This City Needs a Hero- Wasteland Review

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but after giving a in depth listen into This City Needs a Hero’s new full length, Wasteland I can’t say there is anything particularly special about it. The record has its moments musically but much of the album sounds the same. The trend of the record seems to be clean vocals to rough scratchy vocals and an unnecessary synth being played over a breakdown. In fact the synth may be my biggest complaint with the whole record. It comes up in parts that by no means need any help from an electronic sound.

Another problem I have with the record is that it covers a couple of different genres that shouldn’t be placed together. When Linkin Park became irrelevant I thought that nu-metal had finally died out for good, however This City Needs a Hero have managed to bring back a dead genre that didn’t need to be resuscitated.

As far as guitar riffs go, it isn’t a bad record. Not to say they’re inspirational genre defining works on the guitar but it is definitely the highlight of the album. The bad thing about the guitar work is the placement of them within the music. For example the last song, Vindication goes from a break down to an acoustic guitar part that to be quite honest doesn’t sound like it was mixed that well.

Really it’s not a wonderful record; it has some cool riffs but was definitely made for those who are more into rap rock and nu-metal. I however was not entirely impressed with the record. However I encourage you to not listen to me and make your own decision. You can listen to a few of the tracks off of Wasteland at www.myspace.com/thiscityneedsahero.

Review: Vomit the Hate-"Premortem Rot"

I was not made aware of, Vomit the hate until I was asked by the man himself, Mahdi Riahi to take a listen to his 2010 four song EP titled “Premortem Rot.” To be completely honest I had no idea what to expect and wasn’t sure at all whether or not I would like it. The name its self makes me think of grindcore which all instruments are recorded to a click track of 765 BPM and vocals are little more than guttural lows that cannot be understood at all. This vivid description that I have just painted is not at all what “Premortem Rot,” sounds like.

As far as technical death metal goes this is one of the best EP’s floating around in the underground scene that I’ve heard in a long time. While I love some melody, it has been a while since I’ve heard an unsigned band stick to the pure brutal beginnings of the genre. Listeners will hear elements of old Cannibal Corpse of and a few early Suffocation style breakdowns. If Necrophagist decide to break up (does anybody know what the hell they’re doing anyway?) Vomit the Hate will gladly take their place as the leading force of brutal technical metal.

My one complaint with the album is that the solos do not seem to fit the riffs. With low tone riffs played at blinding speed, I expected to hear fast aggressive sweeps throughout the entire record. However the solo’s consist of melodies which I would expect to hear on an In Flames album or even a Dahlia Album (Prior to Ryan Knight joinging). There are a few sweeps here and there however it mostly consists of slower melodic solos that fit more to a slower more melodic band. Keep in mind they are very well written solos; they just seem a little out of place.

Overall this is a great record that should be listened to by everyone. Fortunately you can download this EP for free on the, Vomit the Hate myspace (www.myspace.com/vomitthehate). There are a few more EP’s on the myspace which I’ve been meaning to download for quite a while. Make sure you head over and check it out, tell your friends about it who should tell their friends about it…and who knows with any luck, Vomit the Hate will get the attention of Brian Slagel and he will help Mahdi become known as a wonderful guitarist/songwriter.

Pariah

Very rarely do we come across a piece of music that does not include breakdowns, techno beats, and horrible screams. Fortuantely I have found an EP that will bring many metal heads back to the thrash days with a hint of Children of Bodom and At the Gates. Well, ladies and gentlemen; I present to you, Pariah.

Originally hailing from Kodiak, Alaska; the boys in Pariah have found themselves on the east coast due to military living. Right around the corner from Sacred Serenity, Pariah have kept up with a modern style of death metal while staying within the roots of thrash bands such as Metallica and testament. Although I can’t stop there and say they sound exactly like the early thrash bands that helped create a new genre of music.

Their self titled, eight song EP which is currently under review by Earache Records, gives a unique take on what you’ll find in mist heavy underground scenes. For many young listeners metal is little more than breakdowns and pig squeals. Pariah’s EP will introduce the younger fans of extreme music to Children of Bodom style speed mixed with power/thrash metal vocals.

