material sounded like Blackened Thrash from the 90s. They reminded me a little of AURA NOIR or even some DESTRUCTION then say EMPEROR But on their site, the recorded songs sound like these guys have listened to their share of COF. As far as right now I'll take em live and hopefully when they record a proper CD, their producer will de-produce the melody out of them. That harsh live sound of theirs is where they need to be. Deep in the depths of the black.The band doesn't have any merch out right now but you can check them out at:

http://www.myspace.com/faithinashes

Band Name - LEGION OF THE FALLEN
Home - Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA
Genre - Black Metal/Death Metal

If someone asked me in what North Carolina city or town would a decent sounding Black Metal band would emerge from. I'd would not have guessed Chapel Hill. Actually I would've said Lizard Lick or one of the bigger cities. But here we have LEGION OF THE FALLEN from Chapel Hill the musical home of Indie Rock and Jangly Pop. Sure I've been using the label "chapel hell" for years but only to exemplify my hatred for the place. One wonders what could the town have in common with Bergen or Oslo, Norway that could spawn some decent sounding Black Metal? Hmmmmm? Well for starters the people in Chapel Hill act like sheep ready to be slaughtered wholesale. They're politically liberal and have Christian religious leanings in name only. The people walk around with congealed smiles of ignorance. Well except for the weather I'd say there's a connection.

I caught LEGION OF THE FALLEN recently at Volume 11 when they shared the bill with SOILENT GREEN and MUNICIPAL WASTE. I was very interested in seeing this band since I had heard that they put on an impressive show. And hey, I was not disappointed. Also I was expecting to see a four piece on stage since their site states that their lead guitarist was also the vocalist. But on this night they had a lead vocalist. A friend said that the guy just got out of prison. Wow, for what, church burnings? This guy was a great vocalist and front man for the band that night. I was hoping one of those "juggalos" who came out to see MUNICIPAL WASTE would've jumped on stage to do a dive. Then the singer from LEGION OF THE FALLEN could've slammed the asshole with that huge spiked gauntlet he was sporting. Blood and Iron is the taste you'll get when you climb up onto their stage.

Actually throughout LEGION OF THE FALLEN's set they had the crowd in their grip. I was watching the their reaction and these people were in awe. And to be totally honest with you so was I to "epic" proportions. They'll be playing Volume 11 on May 24th with SATAN'S HOST and DRAWN & QUARTERED who by the way are on Moribund Records. Which is a great Black Metal label. They are one of my favorites and who knows, maybe those two bands will put in a good word in about LEGION OF THE FALLEN to the label.

The band does have a demo out of material from 2003 to 2007. It's pretty damm good but I'm looking towards the future. They're feet are firmly planted on the well worn path of past Black Metal greatness. You can check out LEGION OF THE FALLEN at:

http://www.myspace.com/legionofthefallen

AND METAL SANAZ WONDERS WHY PEOPLE HATE HER.

2008-02-29T01:13:00.000-08:00

DON'T HIDE YOUR HATE by Mr. wolf

So how did all of this backlash against Metal Sanaz, the self proclaimed Queen of Metal, come about? It all started when I checked out a bulletin from one of my Friends/Readers, TRUE METAL MANIAC. The bulletin was titled "THIS SICKENING PLAGUE MUST END!!!" and it was about his dislike for the woman who goes by the name Metal Sanaz and her new myspace site "myspace a place of metal". Here is the whole bulletin:

If you agree with me, repost this in a bulletin and add on what you think as well. This sickening plague must end! Well, your dear Juliya and metal sanaz, or what ever her gay ass name is..Really, they don't know shit about metal.
As for this "myspace a place of metal" bullshit. Really...I feel that metal has now gone down hill, why do I say this? Because..it's getting WAY the fuck over rated.I am sick of all this shit making metal into a scene like SCENE fags and hardcore bullshit. METAL IS NOT A SCENE, IT'S A LIFE STYLE AND THE WAY OF LIFE FOR THE TRUE!
I will NOT give into the posers, the fakes, and all these little fucks who are here just to look "cool" or "hard" or what ever the fuck they think they look.

HERE IS WHERE I STAND MY GROUND AND SAY FUCK YOU METAL SANAZ, FUCK YOU JUYLIA FOR MAKING OUR WAY OF LIFE INTO A JOKE

YOU FUCKED EVERYTHING UP FOR THE TRUE METAL HEADS OUT THERE AND NOW THIS IS WHERE WE STAND!
THIS IS WHERE WE STAND AND SAY FUCK YOU! WE WILL NOT FOLLOW YOUR FLOCK OF SHEEP. METAL FOR

LIVE!!

Of course I answered it and gave my opinion on the subject which was sort of in agreement with his. Basically I have seen the woman's videos in the past. She's a metal groupie of the "Hollywood type" sect of pop metal which is very fake and extremely phony.(Remember Hair Metal?) She talks to bands while her boyfriend tries to film everything without shaking the camera too much. Her job is that of a VJ or better yet a human tapeworm. (Please remember that WENDY O WILLIAMS was also a VJ on the old Nightflight cable music show. The difference is that WENDY O was the Queen of Extreme Metal at that time. She had a resume to back her up.) Just take a look at some of Sanaz's work here:

Like I said, it's the Hollywood version of metal. A cross between MTV's Head Banger's Balls and Entertainment Tonight. It should not be taken seriously since this is fluff for the Hot Topic post MTV generation. From the video you can see that GWAR is not taking her seriously and pretty much makes her out as the real butt of the joke. But this is what the mainstream 18 and under crowd want and get. I don't begrudge this woman her way at earning a living. And to be honest with you she's done a good job at it by whoring herself out on myspace for the past few years. Just like that blonde bimbo with the fake tits, the Asian idiot with a million friends, and that brunette model. All four of these woman have used myspace to become famous, "myspace famous no talent required just have a large quota of friends". That's the career they have chosen, DIY and make everything up as you go along.

Almost every metal band on myspace (even some of the Extreme ones) have her as a "Friend". SCUMFEAST METAL does not because we take our love of Extreme music more seriously. We don't choose or accept "friends" for street cred (hint hint) When it comes to music I consider myself a 1%er. In other words I see the other 99% of music fans to be average, mainstream, and frankly boring. Where as I belong to the 1% crowd who are above all the "scenster" bullshit. Yes I am an elitist and as long as I listen to music that the majority cannot stand then I will always be better than them. When it comes to my love of Extreme Music just think of my 13" jack boot standing on the face of mainstream pop music forever. And if you are a pop metal music fan then please tell me if there's any gum on the bottom of my boot. If so then lick it off, loser. Here's another classic Sanaz moment on video.

But getting back to Ms. Sanaz, recently she launched the site "myspace a place of metal". Soon to be followed by "myspace a place for gangsta rap","myspace a place for pop country" and of course "myspace a place for punk", with one of those clowns from RANCID as the VJ host. I did check out the site since I'm a masochist. Along with Ms.Sanaz's video chats the site also has a forum where juggalos, wiggers, and shut-ins argue with each other kindergarten style. Yeah that's what kiddie metal is all about. Whoever gets on the playground swings first gets to talk the most smack. Actually it's kinda like going to the zoo and watching the monkeys. They're all
screeching, fondling themselves, playing with their fruit and showing off their bright pink bungholes. But the good part is that they're all in a cage. And if they ever tried to escape, you can just shoot them in the head. You can always get more monkeys. You can also show them how to wear clothing, give them licenses to drive and even allow them to vote. But that's another article to discuss at another time. Actually I hate monkeys. I like pissed off tigers who jump out of their cages and maul drunken illegal immigrants.

Here's another classic Sanaz interview and look closely as she talks to King from GORGOROTH. For a second there it looks like she's about to throw up. Fans know King is not some wordsmith when it comes to interviews. He saves all his talent for the music. If she was talking to Gaahl, he would most likely assault her. Also don't you think Sanaz learned some make-up tips from Dee Snider of Twisted Sister? And that Manic Panic skunk hairdo is unflatering to say the least. Well it is the NAMM. I have nothing against King for doing the interview. Like they say, all press is good press, and besides he was being paid to be there.
Check out this video: Interview with King (GORGOROTH) with Sanaz

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Now as I said earlier, I see this all as mainstream kiddie shit. Extreme Metal Maniacs should not take any of what Sanaz does seriously. Nor should fans of GORGOROTH be pissed. The labels tell the bands that they have to do crap like this. It's good public relations and it's also part of the job as "rock star/artist". But this next video seems to have pissed many people off.
Check out this video: TO ALL HATERS....

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How insecure is Ms. Sanaz that she has to make a self serving video like this? Come on lady, you're fucking in your mid-30s and you still can't handle criticism? You give this poor pitiful me act, "Oh they're all out to get me". Were did you learn that one from, Hillary Clinton? No they are not Sanaz! No one is bitter about what you do. Just like you have every right to express your opinion so does everyone else. And if people want to say that you suck, tough fuckin shit! Come on we all can see that smirk on your face. You're there at the NAMM (whoa! how impressive!) talking to a washed up rocker who's past efforts are still being blasted in trailer parks. (What, the guys from WARRANT weren't available?) Getting him to call people names in order to defend your honor. Yes it's true that Myspace picked you to do that "myspace metal" site but let's be honest. How many other people were in the running? How many people are groupies who followed a career path that would turn them into pop culture human tapeworms? How many other "wannabees" have hawked posters of themselves for $15 a pop and a promise to accept their Friend's Request"? Hey at least I know who was singing for BLACK SABBATH the first time I saw them back in the late 70s. And in an interview you claimed you didn't and still don't remember. Metal was around before you were born. It was around before the Internet. What you, Sanaz, are doing is covering the safe and sedate scenster bullshit. It works for all the kids on your sites because they're not old enough to get into a niteclub. Therefore you cover the goings on at the Warped Tour or Sounds of the Underground (which is not underground at all) because they are all daycare centers for kiddie metal fans.

