This memorial day weekend was filled with BBQ and beer and fake patriotism, so in his infinite wisdom Uncle Sam decided not to give us many major releases, lest we become even more stimulated by violence and testosterone. So I did what I had to do, and picked a few albums at random, which of course resulted in great aural suffering and a lot of mean reviews. But nevertheless, here are the new releases for 5/29:
Engel – Blood Of Saints
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Electronica
Country: Sweden
Label: Season Of Mist
Listen: "Numb"
While always a vaguely familiar name within the metal community, Engel have been further thrust into the spotlight because of Niclas Engelin's now permanent involvement with In Flames. And it's true, the two bands do share some striking similarities, if by similarities you mean all the worst possible parts of post-2000 In Flames . Indeed, Blood Of Saints sounds like a conscious effort to isolate the generic riffs and bad electronica of an aging and irrelevant melodeath band; a toxic mixture of bland guitar riffs, recycled harmonies, uninspired compositions and insipid dubstep fuckery. With a production job that is literally identical to In Flames' Soundtrack To Your Escape, and a vocal performance that seems to be 85% Anders Friden imitation, there are certain moments where the two bands actually become indistinguishable. I apologize for being so harsh, as apparently not all of Engel's efforts have been this terrible (from what I hear), but unless you're just absolutely yearning for some more modern In Flames, I suggest you avoid this album.
Dawnbringer – Into The Lair Of The Sun God
Genre: Heavy Metal
Country: United States
Label: Profound Lore
Listen: "III"
Sporting some incredible artwork and a dramatic but fitting album title, Dawnbringer have once again emerged from the depths of Profound Lore's inimitable roster, unleashing upon the masses another concoction of otherworldly metal. One part retro-traditional, one part old-school thrash, and one part 70's psychadelia, Dawnbringer are traversing soundscapes that are both warmly nostalgic and surprisingly progressive; contemplative and outwardly epic, atmospheric and also aggressive. Into The Lair Of The Sun God sees the band expanding slightly upon their already established sound, and fans of the old material will most certainly be into the cosmic and conceptual undertones that tie this entire album together.
Malice – New Breed Of Godz
Genre: Heavy/Power/Speed Metal
Country: United States
Label: Steamhammer Records
Listen: "New Breed Of Godz"
I was immediately and physically agitated by the "Z" at the end of this album title; a grave misstep that, to any seasoned metalhead, instantly indicates a severe lack of musical quality and also of any self-awareness whatsoever. As usual, my fears were realized when metal archives displayed to me a picture of 40+ year old dudes in leather jackets standing against a background of clip-art flames. I could probably end my review here. But give me just a few more sentences to affirm what you now already know; if "dad-rock" is a genre, then so is "dad-power metal." Roaring straight out of the 80's with an affinity for Judas Priest and an obsession with ancient mythology, New Breed Of Godz is an album that reeks of broken dreams, wasted lives, shitty bars and disappointed spouses. If not for the fact that this band is serious, we could be looking at a potential piece of comic gold. Unfortunately it's just really, extremely depressing.
Sacred Blood – Alexandros
Genre: Power Metal
Country: Greece
Label: Pitch Black Records
Listen: "The Apotheosis Of Alexander"
And because I like to torture myself, I actually listened to this album, despite an album cover that screams "I am infinitely cheesier than you could ever even imagine." Despite this, however, Sacred Blood have managed to surpass my admittedly low expectations and create an album that is at its worst enjoyable and its best actually kind of awesome. It is most certainly cheesy in the way that all European power metal is cheesy; but once you get past that, the band can crank out some damn catchy tunes and some memorable choruses, complete with bombastic symphonic arrangements and skillful musicianship. The band is still very young, and it shows in their music, but with some time and perhaps with a bigger budget they could eventually become a noteworthy band in the realm of cinematic power metal.
Pohjast – Thou Strong, Stern Death
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Estonia/Germany
Label: Spinefarm Records
Listen: N/A
Judging from album cover and album title alone, I was expecting a cold, wintery, atmospheric black metal release, full of malice and recorded on a fisher-price tape recorder. None of these things were accurate. The production is incredibly clear and sharp, with the guitars having a nice trebly bite to every slithering chord progression. There's something here that reminds me more of Viking-era Bathory than any traditional black metal; the vocals are gravelly, but instead of being screamed they are sung with pitch. The riffs lack tremolo and the drums lack blast beats, but instead they make their way through traditional-sounding riffs that are tinged with dissonance but always headbangable. Nothing truly amazing, but an enjoyable record from start to finish.
More Releases:
Blood Mortized – The Key To A Black Heart
Dehuman – Black Throne of All Creation
For Today – Immortal
Ides Of Gemini – Constantinople
Mirrormaze – Walkabout
The Reticent – Le Temps Detruit Tout
Sexcrement – Sloppy Seconds
Sledge Leather – Imagine Me Alive
