by
Bill Vogel III
Prelude...
Greetings from these ferocious aeons, and the abyss of the new Dark Age... It is time for the shadows to fall once more, as the darkness rises on the horizon, shadowing the deepening sky, and the Armies of the Night to rise as infinity dimly fades into an epic eternal night.
So let the stars burn for evermore. And let us enter STRANGER AEONS. Enjoy, tribes of chaos. Hail Darkness, and God.
Grit your teeth, and DARE it! Grim journeys...
In the news***
SHAMAN’S HARVEST has released their new CD, titled “Synergy.”
EXCOMMUNION has a new opus out called “Superion.” It’s out now on World War III Records.
New BATHORY, called “Nordland,” is out now on The End/Black Mark Records.
Serj Tankian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, continues becoming more and more vocal with his disapproval of the U.S.
New ABORYM opus, titled “Kali-Yuga Bizarre,” is out.
ILL NINO’s “Revolution/Revolucion” has been reissued by Roadrunner Records as a digipack with these bonus tracks:
14. Fallen - (bonus track)
15. God Save Us - (bonus track, live)
16. Eye For An Eye - (bonus track, live)
17. What Comes Around - (bonus track, Spanish version)
18. Unreal - (bonus track, Spanish version)
The HEAVILS have signed with Metal Blade.
2003 Metal Blade release schedule...
1/14/03 Amon Amarth "Versus The World"
1/14/03 Symphorce "PhorcefulAhead"
1/28/03 Six Feet Under "Double Dead-Redux" - LIVE CD+DVD
2/11/03 God Dethroned "Into The Lungs Of Hell"
2/11/03 Armored Saint "A Trip Thru Red Times" DVD
2/11/03 Fates Warning "A View From Here" DVD
2/25/03 Cradle Of Filth "PanDaemonAeon" DVD
3/11/03 40 Grit "Nothing To Remember"
3/25/03 Tourniquet "Where Moth & Rust Destroy"
3/25/03 The Heavils "tbd"
ULVER has released their soundtrack for the movie “Lycanthropen.” It’s been released on The End Records.
Century Media release schedule...
Jan. 28, 2003 ...AND OCEANS - The Dynamic Gallery Of Thoughts + The
Symmetry Of I - The Circle Of O (2-on-1
reissue)
Jan. 28, 2003 GRAVE - Back From The Grave (double CD with demos)
Jan. 28, 2003 MERAUDER - Bluetality
Feb. 11, 2003 STRAPPING YOUNG LAD - SYL
Feb. 11, 2003 THE GATHERING - In Motion (DVD)
Feb. 11, 2003 RAPTURE - Songs For The Withering
DEATHVOMIT will release the new album from CRIPPLE BASTARDS, "Desperately Insensitive." Vocalist Giulio said, "We are proud to announce the beginning of our cooperation with Necropolis/DeathVomit that who no doubt showed us that they had to be the right label for the release of our 3rd full length CD "Desperately insensitive". Featuring 19 tracks of obsessive fast Grind/Thrash ferocity and recorded at one of the best Italian metal studios (Nadir) by SADIST's guitarist Tommy Talamanca, this new CB album is the perfect sum up of our late '80s/'90s furious Fastcore nihilism and introduces a new taste for tighter and more complex sections, still keeping that feel of extreme hysteria & violence that made the CB style so unique, direct and compromise-free." (Source: http://www.necropolisrec.com)
BODIES LAY BROKEN's style will be dragging the Grindcore world kicking and screaming back into the days of the early Earache sound. "Eximinious Execration of Exiguous Exequies" will be out this fall. (Source: http://www.necropolisrec.com)
VULGAR PIGEONS will pollute the underground with a split 3" CD with Australian death-machines Fuck...I'm Dead, as well as a split 7" with Kalibas. Both of these releases will be issued before the band returns to the studio to unleash their second full-length of total noise-terror for Necropolis/Deathvomit. "Summary Execution" is also available as a limited 12" LP from Intolerant Messiah Records. (Source: http://www.necropolisrec.com)
THEORY OF A DEADMAN Tour Dates With 3 DOORS DOWN.... Catch Theory of A Deadman on stage at one of the following upcoming tour dates:
1/8 - Atlanta - Variety Playhouse
1/10 - N. Charleston, SC - Center Stage at the Plex
1/11 - N. Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
1/14 - Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
1/16 - Norfolk, VA - The Boathouse
1/23 - Big Rapids, MI - Wink Arena @ Ferris State University
1/24 - Columbus, OH - PromoWest Pavilion
1/25 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
DERANGED has a new CD out called “Plainfield Cemetery.”