Look just face it, people who actually like Metal are calling you out and expressing their opinion of you. A pathetic and shallow Hollywood phony is basically what they're describing you as. And obviously there must be some truth to that since you have to film some childish video denouncing your critics. To me that makes you a waste of skin. And speaking of skin, looking at your past videos and comparing them to your present ones. It looks to me like you've had some nipping and tucking, along with some add ons of late. You've gotta watch that shit or someday you'll end up with a vagina for a nose and a sphincter for an adam's apple.

And now here's my favorite video of you.

LIMBONIC ART - Legacy of Evil CD review

2008-02-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

LIMBONIC ART - Legacy of Evil CD
I was listening to this the other night while doing some research on the web (Warning: you cannot get much work done while listening to LIMBONIC ART) and wondered if I had reviewed this one yet. After checking the official site I realized that I hadn't and I've been enjoying it since early January. What I like about this Norwegian duo's return to form is that this CD is a step back to the Black Metal heyday of the 90s. The three year hiatus that Daemon and Morfeus took has paid off for fans. The song structures are in constant shift. There's a good mix of moody
cuts paired off with maniacal faster blasts of hate. There's a good sounding symphonic charactor but the keyboards on here are kept in the background because the riffs are so fucking overwelming. Daemon's vocals are as sharp as a razor. I
recommend waking up to this in the morning, that's if you live alone in a house and not in an apartment. Otherwise you will drive people insane by playing this loudly at off hours.

"Lycanthropic Tales" has to be my favorite cut on here, for obvious reasons of course. The song simply explodes out of your speakers. I wonder what Ipod wearer's facial expressions look like while listening to this and walking down crowded sidewalks? Personally I believe they would have a seriously twisted look to them. Like a baseball size maggot was chewing it's way out of their brain cavity. Then there's "Infernal Phantom Kingdom" that contains the vengeful lines, "Evil has a way of returning. You cannot hide from Hell's eye. It is always burning." Don't we all
feel that way sometimes when we encounter schmucks on myspace who think they can't be hurt. When I listen to this I can picture some faceless myspace pussy typing some poison e-mail towards me. And seconds after the loser punches "send" a ghostly aparition of my hand reaches out from their monitor and clutches their throat, crushing their pencil neck. It's just a thought, by the way did I mention that my astral projection training is coming along quite well?

Yes this whole release is truly evil and has contributed to my own personal nasty immagination. Think about this sick idea. Wouldn't it be fun to slip into some snotty nosed mall brat's bedroom one night. And while the little twit is dreaming about what childish things to type on the Myspace Is For Metal Forum site. You remove their precious crap CD (place your most hated mall rat type band here) and replace it with LIMBONIC ART's "Legacy of Evil". In the morning when the little shit wakes up and pushes the play button it'll either drive them insane enough to dive head first out their bedroom window (suicide is for the weak ones even if it's
encouraged by music) or the child will be converted to music that actually matters. So what will you be listening to tommorrow morning, hmmmm?
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS

http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
http://www.myspace.com/limbonicart

DISFEAR - Live the Storm CD Review

2008-02-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

DISFEAR - Live the Storm CD
Imagine, if you will, DISCHARGE in a head on collision with MOTORHEAD at a Gothenberg intersection with a melodic death metalhead standing nearby cheering it on. Yeah well that's what you would expect since this is Tomas Lindberg's hardcore project. And if 2003's Misanthropic Generation CD was an experiment in the potencial. Then Live the Storm is definitely the mighty beast unleashed to it's fullest extent. Thankfully Lineberg saved his AT THE GATES influences for this year's reunion shows. Because on here he come's off like a man on a mission, diving head first into a music scene that just doesn't care. The Hardcore Punk music scene has always been suspicious of Metal bands dicking around in the realm of the Underground. But that was in the mid-eighties, by the late eighties and early nineties what people called hardcore was actually full blown Metal. And Live the Storm could've been the best release of 1991.

On here the music is full blown Euro Trash early 80's era Hardcore with Lineberg's vocals more intense than a man half his age. In 1979/1980 we called DISCHARGE and all the bands that copied them Hardcore, not crust-core and not D-Beat. Those are quaint rock revisionist reviewer terms by people who were not around then. If anything they were tagged as another "DIS-band". In fact the opener "Get It Off" almost sounds like an outake from DISCHARGE's "Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing" or a genuine ripoff. Having former ENTOMBED guitarist Uffe Cederlund on board now
most likely helped in that formula. Because from that opener up until the last cut, "Phantom" a seven plus minute over indulgence, Live the Storm is a retro blast. The only things missing are the anarchy symbols and spikey haircuts.
RELAPSE RECORDS

http://www.relapse.com
http://www.myspace.com/disfear
http://www.disfear.com/

PRIMORDIAL - To the Nameless Dead CD review

2008-01-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

PRIMORDIAL - To the Nameless Dead CD

This came recommended to me from someone who saw that I've been getting into alot of "Folk Metal" lately. PRIMORDIAL have been around for close to twenty years but this is my first time reviewing one of their releases. Obviously that's been a bad for me because after listening to "To the Nameless Dead" for weeks now. I've been completely at a loss for words to write something worthy of them. This is my seventh draft for a review so we'll see if I finish this one.

PRIMORDIAL are Celtic Folk meets epic Black Metal while being stranded out on an Irish countryside. Frontman Nailmass Nemtheanga has a powerful vocal delivery where he switches from a folksy homeland style to more harsh tones all across this release. Add to that is the music which is nothing less than a massive wall of orchestral sound and fury. Lyrically you can't deny that this is almost a call to arms for the fallen. A suffering troubadour calling out from the battlefield as the dark riffs carry over the countryside. Yeah this is one of those releases where you can just turn up the volume, sit back in your chair, close your eyes and let the music take you to foreign places. Let your imagination run with it as PRIMORDIAL transports you to places where monuments are crumbling, to the end of modern civilization, public executions, blood soaked battlefields of the past and funeral pyres.

It's releases like this that make Extreme Metal more important then the simplistic cliches we place upon it. "To the Nameless Dead" is more art than mere acting on a theme. Once in awhile you come across a release that effects you in a tribal way. It's as if just listening to this CD is far more important than what I or anyone else will write about it. I firmly believe that everyone who reads Scumfeast Metal should have a copy of this. Musically yes but more importantly for our psyche since it will bring out something alot better artistically that "Infernal Hails Dude". Nuff Said.
METAL BLADE RECORDS

http://www.metalblade.com
http://www.primordial.com

SEVERE TORTURE - Sworn Vengeance CD review

2008-01-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

SEVERE TORTURE - Sworn Vengeance CDOne time a friend told me that the best way to describe Death Metal to someone was to turn the FM radio up and then turn the dial as fast as possible. Obviously he was trying to make a joke about the whole genre. I'm not one to joke about Death Metal but the guy did have a point. There are times when the genre can become stale and sterile to the point where you can't distinguish one band from another. But that can be said about almost all musical genres whether it's Extreme Music or the crap the losers listen to.

Which brings me to the latest release by SEVERE TORTURE, a band from my ancestral homeland of Holland. Yes I'm a Dutchman by heart and I'm also part German and Irish. Plus I'm an American which means with all of that heritage behind me, screw with me and you'll be devastated beyond belief. Which is what SEVERE TORTURE is probably doing right now since they're on the European Devastation 2008 Tour. Now as far as this Cd goes I will not say it blasts me out of my chair and across the room. But for Death Metal purists this is very "kick your fucking ass" type stuff. I will say for the so-called "experts" this might be Death Metal template rehash. Thankfully I'm not one of those bored little shits. "Sworn Vengeance" hark ens back to the days of CANNIBAL CORPSE and some of the more twisted aspects of MORBID ANGEL. Yeah we're talking traditional US style Death Metal here folks brought to us from the Dutch.

With this release SEVERE TORTURE are not trying to win you over with techno wizardry (boring) or some grand spectacle of sight & sound (wow theatrics). Instead this is Death Metal for people who have a devilish passion for having that grey matter vibrate within their skulls. If I were to choose a few tracks worthy of hunting down low rent west coast slobs too, I'd definitely say "Dogmasomatic Nausea". It's probably the most hate filled blast on here. Then I'd follow that up with "Countless Villains" and the title track for severe bloodletting fun. All in all this is a great release.
EARACHE RECORDS

http://www.myspace.com/severetorture
http://www.earache.com
http://www.severetorture.com

PAGAN FEST USA 2008 in Raleigh, NC

2008-01-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

PAGAN FEST USA 2008 is coming to Volume 11 Tavern on May 20th here in Raleigh, North Carolina. This will be one of the best shows in 2008 for this area. Four great bands from the Viking/Folk Metal genre. They are:

ENSIFERUM from Helsinki, Finland

http://www.ensiferum.com

http://www.myspace.com/officialensiferum

TURISAS from Hameenlinna, Finland

http://www.turisas.com

http://www.myspace.com/turisasofficial

TYR from Runavik, Faroe Islands

http://www.tyr.net

http://www.myspace.com/tyr/

ELUVEITE from Switzerland

http://www.eluveite.ch

http://www.myspace.com/eluveite

MARK YOUR CALENDERS NOW AND TAKE THE FOLLOWING DAY OFF BECAUSE YOU'LL NEED IT. FOR MORE INFO ON PAGAN FEST USA GO TO:

http://www.myspace.com/paganfestusa

IMPALED NAZARENE - Manifest CD review

2008-01-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

IMPALED NAZARENE - Manifest CD
The latest release from this long time Finnish Black Metal outfit is like listening to a metal genre crossing compilation. Not that it's a bad thing of course since IMAPLED NAZARENE have been doing this same across the board blasting on all of their nine previous releases. Unfortunately it creates havoc for all those music snobs on Forums/Groups who try to pin down bands in genre specific stations. You would figure that people who like Extreme Music would not act so childish. Well be that as it may, this thing is around 50 minutes of hell comes your house Extreme Metal. And if that's not good enough for you then I suggest you rethink your musical choices. Or in other words, go back to listening to crap. Just leave the good stuff like this to people like me who actually like Extreme Music. And stop writing "Imp Naz". What are you a fairy too scared to type out the band's full name?

