Soulfallen - World Expiration (2007)

Soulfallen play a very solid, albeit non-amazing, take on black/melodeath metal. The typical death grunt/melodeath snarl conversation takes place over decidedly death metal-esque riffing. The guitar sound is strong, whether in the midst of death/doom-style chugging, melodic leads, or charging solos. They have the synths and epic feel of your standard sympho-black bands, all swaddled in menacing tones and nicely incorporated into the sound. The production on this album is quite rich, helping to blend everything together and lend it the heaviness it needs.

If you're looking for something to jump into and headbang away, this probably won't suit you. The pace is much closer to death/doom, and on first listen I found myself getting bored waiting for something to happen. Listening again, I am much more satisfied with Soulfallen's mid-paced songs and subtle, non-climaxing buildups. Some songs, such as "Like Beasts Upon Their Prey," can get up to a ripping pace, as much as melodeath can (I'm not biased at all :P). However, sometimes the riffs can be extremely pedestrian (cough,Withdrawal, cough), and the chick singing that shows up on the last song, while not specifically fairy, does nothing for the integrity of the band.

This album, for me, is a pretty mixed bag. Sometimes I'm really feeling it, other times I'm suspecting it's Black Dahlia rubbish coated in chocolate. If you dig melodeath, check it out and let me know what you think. If you want something heavy, this will more or less sate you. As a debut it gives me a lot of hope for the band, but it could use some work. Points lost mostly for general melodeath lameness, as exemplified by the entirety of "Withdrawal."

7/10

Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant

Few bands BEEP BEEP BEEP (In Flames aside) have managed to polarise the melodeath fanbase quite so much as Arch Enemy. With the unfortunate departure of Liiva and introduction of Angela Gossow, a clear distinction was BEEP BEEP BEEP drawn between the old and the new. While the ternion of Liiva era albums BEEP BEEP BEEP remain fairly untouchable, the same can't be said for the Gossow productions. Wages... may have turned a few heads but the frankly BEEP BEEP BEEP embarassing Anthems... and mildly improved Doomsday Machine did little to convert the Liiva loyal. However, with Christopher Amott back in the band after a short trip to college, Rise Of The Tyrant may not undeservedly be calling for the all too familiar "return to BEEP BEEP BEEP form" marker.

First things first BEEP BEEP BEEP however, the "one long track" accusations aren't entirely unfounded. You can't fault a band for a having a trademark sound. But, when it gives the impression BEEP BEEP BEEP that every song is written in the same key with minor rythmic and scale variations then criticism is warranted. Amott has BEEP BEEP BEEP always had a tone akin to BEEP BEEP BEEP liquid gold flowing down Brian May's fretboard, but that translates to near indistinguishable solos and leads in this instance. Furthermore, when your lead guitarist wrote all his best riffs upwards of ten years ago you're BEEP BEEP BEEP looking at a bit of a crusty creative pallet. But, that being said, it's still a huge improvement on the past two efforts.

Angela's more BEEP BEEP BEEP "organic" vocals are on fine display in the agressive chorus for 'Blood On Our Hands' and the BEEP BEEP BEEP charging thrash-on-crack meets cheesy bombast and soaring leads of 'The Last Enemy' flows gently into the BEEP BEEP BEEP synth n' widdle of 'I Will Live Again'. The pace doesn't let up either, 'In This Shallow Grave' sprints out of the block like a steroid BEEP BEEP BEEP addled Testament and Malcolm McDowell's Caligula parlance is the perfect start to the eponymous title track.

For many, AE have BEEP BEEP BEEP well past peak performance and the holy trinity with never be topped. But, like an athlete BEEP BEEP BEEP leaving retirement for one last stunning performance Rise Of The Tyrant is an admirable effort. Wages Of Sin 2.0? Possibly. BEEP BEEP BEEP

7/10

Alchemist - Tripsis (2007)

Back in the year of our Dark Lord 2003, Austral Alien fired out of the land down under and made a rather impressive impact above the equator. With Relapse pre-orders coming with a free copy of said album, it appears that Alchemist are hoping to build upon this success with follow up Tripsis.

Alchemist really are one of few bands deserving of the 'avante-garde' tag. However, the gosssamer production, tribal drumming, spacey keyboards and ethnic flair have been slowly phased out of the foreground over the years. That isn't to say that this is a straightforward album by any means, but it contains an air of focused aggression and has lost some of the psychedelic edge. It does remain in some places however, take for instance the clean strummed echo that introduces 'Nothing In Time'. Vocally there is also a lack of some of the trademark diversity. Rarely clean, they're almost of Jourgenson-esque quality, sans distortion. It is the riff however, that takes centre stage here. It's openers 'Wrapped In Guilt' and 'Tongues and Knives' that really set the tone for the album whole. Riffs piled upon riffs piled upon subtle, barely audible leads and keyboards, all wrapped in a shroud of rapt complexity. But there's no didgeridoo.