Their self titled EP shows that the band can shred and they shred quickly. Take for example “When Worlds Collide,” staying at a steady speed comparable to testament (which is by no means easy) Pariah drill a melodic trem pick riff backed by lighting quick double bass and some fancy cymbal work to make listeners get up and mosh with their dog (Side: Into the Pit Reviews does not endorse moshing with household pets…Try moshing with a bear than get back to me).

Although a great album it may be hard for some to get into just because of it’s old school metal feel. There are no sweeps that I could hear, hardly anyone does semi- power metal vocals and there are no blast beats and/or breakdowns. It is something that has to be listened to a couple of times before it is truly appreciated for the semi-masterpiece that it is.

You can hear more of Pariah at their myspace, www.myspace.com/pariahmetalband

Track Listing
1)Taking over the Land
2)Hero’s Live to Die
3)Struggle for Redemption
4)The Fire Wave
5)When Worlds Collide
6)Forever to Reign
7)Ghost of the Militia
8)Victory Remains

Alustrium

Many bands put out EP’s like it’s just another thing to do on the way to creating a full length or inbetween tours. Alustrium knew they wouldn’t have another release until they had everything perfect. This being said, we can be glad they put 100 percent into this EP which will only excite us a little more for the debut full-length.

Beginning this fine example of underground metal mastery is the five minute twenty five second song, “Butterfly Wings”. Although it sounds like the HIM song (“Wings of a Butterfly”), do not the title deceive you. It is much heavier than the five-piece Finnish band’s 2005 single although not a melodic. I guess it really depends on what your into. If you’re looking for melody this may not be the song for you. However if you’re looking for hard hitting in your face chugging back by speedy double bass work, I can be certain you’ll like this.

Following “Butterfly Wings” will be a song titled Magnum which delievers a sound bigger than what magnums are used for (I had to go there sorry) an excellent bass/guitar trade off in the beginning leads to a heavy riff backed by great drums and searing vocals that rip thorough your head phones and melt destroy your brain. What I found to be the most impressive element of this song is how it seems to be a very bass driven song. With the bass intro and a bit of a bass solo about half way through the song lets us know that, Brett Leftwich is more than just providing low backing tones for the band.

Leading into the third track is a riff and double bass that will make you want to get up and mosh. I suggest you not do that however it may make you look mentally unstable. “The All Seeing Eye” may fair for those who enjoy black metal. It is a bit more of a trem picked riff with parts that have both high and low vocals at the same time for certain parts. My only complaint is that it becomes a little repetitive, but at eight minutes and fifty-six seconds long, it’s a little hard to come up with different riffs that fit within the song structure. My other complaint with this song is the whisper that comes in just under the four minute mark. They don’t really add anything to the song, but then again It may have something to do with the story within the lyrics; either way a decent song that only adds to the strength of the EP.

Finally is “Twilight’s Reprieve” which comes with the question; when’s the last time you heard a ten minute song that wasn’t by Between the Buried and Me? Why do I like this song the most? It’s a good thing you asked, “Twilight’s Repreive is definitely the most diverse in style with every element of the music. Even Jerry Martin’s vocals change in style throughout the song, while in the other songs he maintains a monotone growl which only changes once and a while. “Twilight’s Reprieve” seems to be a culmination of everything the band has tried to get across in the other three songs. Blast beats, breakdowns and melody. Even an 80’s hair metal solo comes through around the six minute mark. Where I would normally write unspeakable, horrible threats to a band that tried to do this, I can’t because it seems like the only kind of solo that fits the music and any other solo would seem out of place.

Are they this generation’s At the Gates? No, however with work and some future tours I can see Alustrium playing the three day European festivals that bands strive to become a part of. Be sure to pay attention to these guys at www.myspace.com/alustrium. For Fans of :Trivium and At the Gates.

Review: Cherished "Horizon Falls"

Without any prior knowledge of the band itself; if I heard the name cherished as a band name, I would only assume that they played some form of 1980’s power pop. I was horribly mistaken; hailing from Germany, the five piece death-core band has recently signed to BRKNN MIRRR Records and is slowly taking the world by storm. Their debut album, titled “Horizon Falls” is a great start for a young band trying to make a name for themselves in an industry where so many bands sound the same.

