  _______ __                     __      __                      ___ 
 |   _   |  |--.----.-----.-----|__.----|  .-----.-----. .-----.'  _|
 |.  1___|     |   _|  _  |     |  |  __|  |  -__|__ --| |  _  |   _|
 |.  |___|__|__|__| |_____|__|__|__|____|__|_____|_____| |_____|__|  
 |:  1   |                                                          
 |::.. . |                                                          
 `-------'                                                          
                   _______ __                      
                  |   _   |  |--.---.-.-----.-----.
                  |.  1___|     |  _  |  _  |__ --|
                  |.  |___|__|__|___._|_____|_____|
                  |:  1   |                        
                  |::.. . |                        
                  `-------'                        


       CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, November 7, 2004, Issue #79
                  http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com


Co-Editor / Founder: Gino Filicetti
Co-Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Chris Flaaten
Contributor: Quentin Kalis
Contributor: Xander Hoose
Contributor: Adam Lineker
Contributor: James Montague
Contributor: Jackie Smit
Neophyte: James Slone
Neophyte: Todd DePalma

The   individual   writers   can   be   reached    by    e-mail    at 
firstname.lastname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com.                            
     (e.g. Gino.Filicetti@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Issue #79 Contents, 11/7/2004
-----------------------------
* Chats
-- Rotting Christ: Back Into the Abyss Once More
* Albums
-- Agalloch - _The Grey_
-- Astriaal - _Renascent Misanthropy_
-- Aura Noir - _The Merciless_
-- Behemoth - _Crush.Fukk.Create_
-- Behemoth - _Demigod_
-- Cradle of Filth - _Nymphetamine_
-- Finntroll - _Nattfodd_
-- Goatwhore - _Funeral Dirge for the Rotting Sun_
-- In Extremo - _7_
-- Malleus Maleficarum - _Des Bibles, des Hymnes, des Icones..._
-- Nehemah - _Requiem Tenebrae_
-- Noisecore Freak - _Corner Itch Theory_
-- Pig Destroyer - _Terrifyer_
-- Samael - _Reign of Light_
-- Sigrblot - _Blodsband (Blood Religion Manifest)_
-- The Amenta - _Occasus_
-- The Dillinger Escape Plan - _Miss Machine _
-- Vader - _The Beast_
-- Various - _Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal_
-- Velvet Cacoon - _Genevieve_
-- Virgin Black - _Elegant... And Dying_
* Demos
-- Delirium X Tremens - _Cyberhuman_
-- Mors In Tabula - _Promo CD 2004_
* Gigs
-- A Beauteous Riot
-- Back From the Dead (For Good, We Hope)
-- Slipknot vs Slayer 2: Mandatory Maggotcide

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                          _, _,_  _, ___  _,
                         / ` |_| /_\  |  (_ 
                         \ , | | | |  |  , )
                          ~  ~ ~ ~ ~  ~   ~ 

      B A C K   I N T O   T H E   A B Y S S   O N C E   M O R E
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               CoC chats with Sakis of Rotting Christ
                           by: Jackie Smit


"Hey bro, what's up?"

It's great being able  to  speak  to  one  of  metal's  most  affable 
and friendly front  men  once  again,  following  our  first  meeting 
in February earlier this  year.  Sakis  --  guitarist,  vocalist  and 
songwriter extraordinaire for Greece's Rotting Christ  --  is  almost 
disarmingly down to earth, particularly when you  consider  that  his 
band's star has been on the ascent for over a decade and a  half  and 
still shows no sign  of  slowing  down.  Their  new  album,  _Sanctus 
Diavolos_, is easily their most powerful effort  to  date;  and  then 
there's the small matter of a tribute album  being  put  together  in 
Brazil. Sakis explains:                                               

Sakis: We had absolutely no say in  anything  that  went  on  to  the 
       tribute album. Basically, the label just called me  and  asked 
       for my okay for them to go ahead and make  the  album,  and  I 
       said "Of course". It's something that  I'm  really  proud  of, 
       because it indicates that we  have  really  die-hard  fans  in 
       South America. I have always liked the people that  come  from 
       there, because they are really true in their  feelings  toward 
       this kind of music. We are really glad  and  proud  that  they 
       have paid us this respect and as soon as we're there we'll pay 
       the respect back.                                              

CoC: The last time you and I spoke, we were talking about  the  plans 
     that you had for the new album, and you mentioned that  you  had 
     been working on the album for nearly nine months. Tell  me  more 
     about how this record was actually written.                      

S: The writing process took quite a  while,  because  I  was  looking 
   after the recording, the production -- everything, really.  So  it 
   took a lot of time. To write a song for me also isn't  just  about 
   picking up a guitar and suddenly having a new song. I will spend a 
   few days running over it in my mind, thinking about  how  it  will 
   come out and about all the different ways in which I  can  do  it. 
   Then I'll pick up a guitar and see whether or not I can express my 
   expectations for the song, and if it doesn't work,  then  I'll  go 
   back to the beginning again. I normally run  through  the  process 
   very slowly. With this album,  I  had  actually  been  working  on 
   different ideas for over a year before I got the final  ten  songs 
   together for the record and went to the studio  in  Greece.  There 
   were also a few songs that I threw out because I didn't think they 
   fit into the atmosphere of the album.                              

CoC: Is this the first time that you've taken charge to such a  great 
     extent of everything that Rotting Christ does  --  the  writing, 
     recording, etc.?                                                 

S: Well, this was the first time that I had recorded in Greece and it 
   was really calm for me. It was really secure for me to be able  to 
   record in my hometown, because  I  didn't  have  the  pressure  of 
   having to go and record for eight hours a day. I could just go  to 
   the studio and take my time and take things really slowly. I think 
   being able to record at home also influenced how the album  turned 
   out, because I could, for instance, go to the studio on a  bicycle 
   and that way I could relax and have a few drinks before I  started 
   working. I think that from now on, this will definitely be the way 
   that I will do things. But to get back to your  question:  because 
   this album was recorded at home, I did take more control of things 
   and that was a first for me.                                       

CoC: You've said in earlier interviews that you  weren't  happy  with 
     the production job you did on _Khronos_ back in 2000. What  made 
     you decide to take a similar risk this time round?               

S: Because this time round, I felt that I knew  the  job,  you  know? 
   It's our ninth album, and at this stage I have worked with so many 
   different producers, and I have also learned from my own mistakes. 
   I just prefer to work with myself, because that's the only  person 
   I trust professionally. Outside of work, there  are  many  people, 
   but when it comes to the band, I just  think  that  no  one  would 
   really know the band like I do.  That's  my  opinion.  So  when  I 
   decided to do the production for this record, I took some lessons, 
   I worked really hard, read a lot of things and just basically  did 
   whatever I could to make a proper album. And in the end,  I  think 
   that it has worked -- it's definitely okay.                        

CoC: One of the  things  that  really  surprised  me  about  _Sanctus 
     Diavolos_ is the amount of synths that you used on this  record, 
     especially after a lot of sources were  hinting  at  this  album 
     being rawer and more old-school.                                 

S: Yes, I know a lot of people were expecting old-school  stuff,  and 
   of course, we are still inspired by our roots  and  by  the  early 
   days. But we're also logical, you know, and  we  believe  that  we 
   live in zeros and we should create something that makes sense  for 
   people to listen to. When it happens one day that  Rotting  Christ 
   start to repeat themselves, then we will split up. So, because our 
   old keyboardist [George] had left the band, this time I spent more 
   time working on the synths myself. I also recorded with  a  choir, 
   to add a more realistic element to the  music.  I  think  George's 
   leaving also inspired me, and because I was  doing  the  producing 
   myself and I know how to play the keyboard, I just decided to take 
   the risk. I do believe that I know what's  best  for  how  Rotting 
   Christ should sound.                                               

CoC: There's a definite theme that runs through  _Sanctus  Diavolos_, 
     and considering how long you worked on it and how  involved  you 
     were in how it turned out, it's obviously a very personal album. 
     What inspired you from a creative point of view?                 

S: Well, I think for me this album was  almost  like  a  visit  to  a 
   psychologist, because I got to express my darkest thoughts and  my 
   darkest energy through  it  --  to  just  give  life  to  all  the 
   bad things I  had  in  my  mind.  To  look  at  what  inspired  it 
   specifically... This album definitely comes from a different  side 
   of me. If I had to point my finger at any one thing in particular, 
   I'd say maybe conservative society, because this album, for me, is 
   a revolutionary  cry  against  religion  and  against  society  in 
   general. Nothing on the album ever happened on purpose -- I  never 
   woke up and said "I'm going to record a dark or a Satanic  album". 
   It just happened, you know. When I  write  music,  I  never  write 
   happy songs. And that's just how I  am  --  that's  just  my  DNA. 
   Whatever you find in our music comes from deep inside of me.  Like 
   I  said  to  you,  Rotting  Christ  for  me  is  like  visiting  a 
   psychologist, because all the bad energy I have inside  of  me,  I 
   can get out through making this music.                             

CoC: It wasn't only George that left since you brought out  _Genesis_ 
     though: you also lost Kostas [guitars] a few  months  ago.  What 
     thwas e story behind the two of them leaving the band?           

S: Well, when you're thirty years old, it's not the safest  thing  to 
   play in a band. And when you play for a band like Rotting  Christ, 
   you often have to be away from your home for three or four months. 
   So both the guys just chose a more normal life, and  a  more  safe 
   existence. We broke up  in  a  really  amicable  way,  because  we 
   understand and respect  where  they  were  coming  from  in  their 
   decision to do something different with their lives. But the  core 
   of this band remains -- my brother, Andreas and myself --  and  we 
   are also currently working with a new guitar player.               

CoC: Want to give us an exclusive on who the guitar player is?

