Sigh - Hail Horror Hail (1997 Black/Avant-Garde)

Sigh - Hail Horror Hail


For people hearing a song from this recording for the first time, a likely reaction would be "What the hell is going on"? Don't worry, that's normal, the japanese masters of black metal even give you a little warning on the back of the CD: "Every sound on this album is deliberate and if you find that some parts of the album are strange, it isn't because the music in itself is strange, but because your conscious is ill-equipped to comprehend the sounds produced on this recording." Indeed, this is a very theatrical work, half movie horror soundtrack, half thrashy and evil black, but it's ALL genius. This, in my opinion is the best album in Sigh's career, and one of the best albums in Japan's history of metal. From dreary piano pieces, to epic orchestrations and even odd electronic fusion elements, what you've got here is a genre-busting piece of music. Whether you like keyboards in metal or not, you cannot deny Mirai's genius here. With such excellent layering and playing one might think that the man has more than 10 fingers. Of course, Shinichi's guitar work and Satoshi's drums are nothing to be reckoned with, though they're not doing anything really that extreme on this album. If you like things that go unabashedly outside the norm in metal, you will like this masterwork by Japan's Sigh.

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Amorphis - Black Winter Day (Doom/death 1995)

This is a video, not an album.
Enjoy.

Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness (Death 1989)

Morbid Angel - Altar's of Madness


I've never been much of a Morbid Angel fan. It's not because the music isn't good (as far as death metal goes, it's top class), and it's not because the band sucks (extremely talented people, even for extreme metallers), it lies in the sole fact that my personal whims, whatever they may be, never allowed me to fully grasp onto Morbid Angel's music and love it like it should be loved. When I rediscovered Altars of Madness a few days ago, that changed all that.
This record is explosive.A mix of thrash and screaming death metal makes this record one of the most brutal listens you can find. Blasphemous lyrics abound, both memorable and evil, ready to crush your soul and make you sing along with the chorus at the same time. One of the highlights of this album is the superb guitar and drum work by Pete Sandoval, Richard Brunelle and Trey Azazgoth; unfortunately, David Vincent's bass work is pretty low in the mix here, but his superb vocals are right on top.
All in all, this is a pretty great record, though it might take some time to grow on you. But if you're already into old school death or thrash, and want something brutal and vicious, this is the album for you.


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Sabbat - History of a Time To Come (Thrash 1988)

Sabbat - History of a Time To Come


I know that I already posted about a Sabbat album here once this week, but I figure I might as well do it again, and this time do the review, however short it is, myself. Sabbat's first album is much the same as their second album was, albeit a little bit more structured due to the fact that it's lyrics are not passed between different "characters" as done by Walkyier. The riffs are insane, and the time changes perfect, and the songs more apt to incite a headbang than most thrash albums. Granted, it doesn't pass Dreamweaver in epic bombastics, but this IS a Walkyier era Sabbat album, so you're going to be sure to get your listen's worth.

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Saint Vitus - Born Too Late (Doom 1987)

Saint Vitus - Born Too Late



Review from www.amazon.com

This album marks the transition between the Reagers era, and the Wino era, at vocals. Without question, the band was different with each--but great, and always still Vitus. This is probably the slowest, and most basic, of their material. Born too Late may be the truest doom of Vitus' era (except for their self-titled first album), which is saying a lot, since it's all unarguably "true." It pounds, it depresses, it bemoans, it laments. It seldom strays from simplicity musically, and yet, for all its simplicity, there is much going on. The wah-wah pedal and fuzzed (almost static-like)guitar bits really comes into their own here (a later Vitus trademark), creating an absrasive (as opposed to dreamy) pschedelic/noise influence. It's basic, primitive, but very memorable. Because of these aspcts, if one listens carefully, he or she can see the slightest of Hendrix influences here, even though overall, this is a poor man's Sabbath, hungover and slowed down.