The opening track simply titled “Intro” is nothing more than a few eerie notes and bone rattling snare hits prepping you for the storm that s about to ensue. With a simple breakdown, Cherished created a perfect opening to draw listeners in just as The Black Dahlia Murder did with their debut album “Unhallowed”. Although the two bands sound nothing alike, the same idea is used for the intro and the bands first single “Life of Suffering.”

Although the single its self is impressive, to get catch the band at their best you’ll have to listen eight tracks in before you find “The Forgotten.” Easily the best song on the CD with different rhythms and quick picking keeps “The Forgotten” as a song much more memorable than any other song on the CD. It crosses back and forth between the line of breakdown and melody keeping listeners interested and not stuck on one rhythm.
At the end of it, “Horizon Falls” is a great first effort by the newly signed five piece. It can at time be a little repetitive at times and sounds like they are trying to break out of the current groove but just haven’t found their own voice yet. I have high hopes for Cherished and based off of “Horizon Falls” their next album should be incredible.
Rating-7

Divulgence by Sacred Serenity

In December of 2009, Sacred Serenity released their seven song debut to the underground metal scene in package titled, “Enemy in the Clouds.” Showing the perseverance of the band; vocalist Pat Scanlon and guitarist, Nate Parker found Kyle Peronteau to play drums and Dave Jamison to tear up the bass. May 22, 2010 the four musicians released, “Divulgence” creating a new standered for themselves
The opening song, “Homicidal Generation,” begins slowly with a few harmonic notes and distorted chords that make listeners unsure of what exactly is going to come. The tempo quickly turns up and the harmonics abruptly move into a melodic poppy-metal song that should remind metal-core fans of “Two Weeks” by All that Remains. Lyrically the song is by far the best on the album with the line “Kill or be killed that’s the choice I have to make in this world, I choose to kill.” this is by far one of the most badass lyrics I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. Just as the rest of the album, “Homicidal Generation” has the perfect mixture of breakdowns and melody to create a well balanced sound that fans of all metal sub-genres will appreciate.
Nate Parker’s guitar work on this EP is truly the driving force behind the songs. Whether quick or slow he hits the head on each riff leaving no mistake on this audio piece of art. Particularly the song, “Prisoner of Regret” has what to me sounds like the most technical guitar work seeing as it sounds most like something that I could hear, Between the buried and Me writing. The whole album is filled with riffs that will impress music critics everywhere.
The line up choices Pat and Nate made definitely had a positive effect in the song writing process. Dave Jamison adds clear distorted bass lines and some pretty epic bass sweeps over the breakdown in the song “Prisoner of Regret.” Kyle Peronteau keeps steady rhythms while adding his own flare to each song.
Heading towards a more progressive style of music, the CD ends with the slower song, “Divulgence.” Not my favorite song on the EP but it can definitely be appreciated for its musicianship and soothing rhythms. Six tracks which are all worth listening to come clocking in at 31 minutes and 40 seconds that will give you a new appreciation of what an unsigned band can do when they put their hearts in the music. This is for fans of Dream Theatre and Between the Buried and me. “Divulgence” can be found be purchased online and listened to on the bands myspace: www.myspace.com/sacredserenity.

Impending Doom's new sound

I can probably say I was one of the last Impending Doom fans to hear the band’s new single, “The Great Fear,” the others being the three other people who were in the room with me listening to it. While my friends initially gave it bad reviews and complained about how they will never have an initial sound because the only consistent member of the band is, Brook Reeves who is the bands vocalist and only writes the lyrics, I found the music to be an improvement and still hold on to the sound they created with, “The Serpent Servant.”
While the band has sped up a little bit, once you get towards the end of the song you hear the same crushing breakdowns that gave them a name for themselves in the past year. The same minor notes are played over the breakdown just as they were in the bands previous album to give listeners an eerie vibe about the wrath of god.
When it comes down to it the new members seemed to feel that Impending Doom’s third effort should be a mix of their debut “Nailed. Dead. Risen,” and their sophomore effort, “The Serpent Servant.” My only complaint is Brook’s vocals in the beginning of the song but maybe it’s just because I’m not used to hearing death-core vocalists use a thrash vocalist’s vocal chords.
Impending Doom’s new album, “There Will be Violence,” hits stores July 20 and they are currently on tour throughout the United States.