S: <laughs> Well, he played with Septic Flesh for a few years, but  I 
   wouldn't like to give away who it is just yet. It was really  hard 
   to find someone who was close to our age, and who didn't  want  to 
   be tied down to a job -- someone who wanted to be  punk  like  us! 
   It's very easy to work with someone who's younger, but  it's  very 
   hard to find something in common -- especially on  a  professional 
   level -- with someone who is fourteen years old. But  we're  happy 
   to have found this new guy and we'll announce who  he  is  through 
   our website very soon.                                             

CoC: I take it that he's going to be a permanent member of the band.

S: Yup: permanent. There's no other way.

CoC: Just talking about your brother --  it's  not  really  something 
     that's very publicized about your band, but I was wondering  how 
     the dynamic changes for you when  you're  working  with  someone 
     you're related to, as opposed  to  someone  you  merely  have  a 
     professional working relationship with.                          

S: A lot of fights. Do you have a brother? <laughs>

CoC: I have a sister.

S: And do you two ever have any fights?

CoC: All the time.

S: So there you go, and when you incorporate  something  professional 
   into that, then I think it ends up causing even more  fights.  But 
   on the other hand, I think it makes one feel really secure to know 
   that there's a member in your band who you share  the  same  blood 
   with. If you're ever in a difficult position, you know that person 
   will always be there to help  you  out.  So,  even  with  all  its 
   drawbacks, it's really good to have my  brother  with  me  in  the 
   band.                                                              

CoC: Now from a creative point of view at least, the  focus  of  this 
     band is almost squarely on you right now, but how do  you  think 
     the departure of Kostas and George will end up influencing  this 
     band?                                                            

S: Technically, I don't that it will affect Rotting Christ. Maybe  in 
   the eyes of people the impression might be  created  that  there's 
   trouble in the band, or that some of the members are fed  up  with 
   the music. But the truth is that this will not affect  us  at  all 
   tand he answer is in the new album, because George was  not  there 
   tdoing his thing and many people think it's our best album,  which 
   tmeans hat Rotting Christ could work as a trio.                    

CoC: Coming back to the way that songs are written in this  band:  is 
     Rotting Christ a creative dictatorship?                               

S: <laughs> No, maybe it would seem that way from  the  outside,  but 
   things are really different on the inside. I think that  there  is 
   no band that allows more freedom than Rotting Christ.  There  have 
   never been any set rules in this band. I may be in control of  the 
   music, but that is because they have other  jobs  and  they  don't 
   have the time to be involved in music all the time  --  especially 
   my brother, who has a family now. So, I end up doing most  of  the 
   things in the band, but that has nothing to do with any set  rules 
   or hierarchy in the band; not at all.                              

CoC: When you look at the Rotting Christ discography retrospectively, 
     what do you think separates _Sanctus Diavolos_ from  the  albums 
     that you have made before?                                       

S: It's more massive. It has elements from all of  our  albums.  It's 
   also a really organic  record:  there's  no  triggers,  no  studio 
   effects; even some of the keyboards I replaced with choirs to make 
   it feel more alive and more real. Same goes for the production  on 
   this album: it's more lively and more organic than anything  we've 
   ever done before.                                                  

CoC: So where next to for this band?

S: We'll hit the road as soon as the new album comes  out  and  we'll 
   try to go to places like London and all over  Europe.  After  that 
   we'll also try and maybe go to the  States,  but  we'll  see  what 
   happens. It's really difficult  with  the  cost  of  living:  when 
   you're on tour, the bills don't  stop  and  I  get  really  fed-up 
   having to contend with that when we're on tour. But like  I  said, 
   we'll see what happens.                                            

Sakis on Sanctus:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Visions of a Blind Order": This song really takes me back to the era 
of _Thy Mighty Contract_ -- just really fast with a very  dark  vibe, 
but still melodic. Lyrically, this song is  about  how  religion  has 
created visions of an eternal calm  and  peace,  which  they  use  to 
mislead the masses.                                                   

"Thy Wings, Thy Horns, Thy Sin": For this one, I wanted to use really 
fast, downtuned melodies in combination with a real chorus that would 
make the song stand out. The song talks about the  variety  of  good, 
bad and false interpretations the human race has  developed  for  the 
word "sin" -- many of which  often  have  nothing  to  do  with  "the 
horns", if you know what I mean!                                      

"Athanatoi Eisthe": This is just a classic mid-tempo  Rotting  Christ 
song with some well established melodies and the use of Greek lyrics. 
The basic idea in the chant in the song basically translates to: "You 
are immortal. You that follow the left hand path  are  immortal.  You 
that follow your sinful will that sometimes is on the other  side  of 
what society taught are immortals. Your freedom-addicted soul will be 
delivered to immortality."                                            

"Tyrannical": A very heavy down-tuned song  that  turned  out  to  be 
really different to anything that has written by this band before.  I 
think it's definitely one of the heaviest things that  we  have  ever 
recorded. It talks about two schools of thought -- good  and  bad  -- 
that converge and how each one's will to be superior over  the  other 
is tyrannical.                                                        

"You My Cross": Another faster song that was written  with  a  really 
avantgarde  feel,  and  also  more  use  of  downtuned  melodies  and 
stand-out chorus. It examines  some  of  the  symbolism  and  history 
behind the cross as one of the greatest cheats in contemporary  human 
history. Too much has happened and too many promises have been broken 
for the cross to have any sort of true meaning anymore.               

"Sanctimonius": This was meant to be  an  atmospheric  break  in  the 
album, using samples and reverse melodies. I do think it has  a  very 
subtle, diabolical feel to it.                                        

"Serve in Heaven": This was inspired by aggressive, old school German 
thrash, but with the addition of Rotting Christ-style  melodies.  The 
title pretty much tells the tale of this song:  choose  to  serve  in 
heaven or rule in hell!                                               

"Shade of Evil": Another fast, evil and  melodic  song.  I  love  the 
chorus in the middle. The song examines how God desired to reign with 
the flame of human fear. But humans on the other side have started to 
wake up to the idea and  are  beginning  to  slowly  extinguish  that 
flame. Evil is the freedom and not the ticket to hell.                

"Doctrine": This song was created to be simultaneously  powerful  and 
orchestral, whilst maintaining a very classic Rotting Christ feel. It 
is another statement about the need to  continue  searching  and  not 
accept blindly any religious stereotypes.                             

"Sanctus Diavolos": The right song to say good-bye to the listener at 
the end of the record. The lyrics talk about the possibility  of  so- 
called devil's work being the conduit of freedom, if we only were  to 
rise up and strike out against our fears. This is one  of  the  songs 
where we used a real choir  and  I  think  that  gives  it  a  really 
nightmarish atmosphere -- perfect for anyone to  sing  themselves  to 
sleep to. <laughs>                                                    

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                       _, _,  __, _,_ _, _  _,
                      / \ |   |_) | | |\/| (_ 
                      |~| | , |_) | | |  | , )
                      ~ ~ ~~~ ~   `~' ~  ~  ~ 

Scoring:  10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
           9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
           7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
           5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
           3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
           0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!


Agalloch - _The Grey_  (Vendlus, 2004)
by: Quentin Kalis  (5.5 out of 10)

This is intended as the final part of a trilogy  that  preceded  _The 
Mantle_ and _Tomorrow Will Never Come_. I admit that although I  have 
heard Agalloch before, this was the first time I  actually  sat  down 
and listened to them. I seriously doubt that _The  Grey_  would  have 
been the ideal introduction, as it consists of only two  songs  which 
are complete opposites in terms of quality.                           

Opener "The Lodge (Dismantled)" is simply amazing. A  repetitive  and 
hypnotic riff forms the basis of the song,  creating  a  spellbinding 
atmosphere, allowing the not  insubstantial  twelve  minutes  of  its 
playing time to simply drift by.                                      

By comparison, the eight minute long "Odal (Nothing Remix)" can't  go 
by quickly enough. While I am not averse to experimental electronica, 
this amateurish  abortion  of  ambience  and  static  soundscapes  is 
unlikely to receive any accolades. It couldn't  possibly  be  clearer 
that this is filler material even if it were explicitly  labelled  as 
such. Coming after the mesmerizing splendour of the first  song  this 
is a massive letdown.                                                 

I'd award the two songs a  9  and  a  2  respectively,  providing  an 
aggregate score of 5.5 out  of  10.  This  score  is  not  really  an 
accurate reflection, as it suggests a CD composed largely of mediocre 
music and doesn't quite  convey  any  subtle  distinctions  that  may 
exist. On the other hand, I can't award a higher score because of the 
more positive implications that may have.  Nonetheless  it  is  worth 
obtaining for "The Lodge" alone -- though given that only 1000 copies 
were printed, it is unlikely that any remain.                         

Contact: http://www.vendlus.com


Astriaal - _Renascent Misanthropy_  (Aftermath, 2004)
by: Alvin Wee  (10 out of 10)

Finally unleashed  internationally  after  simmering  in  the  Aussie 
underground for too long, Astriaal's first full-length simultaneously 
encompasses and redefines the  entire  black  metal  genre.  Starting 
with the celestial intro  courtesy  of  Abigor's  Tharen,  _Renascent 
Misanthropy_ oozes dark  cosmic  grandeur  while  crafting  elaborate 
firestorms  of  melody  and  violence  played  back  at   hyperspeed. 
Reminiscent of the boundless energy on Thy Primordial's early  works, 
each track takes off with a blinding fury,  all  the  while  building 
in complexity  and  scope.  Brooding  acoustic  passages  are  deftly 
intertwined  with  the  raging  holocaust  of  the  main  body  in  a 
miraculous show of dexterity, never once breaking the momentum,  only 
adding to the intricacy of the soundscape.                            

Astriaal's talent for composition seems boundless;  tempo-shifts  and 
counterpoint are used to amazing effect, while the  sheer  brilliance 
of the melody exudes an emotionality that stands in glorious contrast 
to its violent backdrop. Musicianship is equally stellar: drum  rolls 
are executed with inhuman precision  and  vigor,  the  blazing  leads 
sweep effortlessly past and the occasional clean vocals are delivered 
with piercing clarity and force. Remaining true to the base  elements 
of classic Scandinavian black metal while  adding  a  hefty  dose  of 
peerless ingenuity, Astriaal have managed to  produce  a  masterpiece 
that promises to  rock  the  very  foundations  of  black  metal.  An 
essential purchase if there ever was one.                             

