Belphegor - Pestapokalypse VI
For the first time ever, I actually had high hopes for a Belphegor release, with Goatreich - Fleshcult being the first of their albums to ever really kick my ass. While I’m not completely disappointed, it is a slight step backwards. Not in terms of productions or playing, as it sounds terrific and it’s brutal as fuck, but rather the overall quality of being memorable. I’m glad they decided to keep a few tracks Doomy, as these are probably the best standout cuts on the album. The remainder is, for the most part, highly refined speed that fails to stick.
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Bal-Sagoth - The Chthonic Chronicles
This band just won’t go away. I’ve never liked them, probably never will, but I can say this is the best output I’ve ever heard from them. What kills it is the narrative voice that stains virtually every crevice of the album, telling whatever stupid concept/story they cooked up. We all know a band with a name this gay can’t just write a Black Metal record. Musically it’s a step in the right direction, as the band come off here as second rate Cradle of Filth meets tenth rate Emperor. Again, leagues better than past efforts. They could probably stand to lay off the synths a little. This material is symphonic to the point of saturation. Nothing worth your time here. Good only by contrast to the total dogshit they’ve put out in the past.
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Bestial Mockery - Gospel of the Insane
I don’t see what the big deal is here. Second rate Destroyer 666 and Bestial Warlust. Certainly not bad, but not the masterpiece some mag writers are making it out to be. Nothing I haven’t heard done better in the past.
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Arsenic - Seeds of Darkness
What the fuck is this nonsense? The first eight cuts sound like a live gig that was bootlegged from a bathroom stall. The remaining six tracks appear to be studio-recorded, but don’t sound a hell of a lot better. This band sucks incredibly bad. Very little musical talent and absolutely none vocally. Pure shit. A lot like Necrophagia.
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Amorphis - Eclipse
So this is it? This is Amorphis’ widely heralded “return to form?” Under a minute’s worth of Death growls and a few note-for-note rip-offs from Tales from the Thousand Lakes? This is worse than their ’70s Rock jack-off era. Their new singer sucks. He sounds like Michael Bolton crossed with the Jesus-fucker from Creed. I guess when I’d heard these once great Finns were rekindling the flames of their old style, I just assumed they meant more than the moog. This is total melodramatic garbage. Sure, it’s much heavier than the Amorphis of recent past, but then again so is Weezer. Circa ‘91-‘94 it ain’t, and another tough lesson learned about getting your hopes up. Rating upped a tad for at least knowing which of their old albums to steal from (and for inadvertently acknowledging the fact they’ve been putting out complete shit for the last twelve years).
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Amoebic Dysentery - Hospice Orgy
Let’s see, 29 tracks in 29 minutes, Mike Diana-style artwork, samples up the ass, song titles like “Goddamn I Gotta Piss Worse Than a Baby Needs a Casket,” “Oops I Forgot My Semen,” and “Kidshitter Shotgun Blast,” pitch-shifted vocals, drum machine, and Repulsion cover. Guess what style of music this is. Good for a laugh on those hellraising late nights, but tough to take seriously. It is what it is and at least it’s fun. Best song/song title: “You Can Stab Him in the Head, Just Don’t Forget Your Money.”
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All Shall Perish - The Price of Existence
The highly anticipated follow up to the devastating Hate Malice Revenge does not disappoint. The ferocity of Death Metal entwined with Hardcore fury accompanied by beatdowns and pure lyrical negativity galore. The frequent use of sub-atomic bass explosions a la Devourment and Cephalic Carnage are enough to make you lose bowel control and/or command of the steering wheel. Two full length albums into their promising career, and this young powerhouse of a band have yet to do anything wrong in my eyes. This is simply Deathcore mastered, perfected and personified.
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Abominant - Triumph of the Kill
What the fuck happened to this band? They used to be so good. Can this be the same band that recorded The Way After and Ungodly albums? How could they scrap some of the most promising melodic Black/Death to come from the States, to play this muddy, forgettable Death/Thrash? Emotional, darkened lyrics traded in for typical death and destruction bullshit and the perfect balance of Death and Black, vocally, swapped for Barney Greenway’s retarded cousin. It’s okay if you wake up one day and want to be a half-ass version of Usurper, but at least change the fucking name.
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L.I.E. - Die Trying
G.A.Y.
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