ADDER - Let it Rip
http://www.myspace.com/addermusic
These guys are right around the corner from me, kind of. They are coming from New Jersey and they are played a lot on the Loud and Local radio show coming from Philly on WYSP. They haven't been around too long, only since 2004, but they have been getting their ass out there playing. I dig this a lot. I love the vocals. They are a mix of everything, death, thrash, hardcore, and punk. Lots of screaming, lots of growling, lots of everything! I can't really compare the vocals to anything, for me I think they sound pretty original. Music is real good too, This Means War has a kick ass solo in the middle of it. Usually I don't even like solo's, but this one had me banging my head. Double bass sounds pretty decent and the drummer has a couple really good fills, which I love hearing. Very heavy band, I like it.

CRIMSON ORCHID - Chapter XIII: Nightmares and Farytales
http://www.crimsonorchid.com/
The guys in this band seem to have been through a lot. From what I read in their bio, each one of them is no stranger to death of loved ones. So naturally, the way to get our your emotions is through music. Their first album was mostly dealing with that pain. The release I have is their sophomore album, which was just released in 2006. It's pretty good, it's a little all over the place as far as music styles. The first song I heard was a faster song, had a progressive metal feel to it. The vocals remind me of a softer, less heavy version of Mike Patton. The second song, honestly reminded me of a cross of one of Eminem ballads, meeting E Town Concrete. They start off all quiet, almost like they were telling a story, and then as the verses move forward, it gets heavier and faster and more hardcore. They have some great 'almost' breakdown parts, especially in the beginning of track 3. From track 3 and on, I feel that is when their heavy roots come out to play and they let it all out. They have some ballads, but they are pretty rocking too, not anything sappy, like a "Heaven" or "Wild Angels" from the 80's. I think my favorite is track 6, it has some awesome guitar parts, the chorus makes me want to move! They remind me of POD meeting E Town in a dark alley, fighting to the blood end.

DAEMOS - Surface
http://www.daemos.com/
Right from when the computer recognized this CD, the music and vocals started. No fucking around, these guys got right down to business. They are real good, real heavy. Whatever they are doing, they are doing it right, because I have been seeing their name on the internet for a long time. The cool thing these guys are doing, they are releasing a 3 song EP with free sampler of their first single. This started in June, and the CD I have is their 2nd release. These guys have such a heavy vibe to them, it's great. They have the old school hardcore sound to them, not the nu metal, or the new hardcore crap, but old school, Biohazard, Madball, Agnostic Front, etc. That mixed with their progressive, heavy, metal sound makes them stand out from everyone else. They do break it down on track 2, and I find it a little boring, but then they bring it back to the metal sounds. They saved the best for last, because I love track 3 on this CD. It's the heaviest on the album and it's just constant energy and metal.

ENVY THE DEAD - Decay into Madness
http://www.myspace.com/envythedead
Hailing from Willow Springs, IL, here we have a death thrash metal band. We were trying to decide how to review the material, but they preferred CD, because the quality was much better. I have to agree with them. So just keep that in mind when you go to their myspace page. The CD I received has 3 tracks on them. Vocals are very death black metal sounding. Siege of Misery gives me a thrash death sound, Decay into Madness is more of a death sound and Cold Steel, Dead Hands has a black metal sound. He has the scary, evil range and he knows when to use each one. Music I feel the same way about. They can mix up the different styles, which gives them a unique sound. They have had some member changes, and more recently were searching for a new drummer. On their myspace page though, it looks like they just found one, so expect to see these guys playing out shortly.

FALL OF EDEN - Dawn of a New Age
http://www.purevolume.com/fallofeden; http://www.myspace.com/fallofedenrock
I received Fall of Eden's first full length album just recently. They have been playing together, going through and adding members since 2001 and this release was put out by Sonic Wave International. Not bad for a first album at all. They remind me of the Shadows Fall and All that Remains genre. They are a metal band and a great one. They have the dual singers, one with the metal Lamb of God vocals and the other with the soft, well rehearsed vocals. The interesting thing about these guys though, they have 3 guitar players. I haven't seen too many bands with this, let along be able to pull it off. But these guys do and they do it well. I really think it gives them the extra heavy edge. I'm a fan of their sound, especially the drums. He is pretty fast with the double bass and I just love when I'm able to hear that in music. I'm looking forward to hearing more releases from them.

GOLLUM - Lesser Traveled Waters
http://www.myspace.com/gollum
I don't believe I'm a fan of this. It's just weird. It's like a progressive metal band, with barely any vocals and samples. These guys have been together for almost 10 years, coming from Wilmington, NC. They are very tight and you can tell they have been playing together for a long time, but I think the vocals holds the songs together, in a way. You hear the verse, you know the chorus is coming, then again, next are some guitar riffs and maybe a solo, one more chorus/verse and the song is over. I just feel like something is missing. They have samples from it sounds like movies through out the songs. At times, I do hear some death metal growls. Putting aside the lack of vocals, musically they are very good. Technical and lots of good riffs. The release I'm listening to is from 2004, they do have a new album coming out in the summer or fall of 2007 though.

HARPTALLICA - A Tribute
http://www.harptallica.com/
I have something similar to this, called Apocalyptica, but that is with four cellos. This piece consists of two females playing the harp on some classic Metallica songs. It's very different. The songs are well known, so I know when the drums kick in, when the guitars start shredding, and I'm waiting for it, but it doesn't come. These two ladies are amazing musicians and even the fact they could do this and have it sound like Metallica songs blows my mind. It's very light on the ears, I could listen to this and enjoy just the sound when I need to relax. They have chosen mostly old Metallica songs (which is good, because new Metallica sucks). They have Battery, Master of Puppets, Welcome Home Sanitarium, Fade to Black, One, Orion, Sandman, Unforgiven and For Whom the Bells Toll. The One song really gives me some chills down my back. They have both been playing the harp since their early teen's and both have music degree's.

SCORPIONS - Humanity
http://www.the-scorpions.com/
With all of the 80's bands coming out with new albums and touring non stop, it was only a matter of time before the Scorpions got into the mix. This might be better though then some of the ones I heard. For some reason, when the 80's metal came out, I didn't get into the Scorpions. Or, should I say, I never bought any of their tapes. Don't know why, because everything that I heard by them, I always liked a great deal. Especially their ballads, Still Loving You is my favorite metal ballad out there of all time. What a great tune. Anyway, enough of my soapbox. This album, like I was saying is extremely good. They have a great sound. Klaus's vocals are amazing, still, after all of this time. It sounds like he hasn't missed a beat. There wasn't a song on the CD that I didn't like. As much as I like the other 80's metal bands, this should be the CD making headlines. Amazing.

SEIZURE CRYPT
http://www.seizurecrypt.com/
Damn, the first minute of The Great Defector is amazing for the drums. The blast beats and double bass that are playing in the song are just out of this world. If I didn't know the guys I would think it was a drum machine, because no human could possibly go that fast. Unreal. But, it's a live person, Doug is his name and I think he was the one who sent me the CD. So now that we have established the drummer is inhuman and a machine....I think I like this album best from the stuff I have heard and reviewed before. A more punk/ thrash/ metal sound to them. Tom and Mike do dual vocals and they sound pretty decent. The Deadend reminds me of an old Anthrax or old Biohazard song. Pretty cool hardcore/punk sound with the vocals going back and forth between them. It kind of reminds me of if Billy from Biohazard and Scott Ian from Anthrax got together. Good mix for sure. Music is real good, very heavy. Sounds great and this is a must listen to CD.

ANGELRUST - Heart Turned Cold
http://www.angelrust.com/
I first heard these guys a couple years ago. They sent me a CD, it sat here forever until I listened to it, (like all CD's) and then when I finally did listen to it, I was regretful I didn't earlier. Same in this case as well! Their drummer Bob sent me their CD early last year and it sat here with all of the other review CD's. Now I wish I was rocking out to this earlier! I have no complaints on this CD at all. Bob is amazing, always was in all of the bands he played in. He is someone who should be teaching kids to play, that's for sure. I could have learned a lot from him. Vocals are insane, very high vocal style, almost like a black metal band, but he does the death metal range as well, so I wouldn't classify them as "black metal". Music is technical as shit, the guitarist knows how to wail. I bet they are an awesome live band too.

BOYS FROM RECREATION PARK
http://www.recpark.net/
I love it! This CD rocks. Of course, I think it's more for 15 year olds. I could picture going to one of their shows, me being the oldest person there. Anyway, great pop/rock/punk thing going on. Reminds me of Simple Plan slightly. Also in some parts, they remind me of Weezer. This whole CD is just done perfectly. The sound, the music, the vocals, everything. The singer doesn't have the best voice in the world, but he doesn't need to be the best. He is getting the job done with his mediocre vocals. I'm honestly not sure why they haven't been picked up by a label yet, just because this shit would sell and it would also blow up on the radio (I think, it's been so long since I've listened to testicle radio, but from what I remember). It's sing along material, for sure.

