Atrox - Atrox
This EP offers a taste of this band’s excellent dark Doom. The production is great (at least on my promo tape), as is the writing and playing.
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Art of Fear - Art of Fear
Formerly known as Psycho Holiday, Art of Fear have a knack for “start-stop” style music. Their sound has changed very little from their last demo, In Your Mind. The production is very clear and well done. The vocalist has a wimpier Chuck Billy (Testament) sound, but it’s not bad. I just think that the clunky riffs are too trendy for these guys. They seem to have more potential than what’s on this disc.
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Evil Incarnate - Evil Incarnate
The band formerly known as Apollyn [see their demo review] hasn’t really changed their style along with their name, but simply refined it. I was already impressed with their catchy (often sounding like early Unleashed) Satanic Death Metal, and this is somehow an improvement.
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Demolish - Reinforcement Laments From the Lamb
If not for the bursts of speed, I’d say that this keyboard-laden Death Metal, was actually Doom, but Demolish generally keep things moving too fast for that. It’s an interesting listening experience.
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Crushed - Crushed
Pretty lame Alternative “Metal,” but at least they don’t sound like Korn, so there’s still hope that they might eventually get a singer with at least one partially functional ball.
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Children of Bodom - Something Wild
Symphonic and energetic Black Metal.
[Metal Curse #11 had an additional loose page (“Last Second Additions”) inserted into the centerfold of the zine, featuring a bunch of even-shorter-than-usual “bonus” reviews of stuff that arrived after the deadline for that issue. This is one of those “Last Second Additions” reviews.]
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Black - Black
Distorted vox, tough-guy “Hardcore.” Honestly there are a few good bits (they’re good musicians, for example), but not enough to really save this form the horrible vocals and the occasional bad riffs.
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Avernus - ...of the Fallen
Sometime after recording their flawless Sadness demo, Avernus decided to remove all traces of Death Metal from their Doom, replacing it with what they hoped would be Gothic atmosphere. Sometimes it works, as in the opener, “Blood Gathers Frost,” and sometimes (in the very next track) it seems as if they needed to work things out a little more before recording. I think the real problem here is that they’re so used to being a Metal band, that they really are not certain how to proceed down any other path, and so have not fully embraced Goth, which seems to be what they’d like to do. At least they didn’t try their hand at Groove Rock, like some other former Doom bands. I don’t want to imply that this is not atmospheric, or in some ways Doomy - it is. But with a thicker guitar sound it could have been much heavier. The band’s vocalist, Rick, might try to tell you that I don’t like his “clean” vocals, and while it is true that I miss his monstrous roar, I think this new vocal approach is effective for this style of music. I just wonder where the band will go from here.
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Autumn Leaves - Embraced by the Absolute
Amazingly well played and recorded Death Metal. Very memorable riffs and interesting guitar solos. Even the vocals are good. Although I cannot find any real faults with this, something keeps it from perfection.
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