It's still Alchemist. But if you're expecting another Organasm or Spiritech you'll come off a little dissappointed. A great album of extreme metal in its own right, but overshadowed by the superiority of its predecessors.

7/10

Defloration - The Bone Collection (2007)

Despite receiving regular flak from various circles in the scene, Cannibal Corpse remain an influential institution within death metal. Given this, you can barely swing a dead baby without hitting sound-a-likes. Germany's Defloration haven't so much taken pages from CCs book as torn the cover off and replaced it with their own.

Obvious comparisons begin with Rödel's vocals, being more than a little Corpsegrinder, albeit perhaps a little more guttural. Fortunately there is the occasional dual vocal layering in the usual form of high/low, the high in this case taking the form of a ghoulish growl. Riff wise we're looking at later era CC with the technical bent. The songs are built around repetitions of variant, spiralling riffs, (lacking Webster style in-your-face bass however) and apart from the closing track barely approach four minutes. Said track, 'The Bone Collection II - Crushed Bones And Empty Bodies' does add a little Candlemass via Nile briefly, but quickly degenerates into a Swedish style riff bonanza.

So, you might hear a bit of 'Psychotic Precision' in the 'The Last Breath' or a slight 'Hammer Smashed Face' breakdown in 'The Frozen. Originality isn't Defloration's strong point. What they do pull off however is taking some of CCs stronger moments and funneling them into an entire album. It may be a little samey, but its played with aplomb.

7/10

Ravencult - Temples Of Torment (2007)

Athens. Ancient home to Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum. Modern home to Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh, Necromantia and now Ravencult. Although this may be a debut album they're not exactly fresh faced after two demos and an EP (on which 'The Nightsky Codex' first appeared). However, despite such a prolific heritage Temples Of Torment takes a straightforward Nordic approach to the genre.

Evoking both the grim and frostbitten stylings of Immortal as well as the charging, viking bombast of Enslaved what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in old school aggression. 'In Times Of Demise' in particular is a perfect example of the Immortal/Enslaved mix. Opening with a Bjørnson style charging riff it marches in to the trademark Immortal sound of piercing, jangly, resonant chords and throaty rasping. There's no time to fuck about with lady vocals or ambient synth noodlings, this is a down the line black metal assault.

It might be lacking slightly in variety but it's all executed with such conviction you can't help but be impressed. The clean but meaty production helps a great deal, as usual the bass is completely buried but the guitar tone is deliciously ice cold. Perhaps not essential, but well worth a run through.

7/10

Ministry - The Last Sucker (2007)

After more than two decades, pioneering metallic industrialists Ministry have issued their final studio album, The Last Sucker. It completes the triumvirate of Bush blasting that began with Houses of the Molé and continued with last years blinding Rio Grande Blood with another politically charged industrial riff party.

Well, for starters, it sounds like Ministry. You know what to expect. Sadly however, there appears to be a certain degree of complacency throughout the album. Accusations of Rio Grande Blood 2.0 would be well founded, but it comes across as more of a 0.5. Pedestrian riffage permeates throughout the album, many of which wouldn't sound out of place on one of Fear Factory's less popular albums. Thats not to say you won't be banging your head, its still an album to get booked for speeding to. It's just that the filthy aggression prevalent in RGB seems to be missing. Of course the distorted as fuck vocals are unchanged, as is the dirty electro drumming. There's just an overall feeling of a band going through the motions one last time.

Its not all bad though. The title track gives off a strong 80s industrial vibe and the pounding southern rawk of 'Roadhouse Blues' kicks the aggression back up a notch. The album highlight and closing track 'End Of Days Part Two' is a sprawling epic, bearing some similarity to NINs 'Just Like You Imagined'. Complete with soaring guitar lines, child choir chorus and a Burton C. Bell sounding more like Pepper Keenan it definitely ends the album on a high.

It might sound like a band going through the motions, but Ministry at half pace is still more than most bands at full tilt. Not their worst and certainly not a career ending duff note, but not quite up to the standard they (re)set themselves with RGB.

7/10

Misanthropic Path - A Bluntly Description Of The Present (2007)

The Germans are at it again. Another fine slab of "recorded in a tin shed onto an 80s answer machine" raw, depressive black metal. A full length recording of last years demo under the same name, A Bluntly Description Of The Present (no I don't think that makes sense either) brings a few surprises. After an initially forgettable, albeit vocally unnerving start we're dropped into the Peste Noire-esque clean intro for 'The Whelps Path'. Then we're presented with the most unusual feature of the album - clearly audible bass. Playing in the forefront of the mix for most of the album and though at times verging on obnoxious, it does seem to work. Carrying on down the road of the unexpected, 'Chapters' treats us to another clean intro that comes across like Vincent Price playing surf rock before driving into familiar Darkthrone territory of riff-blast-riff-blast. Penultimate track and album highlight 'Als Ich Euch Verließ' delves into the depressive realm of Peste Noire/Mortifera, resplendent with barbed wire gargling vocals, clean interludes and buzz soaked misery.