SHIVA has signed with Century Media. This band features members from the legendary act MINDROT.
PISSING RAZORS’ new live album, “In The Devil’s Triangle,” is out now on Spitfire Records. It is pure, savage Tribal/Industrial Death Metal for the end.
MARILYN MANSON news...Twiggy Ramirez has left the band.
STRANGLED, "Demo 2002," is out... It features these tracks:
1. Hatred Awakening
2. Chamber Of Emptiness
3. Scattered Fate
4. Drowning Ecstasy
5. Lunatics
For more of the latest news, tour info, commentaries, and the latest reviews hit:
http://strangeraeons.blogspot.com/
Among the other terrors in this issue are REVIEWS of the following albums:
ATREYU............................"Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses"
SOULFLY..........................."3"
SOURVEIN.........................."Will To Mangle"
BERZERKER........................."Dissimulate"
BURNER............................"One For The Road"
SENTENCED........................."The Cold White Light"
DOWNTHESUN......................../Self-Titled/
AGALLOCH.........................."The Mantle"
DIM MAK..........................."Intercepting Fist"
VOODOO GLOW SKULLS................"Steady As She Goes"
PRO PAIN.........................."Shreds Of Dignity"
ENGORGED........................../Self-Titled/
12 STONES........................./Self-Titled/
IMPALED..........................."Mondo Medicale"
HATE THEORY......................./Self-Titled/
MxPx.............................."Ten Years And Running"
LIVING SACRIFICE.................."Conceived In Fire"
UNDERCROFT........................"Evilusion"
POSTMAN SYNDROME.................."Terraforming"
Classic Pick:
ARCH ENEMY........................"Black Earth" (Reissue)
These are 16 CDs that are sworn to sate the mayhem hungry...
Welcome to Stranger Aeons. These days are strange... Farewell.
//////William the Bloody [a.k.a. Bill Vogel III]
May 13, 2002 A.D.///////
***Hellion Crew***
This section has ten (or more) new or classic Cds that are cool. They are in no particular order.
1. "Cain’s Way” by Hate [Killer Death Metal hostility.]
2. “Collective Demise” by Salem [Extreme Blackened Death Metal from
Israel. ...Caustic, cruel, and cool.]
3. "Seismic” by Dogwood [Hard edged Modern Hardcore with a melodic,
Emo core.]
3. 4. “Turbulent Times” by Grief [Brutal, Sludge/Death Metal. A collection
4. rarities and demos.]
4. "DikNity” by Slick Idiot [Industrial Metal from members of KMFDM
It’s very similar in style.]
5. "Depopulate” by Vile [Powercore/Death Metal. Amazing.]
6. "Unholy Cult” by Immolation [Black/Death Metal that reeks
of anger.]
7. DEMON HUNTER [Murderously cool, catchy Death Metal with a mixed
vocal style ala Internal Bleeding. Brilliant and amazing—one of
the best new bands of 2002.]
8. “Escape” by Ram-Zet [Technical, diverse Black Metal with Industrial
flourishes. ...Harsh and cool.]
9. “Broken Ties...Spoken Lies” by Shattered Realm [Metallic Hardcore
like Hatebreed. Excellent.]
10. “Serenity” by Phobia [Death/Grind brutality from a renowned band.]
11. “Live For Today” EP by Boysetsfire [Killer Metalcore.]
12. “Reason To Live” by Sixty Watt Shaman [Acid/Doom Metal for Generation
X. Brilliant.]
13. “The Cheesestake Years” by Rancid Vat [Raw, raunchy Punk Rock mayhem
with a dark edge.]
***Tongue Lash***
This section contains quotes from songs, bands, band members, books, movies, TV, etc.
"What is life? It is a flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."
-----Crowfoot.
“A little fact is worth a whole limbo of dreams.”
-----Ralph Waldo Emerson.
“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”
-----Tennyson, “LOCKSLEY HALL.”
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he
does not become a monster. And when you look long into an
abyss the abyss also looks into you.”
-----from “Beyond Good And Evil” by
Friedrich Nietzsche.
“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.”
-----Henry David Thoreau.
“A man is a god in ruins.”
-----Emerson.
“Bad is never good until worse happens.”
-----Danish Proverb.
“The historian looks backwards; eventually he also believes backwards.”
-----Nietzsche from “The Twilight of the Idols.”
“What was given to us by the past is adapted to the possibilities of the
future.” -----Carl Jung.
