Reviews: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Reviews - M NUCLEAR BLAST Super-fast, frantic, blasting, no-holds-barred brutal, grinding death metal; totally growling vocals and lots of meaty riffs that call for speed and…wait for it, more speed . This thing, blasting speed, is the only thing that Malevolent Creation has to offer, unfortunately. Seriously, the solos are not even worth discussing, the riffs sound like c-rate, mindless death metal. This band is on auto pilot, big time, people! One of the guys is wearing a Demolition Hammer shirt. Ah, so, not only do they play fast and tight mediocre death metal, they also like fast and tight mediocre bands from the past, lovely. They probably like Acheron, Tankard, Faith or Fear and Broken Hope, too, sad. http://malevolentcreation.cjb.net Mauricio
MALICE 420: HATEFUL PREACHINGS SELF-RELEASE (?) This is total generic "death metal" garbage, nothing distinctive, original, creative or good. Sounds like garage punk/metal trying to be all tough and angry, but comes across as moronic, like a real awful version of Pantera. www.malice420.com Mauricio Araniva
MANEGARM -"NORDSTJARNANS TIDSALDER" DISPLEASED RECORDS This is good, fast black metal that leaves little to be desired. However much I liked this CD, I just don't know what to tell you about it. Keyboards, gutteral vox, great guitar work, speedy drumming, what else could you want? Most black metal fans will like this, even the picky ones like me! Just check it out and forget about this dumb review. ELISABETH
MAROON - When Worlds Collide CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS Oriented towards the concert experience with breakdowns often, this hardcore outfit from Germany provides a considerable melodic thrash factor to their expertly performed, if not all too innovative, material characterized by strong dose of double-bass drumming, speedy guitars, shout-growled vocals. In addition, each song has the more melodic aspect, through solos or licks and some cleaner vocals. To top it all off, the breakdowns serve as transitions to a change of pace or are there with an eye towards creating a mosh pit. The breakdowns are pretty formulaic, the songs memorable, plus, the band has a knack for core. www.maroonhate.com www.centurymedia.com Mauricio Araniva
MASQUERADE - "SURFACE OF PAIN" METAL BLADE This release goes against everything that people find "cool". Why? Because the vocalist actually sings, and the rest of the band write real songs. That's right, this is a heavy metal / power metal release! This is actually from 1994, but METAL BLADE is still pushing it. If you hate bands that play their instruments and make real music, then you'll hate this band. "State of Grace", song #3, should give you an idea; the vocalist has a "high-range" voice, there are plenty of heavy, yet melodic riffs, and the drummer follows the rhythm of the song, instead of trying to prove that he is the fastest drummer in the world. In short, this is polished heavy metal! LIEFF
THE MASS - CITY OF DIS CRUCIAL BLAST RECORDS The first song begins normally enough with mentally disturbed screaming and deranged hardcore, jazzy riffing. Just when you were getting comfy, about one minute and fifteen seconds into this thing called "La Porc," a saxophone (?) comes in and it gets loud, nasty, obnoxious and in your face. Woop, there it is. By this time, the rest of the instruments are going bonkers, thrashing, rocking. "Trapped Under A Ice" follows. Here we go again, the saxophone (?) is again just getting down with the crazy, psycho babble beat jazz hardcore time changes and generally just sounding like a pig rolling around in the dirt having the time of his life. Later on, "Major Strip" has a part that the whole band is shouting and it sounds like a bunch of guys screaming in a cartoonish voice: "hoo li-hoo li-ha!; hoo-li-hoo-li-ha!" Or something to that effect. This song also has a karate chop scream. Hah-cha! Yah!. Later on "We Enslaved Elves to Build Our Death Machine," a seven-minute-plus affair, takes a turn for the insaner by becoming a smooth cabaret death-core-jazz number. I suggest you serenade your local funny farm neighbor with this number. He or she will love it, just love it. You'll be getting married at the local mental hospital in no time flat. "Marca Dos Invernos" goes down to the final stop just before you throw yourself out the window. This song is jumbled up gobbledygoopla funkeldebrainiac. This is destined to be bigger than Madonna or Raven. "Rock until you drop!" www.themass.us Mauricio Araniva
