Attacker - Giants of Canaan

Attacker is among the most seminal US power metal bands to ever exist. It is has been nearly 30 years since their legendary first two records, and though they’ve been reformed for well over a decade, it doesn’t seem like they’ve picked up much of a buzz until their most recent release, “Giants of Canaan”. If you ever doubted the band, this release will turn you around. The music largely matches up to the album cover: epic. In fact, the only thing that would be more appropriate would be to have a giant eagle (ala Primal Fear) swooping in to cause mayhem.

The band wastes no time, as they kick things into high gear with the title track. On this song, Bobby Lucas (perhaps best known for his work in Morbid Sin) delivers some truly ear-piercing vocals. His range is incredibly high, and he greatly compliments the energy of the music. “Giants of Canaan” features fantastic shredding and soaring melodies that one would come to expect in this type of music. Despite this use of melody, the music is ultimately quite aggressive. The rhythmic delivery of the vocals in the verse of the title track is actually fairly abrasive, and matches up well with the riffs it supports. Beyond “Giants of Canaan”, another highlight is “Black Winds Calling”. This song is another prime example of the brilliance of Lucas’ over-the-top style of vocals, as they drive the chorus effectively until it is permanently etched into your brain.

What lies beyond these two songs is an album filled with solid tunes. There is nothing that will surprise you (in a good or bad way), but let’s be honest here, if you are still listening to US power metal in 2013, you are probably longing for the sound of the 80’s anyways (I sure am!). There are plenty of great moments across “Giants of Canaan”, however. For example, the opening of “The Hammer” shows Lucas pushing his voice to the limits, while the guitarists deliver a truly crushing riff. "Washed In Blood" is a track that features some very active riffing; though the band doesn't play with excessive speed on this track, they pump out a ton of notes in each riff. The chorus also features heavy use of pinch harmonics underneath Lucas' awesome wailing. As you may have guessed by now, your enjoyment of “Giants of Canaan” is highly correlated with how much you appreciate Lucas’ vocals. The music is delivered with the utmost of care and attention to songwriting, so if this style of wild, roaring vocals is your thing, “Giants of Canaan” will be an absolute winner.

Be sure to check out and like Attacker on Facebook!

Highlights

"Giants of Canaan"

"The Hammer"

"Black Winds Calling"

Final Rating

3.9/5 or 78%. 

Written by Scott 

In Solitude - Sister

There isn't an album that I've been more anxious waiting for than In Solitude's "Sister." After I became acquainted with the band in early 2012, through their brilliant sophomore release "The World. The Flesh. The Devil," I was completely hooked on this group's enigmatic and dark brand of heavy metal. It can definitely be argued that on the first album, the Swedish five-piece belonged in the circle of Mercyful Fate-worshiping bands that have gained some notoriety in today's metal underground, but after the haunting sophomore record, and, now their third full-length, "Sister," In Solitude has firmly cemented themselves as a group with their own unique and eerie sound. And what a glorious sound they've created.  

The much darker overtones that were prevalent on "The World. The Flesh. The Devil" were what really made that record so memorable. It was the slight nuances of the guitarists' unorthodox melodies and Pelle's twisted approach to his vocals that made the band's music so damn great, leaving them with the unenviable task of trying to top it with "Sister." I'd say they rose to the occasion and delivered a collection of songs that are strange, creepy and just downright awesome. The sound is considerably less heavy (this is still very much a metal album) as the songs aren't entirely driven by heavy riffage, but chilling melodies, thumping bass lines and some terrific vocals. This isn't to say "Sister" is void of metallic riffs, because the title track and "Horses in the Ground" are guaranteed headbangers, sure to please fans of the band's earlier work, but for the most part, the new songs are much different than what fans are used to hearing from In Solitude. This, of course, isn't a bad thing, because these guys are proving to be much like King Midas, in that everything they touch, or in this case, create, turns to gold. 

The opener "He Comes" is an acoustic piece that sets the tone for the album nicely, before transitioning to the opening melodies of "Death Knows Where," one of the catchier tracks of the record. It's the next song "A Buried Sun," though, that truly showcases In Solitude's genius - a doomy and epic song that shows off Pelle's masterful vocals (which have improved significantly) and the guitarists' ability to craft dark riffs and melodies, akin to the masters that came before (Solitude Aeternus and Candlemass come to mind). "Lavender" is a bit more psychdelic than the other songs, but, again, it shows the group taking a different, yet successful approach to creating their brand of dark, weird heavy metal. I really could go on and gush about "Sister" and In Solitude, but I'm going to cut myself off because the music speaks for itself. I've listened to In Solitude's 2nd album more times than I'm willing to admit, and I didn't know if they could truly outdo themselves, but they did with this record, and I don't know if any band this year is going to be able to eclipse the amazing "Sister." 

