LP Review: "Overtures of Blasphemy" by Deicide

Overtures of Blasphemy

It's pretty rare for me to review an album by a famous band, much less a very famous band, but you gotta hand it to Deicide.

The Glen Benton led group is on the cusp of releasing their twelfth studio album. For a Death Metal band to crank out that many, well, it's like a rock band doing fifty records.

Case in point...contemporaries Morbid Angel only have nine.

In a world that's ever changing and growing, it's comforting to know that Benton is ever steadfast in cemented stances. Songs like One With Satan remind us that Deicide is still committed to our fully inflated Dark Lord and bitchin' guitar riffs.

If you're looking for some old school death metal written and performed by progenitors of the genre, well, then you're in luck. Deicide, like Slayer, continues to remain to true to what makes them Deicide.

Loud guitars. Blast beating drums. Lyrics about Satan. If you liked it last time, you're probably going to be totally into it this time.

9/14/18 FACEBOOK PREORDER

LP Review: "New Beginnings" by Radio Moscow

New Beginnings

Radio Moscow is a pretty special band to me. Around six or seven years ago now, when my personal musical reawakening was taking place, James Leg, formerly of the Black Diamond Heavies, led me to Alive-Natural Sound.

This particular rabbit hole eventually led me to The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz by Radio Moscow.

There's no question that everything they've done since then has been through my ears and blown my mind.

It was always cool seeing them as part of my favorite record label, but times, they are a-changin'.

New Beginnings is Radio Moscow's major label debut. So, the band that only a few of my friends had heard of will no longer be our secret. They're being exposed to the whole wide world now. Before writing this review, I had to listen to L!ve In California on vinyl again....

Album Review: "Hidden Evolution" by Angelus Apatrida

Hidden Evolution

Today I have the opportunity to review another band from a non-English speaking country that chooses to sing in perfect English.

I'm no closer to solving this conundrum. I hope that one day I can leave behind a world in which either people feel free to sing in their native tongues, or that will die knowing that I have solved the issue that gets to me.

I also wonder why death metal bands sing in English....or if they're singing in English really. Perhaps the titles are just in English......anyway.

Angelus Apatrida is a group of Spanish thrash metallers.

Formed in 2000, Hidden Evolution is their fifth full length album and their third for Century Media. Their last release was 2012's The Call. This is the first time I've heard anything by this band, so it's all new territory for me.

Album Review: "Death's Not Dead" by The Crown

Death's Not Dead

Again we return to my personal favorite metal subgenre: Death Metal.

Our subject today is not from my native shores of the United Sates of America, but from far across the pond in Trolhattan, Sweden.

There must be something to the long winter nights that turns their young people really, really metal.

The Crown is hardly a new band, though this is their third name. Their first, Crown of Thorns had to be dropped following an injunction by the American band of the same name.

Then some legal wrangling and they're back at it. Though, it's been 15 years since their last album and many years after their original breakup, this album features four of the five original members, only guitarist, Robin Sorqvist lacks the original pedigree, but let us move onto the music.

Album Review: "Back To The Front" by Entombed A.D.

Back To The Front

Entombed, wait, Entombed AD, welcome back, to the front as it were.

For some of us in the world, you'd never left the front of our consciousness. For a close friend of mine, their Wolverine Blues record is the be all and end all of death metal. Just even mentioning the genre and he spouts off that title.

There was a bit of an issue and now the band has changed up their name in order to continue, but the group has been at this a very long time.

When I had my first taste of extreme metal, Entombed were among the first I'd heard. I still think back to when my friend introduced me to death metal and I still see the Carcass, Napalm Death, Entombed, and Forbidden album covers in his room....oh to be 16 again right?

Album Review: "War Eternal" by Arch Enemy

War Eternal by Arch Enemy

Is there anyone who is not familiar with Arch Enemy?

Born of Carcass, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, and more?

Champions of women in metal?

OK, there has to be someone, so, a quick history lesson. The group was formed in 1996 after Michael Amott left Carcass.