MASS PSYCHOSIS -"NECROPORNO" STILL DEAD PRODUCTIONS I've been sitting around listening to this nearly 2 weeks now, trying to figure out why I like this band. After dragging my feet with this review, I finally have come to the conclusion that I still don't know exactly why I like it! It's just kool, brutal fucking death metal that will kick your butt as surely as it did mine. Do you really need to know anymore than that? Is it really necessary for me to go into some long, boring, adjective-laden description? I say NO! Just take my word on it and get this if you like death metal at all! You can thank me later. ELISABETH
MASTERPLAN - AERONAUTICS CANDLELIGHT RECORDS Feel-good music is what Masterplan is. A Helloween off-shoot, Masterplan's music is supposed to make you feel a certain way. The guitar harmonies are sweet, the double-bass drumming gives the up-beat riffs power and energy, the singing is good and the songs are sharp, clean, melodic and memorable. It will put you in a better mood when you are driving to work. Instead of cursing out the driver who just cut you off (on purpose, of course, because that person is in a worldwide conspiracy to make your life miserable), you can listen to Masterplan and you'll feel better. There are 10 songs of super-catchy, melodic, sugary, rocking power/heavy metal: flashy solos, power guitaring, double bass drummering, and classy singering. Songs 1, 3, 7, 9 are the fast ones. You can do aerobics or jog to those. 2 and 6 are slower love songs, but they are not, in my opinion, power ballads: more like slower to mid-paced. 8 is also mid-paced. All these three songs have big-time-rock-star vocal performances, but this is true for the whole album. 8 is probably the weakest track and the worst song is still solid. 10 is the longer song which brings the whole album together: this 9-minutes-plus piece starts out slowly and builds into a great, undeniable song. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com Mauricio Araniva
MATUTINA NOCTEM -"ANIMA MEAM" ADIPOCERE RECORDS A fell beauty calls us from the mists of the past. The victorious warriors trudge from the field of their triumph. The fading daylight shining off their blood-stained armor. This CD could well be the soundtrack for such a scene. Containing 9 tracks of beautiful medieval folk like melodies, entwined with solemn chanting and female vocals. This band delivers a haunting blend of beauty and texture. I highly recommend this to the aesthetes out there, this will definitely satisfy your longing for ethereal realms. Prepare to be enchanted. ELISABETH
MAYHEM - "DAWN OF THE BLACK HEARTS" Yes, I am sure the majority has already heard about this bootleg, and I'm sure a lot of you collectors are still trying to find this hard to get disc. I think this release sucks! Everyone wants to cash in on the death of Euronymous. Whoever put this out is full of shit and greed. The sound on this release is just plain sorry. Everything sucks about it. Why does this suck so badly? No, not because MAYHEM sucks, it sucks because this does the band no justice at all. How would you like it if some greedy motherfucker puts out a show in which your band sounded like shit because the venue in which you played in had the worst fucking sound system in the world? Do your self a favor: go buy yourself "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas"! If you already have it, buy a second copy! LIEFF
MAYHEM -"WOLF'S LAIR ABYSS" MISANTHROPY Euronymous who? Yeah, so what if he's not in it? Well, it might matter to some, but once you put this disc in, you will hear that Mayhem are back. With Necrobuther and Maniac back in the league, and of course Hellhammer, who can say it isn't Mayhem? The thing I didn't like at first was that Attila wasn't on vocals anymore. His diversity added so much more to the Mayhem sound in my opinion. But from what I've read, Hellhammer was looking to go back to the rawer and crazier sound of Mayhem from the olden days. Which in my opinion, they succeeded very well. We have 5 songs of intense utter blasphemy. The song, "Ancient Skin" has some of the most hate filled vocals I've heard in a long time. I can just picture Maniac cutting/burning himself while recording his vocals on the record. So how's the music? Can you not see who I'm reviewing? It's Mayhem! They're back and will be here long after the trends die. What else to say? MIKE