CITY WEEZLE
http://cityweezle.free.fr/
The music on this is pretty good. In some parts it reminds me of ska without the stupid horns. I can really move to this. Just has this funky blues rock feel to it. Vocally, it's a little all over the place. It reminds of me of Mike Patton and Fantômas, who it's just all crazy and wild. I'm not 100% sold on the producing/mixing of this. The bass seems to be up higher than everything else. I'm not a huge bass fan so for me, it kinds takes away from it, but just a little bit. A good band to compare these guys to is Clutch. They just popped into my head and I think they fit together. It's a good CD just to rock out to.

CREECH - Take It All
http://www.creech.com.au/
Fun loving rock. I love this CD! Musically, they have this pop-rock-punk-metal sound to them. Originally, when I heard the first few riffs, I thought I was going to be hearing a Ramones sounding band. But they have such a different sound that my initial guess. They have every influence you could possibility think of from grunge to old school to today's metal. They have "sing along songs", tunes that will catch you and you will be singing the chorus for the rest of the day. I'm a little sad this is only 6 songs, I could definitely listen to another 6 and not be bored in the slightest. Their song Tell Me Somethin is a great radio song.

DESPISE - Indefinite Force
http://www.despise.gr/
Hailing from Greece, these guys have been around for a long time. I remember reviewing them before, maybe even a few times. This CD that I'm listening to now is a mix of old music and new music. The first few songs are new songs and then the last few songs are from a previous release, their first demo from 1993! I told you these guys have been around forever! These guys are a metal thrash mad band for sure. They have the dark sound that Alice in Chains had too back in their day. Very dark, very heavy and very thrash metal! Great CD for some old school metal.

FAKE H
http://www.fakehmusic.com/
I love this CD! Really great rock/metal CD. Fake H is from the Jersey area and have been playing together for a couple years now. Right off the bat, I picked up a Nonpoint meets P.O.D. meets a touch of Lost Prophets. I also got the feel they had a New York sound to them, had a Life of Agony/Suicide City feeling to them. After reading the inlay of the CD, I found out why, it was produced by Billy Graziadei (Biohazard/Suicide City). They have a decent sound on the CD and the drums sound great. The drummer has some insane double bass parts, he could easily play in a death metal band if he wanted to. My only complaint is that is it 5 songs. This is a keeper.

INDIGENT - Simulacrum
http://www.indigent.co.uk/
This is a one man band and for being that, it's damn good. Richard, who is the band, hails from England and has been doing this band since 2002. He has rave reviews in all of the international magazines. I'm not super stoked about the vocals on this CD. Black and death metal vocals mixed together. In some parts, the vocals sounds a little low, I wish it was mixed up just a tad higher. The music is really good, the first song has this one riff and it just reminds me of an old Black Sabbath song and it just sounds killer. Guitar riffs are pretty good, they have a good sound to them. I think most death metal fans will enjoy this.

SCOTT MOSHER - Multiple Releases
http://www.scottmosher.com/
I have quite a few releases here from Scott Mosher. First, I have their 2001 release Virtuality. Then, their 2004 release called Inferno and last their their 2006 release called Deep Horizon. The main guy in the band, Scott, is a guitarist and he has a ton of talent. I could see him playing in Dream Theatre. The guys is extremely technical with his guitar work. The riffs he creates are just pure amazing. He has a guy who does vocals and the rest is done by Scott. The singer on these CD's has a progressive/power metal vocal range. He can sure hit those high notes. I could see him hitting in nicely with Iced Earth or Blind Guardian, or one of those kind of bands. There are lots of solo's done by Scott. The drums, which I believe are programmed sound great. I usually can tell right away when someone isn't using a real drummer, but I can't really tell here. Any of these three CD's are for the progressive guitar fan or someone just wanting to listen and rock out to some power metal.

MUTHURLODE
http://www.myspace.com/muthurlodemusic
Right off the bat, I thought outside someone was getting shot with a machine gun. The snare drum was so intense and on key, it just sounded like a gun going off. Pretty cool for sure. These guys have the total old school Metallica/Megadeth sound to them. Vocals remind me of James Hetfield, when Metallica was good and fast. The second song brought me back to the day when White Zombie was big, I can't remember what the song was called, but I think it was off of the La Sexorcisto: Devil Music CD. Maybe it was Thunderkiss, I just don't remember. Anyway, the bass has a very strong presence in their songs, I personally think it's a little too high for my liking. Also, I wish the vocals were turned up just a tad more, sometimes they get drowned out. All in all though, it's a great thrash metal CD.

MYNDKILL - Disenchantment
http://www.myndkill.com/
Mostly female vocals in this gothic/progressive rock/metal band hailing from Palm Bay, Florida. Florida always has decent bands coming from there, it must be something in the water. Anyway, the female has a great voice, I think she has the talent to be singing in an opera or a Broadway musical. She almost reminds me in parts of Christina from Lacuna Coil but almost better. They even have a male singer and he reminds me of the male from Lacuna Coil, just because it's raw like the other guy. For being a gothic band, surprising I like it, because normally I can't stand that type of music. The music is really good, has more of a progressive sound to it. I can do without the keyboards, but there are only two songs that have it, so it makes it tolerable.

POINT BLANK - By A Thread
http://www.pointblank.tv/
These guys have been around forever, have been playing in the New York area since 2000. Great hardcore/metal band. They have a brutal crushing metal sound to them. Vocally, he has the vocal style of Lou from Sick of it All with some death metal mixed in. Just the lower sounding vocals of a death metal singer, mixed with the raw hardcore metal sound. The drummer has got a clicky sound to his bass drums - Reminds me of when I put quarters on my heads to make my double bass stand out. These guys sure know how to play and sound good. A couple nice breakdown parts, I'm sure they have one hell of a pit. My favorite is the middle of Savior Self, track 3.

SOUL SICK - Performing An Exact Revenge
http://www.soulsickforlife.com/
Before I even put this CD in, I knew it was going to be good. First, it was produced by AJ from Leeway. How can it go wrong? Next it has guest appearances by two of the guys in Candiria, another amazing band. There was no way this could be bad and after listening to it, I was 100% correct on my assumption. These guys are from NY and to me has so many different influences, all great metal/ hardcore bands from that area. Downset, Dog Eat Dog, Helmet (where they from NY?), Biohazard, Madball and I could keep going. This one part in the second songs reminds me of this band Dial 7, but I don't know if they were from NY. Production is amazing, everything sounds awesome. Vocals are just so many different styles and it keeps it from sounding like any other band out there today. All music aspects are just pure genius as well. This will be something I play nonstop, that's for sure.

WACO JESUS - Receptive When Beaten
http://www.wacojesus.com/
So many bands from out in the Midwest have come and gone or had so many member changes it's just not the same anymore. These guys consistent put out great CD's. I don't listen to much death metal anymore, just because it's boring and sounds the same to me. These guys are one of the few I still keep around though. I love their inlay picture on their CD jacket, it's a chick in the pit kicking some unsuspecting guys in the balls. Anyway, the drums in this are amazing as usual. The higher-up death metal vocals are my favorite. Even the low vocals sound decent, they aren't too high, or drowned out by the music. Their riffs are excellent and I think they sound great. They change everything up - vocals and music - so it's different and not boring. Another fine release by them.

WARFACE - Insanity of the Obsessed
http://www.warface.net/
Damn, within the first 10 seconds of this CD it just gets you ready for the pure insanity. I like these guys a lot, I interviewed them previously when they had their last release and this new one is just as good, if not better. Still their double bass is out of this world, the drummer is so fast. He just keeps that steady double bass going. It doesn't sound off in parts, it's consistent. Blast beats as well. He is definitely someone who should be teaching. Vocals are death metal, pretty low sounding, but for me, they are tolerable. I'm getting too old I think and too picky for death metal. But this is some good shit though. Riffs are pretty decent as well. Everything sounds great on this new release.

AILANTHUS
http://www.myspace.com/ailanthus
Here we have a metal/rock/industrial band from New York/New Jersey. Female singer and she has a great voice. Reminds me a cross between Amy Lee from Evanescence and Cristina from Lacuna Coil. She can really sing. Drums and bass have a very heavy sound to them. Guitars have some killer riffs. Musically, they almost remind me of a cross between the Gathering and Lacuna Coil. Heavy music, but a soft side to it as well. I believe they have a drum machine in this too. I'm listening to their first 3 song demo.

STORM THE CASTLE - The Free of Charge! Demo
http://stormthecastle.org/
I have here a 5 song CD from a band from Fayettville, AR. I don't hear much from those states down south (other than Florida), so it's cool to see they are playing music down there. Anyway, musically, they are an extremely technical band. The guitar riffs sound very complicated and they are just all over the place. They have a real good progressive sound to them. Drummer has a decent sound, playing wise he is a good drummer and his kit sounds good too. However, I'm not the biggest fan of the vocals. It sounds like they are trying to go the Iced Earth/Blind Guardian sound, but the singer either can't get there, or he is just trying to have the lower more manly tone. I just don't think they mesh well together.