Contact: http://www.aftermath-music.com


Aura Noir - _The Merciless_  (Tyrant Syndicate / Peaceville, 2004)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6 out of 10)

Six years have passed since Aura  Noir's  last  studio  effort  _Deep 
Tracts of Hell_; and while that seems a  long  time  to  wait  for  a 
follow-up, fans of the band's late '90s revivalist  black/thrash  are 
likely to be instantly interested. Aura Noir  produced  a  couple  of 
entertaining full-lengths  back  in  the  day,  and  in  this  latest 
incarnation the line-up is the same as on  their  first  full-length, 
_Black Thrash  Attack_  (i.e.,  Mayhem's  Blasphemer  has  returned), 
except Appolyon now  shares  drumming  duties  with  Aggressor.  Both 
sound and focus remain  largely  unchanged:  raw,  uncomplicated  and 
very metal. So, it's  all  good  news  for  _The  Merciless_,  right? 
Theoretically yes, but the album turns out to be a bit of a letdown.  

_The Merciless_ is the first release of the  recently  formed  Tyrant 
Syndicate label  --  created  by  none  other  than  Darkthrone,  and 
distributed through Peaceville. While Aura Noir may be  a  reasonably 
obvious choice for the label, _The Merciless_ achieves much  of  what 
it sets out  to  as  far  as  giving  listeners  a  first  impression 
of what the label  is  probably  going  to  be  about  stylistically. 
Unfortunately, I find the music lacks the ferocity required to  carry 
its occasionally inspired riffing and drumming to a higher level, and 
ultimately its ability to succeed is considerably limited. Given  the 
record's brevity, I'd say selecting the four best tracks out  of  the 
eight on the disc and  making  a  fifteen  minute  EP  instead  would 
probably have been a better option. This is a decent effort, but  not 
the crushing return I had hoped for from Aura Noir.                   

Contact: http://www.peaceville.com/tsp.html


Behemoth - _Crush.Fukk.Create_  (Regain Records, 2004)
by: Todd DePalma  (7.5 out of 10)

This two-disc DVD set comes with  characteristic  quality  packaging, 
swathed in suitably organic and vile artwork, with  a  fourteen  page 
photo booklet and expected hagiography of the band up to the present. 

Disc one is comprised of two uninterrupted concerts as  well  as  the 
music videos for "As Above So Below" and "Christians to  the  Lions". 
Usually, the most entertaining concert videos are those that are shot 
professionally enough to capture the  scope  of  the  venue  as  well 
as transport the viewer  on  stage  with  the  band  themselves.  The 
production quality of the first  show  ("Party  San  Festival  2003") 
horribly sidesteps this formula, for the most part favoring a  shoddy 
camera rig in back of the crowd,  giving  a  full  stage  shot,  with 
occasional close- ups on stage, still marred by  cheesy  slow  motion 
frames  that  are  introduced  repeatedly,  always  to  an  awkwardly 
distracting  conclusion  --  save  this  type  of  amateur  shit  for 
bar-mitzvahs and public  access  television.  The  line-up  for  this 
show features Nergal, Havoc,  Inferno  and  new  bassist  Orion.  The 
performance and set list  are  decent,  although  the  sound  quality 
leaves more to be desired. Behemoth  closes  out  the  show  with  an 
encore of "Pure Evil and Hate" that actually feels more exciting than 
anything occurring before, perhaps for its briefly nostalgic riffing, 
perhaps for the pyro which shortly annihilates the bloated red  stage 
lighting as the band starts thrashing following Nergal's call to "see 
some fuckin' riots"; either way this show is  pretty  lame,  and  may 
leave some feeling this release is already anticlimactic.             

The second concert,  "Live  at  the  Mystic  Festival  2001",  begins 
somewhat abruptly as the  band  drills  through  "Christians  to  the 
Lions", captured with infinitely more professional camera  work  that 
-- despite the re-appearance of the mitzvah cam and  some  odd  focus 
shots -- enhances the show till its climax. Splendid pans and crystal 
clear close-ups feel as if as much effort was put  into  the  filming 
and editing as into the outside packaging. The sound and  performance 
are equal to the visual upgrade, and as the  setting  sun  creates  a 
ceiling of darkened night over Behemoth's set, a polarized  disc  one 
ends its final half in a gratifying show.                             

Disco two features the documentary "Speak With the Devil" and  begins 
with Nergal sitting casually on the floor  with  tea  candles  and  a 
hookah, discussing the origin of the band (cut to a shot of  a  baby- 
face Nergal recording vocal and solo tracks in 1994). There  is  some 
discussion of influences; early live clips and footage of  Behemoth's 
first tour follow. From here on, the documentary basically turns into 
a Pantera-style film diary with the band and  sound  engineer  Malta, 
featuring plenty of pranks (Novy seems to be the band's whipping  boy 
most of the time, leading up to a hilarious spell of cataleptic shit- 
talking later on) as well as bowls of vomit, alcohol, balls and  bare 
ass (no tits).                                                        

While performing, the band holds  an  aura  of  rock  stardom;  their 
theatrical brand of performance is not quite over the top, yet  still 
can't shake a hint of choreography to it. Much of  the  footage  here 
frames the band completely demystified: silly and  down-to-earth  off 
stage; stupid, frankly. But it provides an entertaining jackass-esque 
90 minutes of metalheads interacting within and out of their habitat. 

Contact: http://www.behemoth.metalkings.com


Behemoth - _Demigod_  (Regain Records, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit  (9 out of 10)

There's a stark  urgency  to  the  acoustic  intro  that  greets  the 
listener  at  the  start  of  this  effort  that  is  almost   ironic 
considering the position that Behemoth currently find themselves  in. 
Seven albums into a career that has seen the band go  from  primitive 
black metal upstarts to a progressively more threatening death  metal 
juggernaut, it's apparent that for the Polish quartet this  is  going 
to be the  record  that  either  sees  them  relegated  to  mid-level 
contenders for good, or the one that finally  elevates  them  to  the 
upper tier, where they get to play with the big boys.                 

Notwithstanding of course the daunting precedent set  by  their  last 
effort, _Zos Kia  Cultus_,  the  aforementioned  task  is  one  which 
Behemoth seem to have taken very seriously, breaking out the big guns 
in order to scale its lofty heights -- the  first  of  which  is  the 
recruitment of Daniel Bergstrand (Strapping  Young  Lad,  In  Flames, 
etc.) to man the  producer's  chair.  This  proves  to  have  been  a 
thoroughly inspired decision from the moment that  the  mayhem  kicks 
off on "Sculpting the Throne Ov Seth", as Bergstrand obviously has  a 
much clearer understanding of what makes Behemoth  such  an  alluring 
beast. Subsequently, this record is not only heavier on the  guitars, 
but the overall mix has also been beefed up considerably, giving  the 
band a more layered and ultimately more crushing sound.               

The immediate impact of  _Demigod_  is  not  merely  down  to  clever 
production however:  Nergal's  searing  rasp  steamrolls  songs  like 
"Conquer All" forward ruthlessly, while Inferno's drum performance is 
nothing short of inhuman. The band's  widely  documented  (and  often 
criticised) musical connections to Morbid Angel and particularly Nile 
are still very evident, but here as well Behemoth's greatly  improved 
sense of dynamics goes some way toward denegrating  the  presence  of 
these influences. "The Nephilim Rising" is a prime example where  the 
band successfully manages to drop things down a gear or  two,  whilst 
still keeping every ounce of the album's intensity intact.            

That said,  the  pointless  meandering  of  "Mysterium  Coniunctionis 
(Hermanubis)" does stunt the album's momentum  somewhat,  and  it  is 
only two songs foward on "Slaves Shall Serve" that the band  seem  to 
regain focus properly. Likewise "The Reign Ov Shemsu-Hor" may not  be 
as epic as  it  would  like  to  imagine  it  is,  although  it  does 
nevertheless succeed in rounding off the album on  a  suitably  heavy 
note.                                                                 

There's certainly no denying that _Demigod_'s fourty minutes  make  a 
strong case to argue  Behemoth's  breakthrough  to  the  next  level. 
Indeed this record is easily one of the  death  metal  highlights  of 
2004, despite the band's increasing battle to keep the momentum going 
during the record's latter half. Now let's hope that  Nergal  and  co 
are able to realise the higher stakes next time round.                

Contact: http://www.behemoth.metalkings.com


Cradle of Filth - _Nymphetamine_  (Roadrunner Records, 2004)
by: Adam Lineker  (7.5 out of 10)

Almost exactly four years ago, Cradle of Filth changed my  life.  The 
dramatically dark _Midian_ was the first metal record I  bought  that 
could be considered "extreme". It marked  the  beginning  of  a  huge 
upheaval in my appreciation  of  music.  Having  previously  confined 
myself to Maiden, 'Tallica and classic rock in  protest  against  the 
dominant rap metal of the era, Cradle of Filth showed me  that  there 
was a lot more to heavy music than I knew; all I had to do  was  look 
underground for it...                                                 

Cut  to  2003  and  I'm  eagerly  awaiting  _Damnation  and  a  Day_, 
the long awaited  follow-up.  It  turns  out  to  be  an  overwrought 
and ill-conceived disappointment.  As  a  result,  I've  been  seeing 
_Nymphetamine_ as a probable let down for a long time now.  The  good 
news is that _Nymphetamine_ is a solid and  enjoyable  metal  record. 
However, before I elaborate on this, I feel I ought to  address  some 
lingering issues regarding  the  band's  commercial  direction.  Many 
self-acclaimed "purists" have been screaming "sell out!" at the Filth 
for quite a while; such an activity has long been pointless,  because 
Cradle  of  Filth  have  never  really  cared.  _Nymphetamine_  is  a 
testament to this, as it is  an  immediate  and  easy  listen,  quite 
removed from the relatively  harsh  and  brooding  _Dusk...  and  Her 
Embrace_. This should really be expected, as the present  incarnation 
of Cradle is an almost completely different band from  the  one  that 
created that classic opus. _Nymphetamine_ sees the modern  Cradle  of 
Filth honing their melodic side into a cutting  edge.  The  songs  on 
this album, thankfully free of extra conceptual weight, are primarily 
composed around melodic figures, often driven  by  conventional  riff 
progressions and guitar licks. The album has an  abundance  of  piano 
lead sections, and these prove to  be  some  of  the  more  enjoyable 
moments: "Absinthe With Faust" and "English Fire" both stand out from 
the crowd on the first spin.  The  title  track  itself  is  an  epic 
metalwork, packed with memorable motifs and peaking with  an  emotive 
clean vocal passage; arguably the most defining moment of the album.  