MELIAH RAGE - "DEATH VALLEY DREAM" BACKSTREET REC. First off, let me just say that yes, this release is at least two years in the can by now, but that does not detract from these guys at all, unless they dropped out of sight again in 1997 and I didn't know! M. Rage came out of the Boston music scene in the late 80's, thrashing away in clubs with the backing of recording industry juggernaut Sony/Epic, trying to get the break that Metallica got at the beginning of the decade. With the exception of Wargasm, there were very few metal bands to hail from the same area. (Extreme and Aerosmith don't count.) In 1988, they came out with "Kill to survive", "Live Kill", a live E.P. in 1989, and in 1990, "Solitary Solitude". Although they displayed great musicianship and slamming thrash/power metal riffs, they never really seemed to be able to crack the big time as their peers have. Despite killer riffs and great lyrics on tunes like "Bates Motel" on "Kill to S." and "The Witching" and "Swallow your Soul" on "Solitary Solitude", M. Rage seemingly disappeared not long after the later album was released. Then in the later part of 1996, with the little fanfare, they turned up with "Death Valley Dream" on Backstreet Records, a company I know very little about. It starts right off with the title track, not too bad, but not the best song they've ever done. But then things pick up a bit with the steady pound of "stranger' and the nearly hardcore tune "Media". Getting better as we go along, we get a dose of soaring conviction with "Crow" and a cool tune that makes me think of the Marvel Comic character Punisher, "War Journal". Probably one of the most kick-ass songs on the album, "Prideland" continues the motif started in 1988 about the soldiers and settlers killing indians, and they do a far better job than Rage Against the Machine (who easily get on my list as one of the most shittiest bands in every sense of the word to help kill the 90's, musically.) as far as championing the cause of the American Indian. I'm not the most politically correct guy in the world, but it's good to see someone besides I. Maiden in '82 doing a cool tune about this issue. I know Metal Maniacs pretty much dissed this album a few issues back, which they seem to do to most of the good bands from time to time, but do your self a favor, seek this one out. Not quite as raw as their earlier material, but enough catchy and heavy riffing to appeal to fans of Laaz Rockit (holy shit, where are those guys?) and Armored Saint type of traditional metal. At least they remain true every album, showing growth without flushing any integrity down the shitter. You reading this Lars? You fuckwit! TOM
MENTAL DESTRUCTION - "STRAW" Cold Meat Industry Haha, this has to be the most un-fun CD I have ever heard, and that is saying a lot. Definitely not one to pop in if you want to remain in a cheery mood! These spaced-out, machinery-driven, industrial sounds capes do however make pretty damn good background music for sitting around reading, typing, whatever. People who like experimental stuff will most likely be pleased with this disc. As for myself, it's alright, but I prefer a bit more structure. Elisabeth
MERCENARY - 11 DREAMS CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS Fans of that melodic Scandinavian growl n' sing style will be glad to hear a new band that sounds hungry and eager to be taken seriously. If you like melodic metal with some background electronics, you'll be well advised to check this out. It is catchy and aggressive, like this type of band. This is not to compare, but just in case you want names, I will name names: In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy and Soilwork. There, does that help? This Danish band has gritty, chuggy riffing and not all the supposed Maiden harmonies. A lot of the melody comes from the vocals, too. The clean singing is way more upfront than Soilwork and more prog/heavy/power metal, too. Investigate further if Gothenburg means anything to you. Pretty trendy stuff. www.mercenary.dk Mauricio Araniva
MERCILESS: LIVE OBSESSION (DVD) ESCAPI When talking about the Sweden's early underground metal scene Merciless is a name often left out, even though they recorded their debut, "The Awakening", in 1989. That album is thrash in the style of Kreator, Dark Angel and Slayer, but with more growled vocals and speed approaching the blast. For that reason alone, it's interesting to see the band live from a concert in 2003. The chances of seeing Merciless live in the States are not good, so this is as close as you might get. The 12 songs on here sound pretty thrashy live, which shows that Merciless is still rooted in old school thrash. The second DVD is extra stuff like an interview and other live songs. If you like hard thrash, with that old, dark feeling, you should check out this band. Personally, my favorite moments are when the band is playing fast. The mid-paced songs don't work as well. I still totally enjoy the debut, though. www.escapi.com Mauricio Araniva