Getting back to this release, IMPALED NAZARENE are not into slowly torturing you musically. From the opening "Into: Greater Wrath" and "The Antichrist Files" they are an overwhelming force charging into battle with only three goals, to convert, to kill and to break things. Other tracks that follow are simply variations on the same theme. "You Don't Rock Hard" is like old SODOM style Thrash. "Funeral for Despicable Pigs" has not only the best song title I've seen in weeks but it's also a doom and gloom ladened death march for those who've survived the initial onslaught. Like sending out the women and children after the battle to take lay waste to the enemy wounded. From there IMPALED NAZARENE continue on with the assault destroying everything and everyone in their path. "Blueprints for Your Culture's Apocalypse" is Thrash for planetary annihilation, along with the maniacal "Planet Nazarene". I played that last one five times in a row, with arms raised and horned fists hailing IMPALED NAZARENE in battle. Yeah some people say the music I listen to effects me in negative ways. Yeah, and your point is?

Finally when this Cd comes to a close, count yourself worthy to have survived. "When Violence Commands the Day" is pure blasphemy to everything in sight. It's like the photo on our Profile with a nuclear explosion of the horned fist of hate. "Manifest" is an apocalyptic nightmare come true to all the human garbage who share my air. Convert to this or die miserably, indeed. You're all fucked, who don't think so?
OSMOSE Records

http://www.campnazarene.com/
http://www.myspace.com/impalednazarene

ELECTRIC WIZARD - Witchcult Today CD review

2008-01-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

ELECTRIC WIZARD - Witchcult Today Cd
I was really caught up in the hype of this, their sixth release. I was expecting drug induced black doom with Jus Oorn and Liz Buckingham humping while on top of the corpse of "Masters of Reality" era SABBATH. I was expecting "Dopethrone 2007" with extra sludge on the side. I was expecting hippies buried up to their necks in sand, with Charlie Manson coming at them on a riding lawnmower, tripping his brains out on a new designer psychedelic drug. Instead we've got the equivalent of sitting in a uncomfortable chair at an overly extended Narcotics Anonymous meeting. They should've titled this one "Dude, Who Pissed in My Bong?"

I'll admit that prior to getting this, I was listening to the PRE-ELECTRIC WIZARD CD alot, the late 80's ETERNAL being my favorite obviously. But what bothers me about "Witchcult Today" is for starters, the sequence of songs. "Satanic Rites of Drugula" should've opened this dirge up and not the title cut. I'm into listening and my only thought is to go get a beer. Whatever happened to the universe of doom that made listeners dive in head first? Plus "Satanic Rites of Drugula" is funny and inviting. A stoned out Dracula looking for people to get high by biting them? "Dunwich" is definitely a no-brainier since you need to wake up once in a while. The rest of this CD would induce sleep on coke head.

I just don't get the dumming down to which this band has come. Three years since their last release and we get the result of pothead released from jail after being straight for so long and having a relationship on the inside if you know what I mean. And I bet you do. The power was cut off on ELECTRIC WIZARD because somebody blew the bill money on bad weed.
RISE ABOVE RECORDS
http://www.riseaboverecords.com

Blut Aus Nord - Odinist: The Destruction of Reason by Illumination CD review

2008-01-18T21:19:00.000-08:00

BLUT AUS NORD - Odinist: The Destruction of Reason by Illumination CD
While listening to this latest release by French three piece,BLUT AUS NORD, I picture some demonic machine or even a factory labyrinth. And as you enter the thing comes to life to reveal only horror within it's inner workings. The opening track seems to lure you with this atmospheric vibe but once inside the doors slam shut. You are then pounded by industrial strength Black Metal. The mechanical-like drumming keeps this nightmare intact throughout. The guitars are melodic as if patterning them after the rhythm of a echoing machine. At times it's like a conveyor belt of static shocks. Other instances it's a jackhammer pulverising it's
intended target to microscopic proportions. The keyboards seem to hold everything together like welding two competing forces bent on destroying one another into one horrific killing machine.

The most chilling aspect of this whole release are the vocals. Actually I wouldn't even call them vocals at all. Sometimes they are haunting rasps reaching out to grasp whatever they can get hold of. Then on other cuts they come at you like tortured screams of agony. Whether they're to repel or welcome you is another matter altogether. I like how the vocals are not competing for life with the guitar. The whole is layered together but with waves of one pouring out at the perfect times and then reseeding to allow the other to hurt you as well. All in all it's a great
effect which makes this thing like a dark secret come to life.

Something important to note is that this was produced by Jaz Coleman, the guy who introduced the world to Industrial Metal with KILLING JOKE years ago. Thankfully he didn't homogenize this thing down to the likes of his latter day work. Instead, BLUT AUS NORD are this crude out of control industrial age blackened machine of hate. I was expecting this thing to end with a ripping of flesh and guts. But a surprise, the CD exits as it entered in. The atmospheric opening returns to allow you to exit this horror of sound and imagination.

I can picture an elementary school field trip to a pork slaughterhouse. The class stands on a moving sidewalk and then enters the great hall of carnage. A monotone pre-recorded voice explains all the goings on as the children watch. Some are horrified to the point where they turn away in disgust. Others move off to vomit after seeing where their lunch had just come from. And then there is one left, a very stoic figure for a child. He stands enthralled as he watches in guilty delight all the goings on. The teacher, standing in the background, looks upon the child and makes a mental note to remember this one.

Yeah that's what this is all about. Dragging your imagination beyond those limits forced upon you before by zealots. BLUNT AUS NORD takes fantasy and ties it all into reality as if it were a true memory.
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com

DODSFERD - Cursing Your Will To Live CD Review

2008-01-12T20:59:00.000-08:00

(EDITOR'S NOTE: I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS CD SINCE DECEMBER 2007, AND I HAD THOUGHT THEY WERE REVIEWED AND POSTED UP ON THIS SITE. BUT MY LAST COMPUTER WAS DAMAGED IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER. THEREFORE I OBVIOUSLY HADN'T POSTED ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SO HERE'S THE REVIEW OF
THIS. TRUST ME ON THIS, I'M PISSED OFF.)

DODSFERD - Cursing Your Will To Live CD

I became a fan of this one man Black Metal project from Greece in early 2007 after I picked up the FUCKING YOUR CREATION CD. I started listening to it every morning for a couple of weeks. Extremely hate filled music is very important to get your attitude right before you go out to face the world. You see after really listening to his music, whether it's this one or his previous two. You realize that Wrath really is a nihilist who has total disdain for almost all humanity. And CURSING YOUR WILL TO LIVE is the epitome of hate. It simply does not hold back one second.

The CD opens with a simple guitar drone "All of Them Are Dead", no vocals just pure noise. But it's this noise which is key to opening up all of the rage and hostility on this CD. When you're angry, really angry, imagine what your brain waves are doing? Now place that into a musical form, yes a droning sound that's like a fuse burning till it reaches the powder to explode. And what follows next on "Hypocritic Shitfuckers Still Breathing" is the explosion. The song is traditional DODSFERD black and roll style and it hates twice as much. What follows lends more to older Black Metal style. "You Call It Resurrection; I Call It Fairytale for Human Parasites, Your Kind" is not just a simple theological disagreement on the christ resurrection. It's a full on blasting rebuke of everything involved in it. Wrath
continues his venom spewing attacks on "Failure Was Described As Religion, As Heresy". What makes this more than just a simple anti-religious rant is Wrath's vocals, which go from these harsh screams to some hate filled rasps. This is laid over a raw as fuck Black Metal uptempo groove.

"I Was Challenged to Enter the Gates of Blasphemy" is by far the most hate filled cut on here. It's eight minutes of screams and howling laid over a simple continuous rhythm. It's as if a man was being tortured by an inquisitor and never gave in. What follows is obviously a companion piece, "Under A Broken Cross", a poetic rant spoken/screamed/grunted over an ambient drone for six minutes. Listen to this song five or six times in a row but leave your humanity behind. Your thoughts will drift off to a place which is beyond mere contempt. Then you'll be shocked back into reality by what follows. "Staring at the Ashes of a Forsaken Kingdom" is a harsh rocker reminiscent of lower tier NWOBHM meets IMMORTAL. In fact the main reason I like DODSFERD is that they are the hybrid link between DARKTHONE's "Transilvanian
Hunger" and IMMORTAL's "Battles of the North". Wrath's vocals might make that opinion a stretch since they are of a higher screech. But musically on the title cut, especially since Wrath does the guitar and vocals, but has two highly Black Metal influenced session musicians on bass and drums which help this thing along.

As I'm listening to the title cut, all nine plus minutes of it, I must say that this CD is at the pinnacle of modern Black Metal. To use an arborist's term, the roots hold it in place. The trunk has given it the ability to rise above everything else that surrounds it. The branches have grown to an expansion of limitless proportions. But to look at it as just a sum of it's parts would be wrong. It's the complete structure that's all important. "Cursing Your Will To Live" is that complete structure. I'm writing this just as I listen to "Your Death, My Propitiation", which is pure blackened thrash. Yes there is no mercy to the lame fucks who have crawled into the Black Metal scene. The final cut, "I Kept Standing with Disgust" to me is an ode to that with it's death metal like blast of intense defiance.