Originally, the band's vocalist was Johan Liiva who was replaced by Angela Gossow in 2000.

In 2014, it was announced that at after 14 years, eight albums, and more, Angela was going to leave the band and she had even chosen her successor, Alissa White-Gluz, formerly of The Agonist. Angela and Micheal are still married and she is still involved with the band, but she has chosen to no longer participate in a musical capacity.

"Cursed Redeemer" by Miasmal

 For our consideration today,  here is the latest release from Gothenburg, Sweden, Miasmal.

Formed in 2007, they recorded their first demo in 2008, released their debut EP in 2010, and their debut LP in 2011.

Cursed Redeemer is their sophomore album and their first for Century Media.

Miasmal lives in old school death metal.

Upon first listen it's not entirely apparent that they are not from Tampa Bay.

Their sound, their feel, and their anger are very reminiscent of old school, Florida styled death metal.

"Splinters" by Vallenfyre

Vallenfyre is a side project.

Paradise Lost's primary songwriter, Greg Mackintosh, started the group a few years back. Today we we have their second full length album.

The group was the "natural" reaction to Mackintosh losing his father. He put his feelings into verse and into chords.

Mackintosh is joined by Hamish Glencross of My Dying Bride on rhythm and lead guitar, Scoot of Doom on bass guitar, and Adrian Erlandsson also of Paradise Lost and more on the drums.

Vallenfyre has looked to the past for inspiration: Napalm Death, Bathory, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost and more, but more is added to the pot to make the band something different than any of those bands.

Eponymous by Vampire

Here's a band from Sweden. It's a bit hard to believe that death metal records still come out of Sweden, but here we are.

Like Ghost, Kiss, and others, Vampire's identities remain a secret and horror is a very big theme in their writing. Mystique as a thing that can never hurt a metal band.

Remember, there was nothing worse than seeing Ozzy Osbourne taking out his garbage after the mystique was gone.

This album was a recorded in a fully analog studio between September and October of 2013. The place is owned by pop musicians and rarely do they ever work with metal bands. Due to their recording in an old fashioned studio, the music has a warm feel to it that modern day equipment just cannot touch.

"Back From Beyond" by Massacre

First and foremost, I am a music fan and that's why I do this. Sometimes, I'll see the buzz about a record and think, I really need to hear that album. Well, that's how I was feeling about Massacre's first full length LP since 1996.

This band has a very interesting and unique history. The members here have cross pollinated with Death, Obituary, etc. They even did an EP with Cronus of Venom.

That's even cooler than Volbeat doing a song with King Diamond, but they did do a tour with Fate guitarist, Hank Shermann.

Massacre has a very Tampa Bay Death sound and one of the most interesting histories of break ups, reunions, and more. At this point, Massacre has two original members all of the original fury.

"Eye of the Storm (7" Single)" by The Haunted

The Haunted are a long running metal band from Sweden. Honestly, what is it with the Swedes and death metal...and hockey?

They have released a bunch of albums over the years. How have they never found my ears before today? Well, here we are and they are releasing an album called "The Eye of the Storm" later on in the year. Today we're considering the first single off of what will become their eighth studio album.

It's still surprising that this is the first I have heard of them, but I'm glad to have the opportunity to check out their first single.

The band got together in 1996 when the brothers Bjorler decided to be totally metal and start it all.

"In The Minds of Evil" by Deicide

Glen Benton!  Deicide has been around a very, very long time. In just a single year from now, the boys will be eligible for entry to the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and honestly if any death metal bands deserve it, they do.

Deicide got their start in the Tampa Bay Death Metal scene with other extreme acts like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, and Obituary. The evil ones in Deicide have never stopped. It's staggering to think about just how long this band has been at it. Twenty five years and still playing clubs.

 For me, it's very easy to respect the death metal bands. They know they're not going to get rich in music. They know that they won't be able to even do music full time. Lots of these guys have jobs on the side, but heavy music is their passion and for some, Glen Benton and his cohorts, it's a method of getting their message out. As usual, we'll be glossing over the lyrical content, because I don't care.