MERCYFUL FATE - "INTO THE UNKNOWN" METAL BLADE I would definitely say that this release is better than "Time". (Opinions vary.) Starting with the "Uninvited Guest", which has a tight and professional sound. "Kutulu (The Mad Arab Part 2)" demonstrates a more complete guitar sound. Also, the new drummer, Bjarn T. H. is a more modern metal drummer. He definitely has his own sound. The overall sound of "Into the Unknown" is chunkier and darker.(Yeah, maybe compared to my anal cave, but not compared to the old and better days of FATES career!) "Holy Water" is by far the catchiest tune here. The simple and catchy style of the song contrasts well with some of the more complicated material like, "Fifteen Men (And a Bottle of Rum)". KING D. voice is not very variable, not anything like the old stuff. There is one thing that is strange to me, why is it that Michael and Hank, the two excellent guitarists, find it impossible to get more melody in their solos? I know they can do it because they have done it on "Melissa" and on "Don't Break the Oath", but they just don't do it now and that takes away a big part of what made this band great. (That's because this reformation isn't MERCYFUL FATE, they should have changed the name to UNBEARABLE FATE or something. Just my bitching.) Finally, this is a good release, except for the gripe about Mr. Denner and Mr. Shermann. LIEFF
MESHUGGAH - CATCH THIRTY THREE NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS Metallica likes them. Tool likes them even more. Ozzy Osbourne's son likes them, too. A lot of musicians and magazines respect this band, actually (Does any of that matter to anyone?!). Well, for one thing, this album is different from everything considered metal or rock, for that matter. My impression upon hearing: it collapses two currents or two streams or even two directions and it results in an incongruous pace. The vocals are screamed/shouted/growled, as usual, which probably will continue to limit their audience since not everyone likes these vocals. It's possible that this band is using a weird guitar that sounds like a bass guitar, but this time around I hear very little guitar. Instead, the bass and drum machine/programming (no real drummer this time) are pretty dominant. If you are a musician, you'll probably be curious to hear this stuff. I'm not, so I'm not. To me, this sounds like the bass player is playing one single note for an eternity. The drum machine is doing the same thing for a long, long time. The whole album is one big song with some pauses here and there. It's a very midpaced, monotonous, one-two, one-two, thump, thump-type of album. I found this to be really boring and bland. www.meshuggah.net Mauricio Araniva
METAL CHURCH - "LIVE" NUCLEAR BLAST This is a live collection from 1986. It's a release displaying Metal Church after "Metal Church", the debut, and "The Dark", release. This is my kind of "Seattle" music! David Wayne's voice is in top performance form and the band sounds excellent. This stuff sounds great because you get the power of the recorded music with the extra special feel of a live show. These songs are all excellent. "Ton of Bricks", "Start the Fire", etc.. The way this sounds, it has two elements of metal. The traditional metal sound, plus the energy of thrash. A class act. By the way, this sounds ten times better than most live bands. Quite a gem, this band. Lieff
METALIUM - DEMONS OF INSANITY -- CHAPTER FIVE CRASH MUSIC, INC. Characterized by the mentality that if the power/heavy metal audience likes no-nonsense traditional power metal, then there is no reason to go changing things, Metalium is a traditional metal public's band. Give the Metalium people what the Metalium people want: Speedy, up-tempo, rocking, shredding, double-bass, high energy headbanging songs like; "Power of Time," "Cyber horizon," "Out of Silence," "Sky Is Falling," etc. These tracks present a band with air-raid-siren singing, guitar harmonies, and instantly memorable, power-packed chorus lines. Good songs and the best in the album. Mid-paced, rocking songs, like "Demons of Insanity," "Mother Earth," Ride On," "Destiny," etc. Here the band does not slow down, but does hold off a bit from going full-speed ahead. The songs are less effective and I find the gang-shouted chorus/lines to be kind of dumb, but there are some cool moments. "Endless Believers" and "Silence of the Night" are the two most ballady moments, especially the latter. Not a bad album, but like Primal Fear's "Devil's Ground," Metalium sounds pretty uninteresting because it's so conservative in its approach. What the songs lack, to me, is excitement. This band is too much on power metal auto pilot. In the past they have sounded a lot more exciting and excited, hungry, if you will, like on "State of Triumph--Chapter Two," for example. www.metalium.de www.crashmusicinc.com Mauricio Araniva
