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SYSTEM OF A DOWN
D.F. 7/10
THE SPOOK
T.A. 8/10
SOILWORK
T.A. 8,5/10 101 SOUTH
T.A. 8,5/10 K.P. 8/10
SILENT RAGE
T.A. 7,5/10 K.P. 7/10
SCAR CULTURE
T.A. 6/10
SUSPERIA
T.A. 6/10 K.P. 5/10 A.S. 4/10
STAR ONE
A.S. 7/10
SIRENIA
K.P. 8,5/10 |
SYMPHONY X
A.S. 9/10
SATYRICON
T.A. 7/10
SOULFLY
T.A. 7/10
STEVE SYLVESTER/DEATH SS
STEEL PROPHET
T.A. 7,5/10
SINERGY
A.S. 7,5/10 T.A. 8/10
STYGMA IV
K.P. 8,5/10
SILVER SERAPH
T.A. 7/10
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System Of A Down was really a surprise
to me due to their very promising second album, which was called "Toxicity". So I believe that all their fans were waiting for the band's
new work. And for sure that was something really hard for the band because the expectations of the fans after their previous album were actually very high! So to be honest the group seems to be in a song-writing frenzy...within a year,
SOAD managed to release a brand - new album. Generally their music is kind of different from all the other shit around and consequently their new work seems to appeal to quite a big number of us, but unavoidable it is for a band to make such an impression to the music world
(Toxicity) and escape without their latest work being compared to that. Again, they follow the same musical patterns that make them famous, and quite as it seems, they enjoy playing. Anyway, I don't think that that it will reach the sales of toxicity coz many people, including me have decided to follow the rhyme of the title...
The
Spook consists of six in fact perverted guys from Germany, who acclaim
that they play Graverock! I don't know what those guys have in mind
but I surely know that they rock very well. The music that they play
is rock (or dirty rock 'n' roll if you like it best) with some punk
and "sick-psycho" elements! I cannot describe better The
Spook's music cause the whole result is quite genuine, quite
"unknown" but truly good. Personally I enjoyed very much
listening to songs like "A Ghastly Romance", the slow-tempo
dramatic "Almost Alive", the "smart" "My
Beauty Died" and the up-tempo "Voodoo Mummy". The rest
of the songs are also fine. The whole album is so "strange"
and the atmosphere that the songs are creating is so "weird"
that you whether you're gonna love this album or you going to hate it.
So, if, in general, you like rock music and you don't have any taboos
in the kinds of music that you should listen to, then try out The
Spook. They play really well and they will make you day that's sure!
Also if you take a look at the improbable artwork of the album, you
will surely understand that those guys are not kidding! To cut it sort
in their own words: Graverobbing's not a crime!
Soilwork are considering by many
(including myself) as one of the
most promising bands in the metal scene nowadays. And do not forget the good words that the
"Metal God" Rob Halford has said for this band. Anyway, this is the new and the most
melodic, I must say, (till now!) work of the band. The mixture of
death/thrash metal with melodic, impressive choruses has the result to be born super songs like
"Mindfields", "The Flameout" (with the incredible melodic
refrain), "As We Speak", "The Bringer" and the unique
"Song Of The Damned". I think that the idea of using more clean vocals in this album and especially in the choruses is
great. The songs now are catchier and some of them may become hits among the metal
community. I can't see why that
fact must be not good for a band. For what reason bands with the capacities that Soilwork
have, must not use melodic and clean vocals? They deserve and they must be more known to an audience which will not consists from
death/thrash fans only. "Natural Born Chaos" is an excellent album from a great
band, which I believe that in the future, will release many incredible
albums. Trust Soilwork and "Natural Born Chaos" if you really like heavy melodic metal
music. One of the best choices for this year!
101 South is the side project of Roger Scoot Graig, who is the
Silent Rage's comeback was better than I was expecting!