Lyrically, this piece of art definitely epitomizes the feeling of the outcast, the forgotten, the sullen. Whereas a lot of metal lives off anger, this expresses enough indignation to offer signs of life, but teeters ever so close to the edge of total resignation. Every time I hear it, and then read these guys are from LA, I picture guys living in rat-infested apartments off skid row in the dingiest part of town, lost in the 70s, and finding just enough work to keep from going over the edge. This isn't exactly intended as a compliment, but it is to say, they are authentic, genuine, and they feel what they are singing about. If LA is the home of glam rock, these guys are anti-glam, and not self-consciously so; they simply ARE. They are average in talent, but excel at "creating a vibe"--and their sincerity resonates in every dragged out note, every moaned phrase. Simply put, Vitus is for the downtrodden, but not the weak.

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Razor - Shotgun Justice (1990 Thrash)

Razor - Shotgun Justice


Review from www.classicthrash.com


Razor's music took another step forward on this album that may well be one of the fastest and most intense thrash metal releases ever. These songs feel like abrupt sonic attacks at your face; the immense speed makes even simple riffs sound like small explosions in a row. I rarely pay any special attention to the rhythm section unless there's something wrong with it, but this album is an exception as the awesome drum work by Rob Mills essentially breathes new life to the music. In the vocal department there are considerable differences when compared to Razor's earlier works, as Bob Reid was introduced as the new singer here, but his rough voice fits the new songs just perfectly. The lyrics are now filled with even more extreme violence and pure hatred against society and cheaters in the music industry and personal life. Shotgun Justice is definitely not an easy album, far from it, but it is guaranteed to give you a total listening experience.

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Primordial - Storm Before Calm (2002 Celtic/Black)

Primordial - Storm Before Calm


Review from www.metal-observer.com

I am extremely shocked at the disappointing reviews that "Storm Before Calm" has received on this site, bearing in mind that I have heard this album be named the best of 2002 and I have read praising reviews in EVERY other 'zine I have come across that has reviewed this the fourth full length album by Ireland's very own masters of Pagan Metal PRIMORDIAL.

The only criticism I have noted in any other review is that this time around PRIMORDIAL have taken a more direct and aggressive approach which some feel has lost them a lot of the emotive qualities that they had in earlier releases (TMO Brother Thomas is in this group of people). To those people I feel I must point out that they have not lost emotion, rather they have gained even more but this time the emotion is more violently expressive and not as hidden and subtle. You just have to read the lyrics and the descriptions to believe that PRIMORDIAL mean business and are fully committed to everything they stand for and I can't help but be impressed how they, unlike many grandiose bands, manage to come across as true and powerful without becoming MANOWAR (synonym for "cheesy").

The guitar riffs blast away and are backed by an outstanding percussion performance which displays various different tricks and some nice Celtic tinged rhythms that stop this from becoming a boring blasting affair. The vocals as usual are impressive in their range and their mighty conviction as Nemtheanga ranges from a fantastic Black Metal shriek to nice passionate clean vocals and subtle whispers.

The variation in tracks here is also what is impressive as PRIMORDIAL have now chiselled themselves out their own little spot in a fading Black Metal genre. Other bands would be well advised to learn from PRIMORDIAL as to how to add more dimension to an album to make any message be it political, religious or simply mythological seem more lifelike, diverse and powerful. The first track "The Heretic Age" opens the album with an unexpected blast of music to catch you off guard. The band then progress to range from blistering Black Metal styled rhythms to Doomish sounding leads (very MY DYING BRIDE in their styling) to spoken work vocals in the final track layered over soft and subtle music.

What BATHORY invented in their Viking Metal epics influenced millions and doubtless PRIMORDIAL were one such band that have been effected by the historic patriotism of the Viking Metallers as they themselves now have adapted this and combined it with their own cultural and historical roots to create the most fantastic blend Pagan and Celtic Metal which expresses the ferocity of the ancient people and the beauty of the land perfectly.


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