MINDGRINDER - RIOT DETONATOR CANDLELIGHT RECORDS The most attractive quality here is the ability to know what to do and doing it at the precise moment for the most effect. For instance, the blasting on the first four songs is carried out at certain points for maximum intensity; the hook-oriented soloing seems to reach out at the perfect moment, while the drum fills, double bass and tight thrashing riffs carry the non-blasting parts. In short, these songs sound very well composed: tight, but still un-clean and raw. The riffs have huge Slayeresque proportions: there is a forward motion to them that is exciting. I find that this sounds lively, energetic. The vocals have brief guttural, growled parts, but most of the time they are, I guess, I'd have to say "shouted," but it's not screaming nor growling. The vocals maybe have a crust-punk, old, early grind feel. At any rate, they fit the music very well. Song five is a nice, clean, serene acoustic-sounding interlude of about one minute, followed by a faster mid-paced number which, again, has well-placed blasting. Seven is a mid-paced number that's monotonous compared to the rest of the album. Eight is "interesting": it sounds inspired by Morbid Angel's slow songs. The next number ends the album (35 minutes) and it's a thrashier, more grinding track, not to end things in a slow fashion. In other words, the orientation is towards hooks in the riffs and on the first four songs the band is very convincing, which is some 17 minutes of music. The rest of the album is less so, but by no means mediocre. It remains to be seen whether they can capture the excitement and keep it going for a full album. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com Mauricio Araniva
MISERY LOVES CO. - "YOUR VISION WAS NEVER MINE TO SHARE" Earache Hmm, pretty kool. Not every song on this album was my cup of tea, but I liked the distortion-laden vox and guitars throughout, making even the less likeable songs more tolerable for me. I really like the vocalist as well. He has a unique sounding voice. If you've never heard this band, I guess I'd have to say it's sort of really heavy "alternative." Maybe like what some people call "college music", heh. I don't know, I'm not into labels, but I did actually dig this CD a lot. The greatest moment on the album, is their extremely admirable cover of The Cure's "Drowning Man." If you're at all a fan of old Cure stuff, this album is worth buying for that alone. Elisabeth
MISTRESS - IN DISGUST WE TRUST EARACHE RECORDS Very simple here: dirty, raw heavy punk that sounds drunk and noisy, screaming, unpleasant and unpolished. This band involves people from Anaal Nakrath (or whatever that damned band is called). Unlike that band, this is not tight and it’s not fast. Sure, there’s actually quite a bit of blasting, but it’s not very tight. This is not grind if by grind you mean Napalm Death or Lock Up because this is more street, much drunker, kind of sloppy, which makes it, again, more punk than anything. There is some clean singing, but only in a brief moment. The blasting parts are kind of cool, but overall, this is not tight enough and fast to get me interested. Plus, it sounds like a project, too. The guitar work is simply not that interesting, which would be helped by some speed, but there’s not that much of that. Only for fans of raw, sloppy, heavy punk with growled vocals and screaming. Example, they have songs called "Alcohole" and "Whiskey Tastes Better." Get the picture? www.earache.com Mauricio Araniva
MNEMIC: THE AUDIO INJECTED SOUL NUCLEAR BLAST This is trendy hardcore/metal with screams and clean singing. You can tell they think they are pretty original and cool because they are trying to be so different that they end up sounding like Fear Factory jamming with Soilwork and Linkin Park. They cover an 80s pop song called "Wild Boys" by Duran Duran (Huh?) They have the breakdowns which are so predictable. You know when the clean singing, which is not very good, is coming in during the song because the tracks just are that predictable. www.mnemic.com Mauricio Araniva
MONOLITHE: II CANDLELIGHT RECORDS Say, man, you ever been hanging around the house, just chillin', and in between breaks in the doing-nothing sessions, you sit back, and ask yourself: I wonder whatever happened to that girl in middle school who used to wear all those Led Zeppelin shirts? Boy, she hated Pearl Jam so bad! Or: whatever happened to all those bands that were called Tormentor back in the day? Or: who is the absolute slowest, most slothful, darkest, doomiest, melancholiest, twistediest (forget dictionaries!), anti-speediest metal band ever? Well, Jack, see, I think I have your answer right here: Monolithe. This album is one song that is 50 minutes long. I think we have a hit on our hands, kids! This is slow! If you thought the first Paradise Lost was slow, wait till you hear this! Candlemass and Obituary are hyper-speed blasting compared to this! Ok, enough of my stupidity. If the lack of speed is not a concern for you, and especially if you love slow, dark doom with growled vocals, you should at least give this a chance because they are in their own world. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com Mauricio Araniva