CATASTROPHIC – Born Into Bondage
http://www.myspace.com/catastrophic2001
Death metal at it’s finest! This is a great release from the NY/FL pro’s. Extremely fast, I think even faster and heavier than their last release. Rob does a killer job on double bass and his drums were miked up perfectly. You can hear every beat he makes. Guitar solo’s sound amazing, really tight sounding. Perfect length to them, not too long where you get bored listening. Vocals are heavy and deep, Trevor does a great job with them. They have a touch of the NY style death metal, but it’s only in bits and pieces, this is some hard hitting, metal everyone needs to hear!

CIRCLE OF FEAR – When Dementia Sets In
http://www.circleoffear.com/
Awesome disc from my friends on the PA/NJ border (kinda). Everything on this disc sounds amazing. From the vocals, to the guitars and bass to the drums. 110% worth checking out and their live show is just as good sounding as their CDs. I love the breakdown parts, so heavy and just makes me want to move. If I moshed, I would do it during those parts (Sorry guys, but I’m too small!!) Heavy death metal vocal style, with a touch of thrash thrown in there. Guitars are heavy, lots of great sounding solo’s and riffs. Drumming is great too. A band everyone must check out and also check out there interview they did with me a few years ago.

DAVID VALDES – Paradise Lost
http://www.davidvaldes.net/
Here is a story of a boy and his guitar. This is a instrumental guitar oriented CD. Computer has made the bass, keyboards, etc, but the guitar is coming from David himself. David has been playing guitar for over 15 years. He has played in some bands here and there, but mostly has been playing instrumentally himself. His work on this CD is extremely technical and the guitar solo’s are better than some I would hear in a signed band. Definitely a must for guitar players and fans.

DRILLPOINT – Where’s the Soul
http://www.drillpoint.net/; http://www.myspace.com/drillpoint
These guys put out another awesome CD, with only 5 songs. These guys are extremely heavy. Musically it sounds great, vocally sounds great, production even sounds great. No flaws with this CD at all. Awesome energy in the band, and I can only imagine what it sounds like live, there can’t be a person sitting still in the place. Vocally, we have the heavy Phil from Pantera vocals. Musically it’s fast, hard hitting and just in your face extreme metal. One of the bands I look forward to hearing when I see their package in the mail. I’m surprised these guys have not been picked up by a label yet. It’s only a matter of time though. Love these guys- Check out the interview I did with them last year.

HIGH COUNCIL – All Rise
http://www.highcouncil.us/; http://www.myspace.com/highcouncil
Here comes a band from my home town of Philadelphia. This is their debut album that came out earlier this year. Here is a heavy metal rock sounding band with classic rock vocals. Musically they sound pretty good, but I’m not a fan of the singer’s vocals. He is trying to sing and have a heavy edge to his vocals, but for me it’s just not working. Musically, they are pretty tight sounding, have a real good sound. They even have someone who plays the flute in the band, which is wild because you don’t find that too often in metal music. Worth checking out.

NORESLAW – Macabre Skies
haynamarr@aol.com
Believe it or not, this is a mix of black/death metal and rap. Yes, you read right, rap. First song is a black metal, atmospheric melodic song. Very soothing, very soft, pleasant to listen to. Next song and it’s a rap song. Wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. Sounds like the atmospheric mood in the back ground, with some hip hop beats and the rapping over top of it. Some record mixing in there, like you would here at a dance club. Most of the CD though is atmospheric sounding music, so people who can’t the rap music, will still be able to listen to it.

PROFANATION – Dead Man Rotting and Dead Body Fuck
http://www.profanation.net/
Death metal bands always find the craziest sound clips to put on their CD’s. It always has to do with someone dying, being yelled at or being fucked and most of the time is isn’t pleasant. Anyway, here is some brutal death grind from Germany. Received two CD”s from these sick fucks. Sound is a little better and crisper in Dead Body Fuck, but the first one has a good sound to it too. Double bass sounds super good and he has a lot of fills. Very clear sounding and I love to hear it. Reminds me of a cross between Suffocation, Scattered Remnants and Cannibal Corpse. Vocals are pretty damn low, but he does bring the tone up a during a couple parts. At some points I can even understand what he is saying, but that’s few and far between. Music is just heavy and grinding from beginning to end. Great CDs for fans of death metal.

SKULLSHIFTER – Here in Hell
http://www.skullshifter.com/
Here we have a heavy thrash metal band. It starts off sounding like Becoming from Pantera, which is a great song. We have some heavy thrash metal vocals, reminds me of James Hetfield, how he has the heavy vocal style. There are even some death metal growls in there. Music is fast thrash metal at it’s finest. Drummer has some good fills and some decent double bass. For a band produced album, it has a great production sounding, nothing muddy, everything is clear and sounds excellent.

286 - Profiled
http://www.286music.com/
Now we are fucking talking! I love this! This has the 80's rock metal sound that I love and listen to every day. This has a mix of the sleaze from Faster Pussycat, the raw vocal sound from LA Guns and Brides of Destruction, the bluesy guitar style from London Quireboys, but lacking the makeup from Poison's Look What the Cat Dragged in Album. They have such a great rock sound to them. I don't have a bad thing to say about it!

AGANKAST - Dance of the Dead
http://www.agankast.com/
Agankast is the new band of the Rob Matthews, who played with the 80's thrash band Atomkraft. They were from Britain and quite popular from what I understand. Rob recruited a bunch of new lads and they formed this new thrash band Agankast. They have some great guitar riffs, and the music is heavy, fast and hard hitting. Vocally, they remind me of old school thrash. Like James Hetfield (when Metallica was good) meeting Kurt Brecht (DRI Singer) in a bar room brawl. Thrash fans will enjoy this.

AMERICAN RUST - Dogs Hair Sacrament
Here comes a metal band from Minnesota. They aren't bad at all. Have a different sound to them, which is always good. They have a good sound, they have the heavy tunes and then there is couple ballads on the CD as well, which sound amazing. The singer has a decent voice, great singing voice with a touch of roughness. Guitars are real catchy, very heavy rock sounding. Very bluesy in some songs, and with the rock sound, it reminds me of something I would have heard in the 80's. Great disc from start to finish.

ANGELRUST
http://www.angelrust.com/
I have two CD's from these guys, one is Self Titled and it was recorded around 2003, the other Pale Portrait is the more recent one, coming out in 2004. After talking to Andrew from the band, I realized that their drummer Bob is from the legendary PA metal band Screaming Jesus, who was bigger in the 90's. They aren't as fast as Screaming J, however Bob is still one of the better drums out in the scene today. Small world. Anyway, great stuff here, I'm definitely a fan. Vocally it's a mix between black metal and death metals. Not obnoxious annoying vocals like in black metal, but not low death metal vocals either. Right in the middle. They also have some slower parts to the songs with someone singing, reminds me of the changes like in Shadows Fall. Melodic, fast, heavy and just all around a great band.

AVENGER OF BLOOD - Complete Annihilation
http://www.myspace.com/avengerofblood
I got this from Spotlight Music, and coming from Paul, I knew this was going to be good. Paul has great taste in music. He even gave me an interview in his magazine a few years ago! Anyway, this band he is supporting is great. Pure 80's speed thrash metal sound. The sound Metallica lost in the 90's, these guys picked it up. They are extremely fast. The guitar solo's just fly and the double bass is going just as fast. They remind me of early day Metallica, Ride the Lightening, Kill them All type of vein. Old school thrash bands will be impressed.

BULLET THERAPY - Self Inflicted
http://www.bullettherapy.com/
Definitely influenced by Priest and Black Sabbath, which would make sense, since originally this band was a Black Sabbath tribute band. They were going under the name After Forever for 7 years until they decided to start playing their own music. Now they have taken the sound of those great bands and turned it into their own with a heavier raw sound to them. The singer actually has a decent voice, I would not compare him to Halford or Ozzy, but he isn't that far off. He doesn't have the extremely high screams of Halford, but he doesn't have the higher sound as Ozzy, somewhere in the middle. The music is low tuned which gives them a touch extra of the raw sound they were looking for.

CEPHALIC INSCRIPTION - Bound to this Machine
http://www.cephalicinscription.co.uk/
These guys tricked me, they start off the CD with a slow melodic sound, so I wasn't thinking I would hear death metal and not even sure what to expect. Then the vocals kick in and it's death/black metal style. Some parts of the songs they have a slow melodic sound to them. Other parts they are fast with a metalcore sound to them. When they are playing fast though, they have some great sound to them. They mix it up and they do it well. Their break downs are pretty sweet sounding too.

