Cannibal Corpse | Torture

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer –

Good ol’ Cannibal Corpse, perhaps the only death metal band that, according to Scott Ian, could be considered “classic” enough to be shown on VH1’s That Metal Show. Through vocalist and guitarist changes, Bob Dole-fronted criticism, continuous banning in various countries, and even an appearance in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, these guys just keep on pumping out good, old-fashion gory brutality the way mom used to make it. Seemingly frozen in time (yeah, a nod to Obituary there), core members Alex Webster and Paul Mazurkiewicz appear content to just keep on doing what they do best, with nary a concern for keeping up with those newer bands they helped influence. While this may be comforting to death metal fans opposed to change, it can also make the band look like a bunch of mangled old dogs afraid to learn anything new. Unfortunately, their latest album, Torture, is a bit too much of the latter—a [body] bag full of old tricks.

If Torture had come out in 1990, extreme metal fans would be drooling over its goretastic lyrics and detuned rumble. As is the general course of things, though, death metal has evolved a lot over the last 20+ years. The blasts have gotten faster, the riffs more complex, and the grunts even more guttural. Some older bands have done well to keep up—Suffocation and Nile come to mind—but others have stayed true to their original sound. Like Bolt Thrower, Benediction, and the aforementioned Obituary, Cannibal Corpse seems to have taken a more AC/DC-like path. Sure, no one expects a drummer in his mid-40s to compete with the high-speed lunacy of John Longstreth (Origin) and Tim Yeung (Hate Eternal, among others), but it’s the fact that virtually every riff and beat on Torture seems recycled from a previous Cannibal outing. Several listens will fail to leave any imprint, and if anything will only serve to make fans reach for their copies of The Bleeding, Vile, and Tomb of the Mutilated.

With that said, there’s not much to praise about the individual songs on Torture. There are no Beavis and Butthead-ready “hits” like “Staring Through the Eyes of the Dead,” no whiplash-inducing headbangers like “I Cum Blood,” and no wicked experimentation such as that seen on “From Skin to Liquid.” This is Cannibal Corpse by numbers.

Like the songs, the production and performances are equally mediocre. That’s not to say that either is bad. These guys are great technical musicians, and while the playing is solid, it feels a little uninspired. Erik Rutan’s production is also good, but also sounds a little too similar to everything else out there. There’s just nothing here to make this record stand out in any way.

The bottom line here is that, like the Saw movie franchise that they go so well with, Cannibal Corpse has made a few too many sequels copping the plot of the original. With the amount of talent and influence contained by the members, it’s quite a letdown to see them falling into monotony. This is the band that could officially become known the Rolling Stones of death metal, but they’ve got to up the game to hold the [extreme metal] world’s interest.

Genre: Death Metal

Band:
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (v)
Pat O’Brien (g)
Rob Barrett (g)
Alex Webster (b)
Paul Mazurkiewicz (d)

Track Listing:
1. Demented Aggression
2. Sarcophagic Frenzy
3. Scourge of Iron
4. Encased in Concrete
5. As Deep As the Knife Will Go
6. Intestinal Crank
7. Followed Home Then Killed
8. The Strangulation Chair
9. Caged… Contorted
10. Crucifier Avenged
11. Rabid
12. Torn Through

Label: Metal Blade

Website: cannibalcorpse.net

Hardrock Haven rating: 4.8/10

Nephelium | Coils of Entropy

by Cynthia Jo
Staff Writer –

Originally hailing from the glorious land of Dubai and now residing in Toronto, the newly sought after band Nephelium has taken the ordinary grinding slashing guitars of heavily impacted death metal to deliver an ear shattering and mind blowing first full-length album and self-released, Coils of Entropy.

Right from the start, one will feel the nostalgic sense of early/old school death metal of monstrous drum fills combined with a smooth yet echoing bass lines and authentic throat ripping vocals by Devlin Anderson. Influences like Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation are clearly present, especially on the riffs. Nephelium represent an authentic sound of technical metal and Arabian melodies. The most important thing about this album that all listeners must know—compared to all death metal albums out now, Coils of Entropy is not repetitive or boring.

