The Funeral Pyre — The Nature of Betrayal (Prosthetic) They sure sound like they’re from Norway, but These Californian headbangers wouldn’t know a Scandinavian winter if it buried their inverted crucifixes in two feet of snow. Fortunately, that doesn’t impair their ability to destroy. The band’s second disc is a blasphemous blend of death and black metal. Their music abounds with swirling keyboards, scabrous vocals and speedy melodic riffs that that clash with crushing blast beats and dissonant flurries of guitar.
Daath — The Hinderers (Roadrunner) Crafty thrash riffs, death metal beats, technical proficiency, fluid melodicism and hate-filled groove define the music of this eclectic Atlanta band, but their lyrics are even more of an anomaly. All of the songs on their debut album are built around themes of Jewish mysticism and Qabalistic thought. Maybe Madonna will take ‘em out on her next tour.
In This Moment — Beautiful Tragedy (Century Media) Lots of bands create tug-o-war scenarios between harsh and melodic vocals, but when the main vocalist is a stunning babe with a honey-sweet voice it creates an even more striking contrast. On their debut album, the band combines aspects of metalcore, thrash, pop, classic metal and nu-metal and molds them into a fresh and powerful sound that crosses boundaries and breaks barriers.
See You Next Tuesday — Parasite (Ferret) The debut full-length from these smart-ass Michigan four piece is about as far removed musically as it could be from other day bands like Thursday or Taking Back Sunday. Instead, these guys play grinding, full-throttle noise-metal that sounds like a cross between Napalm Death and The Locust, with shards of Nasum. Devastating.
Clutch – From Beale Street to Oblivion (DRT) The latest album from Maryland’s masters of groove and stomp, From Beale Street to Oblivion is a celebration of bluesy decadanace, garage bluster and stoner metal panache that sounds equally appropriate on the back on a Harley or in bed with a bike gal.
April 25th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Thank You