Big Choclate Interview

Photo taken from myspace.com/big.chocolate


One of the biggest names in metal is a 19 year old originally from the small town of Minden, Nevada and he isn’t even in a band that’s signed to a major label. In his years lived he has produced dozens of songs dabbled in electro, done vocals for Russian slam metal band, Abominable Putridity and more recently recorded the vocals on Mediaskare record’s very own Burning the Masses. He has recently finished a stint in Europe on the “Legacy of Blood Tour” with Burning the Masses, Nervecell, Annotations of an Autopsy and death metal legends, Suffocation. I’m of course talking about Cameron “Big Chocolate” Argon who has made himself famous throughout the metal community. He discusses Burning the Masses, Disfiguring the Goddess, Betty White as well as some future projects he’s getting into.

-Into the Pit: To begin, how did you get contacted to do the vocals for the new Burning the Masses album?
Big C: Hahaha, just a myspace message to start off then a few phone calls. Then we met up and further discussed it.

-Into the Pit: When did you know that you didn’t want to become an official member of BTM?
Big C: I knew I was uncertain before I joined and I told them how I felt about it. After the Legacy of Blood tour was over, I took a few weeks to decide on how I felt about my true status in the band. I knew it wasn't for me and that I wanted to pursue other projects in my life right now. They understood and respected that. I kept it upfront and real with those guys since day one about everything.
-Into the Pit: Since you’re not on their latest tour, what are you doing to fill your time now?
Big C: Right now: I'm working on a few more remixes, working on tracks for Commissioner (My new project with Mitch Lucker of Suicide Silence), getting ready to record the DTG full length in July, and film for Suicide Silence during Warped tour, working on my new electro release, and DJ’ing as much as I can, along with recording vocals for Abominable Putridity (Russian Slam Metal)

-Into the Pit: Do you ever expect to tour with Disfiguring the Goddess or is that solely a studio band?
Big C: As of now, I can't say for sure. I know sometime DTG will be doing somewhat of a tour, I just can't see a time frame.
-Into the Pit: Which bands or even vocalist are you most influenced by?
Big C: For metal? Hate Eternal, Defeated Sanity, Meshuggah... Metal bands that have been pushing the limits since day one and continue to evolve. Some of my greatest influences have mainly just been family and friends. Support goes a long way for me.
-Into the Pit: What is the writing process like for Disfiguring the Goddess?
Big C: I'll write full songs with my guitar, vocal chords, and a drum machine just like the Promo EP. But rather than just stopping at that, I send the music files to Joe (guitars) and he goes through and re-writes the guitar to be more 'colorful' as we've been calling it. I basicly draw a line drawing of a picture and Joe comes in and paints it. Phil (drums) gets the mp3s and click tracks to practice to. Phil, we'll take into a studio to track his drums and then we'll record guitars and vocals at home. Mixing will be done at home as well.
-Into the Pit: What bands are you listening to now?
Big C: Caspa and Rusko, Portal, The Bloody Beetroots, Borgore, Cannibal Corpse, Vomit The Soul, and Inherit Disease.
-Into the Pit: Who would you say is the next big name in metal that has not been nationally discovered yet?
Big C: Probably Betty White judging from that SNL skit.
-Into the Pit:How did you get into the electro genre of music and how long have you been doing that for?
Big C: I've been into electronic music just as long as I've been into metal, but I've never focused on JUST electro until about 6 months ago. Once I figured out how to successfully use side chaining, it was OVER for me.
-Into the Pit: How do you think the internet has played a role with your success as a musician/producer? And to follow that up; do you get calls from all over the country or even the world to be a part of certain projects?
Big C: Internet has been #1 in my 'success' as a musician/producer. I started making music while living in Minden, NV which is a very small town. If I didn't have the internet to obtain an audience for metal, I would have had probably 4 fans based on Minden’s musical and 'hip' make up. The internet has also allowed me to avoid working with indie labels and indie management, because I could easily promote, market, and distribute on my own through networks like youtube, myspace, and itunes. I also would have never gotten the opportunity to work with Russian slam giants, Abominable Putridity. The Internet is an amazing tool for any sort of goal or hobby.

