UNDERGROUND SOUND REVIEWS

REVIEWS

ALL HELL - KNARKBRAND

Ultra heavy groove metal front by the monster riff and hardcore style vocals. When I hear this stuff it reminds me of the great hardcore metal that was being born at clubs like The Metroplex (one of the greatest underground clubs ever!) in Atlanta in the mid 80's as hardcore and metal began to hybrid. These guys hail from our brother in metal, a place called Sweden. Their production is LOUD, their breaks and bridges abrupt and plentiful. Every once in a while they hit a hard lick that sounds like classic Pantera. What I really like are the arrangements. This is a band of excellent musicians and they take time to put alot of shifting changes in their music. Always a sign of a great metal band. May they have many years before them. Contact: allhell.se

NINETAIL - HALF TRUTHS & HAND GRENADES / PROJECT INDEPENDENT VOLUME V

Hardcore war metal, complete with blast beat and thrashing grind. The title cut kicks off the assault early, burning into the progressive "Seasoned Scheme" Ninetail are forging metal all the way. Though they hit a slow spot halfway through, they start recoving in the last third about Trials Of A Madman" and bring it home till the warcore deluges into anarchy and chaos on disc closer "So Be It". This Ninetail release is part of a double disc set which also features the Project Independent compilation. Now at Volume V, this time out things are again pure metal featuring new and seasoned bands. Cuts like the The Knife by Seasons After are definite high volume metal radio material. You've got a few sound-a-likes and some fodder, but of the 18 songs you've got 13 or 14 winners. Whatever this group of heads lacks in singing, overall they more than make up for it with the riff. Contact: www.ninetail.org, www.projectindependent.net

JIM SINISTER - DARK UTOPIA

Jim's modern electronic music represented in this 9 song "demo" sat around for a few years while Jim kept trying to put a full group together, without much luck (believe me, I KNOW that feeling). Seems Jim found a certain Dark Mistress in his life which inspired him to let the world hear his creations. It's a varied mix, at times reminding me of styles of old school college dance music (DNA, New World Order) early industrial (Politi-Kill), projessive guitar jams (Implant U Implant Me), and ambient gothic (title cut). It's in evidence Jim has talent, hopefully for his new stuff, he won't keep us in the dark. Contact: www.myspace.com/cynicaldarkmistress

V-RATS - INTELLIGENT DESIGN

The kind of music V-Rats make reminds you of when you first fell in love with heavy music, how the big fat riffs, thick vocals and soaring lead guitars made you feel. I'd say the band's music is a throwback (didn't I just do that??) but the matter is this style of music goes out of vogue for a while, then seems to come roaring back for extended periods of time when people find and or/remember how good hard rock can really be. Plus, you have a song like "Lisa", which in any era would be a modern rock hit. It is true what has always been said, good songs with great hooks and chorus never goes out of style. V-Rats can bring the fire that goes with the trials of life (Point Of No Return), bringing the mode of tension to the forefront. Without a doubt the band is much more than alterna-pop-metal smaltz. These boys rock! Check out one of last year's best hard rock releases - The UK does it again! Contact: thevaselinerats.com

SYNCHRONY - LEVEL RED

Progressive, guitar based instrumentals drawing from the time tested well of bands like earlier Rush, King Crimson, Joe Satriani and even the very early days of Journey when alot more jamming went on. Joseph T Lor is Synchrony, performing all instruments on all numbers of this 13 song disc (well the first song is a collage of the rest). His skills as far as songwriting, arranging and recording are top notch, and he likes the singing guitar tone reminding me occasionally of the heavier fusion players. Alot of the songs almost seem structured for lyrical phrasing, but I couldn't tell you what might be going on in the artist's mind. What's going on music wise on the disc though is a great listen. Fine for a country drive partaking in your favorite mood modifyer. Contact: www.synchrony1.com

VERTIGO - AND MILES TO GO BEFORE WE SLEEP

Above par alternative rock, female fronted, with some songs scoring high (evaporate) and then one right behind it that needs a little lift (requiem). Creativity is sited within a few works (flinch) and an overly sense of emotion invades all. There is no denying though, that Lindsey Stamey is a powerhouse vocalist. Her range is better mid range to higher, up to a point. She has a classic pronounced definition.. The rest of the band is well up to the task of providing her plenty of theme to canvas over, much of it close to the psychedelic side of english gothic bands. The twisitng turns of the jams in Waltzing On A Sunday make for enlightened hearing, while set closer Melatonin, is perfect for the chill.. As for much of Vertigo and this fine album, it all is a matter of perspective. Contact: http://www.soundofvertigo.com/

DECEMBER'S COLD WINTER - ABLAZE ALL SHRINES

Costa Rican death metalers December's Cold Winter have worked hard and opened for metal's dark edge greats Sepultura, Behemoth and Fear Factory among others. Their maturity is full front on Ablaze All Shrines, epic multi part thrashing black metal with plenty of grind, blast beat and scream. Songs like "Sorid Pride" are classic, it is within a format all things metal, but loose enough to be daring disaster. When death metal goes progressive, such is the result. This is the type of black metal that at first strikes you as harsh, but wth repeated listens, it turns out to be beautiful in darkness. The band has a definitely death metal slant, with seems to combine more in the black to defy all religions, regardless of god nor lord. They also speak of the death of the earth, but not so much as pagans, but as humans mourning. This album summons deep substance, the lyrics weaving iron poetry tightening around the failures of man. At least from central america, there are few bands which get all this together. The metal gets heavier most of the time the further south you go (there is a huge difference in underground metal just from the US to Mexico), December's Cold Winter is flying the flag strong for the middle american ranks. The title cut, three into the disc, proves they've got the deft skills, AND the artillery, to back it up. Rarely do you get a disc that there's not a slack song, or more, there. This disc exceeds those qualities. Highly Recommended. Contact: www.decemberscoldwinter.com

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