EP Review: Resilient - The Art Of Resilience

Resilient - The Art Of Resilience

Chaos And Hell Productions - 2021

8/10

Resilient are a recent death metal act that have only had one release and some singles, two being in the year of 2021 when they formed. Based in Santiago, the Chileans cook up a quick and crisp version of the style, and the two-color purple cassette kind of reeled me in alone a while back. The Art Of Resilience is the name of their second release, being an EP that extends on what we got earlier that year. It’s a ride that passes through pretty quickly, since it’s just four tracks and two instrumentals.

The “Intro (Origin)” opener is a soft acoustic lead that takes us to “The Dark Room,” a neat little tune showcasing the band’s ability to carve this sound out of rather steady rhythms, airing on the more accessible side of the genre. The following “Vomiting Blood” lets on some blitzing drum blasts and faster acceleration for a taste of contrast, both fitting nicely under the flattering solos. I personally think the production boosts the solos, having a primitive fuzz atop otherwise concise and clear leads. “Black Clouds” (the previously released single) and closer “Searching For Balance” are tied together nicely with the eerie, bass passage “Interlude (Climax),” ending on a fluid note that mostly sees the same composure as the first half. Some of these songs teeter on a little longer than they really needed to, particularly in the back end, but the whole EP is still pretty easy to take in.

The Art Of Resilience is a solid sampling of something that would make a solid full-length if the songs are chopped up a little more with some additional track distribution. Nothing new or groundbreaking is to be found, but I’m still glad I scooped this tape. For newer bands under the OSDM influences, it’s most similar to the likes of their Chilean brothers Invocation, and perhaps some Oath Of Cruelty.

Album Review: Negative Vortex - Tomb Absolute

Negative Vortex - Tomb Absolute

Sentient Ruin Laboratories - 2023

6.5/10

Negative Vortex are a death metal act that sprang up in the U.S. nearly a decade ago, first making an appearance with an EP before hibernating until now. The doom-cladded outfit would spend many years cooking up what would become a first full-length in the form of Tomb Absolute. It certainly cements everything that was hinted at back in the mid 2010s, taking that format to a higher scope. Well that, and treating this with all kinds of production help.

Because of this, Negative Vortex curates what I call a very huge sound in a sense that pulls forth blistering drum blasts that are as in-your-face as the mega-saturated guitar riffing. Beside that are a helping of vocals that come up just as high, presented with a gurgling growl that manages to take any overly-filthy edges off thanks to such a clear production. Under this wide umbrella falls a combination of song structures that move from explosive, unrelenting speeds with all of this in the foreground to the earlier architecture of slow, rumbling doom/death. The two work together better than I would have pictured, mostly because of the tremolos and wailing leads that mesh both together, and I can’t pretend the bass doesn’t help out. “Cicuta” really masters that technique in the song’s outing.

As great as all of this sounds, unfortunately such strong feats are presented in a way that’s very overwhelming just due to the fact that none of these parts really get to shine in their own right, and feel like they’re constantly competing. Moreover, the aforementioned gurgly vocal style doesn’t mesh well with such a clean production. In fact, said production is probably part of why this can feel like so much at once, and the fifty-four minute runtime really doesn’t assist in that realm. In other words, the parts themselves are masterful, but the presentation of them together leave not more to be desired, but honestly, less.

Tomb Absolute is definitely a worthwhile enough spin to check out for those that like the bigger sounds of the death metal genre, especially if a side of doom is desired. Clearly a lot of time went into this, and every band member knows their trade very well. They would benefit, however, from trading-off the forefront and toning down the studio-aided gradient. Cutting back a few tracks could do wonders, as well. At the end of the day, the songs move through with some serious potential, and nothing stands out as what I’d call bad. Much of this is personal preference, and I’d still suggest seeing for yourself.

Album Review: Enforcer - Zenith

Enforcer - Zenith

Nuclear Blast - 2019

9/10

A heavy disclaimer, I’m breaking my typical reviewing character for this one.