Wow what a long review but a quick read for you. It has taken me close to four hours to review this CD. I believe we have a record. But anyway, this CD is the I AM AND I'M STILL HERE STANDING IN DEFIANCE OF ALL WHO OPPOSE ME, type of release that the weak ones bemoan. But us with the will of steel, crave.
MORIBUND CULT RECORDS

http://www.myspace.com/dodsferd
http://www.moribundcult.com

BEHEMOTH NEWS

2008-01-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Metal Blade Records is proud to announce the signing of BEHEMOTH!
Repost From Metal Blade Records: http://www.myspace.com/metalbladerecords
Metal Blade Records is proud to announce the signing of BEHEMOTH!

Metal Blade Records has inked a North American deal with Polish extreme metalers BEHEMOTH! The band recently finished up an extremely successful year which saw the band as direct support to headliners Hatebreed on the infamous second stage at Ozzfest and a co-headlining spot on the Radio Rebellion tour alongside now label-mates ob for a Cowboy. BEHEMOTH played over 150 shows in 2007 and has no plans on slowing down for 2008. Expect to see a new release in the form of an EP out in the summer/fall of 2008 along with a state side tour in the spring.

"I have to honestly admit that we've never been more enthusiastic about the future. For last few years things have been moving forward for us like a storm and we decided to leave some secured territories and look for a new home for us. We needed something refreshing and challenging at the same time. Metal Blade and Nuclear Blast are two of the strongest and most influential labels in today's metal scene. Persistence and determination is what we have in common with both and I'm sure our future collaboration will forge a new, inspiring chapter in Behemoth's history. I simply can't wait to start working with these companies. We are proud and honored to be partnering with such greatly forward looking people. Expect big things to happen. Now only sky is the limit."

"At the same time I'd like to show my appreciation for all the years of hard work and dedication with our past labels: Century Media and Regain Rec. I'm happy that throughout all those years we were not only business partners but also friends. I wish both nothing but success in the future." Nergal

"We are honored and very excited to work with Behemoth. The band has truly established themselves as one of the greatest bands at the forefront of the extreme metal movement and we can't wait to help continue their amazing career."

http://www.behemoth.pl/ | http://www.myspace.com/behemoth | http://www.youtube.com/behemothofficial

FROM THE SCUMFEAST METAL ZINE EDITOR:

WELL THAT'S FUCKIN GREAT BUT HOW ABOUT THIS GUYS. HOW ABOUT YOU GET THE FUCK OFF THE GODDAMM DISNEY TOUR LIKE OZZFEST SHIT AND PLAY SOME REAL CLUBS SO US ADULTS CAN SEE YOU THIS TIME AROUND. TRUST ME, WE'RE ALOT MORE DANGEROUS AND DOWNRIGHT EVIL THAN SOME 13 YEAR OLD BRAT WITH A CELL PHONE AND A CREDIT CARD. WE'RE JUST A LITTLE SICK AND TIRED OF PAYING ALOT OF MONEY TO JUST STAND IN A DAYCARE CENTER, BEING TOLD WE CAN'T SMOKE, AND HAVING TO PAY $8 TO $10 FOR A 10OZ CUP OF BEER THAT WE DON'T EVEN LIKE.

HEY HERE'S A SUGGESTION, PLAY RALEIGH, NC. WE ARE A STATE CAPITAL AND WE HAVE A LARGE METAL CLUB. THEY'RE EVEN HAVE AN ALL AGES SHOW FOR YOU SO IT'LL HAVE AN OZZFEST-LIKE ATMOSPHERE.

NO I'M NOT BEING SARCASTIC. ATLEAST BY PLAYING A CLUB TO ADULTS YOU'LL WON'T BE SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN hatesneeze AND job for a faggot. ALSO ABOUT THAT EP YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO COME OUT WITH. ADULTS BUY THOSE THINGS, KIDS ILLEGALLY DOWNLOAD IT.

TRELLDOM - Til Minne CD review

2008-01-09T22:46:00.000-08:00

TRELLDOM - Til Minne CD
History has shown that those who are the most hated and vilafied turn out to be genuises, be it in art, politics or music. I'm positive that Gaahl, vocalist for GORGOTH and TRELLDOM will be vindicated in some way as a messiah to his art. Respect this man or hate his fuckin guts, either way you will recognize him as the most important figure in Extreme Music of the present day. When Gaahl speaks there is consequence to the unfortunate and mastery to those who understand and join.

Which brings us to this CD, "Til Minne", which is the third full length by TRELLDOM and their first release since 1998. I'll call this one as absolute perfection as if the listener is transported back in time to the unholy days of Black Metal prominance. That should be no surprise since Gaahl founded TELLDOM way back in 1992. On here we are not reminded of total past qualities but it's all pushed forth to the modern degree thanks to guitarist Valgard, who keeps a foot planted firmly in both eras of Black Metal. Still this release will wake up those who need a flaming torch thrust into their face. Gaahl switches from intense screaming, like on the opener and title track. Ah but at the end he chants over a guitar riff that will literally freeze your bones. In between all of that we have songs of pure Blackened Evil which rarely can be fabricated.

Once again I'm pissed off that I did not get this until the beginning of this year and it was a 2007 release. I'm not about to do a should've been list. But I hope I won't have to wait another decade for another TRELLDOM release.
Regain Records

http://www.regainrecords.com

http://www.trelldom.no

VBS.tv has posted all five episodes of a series on Norwegian black metal, featuring interviews with Gaahl, online. You can view the documentary here:

REGAIN RECORDS NEWS Jan. 2008

2008-01-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

REGAIN NEWS!!!!

REGAIN RECORDS goes YOUTUBE & STAGE6!!!
Please check our new pages at Youtube & Stage6! You can find shitloads of Regain-videos overthere!
www.youtube.com/regainrecords
www.stage6.com/user/regainrecords

REGAIN RECORDS hits it´s artists on summer festivals 2008!!!
PARTY.SAN OPEN AIR(Germany) - Behemoth, Endstille (www.party-san.de)
WACKEN OPEN AIR(Germany) - Nifelheim, Grave, Lord Belial (www.wacken.com)
SUMMER BREEZE(Germany) - Endstille (www.summer-breeze.de)
UNITED METAL MANIACS(Germany) - Nifelheim (www.united-metal-maniacs.de)
SWEDEN ROCK(Sweden) - Mustasch (www.swedenrock.com)
WITH FULL FORCE(Germany) - Dark Funeral (www.withfullforce.de)

GRAVE new album!!!
The new grave album will be called "Dominion VIII".
It will contain 9 tracks of sheer evil and massbrutality.
At this moment the vocal parts and mixing/mastering is left
to do and will be completed within the first weeks of January.
www.grave.se

DISMEMBER on tour!!!
Check out DISMEMBER on tour with Fall Of Serenity & Hatesphere!!! New album out soon - www.myspace.com/dismemberpromo !!!
08.02.08 GER Nurnberg @ K4
09.02.08 GER Trier @ Exhaus

10.02.08 BEL Vosselaar @ Biebob

11.02.08 HOL Arnhem @ Willem Een (new date!)

14.02.08 HOL Breda @ Mezz

15.02.08 HOL Purmerend @ P3

16.02.08 GER Essen @ Turock

17.02.08 GER Stuttgart @ Ika-Longhorn

18.02.08 A Worgl @ Komma (new date!)

19.02.08 A Traun @ Spinnerei

20.02.08 GER Munich @ Metropolis

21.02.08 CH Zurich @ Dynamo Werk 21

22.02.08 CH Martigny @ Les Caves de Manoir (new date!)

23.02.08 ITA Ravenna @ Rock Planet

24.02.08 SLO Nova Gorica @ Mostovna

25.02.08 A Wien @ Arena

26.02.08 CZ Prague @ Rock Café

27.02.08 GER Darmstadt @ Goldene Krone

28.02.08 GER Hannover @ Musikzentrum

29.02.08 GER Oelsnitz @ Schützenhaus

01.03.08 GER Bischofswerda @ East Club

02.03.08 GER Berlin @ K17

Booging:

Massive Music

www.massive-music.pl

SAHG new album!!!

Norwegian SAHG(feat. King Ov Hell on bass) return with a new album called "Sahg II" soon!!! Keep your eyes open!!!

www.sahgweb.com

THRONE OF KATARSIS - An Eternal Dark Horizon CD review

2008-01-08T23:20:00.000-08:00

THRONE OF KATARSIS - An Eternal Dark Horizon CD
This full length debut by Norwegian Black Metal duo, THRONE OF KATARSIS contains five long songs that are all close to ten minutes in length. No this is not an CDEP. Actually each song has a variety of unexpected twists and so there's two or three songs within one. I like the way it all comes out and I'm pissed off that I didn't review this in Dec. because it would have been on my "best of 2007" list.

What makes this release so appealing to my Black Metal loving black heart is that along with the typical drones, blasts, and all around diabolical evil that you always get by almost all bands in this genre. Grimnisse (vocals,guitar,bass) and Vardalu (drums) add melody plus some acoustic guitar elements. These are not just five songs but five grand compositions that demand complete concentrated listening. For those of you who might not have read my past reviews. I listen to a release a number of times before I start writing about it. And then while I write, the CD is playing on my stereo. This time around I find myself stopping in the middle of writing this review just to listen to each song over and over again.