"Man is the cruelest animal.”
-----by Friedrich Nietzsche.
“It is not a matter of survival of the fittest but survival of the fiercest.” -----W.B. Vogel.
“The end is where we start from.”
-----T.S. Eliot, “LITTLE GIDDING.”
“All great things must first wear terrifying masks in order to burn itself
into the minds of humanity.”
-----by Friedrich Nietzsche.
***Soulgrind***
This section contains album (Cd) reviews. Enjoy...
"'Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses' by Atreyu"
by
Bill Vogel III
July 18, 2002 A.D.
Born of the pristine darkness, the band Atreyu has created a profound and epic offering. This sublime wound of universal chaos is the opus “Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses” [Victory Records]. And it has the tenebrous brilliance of the dying stars above.
Atreyu manifests a pure form of Gothic Metalcore that is unique, powerful, and brutal. Downcast, poetic lyrics are steeled by aggressive, Death growls and somber, clean yells. The instrumentals are intense, with a dark, Gothic lilt underlying the visceral angst of the Atreyu sound.
The most killer of these songs include “Living Each Day Like Your Already Dead,” “A Vampire's Lament,” the fret of “Dilated,” “Tulips Are Better,” and “A Song For The Optimists.” Atreyu takes aggression to the depths of darkness.
Overall, Atreyu is a great band. If you like it dismal, beautiful, and brutal then this is the one to get. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Earth Crisis, Cemetary, Indecision, Haste, Turmoil,
God Forbid, Overcast, Bloodlet, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'3' by Soulfly"
by
Bill Vogel III
July 12, 2002 A.D.
The Max is back! Returning to the pit once again, Max Cavalera’s own engine of destruction, Soulfly, has released their third opus. The aptly titled “3” [Roadrunner Records] is yet another raging onslaught of Tribal Death Metal.
The Soulfly sound is primal, taking traditional Tribal Death Thrash Metal and adding elements of Grindcore and Moodcore Metal. This fusion works very well...creating a catchy, brutal style. And Max’s growls absolutely destroy.
The best of these songs include “Call To Arms,” “One Nation,” the blistering “L.O.T.M.” assault, “Enter Faith,” and “Tree Of Pain.” Soulfly simply destroys...
While not their best release, “3” is a very good opus by a great band. But what else would you expect? Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Mundane, Sepsism, Puya, Sepultura, Neurosis, Today
Is The Day, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
“’Will To Mangle’ by Sourvein”
by
Bill Vogel III
November 3, 2002 A.D.
Featuring a member from the legendary act Buzz-Oven, the Doom Metal monstrosity known as Sourvein is well on their way to being legendary in their own right. Their new opus, “Will To Mangle” [Southern Lord Records], has a harsh dynamic that heightens the intensity of ordinary Doom. But Sourvein is far beyond ordinary.
The fierce quality that defines the Sourvein essence is a brutal form of Sludge/Doomdeath Metal. It is ferocious—shrill, growled vocals wallowing in a dense, sludgy caterwaul of extremely distorted guitars. In a way it is reminiscent of the mighty Acid Bath. (And that is a great thing.)
Tracks of epic note include “Dirgewine,” the punishing cut “Zeropath,” “Blackzorlac,” and the cataclysmic “Bangleaf.” Sourvein could squeeze blood from a stone.
Overall, Sourvein is as brutal as they come. And that is just one facet of what makes them great. The rest is left to the shadows of creation, and its abysmal glory. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Acid Bath, Warhorse, Sixty Watt Shaman,
Sofa King Killer, Leechmilk, Agents Of
Oblivion, Gravechild, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
“’Dissimulate’ by The Berzerker”
by
Bill Vogel III
November 23, 2002 A.D.
Australian master of Industrial Death Metal The Berzerker has returned with yet another blazing slab of stark, harshly brilliant aggression. Titled “Dissimulate” [Earache Records], it razes everything in its path. The Berzerker sets the standard for mechanized brutality. Everything else seems tame in comparison.
Blasting guitars pound through machine-precision rhythm assaults. Many samples, mostly spoken-word passages, are used as well. The vocals from fierce, guttural growls to intense shrieks. The Berzerker fuses elements of Industrial, Death, and Grindcore into a beautiful cataclysm of godlike devastation.
The most notable of these epic cuts include the jackhammer stomp of “Failure,” the frenzied punishment of “Disregard,” “Compromise,” “Abandonment,” and the sublime hostility of “Pure Hatred” (one of my favorites). And then there is the absolutely killer cover of the Carcass classic “Corporal Jigsaw Quandary.” It’s amazing...