The Arabian melodies are represented on all six tracks but are outstanding in “Halls of Judgment” thanks to the masterpiece work of guitarists Alex Zubair and James Sawyer. The tempo alterations brought on by drummer Alan Madhayan brings back time with old school metal in “Hellborne” and “Malediction.”

It’s insane to know that Nephelium has been a band since the late ‘90s; they should’ve been discovered a while back. Coils of Entropy will definitely have your horns up high—a truly worthy band to check out.

Genre: Technical, Death Metal

Band:
Devlin
Flo
Alex
Alan
James

Track Listing:
1. Burial Ground (5:04)
2. Merciless Annihilation (6:17)
3. Hellborne (5:02)
4. Malediction (8:53)
5. Halls of Judgement (5:56)
6. Coils of Entropy (10:05)

Website: nephelium.bandcamp.com

Hardrock Haven Rating: 9/10

Amaranthe | Amaranthe

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

It’s been over two years since Dreamland singer Jake E. and Nightrage guitarist Olof Morock sat down to discuss the possibility of forming an original band/concept in Swedish metal. Knowing that Jake’s background is melodic metal and melodic hard rock and Olof’s melodic death metal, experienced fans can imagine what the end product would sound like; well not quite.

The outcome of this collaboration is Amaranthe, a band-project fronted by three singers of different vocal disciplines. Jake handles clean vocals, Andres Solvestrom performs brutal vocals and (the incredibly talented) Elize Ryd adds the female vocals. The rest of the line up features band-leader guitarist Morock, bassist Johan Andreassen and drummer Morten Sorensen.

The foundation of Amaranthe’s sound is the well identifiable Swedish heavy-melodic style while the vocals provide a major area of differentiation for the band. Obviously the lion’s share of vocal lines goes to Elize who exchanges lines with Jake while Anders ads his brutal attack between the verses and choruses.

Speaking of choruses, Amaranthe have probably the catchiest, lengthiest and most melodic choruses in contemporary melodic metal. That is very much due to the technical proficiency of Elize who carries the majority of vocal harmonies accompanied by Jake. Songs like “Hunger,” “One Million Light-years,” “Automatic” and “Rain” bare choruses with such mainstream quality, definitely providing a point of concern for the so-called ‘true’ metal fan.

Moving to the instrumental aspects of Amaranthe’s style, the rhythm section is not far from the characteristic melodic metal rhythm section with refined bass and drum sound and the occasional double-bass drum attack. Morock once again proves himself the melodic shredder adding inventive guitar lines and substantial melodies during the solos. Truth be told his riffs come out as a bit too obvious yet he compensates by dressing his rhythm guitar with keyboard harmonies which performed by himself.

Overall Amaranthe is a somewhat original concept in 2012 metal attempting to bind together melodic metal, death metal and female fronted metal in an album that, for the biggest part, makes sense. Those who have followed the respective careers of the artists and bands mentioned above should definitely try this fast rising Swedish hybrid.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Death Metal, Female Fronted Metal

Line up:
Elize Ryd – clean female vocals
Jake E – clean male vocals
Andreas Solveström – guttural vocals
Olof Mörck – guitar & keys
Morten Løwe Sørensen – drums
Johan Andreassen – bass

Track List:
1. Leave Everything Behind
2. Hunger
3. 1.000.000 Lightyears
4. Automatic
5. My Transition
6. Amaranthine
7. Rain
8. Call Out My Name
9. Enter The Maze
10. Director’s Cut
11. Act Of Desperation
12. Serendipity

http://www.amaranthe.se/

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10

Pathology | Awaken to the Suffering

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer –

One would think that San Diego, with its low crime rate and mild climate, would be more likely to create mellow stoner rock than violent death metal. While that may be the case, it still managed to spout Pathology, a band carrying the torch of old-school death metal. While their newest album Awaken to the Suffering is far from groundbreaking, it’s still a blood-soaked romp sure to please fans of low-end and brutality.

More or less avoiding the uber-technical slant many of the newer death metal groups have brought to the scene (Origin being a prime example), Awaken… relies instead on those things that broke death metal out as its own genre in the late ‘80s: chugging riffs, down-tuned guitars, and, perhaps most importantly, guttural growls.