What! Are you telling me that Enforcer opted not to make a fourth album in a row of the exact same format they’ve been doing? What do you mean that the hints dropped in From Beyond consisting of cooler songs and a focus away from speed metal would be realized entirely on the next album? Absolutely bizarre! Introducing glammier elements as well as typical Europower epicness that has been slowly revealing itself for two albums could never stain my speed metal! But oh, I’m afraid, these characteristics will be quite operational, when your metal dweeb friends arrive! A shame, because that absolutely wouldn’t have been totally boring and predictable or anything. Do you think, maybe, you can only do so much with speed metal before needing to shed your skin into a different style?

Seriously, though; it’s been four years since the release of Zenith, and I’m still in absolute shock over its reception. This is not a record that I went into thinking that I would be the only person that defends it. It would be one thing if it was nothing but by-the-numbers Bon Jovi clones, Kiss knockoffs, or Ratt regurgitation (as much as I love all of those bands, it wouldn’t fit). But are you fucking kidding me? Enforcer’s fifth effort is an elaboration on the epic buildups and calmer construction that made itself known on its predecessor, and it’s truly a tremendous leap forward in this thing we call musical evolution. Not heavy? Not powerful? No, I’m sorry, that’s objectively incorrect. There’s one (1) whole ballad, and a movement away from speed metal as the main ingredient. I didn’t realize that something had to be speed metal to be heavy, powerful, or impactful.

The fifth installment by the Swedish powerhouse is full of life, solos, refreshing ideas, and emotion that just realizes itself in a different form. “Zenith Of The Black Sun” really couldn’t paint this picture any better. Is it slower for a hot minute? Oh yeah. Then guess what, it morphs from slow suspense into several layers of soloing and riffing under a colorful gradient, played at (wait for it) faster speeds! Look also to “Forever We Worship The Dark,” a tune that sprinkles the same suspenseful influence but instead relies on a gang-chant chorus and a powerful lead-melody bridge to deliver the payload, rather than a blitzing riff that everyone will choose to conveniently ignore. Even “One Thousand Years Of Darkness” knocks this out of the park, channeling in a power metal oriented derivative, crammed into a straightforward template that helps complement the epic nature of the other two songs I just mentioned.

My theory is that two single songs are what gave everyone this false idea that Zenith sounds anything remotely close to Def Leppard. For one, the intro in opener “Die For The Devil,” a whole 2 seconds of the album, certainly could make a case for this. Otherwise, this is an emotion-heavy tune that just relies on a catchy chorus (like they did plenty of on every other fucking album), except it does by that better by utilizing harmonics and melancholy in the verses. “Regrets” is our single ballad, the other thing that likely gave this record its reputation, but even then, Enforcer haven’t tampered with soft piano as the entire foundation yet. Not only is this well written, but it compliments Olaf’s vocals, and fits the general flow of the disc.

What we’re left with is the emulsion that blends these new ideas together. “The End Of A Universe” is a steady, cleaner tune that has a darker tint to balance things nicely, while “Searching For You” is a full-force speed metal tune. Damn, it’s a shame they didn’t just write nine more of these, isn’t it. Actually, it’s a great spike placed wonderfully to contrast the soft song that follows, reminding us of where the band came from in a smooth manner; not making us yearn for what was already done. “Thunder And Hell” does basically the same thing with a little more elaboration, and closer “Ode To Death” touches base with the established epic nature that weaves in and out of this whole record. I guess the intro could classify it as a half-ballad (God forbid), but it works very well for what it is. My literal only complaint involves “Sail On,” mostly because the chorus misses the point of repetition’s usefulness, and feels far too much like an obvious filler. But even this is a minor issue, and I can overlook it due to the keys-meet-guitar rhythm build.

I don’t really know how to wrap this up other than by saying if you haven’t given this a chance in years, maybe try listening again in a vacuum without the clouded stink of annoying expectations. If you're new to the band, this should sound anything but abnormal for a heavy metal release, and you should proceed as usual. This record is as great as Death By Fire and a step below Diamonds, it’s just, ya know, a little different. It’s full of strong choruses, heavy build-ups and galloping riffs. There’s a lot of emotion, harmonies, and layers that anybody could have predicted. It’s not a by-the-numbers glam metal throwback (which I probably would have dug to some degree anyway); this is an honest evolution of a speed metal band’s growth into something that I return to as often as the earlier albums, if not more. My days of being accused of being a contrarian are mostly behind me, and I can usually admit my biases these days, but not here. It’s everyone else that’s wrong, not me.