Overall, this is a stunning second effort that should not be missed. It’s one of the best releases of 2002. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Killing Spree, Godflesh, Acid Bath,
Pain, Fear Factory, Skin Chamber,
Soulstorm, Meathook Seed, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'One For The Road' by Burner"
by
Bill Vogel III
June 29, 2002 A.D.
Burner is one of the best new bands of 2002. Their debut, “One For The Road” [Arctic Music/Crash, Inc. Records], is a supernova of shining brilliance. Burner has a unique, powerful style—Southern Deathrock Metal with intense, crushing grooves.
Forming from the ashen remains of the killer act Paingod (formerly known as Raped Ape), Burner took a new and different direction. They have created an explosive hybrid of nuances, fusing Southern Hard Rock, Hardcore, and Deathrock Metal into a sonic monstrosity. And it is amazing.
The vocals alternate between a Bluesy, Hard Rock rumble and monstrous growls. The instrumentals implement a similar dynamic—transmuting effortlessly from acoustics, to Heavy Rock, and finally to fierce, Hardcore wrenched Deathrock. Acid Bath would be an obvious, and excellent reference point for the Burner sound...minus the Gothic, Doom, and Grind elements.
The most killer cuts include “Broken,” “Five Pills (And A Bottle Of Whiskey),” the powerful “Color,” “Rollin' Disaster,” and “Ghost Town.” Burner is both sublime and ferocious.
Did I mention how amazing Burner is? Well, it’s worth saying again. Burner has released one of the best albums of 2002. So, don’t miss it. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Acid Bath, Brand New Sin, Corrosion Of Conformity,
Entombed, Konkhra, Gorefest, Dominus, Skinlab,
Paingod, Raped Ape, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'The Cold White Light' by Sentenced"
by
Bill Vogel III
July 7, 2002 A.D.
At last, the masters of true, melancholic Dark Metal have returned. Sentenced has unleashed the BEST release of 2002. This epic opus of sublime sorrow is titled “The Cold White Light” [Century Media Records], and it is simply astounding.
These Finnish greats began as a Swedish Style Death Metal band, but then slowly evolved. And on their past 3 albums they were engulfed by pure melodic darkness...it was then that they began to truly shine. Such is the balance of their various aspects—serenity and aggression, radiance and darkness, beauty and sorrow.
The vocals are clean, somewhat Gothic (male) and steeped in woe. The instrumentals share this feel, having a dark and melodic aggression that is hypnotic. Sentenced does it all brilliantly.
The album opens and closes with the sound of loons—a traditional Finnish omen of impending doom. The most amazing tracks, of this killer set of cuts, include “Cross My Heart And Hope To Die,” “The Luxury Of A Grave,” the morosely cool “Excuse Me While I Kill Myself,” and “Brief Is The Light.”
My favorite song though is “Aika Multaa Muistot [Everything Is Nothing].” The title translates, “time buries your memories.” It’s about only remembering the bad aspects of life.
Overall, this is yet another work of sheer genius by Sentenced. It’s grim, gloomy, and glorious. If you only buy one CD this year, this should be it. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: H.I.M., Lacuna Coil, Amorphis, Sundown, Babylon
Whores, Arcturus, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
“DownTheSun (Self-Titled)”
by
Bill Vogel III
November 1, 2002 A.D.
Kansas City’s DownTheSun has cut a brutal reputation for itself in the Aggro Metal scene. Their self-titled debut [Roadrunner Records] is fiery display of Midwestern aggression. Fusing Sludge and Aggro, the result is total, brilliant mayhem.
Somewhere between Mudvayne and Slipknot is where DownTheSun makes their sound. Heavy, sludgy guitar blasts pour like molten iron through raging, precise rhythms. The growled vocals explode inside this sublime chaos with a guttural perfection.
Tracks of definite excellence include “We All Die,” the ferocious “Medicated,” “Scapegoat,” the crushing weight of “Revelations,” “Eye Confide,” and “Pure American Filth.” There is no quiet place to hide in DownTheSun’s world. It’s all hostility here.
In summary, DownTheSun kills. This is Sludge/Aggro Metal at its very best. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: 36 Crazyfists, Killswitch Engage, Ill
Nino, Mudvayne, Dry Kill Logic, No One,
Slipknot, Murderdolls, Stone Sour,
Lifer, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
“’The Mantle’ by Agalloch”
by
Bill Vogel III
October 30, 2002 A.D.
