Snail – Blood
Snail isn’t your typical tune-in-and-drop-out stoner band. There’s something more interesting in this collection of tunes, something in that juxtaposition of the sweet vocals and heavy riffs that has my head nodding in approval.
Reviews – Audio
Motörhead – Kiss of Death
In all it is somewhat workman-like in approach, but thanks to solid songwriting and another airtight performance by the veteran trio, Kiss of Death keeps the Motörhead legacy alive.
Demontage – The Principal Extinction
I gotta say, the first black metal album I ever bought was Venom’s Black Metal, and I haven’t purchased many others since. Alas, to call Toronto trio Demontage a black metal band would be applying the word in its traditional sense, the way it was once used to describe Venom and Mercyful Fate.
CloverSeeds—The Opening
CloverSeeds have an accessible modern prog sound that plucks bits from the accepted gallery of influences: Tool, Radiohead, Porcupine Tree, Anathema… It’s big and blustery, with taut riffing and grand, sweeping gestures in any number of time signatures, all presented with clean, powerful production.
Redeemer – Global Exorcism
It seems that Redeemer have found a solid line up and have put together some stunning, memorable songs. It may have been a long time coming but this is one hell of an impressive debut album.
October Falls – A Collapse of Faith
October Falls don’t try too hard to accomplish a gloomy sound that has become cliché amongst many bands, where intention for ambience results in absent of passion that’s straight from the guttural. Instead, they have chosen their elements carefully, organizing their music in an unimpeded manner like a leaf falling to the ground.
Motörhead – No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith
Far superior to any “greatest hits” collection of studio cuts, No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith is one of the best ways for the curious metal fan to re-experience, or experience for the first time, the band in their element.
Birth A.D. – Stillbirth Of A Nation
Essentially, Stillbirth Of A Nation is everything current acts such as Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust and other thrash-aping act wish they could be without so much as ruffling their denim-covered leather.
Destruction – Day of Reckoning
Like the change of seasons you can always count on a good old Destruction record to come out every few years or so and Day of Reckoning could be their best album since The Antichrist.
Postcards from Natalie Zed: Set #11
Our gal Natalie Zed is back with the eleventh installment of her Postcard review column. Please find enclosed reviews of DEICIDE, ROTTEN SOUND, CAULDRON and more…