There's something about "An Eternal Dark Horizon" that grabs your attention and transports your conscience to a place where THRONE OF KATARSIS wants it to be. While the music plays in the background, I'll stare at the cover photo with Grimnisse running through the woods holding a shortened sling blade. Then it's as if I'm there standing off to the side watching all of this going on. Wow great, the CD induces astral projections/out of body experience sensations. Hey, please note that I'm just drinking coffee right now. The back cover photo has Vardalv standing in a snowy woodland setting at night holding a flaming torch aloft. It's almost a nightmarish vision that sits well with the music on here. Fans of past and present day Black Metal will find this release a worthy listening experience.
CANDLELIGHT Records

http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com

BLOOD RED THRONE - Come Death CD review

2008-01-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

BLOOD RED THRONE - Come Death CD
Once in a while people call up my bar asking who's playing there on that night and what type of music do they play. Chris, one of our bartenders, likes to screw with these people. Whenever they ask "What does the band sound like", he tells them Norwegian Death Metal. Trust me, it's a total lie. But I always try to correct him, "it's Swedish Death Metal and Norwegian Black Metal". He now tells people it's Finnish Folk Metal ever since I got him hooked on that. Albeit whenever the subject of Death Metal from Scandinavia comes up, Norway isn't exactly where you would expect to hear from first. But BLOOD RED THRONE has done alot to change that attitude.

On this their fourth full length release, BLOOD RED THRONE have created an extremely assessable CD for fans of classic American Death Metal. Personally I'm tired of the technical death ecstasy, trigger drum mania, and gravel gargling of this new school of Death Metal. Give me some MORBID ANGEL, OBITUARY, and DEATH! And that's what this release is all about.

There's nine cuts of brutality on here including a GORGUTS'cover "Disincarnated". The originals will literally pummel anyone who's been a long time Death Metal fan. Songs like "Slaying the Lamb" and "Taste of God" will kick your fucking ass. Plus they're just great song titles in their own right. Cliche? Sure but only those who think good Death Metal should be as intense as a calculus exam would not get into this. If you need math-rock blasting in your MP3 while you relax on the couch during your daily exercise of video game playing. Then this CD is not for a game boy loser like you. This CD is for people who like to jump around and break things. This CD is audio demolition. It's the soundtrack for the dismantling of "tech-death metal" overdose.
EARACHE Records

http://www.earache.com

ABRUPTUM - Evil Genius CD review

2008-01-07T23:22:00.000-08:00

ABRUPTUM - Evil Genius CD

True story, I was playing this CD at work during Metal Monday Nights. It was after 11 PM so that's when I allow all HELL to break loose as far as the musical selections go. So I was locking up the front door when I saw a woman outside at the bus stop. It was cold that night so I opened up the door and shoutedout to her, asking if she would like to wait for the bus inside the bar. Well she was all happy about that so she came inside and waited by the window. Now I remind you that this CD was playing at the time. ABRUPTUM were a Swedish Black
Metal band from the 90s that even MAYHEM's Euronymous thought was pure fuckin evil. And let me add this important fact, the lady waiting for the bus was this big fat black woman.

Now I went into the kitchen to tell my friend Chris, the bartender, that I let this woman inside because it was cold outside. And as I turned to go back outside to the bar I just started laughing my ass off. I turned to Chris and reminded him of the music which was playing. Then he started laughing and after a minute or two I finally went back outside. So I see that the woman is gone. I figured she saw her bus coming and left. But when I looked out, there she was standing in the street. So from that point on I just yelled to Chris, telling him what was going on with this woman. Yes she was in the street and a bus did come. she practically ran out in front of it to flag it down. Hey I doubt it was the bus she even
wanted. She probably wanted any bus just to get her away from the "Devil Bar". Oh yeah, I bet she was telling the driver to stop at a church, any church even a catholic church just to get the devil off of her.

Yeah well ABRUPTUM will do that to the weak ones. This here CD is a compilation of their ABRUPTUM-90:"Hextum Galaem Zeloq" and "The Satanist Tunes" cassette only releases and their 7"er "Evil", plus "De Profundis Mors Vas Consumet" their tribute to Euronymous.All of which were done from 1990 and 91. Yes we are talking about some of the worst Radio Shack quality recorded filth and hatred ever put out to the masses. While their brethren in Norway were actually creating Black Metal music, ABRUPTUM (aka: IT and ALL, later replaced by EVIL) were into a more avant garde/ambient sound that was plodding destructively. As far as it being
considered "ambient" by today's standards, maybe you should ask that black woman who ran out scared for her immortal soul. I'm serious, this is not for all of you weak teenagers who think wearing corpses paint and running around your basement screaming "Hail Satan" when your parents are not at home.

This CD is pure evil to say the least. While I know there will be people reviewing this, trying to describe something they have no earthly clue about. "What genre should pure evil be put in?" I'm pretty sure the evil dwarf and his co-conspirator wanted nothing more then to piss people off. Which is why I like playing this to unsuspecting listeners. You should too!!!!!
Southern Lord Records

CANDLELIGHT RECORDS UPDATE

2008-01-06T18:39:00.000-08:00

CANDLELIGHT RECORDS UPDATE

UPCOMING RELEASES
Marilyn Manson/Lord of Darkness
This delayed dvd release is finally to be released in the US on January 15. The dvd features the band's original line-up and is old footage of the band in their early days. For fans of the band this is a must-have addition to your collection.

Martriden/The Unsettling Dark
The full length debut from this rising Montana-based band is scheduled for US release on February 5. The band recently posted samples from the new album on their official MySpace page located at www.myspace.com/martriden. The album features guest appearance from James Murphy.

Averse Sefira/Advent Parallax
The full-length label debut from the respected Texas-based black metal band is set for US release on February 12. The band will team up with Rotting Christ, Immolation and Belphagor for a full US tour beginning February 4. For a list of the complete dates with cities and venues visit our official website at www.candlelightrecordsusa.com.

Electric Wizard/We Live
Electric Wizard/Let Us Prey
Candlelight completes the digipak reissues of England's Electric Wizard with the February 5 release of these two great records. Following the recent release of the band's latest album, the stunning Witchcult Today (selling out everywhere!), both contain previously unavailable material.

Taint/Secrets And Lies
The new album from Wales-based band is going to catch many off guard. A bit heavier than their amazing 2005 debut, Secrets and Lies will appeal to fans of Clutch, Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet and more.

To-Mera/Delusions
The second album from London-based prog/metal band is nothing short of impressive. Once again pushing their musical ideas forward to ever greater heights, the album displays a much broader range of moods, tempos and dynamics. Having performed in front of Dream Theater, Emperor and several high-profile European festivals, it is to be a busy year for this rising band.

Starofash/The Thread
The new solo album from Heidi Tveitan is an amazing musical voyage. Featuring guest appearance from Garm (Ulver), the album furthers the singer/songwriter's exploration of music. Spanning numerous styles it is a very adventurous album.

Onslaught/The Force
Onslaught/Power From Hell
Onslaught/In Search of Sanity
Coming March 11, Candlelight will make available domestically the long unavailable early catalog from England's thrash favorites.

Candlelight Winter Sampler
Available towards the end of January we are happy to confirm the release of our latest promotion sampler. Set to feature selections from Obituary, To-Mera, Martriden, Insomnium, Averse Sefira, Starofash, Taint, October File, Entombed, Sear Bliss, The Foreshadowing, Blut Aus Nord, Witchcraft, and many more, the sampler will be available at various retail outlets. All orders to our official webstore will receive the sampler as a value-added item in their orders (limited supplies).

COMING SOON
Ihsahn
Angl is the title of the second solo album from the former Emperor vocalist/guitarist. Expected for release mid-spring, the album is in its final completion stages now. Stay tuned for expanded details.

Daylight Dies
Lost to the Living is the third album from this North Carolina-based five-piece. Already in progress, the band reports that drums, acoustic and electric guitars are now recorded. The album is expected for release early summer. Visit the band's official website at www.daylightdies.com for ongoing updates from the studio.

Absu
Candlelight proudly announces the signing of American black metal pioneers Absu. The band are expected to enter the studio in February to begin recording of their new album anticipated for release sometime this summer. Stay tuned for expanded details.

www.candlelightrecordsusa.com

NIGHTWISH - Dark Passion Play CD Review

2008-01-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

NIGHTWISH - Dark Passion Play CD
Since the canning of their former vocalist, Tarja Turunen, NIGHTWISH were of a questionable status as to what future they would have after the operatic one packed her bags and left. For all of you Tarja fans don't worry. Rumor has it that Tarja and former GATHERING vocalist, Anneke van Giersbergen, have planned a tour of their own. Although REVOLVER magazine won't be sponsoring this "hottest chicks in metal tour". I've heard that the tentative tour billing will be "Hot Scandinavian Divas in Blackest Africa Tour". The first date in supposed to be in the capital of Kenya.

Now be that as it may, Anette Olzon, from Sweden has taken over vocal duties for this Finnish Gothic/Progressive force. A new era for them has begun. Will their old fans accept the new NIGHTWISH on this their sixth full length? My guess after listening to this for a few weeks is an astounding YES! This CD opens with "The Poet and the Pendulum", here is where we get the full effect of Anette Olzon in operatic form. As if she is calling out from a snow swept valley. But then a more pop metal pours out from the speakers and it's here that we hear Anette Olzon at her best. She has a more traditional voice, not so avant garde as the one she replaced. That's a good thing. Unfortunately the opening 13 plus minute opus is not the best way to shine on her. Maybe if you're trying to prove you made the right choice for a replacement.