Album Review: Enforcer - From Beyond

Enforcer - From Beyond

Nuclear Blast - 2015

8.5/10

Maintaining the pattern of dropping a full-length every few years, Olof and co. continued towards their newer found recognition in the higher ranks rather quickly. Without dropping so much as a split or a single, Enforcer followed up what’s been a perfect formula for two albums with From Beyond, a third stab at the speed-meets-traditional metal with some extra taste structure, for their fourth record overall. I guess as the saying goes, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, right?

That does hold some merit, at least for a while. All things considered, From Beyond is a structurally sound release that continues with catchy hooks, melodic leads, crystal clean vocals, and a solid blend of rage and steadiness. As with many a death metal effort, doing what you’ve done well over again can yield some sturdy tunes, as long as it's channeled correctly, holding some sort of memorable variation. I’m pleased to say that is the case here, as several muscular impressions are made. “Undying Evil” is where my mind first wanders, holding some of the clearest yet fiercest vibes not only in the vocals, but in the minor-toned solo and bridge. The pattern of instrumental tunes being stuck in the center doesn’t go away, and I think “Hungry They Will Come” is one of the best ones, fitting the general vibe of the whole record nicely. Its calmer approach meeting adventurous tones and slightly unsettling, heavy progressions complement each other so nicely.

On the other hand, there is an ever-so-slight hint at moving towards a sound that favors the melody and anthemic build over the speed, which has been pretty balanced thus far. A fair amount of fast rippers still exist, such as “Hell Will Follow,” or the opening “Destroyer;” I’d probably even assign this description to the aforementioned “Undying Evil.” But the mellow nature of the title track, and the epic-cladded forays towards a calmer bunker shown on “Below The Slumber” reveal that more interest was invested into cool and concise stock. The title track has to be another favorite of mine, as they master building a repetitive chorus that works all the emotional feels, much of it owing to the sugary flavor. Hell, even the solo in this one is rather masterful, ascending in a very welcoming way. This isn’t really the dominant mode of production (yet), but it shows itself noticeably more clearly than before.

Ultimately, these cooler ingredients are what allow Enforcer to cook up the same formula a third time around without any signs of it going stale. I’ll admit, it definitely feels like it could be a transitional record. The back half (everything after “Hungry They Will Come”) is weak in comparison to the first half, boasting a flame slightly less hot than the two predecessors overall, but there’s still very little to complain about. Regardless, the sweeter tastes that fill in the speedy cracks make up my favorite parts of the record.

Album Review: Kommand - Terrorscape

Kommand - Terrorscape

Maggot Stomp - 2020

7/10

Before we got the refreshing death metal release known as Death Age, the U.S. outfit Kommand had another short blast of war and carnage, also composed of six tracks that didn't reach the thirty-minute mark. Titled Terrorscape, it’s a far more raw, rough, and overall discomforting dose of the style, aiming for a nastier sensation. Much noise gets through the proverbial strainer, giving the already chunky riffs even more bite. If that’s not enough, there’s a grindy hint tacked to the sides, pairing well with the hornet-buzzing guitar tones.

In other words, this very much captures the feeling that the grainy artwork displays, casting everything that could musically make one think of war, death, and massacre out in a menacing way. Vocally, it sounds furious in every corner, leaving little room for rhythmic standout. “Siege” definitely gives the most of this, and a lot of the best parts are when an isolated riff leads the direction of a song. This is even achieved with the bass at times, seen in “Archibloodago,” but for the most part, this is meant to work as an all-at-once experience of misery.