THRODL, "No Honor in Exile" Review

Just as quick as it came and made a name for itself, deathcore has become a dying genre and bands who once labeled themselves in such a manner are slowly gravitating towards either death metal or hardcore. Although labeled a deathcore act, THRODL’s latest 13 song album, “No Honor in Exile” leans a little more toward the hardcore side, with more breakdowns than speed within the songs.
Although there are a few blast parts, the CD seems to be saturated in breakdowns. This is coming from someone who likes nothing more than the mixture of blast beats and breakdowns. I wouldn’t be complaining if they had one song with only one breakdown, but you can’t escape the breakdown in this CD which may or may not be a good thing depending on your taste.
While my only complaint with “No Honor in Exile” is the amount of breakdowns, there are many things that as a musician myself I can appreciate about the album. To begin I should mention the time signatures particularly in the song “Gaz’r Delay” where the drummer, Justin Skipper seems to be keeping his own time opposite of the guitars making for a more interesting listen as opposed to hearing the same4/4 timing that many bands stick to just to be safe. I must also compliment Brad Roche on the vocals on this album. He keeps the lyrics with whatever rhythm is going and doesn’t stray from the pattern to confuse listeners. Although a hardcore album, there is no random shouting in between guitar and drum notes, which is something hardcore bands seem to enjoy doing.
All together not a bad album; there is definitely room for improvement but it all depends on what your into. If you like the traditional tough guy hardcore displayed by bands such as Kingdom of Sorrow and Hatebreed, than you’ll enjoy “No Honor in Exile,” if your less into breakdowns and more into quick melodies, you may still like this, however it’s not the selling point of this album. I give it a solid 4/5, the audio quality is amazing, and the guitar parts are technical and fun to listen to, my only complaint being the amount of breakdowns.

Taproot "Plead The Fifth"

I can honestly say that it’s been a while since a hard rock record that I’ve liked has been presented to me. With their seventh studio album and the Victory Records debut, Taproot has done a wonderful job of mixing Linkin Park style rap-rock with the angst and emotion of Nirvana. “Plead the Fifth” is the first album that I’ve ever heard of Taproot and since listening to it through; I’ve been hooked ever since. With choruses that are catchy an memorable and verses that take a little more thought, Taproot has found a winning sound for the latest releases.
The opening song on the album, “Now Rise” does exactly what I think an opening song should do: describe the album. With “Now Rise” the band communicates exactly what listeners are going to get out of the album; melody, hard hitting riffs, experimental riffs and even some rap-rock needled within the tracks. Throughout the record, there are multiple radio friendly songs with complex verses and easily, memorable choruses that will let listeners sing along to every word.
For people who miss Linkin Park and Nirvana and for those who like the current sounds of Nickelback and Shinedown, “Plead the Fifth” has a sound for everyone. To those who rock with the hard symbol crash and those who prefer the slower, sadder songs, Taproot covers to almost every one’s musical taste while keeping their sense of originality. While some of the riffs take a while to grow on you, believe me, they will grow on you and before you know it, you’ll be listening to this band like it’s your job. I give it a solid 4/5, just because it does take a while to grow on you. They definitely took a risk with some of the songs they put on the album, but the risk was worth it. For any and all hard rock fans, this is an album that should be in your collection.

Interview with Metalhit.com

I was recently shown a website that not only acted as a store but as a record label itself. With curiosity getting the best of me, I e-mailed the owner Mike Riddick to ask more about what he did for bands and about the music industry itself.


How did Metalhit.com get started?

Metalhit.com was born from an idea inspired by my wife, Beth, while I was operating my other, traditional (CD/Vinyl) label, The Fossil Dungeon. The Fossil Dungeon specializes in gothic/ethereal music. We’ve published many wonderful artists over the years but my affinity for music began with origins in metal. Metalhit allows me to reconnect with the extreme metal I grew up on and it also allows me to provide a service where I saw a need in the underground metal community.