Production wise, the drums hold everything together while maintaining 
punch and clarity. The guitars cut through nicely, while the bass has 
begun to resemble the nocturnal pulse of old.  As  usual,  Dani  sits 
high and proud on top of it all, although this is one  of  his  least 
intrusive vocal mixes. Most remarkably, this is the first  Cradle  of 
Filth album to not be swamped with keyboard fog or orchestral sweeps; 
it is telling that there are only two brief orchestral interludes  on 
this record. The result is that Cradle  of  Filth  sound  effectively 
stripped down, and this allows the work of guitarists  Paul  Allender 
and James McKilbroy to shine through.                                 

My greatest criticisms of this album are leveled at the song writing. 
The band deserve some praise for tightening up their arrangements  as 
well as  they  have  done,  but  they  occasionally  stumble  through 
excessive recapitulation. A fair few of the songs,  though  they  are 
progressively crafted, return too often to motifs that  have  already 
been used. The main offender here is "Nemesis",  basically  one  good 
song played twice over in the  same  arrangement.  Aside  from  this, 
the  only  other  quibble  would  be  Dani's  propensity  for  diving 
headlong into lyrical lunacy; album opener "Gilded Cunt" is  all  the 
justification I need in making such an criticism.                     

Overall _Nymphetamine_ sees a healthy return to form for Dani and the 
boys. There is nothing mind  blowing  or  shocking  on  this  record, 
but there is plenty  to  enjoy.  This  opus  will  probably  serve  a 
greater role in the live environment,  hopefully  reinvigorating  the 
band's tired  sets  with  some  versatile  new  material.  Ultimately 
_Nymphetamine_ isn't perfect, but  the  dynamic  and  engaging  metal 
songs that Cradle of Filth have offered are a breath of fresh air.    

[Jackie Smit: "Despite the death metal-like heaviness of  songs  like 
 "Gilded Cunt", _Nymphetamine_ is little more than  Cradle  of  Filth 
 playing it safe and doing what they've always done.  It  may  be  to 
 less coma-inducing effect than on _Damnation and a Day_, and it  may 
 appeal to an audience for whom wearing too much black  eyeliner  and 
 dressing in fucked-up looking clothing  constitutes  an  embrace  of 
 the  underground  spirit,  but  this  effort  leaves  me  thoroughly 
 unconvinced."]                                                       


Finntroll - _Nattfodd_  (Spinefarm, 2004)
by: Quentin Kalis  (6 out of 10)

Originality is one of the most important criteria  I  consider,  both 
when I review albums and when I buy CDs. Originality is evaluated not 
only in relation to  other  artists,  but  also  in  relation  to  an 
artist's previous work, and often this is where they fail miserably.  

Finntroll have stumbled into this cul-de-sac on  their  fourth  full- 
length. It is still impossible to mistake Finntroll for virtually any 
other band, but their music has become stale, having  evolved  little 
since the days of debut _Midnattens Widunder_. There are no surprises 
on _Nattfodd_, just the same quirky folk melodies rapidly approaching 
their sell-by date. They do have a new vocalist, who was also present 
on the previous full-length -- but although his impact on the overall 
Finntroll sound is noticeable, it is of little consequence.           

To be totally honest, I initially enjoyed  this  album;  but  as  the 
realisation dawned that that this had  all  been  heard  before,  the 
appeal quickly faded and within a week I had moved on to other,  more 
interesting and more substantial music. This can be seen as the audio 
equivalent of a McDonald's meal: it provides a quick fix, but  within 
an extremely short period of time something with  more  substance  is 
required.                                                             

Contact: http://www.finntroll.net


Goatwhore - _Funeral Dirge for the Rotting Sun_
by: Todd DePalma  (5.5 out of 10)  (Rotten Records, 2003)

Goatwhore's second release holds fast to the concept born  on  2000's 
_The Eclipse of Ages Into Black_, displaying  a  large  Celtic  Frost 
influence that begs a comparative nod to Obituary, though  the  sound 
is still tighter and less beefy. Eliminating the more  generic  black 
metal attempts of the first  release,  this  album  is  propelled  by 
traditional death metal with several Bathory overtones ("As  the  Sun 
Turns to Ash", "Bloodguilt Eucharist", "Sky Inferno") and  capped  by 
the blunt halt/start for each new track (the last note of every  song 
ending in synch with the last lyric, in punkish no  frills  fashion). 
Guitarist Sammy Duet again invokes a unique cadence of epic  melodies 
within the mudslide of  well  studied  thrash  churns,  providing  an 
extremely catchy (if somewhat academic) background of riffs to  catch 
the screech of vocalist Ben Falgoust. Falgoust's voice is less varied 
here than his recordings with Soilent Green -- altering only  between 
his weirdly accented rasp and spoken word, which induces memories  of 
Duet's former project Acid Bath, though the similarity  may  have  as 
much to due with location as it does direct influence and development 
of sound. Despite the obvious attentive focus on  song  writing  over 
image (the bands aesthetic truly lies within  the  music,  overriding 
the ordinary appearance of the musicians as well as bland cover  art) 
and the execution of such, my fundamental criticism against Goatwhore 
is that their music is primarily a re-introduction  of  past  musical 
breakthroughs; left-overs spiced by the ideas  of  somewhat  tempered 
creative lions, whose most impressive  work  still  lay  outside  the 
walls of emulation and refinement.                                    

Contact: http://www.goatwhore.net


In Extremo - _7_  (Motor Music, 2003)
by: Brian Meloon  (6 out of 10)

This is the seventh studio album from Germany's In Extremo, and those 
familiar with them will find no real surprises here. Their  brand  of 
medieval/celtic folk mixed with industrialized metal and infused with 
'80s pop influences has changed little since  at  least  their  third 
album,  _Weckt  Die  Toten_  [CoC  #43].  Their  sound  has  retained 
its signature elements,  featuring  bagpipes  and  other  traditional 
instruments and having a generally upbeat and happy tone. Of  course, 
with so many albums under their belts, they've  had  a  lot  of  time 
to polish their  sound,  so  the  playing  and  production  are  very 
professional. Fans of the band's earlier work, or other similar bands 
like Skyclad, should get some enjoyment out of this. If  you  haven't 
liked their previous recordings, then this will not change your mind. 

Contact: http://www.inextremo.de


Malleus Maleficarum - _Des Bibles, des Hymnes, des Icones..._
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8 out of 10)  (Oaken Shield / Adipocere, 2004)

On this, Malleus Maleficarum's second full-length effort, the  band's 
style is unchanged from their very impressive debut _Taedium  Vitae_: 
raw-sounding, but actually pretty intricate, fast  black  metal.  The 
pace is kept high most  of  the  time,  but  the  music  is  never  a 
blur; the drumming stays interesting, and the  guitar  work  is  busy 
throughout, with appropriate vocals on top. When the music does  slow 
down, the band hold their own  equally  well.  Having  mentioned  the 
vocals, unfortunately the original screamer left  the  band  and  was 
replaced by two of his bandmates; the result is not  quite  as  good, 
although it does the trick.  The  guitar  work  remains  one  of  the 
band's strongest points, as it displays great ability  for  engaging, 
semi-melodic riffs and leads. The  rhythmic  backdrop  stays  equally 
busy, audible bass included. With a  knack  for  writing  songs  that 
remain simultaneously aggressive  and  musically  interesting  --  in 
spite of a lack of studio polish that keeps proceedings quite raw  -- 
Malleus Maleficarum have created another damn good album.  _DB,dH,dI_ 
sees a considerable rise in playing time compared to its predecessor, 
and it is simultaneously a bit more consistent -- though perhaps  the 
sheer impact of their first attack cannot be expected to  remain  the 
same after the listener already knows what to expect from  them.  The 
greater length also causes some problems as far as a certain lack  of 
variation, but nothing too serious. There isn't any great originality 
here either; but there is  good  songwriting  and  a  combination  of 
elements that come together really well.                              

Contact: http://www.adipocere.fr


Nehemah - _Requiem Tenebrae_  (Oaken Shield / Adipocere, 2004)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8.5 out of 10)

Now reduced to a three-piece,  with  Sorghal  taking  up  all  guitar 
duties, the long-standing Nehemah return to the fray with their third 
full-length album, _Requiem Tenebrae_ -- and this time there  are  no 
demo or cover tracks to be found. Nehemah's black metal remains a mix 
of pretty fast and rather slow, more atmospheric passages, with a lot 
of mid-'90s Norwegian black metal feeling thrown into the music. Yes, 
Norwegian black metal from France -- it's a bit  like  Swedish  death 
metal from Germany, but France has produced a considerable number  of 
remarkable black metal bands already,  so  it  shouldn't  come  as  a 
surprise. The brilliant opening  riff  is  a  clear  indication  that 
you're in for something good; and when first track proper "The  Great 
Old Ones" slows down into an atmospheric  break  before  building  up 
speed again, there shouldn't be any  doubt  left.  The  doomy  slower 
sections, aided by  the  background  synth  (e.g.,  "The  Elder  Gods 
Awakening"), bring to mind the  majesty  of  Emperor  circa  _In  the 
Nightside Eclipse_; while the faster sections are usually good,  some 
of the slower ones are just chilling. There seems to be an icy breath 
from the past about Nehemah's black metal, as if  some  ancient  tomb 
half-buried in the snow is being opened before  your  eyes.  (Whether 
this fictitious site  is  located  in  France  or  Norway  really  is 
irrelevant.) _Requiem Tenebrae_ is not an innovative album, but it is 
well produced, very well written and drenched in atmosphere, and  has 
definitely been earning a lot of time on my CD player.                