The new album which has the fitting title "Still Alive" is really alive and kickin'! Silent Rage are finally back
after many years and they have wrote some remarkable songslike the homonymous "Still Alive", the powerful "Remember Me"
(which will remind you Billy Idol) and the excellent "Unchained", which was written by the legendary Dianne
Warren. Some songs of this album are really nostalgic and they might remind you the
good old bands like Kiss, Motley Crue and Poison. Also the cover of Alice Cooper's "Is it My Body" is truly cool. Maybe the mighty
grunge scene once stopped their way back in the 90's but now after all those years the band is back and the grunge genre
has disappeared! So, that thing shows that the band members actually love the music that they play! The people that liked Silent Rage and
they were disappointed from their long absence all those years,will like this comeback album! Personally I enjoyed "Still Alive"
very much.
Susperia is another one all-star metal band that's coming from the Norwegian metal elite. This is their second album ("Predominance" is the first album of the band and it was released last year) and the music style is a blend of death-thrash and black metal music with a dark mysterious atmosphere. Athera's vocals has been improved since the previous album of the band, and it's my opinion that in the future they should use more clean vocals than the brutal ones cause they're fitting better with the music. About the music part of the album now, you can find
good guitar themes here (both in the riffs and the lead parts), a very good rhythm section and a singer that his voice is full of passion and hate. So if you like the previous album of the band, this one will blow your head up! Songs such as "The Bounty Hunter", "The Bitter Man" and "Bleed Yourself",
present the music style that the band has. My objection is that I
noticed that some songs of the album are just riffs-cento of famous
metal bands. Susperia's "Vindication" is not one of the best
choices for someone who likes extreme metal music, but if you have the
chance just listen to them.
This is the new project of Arjen
Lucassen, known from his main project Ayreon. Ouf, "space metal"! As if we didn't have enough
"labels" for the
different genres of our music. To be honest though, the sound of the album
might be close to European power metal, but this "space" feeling is profound
here. The music that Star One play is quite near to Ayreon's one, so much
that I cannot understand why Lucassen had to release the album under a different
name. Anyway. For those who haven't heard Ayreon's works, I can
describe the sound as power metal, based on keyboards, with choirs and loads
of space elements (imagine the way Hawkwind structured their songs). For
once more Arjen has beside him many popular artists of the metal scene. The
result? Very good for once more. To be honest Lucassen's projects are a kind
of guaranty of high quality - lyrical and imposing. The limited edition of
the album includes a second CD (40 minutes running time) with various
"surprises" for the fans. So, space metal, and be ready to get lost in a
whole different solar system of electricity and traveling through time (listen for example to the amazing
"The Eye of Ra" and you will be transcendent). However I have an
objection, which to be honest applies to
most of Lucassen's projects that I've heard so far (I might be wrong but
this is what I get from his music): the songs and the total time of the album are really
long, so that it becomes boring. I can hardly finish
listening to a song ...not to mention the whole album at once. But I am telling
you, this is my impression and it might be wrong. Those who like
Arjen's works will definitely like this album. Those who don't know him...give him a
try.
Sirenia's debut is a
fact. "At Sixes And Sevens" is an album that
the fans of Tristania but more the goth-metal fans will surely love. It's true that there were many who where disappointed by Morten
Veland's farewell and I was one of them. Those same fans can rejoice now his return in the new scheme of
Sirenia, as his long-awaited comeback is a reality!! Sirenia presents an excellent album that will please even the most
discerning fan. I heard the album many times and I would describe it as a dark album with strong
melodies, and melancholic atmosphere, but at the same time, as an album with many catchy parts tied with
glorious death elements. Surprisely I noticed that even of the fact that Sirenia's music is full of melodic parts and
emotions, there also some tracks with more aggressive parts. Pay some attention to tracks
like "In A Manica", "A Shadow Of Your Own Self" and to the marvelous
ballad "In Sumerian Haze". Telling about that ballad....and as is to be
expected, At Sixes and Sevens, also presents
heavenly female vocal lines that are all blended together into a special
and indescribable sound. In addition the production is also very good, and helps the music
much, and also helps in the creation of
the specific atmosphere of the album. There's no doubt that the band is doing a great job and that the Gothic metal scene rebounds
the glory that is fair to have!!