CYPHILIS
http://www.cyphilis.com/
These guys are from my area. I heard clips of them on their web site after they contacted me and was just waiting patiently for the CD to arrive. Of course, I believe they sent me out a copy and my mailman at the time never got it to me, but when they resent the CD I got a taste of their new album too, so it was well worth the wait. These guys will have an interview on my site sooner or later, within the next few months. Anyway, about the music, unlike the STD cyphilis, you want these guys around! They are fucking heavy and have gotten heavier from their release Buff Shined Scars from 2004 to their new release Manifest. Vocals remind me of a metal core Phil Anselmo, the heavy sound of his vocal range, with some metal core style thrown in. Music is just plain heavy. The drums and the cymbals sound amazing. Riffs sounds great. One of the best CD's I have gotten all year.

DARK DISCIPLE - Unholy Hate Gore
http://www.darkdisciple.com/
Brutal death metal coming from Maryland. The vocals are extremely low sounding, reminds me of Chris Barnes. They have the Lividity sounding high screams as well. Musically they are very heavy. Super fast. Drummer fly's with his double bass. Great guitar solo's with grinding riffs through out the songs. These guys should have a new album coming out in 2005 so make sure all death metal fans pick it up!

DELIRIUM X TREMENS - CyberHuman
http://www.deliriumxtremens.com/
Great sounding band. I love bands that have went into the studio or have a good sound, it makes the CD sound so much better. That can make or break a good CD or not the sound, and these guys have a great, clear, crisp sound to them. Anyway, some death metal from Italy. Low vocals, Chris Barnes sounding, but you can almost understand what they are saying. It's a little more clearer. Musically, they are heavy, not the extreme brutal death metal, but a good, fast, tight sound to them. A couple breakdown parts also.

EYES SEE RED - Beyond the Realm of Sanity
http://www.eyesseered.com/
Everyone who comes to my site, should know by now who these guys are. Interviews, pictures from the IL fest with the biggest trouble maker of them all, their drummer Mike, links, reviews and banners. They are just all over. Death metal from Switzerland. If they aren't making death metal, what else is there to do in Switzerland? Skiing? That gets boring after a while. It's too cold to do anything, so why not sit around and make metal!? It has worked for these guys for sure. Every album I get from these guys get progressively better. Drums get better, the guitars get heavier faster and the vocals also get better. I hope they come to the states soon to play and if they do, I will even go moshing during their set!

FULLY CONSUMED
http://www.fullyconsumed.com/
More death metal coming my way, not even sure how I got this, probably at the Champaign fest in 2004. Mix of super low death vocals, black metal screams and pure insanity. They have the whole central death metal sound to them. Very heavy music, grinding guitars, double bass flying. I went to their web site, they are in the process of coming out with a new disc. Death metal fans will enjoy this.

GODLESS TRUTH - Arrogance of Supreme Power
http://www.godlesstruth.com/; http://www.laceratedenemy.com/
These guys remind me slightly of the NY death metal legends Internal Bleeding. Lots of breakdowns, but also some decent guitar solo's as well. It's not overdone though, there isn't a breakdown every 30 seconds, just when it's needed, and it makes the songs sound great. Vocally, they also remind me of the NY death metal, Internal Bleeding, Disfigured, Pyrexia, etc. That type of vocal sound. Very fast, very heavy and very impressive. And no, they are not from NY, they are from the Czech Republic.

GRADE 8 - Resurrection
http://www.grade8music.com/
I was a fan of these guys already, before I talked to their promotion manager. I have their first album, Grade 8 self titled and liked it a lot. Definitely one in rotation all the time. So when they contacted me about this album, of course I was down for getting a copy! They aren't the normal genre of bands that are on the site, but I like them regardless. They have an extremely heavy rock sound with metal core vocal styles. In their screaming sections, they remind me of Lamb of God. Other parts I can't describe the vocal style because it's just nothing that I have heard before. Heavy of course, but I can't compare them to anyone. If I had to, I would kinda compare to Taproot. Musically, they are heavy, with lots of dance/mosh parts to them. Breakdowns which sound great in the songs. All around, just an awesome CD.

THE GREATEST FEAR - The Coronation of the Locust Queen
http://www.thegreatestfear.com/
These guys are really good, I love metal with chick vocals. They really have the whole Gathering/ Lacuna Coil sound to them. I don't think their singer sounds like Christine or Anneke in particular, but she has a beautiful voice. I also think the singer reminds me of the chick from Jack off Jill on the Clear Hearts Grey Flowers CD. Musically though, I think it they sound more like the Gathering, less heavier than Lacuna Coil, but still with an edge to them. Very melodic sounding, very progressive metal and great vocals. This is a keeper.

KILL ALL RESISTANCE - Demo 2004
http://www.geocities.com/rust_in_peace_1999/inviscerated.html
This band was originally Inviscrerated, but has changed their name since. They have an interview on my site, go check it out. Anyway, this is their latest release. For this studio release it is just Rolf and Austin. Still brutal death metal. I think they might have gotten faster than what I remember before. I even got a thong with my package! Vocals are super low. Production of the CD is a little muddy, but I'm not sure how it was recorded with just to two of them. 4 songs on this.

KILLAMORA - Demo 2005
http://killamora.com/
Damn, this is some heavy shit. Lamb of God meets Killswitch Engage with the result being Killamora. I'm even going to say some parts of the songs sound like Madball. Vocally, I think this guy sounds like Lamb of God singer most of the time, not that you would get them mixed up, but the same type of heavy screaming vocals. Musically, it's Metalcore. Heavy everything- Drums with awesome fills and flying double bass, guitar and bass with heavy grinding riffs and the vocals to match. A+.

LIECUS - Hypocrite
http://www.liecus.com/
I got to hear a sample of their tracks before I got the CD, and I really liked it. So needless to say, I was excited to get the CD. They have a real good sound to them. Heavy metal core vocal styles, and then mixed with a normal singing voice, almost like a Sevendust/Taproot sound, before the yelling starts. Musically, they are heavy, they have a rock, hardcore, metal core sound rolled up into one. When they go from their rock, softer sound to the heavy, harder sound, it's like night and day, two different styles, but when put next to each other, they sound great. Really add's to the songs. I'm a fan. These guys will have an interview on the site in the next few months.

MALICE 420 - Caucasian Psychosis
http://www.malice420.com/
Another fine release from Malice 420. These guys have an interview on my page and other reviews, so go check them out. Thrash metal at it's finest. Super fast guitar riff's with some pretty sweet guitar solo's. The drummer has a kick ass sound and he is a fast one too. Lots of fills, but not over done. Vocally he has some pretty high screams, some low growls and everything in between. Good stuff, check them out.

METHODUST - The Numbing Victory
http://www.methodust.com/
This doesn't sound bad, I'm not the biggest fan of it, but it's not terrible or anything. Just not my cup of tea. This has been their first release in about 6 years. The band has been together since 1999, but had some difficulties and wasn't able to release something new until now. They combine all kinds of metal, death/black metal vocals, thrash sound musically. They have a raw sound to them, which is why I don't care for it very much. The CD I have has 4 songs on it and is available for sale for $5.00

PRIAPISM - Last Stand
http://www.myspace.com/priapismusic
I think these guys found me on Myspace. I did a google and there are about 5 bands with this name, however this is the band from Garden City, ID and is a thrash metal band. They have to be good, their can't be anything to do out in Idaho, other than mashing potatoes and music! They have a different sound to them, it is a thrashy sound of music, the vocals are a little different than what I was expecting. It's a lot of yelling, which is what it sounds like. They are heavy, fast and have some good riffs.

TOWERSOUND - Towersound
http://english.towersound.net/
Nice little packaging of the CD. Has a ton of pages from the inlay, very professional looking and I don't even believe they are a signed band. They have a very power metal type sound to them. I personally am not a fan of power metal, but this is one of the better bands I have heard. They are very technical sounding, very melodic and they all play well together. Extremely tight. No imperfections. They have a professional sound, a professional look and the CD does not lack anything. I'm very surprised they have not been picked up yet by a label.

URINAL PUCK MINISTRIES - Twisted Tales from the Fallopian Tube
The name of the band and the CD title are enough to spark my curiosity of the band. Most of the songs are punk, old school, sounding. They have a slight Dead Milkmen sound to them. But then, they blend a mix of metal-core into their songs to give a new sound to an old style. I really think the singer has the same sound as the new singer for Skid Row, he has a very good voice, just not screaming into the mic as most bands now days. Very unique, heavy sound to them.

VANTAGE POINT - Pleasure Slave
http://www.vantage-point.info/
The start of the first song, it reminded me of L.O.V.E. Machine from Wasp. Musically it's very heavy 80's sounding. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Wasp have a very strong presence. They aren't heavy metal, but to me, more like a rock with attitude. I don't care for the vocals at all. They aren't good enough to be compared to Dickinson or Halford and they don't seem to go very well with the music. This type of music, I'm expecting it to have that type of vocal sound and I'm not hearing it here. He's trying, but coming up short.

