DESDEMONA „s.u.p.e.r.N.O.V.A.”
Yet another Polish band that creates fairly original and interesting music. The ambient atmosphere makes me forget the somewhat bad grammar in the lyrics and the poor pronunciation.
CHOLERIC „Weed out the Weak”
This band that hails from New Orleans plays somewhat hot-tempered (= choleric) music. Nothing for the weak ; ) … hardcore, death metal, thrash… you name it.
.
SLOW ROOSEVELT „Weightless”
These Americans are all about the music, no image, no shit… although they look like they’ve gotten a good beating on the back of the CD, very artistic ; )
.
MARS VOLTA, THE „De-loused in the Comatorium”
De-Loused In The Comatorium is an iridescent, fearless, brain-busting hour of music, a fictionalized celebration of Julio Venegas’ life. Based on a story written by Cedric, it is a concept album in which the hero tries to commit suicide by overdosing on morphine.
WITHOUT END „Promo”
Is this a Slayer rip off or what? I recognize this pre-death metal kind of thrashing groove. In the last song they even include a Slayer trademark solo with a little Metallica touch to it.
VARSO „The Eastern Fashion”
It all starts out with synthesizer sounds and a bass line that could be taken from Faith No More. The vocals sound a little like Mike Patton actually.
ULTRASPANK „Progress”
All I can say is that there is a certain feeling this album brings. I guess contentment should be the best description of it.
SHOCK OF THE SYSTEM „Taste the Fist, Smell the Fear – Demo”
It's all an melodic old-school thrash inferno and every now and then more modern influences such as Machine Head shine through. The vocals are a lot like early Metallica, but a little sleazier.
SKITZO „Hellavator Musick”
What can I say? I'm a little confused on this one. What the hell has the first song in common with the rest? It's some kind of Nirvana meets M.
SOUNDGARDEN „Badmotorfinger”
Don’t expect a bad review of this classic album. Soundgarden is one of my all-time favorite bands.
THUNDER REIGNS „Evil One (1 track single promo)”
What can I say? Sometimes people should stick to the concept: less is more! It's too much lead crap with a sleazy style on top of the otherwise not bad Iron Maiden-like music. The lead guitarist seems to have a huge ego.
RELAYPSE „Demo”
First of all: they are young and Italian… doesn't say much, does it? Well, their demo sounds like a highly professional recording and the production is pretty close to the first Godsmack-album. What first stuck me was the great sound quality.
PROJECT MOTIVATION „Demo”
This demo has a really professional sound and the production is raw and heavy with that underground touch. I really enjoyed it but it wasn't entirely my favorite stuff cos it's heavy all the way.
PRO-PAIN „Foul Taste of Freedom”
When I first heard this band back in '93 they really knocked me off my feet. While Biohazard (a band I ”discovered” simultaneously) played heavy and somewhat rap-influenced hardcore the guys from Pro-Pain represented a more rock-fueled metalcore that in many senses reminded of thrashmetal at it's best.
MALOS TRAGOS „Autosuficiencia Denegada”
What can I say? It’s no good and it’s in Spanish! I don’t know why I’m supposed to review this one ‘cos it’s really not my thing and doesn’t fit in on this site. How about, really boring punk-influenced music without neither substance nor charm? I know I’m being naughty here but what the hell – this is crap! Imagine skilled musicians that play a mix of Die Toten Hosen (German commercialized punk rock), old Red Hot Chili Peppers tunes with a touch of Blondie… if this gives you a boner, feel free to read on!
.
MINDSCAPE „Dismantling Evolution”
A lot of energy here from this American band from Ohio. What first comes to my mind is Prong and Coroner.
MOONLIGHT „Candra”
It starts with a song that mostly sounds like Stereo Mud meets Faith No More meets Korn with female vocals. Heavy, groovy …killer track.
MUSTASCH „Above All”
It might be hard to get hold of this one outside Europe but it's worth trying. I promise you!
.
LIFE OF AGONY „River Runs Red”
When I first heard this band (at the same point I discovered Tool) I was impressed by the way heavy music could be combined with really emotional vocals. It was something new and fresh.
LUNACY „Grey Silence”
These guys are obviously from Switzerland. SPV licensed this MCD from the Swiss label Witchhunt Records.
HEDON CRIES „Hate Into Grief”
Hedon Cries is a new band from Greece and “Hate Into Grief” is their debut album. The album contains 8 songs of death metal from witch other reminds of Dark Tranquility and others of My Dying Bride and Saturnus.
HEFEYSTOS „Psycho Cafe”
I have never heard this Polish band before and I have to admit that I don’t regret it that much. First of all I have to say that the vocals are awful.
INFECTION CODE „Life Continuity Point”
This is strange stuff made by some crazy Italians that started spreading the disease back in 1999! They have had a great deal of success in Italy and in magazines and were even on some compilation with bands such as: Biohazard and Spineshank… not bad! I really enjoyed this chaotic disarray.
.
IRON MONKEY „s/t”
To begin with the music: heavy doomy with that metal edge on the guitars. Not really stoner-rock but 70-influenced in the same vein as the bands mentioned earlier on.
GODDAMNED, THE „s/t – Demo”
It's not stoner in the same way as Kyuss but these Swedish guys kick out quite a jam. The music is 70s influenced but there is a little touch of metal and hardcore in their sound, guess it's the Cathedral-sounding production.
GODHEAD „Evolver”
This CD really took me by surprise. I've heard a couple of tracks from their first album “2000 Years of Human Error” (released in 2001) and I really hated their Marilyn Manson-like boring electro-rock.
FADING COLOURS „The Beginning 89-93”
“Well, everything started in 1986 in Boleslawiec, Poland (near Jelenia Gora). Brothers Leszek and Krzysztof Rakowski, together with Piotr Jerominow and Pawel Nowak, created the band “Bruno The Questionable.” The name was taken from the movie “Jabberwocky” by Monty Python.
FADING COLOURS „Black Horse”
This 12 track album is nothing over the top and after a couple of songs it gets really tiring. It's goth rock but I've heard it all before and I have to say that Sisters of Mercy do it way better! To be honest this album has got some good qualities but the over-all impression is poor.
FADING COLOURS „Time”
This is an album (?) full of remixes three songs: “Time”, “Spring” and “Lie”.To be honest it is quite enjoyable but a little too much. The band seems a little schizophrenic not settling for one different version of each track.
FALLEN WISDOM „Pleasure Turns To Pain”
This is a true underground release. These four Puerto Rican guys (Steph, the guitarist, is a chick!) deliver ten songs, one of which is recorded in two versions (one in Spanish).