What do you look for in artist, any particular sub-genres that you are more open to than others?

I look for artists that are serious about what they’re doing and want to take things to the next level. I work with both new talent, emerging and established bands. I also look for artists that carry some degree of originality or are simply good at what they do. As for sub-genres, I’d say most of my affinity rests with black, thrash and death metal…particularly with early 90’s influences. Though I’m open to work with all categories of metal and have the resources to support it.


What kinds of services do you provide other than selling digital music?

In addition to the Mp3 store we operate, we also manage the digital music catalogs of about 80 different metal labels. We deliver their digital content to more than 200 digital music vendors and ringtone outlets worldwide. We have recently launched our Music Services. Our Music Services provide the support and infrastructure of a traditional label but do not confine bands to the contracts typically offered by labels. The service is for bands who want to do things independently but also don’t have the resources one would need to launch a successful album. We have those resources, so we can offer this to bands. The end result is that the bands can make more money doing things themselves, through our services, than they could either doing it completely by themselves or through a label. Our services include everything from manufacturing, inventory management, and merchandising to worldwide physical and digital distribution and promotion.



Why do you think there aren’t more exclusively digital record labels around and what makes Metalhit.com the ideal label?

I don’t think there are many completely digital labels around simply because the revenues from digital sales aren’t strong enough to support most label operations. I believe a lot of metalheads also still prefer physical products and it will take some time for the value of a digital release to sit well with consumers as a viable product. We will be expanding our portfolio of releases to include physical products to meet this demand but we believe, in the long-term, everything will be digital and we will be in a good position to operate this way exclusively. What makes us an ideal label is that we aren’t really a label. We’re more of a distribution and promotional resource which are really the only two assets that make a traditional label valuable. As bands begin to realize that doing things independently is better than signing away their rights and music to labels, they will see what we offer is a better solution, and a more fiscally sound approach. We believe labels aren’t really needed quite as much as their resources are. So we opted to become the resource without all of the overhead and expense that most labels have to deal with. It allows us to provide a better option for bands overall.



Who was the first band you signed and how did you find them?

The first band we brought onto the Metalhit roster was HOD from Texas. I knew Carl, the guitarist, when he played in THORNSPAWN, as they took me under their wing when I lived in Texas for a brief while. Carl told me about his new band, and I thought I could help push their new band by making their demo an exclusively digital production while also helping to market their work. Sometime thereafter they signed to Ibex Moon Records, the label operated by John of INCANTATION. It was a great reward to work with HOD and observe their growth and signing with John’s label. I’m still able to work with, and support HOD indirectly, as I manage the digital catalog of Ibex Moon Records in the European digital market.



How would you say the internet and social networking such as Myspace and Facebook has done to the music industry?

It has undoubtedly had an affect. MySpace now provides the majority of artist websites online and has become the common conduit for bands and fans to interact. Facebook has accomplished the same, though has less of a musical slant. Collectively, both have leveled the playing field as far as music accessibility. Major and underground bands alike are now using the same platforms to reach fans and this has both propped up independent music as well as brought major label and band activity to a new level that forces it to compete in a more unique way.



As the owner of a record label, what would you say about the current state of Metal? Such as the crossing of genres where metal bands place techno music over blast beats or Vo-coders going over high pitched singing etc.

I think it’s great that bands continue to experiment. Sometimes it sticks, other times it fails. Either way, it’s always important to keep things fresh so the genre can grow. However, there’s also something to be said about traditional forms of metal. Sometimes a style is timeless or can last decades. Both are beneficial for a strong appeal.



What do you think will be the next “Craze” in metal? Example’s being deathcore became popular over the years and is slowly winding down.

I really don’t know. It seems thrash has been picking up lately but I don’t have any foresight on future trends. I mainly stick to the stuff I like and haven’t gotten into any of the recent trends.



Which bands do you think will be the next major leader in Metal?

That’s difficult to say as well. It really depends on who has the most talent, creativity and the proper marketing force behind them.



What’s next for the label, any new bands being signed any kind of expansion?