WORLD OF LIES
http://www.worldoflies.com/
I have always liked these guys, always a good CD that comes from them. I actually have two CD's here, one Material God and the other, Vol 001 or the self titled CD. Material God is a little older, it looks like it was recorded between 2001 and 2002 and released by Buried in Hell Records. The self titled, a good chunk of the songs have been already released, with different members. All of the music is great, super fast, the way heavy metal is suppose to be played. Great guitar solo's and the drums are crisp, clear and off the hook. Death/Thrash/Black metal vocals. All of the stuff that makes those styles annoying taken out, so the sound you have from World of Lies is just pure raw metal.

AJAR - Claustrophobic
http://www.ajarmusic.com
This is a one song CD I got, I believe on the way out of an Ill Nino concert in Allentown. Cool song, good sounding rock band. Really tight and actually has a good sound to the CD. Singer reminds of me Aaron from Staind and I think the singer from Breaking Benjamin, who I really like. I see their name a lot around the area for shows, I'll have to check them and see what the rest of their songs sound like.

CHAINSNAP- Hollow
PO Box 628041; Middleton, WI 53562; http://www.chainsnap.8m.com/
At parts the singer reminds me of Lemmy from Motorhead. They have a good metal thrash sound to them. They have a good thing going, they are on a bunch of comp's including the Ill Nino/Sevendust comp, the NJ Metal Fest comp, Stillborn Fest comp and also the Slayer and Hatebreed Jagermeister tour comp. They must be doing well for themselves to get on all of those comps! Not a bad band, and this CD was released earlier this year.

DAATH- Futility
6300 Powers Ferry Road; Building 600; Suite 144; Atlanta, GA 30339; www.daathmusic.com
These guys have a different sound to them, I don't even know how to describe it. A very industrial sound at some parts with NY death metal style vocals. Then at other parts, the singer reminds me of the front man from Rammstein (I think I spelled that right). They have a good production sound, everything is clear, not muddy or anything. Drummer has a good double bass sound.

DIVINITY DESTROYED/BEYOND THE FLESH- Split Album Sampler
Divinity Destroyed- http://www.geocities.com/divinitydestroyed/
Beyond the Flesh- http://www.beyondtheflesh.net/
I don't even know how I got this CD, I don't have an package for it, so maybe I picked it up at a show or something. Anyway, we have 2 songs from each band. DD is on first, they are a good little death/power metal band and I think they have a touch of black metal as well. Singer has a good power metal voice, I don't like power metal vocals, but out of the unsigned power metal bands, this guy has got to be one of the better ones. I haven't heard many that actually sound good, but this guys does. And with their touch of black metal and death vocals, it's good. Next up we have have Beyond the Flesh and right off the bat, their guitar entrance sounds like something I would hear off of a Shadows Fall album. Then everything changes and it turns into a heavy thrash, death metal band. Very melodic as well. Very talented, and the drummers kit sounds pretty decent.

DRILLPOINT
191 A Genest St; Ottawa Ontario; Canada; K1L 7Y7; www.drillpoint.net
Woah, this is really good. I sure did save the best for last, apparently. These guys have a great sound, reminds me of a Slipknot, Mushroomhead type of sound. Singer is just all over with his vocals, sometimes it's hard core, sometimes it's Slipknot sounding. Music wise they sound awesome. Very heavy band, I can't imagine what it is like seeing them live. So much energy, and I'm just listening to their CD, their live show must be 100x better. Great sounding metal band.

ETERNAL RUIN
PO Box 2; Hagerstown, MD 21741-0002; http://www.eternalruin.com
Death metal with some super low vocals. I really like the sound the drummer has, although for some reason I don't like the snare sound. It's a little too high, but sound in total is great. Second song has a great guitar intro, really like it a lot. Vocals remind me of a low singer, a little lower than Chris Barnes, but now as low as say Rich from Fleshgrind. Very good.

ETERNAL RUIN/LEUKORRHEA SPLIT
Amputated Vein Records; http://www.amputatedvein.com
Here is a split between Eternal and Leukorrhea. It was funny, I went onto Yahoo.com to see if I could find a web site for Leukorrhea, and one of the searches was a women's health site and it said "Leukorrhea is a thick and whitish colored vaginal discharge..." Yuck! Eternal's songs are the same one's on their self titled release. They always sound good. When I switched to Leukorrhea, I had to check the CD to see if this was Frank Rini (ex Internal Bleeding) singing. Sounds just like him. I thought he came out of hiding! Both bands are good, so you'll want to pick this up.

KING GOBLIN- Demo 2003
Hidetoshi Ehara; 2-17-1, Shimo, Kita-Ku, Tokyo, Japan, 115-0042; http://www.geocities.co.jp/Hollywood/7280/
Their letter describing the CD said they are a doom rock band and I think I agree with them. I don't really feel the whole doom sound too much, but I do hear the rock. The singer remind me of a cross between King Diamond (I don't know how, but that was the first vocalist that popped into my head) and something along the likes of Dimmu Borgir. They have a heavy rock sound to them, with almost black metal vocals. Not bad.

LOKNUT
Dave Dorocke; 213 Ellsworth; Crystal Lake, IL 60014; www.loknut.com
These guys remind me of ProPain slightly. I believe because of the singers sound, it kinda has that rough sound as the dude from PP. They are very angry and their music is pretty damn aggressive. I bet they put on a hell of a live show. The CD I have is a little muddy, I don't have the best player either, so that might have something to do with it as well. They have a very different sound to them as well, doesn't really sound like any other band I have heard before. Kinda a mix between pure metal, thrash and hard core.

PLOY
Localeyezd; 31 Girard Ave; Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004; http://www.ploymusic.com
This is a little different, but I think I really like it. They really remind me of Starkweather- Anyone from this area knows exactly who I'm talking about, they were awesome. Very heavy band. They also remind me of Candiria, not musically, but because they are mixing all of these different styles of music together and it blends great. Very heavy vocals, musically they are a mix of just everything, death, hard core, and metal. The more I listen, the more I like.

PSYCHOTRON- Open the Gate
c/o Gert; Dunninger Weg 7; D-78662 Bosingen; Germany; http://www.psychotron.de
Wow- this is a very impressive CD inlay for sure. These guys are a power thrash band from Germany. Have an awesome sound to them. The singer has a killer voice too, and the thing I like about them is they aren't singing in the high power metal vocals for the entire song. There are only parts where they kick into the high vocals. Musically they are very good, and the CD has a great production sound to it. I'm not a very big fan of anything related to Power Metal, but I do like this.

PULSE 8- Drop the 8 Bomb
Doug Carter; 1305 Alberta; Convington, KY 41016; www.uwillpulse8.com
Another fine release from these guys. Still very heavy, first song on the CD has a very industrial sound, almost like something Ministry would put out. Singer here sounds *slightly* like newer Manson in some parts. Then he gets all heavy and sounds like something I would hear from a hard core album. Next song sounds completely different, like something I would hear from Merauder/old school Downset. but I still hear a pinch of industrial. Decent sound to the band.

SEWN SHUT
Moses Gonzalez; 3154 Greenwood; Corpus Christi, TX 78405; http://www.sewnshut.com/
Singer reminds me right off the bat of a cross between Machine Head and Max from Sepultura. Right in between, can't say one more than the other. Really decent metal band, very heavy. They definitely have a good thrash metal sound to them. Actually the one song I'm listening to right now also reminds me of Bush from Anthrax. You can tell who their influences are. Very good band.

SINOCENCE- Acceptable Level of Violence
130 Lake Street; Lurgan; Co. Armagh; Bt69 9DY; Northern Ireland; www.sinocence.co.uk
I like this a lot. This is a heavy rock band. Some parts it reminds of me Shadows Fall guitars, other times this reminds me of Skid Row and other parts it doesn't remind me of any bands. They have a very unique sound to them. The whole sound is great, the production of the CD is crisp, and you can hear every instrument perfectly. I'm enjoying this a lot.

VIRUS/KEVLAR SKIN- Split CD
Ian Degrussa; PO Box 2105; Esperance WA; Australia 6450; http://www.geocities.com/iandegrussa/virus.html
The Virus band probably has some of the lowest vocals I have ever heard in my life. Kevlar Skin has death vocals as well, more like Internal Bleeding type vocals. Both are some decent death metal bands. The copy I have is a little low sounding, so it doesn't give the bands the justice they deserve. I believe the first 10 songs are from Virus and the next 5 are from Keval Skin, it's a little hard to tell from the inlay, but there is a vast change in vocal style, so I believe that is the break out.

WARFACE
http://www.warfacemetal.com
Here is a death metal band from CA. Super low Chris Barnes vocals. Same vocal style as a lot of the midwest bands, Waco Jesus, Fleshgrind, Lividity. Drummer is flying with his double bass, he has a really good drum sound. Musically they are extremely put together, very tight with everything blending together perfectly. It will be just a matter of time before some label snatches them up.

