Gang Green - Older…Budweiser
Another classic from the Hardcore legends Gang Green, this time from 1989. “There’s no Bible, and brews are god.” No wonder Impaled Nazarene covered one of their songs (“Alcohol,” from the Another Wasted Night album). With each release this band injected a little more (Thrash) Metal into its sound, which I liked at the time and like just as much now. I’ve listened to Older… 666 times over the years, and its one of my all-time favorites. And 1988’s entire I81B4U EP is included as bonus tracks on this 2007 reissue, which is the first time those song have ever been available on CD as far as I know. I didn’t think that this album could possibly be any better, but that did it.
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Gang Green - You Got It
This is what Hardcore sounded like 20 years ago (1987). Yes, I’m ancient. I don’t know how long this album has been out of print, but I’d like to thank Metal Mind for correcting that problem with this limited edition (of 2000 - on gold discs!) reissue. I’ve been a Gang Green fan for about a million years, and listening to this really takes me back. I’d be lying if I said that every single song on here made me want to jump around and break stuff, but most of them do, even now. Fans of old-school Hardcore, beer, and Satan should check out this legendary band and album. Oddly, there is no extra stuff on this reissue, but don’t let that stop you.
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G.O.R.E. - Never Sober Level
The Khaarnus layouts for their releases are so awkwardly confusing, I’m only going on a good guess which is band name and which is album title. What I am sure of, whatever the band’s name is, is that they’re seriously fucked up and enjoying every minute of it. Proof that comedy can coexist with Extreme Metal without destroying it, these Polish freaks epitomize what it means to entertain. For the most part, they are a Grind band and a seriously fucking heavy one at that, but they will throw an occasional curveball. Their song titles are paragraphs that brutalize the English language much like their riffs do your eardrums, but we’ll just say that the lounge music featured on “the first song,” and the tongue-in-cheek Techno cover that is “the last song” are two examples of how this album can simultaneously make you want to kill, and piss your pants laughing. A rarely successful feat.
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Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup
Trite “Folk” elements detract from what would have otherwise been a solid symphonic Black Metal record. The Metal equivalent to Dropkick Murphy’s, Flogging Molly, and other like-minded one trick ponies.
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Fifty Caliber Kiss - Armor Class Invincible
Described on the press release as “Iron Maiden meets Pantera,” I was already offended and disgusted before I even put this disc in the player. After listening to it, I was relieved to discover that the press release was simply wrong (as they often are), and horrible though this is, there is zero trace of Iron Maiden influence. I don’t even think this band has two guitarists (no lineup info is available anywhere, including the band’s stupidly bare-bones website), nor is the bassist even noticeable, and the vocals are the lamest Emo/Metalcore combination I’ve ever heard. And as gay as Pantera is/was, this is often musically far gayer. I absolutely knew that this would suck, but I was honestly surprised by exactly how it sucks. It’s not the first time that a press release has lied. To be completely honest, if the band burnt their “Emo” singer at the stake as a sacrifice to Satan, and demanded that the screamer (assuming that they’re different people) “nut up or shut up,” as Hardcore Bob Holly would say, this Mallcore excrement might evolve into something barely tolerable. Maybe. Probably not. But, as is? Weakness enshrined.
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Fear My Thoughts - Vulcanus
I’m not sure why the press release calls this “melodic Thrash.” I guess that it’s so necessary to label things that even an inaccurate label is better than none at all. What we really have from this German band is a weird mix of styles that does incorporate a dash of Thrash (think Kreator or Destruction), but concentrates on newer ideas such as Mallcore-style “clean” vocals on the choruses, staccato riffing, goofy keyboards and synth f/x, and pretty much anything else you might think of. When not being weird for its own sake, these guys can manage some cool moments. But they never last, and that just makes it all the more frustrating to sit though the duration of this album. Every time I started to really enjoy what was going on, something popped up to ruin it. A more focused approach seems like the way to go to me. However, I’d bet that FMT does the exact opposite, and subsequent releases only get more and more strange and disjointed. They’ll consider that to be “growth,” I’m sure.
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Eyes of Eden - Faith
It’s 2008… and Debbie Gibson Metal… it still lives…
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Estuary - The Craft of Contradiction
Sincere, well-played, technical Death/Thrash with exceptionally brutal female vocals and a few traditional Heavy Metal elements. Not very memorable, though. Beyond the skill and Zdenka Prado’s patented guttural bark, there isn’t much to be remembered at all. “100% no bullshit,” the group proclaims of its second album. I hate to say it, but maybe a little bullshit here and there wouldn’t hurt.
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Envenom Ascension - Murkland
Basic, average, demo-level Black Metal from Iowa. Nothing terrible, nothing outstanding. Fast and melodic, with unpatterned, traditional Blackened screeching and sub par production. The overall vibe reminds me of old Abigor, just not as good. Every song is essentially the same. To quote Throwdown, “…I’ve heard it before and I’ve had enough.”
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