So it shouldn’t really be surprising that Terrorscape offers little in the realm of precision. For the most part, I would recommend submerging yourself in this for the easily achieved sole purpose of conveying torturous existence through nasty growls, crushing riffs, and a musty atmosphere all at once. Looking for anything else would be rendered futile, but for what Kommand was trying to do, I can appreciate it.

Album Review: Enforcer - Death By Fire

Enforcer - Death By Fire

Nuclear Blast - 2013

9.5/10

After perfecting their sound despite such a short history, Enforcer would jump into the more mainstream seats, at least in terms of the traditional metal world post 1991. Naturally, that also means signing to a bigger label and having a bigger budget to work with, thus a cleaner output. Death By Fire would be the end result, working like a “part 2” of Diamonds that builds itself under a fine-tuned scope. Take the same speed metal backbone that has a bloodline running back to the debut, add in the tactics that made the sophomore brilliant, and buffer the raw edges to paint a picture of what’s before us.

Even though I prefer said untreated edges by just a hair, the exact same momentum is established, giving the entire album a boost of energy with its refreshed second lap of fierce riffs and compelling vocals. It may also be fair to say that the speed metal element takes a slight leap into the forefront, but I’ll chalk that up to the one-two punch in the beginning. Following the short “Bells Of Hades” intro, “Death Rides This Night” grips the listener with precise recklessness topped with a very catchy chorus. Maintaining this influence, the next track “Run For Your Life” follows up delivering stellar blow after blow, hoisted high by galloping bass licks and more Iron Maiden-esque soloing. Man, what a way to start the record! Speaking of Iron Maiden, the instrumental “Crystal Suite” has some serious “Phantom Of The Opera” energy, raking in the strongest bass rumbles paired with intricate drum fills. The leads here do a wonderful job replacing vocals, especially with their warm tones. I couldn’t have asked for a better center-piece.

Death By Fire does however return to the steadier sections after a wild wave of borderline thrash revival. “Silent Hour / The Conjugation” is this album’s single longest tune, displaying some of Olof’s tightest vocal work with powerful drum fills that pair nicely with the other more-involved “Sacrificed.” The latter utilizes slowly ascending fret-rambles before cooling and returning to the first phase, showing that they’ve still got chops for the longer haul. Both tunes together erect a nice wall of different influence that would have had a stronger impact if the album ended with them. Instead, we got “Satan,” a throwaway tune that isn’t worth complaining about in itself, but rather its placement. It should have been tossed into the front half boasting its breakneck speeds, but I’m being pretty damn nit-picky with that comment.

As always, melody plays a heavier hand in a lot of Enforcer’s magic. Tunes like “Take Me Out Of This Nightmare,” hearken back to the slow introduction of layers to give way to an otherwise hearty chorus with muscular riffing. If the openers aren’t the strongest songs on the disc, this one is. I also like how “Mesmerized By Fire” works with energetic and concise templates nicely to connect it to the earlier speedballs, working as an impenetrable adhesive.

Objectively, it may be fair to say that this is the Swedes’ best work just because of the deburred edges, but subjectively I still prefer the raw construction and lifegiving honesty of its predecessor. Like before, this is an essential listen for all fans of the speed or traditional metal genre. It saw an already established identity remove its adolescent covering by taking a step towards maturity, and while longer construction was more compelling in the last album, the speed metal wings are spread wide open here. This is the best kind of evolution a band can have, even if they never reach what you consider their peak again.

Album Review: Enforcer - Diamonds

Enforcer - Diamonds

Earache Records - 2010

10/10

As much as I love a good dose of straight-to-the-face speed metal, it usually takes a few more ingredients for a band to truly find themselves. Sweden’s Enforcer followed-up their strong debut with something that does just that, completely sinking into the groove that would define themselves as a whole. Diamonds not only doesn’t let up their speedy backbone roots, but integrates beefy songwriting that fits right in with it. The end product would come to be one of my favorite metal albums since the turn of the century, with only a few rivals in the past twenty-three years.