Be sure to check out and like In Solitude on Facebook!

Highlights

"A Buried Sun" 

"Lavender"
"Sister"

"Horses in the Ground"

Final Rating

4.6/5 or 92%. 

Skeletonwitch - Serpents Unleashed

Just two years after their previous record, Skeletonwitch is already back with a new album. As much of a cardinal sin as this is to admit, I’ve never really paid much attention to Skeletonwitch. In fact, “Serpents Unleashed” marks the first full record of theirs that I’ve listened to, and it’s pretty much exactly what I expected. For the most part, the album is filled with scorching black metal vocals, thrashy riffs, and predictably clever melodies. The only major moment of variation is in the opening of the first track, “Serpents Unleashed”. This song begins with a punk-influenced drumbeat, not unlike what you’d expect from the new Toxic Holocaust record. It isn’t long, however, until Skeletonwitch returns with their signature sound.

This might come as a surprise to some, but to me, this sounds more like a melodic death metal record with black metal vocals than a thrash one. “Beneath Dead Leaves” is among the best examples (alongside "Unending, Everliving"); the melody is rampant in the song, yet it never truly delivers the aggression that a thrash band would. Even the guitar solo in this track is happy and upbeat, rather than erratic and out of control. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but it does more justice to Skeletonwitch’s sound to call them melodic death metal than thrash. Another reason why I like this term for the band is that they incorporate a wide variety of influences from extreme metal. As already mentioned, the vocals make no effort to deviate from the style pioneered by the Norwegian black metal bands. The drums take cue from all extreme metal genres, but primarily deliver persistent double bass, with the occasional blast beat section. Even the guitars use a wide variety of techniques; the thrash riffs that the band is known for obviously exist on “Serpents Unleashed”, but there are an overriding number of melodic tremolo picked riffs that would not be uncommon in some melodeath or even more atmospheric black metal. In fact, it is these distinctive moods that show Skeletonwitch at their best; they drive the music beyond providing exactly what you’d expect, and instead create moments of grandeur. 

Where I struggle with “Serpents Unleashed”, and Skeletonwitch in general is that it feels too commercial. I find it ironic that bands like Dragonforce are called out for pandering to the crowd when this is exactly what I feel Skeletonwitch does. It’s all so predictable. The “true” crowd loves black metal, and has somewhat of a negative affinity for newer thrash, but combining all of the elements that Skeletonwitch does makes for an extremely attractive package to that crowd. So while the band doesn’t necessarily offend with their music, they don’t do anything that sounds particularly authentic. This isn’t to say the guys aren’t passionate about their music, but it all seems very contrived to me. If you can get past this issue, however, “Serpents Unleashed” is a commendable release. It definitely has all of the elements of a solid record, and should please fans of the band.

Be sure to check out and like Skeletonwitch on Facebook!

Highlights

"Beneath Dead Leaves"

"Unending, Everliving"

Final Rating

3.6/5 or 72%. 

Written by Scott 

Untimely Demise - Systematic Eradication

Untimely Demise hails from Canada and joins the legions of awesome thrash bands that are now signed to Italian label Punishment 18 Records. “Systematic Eradication” marks their sophomore record, and is a blueprint for creating thrash that is sure to turn some heads. Starting with the obvious, the cover art, this is one of Ed Repka’s stronger showings in recent years. With that essential element secured, the band brought in Glen Drover (ex-Megadeth) to handle the production, and he did a stellar job. The guitars are truly massive, and when they utilize simpler riffs, it becomes immediately clear how perfect of a crunch they have. The other instruments generally compliment the guitars, as they are the highlight on “Systematic Eradication”.