"Bye Bye Beautiful" should've been the opening cut especially since Anette Olzon duels vocals with guitarist/vocalist, Marco Hietala. The pair work well together on this cut. But it's on "Amaranth" where Anette Olzon really stands out among others within this genre. And pushes NIGHTWISH into a different musical direction. Like all of these Gothic/Progressive Euro bands, they need something more than symphonic arrangements, bombastic production, and melodic choruses to break through to US audiences. "Amaranth" is the hit cut on here to do that and appeal to a broader audience. On the other hand "Master Passion Greed" is the most heaviest thing this band ever attempted. Hey new blood in the band gives us some balls? "Sahara" is a blast of Gothic energy that harkens back to their old days. But "Whoever Brings the Night"enters a realm in which Anette Olzon shines as vixen on the opening lyrics and then shines on like an angelic being during the chorus. Which is followed by their next commercial hit "For the Heart I once Had". Yeah they'll win the Finnish Grammys for that one.
A few of the bottom CD cuts are pure folk with "Last of the Wilds" being the killer track, an instrumental. But in the end here we are given the last gasps of songwriting for the past diva who is far gone. Anette Olzon doesn't need to prove her vocal talents here at the end.Like I said in the beginning, the new NIGHTWISH era is upon us. But give this lady her due, she can sing!

Roadrunner Records

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com
http://www.nightwish.com

KROHM - The Haunting Place CD

2008-01-04T19:36:00.000-08:00

KROHM - The Haunting Place CD
Imagine you woke one day and decided to create a Black Metal record that's key ingredients were misery and despair. Well then that would make you Numinas (aka:Dario Derna) the genius behind the one man project KROHM. Numinas did seek to make a release that was on par with some of the old 90s Black Metal stalwarts (BURZUM & DARKTHRONE). He definitely succeeded with this his third release. Although his second release is actually a reissue of early material.Some of you might remember Numinas (aka: Dario Derna) when he used to drum for EVOKEN as well as the band ABAZAGOTH. He also drums for label mates DRAWN AND QUARTERED.

But getting back to this CD, it's 7 tracks (56 plus minutes) of uncomfortable misery on an epic scale. This should be played on college radio stations during exam finals. There would be bodies flying out of dorm windows by the minute. Wouldn't that be fun to watch especially on a week night when there's nothing to do. Get together with friends, bring some lawn chairs and a cooler full of beer. Find yourself a good spot and then watch the festivities as "The Haunting Presence" blasts in the background. What I like about this CD is that each track is more nightmarish than the one preceding it. The opener "Bleak Shores" sets us in the mood for misery. It's followed by the melancholy, with the exception of the rapid fire drumming, "Lifeless Serenade" which is almost like a death march into some unseen as of yet oblivion. But you know something horrible awaits as Numinus's bellowing growls press you onward.

"I Respiri Delle Ombre" translated from Italian means "the breath of the shadows" and as the third song on this CD, it starts off at a rocking pace. But that's short lived since fun is not allowed. And so Numanis slows things down to a shoe gazer pace. By the way he sings the song in Italian which definitely drapes more misery onto a song worthy to die for. "Relic" is the most bombastic cut on this CD by far. Also it is the most reminiscent of early DARKTHRONE, while the rest is territory previously spat upon by Varg Vikernes. For all of you naysayers out there who still consider the USBM scene to be utter shit, the time has come to eat your words and choke upon them.

"Memories of the Flesh" is my obvious favorite cut on here for a number of very personal reasons. First and foremost, it's with the lyrics. "Trapped in the procession of time. Hatred stirs memories of the flesh. Uncovering a solace only found. In the loss of my humanity." It is these words that perfectly reflect my most recent past experiences, the truly painful crap. One person recently told me that I'm running. But in actuality I'm exploring the depths. And it's within this very song that I feel a kinship. As if I have totally disregarded everything in my recent past on purpose because it was the flesh which felt the pain. Undressing it was the best thing for me although losing my humanity was the cost of that decision. Oh yeah and the drumming is incredible on it.

Numinas follows that perfectly with another cut sung in Italian, "Tra La Carne E Il Nulla" or in English "Between Flesh and Nothingness". The song slowly lurches from shoe gazing in the lair of darkness onto an impressive pace of drum beat blasts and melodic guitar strumming. Added screamed vocals by Numinas rounds in out until it's eventual climax. The seventh and final cut is "Syndrome" a doomish dirge that slowly picks up speed. Until the end with it's frantic stretch of sludge. Yes it's time to leave, get the fuck out! Or for you weak ones, smash jewel CD case and slash wrists appropriately. Numanis even provides the perfect keyboard passage out as you begin to sleep for the final time.

Moribund Records

http://www.moribundcult.com

ANAAL NATHRAKH - Hell is Empty and all the Devils are Here CD

2008-01-03T23:07:00.000-08:00

ANAAL NATHRAKEH - Hell is Empty and all the Devils are Here CD

What I like about this twisted British duo is how they mix EMPEROR style symphonic black metal with modern day psycho grindcore, right down to maniac screaming. Yeah the tagline for this genre is "blackened death grind" but medically this would fall under clinical psychoses. "The Final Asolution" is a cut that will either grab you in as a sicko fan or totally assault your metal snobbery. I'm a fucking freak so I dove in head first. Although the pace is not set to blistering speed throughout, ANAAL NATHRAKEH slow things down to a melodic mood after a while.Yeah we all need to breath now and then. But the power and brutality of this release really never breaks down to lose the listener. You're either in it for the long haul or you fell off the ride some time at the start. Hopefully you're lying somewhere in excruciating pain and no one can hear your pathetic screams for help.
At least not with this CD blasting, ha!
Feto Records

http://www.feto-records.com
http://www.myspace.com/anaalnathrakh

AFTER FOREVER - Self Titled CD + DVD

2008-01-03T22:52:00.000-08:00

AFTER FOREVER - Self Titled CD + DVD
Since the band EVANESCENCE made it's breakthrough single into the US pop music airways. Female fronted progressive/symphonic/gothic metal bands from Europe are popping out faster than breasts during Spring Break in Florida. AFTER FOREVER are the latest European export, although this Dutch band has been around for a while. This, their fifth full length, is the first to properly reach our shores via a big metal label, Nuclear Blast.

Unfortunately what this band as well as all others of this genre suffer from is
repetitiveness. You have a handful of songs that are catchy enough to hold your attention. But then the filler Euro centric symphonic melodies come in to test your attention to metal detail. The band even enlist the city of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra on here. And that's when you are reminded that all these bands must be produced from the same commercial template. You got your complex arrangements, beefy guitars and bass, whirling keyboard solos, and of course the hot female vocalist. In AFTER FOREVER it's Floor Jansen, who can punch the opera like vocals up to where former NIGHTWISH singer,Tarja Turenen, once did for Finland's entry in this genre. Although I'll take Floor over the former NIGHTWISH diva any day.

Songs like "Evoke" and "Energize Me" are definite winners in the metal music radio airplay department. They're throwbacks to the 80's power metal days in style. "Equally Destructive" could even touch the hearts of those into the more extreme side of metalish themes. That's if you still have a heart. Alot of the songs on here have Floor and guitarist/composer Sander Gommens in dueling vocals. Floor with the glorious soprano and Sander doing the death metal grunting. It works well on "Withering Time" and on the disc's opener "Discord".

"De-Energized" is where the CD starts moving away from the more pop friendly tunes and the songs turn towards a more complex route. This is where the Gothic/Prog stylings take over for better or worse. And by the halfway point of the 11 minute metal-opera epic "Dreamflight", I was at my limit. Like I explained in the beginning of this review. Alot of this genre's style is decent but formulated to the ultimate degree. Genre purists will obviously go ape shit over this and obviously they should. AFTER FOREVER are a fantastic band, my Dutch heritage having no bias in that statement. I made it three quarters of the way through before I was ready to hear something else. Maybe you can do better. Still, it's a great release of epic proportions.
Nuclear Blast Records

http://www.nuclearblast.com
http://www.afterforever.com
http://www.myspace.com/afterforever

HALFORD - Metal God Essentials Vol. 1 CD + DVD

2008-01-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

HALFORD - METALGOD The Essentials Vol. One CD + DVD
It seems fitting that Rob Halford is finally getting credit for his solo work after leaving PRIEST in the early 90s. Of course you'll still get an occasional idiot who thinks their opinionated snobbery is worth something to consider. But no it's not, in fact you losers who have slagged the man's post PRIEST output couldn't even carry the his leather. Better for you to lick his ball sweat because he is the Metal God. Halford has one of the greatest voices ever in metal. Now I'm sure some of you losers might've been conceived in a "heavy metal parking lot", while I was inside the concert hall watching PRIEST in their glory days. You still have no earthly right to disrespect a living legend. Better for you to buy this and learn something.

This compilation, approved by the Metal God himself, features some of the best material from his solo years with the bands FIGHT and HALFORD with tracks from FIGHT's "War of Words - Demos" release plus HALFORD's "Silent Screams", "Crucible", "Live Insurrection" and "Resurrection". Listening to "Resurrection", "Screaming in the Dark"or even "Made in Hell", you just can't help but raise your fist in metal triumph. The heavy metal scream that can peel paint is back again, ah but it never left. "Golgotha" is outstanding as it starts out slow in a SABBATH-esque way and then ripping into a thrash attack. "Into the Pit" and "Nailed to the Gun" are lost treasures that should've been blasting from radio stations back in the 90s. Also this CD has some surprise cuts of newer HALFORD material from 2006.

So until JUDAS PRIEST releases their two-CD conceptual opus on the life of famed 16th century French prophet, Nostradamus, sometime this year. Keep this one close by your CD player since it's for fans of old, like me, and for the new ones.
Frontiers Records

http://www.robhalford.com
http://www.myspace.com/robhalford

METAL NIGHT'S PLAYLIST

2008-01-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

Since Monday night was New Year's Eve we had no Metal Monday Nights at work. So I decided to do it on Wednesday night. And so here is the night's play list from start to finish.