From the darkened depths of an abyss where beauty is forged from the pristine shadows arises the surreal beauty and bombast of Agalloch. Their third opus, “The Mantle” [The End Records], is as eclectic as it is powerful. Combining a diverse spectrum of styles into a unique, intense experience, Agalloch has fashioned an amazing brand of Avant-Garde Blackened Death Metal.
Strangely, the overall feel is somewhat akin to fusing Pink Floyd and Emperor into a cataclysmic force. Elements of Gothic, Black, Death, and Avant-Garde Metal dance within the unreal beauty. Clean, Goth vocals are pierced by shrill, shrieking growls, intermingling with synthesizers, acoustic guitar, electric roar, and ferocious rhythms.
The most incredible tracks include “In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion,” the bizarre brilliance of “...And The Great Cold Death Of The Earth,” “Odal,” “The Hawthorne Passage,” and the poetic glory of “You Were But A Ghost In My Arms.” Agalloch is as savage as they are sublime.
Overall, Agalloch has a glorious darkness that truly shines. This album illustrates that fact perfectly. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Burzum, Arcturus, Kovenant, Mayhem, Love
History, Green Carnation, Mental Home,
Dimmu Borgir, Nokturnal Mortum, Mistigo
Varggoth Darkestra, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Intercepting Fist' by Dim Mak"
by
Bill Vogel III
July 12, 2002 A.D.
In the harshest aspect of degrees, Dim Mak was a band made for aggression. Their new opus, “Intercepting Fist” [Olympic Records], is a straight-on firestorm of intensity that formed from the charnel remains of the legendary Ripping Corpse. Dim Mak calls their style of Metal “Cobracore.” It is one venomous display of artistic violence.
Dim Mak is vicious, playing a ferocious and hyper-aggressive form of Metalcore/Death Metal. The vocals are a raspy growl—flowing effortlessly between shrieks and guttural growls. The instrumentals have a Thrash/Hardcore feel with a deep, gore-splattered roar. Speed is the key to Dim Mak.
The best chunks of musical murder include “To The Negative Power,” “Mindgate,” the blistering “Phoenix Eye Fist,” “Climbing Knife Mountain,” and “Tai Pan Snake Venom.” Dim Mak is a shredding, howling beast of brutal, apocalyptic awe.
Overall, Dim Mak is obliterating. They are intense, fierce, and unrelenting. Aggression is an art. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Ripping Corpse, Hatebreed, Internal Bleeding,
Indecision, Hoods, Turmoil, God Forbid, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Steady As She Goes' by Voodoo Glow Skulls"
by
Bill Vogel III
June 27, 2002 A.D.
It’s been a great while since any really good Skacore Metal has been released. But this is just the fix. The new opus by the Voodoo Glow Skulls, titled “Steady As She Goes” [Victory Records], is a full-on, Skacore psychotic fit.
The Voodoo Glow Skulls have a big, vibrant Hardcore sound. The vocals are midrange, having both a melodic and powerful dynamic. The Ska element comes in the form of distorted trumpet blasts that worm through chunky Punk guitars and loose, thrash rhythms. The Voodoo Glow Skulls are cool and somewhat accessible (but still good).
The killer cuts include “Nada En La Cabeza” (meaning “Nothing In The Head”), the crazy “Voodoo Anthem,” “Interstate Disease,” “Ethnic Cleansing Day,” and “Steady As She Goes.”
But the absolutely coolest cut is the hidden track (number 13). It’s a wicked cover of Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs’ “Lil' Red Riding Hood.” (A very whacked-out song for its day.) The Voodoo Glow Skulls give it a Punk swagger, with a twisted Ska edginess. At times Thrash, and others slow, the Voodoo Glow Skulls make it their own.
Overall, it’s an excellent piece...and far superior to other overhyped Ska acts. This one is a winner. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: The Urge, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish,
Catch 22, Rancid, Edna’s Goldfish, Dropkick
Murphys, Suicide Machines, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Shreds Of Dignity' by Pro Pain"
by
Bill Vogel III
March 30, 2002 A.D.
Evolution is good. From the ashes of the legendary Hardcore act the Crumbsuckers rose an even greater monster—Pro Pain. Fusing Modern Hardcore with a Deathly aggression, they created a sound that was blistering, harsh, and rocking. Their latest album, “Shreds Of Dignity” [Spitfire Records], continues their epic progression towards nihilistic brilliance.
Pro Pain’s sound is raw and dynamic. Growled burst with a fiery discourse through molten waves of fast, furious guitars and skull-crushing rhythm barrages. Pro Pain is consistent, powerful, and ever-explosive.