MOONLYGHT: PROGRESSIVE DARKNESS ESCAPI Like a lot of bands from Québec (the land of Voivod, mind you) Moonlyght is not ordinary and stands out based on pure ambition. Any band that wants to do this much with their music is to be applauded. What kind of music is this, then? Well, they play progressive dark metal (duh?!). Coming across as a blend of European symphonic, melodic black metal, prog metal, power metal and that special Québec quality, Moonlyght should be heard by an audience that does not care for categories. The vocals are black, growled and clean. There are seven songs, all of which are over seven minutes long, with the exception a short one lasting over four and a half minutes. This takes a bit to understand, but it's worth it, that is if you like to enjoy music as music, not a lame excuse to get your "anger" out. Oh, yeah, how gutsy is this band? They actually have a song with an accordion in it!! And, yes, it works, ok? www.moonlyght.ca Mauricio Araniva
MOONSPELL -" SIN PECADO" CENTURY MEDIA Cool title, he, he. At first, I was a bit skeptical after listening to this release. The first song, "Handmade God", totally reminded me of a newer Paradise L. song. Like most of the bands who would be considered "different" in the metal scene, (Paradise L., Amorphis, Sentenced, etc..) and by this I mean they don't like to stay in one place musically. Moonspell has once again changed in sound somewhat. Some might like this change, due to the strong resemblance to Type-O-N., especially in the vocal dept., others will just pass this off as another wanna-be. There were only like 2 songs that had the aggressive vocals like on the previous. This album is still in the "gothic" realm of things, but it's actually less-than the previous. But the solos are definitely metal sounding. This one sounded a lot more metal to me I think. Any way, if you like moody music with a dark feel, check it out, it's definitely worth a listen. MIKE
MORGUL - ALL DEAD HERE SEASON OF MIST "All Dead Here" huh? Hey, you wouldn't want to risk sounding like you have a negative attitude towards life! Morgul's take on metal focuses on a general feel of misanthropy. Thus, the mid-tempo, dark, symphonic/synth, black-ish metal centers not on speed, or brutality, but on a mood of in-human, desolate, alienating and alienated constructions of sound. This is precisely why: (1) the music is almost devoid of conventional structures which usually play on an audience's concept of familiar and expected melody, chorus and rhythm patterns. (2) This music appeals to an audience which enjoys the music often called "post-black metal," which usually has metal plus industrial / techno influences. Having said all this, Morgul does not go overboard with synth/industrial components. It's still metal music with death/black guitar work (and a drum machine?), but it is surrounded with string arrangements (synth?), some clean vocals, piano sounds, effects to form a thick, plodding, marching, dark sort of "post-black metal." Recommended for those into the metal that's more "out there." www.season-of-mist.com Mauricio Araniva
MORTICIAN - "HACKED UP FOR BARBECUE" RELAPSE "You really scared me, If that's what you wanted. Is that what you wanted?" "No." "What do you want?" "Your blood........all over me." When anybody asks me, "What exactly is death metal?" This is one of the best bands to define the genre of death metal. Do you disagree? Well if you do, kill yourself and rot. This fucking release is so fucking intense, you will have the urge to kill someone. Anyone not familiar with this band should check this release out. Lyrics are as gruesome as ever, vocals are as deep as ever, music is as intense as ever, and better yet, the production is pretty cool as well. Anyone who saw this band with A.C. and INCANTATION must of had one hell of a night! Literally. Anyone with pictures of that concert, please, donate them, and if they are good enough I'll print them next issue. Any ways, check this soundtrack to all that is the horror of life out! MIKE
MOONSPELL - "IRRELIGIOUS" CENTURY MEDIA This band has definitely crossed over into the gothic realm of things. Pretty much leaving the "black metal" sound that people said they had on previous efforts. I would definitely call this a progression since their previous effort both musically and vocally. The songs are excellently structured and executed. Mixing the metal influence and the dark gothic mysticism is something I truly enjoy. A lot of people shit on his vocal style/styles, but I find them to be a plus, especially in a scene where vocal styles are usually limiting in such an extreme scene. All into dark and heavy music should enjoy this release very much. MIKE