HALFORD - Metal God Essentials Volume One
WITHIN TEMPTATION - The Heart of Everything
69 Eyes - Savage Garden
SODOM - In the Sign of Evil
ASTARTE - Demonized
ABRUTUM - Evil Genius

BEST PART OF THE NIGHT CAME WHEN I WAS LOCKING THE FRONT DOOR AND SAW A WOMAN WAITING OUTSIDE FOR THE BUS. NOW IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE TONIGHT, THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 20s. SO I OPENED THE DOOR AND TOLD THE WOMAN THAT SHE COULD WAIT INSIDE THE BAR FOR HER BUS TO COME. AND THE WOMAN WAS THANKFUL ABOUT IT AS SHE CAME INSIDE. NOW THE ABRUTUM CD WAS PLAYING AT THE TIME. FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH ABRUPTUM, THEY WERE THE MOST EVIL BLACK METAL BAND ON THE PLANET IN THE 90s. SO I REALIZE WHAT'S GOING ON AND I GO INTO THE KITCHEN TO TELL THE BARTENDER WHAT WAS UP. AND WE'RE LAUGHING OUR ASSES OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I WALK OUTSIDE TO THE BAR AND THE LADY IS BACK OUTSIDE. SO I TELL THE BARTENDER THAT THE MUSIC MUST HAVE FREAKED HER OUT. THEN I SIT DOWN AT THE BAR AND BEGIN A PLAY BY PLAY OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE. TWO MINUTES WENT BY BEFORE A BUS CAME BY AND I WATCHED THIS WOMAN WAVED DOWN THIS BUS LIKE HER LIFE DEPENDED ON IT. I DOUBT IT WAS EVEN THE BUS SHE WANTED. SHE JUST GOT ON A BUS TO GET HER ASS AWAY FROM THE DEVIL BAR.
WE FINALLY GOT WHAT WE WANTED ON METAL NIGHTS. TO SEE PEOPLE SO FREAKED OUT AND FRIGHTENED BY THE MUSIC THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF THE BAR NO MATTER WHAT. WELL CERTAIN TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT IS.

THE LUST OF WINTER and THE WOLF MOON of JANUARY by Wolf

2008-01-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

The Wolf Moon comes in January which is in the heart of winter. It is when wolves could be heard howling with hunger outside of villages and human settlements. I had that in mind this morning when I went on my early morning work. It was at 6AM and the temperature was a brisk 29 degrees. I was in ecstasy as I left the warm comfort of my home and was assaulted by the cold wind. I actually love it this time of year. Yes the Fall can be nice but here in the South the weather is constantly changing. So we still have hot days in December. So it's up to the month of January to chill the bones of the weak and strengthen those of us who lust for the cold dark Winter.

As I walked my route through the neighborhood I started recollecting all of the things I lust about in Winter. There's that "silence" about in the early morning. You don't hear the lifesigns of animals or bugs. There's that "crunch" sound when you walk across frozen grass. Then there's the crackle of my leather jacket in the cold air. It's a powerful sound, the crack of leather, almost masterful, unrelenting, powerful.Then there's the solitude that you are one of the few walking about at that time of the morning in the cold. At least for foot traffickers, there's still the early morning drivers headed to work who fly by, taking advantage of the empty streets.

It's very different from when I had to go back out in the afternoon to run errands and pick up some Chinese food for lunch. Yes that's when the sidewalks were fuller of people all hustling about. I could see that they were miserable amid this drop in temperature. I simply smiled as I walked down the street passing them by. I even heard one jackass curse because he wasn't dressed warm enough. My thoughts brought me back to the years I spent in Alaska. I felt the chill of 75 degrees below zero, when ice sickles from on your nose hair and your eye lashes freeze up. You continually blink to free them or your eyes will freeze shut. Lovely weather up there and I recommend everyone in the southern regions to experience it at least once in their lifetime. It was up in Alaska where my fingers tips got frost nipped. So ever since, whenever the temperature gets to freezing or below. My finger tips lose all feeling. And yet my heart still lusts for the cold.

With that all said for this early part of January I'll be catching up on some releases that came out in the Fall of 2007 and weren't in our reviews. I have a stack of them in front of me now. Each one is calling to me to be listened to over and over. Preferably during the cold darkness of night under the January Wolf Moon.
Happy New Year? Not very likely!

Our Favorite Release of 2007: ASTARTE - DEMONIZED CD

2008-01-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

SCUMFEAST METAL'S FAVORITE RELEASE FOR 2007

ASTARTE - DEMONIZED CD

Yeah we saved the best one for last. This release, which is the fifth by this female trio from Athens, Greece, is are favorite for 2007. From the opening pounding of "Mutter Astarte", you realize that this is going to be intense and incrediable. It's like being dragged kicking and screaming down to a torture chamber of horrors, in a good way of course. Tristessa's vocals are pure demonic. You wonder how something sounding so horrifying could come from one so beautiful. And the title track tells all, "Fire in her eyes. Her beauty hide the signs. She devil female disguise. Innocence has died". Add to that the blackened death sounds backing her up on here. "God I Hate Them All" is like the soundtrack to an artillery barrage, provided by the percussion talents of guest drummer Ice and guess guitarist Lycon. (As of now they are perminant members of ASTARTE) "Lost" is more destruction to your senses, if you are weak. And since this CD's release in the early part of 2007, I've read some unflattering reviews done by men who can't grasp the greatness of this. They are the weak wet shit butt pissers who dismiss this as just a female fronted act in the Black/Death Metal genre. I see this release as something sinister. Musically this is like a firestorm on the horizon coming to feed it's hungry flames on your flesh. On the back of the CD insert there's a final line comment from the band which reads as follows; "A Big Fuck Off To All Of Those Who Tried To Take Advantage Of Us and Do Us Harm We Are Still Here Alive and Kicking"

And now onto the incrediable parts, this release features Tristessa performing vocal duets with a perverbial "who's who" of underground metal guests. "Lycon", which opens with the howl of a wolf from far off, features MAYHEM's own Attila Csihar sharing the mike with Tristessa. Actually Attila sounds better on this song than he did on this years MAYHEM release, Ordo Ad Chao. Obviously Tristessa has a way of bringing out the best in others like on the song "Queen of the Damned". Here she pairs up with Henri Sattler of GOD DETHRONED. Henri almost comes off sounding as if he's in worship mode and why not, Tristessa is a Demoness! Another guest, Nicolas s.i.c. Maiis of LLOTH, adds some gutteral monster vocals to the song "God Among Men". The fourth guest vocal duet is obviously the most interesting to say the least. It is on the song, "Black At Heart" where Tristessa pairs up with Angela Gossow of ARCH ENEMY. Here we have the two great goddesses of Extreme Metal Destruction on one hell raising track. It's as if these sisters of evil are standing upon a mountain top looking down into a valley of bloodied and blackened bodies who they have just slaughtered with their bare hands.

It was at this point of the CD that I told myself months ago, when I first listened to it, that this was going to be on my best of 2007 list. And as time went by, whenever I wanted to listen to something which would share my anger, hatred, and disgust for things around me. I put this release into the stereo and joined in on the chaos as the music charged out of my speakers. And there's a song on here, "Black Star", which conveys that feeling. "Feel the tension in your mind, black is the sign. A sign that fades into, into your eyes. tghe sin was never clear, a statue born of fear. As things were never clear". Well listening to "Demonized" makes alot of things clear to say the least.

http://www.astarteband.com/

http://www.myspace.com/astartetristessa

http://seasonsofmist.com/

Om - Pilgrimage CD

2007-12-28T22:31:00.000-08:00

Om - Pilgrimage CD

Actually I reviewed this CD a few weeks ago on the Scumfeast Metal myspace blog and I really didn't give it a fair review. So here we are again and as an old friend of mine used to say (concerning beer of course) "one more one more time".

Om are CHRIS HAKIUS and AL CISNEROS, the former rhythm section for Doom pioneers, SLEEP. When former SLEEP guitarist MATT PIKE went out and decided to rock out with his new band HIGH ON FIRE. The rhythm duo went off into their own world and started playing even slower tempo trance drug inspiring grooves. And you thought your divorce was unique?

So here we have "Pilgrimage", their third release and you know I have a sneaking suspision that other reviewers must be on some type of drug while reviewing this. I'm just now catching a Pabst Blue Ribbon buzz, but I'm reviewing it at 2 AM to get the full psych damage effect. And for all of you who don't know me personally, I've been off illegal substances for a decade now. Strangely enough the last substance was an organic hallusionagenic and it would seem that to get the full effect of this release, I'd have to have a flashback.

"Pilgrimage" is just a four song CD, but the cuts are LONG! The opening one, the title track, is a ten minute plus dirge that reminds me of PINK FLOYD's "Careful With That Axe, Eugene". That's aslong as only Waters and Mason are in control of it. Maybe the insperation behind this was "what if they killed Wright and Gilmour and recorded that song on their own"? What's even more mind blowing is that it reprises itself as the fourth track. Maybe they just ran out of ideas. You spend ten minutes jamming on the same riffs you'll lose your concentration and your insperation. Trust me on that one. I hate trying to write reviews and then there's banging on my front door. It totally fucks everything up.

Which brings me to the second cut on here, "Untive Knowledge of the Godhead". It's here that Om liven up a little with some heavy GEEZER BUTLER style bass grooves that will definately revive you from the first cut's trance inducing. Also the follow-up song "Bhima's Theme" is another wake-up call for the druggies. It's too bad this isn't on vinyl because I would put this thing on 45 speed and imagine I was listening to SABBATH with the treble off.