Sixth studio effort for the American power-progsters. I've been following the band since its third album, the monumental "Divine Wings of Tragedy", and although every release was in high standards, I never thought that it would surpass the aforementioned album. Luckily I was wrong! Their new release is an astonishing, complete masterpiece of pure prog-power metal! The band stepping with one foot on the US power stage and with the other one on US prog genre has evolved its own music style, characterised by sharp, penetrating riffing, melodic keyboards and a rhythm section solid as reinforced concrete! In "The Odyssey" this style is even more evolved and the band shows all its qualities. Furious prog metal anthems, with definite structure, which allow even the most unexperienced listener to follow their ideas. Stormy parts are mixed with lyrical, melodic ones creating an enchanting whole. The highlight is of course the last song "The Odyssey" with its 24 minutes of duration, where the band gives lessons how this music should be played. Fans of the group must already have this album...as for the others do your selves a favor and go listen to it.
Satyricon are back with a new album that is called 'Volcano" So as
you have already guessed they still play black metal music without the
flutes and in general their atmospheric elements that they use to have
in their first releases. The music style of their new album as I told is
very close to the Norwegian black metal scene with the known Satyricon
elements. I strongly believe that the black metal fans and also the fans
of Satyricon will like very much "Volcano" and songs like the
strange "Angstridden" that has some paranoid female vocals in
the middle of the song, and the "sick" atmospheric "Black
Lava" which is enriched with female vocals too and that lasts 14:30
minutes! Satyricon is one of the best bands in black metal music
nowadays and that's is a fact. Well, I don't think that with
"Volcano" they are going to gain more fans but their fan base
will continue to respect them. Satyricon is a band that releases very
good albums and believe this ain't gonna change with their new album.
Those who know them very well will for sure trust them again and again
and again. Black metal all the way!!!
Max Cavalera's Soulfly have released their new
album, which is called "III". So to have a very strong result, they hired the veteran producer Terry Date
(i.e. Pantera, Deftones) to remix the new album. And I must say that the result is finally very good. The
album, although that is in the same style with the previous Soulfly's
works, is very powerful, aggressive and Max sings like he is really pissed
off! The album opens with a very dynamic song "Downstroy" and for sure you will like it very
much. Another good songs from "III" are, "Enterfaith",
"Call To Arms" where it will bring on your mind the good last works of his previous band Sepultura
(I mean "Chaos A.D." and "Roots"), and of course the instrumental and really relaxing
"Soulfly III" (the folk song of the album that is full of
cymbals). In the album also are including two covers, one from Sacred Reich
"One Nation", and one from Chico Science "Sangue De
Bairro". One thing is for sure, that I enjoyed those two covers. Well the fans of the band will buy and they will like very much the new Soulfly
album. "III" is a very good and aggressive album, which approves that Max hasn't stopped making good
music. 
Steve
used to be the vocalist of the Italian cult legend DeathSS. Now he
returns with this album in order to resurrect their spirit (following
the album "Panic"). He is supposed to play this mixture of
horror, electronic, industrial rock, nu-metal or whatever it might be
called (sounds like Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Glenn Danzig but it
is much worse). The things is that if this CD is just a joke, then ok
(although I don't see why one should spend 18 Euros on a joke and not
buy a really good album), but if this isn't a joke then things are
serious. I didn't manage to listen to this more than once and I really
believe that this is no music rather some annoying sounds without any
trace of harmony, someone who growls all the time, a guitar screeches
etc. In fact what I can call this, is maltreatment of music! The only
interesting song I've heard is "Circus of Death". I seriously
believe that CDs like this give a bad name to our music. I know I might
insult some people and be unpleasant but this is my opinion. Plus I
don't see why we should listen to the masturbational tendencies of
someone and yet perceive it as art. Anyway. If you like this kind of
industrial, weird nu-metal, and I don't know how else to call it, sound
(I don't use the word music), then go ahead. Someone wrote in a magazine
that this is a modern version of Alice Cooper. GOD HELPS the one who
wrote this and save him from his sin!!! Setting aside that it doesn't
resemble an inch to Alice's music; this thing is hardly a hair from
Alice's balls!! The mark is symbolic...