The most blistering cuts include “Lock N' Load,” the monstrous “The Shape Of Things To Come,” the pulverizing assault “Down For The Cause,” “Justice Must Be Done,” and “Kill Or Be Killed.” There’s no weakness here. Pro Pain is tactically perfect brutality.
In summary, “Shreds Of Dignity” is an excellent opus, and it aptly illustrates Pro Pain’s talent for aggression. It’s a simple fact—Pro Pain shreds. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Turmoil, Hatebreed, God Forbid, Distrust, Dim Mak,
Indecision, Overcast, Haste, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons.
Copyright 2002.
"Engorged (Self-Titled)"
by
Bill Vogel III
June 23, 2002 A.D.
From the hallowed reaches of the gruesome guts of gore and carrion sweat has been created a horrific monstrosity of Grindcore ferocity. That blood-blister is Engorged, a Goregrind Metal beast that draws inspiration from old George A. Romero flicks and Horror movies based on tales by H.P. Lovecraft. But that’s just the start.
Rumbling, grating Goregrind taken to the limits of brutality is what Engorged is all about. There are many elements at play in the gory guts of the Engorged sound—Horror, Grindcore, Hardcore, etc. Engorged doesn’t with more gristle and roar than the rest.
The most gruesomely glorious of these cuts include “Dreadnaught,” the acidic “Shockwaves,” “Herbert West: Re-Animator,” “Slithis,” and “White Line Nightmare.” Then there’s the three song set revolving around the “Night Of The Living Dead.” It’d make a zombie proud.
Overall, Engorged is a grisly, carrion delight. The bloodier it is, the better. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Disgorge, Exhume, Mortician, Carcass, Terrorizer,
Agoraphobic Nosebleed, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"12 Stones (Self-Titled)"
by
Bill Vogel III
June 13, 2002 A.D.
Sometimes a band is so good that they forcibly take your attention. Such is the case with 12 Stones. Their new self-titled opus, out on Wind-Up Records, is a clever, masterfully done amalgamation of styles. It seems odd in precept, but 12 Stones brilliantly combines Melodic Hard Rock (with acoustic elements), Aggro Metal, and slight tinges of Moodcore. Imagine being somewhere in between Slipknot, Nickelback, and Staind.
Their debut work has made them more than noteworthy, it has made them revolutionary in form and function. This evolution of common styles comes from quality of their hybridization and use of skillful opposition of melody against aggression, not some odd-angled attempt at being different.
The vocals switch-off between growling bursts and deep, clean, angst-driven moodiness. The guitar assaults have moments of melodic, acoustical melancholy, then jumping to powerful, massive barrages of electrically charged anger. 12 Stones is both intense and insightful.
The best tracks include the rockin’ “Broken” (the first single/video from the album), “Home,” “Soulfire” (a song about God), “My Life,” and “The Way I Feel.”
Overall, 12 Stones is easily one of the best new bands of 2002. Their fusion style of Melodic Moodcore/Aggro Metal is sublimely addictive. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Staind, Slipknot, Nickleback, Creed, Nonpoint,
Drowning Pool, Adema, Korn, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
God's Eternal Blessings to you all.
"'Mondo Medicale' by Impaled"
by
Bill Vogel III
August 29, 2002 A.D.
Like it gory? How about brutal as well? Then the Impaled is just the bloody fix you’ve been craving. Their new opus, “Mondo Medicale” [Necropolis Records], is a splatter-gore freak’s dead dream. It’s Death Metal for the guts-‘n’-grooves crew.
Chunky, crushing rhythms pound with a dull vibrancy that has a bludgeoning charm. The vocals are a ballistic growl—drilling the graphic ghastliness into your skull. And it is gruesomely good.
The gross gems here include “Carpe Mortem,” the bludgeoning “Choke On It,” “We Belong Dead,” “The Worms Crawl In,” and the blistering “Dead Inside.” Impaled is a sickening delight.
Overall, the Impaled make truly killer Deathgore Metal. So grit your
teeth and dare it. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Mortician, Cannibal Corpse, Gorerotted, Carcass,
Disgorge, Exhumed, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"Hate Theory (Self-Titled)"
by
Bill Vogel III
July 3, 2002 A.D.
Richly brutal, and bleeding sludgy darkness, the band Hate Theory has unleashed a truly sublime monstrosity. Their self-titled debut, released by World War III Records, is a pure, nihilistic slab of brilliant Sludge/Death Metal ferocity.