16 PIECE BUCKET- Born to Be…
PO Box 19930; Cincinnati; OH 45219; www.angelfire.com/punk/16piecebucket
For some reason, I’m thinking Infectious Groove. For some reason, I think they totally have their sound for this CD. That’s just the first band that popped into my head. They still have their old school punk and hard core sound to them. Good CD.

ANIMATED DEAD
1304 North Church; Belleville, IL 62221
Some death metal coming straight from IL. Old school death metal, Cannibal Corpse sound to them. Still super fast, deep vocals. Drummer sounds like he got faster since the last CD I heard from them. Not bad at all.

BEHIND THE SUN- Broken Hearts and Shattered Bones & Targeting My Greatest Weakness
John Chase; 445 Ash Ave; Galloway, NJ 08205; www.behindthesun.org
Holy fuck, I’m mad it took myself this long to listen to do reviews, because this has been sitting in my pile without being listened to!! I’m so impressed. I think I found my new favorite band! The singer has a Lamb of God sound to him, and the music reminds me of the Haunted, except, not as fast and a hard core feel to it too. They have some break down parts where they slow everything down and the singer actually sings, and they even sound good. If you are into Metalcore, check out their mp3’s, you will not be disappointed.

BLOODSHOT- Demons
6967 Speedway Blvd. AA-101; Las Vegas, NV 89115; www.bloodshotfans.com
The vocals remind me of Prong for some reason. I don’t know why, but they have that raw sound to them. They describe themselves as Slayer meets Pantera meets Motley Crue, Shout at the Devil. I absolutely agree with the end. I totally hear the old school Crue in their music. They have a good sound to them. They have MP3’s on the site. Check ‘em out.

CIRCLE OF FEAR- Pain… Scars… Healing
225 Greenwich Ave; Pawlsboro, NJ 08066; www.circleoffear.com
These guys are all over my site as well right now. They are getting out and playing tons of shows lately, just finished up a show in NYC with Deicide. The singer Chris, is originally from the metal band in the Philly area, Final Prayer, who was around for years and years. However, he or the band sounds nothing like them. The vocals have some low growls which sound awesome. Jimbo, the drummer is flying, really good and tight. The description of their band fits to a “T”, Technical Death metal and deathcore blended together. A++ CD.

CONQUEROR WORM- Sometimes Dead is Better
Ryan Parks; 20004 Mansel Ave; Torrance, CA 90503;www.conquerorworm.com
These guys describe themselves as Doom Sludge Horror Core. I think I would agree with them. They have solo’s for people who like to hear them in songs and they sound pretty technical. Small touch of death metal, they are more doom metal though as far as their music is concerned. I think the vocals are a mix between black and death metal. They don’t sound like Chris Barnes or Dani Filth, but somewhere in between.

CORROSIVE- Slaughtered in Vain
PO Box 861; Shady Spring, WV 25918; www.listen.to/corrosive
I would say this is some heavy metal. His vocals remind me of a cross between metal and death metal. Kinda has the Max from Sepultura/Soulfly style. The music is fast, but I wouldn’t say death metal fast. Kick ass guitar riffs, the drummer is flying with his double bass. Not bad at all.

DOGFACE- EP
Joel; 37 Weston Ave; Fishkill, NY 12524; www.dogface.net
These guys use to be One Last Sin, but they do not sound anything like them at all. This is just a big mix of everything, alternative rock, rock and a little bit of punk. The vocals are more punk and the music sounds like rock. Not bad, they are working on a new studio album currently.

ETERNAL FROST- Underground Eternal Comp CD
Goden; PO Box 584; Conyers, GA 30012-0584
Here is a comp CD coming from the Extreme Metal Webzine. I’m a little sad Goden is not going to be doing his webzine anymore, I really enjoyed it. Lots of good death metal bands on here… My favorite is Vile, they rule. Others include Splattered Cadaver, Dripping, Castrum, Encabulous, Festering Sore, Gallery of Darkness and 14 more bands.

FIERCE ATMOSPHERES- Gale Forces
Cold Earth Management; PO 203213; Austin, TX 78720-3213
I’m not really into this at all. A little boring for me. It’s metal. The music is heavy, I just can’t get very into the vocals. They sound a little doomy and gothic to me. Just not my thing.

FINGERBOMB- No Show
11 Harvard Street #1; Somerville, MA 02143
These guys are all over the site, they have an interview up, they have mp3’s on the page, so there should be no reason why you haven’t checked them out yet! They have a metal sound to them with a tad of hard core and rock. Really tight, and they just sound good all around. In some songs, the singer has the whole Tool thing going on. This is for fans of Quickstand, Fugazi, Helmet and Tool.

HONEY FOR CHRIST
Andy; 32 Magnerabeg Road; Dromore; Co. Down; BT25 1Rs; Northern Ireland, UK; http://www.honeyforchrist.co.uk
This is fucking great. I am really digging this a lot. It’s pure heavy metal. The music is super fast, sounds like it could be death or black metal. Then the vocals kick in and they are heavy. They really remind me of Matt Bachard from Shadows Fall. The guys is really singing and then he has these deep heavy vocal tracks which also sound great. The drummer has some super has feet. A++

INBORN- Endless Slaughter
Scott; 308 B Strickland Street; Hinesville, GA 31313
Whoa, these guys are fucking brutal death metal. I don’t think I ever heard vocals that low before. They are the lowest I have ever heard. They are super fast and just out of control. A must for death metal fans.

JACK STARR’S Guardians of the Flame
Cult Metal Classics; C/O Chris Papadatos; Akadimias 98; 106 77 Athens; Greece; www.cultmetalclassics.com
Power metal from one of the guitar greats! This guy was a guitar player for Virgin Steele. This is all about the guitars, which is something I know nothing about. It’s super technical, and there is lots of solos. So any guitar lover or player would be into this CD.

LECHEROUS NOCTURNE
Clay Lytle; 106 Edgecomba Road; Sptbg, SC 29307; www.lecherousnocturne.com
And who was the one who said nothing good came out of the Carolina’s?? These guys are great. Super fucking fast. Remind me of a cross between Krisiun and Incantation. They are incredible. Flying riffs and drums all over the place. The singer has some wicked low vocals, but he also has some black metal tendency’s too in his vocals. I suggest everyone going out and getting this.

LETHAL AGGRESSION- Return of that Crazy Robot
Dave; 136 Ellisdale Road; Allentown, NJ 08501; http://www.myspace.com/lethalaggression
Here is an old school punk band from my area. They sound like the Sex Pistols meet old school Sick of it All. Definitely more of a punk sound than anything, but I hear a touch of hard core. Punk fans will want to hear this.

LIVING IMPARED- Blossom and Decay
Chris; 411 Webster Street #2; Lewiston, ME 04240
These vocals remind me of a cross between Frank Rini, old Internal Bleeding singer, and Dave Kilber from Lividity. The singer has the low vocals and he also has the high screams. They are pretty fast too. The drummer is flying! Impressive.

MALICE 420- Hateful Preachings…for a Mindless People
Joe Pane; 2610 Meadow Lane; Escondido, CA 92027; www.malice420.com
These guys are kicking some ass right now. They have the song “Lay Down and Die” featured on Metallica’s DVD Dark Souls. It’s in the background. These guys are a metal thrash band. They have a very rough sound to them, but that makes them I think. The music is more of a thrash sound and the vocals have a different sound to them. I think he sometimes sounds like the singer for DRI. Really good, check them out.

MISOGI
Touko; 2-4-20 Higashiabiko; Abiko-City; Chiha 270-1144; Japan
This can be described as Progressive Metal with traditional Japanese music. They are pretty fast and I think they have a touch of black metal to them. They even have an instrumental on the cd, which is pretty cool. They songs are a tad long. They have MP3’s on he site so go check them out.

MOONSHADOW- Another Shot!
Caixa Postal 27013; San Paulo; SP; Brazil;CEP 04007-990
This is very different. The jury is still out on this one…I’m still deciding if I’m into it or not. First, the vocals sound to a ‘T’ like Ozzy. It’s unreal how similar they sound. The music has a 70’s sound though, something I would hear on the radio. They are influenced by a lot of rock bands from the 70’s and 80’s, which is very clear in their music. They also use keyboards which add to the sound.

NUSE- Hung Well
Brandon; 716 Boesel Ave; Manville, NJ, 08835; www.nuse.tv
These guys have a rock/thrash/hard core sound to them. They are a tri with a Slayer/Metallica influence, which is noticeable in their music. I also heard a Biohazard influence to them too. I can pick that up in any band (since they are my favorite). They have played all over and with a ton of metal bands. Very good sound to them but they also have a unique sound to them. Check them out, they have Mp3’s on the site.