Contact: http://www.adipocere.fr


Noisecore Freak - _Corner Itch Theory_
by: Todd DePalma  (4 out of 10)  (Deadsix Communications, 2003)

With the hollow pulse of a mechanized heartbeat, _Corner Itch theory_ 
begins its transmission  of  seventeen  tracks  that  constantly  re- 
introduce a hammer  and  flesh  approach  that  pulverizes  the  very 
idea of traditional structure.  Combining  the  all-inclusiveness  of 
industrial music with grindcore minimalism, Noisecore Freak packs  as 
much sound and story as possible within  epileptic  tracks  that  are 
spat out like as  much  distortion  from  a  broken  television  box. 
Ironically, one has to have a  certain  patience  for  this  sort  of 
thing. The short tracks (mostly ranging from forty seconds to over  a 
minute) leave little to grasp by themselves and seem  to  drastically 
switch gears at those moments where the  brief  stability  of  rhythm 
becomes attractive, leaving the listener drowning in a sea of chaotic 
motion which also enables the album to be viewed as a single  flowing 
concept.                                                              

A digital bank of  extensive  sampling,  keyboards  and  an  electric 
screwdriver are paired with the conventional ensemble of guitar, bass 
and drums conducted by the project's solo pilot,  Chris  Stepniewski; 
an abstract recipe that involves mixing often cinematically (or video 
game influenced) dreamlike interludes  with  punkish,  though  coldly 
metallic riffs to form the core (loosely) of Noisecore Freak's sound. 
The guitars on "Wall Mannequin", "Harsh Bedwire" and  "Stitch  Collar 
Radio" particularly seem to have a  more  "classic"  grind  influence 
(Napalm Death's _Scum_) manifested in style  as  well  as  the  rough 
but not muddy production.  The  number  of  tempo  changes  here  are 
incalculable (at times defined wholly by the pace  of  the  samples), 
though track eleven offers a break, slowing things abruptly  as  well 
as shaving the layers down to a lulling atmosphere  of  clean  guitar 
strumming along ocean waves.                                          

Stepniewski's vocals are  uniquely  abrasive:  a  language  of  sharp 
pitches that split through the  air  like  a  swift  knife  or  whip, 
verbalizing  stream  of  consciousness  lyrics  like  the  following: 
"...Bring ch'ching don't blink turn me on you stink mommy  doll  torn 
ragged daddy faggot shiny metal  finger..."  Whether  this  absurdist 
poetry is sly parody or immature cut-up is open to debate, and though 
the technique is a theoretically perfect match with music,  I  prefer 
to take in this album with the booklet closed.                        

Often confusing and indulgent, there is an admirable quality  to  the 
inventiveness of this static architecture,  but  also  much  that  is 
silly. Like the sediment thoughts from  a  psychic  cathode,  _Corner 
Itch Theory_ attempts all  possibilities  in  search  of  innovation, 
finding a small handful of interesting movements  amidst  the  studio 
wankery.                                                              

Contact: http://www.noisecorefreak.com


Pig Destroyer - _Terrifyer_  (Relapse Records, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit  (9 out of 10)

With the exception of Inhumate's thematic  effort  (_Life_)  and  the 
forthcoming Nasum opus, things  have  been  pretty  reticent  on  the 
grindcore front this year -- at least in terms of releases that  were 
actually worth more than five minutes of anyone's time. So  leave  it 
to Virginia's favorite nihilistic sons  to  come  along  with  thirty 
minutes of barb-wired brutality to remind everyone that  they're  the 
proverbial pit bulls of the extreme  music  yard.  _Terrifyer_  isn't 
pretty. In fact, one a scale of one to ten -- ten being Jenna Jameson 
and one being Linda Blair in the  finale  of  The  Exorcist  --  this 
record notches up a solid minus fifty. From start to finish, the band 
are utterly relentless in their assault, although  it  must  be  said 
that unlike _Prowler in the Yard_, the band do seem set on  combining 
their increased brutality with a more visceral and coherent  approach 
to song structure. So, where "Towering Flesh" swirls toward you  with 
enough vitriol to power a small town, it also  sports  the  beatdowns 
and grooves sure to result in more than a few  bloodied  noses,  come 
tour- time. Reputed to be over two years in the  making,  _Terrifyer_ 
is about as good as grindcore gets. It won't be everyone's  flask  of 
rum -- not by a long-shot -- but I can think of no  superior  example 
of sheer, unrestrained musical bedlam to have hit the shelves in 2004 
so far.                                                               

Contact: http://www.pigdestroyer.net


Samael - _Reign of Light_  (Regain Records, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit  (8 out of 10)

So, this is what Samael fans have waited  five  years  for.  Actually 
check that -- this is what we have waited eight years for, because no 
matter to what extent the band themselves seemed to be enamoured with 
1999's _Eternal_, there is no doubt that its predeccesor took a  dump 
from a  dizzy  height  on  its  mainstream  baiting  efforts.  It  is 
encouraging therefore that  this  time  round,  Samael  have  drafted 
Waldemayer Sorytcha (often referred to as the  band's  fifth  member) 
back into the fold to oversee the record's production.                

Almost unsurprisingly, this union bears fruit right  from  the  start 
when  the  markedly  heavier  guitars  on  "Moongate"  hint  at   the 
groundbreaking majesty of  the  band's  coupe  de  grace,  _Passage_. 
Similarly, the veritable wall of sound that characterized  said  opus 
is back in full force, with every single element in the band  forming 
part of a musical gas cloud that completely  envelopes  the  listener 
for the duration of the album.                                        

Problem is that there's very little  on  _Reign  of  Light_  that  we 
haven't heard Samael do before -- and to far greater effect, I  might 
add. Sure the female vocals on "High Above" add an interesting  touch 
and the sitar-led Eastern flavour on "Heliopolis" is a diversion from 
the band's usual astral forays, but ultimately this is  just  another 
Samael album, rather than the stunning  and  evolutionary  return  to 
form we had hoped for. And even if, like me, you feel  that  this  is 
the record that should have been the rightful successor to _Passage_, 
one can not silence the nagging voice in the back of your  mind  that 
says that this is simply a case of Samael being a bit lazy.           

Then again, as anyone who is familiar with what the band  is  capable 
of would tell you, even when they're not  quite  operating  at  100%, 
this is a band that is still capable  of  outshining  damn  near  all 
their contemporaries.                                                 

Contact: http://www.samael.info


Sigrblot - _Blodsband (Blood Religion Manifest)_
by: David Rocher  (9.5 out of 10)  (Nordiska Forlaget, 2003)

The secretive Swedish outfit Sigrblot's first  release  is  intricate 
indeed, on both the musical  and  ideological  fronts;  although  the 
presence of a disputably subtle  cover  of  Fortress'  "Commie  Scum" 
on a  Nordiska  Forlaget  release  could  legitimately  induce  hasty 
"NSBM" tagging, Sigrblot's first release cleverly enough  evades  the 
grotesque pitfalls which Graveland's, Nokturnal Mortum's and  similar 
bands' releases launch themselves with fanaticised abandon. Revolving 
around an  ideological  rather  than  political  concept,  _Blodsband 
(Blood Religion Manifest)_  unfurls  over  eleven  tracks,  plus  the 
aforementioned Fortress cover  --  alas  providing  a  rather  basely 
political closure to _Blodsband_'s  ideological  manifest  --  and  a 
slower, mildly experimental and rather unconvincing ghost track.      

Playing intricate, powerful and varied black  metal  overshadowed  by 
the distinctive trademark of the early  Norwegian  scene  (along  the 
lines of early Satyricon, Gorgoroth and Storm  recordings),  Sigrblot 
move with impressive ease from speeding raw  black  metal  onslaughts 
(as  on  "Manifest  (Blood  religion  part  II)")  to  slower  segues 
influenced by traditional and/or medieval music -- as the  incredible 
chorus on "Döende Generations  Dom"  or  the  glorious  Storm-hailing 
bridge on "Ödesjord" testify to. Tastefully interspersed  appearances 
of various acoustic instruments, samples or non-black  metal  musical 
components grace this release  with  a  welcome  spectrum  of  varied 
emotions  and  atmospheres;  in  addition,  _Blodsband  (BRM)_   also 
benefits from  an  excellent  production,  striking  a  fine  balance 
between raw black- metallic harshness and power.  Judging  from  this 
first release, Sigrblot's most impressive ability is  this  enigmatic 
band's capacity to fuse lyrical concepts, music and  production  into 
a  coherent  entity,  which  writhes  and  seethes  with  enthralling 
homogeneity in its black metal-tinged fury.                           

