Agarthi - At the Burning Horizon
Arriving barely in time to make it in this issue, I was not able to devote as much time as usual to listening to his CD before passing judgment, so I think that there are hidden depths still to be known. But after only a few listens, this is obviously an impressive piece of work. The band combines a little Black Metal, some evil Thrash, like early Destruction, and keyboards to create a unique sound. The clear production helps their regal songwriting stand out. I hope a full-length is soon to follow.
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Adnauseam (Colorado - USA) - Desire, Aspire, Inspire, Expire
Very brutal and fast Death Metal. Sick and heavy (not the sickest and heaviest, though), but not the most memorable thing on earth. Competent, but not exactly inspirational.
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Mumia Abu-Jamal / Man Is the Bastard - split
Mumia’s part consists of his spoken word addresses from prison (where he awaits a death penalty for supposedly killing a cop), along with soundbites from Assata Shakur, Bob Dole, Allen Ginsburg, and Jello Biafra. Mumia’s speeches are interesting and thought provoking, and his voice is very soothing. This is starkly contrasted by the raw harshness (Grind maybe) of Man Is the Bastard. But did Mumia kill that cop, or is it all a set up? There is plenty of evidence in the CD booklet that would indicate a frame, and that seems very likely. And the cop was beating the shit out of Mumia’s brother, so if he did kill him - good. He had it coming. Anyway, this is a very interesting and informative CD that you really ought to hear.
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Abominant - In Darkness Embrace
An improved production has helped this band quite a bit, allowing their brutality to become more focused. But it’s also clear that they have made every effort to remove any weaknesses, and what we are left with is an impressive disc of Death Metal. Their refining of their sound and increasing technical ability (not to mention ability to write catchy riffs) has more than earned my respect.
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Abhorrence - Ascension
I believe that this is the band’s demo, licensed for release on CD by Wild Rags. Not that you’d know it was a demo recording, though, since it sounds great. Abhorrence only have three tracks to show off their skill at creating brutal Death on this disc, so I hope they release a full-length soon.
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Abazagorath - Tenebrarum Cadent Exsurgemus
Epic Black Metal from the frozen wastelands of New Jersey!?! It’s sort of a strange thought, but these blasphemers do an amazing job. At times fast & furious, but also slow and ominous when necessary. This isn’t refined to the point of perfection quite yet, but Abazagorath could very likely manage it.
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Unleashed - Eastern Blood - Hail to Poland
Two live shows crammed on to one nearly 80-minute disc. The first set of songs, from a 1995 gig, really captures their live sound, which is a bit heavier than they have been in the studio recently. They open with “Execute Them All” and end with “Into Glory Ride.” These 11 tracks alone would easily be worth the money. But you get ten more from a ‘92 show. This older gig is possibly the better of the two, but maybe that’s just because during the song “Unleashed” Johnny yells “Come on show me the sign of fuckin’ evil!” and “Jesus Christ suck my dick!” Let this be a clue to all bands wanting to get a perfect rating in the unhallowed pages of Metal Curse. The sound, songs, lyrics, and extreme coolness of Unleashed - all this adds up to a flawless live album.
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Hecate Enthroned - Upon Promeathean Shores (Unscriptured Waters)
These blasphemers vary their Black Metal attack from Grind to Atmosphere, with vocals matching from tortured screams to tormented whispers. It’s well written, played, and recorded - I can even hear the bass if I really listen. Metal Blade seems to be getting smarter.
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Heavenshore - Between Human and Divine
It’s not often that I hear a Doom band with such a trebly, Black Metal style, guitar sound. The vocals are in the unholy screechy manner, too, so I guess this is then described as Black Doom. However it might be categorized, this is inspirational stuff. The songs are all well written, played, and very layered with different elements, including acoustic guitar and keyboard. Yet they lose no intensity to the experimentation or to the (well programmed) drum machine. I’m anxiously awaiting more material from this talented band.
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