MORBID EXECUTION - TOTAL DEVOTION DEATHGASM RECORDS Wonderful raw, primitive death/black metal that takes its inspiration from early Venom and Hellhammer, and probably early Death, early Sodom, early Destruction and Death Strike. Totally tortured vocals that please those of us who think Tom G. Warrior's vocals in Hellhammer were genius. The vocals made me think of Death Strike a lot, too. The sound is savage, like it was recorded in a cave. Cool! The drumming is primitive and with that special intermittent double kick. It's not blasting or speedy per se, but fast and often mid-paced, played with more feeling than speed. The guitars are death metal chainsaws and have a low, grinding quality to them. The bass rumbles, and pretty loudly. For fans of early-style, primitive death/black. It's too bad that this lasts only 13 minutes and it's only 5 songs. I definitely want to hear more songs like "Total Devotion," "Straight Way to Hell," "On the Threshold of the Unseen," "Cult in the Age of Aquarius" and "Demonic Possession." There is no website/contact address given (how appropriate). www.deathgasm.com info@deathgasm.com Mauricio Araniva
MORGOTH - "FEEL SORRY FOR THE FANATIC" CENTURY MEDIA This release really sucks because it is weak beyond belief and it is utterly boring in every aspect that the listener could possibly imagine. This should actually be called, "Feel Sorry For MORGOTH". What I just said is very general, so lets be more specific here. For example, song number four, "...and its amazing consequences" is, (and I'm not kidding man!) a total techno-pop-rock song. Yes, with plastic-sounding drum machines and synthesizers that really make fans of NEW ORDER and DEPECHE MODE dance. This song has no vocals, just really "hip" sounds of techno. What is the purpose of this "experiment"? READ: STUPIDITY! This is silly and just plain dumb. MORGOTH sucks! O.K., then there is the obvious loss of any death metal feel to this. Remember now kiddies, when the "Eternal Fall" came out back in the early nineties, this bands vocalist was considered a contender for the worlds title of "heaviest" traditional death metal voice? Well, you can forget it now. Everything is pretty clear, as far as the voice is concerned. There are no growls or anything, just simple vocals that are boring. Another thing I must add, is that if he thinks he is trying to sing, then he is definitely hallucinating. This is no singer. Where are those heavy, face-ripping riffs now? Not here! Actually, this whole album sucks. This is totally un-metal. This is even weaker metal than U2. But U2 is not metal, right? Neither is MORGOTH! Finally, I just want to say that at one time this band was very promising. "Cursed" was incredibly heavy, melodic and just so good. It combined music with brutality, which if you have noticed, it is actually hard to do. I don't even know why this is still called MORGOTH. This is dance music that your preppy class mates listen to. In short, SMASHING PUMPKINS is better than this because they are heavier, rawer, and more aggressive. This is a joke and no one is laughing. If someone is laughing, they're laughing at, not with, MORGOTH. LIEFF
MORTEM -"DEMON TALES" COYOTE RECORDS Mortem is a Peruvian death metal band that started out in 1986. These guys are still around, playing underground death metal. "Demon Tales" is just that. This is pretty good death metal. But like a lot of south American bands, they are plagued with bad equipment, with a bad sound. If early Sodom sounded cool with bad production, then that is not the case here. This is basically like early Sepultura sound wise. There's nothing truly outstanding here, but better production could make a big difference because Mortem are a musically serious band and their devotion is unquestionable. This is not cheesy stuff at all. Definitely worth a listen. LIEFF
MUGZU - NOT REALLY (DEMO) Growled vocals, chug guitars and lots of energy; more than anything, this is so that these guys one day can say that they were in a band and that they recorded a demo. Their friends liked it because they were their friends and had to like it. That jerk Mauricio Araniva didn't care for it. If you are a total demo collector, then by all means, go ahead. www.mugzu.com Mauricio Araniva
