FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Allying throbbing, sub-zero sludge/doom riffs with poignant post-metal passages, beared up with throatgurge-ing vocals whose epic lyrics illustrate frozen paths of Nordic glory, For Winter Fire is a sprawling work, demanding the listener’s respect. Listening to this epic bit of Viking doooom is hardly a light undertaking, either – the majority of the songs push past the nine-minute mark.
Morbid Blood, as unrepentantly familiar as it sounds, is regardless a formidable slab of raging blackened thrash that makes up for its obvious deficit in originality with a vehement overkill-passion that is undeniable.
“Opening with the mighty ‘All Or Nothing’, Cauldron were in fine form as expected, their brand of Banzai-worshipping eighties metal as good live as on tape. Say all you want about Canada and power trios, but damn, Cauldron have it down pat, the three of them playing off each other like old pros, Decay and Chains even getting into vaguely-choreographed guitar mimics at one point.”
Kyle Harcott reviews the April 19th Vancouver performance by CAULDRON, HOLY GRAIL, ENTROPIA & BLACK WIZARD at the Media Club. Concert photography by Ted Reckoning
Song after maleficent song, Hisingen Blues is an infectious monster of retro-styled, devil-take-my-soul blues fury that has left me wondering why I never sought these guys out before, and wondering how long before everyone else finally picks up on them. If they were obscure before, they’re not going to be much longer.
If you’re familiar with Buzzov*en, you pretty much know what to expect here, and you’re going to love tracks like “Never Again”, “Symptom”, and “Junkie” . If you’re not familiar with the band, Revelation: Sick Again is as good a place to start as any of their other albums. Mean-spirited, drug-and-booze-fueled Southern hatesludge that blazed the trail first. Rock solid.
If you, like me, have spent time in the gloom cocoon of misery and even momentarily liked it there (for a little while, anyway), The Inside Room is both your ticket into and out of the darkness.
By all means, Magister Mundi Xum is hit-and-miss – when it does hit, it’s pretty damn fun. Look past the recording quality, the at-times downright-goofy lyrics, and you might dig this as much as I did. Will be interesting to see what they come up with on their upcoming full-length.
Back by popular demand, here are the Staff Playlists for March 2011!
Hatred for Mankind is a special flavor of ugly, reveling in nightmares and revealing in its horror. Predatory and visceral, Hatred for Mankind is a knife-in-the-gut of an album, one that begs to be listened to in its entirety – if only to see what’s around the next corner.
“There’s nothing like the rush of adrenaline at a Motörhead show, and from my vantage point at the back of the room, watching the packed floor go off was half the fun. As soon as the song finishes, there’s barely a second’s respite, then Mikkey Dee’s giant fill tears open “Stay Clean” and the entire theater roars for the perennial classic. Thirty-two years on and the song still packs a punch. Motörhead Forever.”
Kyle Harcott reviews the February 7th show by Motörhead and Clutch at the Vogue Theater in Vancouver, BC.