Not a mould shattering album by any stretch of the imagination, but it will definitely appeal to those depressive black fans who felt Folkfuck Folie was a bit too clean. There's definite potential here.

7/10

Mt. - Lethologica (2007)

Here's a post-rock album, Mt.'s debut, traditional in that there's nothing else but a regular guitar/bass/drum trio that makes up the band... no electronic elements, no metal, just a straightfoward outfit playing some post-rock. If you're into post-rock and you're looking for something different, just look elsewhere. Mt. travels down the well-worn path of the buildup and explode structure, but they don't rely on it so much it becomes annoying and repetitive. I'm looking at you, Explosions in the Sky. With all that said, they still do entertain. If you just want your post-rock plain with no frills, Mt. is pretty good at that.

Some songs feature a bit more menace, such as "Worms and Coffee," which kicks up the distortion for once in the album. "Too Many Escape Darwin's Attention" is a charming and sweet song, clocking in at 7:50 complete with clapping interludes and some neat drumwork. The lengthy closer "Sense of Wonder Still Intact" leaves a nice aftertase and closes out the album in typical sad-then-happy buildup fashion, starting out slow and peaking in a crescendo of guitarwork. Lethologica isn't bad, like a friend said, it's nice if you're queuing up a post-rock playlist, but nothing special to pick out on its own.

7/10

Forgotten Sunrise - Willand (2007)

Forgotten Sunrise are an Estonian band formed in 1992, originally an atmospheric doom band but now have moved on almost completely away from that to an industrial/electronic type feel, sort of like Grendel. They're not bad at what they do, intermixing industrial beats and some spazzy Aphex Twin-like synth work with more traditional metal elements. Vocals change up from generic clean male vocals not unlike VNV Nation (complete with backing female vocals) to a funeral doom-esque throaty growl, which is pretty cool.

One thing I appreciate about the album is their willingness to do pretty much whatever they want, going from chill Boards of Canada sort of stuff (Prophylactic Euthanasia) with clean vocals to more heavy, industrial/trance type stuff with harsh vocals at the drop of a hat. They do it all quite nicely, but the album still feels like it's missing a little something somewhere, and I can't put my finger on it. A lot of the synth work is very cheesy (and not the good kind, either) and not really original. Still though, check it out if you're into the industrial/electronic scene. Oh yeah, and the album cover is pretty damn awesome.

7/10

Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated (2007)

Art Brut's latest is a charming bit of British pop-rock, full of reminiscent lyrics and an everyman appeal, highlighted by the blue-collar vocals by frontman Eddie Argos. If you're looking for something even a little deep, look elsewhere, because Art Brut is all about having a good time and bringing back some good ol' rock and roll to the mainstream. Their debut album Bang Bang Rock 'N Roll had the same simplistic, just-for-fun type vocals and simplistic guitar work, and It's a Bit Complicated follows in its steps, with a few minor deviations i.e. some slightly more complicated guitar leads and backing vox.

"We're gunna be the band that writes the song that makes Israel and Palestine get along," well hey, you have to love a band with this kind of confidence, right? "Direct Hit" is the standout single on It's a Bit Complicated, bringing party lyrics and singing so simplistic it's almost as if it's spoken instead of sung. Eddie Argos's vocals sound pretty much like you grabbed a random drunk out of a London pub and asked him to sing, with his signature really, really thick English accent. It doesn't detract from the songs, because honestly if a guy with a regular accentless verbiage I'd probably be bored out of my skull with this one.

7/10

Dusk - Pray For Death (2007)

This is the fifth full length from these grim and frostbitten Hungarians. After a typically haunting intro (reminiscent of Sunn O))) al la Black One) it launches into the icy dirge of 'Örök Álmok'. An epic composition verging on the 20 minute mark it weaves a simple web of depressing melody built around the repetitive guitar lines and pounding drums. The buzzing repetition pulls you across the frozen wastes, as if the Frost Giant's Daughter herself were enticing you to follow. The misanthropic, snarling vocals of Shadow seeth with hatred, offsetting the hypnotic beauty of the driving guitar. The song closes amid screams of anguish atop the ever flowing melodies. This is truly desolate beauty.

Somewhat unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn't follow the template set by the opening track. An unrelenting black metal assault follows, stripping your skin like a blizzard of ice shards. It is only the soothing, slow burning closer that allows you to regain your breath, perhaps seeking the comfort of a wood fire in an isolated log cabin. The only issue here is the slight lack of variation. The depressing beauty of the opener is followed by a nigh on half hour onslaught, which left me slightly disappointed. 'Átérezni A Halált' has its moments, but a change of pace and/or slightly shorter tracks would have held my interest for the entirety of the album, rather than just the first half.

For fans of all things necro this is still well worth a listen. If you like your black metal cold and unrelenting, this is a good album. However, with slightly more variation from the other tracks it would be an excellent album.

7/10