Despite this great leap forward in songwriting, the production still has the organic feeling that we got two years prior with Into The Night, being about as good a balance as you can get. The drum tone matches that atmosphere wonderfully, pairing with the perfectly audible bass under that umbrella. With this comes a side of more breaks and bridges that pump the songs with lots of life, working well with the speed metal structures and the steadier ones alike. Collectively, it sits alongside and under vocals that feel the littlest bit more concise from before, not needing to rely on heavier outbursts. In essence, every band member shines brighter than they ever have before.

The real magic is how this all works in every track, regardless of the method applied. “Katana” is a tune I pretty much fell in love with instantly, due to its emotional guitar intro leading to stellar chord progressions and a chorus that has my endorphins sky high; the backing vocals here are tremendous! Moreover, the slow-down phase that utilizes simple licks meet a ferocious solo wonderfully, backed by basswork that rivals Steve Harris. “Running In Menace” follows it up with a similar tone while reversing the momentum to a calmer presence across the board, achieving that feeling without the extra ingredients. Similarly, “Walk With Me” drags this cooler aesthetic out with mystical precision in lieu of advanced soloing. Its haunting soundscapes and poetic integrity are rather fitting for the ode to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Proper layer placement plays such a huge role this time around, and I’m here for every minute of it.

Yet, plenty of Diamonds works with speed aggression at just the right times. “Live For The Night” is so jarring following the tame title track, an instrumental interlude sandwiched between it and another catchy ripper known as “High Roller.” Closer “Take Me To Hell” sends us off with a final fast boost without letting go of any memorability, a chord that “High Roller” also strikes. Catchiness in general is displayed everywhere without using it as a crutch, even for the aforementioned longer songs at the top. 

Opener “Midnight Vice” lets this be known right away, using a catchy chorus as its main selling point while slowly peeling back the riff layers that lead us to it. Like this one, several tracks borrow a little bit of influence off of every face, rather than using one main idea and building around it. “Nightmares” is an interesting one, because its main rhythm may be the heaviest on the album, yet the chorus and vocal bridge feel quite welcoming. “Roll The Dice” does the exact same thing in a shorter time frame, acting as a solid set-up for the stellar “Katana.”

Anytime some old head that stopped checking out new music when they graduated high school says there’s no good traditional metal anymore, I immediately think of this record. Enforcer have been cranking out banger after banger ever since their start, and this 2010 effort is a masterpiece that I’d call a “desert island” album. Speed metal is the band’s backbone, but this introduces advanced song structures, strong poetry, a new sense for advanced melody, and production that lets everyone stand out. Regarding traditional metal in the new century, it’s up there with Ghost’s Meliora, Haunt’s Mind Freeze, Skull Fist’s Chasing The Dream, and Konquest’s Time And Tyranny.

Album Review: Enforcer - Into The Night

Enforcer - Into The Night

Heavy Artillery Records - 2008

8/10

Enforcer really could not have come around at a better time. Fifteen years ago, the heavy metal scene was just beginning to see the revival acts take hold and form what is now easily identifiable as throwback bands. Thrash metal was well underway with Municipal Waste and such reaching popularity, but the traditional and speed metal boom hadn’t progressed as far. It makes sense that had I been around the scene for the Swedish band’s debut titled Into The Night, I’d probably think it was the greatest thing released in the new millennium.

Instead, we have the benefit of hindsight, and it’s easy for me not not only to judge this against other bands in the coming years, but also stacked against their own discography. Simply put, Into The Night really is a meat-and-potatoes speed metal record that has a little extra flavor. Already, Olof and co. display a keen sense for fast rhythms that take strong precedence and a powerful aura, without needing a harsh attitude to achieve their goal. Things aren’t produced-to-death, yet the riffs are clear enough to grasp the melodies, which sit nicely alongside the tight, but mostly high-pitched vocal range. It’s truly the perfect formula.

All that’s missing is the songwriting tactics that would raise Enforcer from having the status of redoing what was done well before, to building something of their own that’s not only unique, but immaculate. Take “Speed Queen” for example, one that hardly stands out from anything construction wise, but still adds to the strong foundation; talent is very clearly visible. Yet, even without the advanced skill-set being on full display, there’s nothing bad, and plenty of songs stick as earworms. The title track would have to be the most obvious one, with incredible transitions between each section, and a chorus that I find myself singing all the time. Opener “Black Angel” belts out some serious bass chops and guitar combos that lay an incredible foundation for their identity. I also appreciate the tone-down in “On The Loose” as well as its beefy instrumentation, which gets carried over to “Scream Of The Savage” as well.