The vocal barrages are clustered bursts—coming in a mixture of shrieks, yells, shrill growls, and guttural growls. The instrumentals range from slow, sludgy groove-drenched assaults to Grindcore firestorms. Not many bands could do this, but Hate Theory accomplishes it with a natural ease.
The most killer of these cuts include “Rage Implant,” “Vent,” the raging “From Scabs To Scars,” “Lightbulb,” and “Crawl Alone.” Hate Theory is pure hostility.
In summary, Hate Theory has broken the mold with brutality. Few will equal to this. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Eternal Suffering, Torn, December, Today Is The
Day, Crowbar, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Ten Years And Running' by MxPx"
by
Bill Vogel III
July 16, 2002 A.D.
Washington based Pop Punk stalwarts MxPx (their name being a modified form of their previous moniker, Magnified Plaid) have been stompin’ and rompin’ around the scene now for a decade...long before it was cool or trendy to do so.
Their latest, “Ten Years And Running” [Tooth & Nail Records], is a compilation of historical cuts. Although there some great tracks missing, it is a good representational sampling of the MxPx arsenal. Add that alone is reason enough to get it.
The MxPx sound uses clean vocals with a strong, melodic Pop nuance ala Bad Religion and Face To Face. Then, adding a denser feel than most bands from this style, they implement a greater Hardcore inflection lost on most Pop Punk bands. These factors make for an edgier, and much better sound.
The most memorable cuts include “Tomorrow's Another Day,” “The Broken Bones,” the energetic “Punk Rawk Show,” “Running Away,” and the live track “Middle Name.”
Overall, it’s a fine set of Punk Rock gems that’s a must for fans of the genre. MxPx has a quality that lasts. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Bad Religion, Pennywise, Fenix TX, Blink-182, SR-71,
Face To Face, Box Car Racer, Sum 41, American Hi-Fi,
NOFX, Eve 6, Sugarcult, Lit, Fastball, Marvelous 3,
Jimmy Eat World, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Conceived In Fire' by Living Sacrifice"
by
Bill Vogel III
August 22, 2002 A.D.
One really overlooked Death Metal act is Living Sacrifice. Beginning as a Death/Thrash band, they’ve evolved over the years into a powerful force. Their style has taken on a slight Hardcore/Metalcore tinge, but they are still 100 percent Death Metal. And it is tried and true.
Living Sacrifice’s latest, “Conceived In Fire” [Solid State Records], is a brutal slab of excellence. Guttural growls permeate the din of crushing rhythms and blasting guitar slag. It’s fierce and relentless in its assault.
The noteworthy cuts are “Ignite,” “Black Seed,” “Into Again,” and the crushing “Send Your Regrets.” Living Sacrifice explodes.
Overall, it’s another great opus from Living Sacrifice. But we wouldn’t expect anything less. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Sinister, Mortification, Believer, Sadus, Hexx,
Obituary, Tourniquet, Sepultura, Soulfly, Konkhra,
Pestilence, Altar, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Evilusion' by Undercroft"
by
Bill Vogel III
June 11, 2002 A.D.
Once in a while, life will give you a solid kick in the face. It’s often a good thing. Such is the case with the new Undercroft slab, “Evilusion” [Crash Inc. Records]. This was a pleasant, punishing surprise.
Undercroft creates a powerful, brutal form of Powercore/Death Metal. This Chilean war machine uses crushing grooves, catchy rhythms, and wicked intensity to set their aim. They avoid locking into the standard “fast, fast, fast” routine that many follow.
This works exceptionally well for Undercroft. And their sound is all the heavier for it.
The vocals are a deep roar, tearing through the cacophony like a jagged razor’s edge. The rhythms are explosive—slithering and snapping violently forward. The guitars are a huge, massive slab of gnarled, bestial rage. Undercroft is impressive.
The most killer of the cuts include “Bleed To Death,” “Carros De Fuego,” the pummeling “Psychopath,” “Temples Of Carrion,” and “Evilusion.” Their sound is abusively beautiful.
In the end, the total story is that Undercroft is a phenomenal band. They go at it raging, and ferocious. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Konkhra, Occult, Illdisposed, Dominus, Oppressor,
Entombed, Internal Bleeding, Malevolent Creation,
Opeth, Pantera, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
"'Terraforming' by Postman Syndrome"
by
Bill Vogel III
September 6, 2002 A.D.