We hope to announce working with some new bands as we begin promoting our Music Services. This is a big expansion for us because we’ll be increasing our promotional power as well as adding physical distribution services to our portfolio. For the most part we’ve acted only a digital distributor, digital store and digital label. Time will tell what’s next. Thanks, Dan, for the opportunity to participate with Into the Pit!!! All my best to you…

www.metalhit.com

After Chidori

Creating a whole new sub-genre of metalcore isn’t easy, however Long Island’s After Chidori have managed to take metal-core to a whole new level by mixing elements of traditional hardcore with death metal vocals and ending in melody. How many bands can say that their front person is a woman that can scream better than most guys in the music industry and at the drop of a hat put on clean almost angelic vocals to end their songs with. Driven forward by the guitar work of Nick Diaz and James Marshall, After Chidori gives the best of metal as well as soft melodies that are the calm after the storm. A strong rhythm section provided by Greg Bustamante (Bass) and Justin Demurias (Drums) keeps the music tight and heavy. The songs are well written and would push the limits of any musician trying to cover After Chidori. Heavy riffs and tight melodies seem to be the key to the success of After Chidori and it will ultimately be the reason that they become a house hold name in metal in the near future. This is truly a band that has done what they needed to get the attention of record labels. In fact if they aren’t signed by the end of 2010 I will have lost all faith in the music industry.

A band that is marketable as well as talented is a rare thing in today’s sea of music. After Chidori fills both of these shoes and will continue to wear them until the end of their career which we can only hope lasts longer than the ocean of poor quality bands that are out there.

Mendozza, Cabre Noche Review

When looking back at bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, many wonder what happened to the days of heavy rock’n’roll. Saving this kind of music and bring it into today would be Vancouver Island’s Sludge/old school rock band, Mendozza. Their latest full length, Cabre Noche will remind listeners Black Sabbath and why they are considered the founders of metal. Cabre Noche takes listeners on a trip back to the 70’s where everyone was stoned, liked their music slow and evil and a band was considered a good band depending on how long they can drag a song out. Mendozza accomplishes all of these task with Cabre Noche with the shortest song (Witch Hunt) being three minutes long and longest (Injustice for All) playing up to seven minutes and 41 seconds long.

The CD gives a great name to the sludge genre and adds yet another band to add to my playlist of slower chilled out, yet heavy as all hell music. Cabre Noche will be for those who enjoy bands such as High on Fire, with a mixture of both The Melvins and Black Sabbath. With straight forward southern guitar riffs, crunching bass lines and hard hitting drums, Cabre Noche is a slow bulldozer, rolling over everything in its way and crunching forward one step at a time. Over all a great CD that should be in the collection of any sludge metal fan.

To find more from Mendozza, go to www.myspace.com/mendozza

Stay Brutal
Dan

Bastions, Kingdom of Dogs EP review

Bastions

The UK is known for pumping out a new hardcore band every other week, but few manage to get the attention of small record labels in Pittsburgh PA and a small town college reviewer. However of these many hardcore bands that can be found in pubs all over the UK, Bastions managed to stick out with their latest EP Kingdom of Dogs.

Kingdom of Dogs will kick your ass, there is no polite way to put it, there is no avoiding it, just accept it and enjoy. I say it so bluntly because that is the best way to describe how fast and mind boggling this EP is. It starts off with the song, Crooked Hands, which does not hesitate to punch a hole in your face with a fast riff, loud vocals and a quick yet steady thrash beat. The band isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, just make it move a little faster and able to run over things without the risk of breaking down.

Kingdom of Dogs sounds like the members of Every Time I Die, Impending Doom and Cancer Bats, got together to make an album of fast punk, slower hardcore without generic breakdowns or two-step riffs and the eerie minor notes being played over a break down (listen to Matriarch to hear these eerie undertones). The EP not only makes you go crazy but scares the hell out of you if you happen to pick –up on the eeriness of it all.

The album demonstrates that a hardcore band can be more than breakdowns and actually show some musicianship with interesting timings and riffs that aren’t typically heard in modern hardcore. For an EP, this is probably one of the best releases that I’ve heard this year and look forward to hearing even more of Bastions in the future.