I'll eagerly be looking forward to hearing more epic black metal from 
Sigrblot in the future, and can only hope that the  band's  political 
outspokenness will not make this raw musical gem impossible  to  come 
by via reluctant mailorders.                                          

Contact: http://www.sigrblot.se


The Amenta - _Occasus_  (Listenable, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit  (10 out of 10)

There's a sense of grand discovery that comes along with uncovering a 
band like The Amenta: a sort of exhilaration  similar  to  that  felt 
during those moments where you first stumbled across _Reign in Blood_ 
or _Altars of Madness_. It's one of those bands that after only a few 
listens, causes you to start judging any other entries to  the  genre 
from a decidedly more critical stance, purely because you  know  what 
can be achieved.                                                      

While it is a largely redundant excercise  to  attempt  a  thoroughly 
accurate description for this Australian quintet, connections to  the 
cold-blooded violence of Nile and Cryptopsy do apply.  But,  in  much 
the same way, The Amenta also  dabble  in  the  surreal,  pitch-black 
ambience that marked albums  like  _In  the  Nightside  Eclipse_  and 
_Psalm 69_. And indeed, it is this remarkable penchant  for  creating 
unique and involving atmospheres that  provides  The  Amenta's  debut 
with its unearthly appeal.                                            

_Occasus_ is much  more  than  merely  the  sum  of  its  influences, 
however. "Zero" presents  the  listener  with  strains  of  digitized 
hatred that  shows  of  near  impossible  technicality.  "Senium"  is 
a nightmare  soundscape  that  sounds  as  though  it  was  expressly 
commissioned for David Fincher's "Se7en". The open, crisp  production 
makes the build-up and ultimate aural explosion of "Nihil" sound like 
the trumpet call of the apocalypse.                                   

But these are only a  few  examples  of  what  _Occasus_  offers  its 
listeners. It is quite unlike anything that you have ever heard. With 
a background of over fifteen years in extreme music, I  can  honestly 
say that in my humble opinion, this is one of the most  revolutionary 
releases -- not  to  mention  astounding  maiden  efforts  --  to  be 
unleashed since _Scream Bloody Gore_. It transcends the boundaries of 
conventional extremity, and it is the preemptive kick  in  the  teeth 
that death metal was inevitably going to need at some point.          

Without a single, solitary shadow of a doubt, this  is  my  album  of 
2004.                                                                 

Contact: http://www.theamenta.com


The Dillinger Escape Plan - _Miss Machine _  (Relapse Records, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit  (9 out of 10)

Finally it's all starting to make perfect sense. When  The  Dillinger 
Escape Plan hooked up with eccentric oddball and  one-time  Faith  No 
More frontman Mike Patton two years ago for  the  _Irony  Is  a  Dead 
Scene_ EP, it left many people speculating as to the  extent  of  his 
creative input in the effort. This was mainly due to the fact that up 
until said effort, Dillinger's relationship with melody had  at  best 
been whimsical; but as it turns out, the four songs recorded with Mr. 
Patton were the stepping stones to bigger and arguably better things, 
as is amply evidenced on _Miss Machine_.                              

In case it wasn't clear enough,  _Miss  Machine_  introduces  a  very 
different Dillinger. Although the  mathcore  mayhem  of  _Calculating 
Infinity_ still occupies a seat at the head of  the  creative  table, 
DEP have taken a more measured and mature approach this  time  round, 
juxtaposing liberal amounts of groove against the sonic madness. That 
is only the half of their progression though.  On  "Setting  Fire  to 
Sleeping Giants", new boy Greg Puciato  shows  off  his  Patton-esque 
crooning skills to great effect on a chorus that is as simple  as  it 
is mind-bendingly ingenious. There's simmering electronica that leads 
the listener down the coal-black wind-tunnel of  "Phone  Home".  And, 
lest one forget -- the (arguable)  highlight  of  the  album  in  the 
chugging grit of "Van Damsel".                                        

Of course, it's almost unavoidable that ten steps  forward  for  this 
band are going to equate to twenty steps in the wrong direction for a 
few elitists -- afraid that -their- band is going to be heard by more 
than five people. But if burning a  few  bridges  is  what  it  takes 
to produce something of  this  extraordinary  quality,  then  I  say: 
"Blowtorches at the ready!"                                           

Contact: http://www.dillingerescapeplan.com


Vader - _The Beast_  (Metal Blade, 2004)
by: Jackie Smit  (7 out of 10)

Let's face facts here: a new Vader disc is no  longer  the  event  it 
used to be. Hark back to the days of _Black to the Blind_, and it was 
a different matter entirely. Like their heroes in  Slayer,  the  band 
were clearly at the peak of their  powers  three  albums  into  their 
career, and (as  with  Slayer)  they  have  been  riding  a  steadily 
declining creative slope ever since. But  where  their  last  effort, 
_Revelations_, was a lazy, misguided attempt,  _The  Beast_  actually 
kicks things back into gear for the Polish quartet somewhat.  Similar 
in sound and style to their coup de grace, _De Profundis_, this is  a 
record with a lot to prove in terms of the band's staying  power  and 
the continued legitimacy of  their  daunting  reputation  --  and  it 
certainly launches an impressive attempt at  doing  so,  with  tracks 
like "Dark Transmission" and "Insomnia" presenting a  welcome  change 
from the blast/chug/blast  formula  of  their  last  studio  outings. 
Despite the uncharacteristically soothing opening  to  "Choices"  and 
the quasi-epic "The Sea Came In At  Last"  however,  _The  Beast_  is 
simply not up to building the momentum necessary  make  this  a  bona 
fide return to form for the band. A fine example of traditional death 
metal without a shadow of a doubt --  but  simply  not  in  the  same 
challenging league as bands like Behemoth and The Amenta.             

Contact: http://www.vader.pl


Various - _Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal_
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)  (Peaceville, 2004)

As  a  prelude  of  sorts  to  Darkthrone's  recently  formed  Tyrant 
Syndicate  label  (whose  releases  will   be   distributed   through 
Peaceville),  Darkthrone  legend  Fenriz  has   put   together   this 
compilation -- which  is  actually  getting  released  by  Peaceville 
rather than Tyrant. The premise seems interesting: take  one  of  the 
metal underground's most respected names, and get him to pick a bunch 
of tracks that he views as "the  best  of  old-school  black  metal", 
which is just  his  area  of  expertise.  If  you  already  are  into 
old-school black metal, then this review can probably be  reduced  to 
the track list: Blasphemy - "Winds o the  Black  Godz";  Sarcofago  - 
"Satanic Lust"; Celtic Frost - "Dawn of Megiddo"; Nattefrost - "Sluts 
of Hell";  Mercyful  Fate  -  "Evil";  Sodom  -  "Burst  Command  Til 
War"; Tormentor - "Elisabeth Bathory"; Aura  Noir  -  "Blood  Unity"; 
Destruction - "Curse of the Gods"; Samael  -  "Into  the  Pentagram"; 
Bulldozer - "Whisky Time"; Mayhem - "The Freezing Moon"; Hellhammer - 
"The Third of the Storms"; Burzum - "Ea, Lord of the Deeps"; Venom  - 
"Warhead"; Bathory - "Dies Irae".                                     

A couple of politically correct decisions seem apparent: Fenriz's own 
band Darkthrone does not feature in the  comp,  and  Bathory's  "Dies 
Irae" was chosen to close the disc (one can assume this was done as a 
tribute of sorts to the recently departed  Quorthon).  On  the  other 
hand, Burzum and Mayhem appearing in the same track  listing  may  be 
somewhat surprising. Most of the tracks will be familiar to those who 
are firmly into the genre, with the glaring  exception  of  the  more 
recent Nattefrost and Aura Noir tracks. While Fenriz does  have  some 
link or another  to  both  bands,  their  songs  do  provide  a  good 
representation of old-school black metal being done today. As for the 
classic tracks, several of them are difficult to  argue  with,  while 
some fans will make a case for some  missing  tracks  or  bands;  but 
generally a good view of old-school black metal is  provided  in  the 
compilation. The flow of the compilation is hardly very smooth, which 
isn't surprising given the diversity of  material  it  contains;  the 
actual listening experience, much as it  has  a  number  of  historic 
highlights, is only average. The main problem, however,  is  that  if 
you're already a genre connoisseur, then you  are  unlikely  to  find 
much (if any) relevant material to add to your collection here -- and 
in that case, the rating above does not apply. If, on the other hand, 
you simply want to find out more about this genre,  then  this  is  a 
good place to begin your quest --  you'd  struggle  to  find  a  more 
trustworthy guide than Fenriz in this matter.                         

Contact: http://www.peaceville.com


Velvet Cacoon - _Genevieve_  (Full Moon Productions, 2004)
by: Todd DePalma  (9 out of 10)

_Genevieve_ is  the  first  officially  sanctioned  release  of  this 
Portland, USA based group that has been the subject  (more  than  the 
cause) of much (online) speculation and conversation. One hopes  this 
autumn release can now control  the  faceless  storm  of  housewife's 
gossip that has centered around who they  are,  their  unconventional 
recording techniques, and what they stand  for  --  oddly,  the  most 
ripples have been created by this last small "mystery".               

Upon release of this album the band has openly  described  itself  as 
"Eco-Fascist"; this alluringly recursive term is subjectively applied 
to different  environmental  groups'  activities,  but  is  primarily 
affixed to  the  writings  of  Finnish  philosopher  Pentti  Linkola. 
Without steering too far from caveat into  lecture,  I'll  note  only 
that it is a unique ideology based on  curtailing  humanity  for  the 
purpose of a holistic preservation. Suffice to say, anyone  who  owns 
an album by certain and numerous black metal,  folk  or  Pagan  metal 
artists from Norway, Poland or the Czech Republic for  starters,  yet 
is still irked  by  the  romanticism  of  nature  within  their  grim 
microcosm, has let little else but their wallet absorb  the  totality 
of the past decade. But this description, which has turned out to  be 
more loaded than it should be, is only legible  from  the  Full  Moon 
Productions website (fmp666.com); there are no interviews as  of  yet 
that the band has used to promote their viewpoint and  there  are  no 
lyrics within the purposely minimal design of the CD  booklet,  which 
leaves any arguments or  propaganda  therein  represented  purely  by 
sound.                                                                

Ultra-fuzz distortion flows throughout seven tracks in  contemplative 
mid-tempo chord progressions that are defined by the warm crackle  of 
the "Dieselharp": a guitar that is  literally  fuelled  by  gasoline. 
This invention produces something like a cross between Abyssic Hate's 
_Suicidal Emotions_ release and the  bleak  reverb  of  Mayhem's  _De 
Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_. The actual compositions  reflect  a  similar 
minimalist influence.                                                 

It is not long into the opening piece, "1", before  the  listener  is 
brought into  contact  with  Velvet  Cacoon's  most  bizarre  musical 
adjustment, which dissolves the song's more traditional rhythms  into 
an ambient void that has little in common with  black  metal  or  any 
other genre -- it's more like sonar. If there was  anything  I  could 
immediately compare  this  atmosphere  with,  it  would  be  Burzum's 
"Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Saule Der Singularitat", but this is 
something much more unique and refined; as  the  second  track  "P.S. 
Nautical" further hints, the direction is concentrated on achieving a 
new kind of elemental effect, something that  the  band  succeeds  at 
remarkably with their strange hydrophonic blend.                      