The growls here are significant, in that they are so ridiculously low and incoherent that they often sound more like bullfrog calls that human—or demonic, depending on your take—mutterings. In fact, many of the more drawn out “screams” appear to be almost alien. It’s unclear if this is a bizarre ability of vocalist Jonathan Huber, or the result of some studio fiddling. Either way, they are interesting. The biggest problem is that they are very one dimensional, only occasionally seeming to follow any rhythm, and end up sounding more like an evil drone than part of the music. A bit of dynamic variety would be a welcome addition to the band’s sound.

Overall, Awaken to the Suffering is a solid enough retro death metal release. It doesn’t carry the crushing brilliance of Suffocation or Dying Fetus, but it certainly gets the job done.

Genre: Death Metal

Band:
Dave Astor (d)
Tim Tiszczenko – guitar
Jonathan Huber – vocals
Oscar Ramirez – bass guitar
Kevin Schwartz – guitar[2]

Track Listing:
1. Dissected by Righteousness
2. Ingestion of Creation
3. Hostility Towards Conformity
4. Media Consumption
5. Society’s Desolation
6. Prolonging the Suffering
7. A Perverse Existence
8. Humanity’s Cesspool
9. Festering in Filth
10. Opposing Globalization
11. Emesis
12. Revocation of Earth

Label: Victory Records

Website: pathologymusic.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 6.8/10

Dia De Los Muertos | Satanico Dramatico

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

Ironically hailing from the City of Angels, the far from angelic Dia De Los Muertos recently released the follow-up to their highly praised Day of the Dead EP with their first full-length, Satanico Dramatico. While it may not be particularly dramatic, Satanico Dramatico is nevertheless an excellent slice of extreme evil.

Lulling listeners into a false sense of safety with its flamenco-like intro, opener “Las Calaveras Del Terror” quickly erupts into a full metal frenzy. The track features a number of time changes, and mixes black metal intensity with the driving backbone of more traditional metal. Combining this almost progressive structure with both Spanish and English lyrics, the result is a deliciously demonic offering.

The next few tracks deviate a bit from the initial sound, tending to rest more in the thrash (“Plague Mass” and “Meat for the Grinder”) and old school death metal realm (“Sigo Siendo El Rey” and “ Death’s Embrace”). Influences ranging from Testament to Goreguts are present, creating an interesting mix of various extreme metal, erm, extremes.

While the songs are well written and admirably executed, it would have been nice to see the band experiment more with rapid time and style changes, as they did on the opening track, or with more diverse arrangements, as on the unique instrumental closing title track. The diversity offered by these songs indicates that the band is close to developing its individuality, but is still holding a bit too tightly to “comfortable” songs and arrangements forged by those they emulate.

Ultimately, Dia De Los Muertos have delivered a fine piece of extreme metal, especially considering they are a relatively new group. If the band can simply hone their ability to blaze a unique path, the extreme world will be in for a hellish treat.

Genre: Death Metal / Thrash Metal

Band:
Loana dP Valencia (v)
Alfonso Pinzon (d)
Andres Jaramillo (g)
Adrian Villanueva (g)
Alejandro Corredor (b)

Track Listing:
1. Las Calaveras Del Terror
2. Plague Mass
3. Sigo Siendo El Rey
4. Death’s Embrace
5. Meat for the Grinder
6. Here Hell Raises
7. The Fifth Republic
8. Bestia De Las Mil Cabezas
9. Sigo Vivo
10. Satanico Dramatico

Label: Cinismo Records

Website: http://www.myspace.com/quevivanlosmuertos

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.8/10

Morbid Angel | Covenant: 2011 Earache Records Reissue

by Jay Villain
Staff Writer

Morbid Angel’s Covenant is perhaps one of the most influential Death Metal CD’s ever, and it’s finally being re-issued. The Covenant re-issue isn’t re-mixed and it isn’t re-mastered, and if you’re asking yourself why no re-mix or re-master, then the answer is quite simple; it’s because you can’t expand on perfection. The new release is a digipak that does however come with a double sided poster that’s perfect for framing. One side of the poster is a black & white photo of the band during the time of its original release, which was June 22, 1993, and the other side being the Covenant CD cover in all its uniquely themed glory (we’ll get to that later in the review).