It may be best to describe this record as a grower. The style itself is consistent and vibrant, working as something pleasing off the bat by default. The issue is that it takes a little longer than desired to remain memorable, which caused me to return to it a little less. For that, it’s just shy of something I’d call a classic. That said, looking at this in a vacuum, it would have absolutely taken me by storm if I were into heavy metal in 2008. This is still an essential listen to fans of the speed metal style, even if it would later get expanded upon.

Album Review: Metallica - ReLoad

Metallica - ReLoad

Elektra Records - 1997

5.5/10

By now, I think it’s safe to say that Metallica has three album duos where one is a clear continuation of the previous. In the case of Ride The Lightning and Master Of Puppets, it didn’t matter since the latter was able to self-identify with different clarity and enough innovation to make it just as good. We saw this more recently with 72 Seasons coming off the Hardwired…. To Self Destruct train but without having much of anything to offer. I compare this phenomena to the Load and ReLoad duo, with the latter being a ‘90s version of this same situation. Perhaps it’s more comparable to Guns ‘N Roses doing two Use Your Illusion albums. In both cases, you have two albums that are too long for their own good, with a visible step down in the second rendition.

To touch on ReLoad in a vacuum, we first have to acknowledge that it’s quite literally no different in construction than its 1996 counterpart, unfortunately dumping way more into the “overly repetitive with no substance” bucket. A thick serving of fatty riffs with a dryer soundscape makes up much of the effort, channeling the variance aspect in the form of fast, accessible rock tunes and slower, trudging monsters. What hurts this is the fact that this time around there are far fewer songs that convey a lot of emotion that I hunger for on this type of disc. An obvious reach for this is realized in “The Unforgiven II,” yet the lyrics and vocal delivery fall flat in comparison to the likes of “Until It Sleeps” or its successor in the “Unforgiven” trilogy. There’s a similar attempt at an even drearier gradient in “Low Man’s Lyric,” one with a fine melody that gets old after thirty seconds (we’re oh so blessed to receive over seven minutes of it, however). If that’s not enough, the songs relying on hooks feel less thought-invoking, revealing more space with filler than space with killer. At the expense of sounding like a contrarian, “Fuel” is guiltier of this than anything on Load, and regardless of how catchy it is, the opener is rather weightless.

Much to my delight, I can at least say that there are several strong standouts to make the seventy-five minute effort seem a bit more digestible. “Devil’s Dance” is criminally overlooked, being a monstrous doom gem that rides on stellar progression and a stripped-down, choppy attitude. “Prince Charming” is a neat gallop of energy that revives much of the sought-after energy on the album’s earlier, weak attempts, and I’ll even throw “The Memory Remains” a bone for its sing-song foundation meeting heavy rock weights. Otherwise, it’s a game of finding parts of songs that are fine to some degree. “Slither” and “Better Than You,” are neat enough, though still feel like lesser copies of other songs the band already wrote. The rest is slogging through ones that are full of hot air, such as “Carpe Diem Baby” and the overblown “Fixxxer” (God, what a title). 

This record reminds me of Spongebob’s anchor-arms, where the very idea and look of everything seems beefy, but actual examination will leave just about anyone underwhelmed. Worse things exist, especially now that we have the power of hindsight and knowing what’s yet to come. But I really think both Load and ReLoad could have been worked into one fantastic, grungy effort with emotion, doom, and energy balanced under a desert-like scope. Take 2/3 of the former, 1/3 of the latter, trim all the fat, and you have something that could have been damn near perfect.