PULSE 8
Doug Carter; 1305 Alberta; Convington, KY 41016; www.uwillpulse8.com
4 song CD of some rocking metal. They are pretty heavy, and the singer has some high pitch screaming, almost like someone would be holding his balls or something. Compared to most of the stuff I have been hearing lately, really good production too. Everything is crisp and clear. Not bad, they should be checked out.

RAIN- Headshaker
Alessio Amorati; Via Palmiro Togliatti, 41; 40024 Castel San Pietro Terme; (BO) Italy; www.raincrew.com
These guys have a rock/power metal sound to them. And boy, can that singer hit those high notes. Just as high as that singer from the 80’s metal band Firehouse. He can really hit them. He has an awesome singing voice too. The music is heavy and the production is really good. Everything is crisp and clear. A+ for power metal.

SALEM FIRES
Michael Bernier; 261 Pine Street; Apartment 26; Manchester, NH 03103
This is some gothic metal. The chick singer sounds like she could be in an opera, her voice is really good for that kind of stuff. They have a classical sound a little too. I think it has a touch of doom metal and a little dark too. They have been compared to Nightwish.

SANITY’S VOID- Law of the Masses
Mike Dietz; 807 Baker Add; Kamiah, ID 83536; www.sanitysvoid.20m.com
I would say these guys are an old school thrash/heavy metal band. The art work on the CD is from PJ Scoggins, who has been in the underground scene forever. I think the vocalist sounds like Dave from Megadeth a little, except when Dave is doing his singing for choruses. They are pretty heavy though and I suggest checking them out!

SEEDS OF EVIL.COM- Not for Pussies Comp CD
Ron Moody; 3720 East Tuttle Avenue; Terre Haute, IN 47805-1940; www.seedsofevil.com
First comp cd from the web site. Lots of good underground brutal death metal bands. Cystic Relapse, Amongst the Swarm, Necrophagous, eyes see red, Enforsaken and more. 16 bands in total. Contact him about the next one.

SLUDGE!- Behavior Modification Theory and As a Man Thinketh
Dave; 1932 Cologne Ave; Apt C-9; Mays Landing, NJ 08330; www.sludgenj.com
The vocals remind me of the singer of System of a Down. For the sound, and because they are so all over the place, with tones and ranges. They sound good and the CD’s I have sound great. They are like a metal with a touch of hard core sound. The music is heavy and fast. Very different compared to anything I have received recently.

WACO JESUS- Filth (Morbid Records)
Shane; 103 Bacon; Dekin, IL 61544; www.wacojesus.com
When I first opened the package to this and the CD fell out, there was some nasty picture on the front. The first thing out of my mouth was, this has to be my Waco Jesus CD. And of course, it sure was! Could we expect anything less? If you never heard of these guys before, you must live in a closet. Great death/grind band from IL. Super low vocals, with the high screams here and there. The drummer is going so fast, it’s unreal. This is a must for the underground fan.

WOODLAN’S EDGE- Liquified in the Molten Bowels of Earth
Matt Zelinsky; 2504 Trafalgar Sq; Champaign, IL 61821-5333
This is a one man band. This is some raw, dark black metal. The production is a little rough, it’s a little hard to make out. But when it’s “raw”, I think it’s suppose to be like that. The drums sound pretty good. It’s really not my thing, but black metal fans will enjoy it.

16 PIECE BUCKET- Playing to Win
PO Box 19930; Cincinnati; OH 45219; www.angelfire.com/punk/16piecebucket
This is a hard core/punk/metal band. The vocals seem a little loud to me. Other than that, I'm digging this. They have a mix of old school punk, but I'm hearing newer hard core metal in their sound as well. Decent CD.

ABORTION CLINIC- Premature Birthulation
PO Box 493; Rutland, MA 01343; www.abortionclinic-usa.com
The lyric's for this cd are so fucking funny. "A cloud of toxic vapor creeps across the room. Your nose hair starts to curl, it signals your doom. There's a stench in the room of rotten eggs. Emanating from a hole between your legs. Anal Vapor." Maybe it's just me, but that's some funny shit. Anyway, this reminds me of an old 80's thrash band. Vocal singing style of DRI in some songs. The music isn't bad, it's pretty heavy. I don't like the way the tom drums sound, they sound really low. When the vocals are in the mix, it's a little hard to hear the guitars, but other than that, no complaints.

AGAMEMNON- Angry Beyond Forgiveness
3 Maple Street; Garden City, NY 11530-1812; AEAzinedw@aol.com
This all, or pretty much all keyboards. It's very dark and ambience. The instruments were recorded in one take with inexpensive equipment. This is from 1995-1996. At some point, it is going to be part of another larger CD. I could hear this in a horror movie in the background. Very eerie.

BANE OF EXISTENCE
C/O Jim; 21 Zana Park Dr.; Braintree, MA 02184; www.baneofexistence.com
I like this! Death metal. It has an extremely heavy sound to it. The only thing I don't' like, the drums are a little low. The singer has a really low voice. They remind me of old Incantation. Decent stuff!

BEYOND THE EMBRACE
www.beyondtheembrace.com
I know nothing about these guys except they played at the New Jersey Fest in 2001. I guess that is where I got a CD from. These guys sound like the whole Swedish metal sound. Shadows Fall, In Flames, and I even hear a little bit of All that Remains in their sound as well. Pretty good, I like the vocals, they sound like Brian Flair. Not bad, glad I got it.

THE BUDDA-…Reveal the Truth
16 Vinal Street; #6; Brighton, MA 02135
I believe these guys have broken up and it's a sin because they are really good. They have a touch of everything, hard core, death, rock, just everything. Just when I think they start to sound like someone, their style changes unto something different. Their drummer is decent, he is all over the place. Very good disc.

CHARNEL HOUSE- From Birth to Burial
PO Box 570677; Whitestone, NY 11357
I was so psyched when I got in touch with Tom from this band. I'm so happy they are still together. I knew of these guys from when I was in FOF, we traded 'tapes' and I thought these guys were great. These guys have all the right qualities, death metal, thrash, and hard core slam beats. They really don't remind me of anyone, so I can't compare them to anyone. This is one of those CD's you just need to have!

CHRIS LEE- Welcome to Mockingbird
Devil Saint Booking; PO Box 19930; Cincinnati, OH 45219; http://www.angelfire.com/rock3/chrisleesolo/
This is a solo guitar album. No vocals, just guitar. There are drums though. I don't know much about guitar albums, since I'm not a guitar player. I can tell you he has some pretty cool riffs. I felt some touches of Pink Floyd.

DWELLING MADNESS- Demo 2002
1729 Forrest Ave; Baltimore, MD 21234; http://dwellingmadness.com
Wow. That's all I can really say about this. This comes from some old members of Pessimist and they should be sad they lost some of these guys. This drummer is flying faster than anyone I ever heard before. They are a death metal band and they are extremely technical. I'd say one of the most technical I have heard in a long time. They have death, a touch of black metal and I'd even say a pinch of grind mixed in. Right now they are working with Death Raped Records, so make sure you get yourself a copy of this.

DYING ANGEL
Jason; 3355 Stumphall Road; Collegeville, PA 19426
Here is a local death metal band from my area. The CD has really good production, compared to most of the crap I get. This is a 3 song EP. They have some repetitive parts, and they have some long solo's, but other than that, it's a decent CD.

FURY- Slavekind
Rick Boon; 749 Lower North East Road; Paradise SA 5075; Australia
I swear the singer in this band has the Oderus sound (from GWAR). I don't know what it is, but his voice in some parts remind me of him. Then, other parts, he reminds me of the singer from DRI (Remember them?!) The music is pretty heavy. They have a great sound. I even think some parts of the music has a GWAR sound. The drummer is really good, he is flying. CD's are $10 for anyone interested in obtaining a copy.

GRAND FACADE
Ricky VanNatta; 4869 S. Bluff; Wichita, KS 67210
I'm not a huge fan of this. The music is pretty decent. The vocals seem to get a little drowned out by the music though. The music is heavy, there are death metal parts. It's different, every song has a different vocal style. Either death metal, or a heavy rock sound. Almost sounds like 2 different bands.

GOATROT- Frenetic Goat Worship
PO Box 7942; Pgh, PA 15216; http://www.goecities.com/goatrot/goatrotindex.htm
Wow, if I didn't know if I was going to hell yet, I am after listening to this. It is some pretty evil shit. The goatmaster is Beliah, who also plays in the band Lethal Prayer, who is a black metal band who has been around forever. Dark, evil and satanic.

MEDIUM- Terra Firma
MediuMusic; PO Box 274; Bolton, MA 01740
I love this CD! It's a great rock CD. It's nothing super heavy. They remind me of Life of Agony, not River Runs Red, but the newer stuff, that kind of rock music. The singer voice doesn't remind me of anyone, but he has the range like Keith (from LOA). If you are into rock music, you'll like this! Check out the interview with them also.