What makes Covenant such a standard setting CD is, to put it simply, innovation. The songs are dynamic and are written unlike any other bands then or now. This is an issue that will either anger many, make many happy, or both. Morbid Angel tends to bring controversy whenever they’re brought up in conversation. Death Metal fans want to consider them to be only Death Metal, and the truth be told, no other genre of music will have them. The music of Morbid Angel is progressive Death Metal that tends to get somewhat experimental at times.

Covenant has ten songs and of the ten, one is an ambient, mood setting instrumental called “Nar Mattaru,” which is used as a segue into the final song being “God of Emptiness.” That means nine songs are of course heavy and brutal but also interesting. The reason Morbid Angel’s music in general and of course on Covenant, doesn’t get boring, is because the progression changes quite often throughout the music, which would then indicate that along with the traditional double bass and blast beats there’s progressive elements as well. Speaking of which, Pete Sandoval, the great Pete “Commando” Sandoval executes his drum parts like a true leader, keep in mind this is before today’s use of drum triggers; so Pete’s really earning all of his glory on this one. Along with Trey Azagthoth’s unique technical approach to soloing and song writing, and David Vincent’s bass and dominant guttural vocals, together they make Convenant a winner from start to finish.

This brings us to the trivia part of the review, the “did you know?” section.

Covenant helped Morbid Angel get to the next level; it was a turning point in their career.

Did you know? All of Morbid Angels CD titles are in alphabetical order starting with Altars Of Madness, Blessed Are The Sick, Covenant, etc…

There was an unreleased demo called Abominations Of Desolation which was recorded in May of 1986 and eventually released September 2, 1991 but NOT as their first release.

Did you know? The video for “God of Emptiness” from Covenant, was played on Beavis and Butt-head and was in rotation on MTV.

Did you know? The songs “Rapture” and “Vengeance Is Mine” from Covenant were both used in the horror film, Night of the Demons 2 directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith released in 1994. Both songs we’re actually edited together and can be heard at about an hour into the film (both songs are in the same scene).

Did you know? There are actually three different CD covers for Covenant, and if you’re holding the re-issue in your hands then you’re holding two of the three. Place the CD and the lyric booklet side by side. Do you notice anything different? The book on the right of the CD cover has two circles with the left circle being empty, and the booklet, has the book on the right with both circles filled. And finally, the original release has a parental advisory on the front which shows the book on the right with no circles at all.

Did you know? As previously mentioned Covenant’s image has a unique theme. The document on left of the CD cover is a reproduction of The Pact Of Urbain Grandier. Urbain Grandier was a catholic priest that was burned alive at the stake in the year 1634 for being convicted of witchcraft. Despite being tortured he never confessed. The pact is said to be signed by Urbain Grandier, several demons and even by Satan himself. The book on the right is The Book of Ceremonial Magic by Arthur Edward Waite written in the year 1911. This piece of literature documents various famous grimoires, along with explaining the history and theology therein.

Covenant when originally released set very high standards, and it will continue to reign supreme for many years to come.

Band:
David Vincent – bass, vocals
Trey Azagthoth – guitar, keyboards
Pete Sandoval – drums

Track Listing:
1. Rapture
2. Pain Divine
3. World of Shit (The Promised Land)
4. Vengeance Is Mine
5. Lion’s Den
6. Blood on My Hands
7. Angel of Disease
8. Sworn To the Black
9. Nar Mattaru
10. God of Emptiness

Label: Earache Records

Web: http://www.morbidangel.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 10/10

Pestilence | Doctrine

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

Following their welcome reformation in 2008 (and fittingly titled album, Resurrection Macabre), death metallers Pestilence are back with another new batch of morbid tracks, this time in the form of Doctrine. Reuniting front-man Patrick Mameli with classic-era bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling, Doctrine sees the band simultaneously moving forward and looking back. Unfortunately, however, they seem to have overlooked an important part of the band’s signature sound, which may cause long-term fans a bit of dismay.