The vocals, which often sound like some kind of vampiric gurgle,  are 
featured relatively low in the mix, periodically  interjected  within 
the  sea  of  steadily  programmed  drum  machine  and  static  riffs 
traced by a soft hue of keyboards, influencing  a  tasteful  aura  of 
submerging, or weightlessness (there is a one-word key to the  band's 
narcotic affinities written  inside  the  cover  sleeve  giving  more 
insight into the  themes  this  album  is  predicated  upon).  Midway 
through _Genevieve_ a more tragic design surfaces in  "Laudanum",  an 
intricately brooding piece with an unsung chorus  of  crashing  moods 
very reminiscent of Blut Aus Nord's style  renovation  on  _The  Work 
Which Transforms God_. The more "black metal"  portion  of  this  set 
ends in the title track; sinisterly creeping but forceful,  the  song 
violates with a  stealth  grace  that  affirms  itself  while  paying 
tribute  to  the  second  wave  (of  which  it  is  one  of  the  few 
consequences to be appreciated today). Seventeen minutes  of  further 
marine-like drifting conclude the album.                              

The fusion of these numerous developments generates  a  deep,  living 
structure of music (more classical than most) that contains  a  basic 
melody riding over an assemblage of  furtive  noises  and  deviations 
within the whole,  each  harmonizing  to  create  an  orchestra  that 
smoothly vibrates only a small percentage  above  non-existence.  The 
charm of _Genevieve_ then, for this reviewer at least,  is  contained 
in the lingering state of imagination induced by both its direct  and 
apparent sound -- whose formation approaches the cosmic.              

Contact: http://blazing.ws/main/legions/velvetcacoon/
         velvetcacoon-main.htm


Virgin Black - _Elegant... And Dying_  (The End Records, 2003)
by: Alvin Wee  (7 out of 10)

Attempting to approximate the monstrous grandiloquence  of  early  My 
Dying Bride, these Aussie  doom-troopers  have  crafted  a  sophomore 
album  brimming  with  musical   refinement,   if   not   innovation. 
Songwriting  is  heavy  on  orchestral  elements  (particularly   the 
piano  and  cello)  and,  coupled  with  the  obligatory  steamroller 
riffs, creates a  very  elegant  gothic  ambience  bordering  on  the 
sophisticated. Drawn-out phrases  and  minimalist  acoustic  sections 
make proceedings feel somewhat lethargic, but passages of magnificent 
orchestral bombast often come to the  rescue  at  the  right  moment, 
drenching the listener in gothic veils of emotion.                    

Of particular note is guitarist Samantha Escarbe's poignant  playing; 
her expressive lead passages a perfect unity  of  lachrymose  passion 
and shimmering brilliance. Rowan London's lugubrious wailing might be 
an acquired taste, but his mediocre impersonation of Messiah Marcolin 
somehow seems to bolster the album's air of  forsaken  grandeur  very 
well. It's a very atmospheric album overall, but  its  eccentricities 
make listening to it in anything other  than  the  perfectly  attuned 
state of mind futile.                                                 

Contact: http://www.theendrecords.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                        __, __, _, _  _,  _,
                        | \ |_  |\/| / \ (_ 
                        |_/ |   |  | \ / , )
                        ~   ~~~ ~  ~  ~   ~ 

Scoring: 5 out of 5 -- A flawless demo
         4 out of 5 -- Great piece of work
         3 out of 5 -- Good effort
         2 out of 5 -- A major overhaul is in order
         1 out of 5 -- A career change is advisable


Delirium X Tremens - _Cyberhuman_
by: Jackie Smit  (3.5 out of 5)

It's just a tad presumptious of Delirium X Tremens to bill themselves 
as "technological death metal hate", particularly when  you  consider 
that save for an odd vocal effect or two, there's very little on this 
demo to  actually  drive  home  their  theme  of  man's  increasingly 
parasitic relationship with the machines. Instead what we  have  here 
is prototype old school death metal,  played  with  enough  technical 
chops and conviction to convince one of Delirium X  Tremens'  ability 
to get the job done in the near future, but at the moment is somewhat 
uninspired.                                                           

Contact: http://www.deliriumxtremens.com


Mors In Tabula - _Promo CD 2004_
by: Jackie Smit  (4.5 out of 5)

The stunning cover artwork might have tipped me off  to  the  quality 
contained on this preview of the band's  forthcoming  full-length  -- 
_Blemish_ -- but the truth of the matter is that this Greek outfit is 
definitely more substance  than  style.  Playing  what  can  only  be 
described as traditional death metal as reinvisioned by  a  group  of 
electro terrorists,  Mors  In  Tabula's  music  is  so  sweeping  and 
expansive that the CD's rather flat production hardly  begins  to  do 
the music justice. Nevertheless, with the exception of the hokey "Eye 
of the Abyss", this is pure aural hatred at  its  most  eclectic  and 
inventive, which may not quite  please  those  of  more  conservative 
tastes, but it has most definitely impressed the hell out of me.      

Contact: http://www.morsintabula.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                             _, _  _,  _,
                            / _ | / _ (_ 
                            \ / | \ / , )
                             ~  ~  ~   ~ 

                   A   B E A U T E O U S   R I O T
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              Krisiun, Behemoth, Incantation & Ragnarok
              @ The Underworld, London, 25 October 2004
                           by: Jackie Smit


It's a clash of the demigods indeed,  as  the  Camden  Underworld  is 
literally packed to the rafters this evening to see the long  overdue 
return of Krisiun and Behemoth to English soil --  the  high  turnout 
being particularly surprising in light of the fact that current metal 
darlings Mastodon are performing a headline show just a  few  minutes 
down the road.                                                        

But this is about brutal death metal after all, and it is therefore a 
rather curious decision of the promoters to stick pagan  black  metal 
quartet Ragnarok at the foot end of the bill. Predictably their brand 
of extremity is not quite on the same page as that of  the  audience, 
and the reception is subsequently rather vapid. But none more so than 
for veteran deathsters Incantation -- a  band  who  seem  perpetually 
incapable of penning a decent song.  Regardless  of  how  technically 
virtuous the Philadelphian collective may be, the fact of the  matter 
is that they have and seemingly always will be heavily lacking in the 
all-important x-factor; a point which their latest effort,  _Decimate 
Christendom_, proves ad infinitum -- and  tonight's  set  never  once 
looks toward bucking that trend either.                               

Not so with Behemoth  however.  The  roar  of  approval  that  greets 
Poland's new favorite sons is deafening, as  they  kick  things  into 
gear with "Antichristian Phenomenon". Unfortunately, what  turns  out 
to be on-stage monitor woes dampen the potentially devastating effect 
of "Here & Below", "Decade Ov Therion" and "Conquer  All",  with  the 
band turning in some uncharacteristically sloppy performances. Still, 
even at a level below their usually impeccable  standard,  the  crowd 
lap up every bile-soaked moment, and an ever-inimitable Nergal repays 
in kind with a performance that borders on aberration.                

But tonight -- despite  the  fact  that  a  sizeable  amount  of  the 
audience  follow  suit  after  Behemoth's  departure  --  belongs  to 
Krisiun. Given that  this  is  my  first  live  experience  with  the 
Brazilian trio, I'm unsure of what to expect until  the  band  launch 
into "Thorns of Heaven" and almost have me convinced that I am  about 
witness the greatest death metal spectacle of my 24 years. Of course, 
any doubts that remain are  immediately  obliterated  when  the  band 
follow this up with the skull-crushing numbers like "Ominous", "Slain 
Fate", "Eons",  "Murderer",  "Dawn  of  Flagellation"  and  "Ethereal 
World". Intentions are made clear  early  on:  Alex  Camargo  proudly 
announces that the band are here to play "the  brutal  death  metal". 
Not that we ever doubted  that,  mind.  But  it's  when  Max  Kolesne 
delivers a stunning impromptu drum solo that you realize that Krisiun 
are possibly one of the most vital forces in extreme music right  now 
-- a band who perhaps  more  than  any  other  plays  for  the  sheer 
incandescent love of playing and nothing else. And say what you  will 
for their recorded output -- a topic which continues to  divide  fans 
across the globe -- but to quote a great man: "I piddy the foo's  who 
have to follow a Krisiun set!"                                        

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

               BACK FROM THE DEAD (FOR GOOD, WE HOPE)
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                Obituary, Master & Visceral Bleeding
          @ The Electric Ballroom, London, 20 October 2004
                           by: Jackie Smit


Hindsight may be 20-20, but I've always predicted that Obituary would 
one day decide to cast their lots back into  the  death  metal  game. 
Considering the preference for technical over groove-based these days 
though, one may be tempted to say that their reunion has come a  year 
or two late; but for tonight  at  least,  the  Electric  Ballroom  is 
filled to capacity with  punters  ready  to  see  whether  the  Tampa 
collective can still cut the mustard.                                 

