I’ve been a Danzig fan since the days of the original Misfits, so I was very happy to discover that someone was finally smart enough to release these video clips on DVD. Of course I have the old VHS tapes with some of the early videos, but I think that I can speak for all fans of the band when I say that we want all the videos on DVD. And that’s really the only flaw with this disc: it’s missing some key videos! Okay, there are three versions of “Dirty Black Summer,” two of “How the Gods Kill,” only one for “Sistinas,” but right back to multiple versions for “Bodies” (two), and “It’s Coming Down” (three), plus a live version (from 1993) of “Mother.” But where the hell are such classics as “She Rides,” “Killer Wolf,” “Cantspeak,” “Her Black Wings” and so on?!? Perhaps it was not possible to get the rights to some of these from the band’s former label, American Recordings, but if so then American should get off its ass and re-release those old tapes on DVD! As far as this DVD is concerned, I don’t know that I needed the extra versions of some of the videos, since they primarily consist of unused footage of the band playing, but it’s truly great to at least have some Danzig videos on a more permanent format than tape. If only it had all the band’s vids this would have been an easy ten.

This, the band’s fourth CD release and companion piece to the We May be Through With the Past… CD (on Status records), is amazingly diverse and yet still seems coherent. The band jumps from fast, intense Hardcore to laid-back mellowness in such a natural way that John Zorn probably beats off listening to this disc. If you can displace that disturbing visual for a moment, please take my advice and track down a copy of this CD. Existing fans will surly worship this, as it is probably the band’s best work, and there’s something wrong with anyone who wouldn’t be converted after a listen or two.

Cryptopsy are so fucking awesome live, it doesn’t really matter who’s singing. As long as Flo’s on, you know you’re going to have a good time. Sadly though, the actual experience of seeing the group live has pretty much crippled any live album’s attempt to contain it. The sound is very good and the guys nail each song perfectly, but it’s no substitute for the real thing. I guess if you wanted to pay full LP price for a drum solo this is one case I couldn’t really argue with you.

When you name your band after the patron deity of everybody’s favorite barbarian (Conan, for those who are spending their years in a coffin), you can either be an epic Viking-esque Metal band or a complete guitar-wanker band. Crom has wisely chosen to emulate the father of Viking Metal, Bathory - though there are some “guitar hero” antics (listen to those guitar solos!) as well. The Fallen Beauty ends up sounding like the bastard offspring of the atmosphere of Blood on Ice and epic Power Metal with the concentration on the Blood on Ice elements. To cement things firmly in that Blood on Ice vein, **Crom has also included a cover of “Man of Iron” that is at least as good as the original. The clean vocals are done well and the playing on this EP is really solid. I honestly wish more bands would put this much effort and time into their albums because it shows. This will probably appeal to fans of Viking era Bathory, Falkenbach or Power Metal bands in the vein of Lord Weird Slough Feg / Hammers of Misfortune.

So what exactly is West Virginian Guerilla Grown Mountain Metal? It’s Old School Thrash with injections of nauseatingly commercial groove. The riffs that are not intended for aerobics are undeniably played well, and the vocals actually remind me of old Sadus, which is damn refreshing. But every time I begin to feel this, along comes a Pantera moment to destroy the musical landscape like a US bomber invading some sovereign nation. Sorry, I’m not a redneck. (P.S. Dimebag got what he deserved!)

C187 is far and away the cream of the “New Thrash” crop. Just as advertised, these guys are way better than The Daunted, Dorkane, or Poo-Scented. Much like a mix of Dimension Zero and Ebony Tears, the riffs are sharp, the tempo is quick, the production is of the highest Abyss quality, and the vocals/lyrics can only be described by the album’s apt title. If you even moderately liked Subliminal Fear, this is a no-brainer purchase, as this is easily the band’s best work yet, and the first great record out of Sweden for 2003.

This might be the best album Cold Meat has ever released. This album has put my caffeine-addicted ass to sleep every night I’ve had it, and in record time. Not because it is boring, but because it is so relaxing and soothing. Dark, minimalistic, ambient soundscapes provide a surreal feeling of calm horror and gentle oppression. The foundation of the compositions is an atmosphere of the world around you slowly caving in. What separates Coph Nia is the addition of vocals in a truly unique way. Either a tranquil spoken word or a softly, eloquently sung voice that almost seems disembodied from the surrounding darkness. There is occasionally a choir arrangement that will actually heighten tension and add an epic sensibility. The instrumentation is sparse, a touch of piano here and there and some scattered drums is about it. I usually don’t go for such unconventional methods of songwriting, but this is just done so well. One of the darkest pieces of music ever composed, and it will be a long time before I listen to anything else at bedtime. Features a cover of “Stigmata Martyr” that Bauhaus fans will have to hear to believe.

Oh man, I think that’s a flute I hear… Perhaps it’s a keyboard that simply sounds flute-like. I have no real frame of reference to describe this, but I’ll try anyway. I guess that I’ll say it’s Folk/Prog/Art Rock with somewhat more of an emphasis on percussion (at times, anyway) than I would have guessed any such band possessed. It’s very well done, I think, but honestly not the kind of thing that I’m inclined to like. That said, one of the bonus video tracks is a somewhat impressive live cover of John Lennon’s “God” (“god is a concept by which we measure our pain / I don’t believe in Jesus”). According to the press release, everything here is rare and/or previously unreleased, including two videos.

This band’s only virtue is the ability to deliver crushing breakdowns. Everything else is a mess. “Truth” is clusterfuck Noisecore nonsense to appease the Tech Metal geeks, while “El Camaron” has a sickening, groove-laden Nu-Metal ballad feel, but admittedly, the clean vocals aren’t bad. The third track is intermission filler, and “Draw [a] Robot” is a closing amalgam of all their schizophrenic parts. As I said, the one thing that keeps me listening is the breakdowns. They are fucking monsters in league with Throwdown or On Broken Wings. The vocals are solid throughout, as well, I should mention. Once they shed their incessant need to fuck around, they’ll really be dealing.