While Doctrine is a solid, technical death metal release, boasting John Tardy-like agonizing screams and a fair bit of groove that the band is known for, it lacks the weirdness that made Testimony of the Ancients and Spheres such groundbreaking death metal releases. For those unfamiliar, these albums saw Pestilence mix their death metal styling with a healthy portion of fusion jazz, creating a completely original (at the time) metal monster. While still present in small doses (notably in “Absolution” and the bass lines of “Amgod”), the fusion elements are far too sparse to sustain the band’s uniqueness.

While still a decent release, what ultimately keeps Doctrine from being a truly great album is this lack of fusion elements that made Pestilence so interesting in the first place. Instead, Doctrine sees Pestilence sounding a bit too much like bands of their ilk, and with its inherent lack of modern death metal hyper speed, the album ends up feeling a bit dated. While it’s easy to understand that a band may want to shake off some of the chains that bind them to a style, it can also take away their individuality. Mudvayne’s self-titled LP from last year is a great example of this, as is Cruachan’s Blood on the Black Robe.

The bottom line is, those who were fans of Pestilence because of their unique classic albums may be a bit disappointed with the less-bizarre 2011 incarnation of the band, longing for the days of headbanging dark fusion. New listeners would do well to pick up the aforementioned Testimony of the Ancients and Spheres to experience the majesty of Pestilence, as Doctrine is not the best indoctrination into a once brilliant band. Both groups should stay hopeful for a more far-out album next time, lest the band become just another drop in the ever-growing death metal pool.

Genre: Death Metal

Band:
Patrick Mameli (g,v)
Patrick Uterwijk (g)
Jeroen Paul Thesseling (b)
Yuma Van Eekelen (d)

Track Listing:
1. The Predication (Intro)
2. Amgod
3. Doctrine
4. Salvation
5. Dissolve
6. Absolution
7. Sinister
8. Divinity
9. Deception
10. Malignant
11. Confusion

Label: Mascot Records

Website: http://pestilence.nl/

Hardrock Haven rating: 6/10

Behemoth | Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

by Cyndi Jo
Staff Writer

Polish blackened death metal pioneers Behemoth’s compilation collection of their two EPs — 03’s Conjuration and 05’s Slaves Shall Serve — is a collection suited better for its artwork and nothing else.

The double-disc Abyssus Abyssum Invocat includes liner notes from front-man Nergal, a complete expanded repackaging, new artwork, and of course newly remastered tracks, live songs and some interesting covers.

Escaping the uber-underground black metal and transitioning into a more technical approach, this compilation features seven studio tracks, including Nine Inch Nail’s “Wish” and Danzig ’s “Until You Call on the Dark,” and 11 recorded live tracks. Although, overall, the album is underwhelming, “Conjuration Ov Sleep Daemons” demonstrates what fans love most of these black metal monsters — brutal riffs that are accompanied by grueling drums and Nergal’s distinguished vocals. The raw energy transmitted through this song is a definite bonus. Behemoth’s rendition of “Wish” is at best a heavier version of the song with only an intense ending guitar solo to spice it up — not that impressive or innovative.

The amazingly artistic alluring packaging is the only plus. A fan’s best bet music wise is spending money on their latest DVD, Evangelia Heretika, while awaiting their upcoming, anticipating release, in hopes of Nergal’s better health. (The lead singer is recovering from Leukemia.)

Band:
Nergal (v)
Inferno (d)
Orion (b)
Seth (g)

Genre: Black Metal / Death Metal

Track Listing:

Conjuration
1. Conjuration Of Sleep Daemons
2. Wish
3. Welcome To Hell
4. Christians To The Lions (Live)
5. Decade Of Therion (Live)
6. From The Pagan Vastlands (Live)
7. Antichristian Phenomenon (Live)
8. Lam (Live)
9. Satan’s Sword (I Have Become) (Live)
10.Chant For Eskaton 2000 (Live)

Slaves Shall Serve
1. Slaves Shall Serve
2. Entering The Pylon Of Light
3. Penetration
4. Until You Call On The Dark
5. Demigod (Live)
6. Slaves Shall Serve (Live)
7. Lam (Live)
8. As Above So Below (Live)

Label: Century Media

Web site: behemoth.pl

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Origin | Entity

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

For those evolved (or arrogant) enough to appreciate (or pretend to) what equates to more or less organized musical chaos, it’s with much excitement that Entity, the newest ball of insanity from Kansas-based Origin, has finally hit the shelves, or, perhaps more accurately, the iTunes store.