Sweden's Visceral Bleeding has first dibs on kicking the  crowd  into 
gear however, and unfortunately the brunt  of  their  ultra-technical 
attack ends up being lost beneath a very muddy mix. Which is just  as 
well,  since  the  likes  of  "Fury  Unleashed"  and  "Clenched  Fist 
Obedience" are  remarkably  devoid  of  even  the  slightest  bit  of 
originality -- to the point where the band's departure  is  a  relief 
rather than a fond farewell?                                          

Chicago veterans Master fare no better. Their staid  brand  of  death 
'n' punk brings about the same level of exhilaration as one gets from 
watching the grass grow. Their 40-minute set covers the  majority  of 
their back catalogue aptly, and at least half the crowd seems  to  be 
quite taken with their efforts, despite  guitarist  Alex  Nejezchleba 
looking less than thrilled  to  be  on  stage.  But  as  far  as  I'm 
concerned, when  you're  mentally  balancing  your  monthly  domestic 
budget halfway  through  a  band's  performance,  something  is  most 
definitely amiss.                                                     

Thankfully, very little is missing from Obituary's performance.  From 
the moment they take to the stage this evening, the 600-strong  crowd 
is left in awe as the band shred through the  likes  of  "Threatening 
Skies", "Cause of Death", "Download" and  "Turned  Inside  Out"  like 
they never left us for the better part of a decade. John Tardy is all 
smiles  as  he  snarls  his  way  through  a  surprise  rendition  of 
"Dethroned Emperor", and with absolutely stunning airings of "By  the 
Light" and "Back  From  the  Dead"  adding  to  an  already  pleasing 
setlist, one could argue that the band sound even tighter  than  they 
did on their 1998 live effort _Dead_.                                 

Sure,  tonight's  performance  doesn't  include  any  hint  of   what 
Obituary's next full-length will offer; but this is sure  to  provide 
ample reason for another tour in the near future, which is  hardly  a 
bad thing considering the  aural  pummeling  the  band  unleashed  on 
London this evening.                                                  

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

             SLIPKNOT VS SLAYER 2: MANDATORY MAGGOTCIDE
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              Slipknot, Slayer, Hatebreed and Mastodon
        October 10th 2004, Hammersmith Carling Apollo, London
                          by: Adam Lineker


There are many angles from which one can view a metal gig, but I  was 
taken aback to find myself at the very top  of  the  Apollo,  a  semi 
comfortable theatre with a dull red paint  job.  I  had  never  quite 
looked down on a performance from as high as this before, and I could 
barely hear the music leaking out of the PA,  so  it  was  with  some 
trepidation that I waited for Mastodon to take to the stage.          

They appeared fairly early and were met with a mix  of  half  hearted 
cheers and ignorant booing  from  the  young  and  Slipknot  friendly 
audience. Mastodon didn't even appear fazed by this, and after giving 
a brief wave they plugged in and bludgeoned the  crowd  into  silence 
with a crushing opening number. By the time they segued  effortlessly 
into "March of the Fire Ants" the crowd were warming up; by  the  end 
of the song they  were  cheering.  Oh  fickle  young  moshers.  Being 
restricted to a criminally short set, Mastodon performed  competently 
and with an enthusiasm obvious  even  from  my  lofty  seat.  Bassist 
frontman Troy Sanders proved to be the band's physical  focal  point, 
mixing charisma with vibrant shape throwing.  Brann  Dailor's  almost 
freeform drumming didn't cut through as well as I'd hoped, but it was 
still audible enough to marvel at. In no time  at  all  the  foursome 
chugged out _Leviathan_ opener "Blood and Thunder"  and  vacated  the 
stage, leaving the crowd evidently wanting more. As disappointed as I 
was to see them go so soon, I couldn't help but see it as  a  triumph 
for Mastodon, who must have made a lot of new friends on this tour.   

Are Hatebreed really dull and obvious or am I missing something? I've 
never been so bored at a gig  as  I  was  waiting  for  Hatebreed  to 
finish. Not only did they carve out a set of monodynamic,  one  trick 
material, but they went on for over twice  as  long  as  Mastodon.  I 
couldn't get into their semi-hardcore metal groove. To me it was just 
boring riffs and a man in a cap shouting a lot, but rest of the crowd 
were really up for  it,  giving  the  band  a  hero's  reception  and 
interacting with the material. I can't really  explain  why,  but  as 
people got up and began to throw shapes, I sat down in  my  seat  and 
waited for it to end. Maybe it was because Slayer were  on  next,  or 
maybe it was because Hatebreed were uninteresting.  This  bill  would 
have been so much better if someone had  invited  The  Haunted  along 
instead.                                                              

Last time I saw Slayer, they left a bad taste in my mouth with  their 
arrogant stage conduct  and  complacent  demeanour.  I  had  no  such 
complaint tonight. As the lights  went  down  and  "The  Darkness  of 
Christ" hissed from the PA, the atmosphere climbed to fever pitch and 
broke as three distinctive figures strode out onto  the  smoky  stage 
and slammed into a crushing "Disciple". The opening couplet  of  this 
number and "War Ensemble" is a tried and tested attack, but it  still 
took my breath away, Dave Lombardo's drumming reducing  me  to  tears 
for the second time this year. The  band  maintained  their  momentum 
with an awesome rendition  of  "Mandatory  Suicide"  and  then  threw 
out a total curveball  with  the  rarely  played  _Hell  Awaits_  cut 
"Necrophiliac". Unfortunately the sound became  rather  mushy  and  I 
couldn't appreciate this as much as I'd have  liked.  The  airing  of 
lame ducks "Stain of Mind" and "Bloodline" momentarily took the  wind 
out of my sails, but this was quickly restored with a gripping  "Dead 
Skin Mask". The rest of the set saw Slayer thrash out a selection  of 
classic cuts, and ending with a _Reign in  Blood_  triple  onslaught, 
during which they actually rained blood (red liquid?) from  the  roof 
of the stage. This was one of the finest  performances  I  have  seen 
from Slayer, and special mention goes to Tom Araya, who delivered the 
best vocal performance that I've ever heard from him; I think he even 
hit the falsetto shriek at the start of "Angel of Death". My faith in 
Slayer has been well and truly restored.                              

So,  how  were  Slipknot  going  to  follow  such  a   life-affirming 
performance? I'd already given my  all  during  Slayer,  but  it  was 
nauseatingly apparent that Slipknot had the majority  of  support  in 
the crowd. Unfortunately Slipknot just couldn't cut it and, despite a 
faithfully ecstatic response, they seemed  to  flounder  amongst  the 
awkwardness of their setlist and  an  appallingly  muddy  sound.  The 
gremlins were clearly at work on this night, with one of the  members 
losing their mask (and  running  off  stage)  and  one  of  the  band 
actually not being there due to illness; I'd be lying if I said  that 
I  could  notice  the  difference.  The  band  tried  hard,  and  the 
performances of Corey, Joey and Mick were commendable, but  something 
about the Slipknot spectacle  seemed  half  hearted;  the  band  were 
having a  rough  time  and  they  knew  it.  The  onstage  chaos  was 
definitely dumbed down, with only Sid's repeated  flying  head  butts 
into The Clown worthy of mention. Worst of all, Slipknot were victims 
of the dreaded 'new material' problem. Of course they have to promote 
their current album, but missing out a plethora of fan favourites  in 
favour of some more 'sensitive' songs was never going to  be  a  good 
idea. When the roadies rolled out the  timpani  for  a  rendition  of 
"Iowa", a punter behind  me  got  an  audible  laugh,  as  he  loudly 
exclaimed "Oh fuck me! It's Pink Floyd!". Prog  pretensions  or  not, 
the prime cuts of Slipknot's set had the impact sucked out of them in 
the mix, while the quieter songs were  simply  uninteresting.  Bereft 
of any vibe  or  soul,  the  Iowan  nonet  looked  like  a  bunch  of 
confused men at a Halloween party, rather than  important  mainstream 
representatives of heavy music. And I actually like Slipknot.         

Tellingly, the loudest cheer of the night was  reserved  for  Slayer, 
when Corey paid a fitting verbal tribute. An unsatisfying  end  to  a 
concert, maybe, but I left a happy man, having witnessed Slayer stamp 
their undeniable authority all over heavy music once again.  And  the 
hordes of Maggots present knew it too.                                

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            W H A T   W E   H A V E   C R A N K E D ! ! !
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pedro Azevedo's Top 5

1. Katatonia - _Viva Emptiness_
2. Skepticism - _Lead and Aether_
3. My Dying Bride - _The Angel and the Dark River_
4. Burzum - _Filosofem_
5. Mastodon - _Leviathan_

Aaron McKay's Top 5

1. Hanzel und Gretyl - _Scheissmessiah_
2. Bethlehem - _Mein Weg_
3. The Amenta - _Occasus_
4. Ancient - _Night Visit_
5. Napalm Death - _Leaders Not Followers: Part 2_

Alvin Wee's Top 5

1. Astriaal - _Renascent Misanthropy_
2. Derniere Volonte - _Commemoration_
3. Jag Panzer - _Casting the Stones_
4. Mysticum - _Lost Masters of the Universe_
5. Absurd - _Raubritter_

Quentin Kalis' Top 5

1. Therion - _Lemuria / Sirius B_
2. Nokturnal Mortum - _Twilightfall_
3. The Meads of Asphodel - _Exhuming the Grave of Yeshua_
4. Various - _The Night and the Fog II_
5. Changes - _Fire of Life_

Jackie Smit's Top 5

1. Marduk - _Plague Angel_
2. Krisiun - _Bloodshed_
3. Pig Destroyer - _Terrifyer_
4. Agnostic Front - _Another Voice_
5. Obituary - _Dead_

Todd DePalma's Top 5

1. Belphegor - _Lucifer Incestus_
2. Encrimson'd - _Agrarian Menace_
3. Velvet Cacoon - _Genevieve_
4. Heldentum - _Waffenweihe_
5. Bathory - _Blood, Fire, Death_

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DESCRIPTION
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Chronicles  of  Chaos  is  a  FREE  monthly  magazine  electronically
distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews,
album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages  of  Chronicles
of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of
chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to  electronic/noise
to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles  of  Chaos  is  dedicated
to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #79

All contents copyright  (c)  1995-2004  by  individual  creators  of 
included work. All rights reserved.
All  opinions  expressed  herein  are  those  of   the   individuals 
expressing them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of  anyone 
else.                                                                