I was really surprised with the previous release of the band. So I was looking forward to listen to their new
work. Well, now that I have listened to the album many times I can tell a couple of things
about it. I don't know (or it is difficult to say so) if this album is better than the
"Book Of The Dead". But one thing is
for sure: "Unseen" is a great album which has a few remarkable songs
like, "Truth" "Rain Walker" and One Way Out" (which is simply the best song
of the album). I know that Steel Prophet with every new album they
release, they are becoming better and they are ready to be one of the
"hot" names in the heavy/power genre. I'm sure that the fans of the band will love
"Unseen" and they gonna buy this album. The most
important thing for us is to see who will be the new singer of the band and which will be the musical way that they will choose in the
future.
Sinergy's third album is a hymn to heavy metal
music. Straight, pure heavy metal with heavy guitars, following Judas Priest's and Iron Maiden's
lessons. However they are far from being just cheap immitators, as they embelish their music with a variety of
sounds, power metal bridges, multiple voices etc. The production is crystal clear and close to the modern heavy metal
sound. To be honest I didn't expect to listen to something that good. The advantage of the
album, in comparison to other reckordings of the same genre, is that you don't have to listen to the first song and be sure that you have heard the whole
album. On the contrary the songs vary to each other as you can hear straight fast songs like Spit on your
Grave, songs with refrains directed to excite the crowd in the gigs like
Violate, and rythmic songs like Suicide by my side. My only unpleasant observation goes to
Kimberly, as she doesn't have to try and sound that bad, in order to convince us about her being a good metal
vocalist.
"In The Human Twilight zone" is the new album of Stygma IV.
There's no doubt that the band has just released a real strong and powerful album and get superb reactions for all over the world.
The band finally managed to stabilize and secure it's name as STYGMA
IV Although the name's problem, Stygma IV, are still the same four musicians,
that means Herb, Alex and Gonter who are play together for 12 years and of course
Ritchie the singer who is in the band for 7 years Stygma IV seem to be very proud of this!!!!
The dynamic vocals of Ritchie Krenmaier, the heavy guitars riffs of Maier but also the bass "dressing" of Hilzensauer are composing
the very special sound of Stygma IV. In The Human Twilight Zone…Songs
like "Stygmatized", "Omega", or "Void" has…"stygmatized" the sound of
the band...but what can I say for a song like "Sleep"??? This song is
unique in all the ways!!! Take a look and check the Interview's Link on
this web-zine and read the interview with Stygma IV…in there, Günter Maier, -the guitarist of the band- was asked about "Sleep" and told us "There are many parts to discover in this song…" Something else that I liked very much in this album is that this time (contrary to the previous album "Phobia") the lyrics are not talking about fears in human life but they are about the very bad things which happen daily on our planet, about abysses in human life, war and the loss of the ability to love….."In the Human Twilight Zone" is definitely a great album..don't miss it!
Silver Seraph is a band from
Sweden and as I have guess that this is their first homonymous album. Well the members of the band, as anyone can see, love bands like Rainbow, and Malmsteen. The music that they play is symphonic hard rock with many neoclassical metal elements. The whole thing might seem a bit confusing, but the things are so simple. Just listen to songs like "7th Day Of Babylon", "Desperate Heart" (with the sweet melodic chorus), "Black Rain" and the incredible mid-ballad "Loving You". The members of the band seem to like best the 80's metal scene when the specific genre was actually popular. In fact this is not a bad thing, cause it proves that the band is playing the music that they truly be keen on and admire. As a matter of fact, the band's playing pretty good and naturally this album will be appreciated, from the fans of Malmsteen and Rainbow and generally the fans of symphonic hard rock/metal music, a lot. If you consider yourself as a fan of this genre just try in some way, to listen to Silver Seraph. Perhaps this album isn't the best of the year, but the guys here have made a beyond doubt nice work that's full of passion and honesty! Personally I'll wait for the next effort of the band to see if they will have a progress as a band and as musicians. Before I finish, this review I'll suggest you to listen to "Silver Seraph" and decide for yourselves.