METH
Bill Sannwald; 3538 Paseo Salamoner; La Mesa, CA 91941
This seriously sounds like something I would hear in a video game. Not all of it, but the keyboard sounds are pretty cool. He has a bit of everything on here. Pretty different stuff. He describes his CD as BioMorphic Symphony. If you are looking for something different, this is your CD.

MISERABLE FAILURE- Will of the Herd
Andy Albatross; 337 West Judy Circle; Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
By the time I got done typing out their address, half of the CD was done! Just kidding, but their songs are pretty short and to the point. This is definitely some grind. He's is pretty fast with the words spitting out of his mouth. Everything is just flying. The vocals seemed a little muffled, but the sound isn't bad.

PLEXUS- Departure
Marcelo Martins; Alamdea Morano, 1-Pituba; Cep. 41.830-610-Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
I got this a while ago, but the wonderful post office that we have destroyed the CD. So I downloaded some songs off of the web site. Coming from Brazil, I was expecting to hear something that sounded like Sepultura, or something along those lines. I was a little off. This sounds like some power metal with some rock mixed in. The singer has a really great voice. One of the few CD's I have were you can actually hear the bass guitar clearly. Sounds good, go check them out.

RAIN- Bigditch4707
C/O Amorati Alession; via P/ Togliatti 41; 40024 Castel S. Pietro (BO) Italy; http://www.raincrew.com
This sounds like power metal. The singer has a pretty good voice. The music definitely sounds like it came from the 80's. I'm not a big power metal fan, so I really don't know who I could compare these guys too. They have a good sound though, so if you like power metal, contact them.

STATIC ZINE Exemplar #14 CD Vol #3 and Exemplar Number 15
Russell; 115 East River Road; Kawkawlin, MI 48631
Sampler CD #14 with Skitzo (my favorite), Lucid, Deadfood, Grand Façade, Cry for Dawn and 8 more bands. Number 15 is with bands Drogeheda, God Eat God, Unholydeath, FTF, Miserable Failure and a ton more. Bands can send in their material and $5 to Russell for up to 5 minutes on his next CD. Wholesale prices on the CD's are 12 CD's for $20.

SPIRITUAL ECLIPSE- Amaranth
383 Castlmaine Ct; San Jose, CA 95135
These guys have a unique sound to them. They have the death metal sound to them, but I feel a touch of black metal too in the vocals. They are fast and a little grindy. It sounds they have some effects to the vocals, which sound pretty cool.

SKITZO- Hellavator Musick
PO Box 1721; Healdsburg, CA 95448
One of my favorite bands in the underground are back! Just one metal album after another. I'm disappointed though, no vomit shots, or gross shots of the pussy on the cover of the CD? These guys have been everywhere, Stern, Jerry Springer (which I saw myself), Ripley's Believe it or not and more. This CD is no disappointment though!

UNHOLY DEATH- Channeling Ngrithor
Tim; 14717 Slyvan; #3; Van Nuys, CA 91411-2224; http://unholydeath.henderco.com
This is a live CD from 10/1996 recorded from I-Rock and it was recorded from someone's camcorder. The sound is extremely low, I had to blast my speakers to hear it. But for a live show, other than being low, the sound isn't bad at all. I'm surprised. You can hear the drums clearly and you can also hear the bass and guitars. The vocals aren't muffled either. These guys are a death metal band, who have been around forever.

CD Reviews From Metal Mafia Issue #10...

SPINEBELT-A Small But Very Permanent Hell
PO Box 54425; Philadelphia, PA 19148
There are some really heavy slamming parts. This is metal and it has a touch of hard core mixed in. The guitar sounds real heavy. When the guy isn't using his brutal vocals, he is kinda singing a little, and I don't think that mixes in too well. But all and all this is really good. I can only imagine what they sound like live. This only has a couple songs, and they are taken from their release coming out this summer.

DOOMSTONE-Satanavoid
Tirade Productions; Chuck; 1636 Diamond Springs Road #102; Virgina Beach, VA 23455
This is a side project of King Farley of Deseased/Oct 31. I'm not really too into the vocals. This is sounding like Venom and Mercyful Fate. Just not my thing. The CD's are 12 US and 15 World wide, postage paid and first class mail.

END IT
Jeff; 180 Rosetta; Auburn Hills, MI 48326
This comes from the guy who use to play in World of Hurt, and I really diged them and I like this guys too. They are just a metal band, with some death metal/hard core vocals. The vocals seem a little low for some reason, it sounds like the guitars are drowning them out.

FETUS AFTERMATH-Everything Disgusting and Bile
Darcy; 42 Billingham Cres; 2B; Kanata, Ontario, Canada; K2K 2T7
This has some cool samples to it. I dig the vocals on this. They are death metal, but they are higher than the normal low growls. The music for some reason sounds muffled. They are really fast, I can hear the hi-hat flying. Other than the sound, this is real good.

THE FORGOTTEN
PO Box 354; Commack, NY 11725
The whole CD looks so pro. This is some black metal. The singer has high vocals and then there are also really really really low growls. I have never heard someone go that low before. The songs are real lengthy, too.

PRIMAL DAWN
Pat Kennedy; 7 Glenville Road; Blanchardstown; Dublin 15; Eire
I don't like the drum sound on this. The snare drum, it just doesn't sound right. Like it doesn't have that poppy sound to it. This is a mix between death and black metal I think. It could pass for both. It is a little hard to hear the bass drum too.

PSYCHOTOGEN-Two Song Promo
Rob Kline; 3814 Chenoak Ave; Baltimore, MD 21234
Wow, this sounds awesome! I wish there were more songs. The whole sound is great. They are wicked tight. The vocal range is nuts, he does the high screams and it almost reminds me of Matt of Lividity's screams. Then he does the low growls. I'll be waiting at my mailbox for the full length to come. Check out the interview too!

RELENTLESS-Wait for the Lightening
John Flaherty, PO Box 2851; Kensington, MD 20891-2851
This is some power metal it sounds like. This is totally something I would have heard in the 80's. The production is real clear and crisp. The vocals are actually really good, he uses different ranges.

REIGN OF TERROR-Inkpig
Mark; 1724 Tulane Road; Norfolk, VA 23518
That poor little pig! This is a 3 song EP. These guys remind me of an old school thrash/speed band. There is one part in the first song and for some reason it reminds me of GWAR. This even has guitar solo's which is something I haven't heard in a while from any band!

Reviews from past Metal Mafia Issues...

ALL THAT REMAINS
This is totally one of my favorites. I got this in Milwaukee and I have been afraid to listen to it b/c I thought it was doom for some reason and I can't stand doom. But to my surprise, when I popped it in, I was mistaken! This band has former members of Shadow's Fall, Exhumed (MA), Scattered Remnants and probably more and I just can't remember them all right now. The vocals are clean metal vocals. They have some killer riffs. The music itself is fucking heavy and there is a couple really cool little slower parts but then it goes right back into the heavy parts. My ONLY problem, it is only three songs! What the fuck?! They are going to be recording sometime in the new year so look for a full length soon!

ANWYL-Bloody Mary
Non Compos Mentis Records; 95 West 8th Street; Deer Park, NY 11729
This is the first release for Non Compos. This is a black metal band from KS. Who ever thought there was heavy music out there?! This is some black metal for you. They are really fast. Their drummer is flying on the double bass and in his fills. They have a good sound.

BURIAL-Mourning the Millennium
Another killer bands from Western Mass. Death metal here. The vocals are real low with a cool high pitched scream here and there. The music is great, it is real fast. One of the better death metal bands I have heard in a long time. Check out the interview, damn it!!

THE CHASM-Deathcult for Eternity: The Triumph
6240 S. Kedzie Ave; Apt. 204; Chicago, IL 60629
Daniel's vocals are so different in Chasm than what they were in that other band he played in (Incantation). The music is heavy and melodic. He is using he vocal cords to the fullest extent. The riffs are fast and the drummer is great. These guys will go far!

THE CHASM-Promotional CD 1999
6240 S. Kedzic Ave-Apartment 204-Chicago, IL 60629
Real heavy death metal. The vocals are so heavy and aggressive. The music is fast and the production is real good. Their drummer is real good, he is super fast and his blast beats are unreal.

COMPRESSION
PO Box 6726-Towson, MD 21285-6726
Hard core, these guys rule! I have been a fan of them for years. They have a original sound to them. Some of the beats are so killer. I'm not sure what this is called, this is their new one which should have been out around October. Vocals are unlike anyone's that I heard before. Excellent band!

CORROSIVE-Rotting Within
PO Box 861; Shady Spring, WV 25918
This is a death metal band. The production sound so clear. The hi hat is pretty piercing, sound great. These guys have some good beats, a couple off time measures. The vocals are super low or anything, but they are low enough to be considered death metal. I dig 'em.