Album Review: Metallica - Load

Metallica - Load

Elektra Records - 1996

7.5/10

If you thought touching the hour mark was a lot, wait ‘til five years of live recordings and touring stretches that standard another fifteen minutes. Load would be Metallica’s largest leap in this direction, and they’ve never looked back. Much like its predecessor, it becomes a game of extracting the good songs from what is otherwise an overwhelming amount of music; thus, this is equally as prone to filler as any other post-Justice disc. Yet, I tend to lend it more sympathy than the “black album” for two reasons. For one, its personality is far more defined, and secondly, it derives itself more refreshingly from the “hard rock but also kinda thrash” awkwardness that made much of the 1991 filler tunes.

In layman's terms, Load managed to feel even more consistent across the board, not relying on Bob Rock to stitch it together, instead writing music that all contains the same feeling. Granted, this is one of the things people often complain about, and we certainly could have taken a good twenty-five minutes off of this and still had a strong(er) album. But proportionally, the good songs are not only more sturdy, but their construction makes the entire experience worth it. Few songs as a whole feel like they could be cut out (ok, maybe we could do without “Ronnie” altogether), some just may go on a little longer than what’s necessary.

Despite being a record that’s produced well and had loads (ha) of time to perfect everything, there’s a dry feeling here that works its way into every emotion, enhancing it to a level that feels more human. “The House Jack Built” immediately comes to mind, being a slow trudger that cakes on grungy layers that are aided by dreary vocal tradeoffs; God, the slow ascent after the chorus hits is timed so wonderfully. All the same, harder songs like “Ain't My Bitch” or the infamous “King Nothing” suck out all the proverbial moisture in the rhythms, creating feelings as fierce as earlier thrash tunes without being thrash tunes. The bassline in the latter is probably one of my favorites Jason licks of any.

And then there’s the soft side, balancing the aforementioned heavy desert of riffs. The most obvious instance is “Mama Said,” a refreshing acoustic ballad that not only brings in the purest emotion Metallica has shown to date, but works it in with the same vocal and guitar layer types used in “The House Jack Built.” Others like “Until It Sleeps” rely on Jason’s thicker foundation blending with Kirk’s “Unforgiven”-esque leads to create a melancholic build-up. You could say the same about “Hero Of The Day,” though I’d argue the softness here is channeled into a warmer, welcoming aura rather than a depressing one. If nothing else, this only proves my point further that James and co. were able to bring up so many different tactics to weave together an identity removed from anything before.

But of course, I haven’t forgotten the fact that at least a third of this is filler. Thankfully, all of it still fits in with the general vibe, and nothing is criminally bad; some just extremely boring or long. From the gate, I’ll admit I have a massive hard-on for “Wasting My Hate” and “2 x4 ,” two that spark less innovation in comparison to the others but nonetheless conjure up really confident attitudes. Otherwise, we’re left with overblown tracks like “The Outlaw Torn” or the aforementioned “Ronnie.” I’d even say “Bleeding Me” could have been strong if it was half its length, fitting in with the grungy, dry atmosphere that I won’t stop mentioning. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as a good thing overstaying its welcome.

We could conclude that Load is very top-heavy, as the better songs get fewer and further apart the deeper you get. I see zero errors in the first six songs, with plenty worth digging up onwards. Regardless, though the band’s second ‘90s effort is objectively no better than their first, I hold this one ever-so-slightly closer to my heart. It’s flawed; some songs are too long, and others have less muscle than is desired. At the same time, over half of these songs are what I would regard as memorable. They have more personality than they have any right to, the vibe fits the entire run, and despite well-deserved reservations, I think everyone should give this album a try if they haven’t.

Album Review: Old - Dawn Of Darkness

Old - Dawn Of Darkness

Unsilent Tomb Records - 2023

8/10

Wow, it’s a damn shame that I couldn’t find a copy of this that doesn’t also charge twenty euros for shipping. Regardless, Old are an old(er) band that only reached my radar due to the release of their latest album, Dawn Of Darkness. Upon discovery, I also found that it has been nearly two decades since the last album, which may explain why they held a black/thrash label. I say that because this latest effort by the German quintet seems to only barely boast those thrash sensations, residing far more on the black metal end of things.