MUNICIPAL WASTE - HAZARDOUS MUTATION EARACHE RECORDS Thrash maniacs who like their thrash faster, quicker, nimble, rapid, speedy, driving and non-stop will be so happy with Municipal Waste, for whom Slayer is not fast enough! Remember Slayer's punk covers album? This has that spirit. Thrash-punk-metal with no desire to slow things down to a mid-paced speed at all. The vocals sound like that Slayer album, Nuclear Assault, or D.R.I, fast and shouted, gritty and punky, sometimes the chorus or song title is gang shouted. The speed of this thing is on the verge of breaking into grinding speed, but never quite there. Here and there, the guitars will do a quickie melodic solo and be right back to the thrashing. One of the things about this music is that in 2005 it sounds like it's from 1987, but with a better, more modern sound, but damn, it's 1987 all over again. If you like your thrash fast, old-school and with a punk attitude, then get cracking. This album has 15 songs and it's some 25 minutes long. www.earache.com Mauricio Araniva
MURDER 1 - "AMERICAN JUNKIE" Pavement If you like hardcore, punk, hard rock (that rocks): from AC/DC, Ramones, Sick of it All, Misfits, some Motorhead, some ZZ Top, then you might like this. You'll think it's hardcore one moment, then rock the next. Nothing original, nothing outstanding, it's been done before. But since you say that's what you like.... Lieff
THE MURDERSQUAD T.O. / HULLUUS - Rising Crust - WOUNDED PAW RECORDS This split's protagonists share a similitude of street social punk protest focusing critique on the imperialist war/presence in the Middle East and the political ramifications thereof. In addition, both criticize apathy, greed, religiosity, nationalism and such matters germane to those issues. The music itself is rather noisy, attractive punk metal fueled by a tendency for the rambunctious. There are slight distinctions in their interpretations of heavy, speedy, near-thrash, rumbling punk with growled and screaming vocals, but both are fun and enjoyable. This is, genealogically, a continuation of the punk identified with Discharge, Siege, Electro Hippies, early Extreme Noise Terror, Unseen Terror, etc. Just imagine growled, obnoxious punk. www.woundedpaw.com Mauricio Araniva
MY DYING BRIDE - "LIKE GODS OF THE SUN" (label?) After a disappointing CD, M.D.B are back with something new and a lot better than the last. Also, once again, are the banished growls. But unlike the "The Angel....", the vocals are a lot better and a lot more powerful. Less boring indeed! Everything seems to be heavier and even reminds me of "Turn Loose the Swans". The violin is always present and also the piano. Even if the death metal period is over for M.D.B, with this release, they once again landed on that special ability they showed on 'Turn Loose.." and previous albums in mixing such sadness, melody and aggressiveness. NICOLAS
MY RUIN - THE BRUTAL LANGUAGE ROVENA RECORDINGS From a metal point of view, this is of no interest. On the other hand, the young rock kids that walk around the mall might find this interesting. It has the I-don't-like-you attitude. One song is called "Touch Me I'm Sick". Another one is called "Summer of Hell". See what I mean? It's loud, cool, hip, trendy, etc. The music actually offers nothing particularly good, or different, just the usual loud rock. With lots of television, radio and magazine coverage, the rock kids will be interested, like they get interested in anything that the media tells them they need to be interested in. Enjoy. www.myruin.com Mauricio Araniva
MYON - GHOST IN PARADISE CRASH MUSIC INC. Hopelessly oldschool rock/metal and unashamedly stubborn, Myon’s music is melodic, progressive (if you consider Deep Purple progressive), the vocals are also cluelessly old-fashioned (pretty high and thin, somewhat similar to Saxon and Stratovarius), the guitars concentrate on catchy riffs (more rock than metal) and the drumming is not hyperactive or flashy. The keyboards are definitely oldschool, nothing too showy or flashy, but always present, which again recalls any 70s rock band with keyboards, like Deep Purple or bands that are considered "classic rock." This band definitely sounds different and completely trend unconscious. More importantly, they have good songs and the whole album is done well. Most of the songs are uptempo or midtempo and there are no real slow/ballads. "Death of the Dawn," the opening track is catchy and has an 80s rock feel. "The Quest" and "Tournament" are good examples of the faster tracks: uptempo riffs and drumming and hooks. "Nostradamus" is a midtempo, heavier track. In the chorus they say the word "Nostradamus" which, just on paper, is on odd idea. In reality, it is odd to hear this name in the song, but that just shows how untrendy these guys are. Tired of all the screaming/obnoxious metal stuff? Want to hear something old-fashioned and melodic rock/metal? www.mastervox.fi/myon Mauricio Araniva |
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