Off-timing, Death, Grindcore, Jazz, Metalcore, and Dark Alternative barely scratches the surface of the Postman Syndrome’s diverse sound. Their second opus, “Terraforming” [Now Or Never Records], is quite an amazing work. It’s brutal, soft, and intricate—an eclectic horror show of wonders and ferocities.
Growls, melancholic howls, and gentle clean vocals are used throughout. Brutal electric guitars with Grind/Hardcore elements blast, and then a massive tempo change occurs. The softer segments have acoustic guitars and more ethereal qualities. It’s startling, and cool.
Songs of note include the killer “Unfamiliar Ceiling,” “Interpretive Decorating,” “Volume Fact” (Part 2), and “Lonely In Your Arms.” Many of the songs have multiple, distinct parts. But somehow, it works for them.
Overall, the Postman Syndrome is unusually cool. Who wants to be normal anyway? Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Candiria, Naked City, Scar Culture, Atreyu, Canvas,
Skinlab, Haste, Boy Hits Car, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
“’Black Earth’ by Arch Enemy”
by
Bill Vogel III
Friday, December 13, 2002 A.D.
Arising from the crumbling wreckage of the legendary British Grindcore act Carcass, a truly great Death Metal band was born. That band is Arch Enemy, and their debut opus “Black Earth” [Century Media/Wrong Again Records] is an essential classic. Thankfully, this once extremely hard to find gem was reissued this year by Century Media Records.
Featuring the creative/guitar genius of Michael and Christopher Amott, as well as the apocalyptic growl of vocalist Johan Liiva. This Swedish outfit’s style is a cross between Deathrock and Swedish Death Metal with a strong melodic flair—somewhat akin to fusing early Sentenced with Konkhra. (It’s no wonder that this band is so great.)
The guitars have a killer groove, as blasts of Thrash frenzy are overlaid with flashes of virtuoso style solos. Liiva’s vocals are superb—powerful, roaring, and crisp growls that have the traumatic clarity of a thunderclap. Arch Enemy is amazing.
Tracks of noteworthy greatness include “Idolatress,” “Bury Me An Angel,” “Eureka,” the crushing “Transfiguration Macabre,” and “Cosmic Retribution.” It also has two bonus tracks—covers of Iron Maiden’s “The Ides Of March” (instrumental) and “Aces High.”
But my absolute favorite is “Losing Faith.” It’s a sublimely brutal cut about life (love) and the damage it does. “This life that I believed in, sentences me without mercy,” it proclaims. It also says, “Staring down the depths, of the mind once again, regret this way of living, retrospectives in the end, losing faith in heaven, now conform to hell, blindfolds of romance, this pain I can not bear.” This is the poetry of power-chords and putrefying dreams.
In final retrospect, this is one of the best Death Metal releases ever. And it’s the best reissue of the year. Even though it originally saw the light-of-day in 1996, time hasn’t dulled any of its glory. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Entombed, Carcass, Carnage, Cadaver,
Soilwork, Konkhra, Dominus, Night In
Gales, In Flames, Vader, Dismember,
Decapitated, etc.
Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece.
Email at: StrangeAeons@hatebox.net
LifeEraser@aol.com
StrangeAeons@compuserve.com
Copyright 2002.
*** Rogue’s Gallery ***
I still claim all rights to the names "Angst Industry" and “Hate Box,” and to the concept. Old issues of it can be downloaded, and distributed under the same rules as Stranger Aeons.
Writers: B. "William the Bloody” Vogel III
Editors: Bill Vogel III (Managing Editor)
Layout Design by B. Vogel III
Coverpage Design by B. Vogel III
Published by Bill Vogel III
Produced by Anarchy Productions (TM.), in cooperation with Death Jam (TM.), Night-Creatures, and The D.E.A.D. Ones (TM.).
Legal Junk: This is copyrighted material. It may be distributed freely, as long as it is in its complete and original format, or credit is given for quoted portions. We are not liable for changes made by idiots after they get it or if they misinterpret it.
Note*** If you have a magazine and would like to use portions of Stranger Aeons, contact me.
All scrivener’s errors (typos) are the sole responsibility of me, B. Vogel III. Any flak directed at other writers should be sent to me...I do not want my friends besieged by silly crap. My views do not necessarily reflect those of Compuserve, America Online, the World Wide Web, Internet, the other writers, or anyone else. So there. :)
Note to Pro-Censorship types: Bite me.
Beware of people who can do nothing but gripe, whine, and moan...by writing or speaking trite, naive, and idiotic crap (i.e. certain members of the U.S. Congress, and such).
Finished December 20, 2002 A.D.
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