Thus, it should be no surprise that this would have worked perfectly as the bridge between the first and second wave of black metal. If Bathory weren’t around to take on that transition themselves, this would have fit right into the scene in the late ‘80s. Presented under a nasty atmosphere, Old combines crippling speeds in even proportions with slow and steady chops meant to cast a heavier impact. Vocals swap between your typical black shrieks and toned-down gruff that tend to ride the more focused rhythms. Together, they fit as nicely as a precision die-cut puzzle. Long, drawn out solos or any real signs of blast beats are mostly void, as unloading too much of that may have removed some of the charm. 

Instead, the German outfit focuses on tactful repetition, working wonderfully for the couple longer tunes and the faster blows alike. In fact, closer “Darkness In Me” does this nicely, not only being my favorite track, but easily containing the most sinister edge. At the expense of contradicting myself, a clean lead even takes hold for an eye of the storm effect in the song’s center, being the only solo that jumps out at me. Dawn Of Darkness may not be full of standout moments outside of that track, though much of this smooth trajectory under a crushing scope works so well likely because of this. I can’t really knock it too hard, especially since there isn’t really much of anything worth complaining about, either. 

For those seeking a more intricate helping that packs a lot into one idea, you’ll find that in “One Verses All” or the aforementioned “Darkness In Me.” For the straightforward digestible numbers, perhaps look to “Tyrants Of Death” or “Sombra del Mal.” Neither case will leave you desiring more, and the record’s brief runtime certainly aids in its ability to hold your attention. Short repetition is sometimes the only good repetition.

Album Review: Metallica - Metallica

Metallica - Metallica

Elektra Records - 1991

7.5/10

Despite taking the most significant leap in sound to date, Metallica would head into the ‘90s continuing the trend of fitting as much onto one disc as possible, marking the beginning of the most consistent error they’d make for almost every album following 1988 (I say almost, because it worked well on Death Magnetic). From here onward, it would become a game of “how much of this is actually good?” Metallica also sees the band divorcing from the thrash metal style save for a few songs, only furthering my suspicion that maybe it was never about whether or not they made thrash, but if they made good music. With all of this, we’ve reached the first album that actually contains fillers, unfortunately.

More on that later, though. Metallica still has plenty of songs worthy of praise, despite its reputation. The doomier soundscapes that made an appearance on earlier records get carried over to the ‘90s, usually at least helping the better songs on this. “Sad But True” is an obvious classic by now, deserving of that due to the layering of explosive riffs, jarring breaks, neat fills, and heavy bass lines laid down by Jason Newsted. There isn’t a lot that takes that to the same level, but more or less varies the idea into worthwhile hard rock songs. “Of Wolf And Man” and “Wherever I May Roam” mold into edgier, radio rock fun, which is also on full display in “Enter Sandman”; I’m just admittedly way too tired of that one.

Thankfully, the rightfully hailed production of this allows those songs to fit in nicely with the likes of “Through The Never” and “Holier Than Thou.” Both tracks would see the final remnants of Metallica playing thrash metal, however, returning to the point I made earlier, I don’t really think the latter is that great of a tune. In other words, it doesn’t take writing thrash metal to write something good. It screams filler more than anything in the first half, a label I’d also assign to “Don’t Tread On Me,” and all three songs that close us off. “The God That Failed,” “The Struggle Within,” and “My Friend Of Misery” are all completely void of any magic that made James and co. so mighty in the previous years. None boast anything truly bad, and I guess at best there are catchy moments, but the biggest thing that hurt this record is the obvious fluff.

That isn’t terribly uncommon, and it’s certainly nothing that’s going to sink an entire album; it’s just a very noticeable trait that I have to complain about. At least both ballads “Nothing Else Matters” and “The Unforgiven” were properly serviceable, raking in the same emotion they were able to cook up with “One” and “Fade To Black.” It’s just under a more radio-friendly aura, and like I said, I really have to give the band credit for getting all of this to flow consistently. They just really didn’t need to fill a whole hour like they did three years prior. It worked out way better with their general idea then, because nobody needs an hour plus of “accessible” hard rock on one disc.