All in all if you're into qualudes and Robotusin styled metal than you want this for your next hippie optional party. I'm sure there will be alot of zombies standing against walls banging their heads to the beat.

http://www.southernlord.com/

http://www.myspace.com/variationsontheme

RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008 BY WOLF

2007-12-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

MY RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008 by Wolf

I resolve that I will make this blog site much better in 2008.
I resolve to crush all the fragile little egos of simpleton clowns.
I resolve to add updates to this site at least twice a week.
I resolve to slaughter the domesticated herds of pigs who dwell in their own acrid stench of hypocrisy.
I resolve to concentrate my writing on the things I really like within the world of Extreme Music and leave the garbage to the pigs.
I resolve to fatten those pigs and then drive their herd over a cliff to their death. I will then feast on their carcasses at a later date of my choosing.
I resolve to get six hundred sixty six subscribers to this site as well as my other site.
I resolve to inject as much misery as possible onto all pompous, masturbating monkeys.
I resolve to see more shows this year than last, especially those by new bands.
I resolve to see all who crave shitty music crucified upside down and set ablaze.
I resolve to only get on the computer when there's real work to be done and not to screw around on childish forums that are infested with faceless pussies. Who only use those sites to recite redundant monologues of monotony and self indulgence.
I resolve to see all those faceless pussies sodomized to the point of which all future bowel movements will involve severe hemorrhaging from their anal cavities.
I resolve to spend more time keeping in touch with my friends and family members who live far away.
I resolve to see my size 13 boot stepping on the new face of liberalism in the US forever.
I resolve to stop eating food that is unhealthy for me.
I resolve to see all smug, self-satisfied conformists whipped through the streets on special holidays.
I resolve to quit smoking.
I resolve to see Hillary Clinton walking around with a dirty slipper in her mouth.
I resolve to get some more MAYHEM live stuff.
I resolve to see all the heads of liberal journalists in the media explode from all of the excess fat between their ears.
I resolve to walk at least two miles a day in order to get back to my fighting shape.
I resolve to see anyone who disagrees with me thoroughly nauseated by this list.

THANK YOU

BLACK METAL RADIO .COM

2007-12-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of your local metal radio station which plays music that's only suitable for a herd of domesticated pigs? Maybe you're a night owl who yearns for something extreme but cannot find it at that time and blasting your stereo is out of the question. Then again you could be looking for some newer music that slaughters the weak. Well then here is a site you should turn to.

BLACK METAL RADIO.COM is an online radio show which produces weekly episodes of music that is pure evil in nature and devoid of any plasticized bullshit. I like to play it while I'm writing in the early morning hours. I also leave it on when I go to bed. That way I'm guaranteed to experience dreamscapes of a sick, twisted, and perverse nature. The weak ones call them nightmares.

But whatever you're into just check out BLACK METAL RADIO.COM. There playlists consist of old and new music. Plus they even throw in some decent blackened death as well as a variety from the black metal genre.

http://www.blackmetalradio.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blackmetalradio
Info@blackmetalradio.com

NOW GO TO HELL!

KORPIKLAANI - Tervaskanto CD Review

2007-12-25T21:01:00.000-08:00

KORPIKLAANI - Tervaskanto CD

Review by Mr. Wolf

I took this to work one time to play on Metal Monday Nights. Chris, who tends the bar, took a look at the back of the CD. Then he says, "Wow they have trailer parks in Finland." Yes KORPIKLAANI are from Finland and play Folk Metal. This is actually a great CD and people shouldn't consider the term "Folk Metal" as a joke since it's a growing genre in the Underground Metal scene. Besides where else would you find an accordion or a fiddle featured in a metal band as a credible instruments.

KORPIKLAANI, which translated means "The Forest Clan", have taken roots music from the Northern area of the homeland and injected it with some metal tinged mania. What you get is an insane mixture of drinking songs and tales of ancient Finnish culture played as fast as everyday Thrash Metal. But don't try to lump them into the same bill as bands like FINNTROLL or TURISAS. FINNTROLL might have started out as Folk influenced, they have moved more into the Black Metal Realm. And as far as TURISAS goes, those animal pelt, body painted, viking wannabes look more like refugees from a San Francisco Gay Pride parade. Plus they're a power metal band. What KORPIKLAANI do is in keeping with a traditional Finnish Folk format. And there's real guy vocals, albeit they sometimes sound drunk during the recording. Also while listening to this I hear similarities to other Scandinavian countries' folk music styles and sounds plus traditional Irish and Scottish music.

So if you want to hear some lively sounding music than this is it. The CD opens up with appropriate number to get you in the mood, "Let's Drink". That's the universal language to everyone. From there they move onto more traditional Finnish Folk themes about how man associates himself with nature. Most of this is sung in Finnish but who cares, it's the feeling that this CD gives off. It's upbeat good-time blasts and that's international. It's no wonder it works well when I play it at the bar.

www.napalmrecords.com

www.korpiklaani.com

2007-12-13T19:55:00.000-08:00

SCUMFEAST METAL's FAVORITES FROM 2007
Well it's that time of the year when those obligatory "best of lists" come out in publications or on websites. And here at Scumfeast Metal we're doing something different. Instead of "the best", we're listing our favorites based on time in the CD player be it at home, work, in a vehicle, or shared with friends. You always bring the good stuff to a friend's house to blast. Plus we've got some other favorites catagories and some duds too.
So here are SCUMFEAST METAL'S TOP 18 (as in 666) FAVORITE RELEASES OF 2007.
(in alphabetical order)

3 Inches of Blood - Fire Up the Blades CD (Roadrunner Records)
Arch Enemy - Rise of the Tyrant CD (Century Media Records)
Behemoth - The Apostasy CD (Century Media Records)
Bergraven - Dodsvisioner CD (Hydra Head Records)
Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands CD (Nuclear Blast Records)
Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup CD (Century Media Records)
Glorior Belli - Manifesting The Raging Beast CD (Southern Lord Records)
Laethora - March of the Parasite CD (Unruly Sounds Records)
Marduk - Rom: 5:12 CD (Regain Records)
Merciless Death - Evil in the Night CD (Heavy Artillery Records)
Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying CD (Earache Records)
Obituary - Xecutioner's Return CD (Candlelight Records)
Octavia Sperati - Grace Submerged CD (Candlelight Records)
Paradise Lost - In Requiem CD (Century Media Records) Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb CD (Relapse Records)
Sigh - Hangman's Hymn CD (Osmose Records)
Vomitory - Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize CD (Metal Blade Records)
Watain - Sworn to the Dark CD (Ajna Offensive Records)

SCUMFEAST METAL'S FAVORITE RECORD LABELS
(This is based on the number of releases we liked that were put out by a certain label)
MORIBUND RECORDS
SEASON OF MIST RECORDS
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS

SCUMFEAST METAL's FAVORITE SHOWS IN 2007
(Yeah every show we attend is fantastic but there were a few truly memorable ones that we could never forget. So here they are, in no particular order)

MERCILESS DEATH at Volume 11 Tavern
Here was the return of West Coast Thrash and it was unfortunate that they came on last that night. Most of the crowd left after the third band, who were locals, played. But BIG JON and I stuck around and was amazed how great this band was. And how much I missed old school thrash. JAMES AT 15 is still pissed he never came out for this one.

OBITUARY at Volume 11 Tavern
Some clowns were running around in a non-pit slamming into bystanders just trying to watch the show. One of em slammed into someone standing near me and the chain reaction started. I got hit but took the blow but my head turned and off went my glasses. Thankfully one of the guys from WIDOW found them under his boot. OBITUARY were awesome to say the least.

3 INCHES OF BLOOD at Volume 11 Tavern
This was probably my favorite show of the year. When I saw they were coming to town I fuckin shit! Then at the show I find out an old friend, Alexi, is the band's new drummer. I stood back to the side and watched with guilty delight during their whole set.

BIGGEST FLOP SEEN LIVE
RWAKE at Volume 11 Tavern
On CD they sound pretty good for tortured doom metal, but on this night they were just boring. Maybe it was a bad night? Who knows but all I saw was some hilljack with a mike moaning a few lines inbetween some decent power slamming riffage. Plus some chick band member bent over and playing with her sound effects box. She also shrieked a few times aswell. Luckily the three bands that came on earlier, MAN WILL DESTROY HIMSELF, SLUGNUT, and TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION, blew them away to save the night. By the way, a local Indie Rock lovers free weekly paper promoted RWAKE over TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION. That's enough for me to dislike em even more. The face of Indie Rock will be covered by my size 13 jackboot for eternity.

FAVORITE LOCAL BANDS THAT KICKED ASS IN 2007
SLUGNUT
MOROSE VITALITY
WIDOW

FAVORITE MOMENTS OF 2007

1) BIG JON crashing and rolling a go-kart on Thanksgiving while I was in the passenger seat trying to film the insanity. The film never came out.

2) The ride to Charlotte, NC to see ANTISEEN. BIG JON was driving, JASON from SLUGNUT/KIFF was in the back and I was riding shotgun. We were blasting various Doom Metal, Black Metal, and JASON's new DONNAS CD. I was hoping it wouldn't turn out to be an episode on the TV show COPS all the way there.

3) Playing "Ice Fields of Hyperion" by NECRODEMON at work during the first official Metal Monday Night. There were still three hippies in the bar. Most of the losers left after SLAYER but these three still wouldn't leave as of yet. But once NECRODEMON came blasting out of the speakers you could see the sour looks on their faces. They were totally offended by it. I still laugh when I think about it. Too bad they didn't stick around since the MENTORS came on next.

WELL PEOPLE THAT'S FUCKING IT FOR 2007. IT WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR EXTREME MUSIC. I WILL TRY TO GET MY SLACK ASS INTO GEAR AND DO A BETTER JOB ON THIS SITE FOR 2008. CONGRADS TO ALL OF OUR FAVES. AND IF YOUR FAVE WASN'T MENTIONED,

FUCK YOU!
WE'LL SEE YA NEXT YEAR!