Acting as more or less the polar opposite to Vomitory’s simple, old-school death classic, Opus VIII, from earlier this year, Origin’s Entity exemplifies the technical, chaotic, over-the-top side of death metal. Driving grooves are replaced with inhumanly fast blasts, and chunky power chords are left behind for sweeping arpeggios and fret gymnastics. While their roots may be in Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, and the like, Origin have far-exceeded even the fastest of the their forefathers’ output.

Though the occasional calmer passage does appear, for the most part Entity is an unrelenting stream of hyper-speed technicality. Taking a bit of inspiration from punk and grindcore, though, the generally under-two minute tracks work well to prevent boredom. Sure, after a while all of the songs do blur together, leaving listeners gasping for a power chord and straight groove, but this is designed to get the blood flowing and heart pumping. Think of it as the Jolt Cola of death metal. You definitely don’t drink Jolt to relax at the end of the day.

Honestly, there’s not a whole lot more to say about Entity. Those not familiar with the genre will likely be too overwhelmed to enjoy or appreciate it, and those fully vested in the current death metal world already know exactly what to expect. Either way, though, it’s impossible not respect the ridiculously high level of skill the members of Origin possess. So push play and hold on.

Genre: Death Metal

Band:
Paul Ryan (g,v)
John Longstreth (d)
Mike Flores (b,v)

Track Listing:
1. Expulsion of Fury
2. Purgatory
3. Conceiving Death
4. Swarm
5. Saligia
6. The Descent
7. Fornever
8. Committed
9. Banishing Illusion
10. Consequence of Solution
11. Evolution of Extinction

Label: Relapse Records

Website: www.myspace.com/origin

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Igneous Human Pyroclastic Storms

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer

Epic harmonies, indelible instant-grip hooks, and grooves taking you out of the mundane reality like a shot, is all that’s required of a truly great metal band. And on their debut album Igneous Human show they have mastered all three of those things – never rigid, never stiff, never centered around one single formula. Listening to how effortlessly they use groove, doom, death and good old hard rock to create their own universe with its own distinct atmosphere, you realise that apart from pure inspiration it’s also the band’s eclectic method which is responsible for making Pyroclastic Storms such a knockout release.

Standout “Quake” has it all – the grand-scale intro, the instantly memorable hook, and the space-rocking groove which carries the song through rhythmic and harmonic changes with propulsive conviction. The best thing about this track though is that despite the epic feel, here is one tune you can put in your pocket and carry with you – the main feature of any great song and something that no technology can beat or replace. The light and breathy guitar solo is the icing on the proverbial cake, borrowing from the 80s guitar hero tradition with unabashed confidence and aplomb – another reminder of the band’s diverse pedigree and a proof of their open-minded approach to metal.

Depth, stylistic and emotional amplitude of the band’s songwriting, their instinctive understanding of harmonic contrasts and melodic drama, as well as an ability to create a believable, multi-layered atmosphere, is what Igneous Human are doing with confidence of seasoned veterans. But above all it’s that taste of a real thing you get from them which makes this band stand out among legions of other newcomers to the metal scene. Here we are dealing with real musicians engaged in real creative search, and being able to preserve this searching quality is what will ultimately make or break this act on their way to the big league. The industry can’t be blind to such an obvious talent, so the next time you read about Igneous Human they will hopefully be getting the best newcomer award from one of those glitzy industry mags.

Genre: Death Metal

Band:
Andreas Joelsson – vox
Ewo Solvelius – guitar
Daniel Persson – guitar
John Thorner – drums
Mikael Gustavsson – bass

Track Listing:
1. Birth
2. You Better Be Dead
3. Quake
4. Redemption
5. Mute
6. Pyroclastic Storms
7. Deceived
8. Demonride
9. Hate
10. Tears

Label: Tractor Productions Black Label

Website: www.igneoushuman.com ; www.myspace.com/igneoushuman

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10