This is most evident with the opening track, “Spiritual Embezzlement”, which really displays everything that Untimely Demise is about. It begins with an exceptionally technical riff. Fear not, however, as this riff isn’t about showing off the skill of the guitarists (that would come a few seconds later when the first guitar solo kicks in), but rather, about creating something a little bit different that will still get your head banging. These types of technical riffs are characteristic of the record as a whole (the opening riff to "A Warrior's Blood" is perhaps the most technical on the record, but is still quite brutal), but there is still plenty of room for more melodic simpler stuff. The second song, “The Last Guildsman” is a testament to this fact, as it opens with melodious leads, which also show up underneath the chorus. This second track also shows some vocal variation. For the most part, Matt Cuthbertson’s vocals are a harsh, raspy growl, like some strange amalgamation of thrash, death, and black metal vocals. In the chorus of “The Last Guildsman”, however, he shows that he can actually use this deranged voice to sing with more range. To really create an even more potent record, Untimely Demise decided to really go all out in adding guitar solos to the record. They show up often on most tracks, and not always in the spots you might expect them to be. These solos add to the intensity of the album because they’re always fast, and they always hit hard. 

Aside from the first couple of tracks, none of the others stand out in the same way. This is not to say that these tracks are any weaker than the first two; they just don’t have the same focus on staying power. "Navigator's Choice" and "A Warrior's Blood" for example, both have wicked mellow sections in the middle, which are driven by soloing, but those moments mainly stand out for their contrast to the remainder of the record. Nonetheless, at only 34 minutes, the record as a whole ends fairly quickly, so there is never a moment of filler, nor a second that isn’t completely awesome. If you are tired of predictable thrash records, “Systematic Eradication” should please you. It goes above and beyond what most bands in the style are currently doing in terms of unique songwriting. At the very least, this is a record you need to hear simply for its relentless ability to produce vengeful thrashing riffs.

Be sure to check out and like Untimely Demise on Facebook!

Highlights

"Spiritual Embezzlement"

"The Last Guildsman"

"A Warrior's Blood"

Final Rating

4.2/5 or 84%. 

Written by Scott 

Death Angel - The Dream Calls For Blood

Since their reunion over a decade ago, Death Angel has been among the most consistent thrash bands around. All three of their recent albums feature a few particularly killer thrash tracks, along with some more modernisms in the remaining simpler songs. By the time “The Dream Calls For Blood” came around, I was pretty sure of what I was going to get. And though I love recent Death Angel, luckily for me, I was wrong. “The Dream Calls For Blood” truly is the fastest, heaviest, and most insane Death Angel album to date (including “The Ultra-Violence").

The opener, “Left For Dead” sets the tone for the album. It is driven by a speedy thrash riff, and never really lets up. This track is actually a bit of a head-scratcher as an opener. The chorus feels disjointed and doesn’t really click on first listen. Given the strength of the remaining album, I’m still a bit thrown off by this beginning the record, but rest assured that after a few listens, “Left For Dead” will become a favourite. After the opener, the album moves into the three strongest songs. “Son of the Morning” opens with an old-school Mark Osegueda scream that rivals anything he does live or on the first record. These shrieks are no longer few and far between, and compliment Death Angel's regained aggression. Once again, these songs all move at high-speed with no sign of relenting. “The Dream Calls For Blood” is the most potent of the three, with the catchiest of choruses, and a slower galloping riff in the bridge that creates a solid groove. Perhaps what is most impressive is the guitar work Rob Cavestany. He’s always been a respectable shredder, but on “The Dream Calls For Blood”, he rarely restricts himself to a single solo per song. The title track is the best example of this, but it is apparent all over the record. Another surprise is in the quality of the bass playing. Something about thrash in 2013 is really inspiring all of these bass players to turn it up and find a groove. The aforementioned galloping riff in the title track shows Damien Sisson wandering into the listener’s ear with a melody of his own. He generally is not difficult to hear, and makes more than a few satisfying appearances over the course of the record. 

After a vicious start to the record, you would expect things to slow down, and they do, but only briefly. “Succubus” is a pummeling assault of heavy riffs in a more mid-tempo fashion, similar to what Death Angel has been doing on a lot of the three prior albums. Side 2 of the album is largely similar to the first side, except it is not quite as strong. The fourth song that was available prior to the release date, “Caster of Shame”, is the highlight of this half of the album. Regardless, there are no duds on the record, and you’ll be enjoying it throughout. It is amazing that Death Angel has managed to reinvent and revitalize themselves at this stage of their career. If you haven’t followed Death Angel since the first album, now is the time to give them another shot!

Be sure to check out and like Death Angel  on Facebook!

Highlights

"Son of the Morning"

"Fallen"

"The Dream Calls For Blood"

Final Rating

4.5/5 or 90%. 

Written by Scott